Broken Visions

Chapter 21

“Well, what do we have here?” He grins as he stalks toward me. “I think I’ve ran into a bit of luck, haven’t I?”

I start to back away, but he matches my movement, taking a step toward me every time I inch back, as if we’re dancing. He pushes up the sleeves of his shirt and things get a little more frightening as I spot the Mark of Malefiscus branded on the back of his hand.

“Don’t you know that wandering around at night is a dangerous thing? Especially at a place like this.”

I need to do something quick to get myself out of this situation. Foresee my way back to the house? But what kind of person would I be to bail on Aislin like that?

Before I can come up with an answer, the vampire lunges for me. I instinctively lift my leg and kick him right between the legs. The vampire crumples to the ground, and taking advantage of his momentary weakness, I jump for the fence, but his fingers wrap around my ankle and he drags me back to the ground. I stumble forward and smack my head against the iron fence. I see stars all around me.

Focus, Gemma. Foresee your way to Aislin.

I shut my eyes and concentrate on the graveyard, but the vampire sinks his fangs into my leg and it feels like my skin is on fire. But I focus past the pain, grab a nearby stick off the ground, and flip over onto my back, plunging the stick into the vampire’s back. He screams as I scream, my whole body feeling as though it’s melting, my skin hot wax, my veins ash.

Blood. More stars. Alex. Then I’m sucked away into the darkness.