Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
“Flore,” I wheezed.
Pale purple light flashed. The flower opened into a full, glorious bloom, looking almost comical sticking out of the Prime’s chest.
Alric blinked in surprise and stepped back, a laugh slipping from his lips as his hands slipped from my neck. “I’m afraid your legends are wrong. Wood doesn’t work—”
Blood slipped from the edge of Alric’s lips.
“I will not be a slave to anyone,” I said roughly, the feel of his fingers imprinted against my throat. “I don’t need two days to decide.”
Alric swayed, his fingers scrabbling to remove the flower.
My hunch was right. Vampires, even a Prime, could be wounded, maybe even killed, by something living, something green—hedgewitch magic used in specific ways was anathema to a vampire.
I’d kept the flower alive through a preservation spell and enhanced its effects against vampires through the silver I’d woven through its stem. It was a gamble. A big one.
But one that had paid off in spades, if Alric’s wheeze was anything to go by.
Leo scrambled from the car, his eyes wide with horror. “Prime!”
Alric lifted a hand and shoved Leo back. “Do not interfere.”
A glint of crimson flashed in Alric’s eyes. “Remove it,” he commanded.
I could not afford sympathy. The Prime was willing to do anything to force me to relent. Blood stained his white shirt where the peony pin pierced his chest. “Remove your blood hold on me.”
Alric’s lips parted in a crimson smile. “We are at an impasse, little witch.”
“It appears we are.” I bent and slipped off my heels, leaving them on the ground. “I’ll mail your dress back in a few days.”
Alric took a step toward me.
I held a hand up. “One more step, and I’ll activate the real purpose of the spell.” There was no other purpose. I didn’t go in planning to kill the Prime, only to save myself if need be. The flower wouldn’t kill him if he found a skilled healer in time. It might not kill him at all.
Either way, I didn’t want to be here when he figured that out.
The Prime halted. His eyes narrowed. Amusement and something else flickered over his face. “It appears I’ve underestimated you, little hedgewitch.”
“Story of my life,” I muttered. The events of the evening weighed heavily on my shoulders. All I wanted was a shower, a fresh pair of pajamas, and a stiff drink. And now I was going to have to order a frigging ride home because the Prime was a grade A asshole.
I turned and began stomping down the long driveway.
“Alex.”
I pulled out my phone and clicked the app for the ride service. Would anyone even pick me up at the Prime’s house? Most people stayed far away from this area, with good reason. If the Prime treated everyone like he’d treated me tonight, there was no way this asshole had any friends at all.
The sound of a car starting up sent my pulse into overdrive. I moved off the concrete and onto the edge of the grass. The Prime’s Rolls Royce pulled up alongside me, the passenger side window easing down.
“Get in,” Leo said quietly.
“Not a chance in hell.”
“The Prime has ordered me to see you home safely.”
“The Prime can suck a bag of dicks.”
A soft snort. “Alex. Please. It will not end well for me if you continue to refuse me.”
I glanced at the vampire steering the vehicle. “Are you guilt-tripping me, Leo?”
A sheepish smile tipped his lips up. “Yes, but I’m serious. Please get in the vehicle. You have my word no harm will come to you.”
I glanced back, but the Prime was gone. He could be anywhere. His ass could be in the car right now under a cloak of invisibility because that would be just my luck. All powerful and invisible too.
“He’s… seeing a healer.” Leo’s pale brow furrowed. “Get in the car, Alex. Please.”
I sighed and reached for the passenger door. Leo stopped the vehicle to let me slide in and pulled away from the edge of the grass. “Thank you.”
“If you kill me, I’m coming back to haunt your ass.”
“Duly noted,” Leo said as the iron gates opened and we pulled away from the site of the worst dinner I’d ever had.
We drove in silence for a little while before Leo glanced over.
“What did you do to him?” The words were quiet but curious.
“A simple hedgewitch spell tailored to vampires. He will be fine provided he has a good healer on staff.”
“He does.” Leo’s fingers drummed against the steering wheel. “You hurt him.”
“He hurt me first.”
A tilt of his head, acknowledging my words. “He won’t forget this.”
“Neither will I.” I would never forget the feeling of helplessness when his palm wrapped around my neck, nor would I forget the burn in my chest as he tightened his grip.
A normal man could not have done that to me.
Having that pain inflicted on me by the Prime made my fury burn hotter.
He’d dominated me through physical strength. No need for magic to be involved.
I wanted to stab him again.
Leo inhaled and shook his head. “You didn’t heed my advice.”
