Chapter 26
PHAEDRA
Two days before the matches begin, Jamison and I stand in a small temporary apartment in the vampire city of Vanescue, waiting for things to start.
Jamison thought it best to be close to the meeting point instead of trying to portal in from outside the city.
Normally, we’d stand out in the predominantly vampire stronghold, but right now, the city is full of supernaturals who are either curious about the matches or have a stake in the outcome.
As the event draws nearer, the buzz of excitement in the air increases, which is good for us.
It will help hide this little meeting of ours.
Jamison slips his phone into his pocket. “Mathias is heading to the meeting point. We leave in two minutes.” He looks over at me. “Ready?”
Adrenaline pumps through my veins like an electrical charge as I heft my backpack onto my shoulder.
Several trinkets clink against each other—back-ups in case the curses I have stashed on my body don’t do the job.
I caress the pin attached to the underside of my wrist and say a little prayer to Athena for her blessing. Couldn’t hurt.
Gatlin’s voice comes over the comms in my ears. “In position. Mathias approaching now.”
Hawthorne also checks in. “Ten o’clock. Caron, Mercer, and—based on the photo we have—Bennett, heading toward the meeting point. Moving to intercept.”
We needed to provide Caron and Mercer with a way out so they aren’t forced to fight us.
One of Hawthorne’s Fae contacts was happy to oblige by providing him with a glamour.
Caron’s father is Osian, the Elven councilmember, and someone who would likely attend this event, so he chose to impersonate him.
Caron gave him a few pointers to help him pass Bennett’s scrutiny.
Through the comms, we hear Hawthorne call out Caron’s name, while ignoring Mercer and Bennett. Apparently, that’s typical of the arrogant elf, something that pissed Hawthorne off tremendously.
Gatlin, watching the exchange, gives us an update. “Bennett is looking increasingly irritated. Mercer’s wearing a pissed-off expression. Caron’s amused.” He’s silent for a second. “Bennett is whispering something in Mercer’s ear. She’s nodding. She’s holding up a finger, but he’s shaking his head.”
Gatlin continues. “Hawthorne’s pulling Caron to the side. Mercer is standing halfway between the two. Bennett’s glancing at his watch.”
“Come on,” I murmur, hoping his impatience will get the best of him.
Jamison’s phone pings with a text from Mathias. He’s in place.
“We need to leave,” Jamison announces, the lines around his eyes tight with concern. It takes us a second to portal from our location to the meeting point. We step out, and Mathias pivots, swords ready.
Only his eyes are recognizable behind his dark glasses. Bits of grey cling to his black strands, giving him a distinguished, older look. A close-clipped beard hides his strong jaw and firm lips. Padding gives him the appearance of massive shoulders and a thicker midsection. It’s a good disguise.
His eyes meet mine, and for the first time, I can read them. He’s worried. To be fair, Jamison told me he wasn’t a fan of this plan.
“Update?” Jamison asks.
I look around the location they chose. Enclosed by three brick walls, it’s a courtyard of some sort but with a canopy on it.
Maybe to shield people from the sun? Agos is always instructing me on the importance of memorizing the entrances and exits and noting any potential weapons.
I scan the space. One exit. A liquor bottle under a nearby bench. A couple of large rocks.
“Bennett’s on his way. Alone,” Gatlin says over the comms.
Mathias pulls out a replica of the panel the vampires have in their possession. A copy of a copy. He didn’t want to chance trying to get the real thing. That and we don’t actually know which vampire has the panels yet. “This should be sufficient to pass at first glance.”
“At the entrance,” Gatlin’s voice murmurs. “Shit. Six vampires have materialized out of thin air. On my way.”
We hear Hawthorne’s expletive, then his harsh breath also fills our ears.
Jamison grabs my hand and opens a portal, but a burst of magic from behind shuts it down before we can enter. Whirling around, he signals to Mathias, and the two of them spread out.
“Stay behind me,” Jamison orders, magic swirling around his hands.
Moving into place behind him, I slip my hand into my backpack and pull out my gun and the strand of pearls I found a couple of days ago.
I’m less concerned with Bennett’s magic than I am with the vampires’ speed and strength.
Tucking the pearls into my jeans, I caress them lightly, absorbing the decapitation curse, then take a stance.
The first three vampires enter. Mathias engages the first two immediately. Swords sing, and their figures blur. They’re moving so fast I can’t see who’s got the upper hand. The other vampire watches them for a second before moving toward Jamison and me.
Bennett strides forward, a confident smile on his face, and magic meets magic in a clash of power. His eyes shift to mine briefly, and I’m startled to see how similar they are to Jamison’s. Then his attention shifts, focusing on the battle between him and Jamison.
I don’t get to watch them for long as the third vampire moves in, his red gaze locked on me.
With a flick of his hand, Jamison sends him flying back to the entrance and into the last three of the six vampires. The four smash into each other, but they’re up and moving in a microsecond.
A body falls, and my heart stops, but I quickly realize it’s one of the first vampires. Mathias’ sword slices off his head, but he doesn’t have time to rest. The other vampire doubles his efforts.
Gatlin enters, tackling one of the other vampires to the ground.
The red-headed vampire shoves him off and sends him stumbling back a couple of feet.
Another vampire sneaks up behind him and wraps his arms tightly around Gatlin, and I can tell he’s trying to squeeze him to death. Gatlin grunts, then his skin hardens.
