“Pulled him after killing him first, eh?” Nergal rose from his throne and shrank to three times Vladimir’s size. As he walked toward the necromancer, he was pleased to see Vladimir’s fear, thick and delicious as it wafted like a fine perfume.
Leaving behind his nebulous form, Nergal took on the shape of a man’s body with three lion heads, each positioned to look all around him. He approached the figure Vladimir had conjured.
“With his feet firmly on the ground, he cannot be beaten. Well, perhaps by his own kind or a vampire. Or someone as powerful as you, sire,” Vladimir said.
Nergal leaned closer to the gray creature made of stone and roared, blowing all those close enough to hear miles away.
The gargoyle didn’t move. Didn’t flap his wings. He stood immovable, like the mountains of Taurus.
“I approve.” He walked around the beast. “Where did you find him?”
“From the bazaar. And what’s even better, he has kin that Valentine Darkmore controls.”
“Oh?” The female necromancer had her own gargoyle? Impressive indeed.
“Yes. So if this one falters, we can steal hers to extend your time ‘topside.’” Vladimir cleared his throat. “About the staff, my lord. You’re certain you know where it is?”
Nergal nodded and patted the gargoyle’s thick shoulder. “If the one at the bazaar isn’t what we wanted, then I know exactly where it is.”
Vladimir nodded. “Excellent. I’ll get it for you.”
“And then we’ll get the Darkmore woman. I want to talk to her.”I want to see why that bitch Hecate is so interested in preventing what comes. A weak goddess of death who’s no match for me, Demon Lord of the Underworld.He sniffed. “Now Vladimir, fetch me something to eat. And make sure it’s still alive when you bring it down here. I’m tired of dead things.”
“At once, my lord.” The necromancer paused.
Nergal rolled his eyes. “Fine. Here.” He motioned with his fingers, yanking Vladimir to him. Catching him by the neckwhile the necromancer choked, Nergal opened his mouth and breathed an exquisite plague over the man.
Vladimir seized and shook before the power settled. His eyes glowed, and he floated to the ground when Nergal released him.
That brief flare of light disappeared under the gloom of Irkalla once more.
Vladimir bowed. The gargoyle disappeared, sent back to the surface world once more, where he needed to remain to thrive in death among the living.
“Your servant, as always.” Vladimir vanished.
And Nergal was alone once more, with nothing to do but torment the already damned.
CHAPTER
TWENTY
Wednesday 2 a.m.
Talon Goldwing shotup in bed out of a sound sleep, disturbed deep in his bones.
He’d been dreaming about his dead mate again, as he often did, especially around Ava’s birthday. But lately, the dreams had been getting more real.
“It’s coming, Talon. Help her. Come for me. I miss you.”
He could hear her words as if she’d just whispered them in his ear, as if the many years since she’d been gone didn’t exist, his little Ava close by, her smile brightening his whole world.
Wiping away the tears he hadn’t realized he’d cried, Talon sighed, so tired of existing. He knew Val wanted the best for him. She thought that killing the source of all their sorrows would somehow make up for the terror that had been their lives for so long.
For her, it might. But Talon had lost part of himself over twenty years ago. He ached for his mate, missing her more than anything. So many times he’d thought of joining her, of going out in a blaze of glory by provoking a pack of lycans or poking at a vampire.
But something kept him back. His love for Val, maybe? They’d been friends forever, intimate for a short time that they both knew was a mistake. Seeking a connection deeper than friendship yet finding it lacking. That intimacy hadn’t lasted, though their friendship had remained.
He had a feeling Val knew him almost as well as he knew himself. She worried for him, and yes, he worried for her. That was probably why he’d waited so long to join his beloved in the afterlife.
