Catalyst Page 0,58

beast, whipping flakes of snow into the air. The King continued on like he wasn't blinded by the white flecks. When they were nearly to the garden, Celticad pushed in front of the King. Neither of them spoke. Celticad lifted a large white hand, indicating that the King should wait, but the King had no such intention.

When they reached the top of the snow bank at the South wall, there were two guards. One was on the tower constructed for the Purging. "How predictable," the King muttered, disappointed. The vamp on the wall had a good vantage point, but the wind made it difficult to see. Before Celticad could do anything, the King was gone. Glancing around frantically, Celticad finally saw the monarch at the top of the tower. The other vampire was in his hands with a river of black blood dripping from his neck. Celticad's throat tightened. He watched the King rip out the vampire's throat with his fangs. In one swift movement, the guard was dead. The King held onto the vamp's lifeless body, watching the blackened blood soak into the snow. A smile snaked across the King's lips and he tossed the guard aside. Signaling to Celticad, the King intended to march forward, but Celticad shook his head and pointed to the garden wall. There was movement. He couldn't tell how many vampires lay in wait on the other side of the wall, but there was no way they failed to see their comrade on the ice castle slaughtered.

The King sighed as he saw Celticad signal back to him. There were more guards. What a nuisance, he thought. Careful not to use too much of his strength, the King ran from the tower to the garden wall. The wind stung his face as he sprinted, the ice crystals digging into his skin as they fell from the sky. Celticad tried to get him to wear a mask, but the King wanted the others to see him coming. He wanted the Queen to see his power. They should fear him.

Celticad was fit for a vampire in the post-flood world, but he had none of the old powers. He chugged, exerting his huge body at full speed across the snow. It took him a few minutes to meet the King, and he was huffing furiously when he got there. The King sneered at his ally, "Really, Celticad. We'll have to do something about that once the throne is mine. I can't have my commanding officer bouncing around like a walrus."

"Sir?" Celticad's face pinched in confusion. Ice crystals clung to his eyebrows making them look white.

The King considered giving Celticad some of Kahli's blood once he found her, but only enough to enhance his power. Celticad would be stronger than the other vampires, but still weaker than the King. While the King could move swiftly, his body practically flying through the air at top speed, his second in command ran like an injured beast. That needed to be fixed.

The King's lips curled into a smile, "Blood, my friend. I'll see to it that you have more power than the others, more blood. Some of the old ways will be yours."

If this pleased Celticad, he didn't show it. He simply nodded curtly, "As you wish, my King."

The King glanced at the top of the wall. There was no entrance on this side of the garden. They'd have to go over the top. From where they stood, the wall of ice stretched into the sky, towering high above them. The South wall was always the most vulnerable point at the palace. Sophia had to know he was coming in this way, but where were her guards?

"How many?" the King asked.

"The visual confirmed two, but the Queen had to place more here. This wall blinds them to the world beyond."

The King stroked his chin as he looked into the inky darkness behind them. "She may not have put proper guards here. I took most of her better men last night. She's weak, unprotected." The King glanced at the top of the wall again. The wind whipped his dark hair wildly around his face. "Wait here," he commanded. Grinning, the King bent his knees like he was going to jump across a puddle. When he sprang, his slender body launched into the air like a rocket. The King landed on the icy turret at the top of the wall. Before jumping down, he looked back at Celticad with delight in his golden eyes.

Celticad