Chapter 21 #3
He stepped toward me. We were close enough to draw blood. The stench from his decaying form filled my nostrils, caused my weak stomach to tighten. I fought the nausea as I felt the Demon power surge again.
He felt it too. He backed up a couple of steps.
His red eyes flared from under the cape. “You have no power here, Keena.”
“Try telling yourself that over and over, Bran. See if it makes it true.” He was frightened. I could feel it. I stepped forward again. “Where is your master, Bran?”
The red in his eyes flared bright as he shouted, “I serve no one!”
“I don’t believe you, Bran. Nessum pulls your chain. Everyone knows that. They laugh at you.” He was shaking. “Easily rattled too.” He was almost at the stairs, backing away.
“Enough!” The voice rolled over me like a cold fog. I knew who it was, I just wasn’t happy he was at my back now. He must have materialized behind me in the room. Looking around, I also realized that Manus wasn’t there. He had been behind me coming down the stairs…
I backed farther to the right, toward the nearest wall, trying to keep them both in my view. I dropped Trevina’s blade to the side of my leg so Nessum couldn’t see it. Little miracles, he was on my left, so my body hid it from his view. I still had the other blade out in front of me.
“Keena, nice to see you. I am pleased that you have come to us. Saves me the trouble of sending any more of Bran’s pets after you.
I will gain so much more pleasure this way.
” Nessum was beautiful. Tall with broad shoulders and a thin midsection, he looked more like the modern concept of a Vampire than any of the real Vampires did.
The veins marbling his face and pale skin were the only things that took away from his appearance.
Surely, Feldema was sleeping with him and not Bran.
“Sorry, Nessum. I don’t play as well with the evil and undead as my sister does,” I said, still trying to keep them both in sight.
“I had a different impression. Lord Tynan, after all, is just as undead.”
“Not really.” Where the hell was Manus?
“Your father has sustained me over the years so well, I’m sure you’ll do the same. Now, I will let him and your little friend go if you stay in their place.” His voice was serene. I got the impression of a calm morning looking over the still waters of a mountain lake.
“Yeah, right. They just leave, and right before sundown. How nice of you. The Slaugh will slaughter them. No deal, Dark Angel. How about you just let us all go and I’ll forget this happened.” I knew it was corny, but I was trying to appear cocky, whether I felt that sure or not.
As his laughter thundered throughout the entire castle, I saw something gray move out of the corner of my eye on the stairs—and hoped it was who I thought it was. Nessum still had his head tilted back in laughter.
“Not that funny.” As I said it, Manus jumped on Bran’s back in his cat form, sending him forward, toward me.
I bent and swung my right hand toward him, striking his chest with my mother’s blade. “Trust”, I chanted. Burning pain pushed up through my abdomen.
The power of the spell and the blade exploded into the King of the Slaugh.
Bits of sand and dust shot outward. Manus flew across the room and into the wall, hitting hard and falling to the floor.
Nessum stumbled back into the crucifix holding my father, knocking it down and breaking it.
Coyle’s hands were ripped from the spikes.
I felt the thrust push back against me as it bounced off the walls.
I didn’t go down, but I had to struggle to steady myself.
Nessum came up fast and flew toward me with his hands raised to start a silent spell. I knew better than to let him finish. I lifted my mother’s blade and steadied it to plunge into his chest.
He stopped cold, his gaze locked on to my eyes, searching to discover if I knew what power I held over him. When he found his answer, he started to back away. I gave him a tiny smile and lunged forward.
Nessum disappeared, vanishing completely out of the room. I stood there a second, sword gleaming in the torchlight.
Manus made a small noise, shifting back to his human form. “You okay?”
I nodded. “Get dressed, get Abbey, and find Howard.” I knelt at my father’s side.
He fought to open his eyes again. He was alive, but just barely.
“About damn time!” Abbey said as she approached my side, looking none the worse for wear. I picked her up and kissed her on the head.
“I thought you were hurt.” I was so happy to see her.
“I told them all kinds of bull to get them to leave me alone. Then I pretended to pass out so they’d wait ’til I was awake to torture me.
” Those big blue eyes looked past me to my father.
“He’s not good. Nessum has been feeding off him regularly.
” She bent over him and touched his head.
“Coyle, we’ll get you outta here, Baby, just hold on.
” His eyes darted back and forth between us while Abbey tenderly rubbed his forehead.
I looked up at Manus—who cradled Howard’s broken, lifeless body in his hands.
“No!” I hit my knees.