Cian lifted a shoulder dismissively. “He’s an idiot.”
“What should we do?”
The human was obviously worried and unnerved by the situation on top of everything else they were experiencing. “We need him tonight.”
“Yeah.”
“Then we tell him to leave the city, or die.”
The spot between Jeff’s eyebrows furrowed. “Okay. I guess.”
“It’s working!” Cassandra’s voice called out excitedly.
Cian moved faster than the human could follow to the table and leaned over the map. A single drop of Cassandra’s blood was slowly sliding along the surface of the map just over the I-35 corridor. From what Aimee had explained earlier, Cian knew the red globule indicated Galina’s location. Her daughter’s blood was the best way to find and track her.
“She’s just past Austin,” Cassandra exclaimed. “We can catch her!”
“Grab everyone,” Cian said to Jeff. “We go now.”
The long black dress fluttered around Amaliya’s legs as she walked behind the possessed Bianca. The other necromancer was dressed in a white lace dress and her blonde hair was twisted up onto her head and held in place with diamanté hair clips. The Summoner had insisted on them looking “proper” and Amaliya had reluctantly complied. The gauzy silk material of her gown whispered against her skin and the fishnet insets in the arms and torso were a nice nod to her usual fashion choices. Her dyed black hair flowed unfettered to her waist and she wore her regular heels. On those two points, she’d refused to capitulate to The Summoner. He’d been amused.
Before them, hovering in the air, were the twelve rings. The pulsing light emanating from the jewelry formed an ethereal sword. Only a section of the hilt was missing. It was nearly complete.
Striding down the stairs behind the glowing sword and The Summoner/Bianca, Amaliya saw Etzli and the thirteen black witches waiting in the foyer. Vampires, infused humans, were-jaguars and demons stood behind them. All were garbed in dark colors, even Stark and Trish. The levitating sword swept downstairs to the floor below and the crowd bowed their heads. The Summoner/Bianca smiled triumphantly at the sight. Amaliya supposed it was a small taste of what was to come once he conquered the sun and plunged humanity into the abyss.
Amaliya expected some sort of arch-villain speech about the end of the world, but instead The Summoner regally strolled through the gathering and out the front door. The cold, moist air and dark, low clouds over the San Antonio skyline threatened a winter storm. Sirens tore through the night from all directions. An orange glow illuminated the sky over the south side of the city. It was a little after seven in the evening, but already the city was in chaos. The black witches had unleashed the volcanoes of negative energy and violence ruled the city.
A black Navigator waited on the driveway, Gregorio holding open the back door. The Summoner waited for the sword to slip inside, then followed. A quick gesture from Bianca’s hand indicated that Amaliya was to sit next to The Summoner. She slid inside just as Etzli climbed into the front seat.
In eerie silence, Amaliya watched the big house slide out of view as the SUV turned out the front gates and drove toward their destination.
Grabbing his coat out of the hall closet, Jeff bumped into Eduardo when he took a step back to shut the door. The coyote was as quiet as ever. Jeff started, not having heard him approach.
Tilting his head, Eduardo regarded Jeff with the eyes of a coyote, not a man. “I heard you and Alexia talking,” Eduardo said after a long, unnerving moment of silence between them.
“Yeah?” Jeff shrugged on his coat.
“And I saw you talking to Cian,” Eduardo continued. His teeth were sharp behind his lips.
“Okay. Your point?” Jeff fought to maintain a calm exterior.
“Stay out of my business.”
“Your business?”
The cabal was scattered through the house and the front drive as they rushed about in preparation. Cian was gone, having departed to hunt for blood in the neighborhood. The vampire had promised to catch up with them on the road.
Eduardo smirked, leaning his beefy shoulder against the wall. “Yeah. My business. And yes, our friends are too far away to stop me if I decide to rip out your throat.”
“Why would you do that?” Jeff slung his winter scarf about his threatened throat.
Chuckling, Eduardo wagged his head. “Don’t play innocent, Jeff. We’re old friends. I know when you’re trying to bullshit your way out of something.”
“Really? Well, I know you well enough to know you’re worried about the fact I figured out your secret.”
“You don’t know anything.” Eduardo said gruffly, his look predatory.
“Then why are you worried?”