“To get back to this unmaking business,” I said, trying to stall for time. “What exactly is an Agrippa, and—”
Bael had no issue with cutting me off. “My time is valuable, Sally. What is it you wish to say to me?” he asked, putting away his phone and making a slight gesture of annoyance.
“As Cora mentioned, she’s a Beloved.” Sally pointed to me. “And he’s a lich, and his lichmaster is the Beloved of another Dark One.”
Bael frowned. “That is of little concern to me.”
“Not in the sense of it being a threat to you, of course not,” Sally said soothingly, undulating her way over to him, smiling her perky, tooth-filled smile. I wondered how she—even as evil as she obviously was—could stand doing so to a man who more or less exuded terror. “No one can threaten you, you’re so very powerful.”
I couldn’t swear from where I was lying, but she may very well have batted her eyelashes at him.
“If you have a point, make it. I have much work to do to locate the Agrippa who made the Tools,” Bael said, looking anything but impressed.
“Now, you know me, sugar—my poor little brain simply cannot cut to the chase the way yours does,” Sally said, and this time I was sure she was flirting with Bael. She touched his hand as she all but cooed up to him. “However, I know you’re a busy, busy man, so I will simply point out that where there are Beloveds, there are bound to be angry Dark Ones, and where there are angry Dark Ones, there is the Moravian Council. And I know that, given the nature of the relationship between you and the council, you do not want to antagonize them.”
What was this? Did the vamps have some sort of a hold over Bael? If so, why had Alec not mentioned it before? I wanted badly to ask him. Alec? How are things going?
Argh!
That well, huh?
We destroyed the form of one of the demons, but the other . . .
I felt his pain as a blade slashed his arm. I winced, feeling guilty for distracting him when he needed to be focused.
Sorry. Radio silence until you’re done there.
Bael said nothing for a moment, his gaze turned inward before he finally said, “I will see to them, myself. One of my lieutenants is still with them, so I will simply ensure that they understand their minions are beyond their help. You will take these two to my palace, and await the arrival of the Agrippa.”
Sally bowed her head. “As you desire, my lord. I live, as you know, to do your bidding.”
I waited until Bael closed the door as he left before I hissed to Sally, “You are going to be so sorry when Alec gets through with you. And I am not Alec’s minion!”
Sally rolled her eyes and headed for the bathroom. “Must powder my nose. Be back in a mo.”
Alec, I hate to distract you, but you have incoming. You have to get out—now.
Incoming in what form?
Bael.
He swore profanely. Are you and Ulfur away from here?
I wanted badly to tell him that he needed to come rescue me, but knew he had enough on his plate with the remaining wrath demon. We’re . . . fine, I lied. Where’s Diamond? Is she OK?
She hasn’t left the bedroom. Christ!
What?
Just as I thought the words, another unearthly howl tore through the night.
That was close, Alec said, and even several floors away, I could feel his exhaustion.
You killed the demon? Good. Now get the hell out of there before Bael finds you.
I will come to you. Where are you? Are you with Sally?
Yeees, I said slowly. About that—
Stay with her. We will escape with Diamond. Christ, I think he’s here. I will find you as soon as I have Diamond safe.
He shut off communication before I could warn him that Sally wasn’t as benign as he believed. I hesitated to do so with Bael right there about to pounce. “I think we’re on our own for a little bit, Ulfur, while everyone gets away from Bael. You doing all right?”
“Yes,” he answered, his voice pained.
“I don’t suppose you can move?”
“No. I wish I could.”
“You and me both.”
“Cora—”
“Yes?”
He hesitated a few seconds. “I’m sorry that I got you involved in this. With Bael, and being made a Tool. I had no idea there were others outside the exit from Bael’s palace.”
“Well, it’s not like you had a choice in the matter, is it? I mean, didn’t de Marco force you to steal the Tools?”
“Yes,” he said, his voice filled with misery. “But I’m still sorry.”
