Free Moonlight(Pact Arcanum 3) by Arshad Ahsanuddin Page B

telepathic burst just before the other Sentinel passed out, containing only one word. “Gas.”
    Toby hardened his shields, and a second sphere flew out of the darkness toward him. As it wrapped around his head, he fired a bolt of white-hot light at the spellcaster he had detected and heard the Nightwalker scream while he burned. The sphere containing the gas dissipated, but Toby kept his shields impermeable. He knew he would soon run out of time, using up the air trapped within his shield, while his own magic quickly depleted itself. He had to end this now, or all three of them would die. He drew on his remaining reserves and tried to think of a spell that would save them.
    The attacking vampires stopped, all at once, and stepped back from combat. Then Yvette dropped her shroud of invisibility and strode between the ranks of her remaining soldiers.
    Toby’s eyes widened when he recognized her. He knew that he was no match for her in his weakened state. Better to go down fighting, he thought, and began to cast one final spell. Radiant Burn . We’ll all fry together. He might have just enough strength to complete the casting.
    Yvette raised her sword and released a burst of power down her blade that shattered his shield and knocked him off his feet. The spell that he was trying to hold in his mind fragmented, and the magic he had left exploded outward as the mystical waveform collapsed, vaporizing the nearest Nightwalkers. Andrea went flying, but her kinetic shield absorbed most of the blast. Desperately, Toby reached for more power, but his Gift was exhausted. He was defenseless.
    Yvette weathered the storm of energy behind her shields and then fired another burst of power at him that should have reduced him to ash, but the cross on his chest flared with bright blue light, and the magic of her attack fizzled out.
    She raised her eyebrows at that, apparently taking an interest in him for the first time. Then she spoke to her soldiers. “Take the girl and the magician. Kill the other.” She turned around and walked away.
    Toby got back on his feet when the vampires attacked again, but he couldn’t match them in hand-to-hand combat, and his magician’s staff was only a stick of wood again. He went down almost immediately, and the Nightwalkers beat him into unconsciousness. The last thing he heard was Andrea’s scream as they dragged her away.
     
     

PART II:  DEADLINE
     

CHAPTER 10
     
    Oxford Botanic Garden, Oxford, England; Thirty minutes later
    Nick stood over what was left of Jack’s body, ignoring the stench of blood and scorched flesh. He surveyed the burned and shredded bodies of the Nightwalkers, critically evaluating their numbers. He put his musings aside when he saw the white light of a teleport matrix form and six men appear: Lorcan Magister Diluthical, Huntmaster of the Court of Shadows, accompanied by five of his guards. Nick strode angrily to stand before the other Daywalker, ignoring the rest of the Armistice Security strike force that scattered about the battlefield, brightly lit by portable floodlights.
    Lorcan studied the scene with icy detachment before turning his attention to Nick. “How many dead?” he asked.
    “At least forty-nine,” said Nick. “We found Jack and all seven of Andrea’s Secret Service agents, along with forty-one other bodies. But Toby and Andrea aren’t here.” He faced Lorcan with naked hostility. “I don’t suppose you know where they are?”
    Lorcan shook his head. “No, I don’t. The Magister Daviroquir denies everything and demands to know whether I am carrying on covert activities in his territory.”
    “That’s just great,” Nick said sarcastically. “An assault of this size and he doesn’t know anything about it? That’s just bullshit.”
    “Maybe,” said Lorcan, his eyes narrowing. “It would help if I knew why they attacked her.”
    Nick scowled at him. “She’s the daughter of the President of the United States. Who knows how many enemies