Frowning, Belpheg focused his attention on the moon elf.
A crackle of lightning burst through the air, rending the force field Tenos had set into place and striking him directly in the chest. Tenos howled and dropped to his knees. His back bowed in agony.
“No!” Keegan lifted his sword and tried to rush Belpheg, but the dark fae waved his hand, and Keegan bounced back as if he’d hit a massive rubber ball.
Lina’s chest wound tight as she watched Tenos’ skin began to sizzle and boil.
Oh gods.
Her stomach threatened to heave at the gruesome sight. Just when she would have turned away, something moved in the corner of her vision.
Rage.
The man had managed to rise to his feet and pick up a dagger from the ground. Though he swayed like he was going to pass out at any moment, and strips of his skin were still flayed from his chest and face, he staggered forward and leaped onto Belpheg’s back. He jabbed the dagger toward Belpheg’s neck.
He missed.
The dagger slid into the area directly above Belpheg’s clavicle, rendering a non-deadly blow.
Belpheg yelled, the sound more enraged than pained. He whirled around, bucking Rage off, and the wounded vampire landed in a limp heap several feet away.
“Solara, now,” Keegan growled.
Solara lifted her hand and a stream of energy shot from it, striking Belpheg square in the back. He bellowed and whirled to face them, but when he raised his arm to whip a crackle of lightning in their direction, Solara’s energy field countered it.
Holy shit, the dark fae was growing weaker before their very eyes! It appeared breaking the circle had done more than save the Council. It had weakened him.
“What—no,” Belpheg gasped, gazing in horror at his twitching fingers.
As one, they rushed toward him.
Lina lifted her daggers, but just as she neared Belpheg, he held up his other hand.
She came to a slamming halt, then flew backward, landing on her back with a flesh-numbing thump.
“Aw, shit,” she groaned as she sat up.
“You okay?” Dagan panted from where he’d landed beside her. Of the two of them, he recovered first, jumping up and holding out his hand.
“Yeah.” Chest heaving, she took Dagan’s hand and scrambled to her feet.
Belpheg erupted into husky laughter. His eyes traveled over each and every one of them. “Did you really think you could rise against me? Make me feel pain? Don’t you know how powerful I am? More powerful than every one of you.”
“Maybe,” Lina replied, unable to help herself. She exchanged a quick glance with Dagan. “But we have one thing you don’t.”
“Oh?” One of his brows lifted imperiously. “And what could that possibly be?”
“Each other,” Dagan said.
That was their silent cue to act.
One of Amara’s succubus friends—Brianna—lifted a hand, and suddenly Belpheg’s veins began to glow a fiery red.
His eyes widened, and he lifted his hands to stare at the swollen blood vessels, murmuring, “Stronger than I expected…”
“That’s right, asshole,” Brianna snarled.
A glimmer of something that almost looked like fear sparked in his eyes, and he flicked his hand in her direction. When a lightning bolt of energy smacked into her, she went flying across the field, landing twenty feet away in a pile of sizzling flesh.
“No,” Amara screamed.
Belpheg let out a hoarse chuckle. “You really think you can stop me? You’re nothing but insects to me.”
His fingers aimed at Amara, and another punishing stream of electricity struck her in the stomach. Like her friend, she shot back a good distance, and her body slammed hard into the ground.
“No!” Ronin dropped his sword and flew toward her.
“You son of a bitch,” Solara screamed, her eyes going wild. A strike of power flew from her, catching Belpheg in the chest.
“Oof.” He clutched his heart and stumbled back…just as Rage rose to his feet and raced toward him, his dagger gripped in his outstretched hand.
The weapon slid into Belpheg’s back.
“Argh!” Belpheg shuddered, his face contorting in pain, and a thin trickle of blood dribbled from his mouth.
Oh shit, he can feel pain. He can bleed.
Which meant he could die.
“Go!” Dagan shouted.
As one, they surged forward, and time seemed to move into hyper speed.
