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I took off for Lannan’s car. “Myst broke through the wards. They’re in danger. ” The squabbling stopped as they followed me. I shoved Lannan away from the wheel and took over. “I drive faster than you. ”
“I doubt it,” he said, but he let me get behind the wheel.
We sped through the dark streets as I counted off the minutes. As we rounded the corner onto Vyne Street, I closed my eyes.
Ulean, are you there? Can you hear me?
I am here—the Shadow Hunters are circling the house, coming closer. They seem cautious, as if they expect a trap.
Is everyone still okay?
Yes, so far. But there are seven of the Indigo Court out there—and the energy on the slipstream is roiling with anger. Myst is awake and hunting for Grieve.
And I was bringing him right to her. I thought about how we’d make it into the house—all my weapons were there. “We have to fly in. Grieve, you and Lannan will have to make a run for the door, but Wrath and I can shift and fly in the upper windows. ” I tossed Lannan my phone. “Call them and tell them to be ready at the front door and my bedroom window. ”
Lannan put in the call and, whatever he said, it was brief and to the point. I wasn’t paying attention. I was focused on the battle ahead. I had my fan, of course, and my switchblade, but that alone wasn’t going to be enough.
“Iron stakes. We need them—they’ll work on the Shadow Hunters. ”
Wrath peered over the backseat. “The gate. There’s a gate made of iron in front of the house next door. But neither Grieve nor I can touch the stakes. You can, since you are only half-Fae—you don’t seem bothered by the iron. Even this car hurts me, but I bear it because of necessity. ”
“I can get them. ” I said. “And Lannan can. ”
Lannan leaned forward. It was disconcerting to have him at my shoulder but not to be able to see him in the rearview mirror. “Are you willing to put your life in my hands? I can rip the stakes out of the gate. You fly in with your father. The Prince will have to make a run for it on his own. ”
I bit my lip. “Are you sure you can make it without getting caught?”
“If you cause a distraction, yes. Once you’re inside, do something to draw their attention to the back of the house. ”
I sucked in a deep breath. “Okay. That’s how it is. Grieve, when you hit the ground, don’t stop running. Meanwhile . . . ” I cringed. “I’m going to have to take off my clothes before we get there if I expect to be able to transform into owl shape. Lannan, I guess you’d better take the wheel. ” I abruptly pulled to a halt and we played musical seats, with me running to the back of the car and Lannan leaping into the driver’s seat.
I began to yank off my clothes and had the distinct feeling Lannan was watching me through the rearview mirror, though there was no way I could prove it, since I couldn’t see him other than the back of his head. I slid beneath a throw in the back of the car and pulled it around my shoulders as we drove off again.
Grieve simmered, but he simmered at me, his eyes drinking their fill as I disrobed. Hard as it was, I forced myself to hold back, to keep from tumbling into his arms. But I did kiss my fingers and press them against his lips.
“You make me want to—” Lannan started, but my father interrupted him.
“Be cautious, vampire. That’s my daughter you’re talking to,” Wrath said, his voice thick with warning. “You will behave like a gentleman. ”
“You may be the King of Summer, but Cicely owes me more than you want to know and I intend to collect. And chill out, Wolf Boy, because I know she only has eyes for you. ” Lannan’s words took on an edge as he added, “She’s made that all too apparent. ”
I pulled back, not wanting to start any more arguments. Grieve gave me a curt nod, but his eyes promised me that once we were finished, if we managed to come through this alive, he’d prove to me just how much he missed me.
Ulean, we’re near. Did you hear our plans?
I did—your thoughts were clear.
Can you start a distraction in the backyard?
I can, but if you can get to your fan, we can wreak much more havoc together. You have yet to use the most powerful force that it can summon.
I’ve created a tornado before—and gale-force winds; what more can there be?
Hurricane force. Typhoon. But beware, Cicely—it can devastate an area.
We may have no choice. I’ll meet you in my bedroom.
