Crowley shuddered, his neck popping as he walked toward James and withdrew his blade. “I'll take care of the sacrifice myself.”
Rowena swallowed. Could Watchers cause harm within a protective circle? If so, they were all in trouble. Warily, she watched him approach James. He lifted his arm and swung his blade toward James.
The tip of the knife stopped centimeters from James' skin.
A breath shook from her lungs. Thank the gods, he could do no more harm within this circle than anyone else. Thank the gods. She wiped her palms on her robes.
Crowley's gaze shot to hers.
Rowena wet her lips. “What's the problem, Mr. Crowley? Did you think yourself above the laws of the Watchers?”
“Crossing me is not wise, Madam.”
“Oh? What are you going to do about it?” Nothing. He could hurt her no more than she could hurt him.
He turned to Lilith. “She conjured the dybbuk, Lilith.”
Lilith’s accusing gaze shot to hers.
Rowena gasped, glancing between Lilith and Crowley. “I did it for you, dear. To protect you from males like them.”
“You cursed me?” Lilith shook her head. “I trusted you. All these years, I trusted you.”
She’d never gain Lilith’s cooperation now. Not without Crowley’s help. Damn him. “I was protecting you, dear girl.”
“How did cursing me, protect me?”
Gods, she needed to make Lilith understand. “Look what happened without Aimee.” Rowena jutted her chin toward James and Crowley. “They started crawling out of the woodwork. You've always attracted their attention, like honey to bees. You used one to kill Nan.” She motioned to James. “You think she was the first they killed? Do you? It was only a matter of time before they killed the rest of us.”
Lilith's mouth twisted, her gaze darted to James, to Crowley. “What are you saying? They killed the last coven? Our mothers?”
Rowena shrugged. “What would you have preferred I say? That they died trying to keep you from harm?”
Lilith recoiled.
Crowley tsked. “She's lying.”
“Shut up.” Rowena took a threatening step closer to him. “You've said enough.”
“Not about their deaths being your fault, Lilith. That part is true.” He grinned. “But about who did the dirty deed.”
Rowena tried to cast against Crowley, but the protective circle wouldn’t allow the spell. “Shut up!”
“See, she wanted you and your power all to herself, so she killed everyone who might oppose her.”
Lilith shut her eyes. “Dear gods, you killed our mothers. All this time I thought their deaths accidents, but you’re responsible for it all.”
“She wanted you all to herself, Lil.” Crowley walked closer to Lilith.
What was he doing, trying to mesmerize her? She couldn’t allow that. “Stay away from her.”
Crowley ignored her. “I've never lied to you. I can’t lie. I'm the one you can trust.”
Rowena turned to Kat, and released her binding spell just enough for her daughter to speak. “Tell them. Tell them I did what I had to do. You know how much I care for this coven.”
Kat shook her head. “How could you?”
Rowena looked at Lilith. “I did what I needed to do to protect this coven.” Why couldn’t they understand that? “You’ll never understand everything I sacrificed for this coven.”
“By killing the last?” Lilith shook her head.
Crowley spoke up, his grin showing how much he enjoyed stirring the pot. “Your mothers wanted to reunite the coven with daemon-kind. They wanted to rejoin the Council, but Rowena refused to allow that.”
Rowena shook her head. “You don’t understand.” She set her focus on Lilith. “But you do. You know all about how important sacrifice is. You’d do whatever you had to do to keep your coven safe, wouldn’t you?”
Lilith’s jaw clenched tight and she blinked rapidly. She stared past Rowena. “Kat? How do you want to handle this?”
Rowena shook her head. “Handle this? You can't handle a damned thing. You'll do nothing.”
Lilith ignored her and continued to stare at her daughter. “Kat?”
Kat's lips trembled. She pressed them into a straight line. “She’s yours.”
Crowley grinned. “Seems your days are numbered, madam.”
“Shut up.” Rowena came around the altar and rushed Crowley, her fingers curled into claws. She stopped as if frozen inches from him, the circle protecting those within, even Crowley. “You said you’d fix this, instead you’ve ruined everything.”
