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"What is your interest in my slave?" Viper forced the Lu’s attention back to hiive him if he allowed the tiny pest to end up in the belly of a demon

The leviathan head turned back to stab hilare "That is a matter between my master and the Shalott"

"Your hty Lu allowed themselves to call another master?"

"You would be surprised, vahter chilled Viper’s already cold skin He didn’t like the idea the de the Lu a great deal of pleasure

"Why speak in riddles? Is your master so cowardly that he must hide in shadows?"

"Ah no, if you desire answers then you must first defeat ed"

The crierous threat "Foolish, va to haltsnout lashed forith h Viper’s ar his teeth Viper stabbed the sword into the exposed throat of the demon There was a hiss of pain froes in Viper’s flesh that bled with sluggish pain

Slaainst the wall it took a ed mind Damer demon

"Perhaps steel will not stop you, but there are so the sword toward the ground Viper ignored the blood trickling down his numb arm and concentrated his will upon ic No vampire was able to wield spells Or even to sense them But they did control ancient powers Powers that came from the elements theround, churning deep below The tunnel shook sending a spray of dirt falling froue flicking between the sharp teeth "I will have none of your vampire tricks"

"Unlike you I aritted

"Fool"

The Lu struck again but on this occasion Viperblow The teeth raked his shoulder, but he fir dirt below the deh, he angrily acknowledged The power he called on was used by vampires to sink their victiood manners to leave behind corpses to draw attention to a local clan

Unfortunately, in this day and age ers of hunting live prey and his skills were rarely called upon anymore Not to mention the fact that he had never before attee as the Lu

Still unaware of the ground that was now covering his clawed feet and inching up the thick scales of his legs the Lu gave a hissing growl and struck at Viper’s head It was a killing blow, but jerking back Viper ed painfully against the wall, a s it still attached

Griy ers from his boot He needed to distract the demon if he wasn’t to be shredded into nasty bits

Never allowing his call upon the earth to waver he drew back his arer with deadly force There was a sickening thud and a roar of pain as the dagger sank deep into the Lu’s oblong eye

"You will die for that, va hiround

"There is no need for either of us to die," Viper called out, keeping the deoyle back against the wall If he could ht survive this relatively intact He gri Relatively was all he could hope for at this point "Tell ht make a deal"

"I said you must defeat me if you wish answers, vahastly er still stuck in his eye He e forward, only to screaround held him firmly trapped "Noooo"

"Tell me why you want the Shalott," Viper de his sword Viper prepared to plunge it into the re eye when the narrow head jerked upward and sla A shower of earth rained doard and Levet gave a squeak of alaroyle squeaked

It did seem a distinct possibility, Viper conceded, as the deain reared up to thrust his head into the dirt above The Lu de

He was in the process of deciding whether the Lu was trapped enough to risk a strategic retreat or to use the opportunity to tend a few oneto do

Kill hian to tu speed fro down upon them They would be buried beneath the rubble