Goddess of Night (Amaranthine Book 9)

by Joleene Naylor

  Inget swung, catching Micah in the shoulder.

  “Bitch!” He flung her across the hall. She crashed into the wall, rolled to her feet and up again, like a movie stunt, leaving a trail of blood.

  Katelina charged. The vampiress dodged to the right, slamming the club across Katelina’s shoulder blades. The shock of the impact folded her up. It was only the wall that stopped her from falling.

  Katelina caught her breath and spun back to see Micah grappling with their enemy. A picture pulled itself off the wall and hurtled toward her head, barely missing her.

  Apparently the vampiress was a ghost hand. Just what they needed.

  A fire extinguisher pulled free and slammed Katelina in the jaw, hard enough to knock her back. Then it swung up and clocked Micah in the head. He stumbled with a cry.

  Inget charged Katelina, but Micah tackled her. They went down together. Katelina heard a loud crunch and saw a splatter of blood. The pair went still.

  Micah?

  He pulled free, shaking blood and shreds of muscle from his hand. “God damn. I didn’t think that bitch was ever going to die.”

  Katelina wiped her dagger on her jeans. The sheath was missing—probably still in the upstairs elevator. “She has a sister somewhere.”

  “That’s something to look forward to.”

  Footsteps pounded toward them. Loren skidded around the corner. “Hey! What was all—shit! You’re killing them without me.” His eyes landed on Katelina. “There you are. Did you find Jorick?”

  “No, but we found Ishkur—the leader from the Kugsankal,” she added for their benefit. “Verchiel’s alone with him on the roof. There’s no way he can take him alone.”

  “Why the fuck didn’t you say so. Come on, pipsqueak.” Micah motioned Loren with his gory hand and started down the hall.

  “Wait!” Katelina cried after them. “What do you think you two can do? He’s ancient!”

  “Guess we’ll find out,” Micah called back.

  She said a quick prayer they wouldn’t get killed, then hurried downstairs. On the next floor, Oren, Jorick, and Brandle waited in the hallway. She hurried to them. “Ishkur. On the roof with Verchiel. Micah and Loren went to help, but they need more.”

  With a nod, Brandle banged on one of the doors. “Zander, are you coming?”

  He leaned out and his eyes landed on Katelina.

  “No time for that now,” Brandle said. “Verchiel needs our help against Ishkur.”

  A lens slid over Zander’s excitement. “Of course.” He disappeared inside and returned with the large rusty mace.

  Jorick wiped blood from Katelina’s cheek, the question in his eyes.

  “We ran into a pair of twins,” she explained. “Micah killed one, but the other is still running around. If she’s like her sister, she’s a ghost hand. Where the hell were you?”

  “Downstairs. It’s chaos.”

  “That’s what Verchiel said.” She touched his face. It looked pinker than normal. “You were in the sun?”

  “The lobby has windows. But I’m fine. Come, Oren.”

  Oren hesitated. Finally, he slid into the room to return with weapons. He nodded to Katelina. “Stay here with Torina.”

  Katelina expected Jorick to correct his fledgling— it wasn’t Oren’s job to give her orders—but he only hurried away. She took an uncertain step after them. She didn’t want to hide with the women and children. At the same time, there was a powerful vampiress roaming the halls. No one should be alone.

  “Crap!”

  She stuck her head in the door to see Torina cradling the children, singing softly. Katelina tried to motion the urgency of the situation when a loud noise did it for her; not an explosion, or a blast, but a sort of squeal that made her grab her ears and bend double.

  The children wailed. Torina covered them with her body, as if to shield them from the unseen wave. It passed as quickly as it came, leaving Katelina blinking, and rubbing her ears.

  Torina pulled back. Katelina caught a whiff of—blood?

  The redhead swore. “Quick! Get me a towel.”

  Katelina hurried to obey. Torina ripped the cloth from her hands. She pressed it to first one child’s face, then the other. The scent of their blood was like a hamburger after a long day with no lunch. Katelina retreated a step or two, forcing herself not to look. “What’s wrong?”

  “Their noses are bleeding,” Torina said desperately. “Why? What makes a human’s nose bleed?”

  “Lots of things.” Katelina was only half thinking about them. “I need to go stand in the hall.”

