Clash of Kingdoms (Dirty Blood Book 6), page 20
We arrived at the mountains where the Exiles of Palladium were located and began our descent, Ian in the lead like he knew exactly where to go. He landed in the brush moments later, and then he dismounted.
The rest of us left the dragons and joined Ian, the sky changing from shades of black and blue to the light colors of dawn. He hiked into the mountains, taking a path through the trees and toward higher ground. We all followed in a line, hiking upward without asking any questions.
After twenty minutes, we were at a much higher elevation, and the torches became visible. I assumed we’d arrived at the territory of the Exiles, the people who knew exactly where the hidden passage was.
Finally, soldiers came to greet us, and they seemed to recognize Ian. They spoke briefly, and then they escorted us in a different direction entirely, through a cave and into a mountain. It was dark inside, so the guards lit flames to guide our way.
Ian came to a stop when the walls started to narrow. “This is where I leave you. The Exiles say this passage will take you into the demon domain. I need to remain with the dragons while you’re away.”
I looked into the narrow tunnel, dark with cobwebs in the corners. This was the passage that Beast had told us to take, where she would check for our appearance on a daily basis. “We can take it from here.”
“Good luck.” Ian gave us a nod before he walked away.
When he was gone, it was just us, vampires in a land very different from our own, fighting for a cause that didn’t benefit us whatsoever.
Cobra came to my side. “This should be fun.”
Kingsnake came next. “Never thought I’d say this, but I wish Viper were here. Detonators in dark places are his forte.”
“So, there’s a giant snake that lives down here.” Cobra looked up to the ceiling, a large spider web visible. “You don’t think giant spiders do too…right?”
Kingsnake took the first step forward. “We’re about to find out.”
We made the long journey downward, moving closer toward the center of the earth, the air growing progressively staler as we traveled. We could see in the dark, so we didn’t need to light torches to guide our way. The path seemed to go on forever, and with every passing hour, we grew more demoralized.
Then the path ended, opening into a giant chasm that was dimly lit by the various crystals that were embedded in different surfaces. It was a different kind of quiet, different from falling snow on a winter night, different from a quiet bedchamber at midnight. In a place like this, every sound echoed, and the fact that there was no sound at all…meant there was nothing at all.
“Now what?” Cobra asked.
“We wait for Beast,” I said. “She said she would check the passage once a day for our presence.”
“Then we should rest,” Kingsnake said. “Put a few vampires on guard while the rest of us sleep.”
I was dead tired, so that sounded like a great plan. A few vampires volunteered, while the rest of us tried to find flat surfaces so we wouldn’t roll off over the edge. I unrolled my cot against the wall and got inside, so tired I fell asleep the second my head hit the small pillow. It’d been several nights of no sleep, and I didn’t realize how much I needed rest until I finally got to have it.
I woke up to someone shaking me. “She’s here.” It was Cobra’s voice.
My eyes snapped open, and I immediately sat up. “How long’s it been?”
“About ten hours.”
I blinked several times, my mind feeling sharp instead of dull. I got out of the cot and packed my things, but then realized it made no sense to take my pack any farther than this. I couldn’t take unnecessary weight into battle. I left it where it lay and approached the entrance to the chasm.
Beast dipped her head to come close to me, her bright yellow eyes burning into mine with interest. Her head was as big as the chasm opening, her sharp fangs the size of boulders. You’ve returned.
So have you.
Do you have a plan?
Yes.
What isss it?
We’ve made explosives to destroy the crystal.
Explosssivesss?
It was hard to describe, especially to a snake. It’s basically a concentrated ball of energy, and once it hits something hard, all that energy releases at once. It’s like an earthquake.
Fassscinating.
What information can you share with us?
They sssussspect you’re coming. Vine is very angry that you made a fool of him.
He didn’t leave me any choice.
The Demon Lordsss are prepared.
What are their abilities?
Magic.
Such as?
I’ve never witnesssed their powersss, but I know they can wield the elementsss…like fire and ice.
I hoped fifty vampires would be enough.
If you fail, it’ll be the death of my hatchlingsss. She brought her face closer. You. Can’t. Fail.
I know.
She pulled her face away. The only way to reach the cryssstal is to climb the fortresss. It’ll be quicker if I take you to it. The othersss will need to fight the Demon Lords to give you the chance. Once that cryssstal isss gone…ssso are their powersss. The quicker you accomplisssh thisss, the quicker the fight will turn in your favor.
I understand.
And Vine will be there…and he’sss angry.
What are his abilities?
He’sss their chosen sssuccesssor. He’sss ssstronger than the other demonsss, blesssed with unparalleled ssspeed and ssstrength. Once the cryssstal isss dessstroyed, he’ll have the abilitiesss of a normal man, but I sssussspect he would ssstill be a worthy foe.
I turned to look at Kingsnake and Cobra. “Did you hear all that?”
They both nodded.
I’ll take you all to the fortresss. The sssecond we arrive, they’ll know.
Will you help us?
I fight for the livesss of my hatchlingsss. They will receive the bite of my fangsss and the sssting of my venom. Once the attack beginsss, the demonsss will come to their aid. I’ll fight them off.
