Chapter 31

If Julian worried that he could not be the Elder that Eduardo was, he had only to look at the mess that had just rolled onto the grounds of the Durendal compound to comfort himself. In the nearly four hundred years that Julian had known him, most of that as the court's Elder, Eduardo Alazan had never dealt with a bloody smorgasbord of fuckery like this.

Curses and magic were one thing, and he was happy to leave that in Shoshanna and Misha's hands. But incoming attacks, rogue vampires, and court chaos…that he could handle.

When word came of Shoshanna's surprise visitor, he'd mobilized the court, diverting half of the standing Nightwatch to Midnight Springs to launch an ambush while bringing the others home to prepare. He hadn't bothered giving Alistair an order back to the house, knowing he'd have fought tooth and nail to be with his mate. All things considered, Julian couldn't object.

Instead, Alistair, Safira, and Rachel would meet Kova and the nearly-dead witch at Elsa Wolfe's vacant building. It would have been a stupid trap to let herself get nearly killed just to get access to the court, but he wasn't taking any chances. He'd given Safira orders to make sure that the witch turned and that Kova didn't get any ideas about vengeance before they got information.

The rest of the court was on lockdown now, safely within the confines of the compound. All was well, at least until he got a call from Shoshanna saying they had lost Misha's car on the interstate, followed by a call from Scarlett saying they'd had an accident.

Paris had been out with Dominic, searching for Sasha and Kristina. Upon hearing of the accident, Dominic continued the search while Paris diverted to pick up Misha and the others. In no uncertain terms, Parishad told him to stay put and manage the court while he cleaned up this mess, and so Julian waited and paced mindlessly in his office.

No, his Maker and old friend had never dealt with a night quite like this, and Julian was not sure that Eduardo Alazan would have fared any better. The court he had not asked to lead was in danger, with the woman he thought he'd lost forever hanging in the balance.

The dingy white walls of his office closed in, and he eventually exercised his executive power to move through the compound and check on the court. One by one, he looked in on them—first into the lounge, where Danielle was serving drinks to a small, anxious crowd. Then he found Karina Nowak in her office fussing over a computer, while Olivia sat amidst a stack of cardboard boxes as she contemplated her renovations in a downstairs lounge.

At the makeshift infirmary, he found a sign on the door that read:

Nurse on Duty: Elspeth Quinn

Call 404-555-2134 if needed.

His heart ached at the sight of it. It had been days since Rhys was lost.

Not lost, he told himself. They'd find him.

As he walked the grounds, he double-checked their security software, confirming that everyone who was supposed to be on-site was there. Half a dozen vampires lived in the city, and had confirmed that they were safe. The only question marks on his list were Sasha and Kristina. The sight of their names with the unknown tag set his stomach churning.

Someday, this would be easier, or at least he prayed it would.

Instead of returning to his office to pace, he stayed outside and walked circles beneath the hazy night sky. The stars were barely visible through an overcast sky. He heard the vehicles crunching up the drive well before he saw the lights, and he ran to the driveway to greet them.

Grim-faced, Paris got out of his car and said, "I told you?—"

"I've been within the spell perimeter," Julian said sharply. "What happened?"

Scarlett climbed out of the seat, her face scratched and hair disheveled. But she was whole, thank God. Misha lurched out of the back. His face was pale, eyes too bright. That was the sign that he'd been overdoing the magic, something Julian had now seen multiple times.For all of Misha's polite reminders that he worked for the Crown and not for Julian, the man had a habit of pushing himself to a breaking point for the Durendal vampires.

"It's been a rough night," Misha said drily, hauling a backpack over his shoulder. "Give us thirty minutes to clean up and eat. Alistair is bringing Shoshanna back, and I want her here to figure this out."

Without waiting for a response, the Russian witch nodded to Paris, who sauntered after him toward Building Five.

Julian nodded to Scarlett, then said, "Let me take a look at your face. Let's stop in the infirmary."

"I'm okay," she said, chin jutted out. But her expression was haunted, her eyes fixed on something far away as they shone.

"I'm not. Let me take care of you, please."

Her gaze snapped to him, and she nodded silently. Hand-in-hand, they walked across the quiet compound. Someday, this would be a lovely place, their own little neighborhood hidden back behind the trees. Occupying this area had been an unfortunate necessity at first, but the aged brick buildings and slightly unkempt landscaping had grown on him.

