"I'm not stupid. Maybe I didn't finish high school, but ever since I got dropped into this world of vampire-owned nightclubs and hunky tribreds, I've known I don't belong here any more than I belonged in my previous life. It's borrowed time. I'm working on being okay with that."
Justin cleared his throat. "It's hard to argue against your theory. Maggie had already come to the conclusion that you and Satine could end up destroying each other. But don't begin to think you're going up against the she-devil by yourself."
"I'm working on protective spells for all of us," put in Maggie. "I've got a few ingredients to get, but I should be ready to go by tonight."
"I'll be with you, Rose," promised Kellan, his eyes dark and full of retribution. "We'll all have your back."
"Damn it, what was my mother doing all those years? Hanging around in the waiting room for the opportunity to meddle around in my life?" demanded Gabriel.
Rose's smile at the show of support died. She faced Gabriel, her chin set. "I don't know. But I can tell you this. I'd give my very soul for a mother who cared so much for me that she was taking care of me from the other side. Now if you'll excuse me, I've had enough to eat. I'd like to be alone for a while. I'm going to take a walk in the orchard. I need to do some thinking, and I don’t want company." She pushed back from the table and stood.
Gabriel moved as if to stand and she put a hand on his shoulder. "It's perfectly safe out there," she added.
Gabriel bit his lip and shoved his hands in his pockets.
They held silent until the slam of the screen door. Maggie put her head in her hands. "That went well."
"Way to support the girl, Gabriel. Way to go." Justin gave a disgusted snort.
Guilt rode him and he turned on his brother. "And just how do you suppose you're going to fight the vampires, huh? Gonna send them all on a little vacation, make them feel guilty for trying to kill you? At least Kellan and I can call up our demons to fight."
"Oh yeah, that's the way to do it. Taunt your brother." He stood and went toe to toe with Gabriel. "You're a little too amped up on the demon juice. You revel in the fight. Your control is worth shit. You think you have nothing to live for and you're ready to go down, or go full demon. What about Rose? Isn't she worth living for? Can't you see, you stupid ass, that she's already mated with you?"
Gabriel, his eyes blazing, gave Justin a short punch to the gut, got a slug to the jaw in return, and they were down on the ground, slugging and wrestling each other like they hadn't done in twenty years.
Maggie looked at them, appalled. She glanced at Kellan who edged his chair back and away from the two on the ground. "What should I do?"
"Let them blacken each other's eyes. They'll get over it. Better the two of them pound it out than not confront the issue." Kellan shrugged. "At least, that's what Gideon always used to say. Hey now, no turning, that's not playing fair," he shouted as both men's eyes whirled, demon-green.
"Guys, guys—come on. Stop it right now." Maggie stamped her foot but the two brothers ignored her. "You don't want me to put a whammy on you," she warned. They continued to tussle.
"Aw, go ahead and whammy 'em," said Kellan. He stretched out his legs as if to enjoy the show. "Before they start breaking the furniture," he added as a picture fell from the wall.
Maggie focused, gathered her energy, and tossed it toward the two men. As if two invisible hands had pushed between them, they were shoved apart, beyond arm's reach, and lifted in the air off their feet. "Stop it, now." Maggie's voice deepened and grew huskier than ever with the power swirling inside her.
Justin and Gabriel both snarled at her and her energies shook them like puppies. She dropped them and they landed in a clatter of long limbs and cries of surprise.
As one, they rose to confront her. She stood tall, a wind ruffling her hair. "Go ahead. Try it." Her brown eyes were frosty with the challenge, her hands at the ready.
Justin slumped against the wall, touched his mouth, swollen from one of Gabriel's punches. "Trust a witch to stop the fun," he said, and fell to his knees. Coughed. "If I start peeing blood, I'm blaming you."
"So am I." Maggie glared at Gabriel.
Gabriel snarled, starting for Maggie.
"Please." She held up her hand and he stopped. "Do you even know why you are so angry? Maybe Justin's right and you are in danger of becoming your demon permanently. Well, don't take it out on him. You'd better do some serious thinking before you lose it all together. The woman loves you. Why don't you try being worthy of her love instead of whining about your blood?"
He hesitated, staring at her. Finally he turned away, slamming through the kitchen door to the outside.
Maggie sank down in the nearest chair and trembled in reaction.
"Way to go, dollface. Way to go." Justin sent her a look.
Kellan moved to Justin, helped him up. "Let's get you back to bed." Over his shoulder, he smiled at Maggie. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing you could have controlled." Justin shook off Kellan, snorted and made his way out to the stairs.
"So they pound on each other rather than the people who deserve it." Maggie shook her head in disgust. "That's pitiful."
"They're still finding their way." Kellan slumped back into his chair, exhausted. "We're all still finding our way. We haven't been together like this in years. The only person missing is the oldest, Gregor. Then it's really a party."
Satine huddled below the rubble that had been Twisted, deeming it the safest place for her to hide with the summer sun overhead. Others were above her; not all had fled the destruction, though she couldn’t find Vladimir. The space she'd poured herself into was compact, just a bit of the staircase near her office that hadn't yet collapsed. She had no other place to go, and didn’t know how to find Vlad’s daylight home.
