“This is different. Let me do that.” Taking my foot in his hand, he started to undo the tiny buckles.
“How is it different?”
“It is,” he explained, his voice low enough to be a growl. “He picked this fight, now he’ll deal with the consequences.” Removing the broken shoe, Harrison paused and looked up at me. “Would you go with him and leave me standing here alone?”
“Yes. I have to help him.” Lex was facing a roomful of vampires, without his guardian magic to protect him. I had to get back there before they tore him apart.
Without another word Zach removed my other shoe, and then hauled me to my feet. Once again he tried to drag me along with him, but I put up a stronger fight now that I had more traction.
“Catherine, even if I could help him, I still would not let you leave with him, now walk.”
Unwilling to leave Lex to his fate, I switched tactics, snatching up the nearest piece of sculpture and hitting Zach with it as hard as I could. He staggered and dropped my arm, and the sculpture cracked and broke into several large pieces. Really, for a few grand you think it’d be more durable. An echo of pain shot through my skull as fragments of the piece fell from my hands. Cursing, I whirled and ran back toward the fray.
A circle of wary spectators had formed around Lex and Laura, and as I shoved my way through the onlookers it looked like she wasn’t doing very well. Wielding his two short swords, Lex kept her at bay. The blades were covered in a spiky sheen of ice, just as my rapier had been during the battle in the courtyard of Silverleaf castle. The two combatants were each cut up, but no major wounds. Damn impressive on Lex’s part.
Laura’s back was to me as she concentrated on Lex, and I paused, glancing around for a makeshift weapon. Snatching up a half-empty bottle of water, I whispered a quick spell as I formed a ball of ice in my hand. Winding up like a major league pitcher, I hurled it at her, hitting Lovely Laura in the back of her blonde head. The vampire stumbled, surprised, and turned to face me. She stepped toward me, hatred blazing in her pale eyes, and then those eyes widened in shock as the tip of one of Lex’s swords erupted from her chest. Laura let out a squeaky wail of disbelief.
“Give my regards to Dorian,” I said as I watched Lovely Laura Barrenheart crumple. The fiery hatred in her eyes faded as she collapsed, and I managed to get in one spiteful kick before I was shoved out of the way. I stumbled and fell, sprawled awkwardly on the floor.
“No!” Harrison’s anguished cry echoed through the gallery. With the councilwoman fallen, the surrounding minions scattered from the room like rats escaping a sinking ship. Someone tugged me to my feet, and I looked up to see Mac standing behind me. He dragged me off to the side, ducking behind the dubious protection of Simon St. Jerome and his vampire friend Michael Black, who stood watching the drama unfold like two critics observing a play. Aside from Zach and Lex, we were the only people left in the room.
Harrison stood over Laura’s body, torn between mourning her loss and keeping a wary eye on her killer. Lex circled him, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
“You have no idea what you’ve done,” Zach said quietly.
“True, I’m sure you know her crimes better than I do,” Lex agreed.
“What do you hope to accomplish here? Prove your devotion to your lady fair? Wouldn’t it have made more sense to ride to her rescue a bit sooner than the night before she was free to go?”
“I heard you were goin’ to show off Cat like the newest piece in your collection, so I wanted to make sure your vamp buddies didn’t get the wrong idea.”
“And you showed up to prove your ownership instead? How Cro-Magnon of you. Will you be dragging her back to your cave next?”
I hated to admit it, but the vampire had a point. “Will you both cut it out? The wicked witch is dead, she had it comin’, I say we call it a night.”
“No!” both men replied.
“Oh, for the love of-” I started, but was interrupted by the undead peanut gallery.
“Hmm. Harrison knows, and yet he’s still fighting it,” Simon commented to his companion. “I think that’s very interesting, don’t you?”
“Yes, quite,” Michael agreed.
“Knows what?” I asked.
“That you and Duquesne are soul mates, of course,” Simon answered.
“Well duh, apparently everyone knows that,” I muttered, grimacing in annoyance.
“Lord Wroth, Mr. Black. I take it you are enjoying your view,” Zach said dryly as he glanced at them.
“Indeed, though this is not terribly original of you, I have witnessed this sort of drama before,” Simon replied.
“You have?” I’d hate to think my adventure was just another day at the vampire office.
“My apologies, Miss Morrow. The drama in question is not an unfamiliar story: A newly made vampire so terrified at the thought of eternity alone that he is desperate to keep his stolen damsel with him, even as her knight is pounding down the doors to his lair.”
“I object to being accused of something so cliché. I think my reasoning is quite sound. I might add that you are treading perilously close to interfering, St. Jerome.”
“I’m merely having a talk with the new Titania.” Spreading his hands in a placating gesture, he smiled. “Though I should add that it is a rather despicable specimen who would knowingly keep a lady from her soul mate.”
“I need her,” Zach growled. A shiver ran down my spine, and I grabbed Mac’s hand.
“For what?” I asked. “You already put the necro-whammy on me. You said I could leave, and now none of your guests are here to witness whatever happens. Just let us go.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let a council member’s murderer waltz away from the scene of the crime,” Zach argued.
“Well, then you’ll just have to stop me,” Lex countered, and then lunged at him.
The two men moved with inhuman speed, a blur in the center of the room. With no weapon, Harrison fought with teeth and claws, and for the first time I was able to see him as a true monster. Lex caught him high across the chest, tearing a slash through Zach’s suit, and a line of pain seared me in the same place. Gasping, I fell to my knees, still clinging to Mac’s hand.
“Cat!” Mac exclaimed. “What’s wrong?”
I placed my hand above the plunging neckline of my dress, and slick, warm blood coated my fingers. Kneeling next to me, Simon drew my hand away and examined the wound.
“Of all the foolish, irresponsible-” he sputtered. “Idiot boy.” Rising to his feet, he turned to Michael. “Duquesne needs to be stopped, or he’ll kill her along with Harrison.”
Those were words I certainly didn’t want to hear-Lex was mad enough to send Harrison straight to hell, and I didn’t want to get dragged down with him. I watched as the two men continued to fight, two black-clad blurs that darted back and forth across the floor. I wasn’t sure if it was Harrison ’s blood in my veins or whatever attunement he said we shared, but I felt every scratch, every bruise, every wound that the vampire endured.
Lex’s blade cut a deep slash across Zach’s torso, and I doubled over in agony. A blast of arctic air crashed into Harrison, and the vampire tumbled backward. Clutching his stomach as he lay in a crumpled ball, Harrison seemed defeated, and Lex advanced to deliver a killing blow. Seeing an opening, I stumbled between them and threw my arms out wide.
“Stop it!” I shouted. “That’s enough!”
Lex tried to move around me, but I grabbed him. “Lord and Lady, will you stand still. You’re hitting me too, jackass.”
He frowned, noticing my bloodstained dress. “Cat…what happened?”
“You can’t kill him, apparently it’ll kill me too. He did some weird vampire wooj to me and now we’re stuck with each other.”
Lex shot a wary look at the fallen vampire, and then sheathed his weapons. I threw my arms around him and he held me close. I felt instantly better, as though Lex’s very presence chased away my aches and pains.