Page 36 of Forty Deaths Till Us Part
Rene grunted. “That is where you are wrong. I was remiss in allowing you to continue as leader.”
Dimitri’s eyes widened. “I have never betrayed the clan. I have always put its needs first. You cannot demote me, when my descension is so close, anyway.”
Cass took my arm and led me from the arguing men to the corner of the room. “Sorry about this. A binding is usually a pleasant time for the clan. Dimitri and his followers are just pissed because you stabilized Rene. He thought Rene’s sickness was an opportunity, though he never stood a chance of ascending to overseer.”
I stared at Constantine, who remained at Rene’s side. “Yeah, I think Con would behead Dimitri before allowing that to happen.”
Cass shuddered. “Worse, he would have taken leadership until a suitable replacement was found. There is nobody more suited than Constantine, so it would have been a permanent position.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I think...” Cass was flung in the air away from me and smashed into the far wall before crashing to the ground. The shimmering barrier formed around me, effectively cutting me off from the rest of the clan.
The dark shadows twisted and formed inside the barrier with me as Brigid stepped from the dark, evil mist. “I hope you didn’t think this pathetic excuse for a union would be allowed to continue.”
My power rose within me, but Constantine was right. It was nowhere near as powerful as it had been before I was infected with the witch poison. “You are like a bad penny, Brigid. You keep turning up when we least expect you.”
She shrugged. “I brought my friends with me.”
“Is this where you attack me?”
She smiled. “In time, but I thought you would like to see that whore vampire friend of yours die first.”
Dimitri’s brother stepped from a shroud on the opposite side with a look of pure hatred. This was nothing like the easygoing man I had met a couple of days ago. “Time to die, Cass.”
I backed away from Brigid, and blasted the barrier, but my magic was not powerful enough to penetrate her shield. I knew I had to conserve my strength and trust Cass and Rene to help one another as several mercenaries exited half a dozen misty shrouds.
Dimitri looked as shocked as the rest of the clan by Davon’s betrayal, and he backed away from Rene and Constantine when they turned on the intruders with glowing red eyes.
Brigid smiled. “I took the liberty of confining the rest of the death dealers before we crashed your party. Rene and his leather-clad friend will be forced to fight all of us.”
My gaze moved to Cassara and while her eyes appeared open and staring at the center of the room, she hadn’t moved. “What did you do to her?”
Brigid shrugged. “I simply hit her with enough force to break every bone in her body. Painful, but she would have healed in time. Davon is here to ensure that doesn’t happen.”
My heart stuttered. “You came here to kill Cass?”
“Of course not. The vampires are insignificant, except for you. Davon agreed to help us in exchange for Cassara’s life. He really hates that bitch. I am here because of you. Rene could become more powerful than any creature who ever lived if you are not removed from this earth. You have no concept of the folly of your actions. He used you to boost his power and now you must die.”
Davon advanced on Cassara’s inert form. His sneer was a mask of madness. “You should have accepted my proposal, Cass.It was an honor and one I never bestowed on anyone before or after.”
He pulled a weapon I didn’t recognize from under his tan leather jacket. It looked like a cross between a laser weapon and a dart gun but was different than a UV light as the end consisted of two prongs with electrical sparks arcing between them.
“No,” I whispered.
Brigid pulled an identical weapon from beneath her robe. “I wouldn’t worry, honey. You will be joining your broken friend.”
Constantine beheaded two mercenaries and moved to stand between Cass and Davon as Rene pounded on the shield separating me from the others in the room. “Your time has come to an end, Davon. Your death will serve as a reminder to those who oppose Rene’s rule of what happens when you break clan law.”
Davon hissed. “You overgrown ass. You are just as bad as Rene. Dimitri will be the next leader of the clans and he will ensure we are not the humans’ whipping boys. We hide in the shadows while the humans flourish. The vampires and witches should have more control over the conclave and human law. They are weaker than us.”
Constantine rolled his shoulders. “Your madness is only surpassed by your brother’s. We were all human Davon. Your idiocy knows no end. But I will relieve you of your life so you may find peace in the next.”
Davon aimed his weapon at Constantine, but as he discharged it and a double-pronged electrical arc pummeled toward the ancient vampire, he simply spun to the side and sent a small silver dagger flying through the air.
The strange weapon clattered to the floor as Davon clutched his neck and blood spurted from between his fingers. I had no idea what was on that blade, but vampires were obviously allergic to it.
Constantine approached Davon with the grace of a large feline, before he extended his spear and swiftly arced the sharpened end toward Davon’s neck.