Blood Warrior Read Online Free PDF Page B

reality.
    “Little help here, Lex?” she said. She was calm and focused, and I knew that she was in warrior mode now. She was also losing her battle.
    Talking to me had made the creature that was approaching Nelly stop and turn around to face me. By this point, I was already charging toward her, my body insisting I do what my brain couldn’t seem to figure out. Before we could collide, I brought my sword up swiftly between us, slicing her body in a vertical line. That horrible black blood spilled out, sprays and rivers of darkness gushing to open air. The creature shrieked that ear-piercing sound and I used the time to spin around and throw all of my weight into my next swing. My blade went through her neck without any hesitation. I didn’t think I could replicate that move if I tried.
    Another surge of energy racked me. I rocked back on my heels and my eyelids fluttered. It was a magnificent feeling; a terrifyingly awful, magnificent feeling that ended much too quickly for my approval. By the time I regained control over myself, I saw that my Mother had taken down one of her attackers, shifting the odds in her favor. I moved to help her, but she gritted out, “No! Get Nelly out of here!”
    I hesitated, I was confident my Mother could handle her opponent but what if more showed up?
    As if right on cue, three more creatures came through the open doorway. Again, they were all women, or I guess female would be a more accurate word.
    “Alexa! Get. Her. Out. Of. Here.” My Mother had decapitated her attacker and was now standing in between the three new ones and Nelly and I.
    Again, I hesitated. I could help her, I knew I could. But could I do that and protect Nelly at the same time? I had no idea. However, I did know I had very little time to decide.
    My Mother met my eyes for only the briefest of moments, but a whole conversation seemed to pass between us. Everything that she’d ever taught or told me came slamming back into me, with a force that almost made me dizzy. This was Nelly we were talking about. My little sister. My little sister’s life on the line. Really, there was no choice at all.
    I picked up two heavy bookends that were sitting on the mantel beside me. Then, I threw them as hard as I could at the bay window behind where Nelly was standing. She ducked, even though they weren’t going to hit her, and I rushed over and jerked her up to her feet. A couple of strong kicks at the glass made a hole large enough for us to squeeze through one at a time.
    I shoved Nelly through and glanced back at my Mother, who was gallantly managing to keep all three creatures from reaching us. The way she fought was amazing, the most deadly, beautiful thing I had ever seen. Her blade sliced through the air with the precision of a well-oiled machine. That’s when two more creatures rushed in, coming from seemingly nowhere.
    My heart stopped. My Mother was good, but I doubted even she could take on five of them at once. A jumble of options came tumbling through my mind as I stood there, trying to decide what to do.
    I could send Nelly ahead of me, and help my Mother fight, but that would leave Nelly unprotected. And I was unsure if she even knew where to go, though I was sure that if she encountered one of those creatures by herself, her chances of surviving were pretty much zero.
    I could keep her here with me and help my Mother fight, but again, that would put Nelly at risk.
    Or, I could run. I could take Nelly and run.
    I made my decision less than a heartbeat later. I only hoped I was making the right one.
    Hopping out of the window, I found Nelly waiting for me. The sky spat thin bullets of rain and the wind whipped her hair around her face like a topless car. Her hazel eyes were round and filled with shock, but there was also understanding in them. I’d made the decision, and she trusted me, though it must have been heartbreaking for her too.
    So, for the second time in just as many days, I breathed, “Run, Nell. We