by Liz Schulte
“You come into my castle and dare to threaten me?” He pulled his own sword from thin air.
“This isn’t a threat.” I pointed at him with my knife. “You see, Cheney, I don’t make threats. If I want to kill you, that is exactly what I’ll do. No warning. I will rain down a hell upon you like you have never known.” I smiled broader and patted the cushion next to me. “Now that we have that straight, come have a seat. Let’s chat.”
Cheney’s lips pursed and I could practically see him weighing his options. Finally he opted for the chair across from me. Chicken.
“Remember when we first met? You know, when your father had a bounty on Selene and I didn’t take her in, even though it was well within my rights to do so?” I waited for him to acknowledge my words. “In fact, not only did I surrender my bounty, but I even helped you though I had no reason to do so. And I’ve helped both of you many times since. And do you know why I went out of my way?”
He sighed and shook his head.
“Because I’m not a selfish, twinkle-toed asshole who only thinks of myself.”
“I am aware that you have helped us, but—”
“In fact, I introduced you to Olivia and Holden who, surprise-surprise, also helped you. These are not bridges you wish to burn Erlking. Trust me when I say life can get very, very hard.”
His chin lifted and disdain colored his elfin features. “I have killed people for less insolence. Don’t forget, sekhmet, I too have defeated impossible odds and have the command of an army at my fingertips. The fae is an enemy you should not court.” We glared at each other for a couple beats. “I am protecting my family. Something, perhaps, if you had done a better job of, you wouldn’t be here now.”
I shot my knife across the room, sinking it into the chair just above his shoulder. “You do not seem to appreciate the gravity of the situation.” I leaned forward, and tugged another blade from my boot. “I’m not asking you to risk your family. I’m asking your wife to help save a life. Olivia is dying. If you’re too damn self-involved to get off your ass and help us, then yes, you and I are going to have a problem that even Sy can’t protect you from.”
Cheney plucked the knife from the chair and handed it back to me. “If there was anything I could do to help, I would, but—” He gestured with his palms up. “This just isn’t our fight, and we’re not equipped for this kind of enemy.”
“We don’t need help with our war. I inflicted Olivia’s wound.”
He sighed. “What makes you think Selene can do anything?”
The office door opened, and the beautiful half-elf witch in question peeked her head in. “Sorry to interrupt, but Cheney could you—” She stopped, smiled widely when she saw me, and came the rest of the way in. “Femi! It’s great to see you. I didn’t know you were here. Why didn’t you come to get me?” She glanced at Cheney.
Damn elves. I hugged Selene back. “Congratulations on the wedding. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there.”
She shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. How are you? It seems like I only hear about you and Olivia from Sy these days. We totally need another girls’ night.”
I winked at Cheney. “Better make it fast.”
Selene’s brows pulled together and she tilted her head to the side. “Are you going somewhere?”
I shook my head. “Olivia is dying.”
Selene covered her mouth and sank down onto the couch beside me. “What? What happened? What can I do?”
“Let me catch you up.” I went through the whole story. Cheney didn’t say anything, just poured himself a drink and watched Selene’s reactions as I spoke, probably mentally counting the ways he would like to kill me at the moment.
When I was finished, Selene wiped a tear from eye. “Baker’s gone? I can’t believe it. How did I not know any of this? I’m so sorry.”
I nodded, my throat burning. It still didn’t feel real.
She shook her head and squeezed my hand. “So all we have to do is find a way to heal the stab wound. It shouldn’t be that hard. Take me to her. I want to see what we’re dealing with.”
Cheney’s hand clamped down on Selene’s shoulder. She looked up at him and he shook his head. “You cannot go there. They’re fighting with demons and hell. That is the last sort of attention you need to draw to yourself.”
“Exactly,” she said through gritted teeth. “Something is here from the underworld. Something that normally wouldn’t be able to cross. How exactly do you think it got here?” Cheney scowled, but didn’t answer. “Right—so how can I not get involved?” She gave him a pointed look that made him frown further.
