[Relentless 01.0] Relentless

by Karen Lynch

  Nikolas glowered at me for a good ten seconds. “You do not leave his side.” His tone brooked no argument, and for once I conceded without a fight.

  I grabbed my coat from the hall closet and felt the comforting shape of the Mohiri knife in the inside pocket. I really hoped I did not have to use the knife tonight, but lady luck appeared to have deserted me lately and I’d hate to be caught out without a weapon.

  Peter called shotgun, and I glared at him when I was forced to share the back seat with Nikolas. Remy refused to go anywhere near the car and said he would follow us on foot.

  I looked around for Chris, and Nikolas said, “Chris will follow us.”

  A tense silence fell over the car as we headed for the interstate. I looked out my window, intending to ignore Nikolas the whole way to Portland. So much for the olive branch I’d offered him the night of the storm. The whole damn tree was going up in smoke now.

  Peter lasted a whole ten minutes before he turned in his seat to fix me with a “don’t you think you have something to tell us?” look.

  “What?”

  He shook his head. “Really? That’s all you have to say about the troll who was just sitting in your living room?”

  I felt Nikolas’s eyes on me, and I saw Roland darting glances at me in the rearview mirror. “I met Remy not long after I moved here to live with Nate, before I met you guys. I used to go exploring down by the old lumber mill, and one day he saw me and just decided to show himself to me. He was only a year older than me and pretty adventurous for a troll.” What I did not tell them was that Remy had spied on me healing a squirrel with a broken leg and he was so curious that he’d watched me for a few weeks before he finally decided to introduce himself.

  “Weren’t you scared?” Roland asked. “I would have wet my pants if a troll walked up to me in the woods when I was that age.”

  Peter snickered. “You still would.”

  A smile broke over my face as I remembered that day. “I was scared at first. Even back then Remy looked pretty fierce. But he knew some broken English, so we were able to talk and I found out he was as nervous as me. It was a… pretty hard time for me. I’d just lost my dad and moved to a strange place, and I was lonely. Remy was my first friend here.” My chest tightened. It was the first time I’d ever talked to anyone about those dark days when I first came to New Hastings.

  “But trolls don’t like anyone, especially humans,” Peter protested. “They kill anyone who gets near their young. Weren’t you afraid of the adult trolls?”

  I laughed. “I didn’t know any better at first and Remy didn’t tell me. He was a lot of fun to be with. I taught him English, and he taught me all about the real world. He was the one who told me that vampires really did exist and most likely killed my dad. By the time he took me to meet his family, I didn’t know I was supposed to be afraid of them. They weren’t happy, but they didn’t threaten me either. Maybe it’s because I was a little kid or maybe they knew all along I wasn’t human – I don’t know. Anyway, I don’t see them very often. Usually, it’s just me and Remy.”

  “Okay, you are officially the most badass girl I’ve ever met,” Peter declared. “To think we were worried you’d be afraid of us when you found out what we are.”

  After that, Roland and Peter peppered me with questions until I threw up my hands and said no more. Nikolas remained silent throughout the entire conversation, but I felt his gaze on me the whole time. It took a lot of effort not to sneak a glance at him to see what he was thinking. He was probably wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into.

  I hadn’t been to Portland since that night at the Attic and I thought it would bother me, but I was too worried about Remy’s cousins to feel anything but worry for them. My hands clenched painfully in my lap while Roland drove around looking for the address Malloy had given me, and there were fingernail impressions in my palms by the time we found the gated estate. We drove by once to check it out then parked the car in a new development a street away to avoid detection.

  Remy ran up to me as soon as I climbed out of the car. “Little ones close!”

  “I thought you couldn’t track them,” Roland said.

  “Not unless they close,” Remy explained. He touched his chest. “Feel them here.”

  A spark of hope lit in my chest. “Malloy was right.”

  Chris joined us a few minutes later after he did a bit more surveillance. He described what he’d seen to Nikolas. “The place is heavily guarded but nothing we haven’t dealt with before. I’d say a dozen or so armed men on the perimeter with more inside the house.”