I looked at my brothers. “Ready for this?”
Kingsnake had a hint of hesitation in his eyes, but he didn’t give voice to it. “Yes.”
Cobra didn’t have any more jokes up his sleeve. “Let’s kill these motherfuckers and destroy that crystal so we can get back to our wives.”
Beast dipped her head so we could walk onto her body and down her neck.
“Let’s go.” I took the lead, stepping onto her hard scales and waiting for everyone else to walk on.
My brothers came next, followed by everyone else, taking a spot on the beast’s neck or farther down her body. None of them was hesitant, not when snakes were such an integral part of who we were.
Let’sss kill them all.
Beast slithered through the different chasms, knowing her way underground even though everything looked the same to me. There were small clusters of different-colored crystals stuck into the walls and ceiling, and they must have been what Beast used as markers for guidance.
Twenty minutes later, we returned to the place where she’d taken us before, giving us a view of the fortress behind the tall iron gates. In silence, she studied the area, seeing the bright-blue crystal that shone right above the fortress, the tip poking through the hole in the ceiling. It was quiet. There were only two guards posted, both on the other side of the gate, like even they weren’t allowed entry.
Beast moved, gripping the chasm walls and sneaking around the sides, staying out of sight as she approached the fortress from an invisible angle. She was quiet, her scales sliding over the rocky terrain without making a sound. Rocks didn’t come loose and tumble down. She was a professional at stealth.
Get thossse explosssivesss ready.
I readied my bag. I’ve got them.
She exposed herself for the first time, climbing up the chasm and then the walls of the fortress, reaching the top in a few seconds.
I quickly jumped off, my eyes squinting from the intense light of the crystal.
Good luck. She slithered away, back down to the ground so the rest of the vampires could jump off. Just as she’d said, the second we arrived, they were aware, because a loud horn sounded from nowhere, deep in tone, reverberating off all the walls of the chasm.
The guards quickly unlocked the gates even though they were outnumbered, being cut down by the vampires and their black blades.
I pulled out the explosives one by one and stuck them to the crystal, using the sticky solution one of Huntley’s men had made for me. I had to hold each explosive for several seconds to make sure it was truly attached before I moved to the next one. I was unable to watch the battle below, unable to check on my brothers because I had a job to do and I couldn’t deviate from it.
One by one, I attached the explosives to the crystal, moving higher up, as high as I could go to cover it all.
Then an earthquake erupted, and I tripped forward, catching myself with my hands but hurting my wrist to break the fall. The vibrations continued, so intense that my body bobbed up and down uncontrollably with the movement.
Then it stopped—and a high-pitched scream came from every direction.
“What the fuck?” I pushed myself to my feet and looked toward the gate. As far as I could see, a line of demons was rushing to the fortress to kill us all. There had to be hundreds, all traveling over the same bridges to reach us.
I looked back at the crystal, knowing I needed to get these explosives higher if I was going to destroy it completely. Beast, I need your help.
I’m busssy. She issued an angry hiss and then slammed her body into the bridge that connected to the fortress, breaking it clean in two to stop the demons from crossing.
I need to get these explosives higher— Something hard collided with my back, and I hit the ground, the wind knocked out of me. It all happened so quickly, I could only operate on instinct, rolling out of the way even though my body screamed in pain. It was a good thing I did—because a golden blade slammed down beside me.
Vine looked down at me, dressed in full armor, unlike the other demons, wearing the most savage expression I’d ever seen. His face was tinted red like a ripe tomato, and tremors rocked through his body because his rage couldn’t be contained. “Foolish. Fucking foolish.” He came down on me again.
I rolled out of the way over and over, dodging his blade on the ground without having the opportunity to rise to my feet. All I did was evade, my wrist aching along with the rest of my body. I finally had the chance to kick him in the shin and interrupt him momentarily to get to my feet.
But his blade sliced across my chest, cutting right through the golden serpent. Now I had a crack where his sword had been, his golden blade having the ability to slice right through my armor.
I dodged another swipe of his sword as I pulled out my blade.
“Your armor will fail you.” He launched at me, releasing a flurry of hits I could barely keep up with. One after another, all with the same strength and intensity, all the while he looked at me like he couldn’t wait to stab that sword through my throat. I knew that was how he wanted to kill me, to silence my voice so I would never speak again as I lay there dying. But anticipating his attacks wasn’t enough for me to win—not when he was this fast.
He released a scream then kicked me in the chest, making me fly back across the ground to the edge. He moved quickly to finish the job, to shove me hard with his shoulder and make me catapult off into the ground below.
I ducked at the last minute and shoved myself toward him, making him trip over me and roll toward the edge.
I kicked him as hard as I could, threw my entire body into it, knowing I had to kill him before he killed me. Harlow’s face came into my mind, and I knew if I died, she would die next. A surge of strength flooded through me, and I overpowered him, making him fly several floors down to the gold-plated floor below.
His body hit the floor with a loud thud, and then he lay still.
I stared at him for a moment to make sure he was dead before I faced the crystal once more, out of breath, my wrist throbbing.
