Bianca’s smile became almost serpentine. “You tell me.”

“Where’s my grandmother and my cousin?” Amaliya demanded.

The lithe girl in the stained white dress swayed on her feet, smiling. “Tell me, Amaliya.”

“Where is my family?” Amaliya shouted at Bianca.

Bianca licked her lips. “Dead.”

With a scream of anger, Amaliya hurled herself at the young woman. She instantly realized it was a mistake. Bianca caught her, a triumphant smile on her face. “Always making mistakes. Always self-destructing. Tell me, Amaliya, what does death taste like?” Bianca crushed her lips against Amaliya's.

Instantly, Amaliya was flooded with the darkest of magicks. It filled her up and battered against her own power. It tried to overwhelm her mind and drag her into the abyss. Her body sang with need: the need for blood, the need for death, and the need for sex. Teetering on the edge of madness, hunger, and pleasure, Amaliya clutched Bianca to her. Their kiss was savage, full of hate, desire, and nameless darkest needs.

Amaliya wanted to drown in Bianca's power and rise again as her darkest bride.

No, as his darkest bride.

With a scream of rage, Amaliya hurled Bianca from her. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she swayed on her feet. She briefly caught sight of Cian, held back by Cassandra and Eduardo. Understanding filled his horrified gaze.

Laughing, Bianca languidly licked her lips.

“How?” Amaliya gasped. “How?”

“Do you think I would die so easily? Did you think I would not find a way back from beyond the veil?” Bianca scoffed at her.

“The Summoner,” Cassandra gasped.

“Yes,” Rachon admitted. “It's him. Or a part of him.”

Bianca reached for Amaliya again, but she ducked away. “Come now, my delectable little necromancer. I have grand plans for you.”

“Leave her be,” Cian ordered, his voice ragged with hate and rage.

Twirling around to face Cian, Bianca narrowed her gaze. “I need to kill you. You don't amuse me anymore, Cian.”

“Fuck you,” Cian answered.

“You had so much potential, you know, to be my perfect offspring, but you could never quite shake off your mortality.” Bianca tapped her foot on the ground. “Your adoration for the mortals is always your undoing.”

“He's going to kill all of us,” Rachon said. “He's toying with us. Another game.”

Bianca lifted her chin, her eyes amused. “Possibly.”

Amaliya drew her silver blade. “I say we put him down so he never rises.”

Lowering her head, Bianca frowned. “Really now?”

The dead broke free from their silent stances and surged toward Cian and the others. Amaliya uncoiled her power, her eyes flashing white as her own army of the dead rose out of the ground. Her dead blocked Bianca's minions.

“This is between you and me,” Amaliya said in a grim voice. “Let the others go and face me.”

“Do you really believe you can best me twice?” Bianca's voice was mocking and cold.

“Yes, I do, bitch,” Amaliya answered.

Cassandra attacked in that instant, blades flashing. Bianca darted out from beneath the swinging daggers, easily evading Cassandra's assault. Ducking out from under what should have been a lethal swipe, Bianca smashed her fist into Cassandra's stomach, sending the woman crashing through a headstone.

Cian leaped at Bianca while Eduardo charged her on the ground. Amaliya surged forward, but a deft kick from Bianca sent Eduardo crashing into Amaliya, toppling them both to the ground. Pushing herself up with her hands, Amaliya saw Bianca pluck Cian out of the air and slam him into the ground. Lifting her hand, Bianca hissed. Before she could deliver a killing blow, Rachon hurled a broken headstone at Bianca's head. The girl glanced up just as it struck, toppling her over.

“Cian!” Amaliya cried out, racing toward him.

Bianca rolled to her feet and caught Amaliya before she could reach Cian. Sharp teeth flashing, Bianca grinned. “Still attached to my wayward son, are we?” Bianca crushed Amaliya against her, fingers tangled in Amaliya's hair, drawing her head back and bearing her throat, holding her hostage. “Now, now, we must rid you of that bad habit.”

Amaliya was vaguely aware of the two vampires and the coyote circling them, seeking a moment to attack again. Bianca's glowing eyes tracked the beings waiting to pounce. Amaliya felt The Summoner’s power still pressing against her, trying to ensnare her.

