by Lisa Edmonds
“And for a man who’s willing to trust someone like Murphy, you’re much too confident in your own intelligence.” I hooked my thumb toward the yard. “He sent two of his lieutenants out to die just now—men who’d probably been with him for more than a decade. He just met you a month ago. How quickly do you think he’ll turn on you the moment you’re no longer of immediate use to him?”
Bell shook his head. “Nora was right—you’re naive. You have no idea how the game is played at this level. But I like that you’re trying to warn me about cabal politics, as if you have any knowledge of them.”
I had more first-hand knowledge of high-level cabal politics than he did, but I stopped arguing with him. I didn’t care if Moses killed him—in fact, given everything that he’d said and done, I was almost rooting for it.
Malcolm touched my shoulder. What a jackass, he said in my head. He’s going to end up eating those words sooner rather than later, isn’t he?
Yup, I responded. People never listen when you try to give good advice.
Out loud, I said, “Not much point in me reminding you that we had an agreement, is there?”
Bell shook his head. “I’d already made a much better one.”
“So all that posturing at the meeting about me not holding up my part of our deal was to make sure everyone was suspicious of me instead of you.” I glanced at Amira, who met my gaze with dark, unreadable eyes. Blast it—what was she up to? “You also made an agreement with the Court. Betraying me is one thing, but are you sure you want to go back on your word to Valas?”
Bell lifted one shoulder in an elegant half-shrug. “I’m sure the Court recognizes the benefits of an association between my organization and Murphy’s. War is costly and brings a lot of negative attention. On the other hand, peace and alliances are good for business and better for everyone concerned. I think they’ve taken the most logical approach.”
I kept my expression neutral, but in my head I was chanting curse words. Whatever game the vamps were playing, it looked like they were truly planning to let Bell and Murphy get away with this—which meant Sean, Malcolm, and I were on our own.
If I offered to go with Moses peacefully in return for him agreeing not to harm my companions, he’d kill them outright just on principle. I’d seen him do that a dozen times so I knew better than to even bring it up. Not that Sean would ever stand by idly and watch me get on the helicopter, bound for some unknown destination and whatever tortures Moses had planned for me.
“Did I miss all the fun?”
Nora’s voice startled me. She walked around Sean, Ben, and me and took a position next to Bell. Somehow she’d been able to break the disorientation spell. Damn it.
“Where are Arkady and the others?” I asked.
She smiled. “Napping. Just an air magic sleep spell. In deference to Madame Valas, employees of the Court will walk out of here unscathed.”
“What about Allan?”
She smirked. “Garrett’s better off sitting this one out, I think.” She inclined her head toward Amira. “Mr. Murphy’s only interest is Alice. As long as she goes with him without causing a fuss, no one’s fur gets singed and no ghosts named Malcolm end up taking an express trip to the afterlife.”
I’d believe that when I saw it. I was fairly certain Moses didn’t intend for anyone but his own people and maybe Amira to walk out of here. Unfortunately, I had zero chance of convincing Bell or Nora of that. Not that I cared whether Moses turned them to ash, but if I was able to turn them against Moses, that improved the odds of me getting my people out of here alive.
Nora studied me. “What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours, Alice?”
“She wants to save the wolves and her ghost,” Moses said. “She’s wondering if she can talk me into just taking her and leaving the others alone.” The corners of his mouth turned up. “I’d be willing to consider it, if she begged.”
Sean and Ben growled.
Begged. As if, old man, I thought.
Behind Moses, Kade grinned. He’d always enjoyed hearing people beg—particularly women, and especially me. It turned him on. Moses liked to hear people beg too, but not for the same reason. He liked anything that demonstrated how much power he had over others.
Even if I was willing to beg, which I wasn’t, all that would do would make him take longer to kill them. Someone who didn’t know Moses as well as I did might have fallen for it, but I’d seen him present others with the same choice and then take hours torturing and killing the people they’d been trying to save. More to the point, I’d begged Moses for mercy more times than I could count. I’d never beg him for anything ever again.
