Page 11 of Between Bloode and Death (Between the Shadows #5)

CHAPTER

ELEVEN

That evening at midnight—well, technically, a few minutes before it officially approached the hour—Val arrived alone at the address she’d been given.

By order of his assholeness, Master Khentimentiu of the Night Bloode.

His note had been pretty to the point.

Valentine Darkmore:

You have interfered in matters far beyond your understanding.

But since you are a mere human, I will give you a rare boon.

It’s with great pity for your obvious lack of intelligence that I allow you to continue to live.

Arrive at this address at midnight. No sooner, no later, or there will be a price to pay.

Should you ignore this summons, the beings residing with you at the demon house will come for dinner and stay as dessert.

Make haste, human.

Master Khentimentiu of the Night Bloode

Not surprisingly, Talon had argued he needed to come with her. But she had no intention of putting anyone in more danger than she was already in.

The shifters of Beast Brigade agreed with her.

Val knew Khent wanted her alive. Talon was still on the Night Bloode’s shit list for poisoning the nachzehrer and his lycan mate. Riley, said lycan mate and powerful berserker, was the only person who might be able to provide adequate protection for them when they eventually fought Vladimir.

Riley owed Talon a debt. No matter how annoyed with him she might be, she’d pay it, or so Talon said.

Personally, Val thought Riley would ditch them when they needed her most. Not that Val could blame her. Keeping that worst-case scenario in mind, Val kept working on backup spells and plans to provide alternate protection.

But even she had to admit she couldn’t fight the most powerful necromancer on the planet and a reaper. Not with their small group of shifters or by herself.

She’d left Grizz and Aisha at home to keep an eye on everyone. For all that she’d thought herself hidden, the reaper had found her easily enough.

Mustering up courage, she left her car in front of a gorgeous mansion in Mercer Island and gazed at such beauty under a bright night, the waning moon inviting.

She let her energy drift in the air, twining around the place, and felt an instant connection with the power inside.

Shocked, she blinked at a super tall, older woman, who suddenly appeared in front of her. They stood nose to nose.

“Well, hello there.” The woman had pale skin, long black hair threaded with white, and dark, slender eyes with long lashes, hinting at Japanese ancestry.

“Er, hi.” Val didn’t know where the woman had come from. She didn’t stand near any trees, and there were at least thirty feet from her spot at the curb to the home’s front door.

“Follow me,” the woman said, welcome in her voice.

Startled to find the stranger shrinking in size as they walked, Val used her magic to look at her but saw nothing but a vague shadow…that extended to the entire house.

The woman opened the door and entered, but Val took a moment before crossing the threshold. Would taking this step seal her own fate, stealing away her freedom?

What sane woman willingly visited a house of vampires and thought she’d live to see tomorrow?

Once inside, she took a deep breath and let it out, striving for calm. The home looked lovely, tastefully decorated and empty of everyone but the older woman and Val.

No Khent to speak of.

She let herself relax just a little.

They walked past the living room and dining room into a grand kitchen.

Where Khent and a blond man waited.

Crap.

Upon seeing her, Khent smiled, looking positively villainous. And sexy. And annoying. “I see you made the right choice.”

“The only choice,” she grumbled.

“Perhaps you aren’t as unintelligent as I’d thought.”

It took all Val had not to flip him off.

“She totally wants to say something nasty,” the blond murmured and grinned, showing fangs.

Fangs from a blond? But not a fae. So it was true. The Night Bloode really did have a yellow-haired draugr.

From what she knew of his tribe, draugrs had powerful magic, considered themselves tricksters—as if normal vamps weren’t bad enough—and shifted into wolves. They lived and congregated in Scandinavian regions, so seeing them in the States was unusual enough.

But a blond vampire. So bizarre.

All vampires, draugrs included, had dark skin and dark eyes, though skin color could vary in shades of brown and tan. The blond vamp had shoulder-length hair, a handsomely sinful face, and dark blue eyes?

She studied him.

He studied her back. “She’s totally into me, Khent. You might need to sit this one out.”

Khent crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the counter, and watched her.

She needed to keep an eye on him too, except she grew distracted when the old woman turned into someone much younger with medium-brown skin and a girlish appearance. Not a witch, exactly, not with all that magic. But not a mage.

Still, the death magic and witchery clouding the now younger-woman’s aura felt almost divine. Like…

Val swallowed. “Hecate, I presume?”

The goddess smiled. “And you’re Valentine Darkmore. The necromancer.”

The draugr looked fascinated. “We should totally test her magic.” He gave a nod to Khent. “Hey, then you can dissect her.”

Khent had the nerve to smirk.

“I don’t think so.” Val had to force herself to unclench her fists. She glared at Khent. “No. Please don’t try to protect me from this feral draugr. I can handle myself.”

The draugr laughed.

Khent huffed. “Why would I bestir myself to action over a human?”

“No, dear.” Hecate grabbed Val’s arm. “You can’t try to kill him. He’ll retaliate, and then you’ll be dead.”

“Oh, she was going big. I do like her.” The blond wriggled his eyebrows. “I’m Rolf. The only vampire you need to worry about. Don’t worry, sweetness. Consider yourself under my protection.” He puffed his chest out deliberately. “Khent, I challenge you for the honor of owning our newest pet.”

“Pet?” Val frowned. “I’m alive.”

