by Dannika Dark
But another thought rolled through Shepherd’s head in those quiet moments.
For whatever short period they kept the boy, Shepherd would have an opportunity to know him. Maybe it would only prove how unfit he was to parent a child. Maybe the boy would hate his guts. Maybe Shepherd would realize his only place was with Keystone, and that his pipe dream of having a son died the day Maggie did.
Or maybe… he would learn to love again, and that terrified Shepherd more than the thought of losing his child.
Chapter 12
After an ice-cold shower to rinse off the blood and sex, I changed into a pair of clean panties, jeans, and a long-sleeve black shirt. Ripped jeans weren’t the warmest things to wear in winter, but this pair was easy to move around in, and I liked being flexible. I also had on black leggings beneath them for added insulation.
Christian volunteered to wake everyone up and assemble them downstairs for an impromptu meeting. In case Viktor wanted us to leave straightaway, I grabbed my leather jacket and hustled to the first floor. My Converse sneakers were untied, the laces slapping all over the place as I jogged and stumbled toward the dining room.
Out of breath, I waltzed in and slung my jacket onto one of the empty benches. Everyone was seated at the table except for Gem and Christian.
Wyatt rubbed his eyes. “Can you fill us in now? Her Majesty is here.”
I cut him a sharp glare. “Poor baby. Are you going through video game withdrawal?” I scanned the bowls of food on the table, none of which required refrigeration or heating. “Breakfast already?”
“I’d hardly call it that,” Claude grumbled. “I’d kill for sausages.”
Blue stabbed a pineapple chunk with her fork. “All the meat’s in the trash, unless you want to dig it out and get worms.”
Claude rubbed the dark circles underneath his eyes, having not slept but maybe an hour or two, by the looks of it. The candles were still burning even though it was already light outside.
When I sat down, Viktor spooned a medley of chopped fruit onto my plate. Without argument, I ate every bite. The lack of electricity had not only limited our food options but made showers unbearably cold. The few luxuries we had were now gone.
“We could have built a spit outside,” Claude said. “Don’t we have a grill?”
Blue swallowed her fruit. “Without a way to properly store meat, what are you going to cook?”
“I used to hunt squirrels back in Tennessee,” Wyatt remarked. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. As Hank Williams Jr. once said: a country boy can survive.”
Niko choked on his water and quickly set the glass down. “Apologies. I thought you lived off french fries. This must be like a famine for you.”
“The frypocalypse,” I quipped.
Wyatt glared at Niko, but I could see the amusement dancing in his eyes “You’re real funny over there. A regular George Burns.”
Niko ran his finger around the rim of his plate until he found his fork handle. “Kira’s domestic experience is not as limited as ours. Perhaps she can find a large kettle and make hot vegetable stew.”
“We have no time for such comforts,” Viktor said. “Eat what is here, because each of you has a long day ahead. An evacuation of the higher authority is in place to protect them during the outage. They’re no longer able to keep tabs on all their representatives. Some of the cell phone towers have backup generators, but others are inoperative. Regulators have left their posts, and—”
“They did what?” Blue’s eyes rounded.
Wyatt stroked his chin. “That’s a plot twist I didn’t see coming. Does that mean we’re going back to the Dark Ages?”
Shepherd continued eating his protein bar and cheese cubes. There was something different about him, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“What’s the emergency plan?” Niko asked, leaning forward so Viktor would hear him. “And how do they know this is a long-term outage?”
“Our sources cannot pinpoint a cause; therefore, we can make no assumptions.” Viktor sipped his orange juice and then set down his crystal glass. “We have a list of names, and our job is to transport those individuals to sanctuary. Alarm systems are down, and bodyguards are abandoning their positions. As you may or may not know, many crimes took place last night. No one could have predicted we would see such anarchy.” Viktor leaned forward, a pensive look on his face. “The future lies in your hands. Perhaps the power returns today, but if not, it is our job to ensure that every name on that list is protected.”
