Chapter 37
37
EVANGELINE
I slipped my heels off and raced barefoot after Malachi down the corridor, flashing past panicked guests and Knightsguard locked in brutal clashes with yet another revenant accompanied by even more masked attackers.
There were so many.
How had they all gotten past Aria’s supposedly impenetrable wards?
Behind me, someone shouted my name, but I kept moving, keeping my prey in sight, a silver dagger clenched in each hand. This reminded me of the old days, hunting vampires through the darkened streets of Thorndale and I acknowledged my fear was edged with a thrill of excitement.
Tonight had been an epic failure on Malachi’s part, and I was dying to see his face when I finally confronted him. Stabbed one of these daggers through his heart.
Told him he was through .
Besides, I was safe enough. There were plenty of Knightsguard around, staff fleeing along the corridor with me, guests from the coronation dodging into alcoves and closets.
I paused long enough to run my blade through the layers of skirting, cutting it off mid-thigh.
The stuff sprang straight up so I looked like a fucking ballerina—especially with this stupid tiara—then Malachi’s blond head bobbed through the melee and I was flying, the tulle bouncing around me.
The fighting grew more intense, the hallway air thickening with the sound of blades clashing and the sharp, metallic scent of blood, but I kept my eyes on Malachi as he navigated the chaos, unfazed by the battles around us. But when I turned yet another corner, ready to confront him, I lost my breath. Valaine blocked my path, his eyes gleaming with that cold, familiar malice as I skidded to a stop.
“Evangeline,” his voice dripped with satisfaction. “I was hoping I’d run into you.”
Every instinct told me to back away, to run, but resolve hardened me.
This time, I wasn’t weakened from blood loss or outnumbered.
This time…I was his equal .
I gripped my knives tighter, crouching down, my bare feet solid against the rough stone floor. I wished I wasn’t in a ball gown and a fucking tiara. I wished I had more weapons. But I’d fought under worse conditions and now…I’d fed. I was strong. And I was dying for payback.
“What are you doing here, walking dead?”
He raised an eyebrow, almost amused. “Let’s call this…a family reunion. Your sire wants a word with you.”
“Yeah, well, Silas can fuck all the way off. Tell him he botched his last attempt and he’ll fail this time, too.”
The next instant we lunged, and I parried his perfect strike with the edge of my knife. We clashed in a vicious back-and-forth, each steely blow ringing down the deserted hallway. Valaine was faster and older, his strength honed by centuries, but I held my own, using every ounce of speed and skill beaten into me over the years .
Feeding from my mate so recently had advantages. A deep well of strength I drew from, giving every blow extra power, every dodge a quickness I only dreamed of as a human.
My second knife caught him across the cheek, sent him stumbling back with a hiss. For a moment, I had the advantage. But faster than the blink of an eye, he caught my wrist, twisting until I gasped, my weapon clattering to the floor. I kicked, aiming for his knee, missing as he yanked me sideways.
“You fight better than expected,” he sneered, “but this was only going to end one way.”
“This ends with you dead.” I gritted my teeth, heart pounding as I struggled against his iron grip. “What’s the real reason you’re here, Valaine?”
He leaned close, his smile cold. “The battle in the ballroom? Only a distraction.”
A chill ran through me. “You’re really working for them. For Collum. For my father .” The realization hit me like a slap. “All of you are working together to take the throne away from Riordan.”
“That’s part of it. Not all, but part.”
“You want to go back to how things used to be.” I murmured, “Collum on the throne…”
“And me, back in my dungeons with your father enforcing our will out in the world. The mighty Silas Silverwood, slaying our enemies for a pittance of coin.” He mocked, “a system that has worked for many, many centuries. And you, sweet Evangeline, you will end up right where you were destined to be, strapped to one of my tables.” He ran one of those sharp nails down my face, leaving a sting of pain. “How prettily you’ll bleed for me.”
“Yeah, well, you can fuck right off, you ghoul.” I stabbed my other knife down into his thigh, driving the blade deep enough to hit bone. The next thing I knew I was on my back, and that ghoul’s weight was pinning me down.
