Blood Bonds, Page 2

  Roman nodded. “True enough. I’ve seen that play out time after time through the centuries. And what strikes me so much is that usually the vast populace never knows what’s gone on behind the scenes. Or they never find out they were ever in danger. Saving the world can be a private affair, and usually it’s best if it’s kept in secret.”

  He stared at the suitcases, then his gaze flickered to me again. “I’ll go. You’re right. Mother made it clear that dealing with Harriman is my duty, but I’m not happy about leaving you. Text me if you need me, although I’m not so sure how cell phone coverage is where I’m headed. Harriman lives in an isolated mountain range, but he rules his region with a bloody fist. That’s another thing we’ve been trying to discourage. When it comes to interacting with the general population, fear isn’t the best motivator. Although my mother doesn’t hold with that thought when it comes to the Vampire Nation proper. She has most of the vamps cowed in front of her.”

  I shrugged. “Let’s face it, we’re top of the food chain predators. We don’t have a lot of enemies, except for each other. If Blood Wyne tried to be diplomatic among our own kind, she’d never get anywhere. They’d stake her within minutes. She has to play the bitch queen when it comes to our own people.”

  I felt odd, calling the Vampire Nation my “own people,” because I still identified with being half-Fae like my sisters. But when I was with Roman, I tried to blend into his world.

  “You’re right about that. I suppose I’d better get back to packing.” He pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around my waist. “Promise me you’ll be careful. I won’t ask you to keep out of trouble, because we both know that isn’t in the cards for either of us. Especially not with what we’re facing—with what you’re facing. I was hoping to be in on the end of the game with the war, but I don’t know how long it will take me to corral Harriman. If I’m not here when you face Shadow Wing, remember how much I love you, and remember your strength.”

  He kissed me then, holding me tight as his lips played over mine. We were both cold as the grave, cold as death, and yet a warmth spread through my body that I seldom felt. It was true that I didn’t love Roman like I loved Nerissa, but I was deeply fond of him, and I loved him in my own way.

  “You promise me that you’ll be careful. If Harriman has given into his inner predator, then chances are he suspects you’re coming for him. And who knows what spies he has in the court? Be careful, my liege, and come back whole and safe.” I kissed him again, and then crossed toward the door as he texted for Rubicon to return.

  “Menolly,” Roman said. “Give Nerissa my love. Hold tight to each other, and if you need to, turn to my mother. She picked you to be my wife for a reason.”

  As the door opened and Rubicon entered, I gave Roman a solemn nod. Then, taking my leave, I returned to the office where Nerissa was waiting. We headed down to my new Jaguar that Roman had bought me as a wedding present. He wasn’t thrilled that I still insisted on driving myself, but he put up with it.

  As we sped into the night, I couldn’t help but wonder what Carter would have to say. And just how long it would be before we were facing Shadow Wing.

  Chapter 2

  Delilah

  SHADE AND I were waiting for the others when Iris came through the door. She was wearing a long blue dress and a quilted jacket, and her hair was done up in a massive beehive formed of braids, with a ponytail coming out the top, like Barbara Eden on the old I Dream of Jeannie TV shows. She had a pensive look on her face, but given the reason for the meeting, I wasn’t surprised. Hanna offered to take her jacket and Iris gave her a grateful smile.

  “Would you like some tea?” Hanna asked, draping her jacket over the coat rack.

  Iris nodded. “That sounds wonderful. Peppermint, please? And do you have any crackers? Saltines?”

  Hanna gave her a long look, then turned to bustle around the kitchen, setting the kettle on the stove and getting out china cups and a plate for crackers.

  “Add some cheese to that tray, please,” I said. Turning to Iris, I said, “Sit down. Shade’s in the living room, watching the news.” I glanced at the door. “Where’s Bruce?”

  Iris shrugged. “Taking care of the twins, where else?” She let out a long breath. “Delilah, I need to talk to you before the others get here. It’s important, especially given with what’s on the agenda, and I need an ally for later tonight when I have to tell everybody else. Especially Camille.”

