by Kristie Cook
Chapter 19
“MOTHER!”
Cassandra’s head snapped up at the sound of her daughter’s scream in her head. Her heart shot into her throat, feeling the girl’s pain, and she jumped to her feet. Where are you?
Letting her mental wall down for a brief moment, Cassandra saw through Andronika’s mind as her daughter looked around. She glimpsed Niko—his wide eyes staring at her with surprise and fear—as well as Faiz, Inga and the two werewolves. Gray stone walls that reached high above surrounded them and Cassandra knew exactly where they were—the crevice where they had discussed trapping Jordan. She had never liked this plan and now she despised it. Her daughter was not supposed to be a part of it. How did she even get involved?
Andronika gave her more images—a vampyre Cassandra didn’t know, a man’s burly arms across her chest … and a familiar face with icy blue eyes and blond hair. Oh no! He’s already there!
“Mother—” Jordan started but she closed her mind, not waiting to hear the rest.
Flashing hadn’t yet become natural to her but running still was. She sprinted through the moonlit floor of the canyon, weaving around the stone columns that reached to the sky, hurdling bushes and boulders in her path. She rounded the bend that led to the crevice just in time to hear Jordan say, “next.”
Then a shadow darted at her and locked her into a tight hold. She opened her mouth to scream but a hand clamped over it. She kicked and thrashed, but the arms only squeezed tighter around her, nearly cutting off her air. The attacker grunted when her foot connected with his leg, but so did she. He was hard as stone. A vampyre. Then she realized it was one of her own—Michael. Why did he hold her back? What was he doing out here? What had gone wrong?
A rush of air blew in her face and the next thing she knew, they stood in the entry of the crevice, now packed full of bodies, only one of them human. A big bear of a man still held Andronika whose fearful look made Cassandra gasp.
“Just as I said.” Jordan swept his arm out at her with a grin. “We meet again, little sister. Finally. I’ve been looking for you for ages.”
Cassandra didn’t understand his joy—true joy she could feel emanating off his body—when it was he who had been trapped. He and his two troops were out-numbered. But … why did her own followers just stand there? Why weren’t they doing anything?
She glanced around the room. Niko’s eyes remained on their daughter and his nostrils flared with anger. The vampyre she didn’t know towered over him, his hand gripping Niko’s shoulder, holding him still. And the others did nothing. Cassandra’s heart sunk to the pit of her stomach. So much for their ambush. So much for their loyalty.
“Did you really think they would fight me?” Jordan asked her and her eyes cut back to him. “These are my troops, Cassandra. Not yours. You can’t change Daemoni. You can’t eliminate the evil that they are. It’s in their blood. In their souls now.”
No! she screamed in her mind because Michael’s hand over her mouth kept her from screaming aloud. Michael—her first convert after Niko. Holding her captive.
She’d been wrong all along. They’d only pretended to convert. Had this been Jordan’s plan? Her eyes swept the room again and a lump formed in her throat. She didn’t have to listen to their minds—the truth was right in front of her. Inga’s eyes danced with joy and a small smile curved her lips.
Inga, Cassandra could almost understand. She hadn’t been with them long enough. She probably still had evil coursing through her veins, especially as she’d been born Daemoni, not turned. But the rest? How could they?
“They’re mine,” Jordan said, his face suddenly right in front of hers, his hot breath blowing against her cheeks. His icy blue eyes tinted red. “And now you are, too.”
Everyone suddenly came to attention, standing straight and tall behind Jordan. Backing him. Everyone but Niko.
Father lied. I don’t have the power to save them.
“Don’t believe it, Cassandra,” Father’s voice spoke in her mind. “He lies. They are yours. They are God’s. The Daemoni’s most powerful weapon is deceit. Use the powers we’ve given you. You can win this fight.”
Fight. Exactly what she didn’t want. She’d accepted her powers that she thought she’d used to help these people, but she refused to use her powers to hurt.
