Death's Daughter

by L. A. McGinnis

  “So I have some news. And before you go ape shit on me, first, I only went to take a look around. Secondly, it was on Mir’s orders.” Freyr took another swig of the Weller. “So this totally wasn’t my fault.” Handing the bottle over, he nodded. “You’d better finish this off.”

  Tyr set the bottle aside with such careful precision, Freyr knew exactly where this discussion was heading. “Where is Hunter? And you’d better tell me she’s still in the building, or you and me have a problem.”

  Then Tyr sniffed. Cocked his head at Freyr, a dangerous glint in his eye. Then sniffed again. Far too late, Freyr’s sixth sense, the one that normally kept his ass out of danger, went off. “It can’t be. You… You bastard.” Tyr’s eyes went round, then filled with so much rage that Freyr didn’t know how they didn’t overflow.

  Freyr backed away, quickly “Whoa, wait, you’ve got this all wrong…”

  Next thing he knew agony exploded through him as the hard stone floor made instant, painful contact with his back and shoulders. A full two-fifty of muscle hit him like a battering ram. “I didn’t mean to. I swear. I didn’t…” Would he seriously never learn? “I didn’t touch her, Tyr. I swear, didn’t lay a finger on her…”

  Worse, that sounded much, much worse.

  As Tyr continued beating the ever-loving shit out of him, Freyr’s brain rattled around for an explanation that wouldn’t end up getting him killed. “She’s drawing the God of Chaos out of the city,” he babbled as Tyr’s fist sank into his gut. “I only went down there because Mir sent me to keep an eye on her. And FYI, killing me isn’t going to bring her back.”

  There was a second when he thought the pounding might continue, but then the fists stopped, and he sagged in relief. Pain was not something he wanted to become acquainted with on an intimate basis. “Shit. I thought you were about to kill me.”

  “Thought so too.” Tyr was out of breath, head hanging down between his enormous shoulders, blood seeping from wounds that had opened back up. “You’re bleeding.”

  “Yeah, well, so are you.”

  Freyr rubbed a hand across his face, surprised by the salty, coppery taste in his mouth. “Again. This was totally not my fault. Hunter knocked me out and took matters into her own hands. I tried to talk her out of it, I really did, but…” When Tyr’s head snapped up, Freyr held out a hand to stop the oncoming attack. He was tired of getting his ass handed to him, and he also preferred having all his teeth.

  “Damn it, Tyr, she went after the Orobus by herself. She knocked me out to do it.” Thankfully the bastard stayed where he was. “My head fucking hurts, and I ruined my favorite jeans. So for once, just listen.” Surprisingly, Tyr did exactly that.

  “Start explaining pretty damn fast, asshole.” Tyr yanked on pants, then boots, and a shirt. Then headed for the door. “And while you’re at it, tell me why Mir sent you after her in the first place.”

  Succinctly, Freyr explained. And he made it quick. Mostly because Tyr was pissed and partly because his head did actually hurt, he ran the debacle down, point by miserable point. By the time he’d finished, they’d reached Mir’s room and picked up Vali and Thor in their wake, which was a huge plus because Tyr hardly ever killed anyone in front of an audience.

  They’d barely crossed the threshold, Mir sliding his chair back, eyes shrewd as he sized up the God of War’s disheveled, furious disposition. “Ah. I see you’re caught up. And from the looks of it, Hunter did exactly what I thought she would. Let me guess, she slipped past you and is already on the move?”

  Freyr just nodded while Tyr began barking out orders, “Thor. Find Loki and Fen, tell them we’re moving up the schedule. Thor, you and Morgane on weapons. Vali, you and Balder are on munitions.” He had to hand it to him, Tyr didn’t hesitate one bit. “Load up one of the older trucks, enough for a medium-sized explosion. I’m not wasting resources, but the blast has to be believable enough to convince the bastard to come back.”

  While Tyr organized, Mir caught everyone else up. Once they were on the same page, he threw the whole mess back to Freyr, who finished with—

  “Last I saw, the damn thing was still on-site. But Hunter must have been down there somewhere, because the Orobus was starting to morph and get smaller. I figured the smart thing was to get back here as fast as I could and tell Tyr what Hunter was up to.” He noticed Tyr got really quiet, and Vali pounded away down the hall, leaving just the three of them.

