"The new order where everything living becomes food?" I shot back. "Great fucking plan, genius."
Michel's expression hardened. "Join us, and you can share that protection. The Collector values useful servants. Your abilities and knowledge would be... appreciated."
"I’ve got a counter-offer," Dre said as her magical energy built like a storm front. "Go fuck yourself."
Her curse flipped a switch, and the warehouse erupted into chaos. Harvesters moved from the shadows. Corrupted artifacts pulsed with malevolent energy, and other creatures materialized. They were bound servants. Their souls had been completely consumed and reshaped into the Collector's tools.
They moved with coordinated precision, trying to surround us while Michel backed toward a ritual circle carved into the warehouse floor. He was trying to activate something. "He's opening a portal!" I yelled when I got a better look. "It's on the floor!"
"I don’t think so!" Kaitlyn snarled as her power erupted in silver light that made the bound servants recoil. I threw a crudely cast magical bomb at Michel at the same time. It managed to take out several harvesters.
Kaveh's djinn fire joined Kaitlyn's magic. Together, they created a barrier of supernatural flame. "Now would be good, you guys!" He shouted at us.
My sisters and I linked our magic and added our combined power to the assault. The warehouse filled with crackling energy as witch magic and djinn fire slammed into the bound servants like a tsunami.
It didn’t stop Michel. He managed to activate his circle. Symbols began glowing with a sickly green light. "You're too late! The Collector comes, and your precious Guardian bloodlines will fuel its final victory!"
A portal tore open. Michel leaped through with a final taunt. "The reunion guests are already compromised! My allies walk among them, waiting for the signal! You will not save them!"
The portal snapped shut before we could stop him. Kaveh couldn't even try to trace the power before it dissipated because the bound servants and harvesters Michel left behind didn't vanish with their master. If anything, they seemed more agitated now. They were circling us like predators who'd just lost their leash.
"Eat this!" Lia shouted as she dug into the emergency kit she always carried.
We'd learned the hard way to never leave home without our supernatural first aid supplies. She tossed a potion that incinerated three bound servants. I yanked out a vial of rapid freeze, while Dre produced what looked like liquid silver. We threw them at the harvesters trying to eat us before turning to fight some more.
Over and over, we hurled our potions at the remaining creatures without stopping. It took less magical energy than using spells. The liquid we doused them with burned through the creatures like acid through tissue paper.
When we ran out, we resorted to our magic. “We do this together,” Dre said.”
Nodding, we linked our power again. This time, I channeled it through the alchemical chaos we'd just created. The warehouse filled with purifying energy that burned away the corrupt creatures. All that was left several minutes later were smoking stains on the concrete floor where the creatures had been.
"Well," I said, breathing hard as the last of the purification smoke cleared, "that's one way to clean house."
The warehouse fell silent except for the sound of our ragged breathing. "He's right about the reunion," Lia finally said. "Michel has had years to infiltrate Guardian families. There's no telling how many guests are compromised."
"Then we cancel it," Lia suggested.
"And lose our only chance to perform the binding ritual during the celestial alignment?" Phi interrupted with a shake of her head. "No. Without the reunion, we can't assemble the seven bloodlines needed to renew the prison."
"The djinn can help identify infiltrators," Kaveh offered. "We're good at detecting supernatural corruption."
"And I will bring the coven to add protective wards," Kaitlyn added.
"Perfect," Lia said. "We're not canceling anything. We're gonna change the rules. Michel thinks he's been playing us, but he's given us exactly what we need," she continued. "Complete intelligence on every Guardian family, their abilities, and their locations. He's revealed the Collector's network and shown us how they coordinate attacks."
"We can use his intelligence against him," Phi said with a wicked grin.
"Exactly. We're going to throw the party of the century," Lia declared with a grin that bordered on unhinged. "But instead of a harvest, Michel and his buddy are going to get the surprise of their very long lives."
"I love it when you get that look," I said with an answering smile. "It usually means someone's about to have a very bad day."
CHAPTER 15
DEANDRA
The high from our warehouse victory lasted exactly thirty-seven seconds. Knowing something like that keenly was one curse of being an empath. My joy over beating back those creatures was compounded by what my sisters were feeling. Those emotions were overrun by a tsunami of terror rolling across the city like a supernatural wildfire. The Collector wasn't waiting around for us to get comfortable with our intelligence coup. It was moving to eliminate every remaining Guardian bloodline while we were busy patting ourselves on the back.
"Oh, shit," I breathed, pressing my hands to my temples as wave after wave of panic slammed into my consciousness. "Something's happening. Right now. Claude's in immediate danger."
