by Nikki Landis
“By who?” I asked, picking up her hand and squeezing. “Gypsy and I are both here.”
“Mom,” Gypsy cried, laying her head on my aunt’s shoulder. “What’s happening?”
Aunt Gwen’s eyes remained closed. “This has something to do with your tainted essence, Cassie. I’m certain of it.”
Cringing, I forgot Gypsy didn’t know the entire truth.
“What are you talking about?” My cousin sounded close to panicking. “Don’t lie to me or keep secrets. This is too important, Cass.”
There was no point in protecting her from the truth any longer. “My soul was tainted in the fade. I had to reunite with her as you saw when we were there but there’s something wrong. I didn’t receive my soul back in the same unblemished condition. I can feel the presence of evil. We need to consult the ancestors tonight. Mother will know how to proceed.”
As soon as it was dusk, I would light the candles and seek their guidance. My mother must know what was happening and a way to fix it. The ancestors would not be fooled by Roman or the taint.
“What will the taint do to you?” Gypsy seemed scared and I couldn’t blame her. We’d heard stories about damned witches all our lives. They weren’t happy tales. Add in the fact that I was already tainted by Thrall and a demonic presence, this was about as bad as things could get. Or so I thought.
“She’ll become one of the damned, just like Roman.” Aunt Gwen’s voice was strained as her eyes opened, fixated directly on mine with such intensity that I couldn’t blink. “You know what this means.”
Shit.
Roman English had struck again and this time the rogue witch had the upper hand along with the rest of the witches under his command. He was brilliantly conniving and horrifyingly determined. He wouldn’t stop until every witch in Salem was under his control. Worse, the demons of Hell were ready to stand by his side. This taint had to be a result of his corruption.
“He wants my soul and the legacy of Howe magic. Roman will go to any length to steal and obtain it. His presence in Hell after the death spell means he’s favored. We won’t be fighting only witches.”
My aunt nodded, already reaching the same conclusion.
“I don’t understand. You said he was dead.” Gypsy was close to tears. “How can he do this?”
Shaking my head, I met her gaze as she chewed her bottom lip and worry filled her bright blue eyes. “I was wrong, terribly wrong. He must have made the equivalent of a deal with the devil. It’s the only explanation.”
“A deal with the devil?”
“Yes, when Roman died, he stood before the demon Beelzebub and his minions, begging for a chance to serve him in exchange for what he wanted. All damned witches are given a similar chance. Roman must have been the most persuasive of them all.”
“Are you saying that he can freely come and go between the human world, the fade, the Ether, and Hell? Wasn’t he able to do that already?”
Gulping, I didn’t want to clarify as it would only scare Gypsy. “At this moment that’s not the biggest concern. He’ll be back for me, probably soon. There’s nothing to stop Roman from showing up whenever he’s ready. He’s never been a bigger threat than he is now.”
“This is bad.” Gypsy’s eyes strayed to the door as my Cosan stood there silently. “You have to save my cousin and this family.”
Gabriel nodded swiftly. His expression was fierce as it swept over the three of us. “We will, Gypsy.”
“You’re wrong, Cass,” Kayde contradicted as he stepped inside the kitchen, followed by the others. “We can stop him. You have us.”
I did. Four immortal men stood as the only barrier between me and destruction. My Cosan. Chosen to protect and serve, to sacrifice their own immortal souls for my own. The vampire, ghoul, hunter, and Lycan were beholden to the ancestors. Their reaction to this news was no surprise. My Cosan was formed for this task but Roman would show no mercy and I couldn’t fathom the idea of losing any of them.
‘Why so pessimistic, pet? You’re far more powerful than you give yourself credit for. I’ve seen you in action.’
‘Damian, he’ll come back and next time he’ll try to kill me. In the past, he wasn’t motivated as he is now. I’ve wounded his pride. Roman is out for blood.’
The vampire’s loud hiss echoed in the room as Gabe, Ryder, and Kayde looked between the two of us with alarm. ‘Stop. You won’t die. I’ll make certain of it.’
