Chapter 24

Lucianus

I turned into the wind, drifting through the trees towards the source of the fire as smoke billowed up. It looked to be a farm of some sort. There was a large building burning down in the center. I recognized the scent of burning vampire blood and knew that the escaped vampires had been killed there. If not most, then all of them from the thickness of the scent. At least I didn’t have to worry about hunting those fools down.

Yet standing in the middle of the still-burning ruins was a tall white cross, gleaming in the moonlight. As I approached, I realized that the cross was made of silver. The scent of holy water drifted around the cross, and I laughed.

Holy water. It seems that the pope’s church, the Vatican Order, had recruited more soldiers.

They thought that we were easily defeated. I slammed my hand into the cross, ignoring the brief burn of the silver on my skin, and watched it shatter and crumble. I took to the air and turned. The scent of blood caught my nose.

I dr