Endure (13 page)

The aromas were stronger in the darkness of the stairwell. Copper and steel mixed with mildew and musk wrapped around me and clung to the back of my throat. The air felt damp, forcing my shirt to stick to my body, and even the fire inside me wasn’t enough to stop the shiver from spiraling down my neck. Concrete steps led up to the next level where Vincent and some of his family had their coffin room. Across from the stairwell hung a second steel door and behind that, a large open room where I’d expected we’d see Vincent’s parents again. Last time we’d faced off against them, we’d forced them to retreat. We had a swarm of Vincent’s family with us then. Right now they were all locked in cages in the basement and since that night, the Sovereign had increased their numbers. We didn’t know how many vampires stood behind that door, and that made me nervous.

“Hesitating now, are we?” Vincent asked.

“No, just taking a second to prepare myself.”

“There is no preparing yourself for the Sovereign. Just pull up your skirt and put on your mad face. You know, the one where you grind your teeth and flash your fancy fire magic around.”

Vincent raised an eyebrow and shrugged. I hated when he did that. His eyes twinkled with arrogance as though happy to provoke me. The smirk that pulled at the corner of his mouth ignited my anger. He didn’t deserve to have that kind of control over my emotions, but he knew how to get under my skin.

“That’s the one!” Vincent smiled. “Now light your hands on fire or something.”

I closed my eyes and started counting. When I got to four, the urge to hit him faded and I reminded myself why we were here. Letting out the breath, I pulled the door open and the brass hinges squealed in revolt.

Death and blood wafted into my nostrils and I held back a gag. Rayna’s shoes echoed off the floor, and three figures stood in the center of the shadowy room—Vincent’s original family. A makeshift living room sat behind them, the coffee table I remembered being in the center was gone. Instead, a small pile of bodies lay limply on top of one another. Flies swarmed over their graying carcasses, landing on their skin a second at a time. Bruises and brown stains colored the skin along their necks and bare torsos. Dusty furniture surrounded them, and fire flickered off the candles that decorated the tables. Candle wax ran down their stems and onto the scarred wooden surfaces, crying for the victims before them.

As we neared the trio, the demons looked like a picture-perfect family. Impossibly still, their bodies posed in a triangular fashion. Vincent’s father, Dante
Lazzario
sat at the peak, waiting to greet us. His square shoulders filled out his black suit, a shiny red tie garnishing his neck. Black hair framed his face and his yellow eyes glistened. Vincent’s mother, Alessia, stood off to the side just a few steps behind him. The red dress that clung to her body left little to the imagination and long blond locks draped over one shoulder. On Dante’s other side stood Caterina, Vincent’s sister. Tight black pants hugged her legs and a purple collared shirt was left unbuttoned, revealing ample cleavage. Dark makeup circled her eyes, making her golden irises vibrant. Each vampire held their chin high and their flawless skin basked in the dim candlelight.

Nobody stood behind me as we stopped a few feet away. Instead, they stood strong and proud beside me. Dante’s hands were clasped behind his back like a ghostly statue, only his eyes moving to examine each of us.

“I always knew my son was a coward, but to see him hiding behind a hunter for protection is a sight I was not fully prepared for. ”

“I’m not hiding, Father. I’m right here in front of you.”

“I’m afraid I will have to disagree. You, Vincent, are a terrible–”

“No speeches,” I said. Dante’s voice went silent but his eyes flared with anger. “And no grand story of disappointment. We get it. Vincent’s the son you never wanted. Your speech is now complete. Where’s my scroll?”

Dante’s jaw flexed. His gaze sharpened and he turned his neck to the side, as though the cracking sound would relieve the tension I appeared to cause him. “I underestimated you, Chase. I knew there was something more to you than just a hunter, but the Protector? I had no idea how much more there was.”

“I’m not going to ask again.”

“Curb your temper, child, or you will find yourself on the wrong end of patience.”

