When Ronin let out a disbelieving scoff, Lina chimed in. “I agree with Amara.”
They all turned to her, and she elaborated. “He’s stayed here with Belpheg and Mammon, so we know he’s messed up in the head, but when it came down to it, he was willing to sacrifice his own life to save a child he doesn’t even know.”
“That doesn’t mean he’ll help us when it comes down to it,” Ronin argued.
“No, but I think he will.” She glanced back at Rage, who watched them through shuttered eyes. Even though his body posture was casual, as if he didn’t care one way or the other what they did, she sensed something deep inside. Saw something haunted in his eyes.
Something familiar.
“He plays it easy, like he doesn’t give a shit, but deep down he wants to belong,” she murmured, her gaze locked on Rage. “Whatever happened to him growing up, it left a void inside him. He tried to fill it with Mammon, but you guys know all too well what a futile effort that is. I think he’ll give anything, even his life, for a chance to feel like he’s part of something. Even if only for a moment.”
A long moment of silence.
“How do you know this?” Ronin asked.
She turned her gaze back to the man she loved like a brother, the man she’d desperately mourned after he disappeared from her life. For the first time since she’d been reunited with him, she spoke the words in her heart. “I know because I feel it in him, Ronin. That need to belong, to be loved. Because I felt the same way. Before I found you guys.”
Ronin sucked in his breath, his eyes going soft.
When Dagan squeezed her hand, she shifted her gaze to him. His warm, reassuring smile melted her from the inside out.
“I’m proud of you,” he murmured.
Thank you, she mouthed, unable to force the words past the sudden clog in her throat.
Suddenly she knew…she would have to tell Dagan the whole truth about her role in Sara’s death. Maybe he’d hate her for it, but he needed to know. Because this was one secret she just couldn’t live with. Every time he looked at her with love in his eyes, she’d know she hadn’t told him, and it would eat at her until there was nothing left.
No, he had to know.
“I agree with Lina,” Dagan said, his tone strong and sure. “We all know what it’s like to grow up with a void. We had each other at least. That poor sap—I get the sense he didn’t have anyone. And that really sucks.”
Well said. Lina grinned at Dagan. Somehow she thought he could probably relate.
Keegan cleared his throat, his voice noticeably softer when he said, “Maybe we can give him a chance.”
Taeg sighed, then shrugged. “As long as we move from this clearing in case he decides to give up our location, I guess I don’t see the harm in giving him a shot.”
“Don’t mean to break up the party,” Tenos called out from the other side of the clearing, his gaze still locked on the moon and the currents of energy he pulled down from it, “but this barrier is about to come down again. Might want to get everything in place.”
Keegan broke from the rest of the group and stalked across the clearing to where Rage stood. “You willing to help us, no matter the consequences?”
Rage gave him a casual nod. “Sure, why not?”
“It could mean your death, or worse,” Keegan warned him.
“Fuck, I’ve lived long enough.” Rage gave him an easy grin. “Besides, I could use a little excitement in my life.”
“In that case…”
When Keegan held out his hand, Rage’s tentatively hopeful expression said it all. The hybrid slowly reached out, as if he thought Keegan might pull away at the last moment, and shook Keegan’s hand.
Keegan shot him a quick grin. “Welcome to the club.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Belpheg stood in the massive clearing of his front lawn, a group of twelve strong men gathered around him. Flickers of energy pulled at him from the invisible shield. It was about to fall.
Let it.
He had everything he needed now. His men stood in place surrounding him, and the clan scrolls were in his hands. The only thing in question was the extent of his abilities.
This damned, failing body.
He should have had more than enough power to hold the shield in place, fill Mammon with the strength he needed, and perform the centering ritual. But he had to recognize the truth—he didn’t.
So he would sacrifice the shield, and he would use the power of the solstice moon to simultaneously grant Mammon additional power, perform the centering ritual, and call the Council members here. It would work.
It had to.
Failure was not an option, not after a lifetime of preparation to take the Council on. Give them what they deserved.
“Remain in place,” he called to his twelve as he rolled the scrolls and clutched them in one hand, using his connection to pull every available bit of power from the vellum pages, comprising his most prize possession. He raised both hands in the air and began to chant the words in his native tongue.
“Wava eterme, therso me, hirsue me, ectones flavone con eka shae. Reké flavone a lisha. Nivo me con mivafé tua.”
With me, through me, into me, ancestors fill my flesh with unending power. Bind my flesh to the earth. Fill me with unstoppable energy.
Immense pressure began to charge the air, weaving currents of electricity from each of the men to him. Their hair rose on end, creating an eerie impression of zero gravity.
“What’s happening?” Mammon called out.
It’s working.
Not as well as he would have liked. Though the bones of the zombies littering the field rattled and shook, the power he drew from them into Mammon was miniscule at best, something the demon could no doubt sense. But it was still working. Energy slowly wound through Belpheg’s body, filling him with hope and renewed determination.
It was going to work.
