As the sun rose, the vision vanished and I gave in to the pull of sleep. My dreams that day were filled with fire and dragons, and butterflies . . . and beneath everything, a foreboding sense that something bigger was coming—something that would put all our battles to shame.
* * *
When I woke and joined the others in the kitchen, I found out that Iris and Bruce had returned to their house and they were over there now, getting resettled after a few weeks in Nerissa’s condo. As long as Telazhar was gone, there was no reason for them to worry too much over the rogue portal in our backyard, especially since it still led to the Realm of the Elder Fae.
As I entered the kitchen, Delilah and Shade were at the table, along with Vanzir and Roz. Hanna was humming a tune as she made dinner for the others—she was pummeling a mound of biscuit dough into submission with a rolling pin. Trillian was tearing lettuce for a salad.
“Where are Camille, Smoky, and Morio?” I glanced around.
“Camille and Smoky are still back in the Dragon Reaches. Morio went out to check the land with the guards.” Delilah was leaning against Shade, looking relaxed for the first time in weeks. “What do you think about September?”
I stared at her. “I have no clue how to answer that. September is . . . a month?”
She grinned. “I mean for a wedding?”
Shade winked at me and I suddenly understood. “Oh my gods—you mean you’re finally going to do it?” Another beat and it sank in. “The autumn equinox!”
“Yes! It seems perfect, and . . . why wait? If there’s one thing I’ve learned lately it’s that anything can happen at any time. I want to get married before . . . in case . . .” She quieted down, then shook her head. “No, I refuse to look at it like that. I want to get married because I want to get married, damn it.” She brought Shade’s hand to her lips and kissed it as he draped his arm around her shoulder.
“I think the autumn equinox is perfect.” And it was.
“By the way—Supe Community Council emergency meeting tonight at nine thirty. That’s the earliest they could make it in order to notify as many people as they could. Topic is the escalation of hate crimes. We need to go. It’s not something we can just blow off.” Delilah switched into business mode without a blink of the eye.
“No problem. I’m good with that.” It felt odd. We weren’t ready to go on patrol, we were just sitting around the table as usual.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Trillian moved to answer and, a moment later, his voice exploded in an excited flurry of his native language. I wasn’t sure what to call the Svartan tongue. The next moment, he strode into the kitchen, dragging another figure behind him. Delilah let out a shout of glee as I jumped to my feet.
“Darynal! You’re alive!” Delilah lunged forward, wrapping the Svartan in her arms. “That’s for Camille because she’s not back from the Dragon Reaches yet.” She hugged him again. “And that’s from me.”
“I opened the door and damned if he wasn’t standing right there!” Trillian’s smile was a mile wide, relief flooding his voice. Darynal was his blood-oath brother—they were closer than kin—and we had given him up for dead, lost in the Shadow Lands. But here he was, in the flesh, looking safe and unharmed. Trillian turned back to Darynal. “We all thought you were dead.”
“There were times I thought all was lost. Taath and I went our separate ways. I have no idea whether he survived, but given what I saw of him on the scouting trip, if anybody could make it through, he could. But . . . then again . . . luck plays a huge factor down there. We got lost in the Fens and that was the last time I saw him. He wanted to keep going. I wanted to turn around and retrace our steps. We argued and he refused to listen to reason.”
Darynal was a mercenary like Trillian, one of the best trackers and scouts around. He was good-natured for a Svartan, and we had all come to like the man. And that was saying something because the Svartans weren’t all that much of a likable race on the whole. They were an offshoot of the elves who had taken a slightly more sinister bent. But then again, like most of the Fae—hell, like most other races in general—when you really stopped to look at it everything came down to the individual. Society did not always make the man.
“When did you cross over?” Trillian pulled out a chair, and Darynal gratefully slid into it.
“I found my way to Elqaneve . . .” He trailed off, staring at the table. “I can’t believe the destruction. So many lives . . .”
