Last Blood (30 page)

With a gulp, Nadira lifted her hands in surrender. “I-I can help.”

“Can you?” Chrysabelle asked. “Because I have yet to see proof of that.”

“I will not call upon the comarré to rise, but I can aid you in the fight against your enemies.”

“You give me aid? Why should I believe you?”

“I cannot speak lies. You know that.”

“No, but too often you speak too little and use twisted words.” Chrysabelle tipped her sacre to flash light in Nadira’s eyes and stepped forward. Metal met flesh. “What help can you give me? Will it be enough to save your life?”

Squinting, Nadira pulled back against her chair as far as she could to avoid the blade under her chin. “Sheath your weapon.”

“No. What help?”

Struggling to look down, Nadira began scrolling through the book still open on her desk. At last she settled on a page. The words were written in a language Chrysabelle couldn’t read, but at the center was a beautiful drawing of a tree unlike anything she’d ever seen. “You must lure your enemy to the Garden of Eden, then make her eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life.”

“And I’m supposed to find the Garden of Eden how?”

“Move your weapon. Please.”

Chrysabelle pulled the blade back a few inches.

Nadira stood, then opened a small drawer in the edge of the table. From it, she retrieved a short dagger.

Chrysabelle whipped her sacre up against Nadira’s neck again. Rennata whimpered. Chrysabelle ignored her. “Put the blade down.”

Nadira trembled, but held tight to the dagger. “I need it to cut this page from the book.”

Chrysabelle eased her sword back. If Nadira was willing to damage one of her precious books this information might actually be worth something.

She cut the page out, tossed the blade away, and
handed the yellowed paper to Chrysabelle. “The signum along the edges will open a portal to the Garden’s gates the same way you’ve used the signum on your back to open a portal to me. The map will guide you to the tree once you’re there.”

Chrysabelle nodded at the paper. “Roll it up and secure it.” Nadira did, then handed it back. The sudden realization of the task before her sank in. “I have to get Tatiana through a blood portal? How is that help?”

Nadira pursed her lips. “You’ll figure it out. Steal something from her. She will follow.”

Chrysabelle tucked the scroll into her jacket. “I thought humans were banned from entering the Garden. Are you sure I’ll be able to enter?”

Nadira started to say something, then shook her head. “You will be able to enter. I give you my solemn vow.”

Chrysabelle raised her sacre between them. “And if that vow proves worthless, I will pay you one final visit. Do I make myself clear?” Nadira nodded. Chrysabelle pointed the weapon at Rennata. “You do anything to tip Tatiana or Lilith to this plan and so help me, holy mother, I’ll strip the gold from your body the way you did mine. Every. Single. Signum.”

Then she sheathed her weapon, spun on her heels, and left them to stare after her as she walked away.

Tatiana sighed. Hades, Mal could be difficult. “What is wrong with you? Was the taste of the comarré that unpleasant?”

Mal cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair. “It was fine.”

Not very convincing, but perhaps he didn’t like drinking from a secondhand comarré. “Then stop swallowing.”

Mal swallowed again, probably just to annoy her. “Can we get back to the subject at hand? I don’t believe she killed one of the ancients. It’s not possible.”

Tatiana twisted her hands in her lap, the metal one reflecting light like a mirror. “I saw the skin around her shoulders with my own eyes. I swear to you, it was real. I’ve seen them often enough to know what their flesh looks like.” She forced herself to sit still. “I told you she was dangerous, but even I had no idea just how much. However…” She leaned forward and dropped her voice. “
They
told me what to do.”

“
They
.” Mal raised a brow. “As in the ancients.”

She nodded. “Proof of how worried they are about her, don’t you think?”

For an instant, he looked skeptical. “Absolutely. What did they tell you?”

“We must take her to the Garden of Eden and get her to eat from the Tree of Life.”

He stared dumbstruck, then laughed. “And how do we get there? By unicorn? The Garden of Eden is a myth. They’re lying to you. Probably trying to see how much you’ll fall for.”

