by E. S. Moore
I frowned. I’d noticed before how it always seemed like no one new ever came to town. As far as I knew, I was the last person to pay Delai a visit. After a few months among them, I’d started to recognize most of the faces. I couldn’t name a single time when I’d seen someone new.
“All roads may lead to Delai, but it is the person’s will to change that gets them there. You no longer wish his help and he no longer wishes to have you. Di’leviathan will not allow you entrance.”
“I know where the road is. He can’t keep me out.”
Beligral gave me a patronizing smile. “The road was there because you expected it to be. If you had wanted, the road could have materialized at the end of your driveway or in your backyard. As long as you believed it would be there, it was.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It doesn’t have to. It is a magical place, created and maintained by the will of an angel. Do you really think your worldly rules apply?”
I refused to believe him. I couldn’t afford to. If what he said was true, then there was no way I could save Sienna.
“I’m leaving,” I said. “And when I come back, Levi will be gone.” I refused to use the name the demon kept calling him by.
“You can try,” Beligral said with a shrug. “But let me say in advance that I told you so.”
I turned and stormed out of the lab, irritated beyond belief. The demon was trying to stop me for some reason. Was he afraid that if I confronted Levi, I would learn something important about dealing with his type? Was he afraid if I managed to get rid of the angel, I’d figure out how to get rid of him as well?
It didn’t matter. I was going to Delai. Levi needed to be stopped.
I didn’t wait for Ethan to dismiss the demon. He knew where I was going and knew I wouldn’t wait to take action.
Jeremy was sitting in the living room and I asked him for his keys. He reluctantly gave them up and watched me with a forlorn expression as I headed for the garage.
Nothing was going to stop me. Tonight I was going to send an angel back to the hell that spawned it.
28
The car idled as I stared at the empty space where the sign should have been. I just couldn’t wrap my head around the idea that the road was gone.
But it was. I was staring right at the spot where I knew it to be, and yet there was nothing. There was no sign, no road, nothing.
Beligral had been right. I was never going to be allowed back in.
I refused to believe it. An entire town just didn’t just up and vanish, whether it was real or not. I no longer had the Sight, so there was always a chance Levi had disguised the road, hid it underneath a glamour. All I had to do was head toward town and I’d surely find my way there. It only made sense.
I shut off the engine and started walking. Miles of empty land stretched ahead. There were hardly any trees. Delai had sat in what was once an old strip-mining location. Snow covered the tough grass beneath. No one would ever want to live out here.
“Sienna?” I called, hoping she might be able to hear me. There was no answer.
“Levi!”
A deer startled from some brush and ran off toward the distant trees. Nothing else moved.
I’m not sure how long I walked, searching for any hint that the town was still there. I knew it was gone, knew I was wasting my time, yet I kept looking, growing more and more frustrated with every step. By the time I gave up and was heading back to the car, I was in a full-blown rage, shivering from both the cold and my anger.
How could Levi have done this to me? How could Delai not be there? I didn’t want to believe the demon had been telling the truth, yet here I was, looking at a dead landscape that had never held a sleepy little town where the monsters were kept at bay.
I threw myself back into Jeremy’s new car and slammed the door so hard the entire car rocked to the side. I had no idea what I was going to do. I could try to force Beligral to tell me how to get back, but deep down, I knew the demon could not help me.
Then what the fuck was I going to do?
I started driving. I had nowhere to go, no place I could run to. The town I’d grown to love was gone. All I’d wanted to do was be done with Baset and Beligral before heading back. Now I was even farther into both their grips and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.
I slowed, an idea creeping into my head. I didn’t want to go home and face Ethan. I didn’t want to go to the Den and see Jonathan, didn’t want to confront Nathan about what had happened in the sitting room.
No, none of that would make me feel better. Those were problems I couldn’t deal with, not in my state.
But there was a problem I could take care of right then.
I turned the car around and headed for a stretch of road that would lead me to a victim I knew deserved all the pain I could dish out. I might not be able to do anything about Levi and Delai just yet, but there was another I would happily dispatch in his place.
Adrian had been asking to see me. It was about time I gave him his wish.
It took a good thirty minutes before I turned onto the road that led to Count Tremaine’s old mansion. After I’d helped the Cult take care of the vampire Count, Adrian had moved in, claiming the place for his own. Why I hadn’t finished him off long before now, I’d never know. I should have killed him more than once already. Only Jonathan’s request had kept me from doing it before.
But tonight would be different. I didn’t care what Jonathan thought. I was done screwing around, letting people get away with things I would have killed others for. Adrian was just too damn dangerous to be allowed to live.
It wasn’t going to be as satisfying as rescuing Sienna and Eilene from Levi’s grasp, but it would have to do for now. I swore to myself I’d find a way to save the women and send the angel back to where he belonged. It just wasn’t going to happen tonight, no matter how much I wanted it to.
The old ballpark came into view and I drove Jeremy’s car off the road to park behind the backstop. No one would be able to see the car from the road, which I hoped would give me more time before Adrian knew something was up. The tire tracks would be obvious, but not every driver paid close enough attention to the side of the road.
