Cold Blooded (35 page)

“Eudoxia will have to open the ward, then. I want my Pack in here.” My father’s voice was firm. “We can’t defeat any opposition without any fighters.”

“That won’t be an easy task.” Rourke pointed to the roof. “It’s taking everything she has to fuel the ward. The magic from the outside is pushing back against it already. She has to keep a constant stream going or it will fall. It’s the only reason why the sorcerers and demons are not inside yet.”

I felt the magic building, the two sides pushing against each other, fighting for power. One had to give eventually. I just hoped it wasn’t hers. “Dad,” I said. “Nick is on the outside with the rest of the Pack and has been joined by the witches. I hope Tally’s presence means they will stand and fight with us. We have a better chance of winning by aligning with them on the outside. I say we go over the wall if the ward fails and regroup there.”

Danny loped over, waving a pair of jeans and a shirt. “Just in time, I see,” he said, nodding to my father. He tossed them with a chuckle. My father caught them and without pausing ordered, “Daniel Walker, get to the highest point on that house. I want a full report of what’s happening around us.”

“On my way,” Danny said immediately.

“Go with him,” I told Naomi, who had come up behind him. “If he’ll let you, fly him up.” I had a twinkle in my eye when I added, “He’d do almost anything to get himself into a woman’s embrace, so this should be a no-brainer.”

“Well”—Danny turned, glancing back at Naomi—“why not, then? I’ve always had a hankering to fly.”

Naomi put her head down for a moment. I couldn’t tell if she was blushing—if vampires even could blush. “I will take you,” she finally said, lifting her face toward his. “But … because of your size, I cannot guarantee I will not drop you.”

“That’s all right by me,” Danny replied jovially. “Won’t be the first time my massive frame has been hard for the ladies to handle—”

Naomi had him around the waist and up before he could finish his sentence.

My father cleared his throat.

“That was Naomi,” I told my father. I couldn’t read his expression, but he wasn’t overly excited that a vamp had taken his head of security for a ride. “She’s the vamp tracker I told you about briefly on the phone when we left Selene’s lair. I have so much to share with you, but she and I are now bonded by blood and she has proven herself loyal again and again. I trust her with my life and with his.”

“This is indeed a new world,” my father said, shaking his head as he pulled on a black shirt. “Vampires have never been our allies. This is unprecedented. It’s going to take me some time to figure out a new way to handle things.” He met my eyes. “And I will agree to examine all the new developments on a case-by-case basis, but that’s all I will promise at this time.”

That was enough for me.

My father was a savvy leader. You don’t stay in charge if you don’t learn to adapt. I was confident we would figure out a new way to move forward that included all of us. And I was content to wait until the right time to fight for what I wanted.

“Jessica,” Rourke said. “I think your father, Tyler, and I should scout around the gate to see if there’s a way to get in or out. Once the wards come down, we have to find a way to stand united, whether it’s in here or out there. If we split up we can cover more ground.”

“Sounds good,” I said. “I’ll wait here with Ray and see what Danny and Naomi have to report once they come down.”

My father nodded once at my mate, appraising him. There was a glimmer of respect growing there, but I knew it would take time for them to get to know each other. I was exceptionally proud of my man for being respectful of my father and not fighting him for control. I would see that he got an extra special gift as soon as I could. My wolf yipped her agreement.

As they trotted around the house, I walked over to where Ray stood. “I can’t thank you enough, Ray. That was heroic and … bizarre, but you saved my dad’s life. If you hadn’t been a reaper all along, this wouldn’t have been possible.”

“Honestly, Hannon, I have no idea what a reaper is,” Ray retorted, spitting on the ground and easing himself upright. “All I know is that I’m attracted to dead stuff and my mind is telling me I can fix it. But with all the other vamp info clogging my brain up, it’s confusing as hell—a swirl of shit all getting stuck in the drain at the same time.”

