"I'll wait and see before I cast the glyphs," Gabby offered.
"You said you needed four of them," Zac said, appearing at her side.
"Yes. One at each corner of the house on the outside should be enough."
"I'll come with you," he added. "I've got a strange feeling something is waiting for us down there."
"You mean, other than Aed?" Nye asked.
Aya glanced at Zac, understanding flashing through her features. "He may have resurrected a few friends to protect the house."
"Oh great," Nye exclaimed. "Zombies? Are you kidding me?"
"No, I am not kidding you," the hybrid drawled.
"Does everyone know the plan?" Zac asked. "If there's any questions, now's the time to ask. We've only got one shot at this."
Everyone was silent and Gabby took that as a yes. They'd been over and over it and it was simple enough, but mistakes were totally out of the question and who knew what Aed would do.
As they started to move out, she grabbed Alex's hand and pulled him back. "Good luck," she whispered, tears welling to the surface.
He threw his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Thanks. You, too."
Instead of approaching from the driveway, they took the scenic route through the field and over the fence into the manor grounds.
"I don't like this," Tristan said. "It's too quiet."
"Yeah," Maddox said with a hint of sarcasm, "I thought there'd be a little resistance. A chance to get my hands dirty."
"You'll get it soon enough when we face Aed," Zac said. "Save it for him."
"Eyes open for zombies," Nye said, putting in his two cents. "Stay here and I'll check the threshold."
They lingered behind a box hedge as the spy dashed across the open drive and past the fountain. He twisted the doorknob and he glanced back at Gabby, who was peeking through the bottom of the hedge. The door creaked open ever so slightly and the spy peered through before testing the threshold. His hand went through without any problems and he gave everyone the thumbs up.
Gabby didn't wait to see if everyone got inside, she led Zac to the far corner of the house, weaving through the garden and as they reached the house, ducking underneath windows. It was oddly quiet for the home of an insane Tuatha prince. The air was thick with mist, but it was also thick with the cliché of foreboding.
Reaching the first corner, she placed her hand on the bluestone and started casting the first glyph, tendrils of power seeping through her skin into the masonry. When it was done, she nodded at Zac and they continued on to the next corner.
The mists were starting to lift as the morning progressed and the sun was shining through. It would be clear skies today, the first since she'd arrived. As more of the grounds were revealed, the emptier they looked. It couldn't be that easy, surely? Rather than look a gift horse in the mouth, she cast the second glyph. When she pulled her hand away, she glanced at Zac. He was starring off into the distance, his face contorted into a scowl.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I can't tell for sure, but I think we have company."
There was a loud crash from inside the house and they both looked at each other, knowing that their friends were counting on them.
"Let's go," she said and started to run towards the far corner of the house. Before she could get to the end, a figure launched itself from the hedges around the rear garden, arms outstretched. Gabby skidded to a halt as the man tried to grab her, but Zac was there, shoving him away.
"Guess we know what happened to the groundskeeper," he said wryly as the man stumbled backwards.
The man seemed to lack any semblance of dexterity so it took him a while to steady himself and when he did, he lumbered forward again. Zac grabbed the zombie's head and in one fluid motion, smashed it against the wall of the house.
"Go," he said to her. "I've got your back."
Zac was beside her as they went for the third corner and as she slapped her hand against the wall, three more zombies lumbered towards them. Her heart began to speed up and the glyph melted away in her hands. Shit, she thought to herself. She couldn't let fear get the best of her, not now. She trusted Zac to keep her safe until this was done. Closing her eyes, she tuned out the sound of the vampire struggling with the three undead men and began casting the glyph into the fabric of the house. The power pulled away from her skin and it was done.
Her eyes snapped open and she looked frantically for Zac, but he was standing beside her, his hands covered in blood.
"Next," he said, with a shrug.
The fourth glyph was easier and closer to their location, but the fifth was going to be the most difficult. She needed to physically touch Aed for it to work and she hoped that the vampires were enough to restrain him so she could get it done. When the fourth was complete, she nodded at Zac.
