Seized: An Urban Fantasy Novel (The Thrice Cursed Mage Book 4) (22 page)

Silver mist exploded across the mirror’s face as the Princess jerked her hand back, shattering the mirror into giant chunks of shimmering glass. The smell of sulfur and brimstone filled my nose as the shards of glass melted together into a heap of molten slag.

“Holy fuck,” I said as Jenna, Wendy, and the gaggle of children rose from the melted mirror like T-1000 robots. In the time it took me to count to four, they stood before me with bewildered expressions on their faces. Still, the sight of them all standing there unharmed was enough to make me jump for joy. Until this moment, I hadn’t actually realized how scared I was that after everything Jenna and the others could die in an inferno.

“Remember this moment, Mac Brennan,” the Princess said, gesturing toward them. Her voice whipped through the crystalline trees and chilled me to the bone. “Please.”

Before I could respond, the Princess of Mirrors vanished into a cloud of silver smoke, leaving our pathway to Vassago’s mirror open and unchallenged. All we had to do was walk through it, and we’d be out of here. It seemed impossible and too good to be true, but then again, I wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“I don’t know what you did, Mac,” Jenna said, staring at the spot where the Princess of Mirrors had been standing, “But let’s get out of here before she changes her mind. Which one leads back to Vassago?”

“That one,” Wendy said, pointing at the green-tinted mirror a few feet to my left. The sad thing was, as I looked at the mirror knowing she was right, I was strangely happy to go meet the demon. Yeah, I know. I was happy to return to the demon and tell him we’d succeeded. I’d fallen a long way, but I also had succeeded and it was time to see my family. After everything I’d been through, I deserved it.

Chapter 23

Vassago was sitting at his bar with a cloth napkin tucked into the collar of his shirt when we walked through the mirror and appeared in the center of his bar. It looked pretty much like it always had, but at the same time, it didn’t seem crowded even though it’d always seemed cozy before and now over a dozen people were standing alongside me next to a tournament caliber pool table.

“You made it,” he said a hint of admiration in his voice, and if he seemed surprised to see us, he didn’t show it. “All of you.” He had a bone-handled steak knife in one hand, a fork in the other, and was leaning over a huge porterhouse, mashed potatoes, and cheesy broccoli. He ignored it, grabbing his beer as he turned on his stool and held it up to us. “Good job.”

“Was there ever a doubt?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow at him. While I wouldn’t be surprised if the demon had sent us into certain death, I’d have also been surprised if he hadn’t thought we’d succeed. After all, he’d put together our mod squad.

Admittedly, part of me wanted to punch him in his smug face for sending us into near certain death, especially since he’d tried to deliver me as a prize to Beleth. On second thought, I didn’t know if that was actually true. Something told me asking Vassago about it might make him take offense, and that would likely end very badly for me. Then again, for all I knew, Vassago had figured out who my demon was. He seemed like the type of guy who not only could do that, but the type of guy who had done it and was now keeping it under his sleeve for use later.

Knowing that, I was going to keep my damned mouth shut, finish this thing up, and head home. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do when I got there, but kissing my girlfriend and taking a shower were high on the list. Also eating. I was starved.

Before that though, I needed to have a talk with Jenna about my past as awkward as it might be. Aside from my family, she was the only one who knew me before, and call me crazy, but I was fairly certain my sister and nephew didn’t know about the more sordid details of my past. At least, I hoped not.

“Yes, actually,” he said, taking a long pull of his beer. “I gave you fifty-fifty odds.” He put his beer on the bar and clapped his hands as he got to his feet. “That’s why I bought some options to hedge against it.” He waved a hand dismissively. “Never mind.”

Vassago snapped his fingers. There was a blinding flash of light, and as it faded, a doorway shimmered in the open space between him and us. A half a second later, a well-dressed man and woman in their mid-forties walked through it, stopped, and looked around bewildered.

“Why if it isn’t the Prescotts,” Vassago said right before a shrill cry filled the air.

“Mom! Dad!” Angela Prescott cried, tears spilling from her eyes as she sprinted past our little cadre. She leapt onto her parents and wrapped her arms around them as they sank to their knees, also crying.

“Angela!” they cried, smothering her in hugs and kisses.

