by A. C. James
“Oh, Holly. Please no.”
I closed my eyes. Then I screamed when Victoria pulled the stake out.
“That hurts!”
“See, she’s fine,” Victoria said with a smirk.
Tessa kicked away Victor Monti’s body, which had crumpled at her feet, but it didn’t matter. The fallen fae were disintegrating into the light that filled the bar. It slowly dimmed with each passing minute, taking them with it. She made her way over to us.
“The stake missed her heart by an inch. Lucky bitch,” Tessa said with a grin, and I knew that it was a term of endearment. “Or should I say witch?”
If I didn’t think it would hurt I’d be laughing. It was the first time she’d refereed to me as anything other than ‘pet.’
Arie cradled me in his arms. “Holly, I thought I’d lost you.”
Suddenly, I was glad that I’d never taken Luna up on being human. Pretty sure I’d be dead if Naida had come at me any other way.
“Now it’s over,” I said.
Arie helped me onto a barstool. Tessa walked behind the bar and poured two shots, one for her and one for me. She slid the shot glass across the bar to me.
“Yeah, I could definitely use that drink now.”
Arie stood behind me and squeezed my shoulder. “I swear you’re a hard woman to keep alive.”
I grinned up at him. We all sat at the bar; I clinked my shot glass against Tessa’s and we tossed back our drinks at the same time.
“I can’t believe he’s gone,” Luna whispered.
Our chests were heaving and we were all disheveled when the elevator chimed again. A bouncer was escorting a handsome man and a woman with short, jet-black hair. They stepped off the elevator, and as the man approached I noticed the same animalistic smell as when I’d met Arie’s friend Julian. Arie immediately stiffened in response to the woman’s presence. I recognized her immediately from the vision I had of the jazz club.
“This one wants to see the moon faerie,” the bouncer said, gesturing toward the woman.
Tessa gave him a nod and narrowed her eyes. “Fine. Back downstairs and man the door. How the hell did the others get up here? You were supposed to stand watch.”
He grunted. “Knocked me out cold before I could do anything about it.”
“See that it doesn’t happen again.” She glared at him.
I could have sworn that I heard him mutter something about three against one hardly being a fair fight. And I got the distinct impression that she must have instructed him not to leave his post, or not to let anyone in, or maybe both. The bouncer headed back down to the lobby after acknowledging Tessa with a curt nod.
“Daeveena!” Luna looked like she was about to spurt whiskey out of her nose. Her usual silvery complexion turned pea green. “What are you doing here?”
“I heard about everything. I came here for you. You need to get out of here,” Daeveena said. “Victor is on his way.”
Luna’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t be serious. You’re crazy if you think I’d actually consider going anywhere with you.”
“We’re leaving, and you’re coming with us. You don’t belong here, you never did,” Daeveena said without really acknowledging anyone else in the room.
“That’s up to Luna,” Tessa said, swirling the amber liquid in her shot glass. “And besides, Victor is dead.”
“I wasn’t asking,” Daeveena huffed. “And I’m glad he’s gone. You did me a favor, but I’m not leaving without Luna.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you. This is my home now.” Luna folded her shaking hands in her lap, looking down taking a deep breath.
“Please don’t give me that bullshit. Our father is what put you here in the first place, and you only stay because you’re in love with her.” Daeveena waved her hand dismissively toward Victoria.
Victoria, who was seated next to me at the bar, had this horrified look on her face. It would have been comical if not for the strange intrusion from Luna’s sister. She looked a lot classier in a flapper dress than the tight skirt and low-cut top she wore now. It was all starting to make sense as I muddled out their fucked-up family tree.
“You’re her sister?” I asked. But it was really more of a statement.
“Half-sister,” Luna said softly. “It’s my life, and she has no right to tell me how to live it. Not anymore.”
“You’re not living it. That’s just it!” Daeveena shouted.
The animalistic-smelling guy that stood beside her—I was pretty sure he was a werewolf—grabbed her arm. Daeveena looked like she was going to lose it, and the air was thick with tension.
