“Shouldn’t we be in Italy so we can be close if there is a window of opportunity?” I asked as we made our way to the sleeping quarters.
Hunter turned to me. “Anne started preparing the safe house as soon as we confirmed who you were. It will be ready in a few days. The next major holiday isn’t until February 2.”
Wondering if every American holiday arose as a remnant of pagan culture, I shook my head. “We aren’t leaving Camille there till February!”
Hunter turned to face me. “You said yourself the place is nearly impenetrable. They will be distracted on the holiday.”
Alena squeezed my arm. “The safe house will be ready in a few days. After Anne meets with the council members, we’ll know better where we stand.”
“What do you mean? So, we do nothing till then?” I looked between Alena and Hunter.
“Mother is meeting with the vampire and then the witch council. Since the incident on Mabon, rumors have spread that the witches are making a grab for more power.”
Chalondra opened the door beside us. “We planted the story all around the world.”
I rolled my eyes. “To cover the incident on Mabon and cause them to be suspicious of Michael’s coven. Good thinking.”
Chalondra nodded. “We’ll see if it makes a difference.”
Sleep didn’t come easily, and when it did, images of Camille, Miguel, Mom, Dad, and the sword danced in my head. They must have had automatic lighting because the space outside my fake window brightened and I looked to my clock. Seeing it to be just before six, I threw my covers off. In the kitchen, I found a weary-eyed Tyler, nonetheless trying to make inroads with Alena.
I pointed at him as he joked about the weather in Iceland. “You need to focus on coven training. You’ll be far more useful as a full witch.”
“There’s no way I can get him ready in a month, much less a week,” Grady noted, entering the room.
“Fine.” I downed a glass of orange juice. “We need to be training together anyway. We’ve got to work as a team if we want to succeed at any plan.” An idea started to form in my brain, but I wasn’t ready to share it. We needed someone inside, and I figured Tyler and his dad were the most expendable. Perhaps if they acted as if they were giving themselves up for Camille’s freedom, we could get an inroad into the compound. I knew they would never set Camille free, but if timed right, Grady and Tyler could cause a distraction long enough for us to sneak in. Of course, if the plan failed, then we’d be down two or more men. But if we were inside, even as captives, I’d be closer to Camille.
After our workout, I felt justified in thinking Tyler would make good bait. He was so distracted by Alena he couldn’t get a simple levitation spell to hold for more than a minute. I wondered if there were any girls in Iceland. The way he pranced around Alena, trying to prove how strong he was, drove me nuts. Hunter seemed not to notice Tyler’s flirting, and I wondered if Hunter felt secure enough in his relationship with Alena to be unaffected. I appreciated that he focused and stayed on task.
“So, the team?” I asked at lunch. “Who can we use?”
Orm cleared his throat. “Both Alena and Hunter can’t go into the compound.”
“What?” I set my piece of sushi down. “We need the strongest witches on this.”
Orm’s mouth formed a smile. “How do you know I’m not stronger than Hunter?”
“Are you?”
“No.” Orm’s eyes didn’t leave mine. “But we can’t take the chance of all three children of light being captured.”
Hunter abandoned his bite. “Jude, Tyler, and I should go.”
“Am I chopped liver?” Grady asked.
“We need someone to man the boat. Maybe two people for backup,” I pointed out.
“I should go in,” Alena said.
“No.” Hunter shook his head.
“I’m a vampire and a witch. It gives me an advantage. Plus”—her eyes cut to the table—“he’s killed you once. They want me alive.”
“There’s that.” Hunter balled his fists and let them rest on the tabletop. I figured he wasn’t happy being sidelined, that his girlfriend might be stronger than him, or he didn’t want any chance of her being captured. I couldn’t blame him for thinking any of those. Ever since they’d mentioned February, I couldn’t stop picturing Camille, hair matted and pale, looking almost lifeless in the cell I’d rescued her from.
