“What will you have us do?”
“I need someone to spell me, make it impossible for her to sense me until I’m close enough. And, I need someone willing to draw her out using this for bait.” I set the satchel down and unzip it, revealing the aged cover of Heather’s grimoire.
Farah’s eyes widen, and she takes a step back. “You want one of us to take that to her?”
“I do.”
“Rainey, you can’t be fucking serious,” Bronywyn scolds, and I glare at her.
“I am absolutely serious. I would turn this entire supernatural world over for Elijah. If I can kill the bitch, I’ll take that opportunity, but if my only choices are putting a dagger in her heart or saving Elijah—it’s no contest for me.”
She shakes her head angrily but doesn’t reply further. Truthfully, I don’t give two shits what her thoughts of me are. They can call me weak, a coward, selfish—but as long as I have Elijah, the rest of the world can burn.
“I want to help you, Rainey, but I can’t send any of my girls into a situation they may not walk away from.”
I bite down on my cheek and try not to lose my temper.
“I’ll do it!” a soft, feminine voice calls out as the women on the stairs part to let a petite, blonde woman through. Clad in tight black leather pants and a crop top, she looks nothing like a woman who would be willing to give her life.
But when she meets me with eyes the color of steel, I see a strength I recognize. This woman has seen death—I know it without a doubt.
“I will help.”
“Raven—”
“Your name is Raven?” I interrupt Farah, and the woman nods.
“I am.”
Talk about coincidence. “And you’re willing to walk right into Heather’s place if necessary and deliver the book?”
She doesn’t even hesitate. “Absolutely.”
“Why?”
“She killed my best friend.” Raven swallows hard, eyes brimming with tears. “I will do whatever it takes to take that bitch down.”
Farah wraps an arm around Raven’s shoulders. “You aren’t thinking straight, honey. You may not walk out of this.”
“I don’t care.” Raven shrugs her off and stares at me. “Tell me exactly what you need me to do, and I will make sure it’s done.”
“Can you take care of the spell, at least?” I ask Farah, and she nods.
“I will do what I can, but it will take me a few hours to brew something strong enough.”
“We can wait.” I don’t even bother looking to Bronywyn for confirmation. As I said, Elijah is mine to save, and I’ll do it with her help or alone.
“Very well.” Farah nods her head toward us and turns around, heading up the stairwell. The witches follow.
As soon as we’re alone, I turn to Bronywyn. “You’re sure she’s trustworthy?”
“Believe it or not, Hunter, I wouldn’t risk Elijah’s life, no matter how much he’s pissed me off over the years.”
Nodding, I cross my arms and move over to stare out of the window.
“You would really give it all up for him? Your life? Your legacy? The world?”
“Without even giving it a second thought.”
“Why?”
I carefully consider my next words, choosing ones that will come close to portraying the way I feel for the vampire turned hunter who stole my heart in a short number of weeks. “I’ve always fought, one battle after another. I never even thought before plunging right back into it. Not until Elijah. He’s the first one to give me a purpose not involving bloodshed.”
Bronywyn looks away and swallows hard. I know she and Elijah used to be involved—that a long time ago, she’d been the one at his side suffering his storm while he grieved the loss of his first love.
I’ve always known I wasn’t his first. And it’s never bothered me. Because I know, without a doubt, I’ll be his last.
“Elijah and I have history,” she says. “As you well know. But I want you to know that I’m grateful he’s not alone. Even if—for a time—I’d wanted to be the one who fixed him.”
I start to reply, but movement out of the corner of my eye captures my attention. Turning, I snarl as I recognize the brunette trying to sneak up the stairs. “Hey!” I yell, and she faces me, eyes wide, before racing up the steps. “Hey!” I repeat and lunge after her.
The witch reaches the top step and slams into a barrier before stumbling back. She scrambles for the banister, barely grabbing hold with one hand before falling all the way down the stairs.
Glancing back at Bronywyn, I nod. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“What do you want?” The wide-eyed witch tries to get through the barrier again, but it stops her once more.
Reaching down, I grip her by the throat and lift, pinning her against the wall and pulling out a dagger with my free hand.
“You were at the club where my friends and I were attacked by mutated shifters.” My tone is soft but dangerous. She starts to mutter something, so I press the blade to her throat. “Don’t even fucking think about it.”
“It was just a job!” she chokes out. “Farah!”
The older witch appears on the other side of the barrier, face red with anger as she takes in the sight. “What is the meaning of this?!”
“Why don’t you ask her?” I ask, my blade biting into the witch’s throat. A crimson bead forms on her skin, and she swallows hard.
“Andrea?” Farah asks expectantly.
Tears well in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Farah. I had to. If I didn’t, she was going to kill him.”
“Kill who?” Farah questions. She tries to step down and glares at Bronywyn. “Please remove the barrier, Bronywyn. This is my home.”
“Rainey?” she asks, and I wish I possessed the words to confess how much that show of loyalty means to me.
“It’s fine.”
She snaps, and the barrier falls, letting Farah step through. “Who was she going to kill, Andrea?”
A tear slips free from the woman before me. “Benji,” she whispers. “Heather told me she would kill him if I didn’t help her.”