  Tyr whirled to him. “So why the fuck did you let her go?” So apparently, he hadn’t listened to a word Freyr had said.

  “I’m not the one who let her out of the Tower,” Freyr pointed out. “Look, I tried to talk some sense into her, Tyr, I really did. But she sucker punched me, and next thing I knew, I’m waking up, watching the God of Chaos condense himself down into this little evil ball of darkness.”

  “So she was right?” Mir mused. “He did follow her.”

  “Looked like it.” Freyr leaned against the counter, head pounding. “Seems like she’s got the bastard all figured out. She leads him out. Then we lure him back. She suggested staging an explosion, seemed pretty sure that would draw him back to the site, especially if his lair was threatened.” He looked at Tyr, his battered mess of a body, and offered, “Look, I’m fucking sorry. I begged her to stay. Said we needed to work as a team. I wish she would have listened.”

  “So do I.”

  Freyr glanced up as Sydney rushed in, laptop in hand. As soon as she spotted Tyr, her face dropped. So apparently, she knew what was going down. Freyr prodded. “So Tyr, can we even pull this off?”

  “She jumped the gun by about four hours. But yeah, if Hunter draws him far enough away, we’ll still have time to get set up. We’ll fill the old Ranger with whatever explosives we have left, park close by, and detonate it, which should bring the bastard flying back. But we have a small problem.” Tyr glanced at Mir and Syd as if looking for confirmation. “We still haven’t worked out a solid method to lure the thing into the prison.”

  “Well, I’ll tell you this.” Ava stepped in the room, her eyes wary. “He won’t go through willingly. Not unless you offer him something he really, really wants. And even if you manage that, then you’d better be sure she”—Ava shot Sydney a hard, knowing glance—“can damn well lock the door behind him. Or believe me, he’ll be pissed. Big and pissed off and on the rampage.”

  Lots of mumbling.

  “Where do you think Hunter’s taking him?” Mir asked, his gaze focused on Tyr.

  “She’d draw him away from the more populated areas, so somewhere rural. Maybe upstate, but possibly west. Freyr, did she say anything about which direction?”

  “No, we didn’t exactly get that far before she hit me over the head.”

  “West,” Celine said from the doorway. “He’s heading west and moving fast. Sorry, Fen went to help load the truck, so I came down. I felt him leave the city, all of a sudden.” She firmed her mouth. “He’s heading west, I’m sure of it.”

  “You mean to tell me this thing is now chasing Hunter across Illinois?”

  Uncomfortable looks were exchanged all around.

  “She seemed sure she could lead him out of the city and make it back here in time,” Freyr assured Tyr, hoping to ease his mind. “Look, she has a good idea of what she’s up against.” He paused, scanning Tyr’s face. “Better than any of us, actually.”

  “There’s a good reason for that,” Mir murmured. “Still doesn’t answer the question why she’s gone vigilante all of a sudden.”

  “She’s doing this to keep the rest of us out of his grasp.”

  “And why the hell would she do that?”

  Tyr’s voice was gruff, his words deliberate as he explained, his gaze downcast. “The Orobus snatched me off the street. Like I was a nothing. Used me as bait to draw her down to the circle. Then almost killed me. Said he would do the same to all of us. The only reason I’m alive is because she pulled us through the portal. Otherwise, he’d have all of her power. As well as
mine.”

  “So he does want her power.” Sydney gasped softly, her hand grasping Mir’s.

  Tyr nodded gravely. “It’s what he’s chasing, right now.”

  “That little piece of himself, sealed up inside of her.” Ava startled at the revelation, her gaze swinging over to Tyr and locking on. “The Orobus recognizes her as a kindred soul.”

  Tyr was a mess. Every fiber of his being was aching to fly out of here and pick up Hunter’s trail. But he had a duty to make sure this narrow window of opportunity—the one Hunter was risking her life to create—was capitalized on. Which was why he was only half listening when Freyr chimed in.

  “That’s exactly what she said, right before she knocked my ass out. She told me she’s got a little of himself inside of her, and that’s why he’d follow her.”

