Half Blood Rising

I went back to the van after ten minutes, when the back door opened, and some human came out. He looked like he worked there, so I quickly walked away, after I left Karina’s clothes by the dumpster. I thought I would appear too suspicious just standing there on my own.

“She’s in,” I said as I slid inside the van. Everyone seemed tense as the silence descended. The heavy rain had most of the tourists leaving for shelter. Maybe the weather was on our side, besides it was too late for most people. There were a lot of historical buildings around that closed their doors by eight p.m.

For a long moment, all we could hear was the rain pelting against the van. It seemed that a storm was approaching. I kept tapping my foot until Judas turned to look at me, so I stopped.

I hated this part, hated waiting, and not knowing what might happen to her. Silence ticked the minutes away. I started messing with my hair. Marco appeared as though he was using magic; he was probably practising before we had to leave. If I was half-fae, then there was still a lot I needed to learn about myself. Time slowed down, or maybe it was just me. At some point, I couldn’t take the tension any longer, so I stood up. It was still raining heavily ten minutes later.

Suddenly the van door opened, and everyone flinched, including me. Karina was soaked, but she seemed all right. She was smiling.

“How did you get here so fast?” I asked. I’d been staring at the back entrance the entire time and didn’t even see her coming out.

“Magic,” she replied, winking at me. “I told you. I’ve done this many times before, so much so, that now, no one realises when I’m back in my human form. I didn’t see Lachlan, but the vampires were talking about him. There are several ancient vamps on the lower level. There are offices on the first floor. I’ve seen a few students, too, but not sure if they’re visiting or if they live there.”

“The Elite Academy was established centuries ago,” Dimitry said, “but I never knew there was a branch in Russia. I suspect that the ancient vampires are part of the clan, but I still don’t understand how they gained access to that building.”

Maybe Leonidas had already made a deal with the councillor—well, that would explain a lot. At the same time, I kept asking myself why the clan would be keeping Lachlan there. My head started spinning a little as energy rushed through me like an invisible threat. Marco gave me another wink. He was trying to connect with me, or maybe he was giving me a boost of his power before our grand entrance.

“There are doors to the other side that lead to the basement, but we’ll have several vamps to go through,” Karina added, and then removed a blade from her boot. “They’re getting ready for some sort of ritual or initiation, so we need to hurry.”

“Our aim is to get him out of there alive. Are you ready for this? I mean, to use your magic to kill?” Dimitry asked, like he wanted to make sure we were willing to use our abilities.

Everyone nodded, and I pulled out two of my knives. Then electricity rushed through my fingers instantly. I felt good, and I was grateful to Marco for healing me.

“Lead on, female. Time is running out, and blood will be spilled tonight,” Judas said, and everyone looked at him like he’d just spoken in another language.

It was still raining damn heavily as we left the van, following Karina. We circled the building a few times. I wasn’t sure what this was about, but I trusted her. Maybe she was trying to find a better way in. I was gripping my knife tightly in my hand when we stopped by an old rusty door that was hidden behind some rubbish.

but I’d tested this theory once or twice and walked into holy places without any problems. Dimitry was pointing the flashlight at

black in the corridor, but Marco was using his internal light to lead us through. I felt like I was walking into a coffin, but soon enough, the corridor widened further, and my anxiety faded. I hated narrow paths, I kept having nightmares

unnerving once again, and for a

we were being attacked. My opponent was

of lightning power. I kicked my opponent, but he wasn’t letting go of me. Marco was throwing magic towards the group who’d appeared along the side

with you like this all day long, pretty, but first, I need

me just as I withdrew my knife, stabbing him in the gut. He roared with pain, trying to grab me again. His pupils were dilated, and the smell of blood became too overwhelming. The urge

ground, and I nearly tripped over one. Judas

was pissed. I stabbed him in the gut again, and this time, he roared with pain, adding pressure to the other side. He was

the magic around me exploded. Light flashed from my palms, and he was thrown

baffled. I hadn’t even called upon my magic,

decapitated corpses lying

and everyone was nodding. No one had been seriously injured just yet. We defeated a few,

energy. I’d never felt the urge to use the light in my hands. Not even once. I learnt everything I could on the streets, using trial and error. A lot of times, I was stabbed, cut, and even knocked out. It had been a dark time in my life, and sometimes, I asked myself how the hell I even

the tombs. This was supposedly where Lachlan was being held. Bright lights were pointing at each one. It was the basement graveyard where most vampires created their nest, fed, and had sex. A waft of cold, freezing

we going to find him

each one, he could be anywhere.” Each tomb was tightly shut, with a large entrance made of huge yellow stone the size of a car. No human could lift it without special

to move the first one,” Dimitry requested, and we all glanced at Marco.

talk about fae magic in the past, but what I saw next blew my mind. Marco brushed his hair, pulled up the sleeves of his shirt, and released a blue light that literally moved

of vampires barging out towards us, but nothing happened. Then we heard several long hissing sounds—well, it sounded like several people at once, like they were having

disabled them pretty quickly, but I’d been beaten at least twice by a few, luckily, they didn’t have a chance to drink from me. The smell was horrendous:

more of them in the others.” She had scratches all over

thinking if we had to go through this over and over until we opened each tomb, then so be it. We still had to get the hell out of here after we rescued Lachlan. I was worried about Ramona and the others. What if Oldman decided to expel

this to the High Council. They will take care of it.” He was bleeding, but his wound was closing fast. Marco had opened another tomb with his incredible magic. It was a blissful feeling, until my fangs descended. This time around, only one