Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 339 Ava: Defend the Pack

Aurum's golden figure streaks through the wolves defending us, in an unerring line straight for the closest vampire.

Seconds later, there's a blood-curdling roar.

Stop standing around staring, Grimoire says, unaffected by the fear crawling through my skin. They need your help.

Tearing my eyes from Aurum/Lucas, I dash forward, my magic-crafted blade cool against my sweaty palm.

"What's next?" I ask, squeezing through a mass of fur and hot bodies. The noise is too loud to hear my own voice, but Grimoire picks up my words straight from my head.

Get closer. You'll hurt an innocent if you try to do anything here. You don't have the control yet.

Ducking under a wildly swinging arm, I come face to face with a stranger. Pale skin. Lips glistening red, cracking at the corners, where you can see pale flesh peeking out beneath the blood.

Fangs. Long fangs, far longer than I ever thought a vampire could have, and red eyes that lock onto mine with unerring accuracy.

Don't go straight for the head, Grimoire warns as I do just that.

My blade whistles through the air. It's a clumsy strike, born of fear and adrenaline rather than skill, and I'm too far in to abort.

A vice-like grip closes around my forearm. The vampire's strength is inhuman, and I'm yanked forward, losing my balance.

With a twist of my body I'd never be able to replicate again, I manage to wrench my arm free of the vampire's grasp. Moving with

but he's too slow, dragged in various directions. Everyone's grabbing, snapping, clawing at him, even as he

don't hesitate. With both hands, I drive my blade into his

Grimoire's command rings

and into the blade. The effect is instantaneous. The vampire's body stiffens, then begins to glow from within. He tears away from me with an unholy shriek that freezes the blood

even as my weapon tears through his flesh and bones, leaving me staggering as he frees himself. The wolves in front of him dart back, likely afraid of the flames they can

pulse, shot through with flashes of crimson lightning. It's as if the very fabric of reality is tearing apart around him. To my horror, I watch as the vampire's body begins to grow, stretching and

can even think to run, the creature turns

my panic. I obey without thinking, feeling claws whistle past my ear. Get

following Grimoire's instructions to the letter. The vampire-thing lunges for me and I slam my hand against its face, feeling its

back with another

to your left hand, infuse it with ice.

blade to my left hand, willing it to frost over. There's no thinking left in my magic. It just does what I want, as if the magic itself can listen

charges again, but I'm ready this time, filled with an otherworldly calm. Maybe it's Grimoire's presence inside my head. Maybe he's taken control of my

of frost in its wake, slowing

Now for his head.

words fully register. The strange vampire thing's head separates from its shoulders with a sickening squelch, its body still struggling against the ice

until it settles

and harsh. Blood and acrid, flesh-burned smoke fills my nostrils, making me want to gag. But as I glance around, confusion replaces the adrenaline

still. The chaotic battlefield has frozen in

the floor. And yet no vampires remain