"We have to call Liyliy," Talto said.

"I'll do that," Ailo said, taking out her phone. "You get to work on the computer aspect of our plan. Find out who runs the funds of this place. Read them. Open a new account. Learn how to make transfers."

Talto nodded and hurried away.

Ailo stepped into the shadows and opened the phone. She did not call Liyliy, however. Instead, she called Persephone Alcmedi and, knowing no one would answer, waited for the voicemail.

"Hello, witch. I know you'll wonder why I'm calling. I just want you to know that your pet vampire is quite busy. You see . . . he placed a spell upon someone, an in signum amoris spell. It gave him a measure of control and could possibly have been used to salvage his position as Haven Master, but that someone reversed the spell to be rid of it." She giggled frighteningly. "He had to find another way to exert leverage over this someone. Don't get me wrong-his intentions were pure when he rescued the child. But he's not one to overlook an opportunity when it presents itself." She paused. "Now the child is his guarantee. Should he ever need to exert some control over this someone-and you have to admit, bad eventualities do follow her around-he'll be able to play this someone like a harp, plucking at her here and there until she's doing exactly as he wishes." Mirthful laughter taunted into the phone. "How does it make you feel, witch, knowing that she belongs to him now? Knowing that because of you she will live among the undead forever?"

Ailo hung up.

Talto walked up the stairs and made her unhurried way to the media room she and Ailo had been sitting in earlier. The Beholders were still there playing cards, so she slinked down the hall to a dark, private corner and took out her phone. Many minutes had passed; enough for Ailo to have called Liyliy. But something felt off to her. She dialed Liyliy.

"Did Ailo just call you?"

"No. Is she not with you?"

Talto's expression darkened. "We are separated at the moment." If Ailo did not do as she said she would now, how could she trust Ailo with the plan they were about to put into action? Worrying over this, Talto realized that Liyliy was panting. "Are you all right? Why are you out of breath?"

"I am hurrying to the place where I am to meet someone."

"You are walking?" Talto remembered how her sister had been limping when she entered. They had healed Liyliy's leg, but still, she had been through much tonight. Talto wished she was there to help Liyliy. She wished she was anywhere but here in this dreadful haven under the control of the one who put them into the stones. Her hand strayed to the chain about her neck. "Why did you not transform and fly?"

"I have tasted blood this night, but a sip only. I struggled with Mero to gain my exit, and now I do not have the means."

Talto sniffled. "I'm sorry we couldn't do more."

"Do not cry, Talto. You did all you could. I'm nearly there. Go on. Tell me what has happened."

"Ailo evaluated the girl."

"And?"

"She's . . . " Talto wondered if there was any reason that Ailo would keep this news from Liyliy. It was good news, valuable news. It's worth making this a secret only if she is planning on being devious to Liyliy . . . If her loyalty to Liyliy is fading, I've no hope.

"Talto?"

"The girl is a ward-breaker."

Silence.

"Liyliy?"

"Praise all that is darkly glorious, Talto! This is beyond fortuitous. Truly."

Talto grinned. "And we have a plan for Menessos." She shared the details. "Should we progress with that or do you think we need to change things considering what we know about the child?" She hoped Liyliy would want them to abandon their other plan. Talto was not fond of any plan with the possibility of being tortured by Menessos or abandoned by Ailo.

"You are so brave, little one. You don't know how proud I am of you right now."

"But the plan?"

"Go ahead with it. You will likely create the distraction that allows us to abduct the girl. But do not worry, we will not forsake you, little sister. With her in our possession, they cannot keep us from saving you."

Liyliy heard the fear in Talto's voice. She knew the youngest of them would not have come up with such a plan, and she knew Talto was scared, but Liyliy could hardly contain her excitement long enough to reassure her sister.

At the word "ward-breaker" Liyliy's heart leapt. The child could be used to free her sisters from their bondage. And what was more, this little girl could free them all from the influence of the necklace Mero had created to bind them with originally. If her sisters were successful in transferring the cash, and they were able to keep these funds from the authorities, they would have the means to build an army against their enemy. If that was unsuccessful, the girl could be used to get them into bank vaults.

Either way, they would have money, and money would do much to buy the aid of those who also hated Menessos.

I might not need Giovanni much longer.

