27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Roman

‘ T he puzzle is finally starting to make sense,' I thought as I watched Samara from my chair across the room. She had been surprisingly forthcoming when it came to her ‘long story' and now that she had finished her tale full of pain, hardship, and Regina's insane machinations, she was allowed to answer her own family's questions. Or dodge them, by the looks of it.

Still… a male witch.

Until now, it had been just a theory, a worst-case scenario. The witches themselves killed those babies to spare the world the destruction just one individual could spread. In my entire undead life, I had never even heard of a male witch living past their birth. There were legends from before, of course, tales that were supposed to scare even vampires because, unlike female witches, their magic could affect us. Kill us even.

But Mathias was real, and the world hadn't even known. What was worse, that nonsense wall I saw in the Castle residence now took a very different meaning. All the things that had seemed random, like the spell around the city, the kidnappings, Samara's fake death, and even the oath Celeste had been forced to make to Moira Castle… they all had one thing in common.

A Castle .

It drove me insane that I couldn't yet see the full picture or understand what Mariam Castle was after. She wanted Celeste alive when she made a deal with the Fae, but just a few weeks prior, her brother had almost killed Celeste. Mariam wanted the shifters and Fae kidnapped, but she gave them to the hunters. She wanted the spell cast on the city, but the moment that happened, she disappeared. She wanted someone of her blood to transfer her soul into or whatever she was doing, yet she passed on Regina, who was most definitely superior in strength to her protégé. It was just so… infuriatingly confusing!

There was one thing clear, though. If Mariam wanted to take over Samara's body, then she was definitely after the male witch. And if she ever got control over him… not only would nobody be able to stop her, but the oldest, most powerful witch in the world wouldn't be able to even touch her. We all would be at her mercy.

Lily got up from her seat and I focused on her as she headed my way. The color had returned to her cheeks, but she still looked sick. I raised an eyebrow when she stopped in front of me, biting on her lower lip like she wanted to say something. Her parents threw us curious glances, but quickly returned their attention to their other daughter, who was just suppressing a yawn.

"I… thank you," Lily said quietly, giving me a somber smile. "For letting my sister stay and, you know… not killing her."

I didn't smile at her attempt at a joke. "You should have told me who she was after you figured it out," I said pointedly, and she gave me an apologetic look. "That's the type of information you cannot exclude from your report, Lily. She could have been very useful even when Regina was alive." She looked down, twisting her fingers guiltily. I softened my tone and added with a sigh. "She could have died before you even got reunited."

Lily's fidgeting paused, and she looked at me with wide eyes as if just now realizing that.

"I won't hide anything anymore, I promise," she murmured, and when I nodded, her smile returned. "You know, Roman, I think you're a much nicer person than people realize."

My phone started vibrating in my pocket and I slipped it out, frowning at the name. Getting to my feet, I prepared to leave.

"I won't be insulted in my own house," I said, but there was no bite in my words. "Get back to bed and stay there. I need to go. "

I didn't wait for her answer, already picking up the call when she called after me.

"I didn't mean it as an insult, you know!"

Ignoring her, I opened the door and turned my attention to the call. "Yes?"

"There's another body," Allison said in a way of greeting. A cold chill crept down my spine, but then a movement distracted me from the unnerving sensation. My eyes fell on Malakai, who was leaning casually on the wall by the door, then on Alice, who stood with her arms crossed on the other side. "Can you get here fast? This one is still warm."

I met Alice's eyes and nodded toward the room behind me. She hurried inside without a word. Motioning for Malakai to follow, I set a steady pace, which he matched with ease. I couldn't remember if I had seen him since Lily collapsed, but now that he was here and seeking my attention, I had a feeling it was for nothing good.

"Send me the location. I'm on my way," I said right before hanging up on her. I focused on Malakai, who continued walking by my side as if we were going on a leisurely walk. "Do you want something? I'm in a hurry."

"There is movement around the city," he smiled, surprising me by getting directly to the point. "Hunters. They are encroaching from afar and for now, they are keeping their distance, but more will be coming. I fear they might be up to something."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to hold in a scream of frustration. Great, just great.