I drop the witch, taking a step back toward the banister. “What exactly did you do?”
Her gaze shifts from me to Farah and then back to me again. “I spell blocked the club to make it so you couldn’t use magic inside.”
“You managed to keep a fae from dematerializing, how?”
Her eyes bulge. “I did what?”
“There was a fae with them,” Bronywyn explains. “He was unable to dematerialize until I removed the block.”
“I swear I didn’t know I could do that. I only meant to make it so you couldn’t use your power.”
“So Heather knows Bronywyn is working with us?” I ask.
“Yes. She knows about all of you. The vampire too.”
One glance at Bronywyn tells me just how unhappy she is about that particular revelation. Though, personally, I’m not surprised she figured it out. It’s not as though we were actively trying to keep them hidden.
“How did you assist her and still reside within these walls?” Farah snaps, crossing both arms. I can’t tell if she’s more angry or embarrassed that another witch was able to circumvent her magic.
“I haven’t helped her since I’ve been here, Farah, I swear.”
“And what of Benji?”
“He’s safe. As soon as I did what she asked, I warned him, and he went into hiding.” She turns to me. “I couldn’t let him die. I love him,” she chokes out, and I take a step toward her. Farah moves in, obviously concerned about what my next move will be.
And she should be.
“Your actions nearly got everyone I love killed,” I growl. “So tell me why I should spare your life when you clearly weren’t going to spare mine?”
I see in her eyes the realization that she may not walk away from this. It’s something I’ve seen a hell of a lot over the last few years, and still, despite my knowle
dge that she should pay for her crimes, I can’t bring myself to spill any more blood.
Especially not when I’m prepared to let them all burn to save Elijah.
“Rainey.” Farah places a hand on my shoulder. “I will ensure Andrea no longer aids Heather. She will pay for what she’s done. But if I can, I will plead for her life, for she did what she did with the intention of saving someone she loves. Is that not what you’re doing here?”
Farah’s words are a near duplicate of my own, but I still let Andrea swear for another moment before nodding. “Fine. Get her the hell away from me.”
“I will continue your potion,” Farah tells me. “Take her upstairs.”
The witches who’ve been behind Farah step around her and grab Andrea by the arms, hauling her up the stairs as I make my way back down toward Bronywyn.
“That was merciful of you,” she comments.
“Believe it or not, I’m not a fan of killing.”
“Given your ‘slice first, ask questions later attitude’, I’d say that revelation is surprising.”
I start to snap back at her when I catch the ghost of a smile playing at the corner of her mouth. She’s fucking with me, so I smile back. “Careful, Witch, I’m starting to think you like me.”
She shrugs. “You’ve grown on me.”
Raven in the backseat, Bronywyn and I head back toward Fearghas’s penthouse in complete silence two hours later. The shield Farah brewed for me is in my hand, and I turn the vial, studying the dark liquid.
It looks harmless enough, but Farah assures me it will shield me from any magic detection for at least an hour. Possibly two depending on the strength of Heather’s spell.
I didn’t bother reminding her that it’s not just Heather’s magic but the magic of whatever witches she’s managed to corrupt as well.
In order to win this, we have to get close enough to take out Heather, but we can’t forget we’ll also be facing an army of supernaturals and we have very few at our sides.
Bronywyn pulls into the parking garage, and we all climb out, continuing our journey upstairs without speaking.
The moment we step inside Fearghas’s apartment, the room quiets, and all eyes turn to us. “This is Raven,” I introduce the newcomer even as I take in the three other new faces. “Who—”
“While you were busy recruiting, I did a little myself,” Fearghas says proudly. “Rainey Astor, meet Sylvia Ragnar.” A shifter nods her head, though she’s not one I’ve ever met before. I don’t sense lycan or feline on her, nor do I detect any other type of animal.
“She’s a phoenix,” Fearghas whispers in my ear. “Giant firebird.”
“Got it.”
“This is Kendrick, elected leader of the feline shifters here in Billings.” A dark-skinned man with a wide smile nods at me while reaching out to shake my hand.
“It is quite an honor to meet an Astor and not have to worry about losing my head.”
Deciding immediately I can like him, I smile. “At least, not yet.”
He throws his head back and laughs. “At least, not yet,” he replies.
Fearghas continues, gesturing to a familiar woman I recognize immediately. “I believe you know Danica.”
“The succubus from the other night outside the church.”
“It’s nice to see you again.”
“Why are you all here?”
It’s Sylvia who answers. “We wish to stand with you when you fight. Our people will stand with you as well.”
“You will risk your lives?”
“Heather is not just out to destroy your life,” Kendrick says. “She has threatened our people as well, our livelihoods—our families. We will fight alongside you, Hunter, setting our differences aside for the destruction of our common enemy.”
I smile at him, appreciating his honesty. They’re in this for their families just as I am in it for Elijah, who is my family. Shifting my gaze over them, I nod appreciatively. I may not have full control over whatever magic I inherited from the void being closed, and I may not have an army the size of Heather’s, but we’re no longer alone.
Which makes my next words so much more believable. “Then let’s kick some ass.”
