by Morgan Hawke
"The arrowhead on that bolt is cursed silver,” Morwyn whispered. “It will kill you, Sam."
Henri kept his eye on Sam. “Step back, Galen. Slowly."
"Son of a fucking bitch...” Galen stepped back.
Sygni grabbed for his arm, and missed. “Galen!"
"Hands behind your head and come here.” Henri's voice was low, calm and chilling. “The hunger rides me, I need you."
Galen set his hands on the back of his neck. He walked to Henri's side and glared at the older vampire. “He's not going to kill me."
"He's already killed you!” Sam stepped forward.
"Do not provoke me, werewolf!” Henri clenched his jaw. “Galen, on your knees."
Galen turned to face the other vampire. “Henri..."
He caught Galen's gaze. His eyes blazed crimson. “Kneel to me, now."
Galen jaw went slack and he dropped to his knees at Henri's feet, his eyes as blank and empty as a doll's.
Sygni felt the slam of power echo through her own soul. “Galen!” Her body shook with the strength of Henri's power. At least now she knew what the other vampire was after—a food source, which to a vampire also meant sex object. That son of a bitch!
Henri tossed the crossbow away and waved his hand. A shimmer of gold filled the air.
Sygni rushed for the vampires and came up against a barrier. It felt like smooth marble under her fingers. “Galen!"
Faster than the eye could follow, Henri closed his arm around Galen's jaw, jerked his head to the side, and bit down.
Galen gasped and arched. He grabbed for Henri's arm. A profound erection swelled in his leather pants.
Henri lifted his head scowling ferociously and licked the blood on his lips.
Galen collapsed and groaned in Henri's arms. Two long tears marked his pale throat.
Sygni winced. Henri clearly didn't get what he needed from Galen's blood.
Henri focused his white-hot gaze on Sygni. “Step through the barrier."
The barrier went misty under her palms. She pulled her hands back. “What for?"
"You know what I need.” His eyes narrowed to burning slits. “Step through."
Sygni bit her lip. “He has to cum for you to feed—he needs blood."
"Yes, and I do not have it to spare.” He held out his hand. “Come."
Sygni fisted her hands at her sides. “You're going to rape him.” It wasn't a question.
Henri shook his head slowly. “A seduction. I will ensure that all he receives is pleasure."
Sygni clenched her jaw. “No. He's not an object for you to use."
Henri glared. “I have no choice. I need his blood to survive, and he needs your blood to climax."
Sygni stepped back. “No, I won't let you use him like that."
Henri smiled with red-stained teeth. “Do you truly think you can resist his call?"
Sygni jerked as though struck. “He wouldn't...” But he could. It was Halloween, and he had command of their combined power.
"Galen, Sygni is here. Call to her."
"Sygni...” Galen moaned and snapped out of Henri's stupor. “Henri? What are you doing?” He jerked at the vampire's arm around his throat, but couldn't budge him.
Henri pressed his lips to Galen's ear. “Call her, Galen."
Galen gasped.
Sygni echoed him and a shudder rippled through her body. Centuries of power echoed in Henri's voice; she could feel it in her soul.
"Make her come to you, Galen."
"Henri, don't! Please!” Galen trembled in Henri's grasp. “She'll come without that!"
"My patience is thin.” Henri looked up at Sygni. “Make her come, or I will do it for you."
"Sygni, I...” Galen closed his eyes. “I can't stop him. Please, come to me."
Sygni shuddered. It was a request; he was deliberately not compelling her with his tie to her soul; but the desperation in his voice punched straight through her heart. “Night's Mother, Galen.” She had no choice, he needed her and she loved him too much to deny him. Sygni turned to Sam. “Take care of Morwyn, I'll see you guys in a bit."
Sam's fingers closed on her shoulder. “Sygni, don't go!"
"Don't give up on us yet.” Sygni gave him a tight smile. “Remember, I am a sorceress."
Sam nodded and released her. “Kill the bastard,” he whispered.
Sygni rose to her feet. “I'll certainly try.” She stepped through.
Galen grabbed onto her hand...
And the world exploded.
