The 13th Prophecy (15 page)

“Yeah, fate sucks like that. You spend a couple hundred lifetimes learning stuff only to get martyred—twice.” He looked at me for a moment. His lips parted. I waited for him to speak, feeling the intensity of what he wanted to say, but none of the words. Instead of speaking, Eric closed his mouth and looked back at the camp. At the problem that barred our entry.

I gazed at the camp. Figures moved inside of tents illuminated from within. An encampment filled with healers. I whispered, “Is there anyone else here?
Only Seraphim and
Dyconisis
?”

He nodded. “And the injured.”

“Okay, the guards—they smite first and ask questions later?” He nodded. My eyes moved across the tents. I lifted my hand, pointing, “And Shan is in that tent, there is only one guard, and he’s protecting the entire perimeter?” The camp was huge. I didn’t see how that was possible. So I asked, “How is he doing it? How is he guarding the entire camp?” I wasn’t stupid enough to think that just because I couldn’t see him, that he wasn’t there. I blinked once, wildly. I would have never thought something like that a year ago. Now it was a cold, hard, deadly fact.

“Yes, it only takes one Seraphim to guard a healing camp. The circle around the camp is his path. You can’t see him moving, but it allows him to circle the entire thing at once. It’s like he is the circle. The only way to make the angel materialize is to cross the line. But we can’t. They put up wards to keep us out. And we can’t
effonate
inside. They’ll know the second we cross the line into the camp, and the angel appears and kills us,” he replied.

Eric’s face was blank as he stared at the trampled ground around the camp. I didn’t understand how an angel could do that. I knew angels were powerful, and I suspected they were more powerful than I was, but there was no way to know. And I certainly didn’t want to kill one. When I made the pact with Locoicia, I hadn’t thought of her killing the angel. My throat tightened. What did she want it for? Or did she just pick something I couldn’t deliver?

I felt Eric’s gaze on the side of my face and turned. “What’s going to kill you if you survive this?” The moonlight slipped across his cheeks and illuminated his amber eyes like small suns. He finally asked, “The blood bargain? That’s what it is, isn’t it? Damn, Ivy. Why didn’t you tell me?”

I raised an eyebrow at him. I couldn’t tell him if I wanted to. “That’s kind of a stupid question, Eric. It doesn’t matter now, anyway. She fulfilled her part. I’m the one who’ll default.” His hand clamped over my mouth as someone stood, walking the perimeter of the camp.

A smile flicked across his lips. He asked, “How much do you trust me?”

I snorted, “Are you kidding?” Trust and Eric were like puppies and vultures—they didn’t go together.

He looked down at me, “There’s no time for your witticisms, Taylor. Do you trust me or not?” The pit of my stomach twisted and I nodded.
Once.
Fear tightened my muscles. Eric smiled, shaking his head, sensing it.
 
He reached into his pocket, and pulled out his brimstone blade. Lifting it to his hand, he sliced open the skin on his thumb. Crimson welled up in thick red droplets. He thrust his hand toward me. My eyes saw nothing but his blood. My jaw locked, not understanding, and I looked up at him. He didn’t want me to drink that. He wasn’t serious …
  
was he?

“Quickly,” Eric said, “drink it. My blood’s not as potent as before. The demon blood is working its way out of me, because of the curse. But, it should be enough to help you relax so you don’t feed my... ah, affliction.” Comprehension slammed into me. If I drank his blood, I wouldn’t feed his fear. He could help control my emotions.

“Is that what’s happening? Back in the cage you seemed to have no trouble controlling the bloodlust. It seemed stronger. I thought you were controlling me and making it worse.”

He shook his head, quickly adding, “No, it’s the curse. It’s twisting things and making them different. Ivy, this is the only way I know to mute your terror, and we have to—or God knows what’ll happen. Drink it!” he hissed. There was a command in his voice, but I could fight it.

Eric pressed his bloodied thumb to my lips. Fear shot through me. Here I was making the same stupid choice I had to make earlier, but this was different. Eric’s future and mine were intertwined and I knew it. And so did
he
. Looking up into his eyes, I pressed my tongue to his wound and swallowed three times before the fear snaked out of me. The lightheaded feeling returned, and I smiled. Eric cursed as he tore his hand away. I giggled. “The initial buzz will wear off fast, and then it’ll be like before. Or it should be. But right now, you’ll have to do what I say. Let me speak when we are over there. Got it?” I nodded.

Without another word, he placed his hands around my waist, tugged me closer, and
effonated
us. I could feel him using my power and taking the pain of the
effonation
for both of us. I had no idea that was even possible. What the hell was he?

When we landed, Eric and I were directly on top of the circular path etched into the ground surrounding the camp. It was beyond bold. Slightly insane was more like it. But it had the effect he wanted. It made the guard materialize. When the angel turned around, Eric thrust me in front of him and pressed the black blade to my throat. I gasped, feeling it biting into my neck, but I didn’t care. His blood swam through my mind making it difficult to think.

The angel stared at us. Under the dark clothing that appeared to be made out of the same ethereal linen as the tents, a pink tee shirt popped out. Blonde curls were pinned to her head under her hat. Jenna Marie still looked like the picture perfect personification of cuteness. Her eyes narrowed in on my face. Recognition hit both of us at about the same time.

“Ivy,” she said. The shock washed away as she continued speaking, “Last time I saw you, you took off. And now you’re standing here, with... him?” Jenna Marie didn’t seem fazed. Her eyes moved over the pair of us, like she knew our little plan. How was she a
Seraphim
? After all the time I’d known her, Jenna Marie seemed like a valley girl, not a vengeful sword-swinging angel.

