by Trina M. Lee
She shrugged. “I got laid a few hours ago. Really helps take the edge off. I’m relaxed and ready to kick some ass. I highly recommend it.”
I did my best not to look at Arrow. “Right. Noted.”
Reaching beneath his seat Arrow produced a small bag of white powder. “I don’t know how Sam keeps up with you.”
“Oh, no, you don’t.” I snatched it from him before he could even think to pull a credit card from his wallet. “A puff of the green is one thing. None of this shit. Not tonight.”
With an irritated sigh Arrow let his head drop back against the headrest. “Fuck, Spike, don’t give me this crap. I need a little pick me up so I can go in there and deal with what’s about to happen to my brother.”
“Um, no. Nothing is going to happen to him because we are going to stop it.” I crammed the little bag beneath my seat. “You can coke up on your own time. We have a job to do.”
He made a noise of frustration and slammed a fist against the steering wheel. Then he threw the car door open and got out.
“Yep,” Jett said from the back. “Should’ve got laid.”
“Not helping.”
“Let the guy have a hit, Spike. Do you really want him hurting for a fix while he has your back?” Serious now, Jett made a point I couldn’t argue.
I grabbed the bag I’d swiped from him, shoved open my door and followed Arrow, motioning for Jett to do the same. Without a word I tossed him the bag. The three of us walked down the street toward the house where so much had already gone down and more was about to happen.
Arrow kept his distance, walking in the empty street as he shook some coke from the bag and dabbed it under his tongue. Despite his mood I knew he wasn’t upset with me. He was angry with himself. I got it. I was kind of pissed with myself too. We didn’t have time for self-pitying bullshit. Rowen needed us.
As soon as we approached the house, the iron gate swung open. Ominous.
“I don’t like that,” I muttered.
“They’ve been waiting for us.” Before stepping foot through the gate, Arrow surveyed the yard. “No hounds. That can’t be good.”
Jett strode ahead, fearless in her just-got-laid chill. “Of course they knew you’d come to stop them. What they don’t know is that you’re going to succeed. Because you have me.” With a snicker she winked and sashayed up the front step.
I rolled my eyes and followed, envious of her calm and cool approach. There was just so much on the line. Tension held me rigid. My lungs barely worked.
Arrow hung back, hands stuffed in his pockets. Shoulders squared and stiff, he seemed about as relaxed as I was, which wasn’t very.
Like the gate, the door also swung open in ominous silence. The dark foyer greeted us. Such an obvious scare tactic. And yet it worked. I wanted to hightail it out of there before things could get worse. Before I had a chance to fuck this up.
“Very horror movie lame of you,” Jett announced to the empty entryway as she crossed the threshold. With a glance back at us, she waved a hand. “Come on, you pussies. Don’t just stand there waiting for the boogeyman to get you.”
Arrow motioned for me to go next. Despite the heavy mood and foreboding atmosphere, he managed a smile. “After you.”
Encouraged by his effort to spread a little humor in a pretty bleak situation, I mustered a nervous laugh. “Who says chivalry is dead?”
The larger foyer was empty and dark. We passed by the grand spiral staircase without incident, following the sound of voices deeper in the house.
“Ritual room.” Arrow pointed down the long hall past the immense library filled with demonic literature.
He took the lead, and I was content to let him. Every step made the pounding of my heart in my ears louder. I could do this. No matter what happened, all that mattered was that we kept Dash from completing his ritual. Easy enough. Right?
As we reached the double doors, they too swung open. This was becoming a theme. An annoying one at that.
I’d been here before. Koda had dragged me in during a demon wedding, which had greatly pissed off the bride. The ritual room possessed high ceilings and shiny hardwood floors that seemed to go on for miles. A sunken circle in the center of the room decorated with an upside-down pentagram was lined in black and red candles. That was where the ritual would take place.
Three throne-like chairs were situated at the head of the room. Dash lounged in the center chair. His expression expectant but pleased, he greeted us with a grin. Rowen sat to Dash’s right. A hopeful spark lit up his face at the sight of us. It hurt to see that, knowing I might yet fail.