“Take it easy,” he said. “Just calm down.”
“Ty, don’t you fucking tell me to calm down.” She was practically spitting her words.
“You will unless you want to deal with me,” Tessa said. “You don’t walk into my place screaming like a lunatic. I’d rather rip your throat out than listen to you squawk. Especially after the night I’ve had.”
Daeveena yanked her arm away from Ty and lunged toward Luna. “You’re coming with us. Now.”
But before Daeveena could get to Luna, Victoria stepped between them. “Leave her alone. Haven’t you done enough?”
Daeveena looked like she would like nothing better than to deck Victoria. “You. You’re why she stays here playing slave girl to a bunch of vampires. She’s so in love with you it’s not even funny.”
Victoria’s mouth formed a hard line. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Are you that blind, or just fucking stupid?”
Victoria looked like she was about to knock her flat on her ass.
Daeveena smirked. “Or wait, maybe you’re both? I hear your pussy is as dry as the Sahara desert.”
Victoria took a step forward. The rage in those hyacinth-colored eyes almost made me shudder.
“Okay, I think we’re done here,” Arie said.
Tessa threw back another shot. “Are you sure? It’s been ages since I’ve seen two chicks want to claw each other’s eyes out, and this is over another chick.”
“Oh, we’re just getting started,” Daeveena said. She spoke so quietly now that it was more menacing than her screaming at us.
She closed her eyes and began chanting.
“Lapis, sanguis, lapis, sanguis, lapis sanguis…”
As she opened her eyes, she continued chanting and raised her hand, pointing directly at Victoria. A red streak shot out of her fingertips aimed right at Victoria who momentarily froze before she darted to the side. Everyone except Luna seemed to freeze, shocked by Daeveena’s demonic magic.
“No,” Luna screamed and dove between her half-sister and Victoria.
At the same time, Arie charged Daeveena, knocking her to the ground. But it was too late. The red streak hit Luna, who was tossed into the air like a rag doll before falling to the ground. Her silver hair fanned out across the black marble.
*****
Tessa leapt over the bar and crouched next to her limp body. I scrambled over to her other side, grabbing Luna’s wrist to check for a pulse. Although Luna was a moon faerie, and I had no idea if they had a pulse, let alone whether checking her wrist was the proper pulse point.
“Luna!” Daeveena screamed. “No, please, no. She’s not dead, is she? Let go of me. Just get your hands off of me.” She was pushing and shoving at Arie, who finally let her run toward her sister.
Victoria was the only one who didn’t move. She stood there motionless, so pale she looked like marble, as she stared at Luna’s unconscious body.
“I don’t know. I can’t tell,” I said.
“She’s not dead. I can hear her heartbeat, but it’s faint. What did you do to her?” Tessa asked. “Give me one good reason not to kill you right now.”
Daeveena bent over her half-sister
’s body. “I didn’t mean to. It’s a curse. A blood curse. It was meant for Victoria. I just thought with her out of the way that Luna would come with me. You don’t understand everything our father put us through. Please let me help her.” Daeveena paused, out of breath. “She’s my sister.”
In my vision Daeveena and Luna had been sent to the club to do their father’s bidding, killing a vampire in the alley outside. I’d watched Victor give his daughter a busted lip and nearly knock her teeth out. They had both looked so miserable. My heart broke for them. Ty hunkered over Daeveena and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Curses can be broken. We can fix this,” he said.
“How?” Daeveena asked. She bit back a sob.
Tessa glared at Daeveena. “If you’re this fucking useless I can just kill you now.”
“Maybe Luna did something to counteract the curse, since she’s not dead,” I said in a rush. Daeveena was a victim and killing her certainly wouldn’t help matters.
Daeveena popped her head up when I said that as if I’d reminded her of something.
“Maybe she didn’t have to do anything. Maybe it’s because she loves Victoria so much.”
