Sweeter Than Wine (22 page)

There was a yard in front of the cottage, between it and the larger warehouse. It was an open space, with only a few strategically placed shipping containers and metal crates they’d positioned ahead of time. Cam and Matt hid behind one of these, waiting for Mario to get into a spot where they could ambush him.

But this wasn’t your typical ambush. It was more magical than physical, though both aspects would have to be watched. They’d agreed beforehand that Matt would stay in human form. For one thing, he was an effective fighter in both his forms, but as a human he wouldn’t have the extra telltale magical energy around him that might tip off Mario to the trap. Of course, changing to cougar was always a possibility if things went not quite as planned.

“He’s not going for the cottage. Something’s wrong. Our boy isn’t playing by the rules. Warn them.” Cameron moved to get a better view and Matt was chilled by the dangerous glint in his eyes. The lighthearted fey he’d seen to this point was suddenly all warrior and as deadly as they came.

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The cottage was a decoy. Sure, the couple had gone into the small building, but they’d quickly gone out again through a secret, underground passage that led to the edge of the warehouse and then into the far end of a large, empty shipping container positioned right outside the warehouse’s large doors.

Vampires had a habit of outfitting their properties with secret passages in order to keep them out of the sun. Perhaps Mario had guessed that, though there was no reason for him to single out the particular shipping container where the couple was hidden. The warehouse would have been the obvious choice if he didn’t fall for the cottage and the trap they’d laid within its sturdy little walls. They’d prepared accordingly though, leaving Hiro, Ian and several others inside the warehouse to keep the mage busy while Cameron did his work, but Mario moved as if he knew exactly where the couple was, and that didn’t fit with their plans at all.

“He’s heading your way,”
Matt warned them. “
He’s not making for the cottage or
the warehouse. He’s heading right for you. I wouldn’t recommend getting caught in that
tin can.”

The shipping container was large, but not big enough to maneuver in, should the fight come to them. Sebastian had considered this when they devised the plan and thought it worth the risk. He also had two clear exits from the container, and an ace in the hole—Matt on the outside, able to relay just where the mage was headed.

“He’s coming in from the south,”
Matt said.

“Let me know when he’s at the door. We’ll go out the north end and circle around
him, but I don’t want to move too soon, in case he has some way of tracking us.”

Sebastian reasoned that for the mage to home in on them so quickly, there had to be something about them that he sensed and was able to follow. Timing was critical. Move too soon and the mage would adjust his course to intercept. Move too late and be caught in the box.

“He’s almost there. Any second now.”

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Sebastian kept one hand on Christina’s back, ready to push her out the door, should it become necessary. He didn’t like the way this was playing out, but they’d make the best of it.

“Cam says something’s happening. Get out of there now! Now!”

Matt’s warning came a second too late as Sebastian felt his world turn upside down.

He had time enough only to shove Christina out the door before the shipping container became a rolling maelstrom of death and destruction.

“Holy shit!”

It took a lot to take down a vampire of Sebastian’s skills, but a crashing, rolling, ton of steel with wildly flying doors could do it. Matt saw one of the swinging metal doors clip Sebastian in the temple as the shipping container thundered away, rolling like a giant, steel tumbleweed. When the thing came to a rocking halt after a revolution and a half, it was yards away, creaking ominously. Sebastian was nowhere to be seen and Matt couldn’t feel the vamp’s presence in his mind. Sebastian was either dead or out cold.

Christy sat alone, her small face white with terror as Mario walked calmly toward her. Matt willed himself to change, but found he was frozen in place by some kind of magic that not only restrained his shift to cat form, but also glued him to the spot. He could move his jaw just enough to whisper to Cameron. The fey’s face was grim, his concentration total as he cursed under his breath.

“I can’t move.”

“I know, lad. I’m working on it. Can you still communicate with the lass?”

“Yes, but Sebastian’s gone.”

Cameron’s face grew darker, but he seemed able to move his hands. He made small gestures that Matt couldn’t follow, but knew they had something to do with his way of spellcasting.

“Talk to the lass. Ask her about the mage. Blast! This angle is all wrong. I can’t work from behind him. I need to see his face. I need to know about his mark. Ask her.”

177

The command in his voice was clear, as was the frustration. Matt understood it well as he touched Christy’s mind, finding a choking whirlwind of terror.

“Sweetheart, calm yourself.”

“Calm myself? Matt! Sebastian’s hurt!”

“I know. Mario’s done something to the whole area. I can’t move. Cam needs to
know about Mario’s mark. What can you see of it?”

“His mark?”
Confusion sounded through her words, but she was slowly getting it together. Matt only hoped it would be in time. For now, the mage was stalking her, moving closer as she cowered on the ground, seeming to enjoy her fear.

Matt saw her head move. She wasn’t immobilized, thank heaven. He could have cheered when she got to her feet and faced Mario, but he also feared for her.

“The mark on his face is glowing, Matt. It’s pulsing.”

Matt relayed the information to Cam, who was still weaving patterns with his fingers. He seemed lost in concentration and barked back a single question.

“Which part of the pattern is glowing brightest, honey? Cam needs to know. And
anything else you see.”

“The sixth line, Matt. There are nine lines in all. They’re all interwoven like Celtic
knot work on the edges, but the center part lines up. The largest is at the base of his
eyebrow, the smallest at the top. The sixth from the bottom is pulsing really strong. The
bottom one is also brighter than the others, but not as bright as the sixth.”

Matt passed on her words, cringing when he saw the mage close in on Christy. She looked so vulnerable, so defenseless as she waited for the attack that would surely come.

