Duet in Blood (18 page)

The old creep was enjoying himself far too much.

Joseph moved so fast, I almost didn’t see it happen. One moment, my eyes were

fastened on him, as he stood, his chest heaving with exertion and emotion, the next instant he had Angelo by the throat, choking the life out of him. I’d had a clue that vampires are way faster and stronger than human beings, but just how fast and strong, I was now getting a firsthand demonstration. Angelo kicked and twisted in Joseph’s grasp, but try as he might, he could not free himself from the hands that slowly but surely throttled him.

Gragon turned from his attempt to kill Marcus, waved his arms about and shouted

something in a guttural language. Joseph froze and dropped Angelo. The demon sprawled DUET IN BLOOD

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on the ground, gasping and spluttering, his hand about his throat. Another wave of Gragon’s arms and Joseph was flung backward then slammed against the wall with a sickening thud.

Oh no
, I thought,
you don’t get to hurt Joseph
. Now, I’m not the bravest queen around, but my man needed me to do something, so I did. In two strides, I was on top of the old fuck, laying into him with both fists. I found out later that Joseph’s blood had given me a bit more zing to my bitch slaps than usual, and one caught the old geezer right on the mouth, just as he was about to zap me with some magical curse. He spat out brown blood along with two nasty black teeth—Jeez!

He let out a howl of rage and pushed me off him, jumping to his feet and waving his arms around like a demented windmill. Whatever dark magic he was about to conjure up was abruptly halted as a sliver of steel flew through the air, missed my nose by about one inch and embedded itself in old Gragon’s chest. He gave a noise like, ‘Erk’, and stumbled backwards into his death ray machine, knocking it onto the ground. Angelo staggered to his feet, staring first at Gragon’s inert body, then at the man who had thrown the sword with such accuracy.

“Marcus Lucius Verano,” he hissed—literally hissed. “So, you will try to destroy me again, but again you will fail.”

Marcus stepped into the room, followed by Roger and Jean-Claude. They all looked a bit battle weary, but Roger managed to give me a little wave. How in hell had he gotten here so quickly? Joseph heaved himself to his feet and put his arm around my shoulder to steady himself. “Thank you,” he whispered in my ear, the touch of his lips making me shiver.

All of us watched Marcus as he moved closer to Angelo. “All your followers are beaten, Angelo. Most of them are dead, some have surrendered. By your actions, you have

condemned yourself to death.” He took him by the arm and led him to the edge of the parapet. “See down there, Angelo? Your executioners await you.”

I peeked over the top of the parapet at the pale, upturned faces of the vampires who waited below and my blood ran cold. Then I jumped out of my skin as Angelo screamed at the top of his voice and tore his arm from Marcus’ grasp.

“Fools, you think I am beaten? I have only to summon my allies, and you will all die!”

“Then summon them,” Marcus said, his voice cool and calm. “Summon the Dark Forces Angelo, if you dare.”

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“Oh, I dare, Marcus. Gragon parleyed with them and secured their allegiance!”

“Their allegiance?” Marcus looked round at us with a wry smile.

“Who’re the Dark Forces?” I asked Joseph in a whisper.

“I think you’re about to find out,” he replied, holding me close.

Angelo stared at Marcus with an arrogant expression, yet there was a flicker of

uncertainty in his eyes.

“Go on then, Angelo,” Marcus murmured. “Summon your allies.”

I didn’t know what the Dark Forces were, but I had a pretty good idea that they were not going to be a lot of fun if they showed up. Angelo presumably knew what they were, and Marcus’ seeming nonchalance should have tipped him off that all was not as it should be. But I guess these guys think they are totally unstoppable so…Angelo raised his arms high above his head and screeched something in an unintelligible jumble of words. He stood like that for what seemed an eternity, while we waited…and waited…

Nothing happened. Angelo dropped his arms to his sides, the deflated look on his face a picture I would not forget for a long time.

“The Dark Forces will not come to your aid, Angelo,” Marcus said, quietly. “Joseph informed me of Gragon’s meeting with them, and I went to them with a similar request—one that would countermand Gragon’s. I asked them to take no part in our conflict—and they agreed.”

