| |
“The bank? You hid a priceless talisman in a bank run by humans?” Lucien sneered.
“Would you have thought of looking here?” Taryn replied.
Lucien had one of his flunkies wait with Mackenzie while he went into the bank with Taryn.
Mackenzie didn’t know what Taryn’s plan was but it had better be a good one. The flunky was a fledgling Duke. He kept a tight grip on her arm. They waited outside near the entrance to the bank.
She considered screaming for help but the demon would most likely kill anyone who tried to intervene, followed shortly by her. There weren’t very many people around anyway. A woman passed by with her children. She couldn’t call out and risk someone’s life.
“Keep still, you little bitch,” he hissed.
She hated being called a bitch. She kicked him in the shin, and then slammed the palm of her hand into his nose. Her wrist cracked. The demon wiped a trickle of blood from his nose and grinned at her.
“Is that the best you’ve got?” he asked.
“No, that was just a distraction,” she replied.
Too late, he tried to turn but Sebastian stabbed him in the base of the neck with an iron knife. He moved the body into an alcove and hid it behind potted plants.
Mackenzie checked to see if anyone had witnessed it. No one was looking in their direction but it wouldn’t be long before someone spotted the body.
“You saved me,” Mackenzie said, still unable to process what had just happened. Even though she knew what he was, it almost felt for a moment that she had a loving father that would go to any lengths to rescue his beloved daughter. The warm fuzzies didn’t last long.
“Let’s go,” Sebastian said, ignoring her.
“No, we have to get Taryn first.”
“Leave him; we need to go before someone sees.”
“No,” she said.
“If you try to help, Lucien Duke will kill you. Come with me now,” he ordered. Her feet moved after him. Sebastian had his red pickup truck parked nearby.
He bundled her into the truck.
“Where’s the talisman?” she asked, when he got in.
“I have it,” he patted the breast pocket of his shirt. Mackenzie reached into his pocket and snatched it.
“Hey,” he yelled. She was out of the truck and running. She pressed her hands over her ears so she wouldn’t hear any commands.
Taryn came running out of the bank and they almost collided.
“This way,” Taryn grabbed her arm. They ducked off the street into an alley and kept running.
“How did you ditch Lucien?” she panted.
“Told the guard he had a bomb strapped to him.”
They turned a corner to find Sebastian parked at the curb.
“Get in,” he barked.
“Kenzie, no,” Taryn said, but she was already climbing in the truck. He had no choice but to get in too.
“Before you ask we’re not giving you the talisman,” Taryn said, “And don’t even try that mind control crap on me. I’m immune.”
He said it with such confidence that Mackenzie almost believed him.
Sebastian gripped the wheel tightly, “I won’t help you do this.”
“We don’t need you to. I know the ritual.”
“Cray sharing family secrets?”
“The talisman doesn’t belong to the Kings. You just found it first.”
“My ancestors forged it. It belongs to a King.”
“It’s going to a King. Drop us off anywhere here.”
“No. If you’re going through with this I’m making sure it’s done properly.”
He drove back to Black’s house.
He wanted to go over the spell with Taryn. Mackenzie couldn’t settle so she kept watch at the window, even though no one could get through Sebastian’s spells.
“We’re going to do the spell in the old cemetery in a few hours,” Taryn told her.
“He’s not going to go along with this, you know that?”
“I know.”
The hours ticked by slowly. Sebastian and Taryn only communicated over the spell; otherwise, they kept their distance from each other. They were both on their guard waiting for the other to make a move.
Mackenzie kept staring at her father. She didn’t know what to make of him. He definitely wasn’t what she expected, not that she had ever had any illusions of a huge tearful reunion but her mom always spoke about how kind he was.
He was more than a bitter old man on the surface. He was only interested in the talisman just like the rest of them. She just wanted this to be over.
“What do I need to do? For the spell?” she asked Sebastian.
“You say this incantation,” he handed her a sheet of paper. “We’ll do the rest.”
She took the paper and read the incantation a few times.
“It might not work,” Sebastian said.
“We have to try.”
“No, I mean I don’t know what it will do to you. You’re not full demon, it could kill you.”
“What? Did you know that?” she said to Taryn.
“It’s a possibility but if the spell is done right, you’ll be fine,” he replied.
“Well, I’m glad you’re so calm about my potential death,” she snapped.
“You’ll be fine.”
Now that she had that to worry about the hours flew.
They picked the cemetery because it had plenty of exits if they were ambushed. Divided in half by a low stone wall, the far side contained recent graves. The side they were now on was much older and most of the graves were overgrown, tombstones crumbling. Mackenzie glanced at a few dates, surprised to see they went back as far as the early 1800s.
Taryn laid out some herbs on the ground while Sebastian lit candles, while Mackenzie shivered in the cold air.
The sky was clear and out here in the dark, she could see thousands of stars. The moon’s edge was beginning to darken as the sun moved into position. The eclipse was starting.
A cold breeze whipped through the cemetery. A dog howled in the distance making her jump.
“Stand in the circle, Kenzie,” Taryn said.
She moved forward, the knot in her stomach growing by the minute. Sebastian held out his arm, blocking her path.
“I’m doing it,” he said.
“What are you talking about?” Taryn said.
“I’m performing the ritual. Once I have the power I’ll make sure the Dukes leave you alone.”
“No, I don’t trust you. Kenzie is doing the spell,” Taryn argued.
“Okay,” Mackenzie said.
“Kenzie...” Taryn said.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to do this. I never did.” He didn’t know what he was asking. She thought she could go through with it, but she couldn’t. If her dad was giving her an out, then she was going to take it.
Taryn turned away. He was pissed.
“It’s best for everyone,” Sebastian said. He stepped into the circle.
“Start the ritual,” he said to Taryn.
“Don’t do this Kenzie,” he said.
“I’m sorry.”
The eclipse was starting; he had to get the ritual done. Taryn began to read his part of the spell. He had the herbs ready and at the right moment Sebastian would add his blood and anoint the talisman.
Mackenzie stepped back, her leg bumping one of the tombstones. She glanced down at it and saw a blur moving fast on her right.
“Look out!” she cried, too late.
Lucien collided with Sebastian. He pitched forward, his head striking one of the tombstones. The talisman flew out of his hand. Mackenzie dived for it.
Lucien grabbed her by the hair and yanked her to her feet.
“I’ll be taking over from here. Keep reading or she dies.”
Mackenzie pulled away from him losing a handful of hair in the process. Taryn tackled him.
“Get in the circle,” Taryn yelled.
She looked at her father but he was out cold.
“Now Kenzie, we won’t get another chance,” Taryn said.
She got into the circle and picked up the incantation and began reading.
Taryn recited his part while trying to keep Lucien pinned to the ground. Mackenzie struggled a bit with the Latin but she tried to read it as best as she could. She really hoped it was right; she didn’t want to burst into flames if not.
She felt the talisman start to heat up in her hand but she held onto it tightly. Lucien was crawling towards her, reaching for the talisman. Taryn yanked him back.
“Keep going,” he said.
She kept reading. The eclipse was almost complete. The wind began to blow harder and harder. The sheet was ripped out of her hand and it blew away. It didn’t matter, she’d taken the time to memorize it while they waited for nightfall. Slicing open her palm, blood dripped the over the herbs. Rubbing the mixture over the talisman she completed the spell.
The talisman began to vibrate in her hand. It was almost too hot to hold. She gritted her teeth against the pain. The moon turned blood red and the vibration shot up her arm and through her whole body. She screamed as pain ripped through her. The chain on the talisman melted from the intense heat.
Taryn said the final words of his part of the spell and Mackenzie crumpled to the ground.