Betrayed: Necromancer's Blight: Book 3 Read online

  Leda explained, “They’re also going to pass on a message to buy a tablet with LTE or 4G connectivity, and we can bypass and start communicating through a network the council doesn’t have its claws in.”

  “That’s a good idea.”

  Timothy rolled his eyes, “Of course, us older people are wise you know.”

  I snickered. I also figured out something that I wish I hadn’t. Timothy definitely had a soft spot for Leda, and I was suddenly sure this latest Blood generation coming of age wasn’t the only one in Chicago that had a whole lot of relationship drama. Still, talk about a doomed relationship, Leda could advise, and help us, but she was still a spirit bound to an undead body.

  That had to suck. It was also none of my business, and I didn’t want to know the details.

  “Any idea what we’ll do when that’s done?”

  Leda shrugged, “One step at a time. I imagine we’ll do something to kick the council in the ass, so they’ll get moving on what’s important, but I’m not sure what yet.”

  I nodded. We talked a bit more, but didn’t really get anywhere, and it was getting late…

  Thursday rolled in the next morning, and the morning run felt odd and wrong. It was just Serena, Timothy, and I. It also made it impossible not to wonder about Carl, Christina, and Meathead.

  The latter two didn’t bring up much except confusion and anger. Carl though, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was okay, and if he’d somehow make it back to us. He hadn’t turned out to be as bad as I’d believed. He was a hard ass when it came to rules, and had kept secrets from me because of it, but I’d been wrong about the rest. He hadn’t kept me away from his daughters, or tried to, because of what I was, half necromancer and half blood, or because he didn’t trust me, he’d done it for other reasons. Misguided reasons perhaps, but reasons free of prejudice, and not because he saw me as less, or an experiment.

  Nothing could have made that clearer, than when he agreed I could remain partners with Serena after showing him it wasn’t the wrong path to take. The man had trusted me with his youngest daughter, I wasn’t sure anything could have made it more clear.

  The other thing that was impossible to deny this morning, was that my relationship with Serena had definitely changed. I’d always thought of her as attractive, and we’d always been a bit flirty with each other. But… after what happened last night the sexual tension between us was far more intense, off the scales intense. It was impossible to forget the passion we’d shared with a simple kiss, and what she’d felt like in my arms, against my body, and under my hands.

  I took it as a good sign of course, our relationship was growing closer, stronger, and on more than just that level. We’d figure out how to handle it, and observe the limits, of that I had no doubt.

  After the twenty-mile run, we showered and met in the kitchen, where Leda had been busy cooking us breakfast.

  “Thanks,” I said as I sat at the table.

  She nodded.

  I said, “Leda, do we have a wight on Carl? If we have to, can we extract him?”

  Leda patted my shoulder, “Yes, we’re watching him. So far, he’s just being questioned, and hasn’t been able to go outside. If things change, I’ll let you know, but right now his cooperation is buying us time, he’ll be fine where he his and until that changes we should leave it be.”

  I nodded, “Sounds good.”

  Serena shot me a grateful look, of course she’d be worried about her father.

  We chatted for a while over breakfast, and then I headed over to the workout room, and did three sets on all the equipment. I didn’t overdo it this time, I was going to try not to do that again, it wouldn’t help me catch up, although I was still improving almost daily in strength and fighting, the gains were definitely starting to slow down. That was a natural thing, it meant I was nearing my true limits.

  Soon I’d be at the point where my only deficit was fighting experience.

  After the workout I took another shower, I took an awful lot of showers since I’d met the Blood, three workouts a day will do that. Running, weights, and of course sparring in the afternoons. I didn’t mind it all that much, not when I was facing opponents faster and stronger at least.

  After a shower, I used the bond to track down Serena, and knocked on the door to her suite.

  She opened it and smiled, “Hey, aren’t you a bit early for an ass kicking? Sparring is after lunch.”

