The first vampire came at me fast enough I barely got shadows up in time to deflect claws that would have opened my throat.
No training. No warning. Just suddenly fighting for my life in a vampire coven's front yard while Draven's panic spiked through our bond sharp enough to make my chest ache.
I pushed the shadows outward in a wave and watched one vampire stagger back, but the other four were already moving and I was not prepared for how fast vampires could be when they actually tried.
One got past my defenses and raked claws down my arm, four parallel lines that burned like fire.
My blood hit the air.
Every vampire stopped moving.
Oh. Right. Hybrid blood. Offensive to their senses or—wait, why were they all staring at me like I was dinner?
"Don't." Lysander's voice cut across the clearing. "She bleeds but she's not prey."
The vampires pulled back but their eyes stayed locked on my arm where blood was dripping onto dead leaves.
