Lost in Time (Blue Bloods 6)

“Helda could change all that.”

When she opened her eyes again, Jack was lying on the ground in front of her. His sword lay broken in two, and he looked up at her with fear in his eyes. She loomed above him, holding her sword aloft; and without warning, she bore it down upon him, right in the middle of his chest, straight into his heart, so deep that it cut him in two, killing him. The heat from her sword set his body and his blood on fire.

Mimi felt her brother’s blood on her face, felt the heat from the dark flames. Jack was no more. Her joy was dark and deep and triumphant.

“Mimi! Mimi! What are you doing?” Oliver was running toward her, his eyes wide with fright and worry. “Mimi! Stop this! Stop this at once! You don’t want to do this!”

Mimi stood over the dead, broken body of Abbadon and howled. “Yes I do! He left me! Centuries we were bonded, made of darkness and bound to our duty! HE NEEDS TO

DIE!”

She pointed her sword at Oliver. “Do not stop me!”

“You don’t want this. You want Kingsley, remember?

We’re here for Kingsley.”

“Make your choice, Azrael,” the demon thundered. “Say the word and Abbadon is yours, and all you see before you will be made real.”

Yes. Yes! Yes!

“Mimi—think of Kingsley.”

Kingsley. If she took what mamon was offering, she would never get to him. She would have her power and her revenge, but not her love. She would not have anything to live for once the blood dried from her face and her sword was wiped clean.

“Remember what we came for,” Oliver pleaded. “Remember why we’re here.”

“Say the word and he is yours. His death will bring you glory,” mamon whispered.

Glory. Revenge. Blood. The laughter would stop. The humiliation would end. She would have her pride back and her name. She would see it through, and show Abbadon what happened to those who did not follow their bond.

Kingsley…

But when she thought of Kingsley she did not feel rage and heat. When she thought of Kingsley she thought of his smile and his words, and a softness came to her, a blanket of coolness that made the rage and heat go away. She thought of his sacrifice, of what he had done for her, for them, for the Coven. Of his words on her bonding day.

Come away with me, and live a new adventure.

She had gone to Hell for him. She would not leave the underworld without him by her side.

“No deal,” she said, spitting out the words. “Get me out of here!”

As the words left her lips, the vision cleared, and it was as if heavy velvet curtains had parted on a stage, and they were through to the seventh circle.

They were standing on a hill, looking down upon a tall city.

Tartarus. The capital of Hell.

“How strange,” Oliver said. “It looks exactly like New York.”

EIGHTEEN

Truths and Lies

Months passed, and Allegra returned to her life in New York. The portrait arrived with a cheerful note from Renny.

Thanks again for the fun night. Hope to see you again soon!

Allegra tore the note in half and put the painting away in the attic before Charles could ask her about it. The fall social season was in full swing and there was a lot to do: charity work, overseeing the renovations on their town house on the Upper East Side, supervising the various committees that made up vampire society. The immortal routine, Allegra thought, finding so much of her work ornamental these days, and no different from the daily f