"I can't deal with this right now," I said as I let my hand fall.

"That's not what I'm saying," he continued. "They are not headed here, but your land is close to the city, so they will eventually venture this way. The ward you have won't stop them."

I snarled in irritation. "Can you take care of them?"

Malakai inclined his head.

"I can put a glamor on the place and make sure they don't come near." He nodded. I raised an eyebrow curiously, and I was just about to ask if that was possible outside his grove when he added, "I'd like to ask a small favor, though."

"What kind of favor?" I said, stopping with a hand on the front door.

"I'd like to use a small portion of your land for myself. No more than a few yards."

I gave him a confused look when my phone buzzed again. I glanced down at the location before sighing. "Yes, fine, you can have it. I need to go. "

"I believe you should be heading north," Malakai said right as I was crossing the threshold.

I peered at him over my shoulder, then broke into the sprint. The coordinates Allison sent me had been in the north quadrant of my land, but how did he know that? I needed to have a longer conversation with the Fae because he seemed more aware of what was happening on my land than I was. Not to mention, he was keeping things from me, I could feel it.

A familiar smell caught my attention, and I whipped around several times, making sure I hadn't imagined it. That smell was clearer in my memory than even my mother's face. It was almost as vivid as Celeste's, but it brought the exact opposite emotions.

I ran faster than I ever did before, not caring if branches pulled onto my clothes or my shoes got scratched on a stone or a root. If Maria let her presence be known, she wanted me to find her. Finally.

The sound of voices made me slow down because they definitely didn't belong to her. They weren't screaming either, which meant…

"What took you so long?" Allison asked the moment I stepped through the trees to where she and a few others had gathered. The rest regarded me with silent nods, looking around tensely as if expecting an attack. A tall, dark-haired man with his chest gaping wide open was lying at their feet, his face twisted in agony and horror. He had seen his end coming this time, and he was probably still alive when she ripped his heart out.

She wanted him afraid. She wanted them all afraid.

"We all have the attacker's scent now. They got sloppy and left a trail this time, so—"

"Get out of here," I whispered, switching my full attention to the trees around us.

"Excuse me?" the Beta said through gritted teeth.

"She didn't get sloppy or impatient. She sent me an invitation."

The little blood that remained on her face drained away, and her eyes turned golden as she looked around. The other had stopped moving, listening to the quiet forest with their hands on their clothes as if they were ready to rip them off at the first hint of danger.

All was quiet. Too quiet. It was already too late .

Something shot out of the trees, snatching one of the werewolves by the legs and dragging him into the nearest bush so fast that even I didn't have the time to react. The man screamed once before his voice cut off abruptly. Another one moved to go after his comrade, but the two beside him hauled him back just as the sound of snapping branches had them shifting into their wolf forms. A body fell from above just as the three finished their transformation, the corpse landing heavily on the ground in front of them, eyes gouged out and heart missing.

Another scream came from behind us and I twisted around just in time to see a dark form snatching a second of the shifters and dragging her into the shadows.

"Gather up!" Allison hissed and her men retreated to where she stood, everyone shifting and moving to stand in a circle around her. In the end, she was the only one who remained in human form, even though her eyes were a steady golden color.

"You can't fight her," I said to her. "When I say go, run. Don't stop until you get inside the house."

"What about you?" she asked, her gaze locked on the place where the second werewolf had disappeared.

"You pray she still wants me alive because if I die, you're next," I whispered right before another body fell through the branches, coming down upon my feet. Her mouth hung open in a silent scream, her ribs so senselessly shattered that her insides were spilling out.

The wind changed, bringing in a cold, familiar scent. The dark silhouette shot out of the trees, straight for Allison, her hand already reaching for her chest. I moved on instinct, crossing the space in less than a heartbeat and grabbing the pale, scarred wrist I had drank from more times than I cared to remember.

Her fingers had wrapped around Allison's throat, but as I yanked Maria's hand back, I noticed she didn't get the chance to sink her nails in. Blood sprayed from the scratches that appeared on the werewolf's neck, but the injury was not fatal—or at least not yet.

