by Lexi Blake
Chima laughed bitterly. “One vampire against two hundred red caps? I don’t think so.”
“You didn’t see the way he fought before,” Nim argued.
Brown curls shook. “No, Nim. He has spent too much time in Arawn’s company. And it’s daylight, if you haven’t noticed.”
“What do you mean he’s been around Arawn too long?” I asked. “Daniel can daywalk. It isn’t easy for him but he’ll do it to save us.”
“You don’t understand anything, Your Grace. We’re fucked,” Chima bit out. “Nim didn’t bother to mention that Arawn has been drawing energy from your vampire, did she? Has the vampire been overly hungry? Has he been on the edge of control? Has he made decisions that didn’t always make sense? I can see from your expression that he has. It’s because Arawn has effectively been feeding off him. Why do you think Nim wanted a vampire? Arawn likes the feeling. It’s like a drug. The death god has been getting high and your vampire needs time to recover, time that we don’t have.”
I turned to meet Nim’s guilty countenance. I could see the truth of Chima’s words in her violet eyes.
“I’m sorry, Zoey,” she offered weakly. “I didn’t mean any harm. It wouldn’t kill the vampire. It was just for fun.”
“Everything is fun with you, Nim,” Chima said sadly.
“I can come up with a spell.” Nim nodded, determination on her face. “I just need a few things.”
“We don’t have that kind of time,” I pointed out, hating what I was going to have to do. “Neil, you have to let me go with Chima.”
Neil turned, his lovely face savage all of the sudden. “No. Why is he more important than you? Why do you have to sacrifice yourself for these people? They haven’t done anything for you.”
I smoothed back a stray blond curl. “Sweetie, I have to. That’s a child out there. I can’t watch them kill a child, certainly not one that belongs to Dev.”
“Chima…” Nim implored.
“Not a word, Nim,” Chima replied. “This is all your fault. You stay out of it. Her Grace wants to do the right thing.”
“It’s right for you,” Neil shot back at her. He looked at me, his heart in his face. “Don’t do this. Please. Dev wouldn’t want you to do this. Dev loves you. Danny loves you. You owe them. I love you. Let’s just run.”
“And leave Danny behind?” I tried to soothe my friend with logic. “What do you think they would do with him even if running was an option? I’m sure they have the place surrounded. How far would we get before they ran us down?”
“We should try,” Neil insisted.
I shook my head. “No, we shouldn’t. I should go down there and while they’re occupied with lopping my head off, the rest of you should run because he can’t let you live.” Con would need to hide his betrayal, and there was no way to do that except to kill everyone who could possibly talk. I turned and looked at Chima. “Are you ready?”
Chima nodded her head, and there was a terrible guilt in her blue eyes. She didn’t like what she had to do, either, but she would do it for her son. She had no choice and I expected nothing less from her.
“I’m going with you.” Neil stood beside me.
“No,” I ordered. “You have to get to Danny. You have to get him up and moving. You know he can hear you. Tell him what’s happening. If there’s any way for him to move, he will. He’s the only shot I have.”
“All right.” Neil pulled me into a tight hug. “I love you, Z. Don’t you fucking die out there. I’m going to get Daniel up. We’re going to come for you. Stay alive.”
“I’ll try,” I promised. Neil turned to go. “Watch your back.”
He smiled, a sad little thing and I hoped beyond hope it wasn’t the last smile I saw from him. Neil slipped down the hallway, letting his senses lead him away from danger to his quarry.
“Let’s go, Your Grace,” Chima said, her voice filled with resolve. “You first and I will follow.”
“I’m not going to run, Princess.”
She moved close behind me. “I can’t take that chance.”
I walked into the hall and toward the stairs, praying all the while that Daniel would wake up despite what Chima had said. Daniel had done some impossible things when I needed him to. Chima followed and Nim walked in her wake, guilt making her cute pixie face look pale and sad. There was a lost look in her eyes, as though she’d finally figured out there was nothing she could do to stop what she felt she’d set into motion. I could have told her that if they hadn’t used her it would have been someone else, but I just marched down the stairs. Every bit of will I had I used to keep my feet moving when what I wanted to do was run to Daniel and beg him to save me. I wanted to live. I wanted to go home with Danny and Dev and have those babies I’d been promised.
