A void I instantly recognize because it once resided in me.
“Hello, Rainey,” she says, her voice so like Aoife and yet so completely different it breaks my heart.
“No.”
“Yes.”
Stella snaps, and the leather straps disappear.
“Where is she?”
“She’s gone, Hunter.”
“No. I wasn’t. I was still here.”
“You are a lunar witch. With normal beings, only one soul can reside in a body. Your friend is gone, Rainey Astor. Dead. And it feels so good not to share a headspace!” She wiggles Aoife’s hips and turns in a slow circle. “Isn’t this great?! We get to have actual face-to-face conversations now.”
“You are supposed to let me go.”
She throws her head back and laughs. “Why would I do that? Everyone will be looking for you. Not a single soul will see me coming.” She grins. “Especially not Elijah. This time, I’ll finish the job and just take my fucking box.”
“Why the hell are you doing this? What did I ever do to you? Aren’t we supposed to be family?”
Heather snorts and rolls her eyes. “Family means nothing. My own daughter didn’t come home for my awakening, you know that?”
“I can’t imagine you’d be winning any mother of the year awards,” I shoot back.
“You’re a mouthy one, aren’t you? It doesn’t matter now. What I can tell you is that I will run this supernatural world before the final snow falls here in Billings. And when I do, the councils will fall. The creatures will sink to their knees as they sing my praises.”
“You will never win,” I growl and struggle against my restraints.
“I will. But you won’t be here to see it.” She crosses the room toward me, taking a silver blade offered to her by Stella.
“You’re a fucking coward,” I growl. “Too much of a chickenshit to face me, hand to hand.”
“I’m not stupid, Rainey. There’s no way in hell I’m letting you free.” She drags the blade over my throat. “Tell me, how do you want to die?”
Blinding light fills the room, and Heather is gone from in front of me in the blink of an eye—replaced by a man wearing a dark suit.
His hair is short and slicked back from his face. His full lips are pulled into a wide smile, and green eyes meet mine. “Hello Rainey,” he greets, his accent even thicker than Elijah’s. “Shall we be going?” With a snap of his fingers, the leather is gone, and he pulls me to my feet. Then, he snaps again, and the room vanishes around me.
When I open my eyes again, I’m standing in the center of a forest, surrounded by tall trees. “What the—” I pull my hand away from the stranger’s and turn in a slow circle. “Where are we?”
“Ireland,” he replies as if it were obvious.
I gape at him. “What the fuck are we doing in Ireland?”
“We’re meeting with someone.”
“And you are?”
“Fearghas.”
“You’re a fae?”
He nods. “Quiet now. We must be silent or he will not show himself.”
Before I can open my mouth to speak, the trees begin to sway though there is no breeze. The air around us fills with a power, unlike anything I’ve ever felt. It seeps into my body, chilling me while also providing warmth. A contradiction that shouldn’t exist but does.
How fitting. Especially given that I should be in a cabin somewhere in Billings and not in the forests of Ireland.
“Fearghas, you bring the hunter to me.” A melodious voice wraps around me, and I shiver.
“I did as promised.”
“And you will be rewarded as such.”
“Who the hell are you?”
Fearghas clears his throat uncomfortably and leans over to whisper, “Be a bit more respectful, will you? You are addressing the fae king.”
“You don’t have a king,” I snap. “Aoife told me as much.”
The voice chuckles moments before a man Cheshire Cats me and appears—smile first—a few feet away. “You are just as lovely as Aoife said you were.”
“Since you haven’t answered, I’ll ask again. Who the hell are you?”
“I am Darragh. King of the fae.” He bows to me, a move that makes me even more uncomfortable than being whisked across the world in the blink of an eye.
“Aoife said that your kind has no king.”
“She is not wrong,” he replies sadly. “We have lost our way, but I am part of a resistance that is fighting for order within our realm.”
“What the hell do I have to do with any of this?”