He grinned. “So, now we seem to be at a bit of an impasse. We all want to kill each other and the Watchers can't see us, so they can't intercede. Perhaps I'll take Lilith and go.”
Rowena laughed. “Only witches can walk in or out of the circle.”
“She’s right.”
As if to prove her point, Trina walked into the middle of the tension, striding into the circle. Oh, dear gods, as if they didn’t have enough to contend with. “You.”
“Who are you?” Crowley took a step back. “I’ve never seen you before.” With each word, his voice grew louder. “Who the hell are you?”
Rowena stepped back. She’d never seen Crowley lose his composure before. The way he stared at Trina . . . . Interesting that as much information as Crowley had about everyone else, he’d never seen Trina. Was he a Watcher or not?
With a flick of Trina’s wrist and a few mumbled words, she cast away the invisible bonds restraining Lilith and Kat.
“Thank gods.” Lilith gave Trina a quick hug and hurried to the closest witch.
Trina and Lilith. The two of them were walking disasters. Already, Lilith was waking her coven sisters from Crowley’s spell. Trina headed for Kat. “Trina.” Rowena held her arms open. “I’m so very glad you’re back.”
Trina’s glare settled on her as she walked past, leaving her chilled. “Don’t talk to me.”
“You understand everything I did was with your best interest at heart.”
Lilith turned away from having woken Abby. She scoffed. “Always with our best interest at heart. I think we’re all sick of hearing that.”
Trina took a threatening step forward. “You will never understand the pain you caused me. Never. You don’t have the capacity to understand the hell you put me through. But understand this: by sending me away, you taught me that I need no one. By abandoning me to my fate, you taught me that I create my own destiny. By withholding any love, you taught me hate. And now you will reap what you’ve sown.”
Rowena backed away. Trina wouldn’t listen, she saw that now, but not all was lost. She could salvage this. Maybe she’d made a few bad decisions, maybe there had been a better way, but she’d done what she’d done to help the coven.
Trina held up her hand, backing toward the edge of the circle. “If either of you move, I’ll step out of here.”
“You’ll break the protective spell.” Rowena shook her head. “It'll be a blood bath.”
Trina shrugged. “Do I look like I give a fuck?”
Rowena glanced around. One by one, the witches returned to their senses. Their hard eyes staring at her. Their faces masks of anger.
How could she salvage this?
Chapter 38
Lilith released him from the summoning. “Samael James Pasquino, I release thee from all summons to use your free will as you see fit, for this I ask or something more, with respect and love I do implore.”
The summoning spell released him and James dropped to his knees, breathing hard.
“Come on, get up.” Crowley circled him, withdrawing his blades. “Get up.”
He sensed more than saw Lilith start toward him and he waved her back. He didn't want her anywhere near Crowley when that shield came down.
“Don't do this, Trina,” Rowena shouted. “They'll kill us all.”
He didn't hear Trina's reply, focusing instead on Julius. James got to his feet, swaying with another
wave of dizziness. He leaned forward, bracing the heels of his hands on his thighs.
This was a raw deal if he'd ever had one. He blinked hard to clear his vision. Rowena's summoning had fucked him up good. He needed time to recover, but there was none.
Steeling himself, he stood, arming himself, the weight of his blades reassuring in his grip.
The coven was awake, alert. Walker and Ghost stood outside of the protective circle, eyeing up Crowley's men, waiting for the shield to come down. Shadow stood by the bonfire. Even as James watched, Shadow engaged his talent and his shadow spilled out of his mouth, pooling on the ground before shaping into its own being. The shadow stood, regarding them all for a heartbeat before taking flight.
Everyone was ready.
And somewhere nearby, humans surrounded them. He didn't see Will, so he must be dealing with the humans.
He glanced at Lilith. She looked scared as hell but even as their gazes met, her chin rose a notch. “I got this, babe.”
Christ, he sure as hell hoped so. He nodded and Lilith stepped back across the ring of stones.