“You’ve only been a supernatural for a few days,” I said. “It’s a lot to take in. It will likely all sort itself out soon.” I hoped. “And I think that’s exactly what a reaper is. I don’t know much about them, but they do fix dead stuff. And if you ask me, it kind of suits you. Did you ever talk to dead people as a kid?” I chuckled. “Or see your grandma floating around the house?”

“No,” he said gruffly. “I never paid attention to any of that kind of crap.”

“It all means you’re a very powerful supe—”

Simultaneous Orbs crashed into the walls all around us. There must have been ten. We hit the ground.

The sound was deafening. It was a concentrated effort. I was actually surprised it had taken them this long to ramp up an attack.

Ray and I stood from our crouched positions as wolf howls echoed in the night and a cloud of sulfur surrounded us. More Orbs crashed into the ward, but before I could react in any way, the Vampire Queen landed in front of me.

“See what you’ve done! My wards will not hold with this continued onslaught,” she snapped. “You have a lot to answer for—bringing war to my doorstep.” She stalked closer, challenging me. “There is no reason for me to protect you any longer.”

The next assault shook the foundation of the entire Coterie. The wards were indeed cracking. I faced her. This was between Eudoxia and me and no one else. “Bringing war to your doorstep was not my intention,” I said. “I came here for protection only.”

“I should break your neck and drink the spoils of your blood right now for putting my entire Coterie in danger,” she hissed.

“You can try,” I growled, taking a step toward her.

Her eyes glittered with a threat. “You come here with your newfound power and think you are stronger than I am.” A strange laugh, bordering on manic, escaped her throat. “You have no idea what I am, or what I’m capable of. Once again you tarry where you do not belong—a
very
dangerous place for a lone wolf to be. You are no match for me, Little Wolf Girl. It’s time for you to cut your losses and move on from here, and take your trouble with you.”

“Oh, but I do know what you’re capable of, Eudoxia,” I said, closing the gap between us. She stood a foot shorter than I, but she held her stature high. She was impressive, but I was stronger. “Alana and I had a nice little conversation a few minutes ago.” Her face stayed stony, but I saw a hint of surprise. “But none of that matters, because I know you won’t kill me. You can threaten me all you want, but in the end I live. So let’s end this charade. I think we’re both tired of it. You need what I have”—I pointed my finger at her chest—“and without it you
lose
.”

Her eyes narrowed, her power swirling around us. “Ah, but you need not be alive for me to take it,” she said. “I can just as easily drink my fill from your cold, dead body.”

“That’s not how this is going to work,” I answered, fisting my hands, my own power at the forefront, challenging hers equally. “You can fight me here and lose”—I bared my teeth—“because, make no mistake, you will not win. Or you can make one last deal with me and get what you so desire.”

She lunged at the same moment I lashed out.

We clashed in the middle, my hand landing around the throat, hard and fast. I was in my full Lycan form, my grip sure. I dragged her face within an inch of mine. “Do you feel that?” I snarled while she tried to throw more power at me, her fangs down, a savage sound issuing from her throat. But my shields were already in place, my magic kept her out. “That’s my power telling yours to fuck off. I’m not the newborn I was when we first met. It’s a funny thing harnessing power. It was in me all along. I just had to listen to my wolf and learn how to mold it.” My voice dropped so only she could hear me. I pulled her even closer. “Now, do you want to live, Eudoxia? Because I’m done playing these games with you. We make a deal here for the last time. My blood for your cooperation.”

Hate radiated from her. Both her hands tore at my grip and I let her go, tossing her back as I released her. She recovered instantly, her fangs down, eyes blazing. “You would give up your blood to me so easily,” she sneered, “for a mere favor?”

“No,” I retorted. “For an army.” Another large boom shook the walls. Stone crumbled inward, chunks of rock falling to the ground. She was no longer fueling the ward so it had only moments before it gave way. “The vampires align with the wolves indefinitely until this war runs its course. Our fights are your fights. Take it or leave it.”