“You have to,” Father said. “This is why we gave them to you. You have to protect Andronika and the rest of them. You can do this, Cassandra. Listen to their thoughts and you’ll know the truth.”
I can’t, Father. I can’t invade their minds. I can’t let their thoughts invade mine. I can’t stand it!
“Cassandra, you MUST do this. You must do it now. If Jordan wins, all humanity is at stake!”
Cassandra’s breath caught at her father’s voice thundering in her head. She’d never heard him so angry and adamant. She felt his truth wash over her and it gave her strength.
With no time to probe their individual minds, Cassandra blew out a breath of resignation and let down her mental shield completely. She let the voices pour in. Andronika’s screams of panic. Jordan’s plans for taking them to the Ancients. His vampyre and bear-man impatient for their orders. Inga’s delightful, “Finally!”
And the others all surprised her. On the inside, Niko was calm and felt in control of the situation. Faiz and Michael waited for orders, too, but not from Jordan. From her. The werewolves were just waiting for the word to change. Her heart leapt with hope.
She gathered the good force within her, pulling it all into a ball of energy in her chest. It charged and swirled within her and its warmth filled her with confidence. She prepared to unleash it.
NOW! She silently bellowed as she pushed the energy outward.
Chapter 20
Before Jordan could do anything, chaos broke out.
Michael freed Cassandra just before a burst of energy exploded from her. Blasius and Erik screamed like women. Andronika flew to the corner. Then Erik exploded into a bear, a rain of goo falling around them. His lips pulled back from his mouth to reveal sharp teeth as he threw back his head and roared. With two more messy bursts, the werewolves changed, as well.
As much as he wanted to see a fight, Jordan wouldn’t have his troops battle each other for no apparent reason. They were all on the same side. He opened his mouth to deliver orders.
But then everything went wrong.
The werewolves charged at the bear’s throat. Michael attacked Blasius, freeing his hold on Niko. The traitors! For a moment, Jordan felt a sense of pride in how well they had deceived even him, but he had to focus on the issue. He was outnumbered. He needed to act.
He twitched his hand and Andronika flew into his arm. He pinned her to his side and flashed outside the crevice, drawing Cassandra out.
She appeared several paces in front of him. He threw a fireball out of his free hand. She dodged it. With a tight grimace on her face, she threw her hand up, her palm face out at him.
Jordan tried to lift his own hand, but he couldn’t move. What had she done to him? She held him in some kind of invisible grip, paralyzing him like a statue. Only his eyes could move as Andronika wiggled out of his stiff arm and ran behind Cassandra.
“We don’t have to do this,” Cassandra said. “We don’t have to fight each other.”
“No, we don’t,” he answered with a thought, unable to move his lips. “We can fight with each other instead of against each other.”
That’s right.
“You and I together, little sister. We can do this.”
Cassandra nodded. But he knew she wouldn’t agree so easily, that she hadn’t had a change of heart. What was she up to?
I can help you, she told him and she lifted her other hand. A low hum of goodness pulsed from her palm, licking fire at his skin.
He wanted to laugh. His eyes narrowed. “Never. You come to my side, little sister. You can’t beat me.”
He flexed his own internal power, pushing back against her hold. Her hand began to tr
emble. He moved again. Her paralyzing power strengthened, but only for a moment. He broke free. His arm shot up, his palm held out toward her. The corners of his mouth lifted. He began to twist his hand.
Someone screamed.
And a blue streak of light hit Jordan in the chest.
He flew high into the air, far above Cassandra’s head and then slammed back down to the earth. The air flew out of his lungs. Blackness flashed over his vision. What just happened? He lay still on the ground. His eyes blinked at his attacker. Inga?
“I’m not as weak as you thought,” she said.
“No,” Cassandra screamed, appearing at his side. She fell next to him and scooped her arm under his shoulders, cradling his head in her lap. “No, no, no.”
