Souls of the Damned (Kat Redding) (11 page)

I did my best to shield Sienna from the heat as the tear opened and Beligral once more emerged. Strangely, the blast of hot air wasn’t as intense as it used to be. I think he intentionally tried to make it less painful for the young girl, which I found to be interesting. If it had just been me, he would have enhanced it instead just to make me sweat.

Still, my eyes watered and I couldn’t look directly at him as he stepped back into the heart of the circle. The tear closed behind him, sucking in some of the hot air with it. The sudden chill caused me to shiver.

“Whatever you do, don’t run,” I told Sienna when I felt her tense next to me. Breaking the circle would be bad, especially with me so close to the demon. I’d never get to my weapons in time, though I doubted they’d do much good against him anyway.

Sienna nodded and squeezed my hand. She was terrified, but was doing a good job at not letting it overwhelm her. Her time with Levi had clearly strengthened her, made her able to bear far more than a normal person might.

Beligral took a moment to study us. His eyes gleamed and I detected satisfaction radiating off of him. He had us right where he wanted us. A part of me was certain he’d been planning this moment for a very long time now.

“This will not be easy,” he said. His eyes traveled down to my slippered feet. “You may want to sit down for this one.”

“I’m fine.”

“But will she be able to handle the pain you work so hard to hide?” Beligral asked, motioning toward Sienna. “Both of you are going to feel raw, violated. There is nothing I can do to help that.”

From his smile, I could tell he didn’t mind as much as he said.

I really wanted to stand, but he was right. What if Sienna couldn’t handle the pain? If she collapsed during the transfer and fell out of the circle, Beligral would be free and I’d be in a body ill-equipped to deal with him.

I sat in Beligral’s recliner, never letting go of Sienna’s hand as I did. The chair smelled charred and felt off, like having the demon sit in it so much changed it somehow. It made my stomach churn.

“You will need to remain close,” Beligral said. “I will need to be able to touch the both of you at the same time without breaking contact. It is imperative you do not move.”

“And what happens if we do?” I asked.

He gave me a flat look. “The transfer will fail. One or the both of you could be lost, your souls ripped from your bodies, never to be claimed again. I do not wish that to happen to either of my investments.”

Sienna sagged down next to me. I’m not sure if her legs simply gave out or if she thought it best to be kneeling just in case she were to collapse. Her hand left mine and she lowered her head, taking slow, deep breaths.

I almost told Ethan to send the demon away right then and there. This was too risky. Everything about this was a risk I wasn’t so sure I was willing to take. Sienna could be lost. And even if the transfer went as it should, she’d be a vampire. The rage could easily consume her until nothing was left.

And it would be all my fault.

Sienna looked over at me just then as if she could hear my thoughts. She smiled and gave me the slightest of nods. She was either going to do this, or she was going to die. There were no other options.

“Let’s get this over with,” I said. If we sat around talking much longer, I wouldn’t be able to take it.

“This will take some time to complete,” Beligral said. “It is not simple like the giving of the Sight.” He reached behind him and came back with what looked like one of those really old doctor bags and set it on the floor in front of him. Sienna gasped at its sudden appearance.

Movement across the room turned out to be Jeremy moving closer to the weapons. The cross was still in his hand and he apparently hadn’t eased up on squeezing it since we’d started. I gave him a quick shake of my head, hoping he wouldn’t decide to try to shoot the demon and break the circle. I wished more than ever he hadn’t come.

Beligral opened the bag and rummaged in it until he found a small jar. Something thick and white was inside. He removed the lid and I very nearly gagged at the cloying scent. It reminded me a lot of the stuff Ethan had tried to give me to curb my hunger a few months back.

“Hold. Very. Still,” he said, leaning toward Sienna with a pile of the goop on his finger.

She gasped as he brushed her hair out of her face before he began tracing a symbol on her forehead. She clenched her teeth and winced. Wherever he touched her, the skin turned red, as if she was being burned.

