Chapter Twenty-four
Connor eased forward and peered around a tree. Casimir and a small group of his minions were at the base of Mount Rushmore on a small stage. In front of them, aluminum bleachers ascended a hill to the lookout terraces and buildings that housed gift shops and restaurants for tourists.
He spotted Corky and her cameraman midway up the hill on the first lookout terrace. Below her, people sat on the bleachers. Some were Malcontents holding knives. Others were mortal, and by the blank looks on their faces, he assumed they were all under vampire mind control.
He moved quietly past Casimirs inept guards, then dashed back to Angus and the first team.
Hostages, he whispered. About fifty-five mortals. Sitting on bleachers, eleven to each row. Behind each row of mortals, theres a row of Malcontents, armed with knives.
Emma winced. If we attack, theyll start killing the mortals.
Casimir is surrounded by five bodyguards, Connor continued. There are three guards on this side just inside the woods, and probably a few more on the other side. We should take out them out first.
Angus nodded. Jean-Luc, take three men and teleport to the other side. Kill any guards over there. Quietly.
Got it. Jean-Luc motioned for Dougal, Ian, and Phineas to follow him. The four men sped up the hill.
Ill surrender to Casimir, Roman whispered.
Angus flinched. Nay.
Im the one he wants the most, Roman argued. Ill offer myself if he lets the mortals go. Itll buy us some time till the second team arrives, and if we can get the hostages released, then our guys can attack.
Angus sighed. Well do that as a last resort. First, lets get rid of the guards.
Ill show you where they are, Connor whispered as he pulled a dagger from the sheath beneath his knee sock.
He weaved through the woods back toward the monument. Angus, Emma, Roman, and Marielle moved alongside him. He stopped when he spotted the three guards.
A twig snapped beneath Marielles foot, and the guards turned toward them. She hit them with a blast of air, but it barely knocked them back a few feet.
Connor noted the shocked look on her face before he threw his dagger. It thudded into the heart of the first guard, turning him to dust.
Before the second guard could yell out a warning, the third one snapped his neck and plunged a knife into his heart.
Angus froze, his arm raised and ready to throw his dagger.
The third guard dropped his knife and held up his hands. Dont kill me, he whispered in heavily accented English. I am Stanislav.
Aye. Angus lowered his arm. What can ye tell us?
Casimir thinks you will surrender to save mortals. Stan looked them over, frowning. Is all the men you have?
Nay, Angus said.
Stan nodded. Casimir make big mistake. He set Malcontents behind mortals to slit throats, but last row is all Malcontents. We teleport behind them
And take out the whole row at once. Good plan. Angus removed his cell phone from his sporran. Ill text the plan to Jean-Luc, and see if theyve finished off the guards.
While Angus waited for a reply, Connor turned to Marielle. What happened to yer blast? he whispered.
She winced. Im afraid Im losing my power.
She was becoming human. And far too vulnerable to be here. Stay here in the woods, he told her.
The other side is ready. Lets go. Angus motioned for his team to follow.
Connor glanced back to make sure Marielle was staying put. She lifted a hand in a halfhearted wave.
They moved up the hill to be even with the last row of bleachers. A flash of light came from the woods on the other side. Jean-Luc and his group were ready.
With their swords drawn, the Vamps teleported behind the last row of Malcontents and stabbed them all through the chest.
Casimir and his bodyguards yelled, and the rest of his army faced the Vamps with weapons drawn. The mortals sat eerily still and facing front, their minds still under control.
Drop your weapons! Casimir yelled at them. Drop them or I start killing mortals!
The Vamps hesitated.
One of Casimirs bodyguards pointed at Stanislav. Traitor!
Casimirs eyes narrowed. He held his left arm close to his chest, bent at a strange angle with a glove on his left hand, but with his other arm, he motioned to another bodyguard. The guard casually walked up to the bleachers and slit a mortals throat.
Connor cursed silently.
Do I need to kill another? Casimir asked.
Roman dropped his sword with a clatter. I surrender. Its me you want. Let the mortals go.