If I ended up on the Heaven plane, Oliver Day was going to get such an earful. He thought losing his bet would be bad? It was going to be my job to make that angel miserable.
We reached the bottom floor and I saw clearly why we’d had no aid from the ascended gods’ contingent. Herne the Hunter and Arawn were each on their knees on the floor with their hands at the backs of their heads, fingers interwoven in the universal sign of “I got caught.” The Hunter looked grim and after his eyes slid off of us, he went back to staring straight forward. Arawn turned to watch us as we moved. Each was guarded by three red caps.
“Are you all right, Nim?” Arawn asked academically, watching his girlfriend with hooded eyes.
“Besides horrific gut-gnawing guilt, I’m fine,” Nim replied from behind me.
“If you get the chance to run, sweetheart, please do it,” Arawn said. “If they kill Roarke, I’ll find another host and look for you. It shouldn’t take long. Go to the Earth plane and I’ll meet you there.”
Nim continued shuffling along. “I know the drill, Arawn.”
“You’re a bastard,” I sneered as I passed the death god, who looked like he couldn’t care less that a whole bunch of people were about to die a horrible death. Would he get off on all that death? Maybe it would make him strong enough to break free and save his host and his girl. “Nothing matters as long as you and yours are all right, does it?”
Arawn pondered that briefly. “No, I suppose not. It’s not so different from your vampire. You can worry about the rest of the world, Your Grace. I’ve lived long enough to know that the rest of the world won’t care that you made a sacrifice. They won’t care that you’re dead. They’ll forget you quickly and another naïve idiot will take your place. There’s an endless stream of women such as you who refuse to see the world for what it is.” His eyes were cold as they turned from me and found his lover once more. “Do as I told you, Nim.”
“Keep moving,” one of the red caps ordered. His cap was dripping blood onto the formerly lovely carpet.
The door to the front lawn was open. It was nice to see the red caps weren’t making it hard for me to walk to my execution. There wasn’t exactly a red carpet, but it was pretty damn close. I looked across the lawn. There were so many men out there waiting on two small women, as Nim stayed in the doorway. It was just me and Chima and an army of males. I swallowed audibly and hoped that the whole beheading thing was as painless as the experts said. Not like the experts knew.
I was about to find out.
Chima came up against my back, her hand hauling my arm into a painful position.
“I told you,” I said, mad that she was making this harder. “I’m not going to fight.”
That was a lie. I was going to fight like hell, but not until she had her son back.
I felt something small and cold press into my hand. “And I told you, I can’t take that chance.”
I closed my palm around the small knife Chima had been holding. If I held it tightly against my side, I might get away with it. It wasn’t much but it was a shot.
“I am grateful to you, Your Grace,” Chima whispered. “I wish there was some other way. If I survive, I’ll tell everyone of your sacrifice. Arawn is w
rong. We won’t forget. My father will honor you, and I’ll make it my mission in life to stop this war.”
Con was getting impatient. “Are you going to bring the bitch to me or not, Chima?”
“I want my son first.” Chima held me fast.
The goblin holding Sean moved forward at Con’s gesture. Chima pushed me along to meet the guard in the middle. I could see Sean’s eyes light up with hope as he saw his mother coming toward him, and I understood why Chima had to do this. He was so sweet and beautiful and he deserved to grow up. He didn’t deserve to die a pawn in some idiot’s war.
“Push Her Grace toward me and I’ll let your son run to you.” The goblin rasped his instructions. His claws were digging into Sean’s arm, a thin trickle of blood already visible.
Without hesitation, Chima shoved me hard toward the goblin. I stumbled even as Sean streaked by me to get to his mother. The tumble allowed me to better hide the weapon Chima had given me. Most of it was hidden up the long shirt I wore, but all I had to do was move my hand to use it.
