by R. L. Perez
Oliver shook his head. “We won’t be staying here.”
Brielle stiffened. “We won’t?”
“No,” Oliver said in a hard voice. “We won’t overstay our welcome with a coven of vampires we know nothing about.”
I felt Miguel and Jorge bristle behind me, and my own blood boiled with Oliver’s implication. I smiled coldly. “I assure you we have been nothing but hospitable toward your daughter. And we abide by the laws of magic. We do not feed on unwilling Donors.”
Oliver’s lips pressed together. “So you say.”
“Dad,” Brielle hissed.
“With all due respect, Mr. Serrano,” Oliver went on. “I’m a demon myself. I work among men like you. Men who claim to follow the law but operate under their own set of rules when it benefits them. And I won’t be taking that risk. Not with my family.” His eyes roved over the men behind me. “Though I’m sure your coven is delightful.”
Jorge hissed behind me, surging forward. I flung out an arm to stop him and stared hard at Oliver. “And where do you intend to go?” I asked. “I presume Brielle has told you of the curse on the city that has us all trapped.”
“She has,” Oliver said. “We’ve made some friends in the village we came from. I’m sure they would be more than happy to welcome us, since we saved their lives during the attack.”
Brielle flinched next to me. It was so subtle that her family didn’t notice, but I felt her blood pumping furiously. She started trembling again. I instinctively drew closer to her, and Oliver tensed, balling his hands into fists.
I shifted away from Brielle and pretended I hadn’t noticed her father’s reaction. My eyes fell to a large sack resting on the ground behind the family. I pointed to it. “My men will have to search this before you enter my home.”
Oliver’s eyes tightened. “Of course.”
With a sigh, I waved my hand forward. “You may join us in the caves. For now.” I looked at Jorge. “Search them before they enter.” Then, my gaze found Brielle’s wide eyes. “I must speak with you in private.”
Brielle nodded. I sensed Oliver’s movement and felt his blood boiling with anger, but I ignored him. I grasped Brielle’s elbow and led her in the direction of the cave, allowing Jorge and Miguel to handle her hotheaded father.
“What is it?” Brielle hissed, glancing nervously over her shoulder at her family.
“I simply wanted to anger your father,” I said with a smirk.
Her eyes blazed, and she violently shook her arm from my grip. “You’re a dick, you know that?”
I raised an eyebrow at her. The fire in her eyes only ignited the flames within me as well. How could I resist goading her?
She gritted her teeth and turned away from me, but I caught her arm again.
“Brielle,” I said softly, my smile fading. “To be perfectly frank, I did have something I wanted to discuss with you.”
Her furrowed brow smoothed, and she scrutinized me, her eyes still wary. “What is it?”
“Once your family is situated in the caves, I’d like you to meet me in my library.”
“Why?”
I leaned closer and said in a low voice. “I assume you won’t be sleeping tonight?”
Unease stirred in her eyes. She swallowed and shook her head. Despite the dark circles under her eyes, the blatant fear in her face told me she had no desire to sleep. Especially not after learning what the monster had done to that village.
I nodded once. “Very well. Then, we might as well get to work finding a cure for you.”
Her lips parted in surprise. “I—” She stopped, clearly at a loss for words. For once.
I watched her. The darkness I’d seen in her face earlier was still there—the darkness that told me she’d try to go back to the Count and sacrifice herself.
I knew if I didn’t help her find a solution quickly, she’d take matters into her own hands and do something reckless. Something that might get herself or others killed.
I couldn’t have that.
“What if there is no cure?” she asked in a whisper. Her eyes met mine, her face taut with unabashed fear. I’d rarely seen her emotions exposed so plainly before me. She was usually so guarded, and to see her raw, naked fear here in front of me was sobering enough to push all thoughts of teasing her from my mind.
I ran my thumb along the line of her jaw. To my surprise, she didn’t jerk away from me. Instead, she closed her eyes, and her breath hitched. I felt her pulse racing, though I couldn’t tell if she feared my touch . . . or craved it.
