Sucker Punch (First Fangs Club #3) - Kristen Painter Page 0,57

for the weapon on her back. As she pulled it free and snapped it open, Donna realized it was a crossbow. Kind of like Cammie’s, but not.

It had a handle like a shotgun. And the sash across Artemis’s chest held short arrows, not knives like Donna had at first thought.

Without taking her eyes from the sky, Artemis loaded an arrow into the bow.

Donna kept shifting her view from the battling fae to the vampire queen. Donna had a pretty good idea of what Artemis was about to do, and she didn’t like it one bit.

A sudden feeling of trepidation went through Donna. She went after Artemis, knowing what she was about to say would probably not be well received, but she had to try. She had to do her best to keep a war from starting.

Artemis raised the bow.

“Your Highness, if I could have a word—”

“Not now, Governor.”

“Please, Ishalan might be fae, but he helped us. I don’t think—”

A soft snick and the arrow released. It shot straight and true, but the fae above were moving targets.

The arrow found a home in one of Dredward’s outstretched, leathery wings. It sailed cleanly through, leaving a gaping hole in the iridescent skin.

Dredward cried out and shoved Ishalan away with such power that he hit the side of the stronghold. The resounding crack of bone sounded like a gunshot. He fell to the earth, his body crumpled and broken.

Despite the hole in his wing, Dredward seemed to have no issues staying aloft. He spread his arms. “Artemis.”

She was already loading another arrow into her bow.

Dredward dove with a speed that made him blur. Her second arrow missed. Before anyone could react, he scooped Artemis up and took her skyward.

Donna grabbed Temo’s arm. “I have to get up there. Get me up there!”

Kace turned to her. “I can take you.” In an instant, he shifted, and his gargoyle form appeared before her, an enormous stone beast with wings. “Climb on.”

His voice had changed, deeper and raspier. She had questions, but now was not the time to ask how a creature seemingly made of stone could fly.

She vaulted onto his back. He felt like stone too.

“Hang on.”

She dug her fingers into the scaly ridges down his spine. “I’m good. Go.”

He didn’t take off so much as launch, nearly knocking her backward. Quick reflexes saved her. By the time she righted herself, they were ten feet in the air.

A few arrows zipped past them. Fae archers? One hit Kace but bounced off. She knew his skin was nearly impenetrable but wondered briefly if he’d end up with a bruise.

Kace flew directly after Dredward with a speed that had them catching up in just a few seconds. Donna couldn’t fathom the physics behind Kace even being airborne; forget how he managed such speed. It was obviously magic. Magic she was very appreciative of.

She glanced down, then wished she hadn’t. The fall would probably kill her. At least in the sense that it would end her need to breathe. She’d officially be undead then. She hung on a little tighter as the wind whipped past.

The witches on their brooms, more magic Donna still marveled over, moved in to flank them—Jerabeth and Reggie on one side, Harper on the other.

Maybe one of them would catch her if she fell. She leaned down, wrapping her arms around Kace’s thick neck and putting herself in position to speak directly into his ear. Or where his ear should be. “Can you get under them?”

“Yes. Good plan.”

She figured he’d understand. She glanced over at the witches, giving them each the thumbs-up.

Kace surged forward, and in a few seconds more they were beneath Dredward and Artemis. Dredward had one arm around her body, pinning her hands to her sides, and the other around her neck, a knife at her throat. She was struggling against him all the same, her glowing eyes defiant.

If the queen had a plan, Donna couldn’t figure out what it was, but there was no time for worrying about that. Donna’s plan would work. It had to work. In one smooth motion, Donna sat back and unsheathed her sword. “Now, Kace.”

He rose, bringing them within inches of Dredward and his prisoner.

Donna raised her sword, very aware they were going higher and higher. “Release her safely to me, Dredward.”

The fae glared down at her. “No vampire tells me what to do.”

“Now, Dredward.”

He laughed, a sick cackle that filled Donna with fear.

But the distraction had allowed Artemis to wriggle free enough to grab