Cut to the Crone

by Amanda M. Lee

  “And we’re going to save as many of them as we can,” Zoe promised. “Some of them will die, though. I can’t tell you which ones will wise up and save themselves and which ones will die for an ideal that was never going to come to fruition. I’ll do my best to spare as many as I can but ...” She trailed off and I knew what she wasn’t saying.

  “Emma will have told the shifters and vampires a pack of lies.” I looked at Gunner. “They’ll think they’re fighting for freedom, in the case of the shifters, and revenge, in the case of the vampires.”

  Zoe bobbed her head. “That makes the vampires more dangerous. We have to take them out first. They’re going to feel emboldened because of the eclipse. That feeling won’t last long when they realize Emma has no intention of protecting them.”

  “Your plan makes sense,” Rooster acknowledged. “We can fight vampires and shifters with swords and offer support, though you’re going to be doing the bulk of the work.”

  “Actually, as I said, Scout is going to be the central player this time,” Zoe said, causing me to frown. “She needs to engage with Emma. I’m hopeful I’ll be able to take her out once I’m finished with the others, but she’s smart. She’s also strong. She’ll have protected herself under layers of magic while she allows the others to die in her place.”

  “You’re saying that we might not be able to defeat her,” Gunner noted.

  “Pretty much. Although once all her comrades are dead or incapacitated, she’ll run, but only after she realizes we’re bringing her a fake Archimage. That’s why we’re going to allow her to slowly peel back the layers of the protective magic we put around the book. We need her to give up and flee at some point if we can’t defeat her.”

  “Like I said, it’s a sound plan.” Rooster folded his arms over his chest. “What about your daughter?”

  A pained expression momentarily appeared on Zoe’s face, but she brutally shoved it aside and forced a tight-lipped smile. “Sami will make an appearance. She’s probably already out there trying to figure out how to free Rafael.”

  “She’ll get in the way.” Marissa grimaced. “She’ll make things difficult for us.”

  “She will get in the way,” Zoe agreed. “As soon as we know where she is Aric will go for her. She might not willingly let him take her. All I can do is apologize for whatever mayhem she causes.”

  “She’ll become your primary concern when she appears,” Bonnie spoke up. “You won’t care about the rest of us when that happens.”

  Zoe hesitated and then shook her head. “I’ll protect my daughter at all costs. I’d be lying if I said otherwise. However, I won’t sacrifice all of you to do it. We’re a team, and we’ll be fighting together. I promise I won’t just abandon you.”

  Bonnie opened her mouth, perhaps to argue more, but she ultimately loosed a sigh and nodded. At that exact moment, the phone in Zoe’s pocket began to ring.

  “That will be her,” Aric said. “She’ll set the meet for the next half hour.”

  “We’ll be ready,” Zoe replied grimly, tugging the phone out of her pocket. “Everybody knows what they have to do. This won’t be easy, but I know we’ll be able to win.”

  Marissa stared at her. “How can you be sure?”

  “Because I never lose.”

  EMMA PICKED A SPOT IN THE WOODS with a heavy tree canopy. I’d been there once prior, weeks before, during a search. At the time, I remember thinking it was a nice place for a picnic. Before Gunner, a thought like that wouldn’t have entered my mind.

  Zoe took the lead, the rest of us flanking her. Aric was close but his eyes were already scanning the shadows offered by the trees for signs of his daughter. Even though he was obviously worried, he remained calm. They’d trained Sami for a situation exactly like this, and while I had no doubt the teenager would be in a world of trouble when her parents finally got their hands on her, I wasn’t particularly worried.

  Sami could take care of herself. She’d shown that to Gunner and me on that first day. She would make it through this.

  Emma stood in the center of a small clearing. She looked smug, as if she’d somehow already won. She probably believed that, I realized. In her head, this was already behind her and she was moving forward, focusing on whatever ritual she thought she would be able to carry out with the eclipse. Everything that was about to transpire was merely a formality.