I turned away from the spectacle, and as I did, I realized the others had too. Vassago watched them for a moment longer, and I could have sworn longing flickered across his dirty emerald eyes.

“Wendy, would you be a doll and return the rest of these children home?” Vassago asked when he finally broke his gaze from the reunion and settled it on the girl. “I’d appreciate it.”

“That wasn’t the deal,” she said, swallowing hard. From the look on her face, it looked like she was steeling herself for a slap. It was a little strange because I’d never gotten the impression Vassago was the type of guy who would slap a girl for mouthing off, much less confirming the details of her deal with him, but then again, how well did I know him. After all, he was a demon. Who knew what went on in his head?

“I know, but I have to pay for those options since I won’t need them now,” Vassago said, holding his out to her. “If you do it now, I’ll make good this instant. Deal?”

Wendy stared at his hand for a long time before taking it. “Deal.”

As they shook hands, Marvin screamed at the top of his wooden lungs. The backpack on Wendy’s shoulders exploded into emerald flames, and Marvin tumbled out of it, landed on his head, and bounced a couple times. He lay there, staring at the ceiling in a daze as an empty Gatorade bottle hit him in the head, which was when I realized he wasn’t a doll anymore. He was a real boy.

“Don’t make me regret paying you early,” Vassago said, eyeing the boy carefully.

“Thank you!” Wendy gasped, dropping down next to her brother and checking his pulse. It hardly seemed necessary because even though Marvin’s eyes were closed, his chest was rising and falling. “Thank you!”

“Do not thank me.” Vassago walked past her. “Just extend me the courtesy of taking these children out of here.” He bent down and looked at the little black girl who had gotten hit by the stray bullet during our escape. “I don’t like them much. They smell.”

He waved his hand at the girl, dismissing her as he stood to look at us. A thin tendril of emerald fire snaked out from his index finger and landed lightly on the puckered flesh of the gunshot wound. The girl shrieked, pulling back, but as she did, the torn flesh vanished before our eyes, leaving behind perfectly pristine skin.

“Thank you,” the girl whispered, rubbing her eyes in disbelief.

“What did I just say?” Vassago asked, glaring at her hard enough to make me flinch and the look wasn’t even aimed at me. “I mean, seriously, it was less than thirty seconds ago.”

“Okay,” I said, moving between him and the girl, shielding her from his ire as best as I could. “Can I go home now?”

“Not yet,” Vassago said, shaking his head as he walked by me like I wasn’t even there and stood in front of Vitaly. “You made good on our deal, Widow Maker.”

“Y-Yes,” Vitaly said, staring down at the demon. It was funny because I could see Vitaly struggling to keep his knees from shaking as he towered over the smaller man. “I trust you have fulfilled your end of bargain?”

“Indeed,” Vassago said, pulling a small green bottle out of thin air. He held it out to the big man. “This is valuable. You should do a better job of keeping it close at hand.”

“I cannot believe…” Vitaly said, trailing off as tears filling his eyes. He took the bottle from Vassago and held it up to the light. I couldn’t make out what was inside because it just looked like a silver fog. “You must let me buy you a drink some time.”

“Done,” Vassago said, turning away from the big, sobbing Russian and glancing at Wendy. “Why are these children still here?”

“Sorry, sir,” Wendy said, pulling herself to her feet, and as she rose, Marvin’s eyes fluttered open.

“Did it work, Sis?” he asked, barely coherent as his words slurred together. “Because if it didn’t, I don’t think those hookers are going to give my deposit back.”

“Yes,” she said, nodding at him. “Now you rest, I’ll be back in two shakes.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Marvin said, and his eyelids slid shut like they weighed a thousand pounds.

“Let’s get on with it. I swear if my steak gets cold, there will be hell to pay.” Vassago’s eyes flashed with emerald fire as Wendy swallowed hard.

“Okay,” Wendy replied, her voice steady as she ushered the children over to her. “Where do I take them?”

“Home,” Vassago said, and as he uttered the word a shimmering door appeared in front of her. He made a “now go away” gesture.

Wendy opened her mouth like she was going to ask a question that was probably something like how do I get a bunch of kids home through one door, but evidently she thought better of it because a second later, her mouth slammed shut like a steel trap.