  I laughed, and pulled her into me and gave her a short kiss. Any longer and I’d be playing with fire. As it was, I had to force my hands to behave themselves and stay on her waist.

  “I thought we should go on a lunch date.”

  Dating was important right, relationship and all that? The main problem with that was between the workouts, patrolling, school, and now a revolution to get the truth out there despite the council, we really didn’t have extra time for dating. Except of course, everyone had to make time to eat, and I wasn’t going to take any chances, or take her for granted.

  She smiled brightly and bit her lip, her eyes smoldered as she looked at me through her eyelashes. Okay, newer more subtle flirting that was far more devastating, one thing was for sure, with Serena and our evolving relationship, my life wouldn’t ever be boring. She was mesmerizing, and I was done for and happy to be.

  I was a little worried about the speed of things, but with her it was different. We’d had a solid foundation of friendship first, without the bond magic getting in the way. At least, that’s what I told myself.

  “I could eat, what did you have in mind?” she asked as she took my arm and started us toward the stairs up and out.

  “Steak house?”

  She said, “I won’t say no to that.”

  “How about shopping after?”

  “Shopping?” she raised an eyebrow.

  Okay, it was a bit weird for the man to suggest shopping.

  “Yes, I’ve been thinking about the assassination attempt, I bet with the weather we could get away with wearing some long coats.”

  She snickered, “You just want to carry around a sword.”

  “That was the idea, yes. You too. It would give us an edge I think. It wouldn’t work for summer, but fall through spring in Chicago…”

  I was pretty sure I got to keep my man card, since the shopping was so I could carry around a sword.

  She sighed, “Your right, I’ve been wondering what they’d send at us next.”

  “Plus, you’d look hot in a long leather jacket.”

  She snorted, “The truth comes out.”

  I laughed, “That’s just the bonus.”

  She smirked up at me, her eyes bright, “Lies.”

  I laughed again, damn judgement. “Maybe.”

  Despite all the craziness of our lives, and recent events, we had a blast at lunch teasing and flirting, stealing kisses from each other, and just enjoying each other’s company. We were in our own little world and I just enjoyed my time with her. It was effortless, required no thought at all, and despite our short time and everything else, I was beginning to think the falling part was already in the past.

  I’d already fallen for her, hard. Not that it still wasn’t without its complications.

  After lunch, we went shopping for some full-length leather coats. She tried on a couple that looked mouthwatering on her, they hugged her thin waist and conformed nicely to her curvy body. Unfortunately, we needed one that hung loose all the way down, instead of one that clung in certain spots. The latter kind wouldn’t do for hiding a sword blade. Not that the one she finally picked out didn’t look great, she’d look great in a grain sack.

  But I was probably biased.

  She seemed to appreciate how I wore the one I bought as well. Either way, when tonight came we’d be better armed. Swords weren’t as good as guns, but they were much better than daggers. I didn’t know what was coming, but every edge to keep us both safe would be taken. Vigilance and being prepared would get us through, if there was a way through.
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  Hmm, I think Timothy’s influence was rubbing off on me, that sounded like something he’d say. Regardless, I wouldn’t be holding back on my necromancy either, not that I had last night, but before that I had been. I’d had a good reason then of course, but now that I knew the bond with Serena shielded me from the blight, and that I couldn’t be tainted by it with her nearby, there was no reason to discard that advantage.

  Between enjoying ourselves, and shopping afterwards, our lunch date had run a little late, but we still had plenty of time to spar before dinner, and patrolling…

  Chapter Seven

  “I had a great time today.”

  We were back on patrol, and so far, we hadn’t felt a damned thing, but I wasn’t about to let my guard down. Not when we were looking for the usual plus a possible assassin.

  I grinned down at her, we were walking rather closely hand in hand. The sword was annoying as hell, but it would be worth it if we wound up needing them.

  “I know you did, I have the back pain to prove it,” I quipped, referring to the several throws she’d gotten me on in sparring.

