Shadows Claim Read online

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  Most had deemed him chillingly cold.

  If she had a gold piece for every time Cas had muttered, "Bastards got ice in his veins" . . .

  But Bettina thrilled to watch him fight. As someone interested in mechanical precision, she could appreciate his daring but methodical style.

  A killing machine.

  Yet shed also seen him as no one else had-his grim face alight with pride, his eyes dancing. . . .

  Even if she could deny that shed missed him, she couldnt deny that her body hungered for more of what hed given her.

  Her only exchanges with him? After each of his matches, hed given her a bow in acknowledgment, then hed leveled that penetrating gaze on her.

  Recalling how his irises changed as he beheld her-forest green flooding black-made her shiver even now.

  She could imagine his look said: Im fighting for you. Soon youll be mine.

  It made her feel like the most desirable woman in the world.

  Others had started to remark on the way he looked at her, nicknaming him the Prince of Obsessions. Bettina Abaddon-an object of obsession?

  She couldnt quite buy it either.

  Besides, if he was so obsessed, then why had he made no move to contact her? Salem had mentioned that he was never in his tent during the day. Where would the vampire go if barred from Dacia?

  Shed noticed that his clothing was often in disarray, as if hed traced into the ring directly from another fight. He would have mud splashed across his pants or a ripped shirttail. Once hed had snow on his boots and a spray of crimson on his sleeve.

  What? Did he have a part-time job or something?

  Maybe hed simply tired of the chase. She replayed his parting words continually. Lest you lose a male wholl desire only you . . .

  The idea of losing him brought on a wave of sadness. Which made no sense; if she loved one male, how could she feel things for another?

  Admittedly, things were strained between her and Cas. The more he tried to be on his best boyfriendly behavior, the more distance seemed to yawn between them.

  Whenever he remained at an endless banquet with her-instead of running off with his rowdy friends-he could be the picture of attentiveness. Until he inevitably slipped up with a longing gaze at the exit, or a buxom serving wench distracted his attention.

  Then hed look guilty, like he was inwardly berating himself. Which made her feel guilty for dragging him into this. Would he forever gaze at other females, wondering if that one might be the one? Would he forever imagine attempting other demonesses to find his fated mate?

  She wasnt eaten alive with jealousy like before-not after all the things shed done with Daciano. No, she was more contemplative about Cass insistence that another female would be his. What if hed been right?

  What if Ive been . . . wrong? Maybe it hadnt been a matter of their different stations or his insecurity over his birth. Maybe it hadnt been a matter of his sown oats.

  She and Cas had never been ill at ease with each other before. At times she feared they were trying to wedge their relationship into a mold that would never fit.

  Speaking of which . . . She glanced down at the mold shed been filing, gawking at the pile of shavings. Ruined. She chucked it into the wastebasket, then squeezed her forehead with frustration.

  Chapter 28

  Everything was changing, her life altered by this tournament in unforeseeable ways. And possibly for nothing.

  Raum had visited today with some startling news-

  "Honey, Im home!" Salem called out, returning from his daily duties: spying. Entering the workroom, he occupied a length of chain on the backboard. "Damn, chit, maybe you want to file the shavings down too?"

  She glared. "Im preoccupied, okay?"

  "And Im holding me palms up in surrender-but its fake. Cause I never surrender. So how much longer till you finish?"

  "Ill complete fabrication before the round tonight, attaching the palm grip to the four top rings. Basically everything but the spring mechanism and the sneak blade. When I get back, Ill do that and then etch the rings. You can send word that shell have it tomorrow. "

  Which was an important step. Bettina straightened her arms, clutching the edge of the workbench. Because if Gourlav wins, Ill be seeking asylum in Patronesss kingdom.

  Of course, without her medallion, Bettina couldnt exactly escape her new husbands clutches.

  They still had no idea how to defeat the primordial, and there were only three rounds left-including tonights ladys choice round. Shed secretly been hoping that this round would afford her the opportunity to take out the primordial herself.

  "Whats going on out in Rune?" she asked Salem.

  "Commerce," Salem said in an impressed tone. "Lots and lots of commerce. Your backwater kingdom is now a hot tourist destination. "

  As the final battles neared, fans of all stripes-sometimes literally-had arrived on the plane, filling inns and eateries. Young Loreans were camped out around the Iron Ring, playing music and building bonfires.

