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.The smile grew across my face before I could stop it.It was a smile similar to one I d seen onJabari s face in the past, one of peace and joy and malice. Ashes, I replied in a voice that couldhave frozen the Nile. And you will join him soon. They both attacked at the same time, forcing me to dodge the blade of one while blocking theother.Across the cemetery I could hear the sound of steel clanging against steel.Apparently,Danaus had made some new friends.I kicked one of my attackers in the chest, sending himtumbling backward over a raised grave, while I blocked two more slashes from the naturi aimingto take off my head.I would have to get rid of one of my attackers if I had any hopes of incinerating the other.Unfortunately, creating and controlling fire took a great deal of energy and concentration,particularly with the naturi.With houses, and sadly with vampires, all you had to do was start thefire.Humans took a little more work, but for some reason the naturi were the worst.Somethingabout these creatures didn t want to burn.That s not to say they couldn t, with the exception of aconscious naturi from the light clan.Overall, the naturi made nice kindling; it just required extraeffort.And with one aiming to cut me into multiple pieces, I couldn t be distracted with crematingmy foes.I turned, careful to keep my back to the wall of one of the larger mausoleums.If Danaus lost hisbattle or if one of his attackers abandoned him and attacked me, I didn t want him to suddenlyappear at my back.The naturi thrust his blade at me.I blocked it.As he drew it away, he flickedCreate PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) the tip so the edge grazed the bottom of my arm.A long red line appeared, sending a sharp,burning pain up my arm.It was a sensation I had forgotten about.All the naturi weapons werecharmed, a special poison that screamed through the body.I kicked at him, but he sidestepped my blow.What he didn t expect was my fist landing on hisnose the next second, snapping his head backward.Beneath my knuckles I felt bone break andflesh give.He staggered a couple steps backward, blood pouring down his face.He cursed,which always sounded strange to me.Their language was so beautiful and lyrical that cursescame out sounding more like compliments, which is how I took it.Across the graveyard a groan broke above the sounds of fighting.I couldn t chance a look over,but it wasn t Danaus s voice.The hunter rid himself of one of his opponents.I attacked mybloody opponent before my other foe returned.Lucky for me, pain from his broken nose cloudedthe naturi s judgment, and it was only two seconds later before my sword was buried in his chest.Grinning, I drew the blade upward, ripping through his vital organs and snapping bone until itbroke through his collarbone and shredded the muscles and tendons in his shoulder.His eyesglazed over and his short sword clattered to the ground.Before he could collapse, I slashed mysword through the air, freeing his head from his neck.I looked up to find my other playmate coming at me, rage glittering in his green eyes.His angergave him more strength and speed than his companion, but I still had an edge.Nerian hauntedmy thoughts enough that I knew I had to kill this naturi or I would be in their hands once again afate I would not repeat.The brown-haired creature slashed and blocked with ease, forcing me tocircle away from the wall, exposing my back.I tried to circle around so I didn t have to worryabout anyone plunging a blade in my back, but he was good.We exchanged glancing blows so that after a couple of minutes we were both bleeding smallstreams from half a dozen little cuts.My body burned and my arms trembled from the pain.Thenaturi s leather jerkin was soaked with blood and sweat, but his eyes were narrowed and keenlyfocused on me.Clearly, his goal was to kill me.Gritting my teeth, I blocked another series of blows aimed at my heart and slashed at him,backing him up a couple feet.With a little space between us, I lowered my eyelids until my eyeswere reduced to narrow violet slits.He took a step toward me with his sword raised but lurched toa sudden stop, eyes widening.His irises seemed to be swallowed up by the whites of his eyesand his mouth opened as a low, strangled cry echoed through the strangely quiet graveyard.Ilowered my sword, focusing all my energy on his body.It took only another couple seconds forthe flames to peek through his flesh, blackening it.The sound of sizzling skin and tissue hissedin the air, while the smell of burning hair and leather overwhelmed any lingering scents of theNile and the city.I stepped back as his clothes ignited and he crumbled to the floor.He neverscreamed and it was a bit disappointing, because it had been such a painful way to go.But whatdo you expect when you start a fire in someone s lungs?When the naturi was reduced to a clump of blackened pieces, I withdrew the power,extinguishing the fire.Exhausted, I crumpled to my knees in front of the corpse.The sounds offighting had died off and I could vaguely feel Danaus nearby.I needed to rest for a momentbefore turning back to my dilemma with him.Summoning a little power, I pushed out andtouched the minds of any humans who had wandered close at the sounds of fighting or the sightof the brief fire.It took a little effort, but I erased the image, convincing them to turn around andreturn to their homes.Our secret was still safe. There s the little princess, announced a bold, mocking voice into the growing silence.Spinning around, I landed on my butt in my haste.The last naturi had forced me to turn, leavingmy back to the vast expanse of the cemetery.The last three naturi from across the street werecautiously drawing closer.Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Seated on the ground with my back pressed to the sand-worn wall of one of the crumbling, redbrick tombs, my eyes were locked on the center naturi, who was staring at me.I had never seena naturi like him.Well over five feet, he had hair so dark that it looked black, where all the naturiI had ever seen before were either blond or light brown.His right eye was covered with a blackleather patch, while his right cheek and jaw were crisscrossed with rough, jagged scars.Thenaturi healed from nearly everything, their warm beauty seemingly protected for all time.The one-eyed naturi took a step closer, edging around the dead bodies of his companions withhis sword tightly clenched in his right hand. Time to go. Not a chance. Something in his voice teased at my memories, as if I should remember him, butI could not recall ever seeing a naturi like him. But I have such plans for you. He took another step closer.Digging in my heels, I prepared toleap to my feet.Out of the corner of my eye I saw the other two naturi turn toward Danaus.Theywould keep the hunter occupied while this naturi took care of me.Yet, again his voice and words haunted me, bringing back images of Nerian and our finalconversation
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