Page 39 of The Clash of the Damned
“What?”
Sloane paces the crypt. “I know you hate me. I get it. You don’t know what it’s like to grow up as a Siphoner while the rest of you thrived.”
“Your point?”
“No one ever stopped to ask why Hecate thought we were failures. Sure, the stories are there, but after she realized Edmund had magic and wasn’t a failure, why did she and her other creations keep trying to kill my kind? I encourage you to be better than your ancestors. I know you may not believe it, but I respect you, and I’m sorry I’ve had to use you as collateral damage. You got caught in the middle of what I needed to do for my family. I love them, like you love yours, and I’m doing what I can to protect them.”
“Save it, Sloane. I would have helped you if you had asked, but you never gave me the choice. Let’s get this over with.” My head lifts as I hear steps normal human ears wouldn’t pick up. “He’s coming.”
“You never would have believed me if I had asked nicely. You know it’s not the Supernatural way.” She looks at me sadly, like I’m naive, a theme for today if I believe the lies I’m telling myself. She waves her glowing hands around her and disappears into the shadows.
The footsteps grow louder, and a few seconds later, I turn to find Dom approaching me. “Jude? Are you okay? I came as quickly as I could when I got your message.” His cheeks are pink from the cold, but at least he’s smarter than I was; I spot leather gloves on his hands. “Not that I mind, but why did you message me? Luca not available?”
“Can you believe it’s only been two months since we lost her?” I motion to Lexie’s coffin like he doesn’t know who I’m talking about. “I missed your father’s funeral, a regret of mine. I’m not sure what the Sorcerer’s do with their dead, now that I think about it.”
Dom seems confused by the direction of my questions, but humors me. “We celebrate in other, less conventional, ways…” He looks between me and Lexie’s casket as he considers how to phrase his question. “After the sit down, I didn’t think you would ever forgive me. Even if you know I did it for my sisters. Is this what today is? My chance to earn your forgiveness?”
“You’ve been using a lot of magic recently, Dom; is that safe? I’m worried about you, especially with what happened to your father.”
“Something’s off about you Jude–”
I pounce on Dom and move behind his back, shifting my arms into the dark fur of a gorilla– few things rival their strength–as I wrap around his neck, restricting his air supply as he struggles. While he could still use magic against me, I’m hoping that by cutting oxygen off to his brain, he doesn’t remember that. “I’m so sorry, Dom. I never wanted to do this to you. But you’re not the only one with a sister to protect. Now, we’re even.”
A slow clap echoes throughout the crypt as Sloane steps out of the shadows of her spell. “Nicely played.” She tips her head towards me in a sign of respect. She turns her focus to Dom. “Hello, Handsome. Miss me?” Obviously, I’m too busy choking him for him to react as she flicks her hand towards him. “Oh, so you never took your own antidote? How silly of you.”
She straightens and turns her attention to me. “You can let go of him now. I can take it from here.” Letting Dom go, I watch him fall to all fours, gasping for air.
“What the fuck is going on?” he chokes between wheezes. I know Dom is lethal with his magic when prepared, but I caught him off guard today, and he trusts me. A mistake he will never make again.
Sloane bends down to him and waves her glowing hand in a twisting motion. “Sleep. We’ve got lots to discuss when you’re…calmer.” Dom passes out, and Sloane catches his head, placing it gently on the marble floor and kisses his forehead.
“You need me to help you carry him somewhere?”
“No need. You can go now. Consider your promise to me fulfilled. From here on out, I’ll leave both you and Brooklyn alone. But be careful, I’m not the only one you should be worried about.”
Chapter 29 | Misery Loves Company
Luca
When you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in my life. That’s at least what I tell myself each time I work until the early hours of the morning, long after Tao is closed and everyone has gone home to their families. Since I have no one left to go home to, working makes the most sense for me. Sure as hell beats boredom.
As I sit back in my office chair, I let myself daydream. When this is all over, maybe I will go on a solo trip, backpacking around Europe. See where my ancestors came from and learn to live a bit. Outside of work. I feel like Dad would have wanted that for me, and well, I’m not sure what mom wanted. It hurts to still think of her, but I’m confronted with her at every corner, so I immediately abandon that train of thought.
Grabbing the get well card on my desk, I sign it. Silva let me know that Satine is seriously ill, which is a pity, considering after Amelia’s departure, she’s become one of our best earners. That’s the thing about the Supernatural, we have issues sure, but we don’t suffer from the same diseases that humans are susceptible to. I make a note to tell Silva to pay all Satine’shospital bills so she can focus on getting better and returning to work. I relook at my to do list.
Get back to work
Visit each of the Undead families to ensure loyalties are secure