“It’s not a myth.” She reached down between her body and the side of the chair and pulled out the scroll Samael had given her. Carefully, she spread it open, revealing the hand-drawn map with the ornately illustrated tree at its center. “They gave me this.”

He studied it, nodding once or twice, then leaned in.
“Let’s say this really is a map to the Garden and we go there. How do we get in? Isn’t it guarded?”

Her nerves settled with the realization that despite his skepticism, he was with her in this. “The ancient one assured me we would be able to enter.”

He sat back again, stretching one arm along the back of the sofa. “Then that’s the plan. Their word is good enough for me.”

She rolled the scroll up and stuck it back down in the cushions. “Are you ready to meet
her
?”

His body language stayed loose and relaxed. “Yes.”

He’d better be. There was no turning back after this. She stood and lifted her hands. “Lilith, my darling girl, come to me.”

Darkness clouded the room as if someone had dimmed the lights, and then that darkness converged into a human form. From that, a woman-child emerged, shedding the darkness like a butterfly leaving its cocoon. Or a parasite leaving its host. She tipped her head and looked at Tatiana. “Hello, Mother.”

“My darling.” Tatiana fought to keep her smile in place against a new onslaught of nerves. This had to go well. “I’d like you to meet Malkolm Bourreau, the vampire I was telling you about.”

Her attention shifted to Mal. He stood, but kept his distance. He nodded at her. “So you’re Lilith?”

She walked toward him. “And you are one of the most fearsome vampires to walk the earth.”

The whites of his eyes began to turn black. Tatiana recognized that as a sign of him loosening his hold on the beast inside him. He was showing Lilith who he was. Good. “I’ve heard that said about me.”

Unfortunately, his show of power didn’t seem to affect her. Maybe she just didn’t realize what it meant. “That’s what Mother says.” Lilith looked over her shoulder. “Don’t you, Mother?”

“Yes,” Tatiana answered. “He is the perfect vampire to join our family.”

Lilith stuck out her bottom lip. “Why? What makes him better than any other vampire?”

“I didn’t say he was better. I said he was perfect for our family.” Tatiana wanted to slap her, but refrained out of respect for her own life. “He was my human husband and the father of my mortal child. He knows how to be a father—”

Mal put his hand up. “I’ll handle this.” He rolled his shirt sleeve back and held his black-inked forearm out. “See those names, Lilith? I am covered with them.” He pulled up his shirt, revealing a taut stomach covered with more black script.

Lilith sighed like a bored teenager. “So.”

Mal picked his shirt up a little higher, showing off more ink. “Each name represents one of my kills.”

Tatiana watched as Lilith’s eyes widened and a tiny smile lifted the corner of her mouth. This child she’d once held in her arms was a bloodthirsty savage, something she might have approved of if that savagery wasn’t so capricious.

Lilith reached for his skin. “So many…”

He tucked his shirt back in before she could touch him. “That’s not all. I have the ability to transform myself into a beast owned by darkness. A beast that has taken on and destroyed hordes of Nothos.”

Lilith clapped her hands. “Show me.”

“No.”

Her face fell. “Yes. Now. I want to see.”

Mal leaned forward, eyes going dark with the beast. “I said no.” The harshness in Mal’s voice surprised Tatiana, but then she realized he spoke with the beast’s voice too. Her satisfaction level rose. She hadn’t expected him to understand so quickly just how firm a hand Lilith needed.

Lilith flopped onto the couch to pout some more.

Just then, someone called Tatiana’s name from another part of the house. The sound of it gave her chills. She turned toward it, suddenly trembling. “That voice,” she whispered. Her hand went to her throat. “Octavian.”

G
etting into Dominic’s office had taken some doing until Creek had run into Mortalis. A little explanation and the fae had escorted him through the crowd without stopping. He even seemed mildly amused when Luciano jumped out of his chair as Creek walked through the door.

Creek held his hands up. “I’m not here to kill you. I just need to speak to Dominic.”

