by Celia Aaron
I pointed my knife at Red. “Take her and go.”
He picked her up and fled down the back stairs as more gunfire ripped through the air.
“Stella, now!”
I surveyed the room, a mass of bodies caving in on itself. Some ran for the doors and screamed to be let out. It made them easy targets, and they fell in heaps as their former friends and allies fought to claim the throne. Every time someone fell, or a cry of agony pierced the air, I felt a sliver of comfort. I wanted to stay, to watch all of them suffer.
Judge Montagnet tried to scramble up the stage steps, his eyes wide and a bloody slash on his cheek. I tightened my grip on my blade, but a young man behind him swung swift and sure with a double-sided axe, almost severing the judge’s head completely. The man yanked the axe free and climbed to the platform. Sin pulled out a revolver and fired two rounds. The man fell backward as others began to rush the the stage.
“Let’s go.” Sin threw me over his shoulder and dashed down the back stairs.
I got one more glimpse of the gratifying chaos before he carried me through the hidden door. Quinlan swung it shut behind us, and he and another larger man chained and barred it. The noxious scent of gasoline filled the air, and rows of gasoline cans lined the carpeted hall, a stark contrast to the hand-drawn walls and ornate chandeliers.
Sin put me on my feet. All eyes turned toward the door as pounding sounds and screams poured through it. The cries were silenced one by one.
I covered my nose, a futile attempt to avoid the gasoline fumes, and looked down the hall. Red lay on the floor in a puddle of crimson. Lucius stood over him, a bloody knife in his hand.
I nodded. “Good.”
Evie cried on Gavin’s shoulder as the screams rose and fell within the ballroom. Brianne clung to Carl, her stare far away. Gunfire continued sporadically, the stately chateau devolving into a slaughterhouse floor. My heart sang with each life that was snuffed out, their blood slowly dousing the rage burning inside me.
“It worked.” Teddy ran a shaking hand through his hair. “I can’t believe it worked.”
Sin whipped me around to him and pulled me into a kiss. I closed my eyes and reveled in our victory, in the turmoil and death beyond the door, and most of all in the man I loved.
“We need to get out of here.” Lucius knelt and wiped his blade on Red’s pant leg.
“Quinlan, are we good here?” Sin asked.
“It’s ready to burn.”
Sin pulled a roll of hundreds from his inner suit pocket. “Make sure no one gets out alive.”
Quinlan took the money. “Not a problem. Everyone’s cleared out, and I’ve got men with eyes on this place.”
“Thank you.” I met Quinlan’s eyes.
“After that last thing, in the fort.” He shook his head. “This was my pleasure.”
“Come on.” Lucius pulled Teddy down the hall. “We have to go.”
Sin scooped me up and ran with me, my heels clattering to the floor. Gavin, Evie, Carl, and Brianne followed. Quinlan and the large man brought up the rear.
We burst out into the cool night, but Sin stopped and set me on the ground.
“Stella gets to do the honors. Give them to her.”
The larger man pulled a book of matches from his pocket and handed it over. I turned the matchbook over in my hands, amazed at how light total destruction could be.
I opened the pack and pulled out a single match, the tip green. With a single flick of my wrist, the head flamed, a bright orange burst in the evening gloom. Time stopped, and only I and the flame existed, both burning, both bent on annihilation. I threw it, the flame flickering in the light wind. It bounced off the door, landed on the carpet, and then multiplied into a snakelike inferno. Orange flames raced down the hall in a whoosh, the carpet catching and the walls bubbling.
Quinlan slammed the door, and Sin scooped me up again and ran to the cars waiting for us.
“You.” He pointed to Gavin and then a car. “That one. Key’s in the ignition. Money’s in a bag in the trunk. Get far away from here. Take them with you.”
Sin tucked me into the passenger side of his sports car.
“Wait.” I got to my feet and dashed to Gavin, wrapping my arms around his neck.
He held me close. “I got your back.”
“I got yours.”
“You did it. I can’t believe you did it. You burned them the fuck down.”
“Be safe.”
