Chapter 35: The Transfer

Vance is at the top of the basement stairs, the grimoire is open. The blue light shoots out of it and slams into Cross's chest. It tangles around his legs and arms like ropes. He drops my throat so fast that I hit my knees on the floor.

He stumbles back, arms stuck to his sides, his legs are fixed. His red eyes flick between Vance and I. "What is this?" He struggles against the light, but nothing happens.

Vance walks down a step, then another. "A true binding spell," Vance says. "Not the half assed version that I cast on you earlier."

Cross strains harder against the light. His red eyes bulge. Confidence drains from his face.

I drop to my knees. The stone floor is freezing against my skin. I press my hands against my throat and take a breath. Blue flame crawls out of my hands and fills the air. The flame ignites to a steady, hot blue fire. I look at Cross, then Zoe, tied to the chair. "I am not weak."

Mira holds up both her hands, and black smoke pours from her palms. It shoots across the room and enters Zoe's mouth, then her nose, then her eyes. Zoe's body archs against the chair.

Raze's voice comes out of Zoe's throat. "No! You will not bind me!"

Mira's entire body is shaking. Sweat pours from her brow. "I am binding you inside her forever." She thrusts her hands forward. "You will never leave her body."

Zoe's eyes flicker from black, to brown, to black. The smoke ceases. Zoe's body collapses. Raze's voice is muffled. "I will break free."

Mira collapses on her knees. "You will not. You will be stuck in there until her heart stops beating."

Jenna swings the iron rod down on the two remaining vampires. One ducks and Jenna reverses the grip and swings the rod down on his head. He hits the ground. The second vampire grabs her arm. She elbows him in the face, then stabs him in the chest with her second rod. Black fluid spatters her jacket. He drops to the floor.

Dorian pushes himself off the wall, holding a hand against his torn stitches. Black fluid is seeping from between his fingers. He grabs a fallen iron rod and limps to where a vampire is sneaking up behind Jenna. He plunges the rod into his back. The vampire collapses. Dorian falls against the body. He is grey with blood loss.

Cross strains against the blue light. "I am older than your magic, old man," he says. "This will not hold me for long."

Vance's arms are shaking. The blue light falters. "I cannot hold him for much longer," Vance says. "You must do this now."

I stand up, my palms burning with blue flame. I walk toward Cross.

"You can't kill me," Cross sneers. "I am immortal."

I stop in front of him and press my burning palms flat against his chest. I can feel the raised scar tissue under his shirt. "I am not going to kill you," I say. "I am going to burn the venom out of you, until you are human-weak."

Cross screams, his red eyes widening. The blue flame sinks into his chest. His body convulsed then his red eyes flicker once, twice, and finally fade to dull brown. His legs give way and he collapses.

The blue light around his body disappears.

Vance closes the grimoire and slides down the wall. "It is done," Vance says. "He is human. No venom, no speed, no strength. A man."

Jenna rushes to Dorian and falls to her knees beside him, holding his stitches together. Black fluid continues to bleed from his wounds. "We need to get him to the hostel," she says. "He is losing too much blood."

I walk over to Zoe. Her eyes are open and brown, but she is immobile. Her lips are blue. Her chest is not rising.

I touch her face. It is cold. "Zoe?" I say.

Raze's voice whispers out of her lips. "I said I would break free." Zoe's eyes close and her head falls forward.

Mira crawls over to Zoe and touches her wrist. "No," Mira says. "I sealed him correctly. She should be free."

Vance hobbles over and places two fingers on Zoe's neck. He waits. His face is pale. "The demon is draining the last of her life force just to keep himself attached," he says. "She only has a few minutes left, maybe less."

I take Zoe's hand. Her fingers are cold and limp. I press her hand against my chest. "No," I say. "You will not die in a basement after everything you have survived."

Mira presses her forehead against Zoe's knees. "I am sorry. I am so sorry for everything."

Dorian coughs from the floor, black fluid coming out of his mouth. "Arya," he says, reaching a hand toward me. "We need to go."

Jenna grabs Dorian's arm, places it over her shoulders, and lifts him. "We need to get both of them up there," she says, pointing to Cross's body. "He won't stay still forever."

I release Zoe's hand and stand up. "Jenna take Dorian to the car," I say. I gesture to Mira. "Take Zoe. I will carry Cross."

Jenna shakes her head. "You can't carry him. He's too heavy."

I grab Cross's arm and pull his body across the stone floor. "Watch me."

Vance limps to the stairs. "I will get the car started."

Jenna drags Dorian to the stairs. Mira lifts Zoe out of the chair and cradles her in her arms. I drag Cross up the stairs, one step at a time, my arms burning.

The driveway is dark, snow begins to fall. Vance opens the rear door of the car and Jenna lays Dorian down. Mira lays Zoe down next to him. I shove Cross into the trunk and slam it shut.

Jenna gets behind the wheel. "Everybody in."

I get into the passenger seat. Mira sits between Dorian and Zoe. Vance sits next to Mira. Jenna floors the accelerator and the car lurches forward.

I look back at the house. The windows are dark and covered with snow. The car tracks disappear as they are covered.

Cross is in the trunk. Zoe is dying. Dorian is bleeding. Mira is weeping silently.

Jenna increases her speed. The engine rattles.

I put my hand against the cold window. "Go faster."

Jenna pushes the pedal farther down, and the car hurtles down the dark road.