CHAPTER 17

They brought me three grilled cheese sandwiches, a bowl of tomato soup, and a glass of milk. Not orange juice as I requested. I’m not a big milk drinker, but I guess if I am pregnant, that is going to have to change. I remember hearing stories about people losing their teeth because being pregnant sucked calcium out of their system. Babies can be brutal. Not sure if the whole calcium thing is true or not, but I’m not discounting it.

I did worry a little about being drugged while I ate, but the bottomless pit demanded food. It’s been a few hours and no ill effects, so I’m guessing no drugs in the food.

What I’m worried about right now is RJ. I’m hoping that as long as he’s useful to them, they won’t hurt him. Not overly much, anyway. I’m not naive enough to think they won’t harm him at all. They might even feed from him. Which is traumatizing all on its own. I still have nightmares about it.

Dan and Papa have to be losing their minds. The last time I was taken by a vampire, it broke me to the point I ran. And I can’t say it won’t happen again. I’m better than I was. Thanks to being judged by the Sword, I understand everything about myself. It’s why I know the potential for me running is a real thing. It’s what I know.

Sighing, I turn my attention back to the wards. I’ve gotten through all six of the minor ones. Now all that remain are the three deadly ones. I’ve put them off because now that the idea of a little Squishy is running rampant in my brain, I can’t think only of myself. If I screw it up, it’s not just me and Dan. It’s a potential little Squishy who gets snuffed out as well.

“Hello, Mrs. Crane.”

Gloria.

“You understand what you’ve done?” I ask softly.

“Saved my people from a massacre?”

I laugh. Outright, full-on belly laugh. “No, Gloria Monroe. You’ve signed your own death warrant.”

“I doubt that. I have the backing of the Elders’ Council.”

“You are stupid, aren’t you?”

“How so?”

“You understand who I am? I’m a Crane, but my brother is a Dubois. While I don’t associate with my grandparents on that side of my family, my brother and I are close. He’ll use every contact he and his family have to track you down. My grandfather is a demon. Wards mean nothing to him.”

I’m banking on Silas finding me. He inked me with a spell a long time ago that will allow him to locate me anywhere. Since I don’t have one of those spell-blocking collars on, I’m counting on Silas.

“My vampires are safe, Mrs. Crane. That’s all I wanted. Your husband brought in Hunters to kill the nest. I can’t have that. Not in my city.”

“It wasn’t Dan who did that. I called them in because what is going on in Crush is wrong.”

“But it was your husband who dealt with them. We negotiated a deal for your safety so my vampires could leave.”

“I’m sure the Hunters liked that one.”

“They really didn’t. For some reason, they don’t like you, Mrs. Crane.”

“Richards-Crane,” I correct her. “They’re afraid of me. What people don’t understand, they fear.”

“They are not right to fear you?”

“Oh, they’re definitely right to fear me. I just choose to help them despite their animosity.” I look around the room. “I think you’re afraid of me, too. Why else lock me up behind a door that’s warded and walls that are encased in iron?”

“The iron is as much for your protection as it is to keep you inside. Given your special ability as a living reaper, I assume ghosts haunt you a good portion of your waking hours.”

“They haunt me whether I’m awake or not. I just deal with it.”

“The iron keeps them out, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Then you can thank me.”

Does she seriously expect me to thank her for kidnapping me and keeping me behind iron walls? She’s delulu.

“I won’t thank you, but I will inform you that your days as Master of the City of Chicago are numbered.”

“Do you think I’m afraid of you?”

“No, but you should be.”

“We’ll agree to disagree.”

“Fine. When do I get out of here?”

“The Council…”

“Is not my problem. I assume you still want me to find the creature killing off vampires? Or do the members of the Council think they can handle it themselves?”

“I’m sure they could, but it is not their concern unless it begins hunting Council members. They feel your unique abilities are more than suited to deal with the creature.”

Of course they do. Why would they ever sink so low as to get their hands dirty when it matters? And especially against an unknown enemy that could potentially end their very long lives?

Cowards.

The lot of them, including Gloria.

“Back to my point, when do I get out of here?”

“As soon as your husband comes to collect you.”

“And RJ.”

