“This is getting ridiculous,” Tony said as they sat on the ground in front of the gate. Dakota couldn’t even muster the energy to agree with him. They had dispatched the enemy Brutes quickly this time and had suffered no loss to their own group, but Dakota knew with every fiber of his being that they couldn’t sustain if the enemy kept attacking in waves this way. He wasn’t sure what Vincent was aiming at by sending a few at a time, but he knew whatever it was didn’t bode well for them.
He stared at the bonfire in front of him. Bodies of the enemy force were being turned to ash before his eyes and he couldn’t feel anything except exhaustion.
“Why does he keep attacking us this way? Why not come at us with everything he’s got?” Dakota asked as the flames crackled. The first time he had witnessed the burning of the Brute bodies, the smell had nearly made him vomit. Now, it was simply another scent the air carried. Dakota hoped that one day death wouldn’t be a daily occurrence.
“His Brute force alone could decimate this village. It is a mystery,” Argento offered, and Dakota and Tony both eyed him with amusement. “I meant no disrespect. I consider this my home as well. I simply meant that he has a good portion of my kind behind him.”
“We know you didn’t, friend.” Tony clasped the Brute king on the back and Argento smiled. Sitting with these two men—and yes, he knew Argento wasn’t technically a man—had become the only part of his day that Dakota had looked forward to.
“I fear we cannot continue holding them off. Perhaps it’s time we think about another alternative,” Tony offered.
“What do you mean, another alternative?” Dakota asked, surprised.
“I’m the last man who would be talking about retreating, Dakota. But what do we stand to gain if we stay?”
“We can’t just leave. This is our home. Ana needs to be able to come back here.”
“If they continue attacking the way they are, she may not have a home—or a family—to return to. We can leave at night to keep visibility low.”
“No. I refuse to give up. Vincent will not drive us away.”
“I agree with Dakota, Tony. If we allow this man to drive us away, we lose the only ground we have. We will be on the run forever. We must stay here and fight until the very end.”
“If Anastasia doesn’t come back soon, we will not survive.” Tony got to his feet and headed towards the trees. “I’m going to do one more round.”
“As long as the Sorceress is who Carmen thinks she is, Ana will be back,” Dakota said, just as much for himself as it was for the others.
“I hope so,” Tony offered, and headed into the darkness.
Once he was out of sight, Tony took a seat and placed his head in his hands. What the hell was happening to his home? To his family? Elizabeth’s depression at the role she played in what happened that night in the Brute world was crushing her, Dakota was willing to risk everything and everyone in order to give Anastasia a home to come back to, and they weren’t even sure if she was alive.
If she was dead, he was never going to forgive himself. He had been so distracted with finding Elizabeth that he had forgotten to watch over Anastasia. With her parents gone, she was his responsibility, and he had failed them all.
What kind of man was he? He hadn’t been able to save his wife and son. Gregory, who had been like a brother to him, lost his wife and then his own life. The woman who had stolen his heart had been kidnapped and nearly killed, and now, the girl he had promised to look after like his own was on her deathbed.
The crunching behind him had Tony jumping to his feet, sword drawn. Two Brutes from Argento’s group emerged from the trees.
Tony let out a sigh of relief and sheathed his sword. “What are you doing out here?”
“We could ask you the same thing,” one of them grunted.
“Did Argento send you out?”
They looked at each other and laughed. “He did not,” the slightly taller one said.
“But he did,” the other replied, and Tony turned to see he had been flanked by Vincent and four other Brutes.
He immediately reached for his sword, but Vincent clicked his tongue and ripped it away with a flick of his wrist.
“That would be a very stupid move on your part. Tony, is it? I don’t believe we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting directly. My brother and niece were both quite fond of you.”
“What do you want?” Tony said, crossing his arms over his chest. He refused to show any weakness to this murderer.
“I want to know where my niece is.”
“She is dead. You saw to that.”
“See, that’s what I thought too, but then these two came forward with some information they thought I might find interesting.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Tony ground his teeth together.
“Please don’t lie to me, Tony. It insults us both.” Vincent nodded and the two Brutes that had been behind him came up and shoved Tony to his knees. “Now, tell me where my niece is. I can force you to tell me, but I find that I respect you, and in time, I think I could get you to come around to my way of thinking. That being said,” he knelt in front of Tony, “I would prefer to not have to hurt you.”
“Go to hell,” Tony growled, and Vincent stood.