  Nikolas turned to us, his eyes on me as he spoke. “Chris and I will go in and neutralize their defenses. Once it’s safe and we have located the young trolls, we’ll come back for you.”

  “You expect us to stay here?” Roland asked, waving around at the empty lot. The look on his face told me he had been looking forward to getting in on the action. But now that I knew we were close to Minka and the others, I was happy to let Nikolas and Chris handle the threat. I’d never admit it to Nikolas but I was still shaken from the attack earlier, and the thought of facing more dangerous men scared me more than a little. And werewolves or not, I wanted my friends here with me out of harm’s way. I had seen Nikolas fight vampires and crocotta, so I was confident he could handle a bunch of armed men.

  “You can shift and be okay, unless those men are packing silver ammo, but what about Sara?” Nikolas said to Roland. “Are you willing to put her in that kind of danger?”

  Roland started to say something then shook his head. “No.”

  Satisfied, Nikolas said, “There will be several layers of security. Whoever orchestrated this will not take chances with so valuable an asset and will expect trouble. If you hear gunshots or other commotion, stay here out of sight with your heads down. We can handle this. Is everyone clear on that?”

  “Yes,” I said for all of us. Nikolas nodded, and he and Chris began to arm themselves with weapons from the bag on Chris’s motorcycle. When they were ready, Nikolas looked like the warrior who had walked out of the shadows in the alley. The churning in my gut eased a little because I knew that if anyone could make this right, it was him. I trust him. The acknowledgement took me by surprise because trusting people did not come easily for me. But then I thought about all the things he had done to earn my trust even though I had fought him at every turn, and how time and time again he jumped into dangerous situations just like this because of me.

  “Be careful,” I told them, but I was looking at Nikolas when I said it. He smiled confidently, like he was heading off to a rugby match instead of going into battle.

  Chris smirked at me as he turned to leave. “Careful, Sara, or people might think you care.”

  Left alone, the four of us were subdued as we waited for Nikolas and Chris to return. Roland and Peter paced the lot, stopping often to listen for sounds of fighting. I sat on a stack of plywood with Remy, clutching his hand.

  “What will happen after we get Minka and the others back? Will the Elders still be angry?”

  Remy hung his head. “I tell them about bile and they very angry. I think they will say we no longer friends.”

  “No!” Remy was one of my dearest friends. He was going to be there when everyone else I knew grew old and died. I couldn’t lose him. I couldn’t.

  “Maybe not forever but for long time,” he said sadly. “Elders not forget easy.”

  I swallowed back my tears. I had messed up so many things, but I never imagined destroying my friendships. What else would I ruin before all of this was over?

  “Where are they?” Peter fretted after ten minutes. “Shouldn’t we have heard something by now?”

  “I don’t know.” Roland’s voice was uncertain. “We’ll give them a few more minutes and – ”

  Remy shot to his feet, nearly knocking me over, his eyes wide and luminous in the darkness. “Little ones very frightened! Something bad happen.”

  Roland a
nd Peter came running over to us. “What is it?” Roland asked.

  “Remy said something’s wrong with his cousins.” I refused to think what that could mean. “We have to go in.”

  Peter rubbed the back of his neck. “What about the Mohiri? Shouldn’t we wait for them?”

  “There’s no time. The trolls need us.” I strained to make out their faces. “Remy and I are going.”

  “Okay, hold on for a minute,” Roland said. “It’ll be better if we shift first.”

  He and Peter disappeared behind the structure and two large dark shapes returned in their place. I’d forgotten how ferocious they looked in wolf form, and my breath caught when they walked up to flank me. Standing on their hind legs they towered over me, making me feel very small and insignificant next to their powerful bodies.

  “Don’t crowd me,” I chided, shoving at them until they gave me a bit more breathing room.

  We left the lot, moving stealthily through the quiet neighborhood until we were within sight of the gated entrance to the estate. I studied the locked ten-foot tall gate and wondered how on earth we were going to get past it.

