“About Nick?”
“It’s our fault he’s dead.”
“How is it your fault?” Shay asked with a sinking feeling in her stomach.
“We hired him to stalk you.”
As it turned out, it had been Nick’s idea. On Nina and Matilda’s last visit, Nick had overheard them at the pub discussing the dilemma of Cody and Shay. Nina was certain they belonged together. Being a romantic at heart, Nick hatched the scheme to frighten Shay into coming home. He said that was the only way Cody and Shay would know they belonged together, and he offered to do the job. Of course they insisted on paying him for his stalking time.
After consoling Nina, Shay took a long look at her aunt’s face, committing the soft brown eyes, the short gray hair, and kind face to memory. She wished she could tell her about the past, all about it. If she survived, she would, but there wasn’t time now for the questions it would bring. She said good-bye and made her way to Cody’s room. She lay on his bed and closed her eyes, letting his scent roll over her as a lifetime of memories flashed by, from toddlers to teens, laughing and bandaging each other’s wounds. From making love in the hayloft to the time spent at the cabin, and here, when she told him she loved him. All the moments that comprised their lives. Cody was her world. He always had been. She wouldn’t let him make this sacrifice.
Shay rose from Cody’s bed and went to her room. She tugged on a dark coat and put a flashlight, a bottle of water, and her cell phone in the pockets. Shay tucked a butcher knife into her boot. She hoped Coira wouldn’t miss it.
In the sitting room attached to Shay’s bedroom, she pushed the catch that opened the door to the secret passage. The air was musty inside. She moved as quietly as she could, knowing that some hidden doors opened to rooms throughout the castle, and the warriors had hearing like bats. It was like a tomb, save for the soft scuffing of her shoes. The light flickered with her movements, throwing shadows on the wall. Shay shivered, hoping she remembered the way. She came to the winding steps that led to the first floor. A din of voices sounded close by. She recognized the entrance to the library. The warriors must be gathered there. She couldn’t believe they brought a vampire to the castle.
She stopped at the section of stones where she had met Declan. She pushed the catch, and it opened to the tunnel. He said the far end was old and dangerous, but the vampire had used it, as well as Angus, the warrior who was killed. Shay hoped it held up for her, although what she planned was probably far more dangerous than a decrepit tunnel.
The passage narrowed after she passed the door where she and Declan had gone outside. She could feel the dampness and hear water trickling. She stumbled several times over fallen stones, but she concentrated on Cody, his face, the determination she saw there. If she didn’t stop him, he would die. Malek must be watching the castle, so Cody would be nearby too. Shay had caused him untold pain by severing a friendship because he tried to protect her, by hating him for something he hadn’t done. She wouldn’t let him die for her too. If Michael said it was her duty to destroy Malek, then by God, she would destroy Malek.
The darkness lightened, and she knew she was close to the end, finally. She stumbled outside and grabbed a breath of fresh air. She saw two warriors lying on the ground. Her heart sank as something sharp scraped her chest. “Nearly a thousand years in this dimension, and I thought humans incapable of surprising me. I guess I’m wrong.”
Chapter 20
The man was tall, the silver streak in his hair glinting in the moonlight. He traced a fingernail along the whitish lines of Shay’s scar. “I don’t know how you did it. You were as good as dead when I left you, just like your mother.” He raised his gaze to her face, showing a touch of awe. “You look like her, not your father. He was dark, like your sister. They couldn’t protect you. No one can protect you.” He moved closer, his eyes growing angry. “I won’t allow you to spawn my enemy.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” This must be Malek. He had the silver streak in his hair.
He smiled an almost serene smile. “You don’t know, do you? How sad. This god you serve doesn’t even bother to give you the basic information. A child born to you and Cody was destined to destroy me.” Malek’s smile faded into a sneer. “Alexander MacBain. But he won’t succeed. He won’t exist, not from a dead mother. I failed to destroy you the first time. I won’t fail the second.”
Shay fell back as if she had been hit.
“Here I am, nearly a thousand years old… duped by humans. Now, tell me where you’ve hidden my book, and I’ll consider killing only you, not your entire clan.”
Shay looked at his immaculate disguise and wanted to rip his face off. He’d killed her mother and father and stolen her life. He would not get Cody or the clan. “If I give you the book, you will kill the whole clan,” she spat out.
He looked surprised, then spun at the screeching sounds coming from the woods. Men burst from the trees, moving so fast she couldn’t see their feet. Vampires. Shay backed away while Malek and his demons were distracted, and she bumped into something hard.
“The party’s just starting,” the vampire hissed behind her. Shay turned and drove her butcher knife into his heart before he could close his mouth.
He fell to dust, and another vampire cried out, “Rod!”
***
Bree hurried along the passage where she had seen Shay in the vision. She had to stop her. Damn these visions. This one had come too late. Faelan and several of the others had gone to the dungeon to question the vampire. There hadn’t been time to warn them. She had to stop Shay before she got outside the walls.
“Oh my God.” Matilda clutched her chest. She wore a lime green jogging suit that almost glowed in the dark. Her red hair stuck up like porcupine quills. Nina had on gray, her hair in pink foam curlers.
“What are you doing here?” Bree asked frantically. She had to hurry.
“We followed Shay,” Nina said. “She came to my room. I think she was saying good-bye. I don’t know what she’s up to, but I’m scared. We heard the door to the secret passage shut when we got to her room. Matilda
