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known not to cross us. How stupid could you be?
I wouldn t dignify her with an answer, but I did contemplate whether I could take a
chunk out of her before I died. Wrath filled me like an empty stream. Instead of spilling it
forth, I contained it, let it rise. My fury would be for Janos alone, I promised myself, running
my tongue over my fangs.
104 Mya
 Maybe we could turn the werewolf on our side? Offer him something other than
damaged goods.
 No. Werewolves can be oddly noble when they choose to be. Janos s reply to Lazuri
seemed indicative of a past frustration.  They re noble or unruly, obstinate rogues.
Bryce was both -- unruly and an obstinate rogue. A sense of happiness descended on
me as I thought about the times we spent together and how I should have given in to him so
much earlier. If wishes imbued any sort of luck, I did my best to imagine for him a long and
lucky life. I hoped that he would find someone who loved him and would take as good care
of him as he had me.
My chest tightened. I demanded my emotions be calm. With the intricacies of my plot,
I would need to be focused and not weak.
Bryce wouldn t have wanted me to be weak.
 Boss! Telephone!
 What is it? Have the wolf and his friends found themselves in a trap, perhaps?
Alarmed, I didn t like the casual way that Janos gloated. My thoughts of Bryce went
from calm to frenzied in an instant. Listening to the shaken voice of the errand boy, I
awaited his words just as surely as Janos must have.
 Sire& t-he p-penthouse in Manhattan& 
Janos was too impatient for pauses.  Speak, man!
 I-it s on fire.
Fire? The penthouse was located on the top level of a business tower and I could only
imagine how magnificent the sight of it on fire would be against the New York City skyline.
Janos roared at the unexpected news, swearing vehemently. While he sought more
information from a source that had none, I was awash with the most bizarre sensation of
hope. Some measure of revenge was being enacted and even if Bryce were not the cause, I
was still eminently pleased.
An Unnatural Worth 105
 The flames& they said they came out of nowhere. No one knows how it started even. I
asked if it was the wolf but& 
 But what?
 B-but& 
I heard a whoosh, the sound of a body moving at great speed. There was a gasp and a
gurgle, which I took to be the sound of the errand boy.
 Nothing, the man coughed.  They said nothing. They were screaming, sire. I --
A sickening snap, and one less human heart beat in the room.
I could almost feel the heat of Janos s anger as he swore aloud.
The first thing that came to my mind was Cheetah, the firestarter. I didn t know how
Bryce had sought his help and I wasn t even sure he had, but I smiled nonetheless. From
what I knew of the penthouse, its security measures, and artillery, burning the place down
would be the most unexpected yet efficient way of flushing out the vampires. Depending on
how near dawn was, there would be utter panic. There would be no sanctuary from the sun,
and they would scramble desperately to hide. If any of them survived.
It was a brilliant plan and I couldn t resist telling Janos so.  Well, I laughed
sarcastically.  He may have picked the wrong place, but it s the thought that counts.
I felt wind then the force of a hammer slammed against the side of my face.
 You fiend! You ungrateful, spiteful creature, Janos sneered, his breath hot and putrid,
close to my face.  I will lay you out in the sun, cover your limbs, revealing them one at a
time to its harsh rays. I will start with your left leg, then your right, then your groin& you
will see cruelty which no hellspawn has ever known!
His threats felt hollow to me. I didn t care if any of them came to pass, because Janos
was already suffering. It would take him a great deal of time to replace property, antiques
that had been held in New York, and loyal associates.
106 Mya
In the I.E.D. cell that I had spent so much time within, I had worried that I would die a
lonely and meaningless death. If I die tonight, I thought, at least it will be on a night when
Janos was already suffering.
He didn t seem so in control, or so menacing. In fact, I could swear that there was a
measure of fear within his voice and that gave me strength.
* * * * *
The world was in chaos, and I was in love with it!
Janos s followers were muttering their speculations about the events in Manhattan.
Janos himself was conferring with guards, issuing orders. Someone else came in with a
message from Manhattan, which was far more ominous than the first. There had been several
deaths, vampires burned to ash. Whoever it was that had made the call was in the process of
fleeing when the phone went dead, Janos had been told.
Hysteria built up around the abrupt end of communication with the penthouse, and
Janos was not immune from the tragedy.
One brave vampire dared to draw the attention of the elder fiend.  Sire? he began.
 Elena, the young ones, without our help they --
 There is nothing we can do for them. They will either survive or perish.
 But --
 But, Janos interrupted,  our concern is here. You need to prepare the transport
should anything suspicious occur here. Tell Reese I want the men alert to even the slightest
snap of a twig. Keep calling Manhattan. Alert me at the first contact. Otherwise, I have one
distraction to be rid of tonight, and I aim to see it done. Lift him.
Despite the whirlwind of panic, Janos s focus was still on me. Two strong forms lifted
me from off of the floor. Still grinning despite the attempts by Janos then his lackeys to
change my mood, I said nothing as they directed me to move.
An Unnatural Worth 107
Janos would regret my kidnapping and death. Loosening the bonds around my wrists
somewhat, I couldn t wait to be his pinnacle of disaster.
We headed from the main hall towards the Icarus chamber. I couldn t see it, but I
knew the stone floor by the sound that my shoes made upon them. I remembered the cool
draft wafting through the long, damp corridor. The smells of moss and stone within the
tunnel grew stronger as we neared the outlet into open air and as we walked I breathed deep
of the natural smells. Their likeness to the earthen smells of Bryce gave me courage as I
imagined that he was with me, at my side in spirit if nothing more. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]