Chapter 20

I gasped awake, the sharp pain in my sternum lingering. Three faces hovered over me—Ladinas with his stern brow furrowed, Ramon’s dark eyes full of concern, and Sebastian… Sebastian with his damn charming half-smile.

“Ex number one, ex number two, and the new guy,” I croaked. “What a way to wake up.”

Ladinas scowled, his gaze flickering between Sebastian and me. “You’re the new guy?”

Sebastian bit his lip, an endearing tell that he was nervous. “We’re just friends.”

Ramon let out a sharp laugh. “Yeah right. The chemistry between you two is explosive.”

Sebastian shook his head, sandy hair falling over his eyes. “Maybe so, but you don’t mix acids and bases. Or vampires and humans.” His voice softened. “That shit never works out. Besides, I have a wife out there, somewhere. I’ll find her one day.”

I felt a pang in my unbeating heart. He was right, of course. I hadn’t even really considered any feelings I had for the sentinel until now. Things had been too hectic, but I found myself suddenly... disappointed... that it couldn’t be. But then again, why was I in any rush? I’d stay young and hot forever. Sebastian would grow old someday. Eventually, if we got together, everyone would think I was with him for his money. His car aside, Sebastian didn’t have shit. I doubted his bank account had over four figures. Maybe only three. If he even had a bank account.

Sebastian didn’t have much. But he was intriguing...

Still, I’d gone after Ladinas when he still had feelings for Alice. So long as Sebastian believed his wife was out there and alive, trying to pursue the man was foolish. Vampire-human complications aside. I wasn’t about to put myself through that shit again.

If I fell for anyone else, ever again, he’d have to bend over backwards to prove that his world revolved around me. I would not be the backup, the second-choice, the girl anyone settled for. I deserved better than that.

But I’d be damned if I didn’t feel the pull towards him—as if he had his own kind of magic. I sighed, pushing myself up from the cold ground. We had more important things to deal with right now than my love life. Or lack thereof.

I cleared my throat, drawing the attention of the three men hovering over me.

“None of that shit is important,” I said firmly. “I have a plan, and I need you all to play along. Just trust me, alright? I can’t let anyone know for sure what’s going on.”

Ladinas narrowed his eyes, clearly annoyed by my cryptic statement. “And why is that, Mercy? Why can’t you share this so-called plan with us?”

Before I could respond, Sebastian rose to his feet, having finished securing his sharpened silver blade back to his gauntlet.

“Isn’t it obvious?” he said. “We know Oblivion divided himself and possessed multiple vampires. He could be inside any of you right now. Mercy can’t risk revealing the full plan because it might get back to Oblivion.”

Sebastian met my gaze, smiled a little, and nodded. “We’ll support you no matter what happens. Right, everyone?”

Ladinas scowled, but gave a curt nod. Ramon murmured his agreement as well.

Donnie snapped to attention and gave Sebastian a salute. “Aye aye, captain!”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at his antics. “So you’re a pirate now?”

“Psh, no way,” Donnie scoffed, dropping the salute. “Pirates are lame. Ninjas are where it’s at! They have real ultimate power!”

“Whatever you say,” I said with an amused shake of my head. “Muggs, teleport us back to Adam. We’re going to confront Oblivion head-on. Just get me close enough to Adam so I can let him know what I need him to do.”

Muggs rubbed his hands together eagerly, his blank eyes wide and glinting. Then he spun his staff overhead. “All aboard the Muggs express! Hold on tight!”

A swirling green vortex materialized in the air before us. Sebastian, Donnie, Ramon, Clarissa and I hopped inside. We tumbled out the other end directly into utter chaos.

Youngling vampires were everywhere, taunting and harassing the Redcaps surrounding Adam. I shoved my way through, making a beeline for the teenaged-looking boy. When I reached him, I grabbed his arm and pulled him close so I could whisper urgently in his ear.

“When the dragons unite, I need you to pop the dimensions apart and trap them in a pocket dimension—like a faerie prison. Can you do that?”

Adam met my gaze and gave a single nod. I knew I could count on him. Now we just had to get Oblivion to take the bait.

I broke away from Adam and strode back out into the open, my friends forming a protective barrier around me.

“Oblivion!” I shouted, my voice ringing out clearly. “Show yourself, you wily bastard!”

A dark shadow swooped down from the sky, massive wings spread wide. Oblivion landed with an earth-shaking crash, his clawed feet gouging furrows in the earth. He folded his leathery wings and glared at me with glowing red eyes.

“Have you reconsidered, my love?” he purred.

“No,” I said flatly. “But I’ve brought you something.”

I took a deep breath and yelled with all my might. “Caladbolg!”

A massive shape took form in front of me. Scales glinted, claws flexed, wings unfurled—it was Caladbolg in his true draconic form. But only I knew it was only a part of him. The rest of him still lingered inside of me.

Oblivion rolled his eyes contemptuously. “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy. You’ve got me! You’re going to trap us. You finally outsmarted me.” His tone dripped with sarcasm.

But I could see the gleam of greed in his expression. He was taking the bait. He couldn’t resist sending a big part of himself to a prison dimension if it meant taking all of Caladbolg with him. That would leave us with no means to beat him on earth at all. Of course he’d jump at the chance.

Oblivion willingly allowed himself to merge with Caladbolg, thinking he could overpower and imprison his brother while leaving part of himself back on earth unchallenged.

It was time to spring the trap. I caught Adam’s eye and shouted, “Now!”

Oblivion’s head snapped around, his eyes going wide with shock. He was just starting to realize this wasn’t all of Caladbolg after all.

As Adam worked his magic and space began to warp and bend around us, I flashed Oblivion my middle finger.

“That’s right, you son of a bitch,” I snarled. “You divided yourself up too many damn times. But your brother only split himself twice. Just enough to kick your ass in prison… where he’ll be your new daddy.”

Oblivion let out an enraged roar as the pocket dimension closed around him.

“You’ll never control me!” he shouted. “I’ll be back! My essence will spread!”

I barked out a harsh laugh. “Yeah, yeah. Hope is always a good thing to hold on to in prison, tough guy. But don’t worry—we’ve got a plan for that, too.”

With a deafening crack, the portal snapped shut. The younglings and Oblivion were gone. The younglings back in Providence with Ladinas, Alice, and the rest of the team, where they were before Adam brought them to Maine.

It was finally over—sort of. I allowed myself a small smile of satisfaction before turning to my companions. We still had work to do.

I grabbed Sebastian, Donnie, Ramon, Clarissa, and Muggs. “We’ve got one last thing to take care of,” I said grimly.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “And what might that be?”

In response, I held out my hands and shouted, “Caladbolg!” A slender rapier-like blade materialized there in a flash of light. I hefted it, feeling its comfortable weight.

Sebastian laughed. “You still have him!”

“For now,” I smirked. “The rest of Oblivion is still inside the wolves. Divided up among all the packs. If I stab the alpha of alphas with this baby, Caladbolg’s power will keep that bastard under control for good.”

Sebastian let out an impressed whistle. “Damn. Using the wolves’ structure of dominance against the dragon bastard. That’s one hell of a plan.”

I flashed him a wicked grin. “What can I say? I didn’t get it from hell. I got it from Heaven.”