He held Ivy’s hand, grateful for the warmth of her flesh. Just the feel of her hand gave him courage. Not the fighting kind. He’d spent his entire adult life battling creatures no one should have to face. He was tough and able to hold his own.
No, the courage she gave him had everything to do with needing to face down the enemy and come out the victor. He always fought to win, but if his life was lost, it would be the price paid for a greater good. Now, for the first time, he had something to fight for. Not just for the world at large, but for him as well. He wanted to live through this battle for Ivy.
“So what do you think, Riah?”
“I think,” Riah said slowly, “that for whatever reason, Destiny has been trying to isolate me.”
“And I unwittingly helped.”
She nodded. “A few nights ago,” she said, “I made some calls.”
“To other vampires,” he added.
Riah nodded. “Vampires I trusted. I couldn’t reach a single one. A little bit of research and I uncovered information on their deaths.”
He wasn’t surprised. “They’ve all been destroyed just as I told you.”
“Yes.”
“So, basically, I helped her out.” He’d reached the same conclusion earlier.
“Yes.”
“And now?” He tightened his hand around Ivy’s.
A smile with no humor crossed Riah’s face. “Now, she thinks she’s gotten her way.”
“And now, you’re confusing me,” Ivy chimed in.
“Stay with me for a few minutes,” Riah told them. “Remember how I told you I had a lover back in my first life? When our carriage was attacked, I saw Meriel lying dead on the side of the road. The necklace,” she pointed to where it lay on the counter, “was on her throat when Rodolphe carried me away.”
“And…” Colin still wasn’t quite following.
“And,” Riah said slowly, “I think the one who left it at Adriana’s house was Meriel.”
It finally dawned on him. “Destiny.”
Riah inclined her head his way. “Yes.”
“Why now?” It seemed to Colin if what Riah said was true, Destiny would have come after her a long time ago. Why wait five centuries?
Riah shrugged. “That’s the million-dollar question. I saw her cold and dead on that road. Now, I’m not so sure. I’m thinking Destiny and Meriel are one and the same. I feel it here.” She tapped her chest.
“And she’s coming here,” Adriana whispered.
Riah turned her gaze to Adriana. “Yes.”
“She’s bringing company too,” Colin reminded them. He could feel it in his bones. The sort of buzz that happened every time he stepped into battle.
“She destroyed my house.” Adriana wasn’t asking a question.
For the first time, the pieces seemed to fall into place for Adriana too. Ivy was pretty quiet, though Colin knew she was on the same page. He could feel the slight tremors in her body as he held her hand. Her face betrayed nothing. She looked determined and ready.
He’d really like for Ivy and Adriana to go somewhere safe. Truth be told, this wasn’t Ivy’s battle. Sure, Destiny had killed her ex-husband, which made it personal. On the other hand, the man had been a part of her past. She could let this stay in the hands of those more qualified to fight.
This battle was between Riah and the woman she’d left for dead along a dark, wooded road. It was also a battle between him and a vampire because, first and foremost, he was a vampire hunter.
Funny, though, right now he felt less like a vampire hunter and more like a man who wanted to run far away with his woman. Somewhere safe and warm. He wanted to forget about monsters and demons, take her in his arms, and kiss her all over.
His wishes didn’t matter. He didn’t matter. Destroying an evil being that fed off the lives of innocent people did. Destiny had to be destroyed along with those she’d brought with her. He’d believed his journey was nearly at an end and only two vampires remained. He’d been wrong. There’d be no running away with the woman he loved. First, he’d have to stand up and pay for his error. It could very well cost him his life.
Colin turned to Ivy. He took both hands in his this time and looked deep into her beautiful dark eyes. “Please go home to Moses Lake,” he pleaded. “Please do this for me.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“You don’t understand.”
“You don’t understand. Jorge lost his life to this bitch, and I’ll be damned if I’ll run and hide while she tries to take yours. I’ve loved two men in my life. She’s taken one. She’s not taking the other. Comprende?”
