Everlasting: Sacrifice
-1-
The front of City Hall was lit with flood lights during the night, so the dark, granite stone gargoyle dumped the semi-conscious sinner around the back of the white, three story building. He slapped the murderer with a sharp-clawed hand, then stood with arms crossed as the man roused himself back to a conscious state.
The dark-haired man—only in his early 40s—shook his head and groggily gazed around. His tear-reddened eyes shot open as he beheld the monster looming in front of him. He scrambled fearfully backward. The wall of the building halted his progress, and the frightened man held up his hands to ward off the creature.
The man's expensive suit was now filthy. He had fallen to the asphalt in the alley earlier during his grief-stricken revelation at the murder of his children by his own killing hands. He had prostrated himself before the monster that had brought these memories flooding back into his mind and soul, so repentant and ashamed did he feel for the evil deeds and deliberately lying to get away with his horrific act. It was then he understood that he deserved to die. The lawyer remembered the cold feeling of the creature's hands on his head as it had granted some sort of “curse of absolution” to him in a surprisingly soothing voice. He vividly remembered the release from his sin as if a great weight had been lifted off him, and then the desire to be a better person after this ultimate forgiveness.
That was when the creature who resembled a gargoyle, the lawyer's intelligent brain interjected, had scooped him up in his large, stone arms as if he were a child. The terror the man felt had overcome his senses, and he'd fallen into semi-consciousness during the flight through the night sky.
“No, no!” the repentant man cried out, nothing like the high-powered, New Bellwich attorney that was his normal persona. “I was forgiven, you absolved me! I heard you,” the man first shouted, then whispered, shaking with fear.
The seven-foot gargoyle of dark, living stone, squatted down before the cowering sinner. His clawed hands hung between his knees. His great, leathery wings were folded against his broad back; however, they were still massive and imposing. The emotions the gargoyle had eaten during the encounter had faded already, and a vast emptiness was quickly flooding his soul. He retained only the barest lingering of the raw, delicious power of murder. Soon all the feelings would be gone, but he would be fed once again...and one step closer to the Horrification and his own death.
“You were forgiven,” the gargoyle agreed solemnly in a deep voice. “I took on your greatest sin for you, to cleanse you. But it has been decided that you must pay penance, and your purification will be at my hand.”
As the man began to scream, the gargoyle gripped the throat of the man and plunged his deadly claws inward. The screams were cut off abruptly in a gurgling, choking sound as the sinner's throat collapsed in on itself. Blood gushed and spurted where the claws punctured inward, reddening the expensive white shirt. The lawyer slumped to one side in a just execution.
With his own dark finger, the gargoyle wrote a bloody message to the city's law enforcement. When the sun rose the next day the message would reveal, “I killed my own children. I was guilty.” The gargoyle underlined the word 'was'.
After wiping his hand on the dead man's suit, the gargoyle extended his leathery wings and took flight into the moonlit, August sky. Remaining high enough to blend in with the wispy, gray clouds, the stone creature flew away from Uptown to his meeting in the French Quarter of the city. He'd get there faster by flying in gargoyle form. He was almost late already.
The dark-haired man—only in his early 40s—shook his head and groggily gazed around. His tear-reddened eyes shot open as he beheld the monster looming in front of him. He scrambled fearfully backward. The wall of the building halted his progress, and the frightened man held up his hands to ward off the creature.
The man's expensive suit was now filthy. He had fallen to the asphalt in the alley earlier during his grief-stricken revelation at the murder of his children by his own killing hands. He had prostrated himself before the monster that had brought these memories flooding back into his mind and soul, so repentant and ashamed did he feel for the evil deeds and deliberately lying to get away with his horrific act. It was then he understood that he deserved to die. The lawyer remembered the cold feeling of the creature's hands on his head as it had granted some sort of “curse of absolution” to him in a surprisingly soothing voice. He vividly remembered the release from his sin as if a great weight had been lifted off him, and then the desire to be a better person after this ultimate forgiveness.
That was when the creature who resembled a gargoyle, the lawyer's intelligent brain interjected, had scooped him up in his large, stone arms as if he were a child. The terror the man felt had overcome his senses, and he'd fallen into semi-consciousness during the flight through the night sky.
“No, no!” the repentant man cried out, nothing like the high-powered, New Bellwich attorney that was his normal persona. “I was forgiven, you absolved me! I heard you,” the man first shouted, then whispered, shaking with fear.
The seven-foot gargoyle of dark, living stone, squatted down before the cowering sinner. His clawed hands hung between his knees. His great, leathery wings were folded against his broad back; however, they were still massive and imposing. The emotions the gargoyle had eaten during the encounter had faded already, and a vast emptiness was quickly flooding his soul. He retained only the barest lingering of the raw, delicious power of murder. Soon all the feelings would be gone, but he would be fed once again...and one step closer to the Horrification and his own death.
“You were forgiven,” the gargoyle agreed solemnly in a deep voice. “I took on your greatest sin for you, to cleanse you. But it has been decided that you must pay penance, and your purification will be at my hand.”
As the man began to scream, the gargoyle gripped the throat of the man and plunged his deadly claws inward. The screams were cut off abruptly in a gurgling, choking sound as the sinner's throat collapsed in on itself. Blood gushed and spurted where the claws punctured inward, reddening the expensive white shirt. The lawyer slumped to one side in a just execution.
With his own dark finger, the gargoyle wrote a bloody message to the city's law enforcement. When the sun rose the next day the message would reveal, “I killed my own children. I was guilty.” The gargoyle underlined the word 'was'.
After wiping his hand on the dead man's suit, the gargoyle extended his leathery wings and took flight into the moonlit, August sky. Remaining high enough to blend in with the wispy, gray clouds, the stone creature flew away from Uptown to his meeting in the French Quarter of the city. He'd get there faster by flying in gargoyle form. He was almost late already.
-2-
Kira stared out from the driver's window of her car. She was parked across the street from a three story, brick apartment complex. The windows were covered with what seemed like heavy, black curtains. Without light shining through the windows and the whole building sheltered by the night's shadows, the effect was both frightening and lifeless. The balconies hung heavy with plants growing thickly toward the street, green cascading over metal railings; while ivy crept upward from the ground. Surrounding and protecting the building was a high, black metal fence. Kira craned her neck to see further up to the flat roof There was another protective railing encircling the top of the building. From Ryan's earlier description guards were posted on the roof.
Kira took in a calming breath, at least it was supposed to have that effect. Mostly she held her breath too long and ended up exhaling sharply. She had no desire to leave the safety of her car on this Friday night. The Mustang sat silent on the nearly empty street of the French Quarter.
Just past a full August moon, one month after she'd come to live with Ryan Laurent, Kira found herself back where she'd begun this part of her life.
Only this time she wasn't living on the streets. She was merely parked there.
Kira knew that most of the block where the sightless, brick building loomed was owned by a vampire coven of the Tantalusi bloodline. This half of the block housed their adyta, their meeting house, while a second building on the far side held a nightclub for vampires and unsuspecting mortals.
Much had changed for Kira over the past month, not the least of which was her acceptance of the immortals and the Secret World. Ryan had emphasized she “know her enemies, recognize her friends, and realize which friends were likely to betray her,” so lessons on the immortal races, or gentes...'JEN-tays', Ryan had pronounced the strange word...had been taught by Ryan himself, Na'ethal, and several other eldritch that Kira had grown to know. There was also the feeling that the nearly amazing physical transformation of her body was a preparation for war...and it felt “right”. Perhaps she had been doing just that. Although still slim, she was stronger, capable of fighting and using firearms, less afraid of everything, and more at peace with herself.
But the dark-haired young woman was frightened, too. Kira wanted to help the immortals and her own kind, the humans. No one deserved to die...except the demons. But did she want to be a Death Knell soldier in the fight against demons? Not particularly. It certainly wasn't her life's dream by any means. But she seemed to continue moving in that direction regardless of her own reluctance.
Kira took in a calming breath, at least it was supposed to have that effect. Mostly she held her breath too long and ended up exhaling sharply. She had no desire to leave the safety of her car on this Friday night. The Mustang sat silent on the nearly empty street of the French Quarter.
Just past a full August moon, one month after she'd come to live with Ryan Laurent, Kira found herself back where she'd begun this part of her life.
Only this time she wasn't living on the streets. She was merely parked there.
Kira knew that most of the block where the sightless, brick building loomed was owned by a vampire coven of the Tantalusi bloodline. This half of the block housed their adyta, their meeting house, while a second building on the far side held a nightclub for vampires and unsuspecting mortals.
Much had changed for Kira over the past month, not the least of which was her acceptance of the immortals and the Secret World. Ryan had emphasized she “know her enemies, recognize her friends, and realize which friends were likely to betray her,” so lessons on the immortal races, or gentes...'JEN-tays', Ryan had pronounced the strange word...had been taught by Ryan himself, Na'ethal, and several other eldritch that Kira had grown to know. There was also the feeling that the nearly amazing physical transformation of her body was a preparation for war...and it felt “right”. Perhaps she had been doing just that. Although still slim, she was stronger, capable of fighting and using firearms, less afraid of everything, and more at peace with herself.
But the dark-haired young woman was frightened, too. Kira wanted to help the immortals and her own kind, the humans. No one deserved to die...except the demons. But did she want to be a Death Knell soldier in the fight against demons? Not particularly. It certainly wasn't her life's dream by any means. But she seemed to continue moving in that direction regardless of her own reluctance.
-3-
Finally Kira exited her car. Surely he would arrive soon, she thought, glancing at her simple leather watch under one of the glaring street lights. Kira crossed the empty street and wondered which direction was the entrance to the complex. She could hear the faint sounds of music drifting from the south, from the direction of the river. Kira guessed that would be where the club was located.
Suddenly a dull thud and a whispering sound behind her startled Kira into whirling around, her heart picking up speed and thumping against her chest. A enormously tall, dark stone gargoyle had landed directly behind her. He was folding his bat-like, leathery wings against his back. Kira gasped unintentionally as she gazed upward. Her traveling eyes rested a moment on the large, clawed hands. She hadn't seen Ryan in his gargoyle form since the fight with the djinnee, and it took her by surprise to witness the creature less than an arm's length away. He appeared menacing and frightening even though Kira knew she would come to no harm.
“Crap!” Kira whispered. “You scared me. I thought we agreed not to sneak up on me,” she said to lighten the mood.
Kira saw no sign of Ryan in the stony gray eyes that she knew could glow red, nor did she see his likeness in the expressionless features.
“Ryan?” she asked hesitantly, wondering if she'd made a fatal mistake in recognition. Were the shadows of the night playing tricks on her?
But as if by magic...or magick, actually, celestine magick to be precise...the gargoyle began to transform back into Ryan's simulacrum form. Kira couldn't help but blink at the bizarre merging of the two forms. By the time she opened her eyes mere seconds later, he stood staring at her for a long moment, quiet and solemn. Even though sadness was an emotion, and Ryan supposedly felt no emotions...or so Kira hoped, otherwise it meant the road to evil for a gargoyle...she could have sworn she saw sadness in his now blue eyes.
But she didn't. Ryan was experiencing the aftereffects of sin-eating and the rush of emotions he'd felt that were once again lost to him. He had regained control of himself internally, allowing the good celestine spirit that he truly was to come forth and inhabit his simulacrum. Ryan watched Kira for a moment, seeing the previously lost and confused young woman he'd found who now stood before him looking more confident and strong. She wore jeans, a simple top, a sleeveless jean vest, and heavy brown boots. He had allowed her to bring her gun, hidden in its holster under her vest, but had warned her all weapons would be confiscated for the time they were with the vampires. Ryan's own police issued gun was in his holster, and his detective's badge in his front pocket.
“Are you scared?” he asked quietly, referring to more than just his startling arrival. “You mustn't show fear when meeting the Eldritch Council of the city. They are all immortals and will sense it. You need to be respectful, but not fearful. Although they...we...attempt to protect our city from demons and the Death Knell, they...we...also fight amongst each other. And no immortal is above their own form of evil,” he cautioned.
Ryan began to lead her around the corner of the building.
“Not really scared,” Kira answered, after a few seconds pause. “A little perhaps, but mostly I'm weirdly excited. And that I'm scared of.”
Suddenly a dull thud and a whispering sound behind her startled Kira into whirling around, her heart picking up speed and thumping against her chest. A enormously tall, dark stone gargoyle had landed directly behind her. He was folding his bat-like, leathery wings against his back. Kira gasped unintentionally as she gazed upward. Her traveling eyes rested a moment on the large, clawed hands. She hadn't seen Ryan in his gargoyle form since the fight with the djinnee, and it took her by surprise to witness the creature less than an arm's length away. He appeared menacing and frightening even though Kira knew she would come to no harm.
“Crap!” Kira whispered. “You scared me. I thought we agreed not to sneak up on me,” she said to lighten the mood.
Kira saw no sign of Ryan in the stony gray eyes that she knew could glow red, nor did she see his likeness in the expressionless features.
“Ryan?” she asked hesitantly, wondering if she'd made a fatal mistake in recognition. Were the shadows of the night playing tricks on her?
But as if by magic...or magick, actually, celestine magick to be precise...the gargoyle began to transform back into Ryan's simulacrum form. Kira couldn't help but blink at the bizarre merging of the two forms. By the time she opened her eyes mere seconds later, he stood staring at her for a long moment, quiet and solemn. Even though sadness was an emotion, and Ryan supposedly felt no emotions...or so Kira hoped, otherwise it meant the road to evil for a gargoyle...she could have sworn she saw sadness in his now blue eyes.
But she didn't. Ryan was experiencing the aftereffects of sin-eating and the rush of emotions he'd felt that were once again lost to him. He had regained control of himself internally, allowing the good celestine spirit that he truly was to come forth and inhabit his simulacrum. Ryan watched Kira for a moment, seeing the previously lost and confused young woman he'd found who now stood before him looking more confident and strong. She wore jeans, a simple top, a sleeveless jean vest, and heavy brown boots. He had allowed her to bring her gun, hidden in its holster under her vest, but had warned her all weapons would be confiscated for the time they were with the vampires. Ryan's own police issued gun was in his holster, and his detective's badge in his front pocket.
“Are you scared?” he asked quietly, referring to more than just his startling arrival. “You mustn't show fear when meeting the Eldritch Council of the city. They are all immortals and will sense it. You need to be respectful, but not fearful. Although they...we...attempt to protect our city from demons and the Death Knell, they...we...also fight amongst each other. And no immortal is above their own form of evil,” he cautioned.
Ryan began to lead her around the corner of the building.
“Not really scared,” Kira answered, after a few seconds pause. “A little perhaps, but mostly I'm weirdly excited. And that I'm scared of.”
-4-
The ornate metal, double gates swung open after Ryan entered a code onto the numbered buttons. Ryan had pointed out the security camera that pivoted silently above them, angled down at their faces. Someone kept the hinges well-oiled, Kira thought randomly. There was no space above the gate for a window, it went from the sidewalk to the top of the arched brick at the top, and the metal of the gate was thick. A dark, golden-skinned, bald male with bulging muscles and a fierce expression granted them entrance. He then clanged the gate shut behind them. Kira heard the locking mechanism re-engage with several clicks. Kira did her best to not stare at the guard, who had African American features but such unusual skin color. Despite what she knew about vampires, Kira still expected to see protruding fangs when he spoke to Ryan. But it wasn't until he stared at her with dark, suspicious eyes that his sharp, second set of teeth emerged from inside his gums. Kira jumped slightly, and the vampire guard snorted.
Kira surprised herself by glaring back. That is until Ryan pulled her away quickly. The guard snarled silently and turned away.
“Don't antagonize the vampires, Kira,” Ryan warned in a low voice.
Kira really wanted to say 'but he started it'...however, she resisted and followed Ryan with her lips pressed together.
They were walking along a path of large stones through a startlingly beautiful courtyard. Although it was open at the top near the gate, the rest of that area was covered by arching tree branches. The remainder of the courtyard seemed like it was open to the night, but far up at the top story was a black canopy of sorts that shielded the vampires from the sun during the day. Kira supposed it opened somehow because the courtyard contained several tall trees, a variety of green plants, and bright flowers, along with various stone rock formations and statues. The plants would surely need sun to grow so beautiful.
Ryan led the way as they wound their way through the lush and fragrant plant life to a black curtained covered entrance.
A sliding glass door that led into the building itself stood open in front of the velvet curtains. A large, long-haired man held the curtains open. Kira imagined he looked the way a Viking would have with his thick, straight dark blond hair, thick mustache, and pale skin—although his skin was flushed slightly, and he was wiping at the corner of his mouth with a finger. He was dressed in black leather pants, black button down shirt, and a casual, so-dark-purple-it-was-almost-black suit jacket rolled up at the sleeves.
Kira realized with a shudder that the man may very well have been a Viking if he turned out to be a vampire.
Ryan nodded once and not in a companionable manner. “Sebastian,” he said.
“Ryan,” the vampire replied but didn't move out of the way. “This is the mortal fantast? The one who can see into the Reverie?”
He stared at Kira with narrowed eyes, checking her out up and down. He allowed his vampire teeth to emerge slightly then closed his mouth.
Behind the large vampire, Kira saw a dimly lit hallway. Old fashioned electric lamps on the walls were turned on low. Music drifted out, and Kira heard the low sounds of murmuring voices drifting from inside.
“This is Kira, yes,” Ryan replied evenly.
“She doesn't look like much,” Sebastian commented.
Now Kira was getting annoyed. She wasn't a 'thing' to be examined and judged; she didn't ask to come here, either. Without thinking she opened her mouth to reply when Ryan spoke first.
“That's not your concern, Sebastian,” Ryan said warningly. “The Council...we...approved this visit.”
Apparently this Sebastian wasn't actually part of the council, Kira surmised.
The vampire shrugged. “The others were curious, that's all. There's been much talk of the girl since she arrived.”
Kira's eyebrows shot up, and she stared up at Ryan. She didn't approve of the idea of being “the talk” of the immortals. But he ignored her and stared without emotion at the blond vampire. The sudden thought of who would win in a fight passed through Kira's mind. She shuddered at the idea.
Sebastian shrugged again and moved aside to let them pass. He held out his massive hands. Ryan removed his gun from under his jacket and motioned for Kira to do the same. The vampire placed the weapons in a safe built into the wall near the entrance.
Unable to help herself as she brought up the rear of the group of three, Kira craned her neck back to open double doors and caught a glimpse of the room where the music and voices were coming from. She saw the corner of a pool table, shelves of books, the edge of a table and some chairs, long curtains and the glow of a television on mute. There were people...vampires, she assumed...lounging and walking around. But the thing that made her gasp was the sight of shackles hanging from the walls. The two sets she saw were empty at the moment, but what if...?
Shaking her head in disgust, Kira lost sight of the room as Sebastian led them in the opposite direction down the dark paneled and wood floor hallway. She felt amazed and repulsed at the same time. Vampires fed off the blood of humans, and she was in their midst, in their part of New Bellwich. Very few people in the city knew that the French Quarter was controlled by vampires and...what had Ryan called the other undead immortals...revenants, dead souls clothed in reanimated human corpses. Kira sincerely hoped she didn't meet one of them tonight.
When she followed Ryan through another set of double doors, Kira gasped. The room had no windows and dark beams crossing the ceiling. The polished wooden floor was laid out in an intricate pattern. A dark, antique wood table with black, velvet cushioned chairs took up the middle of the large room. To Kira's horror, the stone walls in here also had shackles attached. Again, it was dimly lit—what was it with vampires and dark rooms, Kira thought in sudden annoyance. The sun she could understand but artificial light surely didn't hurt them. Maybe it was just for a dramatic effect. Still gazing around she saw more books—a whole wall covered with new and ancient looking texts,--bizarre tapestries hung on the walls, ornate rugs on the floors, and a stage type area with chains hanging from the ceiling.
“Oh my god! No!” Kira suddenly exclaimed in horror.
She bolted from Ryan's side to the raised area where a male body was hanging from the ceiling with his arms above his head.
Kira surprised herself by glaring back. That is until Ryan pulled her away quickly. The guard snarled silently and turned away.
“Don't antagonize the vampires, Kira,” Ryan warned in a low voice.
Kira really wanted to say 'but he started it'...however, she resisted and followed Ryan with her lips pressed together.
They were walking along a path of large stones through a startlingly beautiful courtyard. Although it was open at the top near the gate, the rest of that area was covered by arching tree branches. The remainder of the courtyard seemed like it was open to the night, but far up at the top story was a black canopy of sorts that shielded the vampires from the sun during the day. Kira supposed it opened somehow because the courtyard contained several tall trees, a variety of green plants, and bright flowers, along with various stone rock formations and statues. The plants would surely need sun to grow so beautiful.
Ryan led the way as they wound their way through the lush and fragrant plant life to a black curtained covered entrance.
A sliding glass door that led into the building itself stood open in front of the velvet curtains. A large, long-haired man held the curtains open. Kira imagined he looked the way a Viking would have with his thick, straight dark blond hair, thick mustache, and pale skin—although his skin was flushed slightly, and he was wiping at the corner of his mouth with a finger. He was dressed in black leather pants, black button down shirt, and a casual, so-dark-purple-it-was-almost-black suit jacket rolled up at the sleeves.
Kira realized with a shudder that the man may very well have been a Viking if he turned out to be a vampire.
Ryan nodded once and not in a companionable manner. “Sebastian,” he said.
“Ryan,” the vampire replied but didn't move out of the way. “This is the mortal fantast? The one who can see into the Reverie?”
He stared at Kira with narrowed eyes, checking her out up and down. He allowed his vampire teeth to emerge slightly then closed his mouth.
Behind the large vampire, Kira saw a dimly lit hallway. Old fashioned electric lamps on the walls were turned on low. Music drifted out, and Kira heard the low sounds of murmuring voices drifting from inside.
“This is Kira, yes,” Ryan replied evenly.
“She doesn't look like much,” Sebastian commented.
Now Kira was getting annoyed. She wasn't a 'thing' to be examined and judged; she didn't ask to come here, either. Without thinking she opened her mouth to reply when Ryan spoke first.
“That's not your concern, Sebastian,” Ryan said warningly. “The Council...we...approved this visit.”
Apparently this Sebastian wasn't actually part of the council, Kira surmised.
The vampire shrugged. “The others were curious, that's all. There's been much talk of the girl since she arrived.”
Kira's eyebrows shot up, and she stared up at Ryan. She didn't approve of the idea of being “the talk” of the immortals. But he ignored her and stared without emotion at the blond vampire. The sudden thought of who would win in a fight passed through Kira's mind. She shuddered at the idea.
Sebastian shrugged again and moved aside to let them pass. He held out his massive hands. Ryan removed his gun from under his jacket and motioned for Kira to do the same. The vampire placed the weapons in a safe built into the wall near the entrance.
Unable to help herself as she brought up the rear of the group of three, Kira craned her neck back to open double doors and caught a glimpse of the room where the music and voices were coming from. She saw the corner of a pool table, shelves of books, the edge of a table and some chairs, long curtains and the glow of a television on mute. There were people...vampires, she assumed...lounging and walking around. But the thing that made her gasp was the sight of shackles hanging from the walls. The two sets she saw were empty at the moment, but what if...?
Shaking her head in disgust, Kira lost sight of the room as Sebastian led them in the opposite direction down the dark paneled and wood floor hallway. She felt amazed and repulsed at the same time. Vampires fed off the blood of humans, and she was in their midst, in their part of New Bellwich. Very few people in the city knew that the French Quarter was controlled by vampires and...what had Ryan called the other undead immortals...revenants, dead souls clothed in reanimated human corpses. Kira sincerely hoped she didn't meet one of them tonight.
When she followed Ryan through another set of double doors, Kira gasped. The room had no windows and dark beams crossing the ceiling. The polished wooden floor was laid out in an intricate pattern. A dark, antique wood table with black, velvet cushioned chairs took up the middle of the large room. To Kira's horror, the stone walls in here also had shackles attached. Again, it was dimly lit—what was it with vampires and dark rooms, Kira thought in sudden annoyance. The sun she could understand but artificial light surely didn't hurt them. Maybe it was just for a dramatic effect. Still gazing around she saw more books—a whole wall covered with new and ancient looking texts,--bizarre tapestries hung on the walls, ornate rugs on the floors, and a stage type area with chains hanging from the ceiling.
“Oh my god! No!” Kira suddenly exclaimed in horror.
She bolted from Ryan's side to the raised area where a male body was hanging from the ceiling with his arms above his head.
-5-
“Kira?” Ryan called out, following her with his eyes, searching for what could have made the girl move so quickly.
But no other sights or sounds penetrated Kira's thoughts as she ran across the room toward Cade. She had moved far past caring what else was happening or who was watching. Cade's head was hanging down and his feet barely touched the ground. Blood had dripped on to his blue jacket. His face, from what she could see of his profile, looked pale and was covered with dried sweat and dirt. Kira leaped onto the raised platform and gently took his face in her hands to lift his head. The familiar shadow of stubble along his jaw line scratched Kira's hands slightly.
“Cade?” she whispered in disbelief.
Oh, don't let him be dead, Kira thought in horror.
Cade blinked opened his eyes at the sound of a somewhat familiar voice. Although he assumed he was hallucinating, he figured it couldn't hurt to take a quick look. Perhaps it would take his mind off the wrenching feeling in his achingly numb arms.
“What are you doing here?” Kira hissed when she was staring into a pair of surprised hazel eyes. She held his face a moment longer, then gently dropped her hands now that he was upright.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Cade whispered in astonishment. His subconscious registered that the touch of the soft hands had momentarily stilled the agony in his arms.
A seductive voice spoke from behind Kira. But a voice full of anger and annoyance as well. “You know this vampire killer, girl?”
But no other sights or sounds penetrated Kira's thoughts as she ran across the room toward Cade. She had moved far past caring what else was happening or who was watching. Cade's head was hanging down and his feet barely touched the ground. Blood had dripped on to his blue jacket. His face, from what she could see of his profile, looked pale and was covered with dried sweat and dirt. Kira leaped onto the raised platform and gently took his face in her hands to lift his head. The familiar shadow of stubble along his jaw line scratched Kira's hands slightly.
“Cade?” she whispered in disbelief.
Oh, don't let him be dead, Kira thought in horror.
Cade blinked opened his eyes at the sound of a somewhat familiar voice. Although he assumed he was hallucinating, he figured it couldn't hurt to take a quick look. Perhaps it would take his mind off the wrenching feeling in his achingly numb arms.
“What are you doing here?” Kira hissed when she was staring into a pair of surprised hazel eyes. She held his face a moment longer, then gently dropped her hands now that he was upright.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Cade whispered in astonishment. His subconscious registered that the touch of the soft hands had momentarily stilled the agony in his arms.
A seductive voice spoke from behind Kira. But a voice full of anger and annoyance as well. “You know this vampire killer, girl?”
-6-
Kira turned sharply to see a pale skinned woman with flowing red hair that literally reached past her waist and a figure to die for staring...or more accurately, glaring...up at her. Kira swallowed. Next to the woman Ryan stood with his arms crossed over his chest. Other people in the room swam into focus for Kira but she didn't pause to see them each individually.
“My name is Kira, and yes, I do!” she answered promptly.
“No! I have no idea who she is!” Cade replied at the same time, not wanting Kira to be hurt for knowing him.
Kira scowled, first at Cade then in general. She returned her attention to the red-head who's vampire teeth had shot down in anger.
“Yes, we know each other,” Kira repeated. “Please, what's going on? Ryan?” she begged, turning to her only friend.
“This one was captured after killing one of my coven this night. Now he will die. Painfully and slowly,” the female vampire declared coldly.
“Vampires...sonofabitch, I didn't even know you existed for real until tonight,” Cade said, still amazed at the idea. “But you're the bad guys, you're evil. That's what I do, kill evil.”
“Cade, shut up!” Kira hissed, moving only her eyes to glare at the demon hunter who was in no position to argue. Then she spoke to the red haired vampire. “Please,” she begged, trying to remain calm, “you don't understand...he...he didn't know.”
Cade wouldn't shut up, however.
“Know what? What don't I know? I know vampires are evil, undead creatures that suck people's blood to live, that's what I know,” he said defiantly. “At least that's what I've read.”
Kira turned her fear and anger on him and said through clenched teeth. “Shut up! Do you want to freaking die?” She was simultaneously scared and irritated. This so couldn't be happening.
Cade finally shut his mouth and stopped talking. He was slightly stunned by Kira's aggressiveness and bravery. Not to mention somewhat turned on in general, too, much to his physical dismay at the moment. The girl seemed different than the last time they'd met.
“Kira, what's going on?” Ryan asked.
He could see the Tantalusi coven mistress growing more and more angry; while Kira seemed bent on saving this young man.
Kira looked down at Ryan. “Remember that guy I told you about...the one who killed the demon, and I helped...the one I saw die in my dream but he didn't?”
“This is the one who deserted you afterward? Left you alone in the woods?” Ryan questioned, staring up at Cade. “Is this him?”
Cade coudn't meet the blond man's eyes and glanced away briefly. He was guilty on that one. He was still sorry as hell that he'd abandoned Kira.
“Yes...but never mind the last part. Please, Ryan...he does the whole demon hunting thing. He didn't know about vampires...I mean, come on, hardly anyone knows they really exist. He...it's not, well, totally his fault. Please help, Ryan. He doesn't deserve to die.”
Kira took a deep breath to calm down. She was getting seriously scared. This was real, Cade could be killed by the vampire. She sensed hysterics would not serve her well right now.
“He killed one of Cassandra's farrow,” Ryan reminded Kira.
“But he didn't know...,” Kira repeated, unsure of what else to argue. She glanced at the red-haired vampire, Cassandra, but saw no sympathy or relenting in the cold, undead eyes.
“Cassandra, please, may I speak with you?” Ryan asked the coven mistress politely, although there was no fear in his eyes or voice.
“My name is Kira, and yes, I do!” she answered promptly.
“No! I have no idea who she is!” Cade replied at the same time, not wanting Kira to be hurt for knowing him.
Kira scowled, first at Cade then in general. She returned her attention to the red-head who's vampire teeth had shot down in anger.
“Yes, we know each other,” Kira repeated. “Please, what's going on? Ryan?” she begged, turning to her only friend.
“This one was captured after killing one of my coven this night. Now he will die. Painfully and slowly,” the female vampire declared coldly.
“Vampires...sonofabitch, I didn't even know you existed for real until tonight,” Cade said, still amazed at the idea. “But you're the bad guys, you're evil. That's what I do, kill evil.”
“Cade, shut up!” Kira hissed, moving only her eyes to glare at the demon hunter who was in no position to argue. Then she spoke to the red haired vampire. “Please,” she begged, trying to remain calm, “you don't understand...he...he didn't know.”
Cade wouldn't shut up, however.
“Know what? What don't I know? I know vampires are evil, undead creatures that suck people's blood to live, that's what I know,” he said defiantly. “At least that's what I've read.”
Kira turned her fear and anger on him and said through clenched teeth. “Shut up! Do you want to freaking die?” She was simultaneously scared and irritated. This so couldn't be happening.
Cade finally shut his mouth and stopped talking. He was slightly stunned by Kira's aggressiveness and bravery. Not to mention somewhat turned on in general, too, much to his physical dismay at the moment. The girl seemed different than the last time they'd met.
“Kira, what's going on?” Ryan asked.
He could see the Tantalusi coven mistress growing more and more angry; while Kira seemed bent on saving this young man.
Kira looked down at Ryan. “Remember that guy I told you about...the one who killed the demon, and I helped...the one I saw die in my dream but he didn't?”
“This is the one who deserted you afterward? Left you alone in the woods?” Ryan questioned, staring up at Cade. “Is this him?”
Cade coudn't meet the blond man's eyes and glanced away briefly. He was guilty on that one. He was still sorry as hell that he'd abandoned Kira.
“Yes...but never mind the last part. Please, Ryan...he does the whole demon hunting thing. He didn't know about vampires...I mean, come on, hardly anyone knows they really exist. He...it's not, well, totally his fault. Please help, Ryan. He doesn't deserve to die.”
Kira took a deep breath to calm down. She was getting seriously scared. This was real, Cade could be killed by the vampire. She sensed hysterics would not serve her well right now.
“He killed one of Cassandra's farrow,” Ryan reminded Kira.
“But he didn't know...,” Kira repeated, unsure of what else to argue. She glanced at the red-haired vampire, Cassandra, but saw no sympathy or relenting in the cold, undead eyes.
“Cassandra, please, may I speak with you?” Ryan asked the coven mistress politely, although there was no fear in his eyes or voice.
-7-
Kira intently watched the two immortals step away engaged in a tense but private conversation. She could only sense that this was a pivotal moment for Cade. Kira still didn't focus on the others in the room, but instead turned back to Cade. She crossed her slim arms over her chest and sighed. They merely stared at each other for a moment.
“What the hell is all this?” Cade asked, finally breaking the silence between them. “How in the hell are vampires real? What are you doing here? And, who is that Ryan guy you were talking to?”
Cade tried to ignore the completely unreasonable twinge of jealousy he was experiencing. Not so much due to Kira, but because the other man seemed to be the alpha male in this situation. Cade was used to being in control.
Kira ignored the first two questions for time being. “He's my...uncle. Ryan Laurent. He's a detec...well, never mind. He's trying to save your sorry ass,” she said.
“He's going to get himself killed, you both are,” Cade warned. “These blood suckers...damn, if they aren't real, who knew!...are evil, you know. They'd just as soon take a bite out of your neck than give you the time of day.”
Cade chuckled at 'time of day' since vampires only went out at night.
“You know, you hunt demons, for god's sake...how could you not know about vampires?” Kira asked in annoyance.
Cade tried to shrug but only succeeded in sending bolts of pain through his shoulders and arms. He winced in pain.
“Damn, that hurt!” he exclaimed. “Look, I dunno. I just didn't, okay. Like you said I hunt demons, vampires aren't hell-spawned demons...vampires are, well, they're dead for one thing. When I saw one feeding, it shocked the hell out of me. I always thought they were just legends...but I had the chance to kill the fanged bastard, so I did. Didn't realize there were others around, though,” he mused. “That was a bit of bad luck.”
"Oh, this is more than 'bad luck,' Cade," Kira informed him. "This is your life...or death, more likely."
"Well, that's cheerful, thanks for the positive thoughts. Are you always this bleak and serious?" Cade asked.
Kira sighed. “Are you always this obnoxious?”
“Oh, I've not even gotten started yet, sweetheart,” Cade said with a grim smile.
His slight movement caused him to swing and the pain flared again. Cade grimaced.
“I'm not your 'sweetheart', don't call me that!” Kira snapped. “My name's Kira.”
Cade raised his eyebrows. This one was feisty now, he thought. Not as scared as the last time. “Sorry,” he said somewhat sincerely.
Then he glanced from Kira to Ryan. He thought a change of subject was in order. “Say, did you know your uncle has black feathered wings?” Cade asked, trying to be casual but really quite astounded.
Kira's mouth fell open and she dropped her hands to her sides. "You can see them? The wings?”
Cade nodded, a spark of genuine relief in his eyes. "You mean I'm not hallucinating? Well, now there's some good news in this unfortunate situation."
Kira nearly fell off the raised stage area as she leaped down. She hurried across the polished wood floor to Ryan and the coven mistress. Cassandra was frowning and shaking her head. The movement made her long hair sway across her back. It was when Kira reached her destination that she finally noticed the others involved in the conversation.
“What the hell is all this?” Cade asked, finally breaking the silence between them. “How in the hell are vampires real? What are you doing here? And, who is that Ryan guy you were talking to?”
Cade tried to ignore the completely unreasonable twinge of jealousy he was experiencing. Not so much due to Kira, but because the other man seemed to be the alpha male in this situation. Cade was used to being in control.
Kira ignored the first two questions for time being. “He's my...uncle. Ryan Laurent. He's a detec...well, never mind. He's trying to save your sorry ass,” she said.
“He's going to get himself killed, you both are,” Cade warned. “These blood suckers...damn, if they aren't real, who knew!...are evil, you know. They'd just as soon take a bite out of your neck than give you the time of day.”
Cade chuckled at 'time of day' since vampires only went out at night.
“You know, you hunt demons, for god's sake...how could you not know about vampires?” Kira asked in annoyance.
Cade tried to shrug but only succeeded in sending bolts of pain through his shoulders and arms. He winced in pain.
“Damn, that hurt!” he exclaimed. “Look, I dunno. I just didn't, okay. Like you said I hunt demons, vampires aren't hell-spawned demons...vampires are, well, they're dead for one thing. When I saw one feeding, it shocked the hell out of me. I always thought they were just legends...but I had the chance to kill the fanged bastard, so I did. Didn't realize there were others around, though,” he mused. “That was a bit of bad luck.”
"Oh, this is more than 'bad luck,' Cade," Kira informed him. "This is your life...or death, more likely."
"Well, that's cheerful, thanks for the positive thoughts. Are you always this bleak and serious?" Cade asked.
Kira sighed. “Are you always this obnoxious?”
“Oh, I've not even gotten started yet, sweetheart,” Cade said with a grim smile.
His slight movement caused him to swing and the pain flared again. Cade grimaced.
“I'm not your 'sweetheart', don't call me that!” Kira snapped. “My name's Kira.”
Cade raised his eyebrows. This one was feisty now, he thought. Not as scared as the last time. “Sorry,” he said somewhat sincerely.
Then he glanced from Kira to Ryan. He thought a change of subject was in order. “Say, did you know your uncle has black feathered wings?” Cade asked, trying to be casual but really quite astounded.
Kira's mouth fell open and she dropped her hands to her sides. "You can see them? The wings?”
Cade nodded, a spark of genuine relief in his eyes. "You mean I'm not hallucinating? Well, now there's some good news in this unfortunate situation."
Kira nearly fell off the raised stage area as she leaped down. She hurried across the polished wood floor to Ryan and the coven mistress. Cassandra was frowning and shaking her head. The movement made her long hair sway across her back. It was when Kira reached her destination that she finally noticed the others involved in the conversation.
-8-
Kira glanced at Na'ethal, her elven doctor, first. He nodded once to her but remained serious, hiding whatever he was feeling or thinking. Standing with the group was also a light-skinned, black man with short golden blond hair and a mustache and goatee; a gorgeous woman with long, stark white hair; and a woman who's hair was mostly formed of bright, green leaves. Kira didn't have time to marvel at hair made of leaves. These other immortals, at least Kira assumed they were the eldritch council, had joined Ryan and the red-haired vampire, Cassandra, in a subdued conversation.
“Please...I...I'm sorry to interrupt,” Kira said bravely but quietly. She placed her hand on Ryan's arm. “Ryan! Cade can see your wings...he can see them!” she exclaimed.
Surely that would be worth something to the vampires...to the others. If Cade was capable of seeing the wings, then he, like her, could see into the Reverie, the Secret World. The others grew contemplative for a moment.
Cassandra pursed her full, red lips and stared over at the mortal hanging from the chains, then she licked them. Her eyes narrowed. She'd anticipated feeding slowly on his blood, draining him painfully. It had also crossed her mind to lay with him for her sadistic pleasure before she killed him. However, if the mortal could see into the Secret World, perhaps he could be put to use with her current problem.
Ryan interjected into the silence. “If the boy can see into the Reverie, it would benefit us to find out what else he knows. Perhaps we can use him for our cause, to defeat the demons and the Death Knell.”
Cassandra glanced coldly down at Kira, but her voice spoke to Ryan. “There is a situation we, the vampires, are in the midst of...one that affects all of us even though it is based in our area,” she began reluctantly. “Perhaps the human can be of use to us in this instance. And the girl, too. That's why you brought her, yes, Ryan? To initiate her into defeating the demons?”
Everyone, including Kira, was tensely silent all of a sudden. Is that why Ryan had brought her? And didn't she know deep down that was the reason? Why else had she been training over the past month?
The coven mistress waited patiently for a response but was rewarded with only silence. She was in no hurry. Being immortal had its benefits. Cassandra would not hesitate to risk the life of humans in order to gain precious information. She signaled silently for Sebastian to fetch Cade to her.
Everyone watched as Cade was physically forced to kneel on the hard floor before the vampire coven mistress, hands still bound by the shackles and chains, and Sebastian the viking holding the end as if Cade were a mongrel on a leash. Kira winced, expecting him to mouth-off or be obnoxious, but Cade seemed to realize the gravity of the situation.
“This, then, is the offer, in exchange for the vampire slayer's miserable life...he and the girl both will assist with the current problem of a small group of wer invading the French Quarter. They will infiltrate the enemy, spy, and report any information that they find to us. If all goes well, we can rid the city of the wer...if they fail, then they die at the hands of the werwolves. If they refuse to help, the human male dies.”
There was silence, then a choked sound came from the floor. Cade had stayed his temper at kneeling before a vampire, knowing every moment he lived was a chance to escape. But the bitch's offer snapped his last, thin thread of control.
“What the hell?!” Cade exploded. “No way in hell am I working for a bunch of blood suckers!”
“What?” Kira hissed at him. “Would you rather die?” Kira was astounded, although she wasn't so sure about this werwolf idea either.
Casssandra smiled coldly. “Ah...well then. I amend my offer. The girl will perform the job on her own, and the male will remain here. If she succeeds, he will be freed. If she dies, then so does he. If she refuses to help, then he also dies.”
The other immortals remained quiet, although there was tension in the air. This issue was between the Tantalusi vampires and Cade, and the others had no right to get involved. Even Ryan said nothing because Kira had a choice, and her life would not be in danger if she refused. Only the one called Cade would die.
Cade inhaled sharply, various charged emotions playing across his face until he settled on anger at the danger to Kira.
“Oh the hell I'm letting Kira spy on werwolves on her own, you evil bitch!” Cade shouted vehemently.
“So, you're going to help?” Kira asked, staring down at him in amazement.
She had barely processed the fact that if Cade didn't help, it would be up to her...or the vampires would kill him. Could she have said no and left him to die? When she knew she'd probably die herself?
“I guess that's the general idea now,” Cade answered sarcastically, staring hatefully at the female vampire.
“Please...I...I'm sorry to interrupt,” Kira said bravely but quietly. She placed her hand on Ryan's arm. “Ryan! Cade can see your wings...he can see them!” she exclaimed.
Surely that would be worth something to the vampires...to the others. If Cade was capable of seeing the wings, then he, like her, could see into the Reverie, the Secret World. The others grew contemplative for a moment.
Cassandra pursed her full, red lips and stared over at the mortal hanging from the chains, then she licked them. Her eyes narrowed. She'd anticipated feeding slowly on his blood, draining him painfully. It had also crossed her mind to lay with him for her sadistic pleasure before she killed him. However, if the mortal could see into the Secret World, perhaps he could be put to use with her current problem.
Ryan interjected into the silence. “If the boy can see into the Reverie, it would benefit us to find out what else he knows. Perhaps we can use him for our cause, to defeat the demons and the Death Knell.”
Cassandra glanced coldly down at Kira, but her voice spoke to Ryan. “There is a situation we, the vampires, are in the midst of...one that affects all of us even though it is based in our area,” she began reluctantly. “Perhaps the human can be of use to us in this instance. And the girl, too. That's why you brought her, yes, Ryan? To initiate her into defeating the demons?”
Everyone, including Kira, was tensely silent all of a sudden. Is that why Ryan had brought her? And didn't she know deep down that was the reason? Why else had she been training over the past month?
The coven mistress waited patiently for a response but was rewarded with only silence. She was in no hurry. Being immortal had its benefits. Cassandra would not hesitate to risk the life of humans in order to gain precious information. She signaled silently for Sebastian to fetch Cade to her.
Everyone watched as Cade was physically forced to kneel on the hard floor before the vampire coven mistress, hands still bound by the shackles and chains, and Sebastian the viking holding the end as if Cade were a mongrel on a leash. Kira winced, expecting him to mouth-off or be obnoxious, but Cade seemed to realize the gravity of the situation.
“This, then, is the offer, in exchange for the vampire slayer's miserable life...he and the girl both will assist with the current problem of a small group of wer invading the French Quarter. They will infiltrate the enemy, spy, and report any information that they find to us. If all goes well, we can rid the city of the wer...if they fail, then they die at the hands of the werwolves. If they refuse to help, the human male dies.”
There was silence, then a choked sound came from the floor. Cade had stayed his temper at kneeling before a vampire, knowing every moment he lived was a chance to escape. But the bitch's offer snapped his last, thin thread of control.
“What the hell?!” Cade exploded. “No way in hell am I working for a bunch of blood suckers!”
“What?” Kira hissed at him. “Would you rather die?” Kira was astounded, although she wasn't so sure about this werwolf idea either.
Casssandra smiled coldly. “Ah...well then. I amend my offer. The girl will perform the job on her own, and the male will remain here. If she succeeds, he will be freed. If she dies, then so does he. If she refuses to help, then he also dies.”
The other immortals remained quiet, although there was tension in the air. This issue was between the Tantalusi vampires and Cade, and the others had no right to get involved. Even Ryan said nothing because Kira had a choice, and her life would not be in danger if she refused. Only the one called Cade would die.
Cade inhaled sharply, various charged emotions playing across his face until he settled on anger at the danger to Kira.
“Oh the hell I'm letting Kira spy on werwolves on her own, you evil bitch!” Cade shouted vehemently.
“So, you're going to help?” Kira asked, staring down at him in amazement.
She had barely processed the fact that if Cade didn't help, it would be up to her...or the vampires would kill him. Could she have said no and left him to die? When she knew she'd probably die herself?
“I guess that's the general idea now,” Cade answered sarcastically, staring hatefully at the female vampire.
-9-
Cade was let loose of the shackles and given some water at Kira's insistence. He rubbed his aching shoulders and arms to get the blood flowing again, and stared briefly at the bruises on his wrists. That was the extent of his dealing with his injuries before the meeting got underway.
Cade quickly discovered that there was a council of immortals, eldritch they called themselves, and they protected the city of New Bellwich from demons and other dark forces. Cade's whole world transformed in an instant, from thinking that only demons preyed on the world, to realizing there was another, secret world that existed. His first lesson was brief, there was much he still didn't know...but the young demon hunter suddenly realized his six years of hard work had only made the slightest dent in the whole demon situation. And he had a new label...that of a fantast, although Cade could have cared less that he was different from most humans. There was precious little time to absorb the information—he was plunged head first into the Secret World.
As the meeting progressed, the two mortal fantasts sat near Ryan and Na'ethal at the table. Cade leaned forward with his elbows on the polished wooden table, while Kira seemed to be attempting to disappear into the high-backed chair.
Kira studied the council surreptitiously, taking in their interactions with each other. She assumed Cade was doing the same, as when she glanced at him, his eyes were darting back and forth between the immortal members.
She could see Na'ethal as nothing but an elf, with his pointed ears, angular face and beautiful features, and long, platinum blond hair. She knew normal mortals saw him differently due to his ability to glamour with eleven masquery. The vampire coven mistress, Cassandra, frightened Kira for she seemed cold-hearted, cunning, and manipulative; but she was incredibly beautiful as well. She was tall and dressed in a long red and gold, velvet and satin dress that set off her alabaster white skin. Sebastian, the vampire who had escorted them in, stood behind Cassandra's chair as if on guard. And from the suspicious look on his face that was probably his duty.
There was also the man with the golden blond hair, mustache, and goatee. Ryan had whispered to her and Cade that he was a daeva. Kira remembered reading daevas were mythic demi-gods who were bound into the service of Destiny. She relayed this to Cade, but the information didn't mean much to him in terms of an explanation. The other immortals called the daeva Thomas.
Kira could barely keep her eyes from drifting back to the stunning, white-haired woman at the table. Both she and Cade had nearly choked when Ryan told them Bella was a messenger archangel of the Eighth Exalted Order; but he didn't explain further. His words more than his tone conveyed an awe as he spoke of her. They couldn't discern her wings as they could Ryan's. Bella was inhabiting her earthly form. Kira had scowled at Cade and elbowed him in the ribs when she caught him scoping out the archangel's body.
And finally, the woman with the green “hair.” She had what appeared to be real hair, but there were also leaves as a living part of her hair. Kira guessed she was a faery. Who would have believed they really existed? But they weren't the faerie of children's stories, Kira knew from her studies so far. This one was mostly silent, her bright green eyes rimmed in shimmering green.
Kira's attention was brought back to the meeting topic—besides her and Cade. Werwolves in New Bellwich.
Cade quickly discovered that there was a council of immortals, eldritch they called themselves, and they protected the city of New Bellwich from demons and other dark forces. Cade's whole world transformed in an instant, from thinking that only demons preyed on the world, to realizing there was another, secret world that existed. His first lesson was brief, there was much he still didn't know...but the young demon hunter suddenly realized his six years of hard work had only made the slightest dent in the whole demon situation. And he had a new label...that of a fantast, although Cade could have cared less that he was different from most humans. There was precious little time to absorb the information—he was plunged head first into the Secret World.
As the meeting progressed, the two mortal fantasts sat near Ryan and Na'ethal at the table. Cade leaned forward with his elbows on the polished wooden table, while Kira seemed to be attempting to disappear into the high-backed chair.