Wyatt’s brows knitted. “We’re not bringing them here, are we?”
“Nyet.” Viktor slipped into speaking Russian before stopping himself and rubbing his eyes. “Forgive. It has been a long night. There are six key locations, each beneath a church. No one knows these places exist, so you cannot reveal our plans to anyone. That includes those you’re assigned to transport. Do not let the officials use their position to make demands. This order is above their rank. They cannot refuse. They cannot bring anyone with them, and that includes pets. No children, no wives, no husbands, no dogs.”
“Fish?” Wyatt joked. “Sorry. They can hardly be considered a real pet.”
Viktor’s jaw set. “If you want to inadvertently transport a Shifter in animal form, jeopardizing lives, then by all means, take the fish.”
Wyatt held his palms up. “Kidding. Kidding.”
“Anyone with pets, write down their address, and someone will look after the animals while they’re gone.”
I felt a sudden tug on my shoe and peered under the table. Patrick’s boy was sitting Indian-style, tying my shoelaces. I smiled at him. “What’s your name?”
He said nothing.
When I sat up, Viktor was looking at his weathered hands. “I did not think to ask Mr. Bane the child’s name. How rude of me.”
“He doesn’t talk much,” I said, realizing Viktor must have already informed the team about the kid before I came down. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard him say a peep, but he sure knows how to giggle.”
Just then, a small giggle sounded from beneath the table, making everyone smile.
I set down my fork. “Was Patrick on our list?”
“Nyet.”
“Why couldn’t he have just stayed and come with us?”
“They have separated the members onto different lists for a reason.”
I lowered my eyes to my plate. “Are they separating them by Breed?”
When Viktor didn’t answer, I lifted my eyes to his. “If we’re only assigned one location, we’re going to figure it out.”
Viktor leaned back and sighed. He remained quiet, pretending to brush lint off his charcoal sweater.
“Six locations won’t cover everyone,” Wyatt pointed out. “Not unless they group together the ones who don’t pose a danger to others because of their gifts.”
I held out my hand, lifting a finger for each Breed. “Vampires, Chitahs, Mage, Shifters… Sensors?”
“That’s the way I’d do it.” Using his hands, Wyatt gobbled up the rest of his strawberries. “You can’t group Sensors with anyone else. So that leaves Gravewalkers and Relics. They’re pretty harmless. No snazzy powers or venomous fangs.”
Blue snorted. “Like anyone’s going to kill each other beneath a church.”
“You never know.” Wyatt grabbed a napkin and wiped his sticky fingers. “Didn’t you ever watch those old Twilight Zone episodes? People get paranoid when you put them together in groups during a crisis.”
“What about the other Breeds you didn’t mention?”
Wyatt laughed. “Do you think they’d put a Gemini on the panel? Nope. And as for any others, it wouldn’t matter since they’re the minority. They only put majority members up there to represent their people.”
“I cannot answer specifics,” Viktor said. “You can draw your own conclusions, but we have a task to perform. We are not responsible for the whole higher authority, only a defined list, and we are to adhere to that list.”
>
“Who else is helping?” Claude asked. “Please say it’s HALO. They’re the only group I trust.”
“HALO will handle their own list. Since they have more men, they will have more officials to transport between multiple locations. I have the names of other groups involved, and I’ll give those to you.”
I looked around the table, comforted that everyone looked as nervous about this as I felt. Hauling around members of the higher authority was a huge responsibility. One fuckup, and that was the end of Keystone. Maybe even civilized life as we knew it. Without the laws in place, some of these nut jobs would tear the city apart. And I felt especially protective of humans. They were the innocents in all this.
Wyatt picked at the buttered bread on his plate. “How do we move them?”
“That is for you to figure out,” Viktor said. “Create no suspicion. You must not cause neighbors to take notice.”