“Beligral . . .” I said in warning.

“I’m fine.” Sienna didn’t turn her head as she spoke. “It just stings a little.”

The demon finished with a flourish and then turned to me. “This will hurt,” he said with a grin. “I probably should have said that before.”

I very nearly slapped his hand away when he pushed back my hair. Just the feel of his flesh on mine was enough to make my skin crawl. Somehow, I managed to sit through it, even though the leer on his face told me he was thinking about something other than making the transfer.

“So strong, so powerful,” he said under his breath.

“Just do this so I can get this over with.”

He leaned in close, his breath hot on my cheek, and whispered, “You will not believe the power you will inherit.”

Before I could formulate a response, he pressed his finger against my forehead and began to trace the same symbol he’d placed upon Sienna. The pain was bearable and I kept a straight face throughout. The smell was the worst. I would have to take a long shower to get the horrible scent off of me. In a way, it was worse than having Baset’s stink oozing from my pores.

“Done,” Beligral said, finishing. He recapped the strange jelly and shoved it back into the bag. “Now comes the fun part.”

My forehead tingled as Beligral turned and came to a stop in front of us. His hands were behind his back and he was looking at us as a mother might look at two troublesome daughters. His eyes flickered to where Jeremy and Ethan stood and my heart skipped a beat. Could he be planning something else here? Had he gotten us into the circle to do the swap, or perhaps was he planning on dragging the both of us into the demon realm with him?

I started to stand, drawing his eye.

“Don’t,” he said. “You won’t like the consequences.”

I fell back into the chair, not so much because of his words, but more because of how dizzy I’d become. I felt oddly disconnected from not just the world around me, but my own body. I moved a hand and could barely feel it as it limply fell back into my lap.

“What . . . ?” was all I could manage.

“The glyph has begun to, shall we say, loosen your souls from your bodies. Without it, the pain of the transfer would kill the both of you.”

Sienna leaned heavily on the chair. Her head was close enough I could smell the faint scent of her shampoo.

“When I begin, you really must sit still,” Beligral went on. “As soon as your souls are safely housed in your new bodies, you will be able to do as you please, but until then, I must insist on your cooperation.”

I felt like throwing up. I wasn’t so sure I could have gotten up if I’d tried. It was like he’d shot me up with enough drugs to drop an elephant.

The demon moved forward, putting himself directly between both Sienna and I. He was smiling in a way that scared me to death, but there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.

With slow deliberateness, he pressed the flat of his palms on our heads.

At first, I felt nothing but the loopiness I’d already been experiencing. And then there was a tug. It sort of felt like a stitch being pulled, but it was inside my head, rather than on my skin. It started out painless, but as the pulling continued, it started to hurt.

And I mean it fucking hurt.

Sienna cried out and went rigid next to me. I would have grabbed her hand, but I was in no condition to do much more than suck in a pained breath. It felt like he wasn’t just trying to move our souls, but was ripping my brain straight from my spine.

Something
tore
in my head. I no longer felt my body. The pain was gone. I couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, couldn’t feel. It wasn’t so much that it was dark as it was an absence of everything.

And then it all came slamming back. The world shifted as pure agony flared into my disoriented head. I fell backward and clunked my head against the concrete floor.

“Finished!” Beligral said, jovially. “I’ll show myself out so you can check on them.” The last was obviously aimed at someone else.

I trembled on the floor, feeling terribly weak. The pain was mostly gone, as was the slimy feel of the jelly on my forehead, but I didn’t feel good at all. There was a blast of heat that swept over me like a warm blanket and then was ripped suddenly away as Beligral stepped through the tear.

I rose to a crouch, fighting hard not to be sick. I looked down at my hand and was surprised to see small delicate fingers. The floor felt hard beneath my now callous-free palms. My arms were thinner, far weaker than ever before. I dragged myself over to Beligral’s chair and pulled myself to my feet. I swayed there a moment, eyes closed until the world stopped trying to flip me back over onto my ass.

