Eternal Kiss of Darkness

"The world has changed, true, and the past is buried under more than the sands of time," Mencheres replied. "I am content to let it rest there."

And he was. The weight he'd carried while focusing on his former sins had accomplished nothing except to burden him and endanger his people. That weight had even broken his power, shattering his visions and ultimately his will to live.

No more. He'd made mistakes - yes, many - but those he could not change. His future was yet unwritten, however. As Kira had proven, there was more to it than just oblivion, no matter how his despair had tricked him into believing nothing but darkness lay ahead.

"Menkaure," Radjedef said, turning around to face him. "It is time to finish this."

"Yes," he replied steadily, thinking back on the thousands of years of bitterness, blood, and strife between them. "More than time."

Mencheres jumped onto a beam across from Radje. The next gust of wind carried a hint of decay and magic mixed with the Law Guardian's scent instead of just the normal odors from the city. Mencheres inhaled even as Radje's mouth curled into an arch smile.

"You came alone as agreed, but I take no chances that you've surrendered so easily." Mencheres let out a short laugh. Radje had coated himself with a spell of grave essence, the one thing that would negate Mencheres's telekinesis against him. Radje was cautious to the end, but it wouldn't be enough.

"Your concern flatters me, uncle," he said lightly.

Radje's gaze raked over him, calculating and expectant. "You're not the only one Tenoch taught the dark arts to. Now, take off your clothes. Then throw them over the side of the building."

Mencheres made a derisive sound as he began to strip off his shoes, trousers, and shirt. When he was naked, he threw everything over the side after a glance ensured no one was below. The clothes wouldn't injure any humans; the shoes would, from this height.

"You thought I would wear a wire? That is a human trick, Radje."

"Turn around," Radjedef said shortly.

Mencheres did, showing his back and stifling his scorn as he felt Radjedef roughly handle his hair, looking for any electronic devices.

"You know that vampires cannot hide wires beneath their skin. Are you content that I have no means to record anything spoken between us?"

Radjedef considered him, the wind whipping the tight braids of his hair as he inhaled to pick up Mencheres's scent. "You smell impatient, Menkaure. Are you really this eager to die?"

He met his gaze. "Give me my proof that Kira lives, and let us be done with this business between us."

Radje took out his mobile phone, dialing. Mencheres waited, thinking how he'd hated to wash all traces of Kira's scent away before he met Radjedef, but it had been necessary. Any hint of her, Veritas, Radje's guards, or the ferryman would alert the Law Guardian to his defeat, and Mencheres didn't want him to know of it. Not yet.

Kira. Yes, he smelled impatient. He'd been too long without her. Even before that fateful morning at the warehouse, a part of him hungered for her. The same part that recognized her when they met, then later tormented Mencheres when he'd tried to forget about her.

"Shade, bring the phone to the prisoner. Force her to speak into it," Radje said curtly when his guard answered.

After several seconds, Mencheres could hear Shade tell Kira to speak, then Radje held the phone out, and her lovely voice flowed over the line to him even with the whirling winds. "Mencheres?"

"I am here," he said, meeting Radjedef's call ously expectant gaze.

"I love you. Now, put Radje back on the phone."

Radje's brows rose, but he held the phone closer to his ear. "What?"

"Veritas is here," Kira said clearly. Radjedef's eyes widened. "There's an open position for an Enforcer since you killed Josephus," she went on. "Veritas said the training takes centuries, but I'm going for it. The vampire world can always use another good cop - "

Radje dropped the phone and leapt off the side of the building. Mencheres followed, his telekinesis unable to stop Radje, but his speed unhindered by the grave essence coating his enemy like an invisible shield. He caught him right before the Law Guardian slammed through the wall of the next building. Mencheres whipped them both upward, but even as he did, Radje twisted in his grip to face him. Fire erupted in Mencheres's belly in the next instant. That fire spread in a brutal arc upward, but he didn't loosen his grasp, even as he felt Radje rip his silver knife higher. He was almost there. Almost . . .

Mencheres flung Radje at the golden steel beams of the faux pyramid. Metal tore as the Law Guardian's body hurtled through it, ripping a hole inside the glowingly intricate structure. Mencheres flew through it, yanking the knife out of his stomach, to blast into Radje just as his uncle was about to leap out the side again. The two of them rolled in midair inside the spire, breaking more steel around them with their struggle.

Radje landed a ruthless knee in Mencheres's still-healing stomach, doubling him over, but again, he didn't let go. He drove Radje backward toward the object his uncle couldn't see - a bent steel beam sticking jaggedly out from the hole Radje's body had torn through the structure.

Radje screamed as that beam impaled him through the sternum. He tried to fling himself off, but Mencheres held him in a merciless grip. His eyes met the Law Guardian's for a second that seemed frozen in time before Mencheres ripped off several more gold-plated beams with his power, sending those hurtling into Radje's body.

The bespelled grave essence only worked on the wearer to negate his telekinesis.

Radje had neglected to coat this structure in addition to his body.

More howls came from Radje as those ragged steel spears slammed home, pinning his arms, legs, chest, and stomach. Mencheres twisted them with another thought, curling the metal around Radje and through him, holding him in an unbreakable meld of steel and his strength. The glowing lights from the building shone on the Law Guardian's face as his blood turned the gold-leafed beams red around him, more blood dripping onto the floor almost fifty feet below.

Even with Radje's shouts, the wind whipping from different directions, and the noise from the city around them, Mencheres heard Kira's voice below them. She was screaming his name out from the cell phone Radje had dropped in his attempt to flee.

He sent a strand of his power downward, curling it around the phone to float it up to his hand. At the same time, he ripped off another steel beam, sending this one straight into Radje's throat. Gurgles replaced the Law Guardian's hate-filled screams, his voice barely audible over the keening of the wind.