“There must be a cure,” I said in a soft voice. “You are a warrior, Brielle. If you can’t fight off Lilith, then no one can.”
The corners of her mouth twitched, lighting up her face just a fraction. I longed to see a real smile from her, though I knew it was unlikely.
She remained silent as we strode back to the cave together. Twilight darkened the sky, giving way to the early moon and the hint of winter’s chill. The space between us felt lighter and more comfortable as we walked in silence. But deep down, I felt a nagging sensation—a sense of foreboding.
The end of the year was fast approaching. And I knew something dark waited for us just around the corner.
39
Brielle
LEO’S MEN SPENT AN unnecessary amount of time searching my parents—their bags, their clothes, even their shoes. I could tell by the way Leo smirked in the corner of the cave that he was enjoying the show. Particularly my dad’s anger. Dad’s face was beet red by the time Leo and his vampires were finished. I watched my father’s blazing eyes send daggers toward Leo as he snatched his clothes back from Jorge and hastily put them back on. It hadn’t been a picnic for Mom and Angel, either, and I swore Dad was about to punch Jorge in the face when he took his time going through Angel’s pockets.
Leo was taunting Dad. I couldn’t tell if it was because he enjoyed making people angry—that was a given—or because he thought he was a threat.
I hadn’t forgotten the strange, tender moments Leo and I had shared today. Part of me cringed inwardly at the thought of how I’d sobbed like a baby in front of him. Or how I’d opened up and revealed my fears to him. I hated appearing weak, especially in front of someone who was supposed to be my enemy.
But the longer I stayed in the caves, the less Leo felt like an enemy to me.
A few vampires dragged some cots into my bedroom. I offered the huge bed to Mom and Dad, but they politely refused and settled into their cots, dragging them to the other side of the room for some privacy. I watched them huddle together, their eyes soft and far away as they whispered to each other. Mom’s face was pink, and she pressed a kiss to Dad’s cheek. They had that look of nostalgia in their eyes—the look that told me they were thinking of some memory they’d shared long ago.
When I saw that look, sometimes it made me curious. What were they reminiscing of? Other times, I didn’t care. As a kid, I’d thought my parents’ displays of affection were disgusting.
But now I wondered what other secrets they’d kept from me. Were they reminiscing of how they’d time traveled together? Or was there some other huge secret I didn’t know about?
“I know it’s crazy,” Angel whispered as she slid into bed with me. “It took me weeks before I could look at them the same.”
I blinked at her, realizing she had time traveled too. She’d spent months in the year 1735 with Mom and Dad—even after finding out about the time travel spell.
The fact made me feel strangely alone.
“What’s even crazier is how friendly you are with the coven leader,” Angel went on, propping her head up on her elbow and raising her eyebrows at me.
I scoffed and scooted into bed next to her—but only for show. As soon as she fell asleep, I’d slip out to find Leo.
The thought made my face burn, only making me look more guilty.
Angel snickered quietly. “Brie, I can’t believe you! A shapeshifting vampire . . . and a coven leader at that. That’s pretty
bold of you.”
I shoved her arm. “Stop it. There’s nothing going on. Besides, he’s super friendly with his Donors.” I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively. “It would make me uncomfortable to pursue someone who’s that . . .”
“Hands on?” Angel asked with a snort.
I laughed too. “Yeah.” To say nothing of the fact that just being around him made me boil over with anger. And we didn’t trust each other. And I’d tortured him, and he’d sucked my blood.
Yeah. Definitely nothing going on there.
Angel’s face sobered as she looked at me, her eyes worried. I knew that look. I wanted to sigh and turn away, but I was so grateful she was here that I couldn’t bring myself to.
“Brie,” she said quietly. “I know you. You’re trying to suffer through this alone. But you don’t have to. You have nothing to prove to me. Or Mom and Dad. You’re the strongest person we know. Hands down. And with all this happening to you—well, no one would blame you if you broke down or asked for help or, Lilith forbid, actually showed some emotion.” She smiled, trying to ease the tension. But it didn’t work.
