His Sacrifice

Ted pulled me forward. “You can’t escape. I’d catch you or they would.” He inclined his head toward the nearest guard.

My feet seemed to be caught in sludge, and I began to pull at Ted’s grip. “I can’t—”

“You can. It’ll all be over soon. Painless, I promise.” He spoke of my impending murder as if it were nothing more than a shot at the doctor’s office.

“Ted, please don’t.” Tears welled in my eyes.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me forward past the raised dais and into the gloom. Caleb and Morgan walked next to us, though her wrists were bound, the gag back in her mouth.

“Shh.” Ted dug his fingers into my side. “Over soon, I promise.”

He carried me forward. The huge chalice sat in the middle of the floor, a red pentacle drawn around it on the black floor. I shook my head and pushed against Ted, but he was too strong.

“Bring your sacrifices and prepare.” The woman motioned for one of the guards to set out smaller chalices at each point of the pentagram. “Five have been chosen,” she intoned. “Five to receive the blessings of the holy trinity, those that live below, and those who existed in the void long before man appeared on the earth. Their power cannot be measured, but it can be drawn upon and shared. You five have brought powerful sacrifices, lights that will go out so that you may burn even brighter.”

Ted eased me to the floor in front of a chalice. It was then that I saw the dark, curved blade sitting next to it.

“Please, Ted.” I turned to him, my eyes piercing his with my pleas. “Don’t do this.”

“It’s done, Cate.” He stroked my cheek. “There’s no backing out.”

Morgan struggled as Caleb forced her to the floor beside us. Some of the other women fought, too, while others seemed cowed and broken, their knees hitting the floor without a fight.

“Don’t make this hard,” Caleb grabbed her by the hair.

“You have been prepared to receive the blessings of the many and the one.” The woman shed her cloak, her nude body ghostly in the low light. “You will be strengthened, protected, deified on earth as you deserve.”

Ted reached for the knife.

“No,” I tried to pull away, but he held me in place.

“This must be done.” His grip turned to iron as he lifted the blade from the black floor.

“This must be done. On my command.” The woman peered around the room, her eyes lighting on mine. “This final step is what is required. The gods demand sacrifice. The only way to reach your full potential is to finish the ritual.”

Ted raised the knife to my throat. “I’m sorry.” He said the words, but I didn’t believe him.

The woman clenched her fists. “Now, my daughters!”

I plunged the dagger into Ted’s heart.

Chapter Eight

Ted

I didn’t feel it at first. The slicing agony set in seconds later, and I tried to slit Cate’s throat. But my blade simply bounced off the fair skin of her neck. None of her blood. Nothing. Just a pool of crimson forming beneath me as my heart pumped and shredded against her blade.

“What—” I gasped as she twisted the knife.

“Now my daughters, collect the blood in your cups.” Vanth rushed around the pentagram, checking each couple and stopping in front of us.

“Hecate, well done.” She smiled and handed Cate the cup. “Drain him.” She pulled open my robe.

I sat back on my haunches as an odd coldness settled over me. “What is going on?” My lips could barely form the words.

Vanth patted my head as if I were a silly dog. “Sacrifice, of course.”

Cate smiled, all the fear gone from her face. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it, but it was so easy. The knife was right where you said it’d be in my robe, and I just …” She let out a triumphant gasp. “I just did it!” She pressed the cup to the wound in my chest.

“Stop.” I tried to bat her hand away, but my movements were sluggish and weak.

“You’re my child, of course you could do it!” Vanth kissed Cate on the forehead. “Get all you can before his last breath, then stop. We don’t want dead blood mixing with the live. And one more thing.” Vanth kissed her again. “Happy birthday!”

Cate smiled. “Thanks, Mom.” She returned her gaze to mine. “I guess you’re the candle I’m blowing out, huh?”

Vanth laughed. “Oh, how droll you are Hecate.”

A low groan came from my left.

Vanth turned. “Morgana! Stop stabbing him! You won’t get enough live blood that way.” She hurried off as Cate gripped my shoulder, keeping me upright as my world began to go dark.

“Cate.” A wet bubble popped on my lips. Blood?

“It’s Hecate, really. Named after my great-great-great-great grandmother. Though there may be a few more ‘greats’ in there. Not entirely sure.” She gave me the same sweet smile I remembered from the day of her job interview. “Don’t look so confused.” She pressed the cup harder against me, as if trying to make sure she didn’t lose a drop. “There was a reason I showed up in your office that day, a reason I wanted the job, a reason I got the job, and a reason I played you so easily.”