“You too.”
“Stella!” Sin banged on the hood of his car.
I gave Gavin one more hard squeeze and ran back to Sin. He dropped into the driver’s side, waited for Teddy and Lucius to pull away, and then tore down the drive.
The gate was wide open, and we followed Lucius’s taillights down the main road, away from the chateau, and back toward home. Home.
I looked at Sin, his jaw set tight and his eyes flicking to the rearview.
“It’s over.”
A loud boom rumbled through the air. I craned my head back. Smoke rose over the trees, blotting out the stars and hazing across the moon. An orange glow marked the Oakman estate, fire wiping the slate clean.
Sin shifted into another gear, speeding faster, and took my hand, bringing it to his lips.
“I would gladly kill a thousand more for you.”
“Let’s hope we don’t have to. Do you think anyone will come for us?” We’d discussed it before, but tonight we had just tried to get through the coronation alive. This was a whole new reality.
“I don’t think anyone’s left to retaliate. If they do, we’ll be ready.” His tone was full of malicious promise. He kissed my hand again, his gentle lips at odds with his dark words.
“The police?”
“Anyone who’s left will kill any investigation into the Acquisition. The governor won’t want anyone digging too deeply into this tragedy. Besides, every sheriff from the surrounding parishes was in the crowd.”
I relaxed back into my seat, staring ahead as we raced off into the night. Into our future, while the world of the Acquisition turned to ash behind us.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
STELLA
“NO, TO THE LEFT.” I put my hands on my hips. “No, Teddy, your other left. And they’re really going to let you operate on people?”
He laughed and adjusted the star atop the Christmas tree more to my liking. “How about that?”
“It looks straight to me.”
“The top is cocked to the left.” Sin wrapped his arms around me from behind.
“No it isn’t.” I ran my hands over his arms.
“Yes, it is. Angle it to the right more, Ted.”
Teddy looked at me for permission.
“Fine, to the right. See how that looks.”
He tweaked it and stood back on the ladder. “I’ve only changed it five times so far.”
“See, now it’s perfect. Like you.” Sin kissed my neck, and I sighed.
Teddy climbed down and pulled the ladder away. Sin reached over and hit the lights. The tree glowed white, the lights glittering amid the silver and gold ornaments.
“Beautiful. Also like you.” He nibbled at my ear, sending goose bumps running down my arms.
Teddy sank into an arm chair and threaded his fingers behind his head. “This is pretty much my best work yet.”
Laura walked into the library and clapped. “Oh my god, it’s perfect!”
I smiled. “It was all Teddy.”
“Liar,” Sin whispered in my ear.
I melted into him, leaning back as he held me. He was everything; I couldn’t even fall asleep without him now. He kept the nightmares at bay—the faces, screams, and flames. He’d given up his position in town and focused on the sugar business. Where he went, I followed, though I drew the line at returning to Cuba.
After the coronation night, the news ran several stories about the “tragedy in the bayou,” the fast-moving fire that had trapped many fine and upstanding members of Southern society. At first, it seemed
like coverage would never end, but after a couple days, the world just seemed to move on.
The house was on high alert the first month, hiring Quinlan’s men to keep watch at the front and back gates. But after a while, it appeared the entire power structure had collapsed, leaving no one to retaliate.
Fall turned to winter, and as Christmas approached, I wanted to change our history, mold the season into a happy time.
Laura walked to Teddy, who pulled her into his lap.
She protested. “Stop. Not in front of them.”
Teddy scoffed. “Stella and Sin don’t care. They’re practically doing it standing up over there.”
She laughed as he ran his hands around her waist and pulled her down to his mouth.
“Jesus, that tree is overdone.” Lucius walked in and plopped down on the sofa, drink in hand as always. “Did you raid the north pole or something?”
I arched an eyebrow. “Shut up. It’s gorgeous.”
“If you say so.” Lucius saluted me with his drink and downed half of it in one go. “Farns would have a heart attack if he saw it, for the record.” Lucius kicked his feet up on the coffee table.