I knew from defeating Katarina that love was a very heady and powerful kind of magic, not to be underestimated or taken lightly.
Tessa snorted. “And what…the kiss of true love will break the curse? If that’s the case shouldn’t someone who’s actually slept with Luna kiss her? Victoria doesn’t drink blood, doesn’t even have sex, and I sincerely doubt a kiss from her will get her juices pumping, let alone break a curse. I—or Arie, for that matter—might have better luck!”
“Are you kidding me?” I asked, shooting Arie a look.
Damned insecurities.
“Come on, Holly. Cut me a break. It was a long time ago—way before I met you. And love and sex are two different things. I’m not doing—”
“I’ll do it,” Victoria said, cutting Arie off.
Everyone turned and looked in her direction. It was the first word Victoria had spoken since Luna had fallen to the floor.
“I’ll kiss her.”
“But we don’t even know if it’ll work,” I said.
“Do you have a better idea?” Tessa shrugged. “It’s just a kiss. What’s the harm in trying?”
“We have to try,” Daeveena said. “I’ll never be able to forgive myself if she doesn’t wake up. I came here to protect her, not…” Daeveena shook her head. “I never meant to hurt her.”
“Yeah, she needs protection from you and your idiot father, not us,” Tessa said.
“Enough,” Arie said. “We’re wasting time arguing. Let Victoria kiss her, and if it doesn’t work we’ll think of something else. Maybe call Rue? She’s a witch. Maybe she’ll know what to do.”
I shrugged. “I’m not sure demon magic is really her specialty.”
“Just…” Victoria said.
Victoria stooped next to Luna, looking up at us. Daeveena, Ty, Tessa, and I backed away to give her some space. Slowly, she brushed a silver strand away from Luna’s face and lowered her lips to kiss her. When their lips met, Luna’s skin began to glow and her eyelids fluttered, but she still didn’t open them. Victoria raised her head and rocked back on her heels.
She brushed her knuckles across her pale cheek. “No, Luna. You have to wake up,” Victoria whispered.
“It wasn’t enough,” I said. “Something’s missing.”
Arie sighed. “I knew it couldn’t be that easy.”
“Wait…it’s a blood curse. Maybe there’s another way,” Daeveena said. “It’s was a curse on Victoria’s blood. It was meant for her and not Luna. She’s a vampire. Maybe that’s what it takes to lift the curse.”
“You mean give her my blood?” Victoria asked.
Daeveena huffed. “No, stupid. The curse was to turn your blood to stone and my curse hit Luna instead. Perhaps you drinking hers will get it moving again and lift the curse.”
All of us looked at one another. We all knew what that meant. Drinking Luna’s blood could make Victoria human again, and there was no guarantee that this experiment would even work. No one spoke. We all just stood there, staring down at Luna’s motionless body as if that alone would will her to wake up.
“Luna saved me. She was trying to protect me. I owe it to her to try and save her,” Victoria said, breaking the silence.
“You know what that means, don’t you?” Tessa asked.
Victoria nodded.
“This is crazy.” I asked. “Maybe I should. I mean, I’ve thought about it. I didn’t want to be a vampire, then I did, but I haven’t been for very long. Victoria would be giving up a lot more than I would. What if it doesn’t work and Victoria does this for nothing?”
“Then I’ll be human,” Victoria said.
Daeveena glared at me. “You can’t help. I cursed Victoria, not you. It has to be her.”
“I don’t think this is a good idea. We have no idea what this will do. But we do know that you’ll be human.” Arie shot Victoria a what-the-fuck-are-you-thinking look. “Do you remember what that was like?”
“Yeah, I do. I don’t think this is a good idea either, and I sure as hell don’t want to go back to being weak. But I can’t stand here and do nothing if there’s even a remote chance that it might save her,” Victoria said.
