Page 30 of Bitten By Chaos

Julian healed Sam, and Lydia had recovered with her own vampire abilities. Finally, we all stood staring at Tabitha’s lifeless form. There was nothing we could do for her, and though my old friend guilt came knocking, I tried to remember Em’s words. It was her choice. Her other warning, I attempted to bury—that I’d started something I wouldn’t like. What alternative had there been?

“Will our blood work on Karma?” I asked, shifting my attention to Hazel’s familiar, now in kitten form, who licked his damaged paw.

But Poppy had already moved over him and lowered the tip of her horn to the injury. A bright light glowed, making me cover my face for a moment, and when she danced backward, Karma was left with a perfect paw and mewing happily.

“Thank you,” I said, petting her side with my cleaner hand. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Poppy. She joined us a little late, but I’m glad she’s here.”

Beside her, the kitten grew, and in moments, a mirror copy of the unicorn stood, black as night to her snowy whiteness.

Chapter 11

From Pawn to Queen

Tabitha had confided to Hazel her wishes to be cremated. With the help of Karma in dragon form, it was carried out, and we gathered to release her ashes from the edge of the cliff near the vampire estate.

Em had been right again. There were two bodies. One demon and one of us. And I’d gotten the sword first. We’d searched for Soul Eater last night, but all we could find was the burnt imprint of it in the ground between two oak trees. I liked to think Poppy’s magic destroyed it. If the “horse” hadn’t been there…I don’t know what would have happened, and I didn’t want to dwell too hard on that. So I focused instead on the soft wind Hazel created to carry what was left of Tabitha out to sea.

We’d had a rocky start, Tabitha and I. She’d been part of MorningStar and had captured me for Major Honeywell. But she was a psychic and had only cooperated to avoid the kind of torture no one should ever face. Then she’d been captured, glamoured, and fed on by Silas—meant as a backup if his plans for me resulted in my demise.

At every turn, she’d been used by others just because some random ancestor of hers had been with a demon. She could have run. She could have hidden when we freed her, but instead, she’d chosen to stay and help us. She knew the danger, and if she’d wanted to leave and never come back, I’d have helped her. We all would have. But she’d become a part of our little family, helping me with understanding things like who and what Pythia was.

And now she was no more than dust and seafoam.

At least my fellow psychic’s soul could finally be at peace where no one else could trap or torture her. Yet one more victim of power thirsty people playing at being gods. Whatever anger and confusion dwelled inside me at the chaos of the situation, I vowed to focus my ire solely on those would-be puppet masters. Even the situation with Julian and me could be traced back to Silas’ manipulation. We were both pawns as far as they were all concerned.

Further delaying the delivery of the black heart to either Elsa or the queen was impossible. But I managed to store it in a small wooden box Hazel spelled so no one could see or smell the contents. The plan was for Julian to accompany me to Elsa after Tabitha’s ceremony. After we said our goodbyes to the others, we walked hand in hand back toward the estate. I’d lost the belt that Daphne had given me with the bottomless compartment, and she hadn’t had time to find me another, but Julian had a pocket like it in his suit jacket, and so the heart rested there inside its little casket.

I had to admit, I was glad Daphne hadn’t been part of the previous night. She couldn’t travel to another dimension so far from her land, which kept one more person I cared about safe.

Above, the sky had melted into layers of magenta and rose as the sun set. A light breeze lifted the hair from my shoulders.

“It’s too beautiful,” I said softly.

Julian smiled at me as we strolled, in no hurry to face what came next. “What would make it too beautiful, love?”

“We still have battles ahead. It sort of feels like the island should somehow know.” I shrugged. I’d showered and changed into a black off-the-shoulder sweater dress and the stiletto-heeled boots Daphne had gifted me for our goodbye to Tabitha.

“We will always have battles,” Julian said, surprising me. Though I supposed he’d been around for so many years, he ought to know whether to expect it to stop. “But it’s the in between moments in which we can revel in the beauty of the world.”

“You’re a poet,” I teased, squeezing his hand. Though his words had been lovelier than the sunset. And he was right. We couldn’t lose sight of the good, or what was the point?

“You inspire me.”

My body vibrated with the sexy rumble of his voice.

“What do you think Elsa has planned?” I asked as we approached the mansion.

Julian hesitated, staring toward the massive door of the gothic building ahead. My nerves ratcheted up a notch at his silence.

“Julian?”

He stopped as we reached the steps and turned to face me, lifting my hand to his lips as his stare bored into my eyes and he spoke in my mind. I did not want to concern you as I haven’t been able to find any evidence supporting my theory. But I haven’t been able to disprove it either.

Spill it, I responded, taking his face in my hands.

Kayora is missing. As I explained, I believe she was the witch Elsa eluded to draining for her powers. If that is true, Elsa’s abilities will be unmatched. The only one strong enough to oppose her would be Merlin, and he has his own agenda.

“Look at the lovebirds!” We turned to find Merlin holding open the door with one hand, the other in his pocket. “When you’re done gazing into each others eyes, I’d love to have a word with you.”

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