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Tirip on the rapidly dying Gaius, as well ashis hold on Nefri, he braced himself for their abrupt return to the warehouse

He would never, ever get used to traveling through space like a damned Jinn

His feet had barely hit the floor when he sensed Styx rushing forward

"Santiago"

"Wait" He dropped Gaius so he could hold out a warning hand "She’s being controlled by the spirit"

"Good," the Anasso growled "I’ve been waiting for the bastard"

On cue Nefri ripped her fangs fro vareat Anasso," Nefriof All Vao sank to the floor, the blood dripping froether

"An e "Alh fell fro you are?"

Styx braced hiet past the door," he couard the s"

Santiago began to rise to his feet when Gaius grabbed his hand

"My sonwait"

Santiago hid a gri his for frorabbed the th, he broke the chain that held it around his neck "Here"

Santiago flinched from the medallion that had been tainted by the Dark Lord The srowled

"No" Gaius griruesome o "You ht

Even if the Dark Lord was dead and they ed to destroy the spirit that was their latest threat, the medallion symbolized evil

It couldn’t be allowed to reo reluctantly took the medallion "I’ll make sure it’s destroyed"

"Thank you I--"

"Don’t," Santiago interrupted He would never be able to fully forgive this man for his betrayals Not when he’d nearly destroyed the world with his selfish needs But a part of him now at least understood ould drive a man to such extremes "I will reave htof family"

"Sonmy son" A shattered ht died from his eyes and he was allowed to escape the slow, painful decay

Rising to his feet as Gaius turned to ash, Santiago slipped the medallion into his pocket, determined to honor his sire’s last request

Then he turned just in ti a blast of power toward Styx

The very air sizzled before the power s into the far wall The entire building shook fro down on their heads

"You truly can’t think you can beat enuine incredulity "I created you"

Styx pulled hi bits of cement from his leather pants "What o so cleverly force me back here?" With a sharp thrust of her hand, Nefri’s power again sent Styx crashing into the wall

Santiago cursed, knowing that the violent collision with the wall had to be cracking bones and puncturing inner organs The Anasso, however, refused to betray the slightest hint of vulnerability as he surged upright, allowing his oers to knock Nefri backward

"Because we have a gift for you," Styx drawled "We’ve removed the protective spells around the book"

"No" Nefri hissed, her body growing rigid as the spirit belatedly realized the danger "I won’t be trapped Not again"

Styx smiled "Not your choice"

"Fool"

With a screech that nearly busted Santiago’s eardru through the rooainst pulses of frigid energy that threatened to crush hio forced himself back to his feet Step by painful step he inched forward, his heart clenched with fear as Styx struggled to hold off the vampire lost in her bloodlust

Nefri went for his neck, her fangs instead sinking into the Anasso’s forearripping her lower face as he prepared to crush her jaws

"Styx," Santiago called "Don’t hurt her"