~ Twenty-Five ~
Wrapped tight in Galen's arms, Sygni smelled cedar and damp earth. She opened her eyes and looked around and up. They were in a midnight forest. Gigantic tree trunks were everywhere. Leaves carpeted the ground and stars burned in patches of sky.
Galen looked around, frowning. “Henri, you brought us to a redwood forest?"
Henri stalked around them looking at the trees with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw. “No, this is not where we are supposed to be."
Sygni felt a giggle bubble up. “Oops..."
Galen flashed a smile.
Henri scowled at her. “This was not my doing!"
"No, it was mine.” The voice was deep, masculine and threaded with power. A patch of man-shaped blackness moved from behind a tree. Golden eyes blazed from a shadowed face. “I brought you here."
Henri whirled around. “Who is there?"
The dark man waved his hand and a small fire exploded into being. A tall copper-skinned man stepped into the light grinning. He was fatally handsome and a full head taller than Galen. His gold-coin eyes reflected the firelight that painted deep shadows on his bare chest and gleamed in his blue-black hair. Thousands of tiny iridescent black feathers shimmered his waist-length mane. His jeans were worn and nearly white with age. His bare feet made no sound on the dead leaves littering the forest floor as he stepped around the fire toward them. It was Raven.
Sygni winced. Oh, great, just what we need ... If Raven and the vampire get into a fight, they're going to level the whole forest.
"Have a care...” Henri bared his long teeth and moved to block Raven's path. “They are under my protection."
Raven slanted his gaze at Henri. “Oh, is that what you're calling it?” He folded his arms. “Hey, Galen, hey, Sygni."
"Hey, Raven.” Galen looked at Sygni and shrugged.
Sygni shrugged back. She had no idea what was going on. “Hey, Raven. What's up?"
Henri straightened and lowered his brows at Raven. “You know them?"
"Of course.” He raised one black brow. “They have my eyes,” he said dryly.
Henri frowned. “What?"
Galen cleared his throat. “Henri, this is Raven, the god."
Henri jerked back. “The god?"
Raven nodded slowly. “And I'm Galen's guardian.” He flashed a grin at Sygni. “And Sygni's, too."
Sygni started. Raven wasn't her guardian spirit, Loki, the Norse god of magic and mischief, was. She was even named after Loki's wife. Her Norwegian maternal grandmother had done the dedication right before the fire that took her parents...
Raven took a casual step closer to Henri. “You have caused no end of problems for me, upir."
Henri took an automatic step back, then stopped and fisted his hands at his sides. “I? I have never seen you before in all my long years."
Raven rolled his eyes. “Do you have any idea how much power it takes to keep one mortal from turning vampire?"
"What?” Henri lifted his chin and squared his shoulders. “Galen is upir—of my blood."
Raven snorted. “Oh, yes, he's upir now, but after how many tries?"
Henri glared at the God. “You are saying that you stopped his change?"
Raven nodded. “Now you're catching on. He's upir because I allowed it to happen.” His gaze drifted toward Galen. “I have work for him to do.” His gaze flicked over to Sygni. “I have work for both of them."
Sygni winced under Raven's gaze. Great, just w
hat I need, work from a god that isn't even mine.
"Galen is mine, he carries my blood.” Henri lifted his chin.
"Yours? For all the blood you passed him, I still have prior claim, upir.” Raven focused on Henri and smiled. “Tell the truth and shame the devil, Henri, you kept trying to change Galen because you love him."
Sygni rolled her eyes. What was with Raven's obsession with love?
Henri stilled, then folded his arms. He jerked his gaze from Raven's. “Oui, it is no secret. I have loved him for over seventy years."
"Alas, that love cannot be returned.” Raven shook his head sadly. “Not the way you want it."
Henri looked up at the tall God. “If he returns my love or not, I have no choice. I need a vampire to survive.” He looked away. “I have no stomach for changing someone I will have to destroy later."
Raven shrugged. “Well, your heart's in the right place, even if your methods are a little brutal.” He grinned. “But then, I can appreciate brutal methods."
Sygni smiled sourly. “That's the understatement of the year,” she said under her breath.
Raven looked up at Sygni. “Oh? Sounds like you missed me."
