The nearest vampire slashed at Damien with vicious speed, but Damien was faster. He ducked under the swipe, bringing Nightshade up in a sharp arc.
His primal energy which was pulsing through the blade connected with the vampire's side, and a spray of dark blood erupted from the wound. The vampire screeched, recoiling for only a moment before lunging at him again.
"These things don't know when to quit," Damien muttered, quickly sidestepping the next attack.
He could feel the raw power radiating from these turned students. They weren't just ordinary vampires, they'd been enhanced, likely by the Sire's influence.
Out of the corner of his eye, Damien saw the remaining vampires split up, one charging at Finch and Feiyun as they helped the hoodie girl carry Jenna and Bryan through the corridor.
"Finch, behind you!" Damien shouted.
Finch spun, just in time to unleash an arrow from Stormpiercer. The shot hit its mark, striking the vampire square in the chest.
The shot activated its special ability, as lightning danced on its surface. The vampire howled in pain, the electric surge coursing through its body, slowing its movement but not stopping it entirely.
Feiyun, who had been holding back to conserve energy, summoned the last of her strength and formed a spear of ice, hurling it at the creature. It pierced the vampire's leg, pinning it to the ground for a moment.
"We need to move faster!" Finch urged, his eyes darting to the growing numbers behind them. The vampires were relentless, and for every one they slowed down, more seemed to emerge from the shadows.
Damien blocked a vicious slash from the first vampire, its claws scraping against Nightshade's blade, sending sparks flying. He kicked the vampire in the chest, giving himself a moment to glance back at his group.
The hoodie girl was nearly at the end of the corridor, the exit was in sight. Jenna and Bryan were still unconscious, but they were almost there. Finch and Feiyun, however, were quickly running out of options.
"Feiyun, can you freeze the floor? Anything to slow them down!" Damien called out, desperately trying to buy more time.
Feiyun nodded, her face pale from exertion. With a trembling hand, she slammed her palm onto the ground, sending a wave of ice racing across the floor. The advancing vampires skidded to a halt, their movements slowed by the slick surface.
"That'll buy us a few seconds," Feiyun panted.
Damien gritted his teeth, turning back to face the vampire in front of him. It hissed, baring its fangs in frustration as it struggled for traction on the frozen ground.
Seizing the opportunity, Damien surged forward, Nightshade flashing in the dim light as he drove the blade deep into the vampire's chest. It let out a painful scream before collapsing into a lifeless heap.
"One down," Damien muttered, but there was no time to celebrate. The other vampires were already regaining their footing.
"We need to go!" Finch shouted, his voice strained as he fired another electric-charged arrow.
"Move!" Damien called, sprinting toward the group as they exited the storage facility.
*******
Moments later, they reached a massive set of double doors. The academy library stood before them, dark and silent.
The hoodie girl pushed the door open with her shoulder, struggling under the weight of Jenna, who still hadn't regained consciousness. "Inside!" she barked.
Finch and Feiyun were the first to rush in, followed by Damien, who slammed the doors shut behind him. He quickly threw put an iron bar across the handles, barricading the entrance.
"They won't be held for long," Damien said, his breathing ragged. "But this should give us enough time to find those hidden passageways."
The group was silent for a moment, catching their breath. The library was eerily quiet, its shelves filled with old texts and scrolls, the scent of old paper and dust filling the air.
Feiyun, still panting, glanced around. "If the passageways are hidden, they won't be easy to find. We'll have to split up and search the archives."
Damien nodded, looking at Finch and the hoodie girl. "You two stay with Jenna and Bryan. Keep an eye on the entrance. If anything happens, shout."
Finch nodded grimly, his grip on Stormpiercer tightening. "You got it."
With that, Damien and Feiyun began searching the dark corners of the library. They searched through old books and pulled at bookshelves, hoping to trigger some kind of hidden mechanism.
Every second felt like an eternity, the faint sound of scratching and hissing from behind the doors reminding them that the vampires were still out there.
"Come on," Damien muttered under his breath, his fingers running over the spines of dusty books. "There's got to be something."
Suddenly, Feiyun's voice broke the silence. "Damien! Over here!"
Damien rushed over to where Feiyun was standing near the back of the library. She had pulled a thick, leather-bound book from the shelf, and behind it, a small handle was embedded in the wall.
Without hesitating, Damien pulled the handle, and with a low rumble, a section of the wall slid open, revealing a dark passageway.
"Got it," Damien said with a sigh of relief.
The sound of splintering wood echoed through the library as the vampires began to break through the barricaded doors to get in.
"Everyone, get in!" Damien shouted.
Finch and the hoodie girl quickly carried Jenna and Bryan into the passageway, followed by Feiyun. Damien was the last to enter, sparing one last glance at the library as the doors gave way and the vampires poured into the room.
With a final pull, Damien slid the hidden door shut behind them, plunging the group into darkness.
They had escaped for now.
They were deep in enemy territory, and the Sire wasn't going to stop until she got what she wanted. Whatever that was, it had to do with him.
As they moved further into the passage, Damien tightened his grip on Nightshade. There was no turning back now.