Wyatt’s eyes lit up like a computer switching on. He loved working out problems. “I’ve still got leftover decals for dry cleaning we can slap on the van. We’ll just stuff our precious cargo into an oversized bag and haul them off.”
Shepherd pushed his plate away. “You need electricity to dry-clean, dum-dum. They don’t just spray your shirts and magically wipe away the grime.”
“We could move a few that way,” I agreed. “Some people like to continue feeling normal even when things aren’t. Do you have any decals for garbage services?”
Wyatt rubbed his scruffy chin. “Maybe. I keep all kinds of stuff like that around for our jobs. Anyone else got ideas?”
“Storage,” Niko offered. “Immortals are moving old furniture to second locations or storage facilities all the time.”
Blue patted his shoulder. “That’s a good one, amigo. Nobody will blink twice at a few big boxes moving out with a couple of chairs.”
“We don’t have room in the van for chairs,” Wyatt pointed out. “Not if we want to fill it with as many warm bodies as we can.”
Shepherd sat back, one arm hooked over the back of his chair. “Then we dump the furniture in a ditch somewhere. Fuck ’em if they complain.”
Wyatt gestured to Shepherd. “Point to Shep.”
I looked at Viktor. “What if we get someone who won’t cooperate? Exactly what authority do we have over them?”
“You have all the authority you need to ensure they are transported to the safe location. Alive.” Viktor gave me a pointed stare, his grey eyes not showing any hesitation. “They are not expecting the evacuation, but they are aware that Regulators are the ones who would round them up. So bring weapons if you must.”
“What if some of them suspected an evacuation might be coming and split?”
“Do not hunt down those people who have already left. We have no time for such nonsense.”
Heads turned when Gem entered the room. She looked more rested than before, but her mood was dejected. She hadn’t done anything special to her hair, and the wavy locks hung limp on her shoulders. Her oversized black sweater stood out since she usually wore colorful, fun outfits. I barely noticed her white leggings. Her crystal necklace didn’t hold the luster it usually did, and neither did her violet eyes.
Gem sat in her chair between Claude and Shepherd and drew up one knee, locking her fingers over it. “Christian filled me in, so you don’t need to hit the rewind button.”
Claude rubbed her back consolingly, but no one said anything since it might upset her.
Blue laced her fingers together. “Viktor, which Breed are we covering? Please tell me it’s not the Vampires.”
A shudder went through me. I felt the same as everyone else did about Vampires even though I was half.
“You will do the job regardless of which Breed you are assigned to protect.”
“Viktor, we need to be prepared,” I said. “Are they all the same Breed? Same church? What weapons should we take?”
Viktor stretched his arms. “The names had to be divided up based on how many people are on each team. One of you will remain at the church, and three will ride in the van. We have less than twenty-four hours to deliver twenty-five names. Because you may be doing heavy lifting, I need muscle.”
“Can we take the Jeep?” I asked. “Shepherd’s got tinted windows.”
“Nyet. We have one inconspicuous vehicle. We have to be discreet. If you wind up dealing with an uncooperative individual, people will take notice if you shove them into the back of a Jeep or pickup truck. Your passenger might break the windows, knock out the driver, or jump out. You have more control and privacy in the van.”
Niko used a band to tie his hair back. “You said one church. That means one Breed. Which one?”
“Do you think you can all handle one of your own kind?”
Relief swam through me.
Claude yawned. “A Mage I can handle, but I need to crash for another hour.”
Viktor got up and circled behind his chair. “Sleep in the van if you must, but you’re going. I want Claude, Raven, and Wyatt first shift. I realize I’m splitting up teams, but this task requires that you all work together as one. Second shift is Blue, Shepherd, and Niko.”
Claude rubbed his eyes. “Can I swap with Niko and go second shift? I won’t be any good if I’m sleepy. I don’t mean just picking up the bags and boxes to haul, but if we have trouble, I won’t be on my A game.”
Viktor scratched the back of his neck with a look of frustration. “Very well. Claude and Shepherd, I want you to go to your rooms immediately and sleep for as long as you can.”