"Oh, yeah, sure...” Sygni snorted. Like any other red-hot poker shoved up my ass.
Raven nodded. “I'll have to stop by then, sometime soon."
Sygni cringed and put up both hands. “No need to hurry on my account!"
Raven smiled down on the golden vampire. “Now, what to do with you?"
Henri's eyes widened. “I have no quarrel with you, god.” His hands fisted at his sides. “But I need Galen's blood, and he needs Sygni's."
Raven smiled and his eyes blazed sun-bright. “I have a better idea. Ever taste the blood of a god?"
Henri sucked in a sharp breath. His eyes narrowed. “What exactly are you offering?"
Raven threw back his head and laughed. “No, no, no, Henri! You have it backwards!” He focused tightly on the vampire. “I'm not offering...” Enormous black wings spread at his back and his expression filled with deep shadows. “I'm taking."
In the blink of an eye Raven had the smaller vampire's face trapped in his palms with his chin tilted up. The god took the vampire's mouth in a kiss that left no argument as to who was taking whom.
Henri moaned under the onslaught. He grabbed Raven's wrists and struggled briefly, then slumped into Raven's arms.
Raven lifted the vampire and cradled him against his chest. Henri's long blond mane fell over Raven's forearm. “And that's the end of that problem."
Galen took a step toward the God. “Raven, what have you done? I don't want him dead!"
Sygni curled her lip. “Maybe you don't..."
"Oh, he's not dead, just sleeping.” Raven smiled. “Don't worry, I'll take good care of him."
Galen frowned. “You're keeping him?"
"Sure.” Raven looked down at the unconscious Henri. “Sygni seems to enjoy having a pet vampire, I thought I'd like to have one, too.” Raven's skin darkened to shadow and his wings spread to fill the forest with whispering black iridescence. He nodded at them. “In the meantime, you two need to go home. Sam and Morwyn are frantic."
Sygni grabbed onto Galen's sleeve. “Raven, how do we get home?"
Raven smiled and his eyes burned with sunlight. “The same way you got here!"
Shadows, laughter and the sound of wings filled the night...
* * * *
Sygni groaned and rolled over onto her back on something soft. Her eyes snapped open. She was staring at the ceiling in her bedroom. She rolled up onto her elbows. She was in her own bed, back in her penthouse. Galen was a long, lean and unconscious weight alongside her. They were home.
Sygni flopped back down on the bed. “Thank the Dark Mother, it's over.” She groaned and sat right back up to roll out of the bed. “Got to call Morwyn...” She peeled out of her coat, dropped it on the floor and dragged her tired ass toward the kitchen. This was one conversation she knew she'd need coffee for.
* * * *
Sygni winced as Morwyn shouted at her over the phone. Raven was right; she was frantic. She was also pissed and relieved, and all at the top of her lungs.
Pacing back in forth in the small kitchen, Sygni nodded and mumbled in assent whenever Morwyn took a breath, then went back to wincing. By the time the coffee maker finished brewing, Morwyn finally started talking at a normal tone of voice.
Sygni poured coffee into her second favorite mug, a brown one scrawled with: “If I have to die, can it be through Chocolate Overdose?” After adding cream and a lot of sugar, she took a swallow of coffee and felt humanity creeping back into her body. She nodded absently as Morwyn droned on. It was another ten minutes before Morwyn was ready to change subjects.
Sygni set the empty mug down on the kitchen table. “Okay, so when do we have to go down to the station and do our civic duty?"
Morwyn sighed over the phone. “The office opens at eight."
Sygni turned to look at the clock on the coffee machine. It was four-thirty in the morning. She groaned. “God, no, you can't do this to me! I just got back and haven't slept yet!"
Morwyn snorted. “Neither have I. I'm on the phone with you, remember? Where's Galen?"
Sygni dropped into a chair. “Asleep."
Morwyn chuckled. “So is Sam."
Sygni smiled. “Must be nice.” She rose back onto her feet. “I'm gonna take a shower, and...” She winced at the time. “Take a nap. Why don't you stop by here and bang on my door so we can all go together?"
Arrangements were made as Sygni walked back into the bedroom. Galen was still asleep, though he had rolled over to hog the whole bed. It figured. Sygni hit the ‘end’ button on her phone and peeled out of her clothes.