  "And whatever Morganas got going on down in the ring is drawing folks by the droves. "

  The sorceress had commandeered the arena for the entire day and night, hosting opening acts before tonights round. "Any scoop on the competitors?" Their number had been cut down to just six. Most possessed the ability to trace. Four of them were demons-including the primordial. "Maybe you have news about Gourlav?" she added hopefully.

  "Hes here less and less during the day," Salem answered. "I got nothing. Even the spies Im spying on who are spying on other spies got nothing. "

  Salem had reported that intrigues, subterfuge, and cheating were rampant.

  "Do you have any idea what tonights round will entail?" All Bettina knew was that the remaining six would dwindle to three.

  "I just shook me head. Wiv Morgana, expect the unexpected, yeah?"

  "Maybe Im supposed to decide which competitors will fight each other. "

  "Or maybe you just snap your fingers and take out three. " Salem made a snapping sound. "Including Gourlav. "

  "Id been hoping the same. What about the rest of the competitors?"

  "I spent the morning as the ceiling in the warlocks tent. Found out that the hobbies of Those Best Forgotten include long walks on the beach and sacrificing nymphs on altars. I mean, whod want to hurt a nymph? Thats like kicking a rainbow in the nuts. And theyre doing things to that wolf . . . well, lets just say theyre shy of humane. "

  Salem had already told her how those handlers baited the poor creature before his rounds, bringing his ferocity to the fore.

  "Why cant he rein in his beast?" She knew his kind spent years learning to control the wolf within, always fearing that itd take over.

  "Its not a rollicking good time of a story. " When she waved him on, Salem said, "The male was . . . human. The warlocks turned him to serve them. Apparently, they do that kind of thing a lot. "

  A turned Lykae would have no chance of mastering the new beast inside him, not for years-if ever. Until then, youd have a brutal killer on your hands, which was why so few were ever transformed. "So the warlocks just wind him up and let him go?"

  She could imagine Salem nodding.

  An added bonus? Besides being the strongest Lore species, the Lykae also happened to have unfailing fighting instincts. "Does the wolf have any idea what happened to him?"

  "Dunno. Depends on how long ago he was turned. He might have flashes of lucidity. We better hope for one of those flashes if he goes up against Gourlav. Those Lykae claws would spill some serious Child Terrors. Can you imagine-"

  "I dont want to imagine! This is happening under my watch. Most outsiders believe I rule. But Id never condone the slavery of that wolf. Id never condone anything that might bring Child Terrors to Rune!" With snappish movements, she began cleaning up the slivers.

  "No argument here," Salem said in a consoling tone. "By the way, I happened to stop by the leechs again. Actually found him ins
ide. "

  She briefly stilled. "And?" she asked as if she couldnt care less.

  "You dont sound interested. Its nothing. Shouldnt have bothered you wiv-"

  "Fine! Just tell me about him. "

  "I found him sitting in his darkened tent, mindlessly sharpening his sword as he stared at a crystal on his desk. His fangs were sharp, eyes black as pitch. The furs on his pallet were shredded. Not exactly the behavior of a cold and rational sort. He looked like he was about to-oh, how do I put this?-go out and fuck shit up. Take me word for it, still waters run deep wiv that one. And when the cold ones go, they go big. "

  Daciano had neared the limits of his control with her, but hed always pulled back. So what had affected him so much?

  Salem said, "Did you know there are Abaddonae who have started backing that leech?"

  "Over one of their own? Or another breed of demon?"

  "Hell, I can almost see it myself. Almost. Hes kept it in his pants, thereby keeping you safe from a stoning. Hat tip to the vamp on that one-cause you sure as hell werent barring the gates to your lady garden. " Over her outraged sounds, he continued, "He fights like no other, and you fancied him. "

  "I did not!"

  "Fuck knots dont lie, chit. "

  "But I love Cas. "

  "Know that Im rolling my eyes right now. " At her glower, he said, "Of course you love him! In a certain way. You were two orphans that hit it off and bonded. He was your only friend in this entire kingdom. Pair that uncommon tie wiv his uncommon good looks, and any females judgment would get cloudy. Trust me on this-I used to leave chits addlepated whenever I walked by. "

  "You were uncommonly good-looking?"

