The Ravenous Dark, page 45
Bailey's heart leapt to her throat as he closed the distance between them. His magical cloak of shadows evaporated into nothingness as he neared.
"What happened?" Bailey asked with a gasp as she met him halfway. The bond between them crashed open. In unison, they clutched each other with pained groans. Half of Ronan's face was covered in blood from a nasty cut across his eyebrow, and his stomach was painted red as well.
"Valdora's room was raided." Ronan cupped the side of her face before her anxiety could fully take hold. A flare of victory lit his features and spilled over into their bond. It buoyed Bailey past their shared pain. "I got to her first. We destroyed all the evidence that could connect her to the curse. Unfortunately, the raid got physical, and I never got a chance to warn the Vranas before I was pulled down here."
Bailey wiped away some blood on his cheek before pressing her lips to his. "Is Valdora okay?"
He nodded and rejoined their lips. The relief was bittersweet.
"What happened with Franklin?" Ronan pulled back with a pant on his lips. Bailey paled, but before she could answer, a coarse, guttural cry interceded. They turned as one to the mouth of the library that fed into the main corridor and flinched as someone was tackled to the ground.
Their fight didn’t last long. Noxious black veins lined the assailant’s skin, and in a matter of seconds, the cursed vampyré was gorging itself on its victim’s blood.
Bile chased up the back of Bailey's throat.
"Later," Bailey choked out and tugged Ronan back. "Right now, we need to keep that away from the others."
"What others?" Ronan asked harshly.
Bailey swallowed the lump in her throat and answered. "Irina, Stella, and River." At Ronan's aghast expression she cursed and explained. "Your theories about the rabidus curse targeting someone was right."
Ronan stiffened. "Who?"
"Stella and a bunch of others."
"I don't understand."
Bailey growled impatiently. Pain flared up her side as she ran her hands through her hair. Ronan winced along with her.
"Short version; the Circe clan is behind the rabidus curse. They want blood for their sisters' deaths in the Cellar Bar incident. Circe paid the Wildings to distribute the curse for them."
"And Stella? Was she even there that night?"
Bailey shot him a glare at the minor interruption. "The Wildings have some mysterious employer who wants her dead. The rabidus curse is just a convenient means to an end to dispose of her too."
Anger rippled through Bailey at the callousness of it all. Sensing her ire, Ronan's hand slipped around hers. He was beginning to shake.
Bailey blinked and quickly surveyed him. The air in her lungs ceased to exist at the shadows draping themselves over his shoulders and across his thighs.
"Ronan?"
His hand tightened on hers. "Anything else I should know?" he asked through clenched teeth. Bailey gulped.
"They've been using Stella's invitations to deliver the curse. They sent one again to her tonight, but—" Bailey forced herself to take a fortifying breath. "—Irina opened it instead."
The shadows curling over and around Ronan like mist came to a shuddering stop. He turned his attention with deliberate slowness to the cursed vampyré and its prey. Bailey didn't go so far as to move her head but let her gaze flick in its direction.
Her stomach bottomed out.
The cursed vampyré was watching them—no—stalking toward them. Bailey licked her lips. "River's going to try to compel the curse from Irina with Stella's help. We have to keep that thing away from them for as long as we can."
Bailey started to slip back as the cursed vampyré neared. Ronan's hand fell from hers. She looked at him throat tightening, her gaze skirting back and forth between his stalled form and the vampyré's approach.
"Ronan…."
"I can't do it," Ronan confessed hoarsely. A deeper chill ran through Bailey, turning her blood to ice. "I can't fight it, Bailey. If I get too close…."
He lifted his hand. It was completely blurred, kept out of sight by shadows made up of the darkest night. A sweat broke out along the nape of her neck.
"Stand back," Bailey ordered, her voice shaking traitorously. "I'll hold him off as long as I can."
"Bailey—"
"Find a way to get your ravens here." She smiled as best she could at him. "You can do that right?"
