No Rest for the Wicked (39 page)

No, she loved that sword. He traced to it, snatched it up, and traced back to them.

The injured sister weakly screamed, “Vampyre!”

A blade slipped between his ribs.

41

T old you they’d try to kill you,” Kaderin whispered with a quirked eyebrow. She’d begun

rolling a bandage around Sebastian’s torso, now that Rika had been tended to.

He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck as Dasha burned holes with her eyes. “I

believe Dasha wishes she’d sunk the blade instead of Rika,” he muttered. “And twisted it.”

Kaderin knew she needed to separate Dasha and Sebastian, but she didn’t want to let

either of them out of her sight. Even as she bandaged him, she couldn’t help glancing at

her sisters—Rika lying pale on the couch, Dasha beginning to pace—as if they’d

disappear.

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) Sebastian stroked her shoulder. “They’re back with you,” he murmured. “They’re not

going anywhere.”

“I know. It’s just so strange.”

Rika and Dasha began speaking in a mixture of old tongues.

“What are they saying?” Sebastian asked.

“They think you have some kind of dark magic to make me want you. That undoubtedly

I’m in thrall to you.” Once Kaderin finished up with his bandage, she rose and said, “I’ll

just go put Rika in bed and talk with them in the back for a bit.” And explain again that all

of us would be dead if not for him.

She didn’t miss that his eyes darkened. He thought she was already drawing away.

Perhaps that was the only thing she could do at this time.

She lifted Rika and motioned for Dasha to follow. Dasha did so—after casting Sebastian a

savage look.

In the bedroom, Kaderin laid Rika in bed while Dasha resumed pacing. “You knew he was

a vampire. And you still fell in love with him? He’s fine, to be sure,” Dasha added, moving

from one foreign electronic object to another, tilting her head as she lifted a clock and then

a stereo speaker. “But you risk his turning.”

Kaderin sat on the bed beside Rika. “Myst’s husband hasn’t turned. It’s only when a

vampire kills as he drinks. So if he drinks an immortal who can’t die like that, he’ll be

immune—”

Her expression aghast, Dasha snapped, “You are not saying that you and Myst offer

yourselves up as food.”

Kaderin bit her lip. “When you put it like that, it sounds worse—”

“How else can it be put?”

Rika coughed, a rattling, ugly sound. Then, in a faint voice, she asked, “Does he actually

live with you here?”

When Kaderin nodded, Dasha said, “You pluck us out of a war with vampires, then expect

us to live with one?”

Kaderin exhaled, not even bothering to explain the difference between Sebastian and other

vampires again. How could they believe that so readily when it had taken Kaderin weeks

to see it?

Dasha lifted a hair dryer and peered down the barrel. “And what in the hell is this?”

“It dries hair.” Kaderin reached forward and flipped on the switch. Dasha gasped as she

aimed it at herself, then at Rika in the bed, giving Rika a look that could only be described

as indicating, “Holy shit!”

When Kaderin pried it from her hands and turned it off, Dasha went straight for the closet,

commenting on the clothes and tossing items over her shoulder into a pile to be

investigated later. “What happened to the vampire who killed us?” she asked over her

shoulder.

In a toneless voice, Kaderin said, “I tortured him until he begged for the sun, and six

months later, I gave him his wish.”

Dasha stopped and turned, brows drawn, as Rika murmured, “You did that, Kader-ie?”

“I didn’t take losing you two lightly.” And I won’t take having you back with me for

granted.

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) Sebastian had known it was coming, of course. He’d known she would take her sisters

and leave him.

“I need time. With them,” Kaderin had told him the day after they’d brought the two

forward. He’d dreaded it but wasn’t surprised. “I’ve taken them to this future, and they

are confused by everything. I have to concentrate on acclimating them. They are my

responsibility now more than ever.”

He’d been tempted simply to tell her no, and could almost convince himself that part of

her had wanted him to do so as well. But she hadn’t wanted to choose between him and

her family, and he wouldn’t put her in that position. Besides, he didn’t feel it was merely

an excuse—her sisters truly did need extensive help.