I got out of the car and quietly closed the door. There was always a chance Adrian already knew I was coming. I was dealing with an old, paranoid wolf here. He probably had eyes everywhere, not to mention the fact that he seemed to always know where I was going to be anyway.
But that didn’t mean I was going to take any chances. If there was even the slightest possibility he was oblivious to my arrival, then I would take it.
I kept low to the ground as I crossed the road and melted into darkness cast by the snow-covered trees. Within minutes, I was leaning against a familiar old oak, looking down on Adrian’s mansion.
It looked the same as it always had, minus the vampire lackeys everywhere. The pond in the front yard looked well cared for, but frozen. Soft lights illuminated the ice, causing it to glow appealingly in the night.
Lights were on outside of the house, creating no real shadows to hide in. There were a few lights on inside, though it wouldn’t matter if the place was completely dark either. I was pretty sure every member of Adrian’s House was probably a werewolf by now. He’d taken on former Luna Cult members who didn’t approve of Jonathan’s refusal to turn them into the monsters they worshipped, so he’d done it himself, earning quite the following.
Adrian had no qualms about turning those loyal to him. He probably thought of it as a reward. He was building a werewolf army right under my nose. He needed to be stopped.
I scanned the grounds, searching for any indication that someone was watching. The snow in the back looked undisturbed, and a few old tire tracks in the driveway said that someone had either left or returned a while ago.
I thought furiously. I needed to find a way in. I had a feeling sneaking in through the laundry room window wouldn’t work this time around. It was win
ter, for one, so the windows wouldn’t be open this time. Breaking in would only alert the wolves I was coming.
There was really only one way I could do this. Adrian wanted me alive. He wouldn’t let his wolves kill me. I didn’t need to sneak in at all.
I stepped away from the trees and drew my Glock and sword. The katana shone in the moonlight sifting through the clouds. There was a light snow coming down, but not enough to impede my vision in the slightest.
I started walking toward the mansion.
I strode tall and proud, ready to fire the moment anyone poked their head out. I knew I was wading into the lion’s den. Adrian might not want me dead, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t hurt me. I just had to be faster than his wolves, catch them off guard and it would be over with even before it started.
I reached the side of the mansion and worked my way around the front. There were a few cars in the driveway, but they were all covered with snow. Tracks leading away from the house told me some of his wolves had shifted and probably gone out for a hunt. I just hoped Adrian wasn’t one of them.
I didn’t bother checking the front door. I kicked it in with all my might. It slammed hard against the wall and the wood splintered at the lock. I brought my gun up as I stepped inside. I swept it from side to side and checked the stairs leading up to the second floor.
Something moved to my right and I swung my aim around and fired. My bullet took the unshifted wolf in the middle of the forehead. He died before he could utter a sound. Not that he needed to. The report of my gun would be enough to alert Adrian that all was not well within his house.
I started walking, gun trained ahead of me. I held my sword at the ready, remembering how Baset’s men had caught me unprepared. I would not let that happen here.
Another blur of motion sped by to my left. I fired before my eyes could even adjust. The bullet hit the door frame and someone cried out from the other side, more from surprise than from pain.
I stared at the entryway, daring whoever was there to move. There was a long stretch of silence that made me nervous. The mansion was huge. There was no telling how many wolves were hiding inside. If they came at me all at once, I was going to be in for some serious trouble.
“Lady Death.” The trembling voice came from the other side of the wall, just to the left of where I’d splintered the door frame. I considered trying to shoot through it, but knew it was futile. My bullets moved too slowly for that.
I didn’t recognize the voice, nor did I bother to respond. I waited, listening for the sound of anyone who thought they might sneak up on me.
“Packleader Adrian wants to see you,” the wolf shouted from his hiding place. “He’s waiting for you in the ballroom.”
I hesitated. I didn’t like the idea of one of Adrian’s men behind me when I went to confront him. The wolf might be lying for all I knew and would come at me the moment my back was turned.
Three quick strides took me to the doorway and I spun with my gun up, finger on the trigger, ready to put an end to the wolf.
The room was empty. Whoever had spoken must have beat a hasty retreat through the door across the room the moment his message was delivered.
Smart man.
I turned back toward the ballroom doors. I could just see them at the end of the hall. Those doors were a symbol of the nightmare I’d suffered here at the hands of Count Tremaine. It was the place where Jonathan had learned his Denmaster was dead; it was the place where I’d been captured.
It was also the place where Count Tremaine had met his end. It would be a fitting place for Adrian’s demise.
The doors were heavy and I was forced to put my gun away so I could open them. As soon as I got them open a few inches, I drew my gun and used my shoulder to open them the rest of the way.
Two wolves stood just inside, facing me. I fired two quick shots, taking each in the chest. They dropped to the ground, either dead or severely wounded. I didn’t care which as long as they were out of my way.
