Chapter 627: Vampire Threat
Sassafras wouldn't let me go off with Demetrius alone, scampering away to raise the alarm even as I hissed at him to come back. Within moments, Gram and Charlotte hovered next to me while Demetrius did a little hopping dance of frustration over the delay.
"Shenka." I met her eyes, saw her bend to scoop up Sassafras whose big amber eyes blinked slowly at me once.
I didn't have to say anything else.
"We'll hold the fort," she said. "And protect the family. No matter what."
Sassy's tail thrashed in agreement.
"Keep an eye on the Enforcers," I said. "They might try to push you. Don't let them."
She grinned, a nasty expression as Sassafras hummed a growl in the back of his throat. "Might be fun," she said. Trill giggled behind her hand before sobering.
"We'll distract them, if necessary." Her dark eyes glittered in the light of the single bulb illuminating the basement. "My brothers and I have had experience with evasion in the past." I just bet. "Good luck."
I could only imagine what kind of distraction Trill had in mind for the Howermall and his people if they decided to invade my territory. And pitied the Enforcers if they pushed their limits.
My family as safe as they could be under the circumstances, I finally held out my hand to Demetrius, the other taking Charlotte's as Gram snatched the small sorcerer's arm in an iron grip.
He brightened immediately. "Quick!" A gaping black hole opened beside him, the pull of his sorcery calling to the blossom of power at the base of my own magic, the petals sighing open in answer. I squashed them closed, preferring to rely on his power, not sure how ours would blend together.
Okay, that wasn't it. I still feared giving my sorcery free rein and was totally fine letting Demetrius lead the way.
Demetrius said my family vampires were in danger. I didn't need him to explain who he meant. My heart constricted in worry for Sunny and Uncle Frank as I stepped into the darkness and allowed the emptiness to swallow me.
Wouldn't have, had I known what to expect. Would have ridden the veil, avoided the black at all costs. But I had no idea, none. So different, this way of travel. I thought it would feel like the veil, that rubbery feeling, or soap bubbly as happened when I crossed to the Sidhe realm. But this emptiness was nothing like I was used to. Darkness, deeper and emptier than I'd ever felt, devoured sight, sound, touch, taste, smell. All feeling, all magic, everything.
Gone.
I could feel a scream build in my chest, rising from the deepest core of me, denying the loss of self. The emptiness clawed at my soul, took everything I valued and loved, chewed at my sanity while wanting more.
More.
More-
I gasped a breath as I staggered from the black, stumbling with hands outstretched, scream still threatening, into a dark stone hallway. A tiny meep escaped before I could muzzle my aching terror. My shaking hands settled on my weak knees as I bent in half, panting to catch my breath.
Horrible. Just. Freaking. Horrible.
A hand reached for my arm, tugged on me, Demetrius's feet pattering beside me as he danced with impatience. "Come," he said.
I looked up through tears hovering in my vision and lunged for him, grasping his shirt in one hand as my rage, my demon howling her fury, slammed into me.
"Don't." I choked out that one word. "Don't ever." Pant. "Do that again."
His eyes drooped, sadness on his face. "It ate you," he said.
Shudder. "Is that what happened to you, Demetrius?" My demon retreated to stomp and grumble and throw a hissy fit in the back of my mind as I seized control again and released him. My fingers smoothed the wrinkles in his food and filth spotted t-shirt, left behind by my fist, as he bobbed back and forth from foot to foot, an eerie whine rising from him.
"Eats everything," he whispered so loudly I'm sure they heard him back home.
Because we weren't home anymore. Not by a long shot. And though the mountains I spotted outside the window loomed cold and unwelcoming, I knew this hallway. Had been here before. One look through the narrow doorway into the room next to me and I had my confirmation.
A huge portrait of an unsmiling Sunny looked down on me from the darkness, her gorgeous face lit with the beam of light allowed in through the open doorway coming from the hall.
Why did I feel like she judged me?
"Girl." Gram grasped my hand, her own shaking slightly as her eyes met mine. From the anxiety in her face, how pale she seemed, she'd suffered the same discomfort I had, though she seemed calmer about it. "We're on splintering glass. Tread carefully."
"Margaret Applegate can bite me." I cared less what the European Council Leader thought at this point. Especially if Demetrius was right, if Sunny and Uncle Frank were in trouble. And I had no reason to doubt him.
A glance at Charlotte told me she wasn't happy either. Her wolf stood in her eyes, coming through in her face as her features morphed slightly into canine shape, though, as I watched, she regained control and nodded once. Her jaw remained clenched, though, skin as pale as Gram's just beginning to take on the flush of life again.
"Hurry, dawn will come soon. We don't have much time." Demetrius's dance increased in pace.
But dawn was hours aw-
Time zones, Syd. Duh.
Demetrius tugged and I finally responded, following close beside him as he moved silently down the red carpet, eyes darting from side to side as though expecting some kind of attack.
Which made me even more concerned. Uncle Frank and Sunny would never hurt me.
If that was true, why was Demetrius so nervous?
Just in case, I opened to my vampire. Think we should take some precautions?
She felt as troubled as I was. Wise, she sent as she pushed outward, her power shielding the others with her essence. But perhaps will simply alert the Queen sooner of our presence.
Hmm. She was right. Six of one problem, half a dozen of trouble.
"Demetrius." He twitched when I said his name. "Alison is here?"
He bobbed a nod, still tugging on me despite our forward motion. "She is," he whispered. "She wants to feed."
On vampires?
That actually makes sense, my vampire sent, her power swirling, making me queasy. She feeds on creation magic, on blood. Vampires need it to survive. But because she has part of me inside her, it's possible she requires creation energy already absorbed by the undead. What better source than the pure spirit energy of those with whom she shares kinship?
I mulled that over, still feeling sick, when Demetrius suddenly stopped, even as Charlotte growled like a cornered dog.
"Sydlynn Hayle." I knew his voice, turned to find Piotr Wilhelm, former lieutenant to the original queen and not my biggest fan, standing behind us. Smiling and glaring at the same time, dark hair perfectly styled, tall, lean body dressed in the finest Victorian apparel.
And he wasn't alone. A dozen vampires lined the hall, more appearing in front of us as I turned my head to watch them flicker from shadow, a gathering from the past like some freakshow theatre production gone horribly wrong.
Not good. "Hi, Pete." I decided on casual, figuring he had us but unable to resist prodding him. "Is Sunny home?"
His grin turned to a scowl, spirit power flaring around him, brightening the hall as the other vampires followed with their own light show.
"Invader," he snarled. "My queen will punish you for your trespass." He licked his lips slowly, fangs showing. "And I will petition her to allow me to drain you personally." His smile widened. "You were so delicious the first time."
Sick bastard. I already guessed he'd tasted my blood, was certain long before now he'd been there when Batsheva ordered me killed. No way was he getting another drop.
"We'll see," I said. Shrugged. I was all out of nice. "Well? What are you waiting for, flunky boy? Lead us to Sunny."
Girl, Gram sent. You might be invincible, but the rest of us aren't. Despite her admonishment, Gram's faded blue eyes sparkled as she met my gaze.
I was forced to turn away from her, to face Piotr as he glided forward, in my space, in my face. His breath stank of too much wine and decay as he breathed on me.
"This time," he said, "you will stay dead."
Piotr brushed past me, striding off as the vampire gang approached in a menacing half circle. With no choice, and knowing I had to get to the bottom of this, I turned and played follow the leader.
***
