Lost Beauty (The Deadly Beauties Live On 4)

“Harbingers of Death is what they’re called,” Karma answers, a tear slipping from her eye.

“We thought they died when the rings were released. Obviously the Master has been stashing them away,” Slade interjects, his jaw grinding.

He knows firsthand what they can do.

He was their first test subject, after all. The armored vats of evil were brought in and he was their slice-and-dice toy to test their strengths.

Karma’s eyes widen, and she opens her mouth to say something, when Dice suddenly starts coughing wildly. She jerks to his side, and he groans as she loosens her grip on his hand to cup his face with both of hers.

One of his hands snakes around her waist, and his eyes ask the questions his lips can’t seem to form.

“The baby’s fine,” Karma says, choking back a sob as the tears leak freely from her eyes.

I find myself wiping away my own tears and clearing my throat. Chaz’s grip tightens on me, as though he realizes how differently this all could have gone.

Dice’s entire body relaxes, and the dark smoke full of healing energy disappears as Dray slides down the wall, sweating and exhausted.

“Since he’s awake, I’m taking a small break,” Dray says as Frankie hands him a glass of water.

No one argues that, and Chaz takes a seat with me still cradled against him. I end up on his lap.

Alyssa isn’t here, but I don’t bother asking where she or Kane is. I’m not ready to broach that subject again.

Dice runs his fingers along Karma’s face, like he’s making sure she’s real.

“Told you it was a fucking crazy bitch,” he finally says, smiling. He starts coughing and the smile turns into a grimace.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Gage asks, shaking his head as he sits down near Dice.

“I think he’s a little out of it,” Thad states as he steps closer.

“No. He’s not,” Karma says, her lips curling in a sneer. “The master is none other than our dear stuttering, victimized Morgana.”

A hushed silence falls over the room. Everyone looks at Karma like she’s lost her mind.

“It’s true,” Dice groans, looking down at some of the wounds that are still open as he winces and tries to adjust. “We both saw the visionary. The second the master was mentioned, Morgana smiled, but the visionary tensed and looked at her like he was waiting for her to confirm or deny something.”

“No,” Gage says adamantly, shaking his head. “There’s no fucking way. She can’t be the master. She’s weak. She was smart, but never crafty enough to cultivate something like this. And her patience level? It didn’t exist. Not to mention she was always too broken to ever come back this strong and assertive.”

“It’s her,” Karma argues. “Trust me when I say all the other shit was just a front. She’s been hiding right under our nose, staying in plain sight, while keeping the illusion of an unknown mastermind hiding in the shadows.”

“There’s no way,” Slade agrees. “I’ve seen Morgana. Saw her in the rings. She never acted strong around us. She always seemed to be taking orders. Not giving them.”

Something isn’t adding up, but before I can voice my opinion, there’s another voice in the room.

“They’re right. Morgana isn’t the master.”

My skin crawls and my blood boils as the man I’ve hated for too long suddenly appears.

Gavin.

Streaks of silver suddenly launch across the room, and Chaz transports out of the way just in time, moving us behind Slade as Gavin disappears. The streaks hit air instead of evil.

“So fucking testy,” Gavin taunts, smirking at us as he reappears.

Slade starts to attack again, but Ella steps in front of him, holding up a hand as though she’s beckoning him to stop. Slade glares at her, and she glares back at him. Gavin looks bored with it all... as though he doesn’t notice that everyone in the room would love to see him dead.

“What are you doing here?” Gage asks him, putting his body in front of Dice’s as though he’s shielding the weak.