CHAPTER 22

Halfway through the journey, which should have only taken a second at most, Rachel clearly felt something pulling at her, trying to take her in a different direction. She instinctively pushed back at it, losing both her focus and her hold on Ivy. She heard the vampire's scream cut off as she was abruptly dropped out of the line, and she prayed Ivy was okay. Then she felt another mind touch her own and focused on it, willing herself to that location in order to confront whoever dared attack her.

Rachel felt the air popping around her as her body rematerialized, and opened her eyes. She was standing in darkness, the air was warm and humid, smelled musty, and though she couldn't actually see or hear anything, she knew there was someone there and she had a sneaking suspicion who. "Al? What are you playing at? What did you do to Ivy?"

A figure formed out of the darkness. "I am not Algaliarept." Newt cocked her head. "And I did nothing to your vampire, Rachel Mariana Morgan. She continued on the journey you began. I merely redirected you."

"You twisted bitch." Rachel knew she was taking her life in her hands by speaking to Newt this way, but she couldn't help herself, seeing the demon just brought it out. "You hurt my friends. Ceri hates me. And you killed Pierce!"

"Your friends. You mean the elves?" Newt sneered. "I hate elves. Their people and mine were at war longer than your kind have existed. I did not return to finish what I started, because I realize now it was not my idea to seek them out in the first place. Besides, Trenton Aloysius Kalamack and Cerdiwen Merriam Dulciate can not be held responsible for the deplorable actions of their forebears, any more than you would be for mine." She lowered her pure black eyes. "But I did not kill Algaliarept's familiar."

Rachel wasn't sure what to think, though she couldn't help noticing how Newt refused to meet her gaze when she said that. "I found his body. He'd been torn apart. You didn't do that?" Still staring at her bare feet, he demon shook her head. "Look at me. Newt!" The demon jerked her head up, wide-eyed. "Swear to me you did not kill Pierce."

"I swear on the soul of my daughter, Lilianikagan, that I did not kill Gordian Nathaniel Pierce."

Rachel crossed her arms. "Then who did?"

"Algaliarept."

Somehow, that didn't entirely surprise Rachel. "He killed his own familiar?"

"In retaliation for informing me of Algaliarept's transgressions. I suppose I could have stopped him, but I saw no reason, seeing as Gordian Nathaniel Pierce was complicit in Algaliarept's crime."

'So, she didn't actually kill him but didn't bother saving him either? That makes all the difference in the world.' Rachel sighed. She was really getting tired of dealing with demons. "Why are you even telling me this, Newt? Dali said you were hunting Al across the ever after. Why are you taking time out to have a conversation with little old me?"

"You are my descendant. Is that not reason enough for me to want to look out for you?"

Rachel wished she could believe that was all it was, but in her experience, demons always had an ulterior motive. Usually several, each of which benefited them in some way. Newt might be the exception, though there was no way to be sure. Hell, Newt herself wasn't always certain why she did things. "If you're worried about me, don't be. I can take care of myself."

"Not against Algaliarept. If he believes you and his familiar were working together, regardless of whether or not you actually were, he will come after you. I suspect the only reason he did not choose to eliminate you rather than lose you to me, is because even he was not willing to risk my wrath. When it became apparent to him that I might actually be a worthy teacher; he chose this last, desperate ploy to try and discredit me and get you back. Or perhaps he was hoping I would kill you myself."

Rachel put a hand to her forehead. 'Great. Just great.' She had been a target before, but somehow the threat of Al coming after he scared her more than the I.S., the Weres, and Trent combined. "Are my friends safe? We live in a church. It doesn't seem to stop you, but as long as he isn't summoned the sanctification will keep him out, right?"

Newt nodded. "Unless Algaliarept finds someone or something to possess."

'Crap! I forgot about that.' Al was able to walk freely on this side of the lines, even during the day, because he was in Lee's body. If he somehow managed to find some other poor fool willing to 'give him a ride', he could walk right in the church and she would never even know it was him until his hands were around her throat. Rachel groaned. "I hate my life."

"Do not say that." Newt grabbed Rachel's shoulders. "You are not helpless. You are my kin. Do you know why the others were so desperate for Minias to mate with me? Not just for the sake of renewing the demon bloodlines, but because our power is greater than theirs. We can bring life in a way they cannot, and because of it, we are able to spindle and manipulate more energy than the males. We are stronger. They think by keeping us, how do the humans say it, barefoot and pregnant, it limits us."

"Does it?"

Newt shook her head. "Quite the contrary. Bearing a child within us, especially a female child, increases the power we can spindle and control twofold or more. A fact the elves took advantage of when they twisted their curses, burning up the last-born generation of demons, including my beloved daughter, in order to create the witches. That is also why I killed my sisters."

"What?" Rachel tried to board that thought train, but it derailed no matter how she looked at it.

"The elves. I know Trenton Aloysius Kalamack is a student of our history. Did he ever express surprise I existed?"

Rachel blinked. "As a matter of fact, he did. I mentioned you once and he said it wasn't possible, that they had killed all the female demons. I always thought it was strange, since Al said you were the one who killed them."

"Yes, with my own two hands, because of the elves. They spun more than one curse, you know. They created you witches; I suspect they had a hand in creating the vampires as well, and their hideous magic convinced me my sisters were responsible for what happened to my daughter and the others. I killed them, because I thought it was the right thing to do. When I realized what I had done, I dosed myself with yew in order to forget. Thousands of years later, I have been doing it so long, it's driven me insane." Newt smirked. "Thing is, I'm not nearly as crazy as everyone thinks I am. I play the fool for Algaliarept, Dallkarackint, and the others, because so long as they think I cannot keep a rational thought in my head they underestimate me."

'Almost makes me proud to be related to her, if I really am.' Rachel took a deep breath. "Look, I've actually enjoyed this talk, which is frankly a little disturbing, but I have to go check on Ivy. She's probably tearing the church apart worried about me, and I know if I stay gone too long she'll find a way into the ever after and do the same thing to it."

Newt nodded. "Ivy Alisha Tamwood is a worthy mate, though she cannot give you children."

"You sound like our mothers." Rachel stepped back. "I'm going." She tapped the line. "Goodbye." She couldn't help smiling at the way the demon waved at her like a child before she slipped into the line and was gone.