With an audible pop of electricity and a wave of power, the invisible barrier fell once more. He let out a low chuckle as the small army of zombies lining the property stumbled and staggered forward, heading straight toward them. No matter. He would use as much of their energy as he could to fuel Mammon.
“Where the hell did he come from?” Mammon suddenly muttered.
Belpheg followed the demon’s gaze to the left side of the clearing, where Mammon’s vampire-hybrid son had just strolled out from the forest. Keeping his eyes on the advancing horde of zombies, the vampire jogged to the perimeter of the circle.
“Where have you been?” Mammon asked him.
Rage glanced down at his gore-covered shirt before giving Mammon one of his signature, wild-eyed grins. “What does it look like? Fighting zombies.”
He sounded awfully happy about it, too. Imbecile.
Belpheg cast the vampire out of his mind. He was inconsequential now, and would most likely meet his death once this was all over. For now, there were more important things to worry about.
Like the fact that his other spell was beginning to work.
“What is that?” breathed one of his twelve men, his gaze on the shimmering figures that had begun to appear across the clearing.
“Is that…?” Mammon shifted uneasily in his spot as realization began to dawn.
“Yes.” Belpheg grinned. “I’ve called the Council members to us.”
His spell had weaved around the Council members’ souls, dragging their spirits into this dimension. Within minutes, their physical bodies would be forced to follow, since a corporeal body could not survive for very long without its life essence.
And once their bodies were again bound to their souls…
They would at last meet their rightful end.
…
Nestled into a spot at the edge of the forest, Dagan waited by his brothers for the invisible force field to fall. It was a less than comfortable spot, given that grisly zombies surrounded them on both sides. Their rotting stench floated over to him, singing his nostrils
. Just being in their disgusting, drooling presence made his flesh crawl and his spine tingle. But at least he rested secure in the knowledge that the zombies weren’t after him this time.
Besides, with Lina at his side—with her hand tightly pressed into his—he might be able to withstand just about anything.
“Here it goes,” Tenos murmured from his spot several feet away.
A wave of energy whooshed through Dagan’s body, momentarily standing his hair on end. The barrier was down.
Acting on Brynn’s prior orders, the horde of zombies pushed forward without delay. Keegan waited for them all to pass before turning to the remainder of the group. “You all know what you have to do?”
The chorus of grim nods reflected their common understanding about the potential consequences of their actions.
“I’m not going to tell you it’s going to be okay. I don’t know what the future holds. What our chances are. But I know we need to act.” Keegan took a deep breath, his gaze raking over Tenos and Amara’s friends. “And I thank you all for laying it on the line to stand up with us.”
Amara’s mother Solara adopted an unusually stark expression. “We’re doing this for all of us, Keegan. That maniac has to be stopped, before he harms one more child or takes one more woman hostage. And we’re going to be the ones to do it. We’re going to stop him.”
Wow, those were the most impressive words that had ever come out of Solara’s mouth. Dagan nodded at her. “Well said.”
She gave him a saucy wink that was far more like her and blew him a kiss. From the way Lina’s hand tightened around his, she hadn’t missed the interaction. While she had nothing to worry about, he couldn’t help but be pleased by her reaction.
Keegan broke away from the group to go to Brynn, who stood with little Aegin snuggled safely in her arms. He’d apparently had quite an adventure, because after feeding he’d fallen straight to sleep. Not even the crowd of zombies they’d been surrounded by had been enough to keep his attention for long.
“I love you both,” Keegan murmured, closing his arms around Brynn and Aegin. “So, so much.”
“I know,” she answered tremulously. “I love you too. Be safe.”
Brynn and Keegan had decided she would remain behind while the rest of them attacked. The battlefield was no place for a baby, and Keegan would fight much better knowing he didn’t have to worry about protecting them. Still, she’d insisted on remaining close by, so she could keep an eye on the battle and direct her zombies if necessary. While they clearly didn’t need to be within earshot to respond to her commands, she’d never tested her range of control. And although Bram was clearly itching to join in the fight, he’d agreed to remain behind to protect Brynn and Aegin.
Dagan could only hope that if the unthinkable happened, if they all fell, Bram would help Brynn and Aegin safely escape. As long as some small part of their family remained alive, then any sacrifice they had to make would be worthwhile.
When Taeg moved forward to envelop Brynn and Aegin in a quick hug, Dagan followed his cue. “Take care of yourself.”
“You too,” Brynn whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Much as he felt like crying himself, knowing that the two of them remained behind lent Dagan strength. Through Aegin, part of them would go on living…and the knowledge of that was reassuring in a way he could never have imagined before the little guy came along.
“Ready?” Keegan asked. He drew the sword strapped to his back—Excalibur—and started through the brush.
“Stick together,” Tenos called out to them. “I can weave a spell of protection around us, but I don’t know how long it’ll last or how effective it’ll be against a fae of his power.”
Dagan let go of Lina’s hand to snatch the sword at his own back. Though it had been awhile, he’d been pretty decent at swordplay back in his Infernum days, where there had been no guns to wield. Swords worked better anyway, since the only surefire way to kill demons was by beheading—and hell, that worked for all other paranormals too.
