Dark Redemption: Shadowsend Vampire Clan: 3, page 27
Rowan dipped his head. “Fuck off, Darrow. We’re not talking like that. It’s too soon to talk like that.”
“Take care of Ash. Don’t…don’t hold her back, Rowan. You can’t keep protecting her. You have to give her a chance to figure out what she’s capable of. Don’t smother her by trying to keep her safe.”
“Shut up, Dar. I fucking mean it.”
“And keep an eye on Finn. You never knew this, but he nearly died after Ash left. Don’t let him go down that road again. He might not make it out alive again.” Finn would hate me for spilling his secrets, but hell, he could take that up with me whenever he bit the dust.
Rowan’s face faded in and out, and a strange peace flooded through me. Maybe…maybe dying wasn’t so bad.
“I would have liked to see the kingdom we could have built together, the four of us,” I said, the world going dark around the edges, like a strip of film that was burning out from the heat.
“I would have liked to see that very much.”
41
AISLING
Through the darkness, through the ruined library, the screams filtered down to me with soul rending clarity.
I’d reached the steps, was hanging onto the wall for dear life, my strength returning, but too slowly. I’d been stripped down to nothing, empty, as if I’d used the very last drop of my magic, and I’d never get my power back.
I wondered if this was some supernatural punishment for killing an Elder, and then decided I didn’t care. They were all evil fucks and they could all die.
Well, except for Wolf. He was okay.
I climbed the steps like a two-thousand-year-old vampire, my hips aching, knees popping, resting on every landing before I could brave the next flight. And the further up I went…
That was Finn screaming. Finn and Rowan.
I heaved myself up the stairs faster, heart beating fast, head swimming.
By the time I stumbled onto the front lawn, the screaming had stopped. Esme held the book out in front of her, a continuous stream of bugs and flying things sucked back into the pages. The grounds were littered with the corpses of the giant spiders, crushed creepy crawlies, but I completely lost my breath when Achlys slithered around the corner.
The snake coiled into a ball, hissed once, then flew into the book, and just like that, everything went silent.
Everything except Rowan’s low, muttered, cursing. He rocked back and forth, arms wrapped around himself, as if he was trying to keep himself from touching Darrow, who lay still as death at his feet.
No. I stumbled, then was crawling on my knees, sliding through the mud until I’d reached Darrow’s side, shoving off Rowan’s staying hands, shoving away everyone who thought they could keep me from him. In desperation, I sent out a burst of shadow, faint, but enough to send them all stumbling back.
Enough for me to pull Darrow into my lap.
“Dar.” I smoothed his beautiful hair from his face. “Darrow Kane. You look at me.”
“He’s gone, Ash.” Rowan sounded hollow. “He’s gone.” He repeated, not a shred of green left in his wholly black eyes.
“Aisling, you cannot touch him.” Deston said reprovingly. “The snake bit him. He’s full of venom, and now…you have some on you.”
I smelled it, the sickening sweet odor of Achlys, the yellowish venom running down Darrow’s shoulder. “No.” I shook my head. This couldn’t be. “I never said goodbye. I have to say goodbye.”
“Ash.” Rowan tried pulling me to my feet. “Aisling, you have to let him go.”
“No, I don’t.” I sank my teeth into my wrist, pressed the bite to Darrow’s cold mouth. “I don’t have to let him go until I’m godsdamned good and ready.”
Come on. I willed my blood to work another miracle. Come on. Just one more time. That’s all I’ll ask. Just once more, and I’ll never, ever ask for a miracle again. Please. I squeezed my eyes closed. Please. Somebody help me. I’ll give anything, anything, if you just save his life.
“Oh gods, Ash, what the fuck are you doing?” Finn shouted. “Rowan, get her away from him before we lose them both.”
“I suggest you set him down, Aisling.” The voice was cold. Ancient. And when I lifted my head, discovered the empty tone matched Magnis’s soulless eyes perfectly.
“He’s already dead.”
Acheron and Magnis stood shoulder to shoulder, taking in the scene.
Pure, unadulterated chaos. Or rather, the wreckage that chaos had left behind.
