I frantically scanned them, but they were unharmed. I’d have sagged to my knees if Ro hadn’t been still holding me.
“Take two,” Sienna said.
The world swung back into motion, all the players looking around, disoriented.
“Magic remains on lockdown. This is not turning into a bloodbath.” Her voice was the crack of a whip. “Which Rasha will speak with me?”
The hunters as one turned to Baruch, who stepped forward.
Kane took advantage of Sienna’s pre-occupation with Tree Trunk to swat the top of Ari’s head. “Idiot. You could have been killed.”
“No,” Ari fired back. “That’s you. Making it your life’s work to piss everyone off and damn the consequences.”
“Whatever. I made it out okay.” Kane waved it off. “You’re the most annoying boyfriend ever.”
Ari snorted. “I got you out–Wait. What?”
Kane’s cheeks pinked. “Shut up.”
Ari smiled, shy and sweet. “Make me.”
Kane clasped the back of Ari’s head and kissed him, hard.
I fist pumped, wanting to yell out “I told you so,” but Rohan shoved his phone under my nose.
He tapped the text that Drio had sent. Chapters stormed. Rasha captured. Meet up.
Gawd. A girl couldn’t even get a moment to gloat about two of her favorite people finally getting their shit together.
“We have to get out of here,” Rohan whispered. “Find who’s still free and regroup.”
“First we need to get out back.” That’s where I’d told Raquel to bring the Tomb. “Baruch won’t let them be taken,” I assured myself, craning onto tiptoe to see what was happening with the parlay.
Sienna said something that made Baruch clench his fists. Then he very deliberately stepped back, resignation in every inch of his frame.
Sienna nodded and the witches swarmed my team.
Baruch let himself be captured, though three of the most formidable-looking witches stayed on him, and even they looked nervous.
Tree Trunk’s counterpart kept repeating Sienna’s directive that no one was to be harmed.
My brother and Kane were prodded into joining the tight circle of Rasha. Kane leaned against my brother’s shoulder like he was never losing contact again.
But I was. The last time Ari was captured, he’d come back tortured. And sure, the demon who’d done that to him was dead, but as long as I lived I’d never forget the drop of my stomach on seeing him after Asmodeus had worked him over, seeing my twin transformed into someone I almost couldn’t recognize and knowing it had, in some way, been my fault.
I’d sworn I’d never let that happen again, yet here he was being herded away with the other Rasha and I was doing nothing.
“I can’t leave him.”
“You can’t help him from whatever hellhole they’re planning to toss them into,” Ro said.
“Nava,” Sienna called out. “Come out, come out, wherever you are.”
Fat chance.
Trusting that Ari would get himself free as soon as the opportunity presented itself, I touched Rohan’s shoulder and we raced through the compound to the Tomb, where Sienna and I would have our final showdown. Between Lilith’s magic and the Tomb, I was the only one who could wrench control away from her. I’d take away her magic until Sienna agreed to move forward my way, working with Rasha and agreeing to get Lilith out of me.
Raquel could help bind her to her word.
A tiny part of me had hoped that it wouldn’t come to this. I wanted to respect Esther’s memory as much as Sienna did, and under different circumstances, Sienna and I could have been friends.
I knew better now.
When we burst out the back doors and saw the sarcophagus on the far side of the yard, I stumbled in relief.
The Tomb of Endless Night was made of iron and covered in symbols like the pendant that had held the Bullseye. It looked like something out of a museum. Or a Scooby Doo episode. The heavy door was wide open.
Slap!
I rubbed my stinging cheek, blinking stupidly at Rabbi Mandelbaum.
“You useless girl!” he screeched, spittle flying. “Look what you’ve done!”
He was apoplectic, his skin splotchy with rage.
“Shut the fuck up, you megalomaniac,” I said. “You did this and you’ve cost us everything.”
The rabbi rushed me again, but I got him in a headlock with his arms wrenched up behind his back.
His pained wince was so satisfying, I wrenched his arm up higher, savoring his torment.
