by Lucinda Dark
“Satrina,” I whispered the name. “Do it.”
I can’t! she yelled. Our contract. I can’t do anything without you being on the brink of death—
I didn’t think, I arched forward and slammed my head back—so hard that I felt the stone crack, felt my skull fracture. Skin split beneath my hair. Blood ran down the back of my neck. “Barbie!” Maverick’s voice disappeared. I did it again. And again and again, until I felt my whole body sag and blood run in rivulets over my spine.
“Do it,” I hissed through my teeth as darkness encroached on my sight.
“And so it will be done,” Satrina answered, her words spilling from my own mouth as she made my body stand straight. I watched through narrowed, tunneled vision as she ripped the chains holding me back from the wall before reaching for Maverick’s and doing the same.
He shifted in an eruption of fire and scales. A sight so beautiful, I was kinda fucking pissed that I was seeing it through eyes that were no longer completely my own. It was the last thing I saw for a moment just as oblivion finally overtook me and I was no more.
Forty-Six
Maverick
Barbie was a monster. Her eyes glowing a bright gold and blue as she ripped herself away from the cave wall. Several robed vampires turned to her—perhaps they intended to stop her or perhaps it was to run. Whatever the case, I made sure that she would not be hindered. The beast spread throughout my lips as my skin and clothing ripped apart. Golden scales crawled up my flesh as I felt my face elongating. My body morphed, bones shifting and changing into that of the beast’s original form.
I opened my jaw, unhinging it as I blew fire directly at them. Within seconds, there was nothing more than burned remains. I guessed dragon fire worked just as well as beheading or holy water on vampires. I flew above the circle of chanters, glaring down and zeroing in on the man and woman in the center of it all.
Esperanza’s face was placid as if she had expected this all along. But more disturbingly, Arrius didn’t seem upset. In fact, he seemed practically fucking gleeful. A smile spread his mouth wide open as he watched Barbie flash through the crowd. She tore through vampires one after another. Black shadows clung to her skin, darkness moving beneath her flesh—making her come alive in a way that was both beautiful and terrifying. She didn’t look even remotely human.
Two black horns had emerged from her upper forehead, a direct contrast to the golden hair spilling over her shoulders. Blood splattered her face and she didn’t even flinch. When I saw several vampires rush her, I didn’t think twice. I arched down and released another torrent of fire. Ashes and blood mixed amidst the old bones in the corners of the cave.
A strange wind began to circle the room. Odd, because other than the torches, there was no other light—no opening for it. Therefore, there was no opening for air to circulate. But indeed, it fucking did. It swirled and whipped across my scales, nearly sending me crashing into one of the walls.
Arrius lifted his arms from below and said something in that strange language. A crack formed against the ground beneath where Torin’s prone body lay. I knew, in a split second, that this had been his fucking plan all along. He’d known Barbie was still partially demon—he’d known her plan to let Satrina possess her in a bid to kill him. He’d fucking planned it.
I dove down, aiming for Torin’s body—intending to grab him and carry him to safety. A bolt of fire shot out from Esperanza’s palm. It slammed into my side and sent me spiraling. I crashed against stone, and it felt as if the whole Mountain shook above us.
Wings ripped from Barbie’s back. As huge as they were, they were also beautiful. Practically overwhelming her smaller frame, it looked like the darkest of leather had been stretched over bone and cartilage as the limbs burst from her spine—ripping through her clothes until her shirt clung to her front by the merest of threads. She didn’t seem to be aware. She stalked forward. Her eyes solely focused on the man grinning at her.
There was something wrong with that, something wrong with him. It was as if he wanted her to get closer. Katalin’s words raced back to my mind from her earlier explanation. If Arrius truly wanted to open a portal to the underworld, he would want the strongest hybrid in existence. He’d tried to create that with Torin, but…
A hybrid made of more than two species would have the strongest blood, my beast spoke in my head, bringing my fears to life at the worst possible fucking moment. Because it was at that moment that Barbie reached him, her talons ripping through his vest and shirt as she dove for his throat.
