Lucy
Dawn is breaking as we exit the building where I’m faced with a huge cathedral.
“Where are we?”
“Germany,” Dominik growls as he looks up.
A stone gargoyle thumps down next to us.
“Viktor?” I gasp.
“You have your mate,” he says, being very careful not to meet my eyes.
“I have her. My guards are busy with the rest of the Van Helsing clan. If the Hadúr can be sure no one leaves and no one catches on fire, I would be most grateful.”
Dominik takes off his suit jacket and puts it around my shoulders. I try not to look at the mess where he was staked.
“So, you have exacted your revenge on those who would seek to destroy vampires?”
“Not revenge as such. A strategic dismantling which was long overdue,” I reply on Dominik’s behalf. “How did you do it?”
“Exactly as I described. I have lived a long life, and I have cultivated many friends, almost as many as I have enemies,” Dominik says as he holds me close.
“But also I have a lot of money, more than the Van Helsing empire. Once you know how to grease the right human palms, and with a little help from those friends, ending what he stands for isn’t so hard. ”
“I wish you could have done it sooner.”
“I would have, had I thought he was a threat to you, my galambom. But unfortunately it seemed the threat was elsewhere.”
“Damek?”
“Damek.”
“Where is the rogue? I need to deal with him,” Viktor growls.
“You don’t,” I respond. “He wants to get back inside the vault to look for his mate. He has no intention of opening it or hurting anyone.”
“In fact”—Damek steps out of the shadow of the cathedral—“he is extremely sorry he caused any pain to Pack Kobór or to his brother.”
Viktor’s stone wings flare, and he reaches into his jacket pocket, pulling out a stake.
“I think we’ve established that doesn’t work on the Király,” Dominik says evenly.
Viktor growls low in his chest.
“And as much as I don’t want to give him any more chances, he helped my mate, and that has to count for something.”
“When I was first released from the vault, I wasn’t thinking straight,” Damek says to Viktor. “Hell is a place no one wants to go for a reason. It’s taken a long time for everything to be clear again.”
“You don’t say,” Dominik growls. “What about your progeny?”
“All released.” Damek spreads out his hands. “And now the amulet is in the hands of one who can use it for good, I can return without fear of anything being released in my stead.”
“The amulet?” Viktor queries.
“This.” I pull the ankh from around my neck.
The gargoyle does the biggest double take I’ve ever seen in my life.
“The amulet of életfa!” Viktor exclaims.
Dominik runs his hand through his hair as he gazes at it. “The amulet of életfa. All this time, I couldn’t place it. I couldn’t see what it was.” He fixes Damek with a glare. “Why?”
“It was Josephine’s,” he says quietly. “While I had it, I could never stay forever in hell, looking for her. Sooner or later, I’d have to come back.”
“So, when we thought you were coming to the gallery?”
“I was placing it there in the hope it could be used by your mate, rather than mine.”
“You planted it?” Dominik growls.
“I knew you’d like this game.” Damek grins. “Just like before we were turned.” He looks at me, and the smile gets wider. “Big brother always loved a puzzle.”
“How did you know it wouldn’t harm her?”
“Because it kept me safe in hell,” Damek says. “If Josephine had been wearing it the day she opened the vault, she would have been safe too.”
“And you don’t want to take it back to her?” I go to take the jewelry from around my neck.
“No. It will only get me thrown out again,” Damek says. “It has plenty of properties to keep you safe, sweet one,” he says with a background snarl from Dominik. “Keep it and use it wisely.”
The door from which we emerged earlier bangs open, and Dominik’s vampire guard march out, dragging the erstwhile vampire hunters. A set of dark vans pull up at the curb, and they are shoved inside. Attila appears with my uncle in tow. He protests but I ignore him.
It’s about time I could breathe freely again.
“What will happen to them?” I ask Dominik.
“The hunters will be put through a deprogramming regimen. It’s one we’ve had for a while, if you ever wondered where your fellow hunters went. I have a place in the country where they are most happy.”
I grit my teeth in a rictus smile. “We thought you’d eaten them…sorry.”
“I’m truly hurt.” Dominik puts his hand over his heart. “Like I’d feed from a hunter.” His gaze is heated.
“And my uncle?”
“He has some humans to answer to, ones who want to know what he’s been doing with their money,” Dominik says. “I expect it will keep him busy for some time.”
“Then he’ll come looking for me again.”
“He will not,” Dominik growls. “Because he knows what will be waiting for him if he does.”
“Where has the damn rogue gone?” Viktor growls, looking around following the distraction.
“I expect he’s gone back to hell.” I sigh. “I hope he finds her.”
“So do I.” Dominik folds me into him. “Because now I know what it’s like to nearly lose a mate, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”