“What are you doing?” Mike asked, giving Dominque a dubious look.
Brent smirked. “Luck is on her side. Bad things happen to those who wrong her. We just need her with us, keep her surrounded, and hopefully, things will be a little smoother because the shit is about to hit the fan.”
A vampire darted out of his hiding spot in the corridor and shadows reached out, winding around the poor bastard, then filled the bleeding wounds on his arms.
“Fucking abyss, it’s already hit the fan. Come on.” Most of those who came with Brent would help the captives first. A few would go with Brent.
He hurried to the commotion in the hallway.
The newly-tainted vampire slipped and fell on his ass like he stepped on a banana peel as another vampire slipped on blood and fell on top of him.
Preston shot a fireball their way, and they burst into flame.
Dominque gasped.
“Sorry, girl. We need your help if we’re getting out of this,” Brent murmured.
“Anything to get back to Dane,” she promised.
Down the hall, Eamon and Amelia fought twin giants. Niall and Nolan. Huge, hulking figures with blond hair and blue eyes. There was one difference. Their eyes were pure black. No hint of color or whites.
One of them swung at Amelia, but she burst into shadow, blowing past to reform behind him. She gripped his chin and twisted his head around so violently it went more than 360 degrees. He fell, face first, his muscles twitching, but he wasn’t going anywhere, and until someone could fix his neck, he wouldn’t.
Eamon moved toward him.
Amelia shook her head. “He’s not himself, and if we stop Inuala, he’ll be fine.”
“You’re sure?” Eamon asked.
She nodded. “I only plan to kill those I must.” Then she flowed past Eamon as a shadow and reformed as Nolan did. She swung him around, and he slammed face first into the stone wall.
Eamon cursed in his native tongue, and Brent couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up. After all these years, he should have realized women were just as capable as men.
Another bloody vampire jumped from a hidden door, clawing toward Amelia.
Eamon caught the woman around the throat and shoved her into another wall.
“Break her neck,” Amelia ordered as she slipped past Eamon and kicked in the door at the end of the hall.
Eamon snapped her neck as four more vampires came out of hiding, blood dripping down their clothes, but Inuala’s spell echoed down the hall.
“She’s started,” Brent shouted.
Eamon’s mouth popped open as he met Brent’s gaze. “You?”
Brent tipped his head. He’d been a servant in Eamon’s castle. He wanted to get close to Oriana to kill her in the beginning, but he’d fallen in love. Eamon knew who he was.
“Inuala’s brother,” Eamon added.
Brent’s brow arched. He hadn’t believed Eamon knew. “Aye.”
“I should have known.” Defeat stared back, and for once, Brent wasn’t jealous. “We need to protect her. Inuala will kill her if given the opportunity.”
“Maybe you should stay out here, where Inuala can’t use you to finish the ritual.”
A vampire burst into flame as it ran toward Eamon.
Eamon winced, but nodded to the chamber. “I don’t care what happens to me. I only want her safe and happy.” He shifted into a giant wolf and charged past Brent, taking down another vampire. He tore at muscle and bone.
Brent shook off the shock and ran to the room. He skidded to a stop beside Amelia, who fell to her knees, shouting a spell he didn’t recognize.
Power flooded the room, reverberating against the walls. Light spilled from the ceiling, dampening the shadow as vampires screamed down the hall.
* * * *
Amelia rushed past Eamon, sensing Brent getting close. She didn’t want to distract herself. She had an idea of what needed to be done because she’d already seen a dozen vampires taken over by black, shadowy tendrils. It was Crom’s essence, and she had no damned clue if that was a permanent thing or not.
She only knew that Eamon had the same thing happen when he became what he was. But he was human at the time.
Gina lay on the table, her back bowed while darkness twined around her, moving like snakes. Her mouth stretched wide, though no sound came out. Inuala chanted the spell to bring Crom Cruach into the world.
I need your help, Badb whispered urgently in Amelia’s head.
What are you planning? Amelia asked.
To share Gina’s body. I won’t interfere with her life, unless something like this happens again. But if I fill the hole in her soul, Crom Cruach cannot.
How was she supposed to make that decision? Gina was no sorcerer. She didn’t know how to stop an entity from taking control. Amelia’s first incarnation barely managed to keep Crom Cruach at bay.
Amelia, I do not make this suggestion lightly. Either I do this, or Crom Cruach enters this world and destroys everything you know.
Well, she could figure out a way to banish Badb later if this turned out to be a mistake. For now, she needed to end the biggest problem at hand.
What do I do? Amelia hoped like hell she wasn’t about to regret this decision.
Call Crom to you, and once I’m in Gina, I’ll tear him out of you, she answered.
Vampires can’t be possessed once we change, Amelia answered.
Most can’t. You can. Hurry.
“Fuck me,” she muttered, walking farther into the room. She had a feeling this was the worst idea in the history of ideas, but what were her options?
She repeated the words Badb provided. The spell was unlike anything she’d ever heard, but magic rolled through her and spread out. Light filled the room and the darkness swirled and flowed into Amelia.
Balling up the darkness, she rolled it tight, locking it away in her chest. Crom screamed through her head, anger boiling, rising, but she shut him up with a second spell she chanted through her head.