“RJ is our insurance policy that you won’t do something stupid. We have moved him from the premises if you’re thinking of doing something ill-advised such as tearing the place apart to look for him once you’re out of your iron room.”

“And what assurances do I have you’ll return him once I kill your creature?”

“You don’t. You just have to trust me.”

Trust a vampire?

She truly is insane.

The wards come down with a snap. I’m assuming Dan is here.

“Your husband should be here shortly. He was advised not to come into the house. There are Elders here who would enjoy playing with a Warrior of the Sword.”

They’d have to get through me first.

Sorry, Squishy, your papa is as important to me as you are. You and I are going to have to be on the same page there.

The locks disengage on the bedroom door.

“You are free to leave, Mrs. Crane. I would advise utmost haste before the Council get too curious.”

I need to find out everything I can about this Council.

RJ first.

Getting up, I take a step toward the door but stop. “Gloria?”

“Yes?”

“Am I going to be able to walk straight out or do I have deal with anything?”

“I don’t know. I’m not there.”

She sounds so happy.

“I’m warning you, if there is anything in my path, I’ll go back to Louisiana and leave you and the Council to deal with this mess on your own.”

“That would be ill-advised.”

“Then whoever or whatever is waiting outside this door, you need to tell them to stand down. Because I will make it out, and I will get on the first plane out of town.”

“I thought you were going to kill me.”

“Oh, I will. I don’t need to be here to do it.”

Let her think about that.

I’m sure she can come up with all sorts of fun scenarios.

Opening the door, I say, “Tick tock, Gloria. Tick tock.”

The hallway is dark, but there’s a candle burning right outside my door. A candle? Why don’t they just turn on the lights? Maybe the Elders prefer candlelight to a lightbulb? It’s not as harsh, but it doesn’t give off nearly enough light.

And that’s when it hits me. They prefer it darker, to make it more ominous and to freak out their prey even more. Cat and mouse in the dark.

My bravado is as false as a three dollar bill. I’m terrified. They can probably smell it, too. You don’t survive a week with a psychotic vampire and come away blasé. I suffered mentally and physically. The thought of being this close to so many gives me pause. I could handle a few of them, but not five or six if they’re all as old as the hills. I’m good, but I’m not sure I’m that good.

The stairwell is at the end of the hall. Straightening my spine, I walk toward it, listening carefully to what’s around me. If Gloria is smart, she’ll call off whoever is waiting for me. It’s an old house, and the floorboards creak with each step I take, which isn’t good for my anxiety. I want to turn around and check what’s behind me every time I pass a door, but to do so would be to show weakness. Any hint of weakness gives these bloodsuckers a way into your psyche.

The stairs are even worse. Each step I take is like a bullet ricocheting through the still, silent house. I hate it. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt freaked out by anything. Being able to do what I can means not a lot scares me, but even I’m susceptible to my own imagination making everything so much worse than it probably is. I keep telling myself it’s just my imagination. I take deep breaths as I creep down the stairs and look for a door to the outside.

I’m not at the entryway as I hoped I’d be when I reach the bottom of the stairs. Most houses have the staircase pretty close to the front door, but not this one. I’m in either a living or family room instead. There’s a large television, couches, and several chairs scattered throughout the spacious room. Everything looks well cared for. It’s homey and comfortable. The candlelight gives it a darker, more sinister feel, however.

“An, Emma. I was hoping to speak with you before you left.”

My head turns toward the doorway on the opposite end of the room. I’m assuming it leads to a hallway or into the kitchen or something. It’s too dark to tell. A man takes up the entirety of the frame, his broad shoulders blocking my exit. Unless I want to go back upstairs where there might possibly be no escape.

“I am called Euriel.”

“That’s an Angel’s name.”

He comes closer, his face bathed in the candlelight coming from the fireplace mantel. Even in this lighting, his skin is pale, alabaster pale. There’s not a flaw to his face, which is exceptionally beautiful. Dark brown eyes study me from beneath a mane of long chestnut hair. It curls along his neck before cascading down his back. He’s giving off Brad Pitt vibes from Interview with the Vampire, only he’s so much more gorgeous than Brad.

