vampires mage 02 - witch hunter

by crawford, c n

  She glanced at the keres to see if they were paying attention. Their expressions were blank and stony as they carried her along the river’s southward bend.

  She strained her arms, trying to reach for one of the blades, but the keres were gripping her too tightly for her to maneuver.

  In the driving rain, she could see the mountain fortress coming into view, just like the one from her vision. Nestled into a blue-hued hill stood a dark granite castle, with copper statues of goddesses gleaming from its turrets. Harpies circled the air above it like birds of prey.

  A shiver wracked her body. Is this horrible place my ancestral home?

  The keres were heading for a rocky outcrop in front of the fortress’s portcullis. Swooping lower, they dove straight for the ground at an alarming speed. The fortress loomed larger as they hurtled for the ground.

  Rosalind braced herself for a rough landing. Just outside the portcullis, they let her drop a few feet from the ground. She rolled on the rocky ledge, grimacing with pain.

  And this is how my family summons me.

  Grunting, she pushed onto her knees, and the keres yanked her the rest of the way up. Her gut clenched with dread as she stared up at the pale stone fortress. I have no idea what awaits me here, but I don’t have a good feeling about it.

  The copper portcullis creaked open with the sound of turning gears. When it gaped fully open, the keres pushed her in. Her heart skipped a beat. Two literal giants guarded a set of doors at the other end of the hall. They must have been twenty feet tall, their half-naked bodies formed from pure corded muscle. Their eyes gleamed a pale granite, strong jaws set tight. Each one gripped a spear in enormous, meaty hands.

  She swallowed hard. Where the hell is everyone getting these giants?

  The keres shoved her forward, and she started walking slowly. As they crossed the marble floor, her boots echoed off the high ceiling. She eyed the alcoves filled with copper statues, and a sigil marking the pale marble floor. A shiver ran up her spine. It was the same one she’d seen at Abduxiel Mansion: Azazeyl’s sigil. The god who might not be real.

  Altogether, the palace held a faint hint of familiarity. She’d been here before—she was fairly certain of that. She closed her eyes, trying not to think of Caine—that poisonous dream of the stakes, the dream that wanted to eat her alive. And she couldn’t let herself think of what was happening to him now—being overwhelmed by writhing ker bodies, his flesh pierced over and over by iron…

  Stop it, Rosalind. She needed to keep her head together if she wanted to get out of this alive. And then she’d go back for him—or what was left of him. And together, they’d get Tammi.

  Rosalind’s knees shook as they approached the second set of doors. The two giants stared straight ahead. Like the keres, their auras formed from a wide bouquet of colors and smells—gold and silver tingling over her skin, soft mossy green and a wet, briny blue. She didn’t even want to think about what kind of damage those bastards could do. Whatever her escape plan entailed, she’d need to stay the hell away from the giants.

  As they walked up the stairs to the next set of doors, the doors swung open, revealing a second hall. A deep bronze rug led right up to a dark granite throne.

  And on the throne sat Drew, lazily tracing a finger over the rim of a chalice. A copper crown, inset with emeralds, gleamed on his head.

  The corner of his mouth twitched. “Rosalind.”

  “Drew. My loving… what are you? Brother? Cousin?”

  A raised eyebrow registered a hint of surprise. “Ah. You’ve worked it out, at last.”

  “Is it true?”

  He shook his head slowly, his eyes locked on hers. “Not your brother. Cousin, yes—and your future husband. Did you finally remember your family?”

  Chapter 24

  Her mind churned. “Caine told me about our family crest. And I saw the same motto hanging on your wall. Loyalty binds me.”

  “It doesn’t bind you, though, does it?”

  “Who are you?” Her voice echoed off the high ceiling.

  “I loved your parents like they were my own. Worshipped them, practically.” He frowned. “But sadly, they were not my own.”

  “What do you mean, future husband?”

  “We’ve been engaged since you were born. As we should be. We needed to ensure we could keep the Atherton bloodline pure. We’re not like other people, Rosalind.”