‘And that means?’
‘Vampiric blood and my legacy.’ His suggestion was clear.
‘I won’t become a vampire.’
He growled, slamming his hand down on the counter. I was surprised it didn’t crack under the pressure. ‘Don’t make me do something drastic to save you. I didn’t say I loved you only to watch you die.’
Flinching, I could feel the pain attached to those words. The thought of my death terrified the normally confident and smug vampire. ‘Even if I died this minute, hearing you say it makes all the difference.’ He smiled slightly as my response filled his head but scowled as I continued. ‘Loving one another doesn’t change the inevitable though. Sooner or later, I’ll have to take Roman down and I may have to die to do it.’
Damian roared as he shoved the chair in front of him across the kitchen and pulled me into his arms as the others demanded to know what was said between us. “She thinks she’ll have to die to take him down.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Kayde announced. “I won’t allow it.”
Gabriel howled as he yanked me from Damian’s arms. “This is never an option. Do you hear me?” He shook me by the shoulders like a ragdoll, not rough but enough to snap my head upward. “Never.”
The Lycan wouldn’t stop growling like he was about to shift, and his control was slipping. I placed a hand on his rumbling chest, right over his frantically beating heart. “Be calm, Gabe.” Sending soothing vibrations through my fingertips, I could sense his strong physical reaction. Arousal, rage, and worry competed for dominance. “Calm,” I repeated with a whisper, pushing him back against the wall until he closed his eyes, breathing slower as his nostrils flared.
“Cassandra,” he murmured with a wince. When his eyes opened, the torment was clear.
“I know, Gabe.” Cupping his cheek, I brushed my thumb across the light stubble. “I feel it, too.” Turning to the others, I spoke louder. “All of you are forgetting that none of us know the future.”
“Especially now,” Gypsy added. “Since the Third Sight is blind.”
“We’ve got a problem far worse, Cassie,” Aunt Gwen mumbled as she stood, her slim frame more than a little unsteady while one hand rose to brace her body against a fall. She bumped into the center island of the kitchen and heaved a great sigh, her expression grim.
Stiffening, I already knew what she was going to say.
“Roman English is immortal.”
The words no sooner left her mouth than she collapsed, falling into Damian’s arms as he rushed to her side. Gypsy screamed as chaos erupted around us. Gabriel roared and fought the urge to shift again, his massive body blurring as the muscle and sinew rippled along his towering frame. Ryder began to fade, slipping into his true ghoul form. Kayde sank into a chair, his eyes glassy and his expression dazed. We all knew the game had changed. We’d been manipulated in a brilliant strategical move. Like Chess pieces, we were being manhandled and shoved into place.
Devastated by the turn of events, I numbly watched the scene unravel before me. Every plan I had evaporated in the wake of such trauma and defeat.
“Ancestors help us,” I whispered, turning my back on the others. This was too much.
We were all going to die.
Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.
– Charles Addams
Chapter 1
October 8th –
Just inside the back door of the kitchen, leaning against the granite countertop with his arms crossed over his chest, Dmitri frowned. I had no idea how much he overheard
or witnessed and didn’t care. “I suppose you’re not in the mood for a pep talk.”
“What do you want?” The wicked brother of my favorite vampire was the last person I wanted to see. I didn’t have the energy to argue. The words that left my lips were hardly more than a whisper.
“I can help you.”
“Is that so? Funny how you showed up at just the right moment of devastation and need. Did Roman send his dog to ensure I was broken enough?”
Dmitri rushed forward and grabbed me by the upper arms, running all the way to the cemetery until he stopped in front of the Howe family crypt. I should have been dizzy or disoriented by the speed, but I wasn’t. A side effect of all the vampire blood in my system lately.
We grappled a few seconds as I fought Dmitri’s hold, but the vampire didn’t loosen his grip. “Roman English will never own me, little witch. He’s nothing but a pawn in a much bigger game and won’t realize this until it’s far too late.”