A hand grips my head and pulls it back. Pain shoots up the base of my skull.
Damn. While I was watching Gatlin, I forgot to track the other vampire.
He looks down at me and opens his mouth.
I slide a finger across his neck using the curse.
His head detaches from his body. Blood squirts all over me, and I grimace, but that’s at least two down.
Magic streaks across my bicep but dissipates quickly. I dart a glance at Bennett. His head is tilted as his gaze moves from my arm to my face and back again. It’s obvious he’s trying to understand why the magic didn’t work on me.
Magic envelops me, like a thick membrane, and I brush it away. When I look at Bennett, there’s a stunned look on his face. I guess my secret’s out.
Hawthorne enters and grabs one of the vampires attacking Gatlin. A staff appears in his hand with a lethal-looking blade on each end, and he proceeds to engage in battle.
The vampire fighting Gatlin steps a bit too close, and in a swift gesture, he shifts his hand into an eagle talon and slices his head off.
Three vampires down. Three to go. Much better odds. Gatlin, Mathias, and Hawthorne split the remaining between them.
Jamison curses, turning fast beside me, but he’s too late. Air rushes from my lungs as a body slams into mine. Confused, I look up and see Bennett’s triumphant grin above me. I slam my hands on his chest and hold them there as the curse reaches inside and triggers a heart attack.
Bennett grabs his chest, and in the light, I see his mouth twist in pain. He mutters a few words, takes a deep breath, then laughs. “Good try.”
The curses aren’t foolproof. Apparently, the next one I use needs to be lethal…
All of a sudden, my chest tightens, and I press a hand to it. Sweat breaks out on my brow. Confused, I stare at him. Pain spreads from my left arm to my chest, and I realize what’s happening. He’s turned the curse against me. He laughs.
Jamison shouts in the background, and I grit my teeth and slowly turn my head to look at him. He’s pounding on air. My brow furrows. I hear another voice on the other side and glance over to see Mathias’ furious expression.
Bennett dips his head closer and licks my face. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a very long time. I didn’t realize you’d be immune to my magic. What an exhilarating challenge.” There’s an edge of maniacal excitement to his voice.
I look past him to Gatlin, who’s staring at him with death in his eyes.
Bennett lowers his mouth to my ear. “Can you die? There’s so little information about you in this world. Scraps.” He waits for me to say something, but I’m too busy fighting not to succumb to the pain.
My heart falters, and Mathias roars.
“Interesting,” Bennett says, flicking a look over his shoulder. “I didn’t realize he’d be able to hear your heart.” He turns back to me. “I’m guessing you can’t die. After all, three thousand years is a long, long time. Certainly more than any mage will ever get.”
The world begins to darken, and I raise my hand to Bennett’s chest. “Don’t be jealous.” Twisting my wrist, the small stiletto I keep hidden springs out and slides like butter between two ribs, puncturing his lung.
His breath catches, and the magic around us wavers.
Jamison’s ready. His magic punches through the barrier like a freight train. He wraps it around Bennett and hoists him into the air.
Mathias pulls me into his arms, his hands moving frantically over my body. “I can hear your heart. It’s erratic. Stopping and starting. What’s happening?”
I stretch up and place my lips by his ear. “He turned my curse against me. Heart attack. Remember what I told you.” My heart stutters, barely beating.
Gatlin curses and shouts, “Incoming!”
I’m weak, barely able to turn my head, but it’s hard to miss the horde of uniformed vampires pouring into the space. Guards.
Jamison opens a portal and yells for everyone to retreat. Hawthorne and Gatlin move closer to him, battling to keep the new vampires from reaching us. Mathias grips me tighter.
Bennett’s magic whips out and strikes Jamison while he’s distracted. As he falls to the ground, Bennett disappears into thin air. Or so it seems. I peer into the dim light and realize it’s one of the translucent portals Harlequin uses. That must be how he got to me so fast.
I open my mouth to warn Mathias, but it’s too late. Bennett appears behind him, pressing a knife to his throat.
Mathias lays me gently on the ground, then raises his hands. In a blur, he grabs the knife, then hisses when it burns his hands.
“I’m not stupid,” Bennett tells him. “Warded against your kind. Pick her up.”
Mathias looks at me and shakes his head. He nods at Hawthorne and Gatlin.
Pain lances through me and squeezes my heart. I only have a minute or two. Damn it, I’m so pissed off. We have one play. I reach over and grab Mathias.
“Do…it,” I whisper, barely able to speak.
Dark brows pull together, and he shakes his head. Instead, he presses against Bennett, trying to get him to back up. The knife singes his neck, but he ignores the pain.
Jamison shouts, and I lift my head to see Hawthorne go down. Gatlin picks him up and kind of throws him back toward Jamison. The vampires are beginning to swarm them and us.
“Go,” I tell Jamison, but he shakes his head.
Gatlin looks around at everything, then looks at me.
There’s a mountain of emotion in his eyes, but his jaw locks, and he looks at Mathias.
The two of them communicate silently for a second, then Mathias reaches into his pocket and pulls out the stylus he uses to create portals.
In a flash, a portal opens behind the three of them.
Jamison roars, his magic flaring wildly, but Gatlin shoves the three of them backward, and they disappear into the bright light.
Mathias slips the stylus into his pocket and reaches down to pick me up.
My heart beats once, twice, then blackness descends.