He took her hand, the blood tacky against his skin, and squeezed. "For Regulus."
Gabby was a little taken aback, but smiled anyway. "Let's get the bastard."
Aya watched as Zac and Gabby disappeared into the mist, a pang of worry stabbing into her heart.
"They'll be okay," Tristan murmured in her ear.
"I know, but I still worry."
"C'mon," he said, coaxing her forward, "let's end this once and for all."
Aya lifted a hand and caressed her friend's cheek. "Let's go."
As soon as they walked into the foyer, the air shifted and Aed appeared at the end of the hall. Suits of armor gleamed in the half light, like they were ready to come alive at the hybrid's call. Luckily for them, they were empty.
"I thought I smelt you, Celestine," he drawled. Isobel appeared behind him and Aed grabbed her, holding her small body against his chest. "You're not going to take her away from me again. I will fight to the end to keep her."
"She's not your long lost lover, Aed," Aya said. "Let her go."
With an annoyed roar, Aed pushed Isobel aside and lunged for Aya, but his hand smacked into thin air as she let her power flare, lighting the room with a blue hue, before it faded away just as quickly.
"We cancel each other out, remember?" she leered. "Your power is useless in this fight, Aed."
Isobel cowered against the wall, her eyes wide with fear. When they latched onto Alex, Aya caught the sudden wave of hope that washed over her.
"Who is this?" Aed asked, cocking his head to the side, eyes firmly on Alex.
Rix's shoulders squared and he moved in front of the founder.
"Oh, I see," the hybrid declared, turning to look at Isobel. "You found the grimoire."
"Time's up," Aya said, stalling, knowing that Gabby needed to be here before they restrained him. "Any last words?"
"Last words?" Aed scoffed. "You're the one who needs last words, Celestine scum."
"You can't kill me, but I'd like to see you try."
"No, I cannot kill you," he said, eyeing her. "But I can kill him."
Aed's eyes misted over red as he lunged for Alex, but Rix was in the way, steeled for this exact thing. It was his duty to protect their last chance at ending the Tuatha, but he wasn't fast enough. He would never be fast enough.
Aed's hand punctured Rix's chest and he flung the vampire across the room like he was nothing but a rag doll. As Rix rolled to a stop, his eyes began to glaze over, blood pooling beneath his body. Maddox roared in pure anger as his friend began to desiccate and turned on the hybrid.
"You'll pay for that," the assassin roared and he threw himself at Aed, fangs bared, looking for the kill. He wasn't going to get it, but there was no stopping him. Aed ducked, ramming his shoulder into the vampire's gut and sent him flying. Maddox landed over the staircase bannister and there was an loud crack as his spine snapped in two. He half slid, half rolled down the stairs and when he reached the bottom he was out for the count.
Nye nodded at Tristan. "Stick him."
Tristan flew across the foyer and stabbed the needle into Aed's arm. They hybrid pushed him away, but it was too late. Aya's blood started to merge w
ith his and he stumbled, looking bewildered.
"Poison," he hissed, pulling the syringe from his arm and casting it aside.
Nye appeared behind him and rammed another into his neck. "Tasty, huh?"
"Fools," Aed roared, shoving Nye aside. His eyes fixed on Alex again and he began to advance.
"It's done," Gabby said, stepping into the room.
"You." Aed stopped mid stride and snarled at the witch.
"Yes, me and this time you won't be so lucky."
Aed stepped toward her, but Gabby's appearance was their signal. It was time to get down to business.
Tristan and Nye grasped Aed's arms from behind and Zac and Pyke used their strength to push him down on his back. Aed landed with a thud, a vampire holding each limb and Aya straddled him, curling her hands around his throat. The moment she touched him, all of his malice slammed into her with enough force to take her breath away.
Aed struggled against them, his anger seething through his skin right into her heart. Her eyes began to change as she struggled to keep her control and Gabby was in front of her. The witch slapped a hand on Aed's forehead and began casting the fifth glyph.
