We headed in that direction, stopping at the entrance. Sure enough, the VC was here. They sat in winged back chairs in the center of the room, facing the front. My eyes followed their line of sight, and I scowled. Sitting on the stage, in a throne-like chair, was the only other person I hated—Holly. She was dressed in a long emerald gown. Her auburn hair was pinned up in a French twist. It looked like she was hosting some sort of bizarre dinner party, not expecting a fight. She beamed when she saw us, her white teeth gleaming in the flicker of candlelight. A black velvet curtain that hadn’t been there before hung behind her chair. And that wasn’t the only unusual thing; it seemed every resident of the castle was there too, lined up against the wall, hands clasped in front of their bodies and their heads down. I spotted Fiona, taking a step forward to rescue her. Dorian gripped my arm to stop me.
“Don’t be brash. That’s what she’s expecting. Keep a level head.”
I nodded, fisting my hands and focusing on the bite of my nails digging into my palms.
Hands seized us from behind, gripping onto our arms and shoving us further into the room. Dorian did not react to being held captive, so I followed his lead and allowed the two men lead us up to the stage.
“Ah, the guest of honor has arrived, and not a minute to spare.” Holly’s arms were stretched out along the chair, her legs crossed. Her eyes blazed with her amusement. “Shall we get started?” She nodded to one of the men behind us, and the one holding me released his grip and walked over to the wall. He grabbed a man, shoving him forward. The man, whom I didn’t recognize as one of the witches’ I’d seen around Moon, stumbled forward. His hands were tied together, his clothes torn and dirty. Droplets of blood stained his shirt. When he looked up, I could see multiple abrasions marring his handsome face. A long gash ran from his eyebrow to the middle of his cheek as if a whip had sliced the flesh open, blood still trickling from it.
As the sentry rough handled the man, Holly said, “Do you like the music?”
My eyes snapped to hers. I was not going to engage with her until I absolutely had to. I was struggling to fight off the effects of the music and keep a level head. Both required too much of my attention, and in a room full of sharks that was dangerous.
“It’s so lovely and makes my subjects so manageable. I was a bit surprised to see it didn’t consume you the way it did them.” She nodded in the direction of the witches’ lined against the wall. “Though you’re not completely immune to it, are you?” She studied my eyes, my lax stance and smiled. Perhaps the NAWC wasn’t dirty after all. They were just under a spell.
The guard led the man up the stage steps, shoving and pushing unnecessarily. The man fell to his knees after losing his balance, and the guard wrapped a meaty hand around his nape to pull him to his feet again. Once they were situated up top, the man stood behind the prisoner and waited for further instruction.
Holly took a couple steps down so that she was standing directly in front of me. Her head tilted to the side as she appraised me with a look that reminded me that of a snake sizing up its prey.
“Do you know what the most precious gift is?” she asked me.
“A life without psychopaths like you?”
“Time, my dear Gwen,” Holly said, turning to walk back up the steps. She stood beside the throne, draping an arm along the back. “Weren’t you racing against the clock to save your sister? Didn’t you pray for just one more minute, one more second?”
“Speaking of my sister,” I said, “where is she?”
“She’s safe…for now. Of course that depends on how well you follow orders. Ian?”
I looked to Dorian as he spoke. “He’s safe…for now,” mimicking Holly’s words. “Show us Rebekah, and we’ll see if he stays that way.”
Holly smiled, unfazed by Dorian’s subtle threat. She brought her gaze back to me. “I admit that having Death on your side put a chink in my plan. Imagine my surprise when any rogue who dared to harm you came up against the ultimate weapon.” She pursed her lips. “But, things have worked out much better than I expected.”
“Spare us the dramatics,” someone behind me said. I looked over my shoulder to see Pernis standing. “Our time is precious. Let’s get this over with.”
“Vampires,” Holly said. “So self-absorbed, though you know all about that, don’t you, Gwen?”
I turned my attention toward the front again, sneering at Holly for bringing Aiden into the conversation.
“Holly,” Pernis warned.
Holly clucked her tongue, sighing dramatically. “All right, all right. It seems the VC is a bit impatient.” She turned and nodded toward the two guards standing beside the curtain. Together, they tugged thick ropes and the curtain opened halfway to reveal a stone altar. Holly held out a hand towards the stone and the guard holding the prisoner escorted the beaten man forward.
