"It's just how I am, Hector," I said finally. "There's really no deeper reason for it."
"I heard what you did in England," he said. "That was beyond deferring to the preferences of someone. It was suicidal."
"Obviously not," I said. "I'm still here."
"But not for lack of trying. Tell me you didn't want to die over there, Mairin, that you aren't hoping to die on the battlefield tomorrow."
"I don't want to die, Hector," I said, but even I didn't believe the words. "I really don't want to talk about this."
"Yeah, I know, but you need to talk about it before you go with us tomorrow. Xavier won't say it because he cares about you and Kerry and he doesn't want to argue with either of you before the battle. But I'm not Xavier. I really don't give two shits about you or Kerry beyond a pretty normal care for human life. I just need to know if you being with us tomorrow is going to get me killed. I get the feeling that somewhere in that twisted sense of giving others what they want, you think if you die tomorrow you'll save the rest of us. That's bullshit."
"You heard me this afternoon, Hector. I don't think Kerry or Elise or I should be there. We're the weak links and I think we're going to be a distraction to the pride. If I really thought my death would save all of you, would I be trying to figure out how to stay home?"
Hector considered for a moment. "Yeah, I think you would. I think maybe you're still trying to figure out how to sacrifice yourself so we don't even have to fight. And if you think that leech is going to save you at the last minute, you're wrong."
"Don't call him that," I said softly.
"It doesn't matter what I call him, Mairin. He's a blood sucking monster and he won't be rushing to the rescue on a white horse tomorrow."
"I know that."
"Do you really?" Hector demanded. "Because I think maybe that's what you're hoping for. I've dealt with vampires before, Mairin. They don't care about humans, period. I don't care what this one said to convince you otherwise and I don't care that he went for the demigod when it threatened you. It's a killer, they all are. And this one doesn't care that he's killing you because he let you think he was human and could love."
I swallowed hard over the lump in my throat. "I know Mathias isn't going to save me, Hector."
"Then why do you look hopeful every time someone mentions what they think the leech will be doing tomorrow? Do you want him to die? Because I could get on board with that."
"No!" I heard someone stir in the living room and lowered my voice. "Don't take your focus off the demons, Hector. Mathias will come and he will fight because he feels as though he's chained to me because of what happened in England. If he'd let go of that sense of duty, he could move on, but he won't."
"So he tortures you both."
"Yeah."
"Nice. Maybe I will take a swipe at him tomorrow."
"No," I said. "Just do your job, OK Hector? Let Mathias succeed or fail on his own."
"Yeah, whatever," he said, downing his juice and pushing back from the table. "Just don't expect me to save his ass if he gets it caught in a sling."
"I wouldn't expect that," I said. I already knew that the panthers wouldn't rush to Mathias' aid and that many, like Hector, would gleefully watch him go down. I was left to worry how many panthers would be dead by tomorrow in addition to wondering if the man who had taken my soul when he took himself away from me would survive the coming battle.
When Hector had gone, I lay my head down on the kitchen table. I knew Hector didn't like me, but it was something else to know he thought I would do something to harm the pride. By now, I would have thought that despite my choice of love, the pride would see that I worked for their best interests and that I would never do anything to endanger them or anyone else I considered part of my family. Regardless of what the members of the pride believed, I would go to the battle tomorrow because Elise said it was imperative that I be there. I would do everything in my power to keep my family safe. The future would have to wait until I was sure I'd have one.
***
The panthers stood in a loose group around Elise. She spoke to them individually, finding something encouraging to say to each young man or boy before hugging him and moving on to the next one. I saw her glance at me once, but I stayed back to allow the pride their privacy.
Kerry stayed at Xavier's side, her arm curled around his waist. Every so often, I would see him kiss the top of her head and she would smile. My chest constricted painfully, but I watched these moments of love avidly, like a starving man would watch someone eat a gourmet meal. It didn't matter that every kiss, every touch between my sister and Xavier destroyed something in me. What mattered was that love still existed for someone.
The stretch of beach we waited beside was one I had never been to before. Between East Hampton and Highland Home, the land that butted up to the state park's beach turned swampy and impassable. We'd had to take the vehicles we'd used over the sand to get here. The location Braden's father had chosen sat on a tiny inlet where the surrounding swampland made it invisible to anyone on the higher or lower beaches. There would be no witnesses or easy escape.
The wind rushed at us from all sides, seemingly caught in the trees and thrown back to us. The panthers kept watching the skies and I heard a few speculate that they'd be fighting in the rain if the battle didn't get started soon.
I sat on a small rock outcrop set slightly into the trees at the edge of the swamp. In my lap was a long and wickedly sharp blade Elise had handed me when we'd met that morning. The blade was all that stood between me and my death. Elise had had the blade blessed by some understanding priest so it would do more damage to the demons than my own tiny human strength could, but it did not make me feel safe. Instead it made me feel even more vulnerable. Again, I wondered why it was so important that Elise, Kerry and I be here to fight. There was nothing special about any of us that would save us should a demon come for us. Handing me a blade and saying, "Good luck," was tantamount to signing my death certificate in blood.