“She doesn’t seem to be in a begging mood,” Bell said. His mocking tone made my blood magic sizzle. “How about it, Ms. Worth? Are you going to beg for their lives?”
“No.” I regarded all of them. “We came here with a purpose and that purpose hasn’t changed just because two thirds of the parties involved have reneged on their agreement.”
“What about you, wolf?” Bell asked. “You didn’t sign anything. You’re under no obligation to die for her.”
“Honor has meaning for some of us,” Sean said, his voice cold. “And it’s less an obligation than a privilege to stand with my consort against all enemies, especially those who take pleasure in the suffering of others.”
Moses’s smile was even colder than his eyes. “Suit yourself.” Fire magic spiraled around his hands and arms.
Beside me, Sean braced himself. I spooled air magic and drew on Malcolm’s water magic using the amulet Carly had given me.
Bell and Nora moved back. Both looked smug. I’d deal with them when I got done with Moses and Kade.
Amira raised her hand and approached us, her Hunters at her sides. “I speak on behalf of Madame Valas. The Court is disappointed in the actions of Mr. Bell, who has openly admitted to not only lying to us on multiple occasions but to conspiring to facilitate the kidnapping of a valued Court associate, who is also the consort of the alpha of the Tomb Mountain Pack, a pack closely allied with the Court. The Court is also deeply troubled by the irreverent way in which Mr. Bell entered into an agreement in bad faith, knowing he had no intention of abiding by it. In all his dealings with the Court, Mr. Bell has been dishonest and dishonorable, whereas Ms. Worth and her associates have acted with the utmost integrity.”
Dark magic gathered, shrouding Amira in shadow despite the bright overhead lights. “Madame Valas has instructed me to inform you that Mr. Bell’s bad-faith actions were known to us. We participated in this charade and permitted this encounter for the sole purpose of determining whether Mr. Bell’s deception was a scheme designed to result in Mr. Murphy’s assassination. As its true purpose is now clear, the Court hereby withdraws its support of Mr. Bell, as our agreement was based on false pretenses.”
She turned her cold gaze on Bell, who’d gone very still. “You have chosen to ally yourself with one who will honor his agreements no more than you have yours. You are foolish and shortsighted.”
Bell’s eyes flashed. “I don’t need the Court’s backing, not when I have an alliance with Murphy.”
Idiot, idiot, idiot, I thought.
“Furthermore,” Amira continued, “We state unequivocally that Mr. Murphy will not be permitted to attack Ms. Worth, nor will he be allowed to take her from this place.”
My grandfather’s expression went flat. I recognized that look and moved slightly in front of Sean and Ben, my magic spooling around my arms.
I touched Malcolm’s hand. Be ready to shield Sean and Ben, I told my ghost. Tell Sean if Moses goes after Bell, I’m going to try to get an opportunity to take one or both of them out.
I’ll tell him, Malcolm replied in my head. He floated over to Sean and touched his arm so he could pass along my warning. Sean met my eyes and gave me an almost imperceptible nod.
When Moses spoke, the temperature in the conservatory seemed to drop twenty degrees. “You assured me there would be
no trouble with the Court.” His voice was deceptively neutral.
Bell glared at Amira. The Hunter on her right hissed softly. “Valas was willing to retract Alice’s designation as a favorite of the Court,” Bell argued. “Through Ezekiel Monroe, she all but offered to sell me her contract with Alice, in front of a room full of witnesses.”
“It was all an act to get you to show your hand. Valas never had any intention of selling that contract.” Moses turned to Amira, his expression calculating. “I want Alice Worth. I’m not leaving here empty-handed. Name your price.”
Sean snarled. Alpha magic surged, scouring my flesh and crackling along the edges of Amira’s dark power. “Alice is not for sale.”
