Flesh and Blood

Dominic hesitated, then shook his head. ‘This is different. Katsumi may have acted for less noble reasons, but Maddoc has done the greater damage.’

‘What damage? You’re the one with the knife to his throat.’ The anger in Doc’s golden eyes struck Mal as the most intense he’d ever seen. One wrong move on Dominic’s part and he’d be the one who ended up dead. Something landed on Mal’s hand. The voices yowled. He flicked it away.

Dominic snorted. ‘He gave my blood to this sorceress. The true damage has not yet begun.’

Aliza jabbed a finger at him, causing sparks to leap into the air. ‘I need that blood to free Evie. If you’d just given it to me when I asked—’

‘Evie knew what was at risk when she perverted the goods she bought from me. There are consequences to actions. That is life,’ Dominic snapped back.

Aliza shook her head, sorrow and anger fighting for dominance on her face. ‘I want my daughter back. That is all.’

Mal addressed Aliza as soon as she took a breath. ‘And Doc wants Fi rescued from her current situation.’

‘I’ve already said I would do what I could.’

Mal shook his head. ‘Not enough. I want your word you will help her.’

‘Her word?’ Dominic laughed.

Aliza nodded. ‘I promise.’

Mal took a step away from the door frame, now dotted with insects. ‘Then let me in and I will help you get Evie back.’

She raised one hand toward him while keeping the other trained on Dominic. ‘You swear it?’

‘I do.’

She nodded. ‘Then I grant you entrance, vampire.’

Mal stepped across her threshold. At the same time, an unholy swarm of insects deluged the house.

Tatiana came back together in a whirl of wings and stingers in the spot she’d deemed would give her the most leverage. Behind the comarré. Not even Malkolm yet realized she was in the room. She hooked her arm around the girl’s throat and, transforming her fingers into a short blade, pressed them into the comarré’s flesh. ‘Drop your blades,’ she purred into the girl’s ear. ‘And maybe I’ll spare your life once I’ve gotten what I came for.’

At the words, Malkolm and the others turned. Tatiana tightened her grasp until the comarré’s pulse weakened. ‘Any of you makes a move and she dies. She may yet if she doesn’t drop her weapons.’

The swords fell to the ground. The looks on the faces around her grew more horrified as Ivan materialized behind the Mohawked kine standing beside the comarré. He clubbed the kine on the temple, catching him off guard and dropping him to the ground. Perhaps killing him. The kine’s heartbeat stopped. Ivan picked up the crossbow the male had been holding and hefted it. He smiled, seemingly pleased with the weapon.

Octavian appeared a few seconds after him, returning to his body at Tatiana’s side. She nodded to the witch. ‘My thanks for the invitation. Your timing was impeccable.’

‘Indeed.’ Lord Ivan brushed himself off as he looked around. ‘Although it still smells like the swamp in here.’ His lip curled. ‘Swamp witches. How utterly vile.’

The white witch sputtered. ‘I didn’t invite you in. Just him.’ She pointed to Malkolm, who glared daggers at Tatiana, but thanks to Ivan and a deftly aimed crossbow, he made no move.

‘Octavian, kick the comarré’s weapons out the door,’ Tatiana directed him. He moved around her and did as she asked, kicking them back through the kitchen and the open door. Twin splashes followed his actions.

‘Very good.’ Tatiana blew him a kiss on his return, then refocused her attention on the witch. ‘Stupid git. For all your magic, you don’t know enough to offer invites by name only? Such a novice mistake. When you said vampire, you flung wide the mystical door to those of us waiting on the other side.’

With a cry, the witch conjured a sphere of flames and hurled it at Tatiana. Octavian gasped. Instantly, Tatiana switched arms around the comarré’s neck, thrust her metal hand up as she flattened it into a shield, and deflected the fire back at the witch.

The witch ducked in time to avoid being burned. She stayed crouched on the floor near a male witch who’d been sprawled there when they’d entered.

With her knife fingers at the comarré’s throat again, Tatiana poured persuasion into her voice. ‘You will not do that again, will you?’

‘No,’ the witch whispered.

‘Good. Get up, witch. I wish to see this thing you’ve discussed performed.’

Confusion clouded the witch’s eyes. ‘You’re going to allow me to bring my daughter back?’

‘My fight is not with you. Proceed.’ Although Tatiana would never admit to such emotion, she knew the wrenching pain of losing a child and empathized with the witch. She studied the small group. ‘Any of you try anything and I will slit the comarré’s throat.’

‘Like you did Mia’s?’ the varcolai asked, his mouth twisting in rage.

‘Yes,’ Tatiana answered with a smile. ‘Exactly like that.’ She got the feeling the varcolai would have lunged if not for the blade at his throat. Someone in this room would be dead by sunrise, of that much she was sure.

The witch nodded and got to her feet. ‘I need some things to work the spell.’

‘Hurry,’ Tatiana snapped. Her sentimentality had its bounds.

The witch ran out of the room. Tatiana frowned at Malkolm. ‘Quite a motley crew you’ve gathered, husband.’