Blood Double (God Wars #1)(80)

"Was it willing—on her part? I hear Gavin has his elbow on her neck," Kooper sipped coffee and watched Trevor.

"No idea. Maybe I'll ask around."

"Let me know. At least Hawer got what he had coming."

"I hear Ildevar Wyyld had a hand in that. Just rumor, mind you, but that's what I hear."

"Do you hear that?" Trevor stood. Screaming had come to his ears, and that shouldn't be. It appeared to be coming from several blocks away, but his enhanced hearing ensured that he'd hear it easily from that distance. "Koop, how fast can you run?" Trevor grabbed Kooper's arm and hauled him out the door.

*

Breanne's Journal

Nobody will ever accuse me of not having a sense of humor. A twisted sense of humor, but a sense of humor all the same. When I'd left Earth behind, there'd been a resurgence of zombie interest. There were zombie movies, books, gifts, T-shirts, blogs, advice columns, you name it. Anything anyone might imagine. Everybody was either frightened or titillated by zombies.

In my experience in the Reth and Campiaan Alliances, however, nobody had zombie experience. I did. I also knew how the Larentii could create three-dimensional figures and make them act and sound real. It only required a bit of Larentii power to scare the bejeezus out of a casino filled with gamblers.

Zombies, hundreds of them, now chased visitors through Erithia's casino, while all the humanoids ran for the doors, screaming their heads off. The grimly funny thing? I had Erithia and her twelve shielded against sound so they wouldn't hear. I had plans for the Comet's Tail Casino, and none of her guests figured in all that. I wanted all of them out, and this was the best and easiest way I knew to accomplish that goal.

Zombies chased full-grown adults; their filth-covered arms held high, their melting and decomposing body parts creating horror as their victims ran as fast as they could to get away. Some casino visitors were helping others who didn't or couldn't get out quickly enough. I was grateful that anyone who couldn't walk had a hoverchair, and had already zipped through the exits.

Satisfied, I watched the last guest run screaming through the door before removing images of chasing zombies. They faded into the nothing from which they'd been created. Now, all I had to do was destroy Erithia and her flunkies.

*

Lissa's Journal

"Papa Cheedas, do you have any idea how disappointed I am with you?" I stared at him. He'd been more of a father to me through the past few years than anyone else.

"Raona, I know not what came over me," he walked toward me, stopping only a foot away. "It has never been my desire to disappoint you."

He'd been pulled from his bed, just as I asked, and wore a long robe over dark pajamas. Nervously, he stuffed a hand into a robe pocket. When he lifted his eyes, they'd gone red—something I'd never seen before. Then, moving with the swiftness any vampire has, he staked me in the chest before I had time to scream.

*

Breanne's Journal

I felt her die as I wound my mist tightly, preparing to release it. I'd have to control the explosion so nobody would get hit outside the casino. I felt her die. My sister. The Queen of Le-Ath Veronis.

Somehow, Cheedas, who would never harm her, had done just that. He'd killed the Queen—the one he considered his adopted daughter. I turned to Erithia, who was still plotting a war and the destruction of everything.

"You—die," I hissed, becoming corporeal for only a moment. Who needed gathered mist? I could blow the entire planet apart with merely a thought. Who knew it would take extreme anger to come to that realization?

"You will do as I say," Erithia snapped at me, pointing a powerful obsession in my direction. I laughed.

"Fuck you," I shouted and loosed power.

*

"Lissa, cara mia?" Gavin held Lissa's body in his arms. She wasn't breathing. Her heart had stopped. Gavin pulled the stake from her chest and tossed it aside while he wept. Cheedas, held by Rigo, stared in fright at the blood around the Queen's body.

"No!" Gavin's voice could be heard by every vampire in the palace. "No!"

*

"What the hell?" Trevor, who'd had to slow down to allow Kooper to catch up, watched as debris exploded high into the sky, followed by the loudest boom he'd ever heard.

"What is that?" Kooper, winded from attempting to keep up with the vampire at his side, blinked in shock as the Comet's Tail Casino was reduced to rubble and blown skyward at an accelerated rate.

"Maybe that's why all those people were screaming and running. Call for backup, we may need it for casualties," Trevor muttered. "Kooper, this isn't meant as disrespect, but I'm about to give you a lift." Trevor lifted Kooper one-handed and raced toward the explosion.

*

Breanne's Journal

I gazed briefly at my reflection in a casino window across the street. I'd never seen my eyes do that before. They were a solid cobalt blue and stars fell through their depths. I had no idea what that meant, but I knew one thing; Erithia and her twelve were dead, and so was my sister. Hunching my shoulders, I did what I'd promised myself I wouldn't and folded space to the palace.

*

"Lissa's dead. I'm going to Le-Ath Veronis," Dragon appeared beside Kiarra.

"I know." Kiarra's eyes were filled with tears. "I heard that Winkler's wolf is howling beside her body, and Gavin won't let anyone else touch her. Go, I know your boys are probably going crazy with grief."