“Ms. Worth has a contract with Madame Valas,” Amira said as if Sean hadn’t spoken. “Madame Valas has deemed this contract a matter of Court privilege. Until such time as that contract is fulfilled, Ms. Worth is an associate of the Court and under its protection. Any attempt to harm her or her associates is an attack on the Court.” She smiled slightly. “And I think you will find the Were Ruling Council will also not take lightly any threats to the well-being of an alpha’s consort, regardless of what Mr. Bell may have told you. They may not condone the selection of a human as an alpha’s mate, but they will not stand idly by if there is a threat to her.”
“Once that contract is fulfilled—” Bell began.
In a cold rage, Moses turned and sent a blast of fire straight at Bell.
Bell reacted instantly, forming a shield of air magic that redirected the flames straight up and into the branches of the trees overhead. They ignited and the magic-enhanced fire raced through the foliage. The lights sparked and then went out, plunging the conservatory and most of the house into darkness.
“Malcolm! Shield!” I shouted.
Malcolm’s water magic surged. He pulled the water in the air and formed a shield between us and the fire.
The conservatory filled quickly with smoke. I coughed and pulled my shirt up to cover my nose and mouth. My eyes watered and I couldn’t see.
Why wasn’t Amira letting the Hunters go after Bell and Moses, or at least after Bell? I didn’t understand. It seemed as though Valas had sent Amira here as an observer and not to attack either Bell or Murphy unless it was to protect me.
I sensed a burst of magic overhead and formed an air magic shield over our heads to protect us as the conservatory roof shattered and broken glass rained down.
A strong arm curled around my middle and drew me back as a wall of flame swept across the conservatory in front of us. It seared along the edge of Malcolm’s water magic shield, but the shield held. A blast of air pushed the fire back but fanned the flames overhead.
Despite the now-open roof, I couldn’t tell where anyone was in the dense smoke and flames, other than Moses was on the right, judging by the direction the wall of fire came from.
“Let them kill each other,” Sean said in my ear, his voice half growl. “Let’s get out of here while we can, before the house catches fire too.”
I pushed at his arm. “I want Murphy dead.”
“If he gets out of this, we’ll kill him in the yard. The whole room is on fire.” He dragged me back toward the doors leading to the house.
Malcolm moved with us, his shield curving over our heads to protect us from the inferno.
“No.” My boots scraped on the tile as I pulled at Sean’s arm around my waist. “I can kill him now, while he’s distracted by Bell.”
“Alice, stop,” Sean snapped, his mouth next to my ear. “I know you want to kill him, but I’m not going to let you kill yourself trying.”
Through the smoke and the blue haze of Malcolm’s shield, I caught a glimpse of someone I thought was Bell to our left. I couldn’t see Moses, but another fireball went past us. Bell deflected it with air magic and it sizzled out against Malcolm’s shield. I fought to free myself from Sean’s grip, but his arm didn’t budge. Blasted werewolf strength.
Malcolm touched my shoulder. Remember what Carly told you, he said urgently. She said your anger would be the cause of Sean nearly dying. I don’t think she was talking about Novak trying to bury him—I think she meant this.
Malcolm’s words broke through my rage and I stopped pulling at Sean’s arm. I looked around us, searching through the thick smoke. “Wait—where’s Ben?” I asked.
Sean snarled. “I can sense him, but he’s unconscious.”
“Forget me,” I ordered him. “Find Ben.”
He growled. “I’m not leaving you.”
My blood magic surged. I pushed it back and instead reached for Malcolm’s water magic, using the amulet Carly had given me.
“Alice, wait—the shield!” Malcolm shouted.
“Hold the shield and brace yourself,” I told him.
I didn’t have as much experience with water magic as my ghost, but I felt water in the ground beneath us. Maybe there was a watering system in the conservatory. There was more water nearby—possibly a creek, or a small underground reservoir. Using Malcolm as a conduit, I pulled the water to me as if I was drawing in my air magic. Malcolm’s eyes glowed bright blue.
A geyser erupted through the floor of the conservatory. I spun the water into a vortex and pushed more magic into the storm. It would have to be powerful to have a chance at putting out Moses’s magic-enhanced fire.