  "Hotter n Beckham wiv a better body. "

  That got her to raise a brow.

  "In any case, youre young-too young to know what love is. "

  Exactly what Daciano had said. "How old are you, then?"

  He gave a dramatic sigh. "Old as air. And probably still too young to know what love is. Though there was this one. Almost thought she was me kindred. "

  A phantoms mate.

  "It ended bad though-"

  The outer exit to her spire whooshed open. Bettina frowned in Salems direction, imagined them sharing a questioning look.

  Morgana called, "Freakling!"

  Bettina and Salem hurried to the sitting room. "What is it?"

  "We need to talk about Raum at once. "

  This was weird. Earlier Raum had visited-to talk about Morgana.

  "Hello, hot-and-bothered," Salem said to Morgana. Al-low, hot-n-bovvered.

  The sorceresss gaze found Salems vicinity. "Phantom, is that you?" Her imperious stance softened as she fluffed her hair. Bettina had never seen her godmother like this.

  "Here in the flesh. So to speak," he added. "Whats doin, trix?"

  "Oh, with me?" She examined her costume claws. "Just been supervising todays Morganapalooza. I put together some opening acts down in the ring. Theyre quite popular. " Her demeanor was boastful, her words laced with an Im-kind-of-a-big-deal undertone.

  "Opening acts? Like what?"

  "Kobold tossing, ghoul cage fights. And the Morganza of them all: a nymph floor show. "

  Whats a floor show?

  Salem seemed to know-the air blurred around him, signaling his eagerness. He hastily said, "I should go do a patrol, you know, down round the ring-al area. For security purposes. For the good of the kingdom. Ill let you two talk. " And then he was gone.

  Morgana gazed after him and sighed. Then she turned to Bettina with a hard look. "Pour the wine. "

  They took their glasses out onto the balcony. Feeling safe with the sorceress, Bettina only gazed upward once. "Okay, tell me. Whats a floor show?"

  "Did you never see Rocky Horror Picture Show?"

  At Bettinas blank look, Morganas lips parted. "R. H. P. S. ? Ive been remiss with you. I can see that now. " To the sky, she murmured, "Eleara, forgive me. " To Bettina, she said, "Floor show: noun, nightclub acts that include singing and dancing. For my purposes, they are sexy acts. Or sex acts. I cant remember which package I ordered. "

  "I see. " No wonder Salem blazed.

  "Now, I must depart soon to change for my referee duties, but this couldnt wait. I dont want to mince words"-as if she ever did-"but I dont believe your godfather has located the fiends who attacked you. With the end of the tournament nearly upon us, I dont think he can uphold his end of the bargain. "

  "What makes you say that?"

  "Those Vrekeners are likely deep into the air territories. Exactly how are death demons going to trace to a location like Skye Hall? It moves. And they can only teleport to places theyve previously been. Say they actually bag a Vrekener and force their hostage to take them aloft to the Hall-is Abaddon to wage war? Because thats what Raum courts. "

  Bettina squeezed her goblet, surprised to find it bending in her grip. "They declared war on us when they nearly assassinated me, the future queen of this realm! And what about Eleara? They succeeded with her. Whats to stop them from wiping the Sorceri out completely?" From wiping me out? "Why cant we do anything?"

  "Though its difficult for our kind to wage a war-when we cant find our enemies and their stronghold is impervious to sorcery-were not without victories. Why only six hundred years ago, Sabine decapitated the Vrekener leader, while her sister Melanthe maimed his son! All in one night! Its said the son cant fly without grueling pain to this day. A Vrekener who hates to fly? That must count for something. "

  Sabine and Melanthe were both legendary for their deeds. As the Queen of Illusions, Sabine could make her victims see their worst nightmares. Shed used that power to seize the leaders own mystical scythe-and behead him with it.

  "In any case, dont you think I have non-Vrekener concerns in my own queendom?" Morgana continued. "Portents bode ill; a nemesis rises. "

  "La Dorada. " When Morgana didnt deny it, Bettina said, "Is she alive?" La Dorada was the Queen of Evil, which meant that she could control evil beings. Including Morgana.