Chapter Fifteen
“The fountain is approximately one hundred and forty meters from this window,” Ant said, forcing his exhausted mind to focus on logistics rather than the dull throb behind his eyes.
“Assuming we can reach it without being intercepted by guards, I’ll need roughly twelve seconds to gather enough magical energy to shatter the stone structure and disrupt the talisman network beneath it. ”
Viktor’s brow furrowed. “Twelve seconds is a long time when you’ve got vampires coming at you from all directions.”
“I’m aware.” Ant pulled his hand back from Viktor’s and flexed his fingers, testing his dexterity.
The scene reading had left him drained, his magic reserves were depleted, his head felt stuffed with cotton, and his limbs trembled with fatigue.
But he made a point of going over the event details he learned so he could report on them later.
The facts assembled themselves into neat rows, ready for his official report to the Justiciary.
“You’re doing it again,” Viktor said quietly.
Ant blinked. “Doing what?”
“That thing where you retreat into your head and start organizing everything like you’re filing documents.
” Viktor reached out and gently cupped Ant’s jaw, turning his face so their eyes met.
“You just witnessed a man being murdered, precious. Multiple times, technically. And then Claudius trapped you in a magical torture loop designed to break your mind.”
“The loop was unpleasant,” Ant conceded. “But it failed. I have all the evidence I need to testify.”
“Unpleasant.” Viktor’s laugh was rough and humorless. “You were bleeding from your nose, and your eyes weren’t focusing. I thought…” He cut himself off, his jaw clenching.
Through their bond, Ant felt the sharp edge of Viktor’s fear, the visceral terror that had gripped his mate when he’d seen Ant convulsing in the vision.
He’d always been able to read Viktor’s emotions - it was one of the things that kept their relationship strong, because they didn’t need words to explain how they truly felt.
But somehow it was as if the act of Viktor diving into the magical trap to anchor him had strengthened their connection even more.
“No matter what happened, you saved me,” Ant said simply. “You always do.”
Viktor’s expression softened. “Damn right I do. Don’t mind me, I’ll be fine.”
Ant leaned into Viktor’s body, letting himself rest there for a moment despite the guards lurking somewhere beyond their barricaded door and Claudius plotting their deaths.
I’m not afraid, Ant realized with some surprise.
Theoretically, he knew he should be terrified – at least to some degree.
They were trapped in a hostile environment, severely outnumbered, with no communications or backup.
Claudius had activated the lockdown wards, just as Viktor had feared he would, and they were effectively cut off from everything and everyone except each other.
The fountain that served as the keystone to those wards was protected by centuries of blood magic, and Ant himself was magically and physically exhausted, barely capable of standing, let alone blowing anything up.
By any logical assessment, their situation was catastrophic.
But when Ant looked at Viktor - at the determination in his eyes, and the set of his jaw, and the way he was positioned between Ant and the door even when sitting on the bed - he felt no fear at all.
Only a profound, bone-deep certainty that they would survive.
“What?” Viktor asked, clearly catching the shift in Ant’s emotional state through their bond.
“I trust you,” Ant said. The words came out more vulnerable than he’d intended, but he didn’t take them back. “Completely and without reservation. And I’m not afraid because you’re here with me.”
Viktor went very still, then he made a low sound in his throat and leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Ant’s.
“You’re going to wreck me, you know that?” Viktor’s voice was rough. “Saying shit like that when we’re trapped in my old coven leader’s murder mansion.”
“It’s how I feel, and it needed to be said.
” Ant closed his eyes, breathing in Viktor’s scent.
“You’ve protected me from the moment we met, and you just keep doing it.
I trust you with my life because I can. No matter who you were when you were here originally, you are mine now, and I know you’ll never let me down. ”
“Babe…”
“Also, I love you.” Ant opened his eyes and met Viktor’s startled gaze.
“I don’t say it nearly often enough, but I do.
I know we’d always agreed we didn’t need any mushy sentiment between us, but I still wanted you to know.
And when we’re free from this estate, and Claudius is behind bars, and I don’t feel like I’ve been run over by a freight truck, I’m going to demonstrate exactly how much. ”
Viktor’s pupils dilated, his eyes flashing briefly red before he got himself under control. “You can’t say things like that right now. Not when I can’t…” He cut himself off with a muttered curse. “You’re exhausted. You need rest, not me pawing at you.”
“I’m stating my intentions for the future,” Ant corrected. “Which will motivate both of us to execute the plan efficiently and survive.”
“Efficiently,” Viktor repeated, shaking his head. But he was smiling now, that private smile he only ever showed Ant. “Only you would make fucking saving our lives sound like a project deadline.”
“That’s an accurate assessment.”
Viktor laughed - a real laugh this time - and then leaned in for a kiss. It was nothing like their usual intensity, because Viktor was clearly aware of Ant’s depleted state. But it still made warmth spread through Ant’s chest, chasing away some of the exhaustion.
When Viktor pulled back, his expression had shifted into something more serious.
“Alright, now we’ve done the mushy stuff, let’s make a decent plan.” Viktor glanced toward the barricaded door, then back at Ant. “You said you need twelve seconds at the fountain to destroy the keystone. I can buy you twelve seconds.”