Yes, he understood. He didn’t think she did. “I can take care of myself.”
She squeezed his hands. “I know, but I’m still not leaving. Crazy as this sounds...crazy as this is, Colin, I think…no, I know…I’m in love with you.”
“I understand.”
She looked surprised. “You too?”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Thank God,” she whispered. “It’s confusing enough, but it helps you’re right here with me.”
He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. “I’m very much with you on that one, sweetheart.” He kissed her again. “You’re sure you won’t wait for me back in Moses Lake?”
“Not a chance.”
“Well, then here’s how this is gonna go down.”
Chapter Twenty
Outside the security fence, Destiny paused. The parking lot was dark. Every other time she’d been here, a security light over the rear entrance to the medical examiner’s offices illuminated the lot. Now, it was as black as ink.
She smiled. Nice try, Catherine. It’ll take more than darkness to stop me.
“Mara, Markus.” She waited for the two black-haired beauties to reach her before waving toward the dark parking lot. “Check the yard and clear out any debris.”
Mara, her gleaming black hair pulled back with an ornate silver clip, smiled. Her elongated fangs glistened. “Of course, Mistress.”
Markus said nothing, which wasn’t unusual.
Silently, the two leapt over the fence like a pair of gazelles and blended into the shadows. Destiny and the others waited, although she far more patiently than her restless, hungry, and horny children. She heard a soft thud and, moments later, a second one, and smiled.
When the twins didn’t return quickly, Destiny frowned. It wasn’t like them not to show up as soon as they cleared a path. She moved to the fence and listened. Nothing. A bad feeling tickled at the back of her neck before the entrance gate began to slide slowly open. She let out a breath and allowed the smile to return.
Destiny motioned for the others to follow her through. Inside the gate, she stopped and inhaled deeply. The air was filled with many scents, including fresh blood. As soon as their work was done, they’d gorge on the spoils of victory.
She waited for the twins to rejoin them. The hair at the back of her neck tingled again. This wasn’t like Markus or Mara.
Enough. She couldn’t afford to get sidetracked. Catherine wasn’t a foe to take lightly. Destiny closed her eyes and stilled, concentrating on what the night carried in its embrace. All of a sudden, the scent of blood in the air took on a different quality. So did the silence. The tingle she’d felt a moment earlier turned to something far darker.
Destiny’s fury built. “Bella,” she roared “Find them.”
On full alert, Ford and Emily flanked her.
“Do you want me to go with Bella?” Ford asked in a low voice. His body was tense, his hands in fists at his sides.
It might be a good idea except she feared the situation wasn’t as it seemed. Bella was strong and experienced. She could defend herself, if need be.
“No.” She laid a hand on Ford’s arm, the muscles taut beneath her palm. “We’ll wait.”
Bella returned in less than a minute, heralded by the faint sound of wet drops hitting the asphalt: plink, plink, plink. Even in the darkness, Destiny made ou
t what Bella held in each hand. The sightless eyes of the twins stared into the night as Bella’s fingers gripped their long black hair. Blood dripped from what was left of their necks. The cuts were clean and even.
Until now, this had been more of a game. Certainly Destiny’s plans all along included killing her long-ago lover, but that was more for a taste of karma than revenge. Catherine had abandoned her like a rabid dog, leaving her for dead in the mud and darkness. Tonight she intended to return the favor.
Except the game had just changed. Killing her children made everything different. If Catherine wanted to play dirty, then so be it.
Destiny lifted her head and let loose a blood-curdling scream. “I’m coming for you, Catherine Tudor, and I’m bringing all the circles of hell with me.”
*
“The circles of hell?” Adriana looked at Riah with eyebrows raised.
“Dante’s ‘Inferno,’” she said. “She’s letting me know she is, in fact, Meriel.” A mighty flame followeth a tiny spark. She remembered Dante’s words as if Meriel had read them to her just yesterday.
“Why Dante?” Colin asked.