"Bitch," Aed hissed, baring his fangs. "I will rip you to shreds, little girl."
"You'll have to get your hands on her first," Aya snapped, her own fangs beginning to lengthen as the hybrid's anger started to infect her senses.
Gabby snatched her hand away and scrambled backwards. "It's done."
"Alex," Aya called, looking up at him. She knew she was a terrible sight to behold, but when she saw the blind terror on his face, her anger started to swell even more. "Alex. Do it now."
He hesitated and she felt like throttling him as well. Her Celestine power started to simmer in response and the air began to charge around her.
"Alex," she shrieked.
Aya's cry was enough to snap Alex into action.
Stepping forward, he looked down at Aed, who was struggling with all his strength. He was just meant to rip his heart out? Just like that? He'd never hurt anyone in his life… He went to kneel down, but with a roar Aed pushed against his captors with all his remaining energy and his arms came free. Aya fell backwards with enough force to take Zac and Pyke with her and Aed was loose.
He turned on Alex with blazing red eyes and hissed at him. Instead of going in for the kill, the hybrid grasped the front of his shirt and threw him across the room. The whole thing happened in a handful of seconds, even before his friends could stumble to their feet.
Alex expected to hit the wall and fall to the ground, but a sharp pain ripped through his stomach and his body fell limply, feet dangling in the air. A long blade protruded from his gut and for a sickening second nothing happened. Then blood started to pour from the wound and drip onto the floor below. Swatting numbly at the blade, Alex realized he'd been impaled on one of the halberds that was being held by one of the suits of armor against the wall.
His eyes met Isobel's and she was white. It must be bad. It didn't feel bad. Not yet, anyway. Did vampires feel shock?
A figure stepped into his line of vision, obscuring his sister and he focused on Aed. The hybrid looked up at him with a sick look of satisfaction on his face. This was the end, right? He couldn't get down, he couldn't function…this was the part where he died.
Aed's muscles seemed to coil as he readied himself for the kill, but just as suddenly as he'd broken free, his face fell into shock. A long silver blade protruded through his stomach and he spluttered in surprise, blood spraying from his mouth and running down his chin. The entire room fell silent as all eyes fell onto Isobel. She stood behind the hybrid, a look of crazy determination on her face, her small hands on the hilt of the sword.
Aed swung around with a grunt, the sword well and truly imbedded, his eyes betraying his surprise to find Isobel behind him.
"Siobhan?" he gasped, blood bubbling in his mouth. "Why?"
"Why?" she hissed at him. "Because I'm not your fucking girlfriend, you mental asshole."
Aed fell to his knees, disbelief etched into his features. He swatted helplessly at the sword, too weak from the glyphs Gabby had cast to pull it out. A pool of blood began to form around him as he gasped for air.
Alex looked up as Aya and Zac appeared beside him and nodded. They had to get him down and he supposed it would hurt worse taking the halberd out than putting it in. Nye was behind them bracing the shaft of the weapon as the two vampires heaved. Gasping in pain, he would've fell to his knees if it wasn't for Aya and Zac. Just as suddenly, the pain started to fade as his body began the healing process. Talk about a itch he couldn't scratch.
"Do it, Alex," Aya said. "It's your last chance."
"Siobhan, please…" Blood dribbled down Aed's chin, his eyes full of tears. "I love you, please…"
Alex clutched his stomach, trying not to focus on the weird feeling of his organs and muscles knitting back together. Aed looked up at him, his eyes swirling red and he was a pitiful sight. He believed his lover scorned him, his entire family were dead, he'd lost three thousand years and his entire race… It was time to put the hybrid out of his misery once and for all.
Alex placed a hand on Aed's shoulder and took a deep breath. Collecting his strength he pushed his outstretched fingers into the hybrid's chest, the sensation of his hand travelling through flesh and bone making him feel sick. Then he held the hybrid's beating heart in his palm and he gasped. It pumped against his skin and the weight of his responsibility sunk onto his shoulders with a crash. This was his first kill as a vampire…his first kill ever…and what a kill it was.
