Lothaire (Immortals After Dark #12)(114)

She shook her head slowly.

“Come, or I’ll make your vampire drink you to death.”

Lothaire gripped her wrist—until Dorada commanded, “Release her.”

He did at once.

Seeing how much control the sorceress had over him, Ellie crossed

the room to stand before Dorada. Will she kill me? Turn me into one of those things?

“Kneel.”

With no other choice, Ellie did.

The sorceress scrutinized her with that one eye. “Is that Saroya the Soul Reaper buried deep within this mortal, Lothaire? Was the goddess of vampires the Bride you sought? Perhaps you wanted to make this human host into an immortal with my ring.”

He remained silent.

“Do you guard the body so vehemently to preserve Saroya? Or is the girl yours?”

“Did you come here to insult me? You know the answer to that question.” Lothaire-speak?

Dorada raised her good hand to touch Ellie’s forehead, commanding, “Face me, Saroya.”

Ellie recoiled, resisting Saroya with all her might.

“No, sorceress!” Lothaire yelled. “Don’t do this!”

“I know you can sense me deep down, goddess,” Dorada said, ignoring him. “Now rise!”

The female’s gold plates seemed to vibrate as power infused the room. Ellie could feel Saroya skittering wildly in her chest, but still she fought.

Lothaire too strained against Dorada’s control. “This has to do with more than my crimes against you. What do you want from Saroya?”

“Revenge.”

Ellie remained silent, grappling to hold the goddess back.

“For what?” Lothaire grated.

“Why do you think I was in that tomb, vampire?” Dorada said. “Because Saroya’s assassins hunted me down without cease! In desperation, I turned to the ring, but she was too powerful for it to vanquish. So I wished never to be found by her killers, to be freed of her torments. And the ring made sure I was forever out of her reach—by having my other enemies trap me in that tomb for ages.” She stared off with her sole eye for long moments, then turned back to him. “Until you came along, waking me. At once, I sensed Saroya’s lack of godhood. I refused to let you use my own ring to empower her in any way.”

“This makes no sense, Dorada. Saroya would have no reason to assassinate you. Who were you to a goddess?”

Ellie’s vision wavered. She was losing ground, couldn’t hold on much longer. . . .

Dorada frowned at Lothaire. “You don’t know about the prophecy?”

“What are you talking about?” he bit out. “What prophecy?”

Amusement. “Hmm. Just know that it’s about to be fulfilled.”

With that, Ellie gave a cry, collapsing as her sight went dark.



Saroya felt herself compelled to rise, blinking open her eyes. She was in Lothaire’s room? Hand to her forehead, she rose to her knees . . . and found herself surrounded by Wendigos.

Facing her old nemesis.

The foretelling! Fear surged within her, seeming to swell inside her throat. But Saroya would bluff as if she still had power. “Dorada,” she sneered. “It’s been ages.”

The Gilded One grinned, revealing rotted teeth among gleaming white ones. “You’re no longer the cat-eyed goddess,” she said, speaking staticky English through some kind of translation spell.

“You’re no longer decent to look upon. Fitting that you keep the company of drooling beasts.”

“Regeneration.” Dorada shrugged. Her customary adornments were nearly blinding, gold plates so heavy they looked like they’d crush her putrefied form. “Your male harmed me quite thoroughly. I wanted revenge on Lothaire. I had no idea I could mete it out to you as well.”

This couldn’t be happening. It is foretold . . . It is foretold . . . Dread inundated Saroya, but she forced herself to give a dismissive wave. “What can you do to me?” Am I sweating from fright? “I am a goddess.”

“You have no powers. And you’re pure evil. Easy for me to control. Shall I do as was divined so long ago?”

Saroya swallowed. “If you attempt this, you will fail. And then I

will smite you with a god’s wrath.”

Dorada smirked, her face drawn into a repellent mask. “I believe I will risk it.”

Saroya turned to Lothaire. “Vampire, do something!”

His muscles were knotted, his expression strained, but he remained unmoving. Dorada clearly had him under her thrall.

“Don’t take Saroya, sorceress. There must another way to settle this!”

Comprehension hit her. Lothaire was acting as if she were his Bride, because he knew that Dorada would cast her out to punish him.

Sure enough, he’d discovered a way out of his vows. “Dorada, I am not his Bride! If you seek vengeance against Lothaire, then you must kill—”

“Why do you deny me now, Saroya?” Lothaire yelled.

Dorada raised her hand, her splayed fingers directing mystical energy at Saroya. The gold jewelry on her body reverberated, her sole eye glittering. The Wendigos howled as the air grew electric.

“No!” Saroya shrieked. “Do not do this!”

“I never would have harmed you, goddess, never would have targeted you, had you not beset me with your assassins. Fool! You turned me onto this path. You fulfilled this prophecy.”