The witch grinned. “Ah, yes, I’d forgotten.”
Saintcrow snorted. “I doubt that.”
Reaching into one of her pockets, she withdrew a small glass vial and removed the cork.
Rising, Saintcrow bit into his wrist and held it over the container, pleased to see that his blood was again its usual color.
When the vial was full, Izabela took a small taste. And smiled. “The witch’s poison is gone.”
With a nod, Saintcrow said, “Then it was well worth the price.”
“Indeed.”
Saintcrow stood, drawing Kadie up beside him. “Until next time, witch,” he said, with a smile.
Izabela walked them to the door where she surprised everyone by planting a kiss on Saintcrow’s cheek. “Until then,” she murmured, and quietly closed the door behind them.
“Well, I wonder what got into her,” Kadie remarked as they left the witch’s yard.
“Beats the hell out of me,” he muttered as he glanced up and down the street. Seeing no one in sight, he took Kadie’s hand and transported the two of them to Alara’s tree house in the Everglades.
A heavy stillness hung over the forest, as if all the creatures were holding their breath.
Kadie looked up at the tree house and then at Saintcrow. “Do you smell that?”
“Someone’s dead.”
“You don’t think...?”
He nodded. “Stay behind me.” A thought took him up to the witch’s door, which stood open. The air inside was foul, thick with the scent of dark magic and death.
Saintcrow swore under his breath when he saw the witch. She was lying on her back on the floor in a pool of blood, her strange green eyes open and staring into eternity. There was a gaping hole where her heart had been.
Kadie gasped and looked away. “Is that...?”
“Yeah.” He swore again. “Elowynne,” he said. “Damn her black soul to hell. She’s done this.”
“Why?” Kadie asked, and then answered her own question. “Because Alara sent Mara to help you.”
Saintcrow nodded. Elowynne was even stronger than he’d feared if she could take Alara unawares, for there was no sign of a struggle, only the scent of blood and death. And the mingled scents of Alara’s surprise and fear.Dammit!
He glanced at Kadie as she laid her hand on his arm. “It isn’t your fault, Rylan.”
“Isn’t it?”
“You’re not responsible for what Elowynne does.”
“Just the results.” Kneeling beside the body, he closed the witch’s eyes, then pulled a quilt from the sofa and covered her. “I’ll come back later and bury her.”
“Do you think that’s wise? Maybe this is a trap of some kind.”
“I can’t let Elowynne get away with this.,” he said, rising. “She’s gone too far this time.”
“But...”
He shook his head. “Before, it was just between her and me. This changes everything. If she’ll go after Alara, there’s no telling who might be next.”
An icy shiver skated down Kadie’s spine. He didn’t have to mention her name to know he was worried about her. It wasn’t necessary, she thought morbidly. She was worried enough. Even with Rylan’s blood in her veins, she was no match for a dark witch with vampire powers.