"I will, I'll—"
The vampyré lunged and Bailey shot forward to meet him, unprepared for the swiftness of its blow. She was airborne in an instant and the next, crashing into the stacks. Books rained down on her, their magic tickling her senses while their spines made secondary targets of her wounds.
She cried out weakly, pain shooting through her as she attempted to gain her bearings. The vampyré stood torn at the mouth of the library. The lopsided grin he wore toppled down as his blackened regard swung from the women at the end of the library, Ronan as the shadowmancer, and herself.
His indecision cost him his life.
Out of nowhere, another vampyré entered the scene and ripped off the cursed man's head. Bailey blinked in shock as the newcomer spun to face her.
"Where is she?" Jakob demanded. Bailey rose to her feet unsteadily and pointed down the corridor. He was off before she could utter a single word of warning.
"Wait!" Bailey limped after him, her ankle screaming vehemently in protest at the constant use. Her shoulders burned and her ribs echoed the sensation. "Damnit," she hissed, curling an arm around her stomach. "They're trying to save her!" she shouted after him.
"Trying to save who?"
Bailey stopped and shot a look behind her. Ronan was gone. The vestiges of his shadow trailing in Jakob's wake. It was Jax who spoke. He was wide-eyed and frazzled—Bailey's nose scrunched as he drew nearer—and smelled of booze.
"Did you come straight from the bar?"
Jax had the good grace to blush. "Don't worry, my disastrous habits were just dressed down by Jakob before he rushed here." Jax took a moment to catch his breath, pinching his side. "Thank the Gods we were on our way down here anyway. Never would have caught up with him otherwise. What’s going on then? Who are we saving?"
Bailey could only stare at him.
"What?" Jax asked.
Bailey growled in lieu of an actual response. Jax shrunk back, and then belched.
His eyes widened as he covered his mouth. "Excuse me."
"Go home, Jax. You're in over your head."
Bailey resumed her labored stride, not expecting Jax to sweep up next to her and loop an arm around her waist.
"Family first. Always. Put your arm around me if you can, that's right," he grunted slightly as Bailey let him bear her weight. "I'm not drunk enough to be completely of no use. Catch me up to speed. What's going on?"
"Irina's been cursed." Jax's fingers dug into her hip unconsciously. "River's trying to save her but Irina's a hybrid and—"
"And that complicates things," he finished, catching onto her train of thought. Jax added some speed to their gait.
When they arrived at the scene, River was sitting on her heels at Irina's feet, her hands outstretched and shaking. Stella was bent low as well with her head near Irina's, singing into her ear. A modicum of relief washed over Bailey.
Stella's song was doing exactly what she’d described and was keeping Irina immobile. Her glossy black eyes stared at the ceiling without blinking.
"Do something, Ronan," Jakob begged. Bailey had never seen him so… undone. "Please." He dropped to his knees at Irina's side, but his gaze never left Ronan.
Bailey shifted her gaze to him as well. He stood well out of reach. Shadows pooled off him and yet kept him completely concealed. Ronan's struggle for control rippled through her.
"He can't, Jakob. The dark magic controls him too. We don't know what will happen if he tries to intercede."
Jakob released a howl akin to a wounded animal. It sank deep into Bailey's bones. She looked to River. Twin rivulets of blood trailed from her nose. Dark patches hugged the space between her bloodshot eyes. "I can do it," she promised. Her voice was no more than a rasp.
"Not without help," Jax spoke lowly.
With some slight maneuvering, he left Bailey to find support against one of the bookshelves. He knelt opposite of Jakob and held out his hand to River.
"I don't know what magic you're tapping into to try to pull this off, but you're killing yourself," Jax told her bluntly. River's nostrils flared and her lips thinned. "Pull from me. I'll give you what strength I can, so you can anchor yourself. All right?"
River nodded curtly and took his hand. The moment their hands touched; the air thickened with magic. Bailey sucked in a sharp breath as the bookcase she leaned against shook lightly. She eyed the surrounding stacks. The books vibrated in answer to Jax and River's connection.
But whether it was to curse or bless them, Bailey couldn't tell.
