The Devil's Soldier (23 page)

Liane parked along the street and opened her door. "Looks like we might have some scaling to do. I better not ruin my outfit."

Lucien glanced at her. She was wearing a short skirt with leggings beneath it and a white tank top. "Stay with the car."

She glared. "I'm coming."

Lucien walked along the sidewalk, peering through the black iron gate surrounding the property. There had to be a weakness somewhere. He couldn't just toss Liane over the fence. Up ahead was a tall tree. He smiled, remembering when he would spend his nights perched in one similar across from Eve's house.

He reached the tree. "Can you climb this?"

Liane scrunched her nose. "Are you serious?"

"How else are you going to get over?"

"Serious? I'm a witch, numb nuts. I'm pretty sure I can figure out how to get past a fence."

He stared at her, unsure what to say. He should've realized, of course, but he didn't know her well enough to know her exact capabilities.

"See you on the other side," he said.

Lucien glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then crouched low. In a single bound, he leapt over the fence and onto the other side. He turned around. Liane approached the fence and placed her hands on the vertical bars. She closed her eyes tight in deep concentration. A moment later, the bars expanded, creating a gap big enough for her to squeeze through. She smirked as she walked by him.

It was a short walk to the house, more like mansion. The building was massive with two wings and large marble columns in front.

"Impressive!" Liane whispered.

"This looks like a home Boaz would own." Lucien turned toward the rear of the property. "This way."

It was easy to sneak around the house. There was no lawn, only forest, almost as if the home had been dropped right into the middle of the woods. Even though the sun hung high in the sky, the canopy of thick leaves above him made it easy to keep to the shadows. He peered into the first window he came to. On the other side was a kitchen.

"I don't sense
anyone
," Liane said from behind him. "Do you hear anything?"

Lucien focused his hearing. No sounds, not even a heartbeat, but there was
something
. He closed his eyes and concentrated. It was an electric feeling, not strong, but it was definitely there.

"Well?" Liane asked.

"I don't hear anything, but there's an energy…"

"Could be left over from Boaz, if this is his place. He's powerful enough to leave an imprint. Let's keep investigating." Liane continued to walk, peeking in every window she passed.

Lucien did the same, searching for any kind of sign that someone could be inside, but he saw no steaming coffee mugs, no open newspaper or laptop. The place appeared empty. He also couldn't find any evidence that this was indeed Boaz's home.

After they had circled the entire house, Liane stopped and shook her head. "I don't know if we have the right place. We might need to go inside."

"Or we can just watch the place for a few hours. Maybe someone will show up."

Liane approached a low lying window. "I'm not going to waste my time. I'll be in and out."

"Didn't Charlie say not to go inside?"

"No one's home, though." She raised her hand to the latch and whispered a command. The window made a small pop. She pushed the window up high enough for her to squeeze inside. Once she was
through
, she stuck her head back outside. "You coming?"

Lucien glanced around before following after her. One quick peek—just long enough to determine if it was Boaz's house or not—then he was out of there. He pushed off the windowsill and leapt through the
window
. He was standing in a study. A single cherry colored desk was just in front of him. Bookshelves lined the walls, their titles mostly historical. There were no photos of people or papers lying freely around. He would have to check the desk drawers.

"I'm going to check out the rest of the house," Liane said. "Be right back."

Lucien rounded the desk. Both side drawers were locked. Using supernatural strength, he popped open the right one first. Papers, pens, stationary. He closed it and checked the second drawer. Inside was an intricately carved wooden box. He picked it up and set it on the desk. Slowly, he opened the lid and sucked in air.

The box was full of photos. He reached inside and removed the first picture. It was a black and white photo of Eve riding on a horse. It looked like it had been taken almost a decade ago when she was just a young teenage girl. Lucien picked up another photo and then another. They were all of Eve at different points in her life. She wasn't looking directly at the camera in any of the photos, which made Lucien think they were secretly taken. There was only one person who would do this. One person who was this obsessed.
Boaz.

He opened his mouth to call for Liane, when an overwhelming darkness suddenly washed over him, and he stumbled back. There was no one in the room, but the feeling of dark magic was so strong he could practically taste it on his mouth. How had he missed it before?

"Liane!" he whispered. He slowly backed up toward the open window. It shut suddenly, making him jump.

Alarica strolled into the room. Other than her black hair, she looked just like Eve. Lucien flexed his muscles.

Do not think about Eve.

"You broke into my home," Alarica said. "I should have you arrested."

"Where's Liane?" he growled.

"Oh, you mean my new BFF?"

Liane walked into the room beside her, her arms crossed at her chest. "Surprise!"

"You've been helping her the whole time?" Lucien asked.

"Alarica hardly needs any help," Liane said.

Alarica smiled. "I knew there was a reason I liked you."

"Eve trusted you," he said. His eyes shifted to the window. Could he break through it in time?

Liane walked to a nearby chair and sat down. "That's her problem. Eve has burned too many bridges. We were friends once, blood sisters even, but then she decided to switch sides. I've been waiting for payback for a long time. If Boaz hadn't needed her, I would've killed her a long time ago." She looked at Alarica. "No offense."

"None taken. If we didn't share the same body, I'd kill her too."

Lucien made his move. He lunged for the window, but Alarica stopped him before he could take two steps. She held him within a tight invisible cocoon. The pressure crushed his body, making it difficult to move.

"There's no way you're getting out of here," she said. "Not alive, anyway. You are my gift from Boaz."

