Lucius reacted instantly to her cry. Without looking back, he ducked low and spun his reinforced umbrella in a sweeping arc behind him. The iron canopy smashed straight into the newly materialized figure's ribcage, sending a sickening crunch echoing through the clearing.
"Good eye, My Lady!" Lucius bellowed, his boots skidding across the damp moss as he pressed his advantage against his off-balance opponent.
Alaric, hearing her warning, realized the secret to their mobility in the same breath. His crimson eyes flashed with brutal understanding. He dropped his sword into a reverse grip, his vampire instincts locking onto every patch of darkness surrounding them.
"They feed on the gloom!" Alaric roared, his voice carrying the terrifying weight of an apex predator.
