by K. A. Last
Archer frowned. “You should have been able to predict her escape.”
“I blocked her out.”
“You what?”
“All she was thinking about was Josh,” I said.
“Come on, stop arguing,” Seth said. “We should try and find the others.”
Archer looked at Seth as if he’d grown another head. One that played nice. “And how are we supposed to do that without Lilith?”
“We came here based on what you saw in Cain’s head,” Ryan said. “Can we get to the others the same way? Did you see where they were going?”
“Not enough to get a good lock on their location. I’d been concentrating on Charlotte.”
“I know the way.” Charlotte stepped around us and out the door. “It’s not far.”
Ryan was the first to follow. “Beats staying here.”
Seth motioned for Archer and me to follow. The wound on his chest had almost healed, with only a small patch of dry blood left around the edges.
We walked in silence for a few minutes. The siren had stopped, but the red lights along the passage pulsed in a steady rhythm. I hoped Charlotte knew where she was going.
The passage came to a dead end, and I was about to point it out when Charlotte pressed her ear to the wall. I strained my ears, sifting through what I could hear in my head, and attempting to determine what were thoughts and what were real sounds.
Charlotte pulled back and searched the floor. When she’d found what she’d been looking for, a smile crept onto her face. It had been a while since I’d seen it. Charlotte’s smile made her beautiful, like it wasn’t just her lips moving, but her entire body swelling with happiness. It was kind of infectious.
She stomped on the floor and what looked like a plain old rock disappeared into the stone. The wall in front of us slid open, revealing a room lit with another bulb hanging from the ceiling. It blinked off, fizzed with a static noise, and then came on again.
“Bad connection,” Archer said.
“The wiring is old.” Charlotte shrugged. “Not much of it works … only the bits that need to.”
On the other side of the room was another door. It was well hidden in the wall, but the rock key sat on the floor next to it. It looked the same as the one Charlotte had stomped on.
“Where does that go?” I asked.
“Into the main chamber,” Charlotte said. “I told you it wasn’t far.”
“Are you okay?” Archer put his hand in the small of her back.
Charlotte nodded and faced the door. “I have to be. We’ve got a vampire to kill.”
THIRTY-THREE
Josh
Vamp dust billowed around me, and I spun, ready to drive my stake into the chest of the next one coming. No sooner had I dusted one than another took their place.
I concentrated on reaching Lucas, who stood with Cain near the throne, arms crossed, surveying the battlefield before him. It was impossible to get close enough to kill him.
Michael fought the mass of vamps protecting Lucas. Hope orbed to his side to help, and together they thinned the army lined up in front of the platform.
“All of them need to die,” Michael said, his voice travelling across the open room. He drove his stake into another vamp, and for a moment the way to Lucas cleared, until another vamp closed the gap.
“Are you nuts? We can’t possibly kill them all,” I said.
“Killing vamps is what hunters do.”
I didn’t think it was a good time to remind him I wasn’t a hunter.
The sound of rock grinding on rock entered the cavern, and I turned towards the noise. A fist connected with my cheek, sending me reeling backwards. I stumbled, and fell onto my back. The vamp that had punched me jumped on top of me. She was quick, and all arms and legs. She flew into a psycho rage, growling and gnashing her teeth. I put my arms up to fight her off. For such a small creature she had surprising strength.
Lucas’s laugher bounced off the rock walls. From the corner of my eye I saw him and Cain standing on the stage, watching the battle on the cavern floor.
I tried to roll out from under the girl vampire, but she clamped her knees around my waist. Her fingers tore at my clothes, her nails drawing blood as they scratched my chest. I managed to get a punch in, but the angle was wrong, and it had no effect.
Then she exploded into dust and it rained down on top of me, falling into my mouth and eyes.
Lilith reached out and I grabbed her hand, pulling myself up. The sight of her made my chest tighten. I didn’t want to admit I’d been worried about her, but I also didn’t want to admit I was more worried about Grace.