“And I appreciate that. Don’t be so quick to give up, though. We’ll get through this. First things first—we have to get away from Sally. There’s got to be some way we can knock her out, or blast her with Bael’s power or something. If I could just put my hand on you, I might be able to channel the power through you. . . .”
“There, so much better. I just feel absolutely stark naked if I go out without lipstick,” Sally said as she emerged from the bathroom, fresh as could be. “Now, shall we get going? Lord Bael wants you to be taken to his palace, but the nearest entrance to that is in Paris, and that is a nightmare trip I just don’t even want to think about. My palace, however, has a presence in the form of a lovely little Louis the Fourteenth villa in the town of Privas, which isn’t too far from here. I’ll take you there first, and then we shall proceed to Bael’s Black Palace.”
“We’re going to your villa?” I asked, hope blossoming. “You can’t possibly carry us all that way.”
“Of course not,” she said, laughing.
She’d have to remove the immobility spell. She’d have to let us up to walk, and then . . . I sighed with relief. Then we’d escape. “Well, I have to say, as much fun as it has been being a human blob, I really do welcome the chance to move around. I’m starting to get a cramp in my calf.”
“Oh, I’m not going to be able to take the spell off you,” she told us, making a face that looked as sincere as hell. “You’d try to escape, and Lord Bael would be most angry with me if I let you do that.”
“You just said you couldn’t carry us,” I protested.
“And so I won’t.”
My hopes plummeted. “But then . . . how are you going to get us to your villa? Do you have henchmen like Bael?”
“Thousands of them, but they’re busy wreaking havoc and destruction, so I’ll just have to do this myself.”
To my astonishment, she reached out into the air, and with a jerking motion tore . . . well, tore what I assumed was the fabric of space. It gaped open like the wall of the hotel room was a photograph on a sheet that had been ripped apart, a swirling blackness beyond it.
“Madre de Dios,” I swore, shrieking as Sally, with a strength that belied her tiny little form, grabbed me with both hands and flung me through the rip in space.
Chapter Sixteen
Alec absently wiped the blood that dripped down his arm and off his fingers onto the material of his pants, very aware of the heat building in his left arm as the shoulder-to-elbow slash made by the wrath demon’s claws slowly healed itself. “This way,” he said, holding up his uninjured hand to help Diamond down the last few yards from the balcony where they’d made their escape. “I think this alley leads to . . . you can’t possibly be serious.”
“Oh, I am, I assure you. You wouldn’t believe how cutthroat the real estate business is in northern California! You think the demon lords are bad? They don’t have anything on—”
“Hush,” Alec said, lifting his hand in warning as he turned his head, straining to catch the words of the two men who ran past the entrance of the alley.
“. . . Sally, said she . . . Corazon . . .”
“I think Alec’s comment referred to those two men, not your experience in real estate, Diamond,” Kristoff said as he leaped to the ground, holding up his arms for Pia, who followed him with a whomp.
“Nice catch, Boo,” she told Kristoff with a kiss as h
e held her in his arms. He smiled and looked like he wanted to kiss her with much more thoroughness, but obviously realized in time that the back alley of the hotel, with the premier prince of Abaddon on their heels, was not the ideal place for romance.
“What two men?” Diamond asked, brushing off her legs. “Dratted hotel. Don’t they dust their drainpipes?”
“Why would they mention Cora and Sally, unless . . . bloody hell.” Alec stopped talking and started running, fear snatching at his breath as he ran.
“Where is he going?” he heard Diamond call. “Ow! I can’t run in these shoes! Hey, you don’t have to shove me!”
“They have Cora,” Kristoff growled, obviously trying to hurry the women. Alec didn’t wait for them to catch up to him; he shot out of the alley. Down the street a few blocks, a black sedan pulled out and sped off into the night. Alec swore under his breath, spinning around to head for the car park next to the hotel. Kristoff and the two women emerged from the alley as he passed. He didn’t pause, just grabbed Diamond and slung her over his shoulder. “They’re heading west, to the highway,” he called as he ran, ignoring Diamond’s protests that she could walk. “Be quiet, woman—you’re too slow. I won’t risk Cora for the sake of your shoes. Kristoff, keys?”