  She smirked, “I’m serious, you know I just enjoy your company, you don’t have to take me out on dates.”

  “I don’t actually. Although I love spending the time with you in the day to day, and we have fun sparring and even patrolling, you deserve to be wooed. It’s your due, and you should just accept it.”

  She snickered, “Wooed?” she asked, and arched a doubtful eyebrow.

  I nodded in mock gravity, “That’s the one, yes. Spoiled and wooed is the mission.”

  She blushed, looked pleased, and stole a cheek kiss, “If you insist, I’ll allow it,” she replied airily, and fluttered her eyelashes at me.

  I was about to reply when we both stiffened and looked behind us and to the right.

  She said, “Vampire.”

  And not one of mine, it was definitely tainted. I’d gotten used to the almost pleasant buzz of Leda, Isaac, and Jared, the magic of death didn’t feel evil when it wasn’t tainted. This was a loud discordant buzz of energy against me that made my skin crawl. The feel of it was dissonant, instead of resonant like my own magic. Was that just the lack of taint in my magic, or was it because it was also someone else’s magic? Maybe they were on a different frequency? We both turned and moved quickly in that direction.

  We slowed as we felt the second, then three more, one more, and then the seventh and eighth.

  Serena gave me a wide-eyed glance, and we picked up our speed and unbuttoned our coats in the middle, which would give us the room to draw the swords. As we reached the corner I sent out an energy whip to drain them, and felt them shielded.

  I was also feeling a bit paranoid, because I wondered if the Fae had somehow orchestrated this sudden arrival of eight vampires and a necromancer. Wary of my opponent’s magic being used directly against us as I’d recently learned to use it, I pumped up my own shielding and raised a shield around Serena as well, through the bond.

  Macy might have wanted me alive, but this one would very much be trying to kill me.

  Serena murmured, “That’s so weird, it’s like you turned it off, your shield is blocking the feel of the taint.”

  I noticed that as well, I could still feel the magic, the buzz of death magic that animated the vampires, but I couldn’t feel the taint anymore either. The energy was still a bit discordant, so I guess I had my answer, the dissonance was both the taint, and because it wasn’t my magic. The latter reason wasn’t nearly as harsh on my senses though.

  I worried, even with swords I wasn’t sure if we could take eight vampires without me using magic offensively. Could I do that without giving the other necromancer an opening to attack us and necrotize our flesh, kill us? Unless, the blood were highly resistant to those types of attacks. I’d never tried to attack one, so I wasn’t sure, but it made sense. My necromancer magic was flowing freely through Serena’s body right now.

  Otherwise, how would they ever win against a necromancer? Unless for some reason they didn’t use direct attacks very often?

  Finally, I wondered why the hell I’d never asked that question before now, and would do so right after the fight. We pulled our swords out as we rounded corner. Six of the eight were feeding on humans, there were a bunch of other humans sitting in the grass in a daze, or outright lying down unconscious.

  The last two attacked us right away.

  With the longer reach, it was much easier. They were fast, impossibly fast, but while they had a chance to dodge a dagger and grab a wrist, or block with their claws, the sword was another matter. I lifted the sword in front of me and lunged, the blood thirsty ravenous creature virtually did the work for me as it impaled itself on my sword. Serena had similar success on hers.

  The last six turned toward us as they dropped their meals, and I could see the necromancer behind them all. It was a man in his late thirties, and he looked a beer short of a six pack. His eyes were practically glowing with insanity, and he grinned at us.

  “Are the blood resistant to direct attacks from necromancers,” I sent to Leda, the last thing I wanted to do was distract my partner right now.

  Leda replied as the vampires lunged for us both, “We’re slightly more resistant than other supernatural races to a necromancer’s magic, but we aren’t immune by any stretch. Usually though they don’t use that power, they’re usually so far gone insane they depend on their creations.”