“So?” Rolf shrugged, and she was surprised to find him carrying more muscle than his frame suggested. It was as if he wore a perpetual glamour. She focused on him and saw floating runes surrounding him, a cloak of magic invisible to the naked eye.

He preened under her attention. “Hot, right?”

Khent finally seemed annoyed. “Rolf, go away. I have business with our new associate.”

Since associate sounded much better than pet or slave, Val remained quiet while Rolf left the kitchen, laughing. Hecate remained, which made Val feel a little safer. Especially since Khent didn’t seem any friendlier, despite his invitation.

“Sit, human.”

“My name is Val.”

He sighed. “I’m already exhausted, and we’ve barely spoken.”

Val turned to Hecate. “Is there anyone else here I can talk to? I came, not because your reaper called, but because there’s a situation you need to know about.”

“Yes, yes.” Hecate moved to the refrigerator, glanced back at Val, then pulled out a tray of fruits and cheeses that made Val’s stomach rumble. “Please eat. Khent, anything for you?”

He didn’t look away from Val, his lips curling. “No, thank you. I ate a witch earlier.”

Val refused to react to mention of his human snack. “I hear they taste like chicken.”

His grin widened before he wiped it from his face. “Funny, Valentine Darkmore.”

She sighed and bit into a grape. “It’s just Val.”

“It’s whatever I say it is.”

“Sure thing, Master Khent.”

He nodded. “Very good.”

She rolled her eyes.

Hecate coughed, her grin evident. “Yes, well, let’s talk, shall we? Khent brought you here because the remains of a dark presence have resurfaced at the bazaar. The same dark magic used when Sebastian Castle tried to create abominations has returned.”

Khent added, “Since Sebastian Castle is dead, and the dark one’s marker remains, you are our only tie to that stain on this realm.”

“How am I tied to this?”

“It’s death magic, Valentine. You’re the only necromancer in the city.”

She shoved two more grapes into her mouth, starving and surprisingly awake. She’d been getting her days and nights all mixed up since coming back to the city to put their big plan into action. “Now hold on. I can’t be the only necromancer in the city.”

“But you are.” Hecate sighed and sat at the counter next to Val. “Unfortunately, the magir community hasn’t changed much since they started shuttling necromancers to the far ends of the earth.”

“You mean killing them all,” Val corrected.

“That or sending them to hell.” Khent shrugged. “The result is the same. Death magic has become extremely rare.”

“Still. I can’t be the only one here.” That made her sad, that her kind had so little standing they continued to be considered fair game by fellow magic users. “I can tell you I’m not the only one.”

“Ah, yes.” Khent nodded. “Did you also catch the whiff of necromantic magic on the hell-threader and dark elves before you ran away?” He watched her, his eyes intense. “With your gargoyle friend?”

“Hey, I didn’t call the dead spider or the fae into existence. And yes, I did run away, and I’m proud of it. I don’t know if you could tell, but the scent on the elves was all wrong.”

“Of course I could tell.” He sounded offended she’d doubt him. “The stain of evil was strong. It was the same scent of darkness that came from whoever Sebastian Castle was working with when he tried conjuring hellspawn out of dead lycans and berserkers.”

She cringed. “Lucky someone stopped them.”

“Someone?” Khent scoffed. “The Night Bloode—”

“To include Riley, previously of the Crimson Claw pack, now a part of the Night Bloode,” Hecate clarified. More for Khent than Val, Val guessed.

“Of course, let’s not forget Riley.” He sounded less than gracious.

“I had nothing to do with any of that,” Val said before they could somehow accuse her of being a part of that insane plot. She stared from Hecate to Khent and decided to take the plunge. “But I think I know who did.”

“Yes, do tell us.” Khent leaned forward.

“He’s the most powerful necromancer on the planet. He’s been around for centuries, and he won’t stop until he’s amassed enough power to dominate everyone in his path.”

“Big dreams for a human,” Khent said dismissively.

“And that’s why he just might defeat you.

” Val glared. “You ‘higher’ magir—and I’m using air quotes, Khent,” she snapped.

“You always underestimate humans. Well, the necromancer has lived a lot longer than any human should. He’s growing in power, devouring the magic of other necromancers, shifters, anyone with a hint of magic. And he’s set his sights on the bazaar.”

Hecate and Khent exchanged a look Val couldn’t read.

Hecate said, “You need to tell us the necromancer’s name and everything you know about him, Val.”

“I will.” She paused, putting her life on the line. “On one condition.”

Khent pushed forward, his eyes icy. “You will tell us, or you will die.”

“Then kill me.” Val stood.

The reaper moved in the blink of an eye, standing close enough that he could bite through her neck and bleed her out with a mere shift of his head.

Val felt nothing but sizzling energy between them, fear mixed with adrenaline and attraction that deepened when he wrapped a large hand around her throat.

He smiled again, his grin a mix of darkness and sensuality.

Then he squeezed.

Except he didn’t choke her. He just put pressure there, studying her with a curiosity at odds with his threatening tone.

Hecate sighed. “Khent, let her explain.”

It seemed to Val that the vampire reluctantly let her go and took a step back, but he didn’t look away. “Well, Valentine? Explain.”

She rubbed her throat, unable to take her gaze from Khent, whose eyes flashed with red. “I’ll tell you who the necromancer is and anything you want to know about him. But only if you help me kill him.”