“You don’t know that is true.”
The stubbornness melted from her face and she batted her eyelashes at him. “Cheney, my love, you can help me, or you can stay here, but I’m going with Femi. That, and that alone, is the only say you have in this matter.” She flashed her perfect teeth at him, then stood and kissed him softly. “Actually, it’s probably better if you don’t come. We don’t want to draw attention. I’ll keep you in the loop.”
“We have to stop and get Corbin. He stayed down in the garden.”
“In the rain?” Selene asked.
I nodded. “He said something about agreeing to give you space.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll be back soon,” she told Cheney and we made our way to the maze. Selene walked directly to where Corbin was, as if she knew he would be there, waiting for her down a dead-end path.
“You look lovely as always, my pet. Radiant,” Corbin said, hugging her softly. “I take it you agreed to help this hopeless plight. Can’t say I approve.”
“Can’t say I asked you,” Selene said. “What are you doing here?”
“Hmmm, the cat has something I want, but she refuses to share. I’m wearing her down with my charms.”
“We have a mutual acquaintance he’d like to kill,” I filled in. “I am less inclined to commit murder.”
“He is a lying, thieving, kidnapping hustler who deserves no such compassion—and he’s a vampire. We take care of our own. If you would kindly point me in his direction, this could be painless for the both of us.”
“Everyone I work with may have an asshole, but I avoid the ones who are assholes. Find him yourself.” I blew Corbin a kiss.
Selene laughed. “I don’t think your charms are working on Femi. I mean, did that burn hurt?”
He licked his lips and ran the back of his fingers down her cheek, stealing her smile. “You tell me, love.”
I had the urge to hit him on her behalf. I knew all too well about vampires who toyed with emotions and took little nibbling bites off of souls.
Selene blinked, then shook her head, as if clearing her thoughts. “Shall we?”
I would ignore it this time, if that was how she wanted to play this, but if he did it again, I’d stake him so fast death would catch up with him.
Back at the warehouse, Olivia and Holden were gone, leaving only Maggie reading on the couch wearing sunglasses.
“Where’d they go?” I asked.
“Something about needing to see the Angel of Death.”
Selene blanched. “What? She didn’t even give me a chance to help.”
Maggie waved her off. “It’s not about that. I asked. Holden wasn’t exactly forthcoming, but Olivia said it was an unrelated issue.” Maggie’s knees bounced so hard as she was talking, the movement shook her entire body.
“Still hungry?” I asked.
“Speaking of food,” Corbin said. “You gonna be here for a while, pet?”
Selene nodded. “Not that that should make a difference to you.”
“Nevertheless, it does. I’ll be back soon.” He left.
Maggie frowned. “Show off,” she mumbled then looked at me. “Touching Olivia made me feel better for a while, but it’s back, worse than ever.”
Selene looked at me to clarify.
“Maggie is a half-vampire who apparently can’t eat anything. We’re trying to work out the
logistics.”
Selene brushed a stray hair back into submission. “That’s weird. I didn’t know there could even be a half-vampire. How does that work?”
“That’s what happens when an angel runs interference after you’ve been turned.” I refocused on Maggie. “So about Olivia and Holden, how did they seem when they left? I mean, they went together, right?”
She nodded. “They seem better. Not quite where they were, but who is right now?”
I wasn’t satisfied, but I nodded.
Selene took a seat. “So who is this vampire Corbin is after? Why does he want him so bad?”
Maggie stared down at her lap.
“His name is Thomas, or I guess he goes by Tom now. He did a lot of species trafficking and framed certain vampires in a very public way. It might have directly contributed to many people’s hatred of them. Basically, he managed to piss off the vampire in charge, who Corbin works for—”
“Paolo?” Selene asked and I nodded. “But he seems so nice.”