And even as darkness overcame me, I knew I was too fucking late.
Forty-Seven
Torin
Fire poured into my stomach and rocketed up my throat until I felt as if lava would spew from my lips. It ate me up, rotted me from the inside out. The pain was intense and yet, at the same time, negligible when compared to the pain of seeing Barbie and Maverick tied to a stone wall as they watched me experience what I was sure was my impending death. Every single one of my nerves felt scraped raw. As if someone had taken a rusty spoon and carved it into my flesh, trying to dig out everything that I was.
I gritted my teeth and bore it, closing my eyes and turning my head away. From the moment I’d woken, I’d known I was going to die. Arrius had made that quite clear as he’d ordered me strung up and beaten and bled. My vampire’s hunger curdled in my guts but there was nothing to be done. I gagged as bile raced up my esophagus. Fissures formed over my skin. The smell of burning flesh reached my nostrils, making it that much harder to keep from vomiting.
“Torin!” I heard my name as if coming from down a long tunnel. The chants were overshadowing everything—the men and women who blindly followed my father’s orders were practically screaming them. At least, it sounded that way.
You need to get up. That voice. I knew that voice. It wasn’t coming from outside but from inside. It was my vampire. Get up, he ordered again.
I can’t. Even in my own mind, my voice sounded weak.
Our mate is in trouble, he said. Barbie. Her name brought up the image of her face, but not like it usually was. Usually, her brow was puckered with tension and her eyes were like steel. When I thought of her now, however, the only image of her came from the memory of lying in bed with her. Her face had been turned towards me, her blonde hair fanned out on the pillow and my arm as she’d snuggled against me.
An explosion rocked the cave, reminding me of where I was. Some of the noise level dropped as the chants were cut off, but that was only followed by even louder screaming.
Torin! my vampire screamed my name, but even in my head, it was only a whisper. Everything was heavy. I was sinking—deep down into some dark corner of myself that I hadn’t known existed.
A hand reached through the darkness, latching onto me and dragging me back out, and suddenly, I was face to face with my own image. Except, it wasn’t me. It was my vampire. His eyes glowed, illuminating his—my—face as he snarled at me. Accept me, he growled.
What?
He shook me, his talons ripping out of his nail beds and sinking into my skin until blood welled up from my flesh. Accept. Me. He gritted the words out and pain lanced through me once more, stealing my breath away. If you don’t, he continued, we’ll both die and so will she.
Barbie. No. I couldn’t let that happen.
Then accept me, he repeated for the third and final time.
How? I asked.
In answer, he tilted his head back and arched his throat towards me. My eyes lit on the column and I swallowed hard. There would be no turning back after this. Forcing my thoughts down—along with all of my doubts and fears—I dipped my head down and felt my teeth, my fangs touch my vampire’s throat. One bite. They sunk deep, blood pooling in my mouth, on my tongue, sliding towards the back of my throat. I drank him down. With each mouthful, he grew weaker, but I grew stronger.
I closed my eyes as I sacrificed this last bit of myself. There would be no more wavering. I had decided. I had to acc
ept him even if it killed me.
Moments later, my eyes opened. A flash of golden scaled skin flitted overhead. I blinked, blinded by heat and fire as a dragon’s massive jaws unhinged and a spray of actual flame emerged. Black dots danced in front of my vision.
My throat was raw. I swallowed against the sharp spikes of agony turning over and over under the surface of my flesh. My skin was blackened. My back felt strangely stretched as if something beneath was trying to work its way out.
Arrius stood in the circle as his followers scattered under the dragon—Maverick, I realized. The creature dipped low in the high ceiling of the cave. Fire rained down. He was aiming for those escaping. But where was Barbie? I tried to lift my head despite how heavy it felt. Her chains remained clinging to the wall—but she was gone.
