I felt like I could sleep for two, maybe three days straight, as long as I was cuddled up next to Niki’s side.
Thoughts of snuggling next to Niki in my fox form warmed my chest as I reappeared next to his chair. Those warm and fuzzy musings quickly fled when I saw Niki’s condition.
Slumped in the chair, long legs stretched out and forehead cradled within his cupped hands, Niki’s typically strong bodywas curved in on itself, as if making itself smaller would somehow lessen the energy needed to maintain itself.
The human, Belle, appeared to be in a similar state. Head resting on her sister’s hospital bed, Belle’s soft, even breathing indicated she’d succumbed to slumber. It was time for Niki and me to do the same.
Crouching beside Niki’s chair, I took his hand in mine. Those long, capable fingers clasped onto mine. “How’s Loretta?”
I considered regaling him with just how weak of a constitution the witch seemed to have but decided against it. Loretta would be fine and I said as much. “I delivered her back to the police station.” Given the later hour, I maybe should have asked if Loretta would have rather been dropped off at home. Oh well, too late now.
“Good. That’s…good. I’m glad she’s well.” Niki raised his head just enough for me to see a dark eye between spread fingers.
I raked my claws through Niki’s hair, pushing it away from his face, revealing his pallid, pasty skin. My gut clenched. I’d vowed to take care of my warlock and right now, I clearly wasn’t doing a very good job.
“We need to get you—Ow!” I slapped my neck, feeling the sting of a needle. My fingers came away with what appeared to be a dart. Rage poured through every fiber of my being.Those fuckers!I stood, immediately swaying as the room spun. Despite my dizziness, I placed my body over Niki’s, guarding him the best I could. Lips pulled back, I snarled, “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”
I easily recognized Warlock Alistair Raiden, along with his holier than thou smirk. “Perfect execution,” Alistair said to the warlock beside him. “Wouldn’t you agree, Valmont?”
“They’re not contained yet,” Warlock Valmont Bailor argued, a layer of snide contempt flowing from his lips.
I pulled on my magic. If I could just get Niki and me out of here…but it was no use. The edges of my vision darkened as I fell onto Niki’s lap, belatedly realizing they’d drugged Niki too. My world dimmed until all I heard was Alistair’s contemptuous laughter.
Consciousness returnedin fits and starts. Muffled sounds met my ears. Those sounds slowly morphed into understandable words before fading into obscurity again. My head throbbed, its beat lulling me back to slumber.
I’m not sure how many times that routine repeated. Each time, I was awake a little longer, understood a little bit more of my surroundings. Sleep became a welcome reprieve from the horror I found myself in. If it were simply about me, I would have happily remained unconscious. But it wasn’t just about me. They’d done something to Niki too. I knew it deep in my soul. Niki needed me to not just wake up, but to stay conscious. Besides, these assholes didn’t deserve to win. I’d meant what I said. These warlocks obviously didn’t know who they were messing with.
Cold fingers roughly grabbed my chin, pushing my head up, worsening the incessant throb pounding against my brain. “Are you going to stay awake this time?” Danzig’s smarmy face peered up at me, his dark, malicious eyes so different from Niki’s warm ones.
Danzig patted my face as if I were a wayward child. “Not so mouthy now I see.”
Lips pulled back, I growled. This asshole hadn’t even begun to seemouthy. A tug on my tails quickly drew my attention away from this noxious warlock. I tried to move them but metresistance. My tails were trapped, as were my wrists and ankles. I was held aloft, legs spread and hands and arms out to the side like a starfish.
I inwardly smirked. These amateurs thought they could keep a kitsune confined with mere shackles. They were about to learn a very important lesson regarding kitsunes and I was more than happy to teach them. Focusing inward, I attempted to tap into my magic. I’d dissipate and reappear on the other side of the damned room.
Only, when I concentrated, nothing happened. I tried again and again, desperately searching for that innate ability that I couldn’t explain and barely understood. But when I reached down into my core, there was…nothing. It was as if I’d been severed from the very thing that made me what I was.
Panic threatened to set in. I was stuck. Even when I’d had but one tail, I’d had the ability to transform my appearance. Even if I couldn’t translocate, if I could simply adjust my body—make my wrists and ankles smaller—I could get out of these restraints. Even that ability failed me.
“Interesting, isn’t it?” Danzig tapped my wrist cuff with the back of a finger. “Looks like Huxley really did know his stuff.” Danzig turned, walking away while leaving me with that leaden weight sitting heavy on my soul.
“Tenzen? What does he have to do with this? He’s gone.” And hewasgone. Aurelia and Helios buried him deep in the ground—cutting Huxley off from any and all light. Unable to form shadows, Tenzen slumbered. Had this jackass managed to find and wake him?
My earlier panic ramped up several notches, as did my fury. “You’re more of a fool than I thought if you’ve awoken a shadow borne.” Tenzen wouldn’t hesitate to dispatch these warlocks when they outlasted their usefulness.
“I’ve done no such thing.” Danzig turned, hand splayed across his chest as if my suggestion had mortally wounded his pride.
“Then how?—”
“Let’s just say that I shared a similar vision to the late and lamented director of the Magical Usage Council.” Danzig’s lips twisted into a parody of a grin. “I was fortunate to have someinterestingconversations with Huxley prior to his unfortunate end.” Huxley wasn’t dead, but he might as well be for all the influence he now held on the world.
“You know, most likely I wouldn’t have spoken with Huxley at all if it weren’t for Holland and his disgraceful son. If Huxley hadn’t informed me it would be in my best interest to release the necromancer mother names to Holland’s disgusting git.” Hate laced Danzig’s words as he walked toward a table on the far side of the room. For the first time, I took the opportunity to look and around my cage within a cage. Lacking complete originality, the room had the look and feel of a dungeon. Humidity hung in the cool air, and the musky scent of mold permeated the space like a living blanket. If I were mortal, I’d be afraid of catching something nasty down here.
My eyes roamed the space. It was larger than I imagined an underground room would be. I had no idea why someone would want to go to so much trouble carving up the earth to produce something like this.
The lighting was dim and seemed centered around me and Danzig. The corners were darkened in shadow, making it difficult for even my eyes to pierce their depths. My ears twitched toward a corner when I heard the faint hint of breathing. The sound was lost when Danzig spoke again.
With a shrug, Danzig said, “I suppose the reasons no longer matter. Besides, soon enough, I’ll track down remaining necromancers and put an end to them myself.”
