Chapter 32

Chapter

Thirty-Two

Ana

I stare out the window of the private jet, my second time flying with windows and my first time flying in daylight. The earth beneath us fills me with amazement. So much wide-open space. So many different colors, and they grow in detail as the world comes closer and closer.

The plane is dropping. We'll be reaching our destination soon. We're headed somewhere in Arizona. I barely heard its name when Ember told me. I was so overwhelmed by hurt and fear.

It's been hours since Phil attacked me. And attack is the only word I can think of to describe what happened. And the way Phil looked at me was even worse than what he did and threatened to do. I saw no trace of Phil in the eyes of the vampire who slammed me against that door.

Back when Phil hated me—or was feigning hate to cover how he really felt—even then, I could see who he truly was beneath all that menace.

"You okay?" Blade's voice draws me out of my thoughts, and my eyes away from the sights below the plane.

I nod.

"Can I sit?" His eyes are so full of hope.

Speaking of hurt, Blade was crushed when I told him I wanted time alone on this flight. Time to think and to process all that happened, without the temptation of Blade to distract me from my pain.

We had sex before leaving the lake. Ember, like me, hasn't learned to tame the intense urges vampires feel after feeding. Some vampires never learn to, or don't even try. For Ember, it's because she was so recently turned, whereas for me… My sexual urges never emerged as anything recognizable, until I met the brothers.

My body heats at the thought.

"Of course you can sit," I tell Blade, and then raise the armrest that divides the generously sized seats.

Bending to accommodate his height, Blade slides in next to me.

"Please fasten your seatbelts," the pilot says over the intercom. "We will be landing in Sedona soon."

Within minutes, the earth rises to meet the wheels of the jet, and my chest fills with hope.

Today I will learn how we kill that demon. Today I'll learn how to get back the man that I love.

Ana

The orange-red rock beneath me radiates warmth. Leaning back on my arms, I smile as I take in the view. The Arizona scenery has lifted my mood and filled me with even more hope. How could one not feel amazing in a place such as this?

Ember left the rest of us an hour ago to meet with the council. Heading to our right, she went down a set of stairs carved into the rock. But the stairs completely disappeared as she turned the first bend. I don't know whether the trail she took was an illusion created by magic, or whether what we're seeing now is what's fake. The scenery here is so beautiful, it wouldn't be hard to believe the entire area is a magical creation.

All around us, rock formations glow in shades of orange, red and gold, and in shapes that seem to have been sculpted purely for aesthetic purposes. The sky above is intensely blue, in contrast to the shades of orange. It's been over a hundred years since I've seen a daytime sky, but I am certain I've never seen one this shade of electric blue.

"I wish Flame could see this," Blade says beside me.

Like me, he's taking it all in, marveling at the natural beauty around us, and now I'm marveling at the natural beauty of Blade. The sunlight is bringing out new colors in his dark skin, bathing it in more amber tones than I see in the moonlight or indoors. The scars on his face nearly fade into the shape of his cheekbones, and his eyes are sparkling like fireworks.

Shading his eyes, he looks down toward me. "The sunlight's intense."

"It is."

Zuben steps up on the other side of me. He too is even more handsome in this light. Except for his formal business suit, Zuben looks at home in this climate, and I remember that he lived in Egypt when he was a human. There are also deserts in that country, but from the pictures I've seen, they look nothing like this.

"Careful," he says to Blade. "Vampiric eyes are not accustomed to sunlight."

"I wish you'd warned us sooner," I say. "Have we permanently damaged our eyes?"

He shakes his head. "No. And if you had, you'd heal."

"Of course." I shake my head at my silly question. Everything's so overwhelming today I'm not thinking clearly.

"I was just remembering my first days in the sunshine." A smile softens Zuben's stern expression. "I was so eager to take in sunlight, that my eyes ached every night."

"Worth it." Blade looks up again, his face full of awe as he takes in our surroundings. "It's kind of funny that we're here in Sedona."

"Funny how?" Zuben asks.

Blade turns toward him. "Well, some humans believe that Sedona has magical properties, vortexes or portals to other places." He chuckles. "Most people think it's a crazy myth, and so I find it ironic the myths are correct."

"They're not," Zuben says. "Nothing special here."