“Where’s Raquel?” She wouldn’t have left the Tomb unguarded.
“Raquel?” His confusion wasn’t faked.
Icy fear prickled my neck.
“You going to kill me now, witch?”
My hands went sweaty with dread. Mandelbaum slithered free as I cursed myself. “You knew?”
“Not at first. I wanted to know why you were investigating Ferdinand.” His smile chilled me. “Given the right incentive, Tessa was very forthcoming about there being no such thing as a female Rasha.”
Rohan caught me before I could choke the rabbi out. He faced the rabbi, his blades snicking out.
“Rohan. Enough.” Mandelbaum sounded impatient. “You’re Rasha. Nava is nothing. A good time, easily forgott–” He screeched as Rohan broke his wrist.
“Say another word about her. Go on.”
“Why did you let me live?” I said. What was his endgame with me?
“Rather arrogant of you to assume you were such a scary antagonist that your death was the only solution. So many other uses for you.” Hybris stepped out from behind the Tomb. She didn’t look much better than those demons in the cage. Obsidian black reptilian skin peeked through the holes in her human glamor: a splash across her collarbone, a curved strip up one cheek, on her left webbed hand and part of her forearm. Her once-lustrous long hair was patchy and scraggly and her red eyes were wild.
Mandelbaum had produced a gun which he dug into the side of my head, his broken wrist cradled against his chest. “I promised Tia first shot at you, but she’s assured me there’ll be plenty left over for me.” He motioned Ro away from me with a jerk of his head. “Give me a reason to shoot Nava. Please.”
Fury rolled off Rohan, but at my head shake he kept himself in check. Barely.
My scalp was sweating. I could have disarmed the rabbi, but Hybris complicated things and I needed to save all magic use to stick Sienna in the Tomb. Then Ro and I could take out Mandelbaum and this spawn.
“Left over for what?” I said. Let the windbag talk and buy me time for Sienna to arrive.
“I was going to kill you,” Mandelbaum said, “but it seemed more prudent to keep you alive. Watch you to see what the witches with the real power were up to.”
Unbelievable. He was still dissing me. I couldn’t wait to make him lose that stupid smirk for good.
“But you have more value than I realized,” he said.
“I’m not helping you capture Sienna,” I said. I mean, I was going to capture her, but no way was he getting his hands on her.
Hybris patted the side of the Tomb. “Fun as this is, I’d like my payment. I got you the Tomb. Now, give me the Ring of Solomon.”
A ring? And what the hell? Hybris had brought the Tomb for Mandelbaum? This wasn’t a fortunate last-minute interception of the Tomb. The demon and Mandelbaum had planned this. I shoved my worry for Raquel down tight.
“Of course.” The rabbi flicked his wrist.
Hybris gasped softly. A pale silver dart embedded in her cheek glowed in the moonlight. She stood there, twitching.
“That’s the poison coursing through you,” the rabbi said. “This demon venom really burns.”
Baruch’s Stinger.
“More of a tiny prick. Like you.” Hybris yanked the dart from her cheek. “Not so effective on us ancient ones.” She ran directly for Mandelbaum.
Rohan, blades still extended, sprinted to intercept her.
She body-checked Ro, sending him staggering but he quickly regrouped, head down, and charged her.
Mandelbaum’s gun fired.
Rohan jerked sideways, blood blossoming on his gut. He crumpled to the ground.
I screamed and ran over to Ro, pressing my hands against his wound and reaching for my healing magic.
“Save your magic for Sienna.” His face was twisted in pain.
“Dummy.” My voice cracked. I dug deep, but all I got was the tiniest spark. It was like I was walled off from all my power.
My hands were slippery with Rohan’s blood, but no matter how much I attempted to send my Lilith-boosted healing power into him, pop the bullet out, and stitch his internal injuries together, my magic was barely a flicker. Nothing happened.
Nothing except Rohan leaching of all color, his skin growing cold and his body spasming as blood pooled beneath him.
I’d used Lilith’s magic once too often and now she’d gotten strong enough to cut me off.
