He stood. “Do you doubt I can defeat her?”
Rowan shook her head. “Not for a moment. But my hesitance isn’t about that. You know it. You’re one of his Five. He’d be taking a side if you were my second.”
“I asked his leave to do it and he agreed instantly. He bid me come to you immediately. He took a side long ago, Rowan.”
She blew out a breath. “All right. I accept. Thank you again.”
He nodded and took up on her other side.
“I’ve seen her fight before. She’s one for the nails. Leads with her right a lot.”
“Damn it with you guys and your nails and venom. David, be sure to have the holy water ready in case she scratches me.” Vampires had a venom in their nails meant to poison and incapacitate their victims. Rowan was immune to the poison and incapacitating effects, but it still hurt like a bitch and she needed to wash the wounds out with holy water, which hurt even more.
Rowan was going to kill Victoriana extra hard for that.
She listened as Recht told her all he knew about the other Vampire and her fighting style. Since Rowan had trained with Recht, he knew exactly how to give her the information so she could apply it.
Just before they reached the back doors, Clive stopped her. “I’ve been looking for you. A word?”
“I’ll join you momentarily.” She nodded to David and Recht, who moved some feet away.
Clive drew her into a small antechamber and closed the door. His mouth was on hers so fast she didn’t have time to be surprised. Instead she leaned into him, opening to his tongue, to the press of his kiss. His hands roved over her back, around her sword, and grabbed two handfuls of her ass, squeezing as he broke away. His eyes had changed, bloodlust that he normally hid from her in them.
“You’re a foolish fucking human, do you know that?”
“I’m not human. Goddess, how many times do I have to tell people that?”
He growled but kept her close. “Kill her, Rowan. Do not show pity. Do not show softness. Do not show any hesitation. Her biggest flaw is her ego. By the way, she named Collette as her second.”
Rowan grinned. “Is that so? After I kill Victoriana, I might challenge Collette too. Why not Marcilius, though?”
“I don’t know where he is. And I don’t like that. He’s taken a back seat this Tribunal. Which might be why he’s been such a petty, grumpy asshole. Then again, he’s naturally that way. But we’ll keep an eye for any rule breaking. You’re going to be victorious. That’s why The First didn’t argue the challenge.”
“He couldn’t anyway. But yes, I will win.”
“And then I’m going to fuck the hell out of you. Remember that out there.”
“Such soft words.” She kissed him once more, and he let her go. “Let’s be on our way. I have some killing to do.”
“One last thing. Dina came to me and wanted me to tell you she and a few others would be sure no magic could be used. If they see anything untoward, they will tell The First.”
Rowan nodded. “All right then.”
Rex met her at the doors. “Sweetheart, you are a test of the blood pressure.” He gave her a raised brow. “I’ve delivered the news to the Motherhouse. My lovely wife said a word I don’t think I’ve ever heard before, and then she told me that if you did not win she would skin Roth Wesslyian alive and wear him when she went skiing.”
Rowan burst out laughing, and when people turned to look, she wanted them to see just how unworried she was by this whole thing.
“It would nearly be worth dying to make that happen.”
“I’m sorry he’s here. He has enough support in Hunter Corp. that he appealed to their sense of fair play. He told them he’d wronged you and desperately wanted to make things right. You and I know better, but the best I could do was come along to keep him in line.”
“That’s what I figured. This is a good thing. I want him to see this. I want him to understand who and what I am and what I will do to make this amendment happen.”
Rex winked, and she separated herself, heading down the last row toward the open space at the end.
Above, in a dark, totally clear sky, the moon had risen high, casting a white glow over the garden. Enough that she could easily take in the people who had lined up to watch. Rowan kept her head high. She had a job to do and she would do it. And she’d enjoy it.
Theo stood, regal and horrifying, on a dais at the edge of the wide, flat open space in the center of his hedge garden. He caught sight of her and smiled. It was brief, but it was enough.
The snow had melted, but it was still cold, and the ground was slightly slick under her boots. She made a mental note to adjust her movements to keep from falling.
David moved to the dais, standing to watch. His face impassive. But before they’d left the house, he’d leaned in and told her he had every intention of making her tea before bed so to hurry it along because he was hungry and dinner was waiting for this duel.
Recht bowed to her and turned to face Theo. Though Recht spoke to her and a few others while they were in private, in fact four of his Five did not speak in public, so Recht looked to Nadir, the Voice of the Five, to speak in his stead.
“Ovilius, I petition to stand as second to Rowan Summerwaite.”
Gasps rushed from the crowd, but they silenced rather quickly as Theo cast his gaze over them before looking to Recht once more.
“You are aware that should your Champion fall, you might be called to take her place?”
“Yes.”
“Permission granted.”
Marcilius, who’d been lurking, burst into the space. “I object!”
Theo looked at him with such violent hatred Rowan had to steel herself from stepping back.
“Sire,” Marcilius added quickly as Victoriana approached.
“I am not your Sire. You are not my get. And those who are know what to call me.”
“Ovilius. My apologies. My emotion got the better of me. I object, Ovilius, to a member of the Vampire Nation seconding this human scum.”
