Page 91 of Destined for Shadows
The thrum of magic filled the room, thickening the air. It had a dark flavor to it that was strange to Bartol. His lids grew heavy and his stomach churned. He noted many of the others experiencing similar discomfort, which was a strange reaction to have with this kind of spell. A shock of electricity ran through the group, hitting Bartol so hard he jerked away from Lucas and the painting. His knees grew weak, and he fell to his knees.
“Oh, my,” Yvonne said, sounding far away. “That did not go well at all.”
Bartol struggled to open his eyes, feeling as weak as he had in Purgatory. When he could finally see around him, he noted Lucas, Micah, Derrick, and Tormod had been brought down as well. Only the mystic women remained standing.
He pulled himself back to his feet. “What happened?”
“I’m not sure but…” She looked around the circle. “Something is affecting those with angel blood. I sensed something dark when I tried to connect to Cori that felt like it was seeking the angelic force and eating at it.”
Melena came toward them. “What could possibly do that?”
“I have no idea,” Yvonne answered, perplexed. “I did not know it was even possible.”
Derrick shook his head. “We should have known that vampire had something helping him elude us.”
Bartol agreed, though it didn’t bode well for them if Griff had those sorts of connections. It only made him worry about Cori that much more. Not only had her ex-husband gained strength by becoming a vampire, but he also had allies aiding his cause. They had to be powerful to thwart anyone with angel blood—something unheard of until now.
“We’ll have to worry about that later,” Yvonne said, clasping her hands together. “If I cannot draw upon the power of those present, then it must be with others who know Cori.”
“Kariann could do it,” Melena suggested.
The female vampire in question burst into the room. “I thought you guys would never ask.”
Derrick frowned at her. “Were you listening outside the door?”
She strutted toward them, appearing every bit an Amazon warrior with her blond hair flowing down her back and leather battle garb hugging her muscular frame. “It was my job to guard the doors, and I can’t help it if my hearing is good.”
“Wait,” Melena said. “I thought vampires were originally born from nephilim, which would give her angel blood. How could she help?”
“Black magic and death negate any ties they have to us,” Bartol informed her. “It should be fine.”
He didn’t like how this was going so far, but they’d have to figure it out as they went along. He would not leave Cori to that monster no matter the risk to him and his friends.
Yvonne beckoned to Kariann. “We will have to make do with you. Everyone else needs to stand back and stay quiet.”
They moved across the reception room to where the sensors had waited. The mystics began to chant again with Dianne holding the other end of the painting this time. Long minutes passed as magic thickened the room once more, but this time it felt natural. The air wasn’t as cloying, and there wasn’t a sharp charge to it.
Finally, the chanting abated and Yvonne looked up. “Without more people to draw power from, I could not get a precise location, but I have found the general area where Cori is located. She is near a town called Livengood. If you wish to find her quickly, you will want to take as many people as you can to search the area.”
“No wonder we couldn’t find Cori.” Melena shook her head. “That’s almost a two-hour drive north of here.”
“I’m flashing there now,” Bartol said, unwilling to wait a moment longer.
“Don’t.” Diane gave him a warning look. “You can’t do this alone if you wish to succeed.”
“I’ll get some of my people together, and we’ll start heading out right away,” Derrick announced, leaving the room before anyone could respond. Kariann followed him.
Lucas moved toward Bartol. “This is for the best. We have no way of knowing what to expect up there, and you could use all the help you can get.”
“We’ll all help,” Melena added, sympathy in her gaze. “She’s my friend too, so I understand.”
It was a delay Bartol did not like at all. Cori had already been suffering her former husband’s abuse for too long, and she needed to be rescued before it was too late. He didn’t like waiting at all, but he also wasn’t stupid. If the mystic said it was necessary, he would not ignore her warning. Cori’s welfare came first.
“Very well, but if we do not leave in the next twenty minutes, I will go alone,” Bartol vowed.
Everyone exploded into action.