  “Why?” Torina suddenly understood. “Fine. It’s not like I need you.”

  Katelina slipped out the door, grateful to be away from the smell. Her throat tightened as she forced herself to swallow.

  She heard footsteps and drew her dagger, but it was Sorino that breezed around the corner, Kai on his heels. “They’ve put you as a guard? What an interesting choice.”

  Though his eyes glittered with humor, she didn’t correct him. The truth would amuse him more.

  “Where have you been? Surely, not looting the hotel?”

  “No. They don’t have anything I’d want. If you must know, our suite is on a different floor. However...” He unsnapped his cane to draw a blade, then snapped it back. “Lilith has one less follower.”

  She noticed the blood splatter on his clothes and relaxed. Thank God. He’d taken Gret out.

  “The others are on the roof, fighting Ishkur,” she said.

  Before he could reply, the building shook. Katelina caught her balance. She looked up and down, unsure if the attack was Ishkur or Lilith.

  Kai nodded to some silent command, then disappeared into the nearest open door. Sorino closed his eyes and murmured understanding. “He can see Samael and Lilith in the street below. Dead are scattered. I can almost smell the blood from here.”

  Katelina shivered at the vampire’s smile. She started to ask if Kai was sending him that description, then thought of their linking. Stories said a master could see through the eyes of his linked human. Maybe they were right.

  Kai returned. Sorino looked up to the ceiling. “It appears the action we’re interested in is up there. Though perhaps you should remain?”

  When Kai nodded, Sorino opened the boy’s backpack. He removed several items before he zipped it back up. A silent message passed between them. Katelina imagined it was something like the “If you need me” that Jorick usually said to her.

  Sorino strode away, and Kai motioned to the bedroom door. Katelina hesitated. He smelled like a ham sandwich. The thought of mixing him with the bleeding, roast beef-scented children was overwhelming.

  With a silent shrug, the teen pushed the door open. Katelina followed, but froze just inside. Torina stood at the foot of the bed, the washcloth in her mouth, her eyes guilty.

  “Oh my God, were you sucking the blood out of it?” Katelina cried.

  Torina motioned the accusation away. “I didn’t see a reason to waste it.”

  Katelina looked to the children. “They’re…better?”

  The vampiress’ chin lifted a notch. “They’re sleeping. I can do that.”

  Katelina wasn’t sure if she meant she could calm them down, or she could knock them out the way Jorick could.

  Kai took a seat in the nearest chair. Katelina thought she noticed Torina eyeing the teen, like someone might look at a high calorie donut from the corner of their eye. They knew they shouldn’t eat it, but it looked delicious anyway.

  With nothing to do, Katelina ducked into the bathroom and cleaned up. She came out, her face still damp, in time to hear someone in the corridor.

  “That was fast.” She pulled the door open, ready to ask if they’d defeated Ishkur, but it wasn’t her friends; it was Gret, the redheaded twin Sorino supposedly killed.

  Katelina slammed the door but couldn’t lock it. Either someone had broken it or else it wouldn’t work without power.

  “I thought Sorino kil
led her!” she cried as she tried to stuff a chair under the knob.

  Torina pulled Kai up and shoved him toward the sleeping children. “Killed who?”

  The door rattled. Gret rammed into it hard enough to stop Katelina’s efforts and send her back a few steps. With a snarl, Katelina slammed into the door, nearly catching her enemy’s arm.

  “Her.” Katelina pushed against the door with all of her strength. She felt the vampiress smashing against it, but it didn’t give.

  “Master killed one of Lilith’s vampires,” Kai confirmed from his station in front of the bed.

  “Then it must have been a different one. I don’t suppose Sorino left you any weapons?”

  Kai pulled the backpack off and produced a pair of duckfoot pistols. Katelina’d seen them in action before. They took forever to load, but with multiple barrels, even one shot might do something.

  The teen quickly readied them, while Torina swept the children into the bathroom. The tots stirred, but didn’t wake, leaving Katelina with the impression she’d quieted them using Jorick’s method.

  The redhead returned, readying for an attack. The pounding on the door stopped. Katelina motioned her companions to silence. She strained her ears. Beyond the door was only silence.