And for just a moment, he was a simple man holding his lover's hand as they strolled under the silent stars. Someday, this would be a normal night. It surprised him that he dared to hope so clearly. But instead of arguing himself down, he let himself enjoy the way her fingers twined into his and the way her scent wrapped around him.

Thiswas what they were fighting for.

A faint rattle caught his ear. The low rustle of dead grass followed. Whipping his head around, he saw a lithe shadow moving across the lawn with a faint glint off tiny scales. He shoved Scarlett behind him and lunged. With one hand, he caught the thick body of a scaled intruder, its tail rattling a noisy threat.

Cold air whipped around them, and he could have sworn he saw lightning flash in the snake's beady eyes. It hissed at him, fangs dripping with venom. Shuddering, Julian threw the snake like a javelin, then scooped Scarlett into his arms and ran.

The whole fucking world was trying to kill her. She protested weakly, but her arms looped around his neck, hair whipping in his face as he ran for Building Two.

With Elspeth gone for the night, the building was all theirs. Julian quickly entered the security code and ushered Scarlett inside. He watched in rapt fascination and horror as another snake slithered across the sidewalk and toward the door, arching off the ground as it let out a terrible hiss that was far too loud for such a small body.

That was beyond unnatural. It was one thing to stumble across a snake in the wild, another entirely to have a snake track them down. Snakes would avoid a threat, not chase one down.

Gritting his teeth, Julian caught the snake. Its tail whipped around his arm, head flailing back and forth as it tried in vain to bite. But it wasn't trying to bite him. Its head was angled toward the door, as if it could see Scarlett and wanted her.

"I don't know what the hell you are, but…" Julian grimly snapped the creature's spine, and it went limp. He was no expert, but the patterns on its back were like nothing he'd ever seen. If he didn't know better, he'd think the intricate swirls of black scales on gray were magical symbols. They looked like the arcane languages Misha and Shoshanna used. He left the dead snake on the sidewalk, then hurried in after Scarlett and locked the door.

Brushing past her, he scouted the hallway, then guided her into one of the exam rooms where Rhys usually did his work. It smelled of disinfectant and vanilla, thanks to the air freshener the young nurse kept on hand. It smells more welcoming, he'd protested.

Inside, Julian stamped his feet and yanked open the drawers one at a time, feeling stupid as he searched for another snake.

Scarlett sat on the cushioned plastic table, staring at him blankly. "What the hell, Julian?"

"I don't know," he murmured. He clutched her cheeks, kissed her softly, then pressed his brow to hers. He listened for her pulse, that thundering drumbeat that said I'm still here, you haven't lost me yet.

He broke away, trying to compose himself as he rooted through the cabinets for a soft cloth, then wet it in the sink. She didn't protest as he came closer, holding her chin gently as he cleaned the blood from her face. "Were you hurt?"

"Not really," she said, closing her eyes as he inspected her forehead. There was a small gash caked in blood, though the wound was already closed. He gently wiped it clean, then worked his way across her pretty face. Her head tilted, until she leaned into his hand.

When her face was clean, he examined her hands and arms. A single shard of glass was embedded in her skin, but she didn't flinch as he carefully pulled it out before bandaging her arm.

"You're not bad at this," she said quietly.

"Thanks," he murmured. When he was done, he sat on the table next to her. It groaned under the added weight, but didn't give way. She leaned into him, head on his shoulder, and he resisted the urge to blurt thank God. "Are you okay?"

"I don't think so," she said. "I don't think I'm going to be okay until this is over. Shoshanna finished drawing the spell, but it was really hard on her. I'm afraid she's risking too much to help me."

"She's smart," Julian said weakly. "But…you're not wrong. I wish I could say that she always respects her limitations, but that's not true."

Not long ago, Alistair had told him how he'd found her unconscious, nose bleeding after she broke the curse on Lucia. Even knowing the risks she faced, Shoshanna kept chasing the answer. And that was for a stone statue who had long been cursed, not a living, breathing woman who had shared meals with her, had slept in her home.

And God, did he hate himself, but he also couldn't bring himself to tell her no. If it meant having Scarlett here with him, then he would risk anything and anyone.

He checked the infirmary's kitchen and found a bottle of orange juice, which he brought back to Scarlett, along with a couple of aspirin. While she was slowly drinking the juice, he received a text from Misha letting him know that Shoshanna had returned, and they were ready for a debriefing. He confirmed that they'd be over shortly, then tucked his phone away.