  I frowned, worried. The past few weeks, Iris had been acting strange, seeming moody and quiet. But she had been reticent, and we had been busy with Shade’s and my wedding, and trying to figure out what exactly I had seen through the vision of Shadow Wing, so I hadn’t got around to asking her what was wrong. We hadn’t had a chance to sit down and talk for a while when I thought about it.

  She settled in her chair and motioned for Hanna to join us. “If you don’t mind taking a break.”

  “I could use one. Today I overhauled the linen closets and washed every scrap of bedding in the house.” Hanna poured the tea and carried the tray over to the table. The two women had become close friends over the past couple of years since Hanna had come to live with us.

  I sipped my tea, then bit into a saltine and cheddar, smiling as the taste blossomed on my tongue. “What’s going on?”

  “I think I know,” Hanna said, staring at Iris. “Am I right?”

  “You’re right.” Iris paused, then nodded. “I won’t beat around the bush. I’m pregnant again. And it’s twins again. Mallen says I’m having two girls this time.”

  I sputtered around the cracker and cheese, then after wiping my mouth on a napkin, reached out to take the house sprite’s hands in mine, squeezing them. “Oh, Iris! Congratulations! But the twins are barely a year old! How are you going to handle four babies?”

  She snorted. “Good question. However, that brings me to what I wanted to tell you about. I need your support before I tell the others, because I’m so hormonal I can’t handle a lot of flack tonight. And I’m sure to either burst into tears or rip them a new one if they argue.”

  I slowly let go of her fingers. Holding her gaze, I cocked my head to the side. “You’re going to tell me something I really don’t want to hear, aren’t you? What is it? What’s going on? Are you okay? Are the babies okay?”

  She took a long breath and held it for a moment, then slowly exhaled. “I’m fine. The babies—both inside and out—are fine. But… Well, here’s the thing. We’re nearing the end battle. I’ve been here since the beginning. But now…with two young children not out of the crib, and two more on the way…” She glanced up at me, tears trickling down her cheeks. “I can’t put them in danger, and I can’t risk my babies losing their mother. I swore to you I’d be here to help, but I’m afraid I have to break that promise.”

  My heart dropped, but I understood. The danger was real, and Iris had more to lose than just about any of us. I struggled to keep my own emotions in check. “Of course you have to do what’s best for your family. I understand. And the others will too. If you need to back away, we’ll support you.”

  She let out another breath before she straightened her shoulders. “I’m glad, because that brings me to the next matter.”

  “There’s more?” I swallowed a mouthful of peppermint tea, ready to hear the worst.

  She nodded. “The Duchess has invited us to come live with her in Ireland for the duration of my pregnancy, so that she can help out. Bruce and I talked it over and we think it would be best. Even though she scared me at first, Bruce’s mother has proven an invaluable help with the babies, and Bruce and I need the help.”

  My stomach clenched. The thought of losing Iris was physically painful. She had become a part of our family, and the realization that she and Bruce were leaving—that they really wouldn’t be around anymore—hurt like hell.

  “Delilah? Are you angry?” Iris was crying in earnest now.

  I hung my head, trying to hold back the tears. “No, please d
on’t think that I’m upset at you. Watching you walk out of our lives hurts, but I don’t want you in danger. The truth is, there’s no way to guarantee your safety here. There are too many factors at play. It’s better if you’re safe. Just…don’t stay away forever, please!” I knew I sounded needy, but there was only so much adulting I could handle at one time.

  Iris sniffed and dabbed her eyes, then blew her nose on the tissue that Hanna offered her. “Oh, we won’t. When Shadow Wing is taken care of, we’ll come back. At least…I’m sure we will. But given I’m going to be ballooning up again, given two babies in the oven, and I’ve got two to care for already, I imagine we’ll be away for at least a couple of years.” She looked miserable, but then shrugged. “The Duchess is a goddess-send. I remember how intimidated I was of her at first. Now, she’s practically frothing at the mouth for more grandbabies.”

