Christine Warren - Huntress

“The wizard was your master and Sebastian was his,” she insisted. “You were brought here to steal her power for him. Sebastian paid the price of your summoning.”

“Vampire,” Michael scolded. “I have no master. The wizard was a conduit, nothing more. I agreed to take her power. I did not agree to share it with anyone.”

“Of course you did!” Barbara shouted, her frustration evident. “Why the bloody hell else would we summon you?”

“I do not know,” the demon said, simply. “Perhaps you should have been clearer about the terms of our agreement.”

As interesting as the conversation was, I decided to take advantage of the fact that they both seemed to have forgotten I was there and started slowly backing toward the door. I had just cleared the threshold when Barbara realized my intention.

“You’re not going anywhere,” she said. “I’ll kill you myself if I have to.”

She ran at me but I stood perfectly still and waited. When she was within reach I grabbed a handful of her tangled mass of hair and pulled her out into the hallway. With one foot I kicked the door closed behind us.

“Lock,” I shouted, pushing my magic into the door. It was made to keep vampires out of the Ripper’s sanctuary. I was hoping it was strong enough to keep him in, at least until we could get back to the carriage.

Barbara was fighting me, scratching and clawing, teeth snapping within inches of my face. I got a firm grip on her hair and slammed her head into the wall hard enough to daze her.

“Cin!” Grady called out, interrupting the brief moment of pleasure I had taken in knocking the harlot senseless.

The first loud bang came from the other side of the metal door, and I dragged Barbara down the hall and hurled her at Grady.

“Get her out of here,” I said urgently. “And make sure she’s locked up where she can’t escape. We’ll need her later.”

“What about you?” he asked.

“I’m right behind you,” I assured him. “Now, go!”

He grabbed Barbara by the wrist and pulled her after him. I turned and watched the steel door bend under the strain of Michael’s hammering. My magic wouldn’t hold the door once the hinges gave way. Whirling around, I ran after Grady. One more loud crack and the steel door hit the ground. I had just wound my way around the humans littering the outer room and reached the front door when a strong arm snaked around my waist.

Michael pulled me back against his body and for a moment I relaxed, craving the feel of him against me.

“I’m not finished with you yet,” he whispered and my body shuddered in response, even though my mind was screaming that this was not the man I loved.

I cried out in frustration as he dragged me back down the hall. So many weapons at my disposal, and yet I couldn’t bring myself to hurt him. When we were once again inside his sanctuary, he threw me violently across the room. I collapsed onto the cot, narrowly missing the wall with my head.

“Humans,” he said. “Vampires. There is little sport in either. I thought you would be a challenge. They said you had great power. The power of a god, they promised me. But I see no power here. This form,” he said, gesturing to himself, “it makes you weak.”

“No,” I replied. “It makes me strong. His love is what makes life worthwhile.”

“And I have taken that from you. Does it hurt?”

“You can take his body, but you can’t take his love. The bond Michael and I share is eternal and nothing you can do will ever change that.”

“Are you so certain?” he asked. Reaching down, he pulled one of Michael’s daggers from the inside of his boot. Holding it up, he looked at it. And then he looked at me. “How badly would I have to hurt you, I wonder, before you stopped looking at this body with tenderness? Why don’t we find out.”

He crossed the room and I scooted back against the wall. My magic was useless against him as long as he wore the talisman, and I seriously doubted my ability to physically fight him and win.

“Michael, I love you,” I cried. “I love you.”

When he had nearly reached me he stumbled and fell to his knees in front of me. The knife dropped from his fingers and he raised his head. Strain was etched into his face, making his cheekbones stand out in sharp relief. His eyes, which had been so blank and emotionless since the demon had infected him, were filled with pain.

“Run,” he said.

“Michael?” I asked, unable to believe he was really here, in front of me.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, his voice ragged with the strain of fighting the demon for control. “If you love me, run.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice harsh with unshed tears. I kissed him swiftly. “I promise I’ll save you.”

He threw his head back and screamed, the muscles in his neck straining with the effort to hold the demon at bay. I grasped the gold talisman and jerked it off his neck.

And then I ran.

Devlin and Justine were furious with me when we got back to the house, but there was no time to waste with recriminations and apologies. Dawn was still hours away and I had a feeling the demon would come for me tonight. He fed on pain and suffering, and Michael and I had denied him a meal. I did not believe that slight would go unpunished. I fingered the amulet in my coat pocket. I hoped he would come. I was ready now.

Barbara was screaming and cursing, but we all ignored her. I shoved her toward Devlin and said, “Take her upstairs to Michael’s studio. Clear everything out of the room that you can. I need a large, empty space to do this. And arm yourselves. He’ll come and he may not be alone.”

Barbara protested, but Devlin took one arm and Justine the other and they simply lifted her off her feet and carried her up the stairs. I felt pity for the human she’d killed, but in reality it had been quite a stroke of luck. The instant she’d snapped his neck she’d signed her own death warrant. She would be the bait on my hook and I would carry no guilt over it.

“What can we do?” Ginny asked, her innocent face lit up in eagerness.

“I want you and Warren to go back to his shop and don’t come home until morning,” I said. “And for the love of Danu, stop and tell Will and Amy not to come to work tomorrow. There’s no telling what state this house is going to be in by the time we’re finished tonight.”

“But I can help, Cin,” she protested. “Tell me what you need.”

I took her hands in mine. “There will be no arguing about it this time. You will go. What I need is for you to be somewhere else so that I can do what I must and not worry about your safety. I can’t afford the distraction, Ginny.”

“She’s right,” Warren said. “This is something best left to them to handle.”

“Grady will see you safely to the shop,” I said, looking over Ginny’s shoulder to the warden.

He nodded his assent. “Do you wish me to return after I’ve delivered them?” he asked.

“I think that might be wise,” I said. “And perhaps you should bring the other wardens with you when you come. If you should find us all dead—” I paused, considering what advice I should give him. “To be honest with you, Grady, if we fail I don’t know what to tell you to do.”

“Then you mustn’t fail,” he said. “I wish you luck.”

I hugged Ginny and Warren goodbye, then made a quick list in my head of the things I would need. I found the cabinet where Ginny stored the candles and shoved as many as I could fit into an empty canvas bag. Then I rushed into the parlor and snatched the urn off the shelf, tucking it under my arm. On my way to the third floor where Michael’s painting studio was, I made a quick stop at my bedroom.