Meeting his hard gaze head on, I didn’t hesitate to reply, “I’m afraid your speech isn’t very convincing.”
“Only because you’re as stubborn as you are beautiful. Wake up, Cassie.” He snapped his fingers in front of my face as I leaned forward and nearly bit them off. “This isn’t a dream or nightmare. This is fucking war,” he raged, pointing at the building next to us where my parent’s bodies were buried.
“Why did you bring me here?”
“Because you need to understand that all bets are off. Roman will use every trick and deception he can to make sure you fall. You need to do the same.”
“I will,” I spat in defiance, hating that Dmitri was right.
“No, you aren’t listening.” He spun my body around as my gaze fell on the names of my parents and every witch buried inside the Howe family crypt. I struggled against his hold as I read the bronze memorial plaque and the familiar list of names. “Your body will be buried here, too. Your death gains nothing. You will rot next to your parents as the other Salem families fall one by one. If you fail, they all fail.”
Blasting him with magic, I broke his hold and spun, moving until we were standing almost nose to nose. His words frightened me but only because he was correct, and I didn’t want to admit it. “There’s no way I’ll allow that to happen.”
I meant every word. I didn’t care how, but I would stop Roman from corrupting the witches of Salem. If I had to go to Hell to do it, then so be it.
Dmitri was staring at me with a mixture of concern and frustration. I didn’t believe he thought I could be the ruthless, vicious bitch I would need to become. “Then you shall be merciless and seek your vengeance. Your entire bloodline is at stake. This war will determine whether you live or die and if the Salem witches are capable of controlling the veil as they are tasked to do.”
“What do you mean?” What vengeance? A cold chill swept across my skin as he sneered, his eyes darkening as they swirled with amber and scarlet hues. I’d never seen him look more menacing or determined.
“It’s time you know the truth. No one else will tell you what you need to know. Not the witch hunter or my brother or any of your precious Cosan.” His mocking smile of contempt was obvious. Dmitri pulled me into his chest as his eyes locked on mine and refused to look away. A vibration of power hovered between us as he nipped at my lower lip, licking the blood away before he smiled in a sardonic expression that made my pulse pound harder. “Prepare yourself because this knowledge will change everything you know.”
So dramatic. Why were immortals always putting on a scene when they needed to reveal something important? Was their theatrics because of boredom with the knowledge they would live forever? Or did they simply enjoy dangling others by a string?
“Just tell me.”
Dmitri held me tighter, his grip almost painful as his fingers clenched around my skin. “Roman English murdered your father.”
Stunned, the breath left my throat in a whoosh.
The soil trembled beneath my feet as the air thickened with the force of my rage. The second the words left Dmitri’s mouth I knew my fate was forever sealed. A rumble of primal instinct rippled through my torso seconds before I tilted my head back and a scream of unbridled sorrow mixed with a level of anger I had never known prior to this moment. My entire body shook with the force of my emotions as I lifted my hands, curling my fingers slowly inward until they bit into the flesh of my palms and blood rose to the surface, trickling between the gaps and dripping to the solid, uneven ground below.
“Your rage is magnificent.”
Dmitri lifted my hands to his lips as his eyes blazed a fiery crimson and he proceeded to slowly lick the droplets that clung to my wrists and forearms. I barely noticed, blinking as his body blurred while he fought the change. The glamour flickered as he moaned, yanking me up against his hard body that was instantly aroused, close enough to feel the strength of his reaction and the erection that pressed into my lower belly. Disgusted by his response, I pulled away and stepped backward, putting a little distance between us as my chest heaved with exertion.
“Turned off so easily, eh?” He laughed harshly as the corner of his lip lifted over a sharp fang. “I don’t suppose we could be friends with benefits?”
“You’re despicable.” How could he be turned on at the same moment he just revealed something so devastating? Dmitri was a monster. I needed to remember that the next time the lines were blurred which would probably be sooner rather than later. “I don’t trust you.”
