by R. L. Perez
We needed to leave. The Count would be returning soon.
As if spurring me on, heavy footsteps sounded nearby, and I turned toward the noise. Out of time.
I grinned at the girl. “Until next time, mi amor.”
With another puff of black magic, I vanished and reappeared as the bat. The blue shield the girl had summoned earlier flickered and vanished, no doubt a result of her diminished powers thanks to my feeding. I flew in a circle before darting out the doorway.
Just before I left, I heard the girl mutter angrily, “Bastard.”
11
Brielle
“BRIELLE. Brielle!”
My eyelids fluttered open, and an explosion of pain followed. I winced, raising a hand to my head.
“Ow,” I muttered, shifting and trying to rise. “What—where am I?”
“The armory. Looks like a vamp got you.” I recognized the Australian accent.
“Izzy?” I said. Slowly my vision cleared, and Izzy came into view, her white hair in tangles around her face. Soot covered her cheeks, and a bloody gash ran from her forearm to her wrist.
“The very same,” she said with a grin.
“Where—the demons!” I shot to my feet, then swayed as my vision blurred again.
“Easy now.” Izzy caught me by the shoulders. “Don’t push it. Let your body recover from the blood loss.”
“Where’d they go?” I asked. “What did they take?” My eyes fell to the pile of weapons. The strange vampire, Leonardo, had just left them there.
“Dunno. But the Count’s back. We think the demons vanished when our reinforcements showed up. Looks like they tried attacking when our numbers were few.”
“Is anyone hurt?” I asked as Izzy looped my arm around her shoulders to help me hobble out of the armory.
“A few cuts and bruises, but we’re all right. We might not be experts at fighting demons, but we can certainly cause some chaos.” She eyed the puncture marks on my neck. “So, who got you, eh?”
“Leonardo Serrano.”
Izzy stopped walking and sucked in a breath. “You fought Leo?” She whistled. “What was that like?”
Anger and shame washed over me as I thought of how useless I’d been. How cocky and arrogant he was. How I’d just fallen limp in his arms while he drank my blood from me. I shoved the thoughts away and looked at Izzy. “You know him?”
“Yeah, he’s the coven leader. Shapeshifting vampire.”
“Yeah, so I gathered.” Eventually. I remembered how close his face had been to mine, the way his dark eyes gleamed with silver. His light goatee had tickled my neck when he’d drunk from me. I suppressed a shiver. “I’ve never met one like that before. I thought the only shapeshifting hybrids were gargoyles.”
“Most are, yes. But some, like Leo, come from a powerful demon heritage. His bloodline’s as pure as they come.”
“Pure?”
“Pure demon. No light magic in him at all.”
Something icy slithered in my chest. “So, how do you know about him?”
“The Count had us study up on the coven’s history to help us prepare. Leo attacks on a regular basis, always searching for some powerful weapon the Count doesn’t have. This is the first time they’ve caught us off guard because—”
“Because they found a way out of the time loop.”
“Right.”
We slowly climbed up the stairs and found the wide room I’d first arrived in. Vases and paintings were smashed, leaving the floor covered in debris. I could barely make out the decorative octagon on the tiled floor.
We dodged the wreckage until we returned to the ballroom where the others were huddled together, speaking in low voices.
Riker looked up when he saw me. A small cut above his eyebrow bled freely, but he otherwise looked unharmed.
“Brielle!” He rushed to my side and took my other arm. “What happened?”
“Leo,” Izzy said darkly.
Riker’s eyes blazed and his jaw tensed. Apparently, he didn’t need any more information. He leaned forward and traced a finger along my neck. The puncture wounds throbbed slightly from his touch. I shuddered. There wasn’t enough vampire venom in me to do much damage, but still—just knowing that bastard’s poison was inside me made me want to puke.
Riker drew his hand back, his face contorted with anger. “I’ll kill him.”
“Not if I kill him first,” I growled.
Surprise mingled with satisfaction in Riker’s eyes, and the corners of his mouth twitched.
The Count was speaking with one of the mages in rapid Spanish. Both of them looked up at my approach. The Count’s eyes widened, but he quickly recovered. He snapped his fingers and said, “Ignacio, tend to her wounds.”
