nine

Dalghizar stood overlooking Jólfrson Castle, his lips tight with anger. This place had been built as a haven, crafted by Tegan’s own sweat and blood after his first wife had died. Dal had come along not a decade after. He’d been a child, barely more than eight winters old but already carrying a devastating anger. He’d come into this world watching his mother get ripped apart by their own clan. They had fallen upon her like savages, biting and clawing, as she’d struggled to give birth to his twin.

Dalghizar might have been too young to remember the details of what he’d seen, but the screams had always stayed with him. The cries of his mother. The pathetic wails of his sister. The laughter of the attackers as they’d delivered what they’d called justice.

The only reason Dal had survived that night was because everyone had thought there was only to be one babe. No one had suspected that his mother had given birth mere minutes before they’d caught up to her. No one had thought to check the surrounding woods. Otherwise they would have found a newborn babe held tightly in the arms of another traitor.

Some might have called his survival lucky, but Dal wasn’t one of them. Lucky would have been if he’d died that night. If he’d never known all the horrors the world had to offer.

Lost in the darkness, Jólfrson Castle had been his only haven – as it had been Tegan’s and Phoebe’s and the half dozen other wards that had called it home. But now it was tainted, marred by a stain no amount of scrubbing could remove.

When he found whoever was responsible, Dalghizar was going to take them on a little vacation.

Smiling at the thought of a little me time, the vampire phased into Lylel’s Castle. He picked up the assassins he’d left there, noting that they weren’t reeking of terror. It seemed Lylel hadn’t felt the urge to silence whatever secrets they had to spill either by way of threat or death. Rather, he had taken the liberty of binding their hands. The golden chains barred them from escaping in their shadow forms.

“It would please me to speak with you when you are done.” The king’s tone was soft, but the underlying demand was as rigid as stone. And although Dal wasn’t one of his subjects, he could no more deny Lylel’s summoning than his mother had denied her fate.

With cool eyes, Dalghizar met the king’s gaze.

“I wouldn’t wait up.” Smiling, he phased.

As he materialized inside the staff’s kitchen, Dal inhaled deeply. Terror hung in the air, but beneath that was the smallest drop of nervous exhilaration. It was a sweet scent, one that made him smile.

Like the lion does the lamb, Dalghizar surveyed the six men and women before him. Five were standing, their faces strained, their hearts beating wildly. The last one was curled up on the floor in front of them, his hands and feet bound. Blood coated his face. One of his eyes was swollen shut and the rest of him wasn’t much better off.

Dalghizar’s smile widened. The staff flinched.

“What is this?” He looked pointedly at Ryze.

“Parius…Parius found him trying to escape,” Surela said, her voice wavering. She was the head chef and had every right to be afraid. No one was hired without a staff member vouching for them. Surela had dug her own grave when she’d recommended the traitor before them.

Dalghizar nodded thoughtfully. He walked over to the sink. Grabbing a hand towel, he placed it under the tap. He could sense the tension rising behind him. The terror. The exhilaration. It was the exhilaration that interested him the most. Was it in the air because they were relieved he wouldn’t have to use his own methods to find the traitor? Or because someone thought they were getting away unscathed while their scapegoat laid bound and gagged before them?

The towel adequately soaked, Dalghizar made his way back to Ryze. Even with all the pain he was already in, the man still found the fear with which to flinch.

“Is that true?” Dal murmured as he lowered himself down. He reached out with the towel, carefully dotting the man’s face. “Did Parius find you trying to flee?”

Ryze shook uncontrollably.

“Do we not pay you well?” Dal asked as he cleaned the blood off Ryze’s forehead. “Treat you well?” He dabbed at the man’s cheek, careful of the gash there. “Do we not look after your family, offer our protection with no questions asked?”

Ryze whimpered as the towel dipped to his mouth. He wasn’t a fool. He knew what was coming.

“I do apologize for any discomfort.” Suddenly, Dal shoved the towel deep down Ryze’s throat.

The man thrashed, his head snapping back as he tried to escape. His one open eye rolled up with terror and pain. It pleaded with Dal for the half second it took him to realize that there wasn’t any point. Devils weren’t known for their mercy.

