Flesh And Blood: House of Comarre: Book Two (House of Comarre 2) (41 page)

That woman deserved navitas the way Tatiana deserved the ring of sorrows. Maybe Katsumi would go insane just like Tatiana had. Dominic would then be forced to deal with what he’d done.

The boat slowed and Mal looked up to see a cluster of stilt houses looming ahead. Lights blazed in the first one. Ronan stood on the dock opposite a large alligator-shaped lump. Through the front windows, a stone statue faced the water. Then Dominic moved into view. A second later, Doc staggered to his feet. Ronan spotted them and lifted a shotgun.

Mal forced himself in front of Chrysabelle. ‘Creek, fringe with a shotgun on the dock. Dominic and Doc are inside.’

‘I see them.’

‘Ronan,’ Mal called out as the boat neared the dock. ‘Shoot and you’re dead.’ He leaped the last ten feet from the boat to the dock, landing close enough to grab Ronan’s shotgun, wrestle it away, and toss it into the water. The alligator-shaped lump wasn’t just alligator-shaped. As the fringe swung, Mal grabbed Ronan’s fist and yanked him around to face the beast while Creek tied the boat up. ‘That thing alive?’

‘Why don’t you get close and find out?’ Ronan snarled. ‘Get your hands off me, you knacker. I’m king of the fringe now. Screw with me and I’ll bring the whole bloody lot down on your head.’

‘King of the fringe? And you’re still doing Dominic’s dirty work?’

‘Sod off.’ Ronan twisted, trying to break Mal’s grasp.

Mal kicked Ronan’s legs out from under him and drove him to the boards with a knee in his back. The resounding crunch satisfied Mal greatly.

Creek helped Chrysabelle out of the boat, then joined her. Mal nodded toward the stairs. ‘You two go. I’ll be up as soon as I take care of this a little more permanently.’ He didn’t actually know how he’d get in without an invite, but Dominic had managed it. Maybe the witches were some kind of vampire loophole.
Or maybe they’ll kill you.

He looked around for something to restrain Ronan with but found nothing. Nothing but fifteen feet of Jurassic lizard. He dragged Ronan to the gator, planted his knee into Ronan’s back again, then pried the beast’s mouth open. The smell was best described as ripe.

Above him, all hell broke loose. Shouting, cursing, the sound of weapons being drawn, and something shattering told him it was time to move.
Fight, fight, fight.

In as few motions as he could manage, he shoved Ronan headfirst into the gator’s mouth, then clamped the jaws back down. That should keep Ronan busy for a few minutes. ‘I wouldn’t squirm too much if I were you. I’m pretty sure he just blinked in a very hungry way.’ The creature seemed to be passed out, but judging by Ronan’s original distance from it on the dock, it probably wasn’t dead. Maybe Mal would get lucky and it would awaken in the next few minutes. A distant buzzing filtered through the other sounds of the Glades. He leaped off the dead-still fringe and took the steps two at a time until he made the front door. It was open.

Chrysabelle’s swords and Creek’s crossbow were aimed at Dominic. Dominic had a blade to Doc’s throat, and the albino woman who must be Aliza stood over the body of an unknown man. Her hands were lit with the strange incandescent glow of witch magic and were pointed at Dominic. The remnants of a pottery lamp lay at her feet.

‘How dare you, Dominic,’ Mal growled from the door. The buzzing sound grew louder, competing with the drone in his head. ‘Let Doc go.’

‘Stay out of this, Malkolm. The varcolai must die for what he’s done.’

Mal braced his hands on the door frame. He
could
go inside, but he had no idea how long he’d last until the lack of invitation took its toll.
Try it.
Long enough to get Doc out? Or just a few steps in? ‘If you kill him, I will exact the same vengeance on Katsumi.’

A moment of confusion crossed Dominic’s face. ‘She’s done nothing to you.’

‘She stole blood from Chrysabelle, and not because she was trying to save someone she cared for, but out of greed. You kill him and I will serve her the same justice.’

Dominic hesitated, then shook his head. ‘This is different. Katsumi may have acted for less noble reasons, but Maddoc has done the greater damage.’

