Chapter 39
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
MIKO
James in his chestnut-brown wolf form took down two of the blood magi quickly, jaw tearing throats, claws shredding through the fuckers. The third magi dropped his spell, crying out in panic.
Free from his magic, I swept my legs, taking Lance down. The gun fired, then hit the floor.
“Master!” the magi screamed.
James took him down.
Lance rolled, reaching for the gun. I slammed my boot down on his hand, breaking bones.
He roared, delivering a nasty punch to my shin. I buckled; he rolled away in the opposite direction of his gun and leaped to his feet, launching himself at me.
We went down in a crash, punching, kicking, him trying to bite my nose off.
I head-butted the prick, bringing a knee up into his dick.
He tumbled off in pain but sprang back to his knees and went to kick me in the face.
I dodged, grabbing his leg. He kicked free, spinning out of range like a deranged ballerina.
James came to my side, still in his wolf form.
You good? he asked, mind to mind.
Out of wolf form, I could only answer with a nod.
Blood ran down Lance’s chin, his eyes darting between us. “I’ll kill you both so fucking slowly.”
Footsteps. The cavalry?
Cherries…
“Miko!” Orion cried from behind me.
“Vampire?” Lance questioned, forehead creasing.
“Lance,” a cold voice responded. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
“Why would I?”
“I have a message for the first son of the blood.”
Trev?
He walked over with heavy stomps and put a hand on my shoulder, my body spinning to face the violet troll.
Did he have white eyes before this?
“I have a message for the first son of the blood,” he said again. “Listen well.”
What the fuck?
“The test is passed. Miko Reyes, you are the first son of the blood giver. Your father’s blood flows in Dawn.
He is the maker. The blood of his blood ends Dawn.
You are the only blood. You are the first and only son.
Give your blood to end this curse. All your blood.
Your life for Dawn’s ending. The heart of Dawn lies deep within the Chiltern Hills.
Dunstable Downs, Bedfordshire. The bench marked with the name of Rose Dale beside the old café is the door to the secret depths. Open the door, step into the heart.”
Trev released me, his eyes returning to normal. He grabbed the bridge of his nose. “Shit…”
His words rattled in my brain, slamming into my inner walls to make themselves known second after second.
Give your blood to end this curse. All your blood. Your life for Dawn’s ending.
I drifted into numbness, as light as air, staring at the troll.
My life?
My dad? He was… He was the maker of Dawn? How? That couldn’t be right. My dad wasn’t… He wouldn’t…
I fell to my knees, a vicious weight shoving me down.
“Dad…”
My life for the end.
My life for a better world.
“Dad…”
“Miko…” I heard Orion’s voice above me, felt his body next to mine.
Thump, thump.
My life for the end.
Thump, thump.
The fae crouched beside me, his arm across my bare shoulders. “We have to get out of here.” A soft whisper full of cracked confusion.
Lance cackled. “Well, well, well. What an interesting turn this has taken. The oracle mark was real all along. Thanks for the information, troll.”
Trev was silent.
“You speak as if you’re going somewhere,” the vampire responded. “We’re not done here.”
“But I think we are,” Lance said. “At least for now.”
He pulled a knife, throwing it before the vampire reached him. At first, I thought he’d hit me. I heard it whistle through the air and make contact with a fleshy surface. When the pain didn’t come, I knew I hadn’t been the target.
“Stars…”
Orion listed to the side, the dagger buried to the hilt in his stomach.
I caught him before his head smacked the floor.