  Of course she knew the creature would follow her. Tyr gritted his teeth; there’d be time enough for anger later. “And did Hunter happen to explain what would happen if the God of Chaos caught her? That he’d take that little piece of power back for himself?” Tyr’s voice roughened. “No, because she’s impossibly reckless.”

  “Just like her to leave me out of the plan,” he grumbled. “I would have stopped her.” He spun away, the blank wall a welcome haven from the looks on everyone’s faces. But years spent on battlefields had taught him a thing or two.

  “We’re moving up the timetable, is all.” Tyr spoke as if to himself. “And she’s faster than he is. Smarter, too. She’ll out maneuver him. She’ll be okay.” Turning back, he said, “Freyr, go see where we’re at. We need to be completely set up in twenty, minimum. That includes the charges, surveillance, and recon.” A mental tally came up short on manpower, but they’d have to make do.

  When Freyr didn’t move, Tyr roared, “What the hell is wrong with you? She’s buying us time, and we’re wasting it.”

  Sydney spoke quickly. “Tyr’s right. We can’t allow Hunter to get too far away. The faster we draw him back, the better. And I’ve got an idea for luring him to the prison.” Biting her lip, she glanced over at Ava. “But it’s risky, and it means Ava and I will have to get close.” When Mir started to protest, she stopped him with a shake of her head. “We don’t have the luxury of choices right now. None of us. We all do what’s necessary. Give Ava and me a couple of minutes, and then we’ll tell you if what I’m thinking is even possible.”

  Freyr cut in. “I’ll get us set up. I’m thinking the pickup should be parked at the east end?”

  Tyr dipped his head in agreement and added, “If I know Hunter, she’ll head back into the city once she’s sure she’s clear. It won’t take her long, so we need to be in position.”

  Freyr hesitated in the doorway. “Where should we position ourselves? If we knew which direction the Orobus was coming, it would help.”

  Tyr considered.

  North. Hunter was hardwired to head north. She would lure him away, then circle back around. And she was smart. She was clever and smart and she’d backtrack on the bastard. Make sure the creature couldn’t trace her scent, Tyr realized. The tight, constricting knot on his heart relaxed just enough that he could actually feel blood begin to flow.

  “North,” he told Freyr. “She’s heading north, and she’ll have him running in circles by now. She’ll maintain a tight perimeter and won’t put too much distance between herself and the circle.”

  “Good,” Freyr said as he left, “by the time we blow the truck, she shouldn’t have any problems making it back here in time.”

  The moment he was gone, Tyr turned to Sydney. Ava was already across the room, thrown in a chair, feet on the table. “All right ladies, you have one minute to convince me.”

  “Lady,” Ava said. “And I have no idea what the plan is.”

  “The Orobus showed…some interest in Ava, when they crossed paths a month ago.” Sydney gestured wildly, talking fast, “And Ava can control the darkness, right? So all she has to do is to bait the trap, per se, wrap her shadows around the prison, enough so the Orobus senses her. All I need is for him to get close.”

  “How close?” Mir asked, his voice gruff.

  “Maybe fifteen feet or so. And he’ll have to be inside the circle.”

  “Why inside?” Tyr asked.

  “Because we’ll be on the outside.”

  Mir made a low, grumbly sound.

  “I’ll create a chamber, of sorts. A magical cylinder, a circle of magic encompassing the large dolmen but with a roof and a bottom this time. There will be one tiny opening, and I need him near it.”

  “Fifteen feet?” Tyr queried, now curious.

  “Yes. I believe he’ll approach, just to check out Ava. He’s very interested in her, you see.”

  Ava shuddered visibly, her foot bobbing nervously as she pointed out, “I’ve noticed I don’t get a vote in this. Just so you know, I’m doing this under protest.”

  Sydney went on, her voice lilting with excitement, “I’ve seen what you can do with your shadows, Ava, and you won’t even have to be that close. Like…only thirty feet or so.” Sydney seemed satisfied that was plenty of room between Ava and an evil, primordial god.

  “For your information, that’s way too close,” Ava mumbled, her left foot joggling a mile a minute now.