Lina’s dagger connected with Belpheg’s side, just as Dagan’s and Keegan’s swords slid into the flesh of his stomach. At the same time two of Amara’s friends—who’d morphed into disturbing, distorted versions of a panther and a wolf shifter—struck at his torso and upper thigh, drawing back with chunks of flesh.
Belpheg gargled, stumbling backward. He looked down in horror, and for one long moment, Lina feared he would simply slide the weapons out of his body, heal his ragged flesh, and hit them with another super blast of energy.
Instead, he slowly collapsed to his knees.
“You can’t…” He gulped once, his glazed eyes lifting to where they stood as one united front. “No. I cannot die. Not before I exact my revenge. Not yet.”
Lina let out a satisfied snort. “Guess again, asshole.”
Without wasting another moment, she slid her second dagger in a steady arc. Her aim was true, her blade still wicked-sharp. It sliced straight through Belpheg’s neck.
Take that, jack.
With no small amount of satisfaction. Lina stepped back to observe her handiwork. But what she’d expected to see—a rolling head—didn’t happen.
“What the hell?”
She gave Dagan a puzzled glance.
Even though her weapon had gone through the other side, his head remained firmly on his shoulders. Did this guy never die?
The dark fae’s jaw slackened, and his eyes grew wide as saucers, but he continued to blink at them.
She shifted uneasily, her heart pumping as she watched Belpheg with baited breath. Perhaps he was even more powerful than they suspected. Maybe he couldn’t be killed.
“Huh,” Rage said, his eyes sparkling with undisguised curiosity. He stepped behind Belpheg and placed his hand on the dark fae’s shoulder, giving an experimental push.
For one heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. But then, as if slowly coming unglued, his head tilted to the side and fell right off his neck. It dropped to the ground with a sickening thump. His body remained kneeling, however, and his fingers twitched and a steady stream of blood oozed from the headless stump.
“Holy shit,” Dagan gasped. He reached out and blindly clutched her hand. “This fucker can’t even die the normal way.”
Lina squeezed his hand, soaking in the reassurance it gave her. “Do you think he’s really dead?”
Keegan moved toward the head and gave it a kick. It went rolling across the ground before coming to a harmless stop.
“Yup. He’s dead.”
The tightness constricting Lina’s heart eased a fraction. After all that had happened, after all they’d sacrificed, it seemed so hard to believe. But it was over.
They had won.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Tendrils of light snaked across the nighttime sky, melding with the orange glow of artificial light that blanketed the city. The ever-present noises of traffic filtered up to the massive terrace of Keegan’s apartment. Leaning against the balustrade, Dagan took it all in.
He never thought he’d see this place again. Right now it seemed like heaven, even down to the noxious fumes drifting up from the jam-packed traffic on the streets far below. To be back here was like a dream. And when you added the knowledge that they’d not only defeated the dark fae, but also killed the sadistic father who’d raised them …
It was almost unbelievable.
The essence of Ronin’s aura floated out to brush across Dagan’s skin. Moments later, the glass door leading out to the terrace opened,
and he strode out, whiskey glass in hand. Dagan stiffened, and turned to his older brother. Despite everything that had gone down tonight, there was still unfinished business between them. A lot left to be said.
“How’s Amara doing?” he asked.
“Fine,” Ronin said. “Still a little shaken, but doing well. She’s in Brynn’s room with her, Lina, and Maya.”
“We’re all still a little shaken. No point in denying it.”
“True.” Ronin took a gulp of his drink and stared out at the sky.
Dagan waited a moment before cautiously asking, “How’s Lina?”
When Ronin’s arm grew rigid, Dagan braced himself for a potential beat-down.
“I want to talk to you about that,” Ronin said, his gaze on the horizon. “I saw you kiss back in Romania. Heard what you said to each other.”
“I…” Dagan flushed, despite himself. He knew what his big brother was going to say, but he couldn’t help but wish Ronin would understand. Would accept him. “I can explain.”
“I’m not mad.”
Dagan blinked, processing those words. “Uh, what?”
