Death of Darkness

by Dianne Duvall

  Seth turned to David. “Let’s go find the children.” Though Gershom’s words still echoed in his head, terrifying him and urging him to find Leah and Ami, he knew both women would want him to free the toddlers first.

  Seth raced up the hallway. Half a dozen blades shot from the wall and slammed into his side. Swearing, he jerked to a halt.

  Beside him, David did the same, sporting as many blades as Seth.

  “Damn it,” Seth groused, yanking them out. “I forgot the fail-safes are triggered by preternatural speed.”

  David removed his own. “I did, too.”

  The two of them continued forward at mortal speeds through hallways that, according to Catherine’s drawing, would lead them to the room in which Adira and Michael were confined.

  Each time they approached an intersection, Yuri appeared in front of them and pointed. “This way.”

  Turning a corner, they came upon Mattheus and three other immortals crouched in a semicircle.

  They spun to face Seth, weapons raised, then relaxed.

  Cliff lay crumpled on the floor before them. Multiple blades protruded from his limbs. One side of his face was scorched and bloody. His clothing bore numerous burned patches.

  Mattheus rose, his face somber as he motioned to the fallen vampire. “Cliff insisted on leading us through every hallway, assuming all the risks himself. An explosion ultimately took him down. Should I give him blood?”

  Indecision clawed at Seth. Cliff had intended to die tonight. Seth had read it in his thoughts. Cliff was ready to go. He wanted to go… before the madness robbed him of the last vestiges of his humanity. And Seth didn’t think he should take that right away from him even though the idea of letting the valiant young vampire die ate him up inside.

  “No,” he forced himself to say. “Let him go.”

  All nodded grimly. Though none of them knew Cliff personally, word of his courageous struggle had circled the globe.

  “We’ll stay with him,” Mattheus offered, “until the end.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I think we’ve tripped all the fail-safes, so you should be okay from this point on.”

  Seth shook his head. “David and I just tripped one ourselves. Remain vigilant. General Lane said the traps are connected to the alarm, so as long as the alarm continues to blare, they’re still a danger.”

  “Understood.” Mattheus knelt beside Cliff and gently cupped the back of the young vampire’s head. Shifting him, he repositioned Cliff so he lay more comfortably on the floor.

  Seth forced himself to walk away and leave Cliff behind, regret clawing at him.

  “It’s what he wanted,” David murmured.

  “I know.” But it didn’t make it any easier. Cliff had helped Bastien find his place in the Immortal Guardians’ world. He had befriended Ami. He had protected Adira. And he’d saved so many lives when network headquarters had been blitzed. Seth would always lament his inability to save the honorable young man.

  As Seth and David followed Yuri through the maze of hallways, they encountered neither military nor mercenary guards. The Immortal Guardians and Cliff must have taken them all out while he was confronting Gershom.

  Network soldiers had infiltrated the base and now escorted men and women in white lab coats out, often with immortal escorts. They must be the scientists who were studying the bioweapons.

  Ignoring them, Seth strode to the door beside which Yuri stood. He could hear Adira and Michael crying within. Waving a hand, he disengaged the locks and flung the door open.

  He and David both started to enter, then stopped short in the doorway. Their eyes widened.

  Adira and Michael sat on an exam table that was surrounded by medical equipment one might expect to find in a hospital operating room. Holding hands, the toddlers leaned against each other and wept, their red noses running, their plump cheeks blotchy and tear-streaked.

  Above them, three men were plastered to the high ceiling as though someone had Krazy Glued them to it.

  As soon as the men saw Seth and David, they began to squirm and reached out to them.

  “Help us!” one screamed.

  “Make them stop!” the other screeched as his nose began to bleed. “Make them stop!”

  “Holy shit,” Seth murmured.

  David nodded. “Precisely.”

  “Is Adira doing that or Michael?”

  “I think they both are.”

  As soon as Seth and David moved toward the exam table, the children released whatever hold they had on the adults.

  The three men fell like stones, screaming on the way down, and struck the floor hard. Their cries stopped as they went limp. Seth didn’t know if the fall had injured them or whatever had made their noses bleed, but all were unconscious and still breathed.

