Hell's Belle (38 page)

A tiger cleared the fracas, launching itself onto the wooden platform. With another quick bound, it landed atop Becca’s cage. The metal bars bent outward with a groan but held. Dagger in hand, Artus looked up. The tiger leaned down and roared, its muzzle only inches from Artus’s nose. Artus released Brit’s throat, and she slumped to the ground. The dark power in the air moved as Artus drew on it. Before I could shout a warning, the tiger swatted Artus with one massive paw, knocking him end over end off the stage.

Raptors scattered, tipping over the ostentatious thrones. Growls ensued as Artus landed in the midst of a Were pack that had moved around, crouching below our line of sight. Another tiger, led by a brown wolf, landed among the raptors remaining to guard Isabella and Becca. The Weres moved between the women and raptors, while other Weres swatted raptors off the stage into the waiting sword-clad hands of Fera’s operatives.

Even with all this, Nicodemus was unfazed, simply laughing harder as my shots whizzed past him. I’d have thought him insane, but I knew why he was laughing. It wouldn’t matter how many we set against him, because once the gate opened, demons would pour through. Then we’d be in a whole mess of trouble.

But Nicodemus’s laugh died in his throat, turning into a shriek as my stunners hit the two boys standing on either side behind him. My aim was true, and the little propelled batteries landed square in their chests. I didn’t need to feel the black-magic dissipating from their bodies to know that the boys’ shocked hearts had stopped beating before they’d even crumpled to the ground.

Finished with my reload, I fired once into the confusion. Nicodemus shrieked again, blocking my path seconds too late. My third shot hit the boy who’d given blood to Brit. The power level dropped again, the black arcs of magic shooting from Nicodemus into the gate nearly disappearing. But Nicodemus wasn’t finished. There were still two more boys somewhere. And I could feel—nearly see—him pulling magic from them. A rush of fighting Weres and raptors moved between me and Nicodemus. Using magic and brute force, he began to make his way through them toward me.

I looked for Jacq and saw her silver sword flash as she, Mynx and Fera fought their way to the stage. Too bad they couldn’t levitate like the vampires currently swooping down upon us. Backlit against the large full moon, Nicodemus’s vamps were engaged in an all-out gravity-defying sword fight with Serena’s people. Gold flashed, and another corrupt vampire plummeted to the ground. The vampires dove closer, and I shouted, “Serena!” quickly sending a mental image of the downed boys. Then I was again focusing on the fight closer at hand.

“We’ve got them,” Serena shouted over the clamor of snarls, more explosions, and cursing, “Watch yourself, witch!”

I could only hope that they’d be able to save the boys. Otherwise, I’d just taken three innocent lives. And if I didn’t stop that gate from opening, many, many more would soon die.

I had one blast left. Too bad I couldn’t take my eyes off the really pissed vampire-corpse heading my way and find another vessel. Not that I wanted to shoot another boy, but that was the best option for stopping the gate. I looked at Nicodemus. He’d extracted himself from the fight and was closing in. He’d yet to form a magical sword like Titus’s. Maybe like the white wolf, he thought I was a waste of magic. I was leery of pulling my own blade and picking a fight I couldn’t win.

And magic was no longer an option. As he approached, black wards began to run like tattoos down his chest and over his face and hands. Anything magical I sent at him would simply bounce back to me. Someone had taken the children’s rhyme
I’m rubber and you’re glue
to heart.

I searched my pockets for a viable weapon even as a black and white striped tiger rushed to my aid. Nicodemus blasted the Were, and it crumpled at his feet. Nicodemus picked up the unconscious tiger, lifting it high, ready to break its back on an extended knee. The tiger, bulkier than the vamped-out Nicodemus, had to weigh at least a good half-ton, but Nicodemus lifted it like it was nothing. The tiger would heal from that blow, but it would hurt like hell, assuming it didn’t get killed while paralyzed.

I lifted my weapon. The charge wasn’t doing me any good in my gun. Despite Nicodemus’s earlier assertions, I fired, hitting him directly between the eyes. He flinched but didn’t stop. Still, it got his attention.

“Yoo-hoo, remember me?” Batting my lashes, I waved my fingers. “I believe the next dance is mine, big boy.”

It wasn’t very creative, but it worked. Nicodemus blinked twice before contorting his mouth into another grotesque smile.