Magic seeped out of my soul and syphoned down my veins. It pooled in my palm with almost no effort and like striking a match, fire ignited over my hand. I pushed it outward and it danced on the air, swirling downward like a hand puppet to the floor. It started blue, but as it touched the concrete and I let the power flourish, it flashed to red. Flames crackled and crept toward the vampires, the color fading to white. The demons stood unmoving and Dante’s gaze didn’t waver. My magic flared, the flame crawling across the floor with ember arms encircling the trio.

“Maybe you should be more concerned with what lies at the other end of
my
patience.” My voice was calm and even, my eyes focused.

“Your power does not impress me, hunter.” Dante showed confidence but the women behind him appeared conflicted. The circle of fire grew higher, snapping at their shoulders. Caterina and Alessia moved together, inching closer to Dante and pushing him forward toward the flames. He balanced himself and a low grumble vibrated in his throat—a warning. The girls corrected themselves and focused their efforts back toward us.

Alessia had seemed so strong when I first met her. She had saved us from Arian and moved with a powerful grace. Her magic had infiltrated the minds of dozens of turned vampires all at once and confidence dripped from her aura. She had stood with a poised arrogance in front of me and I feared her power. In Dante’s presence she remained silent, doing only what she was directed. When she opened her mouth to speak, his eyes alone silenced her.

Out of nowhere, Dante’s power slammed against my mind, forcing my body to jerk backward. The force felt physical, digging through my skull, but I had come prepared. My shields were up, surrounding my mind like an invisible wall solidified with brick and mortar. I was too strong for him now.

His power amplified, making a second attempt to break me, but again, it failed to dent the defense I’d mounted. Frustration gleamed in his eyes and his low growl returned. Dante reached back and gripped both the women’s arms and then in a blur, the trio jumped into the air. Shadows pulled themselves from the corners of the room and they vanished.

The sounds of blades being drawn reverberated in the vastness of the room. Tiki pulled two short swords out of a sheath that crisscrossed over his back. I wasn’t sure why he used weapons when inside him lie a beast to be reckoned with, but now wasn’t the time to ask. Rayna’s whip uncoiled and made a
tink
as the silver claws hit the floor. A chill shivered down my spine as Vincent unleashed his demon. Darkness filled his eyes and leaked onto his skin. Black lines split and crackled over his face, disappearing down his neck like a thousand baby serpents coiled beneath his skin. Long claws slid from his fingertips and his pale skin vanished, replaced by a transparent counterpart. Surprise overshadowed my focus, however, when the holes where his fangs should’ve come down remained empty. I was certain they would’ve grown back as he healed—they didn’t.

Dante’s laughter came from all directions before settling above us. The golden eyes of Vincent’s father sparkled from the second floor and with them, were dozens of eyes of all colors, glowing in the shadows behind him. The skin on his hands was perfectly clear, showing all the working muscles inside it as he gripped the railing. And as though he’d snuck through my shields and plucked the thought from my mind, he spoke.

“And his demon comes out, but alas, he has no fangs. What kind of vampire doesn’t have fangs?” He smirked.

“What did you do to him?” I asked.

“It’s a matter of precision really. You start by tearing both the teeth out, ensuring you get the root. Then, before the bleeding stops, you inject a substance into their gums in a very specific manner. With the right mixture of silver nitrate to liquid cement, there is very little you cannot do to a vampire. You see, a vampire that betrays his own kind deserves to be marked as such—an outcast of the Sovereign.”

“That’s horrible!” Rayna shouted.

Dante shrugged. “There is a small chance they’ll return, in time, but if he is alive to see that day, he’ll be chained within the confinements of the Sovereign where the procedure can be completed again and again.
 

“There is no moment too soon for me to tear out you throat, Father.” Vincent scowled. His voice was not his own, it was darker with a demonic vibration that made me shudder.

Dante had a smile plastered on his face. They stared at one another for a long moment before he turned to me. “You know, Chase, when I was a boy, there were stories told about the Protector. Those stories faded away centuries ago, but I never lost hope that one day I’d get to meet—and destroy—the so-called chosen one. All that power inside a human? The gods should be cursed for such an act.”

