Page 42 of Between Bloode and Death (Between the Shadows #5)

CHAPTER

FORTY-ONE

They arrived at the demon house, where a few of Val’s people, the Beast Brigade—which Khent still thought the most ridiculous name—awaited them outside on the front lawn.

Khent felt vindicated when they all, including Val’s friend, Talon, watched him warily, growling or hissing whenever he glanced their way.

None of them looked overly impressive, though a set of large twins seemed acceptably aggressive, especially when Khent stared at the female they guarded like a treasure.

Hmm. They had the look of bears, maybe lions. Powerful beasts. Not bad, but nothing that would prove worthy in a fight against Nergal, his demons, and that less-than-human necromancer, Vladimir of the Void.

Still, the way the shifters watched Khent, so carefully, pleased him.

He’d missed that lovely scent of fear.

Val glared at him before stepping forward to hug the traitor. Khent didn’t like the contact, feeling his bloode heat with rage.

Talon had kept his gaze on Khent, and his eyes widened. He stared from Khent to Val then sniffed her. “Oh fuck. Tell me you didn’t.”

“Didn’t what?”

“Why do you smell like vampire?”

Valentine blushed most becomingly. “Probably because I’ve been staying there.”

“No. It’s…” Talon had the temerity to glare at Khent. “I…”

With everyone watching and listening outside under the stars, where they were more vulnerable, even away from most people in this vacated area of the city, Khent would have preferred they take their conversation inside.

Yet the press of death nearby distracted him.

“Where are they?” he asked, interrupting whatever Talon had been about to say.

“Oh, right.” Val perked up, so beautiful, smiling with joy as a large gargoyle landed next to her, dropping out of the sky in complete silence. An impressive entrance.

Not to be outdone, a fresh dead witch walked out of the house and stood by the shifters, who, when spotting her, moved away as if the witch had the plague.

“She’s quite nice. Looks alive.” Khent studied her, aware Valentine seemed to be waiting for his approval.

“Aisha’s really great with hexes and poisons.”

“Quite a find.”

Valentine, a human necromancer, held two powerful magic users in her control, showing her obvious power. But that didn’t account for the mass of death he could feel from the direction of the garage.

She followed his gaze. “Ah, yes. Want to see our army?”

“Please.” He followed, aware the shifters at his back followed as well.

The large garage could easily house several buses. But he found nothing mechanical inside. Instead, dozens upon dozens of dead lay stacked on the ground. More than any sovereign necromancer should be able to command.

“It’s okay. They’re in stasis.”

Khent stared from the dead to Valentine then back again. She had gathered witches, mages, lycans, shifters, and if he wasn’t mistaken, an upir or two amidst the many bodies lying passively on the ground.

He reached out a hand and splayed his fingers, feeling her power then seeing it with his special senses, a blanket of energy covering the death that refused to fade.

“Valentine, this is beyond what I imagined.”

She sighed. “It’s not bad, but it’s not enough. Vladimir’s been consuming our kind for as long as I’ve been alive, if not longer, amassing power. I can work this group, but I’m kind of at my limit.”

He scowled at her. “You shouldn’t have a limit this big to begin with. How are you still functioning?” A glance at Grizz and Aisha, her more powerful servants, showed them attentive and ready for action.

The dead in the garage didn’t stir, but he knew they would if she gave the word.

“None of this makes sense.”

Talon frowned. “What’s so confusing? I thought you were an expert on death.”

“I am, traitor.”

Talon groaned. “I really wish you guys would let that go.”

“Seriously, Khent.” Val sighed.

“Who taught you to collect so many souls?”

Val shrugged. “My parents taught me a bit a long time ago, but finding necromancers isn’t easy. MEC and other magir want us gone.”

“Can you blame us?” one of the large bears muttered.

“Hyde, hush,” the young woman with them snapped. “Ignore him, Val.”

Valentine waved her comment aside. “What exactly am I missing here? Khent, you said it yourself. Vladimir is a problem. I know that. That’s why we’re getting ready to fight him. Especially if he’s working with Nergal.”

“Who’s Nergal?” Talon glanced from her to Khent. “I think it’s about time you filled me—us—all in.”