  I was about to say something when a knock sounded on the front door. Shade answered and then came traipsing into the kitchen, followed by Camille and her husbands. Vanzir followed them. I sniffed back my tears and smiled, watching her wings shimmer. She usually kept them under wraps, but when she was alone with us she let them shine, even though Tabby always wanted to come out to play with them. I kept my inner kitten under control as much as possible, but now and then I couldn’t help it, and I’d change shape and take a quick swipe at them.

  “Menolly here yet?” Camille asked, glancing around. She frowned as she looked at Iris, who was still red-nosed and teary. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, really,” I said, wanting to spare Iris from having to repeat her news over and over. “We’ll talk when Menolly gets here. Meanwhile, are you hungry?”

  Camille nodded. “Yeah, we were supposed to have dinner with Aeval, Titania, and the Merlin—who’s just back from Ireland—when you called. Vanzir and I told them to go ahead without us, but I’m famished.” She poked around in the fridge, bringing out more cheese, along with some cold cuts and bread.

  Hanna jumped up. “Let me fix you and the boys a sandwich, Camille.”

  Camille handed over the food. “Thanks, Hanna.” She sat down between Smoky and Morio. Trillian sat near Shade, and Vanzir stretched out at the end of the table.

  “So,” Camille said. “Carter has found the answer?”

  “Well, an answer. I just hope it’s the one we’re looking for. He’s on his way.” I turned to Shade. “You should go get Roz. He’s still down at the studio.”

  Within fifteen minutes Carter had arrived. That he had made the trip underscored how important this was. He hardly ever emerged from his apartment. The demigod tended to be a recluse. His coppery-colored hair seemed longer than when I had last seen it, trailing down mid-back. His horns were showing, which meant he was comfortable around us. When he did go out, he usually cloaked up under a glamour. He propped his cane against the table, and within a minute he was sifting through a pile of papers.

  As he sorted out his notes, Menolly and Nerissa arrived.

  I slid into a chair and cleared my throat. “I guess we’re all here. Shall we start the meeting?”

  The big wooden table had been home to so many meetings in the past that a flash of nostalgia hit me as we took our places around it. The house had felt empty since everybody else moved out. This place had been home since we first came over Earthside, but now it belonged to Shade and me and felt so much quieter than we were used to.

  Hanna brought a platter of grilled cheese sandwiches to the table, along with a bowl of potato chips, and everybody dug in. As we set to eating, Carter took a sip of his tea and then leaned back, staring at us.

  “I’m ready. I’m sorry this took me so long, but the research was complicated. Shall I begin?”

  I nodded. “Please.”

  “First, I found out exactly what the gems are that you saw in your vision. Two jewels, jet as night with sparkling white centers. The information wasn’t easy to dig up, but I finally came across a mention of them in a series of notes that I took a hundred years back. I knew the jewels sounded familiar.”

  A shiver ran up my back. The vision I’d had of Shadow Wing had shown me two glowing jewels, one beneath each of his horns. I had known right then that those gems were the key to defeating Shadow Wing.

  “So you really know what the gems are?” Camille asked, her eyes lighting up.

  He nodded. “I do.”

  “Then, do we have hope?” asked Nerissa.

  Carter nodded. “You do, but this won’t be easy.”

  “Don’t keep us in suspense,” Smoky said. The dragon looked as somber as the rest of us.

  “All right, here it is,” Carter said. “What do you know about the Beasttägger?”

  Camille frowned, tapping the table with one nail. “Wasn’t he the Demon Lord in control of the Subterranean Realms, the one Shadow Wing assassinated?”

  “Correct.” Carter held up a printout. “This painting of the Beasttägger was made thousands of years ago. I still possess the original, but it’s much too fragile to carry out of the vault, so I made a copy of it.”

  The painting was that of a horned demon. Unlike Shadow Wing, he had no wings, but he was massive and powerful, with flaming hooves.

  I shuddered. “He was a freakshow, that was for sure.”

  “Look closely and tell me what you see.” Carter handed the printout to me. I studied it for a moment, frowning, before I gasped.