"Maire, you coming?" Kerry called. The panthers had relaxed and were waiting in small knots. Xavier would give the signal for them to change and for Kerry and Elise and me to take our places. As the only humans in the battle, our only job was to keep the battle in front of the panthers, to keep the demons from slipping past the cats to get behind them.
"No." I said. "I need a few minutes to myself." Kerry watched me a moment before nodding and turning back to Xavier. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I needed to be alone because if I got any closer to to her and Xavier, I was going to cry.
I was idly scanning the swamp when I saw him. His gold aura shone from between the trees like a beacon and I found I could not look away. Mathias stood still, watching the panthers. He scanned the area, his gaze stopping briefly on Kerry. A frown creased his brow and he shook his head. Then he found me. His eyes widened and a moment later his growl was carried across the swamp to my ears.
"Go home," he mouthed. I only shook my head. He cursed and I laughed. It must suck for a control freak when someone tells them no.
Mathias was making his way across the swamp to me when Xavier lifted his head, sniffed and gave the signal everyone had been waiting for. The panthers headed for the swamp. Xavier kissed Kerry once more and then pushed her toward me. His eyes caught mine over her shoulder and I could read his plea in his gaze, but he mouthed. "Take care of her."
I nodded and pulled Kerry to the place where she would be stationed, ready to give the alarm should the demons attempt to get past the panthers to flank them. I saw Elise in her place when Kerry and I reached her.
"Got your whistle?" I asked, pulling mine up from where in hung around my neck.
"Yeah," Kerry said. She was shaking and I hugged her.
"You can still leave. Kerry this isn't your fight."
"Elise says I need to be here. You believed her when she said you needed to be here. I believe her."
I looked closely at my sister and realized she'd ma
tured significantly this summer. Guilt washed over me because I knew I was likely the reason for a lot of her aging.
"I love you," I said. "Promise me you'll be careful."
"I will if you will," she said.
"I promise," I said and for the first time since people had begun asking me to be careful enough to survive this battle, I meant it. "I'll be careful and we'll all go home tonight and put this behind us."
Kerry hugged me quickly. "I love you, too Sis. I'll see you soon."
I had just reached my position when a booming crash that sounded like thunder shook the ground. Braden's father had arrived.
He looked surprisingly human. I'm not sure what I expected, but the handsome, human-looking man standing before us now wasn't it. The creature who stood at the headland where the beach curled into the swamp was strikingly handsome in a dark, dangerous way, but any beauty he might exude paled in comparison to the red glow of his aura. His aura pulsated and I could see other figures in it, much like the panthers when they were upset. Braden's father had brought an army.
"Where are you, those who threatened my son? Show yourselves."
Mathias stepped out of the tree line on one side of the field, and Xavier stalked across the sand from the other. They glanced at each other before stopping about ten yards from the demon who snarled at them.
"I know you are not alone," it said. "Just as you know I am not." As he said this, the figures from his aura began to materialize around him until he was surrounded by his minions. I was having trouble counting them because they seemed to phase in and out of our plane. I estimated finally and my heart sank. There were more than fifty of them and only fifteen panthers, one vampire and three humans.
The panthers stalked out of the trees to flank Xavier. Mathias stood alone and my heart thundered in my chest. The evil smile Braden's father gave Mathias clearly said he knew where to begin the fight. The lone man out would be the first to fall if the demon had his way.
"I want your assurance that this will be the end of it," Mathias said.
Braden's father smiled. "Why would you take my word, vampire?"
"Because, Azael, I know that once you give it, you are bound by it. Even demons have rules." I wondered how Mathias had known the demon's name, but now wasn't the time for such questions.
"You are right," Azael said. "And I will give my word that the outcome of this battle will be the end of this conflict. I will not allow my son to be harmed in the future, but I will not seek vengeance against those who fight today or their families after this battle."
"It will have to do," Mathias said.
"Then shall we dispense with the niceties and get on with it?"
"Of course." Mathias dropped into a defensive crouch and crooked a finger at Braden's father. "Come for me, Azael."
I couldn't see who moved first, but suddenly the battle began. The rain that had threatened all morning broke over the battle field as though God wept at the clash between one who had once been beloved of him and those who fought for their families. I squinted through the sheets of falling rain, unable to see clearly. The roars of the panthers and the screaming battle cries of the demons made my head thump sickly. I inched toward the battle field, knowing that a demon could easily slip past me in the torrential downpour.
What I saw when the rain lessened enough for me to see more than a few feet in front of my nose was literally something out of the depths of hell. Every panther fought against three and four of Azael's minions. There were limbs strewn across the sand, but losing a limb didn't seem to slow down the minions. Mathias and Azael circled each other, dashing in to engage before retreating to allow the damage done by the other to heal. The scream of a panther pulled my attention and I saw one of the cats go down under a pile of minions. I watched, sick horror rising in my gut, as dark blood stained the sand.
"Help us," I prayed. "Please God, I know you can hear me. Is Azael not one of your own fallen angels? Do you not know what he is doing? What he is capable of? You have to help us!" I screamed the last before pulling out the blessed blade Elise had given me and heading for the first group of minions who surrounded a panther.
