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With Elsa’s help, I slammed my shoulder into the door, again and again, hoping it would give way.

ALEXANDRU AND ZARI

Fire.It rose in the night, swaying and roaring like a hungry beast.

Alexandru broke into a run, using his speed as a vampire hunter, no longer caring if humans might see him. The others followed him, Katarina just behind him a few steps. They found the entire hospital in flames, and Alexandru realized that if this was happening then her other vision might happen, too.

Everyone, go inform the enforcers about what is happening. Accompany them back to the LSL and tell them to prepare for an attack. Someone will try to burn the school down.

His men bowed and disappeared into the night.

Katarina was aghast. “But Lady Zari...”

His jaw clenched. “She would want it this way, too, Katarina. Too many lives are at stake for me to be selfish.” His gaze went back to the hospital. This was no ordinary flame. This was Hellfire, something that could kill even immortals like him.

“Stay here,” he told Katarina.

“No. I’m going to help—-”

“She saw you die—-”

“And if it will happen, it will happen. I won’t just stand by if someone needs my help.” Katarina looked at the hospital. “Just like old times, right?”

“Just don’t die on me,” he said grimly.

“Same to you, hunter.”

They looked at each other.

On the count of three,Alexandru murmured.

Katarina nodded.Three.

They burst into the broken windows, both of them wincing as the fire licked their skin. Immediately, they heard the banging on the door.

“Zari!” Alexandru shouted.

“Alexandru!” A coughing reply.

Relief slammed into him. He sped towards the door, his only thought saving his pet. But the moment he touched the knob, the spell on it came to life, blowing him straight into the fire.

The door swung open, in time for Zari to see Alexandru’s back hitting the opposite wall and falling in the middle of a burning hallway.

“Alexandru!” she screamed.

She and Elsa ran towards him, and when she reached her Master, Katarina was there, too. Together, they helped Alexandru up, who was shaky on his feet, his back badly burned.

“Hellfire,” Katarina explained shortly. “It’s fatal to immortals.”

Carrying Alexandru slowed them down, and with each second that passed, fewer passageways were left for them to travel unscathed. The last one that Katarina and Alexandru had used was already completely gutted with fire.

“There!” Katarina pointed to a window to their left. It required them to balance on a plank of wood that had so far escaped the fire, but they both knew it wouldn’t last long.

“You go first,” Katarina instructed. “Crouch down and carry Alexandru like this.” It would mean Zari having to move backwards towards the window, but Zari knew it was the only way she could carry Alexandru on her own.

“Ready?” Katarina asked. “I’ll follow after you. It won’t hold all of our weight if we go together.”

Zari hesitated. “Lady Katarina—-”