"How can you say that?" I ask.

"Beyond the natural beauty, of course." Zuben gestures toward the rock formations.

"Why are we here then?" Blade frowns. "Surely there's something magical about the place."

"Not according to Ember," Zuben says. "She told me that the Council of Magic Keepers often hold meetings in such places as a joke. Although I, for one, do not appreciate the humor."

I do, and I also find humor in the juxtaposition of Zuben's formal expression and attire against this setting—not to mention his formal way of speaking, even if I often fall into such speech patterns myself, when dealing with matters at court.

Ember went to ask the council to meet with all four of us, but every minute she's gone makes me think they only agreed to meet with her. It would be annoying to come all this way for nothing, but then again, it clearly wasn't safe for me to stay back at the cabin. Relying on Crusher to protect me from Phil, from the demon, proved in adequate.

Plus, when else would I get a chance to see the beauty of Arizona in the daylight? Gratitude floods inside me, drowning the memories of Phil's attack.

"Hey!" Ember's voice draws my attention. She's standing about ten feet away from us, but none of us sensed her coming.

"My love!" Zuben leaps up and takes her into his arms, bending to kiss her passionately as if she'd been gone a year, not an hour. "What did the magic keepers say?"

"Come." She gestures. "Quickly. I hear hikers arriving. We can't let them see the path."

Blade and I quickly rise, and the stairs appear out of nowhere. After descending fifteen feet I turn to look back. A group of five hikers, all young women, are standing on the same shelf of rock where Blade, Zuben and I were resting.

One of them sets down her heavy backpack with a thud, and then turns in our direction. I fight the instinct to duck.

"They can't see us." Ember rests her hand on my back. "I repaired the magic in time."

"How?" I ask, although as soon as the word is out of my mouth, I know she won't answer.

"I couldn't begin to explain." She nudges me forward, and the four of us descend what feels like a few hundred steps, which lead to a flat shelf of rock. The shelf overlooks the valley below and is shaded by large pieces of fabric that ripple in the light breeze.

A group of fifteen comfortable looking chairs sits in a circle, with a massive Persian rug in the middle. Behind the chairs, a long table is covered in what looks like a variety of delicious foods and beverages. A tall woman appears in the center of the rug, her bright green dress billowing in the wind, even though I feel no breeze myself.

Where are the others, and how did they get everything here? I shake my head. It's possible that they didn't. It's possible everything I'm looking at isn't real, and I remind myself to keep up my guard. It's possible that these magic keepers will tell us nothing, and possible that whatever they say won't be true.

"Sit. Please." The woman has long, flowing black hair and a friendly smile, and she gestures toward the four seats with their backs toward the view. The chairs are covered in red velvet, whereas the others are royal blue. Were they like that when we first arrived? I can't remember.

Ember sits first, Zuben settling in beside her. Blade takes my hand, and he then sits next to Zuben after making sure I'm comfortable in my chair on the end. Part of me doesn't like that I'm so far from Ember, but I suppose it makes sense for Blade and Zuben to sit next to each other, in case they have something they want to discuss.

"Bloodsuckers," the woman says. "I understand you have come seeking guidance."

I stand. "Yes. On a matter of great urgency."

"You may sit, Princess." The woman smiles again, her expression comforting. But I firm my resolve to stay on my guard.

"This isn't your vampiric court." The woman's smile widens. "There's no need for formalities here. Isn't that right, sister?" she asks Ember, who nods.

I sit again and, seeming to walk directly out of the rock formation, a line of women files forward to take the other chairs. Blade squeezes my hand, drawing my attention; his eyes are full of alarm.

"A simple parlor trick." The woman chuckles. "You need not be frightened, my handsome, bloodsucking friend."

"I'm not frightened." Blade raises his chin.

The woman smiles again, and this time it's tinged with condescension, but it fades so quickly I wonder whether I really saw it.

"Shall we introduce ourselves?" she asks. "I am called Circe, and my sisters—" she gestures behind "—they are too many to name, but they will form today's council." She looks into my eyes. "Princess Anastasia, you require no introduction, but I would very much like to know the names of your companions."

"This is Blade," I tell her. "Next to him is Zuben, and you know Ember."

She nods.