“I’ll take that as a no,” he murmured, adjusting himself right in front of me. “We can discuss this at length later. Right now, we need to –”
“We? Since when are you included in any of this?”
He growled low at my interruption. “I’ll forgive you this once but don’t ever cut me off when I speak again.” His mouth opened wider as his teeth gleamed, fangs elongating before my eyes. “It pisses me off and I can’t be held responsible for my actions.”
Whatever. “Get to the point.”
“As I said earlier, I can help you.”
Frowning, I didn’t want to entertain the idea that I needed Dmitri Rockcastle for anything. “How?”
He smirked, ready to lay a frustrating one-liner on me when his eyes widened, and he took a cautious step in my direction. “Cassie, dear. We have a slight issue. Please don’t scream or move.”
What now?
“Listen, little Raven, I’m serious. Stay perfectly still.”
A tiny tingle brushed along my spine as I stood without moving, wondering what the hell was wrong with the deceptive vampire as he approached. Swallowing hard, he lifted a hand and gently swiped across my shoulder and down my arm. I felt another slight tingle and couldn’t help the shiver that followed. Dmitri tossed something on the ground and I barely caught a glimpse of what it was before he stomped on the creature with his shitkicker boots.
Eight legs. Black body. Light blue hourglass pattern instead of red on the abdomen.
Genus: Latrodectus mactans. Black Widow.
There were few things in this world that could make me jump and screech like a woman possessed but this was one of them. I nearly landed flat on my ass when Dmitri chuckled, catching me before I could hit the ground.
“The most powerful Howe witch to ever live is afraid of a spider?”
Shoving him away, I was quick to separate from his roaming hands. “You were saying?” I completely ignored the incident and focused on Dmitri’s revelation. Spiders were a pest. Dmitri was worse. “If you’re only messing around, I don’t have time for this. I need to find Roman.”
Dmitri relaxed as he leaned against the side of the family crypt and lightly scraped a black fingernail against the stone exterior. “You need to ditch your Cosan.”
Pursing my lips, I wasn’t surprised he said that. “Right. And hand over all my magic, too?” Stupid vampire. I spun on my heel and began to stomp away, thoroughly pissed. And to think I was about to listen to his suggestion.
“They
won’t survive the trip, Cassandra.”
Dmitri’s words halted my steps. “What do you mean?” I didn’t turn around but felt his cautious approach.
“I’m the only one that can take you where we need to go. None other possess the ability.”
“What are you saying?”
“I can pass the barrier into Hell without magic.”
What!? Spinning around, my eyes widened as his entire body was suddenly engulfed in a thin layer of tangerine and scarlet flames, the fire hovering over his frame but not singeing a single inch of his perfectly sculpted form. His skin was intact, resting over the chiseled muscle and bone without a hint of char. There was no burning smell or black smoke. In fact, he wasn’t hurt at all.
Weren’t vampires supposed to be vulnerable to sunlight and fire? Yet here he was, discussing a field trip south in broad daylight with flickering flames balancing over his human form.
“I can see the wheels turning in your head. I told you once before, little Raven. My abilities are different than my brother’s.”
“Damian is only resistant to fire and sun because of my ancestors.”
“Yes.”
“And the other vampires were helped by dark magic when they attacked us in the cemetery.”
“Yes,” he repeated.
“How is this possible?”
Dmitri lifted a finger and let it trail along my cheekbone, stepping closer. “I was born during the equinox, minutes before Damian. At the exact moment I entered the world, the sun and moon combined. As a result, I was gifted with the ability to roam both the day and night without consequences.”
I wanted to call bullshit but decided to hear him out. “And the flames?”
“Our creator, the great Nosferatu, had many secrets. Some of those he shared.”
Right. Sure. “Uh huh.”
“You don’t believe me.” He frowned, lowering his head at the same time as the flames increased and covered us both, traveling without hesitation, jumping over and dancing across my skin as easily as they flickered above Dmitri’s. “If I was lying, how would I surround us both in such flames? You would be screaming and writhing in agony if I wasn’t protecting you.”