Chapter Twenty-Two

When Darkness Falls

Texas

The darkness steamrolls me. My muscles no longer bunch but melt into darkness, embracing the chaos.

A mixture of dirt and blood and evil clogs the air. My vision clears, rolls away like mist on the lake, revealing Alexander. He’s standing tall, the wound at his side—I can see his thick brown-red muscles stitching together. The clear fluid from the wound has stopped oozing. And now his skin is pink and puckered.

Then, as quickly, the darkness rushes my vision. I’m left in the dark.

But I’m not afraid.

I sprint to the vampire, flick my ring, and bring on the light from the sky that clashes with the darkness.

I tackle him to the ground, pound my fist so deep his skull cracks the ground. This isn’t a warmup. This is a blow meant to obliterate.

I sink my fist into his face over and over until he grabs my wrists, rolls me over, and tosses me to the side.

Blood oozes from the gash on my face and arm, but I barely register the pain.

I lower my hand to the ground and raise the blocks that make up the walls. The stones dot the skies like blowing dandelions. They surround him. Closing my fists, I slap my forearms together. The bricks that surround him unmercifully rain on him.

He shouts from the pain. But it doesn’t pull him down for long. He shoots straight out of the pile like a rocket.

He’s no longer near the pile, but behind me. Hairs stick straight up at the back of my neck. And somehow, he’s inside the dark with me. “You are extraordinary. I think I’ll keep you.”

A slash of light cuts into the darkness.

Alexander likes close contact, so do I, but I need to create distance. I feint and spin away before he can try to control the situation or gain the upper hand.

Anton.

I turn to face them, see Alexander point to him, and now Anton’s blade is no longer pointed at him—it’s pointed at me.

Anton grunts, an apology in his eyes. Using all my strength, I swat Anton away. The darkness in me doesn’t care.

But when Anton doesn’t get up, my stomach clenches. The darkness blinks about me, losing its potency. Weakening me.

I won’t last long.

Bum-rushing Alexander, I ram my hand into his weak side, reopening his wound. I’m a fury of fists and kicks and body slams, moving so fast my stomach twists and turns like the sea in a storm.

But no matter how many blows I rain on him, he pops up like a fucking daisy.

“I’m not afraid of the dark, little bird.” Alexander picks up his speed and fights back, aggressive, leaving me no room to breathe or think or react.

I stumble to the ground, exhausted mentally and physically. But he won’t let me rest. Resuming our tiring dance, he slashes me across the face with his claws—I howl from the pain.

But my solo howls become a duet.

Khamari stands behind him, and his claws tunnel through the front of Alexander’s chest.

“ Mari ,” I breathe out as the blood from Alexander’s chest spills on me. I push Alexander off but look at his glassy eyes before he rolls away.

He’s dead.

A movement from my peripheral jolts my body. But it’s just Anton shuffling toward us.

“Hey.” I smile at him. “My bad.”

Khamari dips his chin at Anton. “Why were you fighting with each other?” He bends down to pick up a flat brown canvas.

“Alexander.” I kick his back for good measure. “He controlled our bodies.”

“I should have known he would try it.” Anton shakes his head.

“Biokinetics,” Khamari whispers in awe. “Hekau clan has power absorption, and when the body is charged with elements, it can generate electricity.” He sounds a little too excited by the explanation.

“But he— What’s that in your hand?” Anton points at the package in Khamari’s hand.

“The tablet.” Khamari swallows. “They…they gave it to me. Told me to see it through.” He glances away, a weird look flashing across his face.

“Rose and Nikolai didn’t tell you to hide it?” I scan the area, looking for my friend. Maybe they ran into more vamps or temple guardians.

“I haven’t seen them. The gods brought me right here. Outside.”

“Holy crap.” I shake my head. “Thank God he’s dead. No telling what else he can do.”

I look down at his body to kick him again, but he isn’t there.

“Oh, I have so much more to show you,” Alexander says, heaving himself from the ground. He yanks the tablet from Khamari’s hands, and in seconds, Alexander is clear across the parking lot, near the entry of the pyramid. We didn’t see him, feel him, detect him.

Oh my God.

“Thanks for finding it for me.” He narrows his eyes at Khamari. “I won’t kill your brother just yet… He has something we need. But you, Khamari…you simply cannot live.”

Alexander chants something I don’t understand.

Anton lifts his sword, and we all attack Alexander.

The wind swirls and lifts us in the air, forming shackles around our bodies. He pulls us all closer to him and then lowers us to the ground, but the wind still binds us.

How could I think he was dead? How could I underestimate him?

Alexander circles us. “Such fine specimens. Anton, my likeness, my son. Khamari…your powers have also grown. No telling what your maternal side will bring. But…it’s you.” He looks at me. “It’s you who I want.”

He stares at me. “I want the darkness, the chaos, the fire. You will be the most powerful being in the world. But with my strength, my intelligence, you will be more. No…I will be more.”

“No!” The howling wind swallows my protest.

“Vampires are imperfect. Even now, my body remains broken. I am dying, and soon the sun will rise and turn me to ash. I’ve built an army of immortals, homunculi with no weakness, soulless bodies that can house our souls. But I don’t just want a powerful body that can withstand the light. I will have your darkness. And the rest of the Royals can have the rest.” He clenches his fist and chants something under his breath. The wind carries his words like it’s the law.

“Verto animarum…”

He means to swap souls. If that happens, I will die and turn to ash. The heels of my feet snap together, and my arms fling open. I can’t move a damn thing, not even a pinky toe. A green, bright light forms in Alexander’s hand and floats to me, taunting me.

