Chapter ONE - Weebly

As he reached the first turn in the stairway, though,
he saw a shadow move above him. He grabbed his
knife, slashed it across the back of his hand, and
shouted the first thing that came to mind.
“Pugnus ex cruore evocatus!” Fist, conjured from
blood!
He heard a man grunt, then stumble. The fatigue in
his legs forgotten, Ethan took the steps between himself
and the shadow two at a time. The man was still
doubled over when he reached him, and Ethan wasted
no time. From a step below, he threw a hard punch that
caught the man square in the jaw. The stranger crashed
into the banister, making the wood creak dangerously.
Then he toppled forward onto Ethan, who shoved the
lurker back so that he sprawled on the stairs.
“Mister Kaille, please!” the man croaked.
Ethan leaped forward, grabbing the stranger by his
hair and pressing the edge of his knife against the man’s
neck.
“Who are you?” Ethan demanded. Before the man
could answer, Ethan nicked his throat with the knife,
drawing a trickle of blood.