Dominion (18 page)

The girl looked back, her ice-blue eyes wide. “Honestly, so am I.”

She gave her a wry smile. “You’re not making me feel any better.”

She shrugged. “Sorry. I might have all this power, but I’m still only sixteen.”

Serenity’s heart went out to her. It was easy to forget Iona was not much more than a kid. And one who’d grown up with no parents. In many ways, she shared much in common with Elizabeth. After all, her own daughter had spent most of her childhood so far with one of her parents missing.

They stayed on the interstate, Serenity pushing her speed as much as she dared. She wished they’d used Vincent instead of taking the car. It would have saved them a couple of hours easily. But she knew Iona would never have gone for that option and Iona’s men would never have allowed it. Only when they had no other choice would the sorceress’ hand be forced.

Serenity blinked hard, her eyes hot and gritty from tiredness, and forced them open. After a while, Iona dozed in the back, though of course Vincent remained bolt upright and wide awake.

“I can drive, if you’d like?” the vampire offered.

She shook her head. “No, thank you. I’m fine.” She didn’t want to relinquish her small amount of control.

Eventually, the landscape began to change, the desert giving way to greener mountains. About an hour outside of the city, Serenity pulled over at a service station
and took a break, using the time to buy herself coffee and use the restroom. Vincent stayed by the car, looking like an intimidating bodyguard. Iona didn’t wake when they stopped, so Serenity let her sleep.

She wished she’d thought to carry her own phone. A call back to Bridget now to check on Elizabeth and Sebastian was just what she needed.

Back on the road again, her nerves grew in relation to the distance they’d covered. She had no idea what they were going to find. The demon told Iona that Natasha had acted alone, but the demon may have been lying. No one had even thought to question that possibility. She chewed on her lower lip, trying not to let her worries get the best of her. She had a massive vampire in the passenger seat beside her and a powerful sorceress asleep in the back seat.

What could possibly go wrong?

Chapter Eighteen

An hour later, they entered
the city and S
erenity
followed the
signs for Serra Mesa. At this time in the morning, the wide stree
ts of San Diego were deserted. Tall, evergreen
e
ucalyptus trees lined the sidewalk
s
.

They crossed
Areo
Drive, into the Serra Mesa district. Immediately, the small group sat up, watching out the windows for any signs of an industrial estate.

“I knew I should have gotten sat-
nav
,” Serenity muttered. She wished she hadn’t let Sebastian’s dislike of all things technological affect her own choices quite so much.

Much of the housing on either side were smaller properties than Serenity was used to in the Hollywood Hills, homes for single-parent families or those on a low income. No wonder the government had allowed an industrial area to crop up here. The residents didn’t have enough money to fight them.

“There,” Iona said, pointing to a crop of tall buildings. Serenity turned left and slowed the car to a crawl. Most of the buildings were clearly in use and would probably be populated with night guards—electrical businesses, hardware stores, and a US Army Maintenance shop.

“Pull over,” said Vincent. “I’ll be able to get a better sense of her with my feet on the ground.”

Serenity did as he asked and they all climbed from the car.

“Anything?” she whispered.

“Shhh.”
Vincent stood still, his huge muscles tensed, his head cocked to the side like an animal.

She fell silent, not wanting to interrupt him again, praying he’d pick up a scent.

Suddenly, he strode off and called back over his shoulder, “Follow me.”

Serenity and Iona exchanged a glance and then hurried after him.

They half-jogged around the corner into a square parking lot surrounded by single-story buildings with roll-down shutters like garage doors. Many of them had business names beside the shutters, but a few had
For Rent
signs attached to their doors.

Vincent put out a hand to stop them. “She’s here,” he said, keeping his voice low. “And she probably knows we’re here too.”

The vampire strode over to one of the units, wrapped his fingers beneath the shutter and ripped up. The bottom of the door came away, turning the previously rigid structure into a floppy piece of metal.

The stench of rotting eggs hit them like a tidal wave.

In unison, they gasped, turning their faces away. Serenity lifted her arm over her mouth and nose, her eyes watering from the stink. The back of her throat contracted and she consciously tried
not
to breathe through her nostrils.

“I knew you’d come.”

Natasha’s voice came from the back of the unit and Serenity braced herself, expecting an attack. When none came, she nodded to Vincent, who lifted the now-ruined door, allowing Serenity and Iona to duck beneath. The big vampire followed close behind.