Kira studied the council surreptitiously, taking in their interactions with each other. She assumed Cade was doing the same, as when she glanced at him, his eyes were darting back and forth between the immortal members.
She could see Na'ethal as nothing but an elf, with his pointed ears, angular face and beautiful features, and long, platinum blond hair. She knew normal mortals saw him differently due to his ability to glamour with eleven masquery. The vampire coven mistress, Cassandra, frightened Kira for she seemed cold-hearted, cunning, and manipulative; but she was incredibly beautiful as well. She was tall and dressed in a long red and gold, velvet and satin dress that set off her alabaster white skin. Sebastian, the vampire who had escorted them in, stood behind Cassandra's chair as if on guard. And from the suspicious look on his face that was probably his duty.
There was also the man with the golden blond hair, mustache, and goatee. Ryan had whispered to her and Cade that he was a daeva. Kira remembered reading daevas were mythic demi-gods who were bound into the service of Destiny. She relayed this to Cade, but the information didn't mean much to him in terms of an explanation. The other immortals called the daeva Thomas.
Kira could barely keep her eyes from drifting back to the stunning, white-haired woman at the table. Both she and Cade had nearly choked when Ryan told them Bella was a messenger archangel of the Eighth Exalted Order; but he didn't explain further. His words more than his tone conveyed an awe as he spoke of her. They couldn't discern her wings as they could Ryan's. Bella was inhabiting her earthly form. Kira had scowled at Cade and elbowed him in the ribs when she caught him scoping out the archangel's body.
And finally, the woman with the green “hair.” She had what appeared to be real hair, but there were also leaves as a living part of her hair. Kira guessed she was a faery. Who would have believed they really existed? But they weren't the faerie of children's stories, Kira knew from her studies so far. This one was mostly silent, her bright green eyes rimmed in shimmering green.
Kira's attention was brought back to the meeting topic—besides her and Cade. Werwolves in New Bellwich.
-10-
Thomas, with his dark eyebrows and blond hair, spoke first. “Now, Cassandra, what is this about the wer?” he asked with forced patience. He hid his loathing of the un-dead murderess who preyed on humans. The daeva knew they were all forced to work together in these dangerous times.
The faery narrowed her eyes at Thomas but said nothing.
“Calm yourself, Eolande,” Bella whispered to the green-haired faery. “You know Thomas as a daeva isn't to blame for the collapse of your homeland. We've spoken of this countless time. Let it go.”
Cassandra continued speaking ignoring the exchanged between the insane faery creature and the high-and-mighty angel.
“We have evidence of a small group of wer, Vargr wer—those who have left their rural homes for the more...shall we say, exciting life of the cities—attempting to take over our dominion.”
“You say that like you all own the French Quarter,” Cade interrupted sarcastically.
Cassandra said nothing to the murderer in reply. But she spoke to Kira, staring into the young woman's eyes. “You will keep the male quiet,” she warned, “else he ends up unable to speak ever again.”
Kira elbowed Cade, perhaps a bit too hard, and scowled at him. “Just let her talk, okay?” she whispered, half pleading and half warningly. The flaming haired vampire scared her. “You'll be hanging from the ceiling again if you're not careful.”
“The Vampire Court wants them out of the city...dead, preferably. However, we can't get close enough to spy without being detected as immortals...and vampires. I will not risk my coven when failure is absolutely certain if a vampire attempts to go in. You two, however...,” Cassandra paused.
“Are expendable?” Cade finished, then sat back quickly and looked innocent.
The vampire coven mistress waved her hand, long dark fingernails looking like blood. “As a matter of a fact, yes.”
“Have the wer done something in particular?” the archangel asked.
“Dear, sweet Bella,” Cassandra nearly purred, but her voice was thick with disdain to the servant of the one who damned her kind, “these Vargr wer are part of a group of youths that have embraced the dark ways, and have discarded their kind's ancestral religion. They call themselves the Red Sect and put faith in and consort with demons. So, yes, I would say they have done enough right there. They also control a cult of uninfected mortals. We need to know what their intentions are,” Cassandra leaned forward and stared at the other council members. “But more importantly how many have come and what are their defenses. We fear the obviousness of the wer's activities...there have been bodies found murdered and mutilated...will attract attention to us and all the eldritch in New Bellwich.”
Kira merely sighed when she glanced at Cade to see that his eyes were momentarily locked on the ample breasts of Cassandra as the vampire leaned forward in her low-cut gown. Fine, let him be strung up again like a cow carcass, she thought to herself.
Ryan, who had been quiet until now, interjected. “Ah, the murders, yes. They aren't our precinct's cases,” he said, gesturing to himself and Thomas, as the daeva worked for the New Bellwich police department as well. “But we've heard several bodies have been found with their hearts cut out or mutilated, as well as ripped to pieces. The police force is going crazy trying to figure out what's killing these people. Things are about to get ugly around here as they pursue the investigations heavily.”
“Exactly my point,” Cassandra said vehemently. “This will draw unnecessary attention to the French Quarter and possibly the vampires. Not only that, but these wer bastards are trying to simply take over. That, I will not tolerate.”
Na'ethal spoke up with uncharacteristic emotion. “So, you want Kira and Cade to be your spies?”
The vampire coven mistress practically leered at the delicious elf. She resisted licking her lips, knowing that the elf's blood would be like nectar if she ever had the chance to feed on him. “Precisely,” she answered with a nod.
Na'ethal glanced at Kira, and their eyes locked for a moment. For some reason she brought out his suppression of outward display of emotion. He was less guarded around and about her.
“Then what?” Thomas asked. “Do you expect the two humans to fight the wer? It will be a slaughter and over in an instant.”
“Is that what you see?” Ryan asked neutrally. “Can you see their destiny?”
The others looked at the blond, coffee-skinned daeva expectantly, especially Kira and Cade. They glanced at each other for a moment.
Thomas shook his head slowly. “I see them entering the wer's den but then there is a blind spot. I see two possible destinies, which one is correct I can't say. The two young ones must watch out for each other, do not betray one another or only one will make it out alive.”
“Eolande? Do you see anything?” Bella questioned the faery.
The green-haired faery tilted her head to one side. “Time and space are constantly changing,” she answered. “Past, present, and possible futures all blend together, especially now. There's something about her,” Eolande stated, pointing at Kira, “that makes what I see hazy. Time changes and moves back and forth where she is concerned. I can not tell if I am seeing her past or her future.”
Kira raised her eyebrows at this cryptic and...let's face facts, she thought...rather insane-sounding babble.
Cassandra raised her voice. “Regardless of their destinies,” she said dismissively, “they either go in or the vampire killer dies. All we require is detailed information. Once we have that, the rest of us will attack. Sebastian will be their contact.”
“Oh, peachy,” Cade mumbled. “Our lives might depend on big, dumb, and ugly there.”
“Shhh,” Kira hissed in a whisper, slapping Cade's leg under the table. “Seriously.”
There were various arguments and responses to this announcement, but the vampire coven mistress convinced them all in the end that it would take all of their kind to defeat the wer. And if they did not, the lunatic beasts would eventually bring the immortals down. Cassandra pledged the Tantalusi vampires' might in the battle.
“I will fight the wer,” Ryan announced, the first to agree. He would not allow Kira to be harmed or involved in a battle.
“As will I,” Na'ethal said with a solemn nod. “I will bring others, as well.”
Thomas narrowed his eyes. “The Vanir Daeva will be there. The wer pose almost as great a threat in general as demons. These must be stopped.”
Cassandra stared at Eolande. “And the faerie?”
The faery shrugged. “We'll see. I shall speak to the others.”
“And you, Bella?” the coven mistress inquired of the archangel.
The white-haired angel stared the vampire in the eyes. “If need be, you will see me there,” she replied.
The faery narrowed her eyes at Thomas but said nothing.
“Calm yourself, Eolande,” Bella whispered to the green-haired faery. “You know Thomas as a daeva isn't to blame for the collapse of your homeland. We've spoken of this countless time. Let it go.”
Cassandra continued speaking ignoring the exchanged between the insane faery creature and the high-and-mighty angel.
“We have evidence of a small group of wer, Vargr wer—those who have left their rural homes for the more...shall we say, exciting life of the cities—attempting to take over our dominion.”
“You say that like you all own the French Quarter,” Cade interrupted sarcastically.
Cassandra said nothing to the murderer in reply. But she spoke to Kira, staring into the young woman's eyes. “You will keep the male quiet,” she warned, “else he ends up unable to speak ever again.”
Kira elbowed Cade, perhaps a bit too hard, and scowled at him. “Just let her talk, okay?” she whispered, half pleading and half warningly. The flaming haired vampire scared her. “You'll be hanging from the ceiling again if you're not careful.”
“The Vampire Court wants them out of the city...dead, preferably. However, we can't get close enough to spy without being detected as immortals...and vampires. I will not risk my coven when failure is absolutely certain if a vampire attempts to go in. You two, however...,” Cassandra paused.
“Are expendable?” Cade finished, then sat back quickly and looked innocent.
The vampire coven mistress waved her hand, long dark fingernails looking like blood. “As a matter of a fact, yes.”
“Have the wer done something in particular?” the archangel asked.
“Dear, sweet Bella,” Cassandra nearly purred, but her voice was thick with disdain to the servant of the one who damned her kind, “these Vargr wer are part of a group of youths that have embraced the dark ways, and have discarded their kind's ancestral religion. They call themselves the Red Sect and put faith in and consort with demons. So, yes, I would say they have done enough right there. They also control a cult of uninfected mortals. We need to know what their intentions are,” Cassandra leaned forward and stared at the other council members. “But more importantly how many have come and what are their defenses. We fear the obviousness of the wer's activities...there have been bodies found murdered and mutilated...will attract attention to us and all the eldritch in New Bellwich.”
Kira merely sighed when she glanced at Cade to see that his eyes were momentarily locked on the ample breasts of Cassandra as the vampire leaned forward in her low-cut gown. Fine, let him be strung up again like a cow carcass, she thought to herself.
Ryan, who had been quiet until now, interjected. “Ah, the murders, yes. They aren't our precinct's cases,” he said, gesturing to himself and Thomas, as the daeva worked for the New Bellwich police department as well. “But we've heard several bodies have been found with their hearts cut out or mutilated, as well as ripped to pieces. The police force is going crazy trying to figure out what's killing these people. Things are about to get ugly around here as they pursue the investigations heavily.”
“Exactly my point,” Cassandra said vehemently. “This will draw unnecessary attention to the French Quarter and possibly the vampires. Not only that, but these wer bastards are trying to simply take over. That, I will not tolerate.”
Na'ethal spoke up with uncharacteristic emotion. “So, you want Kira and Cade to be your spies?”
The vampire coven mistress practically leered at the delicious elf. She resisted licking her lips, knowing that the elf's blood would be like nectar if she ever had the chance to feed on him. “Precisely,” she answered with a nod.
Na'ethal glanced at Kira, and their eyes locked for a moment. For some reason she brought out his suppression of outward display of emotion. He was less guarded around and about her.
“Then what?” Thomas asked. “Do you expect the two humans to fight the wer? It will be a slaughter and over in an instant.”
“Is that what you see?” Ryan asked neutrally. “Can you see their destiny?”
The others looked at the blond, coffee-skinned daeva expectantly, especially Kira and Cade. They glanced at each other for a moment.
Thomas shook his head slowly. “I see them entering the wer's den but then there is a blind spot. I see two possible destinies, which one is correct I can't say. The two young ones must watch out for each other, do not betray one another or only one will make it out alive.”
“Eolande? Do you see anything?” Bella questioned the faery.
The green-haired faery tilted her head to one side. “Time and space are constantly changing,” she answered. “Past, present, and possible futures all blend together, especially now. There's something about her,” Eolande stated, pointing at Kira, “that makes what I see hazy. Time changes and moves back and forth where she is concerned. I can not tell if I am seeing her past or her future.”
Kira raised her eyebrows at this cryptic and...let's face facts, she thought...rather insane-sounding babble.
Cassandra raised her voice. “Regardless of their destinies,” she said dismissively, “they either go in or the vampire killer dies. All we require is detailed information. Once we have that, the rest of us will attack. Sebastian will be their contact.”
“Oh, peachy,” Cade mumbled. “Our lives might depend on big, dumb, and ugly there.”
“Shhh,” Kira hissed in a whisper, slapping Cade's leg under the table. “Seriously.”
There were various arguments and responses to this announcement, but the vampire coven mistress convinced them all in the end that it would take all of their kind to defeat the wer. And if they did not, the lunatic beasts would eventually bring the immortals down. Cassandra pledged the Tantalusi vampires' might in the battle.
“I will fight the wer,” Ryan announced, the first to agree. He would not allow Kira to be harmed or involved in a battle.
“As will I,” Na'ethal said with a solemn nod. “I will bring others, as well.”
Thomas narrowed his eyes. “The Vanir Daeva will be there. The wer pose almost as great a threat in general as demons. These must be stopped.”
Cassandra stared at Eolande. “And the faerie?”
The faery shrugged. “We'll see. I shall speak to the others.”
“And you, Bella?” the coven mistress inquired of the archangel.
The white-haired angel stared the vampire in the eyes. “If need be, you will see me there,” she replied.
-11-
When the meeting ended, most of the council moved away from the table leaving only Cassandra and Sebastian speaking in low tones, their heads close. The vampire coven mistress was accentuating her words with dramatic gestures, her luxurious red hair moving across her back.
Ryan gently pulled Kira away to a dimly lit corner. He maneuvered her against one of the stone walls and braced himself with his hand above her head. He bent close.
“You don't have to do this. It's too dangerous,” he said simply.
Kira raised her eyes to Ryan's face which was neutral of expression. “Yes, I do, Ryan. I won't let Cade die. I'm sorry. I know it's dangerous, and I'm scared to death, but I have to try. I don't necessarily want to try, but I have to. I can't let someone be killed like that vampire wants to do. Besides, I'm not going in alone. Cade has experience.”
“He did kill one of her...,” the detective began to remind Kira.
Kira shook her head. “I know, I know...but it's still not right. He didn't know about the Secret World...Cade thought he was doing good. I won't let him die because of his beliefs to kill evil. Besides, you agreed to fight, too. The wer are evil, aren't they, Ryan? Like sinners? How will you...I mean, won't you want to...to feed off them?” Kira asked with concern.
“I shall control myself,” he said, meaning every word at the moment. “If I fight in this form it will not be as tempting as letting the gargoyle out.”
Kira wasn't convinced but what could she say? Then the brown haired girl had a disturbing thought. She frowned, her brow furrowing.
“Ryan? Will Cassandra betray us...if we succeed?” she asked. “I mean, what's to stop her from killing Cade anyway at the end?”
Shaking his head slowly without having to ponder the question, Ryan answered, “No, she won't betray you. The Tantalusi vampires, believe it or not, are chosen for their high morals and strong code of honor as mortals.”
Kira laughed abruptly at the ridiculousness of that statement. A vampire with morals and a code of honor? “Oh please, Ryan...,” she started to protest.
“I'm serious, Kira. If she is allowing Cade to go free and still be breathing, then he'll stay that way. Unless...”
“Unless?”
“Well, you'd best keep him from crossing her or any of the other Tantalusi vampires in the future. This is a free pass, so to speak, for this time only,” Ryan warned.
Kira swallowed her fear at that thought.
A clearing of a throat broke the dark mood that was bearing down on Kira. She turned and glanced past Ryan to find Cade approaching. Nearly as tall as Ryan, the demon hunter was somewhat broader in the shoulders and chest. Kira remembered quite vividly that he was well-built underneath his clothes. Then she blushed and glanced away, giving herself a mental shake. Now was really not the time...actually no time would be really not the time. Kira was definitely uninterested in having any involvement with someone like Cade now or in the future.
She pushed herself away from the stone wall, noticing a pair of shackles nearby with dried blood on one of the smooth rocks. Kira shuddered and moved further away in disgust before her mind could take her places she had no wish to go.
“Uh, I have to admit I have no idea what to do with myself at this point,” Cade remarked with shrug. “I've never been saved from being killed by a vampire before, then agreeing to some insane, suicide spy mission for said vampire.”
Ryan gently pulled Kira away to a dimly lit corner. He maneuvered her against one of the stone walls and braced himself with his hand above her head. He bent close.
“You don't have to do this. It's too dangerous,” he said simply.
Kira raised her eyes to Ryan's face which was neutral of expression. “Yes, I do, Ryan. I won't let Cade die. I'm sorry. I know it's dangerous, and I'm scared to death, but I have to try. I don't necessarily want to try, but I have to. I can't let someone be killed like that vampire wants to do. Besides, I'm not going in alone. Cade has experience.”
“He did kill one of her...,” the detective began to remind Kira.
Kira shook her head. “I know, I know...but it's still not right. He didn't know about the Secret World...Cade thought he was doing good. I won't let him die because of his beliefs to kill evil. Besides, you agreed to fight, too. The wer are evil, aren't they, Ryan? Like sinners? How will you...I mean, won't you want to...to feed off them?” Kira asked with concern.
“I shall control myself,” he said, meaning every word at the moment. “If I fight in this form it will not be as tempting as letting the gargoyle out.”
Kira wasn't convinced but what could she say? Then the brown haired girl had a disturbing thought. She frowned, her brow furrowing.
“Ryan? Will Cassandra betray us...if we succeed?” she asked. “I mean, what's to stop her from killing Cade anyway at the end?”
Shaking his head slowly without having to ponder the question, Ryan answered, “No, she won't betray you. The Tantalusi vampires, believe it or not, are chosen for their high morals and strong code of honor as mortals.”
Kira laughed abruptly at the ridiculousness of that statement. A vampire with morals and a code of honor? “Oh please, Ryan...,” she started to protest.
“I'm serious, Kira. If she is allowing Cade to go free and still be breathing, then he'll stay that way. Unless...”
“Unless?”
“Well, you'd best keep him from crossing her or any of the other Tantalusi vampires in the future. This is a free pass, so to speak, for this time only,” Ryan warned.
Kira swallowed her fear at that thought.
A clearing of a throat broke the dark mood that was bearing down on Kira. She turned and glanced past Ryan to find Cade approaching. Nearly as tall as Ryan, the demon hunter was somewhat broader in the shoulders and chest. Kira remembered quite vividly that he was well-built underneath his clothes. Then she blushed and glanced away, giving herself a mental shake. Now was really not the time...actually no time would be really not the time. Kira was definitely uninterested in having any involvement with someone like Cade now or in the future.
She pushed herself away from the stone wall, noticing a pair of shackles nearby with dried blood on one of the smooth rocks. Kira shuddered and moved further away in disgust before her mind could take her places she had no wish to go.
“Uh, I have to admit I have no idea what to do with myself at this point,” Cade remarked with shrug. “I've never been saved from being killed by a vampire before, then agreeing to some insane, suicide spy mission for said vampire.”
-12-
Ryan noticed Na'ethal motioning to him from across the vampire's meeting room. The detective held up a hand and nodded once.
“You two remain here, out of the way. Don't draw attention to yourselves. We'll leave momentarily,” Ryan ordered, making certain that the young human Kira was risking her life for understood he meant every word. “This isn't your world...yet.”
In the circle of human demon hunters, there were the old timers and the up-and-comers, and in between were those who had survived to become experts at their trade; even if they could still learn something from the senior hunters. In the demon hunting world, Cade was damn excellent at his job; but here, he might as well be starting over in his education. Much as it irked him he understood this fact, and he was smart enough to realize Ryan was a valuable ally. The younger man nodded briefly as Kira's uncle turned away.
Cade found himself standing slightly behind Kira, the top of her head about level with his chin. He inhaled a clean, fresh scent from her hair. She seemed so fragile to him, although he sensed she had some strength to her now. He would be damned if he was going to allow anything to happen to her, certainly not because of an action of his. If he could do anything to get her out of this deal, Cade would gladly trade his life. But he knew Kira wouldn't allow it, she would fight for him.
Kira wrapped her arms around herself and was quiet. She could feel Cade standing close to her, his jacket barely brushing her arm. If he moved even slightly his chest would press against her shoulder. His breathing was calm but she could feel his exhales brush lightly down her neck. She resisted looking up at him, afraid...afraid of what she didn't know, but if she saw his handsome, strong profile and shadowed jawline she would...would what? Kira closed her eyes and thought of the powerful and deadly immortal council, and of the strange and dangerous times ahead of her instead.
Both stood together silently, unsure of what to say. They'd been thrown together again into something evil and unknown of which both realized they might not make it out alive.
“You two remain here, out of the way. Don't draw attention to yourselves. We'll leave momentarily,” Ryan ordered, making certain that the young human Kira was risking her life for understood he meant every word. “This isn't your world...yet.”
In the circle of human demon hunters, there were the old timers and the up-and-comers, and in between were those who had survived to become experts at their trade; even if they could still learn something from the senior hunters. In the demon hunting world, Cade was damn excellent at his job; but here, he might as well be starting over in his education. Much as it irked him he understood this fact, and he was smart enough to realize Ryan was a valuable ally. The younger man nodded briefly as Kira's uncle turned away.
Cade found himself standing slightly behind Kira, the top of her head about level with his chin. He inhaled a clean, fresh scent from her hair. She seemed so fragile to him, although he sensed she had some strength to her now. He would be damned if he was going to allow anything to happen to her, certainly not because of an action of his. If he could do anything to get her out of this deal, Cade would gladly trade his life. But he knew Kira wouldn't allow it, she would fight for him.
Kira wrapped her arms around herself and was quiet. She could feel Cade standing close to her, his jacket barely brushing her arm. If he moved even slightly his chest would press against her shoulder. His breathing was calm but she could feel his exhales brush lightly down her neck. She resisted looking up at him, afraid...afraid of what she didn't know, but if she saw his handsome, strong profile and shadowed jawline she would...would what? Kira closed her eyes and thought of the powerful and deadly immortal council, and of the strange and dangerous times ahead of her instead.
Both stood together silently, unsure of what to say. They'd been thrown together again into something evil and unknown of which both realized they might not make it out alive.
-13-
“Raian, have you spoken to Kira about her blood work yet? About what I found?” the elven healer asked in low tones.
Ryan shook his head. He ran his fingers through his spiked hair. “About what you think you've found...no. There hasn't been been the right time, Na'ethal,” he answered equally subdued.
“There will never be the “right” time for something like this, you're avoiding the subject with her,” Na'ethal accused. With one hand he flipped his long hair back over his shoulder in annoyance. “Surely she's wondering why she gained so much strength and agility with her workouts just in the past month?”
“Yes, but perhaps it's too soon to tell her. Especially with what she's about to face,” Ryan argued logically. “No need to give her more to worry about.”
Na'ethal frowned. “No! Kira must be made aware. If she is more than mortal, it's essential she know and deal with the matter. We all need to know, and more tests will be necessary.”
“You don't know anything for certain,” Ryan replied, shrugging. “You could be wrong.”
The elven doctor shook his head in exasperation. Taller than his friend, he looked down at Ryan in disbelief, his cobalt blue eyes growing darker.
“You act like you want her to remain mortal, a mere human. Think of all the power she might have if she's immortal? Especially now, going into a wer's den.”
“I simply don't want to condemn Kira to an everlasting life...or even a much longer one than normal,” Ryan stated.
“She needs to know,” Na'ethal insisted. “Keeping the information from her won't change the facts.”
“The facts are you don't know for sure,” Ryan repeated. He resisted the urge to glance over at Kira, thinking she might suspect they were discussing her.
“The facts are,” the elven doctor emphasized, “that I found markers in her blood that are unexplainable and that are suggestive of certain other immortal genes.”
At that moment Bella seemed to appear from nowhere into the presence of the elf and the gargoyle's simulacrum form. The white-haired archangel accepted Ryan's slight bow and closed eyes with grace. She knew the gargoyles held themselves as unworthy in the presence of angels. More than likely, the celestine spirits inside the gargoyles were correct in their beliefs.
“ Ah, beautiful one,” Na'ethal greeted Bella with delight. “You honor us with your presence.”
Bella lifted a hand and stroked the elf's cheek lightly. “Now, Na'ethal, we all work together here. No need to be so formal. But I do have a question for you,” she said lightly.
However, there was a slight undertone of irritation in the archangel's voice.
Ryan shook his head. He ran his fingers through his spiked hair. “About what you think you've found...no. There hasn't been been the right time, Na'ethal,” he answered equally subdued.
“There will never be the “right” time for something like this, you're avoiding the subject with her,” Na'ethal accused. With one hand he flipped his long hair back over his shoulder in annoyance. “Surely she's wondering why she gained so much strength and agility with her workouts just in the past month?”
“Yes, but perhaps it's too soon to tell her. Especially with what she's about to face,” Ryan argued logically. “No need to give her more to worry about.”
Na'ethal frowned. “No! Kira must be made aware. If she is more than mortal, it's essential she know and deal with the matter. We all need to know, and more tests will be necessary.”
“You don't know anything for certain,” Ryan replied, shrugging. “You could be wrong.”
The elven doctor shook his head in exasperation. Taller than his friend, he looked down at Ryan in disbelief, his cobalt blue eyes growing darker.
“You act like you want her to remain mortal, a mere human. Think of all the power she might have if she's immortal? Especially now, going into a wer's den.”
“I simply don't want to condemn Kira to an everlasting life...or even a much longer one than normal,” Ryan stated.
“She needs to know,” Na'ethal insisted. “Keeping the information from her won't change the facts.”
“The facts are you don't know for sure,” Ryan repeated. He resisted the urge to glance over at Kira, thinking she might suspect they were discussing her.
“The facts are,” the elven doctor emphasized, “that I found markers in her blood that are unexplainable and that are suggestive of certain other immortal genes.”
At that moment Bella seemed to appear from nowhere into the presence of the elf and the gargoyle's simulacrum form. The white-haired archangel accepted Ryan's slight bow and closed eyes with grace. She knew the gargoyles held themselves as unworthy in the presence of angels. More than likely, the celestine spirits inside the gargoyles were correct in their beliefs.
“ Ah, beautiful one,” Na'ethal greeted Bella with delight. “You honor us with your presence.”
Bella lifted a hand and stroked the elf's cheek lightly. “Now, Na'ethal, we all work together here. No need to be so formal. But I do have a question for you,” she said lightly.
However, there was a slight undertone of irritation in the archangel's voice.
-14-
“Anything you ask, I shall answer,” the elf replied, his voice smooth and languid.
Bella smiled but the expression wasn't completely sincere. The emotion did not extend into her eyes. “Then tell me, what is the reason for not informing us about Kira before bringing her among the council?”
Both Ryan and Na'ethal stared for a moment.
“I did,” Ryan answered simply. “The visit was approved. You approved, as well.”
“Yes,” Bella answered, her eyes flashing slightly. “You wished to bring a young human fantast into our midst, to learn and to possibly help us in our war.”
Na'ethal interrupted. “But then what is the problem, Bella? That's what occurred.”
Bella shook her head, staring at each immortal in turn. “You don't know!” she said in true shock. “Oh, my God...,” she began, completely sincere in her calling on her Lord. “Ryan, Na'ethal...it's her scent, I can smell it on her. An ancient scent.”
“What are you saying, Bella?” Na'ethal asked, the excitement and slight fear rising up to slightly constrict his chest.
Ryan remained silent. He knew angels could sense...could smell...other eldritch. So it was true...about Kira?
“What I am saying, dear ones, is that I know an immortal when I smell one, to be blunt. The girl has an ancient smell about her, she's much older than she appears. But I can't tell which gente she is. What is she?”
“We don't know,” Ryan answered calmly. “Up until now we weren't...I wasn't...even sure. Na'ethal suspected, though. But we weren't certain.”
“Then allow me to enlighten you. I am certain,” Bella emphasized. “Kira is an immortal. I take it she has no idea.”
Both the doctor and the detective shook their heads. Bella sighed.
“What will you do now?” she asked, as all three turned in unison without thinking to stare at the dark-haired young woman standing close to the young man she'd rescued.
Bella smiled but the expression wasn't completely sincere. The emotion did not extend into her eyes. “Then tell me, what is the reason for not informing us about Kira before bringing her among the council?”
Both Ryan and Na'ethal stared for a moment.
“I did,” Ryan answered simply. “The visit was approved. You approved, as well.”
“Yes,” Bella answered, her eyes flashing slightly. “You wished to bring a young human fantast into our midst, to learn and to possibly help us in our war.”
Na'ethal interrupted. “But then what is the problem, Bella? That's what occurred.”
Bella shook her head, staring at each immortal in turn. “You don't know!” she said in true shock. “Oh, my God...,” she began, completely sincere in her calling on her Lord. “Ryan, Na'ethal...it's her scent, I can smell it on her. An ancient scent.”
“What are you saying, Bella?” Na'ethal asked, the excitement and slight fear rising up to slightly constrict his chest.
Ryan remained silent. He knew angels could sense...could smell...other eldritch. So it was true...about Kira?
“What I am saying, dear ones, is that I know an immortal when I smell one, to be blunt. The girl has an ancient smell about her, she's much older than she appears. But I can't tell which gente she is. What is she?”
“We don't know,” Ryan answered calmly. “Up until now we weren't...I wasn't...even sure. Na'ethal suspected, though. But we weren't certain.”
“Then allow me to enlighten you. I am certain,” Bella emphasized. “Kira is an immortal. I take it she has no idea.”
Both the doctor and the detective shook their heads. Bella sighed.
“What will you do now?” she asked, as all three turned in unison without thinking to stare at the dark-haired young woman standing close to the young man she'd rescued.
-15-
Kira jumped slightly when the green faery came into focus without warning. One minute Kira was gazing around the stone-walled meeting room, examining the wooden beams, the ornate floor, the exotic rugs, and anything else that wasn't shackles or chains or the sudden influx of vampires that seemed to have entered the room; and the next there were a pair of green-rimmed, green eyes staring at her up close.
“Oh!” Kira exclaimed and accidentally backed into Cade, pressing herself against his hard chest.
Eolande pulled Kira away by her hands, clasping them in her own. She circled around the girl playfully, trailing her fingers along Kira's skin and touching her hair lightly. Eolande held Kira at arm's length once she'd completed a full circle and studied her up and down.
Cade was unsure of what to do. The weird green creature didn't seem to be hurting Kira; and Ryan had warned them to not draw attention to themselves. Cade decided to keep Kira within reach and watch the faery carefully.
No one saw Ryan, Bella, and Na'ethal move closer to the other trio.
The forest spirit faery grasped Kira by the shoulders and peered deep into her aura. Faeries constantly saw the auras of the eldritch, they couldn't turn off the visions but merely grew accustomed to viewing everyone with the subtle, luminous radiation that surround each one of them.
“Do you know?” she asked curiously. “Do you know what you are?” Eolande smiled as if pleased and in possession of the greatest secret ever. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen...so much silver, white, and light."
Her eyes misted over for a moment as if she were seeing something else, then the green-haired faery whirled quickly and nearly danced away as if she'd been distracted by something else in her mind.
Kira blinked after her, then drew a deep breath.
“Man, that's one crazy-ass faery,” Cade commented. “What's crazier is that I'm actually talking about a freakin' faery in the first place. What the hell did was that all about? Do you know what she meant?” he asked.
Finally Kira turned and looked up at what she'd been avoiding the past few minutes. But Eolande's strange words and actions had taken precedence in her thoughts. She shrugged.
“Not in the slightest,” she answered. “Nothing she's said all night has made a lick of sense to me. Faerie are known to be insane, you know.”
"Go figure," Cade said with a laugh. "Never would've guessed it."
Kira laughed and the strange spell over her was broken as Cade laughed with her.
The trio of gargoyle, archangel, and elf exchanged knowing glances. Ryan merely wondered when to tell Kira; Bella suspected the girl held other secrets as well; and Na'ethal felt both relieved and concerned that his findings had been proven correct. If they'd needed anymore proof...which they hadn't...Eolande had just provided it.
“Oh!” Kira exclaimed and accidentally backed into Cade, pressing herself against his hard chest.
Eolande pulled Kira away by her hands, clasping them in her own. She circled around the girl playfully, trailing her fingers along Kira's skin and touching her hair lightly. Eolande held Kira at arm's length once she'd completed a full circle and studied her up and down.
Cade was unsure of what to do. The weird green creature didn't seem to be hurting Kira; and Ryan had warned them to not draw attention to themselves. Cade decided to keep Kira within reach and watch the faery carefully.
No one saw Ryan, Bella, and Na'ethal move closer to the other trio.
The forest spirit faery grasped Kira by the shoulders and peered deep into her aura. Faeries constantly saw the auras of the eldritch, they couldn't turn off the visions but merely grew accustomed to viewing everyone with the subtle, luminous radiation that surround each one of them.
“Do you know?” she asked curiously. “Do you know what you are?” Eolande smiled as if pleased and in possession of the greatest secret ever. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen...so much silver, white, and light."
Her eyes misted over for a moment as if she were seeing something else, then the green-haired faery whirled quickly and nearly danced away as if she'd been distracted by something else in her mind.
Kira blinked after her, then drew a deep breath.
“Man, that's one crazy-ass faery,” Cade commented. “What's crazier is that I'm actually talking about a freakin' faery in the first place. What the hell did was that all about? Do you know what she meant?” he asked.
Finally Kira turned and looked up at what she'd been avoiding the past few minutes. But Eolande's strange words and actions had taken precedence in her thoughts. She shrugged.
“Not in the slightest,” she answered. “Nothing she's said all night has made a lick of sense to me. Faerie are known to be insane, you know.”
"Go figure," Cade said with a laugh. "Never would've guessed it."
Kira laughed and the strange spell over her was broken as Cade laughed with her.
The trio of gargoyle, archangel, and elf exchanged knowing glances. Ryan merely wondered when to tell Kira; Bella suspected the girl held other secrets as well; and Na'ethal felt both relieved and concerned that his findings had been proven correct. If they'd needed anymore proof...which they hadn't...Eolande had just provided it.
-16-
Cade followed Kira across the empty street to her car. She walked with hurried steps while he made his way more slowly and confidently with no fear of the dark. The Mustang was parked at the edge of the spill of light from the high street lamp. Only the trunk of the car was in the direct glare. Cade watched Kira open the driver's door of the car as he closed in on her. Throwing his jacket on the hood, he walked up directly behind her and put his hands on the roof of the car, boxing her in. As she turned around, Cade leaned in close. He felt her palms spread out on his chest to block him, but Cade pressed in further. The hardness of Kira's concealed gun rested against his stomach. He moved his lips to her soft looking hair near her ear.
“Kira,” he said, his voice low and almost a growl. “They must have guards around,” he whispered, “and I imagine vamps have rather excellent hearing.”
Kira felt Cade's chest muscles through his t-shirt under her hands. He was nearly pressing up against her, pinning her so the frame of the car bit slightly into her back. She turned her head further to one side but couldn't move.
“Cade? What...? Um, yes...on the rooftop, but what are you do...?” she gasped.
“Listen to me...you don't have to do this, Kira. You don't have to put your life in danger. This isn't your problem. I'll leave. I'll go away and never come back,” Cade said breathing into her ear. “You'll be safe.”
Suddenly it dawned on Kira what Cade was suggesting. She curled her splayed hands into fists and gripped the material of his shirt tightly. She turned to look up at him. Kira stared into his hazel eyes. She didn't realize their faces would be so close. Their lips were nearly touching, and his eyes bore back into hers.
“No!” she whispered back. “No, I won't let you run...I can't. They'll find you, dammit. Cade, she'll kill you...Cassandra will kill you if we don't do this! There's no where you'll be able to hide...ever!”
Cade's breathing increased. He felt Kira's grip on his t-shirt tighten. “I can't...I won't let you be hurt,” he murmured, his voice deep and low.
“Then we won't let that happen, to either of us,” Kira replied, feeling her eyes close against her will. It was as though she had no control over what was about to happen.
“Kira!” Ryan's voice drifted across the street as he rounded the dark corner near the vampire's building. “Are you out here?”
Kira's eyes popped wide open. She shoved Cade away at the same time as he drew quickly back. When Ryan came out of the darkness to cross the street, they were standing apart. Cade with his arms crossed over his chest, and Kira standing behind the half closed car door.
“We have to go through with it, Cade,” Kira repeated firmly.
He nodded, resigned to the fact. “I know...I know," he said.
“So, what do you two have planned?” Ryan asked as he approached.
Kira shrugged. She hadn't thought much about how they were going to accomplish this insane spy mission.
“Kira should meet me at my hotel tomorrow morning,” Cade answered, much to his new partner's surprise. “We'll make our way over to where the wer were spotted and start nosing around. If we spot them, we'll try to...I don't know...get invited to their club...”
“It's a cult,” Ryan corrected. “You'll need to be careful going in. I doubt they will merely welcome you with open arms if you ring the bell,” he warned.
“Right. We'll just have to see what's up then. Figure out a way to become a part of the cult if it comes to that,” Cade said looking at Kira.
“This could take awhile, couldn't it?” Kira said, realizing this task was shaping up to be more than just observing the wer.
Both men nodded. Ryan moved to the passenger side of the Mustang.
“I'm at the Royal Palm Motel on Weaver Avenue,” Cade informed her. “Meet me tomorrow. 9:30. And dress not to impress,” he advised, "we'll go in as if we're homeless."
With that he grabbed his jacket off the car and strode away into the midnight darkness. He headed in the direction of the cemetery where he'd been abducted by the vampires. And where his truck would hopefully still be parked, hidden in the shadows.
Kira watched as Cade disappeared into the night then reappeared under the glow of a street light. She lost sight of him as he rounded a corner.
“Kira,” he said, his voice low and almost a growl. “They must have guards around,” he whispered, “and I imagine vamps have rather excellent hearing.”
Kira felt Cade's chest muscles through his t-shirt under her hands. He was nearly pressing up against her, pinning her so the frame of the car bit slightly into her back. She turned her head further to one side but couldn't move.
“Cade? What...? Um, yes...on the rooftop, but what are you do...?” she gasped.
“Listen to me...you don't have to do this, Kira. You don't have to put your life in danger. This isn't your problem. I'll leave. I'll go away and never come back,” Cade said breathing into her ear. “You'll be safe.”
Suddenly it dawned on Kira what Cade was suggesting. She curled her splayed hands into fists and gripped the material of his shirt tightly. She turned to look up at him. Kira stared into his hazel eyes. She didn't realize their faces would be so close. Their lips were nearly touching, and his eyes bore back into hers.
“No!” she whispered back. “No, I won't let you run...I can't. They'll find you, dammit. Cade, she'll kill you...Cassandra will kill you if we don't do this! There's no where you'll be able to hide...ever!”
Cade's breathing increased. He felt Kira's grip on his t-shirt tighten. “I can't...I won't let you be hurt,” he murmured, his voice deep and low.
“Then we won't let that happen, to either of us,” Kira replied, feeling her eyes close against her will. It was as though she had no control over what was about to happen.
“Kira!” Ryan's voice drifted across the street as he rounded the dark corner near the vampire's building. “Are you out here?”
Kira's eyes popped wide open. She shoved Cade away at the same time as he drew quickly back. When Ryan came out of the darkness to cross the street, they were standing apart. Cade with his arms crossed over his chest, and Kira standing behind the half closed car door.
“We have to go through with it, Cade,” Kira repeated firmly.
He nodded, resigned to the fact. “I know...I know," he said.
“So, what do you two have planned?” Ryan asked as he approached.
Kira shrugged. She hadn't thought much about how they were going to accomplish this insane spy mission.
“Kira should meet me at my hotel tomorrow morning,” Cade answered, much to his new partner's surprise. “We'll make our way over to where the wer were spotted and start nosing around. If we spot them, we'll try to...I don't know...get invited to their club...”
“It's a cult,” Ryan corrected. “You'll need to be careful going in. I doubt they will merely welcome you with open arms if you ring the bell,” he warned.
“Right. We'll just have to see what's up then. Figure out a way to become a part of the cult if it comes to that,” Cade said looking at Kira.
“This could take awhile, couldn't it?” Kira said, realizing this task was shaping up to be more than just observing the wer.
Both men nodded. Ryan moved to the passenger side of the Mustang.
“I'm at the Royal Palm Motel on Weaver Avenue,” Cade informed her. “Meet me tomorrow. 9:30. And dress not to impress,” he advised, "we'll go in as if we're homeless."
With that he grabbed his jacket off the car and strode away into the midnight darkness. He headed in the direction of the cemetery where he'd been abducted by the vampires. And where his truck would hopefully still be parked, hidden in the shadows.
Kira watched as Cade disappeared into the night then reappeared under the glow of a street light. She lost sight of him as he rounded a corner.
-17-
Sequestered in the shadows of the rooftop opposite the Tantalusi vampire's adyta, the figure continued observing as Kira parted with the short haired, human male. Her appearance pleased him, she looked healthier and more alive. Actually, she was beautiful, he thought with the hint of a smile. He knew she'd survived after the mental hospital but was relieved to once again see her in person. He hadn't been able to see her since then, but if he was honest with himself, he had thought of her on more than one occasion. And, just a few moments ago, when the human male had placed himself so close to Kira, he had felt a twinge of jealousy. At first he thought they were going to...
“Jareth!” a stern voice floated across the rooftop. A voice only his ears would hear.
Jareth rose from his crouched position on the roof as Kira's car pulled away into the night.
He was tall, at least 6'4”...or rather his current earthly body was tall and lanky, but well-built. His tousled, dark hair fell into his face. He pushed it back with one hand.
“Bella,” he replied, stepping closer to the other angel. He placed the two fingers of his right hand on his left shoulder in greeting. The Aeon guardian angel tried not to show his annoyance at the Archangel messenger. “I was merely watching out for...,” he began to say.
Bella shook her head slowly. She thought she'd sensed another angel when she had exited the building. “No, Jareth. She's not for you to watch, not now.”
“I saved her from the hospital...I rescued her, Bella. I should be the one to continue guarding her,” Jareth said rationally, his strong voice not betraying his faint emotions. "She won't recognize me since I had to discard my previous body."
Bella smiled. She reached up and placed a hand on Jareth's cheek. Her long, white hair contrasted strongly with his dark tangles. “She's not yours to watch over,” she repeated gently but firmly. “You have your own duties in the war against supernatural threats. If you're needed for Kira, you will be summoned. Besides, she has the demon hunter now.”
Jareth's lip barely twitched into the snarl he felt coming. “How's a mere human going to protect her?” he asked.
Bella ignored him, not speaking of her discovery of Kira's being an immortal. “Come, we have other duties for now. Let's travel through the Reverie, it will be quicker.”
Unseen by human eyes, both angels took their angelic forms as they stepped into the Secret World. On the roof they winked out of sight in the blink of an eye with no one the wiser to their existence.
“Jareth!” a stern voice floated across the rooftop. A voice only his ears would hear.
Jareth rose from his crouched position on the roof as Kira's car pulled away into the night.
He was tall, at least 6'4”...or rather his current earthly body was tall and lanky, but well-built. His tousled, dark hair fell into his face. He pushed it back with one hand.
“Bella,” he replied, stepping closer to the other angel. He placed the two fingers of his right hand on his left shoulder in greeting. The Aeon guardian angel tried not to show his annoyance at the Archangel messenger. “I was merely watching out for...,” he began to say.
Bella shook her head slowly. She thought she'd sensed another angel when she had exited the building. “No, Jareth. She's not for you to watch, not now.”
“I saved her from the hospital...I rescued her, Bella. I should be the one to continue guarding her,” Jareth said rationally, his strong voice not betraying his faint emotions. "She won't recognize me since I had to discard my previous body."
Bella smiled. She reached up and placed a hand on Jareth's cheek. Her long, white hair contrasted strongly with his dark tangles. “She's not yours to watch over,” she repeated gently but firmly. “You have your own duties in the war against supernatural threats. If you're needed for Kira, you will be summoned. Besides, she has the demon hunter now.”
Jareth's lip barely twitched into the snarl he felt coming. “How's a mere human going to protect her?” he asked.
Bella ignored him, not speaking of her discovery of Kira's being an immortal. “Come, we have other duties for now. Let's travel through the Reverie, it will be quicker.”
Unseen by human eyes, both angels took their angelic forms as they stepped into the Secret World. On the roof they winked out of sight in the blink of an eye with no one the wiser to their existence.
-18-
The time was barely after midnight.
The “Employees Only” door swung shut with a heavy click as he bolted from the high-end Riverfront dance club. He barely paused to glance around the alley way with its large trash bin and wooden fence separating it from the buildings of the next street over. The night time humidity wafted through the night air, worse down near the great, rushing river, causing beads of sweat to break out on the man's skin. Of course the warm night wasn't the only reason the man was sweating.
There was no returning to his former—as of a minute ago—privileged life. He'd taken the first and final step by exiting the club. He fervently hoped that no one that mattered had witnessed his departure. The man with the olive skin and Hispanic features suddenly began to run as if his life depended on it. And it did. He fled through the night, avoiding first the long line of patrons hoping to be allowed entrance to the popular night club, and then bypassing the main streets by keeping to the darkened alleys of Downtown New Bellwich. His breathing came in short, sharp gasps of near panic as he ran; and with wide eyes, he stole fearful looks behind him when he dared.
His car was parked near the aquarium in a public parking structure. Tonight was his only chance to escape. He was privy to information that he wished he hadn't found out about and would never have been allowed to leave. And he sure as hell wasn't going to stick around. He'd never signed up for demon worship. Drugs, extortion, blackmail, murder...those were one thing; but worshiping demons was so far out of his comfort zone that it wasn't even on the same planet.
But it was the escaping man's bad luck that his leaving had indeed been noticed...and by the wrong person. A bald, black man rose and motioned for a dark-haired companion to follow. Three others--two women and another man--were briefed and nodded, all frowning.
Once outside, the two men held a brief, whispered conversation in the alley, then lifted their heads to sniff the warm, night air. They both caught the familiar scent simultaneously, but it was fading. Their prey was slipping further away.
As one they quickly stripped off their clothes, leaving them to be gathered shortly. Without much effort, the transformation into their half-skin form began. Their bodies and faces twisted and bulged as the change overtook them. The strange-looking morphing resulted in the men growing taller, the black man to nearly eight feet, and the dark-haired one to just over seven feet tall. Their muscles rippled and bulged as their chests broadened. A thick, fine fur began to cover their human skin. The black man grew a gray-black pelt, while the other soon sported a brownish pelt. Both their heads enlarged, their human faces stretching out into wolf-like visages. Long, deadly claws sprouted from massive, hairy hands.
Snapping oversized canine teeth in their strong jaws, the two wer began to run as a man would, only at a much greater speed. Enlarged, sharply pointed ears twitched and rotated as they listened for oncoming mortals that might see them, as well as to the faint running footsteps of their prey. Keeping to the back alleys, the half-skin werwolves ran with supernatural power. They leaped over cars and shoved aside anything else that impeded their progress.
When they reached the Riverside aquarium, they sniffed the air and found their prey once again. Both wer howled into the darkness and picked up the chase.
The man on the run froze in horror. What the hell...? he thought as what sounded like howling shot through the night air. The terrifying, hair-raising sounds sent chills up and down his spine, and his bladder nearly let go.
As he slid roughly into the driver's seat and slammed the door shut, he heard the thundering of heavy footsteps approaching. Before he could even start the engine, the roof bowed inward with a loud, metallic crunch. Another crushing sound came from the hood of the car. Without warning the windshield shattered inward, spraying him with sharp fragments of glass. He instinctively raised his hands to protect his face.
Outside the car, the pursuing black wer had leaped to the roof, the metal giving way downward as his heavy body landed on bent legs and hands. The brown pelted wer crashed onto the hood, bending the metal underneath his weight. He growled furiously at being betrayed. Sharp teeth were exposed by his raised lip. Spittle dripped in long ropes from the open jaws. Balling his hairy hand into a fist, he smashed through the windshield. The hand shot opened and sharp claws pierced the neck of the man in the car. With a terrified, gurgled scream, the man was hauled through the spider web of shattered glass. His face, neck, and body were ripped and gouged as he was dragged through the shards. Blood oozed from the wounds.
Blood also dripped from the wer's hand, and bits of glass on his fur sparkled in the moonlight. The wer paid no heed to his injuries as he would heal quickly. Leaping to the ground, the brown wer held the man high and shook the traitorous deserter powerfully causing internal damage to vital organs. The black wer jumped off the roof to the ground and took the screaming man. Not intending to infect him with the changing virus, he sharply twisted the man's head with one massive hand, severing the spinal cord.
The night grew eerily quiet, with only the sound of the methodically flowing river in the background and the creak of boats in the harbor.
Shortly a van drove up and the headlights switched off. A red-haired woman was driving, while a blond man opened the side door. The dead body was dumped on the plain, metal floor. The two wer quickly reverted back to their first skin form and retrieved their clothes from the pile on the passenger seat.
“We'll take the car and abandon it,” the black man said. “You know what to do with the meat,” he said to the two in the van.
“Meet back at the club?” the blond man asked. He had left their fifth member behind to keep their seats.
The black man nodded. “The night's still young,” he said.
