"Blood magic?!" she shouted at him. "You coward!"

Solomons made a tisking noise as he swung and she dodged. "The stakes are too high to leave this to chance my love. You should have taken my offer." He swung again, this time hitting her shoulder and causing her to spin.

She had to expose him and she knew it. If she could, he would be exposed as a coward and a cheat even if he killed her. Blood magic was taboo, even amongst the vampires. Only dark witches could . . . 'The Blood Rampart,' she thought. 'They must have done this.' She was backhanded across the face, sending blood...