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MALACHI WAS ON EDGE when he got out of bed. Several nights had passed since he’d run into Jardine and he still hadn’t heard from her. Surely, she’d spoken to her allies by now and had mentioned that he wished to join the rebels. The fact that she hadn’t asked to meet with him meant they’d most likely decided not to let him in. If so, his hopes of being able to meet with Sebastian so he could kill him would slip through his fingers. That didn’t mean he was going to give up. He would keep searching the Vampire District until he located his target.
Sorcha knocked on his door just as he finished eating his dinner. He opened the door and she held her hand out. “Here,” the sorceress said and gave him several clear glass vials that were filled with puke colored liquid.
“What are they?” the incubus asked warily.
“They’re the potions you asked me to create,” Sorcha said. “They’ll mask your scent and any noise you make for a couple of hours before they’ll wear off.” She’d worked hard to tweak them until they did exactly what she wanted them to do. She’d tested them during the past couple of nights.
“You’re the best,” Malachi said with a grin. “I’ll try one out tonight when I scout the Vampire District.”
“How hard can it be to find an ancient, powerful master vampire?” she asked in exasperation.
“If he’s one of Lord Kreaton’s rivals like my source said, he’s probably going incognito,” Malachi figured.
“I guess so,” the sorceress said. “Good luck. Let me know as soon as you find him.”
“Will do,” he lied and avoided her eyes by tucking the potions into his pockets. She left and he wandered back to the table to see his dishes had been cleared away. He gulped down the remainder of his soda, then headed downstairs. A carriage stopped to pick him up a few blocks from his mansion and ferried him to the Vampire District.
He opened a vial and winced at the disgusting smell that wafted out. “Gross,” he complained softly. “Why do Sorcha’s potions always smell and taste so bad?” He braced himself, then drank the potion down in a few swallows. He had to clap his hand over his mouth so he didn’t bring it back up again. “That’s nasty!” he said, but the spell had already kicked in and he didn’t hear his own voice.
The carriage had stopped in one of the wealthy suburbs just like he’d asked, so he started his search. A letter zoomed towards him after an hour or so of stealthily sneaking around. He opened it to see it was from Jardine. She wanted to meet him in a warehouse on the other side of the District in an hour. There was no guarantee that he would be able to catch another carriage, so he took off running.
Malachi didn’t use much energy when he ran at a human pace. He deftly avoided the few bloodsuckers who were out searching for hapless victims. The pickings in their District were nonexistent. They were probably on their way to the Fae District.
He made it to the warehouse and found the beautiful master vampire waiting for him. She smiled when he entered the empty building. “You’re wearing the spell again,” she said when his feet made no noise and she couldn’t pick up his scent.
Malachi held his finger up as he felt the spell wearing off. “My colleague was able to make a potion that duplicates the spell,” he told her.
“Your colleague must be very talented,” Jardine said.
“Did you speak to the rebels?” the incubus asked. “Have they decided whether they’ll allow me to join their cause?”
“We have, indeed, mon amie,” someone said from right behind him.
He whirled around to see a man wearing a black cloak with the hood pulled up. He was a couple of inches taller than Malachi and power oozed from him. “Who are you?” the assassin asked.
“My name is Sebastian.”
It took everything Malachi had not to draw his silver dagger from its sheath at his waist and plunge it into the leech’s black heart. “Are you going to let me join your rebellion?” he asked, keeping his tone neutral from sheer force of will.
“Oui,” the bloodsucker said.
“I don’t know what that means,” Malachi said with a hint of annoyance.
“It means yes,” a breathtakingly familiar female voice said as three more people entered the warehouse, but remained in the shadows. The other two were men. One of them flicked his hand at Jardine and she became immobile.
“Eden?” Malachi whispered as the half-sister he thought was dead strode over to him.
“It’s me, little brother,” the succubus said.
He stared at her in disbelief, then lunged forward to wrap his arms around her. “I thought you were dead!” he said, squeezing her tightly as she patted his back soothingly. “Your apartment is empty and even your umbrellas are gone!”
“They moved to my new home, along with my clothes and a few other things,” she told him. They both had tears in their eyes, but they didn’t allow them to fall.
“This is all very touching,” one of the men said drolly. “But could we get on with this? I have business elsewhere tonight.”
“What the hell is going on?” Malachi demanded when he recognized the Demon Guild Master as the two men stepped forward. Raum was unmistakable in his immaculate black suit and scarlet tie.
“It’s a long story,” Eden said, glaring at the demon. “I was ordered to kill Sebastian, but decided not to.”
“He’s the leech you were shagging?” the incubus asked, hiking his thumb at the green-eyed man who loomed behind Eden almost protectively. His scent was the same one he’d smelled on her before she’d vanished.
“We weren’t shagging back then,” Eden said defensively.
“But they are now,” Raum added with a lecherous wink.
“We don’t have time for this,” the second man said. He wore a dark red cloak and was obviously a magic user. “We need to sever your link with the Immortal Triumvirate to free you from them.”
“Is that what they did to you?” Malachi asked his sister. “You’re free?”
“I’m free,” she confirmed. She had to swallow the lump that rose in her throat at the wild hope in his eyes.
“Do it,” Malachi said to the magic user.
“You haven’t heard our terms yet,” Sebastian said.
“What are your terms?” the assassin asked, growing wary now that his shock at seeing Eden still alive was wearing off.
“You can’t have any contact with any of your colleagues, or with the Immortal Triumvirate,” the master vampire said.
Malachi realized he wouldn’t be able to tell Sorcha his plans. He would disappear just like Eden had. “I agree,” he said reluctantly.
“You’ll have to find somewhere new to live,” Eden said. “You can stay with Sebastian and me, if you like.”
Malachi could tell his sister’s boyfriend wasn’t thrilled with that idea. “I don’t want to be a third wheel,” he said. “I’ll find somewhere safe to stay and hide from the Immortal Triumvirate.”
“Raum?” Kade said as he stepped closer to the assassin. The demon crossed to stand next to him as he delved into the handsome incubus’ mind. “Join your magic with mine,” the warlock requested. Deftly weaving a small amount of Raum’s demonic magic into his enchantment, he directed it at the spell. Like the spell that had been placed on Eden, it resisted him. He increased his power and he was able to dispel it.
Malachi felt something come loose in his mind, then a burden seemed to lift off his shoulders. “Is it done?” he asked shakily. “Am I free?”
“You’re free,” the magic user told him and clapped him on the shoulder. “Welcome to the rebellion.”
Malachi laughed, then picked Eden up and whirled her in a circle. “I’ll never have to kill anyone the Immortal Triumvirate orders me to ever again!”
“Oh, I’m sure there’s still plenty more killing to be done,” Raum said with a wicked grin. “We are embroiled in a war, you know.”
“I’ll kill if I have to,” Malachi said. “But only those who actually deserve it.”
“I need to go,” Kade said. He hadn’t been introduced to the former assassin, but introductions would be made once they knew they could trust him. Raum preceded him through the door, then he waited for Sebastian and Eden to leave. When they were gone, he pointed at the female master vampire to lift his enchantment from her.
Malachi made no move to leave. He wanted to speak to Jardine in private. The magic user removed the stasis spell he’d placed on her that had prevented her from seeing Sebastian’s allies. He teleported away, leaving the vampire and the incubus to chat.