Gem blinked. “What about me?”
Viktor walked behind her chair and placed his hands on her shoulders. “You, my dear, should rest.”
“I don’t want to rest. The team needs my help.”
He sighed. “I have a special assignment for you. One I trust no other with.”
She frowned. “Meaning you don’t trust me to help the team.”
“I am entrusting you with an even greater responsibility. I need you to guard the property.”
Her shoulders sagged, and she looked defeated. Gem was in no frame of mind to come along, and despite her balking, she knew it.
“I have much to oversee,” Viktor began. “As long as the phones are working, I’ll be making calls all day to confirm delivery of each member with my contact—from the moment they’re collected to the moment they’re dropped off at the safe location. I will also remain in close touch with leaders of the other organizations who are working this assignment. If one completes their duties, then they must help the others. I am tasked with coordinating which names to shift around. I do not have time to watch.”
Gem tilted her head back. “Watch what?”
Shepherd knocked on the table as he stood up.
A few seconds later, a tiny knock sounded back.
Gem jerked her head back, her eyebrows drawing together.
Shepherd leaned against the wall behind him, arms folded and feet crossed at the ankle.
When the dark-haired little boy poked his head out and stood up, Gem gaped.
She cocked her head to the side and didn’t seem to recognize him. “Who are you?”
Viktor put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You remember Patrick’s little boy? I have given Patrick my word that we will look after his boy’s safety. Kira will be his primary caretaker, but she will need assistance, and you two can share that responsibility. But I also need someone who will patrol the house and check all the windows and locks. I was going to do this myself between phone calls, but if you insist on working, I could use the help. Keep your Mage senses alert in case someone enters the property. If anyone compromises our safety, you have my permission to blast them with a fireball.”
Blue snorted. “Are you sure about that, Viktor? Those incendiary fireballs can get bigger than you’ve probably seen. Gem’s got a good pitching arm, and she might leave a hole the size of Kansas in your backyard.”
He pursed his lips. “Just don’t burn down my house with al
l that power you have.”
Gem smiled at the compliment. She reached out and pinched the boy’s cheek. “You’re a handsome little devil. Did you bring any toys?”
The boy looked up at Viktor, eyes brimming with uncertainty.
Viktor mussed his hair. “Nyet. This was a last-minute decision. Mr. Bane left a change of clothes. There is much here to explore and keep him occupied, but I want eyes on him at all times. Never a moment out of sight. I’ve relayed this to Kira, so you will only do your security check when she has taken over watching him. I do not want him outside, even in the… trees and benches,” he struggled, pointing toward the windows in the gathering room.
“Courtyard,” Gem said, suggesting the right word.
Viktor widened his eyes. “Spasibo. Do not let him out in the courtyard. Is this clear?”
“Crystal.” She straightened her back like a soldier receiving orders. “You can count on me.”
Gem appeared content with her important assignment of guarding a child’s life. This was no simple task of babysitting, not in the current climate with all hell breaking loose in the city. It might also provide her with a much-needed distraction. But that girl was going to be okay. Something had broken her long before, and it wasn’t Hooper.
Viktor rubbed his face. “Kira will have to find a way to make coffee, or I will not last another hour.”
“There’s instant in one of the cabinets,” I reminded him. Poor guy. He needed sleep more than I did and was under a lot of pressure. “She can heat water in the fireplace.”
“Are we ready to get this show on the road?” Christian asked from across the room.
When I swung around to look at the doorway, nothing could have prepared me for the tantalizing visual. Christian was leaning against the doorjamb, as he often did, but my jaw dropped at his priest outfit. It ranked somewhere between hysterical and as sexy as hell, and not knowing whether to laugh at him or lick him left me wondering if I needed a confessional.
His gaze caught mine and held on for a moment before dashing across the room to the boy, who hid behind Viktor when he got a look at Christian’s black robe.