“Stay by my side,” Lina said as she reached into her dagger holster and palmed two wicked-looking daggers.
Damn, but he loved the warrior-chick look on her—a perfect match to her take-charge attitude.
Shooting her a grin, he said, “Hey, that’s my line.”
She snorted, but didn’t respond as she drew her attention straight ahead, to what awaited them on the other side of the forest.
They spread out at the edge of the forest but stayed close together, the entire group forming one defensive line.
Without warning, Lina turned to him, her eyes shining with depth and ferocity. “In case we don’t come out of this one alive, I need you to know…I love you, Dagan.”
His heart stopped for one spellbinding moment.
“I tried not to,” she continued in a rush, “but it was hopeless from the very beginning, I think. You…honestly, you’re perfect.”
“I…” The world around them fell away. Ronin, the battle, none of that seemed important right now. Overwhelming gratitude warmed his heart, propelling him forward. He crushed her against him with his free hand, pressing his lips to hers in a long, heated kiss that could have gone on forever. It was over far too quickly, though.
Resting his forehead against hers, he whispered the words he’d longed to say for what had seemed like eternity. “I love you too, Lina.”
Before he could say anything else, Keegan gave the cue to proceed. After one last lingering look at Lina, Dagan pulled away and focused on the goal.
Together, they tromped through the final bit of forest and onto the edge of the castle grounds.
“Oh, shit.” Dagan stopped cold.
Right there in the middle of the castle grounds was a circle of twelve men. In the center stood a tall, dark-haired fae wearing long, black robes. His arms were stretched out to the sky, and fierce currents of electricity wound through and around him.
That wasn’t the worst part about it, though. Across from the circle stood a line of shimmering, translucent beings. Though he didn’t recognize their faces, he caught a glimpse of their eyes as the figures spun around, apparently trying to piece together what the hell was going on.
Those eyes were so damn familiar.
Council members.
“Oh, shit,” Lina whispered beside him.
They were too late. Belpheg had cast the circle.
Dagan’s gaze rested on their newly-discovered brother, Rage, who stood beside the circle, looking as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
As useless as we expected. Not that it stopped the sharp pang of disappointment in his chest.
Despite their efforts, Belpheg had formed his circle, and the Council members faced imminent death.
In other words, by all appearances, they were well and truly fucked.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Rage stood by the circle of twelve men, absorbing the residual pulses of energy that flowed from them to Belpheg. He did his best to appear uncaring and nonchalant, when inside he was freaking out just a little bit.
He’d never seen anything like this before. The apparent ease with which Belpheg pulled electricity from the sky, and through the twelve men surrounding him, was remarkable. Though the backs of his twelve bowed from the current of power flowing through them, Belpheg stood calm and upright.
For not the first time, it occurred to Rage that Belpheg probably had power like this pumping through him on a regular basis. No wonder his body had been falling apart at the seams.
Not so any longer, it seemed. The dark fae appeared renewed and reenergized.
Fuck. He’d gotten here too late, hadn’t had any time to approach Maddox before Belpheg had started the spell.
One quick glance across the field told him the other group thought he’d betrayed them. The bitter, angry looks from the men who were his half brothers would probably have broken a saner individual. Combined with the dangerous aura of power pulsing off the dark fae, he had
to fight his instinct to turn and slink out of sight. That would be the easy thing to do
Yet for once, he wanted to do something not because it was easy, but because it was right.
A particularly powerful blast of lightning wound through the sky before striking Belpheg’s outstretched arms. He shook from it, and his hands clenched before pulsing open to take in more power from his fingertips.
The scrolls fell from his hand, fluttering to the ground and coming to a stop by the feet of one of the twelve. Caught up in the power he absorbed, Belpheg didn’t even appear to notice.
He’s got a real hard-on for those damn scrolls.
Always stroking them. Never letting them out of his sight. He’d even brought them to the freaking battleground.
Almost as if they held some power of their own…
“Huh.”
He might be completely off base here, but at this point, anything was worth a shot.
As casually as he could, Rage sauntered over to the man closest to the scrolls. He tried to move in closer, but every time he got within a foot of the circle, a mind-numbing bolt of electricity shocked his system and tore a curse from his lips.
Maybe if he stuck his foot out…
Well, then maybe he’d be able to slide the scrolls toward him while remaining out of harm’s way.
…
Belpheg locked his gaze on the confused faces of the Council members. A bubbly burst of laughter wound through him. There were over a dozen of them, and within a matter of minutes, their bodies would solidify, making them all too easy to wipe out of existence. For now they remained unsubstantial, however. The hordes of advancing zombies passed right through them, seeking more corporeal sustenance. But the horrid creatures no longer concerned him…not with the power rising up within him.
“Welcome,” he said, using his resurging strength to magnify his voice across the entire field. He wouldn’t want to leave out the line of strangers who had just materialized from the forest. Even though the elf in their midst wove his moon magic to protect them, the Detainors and their measly backup were sadly out of their league here. Soon they would realize just how very much.
Call of the Siren (Demons of the Infernum) (Entangled Edge) Page 25
