Kissed by Eternity (17 page)

Gross. I pulled the Darkness back, and it did what it was supposed to: boost my strength, dull the pain.

I grabbed Alister's wrist and twisted it hard until the fine bones crunched beneath my fist. He howled again and dropped the knife. He hauled off to hit me again with his good hand, but I got there first with a karate chop to his Adam's apple. Gagging, he fell backward off me.

Kicking his knife out of the way, I grabbed mine off the ground and heaved myself to my knees. I moved over to straddle Alister. Pressing the blade against his throat, I leaned in close. A drop of blood slid from my arm onto his cheek, smearing with his own blood. He stared up at me with so much hatred and rage, it was a palpable thing.

"Where is the grimoire?" I demanded.

"Fuck you." In his cultured British accent, the words sounded odd.

"No, thanks. I like my men less evil. Now answer me. Where is the grimoire?"

He cackled madly. "You'll never find it."

"What do you want with it? What are your plans?"

"As if I'd tell you," he taunted.

He was right. He wasn't Darroch. Grandstanding was one thing, but no way was he going to spill his guts. Not to me. Not to a Hunter.

The Darkness roared back, angered that it couldn't control this one frail human. It raged inside of me, overwhelming everything I was.

"Fine," it growled with my voice, "then I have no need of you." I raised the blade with both hands and plunged it toward his chest.

A split second before the tip of the blade pierced his heart, someone grabbed my arm and wrenched it back so hard, it almost dislocated my shoulder. Pain screamed through my nerve endings, knocking the Darkness back a notch.

"No, Morgan, you can't do this."

I glanced up. Jack. Where the hell had he come from? I opened my mouth, but the Darkness was back. "Let. Me. Go."

"Morgan, listen to me. You must control it."

"He needs to die."

"Probably deserves it, yeah," Jack agreed. "But we need Alister. You can't kill him."

I threw back my head, and the Darkness howled, all the anger and rage spilling from me like a river of black through my soul. The part of me that was still half in control grabbed onto the Darkness and yanked on it, trying to get it back under lock and key. It fought me, but I wrestled it bit by bit back into my center, shoving it down and slamming the proverbial lid on it. With the Darkness where it belonged, I sagged, suddenly exhausted. Both arms hurt like hell, although they were already healing.

Jack rolled Alister over and yanked his hands behind his back. Pulling a set of handcuffs from the back of his jeans, Jack snapped them around Alister's wrists.

"What are you doing here?"

"Kabita sent me through the portal."

"Where did you get those?" I asked, still lying on the ground, too tired to move. The cool grass felt good against my cheek.

"Trevor," he said. He kept one knee pressed to Alister's back, but his attention was on me. "Are you all right?"

"Fine." I sat up, cradling my arm. Stung like a son of a bitch. "Could use a bandage."

"Stitches, more like, though it's healing okay." He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket. "It's clean."

I wrapped it around the cut on my arm. The white cloth immediately turned crimson as blood soaked through the cotton. It would heal completely before I got anywhere close to a doctor. I winced as the wound in my right shoulder twinged.

"How did you convince Kabita to let you through?" I squinted up at him. The sun turned his hair to spun gold, but his ocean-colored eyes were hidden behind dark glasses.

"I'm your Guardian, remember? I have my ways."

"I didn't need you. Everything was under control."

He gave me a look. "Was it?"

I shrugged, wincing as the movement jarred my arm. "I wasn't in any danger."

"Physically, no."

I knew what he meant. If I'd killed Alister…

I shook my head. But I hadn't. Part of me was relieved. It freaked me out that any part of me wanted him dead.

"He won't tell me where the grimoire is or what he wants with it." I glared at Alister's inert form. He grinned back at me. For a guy in handcuffs, he was awfully chipper. Had he lost it? Because he was acting awfully weird even for Alister.

"Maybe you haven't found the right leverage," Jack said calmly.

I sighed. "What kind of leverage?"

"Is that your blood on his face?"

I glanced at the bloody mess drying on Alister's cheek. "Some of it. Some of it's his. I got him pretty good."