  “I’m so glad you managed to make it,” she trilled as we closed the distance. She was surrounded on both sides with female shifters while the vampires hung back under the trees. They were so far back in fact, all I could see were shadowy silhouettes, and a brief flash of blonde hair that reminded me of a summer day.

  “We’re thrilled, too,” Zoe drawled. She carried a rucksack in her hand, the newly enchanted book neatly tucked away inside. “Where’s my vampire?”

  “He’s safe.” Emma’s lips curved in smug superiority. “Once I have my book, you can have your vampire.”

  “Yeah, that’s not the way it’s going to work.” Zoe adopted a tone that was both condescending and somehow demanding of respect. “I’m too old to play whatever games you have planned. That means I’m in control now.”

  Emma glanced at the nearest shifter and snickered. “I would have to argue against that statement, since it was my call that got you here in the first place.”

  “If that’s the way you feel.” Zoe turned to leave, causing Emma to make a hissing sound.

  “Don’t be a spoilsport,” Emma called to her back, a nervous chuckle escaping. “I was just messing with you. If you’re so desperate to see your vampire, I’m more than happy to show him to you.”

  Zoe turned back, her expression dour. “I’m also too old for theatrics.”

  “What’s life without a little drama?”

  “Tolerable.” Zoe heaved out a sigh and shook her head. “Listen, I get that you’ve had some horrible things happen to you. You were taken, enslaved, and forced into submission. You’re sowing your oats now, which could be applauded under different circumstances. But you’re not embracing the light. You want to continue living in the shadows. I can’t fix your way of thinking for you. I can’t give you back the life you lost. All I can tell you is that you’re not going to get what you want out of this scenario.”

  Emma’s eyes narrowed as she stared at the bag in Zoe’s hand. I could feel her extending her magic to the item shrouded inside. “What is it you think I want?”

  “Retribution. Power. Payback. Absolute dominion over whomever and whatever you want.” Zoe’s eyes briefly lit with mirth. “You’ve been dreaming of this for a long time. You think the Archimage can imbue you with unlimited magic. Disappointment is always a bitter pill, but I think it’s going to be practically impossible for you to swallow.”

  Emma turned haughty. “The books seems to have protected you.”

  “It wasn’t the book,” Aric called out. “You’re too far gone to see that. Give us our vampire.” He stared down one of the female shifters across from him, a young woman who cast a nonstop series of flirty smiles in his direction. “I tire of these ridiculous games.”

  “Give me the book and I’ll give you the vampire.”

  Zoe heaved a tremendous sigh. “I’ve already told you how this is going to go. You give us our vampire and Mama Moon and I’ll give you the book. Otherwise ...” Zoe took me by surprise when her hand ignited in flames and she held it close to the bag, “…I’ll end this right here and we’ll fight it out.”

  Emma’s eyes went wide with panic. “Don’t do that!”

  “Then give me my vampire!” Zoe’s fury echoed through the small clearing. “Where is he?”

  For a moment, Emma looked indecisive. I thought she might actually fight with Zoe. Instead, she motioned toward the vampires behind her. In dumbfounded silence I watched two familiar faces emerge from the trees. In the limited shade offered by the lingering day, a furious-looking Rafael, who appeared a little bruised but ultimately defiant, appeared. He was in restraints, h
is long hair a mess, and he was clearly spoiling for a fight.

  Despite my relief at seeing him, it was the vampires holding him in place who took my breath away. I recognized them.

  As if sensing my distress, Zoe asked me, “What is it?”

  Emma chortled. “I got a couple of old friends to pay Scout a visit. They’ve been waiting to settle an old score for several years now. They quickly answered the call when I explained what I was looking for.”

  It was the Nordic vampire and her dark counterpart, the ones who had taken Evan from me years before. A lump formed in my throat at the sight of them, quickly followed by hot rage and a desperate need to pay them back.

  Zoe, realizing that I was about to lose control, opened her mouth. I knew she was going to try to rein me in, but it was far too late. Ever intuitive, she recognized that I couldn’t be controlled, and she shook her head.