With a grunt, he grasped Aed's heart in his fingers and pulled. It came free with an awful sucking sound and as soon as it hit air, it began to dry and crumble, ash falling through his fingers. The hybrid fell limply to the floor, eyes open and unseeing, the sword clattering against the floor boards.
Alex hoped he didn't have to do that ever again.
"Alex," Isobel shrieked, throwing herself into his arms. "I knew you'd come. I knew it!"
Embracing his sister, he glanced at Aya who nodded. He took that as confirmation it was done.
"Maddox," he heard Zac say and a flurry of movement whirled around him, but he was only worried about Isobel.
"Izzy," he breathed. "You stabbed him in the gut with a fucking sword."
"That's nothing," she laughed. "You ripped his heart out."
"I didn't enjoy it, you know."
Isobel frowned. "You...turned."
Alex nodded. "To save you and everyone I care about." After a minute, he choked out, "I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you, Alex," she whispered. "Thank you for everything."
With a sad smile, Alex took Isobel into another room while the others took care of Aed and their fallen friend, Rix. Gabby had said they needed to hack the hybrid into pieces and that was something he didn't want his sister to see, even though she'd had the guts to stab the guy with a sword she could hardly lift.
He watched Nye, Zac and Aya through the window as they built a pyre of wood in the manicured garden and when they stood around waiting, he looked down at Isobel.
"You wanna go outside? You don't have to you know."
"I want to," she replied. "I want to know for sure that crazy isn't going to come back and kidnap me again."
With a smile, Alex took her hand and led her out into the garden, the blue sky that had been promised by the mist beginning to cloud over. It was England after all. It wouldn't be right if they sky wasn't grey with rain. Tristan stepped forward and tipped a can of kerosene over Aed's remains and Rix's wrapped body. As the knight flicked a lit match into the pile, they were silent as a whoosh of flames cast heat against their faces.
The vampires and their human and witch friend stood in the yard, bloodied, beaten and bruised as the flames from the pyre reached into the air. Looking up, Alex saw the first flakes of snow begin to fall before anyone else noticed. Drawing Isobel closer, he smiled down at her. They were safe now and he wou
ld protect her and his family forever. This was the last heartache they would ever have to face. That was his eternity.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Zac sat on the roof over Isobel's apartment. Oxford was well and truly alive tonight, the streets full of people Christmas shopping, spending time with their loved ones and walking through the multitude of festive markets. It was that time of year and despite how drawn he was, it was infectious.
Aya appeared beside him in that invisible way of hers and he leaned over, burying his face into the crook of her neck. "Hello," he murmured, pressing his lips against her jugular.
"Hello," she replied, breathing in deeply. "You do smell like flowers, you know."
He remembered that he apparently smelt like a Celestine and found himself smiling. Pulling away, he took in her familiar features, her pale skin that seemed to shimmer in the moonlight, her clear blue eyes, her long black hair. He'd never get tired of looking at her.
"Why do you like sitting on the roof so much?" she asked, pressing against him.
"It's quiet up here," he replied, kissing her on the cheek.
"I know what you mean." She looked up at the sky and frowned. "It's closer to the stars here, but something should be done about those clouds."
Zac laughed, shaking his head.
"What?"
"Are you saying you can move the earth and the sky now?"
Aya's eyes crinkled with laughter. "No, not this Celestine."
"Good, you had me worried there."
"Worried?"
"My manly pride couldn't handle it if my girlfriend was all powerful."
Aya shoved him playfully with her shoulder. "Too much responsibility."
"How's everyone?" he asked. He hadn't been around much and he felt a little guilty, but Gabby needed to rest and Alex needed to spend time with Isobel. Distance and time to recuperate were first on the agenda.
"As well as can be expected," Aya replied. "Nye took Gabby to a hotel and he's looking out for her for the moment. Tristan is watching over Alex and Isobel. Time is what they all need now. To process everything, especially Alex."