“Against how many vampires?”
“However many Claudius throws at me.” Viktor’s voice was firm. “I’ll go into my second form. That’ll give me the edge I need.”
Viktor’s second form was devastatingly effective, so Ant didn’t have any worries in that regard. “And if Claudius realizes what we’re doing and tries to stop me directly?”
“He won’t get past me.”
“Viktor…”
“He won’t.” Viktor’s eyes flashed red. “I don’t care if he has fifty guards. If he wants to touch you, he goes through me first.”
Ant reached up and brushed his thumb along Viktor’s jaw. “Then we need to time this carefully. If we move during daylight, then while the sun won’t impact you or Claudius, it might have an impact on his guards.”
“Most of his guards are younger vampires,” Viktor said, nodding.
“Maybe two or three centuries old at most. The sun won’t burn them, but they could be less powerful in direct sunlight, making them easier to handle.
The trade-off is that we lose any chance of sneaking because the moment we start moving through the estate, Claudius will know. ”
“Thanks to his wards, he’s going to know anyway, and we’re not sneaking,” Ant said. “We’re going to walk straight out the door and across the grounds to the fountain. I’m not worried about them seeing what we’re doing, I just need time to do it.”
Viktor raised an eyebrow. “That’s ballsy, babe. I like it. But what’s stopping them from just rushing us the second we step outside?”
“Me.” Ant straightened slightly, pulling together the scattered threads of his magic.
He was depleted, yes, but not empty. And thanks to the vision, he had a better idea of the estate’s magical architecture.
“I’ll create a kinetic barrier around us as we move.
It won’t last long, given my current state, but it’ll buy us time to reach the fountain.
Once I start channeling power into the destruction, I won’t be able to maintain the barrier anymore.
That’s when you’ll need to hold them off. ”
“Twelve seconds,” Viktor repeated. “I can do that.”
“The collapse will be violent,” Ant continued, his mind quickly considering any magical consequences.
“When the keystone shatters, the secondary wards will fail. There will be a significant energy discharge - possibly enough to knock everyone within a fifty-meter radius unconscious. We’ll need to be prepared for that. ”
“Will it hurt you?”
“Possibly. But I’ll ground the excess through the estate’s existing ward structure to minimize blowback.
” Ant hesitated. “There’s a non-zero chance the entire manor will sustain structural damage.
The wards have been integrated into the building’s foundation for centuries.
Removing them suddenly could cause partial collapse. ”
“Good,” Viktor said flatly. “This fucking place could burn to the ground for all I care.”
Ant almost smiled. “If that happened, the Justiciary will likely fine me for property damage.”
“Do as much damage as you like. I’ll pay it.”
The plan was dangerous, recklessly so, but it was also their only realistic option. They couldn’t wait out Claudius, and couldn’t call for help. Their only path forward was through destruction.
Beside them, Able shifted and pressed his nose against Ant’s leg, offering silent support. Ant reached down and smoothed Able’s fur between his ears.
“When do we move?” Viktor asked.
Ant glanced toward the curtained window.
The light filtering through showed it was still morning.
He felt like he’d already done a full day’s work, but the sun’s position indicated it was still well before lunchtime.
“In approximately one hour, the sun will be high enough to hopefully weaken the younger of Claudius’s guards.
That gives me time to rest and partially restore my reserves. ”
“Then rest.” Viktor stood and moved toward the barricade, checking both doors. “I’ll keep watch.”
Ant didn’t particularly enjoy being treated like he was fragile, but his body betrayed him with another wave of exhaustion. Fine, I’ll rest for an hour.
He lay back on the bed, keeping Able close. Viktor returned and sat beside him, one hand resting on Ant’s ankle. It was just like Viktor to keep monitoring him, while still remaining alert for threats.
Closing his eyes, Ant concentrated on his breathing as he focused inward, checking his magical core. He still felt weakened, and the estate’s ambient magic still scraped against his senses, but he pushed it aside, creating a small bubble of calm inside his own mind.
One hour. Then we destroy the fountain. Then we leave this place, get some burgers as a late breakfast on the way home, and once we’re out of here, we’re never coming back.
That was a plan. Ant was just starting to drift off when Able’s low growl woke him again. Viktor was already on his feet, moving toward the barricaded door. Heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway beyond, multiple sets again. Doesn’t Claudius go anywhere by himself?
“They’re back,” Viktor said quietly.
“Don’t they ever sleep?” Ant sat up, pushing through the fatigue and smoothing down his shirt. At least his hands weren’t shaking anymore, and his vital signs were steady, although he felt his heart kick in an extra beat as the footsteps stopped just outside their door.
“Doctor Channon.” Claudius’s voice filtered through the wood. It was clear he was trying another tactic judging by the false cheer in his tone. “I believe we should have a conversation about the terms of your departure.”
Sighing, Ant rolled off the bed and stood up, Able’s head hard against his thigh.
“It’s now or never,” Viktor murmured. “As soon as we get the chance, I’m going to get you and Able outside. We’ll head for the fountain and…”
Ant nodded once. “That’s all you need to do. Let me take care of the rest.”