Amaranth

The City of Katalina is as lovely as I remember, perhaps, after all, is done and said I can return for a day or two. Thanks to my memories we don't waste time going to the fight club but instead, head for Amaranth's home.

Four Vamps guard the estate one on each side of the house. Fie sends out a wave of dark flame leaving nothing but ash.

"Show off," I say, landing on the roof as light as a cat, he gives me a crooked grin as he sends shadows into the estate.

"He's always been that way," Roan says as he fastens his mask on.

Luna and the others should be with Maya by now, once she has her distracted, we will swoop in and save my sister.

The moment Fie gives the signal we descend into the estate. The Vamps inside aren't fast enough for Fie's shadows or my blades.

"The Red Death," someone whispers as I decapitate a Vampire. Zinia rushes into the room it seems she hasn't done my sister's skin yet. She aims for Roan who moves with the grace of a dancer and the speed of a jaguar.

The curved sword he uses pierces through Zinia's heart, for a moment her face is stuck in a state of shock, but then as if kissed by flame her skin glows like hot embers until nothing but ash remains.

"What is the meaning of this?" Andreas's booming voice would scare most, but I am not most. The Vampire Lord stands head held high, a smug smile on his crocked face. Some of Maya's shifters descend from the stairs if only he knew they no longer serve him.

"Tell me, in what way have I offended the Red Death?" Andreas asks. Mimicking the gracefulness of Roan's movements calculating each step until I'm face to face with the monster who took my sister from me, time and time again. I lower my crimson hood, snow-white hair cascading from my bun as I pull the hair stick daggers from my hair, the poisoned tips shimmer in the candlelight.

"I could tell you," I say, running the delicate dagger across Andreas's face, "but would your feeble mind comprehend," the poison seers where it falls and yet he does not move. If only he knew what kind of poison this is, that smug look would be wiped from his face, "bring Amaranth to me."

Andreas tries to speak, but it's as if the words won't come, one of Maya's shifters takes a step back and heads down the hall.

"Don't worry Andreas," I take a step until his back is pressed to my chest, "I won't be the one to kill you." Without a second thought I push him off the stairs, he tumbles down landing at Fie's feet. Fie lifts one booted foot and presses it into Andreas's throat.

"Is this who you asked for?" the shifter holds Amaranth's limp form in his arms. I take my sister from him and descend into the foyer, I set her down on the cushioned bench and remove my glove.

Her skin is so pale, as if devoid of life, I press my wrist against her fangs until ruby drops start to fall, one by one until it turns into a stream. Amaranth's mouth clasps onto my wrist until her eyes flutter open, the fear and horror not just in her eyes but scent.

"It's alright," I say, "how else would you survive?"

Amaranth sits up, her eyes search wildly for what I don't know, but the moment they land on Andreas she lets out a screeching howl. Within a flash, she's got him in her claws.

"I wouldn't drink his blood if I were you," Roan says stopping my sister from tearing Andreas's throat with her fangs, "your sister used a very rare poison."

"What makes it rare?" Amaranth's voice is hoarse from dehydration.

"The creation process would kill most," Fie says, "yet somehow she's managed to alter it."

"I would hurry if I were you," I say, "soon it'll be too late for your revenge," in truth I didn't alter it, I only learned by accident that the smallest those, when combined with shadow poison, could give a slow and painful death.

Amaranth breaks of the wooden legs of a side table and plunges one into Andreas's abdomen, then the second leg goes into his back, the third into his calf and the fourth into his heart. Andreas's skin starts to glow just like Zinia's did and then only ash remains.

"Who let these damned shifters into my home," Amaranth's eyes glow the hunger making her irrationally dangerous.

I pull my mask off and lower the black material covering my face, "The thing you once called a Sire struck a deal with Maya," I say, just as Luna and the pack emerge from the shadows. A bloody Maya hangs between Bastian and Jing, her breaths come out jagged when she lifts her head the blood that's caked over her neck and lips starts to crack causing a fresh flow of blood.

"You took her immortality," one of Maya's shifters rushes over only to run face-first into a wall of darkness.

"Such is the price for her betrayal," Fie says, "do you know, she only exists because our Elders got her Ancestor out of the Nether Realm."

"Maya is a disgrace to Katalina's bloodline," Luna says, "her loyalties are to the Dark Realm since she chose to help an enemy of the Dark Realm and Realm of Assassins her sentence is the loss of immortality. Anyone who tries to turn her will automatically suffer the same fate."

"You don't have a say here," another shifter moves towards us wavy black hair moving with each step.

"Jack," he halts eyes darting towards me, "I know where Mia is, as did Maya," that last bit was just a wild guess but as Maya's eyes fill with pleading panic, I know I'm right.

Jackson hesitates long enough for Poppy to tumble in with Sorrel and Somin by her side. I guess Anastacia made it to the Assassins Realm on time.

"See," I say, "Jack meet Poppy or should I say, Mia."