The Ripple Effect (Rhiannon's Law #3)(74)

“What to do with you,” Marigold said with a sigh. She glanced around and looked at a nearby door. I felt sick when I glimpsed her intention.

“You can’t.”

“Oh yes, I can.” She grabbed Sirah by the hair with her hand—my f*cking hand—and dragged the squirming vampire as she crossed the distance. “I’m saving precious ammo. You can thank me later.”

Marigold opened the door, kicked Sirah’s legs from beneath her, and situated the vampire just right—so that her neck rested against the frame. I didn’t want to watch, but I couldn’t look away. Sirah looked at me, and for the first time the dumb bitch understood what I was capable of. What a shame that it took looking death in the eye for her to realize I wasn’t someone to f*ck with.

“See you on the other side,” Marigold said in a singsong voice.

It took four slams of the door to detach Sirah’s head. Blood spattered, dotting along my pants, as the bones in her neck finally gave way. But the worst part was watching her body—her hands straining, fingers clawing the air. She kept kicking for a few seconds even when the door slammed shut, a chunk of blonde hair intermingled with wood, seeping bone, and flesh.

Jonny appeared from around the corners, a savage look on his face. “What the f*ck?”

Shit. I didn’t like Sirah’s lover, but I didn’t hate him either.


Marigold yanked on the door handle, until the knob and the short metal shaft inside came free in her hand. She pivoted and faced Jonny. “You are a quandary. I’m not sure where you fall in the bargain.”


“You’re dead,” he growled, canines dropping from his gums.

“Promises, promises,” Marigold sighed. “All talk and no action.”

Jonny charged using vampire speed. To my surprise, Marigold made her decision and enacted it in the same second. She thrust the knob into his chest, using one hand to deliver the blow while the other braced the rounded knob and held it in place. I thought we’d fall into a heap, but somehow Marigold remained upright. When he staggered back, she aimed, spun around, and nailed the knob in place with a devastating kick. He fell, landing hard on the floor.

Marigold walked to the gurgling vampire and peered down. He looked horrible, the knob embedded in his chest, his hands hovering over the wound. Blood poured from the hole. He looked up, eyes full of rage, anguish, and pain. I wasn’t sure if he’d recover. Depending on how deep the injury was, what the knob was made of, and how quickly he got fresh blood into his system, he could very well die.

“He’s got a fifty-fifty chance.” Marigold sniffed, surveying her handiwork. “I didn’t aim for the heart, but I didn’t try to miss it either.”

I wasn’t sure who was safe anymore, not after what she’d done to Jonny. Apparently the fallen angel didn’t do remorse or regret. “Can we get the amulet before you kill someone else?”

“Party pooper,” she muttered, and I sensed her unwillingness to end her time here. She wanted to enjoy every single second. “I am playing by your rules.”

“Time is short.” I reminded her. “The sun will rise soon.”

She stepped over the man she’d shitkicked and hurried to the stairs. “Excellent point.”

No one intercepted us, meaning she’d somehow managed to kill two vampires without notice. As she approached Disco’s office, I had no choice but to watch. It was the eeriest thing. I could hear everything, see everything, and feel everything, but I wasn’t a participant. Odder still, I knew Marigold’s thoughts, could hear them in my head.

She was eager to face a master vampire on equal ground after such a long time in Hell. She didn’t want to use weapons, either. She wanted to go at Marius hand to hand, remember how wonderful it felt to feel flesh pounding against flesh. She was ecstatic about the fact that I worked out and took care of myself; my body an excellent vessel to dish out the pain she longed to create.

Marius was seated at Disco’s desk when I walked inside. He rose from the chair, looking at me as though ready to say something, when he went stock-still. His eyes went wide and his nostrils flared.

“What are you?” he asked, moving cautiously away, toward the far wall.

“You know what I am,” Marigold said. “And you know what I’ve come for.”

“How is this possible?” He looked me over from head to toe. “It can’t be possible.”

“It’s more than possible. It’s a miracle.” She extended her hand and ordered, “My amulet. Give it to me.”

Marius snapped to attention then, realizing who he was dealing with. “Marigold Vesta.”

I wasn’t sure how much Goose had told him about the angel we were searching for, but at least Marius knew her name. It would be an added bonus if homeboy realized he should fear her as well.

“If I don’t?” he asked, treading into no man’s land. “If I refuse to give it to you?”

My lips quirked as Marigold grinned. “I was hoping you’d ask that.”


In less than a second, Marigold and Marius were engaged in combat. He moved, she followed; he slashed out with his fists, she evaded. I knew vampires were quick, but Marius was a helluva lot faster than Disco or Paine, nearly as fast as Revenald and Anton. His movements were impossible to follow, but because of Marigold I was able to see everything. To Marigold’s credit, she was equally as fast, if not faster. I got the impression she wanted this to last, to stretch out how wonderful it felt to be inside skin she could fully control.