“Not really my experience with him. Regardless, however, they want Thomas, but can’t seem to find him.”
“But you know where he is?”
I shook my head. “I knew where he was, but I haven’t seen him in two weeks and I honestly hope he doesn’t come back.”
Selene nodded. “So you said some scary demon thingy was up here. Any ideas how it crossed over?”
“No.” I leaned forward, and even Maggie stopped tapping her foot and looked up. “Why? Do you have any ideas?”
“Maybe,” Selene said quietly. “It could, indirectly, be my fault.” She cringed.
There was a knock on the door. Maggie jumped up to get it and I asked, “Why do you think that?”
Sy came in. “I heard my favorite cousin was here.” He grinned at Selene, making a point not to look at me.
Maggie followed behind him, checking him out. She mouthed, ”Wow,” at me.
“What, does Cheney have you on speed dial?” Selene grumbled. “What happened to the two of you not liking each other? I can take care of myself.”
“So let’s just say I’m here for the baby.”
Selene let out an impatient huff and looked back to me. “Ignore him. I went to the underworld and brought back the Pole of Charon and then it was stolen from me. There’s a good chance that whatever is here now, is here because of the pole.”
I nodded, trying to remember my mythology. “That’s how the souls are taken across the river Styx, right?”
She nodded. “I got it back and returned it, but I honestly don’t know what they did with it.”
“When did you return it?”
“Two weeks ago. The same night Baker died.”
I closed my eyes. It was completely possible that is what they used and that was what they distracted us from with the tunnel. Son of bitch. I knew that room was set up. I should always go with my gut.
Sy squeezed my shoulder, and his eyes were soft and emoting sympathy, which made my insides harden. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I shrugged off his hand. Why didn’t I tell him? Because it was none of his damn business. He didn’t know Baker and I didn’t want his sympathy. Or maybe I just didn’t want to be vulnerable with him or anyone right now. I needed space to lick my wounds. “That sounds likely, all right. Who had the pole?”
“A hoodoo priestess that Baker introduced me to, but Charon took her back with him and the pole.”
This sucked. I pulled out my phone and texted Olivia and Holden. They both needed to be back here now.
“Femi,” Sy said in a too caring voice.
“Give it a rest,” I snapped. “I’m fine. This is why I didn’t tell you. Now you’re hovering and it’s pissing me off. I’m not fragile and we don’t need you here. Go back to the Office. Selene will be fine.”
Something very close to hurt flashed in his eyes and he frowned at me. His mouth opened, but Selene spoke up first.
“Femi’s right. Everyone handles this sort of thing in their own way and you really don’t need to be here right now.” She stood up, took him by the arm, and lead him to the door, talking quietly enough I couldn’t hear what she was saying.
Maggie gave me a sympathetic smile. “At least he cares.”
I rubbed my temples. I just really wanted to do something mindless, like capture a bounty. All the stakes in this mess were too high and it was sucking the fun out of the job. There was too much death. “Well, he can care out of my sight.” I crossed my legs, then uncrossed them and crossed them again in the other direction.
Holden and Olivia arrived a few minutes later. Holden’s eyes burned and flames licked at his neck as he stalked off without saying anything to anyone, slamming a door behind him. Olivia’s eyes trailed after him and she chewed on her lower lip. Finally she blinked a few times and greeted Selene with a hug.
“You both look well,” she said, stepping back and glancing from Selene’s face to her stomach and back. “How is everything?”
Selene hestitated, but shook it off. “I’m great—and I think for once, it is me who can help you. Come sit down. Show me where you were stabbed.”
Olivia started to shake her head. “I really don’t think you can do anything, but—”
“Let her try,” I said. “Or I’ll hold you down and make you.”
Olivia sat in the chair and unbuttoned her top. Her pale, nearly translucent skin was marred by a deep gash about two inches long. Jagged black lines webbed across her chest from the opening, and a trickling light seeped out, her soul. My heart all but stopped. I’d done this to her. Selene lowered herself to the coffee table and put a hand over her mouth as she stared.
