“He can’t enter, right?” I sought out Melody, who clung to Luke’s side, her eyes wide with panic. “You said the spirits and Kolduny spells protect this house. Tell me he’s stuck outside, before my eardrums explode and I can’t hear you.”
Melody’s lip trembled. “There’s no way he can enter here.”
“Then how is he doing this?” Ryann shouted, covering her ears.
“He can’t get in, but that doesn’t mean he can’t hijack the audio system.” Melody talked slowly, as if putting the pieces together as she spoke. “We have a whole setup of speakers for the tourist facility, but some are hooked up in the living quarters, too—an old loudspeaker system for music, which we never use. If he’s not inside, the spirits won’t interfere.”
“Allow me to begin,” Davin bellowed. It seemed he couldn’t hear us, but that wasn’t much comfort. He had the floor, and, if I knew Davin, he was about to put Shakespeare to shame with a well-rehearsed soliloquy. “Nash, I gave you a choice. I asked you nicely to come with me of your own volition. Instead, you decided to go with those miscreants. And it’s my pleasure to let you in on a secret—they are no better than I. They are using you. At least I was honest about it, but the same cannot be said for those pernicious weeds.”
And things were going so smoothly… Everyone twisted in unison to look at Nash. He still sat in his chair, drenched in sweat, but his eyes focused on the rusty shell of an old speaker.
“What is he talking about?” Nash didn’t remove his gaze from the speaker.
Davin answered before any of us could. “Finch Merlin is the worst of them all. He hoodwinked you. If you hadn’t buried your head in the sand all these years, you might have heard that he sold himself to Erebus in exchange for murdering my beloved Eris. He wants your blood for Erebus, good little slave that he is. He must have told you a charming, touching tale to win you over, but he is in league with the Child of Darkness, and this is all for his benefit.”
Ah, dammit! I hated plot twists. And I hated this one more than most.
Nash slowly turned, his eyes narrowing. Two red freckles glinted in his irises—a lasting effect of Kadar’s unraveling. We’d put him through hell, and the guilt broiled in my belly. All the excuses and reasons in the world wouldn’t sanitize the fact that we’d lied.
“I shall give you a moment to let that sink in, Nash.” Davin chuckled through the speakers, the sound stabbing my gut.
“Tell me he’s lying,” Nash said, his voice low and threatening.
I lowered my gaze.
“Finch. Tell. Me. He’s. Lying!” Nash snarled, prompting Huntress’s hackles to rise.
What could I say? My shamefaced expression likely gave everything away. He didn’t have to be an Empath to sense that Davin told the truth. We’d been caught in our lie, and now that web would untangle.
“Tell me you didn’t do this. Tell me you’re not the same as everyone else who darkened my door to steal what isn’t theirs.” Nash stood on shaky legs, Huntress bracing to pounce. “Tell me there’s one trustworthy person left in this world.”
I lifted my gaze, figuring I owed him that. “There’s more to this than meets the eye, Nash. Davin is trying to get under your skin. Let us explain, and it will make sense.”
Nash glared. “He’s telling the truth, isn’t he?”
I looked to the others for backup, but they were all in a similar state of squirmy discomfort. We resembled a bunch of schoolkids who’d been dragged before the principal. Even Santana looked mortified, though she’d been against this entire deception. I supposed, since she hadn’t stopped us, she felt as guilty as the rest of us.
“That should be enough time,” Davin boomed, his voice reverberating through the old audio network. “Perhaps, had you relinquished Nash, I would have allowed him to believe you were a discerning gentleman, Finch. He would have gone on thinking me the villain. But you sought to defy me, as usual, and now I repay the favor in kind, revealing you for what you truly are. A user and a manipulator, like me. Your mother would be so proud.”
My cheeks flamed. Shut your insipid piehole, you cowardly amoeba!
“I will leave you with these parting words, Nash,” Davin prattled on. “Finch and his minions look after their own. You are not their friend; thus, you do not qualify. You have been had. You should have come with me from the start, for the next time we meet, it will not go pleasantly for you.”