Alec knew it didn’t take much time at all for them to reach the car and set off after the two Dark Ones, but he felt every passing second as if it were an hour. How the hell had the bastards found Cora? And why hadn’t she told him they were around?
Mi querida, are you safe? he asked as he slammed on the brakes to avoid plowing down a couple who weaved into the street, obviously a bit too flushed with the fruit of the grape. He spun the wheel and drove around them, partially on the sidewalk, until he reached the highway that ran to the north out of town. He had no idea which way the two councilmen had gone, but was betting on the more populated north than the south. Corazon?
“I don’t understand what’s going on,” Diamond complained, righting herself from where Alec had tossed her into the car. “Who has Alec seen that has him so upset? ”
Cora, you will speak to me right now.
“The two men from the Moravian Council,” Pia answered her.
“But . . . Alec and Kristoff are Dark Ones. Is it bad to see the members of the group that rules your people?” Diamond asked.
Beloved, this silence worries me. I need to hear from you.
“It is when they want to imprison you in the Akasha. Alec?” Kristoff, playing navigator, pointed to the right as the highway curved around a hill. “Junction with another highway coming up. They could be taking that and we wouldn’t know.”
Alec swore. “Sins of the saints, why doesn’t she talk to me?”
“She’s not answering?”
“No.” Alec ground off a few layers of enamel, jerking the car’s steering wheel as he pulled off the road, sliding on the gravel that littered the shoulder. Ahead of them was a sign announcing the exit for the highway that ran roughly east to west. He had no idea whether the two councilmen had taken that road or the one they were on. Hell, for all he knew, they could be going in the opposite direction.
“Well, they’re with Sally, aren’t they?” Diamond said, giving a little shrug. “They probably went to her house.”
Alec ripped off the seat belt in order to turn around and face Diamond. “Sally has a house in France? Here, in the south?”
“Yes,” Diamond answered, looking startled. “In Privas, not too far from us, from what I can remember. She held a big barbecue here last summer, when she became a demon lord, and invited everyone from the Court to see her new palace. Well, the extension of her palace into the mortal world, because naturally we couldn’t go into the Abaddon part. I mean, what would the Sovereign say if it found us all frolicking around Abaddon enjoying steak and cedar-planked salmon?”
Alec stared at her for the count of four. “Why would the messenger wish to go to Sally’s house?”
Diamond gave a little shrug. “It’s handy? If they’re trying to lure you into a trap, which I assume is what you mean by the reference to banishing you to the Akasha, then that seems like the most private place to do so. Unless the Moravian Council has buildings in this area?”
“No,” Kristoff answered as Alec turned around and gunned the motor, ignoring the merging traffic behind him as he drove over the shoulder and verge and onto the highway going to the east. “They don’t. They must be holding Sally and Ulfur, too. Cora still not answering?”
I am coming to save you, Beloved. Do not fear for your safety; I won’t let anyone hurt you. “No, she isn’t.” His voice was raw as he thought of Corazon being treated roughly. The messenger, he knew, wouldn’t kill Cora, but she would no doubt fight him, and he might use more force than necessary to subdue her.
That thought made him grind his teeth even more, a desperate need to be with her, to protect her, riding him hard until it caused the hunger within him to awaken.
The drive to Privas was the longest event he’d ever suffered, filled with all too many horrible visions of Cora being harmed, and he swore that if the messenger or his partner so much as bent one single hair on her adorable head, he would have his vengeance.
“Is Alec growling?” Diamond asked Pia.
“Yes, yes, he is. And swearing,” she answered.
“In Latin,” Kristoff added. Alec shot his friend a look. Kristoff grinned, and added in Italian, “She’ll be all right. They have no reason to hurt her.”
“Cora is a fighter. She won’t tolerate being used as bait to trap me. She’ll fight them.”
“She’s also your Beloved now, and won’t take injury like a mortal would. I know you’re worried, but just remember that it’s you they want, not her. She’s just a means to an end.”