The prisoner was tied atop the altar, his legs and arms bound by leather straps. He struggled, fighting to free himself and awarded with a backhanded slap across his face. I flinched as blood spilled from his mouth. Holly walked across the stage, reaching up and pulling a dagger concealed in her hair. The action caused her auburn hair to fall in waves against her shoulders. She moved around the altar, clasping the dagger in both hands and raising her arms above the man. His pleading sobs were cut short as Holly drove the blade into his heart. Miserable gurgles sounded from his throat, blood spraying on this face as he coughed. All the while, Holly stood over him, unfazed as she committed murder.
Within seconds, the man stopped moving, the room growing silent except for the beating of my heartbeat reverberating against my eardrums.
“Release Ian,” Holly ordered.
Dorian snorted. “Release Rebekah.”
Holly snarled, her eyes crinkling as she glared at Dorian. She held up her hand and bent her fingers, wiggling them to signal to one of the guards. Time slowed. My heart beat faster still as I watched the man disappear behind the curtain. Someone placed their hand in mine; I assumed it was Dorian, but all I could do was stare at that damned curtain. Seconds seemed like hours as I waited to see my sister.
When the guard returned with a girl in his hands, I released the breath I’d been holding. Tears blurred my eyes as she lifted her head and looked around with fear. She was beautiful and just how I remembered, only older. Her hair was more of a dark brown than black and stopped just past her shoulders. Red splotches dotted her cheeks and a fresh trail of moisture trailed down her face. Her eyes were wide orbs as they landed on the dead man.
“Rebekah,” I breathed, my feet trembling to rush to her side. Her gaze flicked to my face, and she stared at me as if trying to solve a puzzle. I knew her memory of me was in there, buried deep. I nodded at her to answer her silent questioning of who I was. My lower lip quivered as I tried to hold in the tears. She looked down again, not showing an ounce of recognition.
“Ugh, enough already,” Holly snapped. “The girl for Ian.” As if to make a point, the guard standing beside Rebekah grabbed her, placing an arm around her chest and positioning a knife along her throat. Rebekah squealed, a fresh stream of tears coating her cheeks. I rushed forward, withdrawing my own dagger.
“One more step and my guard will bury his blade in your dear sweet sister’s neck,” Holly shouted. I stumbled, my feet coming to an instant stop. As much as I wanted to kill the man holding Rebekah, I couldn’t chance it. I glowered at Holly, not sure if I would rather kill her or the guard.
“I’ll only ask one more time,” Holly said to Dorian.
Without a word, he reached out his hand and mist instantly began pouring from his palm. It curled against the stone floor, climbing upward to the height of a man. The fog swirled around, coming together and taking shape.
“That was bloody awful,” Ian said, brushing off his clothes as though they were real. He turned toward the stage, a smile forming on his ghostly lips. Floating forward, he stopped in front of the dead man and stared down at him.
“You couldn’t find someone taller?”
“Beggars can’t be picky, Ian darling.” Holly remarked.
No matter how long I lived, I would never understand their bizarre dynamic. The last time I’d been around them they were trying to kill each other, and now they acted as if they were long lost friends. Trying to understand crazy people will only give you a headache.
Ian’s spirit floated upwards and reclined into a lying position. Slowly, his soul descended toward the dead man’s body, disappearing. I watched with horror, the pieces finally clicking into place.
“You’re bringing him back?” I asked with disbelief. When Holly ignored me, too fascinated to see what happened with the body, I looked at Dorian. “Is that even possible?”
A gentle nod was his only response. His focus was in my sister’s direction. The face of the man guarding her was scrunched up in pain. Smoke rose from his pores, slowly crawling out of his body and disappearing. I took that as my cue to rescue Rebekah. I lunged forward, crossing the stage as fast as I could. Holly turned around just before I reached her. With a wave of her hand, my body went sailing through the air, where I landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.
I grumbled, leaning up on my hands. A searing pain shot through my skull, and I blinked to clear the static from my eyes.
“Guard him,” Holly told her goons, pointing at the body Ian had disappeared into, before descending the stairs. Dorian got to me first though, reaching down and helping me up.
“I see the vampires aren’t the only impatient ones.” Holly smiled. “Does no one understand savoring the moment? Tonight is about celebrating.”
“Celebrating,” I said with acridity. “What exactly is your end game? Bring Ian back and start the whole hybrid process over again?” Trying to figure those two out was like trying to put a square peg in a round hole.
Holly laughed, her smile slimier than a bucket full of slugs. “You’re so narrow-minded, it’s adorable.” She looked over her shoulder to check on Ian. The body lay still, and I hoped that meant his soul wasn’t connecting.