I swallowed and nodded. “I know. I’m just . . . trying to process everything. That’s all.” And that was all I could tell her. Because if my family knew I wanted to sacrifice myself to save them, they would try to stop me.
But I would die before letting that monster kill them. I swore on my own life I would never let that happen.
As soon as Angel’s soft snores filled the cave, I gingerly rolled out of bed. My bare feet padded softly against the smooth, cold floors. I approached Mom and Dad’s cots, which were angled near the exit. Pausing momentarily to make sure they were sleeping too, I took a breath. Then, I slid between their cots, weaving through the cave tunnels that had become more familiar to me over the past few days.
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. As I crept down the narrow tunnel, a chill swept over me, and I was reminded of those days in the Castillo de Coca when Ignacio had murmured words in Latin—the strange spell he’d used to awaken the monster inside me, and the blood pooling from my hand.
I suppressed a shudder, squashing the thoughts down. Though I told myself it would be different this time, I wasn’t sure if I believed it. Like the Count, Leo was willing to do anything to save this city and get his people out. Even at my expense.
The thought filled me with fear—putting my trust in a man who didn’t trust me—but I couldn’t blame him. If it meant saving everyone, including my family, then I would gladly ask him to end my life.
When I arrived in the library, I found Leo poring over books in the armchair, his long hair disheveled as it framed his face.
“Welcome,” he said without looking up. “Please, have a seat.”
I frowned at his formal tone and sat opposite him with raised eyebrows, waiting.
Leo sighed and ran a hand through his hair, then met my gaze. “I am reading everything I have about Nightcasters and Lilith’s curse.” He paused. “So far, the only thing remotely helpful I’ve found is something that refers to ‘uniting with the beast.’”
My brows furrowed. “Can I see?”
Leo handed me a thick textbook with worn pages, and I squinted as I read the Spanish words. When Lilith is reborn, the Nightcaster may resist her influence by uniting with the beast. This task solidifies the bond between Nightcaster and beast, unifying their souls so there is no space remaining for Lilith to reside.
I looked up, my gaze distant. “Reborn,” I whispered. “Of course.”
Leo cocked his head at me.
I raised my eyes to meet his. “The beast is a phoenix.”
He blinked, and his eyes widened. “A firebird reborn in the ashes.”
Suddenly, the pieces started sliding together. I raised a finger, my heart racing as my mind spun through the information. “The phoenix and Lilith . . . they both need a host who can travel through time. Someone who can travel with them when they are reborn.” Someone with a mark like me.
“And that person is you?” Leo asked uncertainly.
I nodded.
Leo leaned forward, propping his arms on his knees. “Brielle, I know you won’t like this suggestion, but I stand by what I said to you before. I think the way to solidify this bond with the beast is to turn yourself over to it. Like my sister.”
I went still. My mouth opened with an automatic objection, but then I remembered something Dad had said about the phoenix. It whimpered like it was in pain. Like it didn’t want to be there.
Like someone else was controlling it. Someone like Lilith.
“You may be right,” I whispered.
Leo stared at me, his mouth opening in surprise. “I—I beg your pardon? I must have misheard you.”
I shook my head. “I said you may be right.”
Leo chuckled and leaned forward, tilting his ear toward me. “I must be going mad, because it sounded like you were admitting I was right.”
“Shut up,” I snapped, crossing my arms. But my mouth twitched, and when I caught a glimpse of Leo’s crooked grin, I had to return it.
Leo cleared his throat, his face sobering. “I propose we invite the creature. That you succumb to it but try to remain in control. Don’t fight it, but don’t surrender completely either.”
My head was spinning. That sounded frustratingly difficult. “How the hell do I do that?” I paused, and in a quieter voice, I said, “And how can we guarantee I won’t hurt anyone?”