Once again congenial, he said, “Indeed, dear Cate.” He tossed the tiger off the stage and took another deliberate step forward. The tiger hit the hard black tar with a bone-crunching thud, and I winced. Backing away, I threw a collection of razor-sharp discs and spelled-charms pulled from my belt. Most, Nicodemus batted away, the spells fizzing out before even touching him, but one disc sank into his lower belly.

He didn’t so much as flinch. “You wound me, Cate. Now’s no time to suddenly turn shy.”

“Don’t take it personally, but I’m rather particular.” I took another step back, lifting my boot heels so they didn’t catch on the uneven boards. As Nicodemus moved forward, his disguise began to flicker. Maybe Artus had lied, and they didn’t rely completely upon their own power to fuel their illusions but used that housed in the boys. That would explain his trouble. With a major chunk gone from the boys I’d killed, the sorcerers didn’t have the power to hide. Perhaps it was stupid of me, but I really wanted to gloat over that.

“Why try so hard, Nicky-boy, to keep Roskov’s pretty face? Are you afraid Daddy won’t like your real one? I can understand that. It’s one even a mother couldn’t love. Never had a father myself, but I understand they’re pickier about those sorts of things, wanting their sons to be a chip off the old demonic block and all.”

Almost in sync with my taunt, Nicodemus’s illusion fell completely, and with its loss, something in him broke free. Nicodemus had been cautious in his final approach, taking his time, trying to intimidate. But with an unearthly howl, he rushed me.

I dove to the side, nearly striking the screen. But I wasn’t quick enough. The smell hit me right before his rotting, pustule-covered flesh did.

I smacked the wooden planking, the two discs I’d been about to throw flying from my hands, my scabbard painfully digging into my back. I lay there, dazed, until cold hands grasped the leather harness running over and under my armpits, lifting me.

“You’re more trouble than you’re worth, witch.” Nicodemus slammed me back down.

There was a loud crack. It took a moment for the pain in my head to register. Warm blood slid down my neck. I spit blood from a cut inside my mouth before saying, “I get that a lot. Personally, I’ve never considered myself a high-maintenance type of woman.” All I got for my lip was a fat one as he slapped my face with enough force to make my ears pop.

“If I weren’t so busy trying to hold that gate, I’d savor your death.” Nicodemus pulled me toward his horrifying body.

This time, the blood pouring out of my mouth was mixed with bile. Time slowed as I watched his fangs descend toward my neck. I reached downward, fingertips scraping against the rough wood, trying to find something…anything. There was nothing. I wanted to close my eyes. It’s hard to watch your own death, but I couldn’t give up. I opened my mind fully, searching for Jacq, sending her a desperate mental cry. No words. Only my utter fear.

Just as his teeth pricked my skin, a streaking silver figure flashed in.
Jacq!
Unleashing a war cry, she ran at us, glowing so brightly that it was hard to look at her. She smashed into Nicodemus, and they went down in a tumble of black and silver limbs. I scooted away, realizing suddenly that I was mere feet from the gate, which was about to open and pour a horde of demons into our laps.

Stop the ritual.
I heard Jacq clearly, courtesy of my downed shields. I didn’t want to leave her, but she was right. If that gate opened, we were all dead. I looked for help, but the entire stage had been cleared of all but us three. The others were in the parking lot surrounded by a contingent of immortals, vampires and Weres. A nude Luke had half-shifted back and was cradling an unconscious Becca in his wolf-man arms. Serena, JJ and another vampire were trying to bring back the boys I’d shocked. Blood flowed down both vampires’ arms. Gold magic flowed liberally from JJ’s cuffs, the strain evident on her face.

Nearby, Mynx and Fera were fighting to hold Artus within a shimmering, blue-green energy barrier. A striped tiger alternated between nuzzling its downed sibling and Brittan, who were both on the ground. The spirited Brit looked to be out cold, her body convulsing randomly.

Isabella and the white wolf were at the center of the protected area. With my shields open, I recognized Kyle’s presence. I wasn’t surprised that Kyle had come for his mate, but I was surprised that he’d made it out of Luke’s safe house. Knowing Luke, future wolves would not be so lucky.

