Cold Blooded

you.”

“I saved your life out there,” I said, pacing forward, “again. That makes it twice in one day.”

She hissed, her face still cruel.

“This is it, Eudoxia. It’s your chance. Once we come back, all debts are wiped clean. You are the only one strong enough to give us the best odds of getting Tyler back, and your power combined with mine is lethal. It managed to wipe out even the Prince of Hell’s magic. Together we can defeat anything down there.”

Her power jumped out before her, pressing against me. It licked at my face and pushed at my chest. But I was ready, my power wrapped up inside me like a coat of armor.

Molding my power had become second nature and it felt good to master it.

“You’re as foolish as you look,” she snapped. “Even if I owed you another favor, which I do not, I would never agree to accompany you to the Underworld.” Her face slid even farther, her control slipping. “My debt to you has been paid. The ward went up and, as an extra token, one for you taking the demon magic—which would not have killed me—I gave you my power freely. It was not my fault the opposition was too strong.”

My father walked toward me. “Jessica, I don’t know what you’re getting at, but taking the Queen won’t work because of everything we’ve outlined so far. If she’s the one you pick, you can take your mate or me just as easily.” His voice was wary. “We need to think of someone else.”

“He’s right,” Tally agreed. “I’m not sure why you picked her, but the Vamp Queen will sound the alarms. She’ll be like a lighthouse flashing a signal in the darkness.”

“No, she won’t,” I said confidently.

Tally inclined her head at me in question, clearly thinking I was presumptuous, but smart enough to hear me out.

“Are you calling me a liar?” The Queen’s fury radiated outward. “I should’ve ended you when I had the chance! You are nothing but a nuisance.” Her hands fisted at her sides. “Just like the Prince of Hell stated in front of us all. You are a blister on the heel of every supernatural ever created.”

“But you didn’t kill me, did you?” I said as I took a bold step toward her. “You could’ve killed me when the Prince threw his power at me, but there was a reason you aided me.” I leaned forward and whispered, “It’s because I have something you desperately want and without it you will be stuck here to rot for a thousand more years.”

“You’re wrong. I want nothing from you,” the Queen spat, her face barely contained.

“You’re not fooling anyone. You need my blood. And I want my brother. Sounds like a fair trade to me.”

She hissed. “Your blood will never be worth what you ask of me!”

“It’s worth it and you know it.” My irises jumped to violet. “You’re just hoping you can acquire it for free, sometime down the road. But your seer has left for good. There won’t be any other opportunities, because once I leave here I will make sure our paths don’t cross.”

The Queen was one outburst away from losing her mind.

I had a strong feeling this was what Alana had alluded to in the storage room.

I was in a position to force the Queen to act—to do one last task to prove her worth. It had to be this. And I had to think that meant we would be successful getting my brother back. The two had to be tied.

The Queen’s power continued to rocket around the room and the witches started fiddling with their guns and the wolves started to pace.

“Why would I ever risk the Underworld for you?” the Queen countered. “Even for a precious drink of your blood?”

Tally had lost her patience with our pissing match. “I hate to break it to you both, but we need to get moving. I want my witches in a safe place before nightfall. The sorcerers were patsies this time around, bound by their agreement with the demons, but when they come again, they will bring their artillery. They are inferior in strength to us, but they will pack a punch in numbers, and I don’t have time to summon witches from all over the U.S.”

I faced Tally, essentially turning my back on the Queen. The timing had to be right if I was going to make this work. I waited a few beats and then I played my ace in the hole. “If the Vampire Queen drinks my blood, her signature will change. She’ll be under the demon radar, and she’s an asset because … she’ll be infinitely more powerful.”

Everyone in the room went crazy, talking at once.

“Leave us!” the Queen yelled. The vamps froze at her words, but hesitated. “I said go.”

“Meet me outside, everyone, but keep up the vigil,” Tally told her witches.

“Escort them out,” my father told his wolves, including Danny and Nick. “Find any others who were left on the outside. Daniel Walker, coordinate the move north.” James and Marcy walked over. My father nodded curtly once to his second. “We will speak. I will be out shortly.”

James nodded, putting his arm around Marcy’s waist as he led her out.

When everyone except Rourke, Tally, and my father left the room, my father turned to me and said, “What are you talking about, Jessica? How do you know what your blood will do to a vampire?” He knew no real details about Naomi or Ray. He also had no idea my blood had changed Danny’s connection to him so fully I feared it might be permanent.

The Queen stalked to the massive double doors and slammed them shut. Then she turned to Tally. “Spell the room, witch. No word spoken here leaves.”

Tally was about to give her grief but thought better of it. She knew whatever was coming was big. Her fingers moved as she incanted a spell.

I wished for a moment it were only my father and me in this room. It would be so much easier to do this alone. Revealing your secrets to other Sects made you weak. But I had no choice. Tyler’s life was worth it and I was willing to do anything it took.

“My blood breaks bonds.” I cleared my throat. “It severed Naomi’s bond between her and her Queen, which Eudoxia figured out fairly quickly. My blood also changed Danny’s connection to you.” I nodded toward my father. “But what you don’t know is he smelled like me after we had exchanged a very small amount. My blood also connected Tyler and me on a different level. He said it had something to do with our close genetic bond.” I wished my brother were here to explain it. He did it so much better. My heart clenched. “If the Queen drinks from me, I believe it will alter her signature enough, and significantly change any samples they may have on record, so she won’t set off their alarms.”

My father was silent.

I hoped it was a good sign.

“If that’s true, it’s huge.” Tally ran her gaze over me. “I don’t know of another supe who can change genetic markers permanently. If what you’re saying is even slightly true, you could change anyone’s markers, including a human with latent supernatural genes.”

“I believe that’s what happened to Ray. My blood brought out a recessive gene he already had and made it pronounced,” I said. “It’s only a guess, but it makes the most sense given what my blood has already done to others.”

The Queen had seen Naomi for herself, but she didn’t know how potent my blood actually was.

The only unknown was Alana. I had no idea what my blood had done to her other than clear her insanity. I didn’t feel a connection to her and I was hopeful it would stay that way.

All the supes seemed to be connected to me in different ways.

There wasn’t one pat answer and I was relieved. If the Queen drank my blood, I had no idea what would happen. I just knew she would be different. And more powerful. That wasn’t ideal, but I would gladly take my chances if it meant getting my brother back in one piece. Alana had said Eudoxia’s future was vast. To me that meant she would live a long powerful life, whether I interfered or not. Why not give her what she wanted and do it on my own terms? If I did, there would be a greater chance she would ally with us in the future. And the way my future was going, that wasn’t such a bad idea.

“Jessica,” my father said finally, running a hand over his chin. “This news is staggering.”

“That’s why the sorcerers want you.” Tally nodded, like everything had clicked into place for her. “But this is