Pretty When She Destroys (Pretty When She Dies #3)(98)

“Assuming she drove,” Benchley said, wincing.

“I can check flights.” Alexia started typing again.

Cassandra clung to her girlfriend, sobbing. “We need to find her, Aimee.”

“Cass, baby, I need to start working on a tracking spell right away.” The witch carefully disengaged herself from Cassandra’s grip. Giving Cian a significant look, she kissed Cassandra then ran out of the room.

Cian climbed over the back of the loveseat and drew his daughter into his arms. Holding her lovingly, he stroked her hair as she wept. “What else did you find out, Roberto?”

The sun was below the trees now and the vampire was more lucid and appeared much more dangerous.

Roberto rocked back and forth, heel to toe, his gaze on the floor in front of him. “Amaliya told me that The Summoner can tear down the veil at any time once the sword is restored. There is a ritual to maintain the tear and allow the abyss to consume the world. They’ve been preparing for it for months.”

“You know where his haven is, so we’ll go there immediately,” Cian said.

“The ritual won’t take place there. It will take place in a Mayan temple.” Roberto raised his eyes and Jeff wished he could read the expression in them.

“We have to go to Mexico?” Benchley gasped.

“No.” Roberto shook his head.

“It’s under San Antonio,” Samantha spoke up. “The Mayans had a temple in the area of San Antonio and it is still there. Buried underneath the f*ckin’ junction of Highway 1604 and Interstate I-35. Bianca told Amaliya about it.”

“Holy shit,” Benchley said. “Holy shit!”

“He’s going to bring it forth,” Roberto continued. “And then tear the veil. He doesn’t have to wait for December 21, 2012 to do it either. He can do it as soon as the sword is formed.”

“And with the ring on its way...” Baptiste rubbed his hands over his bald head. “Shit.”

“It’ll happen tonight,” Alexia breathed.

“Yeah.” Samantha raised her eyes, tears filling them.

“So, it’s time to save the world,” Jeff said, finding it hard to take a breath. “Tonight.”





Chapter 26


The ambience of the room continued to weigh on Amaliya’s mind and body as she lay on the bed waiting for the night to come. She had tried several times to walk across the room to the door only to feel an intense lethargy that started to paralyze her limbs. Each time, Bianca had pulled her back to the bed. At last she had relented to the reality that she was trapped as surely as Bianca was. Pulling on her discarded tank top and panties, she’d lit another cigarette and contemplated the situation while Bianca drifted back to sleep curled into Amaliya’s side.

When Roberto had slipped into the room, hesitant and fearful, she’d been startled at his sudden appearance, but in retrospect wasn’t really surprised. Samantha had been diligently working on her abilities. Though it was difficult to feel it through the layers of mind-numbing energy filling the room, Amaliya was grateful for the fine thread of magic that connected her to Samantha. She was even more grateful for Roberto’s bravery at breaching The Summoner’s defenses.

Their conversation had been quick, thorough, and anxiety-inducing. Amaliya had watched the silent, kneeling form of The Summoner while Roberto had hid in the shadows. She’d told him everything she had discovered, then watched him vanish.

Now, she was on her last cigarette and feeling more hopeful than she had earlier when Bianca had revealed that much of what she, Cian, and the others had believed to be true was actually wrong. Exhaling, Amaliya ruffled Bianca’s wavy hair with her fingers. The stillness of the other vampire’s form was strangely comforting. She could almost pretend it was Cian next to her, but the illusion was broken by the feminine softness of Bianca’s body. No matter what happened next, Amaliya vowed to not abandon Bianca. She could find a place in her home and heart for the girl. Bianca had tried to save her once and failed. Now Amaliya was determined to find a way to save Bianca. She was sick and tired of people dying for her.

It was difficult to maintain her focus in the presence of the nearly reconstructed sword, but her stubbornness was benefitting her. Every time her mind would begin to drift to The Summoner’s promise of the new world and her role in it, she would force herself to remember her grandmother. It helped fight off the mind-altering power of her bond to The Summoner and the black magic writhing in the air about the nearly completed sword.

“It’s close now.” The sound of The Summoner speaking broke her out of her reverie.

“The other ring?” She dragged heavily on her cigarette.

“Yes.”

Amaliya watched the muscles beneath his skin ripple as he stood. It was difficult to believe it was not a true body that was standing before her. Brushing his blond hair back from his face, The Summoner turned to gaze at her. In another time, in another place, she could have fallen hard for him and kicked her humanity away to be with him. Maybe if he hadn’t abandoned her in the beginning he could have won her love. Amaliya was aware of her weaknesses. Bad boys, sex, alcohol, cigarettes, and loud music were all she had really enjoyed for a long time. Now she enjoyed those same things, but also had the added pleasures of Cian’s love, friendships, and a place that felt like home.