Next to the sunken circle, Koda busied himself carefully arranging objects on a gold platter. My gaze was immediately drawn to the center of the platter where a human heart lay, still beating. Vicky’s heart, stolen during a new moon ritual just for this very occasion.
Arrow saw it too, and his smooth gait stuttered as he jerked to a halt. Dash had gotten inside Arrow’s head, forcing him to kill Vicky in a night of murder and misery that Arrow hadn’t remembered until Cinder had recalled it from his subconscious.
Seeing the horror in Arrow’s eyes gutted me. Despite his illegal activities and sometimes shady personality, he didn’t deserve to be used and abused that way.
For some reason I’d expected more demons, like the bonfire parties at the Black Market. Or even Dash’s small coven of black magic witches. But it was just the three of them. And now us. Knowing Dash, he likely had his reasons for keeping this secret.
“I knew you’d make this interesting, white lighter.” Dash didn’t bother to get up. He regarded us with little more than bored irritation. “I warned you, Arrow. You’re not welcome here.”
“What about me?” I butted in, keeping the demon’s focus on me, not Arrow. “Do you mind if I hang out? I don’t tend to get invited to many of these demon rituals. Can’t figure out why that may be.”
Dash’s scarlet gaze slid over me, sizing me up like a piece of meat. “There are a great many rituals I’d be happy to invite you to, Spike. I’ll even make you the guest of honor.”
“Well, don’t go to any trouble on my account.” I glanced toward Koda,
He watched me with a guarded expression as he raised a brow. A silent inquiry. Son of a bitch. He’d actually waited to see if I might have something to offer Dash. The only reason he hadn’t yet taken a shot at Rowen.
All I had to offer Dash was a beating, but Koda wasn’t going to be satisfied with that. Rather than acknowledge his unspoken question, I ignored him and kept my gaze on Dash.
“I’m sure you came in here all puffed up and ready to save your lover.” Dash sat up straighter in his chair. “That won’t be happening. But if it means so much to you, I’d be happy to let you stay and observe.”
One glimpse of Rowen’s face and I knew he didn’t want us here. Because his heart was pure, he’d rather join Dash’s triad than risk anything happening to either Arrow or me. That was why he’d broken up with me. And why he’d taken Arrow’s place in Dash’s coven. Surely he had to know we wouldn’t stay away. How could we leave him to the fate of demons?
“You know I had to come.” I spoke to Dash but my words were for Rowen.
Dash gave a sharp nod of his dark head. “Of course. Although you kept your distance so well. I’d hoped maybe you had moved on. But what do I know of young love?”
Offended, I cocked a hip to one side and crossed my arms. “Is that all you think this is? You define me by my love interest rather than my commitment to the light? You’ve got this all wrong.”
If I could keep him talking, perhaps it would distract him. Sure this was about Rowen. I did love him, even though I didn’t know if that would be enough going forward. Love wasn’t all that brought me here.
However, proving to myself that I was as capable as Cinder believed me to be had pushed me over that threshold. Being the person I wanted to be. Someone who didn’t take crap from the dark. Someone who stood up for what was right. That mea
nt something.
Dash leaned forward in his chair, fingers tight on the elaborately carved arms. “I’m afraid you’re the one who’s got this all wrong. The ritual is going to happen, and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.”
I had no witty retort. No comeback that would stop the demon in his tracks. But even if I did, Koda would have stolen my moment.
Black wings flared wide, Koda kicked over the table holding the platter of ritual items. A dagger, a chalice, and the heart went flying in several directions. They never hit the ground.
On his feet, Dash flung out a hand and every item froze in place. His bark of bitter laughter echoed. “I’ve been waiting all night for you to do that, Koda. About fucking time.”
“We’re not doing this ritual.” Koda reached for the heart where it hovered midair, beating. A purple lightning bolt struck his hand, and he jerked back with a hiss.
Dash stalked toward him, his own wings cloaking him. “I knew I couldn’t trust you. You’ve never shared my vision.”
“Vision,” Jett muttered with a head shake.
Koda had an agenda, and he didn’t waste any time. Ignoring Dash, he raised a hand and began speaking a strange language. He pointed first at Rowen and then at Arrow.