"Mairin, no!" Kerry screamed, but I couldn't stop. I couldn't let evil win. What kind of God would allow this to happen? Every panther on this field, and the vampire who held my heart, had done nothing but protect me and other humans. Only the twisted morals of a being as evil as Azael would see these actions as something requiring vengeance. Azael's desire to see those who had done little more than embarrass his son die for their actions spoke quite clearly to where Braden's own evil tendencies came from.
I swung the blessed blade and felt it sink deep into the flesh of the minion who turned on me. Behind it, I could see the panther it had been fighting gain its feet and tear into the other minions who still surrounded it. I continued to swing the blade blindly. I had no thought other than to delay this minion until the panthers could get an advantage of some sort.
When the minion before me suddenly split in two, I thought I had caught a lucky blow. It took several heartbeats before I realized the olive-skinned vampire from Serina's castle guard held the minion's halves in his hands. He tore the head from the body and then grabbed the next closest minion. When the minion had joined its comrade on the sand, the vampire dove into the rest of the battle without hesitation.
I stumbled back, sitting down hard in the sand and trying to absorb the scene I now saw on the beach. Pale men with pulsing dark gold auras ripped into the minions, shredding them and tearing the heads from the bodies. Alfred stood behind Mathias, fury blazing in his eyes as he watched his son parry with Azael. The panthers growled and roared, eying the vampires, but continuing to fight. It was only minutes before only Mathias and Azael still fought.
"It seems you had more help than even I expected," Azael said, flicking his gaze around the battlefield. "I must concede this battle to you."
"Then you give us the victory?" Mathias demanded, unwilling for there to be any ambiguity in Azael's decision.
"Yes, vampire. You have won and I will leave these cats and their families in peace so long as my son is not endangered by them again."
"And the humans?"
"And the humans," Azael said. "And those who are a bit more than human." Azael's gaze stopped on Kerry before settling on me and fear tripped my heart into a gallop. Why would he think me and my sister were more than human? "This battle ends and so does my anger for what transpired in the spring." There was a thunderous clap of thunder and Azael vanished, leaving us to clean up the mess.
The panthers roared in triumph and the vampires who had come to our rescue cringed. Alfred watched me from his position behind Mathias. I could tell he was angry, but I wasn't certain if the anger was directed at me or Mathias.
Kerry's scream tore my attention from the vampires. I saw her kneeling beside one of the panthers.
"X, come on baby, you said you could heal whatever they did. You promised me," Kerry cried.
The panther growled low, but didn't move. Elise slipped out of the trees and knelt beside Kerry. She took my sister's hands and lay them on the cat's side.
"Do it, Kerry. You know you can save him. You have to believe. This is what we've been working on all summer. You have the ability, now you must have faith." I could see moisture on Elise's cheeks, but couldn't tell if it was rain or if she were crying for her wounded grandson. I only knew I heard fear and loss in the older woman's voice.
Kerry shook her head and snatched her hands away from Xavier's side. I could see the blood glistening on her palms. When I noticed a couple of the vampires edging toward the wounded panthers, I whispered, "stay," before I crossed the beach to join my sister.
"Kerry, believe in yourself," I said. "You've never flinched when I've done the weird stuff. It's your turn."
She turned her tear-stained face to me. "What if I fail?" I could see her fear, almost taste it in the air, but I knew if I let her give in to the fear, Xavier would die on the sand
where he lay.
"You won't fail," I said, "unless you don't try."
Kerry lay her hands on the gashes I could now see in Xavier's side. Her hands trembled, and I heard her whisper, "I love you. You promised to heal. Do it."
Xavier roared. It was a sound filled with pain and fear. Kerry didn't move, but I could see the gashes begin to knit together, much the way Mathias' wounds had healed when Serina had attacked him. I blinked slowly, shocked by what I was witnessing and saw Xavier, in his human form, now lay curled in the sand. The boy shivered and his grandmother wrapped her shawl around his body. Kerry looked at me and I smiled.
"See, Sis, I knew you could do it." I glanced around the battlefield and saw two groups of men bunched together on opposite sides of the beach. The panthers, most still naked, but in their human forms, were clustered around Hector. He lay still and pale on the red sand. I realized it must have been Hector whom I had seen fall before screaming for help.
My help stood silent and still beside Alfred. There were twenty of them, except Alfred, were staring at me with something akin to adoration. When I crossed to them, some cringed away and I realized I was still holding the blessed blade I'd used to distract the minions around Xavier. I dropped the blade in the sand and the vampires stepped close to me again.
"You called," Alfred said. His voice trembled with the force of his anger. I guess that answered my original question. Alfred wasn't angry with Mathias, he was furious with me.
"I prayed for help. God has a sense of humor apparently." I saw Mathias' lips twitch. Was he laughing at me?
"Could you please release us?" Alfred growled.
"Sorry, sorry," I said. "You don't have to stay but you can't hurt the pride or anyone else here."
Alfred's posture relaxed but his attitude didn't change. "I have had enough of this, son," he said.
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