The “Employees Only” door swung shut with a heavy click as he bolted from the high-end Riverfront dance club. He barely paused to glance around the alley way with its large trash bin and wooden fence separating it from the buildings of the next street over. The night time humidity wafted through the night air, worse down near the great, rushing river, causing beads of sweat to break out on the man's skin. Of course the warm night wasn't the only reason the man was sweating.
There was no returning to his former—as of a minute ago—privileged life. He'd taken the first and final step by exiting the club. He fervently hoped that no one that mattered had witnessed his departure. The man with the olive skin and Hispanic features suddenly began to run as if his life depended on it. And it did. He fled through the night, avoiding first the long line of patrons hoping to be allowed entrance to the popular night club, and then bypassing the main streets by keeping to the darkened alleys of Downtown New Bellwich. His breathing came in short, sharp gasps of near panic as he ran; and with wide eyes, he stole fearful looks behind him when he dared.
His car was parked near the aquarium in a public parking structure. Tonight was his only chance to escape. He was privy to information that he wished he hadn't found out about and would never have been allowed to leave. And he sure as hell wasn't going to stick around. He'd never signed up for demon worship. Drugs, extortion, blackmail, murder...those were one thing; but worshiping demons was so far out of his comfort zone that it wasn't even on the same planet.
But it was the escaping man's bad luck that his leaving had indeed been noticed...and by the wrong person. A bald, black man rose and motioned for a dark-haired companion to follow. Three others--two women and another man--were briefed and nodded, all frowning.
Once outside, the two men held a brief, whispered conversation in the alley, then lifted their heads to sniff the warm, night air. They both caught the familiar scent simultaneously, but it was fading. Their prey was slipping further away.
As one they quickly stripped off their clothes, leaving them to be gathered shortly. Without much effort, the transformation into their half-skin form began. Their bodies and faces twisted and bulged as the change overtook them. The strange-looking morphing resulted in the men growing taller, the black man to nearly eight feet, and the dark-haired one to just over seven feet tall. Their muscles rippled and bulged as their chests broadened. A thick, fine fur began to cover their human skin. The black man grew a gray-black pelt, while the other soon sported a brownish pelt. Both their heads enlarged, their human faces stretching out into wolf-like visages. Long, deadly claws sprouted from massive, hairy hands.
Snapping oversized canine teeth in their strong jaws, the two wer began to run as a man would, only at a much greater speed. Enlarged, sharply pointed ears twitched and rotated as they listened for oncoming mortals that might see them, as well as to the faint running footsteps of their prey. Keeping to the back alleys, the half-skin werwolves ran with supernatural power. They leaped over cars and shoved aside anything else that impeded their progress.
When they reached the Riverside aquarium, they sniffed the air and found their prey once again. Both wer howled into the darkness and picked up the chase.
The man on the run froze in horror. What the hell...? he thought as what sounded like howling shot through the night air. The terrifying, hair-raising sounds sent chills up and down his spine, and his bladder nearly let go.
As he slid roughly into the driver's seat and slammed the door shut, he heard the thundering of heavy footsteps approaching. Before he could even start the engine, the roof bowed inward with a loud, metallic crunch. Another crushing sound came from the hood of the car. Without warning the windshield shattered inward, spraying him with sharp fragments of glass. He instinctively raised his hands to protect his face.
Outside the car, the pursuing black wer had leaped to the roof, the metal giving way downward as his heavy body landed on bent legs and hands. The brown pelted wer crashed onto the hood, bending the metal underneath his weight. He growled furiously at being betrayed. Sharp teeth were exposed by his raised lip. Spittle dripped in long ropes from the open jaws. Balling his hairy hand into a fist, he smashed through the windshield. The hand shot opened and sharp claws pierced the neck of the man in the car. With a terrified, gurgled scream, the man was hauled through the spider web of shattered glass. His face, neck, and body were ripped and gouged as he was dragged through the shards. Blood oozed from the wounds.
Blood also dripped from the wer's hand, and bits of glass on his fur sparkled in the moonlight. The wer paid no heed to his injuries as he would heal quickly. Leaping to the ground, the brown wer held the man high and shook the traitorous deserter powerfully causing internal damage to vital organs. The black wer jumped off the roof to the ground and took the screaming man. Not intending to infect him with the changing virus, he sharply twisted the man's head with one massive hand, severing the spinal cord.
The night grew eerily quiet, with only the sound of the methodically flowing river in the background and the creak of boats in the harbor.
Shortly a van drove up and the headlights switched off. A red-haired woman was driving, while a blond man opened the side door. The dead body was dumped on the plain, metal floor. The two wer quickly reverted back to their first skin form and retrieved their clothes from the pile on the passenger seat.
“We'll take the car and abandon it,” the black man said. “You know what to do with the meat,” he said to the two in the van.
“Meet back at the club?” the blond man asked. He had left their fifth member behind to keep their seats.
The black man nodded. “The night's still young,” he said.
-19-
As Detective Laurent sat at his desk at the 6th Precinct in the Upper Garden/Warehouse and Arts District, the morning sun streamed in through an ornate, stained-glass window high in the wall. The light refracted and splashed muted colors throughout the main room. Dressed as usual in casual pants and a short-sleeved shirt and tie, the Detective adjusted his holstered gun into a more comfortable position against his side.
Amidst the background of ringing phones, conversations, and the hum of the air conditioner, Ryan scrutinized the Saturday morning paper's headlines. One in particular caught his attention. He nodded to himself and ran a hand through his spiky, blond hair. He heard the soft tap of feet approaching on the linoleum floor but didn't look up. Ryan sensed the identity of his visitor.
“Did you read about Carl Jenkins yet? The attorney that was killed last night,” Detective Thomas Addison remarked casually. “The boys covering Uptown are in a frenzy trying to figure that one out.”
The man with the blond mustache and goatee waited patiently.
Ryan finally glanced up slowly with just his eyes. Gargoyle and daeva locked eyes for a moment, then Ryan nodded briefly. “Just read about it now,” he said. “Seems to me he deserved to die. He did kill those kids of his after all.”
“Did he?” Thomas asked, cautiously. Although he'd known Ryan nearly ten years now, since the gargoyle had returned in his current simulacrum, Thomas knew gargoyles could be mysterious and dangerous. Some became as evil as demons over time.
Then Thomas reiterated more clearly, “Did he deserve to die?”
“He wouldn't be dead unless he did,” Ryan remarked evenly.
The Vanir daeva then nodded. “Fair enough,” he said.
Then he leaned over and placed his palms on Ryan's desk. His lightweight suit jacket opened slightly but his tie remained tacked firmly into position. He lowered his voice even more.
“Did Kira leave this morning?” he asked.
Ryan nodded.
Amidst the background of ringing phones, conversations, and the hum of the air conditioner, Ryan scrutinized the Saturday morning paper's headlines. One in particular caught his attention. He nodded to himself and ran a hand through his spiky, blond hair. He heard the soft tap of feet approaching on the linoleum floor but didn't look up. Ryan sensed the identity of his visitor.
“Did you read about Carl Jenkins yet? The attorney that was killed last night,” Detective Thomas Addison remarked casually. “The boys covering Uptown are in a frenzy trying to figure that one out.”
The man with the blond mustache and goatee waited patiently.
Ryan finally glanced up slowly with just his eyes. Gargoyle and daeva locked eyes for a moment, then Ryan nodded briefly. “Just read about it now,” he said. “Seems to me he deserved to die. He did kill those kids of his after all.”
“Did he?” Thomas asked, cautiously. Although he'd known Ryan nearly ten years now, since the gargoyle had returned in his current simulacrum, Thomas knew gargoyles could be mysterious and dangerous. Some became as evil as demons over time.
Then Thomas reiterated more clearly, “Did he deserve to die?”
“He wouldn't be dead unless he did,” Ryan remarked evenly.
The Vanir daeva then nodded. “Fair enough,” he said.
Then he leaned over and placed his palms on Ryan's desk. His lightweight suit jacket opened slightly but his tie remained tacked firmly into position. He lowered his voice even more.
“Did Kira leave this morning?” he asked.
Ryan nodded.
-20-
The tacky Royal Palm Motel wasn't the worst motel Cade could have chosen, Kira thought as she parked her car, but it was damn close. Seriously, who would even still use giant pink flamingos and flashing neon palm trees in a sign. She locked her Mustang up tight and slung her old satchel across her chest. Wearing worn black jeans from the thrift store, a plain red top, and black tennis shoes, Kira had done her best to dress down. Her long, dark hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail. Kira vividly remembered all too well what it was like to stink and look like crap from being homeless, and she had been unable to bring herself to go that far again.
She knocked twice on room number 12 and waited, absently staring around her at the motel, the parking lot full of cheap, run down cars, and the old side street on which the motel was located. If anything happened to her car while they were gone, Kira was going to personally kill Cade...if they made it out of this stupid spy mission alive.
When she heard the door click open, Kira turned back around.
“Hi,” Kira began, then hesitated. "Uh...,"
A young and pretty blond woman with tousled hair, tiny shorts, and a low-cut t-shirt that truly left nothing to the imagination stood in the doorway.
“Hi!” the blond said cheerfully. “Can I help you?”
Kira was confused for a moment and embarrassed that she'd gotten the room number wrong. Now she'd have to call Cade and appear stupid.
“Uh...sorry, no. I must have the wrong room,” Kira mumbled. She stepped back to leave quickly.
Suddenly the door opened wider, and Cade was standing behind the blond, tall and nearly towering over her. Kira could only stare. Then she began to experience a slow rise of irritation.
He grinned. “Hey, Kira, I thought you were coming at 9:30?”
Kira raised her eyebrows slightly. “It is 9:30,” you jerk, she added silently.
Cade's eyes opened wide in surprise. “Well, crap! I guess I'm running late then. Sorry about that. Come on in,” he invited, stepping back from the door.
He tugged the blond woman away from the door. “Deb this is Kira. Kira, Deb. Time for me to go to work, sweetheart,” he announced to Deb. “It was fun, but duty calls.”
Kira could barely force herself past the door way . She felt awkward and embarrassed...and more than a little annoyed.
“Okay, okay. I'm out of here, handsome,” Deb replied casually.
She sat on the unmade bed and pulled on white tennis shoes, then stood to cram a small apron into her purse.
She approached Cade familiarly and placed her hands on his chest. Reaching up to pull his head toward her, she kissed him twice on the lips, lingeringly and with a seductive laugh. Cade responded in a cursory manner, but after a few seconds he pushed her away by the shoulders with a brief smile.
“No time, darlin',” he said, “as much as I'd enjoy it, I have to work now.”
Deb glanced over at Kira, who seemed plain and ordinary in her eyes. She noticed the other young woman's awkwardness and how the dark haired girl tried to fixed her gaze anywhere but in the direction of Cade or the bed with the covers completely thrown off.
“Come to the bar again for another drink soon, huh?” she invited with a wink.
“Will do!” Cade agreed while subtly guiding Deb toward the open door. She'd been fun for the night, but definitely not someone he'd want to sleep with again.
Before she left, Deb reached up for one more kiss that wasn't reciprocated this time. Cade shut the door and smiled at Kira. He ran a hand over his short hair.
“Ready to rock?” he asked.
Kira could only stare. She was still processing that after the whole freaking experience with the vampires and their upcoming spying on the wer, that Cade could have possibly found time to have a drink and...well, she'd barely slept last night with fear and anxiety, and here Cade was busy screwing around. Literally. Kira unconsciously shook her head.
“What?” Cade asked in confusion when Kira merely stared and didn't answer. Then it dawned on him, and he laughed dismissively. “Oh! Deb?” he asked, then shrugged. “So? I had to deal with some stress last night. I almost died, remember?”
“Yeah, I do remember,” Kira answered curtly. “But drinking and...and sex?” Kira asked, feeling awkward again. She struggled to keep her mind from envisioning any details.
Cade looked puzzled. “So?” he asked again. “It's how I deal,” he said matter-of-factly.
Deep down Cade knew he overindulged in alcohol and women, but what the hell. With his life on the line all the damn time, his “job” was just chock full of stress and danger. He had more than his share of guilt over his family's death by demons to worry overmuch about drinking booze and screwing sexy women. He'd given up the last six years of his life to saving others and to a greater cause. If others didn't like how he lived his life or didn't approve of his methods...of anything...well then, they could go to hell.
Except...he did wish that Kira had never seen Deb. That he hadn't planned on at all.
She knocked twice on room number 12 and waited, absently staring around her at the motel, the parking lot full of cheap, run down cars, and the old side street on which the motel was located. If anything happened to her car while they were gone, Kira was going to personally kill Cade...if they made it out of this stupid spy mission alive.
When she heard the door click open, Kira turned back around.
“Hi,” Kira began, then hesitated. "Uh...,"
A young and pretty blond woman with tousled hair, tiny shorts, and a low-cut t-shirt that truly left nothing to the imagination stood in the doorway.
“Hi!” the blond said cheerfully. “Can I help you?”
Kira was confused for a moment and embarrassed that she'd gotten the room number wrong. Now she'd have to call Cade and appear stupid.
“Uh...sorry, no. I must have the wrong room,” Kira mumbled. She stepped back to leave quickly.
Suddenly the door opened wider, and Cade was standing behind the blond, tall and nearly towering over her. Kira could only stare. Then she began to experience a slow rise of irritation.
He grinned. “Hey, Kira, I thought you were coming at 9:30?”
Kira raised her eyebrows slightly. “It is 9:30,” you jerk, she added silently.
Cade's eyes opened wide in surprise. “Well, crap! I guess I'm running late then. Sorry about that. Come on in,” he invited, stepping back from the door.
He tugged the blond woman away from the door. “Deb this is Kira. Kira, Deb. Time for me to go to work, sweetheart,” he announced to Deb. “It was fun, but duty calls.”
Kira could barely force herself past the door way . She felt awkward and embarrassed...and more than a little annoyed.
“Okay, okay. I'm out of here, handsome,” Deb replied casually.
She sat on the unmade bed and pulled on white tennis shoes, then stood to cram a small apron into her purse.
She approached Cade familiarly and placed her hands on his chest. Reaching up to pull his head toward her, she kissed him twice on the lips, lingeringly and with a seductive laugh. Cade responded in a cursory manner, but after a few seconds he pushed her away by the shoulders with a brief smile.
“No time, darlin',” he said, “as much as I'd enjoy it, I have to work now.”
Deb glanced over at Kira, who seemed plain and ordinary in her eyes. She noticed the other young woman's awkwardness and how the dark haired girl tried to fixed her gaze anywhere but in the direction of Cade or the bed with the covers completely thrown off.
“Come to the bar again for another drink soon, huh?” she invited with a wink.
“Will do!” Cade agreed while subtly guiding Deb toward the open door. She'd been fun for the night, but definitely not someone he'd want to sleep with again.
Before she left, Deb reached up for one more kiss that wasn't reciprocated this time. Cade shut the door and smiled at Kira. He ran a hand over his short hair.
“Ready to rock?” he asked.
Kira could only stare. She was still processing that after the whole freaking experience with the vampires and their upcoming spying on the wer, that Cade could have possibly found time to have a drink and...well, she'd barely slept last night with fear and anxiety, and here Cade was busy screwing around. Literally. Kira unconsciously shook her head.
“What?” Cade asked in confusion when Kira merely stared and didn't answer. Then it dawned on him, and he laughed dismissively. “Oh! Deb?” he asked, then shrugged. “So? I had to deal with some stress last night. I almost died, remember?”
“Yeah, I do remember,” Kira answered curtly. “But drinking and...and sex?” Kira asked, feeling awkward again. She struggled to keep her mind from envisioning any details.
Cade looked puzzled. “So?” he asked again. “It's how I deal,” he said matter-of-factly.
Deep down Cade knew he overindulged in alcohol and women, but what the hell. With his life on the line all the damn time, his “job” was just chock full of stress and danger. He had more than his share of guilt over his family's death by demons to worry overmuch about drinking booze and screwing sexy women. He'd given up the last six years of his life to saving others and to a greater cause. If others didn't like how he lived his life or didn't approve of his methods...of anything...well then, they could go to hell.
Except...he did wish that Kira had never seen Deb. That he hadn't planned on at all.
-21-
“Whatever,” Kira said abruptly. What Cade did in private was none of her business, and she was feeling uncomfortable with the whole subject. “Let's just get going, okay. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we get back to our own lives.”
“Fine with me,” Cade replied with a shrug. “But not so fast,” he said, walking across the room to the low dresser. “You smell good.”
Kira was taken aback. “Uh...thank you?” she replied, then paused.
“No, that would be a bad thing,” he said slowly, “that you smell good. We're supposed to be living on the streets. Living on the streets means not being clean. But, of course, you wouldn't know what that's like,” Cade said casually.
He grabbed a wadded up shirt off the floor and began rubbing the material quickly over her clothes. Kira knocked the shirt and his hand away.
“Gross! That stinks! What the hell are you doing anyway?” she asked, backing away and grimacing at the stench from the shirt.
“It's the shirt I wore the last few days...I didn't have a chance to shower until last night,” he replied.
“Well, then if we're going to be homeless, we'll be newly on the streets. You are not rubbing that nasty smelling shirt all over me!” she insisted firmly.
Kira refrained from telling Cade about her two weeks of being homeless, not to mention the whole five months before that when she was locked up in Creedmoor. It was none of his damn business that she'd been in a psyche ward. Let Cade think what he wanted of her, Kira didn't much care.
Except she did, and she hated that.
“But I'll tell you what,” Kira continued on, “you're not going to treat me like you did the last time. I...I'm not the same,” she finished vaguely, not sure how to explain the last month's training and lessons she'd experienced.
Cade had noticed that Kira seemed more confident, especially around the vampires...and she seemed to know a hell of a lot more than he did about this Secret World he'd just learned about last night. But he wasn't going to tell her he was slightly impressed; and he didn't want to know too much about her anyway. He'd be leaving when this spying business was over with. But Cade didn't want to hurt Kira, not after leaving her last time. He would just have to trust she could handle this because his life was on the line, too.
“Okay, fine,” he said casually. “Sorry. I'll just have to trust you then.”
Suddenly Cade stripped off his t-shirt. He stood there bare chested and with only his jeans on. Kira was caught off guard and could only stare in amazement at his muscles and tattoos.
Cade noticed her staring and grinned. “Pretty awesome, huh?” he said laughing, flexing his muscles in the mirror.
“Oh please, you need to get over yourself!” Kira exclaimed, hoping she wasn't blushing as much as she felt she was. “Seriously.”
Cade just laughed. “Well, I do need your help actually. I didn't just strip to impress you,” he said with a playful wink. “Here take this.”
Cade handed her a container of tattoo concealer that matched his skin. There was half a jar left but Cade thought it would be plenty. He'd only had to use it twice before so far. The bottle of setting mist sat on the dresser. Once he applied that, the concealer would be water resistant for several days.
“What's this for?” Kira asked curiously.
“I need to hide my tattoos. If we're going to be mixing it up with demon-worshiping moon howlers, they'll mark me as a hunter. I suspect they'd recognize these as being...well, anti-demon and anti-evil, you might say.”
Kira shook her head. She didn't know what any of the markings on Cade signified.
“Okay...this one on my chest, it's a pagan pentagram surrounded by a sun...it protects me from demonic possession,” Cade explained.
Kira's eyes widened. Demonic possession? As in the demon getting inside of someone, she wondered? Ryan had never mentioned that happening with the demons that were trying to attack the two worlds. She focused back on what Cade was saying.
“The eyes of Horus, you know the Egyptian symbol? This is both of them, the right and the left.”
He nodded his head over his left shoulder. Kira studied his shoulder blade.
“The right eye is the Sun, the left the Moon. Together they provide double the protection from evil and misfortune...well some of the time,” Cade added. “I have my share of both no matter how much protection I have. But at least I haven't died yet.”
Finally Cade looked at his right bicep. “This hand with the eye in the palm and two thumbs is Arabic, it's more protection against evil.”
There were still more tattoos, mostly small, but Cade said they had more personal meaning than protection; although a few had some service against demons.
“If you work on the one on my back, I'll start on the front,” he said seriously.
Cade was sitting in a chair that was turned sideways. He faced the mirror of the low dresser. He looked up just as Kira glanced in the mirror, and their eyes locked for a moment.
Kira tried to affect a neutral expression as she scooped a small amount of the concealer with two fingers and placed the blob in the palm of her opposite hand. It took her a moment...a long and excruciating moment, she thought...to finally touch Cade, and when she did, Kira felt a small fluttering in her stomach. She paused, not wanting to feel anything physical for him. Suddenly she wondered if she had ever had a boyfriend...in her “other” life. The life she could no longer remember. Even after a month now, she was no closer to remembering where she'd come from, who her parents were, or anything about herself beyond that she escaped from demons that night. It made Kira feel sad and confused that she couldn't remember if she'd ever had someone special in her life.
Cade glanced up from where he was applying the skin-colored concealer when he realized Kira hadn't even started beyond that first initial touch. He saw her face in the mirror, her expression somewhat blank and far away.
“What? You've never touched a guy before?” he teased. “It won't hurt either one of us, I promise.”
Kira was brought abruptly out of her thoughts and embarrassment flooded through her. How could she ever explain what she'd gone through to make Cade understand. She couldn't, that's how. Kira scowled and smacked Cade across the back of his close cropped head.
“Shut up, why don't you. It's none of your business what I have or haven't done.”
“Ow!” he protested. “Sensitive much? I was just teasing you.”
Kira began to apply the tattoo concealer, pretending she did this all the time and wasn't self-conscious.
“Fine with me,” Cade replied with a shrug. “But not so fast,” he said, walking across the room to the low dresser. “You smell good.”
Kira was taken aback. “Uh...thank you?” she replied, then paused.
“No, that would be a bad thing,” he said slowly, “that you smell good. We're supposed to be living on the streets. Living on the streets means not being clean. But, of course, you wouldn't know what that's like,” Cade said casually.
He grabbed a wadded up shirt off the floor and began rubbing the material quickly over her clothes. Kira knocked the shirt and his hand away.
“Gross! That stinks! What the hell are you doing anyway?” she asked, backing away and grimacing at the stench from the shirt.
“It's the shirt I wore the last few days...I didn't have a chance to shower until last night,” he replied.
“Well, then if we're going to be homeless, we'll be newly on the streets. You are not rubbing that nasty smelling shirt all over me!” she insisted firmly.
Kira refrained from telling Cade about her two weeks of being homeless, not to mention the whole five months before that when she was locked up in Creedmoor. It was none of his damn business that she'd been in a psyche ward. Let Cade think what he wanted of her, Kira didn't much care.
Except she did, and she hated that.
“But I'll tell you what,” Kira continued on, “you're not going to treat me like you did the last time. I...I'm not the same,” she finished vaguely, not sure how to explain the last month's training and lessons she'd experienced.
Cade had noticed that Kira seemed more confident, especially around the vampires...and she seemed to know a hell of a lot more than he did about this Secret World he'd just learned about last night. But he wasn't going to tell her he was slightly impressed; and he didn't want to know too much about her anyway. He'd be leaving when this spying business was over with. But Cade didn't want to hurt Kira, not after leaving her last time. He would just have to trust she could handle this because his life was on the line, too.
“Okay, fine,” he said casually. “Sorry. I'll just have to trust you then.”
Suddenly Cade stripped off his t-shirt. He stood there bare chested and with only his jeans on. Kira was caught off guard and could only stare in amazement at his muscles and tattoos.
Cade noticed her staring and grinned. “Pretty awesome, huh?” he said laughing, flexing his muscles in the mirror.
“Oh please, you need to get over yourself!” Kira exclaimed, hoping she wasn't blushing as much as she felt she was. “Seriously.”
Cade just laughed. “Well, I do need your help actually. I didn't just strip to impress you,” he said with a playful wink. “Here take this.”
Cade handed her a container of tattoo concealer that matched his skin. There was half a jar left but Cade thought it would be plenty. He'd only had to use it twice before so far. The bottle of setting mist sat on the dresser. Once he applied that, the concealer would be water resistant for several days.
“What's this for?” Kira asked curiously.
“I need to hide my tattoos. If we're going to be mixing it up with demon-worshiping moon howlers, they'll mark me as a hunter. I suspect they'd recognize these as being...well, anti-demon and anti-evil, you might say.”
Kira shook her head. She didn't know what any of the markings on Cade signified.
“Okay...this one on my chest, it's a pagan pentagram surrounded by a sun...it protects me from demonic possession,” Cade explained.
Kira's eyes widened. Demonic possession? As in the demon getting inside of someone, she wondered? Ryan had never mentioned that happening with the demons that were trying to attack the two worlds. She focused back on what Cade was saying.
“The eyes of Horus, you know the Egyptian symbol? This is both of them, the right and the left.”
He nodded his head over his left shoulder. Kira studied his shoulder blade.
“The right eye is the Sun, the left the Moon. Together they provide double the protection from evil and misfortune...well some of the time,” Cade added. “I have my share of both no matter how much protection I have. But at least I haven't died yet.”
Finally Cade looked at his right bicep. “This hand with the eye in the palm and two thumbs is Arabic, it's more protection against evil.”
There were still more tattoos, mostly small, but Cade said they had more personal meaning than protection; although a few had some service against demons.
“If you work on the one on my back, I'll start on the front,” he said seriously.
Cade was sitting in a chair that was turned sideways. He faced the mirror of the low dresser. He looked up just as Kira glanced in the mirror, and their eyes locked for a moment.
Kira tried to affect a neutral expression as she scooped a small amount of the concealer with two fingers and placed the blob in the palm of her opposite hand. It took her a moment...a long and excruciating moment, she thought...to finally touch Cade, and when she did, Kira felt a small fluttering in her stomach. She paused, not wanting to feel anything physical for him. Suddenly she wondered if she had ever had a boyfriend...in her “other” life. The life she could no longer remember. Even after a month now, she was no closer to remembering where she'd come from, who her parents were, or anything about herself beyond that she escaped from demons that night. It made Kira feel sad and confused that she couldn't remember if she'd ever had someone special in her life.
Cade glanced up from where he was applying the skin-colored concealer when he realized Kira hadn't even started beyond that first initial touch. He saw her face in the mirror, her expression somewhat blank and far away.
“What? You've never touched a guy before?” he teased. “It won't hurt either one of us, I promise.”
Kira was brought abruptly out of her thoughts and embarrassment flooded through her. How could she ever explain what she'd gone through to make Cade understand. She couldn't, that's how. Kira scowled and smacked Cade across the back of his close cropped head.
“Shut up, why don't you. It's none of your business what I have or haven't done.”
“Ow!” he protested. “Sensitive much? I was just teasing you.”
Kira began to apply the tattoo concealer, pretending she did this all the time and wasn't self-conscious.
-22-
The decrepit, abandoned two-story warehouse loomed overhead. Kira and Cade shielded their eyes from the bright, early afternoon sun as they examined the front of the building. Constructed of faded brick, more brown than red—and dirty—, the Tantalusi-owned warehouse had boarded up windows, a broken chain on the dirt-coated double doors, and weeds growing up along side the building. There was a look of desolation about the warehouse at the end of the one-way street.
The pair had already explored around the outside of the building, or at least until the river's tributary stopped them in their tracks in the rear. It wasn't so much that the structure had been built to access the water, but that the water had eroded its way to the loading docks and delivery driveway. Broken cement chunks, asphalt pieces, and huge metal railings now created a makeshift shore along the water's edge.
Both had silently hoped the building didn't actually tumble into the river any time soon—such as while they were occupying it.
Cade lowered his hand down from his eyes and followed Kira toward the unchained doors. He pulled on the dusty handle to open the door, then stared at his dirt-streaked palm. Cade wiped his hands on his worn jeans and dark green t-shirt, figuring a little more filth wouldn't hurt their cover-story.
“So, basically, the bloodsuckers use this place to lure homeless people in to feed off them?” Cade asked, clarifying what Kira had told him earlier.
“Apparently so,” she replied with a grimace. “At least that's what Sebastian hinted at when he gave me the key. I think he wanted to freak me out.”
Cade shook his head. “It's just wrong on so many levels that we're actually going to spend the night here, you know?”
Kira agreed wholeheartedly.
Several hours had passed since they'd finished masking Cade's tattoos. The vampires' reluctant spies had made the journey through the already hot, August morning from the west side of the French Quarter to the more run-down east side. First by street car, then on foot they'd traveled. The two had moved among the public with the sobering realization that all the people around them were unaware of the small gang of wer roaming freely about.
Now inside the musty, debris littered old building, Cade slid his gun from his pack and swept the weapon around as they cautiously walked toward the center of the warehouse. The outside windows shed enough light to maneuver around without a flashlight. The utter quiet was eerie, and so far as they could tell no one else occupied the building. Kira wasn't quite as paranoid about other inhabitants, although she kept an eye out for dead bodies or skeletons. She couldn't help herself, she had visions of the vampires merely leaving their discarded victims laying around. She did keep her pack open, thought, with her pistol in easy reach. Finally, Kira and Cade stood staring at an empty wall that seemed to be made of yellowed, concrete squares.
“You're certain this is where the stairs are supposed to be?” Cade asked doubtfully, inspecting the wall up and down. “I see no stairs.”
He rapped the butt of his gun against the wall searching for any indication of a hollow area that would contain an open space behind it. Kira looked for long cracks in the wall. She shrugged.
“Sebastian told me it was right next to the smashed out window of a what used to be a lobby. And there's the smashed window right there,” she said, pointing. “He said it might take a minute or so for the stairs to come into view...that is, if we could really see into the Reverie. He sort of had an attitude about it, like he didn't believe we would actually see the stairs.”
“Maybe we can't...I don't see anything but the damn wall,” Cade said furrowing his brow in annoyance while sweeping his eyes all around them. “And maybe the damn bloodsucker was lying to you.”
Kira shook her head. “No, we can,” she insisted, replying to Cade's first comment. “You can see Ryan's wings, and so can I. We have to be patient...,” her voice trailed off.
She blinked as a faint arched outline appeared on the wall. Steps that lead downward flickered into view on top of, or more like behind the wall. Kira could see both simultaneously. She reached out toward Cade without taking her eyes from the strangeness in front of her and finally found his arm. She tapped him lightly several times.
“Cade! Do you see it?” she asked, her voice holding slight disbelief.
Cade turned and squinted in exaggeration, seeing nothing...until...
“Whoa, that's friggin' weird!” he said. “It's like there's a stair case going down but there's also a wall there.”
“That must be the Reverie,” Kira said. “A separate world that exists next to, or inside of, or whatever to the real world...it's like different details and other things that only exist in what the immortals call the secret world. Holy crap, Cade, no one else will know this is here but us!” she finished with some awe.
Cade merely stared. This was completely way beyond anything the demon hunter had ever experienced before. It wasn't enough that he had issues and trouble in one world, his reality, but now he had to add another freaky, mysterious world into the mix.
“Damn but this is all kinds of crazy. I kinda wish I could just go back to seeing only demons, you know,” Cade said almost longingly.
“Yeah, well, you can't,” Kira replied with a bit of attitude. She was going to be highly annoyed if Cade was attempting to back out of this again.
“Yeah, well, I know,” Cade countered with a bit of attitude of his own. “I'm just sayin' is all. Excuse me if all this is all slightly on the other side of insane, okay!”
As they sniped at each other both watched as the wall began to fade and a set of stairs made of large blocks of stone, or perhaps marble, finally came into view. Although they flickered in and out of sight and were somewhat translucent, the steps definitely seemed to be in front of them.
“They don't look very sturdy,” Cade commented. “They're sort of shimmering or something. Put your foot on the top one,” he suggested to Kira.
She jerked her head to stare at him. Her dark pony tail flicked to one side. “Are you crazy? Why me? They don't even look real,” she protested. “What if I tumble straight down...or worse.”
“What could be worse than falling straight down?” Cade asked with a wink. “Alright, fine. If you're scared, Kira, I'll do it,” he said.
Her hand on his chest, Kira pushed him back as he raised his leg. “I'll do it,” she said in annoyance. “I'm not scared, so shut up.”
But she was...at least a little. However, the steps were coming into clearer view now and seeming a bit more on the solid side. Besides, it irritated her when she felt inadequate around Cade. Kira would show him.
“Hold on to me,” she demanded, sticking out her hand. “And don't let go or I'll kill you.”
“Violent much?” Cade asked. But he gripped her smaller hand firmly in his and their fingers locked. He had no intention of letting go of her.
Kira stuck out one foot and tentatively placed it over the empty space above the first step. She lowered her foot expecting it to continue on down and through the mirage of the step. But she gasped when it came in contact with the stone of the step. It was firm and solid.
“Holy crap!” she exclaimed. “Cade, it's real. I can feel the step under my foot.”
Kira tapped her foot twice to reinforce in her mind that the stairs were real.
“Sonofabitch!” Cade whispered, in awe despite his misgivings.
The zigzagging stairs leading down were now solid in Kira and Cade's new version of reality. The arched entryway had formed, and below they could see an old, wooden door. In contrast to the rest of the dirty, gray, graffiti-spoiled and debris-littered building, the steps were of some sort of unblemished polished stone. Kira thought they looked like pinkish-orange marble. There were dim lights on the walls and wooden handrails leading down.
To anyone watching, the front half of Kira's body would have seemed to disappear straight into the solid wall. As she risked another step so both her feet were on the top step, the rest of her body merged with the wall until finally she vanished altogether, taking half of Cade's arm with her. But Cade didn't see this. Instead he could see her standing on the second step, glancing back at him, their hands still clasped. He mentally shrugged and followed with a deep breath. Not until they both ended up at the bottom of the steps did he release her hand. When the pair glanced back up, they continued to see the arched entry way and the rest of the building.
Cade opened his mouth to say something but for once nothing came out. He was literally stunned. He just shook his head. Kira had butterflies in her stomach at the excitement of a whole different world that existed around her. She dug a key out of her pack—a huge, ancient skeleton key, and inserted it into the old fashioned lock on the door.
“That crazy-ass key better not indicate the state of the room,” Cade said warningly.
The pair had already explored around the outside of the building, or at least until the river's tributary stopped them in their tracks in the rear. It wasn't so much that the structure had been built to access the water, but that the water had eroded its way to the loading docks and delivery driveway. Broken cement chunks, asphalt pieces, and huge metal railings now created a makeshift shore along the water's edge.
Both had silently hoped the building didn't actually tumble into the river any time soon—such as while they were occupying it.
Cade lowered his hand down from his eyes and followed Kira toward the unchained doors. He pulled on the dusty handle to open the door, then stared at his dirt-streaked palm. Cade wiped his hands on his worn jeans and dark green t-shirt, figuring a little more filth wouldn't hurt their cover-story.
“So, basically, the bloodsuckers use this place to lure homeless people in to feed off them?” Cade asked, clarifying what Kira had told him earlier.
“Apparently so,” she replied with a grimace. “At least that's what Sebastian hinted at when he gave me the key. I think he wanted to freak me out.”
Cade shook his head. “It's just wrong on so many levels that we're actually going to spend the night here, you know?”
Kira agreed wholeheartedly.
Several hours had passed since they'd finished masking Cade's tattoos. The vampires' reluctant spies had made the journey through the already hot, August morning from the west side of the French Quarter to the more run-down east side. First by street car, then on foot they'd traveled. The two had moved among the public with the sobering realization that all the people around them were unaware of the small gang of wer roaming freely about.
Now inside the musty, debris littered old building, Cade slid his gun from his pack and swept the weapon around as they cautiously walked toward the center of the warehouse. The outside windows shed enough light to maneuver around without a flashlight. The utter quiet was eerie, and so far as they could tell no one else occupied the building. Kira wasn't quite as paranoid about other inhabitants, although she kept an eye out for dead bodies or skeletons. She couldn't help herself, she had visions of the vampires merely leaving their discarded victims laying around. She did keep her pack open, thought, with her pistol in easy reach. Finally, Kira and Cade stood staring at an empty wall that seemed to be made of yellowed, concrete squares.
“You're certain this is where the stairs are supposed to be?” Cade asked doubtfully, inspecting the wall up and down. “I see no stairs.”
He rapped the butt of his gun against the wall searching for any indication of a hollow area that would contain an open space behind it. Kira looked for long cracks in the wall. She shrugged.
“Sebastian told me it was right next to the smashed out window of a what used to be a lobby. And there's the smashed window right there,” she said, pointing. “He said it might take a minute or so for the stairs to come into view...that is, if we could really see into the Reverie. He sort of had an attitude about it, like he didn't believe we would actually see the stairs.”
“Maybe we can't...I don't see anything but the damn wall,” Cade said furrowing his brow in annoyance while sweeping his eyes all around them. “And maybe the damn bloodsucker was lying to you.”
Kira shook her head. “No, we can,” she insisted, replying to Cade's first comment. “You can see Ryan's wings, and so can I. We have to be patient...,” her voice trailed off.
She blinked as a faint arched outline appeared on the wall. Steps that lead downward flickered into view on top of, or more like behind the wall. Kira could see both simultaneously. She reached out toward Cade without taking her eyes from the strangeness in front of her and finally found his arm. She tapped him lightly several times.
“Cade! Do you see it?” she asked, her voice holding slight disbelief.
Cade turned and squinted in exaggeration, seeing nothing...until...
“Whoa, that's friggin' weird!” he said. “It's like there's a stair case going down but there's also a wall there.”
“That must be the Reverie,” Kira said. “A separate world that exists next to, or inside of, or whatever to the real world...it's like different details and other things that only exist in what the immortals call the secret world. Holy crap, Cade, no one else will know this is here but us!” she finished with some awe.
Cade merely stared. This was completely way beyond anything the demon hunter had ever experienced before. It wasn't enough that he had issues and trouble in one world, his reality, but now he had to add another freaky, mysterious world into the mix.
“Damn but this is all kinds of crazy. I kinda wish I could just go back to seeing only demons, you know,” Cade said almost longingly.
“Yeah, well, you can't,” Kira replied with a bit of attitude. She was going to be highly annoyed if Cade was attempting to back out of this again.
“Yeah, well, I know,” Cade countered with a bit of attitude of his own. “I'm just sayin' is all. Excuse me if all this is all slightly on the other side of insane, okay!”
As they sniped at each other both watched as the wall began to fade and a set of stairs made of large blocks of stone, or perhaps marble, finally came into view. Although they flickered in and out of sight and were somewhat translucent, the steps definitely seemed to be in front of them.
“They don't look very sturdy,” Cade commented. “They're sort of shimmering or something. Put your foot on the top one,” he suggested to Kira.
She jerked her head to stare at him. Her dark pony tail flicked to one side. “Are you crazy? Why me? They don't even look real,” she protested. “What if I tumble straight down...or worse.”
“What could be worse than falling straight down?” Cade asked with a wink. “Alright, fine. If you're scared, Kira, I'll do it,” he said.
Her hand on his chest, Kira pushed him back as he raised his leg. “I'll do it,” she said in annoyance. “I'm not scared, so shut up.”
But she was...at least a little. However, the steps were coming into clearer view now and seeming a bit more on the solid side. Besides, it irritated her when she felt inadequate around Cade. Kira would show him.
“Hold on to me,” she demanded, sticking out her hand. “And don't let go or I'll kill you.”
“Violent much?” Cade asked. But he gripped her smaller hand firmly in his and their fingers locked. He had no intention of letting go of her.
Kira stuck out one foot and tentatively placed it over the empty space above the first step. She lowered her foot expecting it to continue on down and through the mirage of the step. But she gasped when it came in contact with the stone of the step. It was firm and solid.
“Holy crap!” she exclaimed. “Cade, it's real. I can feel the step under my foot.”
Kira tapped her foot twice to reinforce in her mind that the stairs were real.
“Sonofabitch!” Cade whispered, in awe despite his misgivings.
The zigzagging stairs leading down were now solid in Kira and Cade's new version of reality. The arched entryway had formed, and below they could see an old, wooden door. In contrast to the rest of the dirty, gray, graffiti-spoiled and debris-littered building, the steps were of some sort of unblemished polished stone. Kira thought they looked like pinkish-orange marble. There were dim lights on the walls and wooden handrails leading down.
To anyone watching, the front half of Kira's body would have seemed to disappear straight into the solid wall. As she risked another step so both her feet were on the top step, the rest of her body merged with the wall until finally she vanished altogether, taking half of Cade's arm with her. But Cade didn't see this. Instead he could see her standing on the second step, glancing back at him, their hands still clasped. He mentally shrugged and followed with a deep breath. Not until they both ended up at the bottom of the steps did he release her hand. When the pair glanced back up, they continued to see the arched entry way and the rest of the building.
Cade opened his mouth to say something but for once nothing came out. He was literally stunned. He just shook his head. Kira had butterflies in her stomach at the excitement of a whole different world that existed around her. She dug a key out of her pack—a huge, ancient skeleton key, and inserted it into the old fashioned lock on the door.
“That crazy-ass key better not indicate the state of the room,” Cade said warningly.
-23-
“God help us,” Cade remarked as he closed the door of the room behind Kira and himself. The latch clicked firmly into place and subdued, recessed lights had automatically flickered on in the ceiling. He leaned back against the door.
Kira blinked and her mouth fell open slightly. “So, um, who gets the coffin and who gets the bed?” she asked, slowly pivoting to take in the room around her.
“I'm sure as hell not sleeping in a damn coffin,” Cade said emphatically. “At least not until I'm good and dead.”
He walked to the bed with the black sheets and dumped his pack on the mattress.
“Well, I'm certainly not getting in that thing!” Kira protested.
She claimed the other side of the bed. The satin sheets were silky under her hand as her skin brushed over them.
“Then we either have a problem...or we have to share.” Cade winked mischievously.
Kira pouted for a moment, then put on a firm expression. “You'd better stay on your side then,” she warned.
“For god's sake, Kira! We're going to infiltrate a freakin' wer cult that worships demons, and that's your main concern here?” Cade asked in disbelief.
But Kira wouldn't be dissuaded. “Like I said...,” she repeated her warning.
Cade ignored her and made his way toward a closed door. His feet sank into the thick, red carpet. He briefly wondered if the red was chosen to hide blood stains. He grimaced at the imagery that thought conjured up and tried to banish the visual from his mind.
Suddenly Kira shrieked, and Cade whirled around ready to fight. She was staring above the bed. Cade followed her gaze and swore softly.
“I seriously won't be able to sleep under those!” she protested, wishing the Tantalusi vampires didn't have this fetish about chains and shackles. It just creeped her out beyond belief.
“We're going to have another, more serious issue if there's no bathroom behind this door,” Cade said. “Vampires don't pee, do they?”
Kira raised her eyebrows. “Um...I doubt it. I mean they're not actually living, so...,” she trailed off. This was getting into the information she didn't need to know territory.
Luckily there was fully functioning bathroom behind the door, and the two soon-to-be spies managed to mostly put the strange room to the back of their minds and focus on the task ahead of them.
Cade sat with his back to Kira, rummaging through his pack. His dark green t-shirt pulled tightly over his muscles. She tried not to remember how his bare back had felt under her hands. To distract herself, Kira pulled out her gun, a silver Colt 45, and released the clip loaded with silver bullets that Ryan had given her. She snapped it back into place and tucked the weapon into the waistband of her black jeans. She pulled her t-shirt over the gun.
“Any idea how we're going to figure out which ones are the shapeshifters?” Cade asked, glancing over his shoulder.
“Oh, yeah...they'll have this tattoo, it's called the Hell Mark. It identifies their service to the dark forces, the demons...supposedly their masters,” Kira explained.
She described the tattoo, and Cade furrowed his brow.
“Remind me to not get one of those...ever,” he said. “What the hell are werwolves doing with demons anyway? The two moon howlers I've seen and killed were just roaming around slaughtering people, not out dancing with the demons.”
Kira half shrugged. “I don't know about those two, maybe they were outcasts or something, probably weakened in some way. From what I've read, the wer are quite organized, with alphas and hierarchical packs and large communities. They live in communes, grow their own food, hunt wild game, and practice an ancient, pagan-like religion.”
Cade was staring at Kira, fascinated.”Son of a bitch! No kidding?” he asked in amazement. “I always figured they were all loners, and definitely not that many of them.”
“Yeah, but these...the ones Cassandra called Vargr Wer...don't like their traditional way of life anymore. They want more—excitement, money, to live in the bigger cities among humans.”
“Just to live?” Cade asked dubiously.
“Well, to feed actually,” Kira admitted.
Cade nodded and smiled sarcastically. “Oh, super. Rebellious werwolves...now there's a friggin' scary thought. As if regular skinchangers weren't bad enough.”
Kira nodded. “Cade, listen, few eldritch...the immortals...can survive against a wer in an unarmed fight, and well-armed mortals stand an even smaller chance of coming out alive. We have to be careful. We're only here to gather information. The wer are savage with killer instincts. They're cunning and super strong. We'll stand zero chance if we're caught.”
Kira made her way around the bed to the door. She yelped as Cade grabbed her from behind. She hadn't even heard him get up off the bed.
“Hey! What the hell...?” Kira protested.
He pressed up against her back with one arm around her waist and slid his other hand between them. He reached under her shirt. When he withdrew his hand, Cade spun her around. Her dark ponytail flew through the air. He waved her gun at her.
“Uh, hello? Remember 'gather information' and 'be careful'?” he said mockingly. “Jesus, Kira, you don't just waltz into a wer hangout fully armed with...,” Cade paused and checked the gun's clip, “...silver bullets,” he finished.
Suddenly he began to pat her down, working down her legs. He lifted up one leg of her jeans.
“Ah ha! Or a silver knife.”
“No! Wait, I need that!” Kira exclaimed as both weapons were unceremoniously thrown on the bed.
“No, what you need is to learn how to infiltrate the enemy camp, so to speak,” Cade admonished her. “You walk in armed like that, and they'll eat you alive...probably literally.”
Cade shuddered slightly at the thought of being dinner for werwolves. He'd pass on that meal invitation in a heartbeat.
He continued. “We'll head over there and give things a once-over, see what's up. Then we'll decide what to do. Okay?” he added, not wanting Kira to think he was trying to be bossy just for the hell of it. He wanted to keep her safe, but get this damn job done.
“Fine,” Kira said grudgingly, but realizing the demon hunter was right. She still had a great deal to learn.
Kira blinked and her mouth fell open slightly. “So, um, who gets the coffin and who gets the bed?” she asked, slowly pivoting to take in the room around her.
“I'm sure as hell not sleeping in a damn coffin,” Cade said emphatically. “At least not until I'm good and dead.”
He walked to the bed with the black sheets and dumped his pack on the mattress.
“Well, I'm certainly not getting in that thing!” Kira protested.
She claimed the other side of the bed. The satin sheets were silky under her hand as her skin brushed over them.
“Then we either have a problem...or we have to share.” Cade winked mischievously.
Kira pouted for a moment, then put on a firm expression. “You'd better stay on your side then,” she warned.
“For god's sake, Kira! We're going to infiltrate a freakin' wer cult that worships demons, and that's your main concern here?” Cade asked in disbelief.
But Kira wouldn't be dissuaded. “Like I said...,” she repeated her warning.
Cade ignored her and made his way toward a closed door. His feet sank into the thick, red carpet. He briefly wondered if the red was chosen to hide blood stains. He grimaced at the imagery that thought conjured up and tried to banish the visual from his mind.
Suddenly Kira shrieked, and Cade whirled around ready to fight. She was staring above the bed. Cade followed her gaze and swore softly.
“I seriously won't be able to sleep under those!” she protested, wishing the Tantalusi vampires didn't have this fetish about chains and shackles. It just creeped her out beyond belief.
“We're going to have another, more serious issue if there's no bathroom behind this door,” Cade said. “Vampires don't pee, do they?”
Kira raised her eyebrows. “Um...I doubt it. I mean they're not actually living, so...,” she trailed off. This was getting into the information she didn't need to know territory.
Luckily there was fully functioning bathroom behind the door, and the two soon-to-be spies managed to mostly put the strange room to the back of their minds and focus on the task ahead of them.
Cade sat with his back to Kira, rummaging through his pack. His dark green t-shirt pulled tightly over his muscles. She tried not to remember how his bare back had felt under her hands. To distract herself, Kira pulled out her gun, a silver Colt 45, and released the clip loaded with silver bullets that Ryan had given her. She snapped it back into place and tucked the weapon into the waistband of her black jeans. She pulled her t-shirt over the gun.
“Any idea how we're going to figure out which ones are the shapeshifters?” Cade asked, glancing over his shoulder.
“Oh, yeah...they'll have this tattoo, it's called the Hell Mark. It identifies their service to the dark forces, the demons...supposedly their masters,” Kira explained.
She described the tattoo, and Cade furrowed his brow.
“Remind me to not get one of those...ever,” he said. “What the hell are werwolves doing with demons anyway? The two moon howlers I've seen and killed were just roaming around slaughtering people, not out dancing with the demons.”
Kira half shrugged. “I don't know about those two, maybe they were outcasts or something, probably weakened in some way. From what I've read, the wer are quite organized, with alphas and hierarchical packs and large communities. They live in communes, grow their own food, hunt wild game, and practice an ancient, pagan-like religion.”