After finishing the small bottle of juice, Scarlett covered her face with her hands, breathing deeply. He hesitated, then settled down next to her and put his arm around her. "We're going to be all right."

"I don't think you believe that," she said quietly, turning to look at him. But she leaned in to kiss him before letting out another soft sigh. "We should meet the others."

As she rose, he caught her hand and pulled her back. Her brow furrowed, but he clasped her hands between his. "It won't always be like this."

There were a thousand dark shadows swirling behind those beautiful eyes, and he didn't need magic to know the shape of those fears.

How did he know? How could he be sure? Hadn't he failed over and over?

But she leaned in to kiss his brow. "I hope you're right."

Hand in hand, they trudged out of the building. Julian grabbed Scarlett before she could step into the grass, then hiked her onto his back. Her peal of giggles warmed his heart as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He bent to grab the still-warm body of the strange snake, then warned her, "Hold on tight."

In a burst of cool air, he bolted across the property, praying that whatever death magic Armina wove couldn't keep up. Moments later, he stopped at Building Five, carefully entering the code and sealing the door behind them before he let Scarlett down to the ground.

Inside Misha's workshop, Shoshanna sat on a stool and dutifully looked up at Misha as he brushed a cool cloth over her brow. "You know you're not a nurse, right?" she said quietly.

"I'm the best you've got, tsarevna," he said. "Your magic smells wrong. No more tonight."

Her brow arched, and she looked over the edge of Misha's firm hand and smiled, a little wide and giddy given the circumstances. "Hi, boss," she chirped. Her pupils were blown out, nearly covering her warm brown irises. "Crazy night, huh?"

"Are you drunk?" Julian asked.

"A little," she said brightly.

Misha chuckled. "I gave her something to calm down her magic and ease her headache," he said. "She needs to sleep soon, but we wanted to debrief about what happened."

Fifteen minutes later, he was no closer to understanding what had happened, but he'd at least gotten their version of it. "You think it's a trick?" Julian asked. "I don't know about Stella."

Scarlett frowned and shrugged. "I really don't know. She hasn't worked for Armina long, maybe three or four years. She went with Kova to attack Shoshanna's brother," she said, wincing a little.

Shoshanna scowled and muttered, "Bitch."

"But she was also nice to me," Scarlett said. "Well, nicer than Lux. That's not saying much, I guess."

"Yes, but Armina Voss was also nice to you," Julian said. "Let me clarify what I'm asking. Is there a chance that she's turned on the witch and wants to help us?"

"I really don't know," Scarlett said.

Rachel had sent a brief note, simply saying that Stella wasn't dead—alive was a stretch—but she likely wouldn't wake up before the transition was complete. "And what happened with the magic? How did she get up to the house so quickly?" Julian asked.

If Armina's apprentice could walk right through Shoshanna's protections, then they weren't safe anywhere from the witch herself. Misha met his eyes, his grim expression showing that they were on the same page.

"I don't know," Shoshanna said. "She triggered my alarm spells, but it was a little delayed. We found an amulet on her that was similar to what Kova had. Armina built it specifically to get past my spells. But it must have failed pretty fast for Stella."

"But your spells don't usually get that violent," Julian said. He raised an eyebrow. "Do they?"

She smiled at him. "They can. After Infinity got attacked, I stepped up everything, just like I did here. But still…it shouldn't have been that bad."

"She was fighting it," Misha said. "Could that be it?"

Shoshanna shrugged. "I've got no idea. None of this is predictable. I know how my spells react to humans and vampires, not Night Weavers. Different kinds of magic could clash, I guess."

"I think we should proceed with caution. You should—" Misha put up his hands and smiled sheepishly. "It's your court."

Julian shook his head. "Consider yourself my advisor for the moment. Speak your mind."

"I think you should take the chance that she really was warning us. It's clear that Armina wants Shoshanna dead, and the house is no longer safe," Misha said. "And we should assume she's about to launch an attack. We've gotten in the way of her plan to hurt Scarlett, and I'm sure she's displeased about it. As soon as Stella awakens, Kova can get the truth out of her and find out where Armina is holed up."

"And how close are we to breaking the curse?" Julian said.

Shoshanna let out a sharp laugh. "Who's we?" Then she shook her head. "I'm almost there."

"That's wonderful. I should?—"

"Don't get too excited yet. I still have to break it, and it's going to kick my ass," Shoshanna said. Her eyes cut to Scarlett. "But we need to do it soon. I don't want to take the risk that something happens to you."

