Chapter 43

The chill that went through Remy felt otherworldly. Like he'd stepped on a fresh grave under the light of a full moon. "I would happily turn Solomon Lang to ash, but that is the only outcome in the scenario you mentioned that I'd be all right with."

"Obviously," Alice said. "We would never imply that anything should happen to Ephelia. But we're in a tenuous position. I'm certain that were we to contact the appropriate authorities, Lang would be of great interest to them. The fact that he uses his powers for such unsavory and criminal means needs to be dealt with."

"Agreed," Remy said. He'd take Lang out himself if given the word.

"Unfortunately," Elenora continued, "those authorities don't always move with the speed vampires have been endowed with. By the time they arrived to take him into custody, he would most likely be gone. Ephelia along with him."

"Unacceptable." Remy couldn't stop the anger building inside him. "I would never see her again. No. I will not go along with that."

Elenora held her hands up. "I understand. We both do. Which is why we'd like to propose the next best thing."

Alice nodded. "We make him believe Ephelia is dead. Once that's done, we take him into custody ourselves, confining him in the Basement."

Ephie made a face. "You're going to put him in a basement? That doesn't sound very safe to me."

Remy squeezed her hand. "It's not a basement like you're thinking of. In this case, it's a private underground area of the town that also happens to contain some top-notch, supernatural-proof holding cells."

"Oh. In that case, it might be all right."

"It will be fine," Alice said. She got up and went to the tea cart for the pot.

Ephie nodded. "I believe you. How are we going to make him think I'm dead? He claims he can find me wherever I am. Like he's got some way of homing in on me."

"He does," Elenora said. "From what Allard's told me, the bond between a dhampir and their vampire parent is extremely strong. Greater than the bond between a maker and their vampire child. Even Remy should have some sense of you, since his blood is what caused you to turn."

Ephie glanced at him, brows raised in question.

He nodded. "I can definitely sense you. Not like I could find you, exactly, but I'm aware of you. The same way you're aware of one of your limbs. Sort of."

"I see," Ephie said. He knew she probably didn't, but they could talk about that some more later.

"Anyway," Elenora said, "this is where Alice comes in."

Alice refilled her cup and Elenora's. "I will cast a disconnection spell over you, Ephelia. A temporary one. It will seal you off from everything. With that spell on you, he won't be able to detect you. No one will. Then, once the bond is broken, I'll release you from that spell and his ability to find you and control you will be gone."

"And that's how we're going to convince him that I'm dead?"

"That's part of it." Alice returned the teapot, then sat down. "There has to be proof. For that, we'll need your blood. And your abilities."

Ephie frowned. "My abilities?"

Alice nodded. "Your gift of fire."

Ephie shook her head and sat back. "I don't want to do that. I don't want to use them. Not after…"

"I understand, but you must," Alice explained. "We need a portion of your blood turned to ashes. That will be the proof Remy gives Lang. He'll tell Lang that you were so distraught, you decided to leave despite his threat to hunt you down. When you went outside and stepped into the sun, you burst into flames and that was the end of you."

Remy cringed at the very thought.

"Okay, but…" Ephie hesitated. "Why do you need me to use my abilities to burn that blood to ash? Can't we just use a blowtorch or something?"

Alice took a breath. "Because he'll detect anything else. Your magic is part of you. It will only enhance his belief that those ashes are all that's left of you."

Remy lifted his finger to interrupt. "One possible flaw in that plan. Doesn't Lang know she can daywalk?"

Alice nodded. "He will assume that, yes, which is why you need to be convincing when you tell him what happened. Can you do that?"

Remy thought for a second. "Can I convince him that it's his fault Ephie died?" He looked at Ephie. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her. A little acting was nothing. He nodded. "I can do that."

"Excellent," Elenora said. "You'll have the proof of her ashes, of course. That should help sell it."

"I hope," Remy said. "But how does that break the bond?"

Elenora answered. "We're counting on him to be distraught, for his guard to be down. Alice has been working on something that will subdue him."

A curious light came into Alice's eyes. "My own version of the zombie dust based on the sample Sheriff Merrow gave me. Very effective. But I've tweaked it a bit to increase that effectiveness against vampires without harming humans. Someone, preferably a non-vampire, will need to blow it into Lang's face. Once he's paralyzed, some of Ephie's ashes must be sprinkled on his tongue. He needs to taste her death. Those ingested ashes, once they enter his system, will sever the bond, and she'll be free."