The screams erupted again, and then I felt the heat from the flames. I looked down, seeing massive fireballs unleash and fly across the floor and to the chasm below. Then I saw a vampire get struck by a lightning shard, hit so hard he was flung over the edge. Bumps formed on my arms as my stomach dropped. Beast, help me.
Hold on.
I ran to the remaining explosives and pulled them out of the bag.
“Did you really think it would be that easy?”
I turned and saw the fist as it flew at my face.
The hit was so hard, I crashed down to the ground, and the world went black. But then I jerked awake again when I felt it, the blade piercing straight through my armor, my dead heart, and impaling the stone below me.
I screamed in pain, the golden element making me burn from the inside out.
Vine stood over me, an angry gloat on his face.
I tried to move, but I was stuck in place, the blade too strong for me to pry free. I couldn’t reach the hilt, so I grabbed it by the blade and tried to pull it out, cutting my hands through my gloves in the process.
Vine watched, fascinated. “Foolish.” He came around, taking his time, his boots heavy against the stone.
I saw what he intended to do, to stomp his foot hard on my face over and over until my skull shattered and it was just a pile of blood, guts, and brains left over. Beast, he’s going to kill me.
Vine stood over me, looked up at the explosives glued to the crystals, and then looked down at me again. Screams sounded from below, vampires being outmatched by the Demon Lords below. My brothers could be some of them. My job was to destroy the crystal, but I’d failed.
I’d failed Harlow.
He raised his boot over my face and prepared to stomp. “What a handsome face to waste.”
I grabbed his boot and tried to tip him over, but he stomped down on my hand and made my wrist ache even more. He kicked me in the side of the head, and both my nose and mouth started to bleed. I couldn’t outmatch him, not when I was pinned in place, bleeding out everywhere.
“Hissssssssssss.” Beast’s massive jaws snatched Vine off me, and she crunched her teeth together, breaking his spine and all of his bones. Instead of swallowing him, she flung him out of her mouth and into the abyss. I can’t help you and your kin at the sssame time. You mussst choossse.
“I need to reach higher to destroy the crystal.” I tried to pry the sword free, but it just made my hands bleed more. The crystal was more important than any life below, because as long as that crystal persevered, the battle would rage on.
Beast grabbed the sword with her teeth and pried it free. Hurry. We only have sssecondsss before he’sss back.
I forced myself up, my hands slippery with blood, and grabbed the sack of explosives before I climbed onto her head, dripping blood all over her brilliant scales. I swayed and nearly toppled over.
Can you do thisss?
“Yes.”
She raised her head so I could reach. Hurry.
One by one, I stuck them to the sides of the crystal, moving up toward the base so it would destroy the entire thing once the explosion happened.
Hold on.
I dropped to my knee as Beast jerked to the right.
“Hiiissssssss.”
I knew Vine had returned, aiming his blade at Beast.
I kept going, sticking the explosives, quickly running out.
Then an explosion happened below, down where the fighting was.
He’sss pulling them off.
I gritted my teeth and kept going. “Fucker…”
More explosions sounded, Vine removing the ones I’d put at the bottom and throwing them at my own kind.
“Done.”
Beast immediately pulled away and moved toward Vine.
I jumped off her and landed hard on my side, my entire body crying out, more blood being squeezed from my muscles.
She struck at Vine, but he cut her across the nose with his gold blade.
“You betray me, bitch?”
“Hiiiiisssssssss.” She struck him again, biting his torso clean in two before flinging his body over the edge. Is it ready?
“Yes.” I climbed back up her body. “Move away.”
She pulled away from the fortress, and that was when I had a clear view of the chaos. The Demon Lords had unleashed fire and ice on the vampires, burning them alive or freezing them in place. Demons launched themselves across the bridge to get into the fight.
I quickly scanned for my brothers, but I didn’t see either.
Dessstroy it.
I grabbed the last explosive I’d kept just for this and threw it at the crystal. At the moment of collision, the explosive detonated, causing all the others to do the same. A fiery storm of flames and clouds appeared—and then the crystal shattered. Shards poured down everywhere like sharp drops of blue rain. It flowed through the roof, ejected in all directions.
The battle came to a halt as everyone stared, some in relief, and some in terror.
The high-pitched scream returned, a cacophony of several voices at once.
“Get us out of here.”
My hatchlingsss. If I don’t get to them first, they’ll kill them all. She traveled back to the battle and lowered her head so others could climb on.
“Move out!” I ran into the fray and ordered everyone to leave. Now that the crystal had been destroyed, the demons were just standing there and looking up, as if it would reform by sheer will alone. Instead of taking the opportunity to strike them down, I chose to grab every vampire I could. “Run to the snake.” I pulled one of my kin from the ground and got him upright. “Go.” I kept going, looking for my brothers. “Kingsnake. Cobra.”
The demons across the bridge screamed in rage, and then more of them started to come, barreling down on us with a vengeance.
We need to flee.
Not without my brothers. “Kingsnake! Cobra!”
“Here!” Kingsnake shouted from the rubble of the fortress, which seemed to have rained down on them both.