Cade was staring at Kira, fascinated.”Son of a bitch! No kidding?” he asked in amazement. “I always figured they were all loners, and definitely not that many of them.”
“Yeah, but these...the ones Cassandra called Vargr Wer...don't like their traditional way of life anymore. They want more—excitement, money, to live in the bigger cities among humans.”
“Just to live?” Cade asked dubiously.
“Well, to feed actually,” Kira admitted.
Cade nodded and smiled sarcastically. “Oh, super. Rebellious werwolves...now there's a friggin' scary thought. As if regular skinchangers weren't bad enough.”
Kira nodded. “Cade, listen, few eldritch...the immortals...can survive against a wer in an unarmed fight, and well-armed mortals stand an even smaller chance of coming out alive. We have to be careful. We're only here to gather information. The wer are savage with killer instincts. They're cunning and super strong. We'll stand zero chance if we're caught.”
Kira made her way around the bed to the door. She yelped as Cade grabbed her from behind. She hadn't even heard him get up off the bed.
“Hey! What the hell...?” Kira protested.
He pressed up against her back with one arm around her waist and slid his other hand between them. He reached under her shirt. When he withdrew his hand, Cade spun her around. Her dark ponytail flew through the air. He waved her gun at her.
“Uh, hello? Remember 'gather information' and 'be careful'?” he said mockingly. “Jesus, Kira, you don't just waltz into a wer hangout fully armed with...,” Cade paused and checked the gun's clip, “...silver bullets,” he finished.
Suddenly he began to pat her down, working down her legs. He lifted up one leg of her jeans.
“Ah ha! Or a silver knife.”
“No! Wait, I need that!” Kira exclaimed as both weapons were unceremoniously thrown on the bed.
“No, what you need is to learn how to infiltrate the enemy camp, so to speak,” Cade admonished her. “You walk in armed like that, and they'll eat you alive...probably literally.”
Cade shuddered slightly at the thought of being dinner for werwolves. He'd pass on that meal invitation in a heartbeat.
He continued. “We'll head over there and give things a once-over, see what's up. Then we'll decide what to do. Okay?” he added, not wanting Kira to think he was trying to be bossy just for the hell of it. He wanted to keep her safe, but get this damn job done.
“Fine,” Kira said grudgingly, but realizing the demon hunter was right. She still had a great deal to learn.
-24-
With her red hair gathered into a ponytail and dressed in jeans with a simple blue and white checked top that buttoned down the front, Karen stifled a yawn as she padded barefoot toward the expansive kitchen of the old, two-story house. She and the rest of the pack had partied at the dance club until it closed at 3:00 AM. Karen paused to observe the sleeping forms of several of the 'kids' in the nondescript furnished living room and knew the three bedrooms on this first level must be full. Most of those asleep in the main room had also been out late Friday night.
Only Becka, one of the younger members, was up early, puttering about the refurbished and updated kitchen. Karen could smell the coffee wafting through the house. It was one of the expensive, imported brands that Alec preferred. Although most wer grew up on homegrown crops, those that “escaped” the pack mentality of their communes usually broke with tradition and indulged in the best that money could buy. Karen and the others were no exception.
“Morning, sweetie,” Karen said with a smile as she pushed open the swinging door. She glanced at the clock on the microwave. 1:00 the red numbers showed. “You up for starting lunch on your own?”
“Sure, Karen,” the seventeen year old runaway replied eagerly.
Karen sensed the blond girl staring admiringly at her for a moment. She knew Becka loved her like a mother—which was her goal in bonding with the kids—although Karen was only 28. Bonding with her as the mother figure encouraged a familial feeling, not to mention a rejection of their past parental relationships, at least for those who still had families. The kids were easier to exploit and manipulate if they felt a strong loyalty to Karen and the others.
“I'll be back to help in a few minutes. Why don't you do sandwiches today, keep it simple,” Karen suggested. She'd have to feed first or the sight and smell of the cooked lunch meat would make her nauseous.
Walking nearly silently through the kitchen and into a short hallway, Karen paused at a locked door. A bend in the hall led into the longer hallway of the main part of the house. She slipped on a pair of rubber flip flops as she punched in the code for the lock. Only the most trusted of the humans were allowed into the sound-proofed basement, while most were warned that the room was off limits. Once the door clicked open, she slipped inside then secured the door behind her. Karen made her way down the red-stained, concrete basement stairs. The smell of fresh blood excited her, causing her nostrils to flare slightly. In the dim lighting of the room, she walked past Ruby's stone and wooden sacrificial altar and demon summoning circle in the center of the large room. Both were empty and silent at the moment.
Karen's attention was on a far corner of the extended basement and what used to be a basic, corner-mounted shower. The hook at the end of the chain that descended from the ceiling was stabbed through the neck of the carcass from last night's hunt. Alec had already skinned and gutted the meat leaving behind the muscular remains. The liver and kidneys were in a small cooler sitting on the closed lid of the top opening freezer. Blood that had seeped from the body due to gravity's pull had pooled below on the tiles, some running in rivulets down the drain. Karen grasped the lower part of a muscular arm, twisting and bending it at the elbow joint until the appendage broke free with a loud, cracking snap.
Karen's face began to transform slightly. It was easier to eat if she partially shapechanged to the sharp, strong fangs and larger mouth of her werwolf halfskin form. Biting down ferociously into the raw meat of the arm, Karen began to tear muscle away from bone with a shake of her head. The silence of the basement was broken by Karen's soft, contented growls as she crunched through bone and sated her hunger with fresh meat.
Only Becka, one of the younger members, was up early, puttering about the refurbished and updated kitchen. Karen could smell the coffee wafting through the house. It was one of the expensive, imported brands that Alec preferred. Although most wer grew up on homegrown crops, those that “escaped” the pack mentality of their communes usually broke with tradition and indulged in the best that money could buy. Karen and the others were no exception.
“Morning, sweetie,” Karen said with a smile as she pushed open the swinging door. She glanced at the clock on the microwave. 1:00 the red numbers showed. “You up for starting lunch on your own?”
“Sure, Karen,” the seventeen year old runaway replied eagerly.
Karen sensed the blond girl staring admiringly at her for a moment. She knew Becka loved her like a mother—which was her goal in bonding with the kids—although Karen was only 28. Bonding with her as the mother figure encouraged a familial feeling, not to mention a rejection of their past parental relationships, at least for those who still had families. The kids were easier to exploit and manipulate if they felt a strong loyalty to Karen and the others.
“I'll be back to help in a few minutes. Why don't you do sandwiches today, keep it simple,” Karen suggested. She'd have to feed first or the sight and smell of the cooked lunch meat would make her nauseous.
Walking nearly silently through the kitchen and into a short hallway, Karen paused at a locked door. A bend in the hall led into the longer hallway of the main part of the house. She slipped on a pair of rubber flip flops as she punched in the code for the lock. Only the most trusted of the humans were allowed into the sound-proofed basement, while most were warned that the room was off limits. Once the door clicked open, she slipped inside then secured the door behind her. Karen made her way down the red-stained, concrete basement stairs. The smell of fresh blood excited her, causing her nostrils to flare slightly. In the dim lighting of the room, she walked past Ruby's stone and wooden sacrificial altar and demon summoning circle in the center of the large room. Both were empty and silent at the moment.
Karen's attention was on a far corner of the extended basement and what used to be a basic, corner-mounted shower. The hook at the end of the chain that descended from the ceiling was stabbed through the neck of the carcass from last night's hunt. Alec had already skinned and gutted the meat leaving behind the muscular remains. The liver and kidneys were in a small cooler sitting on the closed lid of the top opening freezer. Blood that had seeped from the body due to gravity's pull had pooled below on the tiles, some running in rivulets down the drain. Karen grasped the lower part of a muscular arm, twisting and bending it at the elbow joint until the appendage broke free with a loud, cracking snap.
Karen's face began to transform slightly. It was easier to eat if she partially shapechanged to the sharp, strong fangs and larger mouth of her werwolf halfskin form. Biting down ferociously into the raw meat of the arm, Karen began to tear muscle away from bone with a shake of her head. The silence of the basement was broken by Karen's soft, contented growls as she crunched through bone and sated her hunger with fresh meat.
-25-
Ruby awoke naked between Finn and Logan sprawled out in her large, canopied bed. After the successful hunt of the traitor, the three of them had played every drinking game they could remember. The result had been intoxication and incredible levels of sexual desire. There was no shame in the shared sex, even had they been sober, as lust was a part of their lives. Ruby stretched every which way, heedless of the man on either side of her. She kicked the dark-haired Logan in the leg, waking him abruptly. Then, clutching the ruby red sheet to her chest, she sat up and slapped the blond Finn on his bare ass.
Both men jerked away with growls and curses.
“What the f---?” Finn growled, sitting up and baring human teeth.
“Why the hell did you kick me?” Logan grumbled, remaining prone on the bed.
“ 'Cause I want you both out of my bed,” Ruby answered sharply. “Now! You've overstayed your welcome.”
“Bitch,” Finn mumbled but staggered to his feet. He stumbled naked out of the gaudy upstairs room without a glance back.
“You bet your ass I am...and you love it, sugar,” Ruby called out to Finn's fine-looking and muscular form.
Ruby turned back to find Logan, sweet and innocent looking Logan, gazing at her. His dark, lovely eyes practically smoldered with desire. Ruby was sorely tempted. She licked her full lips. She shoved the covers further down, lay back on the red sheets, and spread out her slim, strong arms.
Logan growled and fell upon the naked woman violently, wrenching her head back with a handful of her long, luxurious, dark hair. His lips pressed down hard upon hers. Ruby moaned with the pain and the pleasure brought on by the raw animalism that rolled off Logan in waves. The forces of darkness would just have to wait on her.
Both men jerked away with growls and curses.
“What the f---?” Finn growled, sitting up and baring human teeth.
“Why the hell did you kick me?” Logan grumbled, remaining prone on the bed.
“ 'Cause I want you both out of my bed,” Ruby answered sharply. “Now! You've overstayed your welcome.”
“Bitch,” Finn mumbled but staggered to his feet. He stumbled naked out of the gaudy upstairs room without a glance back.
“You bet your ass I am...and you love it, sugar,” Ruby called out to Finn's fine-looking and muscular form.
Ruby turned back to find Logan, sweet and innocent looking Logan, gazing at her. His dark, lovely eyes practically smoldered with desire. Ruby was sorely tempted. She licked her full lips. She shoved the covers further down, lay back on the red sheets, and spread out her slim, strong arms.
Logan growled and fell upon the naked woman violently, wrenching her head back with a handful of her long, luxurious, dark hair. His lips pressed down hard upon hers. Ruby moaned with the pain and the pleasure brought on by the raw animalism that rolled off Logan in waves. The forces of darkness would just have to wait on her.
-26-
Wearing his usual all black—t-shirt, open button-down shirt, and slacks—Alec opened the door to his and Karen's upstairs bedroom. Only he and his pack were allowed upstairs, the rest, the humans, remained on the first level of the ample two-story house. Soon, however, Alec's most trusted assistants were to be allowed into his office.
Alec was unlucky enough to witness a naked in all his glory Finn stagger from Ruby's room. The sounds of animal-like coupling could be heard through the still open door. The tall, bald, black man rolled his eyes, but so long as Ruby confined her sexual appetites to Finn and Logan, Alec was willing to allow her behavior. What he would not allow was the changing virus to infect any human, especially their own mortals. Alec didn't want the competition nor any uneducated wer stalking about their city. He nodded silently to Finn, who half-nodded back before nearly falling into his own room. Finn slammed the door behind him.
Downstairs Alec systematically knocked on the three large bedroom doors to wake up the occupants inside. Those in the living room were already stirring and returning the main room to its usual appearance. It was time for everyone to begin work. Murmured voices filled the downstairs as life came slowly to the house and chores began. Alec would delegate outside assignments later at the daily meeting. He was their leader and those mortals that followed him were devoted to the man who gave them this new and exciting life. Only a chosen few knew the real, demonic purpose behind the cult that Alec lead. Of those none were yet aware of the real nature of the five Vargr wer. It had only been two months since Alec and his kind had arrived and begun their lives in New Bellwich. There was time before all their secrets had to be revealed.
Reaching the basement door through the main hallway, Alec met Karen as she was leaving. They shared a lingering kiss with Karen smiling lovingly at her mate. Alec held her protectively in his arms.
“You ate?” he asked, cupping her delicate chin in his strong, dark hand.
She licked her lips lightly. “I did. Humans are so delicious,” she said quietly.
Alec nodded. “Especially those who attempt to deceive us.”
“Still, it was a shame he tried to run,” Karen added, shaking her head. She turned toward the kitchen to assist with lunch preparations.
“Loyalty or death,” Alec replied under his breath, although he knew Karen would still pick up his words.
Alec was unlucky enough to witness a naked in all his glory Finn stagger from Ruby's room. The sounds of animal-like coupling could be heard through the still open door. The tall, bald, black man rolled his eyes, but so long as Ruby confined her sexual appetites to Finn and Logan, Alec was willing to allow her behavior. What he would not allow was the changing virus to infect any human, especially their own mortals. Alec didn't want the competition nor any uneducated wer stalking about their city. He nodded silently to Finn, who half-nodded back before nearly falling into his own room. Finn slammed the door behind him.
Downstairs Alec systematically knocked on the three large bedroom doors to wake up the occupants inside. Those in the living room were already stirring and returning the main room to its usual appearance. It was time for everyone to begin work. Murmured voices filled the downstairs as life came slowly to the house and chores began. Alec would delegate outside assignments later at the daily meeting. He was their leader and those mortals that followed him were devoted to the man who gave them this new and exciting life. Only a chosen few knew the real, demonic purpose behind the cult that Alec lead. Of those none were yet aware of the real nature of the five Vargr wer. It had only been two months since Alec and his kind had arrived and begun their lives in New Bellwich. There was time before all their secrets had to be revealed.
Reaching the basement door through the main hallway, Alec met Karen as she was leaving. They shared a lingering kiss with Karen smiling lovingly at her mate. Alec held her protectively in his arms.
“You ate?” he asked, cupping her delicate chin in his strong, dark hand.
She licked her lips lightly. “I did. Humans are so delicious,” she said quietly.
Alec nodded. “Especially those who attempt to deceive us.”
“Still, it was a shame he tried to run,” Karen added, shaking her head. She turned toward the kitchen to assist with lunch preparations.
“Loyalty or death,” Alec replied under his breath, although he knew Karen would still pick up his words.
-27-
After a final wild and rough coupling with Ruby, Logan had reluctantly departed her room. But not by choice. The dark-haired Ruby had kicked him out immediately afterward. Logan had quickly showered and dressed for the day in jeans and a t-shirt.
He appeared downstairs as more than a dozen kids were making quick work of cleaning up the bedrooms, helping to set up lunch on the large dining room table, or preparing the living room for the day's meeting. The dark-haired recruiter for the cult nodded and greeted the kids almost as if one of them. It took him several minutes before he could break away and slip into the locked basement.
Logan violently ripped a lower limb from its adjoining thigh bone, twisting the knee cap back and forth. He tossed the meat onto the floor. He was still pissed that Tony had attempted to "resign" from the group last night, but at least he and Alec had hunted down the traitor's ass. Logan had lost a valuable assistant, but the wer had scored a meal for their trouble. Luckily there had been no betrayal of the organization, and Logan planned to hunt for new recruits today.
Logan preferred to feed in wolfen form and began to strip off his clothes. In mere minutes a massive, broad-shouldered, and stocky prehistoric-looking wolf was laying on its stomach, gnawing on the raw meat. With his huge paws holding down the food, the brown furred creature's powerful jaws worked with sharp teeth to shred the leg down to the bone.
He appeared downstairs as more than a dozen kids were making quick work of cleaning up the bedrooms, helping to set up lunch on the large dining room table, or preparing the living room for the day's meeting. The dark-haired recruiter for the cult nodded and greeted the kids almost as if one of them. It took him several minutes before he could break away and slip into the locked basement.
Logan violently ripped a lower limb from its adjoining thigh bone, twisting the knee cap back and forth. He tossed the meat onto the floor. He was still pissed that Tony had attempted to "resign" from the group last night, but at least he and Alec had hunted down the traitor's ass. Logan had lost a valuable assistant, but the wer had scored a meal for their trouble. Luckily there had been no betrayal of the organization, and Logan planned to hunt for new recruits today.
Logan preferred to feed in wolfen form and began to strip off his clothes. In mere minutes a massive, broad-shouldered, and stocky prehistoric-looking wolf was laying on its stomach, gnawing on the raw meat. With his huge paws holding down the food, the brown furred creature's powerful jaws worked with sharp teeth to shred the leg down to the bone.
-28-
Finn had collapsed on his bed and fallen asleep for a short time, then jerked awake reeking of booze, sweat, and sex. After a hot shower, Finn examined the bite marks on his shoulder. The wounds consisted of human and partial canine teeth.
“Vicious bitch,” he remarked aloud, remembering Ruby's “play” biting during his time in her bed.
The bites were healing, though. By evening the marks should be down to light scars. For now, though, Finn taped gauze pads firmly down to catch any oozing blood.
Once dressed in a button-down shirt, left open at the collar, and slacks, Finn ran his fingers through his close cropped hair and lightly shaved so his beard and mustache remained. He nodded in appreciation as his reflection in the bathroom mirror.
Finn scrolled through his PDA at his desk, then downloaded what he needed to his laptop. Accessing their legitimate bank accounts online, Finn transferred some money to the checking account in order to purchase some supplies later on. He'd retrieve last night's drug profits from Alec before he left in order to filter it through the various businesses that he had an “agreement” with. Either they cooperated or the owners would be ripped to shreds. Finn laughed to himself. And if anyone attempted to rat on them or “forget” a deposit, well, they'd be ripped to shreds. It all came down to who had the bigger claws and fangs...and that would be the Vargr wer. Then come the weekday, Finn would pay a visit to their financial adviser and invest from various bank accounts unconnected with the wer.
Finally heading downstairs to feed, Finn used the back stairs to avoid the activity of the lower part of the house. In the basement, he found Logan dressing, the remnants of his meal scattered on the concrete floor. Finn headed straight for the hanging body. He transformed his jaw enough to rip through the flesh with his sharp teeth. He ate, chewing and gulping the meat quickly, then turned to his younger brother.
“You going to get a new assistant, Logan?” Finn asked, human flesh mixed with thick saliva dripping from his now human-looking mouth. He glanced at what remained of Tony's skinned body swing from the hook.
“That's disgusting. Finish eating before you talk,” Logan scolded Finn. “I know Mother taught you that much, at least.”
Finn grinned and wiped his mouth on one of the towels kept in the basement for the wers. “Well, are you?” he repeated.
Logan rolled his eyes. “Probably. But no one we have is what I want. We need a couple of new members anyway. Ruby wants to use Dana as the next sacrifice.”
Finn shook his head. “That horny bitch gets off on the sacrifices,” he said. Thinking of Ruby getting excited got Finn a little excited himself. He grinned.
“Watch your damn mouth, Finn,” Logan warned, a low growl building in his throat.
“Oh, calm down, little brother. Ruby owns your heart, I know, even if she is a slut...but you'll never have hers, so you might as well accept it. But she's skilled at her job, I'll give her that.”
Logan kept his mouth shut but his jaw was clenched tight. He knew Finn was right and hated that the dark-haired wer of his heart didn't love him as he loved her. He turned and stalked up the blood-stained steps.
Finn continued eating, a grin on his lips. He was loyal to his brother, but thought Logan was too soft when it came to Ruby. Finn knew he'd never convince Logan of that but refused to encourage his brother's hopeless feelings for the bitch.
“Vicious bitch,” he remarked aloud, remembering Ruby's “play” biting during his time in her bed.
The bites were healing, though. By evening the marks should be down to light scars. For now, though, Finn taped gauze pads firmly down to catch any oozing blood.
Once dressed in a button-down shirt, left open at the collar, and slacks, Finn ran his fingers through his close cropped hair and lightly shaved so his beard and mustache remained. He nodded in appreciation as his reflection in the bathroom mirror.
Finn scrolled through his PDA at his desk, then downloaded what he needed to his laptop. Accessing their legitimate bank accounts online, Finn transferred some money to the checking account in order to purchase some supplies later on. He'd retrieve last night's drug profits from Alec before he left in order to filter it through the various businesses that he had an “agreement” with. Either they cooperated or the owners would be ripped to shreds. Finn laughed to himself. And if anyone attempted to rat on them or “forget” a deposit, well, they'd be ripped to shreds. It all came down to who had the bigger claws and fangs...and that would be the Vargr wer. Then come the weekday, Finn would pay a visit to their financial adviser and invest from various bank accounts unconnected with the wer.
Finally heading downstairs to feed, Finn used the back stairs to avoid the activity of the lower part of the house. In the basement, he found Logan dressing, the remnants of his meal scattered on the concrete floor. Finn headed straight for the hanging body. He transformed his jaw enough to rip through the flesh with his sharp teeth. He ate, chewing and gulping the meat quickly, then turned to his younger brother.
“You going to get a new assistant, Logan?” Finn asked, human flesh mixed with thick saliva dripping from his now human-looking mouth. He glanced at what remained of Tony's skinned body swing from the hook.
“That's disgusting. Finish eating before you talk,” Logan scolded Finn. “I know Mother taught you that much, at least.”
Finn grinned and wiped his mouth on one of the towels kept in the basement for the wers. “Well, are you?” he repeated.
Logan rolled his eyes. “Probably. But no one we have is what I want. We need a couple of new members anyway. Ruby wants to use Dana as the next sacrifice.”
Finn shook his head. “That horny bitch gets off on the sacrifices,” he said. Thinking of Ruby getting excited got Finn a little excited himself. He grinned.
“Watch your damn mouth, Finn,” Logan warned, a low growl building in his throat.
“Oh, calm down, little brother. Ruby owns your heart, I know, even if she is a slut...but you'll never have hers, so you might as well accept it. But she's skilled at her job, I'll give her that.”
Logan kept his mouth shut but his jaw was clenched tight. He knew Finn was right and hated that the dark-haired wer of his heart didn't love him as he loved her. He turned and stalked up the blood-stained steps.
Finn continued eating, a grin on his lips. He was loyal to his brother, but thought Logan was too soft when it came to Ruby. Finn knew he'd never convince Logan of that but refused to encourage his brother's hopeless feelings for the bitch.
-29-
Alec stood silent in the living room. Tall and imposing, with the afternoon sun streaming in through the window, he was bathed in a glowing light. He waited patiently near the fireplace, yet his manner demanded that the group settle down quickly. The mostly homeless teens and young people—some taken off the streets, others lured away from local gangs before they could be drawn too far in—that surrounded Alec became hushed and stared up at him in awe.
Karen leaned against door to the kitchen, her main job of feeding and nurturing done for the moment. The human members of the Red Sect were “encouraged” to bond and see each other as family, which was more than most had experienced in their pasts. Most of the kids had no one else in their lives: they were runaways, homeless, or so fed up with their meager existences that they had been easy pickings for Logan when he had recruited each one. Karen worked to alienate them further from their old lives, manipulating them into rejecting what they had been by showering them with acceptance and love. It was Alec who then guided them along the path to a new, exciting, and more empowering life.
Finn sat easily in a large chair in the background. This wasn't where he excelled, so he remained quiet during the meetings. A briefcase leaning against the chair waited on Finn's departure to do business. He left working with the kids to the others, except for one whom Finn had an eye on to train.
Logan reclined on the couch amidst the kids, as if one of them. Where they somewhat feared and definitely idolized Alec, the kids admired Logan while still being able to talk to him. Logan attempted to integrate himself more on their level to gain their trust and devotion. He was usually their first contact with the Red Sect. Acting their equal while still remaining apart was a delicate balancing act for which Logan had a natural ability.
Remaining in the background and leaning against the far wall opposite Alec, Ruby stood apart from the others. Her eyes glowed thinking about the upcoming sacrifice, and her body still tingled from her waking time with Logan. His older brother was more experienced, but Logan was more adventurous. Ruby enjoyed them both whenever she had the opportunity. Unfortunately, they were her only choices as she was forbidden to interact sexually with any of the delicious young men under the wer's roof.
Over time an order to the seating had evolved. Alec's two assistants, who were aware of most of his business dealings as well as being involved in the demon worshiping, stood on either side of the living room. Logan's assistant, who was unfortunately dead and half-eaten, would have sat with Logan and the others. There were three other members who were familiar with and true believers in the demon worship. But the remainder of the “family” were led to believe the group was involved in many lucrative and illegal aspects of making considerable money, as well as gaining power through violence. They took seats on the floor surrounding Alec.
Still, no one knew the true nature of the wer.
Alec began the meeting by merely raising his hands and locking his fingers together at chest level. There was utter silence. Finn almost always wanted to laugh at this part, how gullible and stupid humans could be as they allowed those more powerful to think on their behalf. Alec distributed the day's assignments and duties. Jobs included working around the house and grounds—at which everyone took turns—,while other duties involved heading into the French Quarter to buy or sell drugs, weapons dealing, collect protection money from various businesses, deliver or receive messages or packages, or any number of jobs the Vargr wer required to enhance and build their power.
The meeting ended soon after it began. The noise level rose slightly as the young people began to talk and move around.
“Logan, where's Tony?” Becka asked quietly as she paused on her way toward the kitchen.
Several others overheard and glanced around. Sure enough, Logan's twenty-three year old assistant was not around. Becka, although only seventeen, and Tony had been growing fond of each other. They'd kept these feelings a secret, almost from themselves as well, but recently had been sending each other signals. One of Alec's rules was that none of them become involved with each other. He had explained that they were a family, like brothers and sisters, and had loyalty to everyone not merely one individual. It made for a more united front against the world, and pairings could make for awkward situations. But Tony and Becka couldn't help what they felt for each other.
Logan barely flicked his eyes at Alec. It was inevitable someone would question Tony's disappearance. The absence of any of the group was obvious when they all lived so closely together.
Logan shook his dark head, a worried expression on always innocent-looking face. “I don't know, Becka. I wish I did. I wasn't going to say anything yet, hoping Tony would show up.”
“Do..do you think something happened to him?” she asked with concern. Her voice betrayed more than she realized.
Karen frowned and narrowed her eyes. Was there something she'd missed?
Logan was silent.
Alec moved closer. The room was quiet now, with soft murmurings going around.
“Maybe one of the gangs snatched him,” someone suggested. “Trying to get information on us.”
“He could have taken off,” another voice said.
Yet another offered. "Maybe he's shacked up somewhere...gettin' himself some ass."
Alec understood the less said the better. Explanations or speculations on his part led to more discussion, which kept the subject open and in the forefront of people's minds.
“Let's just wait and see,” he said. “But everyone keep your eyes and ears open. If you learn anything let us know, but do not go around asking questions.”
Everyone nodded. Obeying Alec was what they were trained to do. It was how they had moved up in life from their previous existences and all were grateful to him. Karen drew Becka into the kitchen.
“Dana,” Alec said softly as the others were leaving the living room.
The gorgeous sixteen year old turned around, straight-backed and hopeful. Alec had finally spoken to her personally. Her straight, thick red hair hung to below her waist, and it swung as she turned. She'd only been with the group for a short while, she actually had a home and parents but was angry at them for their impending divorce and being so strict with her. She'd found Logan one day and was intrigued at what he spoke of. A life of parties, excitement, money, and freedom. She spent what time she could here at the house, unbeknownst to her parents.
“Yes, Alec?” Dana answered, her voice quivering with nervousness.
The empty room was quiet. The three other Vargr wer waited with anticipation.
He motioned with his head toward Ruby, who was smiling in satisfaction. “You'll be spending some time with Ruby,” he said, “helping her out on a...special project.”
Dana's eyes grew wide with excitement. Finally she was going to be allowed to do something special. She'd been singled out as worthy enough to warrant attention; and she was going to work with the gorgeous Ruby.
“Oh...oh, yes, Alec. Whatever you want.”
“Good girl,” Alec said, nodding his bald, dark head. He crossed his muscular arms over his chest.
Ruby smiled encouragingly as Dana walked toward her. The dark-haired woman put her arm around the girl's shoulders. She glanced back over her shoulder and winked at the three men, then bent her head to speak softly to Dana. She led Dana like the lamb she was in the direction of the locked basement.
“Come, I have something exciting for you to help me with.”
Karen leaned against door to the kitchen, her main job of feeding and nurturing done for the moment. The human members of the Red Sect were “encouraged” to bond and see each other as family, which was more than most had experienced in their pasts. Most of the kids had no one else in their lives: they were runaways, homeless, or so fed up with their meager existences that they had been easy pickings for Logan when he had recruited each one. Karen worked to alienate them further from their old lives, manipulating them into rejecting what they had been by showering them with acceptance and love. It was Alec who then guided them along the path to a new, exciting, and more empowering life.
Finn sat easily in a large chair in the background. This wasn't where he excelled, so he remained quiet during the meetings. A briefcase leaning against the chair waited on Finn's departure to do business. He left working with the kids to the others, except for one whom Finn had an eye on to train.
Logan reclined on the couch amidst the kids, as if one of them. Where they somewhat feared and definitely idolized Alec, the kids admired Logan while still being able to talk to him. Logan attempted to integrate himself more on their level to gain their trust and devotion. He was usually their first contact with the Red Sect. Acting their equal while still remaining apart was a delicate balancing act for which Logan had a natural ability.
Remaining in the background and leaning against the far wall opposite Alec, Ruby stood apart from the others. Her eyes glowed thinking about the upcoming sacrifice, and her body still tingled from her waking time with Logan. His older brother was more experienced, but Logan was more adventurous. Ruby enjoyed them both whenever she had the opportunity. Unfortunately, they were her only choices as she was forbidden to interact sexually with any of the delicious young men under the wer's roof.
Over time an order to the seating had evolved. Alec's two assistants, who were aware of most of his business dealings as well as being involved in the demon worshiping, stood on either side of the living room. Logan's assistant, who was unfortunately dead and half-eaten, would have sat with Logan and the others. There were three other members who were familiar with and true believers in the demon worship. But the remainder of the “family” were led to believe the group was involved in many lucrative and illegal aspects of making considerable money, as well as gaining power through violence. They took seats on the floor surrounding Alec.
Still, no one knew the true nature of the wer.
Alec began the meeting by merely raising his hands and locking his fingers together at chest level. There was utter silence. Finn almost always wanted to laugh at this part, how gullible and stupid humans could be as they allowed those more powerful to think on their behalf. Alec distributed the day's assignments and duties. Jobs included working around the house and grounds—at which everyone took turns—,while other duties involved heading into the French Quarter to buy or sell drugs, weapons dealing, collect protection money from various businesses, deliver or receive messages or packages, or any number of jobs the Vargr wer required to enhance and build their power.
The meeting ended soon after it began. The noise level rose slightly as the young people began to talk and move around.
“Logan, where's Tony?” Becka asked quietly as she paused on her way toward the kitchen.
Several others overheard and glanced around. Sure enough, Logan's twenty-three year old assistant was not around. Becka, although only seventeen, and Tony had been growing fond of each other. They'd kept these feelings a secret, almost from themselves as well, but recently had been sending each other signals. One of Alec's rules was that none of them become involved with each other. He had explained that they were a family, like brothers and sisters, and had loyalty to everyone not merely one individual. It made for a more united front against the world, and pairings could make for awkward situations. But Tony and Becka couldn't help what they felt for each other.
Logan barely flicked his eyes at Alec. It was inevitable someone would question Tony's disappearance. The absence of any of the group was obvious when they all lived so closely together.
Logan shook his dark head, a worried expression on always innocent-looking face. “I don't know, Becka. I wish I did. I wasn't going to say anything yet, hoping Tony would show up.”
“Do..do you think something happened to him?” she asked with concern. Her voice betrayed more than she realized.
Karen frowned and narrowed her eyes. Was there something she'd missed?
Logan was silent.
Alec moved closer. The room was quiet now, with soft murmurings going around.
“Maybe one of the gangs snatched him,” someone suggested. “Trying to get information on us.”
“He could have taken off,” another voice said.
Yet another offered. "Maybe he's shacked up somewhere...gettin' himself some ass."
Alec understood the less said the better. Explanations or speculations on his part led to more discussion, which kept the subject open and in the forefront of people's minds.
“Let's just wait and see,” he said. “But everyone keep your eyes and ears open. If you learn anything let us know, but do not go around asking questions.”
Everyone nodded. Obeying Alec was what they were trained to do. It was how they had moved up in life from their previous existences and all were grateful to him. Karen drew Becka into the kitchen.
“Dana,” Alec said softly as the others were leaving the living room.
The gorgeous sixteen year old turned around, straight-backed and hopeful. Alec had finally spoken to her personally. Her straight, thick red hair hung to below her waist, and it swung as she turned. She'd only been with the group for a short while, she actually had a home and parents but was angry at them for their impending divorce and being so strict with her. She'd found Logan one day and was intrigued at what he spoke of. A life of parties, excitement, money, and freedom. She spent what time she could here at the house, unbeknownst to her parents.
“Yes, Alec?” Dana answered, her voice quivering with nervousness.
The empty room was quiet. The three other Vargr wer waited with anticipation.
He motioned with his head toward Ruby, who was smiling in satisfaction. “You'll be spending some time with Ruby,” he said, “helping her out on a...special project.”
Dana's eyes grew wide with excitement. Finally she was going to be allowed to do something special. She'd been singled out as worthy enough to warrant attention; and she was going to work with the gorgeous Ruby.
“Oh...oh, yes, Alec. Whatever you want.”
“Good girl,” Alec said, nodding his bald, dark head. He crossed his muscular arms over his chest.
Ruby smiled encouragingly as Dana walked toward her. The dark-haired woman put her arm around the girl's shoulders. She glanced back over her shoulder and winked at the three men, then bent her head to speak softly to Dana. She led Dana like the lamb she was in the direction of the locked basement.
“Come, I have something exciting for you to help me with.”
-30-
Kira was the first to witness the two men leave the old, two-story house. She lay her hand on Cade's shoulder, feeling the warmth of his skin through his t-shirt. The young hunter raised his head from watching the pedestrians on the street below them. He first glanced questioningly at Kira, then directed his gaze to where she gestured.
The two fantasts were across the wide boulevard, sequestered atop a deserted, two-leveled building. They had concealed themselves in the shadows of the abandoned construction work that had been meant to add an additional level onto the empty store. Seated on two old crates, Cade and Kira peered over the edge of the roof, keeping their heads low. They were on the east side of the French Quarter, an area barely on this side being run down, but saved by the hauntingly beautiful homes of older, gentler days. This far down the street the vehicular traffic was minimal. Further east the area became impoverished and dwindled into slums until it reached a tributary of the river, which led through the eastern bayou.
The Red Sect's headquarters was a white house with pillars, porches, large windows, and balconies all enclosed by decorative wrought iron. From their vantage point, Kira and Cade could see over the stone wall that enclosed the property. A large, mostly well-kept grassy area with trees, shrubbery, and flowers led up to the house. An S-shaped, asphalt driveway flowed from wide, iron gates to a large garage at the right of the house. A long walkway cut through the grass from the front steps to a smaller gate in the wall. Surveillance cameras--some hidden from view, Cade assumed--, dotted the perimeter and the gated areas. Cade also guessed there would be enough alarms to protect a small fortress as well. There was an abandoned field to the east of the property, and another enclosed but more ramshackle house to the west. Further west lay the busier, more prosperous areas of the French Quarter.
It was as good a place as any for the Vargr wer to hide and remain undisturbed with their evil practices.
The first individual to leave the house was a short-haired blond man. The two spies alternated peering through the small binoculars, observing as the man entered a dark blue, Mercedes sports car. He headed down the curved driveway, leaving the property through the automatically locking gate. His appearance was confident and sophisticated, more like a businessman on a casual day than a member of a demon-worshiping cult. His dark sunglasses completely blocked out his eyes. The second man to depart was dark-haired and dressed more casual. He left on foot, walking slowly away toward the downtown area of the French Quarter.
“Think they're wer?” Cade asked, putting down the binoculars on top of his dirty backpack. He looked at Kira, the sounds of the street below muted on the roof where they were hidden from view.
“No way to know without seeing their Hell Mark tattoos,” Kira remarked, “or seeing them shapeshift,” she added. “But we just need to get ourselves inside, right? It doesn't matter who invites us.”
“Technically no,” Cade said. “Although it's always best to meet someone “high up” on the old food chain. We're apt to see and learn more that way.”
Kira's green eyes widened as she glanced at Cade, his strong profile turned toward her as he studied the house further. “Please don't use the term “food chain” while we're spying on vicious wer who eat humans raw. It gives me the creeps.”
Cade grinned.
“So what's the plan?” he then asked, his mood becoming serious.
“What?” Kira asked, startled. “Well...I don't know. I mean...it's not like I have experience in this sort of thing,” she protested. "I thought that you... ."
Kira trailed off. She glanced around anxiously, searching for an answer where none existed...outside of herself.
“Okay...what would you have done if you'd had to do this alone? If the vampire bitch hadn't released me?” Cade asked, focusing her attention to help her think.
“You mean besides panic and freak out?”
Cade nodded and half laughed “Yeah. After you did those productive actions, how would you have gotten in?”
“Seriously?” Kira asked, still having no answer.
“Uh...yeah, seriously,” Cade answered. “How would you get invited in there, Kira?”
Cade waited silently for a moment. If Kira were going to be assisting the immortals in their battle against the demons and other evil forces, it was essential she be able to think on her own. After this strange and far-from-wonderful adventure, the young demon hunter was getting his ass hell out of New Bellwich and as far from that evil, bloodsucking Cassandra as humanly possible.
Cade gave Kira another hint. “What if we have to invite ourselves in?”
Kira took Cade's questions seriously and wracked her brain for an idea. Cade rested his elbows on his knees and waited patiently. His dark-haired companion started and stopped several times, dismissing ideas half way out of her mouth. Finally she proposed the beginnings of a vague plan. Cade suggested, hinted, and vetoed gently, as well as added his own ideas to Kira's. Shortly, together, they had devised simple plan of sorts...the simpler the better was generally a good way to start, he said. Less to remember and easier to make modifications a long the way.
Since they'd previously spent some time scouting the general area to familiarize themselves with the location, Cade and Kira hid their binoculars on the roof. They climbed down the ladder at the rear of the building and made their way to the corner near the wer's house. A centuries old tree shielded them from the direct rays, but the hot, summer sun beat down around them. Kira was perspiring more from fear than the humidity. She hoisted her backpack more comfortably on her shoulders.
“Ready?” Cade asked, his brow furrowed and his worry was mainly for Kira.
His face was smudged with dirt and the extra growth of stubble added to his disheveled appearance. Kira glanced up at him, her face serious and scared. As their eyes locked, Kira took a deep breath.
“No,” she said. “But I guess we've got no choice.”
“Kira...,” Cade hesitated. He wasn't good with emotions, they were awkward and involved vulnerability, not to mention the possibility of becoming attached to another person. His eyes flicked away from her trusting face. “Uh...look, I'm sorry I got you into this...you should have left...I'm not worth...,” he paused, unable to finish the words.
Kira placed her hand on his arm, her palm touching his bare skin. “I don't blame you, Cade. I still stand by what I said—you thought you were doing the right thing killing the vampire. Besides, I...I couldn't have refused and let you be killed.”
“We may not live as it is,” the green-eyed hunter remarked, shaking his head.
Kira wanted to tell him to not say that, to think positive, but she was fairly certain she didn't believe that crap herself. She took one last deep breath to calm her nerves. “Well, let's get on with it. It's now...or never.”
Kira released her hair from the ponytail holder. She combed her fingers through the dark tresses messing it up a bit more. She wished it were 'never'.
The two fantasts were across the wide boulevard, sequestered atop a deserted, two-leveled building. They had concealed themselves in the shadows of the abandoned construction work that had been meant to add an additional level onto the empty store. Seated on two old crates, Cade and Kira peered over the edge of the roof, keeping their heads low. They were on the east side of the French Quarter, an area barely on this side being run down, but saved by the hauntingly beautiful homes of older, gentler days. This far down the street the vehicular traffic was minimal. Further east the area became impoverished and dwindled into slums until it reached a tributary of the river, which led through the eastern bayou.
The Red Sect's headquarters was a white house with pillars, porches, large windows, and balconies all enclosed by decorative wrought iron. From their vantage point, Kira and Cade could see over the stone wall that enclosed the property. A large, mostly well-kept grassy area with trees, shrubbery, and flowers led up to the house. An S-shaped, asphalt driveway flowed from wide, iron gates to a large garage at the right of the house. A long walkway cut through the grass from the front steps to a smaller gate in the wall. Surveillance cameras--some hidden from view, Cade assumed--, dotted the perimeter and the gated areas. Cade also guessed there would be enough alarms to protect a small fortress as well. There was an abandoned field to the east of the property, and another enclosed but more ramshackle house to the west. Further west lay the busier, more prosperous areas of the French Quarter.
It was as good a place as any for the Vargr wer to hide and remain undisturbed with their evil practices.
The first individual to leave the house was a short-haired blond man. The two spies alternated peering through the small binoculars, observing as the man entered a dark blue, Mercedes sports car. He headed down the curved driveway, leaving the property through the automatically locking gate. His appearance was confident and sophisticated, more like a businessman on a casual day than a member of a demon-worshiping cult. His dark sunglasses completely blocked out his eyes. The second man to depart was dark-haired and dressed more casual. He left on foot, walking slowly away toward the downtown area of the French Quarter.
“Think they're wer?” Cade asked, putting down the binoculars on top of his dirty backpack. He looked at Kira, the sounds of the street below muted on the roof where they were hidden from view.
“No way to know without seeing their Hell Mark tattoos,” Kira remarked, “or seeing them shapeshift,” she added. “But we just need to get ourselves inside, right? It doesn't matter who invites us.”
“Technically no,” Cade said. “Although it's always best to meet someone “high up” on the old food chain. We're apt to see and learn more that way.”
Kira's green eyes widened as she glanced at Cade, his strong profile turned toward her as he studied the house further. “Please don't use the term “food chain” while we're spying on vicious wer who eat humans raw. It gives me the creeps.”
Cade grinned.
“So what's the plan?” he then asked, his mood becoming serious.
“What?” Kira asked, startled. “Well...I don't know. I mean...it's not like I have experience in this sort of thing,” she protested. "I thought that you... ."
Kira trailed off. She glanced around anxiously, searching for an answer where none existed...outside of herself.
“Okay...what would you have done if you'd had to do this alone? If the vampire bitch hadn't released me?” Cade asked, focusing her attention to help her think.
“You mean besides panic and freak out?”
Cade nodded and half laughed “Yeah. After you did those productive actions, how would you have gotten in?”
“Seriously?” Kira asked, still having no answer.
“Uh...yeah, seriously,” Cade answered. “How would you get invited in there, Kira?”
Cade waited silently for a moment. If Kira were going to be assisting the immortals in their battle against the demons and other evil forces, it was essential she be able to think on her own. After this strange and far-from-wonderful adventure, the young demon hunter was getting his ass hell out of New Bellwich and as far from that evil, bloodsucking Cassandra as humanly possible.
Cade gave Kira another hint. “What if we have to invite ourselves in?”
Kira took Cade's questions seriously and wracked her brain for an idea. Cade rested his elbows on his knees and waited patiently. His dark-haired companion started and stopped several times, dismissing ideas half way out of her mouth. Finally she proposed the beginnings of a vague plan. Cade suggested, hinted, and vetoed gently, as well as added his own ideas to Kira's. Shortly, together, they had devised simple plan of sorts...the simpler the better was generally a good way to start, he said. Less to remember and easier to make modifications a long the way.
Since they'd previously spent some time scouting the general area to familiarize themselves with the location, Cade and Kira hid their binoculars on the roof. They climbed down the ladder at the rear of the building and made their way to the corner near the wer's house. A centuries old tree shielded them from the direct rays, but the hot, summer sun beat down around them. Kira was perspiring more from fear than the humidity. She hoisted her backpack more comfortably on her shoulders.
“Ready?” Cade asked, his brow furrowed and his worry was mainly for Kira.
His face was smudged with dirt and the extra growth of stubble added to his disheveled appearance. Kira glanced up at him, her face serious and scared. As their eyes locked, Kira took a deep breath.
“No,” she said. “But I guess we've got no choice.”
“Kira...,” Cade hesitated. He wasn't good with emotions, they were awkward and involved vulnerability, not to mention the possibility of becoming attached to another person. His eyes flicked away from her trusting face. “Uh...look, I'm sorry I got you into this...you should have left...I'm not worth...,” he paused, unable to finish the words.
Kira placed her hand on his arm, her palm touching his bare skin. “I don't blame you, Cade. I still stand by what I said—you thought you were doing the right thing killing the vampire. Besides, I...I couldn't have refused and let you be killed.”
“We may not live as it is,” the green-eyed hunter remarked, shaking his head.
Kira wanted to tell him to not say that, to think positive, but she was fairly certain she didn't believe that crap herself. She took one last deep breath to calm her nerves. “Well, let's get on with it. It's now...or never.”
Kira released her hair from the ponytail holder. She combed her fingers through the dark tresses messing it up a bit more. She wished it were 'never'.
-31-
The long dreadlocks of a young, dark-skinned man swayed heavily as he leaned toward the intercom and depressed the 'talk' button.
“Karen? Hey, Karen, you around? Come to the security room, would you...there's something you should see.”
Raphael leaned back and continued monitoring the computer screens showing him the images from the property's surveillance cameras, especially the one overlooking the front gate. The young man turned briefly and nodded as the door that lead from the living room opened quietly. Soon Karen was standing behind Raphael, leaning over and peering at the image on the screen. She rested her hands on the chair's back.
Two young people, dressed in jeans and t-shirts, walked slowly along the sidewalk toting backpacks that had seen better days. The dark-haired young woman stumbled and was caught under the arm by the blond with her.
“Zoom in, please, Rafe,” the redheaded wer requested.
She could see the sweating girl's face appeared pale under the moisture. The pair paused while the girl held onto her companion's shoulder, his shirt bunched in her fist. She lowered her head, while the young man bent his own seemingly to speak to her.
Karen frowned. She observed the girl shake her head slowly. The young man spoke again, and this time the girl nodded and raised her head. She slipped off her backpack and handed it over. The young man slipped it over his free arm. The next step the young woman took was her last as her legs gave out from under her. It was all the young man could do to catch her before she hit the sidewalk. He slid under her and cradled her in his muscular arms, kneeling on the ground. Her head fell against his shoulder and her arms rested limply at her sides.
The young man glanced around frantically as if searching for help, but Karen knew this end of the street was usually deserted of pedestrians. Even if someone had seen them, chances of a pedestrian helping or a car stopping were slim in this neighborhood. The blond glanced down at his obviously unconscious companion, then up through the pedestrian gate that led toward the house. He frowned and shook his head to himself. It seemed to Karen he'd decided there would be no help from the house because he made as if to pick up the young woman.
Karen reached forward and depressed a button. They were always looking for new members. Or sacrifices.
Or meals.
“Do you need help out there?” she asked into the microphone. “Did she faint?”
“Karen? Hey, Karen, you around? Come to the security room, would you...there's something you should see.”
Raphael leaned back and continued monitoring the computer screens showing him the images from the property's surveillance cameras, especially the one overlooking the front gate. The young man turned briefly and nodded as the door that lead from the living room opened quietly. Soon Karen was standing behind Raphael, leaning over and peering at the image on the screen. She rested her hands on the chair's back.
Two young people, dressed in jeans and t-shirts, walked slowly along the sidewalk toting backpacks that had seen better days. The dark-haired young woman stumbled and was caught under the arm by the blond with her.
“Zoom in, please, Rafe,” the redheaded wer requested.
She could see the sweating girl's face appeared pale under the moisture. The pair paused while the girl held onto her companion's shoulder, his shirt bunched in her fist. She lowered her head, while the young man bent his own seemingly to speak to her.
Karen frowned. She observed the girl shake her head slowly. The young man spoke again, and this time the girl nodded and raised her head. She slipped off her backpack and handed it over. The young man slipped it over his free arm. The next step the young woman took was her last as her legs gave out from under her. It was all the young man could do to catch her before she hit the sidewalk. He slid under her and cradled her in his muscular arms, kneeling on the ground. Her head fell against his shoulder and her arms rested limply at her sides.
The young man glanced around frantically as if searching for help, but Karen knew this end of the street was usually deserted of pedestrians. Even if someone had seen them, chances of a pedestrian helping or a car stopping were slim in this neighborhood. The blond glanced down at his obviously unconscious companion, then up through the pedestrian gate that led toward the house. He frowned and shook his head to himself. It seemed to Karen he'd decided there would be no help from the house because he made as if to pick up the young woman.
Karen reached forward and depressed a button. They were always looking for new members. Or sacrifices.
Or meals.
“Do you need help out there?” she asked into the microphone. “Did she faint?”