“Well, is there anything you can do?” I blurted, when I couldn’t take the suspense any longer.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Selene said. Her hand hovered over Olivia. “May I?” she asked.
“Sure,” Olivia said, her face completely neutral as Selene gently touched the wound.
Selene drew in a sharp breath, her hand snapping back. She shuddered and shook out her arm. “That was intense.” She let out a slow breath and reached toward Olivia with trembling fingers, and once again barely grazed the stream of light. She closed her eyes and something shimmered like diamonds between the palm of her hand and Olivia, but nothing changed. Selene frowned, dropping her hand back to her lap. “Can I see the knife you used?”
Holden handed it to her. I hadn’t even noticed him coming back out of the war room, but he looked normal again, no flames.
Selene held the weapon flat in her hands and studied it closely. “I’ve never felt magic like this before. It’s raw and ancient and reminds me of what I felt when I had the Pole of Charon.” She looked up at us, debate evident in her eyes. Finally she swallowed and nodded like she had made some sort of decision. “I have to research it.”
Olivia looked sad. “It’s too powerful for you.”
Selene looked back at it. “Maybe not. I don’t really know until I try, and I will try.”
Olivia shook her head. “I appreciate that, but I have another option. We don’t have to like it, but the choice is there for me to make. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and believe that everything will work out as it should.” She glanced at Holden. “Who we are is a result of the decisions we make, not the way we are born. Anyone can be a saint or a monster on any given day. That’s why the choices we make matter. It’s up to us to each live the life we want to live.”
He stared back at her. “Go ahead. Finish that thought. What does that say to you about me?”
“It says that you protected and cared for the human part of yourself all of these years because deep down you never wanted to be what you were. The only thing that holds you back is you. You’re afraid you cannot control what you are and if you try to truly embrace the good it will make you weak and you will fail.”
His face turned to stone, but he nodded a little. “And what do your decisions say about you?”
&
nbsp; Her chin lifted.
“Go ahead, Liv. Point that analytical eye at yourself. What have you chosen to be?”
The air in the room thickened between them. Hostility and anger and fear swirled around me. Maggie and Selene shifted uncomfortably.
Olivia looked back to Selene. “You can keep looking if you want, because that is who you are, but know that I don’t expect anything from you. I have come to terms with the decision I need to make. Take care of yourself and the baby first and foremost. What is meant to happen will.” With that she stood and walked out of the room.
“There has to be a loophole. There’s always a loophole,” Selene said.
Holden rubbed the back of his neck. “Not always.” He left in the same direction Olivia did.
“Why is she so set on giving up?” Selene whispered to me.
“I wish I knew. If it were any one of the rest of us, she’d fight for us until the last possible moment.”
Selene nodded, and I continued. “I thought it was because she was fighting with Holden, but I don’t think that’s it.”
“I promise I will do whatever I can.”
“Thank you,” I said. I had to get out of there and clear my head. Emotions were coloring my thoughts and that was no way to live. I walked Selene to the door. “Tell Cheney I’m sorry I threatened his life.”
Her head jerked and she blinked at me. “Okay.” She transported herself home.
The steady thump of Maggie’s foot against the floor was the only sound. I hadn’t done a very good job watching out for her. Honestly, it was hard to look at her most of the time, knowing she killed Baker. But then again, she had to live with that every single day, just like I would have to live with it if Olivia died. My phone buzzed in my back pocket. It was a text from Sy. “Have a case for you. Not optional. Come ASAP.”
I glanced back at Maggie, Baker’s voice gnawing at my conscience. Shit. “Let’s go find some trouble,” I told her.
She looked left and right. “Are you talking to me?”
I nodded. “I have to go and you obviously need to burn off some energy. There’s a great big world of people out there just itching for a fight. Let’s give ‘em hell.”