Back from the fucking dead, Oz stands before me. This can’t be real, his clothes, his watch were with what was left of him.
“Yes, Joyce is my progeny. Did you miss me, Warin?” Oz says.
He comes to stand behind Ember, pushing her pink hair from her face. I want to storm across the room and rip off his hand for daring to even touch her.
“I can see the appeal. How long were you hiding her from me, anyway?”
“You’re alive?” I say, because there are no other words.
Oz rolls his eyes, his hand on top of Ember’s head. I think about how easily he could snap her neck, lean forward and drain her dry. It’s the same nightmare I had from the day she walked into my bar and let me taste her blood, it’s why I stayed away.
“You know, faking your own death is far easier as a vampire than it is as a human. I mean, sure, putting my plan into place took endless plotting, but when you have loyal vampires on your side, it makes all the difference. It’s a shame Conner isn’t here to see it, but every grand scheme needs a sacrifice.”
“Just let her go and you can have whatever you want,” I say.
“What I want? You’ve never given a shit about anyone other than yourself. I created you. I gave you everything and you couldn’t even give me a single ounce of loyalty, could you? Youwere mine, you belonged to me, you still do,” Oz says, his tone manic.
He’s been on the edge of madness for so long, I wonder when the last time he rested was. It doesn’t bode well for us getting out of this situation.
“Just let her go and I’ll go back to being whoever you want me to be.”
Oz clicks his tongue. “I knew the moment you no longer loved me. When you no longer realized how much I gave to you. It was that night in Chicago, you were never the same after that. That witch filled your head with evil, but I tried to look past it. We were creating an empire. We had everything. I thought maybe if we had more, then you would be settled.”
I go to take a step closer and Oz tugs on Ember’s hair.
“Not a step closer. I couldn’t have planned this all better if I tried. It was a convoluted process, I’ll admit. It started with figuring out how I could fake my own death and get the attention of the vampire council. Wouldn’t you know scaring the right humans and giving them the means to protect themselves can get a lot done in a short time? It took some time for them to summon the Slayer and even more time to lure it into our parish, but once he did, it was the first thing I needed.”
I glance over at Samantha and she's typing away on her phone. What the fuck? I ignore her as I look back over at Oz. He’s let go of Ember, walking away from her and puts a hand on Joyce’s back. She seems overjoyed from his touch.
“Joyce, ever the loyal progeny, she’s been my secret little weapon, telling me every little thing the council is up to. Neither of us were happy how things were being run. It should be me who is in charge of the council, I’m older than Sebastian and far less lenient. What I didn’t account for was you throwing a celebration over my death and shacking up with some fucking witch when my planted remains hadn’t even been scraped off thepavement. I’d planned for us to take over the council together. Me and my progenies in one place, Samantha, as an extension, was going to be included in that.”
Oz puts his hands on his hips, looking around the warehouse.
“I thought the location was fitting, don’t you think?”
“Oz, please. Whatever you want,” I beg, not that I think it’s going to work. I just need time, a moment to think of how the hell I’m going to get us out of this situation.
Oz shakes his head back and forth, pursing his lips, like he’s debating it.
“Kill Samantha, and I’ll think about it. You'd, of course, have to share this one,” Oz says, rounding Ember again, tilting her head back and exposing her throat. “Nothing hits like witches blood, my mouth is watering thinking about it.” He grins. “Kill Samantha, and maybe we can work past this. I mean, Sebastian is going to have to go.” He scrunches his nose. “Achille, you can stay.”
Oz trails his fingers down Ember’s throat.
“So, Warin, what’s it going to be? Your progeny or your witch?”
I stand there, involuntary tears of blood running down my face. This place was my last human memory, and it seems like it’s going to be the last place I see anything.
Oz laughs. “Ever so soft. Where did I go wrong with you? Maybe she’ll listen better. I can’t quite decide if I want to drain her dry or make her mine.”
He leans forward, his teeth about to sink into Ember’s neck, but they can’t touch her skin.
“What the fuck?” Oz hisses, trying to bite her again.
My witch’s eyes meet mine and I look down at her glittering ring and she gives me a small nod.
“Now,” I shout, knowing that if I die, at least I went out swinging.
Chapter 36