“This is over.” Valaine hissed, gamey breath washing over my face. “Your precious king will die, and I will purge this castle of every last soul.” His scarred face rippled, lips spreading into a grotesque grin as I shoved and kicked, tried to put some distance between me and those too-pointed teeth. “Including that pretty little sister of yours. But don’t worry, Collum has promised to take good care of her.”
The bastard’s weight shifted, pressing down harder as he yanked my knife from his thigh and laid the cold edge across my throat. “You and I will become good friends, slayer. After what you did to poor Alistair, your father has given me free rein. The only stipulation is you survive my tortures.” He dragged the tip of the knife over my breast, leaving a thin, stinging mark.
Blood scent perfumed the air and he licked his lips.
Then plunged the knife straight through my shoulder, twisting to penetrate the cavity under my clavicle. He ripped the blade out, eyes gleaming as he ran his tongue along the dripping edge. Every instinct screamed for me to break free, but I couldn’t shove him off, panic ripping the last of my hope into pieces. Valaine’s expression turned triumphant, hand gripping me tighter as I writhed, sure he was about to dematerialize me out of here.
Then a familiar voice drawled, in a tone colder than ice, “Well, look at you two, so cozy. You’re not supposed to be here, Valaine.”
Malachi ambled down the hall, hands in his pockets, danger glittering in his eyes. Valaine’s grip loosened, enough for me to stumble away, putting as much distance between us as possible .
Malachi’s hand shot out, sending out a thick, thundering stream of power into the narrow space, and Valaine hissed.
The second his effervescent magic touched me, the hallway transformed. Cold stone walls turned into a shadowed midnight path through the woods, complete with the melodic trilling of frogs. Even the air smelled alive, ripe with moisture and new leaves and night-blooming flowers.
Glamour. That was Malachi’s power . Then just as quickly, the vision faded and I stood once more in Darkmore’s dank corridor.
Valaine cursed, back on his feet, his eyes narrowing. “You have no idea what you’re interfering with, Draven.”
Malachi laughed softly, eyes flicking over me with cool amusement until he saw my bleeding shoulder, his lips pinching together. “Oh, I know exactly what I’m interfering with , you sick fuck.” His gaze sharpened. “And I don’t take kindly to anyone touching my associates.”
Every part of him sharpened to a wicked point when he uttered that word— touched —filled with such pure, unadulterated hate.
“Your associate?” I figured Valaine would scoff at such a ridiculous claim, but he looked a little shaken, gaze tracking back over me. “Collum won’t much like that.”
“Collum can go fuck himself. As can you.” His face brightened. “I should have finished the job that night. The world would be a better place without you drawing the same air as the rest of us.”
Valaine’s face twisted in rage, before he lunged, but Malachi was faster, striking out with lethal precision. Draven had honestly never seemed like much of a fighter to me. He was all mouth, and normally the talkers were the first to run, but God, could he move.
They traded blow for blow, both of them moving with practiced ease, lithe and graceful, with none of the crushing brute force of Blake, or Riordan’s dark, shuddering magic. This was well-honed skill in action, and I watched, mouth hanging open, blood soaking the top of my dress.
Valaine gripped my knife in one hand, his curved blade in the other and even as lethal as he was, he never landed a single blow. A second later, a bloodied, struggling Valaine lay on the ground, pinned by Malachi’s boot, both his weapons lying beside him as Malachi wound a coil of that odd looking glamour around Valaine’s throat.
“Please get the knives, Evangeline.” Cursing myself for a fool, I dashed forward, picked them up.
Malachi tightened his magical noose as Valaine spluttered and fought for air. “You see, Evangeline, magic is a powerful tool in our world. Those that have it rise, those that don’t…fall. Makes you wonder how your precious Blake will fare without his powers, doesn’t it?”
The taunt struck me deeper than I’d expected. Blake couldn’t reach me tonight in the crowd, not without his magic. He’d been sandwiched between attackers, forced to rely on nothing but his weapons and fists. I couldn’t stand the thought of him being so helpless, especially knowing how much he valued his ability to protect the people he cared about.