Ever so carefully, I slid out from beneath Dar, hating that he was laying in the mud, hating that his pale face showed no sign of life, other than the brilliant red smear of my blood on his lips. I slowly licked the bite closed on my wrist.
“What do you two fuckheads want?” Behind me, I heard Esme’s quick intake of breath and I did not care.
I only wished I had a spark of my magic left so I could torch them into smoking hulks.
“Let me guess. You’re spreading the good word?” I braced my hands on my hips. “Well move on, we don’t want you here.”
“It’s time for you to come home, Aisling. This…” Magnis spread his hands wide. “This is what will happen if you continue to disobey me. You cannot stand against us.”
“Tell that to Isra.” I smirked. “You’ll need a shovel, though. Or a mop.” I stepped over Dar’s body, wondering if my eyes were playing tricks on me, or had I seen his chest move? “But hey, it’s your call. I can do this shit all godsdamned day.”
I clicked my fingers and a wisp of smoke appeared. Behind them, Deston, Rowan, and Luthor moved to flank us, Finn quietly commandeering his men into defensive positions. I wanted everyone to stay back, because they’d all just die if they so much as lifted a hand against these monsters.
“You see? I told you. She’s strong enough.” Magnis said matter-of-factly.
“Proving your point cost one of us his life.”
“A price I was willing to pay. Do you see her value now?” Magnis smiled, looking supremely pleased as he turned back to me. “Isra was a test, a test you passed quite handily, Aisling. His magic was of little use to us and you did me a favor by removing him. Now, your magic is depleted, and will take some time to replenish.” His eyes sparked.
“The price of killing an Elder, I’m afraid.”
Doubt flickered to life inside me.
A lie, or the truth?
“I had to be sure you would not hesitate to kill your enemies, should you need to.” He nodded at Acheron. “From our observations, you tend to spare your victims. But that is not how things will work, once we take you home with us.”
I stepped back, but really, where was there to go? No one here could take on two Elders at full power, we were all weakened, so engaging them one on one would be a death sentence. And like Magnis pointed out, I was completely out of magic.
“You could fight, of course.” Acheron’s grin turned anticipatory, especially when he sized up Deston, recognition flickering in his dark eyes.
“But you have nothing left to fight with.” Magnis continued smoothly. “What will it be, granddaughter? Join me and return home, where you are needed, or everyone here dies, and we take you anyway?”
“Don’t you fucking dare, Ash.” Rowan hissed, behind me. “I mean it this time.” They were too far away to stop me from doing something foolish, not that I could. I didn’t have godsdamned drop of magic. Nobody was stopping these two from doing anything.
My hands shook so badly I had to clench them together. What were my choices? We’d—I’d—been played. Again.
“Fucking hell.” At my feet, so close I nearly stepped on him, Darrow sat up, rubbed his face, and looked around. “Fucking hell, I thought I was dead.”
“Impossible.” Acheron hissed. His dark eyes narrowing on me, my wrist, the blood still staining Darrow’s lips. “Impossible.”
Relief nearly knocked me down, tears spilling down my face. Oh, thank the gods. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I will give you anything for this gift. Anything at all.
“What did you do to…” that was all Acheron managed to get out before Dravin appeared out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground, teeth tearing and ripping. The Wolf was on top of Magnis, while I stood frozen, staring at the utter carnage. Someone dragged me out of the way, my feet slipping and sliding through the mud as I fought against whoever had captured me. What if it was another Elder? What if they were taking me away?
“Stay clear of this, Aisling, or you will get hurt.” Nikolai warned, his hands tightening around my arms. “Dravin, Wolf, and I will hold them off long enough for you to get everyone to safety.”
Then he was gone, while Wolf savaged Magnis with a fury I’d never witnessed before, a fury born from a thousand years, imprisoned in an iron box.
Wolf fought magnificently, deadlier than I would have ever imagined, evading Magnis’s magical defenses with an easy skill, his body a weapon of pure muscle and sharp fangs as he snared the sorcerer’s thin neck in his hands.