Leo considered this. “I’ll stay with you.”
I stiffened and looked him over, trying to detect a trick.
He raised his hands in surrender. “I won’t harm you. But I remember when my sister got her fevers, that was when the beast took over. If I notice the same signs I saw in her, I’ll rouse you.”
“What are the signs?” I asked before I could stop myself. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know—but I had to hear it.
Leo’s eyes darkened. “Violent tremors. Burning heat. And . . . steam. Sometimes steam would rise from her. Her body would twitch and thrash like she was struggling.” He swallowed and dropped his gaze, his jaw rigid.
Idiot, I told myself. I hadn’t been thinking of how it would feel for him to relive his darkest memories. The memories of his dying sister.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
Leo met my gaze, his eyes softening. “It isn’t your fault, Brielle. My sister would be happy to know that in her death she provided a way for you to survive when she couldn’t.”
Silence fell between us as our gazes locked. Something solemn spread in the space between us, linking us together like chains. For the first time in months, I felt understood.
The feeling was so foreign that I wanted to instinctively shove it away. Especially when I faced Leo, whom I didn’t trust as far as I could throw.
“I need you to promise me something,” I said quietly.
Leo watched me, his silver eyes glinting. “Anything.”
I was so startled by this that I gaped at him, momentarily forgetting what I was about to say. Then, his eyebrows lifted, and I cleared my throat. “I, uh—if I start to show these signs and if you can’t wake me—if it seems like the worst has happened and Lilith has taken over”—I swallowed and took a breath—“I want you to kill me.”
Leo straightened, his eyes widening. “I will not,” he growled.
My nostrils flared. “You have to.”
“Brielle—”
“No, listen to me,” I said over him, balling my hands into fists. “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep up this sick dance with Lilith as we grapple over whatever phoenix is living inside me. And if she takes over again, more innocent people will die. It could be my parents next.” I paused, and then decided to use a different tactic. “Or your coven.”
Darkness clouded his eyes, and his jaw ticked back and forth as he considered this. I knew I’d won him over. He would do anything to protect his coven.
At long last, he said in a low voice, “I will statio
n sentries outside the cave. If one of them notices the beast, he will inform me.”
I held my breath, waiting for him to say the words. I need him to say it.
He finally met my gaze, and something unreadable stirred in his eyes. Something that almost looked like regret. “If the firebird poses a threat to our coven, then I will intervene.”
Intervene wasn’t nearly a strong enough word for me. My body tensed, waiting for the words I needed to hear: I will kill you.
But he didn’t say them.
I couldn’t tell if I was relieved or disappointed.
He seemed to read the conflict in my face. “There are other ways to weaken you besides killing you, Brielle.”
I stilled, thinking of the blissful numbness that had taken over my body when he’d drunk my blood. Fury coursed through me as I remembered how weak and useless I’d been after that, but I squashed the feeling down. He was right. Sucking my blood would weaken me—hopefully enough to weaken the phoenix as well.
“If that doesn’t work . . .” I said softly.
“For Lilith’s sake, Brielle, if you want me to end your life, you’ll have to do better than that,” he snapped, his eyes blazing.
My head reared back in surprise. Rage filled his face as his piercing gaze speared right through me.
He was . . . angry that I was asking this of him. But that made no sense to me.
“I don’t take pleasure in killing,” he said, his voice deep and menacing. “Though it’s in my nature, it is a crime against humanity. It makes me become more animal than man, and that’s something I will not relinquish.”
I stared at him, my chest swelling with his words. Something fierce resonated inside me, rising from within. More animal than man.
Or more beast than woman.
I nodded slowly.
“You have nothing to fear, Brielle,” he said softly, the rage in his face now gone. “I will keep you and your family safe.”
I nodded again, unable to find my voice. I wrung my hands together, my gaze fixed on the floor, until I realized Leo was watching me. Waiting.
My eyes locked onto his, and understanding flowed between us. His eyebrows raised with a question.