Suck It (Shadow Guild: Vampire Bride Book 2), page 2
Magic popped on the air, and her posh voice filtered through. You rang?
“I did.” I turned to see the plump badger sitting on the stone floor, her black and white fur gleaming and her eyes bright with interest.
I see no Manhattan. She looked around, understanding flashing in her eyes. Ah, I see. You are in quite a pickle.
“Exactly. Any idea how to get me out of here?”
She trundled around the room, inspecting all the walls and the door. As she turned back to me, the sound of footsteps echoed outside my cell door.
I made a shooing motion at her and mouthed the word hide.
She disappeared as silently as she’d arrived. A moment later, the heavy wooden door swung open to reveal the form of Ludovic.
No surprise there.
I stared at him. He wasn’t actually Ludovic, the white-haired man I’d met on the boat, but this newer, scarier version had never told me his true name. He’d called the older man his shell, and the idea of it made me shudder.
He was as menacing as ever, his slender body vibrating with power. Greed gleamed in his snakelike eyes, and no matter how hard I looked at them, I couldn’t see a hint of a soul behind the glassy orbs.
“So, you caught me.” I crossed my arms and leaned against the stone wall behind me. “Going to put me into one of your creepy jars now?”
His eyes flashed at the memory of the hundreds of glass jars full of magic that had sat in the basement of the house his secret society owned. Their magic had fueled him and the society, giving them power and protecting them from the consequences of their misdeeds. Because of the dark magic of those spells, the society could do whatever they wanted, and no one could find them to punish them. Hell, no one could even identify them.
I’d destroyed every single jar, dealing a devastating blow to Ludovic and his miserable society.
The smile that crept across his face was cold and hard as a glacier. “I realized that I was thinking too small, then.”
“Oh yeah?” My mind raced, trying to figure out a way to escape. Ideally, to kill him.
“There are plenty of other souls we can draw power from. But you’re special.”
“How so?” They had answers about what I was, I was sure. Ever since he’d called me the Daughter of the Arcane Order, I’d known he held some of the secrets of my past.
“Your power, of course. There’s more to you than meets the eye, and you would be a valuable asset to the society.”
“I already made it clear that I’m deeply uninterested in joining your little group.”
“Your mind can be changed.”
I scoffed.
“We can save that vampire of yours.”
Hope flashed, followed by fear and confusion. For my own safety, I shouldn’t want that. But I did. “You’re bluffing.”
But I knew he wasn’t. I could feel it. His confidence was so strong it filled the air, and my newly powerful seer sense indicated he was telling the truth.
“Of course we’re not. Our society knows more secrets than fate itself. One of those is how to save the First Vampire.”
“Oh yeah? How?”
He laughed. “That secret is only yours if you join us.”
“No deal.” We’d find another way. No chance I was joining this group of evil, murdering lunatics. “I don’t even know why you’d want someone like me.”
“Oh, don’t play stupid. Of course we want someone with your power.”
“What power is that, exactly?”
“More secrets for you to find out. If you join us.”
“Still a no from me.”
He tutted disappointedly. “A little time in this cell will soften you up, I’m sure.”
“Oh, suck it, you miserable old bastard.”
His brows rose, but he just smiled and turned to the door. Before I could charge him, he was gone, the heavy door shutting behind him.
Shit, shit, shit.
I dragged my hand through my hair and spun in a circle.
This was not ideal.
And where the hell was I?
He gone?
Though I couldn’t see her, Genevieve’s voice echoed in my head.
“He’s gone, but wait just a moment to make sure he doesn’t come back.”
I waited impatiently for a few minutes before Genevieve appeared, two glass potion bombs clutched in her little paws. My eyes alighted on them, and I grinned widely. “Oh, you are clever.”
I am aware. She held one out to me, and I took it. When I reached for the second, she bared her little teeth. Mine.
“Fair enough.” I turned to the door and inspected it. Genevieve had brought me a garden variety explosive, which would be perfect for this job. And if one didn’t work, we had two. “I’ll go first. If the door isn’t blown away, it’s your turn.”
She grinned and clutched her potion bomb.
“But back up toward the wall. It’s going to be a big blast.” I pressed my back against the farthest wall. It was still going to be a little iffy, but we’d survive. “Here goes nothing.”
I hurled the bomb at the door, then ducked to cover my head. The blast pressed me back against the stone, hot and fierce. Smoke filled my lungs, acrid and terrible, and I coughed as I felt my skin heat almost unbearably.
When I looked up, the door was still there.
“Your turn.”
Genevieve hurled her bomb as I buried my head in my arms. Again, my skin felt so hot it might melt off, but the pain was just barely tolerable.
When the smoke faded, I met Genevieve’s eyes. You look like a chimney sweep.
“Feel like one, too.” I coughed as I stood and approached the destroyed door. Half of it was blown away—more than enough for my escape.
Together, Genevieve and I climbed out through the gap. The smoke dissipated quickly in the wide hall, revealing two guards charging toward us. They were massively tall, with broad shoulders and cruel faces.
