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.

it's a little sluggish and unrefined. 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 the momentum, I throw myself into an awkward roll. My shoulder hits the ground hard, but I manage to scrabble back to my feet, now behind the

various directions. Everyone's grabbing, snapping, clawing at him, even as he fights back.

I drive my blade

to the blade. Grimoire's command rings clear in the

for that well of power inside me, channeling heat through my arms and into the blade. The effect is instantaneous. The vampire's body stiffens, then

away, even as my weapon tears through his flesh and bones, leaving me staggering as

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 contorting into

to run, the creature turns

thinking, feeling claws whistle past my ear. Get your hand on

as if possessed, following Grimoire's instructions to the letter. The vampire-thing lunges for me and I slam my hand against its face, feeling its fangs cut at my palm. A

back with another

infuse it with ice. Strike at

in my magic. It just does what I want, as if the magic itself can listen to Grimoire's words

taken control of my body.

its attack and slash across its torso. The blade leaves a trail of frost in

Now for his head.

the blade singing through the air before Grimoire's words fully register. The strange vampire thing's head separates from its shoulders

topples, its form twisting and warping until it settles into a more recognizable

making me want to

still. The chaotic battlefield has frozen in an

floor. And yet no vampires