“Never,” she raged, her hands fisted. “Nothing is worth aligning myself with you.”

I shrugged as more howls outside the walls rent the air. “Suit yourself, Eudoxia. But if you’re not willing to help me, stay out of my way.” Another shock wave hit just outside the yard and holes formed in the wall big enough for a human to crawl through. “No more games or I’ll kill you. I swear it.”

A sly smile crossed her lips and she took off into the sky without another word.

Well, that had gone well.

Rourke jogged toward me. “The ward is coming down. We need to gather everyone—”

My father flew around him, coming toward me in his wolf form incredibly fast. His eyes flashed a deep amethyst as his howl filled the air. He charged me without stopping and at the last moment leapt, sailing straight overhead, colliding with something coming through the wall behind me.

I scrambled to the side and saw an unfamiliar wolf, feral and dangerous, emerging from the outside. Half his fur was gone and he appeared crazed. He wasn’t nearly as big as my father, but his muzzle was foaming and his eyes were opaque, coated in a thick film of white.

More commotion erupted from behind the wall. Wolves were baying. They had tried to corner this abomination, but he had gotten through. They must have alerted my father internally. There’s no other way he knew it was coming.

My father had it pinned against the wall, his teeth in its neck. I had no idea if the blood alone would curse my father again, but there was nothing I could do.

The feral wolf flipped in his grasp, contorting its bones as it sprang free.

That wasn’t normal.

The wolf turned before my father could grasp it again and lunged for me. I crouched as it barreled toward me. But before it reached me, a fist shot out, connecting with its skull. It crashed into the wall, and with supernatural speed Rourke caught it by the neck before it could stand.

“Don’t let it bite you!” I shouted. The beast didn’t even seem fazed. Rourke twisted its neck and bones popped, but it kept moving, struggling to free itself.

It wasn’t going to die the normal way.

We needed something stronger.

“Looks like you could use some help,” a voice sounded from atop the wall behind me. “Those things are truly dreadful.”

Tally stood alongside six other witches, each armed for battle. She’d lost her black skullcap but had switched it to one of those badass green army hats pulled down low over her eyes, her long white hair pulled back in a tight ponytail.

She looked eons younger and tough as hell.

Relief flooded through me.

You knew things were at a breaking point when witches broke into a Vampire Coterie with spelled AK-47s strapped across their chests.

“That thing is cursed,” I yelled, pointing to Rourke and the struggling wolf, “and if it gets loose and bites one of your witches, they die. We need to take it out. Magic may be our only chance.”

Rourke had one hand around its middle and one around its neck. Its head was at a funny angle, but it was still struggling. Rourke was stronger, thank goodness. My father circled, waiting for a chance to help.

“This thing won’t die. I broke its neck twice,” Rourke ground.

“Toss it into the yard and we’ll take it from there,” Tally called.

In an instant her flock spread out along the top of the wall, legs splayed as they cocked their guns at their shoulders. “Don’t be shy,” she said. “The ammo in these guns is spelled. We will either kill it or maim it, but it will be down long enough to find a way to take it out permanently. I don’t care if the most powerful priestess in the world cursed that thing. My magic is stronger.”

Rourke nodded once. He twisted at the waist, and with a huge roar sent the abomination flying into the yard.

It hit the ground once and the witches let loose.

27

They all fired at once and bullets poured into the beast. “Cease-fire.” Tally raised her hand and they stopped like clockwork. We all waited a few seconds. The thing was riddled with holes as big as softballs.

It convulsed once.

“Stand back,” Tally ordered. “Things are about to get messy.” It started to quiver, and foam began leaking out of the holes. “I take that back—run!”

“What’s happening?” I shouted as I took off.

“It’s going to blow that curse all over the yard. I never know how a supe is going to react to my spells until I see it. My ‘kill’ spell is killing the wolf, but the only way to truly kill it is to rid it of the curse, so that’s what it’s doing.”