The Fires of Tartarus Read online

  His thumb caressed my skin for a moment as his power slid over me, before he dropped his hand and moved back a little. I blinked, awash in a feeling of peace and serenity to find him smiling down at me. You could do nothing but feel dazedly happy in the reflected light of that smile. I sighed.

  “Oh. You really are pretty amazing, Sariel, even for an angel.”

  There was a masculine snort of amusement. “Yes because you have so many to compare me to.” His voice was full of laughter and I tutted at him.

  “Don't spoil the moment.”

  “The moment is at an end I fear,” he said, his eyes looking towards the long drive that led to the Château. I nodded with regret. I could hear the purr of powerful engines approaching.

  “Thanks,” I said, looking up at him. It must have been the effects of his magic that made me bold enough to reach out and take his hand, and he squeezed my fingers in return.

  “A pleasure as always, Jéhenne.”

  A burst of power made my skin come alive, and then Sariel was gone.

  I walked over to stand at the top of the steps that led to the front door of the Château as the family fanned out around me, standing in front of the building. Lucas walked out of the front door to stand at my side, his right as my second in command, but he stopped in his tracks as his eyes met mine.

  “What?” I asked, frowning at the stunned look on his face. I looked down, wondering if I'd messed up my dress when I did the spell with Cain. It was the kind of idiotic thing that would happen to me. He opened his mouth and closed it again before walking towards me. Taking my hands, he raised one to his mouth and kissed it. I raised one eyebrow at him.

  “I'm sorry, Jéhenne, but that is the least you must allow me.” His voice was soft, intimate. “I ...” He stopped and shook his head. “Look at you,” he said in wonder. “You've stolen my breath.” He laughed, though it was a sad sound.

  I was uncomfortable under the weight of the look in his eyes. I didn't know what to do with it, what to say. “Well ... I had help,” I replied somewhat ungraciously and shrugged.

  He had kept hold of my hand and now covered it with both of his. “You will always have all the help you need, Jéhenne. Tonight and through whatever else may come. You have my word.”

  “I know that,” I said, smiling at him. “I trust you ... completely.”

  I couldn't say the words I knew he wanted, but these ones at least were heartfelt, and he knew it. The fact that Corvus wasn't by my side instead of him was a pain that I pushed forcefully away. I would have to face Corvus later and his incandescent rage that I could feel with blistering heat in the back of my mind. I turned away from Lucas' own pain, aware that he too could feel that rage ... and my sorrow. I was almost relieved when the first gleam of headlights became visible through the trees, and I was forced to turn around and ready myself to receive Ambrogio.

  An unending fleet of luxurious black cars pulled up one by one in front of the Château and disgorged their occupants. The sleek creatures emerged and moved gracefully together, and I felt my blood blaze at the pull of the most powerful man among the large gathering even though I could not yet see him. I wondered if he wanted to make an entrance. There was really no need; the power on the front lawn was making me twitchy as hell, and I could feel the tension transmitting from the whole family as over a hundred vampires set foot in our territory.

  There were probably forty in the main party, the ones who were our guests. The others were simply lackeys and muscle, not that our guests appeared to need any of that. They were clearly vastly wealthy, incredibly powerful ... and trying exceedingly hard to be unimpressed. Not one of them, though, could do anything but gaze in awe at the magical sun that was now burning down from many miles high and casting crazed shadows across the day-bright ground. It would be the closest any of the vampires had got to daylight since they were turned. I watched their begrudging awe with amusement, but something felt off. I concentrated and felt a glimmer of magic. It was far off, but powerful. I frowned.

  “Do you feel that?” I asked Lucas, seeing him frown as the question formed in his head. He frowned harder, and I realised he had no idea what I was talking about. “There's more of them,” I said, suddenly understanding. “Tell Inés to cast a reveal spell all around the Château and to keep reaching out until she finds them. I want to know how many there really are.”