Magic radiated from them, and I regretted giving the potion bag back to Eve. It would have come in real handy right about now.
“Don’t kill her,” growled the one on the left. “The master wants her alive.” He raised a hand and hurled a blast of flame at me.
I lunged right, narrowly avoiding the small fireball. Damned fire mage. It wouldn’t have killed me, but it would have hurt like hell.
Genevieve charged him. Scrambling up his legs and chest, she clawed at his eyes. She was so fast and agile that he couldn't get a hand on her.
I left her to it, turning my attention to the other guard. He raised a wicked looking dagger, and I grinned.
Hand-to-hand I could deal with.
I charged him, ducking the first slash of his blade as I drove my knee up into his groin. The air whooshed out of him as he bent over. Quickly, I slammed my knee into his chin so hard that he flew backward and crashed into the ground, unconscious.
I dived for his dagger, which had flown out of his hand and slammed against the wall. I picked it up. The hilt was a comforting weight, and I whirled to face Genevieve and the other guard.
He managed to grab her by the scruff and hurl her away from him. Just before she slammed into the wall, she disappeared.
I lunged toward the guard, swiping out with my blade. Blood poured from scratches on his forehead, obscuring his vision, and I easily landed a blow to his chest. Crimson bloomed from the long cut, and I followed up the attack with a swift, hard punch to the neck.
He gasped and clutched his throat.
Kill him.
The darker part of me wanted to eliminate the threat entirely, but I couldn’t be sure if he was totally evil or just a hired gun. His magic didn’t make it clear.
I ignored the urge and flipped my dagger around so that the blunt edge of the hilt became a weapon. Swiftly, I slammed it into his temple. He collapsed backward, unconscious.
Genevieve appeared at my side a moment later. I would have killed him.
“Bloodthirsty beast.” I gave the other guard one last look to make sure he was still unconscious, then headed down the hall. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Wherever here was. I’d used my last transport charm to get back to Guild City, so we’d need to at least make it out of this building to get to safety. Hopefully we’d be in a city, or something.
Anyway, I wanted to explore if I could. It was dangerous, but Ludovic had answers—both about my past and about how to help Drakon.
I looked down at Genevieve. “We don’t know how many guards there are. If I get overwhelmed, go tell my friends where I am. Maybe bring back a transport charm.”
She nodded. For now, we search?
“Clever again.” She was a badger after my own heart, and together, we’d find answers in this godforsaken place.
We raced down the hall toward a flight of stairs at the end. They led upward, indicating that the dungeon was in the basement.
“Predictable,” I muttered.
Disappointing. Genevieve tisked. Villains really are so dreadfully similar, aren’t they?
“In my experience, yes. Bastards, the lot of them.” I began to climb, moving quickly up the stairs.
She followed, and we reached a door a moment later. Carefully, I pushed it open and peered into the room beyond.
A guard stared right back at me, his eyes widening as they met mine.
Shit.
Worse than that—seated behind him was a table of other guards eating their lunch.
Oh fates—I’d stumbled upon the freaking break room.
3
Mac
* * *
For the briefest second, I stared in horror at the room full of guards.
“Escape!” yelled one.
The shout spurred me to action, and I lunged into the room, dagger drawn. The group surged up from the table. There were six total, and dread opened a hole within me.
Too many.
Genevieve charged past me and leapt onto one of the guards. I left her to it, swiping my dagger across the chest of the nearest guard. The blade cut deep, driving him back. Another took his place, swinging a sword right for my neck.
I ducked, then plowed my shoulder into his gut. We slammed into the table behind him, sending it crashing to the floor.
Hands grabbed me and yanked me off him. I thrashed, trying to break free of the fierce grip.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” a voice grumbled as he dragged me back toward the door.
On the other side of the room, Genevieve was hurled against the wall by a bloodied guard. She wasn’t quite quick enough this time and didn’t manage to disappear. When she slammed into the wall and dropped to the ground, I screamed and lunged for her.
The shock of the movement must have broken the guard’s grip, because he let me go. I stumbled forward as Genevieve rose to her feet.
I’m fine. Get the miserable sods.
Relieved, I whirled from her and faced the guards. Four of them advanced on me. The two in the back tossed fireballs lazily in their hands.
Shit, shit, shit. Six was a lot. But I couldn’t go back to the cell.
“We won’t hurt you unless you give us no choice,” grumbled the leader.
“I’m definitely going to give you no choice.”
Quickly, I took stock of their weaknesses, hoping to find an advantage. One had a limp, and another was covered in Genevieve’s scratches.
That was about as much advantage as having an extra golf club at a hockey match.
Still, I wouldn’t give up.
One of the guards in the back hurled a fireball at my legs. I lunged left, right into the fiery blast sent by another fire mage.
Pain exploded against my shin, and I hissed, barely managing to keep myself from toppling over.
The leader smirked. “Just give up.”
Magic sparked on the air, and a voice sounded from behind me. “I hardly think that’s necessary.”
My heart leapt.
Drakon.