“Blake takes care of me just fine.” I said tartly, gripping the knives, even though my right arm was practically numb. “I’d worry about yourself, asshole.”
“Have no worries, Vicious, I always do.”
As Malachi gave the magic around Valaine’s throat one last brutal twist, and the bastard went limp, I made a silent vow. I would beg Aria to give Blake’s magic back, no matter the cost. He deserved to be his strongest self, to be able to protect himself—to protect us all. And no one, especially not a lying, traitorous witch, would stand in the way of that.
“Evangeline.” My name echoed down the hallway, edged in fear as Blake barreled toward us, eyes wild, taking up the entire breadth of the hall.
“I sense trouble at home.” Malachi muttered, half beneath his breath. “Whatever could you have done to enrage your mate so, Vicious?”
“Fuck off.” I hissed, dropping the knives. My right hand was too numb, anyway, and Valaine… I snuck a peak. The bastard was unconscious. Maybe dead, if we were lucky.
“Blake Marten.” Malachi greeted, with mocking bravado. “Here to save the day.” His gaze slid to me, bloodied, bruised, a complete mess. “And your mate, of course.” He spooled his magic back in, then nudged Valaine’s body with his toe.
“You missed the highlights, but better late than never.” He straightened the lapels of his jacket and stepped over Valaine, grinning at the low, feral growl rumbling in Blake’s chest. “Since you are here, clean this mess up for me, will you? I have people yet to see tonight.”
Malachi disappeared in a flash of sparks—burgundy and gold, clearly another jab at tonight’s festivities—leaving me alone with my pissed off mate and a hopefully dead Valaine.
“I told you not to leave the ballroom.” Blake’s incandescent anger rolled over my skin, through my insides, turning my apology to ash. “I told you not to leave my fucking sight, Evangeline. ”
I glanced down at the heap of worthless flesh and restrained myself from kicking him. Now might be a good time for Valaine to reanimate and save me from this conversation that I so did not want to have.
“I saw Malachi’s face when everyone bowed before Riordan.” I kept my voice low. “He wants more than revenge. He wants the throne.”
“No fucking shit he wants the throne.” Unlike me, Blake made no effort to keep his voice down. “And that was a good reason for you to charge off into the fucking castle, by yourself, while a coup was taking place?” He stepped closer, rage rolling off him in waves. “There are currently two fucking revenants loose inside these walls, Evangeline. Two . And I had no fucking idea where you were.” His voice dropped to a raspy whisper. “Do you have any idea what it was like, to know this castle is filled with our enemies, and have no idea if you were alive?”
“I…” I hung my head. “I’m sorry. I thought…if I followed Malachi, I might, I don’t know, find out who was behind all of this tonight. Something solid to bring to Riordan.”
“And what did you find out?”
“That…”
The reek of scorched flesh hit my nose, my nape prickling as we turned back the way Malachi had disappeared. But instead of a smart mouthed blond vampire, the hulking mass of a revenant packed the entire opening, mouth dripping saliva, a deep, gaping burn seared into its thick hide.
The stench made my eyes burn, and I bent and picked up Valaine’s curved knife, numb fingers fumbling as I kept my eyes on the threat prowling ever so slowly toward us.
“Evie.” Blake shifted until he was between me and the beast. “I need you to move slowly behind me. Find a room and lock yourself inside. I’ll lead this thing outside onto the grounds, where Nash and his men can kill it.”
“That’s a shit plan. I’ve seen these things run. You’ll never stay ahead of it.”
“Do what I say and stop arguing.”
“Stop giving me orders you already know I won’t follow.” I snapped. “It’s a waste of our time.” As one, we retreated, putting Valaine’s bleeding body between us and the drooling threat.
Maybe the thing will eat him. Two birds, one stone.
That would still leave the revenant, Evie. Not a good solution.
Well, it would be a fitting ending for Valaine, anyway , I grumped, taking another careful, slow step backwards, realizing far too late I was covered in blood. Mostly my blood, but also blood from the attack in the ballroom, Valaine’s blood from where I’d stabbed him.
