I wanted to press, but his dismissive look told me it was best I left it alone. There were so many secrets. So much sadness bubbling beneath his surface. But it wasn’t my place to ask.
Dragos’s scent grew stronger as we neared the study. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as we entered the room.
Dragos sat by the fire, gazing into the flames, as if in some sort of trance. Seven was right. He wasn’t trying to escape. He was too busy beating himself up.
Seven placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “I’m going to go tell the others we found him. Give you two some time to talk.”
I shuddered at the thought of being alone with him, but I needed to make myself clear. I opened my mouth to speak. He cut me off. “I’m sorry I ran off.”
I couldn’t figure out if he was talking about today or before. Maybe it was both.
“I know. It doesn’t change the fact that you did. You will not be going with us to Infitum. I can’t risk it.”
Dragos lowered his head. “I should’ve protected you. I should have…made different choices. But I didn’t. So here we are…together but apart. You did nothing wrong, Gray. Don’t ever forget that.”
All these years, I had longed to hear those words leave his lips. Now that they had, it wasn’t enough.
Aldric came bolting into the study, the rest of our group at his heels. He charged toward Dragos, who didn’t move a muscle. Stepping in front of Aldric, I placed a firm hand on his chest.
“Let it go. There’s nothing you can do to him that he hasn’t already done to himself.”
I caught Seven’s eye and nodded.
Aldric huffed but relented.
I kissed him softly on the lips. “Thank you.”
I addressed the room. “Dragos will remain here under The Keeper’s watch. It’s not up for discussion. Get yourselves ready. We leave for Infitum at dawn.”
Readying myself for battle, a quiet calm came over me. I took comfort in the mundane act of putting on armor. It was cold and heavy as it pressed down upon me, helping to clear my mind.
“Everyone is just about ready.” Aldric watched me intently as I sharpened my blades.
My eyes flickered toward the window. The sky was a radiant shade of amber as it embraced the rising sun. Its warmth filled the room. I closed my eyes and basked in it.
Aldric knelt beside me. I gazed into his eyes and felt his love surge through me. He had come so far from when we first met. He was no longer the lost frightened boy I stumbled across in the Three Blind Mice, cowering at the sight of blood. He was strong, resilient, and braver than anyone I’d ever known. And he was mine.
I kissed him hard on the lips. He wrapped his arms around me, lowering me to the floor. I cried out as he entered me, our bodies intertwining. His magic surged into me with the force of a hurricane, collapsing into mine. I clung to it with a fury, allowing it to fill every vein and crevice.
His kisses deepened, and I met them with wild abandon. We pulsed inside each other, hungry. I thought we might explode. Warmth and light flooded through me, washing away everything else. The rest of the world fell away and the only thing that existed was us.
The light coming in from the window was an unwelcome guest. I wanted to stay in this moment for as long as I could, but the day had other plans. With the dawn approaching, I was reminded that it was time to go. Aldric knew it as well.
He turned my face toward his. “Are you ready for this?”
I had been waiting for this moment for four centuries. Now that it was finally upon us, I hesitated. With the Consilium defeated, who would I be? The day I became a Dhampir, revenge and hatred drove me forward. It shaped me and defined me. Without that, what would be left?
Aldric pulled me tight to his chest.
I shivered. “Only one way to find out.”
Thirty-Four
A tree branch snapped in the distance. It was the only sound amidst the howling wind. It felt like a storm was brewing.
Infitum stood tall and sturdy, a fortress made of stone.
Not for long. I would take it apart, piece by piece if I had to.
It was eerily quiet as we made our way through the front gates. There were no signs of the guards Lycos had spoken of. With shields and weapons drawn, we moved into formation in front of the entrance.
Lycos and Valentina flanked my right. They led a pack of a dozen snarling wolves. Seven moved up on my left, accompanied by ten of his pirate-Dhampirs, all armed with an assortment of axes and scythes.