Never taking his eyes off his prey, Dalghizer breathed in slowly. The exhilaration should have vanquished. In the face of their friend’s torture, terror and guilt should have smothered all else. And yet the exhilaration was only getting stronger.

Wanting to be certain, Dal looked at the two assassins behind him. Their eyes were full of defiance. Their chins did not waver in the slightest.

Chuckling, Dal turned back to Ryze. He pulled the towel out of his mouth. Waited patiently as he sucked in great big gulps of air.

“We’re going to go on a little vacation, you and I.” He wiped up the drool on Ryze’s lips. “Is there anywhere in particular you would like to go?” He leaned back with a warm smile. “Noulfera Falls perhaps? Or the Temples of Hondu? I hear their flowers are blooming at this time of year.”

Ryze shuddered as he released his first wail.

The exhilaration increased.

Dal smiled wider.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said. “You think about it while I deal with these two.”

Walking over to the assassins, Dalghizar hauled the woman to her feet. He yanked her neck to his face and breathed in deep. There was defiance, terror, and that blasted exhilaration.

Gently, Dal brushed her hair out of her face. “You came into my home uninvited,” he murmured. “Now I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

Before she could reply, he tore her head from her shoulders. Her body crumpled at his feet. Turning her head to face him, Dalghizar closed her eyes. Then he tossed it at Surela. She knew better than to let it fall despite her clear desire not to touch it. Perhaps he would let her live after all.

“Clean up the mess. I’ll be back for dinner.”

Grabbing Ryze by the foot and the male assassin by the neck, Dalghizar phased.

He landed inside the Temples of Hondu. It was a place of ruins, having long been lost to nature. Trees grew out of the stonework. Flowers blossomed through the tiled floors. A flock of galligos, bright blue birds with yellow breasts, took flight in a rush of wings.

“Isn’t it beautiful here?” he murmured as he tilted his face to the sunlight peeking through the trees. Turning to Ryze, he frowned. “You’re not wishing we’re at Noulfera Falls, are you? Because I –”

“You’ll never get me to talk,” the assassin sneered.

Dalghizar gripped the man’s chin with crushing force. “Weren’t you taught that it’s rude to interrupt someone?” Increasing his pressure, he forced the shadow walker’s mouth open. “And because I’m feeling merciful today, I’ll spell something out for you.”

He reached into the man’s mouth and gripped his tongue. “I.”

Claws extended from his fingers, giving him a nice grip. “Don’t.”

“Care.” With a sudden jerk, Dal pulled out the flap of pink flesh. Blood spurted everywhere. The assassin’s eyes bulged. Dalghizar’s lit up with mockery. Dropping the tongue on the ground, he then grabbed the shadow walker by the throat and phased to the top of a tree.

“Your worth to me isn’t what you spill.” He racked a claw across the man’s stomach. “It’s the message you send back to your boss.” Reaching in, he pulled out the intestines.

The man screamed, blood spitting from his mouth. Dal ignored his pathetic attempt to wrestle free. Methodically, the vampire wrapped the intestines around the base of the tree. With twenty-five feet to work with, he had more than enough to bind his prey properly.

“Never say I wasn’t merciful.” Shoving his hand back through the open wound, Dalghizar grabbed his heart. He locked eyes as he ripped it free, watched as the last of his life dwindled away.

Reaching forward, he dropped the man’s heart in his lap. After a moment’s hesitation, he closed the assassin’s eyes. Then phasing to the other side of the tree, Dal removed the golden chains and dropped to the ground.

Ryze watched him in the terrible silence. His one good eye tracked the vampire as he advanced. Wide and red, it was full of terror.

“I do apologize for the pain.”

Walking behind Ryze, he neatly cut through the ropes binding him. The man looked at him in shock as Dal bit into his own wrist and held it out to him.

“Drink. It will heal your wounds.”

“But –”

“You would rather keep them?”

Ryze swallowed. He was still nervous, still afraid. “I failed you. I vouched for him.”