“Kat?” Ethan asked somewhere behind me. I couldn’t tell if he’d come into the circle or if he was still standing by the wall. “Sienna?”

I took a deep breath. “I’m okay.” My voice sounded strange, causing me to open my eyes. The chair was empty. I must have fallen out of it at some point.

And then it came back to me. I wasn’t in my body. I hadn’t fallen out of the chair. This body had never been in it.

If so, then where was my body?

I turned to my left to find Sienna on her hands and knees, head down much like mine had been. Her back was moving up and down at an alarmingly quick rate. She was making strange gurgling sounds deep in her throat.

Jeremy and Ethan were pacing outside the circle, acting as if they weren’t sure if they should come in or not. Beligral might be gone, but there was no telling what he’d done to us while he’d been there.

“Sienna?” I asked, still marveling at the strange sound of my voice. “Are you okay?”

Her head slowly rose. Eyes filled with need bore into me. Blood trickled down her chin as she grinned. Her upper lip lifted in a snarl, showing bloody, extended fangs.

And then with a growl of rage, she attacked.

Instinct took over.

Or at least, it tried to.

Sienna charged straight at me, eyes feral and hungry. I moved to try to flip her over my shoulder—a move I’d done at least a thousand times—but she moved too fast for me. She slammed into me, knocking me back over the chair, which probably saved my life. I hit the floor hard on my shoulder, just missing cracking my skull. Pain rocketed through my body as I rolled away and scrambled across the floor.

“Sienna!” Ethan screamed. He seemed frozen to the spot, staring in fear at the girl who was now in control of a full-fledged raging vampire body.

Jeremy grabbed a gun off the table, but didn’t aim it at anyone. He frowned at it a moment before tossing it back where he’d gotten it.

I couldn’t get to my feet fast enough, so I crawled toward them. I knocked over one of the candles in my haste to get away. Already hardening wax spilled across the dual circles. My knees ached from contact with the concrete floor and it felt like I’d broken my shoulder, though if I had, I wouldn’t be crawling anywhere.

Sienna screeched behind me. My voice sounded strange coming from someone else and I vaguely wondered if that was what I always sounded like or if Sienna was having a hard time adapting to her new vocal cords. Either way, I was in trouble.

Ethan grabbed me by the arms and hoisted me to my feet. He pushed me behind him as Sienna limped toward us. I think the only thing keeping her from running at us was the burns I’d suffered on my feet. I never thought I’d be thankful for such an injury, but hey, whatever kept me alive, right?

“Sienna,” Ethan said, holding out his hands. “Calm down.”

“Hungry,” she said, just before leaping at him.

I tried to pull him out of the way. I grabbed his shirt and yanked, managing to move him all of a few inches and knocking him off balance before she crashed into him. Ethan went down under her weight—
my
weight in reality. His head bounced off the concrete floor.

She bared her fangs at him. Blood dripped from her lips, splattered on his cheeks.

“Sienna, please,” he mumbled just as I screamed, “Sienna, no!”

I’m not sure which of us got through to her, but she paused before striking. She looked at Ethan and then turned confused eyes to me. I didn’t for a single second believe she was in full control of the vampire raging inside her, but that single moment might have saved Ethan’s life.

Jeremy crashed into her side just as a sneer crossed her face. They went tumbling across the room and smacked hard against the cage. The metal bars rattled as Sienna fought with all of her strength to be free of the werewolf. I could only watch as she dug her fingernails into his cheek in an attempt to rip his face clean off.

Jeremy screamed and bucked, causing her to lose her grip on him with only minimal damage. He bled freely as he rolled to his feet, grabbed the cage door, and flung it open. Sienna spun and charged at him. Jeremy didn’t try to get out of the way. Instead, he opened his arms and wrapped them around her, letting her momentum propel them both into the cage. They hit the far end with a rattle of metal and a scream of pained rage from Sienna.

