“I had to see if you were strong enough to put me in my place. But also if you would agree to allow my people to remain safe. I could not follow a powerful leader who has no heart.”
“You’re an old fool, Khent. Mother will target you if you come alone.” Isaiah sighed, a soft laugh following. “But I’m strangely pleased to have you along on our journey.”
“You are the demon with the target on his back.”
“Mine is just larger than yours.”
Khent laughed. “I’ve lived a long life. Many a night I’ve dreamed of meeting Naberia on a field of battle. My ancient dagger is equal to hers; my will is tenacious. I may yet shock the supernatural world.”
“I can believe that.” I shook my head, disappointed I was returning with one goblin instead of thousands, yet my mind was already spinning with how I might use Khent in the best way. I’d need to learn more about his magic before I could make a final decision.
“Will kelpies be available? I haven’t ridden one in hundreds of years.” Khent asked.
“I’ll be fighting on dragon back.”
“Perhaps I might find a dragon who would honor me in that way.” Khent gazed at Vantor.
“My beast and I are not persuaded.” The dragon stepped closer. “Convince me you are worthy.”
“I have never been one to back down from a challenge.”
Vantor’s gaze took in the gaudily dressed, oddly shaped male, yet none of us could miss the fire of excitement burning in Khent’s heart. “We shall see.”
“Wonderful!” He clapped his hands. “We’ll leave tomorrow after breakfast.”
“We leave now. Get your things.” It was important that I made it clear right from the start who was leading this team.
“I must inform my staff. My council.”
“Two hours.”
Khent raised a brow and turned to Isaiah, who moved closer to me in an obvious show of support. “With Charles we finally have a chance to clean up Mother’s mess. I follow him without reservation and you must also. You did promise, you know. I was there.”
“Even I have agreed.” Vantor lowered his chin, his eyes swirling, reflecting a level of magic most shifters only dreamed about.
Khent didn’t bother looking to Jay or Brina. Discounting their abilities wasn’t unexpected, but it wouldn’t take long before Khent would see for himself that magical power came in all forms.
Since we had two hours to kill, we were shown to rooms where we were able to bathe and eat. Afterward, we met back in the common room. The painting was hanging again, but in a smaller frame.
“Where now?” Isaiah asked.
“Crescent City, in case my parents are there.”
“You could try to contact them,” Jay said, munching on a bag of treats one of the rill servants had called honey nuggets.
“I get only interference.”
“Shouldn’t we stop back at the dragon’s lair? Pick up a few more oversized reptiles?” Brina gave Vantor the side-eye.
The dragon tilted his head, curious. “I cannot decide whether you truly despise my people or if you are aching for a fight, lady fae.”
Brina tossed her blonde hair to the side and met his gaze. “The latter. I’m used to sparring with my sister when she gets too prideful.”
Vantor’s grin spread slowly across his broad face. “I am at your service in that regard.”
Cheetah claws pushed against my fingertips as he slowly pulled a sword from a scabbard that wasn’t there five seconds ago.
Damn dragon.
Brina laughed. I growled. She laughed even harder and moved close, kissing my cheek and sending me a private message. “The dragon’s fancy sword does not impress me.”
“Better not.”
“The male ego is so fragile.”
“You’re worth all the angst.”
“And you are wise to think so.” The sweet brush of her lips against mine calmed my cheetah and made me wish for some privacy.
Isaiah coughed. “Just a thought, but you might ask me what I think about where we should go next.”
“You have no say. Charles is our leader.” Vantor made himself comfortable placing his enormous bare feet on the low table.
“The team doesn’t work that way,” I said.
“Told ya.” Isaiah smirked at Vantor before twisting in my direction. “Why not stop at the villa? I can check in with my people.” Isaiah had a group of loyal servants and their families staying in small homes scattered around the villa. He’d given them jobs and they were quite happy with the arrangement. Most of them were unseelie species.
“From there I may be able to reach Mom or Dad. So, yes, one day at the villa. No more.” I turned to Brina and took her hand in mine. “What do you think will happen if we show up in Faerie with the Goblin King, a bunch of dragons and Naberia’s evil son?”