Casimir smirked. Ill let a mortal go for each one of you who dies.
Connor glanced at his watch. The second team would arrive in a few minutes. They needed to stall. Theyd killed off more than a dozen of Casimirs men, but he still had forty more.
I doona believe yell let any of the mortals go, Angus shouted.
Ill prove it. Casimir pointed at Roman. After I kill you, Ill let the first one go.
Agreed. Roman walked slowly down the steps toward the stage.
Casimir grinned and glanced up at Corky. Be sure to get this recorded. I want to watch Romans death every night.
Will do, sweetheart! Corky yelled back.
Roman reached the stage.
Check him for weapons, Casimir ordered.
Two of his bodyguards frisked Roman and found two knives, which they tossed onto the stage.
Casimir snorted. Did you think you were going to kill me, monk? You were always a weakling. He motioned to his guards. Bring him closer. Make sure hes facing the camera.
The guards dragged Roman over to Casimir.
Connor checked his watch. Bugger. Still two minutes to go. He caught Anguss eye and motioned with his head toward the stage.
Angus nodded.
Connor teleported to the stage along with Angus, and they killed two bodyguards.
Casimir clutched Roman with his gloved hand and moved Roman in front of him as a shield. Kill three mortals!
Three Malcontents in the bleachers slit the throats of their captives. The remaining mortals still sat there, expressionless.
Drop your weapons, or Ill kill three more! Casimir shouted.
Connor and Angus tossed their swords on the stage. A group of Malcontents ran up onto the stage. Some grabbed their swords and took their weapons, while others seized them and pinned their arms behind their backs.
Casimir smiled. Angus and Connor. Thank you for joining us. Now I can record myself killing you when Im done with Roman. With his good arm, he put a knife to Romans throat. Are you recording, Corky?
Corky screamed as her cameraman suddenly fell off the balcony and plummeted twenty feet to the next level.
Connor spotted Marielle slipping back behind a tree. She must have blasted enough air to make the cameraman fall.
Corky levitated down to her fallen cameraman. You stupid fool! She whipped out a knife and stabbed him, turning him to dust. How dare you fail our king!
She picked up the camera and grinned. Its still working, sweetheart!
Thank you, my queen. Casimir glanced at Angus when a beeping sound came from his watch. What is that?
The sound of yer final defeat, Angus replied.
With a loud whooping noise, Vamps and shifters erupted from the woods. The Malcontents forgot all about slaying their mortal victims when they saw a huge Kodiak bear, five wolves, a panther, and a tiger charging toward them.
Screams, roars, and the clashing of swords filled the air. Connor ripped Roman from Casimirs grasp. Casimir jumped back,flailing his knife. Connor looked about for a weapon. He recalled the sword hed left at the top of the monument, but that was too far away. Empty-handed, he jumped at Casimir, but the coward vanished.
Dammit! Connor ducked when a Malcontent took a swing at him with his sword.
On the bleachers, the mortals came to and began screaming. Casimirs mind control over them had broken when he teleported away.
You will drop your weapons! Casimir bellowed from the top of Mount Rushmore. Drop them or I will kill your priest!
Connor looked up and gasped.
The fighting stopped. The mortals ran screaming up the stairs to the exit.
Casimir stood on top of George Washingtons head, his knife in his right hand. Nadia was dragging Father Andrew toward him.
Oh God, no, Roman breathed.
Drop your weapons and surrender! Casimir screamed as he pulled Father Andrew close.
Dont do it, the priest yelled.
Roman tossed down the weapon he had managed to grab from a fallen Malcontent. Let him go! Take me instead!
The Vamps dropped their weapons. The Malcontents pointed their swords at them.
Casimir glared at them. Now swear your allegiance to me.
Let him go! Roman yelled. Let him go, and Ill swear.
No! Father Andrew shouted. Dont do it, Roman!
Casimir laughed. This reminds me of the good old days. You remember, dont you, Roman? Remember the time when I invaded your old monastery and killed all the monks? All those innocent old men who had raised you?
Roman paled.