“Heather poses a threat to my kind. We need your help to eliminate that threat.”
“You’re a hell of a lot more powerful than she is. Why not take her out yourself?”
He sighs and begins to pace. “Unfortunately, Heather has grown more powerful than even she realizes. There will be no containing her this time. We must kill her if we are to keep the balance within the worlds.”
“If the fae king himself is not powerful enough to stop her, what the hell makes you think I am? I’m a hunter.”
He smiles and takes a step toward me. I back away.
Fearghus stays where he is, watching carefully.
Darragh clears his throat and stops, folding both hands in front of him. “Because you are no ordinary hunter, Rainey Astor. You were born during a lunar divide, which gives you the ability to possess more magic than any being in your world or ours.”
“And thanks to Aoife, Heather is now a fae.”
“A fae with power only over nature,” Fearghus interjects for the first time since announcing the arrival of his ‘king’.
“Aoife sacrificed herself to limit Heather.”
It clicks, and I can’t believe I didn’t see it before. I should have—but given everything that’s been going on—“Aoife was not a true fae.”
“Correct.”
“With you, Heather could access both your reservoir and her own because of the divide. Since Aoife is just one being—Heather will only be able to access her nature magic. Aoife’s sacrifice greatly weakened the witch.”
“Fuck.” I cover my mouth with both hands as I process everything that just happened. Adrenaline waning, my body begins to shake. “This isn’t an illusion then? I’m free?”
“Yes,” Fearghus replies.
“And you want my help destroying Heather.”
The king nods. “We need your help, Rainey. But it’s not just you that we need. It will take many witches, hunters, and other supernaturals to put her down because it’s not only her you were fighting. My spies tell me even now that she is steadily growing her army. Mark me, she will take your world by force, and then, mine will fall soon after. She will not go down easily. Blood will be shed, and many will die before this war is over.”
“Do you plan on offering me aid?”
“Only those who will make the choice as Fearghas has. I cannot risk my position by ordering fae into war.”
I bite down on the inside of my cheek to keep from calling him a coward. “If she poses such a threat, why not fight back?”
“My kind are very arrogant, Rainey. They do not believe the original witch will be able to access faerie.”
“But she is technically a fae now.”
“Aoife was never granted the access to our realm,” Fearghas says. “She was not welcome in faerie.”
“You lot are assholes,” I murmur.
The king laughs. “Yes, yes, we can be.” The laughter dies down, and he shakes his head. “Now, will you help us?”
“Will you take me home if I don’t?”
“Possibly,” he replies, amusement glittering in his golden eyes.
“You’re asking me to do something I already planned on doing,” I reply. “Heather stole from me. She ripped my people away and slaughtered them in their beds. I have every intention of burying a silver blade in her before this is over. Even if it kills me, too.”
The king smiles again, but it is lacking all hum
or. “I’m glad we have reached an accord. Fearghas will take you home, Rainey. I do hope we meet again.” With the snap of his fingers, he disappears, and Fearghas takes my hand.
I close my eyes, and when I reopen them, I’m standing in my apartment, the fae beside me. Early morning sun shines through the windows, bathing the place in a soft glow. Pulling my hand from the fae’s, I glance around the room, searching for any sign that Elijah has been here.
The thought of him—of what she’s done to him—is the only thing keeping me from falling apart. She’d forced the cure into his body. A cure that was not meant for a born immortal.
If she killed him—
“He is not here.”
“Where is he?”
“I am not sure.”
“I’ll find him.” Forcing my pain down and using it like rocket fuel, I march into my bedroom and strip out of my blood-soaked clothes. Then, after grabbing a blade from my safe, I head back out into the living room.
Fearghas is still standing there, his eyes narrowed on my television.
“Feel free to let yourself out.”
“I’m coming with you,” he says, shoving both hands into the slacks of his pants.
“Why?”
