Page 32 of Fate of a Blood Moon (The Hades Blood Moon #2)

Andrei

O nce we were back on the highway at almost two a.m., Liam reached into his pocket and pulled out the blood-soaked fabric from Valentina’s sweater. He held the torn cloth in one hand and a bundle of bloody grass in the other. I watched from the rearview mirror as he closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and started quietly chanting. Before I lost my elemental magic, I never learned how to cast location spells, as I found them meaningless. I wanted to gain status as a talented doctor who cured illnesses. Reputation was important, even then, and my magic helped facilitate that. Mother used to scold me about my ego.

What the hell did she know, anyway?

“How does a locator spell work?” Jackson asked; I found myself curious as well. “Can you sense her presence and follow a trail? How do you find her?”

I caught Jackson’s gaze in my peripheral, and I turned to look at him. His dark eyes regarded me with skepticism for Liam and this plan . His posture in the passenger seat was tense. Something felt off, and we both sensed it.

Jackson had been wary of Liam’s involvement since we left the States, constantly watching him or arguing with every instruction—or suggestion—he made. And honestly, I couldn’t blame him for it. Jackson wasn’t just my best friend but my right hand in the clan’s business. He always had the family’s best interest at heart, so if he was wary about Liam, so was I.

After what we witnessed at the villa, I understood the skepticism in this situation. The witch held no mercy or empathy for vampires, especially the two he slaughtered in the gardens. His magic was unlike anything I had ever witnessed, and who knew if Liam would turn that gruesome power on us ? But it didn’t change the fact we needed the psychopath.

Liam’s magic was our only chance to get Valentina and, in turn, Rachel, using her blood to crack open the seal that would release Ezrylos. The guardian bond’s strength was waning from the growing distance, and without the tracker in Rachel’s arm or a way to project my voice into her mind, it left me blind.

Irritation had me gripping the steering wheel until the metal groaned and my knuckles cracked.

There was a crackle in the air, and Liam’s eyes finally fluttered open. Then he looked in the mirror at us. “I can’t reach Rachel. She’s either too far away or blocking the magic somehow. My guess? It’s the ring. I think as long as she wears it, I can’t pin her location down.” He paused and looked at me. “Valentina, though, is a different story. She’s closer than we thought. I saw a sign off the highway that said ‘Trattoria Fiorente.’ They didn’t stop there, but they’re in the area. I can feel it. We should be able to pin down the road and city they’re passing through and catch up.”

Jackson curtly nodded, looking at me again. “I’m on it,” he said, unlocking his phone and opening the GPS app. After a few seconds, he said, “It’s a restaurant in Rimini. About thirty minutes ahead.”

I grinned, pressing down on the gas pedal until the speedometer needle jumped. “Then it’s time to cover some ground and catch up.”

Liam tilted his head, eyes half closed as his fingers hovered above the bloodied fabric. The way his brows pinched, it looked like he feared the scrap might burn him this time. Liam’s lips moved slightly as he chanted, red magic glowing under his palms. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes and smiled. “They’re close. Valentina’s presence is stronger now. Luckily for us, she’s not moving fast.”

“Jackson, keep an eye out for that car,” I said, knuckles whitening around the wheel.

Jackson was already leaning forward in his seat, scanning the dark road, his eyes narrowing on every car we passed. “I’ve been doing this since we found the tracker,” he said, a hint of irritation in his voice.

“Good.” Every second we wasted was another chance for Valentina and that man, Darius, to slip away. I refused to let Rachel escape my grasp again. Once I had her back in my lair and in my bed, I would never let her leave. The pretty collar I had for her would make her mine forever.

As we drove, the road turned into a two-lane street winding down the coastline of Italy, while the moon shed its cold light over certain parts of the ocean, creating ripples of white across the infinite black.

“Hey, Drei,” Jackson said, pointing to a car not too far ahead. “That might be them. When they took off from the villa, I didn’t get a good look at the car, but the license plate had matching letters. Liam, what do you feel?”

Liam’s magic seemed to grow brighter, and his eyes opened to look with us. “It’s them.”

