No, her scream was that of pure terror as the baby was ripped from her arms by unseen hands and left hovering in midair.
Frantically she struggled to free herself from the invisible bonds that kept her pressed to the side of the tunnel. Gods. This couldn’t be happening. She’d devoted so many years to keeping Maluhia hidden. How could fate be so cruel as to take him from her now?
Distantly she was aware that Tane was rushing in her direction, along with another vampire … Jaelyn? But, it didn’t matter.
He wasn’t going to arrive in time to stop Sergei.
Confirming her greatest fear, the mage stepped forward, briefly glancing toward Marika, almost as if hoping to discover she’d been overcome by the Sylvermyst.
His lips twisted as the bitch vampire ignored her numerous wounds and lifted the battered fey over her head to launch him down the tunnel, laughing as his body landed in an awkward heap.
No need to guess who was winning that particular battle.
As if the sight was enough to prompt him into action, Sergei waved his hand toward the baby still floating in the air. Laylah swore as the shield that protected Maluhia pulsed and shimmered.
Whatever he was doing it was obviously disturbing the stasis spell.
Terror blasted through her, stirring her blood and pumping a much needed boost of adrenaline through her body.
With a fierce effort she strained against the power that held her captive. With a sudden wrench, she managed to break free and tumbled to the hard ground. She cursed as her knees cracked against the stone, but with one motion she was surging to her feet and heading toward the mage.
She had to stop whatever he was doing. She had to …
Taking less than a half dozen steps, Laylah was brought to a painful halt as a slender hand wrapped around her neck and she was jerked off her feet.
“Don’t be a fool,” her aunt warned. “If you disturb the spell the child will die.”
Laylah reached up to grab Marika’s arm, wrapping her fingers around the forearm that was deceptively delicate.
“I’d rather he be dead than used in your sick plans,” she gasped, the crushing grip making it impossible to breathe.
“You’re too late, dear Laylah.” Her aunt’s laughter brushed over her skin with a biting chill. “At last I shall have all that I deserve.”
“Oh, you’re definitely going to get what you deserve.”
Laylah closed her eyes, concentrating on the feel of Marika’s skin beneath her palm. She couldn’t overpower the vampire even under the best of circumstances, but she could damned well make her regret squeezing her like she was an empty tube of toothpaste.
Gritting her teeth, she released the power she’d gathered.
She hadn’t expected grand explosions, or point eight on the Richter scale. But the sparks of electricity that danced down her arm were barely enough to shock a dew fairy.
Desperately she struggled to dredge up the last of her strength, only to come up empty. She was drained. Empty.
Her heart faltered, her gaze shifting to where the baby was surrounded by a thousand shimmering lights.
Any moment the stasis spell would be destroyed and the child would become a helpless vessel to be filled with the evil spirit of the Dark Lord.
Screaming in frustration, Laylah dug her nails into Marika’s flesh. It couldn’t end this way. She wouldn’t allow it.
She wouldn’t.
Lost in her sickening sense of failure, it took a moment for Laylah to catch the scent of burning skin.
Bewildered, she glanced down to where she still clutched at the vampire’s arm. Holy crap. The faint sparks were now small, jagged bolts of lightning that were spearing into Marika with devastating results.
She frowned.
What the heck?
The power wasn’t coming from her. Or at least…
Laylah sucked in a shocked breath.
She was accustomed to the surge of energy coming from deep inside her. It was how her powers had always worked, no matter how unpredictable.
Now, however, she realized that she was filtering the power. There was no other means to describe it.
Just like a true Jinn she was absorbing the natural forces that surrounded her. The air, the earth, even the frozen water that clung to cracks and crevices, was seeping inside her, not precisely restoring her powers, but instead flowing out of her body and creating the electrical jolts that filled the air.
She shook her head, not taking time to ponder the unexpected turn of events.
It wasn’t the first time a sudden ability had appeared, although rarely when she actually needed it. She wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
With no control, Laylah had no choice but to allow the power to flood through her, the intensity growing with every heartbeat.
Marika’s fingers tightened on her throat, clearly attempting to snap her neck, but, with a direct reaction to the threat, Laylah’s powers struck out. The female vampire cursed, forced to drop Laylah and retreat several steps.
“You can’t defeat me,” she hissed.
Laylah struggled to keep her balance, shocked by the sight of Marika.
