"If you kill Richard and Jean-Claude, I won't have the power to heal Sabin. If Dominic came here planning to sacrifice all three of us, then the spell must need all three of us to work."
Something flickered across her face. I was right. "Dominic's not sure it will work without a human servant in the loop, is he?"
Cassandra shook her head. "It has to be tonight."
"If you kill them both and it doesn't cure Sabin, you've destroyed the only real chance he has. Our triumvirate can cure him. You know it can."
"I know no such thing. You would promise me the moon itself if you thought it would save you all."
"That's true, but I still think we can cure him. If you kill Richard and Jean-Claude, the chance is gone. Let us at least try. If it doesn't work, you can sacrifice them tomorrow. I'll let Jean-Claude give me the first mark. We'll either cure Sabin tomorrow or we'll be the perfect sacrifice for Dominic's spell." I willed her to listen to me. To believe me.
"Will Sabin be able to read his part of the spell tomorrow night?" Raina asked. She moved in very close to Cassandra. "Once his brain is rotted away, there will be nothing left to do but lock him in a box with crosses on it. Hide him away."
Cassandra's hands balled into fists. A fine trembling ran through her body. Raw fear showed on her face.
Raina turned to me almost conversationally. "Sabin won't die, you understand. He'll melt down into a little puddle of slime, but he won't die. Will he, Cassandra?"
"No," Cassandra almost shouted. "No, he won't die. He'll just go insane. He'll still have all the powers of the triumvirate, but he'll be mad. We'll have to lock him away and pray that Dominic's spells can hold his power in check. If we can't hold his powers prisoner, the council will force us to burn him alive. Only that would be sure death."
"But if you do that," Raina said, "you and Dominic will die, as well. All those vampire marks dragging you down to hell with him."
"Yes," Cassandra said, "yes." She stared at me, anger and helplessness in her face.
"Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?" I asked.
"No, Anita, you're just supposed to die," she said.
I swallowed hard and tried to think of something useful. It was hard to do with Gabriel lying on top of me, but if I didn't think of something, we were all dead.
Cassandra startled as if someone had touched her. A prickle of energy swept over my body from her, raising goose bumps where it touched. Gabriel ran his fingertips over the skin of my arms, making the gooseflesh stay just a little longer.
"I must go," Cassandra said. "Before the night is over, you may wish you were being sacrificed." She looked from Gabriel to Raina. "A slit throat would be quicker."
I agreed with her, but I wasn't sure what to say. We were discussing different ways to kill me. None of them seemed particularly good choices.
Cassandra stared down at me. "I am sorry."
"If you're really sorry," I said, "untie me and give me a weapon."
She smiled wistfully. "Sabin has ordered me not to."
"You always do what you're told?" I asked.
"On this one thing, yes. If you'd watched Jean-Claude's beauty rot before you, you'd do anything to help him."
"Who're you trying to convince, me or you?"
She swayed slightly, and I felt the roll of power out of her body and along mine. Gabriel licked my arm.
"I must go. The circle will be closed soon." She stared down at me, at Gabriel running his tongue up my arm. "I am truly sorry, Anita."
"If you're looking for forgiveness, pray. God may forgive you; I won't."
Cassandra stared down at me for another heartbeat. "So be it. Good-bye, Anita." She ran in a blur of white, like a fast-forward ghost.
"Good," Raina said, "now we can set up the lights and make some test shots." The lights sprang into a dazzling brightness.
I closed my eyes against the glare.