Chapter Twenty-Four

Nadya

“I know there’s definitely an unwarded escape room here.” I pointed down at the map. “Here in Vorotnaya Tower. At the very top is his bedchamber and a room he keeps padlocked where only he has the key. I know he sifts to and from Ivangorod from there.”

“Then we can’t let him get back to his tower,” said George, leaning over the map stretched out on the table between two sofas in the large parlor of Thornton Hall.

It was a palatial estate that was refurbished and kept in the styles of its origin, built back in the 1700s. Uriel had told me that George Draconis was once a gentleman of the ton in the 1800s. It was actually when he’d met and fallen in love with Kat, once named Lady Katherine Blakely. That was when she’d become one of the hunters for Uriel, but apparently George had been one for centuries longer. It was hard to imagine Kat as a lady of the aristocracy, seeing her now, a fit warrior hunter with a long sleek ponytail and a no-nonsense attitude.

“Once inside the fortress walls,” said Kat, “we’ll target him and keep him from getting to the tower.”

Uriel stood, staring down at the map as if it were a disgusting pile of manure. His disapproval for the plan we’d all agreed upon reeked in the room, no matter that he knew this was the only way. “You’re all assuming I won’t have killed Vladek by the time you make your entrance.”

“It’s a possibility that he’s more powerful than you think,” added Xander, mirroring Uriel’s scowling expression and crossing his arms over his chest on the other side of the table.

Uriel sighed. “Are you saying I can’t take him?”

“I never said that.”

“You’re implying it.”

“I’m just saying it’s a small possibility that the demon king who has conquered most of eastern Europe might be a challenge for you.”

“Xander, I know you’re concerned, but I’ve got this.”

“I have faith in ya,” said Dommiel with a wink. “You’ll get him, bro.”

“Thanks,” muttered Uriel.

Xander rolled his eyes. I couldn’t help but smile and love the hunter even more. It was so obvious he was berating Uriel because he cared so much about him.

“Enough, boys,” said Kat with a glare. “What about our entry? Do we have that all taken care of?” She looked at Xander.

He gave a stiff nod. “I’ve got it all in line.”

“Are you sure it will work?” she asked.

He scoffed. “Trust me. It will work. I’ve seen it before. And I have influence enough to make it happen.”

No one had decided to tell me exactly how they’d be getting through the wards, and the tension was so thick, I didn’t want to ask. The more left unsaid, the better. As long as I knew my part, I was fine.

George, a calm and collected sort of man, said, “Remember that we can’t predict everything. What we do know is that we don’t know how this will all play out.”

“But we know how it will end,” said Uriel, his icy stare skating from one to the other, landing on me.

“Right,” I said. “I think Xander has told everyone that I plan to be there.”

“Yeah, baby,” said Dommiel, lounging back on the sofa with his arm along the back, stroking the arch of Anya’s wing. “Still not sure that’s a good idea.”

“It’s a horrible fucking idea,” growled Uriel.

“My intention isn’t to put myself in harm’s way,” I said. “I know that I’m no warrior or fighter. But what I do know is Vladek. Better than any of you in this room.”

A silence fell that crackled with tension. Mostly emanating from Uriel. I went on to state my case.

“If Uriel goes into his fortress alone, then Vladek will put the full force of his men on him immediately and Uriel will be caught. Our plan ruined.”

“So why don’t we just all go in together?” said Xander. “If we all go in as one, then—”

“Then there’s a good chance Vladek will slip away,” interjected Kat. “Demon princes prize their survival above all else.” George and Kat shared a knowing look that made me wonder.

“Exactly,” I said. “And if Vladek has the chance to run away this time, you’ll lose yet another opportunity to be rid of him once and for all. We can’t go on chasing him blindly. I know what he wants more than anything.” Swallowing against the fear of saying it aloud, I blew out a shaky breath. “Me.”

“I’m still not following the plan,” said George. “While I respect your bravery, we don’t want you to sacrifice yourself.”

“That’s not my plan,” I added patiently. “Trust me when I tell you that Vladek will fight Uriel when he challenges him to. And when I’m there to add fuel to the fire. Vladek’s ego is beyond any tragic Greek hero. His hubris will doom him.”

“He would be the villain actually, baby,” said Dommiel. “Not the hero.”