  “Nonsense,” Sydney said, “we’ll all be right there, and once he’s within ten feet of you, start withdrawing. He’ll follow you to the dolmen, and then I’ll create a cylinder of magic. Then your part is finished.”

  “And then what?” Mir’s tone was sour.

  “I’m going to burn all the air out of the chamber. At such a high temperature….”

  “You know, this could actually work.” Mir sounded surprised.

  “Of course it will work, doofus,” Syd muttered. “I’ve been working on this theory for days and days. I have this all figured out.” She patted Ava’s hand. “You’ll be perfectly safe. I’ll be right beside you the entire time.”

  Tyr rubbed his temple in frustration. “Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, I am not a rocket scientist. What in the fuck are you two talking about?”

  “I’ll create a vacuum chamber inside the magical cylinder I form around the dolmen. In his current non-physical form, once he’s close enough, the force of the vacuum will pull him into the chamber. Then I’ll use my magic, casting the spell to contain him. Then Hunter will raze the entire circle to the ground.”

  Tyr had to admit, it sounded convincing. He hated Syd and Ava would be so close, but… Here was a solution to the one problem they’d never been able to solve. “How strong will this vacuum be?”

  “My fire burns at over a million degrees. Any hotter and everything would evaporate. I can only manage that for about a second. But that’ll be enough. Trust me, as long as he’s within fifteen feet of the opening, he’ll be pulled through in a flash.” She smiled. “It will look like he disapperated.” She looked between them. “Like in the book? You know… Never mind.”

  “What about everything else?” Tyr calculated. There would be nine of them there, and he wasn’t about to risk a single life. “What about us? How will we remain safe?”

  “My magic will protect us. I’ll be the closest because I’m casting the spell. Once he’s contained, we’ll evacuate to a safe distance, and Hunter can wipe everything thing out, all the way down to bare earth.” She paused for effect. “And good riddance.”

  As Syd watched him, holding her breath, Tyr wondered at the change in their fortunes. A couple of months ago, none of them even knew each other. Now here they were, immortal and mortal magic combining to save the world. Hopefully. Mir offered the shallowest of nods, and Tyr cleared his throat. “Okay. We go with your plan. For now.” He looked at Ava. “You good with this? Nobody will think any less of you if you back out. We’ll find another way to get him close to the dolmen.”

  “Naw,” she said, sliding her boots off the table. “I’ll go. I’m just not crazy about getting so close to something that feels like a barrel of evil, if y
ou get my drift?” She walked over to join them. “Besides, Morgane’s already on her way to the site. I can’t be the only one left behind, it’d make me look bad.”

  “Okay. Group effort, it is.”

  He was humming with an energy he hadn’t felt in a while. It felt electric. It felt dangerous. Other than the tingle of fear that, somehow, Hunter might have underestimated her opponent, he was anticipating this. They had a good plan. They had magic, luck, and timing on their side. No one could ask for better odds.

  By the time they reached the garage, Vali and Balder were gone, and Morgane was just leaving. “Great timing. You missed loading up the vehicles, but that’s cool.” When she spotted Ava, she grinned. “Hey sis, wanna ride shotgun? Loki and everyone already headed out, but you can ride with me.” Ava, Mir, and Celine loaded in and with a squeal of tires, they took off.

  Tyr grabbed one of the Hummers, swinging himself into the driver’s seat. Freyr hopped in the other side. “Everyone out?”

  “Yeah. Enough explosives in the truck to make a big hole, not enough to deplete our stores. Fen and Celine are already in position, far enough away the danger is minimal, and according to their first reports, the site is quiet.”

  Tyr felt anticipation amp up a notch higher.

  “This will work,” Freyr reassured him. “We all ran it through, and considering the options, it’s a solid plan. Worst-case scenario? Things go south and we bail. All we’ve expended are some munitions.”

  Tyr didn’t feel like reminding him today could go a whole lot worse than that, considering there was no time to organize. He liked guarantees. Not that there were any on the battlefield.

  “When do I tell Vali to hit the button?”

  Tyr romped the curb and cut across Lakeshore, heading for the museum campus. “We’ll be there in three minutes. Hunter might already be circling back.” He checked his TIG watch. “Give me a minute to park, and then another minute to get under cover. Then tell them to blow it.”