Raven nodded in response.
Chapter 15
Nikhil ran up to his burned home. The fire had been put out, but the smoke still lined his property. He should have never left his mate here. Not alone. But having her out in the world was more dangerous, so he thought.
One of his guards came up to him.
“They found her, your majesty. She’s being brought out now.”
“Is she alive?”
“Barely. She has burns on ninety percent of her body.”
“Take me to her. Now.”
The guard turned and he followed
Nikhil saw them putting his mate inside an ambulance. He ran up to her.
“Julie.”
The doors to the ambulance shut. His mate’s head turned towards him, and she hissed in pain.
“Nikhil,” she whispered. “They waited for you to leave to attack. Someone knew you were gone.”
She began to cough. When a vampire was burned, just like a human, they could die. It took a lot longer to heal with very deep burns, and if she did not heal fast enough, she could die.
“Don’t talk, you have to live for me.”
Nikhil rolled up his sleeve and bit into his wrist. He pressed his wrist to her mouth, forcing her to drink. The blood would help some, but she needed a lot more to survive.
The vehicle stopped and the back door opened. Two people pulled her body out and they pushed her inside the demon’s hospital.
Nikhil jumped out to see his guards already by his side.
“I want you to find out who did this and make sure you bring them to me,” Nikhil said to his guard. “They tried to kill my mate and for that, they will suffer a greater pain than death. They will suffer by my hands.”
“Yes, sir.”
* * * *
“What’s up with you, Kristian? You haven’t said a word since we landed.” Shane asked.
“I know. I had this fucked up dream. One moment I was teasing Raven’s mind, the next I could see Alec looking at her getting out of the shower. It pissed me off that he was looking at my mate.”
Shane touched his shoulders. “Don’t worry, you know it doesn’t mean anything. He has her mind under control.”
“I know, it’s just the thought of her letting that bastard touch her. It burns me up inside.”
Kristian and Shane walked down the terminal. They needed a car and fast. They couldn’t rent one without ID so that meant they had to steal one.
“There,” Shane said as a man walked up to his car.
“Sir,” Kristian said walking up to him.
The man turned around startled.
“Yes?”
Kristian pushed into his mind and the man handed him the keys.
“Get him inside. I will release him once we have…”
“Kristian Blackburn. Shane Santiago. You are under arrest.”
Kristian turned around, holding up his hands as two Demon Seekers approached them with guns.
“Fuck. So close,” Shane said.
“I’m not giving up.”
Kristian moved forward.
“Freeze. Don’t move.”
Kristian stopped walking again. “What’s the charge?”
“You are ordered back home by your father.”
Kristian flew forward, grabbing the one man’s head, snapping his neck at the thought of his father sending people to search for him. Shane went for the other man but he ducked and Shane went to the ground. Kristian punched him hard, knocking him to the ground. The man kicked up, and reached out to Kristian. Shane grabbed him from behind holding him.
“Tell my father I will return when I want to and not a moment before. Now take you friend here and leave me be.”
Kristian got into the car. He didn’t have time for this shit.
* * * *
Raven walked out of the store carrying all the items Alec said he needed for the ritual. She looked up and realized nightfall was near and she had to hurry.
While rushing through the parking lot she looked back only for a moment and felt a cold chill pass through her. Vampire, she thought. Still looking back, she ran into an unmovable object.
“My lovely Raven, what are you doing here?”
Raven lowered the bags to look into Simon Pearson’s black eyes. Raven smiled, placed the bags on the ground and punched Simon in the gut hard. The shadow demon went to the ground.
“What the fuck was that for?”
“You turned her? You are the one who turned that…that woman who claims to be a friend of mine. Why, Simon? Why did you?”
“Well she was a good fuck and I didn’t want to let her die off. Not often I find one.”
Raven growled at him.
“Find what? She was human, and you turned a human into a half shadow demon. She will not be accepted by anyone.”
“I did not turn her fully. I did not complete the transformation.”
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“I don’t know. Kinda hoping you would tell me. I got this strange pull to be here in this God forsaken town tonight.” Simon framed her face. “What are you doing here, sweet slayer? I thought you were going to stay in Paris when I last saw you.”
“Well, we have some work to do tonight, then we are leaving again.”
“Again? Where to?”
“Back to Paris, probably.”
“Do you know how hard it is to keep you a secret? So many think you are dead. Why did he bring you back here, and what were you doing around Veronica anyhow?”
“Hello. I can’t remember shit, as I’m beginning to believe. I don’t know her, but I know your scent. I can’t remember what happened before I met Alec. He said that I probably had something traumatic happen to me as a teen that I wanted to forget. I don’t know, but I don’t like people thinking they know me.”
Simon laughed.
“When are you going to let me have a go with you? I know you are in the mood.”
Raven frowned at the fact that he completely ignored what she had just said. She picked up her bags. “As soon as I don’t feel I want to hurl at that thought of seeing you naked.”