The shield went down.
Crowley attacked.
James dodged to the side, turned and backed away. His vision started to clear as adrenaline spiked through his system. He needed a few more minutes.
Crowley lunged, his arm sweeping down in a long slash James narrowly avoided. His breath kicked up a notch.
Come on, focus.
Unable to look his opponent in the eyes, he watched Crowley's feet, looking for the tell-tale shifts in weight to signal his next move.
Slowly, they circled. Crowley thrust his arm out, slashing the air, testing him. The others fought around them. His conscience nagged him to check on Lilith, to make sure she didn't need his help, but he didn't dare let his guard down.
James flipped the dagger in his right hand so the blade lay against his wrist, and inhaled deep. Smoke, incense, and sweat rode in each breath. Heat warmed his back.
“Look out!” Trina's voice.
Shit. The bonfire. He changed course with a shake of his head. Crowley had almost backed him straight into the flames.
Kill the fucker. Focus, damn you.
He needed one good jab. Just one.
Crowley struck. With each step forward he slashed out. One arm, then the other.
James went on the defensive. Dodging. Blocking
Fuck.
Crowley's blade slid down the back of his hand, slicing open the skin over his knuckles.
James shifted his weight, kicked Crowley in the knee. Made him stumble back with a curse. James advanced, keeping Crowley from retaking the offensive. Three strikes and at last he hit flesh. Just a graze, a slash down Crowley's chest, but it was something.
Crowley's back came up against one of the stone pillars surrounding the coven's ritual space.
James grinned.
He had him.
He had the fucker.
James lifted his blade. . . .
And Crowley disappeared.
What the fuck?
He couldn't do that. He was a goddamn mesmerist, how the hell had Crowley—?
His nape prickled. James whirled around, barely fending off Crowley's strike from behind. Their blades locked together, both their bodies straining for dominance. James outweighed him and slowly, bit by bit their locked blades pointed toward Crowley's face.
“Look.” Crowley's voice shook, his words broken over his breath. “Look at me.”
James gave him a quick shake of the head. No way in hell. He pressed harder.
With a shout, Crowley bucked, throwing James off balance and breaking the stalemate.
James wiped the back of his wrist over his mouth, breathing hard. Almost.
He felt stronger now. Focused.
Crowley attacked. Slashed in a downward arc. James stepped back, let his arm pass and grabbed his wrist, lashing out with his other blade. Crowley lifted his trapped arm, locked his second blade with James' again.
They pushed away from each other.
“You trained him better than you thought.” Crowley grinned.
Him? “Who?”
Crowley's smile faded.
James narrowed his gaze. “You mean, Jules?”
A war cry broke from Crowley's lips and he ran at James.
Gunfire erupted. Both Crowley and James reacted, ducking at the low, staccato pops. James glanced past Crowley. Men surrounded the coven and daemons. Shit, where was Lil?
His moment of inattention cost him. Crowley rammed into him, driving him back several feet.
Pain seared through his gut as Crowley's knife sank hilt-deep.
For a split-second panic gripped him and he expected oblivion. But no, this was a plain steel blade. Goddamn, that hurt.
“You son of a bitch,” a woman screamed.
They both turned to see Rowena stalking toward them, her gaze locked tight on Crowley. Fire blazed from each of her hands as if she held burning coals in the palms of her bare hands.
“You will rue the day you fucked with me.” She raised her arms and long streaks of flame shot out from her hands toward Crowley.
Crowley vanished.
And reappeared behind Rowena.
How the hell did he do that? Was he using Magic?
The two of them struggled, disappeared behind one of the standing stones.
Jesus, he had to move. No matter which one of them won their battle, the victor would return to finish him off.
Even as James’ gaze hardened and his determination deepened, his knees gave out. He fell on his ass. He released his grip on one of his blades and grabbed the hilt of Crowley's. Steeling himself, he yanked it out of his stomach. Black checkered his vision and he closed his eyes.
You gotta get up. You can't let Crowley get hold of Lilith. You can't let the humans leave here.
