Free Blood Magic (Dragon Born Alexandria Book 2) by Ella Summers Page A

but Alex felt a surge of fairy and mage magic before the migraine hit her. She reversed her magic, protecting her mind, looking with her eyes instead. Bedraggled prisoners stood behind the cages, their blood-crusted arms reaching through the bars. They called out to her and Logan in hoarse, pleading voices.
    Alex stopped, staring up at their manic eyes. “This is what the pirates meant by ‘plunder’.”
    “The vampires have modified the area. There are more prisoners in adjacent tunnels,” Logan said. “I can hear them. Mages, fairies, hybrids. And humans.” His jaw went rigid. “They’re selling them as food to vampire warlords. I’ve seen this before.”
    “They couldn’t even keep their fangs to themselves that long.” Alex peered through the bars of the closest cage. The hybrids inside were freckled with bite marks. “They fed on these people. Numerous times.” She spun to face Logan. “We have to get them out of here.”
    “Ok.” He shot a scathing look down the tunnel, presumably at the vampires, then set to work picking the locks on the cages. “The vampires will be here in under a minute.”
    She drew her sword and stepped toward the tunnel entrance. “I’ll take care of it.”
    A wave of magic preceded the vampire swarm, thick and sharp with the tang of blood and the decay of rotting fruit. Yum. Demonic vampires were the strongest and fastest of the three kinds of vampires. Their magic also tasted the worst. Well, unless you liked 101 Flavors of the Apocalypse.
    One-by-one, vampires dripped through the narrow passageway into the tunnel, fangs bared. They moved in silver streaks—and fell in crimson waves. Alex slashed left and right, the pile of vampires at her feet constantly growing. Sweat and blood lathered her skin, drenching her in death.
    But there were too many of them. And they were just too damn fast. One got past her. And then another. He backhanded her as he passed. She flew across the tunnel, her back crashing against iron bars. She pulled herself back to her feet, slashing at the endless stream of vampires. If only she could use magic without throwing up.
    I can help you with that, her dragon said. The iron doesn’t affect me.
    In that case, burn them.
    Her dragon grinned into her mind, chased by a round of maniacal laughter. A moment later, every vampire in the tunnel exploded. A fiery curtain of magic slid down from the archway, blocking off the rest of the vampire army. Alex stole a glance at Logan. He’d freed half of the prisoners, but he needed more time to free the others. The vampires didn’t look like they were going to give him that time. They were throwing things against the magic barrier.
    Can you make that thicker?
    Sure, but then I couldn’t hold it as long… Oh. Her dragon grinned. I see what you’re thinking. Let’s do it.
    Lightning crackled to life on the barrier, thickening and mixing with the fire to form an opaque wall of magic. Alex clenched her fists and held back the wave of nausea as she reached for her magic. Cool and silky, it rolled across her skin. The ground shook. In the distance, water crashed and rumbled. That rumble was getting closer.
    “Alex, what are you doing?” Logan asked.
    She didn’t dare answer for fear she’d throw up. The iron was bouncing her magic back at her, bombarding her with echoes.
    Beyond the wall, a vampire yelped in surprise, swallowed by the river. The other vampires turned to run, but they were too late. A tidal wave rolled over them, pushing them under. Water crashed against the barrier, which spat and sizzled in protest. Thankfully, it held.
    Of course it’s holding, her dragon said, but her voice sounded strained.
    Alex pushed against the water, shoving the river back through the tunnels—and all those vampires with it. With the water level back to normal, her dragon dropped the barrier. Alex released her magic. As it snapped back into her, she stumbled forward and vomited into the water.
    Yuck.
    Alex wiped