  She swallowed hard. She needed to buy just enough time to slide a blade out of her belt and wrench the cuffs open. “In what way are we not like other people? I mean, besides having a fortress with giants and harpies?” Pain seared the puncture wounds in her neck, and she grimaced as he spoke.

  He narrowed his eyes, studying her neck. “You’re injured. I’ll send someone for a potion.”

  “I don’t want any more potions.” Her fingers curled. “What was in the last one you gave me?”

  “It healed you didn’t it? And it helped me keep track of you.” He shrugged. “Otherwise, I might not have known you’d come for me.”

  Slowly, she reached for one of the blades in her belt. Her fingertips tightened on the knife’s hilt, and she began inching it up. It was the misericorde—a long, needle-like knife intended to deliver a merciful death stroke. Perfect for picking the cuffs’ lock.

  She just needed enough time to make it work. She cleared her throat. “You were saying something about a pure bloodline? We’re not like other people?”

  Drew steepled his fingers, staring down at her. “I’m trying to re-establish the Atherton dynasty. We are descendants of the One Who Is All. We deserve to rule. We will create a new Atherton kingdom from here, just like the kingdom of old. Your parents had the same mission.”

  Slowly, she inched the hilt up higher. This is not going to be easy. “My parents wanted to create a new kingdom. And that’s why they needed three ancient mage’s souls—for all that power.”

  “It was part of their plan,” Drew said.

  Her wet fingers were slippery on the hilt. “Why are you working with the Brotherhood?”

  He straightened, his face paling slightly. “You must understand that I had nothing—nothing but a common enemy with the Brotherhood. Mutual hatred tends to unite people.”

  She shimmied the knife up a little higher, trying not to let it slip. “What mutual enemy?”

  “The Ravener.”

  Her pulse raced, and sweat mixed with the rain on her fingertips. It was hard to get a good grip on the hilt. “Why is he your enemy?”

  “I wasn’t happy to find you with him, Rosalind. Not very loyal. And you’re too stupid to realize what he’s doing. First, he ruined our family, and now he wants to make you into his whore, to further debase the Atherton name.”

  “That’s not true.” Almost out, Rosalind. “If he wants to make me into his whore, then why hasn’t he used mind control? Or his incubus powers?”

  “He likes a challenge. It excites him. Feeds his ego.” Drew looked at his fingernails. “I almost gave you over to the Brotherhood to burn, but I changed my mind at the last minute. I loved your parents very much, and you seemed so helpless when I spoke to you at the mansion.”

  Just one more inch. Rosalind’s chest tightened. “I don’t even remember what Caine did. How did he destroy our family?”

  Before Drew could respond, a ker smacked her in the back of the head, hissing. Rosalind dropped the blade, and it clanged against the ground. Her heart sank, her knees nearly giving way.

  Drew tutted. “Rosalind. Were you trying to escape? I had a feeling I couldn’t trust you yet.” He released a long sigh. “I’ll have to keep you and Miranda in iron until you can demonstrate your loyalty.”

  “Miranda hasn’t shown herself loyal to you?”

  “The woman is half-mad. Whatever your Hunter friends did to her has ripped her mind apart. I think she has a strange fondness for Caine, despite what he did. So I’ll keep the chains on both of you for now.” He bit his lip. “The Brotherhood were hoping for four
of you, of course. Caine, Malphus, Tammi, and you. But they’ll just have to settle for the two incubi alone. I’d still like you to be my wife.” He shrugged. “The Brotherhood can always choose another scapegoat. I don’t get the impression they’re picky about guilt.”

  He’s not going to give Tammi up. This was the first bit of good news she’d had. “So you won’t give Tammi to the Brotherhood either. I’d heard she was going to burn today.” She straightened. “I want to see her.”

  Drew rose, stepping down from the dais. “In time, Rosalind, you’ll understand that the king is the one giving the commands.” He crossed the marble floor, and slid his arms around her. “But there’s plenty of time for you to learn that.”

  He whispered a spell, his aura crawling over her body. It was no longer just copper, but tendrils of green and blue, gold and silver, the smells and textures overwhelming—slippery and rough, cold and burning, salty and spicy.