He needed to get up.
Where's your faith?
James opened his eyes, half expecting to see Lilith's curious gaze staring down at him.
A soldier of some kind stood there. A young one. The damn fool didn't even have the sense to keep his weapon trained on him.
The kid spoke into a walkie-talkie. “I got one here. He's wounded. No, it’s not Crowley, do you want him?”
Christ. What did they want with Crowley? How did they even know about him?
A static-filled voice fired back instructions: “Hold him. We’ll take him, too.”
Not tonight, they wouldn’t. James waved the kid closer.
The soldier lifted his gun, but took a step. Leaned down. “What?”
James lashed out. Gripped the kid by the collar and dragged him down. Before the human so much as grunted in protest, James sank his teeth into his jugular. He pinned the soldier, using his weight to subdue his death throes. Blood spurted into his mouth with each terrified thump of the kid's dying heart. Warm, salty, and metallic, nothing had ever tasted so good.
Still, his gut rolled, repelled by the thought of killing for blood again even as his wounds healed and he grew stronger. After all this time, the words for Extreme Unction came back to him and, in his mind, he recited the last rights for the soul he stole.
James opened his eyes, watching the area around them as he finished the kid off. He didn't see Crowley, but couldn't miss Lilith with her silver swords. He wiped his face on the soldier's uniform, sheathed his blades, and grabbed the soldier's gun as he got to his feet.
Yeah, Crowley should've ashed him while he had the chance.
As he strode toward Lilith, he took out the soldiers taking potshots at the daemons and witches. Lining up shot after shot, he evened their odds a bit. The coven seemed to rally, closing ranks, fighting more aggressively. They formed a loose circle around the daemons. Kat allowed him to pass with a nod of acknowledgment. Ghost, Will, and Shadow still fought Crowley's crew. Walker wasn't there.
Damn.
He brushed away the pang of another loss.
As he approached, Lilith and Trina both
stilled, their attention arrested on a blond male, one of Crowley’s crew.
Will ran past, transforming as he went. His large, muscular body grew bulkier, his shoulders broadening. Biceps and chest strained against the fabric of his once baggy T-shirt. The leather belt holding up his over-sized jeans burst at the buckle as he filled in the pants. Formidable thighs stretched at the fabric. His neck thickened until the necklace he wore became a choker, the silver ankh riding high against the thickened tendons at his throat. Both nose and jaw elongated into a snout. Amid the sickening sounds of snapping bones, teeth reshaped and rearranged to fit the muzzle. The shape of his head altered, his ears melted away and new longer, pointier buds sprouted from of the top of his elegantly shaped head. Short, coarse, black fur covered every visible skin surface. When the transformation finished, he resembled Anubis.
James pulled the women back.
The blond sprang up, shifting form mid-air. A new body enveloped his completely. And when he landed, he stood on all fours.
The son of a bitch shifted into El Chupacabra. A large, hairless, unnatural-looking canine with the thick, scaly, tail of a crocodile. Razor claws adorned its great paws, and rows of wicked teeth burst from its wide muzzle below piercing red eyes.
James hadn't seen one of them in decades.
El Chupacabra lunged for Will's throat. Will swung out his arms, knocking El Chupacabra to the side. It sprawled in the dirt, rolling, clawing at the ground before it righted itself. The creature didn't have time to do anything else. Will leapt onto its back, sinking his teeth into El Chupacabra's neck.
The two became a blur of claws and teeth.
“Go.” James pointed, urging the women away from the two creatures, before they became collateral damage. “The soldiers are here for Crowley.”
Both women turned to stare. “What?” Lilith asked at the same time Trina asked, “Why?”
“I don’t know, but we can’t let them leave with him.” He glanced at Lilith. “Rowena's dead?”
Lilith shook her head. “She disappeared. I don't know where she went.”
Trina's eyes widened. “I think I found her. And twenty bucks says she’s somehow responsible for these mercs.”
The Beacon (The Original's Trilogy Book 1) Page 30