“Because I choose this fight. I will not hide away like my brethren, awaiting a fate I don’t bother trying to control.”
I should feel something, honor, pleasure that he is choosing to stand and fight. After all, having a fae on our side could tip the scales in our favor. But right now, I’m only focused on finding Elijah.
He’s the only thing that matters.
Ignoring the knots in my stomach and the voice telling me the probability that the cure didn’t kill him is low, I face off with the fae. “How did you find me?”
“Aoife told me where you were.”
“And how did she find me?”
“She used her connection with nature to find you.”
“Do you not have some way of tracking Elijah?”
“I’ve never met your vampire. I have no way of connecting with him.” His reply is laced with irritation.
“You know, I’m getting really fucking tired of you assuming I know the answers to everything. You do realize you’re only the third fae I’ve met, including Aoife and your king. So how about you start cutting me some slack, and not acting like every question I ask is ridiculous.”
To his credit, Fearghas actually looks apologetic. He tilts his head to the side in a nod. “My apologies. In order to track the location of your vampire, I need something of his. Something he’s touched, connected with.”
Pursing my lips, I turn in a circle before my eyes land on the mirrored backsplash in my kitchen. “Me, can’t you use me?”
When I turn to face the fae, I see his brows drawn together in a taut line. “I’ve never used a being to track another being.”
“We’re bonded. Or he’s bonded to me.”
“I can try.” The fae moves closer to me and lifts a hand to rest it on the side of my face. Then, he closes his eyes.
Holding my breath, I wait. If, for some reason, he can’t find Elijah, I will scour the entire city. I need to see him, to feel him, to know he’s okay before I let myself feel all the pain I’m holding in.
My entire life, I never wanted to need anyone. That vulnerability is something I’m well versed in, and not anything I ever wanted to experience again.
Not after Delaney.
I’ve already lost so much. Ramirez, Kamie, Jane…the thought of my best friend brings a fresh wave of pain crashing down on me. With all of them gone, Elijah’s all I have left. And losing him—I won’t survive it. If Heather killed him, so help me I will strap a bomb to my chest and walk right back into that prison if only to take her and Stella out with me.
Fearghas’s green eyes open, and he stares down at me. “I cannot sense him.”
Fear grips me, a vise crushing me slowly. He can’t be dead. I won’t accept it. “Then I guess I’m going to have to do it the old-fashioned way.” I’m heading for the door when there’s a heavy knock.
“Rainey Astor? This is Detective Garland with the Billings PD. We have a warrant to search your premises. Please open up.”
A warrant? What the hell would they need a warrant for? Ramirez. I know without a doubt that my partner’s death is the reason. After all, technically, I was there. The chances of them finding something to link me to their deaths is fairly high.
Clenching my jaw, I glance up at Fearghas. “Keep them out,” I whisper, and he nods.
Rushing into my bedroom, I grab a black duffel and toss my bloody clothes in first. Then, I open my safe. My blades, my gun, the silver bullets, and as many of my disguises as possible go into the bag next.
I head back into the living room and see Fearghas standing with his hand to the door as Garland attempts to kick it in.
“Astor! Open up! This doesn’t have to be difficult!”
“Get me out of here,” I whisper.
“Where do you wish to go?”
“There’s a supernatural club. It’s owned by a siren. Do you know it?” As far as I know, Eira is the only siren in town, so here’s hoping he’s heard of it or her. Otherwise, my plan won’t work.
His eyes light up. “I know it well.” Then, he reaches for my hand, and we disappear.
13
Rainey
We materialize in front of the glamoured club. The parking lot is completely empty, and my enhanced senses aren’t picking up anyone on the inside. No heartbeats, no music, but since I didn’t hear anything the last time Elijah and I were here either, I’m holding out hope that Eira is inside.
I need someone who knows Elijah, someone who can help me find him. Because if I don’t, I’m going to fall apart.
“I don’t sense anyone inside, Hunter,” Fearghas tells me.