By the end of our afternoon session, I felt more confident about our chances of rescuing Camille. Fast and strong, Alena was a natural at most everything. Hunter and I were well matched in strength and ability. Being of Michael’s line, it didn’t surprise me that he took the lead in our scenarios and seemed comfortable making decisions. My strength lay in reading people and communicating, and Alena’s in her vast knowledge and speed. With our differing abilities, we formed a solid team. We just needed to get into the castle.
I didn’t do well with waiting, but they weren’t moving until the council meetings. It was two days till the witch’s gathering, so we trained and strategized. I liked the idea of using Tyler as bait but realized Camille wouldn’t. It wasn’t her call though. I’d have to beg forgiveness after the fact. The final plan would be a group decision anyway. Wondering if my dad could be of some use kept me up at night. I doubted Michael’s coven fully trusted my father. But Pop said Dad was still at the compound in Sardinia, so there was no way to contact him on a secure line.
We filed into the security control room and sat in front of a wall of video screens to monitor the witch’s meeting. Each of us was assigned one of the council members and had headphones specific to the video feed for that person. I marveled at the intricate systems they had in place as a camera was mounted above each chair and a microphone in each seat. We were instructed to text Anne if anything seemed off. I requested to be assigned to Marcus, and fixed my eyes on his image as the meeting started.
Anne asked for introductions and expressed regret that the High Priest, Thanatos, couldn’t be in attendance. “Thanatos assures me that Marcus has been briefed on his coven’s opinions and can speak for Michael’s line.” She folded her hands on the table, meeting each set of eyes. “The vampire council members have brought it to my attention that vampires fear retaliation for the events on Mabon. I want to reassure you that the vampires involved in the hideous crimes against the witches have been dealt with.”
Marcus folded his hands on the table. “So how exactly were they dealt with? Twelve of Michael’s coven members were murdered.”
Chin high, Anne addressed Marcus. “Our laws are much like human law, only swifter. Murder is a capital crime. The vampires were disposed of.”
One of the council members raised a hand. “The rumors are that Michael’s coven has the sword, was using it for some ritual and escaped with it. We don’t know what to believe. Michael’s coven says the vampires have the sword.”
“There are many rumors.” Anne laid her palms flat on the table. She lifted her shoulders as if she might be nervous. After watching her the past three days, I knew better. “It took a while to find the guilty creatures, and I assume they were the source of the rumors. The criminals reported that Thanatos possessed the lance of Longinus. They were very adamant. Although as you know, vampires can deceive seers, so there is no way to prove or disprove their allegations. My investigations revealed the attackers were bloodthirsty vigilantes, a small sect where hatred of your kind ran deep. I have no evidence the sword has been found, and my council members report the same.”
Whispers filled the room. Marcus cleared his throat. “Michael’s coven strongly denies insinuations that it possesses the sword. As you know, the lance disappeared from General Patten’s possession. It hasn’t been seen since.”
A male witch stood. “So, we know nothing? Your vampires could have the sword. What assurances can you give that they won’t use it?”
“Do any of the other coven’s have information about the sword?” Anne scanned the faces seated around the table. Each d
enied any knowledge of the lance.
“If what the criminals reported is true, this is the first we’ve heard of the sword since General Patten possessed it,” Anne confirmed.
The house of Uriel’s representative raised his hand. “We need to intensify our efforts, put more investigators out. We have reports of missing witches. Could this vigilante vampire sect be the cause? You need to answer for that.”
Hands still flat on the table, Anne scanned the other faces. “This is the first I’ve heard of this, how many?”
“Two.” The representative reported.
Grady spun in his chair to face me. “That would be me and your father.”
“You were searching for the sword?” Tyler asked.
“And obviously not doing a very good job of it.” Grady refocused on the screen.
Anne folded her hands in front of her. “We are watching family, friends, and accomplices of those charged with the murders. We will consider the matter.”
“Have we found any children of light? It would be their eighteenth year,” one of the house of Gabriel commented.