  Lucas nodded and I cursed inwardly. Not that I'd had any doubt as to Ambrogio's real intention, but it would have been nice to have been proved wrong, just once. I also wanted to know what flavour of witch had cast that spell and where they were. The man himself had still not appeared, and I turned to the only car which had not yet revealed its passengers. I could feel him watching me with curiosity from behind the black glass of his limo, and I allowed myself a small smile. Bring it on, you bastard.

  He stepped out of the car, and I felt an electric thrill run through the family. They were growing used to the burn of my power by now, the power of a goddess, which was more than a match for Ambrogio. In truth I was more powerful than him if it came down to brass tacks, but it wasn't that simple. He was pure vampire, the first, the purest blood and the father of their race. He was their god, Master of Masters. The pull to him was fierce and unmistakable. I would be a fool to underestimate the incredible danger this man posed.

  He walked towards me and I waited. I would not walk to greet him. This was my family, my territory, and I didn't care if he knew I didn't welcome his intrusion.

  His skin was dark, his short hair thick and jet black with a neatly trimmed beard covering a strong, square chin. On the surface he simply looked like a successful, powerful business man in his late twenties, and I forced myself to return the warm smile he gave me despite the fact all my instincts were screaming that he was terribly dangerous and that I should keep him out at all costs. It was true, of course, but just for a change I didn't have a choice.

  “Jéhenne Corbeaux,” he said, holding out a hand in greeting. He was not a tall man, not much taller than me in fact, but he blazed with such fierce energy, the kind of massive power that made my kin regard him with undisguised awe. Above all things I did not want to take that hand in mine. The idea of touching him made my skin crawl, but I didn't hesitate. Everyone's gaze was trained on us, his coterie's eyes hard and calculating, and I was damned if I was going to let them think I was rattled.

  “Ambrogio,” I replied with as pleasant a smile as I could muster. Power crackled around us as our hands met, and with triumph I noticed the faintest glimmer of surprise in his wide, grey eyes. He clearly hadn't believed the stories he'd heard. He'd thought to come and expose a fake. I held his eyes and kept his hand clasped in mine, squeezing just a little harder than was necessary. “You honour us with your visit, my lord.” I refused to curtsy to him. I was his equal, and now he knew it, so there was no point in dissembling, but I didn't want him to believe I was an active threat just in case there was still an outside chance this could be handled amicably. Yet I did owe him deference. The words stuck in my throat, but I had been coached by Lucas as to how to speak with the father of the race. I knew better than to go out of my way to piss the man off, not yet. Let him get in the door at least.

  I released his hand and his eyes went to the glowing orb burning above us. He blinked in the reflection of the warm, golden light. “A very impressive display,” he said and I felt his words were genuine at least.

  “Thank you, my brother and I hoped you would approve.”

  “Your brother?” He turned back to me, and I gestured to Cain who was doing nothing to hide the fact he was as cold and deadly as he looked.

  “My brother, Cain ... Corbeaux.”

  The shock that ran through the assembled company before us was apparent, and I struggled to hide a smile. Cain was infamous. He was known for many reasons, every single one of them scary as hell. He had never used his family name, Cain being enough to send people running and screaming, but I was more than surprised that the connectio
n hadn't been made. We had never flaunted our family tie, but then neither was it a secret. Was Ambrogio so arrogant in his power that he had failed to do his homework? Had he been sleeping so long that he really did not know who he was dealing with? If so that was interesting, it was a weakness. It meant those who should be keeping him informed were in deep trouble. It also made him - and those who had failed him - much more dangerous. They were going to be humiliated and likely punished - which they would no doubt lay at our door. And if Ambrogio felt at a disadvantage, he was not going to be a happy bunny. Just who would he take it out on?

  Ambrogio smiled at Cain, a rather brittle expression. “Well, well, the great assassin himself. Are we to be murdered in our beds I wonder?”

  Cain chuckled, and the sound sent shivers down my spine, so I figured it must have done at least that to our guests. “Oh, I would never accept a contract on a house guest. I do have some rules,” he said. His words were obviously meant to be reassuring, but the accompanying smile and the look in his eyes implied that the moment they left, all bets were off. I gave him a warning glare that I hoped would make him play nice but between the two of us, I strongly doubted we were going to make it through the weekend without killing something or someone.