“We were there when it all went down.” Delilah leaned in. “Camille and I had to fight our way out that night. Menolly was able to escape through the Ionyc Seas, along with Sharah and Chase, thanks to Shade, Rozurial, and Smoky.” Her voice caught. “We witnessed Telazhar’s storm firsthand.”
Darynal shook his head. “Storms will happen, but to create a sentient one, and to use it as a weapon? There is no forgiveness for that. Trenyth told me about the dragons. That you vanquished Telazhar. So we have hope.” He leaned forward then, looking battle weary and worn.
Hanna brought over a fresh batch of biscuits, butter, and honey. “There will be dinner soon, but you get a start now. I’ll slice you up some cheese, too. You need food.”
Darynal nodded. “I haven’t had much to eat the past few weeks, true enough. The elves fed me, but I didn’t want to accept much from them—they need every scrap they’ve got.” He looked around. “May I wash my hands?”
Hanna led him to the hall bath. Darynal had been over Earthside before; he knew about the technology here.
Trillian let out a long sigh. “We can learn much from him—he’s the only one of the scouting party who managed to come through. But does it really matter now, given Telazhar’s dead?”
“Don’t be so sure.” I decided to be polite and take a seat rather than hovering up in the corner like I usually did while the family gathered for meals. “Maybe something he saw or heard can give us some idea of what else Shadow Wing is up to. We know he’s trying to create an evil clone of the Keraastar Knights. What else is he up to? And what is he going to do now that his right-hand man is dead and his armies in Otherworld decimated? We need to brainstorm just what we might be facing.”
“Give him a night to rest up, though. He’s tired. He’s been on the move for months. He’s been through hell—you can’t tell me the Shadow Lands were a piece of cake.” Trillian shrugged. “If there were anything vital—that he knew was vital—he would have told us first thing.”
“Why don’t you make up the parlor for him?” I glanced around. “Is Nerissa home yet?”
“No, she called and said she and Chase were heading out on a call. That was shortly before you got up. I gather that the Freedom’s Angels and the Earthborn Brethren are doing their best to become Seattle’s major pain in the ass. She said she’ll be home as soon as she can and to tell you she loves you.”
I must have blushed because Shade grinned at me and added, “I don’t mind passing love notes. The world needs as much love as it can get.”
As Darynal returned to the table and dove into the biscuits, there was a shimmer in the air. I glanced over at Camille’s wards. Nothing was going off—no danger in sight, that we could perceive. The next moment, Smoky appeared in the room, holding Camille in his arms.
“You’re back! Is everything okay?” Trillian swung Camille into his arms and kissed her soundly the minute Smoky let go of her. “Look!” He spun her around without taking a breath.
She saw Darynal and let out a squeak that almost pierced my ears. “Darynal! Lavoyda!” Even though Camille was not bound by blood to Darynal the way Trillian was, the fact that they were married made the pair brother and sister.
“Camille, beautiful Ahn shivya.”
I cocked my head. That one I hadn’t heard. “Ahn shivya?”
Darynal grinned, his smile infectious. “Moon priestess.” He returned his gaze to Camille. “I have nev
er been so glad to see a woman’s face as now. You . . . you let your husband go hunting me down. Trenyth told me.” The smile vanished. “I owe you my life—and don’t even try to protest. He may not have been able to track me down, but the intent was there. Loyalty offered is loyalty earned. Whatever you need . . . wherever and whenever, call and I will be there.”
Camille blushed, but she reached out and took Darynal’s hands in hers. “You are family. You are my husband’s brother. You are my brother.”
Delilah glanced at the clock. “Hate to break this up—but we need to head to the Community meeting. We should all go. Darynal, you can stay here. Hanna will make sure you eat and are tucked in for the night. You look tired.”
“Don’t you want to hear our news first?” Camille slumped into a chair. “And I need to change.” She grimaced. “I’m still wearing my clothes from the battle.”
“Tell us, then go change and shower. We can wait that long.” I shook my head at Delilah. “The meeting won’t be over by the time we get there. We’ll be a little late but not that much.”