"Run!" I shouted, and to my relief, the wolves obeyed. They dashed through the trees as one, leaving me alone with the vampire that had been haunting me for weeks, maybe even longer.

When my eyes found Maria's bright red ones, it felt like time had stopped. She hadn't changed at all, same pale skin, high cheekbones, and raven hair that looked smoother than silk. She had let it down tonight—a sign she was on the hunt since she liked to soak it in the blood of her victims. It's what kept it so healthy and shiny, she claimed.

Her hand was still outstretched, Allison's blood dripping from her long, manicured nails. She didn't move to free herself from my grip, just cocked her head while I tried to decide if I should charge or retreat.

"Long time no see, amor," Maria spoke, and I shuddered at the sound of her melodic voice. She pulled her hand lightly, and I immediately released her, taking a tentative step back so I could at least have a second to react when she attacked me. "You look well enough."

"Considering you tried to burn me to death?" I retorted, trying to keep my voice even. It was always hard to hold on to my composure around her, especially after the day we parted ways. Standing so close to her made me revert to the old me, the one who both loved and hated her.

"Oh, come on, I knew you'd find a way out," she chuckled. "You always do, my slippery little viper. That's how I taught you. And if you hadn't…" She shrugged, her lips twitching with what could have been a smile or a grimace. "Well, then you'd be of no use to anyone, anyway."

I gritted my teeth as I watched her take a handkerchief out of the pocket of her pants and clean her fingers with it. The sound of the others faded away, confirming what I had suspected all along. She never cared about them, they were just a means to an end. My end.

"It's been over two hundred years and that's all you have to say to me?" She clicked her tongue, then moved to put away the handkerchief when she realized it was dripping with blood. Grimacing, she dropped it, watching the fabric land over the face of one of the dead werewolves. "I'm disappointed by the company you keep, amor," she continued, as if I had answered her and we were back to our usual selves. "Mingling with animals and humans is beneath you. You are better off alone."

"Of course. I was easier to manipulate when I was alone," I spat, straightening my posture so she'd have to look up to meet my eyes. Maria scoffed, her brows knitting together like she was looking at something pitiful.

Ever since I met her, she had had this uncanny ability to make me feel smaller, weaker, and more foolish than I was. One look and I'd break my back trying to impress her. One word and I'd be rushing to do her bidding. One command and I'd kill myself trying to please her .

I hated that I still felt the urge, even now. To obey my master. To earn her love.

But I was no longer that lost, pathetic man with no purpose or desires of his own. I would not give in to her provocations. I would not let her win.

"Don't tell me you consider these creatures important enough to influence your mind. At best, they are food." She stopped by the female werewolf and nudged her on her back, sneering in disgust. "Spoiled food." She spat. "I've never developed a taste for shifters, even after all this time. Mixing animal and human blood makes it entirely revolting."

"Why are you here, Maria?" I demanded, but she disregarded me in favor of looking around like she was seeing trees for the first time. The sky was brightening from the east, but we still had a bit of time before sunrise.

She studied my face with a knowing smile.

"Didn't you get my summons?" she asked casually. "To think I crossed an ocean for you and you still ignored me. Tsk, tsk. You wound my heart, amor."

I had to remind myself to relax my jaw because, with the way I was gritting my teeth, I was sure they'd shatter any second. Once, I had reveled in the nickname she used for me only, in her affection and approval. Now… it felt cold and threatening, like a sharp reminder of the promise she made two hundred years ago.

"You're the Elder council's messenger now? Who did you piss off?"

If looks could kill, the one she gave me would have shredded my heart and separated my head from the body for good measure. Still, she smiled, keeping those dangerous red eyes on mine.

"You should take more interest in the matters of your people, Roman. Julius is dead. Hunters got to him three years ago." She stepped back, waving her hands theatrically as she curtsied to no one in particular. "You are looking at the newest member of the Elder council." She rose back up, her smile dropping so abruptly, I tensed. "Now bow."

