Page 84

Amaliya sighed. “It just makes me cranky to be here.”

Samantha checked her pink iPhone. The case sparkled with rhinestones. A small smile touched her lips.

“Jeff?” Amaliya asked.

The vampire hunter was cute in a geeky sort of away. He and Samantha made an adorable couple. The diamond sparkling on her ring finger said all that was needed about their relationship. It had appeared without fanfare. Amaliya had taken note, but hadn’t asked. If the couple didn’t want to talk about their engagement, there was probably a reason for it. Well, that reason was probably that they were probably all going to die very soon. The fact that the usually bubbly, over-the-top blonde had remained mum about it had even kept Amaliya from questioning her.

“He just wanted to make sure we’re okay,” Samantha answered. “You know how men are.”

Amaliya’s own battered iPhone kept flashing messages from Cian. He was worse than Jeff. It made her boyfriend nuts that he couldn’t leave the Austin city limits without risk of a serious incursion the moment he left.

The vampire stared at her cooling coffee. She couldn’t bring herself to drink it. Basically, she stirred the brew and pretended to sip it. “I don’t know how the fuck we’re going to keep The Summoner from ripping down the veil.”

“We still have one of the rings. He needs all thirteen. Right there, we’re far ahead of him.” Samantha flashed an encouraging smile at Amaliya. “And he doesn’t have you. It must make him nuts.”

Amaliya rolled her eyes. “It’s like having the worst ex-boyfriend in the world.”

“Or is it girlfriend? I mean, since he’s in Bianca.”

“Either way, it’s annoying as hell. So sick of this bullshit. Is it wrong to just want it all to blow up so we can get it over with?”

Samantha cast a leery look. “Even if we all die?”

Shifting uncomfortably, Amaliya wondered if she should confide in Samantha about what she’d been experiencing since July when she had first seen Bianca and known The Summoner was embedded in her body. Their small group was counting on Amaliya in a way that made her very uncomfortable. As the only other necromancer-vampire, she was the only one who could truly fight back against The Summoner. She couldn’t fail them. Yet, every night she struggled with the invisible ties that tethered her to The Summoner encapsulated in Bianca’s tiny body. There were days when she woke up with her body on fire with the lust for the one who had created her. It went beyond sex to something darker, more powerful, dripping in death and evil. She wondered if Cian suspected. Sometimes she’d catch him worriedly watching her with his beautiful hazel eyes.

Tonight, her necromantic power was buzzing around her, craving release. Just like she desired blood, she desired to raise the dead. Each time she brought them forth from their graves, they fed her with death and power.

“Well?” Samantha was demanding an answer.

Sliding her hands across the table, she lightly touched Samantha’s fingertips. Their power flared between them, spinning around in a whirlwind of ebony streaked with glowing white luminescence. They alone could see it, but it was reassuring. “I’m not going to let you die, Samantha. Or anyone else if I can help it. I just want to kill him.”

Samantha grinned. “Me, too. So bad.” Tilting her head, she said, “Shut up, Roberto.”

Amaliya was always surprised with how much Samantha’s touch grounded her. Their abilities meshed perfectly, bringing balance.

“You better let go of me. The ghost isn’t the only one thinking we’re lezzing out,” Samantha said, gently squeezing Amaliya’s hands. Her eyes slide to one side, indicating a table filled with people staring at them openly.

Releasing Samantha, Amaliya immediately felt the churning sensation return. Her cellphone buzzed again. Picking it up, she saw the message she’d been waiting for. “They’re here.”

“Time to be bad asses,” Samantha said, grinning.

Amaliya smirked. “Totally.”

“Just don’t scare them off. No, snarling, threats, or bad attitude, okay?”

Amaliya rolled her eyes. “Fine. Whatever. Is it wrong to wish they’d be assholes so we could have a fight?”

“Yeah. Very wrong! Now behave,” Samantha chided her.

With a weary sigh, Amaliya nodded. “Gotcha.” She’d do her best, but she couldn’t promise anything.

Samantha was seriously worried about Amaliya. Everyone was under a lot of duress, and so everyone just assumed Amaliya was showing signs of the strain they all felt. In theory it made sense, but Samantha could feel something was wrong. As much as it pained her to admit it, there was a link between the two women. Sometimes it flared to life giving Samantha a glimpse into Amaliya’s internal struggles.

With so much on the line, she had expected more people to step up to the plate and join them in Austin to hold off The Summoner’s minions. Jeff kept pointing out that the Assembly had actively tried to stop The Summoner from acquiring the rest of the rings, but entire factions had been wiped out by The Summoner’s forces. Samantha didn’t understand why they couldn’t get anyone to actually volunteer to move to Austin to help hold back The Summoner. It pissed her off.

Jeff’s last estimate on how many of the rings The Summoner had acquired was between ten and twelve. The only reassurance was the fact that Cassandra and Aimee had hidden the last one. None of the experts on the occult were certain how much damage could be caused without the complete set. Some were estimating that only sections of the world would be permanently opened to the abyss, which, of course, included Texas.

Now seated across from Amaliya in a Denny’s waiting on the emissaries from two of the most powerful vampires in Texas, Samantha wondered if they were doomed to fail. She didn’t want to be negative, but it seemed like they were constantly scrambling to anticipate what would come next.