  She leaned away to meet Torina’s eyes. The vampiress sniffed the air. She motioned wildly, a second before the door splintered. Katelina leapt back. Gret kicked what was left of the door open.

  “It’s you again?” she demanded. “I’m—” She broke off when she saw Torina. “You must be his new concubine.”

  “Excuse me?” Torina readied to pounce.

  Several loud bangs sounded over each other. Katelina saw Kai holding the gun, smoke curling from the barrels. Their attacker stumbled back and looked down at her stomach, where a ragged hole ran crimson.

  “You little—” the insult strangled off as Kai calmly aimed the second pistol and pulled the trigger. The bullets spread. Though three slammed into the wall, the fourth penetrated their enemy’s forehead with a sploosh of blood. She staggered, then straightened, shaking her head.

  Katelina readied the dagger, looking for a better weapon; something larger. The lamp maybe? Or the chair. She decided on the latter and flung the furniture with all her strength.

  Something slammed into her. She fell back, smacking her head on the desk. She shook out of it to see William knock Kai to the floor. The boy calmly clocked him with the heavy pistol, but it only made William angry.

  William? Where the hell did he come from? How many minions did Lilith have in the hotel?

  Torina knocked William off Kai and kicked him in the ribs. He groaned, swept to his feet, and disappeared, only to reappear behind the redhead. Katelina saw the glint of a blade and charged them. William disappeared a second before she hit. She and Torina landed in a tangle, barely missing the dresser.

  “What are you doing?” Torina cried as she pulled away.

  Before Katelina could explain, Gret kicked her to the side, swinging a bladed club. It found its mark on Torina’s arm, leaving a slash of scarlet.

  The redhead pressed her hand to the wound. “You’re going to pay for that.”

  Kai was on his feet again, this time brandishing a golden sickle. Katelina recognized it as one that Sorino took from the defunct Children of Shadows cult.

  How interesting, Katelina thought, using a weapon forged to destroy another group of Lilith’s worshipers to fight this one.

  William swung a notched sword, then disappeared. He popped up in front of the bathroom door. After a sniff, he frowned and went for the doorknob.

  With a roar, Torina slammed him face first into the wall. A low wail started, muffled inside the bathroom. Torina’s influence had slipped from the children.

  Gret pulled up. “Babies? We’re not interested in children. Only in his concubine.”

  William hit Torina in the stomach. She stumbled back into the bed while he disappeared and reappeared near the dresser. “Kali might reward us for bringing her children back.”

  “They aren’t hers.” Torina swung to her feet.

  Kai shuffled back against the wall, partially forgotten. Katelina tried to catch his eye, hoping he’d called to Sorino for help. There was no way they could handle this on their own.

  “They are hers,” William said, lifting the sword. “I recognize their scent. She took them to feed on.”

  He didn’t get any further before Torina tackled him, knocking the sword aside with a clang. As they went down, they shoved Katelina into the desk. The furniture snapped, leaving her sprawled in a pile of splintered wood. She looked up to see William fling a bloody Torina aside. “You get the concubine; I’ll get the children.”

  Bloody? No, not—

  Torina moved and Katelina relaxed. William snatched his sword and evaporated to turn up again in front of the bathroom. Gret grabbed Torina’s arm, and he shouted, “Not her! The blonde!”

  He disappeared inside, the door swinging shut behind him. With a confused grunt, Gret released the redhead. Katelina sat up, but couldn’t get to her feet before Gret was on her. She caught her breath as the bladed club whistled past her head. Her enemy readied for another strike. Katelina said a prayer and kicked. The blow buckled Gret’s knee and she crashed back. Her head bounced off the bed frame to leave her dazed on the floor.

  Torina waited with the lamp as William banged out of the bathroom, his arms full of the screaming tots, his sword in his belt. She swung her impromptu weapon at his head. He dropped Jayleth to deflect the blow.

  The lamp shattered in slow motion; pieces of glass and ceramic flew in a wide arc. William snarled, a bloody cut across his forehead. He tossed Paylin to the bed, then wrenched what was left of the lamp from Torina; a metal stake with a dangling lightbulb.

  Paylin screamed; a high pitched wail that shook Gret awake.

