I was chatting with Iby about the upcoming Hidden Legacy novel, Ruby Fever and we agreed that Ilona Andrews writes the very best action scenes in the fantasy genre. Here is one of my favorites.
A brilliant red light pulsed above the grass and spat Arland and Lord Soren onto the lawn, an Archivarian between them, smack in the middle of the clashing Draziri. Their armor smoked. Arland roared, baring his fangs. Helen roared from the porch, her daggers held wide by her side.
The Drazirir fell on them. The two vampires cut a path to the porch, working side by side, their movements practiced and sure. Skulls crunched, blood weapons whined, attackers screamed and died.
Blood splashed on Arland’s face. He snarled as a Draziri fighter buried her blade in his armor.
Maude dropped the broom and ran across the grass, slicing through the Draziri as if they were butter. Helen dashed after her mother. Beast leapt off my lap and bounded after her.
I pounded on the darkness. What are you doing? Use the inn!
“Right now would be an excellent time to step in, my dear,” Caldenia murmured.
I ripped at the darkness with all my will.
A female Draziri blocked Helen’s path, brandishing a large knife. Beast lunged at her. Her jaws with four rows of teeth locked on the Draziri’s ankle. She howled as her bones crunced. Helen jumped onto the female Draziri and slit her throat.
Someone do something, damn it!
Orror ran out of the kitchen, huge, dark, all his spikes erect, thundered over the grass, snatched Helen up by her clothes and dragged her back to the inn.
“No!” Helen kicked her feet. “No!”
He opened his mouth and roared into her face. “Stop!”
She froze, shocked. He dropped her by my feet. “Protect Dina!”
Helen snapped her teeth at him, but stayed put. Beast trotted back to her and flopped on the porch, her mouth dripping blood.
My sister finally remembered that she had powers. The second Archivarian slid into the lawn, spinning like a corkscrew. Maud fought next to Arland, cutting and slicing, her blade so fast, it looked liquid. He was grinning, his face splattered with blood.
A hole opened, and Sean walked out, dragging the third Archivarian out. Marias followed, his clothes covered in soot, his hair wet with slime, his eyes far away, lost in a thousand yard stare.
Sean.
He came back to me. He came back! The darkness in front of me shrank, thinning. I wanted to stand up so badly, everything hurt.
I love this series so much.
I agree that this is a great series, but I think everything they write is wonderful. I especially love the take on vampires in the Clean Sweep series – very different from anything else I have read.