Demon's Doorway (44 page)

Victoria struggled, and Anatol tightened his grip as he snarled at Kevin. "That's
my
magic, from my own blood, and that of your demon friend. There's nothing you can do to stop it."

Kevin laughed. "You gotta love half-bloods. Your little magic, it's
nothing
. You're nothing." He freed another potion from his coat and pulled out a simple packet of cinnamon. "Let's see, this should do just nicely."

He poured the cinnamon in the vial and capped it with his thumb. It turned a beautiful shade of orange.

Anatol's grip loosened, ever so slightly, as doubt crept across his face.

"And here we go."

Anatol shoved Victoria to the ground. "No!"

He charged forward, and Kevin fought against his nerves. No doubt a vampire had the strength to break through his wall of wind.

But Alex had finally made it into position.

He flew across the room, catching Anatol around the waist. His powerful wings easily adjusted to the extra weight, and they slammed into the wall. Anatol took the force of the crash, but he was on his feet first. Alex was on his back, and opened his eyes to see Anatol standing above him, his claw over his head.

Alex jumped as the wooden shard protruded from the front of Anatol's chest. He looked down at the wound, and Alex read his eyes as he fell unconscious to the ground in front of him.

Anatol knew he'd lost.

Victoria stood where Anatol had been. She took deep, heavy breaths as she kept her gaze locked on Anatol. She was covered in Anatol's and her own blood, half her body charred and black. She met Alex's eyes, and finally dropped to one knee.

Alex reached out to hold her steady with his wings as he climbed to his feet. The demons glanced around, almost confused, as they were all finally free from Anatol's influence.

"Master," they called out.

Alex held up a hand for silence as he grabbed Victoria under the arm. She returned the gesture, holding onto his wrist for balance. Kevin joined them, his wind shield finally gone, and dropped to one knee to check on her.

"I'm fine," she said, her voice strange from her fangs.

"You don't look fine," Kevin said.

She managed a smile. "I'll live."

She finally climbed to her feet, and the three of them turned to see the sphere was gone. The cafeteria was once again bathed in darkness. Kevin's storm magic was still working, and rain continued to fall. Lightning even jumped from cloud to cloud, lighting up the room. Kevin pulled out a mothball and tossed it in the air to throw more light around them.

"Go," Alex told the lurking demons. "Time to go home."

They groaned in protest, but slowly disappeared. To Victoria and Kevin, they were alone. Only Alex saw the horde of ghosts scattered about. Old security guards and prisoners stared at each other, confused, as Warden Myers walked around and checked on them. Alex locked eyes with the old warden, and the ghosts vanished.

"Is it really over?" Kevin asked.

Victoria nodded and stared at the cauldron. It no longer bubbled with life and dark magic. She approached it slowly, leaving Anatol comatose on the floor, as Kevin and Alex followed her.

"What were you gonna do?" she asked Kevin. "Could you really have closed the doorway, shut down that sphere?"

He shrugged. "I don't know."

Alex raised an eyebrow and gestured to the vial still in Kevin's hand. "Then what the hell is that?"

"Oh, this? It's actually a bomb, more like a grenade." He tossed it across the room, and Victoria and Alex shielded their eyes as Kevin's magic grenade destroyed a section of the wall, and part of the floor and ceiling. "Some water, honey, pancake batter, topped off with a little cinnamon—"

"You
bluffed
?" Alex asked.

Kevin merely smiled.

Alex shook his head and gestured to the cauldron. "What do we do with this? Is it safe to leave here?"

"I'm probably the only one who can really get use out of it," Kevin said. "What do you think? Kevin Mishnar, lord of the demons?"

Victoria and Alex glared at him.

"I'm kidding."

She kicked the cauldron, sending it on its side. The liquid blended with the rain water on the ground.

Kevin looked at his friends as they walked back to Anatol. They were both a bloody mess. Alex's nose was twisted. Victoria only wore a bra and ruined jeans, but the sight was hardly sensual with the blood and burnt skin.

"Cindy and Alicia?" Alex said.

"They're fine. They're not hurt." Kevin swallowed hard as they regarded Anatol. "What do we do now?"

Victoria readied a claw. "We cut off his head. You might want to turn around for this."

"No," Alex said. "I didn't come this far to close my eyes now."

She looked at Kevin as she leaned over the motionless Anatol. He nodded, and Victoria went to work.

CHAPTER 21

Jack smiled as Tiffany finally walked through the doors leaving the airport terminal. She was escorted by one of the many men he'd hired, and he wheeled her two suitcases behind him. Her eyes lit up when she saw her adopted father.

"Jack!"

Tiffany ran into his arms. He scooped her up and spun her around. It'd only been a day since they last saw each other in Paris, but she'd still missed him, and he her. She was one of the few things that brought a smile to his face.

Kevin watched as he stood with the rest of the group not far away. Victoria finally looked refreshed after going through most of her blood supply. Alex had his back against a support beam as Cindy leaned into him, his arms around her waist. All his injuries were healed, thanks to Kevin's magic. Leese stood next to Kevin, and he was happy enough simply to hold her hand.

"I can't believe he watches after Tiffany," Kevin said.

"I think I can," Leese said, smiling. "He saved my life, and Cindy's."

"Everybody's here!" Tiffany shouted.

Jack sighed. "Yeah. They all came with me. I told them they didn't have to. In fact, I
begged
them not to. Besides Victoria, I don't really like any—"

"Aunt Victoria!"

Tiffany dropped the stuffed animal she was holding and sprinted to the vampire as Jack set her down. Victoria dropped to her knees and embraced the young child. Jack gave his hired help a glance, telling him he was dismissed. Victoria looked up at Jack as she held his daughter.