She saw the van ahead, parked right where they had agreed. She was eager to sit and rest. "I must go now, Talto. We will talk again soon."

Giovanni sat impatiently in the back of the van. The small amount of blood he had sipped from Adam, the driver, had bought time, but it was not enough to sate him.

Liyliy was late and he was hungry.

Then his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it free and connected to the wiretap device on Ailo's phone. He listened as she left a taunting message for the witch and realized it was Persephone Alcmedi that Ailo had called earlier about the park. But he did not understand what she meant about the child living among the undead forever.

Had Menessos Made a child?

The pieces only started falling into place for him when, moment's later, Talto made a call to Liyliy.

The news fascinated him. It stirred a desire for control so deep it swept him back in time for a moment, to the days of his true life, when he'd commanded an army. In his mortal days, when men lived and died at his command, he had known great power. Wielding magic, he imagined, must feel like having that supremacy had felt.

He had no magical ability of his own, but he could make grand use of a ward-breaker.

He'd be unstoppable with her in his control.

He wasn't about to let his enemy possess and direct that kind of limitless resource-but he'd have to strike fast, while Menessos still thought no one knew about the girl's power.

Adam turned in his seat and tapped on the glass that separated them. "Liyliy is coming, sir."

"Start the engine. We must return downtown. To the Blood Culture."

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO.

I stood on the lakeshore alone.

Amenemhab had trotted away after I stroked his back for a while. The previous time we talked he'd said that I'd likely have a new totem soon. I didn't want him to go; I liked him. So, in case this was our last visit, I'd petted him. He was softer than he looked and stroking him was comforting to me. He surely knew I was only delaying what I had to do next, but he let me anyway. He even licked my cheek before he left.

Now, the night sky was star-filled above me. The water remained dark before me. The willow at my back rustled in the breeze.

Inhaling a cleansing breath, I shut my eyes as I grounded and centered myself. Shoulders squared, I visualized Creepy's face in my mind and said, "I'm ready."

The wind picked up and the temperature dropped. The lake began to give off an ever-thickening haze that the air moved around in dancing swirls. In a matter of moments, the world grew shrouded in a gray veil of mist.

He's coming.

The fog shifted and I stared at the lake, trying to make out a shape in it. The moisture in the air seemed to hold all sounds close, amplifying my breathing in my own ears. I could hear the lapping of the waves much louder than before, and a soft splashing as if there were a boat on the water. Behind those sounds, a distant thunder was rumbling closer.

Fearing it might rain here and drench me, I stepped forward, waving my arms as if that would part the gray air. Perhaps if I saw a boat I could get on it and get going before I was soaked. However, my efforts revealed nothing. All I managed to accomplish was to get my socks wetter and muddier and sandier.

I stared at my feet and again wished for my shoes. The thunder was getting louder.

When I looked up I caught a momentary glimpse of a black dragon's head in the mist.

It was gone as quickly as it appeared, but I stepped forward, ankle deep in the lake. "Wait!"

I'd seen dragons here before. They pulled a boat that carried Hecate. She could help me. She was a goddess. She could get me the hell out of here.

I took another step into the water. "Wait!" I called twice more, in case I'd been drowned out by the roaring rumble.

And then it hit me: That rumble was more distinct now . . . like many hooves.

As soon as I thought it, four black steeds thundered out of the mist side by side. Skidding to a stop at the edge of the embankment, they tossed their thick manes and nickered protests. The chariot they pulled was shiny black with a huge screaming skull of silver on the front center.

Creepy stood in the chariot holding the reins with clenched fists. He wore armor that matched the chariot; a crested helmet, bracers, greaves, and a cuirass over his black tunic. Pteruges, feather-like leather strips, hung from the cuirass in black layers, each adorned at the bottom with a silver skull. He raised one finger and gestured. "Come."

I walked to the back of the chariot and, before stepping up onto it, got an eyeful of the backs of his muscular legs. He indicated I should stand beside him at the front. I obeyed, very aware that my muddy socks left tracks on the chariot floor.

"Hold on." He tapped the chariot's upper edge.

I gripped it tight. Good thing; he cracked the reins and the horses leapt into a gallop with enough force they nearly set me on my ass even though I was holding on.