Julian nodded and said, "Just a moment." Leaving his mate in the care of the other vampire, he hurried outside to find the mangled snake lying on the concrete just outside Building Five. He brought it inside, holding it gingerly. Shoshanna jumped back and gasped when he laid it on Misha's workbench.

"What the…"

"This is just one of them," Julian said. "Paired with the accident on the interstate…"

"It's the curse. Look," Scarlett said quietly. She held out her arm, where angry red flesh marked a scrape with a distinct pattern. With her eyes downcast, she laid it next to the snake's outstretched body. "Look at the markings. The same as you showed me earlier," she said to Misha.

Shoshanna's eyes glazed over, and then she shuddered, her breathing becoming shallow and rapid. "That has her fingerprints all over it."

"So she's sending snakes after me?" Scarlett said incredulously. "And stray trucks?"

Shoshanna shook her head. "It fits with our theory about your curse. Before your birthday, the curse pushed away things that could hurt you, but now it's attracting danger. I can feel the pull of it when I look at you."

"So it's just finding whatever is around her to hurt her," Misha mused.

Shoshanna shrugged. "It seems that way."

"It's not just the snakes and the truck," Scarlett said quietly. "When I first got here and met you, there was a freak accident at the MARTA station. Something electrical, right as I got off the train." She shook her head, eyes going wide. "Traffic lights going out, causing accidents."

"And all the lights at Infinity. The deer," Shoshanna said. She glanced upward, as if she expected the lights to explode.

"But some of that was before my birthday," Scarlett said.

"And it didn't hurt you, did it?" Shoshanna said, eyes going wide. Despite the gravity of the situation, she looked excited about figuring it out. "The sheer magnitude of your curse must have been causing ripples all around you, but none of them could affect you until your birthday. This is incredible. I wonder if…" As she trailed off, she smiled sheepishly. "We should focus, huh?"

"Am I putting you guys in danger by being here?" Scarlett asked.

"I…" Shoshanna sighed. "I don't know. I think maybe the protection spells are helping, but they're not going to keep it at bay forever. And if that's the case, you'll be a magnet for danger no matter where you go. So I'd rather you were here safe."

"That's not terribly reassuring," Scarlett said wryly.

"Babe, at this point, truth is better than reassurance," Shoshanna said. She blinked slowly. "I need a nap, you guys."

Suppressing a smile, Julian nodded. "How soon can you break the curse? Tomorrow?"

The witch tilted her head. "Two days."

"What if we don't have two days?" Julian said quietly.

"Well, I won't be any good to you if I give myself an aneurysm," Shoshanna said sharply.

Misha squeezed her shoulder lightly. "We'll have you back on your feet as quick as possible. Why don't you go get some rest, and I'll send you any notes you need." Then he smiled at Scarlett. "As for you, I think it's best if we get another dose of pagos in your system. It's worn off, and I'm willing to wager that it'll keep the curse from closing in on you temporarily. At the very least, you'll get a good night's sleep."

Scarlett nodded, watching as he took a vial from the fridge under his workbench. Wrinkling her nose, she tossed it back and handed him the container. Then she took Julian's hand, letting him lead her back to the main building.Misha's potion had her swaying on her feet, and he suspected that the adrenaline of the night had worn off, leaving her exhausted.

"I could help you work," she said as he took her into his bedroom.

He smiled and shook his head. "I think you've had enough excitement for one night."

With a soft smile, she held out her hands, beckoning for him as she sat back on the bed. Enticed by that lovely scent, he leaned in for a kiss, chuckling as she drew him in tighter, teasing at his lips until he deepened the kiss and stole her breath. "Not quite enough excitement," she said.

He held her face gently, drinking in the sight of her. Brilliant green eyes, flushed cheeks, waves of hair cascading out of a loose braid…the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. "Believe me when I say I would much rather be here in this bed. Inside you," he teased. She laughed brightly. "But I have to stay on top of this. And it'll help me focus if I know you're here resting and safe."

"Okay," she said. "You know I hate sitting back and not fighting."

"I know, and it means the world to me that you can control that urge and do what's right," he said.

Her brow arched. "That sounds very condescending and patriarchal, just so you know."

"I'm four centuries old. Keeping beautiful women safe is a hard habit to break," he said, kissing her brow. "Get some sleep."

"Good night," she called after him.

He lingered at the closed door, listening as she slid beneath the covers. Her heartbeat slowed, and he double-checked the lock before returning to his office.