"Ew," Ephie said. "But if it works…"

Alice chuckled. "Perhaps not the most pleasant thing, but it's what Allard has assured us is necessary."

"And," Elenora began, "while he's unconscious thanks to Alice's zombie dust, he'll be cuffed and put into one of the Basement cells. I'm sure Sheriff Merrow will make himself available to assist with that."

Remy nodded. "I'm sure he will."

Ephie sat back. "Can this really work?"

"We believe so," Elenora said.

Remy raised his finger again because he had a question. "Have you already contacted the vampire council?"

"I have not," Elenora said. "I wanted to discuss the plan with both of you first."

Ephie looked at him. "I don't see another way."

"Neither do I." He returned his attention to Elenora. "Please contact them. The sooner we can get him extradited, the better."

Elenora gave a little nod. "I will do that right away." She glanced toward Ephie. "You should go with Alice. Get the ashes taken care of so Remy can take them back to his house. And Remy, you'll need the dust, too. Do you have someone who can blow the dust onto Lang?"

Ephie answered before he could. "My mother or Darryl will do it. My mother would probably enjoy it, if I'm being honest."

Remy narrowed his eyes at Elenora. "You're talking like Ephie's not coming back with me."

Alice glanced at Elenora. "We think it's best if she stays here. If anything goes wrong, she'll be better protected here."

He couldn't argue that. Reluctantly, he nodded. "I guess I'm going home alone." He sighed as he spoke to Ephie. "Your mother isn't going to like that at all."

Ephie reached out and grasped his hand, giving him a quick smile. "She can always call me, but she'll be fine once you tell her what's about to happen."

"I hope," Remy said.

Suddenly, Ephie gasped and turned to look at Alice. "Wait a minute. If you cast a spell over me that cuts me off from the world, what will happen to Jean-Luc? What if he thinks I really did die and somehow gets recalled to the cemetery where I found him? Or, worse, he ceases to exist because he no longer has a connection to this life?"

Alice frowned. "That's a valid concern. Both of those things are possible. While you're covered by that spell, you will technically be dead to this world."

Ephie shook her head. "No. I can't do that. Jean-Luc means everything to me. I know he's just a ghost and you probably think that's silly, but no. I won't do it. There has to be another way."

"Eph, please," Remy said. "I don't want anything to happen to Jean-Luc, either, but losing you would be worse. Lang will take you with him if you don't do this."

She looked close to tears. "Jean-Luc is part of my heart. There has to be another way. I can't lose him."

"Now, now," Alice said patiently. "No tears. There is a simple solution."

"There is?" Ephie perked up.

Alice nodded. "We'll just include him in the spell with you."

Ephie sniffed. "And that will keep him safe?"

"It will," Alice assured her.

Ephie smiled, still clearly emotional. "Thank you. Sorry."

Elenora shook her head. "Nothing to apologize for."

Remy exhaled in relief. He got to his feet. "In that case, I'll run back to the house and get him while you and Alice work on the ashes." He turned to Elenora and Alice. "Thank you both. We are in your debt."

Elenora stood, as did Alice and Ephie. "There is no debt. We must protect our own. If you'll excuse me, I must send a message to the vampire council."

"Thank you," Ephie said as Elenora left. She took Remy's hand. "Alice, if you don't mind, I'd like to walk Remy out to the car, then I'll be right back."

"Fine with me," Alice said. "I'll be in my practice preparing. The butler will show you back." She left as well.

Ephie and Remy saw themselves out, but Ephie didn't say a word until they reached the SUV. "I'm scared something will go wrong. Or that he won't believe I'm dead or that he'll do something to you or my mom or Darryl. I know I need to do this, but it's how I feel."

He pulled her into his arms. "I will protect them with my life. I know it's scary, but we don't have any other choice."

She leaned into him and sighed. "I know." She held him a moment longer, cherishing the closeness. "I just want this all to be over so we can get on with our lives."

"So do I." He held on to her and kissed her. As he did, he inhaled her scent, memorizing the softness of her skin and the sound of her sighs. All because, while he was unwilling to believe it might be for the last time, he also knew it was a very real possibility.