I fought the urge to obey her, but in the end, I only gave her a slight incline of the head. Her eyes darkened in rage and her fangs protruded under her upper lip.

"Congratulations on your promotion," I said flatly. "However, I do not see how my business warranted one of the Elders coming here. Not to mention, the accusations were baseless at best."

The smirk returned to her face. "The Elder council decides what's baseless. And when you're summoned, you show up or you bear the consequences." At the last word, she motioned toward herself, her eyes twinkling with a wicked delight. "But I can't say I'm entirely unfeeling toward your plight, amor. We all make mistakes, even I." I doubted she believed that for a second, but I held my tongue. "It was a mistake letting you go two hundred years ago. Had I not, you would have never put yourself or our kind in danger for a warm body that's not worth the shirt on your back." I ground my teeth to stop myself from retorting to her insult, but the gleam in her eyes told me she noticed. Of course, she noticed. "But I'm here to correct my mistake and give you a chance to repent for yours."

Maria stepped in front of me, stretching a hand for me to take.

"Come back with me now and I'll make sure you get a lighter sentence. A hundred years in a tomb without blood should be sufficient punishment, I think." Her fingers twitched impatiently, but she remained still, her eyes full of warning. "The Elders will be placated, and you'd have time to reflect. Then I'll let you out and you can be free of earthly burdens and unnecessary ties." Her smile grew crooked as she beckoned me with her forefinger. "I have so many ideas of what we can do once you're back on the right path."

A growl escaped my mouth before I could stop it.

"The right path? You mean your path. Because the only time it felt right to me was when I left it!"

The smile melted from her face so fast that I thought I blanked out for a moment. Then she was moving toward me with such speed, all I had time to do was raise my hands to protect my chest so she wouldn't get to my heart. She didn't reach for it, though. She aimed higher.

Her fingers wrapped around my throat and she pushed back until we slammed into the nearest three. The wood groaned, crack after crack echoing through the forest as she pinned me against it.

"You ungrateful boy! I gave you everything! I made you everything you are! Your life is mine to do with as I please, even if what I please is ending it!" Digging her nails into my skin, she leaned closer until our noses were almost touching. "You think you left me? I let you walk away so you could realize your mistake on your own, but with every decade you spent being deceived by that wicked creature, you got more and more lost!"

Her nails sank deeper, tearing through flesh until I could feel blood running down my throat.

"So this is your final chance, Roman, your final choice. Beg for forgiveness and vanquish all notions of ever stepping out of line or," she paused as if expecting me to jump on the opportunity and do as I was told and when I didn't, her voice turned sharper, each word spat out with deadly venom. "... face the hardest punishment the Elders could give you. Because, amor, I will make sure you suffer if you so much as breathe one wrong word right now." Her grip tightened and at that moment, I knew there was nothing I could do if she chose to decapitate me. I had already lost, and I hadn't even fought her. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," I croaked through my almost shattered vocal cords. Her fangs jutted out when her smile widened from ear to ear.

"Good," she purred, running the fingers of her other hand over my cheek. "Then let's hear it. Your answer."

This was it. My final chance, just like she had said. But no matter how I thought about it, no matter what the consequences could be for me, the answer was always going to be the same.

"I…" I started and her grip on my throat loosened, allowing me to speak more easily. "...will not…" Her eyes narrowed, and I tensed, preparing myself for her inevitable rage. I had no idea if I could beat her, if I could even hurt her badly enough to make her run away, but my best chance was prolonging the fight until the sun came up. Because Elder or not, she'd burn just as surely as I would.

"As entertaining as this exchange is, can you two hurry up?" a voice spoke from somewhere close and we both turned to look at its owner. I hadn't sensed anyone moving toward us and judging by the sneer on Maria's face, neither had she.

Leaning on one of the trees with his arms crossed, and a bored look on his face, Beleth watched us with an expression that said he'd rather be anywhere else but there.

"Who are…" Maria started, and I used her distraction to shove her back. The muscles and ligaments on my neck tore under her nails, but it wasn't enough to sever my head.