“Nice, nephew. I’m also Finvarra’s son.”
“Sorry, Unc. They won’t see it that way.”
“Our fae citizens have to meet him at one point or another. Better before the battle begins,” Brina spread her hands. “They must learn to trust him as they trust you. It would probably be best to invite the council to Carmel or Crescent City. At least the members who are still our friends.”
A loud snore had us turning toward Jay.
“We need to wake up Jay so he can put in his two cents. Unc? You’re closest.”
Isaiah held up his hands. “Ask the dragon. His skin is tougher.”
“I will wake the grizz.” Vantor shifted position on the couch.
“No, Vantor. I’ll do it…” Brina rose, but it was too late.
Bear shifters needed two things and they needed them often. Lots of sleep and lots of food. He’d just eaten enough for three shifters, so now he was in hiber mode, as he liked to call it. He didn’t need to hibernate in the cold weather like natural bears, but when he slept his heartbeat slowed and breathing sometimes calmed to the point he might look dead to someone who didn’t know about bears. Power naps were Jay’s friend, sometimes only lasting ten minutes.
But if someone he didn’t know all that well tried to wake him up before he was ready…
Vantor nudged Jay in the side with his bare foot. “Up, beary!”
A second later, I gasped as Jay flew through the air toward Vantor, claws out, fangs bared, a deep growl echoing loud enough to make us cringe. He hadn’t pulled a complete shift, but he could still do some serious hurt.
Fast as a blink, Vantor was on his feet and turning away, his bare back, neck and shoulders covered in shiny scales. Jay slammed into him, meaning to dig the razor-sharp claws deep. Instead, Jay’s still human face slammed into Vantor’s hard as a rock shoulder, his claws scraping for purchase. As the rest of us tried to catch our breath, Jay slid to the floor, having done about as much damage as feathers against a rock wall.
He landed in a heap, face down. “Grizzly,” he croaked. “Not beary.”
Isaiah stood on the central table. “Ding, ding, ding! We’ve found a winner. Vantor is now Jay’s official alarm clock.”
I crouched beside my buddy. “You okay?”
“Uh huh. Only lost a few.” He spit out a tooth and handed it to me. “Uch. I might’a swallow one.”
“Jay bear. I apologize. It was instinct for me to defend myself without doing harm to you. I did not mean…”
Jay waved his hand around like he was shooing a mosquito. “S’cool.”
Vantor offered his hand and Jay got up. His face was a bloody mess and his nose was sticking out at a strange angle.
“Sit here,” I said.
“Doin’ y’ur mojo?” His voice sounded muffled
“Yes.”
“Will gro ba?” He pointed at the hole where a tooth should have been.
“If you can shift when I’m done, you’ll be scarfing down steak in a day or so.” Healing in animal form was always faster.
Jay nodded and sat. I cleaned the blood with a wash of magic, then laid both hands on his
cheeks. “Ow.”
“Shh.”
Vantor crouched nearby so he could see more clearly. “What is mojo?”
“A nickname the team uses for unique or personal magic. Charlie is a healer,” Isaiah explained.
I breathed in and out, then called to my healer and my demon blood, the buzz in my chest growing stronger as I added intent. It wasn’t uncomfortable, just a sign the magic was working. Soothing waves of healer magic formed a cloud around his head, clarifying the muddiness in Jay’s aura which always occurred when someone was in pain or ill. Clearing the aura would enable his own shifter powers to kick in a little faster.
My chest heated as I released fingers of demon magic to position and re-root two of the three teeth. Cloning the third and fitting it into the last space took a bit longer. Jay would have to stick to a liquid diet for twenty-four hours, but after that he should be fine.
The nose was an easier fix. A quick jerk to straighten, a few words of a spell to lessen all the facial swelling and finally a mild pain killer so he’d be able to sleep.
He was snoring a moment later.