Badb whispered, Your friends are coming. The time is now.
Time for what? Whatever, she continued the spell, rolling Crom Cruach tight, and she started to understand. She was collecting his essence, pulling it from the vampires, preventing him from taking hold of Gina.
Inuala screamed in frustration and looked up.
“You!” she shouted and burst into a hundred shadowy birds, flying straight for her.
Light flashed around her with Christian’s shout. Brent was beside her, throwing energy at the swarm of birds. Then a giant wolf rushed past her, catching one bird and crunching it before attacking another, and another.
Chapter 26
Eamon disabled as many vampires as he could. One of the mages transported vampires away before reappearing seconds later. Then the one Amelia called Christian covered Eamon’s eyes before shouting a spell.
Light seeped past Christian’s hands then he was released. He blinked and saw all the other vampires on the floor, cowering from the light.
“Go. Stop that crazy bitch!” Christian urged.
Eamon charged into the room. Inuala had split up into birds and attempted to attack Amelia, but Brent was already defending her, slinging birds to the side.
Eamon leapt in, attacking them too.
They turned to go after him, and he continued to tear them apart, as shadows leached from his skin and circled around Amelia, who was pulling Crom’s essence to herself.
Stop her! Crom’s voice wavered as the last of the essence slipped free of his body. Peace filled Eamon, and he knew what he needed to do.
He reformed as himself and shouted the spell to force Inuala into her own form.
The birds that weren’t broken pulled together, reforming Inuala. She slumped on her hands and knees, blood flowing down her body as more shadows billowed from her, shrinking down and winding into a ball around Amelia, who continued to chant.
“You’ve ruined everything,” she cried, launching at him with a blade he’d seen
once before. The same weapon his mother used to stab Oriana all those years ago.
Pain flared through Eamon. A curse flowed into his blood stream as he pulled the blade from his chest and slashed Inuala’s throat, then drove it between her ribs, to puncture her heart.
He fell to his knees as agony tore through him. He sought Amelia and smiled at her. Her auburn hair flowed around her, her eyes glowing with power as she contained Crom Cruach.
And he realized he was free to find love, just like she was free to finally enjoy hers.
Tears filled her eyes as she started another spell.
* * * *
Pain ceased.
Darkness faded.
Light swirled in.
Everything that had been wrong a moment ago was cleared away with a new clarity that entered her soul.
A voice chimed, Together we can heal your mind. You’ll be yourself and something more.
What are you? she asked, not concerned, merely curious.
Badb, a protector. You were about to be lost to the abyss if Crom Cruach had his way. I need to take the lead. We need to finish what Amelia started.
Gina sucked in a breath. I’ll still be me?
Yes, you will. Please, I need to help Amelia before she’s forever bound to Crom Cruach. We can end the chaos here.
Do it, Gina answered.
Badb took control of her body. She sat up gracefully and walked to Amelia. Power flowed around her. Dark power, the same the strange vampire tried to force into her.
Light poured from Gina’s skin as words flowed from her mouth. She didn’t understand the words, but knew the intent. They were banishing a great evil.
This entity within Gina felt at home, like a missing part of her. Maybe that was always the case.
* * * *
Gina stopped writhing in pain and stood to walk toward Amelia. Light poured off her. Amelia nearly wept at Eamon’s sacrifice, but she continued to wind the spell to bind Crom Cruach into the tiniest form she could summon.
Gina took her hands, creating a circle between them. Amelia could no longer hear Badb in her head, but Gina used her voice to cast the spell to push Crom Cruach from the world and lock him out for good.
Power filled Amelia, Badb’s essence washing through her to push Crom’s shadows into the gap between her and Gina. Then they shrank down until disappearing altogether. One more wave of Badb washed through Amelia, cleansing her of the taint.
Gina smiled. “He’ll never touch this world again, and I’ll go back to sleep, letting Gina have possession of her body, until something like this happens again.”
Gina stumbled back. Christian and Brent caught her.
Brent made eye contact with Amelia and nodded to Eamon. “He should hear your voice last. You gave him peace.”
Tears fell. Amelia couldn’t hold them back anymore. She dropped down beside Eamon. Blood coated his clothes, strips of skin were torn away, but he smiled at her through watery eyes. “You’re finally free of me.”
“You weren’t my downfall, Eamon. You never were.”
“I was a factor.”
She shook her head, caressing his face. “One of us could heal you.”
“I don’t want to live with the memories. I only held on to say goodbye one last time. Brent will make you happy.”
“You’ll find your happiness in the next life,” she promised.
Gina knelt beside her. “You will, Eamon. Good passage.” Gina moved away. Badb had been in control of Gina, and Amelia couldn’t wrap her head around it yet.
Amelia ran her thumb over his cheek. “I’m sorry, Eamon.”
“No, I die happy knowing you have someone who will treat you like the queen you would have been.” He pressed a kiss to her palm before his head fell back and the light faded from his eyes.
Brent wrapped his arms around her, and she let the tears fall.
“He made his choice,” Brent whispered.
She nodded. Didn’t mean it hurt less. “He’s finally free to find his soulmate.”