I was glued to the spot. I’d never felt so weak in my life. Even when I’d been a Pureblood, I’d been stronger. I’d worked out constantly, honed my body to be able to withstand a vampire or werewolf ’s assault for the few seconds I would need to put a bullet in their brain.

But Sienna was different. She’d always lived at home, had never fought a supe before in her life. She wasn’t out of shape or anything, but there was little to no strength in her body. I felt crippled, inferior. If only Levi would hit me with some of his power now. I could really use the extra strength and speed.

Ethan dragged himself to his feet, looking a little out of it. He rubbed his head as he scanned the lab, until his eyes fell on where Sienna and Jeremy struggled. His hand froze and then slowly lowered. He took a hesitant step toward the fight and I thought that he might go in to help Jeremy subdue Sienna long enough to get the cage door closed.

Instead, a strange growling, keening sound issued from his mouth and he charged forward.

“Get off of her!” he shouted as he ran into the cage and aimed a kick at Jeremy’s head. He missed by inches.

“Ethan!” I sounded as terrified as I felt. “We have to.”

He turned on me just as Sienna pushed the stunned Jeremy away. She was on her feet and leaping so fast, I was sure she’d take Ethan down.

Jeremy got a foot up just in time. Instead of crashing into an unprepared Ethan, all of the air gushed from her lungs as her stomach met Jeremy’s foot. She staggered back into the cell, clutching her gut, but in no way was she incapacitated.

Jeremy scrambled to his feet. He grabbed Ethan by the back of the shirt and practically threw him across the room as he got them both out of the cage. He slammed the door closed just as Sienna rushed forward. She clawed at him through the bars as he slid the lock home and stepped away.

“Jesus,” he said, wiping blood from his face. “What in the hell just happened?”

“It’s not fair.” Ethan edged toward the cell, but jerked back when Sienna made a grab for him. “She doesn’t deserve to be locked up like this. She doesn’t know what she’s doing.”

“Exactly.” Jeremy frowned at him. I expected him to reprimand Ethan for trying to kick him in the head, but instead, he laid his hand on the other man’s shoulder and squeezed. “This is only temporary,” he said. “She might be in Kat’s body, but she’s still a vampire for the first time. Her mind wasn’t prepared.”

Ethan looked sick as he nodded. Jeremy studied him a moment, as if to make sure he wouldn’t try to unlock the door, before turning to me.

“What about you?” he asked. “Are you all right?”

I wanted to tell him I was fine, but that would have been a lie. I was trembling all over and my shoulder hurt horribly. “I couldn’t stop her,” I said. “She attacked me and I was completely unable to keep her from taking me down. I’m too weak.” How in the hell was I going to put an end to an angel like this?

Jeremy glanced back at Sienna and then turned back to me with a shake of his head. “It’s strange,” he said. “I know I’m talking to Kat, but all I see is Sienna. It’s really messing with my head.”

“Tell me about it,” I said.

Sienna sagged down to her knees, panting. Some of the rage had fallen away, but there was still an acute hunger in her eyes.

“It hurts,” she whispered. The blood had stopped dripping from her mouth, but her fangs were still extended. “I’m so hungry.”

“I’ll get her blood,” Jeremy said. He started to walk away, took one look at me, and altered his course. “After we get you somewhere safe.”

“I’m fine,” I said as he took my arm. “I’m just a little woozy.”

All this time, Ethan stood staring at Sienna in her cell. He didn’t speak, didn’t make a move toward her. Even though I couldn’t see his face, I knew his heart was breaking.

Jeremy tugged gently on my arm. I started to go with him, but shook him off. “One sec,” I said before walking over to the cage. I knelt in front of Sienna. She looked up and met my eyes. It was eerie since it was my face looking back at me.

