Chapter 8 ∣  We're Here

*Crossover*

To Omen's Key

Co-Written with Laisha C. Gardner

The Omen's Key can be found on the account: @DarkR0se5

-Rayne

I eyed each of the male purebloods, another animalistic growl waging from within me as I questioned, "Which one of you is Rook...?"

There was a long pause, each of them eyeing me with hesitation before their gaze reluctantly altered to the pureblood with citrine amber eyes.

I had taken a single step forward and the hunter standing just above Micah drew his weapons away, stepping away from him. Before I could move another muscle, Locaine swiftly moved toward Rook, the hazel blue-eyed pureblood vampire also being quick to step between Rook and myself.

"What do you want with him?" His eyes narrowed on me; his voice filled with uncertainty.

Having now uncloaked their energy, I could feel the power this demon held, alone. He was one that not even I would challenge...

...at least not unless I truly had to.

I parted my lips to speak, but the only thing that filled the air was the scream that had been ripped from Cayden's lungs. She was kneeling on the floor, her body hovering over Tobias' as her hands pressed down on his wound.

It was the woman assassin who had done it. I, however, have no intention of attempting to take any actions against her. Not only was one of mine injured, but so was one of theirs.

I took in a deep breath, my fire concealed wings retrieving as the flames igniting my torso extinguished, the black color around my silver orbs withdrawing as my fangs reduced.

"Rayne, do something!" Cayden yelled, her worried eyes scanning Tobias as he laid on the ground, wincing in pain.

Truly, there was little we could do for his wound. Unlike witches that only possess the power of light magic, we did not have the ability to perform healing spells. When we gave in to the darkness of our power, we lost the ability to mend injuries and connect with the properties of the living.

Unlike them, however, my power had grown beyond that of a mere necromancer, and because of my demonic properties...

...I moved toward them, the daggers that the male hunter held catching my eyes. I stood before Cayden, snatching one of the daggers from the hunter's hand as I kneeled before her and Tobias. It was a dangerous move, the woman hunter carrying the Oneida bow aiming her arrow at me, only this time, I knew that if she decided to relinquish her hold, the arrow would break straight through my chest and into my heart.

Cayden eyed me, hesitant to move her hands away from Tobias' wound as I ran the blade of the dagger against the palm of my hand. With this, I tossed the dagger at the hunter's feet, moving my hand to Tobias' wound and allowing the blood to trickle away from me.

The first single drop of blood that mixed with his blood began its work, Tobias grunting in pain as the final drops of blood trickled into his abdomen before the wound on my hand sealed. It had been a while, but it still worked as well as I remembered, watching as nothing but a great stain of blood and a small scar remained.

"Hey, Lucifer," Tobias' voice was hoarse, my eyes shifting from Cayden's face to Tobias' gray orbs. "Am I gonna grow a pair of wings too? 'Cause that'd be fucking lit."

A smirk played on his lips, Cayden giggling softly as she took hold of his arm, helping him sit up.

"I'm sorry," Cayden apologized as she looked into her best friend's eyes.

Tobias winked, offering her a warm smile before telling her, "It wasn't your fault, Cici."

"Like hell, it wasn't!"

My eyes snapped to Jaycee as she took hold of Cayden's arm and pulled her on her feet. She was harsh, pushing Cayden back against a nearby tree and wrapping her hand around Cayden's neck. "This is your fault! All of it!" Jaycee scowled as she glared at Cayden with so much hatred in her eyes.

Micah was quick, standing on his feet and pulling Jaycee away from Cayden before I had the opportunity to. He knew better. He knew that if I had gotten my hands on her instead, she'd be dead before she could so much as attempt to apologize and beg for mercy.

Unlike the rest of them, Micah knew the truth. He and only he knew about all of the things that I was.

After straightening on my feet, I took hold of Cayden's wrist and pulled her to stand behind me. It was merely seconds before Bailey and Ramsey intervened as well. Both giving me their backs.

This didn't stop Jaycee though, trying to break away from Micah's hold as she continued to attack Cayden, "Quite the friend you are...you almost got him killed!"

"Shut the hell up. It wasn't her fault," Bailey glowered, her hands balled up into fists.

"Oh, go fuck yourself!" Jaycee scoffed as she continued relentlessly.

"That's enough!" I snarled.

Though she flinched at my authority, Jaycee's glare shifted to me, her jaw clenched as she spat through her teeth, "Of course, you'd defend her. She's been kissing your ass since day one."

"Jaycee, back down," I warned, my eyes slowly shifting to their pitch-black color. I had tightened my hold on Cayden's wrist, fighting to keep my demonic features at bay.

"Or you'll do what?" Jaycee challenged. "You've lied to us for years. Demons are what we are against? Clearly, you aren't like us. What the hell are you?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the rest of my coven shifted uncomfortably around me. The truth was obvious: they all wondered the same thing that only Jaycee had been stupid enough to confront me about.

Wrong time...wrong place.