Maverick’s dragon dove towards me, claws outstretched. A witch’s fire tore across my vision—slamming into him and turning everything bright as I faded back into the oblivion.
Forty-Eight
Barbie
To be honest, I always thought I’d die because I’d said something sarcastic at the worst time. Not by trying to kill myself so a demon could possess my body. Maybe in the next life, I’d be smart enough to choose better boyfriends. Perhaps ones that weren’t related to the monster who had killed my family and my best friend.
Holy shit, I thought, every other thought in my brain freezing as I just went over what I’d just thought. Had I just admitted that Torin and Maverick were my boyfriends? Wow. What a fucking time to think about that.
Barbie! Satrina’s power slammed out of me and I came back to awareness with all the gentleness of a being thrust in front of a bullet train. I crash landed into my own body, feeling every ache and pain straight down to my fucking bone marrow. Large wings stretched out of my back, shielding me and snapping back and forth, aiding my movement as I ducked and weaved through other vampires in my effort to get to Arrius fucking Priest.
I looked up and locked eyes with him. He grinned. The bastard knew I was coming for him. I couldn’t wait to wipe that smug smirk off his face when I ripped out his throat. Esperanza had moved away from his side; her arms rose up and she conjured a ball of fire, sending it spiraling through the room. A moment later, the mountain shook overhead. My head snapped around, I watched as Maverick, in dragon form, shook his big head back and forth after having been sent crashing into the cave wall.
Esperanza would have to be taken care of, but it would be later. Because I was not letting Arrius live another fucking moment. We were ending this. Now.
I flashed forward, aiming for his throat as a crack split open on the ground. Is it the portal? I asked.
No, Satrina replied, her tone sharp and brisk. But we must kill him and the witch before any more blood is spilled. Vampire ash is still potent for magical spells. And this cave is far too full of it already.
The witch bones? I asked.
Yes.
Shit.
I lifted my head and met Arrius’ gaze straight on. No more waiting. No more searching. No more hunting. It all came down to this. To me and him. I wouldn’t let him overcome me. Not this time. The skin of my back stretched as my wings flapped. I darted forward, pushing harder—faster. I stretched my arms out, talons at the ready.
I would cut through his throat and saw through his bones to behead him even if it meant using my fangs. Whatever I had to do, I would. Now, Barbie!
Satrina didn’t need to tell me twice. I dove forward, reaching for him. My eyes widened a split second later when a flash of a blade appeared at his side—one of my holy swords. He shouldn’t have been able to wield it—but the gloves … the gloves! I realized. That’s why he was wearing gloves, to protect his skin from the holy blessing of the swords. So, that it wouldn’t burn him as he lifted it and thrusted it out towards me.
There was no stopping. I was moving too fast. Suddenly, I was frozen in the moment as my own body was impaled on the sword he thrust out. Blood spilled over the ground and the mountain shook again. The scent of brimstone filled my nostrils.
“Thank you, Barbie,” Arrius said. “I couldn’t have done this without you, truly.”
I spluttered, hanging on my own sword as my body came to a stop against his. I coughed, blood spewing forth. He didn’t even seem to mind that several droplets had landed on his cheek. Instead, I watched with a sick sort of horror as he reached up with his free hand and wiped it off with his thumb only to tuck the digit in his mouth and suck it clean of my blood.
“No…” I rasped. It couldn’t end like this. That’s not how it was supposed to go, not how this was supposed to end.
The portal! Satrina’s cry in my head shook me down to my core. My own fear hadn’t scared me as much as hers. If Satrina was afraid, then we were well and truly fucked. And definitely not in the fun way.
Once again, the mountain shook. Arrius withdrew the sword from my chest and I collapsed at his feet as blood poured out. It slid over the stone, reaching for where Torin still lay.
“I honestly didn’t even know if this would work,” Arrius admitted as he tossed the blade he’d used—my own fucking sword—haphazardly. The clang of metal scraping on stone reached my ears. “But I thought killing two hybrids would be the best option.”