The goblin wasn’t interested in my dignity. He strode up and, rather than waiting for me to get up and walk, he simply grabbed a handful of hair and started dragging me. Pain flared along my scalp and I scrambled. As I tried to keep up, I watched Chima wrap her arms around her son and join Nim. I saw the regret on their faces, but they disappeared around the corner of the house, attempting to make their escape.
I was alone with an army of monsters.
“Poor little human.” Con looked down on me as my goblin escort tossed me toward him and I fell at his feet. “You just wanted a good lay and you end up here. I hope the fertility god made it worthwhile for you.”
“Screw you,” I spat, looking up into his red, alien eyes. His long white hair looked wrong on his body, far too soft for someone so hard.
He laughed, a sound that was somewhere between a guffaw and a rasping cough. “Unfortunately, I can’t take you up on that generous offer. It’s a shame because I would love to know what it is about you the sex god found so amusing he was willing to give up all those other women.”
“Sounds like a damn good reason to keep me alive.” I meant what I told the Hunter. I don’t believe in death before dishonor. I believed in staying alive for just another hour and a half so Danny could wake up and kill this asshole.
“Tempting, but no.” Con turned me down as he pulled me to my knees. His hand wrapped in my hair, holding me in place. I was going to have to rethink my hairdo. Too many times some asshole used it against me. “The war is about to start and I do want your head on my pike. Your husband will be the first to see it as I march across the field of battle. He’ll sound the horn of war before Miria or Angus can even think to talk.”
Con held my head at a rough angle as the red caps began to chant. I wasn’t sure what they were chanting, but I was pretty certain it wasn’t anything I wanted to hear. The hold Con had on my head hurt, but my throat was vulnerable and completely exposed. I could vaguely see Con hold up a hand to bring forward one of the goblins. He moved forward with a broad sword. It looked too heavy for the squat, fierce creature but he wielded it like it was nothing. All in all I was certain he’d been well trained as an executioner.
“I am merciful, Your Grace. I grant you a painless death. Your blood will stain their caps for our glorious battle,” Con said with flourish as the goblin raised the sword to swing it in an arc that would separate my head from my body.
I let the small but sharp knife fall into my hand and as hard as I could, shoved it behind me, my aim finding that soft sac that all men carry at the center of their universe. I sank the knife in deep even as Con screamed and let me go. I felt the sword swing above my head as I hit the ground.
I was on my feet as quickly as possible while I still had the confusion of my actions and Con’s girlie screams to give me a few seconds. I ran for the house, thinking to find a place to hide, but a strong wind forced me back to my knees even as I could see the door that might mean my freedom.
The goblins were regrouping, and Con was shouting my name. I didn’t think he would be so merciful the next time he got his hands on me. I was being called everything a man could think of to call a woman he truly detested.
I fought to get up, but that wind was too strong. My heart sank as I realized it was another one of those blasted eddy winds that seemed to plague me. The goblins had sent for reinforcements. They had excellent timing as they had managed to neatly block my escape.
Bodies fell to the ground around me.
“Damn it,” I heard a familiar voice growl. “That’s the worst ride I’ve ever had. Who the hell taught you to drive? I think I’m going to be sick. Why don’t you people just use cars?”
Even as he complained bitterly, Lee bounced up, ready to take down anything that came his way.
“I agree, brother.” Declan’s voice came next. “You are terrible at that. I am going to learn how to catch an eddy wind just so I never have to allow you to drive again.”
“I didn’t have any problem with it, boss. It was fine.” I had never been so happy to hear Zack suck up.
I looked up and my husband smiled down at me, his hand held out to help me stand. “Hello, my wife. It looks like you could use some help.”
Chapter Thirty
I launched myself off the ground and into his arms, sighing with pleasure as they wrapped around me. “You came for me.”
“I will always come for you,” Dev promised as he hugged me fiercely. “Even when I prove myself to be a stupid ass, I will always wake up and come for you. I realized that everything I loved was over here, wife. My future was here and I couldn’t give it up for revenge. Please forgive me.”
