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

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

hands, I drive my blade into his back,

blade. Grimoire's command rings clear in

effect is instantaneous. The vampire's body stiffens, then begins

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

crimson lightning. It's as if the very fabric of reality is

think to run, the creature turns lunges at me with

cuts through my panic. I obey without thinking, feeling claws whistle

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 spurt of flame erupts from my skin, greedily reaching toward the strange

back

to your left hand, infuse it with

There's no thinking left in my magic. It just does what I want, as if the magic itself can

presence inside my head. Maybe he's taken control of my

torso. The blade leaves a trail of frost in its wake,

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 with a sickening squelch, its body still struggling against the

slow motion, the creature topples, its form twisting and warping until it settles into a more recognizable shape—just another vampire, no longer the monstrous

chest heaves, each breath ragged and harsh. Blood and acrid, flesh-burned smoke fills my nostrils, making me want to gag. But as I glance around, confusion

chaotic battlefield has frozen in an

bodies litter the floor. And yet no vampires