Always Hate Me

2. The Heart of a Monster

Lucjan lifted his gaze to the rooftops. His keen eyes found Frederick skulking there and he gave him the nod. Frederick muttered to his companions, in a low tone that only a fellow vampire could make out.

"Ready yourselves."

Vampires sped from further along the procession to join the rooftop onlookers and Frederick slipped away – off on his own particular errand.

Ryder let rip his magic and lethal blades of ice shot out from his palms. The vampires were fast to roll out of the way, the humans in the crowd weren't so lucky. People shrieked in fright. Panic spread and the crowd became an unruly stampede down the main street. A mother fell to her knees – ice having crazed her cheekbone so fast that her face felt branded. Her little girl wailed, scrunching her eyes tightly shut as she clung onto her arm.

The vampires converged on Ryder, hissing threateningly. He wasn't intimidated. Raising his hands in the air, a funnel of blue fire erupted around him. Through the flames, he made out Lucjan. He sent a blast toward the vampire but Lucjan was fast – he sped behind the mother and child, using them as human shields. Ryder bared his teeth, enraged.

Making a fist, Ryder produced a wall of ice beyond his protective fire wall. The wall whooshed out, black ice shrieking against the tarmac as it slammed into the vampires. Methodically, Ryder started penning them in – making the space smaller and smaller. His eyes shone with excitement as the vampires cried out – struggling against the ice walls that threatened to crush them.

Jordan emerged then, in full glorious attire. Growling, the Father of Vampires threw his fists against the ice – smashing into the magic. Blue crackles of power rippled out from his punches and Ryder groaned. Jordan's eyes shone gleaming scarlet – so bright that they glowed through his visor- as he threw the last punch. As one, all the ice walls crumbled down – turning into a flurry of snow.

Ryder was panting for breath. His gaze locked with Jordan's.

"You're strong." He called out across the space between them. "Where were you in the battle of London?" Ryder cricked his neck as he spoke. Jordan was powerful, but Ryder was confident that his magic would win.

"France."

The soldiers let rip and bullets rained down on Ryder. His shield dealt with them easily – turning iron into harmless flecks of sand.

"Safer there I suppose," the warlock taunted. Lucjan started laughing. Ryder turned his attention on him, frowning.

"This has been fun, warlock. But the game's over." Lucjan pointed up, guiding Ryder's attention to the rooftop.

Two vampires were holding a drugged Liam between them. The gorgon stared blearily down at the carnage below, his gaze unfocused. "Surrender, or we rip off the gorgon's ugly head." Lucjan hooted at Ryder's furious expression. Ice spread over the ground between them and Lucjan clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Are you really prepared to do that? To see him die?"

"Ryder," Liam's voice was slow and limp. "Kill them." He swayed unsteadily, "kill all of them."

Ryder hesitated, calculating the potentials. How could he get Liam out of their clutches? Reading Ryder's expression, Lucjan spoke in a low voice.