  “Screw it,” she muttered. “Let’s do this.”

  Before Emma could register what was happening, Zoe fired a barrage of magic at the closest shifters, burning at least four in the process and scattering the rest. An army of vampires reacted to the noise and appeared at the tree line, their onslaught only halted by the slow-moving eclipse.

  Emma didn’t wait. She used her magic and extended the shadow to cover the entire clearing, as we expected. Her smile was smug, as if she was surprising us, but I was more resigned than anything else.

  The second the darkness took over, the vampires barreled forward, screaming out war cries and threats as they thundered toward us.

  My heart skipped a beat and then I steadied. It had begun.

  Twenty-Eight

  Zoe’s hands moved so fast I could barely register what she was doing. The bag she carried fell to the ground and she didn’t immediately try to retrieve it. She ignored it, causing Emma’s eyes to flash.

  Clearly Emma’s first instinct was to collect the bag. She only cared about the book, after all. It didn’t take long for reality to smack her in the face. “Son of a ...!” She viciously swore under her breath, and rather than fight Zoe, perhaps mete out some retribution, she turned on her heel and booked toward the creek.

  I had a decision to make. I could stay in formation and fight the shifters and incoming vampires, or I could go for the head of the beast. It wasn’t a decision, though. Not really.

  “Go,” Zoe said when I met her gaze. “Keep your eyes open for Sami. Now that the fight has started, that’s when she’ll get involved.”

  “How can you know that?”

  “Because she’s my daughter.”

  I smirked, breaking into a run and giving Emma chase. She was halfway across the narrow creek when I caught up to her. Rather than trying to stop her with words, I tackled her from behind and slammed her into the water, grimacing when my elbow hit a rock.

  We grappled, both struggling for dominance, and then she managed to plant her foot into my abdomen and kick out hard. When I hit the water a second time, the oxygen was knocked from my lungs and I had to roll to the side to catch my breath.

  “You did this.” Her voice was a dangerous hiss. “You ... did ... this.” Fury lit her eyes as her fingers ignited and she lobbed a bolt of magic in my direction.

  I had my wits about me enough to throw up a shield. It was weak but managed to deflect the bulk of the incoming blow.

  “What did you expect? You took their vampire.” I forced myself to a sitting position. I had to be able to watch her for sudden moves. No doubt a second wave of magic was in my future.

  “I should’ve killed him.” Her voice was full of hatred. “I should’ve cut off his head and delivered it to her in a bag ... like her fake book.”

  That was what really bothered her, I realized. The fact that Zoe hadn’t even considered handing over the real thing. “Did you expect she would simply give it to you with a smile and a wave?”

  “I expected her to protect her vampire. I’ve researched her. I knew when she arrived what she was capable of. Her only weakness is her loyalty.”

  “You sound as if you admire her.” I dragged a hand through my wet hair. “Do you have a magic crush or something?”

  “Oh, your wit astounds me.” Emma’s tone was dark and dry. “I don’t admire your precious mage. Your feelings on the subject are obvious, though. You’re the one with a crush.”

  “Honestly? I do have a bit of a crush.” There was no sense lying. Zoe Lake-Winters had turned out to be everything the whispers purported. She was even more than I ever imagined possible in some respects. “I like her.”

  “You would.” Emma rolled her eyes. “She didn’t bring the book here. She didn’t want to risk losing it. That doesn’t mean it’s not close.” She leaned over and planted her hands on her knees so she could stare directly into my eyes. “If you tell me where it is, I’ll let you live.”

  That might have been a generous offer under different circumstances but I knew better. While I might have been behind the curve where Emma was concerned, since she clearly knew more about me than I knew about her, there was one thing I recognized above all else. “You’re not going to kill me.”

  “Oh, no?” She cocked her head. “What makes you say that?”

  “Because you’ve had the chance multiple times. You could’ve killed me in the basement of the house before I started the fire. I mean, if you really wanted me dead that is.”