Ignacio appeared before me and looked me over. “Where is the most pressing injury, Miss Gerrick?”
I shook my head. “I’m fine. Just blood loss from a vampire.”
Ignacio’s lips tightened, and I knew we were thinking the same thing: blood loss was one of the few things that couldn’t be healed by magic. Only time could help me now.
“I’ll send for your handmaid to escort you to your chamber.” Ignacio strode out of the ballroom, his purple robe sweeping behind him.
I wanted to object, but the persistent throbbing in my head urged me to comply. As soon as I recovered, I could figure out who those demons were, what they wanted, and how to stop them.
I still saw Leo’s taunting smile in my head, his patronizing laughter as he mocked me.
I’d make him regret underestimating me. Even if it killed me.
I WOKE UP WITH MY CELL phone clutched in my palm, though I didn’t remember going to bed with it. When I tapped the screen, I found a picture of Angel and my mom. My throat tightened with emotion. I gritted my teeth and turned off the phone. My battery would die soon. Even though my phone didn’t work in this time, the idea that the screen would go dark forever made me feel lost inside. It was my only connection to my time, besides the bag I kept stashed under the bed.
I groaned and sat up, rubbing my forehead. A dull ache throbbed there, but other than that I felt stronger. More coherent. I didn’t even remember climbing the stairs and getting into bed. The sheer nightgown I wore meant Maria must’ve helped me undress. I suppressed an eye roll at that. If I’d been in my right mind, I would’ve insisted on getting ready by myself.
Leo’s black and silver eyes flashed in my vision, and I flinched.
I balled my hand into a fist. He had bested me. I didn’t want to admit it, but he’d won. It had been years since a demon had beaten me in a fight. Since I’d taken up kickboxing, I’d triumphed almost every time.
I gritted my teeth and jumped out of bed, eager to throw myself into a new task to get my mind off my failure. After sliding my messenger bag out from under my bed, I reached inside to grab my jeans. I didn’t care about the Count’s stupid rules today. Perhaps if I’d been in more comfortable clothes, I would’ve beaten Leo yesterday.
I’d just pulled out a T-shirt when a light knock sounded at the door. Maria edged inside, holding a tray of food. Her eyes widened when she saw me crouched on the floor by the bed.
“My lady!” she breathed, hurrying inside to place the tray on the table. “You shouldn’t be out of bed. You need rest!”
“What I need is to get dressed and figure out how to be useful,” I growled, digging through my bag for a pair of underwear. When I looked up, Maria’s brows were knitted, and she opened her mouth to object. I raised a hand. “Don’t try to dress me in one of those death traps again. Please, for the love of Lilith, I beg of you—”
Maria shook her head quickly. “No, my lady. The Count has allowed the guests to wear, uh”—she lowered her voice to a whisper—“trousers.” She swallowed as if she’d just spoken an offensive word. “At least for the time being. In case we are attacked again.”
I heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank Lilith for that.” I resumed rummaging through my bag.
Mar
ia cleared her throat and shifted her feet. When I looked up at her, she muttered, “He insists you wear the trousers of this time, my lady.”
I groaned and threw my bag down on the floor. “Of course he does.”
She helped fit me into a pair of trousers that fit surprisingly well. When I inspected myself in the mirror, I realized they were riding pants—or whatever they were called in this time period. I also wore a light, airy tunic tightened at the waist like a corset but more breathable. Maria helped me find a pair of boots that fit as well. When the ensemble was complete, I looked at myself and half expected Maria to insist I wear a riding helmet and crop as well.
I snorted and shook my head at my reflection. When Maria gave me a pained look, I sighed and waved my hand. “Do whatever you want with my hair.” I plopped down on the vanity chair.
Maria beamed at me and got to work while I tried not to wince as she tugged at my thin hair. My mind returned to the fight with Leo and what he’d said about the Count—that he’d committed unholy crimes as well.
Though I didn’t trust a word Leo said, I didn’t necessarily believe the Count was a complete saint either. He gave me the creeps.
