The man roared as his anger was baited by both attack and taunt, blood steadily spilling from the two strikes to his weakened side, disoriented further by the forced spin. He barely waited a single breath before swinging his blade wildly at the vampire. They were experienced strikes, but devoid of tactics or thought, relying entirely on instinct—which Renaissance possessed in spades compared to the human hunter. Even as she engaged him, however, a shiver of danger slid down her spine.

Meanwhile, Felicity nearly stumbled into Lyselle’s range, hissing softly at the pain in her legs before brandishing her weapon toward the object of her jealousy. Lyselle had already freed her weapons by the time Felicity locked eyes on her. She swung her dagger in a horizontal arc, which her opponent barely avoided, only to feel the sting of Lyselle’s shortblade sink into her shoulder. The huntress had used a feint to land the blow, her expression as serious as ever—not even a flicker of a smile—as she knew this battle would not be easily won.

What surprised Lyselle was the sudden rejoining of the newest hunter—Thomas—the vampire’s spell now completely dispelled. She had to shift her stance quickly to block the blow of his weapon, a mace that knocked her off balance despite being wielded with far less skill than the others. Still, it created the perfect opening for Felicity’s counterattack, her shortsword sinking into Lyselle’s bicep. Lyselle winced sharply as the burn of metal tore through her arm. Thankfully, the woman reacted quickly, pulling away and using her newfound speed to gain some distance from her opponents, who now numbered two instead of one. Thanks to her hours of training both off and on the field, she was able to force her own pain to the side, letting adrenaline course through her veins.

Just as Renaissance had reacted to Delwyn, Holt was upon her with practiced grace and speed. Though fully human, the Master Huntress moved with startling precision, concealing her presence until she was only a few feet away. Her chosen weapon was revealed in a flash—a jian—whistling through the air as it struck toward the vampire’s back. It was handled with the skill befitting her title and backed by surprising strength, the blessed silver searing through ancient flesh. How much it caught depended on Ren’s reaction speed—but it caught nonetheless.

The sound and scent drew Lyselle’s attention almost instantly, concern and alarm rippling through their connection even as she forced herself to remain focused in the face of her own threats. It was the first time either of them had been wounded since this confrontation began. Lyselle hated that. But there was nothing she could do now except keep her eyes on her enemies and her mind disciplined. She knew, as much as she wanted to protect her darling love, that staying in the moment was the right call.