“I think you’re starting to come around to my thinking,” Rowe whispered as he led the way to the only door in the vast dark basement.
“Hardly. I just don’t take kindly to creatures that try to kill me,” I replied, following close on his heels.
“I’m still here.”
“You don’t want me dead. Otherwise, you would have completed the task centuries ago,” I said smugly, earning a low growl in response. I ignored it, though as I sensed the distinct presence of Stefan and Danaus close by. They had arrived at Veyron’s and were currently seeking entrance into the house. I fully expected Sofia to invite them in. She needed to see to it that the rest of my party was disposed of properly, which would meet with Macaire’s ultimate plan. He wanted Danaus and me dead. Unfortunately, Stefan was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught up in the cross fire.
“Let’s go. They’re here,” I said, giving him a little shove in the middle of his back to keep him moving up the stairs and through the door, which opened into the main hall. I peered through a small crack that Rowe had opened. The light was nearly blinding after walking around in pitch-darkness since awakening that evening. I couldn’t see anyone, but I could hear Sofia’s soft, desperate voice as she pleaded with Danaus and Stefan to help her escape Veyron’s clutches. She claimed that Veyron’s men had grabbed her again during the day and were threatening to kill her. She was plotting something, ensuring that Danaus and Stefan would be entangled in such a way that their deaths would be imminent.
The sound of approaching footsteps caused Rowe to pull back and soundlessly close the basement door. I threw out my senses to find six nightwalkers and three lycanthropes approaching my companions. Sofia was simply the bait in this trap.
“We need to get in there,” I whispered, trying to get around Rowe so I could escape the dark prison.
“Unarmed? We’ll be slaughtered in minutes,” he snapped. “Your friends are surely armed. Let them whittle down their numbers a bit before we go jumping into the fray.”
“Coward! Surely you’re not afraid of a handful of weak nightwalkers and a few pathetic werewolves?” I goaded.
“No! I’m more concerned with the nightwalker I made a deal with stabbing me in the back because it’s convenient. I would prefer to get the numbers down to something more manageable before I go jumping in.”
Laying my hand on the doorknob over his, I took a step up the stair, crowding him. “Remain, if you like. I’m going. But know this, you may be missing your only chance to strike at your kidnappers.”
A low groan followed behind me as I snuck out of the basement and down the hall in my stocking feet. In the light, I could finally see that I was dirty and splattered with my own blood. I hadn’t had the chance to clean up from the new wounds Rowe inflicted on me while I slept. My palm itched to hit him, but it would do no good now. We had to take care of Ferko and Sofia before we left the house. Veyron and the others would have to be taken care of at another time—I was feeling too weak and we needed time to plan.
Rowe and I came upon the same large room where we had met Veyron for the first time. The garden room was ablaze with light, as if trying to cast away the evil spirits that lurked in all the shadowy corners. The wall of windows was black, reflecting back the furniture and occupants of the room. Sofia clung to Danaus’s arm, pleading with him. The hunter placed one hand over hers, comforting her. I nearly set the house on fire. Stefan stood off to the side, looking completely bored.
Nightwalkers and lycanthropes are surrounding you, I warned Stefan. There was no talking to Danaus—his eyes were only on Sofia.
I sense them, he replied blandly.
Then do something useful. Find out where Veyron and Odelia are. She won’t confess to Clarion’s location.
“If we are to help you,” Stefan said to Sofia, not even trying to sound interested, “we need to strike while Veyron is away. Do you know where he has gone?”
“Away. Hunting,” she said in a rushed voice. “But he should be back within the hour. Please, we must hurry before he returns.”
“You’re right. We must hurry,” I said as I walked soundlessly into the room. Rowe stood behind me, capturing Danaus’s dark stare.
“Oh God! She’s escaped!” Sofia cried, tightening her grip on Danaus’s arm. “She came here last night out of her mind. She was trying to kill me, spouting nonsense about evil plots to destroy her. Veyron locked her up in hopes that a good day’s rest would heal her mind. Please, you must protect me!”
Danaus simply stared at me, his face an unreadable mask. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, and I was too scared to touch his thoughts. I didn’t want to know if he believed Sofia. In the end it didn’t matter. Danaus and I were already over, and I was going to kill Sofia.
As I took a step toward Sofia, the nightwalkers and lycanthropes that had been patiently waiting in the wings at her disposal entered the room. Ferko brought a low hiss out of Stefan as he eyed the lycanthrope.
“Leave that one to Stefan,” I said as I laid one hand on Rowe’s shoulder. He stared at Ferko for a couple of seconds, frowning, before he finally nodded his agreement that Stefan would get the alpha. Rowe would make do with the nightwalkers.
Angry and frustrated, I was in no mood for a prolonged armed battle. I waved my hand, intending to set the lot of them on fire, but the flames merely swirled through the air and settled in a ball above Sofia’s head before finally winking from existence.
“Witch,” I snarled.
“You’ll not win this one, Fire Starter,” she said as she took a couple steps away from Danaus. “You are outnumbered and outgunned. Veyron needs you dead and that is what I shall deliver.”
The nightwalkers and lycanthropes charged as one. Rowe launched himself at one nightwalker with lightning-fast agility, while Stefan sought to corner Ferko, tearing apart one lycanthrope in the blink of an eye as he moved to protect his alpha. Three nightwalkers flew at me but suddenly dropped to their knees, clawing at their flesh. A familiar warmth filled the air, brushing against my bare cheek and down my neck. I turned to find Danaus standing with one hand extended toward the nightwalkers, killing them with his special gift.
“Here,” he grunted, tossing me a knife from his belt with his free hand.
With a wide grin I launched myself at the remaining nightwalkers. Slicing through tendons and muscles, crushing bones and lacerating vital organs, I left the nightwalkers shrieking in pain as they lay writhing in a pool of their own blood. They had chosen their path, siding with Veyron, and by extension Macaire. I’d had enough of the Ancient’s games. Washed in their blood, I vowed that I would end this struggle for power with Macaire once and for all. I was tired of dodging shadows and running from every perceived threat, whether real or not. I wanted my life back, and I knew it would start again when I finally took out Macaire.
Placing a hand on the chest of each nightwalker, I set them on fire, ending their suffering as I burned them from the inside out. I was too close and too focused for Sofia to be able to stop me this time. They screamed but for a moment, and then were silent forever.
Sliding easily on the balls of my feet on the blood-covered hardwood floor, I turned to face Sofia, who was watching me through narrowed eyes. Her face was twisted with rage, but she suddenly wiped it clean and turned to Danaus.
“Please, Danaus! She’s gone mad! You have to protect me. The nightwalkers want me dead. I’m just some pathetic human for them to play with,” she cried, clutching his arm again.
“Release him,” I hissed, pushing into a standing position. It took all my will not to set her on fire. “He doesn’t believe you any longer. He knows you’re a witch. He knows you tried to use and trick us.”