Page 71 of Mardi Gras Murders & Midnight Masquerades
Dani materialized at my side, shouting a spell. At first, I thought it hadn’t worked. Then, the vampire's body jerked unnaturally. A flash of steel warned me about Kaitlyn’s intentions, but Alexis didn’t see her. Kaitlyn was behind the vampire and slicing her daggers in precise arcs. I hoped she took the vampire out. It would solve one problem. We still neededto find Kenneth.
Something dark and oily shot toward my face. I rolled, barely avoiding it. Unfortunately, my concentration broke momentarily, and my witch fire wavered. The vampire was free. Shit. "I've got you!" Phi called out. A translucent shield materialized inches from my skin and absorbed the attack meant for me.
That had been a close call. Back on my feet, I rejoined the assault. Through the chaos, I glimpsed Dea standing utterly still amidst the maelstrom. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on Alexis. As our spirit worker, it was her job to sever the connection that gave Alexis her power.
Kaitlyn flipped over a shattered table and drove one dagger deep into the vampire's shoulder, pinning her for a crucial second. We all renewed our efforts and our combined assault overwhelmed Alexis/Delacroix. The vampire's body convulsed violently. Her back arched at an impossible angle and a gurgling scream tore from her throat. A second later, golden light erupted from her eyes and mouth. Before Phi could activate the mask, it fled deeper into the mansion. The body that had been Alexis crumpled to the floor. Delacroix had discarded her like a broken doll.
"Go after him!" Dre commanded as Dea paused to ensure Alexis was still alive.
"She'll recover," Dea confirmed as she joined us. “I cast some magical ropes around her hands and feet. Hopefully, they hold her until we handle this asshole.”
Running down the hall, I thanked the gods for Dea’s foresight. It would have sucked to have the vampire rejoin the fight. The trail led us down a hidden staircase and into what could only be described as an underground ritual chamber. The space was vast and ancient. It predated the mansion above. Stone columns carved with archaic symbols supported a vaulted ceiling. In the center of the chamberstood Kenneth. His body was contorted in pain as Delacroix's consciousness struggled to maintain control.
More disturbing were the captives. There were nearly a dozen people chained to the columns around the perimeter. Each wore intricate patterns of sigils painted on their skin. Some were still alive, but most had been drained dry and were gone. We cast a spell to release them. He was definitely scrambling to regain his power.
"Hello, sisters," Kenneth/Delacroix greeted us. "How kind of you to deliver yourselves to me. It saves me the trouble of hunting you down before the masquerade."
Without hesitation, we moved into position and called up our magic. Kaitlyn and Marie stood behind us. I trusted the former to watch our backs. "Release the captives," Dre demanded as power was crackling around her hands.
Kenneth/Delacroix laughed. The sound echoed unnaturally through the chamber. "I don’t think I will. They are necessary components. As are the six of you." He gestured broadly, and the sigils painted on the captives began to glow. "I've waited centuries for vessels with your particular combination of powers. Stop fighting. This is meant to be. The prophecy is fulfilled at last."
"The only thing being fulfilled tonight is your imprisonment," I shot back as I summoned my witch fire.
He attacked without warning and unleashed a torrent of power. He had centuries of accumulated magical knowledge to make his assault devastating. Dark energy crackled across the chamber and then split into multiple tendrils that targeted each of us simultaneously.
Dre deflected the energy aimed at her while simultaneously shielding Kota, who manifested a physical barrier to protect Phi. Dani absorbed the attack directed at her, channeling it into the floor while I countered with precisely targeted witch fire. Finally, Dea disrupted his magic with a blast. She managed to weakened his constructs before they couldfully form.
"Impressive," Kenneth/Delacroix acknowledged as sweat beaded on his brow. "But futile."
The air around me thickened, and suddenly, my mom's face floated before me. She had that same disappointed look she'd worn when I had to return to my home shortly before her death. My breath caught in my throat. This is not real. Not. Fucking. Real. But my hands trembled anyway, witch fire flickering dangerously.
"You couldn't save me," not-Mom whispered, her voice slithering into my ear like it came from inside my own head. "Just like you can't save anyone you love."
I snarled, trying to banish the apparition. Then came the pain. White-hot agony lanced through my head where I’d had the subdural hematoma all those months ago. I stumbled and clutched at my head. I knew the wound wasn't real, but I felt it all the same.
Through watering eyes, I saw my sisters battling their own demons. Dani screamed at something only she could see, Dre had fallen to one knee, and Phi wept silently. Yet our circle remained unbroken.
I steadied my breathing and reached out with my power to touch the familiar energy of my sisters. We were six separate flames that burned as bright as a bonfire. The phantom pains receded as I anchored myself in our shared strength. Relying on our love. I was able to push back against the mental invasion.
"You don't understand what you're facing," Kota growled. "You've bitten off more than you can chew."
"We're the Six Twisted Sisters," Dani continued with a snarl.
"One family, one power," Dre added as her telekinesis cracked the floor beneath Delacroix's feet.
"And that makes us stronger than you, Jackass," I finished as my witch fire intensified.
We could beat him. He was spending the little power he had left, and Kenneth's body was failing. Blood trickled from his nose and ears as Delacroix pushed it beyond its limits. The mage's desperation became palpable as he realized his host wouldn't survive much longer.
I threw a magical whip at him and added a flame to the end. The tip opened a wound on his chest. My sisters threw more at him, and his body began convulsing violently. Delacroix's essence emerged a second later. It was a golden mist shot through with dark veins that spread outward in seeking tendrils. Shit. He was trying to find another host.
"Now!" Dre shouted.
We activated our counter-ritual simultaneously. We channeled our power as we'd prepared. Phi produced the mask from her bag and held it in the center of our formation. Delacroix's soul reacted immediately. It attempted to flee, but our combined magic formed an impenetrable barrier. The golden mist swirled frantically and bounced off of our invisible walls. It was searching for escape. Finding none, it lashed out in a final, desperate attack.
Lucas and the others burst into the chamber at that moment. I couldn’t think about whether they had to kill every member of the Society. Focusing my intent was key. We couldn’t afford to lose control now. Delacroix stopped fighting our barrier and redirected his dying energy toward my mate. I sensed it as it left him. Horror washed over me as he struck Lucas with a bolt of corrupted magic.
Lucas dropped to his knees as a burn spread across his chest. My concentration wavered, but before we lost control, my sisters' energies flowed into me. It steadied me, and I got my focus back. We continued channeling our combined power to bind the fucker to the mask.