Help me, I begged Lilith. Give me the magic. You’ll be free.
Payback is a bitch, she whispered in my head. She was willing to stay imprisoned just so I could lose him?
I was the spark that brought him back to life. I couldn’t leave him alone in the dark. I swore I’d always be with him. I pressed harder on the wound, tears streaming down my face.
“Get help!” I screamed at Mandelbaum, who stood there frozen, the gun in his trembling hands.
“I–I thought I’d hit Hybris.”
“You idiot!” I yelled through my sobs. “She’s a demon, you know a gun won’t stop her. Now run, you asshole! Get a doctor!” One of those scientists had to be able to help.
He jerked into action, but hadn’t gotten more than a few feet before Hybris grabbed him.
“I don’t appreciate double-crosses,” Hybris said.
The rabbi sailed over my head, hitting a concrete wall with a meaty thwack. He bounced on to the dirt, and lay still, moaning.
The demon swaggered over to us. “I told you my face would be the last thing you saw.”
“I don’t think so,” Sienna said.
Hybris spun to face the new arrival, but Sienna waved a hand and the demon crumpled into a ball in short jerky movements.
Rohan gave a choked sob. “I have to kill her. Can’t let Asha down again.”
His words weren’t even a whisper. More an exhale, his breath raspy, punctuated with gurgling noises.
With a roar, Hybris cast off Sienna’s magic. “Not today, hunter,” she said to Rohan and was gone.
Ro scrabbled weakly at me, his fingers barely moving. “Go. Her.”
I turned pleading eyes on Sienna. “Help him.”
“You’ll turn yourself over to me? No tricks?”
I nodded. I couldn’t get her in the Tomb even if I gave a damn.
Sienna crouched down beside Rohan, brushing me aside to take over.
I held my breath, squeezing his hand and praying that between her dark magic and her nurse training that she could save him. Finally, the bleeding stopped and his color improved. A bloodied bullet lay on the ground beside him.
Sienna wiped her brow. “His natural healing should take over now. Say goodbye. You’re coming with me.”
The gun fired again.
Rabbi Mandelbaum lowered the barrel from where he’d shot into the night sky to train it on Sienna and me. “I’m taking Lilith.”
That’s why I had more value now. Hybris must have told him and now he had the witch that could bind demons and salvage his plans. That’s why he’d arranged to get the Tomb.
“Want to bet on that?” There was death in Sienna’s eyes.
I stepped in front of the rabbi.
“Move, Nava,” she said. “If you want me to help you live.”
Rohan sat up with a wince, swaying slightly. “Nava, step away. We’ll solve this.”
He must have been broken inside over Hybris getting away, but all I saw was the depth of his feeling for me, shining pure and strong. This man with his passion and his noble impulses and his arrogant certainties that everything would work out.
Except it wouldn’t. Not if either Lilith or Sienna emerged victorious or Mandelbaum got hold of either of them. I had to take all three out to save the world.
I wouldn’t survive.
I’d loved and been loved for less than half a day and even though I was about to die, my only regret was the time I’d wasted hiding the truth of my heart. The time I’d wasted letting my pride and my fears keep me from being hurt, when I’d failed to understand that opening myself up to love wasn’t a vulnerability.
Love was strength.
It was truly go-big-or-go-home time.
“Hey, Rohan?”
He mustered up a strained smile for me. “Yeah?”
“I love you. And I love your nicknames for me. Okay, maybe not Lolita, but Sparky was pretty inspired.”
With that I cast my final spark into Lilith’s box. It was so thin that the box burned away in a wisp of smoke.
Her magic danced through my body and I lit up the night like a beacon with pure, unadulterated power. My blood was stardust, dancing with a nebula in a far-off galaxy.
I was the cosmos. I could fly. Hands outstretched, I reached for my foes. I only needed a couple of seconds and it would be done.
But like Sienna had said, the human body wasn’t designed to take that much power that fast.
Or ever. Even two seconds was time I didn’t have.