Stillness surrounded the group as the edges of court life began to echo from afar. The carnage was over and people were assessing the aftermath to make sure the threat was gone. Bailey passed an anxious look to Ronan, and felt the same emotion bounced back at her.
They didn't have long.
"It's now or never, River," Bailey said.
River nodded curtly.
The moment she began to chant the spell from the opera, something shifted in Bailey. Or rather, something shifted in Ronan.
Echoes of darkness, sinful and sweet, reverberated through their bond. Bailey was acutely aware of Ronan's struggle against it; his internal warfare helplessly spilling over to her.
The darkness called for him to become one with the shadows. It promised power and glory. Eternity.
All it asked for in return was surrender.
Bailey gritted her teeth against the intoxicating pull and offered what fortitude she could to Ronan. Focused on her task, she was only dully aware that River's chanting had gone shaky. The library air seemed to vibrate with untapped energy, just waiting to explode. It made Bailey's breath hitch as pinpricks dotted her palms and forearms.
Another change occurred.
Smaller, almost infinitesimal, but it sparked something in Bailey that left her gasping in surprise.
It was love.
She locked eyes with Ronan from across the room. Though she knew shadows continued to shroud him, she somehow saw past the illusion. The strain of Ronan's silent fight was stretched taut across his body, but he was able to hold the dark magic back. He held Bailey's gaze as if his life depended on it, his love for her giving him the strength to fight on.
Bailey shivered at the truth of it but was given no time to dwell.
"Corus vectum ira bly!"
The untapped energy surrounding them released like a cannon. Magic whipped around the room like pure chaos before it funneled directly over River and Jax's joined hands and speared into Irina's body. An instant later, all were blasted back.
"Is everyone all right?" Bailey croaked after gaining her bearings.
She peered around in a daze as she hoisted herself up onto her elbows.
"I've got a few new bumps and bruises," Ronan answered. "But nothing more concerning." He was farther away than he was before and free of his shadows. Half propped against a bookshelf; a collection of dusty books decorated his lap. "Are you all right?" His gaze ran over her and his analysis carried through their bond.
"Same as you," Bailey responded and scanned the remainder of the library.
River was cradled in an exhausted looking Jax's arms. He offered Bailey a limpid smile. "She knocked herself out, but she'll be okay," he reassured her.
Bailey's shoulders sagged, and as she continued her scan, Stella came into view.
"That was wild," Stella said as she wobbled to her feet. She looked about the stacks in confusion. "What happened to—oh!" A flash of red painted her cheeks.
Bailey followed her gaze, craning her neck forward and twisting it to peer down the aisle Stella had. Irina and Jakob were locked in a passionate kiss.
"Well, that worked better than expected," she muttered to herself at the same time Irina pulled away from her kiss with an audible gasp.
Jakob slumped against her chest, eyes rolling to the back of his head. Bailey stared in shock and confusion as Irina's eyes fluttered open. They were as black as pitch. Irina licked her lips and the tenor of the room changed to one of desire.
"Oh dear," Irina said.
She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. When she opened them, they were back to their usual hybrid copper and the air cleared of any wanton excitement. Irina surveyed the scene quietly before her sights finally set on Bailey. Her lips thinned momentarily.
"The spell didn't work, did it?" She flicked her gaze meaningfully to River.
Bailey's mouth opened and closed as cruel understanding dawned on her.
"Her spell didn't, but the Circe clan’s did," Bailey told her somberly. "Congratulations, Irina. You're the next evolution of supernaturals."
XXIX
They were a ragtag bunch, seated in the Vrana's common room. Injuries were treated and provisions passed about until the sound of the crackling fire dominated the space.
Jakob nursed a medieval goblet filled with blood and eyed the collective pensively. Scattered amongst his family were a handful of raven shifters and the resident banshee. His gaze softened as it landed on Ronan's protege, Ana. Her face and chest would heal from the deep scratches upon them, but she would be scarred.
She’d arrived a time after they'd relocated from the Common's library. With two others in tow, she informed Ronan that those being treated for worse wounds were in the safety of their household's apartment suite.
