Across the room, Angelique and Polly advanced and engaged in tandem, and sparks flew as blades connected with blades. Napoleon’s people continued the onslaught in a never-ending back-and-forth, and when their sixth opponent finally met his end, Angelique and Polly were gasping for air. They didn’t stop though. They couldn’t…and neither could anyone else.

Unyielding in both space and spirit, while Bennett, too, was gasping, each time a limb fell, each time blood spurted from the stumps centered on torsos, and each time another dissolved into dust, Bennett swung her swords even harder. The sooner they perished, the sooner she could find Napoleon, for Bennett had plans for Napoleon, and she had every intention of following through on them.

Like the others, Ruby was gaining ground, and also like the others, she was growing weary. As a fountain of red poured from the woman’s neck in front of her, Ruby finished the cut, and when the vampire’s body crumpled to the floor, Ruby paused to take a breath. A second later, a searing pain caused her to cry out, and lowering her eyes, she saw a sword protruding from her chest.

Lisa had just ended the existence of another of Napoleon’s people when she heard Ruby cry out, and in a flash, Lisa was there to behead the vampire who had stabbed Ruby in the back. Lisa yanked the sword from Ruby, and the woman fell to her knees. Blood filled Ruby’s mouth, and as crimson bubbles welled up, she slumped to her side.

Lisa wasted not a second, and rolling Ruby onto her back, she held her wrist to Ruby’s mouth. “Bite me.”

Ruby stared back in disbelief, rocking her head from side to side as blood spilled from her mouth.

“Damn it, Ruby, bite me,” Lisa shouted. “We’re connected, and we will always be connected. Now bite me.”

“No,” Ruby said, wheezing for air. “I can’t. It’ll…it’ll weaken you.”

“Oh, crap.” Lisa looked around, and jumping to her feet, she charged one of Napoleon’s men. Instead of taking his head, Lisa took off his arms with precise swings of her swords, and then she grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him close. Without hesitation, Lisa sunk her teeth into the man’s neck. The warm nectar of his life flowed into her, and Lisa gulped it down. Repeatedly, she sucked more into her mouth until she felt ten feet tall, and then finishing him with a death strike to his heart, she ran back to Ruby and held out her wrist again. “Now, it’s your turn, Ruby. Take what you need. I have plenty.”

Ruby’s eyes met Lisa’s for a second, and then licking her lips, she pierced the soft, warm flesh of Lisa’s wrist while the battle raged on around them.