“It was one of our secrets. We were forbidden to study Dante, so we smuggled The Divine Comedy into her bedchambers to read. I think we were both ultimately destined for the dark side.”
“Dante’s no big deal,” Ivy said.
“You forget, I was born in the sixteenth century. Women were considered far too delicate to read such works, let alone be able to comprehend them.”
Ivy made a sour look. “What a crock of shit.”
“Absolutely, but nonetheless, that’s the way things were. I was a delicate little flower who needed the protection of a man to survive. Women were in a far different place than where you are in this world.”
“Again, I repeat,” Ivy said tartly, “a crock of shit.”
“Back to focus here, folks.” Colin was staring out the door through narrowed eyes.
He was right. There was no time to go down memory lane. Right now Meriel was beyond pissed off.
Riah cocked her head and, for a moment, closed her eyes. The air changed and a scent she remembered well floated in the air. It was faint and the others wouldn’t catch it. It made her shudder.
“Movement,” Colin whispered.
For the second time, she drew her sword. She motioned for Ivy and Adriana to take their places. She and Colin had finally persuaded them to at least stand back. They could serve as the second line of defense, but the first line belonged to the two who knew the game best. Ivy and Adriana held wooden stakes, and Riah hoped to God neither of them would need to use them.
Even though the sword felt natural in her hands, it had been a very long time since she had been in the fight. Her entire body buzzed as if electrically charged. Did it always? She couldn’t seem to remember. Or maybe it was because the scent of Meriel shoved every other rational thought out of her head. It was like catnip, and she wanted to roll around in it until her entire body was covered with Meriel’s scent.
She readied herself for battle and pushed aside thoughts of Meriel. The creature coming for her now was no longer her fresh-faced lover. Outside her door crept a bloodthirsty and vengeful Destiny. She might very well look like her lover, but she wasn’t even close. Destiny was a vampire, an immortal, and a murderer.
The door swung in slowly, almost slow-motion. Finally, Riah could see a hand, then a leg, then a face. For the first time in five centuries, Riah gazed upon the face of the woman she’d loved with all her heart. A shot of electricity surged through her as she looked into Meriel’s green eyes.
Then it hit her. It was all in the past tense. It didn’t have a thing to do with believing Meriel died all those years ago. No, it was past tense because that’s where the relationship belonged—in the past. Yes, she’d once loved Meriel. In another time and place, when she was another person.
Though Riah knew she looked as young as she had on the night of that fateful party, over the years, she’d grown up. The love she’d felt for Meriel was first love, and though it would always hold a special place in her heart, it wasn’t the forever kind of love. What she felt for Adriana was, and Riah realized it just in time to take the knowledge to her grave.
Riah glanced back at Adriana and their eyes met. She’d swear Adriana could read her mind, and the expression that passed over her lover’s face made her heart flip. Why couldn’t she have figured this out before tonight?
Quiet laughter filled the room and Riah snapped her gaze back to her former lover. “Meriel.” She willed her hands not to shake.
Meriel raised a perfect eyebrow and her green eyes glittered under the harsh fluorescent lights. “I prefer Destiny. Meriel died a long time ago. I’m sure you remember.”
“I thought you were dead.” She was surprised that saying the words out loud didn’t hurt as much as she’d have believed.
“Didn’t take the time to find out, now did you, Catherine?”
Guilt wouldn’t work. “It doesn’t matter now.”
“It doesn’t matter?” Meriel’s voice rose. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to be left for dead only to discover you’re not? I was alone, Catherine, alone and undead. I had no idea what was happening to me and was left behind to figure it out. No Rodolphe holding my hand and taking me down the merry undead path. I hid for months, then years, taking blood from anyone or anything just to survive. I was like a feral cat while you lived like a queen.”
The bitterness in Meriel’s voice cut right through her. She’d have done anything to keep Meriel at her side years ago, but she couldn’t possibly convince her of that now. It was too late to make amends.
“I hardly lived like a queen,” Riah said, defending herself as best she could.
“Different ideas of a queen, baby.”
