I needn't have worried. Sebastian had it covered. He pulled the weakened Cesard from my mother before any damage could be done and threw him to the ground.

The vampires descended on him, all of them, clinging to the screaming magician and draining him dry. I couldn't watch. It was too horrible. Instead, I ran the five steps to my mother and hugged her like I'd never let her go.

That was the plan, anyway.

"Syd," I turned at the sound of my name. Brad was ...