Chapter 12
Dianna
I walked down the hall using the back of my long sleeve to wipe Samkiel’s blood from my tongue and lips.
I needed the fucking taste of him off of me.
Out of my head, out of my mouth, out of my.
.. I stilled as I heard Santiago’s damned heart thumping a floor below me.
Fire danced against my palm, and I sent a powerful column of flame into the metal at my feet.
It lit with a red-yellow glow and melted, dripping onto the floor below.
I jumped through the hole I’d made, landing in a crouch.
Santiago glanced back, and I saw him mouth the word ‘ fuck ’ before disappearing around a corner.
I elongated my nails and reached out to scrape them along the wall, taking my time walking down the hallway as I whistled an old Eorian melody.
Sparks and chips flew from beneath my nails, the sound a piercing shriek.
I was coming for him, and I didn’t care that he knew.
This was a hunt, and he was my prey. I wanted to savor it.
He was trapped with nowhere to go and no one to save him.
I came around the corner right as a thick metal door closed.
It was mere seconds before I was in front of it, and with one solid kick, it flew off its hinges.
A loud bang ricocheted through the room as it hit the wall and fell to the floor.
“Seriously, Santiago, this is getting embarrassing. Even for you.” I laughed and stepped inside the small, dimly lit room, expecting to find him huddled in a corner, pissing himself, but it was empty. What the fuck? I saw him come here, and there was no way out.
“Looking for me?”
I spun, my lips curling back in a snarl as I prepared to rip his throat out with my teeth.
He lifted his hand and blew a fine powder in my face.
I blinked reflexively, sending whatever it was deeper into my system.
I stumbled back, feeling the metal dent when I hit the wall.
Searing pain made my eyes water and my throat burn.
I grabbed at my face, clawing and scratching at my eyes, trying to get it off.
“You know, that’s terrible stuff. Not only can it blind you, but it also attacks your central nervous system. Kaden knew you’d come after us and gave everyone a little way to defend themselves. Although, I guess it didn’t help the Vanderkais and Camilla.”
Opening my eyes, I had to squint to see him, my vision blurry and uneven. I saw two of him, his form wavering until I concentrated and forced him back into focus.
“I’m going to rip you to pieces,” I snapped, my body beginning to tremble. My legs and arms felt weak, but I struggled to my hands and knees, trying to push past it and stand.
Santiago wiped his hands on his pants. “Your boyfriend really thought he did something by cutting off my hands, but you didn’t tell him about that little gift Kaden gave me when I joined, did you?
” He shrugged before kicking me in the ribs hard enough to knock the breath from me.
“He really does fall for that whole helpless act, doesn’t he? ”
“You’re a piece of shit, Santiago. Always were.
” I grabbed at my midsection and rose to my knees, using the wall to brace myself as I stood.
It felt like half of my powers had been sucked right out of me.
Standing straight, I tried to wipe more of that damned powder off as I walked toward him.
There were multiple Santiagos again, and all of them laughed at me, which only enraged me more.
I slashed at them with my claws but hit nothing but air as I stumbled.
I swiped again, and their positions changed once more.
“Stop fucking moving! Be still, and let me kill you!” I bellowed.
His fist shot out, hitting me in the face and sending me to the floor.
The effects of that powder had taken over a little quicker than I liked.
Fucking witches. A hand grabbed me by the back of my hair and twisted hard enough to make me wince.
He kneeled behind me, yanking my head back.
I gritted my teeth against the pain. His face came into view mere inches from mine.
His sneer filled with lust as he looked me over, his eyes dropping to the deep neckline of my jumpsuit.
“I always pictured taking you like this, you know. Call me curious, but I just wondered what felt so godsdamn good that Kaden would halt plans for a thousand years.” His mouth was hot against my cheek, making the bile in my stomach rise.
I could feel the beast in me, writhing and bucking, fighting against the spell he’d cast. Slowly, my strength was coming back.
“I can’t wait until Kaden gets you back.
Maybe he will let me have you then as punishment for your tantrum.