‘What damage? You’re the one with the knife to his throat.’ The anger in Doc’s golden eyes struck Mal as the most intense he’d ever seen. One wrong move on Dominic’s part and he’d be the one who ended up dead. Something landed on Mal’s hand. The voices yowled. He flicked it away.

Dominic snorted. ‘He gave my blood to this sorceress. The true damage has not yet begun.’

Aliza jabbed a finger at him, causing sparks to leap into the air. ‘I need that blood to free Evie. If you’d just given it to me when I asked—’

‘Evie knew what was at risk when she perverted the goods she bought from me. There are consequences to actions. That is life,’ Dominic snapped back.

Aliza shook her head, sorrow and anger fighting for dominance on her face. ‘I want my daughter back. That is all.’

Mal addressed Aliza as soon as she took a breath. ‘And Doc wants Fi rescued from her current situation.’

‘I’ve already said I would do what I could.’

Mal shook his head. ‘Not enough. I want your word you
will
help her.’

‘Her word?’ Dominic laughed.

Aliza nodded. ‘I promise.’

Mal took a step away from the door frame, now dotted with insects. ‘Then let me in and I will help you get Evie back.’

She raised one hand toward him while keeping the other trained on Dominic. ‘You swear it?’

‘I do.’

She nodded. ‘Then I grant you entrance, vampire.’

Mal stepped across her threshold. At the same time, an unholy swarm of insects deluged the house.

Tatiana came back together in a whirl of wings and stingers in the spot she’d deemed would give her the most leverage. Behind the comarré. Not even Malkolm yet realized she was in the room. She hooked her arm around the girl’s throat and, transforming her fingers into a short blade, pressed them into the comarré’s flesh. ‘Drop your blades,’ she purred into the girl’s ear. ‘And maybe I’ll spare your life once I’ve gotten what I came for.’

At the words, Malkolm and the others turned. Tatiana tightened her grasp until the comarré’s pulse weakened. ‘Any of you makes a move and she dies. She may yet if she doesn’t drop her weapons.’

The swords fell to the ground. The looks on the faces around her grew more horrified as Ivan materialized behind the Mohawked kine standing beside the comarré. He clubbed the kine on the temple, catching him off guard and dropping him to the ground. Perhaps killing him. The kine’s heartbeat stopped. Ivan picked up the crossbow the male had been holding and hefted it. He smiled, seemingly pleased with the weapon.

Octavian appeared a few seconds after him, returning to his body at Tatiana’s side. She nodded to the witch. ‘My thanks for the invitation. Your timing was impeccable.’

‘Indeed.’ Lord Ivan brushed himself off as he looked around. ‘Although it still smells like the swamp in here.’ His lip curled. ‘Swamp witches. How utterly vile.’

The white witch sputtered. ‘I didn’t invite you in. Just him.’ She pointed to Malkolm, who glared daggers at Tatiana, but thanks to Ivan and a deftly aimed crossbow, he made no move.

‘Octavian, kick the comarré’s weapons out the door,’ Tatiana directed him. He moved around her and did as she asked, kicking them back through the kitchen and the open door. Twin splashes followed his actions.

‘Very good.’ Tatiana blew him a kiss on his return, then refocused her attention on the witch. ‘Stupid git. For all your magic, you don’t know enough to offer invites by name only? Such a novice mistake. When you said vampire, you flung wide the mystical door to those of us waiting on the other side.’

With a cry, the witch conjured a sphere of flames and hurled it at Tatiana. Octavian gasped. Instantly, Tatiana switched arms
around the comarré’s neck, thrust her metal hand up as she flattened it into a shield, and deflected the fire back at the witch.

The witch ducked in time to avoid being burned. She stayed crouched on the floor near a male witch who’d been sprawled there when they’d entered.

With her knife fingers at the comarré’s throat again, Tatiana poured persuasion into her voice. ‘You will not do that again, will you?’

‘No,’ the witch whispered.

‘Good. Get up, witch. I wish to see this thing you’ve discussed performed.’

Confusion clouded the witch’s eyes. ‘You’re going to allow me to bring my daughter back?’

‘My fight is not with you. Proceed.’ Although Tatiana would never admit to such emotion, she knew the wrenching pain of losing a child and empathized with the witch. She studied the small group. ‘Any of you try anything and I will slit the comarré’s throat.’

