Chapter 13 #3
“I do.” Rafe’s heart tightened in his chest. “But how do I know what I’m feeling is real? It could be the vampire. When I become whole again, and the bond is broken, we will both be free. I’m sure I’ll still be attracted to her, but the bond of the vampire will be broken.”
“And if it isn’t? If you still want her?”
“Then I’ll do the adult thing, the right thing, and I’ll leave her. I’ll know my mate is out there, but it’s not her. Just like you should have done with Dimitri. I must accept fate and move on for her sake and for mine.”
“After your juvenile display at the pool she is aware you’ve been feeding with another woman. It appears she has received the message.”
Guilt ripped through him at her words. “I, uh, I’m trying to do the right thing.
Not just the right thing but live in reality.
I must feed and if I bite Skylar, if I drink from her…
” Rafe recalled the sweet taste of her essence, and willed his fangs not to descend.
“No, I can’t do it. It will only further seal the bond this vampire inside me wants. ”
“I’m pleased to see you make the correct choice.”
“I care about Skylar.” I’m falling hard. “But this is not the way. What you and Viktor did to save me…I appreciate the good will behind the act, but I can’t live like this anymore. I need to be with pack. To lead a pack.”
“And so it shall be. You understand there will be another sacrifice required for this spell?”
“There always is.” Rafe rolled his eyes.
“But are you ready to kill Zyaire?”
“Are you ready to tell me the truth?” Rafe pressed her.
“You have not spent time in Hell. Kellan and I shared this experience. While I cannot prove him wrong or right, the evidence has begun to speak for itself. He told me of a hybrid, An Alpha who’d grow strong. He’d destroy Zyaire before her evil contaminates this world.”
“Let’s say it’s true. I’m the only one who can kill her. It. Whatever she is?” Rafe paused in thought. “Who is Zyaire?”
“She’s my sister. I’ve known her all my life,” Ilsbeth confessed, her expression impassive.
Rafe’s eyes widened as the realization hit him like a sledgehammer. “It’s you she’s after, isn’t it? She’s after you.”
Ilsbeth raised an eyebrow at him, stood and turned towards the fire.
“No, wait. You knew she’d come for me,” Rafe continued.
“Kellan predicted she’d reveal herself to the world.”
Don’t trust Ilsbeth. “Kellan, huh? I guess he’s not here anymore to confirm the prophecy?”
“The fae’s back in Hell where he belongs,” she snapped.
“Fae are always in Hell. He’s dead. What exactly is happening here? Did he tell you? Or did you know?”
“There’s always a deal to be made. I’m skilled at negotiations.”
Rafe shook his head and pounded down his drink, setting the glass onto the end table.
He stood and paced, noting the room had no windows.
The magick rumbled through the air, Ilsbeth’s energy rolling over him like electricity.
But the Alpha within grew stronger, the wolf pushing into his psyche, demanding her submission.
If intimidation was a tactic, his wolf practiced it like a fine art.
“I’ll tell you what I believe. I think you knew she’d come after me the second you created me. This thing you call your sister—”
“She’s no longer my family. She’s an abomination!”
“She’s your blood! You and Kade, you knew. You knew what she was capable of. You knew it and goaded Greyson and Logan into believing this prophecy shit. You sent me out there knowing exactly who was causing a problem.”
“Kade has nothing to do with this. He asked for my assistance with the vampires. I didn’t know that it was her.”
“You sent me fishing. You turned me into bait?”
“I would never do that!”
“But you would, wouldn’t you? There’s a reason people tell me not to trust you. We both know that.”
“Fine. I suspected it was her, but how would I really know?”
“Of course you did.” Rage boiled his blood hot, his lips tightened into a line.
Ilsbeth locked her eyes on his, her expression serious. “Since the day you died…the day you were reborn as vampire, I knew that Zyaire would come for you one day.”
Ilsbeth sighed as the blood drained from her already pale face, her expression despondent.
She closed her eyes and shook her head, finally training her focus on Rafe.
“The truth? I knew she’d come for you the day I saved you.
I gave you my blood Rafe, the blood of my ancestors, my mother and grandmother.
You probably have no idea the ramifications of what I did that day.
To give you my blood?” She gave a halfhearted laugh.
“The blood of one of the most powerful high priestesses in this realm? My ancestors know. The Goddess knows. It shook the universe. There is no more precious substance to give without consequence. Viktor knew that when he asked.”
“But you owed him.” It wasn’t a question. Rafe sighed, knowing Viktor well. Clever and lethal, his mentor taught him to tame the bloodthirsty beast Rafe still struggled to control.