I took a step in Beleth's direction. I wasn't sure which one I wanted to attack more, but at least I knew who I didn't want dead yet. That goddamn demon still had Celeste, and if he was here, he must have gotten my… messages.

The problem was, Maria wasn't someone who reacted well to interruptions.

"What is this? You feed on demons too?" she spat .

"Fuck you, bitch, nobody sucks me unless I say so," Beleth snorted as he pushed himself off the tree. He moved to stand beside me, his eyes trained entirely on her as if he wasn't even worried about me attacking him. On any other day, I would have loved to prove him wrong and tear apart his vessel, but today… today we stood on the same side. At least for now.

"You filthy monster," Maria seethed. The veins under her skin bulged, her nails growing longer and her fangs shone brighter as she stared at Beleth with all the disgust in the world. "This is none of your business!"

"Listen, I don't want to be here either, but I need this asshole," he replied, nodding his head toward me. "So if you can fuck off, that would be great. One brat with a bitchy attitude to deal with is enough."

Hope rose in my chest when I looked at him. That distraction cost me because Maria used it to draw near us. She would have reached me and then it would have been over if it wasn't for a tendril of shadows that shot from Beleth's body, smashing into her chest and throwing her back. She crashed against one of the trees, breaking it almost in two, and fell deftly on her hands and feet. With the hair falling around her misleadingly young face and her body weirdly distorted in a crouch, she looked less human than I had ever seen her before.

"I said fuck off!" Beleth hissed. "I have a question to ask, and if I don't like the answer, you can have him. So sit your dead ass down or I'll take you on a one-way trip to Hell."

Maria bared her sharp teeth but stayed where she was. When Beleth turned to me, my whole body tensed in anticipation. He grimaced, like he was fighting with the words, but then took a deep breath and said, "Do you want to come with me to Hell, fight a bunch of demons alongside me and Red, and possibly die at the hands of a Prince of Hell?"

Whatever I expected to come out of his mouth, it definitely wasn't that, but the resolved look in his eyes made me realize he was one hundred percent serious. The fact that he actually framed it as a question baffled me more than anything else.

"Is Celeste alive?"

"Yes," Beleth drawled, rolling his eyes.

"And she is safe?"

"More or less."

"And she wants me to do this? "

Beleth glared at me. "Obviously. I don't particularly care if you die torn by this ugly bitch or down in Hell where you vampires belong, but Red thinks you can keep her alive while she's helping me, so here I am." He threw his arms in the air, frustration rushing out of him in waves. "Hurry up and decide before I change my mind about this stupid idea."

Something in my chest fluttered, and it wasn't fear this time. She was alive, and she was… doing something dangerous again. But she asked for me, of all people, to protect her.

It was barely a choice.

"Yes," I said, and Beleth reached to grab my shoulder. When I dodged his arm, he gave me an annoyed look. "What about her?" I nodded toward Maria, whose face got so twisted in rage that there was nothing human left in it. If I went with him, there was no way to tell how much damage she could do. She might slaughter the shifters who hadn't evacuated yet, or get to my home and kill the Martens and the others. She couldn't get inside without Chester's invitation, but I was sure she would find a way to force them out.

"Well, that's not my problem." Beleth shrugged.

"You are making a terrible mistake," Maria snarled as she rose to her feet, fixing her clothes and sleeking her hair. "I gave you a chance and—"

Something flew through the air and slammed into Maria, pinning her against the nearest tree before wrapping around her. I thought it was a snake at first, but the skin looked too cracked and hard to belong to a living being. When Malakai appeared from the same direction, I realized it was a root.

"I'll make sure she doesn't hurt anyone on your land," he said with a tight smile, barely looking at her like it wasn't a big deal that he had just taken down an Elder. Even Beleth seemed surprised. "Bring Celeste safely back, will you? And try not to die." His eyes shot to Beleth, and he raised an eyebrow. "You too, Bel."

Beleth murmured something under his breath and grabbed my shoulder. The last thing I heard before his shadows swallowed us was Maria's rageful scream and my name on her lips.