Luciano sat back down and Dominic gestured toward the other chair in front of his desk. “Sit.”

Mortalis stayed by the door. Creek took the seat. “Thank you for seeing me.”

Dominic nodded. “You and I have never had problems.” He glanced at his nephew.

Creek smiled. “No, and I’d like to keep it that way. Which is why I’m here.” He shifted a little, choosing his words. “I understand you had a death here recently.”

“To be clear, a murder. Katsumi Tanaka. She was a good friend and a trusted employee.” Dominic’s mouth tightened. “What about this brings you here?”

“You have my sympathies.” Creek wasn’t an idiot. She
was more than a good friend to Dominic. She’d been his lover. He’d cared for her enough to give her
navitas
and raise her from fringe to noble. “I know who killed her.”

Dominic’s face shifted from human to vampire. “I already know,” he growled. “Octavian. He used to be—”

“Tatiana’s consort,” Creek finished. “How do you know this already?”

“You think I am
stupido
? That I can’t find out who comes into my establishment? What they do here? Where they go? I know everything that happens here. Everything.”

“I’d expect nothing less,” Creek said. Damn it. This was going downhill fast.

Dominic’s eyes narrowed. “The question is, how do you know it was Octavian?”

“Because I got him to confess.”

“You have him? Where is he?”

Luciano jumped to his feet. “I’ll bring him back. Just tell me where he is.”

Creek popped his jaw to one side. “That’s the problem. I had him tied up, but the sedation wore off and he scattered and escaped so now I’m looking for him too. If we work together, we have a better chance of finding him.”

“Agreed.” Dominic’s face went back to human. “I never thought I’d see the day that a noble vampire and a Kubai Mata would join forces, but I never thought I’d end up anathema, either.” He smiled, but the expression held sadness. “I understand you spared my nephew’s life as well. For that, I am grateful.”

“There’s one more thing,” Creek said.

“
Si?
”

“I’m under orders to bring him in alive.”

Dominic rolled his tongue over his fangs, taking his time before he spoke. “Then I would suggest you find him first.”

Mal raced after Tatiana, but Lilith flew past them in a blur, laughing like a child playing games. When he skidded to a stop alongside Tatiana, Lilith already stood in the foyer, assessing the visitors. Son of a priest. What was the mayor doing here? And with Octavian? There was no way this was going to end well. The voices cheered.

“You’re dead,” Tatiana said. Her face was a frightening blank.

“No, I’m not, my darling.” He took a step toward her, but she retreated. “I can explain.”

She lifted her metal hand to point at him. “You betrayed me.”

Lilith studied the group, gaze flicking from face to face. “Who is this, Mother?”

The question brought a look of contempt to Tatiana’s face. “This is Octavian. The one who knew you as a baby. The one who betrayed…
us
.”

“As a baby?” Octavian turned toward Lilith, staring at her face. “It can’t be. Is this our child?”

Tatiana bent forward, screaming, “She’s not your child!”

The mayor shrank back into the corner, her anxious gaze pinned to Lilith. “It can’t be,” she muttered.

Lilith’s eyes went completely bloodred, swallowing up the white. “You.” She stalked toward Octavian. “Mother said you were a traitor. That you tried to give me to her enemies. That you’re the reason I was taken away from
her.” Lilith hissed at him, spittle flying from her mouth. “You’re a bad vampire. I don’t like you.”

She grabbed him by his shirt and tossed him against one of the stone columns flanking the doors.

“No,” he yelled, but the impact silenced him, crumpling him to the ground in an unnatural heap.

Lilith picked him up again and shook him. “You hurt my mother.”

Blood trickled from Octavian’s mouth as he tried to lift his head, tried to protest.

Before he managed a word, Lilith opened her mouth and bit down on his limp neck. She yanked back, tearing a section of his throat out and spitting it onto the polished marble flooring.

She dropped his body as it went to ash, and then she turned to Tatiana, gore covering her mouth and chin. Her lower lip trembled. The white had returned to her eyes. “Was that wrong? Are you mad at me again?”