"Did you hear that? She's trying to command me. Me," he roared. The rest of his group laughed with him.
My face flushed. Why hadn't it worked?
The Vampire Queen spoke respectfully, her voice gentle. "Do not do this, Oberon. This isn't a battle you'll win."
I'd momentarily forgotten about the Vampire Queen, and her followers. They'd been so quiet. That surprised me. They hadn't harmed a human. The Queen wasn't threatening to kill anyone. I tucked that knowledge in the back of my mind.
Professor Pops came forward. "She's just a girl, Oberon. You saw she was near blood and didn't feed. She's no more an animal than I am. Rethink this madness, my friend."
I fought back tears. Professor Pops truly was my Protector.
Oberon directed his men with his eyes, and suddenly Professor Pops was being held back by several chayot. I wondered where Kenmei was. The chayot, Professor Pops, and Kenmei were supposed to be on the same side. Obviously Pops chose me over the chayot, and Oberon wasn't happy. A burst of love for Pops fueled the anger burning in my heart. Oberon would pay if he harmed another soul.
Gabe's father moved into my personal space, towering over me. "Have you come to your senses? Are you willing to accept your fate? Or, are you too much of a monster to care if others are killed because of your cowardice?" One of the chayot holding Pops put a blade to his neck. A droplet of blood trickled from the newly opened wound.
For some reason, seeing Professor Pops' blood brought questions to the forefront of my mind. Like, did he still drink blood? He was technically still a vampire. At one point he'd been the Vampire Queen's Hunter. Did he still possess the powers of persuasion? And what about Kenmei?
"Snow. Merryweather. White. Snap out of it!" Cindy's voice sounded in my ear, as though she stood beside me. But she wasn't there.
Or was she? I wondered if she knew how to make herself invisible. Was that why I hadn't been able to find her once the chayot and vampires showed? I'd have to ask her about it sometime. When Professor Pops wasn't in dire trouble. I knew if he were beheaded, he would die. I couldn't allow that to happen.
I stepped forward, lifting my chin to meet Oberon's glare. "You will not hurt him."
He laughed again, turning his gaze from left to right, encouraging his followers to join in.
From the V in his black button-down shirt I saw the gleam of something red. It glittered in the subdued red lights.
Chapter 13
The Seal of Gabriel, my inner voice shouted. The red teardrop on the end of the silver chain swayed gently near his throat.
If Oberon had it then that meant Gabe stole it. My barely contained fury raged. How dare he? How dare Gabe?
Something in my features must've changed because Oberon stumbled back. Clasping his hands together, a flaming sword appeared.
I stepped back, caught off guard by the heat. It permeated the air, bringing with it a unique scent-like burning metal and flowers.
"It's time to end you," he sneered.
Professor Pops fought against the chayot, hollering for Oberon to stop. I sensed the Vampire Queen and her followers stepping into the action.
The clang of metal against metal-sword against sword-rocked the ballroom.
Shouting.
The sounds of death.
Cries of pain.
The destruction needed to stop.
Oberon lunged, his fiery sword raised above his head, a look of hatred twisting his face. I could swear I saw large, black wings extending from his shoulder blades, the way they did from Gabe's in my dream.
With my newfound quickness I stepped inside Oberon's space, so I was under the sword. With one hand I ripped the Seal of Gabriel from his neck, and spun out of his space, ending up to the left of him.
Oberon brought down the sword, the fire scorching some of the ruffles on my dress. The singed material released a horrible smell, like burning plastic. I grasped the red teardrop in my hand, and whipped around so that we were face to face.
"Where did you get this?" I asked, my heart pounding, not in fear, but excitement. I held the Seal of Gabriel in my hand. I could save Christopher.
But you have to give the pendant to the Vampire Queen to save him. Not the best idea, my inner voice quipped.
Oberon pinched his lips together, and raised one side in a sardonic smile. "I think you already know the answer."
My inner voice kept screaming, Gabe, but my mind wouldn't believe. "No, I don't." My lips trembled as the words spilled out.
"Then let me make it clear, vampire." Spittle spewed from his mouth as he spoke. I wiped off my cheek with the back of my hand. "The magic in that pendant only exists because of Gabriel."
I knew that. I'd heard the stories. "I know."
We circled each other. The sounds of fighting around us became nothing but background noise. It was as though Oberon and I were in a bubble.
"Gabriel is my son," he continued.
That I didn't know. But if he were trying to imply that Gabe was the Gabriel who sealed the magic in the pendant, it wouldn't work. What he didn't know was that I'd tasted Gabe. And he was most definitely not a Hunter, or any kind of vampire. "So?" I shrugged. There was much more I should've said, but he lunged at me again with his fiery sword. I moved at the last second. He missed me by millimeters. The heat burned my skin, and I flinched at the stark pain. It evaporated seconds later.
"You will lose. The vampire breed is dying. You're nothing but an afterthought, and I am the first chayot. Bringer of justice. Supplier of righteousness. Harbinger of divinity." As he spoke he pulled back his shoulders, an arrogant leer distorting his features.
"You may be the first, but that doesn't make you good, otherwise you wouldn't be set on destroying me." I dodged his sword again, and continued, "I think you're an old demon that craves power, and nothing more."
He howled, and swung the sword. I spun out of the way, but this time he was prepared, and grabbed me by the neck, squeezing my windpipe.
Not good, my inner voice gasped.
Oberon pulled me close. "You're a gnat, made to be crushed." He squeezed harder, and my feet left the floor. With one hand I tried to pry his steel fingers from my neck. From the corner of my eye I saw his burning sword coming closer.
The pendant began to glow bright red, and it shot into Oberon. The chayot released his grasp as he flew back, knocking over several other chayot and vampires in the heat of battle.