Dacian was almost enjoying himself now. The troublemaker was underestimating him, just like Stephan had underestimated him. Stephan had thought because he was older than Dacian that he would be the one in control. Over the last two hundred years he’d found out differently.

“Try.” He hissed the challenge, positive that Edge had too much ego to turn it down.

Edge glanced up and down the hall and Dacian could almost hear him mentally calculating how much damage he could get away with inflicting on this nothing vampire.

Dacian saw it in his eyes a second before Edge struck, and he flung up his shields. The blast of power rocked Dacian, but his shields held and the blue flash bounced away from him and dissipated.

This was the part Dacian lived for. Edge’s eyes widened in shock and then his lips thinned in concentration.

“Well, well. Looks like I’ll have to work a little harder. Your point, bloodsucker. I wasn’t expecting any resistance.” He tried to look unconcerned. “Of course, I wasn’t trying to fry you, just lay a hurting on you. Like the hurting you’ve laid on your brother for so many years.”

Low blow. That made Dacian mad. Because it was true. It drove him to retaliate instead of just protecting himself as he’d planned.

Without trying to control his power, he lashed out at the other man. A whiplash of energy snapped Edge’s head back. A red welt pulsed angrily along his jaw.

“Son of a bitch.” Edge’s comment was one part surprise and three parts fury.

He backed away from Dacian and then let him have it. Slivers of glass drove at Dacian from every direction. Dacian’s shield shook and wavered under the onslaught.

Dacian had to give himself time to strengthen his shield, so he retaliated. Rivulets of fire crept across the floor, converging on the cursing troublemaker. The streams of flame crept over his shield, looking for a crack, a place to slide through and incinerate the enemy.

The sharp cracks of shattering glass and the sizzle of the flame filled the hallway with noise and smoke. Dacian had lost himself in the battle, and the glare from Edge said he wasn’t pulling any punches either.

But Dacian was weakening. The troublemaker was wearing him down. When he couldn’t maintain his shield any longer, he’d have to escape. He eyed the window at the end of the hallway. It was a narrow castle window, but if he shifted right before he hit it, he could smash through and be gone.

Cinn. Damn. He had to protect her. He’d have to find her window, crash through, and then listen to her scream bloody hell. But he didn’t have any other plan, so he’d go with it. The next power play by Edge shoved him hard against the wall and the troublemaker grinned. He sensed victory.