Chapter 26: The Hand

At eleven, we left the hostel, and snow had stopped. A large moon was shining brightly, forming shadows along the road. The first car was with Jenna, Zoe, and Vance. Dorian was driving, and Mira and I were passengers in the second car.

Mira sat in the backseat with her hands pressed against her stomach. She seemed worried. Her eyes kept changing from black to brown through the rearview mirror, and Mira kept pressing the palm of her hand against her forehead as if she had a headache.

Dorian caught my gaze in the rearview mirror. "Are you going to be okay?"

Mira didn't look at me. "I have to."

The road to Cross's place was decorated with bare trees looking like bones growing from the snow. The gates were open; a man waited near the door of the old mansion.

Cross was ready.

Dorian parked his car behind Jenna's, and I hurried to get out of it quickly. Freezing wind hit my face.

"Wait," Dorian grabbed my wrist. "Take care."

"No need," I jerked my hand out of his grip.

"You know that is what I say each time. You never listen."

We approached the gate, and Cross opened it with a broad smile. His red eyes gleamed in the moonlight, and the hands behind his back made him look like a welcoming host. "Finally, you are here. I was not sure you will come."

"Don't play games," I kept my hands down by my side. "I came because you threatened to burn the hostel. I was forced."

"No," he smirked, "you came here because you don't have a choice."

Cross showed the door of the mansion, and we followed him into the main hallway of the building. I heard a ticking of the high ceiling. There were portraits of old vampires in fancy clothes on the walls; marble floor, a chandelier hanging above us.

"What do you want?" I asked Cross.

"You came here with friends. I can smell them in the woods behind my mansion."

"No, you misunderstood me, sir. I came alone to see you."

Cross raised a hand. "Lying does not fit you." He gave two sharp claps. "Bring them here now."

Front doors creaked, opening, and several vampires pulled Dorian, Jenna, Zoe, and Mira inside. They were tied up, and Dorian's lip was bleeding.

"There was a demon vessel among them," Cross turned back, looking straight at Mira. "How kind of you to bring me the vessel. Thanks."

Mira's eyes became black again, and I realized that Raze was speaking through her. "I told you they would come to see me. I told you everything about their plan."

"You have been lying to us from the beginning?" My hands started trembling. "You have been working for Cross?"

"Aye, you can blame me," Raze smirked. "From the very moment I was sent here by Cross, I told him everything about the humans' plans. The binding spell won't keep me in this body forever; it needs to be renewed every year. But a new body requires a sacrifice."

I noticed how Dorian strained against the vampires who had hold of him. "You bastard."

Raze turned Mira's head. "Do you expect loyalty from a demon? Really?"

The front door blew in, falling inside. Splinters of wood scattered everywhere, and Vance appeared through the door frame with the opened grimoire in his hands. His palms were glowing with blue.

"The binding spell isn't just for demons," he shouted. "It works with vampires too."

Blue energy flew out of the book and hit Cross. He stumbled back, his body paralyzed, with his hands hanging at his sides, and his eyes fixed at something in the distance. "Now's your chance! Stab him right now!"

I drew the silver dagger from my pocket and lunged at Cross. Inches from his chest, I felt the binding spell losing its effect.

Not three minutes. Not even ten.

Red eyes locked at mine. "Weak human spells can't affect me!"

Cross reached for me and grabbed my wrist. He turned it, making me let the knife fall to the floor. "Run!"

Dorian managed to break the grip of the vampires and threw himself between us and Cross. His hand ripped through Dorian's chest, and I saw how dark blood spewed out of his mouth.

"Run!" Dorian's voice rasped, thick.

Cross pulled his hand out, letting Dorian's body fall to the floor and spread bloody pool. I screamed; it just escaped from my lungs.

"No!" Zoe shouted.

Jenna dropped to the floor, touching the wound. Black blood kept pouring from it, staining her fingers dark.

"Why am I wasting my time with you? One less vampire..." Cross looked at his hands, covered with the same blood. "Now there is a little more space around."

Mira kept her eyes black, with Raze controlling her thoughts. "You killed him. That wasn't part of the deal."

Cross shrugged. "Deals change."

Vance closed the grimoire and rushed towards Dorian's body. "We should take him out of here!"

Cross pointed at Vance. "I'll allow nobody to leave."

Dozens of vampires surrounded us in the dark hallway, yellow eyes glowing in the dim light.

"I'm not dying here," Zoe grabbed the broken piece of wood.

"You shouldn't have done this, Warden," Jenna shouted.

Cross laughed. "And what are you going to do?"

"I have no idea what you are doing," I answered. I looked at Dorian. No reaction, only lifeless body lying on the floor.

And at Mira. Raze controlled her.

And at the knife lying on the floor.

I reached out for the silver dagger and grabbed it with trembling hand.

Cross noticed my movement. "What is it? You can't kill me, girl. I'm too old for that; you are too weak."

"That is not my goal. I want to save my friends."

I threw the knife at the chandelier hanging above Cross's head, cutting the chain. Shattered glass fell down on us, creating a pool of darkness on the floor.

"Run!" Jenna shouted.

Vance grabbed Dorian's limbs and began pulling him to the broken door, while Zoe carried another of Dorian's legs. I took the last one. Mira stood in the center of the hallway, staring at us with brown eyes. She cried.

"You want a new body? Come with us. Cross will kill you anyway," I shouted at Mira.

Her eyes flickered, and the girl ran out, joining us. Cross roared somewhere in the darkness. "Find them! Don't let them escape!"

Snowflakes hit our faces as soon as we stepped outside. I was running across the yard to the car with Dorian, Zoe, and Vance carrying his limp body to the car.

Jenna pointed at our cars. "Put him in the back of the car. Vance, you drive. Zoe, with him. Arya, you come with me."

I rushed to Jenna's car, Mira following me inside. Tears were rolling down the girl's cheeks. "I could not stop him. He possessed me, and I couldn't..."

"Not now," I told her. "We'll talk later."

Jenna drove us out of the yard and onto the road. Vance followed her

. The house faded in the mirror, and Dorian remained motionless in the backseat of his car.

I wasn't sure that he was dead.