  Ignoring them, Seth drew Adira into his arms while David drew Michael into his.

  “It’s okay,” Seth whispered, kissing her hair. “Baba and Abaye are here. It’s okay.”

  Adira clung to him, her little hands fisting in his clothing as she continued to wail.

  “It’s okay, sweetheart.”

  Michael clung just as desperately to David.

  “It’s okay.” Seth moved closer to David. “Take them somewhere safe. Somewhere Gershom couldn’t have stashed vampires for a secondary attack.”

  David nodded and shifted Michael to one side.

  Seth tried to hand Adira over, but she wouldn’t let go of him. “It’s okay,” he murmured again, giving her another hug and patting her back. “You’re safe now, sweetheart. But I need you to go to Abaye so I can find Mommy and Daddy.”

  Breath hiccupping with residual sobs, she reached out to David.

  David gathered her against his chest, holding a child in each arm. “I’ll take them to the Others.”

  Surprise shot through Seth. Then he smiled. “That’s brilliant.” Gershom should be safely tucked away by now, so the children would be safe from him. And vampires sure as hell wouldn’t launch an attack there. “Give them to Gideon and Jaden.”

  David smiled. “Those were my choices as well. I shall return shortly.”

  Nodding, Seth turned away and left the room as the three vanished.

  Yuri stood in the hallway beside the next door. “Gershom lied, Seth. He didn’t hurt Leah and Ami. I’m certain of it. All he did was chain them up, then drug Ami and the immortals to weaken them and prevent them from reaching out to you telepathically.”

  Seth swallowed hard. “Thank you.” As he moved to the bolted door, a tingling sensation crawled up the back of his neck. It wasn’t unpleasant, just puzzling. Because if he didn’t know any better, he would swear Ami and Adira stood right behind him.

  Spinning around with a frown, he half expected David to have returned.

  He hadn’t.

  Immortal Guardians Rafe and Eliana exited a room a few doors down, then passed through the doorway across from it, diligently searching for guards or other personnel who might be hiding. Beyond them—at the far end of the hallway—a male network special-ops soldier helped a pregnant woman in a white lab coat limp past. Or was the woman helping the soldier? Seth couldn’t tell. The woman curled one arm protectively around her big belly and kept the other looped around the man’s waist. The soldier clutched his chest and urged the woman onward with an arm around her shoulders. He was much taller than she was, his shoulders hunched as he kept his sharp gaze on whatever lay before them. The woman’s hair concealed her features, but the man looked pained as they left Seth’s view.

  Another network soldier jogged past, catching up with them.

  “What is it?” Yuri asked.

  Seth stared. “Nothing. I just… could’ve sworn I sensed…”

  “What?”

  He shook his head as the odd feeling faded. “Nothing.”

  Turning back to the door behind which his immortals waited, Seth waved a hand to disable the locks.

  Marcus resumed yanking on the chain that bound him. Roland and Sara
h did the same on Leah’s other side. Aidan and Dana, too. They all paused periodically, their breath coming in gasps.

  Was blood loss weakening them? Every single one of them bled from their wrists.

  “It’s the drug,” Ami said.

  Leah looked over at her. “I thought drugs didn’t affect immortals.”

  “This one does. Mercenaries have used it on us in the past. I assume that’s how Gershom got his hands on it. A strong enough dose will knock immortals out. A lesser dose will weaken them and mess with their gifts. It’s why none of us can contact Seth.” She frowned. “At least, I think it is. We know Gershom can keep Seth from sensing us. We aren’t sure if he can also block the telepaths from speaking to him mentally.”

  An alarm began to blare.

  All movement in the room ceased.

  The immortals smiled.

  Leah’s heartbeat picked up. “Seth is here, isn’t he?”

  Relief softened Lisette’s pretty features. “Yes. Zach and David are, too. And they brought a hell of a lot of reinforcements with them.”

  The ground beneath them began to tremble.

  An explosion shook the walls.