And then we turned on to Vyne Street. As we raced along the silent asphalt, I shivered, more out of fear than cold. Before we arrived, I leaned over and pressed my lips against Grieve’s. He gathered me close and I ached, wanting him to reach out and touch my breasts, to slide his hands along my body. But, mindful of my father’s presence, he simply pulled me close, and I found myself falling deep, sucking under, into the spiral of love and lust that permeated our connection.
And then we were there, and the car screeched to a halt. We slammed out of the doors, Wrath and I transforming into our owl selves and winging into the sky. Last I saw, Grieve was racing for the house as Lannan began yanking iron stakes off the neighbor’s gate. And then, as I neared my bedroom window, I could see them out back—the Shadow Hunters, gauging the house.
It was official. We were at war.
Chapter 22
I swooped high enough to stay out of range should they have archers, but low enough to fly directly in the window, which was open, with Kaylin waiting to slam it shut the minute I was through.
I landed on my dresser, then hopped to the floor and quickly transformed, my moonstone pendant lightly hitting against my breasts. As I spilled forward, Kaylin quickly handed me a pair of jeans, a bra, and a turtleneck. I wriggled into my clothes.
“We have big trouble—but we don’t have time to tell you. Just know that Lainule, Anadey, and Geoffrey are no longer on our side. Lannan and Wrath, however, are. Grieve’s back, too. ”
At his startled look, I shook my head. “Don’t ask—it’s just too complicated right now. Have the Shadow Hunters made any attack?”
“Not yet, but I think they were waiting for you. They made themselves obvious, and then held off, keeping us in the house. ”
“They must have seen me leave earlier. And Myst knows we have Grieve—how can she not?” I slid on a pair of lace-up steel-toed boots and then strapped my blade to my wrist and grabbed my fan. “I need a better blade. ”
“What about the obsidian one? The one we caught when we fought Myst and her cronies last week? Remember?”
I thought back. When we’d rescued Peyton, we had picked up an obsidian blade off one of the Shadow Hunters. “Oh hell, yeah. And it wants blood. Bring it to me. ”
Kaylin hurried out of the room, returning with the sealed box. I cautiously opened it and pulled out the blade. Obsidian, it was fashioned with a bone handle. I cautiously reached out to touch it. The one time before when I’d picked it up, it had immediately tried to possess me, but I had the feeling that now that I knew about my heritage as Myst’s daughter, I might be able to wrest control of it.
As my hand slid around the handle, I felt a shudder of joy run through me, a delight in the sharpness of the edge, the piercing point that could drive through bone and steel. This blade was magic, and it had an essence—a strength all its own. I clasped my fingers around the handle and a ripple of delight echoed through my breasts, my body . . . it was better than sex.
“I can mow them down with this,” I said, looking up at Kaylin slyly.
And indeed, a swath of blood and destruction spread in front of me, and I knew that whatever might come, this blade would sever limb from bone, it would slice throats and pierce hearts and do anything I asked it to, sucking the pain right into itself as food, and with each kill, it would grow stronger, and so would I.
“I’m afraid. ” A thin river of regret ran through me and I glanced up at Kaylin. “I’m afraid
this blade can change who I am. ”
“Only if you allow it to. Take charge. You have to be the one to rule. You cannot allow it to have its head—just like breaking a horse. You have to maintain control. ” He leaned over me. “We need every advantage we can get to stop them. You have to be strong, Cicely. You have to give a little of yourself—not all, not what Geoffrey and Lainule were asking—but a little . . . in order to help win this war. You can’t remain the same and come through it unscathed. None of us can. ”
I slowly inhaled, hefting the lightweight blade in my hand, feeling the rushing waves of destructive joy run through me. “I know. I know that we’re not coming out of this without some damage. ” Staring at the blade, I understood—it would bring me in touch with who I used to be, who I was a lifetime ago, as Myst’s daughter. It would take me to the same place Geoffrey wanted me to go, but without losing all of who I’d become in the process.