-32-
Cade feigned a startled look and turned his attention to where the woman's voice emanated from above him. He stared into the security camera, his face a mask of concern and worry. “Hello? Yes, Ma'am...I think so. The heat...I think. She's not had enough water today...my sister,” Cade said.
“Will you help us?” Cade added, when there was a delay in the disembodied response.
Karen studied the pair for a moment longer, thinking quickly. It would seem odd to Rafe if she didn't help. “Yes, of course,” she finally answered. “I'll be right out. Just hang on.”
“Keep watching, Rafe,” Karen requested as she turned to leave. “Just in case...but there's no sense in leaving that girl out there in the heat.”
“Should I contact Alec? He's on the grounds somewhere, isn't he?” Rafe asked.
Karen shook her head. “Not yet. Let me see what this is about before we bother him.”
Knowing she could more than take care of herself against a young, male human, Karen quickly made her way through the house and out the double front doors. She hurried down the walkway to the iron gate and reached the young couple several minutes later. She tapped in the code to unlock the entrance.
“Can you lift her?” Karen asked the young man. “Bring your sister inside. We'll try to revive her and get some water into her. Looks like she could use some food, as well.”
Kira refrained from scowling as she felt Cade easily lift her in his arms. She wasn't that skinny anymore and resented the implication. But on second thought perhaps it was better to not be much of a meal in case this woman was one of the wer. If anything, they'd eat Cade first...there was more to him and lots of muscle, too. Her thoughts drifted dangerously away from her part of their act as she realized how strong Cade really was.
“I really appreciate this, Ma'am,” Cade said politely as he followed the redheaded woman.
Kira thought it sounded strange to hear him so deferential. He actually had manners somewhere inside his sarcastic demon hunting persona. Kira resisted the urge to open her eyes and peer through the slits. Someone else could be observing them. As soon as they passed through the front door, the coolness of the air conditioner swept over Kira. The film of sweat on her face began to dissipate. The cool air also neutralized some of the sweat she could smell on Cade—being so close to his underarm—and luckily for her, he didn't stink too bad.
“Lay her on the couch there,” Karen instructed. “Becka!” she called out.
A young blond girl poked her head out of the kitchen door with a questioning expression. Her eyes opened wide when she caught sight of the 'visitors'.
“Bring some water out here, please...two large glasses. And a towel soaked in cold water, too.”
The head disappeared, then moments later the entire young woman appeared as instructed. Cade noticed how young she appeared to be but didn't discount the possibility of her being one of the wer.
Kira lay motionless on the couch, hoping that she didn't suddenly have an itch or need to sneeze. She'd never realized how difficult it was to remain perfectly still without being stiff or appearing awkward. She continued to remain 'unconscious' while waiting for Cade to give her their pre-arranged signal.
Cade took the water glass that the red haired woman handed him and eagerly began to drink. He was actually thirsty and thought not to pass up the chance for something cold...although a beer would have gone down just as easily.
“My name is Karen,” the woman said. She knelt down next to the couch and began to gently wipe Kira's face with the cold towel.
“Uh...I'm Cade,” Cade answered. “That's my sister Kira.” He didn't mention a last name, and wouldn't unless asked. No need to make things more complicated.
He watched as Karen leaned over slightly to smooth Kira's hair from her forehead. Her long ponytail slid off her neck to expose the Hell Mark tattoo at the top of her spine.
Score one for the hunters, he thought to himself. One down and four to go. He glanced over at the girl Becka, wondering how to get a look at her neck. But were the tattoos all in the same place, he wondered. Cade glanced back at the black tattoo on Karen.
The he realized Karen was staring up at him and she had been speaking. “Uh, sorry...the heat must have gotten to me, too,” Cade said hastily. “My mind totally wandered somewhere else. What did you say?”
“I just asked if you were from around here...is there anywhere you need a ride to,” Karen repeated herself attempting to find out if anyone would miss these two.
“Oh...uh, not really...from around here, I mean. We've only been in town for a few days. I lost my job back home, and we came to stay with friends...but they didn't really have room. We sold everything we had before we left, but still...their place was too small.”
“You have a place to stay now, though?” Karen asked as casually as she could.
If these two were on their own as she now suspected, then perhaps they would be possible additions to their “group”. No ties, new in town, homeless. The boy was strong and good looking, and he obviously cared about his sister. Alec could exploit that as, more than likely, the girl would be devoted to her brother.
“We found...a place, yeah, for now,” Cade said hesitantly, hoping to imply what they'd found wasn't exactly a real home.
Karen smiled warmly and stood up. Cade thought they had a good chance now of staying for awhile.
“I think that cold towel did some good,” he suddenly said looking down at Kira. “It looks like she might be waking up,” Cade commented, drawing Karen's attention to the prone figure on the couch. He squatted down. “Kira? Can you hear me?”
Kira moaned quietly at the signal, then moved her head slightly. She blinked her eyes open and shut several times, moaning again. At the slightly dramatic show of waking, Cade put a warning hand on her shoulder. Kira's eyes opened fully this time. She and Cade locked eyes for a split second, then Kira flicked her eyes around. He helped her to sit up. She went through the whole 'what happened' routine, pretending to be surprised that she fainted. She was introduced to Karen and Becka, then drank her own glass of water. The first chance to spy came when Karen suggested that Kira wash up in the downstairs bathroom.
“Will you help us?” Cade added, when there was a delay in the disembodied response.
Karen studied the pair for a moment longer, thinking quickly. It would seem odd to Rafe if she didn't help. “Yes, of course,” she finally answered. “I'll be right out. Just hang on.”
“Keep watching, Rafe,” Karen requested as she turned to leave. “Just in case...but there's no sense in leaving that girl out there in the heat.”
“Should I contact Alec? He's on the grounds somewhere, isn't he?” Rafe asked.
Karen shook her head. “Not yet. Let me see what this is about before we bother him.”
Knowing she could more than take care of herself against a young, male human, Karen quickly made her way through the house and out the double front doors. She hurried down the walkway to the iron gate and reached the young couple several minutes later. She tapped in the code to unlock the entrance.
“Can you lift her?” Karen asked the young man. “Bring your sister inside. We'll try to revive her and get some water into her. Looks like she could use some food, as well.”
Kira refrained from scowling as she felt Cade easily lift her in his arms. She wasn't that skinny anymore and resented the implication. But on second thought perhaps it was better to not be much of a meal in case this woman was one of the wer. If anything, they'd eat Cade first...there was more to him and lots of muscle, too. Her thoughts drifted dangerously away from her part of their act as she realized how strong Cade really was.
“I really appreciate this, Ma'am,” Cade said politely as he followed the redheaded woman.
Kira thought it sounded strange to hear him so deferential. He actually had manners somewhere inside his sarcastic demon hunting persona. Kira resisted the urge to open her eyes and peer through the slits. Someone else could be observing them. As soon as they passed through the front door, the coolness of the air conditioner swept over Kira. The film of sweat on her face began to dissipate. The cool air also neutralized some of the sweat she could smell on Cade—being so close to his underarm—and luckily for her, he didn't stink too bad.
“Lay her on the couch there,” Karen instructed. “Becka!” she called out.
A young blond girl poked her head out of the kitchen door with a questioning expression. Her eyes opened wide when she caught sight of the 'visitors'.
“Bring some water out here, please...two large glasses. And a towel soaked in cold water, too.”
The head disappeared, then moments later the entire young woman appeared as instructed. Cade noticed how young she appeared to be but didn't discount the possibility of her being one of the wer.
Kira lay motionless on the couch, hoping that she didn't suddenly have an itch or need to sneeze. She'd never realized how difficult it was to remain perfectly still without being stiff or appearing awkward. She continued to remain 'unconscious' while waiting for Cade to give her their pre-arranged signal.
Cade took the water glass that the red haired woman handed him and eagerly began to drink. He was actually thirsty and thought not to pass up the chance for something cold...although a beer would have gone down just as easily.
“My name is Karen,” the woman said. She knelt down next to the couch and began to gently wipe Kira's face with the cold towel.
“Uh...I'm Cade,” Cade answered. “That's my sister Kira.” He didn't mention a last name, and wouldn't unless asked. No need to make things more complicated.
He watched as Karen leaned over slightly to smooth Kira's hair from her forehead. Her long ponytail slid off her neck to expose the Hell Mark tattoo at the top of her spine.
Score one for the hunters, he thought to himself. One down and four to go. He glanced over at the girl Becka, wondering how to get a look at her neck. But were the tattoos all in the same place, he wondered. Cade glanced back at the black tattoo on Karen.
The he realized Karen was staring up at him and she had been speaking. “Uh, sorry...the heat must have gotten to me, too,” Cade said hastily. “My mind totally wandered somewhere else. What did you say?”
“I just asked if you were from around here...is there anywhere you need a ride to,” Karen repeated herself attempting to find out if anyone would miss these two.
“Oh...uh, not really...from around here, I mean. We've only been in town for a few days. I lost my job back home, and we came to stay with friends...but they didn't really have room. We sold everything we had before we left, but still...their place was too small.”
“You have a place to stay now, though?” Karen asked as casually as she could.
If these two were on their own as she now suspected, then perhaps they would be possible additions to their “group”. No ties, new in town, homeless. The boy was strong and good looking, and he obviously cared about his sister. Alec could exploit that as, more than likely, the girl would be devoted to her brother.
“We found...a place, yeah, for now,” Cade said hesitantly, hoping to imply what they'd found wasn't exactly a real home.
Karen smiled warmly and stood up. Cade thought they had a good chance now of staying for awhile.
“I think that cold towel did some good,” he suddenly said looking down at Kira. “It looks like she might be waking up,” Cade commented, drawing Karen's attention to the prone figure on the couch. He squatted down. “Kira? Can you hear me?”
Kira moaned quietly at the signal, then moved her head slightly. She blinked her eyes open and shut several times, moaning again. At the slightly dramatic show of waking, Cade put a warning hand on her shoulder. Kira's eyes opened fully this time. She and Cade locked eyes for a split second, then Kira flicked her eyes around. He helped her to sit up. She went through the whole 'what happened' routine, pretending to be surprised that she fainted. She was introduced to Karen and Becka, then drank her own glass of water. The first chance to spy came when Karen suggested that Kira wash up in the downstairs bathroom.
-33-
Kira actually did wash up in the green and white decorated bathroom after Becka showed her the way. She didn't like feeling dirty, hot, and sweaty. She stared for a moment at her reflection in the mirror—eyes wide with nervous fear at the idea she was actually inside the wer's den. She could literally die here, both she and Cade. She felt anxious that she'd left him alone with Karen—one of the wer. Cade had scratched his nose and inclined his head toward the sweet looking red head, their sign that they'd found one of the wer. Being in their den was more than a sobering thought. It frightened Kira into wanting to run far and fast.
“Pull yourself together, girl,” she whispered to herself. “Time to go out and make 'friends' with the blond.”
It was to Kira's surprise when she came out that Becka was no where to be found. She momentarily held her breath, listening to the sounds of the old house...imagining that someone was watching and waiting to see what she would do. She and Becka had gone through the living room and into a long hallway—brown carpeted and dimly lit— passing closed doors along the way. Kira waited a moment certain that someone would come searching for her, but when no one did she began to move.
But instead of heading back the way she'd come, Kira took a deep breath and crept further down the hall. When she arrived at a shorter hall she paused, indecisive for a moment. The carpet ended to reveal plain, beige linoleum that led further on into shadows as well as down the passage way she was considering investigating. Finally making a choice, Kira chose the new direction. Apparently wer, like vampires, didn't believe in an overabundance of illumination. There was one light fixture on the high ceiling that cast a sickly glow throughout the hall.
A door with a number key pad lock caught Kira's attention and she stopped, curious. None of the other doors she'd passed earlier had any sort of lock on them. She guessed this one was important. Knowing there was no way to figure out the combination, Kira merely stared for a moment so she could tell Cade what it looked like.
Kira was so intent on her investigation of the door that she never bothered to turn her gaze upward. She didn't notice the small dome shaped camera on the ceiling.
* * * * * * * *
Inside the security room, Rafe peered closer at one of the computer screens when he noticed movement. He realized the girl from outside was poking around alone in the hallway near the locked door. The door that was off limits to most of them. And because Alec said so, no one questioned him nor disobeyed his orders.
“Oh, that's not right,” he said to himself. “Not right at all. Alec needs to know about this.”
* * * * * * * *
Suddenly a feeling of danger rolled through Kira. She literally shivered and froze in place. Her stomach clenched tightly for a second. Some sense told her to run, or rather walk quickly away. Kira swept her head back and forth, not sure which direction to head in order to avoid the danger. Taking a chance she continued down the shorter hallway away from where she'd started and toward a door at the far end. So great was her sense to escape that Kira burst through without pausing to assess where she was headed. To her utter surprise she ended up in the kitchen where she startled Becka into dropping the flatware in her hands. The metal utensils clattered to the floor, ringing against each other.
Both young women stared at each other for a moment.
“Oh no, you got lost, didn't you?” Becka exclaimed. “I knew I should have waited, but I didn't want to rush you.”
Kira nearly passed out in relief that she hadn't been suspected of spying. She let her breath out in a long sigh. She could feel nervous sweat gathering on her face and neck, making her dark hair stick to her skin. “I guess I got disoriented,” she admitted. “I'm still feeling a little sick," she lied.
“Pull yourself together, girl,” she whispered to herself. “Time to go out and make 'friends' with the blond.”
It was to Kira's surprise when she came out that Becka was no where to be found. She momentarily held her breath, listening to the sounds of the old house...imagining that someone was watching and waiting to see what she would do. She and Becka had gone through the living room and into a long hallway—brown carpeted and dimly lit— passing closed doors along the way. Kira waited a moment certain that someone would come searching for her, but when no one did she began to move.
But instead of heading back the way she'd come, Kira took a deep breath and crept further down the hall. When she arrived at a shorter hall she paused, indecisive for a moment. The carpet ended to reveal plain, beige linoleum that led further on into shadows as well as down the passage way she was considering investigating. Finally making a choice, Kira chose the new direction. Apparently wer, like vampires, didn't believe in an overabundance of illumination. There was one light fixture on the high ceiling that cast a sickly glow throughout the hall.
A door with a number key pad lock caught Kira's attention and she stopped, curious. None of the other doors she'd passed earlier had any sort of lock on them. She guessed this one was important. Knowing there was no way to figure out the combination, Kira merely stared for a moment so she could tell Cade what it looked like.
Kira was so intent on her investigation of the door that she never bothered to turn her gaze upward. She didn't notice the small dome shaped camera on the ceiling.
* * * * * * * *
Inside the security room, Rafe peered closer at one of the computer screens when he noticed movement. He realized the girl from outside was poking around alone in the hallway near the locked door. The door that was off limits to most of them. And because Alec said so, no one questioned him nor disobeyed his orders.
“Oh, that's not right,” he said to himself. “Not right at all. Alec needs to know about this.”
* * * * * * * *
Suddenly a feeling of danger rolled through Kira. She literally shivered and froze in place. Her stomach clenched tightly for a second. Some sense told her to run, or rather walk quickly away. Kira swept her head back and forth, not sure which direction to head in order to avoid the danger. Taking a chance she continued down the shorter hallway away from where she'd started and toward a door at the far end. So great was her sense to escape that Kira burst through without pausing to assess where she was headed. To her utter surprise she ended up in the kitchen where she startled Becka into dropping the flatware in her hands. The metal utensils clattered to the floor, ringing against each other.
Both young women stared at each other for a moment.
“Oh no, you got lost, didn't you?” Becka exclaimed. “I knew I should have waited, but I didn't want to rush you.”
Kira nearly passed out in relief that she hadn't been suspected of spying. She let her breath out in a long sigh. She could feel nervous sweat gathering on her face and neck, making her dark hair stick to her skin. “I guess I got disoriented,” she admitted. “I'm still feeling a little sick," she lied.
-34-
Alec appeared out of the shadows and turned the corner from the far end of the long hallway. He'd come from outside the back of the large house where he'd been working with a several of the kids tending the fruit trees and working in the large garden. Although his main interest lay in the more illegal activities and gaining power through demon worship, Alec's wer nature also drew him close to the outdoors.
Inside the hallway that housed the basement door, Alec sniffed the air. He snarled silently and a low growl escaped his throat. He stopped short at the door to the basement where an unfamiliar scent lingered, still strong. Someone who didn't belong had recently vacated the area. The bald, black man let his gaze move up to the small camera on the ceiling. He'd damn well find out who had been snooping around. Alec decided to check the basement out, although there was no way in hell for someone to break in. As he entered the lock's code and opened the door, Alec picked up the faint sounds of a human in the agony of death. Ruby was still in residence, sacrificing Dana to the demon.
Inside the hallway that housed the basement door, Alec sniffed the air. He snarled silently and a low growl escaped his throat. He stopped short at the door to the basement where an unfamiliar scent lingered, still strong. Someone who didn't belong had recently vacated the area. The bald, black man let his gaze move up to the small camera on the ceiling. He'd damn well find out who had been snooping around. Alec decided to check the basement out, although there was no way in hell for someone to break in. As he entered the lock's code and opened the door, Alec picked up the faint sounds of a human in the agony of death. Ruby was still in residence, sacrificing Dana to the demon.
-35-
It was nearing 6:00 in the evening when the members of the Red Sect cult began to drift home; others had come in from working outside somewhat earlier. Kira and Cade were standing self-consciously in the living room as the house filled with activity and noise. Karen had told them to hang out and meet the others. The room was still filled with the summer sun, and the cool air from the air conditioner was soon taxed with the addition of more body heat.
After Becka had brought Kira out from the kitchen, she hadn't had a chance to tell Cade of the locked door. Karen had insisted they rest for a bit and had showed them to separate rooms. Neither had been willing to risk using their cellphones to contact the other. Kira had accidentally fallen asleep, while Cade lay down—despite his uneasiness--in case he was being observed. Now they were back together and watching the inhabitants of the house.
Karen greeted the incoming members through the open kitchen door as the smells of dinner floated from the brightly lit room. A few of the younger kids, the teenagers, stared over at the newcomers and nodded but mostly went about their business. Kira glanced up at Cade who was busy observing everyone intently while pretending to look mostly uninterested.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” a sensual female voice asked.
Kira jerked in surprise as a gorgeous, dark haired woman approached, staring directly at Cade and ignoring her completely. Kira was annoyed to find Cade responding to the woman's obvious signals of lustful interest. Catching a glimpse of the back of the woman's pale neck and the Hell's Mark tattoo at the top of her spine, Kira swore to herself. She kept her face neutral, but her heart beat faster. She hoped the dark haired wer didn't notice.
Ruby stood with her hands on her hips checking out a muscular young man she, unfortunately, didn't know. She would have loved to change that situation. Ruby could feel her body responding with lust.
“Besides handsome and delectable you would be...?” she asked Cade with raised eyebrows.
Betrayed by his own hormones, Cade did his own checking out. He looked the woman up and down appreciatively, forgetting where he was or what he was supposed to be doing. Something came over him. Damn, she was hot!
“Name's Cade,” he said. “At your service...day or night,” he added, taking a step closer. God, he could literally feel heat coming from the woman! If it was necessary to gather information, he was willing to do whatever was required of him by this goddess.
“Of course you are,” Ruby said with a laugh that implied she would have expected no less from a man. She put a hand on Cade's strong chest suggestively and let it trail down to the waist of his jeans. Her long, red nails dug lightly through his t-shirt and into his flesh.
“I'm Ruby, and maybe I'll see what you have to offer sometime soon, sugar.”
Before Cade could reply, a deep, a commanding voice broke through the bubble that had surrounded Cade under Ruby's release of sex hormones.
“Ruby!”
With a sigh, Ruby glanced over her shoulder, letting her skilled hand fall lightly to her side. Either Finn or Logan had better be available tonight.
“The boss is calling, gotta go, gorgeous,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. She hadn't seriously intended to follow through on the multitude of sexual thoughts running through her mind, but she couldn't help flirting with the gorgeous human male.
Both Cade and Kira watched Ruby turn and move gracefully toward a tall, black man across the room. Cade gazed lustfully while Kira watched warily. Then she turned without warning and shoved Cade backward until he bumped into the wall. Facing him the young woman grabbed his chin and turned his face down to her's...and away from the departing Ruby.
“Are you insane?” she questioned in horror, keeping her voice to a whisper in his ear “You stay away from her, Cade! You hear me!” Kira demanded.
“Wow, don't tell me you're jealous?” he asked surprised, but somewhat flattered. Cade began to smile.
“No!” Kira hissed. “Don't be ridiculous, you idiot! She's one of the wer, I saw her tattoo while you were busy making a fool of yourself slobbering over her. In case you don't realize, lycanthropy...the disease that makes them wer...is passed on from one generation to the next, like a genetic virus or disease. It's not some freakin' magical infection.”
Cade looked at Kira with mild interest but not seeing what this had to do with him and the possibility of sleeping with Ruby...wer or not. Kira smacked him in the chest, scowling at the obvious clouding of his better judgment by the mere presence of a woman...or werwolf actually...full of sexuality.
“Could you please resume thinking with your upstairs brain for a moment. She's a damn wer, Cade. You can't be thinking of her like that still? Besides lycanthropy is also transmitted through body fluids...such as sexual contact.”
Cade's face collapsed into disgust and horror as he realized the implications of sleeping with Ruby. Not to mention the fact that he'd been close to forgetting why he was really here.
“Son of a bitch!” he whispered, both in disappointment and annoyance that he'd nearly been swept under some weird spell. Or maybe he'd just been carried away by hormones. No, the spell idea was less embarrassing.
“Kira...I'm sorry...,” he began.
“And let me tell you something else,” Kira interrupted, “you'd better believe that I'd be the first to shoot your shaggy ass if you ever turned wer on me. Right there!” she emphasized by tapping his forehead.
Cade stared in surprise at the young woman, then grinned. He was finding her more and more different from that first time they'd met. He wisely refrained from pointing out that where Kira was touching wasn't actually his ass. He felt she wouldn't care about that distinction at the moment.
“Crap! Turn around,” Cade whispered, his smile fading. “Here comes Karen and that guy who called to Ruby. He's got alpha male oozing from his pores and doesn't look like he's going to welcome us to the neighborhood.”
After Becka had brought Kira out from the kitchen, she hadn't had a chance to tell Cade of the locked door. Karen had insisted they rest for a bit and had showed them to separate rooms. Neither had been willing to risk using their cellphones to contact the other. Kira had accidentally fallen asleep, while Cade lay down—despite his uneasiness--in case he was being observed. Now they were back together and watching the inhabitants of the house.
Karen greeted the incoming members through the open kitchen door as the smells of dinner floated from the brightly lit room. A few of the younger kids, the teenagers, stared over at the newcomers and nodded but mostly went about their business. Kira glanced up at Cade who was busy observing everyone intently while pretending to look mostly uninterested.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” a sensual female voice asked.
Kira jerked in surprise as a gorgeous, dark haired woman approached, staring directly at Cade and ignoring her completely. Kira was annoyed to find Cade responding to the woman's obvious signals of lustful interest. Catching a glimpse of the back of the woman's pale neck and the Hell's Mark tattoo at the top of her spine, Kira swore to herself. She kept her face neutral, but her heart beat faster. She hoped the dark haired wer didn't notice.
Ruby stood with her hands on her hips checking out a muscular young man she, unfortunately, didn't know. She would have loved to change that situation. Ruby could feel her body responding with lust.
“Besides handsome and delectable you would be...?” she asked Cade with raised eyebrows.
Betrayed by his own hormones, Cade did his own checking out. He looked the woman up and down appreciatively, forgetting where he was or what he was supposed to be doing. Something came over him. Damn, she was hot!
“Name's Cade,” he said. “At your service...day or night,” he added, taking a step closer. God, he could literally feel heat coming from the woman! If it was necessary to gather information, he was willing to do whatever was required of him by this goddess.
“Of course you are,” Ruby said with a laugh that implied she would have expected no less from a man. She put a hand on Cade's strong chest suggestively and let it trail down to the waist of his jeans. Her long, red nails dug lightly through his t-shirt and into his flesh.
“I'm Ruby, and maybe I'll see what you have to offer sometime soon, sugar.”
Before Cade could reply, a deep, a commanding voice broke through the bubble that had surrounded Cade under Ruby's release of sex hormones.
“Ruby!”
With a sigh, Ruby glanced over her shoulder, letting her skilled hand fall lightly to her side. Either Finn or Logan had better be available tonight.
“The boss is calling, gotta go, gorgeous,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. She hadn't seriously intended to follow through on the multitude of sexual thoughts running through her mind, but she couldn't help flirting with the gorgeous human male.
Both Cade and Kira watched Ruby turn and move gracefully toward a tall, black man across the room. Cade gazed lustfully while Kira watched warily. Then she turned without warning and shoved Cade backward until he bumped into the wall. Facing him the young woman grabbed his chin and turned his face down to her's...and away from the departing Ruby.
“Are you insane?” she questioned in horror, keeping her voice to a whisper in his ear “You stay away from her, Cade! You hear me!” Kira demanded.
“Wow, don't tell me you're jealous?” he asked surprised, but somewhat flattered. Cade began to smile.
“No!” Kira hissed. “Don't be ridiculous, you idiot! She's one of the wer, I saw her tattoo while you were busy making a fool of yourself slobbering over her. In case you don't realize, lycanthropy...the disease that makes them wer...is passed on from one generation to the next, like a genetic virus or disease. It's not some freakin' magical infection.”
Cade looked at Kira with mild interest but not seeing what this had to do with him and the possibility of sleeping with Ruby...wer or not. Kira smacked him in the chest, scowling at the obvious clouding of his better judgment by the mere presence of a woman...or werwolf actually...full of sexuality.
“Could you please resume thinking with your upstairs brain for a moment. She's a damn wer, Cade. You can't be thinking of her like that still? Besides lycanthropy is also transmitted through body fluids...such as sexual contact.”
Cade's face collapsed into disgust and horror as he realized the implications of sleeping with Ruby. Not to mention the fact that he'd been close to forgetting why he was really here.
“Son of a bitch!” he whispered, both in disappointment and annoyance that he'd nearly been swept under some weird spell. Or maybe he'd just been carried away by hormones. No, the spell idea was less embarrassing.
“Kira...I'm sorry...,” he began.
“And let me tell you something else,” Kira interrupted, “you'd better believe that I'd be the first to shoot your shaggy ass if you ever turned wer on me. Right there!” she emphasized by tapping his forehead.
Cade stared in surprise at the young woman, then grinned. He was finding her more and more different from that first time they'd met. He wisely refrained from pointing out that where Kira was touching wasn't actually his ass. He felt she wouldn't care about that distinction at the moment.
“Crap! Turn around,” Cade whispered, his smile fading. “Here comes Karen and that guy who called to Ruby. He's got alpha male oozing from his pores and doesn't look like he's going to welcome us to the neighborhood.”
-36-
Some hours later, when the gate's lock clicked shut behind them, Cade resisted glancing up at the camera. He assumed they were being watched and didn't need to make that fact obvious to the wer. Kira felt the skin crawl up her back and imagined that there were eyes watching them everywhere. The evening spent among the Red Sect and their followers had been dangerous but productive, information wise.
Without seeming to hurry Kira and Cade walked away briskly by mutual, unspoken agreement to put distance between themselves and the wer den. With Cade next to her, Kira wasn't fearful of the late night as they advanced through the French Quarter, but she was eager to be back in the safety of the hidden Reverie room.
The humid summer night had grown cloudy with the bright moon illuminating from behind the clouds. Neither saw the shadows moving far behind them.
Finally Kira spoke in a low voice. “I wasn't sure they were going to let us to leave,” she admitted. “When Karen asked us to stay, I swear I thought it was going to be a command not an offer. I guess it was just my imagination.”
Cade nodded in the dark. “Same here. I kept feeling like I had a neon sign above my head,” Cade said gesturing above him with his arms spread apart. “ 'Spying on you', it would have said. But I guess we pulled it off. They invited us back tomorrow. And the other two, Logan and Finn, didn't really pay us much attention.”
“Neither did Alec after Karen introduced him. If he always looks as serious and mean as he did at first, I'm surprised he can get those kids to follow him,” Kira said. “But they all seem loyal and devoted.”
Cade shrugged. “He's got his own form of charm, though. Somehow he gets people to follow his lead.”
Kira and Cade crossed a main street and headed further toward the abandoned building on the edge of town. The sounds of cars and the night life of the city grew fainter as they walked. Both kept an eye on their surroundings, glancing around frequently into the shadows cast by the clouds.
“Did you hear what Becka said about someone named Tony having disappeared?” Kira asked.
Cade shook his head. “No, but there was a girl that hadn't shown up, either. I think her name was Dana. Apparently Ruby told them this girl had gone back home to her parents. No one I was talking to really even knew where she lived.”
“Well, there were rumors of where this Tony had gone...he was Logan's right hand man, so to speak...but no one had a real answer,” Kira informed him. “Do you think they're dead, or did they really leave?”
Cade laughed harshly. “Probably dead. Cult members don't usually get to “leave”, and I have a feeling the wer have a tight leash on their followers.”
“So, are we going back tomorrow?” Kira asked, hoping the answer was no but knowing it would be yes. She risked a glance up at Cade.
Looking down, Cade nodded. “We have to. We identified two of the wer, plus a possible third...Logan,” he began.
“But the other two, Finn and Alec, have to be wer. All five of them are in control it seems like,” Kira protested. “Surely that's enough.”
The pair neared the abandoned, wreck of a building. They could hear the river's tributary in the background, as well as frogs and crickets making their night time music.
Cade shook his head. “But what if there are more...the rest might not all be human. The Eldrich might not send in enough people...or whatever...to fight if there are more.”
Suddenly Kira heard a noise behind them that sounded out of place in the night. Something about it wasn't right. She froze in place and grabbed Cade's arm.
“Shh, did you hear that?” she asked in a whisper.
“Yeah. I think we've been followed...I thought I saw movement earlier, but couldn't see anything when I looked.”
“We have to get in the building, Cade,” Kira said. “Into the secret room.”
“Agreed. Hurry but don't run,” Cade whispered as he put his hand on Kira's back as if to protect her in some way. “We don't want them to suspect we heard them.”
At first it seemed like the pair would make it into their abandoned building and escape detection, but as they reached the dirty, double doors, Kira heard a voice. Whoever was following them was closing in.
“Crap! They've seen us! I heard them talking....they're coming!” she hissed.
Cade glanced around as he pulled the door open. The hunter studied the night behind them. Kira must have superior hearing. “Are you sure, Kira?” he asked. “I didn't hear anything.”
“Trust me,” she said firmly, fear rising in her throat. “One said they needed to find out where we were staying and report back to Alec!”
Cade swore. Apparently they hadn't been as trusted as it seemed; but if the wer only wanted information on where they were living, perhaps it was just a precaution. A little recon mission to gather information on the “potential memebers”.
Then again maybe the wer wanted them dead.
As they slipped inside the door, running footsteps could be heard behind them, crunching on the gravel and dirt of the old parking lot. Kira and Cade had just rounded a corner inside the building when this time they both heard a voice.
“Hurry! I just saw them up ahead!”
Cade glanced down to see all the old dust and grime on the floor that he and Kira had disturbed earlier. He grimaced. Their footprints could lead their pursuers directly to the wall...and that would raise too many questions. Unless those behind them could see into the Reverie, too.
“Son of a bitch!” Cade mumbled to himself.
“What?” Kira asked, panting as she ran toward the entrance to the staircase. She could still see it plainly in front of her. She only hoped Cade could as well.
“Nothing, just run!” No sense in worrying about it now. Hopefully there were enough of their footprints and disturbed dust to make a big mess instead of a neat trail to follow.
Kira reached the entrance first and nearly leaped down onto the steps. She stumbled down a few more in her effort to get out of the way. She heard and felt Cade follow, pressing up against her back. They could still hear their pursuers closing in, then actually saw them on the floor above. Kira pressed her hand against her mouth to stifle her panting breath, while Cade took a fighting stance in case the two young men came after them. Kira willed herself to focus and prepare herself for a physical confrontation. Ryan had taught her enough hand-to-hand in their gargoyle marital arts training so that she at least stood a chance of defending herself.
“Dammit, where did they go?” the dark-skinned, dark haired man in his early twenties said angrily. “They were right in front of us!”
His companion, equally as large but with red hair and fair skin shook his head. “Maybe they ran out the back,” he suggested, looking around.
Kira held her breath as he stared directly at them through the entry way. Then he moved closer and raised his fist. He pounded on the wall just inches from the arched opening. Kira heard the thud of flesh against plaster and wood. She wondered in horror what would have happened had he hit the opening to the Reverie. Would his arm have seemed to have gone through the wall? What would the two cult members have done then?
“Damn, that too close,” Cade barely breathed.
Dark hair swore and motioned his accomplice to follow him, saying they'd check the whole building before reporting back.
Kira tugged on Cade's arm, indicating they should head down the stairs. She thought they'd be safe in the room and wanted to get there immediately. The two goons upstairs wouldn't...or shouldn't...find anything and would hopefully leave.
Without seeming to hurry Kira and Cade walked away briskly by mutual, unspoken agreement to put distance between themselves and the wer den. With Cade next to her, Kira wasn't fearful of the late night as they advanced through the French Quarter, but she was eager to be back in the safety of the hidden Reverie room.
The humid summer night had grown cloudy with the bright moon illuminating from behind the clouds. Neither saw the shadows moving far behind them.
Finally Kira spoke in a low voice. “I wasn't sure they were going to let us to leave,” she admitted. “When Karen asked us to stay, I swear I thought it was going to be a command not an offer. I guess it was just my imagination.”
Cade nodded in the dark. “Same here. I kept feeling like I had a neon sign above my head,” Cade said gesturing above him with his arms spread apart. “ 'Spying on you', it would have said. But I guess we pulled it off. They invited us back tomorrow. And the other two, Logan and Finn, didn't really pay us much attention.”
“Neither did Alec after Karen introduced him. If he always looks as serious and mean as he did at first, I'm surprised he can get those kids to follow him,” Kira said. “But they all seem loyal and devoted.”
Cade shrugged. “He's got his own form of charm, though. Somehow he gets people to follow his lead.”
Kira and Cade crossed a main street and headed further toward the abandoned building on the edge of town. The sounds of cars and the night life of the city grew fainter as they walked. Both kept an eye on their surroundings, glancing around frequently into the shadows cast by the clouds.
“Did you hear what Becka said about someone named Tony having disappeared?” Kira asked.
Cade shook his head. “No, but there was a girl that hadn't shown up, either. I think her name was Dana. Apparently Ruby told them this girl had gone back home to her parents. No one I was talking to really even knew where she lived.”
“Well, there were rumors of where this Tony had gone...he was Logan's right hand man, so to speak...but no one had a real answer,” Kira informed him. “Do you think they're dead, or did they really leave?”
Cade laughed harshly. “Probably dead. Cult members don't usually get to “leave”, and I have a feeling the wer have a tight leash on their followers.”
“So, are we going back tomorrow?” Kira asked, hoping the answer was no but knowing it would be yes. She risked a glance up at Cade.
Looking down, Cade nodded. “We have to. We identified two of the wer, plus a possible third...Logan,” he began.
“But the other two, Finn and Alec, have to be wer. All five of them are in control it seems like,” Kira protested. “Surely that's enough.”
The pair neared the abandoned, wreck of a building. They could hear the river's tributary in the background, as well as frogs and crickets making their night time music.
Cade shook his head. “But what if there are more...the rest might not all be human. The Eldrich might not send in enough people...or whatever...to fight if there are more.”
Suddenly Kira heard a noise behind them that sounded out of place in the night. Something about it wasn't right. She froze in place and grabbed Cade's arm.
“Shh, did you hear that?” she asked in a whisper.
“Yeah. I think we've been followed...I thought I saw movement earlier, but couldn't see anything when I looked.”
“We have to get in the building, Cade,” Kira said. “Into the secret room.”
“Agreed. Hurry but don't run,” Cade whispered as he put his hand on Kira's back as if to protect her in some way. “We don't want them to suspect we heard them.”
At first it seemed like the pair would make it into their abandoned building and escape detection, but as they reached the dirty, double doors, Kira heard a voice. Whoever was following them was closing in.
“Crap! They've seen us! I heard them talking....they're coming!” she hissed.
Cade glanced around as he pulled the door open. The hunter studied the night behind them. Kira must have superior hearing. “Are you sure, Kira?” he asked. “I didn't hear anything.”
“Trust me,” she said firmly, fear rising in her throat. “One said they needed to find out where we were staying and report back to Alec!”
Cade swore. Apparently they hadn't been as trusted as it seemed; but if the wer only wanted information on where they were living, perhaps it was just a precaution. A little recon mission to gather information on the “potential memebers”.
Then again maybe the wer wanted them dead.
As they slipped inside the door, running footsteps could be heard behind them, crunching on the gravel and dirt of the old parking lot. Kira and Cade had just rounded a corner inside the building when this time they both heard a voice.
“Hurry! I just saw them up ahead!”
Cade glanced down to see all the old dust and grime on the floor that he and Kira had disturbed earlier. He grimaced. Their footprints could lead their pursuers directly to the wall...and that would raise too many questions. Unless those behind them could see into the Reverie, too.
“Son of a bitch!” Cade mumbled to himself.
“What?” Kira asked, panting as she ran toward the entrance to the staircase. She could still see it plainly in front of her. She only hoped Cade could as well.
“Nothing, just run!” No sense in worrying about it now. Hopefully there were enough of their footprints and disturbed dust to make a big mess instead of a neat trail to follow.
Kira reached the entrance first and nearly leaped down onto the steps. She stumbled down a few more in her effort to get out of the way. She heard and felt Cade follow, pressing up against her back. They could still hear their pursuers closing in, then actually saw them on the floor above. Kira pressed her hand against her mouth to stifle her panting breath, while Cade took a fighting stance in case the two young men came after them. Kira willed herself to focus and prepare herself for a physical confrontation. Ryan had taught her enough hand-to-hand in their gargoyle marital arts training so that she at least stood a chance of defending herself.
“Dammit, where did they go?” the dark-skinned, dark haired man in his early twenties said angrily. “They were right in front of us!”
His companion, equally as large but with red hair and fair skin shook his head. “Maybe they ran out the back,” he suggested, looking around.
Kira held her breath as he stared directly at them through the entry way. Then he moved closer and raised his fist. He pounded on the wall just inches from the arched opening. Kira heard the thud of flesh against plaster and wood. She wondered in horror what would have happened had he hit the opening to the Reverie. Would his arm have seemed to have gone through the wall? What would the two cult members have done then?
“Damn, that too close,” Cade barely breathed.
Dark hair swore and motioned his accomplice to follow him, saying they'd check the whole building before reporting back.
Kira tugged on Cade's arm, indicating they should head down the stairs. She thought they'd be safe in the room and wanted to get there immediately. The two goons upstairs wouldn't...or shouldn't...find anything and would hopefully leave.
-37-
Cade was pacing the vampire's secret room. He'd checked his gun and placed it on a side table. He was prepared to grab the weapon if there was any hint of danger. Kira sat tensely on the edge of the bed, her nerves still tingling with their narrow escape. Neither knew quite what to do and thought sleep would be a long time coming.
Suddenly a knock on the door startled Kira into falling off the bed with a thump. Cade dove for his gun. Kira grabbed her knife from the bed and scrambled to her feet. Both remained silent and motionless. Had they been discovered? Through hand motions and eye movements, they pantomimed about if it could be the two men the wer sent and who was going to open the door. The charades would have been comical if not for the deadly seriousness of the situation. Cade was just about to position himself to shoot while Kira opened the door from behind, when a loud voice yelled in annoyance along with pounding on the heavy door.
“Open the door on orders from Cassandra, Coven Mistress of the Tantalusi! You are in there. I can smell your human stench from here!”
Cade swore in relief, and Kira let her breath out in a long sigh.
“Sebastian,” they said in unison.
There was more pounding on the door, enough to make the heavy, wood shake in the frame.
“Okay, okay!” Kira shouted. “Don't break down the stupid door.”
As she opened the door, the Viking vampire with the long hair suddenly occupied the empty space. Kira unconsciously moved in front of Cade to apparently protect him, an act in which she failed to notice the humor. Kira thought perhaps Sebastian had come to harm Cade. As she didn't actually hide much of him with her body, Cade was in full view. He stepped out from behind Kira.
“Tell me what you have discovered so far?” Sebastian demanded, a scowl on his face and his arms crossed over his expansive chest.
“Wow, not really into pleasantries, are you? Kind of a 'get to point' guy,” Cade said in annoyance. “It's not like we've been risking our damn lives or anything.”
“I care nothing for your lives,” Sebastian said neutrally, his face serious, “if you've found out no useful information.”
“Oh, let's just tell him so he'll leave,” Kira said, sickened at the vampire's callous attitude.
After the day she'd had so far, an angry vampire was the last thing she wanted in her life. Between them the two spies for the Tantalusi vampires gave Sebastian a run-down of what they'd discovered. He listened in silence, grunting now and then. When they were done, they waited expectantly for some sort of conversation.
Kira and Cade were sorely disappointed.
“Cassandra will need more information. You've only discovered two of the wer for certain. You will return tomorrow and hunt down the rest. I will return tomorrow night...if you still live,” the vampire finally replied.
Then he turned and stalked up the stairs, not even bothering to close the door.
“Well... I never!” Kira huffed as she slammed the door shut.
What she “never” she didn't elaborated on, but Cade got the point.
“That is one rude vampire,” he agreed. “He must have had quite the crappy human life to be so angry all the time.” Then he sighed. “Well, you heard him...back we go tomorrow. I guess the only thing left to do is get some sleep.”
As the tall, brown-haired young man headed for the only bed in the room, Kira cleared her throat. “You know, if you were any sort of gentleman, you'd sleep on the floor.”
Cade laughed, a real deep down laugh that said that was the funniest thing he'd heard all day. He merely winked one of his green eyes and stripped off his shirt and shoes before laying down on one side of the bed. He made a great show of getting comfortable, then crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.
“Cade Jansen!” Kira exclaimed angrily, her brown eyes flashing.
When the young man on the bed didn't answer, Kira pouted fiercely for a few seconds then gave up. She flipped the light switch to leave a small, antique wall lamp illuminating a corner of the room. She sighed, sat gingerly down on her side of the bed and removed her shoes. She lay down on the very edge of the bed, turned her back to the young man next to her, and wrapped her arms around herself. She hoped sleep would come very quickly.
Cade grinned in the semi-darkness and tried not to laugh. Goodnight, Kira Laurent, he thought to himself.
Suddenly a knock on the door startled Kira into falling off the bed with a thump. Cade dove for his gun. Kira grabbed her knife from the bed and scrambled to her feet. Both remained silent and motionless. Had they been discovered? Through hand motions and eye movements, they pantomimed about if it could be the two men the wer sent and who was going to open the door. The charades would have been comical if not for the deadly seriousness of the situation. Cade was just about to position himself to shoot while Kira opened the door from behind, when a loud voice yelled in annoyance along with pounding on the heavy door.
“Open the door on orders from Cassandra, Coven Mistress of the Tantalusi! You are in there. I can smell your human stench from here!”
Cade swore in relief, and Kira let her breath out in a long sigh.
“Sebastian,” they said in unison.
There was more pounding on the door, enough to make the heavy, wood shake in the frame.
“Okay, okay!” Kira shouted. “Don't break down the stupid door.”
As she opened the door, the Viking vampire with the long hair suddenly occupied the empty space. Kira unconsciously moved in front of Cade to apparently protect him, an act in which she failed to notice the humor. Kira thought perhaps Sebastian had come to harm Cade. As she didn't actually hide much of him with her body, Cade was in full view. He stepped out from behind Kira.
“Tell me what you have discovered so far?” Sebastian demanded, a scowl on his face and his arms crossed over his expansive chest.
“Wow, not really into pleasantries, are you? Kind of a 'get to point' guy,” Cade said in annoyance. “It's not like we've been risking our damn lives or anything.”
“I care nothing for your lives,” Sebastian said neutrally, his face serious, “if you've found out no useful information.”
“Oh, let's just tell him so he'll leave,” Kira said, sickened at the vampire's callous attitude.
After the day she'd had so far, an angry vampire was the last thing she wanted in her life. Between them the two spies for the Tantalusi vampires gave Sebastian a run-down of what they'd discovered. He listened in silence, grunting now and then. When they were done, they waited expectantly for some sort of conversation.
Kira and Cade were sorely disappointed.
“Cassandra will need more information. You've only discovered two of the wer for certain. You will return tomorrow and hunt down the rest. I will return tomorrow night...if you still live,” the vampire finally replied.
Then he turned and stalked up the stairs, not even bothering to close the door.
“Well... I never!” Kira huffed as she slammed the door shut.
What she “never” she didn't elaborated on, but Cade got the point.
“That is one rude vampire,” he agreed. “He must have had quite the crappy human life to be so angry all the time.” Then he sighed. “Well, you heard him...back we go tomorrow. I guess the only thing left to do is get some sleep.”
As the tall, brown-haired young man headed for the only bed in the room, Kira cleared her throat. “You know, if you were any sort of gentleman, you'd sleep on the floor.”
Cade laughed, a real deep down laugh that said that was the funniest thing he'd heard all day. He merely winked one of his green eyes and stripped off his shirt and shoes before laying down on one side of the bed. He made a great show of getting comfortable, then crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.
“Cade Jansen!” Kira exclaimed angrily, her brown eyes flashing.
When the young man on the bed didn't answer, Kira pouted fiercely for a few seconds then gave up. She flipped the light switch to leave a small, antique wall lamp illuminating a corner of the room. She sighed, sat gingerly down on her side of the bed and removed her shoes. She lay down on the very edge of the bed, turned her back to the young man next to her, and wrapped her arms around herself. She hoped sleep would come very quickly.
Cade grinned in the semi-darkness and tried not to laugh. Goodnight, Kira Laurent, he thought to himself.
-38-
Sunday morning, Kira opened her eyes and lay still. At least she assumed it was morning...with no windows to let in the light from outside, she had to rely on the clock on the wall that read 7:08AM. She blinked several times to wake up, slowly coming back to the land of the living from her deep slumber. Surprisingly she didn't even remember falling asleep. When her vision cleared itself of waking up, Kira's eyes opened even wider as she found herself laying close to Cade.
Well, close wasn't quite accurate...it was more she was sleeping on him! Her head was resting on his bare, muscular chest and her hand on his equally bare and flat stomach. Cade held the arm on his stomach loosely under his own hand, with his other arm stretched out behind her. The young woman froze in absolute mortification.
Oh god oh god oh god was all that flowed through Kira's mind. She moved as slowly as humanly possible, slipping her arm out from under his hand and easing herself off his chest. She didn't even dare to look at his sleeping face so great was her embarrassment. And she certainly didn't allow herself to dwell on how it felt to be laying that close to him, his body warm, strong, and safe.
When she found herself securely back on her own side of the bed, Kira barely breathed, waiting to see if the demon hunter next to her would wake up. When it seemed he remained asleep, the young woman breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She rose and tiptoed into the bathroom.
As the door shut with a soft click, Cade grinned and opened his eyes. His first urge was to give Kira a hard time about sides of the bed and embarrass her further; but he wanted, no needed, her to focus on the task still in front of them. Cade decided to wait until this spy business was over and then tease the hell out of her. He closed his eyes to feign sleep before the bathroom door reopened. He found his mind wandering to the feel of Kira in his arms, then pushed the thoughts away. He refused to go there...he never got involved with the women he encountered. His heart and mind had to remain his, and his alone, if he wanted to get his vengeance on the demons.
Well, close wasn't quite accurate...it was more she was sleeping on him! Her head was resting on his bare, muscular chest and her hand on his equally bare and flat stomach. Cade held the arm on his stomach loosely under his own hand, with his other arm stretched out behind her. The young woman froze in absolute mortification.
Oh god oh god oh god was all that flowed through Kira's mind. She moved as slowly as humanly possible, slipping her arm out from under his hand and easing herself off his chest. She didn't even dare to look at his sleeping face so great was her embarrassment. And she certainly didn't allow herself to dwell on how it felt to be laying that close to him, his body warm, strong, and safe.
When she found herself securely back on her own side of the bed, Kira barely breathed, waiting to see if the demon hunter next to her would wake up. When it seemed he remained asleep, the young woman breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She rose and tiptoed into the bathroom.
As the door shut with a soft click, Cade grinned and opened his eyes. His first urge was to give Kira a hard time about sides of the bed and embarrass her further; but he wanted, no needed, her to focus on the task still in front of them. Cade decided to wait until this spy business was over and then tease the hell out of her. He closed his eyes to feign sleep before the bathroom door reopened. He found his mind wandering to the feel of Kira in his arms, then pushed the thoughts away. He refused to go there...he never got involved with the women he encountered. His heart and mind had to remain his, and his alone, if he wanted to get his vengeance on the demons.
-39-
Pretending to be at ease back in the Vargr wer's headquarters was more difficult for Kira than for Cade, but he, too, felt an unease deep inside. They'd been warmly welcomed by Karen when they'd arrived at the house about nine o'clock, as well as offered breakfast. Neither Cade nor Kira had to fake being hungry, though, so they ate with the others amidst the usual noise and morning activity.