“Thanks,” I said, not really able to manage anything else.
How had a smaller vamp gotten the better me? I should have outmatched her in size and strength. It should have been my stake through her heart, not Lilith’s.
Several vamps scurried for an exit. Hope and Justice mowed down all those that crossed their path, but a few disappeared into crevices, and down passageways off the main cavern. There were so many ways in and out of the room it was hard to tell how many had fled the fight scene.
Michael appeared at my side, his mouth pressed into a thin line, and his forehead creased. “Where are Grace and the others?”
Lilith took a step back and narrowed her eyes at Michael. “No doubt they’re coming.”
“You deserted them.”
“I came for Josh.”
“Well, isn’t that touching,” Michael said. “Make yourself useful and talk some sense into Lucas.”
Lilith gave me a look that said we needed to talk. I couldn’t have agreed more. Whether we would get the chance was another thing all together.
“What makes you think Lilith can do that?” I said. “None of us can.”
Michael clenched his fists and scowled. “Because Lilith created him. She can be the most compelling.”
“Lucas won’t listen to me,” she said.
Michael grabbed Lilith around the neck and pushed her up against a rock column. “Make. Him. Listen.”
I grabbed Michael’s shoulders and yanked him away from Lilith. He turned on me. I’d never seen an angel so angry before. It didn’t look quite right on his face.
The grating rock sounded again, and this time I was able to see where it came from. Charlotte, Grace, and the others filed into the room through the door to the right of Lucas’s throne. They spread out on the platform, surrounding Lucas and Cain. Lucas’s smile dropped away as he turned to see who it was. He wasn’t quick enough.
Within half a second, Grace had him on the floor. She pressed her foot hard into his throat, a stake in her hand, poised to strike. Charlotte stood beside her.
Archer king-hit Cain and he hit the floor with a thud before scrambling backwards to the wall. Seth scanned the cavern, his gaze stopping when he reached me.
“Looks like Grace is here to save the day,” I said.
She raised her head and stared straight into my eyes.
I was angry with her about so many things, and I was tired of swimming in my massive ocean of emotions. Neither of the girls I thought I loved were any good for me. Grace would never choose me while Seth was around, and because of that I wished I’d died that night when Charlotte had turned me.
Grace could hear every thought that passed through my mind. For once, I was okay with the mind-reading. I wanted her to know how she affected me, and how much I loved her, even though right then, loving her was the one thing I really didn’t want to do.
Seth smiled and I clenched my fists at my sides. I flexed my fingers to relax them, thinking how great it would be to rip the smile off his face.
Dust littered the cavern floor, and the last few vamps standing clambered for the nearest way out. I glanced around at those I’d been fighting with. I would never be one of them—part of Grace’s circle. Maybe I had been once, but not now.
My clock was ticking, and the only thing keeping me alive was Grace. I had a feeling that even Char
lotte’s days were numbered. Michael didn’t seem the type to let any vampire live. He didn’t come across as very forgiving.
All eyes were on Grace and Charlotte. Grace adjusted the grip on her stake and raised her hand above her head. Charlotte grabbed her wrist on the downward swing, stopping the kill shot. The girls stared at each other for a moment, and Grace took her foot off Lucas’s neck, kicking him. He rolled onto his back and stared up at them, a silly grin plastered on his face. Charlotte pressed her lips together.
“Hello, sister,” Lucas said, laughing. “So nice to see you again.”
THIRTY-FOUR
Grace
Maybe I’d taken a knock to the head, because I wasn’t sure I’d heard Lucas correctly.
“What did he say?” Archer asked, coming to stand beside Charlotte.
Charlotte stepped back and let Lucas get to his feet. He straightened out to his full height, towering over me. Good thing I wasn’t easily intimidated.
Cain pushed himself up against the wall, eyeing us warily. I hadn’t forgotten about him, but he would have to wait.
Charlotte stood still, a statuesque pose I’d come to know so well.