“Ouch. Well, you shouldn’t smell so tasty.”
“Whatever. Stay out of my way, I have work to do.”
Raven walked away from the demon.
* * * *
Kristian walked into the Dark Corner Café remembering it like it was yesterday.
“Kristian!” Veronica yelled. “Sha…”
Veronica stopped when Shane growled at her.
“What’s up his ass?”
Kristian looked at her. “What have you done to yourself?”
“I’m a shadow demon.”
“Yes, we get that but you are a half breed…”
“Yea, spare me the story, I know all about how I’m the outcast.”
Shane grabbed Veronica’s arm. “Are you crazy?”
Veronica snarled and pushed him away. “Don’t give me that shit. You fucked me for days and never told me once what you were. I had a chance at eternal life and I took it!”
“Calm, Shane. We can discuss this later. Have you seen Raven?”
“Yeah, I saw her earlier but I don’t know where she went. I think something is going to happen tonight. I got this strange pull inside me.”
“What type?” Kristian asked.
“I don’t know. I never felt it before.”
“Well, just stay inside. We are going to go to the house.”
“Wait, Kristian. She doesn’t remember you.”
“I know, but we will make her remember.”
Kristian rushed out of the diner.
* * * *
Raven made her way to the bonfire, where Jessica and Joseph were sitting next to each other. Alec came up the steps and onto their level.
Raven set down the supplies.
“I would have never guessed that was there. How are you two doing?” Raven asked.
“Scared,” Jessica said.
�
�Nervous.”
“Don’t be. It’s a simple spell. It will be over in an hour. Tops. Then we party.”
“You have the candles?” Alec asked.
“Yes, in the bag, and a bottle of holy water from the church.”
“Good. Let’s get started. Come with me.”
Raven motioned for Jessica and Joseph to follow Alec.
The passageway was dark but the light from the candles Alec lit brought the room to life. There was a giant pentagram drawn on the wall in front of them. All around them were symbols of all types.
“Wow,” Jessica said.
Alec placed an ancient looking knife on the stone in the middle of the room.
“What’s that for?” Joseph asked.
“It will be pushed into the ground to store the spirits of evil there for all time,” Alec told them.
Raven knew that was a lie. Alec was going to use their deaths to replenish Anarisan.
Alec clapped his hands together. “Let’s begin.”
“What…what do we need to do?” Joseph asked.
“I’m sure you both know Greek?”
“We can read it, but my mother never taught us what it meant.” Joseph explained.
“Good. Okay, here’s your book, Joseph, and one for Jessica.”
“Raven, stand here.”
Alec motioned for her to stand in front of them all.
“Jessica to the right, and Joseph to the left.” Alec waited until they got into place. “That’s good.”
Raven looked back at Alec.
“Ready, kitten?”
“Yes, I am.”
“I have been waiting for this blessing since I met you. Once you two start, don’t stop whatever you do.”
Alec poured the bottle of holy water over the stone.
“Holy water to cleanse the area. Okay, turn to page sixty and begin. Joseph, you read the warlock portion and Jessica the witch’s.”
The two opened the books and they began speaking the words to open the gates of hell.
“Louder,” Alec ordered.
They began chanting louder. A strange wind whipped through the cave. Several older lanterns around the room blew and lit up with fire.
“Yes!” Alec roared as the power surged through the room.
Raven shook her head as this buzzing noise started low in her head.
The entire room shook, causing Raven to fall to her knees.
Jessica stopped speaking and she began to move towards Raven. Alec rushed to Raven’s side and held up his hand to Jessica.
“Jessica, keep going, she’s fine. Trust me, I wouldn’t hurt my kitten.”
Raven heard Jessica speaking again. The world began to spin faster and faster. Their voices got louder and louder.
“Yes. Do it. Open!”
Raven looked up to see that Jessica and Joseph now floated up in the air. Their bodies stilled. Their mouths moved, chanting without needing the books. Their eyes were black as night.
Alec lifted her to her feet and walked over to the middle of the room.
“Now…” He walked back to Raven and touched her cheek. “Say goodbye forever, Raven.”
“What? Alec?”
* * * *
Kristian could feel Raven near to him. She was here in the back of the house.
“This way,” he told Shane.
There came a rush of air that knocked him to his knees. His head pounded.
“What the hell is this?” Shane yelled.
The earth under them shook. Kristian held his head and stood.
“I have to get to her.”
The pain throbbed through him with each step he took.
Kristian fell when he came to the camp site. He rolled down the flight of stairs.
“Kristian!” Raven yelled his name, making him look up.
Kristian saw the two people floating in the air. Alec stood behind Raven with a knife to her neck.
“Don’t move, Kristian, or I will slice her open,” Alec ordered. “Call to him, my children. Open the earth.”
Volts of lightning went through both of them. The earth shook again and this time Shane came running down the stairs.
“It’s time to watch your slayer die, Kristian.”
