the sting as the acid burrowed through the flesh. He ignored it, kept going, his eyes on the third Mixen who was standing in front of a doorway, his head flying from left to right, a whimper bursting from his throat.
Lucas materialised in front of him without warning. The Mixen let out a yelp and cowered backwards against the door. ‘Please, don’t kill me,’ he cried.
‘You’re in the way,’ Lucas hissed through gritted teeth.
The Mixen squealed as Lucas touched the tip of the blade to his chest.
‘Move,’ Lucas said.
The Mixen blinked at Lucas in surprise, then gathered himself, sprinting for the front door and darting down the steps towards the plaza.
Lucas put his hand on the door. Already his gut was twisting in anticipation, his blood pulsing with the knowledge that a Shadow Warrior stood on the other side. He had only one shot at this. And he had to be fast. He threw open the door, readying himself for an attack. But it didn’t come.
Lucas stood on the threshold, his eyes adjusting to the scorching white light, blazing bright as a prison floodlight.
Suddenly his senses reeled sharply and he spun. A shadow flew across the light and came barrelling towards him at speed. Lucas threw up his blade reflexively. It caught and clanged against another shadow blade, showering him in blue sparks. The vibration shook him to the core. He grunted and strained against his attacker, trying to push him back and break his hold, and it was only then, with his face pressed so close to his attacker’s he could smell his sweat, that Lucas realised who it was that he was fighting.
‘Tristan,’ he stammered, staggering backwards, staring in shock at the man who had once upon a time led the Brotherhood. The man who had trained him to be a killer. The man he’d once respected, whose orders he’d followed without question.
The man he had ultimately betrayed.
Tristan seemed just as surprised to see him. He took a step back, panting heavily. The two of them eyed each other, their blades still half raised, poised and uncertain.
The blood drained instantly from Tristan’s face. ‘You’re alive,’ was all he said.
‘So are you,’ Lucas answered. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘What does it look like I’m doing here,’ Tristan spat, his expression dark as thunder. ‘I’m guarding the way through.’
Before Lucas could ask anything else, Tristan took a darting step forward, slashing his blade in a savage thrust at Lucas’s face. Lucas darted back but not quite fast enough. The edge of the blade nicked his chin and a warm trickle of blood ran down his neck.
Lucas swiped at the cut with his cuff as the two of them began circling each other.
‘You betrayed the Brotherhood, Lucas,’ Tristan spat. ‘For a Hunter.’ Lucas saw the rage rippling beneath the surface of his skin, contorting his face. There would be no point in trying to explain anything to Tristan, Lucas realised. And besides that, he was never going to apologise for choosing Evie over the Brotherhood.
Tristan stepped quickly forward, hissing through his teeth. ‘You should have stayed dead.’
Lucas locked eyes with him. He needed to make a move. Either way, he needed to do something and fast before something happened to Flic. The thought of his sister seeded another wave of panic through him. His gaze flickered towards the gateway. Tristan saw and stepped in front of it.
Lucas switched his attention back to Tristan. Could he kill him? Is that what he was going to have to do in order to get past him? Could he kill the man he’d already betrayed once? The answer was simple. Yes. If the choice was between Tristan and Flic, there was no choice. His eyes skipped over Tristan’s shoulder to the gateway once again. If only he could get past the man, it wouldn’t need to come to that. The wave of panic was rising. Flic was in trouble. He could feel it now.
‘Why are you fighting on their side?’ he asked Tristan.
‘Their side?’ Tristan sneered. ‘You think there are sides in this? There are no sides, Lucas, in this battle. It’s been decided. The Originals have won.’ Spittle had appeared at the corner of his mouth; he was so angry his whole body was shaking.
‘Nothing’s been decided,’ Lucas answered.
Tristan laughed, a harsh braying sound. ‘You think that Hunter you so willingly betrayed us for and what’s left of the rest of them stand any chance against what’s on the other side of this gateway?’