Dal inclined his head in agreement. “That you did, but we all make mistakes. The important part is that you tried to fix it. Parius has what, sixty years on you?”

“Something like that.”

“And yet you fought hard enough that he was forced to stay behind.” Dal’s voice turned gentle. “I have never questioned your loyalty, Ryze.” His brows furrowed. “I only ask for your forgiveness.”

His friend looked at him with an understanding that cut to his heart. “You have it as you’ve always had.”

Dal smiled despite the guilt raging inside him. No amount of forgiveness would make him feel any better about the things he’d done. He had been labeled as a monster before his birth. As he’d grown he’d only taken that title to heart. The man in the trees was testament to that.

But now wasn’t the time to listen to his demons.

Thrusting his wrist again, Dalghizar ordered, “Now drink. Please.”

 

It had taken Parius thirty-six minutes before he could come up with an excuse to hurry away. That bitch Surela had kept him busy in the kitchen, fetching this and mixing that. For two years, he’d been slaving away at this castle, forcing a smile every time Dalghizar had greeted him. It had been hard to hide his emotions all this time, but it had finally paid off. The bastard didn’t suspect him at all.

Lips curling with distaste, Parius spat on the ground as if to rid himself of something vile.

Of course, today would have been much better if the assassins had actually succeeded in their mission. They had assured him they could kidnap one measly woman before Dal ever knew she was in danger. Parius had given them a whole year’s salary for that guarantee and the bastards had failed him.

Now there was no getting around it. He would have to save up until he could afford an Amazon. He couldn’t risk being here during another attack without drawing suspicion. He would have to –

“Hello, Parius.”

Dalghizar phased in front of him. His golden eyes were hard with the promise of pain. The blood dripping from his face and hands made him look like the devil he was. Dalghizar might have fooled everyone into believing he was a vampire, but Parius knew the truth. He was a monstrosity that deserved to die.

Reaching into the folds of his robes, Parius grabbed a special weapon. It was a mixture of sunlight and silver, housed in a container that would allow him to aim its spray. His fingers had barely brushed the weapon when his body exploded in pain.

Dalghizar had him pinned to a wall. The arm Parius had slipped into his robes now dangled uselessly at his side. Bones stuck out in multiple places. His hand was barely attached, over half of his wrist having been torn open by unnatural claws.

Parius’ heart beat wildly as Dalghizar dug into his robes.

“You’re a monster! A monstrosity! You never should have been born!” Parius swung at him with his one good arm. His fervor died when Dal didn’t bother to dodge. He was consumed by fear when Dalghizar didn’t so much as flinch at the power behind his fist.

“The gods will strike you down.” His voice wavered, full of terror and desperation.

“I do not doubt it.” Smiling, Dalghizar pulled out the magical concoction. “Now what is this devilish little thing?”

Parius tried to hide his pleasure when Dal aimed it at him and placed a finger on the trigger. Vampires already had a keen sense of smell, but Dalghizar’s ability was ten times stronger. He could smell emotions from twenty feet away. This close and he might be able to detect them before Parius even realized he was feeling them. It was an unnatural thing and solid proof that Dal shouldn’t be alive.

“Silver and sunlight,” Dalghizar murmured. His voice was light, but Parius would be foolish to take comfort in that. “Now this is something I haven’t come across in centuries.”

Smiling, Dal turned the device around so it pointed at his own face. “Did you know that this mixture is like catnip to us?”

Frozen in shock and horror, Parius couldn’t find his words.

“I must thank you for bringing it to me.”

Without any hesitation, Dalghizar pulled the trigger. A cloud of silvery mist, bright and hot erupted between them. As Dal laughed in merriment, Parius’ last tendril of hope died a brutal death.

His breaths came out rapidly as he struggled to wrap his mind around the chain of events. The Order had assured him the only way to harm Dal’s kind was with an equal mixture of sunlight and silver. Sunlight to weaken the vampire side of him. Silver for the werewolf side. This shouldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be happening.

“No,” Parius protested. “No!”

Dalghizar yanked him forward. Their noses almost touching, he sneered, “Oh, yes. Now what do you say we take a little vacation?”