I felt a strange coldness and realized Malcolm had lowered the temperature of the water to nearly freezing. The shield around us flickered and heat rolled over us. He was using too much power. If he didn’t stop, he could burn himself out.
“Alice, throw it now,” he yelled.
I cast the icy water across the conservatory in a burst of water magic. Malcolm’s shield died just as the water extinguished the fire around us. Freezing-cold water filled my nose and mouth and I couldn’t get any air, but I didn’t stop pulling water from the ground until the last of the fire was out.
I let go of the water and it rained to the floor. The entire interior of the conservatory was destroyed, the plants turned to ash and the patio furniture cindered. All of the glass from the roof lay in pieces around us. Some of the glass on the walls was broken as well and wind blew through the conservatory. We now stood ankle-deep in water. I shivered.
Moses stood in the middle of the ruin, soaked to the skin like the rest of us. Bell and Nora were on the far left side, near one of the side doors. I wondered if they’d been intending to run from the conservatory or had just been trying to put a wall to their back, as Sean had done by backing us up against the house wall. One of Bell’s sleeves had been burned away and his arm had what looked like second-degree burns. To my disappointment, Nora appeared unscathed.
Sean stepped forward, his fury so intense that it blasted my skin like a sandstorm. “Where is Ben?” he snarled.
I looked around, my uneasiness growing. “Where’s Kade?”
No one answered us. Bell and Moses were focused on each other.
Bell took a step toward Moses, his expression somewhere between anger and desperation. “Take Alice and go,” he said, clearly hoping Moses would take his prize and leave without killing him.
Moses’s expression didn’t change. His gaze flicked to Nora, who stood behind Bell. Without hesitation, Nora formed a blood magic blade and drove it through Bell’s back and out his abdomen. Blood sprayed out and Bell grunted.
Nora withdrew her blade and Bell went down, his spine severed. Blood ran from his mouth as he stared up at his lieutenant in shock.
Moses went to Bell and stood over him. Nora moved around to Moses’s right. The significance of her position was clear: Nora was now Moses’s lieutenant, and she wanted Bell to see that before he died.
I remembered what Charles had said at our meeting the other night about a turncoat in Bell’s organization. I guessed now we knew who it was.
Malcolm touched my shoulder. Didn’t see that coming, he said in my head.
“Thank you for arranging this meeting,” Moses said. “Allow me to
show my gratitude by giving you a quick death.”
Bell spasmed weakly, the air gurgling audibly in his chest. He took one last breath and went still.
“Murphy,” I said, my voice cold. “Where are Kade and Ben?”
He inclined his head, indicating the yard outside. “Aboard my helo. You and I are quite overdue for a conversation and I don’t want any interruptions. If anyone makes any move against me, the wolf takes one silver bullet for every ten seconds it takes me to get to the helicopter. Are we clear?”
Amira stepped back into the conservatory from the house, flanked by her Hunters. Behind her were Matthias and Arkady. Amira must have broken the sleep spell Nora had used.
Arkady’s fiery eyes met mine. Unless I was much mistaken, her fury was directed at Amira. If I had to guess, it was because Amira hadn’t intervened during the fight between Moses and Bell or gotten me to safety in the house.
“This situation is not acceptable to the Court,” Amira said. Dark magic made the air feel thick and hard to breathe. “You will release the wolf immediately and depart.”
“I will speak with Alice,” Moses countered. “You have no authority here, vampire. This property belongs to me. I will depart shortly, but not until I conclude my business. In the interest of future joint endeavors between the Court and my organization, which now controls certain businesses in this city, I suggest you allow me to say what I have come here to say.”
Silence. Amira’s head tilted slightly. She was probably conferring with Valas.
Bell was dead. Moses would be taking over and running Bell’s criminal empire now. I felt like throwing up.
Finally, the vampire inclined her head. “You may speak to Alice. No harm may befall her.”