Before I could turn the magic on Mandelbaum, Sienna, and Lilith and neutralize them, that beauty dissipated into a million dark magic maggots that consumed me, threatening to flay the skin from my bones.
Lilith’s cruel laughter shivered through my veins.
My heart sped up, skipped once, twice, then fell into chaotic convulsions.
I clutched at my chest, falling to my knees, my body bowed backward.
Witches swarmed us from one side, Mandelbaum’s men from the other.
Rohan fought anyone who got between them and me.
Sienna was screaming at people to stand down and freezing anyone using magic as fast as she could, but the chaos was too much for her to fully contain. She’d stop six people and two would unfreeze and jump back into the fray.
I had my hands full battling Lilith for possession of my body. She was disoriented, attempting to gather her magic up and disengage from me, but when she couldn’t get herself out of me, she forced me out of myself.
Although being trapped in that magic prison had fucked with her abilities, I was still outmatched.
My spirit left my body with a whoosh, but the connection between my spirit and my physical self hadn’t been severed.
I dive-bombed back into my body, hitting an invisible blockade preventing me from getting in. Again and again, I attempted to regain possession.
And seconds later, there was no point.
You’d think that my death might have registered like some kind of fireworks moment: YOU. ARE. DEAD. But there was just a gentle sag-and-release feeling. An untethering.
Then a lot of shock and me staring down at my motionless form.
Rohan single-handedly carved a path to me and gave me mouth-to-mouth with a ferocity that was terrifying. Nice idea, but pointless.
Lilith flickered out of me, still incorporeal. For a woman who’d been unconscious for a month, she looked pretty good.
And pretty angry.
With a flick of her fingers, she killed a few of Mandelbaum’s men.
The witches looked around in shock.
“Get her!” one woman cried. She fell dead, as well.
Sienna sent a rush of magic toward Lilith but the stream broke into prisms that fell harmlessly to the ground like water droplets before they could find their mark
. Sienna tried a second time.
“No,” Lilith said, her arm carelessly outstretched in Sienna’s direction.
Sienna shot backward.
The other witches went ballistic on Lilith, but she was still transparent, and their magic passed harmlessly through her, blowing up a nearby generator.
The lights in half of the compound died.
“I’ll deal with you later,” Lilith said to Sienna.
Had I been able to laugh at Sienna’s look of surprise, I totally would have, but the world was growing hazy and cold. Everything was gray except for a single pale silver thread connecting me and Lilith.
Lilith made a slashing motion through the thread and I shivered, like a saw was buzzing through it, but the thread didn’t break. She glared at me like that was my fault.
All around us, the rest of the rabbi’s faithful and the witches fell into chaos. No one could get to Lilith, so everyone became a threat.
Four Rasha grabbed Rohan and started beating the shit out of him. His wound opened up, but Rohan was in berserker mode, fighting to get back to my body.
I tried to stop them, but I floated right through the chaos.
Like all cockroaches, Mandelbaum had managed to keep himself alive and untaken. He scuttled out to grab my dead body.
“Oh no, you don’t,” Sienna said.
Everything crawled into slow motion: the black light erupting from her hands, hissing and snapping toward me, Rohan’s distorted and drawn out “No!” as he flung himself sideways and knocked me loose from Mandelbaum, the dark magic that enveloped Rohan instead of its intended target.
From my fading consciousness’ vantage point, hovering over the compound, I watched the world snap back into real time.
Lilith stood stock-still with an expression of intense concentration, her ghostly image slowly growing more solid.
Sienna glanced over her shoulder at Lilith, then scooped me up and stuffed my dead body into the Tomb of Endless Night.
A broken scream tore from Rohan’s throat, his body on fire with black magic that danced over his skin. His gold eyes slithered with dark serpents.
Mohawk Witch gasped. “Sienna. What have you done?”
Sienna didn’t answer, staring at Rohan with horror stamped over her features.
Go big or go home had reached its tragic consequences. We were all going down.
Nava Katz Box Set 2 Page 62