Ameline must have seen or felt the essence of the vampire wake inside me, because the draw on my power ended abruptly as her eyes flew very wide, mouth hanging open.I have to admit I was more than a little shocked myself to find myself standing suddenly over her, even more that I didn't have anything to do with the movements of my body. I'd had my demon take me over before, but this was different.Very, very different."Listen to me, witch child," the vampire said, reaching out with my hand to touch Ameline's forehead. The moment she did, the mist collapsed, pattering to the floor in a rain of blood, soaking everything. But at least I could breathe.Ameline rocked back on her heels, face slack as the vampire went on."What you are creating, what you seek and desire, can never be. The maji knew it. I was formed in an effort to do what you are attempting. They failed. The greatest powers of their kind failed." She lashed out with white magic, knocking Ameline on her butt in the blo
Mom's face told me everything I needed to know. Sure, she'd been all official and supportive when the Enforcers were around, when the Council demanded an emergency meeting and we were presented as heroes, my friends and me. But now, hours later, in the wee dawn of an approaching new day with no one around to see it, she didn't look happy.Nope. Not happy at all."What were you thinking?" She faced down Uncle Frank first, shaking she was so furious."We did what we had to do," he said."This was none of your business." Mom slashed the air with one hand, face mottled red, shoulders so tight I was worried she might snap in half."Wrong." Sunny stepped forward, cold and beautiful. "This was every bit our business. Those vampires are our responsibility."Mom drew a breath. "Fine, perhaps them." She glared back and forth between them. "But you had no right dragging Syd into this mess with you.""They are here because I asked them to come." I stared her down. Two could play this game.
I took the day off classes, spending it in my room, Charlotte in hers after I begged for some time alone. She seemed to understand and was less protective of me, I suppose because I'd faced down Ameline and won.Mostly.Why did it feel like a hollow victory? Maybe because Ameline was still out there. But, worse than that, my whole life was a mess again. Alison was gone, turned into who knew what, now with the taste for blood driving her. And Quaid... an Enforcer. He'd chosen. I'd driven him away from me and he'd chosen to leave instead of fighting for us.Typical.I felt him on the other side of the door and almost didn't answer when he knocked, but knew I had to face him sometime. His deep brown eyes, so full of understanding and concern, almost did me in when I jerked the door open and caught his gaze."Syd." He lowered his hand from his attempt to knock. "I wanted to check on you. Make sure you were okay."Contrite, wasn't he? Guess the whole looking for trouble thing had fina
I settled into life at school pretty well after that. No more trouble. With no sign of Ameline or Rupe, things stayed that way. Even the Dumont brothers seemed more reserved, subdued, after Mom cleared them of wrongdoing when they claimed they knew nothing of Ameline's involvement in the Star Club.Yeah, right. Still. Seeing them walk around campus with their heads down, expressions nervous did it for me.As for the club itself, Mom saw to it the doors closed forever. When the older members involved were revived, drained of so much power they had to be fed from the Council magic, they didn't put up much of a fight, clearly shaken by their near death experiences. Still, I couldn't help but wonder if they would just trot off and start a new one all over again once the dust had settled.Traditions and all that.Sebastian contacted me the night after the attack to tell me he was in negotiations with Yvette, the queen of the Blood Clan Wilhelm, Sunny's old family. The following night he
Book Ten: First PlaneSnow slid down the back of my jacket, but I didn't care. I was having too much fun swishing my arms and legs back and forth while my little sister, Meira, did the same beside me. The sound of her giggling warmed me up enough the bit of a cold trickle down my neck sneaking past the collar of my coat and knit scarf didn't bother me so much.I squinted up into the bright sunlight as Liam bent over me, mittened hands on his knees, a huge smile on his face. Green glints danced in his hazel eyes, blonde hair sticking out from under his hat.I accepted his hand and let him pull me to my feet, turning to observe my handiwork. A perfectly formed-if I do say so myself-snow angel imprinted the crisp white of the park behind town hall, joined by a second as Liam leaned in sideways and practically scooped Meira up from the ground. The floppy red pom-pom on the top of her multi-colored toque bobbed to one side as she cast a critical eye over what she'd made."Mine's cuter
I grabbed Meira's hand, feeling Charlotte rush forward to my side as I turned to her. "The veil."She nodded quickly and took my other before I pulled open the barrier between planes and rode it home. I loved the freedom of riding the veil between planes, the rubbery surface welcoming me as always. Not only was it fun and exhilarating, it meant we were saved running for five minutes through slush, instead dumped a heartbeat later into our very toasty kitchen and Dad's arms.Not a moment to waste. At least Mom had brought his effigy home with her from Harvard for the holidays instead of leaving him alone there. He used to visit more often, now that he had his new and improved diamond statue to feed him energy. But those frequent trips from Demonicon to us had tapered off again. I could only guess he was busy because of his responsibilities as a Demon Prince of the Second Plane, a promotion he'd acquired since Sassy, my demon cat sans demon boy, almost died to give Dad the power to cro