Riah ignored the taunt. “What do you want, Meriel?”
“I said my name is Destiny.”
Riah was growing tired of the game. “Fine. What the fuck do you want, Destiny?”
Meriel’s voice was almost a purr. “I want you dead.”
Big fucking surprise. She and Colin had already dispatched the two guard dogs Meriel sent in, but there were more. Riah could smell them. Despite the fact Meriel brazenly walked into the room alone, she was far from it. The woman Riah had known never went anywhere alone. She needed people. Somewhere close by, her reinforcements waited for a signal. Riah hoped she and Colin would pick up on it before the others charged.
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Colin tense. It had to be hard for him to push aside all of his training. To not swing and take Meriel’s head right now, he must be calling upon every ounce of self-control he possessed.
They didn’t dare make such a bold move yet. Meriel would be expecting it. Patience was one of the few weapons they had at their disposal and the one most powerful at the moment.
Meriel cut her gaze over to Colin. “Tsk, tsk, little man. I could snap your neck like a dried chicken bone, so stand down.”
Colin didn’t move.
Meriel tilted her head and studied him closer. Her eyes narrowed and she licked her lips. “I’ll take you down so you’ll never see it coming.”
“Step back,” Riah told Colin, without turning her gaze from Meriel’s face.
She didn’t trust Meriel and she needed him alive and kicking...or, rather, swinging. He better be handy with that sword. All of their lives might depend on it.
“That’s a good boy,” Meriel purred. “Now, where were we? Oh, yes, me alone, sucking on pigs and cows and filthy beggars so I could survive. All so one day, I could kick your ass. I think—” Meriel smiled large, her fangs long and white, “—that day is today.”
This time, Riah smiled, her own fangs menacing. “Bring it on, bitch.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Everything happened in a blur. One minute they were talking, and the next, a whirlwind as powerful as a tornado tearing through a small town hit them. Ivy felt as though the breath was be
ing sucked from her lungs, leaving her paper-doll flat.
Colin spun when a flash of movement came from his left side, while Riah and the other vampire barreled straight for each other. Three vampires had burst through the door just about the time Riah swung her sword. Two headed straight for Colin, while the third joined in against Riah.
One of the young vampires, a woman, screamed, and Ivy glanced to her side in time to see Adriana fly against the back wall. She struck the concrete wall with a terrible thud and slid limply to the floor. The stake she’d held skidded across the floor and stopped when it hit the body of the dead security guard. Ivy dropped her own stake and crawled as fast as she could, keeping low to the ground.
Ivy put her ear close to Adriana’s lips and listened. In the cacophony of sound and movement, she couldn’t hear a thing. Let her be alive.
She pressed two fingers to Adriana’s neck, grateful when she felt a strong pulse. Thank God. She returned her attention to the battle, pleased that no one seemed to be paying much attention to her.
Despite each being outnumbered two to one, Colin and Riah were standing their ground. Any relief that knowledge gave her didn’t last long. Even as strong as they were, they couldn’t hold off the powerful attackers for long. Sheer numbers were against them. Ivy had to do something.
In a quick sweep, she scanned the room. Her discarded stake was too close to the fighting and she couldn’t reach it without jeopardizing both herself and Colin. Pushed against the bank of drawers on the far wall, she spied Riah’s big black bag.
Keeping low, with her back to the wall, Ivy skirted the kicks, swings, and roars until she reached the bag. Groping inside, she touched thick wooden stakes. She gripped one firmly and pulled it free, then grabbed a second and tucked it into the back of her jeans.
Once more she began to inch forward, except this time instead of moving around the perimeter of the room, she inched toward the fray. She waited as bodies whirled and swords clashed. Finally, her chance came. A female vampire, in skin-tight blue jeans and a revealing top, stumbled and pitched forward. Ivy didn’t hesitate. She sprang out of her crouch, stake held high, and plunged it into the vampire’s back. An unearthly roar filled the room as she arched backward, which was exactly what Ivy hoped she’d do.
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