Anne let each in attendance report that there were no candidates from their lines. Doodling on the page in front of him, Marcus cut his eyes to each speaker and back to the paper. When he finished his drawing, I realized he’d included a string of dots and dashes. “Morse code.” I enlarged the drawing and displayed it on the front screen.
Grady approached the image. “I need to meet with you.”
I messaged Anne. MARCUS SCRIBBLED THAT HE NEEDS TO MEET WITH YOU. She looked to her device, deleted the message, and looked back to the group.
There were a few more minutes of back-and-forth discussion, and then Anne summarized the concerns. “It seems that the rumor of the resurfacing of the sword is just that. Our leaders will communicate this with their patrons to prevent any problems. These are heavy topics. I invite you to join me in my home for some drinks and lighter conversation.”
The tech guy pecked on his keyboard, rerouting our feed to the surveillance cameras in Anne’s condo. We watched the group ride the elevators up a floor to Anne’s living quarters. Her staff brought glasses and poured drinks for the guests. Anne made her rounds, speaking with each of the council members. Her demeanor with Marcus matched how she greeted the others, and I wondered how the meeting would be accomplished.
Alena turned to Orm. “Marcus has been to our home before. It was in early September. He came in Thanatos’s stead. Were you with them the entire time? Did they speak privately that night?”
“I don’t believe so.”
“Funny how the one event that was supposed to bring people closer to God fractured relations between all the other species,” Chalondra noted.
“What event?” I asked.
Grady shook his head. “God orchestrated the flood to rid the world of witches and vampires.” He looked to Chalondra. “He doesn’t care that there are wars between our groups.”
“Wait, I’m confused.” Tyler spun his chair to face Grady. “You’re talking about the great flood and Noah’s Arc?”
Alena spun her seat to face the group. “The witches convinced Noah to include a pair from each line on the boat. Since the vampire families were pagan, heathens in Noah’s eyes, none of our kind were included. Vampires went to the witches and begged for help, asking for a cloaking spell so they may slip onto the boat undetected.”
“But the witches refused?” I asked.
“Yes, creating a rift between the species that has never healed. Before that, our peoples helped each other, protected their secrets.”
Tyler shook his head. “The vampires would have endangered all the lives on the ship, right?”
I stared at Tyler in disbelief, wondering how he could be stupid enough to make such a comment in Alena’s presence. But, he was half human.
Alena pounced onto the table top in front of him. “Have you seen me eat a human or a live animal in the three days you’ve been here?” She leaned into him as he backed away, his face stripped of color. “Well?” she insisted.
He shook his head, and his eyes cut to the floor. “No.”
“Alena.” Hunter rubbed his hand down her back.
“Freaking humans think all vampires want to drink your blood,” Alena muttered under her breath as she jumped to the floor.
“How am I supposed to know things?” Tyler knocked his chair over in his retreat from the room.
Grady and Janine followed Tyler out.
“Maybe that was a little harsh?” Orm produced a vial of liquid and handed it to Alena. She opened the top, held it to her nose, and took several deep breaths.
“We need to focus on the party.” I pointed to the wall of video screens. “What could Marcus want? They may be the only two in the room that know the truth about Michael’s coven possessing the sword and the existence of the children of light. How are they going to manage to get a meeting alone?”
“Mother will manage.” Alena took her seat again.
I listened and watched, but the conversations grew boring, and my mind wandered. Alena was a loose cannon. Could she be trusted to stay focused? Maybe I’d request Hunter to be included in the rescue party rather than her. Of course, if our magic got disabled, she’d still have her vampire strength.
Tyler re-entered the room and crossed to Alena. “I’m sorry, my mouth got ahead of my brain.”
“It’s okay. I’m sorry I snapped at you.”
“Actually”—I tapped my pen to the pad in front of me—“they didn’t teach me anything about vampires in my coven training. I could use a crash course so we know what skill sets we’re working with.”
