39. Chapter Thirty-Nine

The night of the Blood Moon loomed before us. This was it. They day we were going to either save the world or I was going to stand there and watch it burn.

We’d spent the entire day going over the plan. It basically came down to stay alive, destroy the machine and kill Mordecai. I was having trouble getting my mind on board with the last one though. Even after everything he’d done, I was unsure whether, when the time came, I’d be able to kill him.

We were all gathered in the common room and there was a sombre atmosphere as we gathered, a kind of resignation to the fact that this might be the last time we all saw each other.

Rae stood to one side with Michael, I’d have to ask her what was going on there because she seemed to be spending more time with him. Saskia laughed at something Cassian had said, which made me smile. He’d come a long way since the first time I’d met him. He was still grumpy and quiet but there were little slivers of warmth breaking through his icy exterior. Fenris chatted happily with Alec and Edwin, his brown eyes soft and carefree. Torsten was watching everything while a wisp of his shadow curled around the bottom half of my leg and Jasper stood talking with Lucifer.

We’d passed all the details onto the secondary teams, and we were ready to go. We’d also pulled in all the favours that we could and everyone who was willing, was going into battle with us.

“So,” Jasper started, “we know the layout of the cemetery, we know our strengths and we know what we can do together. What we don’t know is how many creatures Mordecai has on his side or how much power he’s managed to amass.”

“We know he’s got Camael and some of the Guardians,” Lucifer said, his arm tight around my waist.

“And the power of the witches fuelling his machine,” Rae added before thronging her gaze to me. “I think it’ll be some sort of power circle that will hold you captive. It’ll be tuned to you, so whatever you do, don’t step into it.”

“Okay,” I said, surprised at how steady my voice was. “We can do this, can’t we?”

“Yes, we can,” Fenris said as he wrapped my hand in his. Cassian came and grabbed my other hand, and the other guys formed a circle around us. The guys and I were a unit, a team. We were tied together by fate, but also love and, as I looked at each one of them, I knew they would do anything to win this. To beat Mordecai and save the world.

Something settled between us. A feeling of rightness. I never thought I’d ever find myself the centre of this much love, but here I was, absolutely surrounded by it. I hoped we all made it through this. I really did.

“Come on,” I said, my voice strong and sure. “Let’s do this.”

The cemetery stood before us, silent and still, an evening mist floating between the headstones. The cliff stood in front of and the edge of our forest to the right. Owls hooted and screeched adding another layer of eerie to what was an already creepy place.

The wind whipped through the graves, carrying with it the smell of the sea. I bet in the daylight there was something drastically beautiful about this place. But as I looked up at the sky, I could see the light slowly fading across the moon. It wouldn’t be long before the surface would be completely red.

“We don’t have long,” I said.

“This way,” Jasper whispered before leading us into the cemetery. I knew Elspeth’s grave was at the back, the mausoleum as close to the edge of the cliff as we could get.

We fanned out, moving at a steady pace around the different tombstones. Lucifer and Fenris were with me as we circled around a large mausoleum. I was trying to move cautiously, aware that there might be some trip wires or magic lying in wait for us, but Lucifer was marching ahead, clearly feeling invincible.

“Slow down,” I whispered to his back.

Lucifer slowed his steps and threw an apologetic glance over his shoulder. “Sorry. I think we’re nearly there.”

“Does anyone else think this is too quiet?” Fenris asked.

“Yes,” I replied, a sinking feeling dropping in my stomach. I could see the others at various points in the cemetery, all of them with the same cautious concern etched in their faces.

“There it is,” Lucifer said softly, pointing to the lone weeping angel stood a little way in front of us. I was hit with a wave of sorrow, almost like it was me that had lost her. Perhaps that was something Mordecai transferred when he sired me, but that was something to think about later. Right now, we were lining up, ready to march towards the tomb as a unit. I went to take a step forward, but something made me stop.

“Lori…”

The breeze whispered my name but I knew who it was.

Mordecai.

Something tugged behind my solar plexus, making me look off to the right, towards the tree line. The rest of the group moved forwards without me, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the trees. Maybe there was nothing there, maybe it was just the trees, but my gut told me to go that way anyway.

Somebody called my name, but I didn’t listen. There was a buzzing in my ears, a hum vibrating through my skin, calling me towards the trees.

I took another step and the ground collapsed beneath me.

Mud and earth filled my lungs and pressed down on me as I fell through the ground.

Pain lanced through my side as I landed on the ground with a thud. Fuck, that hurt. I rolled over onto my back with a groan and found the moon staring back at me. I must have fallen at least twenty feet.

“Lori!” Jasper shouted, as his face appeared at the edge of the giant hole in the ground.

“I’m okay,” I replied, my voice a little shaky. My preternatural senses adjusted to the low light, my vampire side coming into full force in the dark. I rolled to my knees and pulled my self back to my feet. I appeared to be in some sort of underground chamber, and it smelt musty and old. Like no one had been down here in centuries.

Suddenly, the ground rumbled and I looked back up to the heavens. A myriad of colour filled the night sky. Globes of blue, purple, and white shot across the moon followed by a horrendous cacophony of screams.

“Jasper! What’s happening?”

“Stay there,” he shouted. “I’m coming down.”

“No. I can find a way out. Help them!” I called back to my stubborn vampire.

He growled in frustration. “Fine, but don’t do anything stupid.”

“When do I ever?”

He went to answer but there was another explosion. Debris rained down through the hole in the ground.

“Stay alive,” he said then vanished to help the others.

I wished I could promise that.

I took another look around the chamber, noticing more the longer I looked around the space. There was an audible snick in the darkness.

“Hello?”

A cool breeze teased the hairs on the back of my neck.

I was being watched.

“Are you going to stay in the shadows all night, Mordecai?” I goaded with a wide smile. “Haven’t you heard? The shadows are where I like to play.”

A dark rumble of a laugh caressed my ears. “Then let’s play a game.”

Another breeze brushed against my back, and I whipped around, expecting to see him, but there was nothing but darkness.

“What game?”

Another mocking laugh.

Fuck. I needed to get out of here. I was on my own, and I knew this wasn’t going to end well.

“One, two, gonna get you…” he sang but the words echoed around the room. I couldn’t pinpoint where he was.

I could sense him moving, the air dissipating as he whipped past me at vampire speed. It was impossible for me to see even with my own supernatural senses in play.

Then a hand was in my hair, yanking my head backwards. Another hand gripped my chin and Mordecai’s face filled my vision.

“Hello my little one.” Then he sank his fangs deep into my neck and pulled my deeper into the shadows.

I was going to die down here, and no one was going to hear me scream.