Chapter 25

T rixie

"You've been working with Levian," I spat at the vampire standing before me. I could see the tainted aura shrouding him—the same dirty magic Levian had last night on camera. "You and the elf paired up to take your brother down."

Sebastian Kent studied me, his figure alarmingly still, perfectly stoic. "Gold star—you figured it out. Too late, sweetheart."

"Your aura is filthy with black magic."

Sebastian gave me a little smile. "I see what Dominic likes in you. Feisty. Pretty. But it's just not going to work for me."

There was a family resemblance that was impossible to deny between the two vampires. It was a little frightening to admit. They both possessed dark hair, a tall, intimidating stature. But where Dom was broad and sturdy, Sebastian was thin and wiry, like life had worn him down, sucked the very will to live right out of him. He was a junkie living on human blood and black magic from behind The Veil.

"What's your problem with your brother?" I asked, taking a step backward on the grimy, basement floor so I stood further away from Sebastian. "Why are you going after him?"

"He's trying to rob me blind," Sebastian said. "Taking everything I have left, selling it, squandering the money. I live off back-alley blood, while he lives in a penthouse and sleeps with pretty girls like you. How terribly unfair. "

"Dom gave you a chance," I said. "He took risks on you, and you didn't take advantage of the opportunity. You let the thirst get to you."

Sebastian's eyes were bloodshot as he approached me. "You don't know what it's like. Maybe my brother will finally understand what it feels like after tonight. Once I take something from him, something he truly cares about. Something like you. "

"Dom selling an apartment building is not the same thing as you killing me," I pointed out. "Anyway, if you didn't hear, we're not a couple. It was all over the news tonight."

"As if I believe that. A weak attempt to throw me off your scent," Sebastian said. "You're the only thing he cares about, and now you're mine."

I took a deep breath, scanned my surroundings. We were in a dank, dark basement. A single lightbulb hung from the ceiling. The walls were grimy, and something dripping in the background added eerie undertones to an already grim scenario.

Sebastian was close enough for me to smell him, and though I didn't have a vampire's sharp senses, I could pick up on Sebastian's odor. The vampire smelled like he'd bathed in liquor.

If I had to guess, his portal had led me to a forgotten cellar somewhere. Somewhere nobody could hear me scream. Somewhere with dark enchantments keeping out everything hopeful, everything light and positive. Somewhere Sebastian could take his time with me and not feel rushed as he played with his prey .

"You could kill me." I tried to keep my voice from shaking. "But we both know if you do, your life will be over before the week's out."

"Maybe," Sebastian agreed. "But what sort of life do I have left? Sneaking around with people like Levian to get access to the magic behind The Veil? People chasing me down to pay my ever-growing debts? Not much of a life. This is the end, I'm afraid."

"It doesn't have to be like this. If you're in danger, we can help you."

Sebastian sniffed in a rare display of movement. "Oh, yes it does. The people after me won't stop because my brother asked them to. So I might as well go out with a bang. Now enough chit-chat. It won't take Dominic long to crack the portal, and I'd prefer you to already be dead when he arrives."

This was not good. I'd thought I was getting somewhere with my stalling. I'd had the same thought as Sebastian—that somehow, Dom would've figured out that I'd disappeared and would be using his vast network of resources to find me. But the clock counting down to the time of my death was ticking audibly.

I glanced around, but there was nothing here to help me. No weapons, just a single lightbulb. The walls were bare, the floor plain, dirty cement except for a drain where a murky substance trickled through. The sound of the drip , drip, drip .

I felt a tingle in my belly, the same one I'd felt in the alley with the reporter who'd tried to corner me. The tingle of my magic rising up to protect me.

This time, however, it felt different. In that alley, the magic had poured out of me, a completely instinctual fear response. Tonight, I could feel each and every prickle like my entire body had fallen asleep. I had control now, at least a little bit, and my magic was waiting, gathering, listening for instructions.

I felt my hands start to glow, but I knew it wouldn't be enough. To summon the sort of magic that could stop a centuries old vampire like Sebastian required finesse. Practiced spells. Intentional use. I would have to intentionally funnel my magic at Sebastian with the intent to hurt him in order to save myself.

The trouble was that I didn't know how. What an ironic twist of fate. I'd finally agreed to start unlocking my magical lineage, and it had backfired. Now I had too much control, and I didn't know what to do with it. Maybe if I'd just kept everything repressed, power would've exploded out of me, and I wouldn't have had to sit here and think about it.

Because now I was thinking about it, and nothing was happening.

I raised my hands. Sebastian smiled.

"If you think I haven't protected myself with magical enchantments to fend you off, you're wrong," Sebastian hissed. "That political elf came in handy for something."

"Levian got you the enchantments?" I asked. "Why would he work with you?"

"He knew he was in trouble the second you gave that speech after being selected by The Fates. People liked you. You had something he didn't—a personality, mind you—and he wasn't going to risk losing the election for it."

"He didn't have to scare me away," I said. "I was already going to step down. "

"He was paranoid, and it turns out for a good cause. You won over thirty percent of the popular vote without a single minute spent campaigning? Even I'm impressed."

"The Fates should've never selected him," I said. "A person that greedy for power should never be in power."

"Maybe they selected him for a reason," Sebastian said softly, stepping closer, dangerously close to me. "Because there's really only one solution left once the news breaks that he's a dirty politician. You, sweetheart. You are the solution. Or you would be, if you hadn't decided to tangle your heart with my brother's and wind up bloodless on the floor of an abandoned warehouse."

I could see the enchantments around Sebastian now, a faint aura tormented with dark magic. My powers wouldn't do much against him. It'd deflect, bounce off, and the moment he got his teeth into my neck, it would be over.

"Dom won't let you forget this," I whispered, raising my hands, funneling any ounce of magic I could through my fingertips. Before I could send the magic at Sebastian, I saw a mirage that halted me in my tracks. " Dom ?"

Thinking it was my brain playing tricks on me, I squinted beyond Sebastian. There was a shimmering view of the vampire who'd tried to break my heart on television earlier tonight. It couldn't be real. There was no way Dominic was really here. Was it possible I was hallucinating out of fear?

Sebastian laughed, triggering my response. I sent all the magic I could muster sailing at him. The vampire laughed as my magic ricocheted off his protective shields and banged around the barren room .

As it did, however, the mirage behind Sebastian grew firmer, solid.

It was really Dominic. He'd made it. He was materializing before my eyes, probably with the help of some powerful magic. If only he'd arrived a minute sooner.

"Dom," I murmured, knowing he was too late to stop Sebastian. "I love you."

As the words came out from my mouth, Sebastian reached for me, pulled me toward him by the waist and in one swoop, lowered his teeth to my throat.

I felt the moment his fangs punctured my skin, the moment the blood began to flow, the moment I knew it was all over.

I saw Dom's eyes widen, but his figure wasn't solid yet. His mouth opened, but I couldn't hear the words coming from between his lips. His hand reached for me, but it wasn't enough. He was a ghost.

Sebastian's wish had come true.

Dominic Kent would watch the woman he loved die tonight.