Chapter 44
Lynda climbed over the building's rubble. There might be someone still alive somewhere underneath.
From behind her, Mihnea grabbed her, hauling her back.
“Stop, let me go.” She struggled against him.
“The fire department is almost here,” he said softly against her ear. “Let them do their job.”
“But I can't just do nothing!” Tears caught on her lashes. “This is my fault...my magic did this. And there could still be someone alive in this mess.”
“Lynda.” Pierre took her hand and Mihnea kept her back pressed against him. “None of us hear any heartbeats.”
“Most were vampires...they wouldn't have a pulse.” She looked Pierre in the eye. Her guilt wouldn't let her just walk away. Not from this. How many were killed? Ten? Twenty? Even one was too much.
Along the perimeter of the collapsed building, dozens of Russian vampires and half-vamps watched her with weary or hateful glances. Some sat, waiting for their speedy healing to fix broken arms or legs. Others called out for loved ones and either wailed when they didn't receive an answer or hugged others tight. Across from Lynda, Natasha sat hunched over holding a small boy. Blood coated his head while his clothes were caked in dust. Near her, Boris squeezed Natasha's shoulder, but didn't stop telling a skinny vamp next to them something that brightened the leader’s eyes.
What's he saying? Lynda frowned. Never could read lips.
Lynda wriggled from Mihnea's embrace.
“Please, it's too dangerous to dig through the debris.” Pierre brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “Stay on the outer rim of the destruction and Mihnea and I will check for life.” When she opened her mouth to protest, he added, “For any signs of anyone vampire or not.”
“Do we have an agreement?” Mihnea stepped from behind her. “Lynda?”
She met his stare. What else could she do? The rumble was too heavy for her to lift and the vamps would hear the faintest scratch if they were close enough.
“Okay.” Her shoulders slumped. She watched as Pierre and Mihnea crossed the crushed building, stopping and listening every few feet.
Boris and the skinny vamp drifted away from Natasha who still held the lifeless boy in her arms. Sobs shook her body and Lynda's heart wrenched. She walked around to the other side of the building and knelt beside Natasha.
“I'm so sorry.” She placed a hand on Natasha's arm.
The half-vamp hissed, jerking away from her. “Don't...you have done enough.”
Her throat burned with remorse as she stared down at the small child. His face was even covered with cement soot. A gaping wound on the side of his head. Lynda stifled back bile.
“If I could undo this, I would.” Lynda closed her eyes briefly fighting the hysterical cried that raced up her throat. “Tell me what to do and I will do anything I can for you...for all of your clan.”
“You cannot bring back the dead,” Natasha snapped. “No matter how powerful Boris said you were.” She let out a broken laugh. “And to think I believed his lies and didn't heed Sofia’s warning of you.”
Lynda cringed as it felt like Natasha's words were a hundred knives cutting into her. Sofia had tried to kill Lynda saying she would be their destruction.
“I-I don't blame you for hating me.” She swallowed hard. “But this is why I needed training...so that nothing like this ever happens again.”
Natasha glared at her with blood-shot eyes. “Get another teacher. I will never forgive you for this. And if you don't leave me, I will rip out your heart myself regardless of what Boris wants.
With a hollow feeling inside, Lynda nodded numbly and stood. She walked away from Natasha and the firemen who brushed past her wearing their gear and carrying axes as they too hunted for survivors.
“Lynda Garcia?” a woman in a long raincoat asked.
“Yes?” She stopped. How long had she numbly walked? She glanced over her shoulder just making out Pierre's lean frame among the collapsed building and Mihnea’s huskier body diagonal from his brother's.
“You will come to the Witch's high council meeting with me now.”
Lynda spun back to the woman. “What? Why? Because of the building?” She waved a hand out. “I will pay my comeuppance to the Russian vampires, first. Then I'll meet with you and whoever else.”
Heading back to the others, Lynda dreaded what the witch council would say. They couldn't fault her for not registering with them. She didn't even know she had magic a week ago. Her stomach knotted, but they might lock her up in payment for the deaths here today and stay on the vampires’ good graces with Lynda being the only guilty one. Her stomach knotted and she crossed her arms over herself as she hiked back. She deserved to be punished for the catastrophe here and would accept her punishment. But she didn't think whatever price she had to pay would ever remove the memory or nightmares of those she'd inadvertently harmed or killed. She clapped a hand over her mouth as bile rammed into her mouth. Her body shook so hard she had to stop and lean against a tailor shop to keep from falling down.
The woman from earlier stepped up to her. “Lynda Garcia, you will come with me now for the high council of witches.”
“Give me a minute.” She swallowed. “I've got to get Pierre and Mihnea too.”
“There's no time.” She straightened, her eyes narrowed. “The council has been called to order already and summon you to court immediately.”
Lynda stepped around the woman. “I'm not going anywhere until I tell my men where I will be.”
High Council or not, I don't belong to them and they cannot boss me around until they convicted me at least. She was fine with paying for her horrible mistake, but she wasn't going to disappear without letting Pierre and Mihnea know.
“I will send a messenger once we get you to court,” the woman said, pushing back her black and gray hair.
“Look, I understand what I did was wrong.” Lynda kept her arms pressed against her stomach. “But I'd like to stay and help the others for a few days while they recover the—” She couldn't say bodies. Some didn't consider vampires as not having a soul because they didn't have heartbeats and therefore weren't considered people upon their second death. Last year there had been a lawsuit with a vampire and the state to bury his wife's vamp ashes in the cemetery with a tombstone so he could visit her. He'd lost the case, but afterward there was a collection. With the money, they purchased a small monument for him dedicated to his wife and their love.
“After things have settled here, then I will honor the subpoena and return with you to the council.” Lynda pushed away from the tailor shop. “I'm not a member of your society or council so I'm afraid I'm not at your beck and call. Yes, it was my untamed magic that caused this devastation and I am willing to stand trial, but not until I've helped the Russians recover as much as I can.”
Would they ever forgive her for what happened here today? Would Natasha? Sorrow slammed into her heart and she took a shaky breath.
Before she took two steps, the woman said, “If you don't come with me now, then your lover's life is forfeit.”
A mixture of shock and anger snapped along Lynda's veins. “Excuse me? Are your threatening me and Mihnea and Pierre?” Cause if she was, this woman had a fight on her hands. No way would Lynda allow her or any witch…high council or not treat them like second-class citizens.
“For now, you and they are safe.” She titled her head in the vampires’ direction. “But how long that will last who knows.” She cocked an eyebrow.
“Then who—” Suddenly a sinking sensation hit Lynda’s middle as realization barreled into her. Andrei. So it wasn’t Dracula who had him hidden away somewhere? He’d been with the witches all this time. Why?
“Ah yes. Now we understand each other.” The witch smiled. “Now if you’ll come with me, you might still be able to save Andrei.”
And just like that, Lynda’s whole world collapsed in on itself. Her heart hammered in her chest and spots danced before her eyes. Her love…Andrei. She wasn’t complete without him or Pierre or Mihnea. Why did they take him? He’d been missing since her data had been stolen and had the witches had him all this time? What had they done to him?