He’d thought he’d been behind the times.

Naturally, this future shocked them at every turn, but Sebastian had learned that their first

instinct in confusing situations was to resort to violence. Kaderin was right to want to

shelter them back among her coven in the Valkyrie’s remote manor.

Plus, the two hated being anywhere near him. The mere sight of him tracing put Dasha

into a rage and made Rika grow silent and grave—which was almost worse. They were

constantly wary and wouldn’t let down their guard when he was near, not even Rika,

though she needed to sleep to heal.

So Kaderin had shepherded them back to the coven. Once she’d gone, he could do

nothing but wait as each day he grew stronger in body but weaker in spirit.

“Does she ever ask about me?” he’d asked Myst after a week had passed.

“She’s been busy, Sebastian,” Myst had assured him. “Her sisters’ English is what you

might call ‘olde,’ and they continue to try to slay anything unfamiliar. Kaderin will come

around once they’re set.”

Kaderin never asked about him. Never called for him. It was as if she were willing herself

to forget him. Her sisters were likely reminding her of the strife with vampires, convincing

her of her folly for being with him.

“Buy an estate near her coven,” Nikolai had advised. “It will be a positive gesture to her

and might occupy your mind.”

“Do I have enough money to buy an estate? And to live comfortably, if I’m careful?”

“You had Byzantium gold among your riches,” Nikolai had answered. “A chest of it.”

“What does that mean?”

“That means you are obscenely rich. And Murdoch picked the investments. He has a

knack.”

Sebastian turned so that Nikolai couldn’t see him flush. Both brothers had helped him,

expecting nothing in return. “Is Murdoch still living at the Forbearer castle?” He would go

to his brother and thank him to his face.

Nikolai nodded. “Just yesterday, he uncovered some promising leads on Conrad and is

impatient to follow them all, but he’ll return to the castle each dawn. When you’re settled

with Kaderin, you can take her there to meet him if you like.”

Sebastian looked forward not only to seeing Murdoch again, but also to joining in the hunt

for Conrad. He wondered if Kaderin would search with him.

Sometimes Sebastian traced to her at Val Hall. From outside the wraiths’ reach, he could

see her through the windows as she danced with her sisters, throwing her head back with

laughter, or played video games, with her face a mask of concentration. One night, he’d

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) watched the three of them sitting on the roof, relaxed, shoulder to shoulder. When

Kaderin had pointed out a star, the smallest one had laid her head on Kaderin’s shoulder.

How different the stars must look to them now.

How could he compete with them for her love?

Kaderin’s sisters were learning the times with her as their guide, but Kaderin was

relearning life as well.

She’d found she could tear up at sad made-for-television movies and that she loved

braiding Nïx’s hair, now that it had regrown in mere weeks. She’d learned that Regin’s

antics could make her stomach hurt from laughing.

Regin delighted in making fun of Dasha and Rika’s old English, though the two were

learning the modern version with an astounding speed. “Their ‘ye olde brew pub’ style of

talking creeps me out,” Regin had said. “All that thou-ing and thee-ing like they’re actors

from a Shakespeare festival and won’t go out of character.” She’d drawn Kaderin aside. “I

swear to the gods, Rika said ‘t’asn’t.’ What is that? No. Really.”

When Kaderin had asked Regin if she was okay about her involvement with Sebastian,

she’d answered, “If by ‘okay’ you mean ‘homicidal,’ then yes, absolutely.” Then she’d

added in a mutter, “Your leech gave us two new Valkyrie and brought you back from the

dead. Because of his brother, Emmaline lives. If there existed a turn-off-millennia-of-hate

switch, I might... squint at it.” They’d left it at that.

The only thing that hindered Kaderin’s happiness was missing Sebastian.

She knew he was watching the manor right now, looking out for her. He loved her. But

this was a difficult time for her sisters, and with each of their missteps and confusion,

Kaderin’s guilt returned.