Anya stood. “She’s right. I think our best chance is using her as bait. It’ll allow Uriel to get his chance to kill him on the arena floor. And less chance for him to get away in the chaos we’ll bring shortly after.”

Dommiel slapped her on the ass. “Yeah, baby. We’re definitely bringing chaos.”

I almost laughed at his sudden interest in Anya’s backside and his completely uncouth manners in the middle of the other growly, frowning men.

“I agree,” added Carowyn. “With Kat.”

She arched a brow at Dommiel the way my grandmother used to do to me when I’d said something inappropriate. Dommiel just grinned and winked at her. Carowyn walked over to me, holding out a belt and sheath. She pulled out a black-hilted dagger, small but very sharp.

“I made this for you. I know you said you’re not a fighter. But you’ll know where to stick this if you get into trouble.”

“Aim for the eyes or the throat,” said Kat. “And if all else fails, knee him in the balls.”

Dommiel winced. “So glad I never had to tangle with you.”

“You should be,” she assured him with confidence, her blonde ponytail sliding over her shoulder.

“We’ll be there, too, sweetheart,” said Dommiel more seriously, standing next to Anya and weaving the fingers of his black mechanical hand into hers. “Carowyn and I. We’ll be there the whole time with you.”

“Right.” Carowyn smiled. “You may not see us, but we’ll blend into the crowd before you even get there.”

“Good.” I exhaled a deep breath.

While that should’ve made us all feel better, it seemed the tension was mounting. This was going to happen. Battle plans were in place. Uriel was going to challenge Vladek into one-on-one combat. And I was going back to the place of my worst nightmares.

“That’s enough,” said Uriel, marching over and taking my hand. “We’ll see you all in Russia.”

No one responded as we walked in silence out of Thornton Hall. On the front lawn, human adults were playing with a group of children, a game of blindman’s bluff or something. Uriel had told me that George housed a large group of human resistance fighters, their families, and orphans here at his estate since it was heavily warded.

A few of them stopped and waved to Uriel as we passed. He nodded in response but kept marching us down the gravel drive toward the gate. The sight and sound of the children filled me with both joy and dread. It was a rare sound these days, but such a beautiful one. I wondered if there’d come a time when we’d no longer hear that sound at all. If it would fade into nonexistence.

No. I couldn’t allow that. And there was one way I could ensure that would never happen. By helping to kill Vladek. His kind of evil left unchecked would run rampant until only wickedness prevailed. This was the only way. Go into the devil’s den and kill him in his own house.

Once we crossed through the iron gates and beyond George’s wards, Uriel pulled me to a stop, sliding his arms around my waist. But he didn’t sift away at once.

“Are you sure?” he asked again for probably the hundredth time.

“I’m not changing my mind, Uriel. I’ll do what it takes to destroy him. It’s the only way to stop him from continuing to conquer and enslave others.” I clutched both my hands into his shirt at his waist. “You know this.”

“Besides, you’re stronger than he is. Smarter than he is. You’ll beat him.”

“You think I’m stronger and smarter?” I’d never seen Uriel wear a smirk, but he wore it very well. “What else?”

“More handsome. More wonderful. More…everything.”

“Thank you,” he murmured, pulling me close and wrapping me tight, pressing his lips to my temple. “The thought of him even looking at you makes me want to explode.”

“Right. So remember that he doesn’t expect me there. He doesn’t have the advantage of surprise that we will. Prepare for all those feelings because, trust me, I’ll be having some murderous thoughts of my own and will bury them to get the job done.” I pressed a kiss to the exposed skin at his neck. He shivered and squeezed me tight. “Throwing him off his guard will be how we win this.”

“Or, we could run away to a deserted island and live happily ever after.”

I laughed into his chest. “You’re joking.”

“Yes. I am.” Another brush of his lips to my temple. “It’s a pleasant thought, but he’d still be out there.”

“Exactly,” I whispered. “So, let’s go home and not think about it till we have to. Make me forget for a while, Uriel.”

“Yes, domina.”

With a crack, we sifted through the Void, the amorphous gray shapes spinning past us only amplifying my fear. Like watching ghosts cross a grave, I was afraid of what was to come. No matter how brave a face I put on for Uriel.