Whatever was going on, I was determined to find out.
When Maria was finished, I offered a small smile, hoping to appease her. Her frequent grimaces made me realize I was probably being too harsh with her. She didn’t deserve it. If anything, she should’ve been exasperated with me. I was making her job so much harder.
When she curtsied and made to leave, I said quickly, “Maria, wait.”
She paused at the door, her eyebrows lifting. “Yes, my lady?”
Slowly, I rose from the seat, briefly registering how much easier it was to move in these clothes than what I’d worn yesterday. I smoothed my pants and wrung my hands together. “I, uh, never thanked you for taking care of me yesterday. I don’t really remember what happened, but . . .” I trailed off, unsure of where I was going with that sentence. I cleared my throat. “Um, thanks. For everything.”
A warm smile lit her face. She curtsied again, her brown eyes glowing. “A pleasure, my lady.”
After she left, a tightness wound inside my chest, and I rubbed my nose. My hands itched to do something, so I reorganized the accessories on the vanity and then repacked my messenger bag and hid it from view. Maria had already made the bed and taken away the breakfast tray, so my room was tidy. Too tidy.
I knew it was insane, to prefer to have a mess just so I could clean it. But that’s how I felt.
I huffed in exasperation and left the room, clenching and unclenching my fingers into fists as I made my way downstairs to the dining hall.
When I arrived, several guests were already seated and chatting amiably. Some had bruises and cuts on their faces, but it seemed everyone was all right.
A quick glance around the room told me Izzy and Riker weren’t there. Discomfort swelled within my chest, but I squashed it down. I was a big girl. If I could handle fighting demons, I could handle this too.
I spotted Juan, who grinned eagerly in my direction and waved me over. I suppressed a groan but moved toward him. The Four Musketeers—or rather, the Four Douchebags—didn’t seem happy to see me, so sitting with Juan was my best option.
As I took my seat, Juan looked me over, his gaze lingering on my chest and waist. I almost slapped him right then and there.
“You are unharmed, Miss Gerrick?” he asked.
Right, I thought sarcastically, placing a handkerchief on my lap. I’m sure he was only staring at my chest because he was looking for injuries. “Yes. And you?” I looked him over and found his face as spotless as before the attack.
Juan’s smile widened. “I thank you, yes. Those demons could not hold their own against me.” He sat up a bit straighter.
Did he think that impressed me? I forced a smile. “Great. Glad to hear it.”
Juan leaned closer conspiratorially. “I heard you faced off with Leo Serrano.”
“I did.”
“Was it terrifying?”
“No. He’s unusual, but he’s just another demon.”
Juan’s eyes widened. “Just another demon? He’s a shapeshifting vampire! Is that not alarming?”
I shrugged one shoulder. “No.”
Juan’s smile faded. “It does not frighten you, Miss Gerrick, to face demons?”
I leveled a stare at him. “No. I face one every day. My father’s a demon.”
Juan’s eyes grew wide, his face slackening. “Your . . . father?”
My eyes narrowed. “Yes. He follows the law, though. He doesn’t pose a threat to anyone. It’s the criminal demons that are the real threat.”
Juan swallowed and looked away. Discomfort mingled with horror in his eyes.
Lilith, he acted like having a demon for a father was the worst fate in the world. I wasn’t an idiot—I knew more demons caused trouble than light casters. But there were plenty of law-abiding demons who kept to themselves and didn’t harm anyone. That was why my dad served on the Council: to keep the peace between both sides.
Juan subtly scooted away from me like I was contagious. After a few minutes, he muttered something about speaking with someone and moved to sit by the Douchebags. Fine by me, I thought.
Izzy entered the dining hall, and I smiled and waved her over. She flashed a grin and slid into the seat next to me, also dressed in riding pants and a loose tunic.
“Love the new fashion here,” she said with a snicker, tossing her white hair over her shoulder. “Makes me think of home, wearing dacks again.”
I leaned closer to her. “So outside of training and examinations and whatever it is you all do here, are we free to . . . roam the castle? And the grounds?” Specifically, can I go outside and check out the Count’s wards?