Still, Kaderin had begun waiting for the right time to tell them all of her decision. Until

then, everyone needed to be understanding of them after all they’d been through.

Dasha and Rika needed to be treated with kid gloves and eased into this time.

“Selfish girl,” Myst snapped, shoving Dasha against the wall by her neck, holding her

there. “You can’t comprehend what Kaderin’s gone through for so long. She deserves this

happiness. You have no idea how much. And yet you both still sneer at the idea of her

with a vampire.”

Rika kicked Myst behind her knee, making her stumble and release Dasha.

Rubbing her neck, Dasha said, “It is easy for you to accept Kaderin with a vampire, since

you have one as your man.”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s easy or not,” Myst said. “You simply have to accept it—for her.

She has happiness within her grasp with a strong, honorable warrior who adores her, and

you are standing in their way.”

“Myst, we believe even we might come to tolerate her decision,” Dasha said. “But you

forget, we were on a battlefield with Furie less than two weeks ago. Her nature isn’t dim

in our minds, as it is in yours. When Furie is found, do you think she would possibly let

either of your husbands live?”

Rika added, “Would Kaderin run with this man? Become a fugitive? We would never see

her again.”

Myst shook her head, though she had the same fears. “Let Kaderin determine this. Let her

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) and Sebastian decide if they’ll take that risk.” She regarded both sisters. “Kaderin and

Sebastian can’t live without each other. Mark my words, both merely bide their time.”

42

I f Kaderin didn’t send for me herself,” Sebastian said at the entrance to Val Hall, “then I

don’t want to be here.” Lightning clattered constantly. Smoke and fog inundated the

grounds. The old manor was imposing, sepulchral.

“You aren’t curious about what you’ve been called here for?” Nikolai asked. “Even Myst

has no idea what this is about.”

“All I know is, she didn’t send for me.” Sebastian scowled up at the ghostly specters

guarding the house, and Nikolai slapped his back in sympathy.

“They will not hurt you unless you try to get in without payment or permission.”

“I’m not concerned with them.” At Nikolai’s questioning look, Sebastian shrugged. “After

the things I saw in the Hie?”

“That’s right, Nïx’s origami storyboard. I need to ask her about that.”

Sebastian said, “I was just thinking that if this is where Kaderin calls home, she will not

like the estate I just purchased.”

“You gave Myst carte blanche to pick it out—a bold and reckless move, but one I feel will

serve you well with your Bride.”

“Kaderin asked for time.” Even missing her as he did, he still felt her request was

reasonable. He expected eternity with her. Two weeks was nothing. “I am intruding on her

and her sisters.”

Just as he was about to trace, Nikolai grabbed his arm. “How long will you wait?”

“Until she calls for me.”

“I don’t think it would help your cause if you shun an invitation to their coven. It’s, uh,

very rare.” Nikolai held up a lock of red hair Myst had given him in advance. A wraith

swooped down, and their way was cleared.

Reluctantly, he followed Nikolai. Inside, Sebastian heard her voice in a nearby room.

“Now, this spear is a weapon of apocalyptic power,” Kaderin was explaining. “You must

use it wisely, Dash. To abuse it will bring ruin to our people.”

“Let me see that,” Dasha said.

“No! Push the red button on the right,” Kaderin said. “Your other right, Dash!”

Video games. He grinned, even as he was saddened. He missed her too much—his chest

was besieged with a constant ache, and now he understood what it was.

When he and Nikolai stood at the door, Nikolai gave him an encouraging slap on the back

that would have felled lesser men, then traced away.

Sebastian saw her shoulders stiffen. “Bastian?” she murmured. Lightning struck just

outside.

Kaderin heard his voice, his sure footsteps. He’s come for me.

Her mind seemed to go blank. The yearning she’d felt for so long turned to excitement,

excitement to urgency.

She’d been waiting for the right time to tell her sisters she wanted to spend the rest of her