But Eric had other ideas, “I brought her for you. I heard you were looking for her.” My eyes darted to the side as I tried to turn and see Eric’s face, but the knife pressed into my throat. My brow pinched. I hadn’t known she was looking for me. Why did Eric? But my mind couldn’t think more than a step or two ahead. I couldn’t put the pieces together. His blood was fogging my brain, making lust burn and twist inside of my stomach. His fingers touching the skin on the side of my neck were making me nuts. A strong sense of calmness crashed into me. That must have been Eric manipulating my emotions.

Jeanna
Marie ignored me, and stared at Eric. Snow flurries drifted down, falling on her shoulders. Her perkiness turned to anger, “Do you think I’m stupid? I know why you’re here.”

“I don’t think you do,” Eric replied. Jenna Marie scoffed, about to say something else as Eric pressed the blade into my throat. Fear welled up in my stomach, but I felt Eric replace it with another emotion. I melted, not caring about the razor sharp blade pressing into my neck. Then, Eric’s weapon nicked my skin. Something warm ran down the side of my neck. My hands lifted, trembling, and I touched my throat where I felt the warm tickle. My fingertips came away covered in blood. My eyes went wide. Fear raced inside of me, but Eric squashed it promptly.
Completely.
It was enough that Jenna Marie saw the look of horror on my face, but not enough fear to awaken Eric’s insatiable lust for pain.

He tilted his head, and said to Jenna Marie, “It’s harder to get your information when she’s dead.”

Jenna Marie’s eyes were wide. She watched the expression on my face as my hand withdrew covered in blood. Up until that point, she acted as if it were a game. Like Eric wouldn’t really harm me. But now she thought otherwise. A gust of wind tore between us, tangling my hair and smearing it in the blood dripping down my neck. The wound wouldn’t heal as long as Eric held the blade there. I felt the warm burn of the torn flesh, but it wasn’t screaming pain, as it should have been. My heart raced, wondering what Eric was doing. He didn’t anticipate the Seraphim, but he seemed to know Jenna Marie would be here. Either that or it was luck, of which I had none. The mind fog started to lift, and as if Eric could sense it, a wave of thick emotions splashed over me again—everything from anger to lust. Eric did it. The rush of emotions made me stop thinking, so I could suppress the feelings he pushed into me. I barely heard what they said.

Jenna Marie snapped, “What do you want for her? I’m assuming you want something.” Her arms folded over her dark coat.

Eric breathed behind me, making me shudder. “Shannon McClure.
A trade.
One girl, for another...”

Jenna Marie’s narrowed eyes slipped over me. Her jaw locked, as her gaze drifted between my face and Eric’s. She didn’t know if she was being played. That was exactly how I felt. When Jenna Marie spoke, her voice was low, “They’ll kill her, you know. You won’t get your little pet back.”
Little pet?
What did she think I was to him? Could she tell I was doped up on demon blood?

“Why would I care?” Eric asked. The tension in his arms didn’t ease. The black blade held the wound on my neck open. Blood was running down my throat and pooling between my breasts. Eric never took his eyes off the angel. He could sense that she wasn’t going to take the bait. Me.

“Last chance,” he urged, determination in his voice.

Jenna Marie glanced over her shoulder, back toward the camp. Angels were weird. They seemed to be like Martis in some ways, but not others. I had a feeling she wanted me for a different reason than the Martis, which worried me. Finally she turned back, and answered, “Fine. It’s done. Give her to me.” Something swam in Jenna Marie’s eyes - something that made me wary of her. She had other intentions. Intentions Eric was aware of, but I was not.

Eric laughed, amused, “No, no, no. It doesn’t work that way. You deliver Shannon right now. Bring her outside the camp, and we’ll switch.”

Jenna Marie’s lips parted, as if she were going to say no. Her perfectly pink lips turned up at the corners to laugh at him, but her jaw fell open instead. When Eric saw the laughter on her face, the expression that challenged him, he pressed the blade deeper into my throat. My eyes shut tightly as the blade slid deeper into my skin. A small cry escaped from my mouth, as it opened in horror. I felt Eric’s warm hand on my neck. He didn’t subdue the pain that coursed through me. It filled my body in a rush. Eric breathed in deeply, ever so slowly, adding more pressure to the knife.
 
His hand didn’t shake. There was no remorse in his voice. And I could feel every ounce of pleasure shoot through him as he did it. Warmth slid down my neck, covering it in a red river, as blood flowed down, soaking my shirt. Eric pressed a kiss to my temple, slowly, as if he was caressing a lover.

Jenna Marie’s eyes were wide. She hesitated for a moment, shocked, before she said, “Enough! We trade now.” She said a word I didn’t know and moved her hand. Shannon appeared next to her as if she were plucked from scrubbing the floor. She was still on her hands and knees with a soapy brush in her hand. Her long cinnamon colored hair was tied at the nape of her neck.

Shannon gasped as she looked up at us. She jumped to her feet and tried to move behind Jenna Marie, but the angel clutched her wrist and stopped her. “You’ll be going with him.” She shoved Shannon forward and Eric grabbed her arm.

Eric withdrew the blade from my neck, and a smile twisted across his lips. When he released me, he pushed me toward Jenna Marie. She clasped my wrist tightly. A single brow on her face arched, as she said, “A pleasure, Eric.” He nodded and
effonated
out of sight with Shannon.

The look of terror on her face made my heart sink. I slumped back into her arms, blood still flowing from the wound. I tried to speak, but Jenna Marie shushed me. I blinked once.
Then again.
Then the world went black.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

My head felt like it was in a vice. As I opened my eyes, I saw a soft white light glowing above me. It wasn’t contained in a bulb. It was just there, illuminating white fabric that flowed in long stretches above me.