Zen and the Art of Vampires

'I recognized them.' That nasty smile of hers curled her lips again. 'I thought of letting them have that little bint Anniki, but it was much easier to just silence her myself… especially since it would implicate you in her death.'

'You didn't have to kill her—'

'Silence!' Denise raged, jerking Magda forward a few feet. 'You exist solely at my whim, Pia, a fact you should not forget. Anniki was nothing, not worth the time it took to get rid of her, but I did it so that the order would be stronger.'

'You're absolutely insane,' I said, my skin crawling with horror at the woman who stood in front of me, but even as I recognized the madness in her, I realized there was something wrong, something that didn't quite ring true. 'You killed a sweet, innocent woman for no reason. You are the one who is tainting your precious group.'

Her eyes narrowed on me. 'The Brotherhood is all that matters. In tua luce videmus lucent—in thy light we see light.'

My stomach heaved. Poor, poor Anniki, caught between a madwoman and her delusions of piety.

'Enough of this.' Denise nodded toward Frederic. 'Start the ritual. I don't have time to waste.'

Frederic hesitated a moment, but finally gestured to the other two members. Greta reluctantly released me, taking the gun from Frederic and pulling up her hood to join Mikael as they stood at the head and feet of Kristoff. Their voices started a low, singsong chant that Frederic joined in as soon as he pulled a wicked-looking knife from his boot.

Magda's eyes widened at the sight of the blade as it glinted in the light I cast. 'Pia?'

'It's all right. Just stay calm. I won't let anyone hurt you.' I glanced at Kristoff. He lay mute, his body stretched taut, as still as if he was already dead. His clothing bore long gashes, testimony to the fact that Frederic was not hesitant to use the knife he held so nonchalantly. I swallowed back a knot in my throat, forcing down the rising nausea at the proof of Frederic's savagery, my gaze locking with Kristoff's for a moment that seemed to stretch to an eternity.

His eyes were filled with neither a plea nor condemnation. He simply watched me with interest, as if I was some sort of specimen he was examining under a high-powered microscope.

'Any last words?' I asked him, keeping my face placid.

His brows rose slightly, and I saw his Adam's apple bob. 'None,' he finally said.

I nodded and stepped forward, my eyes on the dagger that Frederic held.

As the chanting increased in volume, something whirled off to the side, like a mini cyclone. Grass and leaves spiraled upward into the air, dust from the dirt it raised leaving a cloudy haze that formed itself into an oval about the size of a small car.

'Ostri,' Frederic said, glancing at me, a slight smile on his face as I gazed in astonishment at it.

'That's… heaven?' I asked.

'It is the gateway to Ostri. It is there that you will lead the spirits who have looked to you for guidance—once you have completed the cleansing.'

The stone that swung gently from my wrist had turned into a lantern, glowing in a light identical to that which shimmered around my body. It grew brighter.

'Is that it?' a breathless voice asked behind me. I turned to see motes of light gathering in the air, reforming themselves into Marta. 'Is that Ostri?'

'That's it. Where are the others?'

'Coming. It's so beautiful,' she said, her voice filled with awe as she stared at the dusty portal.

'I guess it is.' I couldn't help but smile as the other ghosts slowly re-formed themselves, all of them staring with identical expressions of unadulterated delight at their long-sought destination. 'Before you go, I just want to thank you all for everything you've done. No matter what else has happened, or will happen, I'm truly pleased that you will be able to move on.'

Dagrun clicked her tongue against her teeth and pushed forward, past the other ghosts, past where Frederic stood, past Kristoff and the still-unmoving Alec. 'I'm not going to stay for the speeches. Farewell and all that.' She stepped into the swirling mist and disappeared.

'Go ahead, all of you,' I told the ghosts, turning back from their beatific smiles as they spoke good-byes before drifting into the vortex.

I had a job to do still, a horrible one that lay before me.

'Get to it, already,' Denise ordered, jerking Magda forward another couple of steps.

'In tua luce videmus lucem,' Frederic said, gesturing toward Kristoff. 'Now is the time, Zorya, daughter of the moon. Draw on our strength. Channel the light that flows through you from the moon goddess mother to cleanse the abomination that lies before us. Right the wrongs.'

The chanting increased in volume, filling me with a euphoric sense of lightness. The light increased in intensity, surrounding me with a corona of power that threatened to burst free and fill the entire hilltop.

Kristoff's gaze met mine, and for a moment, for a second, I was possessed with the absolute knowledge that I could end his suffering. It would be humane. It would be quick. It would be… unjust.

'Ulfur?' I asked, struggling to rein back the light that wanted so desperately to pour forth.

'Here.'

The air rippled behind Denise.

'Now,' I said, spinning around to face the two women. Ulfur materialized, throwing himself forward onto Denise, knocking the gun from her hand as Magda was sent flying with a startled cry.

I gathered the light and yelled as I flung it at Denise, 'This is for Anniki!'

The light hit her with the impact of a sledgehammer, flinging her backward at least a dozen feet.

Frederic froze for a second, then leaped at me, his face twisting in hate. 'If you will not use the light, then I will!'

A sharp burning pain bit deep into my side. I stared down in horror to see him pulling the knife from my side. The blade glistened with blood, but glowed with a pure white light that faded from me even as I watched.

Frederic whirled and ran toward Kristoff. Denise, still struggling with Ulfur, screamed an order to kill me. Magda picked up a rock and slammed it on her head, pointing beyond me and yelling.

Alec had risen to his feet, the right side of his body still rather gruesome, but miraculously partly healed. He lunged forward, knocking Mikael aside in a desperate attempt to free Kristoff's hands.

Greta shot him three times in the chest, sending Alec to his knees.

I knew with absolute certainty that Frederic was going to plunge the light-drenched dagger into Kristoff's heart, and I had no power left to stop him.

I acted without thinking. I leaped forward, throwing myself toward Kristoff, screaming, 'No!'

Frederic raised the dagger high in both hands, chanting in a high, strange voice, 'In tua luce videmus lucem!' before jerking his hands down.

The knife bit into my back as I landed on top of Kristoff. Alec hauled himself to his feet, still frantically trying to free Kristoff's hands despite the fact that Greta continued to empty her gun into him.

Pain blossomed slowly as I lifted my head, a hot glow spreading out from the blade in slow waves of heat that quickly picked up intensity.

Shouts rang out through the trees, familiar voices calling to Kristoff and Alec.

'The light must have faded,' I told Kristoff, who lay prone beneath me, the waves of heat starting to make thinking difficult. 'I told you to have faith in me.'

'I do,' he said, the lovely teal of his eyes burning bright.

Frederic screamed as the vampires reached him.

Magda rushed over to me, gasping at the knife that I knew was protruding from my back. 'Dear god in heaven, Pia. Dear god!'

'I'm all right,' I said, my voice a croak as hands helped me off Kristoff and the stone. My head was swimming, but I made an effort to clear it. Alec, after having kicked the gun from Greta, sent her flying into Rowan's waiting arms, and staggered toward me, grabbing me in a careful but tight embrace.

'My love, my brave love. It is all over, my Beloved. Do not cry, it is over.'

I wasn't crying, but I was shaking with the aftereffects of having been twice stabbed. I didn't complain, however, as Alec cradled me, murmuring words of comfort.

'What are you doing? You can't move her!' Magda ordered, trying to pry Alec's hands off of me. 'She's been