Khent had felt the shifters pressing closer, but not alarmed at the weak threat they presented, he didn’t turn to face them. Instead, he kept his gaze on his remarkable mate and nodded.

“What?” she asked him, looking annoyed, and, as always, lovely.

Mila chose that moment to settle on Khent’s arm. “Hello, Mila. Yes, you did a wonderful job watching over this house.”

The shifters looked from the raven to Khent and scowled.

In a magnanimous mood, he decided to explain. “Your lack of exposure to other necromancers makes sense, as most of them are no longer in this city.”

“Or this country,” Talon murmured.

“True. But most necromancers don’t have this much power.

Just holding onto a few pets takes work.

And you have not only a magnificent gargoyle, but a powerful witch as well.

In addition to so many dead in here… I’ve never seen a necromancer with this much power.

” Perhaps a few of his fellow reapers might manage it.

Nevertheless, this would be impressive even for them.

“This is nothing. Vladimir can command this many with ease.”

“How do you know? Have you seen his reserves?”

Valentine blinked. “Well, no. But I’ve felt his power. Not up close, I admit. But when he and the sorcerer battled Kraft and Riley a few months ago, I felt it.”

“Hmm.” He studied all the bodies. “None of them have decayed at all. They feel powered up and ready.” He watched her. “You seem tired but not devastated by the drain. Why is that? And how do you hold them? A stasis spell?”

“Kind of.” She turned to Talon. “Can you clear out for a few? I need to talk to Khent.”

“Hey, shifters, go guard the house. Val and I need to talk to the vampire.”

The bear shifter who’d spoken earlier snorted. “Gladly. Come on, guys.” The shifters cleared out.

“Go with them, Aisha, Grizz.” Val nodded, and the witch and gargoyle followed the group.

Leaving Talon behind.

At Khent’s obvious disapproval, the eagle shifter shrugged. “Your death glare doesn’t work on me. I’m staying.”

Before Khent could insist, Valentine stepped forward. “Let him stay. He already knows my process anyway.” She turned to the dead, and Khent felt a wave of her energy blanket them once more. Oddly welcoming.

Mila ruffled her feathers then settled back on his shoulder, entranced by the sight of Valentine. Yes, I know. You can be with her in a little bit, my sweet. He stroked her head and breast, and his raven cuddled him with affection.

Valentine smiled at seeing it, and her pleasure made him…happy.

“I command by leaving a piece of myself in them.”

“In all of them?” Khent blinked.

“Well, yes. That’s how I’ve always done it.”

“And when your pets eventually waste away and return to death’s embrace, what happens to those pieces of you?”

“They return to me.”

“Always?” Khent had a bad feeling.

“Well, yes. Why?”

How could she not see it? “Valentine, if you go to war with Vladimir, he’ll devour you bit by bit as he rushes through your creatures. He won’t have to hurt you to injure you. He’ll just eat your dead, and by proxy, eat you.”

“Oh, damn.” Talon got the message.

“No. When they leave this world, my essence comes back to me.”

“But Val,” Talon said. “Vladimir eats other necromancers. And he’s been after you for a long time.”

“How has he not found her yet?” Khent asked. “He’s powerful, and he’s looking. He’s also got the help of the Lord of the Underworld.”

Talon grimaced.

“The cloaking spell you so easily saw through has been effective against other magir,” Valentine explained. “I’ve always kept my distance from mages, and especially on those rare times when I sensed another necromancer. I kind of pull myself all the way in. I can show you later.”

Khent nodded, intrigued.

“We’ve been hunting Vladimir for a long time, but not so seriously as we have the past few years. It’s taken a long time for me to gain more magic. To learn new spells. You did say you’d teach me.”

“I will. I can’t allow my mate to fall so easily, and never to an unworthy human hack. Vladimir of the Void. What a pathetic waste of blood.”

“Preach.” Talon grinned. When Khent didn’t grin back, he sighed. “No sense of humor in you fangers. But this bit about mating my friend. That’s not going to happen, reaper.”

“Bird, it’s already happened.” Khent stared at him, amused.

Talon glared at Valentine. “Did you tell him?”

“I tried.”

“Tell me what?” Khent didn’t like secrets unless he was the one keeping them.