A shadow of a smile tugged Ronin’s lips upward. He turned to face Dagan, his gaze stark and earnest. “Oh, I was for a second there. But then I realized, you two really meant those words you said to each other. All I truly want is for my baby sister to be loved. Protected. And hell, who better to do that than a man I’d trust with my own life?”
Holy… Recognizing his mouth was open, Dagan snapped his jaw shut. Unexpected moisture built up behind his eyes, and he blinked to dispel it. “Shit.”
“Heh.” Ronin let out a soft chuckle and punched him in the shoulder. “Made you cry.”
“You fucker,” Dagan said without heat. Grinning, he turned back to the horizon.
They passed a few minutes in companiable silence before Ronin said, “I still can’t believe Mammon is dead.”
“Me either.”
After a whole lifetime of fearing the evil demon who’d sired them, the bastard was finally gone. The scary thing was, Dagan didn’t quite know how to feel about how it had gone down.
“You know, bro, I…I think he—”
He cut off at the distant sound of Keegan’s front door slamming.
“Thank the devil,” Ronin muttered. “They’re back.”
Dagan followed Ronin back inside, just in time to see Keegan and Taeg step into the living room. The tightness in his gut alleviated at the welcome sight of both his brothers.
“How’d it go?” Ronin asked.
Keegan and Taeg had accompanied Tenos to the dimension that housed the Council headquarters. Though they’d brought good news of the demise of both Belpheg and Mammon, there’d been no telling how the Council would react to it—or to Keegan and Taeg’s presence. Part of Dagan had feared they might refuse to let them leave, or automatically deport them back to Infernum.
Keegan and Taeg exchanged a loaded glance.
“It was…unexpected.” Their eldest brother strode toward the bottle of whiskey Ronin had left on the bar.
Uh oh. When it came to the Council, “unexpected” rarely meant a good thing.
Ronin’s fist tightened around his glass, betraying his nervousness. “Don’t keep us hanging. What did they say?”
“We thought it was going to be a real shit storm at first.” Snorting, Taeg sauntered over to the leather sectional and slumped into it, kicking his feet back onto the coffee table. “You should have seen those bastards’ eyes widen when me and Keeg walked in.”
Dagan could only imagine. He doubted the Council members had been expecting that. “So what did they do?”
Keegan loosened the cap on the whiskey bottle and dug out a glass, pouring himself a stiff drink. “Well…the Council members who were responsible for destroying Belpheg’s clan have disappeared.”
“No shit.” Dagan leaned against the wall, absorbing that particular bit of news. “Can’t say I’m too surprised.”
“Nope,” Taeg agreed. “But that means they had three fresh spots on the Council. Guess who snagged one of them? Our friend Tenos.”
Ronin grinned. “That’s fantastic. Did he make the case for us to stay here on Earth?”
“Hell’s bells, he did more than that.” Taeg grinned and crossed one ankle over the other before shooting Keegan an amused glance. “Guess who scored one of the other openings?”
Dagan’s breath caught at the insinuation behind Taeg’s words. “You mean—?”
“Our big brother Keeg is Infernum’s newest Grand Councilman.”
Ronin let out a disbelieving guffaw. “Holy shit!”
“You said it,” Keegan muttered. He tossed back the contents of his glass in one big gulp, and then poured himself a refill. His hand shook just the slightest as he lifted the drink to his lips.
“Jeez.” Dagan studied his big brother. “What does this mean? Do you have to move?”
“No. I simply report to the Council headquarters for work every day.”
“That’s right, our big brother has an interdimensional commute,” Taeg said, clearly enjoying every moment of this.
Ronin snorted and, shaking his head, moved to take a seat on the couch. “I can’t believe it.”
“What about us?” Dagan asked. “Can we stay here on Earth?”
Because he couldn’t imagine his life anywhere else. Everyone he loved was here.
Lina was here.
“Not just that. You, me, and Ronin are the newest Council liaisons.” Taeg gave a delighted chuckle. “Welcome to middle management, baby brother.”