His vision went black.
But only for a moment. A bright light shone in his eyes, blurry and vague at first, but then it sharpened into an image. Although he hadn’t moved, knew he wasn’t in the real world, he suddenly stood face-to-face with Father. Father, with pants covering his legs, his bare torso crisscrossed with belts holding various weapons and wings rising from his back. Not thin and black, but white and feathered. Father opened his mouth to speak but a screeching sound drowned out any words he might have said. Then he was gone.
Jordan was back in his body. His eyes blinked open.
“Oh, Jordan,” Cassandra cried. “You’re alive!”
She still held his head in her lap, tears streaming down her face. She’d actually cried for him? She still cared for him, after all he’d done to her? And when she had been right all along.
“You … ” He gasped. How can I feel so much pain? I’m supposed to be invincible. But he could hardly even speak.
She leaned closer to hear him.
“You … were right … little sister,” he whispered. “About Father.”
“Yes, Jordan. I know. And about us.”
“No. Just about you.” He coughed and she pulled back.
“You, too, Jordan. You—”
He had to make her understand just as he did now. “No, not me. You were always the good one. But not me.”
“It’s not too late for you. You can still join us.”
He didn’t know whether to laugh or frown at her optimism, at her unconditional love. Love—he realized now there was truth in the word. Father and Mother had loved him. Cassandra still did. Even Eris had felt it for him, he realized now. Perhaps he had even felt it for her. And the pain of not returning it for Inga—of his rejection of her love—had led him to this. The word he’d dismissed as useless actually held the most power of all.
How ironic that he’d been seeking revenge against all who had rejected him, while rejecting those who’d actually accepted him.
He’d been wrong about so many things.
He shook his head in her lap. “It’s too late for me. It is.”
“No, Jordan. I can help you.”
Can’t she see the real me? What I truly am?
He could feel her power growing, the goodness building within her so she could push it into him. His appreciation for her hope disappeared, replaced at first by fear that she would use her goodness on him and then by anger that he actually feared her.
The anger exploded. Hot, boiling in his stomach and chest. Strengthening him again.
He’d been right about one thing. Love deceived those who felt it, weakening them. The real supremacy came to those who didn’t feel it, empowering them with a weapon against the ones who loved them.
He had no such weakness. He wielded the weapon.
“You can’t,” he growled. “My soul is gone, little sister. You can’t save it. I’ve made my choice!”
Releasing his control, evil energy shot out of his body. Cassandra soared back several paces. Jordan sprang to his feet and charged at her. Too fast for her to react, his hands gripped her throat and lifted her in the air.
Chapter 21
Cassandra couldn’t breathe. Her throat constricted and her tongue felt as though it’d grown twice its size, choking her.
Jordan, stop! I can help you!
“I DON’T WANT YOUR HELP!” he bellowed out loud and his hands tightened.
Her chest contracted painfully as her lungs fought for air. She thought her eyes would bulge out of their sockets. Lights popped in front of her. The edges of her vision swam.
Please, Jordan.
Her brother only growled in response.
“Cassandra! Here!”
She didn’t know whose voice it was. She didn’t know what came flying at her. But her hand reached out instinctively. Her palm wrapped around the object and she knew immediately what it was. Her hilt. Her dagger. The one Father had given her, specially made by his Angel hands. A grand weapon and possibly the only thing that could kill Jordan. If she could bring herself to use it.
How can I kill him? He’s still my brother!
Tears stung her eyes, from the physical pain at her throat and the emotional pain at the thought of taking a life. Especially her own kin’s. There had to be some other way, but she could think of none, except to let him kill her. Let him have the burden of murdering his sister. As he tightened his hold on her throat, she thought she had no choice but to let him. Her strength was drained. All her energy poured from her being as he choked the life out of her.
She looked for Father and thought she saw him through the shimmering veil. She wondered what it meant that she could see him—that she could see to the Otherworld. Was she dying? Was she already dead? And why wasn’t he fighting? Why was there no demon?
