was. He nodded and backed inside the circle, pulling out a cell phone.
The circle was faltering. Dozens of other Templars were scattered about, fighting individual battles. Considering the odds, they wouldn't last long. Whoever was supposed to have taken charge hadn't. She took a deep breath and bellowed, "Templars, form cohort! Skirmish ranks!"
As if she'd just pushed a button, individual Templars shouted out positions, trading spots and lining up in a wedge, while scattered individuals formed a smaller rank and fought their way toward the main group.
Elyssa backed behind the wedge for a clear view of the battlefield, and checked for Justin. She'd seen him through the throng only a moment ago. Thankfully, the attacking vampires were untrained at hand-to-hand. Maximus was obviously counting on sheer numbers to do the job, but with order restored to the Templar ranks, the tide of battle was turning.
She clubbed the closest vampire in the nose. He yelped. Elyssa thrust a foot straight out, slamming into his chest. He flew back, taking several other vampires tumbling to the ground with him.
With her view momentarily cleared, Elyssa spotted Justin dragging Bella from an SUV. She looked okay, but—Elyssa's eyes caught sight of a group of vampires rushing the two of them. Before he could react, a vampire slapped a sleeper collar on Justin.
"No!" Elyssa shouted. Despite years of training and a sense of duty hanging heavy around her neck, she didn't hesitate a second. She left the protective wedge and ran for him.
The vampire, who'd collared Justin, slung him over her back and dashed down the road. Elyssa dodged a clumsy swing from a vampire and shoved him away. Another charged straight at her. She ducked under his grasp and flipped him over her shoulder. Spun and drove her heel into his neck. A bone cracked and he lay still.
The vampires who'd cornered Justin now blocked the road. The diminutive sorceress, Bella, faced them down, a pale staff in her hand. Though Bella was a dhampyr like Elyssa, she was just an Arcane, not a trained fighter. Elyssa threaded a gauntlet of vampires, racing for Bella and Justin's kidnapper.
Before she could reach Bella, something hard smacked Elyssa in the temple. She rolled sideways to avoid another blow, but her eyesight blurred from the impact. She sprang back to her feet. Her vision cleared just as a muscular woman drove her fist right at the bridge of Elyssa's nose. She caught the fist. Twisted the arm. Drove her elbow into the vampire's arm and heard the crack of bone. The vampire screeched.
Elyssa swept the other woman's legs from under her, grabbed the vampire's neck, and drove her face-first into the brick street with a crunch. She looked back at Bella. Several vampires fanned out, encircling the dhampyr. Behind them, Elyssa saw the form of Justin's abductor speeding downhill on foot.
There was no way she'd help Bella with these vampires in time to give chase.
Bella twirled her staff and smacked a vampire in the head. She spun the rod around her waist and, sweeping low, upended the next vampire. The staff whirled over a shoulder, swung down and cracked the downed man in the face. Before the other vampires could react, Bella shouted, "Kineesi!" and stabbed the rod into the road. A bright blue light exploded around her, flinging the remaining attackers in all directions. One flew over Elyssa's head and bowled over several of his comrades.
"Holy smokes," Elyssa said. She'd obviously underestimated the woman.
The sorceress saw Elyssa and motioned her over. "We can still catch them!" She rushed to the back of the SUV and grabbed something. Turned and tossed a silver katana hilt-first to Elyssa.
Without another word, the two women sped down the street.
A blinding pulse of energy explodedthe bricks next to Elyssa. Shards of brick stabbed her flesh in countless places. Bella cried out. Somehow, they kept their feet.
"What the hell is that?" Elyssa shouted, looking back over her shoulder.
"There, look," Bella said, turning and pointing at a rooftop in the distance.
Zooming in her sight, Elyssa spotted a man on a roof, holding a sheet of paper in his hand. "Is he an Arcane?"
The other woman grabbed Elyssa by the arm and guided her toward the buildings on the left, taking them out of the man's line of sight. "No, he's a vampire, but he has weaponized scrolls."
And he'd killed her father. Rage boiled in her chest. Part of her wanted to turn around and tear the man to bloody shreds. But her father