Dagan’s mouth dropped open. He leaned all his weight against the wall at his back. Right now, he needed the extra support. “Middle management…holy shit.”
“It’s been a crazy night,” Keegan murmured. “Almost too impossible to believe.”
“That about sums it up.” Dagan took a heavy breath. “Since we’re on the topic of stuff that’s hard to believe…something happened earlier tonight…when I was fighting Mammon.”
His brothers’ eyes locked on him.
“With everything that happened, I hadn’t even given myself time to reflect on that one,” Keegan confided.
“Yeah, I can’t believe the bastard is finally dead.” Taeg gave Dagan a sober glance. “The fact that you were able to defeat him…it’s just fucking awesome.”
“That’s the thing. I…I think he let me.”
Ronin’s jaw dropped. “You think he let you kill him?”
“I know it sounds crazy but, it felt like he intentionally loosened his grip.”
Taeg slid his feet off the coffee table and scooted forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Why would he do such a thing? Why would he sacrifice himself like that?”
“I’ve been over it again and again in my head,” Dagan confessed, “and that’s what I can’t figure out. Is it possible that he repented in the end? That he regretted the things he’d done?”
They spent several long moments in silent contemplation.
“I doubt it,” Ronin finally said. “I can’t imagine him ever feeling remorse.”
Keegan nodded. “More likely he couldn’t stomach the thought of living in a world where he was nothing more than Belpheg’s solider.”
“Yeah, you know how he fancied himself the ruler of all worlds,” Taeg quipped.
Ronin raised a hand to his chin, rubbing at the growth of stubble. “So what’s going to happen to Rage? And to the incubus who helped us out in the end?”
“Tenos and I convinced the Council to offer them redemption,” Keegan said. “They’re to be tasked with chasing down the escaped Council members and bringing them into justice, in exchange for leniency for their roles in Belpheg’s plot.”
Dagan shrugged. “Sounds like a good deal to me.” And he was glad to hear Rage would be cut a break. He didn’t know the guy from Adam, but he had helped them in the end. Without him, they would have surely lost.
“So…” Keegan took another big gulp fro
m his glass. “It’s over.”
Not quite. In fact, it was more like a new beginning. And Dagan knew just how he wanted to start.
He pushed off the wall. “I’m, ah…I’m gonna run downstairs. I’ll be back in a few.”
Ronin lifted a brow. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.”
But soon, if everything went the way he’d hoped, it’d be even better.
…
After ensuring Amara was okay and watching Aegin fall into an exhausted slumber in Brynn’s arms, Lina headed out to the living room of Keegan’s apartment in search of Dagan. With all the excitement going on, the two of them hadn’t gotten a single moment alone since they’d returned to New York City.
It was hard for a self-professed loner to admit, but she missed him. More than that…like an addict starved for a fix, she craved his presence.
She didn’t find what she was looking for, but she did spot Keegan and Ronin out on the balcony, leaning over the railing in what looked to be deep conversation. When she opened the door, they cut off and looked her way.
“I’m looking for Dagan,” she said.
“He stepped out,” Keegan supplied. “Should be back any moment.”
“Oh.” Would have been nice if he’d checked in before he left, but she supposed she should cut him some slack. He wasn’t used to sharing himself with anyone. Neither was she. That was something they’d have to work on getting used to. Together.
“Okay, thanks.”
When she moved to step back inside, Ronin called out, “Lina, wait.”
She paused.
“I…” He looked hesitant. “I was hoping we could talk.”
Keegan pushed away from the railing. “I should be getting inside anyway. It’s been a long night, and we could all use some rest.”
Stepping onto the balcony, Lina murmured a good night to Keegan, then strode over to take a place beside Ronin. Glowing ribbons of yellow cut across the night sky, heralding the rapid approach of daybreak. Given everything that had occurred this past night, compounded with the time difference between here and Romania, this seemed like it had been the longest night in the history of time.
Call of the Siren (Demons of the Infernum) (Entangled Edge) Page 28