I wanted the Winchester mansion to swallow me like a ravenous kraken with a taste for disgraced liars. The worst part was, I couldn’t defend myself. Davin had called me out, and he was right to. We had tricked Nash. We had used him. And he’d trusted us. That stung deep—a massive fishbone of shame, lodged in my throat.
A sharp squeal signaled the end of Davin’s Hamlet time.
“You piece of crap!” Nash lost it. “Who do you think you are, Finch? You think that because you’ve got a powerful surname you can treat people like trash and take them for all they’re worth?”
Huntress peered up at Nash, appearing confused. She likely wouldn’t hesitate to protect her magical if it came to blows.
“I should’ve known something was off the minute you lied about your name,” Nash raged on.
I took a tentative step forward. “Hear me out.”
“You’ve said enough!” He scowled at me with such fury, I thought I might spontaneously combust. “I bet you were terrified I’d say no if you mentioned Erebus, right? All this time, you were working for him! If I had my rifle, I’d blow you sky high.”
“Nash, please, let me explain,” I sputtered, but he was done listening.
“You plotted all of this so you could run off to him with my blood, tied up in a bow—that evil bastard who hunted me through Davin, all those years ago. He stole my life, if we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty here. He made things unbearable, to the point that I chose to shorten the life I had left. And for what? So he could take my blood anyway and start an open season for the other hunters out there!”
I shook my head. “No, I meant what I said. We’ll protect you. Melody will find a way.”
“How long have you been working with Erebus, huh? A year? Since Elysium, right?” he spat, and I nodded sheepishly. “Then you’ve been around him long enough to know that lifting this curse would put me in the line of fire. You think he wants anyone else getting my blood? He ties off his loose ends, Finch.”
I gaped at Nash, his words hitting home like a baseball bat to the skull. Erebus had drained the Fountain of Youth and collapsed the whole Jubilee mine to make sure nobody else got their paws on the immortalizing water. Of course he’d get rid of Nash, too, for the same reason. I’d been a colossal idiot not to understand that. But that didn’t alter the promise I’d made.
“You’re not going to get ‘tied off.’ I mean it, Nash. We’ll do anything to make sure you survive,” I told him. “But you have to understand, if I’d told the truth, you’d never have agreed to this. You and Erebus have history. You would’ve bolted at the first mention of his name. And I needed your help, because there are so many lives on the line.”
Nash’s face contorted into a mask of bitterness. “Your friends, you mean?”
“Yes, my friends. Their lives and mine. And, I’m sorry, but I had to do what I did. I’m not happy about it. Believe it or not, I like you, Nash. You didn’t ask for this, and I didn’t want to lie, but I couldn’t rely on you to sympathize with the truth.” I was desperate now. “But I keep my promises. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
“Shame I can’t say the same for you.” Nash’s hands raised, and a fireball barreled toward me. I ducked away, feeling the heat as it careened past my cheek.
“I don’t want to fight you!” I shouted. “That’s what Davin wants!”
“I don’t care. You fooled me, and you’ll regret it.” Nash prepared to launch another attack. To my horror, Ryann raced forward, putting herself between me and Nash.
“Stop it, both of you! Let’s sit down
and talk through this. We don’t have to get violent!” she cried, but Nash unleashed a volley of fireballs, aimed straight for Ryann.
I grabbed her around the waist and spun her around, holding her tight as a fireball struck me. A howl tore from my throat as the pain seared my shoulders. It wouldn’t leave much of a mark—having Fire in my own arsenal gave me some protection—but it still hurt like hell.
My head whipped around. “You’re pissed with me. I get it. You have every right to be. But don’t you dare hurt the people I care about!”
“Maybe that’s what you need, to teach you a lesson,” Nash growled.
A figure darted across the kitchen and launched herself at Nash. Santana tackled him, shoving her knee into his chest to pin him to the ground. Her eyes glowed as her Orishas burst from her.
“Calm down, Nash!” she barked. “Stay down, unless you want my Orishas to keep you there. We’re going to talk about this like rational human beings.”