“Hold him,” Vincent instructed the Brutes, and Tony moved, trying to rip himself from their grasp. He very nearly had pulled himself free when the other Brutes stepped in. Vincent waved his hand and then smiled. “So no one can hear you,” he said, and placed his hand on Tony’s head.
“This is going to hurt,” he said with another smile, and then closed his eyes. “I wish I could say it wouldn’t.”
Tony yelled when the pain rushed into his body. He felt the intrusion in his mind as if someone had shoved a sharp object straight into his brain.
The pain stopped and Tony opened his eyes. He saw the slight change in Vincent’s demeanor. “How do you know her?” he asked frantically.
“She. Is. My. Best. Friend’s. Daughter.”
“Not Anastasia.” Vincent was furious, and he gripped Tony by his hair. “The Sorceress, how do you know her? Don’t lie to me!”
“I don’t.”
“Lies!” Vincent yelled, and grabbed the blade from the nearest Brute’s belt. He pressed it to Tony’s throat. “Tell me the truth!” he roared, and Tony smiled.
“Did you see something that upset you?” he wondered.
Vincent tossed the blade to the ground and waved his hand to open a portal behind them. “Take him to the cell. Feel free to have some fun, but no one is to kill him.” Four Brutes stepped through the portal with Tony.
“You two are with me,” he said, and after closing the portal back to Seattle, opened another into a world he hadn’t even known existed until now.
* * *
Monique felt the intrusion the second the portal opened.
“Anastasia. You have to go.”
“What? What’s wrong?”
Monique stood and ran to the window. She covered her hand with her mouth and her eyes widened in fear. “No, no, no, no. This can’t be happening.”
“What is it?” Anastasia followed her to the window and her eyes landed on two Brutes and the man leading them. She growled. “Vincent.”
“You have to go.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“You don’t understand. If he gets us both, the worlds will be doomed.”
“He won’t get us both. You are more powerful than he is.”
“He would never come here without protection. It is foolish to underestimate him.”
“You can come with me.”
“Fine, but I need a moment.” Monique focused her energy on creating a barrier around the house.
“I know you are in there, Monique. I have missed you.” The emotion in his voice had Monique turning back to him.
“He’s lying. You have to come with me.”
Monique nodded and waved her hand to reveal a door leading outside from the back of the house. “You cannot portal in or out of my house. I blocked that magic years ago. We will have to get outside before we can leave.”
They snuck outside and Monique waved her hand and a portal appeared. They were just about to move through it when Vincent’s voice rang behind them. Suddenly their feet were rooted to the ground and they were unable to move.
“Leaving so soon?”
“Leave my home, Vincent,” Monique growled. “You are not welcome here.”
“Honestly, Monique, I am happy to see you’re alive.”
“Seems that way,” she said sarcastically.
Vincent spun them around so Anastasia’s back was to the portal and Monique was in front of her.
“Two dead women standing before me.” He smiled and clapped his hands. “Really is a miracle, isn’t it? Oh, and Anastasia, Tony says hi.”
Anastasia’s face paled. “What have you done to him!” she growled, and for a moment, she felt the barrier holding her weaken. Vincent’s look of worry had her smiling. “If you have harmed him, I swear I will fucking tear you apart.”
“Cuss words don’t sound right coming out of a lady’s mouth, Anastasia.” He clicked his tongue.
“This is simply an illusion, Anastasia. Much like your magical block was,” Monique said, and Vincent laughed loudly.
“You are both so foolish. But I would be lying if I didn’t say I missed your optimism.” He ran his finger along Monique’s jaw and then down over her scar. “This didn’t dull your beauty in the slightest, my love.”
“Don’t touch her,” Anastasia growled.
“Don’t you know? We were in love once.”
“I also know you slit her throat, you fucking coward,” Anastasia shot back.
“You have a mouth on you, Anastasia. It’s a shame you won’t have the chance to learn some manners. I’m going to make sure you die this time.” He conjured a fireball and Anastasia stared him down unblinkingly. She refused to show him even an ounce of the fear she knew he wanted to witness.
Monique closed her eyes and blasted through the barrier that was holding her in place. With one swift move, she thrust Anastasia through the portal and then closed it behind her.
“That was foolish of you, Monique,” Vincent spit out, binding her arms to her sides.
“Oh, I believe it was quite the opposite.” She smiled. “You truly have no idea what she is capable of.”