She cursed her lack of forethought. A nice place in the mountains wasn't out of her reach, but did she think about investing? Of course not. She'd followed where Vlad led. He’d been so determined to take over from his sire. Once he got the club and all the Los Angeles vamps, he’d abandoned their real estate game. Too bad he didn’t realize what an example he’d set for her.
With every drop of blood in her body, she wanted Vlad’s power. She
deserved
Vlad’s power. If only Gabriel’s soul had surrendered to her! She’d be on top. Vlad would be dead. Caine and his brothers would also be dead, they wouldn’t have thought of destroying the club.
They had gone too far. Overstepped their place. She'd have her revenge, though. She always did revenge well. With everything the Caines had done to her, revenge was completely justified. They scared her demons, freed her weres. They killed Chazz. When they ruined Twisted with a couple of well-placed bombs, she'd just been lucky to be away, trying to turn Gabriel. But even if he came to her on bended knee, begging to be her slave, she'd deny him now. Deny them all.
Her thoughts roved over the building, touching on other vampires where they rested, hiding until she needed them. She'd been lucky. Some had remained incredibly loyal to her. She'd definitely have to reward them for surviving, for staying with her through the apocalypse that had become her life.
The Caines had to be dealt with. Destroyed, except for Gabriel. She'd torture him before she killed him. All she needed was the dark. Once sundown hit, she'd take them all out.
Sara.
The voice slid into her mind as if they'd done it thousands of times before. The vampire clenched her fists. Rose.
The name is Satine. What the hell do you want?
I heard you want Vladimir destroyed. Do you have any ideas on how to go about that?
Satine bit her lip
. You still have all the Caines in your back pocket?
There was silence. Satine tried reaching down the pathway to take her to Rose, but a smooth metal door barred her way. Frustration built inside her.
I am still with the Caines,
came the cautious reply.
Look, if you don't want Vlad taken out, then fine. I'll leave you alone.
No, wait!
Satine had thought this through, several times. Her favorite bedtime fantasy.
He's like stone. He has few weaknesses. But even stone will crack open when you hit it at the right angle.
So fire is out,
mused Rose.
Fear skittered through Satine at the mention of fire, a vampire's worst nightmare. She pushed the thought away and focused on Vlad’s demise.
Beheading works, but you need a blade sharp enough, and a hand strong enough to wield it. You bring the Caines tonight and I'll bring Vlad.
Satine put as much persuasion in her mental voice as she could. She felt Rose waver.
If we manage to free you from Vlad, then you'll leave us alone? All of us?
That's truly all I want.
We'll see.
Abruptly the sense of Rose drained out of Satine's mind. Elation filled her. Finally, she could see a way clear. Once she had the Caines in front of her, she'd use one against the other and take them all.
Kill them all.
First, of course, Rose. It was a fitting punishment for Gabriel, to see his love die…slowly. Then she'd rip him apart after making him beg for her. The other Caines, well. She'd have to see which of them were up to her weight, sexually. She might be persuaded to keep one of them.
As she planned the Caines' destruction, a part of her roving mind kept watch over the building she huddled in. Another part touched upon Vladimir. If he ever found out about her plans, he’d destroy her. Slowly.
Vlad hadn’t spared her much time since they destroyed his sire. He rarely showed up at the club. He was always off on some adventure or errand without her, or spending time at his lair, a place she'd never been invited to. Yet he expected her to be there whenever he wanted, for whatever he wanted.
Fear ate at her rage and cunning. He was out there, somewhere, and he would be waiting to punish her for failing to keep the club safe. And this time, it wouldn't be a mere cat 'o nine tails wielded in his tireless hand.
No. It would be a thousand times worse. Not a satin-sheeted bed with velvet handcuffs. More likely, it would be an iron bound coffin tucked away in the bowels of the mountains north of the city or something similar that she couldn't escape from. A place where she would waste away, desiccated, bloodless, alone until he saw fit to release her.
She caught back a sob of pure panic. Nothing was worse for a vampire than the absence of their senses. Touching nothing, being suspended in the dark, was one of her nightmares from childhood. How ironic that, now she had become one of the world's most dangerous predators, that nightmare actually looked to come true.
He'd even told her so. As he'd whipped her that last time, he'd told her he suspected her of treason, of wanting his power. He’d told her she’d never get away from him, that she was his pet. His plaything, to use or ignore at his desire.
Satine's low growl in the dark caused a minor rumbling in the plaster and building materials above her head. Dust sifted around her as she caught her emotions. Footsteps reverberated from far above. She couldn't scent who it was, but she knew it wasn't night yet. That switch that all vampires had in their heads hadn't been triggered. It wouldn't be safe to rise now, not even to stop the intruder.
Satine.
A chill slid down her spine. She went still as stone there in the dark, her face pressed against her knees. If she kept her mind blank, empty, maybe Vlad wouldn't find her. Terror struck her bones, made them feel brittle and almost human in their delicacy.
Satine.