Huntress’s fur prickled, and she crouched to spring. However, before she could, Raffe sprinted to Santana’s side. His skin flashed red, smoke billowing from his shoulders. Kadar had decided to resurface and join the party, and he was ten times the beast Huntress was.
Sure enough, Kadar hunched on all fours and stared Huntress in the eyes. His lips peeled to reveal sharpened teeth. He gnashed them, and an almighty roar thundered into Huntress’s face. Her fur flattened under the pressure of the hellish air pouring from Kadar’s mouth, a whine squeaking from her throat as she backed away.
“You can let go of me now,” Ryann whispered. I realized I still held her in my arms. Awkwardly, I released her.
“Sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize for saving me,” she said, with a smile. Ryann stepped back, putting a safe distance between herself and Nash. The latter remained on the floor, while Luke ran up to provide some additional muscle to keep him there.
I took my chance, with Nash immobilized. He needed to hear a few truths from me, too, or he’d spend the rest of his hunted life thinking I was the pinnacle of jerk-dom.
I stood over him, holding his furious gaze. “I should have told you that I wanted your blood to free myself. Erebus told me not to mention his name, and now I see why. But I’m not a bad guy. Making a deal with Erebus was the only way to kill Katherine. Since then, I’ve been in his service, and he won’t let me go.”
“And that’s my problem how?” Nash hissed. “Katherine Shipton was another hunter. Good for you for killing her, but the consequences have nothing to do with me.”
“I’m just trying to explain myself.” I steeled my resolve. “The thing is, I recently learned that Davin was the only servant of Erebus to ever survive. I don’t have his playbook, which means I’m going to die soon. I’m on borrowed time, like you were. But you aren’t anymore. You deserve to live without one eye on the clock—and lifting the curse will help you do that. Melody will find a way to ensure you’re not a target. Erebus won’t make you disappear.”
“What does Erebus even want with my blood? I take it you can’t use it to free yourself, if you’re so sure you’re a goner?” Nash’s tone softened slightly. Barely perceptible, but enough to give me hope.
I sighed. “Erebus needs your blood to open the Gateway to Atlantis. You’re the key, Nash. I’d have told him where to shove it, but that would’ve meant seeing everyone I care about strung up like puppets and gutted six ways to Sunday. I lied because of my fear. That doesn’t make it right, but I hope you can understand my motivation. What would you do, in my position?”
Nash frowned and said nothing, but he cast a small, worried look at Huntress.
“Anyway, I won’t survive long past this Atlantis business. All I can look forward to is another mission or death, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be death,” I went on. “The only way out is using Davin’s djinn amulet to resurrect myself. Even then, I’ve got zero assurances. I’m no Necromancer, after all. But once I have that amulet, I want Davin’s head to roll… for good, this time.”
Nash relaxed beneath Santana and Luke’s grip. “So… you hate Erebus and Davin as much as I do?”
“I’d say I hate them more, but that’s a game of one-upmanship I don’t want to enter with you.” I managed a faint smile and watched him relent.
“I’d win that game. But you should’ve been honest,” he replied tersely. “I want to get back at them for everything they’ve put me through, and so do you. That should’ve made us allies from the get-go.”
I bit my cheek. “I know, but can you see why I felt I had to lie? I couldn’t risk you vamoosing, and you had every reason to fear for your life. Self-preservation makes us do weird things, even give up the chance for revenge.”
A smirk twitched at the corner of Nash’s mouth. “Well, assuming you stop lying to me, I might consider helping your sorry ass.”
Forty
Finch
Through my little heart-to-heart with the plaid wonder, everyone had been brought up to speed on my progress with Erebus. No stone unturned, no lies lingering in the atmosphere. Well, there was one. Despite Ryann’s insistence that I stop resorting to fibs, I kept my encounters with Lux firmly to myself. I was already in deep crap with Erebus. I didn’t want to wade through another layer of crap with his friggin’ goddess wife by spilling her secrets to people.
“I have to keep at it with this Atlantis ruse, but I’m not rolling over for Erebus,” I said.
Nash shrugged, rising to his feet. “You’ve come this far, might as well see what the hell Erebus wants from Atlantis. It’s got me curious, for sure.”