“Then what’s stopping you now?”

Dante sighed. “This world is too fast for me. Once upon a time, everything in life was savored: the last breath of a child, the slowing heart of a well-pursued victim, and each moment leading up to the destruction of something beautiful was treasured. In this age, everyone wants to
get it over with
. They have no appreciation for the climactic build a death can manifest.”

“If you’re so unhappy with what the world has become, come down here and I’ll help you with your problem.”

“They said the Protector was built to destroy the demons no other could face. He would travel to worlds others feared. The Protector would be an unstoppable force in the Underworld—one with the souls of a thousand gods all in a single man, destined to protect what the gods could not. Is that what you are, Chase? Are you a man filled with gods?”

My neck hurt from staring up at the man who exuded arrogance in waves. He’d spent lifetimes being the most powerful creature he’d ever known, but now he was about to face me.

I broke into a run and channeled the air element around me. I had yet to test each of my powers but with the souls roaming around my soul, I had a taste of what I could do. There was no doubt, or fear inside me, only determination.

I planted both feet on the ground and pushed hard off the concrete. Air magic swirled around my body in wisps of white, throwing me into the air. Dante stepped back, guiding Alessia and Caterina behind him. The magic faded as I passed the railing to the second floor and my feet hit the ground. Fire magic pulsed over my skin. Swirls of red spiraled over my arms like a cyclone of heat. Dante tried to mask his surprise, but I’d already seen it and he knew that. He had tried his mind games and came up short, now it was time he felt what I could do. I stepped forward and his eyes turned black.

“I didn’t take you for a man to cower from his enemies,” I said, and although he had stopped moving backward, he didn’t respond. “Am I a man filled with gods? That’s the question you want an answer to, right?”

I stepped forward again and Dante didn’t restrain his demon any longer. All of his skin became clear and as odd muscles in his face flexed, fangs dropped from his gums. The talons that shot from his fingertips put Vincent’s to shame in both size and ferocity, but even as his demon came out, he didn’t move forward.

Our eyes were locked but neither of us moved. We were in a silent battle and Dante slammed his power against my mind over and over again. This time he started to make progress and I felt a crack form in the shields. His power seeped through, slowly reaching for the edges of my mind. I put more effort into resisting his attack and as I channeled more power, his efforts became wasted.

“Interesting…” he said, his words slurred through the long fangs. He cleared his throat and adjusted his tie. Alessia and Caterina stood behind him, darkness filling their eyes and strings of saliva clinging between their fangs.

My shields suddenly felt weak and a shiver moved through my body.
He’s going to kill him
! A voice shouted in my head, and it sounded like a gun that went off next to me. I winced and covered my ear but it did nothing.
Shut up! You don’t want to distract him
. The next voice was as loud as a whistle, popping my eardrum and I keeled forward as though it could lessen the pain. I tried to stand up straight with the confidence I’d had, but more voices rang in my head, making it impossible not to cringe.

“We don’t have to do this,” I said, feigning my self-assurance. “Just give me the scroll, let Vincent’s people go, and go back to your home. Nobody else has to die.”

You
never
negotiate with your enemy
! A dark and angry voice shouted at me.
Just kill him
.

I couldn’t focus long enough to summon my magic. I wanted to cover my ears and scream at the voices to shut up, but I knew they wouldn’t listen. More and more souls shook my mind and all their words became mixed together, merging into a single high-pitched squeal.

Dante laughed. “Something tells me whatever is inside you isn’t completely yours.”

The poise he’d lost had returned with vengeance and his power pressed against my mind. Fear that wasn’t my own began to fill me and Dante suddenly seemed like something from a nightmare.

Intimidation grew inside me as his overbearing eyes moved closer, but as I stumbled back, cold metal pressed against me. The railing stopped me from having anywhere to go. All of the souls roamed around inside of me, bouncing against my body and mind, trying to fight for control. They wanted me to become their vessel and my efforts were spent trying to keep them back. Pain pierced my skull, which forced my shields to drop even further, and Dante’s power rushed into my mind.