Darkness Revealed (Guardians of Eternity #4)(92)

Trying to shake off the pain, Anna squared her shoulders and faced her furious relative with a grim determination. Dammit, time was running out.

Despite the pain and debilitating weakness that she could sense was plaguing Cezar, Anna didn’t doubt for a minute that he was already rushing to the rescue like the Lone-freaking-Ranger. She had to end this before he got himself killed.

“Forgive me if I’m not nearly as impressed as you think I should be, but to be honest, after meeting my grandfather, I’ve come to realize that you’re nothing more than a vain, pathetic wannabe.” She forced a smile to her bruised lips. “Arthur was a true king. A man worthy to claim the title.”

Morgana’s hand lifted, but this time she didn’t strike Anna. Instead her fingers circled Anna’s neck and lifted her off the ground.

“If you are hoping to provoke me into making your death swift and painless, you’re even more stupid than I thought,” she mocked. “I intend to relish your screams of agony, sweet Anna. I intend to bathe in your blood and crush your heart in my bare hand.”

“Lovely,” Anna muttered, knowing she would be far more terrified if she hadn’t been distracted by the sense of Cezar moving steadily closer. “Is this the part where I’m supposed to beg for mercy?”

The emerald eyes flashed with an inhuman fury as Morgana’s fingers tightened on her throat.

“Oh, you will beg, Anna Randal,” Morgana hissed, her fingers digging into Anna’s throat with an agonizing force. “Before I am through with you…” The threatening words came to an abrupt halt as the overhead light in the kitchen flickered and then exploded with enough force to send a shower of glass slivers raining through the room. Both women froze for a heartbeat, then releasing her hold on Anna, Morgana spun on her heels to glare toward the empty doorway. “The vampire. He’s been released.”

Shit.

Dragging in a ragged breath, Anna battled the wave of darkness that threatened to consume her. She knew that she had to strike while Morgana was distracted. Before Cezar charged to his death.

Knowing that, however, and actually accomplishing the brave feat were two very different things.

Choking on blood and barely able to breathe, Anna clutched the emerald in her hand and closed her eyes as she attempted to call on the powers she had for so long considered a curse.

In this moment she didn’t care if she was a freak. She didn’t care if she couldn’t control her powers and she brought the entire house down on their heads. After all, there was no one here who wouldn’t survive.

All she cared about was distracting the woman before she could hurt Cezar.

She felt the familiar prickle race through her blood, the energy stirring her hair and heating her skin.

Unfortunately, Morgana wasn’t a queen for nothing. The very moment that Anna began to focus her power the woman turned back and grabbed Anna’s arm to shake her with a violent fury.

“Oh no you don’t,” she hissed. “Nothing is going to stop me from putting an end to you.”

Her free hand lifted and she pointed toward the center of the room. Anna frowned as she watched a strange shimmer begin to glow in the darkness.

Anna’s heart clenched with fear as the shimmer grew larger and a strange mist filled the center.

Holy crap. Was that a portal?

Oh, this wasn’t good.

Not good at all.

“What are you doing?” she stupidly demanded.

Keeping her grim hold on Anna’s arm, Morgana began dragging her toward the waiting mist.

“I’m taking you home, my sweet.”

Waiting until the house was plunged into darkness, Cezar descended the stairs with one long leap. Landing at the bottom he was forced to crouch low as a hail of arrows flew over his head.

Damn fairies.

Why didn’t they just get the hell out of the way so he could get to Anna?

“Styx,” he bellowed, his gaze searching out the large vampire who already had his sword loose and was cutting a swath of carnage through the gathered fey. At his side Jagr was providing his own share to the death toll, his fluid motions a beautiful dance of death.

“Go to her, amigo,” Styx growled. “We can handle a few fairies.”

Cezar smiled wryly as he bolted toward the kitchen door. The fairies that hadn’t been sliced in two were already fleeing in mindless panic. He was more in danger of being flattened in the stampede than shot.

Ignoring Troy, who ran at his side, Cezar reached the door and prepared to launch himself at Morgana.

Only there was no Morgana to launch himself at.

And no Anna.

Hissing in disbelief, he reached out with his mind, a stark fear piercing his heart as he found nothing but a yawning emptiness.

He stumbled to a halt, his gaze desperately searching the empty room even as logic told him that she was gone. Truly gone.

“Anna,” he breathed, sinking to his knees as he reached out to touch the scorch marks that marred the linoleum floor.

“A portal,” Troy muttered in disgust. “Morgana has taken her.”

With a movement too swift to follow, Cezar had Troy pinned to the wall, his fangs close enough to rip out the imp’s throat.

“Take me to her,” he growled.

Troy had to swallow twice before he could find his voice. “I don’t have that power.”