“Should have just let him sleep. This adds another few hours to our stay in unseelie territory.” Standing, I stretched my arms to the ceiling and out, rolling my shoulders, then rubbing the back of my neck. I needed to hit the gym and spar with Sasha or Liam. Work some spells with Isaiah. Maybe beg Brina for a massage. Overeating and sitting around wasn’t keeping me in shape, mentally or physically.
“You’re glowing, young demon,” Vantor said.
“Yeah. Happens when I blend the magics.” A soothing warmth coursed through my veins for several minutes after I’d worked a healing spell.
“That is mojo indeed.” Vantor sat again.
“When we arrive at the Carmel villa, we should contact King Rylen. He probably hasn’t been informed of the archdemon’s attempt to take you from Faerie,” Isaiah said.
“Great idea.”
“Do you speak of the Kelpie King?” The dragon’s eyes narrowed in focus. “I’ve heard they are quite tasty if prepared properly.”
I nudged his feet off the table then sat in their place so I could meet his gaze straight on. “No eating the allies. Not allowed. No arguing.”
“This journey is trying.” He scowled. “My dragon must feed more often than your beasts.”
“The excitement will be picking up in a day or so,” I promised, at the same time hoping I was wrong.
“Thank the ancients.” He leaned back, folded his arms, and closed his eyes. “I shall rest now.”
“Do you wake up like Jay?” That would really be a disaster.
“No. I am a civilized creature, unlike Jay Bear.” He opened one eye and peered at my friend. “He is very large in his true form. Not dragon large but…”
“He’s much larger than any natural bear on record.”
“He carries the blood of a sorcerer.”
“But that gets cancelled out by his shifter genes.”
“I believe the reason—”
Isaiah interrupted Vantor. “There are always exceptions. You should know. Charlie.” The dragon growled. Isaiah pretended to look remorseful. “Oh, sorry. Did you have something else to say?”
Vantor closed his eyes and didn’t respond.
“Are there any in the Demon Realm besides dragons who might be convinced to follow Charles?” Brina asked.
“My people are frightened for their families. I can’t blame them. Naberia could wipe out their entire line in a few seconds if she discovered they’ve done anything to help Charlie. If I were Khent, I might have protected my people in the same way. Goblins are not warriors. They’re scrappy and love a good bar fight, but on a battlefield, they’d die faster than ants in a forest fire.” Isaiah pressed his hand against the back of his neck and sighed. “I’ve put in a call to another… Well, until I hear back, I’m not at liberty to discuss this particular group.”
“Unc…”
“Trust me. Have your parents told you anything about the Master of the Wild Hunt?”
“Yeah. Super spooky dude. Far D’or—”
“Don’t speak his name!”
“Sorry.”
“Anyway, the group I’ve contacted is spookier.”
“Let me know…”
“Oh, you’ll know. One day.”
The hair on my arms prickled. I sure hope Isaiah hadn’t made things worse.
When Khent finally showed up and Jay woke on his own, we took the lines to Wyn’s cave, only to find our plans and their cave in shambles. The scent of blood, dragon and demon, filled every room. Furnishings had been crushed or torn apart. Treasures the dragons had cherished were stolen from walls, storerooms, and cabinets. Not one weapon remained, nor one survivor. All the dragons had disappeared.
After a thorough search, Vantor knelt on the ledge and pledged an oath to the moon and stars that he would save his clan and destroy the demons who’d desecrated their home. We gave him time to pull himself together, then left through the lines. Thoughts of all the bad decisions I’d made on this trip to find allies turned my stomach into queasy knots and shredded the tentative confidence I’d manage to build.
I prayed my actions hadn’t killed us all.
19
Garrett
Although I was glad to be back in northern California, the scent of sea air wasn’t working its usual magic today. Too much had happened in only a few days’ time and I was still buzzing from stress and adrenaline.
The vampires who’d attacked the leopards either burned in the fire or were killed by the team. The torcs had melted under Indigo’s blaze, but there were probably many more storage units that housed cases of the devices.