The hand that held her captive was blackened and shriveled, as if it had been stuck in an industrial fire, while there were several other burns scattered over her body.
She’d managed to do a lot more damage than she’d initially realized. Thank God.
She was so weary she could barely stand upright. She could only hope her spanking new abilities would be enough to put an end to the bitch.
“We’re about to find out,” she muttered.
“Stubborn,” Marika snarled, her dark eyes smoldering with hatred. “So like your mother.”
Her chin tilted. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Marika charged forward, slamming Laylah into the wall of the tunnel.
“Why?” the vampire gritted. “She lost. I broke her and now I’m going to break you.”
Without considering the consequences, Laylah curled up her hand and punched the nasty woman directly in the nose.
She didn’t possess a vampire’s strength, but there was a satisfying crunch of cartilage and a spurt of blood as her fist connected.
That one was for her mother.
“No, she didn’t lose,” she hissed. “She will defy you to her dying breath. Just as I will.”
Sharp claws sliced through Laylah’s upper chest and raked down her stomach, ripping through her flesh with a painful ease.
“Continue to battle me and I will make certain that her dying breath happens sooner rather than later,” Marika warned.
Laylah shook her head, gritting her teeth against the agony. Tane had already assured her that Victor’s servant was in the process of rescuing her mother. There wasn’t a damned thing Marika could do to halt him.
“I doubt that.”
“I no longer have need of her. She is … expendable.” Marika mockingly ran her tongue down the intimidating length of her fang. “Unless you concede defeat.”
Laylah narrowed her eyes. The vampire had to be even weaker than she’d first suspected if she was trying to negotiate an end to their battle.
Lifting her hands toward her aunt’s face, Laylah was profoundly relieved when the female hastily backed from her touch.
She could feel the blood dripping down her body from her wounds and she knew she would soon be on her knees. Or worse.
She would have to strike quickly if she intended to survive long enough to rescue her baby.
“Never,” she swore, cautiously advancing.
Marika slashed her hand through the air, slicing open Laylah’s forehead.
Laylah swiped away the blood, recognizing the wound wasn’t deep. Yet another sign of the vamp’s weakness?
“You are willing to sacrifice your mother for this hopeless attempt to save the child?”
“My mother is currently being rescued by a very handsome vampire.”
Genuine outrage flared through the dark eyes. Marika didn’t like the thought of her sister escaping her clutches.
“You lie.”
“Well, Uriel can’t compare to Tane, but what man does?” Laylah taunted. “Still, he’s …”
With a screech, Marika launched herself forward. “You brat. You interfering, ill-bred mongrel.”
“Ill-bred?” Laylah ducked, barely escaping the fangs that snapped a mere breath from her throat. She smacked her hands against Marika’s chest, feeling the electrical current race through her and scorch the vampire’s silk top. “I thought you went to a great deal of trouble to breed me?”
Marika cried out, once again forced to step back as her skin began to smoke. “I created an abomination.”
Laylah instinctively flinched, before lifting her chin in a gesture of defiance. She didn’t give a crap what this lunatic thought. Or anyone else. Tane loved her. And nothing else mattered.
“You created nothing,” she charged, discreetly leaning against the wall of the tunnel. Marika could no doubt sense her weakness, but pride demanded she at least make the attempt to disguise it. Besides, she was tired of getting smacked against the rocks. She had a vague hope if she were already pressed to the wall she could avoid a repeat performance. “Locking a lusty demon in the same room with a helpless female doesn’t really justify your god complex. But then, you’re desperate to use others to give you the power that you were denied.” Her lips curled in disgust. “Your sister. Sergei. The Dark Lord. Pathetic really.”
“Shut up.”
“Why?” Laylah prodded. She wasn’t overly excited about another round with the female, but stalling wasn’t an option. She had to provoke the vampire into a reckless attack soon or it would be too late. Either she would pass out or Sergei would complete his spell. “Does the truth hurt?”
“You …”
Clearly preparing to rip out Laylah’s throat, Marika was distracted when Sergei shouted in sudden alarm.
“Marika. Dear God.” His voice was barely recognizable. “Two.”
Compelled by the urgent fear in his words, both Marika and Laylah turned to where Sergei stood, one hand pressed to his chest and the other pointing at the child lying on the ground at his feet.
No.
Not a child. Children.
As in more than one.