“It was good advice,” I admitted. “But given too late. Alric was already too interested in me the moment he found out I was still alive.”
Leo’s fingers still tapped on the steering wheel, a strangely nervous gesture for a vampire. “What’s special about you?”
I laughed. “Absolutely nothing. I’m a hedgewitch who got in way over my head by accident, and I have no idea how to fix this.”
“Too late again,” Leo said. “You’re the only person who’s ever struck a successful blow against the Prime in…” His voice trailed off. “Ever. I’ve never seen anyone harm Alric.” I noticed his fingers begin to tremble. “You hurt the Prime. Vampires have long memories.”
“I sure as hell hope he remembers this night.”
Leo turned onto my street. “You may regret those words.”
The sight of my house was the best thing I’d seen in hours. “Thanks for the ride.”
His lips twitched. “Thanks for not stabbing me with a rose.”
He pulled into my driveway and unlocked the doors.
“It was a peony,” I said as I slid from the car. “Big difference.”
Leo flashed a smile. “Have a good evening. Don’t forget to lock your doors.”
“Tonight is the one night I won’t forget,” I assured him.
Once I was safe behind closed doors, Leo pulled away from the curb. I sagged against the foyer table and let out a slow, deep breath.
“Bad night?” Edmund asked, his voice echoing in the hallway.
An almost hysterical laugh rose. “I stabbed the Prime.”
A long silence. “Do I need to fortify the house against a potential invasion?”
I tossed my keys into the bowl on top of the table and hung my purse on the coat rack. “I’m not sure how to respond to that. Do we have fortifications prepared for an invasion?”
“Of course we do,” Edmund said, as if having such a thing was perfectly normal.
“Right.” I sighed and began rubbing the rapidly stiffening muscles in my neck. I’d have a glorious handprint bruise tomorrow. “Just keep an eye out for vampires. The Prime didn’t react as strongly as I suspected him to, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts sniffing around soon.”
The moment I stabbed him I expected to be dead. While I was glad that didn’t happen, the alternative might be worse.
“Very well, Alex. Don’t forget your favorite pajamas are in the dryer. Would you like me to set the wrinkle refresh cycle on so they’ll be warm?”
I flashed him a grateful smile. “That would be wonderful.”
“Done.”
I pushed away from the wall and padded toward the bedroom.
“Oh, and Alex?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m glad you stabbed him.”
I let out a huff of laughter. “Me too. The guy’s a total prick.”
The next morning while I was enjoying coffee in the sunroom, the doorbell rang.
“Edmund?”
“Too fast for me to see. A vampire, perhaps?”
Shit. I carried my coffee into the kitchen and set the mug down. “They left something?”
“A small box. Gift wrapped.”
Beware gifts left by dangerous vampires…
“Is there anyone outside?”
“You’re safe to retrieve.”
I opened the door and snatched the box from the porch, stepping inside a second later and ensuring I locked the door. A small amount of magic leaked from the box, but I sensed nothing harmful.
“Are you sure this wasn’t from a shifter?”
“No way to tell. Whoever left it was quick.”
A small slip of paper fell from the box when I opened the top. Silver glinted from the cotton where a small wolf pendant with an emerald eye nestled. Frowning, I pulled the necklace from the box and held it up, staring at it closely before picking up the paper.
Wear this to prevent shifting during the full moon.
I stilled. “Edmund?”
“Four days away, Alex. You’ve been keeping secrets.” Disapproval simmered in his tone.
“No.” I shook my head. “I haven’t felt right since the attack, but I wouldn’t expect to shift.” I sank into the kitchen chair. “What is happening to me?”
“You need to see someone unbiased who can help.”
I held up the necklace. The emerald winked in the light. “Should I wear this?”
“Take it to the basement and test it thoroughly. I don’t sense any malice from the pendant, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a trigger.”
“Good idea.” I tucked the necklace back into the box and left it on the table. “I’ll take it after I finish my errands.”
I had an appointment to fix my implant today and couldn’t afford to miss the time slot.
Marinka was prickly at the best of times and she also didn’t seem to like me much, so if I missed this one, there was no telling when I could get back in.
The witch’s words from last night kept replaying in my head, increasing my urgency to get this taken care of but also piquing my curiosity.
What magic was leaking and why did she seem so worried about it? Edmund didn’t seem to have noticed, and he usually noticed everything.
“Are you going by yourself?”
“Yes, Edmund. My driver is off for the day.”
“No need for sarcasm. It makes you ugly.”
“Ouch.” I flicked my fingers at the ceiling. “Just for that, I’m turning the Wi-Fi off.”
“Alex!”