  Stanislav’s lips stretched into a grin. “Seth is kicking Gershom’s ass.”

  Cheers erupted.

  “How do you know?” Leah asked as hope rose. “Can you hear them?”

  He shook his head. “There’s too much noise. Yuri just popped in and told me.”

  Yuri the ghost.

  Their world was full of wonders.

  The quaking of the floor increased.

  The immortals still on their feet staggered, then sat down. Spouses leaned into each other.

  Leah worried her lower lip. Seth must be furious. And terrified, wondering what atrocities Gershom might have committed in the brief time it had taken Seth to locate him and launch an attack. If Seth couldn’t sense them, would he fear the worst? Did he fear them dead? Would that distraction cost him? Because Gershom was not the type to fight fair.

  The ground stilled. Eerie silence descended, broken only by the wonk, wonk, wonk of the damned alarm.

  Stanislav looked up as though someone she couldn’t see stood in front of him. He smiled, then swept them all with a glance. “It’s over,” he announced. “Gershom is down.”

  Cheers erupted once more.

  Leah smiled, their triumph infectious. But she wouldn’t relax until she saw Seth and was able to wrap her arms around him. Was he okay? Had he been injured? How badly?

  A minute ticked past, feeling more like an hour. Then another.

  Marcus suddenly released a harsh sigh. “She’s safe.” He hugged Ami tightly, burying his face in her hair. “She’s safe. Seth and David have Adira and Michael. David is going to take them somewhere vampires can’t find them if Gershom has a secondary attack planned. They’re safe.”

  Tears trailed from Ami’s eyes as she hugged him back.

  On Leah’s other side, Roland and Sarah breathed sighs of relief and held each other.

  A loud metallic thunk sounded.

  Leah stared at the opposite wall. One side bore an entrance to a short, narrow hallway no more than five feet long that ended in a metal door.

  The door swung open. A large form filled the entrance.

  “Seth,” she breathed. Relief and elation flooded her as she stared at him.

  He was okay. Streaked with blood, but okay.

  His gaze skimmed those he could see from the entrance. Some relief touched his face when he found Ami in Marcus’s arms. But he didn’t truly relax until his eyes met Leah’s.

  His shoulders loosened. A smile full of love and relief stretched his lips and lit his face as he strode forward.

  An odd twang sounded, accompanied by a whhhip.

  Leah thought she saw a brief blur of motion in front of Seth beneath his chin, but it was so fast…

  He halted. His smile faltered.

  Leah saw movement at his shoulders and glanced at it.

  His thick hair fluttered down to the floor as though scissors had cut it.

  Uncomprehending, she looked back up at him.

  His knees buckled as he sank toward the floor.

  Leah lunged up on her own knees. “Seth!”

  The men and women around her shouted as he collapsed.

  Straining against her heavy chains, Leah felt all breath leave her lungs when he hit the floor. Horror filled her as his head rolled away from his body.

  She stared down at him, frozen in disbelief. He’d been decapitated.

  Unable to grasp it, she looked above him.

  A blade as narrow as a piano wire now extended across the hallway, the center of it dripping with blood.

  She looked again at Seth. At his head, separated from his neck, resting in a puddle of hair and blood beside his fallen body. A scream tore from her throat. Then another and another as she began yanking against her heavy chains, trying to reach him.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  More cries echoed Leah’s, male and female, as the immortals began to yank on their chains, too. Blood splashed across the floor as they damaged their hands, desperate to reach their fallen leader.

  Leah just screamed. And screamed. And screamed. Her heart breaking. Tears pouring down her cheeks.

  Not Seth. Please, not Seth.

  David appeared in the doorway. When his gaze fell upon Seth, he staggered back a step. Roaring in agony, his features creasing with grief, he vanished and reappeared beside his fallen friend. Falling to his knees, he pressed his face to Seth’s back, wrapped his arms around him in a tight embrace, and began to sob.

  Leah’s cries grew more frantic. The fact that David didn’t even try to heal Seth told her there was no hope.

  No hope.