I nodded to Aldric, who stood at my side. He drew his bow and fired a frost arrow into the castle doors. They burst open on impact. We waited. I braced myself for an onslaught of soldiers to charge forward, but no one came.
Those bastards were drawing us in. I took a deep breath and flipped on the Narcissus switch. Deep inside the castle, Dhampir soldiers were getting into position. Their bodies glowed like heat signatures. I used only my hands to signal their locations to the others.
In silence we crept, moving closer to the entrance. My heart beat louder with every step I took. No doubt, they could sense us moving in. It was time. I raised my voice over the wind and charged forward.
“Fight!”
I stormed into the courtyard with the others right behind me. Their roars and battle cries pounded in my chest, spurring me on. We crouched down and raised our shields over our heads just as the soldiers rained arrows down upon us. The wolves tore through, lunging and ripping out throat after throat.
I darted around the castle, meticulously spinning and dodging every soldier that came at me. My sword came down faster and harder as each one crossed my path, slicing through their flesh like butter. Blood seeped through the cracks in the stone ground like a river. All I could see was red. It dripped down my face and ran down my sword as I pushed my way further into the castle.
My speed increased with my rage. Another two came at me. I whipped out one of my daggers, taking them both out at the same time. A third one came up from behind. I spun around and sliced off his head with my sword, clean and sharp. An orchestrated dance of dagger, dagger, sword, dagger. The stench of blood and flesh stung my nose like a sickness. It only made me angrier.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Aldric. He released his arrows with the swiftness of a tiger, sending bits of Dhampir flesh spraying out in every direction. Valentina brushed past me, growling as she ripped soldiers apart with her teeth and claws. Seven shot bolts of lightning out of his hands as his pirates used their own bodies to shield him. They sliced and ripped through anything that dared to get too close to him. The air was full of wails and cries, echoing through the stone walls, louder than thunder. It was chaos.
After dispatching the last of their soldiers, I led the way to the back of the castle. There was still no sign of the Consilium. With my face covered in blood, madness took over.
My voice erupted like a volcano. “Tobias, show yourself. You coward.”
I surveyed the room as I waited. Still, nothing. A few minutes passed before I heard it. The door in front of us creaked and rumbled. It opened outward, lowering itself by iron chains. It wasn’t a door at all. It was a drawbridge. On the other side of it was a sprawling field. I clenched my fists. There they were, waiting for us.
The Consilium were scattered throughout the field. I spotted Pythia first. Magic coursed through her fingers and extended outwards. She played with it in her hands. Nicholas was not far from her. He stood still, like a statue, except for his face. It twisted and snarled in my direction.
Down the middle of the field was Arcadia. Her eyes glowed as they burned into mine. Valentina and Lycos moved from behind me, exposing their new shape. Arcadia hissed at the sight of them.
And at the far end of the field was Tobias. With a sword in one hand, the other was firmly wrapped around Jane’s throat. He smiled as I gasped. He was going to kill her.
I charged forward. Consilium soldiers spilled out from the trees. I slashed through them as I made my way toward
Pythia. I lunged at one and darted right as his blade grazed my face. I jumped back as he swung again. I ducked at the last second and pushed him off balance. I pounced on him, knocking him to the ground. In one quick motion, I plunged my hands into his chest, stretched his skin back and ripped him apart. His eyes rolled back into his head as he went limp.
Everywhere I looked, Witches, Dhampirs, and Lupi were tearing each other apart. I could barely see through all the blood. But Tobias stood stoic in the distance, never flinching. He watched, motionless, as we massacred his followers.
He almost looked amused as Jane struggled to get out of his grip. I felt sick. I had to get to them. I ran like the wind, pushing and shoving soldiers out of my way. Desperation filled me as I zeroed in on Tobias.
