Chapter 14

Tori felt helpless. What good was all this power if she didn’t know how to save her friends? Her phone rang again, and with a shaking hand she glanced at the screen. It was Liv. She looked at Bryce. He nodded and so she answered, terrified of what she would hear.

“Hello?”

“Tori! We got Eadric! He’s dead!” Tori looked at Averill, whose eyes were wide in horror.

“What about Eadgar?” Tori asked, although she could pretty much figure out the answer.

“No. He got away. He’s heading toward the tower—but Tori, we lost more than half of our group. The twins were vicious, just like Bryce said… the way they killed was brutal… the vamps from the south, the trio from Ireland… Jess and Jake… all gone!” Tori looked at Bryce who crossed his arms, his eyes fixated on the floor as though he might just bore a hole into the tiled floor.

“Tori, you have to stop Dante. Corbin called, the wolves are heading toward the tower as well. He must have summoned them.” Summoned them to kill us, Tori thought, just as Averill had warned.

“What are you doing now?” Tori wanted to tell Liv and Kyle to take Kane and get the fuck out of London, but she knew none of them could hide now. They were all seen as traitors, and this night would not end until more blood was shed.

“We’re tracking Eadgar. I texted Kane, he’s on the lookout and will try to head him off. Just focus on Dante. Bye.” There was a click, and then silence. Tori felt like the room was spinning, and in the center lay Averill, tied up, gagged, but still unable to hide her sadistic smile.

Tori flew across the room and placed her hands on the shoulders of the vampire who had ruined her life, ruined Bryce’s life—ruined Derek’s life. “Look at me you bitch!” Tori snapped. Averill raised her blue eyes to meet Tori’s, looking vaguely amused by her futile attempt at taking over the throne. “I will call Dante and you will tell him to come to us. He is to bring our friends unharmed, and his pack of wolves is to remain outside. Do you understand?”

Averill nodded slowly. Tori held her gaze for a moment then pulled the gag out of Averill’s mouth. She had compelled an Ancient, she wasn’t sure she even could. Fear is a powerful motivator. She dialed Erin’s number and held the receiver to Averill’s mouth.

“Three minutes, I see you’re being reasonable.” Dante sounded pleased on the other end. Tori poked Averill in the shoulder, signaling for her to speak.

“Dante?”

“Averill? Are you all right, my love?”

“I will be, but you need to come here. Bring the traitors but leave your wolves behind. I’m sure then we can all come to a happy arrangement.” Her voice was sweet and melodic, leaving no trace that he should be concerned.

He agreed and hung up.

****

Tori removed the chair so Dante would be able to enter. Averill snickered as she watched her float the furniture across the room and return it to its proper location. “What were you, Mary Poppins in your human life?”

“I was a designer,” Tori snapped, unsure why she even answered her. It was her nerves. She could feel them twitching about her.

“And I was a killer, that’s why you won’t beat me.”

“I think she needs the gag again.” Elora rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. There was the sound of a latch unlocking and everyone turned to the left. There, in the wall, a hidden door opened and Erin and Derek walked out, followed by Dante who held Erin’s loaded crossbow in his hands aimed at them. But they weren’t alone. A fourth figure emerged, and from his pale skin Tori knew he was another vampire, carrying Jasmine in his arms. Her neck was covered in blood. Her body limp.

“Jasmine!” Tori cried at the sight. She couldn’t tell if she were alive or dead.

“This must be the Tori I’ve heard so much about.” Dante smiled then turned to the vampire who tossed Jasmine on the floor as though she were nothing more than a bag of waste, then left without even looking at the intruders. Dante still held the crossbow aimed at Derek and Erin. “Yeah. She passed out. I guess I over indulged when I claimed her.”

“Ye did whit?” Bryce looked like he wanted to tear Dante’s arms out of his sockets. Tori signaled for Elora to prepare to restrain him. If he went up against Dante in a rage he would surely lose.

