Damian's Assassin

Talon grabbed him, his movement blurred. She rushed forward, screaming when Talon's dagger fell twice, thrice, five times. Jonny fell and didn't move. Talon stood and threw his head back in a booming laugh of triumph, until Dusty launched at him and knocked him off his feet. The two began their struggle anew. Bianca inched closer, panicked gaze on her brother. When the warring men careened away, she ran to Jonny and dropped beside him.

"Jonny!" she shouted above the din. Talon's strikes had torn Jonny's chest and abdomen open. Jonny's eyes were open and blank, his face pale.

The ground beneath them shook, and suddenly, the world slowed and fell quiet. She looked up at Darian a short distance away, watching his dark-light power streak around the room. Raindrops fell as if in slow motion, and lightning stayed, brighter than the midday sun. The vamps moved as if in slow motion. Unaffected by Darian's magic, Bianca touched Jonny's lifeless body, recalling the Watcher's words.

"Heal him, Bianca." Darian's voice came as if across a great distance and echoed around the room.

"Come back to me, Jonny," she whispered, crying as she placed her hands on his face. She concentrated as hard as she could, listening for his body to speak to her. At first, there was nothing. She concentrated harder. A tiny cry of his soul, and a spark reached out to her. She channeled her energy towards it, feeding it. It roared awake, thirsty and demanding.

Jonny took a gasping breath. She sat back, dizzy with effort. He sat and looked around.

"Jonny! I can't hold this!" Darian bellowed. His face blazed red from exertion, his eyes glowing brightly.

Her brother rose, helping Bianca to her feet. The world continued in its delayed movement, and they turned to watch the battling duo. Talon went down hard. Within seconds, his head flew across the room.

She gasped as the mist swallowed his body and paused at Dusty's, creeping up his boot without harming him. It moved up his leg. His body shook, and he flung his head back to the sky with a hoarse shout.

"Dusty!" she whispered, stricken. The earth trembled, and her legs crumbled beneath her. She felt Jonny's intent gaze on her as he knelt. "None of us are gonna survive this!"

"You will, B. I swear it," he said and hugged her. "I love you." He kissed her forehead and launched to his feet. Startled, she watched him dart towards Dusty. Jonny snatched the sword Dusty used against Talon and plunged it through the frozen demigod.

Dusty fell, and the mist swallowed Jonny. Darian shouted, staggering beneath the weight of his magic. Bianca screamed. She crawled and clawed her way to Dusty, looking wildly for her brother. She collapsed on top of the still assassin, her healing powers flowing unabated.