“Sarafina!” Theo was battling an Atrika to her right, casting glances over his shoulder at her. “Sarafina!”

“I’m okay!” she called back.

The wall of fire collapsed, leaving the huge, angry redheaded Atrika standing before her. His eyes matched his hair—killing rage. The air around him crackled with power.

Then again, maybe she wasn’t okay.

“Sarafina!”

The daaeman Theo was fighting sent a massive bolt into Theo’s side, sending him careening backward. He cracked his head on the floor and lay still. Sarafina screamed, momentarily forgetting the enraged daaeman advancing on her.

But she couldn’t forget for long.

Power rose like a massive wave, prickling over her skin. She was the tiny sailboat in the water; her defenses were not enough to stop the wave from crashing down over the top of her. Like she had in the ballroom, she gripped a fistful of magick from her chest, knowing it would incapacitate her. She just needed to get through this encounter; she’d worry about the next one when it came.

The daaeman in front of her roared. She jerked in the face of the sound, terror coursing clear and icy through her veins. Her hold on the bundle of magick she’d pulled from her seat never wavered.

And then Bai stepped between them. The daaeman glanced at her, baring his teeth briefly, then turned and roared back at the redheaded Atrika. They engaged, teeth ripping, throats snarling, claws tearing.

Sarafina blinked. Then she rolled to the side to avoid the spray of demon blood and the acid burns that would come with it. From a safe distance, her hands gripping an overturned chair, she watched.

It was like a scene from King Kong. She was the favorite of a monster, and he meant to keep her safe from all the other monsters.

Surreal. Sarafina wasn’t sure if she should feel relieved right now, or really, really alarmed.

The two Atrika rolled on the floor, sounds of animalistic bloodlust sending chills through her body.

Theo came from her left and she practically leapt into his arms. “You’re all right,” she cried. His head was gushing blood.

He half carried her away from the fight, over to the side of the room toward the door.

“Desist!” Stefan bellowed in the middle of the room. Nothing happened.

The head warlock muttered a stream of French and then, “Stop! I hold your leashes, and I’m yanking them. This is over!”

In amazement, Sarafina and Theo watched as one by one the Atrika stopped fighting. Stefan was indeed commanding the Atrika.

Every one of the daaeman in the room stopped their battles except Bai and the redhead. Soon their snarling was the only sound.

All around them Coven witches and the handful of warlocks left pulled themselves up from the floor and limped to a safe place to see what would happen next.

“Bai!” Stefan bellowed.