Izzy frowned. “Sort of. The Count doesn’t like us being outside. He says it runs the risk of exposing who we are to the civilians. He doesn’t like us exploring the lower levels either, but we can visit the main rooms and the guest quarters. Why?”
I deflated. If the Count was so strict about people going outside, I probably wouldn’t be able to slip out unnoticed. All right then. Plan B. “I . . . I was just thinking of doing some research in the library later.”
Izzy wrinkled her nose. “Ugh, why?”
I laughed. “I just want to catch myself up with the history here.”
“Want some help?”
I stilled, then quickly shook my head. “No thanks. I’ll be fine.” I didn’t like the idea of having an audience while I searched for information about Leo’s coven and how to take them down. Besides, I wanted to research Lilith’s curse as well, and it’d be hard to do that with someone watching me. I didn’t want to arouse Izzy’s suspicions.
“I’ve been here longer than you,” Izzy said, raising an eyebrow. “I can show you around the library and help you navigate through all those books.”
I pressed my lips together. “I’m really okay.”
Izzy rolled her eyes and leaned forward. “Come on, Brielle! What else am I supposed to do, hang out with those idiots over there?” She waved a hand toward the Douchebags at the end of the table, and I knew her voice was loud enough to be heard. A few of them glared in our direction.
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. With a sigh, I muttered, “I guess I could use some help.”
Izzy beamed. “Excellent.” She cocked her head at me, her eyes glinting. “You know, the person who knows the most about everything is probably Riker. He’s a bit of a history geek and knows the castle and the area better than anyone.”
I made a face. Though I was fond of Riker, he made my stomach spin in ways I didn’t like. I waved a hand, feigning nonchalance. “I don’t want to bug him about this.”
Izzy raised her eyebrows but didn’t press me about it. I knew I was a terrible liar. But I couldn’t even explain it to myself why I didn’t want to involve Riker. I just didn’t like feeling uncomfortable or thrown off, especially not now when I was
so focused on finding out more about Leo and his coven and how to stop them.
As if summoned by my thoughts, Riker himself entered the dining hall, wearing a gold waistcoat that made his hair look exceptionally red. His blue eyes roved around the room until they settled on me.
When the butterflies swarmed in my stomach, I cursed under my breath.
Oh, Brie, you’ve got to be kidding me, I chided myself. I wasn’t ordinarily the type to swoon over a guy, but I had my fair share of crushes. I was a sophomore in high school, for crying out loud. How could I not?
I subconsciously straightened in my chair, then clenched my fist on my lap to scold myself. Stop it. You barely know him. You just like him because he was nice to you. Stop. It.
“Good morning Izzy,” Riker said, sliding into the seat opposite us. He nodded at me. “Brielle.”
I pressed my lips together in the barest attempt at a smile.
“How are your injuries faring, ladies?” Riker asked, straightening his waistcoat.
Izzy responded by shooting a jet of wind over Riker’s shoulder. She swore. “Sorry, mate.” After flapping her hand rapidly, the wind died down, but not before shattering a plate on the table behind Riker. A few chuckles and murmurs rippled through the Four Douchebags.
Izzy’s cheeks reddened, and she slid lower in her chair, tucking her hands in between her legs. “Bloody powers. They strike at the worst time.”
Riker laughed. “Don’t fret, Izzy. No harm done. I’m lucky you didn’t blast me against the wall.”
Izzy snorted. “I’m surprised I didn’t.”
Servants entered and served us breakfast. Riker took several large bites of fruit and pointed his fork at me. “You haven’t told us what your magical problem is yet, Brielle.” He eyed me up and down. “I haven’t witnessed any accidents yet.”
I swallowed my food and cleared my throat. “Oh yeah. Well, it’s kind of boring. I don’t have any powers.”
Izzy and Riker stared at me, their eyes wide.
“Anymore,” I added quickly. “I don’t have them anymore. Used to be an Elemental, but years ago, my powers just vanished.” I dropped my gaze and took another bite. Stupid, stupid, stupid. With Lilith’s beast roaming free at the end of every year, of course everyone would be on high alert for anything remotely related to Lilith’s curse.