I mean, that’s what this is. He has more important things to worry about than you crying over your dead sister . ”
My hand shot up, grabbing him by the back of the head.
I twisted and flipped him onto his back, wincing as he pulled a handful of my hair out.
Before he had time to react, I was on top of him, lifting him toward me as my fangs descended upon his neck.
Blood, hot and bitter, coated my tongue, and I focused on shuffling through every memory he had.
Pain, sharp and blinding, burst through my skull. I screamed and pushed away from him, my head feeling like it would explode. I snarled, fangs dripping with his blood as I snapped, “What did you do to me?”
“You really think we didn’t have a contingency plan? Gods, how dumb are you?”
I struggled to my feet, my head pounding as he summoned more energy in his hands. “Kaden spelled the blood of every Otherworld creature, everyone in the world that is important to him so that you can’t find him. You should know by now that he won’t be found until he wants to be.”
“Gods, what a bunch of pussies. You can’t even die with dignity. Good to know you’re all running around with your tail between your legs like the good little bitches you are.”
I hit a nerve. Santiago’s hand flicked out, the tangle of green energy blasting from his palm.
It hit me in the chest and sent me through the metal wall at my back.
I landed with a pained grunt, my lungs not working and my chest concave.
The bones beneath my skin popped back into place as I sat up, thankful I had been eating enough, or that blow would have knocked me damn near unconscious.
“You’re stronger now. Powerful. I like it. You finally gave in fully, huh? I guess he was right. All you needed was a little push.”
I tossed my hair from my face as Santiago stepped inside, ducking to avoid the sharp points of metal lining the hole my body had made. He glowed, dimly illuminated by the energy he wielded, and it shone brighter as he summoned more power to his hands.
Bands of green energy shot out, clasping my throat and hauling me up.
My feet dragged across the floor as he pulled me toward him.
Santiago’s teeth flashed white as his fingers curled, tightening the band around my neck.
I just needed to get him a little closer, keep him talking, and keep him thinking he had the upper hand.
“You know, I don’t think you could kill Kaden even if you found him. It will take an army to stop him at this point, and you’re all alone. You have no one, and once he opens these realms, you will wish you’d stayed.” He stopped me a few feet away and smirked, the green tendrils releasing me.
“That’s Kaden’s master plan? He wants to open the realms with iron? The realms only open when Samkiel dies, and iron cannot kill an immortal fucking god. You’re both idiots.”
Santiago laughed like I’d told a joke. “We are? Please, it’s just one ingredient.”
I hid the smile behind my facade as he did the exact thing I needed him to. Talk.
“Oh, just one?”
The smile fell from his face as he realized what he had just said. “You are a bitch.”
“I know, but I’m a smart bitch.” I summoned the forsaken blade from the ring Camilla had made for me and rose to my feet in one fluid motion.
Santiago leaned back in shock, swirling green energy dancing across his knuckles.
He threw the magic toward me in desperation.
I stepped back and brought the blade up, his power bouncing off it just as Camilla said it would.
He cast another ball of energy, then another, and we danced for what felt like forever.
Every hit was intentional and deadly. There was a reason Kaden favored us both.
I slid across the floor, landing a kick that sent him sailing across the hall and into another room.
I chased him, which was stupid on my part.
As soon as I stepped into the threshold, Santiago used his magic to slam the large steel door against my head.
I stumbled back, knocked off balance, and he threw a tangle of green magic at me.
It encased me from my throat to my knees, holding my arms tight against my body. He squeezed and lifted me into the air.
He stepped forward, his hand raised as he tossed me against one wall, then another. Pain ripped through me as I felt my shoulder pop out of the socket, but I had no time to focus on it as he threw me against the ceiling and then slammed me to the floor.
He lifted me into the air again, and I caught the maniacal glee warping his expression. He would kill me here if he could, and if not, he would incapacitate me enough to take me to Kaden. My muscles bunched beneath the magic as I strained.
“I can’t wait to return to him with the iron and you. What’s that mortal saying? Two birds, one sto—” Santiago stopped mid-word. I strained to look at him. He frowned, and I saw the flash of a silver blade.