Ryann stepped into the now-calmer gathering. “I can get in touch with a couple of magicals I know who’ve studied ancient Chaos, to see if they can give us any pointers on Erebus’s plans.”
“Not a chance, Ryann,” Santana interjected. “If Harley finds out you’re here, cavorting with these deranged lunatics, she’ll lock you in the basement for life! You mean well, and kudos for your enthusiasm, but you’re coming back to the coven with Raffe and me.”
Ryann looked ready to make her case for staying, but Santana had moved on to me, leaving no room for protests. “And you need to tell your sister everything—more than she already knows, especially since it involves Dingleberry Doncaster. Put your Merlin heads together and come up with some kind of contingency plan, in case things with Erebus go south or Davin slithers his way in again.”
“Don’t you worry about us Merlins,” I replied. “I already spoke to Harley. For the time being, she knows everything she needs to so she can prepare for what comes next.”
Ryann joined Santana in the “tell all” brigade. “Seriously, Finch? Did you not listen to a word I said before?”
“I did, and I will endeavor to be the picture of honesty going forward, but for now, I’ve got to keep some of this under wraps a while longer,” I said. “You know Harley. She’ll start meddling. Usually, that’s fine—she’s a great meddler—but Erebus will take her out of the equation if he thinks she’s trying to stop him. I told her as much.”
Raffe put his arm around Santana’s waist, Kadar having retreated. “He knows the threat better than anyone. If he thinks this is the way things have to go, then we go with it. Harley does get a bit gung-ho about Finch, and we don’t want Erebus getting the wrong idea and putting her in danger.”
Santana gazed into his eyes. “As long as he keeps his word, if the worst-case scenario happens, I can live with that.”
“He is right here,” I mumbled. “What happened to the two of you? When you shipped off to the UAE, you could’ve cut the tension with a knife. And I don’t mean the good, sexy kind. Did a djinn put a love spell on you?”
Raffe chuckled. “No, we made our own love spell.”
“Could I borrow Huntress to tear out my throat?” I smirked at Nash.
“Careful what you wish for,” Nash replied, smirking back.
Santana rolled her eyes at me. “He was speaking metaphorically, dumbass. I realiz
e nuance is hard for your tiny mind to grasp. Anyway, we found out that even if the djinn managed to separate from Erebus, it wouldn’t affect the Levi curse. And that got us talking. I made Raffe understand that I want a family with him, even if they’re not biologically related to us. And Kadar and Raffe had a chat and concluded that they don’t mind being together. So, we’re all ready to move forward, accepting that this is our life and our love. And that’s worth everything.”
“It really is.” Raffe kissed Santana tenderly, and I made a well-timed vomiting noise. I didn’t want them thinking I’d turned soft, though I was genuinely happy they’d patched up the holes in their relationship. They were one of the most solid couples of the SDC. If they couldn’t make it, what chance did the rest of us have?
“Before Finch ruins any more of our romantic reaffirmations of enduring love, we’re going home.” Santana kissed Raffe again, undoubtedly to make a point. “Ryann, that means you, as well.”
Ryann grumbled incoherently.
“What’s that?” Santana gave her a stern look.
“I said, whenever you’re ready.” Ryann smiled sweetly, but I sensed her reluctance.
Santana went to the far wall and drew a chalk door. The lines fizzed, and Raffe opened the door for Santana, ever the chivalrous knight, revealing the Alton Waterhouse Room. The happy couple stepped through first, Ryann bringing up the rear. On the threshold, Ryann turned, her gaze resting on me for a fleeting moment. Her brow furrowed. And then she was gone, the door closing behind them.
What did that mean? Maybe nothing. But why did she stop and look at me? She hadn’t glanced at anyone else. Women would never make sense to me, but that momentary look was enough to make me wonder…
I turned to look at Melody. “Melody, Melody, Melody, could you tell me—”
“I’m not telling you what she had going on in her head,” she interrupted. “I’m learning to be quieter about people’s personal feelings.”
I pretended to huff. “Not even a tiny morsel?”
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