Chapter 632
Katelina followed Samael's gaze to the plane. Lights throbbed in the darkness. Dust, stirred up by the landing, drifted away on a soft night breeze.
Katelina held her breath as the hatch opened, then folded down to a set of stairs. She tugged the dagger out of her pocket, not that it would be much use against Lilith. She remembered the battle at the ball; the way Lilith had thrown energy around, moved faster than sight, and held people in thrall just by looking at them. She'd warned Samael that if she faced Katelina again, she'd take her.
Not that he'd care.
Something moved and Katelina tensed. But, it wasn't Lilith that walked down the stairs. It was
"Ishkur?"
"You found the whore," Samael's voice reverberated from the buildings. "And she sent you as a sacrifice at my altar."
Ishkur's coppery armor glinted in the moonlight. He brandished a heavy war mace, shinier and more jagged than Zander's. "I defeated you once, long ago. I will do so again."
"You call an attack in the dark, aided by the great whore, defeat? How strange your sense of honor. Can I expect less from her consort?"
Ishkur jumped the last step to land with a little puff of dust. "Your words are loud from the other side of the fence."
"Then let us be rid of it." Samael raised his hand. Katelina drew closer to Jorick as the fence twisted and writhed. It ripped apart, curling away like the gates.
Ishkur flinched. Then, with a cry, he raced through the ruined wire, bounded over the first van and landed in front of Samael.
"Eager to die, child?"
Katelina felt Samael's amusement. Micah jabbed her in the ribs, ripping her attention away from the ancients. "You gonna watch or participate, princess?"
She followed his nod to see vampires getting off the airplane. Among them, she recognized William and a female who'd been at the ballprobably Angelica.
"Come on." Micah dragged Katelina toward their enemies. Jorick, Des, Torina, Brandle, and Zander had gone ahead, weapons at the ready. Oren and Verchiel hung back, attention on Ishkur and Samael.
Katelina looked around quickly. "Where's Xandria? And Kai and Sorino?"
"Girly's in the van still. As to the snake and his pet, I dunno. Who needs 'em, huh?"
They met Lilith's horde. Zander swung the rusty mace like an expert, knocking away three vampires. Katelina dodged to avoid getting hit, and nearly bowled Torina over.
The vampiress' dagger clattered to the ground. "Watch it!" Before she could retrieve her weapon, Angelica sprang. The pair landed in a clawing heap on the ground. Torina kicked and twisted, but her attacker brandished a blade.
Katelina lunged, ready to stab her through the back. Brandle grabbed her arm and swung her away.
"What in the hell?" she cried.
He jerked Angelica free of Torina and dumped her on the ground. "Stop this."
Angelica leapt to her feet. "Acwellen! What are you doing here?"
"It's Brandle now. I'm here to stop you and that fool William from getting killed." He looked to where William charged Zander, waving a chipped sword. "Fopdoodle!"
When Brandle ran to intervene, Torina pulled up, dagger in hand. She snarled at Angelica. "Brandle may want you to live, but I don't."
William shouted and struggled as Brandle dragged him toward the edge of the fight. "Let me go, Acwellen! Or I swear"
"Be quiet, you imbecile." Brandle deposited him on the ground. "Enough of this madness. You are both going to get killed, and for what? Because you're bored?"
William stood and brandished his blade. With an annoyed grunt, Brandle knocked it aside. Angelica pushed between them. "Stop it, both of you. Acw-Brandle. Enough. You know why we're here."
"Of course," Brandle snapped. "You're here to escape your squabbling sisters. William is under the mistaken impression that Lilith will destroy the Kugsankal and we'll go back to anarchy and chaos. But let me ask you this, friend, if she plans to take them, why is she in Texas and not Munich? Why does she raid the den of the dead instead of the halls of the Sodalitas?"
"We're here for a weapon," William snarled.
"I know why you're here; a shield Lilith believes has magical powers. Don't tell me you subscribe to such lunacy? We've lived long enough to know there is no magic."
"Magic or not, Kalithat's her name, not LilithKali believes it will help in the war. What does it hurt? If it does nothing, we're no more behind than we were, but if it does-if the Kugsankal are as superstitious as she is"
Brandle broke into rough laughter. "You fool. You travel with one of them. Ishkur is the leader of the Kugsankal. He's the king of the vampires, the emperor, the one who conquered and united, the very one you want to vanquish. How can you not see this? The Kugsankal are not her goal. She wishes to kill her former lover. You, Angelica, and the others are cannon fodder."
William bared his fangs. "It was not Ishkur who did those things, but Suan; Suan whom Ishkur killed."
"How long ago did he take charge? What has changed since? Has Ishkur released his iron-like grip on the world? Have the Laws changed?"
"Because he's hampered by the rest of the council. Once they've been removed and Kali"
"To revolt against leaders, one must believe that those leaders wield power. Kali has no plans to overthrow them because she doesn't recognize their authority. She doesn't need to overthrow them."
Katelina tuned out William's reply, her attention on the fighting. Zander moved through their enemies like a tornado, swinging the mace as if he was born to it. Micah and Loren stood back, admiration in their eyes. Des tore the heart from one of the fallen, blood splattered up to his elbow.
The air was rocked by a roaring crash, like the sound of a wrecking ball hitting a building. Katelina saw a cloud of dust. Samael stood, hand still raised, laughing. "Did she believe such a trick would work? To use you as a distraction while she snuck inside for her prize. How shortsighted to think I wouldn't have already destroyed it."
Ishkur growled. Katelina could see a cut on his cheek. Blood trickled down his face.
Cold feminine laughter made Katelina shiver. She drew back, her eyes glued to the fractured building against her will. She felt Lilith; a surge of crushing icy power.
Lilith stepped out into the open. Long black hair was pulled up in a braided crown. Deep eyes glittered like the heart of the universe.
Katelina couldn't see past them, couldn't see Lilith's face, or the ruined building, or those who fought around her. There were only those diamond eyes and the cool darkness they promised. Darkness scented with blood.
A wave of energy slammed into Katelina. She stumbled and grabbed the nearest thing for support. As reality came back, she realized she was hanging onto Torina's arm. The vampiress shook her head and blinked, as dazed as Katelina.
She wasn't sure how much time had passed. Minutes? Seconds? Samael was where Lilith had been, his arms out and palms flat. "At last she shows herself, like a rat slinking from the shadows."
Katelina found Lilith, standing several feet away. "I am no rat, but a raven. I do not fear you, or your pathetic rabble." With the motion of her hand, another wave of energy knocked all but the ancients to the ground.
Katelina struggled to stand. Torina pulled her back down. "Let them fight each other."
Samael chuckled. It sounded more like gravel than mirth. "I have no rabble. Unlike you, I do not need to hide behind an army."
"Then what do you call these?" Lilith motioned around her.
"They do not come to assist me."
Something snapped in Katelina's head. He was right. She wasn't there for him, she was there for Sarah and Estrilda. They should sneak on the plane now, while everyone was busy. Like Lilith had done.
