Page 133 of You’re So Vein

“What happened to the Ordo Exsecrati?” Reginald casts his eyes around the storm-whipped hilltop.

“Dead.” Callista wipes blood from her blade with a scrap of white fabric from one of their robes. “That was enjoyable.”

“Mmmm, yes.” Irene flexes her fingers. “It’s been many decades since I last swung a sword. I hope I did you proud, Lady of Agony.”

“You were sufficient. Enemies are much easier to behead when you can freeze them in place. Should you ever wish for combat lessons, I’d be happy to oblige in exchange for you showing me that spell. Now—” Callista’s gaze sweeps across the field littered with dead men in white robes, before settling on Augustin and Hannah. “We arrive at an interesting legal quandary. If the Ordo Exsecrati are sanctioned by the Conclave, we’ve just committed treason.”

“If they are, I didn’t know about it,” says Irene. “There are forces at play here I do not yet comprehend. What I do know is that kidnapping violates the rules of Conclave decorum. Kael needed to be stopped. We cannot be faulted for our actions. Besides, his flatulence and endless tirades about traditional Upyr values tried my last nerve. The real question is, what to do with her.”

Irene leans down, regarding Hannah. Augustin pulls her tighter against him.

“So much bloodshed over a child,” Irene says softly. “What are you?”

“She’s my daughter.” Augustin bares his fangs at her.

“Indeed.” Irene turns to me. “It looks like you were right about Dhampir, Champion.”

Dante’s hand poises on his sword. “Touch her and Kael won’t be the only Conclave member with his head separated from his body.”

“While the Conclave laws state that all Dhampir should be killed on sight, given that I’ve made the decision to support the changes to the human–vampire marriage laws, I will make an exception,” Irene says sternly, her gaze never leaving Hannah. “But when we return, I will have to make a study of her.”

Augustin’s jaw tightens. “Hannah’s not a danger to anyone. All she wants is to be a normal child.”

“All Dhampir deserve that.” Beth glares at Irene. I know she’s thinking of growing up as an orphan.

“The Conclave shall decide,” Irene says firmly. “But for my part, I’ve observed no behaviour worthy of immediate execution.”

“Good. Then if no one is killing anyone else, we should get back to the village.” I point at the forks of lightning hitting the ground only a few miles away. “I’ll have to do two trips to get us all back, and I shouldn’t even be flying in these conditions. The only appropriate activity for a thunderstorm is being curled up in a blanket samosa beside a roaring fire with a stack of books.”

“Should we, um, do something about all the dead vampires?” Beth asks. “This place looks like we skipped the booze and orgy part of the Dionysian ritual and went straight to tearing the men to pieces in a violent frenzy.”

“That is the best part.” Callista licks her lips.

“I’ll stay behind,” Augustin says. “I need more time for my wounds to heal before I get back in the helicopter. I’ll deal with the bodies.”

“How will you burn them in a storm?” Irene asks.

“I wasn’t planning to burn them.” He gets unsteadily to his feet, holding out his hand so we can all see the tendril rising shakily from his palm. “They’ll make excellent compost.”

I grin. “I suppose that’s one way to put down roots in the community.”

I hate leaving Augustin behind, but he does need time to heal before moving him. I load up Dante, Irene, Callista, Reginald, Hannah and Beth, and take off towards Black Crag Castle.

I grit my teeth as heavy rain pelts down on us, disrupting the airflow over the rotor blades, so I have to give it more power than usual to lift off. As we do, a gust blows the helicopter sideways.

“Komal!” Beth barks.

I adjust the trim tab. “I know, don’t worry, everything’s fine.”

Everything is not fine. That much is obvious when we fly over the village. The green is underwater, and there’s a car floating down the road. My radio goes crazy as the weather station and emergency line cover the storm, which is going to hit Argleton at full force in less than an hour. Soon, I won’t be able to fly at all.

Six minutes later, I touch down in the middle of a field near the bridge to Black Crag. That castle has withstood centuries of storms and battles. It’s the safest place for everyone right now.

The Nevermore Coven members run to meet us as soon as I touch down. Winnie and Arabella take Reginald’s weak body and rush him inside, while the others help the vampires from Aishwarya. Irene appears even paler than usual. Beth tries to shut my door, but I fling it open again.

“Get inside,” I yell at my friends as I climb back inside. “I’m going back for Augustin. We’ll meet you here as soon as we can.”

“You should stay.” Beth stares up at the sky. Thunder claps in the distance. “Augustin wouldn’t want you to fly in this. It’s dangerous. The lightning—”