Lucien closed his eyes. He didn't want to fight her, especially when she looked so much like Eve, but he didn't have a choice. Maybe he would get lucky and be able to grab the necklace. That would be his goal.

A tickling sensation pressed at the base of his neck near his spine. Alarica was trying to get in again to take his magic. Not this time.

Lucien called upon the magic within him and let it fill his entirety. A light spread through him,
just
as strong as the dark energy suffocating the room. With a simple thought, the invisible hold on him disappeared.

Alarica stepped
away
. "This is going to be fun. Stand
back
, Liane. Things are about to get crazy."

Liane scurried to the corner of the room.

Alarica raised her arm, as if to hit him with magical energy. Lucien struck first with a fierce wind that knocked her into the wall. He walked toward her, sending another wave of invisible energy, and then another. The last blast hit her with such force that she coughed blood.

He was about to do it again, but she lifted her hand, stopping his forward progression.

She grinned wide, blood covering her teeth. "This is such a turn on! I may not kill you right away after all."

She twisted her hand into a fist. Lucien's body flipped upwards and crashed into the ceiling, breaking molding and plaster. She dropped her hand, and he fell to the floor.

Lucien scrambled to stand, but she kicked him hard in the stomach. He flipped onto his back. The necklace was so close! He reached out and took hold of her ankle and jerked hard. She fell backwards onto the ground. He lunged for her neck, but before he could get there, a lamp flying through the air hit him across the head.

Alarica jumped to her feet. "Thank you, Liane."

"Anytime."

"That was too close, Lucien," Alarica said. "But I appreciate the reminder to keep my distance. As much as I'd love to do hand-to-hand combat with you, magic will have to do."

She swiped both hands to the side. Lucien flew through the air, stopping only when he crashed into a bookcase. He jumped to his feet and rushed her. She raised her hand to stop him with another invisible wall, but he waved his arm, knocking aside her magic. Her smile disappeared.

He was almost to her, when she raised both arms and said, "
Irretio
!"

Lucien's body froze but only a little. With enough force, he could break her mental grip; he felt sure of it. His eyes darted around the room. Hanging on the wall was an antique-looking sword. He mentally picked it up and tossed it toward Alarica. It spiraled fast, but he stopped it inches before it pierced her gut. At the same time, Liane moved, as if to attack Lucien, but he used the same lamp that Liane had thrown at him moments ago and tossed it directly into her head. She dropped to the floor unconscious.

"What are you going to do, Lucien?" Alarica asked. She was eyeing the sword hovering in front of her.

Lucien felt her dark magic pressing against his. If she let go of her mental grip on him, then she would have enough strength to knock the sword away, but if she did that, then Lucien would have a chance at grabbing the necklace. Lucien hoped she would choose the sword.

"Are you really going to stab me? Stab Eve's body?" She growled from exertion.

"She will heal," Lucien said, more for himself than her. He continued to press against both the invisible wall and the sword.

Her eyes flashed to his. "Not if I don't let her. I can hold you off long enough with magic to make sure Eve bleeds to death."

Lucien's chest tightened.

"Then you would die, too."

"So? If I can't kill you, then I'll at least make sure you die of a broken heart."

"I don't believe you. You're too much of a narcissist to kill yourself."

"Oh, Lucien. You really are naïve. I don't care about who dies. I just want blood." Alarica's force against the sword suddenly relaxed, taking Lucien off guard. The blade shot forward and stabbed her in the stomach.

Alarica grunted, but the sound turned into a pleasurable moan.

"Death is a beautiful thing." She slumped into the wall behind her and slid to the floor. Blood pooled beneath her.

Lucien fought against the barrier, but now all of Alarica's magic was focused on keeping him back. He couldn't fight it.

"Stop this!" he cried.

"Only you," she said, her voice growing faint.

Lucien could barely catch his breath. He had already lost Eve once, and couldn't bear to lose her again. "What do you want me to do?"

Alarica's eyes fluttered open. "Submit."

He continued to press against her dark magic, thinking hard. Dying for Eve was an easy choice. Henry could stop Alarica. Charlie would make sure of it. This was not the end for Eve.

"Fine." Lucien released all magic and stepped back.

The corners of Alarica's mouth turned up. "Good choice."

She didn't immediately drop the invisible shield, nor did she remove the sword from her gut either. Blood flowed onto her white skirt.

"This is such a beautiful color." She ran her fingers through it and held her hand up to the light.

"Heal her!" Lucien yelled.

Alarica's eyes flashed to his. "Nobody tells me what to do."

Lucien flexed every muscle in his body. As soon as the barrier dropped, he lunged for Alarica, but she was ready. She slid the sword out from her stomach and turned it around just as Lucien reached her. She drove it deep inside of him, and rose to a standing position.

Lucien sucked in air and dropped to his knees.

"I hate everything you stand for," she said, and kicked him back while sliding the sword out from his gut. "I hate everything you are."

She plunged the sword into his left shoulder. He reached up to stop her, but she was quick and kneed him in the face. She pulled the sword out again.

"I hate that I have Eve's memories of you." Alarica shoved the blade into his right shoulder and twisted. This time he cried out. She yanked it from his body.

He collapsed onto his back, blood pouring from him faster than he could heal. He had failed Eve. This realization was more painful than his wounds.

"But most of all, I hate that you think you can bring Eve back! I am here to stay!" She raised the blade one final time and plunged it into his chest.