“You would not dare,” Angelo snarled at him. “Only Gragon had the power to face the Dark Forces.”

“Nevertheless, what I say is true.” Marcus smiled sadly at his enemy. “Now, Angelo, it is time.” He stiffened suddenly and looked around the room, as if he sensed something—

something sinister and dangerous. The air grew cold about us, and the room began to shake.

I clutched at Joseph as the shaking became violent, and I had difficulty in keeping my balance.

“They are here!” Angelo screamed in triumph. “They are here. They have not forsaken me!”

“Oh shit,” Roger said.

My sentiments exactly…

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Marcus stepped away from Angelo, spreading his arms as though he was protecting the rest of us. I liked that. Roger moved to his side.
Oh my God
, I thought. He thinks we’re going to die. I looked at Jean-Claude. Was he thinking of Ron? His dark blue gaze met mine, and he smiled at me and nodded. I tightened my arms around Joseph and started to pray.

The cold air permeating everything seemed to vibrate with an energy that filled the room. The shaking stopped, and a silence I could almost feel descended on the room.

Evil…that’s what I felt—Evil seeping through the walls, crawling across the floor, brushing against me, touching my bare skin. I shivered with revulsion and wanted to whimper.

Fortunately, I didn’t.

“Be brave,” Joseph whispered, knowing I was scared to death. “They feed on the fear of others…”

All eyes were fixed on Angelo as he sneered at us with open contempt. “Now, the reckoning is here, Marcus. Now I will be avenged for your murderous acts. For all you took from me. And you, Joseph…I will ask that they deal with you as they would their vilest enemy. Your pain and torment will never end.”

Oh, I really wanted to kill him now.

Two dark forms took shape, one on either side of Angelo. They appeared like wraiths, ghostly figures that writhed and twisted like the smoke from a guttering candle.

Angelo’s arrogant smile got even bigger as he felt the power that poured from these

‘things’. He looked from one to the other, baring his teeth as he barked out the order, “Kill them!”

I closed my eyes and held Joseph tight, waiting for the end to come. Strange the nutty things you think of, as you’re about to go out. I remember thinking, what a pity Mom had never had the chance to meet Joseph. My eyes flew wide open at the sound of the screaming.

It wasn’t coming from any of us. It was Angelo! If I lived to be a hundred, I would never forget the sight that met my bugged-out eyes.

Angelo was being lifted into the air by the two wraiths. They held him by his arms and, oh Jesus, they were slowly pulling him apart. His screaming reached a hundred and fifty on the Richter scale of screams. Great gouts of dark brown blood spurted from his chest as it split open. I gagged and closed my eyes again, unable to watch him being torn apart. The DUET IN BLOOD

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screaming stopped, and I heard what sounded like a heavy wet sack being dropped onto the floor.

A voice, unlike anything I had ever heard, beyond sinister, much more than spine chilling, slithered into our ears.

“Be warned,” it said. “Beware of challenging the Dark Forces, Marcus. We may not be as charitable the next time.”

Then they were gone, and with them, the cold and the feeling of dread they had

brought to this place.

“Charitable!” Roger said, with disgust. “They must be kidding!”

I started to laugh, then I remembered what was lying a few feet away and sobered up rapidly. I didn’t want to look at what was left of Angelo, but Roger went over and kicked at it.

“Serves you right,” he said, his hands on his hips. “Don’t monkey with my friends.”

“Roger.” Marcus took him by the arm and led him away from the carcass. “Let’s get out of here, shall we? We still have to inspect the damage downstairs.”

“Roger, how did you get here so fast?” I asked as we ran down the long, stone staircase.

“I flew of course,” he replied, then just as I was wondering how he could have got a flight that quickly, he added, “I’m just sorry I couldn’t carry Ron, Jean-Claude. I’m not that strong, yet.”

Jean-Claude patted his arm. “I am very glad you did not bring him. There are still some things I wish to protect him from.” He frowned. “I think you might find that Marcus was none too pleased by your arrival.”

I gaped at Roger. “You mean, you flew…
you flew
.”