Brent kissed her head. “You did send Crom away, and you didn’t even need my help.”
“I did, and you helped.” She sat back to smile at him.
He wiped her tears away. “We should go. The place is rising from wherever they buried it. The cavern will shrink away to the basement.
“Can everyone get out?”
“Most everyone. Come on.” He stood, pulling her with him. Then he opened a portal. “Let the others ensure everyone’s out.”
She let him guide her into a large room with tables.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“The Silver Council’s cafeteria.”
Jordan rushed over. “Did you find her?”
Before Amelia could formulate a response, Mike pulled him aside. It was better to let his friend handle that conversation. Amelia was drained.
Zoe squeezed her shoulder, then pulled her into a hug. “You are brilliant.”
Amelia couldn’t stop the laugh. “What are you talking about?”
“You saved the world.”
She nodded and sought Tyrone out.
He sat against the far wall, watching her with tears running down his face.
She turned to Brent. “Any idea how I fix him?”
“Bite and think about your time with him, and that might seem like a lot to handle, but I have a feeling he’ll be able to let go once you do.”
She took Brent’s hands. “Are we good?”
He nodded, then pulled her into his arms. “You needed to say goodbye to Eamon. You need to say goodbye to Tyrone. I know who you choose.”
She squeezed him tight. “I love you, Brent.”
“I love you so damned much, Amelia. Now go fix your friend.” He gave her a gentle push.
She crossed the room to Tyrone and took a seat beside him. “Hey, Ty. Sorry I left you a mess.”
He blinked at her, then a smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he touched her face.
She leaned into his palm. “I need to fix you.”
He nodded, though he didn’t seem to have a clue what she was saying.
Amelia leaned close and sank her teeth into his throat. His blood filled her mouth and she pushed every memory of the two of them together all the way back to kindergarten at him. His arms wound around her, pulling her closer.
After sealing the wounds, she sat back, looking into his eyes. “I’m sorry I let things go as far as I did. I’m sorry I broke your mind.”
He looked past her and dropped his head. “You’re with your boss now, huh?”
“Yeah, I was always going to wind up with him. Every lifetime, I wind up with Brent.” She shook her head. “I wish I hadn’t hurt you.”
He took her hand. “I didn’t mean to fall so hard.”
“It’s my fault,” she whispered.
He shook his head. “Nah, I’ve loved you since we were kids. I knew better.”
“I didn’t know,” she whispered.
“You tried to protect me from the vampires, huh?”
“Yeah, I messed up, though.”
“You tried to send me after Samantha. She found someone in London. It’s why I didn’t want to let you go, why I got stupid. I wanted to hold onto the one thing that made me feel something.”
“I can’t love you like you need, Ty.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I see that now. But you still fixed what you messed up in my head. And you’re still sitting here trying to make me feel better. Samantha dumped me and moved on without a second thought.”
“Shit, I moved on too. The day I told you we needed to stop what we were doing.”
“Yeah, but you still care about what I feel. You still want to make it better, but you’re not the one who can. I’ll be okay. I’ll find someone for me, just like you found yours.”
“I need people to stop saying that,” she muttered.
He chuckled. “What did you do down there, anyway?”
“Um, fixed a really old wrong. Forgive m
e?”
He nodded. “I do, and I don’t regret the little time I got with you.”
“That’s not fair.” She shook her head.
He kissed her head. “Go. You’ve had enough crazy for one night. You don’t need to listen to me ramble.”
“She’s out there, you know? Someone perfect for you. You just need to find her.”
Chapter 27
All the jealousy had evaporated while Brent watched Amelia deal with Eamon, then deal with Tyrone. He planned to do everything he could to put a smile on her face when they got home.
Someone gripped his shoulder. “Told you,” Toryn whispered.
“She did it.”
“You helped her.”
Brent nodded. “I need to tell her a few things.”
“Like the fact you have kids older than her?”
Brent nodded. “Yeah. That’s a big one.”
“You two are going to be fine. No matter what comes your way, she’ll stick by your side.”
Amelia stood up and started toward him, but Delilah and Christian stepped into her path, and Delilah picked her up in a crushing hug.
Christian murmured something to them.
Zoe bumped Brent’s shoulder. “Kellan will be happy you’re back in charge at In Other News. He’s tired of my late nights.”
“Thanks for holding down the fort and coming to help.”
“Wasn’t much to do besides get people out. Good idea with leaving the portal open.”
He nodded. “I’ve seen that house transform. People have been trapped in the walls when that happens. It’s not pretty.”
Zoe’s face scrunched up. “Weird. I’m going to get home. Tell Amelia I’m proud of her.”
“Will do.” He squeezed her hand.
She smiled back and left. Brent dropped down onto a seat.
Preston joined him. Robert walked over.
“Didn’t go how you expected, huh?” Brent asked.
Robert shook his head. “Not in the slightest. But I have to ask, do we need to worry about Gina and what’s inside her?”
Brent glanced at the werewolf who stood in another werewolf’s embrace. He knew the man’s name was Mark, and that he’d mated her some months before, but didn’t know much else.
Darkness Binds Page 19