“You and I will bring this world to its knees,” Bianca promised.

“I'd rather die.” Amaliya spat, then drove the dagger she had hidden in her hand into the chest of the girl.

Bianca gasped, releasing Amaliya.

Amaliya smiled triumphantly. “Told you I would kill you again.” She waited for the vampire to fall, so she could slice off her head. A silver dagger through the heart would incapacitate her.

But Bianca didn’t fall. Staring down at the silver dagger protruding from her heart, Bianca frowned. “When will you ever learn?” Taking hold of the hilt, the girl dragged the dagger free.

“No!” Rachon gasped.

Amaliya gaped in horror when Bianca tossed away the dagger.

It was then that Pete stood up from behind a mausoleum and took aim at Bianca's head. Amaliya gasped as Pete's finger started to press the trigger.

A shadow abruptly unfurled from a nearby headstone and struck Pete from behind. The gun fell from his grasp before Pete tumbled over, a cry of agony issuing from his lips. The dark shape slid over his body then rose up to the height of a person. As though she was shrugging off a cloak, Etzli stepped out of the darkness and stood before them.

“Stop playing games and do what we planned,” Etzli said sharply to Bianca.

With a smile, Bianca answered, “I think you're correct.”

Then all the graves opened and the world was filled with death.

Samantha knelt beside the small broken form at the base of a tree. Face down in the dry leaves, Innocente's body was still, silent, and empty. Samantha could feel that the essence of the woman was now gone, leaving only a shell.

“Oh, no,” she whispered.

The male ghost hovered over Samantha. “It's all going to be all right.”

Tears in her eyes, Samantha vehemently shook her head. “No, it’s not. This is not all right.”

“Don't argue with your elders,” Innocente's voice chided her.

Startled, Samantha whipped around and fell on her butt. Innocente was standing behind her. Like the other ghost, she was luminescent, standing out sharply in the darkness.

“Innocente!” Samantha gasped.

“Samantha, you need to help Amaliya,” Innocente said firmly.

“How?” Samantha gaped at the apparition of the woman with both relief and sadness.

“You’re joined together. Her blood made you what you are. You can reach out to her and help her.”

“I don't understand.”

“Your magic will help her understand her own,” Innocente insisted. Her form was growing hazy, but her voice was clear. “Amaliya cannot fight The Summoner by herself. She needs you!”

“But he's dead!”

“No, he's still among you. Just in a different form. Amaliya needs you, Samantha.” Innocente bent over to rest her hand on Samantha's head. “You can do it.”

As abruptly as she had appeared, Innocente was gone, along with the other mysterious ghost.

Sitting next to Innocente's body, Samantha wiped her tears with grimy hands. Afraid, but determined, Samantha closed her eyes. “Connected, huh?” With her eyes shut, it was easier for her to feel her own power tucked within her body. It stirred as Samantha mentally probed for any sense of a connection with Amaliya. The harder she concentrated, the clearer she saw in her mind's eye the pulsing power that linked her to the phantoms of the world. Within the miasma of silvery-gray power, she saw a darker thread interwoven with her own.

“There you are,” she whispered.

In her mind, she gripped it tightly, focusing all her energy on that one thread. “Amaliya,” she whispered aloud and in her mind.

There was no answer.

Forcefully directing everything within her on that one dark thread of power, Samantha again called out to Amaliya.

This time, she felt an answer. It was wordless, but she knew it was Amaliya.

“I need to help you,” Samantha said. “I need to help you fight him.”

Fear, rage, and sorrow filled the connection between them, but she could feel Amaliya's power surging through the link.

“Just hold on and I'll be right there,” Samantha said.

The boiling power of Amaliya's necromancy poured through the bond, making Samantha gasp. “I'll be right there, I prom-”

Samantha didn't get out another word for the ground swallowed her and she vanished.

Chapter 26

Amaliya was knocked off her feet as the ground beneath her exploded. Dirt, rocks, and chunks of the headstones hurled through the air. She fell into an empty grave as the dead rose in one great wave. Over two hundred stood before Bianca and Etzli.