The jeans and gray Nike t-shirt he’s wearing don’t vibe with his overall look and demeanor. I imagine he’d be more at home in a suit than jeans. Or in a seventeenth-century English manor. He reminds me of Silas in that regard.

“I was, once upon a time, an Angel.”

“Fallen? Or did you fall?”

He smiles. “You know the difference.”

“Let’s not be coy. You know I destroyed a Fallen Angel.”

“You almost died in the process.”

“Worth it.”

“I agree. Deleriel was…representative of what the worst of us could become. He fed from children.”

“You don’t?”

“No. Even I am not that heinous. Others here, well, I can’t say the same for them. Nor do I judge them. We all struggle with our demons.”

“Yet you judge Deleriel.”

“He’s dead. I can say what I want.”

“You sound like me.”

He laughs. “I have been told we are very similar in our thinking and in the way we do things.”

I wouldn’t go that far.

“Your mind is closed to me, Emma. Why is that?”

“You read minds?”

“It is one of my many gifts, but you are a large brick wall.”

“I learned how to protect myself after Kristoff got into my head. I practice blocking my thoughts and keeping people out of my head on the daily.”

“Ah, yes, Kristoff. We had planned on doing something about him, but you and the Necromancer took care of that situation for us.”

“If you mean making him suffer the way he’s made God knows how many women suffer, then you’re welcome.”

“I am told he held you captive, fed from you, and beat you…how did you say…on the daily.”

“He did.”

“And you survived.”

“I’m a survivor. It’s what I do.”

He cocks his head and studies me once more like I’m a lab rat or something. “He was in your head?”

“Yes.”

“Given your background and your unique abilities, I’m assuming it wasn’t pleasant.”

“It wasn’t. Now, what do you want? I think we’ve had enough idle chit chat. I want to get out of here sooner rather than later.”

“You aren’t a conversationalist are you, Emma Crane?”

“Only if I like you.”

“You don’t know me.”

“Nor do I want to.”

He shakes his head. “Shame.”

Only if he decides to try to eat me. Otherwise, I count it as a win.

“Would you like to sit?”

“Nope.”

A woman comes into the room. “Just get to the point, Euriel.”

She might be sixteen or she might be sixteen hundred. Hard to say. Her blonde hair is up in a high ponytail, and she’s wearing a sweater dress and thigh-high boots that look buttery soft. I’d even consider wearing them. Like her male counterpart, she’s exceptionally beautiful. Models would cry if they had to compete against her. Angry blue eyes regard me with as much contempt as I’m starting to feel for her, and I just met her.

“Nadia. You need to learn patience and tact.”

“No, she doesn’t. I agree with her. Get to the point so we can all go about our day. I have a creature to hunt so it stops killing your kind.”

Nadia flashes me a grin, but it gives me the creeps. Which I’m sure she didn’t mean to do. “I like you, Emma Crane. We were told you were a snarky, temperamental little urchin with too much power.”

“I think the word people use is abomination.”

“We’re all abominations in our own way. Even the most pious of humans.”

Not wrong.

“Gloria told us what you did to her.” The woman’s voice turns serious. “How are you able to do what only a very powerful Necromancer can do?”

I shrug. “I’m lucky that way.”

She has her hands wrapped around my throat before I even see her move. My air supply is cut off, and my eyes water at the pressure she’s using.

“Don’t,” she whispers. “You’ll be dead before you can blink.”

No. She goes flying backward and through the wall into the next room.

“Don’t touch me.” My own words are whispered, and I know I’m in trouble. I can sense the vampires in this building. I can taste fourteen individual signatures, eight of which are masters so ancient I have trouble with their age.

“Bravo, pet.”

Another man waltzes into the room. He’s fat. No other way to say it. He has double chins. Aren’t vampires supposed to look beautiful and be athletic so they can hunt easier or something? Or was that just something I read in a book or saw in a movie? Not sure.

“I’m Babis.” He comes over and sniffs me. “Why do you smell of a wolf? You’re not a shifter.”

“No, I’m not.”

“But you are a wolf.” He leans in, and I take a step back.

“Ever hear of personal space?”

“I forget how young humans can be.”