  Zach appeared in the doorway. His face blanched when he saw David weeping over Seth’s body. When his eyes fell upon the sliver of a blade that had taken Seth’s head, he yanked it from the walls and dropped it. He then raced across the room and dragged Lisette into a rough embrace. He waved one hand, then hugged her close.

  The manacles at Leah’s wrists sprang open.

  Everyone else’s opened as well, freeing them all.

  As soon as the heavy chains fell away from her, Leah lunged toward Seth.

  In a blur of motion, Zach released Lisette and darted forward to intercept her.

  “No!” Leah shouted as he looped an arm around her waist and dragged her over to where Lisette sat, weeping. “No! Seth! Seth!”

  Zach drew both Leah and Lisette into his arms and held them tightly. Burying his face in Lisette’s hair, he whispered over and over again, “I love you. I love you, Lisette. Whatever happens, I love you.”

  Unable to break his hold, Leah sagged against him. All strength left her limbs as she sobbed so hard she could barely draw in breath. Lisette did the same. As did many others.

  A deep rumbling sound filled the air, almost drowning out the anguished cries of Seth’s brethren.

  The floor began to vibrate.

  “Whatever happens, I love you,” Zach continued to chant. “I love you, Lisette. I love you. Whatever happens, I love you.”

  Was Zach like Seth? Did the ground shake when emotion overwhelmed him?

  The trembling magnified.

  Two network soldiers bearing weapons raced past the open doorway as the alarm stopped blaring.

  “Everyone out!” Chris Reordon yelled somewhere beyond her sight. “Now! Go! Go! Go! Into the vehicles! Get as far away as you can!”

  More bodies raced past, boots clomping on the quaking floor.

  Then Leah could only hear the rumbling, which grew louder and louder.

  She didn’t know what was happening and didn’t care.

  Seth was gone.

  He was gone.

  “Zach!” Lisette cried in alarm when the ground shook so hard they nearly fell over.

  “I’m not doing this,” he replied, clutching them tighter.

  “Who is?” she yelled.

>   Close your eyes.

  Leah sucked in a breath when Seth’s deep, calm voice filled her head. “Seth?”

  Several others called his name as well.

  Hold on tight, he said, and close your eyes. All of you. Don’t open them again until I tell you to.

  “Do it!” Zach bellowed to the room.

  Leah closed her eyes.

  Zach cupped the back of her head and turned her face into his chest just as light burst into being, bright enough to hurt her eyes despite her closed lids and the protection Zach afforded. Wind blasted her, so strong it would’ve tossed her across the room if Zach hadn’t held her so tightly that he threatened to crack her ribs. The rumbling sound grew deafening. Loud crashes reverberated all around her as if a tornado were striking. Then heat accompanied the wind, steadily increasing until it felt as though flames blasted her.

  Thunder roared overhead. Or was the building collapsing around them?

  Terrified, Leah squeezed her eyelids together and burrowed as close to Zach as she could get.

  Zach just kept repeating, “I love you” over and over to Lisette.

  Then everything stopped.

  The earthquake.

  The thunder.

  The crashes.

  The wind.

  The flames.

  The light retreated, leaving darkness behind.

  Silence covered them like a blanket.

  Leah’s heart slammed against her rib cage as she struggled to breathe through her sobs and waited, terrified.

  A footstep disturbed the quiet. Then another and another, drawing closer.

  Clothing rustled nearby.

  “Open your eyes.”

  Leah whimpered at the sound of Seth’s voice.

  “Open your eyes, sweetheart.”

  She did and lifted her head enough to peer past Zach.

  Seth knelt beside them, a full moon illuminating him. His black clothes looked as neat as though he had just donned them. His handsome face was free of blood and bore a tender smile. His raven hair fell around his face in silken waves that now only reached halfway to his shoulders.

  Leah stared at him, afraid to blink, afraid he would disappear if she did. “Seth?”

  “Yes.”

  Releasing Zach, she reached up and cupped Seth’s smooth jaw in a hand that shook. His flesh was warm and firm beneath her touch. His eyes bore a golden glow and held such love for her.