Led by Aaron, the Western Pack Council imprisoned Sheriff Webber and his deputies. The families of the shifters would finally be able to bury the vampires’ victims.
Flynn had given the okay to release Elle and Jackie from the hospital and Jackie was resting and healing in our bedroom suite on the third floor. I’d been through this scenario enough times to know she’d wake when she was ready and not before. My anger at her deciding to enter the vampires’ house had dissolved with my first glimpse of her bleeding wounds and would not be reincarnating.
Jackie had been in charge of the mission. She’d made the call to take out the shooters and had done the job herself. Because of that, team members were able to easily dust the two vampires who’d planned to use the torcs on innocents and who’d been responsible for the leopard deaths and forcing runaway children to live as vampires.
I’d spent most of the day in bed beside Jackie as she healed. Her wounds were gone, her body unscarred, but the concussion would take a bit longer. Elle and Sash were resting together in a basement suite, here at the villa.
In the end, another successful Rogues Team mission, yet all I could remember was the dread I’d felt when I’d looked at my lifemate’s bleeding head, shoulder, and chest. How was I going to deal with watching her fight in the war? I forced air into my lungs and hissed it out through my mouth. I didn’t need to breathe, but I found it calming, especially today.
The combined team had split up for now. Aaron stayed in Oregon, inviting Kyle and Ethan to join him. They hoped to spend some time with Sinc and Gabe. Farrell and Kaera had left for Crescent City, intending to stay with Liam and Kellaine at their home. The only other member of the team had followed Jackie and me here to Carmel and was currently perched on the roof, waiting for her brother, whatever that meant. She was large enough to take up half the span of the entire south wing in dragon form.
Giant lizard, huh. More like a giant pest.
Although the enormous female had taken down more vampires with one swing of her sword than anyone else I’d ever witnessed in a fight. And in dragon form, she was practically unstoppable.
Had to give her that.
I hunted down Gillex, one of Isaiah’s former servants who’d settled at the Carmel villa, and asked him for help.
“You wish
to know how to contact a powerful demon who would be willing to help you with their magic, only it cannot be Isaiah because Isaiah is not available and you are not familiar with other royals in the Demon Realm?” Gillix took in a long breath. The run-on sentence seemed to have exhausted him.
“That’s correct.” I smiled. “And I appreciate any help you can give me.”
From what I’d seen in Oregon and at NAVA, it was clear Naberia had worked for years to develop her mind control devices. During the battle she would call on these torc wearing sacrificial lambs and we’d be forced to use many members of our army to kill or capture them. Meanwhile she’d attack our depleted units with her full demonic powers and the army she’d brought from the Demon Realm.
It was a good plan. A brilliant plan. Which was why I needed to ruin her scheme by divesting as many of the torc bearers of their torcs as soon as possible. The only way this could happen was with a contingent of powerful demons willing to side with us and use their magic on the clasps.
I hadn’t mentioned my idea to Jackie, because her healer side would insist that she could handle unlocking every single damn torc. But she’d collapsed after opening only one, and I wasn’t about to watch as she grew weaker and weaker with the effort.
Gillix held out his hand, a surprisingly human gesture. “I will confer with the others. Someone must know whom to contact and how to contact them.” We shook and he seemed pleased to be of use.
After calling a donor, I left to feed. I’d need the strength to face my great-grandsire, because as much as I hated the idea of following through, my meeting with Kostas couldn’t wait. Not with Charlie’s life on the line.
Our butler Jon welcomed me back thirty minutes later. The large, tastefully decorated room I knew as well as my own living room in Crescent City would be as good a place to wait as any. Kellaine had seen to the interior design of most of the rooms in the large villa, removing the taint of Eleanor’s former ownership.
My maker had kept me and my shifter family here before killing my mother, father and sister in an attempt at turning them into vampires. I’d been the only one to survive the change, and for many years had wished to die. But as the years passed, I’d grown close to some of the other males and females who suffered under Eleanor’s powers. Sash, Rick, William, and Yvette: I did what I could to help them. But I escaped often and made friendships of a different sort.
At Risk Page 24
