Page 59 of Possess Me at Midnight (Doomsday Brethren #4)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Ice

T he black cloud of the Devouring Shadow spell draws closer. Body taut, shoulders rising up and down with harsh breaths, I watch it. I’m bloody drained. Exhausted. Levitating to avoid the mass uses the last of my energy.

When I lower myself to the ground, the cloud follows me, chasing me…closing in on me.

I conjure a bottle. Perhaps I can contain the hex, cork it. But I know so fucking little about this spell. Can it penetrate glass? If it touches me at all, will it instantly fell me and start splitting my soul in two?

I can’t surrender. I can’t leave Gailene unavenged. I can’t abandon Sabelle.

But I also can’t outrun this cloud.

My hand trembles as I hold the bottle, its wide mouth open and directed at the floating black mass. The dark vapor flows into the bottle, and I throw the stopper over it, hoping I’ve captured it all.

Moments later, it leaks out the bottom as if the glass is no impediment at all. Quickly, the cloud reforms inches from my face and heads straight for me.

Think, think, think!

I abandon the bottle and leap away, blinking hard against my hazy vision. Fists clenching, I focus on staying upright and present, despite every nerve in my body feeling depleted. My head throbs with the need for energy. I cannot give out, cannot give in.

Using the last of my magical reserves, I summon a mirror. It quickly appears in my hand, and I flip it toward the black mass, praying this deflects the floating dark menace back to Mathias. Instead, it passes around the looking glass, re-forms, then darts straight for my chest.

Now what? Trying not to panic, I step back, then back again until I hit the force field. I’ve nowhere else to go. I don’t dare look at Sabelle. I feel the fear coursing off her.

Suddenly, Mathias laughs, a screeching parody of joy. The sound drips menace and scorn. “You can’t outrun the spell.”

With my back against the force field, the black cloud begins to surround me.

I grit my teeth, bracing myself to stay strong against whatever agony it brings.

I will not show weakness or fear. If this is the end, if I never leave this challenge ring alive, I want to die certain that Mathias knows exactly how I feel.

“Fuck off.”

“So you’ve said before. Now…” Mathias smiles as the cloud smothers me, swallows me, taking my vision, my ability to breathe. My hope. I choke, clutch my throat, needing air. There is none.

Sabelle screams, but it sounds far away. For a moment, I’m glad she never Bound to me. She’ll have no need to mourn me once I’m gone.

The evil heat Mathias puts off looms closer suddenly, and the other wizard gibes, “Let’s meet the real Isdernus Rykard.”

What the bloody fuck does that mean?

The cloud clings to me, hovering over my face. I continue to gasp for breath as dizziness spikes. Panic claws deep in my chest. Surely, I’ll pass out at any moment, die in a heap at Mathias’s feet.

That doesn’t happen.

A moment later, the black mass passes through me. I fall to my knees, dragging in a desperate gasp of air as the black mass drifts up the wall, clinging harmlessly to the ceiling.

“What’s this?” Mathias rears back. “That can’t be!”

He reaches a hand toward the cloud and hurls it at me again. Once more, it blankets me, cutting off my air, my light, my hope. Then…just as suddenly, it leaves me, floating aimlessly in the enclosed force field.

Why didn’t it grab me, cling to me, as it did Bram? Why didn’t it drag me into unconsciousness, start splitting my soul, or kill me?

“He…fought it. What does it mean?” I hear Sabelle ask.

I risk a glance at her. She looks pale, worried, as she turns to her brother, frantic for an answer.

“I don’t know,” Bram murmurs. “It latched on to me viciously and didn’t let go. Almost instantly, I felt…anger, arrogance. My worst thoughts all right in my head. Then I don’t remember a bloody thing until the dark healer came to me.”

“Did…did Mathias cast the spell incorrectly?”

Bram scoffs. “Unlikely. He’s both familiar with it and beyond ruthless. He wouldn’t fuck up or spare Ice.”

“What the bloody—” Mathias fists his hands, his blue eyes blasting rage. Fury hollows his cheeks. Sweat slicks his chest and corded abs. “Impossible!”

I step away from the wall, completely unharmed, untouched by the thunderous cloud again.

Amazed, I stagger, weakened and exhausted, but I’m on my feet. I yearn to curl up against Sabelle and sleep for a year. But I’ve lived through something I never expected to. Inside, I swell with triumph.

“Apparently not,” I taunt.

“No one,” Mathias spits. “No one is incorruptible. Everyone’s soul harbors darkness that makes them susceptible to evil. Take it!”

The furious wizard hurls another black cloud at me. This time, I don’t fight it. I think positive thoughts. I fixate on love, on Sabelle.