“I’m going to take care of Levi,” I promised her. “As soon as I’m done, I’m going to make Beligral switch us back.”

Sienna’s nostrils flared and I knew she was trying to scent my blood. “No,” she said. “You shouldn’t have to suffer like this ever again.”

“Neither should you.”

I stood, wincing. My shoulder hurt far more than it should. I could move it fine, but something was definitely not right. I was going to have to figure out the capabilities of Sienna’s body and I was going to have to do it fast.

“We need to go,” I said, touching Ethan gently on the wrist. “Give her time to calm down. Jeremy will get her some blood. If you want, make her something else to eat. She’ll need that too.”

He nodded and tore his gaze from the trapped girl. He gave me a harsh look and I knew he was trying really hard not to hate me for what I’d done.

“Don’t you dare hurt her,” he said. “You’d better come back alive or I’ll . . .” He shook his head and walked away.

I let him go. It would take him some time to forgive me. Hell, I was struggling with it too. I’d never wanted this. If it hadn’t been for Ethan telling her about the demon’s offer, we could be working on another solution even now.

“Let’s go,” Jeremy said from across the room.

I walked past him, doing my best not to appear as weak and tired as I felt. Jeremy closed the lab door behind us, leaving Sienna alone, scared, and confused. Ethan was right when he’d said this wasn’t fair. I was going to make sure her suffering was worthwhile.

We were halfway up the basement stairs when my legs gave out. I just about smacked my nose on the steps, but managed to turn my head aside at the last second and cracked my ear instead.
Weak
wasn’t the word to describe how I felt. It felt like dying.

“Let me help.” Jeremy used his one good arm to lift me. He practically had to carry me all the way upstairs, taking only a short break before moving on to tackle the steps that led up into my room. We were halfway up when the urge hit.

It wasn’t pain like Beligral’s mark when he wanted to gain my attention. There were no marks on Sienna’s body as far as I could tell. This was a mental pain, an urge so strong, I very nearly knocked both Jeremy and myself down the stairs when I jerked and tried to push past him.

“No, you don’t,” he said, holding tight. “You need to rest.”

“I have to go,” I hissed. I didn’t just
need
to go to Delai. It was a burning desire so fierce, I knew I would die if I didn’t give in and head there right this very instant.

Jeremy refused to let me go. He clamped tight to me as he took the stairs one by one. I trembled in his grip, but thanks to my years of controlling my vampire rages, I was able to keep from fighting too hard. I felt like throwing up, felt like screaming in the purest of agonies.

The wave of need didn’t last long. I’m not sure if Levi could feel how exhausted I was or if something else had distracted him, but by the time Jeremy muscled me down the hall and into my room, I hung limply in his grip. I collapsed into bed and lay panting there. Sweat beaded my brow and my entire body ached from my recent struggles, both physical and mental.

“Are you going to be okay for an hour or so?” Jeremy asked. “I know where I can get some blood for Kat . . .” He frowned and shook his head. “For Sienna. Damn, this is confusing.”

I was too pooped to say much more than “Yeah.”

“I’ll have Ethan wait outside the door,” he said. “I’m worried he’s going to go downstairs and let her out. If you hear him, find a way to stop him.”

I nodded weakly. My eyes felt heavy. How long had it been since I’d actually slept? A pack of ravenous werewolves could attack the house and it was unlikely I’d be able to do much more than curl up into a little ball. I was
that
tired.

Jeremy stood there a moment longer. I could tell he was debating whether or not he should leave me alone. Finally, he reached into his pocket and removed his cell phone. He dropped it onto the bed next to me.

“If something happens, call Jonathan.”

One more weak nod. Jeremy’s voice sounded as if it was coming from a million miles away.

“I’ll be back soon.”

His footsteps faded. The bedroom door clicked closed. I tried to wait for the sound of the car starting up in the garage, but I’d had it. Darkness rushed in and for the first time since I’d been turned, I fell into a deep, natural sleep.