A spell had been activated, likely by the distinct wording of the message Pandora’s kidnapper had conveyed over the speaker.
Allcot didn’t hesitate. He instantly turned toward the large bay window, grabbed an armchair, and swung. The legs of the chair broke clean off the frame, but the window miraculously stayed intact. The blow didn’t even produce a crack.
“What the fuck?” Allcot stared at the sheared legs for just moment even as the smoke turned thick in the room. The fire was spreading quickly, and we were going to be crispy fried in a matter of minutes. Fire wasn’t something a vampire could survive.
I coughed and ducked down under the rising smoke. “The windows have been spelled. They aren’t going to budge unless I can break the curse.”
Allcot let out a roar and swung again, this time putting the entire weight of his body behind the motion. He bounced off and came perilously close to the fire.
“Allcot!” I cried. “Move!”
He quickly scrambled back to my side, his eyes red and his fangs bared. “What are you waiting for, break the damned curse.”
“Gladly. Just keep your ass away from the flames.” I climbed to my feet, closed my eyes, and concentrated with everything I had. “Power of my blood, blood of my veins, I call up my strength and command thy will.” Magic rushed through my limbs, my hands lighting up with blue light. “Power of my blood, blood of my veins, cut through the binds, let us cross the line.”
“Kilsen, now!” Allcot demanded.
I rushed toward the floor-to-ceiling windows, my dagger raised, and let out a cry of determination as my dagger pierced the magical barrier. The glass shattered right along with the spell. Suddenly there was nothing to stop my forward motion, and I sailed headfirst through the third-story window.
Time seemed to slow down as visions of Willow, Talisen, and even Link flashed in my mind, followed closely by an image of Dax smiling down at me. The surge of pure emotion called up a swell of magic, but it wasn’t focused and I had no way to channel my power to cushion my fall. My magic didn’t work that way. The best I could hope for was a landing on the grass where I could tuck and roll.
Unfortunately, the gravel was coming fast. Acting on instinct, I spun my body in the air, made sure my feet were aiming for the earth, and did my best to remain relaxed. Once I hit the ground, my best option was to tuck and roll after the initial impact. It would hurt like a bitch, but I’d be damned if I was going to die today.
Barking filled the spring air, and before the ground rushed up to meet me, strong hands grabbed me and we shot up in the air, hovered for a moment, then slowly came back down to earth.
Allcot. He’d caught me.
“Thanks,” I said as he let me go and the two of us stood there, staring at the inferno blazing before us.
“I think maybe I’m the one who should be thanking you,” he said. “Fire isn’t my favorite element.”
I snorted out a humorless laugh. “I’d say that’s an understatement.”
“Perhaps. I owe you one, Kilsen.” He turned and stalked back over to the car.
I glanced down at Link. He was pacing in front of me, still in wolf form. I placed a hand on the top of his head, soothing him. “Let’s go, Link. Looks like our chances of finding any clues just went up in smoke.”
My boots crunched on the gravel as I made my way to the car where Allcot was waiting. But Link didn’t follow. Instead, he ran over to the side of the house and barked once.
“What is it, boy?” I asked him, squinting through the billowing smoke.
He barked again, and this time he ran flat out, disappearing into the haze.
I glanced at Allcot. “Looks like the wolf’s found something.”
13
Allcot’s eyes blazed with fury as he followed Link, his movements sleek and graceful and just as predatory as a cheetah. I ran to catch up with him and the wolf, my eyes stinging from the smoke-filled air.
Moving deeper into the smoke, I pulled my T-shirt up over my mouth and put my head down. The heat from the burning house prickled my skin, setting me on edge. Whatever Link had found had better be worth it, I thought. Because if we survived the premeditated attack and the fall from the third story of the house just to get swallowed up in blaze anyway, I was going to be supremely pissed.
“Kilsen, get over here,” Allcot ordered.
I followed the sound of his voice, my eyes too watery to see much of anything. But then the wind shifted directions, taking the smoke with it. I took a deep breath, blinking rapidly, and my vision cleared. My eyes widened as I stared at the vampire nailed to a shed. He was held up by a total of five lawn stakes, one in each of his hands, one through his sternum, and one each through his ankles.
“Holy shit.”
Allcot snarled at the vampire, his fangs bared.
I’d never seen the leader of the Cryrique look so savage, so feral, before. The cool, cold-as-ice persona I’d come to know so well had vanished. There was nothing left of the CEO businessman, only a pissed-off vampire who’d given in to the beast inside himself.
“Where is she?” Allcot demanded, lashing one hand out and grabbing the other vampire by the throat.
The redheaded vampire looked almost identical to Carter Voelkel, only his face was slightly rounded with a few more age lines. There was no doubt the two were related. It was impossible to tell how long he’d been staked to the shed, but it’d been long enough. The wounds around each of the stakes had already healed. Curiously, he still had a bloody wound on his face.
The vampire didn’t even try to speak as hatred swam in his blue gaze.
“Eadric, you’re going to have to let go if we want to get answers,” I said conversationally.
Allcot only squeezed the other vamp’s neck harder.
The redheaded vamp’s eyes bulged and a bone cracked under the weight of Allcot’s fist.
“Are you trying to break his neck?” I asked the Cryrique leader.
“Yes,” he said, “I’d like nothing better than to rip his head off.”
“That would be productive,” I said sarcastically. “I seriously doubt we’re going to get another potential witness just handed to us, but if you feel that strongly, then maybe you should just end him. Put him out of his misery and we’ll go about our business, trying to find someone else with answers.” I had no idea why Allcot hated the other vampire, but in that moment I didn’t care. Whatever it was, we had more important matters to deal with.
Allcot turned his steely glare on me and hissed.
I raised my hands, palms up, and shrugged as if the next move was entirely up to him. It wasn’t. If Allcot attempted to kill the vampire before we questioned him, I wouldn’t hesitate to stake him with my dagger… the cursed one that would knock his ass out. “What do you say, Allcot? Should we find out what he knows before ending him?”
There was a long, pregnant pause.
I tapped my finger on the hilt of my blade and waited.
“Fine,” Allcot said with a sneer. He leaned into the other vamp and said, “Move one muscle and my companion here will turn your ass to ash, got it?”
“I will?” I asked before I could stop myself.
“Yes, you will,” Allcot snapped as he released his hold on the other vampire. “Keep your dagger ready.”
“Oh, right.” I took a step forward and held the dagger up, pointing the tip straight at his heart. “Ever seen one of these before, carrot top? The magic in the blade makes it feel like your insides are on fire.”
“Don’t fucking call me that,” he rasped.
“Then what should I call you?”
“Dante.”
“Seriously?” I said, shaking my head. “Is that your given name, or did you just decide Dante made you sound cool?”