Part 29 (1/2)

”Esther's ready.” Mordred's voice drew my attention to the right. He wore a cloak made up of the various strips of Esther 's skin. Blood from the fresher pieces drip-dropped down his cheeks. The dagger gleamed in his hand. ”One down, one to go.”

I was going to die. Really die.

The truth hit me hard and fast as the dagger descended.

No seeing my mother or my father or my brothers.

No Evie. No Killer.

No Ty.

I'd let him go. How stupid was that? I'd let him walk away. Worse, I'd pushed him away.

The only vampire I'd ever loved.

The only vampire who'd ever loved me.

He did. Even if he hadn't ever said it. I knew it deep down inside, underneath all my insecurities and my crazy romantic notions.

I'd fantasized for so long about the perfect vampire that I'd refused to give up my ideal. But vampires aren't perfect.

Fine, so physically they are. But emotionally they're just as messed up as everyone else, me included. Ty had been right. I was every bit the commitment-phobe. That's why I'd put off introducing him to my mother.

Because I wouldn't just be admitting to her that I was giving up a future filled with baby vamps, I'd be admitting it to myself.

That's what I'd really been afraid of.

Committing to Ty and giving up my dream.

But it wasn't the dream that kept me company as the knife sank into my skin. It was Ty. His image in my head. His memory warming my body and blocking out the pain.

”Sonofab.i.t.c.h,” I ground out through clenched teeth.

Okay, most of the pain.

Hot blood slithered down my calf, drip-dropped onto the floor. Fire swept up my leg as Mordred peeled back the skin.

I clamped my eyes shut and focused on Ty. His handsome face. His toned body. His deep voice.

”Lame, dude. Really lame.”

Then again, maybe his voice wasn't that deep. My eyes popped open and I stared through a fog of pain at the woman who stood behind Mordred.

”Tabitha?”

”Hey, Lil.” She gave a finger wave, all party girl bubbly until she turned her attention to Mordred. Her bright blue eyes hardened into hard chips and her smile faded. ”It wasn't nice ditching me like that. I've been looking everywhere for you.”

Her vivid description of her dream man clicked and I realized she hadn't been looking for a date at all. She'd been looking for Mordred.

And she'd finally hit pay dirt.

”W e had a deal,” Tabitha reminded Mordred.

While I never would have pegged her for the intimidating sort, she rose to the occasion as she stepped toward the sorcerer.

He backed up.

I had no clue who Tabitha really was, but I knew then that she was one bad b.i.t.c.h.

Merlin lifted his hand to give her the finger, but she nailed him with a stare. ”Stay out of this, old man.”

His arm fell to his side and stayed there as if some invisible force held him immobile.

”We had a deal, Mordred. I make sure the G.o.ds reward you for your sacrifice and you hand over the souls to me. That 's the way it's always been between us. Always. But you had to get greedy, didn't you? You wanted to cut me out, make one last sacrifice and gain immortality all by yourself. But it doesn't work that way. The deal calls for a human. A soul. Vampires don't have souls.”

Hey.

”You renig,” she went on. ”I renig.”

”I ...” The words faded into a choked gurgle.

”What's the matter?” She eyed him. ”Cat got your tongue?” The moment she said it, his mouth opened. Blood gushed out, followed by something that landed with a splat on the floor. ”Oh, it's not the cat. It's just me.” She leaned over and picked up the bleeding slab. ”I've got your tongue.” She waved it at him. ”And all the rest of you. Ditto for your soul.” Her eyes brightened and the walls seemed to vibrate. ”Time to go.”

Mordred stumbled backward, but it was too late. His fingers started to fall, plopping into the dirt one by one. Then his hands.

His arms. He screamed, the sound blending with the rush of wind that seemed to dismember him piece by piece. The ground started to shake then, sucking at the pieces, gobbling them up until all that remained was the sickening skin cloak that lay in a heap on the ground.

”Don't do this,” Merlin said when she turned toward him. ”The Council won't take my death lightly.”

”Oh, I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to warn you. There is no bending the rules. One human sacrifice every one hundred years. You give me the soul and I give you another hundred years looking exactly the way you do now.” Her gaze swept him from head to toe. ”Doesn't sound so hot, now, does it?” Silence ticked by as she stepped closer to him, until they were nose to nose. ”If I were you, I'd turn and run right now.”

She blew him a little kiss and he flew backward, slamming into the wall. He scrambled to his feet and ran for his life. ”Party on,”

she called after him.

”Lil.” She clucked her tongue as she walked over to me. ”You're a mess, girl.”

”Who are you?”

”Ixtab,” said a deep, familiar voice. Ty's image materialized. He took one look at me and the relief in his eyes turned to something much darker and much more dangerous. ”f.u.c.k,” he growled as he stared at the raw patch where my skin had been.

”f.u.c.k.” His gaze collided with mine. ”I'm sorry.” And I knew he wasn't just talking about my flayed flesh. Warmth seeped through me, chasing away the cold.

I grinned. ”You're late.”

My reply eased his frown lines and he grinned. His gaze swept the length of me again and his gaze darkened. ”You're naked.”

”I'd love to stick around for this heartfelt reunion, but I 've got a date.” Ixtab winked at me. ”Evie set me up with a plumber from Brooklyn. We're going salsa dancing.”