Christine Warren - Huntress

I was happy to see that the wall had been scrubbed and the furniture rearranged. Depositing the urn and the candles on the bed, I took the amulet out of my coat pocket. Everything that was about to happen hinged on my being able to work my magic against the demon. Thank the gods that Michael had been strong enough to give me that one moment to take the necklace. It was indeed the same one I had taken off Sebastian all those years ago. In some dark corner of my soul I was pleased that he was so afraid of me that he’d kept the talisman for nearly a century. I placed it in my jewelry box for safekeeping and noticed that Ginny had returned the Craven Cross in my absence. I fastened the heavy piece around my neck, feeling a sense of comfort that it was back in my possession. Then I removed my coat and put my pistol back in the weapons chest. Gathering up the urn and the bag of candles, I sprinted up to the third floor.

Devlin and Justine were just carrying the last of Michael’s things from the studio and storing them in my study.

“Where is Barbara?” I asked, concerned that they’d left her alone.

Devlin rolled his eyes and pointed to the far corner of the studio. They’d bound her hands and feet and gagged her. I raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment.

“She has a foul mouth on her, that one,” Justine complained.

“As long as she’s there when I need her, I don’t care what you do to her,” I said.

I handed Devlin the urn and dumped the bag of candles onto the floor. Justine and I worked quickly to lay them out in a perfect circle. I then pulled one of the knives from the sheaths on my forearms and drew it down my wrist. Blood welled up and I walked the circle again, holding my arm out so that the blood fell to the floor just inside the ring of candles. It was a slapdash way to set a circle of protection, but it was quick and powerful. When I was finished I placed the urn in the center of the circle.

“What do we do now?” Justine asked.

“We hope he shows up,” I replied. “I’ll go downstairs. You two keep an eye on her. If he comes alone, be as unobtrusive as possible and stay out of the way. If he brings reinforcements with him—” I shrugged. “Do what you do best.”

I sat at the foot of the stairs, waiting, preparing myself. The role of the helpless victim was one I didn’t enjoy playing, especially now that I was confident in my ability to use my power against the demon. But he liked my fear and I would do whatever it took to get him where I wanted him.

I hadn’t been waiting long when the front door burst open and Michael strode in with six men at his back. One of the downsides of being a vampire is that other vampires don’t need an invitation to enter your house. I wondered briefly if he had recruited these vampires from the opium nest. As with humans, there never seemed to be a shortage of idle men willing and eager to follow a strong leader into the thrill of battle. They would not enjoy the experience. For the moment, though, I leapt to my feet and pasted a look of panic on my face.

“Witch,” Michael said, in a tone I hoped never to hear directed at me again.

I turned and ran up the stairs, glancing behind me as I reached the landing to make sure he was following me. With slow, determined strides he climbed the stairs, obviously confident in his ability to win this fight. And why wouldn’t he be? He’d held the upper hand … until now.

“Six at his back,” I said as I rushed into the room.

Devlin and Justine were standing on either side of the door, their bodies pressed against the wall. I didn’t worry whether or not they could handle the situation. My entire focus was now on Barbara. Her eyes widened when she saw the look on my face as I crossed the room. Perhaps, if she was sensitive enough, she even felt the power beginning to build within me. I thought of her hands on Michael’s bare chest, of her lips pressed to his, her tongue invading his mouth. My anger fed the dark side of my magic and that’s exactly what I needed right now to tempt a demon. I bent down and picked her up, slinging her over my shoulder. Carrying her into the center of the circle of candles, I dropped her on the floor.

I could hear booted footsteps striding down the hall, and I closed my eyes and called on the darkness inside me. It rolled through me, welling up until it filled every inch of me. There was a time when I would have fought it, been afraid of it, but those days were gone. It was a part of me and with that acceptance I had gained control of it. Now I ruled the darkness; it did not rule me. I opened my eyes, and I knew from Devlin and Justine’s worried expressions that my normally whiskey-brown eyes had turned black with the magic I had called.

Michael walked through the door with his sword drawn, moving with that catlike grace I loved so well. The moment he crossed the threshold, Devlin and Justine spun into the doorway, knocking back the six vampires who’d attempted to enter behind him. With my magic I forced the door to close and lock, drowning out the sounds of the fight that had begun in the hall. I didn’t worry for Devlin and Justine—there were only six of them, after all. Michael cocked his head to one side in curiosity.

“Do you feel it?” I asked.

He walked forward. “Power,” he said, and there was hunger in his voice.

“I want you to leave my husband’s body,” I demanded.

“No,” he replied. “I have grown fond of it. Besides, if I leave his body I must enter another. I have no interest in hers,” he said, pointing to Barbara, “and that only leaves yours.”

I ignored the last comment. “She is not for you,” I said. “She sealed her fate when she broke the law of the High King and killed a human. I saw her do it and she must pay for it with her life.”

Barbara tried to struggle to her feet, but I grabbed her by the back of the neck and forced her to be still.

“These vampires,” the demon said, “you sit in judgment on them. You weigh their sins and extract retribution from them.”

“Yes,” I replied.

“You are a god,” he stated.

“No. I am The Righteous.”

With that I set the darkness free. I stepped away from Barbara as black light poured from my body and surrounded her. The black magic liked blood and death, and isn’t that what a vampire was? I threw my head back as I felt the pull of it feeding on whatever magic it was that animated a vampire’s body. I didn’t have to look to know that she was shriveling, disintegrating, as the darkness consumed her from the inside out. I didn’t have to look to know that there would be nothing left but ashes when the black magic returned to me. I had seen it all before.

I pulled the darkness back inside me, my skin tingling with the rush of power it brought with it. Opening my eyes, I looked at the evil bastard wearing my husband’s skin.

“What are you?” he asked.

I spread my arms wide. “I am everything they said I was, and more. Leave Michael’s body and come and take me if you can.”

His eyes flashed red a moment before his long, unnatural blue form slid through Michael’s skin. Michael fell to the floor and the demon entered my circle. Power vibrated through me and the candles surrounding us flared to life, black flames rising from the white wax. I felt the pop of the magic that set the circle. I had trapped him inside with me, and only one of us would walk out.

I stepped backward, never taking my eyes off the demon as I leaned down and removed the lid from the urn. Moving to the opposite edge of the circle, I positioned the urn between me and the demon.

“What is this?” the demon asked, his voice harsh like the sound of breaking glass.

I spoke the words I had learned so long ago. “By blood I bind you! By the power of this circle I bind you! By the power of my will I bind you!”