Only a single florescent strip lit the large space, causing darkness to spill over much of the walls and floor. At first, Serenity didn’t see Natasha, but then her eyes grew used to the change in light and she could make out the vampire sitting against the far wall, cloaked in shadows.

Natasha struggled to her feet.

Her short blonde hair was missing in clumps, leaving her skull pale and flaking beneath. Patches of pink flesh were exposed on her cheeks and the backs of her arms and hands. She stood, her shoulders rounded over, her back curved like an old woman.

As they stepped farther into the unit, the stench grew stronger.

“Sulphur,” Serenity realized aloud. “The smell is
sulphur
.”

Vincent stared at Natasha in horror. “What the hell did you do?”

The other vampire
laughed,
a raw, coarse sound. “Hell is about right, Vincent. I made a deal with the other side, my immortality in exchange for a demon.”

“That wasn’t what the demon told us,” said Serenity, hoping her voice wouldn’t shake.

She cocked an eyebrow. “You’ve spoken with it?”

“We summoned it. It told us you’d promised Elizabeth’s soul.”

Natasha laughed again. “Yes, well, of course that was a promise I couldn’t necessarily keep. You could call the addition of my own immortality a …” She sought for the words.
“Fringe benefit.”

“So, you’re going to die?” Serenity shot Iona a frantic look. If Natasha was going to die anyway, threatening to kill her would make no difference.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Iona stepped forward. “You need to reverse whatever spell you used.”

Natasha’s milky gaze traveled up and down Iona’s petite body. She curled her lip in a snarl. “So you brought a little witchy friend with you, Vincent. You don’t now believe a witch is stronger than a vampire, I hope?”

Vincent folded his arms across his chest. “No, but Serenity wanted her here.”

“Tell us the spell you used,” Iona insisted.

“I didn’t use a spell. I’m not a witch.
”

Iona’s eyes narrowed. “So how did you do this?”

“Do you actually think I’d tell you? If so, you people are more stupid than I gave you credit for.”

“Well, whatever you did, you need to stop!” said Vincent. “A little girl might end up dead because of you.”

“Good!” she spat, her eyes blazing yellow with venom. She directed her gaze at Serenity. “It’s
her
I want to hurt and if killing her child is the best way of doing so, then I’ll enjoy every minute.”

“Even if it means the end of your own existence?”
Vincent continued. “Look at yourself, Natasha. Look at what you’ve done to yourself.
And for what?”

“I don’t care about anything except getting revenge for what she did to Demitri.”

Vincent dwarfed the female vampire as he stood before her, his whole body tense. “How can you say that? He was a monster! He kidnapped a small child.”

“Demitri was my maker. He was everything to me.”

“He didn’t love you. He only cared about himself.”

She snarled at Vincent. “How could you do this, traitor? He was your maker too!”

“Demitri used my mother to get what he wanted.”

She narrowed her eyes and smirked at him, flashing her fangs. “Aw, mama’s boy…”

Serenity turned to the sixteen-year-old sorceress at her side. “Iona…?” Her eyes beseeched her. This was a pitiful situation. It would almost have been better to find Natasha strong and fighting. As it was, she’d already given up her life. What did they have left to threaten her with to make her take back what she’d done?

“You need to take back your vow, vampire,” said Iona. “Remove the demon from Sebastian or I will make sure you die here and now.”

Natasha’s milky eyes flicked over to Serenity and then back to Iona. “What can you do? You can’t hurt me.”

Iona glanced back over her shoulder toward Vincent. “I suggest you stand back.”

He didn’t need to be told twice. The vampire flicked back in a blur, moving to stand close to the entrance.

Iona held her hand out at chest level, chanting words in a low tone, her head bent. Natasha stared at the girl, her nose wrinkled in scorn.

A ball of light, like a crystal ball, burst from Iona’s palm and she held it toward Natasha. Beams of light radiated from the orb and a scream tore from the vampire’s
throat. Immediately, her skin began to burn and smoke, the acrid stench of burning flesh filling the air.

The young sorceress snapped her palm shut and the ball disappeared.

Natasha gave another shriek of rage, holding her smoldering hands out in front of her. “Look what you’ve done to me, you little bitch!”

