The second creature swept around to my right, attempting to attack from behind. I spun, and was confronted by the sight of a fistful of wickedly barbed teeth coming straight at my face. I swore and dropped. The demon whooshed over my head, the breeze of its passing strong enough that my hair was tugged after it. I twisted around, saw the creature's wispy form spreading like a sail as it tried to break and turn, and I thrust upward with Amaya, twisting her steel into the creature's tail. It screamed, the sound one of fury, then swung and bit her blade. There was enough force in the attack that her steel vibrated, and I'm not sure who was more surprised – me or Amaya. Then she made a sound suspiciously like a chuckle and her flames flared, wrapping around the creature, capturing it tight as she slowly – almost lovingly – consumed it.
I shuddered – although you'd think I'd be used to my sword's bloodthirsty bent by now – and looked past her. Azriel stabbed Valdis through the heart of a creature, literally exploding it, then swung around. His fierce expression became one of relief as his gaze met mine. Then he turned and ran, leaving me flatfooted with surprise. I swore and galloped after him, catching a brief glimpse of his disappearing butt as he ped through a doorway farther down the hall.
I was three steps away from repeating the procedure when the goddamn room exploded.
Chapter 12
Air hit with the force of a hammer and sent me tumbling backward. Wood, plaster, and dust rained all around me, and I threw my hands over my head in an effort to protect myself.
Amaya screamed in fury as her flames erupted to form a protective cocoon around my body. And none too soon, because it wasn't just wood and plaster coming down, but concrete tiles. The fucking roof had collapsed.
Not that it mattered. Nothing mattered right now, except the reaper who had gone into that room a heartbeat before it exploded.
Azriel! Desperation filled my mental scream. Are you okay?
For several seconds there was no reply, and my fear skyrocketed. Then he said, his mind voice somewhat groggy, Yes. Valdis shielded me from the worst of it.
What the hell were you trying to do? I pushed into a sitting position. Several large sections of wood rolled off Amaya's shield and dropped onto the top of the mess that surrounded us. There wasn't much left of the hallway – just several skeletal wooden frames bereft of plaster. Wires dangled from the ceiling, and I fervently hoped they were not going to attack me the minute I moved. Water was spraying from broken fire sprinklers, dampening down the worst of the dust, and somewhere in the distance alarms were ringing. The fire brigade and police would undoubtedly be here soon.
I was attempting to catch that sorcerer before she escaped. His voice was clipped. Angry at himself for not succeeding, I suspected.
So why didn't you zap yourself to that room instead of running?
Because, as I have said, I cannot zap myself into unknown places without having at least some point of reference. When I was a reaper, it was the resonance of the soul, but in this case, I could not get a fix on her.
I frowned and rose. Amaya's shield pulsated around me, moving as I did. Why couldn't you get a grip on her resonance?
Because it was shifting.
Meaning she was?