A growl emitted from the back of my throat, relinquishing my hold from Cayden's wrist. I moved to Jaycee, brushing passed Bailey and Ramsey, my footsteps ceasing as I came to stand merely inches away from her.

Micah's hold never faltered, keeping her in place as I held her chin harshly, her terror-filled eyes snapping to plead into mine.

"What I am is none of your business. I am your coven leader and you will treat me as such! If you think otherwise, feel free to leave. I will not tolerate you disrespecting me, much less attacking her," I nodded at Cayden, keeping my eyes on Jaycee as she squirmed beneath my hold. "Do I make myself clear?"

A whimper parted her lips, my hold on her chin tightening as she cried out, "Y-Yes, sir."

I nodded at Micah, releasing her chin from my hold as he released her from his. "Go home," I demanded, my gaze shifting to Tobias as he struggled to stand on his feet, "and take your brother with you."

She didn't protest, eyeing me cautiously before stepping around me and moving toward her brother. She wrapped her arms around him, her gaze never leaving me until she and Tobias vanished into the shadowy darkness.

**

-Maverick

My eyes glanced away from the obvious demon that stood before Rook, Lucette and myself. My eyes lingered on Kenzie, kneeling on the ground with her hands over the open wound on the outer right side of her abdomen. I could see Tamsin's temper flare, her eyes held a cold grudge toward Cayden, and I wouldn't blame her. If someone had shot my own mother, I'd probably want their head just as much as she did.

Killian knelt next to Kenzie, her dirty blonde hair pulled away from her face, perspiration having coated her forehead, her breathing uneven. My grandfather's eyes never left the demon, unsure if I should be that intimidated by this new presence or not. If he was showing apprehension, maybe there really was something to be afraid of.

Clover had edged closer once the demon had snatched one of Zak's daggers from his hand, simply healing his fallen companion, spilling his blood over the open wound. It had put her on edge, drawing an arrow and aiming for his heart. Even if she did manage to hit him, I highly doubt it would kill him. Ryker stood next to my grandfather, watching his twin sister silently move within a shorter striking distance.

The silence had returned, Zak backing off from the human, keeping his one dagger ready in case they decided to turn.

At that moment, the demon had appeared irritated that Micah had done something, but from where we were all standing, it was Cayden who had fired her gun at Kenzie.

Rook and Lucette stood still while I walked away from them, coming to stand in front of Kenzie, her eyes lifting to meet mine. She smiled weakly, her body not able to handle the undiluted silver that the round had carried into her body, releasing on contact.

"Kenzie," I spoke softly, "let me help you."

Killian's look was worried, knowing my past and seeing exactly what my blood magic could do...for evil...he hadn't really been able to observe the good properties that came with it. Orion had, teaching me to heal others when vampiric blood might not be enough. I didn't want her to have to wait for this shit to run through her system, so instead, I came up with another idea.

Killian let go of her hand, standing to his feet and moving away from me. Just with the simple sight of her blood, I had my grandmother and mother's gift, able to manipulate the blood within another person's body. Taking Kenzie's wrists into my hands, I moved them down away from the wound, her face grimacing at the movement, but complied with my actions, resting her hands on her thighs. They turned into fists, my hands lifting and feeling the connection to my blood magic.

Everything pulsated to life, warmth spreading from the center of my chest and narrowing my eyes on her blood.

"Maverick, don't!" Tamsin yelled, running from Zak's side, ready to stop me, when my grandfather moved faster than she could be connected to this world. He caught her in his arms, wrapping them around her tightening and ceasing her advance.

She'd seen exactly what my magic could do...just like Killian, and I knew deep down, she still feared me. If it wasn't for the incident when we were children, it was when we were sixteen, right before I was left on my own.

"Tamsin," my grandfather whispered, "don't worry."

"No!" She yelled, her mother one of the most important people in her life.

"Calm down," he stated again, his strength above her own, my focus shifting to see Arlynn walking away from behind Kenzie, narrowing her eyes at the group that was behind me. I had given them my back, knowing they could choose to attack, and I wouldn't see it coming. Our commander, standing at the front and watchfully keeping them all within her sight.

Clover and Ryker were ready, their own senses heightened as their heartbeats continued to escalate with each passing moment.

Kenzie gasped, crying out when she felt her blood moving within her veins, my connection solely focused lightly coating the liquid silver with her cells, drawing it from her wound like one would draw venom from a snake bite.

It was when I drew the last of the silver, the liquid staining the grass, mixed with her blood, did I stand to my feet, Killian dropping next to her and offering his blood. Tamsin stared at me with wide eyes, her breath catching in her throat when she asked, "Why couldn't you have done things like this before?!"

"I'm sorry...Tamsin," she looked away from me, my grandfather releasing her as she also rushed to her mother.

Arlynn cleared her throat, bringing my attention to the demon and his group of minions staring at us still.

"Why did you attack us?" Arlynn questioned, her eyes narrowing on the group standing before us.