Camille glanced up at Smoky, but he nodded for her to speak. “The dragons—Vishana said that they are going to send workers from the Northlands to help speed up the rebuilding of Elqaneve. And they have offered, if we need them against Shadow Wing himself . . . they will do what they can.”
The thought of a thousand dragons winging their way into the Demon Lord’s lair and taking him on with us made the night a whole lot brighter. As Camille and Smoky went up to shower and change, and Darynal ate his weight in Hanna’s home cooking, for a little while we were able to sit back and just enjoy a little peace.
Chapter 8
We were almost to the Supe Community Hall when we found ourselves in the traffic jam from hell. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I asked Rozurial and Vanzir—who were riding with me—to check the Seattle Traffic Flow app on my phone.
“Black as a demon’s asshole,” Vanzir said, snickering. “There’s some pretty wicked gridlock going down right now and I have no clue where it starts, but it looks like it all converges on the general vicinity of the Supe Community Council.” He frowned. “I don’t think we have a hope in hell of navigating through this. Might as well find a place to park and jog over.”
“You sure? Maybe it’s an accident or . . .” I noticed that Camille had pulled off into a parking lot on the right side of the road. I swerved to follow suit and Delilah did the same. As we all piled out of our various rides—Smoky, Morio, and Trillian were with Camille, Shade was with Delilah—the sound of horns filled the air. Apparently Seattleites weren’t all that thrilled about rush-hour traffic during late-evening hours.
“What’s going on?” Camille asked, as we gathered between our cars.
Just then, my phone jangled. I glanced at the Caller ID—Nerissa. “I have a feeling we might be about to get an answer.” I punched Answer and held the cell up to my ear. “Hey, love. What’s going on?”
“You’re trying to get to the meeting, I assume?” Her voice was muffled by the sounds of shouting around her.
“Yeah. Where the hell are you? It sounds like you’re at some sort of a party.”
“Party my ass. Chase and I are over at the Supe Community Hall. Guess what you get when you take a couple of hate groups picketing a couple hundred pissed-off Supes? We’ve got a potential riot in the works.” She sounded more exasperated than anything. “Traffic is deadlocked for blocks and not likely to clear for a while. If you’re close enough, I suggest you pick up the pace and hoof it here. Or—say, you have Smoky, Shade, and Rozurial. Tell them to bring you to the hall pronto via the Ionyc Seas. We need you guys here now.” With that, she hung up.
I turned to the others. “Picketers at the meeting. Nerissa and Chase are there. She said get over there now, through the Ionyc Seas, if possible.”
Camille glanced at the guys. “You’ve all been to the meeting hall. Think you remember it enough to gate in there?”
Smoky nodded. “There’s a place out back by the Dumpsters. We helped empty garbage after one meeting—remember, guys?” Rozurial and Shade nodded. “Then aim for that. With a little luck, we won’t have to worry about ending up in the middle of a group of Freedom’s Angels.” He frowned. “I can take Camille and Delilah. Shade—can you take Menolly and Vanzir? Roz can take Morio.”
Shade nodded. “I can still travel the Seas, so yes.”
We grabbed our gear from the cars and made sure they were locked, and then—in the shadow of the Dumpling Dugout, a local eatery, we vanished into the Ionyc Seas.
* * *
The trip was much shorter than the one we had taken back in Otherworld, and none of us were fazed by it. Or maybe we were all just getting used to the flowing currents of energy. Whatever the case, we were standing in the alley behind the parking lot of the Supe Community Hall. There was a throng of people near the door and spilling out into the street, all waving picket signs.
“You’d think some of these fanatics would learn how to spell.” I shook my head. “How hard is it to work a dictionary?”
“Ah, but first you have to realize that you can’t spell worth a damn.” Camille let out a snicker, then sobered. “It’s funny, yeah . . . but think about it. This kind of crap leads to hate crimes, and eventually to final solutions. And those? Well, both Earthside and Otherworld have seen the results of genocidal maniacs. No different when you’re going against someone solely because they’re female or Jewish or Muslim or gay or Fae or Were. It all adds up to a massive superiority complex that blinds the senses.”