“I did. I was weakened from my trip from Hell. My soul was broken, weak. I needed Karma. Good karma. And it worked…until it didn’t.”
“You knew she’d come back from wherever she was, didn’t you? This black magick shit never, ever works. Jesus.” Rafe ran his fingers through his thick locks that had grown past his shoulders.
“You had a hand in whatever was done to her. If she’s your blood, she’s witch.
No witch is banished by demons or whatever caused her to be like this.
What she’s doing is demonic.” Rafe sensed her before he heard her footsteps.
Skylar. Though distracted by her presence, he honed his focus on the high priestess.
“If I’m going to fight this diabolical monstrosity, I need to know everything. No generalizations. No more lies.”
“What’s happening?” Skylar asked, her voice soft.
“This isn’t any of your concern.” Greyson appeared next to Ilsbeth.
“No. I disagree. Skylar should know how all of this happened. They went after her. Deliberately. Who knows how far this goes?” Rafe’s mind raced, recalling the details from the past week, piecing together the puzzle.
“Let me guess how this all went down. Zyaire’s been watching me.
The night in New Orleans? She was there.
She saw me with Skylar that night. Maybe she even sent that guy to Skylar’s door.
She already would have known where Greyson lived.
Skylar’s job in Hollywood was real, but her firing?
” He kept his attention focused on Ilsbeth, continuing to speculate.
“How much money would it take to get a newbie actress on the set fired? Not too difficult. And who sent her to Vegas?”
“My agent. I’ve had him for a few years.”
“But someone knew. The Vegas job came up right after you were fired, right? Zyaire knew about Skylar, she somehow knew that I’d protect her.” That my vampire would bond with the human.
“Wait. You’re saying I was fired because of you?” Her eyes widened in shock.
“To catch you up here, Zyaire. She’s Ilsbeth’s sister.”
“What?” Skylar asked with shock on her face.
“She’s been orchestrating all of this. From your attack that night in New Orleans to getting you to Las Vegas.”
“I didn’t do anything to her. Why? Why is she after me?” Skylar asked.
“To get to me, to get to Ilsbeth,” Rafe answered. “Because this so-called prophecy, this message from Kellan, was nothing more than a tale as old as time. Revenge.”
“I didn’t know she’d be released so soon,” Ilsbeth protested. “I saved you, Rafe. You would have been dead.”
“You benefited from what you did per usual. You got your karma…until you didn’t. Now she’s coming after you.” Rafe lobbed the accusation. “And me and Skylar.”
“And Sebastian?” Skylar asked.
“Ah, yes. Sebastian. He was part of this wasn’t he?” Rafe turned his attention to Greyson who simply shrugged.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Skylar said. “That’s why he was there. He was stalking us.”
“Okay, I think everyone needs to settle down. It isn’t the end of the world,” Greyson said. “Well I guess technically it could be. We don’t exactly know what we’re dealing with.”
“Did you know about Zyaire? Were you part of this?” Rafe asked.
“Oh no.” Greyson held up his hands and shook his head. “Well, not at first. When Kade asked us to come to Vegas, it was legit. But once your human…”
“My name is Skylar,” she corrected, annoyance in her tone.
“Once Skylar.” Greyson shot her a slick smile and then addressed Rafe. “Once she said the word.”
“Zyaire?” she asked.
“Yes. Let’s try not saying her name, okay? Ilsbeth has far more confidence in her wards than I do at this point. I, uh, reached out to Sebastian. He owed me a favor.”
“Of course he does.” Rafe shook his head, his pulse racing.
“Listen, I want the truth. From all of you.” He looked at Ilsbeth, his tone accusing but controlled.
“Why is your sister so pissed at you? You had a hand in whatever was done to her, didn’t you?
If she’s your blood, she’s a witch. No witch gets banished by demons by accident.
What she’s doing is demonic. I could feel it that night.
Thorn had to burn those things. That was her doing. ”
“Pestilence.” Ilsbeth told them, her expression seemingly unfazed by the situation.
“What do mean by that?”
“The bible?” Skylar asked.
“Something like that, but of course I am not bound by human documents. But yes, pestilence. Beelzebub. She’s been under his care for the past thousand years.”
“The horseman?” Rafe asked.
“Indeed. My sister is his vessel. One of many. I wasn’t there in the blood club, but I imagine she’s looking to create while she kills.
Like all witches she’s born of the Goddess, so whatever is left of her goodness, her pure soul, it feeds the beast. She’s not a vampire but I imagine she’s able to emulate whatever she chooses.
To the other vampire, she appears strong, a possible leader.
But it’s a glamour, dark magick twisted to deceive. But if there is good news—”