Here we go.

Excitement stirred within me, and I floored the gas pedal, feeling the engine rumble beneath my foot. The car was in the right lane, their speed nearly lethal, but it wasn’t fast enough to evade us. As we gained ground, I knew I had only one option to make this work.

“Everyone buckled in?” I asked, my grip tightening on the wheel, an anxious energy coiling in my chest.

Jackson and Liam nodded, and I slammed my foot against the pedal until it smashed into the floor.

“Hang on,” I said, veering the car behind them. The crunch of the plastic bumpers sent a jolt through the vehicle as I rammed into them. The Maserati lurched forward, skidding across the asphalt. While they fought against spinning out, I pulled the car into the oncoming lane, sending an unlucky human driver into the nearby guardrails. I jerked the wheel, smashing the bumper into the driver’s side door.

Liam grabbed the handle above the door to brace himself, while Jackson shouted a colorful stream of obscenities at me.

I probably should have warned them about that part.

The car groaned as I rammed the side again, sending their vehicle careening off the road. It hit several jagged rocks before slamming into a thick tree. The Maserati crumpled like a tin can, sending shards of glass and metal flying into the air.

“Let’s go,” I said as I pulled the car over and swung open the door.

Jackson was already out of the car, running toward the wreckage. Liam followed with an eerie calm. The witch raised his left hand and flicked it to the side, fingers splayed. A swirl of silver magic shot from his palm, twisting into a glowing chain about ten feet long. As he drew closer to the wreckage, the chain glowed brighter and brighter.

According to Liam, that magical chain would keep Valentina nice and docile while we hunted down her daughter.

What a perfect little weapon.

As we approached the wreckage, we saw how badly damaged the Maserati was—the impact would’ve turned a human into a bloody pulp. Darius slumped over the steering wheel, half-ejected from the car, with shattered glass scattered across the smoking hood. The crash knocked him out cold. We had maybe minutes before he healed and tried to save Valentina.

When we walked around to the passenger side, she was already crawling out of the side window, glass slicing her skin. Her left leg shattered, the broken bones sinking into the bloodied, healing flesh. Fresh blood matted her red hair and coated her mouth and nose.

“Not so fast, sweetheart,” Jackson growled, grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her out of the car. She tried to fight back by raising her torn hand to conjure magic, but Liam threw the chain at her head. The chain brushed against Jackson’s hand, causing him to hiss and release Valentina. The collar of silver encircled her thin throat and snapped closed. Then the collar grew tiny tendrils of light that traveled down her body like twin snakes before wrapping around her wrists.

Valentina thrashed against the chain, and nothing happened when she tried to summon power again. Even her eyes stayed their blue hue, and her fangs had vanished. She was powerless.

Thank God.

Liam moved around her, yanking the chain to tighten the bonds as a devilish smirk spread across his face. He wrapped the end of the chain around his left wrist, securing it into a cuff. “It’s unbreakable,” he said, grinning like a cat who caught the bird. “I suggest you stop flailing around.”

“What the hell is this?” Valentina tried to pry at the collar, but tiny electric sparks bit into her fingers, causing her to gasp.

“While we all appreciate you wanting to save your daughter,” I purred, my voice low and dangerous as I approached them. There was still a large gash on her forehead, knitting itself closed, and more blood dripped down her face. “I need you to cooperate and act as bait to get her back.”

Her gaze snapped to mine, sharp despite the pain and fear etched in her features. “I’ll kill you and your lackeys the second I remove this chain,” she hissed. “I’m not helping you do anything.” Her head turned to Liam. “And you. I’ll make sure your death is slow and so painful that even the angels will feel your suffering. You’ll be my favorite kill.”

I’d never seen Valentina’s defiance before … not like this. The fire in her eyes reminded me of Rachel, fierce and stubborn. It would be fun putting her in her place. Tame the lioness to catch the cub.

Jackson kicked her legs out from under her, sending her sprawling forward into the dirt.

“Where’s Rachel?” he asked calmly. Jackson had a much gentler temper than I did. “If you tell us that, we won’t have to torture you for answers. Believe me, Liam seems a little too excited to play with you.”

