“Left or right, left or right,” I chant under my breath, then stop and take the right. The road was to our left back then, so maybe this beaten path also leads there. It might be a village’s main exit to the highway.
I keep moving, unwilling to stop, unwilling to give my men time to catch up. Apollo will miss me soon enough, and there’s no doubt he’ll come after me. He may think I was kidnapped or something. Kidnapped while taking a piss. That would be a new low in my life.
Apollo would be so upset if he learned I escaped them. He wouldn’t understand. He’d tell me to trust him, because he’d defend me. He’d keep me safe.
But who keeps them safe? I’m not strong enough for that, and we’re fighting things much tougher than any of us. My escape might be their only chance at survival.
Swallowing air like I’m a drowning victim, I do my best to maintain a jog. It’s a good thing I can sort of see in the dark now. There’s no moon in the sky, and no light poles ahead. Whatever glimpses I catch of the sky shows a smattering of stars and galaxy dust, but that doesn’t make the way ahead any brighter.
Wind rushes through me, but not a breeze. It’s... Weird. More concentrated, like being too close to a speeding truck. I gasp and shiver, looking around me to find nothing. The shock washes off and I take on my jog once more, my feet hurting, my heart thundering.
Amid the trees, I see someone. My heart jerks in surprise. No, there’s no way there’s someone in the road at this time of night. I shake my head and wipe any remnant tears off my face and look again.
Thereissomeone. A man steps off the shadows, and his shape is clearer. I halt. He’s several steps ahead of me, but works on ending the distance with soft steps, a smile on his face.
“Well, isn’t that a lucky strike for me,” he says, loud enough for me to hear. I step back.
“What do you want?” I shoot back, closing my fists and lifting my chin at him.
He shrugs, narrowing his eyes to study my face. “You do look like the pictures. Cassandra Blake, isn’t it?” He chuckles. “Lucky, lucky strike.”
If he talks about luck one more time, I’ll introduce him to my fist, even if that won’t hurt him. He’s the one who created the wind rush a moment ago, like he passed me too fast. And that can only mean one thing.
The stranger grins, and I can clearly see his fangs. Vampire. And not to be prejudiced, but apart from Don, vampires are not my favorite thing in the world. They’re bitey, in the eat-you-for-dinner sense. Not good. Not good at all.
Why the fuck is there a vampire in the middle of this beaten path? “You’re looking for me?” I ask, because he does know my name.
He nods. “Kayn put a price on your head. I heard you killed the Light Mage. Thought you’d become a celebrity or something.” He shrugs again, hands in his pockets like we’re having a nice chat in a club. “Guess I was wrong. Kayn wants you, and I don’t know why.” His smile widens. “Not that I care, of course. What I do care about, you see, is for Kayn to owe me. A vampire like him owing me means I’m set for life.”
I swallow. Donatello’s maker put a price on my head? Wow, he seems desperate. Doesn’t he trust the Collector to bring me to him? Maybe they had a fall out. Maybe he’s just making sure he gets what he paid for.
Cold trickles in my veins. The shadows sing for me, curl around my feet, telling me they’re here. Even when I’m alone, the shadows are still here, ever present. Whatever this power is, even if it’s cold, it warms me. There’s a comfort to knowing I’m not useless and alone in the middle of a road, at the mercy of a vampire.
“So you’ve been running up and down back roads looking for me?” I shoot at him, trying to keep him distracted as I collect the surrounding shadows. As the light of the stars bathes more and more of the underbrush.
He clucks his tongue, stopping close. “Sort of. I live in Boston. Overheard a police radio saying they had seen you around. Ever since the sun went down, I took the back roads here. I’d eventually find you.” He raises a hand and, for a moment, I think he’s going to tuck my hair behind an ear. Instead, his fingers curl around my neck. Tight.
I gasp and reach up to grip his wrist. “Let me go,” I roar, baring my teeth.
He bares his back, his fangs much more impressive than my lame canines. “I don’t think so. You’re worth a lot.”
“More than your life?” And I let my power take over, and the shadows explode. The cloud rises between us and he slams his eyes shut, screaming in surprise as he steps back. His hold loosens for a moment and I shove his arm off, darting away as fast as I can. I’ll give it a moment and release more shadows behind me. If I keep to the road, I’ll eventually reach... Somewhere.
I just need a police car.
I don’t hear his steps, and his hands close around my hair, hauling me back. My neck cranes painfully and I explode more of the shadows, releasing them into the cloud, trying to blind him once more.
He laughs, his hold firm on my hair. “A Shadow Mage. That’s why they want you so bad.” No matter how much I struggle, he keeps a hold around my hair, his other hand poking my shoulder until he finds my neck and squeezes it. I gasp again, his thumb pressing to my trachea. “I don’t know... Maybe the Collector will get me more money if I sell you off to him.”
The memory of the cage and the bright lights and the absence of magic leaves me shivering cold. I won’t go back there. The Collector might take me back, keep me in his cage until he finds Kayn. And then what? Then I’m fucked. A vampire as old and as powerful as him? I’m not able to escape a minion, much less the Big Bad.
“Let me go,” I wheeze, kicking behind me and landing one to his knee. He grunts, but that only serves to piss him off.
His hand closes around my jaw and I wince in pain. The man is not holding back. He’s not seeing anything, not with my shadows around us, but that doesn’t mean shit. He squeezes my cheeks, his nails digging into my flesh until the warm wetness of blood races down my skin.
“If you’re going to fight this much, maybe I’ll have to drain you a little.” He grins. “You won’t have that much spirit when you can’t stand on your feet.”
I struggle harder, but it’s useless. There’s no way I’ll get rid of his hold like this. I have to be smart. My power doesn’t lay in strength. I push all the shadows away, emptying my chest. The vampire grunts in annoyance, holding me in place as he unlocks his jaw, his fangs coming out, pointy and ready to stick into me.