Page 142

Torin tripped on a body then scrambled to his feet, swinging. He glanced about and the dead littering the rock base, were many. He lunged forward, evading a blade so close he could feel the wind on his cheek. He evaded, parried, then swung, decapitating his foe. He wiped at his bloody face with the back of his hand, then jumped back in the nick of time, a blade slicing into his shirt. He spun to face the Affiliate who was twice his weight, their blades clashing high overhead as they locked eyes, face to face, gut to gut, growling. Torin kneed him in the groin, ducked a flying blade and slashed the giant across the gut, intestines spilling. He jumped straight up, a look of shock on the immortal’s face as Torin swung and decapitated him.
Suddenly Val and Gage were at his side. “They were waiting, it’s an ambush!” Val shouted, “We’ve already lost a lot of men!”
Torin swung, blood spraying as they plowed forward; the wails of death resounding. He gripped his blade tightly scanning the battle. In his periphery he caught the blur of flying steel. He ducked, strands of hair ripped from his scalp. He leapt like a cat, then readied a swing, eyes on an African Affiliate. From nowhere, Milos rushed in with a growl and sent the African’s head rolling, ribbons of blood behind.
“They caught us by surprise!” Milos shouted, “but what did I tell you? Easy work once we got down to it.”
Torin watched, Garret’s defenses collapsing. Iridescents overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the invading army fleeing.
“That was easy…too easy,” Torin said.
Suddenly fog lights from atop the mansion spotlighted the battlefield.
Torin and Milos, flanked by the Iridescent army, moved forward, wading among the dead. They plowed right up to the mansion, the fog swirling thick, but not enough to hide Garret, standing on the second story balcony with Donja in his arms, a dagger to her neck.
“Stop!” Torin shouted, his heart in his throat. He saw Zaroc join his father’s side.
“We had a deal, Antonio!” Garret bellowed, his voice echoing. “A Chippewa female to trade for this one. Do I cut her throat and we continue this battle or do we trade?”
From the fog Anna emerged. Torin noticed Milos was gone.
“Don’t harm her!” Anna shouted. “I’m here, Garret, willing to take her place. I can give you the child you desire.”
“Not him, me!” Zaroc shouted. He threw his head back, nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air. He dropped his head with a side glance to Garret. “She’s unmarked, ripe and she’s of the Durent Clan. I must have her!”
“I can smell her,” Garrett barked. “Mancini. Give us the bitch and you can have this pregnant one back.”
“Send her down here!” Anna cried out. “I will not come or submit until I see that she is safe.” She pulled a concealed dagger from her sleeve and raised it to her chest. “Trick us or injure her and I kill myself Garret.”
“No, don’t!” Zaroc wailed lunging forward to grip the bannister.
“No way!” Garret wailed forcing Donja to dangle over the bannister.
Torin growled, but Val seized him. “Don’t get her killed, brother,” he whispered.
“This is how this works!” Garret roared. “Move all your men five hundred yards away, Antonio. I’ll do the same with mine. Zaroc will bring Donja to this other bitch once she is alone. What’s your name Chippewa?”
“Anna,” she cried.
“Anna, it is,” he chuckled.
“Do as he ask!” Anna said turning to face Antonio.
“Move it out!” Antonino commanded, “you heard him, five hundred yards.”
The Affiliates dispersed.
Anna stood alone with a ghostly fog coiling around her. At her side, Milos masked his scent, invisible.
“It’s done,” Antonio called out.”
“Move back, Antonio!” Garret roared. “I have sharp-shooters on the women. One false move and they die!”
Antonio moved a safe distance, analyzing the situation.
Zaroc, with Donja in hand, left the balcony and descended the stairs, moving slowly toward them. Nearing Anna with dense fog creeping, Donja’s face came into view. Her cheek was bruised, and her right eye was blackened and swollen tight. “You bastard, you beat her,” Anna cried.
“It wasn’t me,” Zaroc scoffed, “I never harmed her.”