I have no idea what I was thinking as I finally pulled myself together enough to finish dressing. All I knew was my temper was rising and I needed to vent.How dare Quaid reach for me after all this time, be nice, sweet even, worry about me? Treat me like there might still be something between us, hug me for goodness sakes? Twice? I wanted to be mad, to rage to someone about his absolute arrogance and could only think of one person who would listen to me in this shape.Liam came right to the entry of the cavern as I stormed my way through the shields and he just stood there, his mouth open a little, eyes wide as I dove right into what became a ten-minute rant about Quaid and what a jerk he was."... arrogant, bossy, over bearing, how dare he think he can just contact me and everything's all freaking okay and crap? Because it's not okay, not even a little bit, him and his high and mighty jerkathonabration of three whole months being a total ass not even giving me the time of day, fla
I took the slow way home, choosing to huddle inside my jacket in the dark, the sparkling lights of the corner trees doing little to elevate my mood. I could have simply rode the veil home again, but like my stomping trip to town hall, I needed the drawn-out foot dragging on my way back just as much.My boot caught a clump of snow, now brown from the many car tires splashing old dirt and salt from the roadway to coat the sidewalk in ugly slush. Kind of ruined the pretty, pristine whiteness I loved.No metaphors there or anything.The house was quiet when I walked in, cheeks cold and hands stuffed in my pockets since I'd forgotten my gloves when I stormed out earlier. I still felt Dad downstairs, but knew I'd be spending lots of time with him in the very near future and decided to let Mom have his sole company for the evening.Besides, they didn't need my mood dragging them down.I'd made a promise to myself not to wallow, not to doubt myself anymore, and for the most part I was doi
How was this for a happy ending?Bittersweet, this walk down the halls of the newly restored mansion. I'd been through this before, but I knew this time, I didn't have anything hanging over my head.I loved Liam. But I was finally marrying the man I was meant to be with.The pressure was off this time too, our battles won. I could enjoy my wedding without worrying about Fate or the Brotherhood or Ameline looming in the near future.Awesome.I even found Wilding Springs was fine without the influence of the Gate, just as Fergus said. That it still felt like magic. Probably a combination of the century or so of the Gate's influence deeply mired in the whole town. Not to mention the presence of the Wild Hunt still snoozing in my back yard.And the coven.I didn't worry we'd have to move anytime soon. Good thing. I kind of liked being in one place for once.Made me think of Sonja, of Liam again. His mother disappeared after the night she met Gabriel. I tried to look for her, feelin
Another mirror. Another dress. Totally different experience.I stood on what amounted to a pedestal as at least a dozen or so giggling vampires tugged, pushed and laced me into the biggest, heaviest mass of fabric and jewels I'd ever seen in my entire life. The thing weighed so much I had to have my alter egos help me carry it so it wouldn't drive me to my knees.This was the punishment I got for picking out my first wedding dress alone.This one was, at least, the pale ivory I'd requested. White would have felt disrespectful to Liam's memory. And Mom happily acquiesced before losing her freaking mind.And when I appealed to Sunny for assistance in my mother's sudden loss of sanity?Yeah.I was surrounded by vampires, wasn't I?Shenka hovered, her ball gown sparkling, covered in as many gems as could possibly be stuck to her. Again Mom went with the jewel tones. I guess she figured a good idea was a terrible thing to waste.And considering only a handful of people had seen the
I sat on the side of my bed, looking out the window into the quiet street, the buzzing streetlight below me oddly comforting. I'd tried to sleep after returning home, put Gabriel to bed with Charlotte who met me at the front door after Sass, Galleytrot and I strolled home in the sharpening night air. Her massive scowl told me I was in horrible trouble as she took my son from me.Okay, so I didn't exactly put him to bed.Snort.Galleytrot and Sassafras naturally abandoned me for her room, leaving me alone. Which was fine, it really was. I had a hot shower, pulled on my favorite robe. Had a little cry. Not much. Just a pathetic little spill of tears I held over from the Gate.From Liam.And felt my heart ease at last.Wrapped myself in the love in my house, the people sleeping there. Shenka and Charlotte, Galleytrot and Sass. Gram and Demetrius. All of us, happy just to be home.But sleep wouldn't come. My mind struggled with belief. That Ameline was really dead. That Gabriel was
I looked down into my son's sleeping face before sinking into the rocking chair beside his crib and releasing of the last of my stress. He was really too big for the thing now, but I needed to do some thinking about a bed and a room for him and just didn't have the energy to deal.A soft, furry body landed in my lap, Sassafras purring as he kneaded my leg a few times before turning in a circle and settling himself."Nice to see them together again," he said.I knew exactly who he meant. Mom and Dad wasted no time taking off for Harvard for some private time. I blushed at the thought of my parents and what they were probably doing right now.Shudder.Galleytrot groaned from the end of the crib, eyes flaring with red fire as he looked up."What about you, Syd?" His rumbling voice shifted my shudder to a shiver. "Have you thought about a new mate?"Not going there. "I've been thinking," I said, totally changing the subject. Yes, on purpose. No judging. "About Gabriel and his power.
