Karizma: Reborn

Chapter 28: Lukas

Lukas was leaning against the wall in Bailey's house with his arms crossed over his chest. Ryleigh and Bailey were sitting on the bed in the room, and Jackson was standing beside the bed. Lukas' wolf was on edge with the conversation that was about to take place. Since Kristopher had been taken, the next step was going to be Ryleigh offering herself to Naomi in exchange for Kristopher's life. Lukas and his wolf both despised this idea, especially since it endangered their child, but he owed Kristopher everything. And Ryleigh can handle herself. No other witch, to his knowledge, had been able to manifest magic into a physical form.

"You know what we need to do next," Ryleigh said softly.

"It doesn't mean that I like it," Lukas grumbled.

"What happens next?" Jackson asked.

"I need to bring Kristopher back," Ryleigh said to Jackson. "And she won't return Kristopher out of the goodness of her heart. We need to make a trade."

"What does she want more than Kristopher?" Jackson asked.

"A Karizma," Bailey responded quietly.

"You can't be serious," Jackson stated. "Ryleigh, you're a pregnant Luna. You can't—"

"Jackson, please," Lukas interrupted. "You will have that conversation until you're blue in the face. The short end of it is that she is the strongest entity on the planet. There is a war coming. We cannot keep her in the dark. We have to use her in this war, or there may not be a planet left to live on."

"Trading myself not only brings back an innocent vampire but gives us a way into their operation. I can end the war from the inside," Ryleigh said.

"Are you sure about that?" Bailey asked. Lukas raised an eyebrow at her curiously. "Riles, you're the one that got away," Bailey continued. "Kristopher's death would have been public. If she's trading you for him, do you really think that your death would be private?"

"She would want to feed on me for as long as possible," Ryleigh argued.

"Bailey may be right, though," Lukas added. "The vampires are already building their army for this war. Maybe before the army was built, she would have drawn out your death, but now? Drawing out your death does no good for their overall goal. She would probably just kill you right away and be done."

"You will need to kill her at that meeting," Jackson nodded. "The second that you are with her, you will need to kill her. There is no waiting anymore."

Ryleigh inhaled sharply. Lukas felt fear and anxiety running through her veins. Killing Naomi immediately was not part of Ryleigh's plan. Lukas knew that she had assumed that she would have more time than the meeting with Kristopher, but not anymore. The last of the Karizmas would be killed publicly before the war started, not in private. The war is their endgame, they will not stray from it now.

"Whatever it takes," Ryleigh said finally. "I owe Kristopher my life, and we need to end this war before it starts. I can kill her. I know it."

"Good," Lukas nodded. "Now we need to determine where we want this meeting to take place. If your death is to be a public event, she will not come alone."

"I can at least get her to meet alone," Ryleigh said. "To guarantee Kristopher's safety. Her and I can meet alone, and then she can do what she wishes to me."

"What she thinks that she can do to you," Bailey clarified. "You're killing her before the end of that meeting."

"Regardless, the meeting place needs to be isolated," Lukas said. "Whether you meet with her in private or public makes no difference. Two of the strongest witches on the planet are going to fight. We cannot have this meeting near casualties."