Page 76 of Nearly Dead

“Long story short?He’s in league with Leviathan,” I say.“There was a meeting here earlier.Astrid humiliated him in front of his friends and kicked him out of the family.He has access to the estate’s defenses.He knows the blood keys, the structure of the spells, and where the weak points are.If he wanted to hand the house over to Leviathan, it wouldn’t be difficult.”

Costin materializes beside me, his movements a blur as he tears through three more undead with efficient brutality.He tosses them out the door as soon as he dispatches them.“Zombies are necromancer puppets.Leviathan is here.”

“Zombies,” Paul whispers.We all glance at him.

“Yeah, man, zombies,” Anthony says.Blue magic swirls my brother’s fingers as he lifts them toward the door.The broken wood fits itself into place before glowing red.“Fucking necromancers.Of course Leviathan would have a stash of Colonial corpses lying around like wine he’s been aging for a special occasion.”

“Come on, Paul,” I grab his arm and lead him down the stairs.We need to find a safer location.He stares at my clawed hand on his arm, and I try to retract the shift, so I don’t scare him.

“You’re…” he manages.

“I know.I won’t hurt you,” I try to sound reassuring.I’d never hurt him.

A cold laugh echoes through the foyer, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere.Leviathan’s disembodied voice fills the space.“Sorry about my pets.They’re not housetrained.”

I hear the corpses outside, banging against the side of the house trying to get in.

“Why are you here?”I demand, positioning myself protectively in front of Paul.Anthony moves to my side, his magic crackling at his fingertips.

“I don’t like how we left things unfinished, my little lotus flower,” Leviathan’s voice replies.

“Ew.”I grimace at the nickname.

Costin places his bloody hand on my shoulder and squeezes.I feel the possessiveness through our bond that he tries to hide when he looks at Paul.

“Conrad?”Anthony takes a step forward in surprise.

Conrad’s ghost steps from the shadows as if he’s been watching the whole time.His eyes are dark pits reflecting the obscurity inside his spirit, but his movements are sluggish as if he’s struggling to stay manifested.

“What the hell happened to you?”Anthony demands.I hear the anger and confusion tinging his words.I can’t say I blame him.Before his death, Conrad had almost succeeded in killing all the people in this room.

Conrad doesn’t speak, but his face turns toward the floor.

Paul cries out in surprise.I turn, but before I can process what’s happening, the marble floor beneath Paul’s feet ripples like water.A stone hand with a missing finger bursts upward.It grabs his ankles and pulls him downward.

“Paul!”I dive for him, catching his wrist as the stone liquefies around his legs.His face is contorted in terror, eyes wide and pleading.

“Hold on!”I strain against the supernatural pull, my new strength locked in a tug-of-war with whatever magic Leviathan has conjured.Costin is there in an instant, his hands joining mine, but the magic is too strong.Paul is wrenched from our grasp and pulled under, the floor solidifying once more as if nothing had happened.

I beat my hand repeatedly against the marble.“Paul!”

“The old church.Come alone, hybrid,”Leviathan says.

“Like hell she will,” Costin snarls, his eyes blazing crimson.

“Conrad,” Anthony yells, but the ghost fades, not speaking.

The sound of the remaining zombies suddenly stops.I look out the window to see them collapsing into limp piles of decaying flesh.The foyer falls silent except for Anthony’s ragged breathing.

“Anthony,” I turn to my brother, “why did you bring Paul here?”

Anthony runs an irritated hand through his hair.“You asked him to come.Zephronis sent me to get him from the safe house.You wanted closure.He refused to let Diana come, thank the gods.”His eyes dart to the window where the corpses litter the yard.“We arrived just as these things started stumbling onto the property.They crowded the car.I tried to get him out, but?—”

“It’s not your fault,” I cut him off, my mind already racing ahead.“Leviathan was waiting for an opportunity to draw me out.He’s been watching the estate with Mortimer’s help.”

“Yeah, what the hell is up with that?”Anthony frowns.“I’m going to need someone to catch me up.”

“Costin can.I have to find the church.”I start for the door.

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