Valentine cleared her throat. “Well, it’s just that a part of our big plan was for me to work some major death magic at the end, to take out Vladimir. And that involves my death at some point.”

“I forbid it.”

“Yep. There it is. The kiss of death—no pun intended—to our plan.” Talon sighed. “Vampires ruin everything.”

Khent scoffed. “I won’t allow my mate to die to kill a mere necromancer. No offense, Valentine. You’re appropriately powerful. But Vladimir is nothing but a thief. His power comes from something else. That’s what we need to be concerned about.”

“Well, yeah. I know.” She frowned at him. “I guess if you don’t want me to die to power up, you’d better get to teaching me what I need to know so we can kill him.”

Talon looked a little cheered at that. “Well, if the Night Bloode are going to help us kill him, that might work. More death magic, vampire interference, and I’ll call on Riley so we’ll have a berserker backing us up too.

With the shifters fighting the more mundane enemies we’ll face, we might have a real shot at this. ”

Khent didn’t understand the undercurrents he was clearly missing. “I’m not sure how your death would help you, Valentine. Once dead, you can’t control your pets anymore.”

“Well, that’s not necessarily true.”

“Oh?” He studied her, aware that every time he looked into her eyes, he fell deeper under her spell. And he was too enchanted by her to care.

“I’ve kind of died a few times before. And I can hold them more easily while I’m in the Between.”

Khent froze. “Say that again?” He studied her but didn’t see an undead creature. Valentine Darkmore appeared powerful and human to him, nothing unnatural about her.

“I—”

One of the bears appeared in the doorway, the dead witch at his elbow. “Problem. MEC’s arrived. They brought a vampire with them.” The bear glanced at Khent then at Val and Talon. “Here’s hoping our guy’s stronger than theirs.”

Aggravated, Khent snarled, “We are not done with this conversation. Now who the hell thinks they can step in on my territory?”

“Wait.” Talon hurried to follow him outside the garage. “Whose territory?”

Valentine raced after him as well. “Khent, this is Talon’s place. The Beast Brigade Headquarters, remember?”

“My pets claimed it for me.”

“Now hold on…” Talon trailed off when they faced dark SUVs cluttering the property.

Way too many for this small group to handle.

Khent focused on the main threat, careful to keep himself between Valentine and the newcomers.

To his pleased surprise, he felt Valentine order her pets to hide and get better vantage points from which to attack. Khent did the same with his ravens and eagles hiding out in the small woods around the property.

A familiar figure stepped away from one of the vehicles. Tall and broad-shouldered, with short black hair and handsome features, he spotted Khent and grinned. “Oy, mate. Thought I’d find you here.”

“Duncan.” Khent nodded, saw the revenant’s mate, Macy, and scowled. “Bloode Witch, this is not your place.”

Her partner, Cho, and two dozen MEC agents with weapons cautiously approached.

The few shifters with Talon didn’t leave, as Khent had thought they might. Instead, they changed into their animal shapes. The bears near the pretty blond woman were indeed large and aggressive.

Something to work with, at least.

Before Valentine could get herself involved, Khent warned her, “Please. Let me handle this. Save your strength for a more important battle.”

Duncan scowled. “Hey. We’re right here and can hear you, you know.”

Macy nodded to Khent. “We just want to talk.”

“So talk, witch,” Valentine ordered, her command crisp as power fluctuated around her.

Sexy as hell. And a little more aggressive than he’d expected from his mate who refused to obey him.

Khent sighed. “Did I not just say I’d handle this?”

To Talon, Valentine said, “Take the others to the backup spot.”

“But—”

“Talon, go. I got this. Remember, this isn’t our fight.”

Khent glared. “I got this? We have this, Valentine.”

Duncan muttered to his mate, “Told you this was going to be one huge clusterfuck. But no. You had to bring Cho and useless magir.”

“Hey.” “We’re right here, dude.” “Vampires.” Several of MEC muttered their displeasure.

But it was Valentine who enthralled Khent, because an odd wind started whipping her hair around. Her eyes turned pitch-black. She smiled with the promise of death.

And damn if Khent didn’t think he’d finally fallen into what so many lesser beings called that vague emotion—love.