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.

Instinct takes over, even if 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

he's too slow, dragged in various directions. Everyone's grabbing, snapping, clawing

hesitate. With both hands, I drive my blade into his back, angling

blade. Grimoire's

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 in my

and bones, leaving me staggering as he frees himself.

vampire's form. They writhe and pulse, shot through with flashes of crimson lightning. It's as if the very fabric of reality is tearing apart around him. To

can even think to run, the creature turns lunges at me

claws whistle past my ear.

hand against its face, feeling its fangs

back

to your left hand, infuse it with ice.

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 to Grimoire's words

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

slash across its torso. The blade leaves a trail of frost in its wake, slowing the monster's movements as the

Now for his head.

words fully register. The strange vampire thing's head separates from its

it settles into a more recognizable shape—just another vampire, no

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

still. The chaotic battlefield has

bodies litter the floor. And yet no vampires remain