As before, I experience moments of breathlessness, chest heavy with anger and frustration. Then…nothing.

I cock my head and grin. Finally, I understand. “I felt pure evil pass through me, looking to partner with its own kind. It found nothing useful, so it left.”

“It must have latched on to you. Inside you. Somewhere. Surely, you have some hidden streak that goads you into embracing the dark. Greed, lust, avarice, envy. Something.”

The black clouds converge together, and the mass hovers in the corner…then starts drifting toward Mathias, as if the mass seeks safe harbor in someone who hates or envies, feels too much pride or lust. Someone evil.

And now I understand exactly how to fight Mathias.

With a snap of my wrist, I conjure a sword. Marrok taught me well how to use a human blade. In a few short months, I’ve perfected the art of slicing an enemy any way I wish, whether to defend or, in this case, to kill. Avenging Gailene is in my grasp, and for her, Mathias must die now, by my hand.

At the sight of the heavy broadsword, Mathias scoffs. “A human’s weapon for a wizard’s fight. You’re as mad as your reputation. You’ll get nowhere near me with that.”

It will be a challenge, but certainty fuels me, overriding exhaustion. I will succeed. For Gailene. For Sabelle. For the past and future.

Using the edge of the blade, I slice open my own thigh.

Sabelle gasps. I spare her a moment’s glance to assure her I’m all right.

Then I put her concern from my mind. Bram stands behind her, offering security and support.

We’re not friends; we may never be again.

But I’m grateful he has his sister’s back.

Now, I have to focus all my energy on delivering my blow to Mathias and ending two hundred years of agony.

The blood wells from the stinging wound on my thigh, and I wipe the flat of the blade across one side, then the other, coating the sword with the essence that beats from my heart. I only know enough about blood magic to be dangerous, but right now…that should be more than enough.

For a moment, I grip the blade, bow my head over it, and wrap it in an enchantment that spreads hope and joy. Love.

When I right myself, Mathias’s eyes widen. He backs away, wary. His nostrils flare. His face reddens.

“Do not touch me with that blade.”

I don’t bother replying, just step closer, blade in one hand, wand outstretched in the other, paralysis hex at the ready.

The pungent stench of fear wafts across the challenge ring, and I smile, the gesture every bit as warm as my nickname.

Mathias shakes his head, steps back through the cracking sheet of frozen water and slushy remnants of snow. “No!”

The raw shout reverberates through the force field. Then he thrusts a hand toward the unsteady sheet of ice between us. It shatters, the pieces hovering as Mathias twists his wrist, then hurls the shards directly at me.

As I melt the frozen projectiles, I watch fury overtake Mathias. I laugh. Adrenaline charges my system, fueling my energy, as I raise the sword. No doubt, Mathias will try to thwart me using some underhanded method.

He won’t succeed.

I charge the evil wizard, blood-wet sword at the ready.

My nemesis retreats a step, then another.

So Mathias fears my human weapon. Because he doesn’t know how to wield it?

Because he doesn’t understand human combat?

Perhaps he fears the unknown. My blood must frighten him as well.

This magic, though not practiced widely for centuries, is notoriously unpredictable and strong.

Mathias continues to back up until he hits the force field. A few steps more, maybe two or three, and victory will belong to me.

“Cease all combat!” Blackbourne calls. “The break period has begun.”

Bloody fucking hell. Everything inside me itches to lunge forward, finish off Mathias for good. Bury my ghosts. But if I do, I’ll violate the rules of the challenge and forfeit all rights to the Council seat—not to mention any chance I have of spending my future with Sabelle.

With great force of will, I lower the sword.

Mathias’s gloating sneer nearly makes me rethink my position. Cheeky bastard will likely use the next fifteen minutes to his advantage and devise some new counterattack. Though my limbs feel heavy, I’d rather keep fighting. A thinking Mathias is a dangerous one.

“You heard the esteemed gentleman,” Mathias gibes. “Put the sword down. Unless you wish to forfeit.”

With a curse, I turn to find Bram standing nearby and hand the sword to him. “I don’t trust that wanker anywhere near this sword.”

Bram grimaces at the blood-soaked weapon but takes it. “Nor do I.”

But when I look up, Mathias has fled, all but running inside the house.

Nodding, I follow, making my way to the room prepared within for my respite.

Now that the imminent moment has passed, adrenaline seeps from my system.

Heavy limbs become a burden as I drag one foot in front of the other to reach my appointed room.

Mathias has a witch stashed upstairs, at the ready to provide a fresh dose of magical energy. While I…