Slay Alive

Chapter 24

twenty-four

“Listen, when I prophesy, I’m never wrong. It has to be you and Cade that save us all. The pair of you are the magic that will-”

“I know, I know, I caught it the first three times you told me. We’re the only ones that can stop the end of the world.”

“Yes, the apocalypse.”

I sip my Mai Tai and slump against the bar with a sad sigh. We’re back in the Prickly Possum and Rhia’s been nice enough to give me a pity drink. Always a woman to see opportunity, I’m planning on turning one drink into two. I’m not the only one with the same idea. The bachelorette party is turning the fuck up. Women are dancing on tables and the guitarists have turned into a full band. Somehow, the one dancer that popped out of the cake has multiplied to five. The place is a full on music video.

Good for them.

I slide my half empty cup towards Rhia, who’s bartending. “You think I can get a top off if I’m supposed to go on a save the world side quest with my vampire boyfriend?”

“Soulmate,” Rhia corrects and pours more Mai Tai into my cup. “And it’s not a side quest per say, it’s more of an unlocked content situation. A milestone achievement in the making.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter and throw back the cocktail.

“That’s it, you’re cut off. I need you in fighting shape if you’re going to put the Ascendents down.” I scowl at her but Rhia keeps going on like I’m not giving her a death glare. “You’re clear on the plan, right?”

“Yes. The Ascendents are going to jack-in-the-box out of the hell cave that birthed them to feast on everyone in town. You want Cade and me to go there and use this,” I hold up the glowing ball she gave me. It shines like the sun, so bright that I worry about it being near Cade. What if it sets him on fire like the actual sun? Hmmm, I’m going to have to be the one to toss it in. I shove it back into my coat pocket.

“The Orb of Thespia,” Rhia supplies.

“Right. We chuck the Orb of Thespia into the little demon party cave, it explodes and blasts them with light and we save the world from eternal darkness.”

“Perfect. Although, I gotta tell you your enthusiasm for saving the world is a little lackluster here, Bonnie. You’re going to be a hero. They’ll sing ballads of this day and what you did. I bet you even get a statue in the Crimson Crossroads.”

“Oh joy.” I sigh and slide off my seat and head for the exit. “I’m sorry. Saving the world doesn’t hold the same sparkle as it might if I wasn’t leaving my soulmate behind.”

“There’s always the option to stay,” Rhia reminds me.

“We both know I can’t do that.” It hurts to think about leaving Cade and what the world is going to be like when I return to it. I’ll be saving this one just to leave my heart behind in it. “I should go. Get the world saving started and all that.”

A woman falls off a table and lands between us with a crash, which isn’t that bad of a send off, considering.

Rhia presses her fist to her chest. “Fight well, hunter.”

I return the witch’s gesture and leave.

When I return to the training yards, the sun is low in the sky. It’ll set in just a few minutes. Training is wrapping up with hunters cleaning weapons and stretching after a long day of sparring. I see Tamsin in the far corner talking to Marigold, Rosa and Tiana. I smile when I see the baddies and the women wave in greeting. I raise my hand and force my smile to stay steady on my face.

I have to pretend everything is okay so no one notices that I’m about to go save the world. If Tamsin and the others found out they’d try to come along to help for sure.

“There you are.” The smile Cade gives me when he sees me approach makes this whole day suck a little more and I wish Rhia hadn’t cut me off. I don’t want to feel and I’m only slightly buzzed from the Mai Tai.

“Hey.”

“Been wonderin’ where you were. Everything go alright with Rhiannon?”

“I had a very informative meeting with her, but you’re not going to like it.”

Cade’s brow furrows. “What happened, love?”

“Duskweaver!” We both turn to see Adrian striding up to us with Riley in tow. “Just the hunter I wanted to see.”

“I am?”

“You are,” Adrian says. “You’re the honored guest and the Nightwarden representative for the Eclipse of the Eternal Night Masquerade.”

“What? But that’s tonight.” Shit on a stick. I am so fucked. Can’t a hunter trying to save the world catch a freaking break? “But why? I’m new. There are a ton of other hunters who are way more qualified for the whole ambassador gig. Like, look at Riley,” I point at the patrol leader, “he’s as upstanding as they come. He’d be a great hunter to send instead of me.”

“As right as you are, this order comes from on high. The House of the Lunar Veil has specifically requested your presence at the masquerade tonight. There will be a small retinue of hunters in attendance but you are an honored guest and you represent all of us tonight.”

I debate telling Adrian about the whole saving the world mission Rhia sent me on but I can’t. It’s Cade and I that have to do it. No substitutes allowed. Telling Adrian would just bring the Nightwardens into it. If I did that, who's to say the Ascendents wouldn’t drain them all?

I can’t risk it so I’m going to have to go at this head on.

