This Side of the Grave (#5 Night Huntress)
This Side of the Grave (#5 Night Huntress)
This Side of the Grave (#5 Night Huntress)
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husband with a fireball.”<br />
My answering smile froze on my face. I’d expected us to talk about Apollyon, not Gregor. He’d been <strong>the</strong> vampire whose blood was combined<br />
with a ghoul’s heart to raise Marie from <strong>the</strong> dead almost a hundred and fifty years ago, but Marie had wanted him dead, too, so I didn’t anticipate<br />
recriminations from her for killing him.<br />
Marie’s a valuable ally, don’t lose your temper and give her an excuse to side with Apollyon, I reminded myself. Look at Bones. He almost seems<br />
bored even though he’s got to be as ticked as you over Marie bringing up Gregor.<br />
“Because he cheated in his duel with Bones, <strong>the</strong> Guardian Council <strong>of</strong> Vampires cleared me <strong>of</strong> any wrongdoing,” I said, proud that my voice was<br />
very calm.<br />
Marie leaned back in her chair, idly stroking <strong>the</strong> fabric. Part <strong>of</strong> me wondered where <strong>the</strong> secret door was in this room. That chair wasn’t a<br />
permanent fixture or it would be mildewed from <strong>the</strong> damp air, not to mention I didn’t believe Marie would leave herself without an alternate means <strong>of</strong><br />
escape.<br />
“Cheating, that doesn’t surprise me,” she commented. “Gregor’s arrogance always was his Achilles’ heel. Like bringing you to Paris when you<br />
were sixteen. I told him to come here instead. That his hometown would be <strong>the</strong> first place anyone would look for him, should his actions be<br />
discovered, but he didn’t listen.”<br />
Everything in me froze. I didn’t dare glance at Bones again. The flash <strong>of</strong> rage that skipped across my subconscious before he recloaked his<br />
emotions told me he was thisclose to losing it at this revelation.<br />
“So.” I couldn’t keep <strong>the</strong> edge from my tone if my life depended on it. “Gregor told you about his kidnapping plans for me back <strong>the</strong>n?”<br />
She continued to stroke her armrest, as though <strong>the</strong> tension in <strong>the</strong> room hadn’t become thick enough to cut. “Gregor told me many things. He<br />
trusted my loyalty to him as my only living sire. I don’t betray those I’ve sworn loyalty to. <strong>This</strong> shouldn’t surprise you. I told you last year that if Gregor’s<br />
claims <strong>of</strong> marriage to you were proved, I’d back his side.”<br />
“You also told me a neat story about how you murdered your husband when he pushed you too far,” I replied sharply. “Well, I’d say tricking me into<br />
marrying him as a teenager, murdering my friend, forcibly changing my mo<strong>the</strong>r into a vampire, and trying to murder Bones by cheating in <strong>the</strong>ir duel<br />
all fell under <strong>the</strong> ‘too far’ category for me. Too bad for Gregor <strong>the</strong> vision he had <strong>of</strong> me when I was sixteen didn’t show <strong>the</strong> part about me using all<br />
those neat powers he wanted to control to kill him.”<br />
“Underestimating you was Gregor’s mistake.” Marie didn’t move a muscle, but all <strong>of</strong> a sudden, I felt like a mouse staring at a hungry owl. “It won’t<br />
be mine. But”—a shrug—“no one can hide from death forever. No one, not even our kind. Death travels <strong>the</strong> world and passes through even <strong>the</strong><br />
thickest walls we protect ourselves with. You should remember that.”<br />
Was that a threat? “Not to be rude, Majestic, but it sounds like you’re telling me to watch my back with you.”<br />
Marie grunted. “When you truly understand what it means, you’ll know how to defeat Apollyon.”<br />
At last, we were getting on topic. I’d already figured out that I’d need to kill <strong>the</strong> ghoul to stop him, but if Marie wanted to feel like she was being all<br />
cool and cryptic with <strong>the</strong> advice, I’d play along.<br />
“Okay. I’ll remember that.”<br />
She smiled, genial and somehow terrifying at <strong>the</strong> same time. “You should. If you don’t, he’ll win.”<br />
“You could always just spell it out and save us all some time,” I said, unable to keep all <strong>the</strong> exasperation out <strong>of</strong> my voice. Did being dead for over<br />
a century turn everyone into riddle masters instead <strong>of</strong> people who could just say what <strong>the</strong>y meant?<br />
“I won’t join your cause against Apollyon. Last year, my sire could have ordered me to, but with Gregor dead, my loyalty is to my people alone.”<br />
Anger rose in me. “Even at <strong>the</strong> expense <strong>of</strong> countless thousands dying over reasons as stupid as who has fangs versus flat teeth?” I gave her<br />
cafй-latte skin a pointed look. “I would think you’d be smarter than to side with a senseless bigot.”<br />
“It has nothing to do with bigotry,” she replied sharply. “But Apollyon’s reach has grown. If I openly oppose him, I will be seen as a betrayer <strong>of</strong> my<br />
race. Even ghouls who disagree with Apollyon may side with him out <strong>of</strong> species loyalty. It will be civil war. During this, am I to believe <strong>the</strong> vampire<br />
nation will not swoop in to crush us while we are weak from infighting?” Marie gave me a thin smile. “I am not so trusting.”<br />
“Oh come on,” I huffed. “Vampires have no dreams <strong>of</strong> subjugating ghouls. You know that’s just a smoke screen Apollyon’s using.”<br />
“There are some among your race who would take advantage <strong>of</strong> ghouls just as ruthlessly as Apollyon is seeking to do with vampires. If you’re not<br />
smart enough to heed my words and outwit him on your own, <strong>the</strong>n you deserve to lose,” she replied with brutal bluntness before leaning forward and<br />
reaching behind her chair.<br />
Everything in me tensed, ready to spring for <strong>the</strong> knives in my boots, but all she did was pull out an empty wineglass. That previous tension began<br />
to ebb. Jacques had served us drinks last time I was here, even though for <strong>the</strong> life <strong>of</strong> me I didn’t know how he’d managed to procure a cold gin and<br />
tonic in this dank underground area. But instead <strong>of</strong> calling out to him, Marie set <strong>the</strong> glass on <strong>the</strong> armrest <strong>of</strong> her chair without a word. Then she<br />
flicked open a ring on her finger, revealing that it hid a tiny sharp point, and sliced it across her wrist before holding <strong>the</strong> wineglass underneath <strong>the</strong><br />
cut.