Luthor shouted for his males to regroup, while others dematerialized injured guards off the premises. I shook my hands, willing my magic to come back. Just a bolt of lightning, a flare of fire, anything so I could help fight.
Not that they needed my help.
Nikolai joined Wolf against Magnis, the thin sorcerer sending out whips of razor-sharp power, slicing through flesh as neatly as my magic had destroyed Isra.
Dravin kept Acheron pinned, and the two Elders were equally well-matched, both in might and ferocity, Dravin tearing out chunks of flesh with wild abandon, Acheron’s enormous, meaty fists pounding and pounding against Dravin’s ribs, bones shattering beneath the assault.
I dragged Darrow out of the mud, leaned him up against a tumbled pile of stone, but he was still too pale, the venom dripping down his arm, smelling of foul magic. “Dar, what can I do?”
He wiped his mouth, smearing the blood. “Nothing Ash. He smiled weakly. At least I got to see you again.” He swayed, his eyes bleary. “It was the only thing I asked for.”
“Now would be a good time to stop being an idiot.” I yanked my sleeve back, fangs out, ready to bite down, but Darrow set his freezing cold hand over mine, and shook his head.
“No Ash, that won’t work. I already feel…” He winced. “I think the venom’s in too deep. Your blood helped, Ash, but you can’t heal me, not with so much poison inside.” His gentle, hopeless smile broke my heart. “You fought for me. When everyone else gave up, you didn’t.”
“I’m not giving up now, Dar,” I insisted, tears streaming down my face. “Not a fucking chance I’ll ever give up on you.” I swallowed hard. This could not be it. There was always another chance. Always.
Spittle flew from his mouth when Wolf roared into the empty place before him, where Magnis had disappeared. Wolf’s hands clawed at the air, as if he’d somehow reach through time and space to reach his enemy.
“Aw fuck.” Dar hissed. “That can’t be good.”
Dravin and Acheron faced each other, blood streaming down their mud-smeared bodies.
But they weren’t fighting. They were talking. Furiously, intensely, and though I could only catch a few words, nothing I could comprehend, Acheron’s wheedling tone…
“Acheron’s trying to convince Dravin to come back.” Darrow muttered weakly, slumping onto the rocks. “And the fucker’s thinking about going.”
Dar was right. Dravin’s head was cocked to the side, his body relaxing, no longer tensed and ready for a fight. He was considering Acheron’s words, listening while Acheron spoke fast and furious…then he turned our way and grinned.
Then Acheron was gone, Dravin, too, leaving Wolf and Nikolai standing alone, blood splattered, mud covered, fury hardening their faces into masks of rage.
I stuck my finger into Darrow’s face. “Do not move. Not a muscle, do you hear me?”
Finn shouted orders to lock down the grounds, and guards rushed off, Luthor pointing them into position. Deston and Esme headed back into the castle, I assumed to re-ward the library, and the level below, where the jars were hidden.
I couldn’t figure out why the soul jars hadn’t been Magnis’s priority. Why play this cat and mouse game with us, just to leave empty handed? But none of that mattered. Saving Darrow was the only thing I cared about now. The jars could rot.
“Ash.” Rowan called as I went by. “Aisling Forge, stop.” But I didn’t have time for an argument with my mate about what I was about to do. Couldn’t give Rowan a lengthy explanation because I had no idea how I’d been healed. I headed straight towards Nikolai and didn’t stop until I was right in front of him.
“Tell me how you healed me. From the snake bite.” I kept my voice down, though Wolf’s eyes went wide, his head swiveling to his brother. “So I can heal Darrow. Or have him healed.”
“Darrow was bitten by the snake?”
“Yes, and he needs…whatever you gave me.”
Gods, I hated not being able to remember what happened. My faulty memories put me at Nikolai’s mercy, but I’d throw myself at his feet, crawl, if that saved Darrow’s life.
I squared my shoulders and told myself I wasn’t making the biggest mistake of my life. “I will give you whatever you wish if you save him.”
“Nikolai…” Wolf murmured. “You cannot.”
Rowan slid to a halt behind me. “Aisling, whatever you’re about to do, you need to rethink.”