No one seemed to treat them any differently, although Alec hadn't made an appearance yet. Both kept an eye out for the two goons that had followed them to the abandoned building but saw no sign of them in the house. When Alec finally did arrive, he nodded to them and smiled briefly before going about his morning routine. The two newcomers were invited to the morning meeting. Near the end, Alec called for attention.
“You've all had a chance to meet Kira and her brother, Cade,” Alec said in a friendly manner. “I hope you'll welcome them for as long as they wish to stay with us.”
There were murmurs of welcome and a few scattered claps. Kira flicked her eyes at Cade who was sitting next to her on the couch. He seemed relaxed with one arm over the back of the couch and his long legs stretched out in front of him. When had they agreed to stay, she wanted to ask. But Cade was grinning and nodding to Alec. Kira felt her hand being squeezed by Becka, the blond from the kitchen, and turned to find the young girl smiling at her in approval.
“Okay, everyone, time for work,” the tall, black leader announced. “See you all later this afternoon.”
The group of young people rose to their feet and prepared to leave for outside duties or jobs out in the city. Amidst the activity, Cade heard his name from across the room. He found Alec and Finn, the blond that they hadn't determined to wer or not, heading toward himself and Kira. Logan had disappeared somewhere already.
“Cade,” Alec repeated. “Finn could use some help today dealing with some of our...associates. I thought you might be interested in earning some money.”
Cade raised his eyebrows questioningly. “You all work on Sunday?” he asked.
Kira moved closer to her “brother” as a sense of fear traveled up and down her spine.
Alec and Finn nodded.
Then Cade shrugged lightly. It would look odd if he refused a chance to earn money for he and his “sister” considering they were homeless. “Sure, what can we do to help?” he asked.
“Well, just you really,” Finn replied with an apologetic smile at Kira. “Mostly you just need to stand next to me and look tough. Sometimes our associates don't want to, well, pay what they owe, let's say.”
Cade knew what that meant for the Red Sect and was disgusted. They wanted to use him in case any violence or intimidation was needed, probably in a drug deal or some sort of extortion. He wasn't clear on why they were bringing him into that side of their “business” so early, but it could be a chance to learn more as well as check if Finn was a werwolf. Cade forced himself to nod casually.
“Sounds good,” he said. “I can do that. Kira can head back to our...,” he began.
Ruby suddenly sidled up, slipping between the two young humans. “Oh, but she mustn't leave!” she exclaimed, putting an arm around the dark-haired girl's shoulders possessively. “I could really use some assistance myself,” she explained.
Every fiber in Cade's body screamed against this separation. He sensed it was a bad idea but there was no way to refuse without appearing suspicious. Perhaps the two that had followed them last night had just been there to find out where they were living, after all they hadn't tried to hurt them in any way really. Cade had to force himself to believe this before he could even think about leaving Kira. If they attempted to escape now, the wer would suspect something wasn't right...chances are neither of them would make it out alive. If he had the opportunity to be alone, Cade would call Ryan from his cell phone.
Kira thought for certain that Cade was going to refuse and somehow get them out of this situation. Oh why did Sebastian insist they return here? And why the hell had they listened? On top of all that, why would Ruby want her to help, the woman had all but ignored her last night with her slobbering over Cade. But when Cade nodded in agreement and turned to her, she knew he was going to leave her. She swallowed heavily and turned her attention to the woman between them.
“S...sure, I can help you, Ruby,” Kira said with a weak smile.
“Excellent, darling,” the dark-haired woman replied, glancing over at Finn and Alec. “She'll be fine, Cade, don't you worry now, sugar.”
“Can you give us a second, though?” Cade asked. “She hates it when I act all big brother on her in front of other people,” he said with a wink.
Alec nodded. “Of course, say goodbye to your sister, Cade...we'll wait.”
The bald, black man took a few steps away, followed by Finn and Ruby.
Cade knew he had only a few seconds as this wasn't the sort of thing that should take a great deal of time.
Kira was surprised when Cade wrapped one arm around her shoulders and turned her away from the wer. She felt his lips lightly brush her forehead and closed her eyes for a moment. She barely caught the whispered 'be careful...get back to the room if you can' as he reluctantly pulled away.
“Have a good day, sis,” Cade said aloud as he let her go.
“Yeah...you, too,” Kira replied, her lips trying to form an easy smile like Cade's.
Kira's skin crawled when Ruby put an arm around her shoulders.
“Come along, darling girl,” the raven haired wer said in a soft, seductive voice. “I have something exciting for you to help me with.”
Ruby guided Kira deftly into the kitchen, the swinging door blocking her from Cade as she turned her head back toward him. She could hear the men leaving the house even through the door. Karen was writing on a piece of paper and glanced up to smile at Kira. It was her usual friendly smile. Kira had a brief moment where she felt that everything was normal...or at least as normal as it could be infiltrating a wer's den. She then found herself being led to the familiar hall where she'd discovered the locked door.
No one seemed to treat them any differently, although Alec hadn't made an appearance yet. Both kept an eye out for the two goons that had followed them to the abandoned building but saw no sign of them in the house. When Alec finally did arrive, he nodded to them and smiled briefly before going about his morning routine. The two newcomers were invited to the morning meeting. Near the end, Alec called for attention.
“You've all had a chance to meet Kira and her brother, Cade,” Alec said in a friendly manner. “I hope you'll welcome them for as long as they wish to stay with us.”
There were murmurs of welcome and a few scattered claps. Kira flicked her eyes at Cade who was sitting next to her on the couch. He seemed relaxed with one arm over the back of the couch and his long legs stretched out in front of him. When had they agreed to stay, she wanted to ask. But Cade was grinning and nodding to Alec. Kira felt her hand being squeezed by Becka, the blond from the kitchen, and turned to find the young girl smiling at her in approval.
“Okay, everyone, time for work,” the tall, black leader announced. “See you all later this afternoon.”
The group of young people rose to their feet and prepared to leave for outside duties or jobs out in the city. Amidst the activity, Cade heard his name from across the room. He found Alec and Finn, the blond that they hadn't determined to wer or not, heading toward himself and Kira. Logan had disappeared somewhere already.
“Cade,” Alec repeated. “Finn could use some help today dealing with some of our...associates. I thought you might be interested in earning some money.”
Cade raised his eyebrows questioningly. “You all work on Sunday?” he asked.
Kira moved closer to her “brother” as a sense of fear traveled up and down her spine.
Alec and Finn nodded.
Then Cade shrugged lightly. It would look odd if he refused a chance to earn money for he and his “sister” considering they were homeless. “Sure, what can we do to help?” he asked.
“Well, just you really,” Finn replied with an apologetic smile at Kira. “Mostly you just need to stand next to me and look tough. Sometimes our associates don't want to, well, pay what they owe, let's say.”
Cade knew what that meant for the Red Sect and was disgusted. They wanted to use him in case any violence or intimidation was needed, probably in a drug deal or some sort of extortion. He wasn't clear on why they were bringing him into that side of their “business” so early, but it could be a chance to learn more as well as check if Finn was a werwolf. Cade forced himself to nod casually.
“Sounds good,” he said. “I can do that. Kira can head back to our...,” he began.
Ruby suddenly sidled up, slipping between the two young humans. “Oh, but she mustn't leave!” she exclaimed, putting an arm around the dark-haired girl's shoulders possessively. “I could really use some assistance myself,” she explained.
Every fiber in Cade's body screamed against this separation. He sensed it was a bad idea but there was no way to refuse without appearing suspicious. Perhaps the two that had followed them last night had just been there to find out where they were living, after all they hadn't tried to hurt them in any way really. Cade had to force himself to believe this before he could even think about leaving Kira. If they attempted to escape now, the wer would suspect something wasn't right...chances are neither of them would make it out alive. If he had the opportunity to be alone, Cade would call Ryan from his cell phone.
Kira thought for certain that Cade was going to refuse and somehow get them out of this situation. Oh why did Sebastian insist they return here? And why the hell had they listened? On top of all that, why would Ruby want her to help, the woman had all but ignored her last night with her slobbering over Cade. But when Cade nodded in agreement and turned to her, she knew he was going to leave her. She swallowed heavily and turned her attention to the woman between them.
“S...sure, I can help you, Ruby,” Kira said with a weak smile.
“Excellent, darling,” the dark-haired woman replied, glancing over at Finn and Alec. “She'll be fine, Cade, don't you worry now, sugar.”
“Can you give us a second, though?” Cade asked. “She hates it when I act all big brother on her in front of other people,” he said with a wink.
Alec nodded. “Of course, say goodbye to your sister, Cade...we'll wait.”
The bald, black man took a few steps away, followed by Finn and Ruby.
Cade knew he had only a few seconds as this wasn't the sort of thing that should take a great deal of time.
Kira was surprised when Cade wrapped one arm around her shoulders and turned her away from the wer. She felt his lips lightly brush her forehead and closed her eyes for a moment. She barely caught the whispered 'be careful...get back to the room if you can' as he reluctantly pulled away.
“Have a good day, sis,” Cade said aloud as he let her go.
“Yeah...you, too,” Kira replied, her lips trying to form an easy smile like Cade's.
Kira's skin crawled when Ruby put an arm around her shoulders.
“Come along, darling girl,” the raven haired wer said in a soft, seductive voice. “I have something exciting for you to help me with.”
Ruby guided Kira deftly into the kitchen, the swinging door blocking her from Cade as she turned her head back toward him. She could hear the men leaving the house even through the door. Karen was writing on a piece of paper and glanced up to smile at Kira. It was her usual friendly smile. Kira had a brief moment where she felt that everything was normal...or at least as normal as it could be infiltrating a wer's den. She then found herself being led to the familiar hall where she'd discovered the locked door.
-40-
The basement door clicked shut behind Kira, locking her in. It didn't comfort her that Ruby was directly behind her. The young woman visibly recoiled at the tangy, coppery smell drifting from below. What was more revolting was the odor underneath, the strong and foul odor of rotting meat. Kira clasped a hand over her nose and mouth.
“Oh, ewww!” she exclaimed, her voice muffled. She paused on the second step to avoid going any further.
Behind her Ruby pressed a hand against her back, pushing her down into the dimly lit basement.
“You'll become accustomed to the smell, my sweet,” Ruby purred in her ear. “And soon...it won't trouble you a bit, I promise.”
Kira frowned at the slight laugh in Ruby's voice. She finally admitted to herself that she was in serious trouble. The feeling began as a whisper and amplified quickly to a scream. A scream that pulsed through her veins, her nerves, her muscles. Oh why hadn't she and Cade made a run for it when they had the chance? Screw the freaking Tantalusi vampires...she would have fled with Cade to the ends of the earth to keep him safe, if only they had had enough sense to escape.
The question Kira refused to allow entry to her mind was, why had Cade left her alone in this house? She knew he had sensed the danger earlier. Bit she refused to even consider the idea that he might have left on purpose...might have abandoned her to the wer.
Kira shook her head and attempted to back up. A solid, warmer than normal body blocked her escape. The slender, sensuous Ruby was ever so much stronger than she appeared, and Kira was forced down the remainder of the concrete steps. It was when she reached the bottom that Kira noticed the rust-red blood stains mixed with bright, red drops and smears on the floor.
Almost against her will, Kira gazed around the shadowy basement, unable to accurately tell the true size of the room. Suddenly her eyes opened wide.
Kira screamed.
Ruby laughed softly from behind, holding her in a tight embrace.
On the other side of the alter, the bloody, mangled remains of a girl...long, red hair still partially visible on the slashed scalp...was hanging from shackles attached to two floor-to-ceiling, thick metal posts. She hung lifeless, facing the stone and wooden altar in the center of the room. Behind the corpse was a brick wall. Down on her knees, the mutilated girl was mostly white bone covered with blood soaked pieces of flesh and skin.
On the altar also rested a bloody knife.
Kira's world spun around her for a moment as a light sweat broke out on her skin. She dry heaved and then, without warning, vomited her breakfast onto the concrete floor. Her dark hair fell across her face, sticking to her clammy skin. All the strength bled from her body at the gruesome sight in front of her. Her head hung limply from her neck as Ruby, still pinning her arms tightly to her sides, moved her roughly forward.
Ruby swore at the mess on the floor. “Humans are so disgustingly weak, you make me sick!” she growled.
Kira felt herself begin to turn inward to escape the horror she was witnessing, not to mention what fate possibly awaited her. All those months spent locked up in Creedmoor flooded back to the young woman. All her training with Ryan slipped from her mind as she was dragged backward in time. The darkness of the dimly lit basement seemed to press unnaturally strong down upon Kira, a physical pressure, but also weighing heavily on her soul and mind.
Suddenly Kira's head was yanked backward. A hand gripped a thick swatch of her hair. She shrieked in fear and pain. In front of her stood Logan, observing her with a neutral expression for a moment. She watched his eyes slide past her to Ruby, adoration filling his expression.
"Is this the one?" he asked curiously.
"The final one," Ruby replied with excitement in her voice. "Let's get this party started, sugar."
Logan walked around the altar to the dead, mangled girl and released the shackles. The body tumbled limply forward, but Kira watched Logan catch it and throw it carelessly to the side. When he returned to stand in front of her, he paused and stared into her eyes. Logan's eyes began to glow as if from a reflected light, penetrating into Kira's soul.
Kira saw the savage wolf inside.
Then Logan reached down to grab Kira's legs from under her.
The unexpected sensation of leaving the ground shocked Kira back into herself. She began to fight with all her strength and limited training, twisting and bucking to free herself. But the two wer were stronger together than she was alone, although she felt them laboring hard to prevent her from escaping. They clutched her tightly bundled between them, carrying her across the basement floor.
“No!” she screamed defiantly. “NO, NO, NO...don't you DARE, you god damned...!”
"Stop fighting, you little bitch!" Ruby hissed. "You aren't going to get away from us!"
A sense of power flowed through Kira as a white, exploding light in her mind blinded her for a moment. She tore herself away from the wer somehow, landing and rolling to her freedom. As Kira pushed off from the ground, long, sharp talons raked the cement floor. Her eyes narrowed, the round pupils becoming slits, her skin began to take on the faintest silver sheen, and her teeth began to elongate and sharpen. But all Kira was aware of was the need to escape. She bolted for the stairs with a powerful leap.
"I'll get her!" Logan growled, wanting only to please Ruby, but also knowing this last offering to the demon would give them the power they required for Alec's plans.
Even in human form, the wer were powerful. Logan launched himself toward Kira's running form. He sensed Ruby right behind him.
Kira was caught brutally from behind by her hair. She screamed as the pain shot through her body. Her screams mingled with the curses and shouts of the wer. She was roughly thrown face down to the ground while a gag was shoved into her mouth and tied tightly. Her hands were nearly crushed by a powerful grip that pinned them together behind her back. By the time Ruby and Logan had captured her again, Kira's appearance was as it had been initially. Neither they, nor Kira, had been aware of the changes.
Literally dragged across the floor, the dark haired girl was firmly shackled in place between the posts. Her arms were wrenched far apart, stretching out to her sides. On her knees, Kira continued to thrash about and scream behind her gag.
"Struggle all you want, darling," Ruby said softly, coldly observing Kira through angry, narrowed eyes. "But your soul will be sold, and you'll be hellbound. You are the final sacrifice."
For the time being, Kira took no notice that surrounding her on the floor was a painted white circle filled with strange designs. The large circle was strangely devoid of blood stains.
“Oh, ewww!” she exclaimed, her voice muffled. She paused on the second step to avoid going any further.
Behind her Ruby pressed a hand against her back, pushing her down into the dimly lit basement.
“You'll become accustomed to the smell, my sweet,” Ruby purred in her ear. “And soon...it won't trouble you a bit, I promise.”
Kira frowned at the slight laugh in Ruby's voice. She finally admitted to herself that she was in serious trouble. The feeling began as a whisper and amplified quickly to a scream. A scream that pulsed through her veins, her nerves, her muscles. Oh why hadn't she and Cade made a run for it when they had the chance? Screw the freaking Tantalusi vampires...she would have fled with Cade to the ends of the earth to keep him safe, if only they had had enough sense to escape.
The question Kira refused to allow entry to her mind was, why had Cade left her alone in this house? She knew he had sensed the danger earlier. Bit she refused to even consider the idea that he might have left on purpose...might have abandoned her to the wer.
Kira shook her head and attempted to back up. A solid, warmer than normal body blocked her escape. The slender, sensuous Ruby was ever so much stronger than she appeared, and Kira was forced down the remainder of the concrete steps. It was when she reached the bottom that Kira noticed the rust-red blood stains mixed with bright, red drops and smears on the floor.
Almost against her will, Kira gazed around the shadowy basement, unable to accurately tell the true size of the room. Suddenly her eyes opened wide.
Kira screamed.
Ruby laughed softly from behind, holding her in a tight embrace.
On the other side of the alter, the bloody, mangled remains of a girl...long, red hair still partially visible on the slashed scalp...was hanging from shackles attached to two floor-to-ceiling, thick metal posts. She hung lifeless, facing the stone and wooden altar in the center of the room. Behind the corpse was a brick wall. Down on her knees, the mutilated girl was mostly white bone covered with blood soaked pieces of flesh and skin.
On the altar also rested a bloody knife.
Kira's world spun around her for a moment as a light sweat broke out on her skin. She dry heaved and then, without warning, vomited her breakfast onto the concrete floor. Her dark hair fell across her face, sticking to her clammy skin. All the strength bled from her body at the gruesome sight in front of her. Her head hung limply from her neck as Ruby, still pinning her arms tightly to her sides, moved her roughly forward.
Ruby swore at the mess on the floor. “Humans are so disgustingly weak, you make me sick!” she growled.
Kira felt herself begin to turn inward to escape the horror she was witnessing, not to mention what fate possibly awaited her. All those months spent locked up in Creedmoor flooded back to the young woman. All her training with Ryan slipped from her mind as she was dragged backward in time. The darkness of the dimly lit basement seemed to press unnaturally strong down upon Kira, a physical pressure, but also weighing heavily on her soul and mind.
Suddenly Kira's head was yanked backward. A hand gripped a thick swatch of her hair. She shrieked in fear and pain. In front of her stood Logan, observing her with a neutral expression for a moment. She watched his eyes slide past her to Ruby, adoration filling his expression.
"Is this the one?" he asked curiously.
"The final one," Ruby replied with excitement in her voice. "Let's get this party started, sugar."
Logan walked around the altar to the dead, mangled girl and released the shackles. The body tumbled limply forward, but Kira watched Logan catch it and throw it carelessly to the side. When he returned to stand in front of her, he paused and stared into her eyes. Logan's eyes began to glow as if from a reflected light, penetrating into Kira's soul.
Kira saw the savage wolf inside.
Then Logan reached down to grab Kira's legs from under her.
The unexpected sensation of leaving the ground shocked Kira back into herself. She began to fight with all her strength and limited training, twisting and bucking to free herself. But the two wer were stronger together than she was alone, although she felt them laboring hard to prevent her from escaping. They clutched her tightly bundled between them, carrying her across the basement floor.
“No!” she screamed defiantly. “NO, NO, NO...don't you DARE, you god damned...!”
"Stop fighting, you little bitch!" Ruby hissed. "You aren't going to get away from us!"
A sense of power flowed through Kira as a white, exploding light in her mind blinded her for a moment. She tore herself away from the wer somehow, landing and rolling to her freedom. As Kira pushed off from the ground, long, sharp talons raked the cement floor. Her eyes narrowed, the round pupils becoming slits, her skin began to take on the faintest silver sheen, and her teeth began to elongate and sharpen. But all Kira was aware of was the need to escape. She bolted for the stairs with a powerful leap.
"I'll get her!" Logan growled, wanting only to please Ruby, but also knowing this last offering to the demon would give them the power they required for Alec's plans.
Even in human form, the wer were powerful. Logan launched himself toward Kira's running form. He sensed Ruby right behind him.
Kira was caught brutally from behind by her hair. She screamed as the pain shot through her body. Her screams mingled with the curses and shouts of the wer. She was roughly thrown face down to the ground while a gag was shoved into her mouth and tied tightly. Her hands were nearly crushed by a powerful grip that pinned them together behind her back. By the time Ruby and Logan had captured her again, Kira's appearance was as it had been initially. Neither they, nor Kira, had been aware of the changes.
Literally dragged across the floor, the dark haired girl was firmly shackled in place between the posts. Her arms were wrenched far apart, stretching out to her sides. On her knees, Kira continued to thrash about and scream behind her gag.
"Struggle all you want, darling," Ruby said softly, coldly observing Kira through angry, narrowed eyes. "But your soul will be sold, and you'll be hellbound. You are the final sacrifice."
For the time being, Kira took no notice that surrounding her on the floor was a painted white circle filled with strange designs. The large circle was strangely devoid of blood stains.
-41-
“By the sorceress-werwolf Moeris, shut the bitch up, will you, Ruby!” Logan demanded with uncharacteristic irritability. “She's getting on my nerves, and I'm tempted to rip her tongue out with my teeth.”
Ruby growled. “Moeris would just as soon curse you, Logan, for turning against her, you know,” she warned. “We haven't exactly been devoted followers, now have we?”
Ruby approached the flailing girl and gripped her hair with one slender hand. Kira ceased struggling and her muffled screaming. She stared upwards with fear—and anger—in her brown eyes. Ruby maneuvered herself to put Kira in a chokehold just long enough for her to lose consciousness from lack of oxygen.
The shapechangers watched as their final sacrifice went limp and her head dropped forward. Ruby did remember to check to make certain she hadn't accidentally killed the human. The pressure on her outstretched arms would be pure torture when she woke up.
“We have embraced new and darker ways, ways that move beyond the old religion...it's toward the black magick, the evil magick, that we now worship,” she continued, feeling the unholy darkness fill her with intoxicating power and potential.
Logan rolled his eyes. He knew Ruby had embraced the demon worship of the Vargr wer with an obsessive passion, practicing the Laws of Hell--the magickal rules that allowed her to deal with the demon world. Logan also knew that his raven-haired siren had been on her way to being a talented witch of their birth religion. But he'd never had much use for either their old nature-oriented spirituality or the new forces of darkness crap. He wondered just how much of this diabolism–her practice of dark magick—was real and how much was an act on Ruby's part, which is why he rarely participated in her sacrifices. But his heart's desire had requested his help today, claiming this homeless girl...Kira...was crucial to freeing Hasael from his demon prison. Crucial to allowing their branch of the Red Sect to achieve the ultimate power of controlling a demon.
The seal that locked the demon in would be broken once and for all on this night. Hasael the demon would forever be their obedient servant, according to Ruby. Alec and Finn believed in her abilities at any rate.
Logan had to admit that their small cult had enjoyed more than their share of excellent good fortune, lucrative business deals, and staying under the radar of the authorities all this time.
Logan heard Ruby moan lightly. He recognized that moan, having heard it in bed enough times. He glanced over at her, noticing the raw lust in Ruby's eyes. She slowly pulled her short dress off over her head, dropping it haphazardly at her feet, and kicked off her flat shoes.
“Damn,” he said quietly as he allowed Ruby to began unbuttoning his shirt. “Finn was right. You do get off on this crap.”
Ruby laughed deep in her throat and licked Logan's mouth with the tip of her tongue.
“Your brother's a bastard sometimes...but he's right. And I'm not the only one that's about to get off, sugar,” she whispered, trailing her nails down his bare chest to his belt.
She left ten, faint red scratch marks in his skin. Logan grabbed her naked body roughly against him and pressed his mouth hard on hers.
Ruby growled. “Moeris would just as soon curse you, Logan, for turning against her, you know,” she warned. “We haven't exactly been devoted followers, now have we?”
Ruby approached the flailing girl and gripped her hair with one slender hand. Kira ceased struggling and her muffled screaming. She stared upwards with fear—and anger—in her brown eyes. Ruby maneuvered herself to put Kira in a chokehold just long enough for her to lose consciousness from lack of oxygen.
The shapechangers watched as their final sacrifice went limp and her head dropped forward. Ruby did remember to check to make certain she hadn't accidentally killed the human. The pressure on her outstretched arms would be pure torture when she woke up.
“We have embraced new and darker ways, ways that move beyond the old religion...it's toward the black magick, the evil magick, that we now worship,” she continued, feeling the unholy darkness fill her with intoxicating power and potential.
Logan rolled his eyes. He knew Ruby had embraced the demon worship of the Vargr wer with an obsessive passion, practicing the Laws of Hell--the magickal rules that allowed her to deal with the demon world. Logan also knew that his raven-haired siren had been on her way to being a talented witch of their birth religion. But he'd never had much use for either their old nature-oriented spirituality or the new forces of darkness crap. He wondered just how much of this diabolism–her practice of dark magick—was real and how much was an act on Ruby's part, which is why he rarely participated in her sacrifices. But his heart's desire had requested his help today, claiming this homeless girl...Kira...was crucial to freeing Hasael from his demon prison. Crucial to allowing their branch of the Red Sect to achieve the ultimate power of controlling a demon.
The seal that locked the demon in would be broken once and for all on this night. Hasael the demon would forever be their obedient servant, according to Ruby. Alec and Finn believed in her abilities at any rate.
Logan had to admit that their small cult had enjoyed more than their share of excellent good fortune, lucrative business deals, and staying under the radar of the authorities all this time.
Logan heard Ruby moan lightly. He recognized that moan, having heard it in bed enough times. He glanced over at her, noticing the raw lust in Ruby's eyes. She slowly pulled her short dress off over her head, dropping it haphazardly at her feet, and kicked off her flat shoes.
“Damn,” he said quietly as he allowed Ruby to began unbuttoning his shirt. “Finn was right. You do get off on this crap.”
Ruby laughed deep in her throat and licked Logan's mouth with the tip of her tongue.
“Your brother's a bastard sometimes...but he's right. And I'm not the only one that's about to get off, sugar,” she whispered, trailing her nails down his bare chest to his belt.
She left ten, faint red scratch marks in his skin. Logan grabbed her naked body roughly against him and pressed his mouth hard on hers.
-42-
It was early evening when Kira regained consciousness for the...well, she'd actually lost track at this point of how many times, so great had been her pain and terror. But she had no idea as to how many hours had passed since she'd been lured down into the basement. All Kira remembered were periods of waking, screaming and thrashing, searing pain in her arms and muscles, and the whippings. Ruby wielded the short whip with the multiple leather straps against Kira's back. She had beaten Kira whenever she screamed or cried out, which Kira had done out of her fear of her situation. That someone could have the power over her to hurt her that badly terrified her. Kira wanted nothing more than to be free, to be away from the wer, to have never gotten into this situation in the first place.
The one thing that was different this last time as she dragged herself from the abyss of unconsciousness is that she was now hanging with her arms over her head. Her bare feet only slightly touched the cement floor beneath her. Her arms were throbbing from being restrained for so long, and any slight movement caused the pain to shoot up and down. If she remained very still, Kira could balance on her bent toes and relieve some of the pressure on her arms.
She felt the air touch her raw skin through her ripped shirt. With her head hanging down, Kira's eyes teared up at the sight of her blood dotting the white painted designs of the circle below her. What Kira couldn't see nor feel was that the deep slashes from the whippings were already healing from the inside. They had been all the while she'd been unconscious.
A familiar and now-hated voice pierced Kira's thoughts and pain. She couldn't help but moan and softly cried out.
“Well, well, look who's awake...again,” Ruby said with a slow smile and a false sweetness in her voice.
She was standing on the other side of the altar, facing Kira. Flickering black candles, incense, and a bowl of a dark, red liquid were the only objects on the altar. Ruby was now wearing black pants and a black and dark emerald green vest that really should have had a shirt underneath, but didn't. Kira could feel a fire burning behind her. The heat moved up and down her back and legs, which didn't help the pain of the slashes.
“Welcome back, precious,” Ruby continued. She tilted her head slightly and made a 'tch' sound. “You look a mess, you know that. But no matter...where your soul is going you won't need to be pretty.”
Ruby laughed in delight.
“Now you just stay right there, sugar. Try to stay awake this time,” Ruby said with a smirk. “I'll be right back.”
Kira expected to feel terror again but found herself becoming numb inside...she'd given up hope of being rescued. Surely Cade was dead by now, having been sent off with Finn. The other eldritch wouldn't come unless Cassandra summoned them, and when she'd last seen Sebastian, the vampire hadn't been inclined to inform anyone that she and Cade might require help. Even Ryan would assume they were still undercover. Tears began to roll down Kira's sweat streaked face. She allowed her head to fall forward, her dark, tangled hair covering her face.
It was then the voices began to whisper to her, as if from far away and from another time or life.
The one thing that was different this last time as she dragged herself from the abyss of unconsciousness is that she was now hanging with her arms over her head. Her bare feet only slightly touched the cement floor beneath her. Her arms were throbbing from being restrained for so long, and any slight movement caused the pain to shoot up and down. If she remained very still, Kira could balance on her bent toes and relieve some of the pressure on her arms.
She felt the air touch her raw skin through her ripped shirt. With her head hanging down, Kira's eyes teared up at the sight of her blood dotting the white painted designs of the circle below her. What Kira couldn't see nor feel was that the deep slashes from the whippings were already healing from the inside. They had been all the while she'd been unconscious.
A familiar and now-hated voice pierced Kira's thoughts and pain. She couldn't help but moan and softly cried out.
“Well, well, look who's awake...again,” Ruby said with a slow smile and a false sweetness in her voice.
She was standing on the other side of the altar, facing Kira. Flickering black candles, incense, and a bowl of a dark, red liquid were the only objects on the altar. Ruby was now wearing black pants and a black and dark emerald green vest that really should have had a shirt underneath, but didn't. Kira could feel a fire burning behind her. The heat moved up and down her back and legs, which didn't help the pain of the slashes.
“Welcome back, precious,” Ruby continued. She tilted her head slightly and made a 'tch' sound. “You look a mess, you know that. But no matter...where your soul is going you won't need to be pretty.”
Ruby laughed in delight.
“Now you just stay right there, sugar. Try to stay awake this time,” Ruby said with a smirk. “I'll be right back.”
Kira expected to feel terror again but found herself becoming numb inside...she'd given up hope of being rescued. Surely Cade was dead by now, having been sent off with Finn. The other eldritch wouldn't come unless Cassandra summoned them, and when she'd last seen Sebastian, the vampire hadn't been inclined to inform anyone that she and Cade might require help. Even Ryan would assume they were still undercover. Tears began to roll down Kira's sweat streaked face. She allowed her head to fall forward, her dark, tangled hair covering her face.
It was then the voices began to whisper to her, as if from far away and from another time or life.
-43-
Cade stood in the living room of the wer's large house barely maintaining his temper. His jaw muscles clenched with the effort to keep his face neutral. The clock on the fireplace mantle chimed 7:00. The sun was still visible but low on the horizon as evidenced by the amount of light entering through the window. Cade and Finn had arrived back a few minutes previously.
Easy...take it easy, Cade warned himself. Don't tip the freakin' shapeshifters off.
“So, you're telling me that Kira isn't here?” Cade asked, struggling to maintain his role as unsuspecting brother. “She's gone?”
Karen had a confused look on her face.
“Yes, that's what I'm telling you, Cade. Kira said she'd be back, though,” the red headed woman said reassuringly. “She went to wherever you two are staying to gather up your belongings. She thought the two of you could stay here for awhile.”
Cade took a deep breath to keep the sneer off his face. She's gone, my ass, he thought. He was attempting to refrain from attacking the lying wer in front of him. Of course, having Alec and Finn standing nearby prevented him acting stupidly and making that fatal mistake. He so didn't believe the crap this redheaded bitch was feeding him.
It took all of Cade's effort to nod casually. “And, of course, you'll want me to stay here until Kira gets back. Right?” he said a bit too sarcastically.
Karen shook her head. “No, of course not. What's wrong, Cade?” she asked with concern. “Look, Kira said she'll be back, but go to her if you need to. It's not been that long since since she went...I bet you can either catch up to her or find her at your shelter.”
Cade jerked his head in a nod, almost not trusting himself to speak.
But he did. He put a fake smile on his face that wasn't reflected in his eyes. “Okay then...I'll go find her.”
* * * * * *
Outside on the sidewalk the gate clanged shut behind him.
“Eat me, you lying sons of a bitches,” he mumbled savagely.
The sun had fallen further down behind the city's buildings, bringing twilight in its wake. It would be dark soon. A heavy weight descended into Cade's soul. Unexpected tears of remorse and anger filled his eyes, momentarily blurring his vision. He felt as though he was deserting Kira to the wolves...literally. The voice of the daeva...of Thomas...filled his mind: The two young ones must watch out for each other, do not betray one another or only one will make it out alive. Was he betraying Kira by leaving when he knew in his gut that she was trapped in that house somewhere? He should never have left her alone today. He should have risked his life to make certain she escaped when they'd had the chance.
A harsh voice in the back of Cade's mind reminded him that this was precisely the reason he usually refused to become involved with other people. The risk of danger to them was too high. He ended up having to deal with the aftermath at a greater risk to himself and the job.
But then again, he'd never before met anyone as intriguing as Kira was to him. He ran a hand through his close cropped, brown hair in frustration.
“Forgive me, Kira,” Cade whispered, forcing himself to finally walk away.
The strong, young demon hunter swiped at the remaining tears running down his face and shook his head. His expression turned to one of anger and determination.
“I'm coming back for you, I swear," Cade whispered firmly. "I won't betray you....but I need help. I can't fight the bastards on my own this time.”
* * * * *
Inside the house the three wer plus Logan, who had been listening from the kitchen, watched Cade from the security room. Rafe had been sent out. On the monitor, Cade finally moved to walk away, his tall, muscular form drawn in slightly with hunched shoulders.
“Do you think he'll try to sneak back?” Karen asked warily, her eyes on her mate for reasurance.
“He won't get the chance,” Alec said softly, his eyes narrowed. He snarled silently. “Otherwise, yes, I'm certain he would return. He didn't believe us, and he wants his precious sister back.”
“We should have kept him here, killed him ourselves,” Finn remarked from where he was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. He grinned savagely. "There was enough meat on that one to feed us for awhile."
Alec glared at the other wer. “No," he said sharply. "No sense in being connected with his death...or risk having the uninitiated humans see us murder outright.”
The tall, black leader spoke to Logan with a dismissing nod. “Have the two from last night follow and, when he reaches his destination, kill him. Leave nothing to identify. Have the body thrown to the alligators in the river.”
Easy...take it easy, Cade warned himself. Don't tip the freakin' shapeshifters off.
“So, you're telling me that Kira isn't here?” Cade asked, struggling to maintain his role as unsuspecting brother. “She's gone?”
Karen had a confused look on her face.
“Yes, that's what I'm telling you, Cade. Kira said she'd be back, though,” the red headed woman said reassuringly. “She went to wherever you two are staying to gather up your belongings. She thought the two of you could stay here for awhile.”
Cade took a deep breath to keep the sneer off his face. She's gone, my ass, he thought. He was attempting to refrain from attacking the lying wer in front of him. Of course, having Alec and Finn standing nearby prevented him acting stupidly and making that fatal mistake. He so didn't believe the crap this redheaded bitch was feeding him.
It took all of Cade's effort to nod casually. “And, of course, you'll want me to stay here until Kira gets back. Right?” he said a bit too sarcastically.
Karen shook her head. “No, of course not. What's wrong, Cade?” she asked with concern. “Look, Kira said she'll be back, but go to her if you need to. It's not been that long since since she went...I bet you can either catch up to her or find her at your shelter.”
Cade jerked his head in a nod, almost not trusting himself to speak.
But he did. He put a fake smile on his face that wasn't reflected in his eyes. “Okay then...I'll go find her.”
* * * * * *
Outside on the sidewalk the gate clanged shut behind him.
“Eat me, you lying sons of a bitches,” he mumbled savagely.
The sun had fallen further down behind the city's buildings, bringing twilight in its wake. It would be dark soon. A heavy weight descended into Cade's soul. Unexpected tears of remorse and anger filled his eyes, momentarily blurring his vision. He felt as though he was deserting Kira to the wolves...literally. The voice of the daeva...of Thomas...filled his mind: The two young ones must watch out for each other, do not betray one another or only one will make it out alive. Was he betraying Kira by leaving when he knew in his gut that she was trapped in that house somewhere? He should never have left her alone today. He should have risked his life to make certain she escaped when they'd had the chance.
A harsh voice in the back of Cade's mind reminded him that this was precisely the reason he usually refused to become involved with other people. The risk of danger to them was too high. He ended up having to deal with the aftermath at a greater risk to himself and the job.
But then again, he'd never before met anyone as intriguing as Kira was to him. He ran a hand through his close cropped, brown hair in frustration.
“Forgive me, Kira,” Cade whispered, forcing himself to finally walk away.
The strong, young demon hunter swiped at the remaining tears running down his face and shook his head. His expression turned to one of anger and determination.
“I'm coming back for you, I swear," Cade whispered firmly. "I won't betray you....but I need help. I can't fight the bastards on my own this time.”
* * * * *
Inside the house the three wer plus Logan, who had been listening from the kitchen, watched Cade from the security room. Rafe had been sent out. On the monitor, Cade finally moved to walk away, his tall, muscular form drawn in slightly with hunched shoulders.
“Do you think he'll try to sneak back?” Karen asked warily, her eyes on her mate for reasurance.
“He won't get the chance,” Alec said softly, his eyes narrowed. He snarled silently. “Otherwise, yes, I'm certain he would return. He didn't believe us, and he wants his precious sister back.”
“We should have kept him here, killed him ourselves,” Finn remarked from where he was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. He grinned savagely. "There was enough meat on that one to feed us for awhile."
Alec glared at the other wer. “No," he said sharply. "No sense in being connected with his death...or risk having the uninitiated humans see us murder outright.”
The tall, black leader spoke to Logan with a dismissing nod. “Have the two from last night follow and, when he reaches his destination, kill him. Leave nothing to identify. Have the body thrown to the alligators in the river.”
-44-
Cade arrived at the abandoned building without incident and deep in thought: of his own failure and guilt. He hadn't the slightest idea how he was going to rescue Kira. He didn't necessarily want to sacrifice his life and die, but if need be, he would do so to help her reach safety. He owed Kira that much at least.
Unfortunately, the usually alert and wary demon hunter hadn't realized he'd been followed in the darkness. He was jumped from behind before he could reach the double, front doors of the building. Cade was thrown down hard on the cracked asphalt of the parking lot, slamming his head on the ground. Although it only took him several second to recover, he was slightly dazed as he began to propel himself upward. His blood oozed down from a gash on his forehead.
Cade felt himself hauled up by his bent arms. He allowed his attackers to raise him nearly to a standing position before alerting them to his level of consciousness. Throwing his head back forcefully, he slammed his skull into someone's face. A yell told Cade that someone's nose was broken. He grimaced at his own pain from the impact.
Without warning he side kicked the other attacker in the stomach. Watching him go down lifted Cade's spirits, but it was then that Cade recognized the dark-skinned goon from last night. He was unable to think anymore about it as he was whirled around and punched in the face himself. Through the throbbing pain, he caught a glimpse of the second man...one with familiar red hair. Crap, the wer had sent the same two idiots who couldn't find them last night.
Cade barreled backwards and found himself tightly gripped around his his mid-section, his arms pinned at this sides. Before Cade could raise his feet to kick out, the one in front of him pulled a knife and drove it hard toward Cade's chest.
But instead of the piercing of his heart with the deadly weapon—and his final moments on earth—, Cade felt only air rush violently past him. Red-hair appeared to fly upwards on his own to the top of the building. A terrified scream accompanied the ascent. The momentary surprise of the one holding on to him gave Cade the chance to twist around and deliver several powerful blows to drive the dark-skinned attacker backwards.
“You try to kill me, you better succeed,” Cade warned angrily. His voice was low and deliberate. “Now it's time to stomp you in the ass.”
Holding the goon by his shirt front, Cade pulled his arm back for the final take down. He was surprised by the heavy thump of a body landing on the ground several feet away.
“Oh...son of a bitch, that's disgusting,” Cade said with a grimace as he observed the crushed skull and mangled body of the red haired cult member.
“Either kill him or he's going to break free, boy,” a familiar, and at this point not totally unwelcome, voice commented neutrally.
Both Cade and his opponent stared at Sebastian, the blond Viking vampire, who stood with his foot planted on the dead man's back. The Tantalusi Second-in-Command took one more step and stood on the dead man's back. Cade heard several snaps and pops. Had the vampire taken the man to the roof and thrown him off? Crap! Can vampires fly? But Cade didn't have time to ponder these questions as Sebastian was suddenly next to him, sharply twisting the neck of the remaining attacker.
“You took too long to decide,” Sebastian commented disparagingly. He pushed his long, thick hair back over his shoulders. “He was about to break free and run.”
The sudden weight of the now-dead cult member caused Cade to release his hold on the body. He sidestepped out of the way as the heavy corpse thudded to the ground.
Cade stared for a moment then let loose some choice swear words...both in relief and in horrified amazement at what had just occurred. He offered up a small wish to never again become entangled with vampires.
“You freaking saved my life,” Cade commented. Then, in disbelief, “Crap, you freaking saved my life. God don't tell me I owe you now?” he asked in disgust.
“I want nothing from you, human,” Sebastian snarled. “Just tell me what else you have learned.”
“Hold that thought, “Cade insisted suddenly.
He sprinted up the stairs and tore open the door to the building, making his way hurriedly toward the secret door in the Reverie. He charged down the stairs and burst into the vampire's room.
Empty.
His heart heavy and knowing he wouldn't find her, Cade checked the bathroom anyway.
Again, empty.
Kira definitely hadn't returned here. The wer had lied as he'd known. Still it was like a second blow to his soul.
When Cade turned around, he jumped back. He inhaled sharply. Sebastian was standing directly behind him, having entered soundlessly.
“Dammit! Make a little noise when you sneak up on someone, why don't you? You blood suckers are too damn quiet. And back up...don't you all have personal space rules?”
Sebastian merely glared. He growled and refrained from hurting the mortal he had been forced to deal with. The smell of Cade's blood from the gash on his forehead was sorely tempting to the old vampire.
“What are you looking for in here?” he asked. “Do you have new information? If not, then there's no reason for me to remain.”
“I think Kira's in danger,” Cade explained quickly, certain that would provoke some sort of reaction. When the vampire merely stared, Cade became frustrated and continued. “Look, dude, Kira is missing...the wer have her somewhere, probably in the house!” he shouted.
Sebastian's bushy mustache twitched. “So you have identified more of the lycanthropes?”
“What? Look, you're missing the point here...,” Cade began.
“Have you identified more of the wer or not?” Sebastian repeated slowly, his patience wearing thin.
“Christ! Yes then! One more for sure since you're like a damn dog with a bone...the blond male, Finn. I saw the mark on him. That's three out of a possible five, don't you think that's enough?” Cade shouted at the vampire, not caring if he insulted the blood sucker or not.
Sebastian turned to leave.
Cade, without thinking of the possible consequences to his health and well-being...and life..., reached out and grabbed the vampire's arm. He'd never have actually moved the vampire had Sebastian not turned around himself. He pointedly stared at Cade's hand until the young hunter removed the offending hold.
“Dude, you're still not getting it. We have to attack now. I'm sure Kira was taken by the wer and is in danger.”
Cade's voice dropped in pitch, the challenging tone of his voice apparent.
Sebastian snarled, his second set of teeth shooting down from his gums.
Cade backed slightly away from the sight of the sharp fangs. Getting his throat ripped out would help the situation very little.
"You will not tell us what to do,” the vampire said in slow, menacing voice. “I will report back to Cassandra, see if she's ready to attack. If not, then I shall return tomorrow night for more information.”
“You bastard!” Cade shouted, but held himself back from actually taking a swing at the huge vampire. “Kira could be dead by now! There won't be a tomorrow night!”
Sebastian smiled coldly. “Then there's no point in mounting a hasty attack, is there, boy?”
With that the vampire seemed to disappear in front of Cade's eyes as he exited with supernatural speed.
Cade let loose all the swear words he knew and created several choice insults for vampires alone.
“I'll go myself then,” he growled at the end of his tirade.
Cade spent several minutes cleaning some of the blood off his face. He left the congealed blood on the gash to prevent the wound from reopening. He deliberately left the soiled, bloody towels on the bathroom sink. Let the freaking bloodsuckers clean up the mess. After arming himself, Cade exited the secret Reverie room for the real world.
Unfortunately, the usually alert and wary demon hunter hadn't realized he'd been followed in the darkness. He was jumped from behind before he could reach the double, front doors of the building. Cade was thrown down hard on the cracked asphalt of the parking lot, slamming his head on the ground. Although it only took him several second to recover, he was slightly dazed as he began to propel himself upward. His blood oozed down from a gash on his forehead.
Cade felt himself hauled up by his bent arms. He allowed his attackers to raise him nearly to a standing position before alerting them to his level of consciousness. Throwing his head back forcefully, he slammed his skull into someone's face. A yell told Cade that someone's nose was broken. He grimaced at his own pain from the impact.
Without warning he side kicked the other attacker in the stomach. Watching him go down lifted Cade's spirits, but it was then that Cade recognized the dark-skinned goon from last night. He was unable to think anymore about it as he was whirled around and punched in the face himself. Through the throbbing pain, he caught a glimpse of the second man...one with familiar red hair. Crap, the wer had sent the same two idiots who couldn't find them last night.
Cade barreled backwards and found himself tightly gripped around his his mid-section, his arms pinned at this sides. Before Cade could raise his feet to kick out, the one in front of him pulled a knife and drove it hard toward Cade's chest.
But instead of the piercing of his heart with the deadly weapon—and his final moments on earth—, Cade felt only air rush violently past him. Red-hair appeared to fly upwards on his own to the top of the building. A terrified scream accompanied the ascent. The momentary surprise of the one holding on to him gave Cade the chance to twist around and deliver several powerful blows to drive the dark-skinned attacker backwards.
“You try to kill me, you better succeed,” Cade warned angrily. His voice was low and deliberate. “Now it's time to stomp you in the ass.”
Holding the goon by his shirt front, Cade pulled his arm back for the final take down. He was surprised by the heavy thump of a body landing on the ground several feet away.
“Oh...son of a bitch, that's disgusting,” Cade said with a grimace as he observed the crushed skull and mangled body of the red haired cult member.
“Either kill him or he's going to break free, boy,” a familiar, and at this point not totally unwelcome, voice commented neutrally.
Both Cade and his opponent stared at Sebastian, the blond Viking vampire, who stood with his foot planted on the dead man's back. The Tantalusi Second-in-Command took one more step and stood on the dead man's back. Cade heard several snaps and pops. Had the vampire taken the man to the roof and thrown him off? Crap! Can vampires fly? But Cade didn't have time to ponder these questions as Sebastian was suddenly next to him, sharply twisting the neck of the remaining attacker.
“You took too long to decide,” Sebastian commented disparagingly. He pushed his long, thick hair back over his shoulders. “He was about to break free and run.”
The sudden weight of the now-dead cult member caused Cade to release his hold on the body. He sidestepped out of the way as the heavy corpse thudded to the ground.
Cade stared for a moment then let loose some choice swear words...both in relief and in horrified amazement at what had just occurred. He offered up a small wish to never again become entangled with vampires.
“You freaking saved my life,” Cade commented. Then, in disbelief, “Crap, you freaking saved my life. God don't tell me I owe you now?” he asked in disgust.
“I want nothing from you, human,” Sebastian snarled. “Just tell me what else you have learned.”
“Hold that thought, “Cade insisted suddenly.
He sprinted up the stairs and tore open the door to the building, making his way hurriedly toward the secret door in the Reverie. He charged down the stairs and burst into the vampire's room.
Empty.
His heart heavy and knowing he wouldn't find her, Cade checked the bathroom anyway.
Again, empty.
Kira definitely hadn't returned here. The wer had lied as he'd known. Still it was like a second blow to his soul.
When Cade turned around, he jumped back. He inhaled sharply. Sebastian was standing directly behind him, having entered soundlessly.
“Dammit! Make a little noise when you sneak up on someone, why don't you? You blood suckers are too damn quiet. And back up...don't you all have personal space rules?”
Sebastian merely glared. He growled and refrained from hurting the mortal he had been forced to deal with. The smell of Cade's blood from the gash on his forehead was sorely tempting to the old vampire.
“What are you looking for in here?” he asked. “Do you have new information? If not, then there's no reason for me to remain.”
“I think Kira's in danger,” Cade explained quickly, certain that would provoke some sort of reaction. When the vampire merely stared, Cade became frustrated and continued. “Look, dude, Kira is missing...the wer have her somewhere, probably in the house!” he shouted.
Sebastian's bushy mustache twitched. “So you have identified more of the lycanthropes?”
“What? Look, you're missing the point here...,” Cade began.
“Have you identified more of the wer or not?” Sebastian repeated slowly, his patience wearing thin.