“I’ll do it. I will carry the blade. ”
A light knock on the door and my wolf whimpered, excited. “Please, go. Give us just a moment and we’ll be down. ”
Grieve came in, his eyes glimmering with stars against their blackened background. “We have little time. They’re approaching the house. Cicely, I’m not sure how you did it, but I know you’re responsible for Wrath freeing me. I hate Lannan with a passion, but I will fight alongside him now, and do my best to control my nature. ”
He swept me up in his arms and I melted against him, pressing my head to his heart, shuddering in the warmth of his embrace. I wanted him, then—there, without pretense. Wanted to be with him forever, wanted to be his and only his, to run away from the war and live in a quiet place where we could settle in and just be happy.
“The enemy is storming our gates, my love,” I whispered. “Myst has come to play and she’s looking for you. ”
“I won’t let her take me back. ” He pressed his lips to mine and kissed me. I could have lived within his kiss forever, but there was no time.
“Let’s go—we can’t let the others down. ”
I took his hand, then stopped and turned. “I’m sorry—I’m sorry I wasn’t ready when you asked me so many years ago. I’m sorry that . . . I needed time to know how I felt. ”
He shook his head. “I asked too soon. You were very young. I should have known better. I just hoped you would have remembered, but no matter now. We’ll make it through, Cicely. We’re survivors. We’ll have our time. ”
And then we were headed down the stairs, racing to meet the oncoming storm.
“Where are they?” I swung into the kitchen, where the rest of them were, but realized I’d just interrupted an argument. “What’s going on?”
“Geoffrey just called me,” Leo said. “He told me what happened. It appears I’m being forced to choose. He’s given me an ultimatum. ”
“You have to pick sides. ” I knew it would come to this.
He nodded, staring at me with ill-disguised anger. “Yeah, thanks to you. I know where my strengths lie, and it’s not with you and your war. Rhiannon, you’re my fiancée. Kaylin—you were my friend first. Choose. Come with me and fight this war in a sane manner. Lainule and Geoffrey had a plan, and Cicely fucked it up. ”
“I chose not to hand my life over to Geoffrey—I chose not to let him turn me into a monster. That is hardly fucking things up, in my opinion. But choose—by all means. If you truly believe that I should have sacrificed myself on the altar for the vampires, then go with Leo—because you won’t be of help here. ”
Rhiannon, bitter tears streaking her cheeks, shook her head. “No. I stand by Cicely—Myst took my mother. And I won’t see her claim Cicely by default. ”
“I can’t believe you’re choosing your cousin over me. So be it, then. But don’t come crawling back to me when you’re alone and scared. Because I won’t play second fiddle to some freak. ” He turned to Kaylin. “What about you?”
Kaylin’s face clouded over. “Leo, dude, your ego’s speaking. You’d rather be a little fish in a big frying pan than a little fish in a little frying pan . . . either way, you’re going to get your fins burned. ”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Just this: No matter how hard you try, Geoffrey’s not going to turn you. That’s what you want, isn’t it? I’ve been watching you for some time now. You crave power, and if it takes becoming one of the vamps, you thought why not? But Geoffrey won’t turn you. And if he hasn’t offered by now, he’s not going to. With us, you aren’t skilled enough to be one of the up-front fighters—and you aren’t content with what you can do to help. You’ll never be happy until you can accept who you are. ”
“Fuck that shit. ” Leo turned and, jamming his coat on, headed toward the front door. “I’ll pick up my things later,” he called over his shoulder. “If you are still alive to give them to me. ” Grabbing Bart’s carrier, he slammed out the front door with the Maine Coon.
“Crap. ” I turned to the others. “We meet the Indigo Court outside. They’ll tear down the house if we let them in here. ”
“We have another choice. We can make a run for it, move to a new location and plan out what we’re going to do. ” Kaylin stopped my protest. “Before you say no, think about it: There are at least a dozen Shadow Hunters out there. They could have made a move earlier but were waiting—they were waiting for you to get home, Cicely. ”
He glanced out the window. “I can’t see any of them now. But you can bet that they haven’t faded back into the forest. ”