The room shook, throwing them around. A large hole opened behind them making Shane and Kristian run to the other side of the room.
“Raven,” Kristian called as she and Alec floated in the middle of the room.
The room filled with screams as fire shot from the portal.
“Here is your sacrifice,” Alec screamed.
“No!” Kristian watched as Alec stabbed Raven in the stomach.
Raven screamed as the blade slid into her body. The moment her blood touched the ground a large creature with horns emerged from the portal.
“Not today, big boy.” Simon stepped down in the tunnel.
He threw some type of vile green potion at the witch and warlock. They grabbed their faces and screamed. Once the chanting stopped, the portal began to get smaller.
“No,” the Karlem demon screamed. “You will die.”
Wind drew him back into the portal. His arm reached out for Raven. Kristian charged her the moment their bodies began to fall. The Karlem’s demon hand wrapped around Alec in mid-air.
“No. No. No!” Alec yelled.
Alec’s body began to burn. He howled for his life as he was pulled back into the portal.
Kristian looked down at his mate. He took the bag off his shoulder and took out a needle.
“What are you doing?” Simon asked.
“Making her remember.” He pressed it into his arm.
Then he bit into his wrist and pressed it against her mouth.
“What was that you threw on them?” Shane asked and walked over to the witch and warlock.
“It’s the same thing that you would use to put someone to sleep. Very powerful.”
“But how did you know?”
“I met Raven in Paris after she and Alec left town. I needed to gain your mate’s trust. While she was sleeping I went into her mind and I kept close tabs on them. When I found out they were back here I knew they were going to open that portal. Like any being, I don’t want any Karlem demon on this earth. That’s enough blood, vampire.”
Kristian stopped giving Raven blood when he felt light headed.
“So you were the only one who knew?”
“Yes. It’s been a long time of following them. Thank goodness we were able to close that before any of them escaped.”
Shane inhaled.
“You are the one who changed Veronica?”
“And you are the Shane she always talks about.” Simon said with a smile.
“Well, you tainted her with your demon blood.”
“Oh hell. Just turn her into a vampire if you like. It’s not like you can’t. Your blood will overpower mine. Veronica had enough of your blood in her to live several life times. As if you didn’t know.”
“Why did you turn her if you had no intentions of keeping her?”
“I do…did, but Veronica really likes you, Shane. I like Veronica, but if I take a half breed home I would be killed on sight. Now, take care of your slayer. I will clean these two up and they will not remember what happened tonight. They will not even remember Raven.”
Kristian moved Raven’s hand from her stomach and let out a sigh of relief when he saw the hole was closed. Her eyes fluttered open.
Raven lifted her hand to his face. “Kristian—it seems like a lifetime since I saw you.”
“Are you really Raven, or evil Raven playing tricks again?”
“What are you…”
Raven’s eyes rolled into the back of her head and she began to shake in his arms.
“Raven!”
Shane stood beside him, ready to aid him if needed. Once she stopped shaking, Kristian lifted her in his arms.
He walked her back up the steps. He was almost back to the front of the house when Raven pushed at his chest. She did it aga
in this time hard enough for him to release her.
“Raven?” he asked as she stumbled backwards.
“How can you want me, Kristian? How can you even look at me! Do you know what I’ve done over the past years?”
“Raven, that wasn’t you.”
“I hurt so many, did evil things that I don’t even want to say.”
Lightning flashed over them and a light drizzle started.
“Raven. Calm down. I still love you.”
Raven shook her head. “I love you, but I can’t understand how you can forgive me for that. I killed people for fun.”
“Raven, let’s go inside and talk. It’s starting to rain.”
“No, I don’t want to talk. I want to get away from it all.”
Raven ran off in the opposite direction, going deeper into the forest. Kristian ran behind her, trying to keep up with her. Hell, she was fast now.
The storm was rolling in now. The wind picked up. Kristian grabbed Raven and pushed her against a tree. Tears of hurt rolled down her face.
“Let me go. Kill me now. I can’t live with this.”
“Raven, remember…”
“Let me go!” she screamed.
He shook her a little.
“Raven, remember the box?”
“What?”
“The box. Place that memory in there.”
“I can’t, Kristian. I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. For me. For us. I have been through hell and I will not give you up now.”
Raven screamed at the top of her voice. Thunder rolled in the sky and boomed loudly.
“Kill me, Kristian, please.”
“Would that make you happy?”
“Yes.”
“Leaving me would make you happy? Me killing myself to be with you in the afterlife. Is that what you want?” Kristian waited for her to speak. He shook her again. “Is it?”
“No, damn it.”
“Then close your eyes and put the last ten years in that box and throw it away. Now.”
* * * *
Raven closed her eyes and put everything in the box, all her memories of the people she’d hurt. Everything. She threw it away. Just like trash.
She opened her eyes again. She saw Kristian for the first time in a very long time. The water beat down on them but she didn’t care, she loved him with all her heart.
Raven's Desires (Night Hunters) Page 22