Krimson Mind: The Krimson Cycle Vol. 1

Chapter Thirty-Two

James saw Max's body fall to the ground, the sword that had gone all the way through the chest, seemed to pop out of the wound it had made as it fell to the ground beside him. Max's body had come to a stop very near where he was standing over the burnt stain that had once been a vampire. James sent out a mental probe, and touched the core of Max's mind. It was safe, his body was already beginning to regenerate. Max would survive.

He looked to where he'd last seen her and found Krimson sprawled out on the ground. James realized suddenly that he couldn't see her face. All he could see was a wet, red mess. He reached out with his mind and sensed that she was in a great deal of pain, but she was still alive. She too was slowly regenerating. It wasn't going to be fast enough. James knew that if he didn't stop Alexioff, the General would take his time and butcher them both. Alexioff would make sure that neither of them would ever walk away from this. James decided that he was going to have to correct that mistake.

"Well Bloodling, it seems that you managed to survive! I am impressed." Alexioff called out, as his voice went dangerously pleasant. James knew that the General was up to something, but he had no idea what it could be.

"I survived, but your little bitches sure didn't." James retorted. "When in doubt, fall back to second grade taunts." James thought grimly.

Alexioff looked towards the little sandstone building and saw what remained of the smoldering pile of ash that was Isabella. He looked to his left and saw yet another pile of ash that had once been Josephina. James watched his already undead complexion go even whiter as he realized that his last two brides were now dead. He spun around to the gazebo where Phantom had been posted with the fifty-caliber machine gun and saw nothing but a smoldering stain on the ground. The sniper rifle was nowhere to be found. James just smiled at him.

"How does it feel to be out gunned?" James snarked. "It isn't a whole lot of fun, is it?"

Alexioff gave James a look that was a mix of anger and sorrow.

"I'm hardly out gunned, as you put it. I have faced the Turkish hordes without fear. I have face down the King of Vampires himself and stood stronger because of it. I had torn apart nations with my bare hands. Standing against you will be but a brief distraction. Nothing matters now but your death. That whore you call a dame stole my Josephina from me. And now I shall return the favor." Alexioff looked over to where Krimson was still lying on the ground, her face still a mess of torn flesh. "Do you hear me Krimson? I know you yet live! I can hear your sluggish heart from here! Your pet is going to die, and there isn't anything you can do about it!"

James, his gaze still locked on the General, drew both of the knives that he'd borrowed from Krimson out of his pockets. He held one in each hand. He watched as Alexioff finally faced him. James could see sadness and a deep seething hatred etch lines in his face making him look impossible ancient. This wasn't going to be an easy fight, but James knew that he could win it. He knew for one reason. When he'd touched Max's mind, Max had replied with an image and a single thought. The image was of Alexioff. The thought turned out to be a phrase.

"Psychic trumps Mage."

"Now it's your turn to die." Alexioff spat.

"Don't make me wait." James taunted; his voice was low and steady.

Alexioff began to hurl reddish bolts of magical lightning at James. But it was for naught. The lightning bounced harmlessly in all directions thanks to the energy shield that James had in place. James began to draw his power from the ley line. He took in rawer energy than he'd ever thought possible. As he did, a supernatural wind began to blow though out the area. It picked up the bare dirt and turned it into billowing, blinding clouds. James channeled a fraction of this built up power in his pyrokinesis and cryokinesis. The blade in his left hand, and the air around it, suddenly burst into bright orange flames, while the knife in his right hand began glowing blue as the air temperature around his right hand dropped to far below absolute zero.