“We can plan a session after the party.” Orm pointed to the video screens.
The rest of the event comprised a huge snooze fest with the old cronies talking culture, history, music, and the state of the millennial younglings. I should have felt a little more respect. The most powerful beings in the world—save Sonia and Thanatos—were gathered in that room. I shivered. If the humans only knew.
“Like all of us are unmotivated losers?” Alena huffed after the fifteenth comment on the topic of the newest generation.
An hour into the gathering, the patrons started to say their goodbyes. Anne spoke with the council members, planting kisses on each of their cheeks before they left. My eyes found it hard to divert from her form. She seemed to float, each movement flowing into the next. Pondering whether her full vampire nature or her age caused the effect, laughter broke my trance.
Hunter poked a finger into Alena’s rib, and she jumped around the room, trying to escape him. Her jerky movements irritated me, but it was their bond, how their banter brought them joy, that angered me. I should be with Camille, I thought. I’d pushed the emotion away again and again as I’d watch them train, seemingly a perfect yin and yang. How Tyler even entertained the idea he had a chance with Alena was beyond me.
Glancing at the screen, I noticed Marcus to be the last council member in line to say goodbye to Anne. As they spoke, the elevator doors began to close with the rest of the group inside. One of them stopped the door’s progress.
“Sorry, got caught up talking. That’s all right, I’ll get the next carriage.” Marcus waved for them to leave without him.
The gentleman continued to hold the door. “We have much to discuss. You should join us now. Avery’s flight is tonight.”
“Oh, right.” Marcus waved his finger in the air as if he’d forgotten. After bidding Anne goodbye, he joined the other council members in the elevator.
“Well, that was a bust.” Alena jumped from her seat.
Hunter stood, leaning on the table beside her. “At least we know Marcus wants to talk to Anne.”
“Well, let’s put our waiting time to good use.” Orm moved to the front of the room. “Vampires 101.”
I refocused, knowing the scant knowledge I’d acquired needed to be fortified. He talked of their lifespan, strength, sensory abilities, speed.
“Their venom is a neurotoxin, and large amounts can stop a heart. Blood from a vampire can heal almost any wound but not bring someone back to life. Once you have a vampire’s blood in your system, that vampire can always find you.” Except beyond magic-impenetrable walls, I thought. “I expect that we’ll be fortifying your diets with some blood to make you the strongest possible for Camille’s extraction.”
“I may skip that part.” Tyler’s face contorted, and his shoulders shook.
There was a knock on the door, and a staff member announced dinner. We made our way to the dining room. Once we finished the meal, we changed into our workout clothes to get in a training session while we waited for word of Marcus from Anne’s aides.
We were sparring when an announcement came over the intercom that we were needed in the conference room. Jogging down the hall, we took our seats in front of the large screen. It showed feed from the multiple cameras in Anne’s building. Lines moved across the screen.
“We’re having trouble with audio,” the tech person indicated.
“Well, hurry.” Alena insisted. “There!” She pointed to a view of the front sidewalk. “Who’s that? Is it Marcus?” The high cheekbones resembled Marcus’s, but a ball cap shielded his eyes from view.
He strode into the lobby and spoke to the attendant. Lifting the phone from its cradle, the employee dialed a number and spoke into the receiver.
The hat-wearing gentleman kept his head low and jacket collar pulled high up over his cheeks. In a few minutes, two of Anne’s guards exited the elevator and escorted the man back in.
“That’s definitely Marcus. He must’ve come back. She expected him, or he wouldn’t have been allowed up. We need audio,” Alena insisted.
We took our seats as a bodyguard opened the door and Marcus entered the foyer. Anne had changed to a pair of jeans and a sweater and padded to the front room in bare feet.
A high-pitched signal emitted from the speakers. Anne’s mouth moved, but we didn’t catch the first words. “…a surprise. Ben will take your things.”
Kingdom of Honor (Kingdom Journals Book 3) Page 9