The demon sighed, his attention altering from Cayden to Micah, "I never gave orders to attack. Did I?" Cayden's and Micah's attention withdrew from their leader as they bowed their heads in obvious guilt.

"What are you?" I asked, the demon's attention reverting to me.

"What I am is not important now. I will explain later. For now, I need the...man who created an entryway allowing demons to escape from Hell to step forward." Shifting his attention away from me, his eyes met Rook as he hesitantly approached the demon.

The demon eyed Rook. For a second, his gaze shifted to my grandfather before it returned to him, "Seeing as you seem utterly confused, I do not believe your intentions were to open a...portal. Now, I hope you understand, vampires who have been...removed from this world go through a completely different cycle. So, if you do not mind me asking...what did you bring back?"

"She's harmless..." Rook hesitated, "...she's human."

The demon chuckled, "Humans do not go through that cycle either. I ask you again, what did you bring back?"

"She is human," I spoke, the demon's eyes wandering away from Rook and locking with my own, "she was a succubus. She's human now."

"There's something else..." Rook's voice trailed off, the demon's attention is forced to return to him, "something else came in with her."

"And what would that be?" The demon questioned.

Rook shrugged and hesitantly shook his head, "I don't know."

The demon arched a brow, a humorless chuckle emitting from the back of his throat, "You mean to tell me, you have no idea what the hell you brought back?" Rook's response in silence answered the demon's question. Sighing, the demon shook his head. Bringing his hand up to his face, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Micah scuffed, "Didn't anyone ever teach you not to mess with the dead?"

Crossing her arms, Tamsin clicked her tongue, "Didn't anyone ever teach you not to attack without being given orders to?"

Micah glared but restrained himself from speaking any further.

"Well then," the demon pulled his hand away from his face and allowed it to fall to his side, "let's not worry about what you brought back just yet. We need to find this entryway and enchant before anything else finds its way out. It'll keep these...demons occupied till we find a way to seal it off."

Nodding, Rook's attention turned to Lucette as she pointed to the east, "We're here."

Glancing to the direction she pointed to, a cave-like opening appeared. Seeing as it blended with the shadows, none of us had spotted it beforehand.

Approaching the area, Rook followed the demon till they stood just before what appeared to look like merely an entrance to an underground cave

Walking toward Lucette, I watched as Rook hesitantly moved toward the demon, his hand outstretching for Rook's.

I crossed my arms in front of my chest, Lucette right next to me as she whispered, "They're holding hands? You've got to be kidding me."

"I know, right?" I rolled my eyes, not able to keep the smirk off my face with the look Rook was shooting my way.

Lucette nudged my ribs, my eyes looking down at her as she sarcastically outstretched her hand and begged, "Won't somebody hold my hand?"

I lost it, my snickering turning into a full out laugh, the demon's eyes finding us and not understanding exactly what was so funny. With that serious look on his face, I stifled my laughter, Lucette and I watching as Rook took hold of the demon's hand.

The soft touch of Lucette's hand worming its way into mine made me lose all self-control and started to laugh hard, her own laughter mixed with mine.

"Excuse me," the demon's attention snapped back to Lucette and myself, "are you children done?" The demon questioned.

"Knock it off you two," my grandfather's voice was authoritative, making me feel like we were kids again, always managing to get ourselves into trouble.

Well, at least it wasn't me holding another guy's hand...

Having returned his attention to Rook, the demon began mumbling words under his breath, Rook joining soon after. Standing merely a couple of feet away from them, a string of chills shot up my spine. The feeling of a dark presence lurking within the area put my senses on edge.

In a matter of seconds, the presence vanished, and the atmosphere grew silent.

Eyeing Rook, the demon released his hand from his hold and stepped back till he stood just beside Cayden, "Done," he mumbled.

That's it?

"Now, we need to talk," the demon's attention reverted to my grandfather.

"I'll be damned if we go anywhere with you," he glowered, and I could feel the tension rising between the two.

Had they met before?

Did this demon know my grandfather?

There was hatred or a grudge that sparked between the two of them.

The demon paused for a moment before breathing in deeply and stating, "Very well, we will go with you."

"I don't trust them," Tamsin had appeared near me, her body stiffening when they began to walk nearer to our group, "especially that one," I knew she was referring to the demon as I held my own reservations toward him.

He's powerful and a possible threat to not take lightly.

"The feeling's mutual," it was Cayden's voice that replied to Tamsin, not even realizing she had overheard her.

Tamsin narrowed her eyes and eyed her up and down before folding her arms and sighed, "Please, you're not even worth my time. From what I can see, you must have someone protecting you, I don't need that."

"You're lucky I don't kill you," Cayden retorted, "it wouldn't be the first time I killed a vampire and that one was a pureblood."

"Probably not one like me," I spoke before Tamsin could get all riled up again.

My grandfather broke our chatter, "Shall we get on with this?" He nodded in the direction of home where at least we would have an advantage, should things go south.

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To Seduce a Mortal by K. A. Young and Laisha C. Gardner

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