The shower did wonders for the aches in her body.
Damp from the shower, naked and dead tired, she expended power to shove the vampire over so she could get under the covers. She had just closed her eyes when Galen rolled back over and flung his arm on top of her. Sygni was just too tired to move him again.
* * * *
Morning came far too early, and far too loudly. Someone was pounding on her front door. Sygni struggled up from under Galen, only to be enfolded in an embrace that had his leather-clad thigh flung over her hips, and his incredibly heavy chest pressing her back into the mattress.
"Oh, for the Mother's sake, I have to go answer the door.” He would not move. Sygni was forced to call up power to roll him over.
Galen moaned in protest as she left the bed.
Dressed in her red kimono grabbed from the foot of the bed, Sygni opened the front door.
Sam grinned. He looked far too refreshed by half. “Morning, your taxi is here.” He held up a shopping bag. “And I have Galen's clothes."
Morwyn, dressed in old jeans and a worn denim jacket buttoned almost to the throat, had dark sunglasses on and a cup of coffee in a travel cup steaming in her hands. She nodded at Sam. “He did the knocking, not me."
"I could tell.” Sygni blinked her tired eyes at Sam. “Since you have his clothes, why don't you go get the vampire out of bed?"
Sam snorted. “Can I dump a bucket of water on him?"
Sygni thought about it. “Sure. In the meantime, I'm gonna go make coffee."
"Good, cause I need a refill.” Morwyn followed Sygni to the kitchen.
Sygni had just poured hot coffee into last night's mug when the howling came from the bedroom.
"What are you trying to do? Drown me?"
Morwyn flashed Sygni a grin. “I guess Sam took you up on your invitation."
"Yes, he did.” Sygni smiled. Maybe the day wouldn't be so crappy after all.
* * * *
Sygni walked into her bedroom to get dressed and stopped cold.
Sam was on the floor curled up and laughing so hard he was having problems breathing. Galen peered hard into the mirror as he dragged a brush through his wet hair. He was fully dressed in crisp new jeans and a plain deep red T-shirt. The s
mell of soap and shampoo lingered in the air. He must have taken one hell of a fast shower.
The bed was soaked from head to foot. Galen's clothes from last night were piled in a soggy heap the middle of the bed with his soaked fedora perched on top.
Sygni blinked. How much water had Sam used, the whole bathtub? She shook her head and raised her hands. Spinning power in a red net, she combed the water from the bed and Galen's clothes. She coiled all the water into an enormous ball that floated two feet above the mattress. “That is a lot of water."
Sam gasped for breath. “You said ... I could!” He choked. “God, you should have seen him jump straight up like a cat and stick to the ceiling! It was ... it was ... a scream!” He burst into another peal of gut-wrenching laughter.
Galen turned slowly to stare at Sygni. His jaw clenched tight and his lips went white. “You told him he could drown me?” His tone of voice was calm and positively menacing. He was furious.
Sygni winced. “I said he could dump water on you.” She waved her hand at the huge ball floating over the bed. “I didn't tell him to use the whole tub!"
"Oh, is that so?” Galen leaned back against the dresser and folded his arms. His brows lowered over his dark eyes.
Sam rolled onto his feet. “Okay, I'm gonna go now.” He bolted from the bedroom, grinning from ear to ear.
Sygni ducked her head. “I'll just dump this in the bathtub.” She gestured and the ball of water moved into the master bathroom.
Galen grabbed her elbow as she passed him. “You know what happens to naughty girls, don't you?"
"Galen...” Sygni turned to face him, and swallowed hard.
His eyes blazed with heat and a smile curled his lips. “They get punished,” he whispered very softly. “This time, your ass is mine."
In the bathroom, the ball of water crashed into the tub.
~ Twenty-Six ~
Sam drove them downtown in Morwyn's Jeep. He was the only one awake enough to drive. The early morning traffic was hideous. Sam dropped them off at the entrance, then took off to find a place to park. Galen winced behind his dark sunglasses and pulled his newly dried hat down over his eyes as he hurried up the stairs under the early morning light.