35
Elijah
The door leading into my cell squeaks, and I jump to my feet, prepared to fight. Instead of Heather though, I see Stella creeping toward me in the near-pitch black of my cell.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I spit out at her.
“Shut your damned mouth. I’m trying to help you.” She steps closer, and the moonlight shining in from the window glints on something silver in her hand. A key, from what I can tell.
“Help me?”
“I’m trying to get you out. Come on.”
“Why?”
“Because I owe you my life, with this action that debt will be repaid.”
“You nearly killed Rainey,” I growl and step toward her. Stella does not bow away from me though, instead, she waits for me to get closer and stands toe to toe with me, her steel-backed resolve apparent even in the barely visible space.
“Rainey is a hunter, Elijah, and Heather’s vision will put witches back on top where we belong.”
“Who the hell says you belong on top?”
“Nature. The original witch was the first, the vampires come second. How do you not know your history?”
“I know all about the history of it all, including how power hungry your kind can be. You don’t care who gets hurt in the end. The only thing that matters is that you get what it is you’re after.”
Stella glares up at me. “If that’s truly how you feel, then I suppose it’s a good thing you are no longer second on the food chain.” She tosses me the key. “Get the hell out before I change my mind and decide my life debt belonged to the vampire and not the hunter.”
She turns to leave and is nearly out of my cell when the lights turn on and the cell is illuminated. Heather stands in the doorway, a dagger in one hand, an apple in another. “Well, isn’t this quite an interesting turn of events?”
Stella takes a step back. “Heather, I—”
“Can it, little witch, I’m uninterested in your excuses. Especially when I know exactly why you were here. I heard it all, right up to the point where you were bouncing between praising my plan and stabbing me in the back.” She moves into the room, taking the two concrete stairs one at a time, her movement slow, predatory. “Haven’t I told you how I feel about being stabbed in the back?”
“I owe him,” Stella says. “A life debt.”
“A life debt that shall be repaid,” Heather confirms. “With your blood.” She dematerializes only to reappear in the cell with Stella and me. Gripping Stella by the throat, she slams her into the wall.
I lunge toward her, but with one wave of her hand, I’m tethered to the concrete beside her with chains that appeared out of thin air. I fight against the hold as Heather trails the dagger over Stella’s throat.
“I am so incredibly disappointed in you, Stella. I thought you were one of the good ones.”
“Please, don’t kill me,” Stella pleads. “I can help you.”
“You tried to let my pet go. You know how I feel about that. I’ve told you just how important Elijah is to my plan, what he means to me, and you were willing to free him to suit your own selfish needs and desires. Is that truly the mark of someone worthy of my loyalty?”
Stella shakes her head, a tear rolling down her aged cheek.
“Let her the fuck go,” I growl. “I’m still here, aren’t I?”
“Yes, but for how long? This little creature could very well turn on me again. After all, fool me once,” she sings the last part, a chilling tune that makes my blood ice. “I won’t be anyone’s fool, ever again.”
Stella screams in agony, her head turning up to the ceiling as blood drips from her ears and nose.
“Stop!” I roar, fighting against the hold, but the chains won’t budge.
“Bye, bye now, Stella
,” Heather sings as if she’s not about to condemn the witch to an eternity of living within the veil, unable to move on and experience peace of any kind.
Stella’s screams fall silent as her head lolls forward. Heather drops her, the sound of the corpse hitting the floor not something I’ll soon forget.
Then, she turns to me. “I was just coming to see you, lover,” she chirps, running the tip of her blood-red fingernail over my collarbone. The sting is followed closely by blood, and Heather dips her finger in it, slipping the digit between her lips and moaning. “Damn, you taste just as good as you look.”
She moves in and sucks on my throat, drawing my blood into her body. I don’t say anything, and every time I struggle against the chains, they tighten, further pinning me to the wall.
“We are going to have so much fun together, Elijah. Once I get my bones back. If you think this body is nice? You should see mine.”
“I already told you; I’m not telling you where anything is.”
“Oh, I know, but your hunter is already on her way to me with all I want in hand.”
I swallow hard and try to beat back the panic rising in my chest.
“Don’t try to hide it, lover. I know you are afraid of something happening to her. But don’t worry. You’ll move on after a few decades.”
“You’d better not—” My words are cut short when she snaps her fingers and my mouth clamps shut. I’m unable to open it, to speak, so I glare at her, hoping all of the hatred and rage nearly burning a hole within me is present on my face.
“I am going to kill her, Elijah, and you’re going to help me.” She steps toward me, gripping my face with her hand. “We are going to do great things together, you and I. For every queen needs her king.” She leans in, and I try to turn my head, but nothing happens. I fight with every bit of my strength, even as her lips touch mine.
The dark magic is like a plague, infecting my lips first; then moving to my tongue, mouth, my chest. I can feel it crawling beneath my skin even as I try to stifle its growth.
Heather snaps her fingers, and the chains disappear. I fall to my feet.
“What the fuck did you do to me?”
Blood Cure: A Paranormal Vampire Romance (Vampire Huntress Chronicles Book 3) Page 23