“The owner keeps a heavy glamour in place.”
“Glamour does not work on me,” he replies. “But let’s see what is inside.” We dematerialize again, the world falling away for a brief moment before we rematerialize inside the club. Copper tinges the air, a subtle hint of death, but I can’t see a damn thing. Fearghas pulls his hand away from mine, but before I can say anything, the room is bathed in dim light.
I glance around and find him standing beside the light switch, a grim look on his face. “I smell blood,” he says tightly.
“Same.” Fingers itching for my silver blade, I remove my backpack and withdraw the only short blade I’d had left in my safe after taking the others to Elijah’s place.
After palming it, I straighten and sling the backpack over my shoulder once again and study the room. The club floor Elijah and I walked through that first night is empty now, the black polished surface shimmery beneath the light. The bar top is clean, bottles behind unbroken, so I move further into the club.
“Eira?” I call out, hoping the siren is lurking somewhere nearby.
“I don’t think she’s here,” Fearghas says tightly.
“You know her?”
He nods. “Eira is an old friend.” The way he says ‘friend’ is different than one might mention an old acquaintance, but I don’t bring it up. I don’t have the time or patience to participate in idle chatter about the fae’s sex life.
The scent of blood grows stronger the further we get from the dance floor, and I can’t keep the dread in my belly from spreading. With my full hunter abilities restored now that Heather is no longer wearing me as a living puppet, I can sense the death lurking somewhere ahead.
The fear, the pain, it’s palpable, and my only hope is that Eira is not among the dead. If she is, I’ll add whoever killed her to the growing list of supernaturals I plan on beheading before this day is over.
Gripping my blade tightly, with Fearghas to my right, I take a deep breath before opening the door into the dining room Elijah and I had our first official date in. Once again, he leaves my side, and the room is bathed in light.
I wish like hell we could go back to when I c
ouldn’t see it. “Fuck,” I utter the curse as I take in the dead littering the space before us.
The stench is overwhelming, so I raise my arm and attempt to block my nose and stifle some of it. While my stomach churns, cool sweat drips down my spine.
Magic permeates the air, and it takes me a moment to realize it’s not coming from the dead. Fearghas is furious, his brows drawn together, fists tightened at his sides as he scans the room. “They were slaughtered,” he snaps. “She killed them all.”
“Who?”
“Can you not sense the magic?”
“I can, but it all feels like it’s coming from you.”
He shakes his head. “It’s fae magic combined with Heather’s power.”
“She did this?” I gape at him. “I thought she was only capable of using power over nature?” Fear grips me as I stare at the creatures before me. Throats ripped out, limbs broken, bodies in pieces. If she can manage this—
“She used their own base nature and let them kill each other,” he growls. “I can hear their screams, feel their pain.”
“When did she have time to do this?”
“Not too long ago,” a melodious voice calls out from behind us.
I spin, blade high, and Fearghas appears at my side as my gaze lands on Eira. She stands before us, two large shifters flanking either side of her. I recognize them as the men guarding the club the night Elijah and I were here. Barin and Berk if I remember correctly.
The second I see her, I drop the arm holding the blade and breathe a sigh of relief. She’s different now, wearing jeans and a T-shirt with a leather jacket, she appears more like a petite human woman than a deadly siren. “Eira, are you okay?”
She nods tightly. “I am physically fine, yes. What are you doing here?” Gone is the flirtatious woman I met what feels like a lifetime ago.
“I need to find Elijah.”
“You are free of her hold then, I presume?”
“I am.”
“Elijah is not with you?”
I shake my head. “We got separated.”
“And now you travel with a fae.” Her gaze leaves mine and travels to the man beside me. I glance up at him and see he’s watching her with a mixture of relief and curiosity. “Hello, Fearghas.”
Blood Cure: A Paranormal Vampire Romance (Vampire Huntress Chronicles Book 3) Page 8