  Well that answered that question, I thought to myself, as I swung my sword in a large arc across my body. Two of the vampires dodged, but the third tried to block my sword with his arm, and lost half his arm in the trade. The silver sucked out the magic as well, and the corpse hit the ground. The other two jumped for me, and I was out of position for a return swing, so I dove under them in a roll and pulled my dagger out of my boot with my left hand.

  Both of them scraped their claws across the new leather jacket, bastards.

  Serena had one of hers down too, and was dodging like crazy nonstop, but I couldn’t really afford to be distracted watching her. I rolled again, and swung my sword so wildly I thanked the gods Timothy wasn’t here to see it.

  It had the desired effect of giving me a split second to recover though, and I lunged at the one on my left, but swung my sword at the one on my right. The one on the right jumped back out of range, but the one on the left screeched in triumph and pounced, my sword way out of position.

  And promptly impaled itself right on the dagger in my left hand, as it clambered for my throat, sucker.

  The necromancer screamed in rage as I squared off with my last opponent, I couldn’t spare a look for my partner yet, but I could feel she was down to the last one as well. This was insane, but I was so going to recommend swords in the future. We’d have never been able to take on two to one, much less three to one, with only a little eight-inch dagger.

  The necromancer finally did what I feared, and fired his magic at Serena. I ramped up her shield and let mine shrink in power, as I swung my sword at the last charging vampire. I continued to spin when it jumped back out of range, and threw my dagger at the necromancer. Given our perfect aim with proprioception, I didn’t miss, given that the dagger wasn’t balanced at all for throwing, it didn’t hit blade first.

  The pommel nailed him in the chest, directly over his heart, and knocked him on his ass. It also took the breath out of him, and stalled his magic. Magic requires focus, and will, and he was in pain, out of breath, and insane. I raced toward him with my sword, as I weakened the shields enough to shoot two strong pitons of energy behind me which slammed through his shields around the remaining two vampires. I ripped out the death magic that animated and bound the spirits to the vampires’ bodies, and banished them.

  I put the shields back up just in case, but the necromancer didn’t live more than another second or two as I ran his wheezing ass through the chest. I pulled the sword out and picked up my dagger. I cleaned both on the necromancer’s clothes, and sheath
ed them.

  When I turned, Serena had her arms crossed, her hip was cocked to the side, and she wore a look of disapproval on her face. My goodness, she was sexy as hell when annoyed, and I was smart enough not to say that out loud. Lord, was I in trouble, she was a handful and a joy, I was a very lucky man.

  She accused, “You killed that one, he was mine.”

  I laughed. I didn’t mean to, but kill stealing hadn’t been why I thought she was angry. I figured it had been my insane desperate plan and actions there at the end of the fight.

  She frowned, and bent down to stab him, and then walked over and stabbed the other one I’d killed with necromancy as well. Otherwise they wouldn’t dissolve.

  “Weren’t you taught to share as a child?”

  I laughed harder, and although she tried to hold onto it, the angry look drained from her face and she smiled sheepishly.

  “I may have a small violent streak,” she admitted.

  I walked over and kissed her softly, it was tender, and extremely sweet. She melted against me, but I broke it before it could get too passionate, “I love that about you.”

  She smirked, “That was a good move though.”

  I didn’t bother to tell her I’d only taken the risk of throwing my dagger because he was attacking her. That would just get me into trouble.

  “Think the corpses will be gone before these guys recover?”

  There were at least fifteen students lying around, it was a miracle none of them had died.

  She examined a few, and then nodded, “They’ll be out for at least a half an hour. They’ll be out of it, and a little chilly when they come to, but it isn’t that cold out yet.”

  I nodded in agreement, they’d be uncomfortable but they wouldn’t get frostbite.

  She tilted her head and looked up, as if recalling something.

  “So, what do you get out of all this wooing? Not that I’m trying to talk you out of it, you understand.”

  I chuckled, and took her hand as we walked back toward the main part of the campus…