“Tell us how you called the demon into our world and I won’t burn you again.”

“Never!”

Iona
huffed
air through her nostrils in determination.
“Very well.”

She spoke her words again and the ball of light reappeared. With a simple tilt of her hand, Iona sent the light pouring toward Natasha. The vampire held her arms crossed in front of her face as though hoping to protect herself, but small flames licked her skin and acrid smoke began to fill the room, catching in the back of Serenity’s throat.

Natasha continued to scream, the flames growing higher.

She could run
.
Why does
n’t
she even attempt to run?

Fresh nerves wormed their way through Serenity’s stomach. Something wasn’t right here.

Iona snapped her hand back again and the light vanished.

Natasha howled in anger and pain, but both the flames and smoke dissipated and the vampire began to heal, albeit far more slowly than she normally would have.

“If she won’t help us, just kill her,” said Vincent.

Iona stepped forward, closing the gap between herself and Natasha, and then frowned. Her head tilted to one side as if listening for something.

Vincent snarled, barging forward. “What are you waiting for?”

“Wait,” said Iona, putting out an arm to stop him. “Something’s different about this place.”

“What do you mean?” Serenity took in the sight of the windowless container. It was totally devoid of any soul. Cold and sterile, with the exception of the two vampires and the sorceress in the room, nothing could be more ordinary.

“I’m not sure. I’m getting some kind of—”

“Okay, okay! No more,” Natasha interrupted, her eyes flaring yellow beneath the milky glaze on her irises. “But the only person I’ll tell is her.” She pointed at Serenity.

“Why?” demanded Serenity. “I’ll only tell the others what I know.”

“This is between you and me.
No one else.”

Serenity’s eyes narrowed. “So why are you involving my family?”

“Because you stole mine from me, that’s why.”

Serenity looked to the others for confirmation about what to do, but Iona gave a shrug—she could hardly ask advice from a sixteen-year-old—and Vincent stood with his arms folded, his face stony.

The vampire was injured and looked like she was falling to pieces. Surely, she was no longer capable of doing her any harm, especially with Iona and Vincent there to protect her.

With her heart in her throat, Serenity stepped forward.
“Fine.
Tell me what you did, but don’t expect me not to pass on the information.”

“Do with it whatever you will.”

As she drew closer, the stench of rotting eggs grew almost overwhelming and she had to fight the urge to gag.

Only a couple of feet remained between them. Serenity could clearly make out the extent of Natasha’s wounds, the way the skin peeled back from the flesh, how raw and awful the sores appeared. She hated the idea that if they didn’t sort this thing out, Sebastian might end up the same way.

From out of nowhere, Natasha launched at Serenity. The vampire filled her vision and then collided with her, knocking her to the ground. Serenity’s back slammed against the floor. The stench overwhelmed her, a thick blanket making her gasp for fresh air. The vampire’s hand locked in her hair, yanking her head back, and the next thing Serenity knew a searing, burning pain pierced her throat.

I’ve been bitten,
she thought, panic surging through her.
Oh God, I’ve been bitten!

A moment later, Natasha’s weight lifted off her body, the burning pain in her throat lessening to a dull ache. Vincent’s huge form towered over her and he twisted his body like a shot-putter, flinging the other vampire against the far wall. Natasha smashed against it and slid down to a sitting position. She tilted her head back, laughing,
Serenity’s
blood dripping down her chin in rivulets of deep red.

“I don’t care what you do to me, Vincent. Now I know the people who killed Demitri will die, I welcome my death.”

Serenity’s attention left Natasha, snatched by the sight of Iona. The girl’s face was twisted in rage. Her white-blonde hair streamed out, as though a wind Serenity could not feel blew around her. Her ice-blue eyes appeared silver in the dim light. A ball of light enveloped her, her feet lifted two inches from the ground, her toes dipped toward the floor.

Serenity stared, her mouth hanging open, her injury momentarily forgotten.

Iona held her hand out toward Natasha. “
Combustio
!” she declared.
“Burn!”

A beam of light poured from Iona’s fingertips and hit Natasha directly in the chest, right above her heart. The vampire had only a moment, her expression registering a strange combination of exultation and horror, when suddenly she went up in a puff off ash which fell down around them like soot from a volcano.

Iona dropped back to the floor and the light vanished.