Page 148 of Kick the Candle (Knight Games 2)
I addressed the Nightmare within Kai's body. "She won't do it. If she wastes her first spell on you, the Book will extract a price on her that could make it impossible for her to perform her own spell. It could strike her dead like it did Monk or take her voice so she couldn't say the incantation. She would never risk her precious flesh to give you what you want."
"Shut her up!" Bathory growled. Naill was beside me in a split second, shoving a nasty stretch of rag into my mouth. Hmm. Maybe speaking up wasn't such a good idea.
Kai stepped into view, hooded eyes digging into Bathory. He did not look happy. The vampiress took a step back.
"Allow me to perform the immortality spell first. Once it is done, I can create a body for you without fear of provoking the book's wrath."
"Don't bullshit me, Anna," Kai said through clenched teeth. "Once you get what you want, you will never pay me my due. You must perform the embodiment spell first, as we agreed."
"Or what?" She laughed, low and breathy, in his face. "What are you going to do to me? Need I remind you that Naill's magic restricts who you can possess? No undead. My body is off limits. You knew when you agreed to our arrangement that you were at my mercy. Now be a good little wisp and wait for your queen to finish her business and maybe I'll throw you a bone."
The flush of red that washed over Kai's face made it clear he wasn't down with that plan. I could be mistaken but I think it was the "good little wisp" comment. Even I thought that was offensive.
"Without me possessing the nekomata clan leader, you'd never have gained the book. You owe me."
Bathory shrugged.
The nightmare snapped. I saw him go over the edge in Kai's body. The possessed nekomata hurled himself at Bathory who rolled backward, ass over tea cup, as Kai pummeled her with everything he had.
Upon seeing this, Naill got his miniature, probably golden, undies in a bunch. "My lady? My lady?" he blubbered, dancing around the skirmish.
"Call the others!" she demanded between clawing Kai's face and rolling on top of him. Big mistake. Kai shifted. With a series of blood curdling pops, his bottom jaw elongated into a long, toothy snout, and razor sharp claws extended from his knuckles. One swipe sent Bathory flying, blood pouring from her neck and chest. Kai's nekomata exploded out of the camel hair coat, a tawny haired whirling devil.
But Bathory wasn't born yesterday. Hell, she wasn't born last century. Her wounds healed themselves in seconds and she readied for his attack. Taking advantage of the same weakness I'd detected in the shifters, she waited until he was in a full out run, then leapt sideways, hitching onto the creature's mane and tossing a leg over its back. As her arms clamped around Kai's throat, he bucked wildly. Naill bounced and clapped near the fray like some pre-pubescent cheerleader.
I took the distraction as an opportunity to work on my bindings. By bending my knees, a feat only possible by pressing them together to the point of pain, I was able to slide my back down the rough stone and loosen the ropes. If I strained my neck, the tips of my fingers could reach the gag. I yanked it out of my mouth and cast it aside. With a little more contortion, I was able to move one wrist to my mouth. The rope dug into my bloodied skin, but I set my teeth to work.
As I maneuvered the binding, it occurred to me that my years as a bar rat in college actually might pay off. I'd tongue-tied plenty of cherry stems into knots in my day. This was just the opposite, right? Only I wasn't as drunk or as distracted with whatever fraternity cohort was on the barstool next to me. Still, I had skills. The knot loosened slightly between my incisors.
A growling mass of supernatural rage rolled between the fire and me. I paused momentarily but there was no way Bathory or Kai was paying any attention. Both were bloody to the point of serious injury, even for the undead. She was ghostly white from loss of blood, and he gushed red where she had torn into his front leg.
Victory! The rope loosened enough that I knew I could pull my hand out. Only, now wasn't the time. An army of undead emerged from the woods, at least thirty vampires, some of whom I recognized from the Mill Wheel. Bathory's reinforcements swooped down on Kai, ripping him apart, limb from limb. I watched in horror as the nightmare inside emerged from the beast's body, a smoky black cloud of menace, and pinged around the incompatible undead before racing toward me. The cloud paused as if considering my body, but then plowed into Soleil.
"Get out of her," I seethed.
"Not a chance," Soleil said in a tenor version of her voice. "This is the safest place to be. The fae is the only one on this merry-go-round Bathory can't kill without harming herself.
Soleil was made of sunlight. I guessed ripping her open would be dangerous for a vamp.
Everyone stopped. I flattened on the altar, effectively playing dead.
Bathory glared at Soleil over my stomach. "Smart. Only once I am immortal, Soleil's talents won't be able to hurt me." Bathory staggered back toward the book, weak from the loss of blood.
"My queen," Naill called, wrestling a bound man forward. "I had them bring this for you from the bar."
The human looked around forty with a balding head and beer belly. I had a flash of sympathy, then remembered that if he was hanging out at the Mill Wheel, he was likely paying vamps to compel young girls to have sex with him. My sympathy faded.
Bathory gave Naill a small nod, then sank teeth into the man. There was a moan, gurgles, loud swallowing and then a thump as his drained body hit the dirt.
Slowly, painstakingly, I worked my hand free from its binding, hooking my fingers in it to keep it from falling. I did not want to draw attention. Timing was everything.
"Now," Bathory said, "the cauldron."
Naill dragged a pot almost as large as he was to her side. "Yes, my lady."
Oh dear Lord. If that nugget got his nose any further up her ass, he'd become a permanent part of her backside.
He handed her a silver-hilted dagger. She lifted it in her still bloody hand and strode to my side. Her perfectly arched brow lifted. "Nice knowing you, witch. Too bad about your caretaker. Looks like you won't be coming back from this one." With both hands gripping the hilt, she raised the dagger above her head until her upper arms covered her ears, then with one final gaze at my chest, plunged the steel toward my breastbone.
