And there, stepping out from behind a hunk of blasted wall, was another demon. One with a recently shorn head, a fuzz of new hair just starting to grow back.
Newpurplehair.
“Meech?” Jaci laughed, joy and relief slamming into her chest, the force of both nearly knocking her on her ass. She ran to her cousin, crushing her in a breathless hug. “Meech! Seven hells, you’re alive!”
“As far as I can tell, yeah. Wasn’t sure for a minute there.”
“What happened to you? I thought Viansa… She had your hair, Meech. Your hair!” Jaci pulled back, ran a hand over Meech’s fuzzy head.
“She got me pretty good, girl.” Meech blew out a breath. “When I heard she finally figured out how to manifest, I confronted her. Let’s just say it wasn’t my best idea. Got my ass beat up and locked in a coffin, dropped at the bottom of the Sea of Blood.”
“Holy shit.”
“Viansa and Azerius—she’s working with that fucker—they had this whole plan, and the—”
“Azerius is dead. They’re both dead. They’re…” Jaci closed her eyes, forcing her thoughts to slow. “Damn it, Meech. So much has happened.”
Fresh tears sprung to her eyes as she told Meech the story, the relief washing over her in waves as she recounted the battle with Azerius, the trip through the Labyrinth, her final moments with Viansa.
“That explains how I got out, then,” Meech said. “When you killed Viansa, the magic she bound me with died right along with her. One minute I was in that box, and then… Poof. I’m here, looking foryourcrazy ass.”
“Wait… the magic…” Jaci gasped, the realization finally dawning.
Viansa was truly dead.
Her magic was gone.
Which meant the Redthorne curse—the curse Viansa had bound all those centuries ago—was finally broken.
“Gabriel,” she breathed. “He’s okay. He’s going to be okay.”
Meech wrinkled her nose. “The vampire who kidnapped you?”
“Detained her,” came the smooth reply from behind her, his voice close to her ear. Male. British. Sexy as sin. “Kidnapped is a bit harsh, don’t you think?”
A shiver worked its way down Jaci’s spine, and she turned to face him, the rush of emotions making her giddy.
Gabriel drew her close, buried his face in her hair. “Thank the devil you’re safe, moonflower.”
“Gabriel, the curse. It’s broken. Viansa’s dead and…” Jaci pulled back to look at him again, the story spilling from her in a rush.
He cupped her face, his eyes shining with pride. Love. Wonder. All of it.
“You’re incredible,” he whispered.
“So you’re the vampire who’s got my girl all tied up in knots, huh?” Meech grinned, her gaze trailing down Gabriel’s body, then back up.
“Gabriel Redthorne.” He tipped his head and smiled. Dazzling. Heartbreaking. “Demetria, I presume. Glad to see you’re still among the living.”
“Gabriel. Like the angel, huh?”
“Bit more like the devil, I’m afraid.”
“Mmm. Yummy.” Meech glanced at Jaci, then back to Gabriel, then back to Jaci once more. “Don’t suppose you’re into sharing this one?”
“Not on your undead life, demon.” Jaci turned to meet Gabriel’s gaze once more, and he smiled at her and set her soul on fire. “Gabriel, the curse is broken. You’re free. Dorian, Colin, Charlotte, Aiden, you’re all—oh, shit.Aiden.”
She spun on her heel, suddenly frantic. In the craziness of everything that’d gone down with Viansa, she’d nearly forgotten about the soul they’d yet to rescue.