Back in the administrative building, he found Paris in his office. The small room smelled faintly of smoke and gasoline, likely courtesy of the discarded jacket he'd been wearing to meet his stranded lover. The Frenchman shook his head at his oversized computer monitor and said, "This is such a shitshow."

"Any sign of Sasha and Kristina yet?"

Paris glanced up. "We found fresh blood at the Constitution building. Lots of magic. Nothing else. Dominic's been trying to follow the trail, but he's coming up short."

"Can we track their phones?"

"They've been turned off," Paris said grimly. "Jonas hasn't heard from her either. Armina might use them to get to us."

"They wouldn't turn on us," Julian said.

Paris cocked his head. "Not willingly. But you heard what Kova and Scarlett said about Armina and her experiments. If they can turn Carrigan Shea into a puppet…" He shook his head. "I think we need to prepare for the possibility that Sasha Morozov is gunning for us. And they know where we sleep."

"Do we pick up and run again?" Julian asked.

His old friend threw up his hands. Frustration marked his handsome face, but Julian could feel his roiling fear through their bond. "I don't know. Where do we go? Do we tell the whole fucking court to leave town? Now we're back to leaving Atlanta for the biggest asshole in the room to take over. But it's your call."

Julian sank into the oversized leather chair across from Paris, wishing there were someone older and wiser to make these decisions. He closed his eyes, trying to push away all the noise.

This was not like Carrigan Shea, who wanted to wipe out the Auberon. This was personal. This was about Armina Voss taking her revenge. And if she took him down, perhaps she would finally have her pound of flesh.

Without opening his eyes, he said, "At what point do I bend the knee to Armina Voss? Scarlett called her to ask for mercy, but she denied it. If I offered my neck, then?—"

"No," Paris said firmly. He opened his eyes to see Paris glaring at him. "Absolutely not."

"A good leader makes sacrifices for his people," Julian said.

"Oh, fuck off," Paris said. "No. That bitch has taken enough from all of us. And you are a bigger fool than I could have imagined if you think she will stop just because you let her take your head."

"But—"

"And when she continues her bloody reign of terror, I will be left to deal with it. I said no," he said sharply. "If you want to send the others away to protect them, I'll back you. But you'll have to kill me first if you think I'm letting you offer your life to Armina fucking Voss."

"Then what, Paris? This is not about the court. It is about me."

"Oh, now you want to take all the credit? You didn't kill him all alone," Paris said with a wry smile.

He couldn't help smiling back. "You know what I mean."

"I'm not sending anyone away. Even if I did, they wouldn't leave." He rose and raked his hands through his hair, then reached into his desk drawer for a small bottle of whiskey, along with two glasses. After pouring generously, he plunked a glass in front of Julian. "You make the call. But here's what I want to see happen. In two days, Shoshanna is going to break this bloody curse, and then we are going to kill a fucking witch. And then we are going to sit on our asses and enjoy the spoils, because I am tired of losing and suffering. I have paid my penance, and so have you. A thousand times over."

"Would you rest if she killed Misha?"

Paris stood and threw up his hands in frustration. "Do you want me to agree that Armina Voss is in the right? What do you want, Julian?"

"I want it to be over," he said. "And if it means giving myself, then?—"

"It doesn't. Look at what she did to Kova, and he never laid eyes on Tobias. Look at Alistair. She is beyond reason, my friend."

"But—"

Heat rolled through their bond as Paris pointed at him. "I'm not going to listen to this anymore. Instead, I'm going to hope that my mate can do something to find Kristina and Sasha before the sun comes up, and that this damn witch survives the transition, and that you don't go give Armina your head on a platter while I'm distracted. What will it do to Scarlett if you die? All of this cursed love bullshit, and you're going to check out as soon as you actually have a chance?"

"I don't want to, I just?—"

"Then don't!" Paris spluttered. "I have been begging you for weeks to fight back. You are finally alive for the first time in a hundred and eighty years, and you have something worth living for. Don't throw it away, not until we've exhausted our options. Please."

Staring at the amber liquid in the glass, Julian couldn't help thinking of her, cold and dead in his arms. He had seen what the rest of them feared, half a dozen times now, and he couldn't bear the thought of it again. If he knew he could ensure she was safe—that all of them would be safe—wasn't it worth anything?

He drained the glass, cleared his throat, and said, "I'll fight. For the court. For all of you."

"Good," Paris said quietly. "Good."