"You know you love the company," Victoria said. "Besides, my house is being throughly scrubbed of DNA right now."

"I told you you could stay at our house," Alex said.

"Yeah, now there's a thought," Jack said. "Mister Demon and his wife here banging in the next room—"

"Jack!" Victoria said, glancing down at Tiffany.

Cindy laughed and held Alex's face. "Sounds like Jack is afraid of a little affection."

Kevin playfully covered Tiffany's eyes as Alex and Cindy kissed. Tiffany pushed his hand away and approached Alex.

"Can I see your wings?"

Alex's face turned red as he looked at the people moving around them. Victoria smiled as Jack rolled his eyes.

"Nobody cares," Jack said, then raised his voice. "Hey, everybody! We got a man with demon wings here!"

No one paid him any attention, except for the short, odd glance. Alex slowly relaxed as Cindy kissed him once again.

"Is anybody else hungry?" Leese asked.

"Not us," Jack said. "We really need to hit the road—"

"I'm starving!" Tiffany shouted. She pulled on Jack's hand. "Can we get something to eat?"

Jack lifted the corner of his mouth. "Apparently, we're hungry."

They drove in three separate cars to a restaurant Leese noticed on the way to the airport. Victoria rode with Alex and Cindy, to give Kevin and Leese time to themselves. They sat at a table for seven, and despite the fact that Victoria didn't eat or drink, she had a great time.

Life was so different for her friends from two weeks ago. She almost couldn't believe Alex and Cindy were married. She watched as they teased each other, him taking her fries away from her.

Kevin was laughing and smiling, even though he got stuck sitting next to Jack. He'd left his coat, now battle-tested, in the car. On his other side was Leese, and she didn't bother hiding her affection for the witch, constantly touching him. Victoria used to worry about the guys Leese dated, but not Kevin. A long distance relationship wouldn't even be a problem for them, not with what Kevin could do.

Kevin had to use the restroom during their meal, and Victoria watched him walk away as Cindy and Leese leaned closer to each other, whispering. They talked about what Leese was going to wear for Kevin later, and Victoria rolled her eyes as she heard every word. It sounded like her witch friend was in for a lot of fun.

Jack leaned close to Kevin when he returned, and Victoria once again overheard their conversation. Tiffany distracted everyone else with her tales of Paris.

"So, you have nothing for me? Nothing at all?"

"You mean a cure? No, Jack, I'm sorry. Look, I've got a few potions I think might kill you, but you said you didn't want that."

Jack playfully messed up Tiffany's hair. She scowled at him as she gave him a light punch in the side, before quickly apologizing and hugging him.

"No, I don't want that anymore."

For all the attitude Jack directed toward everyone, Victoria noticed it was he who insisted on staying for dessert. Near the end of their meal she noticed Alex staring into the corner, a small smile on his face. She asked what was wrong, and he simply took her hand under the table. She let out a quiet breath when she saw what he did.

Bradley was in the restaurant, watching them from afar.

He faded in and out, as he had trouble staying in the world of the living. Wearing his customary nice clothes, he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, his eyes dancing with amusement. Victoria nearly stood. She wanted to go to him, to say goodbye, but she didn't get the chance. He waved before vanishing for good.

"Victoria?" Cindy asked. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, and managed to keep her tears inside.

Another sadness washed over her as they finished their meal and left the restaurant. The visit from the man she thought of as a younger brother was coming to an end. Jack and Tiffany didn't live far away, only a couple of hours in the car, but it was still sad to see them go.

"Well," Jack said. "This is goodbye. I wish I could say it was fun." He looked at Kevin. "Actually, it
was
fun to see you making a fool of yourself with the blonde here."

Kevin smiled, used to his attitude. Leese let go of Kevin's hand and approached Jack. He didn't know what to expect until she tossed her arms around him.

"Thank you for saving my life."

"Yeah, well, you can thank me by getting your hands off me."

Cindy laughed and joined her best friend in the hug. The look on Jack's face was priceless as the two women embraced him.

"Thank you, too."

"Okay, okay. You're welcome. Now, would you please back off—?"

He let out a rushed breath as Tiffany tackled him around the waist. Alex glanced at Victoria and Kevin, shrugged, and then joined his wife and sister in the display of affection.

Jack nearly snarled at Alex. "I'm gonna pull your wings off like a bug if you don't—"

Victoria and Kevin joined in. The large group hug drew laughs and stares from two families as they crossed the parking lot to the restaurant. Jack tried to get away, but wasn't successful.

"You idiots think you're funny, don't you?" Jack said. "I'm gonna count to five, and there'd better not be a single hand on me."

Everyone laughed as they split up. Jack couldn't get the scowl off his face. He held his daughter's hand as he surveyed the group, and had the feeling he'd see all of them again. His gaze rested on Kevin and Leese as she gave him an unexpected kiss that rivaled anything he'd seen from the half-demon and his wife. Kevin turned red.

Jack smirked as he pulled out his wallet. "I guess this is long overdue," he told Victoria.

He handed her a hundred-dollar bill. She had no trouble accepting it and shoving it in the pocket of her jeans.

"Hey!" Tiffany said. "Can I have money?"

"Nope. Give everyone a hug goodbye so we can get out of here."

He watched his daughter for a moment before staring at the remarkable witch.

"Kevin, remember what we talked about. If anything pops in that head of yours, call me. I'll make it worth your while."

Kevin nodded, not lost on the fact that Jack finally used his first name. "I will."

Jack hugged Victoria one last time, and Tiffany and he climbed in the car. Tiffany waved until they left the parking lot and disappeared in the distance.