Theo waved a hand. “Noted. Victoriana, do you have a second to declare?”
“Have you no answer to my objection? Are you so completely in her thrall?”
The silence, which had been of a morbidly curious quality, shifted into sharp horror and disbelief. Vampires hissed and moved away from where Marcilius stood.
Nadir stood forward, but Theo lifted a finger to stay her.
“This is your third infraction. I will deal with your insolence after this challenge has finished.” He addressed one of his guards. “Take him into custody.”
Victoriana’s face fell, but she said nothing. Enyo walked forward. “Ovilius, I ask for mercy. He’s young and spirited.”
“Mercy? Pah. I grow impatient with all of you. We have a challenge to administer.” Theo ignored Enyo and looked to Victoriana. “I ask for the last time. Do you have a second to declare?”
Collette took a step forward, but it was Enyo who spoke. “I will be her second.”
Recht froze for a moment, but said nothing.
“We have no objections.” Rowan shrugged, though she allowed that fear to give an edge to her state of mind. Enyo could very well end her if she chose to challenge Rowan after Rowan killed Victoriana. But there was nothing else to be done than to trust the all-encompassing sense of honor bound so tightly to the Challenge arena. So Rowan kept her face free of any emotion but disgust. “I’m sure everyone would like to eat, so I’m ready whenever she is.”
“Everyone knows the rules. Any move by either side to break those rules will result in immediate and harsh penalty.” Nadir spoke in Theo’s stead. As his ranking lieutenant she’d be his voice in such matters.
Victoriana addressed the crowd. “I want to make clear, this is an Ultimate Challenge.”
As if Rowan had any plans to stop until she’d killed this stupid bitch.
Rowan waved a hand. “Naturally.”
Rowan bowed to Recht, gave Clive a small smile and then turned, stepping into the challenge space.
Victoriana did some stupid shit off to the left. Trying to look mysterious and Vampiry, Rowan was sure. As if it would save her life.
Instead of reacting, Rowan stood, gathering her power, centering herself. She called to Brigid, opening the way, making herself a Vessel as she was born to be.
The Goddess came, not hard and fast as she had the day before, but slow. Warm like honey. She filled Rowan from the tips of her toes to her scalp. It was the first stretch of the morning. Pleasure filled Rowan’s cells as She inhabited Rowan fully.
That powerful magic seemed to have a life of its own as it lifted tendrils of hair at Rowan’s temple, tickling her skin. The warmth of that power brushed against her skin, and she smiled directly at Victoriana as she stepped over the line and into the challenge space.
Within, Rowan thanked the Goddess for Her presence and asked for Her strength to defeat her foe, right before she focused on Victoriana’s face and let the Vampire see her death.
“Die well, Vampire.” Rowan gave Victoriana the first words she said to a Vampire she was about to execute.
In a movement she’d made dozens of times, she reached back, gripping the handle of her blade. The power of it sang through her veins as she closed her eyes and tipped her head slightly, savoring that connection.
Then she rolled her head on her shoulders and cleared the blade from the scabbard, turning it so the silver caught the light just so.
Victoriana leapt into action, but Rowan simply stepped to the side, bending slightly as she kicked out, connecting with the Vampire’s side.
Victoriana tumbled with a muffled curse and stood.
Her own need for blood pounded in her ears like a heartbeat. Rowan tasted her violence, breathed it, embraced that part of what she was as she dodged a hand full of venom-tipped nails. At the last minute she allowed the edge of her blade to slice along the inner arm of her opponent.
Victoriana’s scream made her smile.
“What are you?” Victoriana demanded.
It was Brigid’s otherworldly voice that filled the space. “A nightmare. Raised in nightmare country. I am your last breath, Vampire. I want you to know this as you die—you brought this on yourself out of your own vanity and ignorance. I will enjoy bleeding you.”
Brigid made her faster. Made her stronger. Filled her veins with the magic and power of a goddess. And it folded around the blood she’d taken from Theo and Clive after her attack.
* * *
She was a human wrapped around a bunch of superhuman elements.
Clive watched her move, unable to tear himself away from the menace in her muscles, the way she coiled and uncoiled herself at will and as fast as any Vampire he’d known. He’d seen her fight before, but she was something different now. Stronger, but more Other too.
Her breath misted around her face, but she wasn’t even winded.
It wasn’t just Hunters and Vampires who’d surrounded the space, but The First’s staff had come out to watch, huddled in coats, eyes on Rowan as she landed yet another strike, slicing her blade across Victoriana’s belly.
Victoriana, it seemed, had finally realized just what she was up against and had begun to focus.
“Barbaric. Of course she jumped at the chance. She’s as low class and bloodthirsty as they are.”
Clive didn’t need to turn around to identify Roth as the person who made that comment.
“Do be quiet, Roth.” Celesse.
“Why? So you can continue to let her run roughshod over Hunter Corp.? Turn us into them?”
“Because she’s got the courage to do this. Because this is what it takes to make them listen. You’re a fool strangled by your ego if you don’t understand the price she pays for this. But you sure as hell aren’t doing it. I can’t. She does. So shut up or I will punch you in the mouth myself.” Rex Espy this time.