"And please," I say calmly, "speaking of formalities. Please, call me Ana."

"Ana it is." Circe walks backward so gracefully it almost seems as if she's floating, and then she settles into the chair that's directly opposite ours.

"I will speak for the council today," she says. "And please know that we only agreed to meet, because your concerns impact the entire world."

I nod.

"Also note," she continues, "that whatever we reveal here—if we choose to reveal anything—must never be repeated."

"We understand," I reply.

Her expression grows stern. "I'm not certain you do, Princess Anastasia." Her hand sweeps in front of her, and my entire body tingles. "Should one word you hear today be repeated, you will find yourself unable to ever speak again."

Blade shakes his head.

"Blade." The woman's eyes narrow. "I know you believe you're invincible, immortal, but believe me, you are not."

"I understand," Blade says. "I mean no disrespect, except…whatever you tell us won't be much help, if we can't tell the others."

"What others?" Circe glares at Ember.

"Ana's other mates," she says, and my stomach contracts at her word choice. "Depending on what you tell us, it may prove essential for at least one of them to know what we learn from you."

The witch nods, clearly not loving this answer. "I will be the judge of what is essential."

"Of course," Ember says, and I hold my lips tightly together.

"The spell of infinite silence will hold, should anything non-essential be uttered, to anyone outside your two families." Circe places her hands on her lap. "Now, what is so urgent?"

We let Ember explain, and she quickly and succinctly recounts the tale of how Phil came to be possessed by this demon, and what Blade and Zuben discovered during their research. Once or twice, Zuben looks like he's about to interject, but Ember subtly raises a finger from where her hand rests on his thigh, and he holds himself back.

By the time Ember's finished, I'm shocked at how well she covered all the most pertinent details. It does sometimes help to be one step removed from a story.

"What you've told us is most troubling," Circe says, but her expression has barely changed. "I must consult with my sisters."

A heavy drape falls in front of the four of us, blocking our view of the witches, and then I realize it's all around us.

"What the hell?" Blade rises from his chair but drops back down as if pulled by a magnet.

We can still see the sky high above, but we're surrounded by a curtain that completely blocks our view in any other direction, and all sounds. The only thing I can hear is the rush of blood pumping through the bodies of the other three vampires, and my own.

"How do you think it's going?" I ask Ember, leaning forward and realizing I feel heavy, stuck to my chair.

"As well as it could have?" She shrugs unconvincingly.

"You did very well, cherished one." Zuben plants a kiss on Ember's forehead. "The moment I thought of a relevant detail that you'd omitted, you included it."

She beams back at him.

The curtain around us vanishes, and we stiffen in our seats. Circe is standing directly in front of us, as if she'd been inside the curtain all along. The other witches have vanished, as have their chairs and the banquet table. And the sun is beating down on us all. The sails above have gone too.

"What you have told us is perhaps the most troubling development in our realm, for the last two thousand years." Circe's fingers are trembling, and she clasps her hands behind her back. "To that end, we have agreed that you four must know certain well-guarded secrets. But you will not reveal these secrets to anyone, except as absolutely necessary. Especially not to the bloodsucker hosting the demon."

Circe stares at me as she says this last part, and I nod, even though the idea of keeping anything from Phil, or from Flame and Crusher, is making me nauseous. There have been too many important things left unsaid.

Circe sits as a chair materializes behind her. "After my ancestors banished most demons from this realm." Her voice and expression are serious. "They sealed every known portal but one."

"Where is the portal?" I ask. "And how do we get the demon through it?"

"Perhaps you will let me continue?"

I nod, annoyed that I allowed my impatience to steal my good manners. If we anger this witch, we might not find out what we need to know.

"This demon is highly dangerous," she says. "We did know of his continued presence on earth, but it was of little concern. That is, until a century ago, when he made an unbreakable deal with Rasputin." She nods toward me. "The deal he made when he marked you."

"You knew about that?" Blade says. "But did nothing?"

I squeeze his leg.

But Circe doesn't appear annoyed at Blade's accusatory outburst. "We knew the demon had gained power. We knew he had found a permanent host and had likely marked a target, but until today, we had no idea who this host was."

I swallow hard, trying to contain my trepidation.