  “There! Right under his eyes, on the lower outer corners.” I slapped the print down on the table and pointed. Camille and Menolly studied the image for a moment, then Camille tapped the Beasttägger’s head.

  “Gems.” She looked up at me. “Are those the same ones that you saw at the base of Shadow Wing’s horns?” Camille handed the printout back to Carter.

  I nodded. “They look exactly the same. Even in the printout, it’s obvious. How did he get them? What are they? Are they the same ones belonging to Shadow Wing? Or different?”

  “One question at a time. It took me awhile to figure out just what they were, but the gems on this painting are the Beasttägger’s soul receptacles. One contained his own soul. The other, that of the Demon Lord he replaced.” Carter sat back, a mildly horrified look on his face.

  “Soul receptacles—I don’t like the sound of that,” I said.

  “What are they?” Morio asked.

  “They’re magical gems that can contain souls.” Carter leaned forward. “Given Delilah’s description, it’s my belief that Shadow Wing has been implanted with a soul receptacle containing the Beasttägger’s soul. The other contains his own.”

  “Do all Demon Lords have souls that reside outside their body?” Nerissa asked.

  Carter shook his head. “No. That research took me awhile, but I’ve ascertained that this is how the Demon Lords control so much power. They always move up via assassination. And when they assassinate their opponent, they trap the former Demon Lord’s soul in one of the gems, and implant it within themselves. This forces their own soul into a similar gem.”

  “What happens if they don’t transfer their own soul over?” Iris asked.

  “If they didn’t have a second soul receptacle ready, they would end up allowing the former Demon Lord to operate through them, as their own soul would be bounced out into the astral realms, severed from their body.”

  “Sort of like possession? Or a walk-in?” Morio finished his sandwich and pushed his plate back.

  “Right. But when implanted with both gems, the host is able to utilize both the energy of their captive—the former Demon Lord—as well as their own powers. Two soul receptacles will work together, but three won’t. So you’ll never find anybody using three at once.”

  “So Shadow Wing essentially has the energy and knowledge of two Demon Lords’ souls? No wonder he’s so tough.” Camille rubbed her head.

  “Yes. Think hard, though, about what a victory over him would mean.” Carter had a self-satisfied smile on his face.

  I ran through the possibilities in my
mind. “If we manage to destroy both gems, then we not only destroy Shadow Wing but the Beasttägger as well. And that…would break the chain of command in the Sub-Realms? Which means Trytian’s father can take over without being challenged.”

  “Correct, and it means you would be breaking a chain that stretches tens of thousands of years. This has been how the Demon Lords kept control of the Sub-Realms.” Carter looked delighted. He let out a contented sigh. “I love finding out new information like this.”

  I laughed. “You’re such a geek.”

  “Ah, yes, but a stylish one, I hope,” he said smoothly.

  “So, what are the gems, exactly? And how do we destroy them?” Camille glanced at me before watching Carter again. So much depended on his answer.

  Carter held her gaze. “They’re actually a form of magically treated diamond. Which means that not only are they incredibly difficult to destroy, but they’re magically impervious to most of the elements. There’s only one thing I’ve learned of that can destroy them, and you know what I’m about to say.”

  Camille hung her head, waiting, before raising her gaze to him again.

  “The combined power of the spirit seals. And this is where you and the Keraastar Knights come in.” He turned to her, a solemn look on his face. “There are very few soul receptacles in existence. They’re actually chips scattered from the Spirit Seal when it was broken. The demons managed to get hold of them before they were forced into the Sub-Realms.”

  The room fell silent. Camille closed her eyes and reached for her throat, where the Keraastar diamond rested. For so long, we had wondered what part the Keraastar Knights had to play, and why Shadow Wing was so intent on gathering the spirit seals. Now we knew. It was self-preservation. As long as the Keraastar Knights were scattered, Shadow Wing was safe. But now, the circle was complete and he had to know it was only a matter of time before we came for him.

  “So then…we really can’t leave his destruction to Trytian’s father and hope it works. We have to face him ourselves,” Camille said.