  The phrase the One Who Is All whispered in the back of her skull, and the auras rushed into her bones.

  In the next moment, they stood on a high walkway overlooking an enormous courtyard. A horde of keres swarmed below, bodies slick with the rain water. Their skin had an odd, shiny sheen, and they wore ragged black gowns. What the hell is going on here?

  On a raised stone dais in the courtyard, Erish stood above an altar, her hair wild. Her aura had changed—in fact, it looked just like Drew’s. Wild tendrils of gold, copper, silver, and green whipped from her body. Her dark hair snaked around her head, and her eyes shone a deep black. Something looked definitely wrong with her.

  “What’s happened to her?” Rosalind asked.

  “She drinks my blood, and that means she drinks from The One who is All. She’s been gorging on Blodrial’s blood as well. I’m not sure she’s handling it well. Mentally. But her powers are breathtaking. It’s been a long time since giants have roamed the earth, and she created the ones you’ve seen.”

  Rosalind’s heart raced. “What are you talking about?”

  His gaze slid to hers. “If you hadn’t been wearing that iron ring when you were in the Brotherhood, you’d know exactly what I was talking about. When you drank the god’s blood, you would have seen it for yourself. You and I descend directly from the One Who is All, he of the seven gods.”

  She scanned the crowd of keres, desperately searching for Tammi. Fire flooded her veins, and her pulse raced out of control. Keep your composure, Rosalind. “I don’t have the first fucking clue what you’re talking about. But where is Tammi?”

  He drummed his fingertips on the stone ledge. “I imagined you’d have a hard time recognizing her. She isn’t really Tammi anymore. It’s why I can’t give her to the Brotherhood. They wouldn’t recognize her either.”

  Dread bloomed in Rosalind’s chest, and she watched Erish stalk off, storming through a wooden door into one of the towers. “What do you mean she isn’t Tammi anymore?” She knew where this was going, but she didn’t want to believe it. She kept the thoughts locked behind bars, trapped below the surface with all the dreams she didn’t want to remember.

  He took a deep breath. “This probably makes me seem worse than I am. But let me explain. After the revolution in Maremount, I was in utter and complete exile for years—”

  Her blood boiled. Slam. Something was hammering at the cage in her mind. “I said where is Tammi?”

  “After years of living like a savage,” he continued, his voice soft and controlled. “I made it into Boston, but there, the Brotherhood rule the city. Gods below, I was eating discarded food out of trash cans, sleeping in—”

  Slam. Slam. Slam. She gritted her teeth. “Answer my question.”

  “So I made a deal. The Brotherhood allowed me to use my magic freely. All I had to do was turn in a few traitors—you and Caine among them—and they would help me re-establish my dynasty.” His eyes took on a dreamy look. “It was a blessing in disguise—fate, really. They wanted me to drink the god’s blood. They’re a bit fanatical. But when I did, the most wondrous thing happened.” He turned to her, eyes glistening. “The One Who Is All awoke in my blood, blessing me with all kinds of magic. And now, I can see it and feel it, like you can. And I can control it.” He closed his eyes, tilting back his head to let the rain run down his face. “And that’s when Erish found me. She helped me rebuild part of the Atherton legacy. This fortress was here centuries ago, and we’ve created it again.”

  Slam. Rosalind’s face grew hot, and even without the spell she could feel the battle fury rising. “Get to the part about Tammi.”

  “I’m getting to it.” He opened his eyes. “The Brotherhood won’t supply us with the god’s blood unless we do certain things for them. They wanted a demon massacre, so we gave them a demon massacre.” He looked out at the crowd of keres. “First, Erish and I had to make the demons. She’d ruined her own ker army, and these ones are much more docile.”

  Slam. Fear slithered over her skin. “Where is Tammi?” her voice came out in a whisper.

  “I’d only intended to create a few,” he continued. “That’s all we needed for a solid massacre, and I didn’t know how to control the magic. I’m still learning. But Erish did. Really, she conducted the entire massacre. I think perhaps she’s starting to lose her mind. She’s been drinking me dry, sure. But she was never meant to drink from the iron god, and now she gorges herself on his blood. She’s too strong for me to fight, even with my growing powers.” He waved a hand. “And that’s how we ended up with this mess. Tammi, unfortunately, was one of the casualties.”