“Well, then it’s a good thing we sent him on a vacation to a sunnier clime.” I refused to let Lucius bring down my Christmas spirit.
Teddy came up for air. “Lucius, don’t be such a dick. It’s Christmas.”
I walked to Lucius and pulled his glass away. “I think what we need is food instead of alcohol. Maybe it will improve your mood.”
He glanced to Sin and then stared at my chest. “I’d love to tell you what would improve my mood, but Sin probably wouldn’t like it.”
“Don’t talk to her like—”
“Sin, it’s fine. He needs to eat. The liquid diet makes him grouchy. I’ll go get some snacks from the kitchen.”
“There’s a roast on the stove.” Laura started to get up.
“No. Stay. I’ll make a plate and bring it. Lucius and Sin, play nice while I’m gone. Laura and Teddy—” I smiled. “—carry on.”
I hummed “Last Christmas” as I entered the kitchen. Renee stood in the pantry, her back to me.
“Oh, hey, I was wondering where you were. We just decorated the tree. I’m going to take some—”
She made a strangled noise and fell forward.
“Renee!” I rushed to her and turned her over. A knife protruded from her chest. I drew air into my lungs to scream, but Dylan lunged from the darkness of the pantry and clapped a hand over my mouth.
He shoved me until my back was against the island, his knees straddling me.
“Miss me?” He licked my cheek and pressed something metal against my chin.
“If you make a sound, I’ll pull the trigger and splatter your brains on the ceiling. Nod if you understand me.”
I nodded, too afraid to blink. His hand crushed my lips, but the gun barrel was still foremost in my thoughts.
“You’re coming with me. I own you. See, I’m the Sovereign now. You’re going to serve me until your cunt is worn out and your will is broken. Then I’m going to spill your blood for all to see. Like christening a boat. I’m going to rebuild it all.” A crazed light burned in his eyes. “And your boys in the library? They’ll be punished, too. But you’re the prize, the one I want. They’ll try to come after you. I’ll kill them and make you watch.” Spit flew from his lips, and he almost vibrated with excitement.
“Come quietly, or I’ll kill them all now. So what’s it going to be? Will you behave and come with me?”
I nodded.
“Do you promise, Stella?”
I nodded again.
“I’m going to take my hand off your mouth. Make a sound and I’ll kill you. No hesitation.” His soulless eyes made me believe every word.
He pulled his hand away slowly. I took a shuddering breath, but didn’t make any noise.
“Good girl. Now get up.” He pulled me to my feet and leaned close to speak in my ear. “I’m going to fuck you as soon as I get you where no one will hear you scream. Keep that in your mind. Hold onto it for me.” He pulled me away from the island. “Out the back door.”
Pushing me ahead of him, he shoved the barrel between my shoulder blades. Blood pooled around Renee as her unseeing eyes stared straight ahead. I walked past her, biting back my grief, and turned toward the rear of the house.
The door from the hall opened and Teddy walked in. “Stella, Laura sent me—”
The gunshot deafened me. Teddy fell to his knees, crimson spreading along his stomach as he stared up at me.
“Teddy!” I whirled and knocked the gun from Dylan’s hand, and then darted to the knives lined up along the wall over the stove. I pulled two down as yells erupted in the hallway. Dylan ran. I followed.
His feet thundered down the back steps and out onto the lawn. I couldn’t let him get away. He was fast, but I was faster. His bulk slowed him down as I sprinted after him, his blond hair glowing in the bright moonlight. Everything inside me was numb—everything except the need for vengeance.
I gained on him, my feet sure on the grass as he ran past the garage toward a car parked under the oaks. I pushed harder until everything burned. When I finally caught up with him, I cut a slashing arc across his back.
He screamed but kept running. I shoved my hand out, embedding a knife in his thick torso. He slowed stumbled. I slashed him again and dropped to his knees, only a few yards shy of his car.
I circled to his front and kicked him so he landed on his back, the knife penetrating deeper. Bloody bubbles rose from his lips as I settled on top of him.