“Let’s go,” she said, nodding to the children as she reached out and took the closest one’s hand. “Everyone hold hands.”

The boy she’d grabbed, a redhead with copper-colored eyes, clasped her hand like it was the last lifeline in a storm. The others followed suit, and a moment later, she marched them all through the glittering doorway like a reverse pied piper.

“That just leaves one of you,” Vassago said, glancing at me before settling his gaze on Jenna. “Are you satisfied, Keeper?”

Jenna broke his gaze and stared at me, sadness etched into every line of her dark face. Very carefully, she shut her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. When she opened them, I could just see the barest edges of darkness fading back beneath the surface.

“Yes,” she said, and the word came out in a choked whisper. “I am satisfied.”

“Good. I’d hate for you and yours to feel unsatisfied by our little partnership.” Vassago grinned mischievously as he turned toward me. “Mac, would you be so kind as to escort Miss Carmichael from my humble abode? I know she can take care of herself, but I feel it would be horrible of me to send her off without an escort.” He blushed slightly. “Forgive this old demon one last act of chivalry, and I will see our bargain done.”

“Sure thing,” I said, glancing at Jenna. “As long as she’s going where I’m going.”

“Oh, I’m sure that won’t be a problem,” he said in a way that reminded me of a brothel owner assuring his patrons that all the girls in his establishment were still virgins. “Is it?”

“No,” Jenna said, not meeting his eyes. Instead, she stared at the floor and chewed on her bottom lip. “Thank you.”

“Nice dress by the way,” he said, looking her up and down and licking his lips. “You’re certainly the total package my dear, but something’s missing.” He snapped his fingers, and I couldn’t tell you how, but Jenna was instantly clean, but not only that, her dress was as good as new. She looked up at the demon, her already pretty face accentuated by perfectly done makeup.

Now, I may have had a girlfriend, but that didn’t mean I didn’t find Jenna’s new look attractive. In fact, the way she looked in her little black dress had to have been a WMD of some type because it definitely could have launched an armada the likes of which would have put Helen of Troy to shame.

“Thanks,” she said, swallowing so hard I heard it.

“Not a problem. I always enjoy looking at a pretty lady,” he said with a wink. “Are you ready to go, Mac?”

“Yeah,” I said, still looking at Jenna in awe. I don’t think I’d ever seen someone look as nice as she did in that moment. I tore my gaze off of her and looked at the demon. “My girlfriend will have missed me.”

“Perhaps,” Vassago said, wrinkling his nose at me. “But you should shower before you meet her. The children aren’t the only ones who stink.”

“You know, you could do the whole clean and press thing to me too,” I muttered as he turned his back to me and made his way back to the bar.

“I would, but I don’t want to do that,” he said, sitting down and going to work on his steak with his knife. He held a piece of bloody meat in the air with his fork. “Please see yourselves out.”

The door on the far side of the bar opened, and as I stared at it, I could see the street just outside the hospital where my family had been. Admittedly, my first instinct was to race toward it at breakneck speed, but I held myself in check. Barely.

Instead, I turned back to Jenna and offered her my elbow. “Care to blow this pop stand, Jenna?”

“Yes,” she whispered. Her voice was so quiet I almost didn’t hear her. I nodded, and we made our way to the doorway, leaving behind Marvin, Vassago, Vitaly, and the reunited family. Part of me wanted to make sure they got out alright, but honestly, I was pretty sure Vassago was going to live up to his end of the deal. He seemed like the type. Besides, I was anxious to see my family.

Still, as we crossed the threshold, and I found myself standing in the clean, cool night air outside the hospital, a silly thought struck me.

“Say, what did Vassago offer you, Jenna?” I asked, making my way toward the lobby. “And why did he call you Keeper?”

“Nothing much,” she said, tagging along behind me. “And no reason.”

“Oh?” I asked, turning to look at her as the hospital’s automatic doors opened. I wasn’t sure what I would find inside. For all I knew, I’d been gone long enough for my family to have gone home, but I was still going to check. “It seems like a lot of work for nothing much and no reason.”

“You’re right, Mac.” Jenna blushed hard and reached out a hand, tracing it along my demonic arm. “He offered to help me find you.”

“Huh?” I asked, but before the word was even out of my lips, she lunged forward, planting her mouth on mine and pulling me into her.