‘Like you did Mia’s?’ the varcolai asked, his mouth twisting in rage.

‘Yes,’ Tatiana answered with a smile. ‘Exactly like that.’ She got the feeling the varcolai would have lunged if not for the blade at his throat. Someone in this room would be dead by sunrise, of that much she was sure.

The witch nodded and got to her feet. ‘I need some things to work the spell.’

‘Hurry,’ Tatiana snapped. Her sentimentality had its bounds.

The witch ran out of the room. Tatiana frowned at Malkolm. ‘Quite a motley crew you’ve gathered, husband.’

At the word, a flash of anger lit his eyes. He sneered. ‘Not under the pain of a second death will I acknowledge that title.’

She jerked her arm around the comarré’s neck, causing the girl to wheeze. ‘How about under the pain I could inflict on your little comarré whore?’ She laughed. ‘Or should I say the pain I
will
be inflicting?’ She smiled at the girl. ‘You’ll be coming with me when this game is over.’

‘No, Tatiana,’ the comarré rasped. ‘I won’t. When this is over, you’ll be a pile of ash.’

‘How dare you speak to her that way,’ Octavian snarled.

Tatiana gave him a reassuring look. ‘You may take your upset out on her later. Her threats are empty. I am in control of what happens now.’

The witch returned, ending the discussion. In her hands, a collection of vials and jars. She hurried toward the stone statue of her daughter and began mumbling words of little consequence. Witch magic was weak compared to the power the noble houses wielded.

As the witch began circling the statue with powders and earth and such, Tatiana nodded toward the other anathema, the one holding a knife to the varcolai’s throat, but directed her words to her faithful companion. ‘Octavian, procure that knife.’

Octavian took it from him with no small struggle and returned to her. The varcolai got up but didn’t move any farther. The anathema glared at Tatiana. ‘If Malkolm or Chrysabelle don’t kill you, I will.’

She ignored him and shoved the comarré toward Octavian. ‘Guard her.’

The girl flew out of her arms, flipping bone blades into her hands. Tatiana grabbed her around the neck again, making a metal collar with her hand as she’d done to the female fringe in the club, and lifted the comarré off the ground. ‘Drop the weapons.’

‘Not a chance.’ The girl kicked and slashed. One blade splintered against the metal.

‘You bore me.’ Tatiana shook the girl hard. Her head snapped back and the second blade dropped from her hand. A little more shaking and the girl went limp. Tatiana opened the collar. The girl fell to the ground in a boneless heap. ‘Octavian, take her into the other room and search her for the ring. Restrain her any way you see fit.’

Malkolm growled, watching as Octavian grabbed the comarré by the arm and dragged her back into the kitchen.

That accomplished, Tatiana strolled toward Malkolm. She could almost see the wisps of anger curling off him. She stood before him, enjoying the heat of his gaze, letting his fury fuel her pleasure. ‘You realize if she’d given me the ring, none of this would be happening.’

‘You’ll never get it. And if you hurt her—’

‘It touches me that you care for the girl, but your affections are foolishly spent on a servant.’

His jaw was so tightly clenched, his words came out in a gravelly slur. ‘I
will
kill you.’

She laughed as she turned to face the witch, still preparing her craft. ‘Tell me exactly what this spell of yours will do.’

Bent over her work, the witch answered, ‘The spell I am going to perform will loose the magic holding my daughter, but not dissolve it.’ She finished the circle of earth she’d drawn around the stone statue and started adding crystals at measured intervals. ‘The magic is too powerful. It must be given a new place to rest instead.’

‘And that new home is to be?’ Tatiana leaned forward in an attempt to encourage the witch to explain things more fully.

‘The one who caused this.’ The witch stopped work on a
second earth circle, sat back on her haunches, and pointed at the anathema who’d been holding the varcolai hostage. ‘Dominic.’

‘
Maronna!
You cannot mean for me to take your daughter’s place,’ Dominic said.

‘Why not?’ the witch asked. She shook her head, the beads and shells sewn into her white dreadlocks rattling. ‘It’s what you deserve.’

Dominic’s face contorted. ‘The only one who deserved retribution was your daughter, for perverting my goods. I will not take her place.’