“I’m not all that human.”

“Trust me, I know. I can smell it on you. The only reason you’re not dead is because of what you are. Living reapers are so rare, even the oldest among us have only seen one or two through our very long lives. The dead must be respected, and from everything we’ve learned, you do that. You help them move on when they are lost and have even managed to pull a ghost or two back from insanity.”

They really did do their homework on me.

“Do you count yourself as the dead?”

“I do, but there are a few among our kind who retained their souls somehow. There’s even a young master whose heart now beats, which has never happened in all the history of vampirism.”

“At least not that we’ve heard,” the woman says as she comes back into the room and sits down. She looks none the worse for wear. “If I had a heartbeat, I’d hide as far away from other vampires as I could get.”

“Aleric is under my protection.”

“I assumed. He also has the protection of the Blackburnes. That family is not to be underestimated.”

“Sabien and Alecia would eat your remains after Sadie holds you in place while Alex burns you alive.”

“You know them quite well.” Babis sits as well, and I notice the woman flinches away from him. “Young Rinaldi and I share a similar gift.”

“Which is?”

“Dominion over animals. All animals, even shifters.”

Crap. Does that mean me as well since I technically absorbed the powers of an Alpha wolf shifter?

“And?” I keep the concern and sheer terror out of my voice by going into that white space in my head. I have no fear here, no emotions whatsoever.

“That. What did you just do?” Euriel leans forward, scenting the air much like a shifter would do.

“What do you mean?”

“Her voice sounds different.” The woman tilts her head and taps her chin.

“You’re all stupid as you look.”

That voice, I know. The Judge.

He strides into the room and right to me. He’s smart enough to not touch me. Blood red hair runs down his back, but it’s his Asian features that draw my attention. He’s no more than five feet five or so, but his presence gives off more authority than anyone else in the room.

“Judge.” I nod toward him.

“You do not need to be afraid.”

“I’m not.”

“I can see that, but you should be.”

I shrug.

“What changed?” Babis asks.

“She decided she wasn’t going to let you intimidate her,” the Judge tells them. “None of you understand the art of intimidation. Sheer power never wins. It makes people cautious, but it doesn’t make them fear you.”

“Do you want me to fear you?”

“You would be smart to do so. You might take down a few of us, but you can’t handle all of us.”

“Probably, but I’ll make sure those who go down don’t get back up.”

“I believe you.” He nods, frowning. “We must understand how you were able to age Gloria.”

“It’s a gift I have.”

“There are no Necromancers in your bloodline. I looked.”

“I have no idea who is or isn’t in my bloodline aside from demons.”

“Do you know how you were able to do what you did?”

“I just was.” The lie rolls off my tongue so easily it’s like breathing. I’m a born liar, and when I’m in the white space in my head, it gets even easier. “I’ve always assumed it had something to do with my reaping. The dead are the dead no matter what form they’re in.”

“I taste no lies.” The woman sighs. “She speaks only the truth.”

If she can’t taste my lie, then she’s useless.

“Did your teacher not give you lessons?”

“They took my teacher away and punished him. The one they replaced him with is a grumpy old witch who doesn’t even come when I call her.” At least that is no lie.

“Why did they punish him?”

“He helped me sometimes with things that were not reaping related.”

“That’s not allowed.”

I shrug. “He was punished.”

His eyes narrow. “Is that all?”

“I rescued him and killed his warden.”

They all shrink away from me. I don’t think they even realized they did it.

“Do you know what you’ve done?” the Judge demands.

“I don’t care.”

“I’m beginning to understand why they all want you dead.”

“People are always going to want me dead. It doesn’t bother me.”

“I was curious as to how you were able to survive what you have through the years.” The Judge nods, almost to himself. “

I think I understand it now. You have a switch in your psyche that protects you. I have one as well. It allows us to do what must be done with no regrets. All of us sitting here do, really. You don’t get where we are without one.”

That’s disturbing and frightening. No one in this room has a soul, which inherently takes away their humanity. Emotionless and soulless is horrifying.

“Ah, I see the understanding in your eyes.”

“You’ll die first.”

That gives him pause.