Meira grinned at me like it was funny. And it was, in a way. She sat behind Dad's old desk-Ahbi's, too-and bounced a little in the chair."Comfy," she said. Winked.Oh. My. Swearword.Dad laughed, hugged me abruptly. "Meems, pumpkin," loved his pet name for her, though I liked cupcake better despite years of protest, "I'm sorry to do this to you.""You've already apologized, Dad," she said, looking quite pleased with herself. Hard to remember she was only fourteen with that evil grin, hands rubbing together in expectation. "I'm going to do some housecleaning first. Then the real fun will start."I shook my head, giggling. "Just leave a few of the planes standing."She shrugged, inspected her nails. "We'll see.""I take it the Node is fine?" It felt fine, Demonicon still intact at least."It was in balance long before Ahbi took up residence," Meira said. "She was only just hitchhiking anyway."I looked up at Dad who sighed deeply, lines of anxiety leaving his face."You're cra
The sparkling kneepads attached to my heavy leather pants caught the light of the triple suns overhead as I shifted for the millionth time, foot bobbing on the end of my crossed leg. Sassafras hissed at me. The bobbing stopped.For the moment. The longer we sat here, the more agitated I felt. Didn't help it took Pagomaris an age and a half to dress me while Meira was being man-handled in her bedroom."Your demon form would be so much easier to dress, Your Highness." Hopefulness lit the aide's eyes as she smiled and scrunched her shoulders like talking to me as if I were a child would endear her."Not." I scowled at her. "Work with this or nothing." I gestured down at my human form.And she sighed.Gestured for her minions to come forward.Left me to them as though I was no longer worth her effort, returning to my sister who grinned at me through the open door of her bedroom.Argh.I did concede to shifting my size, remembering how small I felt next to Meira when she was in demo
I glared at my reflection in the mirror. "I'm not going.""You are." Sassafras growled softly at me before sighing heavily. "And so am I, remember?""They're not going to make you wear a ridiculous outfit and parade around like you're their property." More glaring.I. Was. Not. Going.Sass hopped down from the bed and waddled to my side, tail quivering. "You can't let Meira down," he said, leaping into my lap. I stroked his fur absently. "It would be a terrible thing for her to have to sit through Harry's marriage alone.""So maybe he shouldn't get married." Whiny much? But there was the crux, wasn't it?Today was my father's wedding day.And the last place I wanted to be was Demonicon. In fact, a hole somewhere deep and far away would have been preferable. Anything other than having to endure my father marrying a demon.That would be the end for Mom and Dad. The real end. And I didn't think I could handle it."Harry has made his choice," Sassafras said, meeting my eyes in the
I was already turning and moving back inside by the time Mom began her little speech to wrap up the trial. I had no desire to listen, moving on from it though Celeste's foul stench remained on me. A quick push of magic cleared my nose, clothes and hair of the stink, even as I strode with ever-increasing speed toward the back of the now-emptying chamber and the hall beyond.A startled Enforcer was the lucky recipient of the bag of marshmallows, slapped against his chest on the way by.I seemed to have lost my appetite.Was so focused on my final target I almost ran right into Payten when she dodged out of the shadows of an archway and stepped in front of me.My first instinct was to hit her so hard with magic they wouldn't find her body.Ever.Second instinct was to flatten her into a Paytensquish and smear her all over the floor with my shoes.Yum.Third impulse won, partially because I was a sucker for a sobbing girl, Enforcer or not.Hated enemy or not.She radiated grief,
I'd sat here before, on a bench in the Council chamber, watching a trial unfold before me, Shenka at my side. But this one was far different. I had no regrets, no old grief-at least not for the creature about to stand before my mother.Any sorrow I felt around Celeste Oberman centered on the Hayle family members she'd killed. Martin and Louisa Vega, the darling couple who loved and cared about me when there were times no one else in the coven seemed to. Sandra Crossman, leaving her husband, James, alone to raise their daughter.Old wounds long since healed over, but never, ever forgotten.Worse, Gabriel wasn't with me. Antsy pants wriggled my butt in my velvet skirt as I fidgeted and held him tight with my magic while he laughed at something and ignored me.My own son, a traitor.Sigh.Shenka squeezed my hand, smiled a little. "He's fine," she said."I know," I whispered back. Not needing to. We weren't the only ones chattering. The gathering for Mia's burning-it seemed so long