He only hoped the training they’d been doing with her over the past days would help her stand strong.

It felt eerily familiar to be cowering before a man, hoping he wouldn’t kill her. And the warm, loving presence that was Sebastian was gone from her mind. Christy didn’t know if he was even alive, though she knew it would be hard to kill an immortal with 178

nothing more than a flying shipping container. Still, that impressive little magic trick had scared the crap out of her!

She had to believe in her heart that Sebastian was just unconscious. The alternative was unthinkable.

“Be strong, sweetheart. Cam is working on something, but he’s affected by the
paralysis too. He can move, but only his hands, and not fast. You need to buy him some
time to bring that spell down.”

Matt’s voice in her mind was a lifeline. It reminded her she wasn’t alone anymore.

Even with Sebastian’s fate uncertain, she had friends all around. She just needed to keep this bastard busy while they worked. Only with their help could she get to Sebastian and find out if he would be all right. That was all that mattered now.

She segregated the fear and put it away. She’d had ample practice of late, hiding from things she didn’t want to face. Pain, fear, longing for a more normal life. All those things she’d separated out while she’d put up with increasing problems in her home life and marriage.

That experience stood her in good stead now. She stood opposite the man, watching him watch her. He seemed to be sizing her up and the sneer on his swarthy face said he found her lacking.

Never again, she vowed. She’d never cower before a violent man again. She wouldn’t play dead and she would defend herself to her last breath. She knew how now.

Thanks to Sebastian. And Matt and Hiro, of course. She’d only known the men a short time, but they’d each touched her life in significant ways. Sebastian had given her new life and a reason to want to live it to the fullest…with him.

“How dare you?” Christy went on the verbal offensive, wanting to give Cameron the time he needed. “This is the second time you’ve attacked me and I don’t even know you!

What is your problem?”

His black eyebrows rose at her tone. She’d surprised him. That was good. Maybe.

“My problem,
senorita
, is you and all your little supernatural friends that would oppose our plans for this realm.”

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“Good girl,”
Matt crooned in her mind. “
Keep him talking. Cam says he’s close.

Just a few more minutes.”

“I have no idea what you’re even talking about. Make some sense, will you? In case you didn’t know, all I want is to get a divorce from the abusive slimeball I married and get on with my life.”

“Don’t you mean your death?” Mario moved closer, smiling in an evil way as he began to move his hands in a mesmerizing pattern.

“I’m not dead.”

Mario sniffed disdainfully. “So you believe, but I will remedy that shortly.”

“Don’t let him wave his fingers around like that. Cam’s doing something similar
over here and I think it’s the way they weave their spells. I bet if you can disrupt his hand
motions, you might disrupt whatever it is he’s planning to throw at you.”
Matt’s advice was given in an urgent tone. Christy bided her time, waiting for Mario to move within range of her best roundhouse kick.
“Stop him, Christy. Stop him, now!”

Christy let loose with a kick that took the mage by surprise. She heard a crunch and knew she’d broken at least one of his fingers and probably some of the bones in his palm, all thanks to her sturdy, pointy-toed flats and Sensei Hiro’s tutelage.

“Christina?”
Sebastian’s voice sounded in her mind and the relief she felt knew no bounds.

“Sebastian! Are you all right?”

“My head hurts like the dickens and I can’t move, but otherwise I’m okay. What
happened?”

“Matt said this Mario guy did something that immobilized him and Cam too, to some
extent. Cam’s still working a countermeasure and I’m supposed to keep Mario busy until
he gets it done.
I kicked him and broke his finger, Sebastian. And probably some other
bones in his hand.”

“Good for you, sweetheart.”

“You might think so, but it was really gross.”

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The warm chuckle in her mind and loving caress of his thoughts went a long way towards shoring up her flagging courage.

“Where is he now?”

She eyed the man, standing a few feet away, breathing harshly.

“He’s giving me the stink eye from about five yards away. He’s hurt, but he’s still
standing.”

“If he hasn’t fled, he’ll come after you again, love. Be wary.”

“Oh, I’m watching him like a hawk, don’t worry.”

“Dammit! I wish I could move!”

“Me too. I love you, Sebastian. No matter what, I’ll always love you.”

“And I you, my sweet. Forever.”

Mario chose that moment to launch his next attack, but she was ready. Barely.

“Die, bitch!” Mario screamed, clutching his injured hand to his chest, while in his other hand, a sparkling fireball formed out of thin air. He lobbed it at her, but she was able to spring out of the way like a cat, diving, rolling, and landing, crouched on all fours.

Mario launched another fireball, but she sprang out of the way again, rolling toward him, coming up in a fighting stance right in front of his startled face.

She took the opportunity to punch him in the stomach and when he crumpled inward, she grabbed his uninjured hand and twisted it up behind him, trapping him in an arm bar position. She couldn’t allow him to lob more fireballs, so as gross as it was, she used the move Hiro had taught her to break his arm at the elbow. The crunch was sickening, but she had no alternative. It was either that or be burned alive by one of his magical fireballs.

Christy thought she was going to puke. She’d never forget the sound of that arm breaking as long as she lived. She let Mario go and stumbled away, revolted by what she’d been forced to do. A wave of nausea made her clutch her stomach and for a split second, the mage was forgotten.

“Hold fast, love,”
Sebastian counseled in her mind. “
I’m coming.”

“Sebastian?”

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She saw him then, out of the corner of her eye, struggling as if his limbs weighed hundreds of pounds each, but still, somehow, making his way out of the remains of the shipping container behind Mario. But he was moving too slowly. He was fighting the immobilizing magic, but would be a sitting duck if Mario discovered his presence.