Someone yelled my name. I stabbed downward. Dylan screamed weakly. I withdrew the knife and did it again. I stabbed and stabbed until Sin grabbed my wrist and pulled me to my feet.
“Stop. It’s over. Stop.”
“Renee? Teddy?” A car reversed out of the garage and squealed tires, passing us and almost knocking us over with the draft.
“Renee is gone. Teddy—” His voice broke.
I dropped the knife and wrapped my arms around him.
“Lucius took him.”
“I left Dylan alive. This is my fault.” I shuddered, everything shaken all the way down to my soul.
“No.” He stroked my hair as Laura ran out the front door and collapsed on the stairs, head in her hands. “You didn’t do this.”
“Renee.” A flash of her kind smile on the first day we met struck me like a slap in the face. “Are you sure? Maybe she—maybe…”
“No. Shh. She’s gone. I’m sorry.”
I stared down at Dylan, blood covering his throat and face. Pulling back, I looked down at my red hands, the blood seeping into my shirt and jeans. I shook even harder.
“You’re in shock. Come inside.”
“We need to go to the hospital. We have to help Teddy.”
Sin locked his arm around my waist and guided me to the porch. “We will, but we can’t take you like this.”
“We have to—”
“Lucius has him. We’ll leave as soon as you’re okay.” His voice remained calm as he hurried me up the front steps.
“Laura, I’m going to get Stella cleaned up. Pull my sedan around. We’ll all go to the hospital as soon as we’re done.”
Sin picked me up and carried me to my bathroom. He turned on the shower and stripped me. All I could do was stand, my teeth chattering. He stripped his clothes and got in with me.
The red bloom on Teddy’s shirt spread larger and larger in my mind. His wide eyes full of pain and surprise. “Do you think Teddy—?”
“I don’t know.” He hastily lathered a washcloth.
The blood sluiced down into the drain, a crimson river that would never run clear again.
I covered my face with a shaking hand. “It should have been me.”
“Don’t say that.” Sin pulled my hand away. “Never say that. We’d all be dead without you. Either from the hell of the Acquisition or Dylan’s bullets.”
“But Teddy—”
“No!” He slammed his fist into the tiles hard enough to break one. “Never wish yourself away from me.”
He crushed me to him, our battered souls clinging to one another as they had done from the start. “Never.”
EPILOGUE
STELLA
“TEDDY, COME IN. IT’S time for lunch.” I called loud enough for the dark-haired toddler on the lawn to look up at me.
“Mommy!” He grinned and did his best to navigate the grass toward me. Lucius ran up behind him and scooped him into his arms, tickling him as they barreled through the sunny morning.
I rubbed my stomach, the twins growing inside me apparently engaged in a fistfight. I turned as Lucius stomped up the stairs behind me.
Teddy giggled like a maniac. “Again, Unky Lusus!”
“Lunch first.”
“Mommy’s a buzzkill, little man.” Lucius set him on his feet in the foyer. He toddled off toward the kitchen. I may have been his mother, but he knew Laura had all the snacks.
“When are you going to pop?”
“Two weeks. You know that.”
“You keep telling me that, and I keep disbelieving that you can still be pregnant. Huge, is all I’m saying.”
“Beautiful, he means.” Sin came down the stairs and gave me a kiss. He peeked down the hallway and saw Teddy.
Giving me a grin, he turned and crept along behind his son, then grabbed him up and blew raspberries all along his stomach as he giggled.
“Are you sure they’re both girls?” Lucius matched my lumbering pace toward the breakfast room.
“That’s the word at the doctor’s office.” I trailed my fingers beneath my mother’s portrait that hung in the hall. I’d painted it from memory, and her smile greeted all guests to the house.
“Do you think maybe you could name one Lucia or something?”
“Not a chance.” I eased into the breakfast room. Lucius pulled out a chair for me, and I sat, my feet thanking me for the brief respite.
“Here.” He scooted out the chair next to me, and lifted my feet up.
I leaned back and closed my eyes. “Thank you.”
“Welcome.”
Sin came through from the kitchen and started rubbing my shoulders.