Chapter 46

This was it. Lang would be here any moment. Remy stood on his back patio. Darryl and Leonie were nearby. They'd taken the seats at the table. They knew nothing about the UV lights, but he didn't need them to. All they had to worry about was their part in the proceedings.

And if things went wrong, Remy would hopefully live long enough to turn those lights on and save them from Lang's wrath.

He scanned the property's perimeter. Any second he expected to see Lang.

Then the air to his right shifted, just a subtle change in the currents. He turned to find Lang standing there, smiling like he'd come to collect his prize. He was in for a shock.

Remy lifted his chin slightly. "Lang."

"Lafitte." Lang looked at Leonie and Darryl for a moment, then appeared to dismiss them as insignificant. He scanned the back deck and seemed to be peering into the house. His nostrils flared. "Where is she?"

"About that. I have some bad news." Remy had played this scene over and over again in his head, trying out the different ways it could go. Working on what the most convincing delivery would be.

Lang had to buy this, or their plan would deteriorate quickly.

It wasn't hard to pretend Ephie was truly gone. He'd lost many friends over the years, and for the last twelve of those years, he'd believed she was one of them. But for the last half hour, Remy could no longer sense her as he'd been able to since the turning.

It was unsettling, to say the least.

Lang frowned. "What now?"

Remy swallowed, thinking about the pain of actually losing Ephie. Of seeing her in that fire and thinking she was gone. Then he focused on reaching out to her now and finding nothing there. Whatever spell Alice had cast had worked. "She couldn't accept going with you. She hated the idea so much that … that she…"

His voice broke at the very idea. Panic rose up in him. He let it, knowing it would only help convince Lang.

"She what," Lang growled as he stalked closer to Remy.

"She couldn't deal with it. Or you. She decided … death would be better. She met the dawn this morning. Before I could stop her. She's gone." He pointed back to the deck where earlier he'd sprinkled the ashes Alice had sent. He could smell them from where he was. "Right there. Her ashes are still…" Remy shook his head.

Lang stood still. "You're lying." But there was genuine anxiety in his voice. "She should have been able to daywalk."

"You're right," Remy said. "She should have been able to." He blew out a breath and looked away, the pain of his imagined reality giving him the sincerity he hoped would be enough.

Behind Remy, Leonie had begun weeping. Soft, barely audible sobs. Remy had to hand it to her; she was good. There was no doubt she was helping.

Remy turned back to Lang and held his gaze as he shook his head, his expression full of the disgust he felt for the man. "You can't sense her, can you? I can't. But if you don't believe me, see for yourself. Her ashes are still on the deck."

Lang sped past Remy and up the steps. He fell to the deck's surface, hands splayed on the boards, eyes wild. Little puffs of ash drifted up around him, stirred by his movements. "No," he muttered. "No. This can't be true."

Leonie charged after him, Darryl following. "Yes," she hissed. "It is true. And all because of you. This is your fault, you murderous monster. You did this. You!" she screamed at him, all while reaching into her pocket and pulling out the vial of zombie dust. She pulled the stopper out with her teeth.

Lang, still bent over, clutched at his chest. He started to cry, which reflexively made him take in air. "I can't feel her."

Leonie grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked his head back. "Maybe this will help." She dumped the vial onto him.

He coughed, sucking in more of the dust. A choking sound gurgled in his throat. He reached out, clutching at the air, then he went limp.

Leonie let go of him. Lang fell to the decking, landing on his face, since he'd already been on his knees. "Darryl, Remy. Now."

Remy had already ascended the stairs. Darryl ran up behind him, cuffs in his hands. While he cuffed Lang, Remy sent the text he had waiting, letting Sherriff Merrow know they were ready for him.

Darryl rolled Lang over. His eyes were still open and filled with panic, but he wasn't moving. Strangled, inarticulate sounds emanated from his throat. He was fighting the zombie dust but not effectively.

Remy reached into his pocket for the pouch of ashes he'd saved back from those he'd scattered on the deck. Red and blue lights flashed in the distance, coming down the street. Remy loosened the drawstring on the pouch, then pried Lang's mouth open and upended the bag into it. A plume of ash rose into the air.

Lang made a soft gagging sound, then his eyes rolled back in his head.

Remy rocked back on his heels. The scent of Ephie's ashes was almost unbearable. "It's over."

"Now, Darryl," Leonie said.

Darryl reached into his jacket and pulled out a wooden stake. Where he'd gotten that, Remy had no idea.

He jumped up and grabbed Darryl's hand. "Don't. The sheriff will be here any moment, and the vampire council representatives are on their way to collect Lang. Let him face the consequences of his actions."

Darryl's eyes narrowed, but his hand didn't move. He was a big man, but he couldn't overcome Remy's strength. "Will he, though? You and I both know that far too often the bad guys don't get what they deserve."

"He will. I promise you." Remy held the man's gaze. "Or I'll hunt him down and take care of it myself. I swear it on these ashes."

Darryl glanced at Leonie.

"I want him dead," she grumbled.

"So do I," Remy said, looking up at her. "But I'd rather have his blood on the hands of the vampire council than any of us."

Reluctantly, she nodded.

Darryl exhaled. "Fine."

Remy let go of him. Darryl tucked the stake back into his jacket just as Sheriff Merrow came through the gate.

He looked at Remy, the question of the night in his gaze.

Remy pushed to his feet and greeted his boss with a nod. "It's done."

Merrow nodded. "Cell's ready and waiting." He came up the steps, surveyed the scene, nose wrinkling. "Smells like dead vampire up here."

"That was the plan," Remy said. It was an awful smell and not one Remy ever wanted to experience again.

Merrow bent at the knees, scooped Lang up under his armpits, and hauled him to his feet. Then Merrow dropped the man over his shoulder and straightened. "I've got this. You go get Ephie."

Remy smiled. "Thanks." He looked at Darryl and Leonie. "You two all right if I—"

"Go," Leonie said, clinging to Darryl's arm. "We'll be right here, waiting. Bring her home."

Remy broke every speed limit getting to Elenora's.