  I cleared my throat and gave Ambrogio a brilliant smile.

  “I do hope you enjoy your stay with us, my lord.”

  He gave me a searching look.

  “So do I.”

  I took a moment to glance at his entourage. There were some seriously powerful vampires here. He was flanked by ten who were clearly Masters in their own right and were serving as his personal bodyguard. Seven men and three women, everyone of them looking utterly calm, but the power buzzing around me suggested everyone was on alert. They had been wrong-footed. With Corvus gone they thought they would sweep in here and put one of their own in charge of one of the most powerful families in the world. Fuck. That. I wondered which one of them had been earmarked for the job.

  One of the women was looking at me with undisguised hostility. She was of an unusually tall stature, with long blonde hair dressed in a series of complicated plaits. Her eyes were pale blue and ice cold, and her bone structure spoke of a Slavic background. This woman was not my friend. I wondered if she had been the candidate for the job. I held her eyes and smiled sweetly. Her eyes darkened with malice. Good. Just so long as we were clear.

  Of the remaining thirty companions to Ambrogio, all appeared ancient and powerful vampires, except for one. She was petite and fragile-looking, barely more than fifteen, I thought, sixteen at a pinch. She also looked terrified and out of her depth, but I knew now who had cast that spell. I walked closer to her and held out my hand. Large brown eyes looked up at me with horror, and she touched a trembling hand reluctantly to mine. A sweep of power rushed up my arm, and I laughed. She was certainly the witch who had cast that spell, a powerful one too, though I suspected she had little control over that power yet.

  “Hi,” I said.

  She lowered her pretty, almond-shaped eyes and gave a little curtsy which was kind of quaint but endearing. She opened her mouth to reply but Ambrogio spoke over her.

  “This is Mary-Grace Gatdula. She is under my protection.” He placed a hand on her shoulder which was clearly meant to imply a fatherly protection, but I caught the flinch, as much as she tried to hide it. Whether Ambrogio was sincere in his protection or not, Mary-Grace was clearly terrified of him.

  “You are very welcome here, Mary-Grace,” I said, hoping she could read the sincerity in my expression. I remembered only too clearly the fear and confusion when my own powers had hit me in full force. I wondered why Ambrogio had brought her if she had done her job with the camouflaging of the rest of his followers. What else did he need her for? As much as I felt for her, I couldn't trust her. Ambrogio would have picked his entourage with care. He would have a motive, of that I had no doubt.

  “Thank you,” she said, meeting my eyes for a bare moment. “I am honoured to be here.” There was the trace of an accent and her fall of thick, jet black hair and dark honey coloured skin indicated an Asian background.

  I gestured for her to enter the Château. She looked like she'd rather walk over hot coals than take another step, but she stood a little taller and raised her chin and walked through the door. I smiled at her courage and hoped I might get the chance to speak to her in private.

  Cain fell into step with me as we guided our guests into the Château. “She's Diwata,” he said to me in an undertone, and I looked up at him with a frown. “A witch,” he clarified, “from the Philippines. I thought their race had died out centuries ago. If she's the real deal, she's a rarity indeed.”

  “She's powerful,” I replied and he nodded.

  “Inexperienced,” he added, his tone lending all the warning that was required. I knew well enough how inexperience could be dangerous. If she was frightened, she would be unpredictable, a loose cannon, whether she meant to be or not. All in all it looked like we were in for an interesting weekend. I sighed inwardly and for once in my life prayed Monday would come quickly and find us all still here to see it.

  Chapter 42

  I walked with our guests to the great hall, past huge vases filled with bright yellow and golden blooms. Everything glittered and shimmered and the people around me clad in designer brands looked as though they would be perfectly at home on a red carpet in Hollywood. It was unreal, like I was living in some extraordinary dream world, except the monsters were wearing Armani and Luboutins. Aperos were served, a mix of Champagne with a splash of fresh blood which I declined, and I tried hard to keep my features neutral as the human ‘guests’ moved unobtrusively among the vampires. I watched, outwardly calm at least as the family surveyed the arrivals and vice versa with wary eyes. I in turn watched Ambrogio, but he showed no interest in either the live offerings or the drinks, declining both with a dismissive hand.