“I don’t have answers for you outside of ‘I can just do it’ any more than I can explain my reaping to you. I died, and I woke up able to see ghosts when I was five. My demonic side woke up when my husband almost died at the hands of my demonic grandfather. How? No idea how any of it works, but I roll with it and use it to my advantage. The rest of you in this house may take me down, but everyone in this room will die screaming.”

“There is also the matter of your human friend who can ink our skin.”

“Peaches.” The word is softly spoken, but the air ripples around us. My hellhound appears at my side. She senses the danger immediately, and the switch in her is crazy. Gone is the large dog and in her place stands a Hellhound. Her skin is ebony, and she stands at least six feet tall and three feet across. The growl that emanates from her would scare even the devil himself.

“What is that?” Euriel asks.

“My Hellhound.”

Babis laughs. “Peaches, stand down.”

She only growls louder.

“You don’t know Hellhounds, do you, Babis? She’s blooded to me, and the only orders she follows are mine. I don’t care what sort of dominion you have over animals. A Hellhound is not a regular animal. She’s mine, and she can’t be killed. She’ll rip you to shreds if I tell her to.”

“You called her here to do your killing for you?”

“No, Babis, I did not.” I turn and look at her, knowing she understands every word I say. “Peaches, go get RJ and take him to Grandpa. Don’t hurt him.”

She’s gone in the blink of an eye.

“I hope you don’t value the people holding him. She does like to play with her food.”

“Where did you get one of those?” The Judge narrows his eyes, looking at the space my hound occupied seconds before. “And why couldn’t I see her?”

“The only person who can see a full-grown Hellhound is their owner. It’s what makes them so lethal. You never see them coming. You can hear them, but you’ll never see them. How did I get one? My grandfather is the only demon who breeds competent ones. He gave me one after Deleriel.”

“I am beginning to understand why they fear you.”

I just stare at him. I’m not sure if the dead man’s blood is out of my system or not, but I don’t care at this point. Even hinting at threatening RJ infuriated me. I’ll kill them all.

“If you ever get the chance to speak with Kristoff, ask him about my Hellhound and what I did to him. That’ll really show you who and what I am.”

“Hard to do when he’s disappeared off the face of the planet.”

I smile, showing all my teeth. “I can arrange for you to be there as well.”

He shakes his head. “We must do more research into your abilities. And you are right in that you have a creature to deal with.” He motions to the doorway. “If you’ll follow me, we’ll go outside and wait for your husband. I sent him a text with the address to pick you up before our conversation started.”

I really don’t want to turn my back on these people, but I have no choice. I walk ahead of the Judge and can literally feel them all watching me as I leave the room. It empties out into a hallway as I suspected.

“Turn right.”

I do, and we walk all the way to the end of the hall to the front door. I’ve never been in a house designed like this. It’s not very safe if the place caught on fire.

It’s dark outside, and the night sky is clear, but there’s no moon to give off any light.

“I hope you know I mean you no harm or ill will.”

“That’s yet to be seen.”

“It’s my job to keep my people safe.”

“I do the same.”

“I know. It’s why I respect you and what are capable of. Most of them don’t. They’re all very set in their ways and see no one as a threat until they become a threat. Then they deal with that threat by eliminating them using our combined gifts to ensure victory.”

“That won’t work with me.”

“I’m aware. It’s why I’m telling you I’m going to do my best to keep you and your child safe from the Council. But I need your cooperation.”

“I don’t know how I do the things I do.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Believe it or not, it’s the truth.”

I see Dan’s car turn the corner. It’s speeding right at us, and the Judge pulls me back from the curb.

“I will do what I can.” He nods and turns to go back inside. “Do try to stay alive.”

“I plan on it.”

He grins and walks up the steps and opens the front door as Dan’s car slides to a stop in front of me.

“Good night, Mrs. Richards-Crane.”

“Good night.”

Dan is standing beside me when the door closes.

“Not here,” I whisper and nod to the car.

He looks toward the house and doesn’t say a word, simply leads me to the car, and we get in, neither speaking as we leave the house behind.

I’ll tell him everything as soon as I can make sure I’m not bugged or spelled.

For now, I’m just glad to have walked out of the house alive and not missing a body part.