A force sent me flying backward. My back hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of me. Pythia stood over me. Her eyes twitched, and a devilish smile formed across her lips. I jumped up. She raised her hands, releasing a second wave of magic at me. It was like a bolt of lightning. I staggered back and fell to my knees. She laughed, releasing another bolt. This one only clipped me as I darted sideways, but it was strong enough to throw me off balance. Again, she laughed as I struggled to regain my footing.
“You can’t beat me, Gray. I am better than you. Tobias will realize that soon enough.”
Her voice was thick with bitterness and contempt. She thought she was invincible. That would be her downfall. Madness took over, sending me into a state of delirium. My laughter caused her to take a few steps back.
“You’re right, Pythia. I am not going to beat you. I am going to be you.”
Confusion and panic flashed across her face. Before she had time to realize what was happening, I sprang on her like a rabid dog. I wrapped my hands tightly around her wrists and clamped my teeth down on her neck.
Blood flowed into my mouth as I willed her magic out of her. I imagined it leaving her body and entering mine. She struggled, but her body weakened with each drop of blood I consumed. It was almost done. I could feel it coursing through my veins. It was dark and toxic. My body regurgitated. I gasped for air as she crumbled.
The look in her eyes went from surprise to sheer terror as I stood over her. It was done. I had drained her of all her power. I licked my lips and smiled wickedly. I had left her just enough blood to remain a Dhampir. A fate she considered to be worse than death.
Pythia screamed, shaking her hands at me. Her face twisted in agony, realizing her magic was gone.
“What did you do to me?”
I snapped, “Magic is a privilege. One that you do not deserve. I have relieved you of that burden.”
Her eyes darkened and she lost it, flailing at me. I stepped back as Seven rushed in to bind her in chains. Her whimpers turned to screams as he dragged her away from me. “This isn’t over, Gray. You will pay for this.”
I already was. This new magic slithered around my veins like a slow burn. It gnawed and carved out holes in me, eroding my insides. Like a dimming light, it took everything I had to not close my eyes and drown in it.
I shook it off, looking around to assess the damage. Lycos and Valentina tended to each other’s wounds. A few scratches, minor cuts, but nothing life threatening. They huddled close.
Aldric stood over Nicholas’s contorted body, a look of satisfaction on his face. His chest had been ripped open, exposing bits of flesh and bile. A smirk, still frozen on his lifeless face. Even in death, he mocked us.
I should have gone to Aldric’s side to check on him. To see if he was all right. Instead, I scanned the field for my father.
My heart raced. Tobias was still there, watching us with his hand wrapped around Jane’s throat. I broke into a sprint toward him. Rage and adrenaline shot through me. He didn’t flinch. They were standing on the edge of a cliff. He moved backward with lightning speed.
No.
He was going to get away.
I ran faster, but he was too quick.
A bank of fog passed over them and he was gone, taking Jane with him. They vanished like ghosts. My heart beat out of control. I dashed over to the side of the cliff and looked down. Nothing. Just an empty valley.
I snapped back around toward the field, searching for Arcadia. My resolve was crumbling. She was gone too.
I cried out. How could I get so close, only to have him fall out of my grasp? I was supposed to rescue Jane and capture my father. He had been toying with me this whole time. He was never going to let me get close to him.
Like a switch, Pythia’s darkness turned on and moved through me like a river. I let the thick sludge permeate my insides, coating every crevice. Filling up every emotional hole, only to leave me hollow. The rage surged and billowed out. I pounded my fists on the ground and split it open.
Everything went black.
Thirty-Five
Demons have many faces. Their shadows cast reflections that were ever-changing. They twist into different forms and shapes that you will never see coming. We were all demons once, but not all of us were monsters. The lines were blurred today. I no longer knew what I was.
Everyone one was watching me, but no one dared to speak. I couldn’t remember how we got back to the Hall of Secrets. All I knew was I was still covered in blood. With my magic amplified, I smelled their apprehension. I didn’t dare move for fear I would break something. I didn’t know what I was capable of. I sat in the middle of The Keeper’s study and willed myself to remain as still as possible.