I nodded. “Yeah. So, what next? We need to find Nerissa and Chase.” I pulled out my phone and hit Redial.
Nerissa came on the line. “You here yet?”
“We are, in the back parking lot near the Dumpsters. Where are you? There appear to be mobs at both the front and back doors.”
“There are, and more marching down the street. I didn’t realize that they had so many supporters, though I think that we’re seeing some anarchists in the group that join in every freaking protest that happens in this city. They’re just out to make trouble. And that could make things worse because they like to loot for no good reason, and the hall is smack in the middle of a residential area. We could end up with houses nearby going under fire.”
She was right, I thought. And that would be a disaster. “We’re heading in. Where should we meet you?”
“We’re out front. I think you’ll be better off elbowing your way in from the back—but hurry up. There are more coming and I have a feeling they’ll be trying to surround the Hall. Chase has cops headed around the side, but they’re having trouble getting through the crowds, too. We may have to call out the riot teams.” She hung up.
I quickly filled the others in on what we were facing. “I suggest we head in there pronto.”
“Menolly, I think you should fly in. Turn into a bat. You are well known in this town, and it’s pretty easy to hide a stake under a coat.” Vanzir glanced at the others. “They don’t like the Weres and Fae, but this crowd? They have a special hatred for vampires.”
“He’s right. Do it.” Camille motioned for Smoky to go in front. “Delilah, you and I will take the center line. Shade, can you bring up the back? Vanzir, on our left. Roz on our right. You guys are all less vulnerable than Delilah and I are.”
I stepped back and closed my eyes. Think bat . . . think bat . . . The next moment, my stomach shifted and boom . . . I was in the air. Thanks to Roman re-siring me and then teaching me, my bat shifting was no longer a thing to be ashamed of. I could manage to fly and hold form for quite a while, compared to a year ago. I silently swept up and headed toward the building, at the last minute realizing the windows were going to be closed. But I also knew that the Hall had a fireplace, and this time of year? No fire. I caught an updraft on the breeze and cautiously headed down the chimney, which I realized needed a go
od cleaning as soot started to fall on me.
By the time I swept out of the fireplace and shimmered back into my natural form, I was covered with grease spots. I managed to startle several Weres nearby, including Frank Willows, a werewolf who was current leader of the Supe Militia. But he smiled broadly when he saw me appear.
“Sorry, but we thought it best I come in the easy way. The others are trying to get through the crowd to the back doors.”
“I’ll send a group to help in case trouble breaks out. Your wife and Chase are over there.” He pointed toward the front doors of the grand hall. The Community Council Hall was a thing of beauty, and had been built after the old one was burned down in another attack.
I glanced around. There must be more than one hundred fifty members of the Supe Community here tonight, and that didn’t seem to include any vampires. And then I realized that if Roman caught word of this, he would send reinforcements and that would exacerbate the issue even worse than it already was. I pulled out my phone as I headed over to where Chase and Nerissa were conferring with three humans who looked familiar but I couldn’t quite place. One was a pale blond woman—very tall—in a pair of jeans and a white button-down shirt. The second woman was shorter, with dark skin and curly hair. And the man was sturdy and built, and looked like he might be Hispanic. He wore a three-piece suit.
At that moment, I heard Delilah’s voice echoing through the milling Supes. “Neely!”
The short, dark woman turned and smiled. “Delilah!”
And right then, my memory clicked and their names flooded back. The three were from the United Worlds Church. They were the founders of the All Worlds United in Peace organization, and they had been attempting to forge inroads on creating a peaceful dialogue between . . . well . . . everybody. The blond was Amanda, the president of the organization, the black woman was Neely Reed who created strategy and policy for the group, and the man was Carlos Rodrigues, the PR frontman.
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