“Zoey, please forgive my brother later as we have an army of red caps ready to slaughter us, and I don’t think they will wait for your tender reunion,” Declan said even as he notched an arrow. He pulled the bowstring back to an impossible spread. I’d seen Declan use his weapon before and I believed his boast that he was the greatest archer in all of Faery.
“Zachary, Lee,” a deep, soothing voice said. I looked up and saw Bris had taken over. He looked…angrier than I had ever seen him. Bris was gentle and kind. He was patient, but there was nothing of that Bris in his face now. “Please protect my goddess. Where is Daniel?” He directed his question at me.
Lee and Zachary began to lead me away from the fertility god as Declan started letting his arrows fly faster than any human would have been able to manage. “He’s safe as far as I know. He’s with Neil.”
The red caps stopped advancing as Con held his hands up. He looked over our small party and let out a hearty laugh. “Welcome, Prince Declan. I couldn’t ask for a better guest to join us in these proceedings. And the priest was stupid enough to come after his bride.”
“He isn’t alone,” Bris said solemnly. He stepped forward, his big body a target, but he stood in front of the group as though we were his to defend.
Con smiled, showing small, curved goblin fangs. “Yes, I heard you had ascended. Your time in the priest will be short lived, My Lord. So Prince Declan, you brought along a fertility god to fight a war. I’m afraid you’re outgunned, unless you intend that we all fuck each other to death.”
“Con,” Declan acknowledged with a frown. It was obvious he knew the half sidhe and didn’t care for him, but there was nothing new on that front. “I suppose Angus does not know about your treason.” A terrible thought hit Declan and he blanched. “Please tell me you were not working with the Duke of Ain. Say it was anybody but him because you have to know that my sister-in-law will never stop saying she told me so. I will hear it as long as she has a voice to speak.”
“I told you so,” I yelled from behind my wolf guards. Declan was right about one thing. I would be saying those words a whole lot in his near future. If we made it out of this alive.
“Damn it. I hate it when she’s right.” Declan turned back to Con. “You will pay for your crimes. Tell me something before we ki
ll you, Con. Where is the woman who owns this house? Was she in residence? Has she been taken prisoner as well?”
“She got away,” I told Declan, who nodded and turned back to his task.
“How exactly do you intend to make me pay for my crimes?” Con asked arrogantly. He held his arms wide, indicating his men. “I have an army of killers willing to do my bidding. You have a fertility god, two men, and a helpless girl.”
“I wasn’t so helpless when I carved up your balls, Con,” I pointed out.
Zack laughed out loud and seemed far too relaxed for a man who was facing down an army.
“Lee.” Anxiety made my stomach churn because that nasty old Con was making sense. We were horribly outnumbered. “Shouldn’t we get up there and help Dev? Tell me you brought guns and maybe a tank.”
“We have everything we need, Zoey.” Lee didn’t take his eyes off the scene in front of him. “You stayed alive and you castrated a son of a bitch. You did your job, darlin’. Now let your husband do his.”
“I’m going to kill you, bitch,” Con promised. “And I’ll make your husband watch when I take your head.”
“You arrogant fool,” Bris said darkly. “Those who deal in death always forget how powerful life can be.”
There was a mighty rumble as the earth beneath us began to shake. I could see plainly that it wasn’t an earthquake. Earthquakes don’t just happen in a small area leaving everything else untouched. The house behind us was still, completely unaffected by the cracks that began to form in the ground beneath the army. I started to fall, but Lee held me up. The sound of all that dirt moving seemed to fill the yard as I had a sense of something big coming.
“It’s all right, Zoey,” Lee said.
The ground spat up a thicket of rope-like vines that came from seemingly every inch of the yard where a red cap stood. I watched as their red eyes popped open in surprise as they lost their footing. They tried to move away. They tried to run, but there was nowhere to go as the ground drank them up, hungrily pulling them under.