Enchant the Night - Amanda Ashley Page 0,89
seemed as if they had been battling for hours when Quill’s blade sliced into the Elder Knight’s left arm, even as the Elder Knight’s sword drew blood from a wicked slash at Quill’s side.
The scent of blood and sweat grew heavy in the air as the fight went on. And on.
Callie wondered why Quill didn’t use his preternatural power. And then she frowned. Maybe her power hadn’t been strong enough to override whatever magic protected the medallion the Elder Knight wore.
She stole a quick glance at the cat, who remained sitting in front of the cave, yellow-gold eyes darting back and forth as it watched the fight.
Callie let out a cry of alarm as the Elder Knight drove his blade into Quill’s chest, only inches from his heart. Quill took several steps back, the sword still embedded in his flesh. And then, grimacing with pain, he drew the blade from his chest. Tossing the weapon aside, he dropped his own sword and sprang forward, his hands locking around the Elder Knight’s throat. “Surrender, old man, or I will rip your head from your body.”
Eyes filled with hatred, the Elder Knight glared at him.
“Surrender.”
The Elder Knight shook his head.
“Dammit! Surrender, you old fool.”
Callie’s gaze moved to the cave’s entrance. The cat was gone, and Ava stood there clad in a long, black robe.
“Kill him, witch!” the Elder Knight gasped.
“I fear I cannot,” Ava replied with mock regret. “He is betrothed to my granddaughter, and I fear she would never forgive me. Besides,” she added, gliding toward the Elder Knight, “the battle has gone on long enough.”
Quill eased his hold on the old man’s throat, but didn’t release him.
“You should have ended this feud years ago,” Ava said. “You’ve only encouraged it this long to avenge the death of your son. But John will never rest in peace until this war is over.”
Callie stared at her grandmother. John had been the Elder Knight’s son? Ava hadn’t mentioned that in her journal.
At the mention of his son’s name, the fight went out of the Elder Knight. “I surrender,” he murmured, his voice little more than a whisper. Then, looking up at Quill, he said, “Kill me and bury me beside my boy.”
“Not until you swear on your honor as a Knight that you will stop hunting us. And that you will order the rest of your Knights to cease also. If you want to hunt something that’s a threat to humanity, do the world a favor and hunt the Transylvanian vampires.”
“I swear the Knights of the Dark Wood will no longer hunt your kind.” The Elder Knight closed his eyes, waiting for death—only to open them again when Quill released him. “You said you would kill me! Now, do it!”
“As much as I’d love to, my people don’t kill humans unless it’s absolutely necessary. Callie, release the Knights from your enchantment.”
She murmured the words to recant the spell, watched the Knights gather around their leader.
“Let’s go home,” Quill said.
Taking Callie by the hand, he willed the two of them back to her house with the Elder Knight’s angry cry of betrayal ringing in his ears.
* * *
Callie sank down on the sofa and cradled her head in her hands. She had the world’s worst headache, partly from traveling through time and space twice in one day and partly from the stress of the last few hours.
She looked up when she felt Quill’s hand on her shoulder.
“Why don’t you go to bed, sweet Callie?” he suggested. “It’s been a long night.”
“Will you come with me?”
“After I feed.”
“You can drink from me.”
He shook his head. He rarely took more than a sip or two when he drank from her. Tonight, he needed more than that. “Not tonight, love.” Bending down, he brushed a kiss across her lips. “I won’t be gone long.”
Callie sat there a few minutes, then went into the bathroom, where she took a long, hot shower before pulling on her PJs and sliding into bed.
She was almost asleep when Quill appeared in the room. He had taken a shower and changed his clothes. Through heavy-lidded eyes, she watched him remove his T-shirt, then sit on the end of the bed and remove his boots and socks. Still wearing his sweatpants, he slid under the covers, his arm sliding around her waist to draw her body against his.
She snuggled closer, her head pillowed on his shoulder. “Will the Elder Knight keep his word?”
“I hope so.”
Murmuring, “Me, too,” she fell asleep in his arms.
Quill