Jakob took another long drink of blood and then cast narrowed eyes to the front door. "Where is she?"
"I'm sure Sebastian and Ruby will be back with her shortly," Ronan replied.
Jakob's jaw twitched. "We don't have the liberty of time."
Ronan grew somber. "I'm well aware, my friend."
A throat gently cleared as tensions rose. All eyes turned to Stella. She blushed under the regard of so many, but after a small smile from Bailey, she spoke.
"So… you're the shadowmancer, Ronan?"
Bailey felt Ronan's body stiffen next to hers. She was tucked under his arm, seated next to him on the couch. On her other side was River. She was nursing her third rejuvenating elixir and perked up at Stella's question.
A pulse of his unease ran through the bond. Bailey answered it as best she could with warm reassurance. You’re safe, she hoped to convey, you’re safe here among family and friends.
Ronan’s body slowly relaxed. His hand squeezed her arm minutely, and Bailey held back a smile. Message received.
"I am."
"But…." Her forehead scrunched and nose wrinkled, perplexed. "How?"
Ronan looked at Bailey. His exhaustion was hers, and summoning the energy to explain, was a task in and of itself. Bailey pulled together what she could to give to him. It was a tricky balancing act not to give too much, and she wasn’t quite convinced she’d got the balance quite right as she slumped deeper into his side.
Ronan’s hold on her tightened.
"We'll take the expedited version," Nova chimed in. The vampyré sat on the floor at the far end of the coffee table. Her gaze, much like Jakob's, had strayed numerous times to the front door.
"Right, expedited," Ronan muttered. He ran a hand over his head, gathering his thoughts before speaking. "I was exposed to dark magic while in the Otherworld unknowingly—" Stella cast a startled look at Bailey mouthing the word Otherworld. She waved away her friend's confusion, whispering behind Ronan’s back that she would explain it to her later. "—and when my most recent powers manifested, they were corrupted." Ronan flexed his hand, summoning shadows and dissolving them with ease. "That corruption meant I was drawn to the scene every time someone was affected by the rabidus curse."
"Shit." Nova sat up straighter and let her gaze travel to the front door again. It lingered there as a frown grew on her face. "If you were exposed, does that mean Jax was too?"
The room succumbed to a tense hush.
"He was,” Ronan answered carefully. “Although how the dark magic's affected him is yet to be seen.”
Everyone’s expressions shuttered with grave concern. Bailey felt the echo of Ronan’s anxiety at the sight and caught him swallowing thickly. She sent a tendril of warmth to him through the soulmark bond.
His anxiety softened, and Ronan looked down to meet Bailey’s expectant and reassuring gaze. The corner of his mouth lifted softly, and to her surprise, he leaned down swiftly and placed a kiss on her head.
Bailey’s lip twitched upward as he sat back, his own impish grin barely contained as he settled back in his seat. For a moment, she marveled at him and wondered about the bounds of their bond, and—
"Why would the dark magic you were exposed to in the Otherworld be connected to the rabidus curse?" Ronan and Bailey turned their regard to Briar. The formidable vampyré was staring into the fire, arms wound around her waist.
"I don't know." Ronan's mouth turned down. "It's why we enlisted Valdora's help in the matter. She's the one who discovered the presence of dark magic in the Otherworld."
"Valdora?" Briar faced Ronan with a sneer. "You went to her? After what the Tempest clan did to the Roux?"
"Valdora had no part in that." The room quieted at the soft-spoken words, all eyes turning to Ana. The raven shifter tilted her chin up proudly. "She can be trusted."
"We'll see about that." Briar scoffed and turned her gaze back to the fire, while the room at her back exchanged glances.
"Valdora and I both believe the connection between the Otherworld's dark magic, and the dark magic behind the rabidus curse, are one and the same. But without a sample of blood from the rabidus victim's bodies to test against our sample from the Otherworld, we can't know for certain."
"Until now." Irina locked eyes with Ronan.
"Until now," Ronan confirmed.