Casimir sneered down at him. Im going to kill you anyway, so I might as well watch you suffer first. He stabbed Father Andrew in the chest and tossed him off the monument.
No! Roman levitated up to catch the priest in his arms.
Rage erupted in Connor, snapping his vision blue, freezing the blood in his veins. He teleported to the top of the monument and grabbed the claymore hed left behind a week ago. With a war cry, he beheaded Nadia.
Casimir whirled around. His eyes widened with fear.
Stop! Corky shouted.
Connor glanced back, his vision still tinted blue.
Corky had teleported to the top of the mountain with the camera. If you kill him, I will spread the video all over the Internet and tell everyone that vampires are real. She lifted the camera. Im recording now.
Drop your sword, Casimir hissed. You dont want the whole world to know about us. It would be the end of us all.
Connor shook with rage. He turned to Casimir. It is yer end tonight. He stabbed him through the chest and turned Casimir to dust.
No! Corky screamed.
Connor whipped around to kill her, too, but she vanished, taking the camera with her.
Marielle screamed when she saw Father Andrew stabbed and thrown off the cliff.
Bunny! Can you hear me? Please come. Please save him. She repeated her plea over and over as she scrambled down the hill, dodging the trees.
Meanwhile, the battle had started up again. Vamps and shifters attacked the Malcontents, shouting and roaring their fury. Thank God the mortals were managing to flee.
She reached the bottom and weaved her way through the fighting to where Roman knelt on the stage with Father Andrew in his arms.
Father! Marielle fell to her knees beside him. Tears filled her eyes. Im praying for a Healer to come. Please stay with us!
Roman had a bloodstained hand pressed against the Fathers wound, but blood was still seeping out. Let me take you to a hospital.
The priest shook his head. His face was pale and clammy with sweat. My time has come.
Dont say that! Roman shouted. Oh God help me, I should have never dragged you into my world.
Father Andrew gave him a weak smile. I dont regret a moment of it.
Connor materialized beside Marielle, his face haggard.
She reached up to touch him. Are you all right?
He shook his head slightly as he regarded the priest. I have avenged you. I hope it will give you peace.
You killed Casimir? Roman asked.
Father Andrew coughed, then lifted a trembling hand to Connor. My son, you know what I really want from you.
Connors mouth twisted, then he fell to his knees and clasped the priests hand. Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been . . . almost five hundred years since my last confession.
Tell me, Father Andrew whispered.
A tear rolled down Connors cheek. I . . . have murdered in a fit of rage. He glanced up to the top of the monument. Twice.
Father Andrew nodded. I will pray for you. He looked at Marielle. Now I wish to finally be touched by an angel.
Father, no. Tears streamed down her cheek.
Blood trickled from the side of his mouth. Im in pain, child. Please let me go.
Marielle glanced at Roman through her tears, and he nodded. A pink tear ran down his face.
Dear soul, your Father loves you greatly. Marielle laid a trembling hand on the priests brow.
He didnt die. His soul didnt open for her. He merely sighed and fell into a painless coma. With a gasp, she lifted her hand. Was she no longer a Deliverer?
Marielle. Zackriel appeared close by. I have come for this soul.
Have I ceased to be an angel? she whispered.
Who are you talking to? Roman asked.
Zackriel knelt beside her. You are very close to being completely human.
Another tear slipped down her face. Youre not taking me with you tonight, are you?
It is not yet your time. Zackriel rested a hand on Father Andrews brow. Dear soul, your Father loves you greatly.
Marielle saw the priests soul open and his spirit lift out. Zackriel stood and moved close to the spiritual form of Father Andrew who was smiling at her, Connor, and Roman.
She stood and bowed to the priest. God be with you, dear soul.
Zackriel wrapped an arm around the priest. It is time for us to go.
Will I ever be able to go back? Marielle asked.
Zackriel smiled at her sadly. It is still possible. But only if you really want to. His wings fluttered out, and he vanished, taking Father Andrews soul with him.
What just happened? Connor asked.
Marielle gazed up at the stars while tears rolled down her face. Father Andrew is going to heaven.