The Warrior Vampire(100)

Manny was quiet in the backseat beside Luz. He was the most at risk in this endeavor. Being human was a definite disadvantage. Among the three of them, however, Naya was confident that they could keep him safe.

“Here’s how it’s going to go down,” Naya said as she drove. “Manny, it needs to look like you’re alone, so you’ll go out first. But we’re going to be close and Ronan is faster than any of us. The mapinguari won’t get the chance to latch on to you.”

“I’m not worried.” The words belied the quaver in his voice. “I trust you, Naya.”

The air was thick with tension as everyone filed out of the car at the Mill Creek Campground ten minutes later. Naya handed Manny a short dagger that wouldn’t do much in a fight but might distract the mapinguari if need be. He took a steadying breath and gave Naya a shaky smile. “Well, looks like I can cross ‘act as demon bait’ off of my bucket list.”

He was the bravest human she knew. Not many others would put themselves on the line like this. “I’ve got your back,” Naya said. “We all do.”

“I’ll run point,” Luz announced. She was noticeably wound up, and the music of her magic played at a frenzied clip. Naya had always suspected that Luz’s feelings for Manuel were a little more than friendly. This confirmed it. It also made for a complication.

“No. You’re too emotional.” This wasn’t a seek and destroy mission. They needed to contain the mapinguari and use it to lead them to whoever was creating demons. If Luz let her fear and feelings for Manny rule her, she’d kill first and ask questions later in an effort to protect him.

“Bullshit,” Luz argued. “I’m not the one who almost got it on in the middle of a scrying ritual.”

Low blow, but Naya was willing to let it slide. Luz was worried about Manny, and Naya felt the same way about Ronan. Which was why she was willing to use Manny as bait in order to track down the source of the dark magic. But that didn’t mean she was going to give her cousin her way. “No, Luz. This is my responsibility. I’ll run point. You flank the path that leads to the trailhead. It’ll give you a straight shot to Manny if this goes bad.”

Luz’s gaze bored through her. “You drank vamp boy’s blood,” she said after a quiet moment. “What did it do to your magia?”

“Supercharged,” Naya admitted. “Like the Red Bull of magic.”

“Good,” Luz said. “You’re going to need it. Come on, Manuel, you gorgeous hunk of man meat, let’s get going.”

Even overcome with worry, Luz was able to keep things light. Naya wished she could do the same.

“Are you ready for this?”

Ronan’s breath was warm in her ear. His presence at her back was a welcome comfort, and Naya fought the urge to lean into his chest and guide his arms around her. Right now she needed to be hard. Tough and emotionless. She wasn’t going to be any good to anyone if she let her more tender emotions get the better of her. “We’ve only got one shot at this. There’s no room for mistakes. Just remember, don’t kill it. I need to find the source and that won’t happen if we extinguish the dark magic.”

“Naya, I need you to know—”

“Don’t, Ronan.” She refused to look at him. If she saw the emotion undoubtedly shining in his eyes, it would undo her. “We’ll talk after.”

“There might not be an after.”

How could he say that? She whipped around to face him, this time fueled by anger and frustration. “You don’t get to say that.” Her voice was nothing more than an angry hiss. “I’m doing this for you. For us. I’m going to rid that poison from your body and then we’re going to find Chelle.”

“You said it yourself, Naya. This magic, it needs to feed. I can feel it rising up in me, and my thirst for blood is nothing in comparison to the hunger of this darkness that’s eating me alive. If it comes down to it, I want you to kill me. Do you understand? Don’t hesitate. And when it’s done I want you to get the hell out of this town. Go to L.A. and find Jenner. He’ll know what’s happened and he’ll protect you.”

A sob worked its way up Naya’s throat, but she forced it down to the soles of her feet. Damn it, why was Ronan doing this to her now? It wasn’t fair of him to force the reality of their situation in her face when she was trying to keep a freaking optimistic outlook. She hadn’t wanted to admit it to anyone, not even herself, but Naya knew that their odds were bleak. The mapinguari were stronger than any she’d ever faced.