Chapter Forty
There was no time to scream. There had barely been time to get the blade Theo had gifted her out. Despite the feeling of teeth in her throat, Danica couldn’t focus on any other feeling that made sense. The buzz of numbness trailed up and down her arms. Her vision tunneled and stretched and narrowed again. Someone was shouting but it sounded muffled, like it was from underwater.
The world began moving a second later when Danica was jerked backward away from the King. The feeling of ripping flesh didn’t even reach her awareness, but she knew it must have happened. His teeth had still been deeply embedded in her neck, his intent to kill her clear. Even beaten, he thought to hurt his son one more time. If Danica could speak, she would have told him what a coward he was, would have laughed at the dagger she’d shoved deep into his chest cavity. But she couldn’t do any of that. Her legs couldn’t even hold her up anymore, a problem fixed by whoever supported her and leaned her back toward the ground. She had a vision of Arden’s strong face concerned and leaning over her, saw Phi grabbing the dagger protruding from the King’s chest and twisted savagely, and then the field of vision narrowed again.
Warmth ran down her neck that she could somehow feel despite everything else. Danica knew she was in trouble. Humans didn’t survive having their necks torn out. They didn’t survive maulings from animals, let alone vampires. After everything, she’d done what she’d come here to do, had won the race for her vampires and the kids, but in the end, she wouldn’t be walking away from it. She’d been prepared for it, had knew it was a possibility, but still, the thought of leaving so soon hurt.
“Danica, hold on.” Phi’s voice, crystal clear for a moment. “I can save you.”
She tried to shake her head and tell him not to bother. There was no going back from this, and she didn’t want to be a vampire. Was that even how vampires were made? She’d never asked.
Arden touched shaking fingers to her chin, tilting her head up so he could look closer at the damage there. Whatever he saw made panic flash across his face that he tried to quickly hide.
Danica tried to focus but her eyes weren’t cooperating like she wanted. When they began to close of their own violation, Arden leaned closer.
“Hold on, little racer. We’ve got you.”
She tried to open her mouth, to tell them how she felt, to ask them to take care of the kids, but nothing came out. Could she even speak with a mutilated throat? How bad was the damage?
Phi leaned over her then, his beautiful white hair charred and tangled. It would grow back, but it made her sad that it had been burned in the first place. Was her own hair singed? She imaged she looked a mess just the same, but all she could think to do was meet Phi’s eyes as her own fought to stay open.
“Hold on, speed racer. Hold on for us. We’re going to save you.”
But Danica’s eyes closed, and everything began to fade. There would be no saving her, not this time. After all, she was only human. She just wished she could tell the two vampires trying to save her that she cared far more than she planned to.
Hold on, Danica. Just hold on.
“It’s too late,” she tried to say, but the blackness took over and she knew no more.
* * *
The moment Danica’seyes closed, and her body went limp, true panic shot through Arden.
“Her pulse is weakening,” he rasped, glancing over her body to where Phi dropped his own blood on her wound. It was gruesome, her neck splayed open wide, pieces missing. It was a wound that couldn’t be healed by the blood of royalty alone. All Phi was doing was prolonging her death, but there was always a need for more time.
“We can save her,” Phi replied stubbornly, despite Danica’s body slumping, despite her beautiful eyes closing. They were going to lose her, after everything. She’d saved them, won the race, revealed the King, killed him, and still, she was going to slip from this world without knowing how he truly felt about the human woman with a heart made of engine parts.
The two Fae stood by, their eyes riveted to Danica’s body, unsure what to do. The Fae were tricksters, had magic no one understood, but even they could not stop death.
The large screens still showed them, still televised everything that was happening. The entire supernatural world had watched the King attack a human woman, had watched as she’d sunk a dagger that was enchanted into his chest, had saw Phi finish the job as was his right as the heir. The world would be in an upheaval. Debates would be had, and Phi would have to face them all as the heir to the throne. Danica needed to be there to see it. She needed to see what she’d done.
Arden tilted his head down to her forehead, touching gently, breathing deeply the scent of metallic blood. “Dani, hang on for me,” Arden whispered. “I need you. We need you.”
“Well wishes and determination aren’t enough to save her.”
Arden jerked up at the voice, his body tensing at the power that suddenly sizzled over his skin. Theo stood before them, his body relaxed as he watched Danica closely.
“What are you doing here?” Phi growled and then realized who he spoke to. Still, he didn’t apologize. There were more important things currently.
“I like Ms. Danica Dyers,” Theo shrugged. “As far as humans go, she’s not half bad. Personally, I don’t want her to die.” He pulled something from his coat pocket. “Pour this over the wound.”
Phi and Arden froze, staring at the magic that would likely save the woman they both cared for.
“What will it cost us?” Arden asked. Nothing was ever free, not in their world, and Theo was notorious for twisting conditions. You didn’t become the most powerful wizard in the North without being ruthless.
“Friendship. When the time comes to dismantle the corrupt system of our world, I only ask you do the right thing, but I have a feeling, a certain woman will do so no matter what.” Theo eyed Danica’s slowly rising chest. “There are few mortals in this world as strong as Danica. I suggest giving her this to prevent such a rarity from fading completely.”
Arden grabbed the small, wrapped bundle from Theo’s hands. There was no zing of a deal made, but even if there had been, Arden would have gladly made it. He passed the bundle to Phi, who quickly unwrapped it and dumped the bundled materials across the wound in Danica neck. The rawness shone with magic for a moment before the flesh began to knit itself back together slowly.
Theo smiled at the sight and turned to disappear.
“Why?” Arden asked, and the wizard paused. “Why help her?”
Theo looked over his shoulder. “Because this world needs people like her, no matter their species. Because the world has long been allowed to be ruled by those weaker than the likes of her. One day, she’ll stand at the forefront of a revolution and face evil without fear. That kind of power isn’t made, it’s born. Her ancestors strengthen her blood. Their love allows her to face the world without fear. And now that she has the two of you, nothing will stop her.” Theo tipped his head in a nod. “I look forward to seeing the three of you soon. Danica promised to work on a car for me.”
And then the Wizard of the North disappeared in a puff of smoke, just as Danica’s heartbeat strengthened and her mutilated throat stitched itself together completely.
“Thank you,” Arden said into the air, just in case the wizard was still listening. It was never smart to be rude to the man. “Thank you.”