The air around us crackled. Next to me Arrow gasped and stumbled, catching himself. Rowen sat wide eyed in his chair, staring as if he wasn’t seeing the rest of us anymore.
“What did you do?” I shouted at Koda. Grabbing Arrow’s arm, I shook him. “Arrow? Are you ok?”
“I did what I promised to do if you failed to stop this, Spike. You knew this was coming.” Though he spoke to me, Koda faced Dash with eager anticipation.
Before I could ask more questions, I watched in jaw-dropped horror as Rowen and Arrow pounced on each other like a switch had been flipped. No holds barred, Rowen smashed his fist into his brother’s face, drawing blood almost immediately. Wiping a crimson trickle from his mouth, Arrow chuckled. Shadows drifted from him to wrap around Rowen’s throat.
Dash flicked a hand toward them, throwing them apart. It didn’t stop their murderous intentions though. They got up and went right back to fighting. Eyes filled with rage, jaws set in determination.
They were oblivious to the rest of us and not at all themselves. Koda had planted a need inside them. They couldn’t stop, wouldn’t stop, until the other was dead.
“Is that your solution?” Dash barked. “Make them kill each other so Rhine has no son left to join us?”
“Pretty much, yeah.” Unapologetic as fuck, Koda held up both hands in invitation. “Take your shot, Dash. There’s no triad without me anyway. And you can’t force me to play your game.”
Dash’s wings flapped, and he flung a swirling green ball of energy in Koda’s face. Whatever it was made of, it had enough juice to throw Koda ass over tea kettle. “We’ll see about that.”
I didn’t bother to watch the demons scrap it out. Kicking each other’s asses saved me some work. It was the brothers I cared about.
“You take Rowen; I’ll take Arrow,” Jett said before leaping into the middle of the fight.
She took a punch in the face trying to split them up. Werewolf strength enabled her to shove them apart and tackle Arrow. He went down beneath her, struggling to break free.
That left me Rowen.
Jumping into his path, I held up both hands. Fire danced around my fingers. I didn’t want to hurt him. But if it meant saving him, I’d do it.
“Get out of my way, Spike. This doesn’t have to involve you.” Amber eyes wild with an unnatural lust for violence, Rowen tried to push me aside.
I moved with him. Every step he took, I countered. When he got too close, I let enough fire flow forth to make him jump back.
“You know I can’t do that. This isn’t real, Rowen. This is one of Koda’s manipulations.” To keep Rowen from darting around me, I drove my shoulder into him at the right angle to knock him off his feet. Cinder would be proud.
With Winter’s feather tied tightly, hidden beneath my black locks, I considered throwing a wall of ice in front of Rowen. Then I thought better of it. Showing Koda and Dash that I had such a tool would be a premature act. A mistake.
With a grunt from behind me, Jett wrestled Arrow into a headlock. She held tight, until he managed to paralyze her just long enough to wriggle free. Standing between both brothers, I threw a hand up in front of each of them, creating a wall of fire on both sides.
“You’re on the same side here. You don’t want to hurt each other.” My words fell on ears deafened by rage.
Whatever Koda had done, it was far stronger than my pitiful pleading. The demon wasn’t content to let me separate them. Once he’d stabbed an ugly but deadly-looking dagger through Dash’s torso, Koda taunted the brothers further, “Your brother is in love with your lady, Rowen.” His voice boomed in the room’s thunderous acoustics. “I saw him kiss her. Do not let such a betrayal go unpunished.”
That stupid son of a bitch. While he was distracted, Dash yanked Koda’s blade from his body and twirled it in one hand. Their battle was far from over.
Shock took over Rowen’s face. He looked to me for confirmation. My silence said it all. That shock quickly gave way, fueling his murderous rage. In a brazen move he plunged through both walls of fire. Barely singed, he grabbed Arrow by the collar. He shook his brother. “You’re in love with Spike? You balled your way through half the city by now, and that’s not enough for you? You’re not good enough for her, Arrow. You never will be.”