“Listen, I know this isn’t going to make sense but I can’t go to the masquerade.”

Adrian crosses his arms and widens his stance. He’s about to totally throw down. “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear, Duskweaver. You will go as requested by the House of the Lunar Veil. No arguing.”

Cade steps up behind me and puts his hand on my shoulder. “She said no, Darkwood. You hard of hearing or do I need to knock your brain loose again?” He drops the umbrella he’s had to use while the sun was out and shoves his shades off. “Sun’s gone down, hunter. My chain's off now. You’ll do well to remember that when you speak to her.”

I put my hand on his. “Cade,” I warn.

Adrian lifts his chin to stare Cade down. “This doesn’t concern you, Graves. This is a Nightwarden affair. You can leave.”

“He’s not going anywhere,” I tell Adrian. “He’s with me.”

Adrian looks confused as hell but Riley doesn’t. He nods in understanding. “A lot of things are suddenly making sense to me with you two,” he says with a laugh.

I shrug while Adrian and Cade continue to have their stare off. “Listen, I have something to do. Something big. I can’t go to a stupid ball. You’re going to have to find a stand in for me.”

“You will if you don’t want your patrol group to pay for your insubordination. You don’t want that on your conscience, do you? That’s a lot of careers to end over something so avoidable.”

Tamsin, Marigold, Rosa, and Tiana. He’s threatening them. What the fuckshit is this?

I gasp. “You wouldn’t fucking dare, Adrian.”

He gives me a mean smile. “Oh, but I would.”

“What? Why? It’s just a stupid ball. It doesn’t matter. You’re supposed to be good! Newsflash, blackmail isn’t good.”

“This might be just a stupid ball to you, but not to me. To me it’s everything. I’m going to be Mayor one day and I’m not going to let one rebellious hunter ruin my relationship with the House of the Lunar Veil. Lucien wants you there and what he wants, he gets.”

Cade chuckles. “You’re a vampire’s lackey. Fitting.”

Adrian curls his lip in disgust. “I do what I have to do to secure power and protect the innocents of this city from the likes of you. If that means playing nice, I’ll do it. Now choose, Duskweaver. It’s the ball or your friends, which is it going to be?”

Adrian’s question is bullshit. He knows what I’m going to do. That I won’t throw my patrol group to the wolves. Because I’m loyal like that. My gut turns sour at the realization that Adrian is a fuckwit, just like 80 percent of the Fangs Are Forever boyfriends. Classic.

“Fine. I’ll go to your bitch ass masquerade ball but Cade is coming with me.”

Adrian splutters. “The invitation is for you alone and-”

“He’s my boyfriend. Where I go, he goes. We’re a package deal. So, what’s it going to be?” I toss his words back at him and it's satisfying to every petty part I have to shock the hell out of Adrian.

He looks between the two of us in horror. “You’re with a vampire? You’re a hunter. This defies the laws of nature.”

“Blah, blah, blah. He’s dead, so what? You better get with the times or I won’t set foot in that stupid ball.”

Adrian grinds his teeth together and then nods “Fine, I’ll secure another place for your…guest.”

“Boyfriend,” I correct Adrian, just for the happy pep in my step feeling it gives me to watch him look like he’s taking a bite of a shit sandwich.

“ Boyfriend ,” he spits at us. “Eclipse of the Eternal Night Masquerade will await you at midnight, just before the moon is at its highest in the sky and the eclipse happens. Do not be late, or your friends-”

“I know. Careers as hunters are kaput. Save me the power hungry politician speech.” I grab Cade’s hand and start power-walking towards the training grounds’ exit. “We have to go, there’s not much time, especially with the sun setting. Rhia wasn’t really specific about when the Ascendents were making their move but something tells me they’re going to prefer something closer to midnight.”

Cade is silent as we walk. I look up at him and see he’s wearing a shit-eating grin. “Why do you look so happy at the prospect of us fighting a bunch of ancient vampires to the death?”

“I’m your boyfriend?” he asks. “Really?”

“Out of the past five minutes that’s what you paid attention to?”

“To be fair, it was the best bit out of the past five minutes,” Cade points out to me. “That and Darkwood is going to end up with my foot up his arse if he keeps thinking he can use your friends against you.”

Warmth settles into my chest. “Thank you,” I tell him and stroke his cheek. Cade leans into my touch with a sigh. The sight of the vampire going gentle for me makes everything ahead of us so much shittier.

I’m never going to find a man like Cade ever again.

“I appreciate you offering to beat the Nightwarden leader’s ass because he deserves that but no killing, okay?” I’d be lying if I didn’t admit Rhia’s words make me cautious about what Cade is capable of doing once I’m out of this world.

“My boyfriend can’t be a murderer,” I push.

Cade sighs. “Fine.”