He grinned at me. “Yes, Micah. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”

Somehow, I doubted that.

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Being the only mortal human in a big room filled with vampires isn’t something you’re going to forget in a hurry. It was obvious from the moment I walked in at Joseph’s side that they knew I was not one of them. True, these guys were pals of Marcus and Joseph’s, and as such were all very friendly towards me. Still, to think that every one of them was a lethal fighting machine, ten times stronger and faster than any man, well, as the saying goes, it gave me pause. There were about forty of them, men and women, all of them young and vibrant, although, after Joseph’s revelation, I guessed the average age was probably six or seven hundred, give or take a century or two.

Joseph chuckled beside me. Of course, he knew what I was thinking. Man, that would also take some getting used to.

“Friends…” Marcus stepped forward to address them. “Gragon and Angelo are both

dead. For that we can thank the bravery of our brother, Joseph, and his mortal lover, Micah.”

A murmur of approval rippled through the crowd, and Joseph squeezed my hand.

Roger winked at me. I looked suitably modest.

“The power of the Wizard Brotherhood no longer exists,” Marcus continued. “Gragon summoned the aid of the Dark Forces, but as we all know, and it was reinforced again today—the Dark Forces can never be trusted. They agreed with me not to intervene in this battle. They lied, but fortunately for us, their treachery was to our benefit. So, dear friends, I thank you for allying yourselves with us and for helping to free Joseph from his old enemies.”

One of the vampires, a hunky blond who could have been a Ralph Lauren fragrance

model, stepped forward. “What shall we do with the few wizards who survived?” he asked Marcus, who shrugged his wide shoulders and looked over at the cowering cowards.

“Without Gragon they are virtually powerless,” he said. “But as we know, evil breeds more evil. Do with them as you see fit.”

I gulped.
Goodbye, wizards.

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“The machine Gragon invented must be destroyed,” Marcus said, “along with the

formula for the simulated light. That cannot fall into the wrong hands. Find out from the survivors where it is hidden.” He beckoned the Ralph Lauren model over. “Andre, how many of our people died in the conflict?”

“I counted five,” Andre replied with sadness. “But Joseph’s quick action stopped the light beam from burning too many of us. One or two have superficial burns that are already healing.”

Joseph took my arm and led me away from the rest of them. We walked outside into the shadowed courtyard, lit faintly by a crescent moon.

“I must get you back to LA before you are missed,” he said, lightly kissing my lips.

“Where are we, exactly?” I asked, holding him to me.

“About fifty miles south of Paris.”

“So near,” I murmured. “And yet, so far.”

He nibbled my earlobe. “What are you saying?”

“That I’d like to see Paris…with you.”

“It is a wondrous time of year…the autumn leaves, the longer nights, the lights on the Champs Elysees, the riverboats on the Seine, the longer nights.”

“I could call in sick.”

“You do look a little pale.”

“Would you take me to Paris, Joseph?”

“In a heartbeat but perhaps, first, we should find our clothes. The night air will prove a little chilly.”

I laughed. Of course, I had forgotten we were both practically naked. The flimsy tunics we’d been forced to wear were torn to shreds, first by our passion for one another, then in the melee that had followed.

“I’m surprised Roger didn’t come up with some smart remark about these outfits,” I said, chuckling.

“Give him a moment.”

He took my hand, and we began to walk back towards the castle entrance—then, it

happened. I stiffened as I felt the approach of something neither of us could have foreseen.

“What’s wrong?” Joseph asked as my hand tightened on his.

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“I don’t know,” I whispered. “Something—”

From out of the darkness came the sound of laughter that chilled my blood. Joseph froze then stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body.

“Who’s there?” he snapped.

A figure, tall and menacing appeared out of the shadows.

“Angelo...”

Wait a minute...we just saw him being torn in two.

His face was an unreadable mask of complacency as he stared at us both. “I told you we had allied ourselves with the Dark Forces,” he said, gloating at our stunned expressions.

“But they killed you,” Joseph murmured. I could practically hear his mind questioning what he was now seeing. “Or was that an illusion?”