in case I lunged. It took all of my willpower to resist.
“Over there. By the couch.” She circled around one side of the couch, waiting while I did the same opposite her.
As I drew closer, I realized that there was a circle. An energy circle, much like the one I had used to trap Falon, encompassed a giant pentagram on the floor. The people within the circle were confined, prisoners. They carried on with each other, completely oblivious. It dawned on me that they were the sacrifice.
An ugly sensation warmed my belly. This didn’t feel right. Lilah would use my blood and their combined death to set herself free. Then what? We’d all have cookies and tea?
The tall demon shadowing Lilah stood at the edge of the circle, holding it in place. He produced a gold chalice and handed it to her. He stood between the two upper points of the inverted star. If Lilah broke the curse, we would all suffer. I was a wreck trying to see a way out.
Every other person in the room seemed to shrink back from the circle. I wished to be among them. The demon began to chant, low and Latin. My hackles rose as my fear grew.
Lilah advanced on me with a renewed ferocity. Eager, she rushed toward me, each step bringing her faster. I braced myself, unable to predict what she had in mind.
“Hold still and this will be over in minutes. A shallow cut, that’s all I need,” she said, the gleam in her twisted gaze growing brighter.
She came only as close as she had to. Resting the dagger blade against my neck, she shuddered with excitement. I stared at Arys and Juliet. I loved them both so much, though I still hadn’t had a chance to reconnect with Juliet. If we got out of here, that would change.
The blade stung as it cut through my fur and flesh. The blood was warm as it seeped from the wound. Lilah was quick to capture it in the chalice. I tensed. This was it, the moment of truth.
Lilah lifted the chalice, sniffing its contents. I saw her consider tasting it. She resisted. Moving to stand at the bottom of the circle, near the point, she held the chalice ready, waiting. The demon continued to chant in a loud voice. Things were happening. I felt the earth tremble as dark powers in deep places began to stir.
A flash of silver drew my eye to Falon. He spread his wings wide and ruffled them, a potentially natural angel gesture. Something about it struck me as forced. He was trying to draw my attention to him. My eyes darted from Lilah to him and back. I couldn’t chance taking my eyes off her at the wrong time.
The Latin stopped, and the silence that followed was deafening. Lilah tipped the chalice and began to drip blood onto each person within the circle. That’s when Falon freed Juliet and all hell broke loose.
“Stop her,” he shouted at me, already moving to release Shya from his bonds.
I froze, as did most of those present. After a heartbeat of confusion, everyone exploded into action. Shya was impossible to follow with the mortal eye. He went from his chair to the demon holding Arys, disabling him with ease. Arys was on his feet instantly, tossing vampires aside in his attempt to get to me.
The vampires were quick to spread out around the circle, doing their best to protect the outcast queen they had adopted. Several of them swamped Arys, trying to take him down. Pulling the blade from her golden hair, Jez leapt in to the fray, plunging the weapon into the heart of any vampire stupid enough to get in her way.
There was no time to think or plan. I lunged at Lilah, launching my full weight at her. She went down beneath me with a thump and a startled cry. The chalice fell from her hand and rolled across the floor, spilling the remainder of the blood as it went.
She still held the dagger so I sunk my fangs into her forearm, crushing bone between my jaws until she let go. Lilah fought back with the panicked desperation of one who knew her time was fast running out. With her free hand, she pounded her fist into the side of my head.
A heavy weight slammed into me. The Latin-chanting demon’s power hit me like a runaway train. I was airborne, crashing hard into the vampire fight. The