“Haven’t you told them?” Lucas asked. “I feel … hurt.” He mockingly placed his hand over where his heart should have been.
Archer slipped his hand into Charlotte’s. I loved how my brother had a way of knowing when someone needed something. Even though that someone had lied to him, to all of us, he still wanted to help her.
“Arch, this is Lucas,” Charlotte said. “My brother.”
Archer’s gaze moved from Charlotte to Lucas and back again. “How is that even possible?”
Lucas sniggered, and I turned to Charlotte to try and read the expression on her face. She had a pretty strong wall in her head. It had always been there, right from the beginning, and I hadn’t paid too much attention to it. She’d come to me looking for protection, and I’d given it to her, no questions asked. When we’d had our showdown in the clearing back home, she’d opened her mind to me. What she’d shown me then was bad enough. What she showed me now was even worse.
“You still kept secrets,” I said. So many lies covered up, and I finally understood why. “You were hunters …”
Lucas’s shoulders shook with laughter.
“What?” Archer asked. “Like us? You’re joking, right?” He stared at me. “Okay … not joking.”
Charlotte nodded. “I was a Protection Angel, like Grace and Hope, and Wide Island was our city. When Lilith turned Lucas after a big battle, I thought I could save him. I thought if I was like him, things could go on the way they were. I let him turn me, and I’ve regretted it ever since.”
Archer took a deep breath. I didn’t stop what he was about to do. I didn’t want to. He flexed his fingers then curled them into a fist, and put everything he had behind the punch he planted on Lucas’s jaw.
Lucas’s head snapped back, and he stumbled into his throne, falling on it hard before ending up on the ground again. Archer had put so much behind that punch that his feet had left the ground.
“I hate you … for everything you’ve done to her.” Archer shook his hand, and drops of blood flicked into the air.
Lucas growled, and Cain stepped forward, baring his fangs. Seth misted, reappearing with his hand around Cain’s neck, and threw him on the ground next to Lucas.
“What now?” Josh stood in the middle of the cavern with Lilith at his side.
For the first time since we’d burst into the big space, I actually took in the scene before me. Piles of ash littered the floor. Hope, Justice, Michael, Josh, Ryan, and even Lilith held stakes or weapons in their hands. Dirt and blood covered our clothing and skin.
Lilith seethed at Josh’s side. The hatred she felt for me rolled off her in waves. She needn’t have worried. The feeling was mutual, but I realised I’d have to deal with her later. I’d already spared her too many times for Josh’s sake.
Michael circled the room, inspecting the crevices and tunnel entrances. Archer stood over Lucas, who hadn’t gotten up after he’d hit him. Hope and Justice moved over to the edge of the raised platform. Ryan sat propped against one of the pillars, his hair full of ash, and his face streaked with dirt. But it was Josh I was most concerned about. He knew I could hear him, and he wasn’t holding back with his thoughts.
Michael jumped up onto the platform. “Grace, we have more pressing issues. Why is there no stake in Lucas’s chest? Or Cain’s, for that matter?” He stared at Archer.
“I thought I’d give Grace the honours.” Archer smiled.
“He’s Charlotte’s brother,” I said. “I … can’t.”
“Yes … I know that.” Michael gritted his teeth. “But he is evil, and needs to be taken care of. Now.”
How could I say the words I was thinking, and not have everyone think I was crazy? He was her brother. I finally understood why Charlotte had kept her secrets. I probably would have done the same thing—maybe.
“Exactly why are you here, Michael?” I asked. “You were never clear about that.”
“I had business to attend to.”
“Angelica? Well she’s gone, so feel free to leave any time.”
He seemed to have forgotten I was mad at him. Just because he’d helped us in this fight didn’t mean I was happy to forgive and forget.
“Not just Angelica, and you need to let the anger go eventually,” Michael said.
Seth walked slowly over to Michael and stood so close to him their noses almost touched. “Leave her alone.” Seth turned his back on Michael and waited.