“What are you guys saying?” Pia said, flicking a finger at the back of Kristoff’s head. “You know how I hate it when you talk in languages I don’t understand, which really is all of them because I’m horrible with languages. So stop it and tell me what you’re saying.”
Alec ignored the chatter of the women as they discussed what the council could or could not do to his Beloved, and focused his attention on getting them to Sally’s residence as quickly as possible without killing any mortals in his way. Kristoff, knowing what emotions he was feeling, was blissfully silent with the exception of pointing out turns, a map of the area spread across his lap.
Periodically Alec tried to get Cora to respond to him, but all was silence. Worse, and far more worrisome, he had no feeling of her presence. The messenger might have silenced her by means of threat or drugs, but he would still be able to feel her being, bound as it was with his. But now . . . he felt empty, as if she had left, and taken his soul with her.
“If they’ve harmed her,” he said in German to Kristoff.
“Don’t torture yourself with that,” Kris answered him, pointing to a wrought iron gate. “Christian Dante may be many things, but he wouldn’t condone a Beloved being harmed. His own would never let him hear the end of it.”
Alec growled to himself, not waiting for the door of the gate to open—he simply jammed his foot on the accelerator, and crashed through the double gates in best action-movie-hero style, crumpling the front of the car in the process.
Kristoff sighed. “There goes the damage deposit.”
“Whoa!” Pia gasped, clutching the back of Kristoff’s seat. “You almost gave me a heart attack! Next time warn us when you’re going to—holy moly, will you look at that place? It looks like a palace.”
“It is,” Diamond said without looking up from where she was texting on her cell phone. “One of the Louis, I believe, gave it to a mistress. Louis the thirteenth? Fourteenth? I lose track of them. Sally said she got it cheap from a mage who was unloading some property to buy a quintessence.”
Alec was out of the car almost before it had come to a complete halt, his hands fisted as he glared for a moment at the car that the members of the council had driven. He swore vengeance again
as he marched toward the door. One hair, if they so much as touched one single hair on her delightful head . . .
“Would it do any good if I asked you to stay here?” he heard Kristoff ask.
“None whatsoever,” Pia answered.
Alec tried the front door, found it locked, and stepped back a few paces to assess the building. It was rather blocky, but built in a warm cream-colored stone, with tall windows divided into numerous small panes, encased in a darker marble. Formal gardens made wings on either side of the main building, with wellkept gravel paths winding through the greenery. Alec didn’t wait to see if anyone would respond to the bell that Kristoff rang—he ran to the left, skirting a small koi pond, and leaping over a low stone balustrade to stride up to large French doors flanking a gigantic stone urn. “Corazon!” he bellowed as he jerked open one of the doors, luckily unlocked. “You will answer me now!”
“I’m afraid she can’t,” a woman’s voice answered him. “Oh, you’re all here? Goodness. I’ll have to have one of my minions rustle up more orange cinnamon rolls. I wasn’t expecting everyone. Why, Diamond, I haven’t seen you in . . . oh, it must be a century or two. You look so mortal now.”
Alec spun around to find Sally beaming at them from a doorway that clearly led into the main hall.
“I try to fit in,” Diamond said, breathing a little fast from the run around the house. “You look as fabulous as ever. Is that a Chanel suit?”
“You like?” Sally did a little spin to show off the cherry red suit with short skirt. “I prefer simple lines, myself, not all those fussy bits that so many designers seem to want to put into clothes these days.”
“Where’s my Beloved?” Alec demanded, his patience at an end.
“Cora?” Sally clucked her tongue and moved forward until she could put a hand on Alec’s arm. “I am the last person to criticize, as anyone will tell you, but really, Cora needs to take in an anger management class or two. You would not believe the things she said to me! She threatened me with the most heinous, the most cruel . . . well, let us draw a veil over exactly what she said, and instead acknowledge that should she ever wish to become a demon lord, she’d fit right in.”
Much Ado About Vampires do-10 Page 20