“Christ! Yes then! One more for sure since you're like a damn dog with a bone...the blond male, Finn. I saw the mark on him. That's three out of a possible five, don't you think that's enough?” Cade shouted at the vampire, not caring if he insulted the blood sucker or not.
Sebastian turned to leave.
Cade, without thinking of the possible consequences to his health and well-being...and life..., reached out and grabbed the vampire's arm. He'd never have actually moved the vampire had Sebastian not turned around himself. He pointedly stared at Cade's hand until the young hunter removed the offending hold.
“Dude, you're still not getting it. We have to attack now. I'm sure Kira was taken by the wer and is in danger.”
Cade's voice dropped in pitch, the challenging tone of his voice apparent.
Sebastian snarled, his second set of teeth shooting down from his gums.
Cade backed slightly away from the sight of the sharp fangs. Getting his throat ripped out would help the situation very little.
"You will not tell us what to do,” the vampire said in slow, menacing voice. “I will report back to Cassandra, see if she's ready to attack. If not, then I shall return tomorrow night for more information.”
“You bastard!” Cade shouted, but held himself back from actually taking a swing at the huge vampire. “Kira could be dead by now! There won't be a tomorrow night!”
Sebastian smiled coldly. “Then there's no point in mounting a hasty attack, is there, boy?”
With that the vampire seemed to disappear in front of Cade's eyes as he exited with supernatural speed.
Cade let loose all the swear words he knew and created several choice insults for vampires alone.
“I'll go myself then,” he growled at the end of his tirade.
Cade spent several minutes cleaning some of the blood off his face. He left the congealed blood on the gash to prevent the wound from reopening. He deliberately left the soiled, bloody towels on the bathroom sink. Let the freaking bloodsuckers clean up the mess. After arming himself, Cade exited the secret Reverie room for the real world.
-45-
Alec had gathered together in the basement the cult members that were aware of the demon worship. Finn and Logan had joined him to play their parts. As it was an informal gathering, Alec had on his usual black attire, Logan wore jeans and a t-shirt, and Finn had merely unbuttoned his dress shirt over his jeans.
There was a large, haphazard U-shaped, human-based formation around Kira. The chain of people started in the middle of the brick wall, circled around the altar, and ended at the end of the wall. Kira, inside the demon summoning circle, was at the center of it all. The participants were milling about, talking quietly and feeling a mixture of fear and excitement. The ritual was not ready to begin yet...but soon.
Kira had been listening...or attempting to listen to the voices in her head and get lost in the pictures forming her mind. They were faint in sound and somewhat blurry. Intellectually she knew they couldn't be real, but they were better than the alternative happening around her. She kept her eyes tightly closed. The words, which she couldn't understand but could feel, and visions were reassuring. The visions were more like memories rather than future events, but what they were doing in her mind baffled Kira. However, they had calmed her down, given her the strength to withstand the torture of being hung by her arms for so many long hours, and helped her to survive Ruby's cruelty.
Kira had no clue what they meant or why she caught glimpses of giant scaled, winged creatures and beautiful people, but she felt as though she should remember. The world she viewed in her mind was nothing like she'd seen before, something out of a fantasy movie or novel. And she felt calm enough not to panic anymore.
“How much longer, Ruby?” Alec asked impatiently, towering over the dark-haired woman at the altar.
Logan glanced up from where he was adding more wood to the fire behind the human sacrifice, and Finn remained sitting on a couch with his feet up. Neither challenged Alec's right to be in control.
“Not much longer,” she replied in slight irritation. She'd explained this to Alec before. “We have to wait for the realms to align on this point,” Ruby said, gesturing to the circle on the ground, “...the Real World, the Reverie, and the Netherworlds. The demon gave me a specific time, and we have to wait and watch for the precise moment.”
There was a large, haphazard U-shaped, human-based formation around Kira. The chain of people started in the middle of the brick wall, circled around the altar, and ended at the end of the wall. Kira, inside the demon summoning circle, was at the center of it all. The participants were milling about, talking quietly and feeling a mixture of fear and excitement. The ritual was not ready to begin yet...but soon.
Kira had been listening...or attempting to listen to the voices in her head and get lost in the pictures forming her mind. They were faint in sound and somewhat blurry. Intellectually she knew they couldn't be real, but they were better than the alternative happening around her. She kept her eyes tightly closed. The words, which she couldn't understand but could feel, and visions were reassuring. The visions were more like memories rather than future events, but what they were doing in her mind baffled Kira. However, they had calmed her down, given her the strength to withstand the torture of being hung by her arms for so many long hours, and helped her to survive Ruby's cruelty.
Kira had no clue what they meant or why she caught glimpses of giant scaled, winged creatures and beautiful people, but she felt as though she should remember. The world she viewed in her mind was nothing like she'd seen before, something out of a fantasy movie or novel. And she felt calm enough not to panic anymore.
“How much longer, Ruby?” Alec asked impatiently, towering over the dark-haired woman at the altar.
Logan glanced up from where he was adding more wood to the fire behind the human sacrifice, and Finn remained sitting on a couch with his feet up. Neither challenged Alec's right to be in control.
“Not much longer,” she replied in slight irritation. She'd explained this to Alec before. “We have to wait for the realms to align on this point,” Ruby said, gesturing to the circle on the ground, “...the Real World, the Reverie, and the Netherworlds. The demon gave me a specific time, and we have to wait and watch for the precise moment.”
-46-
The demon Prince, Hasael, who served the King of Gehanna, one of the demon rulers of the Planes of Perdition, the homelands of the demons, stared impatiently upward at the demonic summoning circle painted on the stone ceiling of the temple. There was a parallel one on the floor beneath, within which the demonic, black magick practitioner stood waiting. He wore only black, leather trousers, his smooth, thick red skin otherwise bare. Soon the great seal in their realm would finally be broken. He would be responsible for releasing his demon King into the Real World. It would be a glorious and historical day for Gehanna, but a horrific day for all the mortals who would eventually suffer.
Soon that wer bitch—who truly believed that he, a demon Prince, had been serving the weak and pitiful Red Sect cult all this time—would find out who was the master. And who were the thralls. He had lied about everything to the female—lied about everything except how to open the great seal between their worlds—and convinced her, and the others, that he was their servant and would be more than grateful to be released from his “prison”. Not many of the immortals...and even fewer mortals...were skilled enough to even attempt to open the gates and seals, that is if they could be convinced to do so in the first place. Hasael was capable of smelling evil and fear, he was drawn to it, and he had sensed the wer's potential for being used when Ruby tried to contact the Netherworlds. He had picked up on her evil, and powerful, nature and made himself known in order to use the wer for his King's purposes.
Hasael was not entirely certain if this ritual would work...it had never been successfully done before, although a few had attempted to perform it. So far the wer had been able to open the vortex enough to send innocent souls down to him, and to allow Hasael to send demonic fire to capture the nourishing energy of the sacrifices. Neither party cared that the sacrifice left the body mangled and destroyed.
If this last attempt was successful, the latest victim would be consumed totally in the fires of Hell. Hasael would rise to the Real World, thus locking open the seal for his demon King to follow.
Two constables, the King's law enforcers, stood silently nearby, watching and waiting to report to their master.
The Prince's long, pointed ears twitched in annoyance at a slight cough. He'd rather have been alone, but the King insisted. Just in case Hasael was unable to report a success in this plan, or rather report back at all. There was the possibility that the demon Prince would die if the ritual was unsuccessful. But the price was worth the reward if he opened the one of the great seals of Solomon.
“Not long now,” Hasael rumbled to himself, the Prince's voice gravelly and deep. “The realms are nearly in place.”
Soon that wer bitch—who truly believed that he, a demon Prince, had been serving the weak and pitiful Red Sect cult all this time—would find out who was the master. And who were the thralls. He had lied about everything to the female—lied about everything except how to open the great seal between their worlds—and convinced her, and the others, that he was their servant and would be more than grateful to be released from his “prison”. Not many of the immortals...and even fewer mortals...were skilled enough to even attempt to open the gates and seals, that is if they could be convinced to do so in the first place. Hasael was capable of smelling evil and fear, he was drawn to it, and he had sensed the wer's potential for being used when Ruby tried to contact the Netherworlds. He had picked up on her evil, and powerful, nature and made himself known in order to use the wer for his King's purposes.
Hasael was not entirely certain if this ritual would work...it had never been successfully done before, although a few had attempted to perform it. So far the wer had been able to open the vortex enough to send innocent souls down to him, and to allow Hasael to send demonic fire to capture the nourishing energy of the sacrifices. Neither party cared that the sacrifice left the body mangled and destroyed.
If this last attempt was successful, the latest victim would be consumed totally in the fires of Hell. Hasael would rise to the Real World, thus locking open the seal for his demon King to follow.
Two constables, the King's law enforcers, stood silently nearby, watching and waiting to report to their master.
The Prince's long, pointed ears twitched in annoyance at a slight cough. He'd rather have been alone, but the King insisted. Just in case Hasael was unable to report a success in this plan, or rather report back at all. There was the possibility that the demon Prince would die if the ritual was unsuccessful. But the price was worth the reward if he opened the one of the great seals of Solomon.
“Not long now,” Hasael rumbled to himself, the Prince's voice gravelly and deep. “The realms are nearly in place.”
-47-
Karen kept a watchful eye on the two young women piling various homemade cookies high on two serving plates. The kitchen smelled of warmth, sugar, and home. The odor didn't make Karen nauseous like cooked meat did, and it served to comfort and relax the humans. Several other kids had carried out milk and soda for the party in progress in the living room.
Unaware of what evil was taking place below them, a group of about ten members of the cult—those not yet deemed ready to be inducted into the demon worship—were enjoying the extra space and time for themselves. The murmur of voices, the movie on the big screen television, and the involvement in games captured everyone's attention.
There were speculations on what was happening downstairs in the basement, of course. Karen could pick up the threads of whispered conversation even from the kitchen when the door was propped open. Her ears twitched as she smiled that all the guesses were wrong.
“Here's the last bowl,” the red-haired house mother said cheerfully to Becka, handing over a bowl of party mix. “Take this on out...I'm coming in second.”
Unaware of what evil was taking place below them, a group of about ten members of the cult—those not yet deemed ready to be inducted into the demon worship—were enjoying the extra space and time for themselves. The murmur of voices, the movie on the big screen television, and the involvement in games captured everyone's attention.
There were speculations on what was happening downstairs in the basement, of course. Karen could pick up the threads of whispered conversation even from the kitchen when the door was propped open. Her ears twitched as she smiled that all the guesses were wrong.
“Here's the last bowl,” the red-haired house mother said cheerfully to Becka, handing over a bowl of party mix. “Take this on out...I'm coming in second.”
-48-
Cade could feel the guns, his and Kira's both loaded with silver bullets, against his back. They were tucked into the waistband of his jeans and covered by the tail of the short sleeved, open shirt he wore over his t-shirt. Kira's silver knife was stuck under his belt at his side. As he left the building with a small bag of possibly necessary “tools” slung over his back, Cade paused and glanced to the ground. He didn't see the bodies of the wer's goons anywhere. Sebastian must of taken care of them, he thought.
“At least the bastard bloodsucker is useful for something,” Cade mumbled to himself.
Cade jerked his cell phone from his pocket as he walked quickly away. The night's moon was half hidden behind wispy gray clouds that floated slowly through the darkness. He disappeared in to the shadows, heading for the wer's French Quarter house.
“C'mon, Ryan, pick up the phone, man,” Cade whispered. “It's important...hell, it's freakin' life or death.”
When Cade was asked to leave a message, his anger and fear exploded to the surface. “Where the hell are you?” he shouted into the phone, his voice deepening even further with emotion.
Cade recorded a brief and colorful message of what he believed had happened to Kira and what had transpired between him and Sebastian. He ended the call abruptly after finishing without any sort of goodbye. He jammed the phone back into his jeans pocket.
Twenty minutes later Cade was silently circling around the perimeter of the wall of the wer's house. He took care to stay out of the line of the cameras...or so he fervently hoped. Basically he had no real plan except to not get caught, at least until he reached Kira. He didn't want to die, but if he did Cade knew it would be saving...or trying to save...Kira's life. It was the least he could do.
With luck on his side, Cade found an unlocked gate at the side of the property. He slipped inside and melted into the shadows, pleased to find himself just near the back of the house. He threaded his way through the trees in the garden until he heard voices. Ducking behind a wheelbarrow loaded with sacks of soil, Cade watched as two young women appeared out of the ground. He blinked his eyes. With relief he saw they had actually come up from the basement through the angled doors in the ground. He heard muffled words as they gently closed the doors and moved away, then saw the small flame of a lighter.
Thank god for smokers and their habits, Cade thought to himself. Nothing will stop them from having a much needed cigarette.
Without thinking Cade hurried low to the ground to the angled doors and opened one side quickly. He slipped inside, not having time to let his eyes adjust and nearly stumbled down the stone steps. There was a brick wall to his right and a cement one to his left, putting Cade in a narrow hallway with an arched ceiling. He heard muffled voices floating from around the brick wall Keeping to his left, Cade came to the end of his tunnel...and his concealment. Making his way to his left, he squeezed in between stacks of large boxes and crates, hiding himself in the darkness.
The first thing he spotted was Alec standing near Ruby at an altar. Cade knew a demon worshiping altar when he saw one.
Cade froze more solidly in place than he already was. He watched the tall black man suddenly lift his head and sniff the air.
Several swear words flashed through Cade's mind.
Suddenly the two sneaky young women emerged from their secret escape only to find their leader glaring at them. Staring at them in a murderous rage was more like it. He gestured angrily which sent the young women rushing back to their positions.
Cade breathed a silent sigh of relief, glad he hadn't had a full bladder.
The second thing Cade saw was Kira, at least the back of her, hanging from chains. She had her head down, her long, brown hair hanging limply. Her back appeared bloody and her body sagged painfully. Cade's mouth pressed tightly closed, containing his hatred and anger, and his green eyes glinted dangerously with murderous intent. A wave of failure also swept over him. He had failed to protect Kira after it was his fault they were here in the first place. But he refused to allow the Daeva's vision to come true...he would not betray Kira, he would die to save her.
But how? Cade wasn't stupid, he knew he would be ripped to shreds in a matter of seconds if he revealed himself. Even one of the wer could destroy him without effort while the others continued whatever it was they were about to subject Kira to. It wasn't supposed to happen this way, he thought with remorse. He and Kira should have been far away, letting the eldritch do the fighting.
“At least the bastard bloodsucker is useful for something,” Cade mumbled to himself.
Cade jerked his cell phone from his pocket as he walked quickly away. The night's moon was half hidden behind wispy gray clouds that floated slowly through the darkness. He disappeared in to the shadows, heading for the wer's French Quarter house.
“C'mon, Ryan, pick up the phone, man,” Cade whispered. “It's important...hell, it's freakin' life or death.”
When Cade was asked to leave a message, his anger and fear exploded to the surface. “Where the hell are you?” he shouted into the phone, his voice deepening even further with emotion.
Cade recorded a brief and colorful message of what he believed had happened to Kira and what had transpired between him and Sebastian. He ended the call abruptly after finishing without any sort of goodbye. He jammed the phone back into his jeans pocket.
Twenty minutes later Cade was silently circling around the perimeter of the wall of the wer's house. He took care to stay out of the line of the cameras...or so he fervently hoped. Basically he had no real plan except to not get caught, at least until he reached Kira. He didn't want to die, but if he did Cade knew it would be saving...or trying to save...Kira's life. It was the least he could do.
With luck on his side, Cade found an unlocked gate at the side of the property. He slipped inside and melted into the shadows, pleased to find himself just near the back of the house. He threaded his way through the trees in the garden until he heard voices. Ducking behind a wheelbarrow loaded with sacks of soil, Cade watched as two young women appeared out of the ground. He blinked his eyes. With relief he saw they had actually come up from the basement through the angled doors in the ground. He heard muffled words as they gently closed the doors and moved away, then saw the small flame of a lighter.
Thank god for smokers and their habits, Cade thought to himself. Nothing will stop them from having a much needed cigarette.
Without thinking Cade hurried low to the ground to the angled doors and opened one side quickly. He slipped inside, not having time to let his eyes adjust and nearly stumbled down the stone steps. There was a brick wall to his right and a cement one to his left, putting Cade in a narrow hallway with an arched ceiling. He heard muffled voices floating from around the brick wall Keeping to his left, Cade came to the end of his tunnel...and his concealment. Making his way to his left, he squeezed in between stacks of large boxes and crates, hiding himself in the darkness.
The first thing he spotted was Alec standing near Ruby at an altar. Cade knew a demon worshiping altar when he saw one.
Cade froze more solidly in place than he already was. He watched the tall black man suddenly lift his head and sniff the air.
Several swear words flashed through Cade's mind.
Suddenly the two sneaky young women emerged from their secret escape only to find their leader glaring at them. Staring at them in a murderous rage was more like it. He gestured angrily which sent the young women rushing back to their positions.
Cade breathed a silent sigh of relief, glad he hadn't had a full bladder.
The second thing Cade saw was Kira, at least the back of her, hanging from chains. She had her head down, her long, brown hair hanging limply. Her back appeared bloody and her body sagged painfully. Cade's mouth pressed tightly closed, containing his hatred and anger, and his green eyes glinted dangerously with murderous intent. A wave of failure also swept over him. He had failed to protect Kira after it was his fault they were here in the first place. But he refused to allow the Daeva's vision to come true...he would not betray Kira, he would die to save her.
But how? Cade wasn't stupid, he knew he would be ripped to shreds in a matter of seconds if he revealed himself. Even one of the wer could destroy him without effort while the others continued whatever it was they were about to subject Kira to. It wasn't supposed to happen this way, he thought with remorse. He and Kira should have been far away, letting the eldritch do the fighting.
-49-
Ruby abruptly clapped her hands twice, sharply. She gestured for everyone to tighten the formation around the sacrifice and the demon binding circle.
“Quickly! It's time!” she ordered, her voice serious and filled with authority.
A deadly hush fell over the dimly lit basement. The former priestess and now dark magick practitioner stood between Finn and Logan at the altar. Alec stood outside of the demon circle but inside the formation of bodies. He held a sharp knife in one hand.
Kira gasped harshly but remained still. She focused her eyes on the gray ceiling. Her fear remained, but she kept her body and mind still. If she died tonight, then so be it. If her visions had truly been real, then her soul would make its own journey home.
“Clasp hands everyone, and do not let go or you'll break the bond I need to form,” Ruby warned.
The dark-haired wer observed the bowl of blood intently as the three swirls, previously separate, now flowed together as one. A wicked smile played over her lips.
“Be quick, Alec,” she reminded him softly. “Or you'll be sucked down when the time comes.”
Alec merely nodded once, motioning for Ruby to hurry up.
Staring into the candles on the altar, Ruby began to chant in a ghastly sounding language that was unfamiliar to all the others. It was a language that none would choose to hear again, even the three male wer. The mere sounds of the words, regardless of their meanings, frightened the humans to their souls. Some began to cry silently; others to experience feelings of rage, anger, and destruction; while enough of them embraced the darkness the words brought forth and reveled in the coming of the demon. There were enough committed believers to keep the others from breaking the chain of hands.
Alec placed one foot into the demon binding circle to reach his target. He slashed quickly at Kira's extended arms, first one then the other, down the soft inside skin.
Kira couldn't help but scream at the unexpected fiery, hot pain that coursed along her nerves. She arched her back trying to relieve the pressure of the chains on her arms but only managed to make it worse as her feet left the ground momentarily. Her violent, struggling motions twisted her around to face the fire. She didn't see but felt the blood flow from her arms. The drops spattered on the floor.
Cade barely maintained his silence at this horrific torture of Kira. Reaching under his shirt he grabbed his weapons. An icy rage filled his veins. He crept noiselessly around the stack of crates, his gun in one hand and Kira's silver knife in the other. Cade was adept at shooting with either hand. If he could kill one of them...any one of the bastards, it didn't matter to him at this point...he could break that damn chain.
The chain that the wer bitch had warned them not to break. Apparently that would be bad.
That was a good enough a start for Cade's attack.
With Ruby continuing to chant, the ground beneath Kira liquified into a swirling pattern. The whirlpool gained momentum until Kira was dangling over a vortex of light and dark, of fire and nothingness. Flames that didn't burn but were hot on her skin, roared up from the vortex. They burned her soul and mind, but not her body. A vague shape made of ebony smoke drifted through the swirling, flaming vortex, becoming more and more distinct in shape.
Hasael had broken through the great seal and would soon materialize as solid matter.
Kira screamed, swinging, kicking, and struggling over the void beneath her.
“Quickly! It's time!” she ordered, her voice serious and filled with authority.
A deadly hush fell over the dimly lit basement. The former priestess and now dark magick practitioner stood between Finn and Logan at the altar. Alec stood outside of the demon circle but inside the formation of bodies. He held a sharp knife in one hand.
Kira gasped harshly but remained still. She focused her eyes on the gray ceiling. Her fear remained, but she kept her body and mind still. If she died tonight, then so be it. If her visions had truly been real, then her soul would make its own journey home.
“Clasp hands everyone, and do not let go or you'll break the bond I need to form,” Ruby warned.
The dark-haired wer observed the bowl of blood intently as the three swirls, previously separate, now flowed together as one. A wicked smile played over her lips.
“Be quick, Alec,” she reminded him softly. “Or you'll be sucked down when the time comes.”
Alec merely nodded once, motioning for Ruby to hurry up.
Staring into the candles on the altar, Ruby began to chant in a ghastly sounding language that was unfamiliar to all the others. It was a language that none would choose to hear again, even the three male wer. The mere sounds of the words, regardless of their meanings, frightened the humans to their souls. Some began to cry silently; others to experience feelings of rage, anger, and destruction; while enough of them embraced the darkness the words brought forth and reveled in the coming of the demon. There were enough committed believers to keep the others from breaking the chain of hands.
Alec placed one foot into the demon binding circle to reach his target. He slashed quickly at Kira's extended arms, first one then the other, down the soft inside skin.
Kira couldn't help but scream at the unexpected fiery, hot pain that coursed along her nerves. She arched her back trying to relieve the pressure of the chains on her arms but only managed to make it worse as her feet left the ground momentarily. Her violent, struggling motions twisted her around to face the fire. She didn't see but felt the blood flow from her arms. The drops spattered on the floor.
Cade barely maintained his silence at this horrific torture of Kira. Reaching under his shirt he grabbed his weapons. An icy rage filled his veins. He crept noiselessly around the stack of crates, his gun in one hand and Kira's silver knife in the other. Cade was adept at shooting with either hand. If he could kill one of them...any one of the bastards, it didn't matter to him at this point...he could break that damn chain.
The chain that the wer bitch had warned them not to break. Apparently that would be bad.
That was a good enough a start for Cade's attack.
With Ruby continuing to chant, the ground beneath Kira liquified into a swirling pattern. The whirlpool gained momentum until Kira was dangling over a vortex of light and dark, of fire and nothingness. Flames that didn't burn but were hot on her skin, roared up from the vortex. They burned her soul and mind, but not her body. A vague shape made of ebony smoke drifted through the swirling, flaming vortex, becoming more and more distinct in shape.
Hasael had broken through the great seal and would soon materialize as solid matter.
Kira screamed, swinging, kicking, and struggling over the void beneath her.
-50-
With all his strength, Cade launched himself forward. Yelling, he drove Kira's knife into the back of closest person he could reach...a young man with long dreadlocks and dark skin. The knife blade sliced through the spine. The young demon hunter's muscles strained under his shirt with the force of his attack.
Cade's own sacrifice arched his back and screamed with never before known agony. His blood soaked through in an ever-widening circle on the back of his shirt. When the man collapsed to the ground, the chain was broken. Cade dropped to his knees and wrenched the knife from the body with an vicious grunt. He stabbed again, then leaped backwards. He held out the knife and gun in a defensive position. His eyes blazing, the young hunter prepared to start shooting the wer with silver bullets.
A girl screamed, “RAFE!”
She dropped down to her dead friend. Another link in the chain broken. For a moment there was stunned silence in the basement room.
Cade's eyes met Kira's for just a brief moment. She had stopped struggling and hung motionless over the swirling void, the demon smoke winding its way around her legs. Tears of pain, of joy, of terror, of hope shined in her haunted brown eyes. The fire was reflected in both her eyes and tears.
Kira vowed in her mind to take Cade's soul with her when they died. She loved him for coming to rescue her.
Ruby screamed with rage and pointed in Cade's direction. Panicked screaming and chaotic movement broke out among the other cult members.
Alec pivoted quickly, only seconds having passed. The alpha wer snarled at Cade, the sound loud, menacing, and deadly.
Cade's own sacrifice arched his back and screamed with never before known agony. His blood soaked through in an ever-widening circle on the back of his shirt. When the man collapsed to the ground, the chain was broken. Cade dropped to his knees and wrenched the knife from the body with an vicious grunt. He stabbed again, then leaped backwards. He held out the knife and gun in a defensive position. His eyes blazing, the young hunter prepared to start shooting the wer with silver bullets.
A girl screamed, “RAFE!”
She dropped down to her dead friend. Another link in the chain broken. For a moment there was stunned silence in the basement room.
Cade's eyes met Kira's for just a brief moment. She had stopped struggling and hung motionless over the swirling void, the demon smoke winding its way around her legs. Tears of pain, of joy, of terror, of hope shined in her haunted brown eyes. The fire was reflected in both her eyes and tears.
Kira vowed in her mind to take Cade's soul with her when they died. She loved him for coming to rescue her.
Ruby screamed with rage and pointed in Cade's direction. Panicked screaming and chaotic movement broke out among the other cult members.
Alec pivoted quickly, only seconds having passed. The alpha wer snarled at Cade, the sound loud, menacing, and deadly.
-51-
Suddenly, there were unexplained noises from above: terrified screams, vibrating thumps, and violent crashes. Noises that were heard even over the chaos in the basement, which only served to increase the panic and volume in the lower room. The cult members were slamming into each other in their confusion, pushing and shoving to reach the stairs and escape, or cowering in terror.
Alec froze momentarily. He whipped his head around, assessing the sudden madhouse with supernatural speed and mental calculations. He instantly motioned to Logan and Finn to check upstairs and take care of the problem, while he would deal with the goddamn human.
Ruby, meanwhile, continued to scream and shout obscenities as her entire chain was destroyed.
The demon, barely formed yet, was trapped in the violently swirling circle. He roared with a fury that shook the basement like an earthquake. His smoke form began to swirl tighter around Kira, squeezing her legs, trying to pull her down into the vortex. She fought back with violent kicks that strained all her muscles.
* * * * * * * *
As he rapidly spun toward the human, Alec's fighting instincts triggered the transformation to his half-skin form. Half human, half wolf-creature, the werwolf came forth with a vengeance. While running, his height and body mass increased, his shoulders grew sleek and broad, and his body became well-muscled with a thick, fine black fur spreading on his skin. His clothing ripped apart and fell to the floor. The wer's head enlarged and turned feral, the jaw elongating to a muzzle. Sharp, canine teeth seemed to grow from nowhere and filled the jaw with deadly weapons.
The wer shot his clawed fist out and connected with Cade's upper abdomen. A loud grunt was forced out of Cade, along with most of the air in his lungs. Bones cracked as several ribs were severely damaged. The impact sent the demon hunter flying backwards just as he pulled the trigger on his gun. As the silver bullet pierced the thick fur of the wer's sternum, Cade crashed onto the low freezer where the wer kept their “meat”. His gun flew from his hand and slid across the concrete floor. He gasped for air and lay motionless for a moment, unable to move.
But he'd kept his land locked around Kira's silver knife.
The livid, roaring wer charged, his automatic regenerative powers sealing the wound around the silver bullet. One silver bullet would no more kill a wer than a punch to the face. It would leave a nasty scar and cause pain unless removed, but the wer wouldn't die.
* * * * * *
Upon Alec's silent instructions, Logan and Finn had transformed into their half-wer skin--one brown-pelted and one with silvery-white fur. With sharp claws and deadly teeth, they were ready for battle. Their clothes littered the stairs as they raced upwards.
Alec froze momentarily. He whipped his head around, assessing the sudden madhouse with supernatural speed and mental calculations. He instantly motioned to Logan and Finn to check upstairs and take care of the problem, while he would deal with the goddamn human.
Ruby, meanwhile, continued to scream and shout obscenities as her entire chain was destroyed.
The demon, barely formed yet, was trapped in the violently swirling circle. He roared with a fury that shook the basement like an earthquake. His smoke form began to swirl tighter around Kira, squeezing her legs, trying to pull her down into the vortex. She fought back with violent kicks that strained all her muscles.
* * * * * * * *
As he rapidly spun toward the human, Alec's fighting instincts triggered the transformation to his half-skin form. Half human, half wolf-creature, the werwolf came forth with a vengeance. While running, his height and body mass increased, his shoulders grew sleek and broad, and his body became well-muscled with a thick, fine black fur spreading on his skin. His clothing ripped apart and fell to the floor. The wer's head enlarged and turned feral, the jaw elongating to a muzzle. Sharp, canine teeth seemed to grow from nowhere and filled the jaw with deadly weapons.
The wer shot his clawed fist out and connected with Cade's upper abdomen. A loud grunt was forced out of Cade, along with most of the air in his lungs. Bones cracked as several ribs were severely damaged. The impact sent the demon hunter flying backwards just as he pulled the trigger on his gun. As the silver bullet pierced the thick fur of the wer's sternum, Cade crashed onto the low freezer where the wer kept their “meat”. His gun flew from his hand and slid across the concrete floor. He gasped for air and lay motionless for a moment, unable to move.
But he'd kept his land locked around Kira's silver knife.
The livid, roaring wer charged, his automatic regenerative powers sealing the wound around the silver bullet. One silver bullet would no more kill a wer than a punch to the face. It would leave a nasty scar and cause pain unless removed, but the wer wouldn't die.
* * * * * *
Upon Alec's silent instructions, Logan and Finn had transformed into their half-wer skin--one brown-pelted and one with silvery-white fur. With sharp claws and deadly teeth, they were ready for battle. Their clothes littered the stairs as they raced upwards.
-52- Somewhat earlier...
“Few eldritch can survive against a wer in an unarmed fight...well-armed mortals stand no better chance against them.”
“Any immmortal who is bitten or scratched and blood is drawn will be infected with the changing virus disease and suffer the curse of the werwolf.”
The eldritch came together from all directions of New Bellwich...inside and outside of the city's boundaries. They gathered silently in the darkness in front of the wer's house. They remained in the Reverie to stay undetected by the wer and any mortals in the area.
Ryan had contacted Cassandra as soon as he had heard Cade's message. Although he had felt no emotions, he intellectually and instinctively knew that Kira was probably in grave danger...if not already dead. His protective nature had risen to the surface, and the gargoyle had known he would assist Cade no matter what the Tantalusi Coven Mistress decided. But first, Ryan had called Na'ethal who promised to also speak to Cassandra.
With the vampires and the daevas the kids stood a better chance of surviving if they were still alive.
But Cassandra had already decreed the time was right to attack when Ryan and Na'ethal contacted her. Sebastian's recounting of the night's events with Cade had convinced her that the wer must be dealt with sooner rather than later. She had summoned the Tantalusi vampires she wanted to accompany her, and had sent word to the faerie and the daevas. Cassandra knew Na'athal had contacted the elves; but there was no way for her to speak to the ever-spying, sanctimonious angels. Cassandra assumed Bella would be there if she so chose.
The immortal group that now gathered outside the wer den consisted of Ryan in his human simulacrum form, Na'ethal and several elven warriors, Thomas and other promised Vanir daevas, Cassandra and her vampires, and Eolande and a small group of fian, the faerie warriors. All were armed with those weapons which would best defend them against the deadly, virus-carrying wer.
As a detective, Ryan knew the attack would draw attention despite the quiet weeknight of the French Quarter. In these sections of the city, it was human nature to spy upon those who seemed to be involved in some sort of trouble or danger. Ryan suspected the eldritch would be making too much noise to go unnoticed for too long.
“Shield us, Thomas,” Ryan requested of the daeva as they all stood waiting in the darkness.
Nodding solemnly, the bronze-skinned daeva drew forth his daevan supernatural power enabling him to generate a field of total silence around the property. He swiftly ran around the outside wall, taking only minutes to return. All the noises from within the house or on the property would be blocked from the hearing of any mortals. Gunshots, screams, and any loud sounds would be muted. A faint ripple of air could be seen from within the force field by the immortals.
“Thank you, Thomas,” Ryan said upon the daeva's return. “Are you still strong enough to fight?” he asked.
The daeva nodded. “I'm fine. It cost a small amount of my life force but not enough to prevent me from killing myself a wer tonight,” he assured the gargoyle.
Cassandra then gave the signal to proceed. As a team, two of the vampires disabled the security cameras located at the top of the gate as they moved at a blurring speed.
Cassandra vanished into a glowing nightmist and floated through the bars of the gate.
Sebastian morphed into his raven form and flew, wings flapping silently, over the wall.
Eolande floated, arms by her sides, over the wrought iron gate. Her green leafy hair swayed gently as she displaced the air around her.
Na'ethal leaped gracefully to the top then over the wall, his night vision scanning the grounds. He spied the two young men on guard duty and signaled the elves near him while he continued searching. Holding their palms out toward the unsuspecting mortals, the elves released small magickal arrows, glowing light green, that flew silently across the grass. When the magick connected with the humans they immediately fell unconscious. It would be hours before they awoke.
Ryan levitated over the wall using his black, feathered wings to propel himself slightly forward. Hovering in the air, he scanned the inside of the house using thermal vision to determine where the heat patterns were most concentrated. As he landed he motioned everyone toward the living room windows and front door.
* * * * *
The battle began the moment the immortals crashed through the door and windows, spilling into the house in a killing mass. Those inside the house were taken by surprise. Some scrambled for makeshift weapons, while others screamed in terror.
Eolande shot a wave of negative energy at those inside the room. Being all human, they were weakened enough for the eldritch to gain the advantage without slaughtering everyone at once.
The only one not affected by the faery's negative energy blast was the red-pelted, half-skin wer who charged out from the kitchen. Karen had heard the shattering of glass and wood and immediately shapechanged, intent on only fighting to save herself then warn her pack of the danger. She assumed whoever—or whatever—had defeated their defenses would slaughter the humans first.
The sight of the werwolf jolted the human cult members into lethargic action. Several of them decided they were done with the Red Sect and tried to escape through the destroyed windows or the broken down door. Others staggered to their feet, grabbing anything they could hold and lift as a weapon to fight whatever came near them.
“Let them go if they are human!” Ryan shouted above the noise.
“Kill them all!” screamed Cassandra in the same instance.
Those escaping were grabbed by whichever eldritch was closest. The vampires immediately twisted the neck and ended the escape, while the others roughly examined necks for the Hells Mark tattoo, then released the mortals with a shove toward the door or broken windows.
Only a few survived to run.
The remaining half-dozen die-hard, loyal members raised their weapons and began to fight what would inevitably be a losing battle for them in the fight of human against immortal.
Ryan strode through the chaos and gripped a young, blond girl by the chin. She had been checked for the deadly tattoo and found lacking. He backed her into a wall, not only to keep her from running but also to prevent any of the vampires from attacking the girl from behind.
“Where are they?” Ryan questioned coldly. His emotionless voice was coupled with a piercing stare--an experience that many a criminal, and sinner, had not survived. “Where are the others?”
Becka shook with fear, tears streaming down her face.
“D...downstairs,” she gasped. “The basement...through the kitchen!” She whimpered, “Please, please don't kill me!”
Ryan sensed no great sin in the girl, not that this was the time to feed; but she also didn't deserve to die by any other hand here tonight. He released his grip and gave her a push.
“Go while you have the chance,” he warned and turned to walk away. "I can no longer protect you."
“Any immmortal who is bitten or scratched and blood is drawn will be infected with the changing virus disease and suffer the curse of the werwolf.”
The eldritch came together from all directions of New Bellwich...inside and outside of the city's boundaries. They gathered silently in the darkness in front of the wer's house. They remained in the Reverie to stay undetected by the wer and any mortals in the area.
Ryan had contacted Cassandra as soon as he had heard Cade's message. Although he had felt no emotions, he intellectually and instinctively knew that Kira was probably in grave danger...if not already dead. His protective nature had risen to the surface, and the gargoyle had known he would assist Cade no matter what the Tantalusi Coven Mistress decided. But first, Ryan had called Na'ethal who promised to also speak to Cassandra.
With the vampires and the daevas the kids stood a better chance of surviving if they were still alive.
But Cassandra had already decreed the time was right to attack when Ryan and Na'ethal contacted her. Sebastian's recounting of the night's events with Cade had convinced her that the wer must be dealt with sooner rather than later. She had summoned the Tantalusi vampires she wanted to accompany her, and had sent word to the faerie and the daevas. Cassandra knew Na'athal had contacted the elves; but there was no way for her to speak to the ever-spying, sanctimonious angels. Cassandra assumed Bella would be there if she so chose.
The immortal group that now gathered outside the wer den consisted of Ryan in his human simulacrum form, Na'ethal and several elven warriors, Thomas and other promised Vanir daevas, Cassandra and her vampires, and Eolande and a small group of fian, the faerie warriors. All were armed with those weapons which would best defend them against the deadly, virus-carrying wer.
As a detective, Ryan knew the attack would draw attention despite the quiet weeknight of the French Quarter. In these sections of the city, it was human nature to spy upon those who seemed to be involved in some sort of trouble or danger. Ryan suspected the eldritch would be making too much noise to go unnoticed for too long.
“Shield us, Thomas,” Ryan requested of the daeva as they all stood waiting in the darkness.
Nodding solemnly, the bronze-skinned daeva drew forth his daevan supernatural power enabling him to generate a field of total silence around the property. He swiftly ran around the outside wall, taking only minutes to return. All the noises from within the house or on the property would be blocked from the hearing of any mortals. Gunshots, screams, and any loud sounds would be muted. A faint ripple of air could be seen from within the force field by the immortals.
“Thank you, Thomas,” Ryan said upon the daeva's return. “Are you still strong enough to fight?” he asked.
The daeva nodded. “I'm fine. It cost a small amount of my life force but not enough to prevent me from killing myself a wer tonight,” he assured the gargoyle.
Cassandra then gave the signal to proceed. As a team, two of the vampires disabled the security cameras located at the top of the gate as they moved at a blurring speed.
Cassandra vanished into a glowing nightmist and floated through the bars of the gate.
Sebastian morphed into his raven form and flew, wings flapping silently, over the wall.
Eolande floated, arms by her sides, over the wrought iron gate. Her green leafy hair swayed gently as she displaced the air around her.
Na'ethal leaped gracefully to the top then over the wall, his night vision scanning the grounds. He spied the two young men on guard duty and signaled the elves near him while he continued searching. Holding their palms out toward the unsuspecting mortals, the elves released small magickal arrows, glowing light green, that flew silently across the grass. When the magick connected with the humans they immediately fell unconscious. It would be hours before they awoke.
Ryan levitated over the wall using his black, feathered wings to propel himself slightly forward. Hovering in the air, he scanned the inside of the house using thermal vision to determine where the heat patterns were most concentrated. As he landed he motioned everyone toward the living room windows and front door.
* * * * *
The battle began the moment the immortals crashed through the door and windows, spilling into the house in a killing mass. Those inside the house were taken by surprise. Some scrambled for makeshift weapons, while others screamed in terror.
Eolande shot a wave of negative energy at those inside the room. Being all human, they were weakened enough for the eldritch to gain the advantage without slaughtering everyone at once.
The only one not affected by the faery's negative energy blast was the red-pelted, half-skin wer who charged out from the kitchen. Karen had heard the shattering of glass and wood and immediately shapechanged, intent on only fighting to save herself then warn her pack of the danger. She assumed whoever—or whatever—had defeated their defenses would slaughter the humans first.
The sight of the werwolf jolted the human cult members into lethargic action. Several of them decided they were done with the Red Sect and tried to escape through the destroyed windows or the broken down door. Others staggered to their feet, grabbing anything they could hold and lift as a weapon to fight whatever came near them.
“Let them go if they are human!” Ryan shouted above the noise.
“Kill them all!” screamed Cassandra in the same instance.
Those escaping were grabbed by whichever eldritch was closest. The vampires immediately twisted the neck and ended the escape, while the others roughly examined necks for the Hells Mark tattoo, then released the mortals with a shove toward the door or broken windows.
Only a few survived to run.
The remaining half-dozen die-hard, loyal members raised their weapons and began to fight what would inevitably be a losing battle for them in the fight of human against immortal.
Ryan strode through the chaos and gripped a young, blond girl by the chin. She had been checked for the deadly tattoo and found lacking. He backed her into a wall, not only to keep her from running but also to prevent any of the vampires from attacking the girl from behind.
“Where are they?” Ryan questioned coldly. His emotionless voice was coupled with a piercing stare--an experience that many a criminal, and sinner, had not survived. “Where are the others?”
Becka shook with fear, tears streaming down her face.
“D...downstairs,” she gasped. “The basement...through the kitchen!” She whimpered, “Please, please don't kill me!”
Ryan sensed no great sin in the girl, not that this was the time to feed; but she also didn't deserve to die by any other hand here tonight. He released his grip and gave her a push.
“Go while you have the chance,” he warned and turned to walk away. "I can no longer protect you."
-53-
Cassandra launched herself at the charging werwolf. The woman Cassandra used to be had been slender and tall, but with average strength and human fragility; yet the vampire who collided with the red-pelted wer dealt a blow with her entire body that knocked the beast backward. In the instant before the wer recovered, one of the other vampire followers threw herself into the fray. It would take two of them to have a hope of bringing the wer bitch down without being seriously injured themselves.
“Do not get bitten nor scratched, Sylvia!” Cassandra warned the dark haired vampire.
The vampire coven mistress's fangs dropped from their gumsheaths as she hissed at the werwolf.
The two vampires circled the wer, crisscrossing each other with an agility and speed that allowed them to keep the creature from being able to focus on either one of them for long. They drew silver knives, weaving and moving the weapons, waiting for opportunities to strike out in the confusion.
The wer rose to her full height, towering over the vampires. She bared her long claws, snarling and spitting in rage. Lashing out, the werwolf could not seem to make contact with either vampire, no matter how quickly she struck. As the painful silver blades pierced her fur and skin, the wer became more enraged.
“Do not get bitten nor scratched, Sylvia!” Cassandra warned the dark haired vampire.
The vampire coven mistress's fangs dropped from their gumsheaths as she hissed at the werwolf.
The two vampires circled the wer, crisscrossing each other with an agility and speed that allowed them to keep the creature from being able to focus on either one of them for long. They drew silver knives, weaving and moving the weapons, waiting for opportunities to strike out in the confusion.
The wer rose to her full height, towering over the vampires. She bared her long claws, snarling and spitting in rage. Lashing out, the werwolf could not seem to make contact with either vampire, no matter how quickly she struck. As the painful silver blades pierced her fur and skin, the wer became more enraged.
-54- Now....
Ryan, Na'ethal, Thomas, Sebastian, and the remaining eldritch bolted through the open door of the kitchen. They easily found the hall way, while the door to the basement was discovered by the stench of blood, terror, and wer scent pouring into all of their senses. Ryan grasped the handle of the door and experimentally pushed down.
Locked.
He only briefly glanced at the key-pad lock before stepping back a few paces. The gargoyle raised a leg made not of muscle but of granite. He kicked once at the door. The frame splintered and the door itself cracked. But it still denied them access.
Sebastian shoved his way forward.
“Together,” the vampire growled, almost reluctantly.
Through his dark power of hardened skin, Sebastian's flesh was hard as stone. As one he and Ryan shouldered into the door, balancing themselves with a backward movement so they didn't tumble down as well. The door broke apart and tore loose of the frame with a savage ripping. It crashed down the stairs into the dimly lit basement.
A chorus of howls indicated that the wooden projectile had smashed into at least two of the werwolves.
* * * * * *
Despite being slammed by the door, the brown wer and the silvery-white one, continued up the steps after throwing the destroyed barrier over them. But they witnessed the doorway filling with a mixed group of eldritch barreling down the steps. No match for the rush of supernatural bodies coming at them, the two wer were forced back down into the basement.
Locked.
He only briefly glanced at the key-pad lock before stepping back a few paces. The gargoyle raised a leg made not of muscle but of granite. He kicked once at the door. The frame splintered and the door itself cracked. But it still denied them access.
Sebastian shoved his way forward.
“Together,” the vampire growled, almost reluctantly.
Through his dark power of hardened skin, Sebastian's flesh was hard as stone. As one he and Ryan shouldered into the door, balancing themselves with a backward movement so they didn't tumble down as well. The door broke apart and tore loose of the frame with a savage ripping. It crashed down the stairs into the dimly lit basement.
A chorus of howls indicated that the wooden projectile had smashed into at least two of the werwolves.
* * * * * *
Despite being slammed by the door, the brown wer and the silvery-white one, continued up the steps after throwing the destroyed barrier over them. But they witnessed the doorway filling with a mixed group of eldritch barreling down the steps. No match for the rush of supernatural bodies coming at them, the two wer were forced back down into the basement.
-55-
The black wer's furred hands gripped Cade's shoulders, ready to crush the interfering human's body to a bloody pulp...after he ripped the human's heart out with his teeth. Ropey strands of saliva dripped from the wer's mouth, glistening on gums and his canine teeth.
Cade had regained his breath enough to thrust the silver knife in the wer's direction. But instead of plunging it deep into the werwolf's guts, the blade mostly pierced the ribs and muscles. Cade's own muscles and injured ribs screamed out in protest at the position he was in and the angle of the strike. Please don't let any of that freakin' spit have gotten into my cut, Cade thought with justifiable worry.
The stab wound with silver knife was enough to cause serious pain to the werwolf, and he dropped his prey in momentary agony. But the slash wouldn't kill him. Like the bullet it would leave a nasty scar, but the werwolf wouldn't die. None of his vital organs had been pierced. He would be weakened until the healed, but a human was still no match for the wer's minimized strength. The beast howled and bent to finish Cade off with his sharp teeth.
* * * * * *
Ruby was beyond furious. She had moved to insane with rage. Her chain had been broken...no, destroyed...and the demon was slowly being reclaimed by the vortex of the great seal. Without the remainder of the ritual, there could be no physical form. The gate's vortex was closing itself down, ruining all chances of controlling the demon. His screams of anger and the feel of his demonic force washed over Ruby.
* * * * * *
Kira's emotions were threatening of overwhelm her,—as if she weren't already at the breaking point. There was also the very immediate possibility of being sucked down into the vortex with a demon. She could feel the suction of the swirling mass tugging at her body, threatening to pull her arms out of their sockets as she twisted and turned from the chains. She had no time to think about seeing Cade come to her rescue, nor to think about the fact that Ryan, Na'athal and the others were actually in the basement right now. She didn't even have time to fear the horror of the the black werwolf attacking Cade.
For at this moment Kira was either going to be yanked into hell by the demon, and probably have her arms ripped off, or have her feet sealed up in the slowly closing vortex. With an unexpected strength that came from deep within, Kira let loose a rising wail and raised her legs to her chest. Somehow she broke free of the demon's shadowy grip. The demon, who had been clutching on to her as well as trying to drag her down, was sucked violently into the whirlpool of light and dark. Kira fervently hoped the swirling vortex below her would solidify soon.
Her burst of power was draining fast.
Cade had regained his breath enough to thrust the silver knife in the wer's direction. But instead of plunging it deep into the werwolf's guts, the blade mostly pierced the ribs and muscles. Cade's own muscles and injured ribs screamed out in protest at the position he was in and the angle of the strike. Please don't let any of that freakin' spit have gotten into my cut, Cade thought with justifiable worry.
The stab wound with silver knife was enough to cause serious pain to the werwolf, and he dropped his prey in momentary agony. But the slash wouldn't kill him. Like the bullet it would leave a nasty scar, but the werwolf wouldn't die. None of his vital organs had been pierced. He would be weakened until the healed, but a human was still no match for the wer's minimized strength. The beast howled and bent to finish Cade off with his sharp teeth.
* * * * * *
Ruby was beyond furious. She had moved to insane with rage. Her chain had been broken...no, destroyed...and the demon was slowly being reclaimed by the vortex of the great seal. Without the remainder of the ritual, there could be no physical form. The gate's vortex was closing itself down, ruining all chances of controlling the demon. His screams of anger and the feel of his demonic force washed over Ruby.
* * * * * *
Kira's emotions were threatening of overwhelm her,—as if she weren't already at the breaking point. There was also the very immediate possibility of being sucked down into the vortex with a demon. She could feel the suction of the swirling mass tugging at her body, threatening to pull her arms out of their sockets as she twisted and turned from the chains. She had no time to think about seeing Cade come to her rescue, nor to think about the fact that Ryan, Na'athal and the others were actually in the basement right now. She didn't even have time to fear the horror of the the black werwolf attacking Cade.