We raced across the field, climbed rolling hills, and delved into shallow valleys. The horses' hooves kept rhythm while small metal decorations on the harnesses-skulls again-tinkled an accenting sound. Add that to the bumpy nighttime ride and somehow, as the minutes wore on and on, I grew so tired that I curled up at Creepy's feet and slept.

"Persephone. Open your eyes."

I roused in the fetal position in the same decaying building I'd started out in.

Creepy stood towering over me. He was in the modern dark suit again. "It is time to decide."

I sat up, scooting away from him, and in doing so discovered that we were on a jagged-edged circular section of floor about four feet across. The rest of the floor was gone. It felt solid and steady, so I doubted it was hovering as much as it was held up by some support beneath. At least the thought that it was something other than Creepy's will keeping us from crashing down made me happier.

I posed, sitting, leaning back on my hands with my legs bent in front of me. This hopefully showed him I was comfortable. Casual. Be casual. "I have a question first," I said meekly.

His hands slid into his pockets. "Once again, the questions are free." The words were accommodating, but the tone was tight with irritation.

"I understand that I sought help and ended up with you and am therefore obligated to accept your help. I understand that I can choose to do things my way, or I can accomplish much the same thing another way, one at your discretion."

"None of that contained an inquiry."

"Right. Here's the question." I held his gaze steadily. "What is the cost for your services if I choose my way, and what is the cost if I choose your way?"

His masklike expression didn't change a bit. He gazed unwaveringly down at me for several heartbeats, then his focus slid around my body and returned to my face. "I intend to have you, either way."

My heart sputtered and skipped a beat.

Don't accept the first offer, Amenemhab had said. It shows weakness. You must negotiate. He needn't fear. Though Creepy was handsome, I was definitely going to negotiate out of this. Aside from the fact that my moral compass would not let me hop into bed with someone just because I found him attractive, my lips were sore from his kiss; sex with him was out of the question. "And if that is not something I am willing to barter?"

"Willing or unwilling is irrelevant. That is part of my price."

I swallowed hard enough to hear it and fought against the chill tickling my spine. I had to hold some semblance of power here. My totem had mentioned posturing as well. "Submissive" obviously wasn't going to gain me any leniency. In fact, it might have encouraged him.

I stood up. "Part of it? I demand that you tell me what your full price is, with each option. I cannot finalize my decision without knowing." My hands rested on my hips.

He glanced at the ceiling and conveyed thoughtfulness for about half a second. "If I am to proceed according to the design you arrived with, you must allow me to satisfy myself with you in three ways. If I am to aid you in ridding yourself of doubts and avoiding those you love coming to harm as leverage used against you, then you must allow me to satisfy myself with you two different ways."

I scowled. "Satisfy yourself? Geez. Can you make it sound any more smarmy?"

"If that's a request, yes I can."

"Forget I said it." I waved him off. Amenemhab had suggested that I explore his demands, not only to pin him down as to what he meant precisely, but to see if there was information there that I could use to get him to make concessions. "But what do you mean by 'two' and 'three different ways'? Elaborate." I was hoping he meant positions and not that many orifices-then I scolded myself for even hoping he meant positions. This bargain should not be happening at all.

His lips curved. "You want to know how I like to satisfy myself with a woman?" He reached up and rubbed his thumb across my lips. "Remember this?"

They felt slightly swollen, definitely still sore. "That's all it takes to satisfy you? A rough kiss?"

"That was a taste of what I like." He moved in closer.

I crossed my arms defensively.

Ignoring my move, he wrapped his arms around me and whispered into my ear. "I want you naked before me. I want to touch you, to fondle and caress you. I want to grope you until I've found all the spots that make you tremble with desire. I want to bring you to the edge of orgasm. I want to hear you beg me not to stop. But I will."

Maybe I liked his looks, but he'd done things that made me wary of him even before he'd brought me here, gone all weird and gotten physically rough with me. "Listen up," I said forcefully, "I do not want to have sex with you."

"I know this." He spun away. "I know you have a skewed image of me in your mind."

He'd gone from aggressive sexual predator to sneeringly rejected date in the blink of an eye. I arched a brow guardedly. "Skewed?"

"Your perception of me was influenced by others." He clasped his hands behind his back. "You will not give me fair consideration so long as you are being swayed by the words of a jealous would-be lover."

Why did he even care about my fair consideration of him? He didn't think . . . oh hell. I blinked repeatedly.