Alister made a sound of derision. I wasn't fooled. I'd seen his pain. Felt it deep inside me. The Darkness had enjoyed it.

"The blood of a Hunter on an open wound. Interesting, don't you think?"

I shrugged. "Not really. Happens all the time."

"With vampires, yes. Sidhe, maybe. Demons. But never humans."

I blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"You're not just any Hunter, are you, Morgan?" Where Jack was going with this, I had no idea, but I decided to play along.

"Uh, sure. I guess not. Atlantean DNA and all that."

"But more than that."

I frowned. "I don't follow you."

"You're a Hunter who once died."

Things started snapping into place. "Yes. I was killed by a vampire."

"A vampire who drained your blood."

"Yes." I glanced from Alister, who was looking decidedly green, to Jack, who looked decidedly smug. "That's why I died." Well, that and the severe injuries and blood loss.

"But they revived you. Brought you back to life or so they said."

I frowned. "Yes. That's what they said."

"They were wrong."

"What?" I was confused. Alister looked like he wanted to puke.

"Remember what happens to a human with Atlantean DNA when exposed to the vampire virus?"

"They, uh, change into a Sunwalker. I'm not a Sunwalker."

"That remains to be seen. But do you know what else happens?"

"I'm guessing you're about to tell me."

He smiled. It was slow and deadly and absolutely chilling. "The virus remains in your system, waiting. Waiting for a new host. For someone else to infect. Someone who doesn't have Atlantean DNA. A pure human with no defenses." He stared down at Alister, his gaze ice cold. "And as Jones here is fond of bragging, he's pure human. Except for the witch blood, of course, but that doesn't count."

"Oh my holy shit," I whispered. "Are you telling me I infected Alister? He's going to be a vampire?" Kabita was not going to like this.

Jack yanked Alister to his feet. Alister whimpered a little. He wasn't looking good. "That's what I'm saying…unless…"

Alister's eyes lit up with hope. "Unless what?"

What was Jack doing? There was no cure for vampirism. Alister had to know that.

"Give us the grimoire, and I'll give you the cure."

It was all I could do to bite my tongue. Alister snorted.

"There's no cure," he scoffed, but I could still see the hope in his eyes. And the madness.

"The humans have no cure," Jack said softly. "But as you well know, I am no longer human. I'm over nine hundred years old, and I am by no means the oldest of us. Do you honestly think we haven't found a cure by now?"

Was he serious? Surely he couldn't be, but he seemed to be telling the truth. Then again, Jack had ways of skirting the truth, using it to suit his needs. I supposed in a way, it was his job. Anything to protect the Key of Atlantis. Which, in this case, happened to be me. How had I gotten so lucky?

"Then why haven't you used it to stop this scourge?" Alister demanded. Good point., He was at least sane enough to think somewhat logically about this.

"Because it only works after a person has been infected and before they turn. Those we've cured never knew what happened to them. Those we couldn't save…we deal with in other ways. We prefer not to allow human governments to get their hands on such things. It's better this way."

I could see the thought process in Alister's mind. Hope warring with cynicism. Hope won out, or perhaps he thought he could get us to lower our guard, turn the tables on us.

"Very well," he said finally. "Give me the cure, and I will take you to the book."

"The grimoire first, then the cure. Do you think I don't know what you're planning?"

"I die, and I take its location to the grave."

Jack snorted. "You die, and I stake you. Then I go get a witch to find the damn book."

Alister swallowed. "Fine. I'll take you to it. But only if you swear on your oath as a Templar that you will cure me of this disease."

Jack stared at him for a long time. "On my oath as a Knight Templar, I will cure you."

Alister nodded once, then led us away from the lake. As we passed into the dim light beneath the trees, I shivered. What the hell was going on?

Chapter 22

Alister led us into the woods, wandering from tree to tree in what seemed like an aimless manner. Every now and then, he'd stop and stare into space until Jack nudged him in the back. After about fifteen minutes, I stopped.

"This is bullshit," I snapped. "You're just jerking our chains. Show us the grimoire, Alister."

