The Children of Shadows came in a wave of black. There was nowhere to go, so Katelina dropped into a defensive stance and raised her sword. One of the vampires ran toward her and she closed her eyes and swung with all her might. She felt the impact, and gasped as the shock of it reverberated up her arm. The vampire stumbled back, and looked down to find nothing; no blood, no cut.

He grinned in relief and lunged at her. She thrust the sword point first, and rammed it through ...