Page 47 of Forty Deaths Till Us Part
My mind reached for the familiar thread in my mind.Jana?
I’m here, Mom.
My relief was palpable, but I kept my eyes trained on Dimitri. Did you get a hold of Rene?
I just got off the phone with him. He should be on his way to you now.
There was an explosion of wood at the door as Rene burst in and splinters erupted around the startled mercenaries. Their surprise was mirrored by the dark witch creating the barriers between me and the clan, but she flinched when Rene smashed against her barrier, and she was forced to drop all but the one separating us from Rene. She sucked in a breath when he smashed against it for the second time.
With her power focused on the growling overseer intent on my freedom, it left the mercenaries without any defense against the skilled death dealers. One by one, the black militia force fell by vampire hands until they were standing beside Rene, rushing the protection barrier.
Part of me wanted to unleash my power on Dimitri, to watch him burn as Kirnen had, but another part of me cried out in misery and pain. In the end, I was too weak to fight two assailants and Brigid was the more powerful of the two. I cursed under my breath as Dimitri used his preternatural speed to disappear through the open wall. A sliver of orange dusted the horizon as dawn threatened and I secretly hoped Dimitri smoldered in the sun before he found refuge.
Brigid was powerful, but she was also intelligent. With the mercenaries slain and Dimitri gone, she was alone. The shroud began to form around her, and I was well aware she would disappear in that effective glamor if it was allowed to escape her fully.
In that pivotal moment, as Brigid’s fingers extended, weaving the threads of her powerful shroud, I knew only my power could halt it. The air seethed with anticipation, and a storm of magic swirled around me like a wind tunnel. With fierce determination, I focused on my own magic, the natural force that flowed through my veins and anchored my soul.
I stretched out my hand, trembling with the intensity of my building power, and directed my magic toward the thickening shroud. The air crackled with white energy as my power blasted into hers, bringing light to the darkness. I staggered under the strain and noticed she did as well, as the tug of war between our forces escalated. I desperately tried to unravel the threads of her shroud before it could envelop her and whisk her to safety.
As I poured my energy into the struggle, the protective barrier around us shimmered like a cocoon of light. It was weakening between her expenditure of power to form the shroud and the repeated attempts by Rene and the clan to breach its defenses. In the end, Brigid decided that she would rather fight me than Rene and the clan, and she reinforced that shield after the tendrils of the shroud began to dissipate.
Brigid’s eyes blazed with fury as her shroud diminished under my relentless assault. Her lips moved with whispered incantations, as she called on a darkness that sent shivers down my spine. But I continued my assault, with my magic pushing against the tide of her malevolence. We both had protection barriers in place now, but she was fighting on two fronts.
With a final surge of energy, I focused on her black robes and used the last of my reserves. The dark witch’s shroud shattered like broken glass, dissipating like mist in the morning sun. She staggered back, exposed and vulnerable, as her hold over her magic weakened, and Rene burst through her protection spell. I planned to channel my magic and knock her off balance, but Cass was far quicker than I.
Cass picked Brigid up by the throat and hissed at her with extended fangs. For a moment I thought she would bite the witch scratching her wrists and kicking her torso, but Cass simply twitched her wrist, and the resounding crack of Brigid’s neck chilled my entire body as I slumped to the floor. Rene was at my side in seconds as Cass dropped Brigid’s body unceremoniously to the floor.
My shoulders shook as I turned toward Rene, and the first tear escaped my eyes. Crimson tears flowed down my cheeks and stained his shirt. It wasn’t Brigid I wept for. It was the betrayal and the fact she had forced Cass to kill her. She had manipulated so many people, including the coven high priestess and even with her death we would have to deal with the ramifications of her betrayal. We would still have to hunt down Dimitri and those who followed him, but without the powerful witch to aid him, it was only a matter of time before the death dealers and PSO officers caught up with him.
Cass knelt down and touched my shoulder. “You okay, honey? You had me worried there for a moment.”
I sniffed before turning toward her. “I am sorry about Kirnen. He forced me to... kill him.”
Cass grunted. “He was a traitor. He deserved what he got. I am only sorry you were forced to take care of that yourself. It was my job to protect you.”
I shook my head. “You aren’t a witch, Cass. You have no way to fight, one as powerful as Brigid. No vampire, with the exception of Rene, stands a chance against a senior witch.”
The death dealers stood in silence, staring at me. It took me a moment to discern their looks of admiration. While my methods were different from theirs. I had proven far more powerful than the second-in-command of the coven. I had no idea if I could beat Ursula in a fight, and it was an experience I hoped to forgo. For now, the coven high priestess was avoiding a confrontation,and it was largely because the human delegate was furious with her. She was one small incident away from being disposed of, and she knew it.
Rene helped me to my feet, but my head spun as I stood. The ringing in my ears increased before I heard Rene shout my name and the room went dark.
CHAPTER 19
Under the soft glow of the moon’s subtle light, I stirred from the realm of dreams, with the warmth of silk sheets cradling me. They caressed my skin like a gentle touch from Rene’s fingertips as I attempted to blink away the remnants of my slumber. The comforting smell of vanilla candles alerted me to my location, and I sighed as Rene’s arms tightened around me. “I passed out, didn’t I?”
Rene kissed my cheek. “You expended too much of your power. In time you will learn to harness mine through our connection so you may sustain yourself longer.”
“I just want to stay here.” In the intimate suite I now called home within the mansion, I realized I had sensed his presence before I even fully opened my eyes. Rene, my eternal partner in both life’s challenges and its exquisite pleasures, was nestled beside me, his loving touch a reminder of his devotion. His fingers traced delicate patterns across my skin, as if choreographed by an ancient dance of desire. Every stroke ignited a firestorm of sensations that licked over my body, awakening my senses.
The air was infused with a subtle blend of scents, including Rene’s lust. He had been waiting for me to wake, but hadn’twanted to interrupt my slumber. The soft rustle of fabric accompanied his restlessness, and a melody of affectionate intent filled the space between us. He tipped my chin up to meet his gaze. The reflection in his eyes would have stopped my heart had I still been human. Those unspoken words bound us together stronger than any spell. Love and commitment were our connection, and they would last an eternity.
As I closed the distance between us, my lips angling toward his, our eyes locked in a silent exchange. A language known only to two souls who would traverse the landscapes of undead life together. Time blurred as his lips connected to mine. The gentle collision sent a current of emotions coursing through me. Each kiss was a brushstroke on the canvas of our eternal bond, painting a portrait of love and commitment that would grow richer and more profound in the coming years.
Our bodies, attuned to one another’s needs and desires, responded with a shared yearning that transcended our species or circumstances. Our love would deepen and mature, like a fine wine savored over time, and I looked forward to every pleasurable second.
As our embrace tightened and the space between our bodies narrowed, every hesitation or grain of uncertainty melted away. Our souls entwined in a symphony of heartbeats and hushed breaths as we made love slowly. The world outside faded into the background, and we allowed passion to replace duty and dedication.
I wasn’t sure how long we remained confined to that bed, but I dozed in Rene’s arms for some time with his caressing my shoulder before my curiosity got the better of me. “What happened in the training facility after I blacked out?”