Something rips inside of me, and it feels like my body is being pried open with a crowbar.

I look at the sky, yelling, “Help me!”

My shout fills the dusky sky as the sun continues to rise behind us.

Something hits my body and tackles me to the ground.

Khamari.

I inhale, quick, deep, and cough, dragging forced oxygen into my lungs.

But the green orb doesn’t stop its speedy path. It hits Khamari and explodes.

Khamari’s back bows from the impact.

I inhale from shock, from regaining air into my lungs. “W-what…what’s happening?” I gasp between my coughs.

Khamari opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. No words I can make out, just groans, a release of air that sounds as if his lungs are deflating.

“Mari, please. It’s you. It’s you, right?”

His eyelids droop.

“Stop it.” I smack his cheek. “Don’t leave…don’t leave me again!”

His eyelids slowly lift open. “Raven.”

“Yes. Raven. Your Raven.”

He swallows, takes a deep, noisy breath. “I…I…I’m trying. He’s fighting me.” I glance at Alexander’s body, convulsing. Then I look at the rising sun. The sun is usually a friend.

Today, it’s my enemy. I lower his body and rest his head on my lap.

“I’m sorry.” His voice is low, barely audible.

“Don’t be sorry. Just stay. Stay!” Teardrops fall on my lips. He lifts a shaky hand and dashes them away with his finger.

“Stop that.” I grab his fingers and kiss them.

“Always make you cry… I’m try t-to stop them.”

“You want to make me stop? Stay. Fight him. We survived Hell together. You can do anything.”

He squeezes my hand. “…kill him. Soon as I go. This is my choice. My sacrifice.”

“What? We did all that.” My voice hitches. “We beat them. Just…don’t go. Please, please, please don’t go.” I lean over and whisper, “If you stay, we can be together. I promise we’ll figure it out. Love is hard, but it’s worth it. I know that… I know that now because of you.”

“I’ll be with you. Look at the sky. Look at the stars. I’ll be there if I can.” It’s the clearest thing he’s said. He must be getting his strength back.

I smile as I shake my head. “You’re already getting better. I sense strength in you.” I lean over and kiss him. He breathes me in, closes his eyes and…doesn’t breathe again.

“Khamari?” I shake his shoulders. My tears fall on his face. But he doesn’t reach up to stop them.

“Khamari! Please.”

“Texas.” Anton grabs my shoulder. “He’s gone.” He points to Alexander, but he doesn’t need to. The smell of burning flesh stings my nose .

“Get away from him,” Anton commands, raising his sword.

“No.” I pull his lifeless body close to me, laying my head on his chest. “I won’t let go.”

He’s not breathing. He’s not moving.

My heart stutters as I listen for any sign of life.

And suddenly, suddenly, he takes a breath. I lift my head from his chest.

His eyes open. The same beautiful hazel eyes who stared at me two years ago.

“Mari?”

He nods, stops. Then shakes his head from side to side and gives me the weirdest and widest smile.

He closes his eyes again. “Little Bird,” he whispers as he opens his eyes once more. One eye is brown, the other blue.

“What?” I scramble to my feet and push him from my lap.

“I must fly.”

“I’ll kill you.” Rubbing my hands together, I rub the blood that already stains my hand and summon the biggest sword I can handle. I lunge in his direction, but Anton grabs my waist.

“What’s happening?” Rose says from the other side of the lot.

“Stay back!” Anton warns.

“I’ll kill you!” I swing my sword at nothing but air. He’s far away. Much too far away. “I’ll kill you.”

Khamari smirks, kneels before he launches himself into the sky.

“I’ll kill you!” I shout over and over, dropping to my knees. “I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you, I…I’ll…” Anton scoops me into his arms.

I wail and wail and wail, my throat scraped raw from my vows of retribution.

I turn my head into his chest. “He…he took him away.”

“We’ve got to get back,” Anton says. “We’ll get him, don’t you worry. I have something he wants.” He reveals the Emerald Tablet.

It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters.

My body, exhausted, crashes to a deep sleep.

…

“…called Charlotte. The school is back up. We’re going to take her there. Get her back into the swing of things.”

“Then I’ll come, too,” Anton says from beside me.

“Me too,” Rose whispers and then she says, “What?”

“You’re fond of her,” Anton answers.

“We’re basically best friends.”

We are not.

“We are, Slayer. Argue again, and I’ll tell Anton you’re awake and let him pester you with questions.”

“Cool.”

“Cool? Just cool? You really are exhausted.”

I suck in a breath and wince. It all comes back to me. Khamari. He saved me, sacrificed his life.

“Did the gods know? Is that why they didn’t want him to come? Did they tell him?”

“What?”

I open my eyes, done with pretending.

Anton looks at me, his eyes an inscrutable ocean of emotion. “We have the tablet, but Alexander may already know what he needs to transition the souls. We need to contact Khaven and let him know—”

“Khaven is safe and staying at headquarters. Charlotte and Mila will decide what to do about the tablet, but it doesn’t matter if he has what he needs. He’ll always want it. But the longer we have it in our possession, the greater the danger. Alexander won’t stop until he has it again.”

“He can come. I’ll be ready.”

“He…as in…Khamari, right?” Rose asks, and her voice is unfailingly kind.

Guess Anton told them what happened.

“He’s not Khamari. Khamari is gone.” My voice trembles from the terrible truth. “I’m sending him to the Netherworld, where he belongs. I’ll scratch out his name, break his statue, make sure there’s no way he can come back.”

It’s not enough to kill him. I need to destroy his soul.

“And we will help,” many voices vow from inside of me, inside of the stone promise.