Last Blood

And I you. What would you ask me of Lilith? I know that’s why you’ve called me.

Tatiana nodded as best she could with his taloned fingers pressing into her scalp. She… scares me, my liege. She killed one of my best soldiers without provocation. Do you mean for her to take my place? If so, I ask that you spare my life. I will leave without argument, just let me live.

We do not mean for her to take your place. Something that sounded very much like a groan followed his words. Neither did we mean for her to have so much power. She has become… more than we desired.

That was all the opening she needed. Is there a way to remove some of that power? I have always been your willing servant.

There is only one way to deal with her. She must eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, a place we cannot go.

But I can?

Yes. Not only can you enter, but the Garden will always be night for you. Whatever you need it to be, it will be.

Then I will go. Just show me the way. I will do whatever you wish me to.

He nodded and held out his other hand. A worn scroll appeared in it. This map bears the runes that will open a portal to the Garden. Draw a circle with your blood, then write the runes inside it with your blood as well. A portal will open. When you go through, this map will show you how to find the tree you seek. She must go with you and eat the fruit there, as it cannot be removed from the Garden.

She took the scroll, the paper crackling in her hand. When I am ready, I will call for her.

He took his hand from her head and stared into her eyes. “Do this and you will be greatly rewarded.”

“I want your assurance you will approve my choice of Elder.” She nodded.

“Granted.” He leaned in, his red eyes piercing into hers with what could only be distress. “Do this quickly.”

“Yes, my liege,” she whispered, but he was already gone.

Dominic sat back in his chair. Life was good, for the most part. His relationship with Katsumi was stronger than ever, in many ways due to her help on the recent mission to Čachtice. And since he’d given her navitas so she could be noble instead of fringe, she’d done nothing out of line. She had become very much the companion he’d always hoped her to be.

Luciano, despite having done the unthinkable in siring the mayor, was working out well. Revenues were back up since the curfew had been lifted. Just then, a soft roar rose from the Pits, muted by the French doors behind him that opened onto the balcony overlooking the fighting arena. He nodded at the sound. In fact, revenues had never been better.

He knew part of that was because Maddoc had lifted the long-standing ban on pride members patronizing Seven. That Maddoc would do such a thing with the bad blood between them spoke to his strength as a leader.

Dominic tapped his gold pen on the desktop. Perhaps it was time to make peace. He tapped the screen of his tablet and scrolled through his suppliers list. A gift maybe. To show he was open to reconciliation.

Someone knocked on his door. He wasn’t expecting anyone. He reached for the blade he kept hidden under his desk. “Come.”

Jacqueline, the slender brunette who acted as the house mother for his stable of comarré, poked her head in. “Mr. Scarnato?”

Even her tone was worried. He took his hand from beneath the desk and gestured toward a chair. “Come in, Jacqueline. What can I do for you?”

She shut the door behind her and walked toward him, wringing her hands. “I think something bad has happened.”

Inwardly he groaned. Mamma mia, some nights, the comarré were more trouble than they were worth. “If there is fighting again, there will be punishment. You know I cannot abide the constant—”

“No, that’s not the problem.” She dragged in a breath. “I haven’t seen Ms. Tanaka since last night. I was supposed to go over the quarterly numbers with her, so I tried her office. The door is locked, but she’s not answering.”

“That doesn’t mean anything bad has happened.” He pulled open a drawer. “I have a spare key.”

“None of the comarré or floor staff have seen her since last night either and none of the doormen remember her leaving.”

Dominic set the key on his desk and shut the drawer. “Come to think of it, she hasn’t checked in with me either.” Katsumi never went home without saying good-bye. He picked up the key, a sense of unease settling in his belly. “Come, we’ll go open her office together. I’m sure she’s just hard at work.” But he wasn’t sure at all.

He went as fast as he could without alarming Jacqueline. By the time they got to the office, a thousand scenarios, both good and bad, had worked through his head. He tried the knob, but it was definitely locked. He rapped his knuckles on the door. “Katsumi, are you in there? Answer me if you are.”

But he was greeted with silence.

He notched the key into the lock and opened the door. It hit something metal as he pushed it open. A bitter, familiar odor rose up to greet him. He didn’t need the lights, but he flicked them on anyway, not wanting to believe his eyes. Her kanzashi, the one he’d given her for protection right before they’d gone to Čachtice, lay on the floor.

Covered in ashes.

Chrysabelle gasped, prepared for whatever might happen. Then she realized they were already through. “That was fast.”

Augustine dropped her hand. “That’s why we travel that way.”

Fi looked a little dizzy. “I’m going ghost.”