  I moved with care, my body still aching, the physical evidence of my fight with a furious god still lingering dully in my muscle and bone. My mind, however, was raw and harder to ignore. It was too soon to be thrown back into the lion's den, and I didn't know whether I was up to this new challenge. I wanted to run from it. I was too tired, too damaged. But Sariel had offered me a choice, and I had chosen to live despite everything that meant facing. Suck it up, Jéhenne. But I had only to close my eyes and I was trapped once more in the inferno of Dis Pater's death throes.

  The part of me that was Circe revelled in my victory with no regrets and even Jéhnina approved with little or no sympathy for what we had done. Jéhenne though - the person I had become in this lifetime and the one I held on to with such desperation and an increasingly tenuous hold - Jéhenne was in part victorious and in part utterly horrified. This wasn't the first life I had taken. There was a growing feeling in my soul that it would certainly not be the last. Was this what I was now? Could I really kill so easily and with so little regret? Shouldn't there be a price to pay?

  “Bleedin' 'ell, luv, you scrubbed up nice.”

  With relief I brought my thoughts back to the present and Rodney's friendly face. I reached out and grabbed hold of his hand, and he gave it a reassuring squeeze.

  “Thanks,” I murmured. In truth I was thrilled with my dress, though the cost of it had made me blanch. Only Amelia and Lucas' insistence on the importance of looking the part as Master had made me agree to buy it and the other outfits which were apparently an investment in our family's future. It was incredibly heavy, a fine mesh material with thousands of glittering green and silver beads. The beads fell straight down, clinging to my curves and ending in a generous fishtail that rustled and kicked out when I walked. The design swept up in leafy patterns over my breasts with a single line of decoration on the mesh following my spine down my back, which was otherwise bare as the dress dipped low.

  It looked as though the beads were melded to my skin and was a delicate and beautiful effect. I may as well be wearing jeans and a hoodie, though, because if Corvu
s wasn't here to see it, I didn't much care what I looked like. But Ambrogio couldn't be treated so dismissively no matter how much I might want to. I just wanted the evening to be over so that I could go and see Corvus and try to find some way to explain what I'd done to him and why. But how could I explain that I was protecting him when I couldn't tell him why he needed protection? Even though I knew he wouldn't understand and was going to be furious with me, I still wanted ... needed to see him. I wondered if he would even notice how I looked or if his anger would overwhelm every other consideration, as he hadn't even met my eyes since the night I'd killed Dis Pater.

  “I think we 'ave to take our seats,” Rodney muttered, and I nodded as Ambrogio appeared at my side again.

  “A beautiful place you have here, Jéhenne,” he murmured. There was an avaricious glint in his eyes that made my blood heat with anger, but I held my tongue and inclined my head a little in thanks, not trusting my mouth to form a reply. Instead I turned to Rodney. “Ambrogio, may I introduce you to my dear friend, Rodney Wainwright. He has been an indispensable confidant and member of this family for many years.”

  Ambrogio turned his cold eyes to Rodney for a bare second, but his contempt was only too obvious. “A member of the family?” he said with a derisive snort. “I think not.” He turned away in disgust, and it was only Rodney's hand gripping my wrist so hard it hurt that stopped me reacting. I looked back at him and with one sharp move he shook his head, his eyes imploring me not to do or say anything.

  I gritted my teeth, trembling with anger and trying hard to remind myself of everything I was playing for here. I couldn't lose it all because Ambrogio was a miserable, bigoted arsehole. I knew ghouls were treated like slaves by most vampire families, but Corvus had never allowed that. I had forgotten just how very different from other Masters he had been. But I felt sure the Corvus I had loved would not have let that pass. Ambrogio would pay for that comment - one way or another.