Zarim.
“How do we do that?” asked Ekala.
Zarim had no answer.
C HAPTER 10
Once Reyche pounced, Templar jumped back, landing on his hands and coiling his legs. He sprung forward, the soles of his boots striking her in the chest. Reyche appeared to glide where she was thrown and landed perfectly on her feet. She crouched, one hand resting on the ground, and snarling. She bared her fangs, hissing.
One minute, Reyche was a sweet girl—albeit a vampire. The next, she was trying to rip his throat out. And that’s when Templar noticed something strange about her. Despite her actions, her eyes didn’t seem to show any sign of anger or fear or any emotions that would lead to this sort of reaction. Instead, her yellow, catlike eyes seemed almost glazed over.
She didn’t appear to be in full control of her actions. Reyche said that Vortai told her he had other uses for her and when she first attacked, Templar thought she might have agreed to serve Vortai so that he might spare her life. Now, it seemed more likely that she was completely subservient to his will.
Templar held his cane at the ready. He didn’t want to harm her, so he kept the pulse sword deactivated. It was little more than a blunt instrument now, not even a true sword. That put him at a disadvantage, since Reyche clearly had no qualms about killing him. She charged him, and Templar spun to the left to avoid her strike, then delivered a sword-blow to her back. Reyche pitched forward, but rolled to recovery. She rose again, standing between Templar and the staircase he initially came down. Getting past her might prove challenging, but there might also be another way.
He turned and ran from her. Reyche hissed and gave chase. The corridor seemed to go on forever, and the only illumination came from the dim lights that lined the walls. Templar couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of him, but he pushed himself as far forward as he could. Reyche’s footsteps echoed behind him. So far, he had managed to maintain the distance between them, but he didn’t know how much longer that would last.
Finally, he saw a staircase ascending just ahead. He bounded up the steps two or three at a time, moving around the spiral column. Reyche barely gave pause as she jumped over the steps herself. As the summit grew closer, a door impeded Templar’s progress. He raised his cane and hit the button to activate the pulse sword. The unique metal that made up the cane’s shaft lit up with a hum of blue energy. He swung the weapon and cut right through the door. Another corridor with another door at the end. Templar cut through that one as well.
He was in the cathedral, just beside the altar. Random worshippers sat scattered in the pews. They all stared at him in surprise and Templar just managed a weak smile. “A thousand pardons, sorry to disturb you.”
Templar heard her coming from behind, but had no time to clear the path. He could only spin in time to deactivate the pulse sword just as Reyche soared through the air and landed on him. Templar held both ends of the cane in his hands, using it to keep Reyche’s fanged strikes at bay. She snarled at him, trying to get a bite of his flesh, but he struggled with all his strength to fend off those teeth. The parishioners fled the cathedral in horror, screaming as they ran. Reyche paid them no mind, it seemed she was only interested in her current prey.
“I want to make it clear that while I am quite flattered, I don’t believe in any neck action on a first date,” said Templar, pushing back with all his strength to flip their positions. Reyche was now on her back with Templar pinning her down. He forced the cane down, striking her head and then stood over the stunned vampire.
His time was running short. She would quickly recover from the blow he had dealt her, and Templar didn’t know how he would be able to fend her off much longer. It didn’t seem like she would stop until one of them was
“How do we do that?” asked Ekala.
Zarim had no answer.
C HAPTER 10
Once Reyche pounced, Templar jumped back, landing on his hands and coiling his legs. He sprung forward, the soles of his boots striking her in the chest. Reyche appeared to glide where she was thrown and landed perfectly on her feet. She crouched, one hand resting on the ground, and snarling. She bared her fangs, hissing.
One minute, Reyche was a sweet girl—albeit a vampire. The next, she was trying to rip his throat out. And that’s when Templar noticed something strange about her. Despite her actions, her eyes didn’t seem to show any sign of anger or fear or any emotions that would lead to this sort of reaction. Instead, her yellow, catlike eyes seemed almost glazed over.
She didn’t appear to be in full control of her actions. Reyche said that Vortai told her he had other uses for her and when she first attacked, Templar thought she might have agreed to serve Vortai so that he might spare her life. Now, it seemed more likely that she was completely subservient to his will.
Templar held his cane at the ready. He didn’t want to harm her, so he kept the pulse sword deactivated. It was little more than a blunt instrument now, not even a true sword. That put him at a disadvantage, since Reyche clearly had no qualms about killing him. She charged him, and Templar spun to the left to avoid her strike, then delivered a sword-blow to her back. Reyche pitched forward, but rolled to recovery. She rose again, standing between Templar and the staircase he initially came down. Getting past her might prove challenging, but there might also be another way.
He turned and ran from her. Reyche hissed and gave chase. The corridor seemed to go on forever, and the only illumination came from the dim lights that lined the walls. Templar couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of him, but he pushed himself as far forward as he could. Reyche’s footsteps echoed behind him. So far, he had managed to maintain the distance between them, but he didn’t know how much longer that would last.
Finally, he saw a staircase ascending just ahead. He bounded up the steps two or three at a time, moving around the spiral column. Reyche barely gave pause as she jumped over the steps herself. As the summit grew closer, a door impeded Templar’s progress. He raised his cane and hit the button to activate the pulse sword. The unique metal that made up the cane’s shaft lit up with a hum of blue energy. He swung the weapon and cut right through the door. Another corridor with another door at the end. Templar cut through that one as well.
He was in the cathedral, just beside the altar. Random worshippers sat scattered in the pews. They all stared at him in surprise and Templar just managed a weak smile. “A thousand pardons, sorry to disturb you.”
Templar heard her coming from behind, but had no time to clear the path. He could only spin in time to deactivate the pulse sword just as Reyche soared through the air and landed on him. Templar held both ends of the cane in his hands, using it to keep Reyche’s fanged strikes at bay. She snarled at him, trying to get a bite of his flesh, but he struggled with all his strength to fend off those teeth. The parishioners fled the cathedral in horror, screaming as they ran. Reyche paid them no mind, it seemed she was only interested in her current prey.
“I want to make it clear that while I am quite flattered, I don’t believe in any neck action on a first date,” said Templar, pushing back with all his strength to flip their positions. Reyche was now on her back with Templar pinning her down. He forced the cane down, striking her head and then stood over the stunned vampire.
His time was running short. She would quickly recover from the blow he had dealt her, and Templar didn’t know how he would be able to fend her off much longer. It didn’t seem like she would stop until one of them was
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