“I’m not sure,” Bennett said, tightening her grip on her sword. “But since it appears they’re here for a fight, how about we give them one? Are you ready?”

As soon as Ruby and Bennett took a step, the vampires across the way let out a war cry, and raising their swords in the air, they raced toward the women. The first to arrive was the first to die, the katana in Ruby’s hand slicing through the man’s neck like it was butter. The second and third only made it a step further before Bennett’s sword pierced one man’s heart, and before he’d dissolved into dust, Ruby decapitated the other without even breaking a sweat.

With bodies at her feet, Ruby backstepped in the scramble, dodging the undisciplined efforts of Napoleon’s people to find her with their blades. She pivoted and pivoted again, fighting off every attempt made to best her. When blood sprayed into her eyes, Ruby blinked it away, and when a searing pain caused her bicep to burn, Ruby let out a gasp and then pushed the pain aside. And as slashed jugulars spewed like macabre fountains, Ruby advanced, forever swinging her swords with lethal accuracy.

Bennett, too, had to give ground to Napoleon’s people more than once, and then, turning the tide, her legs carried her forward, causing some in front of her to stumble and some to die. She thrust and slashed with the katana in her right hand while using the other to fend off her attackers, and the room was filled with the clank of steel against steel as blades met and met again. Sparks flew, and blood gushed until finally, a hush fell over the room, its silence broken only by the short, ragged breaths of two women covered in blood.

With their chests heaving, the two women surveyed the room. Slumped on sofas and sprawled across the floor were the carcasses of headless vampires, and the remains of those turned into dust were slowly being absorbed by the river of blood creeping its way across the room.

Bennett turned to Ruby. “You did well.”

“Thanks. I like the swords.”

“Well, if we get out of this, consider them gifts.” When Ruby smiled, Bennett looked down her nose at the woman. “That doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you for what you’ve done, but you were right. I wouldn’t have made it past this room without you.”

“Understood,” Ruby said, looking around. “Okay, so I know we just battled our way through ten armed vampires, but I can’t help but feel this has been a little too easy. Or is it just me?”

“No, it’s not just you,” Bennett said, looking around. “I’ve had enough run-ins with Napoleon to know his best fighters weren’t here, and Ivan was nowhere to be seen either.”

“Ivan?”

“Big, burly oaf of a man. Defines the word ugly.”