The only raptors still obeying orders were farther out in the parking lot, surrounding the two other boys, the ones now powering the gate. Grey, in tiger-man form, was leading his Weres against them, but they didn’t know the true importance of those two boys. Any action Grey could take would be too late to assist me.

I was on my own. I backed toward the gate. I was never one for obeying orders, so now was probably a bad time to start. Nevertheless, Nicodemus had told me to open a gate. And that’s just what I’d do.

Chapter Twenty-One

“Panda Imodium: A Chinese Bear shit-fest stopper; also what happens when you put a bunch of Southern belles in the same room with alcohol and they realize that half of them are dating, have slept with, or currently married to the same man.”

—Brittan Wessan

For all my big talk, I’d never actually opened a gate. My guardian powers had never been strong enough. I backed toward the darkmirror, keeping an eye on a silver-skinned Jacq. She and Nicodemus had swords now, and the clash of black and silver magical blades was throwing off enough sparks to finish burning down the theater. My body bumped against the gate. My sore head hit the screen, and I groaned.

Then I felt it. The blood on my head had touched the stone. This was a guardian’s heritage: the ability to connect with the mirror through a simple smear of blood. It was also what made us targets for sorcerers hell-bent on destruction. Sorcerers, kind of like the one currently trying to remove my sweetie’s head from her shoulders. I closed my eyes, focusing on the stone’s magic. Best to deal with one world-stopping, pain-in-the-ass problem at a time.

My brow creased. Something was wrong. Nicodemus’s dark power should have flowed in and been consumed as it fueled the connection to whatever destination he had in mind. But something was drawing the power away, feeding on it. The dark-magic wasn’t all flowing in. And what did wasn’t all staying. My eyes popped open.
Brittan. Oh, my goddess bless.

I should have seen this coming. The magic that I’d forced from the three boys by killing them wasn’t natural and wouldn’t easily merge with the natural world, and the two remaining boys had been chock-full, incapable of absorbing more. But there was Brittan. The only other living avenue. Tainted by the special infusion of dark-magic-laden blood, she was already primed and ready. And so, like water flowing downstream, the magic had chosen the easiest, most straightforward course.

I could feel it now, flowing into Brittan until she was full to bursting…and then some. By all rights, she should be dead. She was holding more than any of the others, and magic was still flowing in and out of her like the tide. But strangely enough, it wasn’t all dark.

Through the gate’s connection, I followed the magic back to Brit, careful not to touch the dark power. I could see what had happened. When Nicodemus had tapped the gate, it had tapped Brittan. The shared blood had formed a giant superconductor for Nicodemus’s magic, but like all currents, the magic flowed how it chose. The power was flowing from Nicodemus into the gate, but the darkmirror was purifying a portion, pushing that clean power back into my blonde friend. The good and bad powers within her were battling it out. Brit was balanced upon the precipice of a deadly scale, and I wasn’t sure how it would all fall.

My hands slapped the cold stone, letting it support my weakening knees. The deaths? The amassing of power? They’d been trying to do more than open a gate. I’d heard of this, but it was supposed to be impossible—a story told by old witches with nothing better to do. Still, maybe I should have expected it. This seemed to be a week for the impossible.

This complicated things. I’d planned to quickly open the gate, extinguishing the magic it had absorbed, then shut it down. That was no longer an option. I couldn’t close the gate without killing Brit. Whatever the darkmirror was doing, it was helping her survive the black-magic saturating her body. What we needed was a new destination.

I closed my eyes, reaching out to Serena. It had been so long since I’d needed this skill. I took a breath and focused.
I need something.
I tried to push my words only to the vampire, not wanting to distract Jacq at the wrong moment.

I’m a bit busy here, Cate.
Serena strained to hold the connection as she poured her unique magic into the humans I’d shot. I knew from her thoughts that the boys hadn’t absorbed enough vamp blood to change, taking only enough to heal their vital organs. Two of them were alive, their hearts shocked back into beating with JJ’s help, but the group was still working on the third, the one who’d given blood to Brittan. Serena thought he was lost. This wasn’t the time for sadness or regret. Brushing those distracting emotions away, I sent her an image of what I needed along with encouragement and thanks. It wasn’t an easy request, but soon the information was tucked away in my head. Just before I dropped our connection, she grunted,
What are you hiding, little witch?