The Beast And The Blessed

Ninety-Six: Natalie

Natalie's P.O.V.

I had never been more in awe of my mate than I was at that moment. I had been ready to take on the world. The need to draw blood was primal, and while I was nervous about my first kill, I was also being spurred forward by my need to protect my mate and my newfound family.

I had no idea where Joselin had taken my mother, but with Killian leading the charge, I had no doubt they would be safe. He wouldn't let the bloodsuckers get through him.

He was a force to be reckoned with, a vicious animal.

As the walls from each side collided, he sliced them down quickly, taking on minimal damage. I kept glancing around, waiting for Lillian or Talia to appear. The witches seemed to have stayed back on their side, and I had the suspicion that they were letting the vampires thin themselves out and thin us out before the witches had to step forward and put in any effort. Either that or, based on the sounds, they were in their own battle.

If they needed to guarantee that their spot on the throne would be secure, they couldn't have an army of vampires there to threaten their rule.

A small pale creature slid in between my occupied guards with a malicious smile. I saw Tobias send me a panicked look over his should while he fought his own enemy, but I focused on the woman before me. My first kill.

'Focus, Tobias. I've got this.' I muttered to him through the pack link and could practically hear his eyes rolling in response.

The beady black eyes of the woman were locked on me, and I pulled back my lip to snarl at her. She didn't wait as she lunged at me, trying to get her arms around my neck. She was small and fast, but it also made it easy for me to overpower her. I slammed her down on the ground, holding her there with one paw on her chest before digging my teeth into her neck and ripping her throat out.

It had been easier than I had expected. Still, she was also very young, more than likely a newly turned human from one of the cities that had reportedly vanished overnight. There was no doubt in my mind that she had less training than I did.

If that were the case, I worried about the witches' real plan. Surely they didn't think they could win a war with a bunch of untrained bloodsuckers fighting against the Lycans, one of the strongest creatures on Earth.

But if they needed us distracted, it was a good plan.

fighting Killian got a grip on him, one biting into his flesh before ripping out a chunk of his arm. He spun out of their grasp,

his own and only lasted a

He was magnificent.

down, four more surrounded him. Two more came at me, and I did my

a lot longer than it did with the first vampire I had ended, but soon the two bodies joined their fallen comrade, and I was left with only a small slice down my side from

get to the source, the witches, and deal with them before the exhaustion hit, and it seemed

had blood dripping down several parts of his body. His skin was healing as fast as it could as he moved and cut down the threat to

us, but I also knew I couldn't distract him while he was fighting so many. I moved to close the gap when another vampire

deafening, and seeing the giant man before me made my heart want to beat out of my chest in terror. The others had been small, young men and women. But he looked

that form. Had I been fighting in my human form, I would have been in for a world of pain and would have likely met my end. Yet, he ran at me with a

left me as a giant beast crashed into the vampire's side, knocking him to the ground and tearing him to pieces. His muzzle was dripping with blood, and he looked thoroughly satisfied as he turned his head to look at me. His black eyes sparkled with excitement. I nodded at Damien in gratitude as he turned back and ripped out

after Killian, not wanting to be separated, but he was a good way ahead. He was closer to his smirking mother than he was to me, and that did not sit well with me. He was strong, but he had struggled with the idea

no idea what to expect from her. I didn't know if he could take

arms around him and trying to take him down. Her teeth sank into his shoulder, barely missing his neck as I raced toward them. It would be risky to turn back to my skin and use my magic, but I hadn't figured out how or if I could even

injury. His body was working hard to repair itself, but I knew the exhaustion and strain

and a vampire stumbled before me. A large smile was on his face as he sidestepped his attacker before slicing his blade across

went over him just as another group surrounded my mate ahead. He was knocking them down one

bit down on one of the leech's sides as I ran by, ripping the skin from his body.

stabbing pain

would only distract those around me, especially Killian. He was injured. Injured enough to let his wall fall for a second, so I

ducked and dodged the attacks. A fireball whirled through the air, skimming

Killian stood at the front of the battle with over a dozen vampires surrounding him. He was holding his own, but the blood loss and continuous damage to his body were taking its toll, and he seemed to be moving slower than

no emotion as her son was attacked. Her eyes met mine. She lifted her hand to her side, gesturing for someone to come