Liam smiled as Faris’s thoughts flowed over him. But that wasn’t what caught his attention. Around them, the sky was lightening.

He tensed and looked at Berget. She shook her head, but her eyes were scared. “We can’t let her go.”

“I know,” he said softly, reaching out and taking her hand. “Faris, you understand what this means?”

The vampire let out a sigh. That we’re both idiots, willing to die for her.

Liam couldn’t help the smile that curved his lips. “That’s love, my friend.”

Faris startled. Friend.

“What would you call us?”

More like brothers at this point. The vampire grunted. Liam couldn’t argue. He looked past the circle of unicorns to the sky. The faintest hint of pink tinged the lower horizon in the east. Liam wasn’t terribly worried. A strange sense of peace flowed over him. He’d left her once and found her again, and he had to believe this wasn’t the end for them.

What fear Faris had eased at the thought. Yes, I think you’re right. We won’t lose her.

Their bond was too strong. He swallowed hard and turned his head, inadvertently catching Lark’s eye. She stared at him, then her head snapped around to the horizon.

“Marco! Get the blackout curtains, something, anything to cover the vamps!”

The remaining Harpy let out a shriek of acknowledgement, but already Liam could feel his skin heating up.

“Berget.” Lark shifted and pretty much laid on top of the smaller vampire. Berget curled up under her, but didn’t take her hands from her sister. None of them could, not as long as Rylee was still fighting to end it.

“Faris, can you open the Veil?” Doran asked, his green eyes swirling with ideas.

Liam shook his head. “No. Not without taking my hands from her.”

The others threw out idea after idea, but Liam already knew the outcome.

And so did Faris.

The sun slid upward and the first rays hit him hard, like being dipped in burning oil.

He bit down on the scream that roared up his throat. Around him the clatter of voices, the whoosh of wings, the scream for him to get under cover.

Too late, seconds and inches too late. Faris breathed through him, a peace that the vampire hadn’t known for hundreds of years and his voice broke on his final words.

“To live for love is a blessing, but to die for love? I see, now, to die for love is an honor.”

CHAPTER 54

RYLEE

THE BLACK VEIL, the seventh Veil and the only thing between the world and the demons at the moment, sucked me in with a rather large belch. I stood in front of Orion, seeing the glow of his aura around his body for the first time. It wasn’t black, but a bright pulsing silver that beat in time with his heart. I looked down at myself. A dim thread of gold ran around my body, also beating in time with my heart.

“You see, you aren’t strong enough.” Orion laughed, stalking toward me. He grabbed my hands and linked our fingers together before I could jerk away from him. I stilled my initial instinct to fight him and locked my fingers around his. His grip was dry and cold, and he squeezed until my knuckles popped, forcing me to one knee.

I shook my head. “No, I’m not strong enough; you’re right.”

His eyes widened. “You admit it?”

Slowly, I lifted my eyes to his. “Not on my own, I’m not.” Around me the flicker of spirits whispered. Lark, Pamela, Berget, Doran, Eve, Ophelia, Charlie, Will, India.

Liam and Faris.

Alex.

They were indistinct and yet their strength fed mine. The pulsing band of gold grew around me until it was three times the size of Orion’s.

He snarled, “That is not fair.”

“All’s fair in love and war, asshole,” I bit out, using the strength they gave me to stand and push Orion to his knees. Around me, the Veil flickered, and I saw it for the first time. It was built of threads, not unlike those I Tracked for a salvage.

Using my ability, I Tracked the Veil, and the world around me opened like a map unfolding. Each piece of the Veil lay out in front of me as simply as a drawing. I let go of one of Orion’s hands so I could run my fingers through the threads around me, plucking at them like a harp. They were all intertwined, but I could fix that.

But that would mean letting go of Orion completely and exposing myself to him.

I swallowed hard, and unlinked our fingers. He leapt toward me, and I braced myself. But the blow never came.

A black, furred figure slammed into him. “No hurts Ryleeeeeeeeeee!”

“Alex, no!”

He glanced back at me, golden eyes glowing in the darkness. “I gots it, boss. You take care of the Veil.”

Shaking, I watched with my mouth hanging open as Alex dodged Orion’s blows while driving him farther from me. Did that mean Alex had died on the other side?

Between Alex and me ran a gold thread—the bond between us. His heart beat in time with mine; a steady pulse that reverberated his strength and love through me.

I lifted my hands and closed my eyes, seeing the Veil. As quickly as I could, I pulled the threads apart, untangling them from one another. Those that went to the first six levels, I left alone, smoothing them out. They were needed. There was still a place for them in the world.

Alex let out a howl that was cut off as quickly as it started. Tears slipped down my face as I grasped the threads of the seventh Veil and began to tie it off. Knot after knot, I tightened the threads in on themselves, over and over again. The bundle of threads vibrated in my hands and I stared at it, knowing I wasn’t quite done. There was one thing left to finalize this sealing of the Veil.