  In horror, Rosalind turned to look at the crowd of keres. Tammi is down there, dead-eyed and squatting in the courtyard. Tammi, who knew all the lyrics to every Beyoncé song. Tammi, who cut Rosalind’s hair when she couldn’t afford the salon, who came up with the most hilarious nicknames for all their professors, who dressed as a flapper every Halloween.

  Tammi—that Tammi—was crouching in the rain, demon-like and lobotomized.

  Uncaged, white-hot fury surged. She wanted to kick the shit out of Drew, to unleash her battle frenzy like she had with the keres. But, bound in iron, she couldn’t get to the magic she needed. Her heart hammered. “What did you do to Tammi? I want to hear you say it.”

  Erish slammed open the wooden door again, dragging a human woman by the throat.

  Drew nodded at the courtyard. “You’ll want to see this.”

  Erish threw the woman down on the stone slab, her red hair spread out behind her. She screamed, and kept screaming. The succubus snarled, fixing the woman’s neck in an iron cuff that bound her to the stone.

  Rosalind’s stomach clenched. This is what happened to Tammi.

  A guttural growl rose from Erish’s throat as she chanted an Angelic spell, and colored swirls of magic exploded around them. Rosalind watched in horror as the woman’s skin slowly blanched. She convulsed and shook on the stone. As she screeched to the stormy heavens, her eyes began to blaze like starlight, teeth lengthening into sharp spears. Her vibrant red hair paled to a gleaming white, and long, black claws lengthened from her fingertips.

  Bile rose in Rosalind’s throat. All the missing people… Her legs threatened to give way. Her mind whirled. She needed to find Caine again, and they could drag Tammi out of here and undo the spell. Maybe the magic lay in the necklace itself. “How are you doing this?” she whispered.

  “The One Who is All—the original fallen—gives us powers you’ve never dreamed of. I always thought it was a fairytale until I saw it for myself. Soon, you’ll be a believer, too.”

  Her heart thrummed against her ribs. She wanted to call down the wrath of the gods on this place—but she needed to get out of the cuffs first. She scanned the skies, desperate for a sign of Caine flying in as a raven.

  “Are you looking for the incubus?” Drew shook his head. “He won’t be coming for you.”

  All the air left her lungs, like she’d been punched in the chest. “How do you know?”

  “I watched him die through a s
crying mirror. It was exactly as I’d always wanted to see him die—impaled on a stake and left there to rot. The light just went right out of his eyes.”

  His words slammed into Rosalind. He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her once again, and whispered a spell, his overwhelming auras rushing over her skin. She tried to swallow her revulsion as he whispered the teleportation spell.

  In the next instant, they stood in the hall again, not far from Drew’s throne. The keres who had held her were now gone, and they were completely alone.

  “You saw Caine die?” she said, her legs trembling. She pulled away from him.

  “I’d been looking forward to that moment for years. I wanted so badly to kill him when he came into my house in Cambridge, but my magic wasn’t as powerful then.”

  She didn’t care anymore why Drew hated Caine; she just knew that cold, icy wrath flooded her body.

  Maybe she couldn’t access the battle frenzy spell, but she had fury of her own. The Brotherhood had taught her to fight without magic. Rage surged in her blood, and her teeth began to chatter, just as they’d done when she’d used the Morrigan’s spell. Only this fury was her own, blazing through her nerve endings, igniting her body.

  Fight. Rosalind pivoted, then kicked, slamming Drew in the face with her boot. His head snapped back, and she hammered him two more times in the nose. She heard a crack—the bone snapping—and the sound thrilled her. Blood poured from his face, and she slammed him again, wanting to break his skull in two.

  He killed Caine. He destroyed Tammi.

  Dazed, he staggered backward, trying to chant a spell, but his words slurred together and he fell on his ass.

  Rosalind let herself drop to the ground too, contorting her body so she could pull her legs through her arms. Blazing with adrenalin, she rose, her cuffs now in front.