Or maybe not.

Liam stepped forward, the chain in his hands pulsing again with an unnatural light. A flash of fear in Valentina’s eyes gave her away. She tried to scramble back, but Jackson was faster, pinning her down with one knee pressed into her back.

“Don’t touch me,” she spat, her voice breaking as Liam looped the chain over the collar and pulled, choking her. “I don’t know where she is! I read Liam’s mind back at the villa and know Rachel is going to that cave with Jase. She ran off hours ago after we fought. My daughter is hiding from me as much as she is from you.”

Jackson removed his knee, and Valentina rose, her fingers digging at the collar. She no longer cared that the magic burned and bruises were forming around her throat.

“The magic is unbreakable,” Liam reminded us, his tone tight, as if he was holding back from choking her more. “She won’t escape unless I say so.”

Valentina’s breaths were ragged, her face pale and streaked with blood. But her anger burned strong. “I think you’ve underestimated her. Rachel’s hatred for you and your brother runs fucking deep. She’ll do everything possible to elude you and every piece of shit from your clan. Leave her—”

“And yet she’s with Jase,” I said, watching her eyes turn dark. “I’m sure that was a surprise to you when you saw it in Liam’s mind. My brother betrayed me to get to Rachel first, and I have no clue why. Right now, I’m trying to save our souls from being Lucifer’s playthings. The sword in that cave is the only way to do it. I need Rachel’s blood or yours.”

She shook her head. “Then take mine.”

I smiled and leaned down until my face was level with hers. “I knew you’d say that. Unfortunately, we still need a key and book that my brother stole. Plus, you wouldn’t be as much fun. Then again, you did make me destroy my family and reputation, so perhaps tormenting you will be enough entertainment until I have my pet back.”

Valentina’s eyes darkened again with rage. “You’ll never find her,” she whispered. “She’s too far ahead. I’m elated knowing she evaded you.”

My frayed patience snapped, and I struck her across the cheek, sending her crashing to the ground. I looked down at my hand, a surge of anger rushing through me. As depraved and violent as I was, I’d never hit a woman—not like that.

Liam’s eyes locked on Valentina, who was climbing to her knees, and his jaw tensed. His usual calm was gone, replaced by something darker. I guessed the psychopath had his limits to violence.

Jackson moved closer, his hand partly raised as though to protect her from me. “Drei … what the fuck?”

I didn’t explain myself. What little conscience I had twisted in shame, and I looked away. I’ll apologize later.

“Stand up,” I growled before turning on my heel and walking away from the wreckage. Behind me, Valentina shouted at Liam to release her while he yanked the chain, prompting her to stand.

“What do we do about that guy?” Jackson asked, catching up to me and glancing at the smoking wreckage. Darius was still unconscious, but his wounds had vanished. “Also, what the fuck is going on with you?”

Liam cleared his throat, interrupting us. “May I?”

“Do it,” I said. Liam uncuffed the chain and handed it to Jackson. He strode to the broken tree and selected a thick branch from the debris.

Valentina screamed and tried to run toward the car, the chain choking her back to the ground. “No!” Tears streamed down her cheeks, which made me stiffen. Tears? “Liam, no! Don’t! I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you! Darius! Darius, wake up!”

Ignoring her screams, Liam grabbed Darius by the hair and yanked him out of the windshield. When his back hit the hood, Darius’s eyes fluttered open. When he saw Liam, his fangs emerged and went to strike. The witch used the momentum to pull his elbow back, and then impaled Darius’s chest with the branch, piercing his heart and exiting out of his back.

“Darius!” Valentina’s cries turned to shrieks as blood gushed from the man’s mouth. He turned to look at her. “Darius, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything.”

“Val …” he gasped, skin graying. “Protect the others.… I … love …”

His body collapsed into ash, the wind scattering it across the car. Liam brushed the grime from his hands and walked toward us, unfazed by the scene behind him. Valentina’s screams echoed across the forest, piercing our ears like a thousand knives.