For at this moment Kira was either going to be yanked into hell by the demon, and probably have her arms ripped off, or have her feet sealed up in the slowly closing vortex. With an unexpected strength that came from deep within, Kira let loose a rising wail and raised her legs to her chest. Somehow she broke free of the demon's shadowy grip. The demon, who had been clutching on to her as well as trying to drag her down, was sucked violently into the whirlpool of light and dark. Kira fervently hoped the swirling vortex below her would solidify soon.
Her burst of power was draining fast.
-56-
He lay sprawled out on the floor of his work chamber, bruised and angry. The descent from the Real World had been painful, not to mention the actual fall to the stone floor of the temple. As the constables rushed over to him, Hasael embraced one small glimmer of information. The blood he'd tasted, the blood that had dripped down and opened the vortex had been more powerful than any he'd ever experienced. The sacrifice, the human...no, not human, something immortal. Something old and powerful, something dangerous to he and his kind...to all demons everywhere. He didn't know her identiy, but he would recognize her scent should they meet again.
Hasael would kill her at that very moment. Her soul would be purged and destroyed, for it could never be allowed to survive, even in the Netherworlds. Even in the Planes of Perdition the girl's soul would be too dangerous...to the demons...to be kept alive.
Hasael would kill her at that very moment. Her soul would be purged and destroyed, for it could never be allowed to survive, even in the Netherworlds. Even in the Planes of Perdition the girl's soul would be too dangerous...to the demons...to be kept alive.
-57-
Before the black wer sank his sharp teeth into his prey's neck, he was thrust violently aside by a cold, hard body. The wer slammed into the stack of crates and boxes and hit the wall, with the unexpected attacker still attached.
Sharp vampire teeth belonging to one pissed off Viking vampire were ready for the fight, but it would take more than biting to bring down the wer. Right behind Sebastian was another Tantalusi vampire—dark-haired and pale—, ready for the fight.
“The pipes, Dante, the pipes!” Sebastian bellowed to the other vampire.
Dante glanced over at two, long metal pipes laying on the floor.
An old-fashioned beating would relieve some of Sebastian's temper for the wer having caused all this trouble for the vampires, and Cassandra.
Pitted against two vampires, the creature was weaker than normal due to the silver knife and bullet wounds. Both wounds were healing already, and in time the black wer would have most of his full-strength back. And constant pain to spur him on in his wrath.
* * * * *
When the werwolf mysteriously flew away from him, Cade scrambled up and out of the way, panting and holding an arm over his ribs as if that would diminish the pain. He gawked for a moment at the sight of one pissed off, familiar blond vampire smashing the wer into the wall. Cade didn't wait around the find out the end result. There seemed to be fighting all around him at the moment.
He jammed the knife into his belt. He ran awkwardly to Kira and onto the now solid floor beneath her. She was barely standing on her toes, looking like she was going to pass out. Blood was running down her arms, most of it congealed but some still dripping.
“Hang in there, Kira!” Cade encouraged, then winced at his choice of words.
He scanned the shackles and was overjoyed to find the locks were merely latches. Trying to find a key would have been near impossible in the chaos taking place around him. He wrapped one arm around Kira's waist to relieve some of the pressure on her arms. Trying not to squeeze the lashes on her back, Cade held her tight to his body. Ignoring his own pain at the movement, he reached up to unlock the first shackle.
Kira's had been in the same position for such a long time that her arms had grown disturbingly used to the pressure and position, despite the constant pain. The new form of pain when the pressure ended almost made Kira pass out, although she was grateful for Cade's body against hers. She inhaled sharply to stay awake.
“Cade, watch out!” Kira suddenly shouted.
The young hunter released Kira and turned defensively, but it was too late. Ruby was charging at him with a knife, a rather large and nasty looking knife covered in blood. Cade was still holding one of the shackles around Kira's wrists. Kira again gathered her strength, almost not being able to move her body. But she lifted her legs and kicked Ruby in the stomach with surprising force.
“Malsvir riika!” Kira screamed, her eyes closed and breathing hard. She felt as though she were spiraling down into the darkness from exhaustion and physical shock, not to mention her arms were being ripped apart.
Cade spotted his gun on the floor and dove for it, letting go of the shackle. He rolled to a sitting position and shot the dark-haired woman, but with her sailing backwards from Kira's kick his shot only penetrated her leg.
Ruby screamed, clutching her leg, the silver bullet burning as it imbedded into her thigh. Her body automatically began healing the wound, but that didn't stop the pain from the hazardous metal.
Sharp vampire teeth belonging to one pissed off Viking vampire were ready for the fight, but it would take more than biting to bring down the wer. Right behind Sebastian was another Tantalusi vampire—dark-haired and pale—, ready for the fight.
“The pipes, Dante, the pipes!” Sebastian bellowed to the other vampire.
Dante glanced over at two, long metal pipes laying on the floor.
An old-fashioned beating would relieve some of Sebastian's temper for the wer having caused all this trouble for the vampires, and Cassandra.
Pitted against two vampires, the creature was weaker than normal due to the silver knife and bullet wounds. Both wounds were healing already, and in time the black wer would have most of his full-strength back. And constant pain to spur him on in his wrath.
* * * * *
When the werwolf mysteriously flew away from him, Cade scrambled up and out of the way, panting and holding an arm over his ribs as if that would diminish the pain. He gawked for a moment at the sight of one pissed off, familiar blond vampire smashing the wer into the wall. Cade didn't wait around the find out the end result. There seemed to be fighting all around him at the moment.
He jammed the knife into his belt. He ran awkwardly to Kira and onto the now solid floor beneath her. She was barely standing on her toes, looking like she was going to pass out. Blood was running down her arms, most of it congealed but some still dripping.
“Hang in there, Kira!” Cade encouraged, then winced at his choice of words.
He scanned the shackles and was overjoyed to find the locks were merely latches. Trying to find a key would have been near impossible in the chaos taking place around him. He wrapped one arm around Kira's waist to relieve some of the pressure on her arms. Trying not to squeeze the lashes on her back, Cade held her tight to his body. Ignoring his own pain at the movement, he reached up to unlock the first shackle.
Kira's had been in the same position for such a long time that her arms had grown disturbingly used to the pressure and position, despite the constant pain. The new form of pain when the pressure ended almost made Kira pass out, although she was grateful for Cade's body against hers. She inhaled sharply to stay awake.
“Cade, watch out!” Kira suddenly shouted.
The young hunter released Kira and turned defensively, but it was too late. Ruby was charging at him with a knife, a rather large and nasty looking knife covered in blood. Cade was still holding one of the shackles around Kira's wrists. Kira again gathered her strength, almost not being able to move her body. But she lifted her legs and kicked Ruby in the stomach with surprising force.
“Malsvir riika!” Kira screamed, her eyes closed and breathing hard. She felt as though she were spiraling down into the darkness from exhaustion and physical shock, not to mention her arms were being ripped apart.
Cade spotted his gun on the floor and dove for it, letting go of the shackle. He rolled to a sitting position and shot the dark-haired woman, but with her sailing backwards from Kira's kick his shot only penetrated her leg.
Ruby screamed, clutching her leg, the silver bullet burning as it imbedded into her thigh. Her body automatically began healing the wound, but that didn't stop the pain from the hazardous metal.
-58-
No longer the Logan who had been fairly quiet in his human-skin form, the brown-pelted werwolf found himself being stalked by a blond elf and what appeared to be a human with spiky hair. But that one's scent was clearly immortal. The wer positioned himself with his back toward the closest wall, and lunged for the attack.
As they had rushed down the stairs, Ryan barely had time to focus on Kira suspended from chains. There was nothing Ryan could do for her at the moment. There was a snarling, dangerous wer that needed eliminating. Ryan would attempt to remain in his simulacrum form, as bringing forth the monster within could cause more harm to all than necessary.
Not as powerful as his gargoyle friend, nor as supernaturally endowed, Na'ethal—and all elves in general—relied more on magick and fighting skills than force. This included the warriors. One of Na'ethal's wyrds, his powers, was the ability to open a connection between his mind and that of another, to share surface thoughts. As they advanced on the vicious wer, the elf made eye contact with Ryan and created the mind touch. The elf drew his elven-bladed sword, forged by the fire elves, the Karges. The sword, while not silver, was sharp enough to cleave a head from its body with one strike. Na'ethal summoned the invisible spirits that would protect him with spirit armor.
Ryan felt the presence of Na'ethal suddenly in his mind, always a strange feeling at first.
I will draw in close, distract the beast. You use your sword, Ryan thought.
Riain, (RAYahN was how the elf thought the name) getting too close is suicide, Na'ethal cautioned as he moved away to approach the wer from the side.
Only if you are made of flesh and blood. The wer's virus cannot harm rubber and granite, Ryan reminded his friend with a cold smile.
I am protected as well.
You have the bigger weapon, my friend.
Na'ethal found he couldn't argue with that. The tall, blond elf, lithe and graceful, began to plot his course of attack. Ryan charged straight in, ready to surprise the werwolf with an unexpected frontal attack. He released the knives strapped to the wrists of his granite skeleton. The slits in the rubber flesh opened, and Ryan grasped the thin, cylindrical handles as they slid onto his palms.
As they had rushed down the stairs, Ryan barely had time to focus on Kira suspended from chains. There was nothing Ryan could do for her at the moment. There was a snarling, dangerous wer that needed eliminating. Ryan would attempt to remain in his simulacrum form, as bringing forth the monster within could cause more harm to all than necessary.
Not as powerful as his gargoyle friend, nor as supernaturally endowed, Na'ethal—and all elves in general—relied more on magick and fighting skills than force. This included the warriors. One of Na'ethal's wyrds, his powers, was the ability to open a connection between his mind and that of another, to share surface thoughts. As they advanced on the vicious wer, the elf made eye contact with Ryan and created the mind touch. The elf drew his elven-bladed sword, forged by the fire elves, the Karges. The sword, while not silver, was sharp enough to cleave a head from its body with one strike. Na'ethal summoned the invisible spirits that would protect him with spirit armor.
Ryan felt the presence of Na'ethal suddenly in his mind, always a strange feeling at first.
I will draw in close, distract the beast. You use your sword, Ryan thought.
Riain, (RAYahN was how the elf thought the name) getting too close is suicide, Na'ethal cautioned as he moved away to approach the wer from the side.
Only if you are made of flesh and blood. The wer's virus cannot harm rubber and granite, Ryan reminded his friend with a cold smile.
I am protected as well.
You have the bigger weapon, my friend.
Na'ethal found he couldn't argue with that. The tall, blond elf, lithe and graceful, began to plot his course of attack. Ryan charged straight in, ready to surprise the werwolf with an unexpected frontal attack. He released the knives strapped to the wrists of his granite skeleton. The slits in the rubber flesh opened, and Ryan grasped the thin, cylindrical handles as they slid onto his palms.
-59-
Finn, his long, silvery white fur bristling, howled and lunged toward two males, a bronze-skinned, bearded man and light-skinned one. The white wer's senses recognized the scent of immortals. He became furious at the intrusion of the pack's business. Suddenly the beast appeared to fall forward. He landed on his powerful hands, supported by muscular, fur-covered forearms and swept his legs around.
Thomas and Stefan readied themselves to take on the silvery white wer that towered above them. Drawing their swords as one, the daevas prepared for the attack. The wer appeared to be delivering himself directly onto their swords. But seeing the wer fall to the ground, they realized too late that the “fall” was not an accident as he swept out with his legs.
“Jump!” Thomas shouted.
But the werwolf won this round. He knocked both the daevas' feet out from under them. They fell to the ground. Their swords clanged on the cement floor but didn't not leave the daeva's hands. Clutching at the ankle of lighter skinned man, the beast forcefully yanked away from the other. He dragged his prize quickly toward him and gripped his prey by the shoulders.
Stefan raised his sword, slicing down the wer's chest and stomach. The daeva felt the unyielding hold on his shoulders even though the white wer was bleeding heavily from the gaping wound. The last thing Stefan remembered was being slammed against the wall.
* * * * * *
The humans in the basement fared no better than the werwolves. The turning of their cult leaders into beasts of legend and horror movies had caused the human members to do anything to escape. They were pushing and shoving, and screaming at the strange beasts. Matters were made worse by the influx of violent strangers into the basement.
The other eldritch, two faerie—a male and a female, both forest spirits like Eolande, only with long brown hair mixed with twigs and moss; a Lethquesti male elf with dark blond hair; and a Vanir daeva—slipped around those that chose to fought the wer. These four showed no mercy. There was no time to determine the good from the bad, if indeed there were any “good” humans in the mix.
It was no contest as to who would win. With actions that terrified the mortals, the eldritch easily fought two or more at once. They killed off the humans one by one, even chasing two into the tunnel that led outside. The unlucky pair were left near death and moaning with their last breath.
Thomas and Stefan readied themselves to take on the silvery white wer that towered above them. Drawing their swords as one, the daevas prepared for the attack. The wer appeared to be delivering himself directly onto their swords. But seeing the wer fall to the ground, they realized too late that the “fall” was not an accident as he swept out with his legs.
“Jump!” Thomas shouted.
But the werwolf won this round. He knocked both the daevas' feet out from under them. They fell to the ground. Their swords clanged on the cement floor but didn't not leave the daeva's hands. Clutching at the ankle of lighter skinned man, the beast forcefully yanked away from the other. He dragged his prize quickly toward him and gripped his prey by the shoulders.
Stefan raised his sword, slicing down the wer's chest and stomach. The daeva felt the unyielding hold on his shoulders even though the white wer was bleeding heavily from the gaping wound. The last thing Stefan remembered was being slammed against the wall.
* * * * * *
The humans in the basement fared no better than the werwolves. The turning of their cult leaders into beasts of legend and horror movies had caused the human members to do anything to escape. They were pushing and shoving, and screaming at the strange beasts. Matters were made worse by the influx of violent strangers into the basement.
The other eldritch, two faerie—a male and a female, both forest spirits like Eolande, only with long brown hair mixed with twigs and moss; a Lethquesti male elf with dark blond hair; and a Vanir daeva—slipped around those that chose to fought the wer. These four showed no mercy. There was no time to determine the good from the bad, if indeed there were any “good” humans in the mix.
It was no contest as to who would win. With actions that terrified the mortals, the eldritch easily fought two or more at once. They killed off the humans one by one, even chasing two into the tunnel that led outside. The unlucky pair were left near death and moaning with their last breath.
-60-
The red-pelted wer batted in vain at the glowing mist swirling around her head.
Cassandra had transformed into the glowing night mist in order to draw the wer's attention upward. Sylvia should have been able to deliver a knife strike to the beast's heart. But the creature was stronger than Cassandra gave her credit for. The beast managed to swipe a hand through the night mist which scattered the non-corporeal vampire. It took Casssandra a few moments to reform into a single misty shape. Sylvia erred in pausing to make certain her Coven Mistress was unharmed.
It was that brief moment that the wer needed to grab the distracted vampire by her dark hair. Clutching a handful of frontal clothing with the other hand, the wer pulled up the vampire in the air. With a roar, the werwolf impaled the vampire on a piece of artwork with a long, sharp spike in the middle.
Cassandra watched in horror as one of her farrow writhed and screamed in pain, then gasped. The presence of the spike in her body prevented the innate ability to regenerate. Sylvia's eyes glowed brightly before all the light and undead life faded away. The blood she'd fed on earlier bubbled from her mouth.
Eolande witnessed the destruction of the vampire, Sylvia...a pathetic, gruesome, and dangerous creature...and would as easily have allowed Cassandra to die as well. However, the faery was here for Kira, not to watch the vampires be killed. The green-haired forest spirit gave a whoop and levitated quickly toward the raging wer.
The night mist shrouded the eyes of the beast by wrapping tightly around them.
With her fey iron sword, Eolande pierced the heart of the red-furred wer. With a strength that belied her size and appearance, she twisted and shoved the sword, then yanked the weapon out. The heart hung partially out of the body. When the wer was dead, Eolande wiped her sword slowly on the couch. She sent it back to the Reverie. Cassandra, now reformed into her physical form, should be able to handle any other danger.
Although, all the mortals in the living room were dead.
Cassandra had transformed into the glowing night mist in order to draw the wer's attention upward. Sylvia should have been able to deliver a knife strike to the beast's heart. But the creature was stronger than Cassandra gave her credit for. The beast managed to swipe a hand through the night mist which scattered the non-corporeal vampire. It took Casssandra a few moments to reform into a single misty shape. Sylvia erred in pausing to make certain her Coven Mistress was unharmed.
It was that brief moment that the wer needed to grab the distracted vampire by her dark hair. Clutching a handful of frontal clothing with the other hand, the wer pulled up the vampire in the air. With a roar, the werwolf impaled the vampire on a piece of artwork with a long, sharp spike in the middle.
Cassandra watched in horror as one of her farrow writhed and screamed in pain, then gasped. The presence of the spike in her body prevented the innate ability to regenerate. Sylvia's eyes glowed brightly before all the light and undead life faded away. The blood she'd fed on earlier bubbled from her mouth.
Eolande witnessed the destruction of the vampire, Sylvia...a pathetic, gruesome, and dangerous creature...and would as easily have allowed Cassandra to die as well. However, the faery was here for Kira, not to watch the vampires be killed. The green-haired forest spirit gave a whoop and levitated quickly toward the raging wer.
The night mist shrouded the eyes of the beast by wrapping tightly around them.
With her fey iron sword, Eolande pierced the heart of the red-furred wer. With a strength that belied her size and appearance, she twisted and shoved the sword, then yanked the weapon out. The heart hung partially out of the body. When the wer was dead, Eolande wiped her sword slowly on the couch. She sent it back to the Reverie. Cassandra, now reformed into her physical form, should be able to handle any other danger.
Although, all the mortals in the living room were dead.
-61-
Cade hurriedly released Kira from the shackles. He staggered backwards with the sudden weight of her nearly limp body in his arms. They fell together against the brick wall. He moaned loudly as the jolt shot through his injuries. Kira trembled in shock and her own agony.
Cade swore. "Christ, that hurt like hell!" he declared. "Kira, are you alright?" he asked, holding her in his arms while he visually searched for his gun.
The gun lay a few feet away where it had slid from his hand in the catching of Kira and their tumble.
"I don't know...I, oh god, everything hurts, Cade," Kira moaned.
Kira screamed.
Ruby had risen to her knees, transforming to werwolf before their very eyes. A dark pelt shot towards them. Cade lunged for his gun, moving away from Kira in hopes of drawing the wer's attention to himself.
But the werwolf's target wasn't the male human but the damned female who'd brought about this ruination of the Vargr Wer's plans. The creature believed this disaster was all Kira's fault. Her sharp, thick teeth were only inches away from Kira's face. Kira screamed, turning her face in a futile attempt to prevent being bitten.
Suddenly another form threw itself between the wer and the girl. The force pushed the beast back slightly.
The wer descended upon her attacker and raked the body with all her strength, slashing through clothes, skin, and muscle. The screams of sheer agony rang through the basement as she aimed again for the soft, vulnerable insides.
The wer froze as a hand slammed into the side of her feral-looking muzzle breaking part of the jaw. The pain radiated throughout her face. The wer's dark, canine eyes grew wide in disbelief at the sight in front of her. Strange eyes and five silver-colored, sharp claws...reptile like but longer...raked over her face and down her chest. Blood bubbled to the surface in the furrows left behind. One eye split open. That pain was nothing compared to the searing pain of a second taloned-hand ripping into her midsection.
The wer blinked through the blood on her face as her intestines were yanked out through the hole in her belly. The physical shock prevented more than a sharp inhalation of breath at first. Clutching her midsection with hand-like paws, the werwolf crashed to her side, the body shuddering. Death was not instant but spent gasping for air and writhing in excruciating pain.
Kira's eyes had closed momentarily then opened. She couldn't remember what happened. It flashed through her mind that she'd blacked out at the approach of the werwolf. She recoiled at the sight of the wer that Ruby had become now laying in front of her, crumpled in a bloody, gooey heap.
"CADE!" Kira shrieked when she saw him, his chest, stomach, and one leg torn to ribbons.
Even with her shoulder joints and arms throbbing from their abuse, she threw herself next to his motionless body, screaming. She didn't noticing her hands were already covered in blood. Everyone assumed later that the blood she wore was Cade's.
Cade swore. "Christ, that hurt like hell!" he declared. "Kira, are you alright?" he asked, holding her in his arms while he visually searched for his gun.
The gun lay a few feet away where it had slid from his hand in the catching of Kira and their tumble.
"I don't know...I, oh god, everything hurts, Cade," Kira moaned.
Kira screamed.
Ruby had risen to her knees, transforming to werwolf before their very eyes. A dark pelt shot towards them. Cade lunged for his gun, moving away from Kira in hopes of drawing the wer's attention to himself.
But the werwolf's target wasn't the male human but the damned female who'd brought about this ruination of the Vargr Wer's plans. The creature believed this disaster was all Kira's fault. Her sharp, thick teeth were only inches away from Kira's face. Kira screamed, turning her face in a futile attempt to prevent being bitten.
Suddenly another form threw itself between the wer and the girl. The force pushed the beast back slightly.
The wer descended upon her attacker and raked the body with all her strength, slashing through clothes, skin, and muscle. The screams of sheer agony rang through the basement as she aimed again for the soft, vulnerable insides.
The wer froze as a hand slammed into the side of her feral-looking muzzle breaking part of the jaw. The pain radiated throughout her face. The wer's dark, canine eyes grew wide in disbelief at the sight in front of her. Strange eyes and five silver-colored, sharp claws...reptile like but longer...raked over her face and down her chest. Blood bubbled to the surface in the furrows left behind. One eye split open. That pain was nothing compared to the searing pain of a second taloned-hand ripping into her midsection.
The wer blinked through the blood on her face as her intestines were yanked out through the hole in her belly. The physical shock prevented more than a sharp inhalation of breath at first. Clutching her midsection with hand-like paws, the werwolf crashed to her side, the body shuddering. Death was not instant but spent gasping for air and writhing in excruciating pain.
Kira's eyes had closed momentarily then opened. She couldn't remember what happened. It flashed through her mind that she'd blacked out at the approach of the werwolf. She recoiled at the sight of the wer that Ruby had become now laying in front of her, crumpled in a bloody, gooey heap.
"CADE!" Kira shrieked when she saw him, his chest, stomach, and one leg torn to ribbons.
Even with her shoulder joints and arms throbbing from their abuse, she threw herself next to his motionless body, screaming. She didn't noticing her hands were already covered in blood. Everyone assumed later that the blood she wore was Cade's.
-62-
The female forest spirit knelt and wrapped her arms around Kira from behind, holding the girl as she screamed through her tears. The faery's soft, leafy brown hair brushed against Kira's face. The elf knelt solemnly next to Cade. He place one hand on the hunter's forehead.
He shook his head at the faery. “Not much life left,” he whispered.
“It does not matter,” she whispered back. “The soul will live on, regardless of the state of the body.”
The elf shook his head at the strangeness of the faerie, valuing souls over the bodies they inhabited. From what Na'ethal had explained, this human was important to the girl, Kira; that made his life as valuable as his soul.
He shook his head at the faery. “Not much life left,” he whispered.
“It does not matter,” she whispered back. “The soul will live on, regardless of the state of the body.”
The elf shook his head at the strangeness of the faerie, valuing souls over the bodies they inhabited. From what Na'ethal had explained, this human was important to the girl, Kira; that made his life as valuable as his soul.
-63-
As soon as he clutched the pipe in his large hands, Sebastian wasted no time. He lunged forward and swung at the black wer. A thick forearm came up to protect his target, the wolf-like head, and the vampire smashed the metal on the arm instead. A howl of rage at least indicated the strike had hurt like hell. Dante also slammed his pipe against the wer's leg, hoping to bring the beast to its knees. The two vampires dodged around quickly, but the wer managed to strike out in between blows. Sebastian felt sharp claws rake over his chest, slicing his shirt. But his stone-hard skin protected him from being scratched. He saw the confusion in the werwolf's animal eyes and laughed sharply.
“Screw you, filthy, wretched beast!” he hissed, raising his long pipe over his head.
Before Sebastian could bring down the weapon, Dante got in a lucky hit to the creature's chest. The wer slammed into the wall again, but managed to rebound and catch Dante off-guard. Sebastian brought down the pipe, missing the wer as it lunged forward, bending low to the ground. It was Dante the beast was after.
The wer lashed out, catching the other vampire in the chest. His sharp claws raked over Dante's skin, opening up the dead flesh. As there was no living blood to infect with the virus, the wer only wanted to destroy the dark-haired vampire leaving only one to fight. With powerful hands, the black wer savagely bent back the vampire's neck and sank his sharp teeth down. Between the bite and wrenching at the head, Dante was ripped in two. The head flew one direction while the body was thrown another.
The wer roared as the the metal pipe slammed into his back. The black wer heard and felt his spine shatter in that spot. He had misjudged the stone-like vampire's strength...and temper.
With a savagery that would rival the wer's own cruelty, Sebastian battered at the beast over and over, driving him to his knees then to his belly. Sebastian's leg was caught by a swipe, knocking him down. But the vampire rose to his knees and continued to strike with the steel pipe. Soon the wer's head became a bloody pulp, more brains and bone than fur. Not even the healing abilities of the wer could fix that damage.
As the black wer lay still, Sebastian turned the body over with a shove. If vampires could breath, Sebastian would be panting with the exertion of his kill. However, he merely knelt on the ground, staring in satisfaction and revenge.
“Screw you, filthy, wretched beast!” he hissed, raising his long pipe over his head.
Before Sebastian could bring down the weapon, Dante got in a lucky hit to the creature's chest. The wer slammed into the wall again, but managed to rebound and catch Dante off-guard. Sebastian brought down the pipe, missing the wer as it lunged forward, bending low to the ground. It was Dante the beast was after.
The wer lashed out, catching the other vampire in the chest. His sharp claws raked over Dante's skin, opening up the dead flesh. As there was no living blood to infect with the virus, the wer only wanted to destroy the dark-haired vampire leaving only one to fight. With powerful hands, the black wer savagely bent back the vampire's neck and sank his sharp teeth down. Between the bite and wrenching at the head, Dante was ripped in two. The head flew one direction while the body was thrown another.
The wer roared as the the metal pipe slammed into his back. The black wer heard and felt his spine shatter in that spot. He had misjudged the stone-like vampire's strength...and temper.
With a savagery that would rival the wer's own cruelty, Sebastian battered at the beast over and over, driving him to his knees then to his belly. Sebastian's leg was caught by a swipe, knocking him down. But the vampire rose to his knees and continued to strike with the steel pipe. Soon the wer's head became a bloody pulp, more brains and bone than fur. Not even the healing abilities of the wer could fix that damage.
As the black wer lay still, Sebastian turned the body over with a shove. If vampires could breath, Sebastian would be panting with the exertion of his kill. However, he merely knelt on the ground, staring in satisfaction and revenge.
-64-
As expected the brown wer slashed out at Ryan's midsection. Instead of raking his claws through flesh and drawing blood, his claws merely tore something that felt like rubber. Ryan snarled. He'd have to spend many long hours repairing his high-tech outer covering after this night. With quick movements, Ryan slashed at the brown wer's chest with his knives. He sliced through fur and skin, drawing blood. But the healing process began immediately with the wer only being distracted by the annoying pain.
Ryan ducked as the wer struck again, giving Na'ethal time. His wrist knives slid back into his arms. Striking out with the gargolye brand of martial arts that he practiced, Fist of Stone, Ryan let loose with heavy punches and strikes.
Na'ethal barely seemed to move but suddenly he was standing on a table behind the werwolf. He raised his sword and swung downward. The wer ducked just before the blade would have sliced through the back of his neck. Pivoting quickly the beast swung with one powerful arm. The elf jumped high, allowing the arm to pass harmlessly under his feet. Na'ethal flipped in the air as the wer lunged for the table. The elf's long, blond hair swung with him. He came down lightly, knees bent, in time to pivot and slice the brown beast's arm off at the elbow.
Ryan barely reacted at the sight of the blood pumping out of the wer's upper arm. He'd seen some disgusting things as a cop, and even more horrific as an immortal. What he didn't expect was the powerful rage that drove the wer to turn and knock him backward. A hot, furry mass landed heavily on top of him, pinning him down for the moment. Razor sharp teeth in a long muzzle dripped spittle all over his face.
Kill him, dammit! h e mentally shouted. Slice his damn head off!
The force will most likely reach you, Na'ethal warned as he raised his sword for the killing blow.
I'll live, trust me! Ryan answered.
Ryan grunted despite knowing the blow was coming. The elven sword sliced easily through the wer's neck, severing the head. Na'ethal attempted to reverse the direction of the sword. But the weapon still sliced through Ryan's neck, the rubber flesh part. It sparked against the granite skeleton underneath, making a gash in the stone. He felt the tug as Na'ethal drew the weapon back up. Ryan shoved the still-twitching body off while the blood drenched him.
Na'ethal broke the mental thought bridge and grimaced at the mess the blood had made.
“You look like you're the one that's dead,” he commented, raising his thin eyebrows.
Ryan scowled but allowed Na'ethal to give him a hand up.
Ryan ducked as the wer struck again, giving Na'ethal time. His wrist knives slid back into his arms. Striking out with the gargolye brand of martial arts that he practiced, Fist of Stone, Ryan let loose with heavy punches and strikes.
Na'ethal barely seemed to move but suddenly he was standing on a table behind the werwolf. He raised his sword and swung downward. The wer ducked just before the blade would have sliced through the back of his neck. Pivoting quickly the beast swung with one powerful arm. The elf jumped high, allowing the arm to pass harmlessly under his feet. Na'ethal flipped in the air as the wer lunged for the table. The elf's long, blond hair swung with him. He came down lightly, knees bent, in time to pivot and slice the brown beast's arm off at the elbow.
Ryan barely reacted at the sight of the blood pumping out of the wer's upper arm. He'd seen some disgusting things as a cop, and even more horrific as an immortal. What he didn't expect was the powerful rage that drove the wer to turn and knock him backward. A hot, furry mass landed heavily on top of him, pinning him down for the moment. Razor sharp teeth in a long muzzle dripped spittle all over his face.
Kill him, dammit! h e mentally shouted. Slice his damn head off!
The force will most likely reach you, Na'ethal warned as he raised his sword for the killing blow.
I'll live, trust me! Ryan answered.
Ryan grunted despite knowing the blow was coming. The elven sword sliced easily through the wer's neck, severing the head. Na'ethal attempted to reverse the direction of the sword. But the weapon still sliced through Ryan's neck, the rubber flesh part. It sparked against the granite skeleton underneath, making a gash in the stone. He felt the tug as Na'ethal drew the weapon back up. Ryan shoved the still-twitching body off while the blood drenched him.
Na'ethal broke the mental thought bridge and grimaced at the mess the blood had made.
“You look like you're the one that's dead,” he commented, raising his thin eyebrows.
Ryan scowled but allowed Na'ethal to give him a hand up.
-65-
Thomas sprang to his feet. He quickly sheathed his sword and snatched up a wooden broom. He needed to wear down the wer before being able to kill it, unless he wanted to die along with the beast. Snapping off the head and retaining the shaft, Thomas gripped the makeshift stave with both hands centered between the ends and the middle.
He drew close enough to the white wer to strike out, first with one end then the other. He battered the wer across its body over and over, then jumped out of the way of the wer's reach. Thomas tried to force the wer to release Stefan. He was rewarded with the wer's full attention as Stefan crumpled to the floor. Over and over Thomas lashed out. The wer blocked some of the blows but his strength was failing. The healing of the slashes drained some of the wer's failing life force, and the daeva was a master warrior when it came to armed combat. He managed to finally draw his sword and impale the white beast through the stomach. To make certain the wounds didn't heal, Thomas heaved the sword upwards and nearly sliced the wer in two.
He drew close enough to the white wer to strike out, first with one end then the other. He battered the wer across its body over and over, then jumped out of the way of the wer's reach. Thomas tried to force the wer to release Stefan. He was rewarded with the wer's full attention as Stefan crumpled to the floor. Over and over Thomas lashed out. The wer blocked some of the blows but his strength was failing. The healing of the slashes drained some of the wer's failing life force, and the daeva was a master warrior when it came to armed combat. He managed to finally draw his sword and impale the white beast through the stomach. To make certain the wounds didn't heal, Thomas heaved the sword upwards and nearly sliced the wer in two.
-66-
The sounds of fighting ceased in the basement. The eldritch stood motionless for a moment, observing the dead—both wer and human—scattered around them. Soft footfalls on the stairs revealed Cassandra, her red hair loose and disheveled, and Eolande, eyes wide with wonder at the carnage, advancing down the stairs.
All was quiet...save for someone sobbing.
“Damn it,” Ryan said softly, but without emotion. It was more of a statement.
Still covered in wer blood he strode over to Kira. The other eldritch also gathered around the girl. She supported the ripped up young hunter in her lap. The faery and elf with them rose and moved out of the way. Soon the immortals formed a loose circle—the second circle of which Kira had been in the center. They stared down in silence at the savage damages to Cade's body.
Kira's sobs had slowed to hiccups. She glanced blindly up not seeming to focus on anyone in particular. Her dirty face was streaked with tears and blood. She seemed to be covered in blood.
“No,” she whispered in denial, shaking her head. “No, it can't be. NO NO NO!” she screamed, then grew deathly silent for a moment.
“He saved my life...he risked his own...it's not fair,” Kira whispered, almost pleadingly.
“I will make him a farrow of my coven,” Cassandra announced suddenly. “To replace the one he killed...,” she paused then went on almost reluctantly, “and to honor his part in this ridding of the wer. He will take time to heal, but my blood is powerful.”
Thomas shook his head and scowled. “Never,” he said coldly. “I won't allow it. Not one of your kind, not him. No, I can bring him into the daevan household. He will be a higher being and live forever as a hero. He deserves more than this horrible death.”
“Kira,” a soft, musical voice whispered in her ear. “Let me take him to the faerylands,” Eolande offered. “Cade should be more than one of the un-dead or a relic who thinks he's a god.”
The shock of what the eldritch were offering caused Kira to focus for a moment. She gaped at Cassandra, Thomas, and Eolande, unable to speak.
If only Cade could live again...
Kira allowed temptation, and the thought of having Cade back, sway her thoughts...and better judgment. She stroked Cade's bloody forehead lightly, rocking back and forth.
A familiar, deep voice broke into her thoughts. Ryan.
“Kira. Kira, look at me. You cannot, you must not, make that sort of decision, not for anyone. Not even for Cade. Being immortal is...well, it's not up to you,” he said seriously.
“But it's not right,” she murmured, her thoughts going to where Ryan was warning her away from. “He's too young, it wasn't his fault. He shouldn't have to die, to sacrifice his life.”
Ryan knelt down next to Kira. Her eyes followed his until he gently gripped her chin in his hand. “If it's Cade's time to die, you must let him go. You will not play the part of a god, you can not determine life and death.”
Kira began to cry softly, pulling away from Ryan to stare down at Cade. His strong features that lit up when he smiled or seemed so fierce when he was angry. His eyes that sparkled mischievously or glared seriously. Kira mourned what could have been and what precious little time she'd had with Cade.
Too soon she felt the final bit of life leave Cade's body. He shuddered and took one last breath as he died in her arms. Her tears dropped softly onto his face.
All was quiet...save for someone sobbing.
“Damn it,” Ryan said softly, but without emotion. It was more of a statement.
Still covered in wer blood he strode over to Kira. The other eldritch also gathered around the girl. She supported the ripped up young hunter in her lap. The faery and elf with them rose and moved out of the way. Soon the immortals formed a loose circle—the second circle of which Kira had been in the center. They stared down in silence at the savage damages to Cade's body.
Kira's sobs had slowed to hiccups. She glanced blindly up not seeming to focus on anyone in particular. Her dirty face was streaked with tears and blood. She seemed to be covered in blood.
“No,” she whispered in denial, shaking her head. “No, it can't be. NO NO NO!” she screamed, then grew deathly silent for a moment.
“He saved my life...he risked his own...it's not fair,” Kira whispered, almost pleadingly.
“I will make him a farrow of my coven,” Cassandra announced suddenly. “To replace the one he killed...,” she paused then went on almost reluctantly, “and to honor his part in this ridding of the wer. He will take time to heal, but my blood is powerful.”
Thomas shook his head and scowled. “Never,” he said coldly. “I won't allow it. Not one of your kind, not him. No, I can bring him into the daevan household. He will be a higher being and live forever as a hero. He deserves more than this horrible death.”
“Kira,” a soft, musical voice whispered in her ear. “Let me take him to the faerylands,” Eolande offered. “Cade should be more than one of the un-dead or a relic who thinks he's a god.”
The shock of what the eldritch were offering caused Kira to focus for a moment. She gaped at Cassandra, Thomas, and Eolande, unable to speak.
If only Cade could live again...
Kira allowed temptation, and the thought of having Cade back, sway her thoughts...and better judgment. She stroked Cade's bloody forehead lightly, rocking back and forth.
A familiar, deep voice broke into her thoughts. Ryan.
“Kira. Kira, look at me. You cannot, you must not, make that sort of decision, not for anyone. Not even for Cade. Being immortal is...well, it's not up to you,” he said seriously.
“But it's not right,” she murmured, her thoughts going to where Ryan was warning her away from. “He's too young, it wasn't his fault. He shouldn't have to die, to sacrifice his life.”
Ryan knelt down next to Kira. Her eyes followed his until he gently gripped her chin in his hand. “If it's Cade's time to die, you must let him go. You will not play the part of a god, you can not determine life and death.”
Kira began to cry softly, pulling away from Ryan to stare down at Cade. His strong features that lit up when he smiled or seemed so fierce when he was angry. His eyes that sparkled mischievously or glared seriously. Kira mourned what could have been and what precious little time she'd had with Cade.
Too soon she felt the final bit of life leave Cade's body. He shuddered and took one last breath as he died in her arms. Her tears dropped softly onto his face.
-67-
A blinding white light filled the fire-lit basement, an evil room that stank of blood, death, and horror. Everyone shielded their eyes for a moment until most of the resplendent glow faded away. Bella stood before them in her winged, angelic form, almost too magnificent to gaze upon. She then transformed into her mortal body, dressed in simple clothes. She glanced around the room and nodded at the destruction that lay before her. The archangel tossed her long, white hair over her shoulder as approached the group surrounding Cade and his lone mourner.
“No, but I can determine life or death,” she announced, taking in the state of Cade's mutilated body with a troubled frown. “Or at least bring the message. It is not his time to die, he must be saved.”
There were surprised gasps throughout the group, even the jaded eldritch were shocked at this revelation. Cade must be saved? But why? The message was brought by a Messenger Archangel, so it must be coming from the God that many humans worshiped...the God which the angels served.
Bella swept into the circle of eldritch forcing everyone to take several steps backwards.
“Someone take care of Kira,” she ordered. “Keep her back.”
Kira fought as Ryan scooped her up around the waist, the pain in her back and arms pushed to the far reaches of her mind. She struggled against being taken away from Cade, but Ryan held her wrapped against his chest in his blood soaked arms. She wrapped her arms around his and leaned forward. Kira realized how exhausted she was and clung to her self-appointed guardian, while feebly pulling away from him toward Cade.
“Thomas, I require your assistance...hurry, please, there's little time before this will be impossible,” the white-haired archangel demanded.
For it was imperative that Cade be saved. If she failed, the course of the world would be changed forever. If there was any chance for the demons to be defeated, both Kira and Cade had to work together.
“But isn't he dead already, Bella?” the daeva asked, although he knelt where the angel was gesturing.
Normally Bella could only use her healing gift to heal, not bring back the dead. But Cade wasn't quite gone yet. There was still something holding his spirit in his body, although that string was tenuous and fading. That something was linked to Kira. Bella could see the tendril of energy that was stretched between the two young ones.
“We shall see, Thomas,” she answered.
The daeva and the angel knelt on either side of the motionless demon hunter. Bella gasped at the extent of the wounds and the amount of blood lost.
“The creature stopped before she reached the intestines,” Thomas said in low voice. “Why?”
“Or she was stopped from going further,” Bella said cryptically. She ignored Thomas' questioning look. “Do it now, Thomas...we must lay hands on him now!”
Closing her eyes, Bella held her hands over Cade's torn midsection. This would cost her quite a bit of her own life force, but she must make the sacrifice. A glow spread over her hands as Bella summoned the divine healing energy from her own body, giving to Cade of her self and of her gift. The living energy would flow into Cade where it was needed most, healing the wounds from the inside out.
Unlike Bella, Thomas kept his eyes open. He needed to see where to direct his healing. He, too, generated a power, a supernatural energy, from his own strength and self. He worked on different areas than Bella, sensing the wounds needed to be healed from the deepest ones first.
Soon the muscles had knitted back together, protecting the vital organs inside; then the skin began to reform. But before the healing was complete...while there were still raw, slash marks in the skin...Bella stopped. She inhaled sharply, feeling the powerful drain on her life force. Thomas paused, as well, looking to the angel for guidance on whether he should continue. He was beginning to experience a draining of his own life force.
Bella ignored the daeva. There was one more thing the archangel needed the strength to do...as one of God's messengers she had a special message for Cade.
Leaning close to his ear, Bella whispered, “Live.”
A misty substance escaped between her lips. The wispy threads flowed into Cade's ears, nose, and mouth.
Suddenly Bella's earthly form began to fade out, to become more shimmery gas than substance, more a luminous energy than a physical form. Then Bella was simply gone.
No one moved or spoke. Those that needed to breathe hardly dared to breathe. Was Bella gone forever, they wondered? She'd never disappeared like that before. The archangel was usually much more dramatic. The eldritch all stared at Cade on the floor.
A deep inhalation of breath startled the eldritch and Kira as Cade began to take in air, his bare, still injured chest rising and falling sharply. He did not open his eyes.
Kira shrieked and struggled but Ryan wouldn't release her. She needed to touch him, to make sure he was truly alive.
As he knelt next to Cade, Na'ethal signaled to the elf that had fought with them in the basement, the elf that had sat with Cade after he had been clawed. The elf possessed the wyrd, the magical power, of an enchanting voice. He blocked Kira's view of everything and leaned down to kiss her cheek.
“Shhh,” he whispered, catching her attention with the unexpected act. His voice became soothing, melodic, soft, and comforting.
Kira found herself staring into the eyes of the elf, blinking. She couldn't help thinking how beautiful he was. One of her hands reached out to caress his cheek. She didn't mind when he placed his hand on her forehead. Kira raised her head to toward the elf's palm.
“Quiet now, little one,” the elf whispered calmly. “Relax now, allow others to care for you.”
Kira blinked her eyes tiredly. Her body felt heavy but without pain, as if she'd been dosed with a strong sedative. Her eyes lost their focus, and she stared at nothing. She didn't protest when Ryan scooped her up in his strong arms and cradled her to his bloody chest. She lay her head on his shoulder, her eyes open and aware but unable, and unwilling, to disturb the calm inside of her.
She saw Cade in Na'ethal's arms. The hunter was so tall, so muscular yet he appeared to be made of feathers the way the elf carried him so easily.
“I will take Cade to my clinic to mend,” he announced to everyone, but motioning to Ryan with his head. “Bring Kira. She needs medical attention as well. And both will benefit from a dose or two of elven 'medicine'.”
The elf with the soothing voice and Eolande followed the injured youths.
“No, but I can determine life or death,” she announced, taking in the state of Cade's mutilated body with a troubled frown. “Or at least bring the message. It is not his time to die, he must be saved.”
There were surprised gasps throughout the group, even the jaded eldritch were shocked at this revelation. Cade must be saved? But why? The message was brought by a Messenger Archangel, so it must be coming from the God that many humans worshiped...the God which the angels served.
Bella swept into the circle of eldritch forcing everyone to take several steps backwards.
“Someone take care of Kira,” she ordered. “Keep her back.”
Kira fought as Ryan scooped her up around the waist, the pain in her back and arms pushed to the far reaches of her mind. She struggled against being taken away from Cade, but Ryan held her wrapped against his chest in his blood soaked arms. She wrapped her arms around his and leaned forward. Kira realized how exhausted she was and clung to her self-appointed guardian, while feebly pulling away from him toward Cade.
“Thomas, I require your assistance...hurry, please, there's little time before this will be impossible,” the white-haired archangel demanded.
For it was imperative that Cade be saved. If she failed, the course of the world would be changed forever. If there was any chance for the demons to be defeated, both Kira and Cade had to work together.
“But isn't he dead already, Bella?” the daeva asked, although he knelt where the angel was gesturing.
Normally Bella could only use her healing gift to heal, not bring back the dead. But Cade wasn't quite gone yet. There was still something holding his spirit in his body, although that string was tenuous and fading. That something was linked to Kira. Bella could see the tendril of energy that was stretched between the two young ones.
“We shall see, Thomas,” she answered.
The daeva and the angel knelt on either side of the motionless demon hunter. Bella gasped at the extent of the wounds and the amount of blood lost.
“The creature stopped before she reached the intestines,” Thomas said in low voice. “Why?”
“Or she was stopped from going further,” Bella said cryptically. She ignored Thomas' questioning look. “Do it now, Thomas...we must lay hands on him now!”
Closing her eyes, Bella held her hands over Cade's torn midsection. This would cost her quite a bit of her own life force, but she must make the sacrifice. A glow spread over her hands as Bella summoned the divine healing energy from her own body, giving to Cade of her self and of her gift. The living energy would flow into Cade where it was needed most, healing the wounds from the inside out.
Unlike Bella, Thomas kept his eyes open. He needed to see where to direct his healing. He, too, generated a power, a supernatural energy, from his own strength and self. He worked on different areas than Bella, sensing the wounds needed to be healed from the deepest ones first.
Soon the muscles had knitted back together, protecting the vital organs inside; then the skin began to reform. But before the healing was complete...while there were still raw, slash marks in the skin...Bella stopped. She inhaled sharply, feeling the powerful drain on her life force. Thomas paused, as well, looking to the angel for guidance on whether he should continue. He was beginning to experience a draining of his own life force.
Bella ignored the daeva. There was one more thing the archangel needed the strength to do...as one of God's messengers she had a special message for Cade.
Leaning close to his ear, Bella whispered, “Live.”
A misty substance escaped between her lips. The wispy threads flowed into Cade's ears, nose, and mouth.
Suddenly Bella's earthly form began to fade out, to become more shimmery gas than substance, more a luminous energy than a physical form. Then Bella was simply gone.
No one moved or spoke. Those that needed to breathe hardly dared to breathe. Was Bella gone forever, they wondered? She'd never disappeared like that before. The archangel was usually much more dramatic. The eldritch all stared at Cade on the floor.
A deep inhalation of breath startled the eldritch and Kira as Cade began to take in air, his bare, still injured chest rising and falling sharply. He did not open his eyes.
Kira shrieked and struggled but Ryan wouldn't release her. She needed to touch him, to make sure he was truly alive.
As he knelt next to Cade, Na'ethal signaled to the elf that had fought with them in the basement, the elf that had sat with Cade after he had been clawed. The elf possessed the wyrd, the magical power, of an enchanting voice. He blocked Kira's view of everything and leaned down to kiss her cheek.
“Shhh,” he whispered, catching her attention with the unexpected act. His voice became soothing, melodic, soft, and comforting.
Kira found herself staring into the eyes of the elf, blinking. She couldn't help thinking how beautiful he was. One of her hands reached out to caress his cheek. She didn't mind when he placed his hand on her forehead. Kira raised her head to toward the elf's palm.
“Quiet now, little one,” the elf whispered calmly. “Relax now, allow others to care for you.”
Kira blinked her eyes tiredly. Her body felt heavy but without pain, as if she'd been dosed with a strong sedative. Her eyes lost their focus, and she stared at nothing. She didn't protest when Ryan scooped her up in his strong arms and cradled her to his bloody chest. She lay her head on his shoulder, her eyes open and aware but unable, and unwilling, to disturb the calm inside of her.
She saw Cade in Na'ethal's arms. The hunter was so tall, so muscular yet he appeared to be made of feathers the way the elf carried him so easily.
“I will take Cade to my clinic to mend,” he announced to everyone, but motioning to Ryan with his head. “Bring Kira. She needs medical attention as well. And both will benefit from a dose or two of elven 'medicine'.”
The elf with the soothing voice and Eolande followed the injured youths.
-68-
Not one mortal in the French Quarter witnessed the removal of five large, furry bodies—and appendages—that were spirited away and dismembered. The body parts were delivered to the bayou alligators for food. The dead and injured eldritch were transfered into the Secret World.
Nor did anyone observe how the raging fire began that engulfed and consumed the house on the corner and the property, while nothing else surrounding the house was damaged.
The charred bodies of unidentified humans would produce a case that would never be properly solved, especially with Detectives Ryan Laurent and Thomas Addison of the New Bellwich Police Department aiding in...and secretly hindering...the investigation of the neighboring district.
Nor did anyone observe how the raging fire began that engulfed and consumed the house on the corner and the property, while nothing else surrounding the house was damaged.
The charred bodies of unidentified humans would produce a case that would never be properly solved, especially with Detectives Ryan Laurent and Thomas Addison of the New Bellwich Police Department aiding in...and secretly hindering...the investigation of the neighboring district.