“Please stop shooting my men.” Adrian spoke from the dais at the far end of the room. There wasn’t a thronelike chair like there had been when Count Tremaine had lounged here. Adrian must have had it removed, which was fine by me. He stood with his hands behind his back, frowning at me in irritation.
I immediately turned my gun on him. “Then I’ll settle on shooting you.”
His face was impassive as he stared down the barrel of my gun.
“If you think you can kill me with that weapon, then shoot. I will not move.”
I didn’t need him to ask twice. I fired three times in rapid succession. Adrian held true to his word and didn’t even flinch as the bullets bounced away, mere inches from hitting him.
“Fuck,” I growled. I looked around, searching for whatever or whoever had stopped the bullets, but we were alone in the ballroom.
“I would just stay there if I were you,” Adrian said. “There really does not need to be more bloodshed.”
“Tough shit,” I said, taking a step forward. While the gun might not work, the sword sure as hell would. I just needed to get close to him. “Nice trick,” I said in the hopes of distracting him. “How’d you manage it?”
Adrian didn’t smile, didn’t show any reaction at all. He pretty much ignored my question, choosing to lead the conversation himself.
“I’ve been asking for you to meet with me for a long time now. And when you finally do arrive, you come in shooting my wolves without provocation. That isn’t very polite.”
“No one ever said I was polite.” I glanced behind me to check to make sure no one was trying to get the drop on me. The hall was still empty. “And I don’t call having your wolves try to forcefully haul me off as asking,” I said, turning back to him.
He shrugged, indifferent as always. “They did what they thought they had to do. You do not cooperate as often as I would like.”
He glanced to the side toward where the rings had once been. The wall was still pockmarked from where the werewolves had broken free on the night of the full moon.
As soon as his eyes left mine, I raised my gun and fired once at his head. The bullet bounced harmlessly away.
This time he did flinch. His eyes flashed in anger as he turned back to me.
I shrugged. “Had to try.”
The anger vanished as if he’d pulled a shutter down over his emotions. “I have a proposal for you,” he said, his voice flat.
“Not this again,” I growled. “Haven’t we gone over this before? Don’t you ever give up?”
“No,” he said simply.
“Well, neither do I.” I took a step toward him.
“I don’t want to have to force you into anything, but I will. I would much rather you make the decision on your own.”
“Come down off there and try to force me,” I said, grip tightening on both my weapons.
Adrian laughed. It was a horrible thing to watch. The sound was void of humor, seemed to fall dead from his lips like he was only going through the motions of laughter. His face remained entirely impassive. It was like trying to watch some sort of machine feign emotion. It was downright creepy.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll just come up there.”
I made it all of two steps before there was a click from the dais under Adrian’s feet. I had a moment to think, Oh shit, and the front of the dais dropped, revealing a line of what looked vaguely like small cannons. Before I could even think to move, they fired.
I fully expected to be hit by some sort of projectile, but instead, a silver-white dust sprayed out, hitting me in the face. It coated my body, filled my nose and mouth, burned my eyes.
Everything seized. I fell to the floor almost instantly, eyes burning, lungs locked. My grip on my weapons loosened and they clattered away as my hands spasmed.
“Silver dust,” Adrian said from the dais. He jumped down and started walking my way. “You gave me the idea, though I find the stuff utterly intolerable.”
Rough hands lifted me easi
ly from the floor. My eyelids were squeezed shut from all the silver dust I’d gotten into them, but I didn’t need to see to know it was Adrian who had picked me up.
He carried me out of the ballroom. I tried to fight the paralysis, tried to squirm out of his grip, but it was no use. I was completely at his mercy.
It wasn’t until he descended the stairs and opened a door that I knew where he was taking me. I tried to scream, tried to fight, but I couldn’t so much as twitch a finger.
We descended into the basement, down to the cells where my life had nearly ended almost a year ago.
29
A bulb flickered above me, sending out erratic bursts of light that seemed to match the small twitches in my head as the silver worked its way through my system. Chains held me down despite the fact I couldn’t have moved even if I tried. The table under me was cold, hard.
A thick metal band held my head in place. I could just make out the cells out of the corner of my eye. I was outside them, which would have been a relief if I hadn’t been strapped to a table with a crazy werewolf somewhere out of sight.
I was just happy I could open my eyes. I’d blacked out for a few moments when he’d carried me to the basement, the overload of silver sending my brain on a short vacation. I came to already strapped to the table, feeling dreadfully alone.
I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and tried to settle my nerves. Getting worked up would do me no good. I needed to take stock of my surroundings, see exactly what kind of situation I was in, before I could come up with an escape plan.
Opening my eyes, I focused on the light. It was a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling. A dangling cord hung right above my face, though I’d never be able to reach it lying down. I looked to my right, using only my eyes, and I could see the cell bars. They all appeared to be empty. By the smell, Adrian hadn’t cleaned them out, but at least he didn’t have anyone down here.
My gaze shifted to the cells to my left. There were a few bars missing to one of the cells, and it took me a moment to realize it was my old prison. Adrian had removed some of the silver bars. I was assuming that was where he got the silver dust.