“What can I say, Bryce? You took one of my wolves, I needed another one. It’s a fair trade.”

“She had no desire to join yer pack, ye took her by force!”

“On the contrary, you took her by force when you compelled her to take her into our home. Besides, I think she felt quite comfortable filling in Jade’s shoes.”

“You’re a monster,” Tori said, disgusted.

“Yes, I am. As are you, my sweet. We are what we are. Embrace it. Own it.” Dante took a step toward Erin and poked her in the back with the pointed edge of the arrow. “Untie my queen,” he commanded.

Erin turned to Bryce. Dante poked her again, this time harder. “Don’t look at him, I gave you an order! Unless… if you want, I can see how well this crossbow of yours works. I think a little target practice is just what this party needs.” He scanned the room, his eyes wild with the notion, then rested his gaze on Erin. “Oh, I’m sorry. Perhaps you need an incentive.” He turned the crossbow to Derek and shot him in the chest to the right of his heart.” Erin screamed as Derek fell back, the arrow deep in his chest. “The next arrow actually goes in his heart. That one will be fatal. Untie my queen, now!”

Derek nodded for Erin to obey as he pulled the arrow out of his chest, his groan a cruel reminder that the tides had just been turned. Erin walked with her head high and removed the heavy chains as though they were made of feathers, tossing them to the ground she began to pick out the silver that was embedded in Averill’s skin. She peered over at Derek, who despite his pain, stood back up. He nodded once more to signal he would be okay. Erin cast her eyes back down to her work.

“Really, Alasdair? A slayer?” Averill said the word slayer like it was poison on her tongue. “This is who you invited into my home?” Averill looked like she had lost all respect for him.

“I have made my alliances.” He gestured to Erin. “And ye’ve made yers.” He gestured to Dante.

“You don’t understand the nature of a slayer, do you? I suppose you didn’t realize that she is designed to go after the greatest threat. You see, she just tolerates you. You were all ready to march in here and destroy the Council… then what? Do you really believe she would have hung up her slayer utility belt and allowed you to feed on humans at your leisure?”

“They’re not like you.” Erin growled.

“They’re vampires, Red. That makes them exactly like me. And you aren’t any less supernatural than we are. Just as we can only exist at night, there are certain codes of conduct that even you are bound to. Trust me, Alasdair, you kill us and Strawberry Shortcake will start hunting all of you.”

Erin removed the last of the silver and tossed it on the floor. Averill smirked and sauntered over to Dante’s side. “What shall I do with them, my love?” He jabbed Derek hard in the arm with the point of the crossbow, threatening him once more.

“Careful. If you don’t play nice with your toys,” Derek said, his breath still ragged from the pain, his eyes suddenly fixed on Tori. “Someone might have to take them away.”

The main door burst open, and an albino vampire covered in blood and looking absolutely savage entered. Eadgar, Tori thought. Taking Derek’s advice, she used her powers to pull the crossbow out of Derek’s hands and into the hands of its rightful owner. Erin caught the crossbow and turned to the savage-looking vampire who was about to pounce on Elora. She shot the crossbow, the arrow just missing his heart, but landing in his chest. Elora held up her hands and immobilized Eadgar. Tori grabbed a stake out of her back pocket and leapt on top of Eadgar, knocking him to the floor, and jamming the stake into his heart. The vampire turned a dark grey as his immortality faded away.

Averill screamed, causing Erin to turn around and aim her crossbow at her, but Dante interfered, jumping forward, fueled by the power of the lethal wolf that dwelled inside him. He kicked Erin’s hand just as she had made contact with her trigger. The silver headed arrow flew true and landed in the heart of its victim.

Bryce lunged forward at lightning speed, catching the vampire before his body fell to the floor. But it was too late. His body, just like Eadgar’s, had turned a dark ashen grey. His life was gone.

Derek was dead.

Dante let out a cruel, sadistic laugh. “Oh… now I told him the next one would be fatal.”