“Anything.” I repeated.
Nikolai looked down at me speculatively, fighting some internal war with himself, then jerked his head, just once. “I will heal Darrow Kane. And you will give me whatever I desire in return.”
“Fine.” I snapped. “Then get on with it.”
“Wolf, help King Rowan secure the castle and grounds.” Wolf looked like he was about to argue, but wisely kept his mouth shut. “Do whatever you must to protect these people from Acheron.” His eyes hardened. “And if Dravin makes an appearance…kill him.”
“Somebody had better explain what you’re talking about.” Rowan growled. “Right the fuck now.”
“There is somewhere I can take Darrow to save his life.” Nikolai frowned at me. “And Aisling, who has reinfected herself, due to her carelessness.”
“Whatever, arsehole.”
“Do it.” Rowan ordered but caught Nikolai’s arm in a grip hard enough to bend bones, “Don’t even think about harming either of them. I swear to the fucking gods, if you do, I will find a way to kill you.”
42
AISLING
We wrapped Darrow in layers of borrowed clothing, then Nikolai cast a protective spell over him, leaving only enough space for him to breathe before hoisting him into his arms, Darrow cursing beneath his breath as Nikolai steadied him.
“Provided I survive, we will never speak of this again, Ash.” He hissed, but the words were little more than grunts of pain, his face white.
“You two look kind of cute together, actually.”
“Aisling.” Nikolai growled warningly. “You will follow and remain close. It is reasonable to assume Magnis has us under surveillance. They may attempt to follow, but we will use the rifts, as we did before.”
“I got it. Stay close.” I rolled my eyes. As if I’d trust this fucker alone with Darrow.
We made the journey in six jumps, mostly because I kept falling behind, my strength flagging. This whole running out of magic thing was a definite design flaw, and I needed to work on ways to bolster my power or figure out how to better manage my limited magical resources.
We landed in a rain-heavy gale, the cold wind ripping the breath from my lungs, and I tightened my thin coat around myself and followed Nikolai, carrying an unconscious Darrow hoisted over his shoulder. We followed a narrow footpath through the rock-strewn grass to a tiny cabin, the sight of which made the hairs on my entire body go on high alert.
Yes, I remembered this place.
I’d woken up in someone else’s bed.
A thin woman swung the door open and Nikolai ducked inside, a prickle of recognition going through me as I took in her pale brown eyes, her beautiful, rounded face. “Aisling. How nice to see you again.”
“I wish I could say the same.” Well, now I knew whose bed I’d slept in, feeling like one of the three bears.
“Shoes by the door, please, I just swept and you’re covered in mud.”
The next ten minutes were like watching a movie you’re pretty sure you’ve already seen but couldn’t quite remember what happens next. I had the oddest feeling I recognized everything about this place, this woman, and yet, every single detail floated just out of reach.
Nikolai laid Darrow on the ancient kitchen table.
The woman—Sabine, Nikolai kept calling her—stripped Darrow down with expert hands, which I kept telling myself was a good thing, even though jealousy stabbed my heart with the thorough, expert way she surveyed his body, careful not to touch him. After she’d examined the wounds, she stepped back, her expression grim.
“That’s a lot of venom. Two different places, Nikolai. I’m not sure…”
But Nikolai was already unbuttoning his jacket, and when the clothing fell away, I couldn’t take my eyes off the beautiful, glowing whorls covering his skin. They made him look like he was from another planet, and a word popped into my head from nowhere.
Unicorn.
“A whole bowl, I think.” Sabine decided, setting a knife and a shallow, silver container on the table. “But Ash will need some too. Not as much as last time, but you’ll be tapped out after this.”
Well, at least I wasn’t the only one who had limits.
And what the hell? Nikolai’s blood had healed me? So why did we have to come all the way up here? I frowned. Unless this was some kind of…
I lost my breath when Sabine dragged the blade down Nikolai’s arm, and a beautiful, blue liquid welled up around the point of the knife, then spilled over. His blood glowed, like an opal in the sun, tiny points of light glittered and moved, like the scars all over his body.