  “Except, if I did that, I would still be enslaved by the master. I needed you to end my torment, loath as I am to admit it.”

  She had a point. Still .... “You could’ve killed me in my bedroom the other night.”

  “You were unprepared. It would’ve been a dishonorable kill on my part.”

  “Since when do you care about that?”

  “I’ve always cared about that.” She was calm despite the screams we could hear from the clearing. I didn’t bother to look, knowing the distraction would have left me vulnerable, but I also knew Zoe was wreaking havoc on the shifter and vampire numbers. “I have other plans for you, Scout.”

  I swallowed hard at her tone. She sounded serious ... and then some. “Now seems like a good time to share them, doesn’t it? Just ignore the battle going on over there, and the screams, and that horrific burning scent. Just tell me what you want.”

  Emma let loose a hollow chuckle. “You’re not ready.”

  “No? I happen to think I am.”

  “Except you’re not. You’re nowhere near ready. Despite all the preparation they plotted for your ascension, you’re nothing compared to me.”

  The vitriol she spouted felt somehow personal but the words made no sense. “What ascension?”

  The sound of feet rustling through leaves caught my attention to the right. I looked, even though it was probably a mistake, and almost swallowed my tongue when I caught sight of Sami.

  She appeared out of nowhere, her black hair wild and free around her shoulders. She glanced from Emma to me and back to Emma and then did the unexpected and whipped out her arm, tossing a golden blade of magic directly at Emma’s head.

  “Ugh.” Emma managed to duck, but I swear it took off a hank of her hair.

  Without waiting around to check out her handiwork, Sami bolted toward the trees. She was going for Rafael, I realized. They’d kept him back, away from the battle, and she intended to sneak through the trees and save him on her own. I couldn’t let her do that.

  Before Emma had completely recovered, I unleashed a barrage of my own magic. It wasn’t enough to kill her, and it was likely that decision would come back to haunt me at some point, but it was enough to knock her backwards. The second she hit the water, I rolled to my feet even though my knees and hip protested the lingering pain from my hard water landing.

  “Sami, wait for me!”

  I rushed headlong into the trees, my keen eyes searching for the girl. My hip genuinely throbbed but I tried to ignore it. I had other things to worry about. I couldn’t find Sami. How could a teenager manage to disappear without leaving a trace? I
should have been smarter than her, stronger than her.

  Then I remembered who her parents were and exactly what they could do. It didn’t matter where she was right now. Where she was going was the most important thing. With that in mind, I put my head down and started running. I didn’t have far to go, and when I reached my destination, I found the bulk of the vampires had rushed into battle, leaving only three behind to watch Rafael.

  I took a moment to study the battle. Blades glinted and magic exploded at regular intervals. I couldn’t pick out individual faces in the fight but I felt in my heart that Gunner was okay, perhaps even enjoying himself a little bit thanks to the adrenaline. He didn’t need me to run to his rescue. Sami had to be my concern, something I recognized with little thought, and then a voice invaded my mind.

  Look behind you, idiot!

  I immediately threw up a deflection spell and whirled around, grimacing when I was pushed back a good three feet. Emma had given chase, and she was no longer playing nice.

  “Why did you do that?” she hissed. Sami still wasn’t showing herself. “Why did you go after the girl? What is she even doing out here?”

  All I could do was hold out my hands and shrug. “Kids today. What are you going to do?”

  She rolled her eyes and then frowned. “How did you know I was behind you? I shielded.”

  I thought of the voice and jerked my eyes to the left, to where Mama Moon rested with her back to a tree. Her arms looked to be tied behind her with a rope, probably magically imbued, and her face displayed a colorful array of bruises.

  “I should’ve known.” Disdain positively dripped from Emma’s tongue. “We should’ve killed you last night,” she hissed at Mama Moon.

  Rather than quake in fear, which wasn’t her way, Mama Moon chuckled hoarsely. “That probably would’ve been the smart thing to do.”