I’d have known the lazy power in his voice anywhere. I wanted to turn around and see him. Instead, I lunged for the nearest guard and sliced out with my blade. He darted backward, but I charged him, sinking my dagger into his shoulder.
Fireballs flew past me, headed for Drakon.
I didn’t have time to look. The guard that I’d stabbed swung a big fist at my face, landing a blow to my temple that made my vision go temporarily black. I staggered away, barely managing to keep my grip on the dagger.
Blinking frantically, I managed to catch sight of Drakon charging toward the other guards. He was unburned, of course. The first vampire was so fast that dodging fireballs was a walk in the park.
My attacker lumbered toward me, swinging out with a big fist. I ducked his blow. Crouched, I thrust my dagger up into his gut. He hissed and reached for the blade that was sunk into his flesh. Before he could grip it, I withdrew it and darted backward.
Blood poured as he stumbled away. Genevieve leapt onto him to finish the job. As posh as she was, she fought like a street thug, and I didn’t envy the guard.
I spun to find the rest of the fight nearly over. All but one of the guards lay on the ground with their throats torn out, and Drakon was finishing off the last with a vicious bite.
Panting, I leaned against the wall and tried to catch my breath. The carnage around me turned my stomach. I’d been hoping to just incapacitate most of the guards and make my escape.
That had not gone as planned.
The last body thudded to the ground and Drakon turned to me. He wiped a hand across his mouth to remove the blood and strode toward me, concern creasing his brow.
“Are you all right?” His brilliant blue eyes swept over me, looking for injuries. “You look like you’ve been in an explosion.”
“I’m fine. How did you find me?”
“I marked you, remember? I could feel you. Not just your location, but that you were afraid.”
I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t think I like that.”
“Not much you can do about it.” He looked at the bodies scattered around us. “In any case, it worked in your favor.”
I couldn't argue with that. Genevieve and I could handle ourselves, but this had been particularly dicey. “Thank you.”
“Let’s go.” He held out a hand. “I can transport us out of here.”
“Not yet. There are answers here. Answers about me and about you.”
Drakon frowned. “What do you mean, answers?”
“Ludovic said they have the solution to whatever has trapped your soul in granite. You still can’t be apart from me without suffering great pain, right?”
A deep frown cut across his face right before his form flickered slightly, like a light bulb experiencing a power surge.
He’s disappearing.
Fear clutched me. The witches had said he’d have only a week, and the visible reminder of his situation made my heart clutch.
“It’s too dangerous.” Drakon loomed over me, concern in his eyes.
“It will be fine.”
Frustration flashed on his face, and his gaze dropped from my eyes to my lips. Suddenly, I realized how close we were standing. He seemed to realize it, too, and the tension tightened between us.
He shook his head. “We need to get out of here. I can’t risk you.”
I can’t risk you?
A shiver ran through me. The words were intense. The look in his eyes even more so.
No way in hell was I ready for that.
I stepped back. “Not your choice. And I need those answers.”
A low growl escaped Drakon, but he bit it back. “You’re sure he wasn’t lying about having answers?”
“Of course I’m sure. My seer power might be a bit wonky, but it works well enough for that. He was telling the truth, and there are answers here. I can feel it.”
And not just answers about Drakon. Answers about me. About what it meant to be a Daughter of the Arcane Order.
“Stubborn.” His eyes flashed.
“I’m going to go look for answers. Come with me, and we can transport out of here as soon as it gets dicey.” I turned to go, not waiting for a response.
It was dangerous to be around him, but his help would be invaluable. Having a quick ticket out of here would make all the difference. I couldn’t afford to run into another group of guards without an escape route.
He sighed, but I heard him follow.
Whew.
Genevieve had disappeared, no doubt to go clean the blood off her normally pristine fur, but she’d be back if I needed her.
Together, Drakon and I crept out of the guards’ break room and headed down the wide hall. The walls were paneled in dark wood and dotted with brass sconces that cast a golden glow over the crimson carpet.
“Do you know where you want to look?” Drakon murmured.
“No.” I wanted to capture and interrogate Ludovic, but odds on getting that lucky were slim. And it was dangerous. “Maybe we can find an office of some kind.”
We searched in silence, narrowly avoiding a passing maid while turning up empty on several rooms. We got lucky a few minutes later, stumbling upon a chamber crowded with books. A massive desk sat beneath a mountain of loose papers.
“Jackpot,” I murmured, heading straight to the desk. Drakon followed me, and I caught his gaze. “I’ve got this. You check the rest of the room.”
He nodded and began to search. I turned my attention to the desk, quickly rifling through the papers. The ones on the top seemed boring enough, but a massive map at the bottom made my heart race.
It appeared to be a map of some kind of festival grounds. There was no distinguishing marker to say which festival grounds, but the labels made it clear enough. Worse, there were spots all around the future crowd that were marked with an X.
A small key at the bottom had one word written next to the X—Attack Points.
Ice rushed over me.
Shit.
Double shit.
They were planning to attack some kind of festival. There could be thousands of people present, but if Ludovic brought the right kind of supernaturals and was smart about his attack points—which this map indicated he was—they would be able to cause a lot of damage.