“Stop it, Rowen. It’s not like that.” Dropping the useless fire walls, I grabbed his arm while he tried to shake me off. “Koda is a liar. Arrow isn’t in love with me.”
“But he kissed you?” Rowen strained as Arrow shoved against him.
I couldn’t lie, but telling the truth would help nothing.
Before I could decide either way, Arrow opened his big mouth. To be fair, I knew Koda’s manipulations drove his outburst. It didn’t make me want to punch him any less. “You’re damn right I kissed her. What difference does it make to you? You left her crying out in the cold while I watched her heart break. You’re the one who doesn’t fucking deserve her, Rowen.” A sudden and unexpected headbutt followed Arrow’s nasty retort.
I gasped when Rowen fell back. Jett grabbed Arrow by the throat and forced him to his knees. Blood gushed from Rowen’s nose. And despite that, he made every effort to get to Arrow.
“Koda, please,” I begged, shouting at the demon while using every muscle to hold Rowen back. “Stop this.”
A crack like thunder rolled through the room. With wings spread wide Dash stood over Koda who glowered up at him with a blood smeared face. Dagger held high, Dash uttered something in that old language before bringing the blade down.
I couldn’t look away.
Dash stabbed clean through Koda’s sternum, impaling him with one mighty blow. A purple bolt of light went out from the blade to surround Koda in a prison of supernatural lightning. He pulled on the dagger, but it wouldn’t budge. In frustrated defeat he lay there trapped, tugging in futile desperation on the dagger hilt.
With Koda’s sudden imprisonment the manipulation he’d used on the brothers dissipated. I fell into Rowen when he abruptly stopped straining against me. Chest heaving, I sucked in deep breaths, trying to get my bearings. Rowen’s fiery eyes flicked to me and then away. He used the back of his arm to wipe blood from his nose and lips.
Arrow jerked away from Jett, putting space between himself and the rest of us. He wouldn’t meet Rowen’s gaze.
“Would you look at that?” Dash gestured to the night beyond the high windows. “It’s almost time for the ritual.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“Like hell it is,” Arrow muttered. “You can’t do shit without Koda. Your ritual is pointless.”
An air of menace surrounded Dash. He’d gotten the drop on Koda, and now he puffed up, ready for his big moment. “I’ve had centuries to learn how to handle Kod
a. As you can see, he’s not much of a problem. If you value your pathetic life, you’ll keep from being one as well.”
Arrow mumbled a slew of obscenities that went ignored. Dash had eyes only for Rowen. He fetched the chalice, ritual blade, and Vicky’s heart, carefully arranging them on the platter. Then he held out a hand, indicating the sunken pentagram circle.
“Come now, Rowen. There isn’t time to waste.”
“No, don’t do it.” I put myself in Rowen’s way, refusing to allow this to happen. “You can’t. I won’t let you.”
“Spike.” With a bloodstained hand he stroked my cheek. “Everything I’ve done has been for you.”
I clasped his hand in mine and sighed. “I know. But I never would’ve asked any of it from you. This has gone far enough. It has to stop here.”
Dash’s low, sinister laugh felt like insects beneath my flesh. “You foolish girl, we’re just getting started.”
Fed up with demons, their tricks and their self-centered bullshit, I turned on Dash and drew the Midnight Star from the sheath on my back. “You’re really not.”
We had to be down to the last few minutes before the planets aligned. Dash’s pinched expression gave me a small semblance of satisfaction. I couldn’t face off with him one on one. Hell, even Koda hadn’t managed that. But if I could be a total pain in his ass when he least wanted to deal with me, then I’d be the best damn pain in the ass I could be.
“If you’re planning another four on one encounter, I’m afraid I won’t be willing to go as easy on you this time,” Dash said, his face an emotionless mask. “I didn’t want to kill you and have Cinder to contend with, but seeing as I’m about to wage an earthly war with the angels, I don’t give a fuck anymore.”
Great. Always good news when a demon stopped giving a fuck.
“That makes two of us.” Wielding the sword, ready to use it, I kept myself between Rowen and the demon.
Unfortunately, Rowen couldn’t allow me to protect him. He stepped forward, hands held out to keep the demon at bay.