  “Shut up!” William swung the remnants of the lamp at him like a club. Torina threw herself over the toddler like a shield. There was a crunch, a cry, and a splash of blood, then Torina fell still.

  William ripped the makeshift weapon away and shoved Torina’s limp body to the floor. Katelina froze. Was Torina…could she be…? No. She couldn’t be killed that easily. Just a moment ago she’d thought— And she wasn’t—

  Sudden pain shot through Katelina’s shoulder blade. She jerked involuntarily, and spun back to see William rip the bloody metal piece from her back. He stabbed again, but she dodged and swept up a broken piece of desk to use as a shield.

  Gret was on her feet, her attention on Kai. He swung the golden sickle with a swoosh. It stuck in her shoulder and pulled free from his hand. The vampiress tore it from her arm. With a snarl, she swung it at him in a splash of scarlet that crumpled the teen to the floor.

  The remnants of the door flew aside. Sorino charged through, hair wild, his face creased in fury. He leapt over the first bed to knock Gret to the floor, next to Kai. Twin daggers flashed in Sorino’s hands as he sliced, severing the fingers that held the scythe.

  With a shout, Micah and Loren burst inside. William looked from them to Katelina, then disappeared. She had a nanosecond flash of him knocking Micah away before he was gone.

  Katelina dropped to Torina’s side. Pain radiated down her arm as she rolled the vampiress’ limp body. She started to shake her, then saw the gaping hole in her chest.

  No.

  “Hey.” Micah crouched next to her. “Is—” he broke off when he saw the injury. “Oh fuck, no.”

  Loren tripped over the remnants of the desk to kneel next to them. “Torina?”

  Jayleth pulled himself up onto unsteady legs and waddled to her. He dropped, reaching. His hands slid away, slick with her blood. He floundered and wailed. Micah absently pulled the boy from Torina and bounced him gently. “Shhh, there tyke. Shhhhhh.”

  Katelina could hear Sorino and Gret wrestling, the universe going on even as one world ended. She didn’t like Torina, but…but tears still burned her eyes. Torina was like death and t
axes; a redheaded certainty that would always stroll in looking better. That she could be…

  She looked helplessly to Micah, as if he could fix it. Only he couldn’t. No one could. Over his shoulder, she saw Sorino stand, lifting Gret by her throat. She waved bloody fingerless hands and kicked. Her clothing was shredded and she was covered in thick scarlet slashes that left skin flapping. Sorino slammed her into the wall. Her head bounced. Once, twice, three times. With a roar, he rammed a dagger into her chest. The vampiress’ body arched as he twisted the blade, then fell still.

  He threw her aside and knelt swiftly. He gave a cry, like a wounded animal. Katelina’s chest tightened. Not…not Kai…

  Katelina pushed past Micah and Loren, but stopped at the corner of the bed. She could see Sorino kneeling on the floor, cradling the boy. His neck hung limply. His hair fell back to reveal the face of an angel; perfect cheek bones, pale skin, and long eyelashes, marred only by a lumpy scar on his forehead and splatters of blood.

  Misery and fury crashed over her, so deeply intertwined she couldn’t pull one emotion from the other. She staggered under it. Sorino stood, lifting Kai. Without a word, he swept out of the room.

  She tried to shake away the agony and hurried to the door. “Sorino?” She saw him disappear into one of the rooms, but she didn’t follow. His silence said everything she didn’t want to hear.

  No.

  She turned back to see Loren scoop up Paylin. Micah was still crouched next to Torina. He absently bounced Jayleth with one hand, and brushed Torina’s curls back with the other. His fingertips smeared a droplet of blood across her cheek in a long streak of scarlet, like the trail of a tear.

  “Fuck!” Micah swung to his feet, adjusting the child before he walked in erratic half circles. “Fuck!”

  Sorino’s agony still echoed inside Katelina; she didn’t have room for Micah’s. Still, she had to do something. She tentatively laid a hand on his arm. He pulled away. “What the fuck? Where is that goddamn bastard? I’m gonna tear him into fucking little shreds!”

  He shoved the toddler into Katelina’s’ arms, then stormed out the door.

  Loren looked around helplessly. “What do we do? We can’t leave them alone.”