  Roland tugged at my arm, leading me away from the gate and into the woods around the estate. I pulled out my knife and followed him with Remy at my side and Peter taking up the rear. The woods and grass were wet from an earlier rain, but I was too worried about not making any noise to care about the dampness seeping into my jeans and sneakers.

  Halfway around the estate, we found a small gardener’s gate hanging slightly ajar, and I knew this was where Nikolas and Chris had gone in. That became even more evident when we slipped inside and saw two men unconscious on the ground. At least I assumed they were unconscious; I wasn’t about to check. I didn’t believe in senseless killing, but I had no sympathy for people who would steal or hurt children.

  We crouched behind a shed and surveyed the broad expanse of lawn dotted with large trees and carefully tended flower gardens. There was no sign of movement between us, and the well-lit house so we set off across the grounds, running from one tree to the next for cover. Adrenaline coursed through me, and my heart pounded so loud that I thought anyone within ten feet of me would hear it.

  Remy stopped abruptly and let out a low growl that set my hair on end, and in front of us, Roland made a similar sound. Remy pushed me up against a tree with a finger to his lips and took up a protective stance in front of me as my two werewolf friends dashed off into the darkness. The night was suddenly filled with snarls and the sounds of violent fighting. My palms scraped against the rough bark of the tree as I imagined horrible things happening to my friends.

  Remy’s head swung toward our left, and he made a rumbling sound deep in his chest. Before I could speak, he disappeared in a blur, leaving me alone and trembling beside the tree. Somewhere in the darkness I heard hissing and more sounds of combat, and my heart felt like it was about to explode from my chest.

  “Thump, thump goes the little rabbit’s heart,” drawled a cold inhuman voice.

  I let out a muffled scream when the vampire appeared in front of me. Tall with ebony skin and short spiky dreadlocks, his white fangs almost glowed when he smiled at me. “Hello, little rabbit.”

  Before I could react, a breath of wind heralded the appearance of a second vampire with upswept blond hair and a hungry leer.

  Vampires here, working with humans? Impossible.

  Brandishing the knife, I shrank against the tree. “Stay back!”

  The black vampire’s soft laugh was like ice water on my skin. “Such a big weapon for a little girl.”

  “Haism did not tell us snacks would be provided,” said his companion, drifting closer.

  The first one advanced. “Just remember, I saw her fir – ”

  There was a blur of gray followed by a horrible gurgling sound, and I felt warmth spray across my face and in my eyes. Something hit my legs as the black vampire slumped to the ground. I stared in shock at the corpse and then at the severed head near my feet and felt my gorge rise.

  My eyes met the blond vampire’s stare as his own shock turned to fear then rage. In my mind, a voice I’d thought dead, whispered, Move now. Fear blocked out all but the Mori’s instincts, and I felt my body shift sideways with a speed that left me dizzy. The air beside me swirled as the vampire rushed at the spot where I had stood a split second ago.

  Wield the blade, the demon said calmly, and I raised the knife just as the vampire came at me again. We both gasped in surprise as the blade sank into his chest. It missed his heart, but the silver burned and he shrieked in agony as smoke poured from the hole in his chest. His clawed hand reached for me. Desperately, I pulled the knife out and drew back to plunge it in again.

  The vampire suddenly fell away from me, his snarling mouth going slack as he flailed against the pair of slender gray hands around his throat. My eyes found Remy’s, and he nodded with grim intent. Moving forward, I grabbed the knife in both hands and shoved it into the unprotected area above the vampire’s heart.

  There was no death scream, no bursting into flames. The vampire gasped and shuddered, then folded to the ground like an empty suit. I stared at the knife in my hands, christened with the blood of my first vampire kill and felt a surge of exhilaration unlike anything I’d ever felt before. The Mori gave a sated sigh.

  “Come,” Remy urged, taking my hand and pulling me away from the two dead vampires.

  “What about Roland and Peter?” I whispered hoarsely, trying to look behind me for them.