"But even the least sensitive amongst us felt his power building these past months. He gained power as he compelled his host to kill others, and even more when he set up home in your mate."

She looks at me. "The demon's abilities, while in the body of a vampire, are unknown, but very concerning." She pauses, her lips pursed.

"How do we kill it?" I ask softly.

Circe shakes her head. "The demon cannot be killed. Not in this realm. He gains power from his host's pain. And even more when that host is slain. When one host dies, he will either bring the host back to life, or find another. Whatever is most expeditious."

My entire body implodes. I can't breathe.

"The demon must be killed on the other side of the portal," Circe says like it's no big deal. "He must be slain where he belongs."

"How do we do that?" Despair creeps in. "How do we get it out of Phil so we can get it through the portal?"

Circe shakes her head. "This demon will not willingly leave this current host. Not as long as the host lives. And vampires are difficult to slay." Nodding her head, she gestures toward us. "As you well know."

"So…" My mind is reeling, my heart freezing with fear.

"I cannot tell you what to do." Circe turns to face me directly. "But I can tell you what I know."

I nod.

"This demon must be killed by a specific sword, marked just for him, and it must pierce his liver."

The demon, while inside Rasputin, stabbed Phil in the liver. I can't remember if Circe knows that. I can barely remember my own name right now, never mind all the details of what's been said.

I fight to gain clarity.

"So, we need to get through this portal," I say. "Get the demon out of Phil. Find the right sword. And then stab the demon in the liver?" It sounds impossible.

Circe shakes her head. "The demon will not leave his host. He cannot be removed without killing him."

"So, you're saying we need to pierce the host's liver?" Blade says. " Phil's liver. We need to stab Phil."

Circe tips her head to the side. "That is a somewhat complicated question. At the moment, the host and demon are both joined and separate," she says. "And once the host and demon cross to the other realm, their relationship will change. It's difficult to say whose liver it will be."

I let this information vibrate through me, fighting to stay brave and objective, fighting to concentrate so I don't forget any details. "So, you're saying someone needs to cross over with Phil and stab his liver."

"Not someone." Circe looks into my eyes. "You. Princess, it is you who must wield the sword. The demon can only be slain by the one he marked as his mate."

"What?" Blade takes my hand. " Ana has to stab Phil?"

I turn toward him, and concern is plastered over his face. "Can't someone else do it?"

Circe shakes her head. "Princess Anastasia, this is something only you can do. To rid our world of this demon, to save the entire world from darkness, you must cross through the portal with this demon. And then, using the marked sword, you must pierce his liver."

"Is there no other alternative?" I ask, breathless.

"The only alternative is sending the demon alone, and then permanently closing the portal, so he can never cross back. If the demon returns, he will gain so much power, there will be no way to stop him. Darkness will fall over the earth, as it has on the other side."

Great. I squeeze my legs to keep them from trembling. Not only does this quest sound impossible—where do I even find this magical sword?—the other realm does not sound pleasant. I must be brave.

"So, where is the portal? And how do we open it? And where do I find this special sword?"

Circe turns toward Ember, her eyes opening with alarm. "I understood that you had already acquired the weapon."

"We have a dagger with the right markings," Ember tells her. "Perhaps the texts were translated imprecisely?"

Circe starts to shake her head no, or at least that's how it looks, but she stops herself. "It is possible that the weapon is a dagger, not a sword."

My mind continues to spin as I search for questions to ask. The news Circe delivered is massive, and yet it seems like we have even more to know than we've learned.

"You okay?" Blade asks, and I turn toward him.

"Where do we find the portal," Zuben asks. "How to we open it? How do we go through and come back again?"

Circe stands, and the chair she was sitting on vanishes. "This part is the most difficult of all. The most carefully guarded secret. Only Ember can know."

I stand. "But I'm the one who has to go through the portal!"

Circe nods. "That is true, Princess. But only a magic keeper can open and close the portal, and I have told you all that I know."

"Everything?" Zuben asks, as if suspicious.

Circe nods. "Now, if you three will excuse us, I have more to discuss with Ember."

Blade, Zuben and I head back toward the stairs that lead to the lookout point. After about ten steps, I turn back, and there's no trace left of Circe or Ember, no trace even of the large rock shelf we were on.