My heartbeat was loud in my ears and even though I knew it was as slow as it should have been after the turn, each thud was like another nail on my coffin being nailed down. Each singular thump in my ears, in my chest, was another gush of blood from my wound. And it. Wasn’t. Fucking. Closing. I held my trembling fingers over the injury, shaking as I tried to staunch the blood flow. With it, the dark powers that had been inside of me—the source of Satrina’s abilities—began to disperse.
“Oh that won’t work, dear,” Arrius said. I lifted my head again. He smiled down at me. Cruelty and a glimmer of satisfaction lit his eyes. It was the expression of a man who was sure he’d won. “I coated the blade with Devil’s bane—anti-demon. It won’t be closing any time soon.”
I’m so sorry, Barbie… Satrina sounded weak, her voice barely a whisper in my mind. We tried … we gave it our best shot.
“No.”
“It’s over,” Arrius said.
“No,” I repeated it. I couldn’t stop repeating it. It was the only thing I could say. No. No. Nononononono. I said it until the no’s ran together, until it hurt, until my voice threatened to give out.
Arrius scowled. “Stop.” It was a command, but not one I heeded. He would kill me anyway. There was no way I’d give him this satisfaction.
“No. No. No. No.” The wings at my back grew heavy and soon enough they, too, disappeared—turning to ash against my back. The temperature in the cave ratcheted up to almost unbearable levels. Too hot. Everything was too hot. What vampires still remained groaned as they tried to get up. Over half of them were gone, turned to ash by Mav’s rainfall of fire. I turned my head, and saw that he was unconscious several feet away—his body having shifted back to human form. “No. No. No,” I kept going, shaking my head back and forth.
“I said stop!” Arrius’ voice echoed into the cavernous room, bouncing off the walls. I stopped talking as a figure appeared at his back. A familiar face—one I hadn’t expected. I watched as she bent down and retrieved the sword. Her hands began to smoke as the holy swords burned her. But not by a single batted eyelash did she reveal her pain. Instead, she brought the sword up and swung it downward.
Arrius turned at that exact moment—something must have tipped him off, perhaps it was my inability to tear my gaze away. It was too late, however. The sword continued downward in an arc at the same time he thrust his hands out—talons ripping through the fingers of his gloves and right into her chest.
Silence pressed downward—keeping every single person still alive, still conscious, suspended in time. Arrius’ head fell forward from his shoulders and then it rolled right off as the rest of his body—centuries old—disintegrated into nothing but dust.
“Ashes to Ashes. Dust
to fucking dust,” I muttered.
The blade clattered to the ground and my eyes snapped to where Katalin stood, the front of her robe soaked in her own blood. She stumbled back and went down, her head lolling to the side as cracks began to form in her skin, chips of it breaking away.
I crawled towards her, slowly, painfully, until I was at her side. Talons hadn’t just torn through her chest, I realized when I made it. Arrius, in his last fucking moments, had ripped her fucking heart out. All that remained behind was a hollow hole and a partially dead heart—most of it missing. She turned her cheek and looked up at me.
“I think…” she said, stopping as a shudder worked through her and more fissures began to form along her arms and face. “In another life … it would’ve been a joy … to truly fight you.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. So, I asked, “Do you think you would’ve won?”
She laughed. “Not at all, but it would’ve been a fun way to go.”
When I smiled down at her as the cracks caved in on themselves and her face began to deteriorate, it was full of remorse. I kept it up though, as her body sunk in on itself beneath the robe—her limbs dematerializing, her heart crumbling into nothing. And when I spoke again, I knew she couldn’t hear me. Yet, the words came anyway. There was no denying them.
“Yes,” I said. “It would’ve.”
Epilogue
Barbie
A week later…
The sun rose over the flat roof of the Cactus Inn Motel—fat, red, and round. “Do you have everything?” I turned my head at Torin’s question as he approached the car—the new SUV we’d purchased along with several other things as soon as we managed to escape Ashwood Mountain.