Charlotte fidgeted with the stake in her hand. She’d gone from the-fires-of-hell angry to plain sad in a few minutes.
“I thought I could save you.” Charlotte’s voice was no more than a whisper, but it was loud enough to bounce off the walls of the cavern. “I gave up everything for you, and it didn’t make a difference.”
“Seems to be a lot of that going around,” Seth said.
“I left,” Charlotte said. She tightened her grip on the stake, her fingernails picking at the splinters on the handle stub. “But you couldn’t leave it alone … once you knew. Your greed got the better of you.”
Lucas sat up and draped his arms over his knees. “You should have killed me when you had the chance, Charlotte. Before you made me do what I did to you.”
“Don’t worry. I’m planning on killing you now.”
“And …” Justice motioned in the air with his hand. “Wondering why someone hasn’t yet. This chit-chat has been nice, and I don’t know about you guys, but I could use a bit of fresh air.”
“Get up.” Charlotte stood over Lucas, waiting.
“You don’t have to.” I put a hand on Charlotte’s arm.
She shook her head. “Yes, I do. I should have done it a long time ago, and after everything he’s put me through, I need to.”
Lucas got to his feet. “You and me. One on one. Everyone else off the stage.”
Archer manhandled Cain to the edge of the platform and shoved him off. The rest of us followed, leaving Charlotte and Lucas facing each other, the throne between them. If she wanted a showdown with her brother, we’d let her have it.
Ryan got to his feet to join the group. He ran a hand down his face as he spoke. “I feel like we’re behind the hall at school, waiting for Ivan or Blake to knock the teeth out of someone’s head.” Dark patches circled his eyes. He needed sleep.
“Hang on, there’s something I need to do first,” I said.
Charlotte and Lucas looked at me, confusion clouding their faces.
I twisted on the spot, and brought my arm around in an arc. The point of my stake embedded into Cain’s chest and he exploded. His ash covered Archer’s shins and feet as it fell to the floor.
“I told him he shouldn’t underestimate me,” I said. “See what you get for not paying attention?” I glanced at Lilith, and she shrunk back behind Josh.
“Thanks, Gracie,” Archer said. “Now I’m
covered in bits of Cain.”
“Should we maybe concentrate on what’s important here?” Justice said.
Up on the platform Lucas and Charlotte were fighting, and they were not holding back. They went punch for punch and kick for kick, and it didn’t look like either of them would slow down.
“This could go on forever,” Seth said. “Should we help her?”
“No!” Charlotte said. She ducked a punch and landed one in Lucas’s ribs.
“Come on, Charlotte. You can do better than that.” Lucas swung at her again, but she leant to the side and his fist glanced off her shoulder.
Lucas stopped and clenched his fists at his sides. Charlotte sidestepped around him until she stood in the middle of the platform. Lucas started moving again, only not towards Charlotte. He went behind the throne, putting his hand on the top of the arch, caressing it gently.
Lucas smirked and laughed. It started at his shoulders and rippled down through his body. He puckered his lips and let out a loud whistle.
“Um, Grace?” Archer said. “This doesn’t look too good.”
I glanced around the cavern at the various passage entranceways, where several vampires emerged from the shadows. They came out of the tunnels in a deafening roar, streaking past us and heading towards Charlotte. I guessed there were at least forty of them, if not more. They all had black soulless eyes, and hungry, sneering expressions.
Lucas curled his hand around the decorative cross that came out of the top of the throne. From where I stood it looked like a part of the seat. When he pulled it free, he held a sword out in front of him. The piece from the top of the throne was a hilt, and the blade was made from wood.
Grace, Charlotte thought in my head. I think you should get out of here.
We’re not leaving you.
“We have to do something,” I said to the others.
“Can’t Michael use his light-wave thingy again?” Josh asked.
I looked at Michael, his forehead creased.
“You’re going to let this happen, aren’t you?” I said.