I probably smelled like a snack, those gross, disgusting nose flaps slapping open and closed with a moist, snotty sound. And the smell…rotting flesh and seared meat simply didn’t mix.
Part of me leapt in joy when the revenant stopped, dropped its head and sniffed at Valaine, nosing at him like a dog until he flipped the bastard limply onto his back.
Take a bite. Just one little bite. Come on, I know you want to.
Beside me, Blake snorted, and the creature’s head snapped up, beady little eyes fixed back on us as the beast abandoned Valaine for fresh, moving prey.
Run, Evangeline. Stop being stubborn and fucking listen to me for once.
I won’t leave you to face this thing alone, Blake. Every part of me was shaking as the revenant closed the distance between us, but I wasn’t abandoning him. Stubborn, maybe. Foolish, definitely. But I wasn’t turning my back on my mate, especially not to save myself.
I glanced behind us and my heart stuttered to a stop. Uhm…Blake, we have a problem. Look behind us.
Fuck, that shouldn’t be there. I thought this was… He looked back again, a frown creasing his brow. This corridor should be much longer.
Well, it’s not.
In the darkness, where there should have been a continuation of the corridor, was a solid wall of stone. In twenty more feet, we’d be trapped.
There are ways to kill one of these things, right? I regripped the curved sword, sharp enough to lop off an arm—or a head—in a single blow.
Magic. Or a shit ton of luck, neither of which we have right now.
A tremor of guilt went through me before I shoved that weakness away, running my gaze over him as quickly as I could before returning to the threat before us.
You have a sword and a handgun. I have this. I brandished my weapon. Put a bullet into each eye and I’ll hamstring the thing.
You have an awful lot of faith in my abilities, mate. Warms my heart, really, but those taloned feet have a long reach, and in this closed space, once it gets moving, we won’t be able to keep ahead of it.
Oh God . I closed my eyes and only managed to suck in a deep gulp of revenant breath. Once we were herded into the end of this corridor, with no room to maneuver, this thing would peel us apart.
So we draw it closer . I swallowed. A lot closer.
You and I are having a long talk, Evangeline, when we get through this, about taking reckless chances .
Fine. I scraped my fingernails over the shallow cut on my breast and blood scent filled the air. The revenant’s head snapped up, mouth gaping wider, more disgustingly thick drool spilling between those horrid teeth.
Blake withdrew his gun, flipped the safety off with a faint, metallic click that had the creature pausing, little beady eyes swinging between us, deciding which of us to take a bite of first.
Then everything happened at once.
The revenant lunged, gunshots shattered my overly sensitive eardrums, one shot finding the target, the other blowing a hole in the thing’s cheek. And still, the revenant kept churning down the hallway, a wall of muscle and scaly hide and teeth, Blake and I shoulder to shoulder as we retreated, my mate emptying his entire clip before tossing the gun away.
Apparently, these fucking things didn’t need eyes, because it never stopped. I dropped and rolled, a move I’d done a hundred times in the training camp at White Chapel, but never with so much on the line.
Never in a ballgown with a through and through wound in my shoulder.
Valaine’s sword didn’t disappoint, slicing through the front hamstrings on the revenant’s right leg, then carving a deep furrow through its stomach, agony searing my thigh as a claw caught me on the way past.
The revenant went down in a heap of flailing limbs, every pained grunt making me wince.
I rolled onto my stomach in time to see Blake lift his sword over his head and drive it down through the revenant’s side, all the way to the hilt.
Black, reeking blood flooded the hallway, the creature’s heart emptying out every vein as Blake and I backed away .
When I looked past the beast’s carcass, Valaine was gone, nothing left behind but a faint splattering of blood.
That dead end had been an illusion. The corridor ran for another hundred feet, lined with darkened rooms and lit by chandeliers. Malachi’s magic had fooled us into believing we were trapped.
“He’s dead.” Blake grunted, tugging me around to inspect my shoulder, run his fingers down my face, and only when he was sure I was okay, did he pull me against him and bury his face in my hair. “Fucking dead.”