“Don't forget the dagger,” Xvair called as he handed his cane to the priest.
Laying it on the ground, the shifter shook his hands out and extended one to the ancient witch. They walked together, coming closer to the altar.
Swallowing, Brianna glanced at me. “When the line has left Gemma, her body will die slowly, but you will plunge the Essex dagger into her heart to make sure. She is not permitted to live in any way. Her body will be burnt here, on the altar.”
Closing my eyes, I tried to stop the shake of my insides. The idea of dying didn't scare me, I had kind of done it before. However, the thought of meeting my true end while demons were released onto the world didn't sit well. The drama of stories was a ton of fun in books, but in reality, I missed being able to curl up on my bed, getting lost in a place that didn't end with the good guy dead and the bad guy winning.
“Did you hear that?” Xvair's voice was closer now. “We're going to burn you directly above the portal to Hell. I'm hoping that your soul will be dragged down. Wouldn't it be ironic if you ended up with my son Lucien, after all?”
“And, your father,” Brianna added.
Looking up at her, I stared as my heart grew cold. “What did I ever do to hurt you?”
Her gaze dipped before she shook her head and pushed the tip of the gun into Florian's temple, ordering him to lay down. Once he did, she looked at me again. “Sometimes we have to sacrifice what we hold dear for the greater cause.”
A hand gripped my leg suddenly, making me jump. I kept still, my hands half tucked into my pocket. Luckily, no one had noticed, but the weak grip of Xvair's fingers made me stop my pursuit of the glass.
“Do you really think I enjoyed sacrificing my grandchildren?” Xvair's voice shook as he leant over me. “Let's begin.”
Brianna's male friend rolled me over, forcing me to take my hands out of my pocket. A frustrating grunt came from me unbidden as the ropes were ripped off. Magic trickled into me, but before I could react, he yanked one arm towards the top corner of the altar, quickly tying my wrist to a piece of rope. Reaching into my pocket with my free arm, I gripped the glass, bringing it out and slashing it towards Brianna, who was trying to capture my free wrist.
“Ouch!” she barked as I sliced the sharp tip through her fingers.
Two hands managed to grab my arm, wrenching it up and over my head, fastening it to another rope. The glass clattered to the altar surface, landing on the edge of the engraved rune. Where had the bastards got the magic-limiting rope from? Xvair was probably able to get the spell from his ancestors’ grimoire, which was a pain in the arse.
“Nice try,” the shifter said in my ear, pulling extra tight on the binds.
I had to remind myself that it had taken both a shifter and a vampire to contain me on the altar, which meant I was more powerful than I felt. Still, it didn't help my predicament. With my only chance gone, my weapon confiscated, I had no chance of beating them.
This was it. I was about to see my last moments in the life of Gemma Abbott.
Xvair's face hovered over me, his wrinkly skin hanging lower than his chin. “It's time.”
As Florian was tied in the same fashion as me, arms straight up, legs straight down, side by side, Xvair gripped the shifter's hand and started to chant. He was using the shifter's energy to convert into magic. The priest was probably the conduit for the witches that were helping them with their spell.
Opening my mouth, I started to sing a recent pop song, one that was played everywhere.
Xvair glared at me, his rotten teeth baring as he bashed me weakly on the arm. “Shut her up!”
Brianna's hand came over my mouth as the other one moved my head to face the rest of the church. Staring sideways at the salt circle, I listened to the words that came from Xvair, almost choking when Brianna pressed hard against my mouth. My teeth would be useless against the vampire so I didn't even bother to try and bite her. The wound on her arm was already healed, the blood still marking where I had managed to slice her.
Xvair finished his incantation, his breath shaky as he lifted his free hand in the air. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he coughed before proceeding. “Demons of Hell, those who will help Paranormals for Freedom, I invite you to enter this church. You may walk upon this Earth for as long as I'm alive.”
My whole body started to shake as the ground moved, vibrating beneath us. Heat seeped through the floor, rising in waves as the veil between Earth and Hell was pulled away. Transfixed on the salt circle, I tried not to groan against Brianna's hand when four demons appeared, including my father.
“Welcome!” Xvair shouted, throwing his head back and laughing loudly.
The demons watched him, their beady eyes bright red. Two of them were in the shape of floating apparitions, their energy bright orange, like flames. The one next to my father was human, his eyes watching me closely. Lucien. Did Xvair realise he had brought back his son?
Thrusting against my ropes when Xvair turned to me, I cried out in pain when my shoulders wrenched.
Xvair placed his hand on my chest, right above my heart. His chant rang throughout the church, the echo of it filtering into my ears. Pain lanced through my body, shaking my muscles uncontrollably. He was taking the line from me, I could feel my connection weakening.
“No!” I forced out between Brianna's fingers.
She released me when Xvair indicated that she should go to Florian, who