I couldn’t believe that after over a century of living as a vampire she might go back to being human. Before anyone could say another word, Victoria bent her head and reached under Luna’s neck, tilting it up, and bit into the side of it. Her luminous skin began to glow again. It was almost as if her blood had indeed been turned to stone, and Victoria’s love, drinking from her, made her blood circulate and move—reanimating her.
Luna’s eyes fluttered open, her silver lashes framing those shimmering pools. Victoria released her neck and moved away from her. She didn’t look so good. In fact, she looked like she might start retching at any minute.
“Luna!” Daeveena shouted, tears gleaming in her eyes.
Luna sat up slowly. “I’m okay.”
“I never meant to hurt you. I’m so sorry. I’m just so, so, incredibly sorry—”
“Enough,” Luna said. “I don’t want your apology. It won’t be enough. Not this time.”
Daeveena stepped forward. “No, please. You’re my sister. You’re all I have. You’re all I ever—”
“Then you wouldn’t have run off and left me to deal with our father and take his place just to save his sorry ass,” Luna said. “You fucking left me. Then you come here and attack my friends. No, my family. This is my family now.”
I’d never heard her talk like that. It shocked the hell out of me, but it was nice to see her stand up for herself. I still hadn’t forgotten the sudden revelation that she and Arie had slept together, but I really had no right to be mad about it since it happened before we ever met, before we were together.
“You could have come with me,” Daeveena said, looking down at her feet. “I begged you to come with me.”
“And do what exactly? Leave town for some sort of fucked-up faerie-demon Bonnie and Clyde road trip? I don’t think so. You’re no better than our father.” Luna shook her head.
Ty put his hand on Daeveena’s shoulder. From the incredulous look on Luna’s face she was about to fly off with a witty remark but suddenly Victoria gasped. And when we turned in her direction, her eyes were wild. Her skin looked slightly pink. Victoria was albino before she’d been turned, so her skin was still pale. But it wasn’t the same unearthly paleness that came with being a vampire. The flush slowly crept up her arms.
“What’s happening to me?” Victoria shrieked.
But then recognition lit her eyes. We all knew this would happen. She drank Luna’s blood to break the curse, and now she was turning human. I watched as my chance to be human was being
realized by my friend. I would have taken her place. I’d have done that for her, but somehow through all of this I’d stepped into the life I’d landed into by accident and embraced everything that came with it. The flush had almost reached her neck when Victoria clenched her fists and it looked like it took tremendous effort to use the last of her vampire strength to shift.
I’d never seen someone shift, even though Katarina had pretended to be my cat so she could break into the loft and steal the protection amulet that Rue gave me. A flurry of black feathers drifted to the ground as Victoria took the shape of a crow and soared through the bar, her erratic flight darting over the balcony toward the Goth club below, which was still closed. She’d used the very last of her powers as a vampire to take flight. My heart broke. Victoria would be human, alone, and completely vulnerable when she landed.
Luna ran to the balcony, leaning over the rail. “No!”
Then she sank to her knees sobbing uncontrollably. I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her. I couldn’t be angry about her and Arie. Not now. It was the past.
Daeveena stepped forward. “Luna, I—”
Her head popped up. Luna stopped crying and those silver pools shimmered with a fury I’d never seen from the gentle moon faerie. “Shut up. Just shut up.”
“I can make this right,” Daeveena said. “I can fix this.”
“How? How do you think this can ever be right? You don’t get it. There are things you can’t control and things you can never take back.” Luna stood, toe to toe with her half-sister.
I scrambled to my feet and got ready to break up a cat fight if I had to.
“I love her. And now…” Luna shook her head.
“I came back here for you,” Daeveena shouted. “I heard about our father. That he was going to force you to come home and work for him. I couldn’t let that happen. Please…you have to believe I never meant for any of this to happen. And so what if she’s human?”
Luna slapped her half-sister so hard that her head spun sideways.
“She didn’t want to be,” Tessa said with quiet anger in her voice.
“Her life as a human was filled with unimaginable heartbreak,” Arie said. “She hated being weak. She’d never want to go back to that.”