Clive smiled, feeling violent and a little grim. Victoriana managed to land a few blows, knocking Rowan off her feet. She bled from her mouth, but she didn’t seem overly bothered or even hurt as she stood straight and narrowed her gaze at the Vampire she faced.
“Would you like me to wait while you run and get a weapon?” Rowan taunted. Clive got hard just watching.
“I am a weapon, human.” Victoriana left the ground and shot herself toward Rowan, who’d adjusted and hit Victoriana in the head with the hilt of her sword as she did.
On the way down, Victoriana managed to sink her teeth into Rowan’s shoulder, ripping the shirt she had, grazing her skin. Rowan pushed off, shoving herself back and straightening.
“I’m not human.” Rowan stalked over with inhuman speed and kicked Victoriana’s legs from under her as she’d managed to stand once more. “I told you, I am the Vessel. I was reared here, at the right hand of The First. I know how to be a Vampire better than you do.” She punched Victoriana, whose head lolled back. And then she licked across her knuckles. Like a Vampire would have. A move that told her opponent she was nothing more than a meal.
Perfection.
The First chuckled in the background as Clive’s incisors lengthened.
“I’m stronger than you.” She hit Victoriana again. “I’m better than you in every way.” And again. “You think you can make me a meal? Fuck. You. Fuck you for sinking your teeth into me without my permission. You were a godsdamned fool to issue this challenge. You are weak.” She gripped her sword, bringing the hilt to her lips. “And you will die because of it.”
“No! I call the challenge off.” Collette yelled this from the background. Rowan heard it and knew it was futile. Rowan grabbed Victoriana and helped her to her feet.
She spoke the words. “Die well, Vampire. I hope death brings you the peace you could not find in life.”
One sure movement, she angled blade, punching it through Victoriana’s chest. The stench of her blood and the burning flesh as the blessed surface of the blade cut through her blotted out the crisp night air.
Rowan leaned in as she brought the blade through Victoriana’s heart. She murmured a blessing to ease the Vampire’s way to true death as Victoriana’s face eased and she was nothing more than dust.
Chapter Seventeen
An unearthly howl filled the air as Collette launched herself into the space and toward Rowan’s back, knocking her down before she could fully straighten after delivering the death blow to Victoriana.
“You will hold, Vampire!” Theo’s voice boomed through the space with so much power it held everyone in place.
He was down from the dais before Clive finished blinking his eyes.
Like a slow-motion, animated drawing, he stepped closer and yanked Collette back by her hair.
Rowan went to her knee and twisted out of the way, pushing to stand a few feet away. Her back had been flayed open by Collette’s nails and teeth; Clive knew she had to be in pain, but she stood tall.
Theo held Collette off the ground by her hair, getting very close to her, his face just half an inch from hers. She ceased struggling, and no one dared move to interfere in any way.
“You violated the rules.”
“Ovilius, I beg your mercy,” Enyo spoke with the proper amount of reverence, and she did not step into the challenge space. “She is upset at the loss of her loved one. She is young and passionate. Do you not remember what that feels like?”
Theo did not tear his gaze from Collette, who had quieted to nothing more than an occasional high-pitched whimper. Clive had no idea what it would have felt like to be caught in that thrall, but he knew enough to not want to dwell.
“She violated the sanctity of my h
ospitality. Her actions have not only shamed her, but me. She broke the rules in my Keep. Of her people. A Vampire has nothing if he does not have honor. Nothing.”
The power echoed from that word, and Collette began to vibrate.
“The punishment for that is to be nothing.”
Clive had turned his attention to Rowan, who stood tall, her blade still in her hand. Though she was still covered in Victoriana’s death blood and her own smattering of wounds, she hadn’t made a single move since she’d pushed up from one knee. Rowan simply watched The First with serious eyes that told no one anything.
No one but those who knew her intimately, as Clive did. He knew without a doubt that Rowan had been face-to-face with The First like that. Knew she had felt whatever Collette was at that moment.
His respect for Rowan Summerwaite rose as he understood her strength on a whole new level. She’d withstood this powerful being and his idea of discipline from infancy.
And yet she’d survived it. More than survived. She’d taken it and used it, let it shape her and make her stronger. She stood there, tall, blood drying on her mouth and on her back. Every once in a while a fine tremor worked through her left hand and she fisted it tighter and then relaxed it.
In his time at the Nation and over the course of his exposure to The First, Clive had seen him discipline Vampires. Had seen all manner of corrections from a bloody lip to imprisonment of some sort. He’d even seen several executions and a few beatings. But this was different.
Everyone standing around that square watching knew it too.
“You came to my Keep and you brought chaos with you.” Theo continued to look at Collette, but he also spoke to Enyo. “Do you think me someone you can destroy so easily? Do you have so little understanding of my power that you bring your petty magics and attempt to game this meeting for your own gains?”
“Ovilius, no. We do nothing more than seek to affect the outcome openly. With our words.”
He spoke then in their old language, and a shiver slid down Clive’s spine.
* * *
“Do you swear such on your life, Enyo?”