  “Wolves strong. Little ones need us.”

  I let him lead me toward the house, using my sleeve to wipe most of the vampire blood from my face. My friends were vampire hunters, trained for this; I had to trust they could take care of themselves. And I was as safe with Remy as with anyone else at this point. I still could not believe humans and vampires were working together in this. What could the humans have promised them in exchange for their help and risking a war with the trolls?

  Remy did not speak, and I followed him with something akin to awe. In all the time I’d known him, he had been the gentle friend who used his knowledge to help other creatures. I knew trolls were deadly fighters, but I could never imagine him that way until now. He was my age and he’d taken out that vampire without blinking. I shuddered to imagine what an adult troll could do. It made it even more urgent to find his cousins and return them to the clan before the elders came looking for them.

  We stopped at the pool area where there was no more cover. The pool deck was bathed in light, and I saw that a glass door at the back of the house was open. I wondered if Nikolas and Chris had gone in this way. Or were they still out here on the grounds fighting vampires? Or maybe they didn’t make it. I shook off that horrible notion as soon as it popped into my head. I refused to believe that vampires would get the better of the two warriors, especially Nikolas.

  No one tried to intercept us as we ran around the pool, and I saw why when we came across three unconscious men. Through the door I saw two more crumpled shapes, which turned out to be more dead vampires. Jesus, the place was crawling with bloodsuckers! I shivered, never so happy to have Remy close by. A knife protruded from the chest of one of the vampires, and I smiled in grim relief when I recognized the handle. Nikolas’s calling card no doubt. At least I knew they’d made it this far.

  We passed through the door and emerged in a large entrance with marble tiles, and the highest ceilings I’d ever seen hung with a row of glittering chandeliers. An elegant staircase curved up to a second floor landing where a large window overlooked the grounds. Past the staircase there was a hallway with several doors.

  “Where to?” I asked Remy, relying on his unfailing senses to lead us to his cousins.

  “There.” He pointed down the hallway. “That way.”

  The house was as quiet as a tomb as we moved swiftly down the hall, and the silence scared me more than anything else. As heavily guarded as this place was, there should be some noise, some sign of the inhabita
nts. Where was everyone? Where were Nikolas and Chris?

  We reached the first closed door and pushed it open to find an empty library. The next door opened to reveal a game room with a massive pool table. Third time’s the charm, I thought as I cracked open the third door. A cool breeze touched my face. The cellar.

  “Down there,” Remy whispered behind me. It was all the confirmation I needed, and I started down the stairs with him close behind me. At the bottom, we found ourselves in a rectangular room with stone walls and floor and an arched doorway on either end. I listened for guards, but more silence greeted us. This is too easy, I thought nervously. If Remy’s cousins were down here, this cellar should be crawling with security.

  I turned to the doorway on my right but stopped when I heard clicking sounds from the other direction. I shot Remy a fearful look as the clicking grew louder and faster, mixed with strange snuffling noises. The first thought that came to my mind was crocotta, and I froze at the terror those images created.

  Remy yanked me toward him as two massive black bodies burst into the room, snarling. My troll friend bared his own teeth and let out a growl that brought the beasts skidding to a stop. I had never seen dogs like this. Their bodies were muscled and stocky, and I might have thought they were Rottweilers if they weren’t the size of small horses with frightening red eyes. Their snouts were longer and wider than a normal dog’s, and I could see long top and bottom fangs protruding from their snapping jaws. Their coats were coarse and black, and I couldn’t help but think they were beautiful in a monstrous kind of way. I would have appreciated them more if they weren’t looking at me like I was on the menu.

  “What are they?” I whispered to Remy as the huge dogs paced back and forth, looking for an opening to get past the equally menacing creature in their way.

  “Fell beasts,” he replied calmly, his eyes never leaving them. One of the dogs tilted its head eerily as if it understood Remy’s words.

  “What?” I croaked. “You mean hellhounds!” Vampires and now hellhounds? Who on earth were we dealing with here?