"I'm trying." He blinked in confusion. "It has to be around here somewhere," he muttered. "I left it here. Here. I know here. I said here."

Okay, hello funny farm. "Um, Alister. Focus. Where's the grimoire?"

"Here. There. Everywhere." He giggled.

Jack and I exchanged glances. "You think he's faking?" Jack asked, voice low.

"Not sure. He's been a little off since I found him." Or he'd found me. Whatever. "Come on, Alister. The grimoire. Focus."

"She promised, you know. That's why I did it."

I eyed him, but he was gazing at the leaves above his head in rapture. "Okay, I'll bite. Did what?" I asked.

He stared at me blankly. "What?"

Jack snorted. "Bet he's faking."

"Wouldn't be too sure, but he's useless right now."

"So, how are we going to find that book?"

I grinned as a thought sparked. "Atlantean magic."

He frowned. "The amulet?"

"Why not?" It had helped me find things before. I pulled it from beneath my shirt and held it up. At first nothing happened. But as I turned in a slow circle, the amulet warmed and the stone began to glow. I kept turning, and the heat and light faded.

I walked slowly in the direction I'd been facing when the amulet lit up. The glow of the stone intensified, as did the heat, until the amulet nearly burned my hand. In front of me was a large tree with one of those holes where a knot or something used to be. Alister giggled.

"This must be it," I said. Reaching carefully into the hole, I felt around until I touched something solid. It felt like a plastic bag. I grabbed it and pulled out the grimoire sealed inside one of those gallon freezer bags. I handed it to Jack. "Not the most original of hiding places."

"But it would have taken forever to find it if you hadn't had the amulet."

He had a point.

Book in hand, Jack dragged Alister to the portal, me tagging along behind like a good little Hunter. Alister struggled against Jack's hold.

"You promised," he spat, nearly foaming at the mouth. "You said you would give me the cure. On your oath."

"And I will. When the time is right. But first you are coming with us. I'm not done with you yet." He shoved Alister into the portal, stepping in behind him.

I stared at the portal for a moment, feeling a little weirded out. Things were escalating so fast, I didn't quite know what to think. Shaking my head, I entered the portal.

We were halfway through the system toward what I assumed was Portland when things went wrong. Alister suddenly stumbled, nearly ripping his arm out of Jack's hold. Jack lost his balance and fell back into me, throwing me into the wall of the tunnel.

I wish I could describe properly how it felt. It was like having a live electrical wire stabbed through your chest. Not a tiny one like from an electrical outlet, but one of those big ones from the power lines. Every nerve in my body was on fire. My muscles spasmed out of control. The last thing I saw as I slumped to the floor unconscious was Jack's face.

# # #

She stood before the lake, straight and tall, dressed in the flowing blue robes of a priestess of the Temple of the Moon. She was partially translucent like a ghost. Or a memory. I stepped toward her, unsure what to do or say.

"Hello, Morgan."

My eyes widened. She knew me? I mean, I was me for once? Not someone else?

"Hello. How do you know my name?"

She turned then, and I recognized her. "Amaza."

A smile curved her lips. She gave a little bow. "Last of the Atlantean priestesses. First of the Amazons. To meet you is a great honor."

"Believe me, the honor is mine." A freaking Amazon. How cool was that?

She nodded. "We all have our parts to play. Each essential in its own way."

"What are you doing here? I mean, this is a dream, right? Why am I dreaming about you?"

She stepped closer. "I brought you here."

"That wasn't an accident, me falling into the portal wall?"

"We needed to speak. This was the only way."

I frowned. "Speak about what?"

"It is nearly time."

"What do you mean?"

"You must find the Four. It is nearly time."

"The Four? I don't understand. What Four?"

"Earth. Air. Fire. Water. You must find the Four."

"I'm sorry, I don't…"

"The Spellwalker is needed."

"Emory? What's she got to do with this?"

"The Soulshifter must reveal herself."

"What the hell is a Soulshifter? Please, tell me what you're talking about

She pressed a finger to the middle of my forehead. "Wake up."

# # #

I awoke, blinking against the flash of white hot lightning. Jack was kneeling over me, shouting at me.