I couldn’t discern how much time had gone by before the Keeper returned. It felt like hours, but it could have been days. There was a resounding sigh of relief from the group as they scurried out and left me alone with him. Except for Aldric, who remained cautious in the doorway.
The Keeper stood calm before me, wiping the sweat from my brow, slow and steady. I flinched at his touch. Afraid my flesh might turn him to stone or set him on fire. It didn’t. I let out a deep breath I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding.
“Gray, can you hear me? Everything is all right. You are safe here.”
His voice was soft and soothing. I opened my mouth to speak but could only muster a hoarse whisper. “Yes, but are you…safe?”
The Keeper smiled, soft and warm. “Your magic responds to your intentions. You aren’t going to hurt anyone that you do not wish to. Trust me. Take a deep breath and switch it off. You are in control.”
Every muscle in my body ached. My head pounded. I was overcome. My body trembled as the tears flowed down my cheeks.
“Drink this.”
My hand throbbed as I took the vial from him. The tonic was bitter. I had to force it down. Within seconds, I felt my body relax. My throat no longer burned. I looked at up at him, stunned.
“Holy basil leaf. It quiets the mind. I have prepared more for you to take home.”
Home. I wasn’t sure where that was anymore.
“What happened? Did we win?”
It was a question I was afraid to ask. The Keeper’s eyes could not hide his hesitation.
“Yes and no.”
He went on to tell me how Pythia was now imprisoned in the catacombs, that Nicholas Bannister was dead, and that Arcadia was never found. He had recovered the Sang Magi from Pythia and had it locked away somewhere safe within the Hall. The memories came flooding back as he spoke.
“Tobias got away. I remember. He took Jane and they…vanished.”
He nodded, reluctant, but urging me on.
“And then I—I almost killed everyone.”
I remembered everything, and it made me sick. How could I lose control like that?
“Gray, you are nothing like Pythia. You can fight this darkness.”
I wasn’t so sure. I didn’t even know what I was doing before I did it.
“How?”
“With me at your side, darlin’.” Aldric.
My heart burst at the sound of his voice. It washed over me like a warm bath. My fear subsiding, I ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck. I
pressed my cheek to his as he pulled me in tight. I closed my eyes, letting his magic envelope me. Golden light, warm like the sun.
He whispered in my ear, “Let’s go home.”
I understood. Home was anywhere he was.
The Consilium were scattered, but Tobias would surely rebuild. With Pythia imprisoned and the Sang Magi back in The Keeper’s possession, they could not make any more hybrids, though, this didn’t bring me any comfort. Tobias was cunning. He still had Jane, and Arcadia was unaccounted for.
Then there was the issue of the human blood bags. Would they use them to make more Dhampir soldiers or let them die? Either way, it had to be stopped.
“We should travel back to Stonehaven soon. Find out if those people are still alive.”
Aldric nodded. “If they are, we’ll free them.”
I smiled and squeezed his hand. “Thanks for being on my side.”
He winked. “Always.”
While Aldric gathered our things, I made my round of goodbyes.
Valentina and Lycos decided they would stay with The Keeper for a while longer to learn more about the prophecy. Dragos would remain with them, much to my relief. He would be their burden now. I was done with him coming between me and Aldric.
“Take care of yourself, Gray. You know where to find us.” Valentina and I embraced, tears streaming down our cheeks. This was the first time in four centuries that we would be apart.
I squeezed her hand. “This isn’t goodbye, just a see-you-later thing. Okay?”
Valentina nodded, her lower lip quivering. My voice choked in my throat, sadness filling me. I was never any good at goodbyes.
She hesitated. “Gray, before you leave, Dragos has something he wants to say to you.” Her lashes fluttered and she shrank back, unsure of what my reaction would be.
I let out a deep sigh. What could he possibly want now? “Fine. Where is he?”
Blood and Magic (Blood and Darkness Book 1) Page 20