“Your soul is already ours. The demons have no reason to fight me for it. You must fight for your life.”
She had nothing left in her to fight with, though. The grayed edges of her vision pushed inward. Her lungs had already ceased trying to inflate and they collapsed in her chest. It was only a matter of seconds. I’m … sorry, Father. I … can’t.
“Mother, please. Don’t die. We need you!”
Andronika’s plea came from a great distance, as if from another world rather than right behind her. But it was exactly what she needed to hear. Her daughter needed her. Her people needed her. If Father was right, humanity needed her. She couldn’t let evil win.
And Jordan was nothing but evil.
How had she not realized this before? Why did she always deny it? She could feel the evil pouring out of him for years. He’d said it himself.
His soul was gone.
With a sudden and perfect clarity, she realized she’d lost Jordan long ago. Years ago … since before Father left. The figure before her, about to kill her, was not her brother.
It was nothing but a demon.
And her purpose was to kill it.
She gathered every bit of strength she had left in her. She lifted the dagger. And she plunged the blade into Jordan’s side.
His eyes widened at first, but then his mouth twisted up into a wicked grin. “You can’t kill me, you fool. I’m immortal!”
But his grip instantly loosened and they both fell to the ground. Jordan let out a single scream, mixed with pain and disbelief and rage. And then he fell deathly silent.
“There’s only one way to immortality, little brother,” she whispered, “and it is not the way you chose.”
The skin around the silver blade smoked and sizzled, then began to disintegrate into ashes, filling the air with a thick, bitter scent that coated the back of Cassandra’s raw throat. She yanked the dagger from her brother’s body and watched as the rest of his skin dissolved into nothing and then his flesh and bones, until only his clothing remained.
She doubled over and cried. The sobs burned her battered throat and the pain felt right. The physical pain to match her emotional agony. The heartbreak that she and her brother had come to this. That he had gone so far on that other path that he could never return, even when he finally realized he’d taken the wrong road. She’d lost him many years ago, but only now felt the real emptiness.
She felt arms around her�
�large and small—and heard voices trying to soothe her. Andronika and Niko. They hugged her, stroked her hair back and shared their love with her. Love that strengthened her, that would eventually heal her broken heart and put her back together.
Chapter 22
The others joined them outside the crevice, their emotions pumped into a celebratory state. For they had won. They had beaten evil.
Cassandra finally stopped crying and glanced up at them. Her swollen eyes fell on Inga. When Inga had attacked Jordan with her magic, the witch’s jubilant feeling of served revenge had blasted Cassandra. Inga had deceived them all, made all this happen for her own vengeance. Cassandra jumped to her feet and was in Inga’s face in an instant.
“You did this,” she screamed. “You led them to us and brought my daughter into it!”
Inga’s eyes widened as she shook her head violently. Then she dropped her eyes from Cassandra’s and stared at the ground. Her voice came out in a plea. “You know I can’t create a shield. My magick isn’t strong enough. They found us and told us Jordan had already beaten you and if we didn’t go with them, they’d kill us both. I could have flashed away, but I couldn’t leave Andronika with them. Not alone.”
Cassandra pulled back and she stared at Inga, not knowing what to believe.
“It’s true, Mother,” Andronika said. “I told her to go, but she refused. She stayed to protect me.”
Cassandra didn’t look at her daughter. She knew she told the truth of what she believed. But was what she believed really how Inga felt? There was only way to know and Cassandra had to do it to ensure they were all safe. She listened to Inga’s mind.
“And to kill Jordan,” Inga had added in her own thoughts. “Revenge is so sweet.”
Cassandra pressed her lips together and backed down. Inga was on their side—had even protected her, she knew—but when it came to Jordan, the witch also did, indeed, have her own motives. This was something she would need to work on with her group, because they had to be above revenge.