They gave me a room with no windows, obviously meant for a vamp to sleep in during the day. I felt dawn coming on as I prepared to sleep. This time I let the sleep take me under as I had not slept during the day much lately.
I woke up refreshed about three in the afternoon and got up, shedding a few more pieces of silver as I rose. I could tell there was no more in my body at this point. I made my way to the kitchen. I smelled coffee.
The doctor and nurse turned out to be Molly and Phil, the mom and dad of the farm. They were in the kitchen drinking coffee. He told me they had managed to get all of the silver out that they could find and were continuing the transfusions and Ann Le seemed to be doing better. They had just finished a few minutes before I got up. The window in the kitchen had the shades pulled back and the blinds up and I sat down in a ray of sunshine coming through. It felt wonderful.
“I need a vehicle and some clothes to wear,” I said, looking at Molly, sitting across the table from me.
“We have some of Ann Le’s people on the way,” she replied. “They’re bringing some of her clothes and it looks like you two are close to the same size. I expect they can also take you wherever you need to go.”
Ann Le’s phone rang as she finished speaking and I answered, thinking it might be Mom calling to let me know when she was arriving. It turned out to be Jill, using Mom’s phone.
“I just joined your mom on her plane in Winston,” she told me. “We should be arriving at Seatac about nine PM your time. Have you found out where they are keeping Jade, yet?”
“Not yet,” I replied. “We have a bond, a blood bond and I can feel her a good ways to the south. I hope I will know where she is by the time you arrive.”
“I’ve been talking to Rose,” Jill said. “We have a pretty good basis of a plan. It might depend on what kind of numbers we are facing, but the concept is a good one. As soon as you know, call me back on this phone.”
“I knew you’d have a plan and I hoped you would be coming,” I replied, choking up a bit.
“We’re a team,” she said. “We will get her back.”
“Got to go,” I replied as I heard vehicles pulling up outside. Ann Le’s security had arrived.
It would be human servants and maybe a few of her shifter security, I knew. It was still daylight and some of her vamps would be coming after sunset.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: PLAN ON IT
BLACK LEATHER PANTS, TOO tight. A T-shirt with a chain mail vest and black leather jacket. Steel reinforced boots with a dagger in a built-in sheath on both sides. Two more daggers inside each side of the jacket. These were Ann Le’s everyday clothes, I was told.
My driver was called Purr. She was, she said proudly, a werecat—a Mountain Lion. Werecats were rare. Like most cats they thought they were better than other animals. I would have to say she was sure slinky.
As we drove, heading south on the highway she was non-stop talk, catching me me up on the news, telling me about herself and her local pack. She had not yet bonded and she said she had to beat off the local wolves with a stick. I didn’t doubt it in the least. Even I could sense the sensual nature of her beast.
She caught me up on all the news on Jane and Jade as we drove south. We were now considered heroes, apparently. It was quite incredible the number of people that managed to take cell phone pictures and videos of the troll chase and battle on the bridge. One local station managed to piece it together from various shots for a blow by blow video and photo montage of the action. There were huge holes where the troll had been and huge footprints where he chased us up the stairs leading away from under the bridge. There were some girders at the end of the bridge that the troll shoved through, now twisted and bent all out of shape. Pictures of crushed cars, broken streetlamps, busted lampposts and broken store windows dominated the video. Three people were killed and several dozen injured along the route, and I was amazed it wasn’t more. They had some interviews with our biker gang. They were lauded as heroes as well, and pictures and videos of them driving their bikes between the troll’s legs and then trying to trip him up were played over and over. They told the news people we were on a mission from God. They had managed to track down Caryn and her daughter and played interviews with them and the folks at the diner as they told the news how we thwarted a robbery. Caryn also told them we were on a mission from God. She said most now believed it was true.
Back in Winston, more news was uncovered about the extent of corruption and crime involving the mayor and police chief. Several murders they had committed were confirmed and the vamp murders were also traced back to them. All of a sudden, the authorities were not so much interested in our arrest. They simply wanted us to come in and make a statement. It was the power of public opinion and Jill’s work as well, I was certain. Things were looking up for us in that regard.
The latest news had some underwater pictures of the troll and there was much debate going on as to whether they should leave it there, drag it out somehow, or set charges to blow it up into many little pieces. I was thinking the latter was the best option but some environmental groups were also in on the debate. If they brought that troll back up out of the water, I was planning to be far away.
We drove for several hours, and I sensed we were getting closer but still not even half way to Jade’s location, still far south of us by my estimate. I pulled up some maps on Ann Le’s phone and got a feel for things. My guess was probably in the San Jose area, still many hours’ drive ahead of us but it felt right. I called Jill and told her to divert their route to that area. They were still in the air and she said she would get Rose to make the change. They would be there before me at this rate.
We stopped for gas and Purr got some quick snacks before getting back on the road, still heading south and eventually passing from Oregon into California. Mom called and said they had arrived and were getting a room in San Jose. They were waiting on me.
It had gotten dark a few hours after we left and I had a bottle of blood and took a short nap, sleeping longer than I planned but waking up with a jerk as I could tell we were getting close.
It turned out to be in the downtown area of San Jose, a four story office building in the middle of town surrounded by other office buildings and high rise condos. I had Purr drive by a few times just to get a feel for it. There were literally hundreds in the building, shifters and vamps. Jade was on the third floor. The top floor and the first two floors contained a small army from what I could sense. There were not many on the third floor where Jade was located. I didn’t see a way to get to her without going through that small army. Jill said they had a plan in place, so I called and gave her the address. The hotel was only a few miles away and I told her I would be there soon. It would be daylight shortly and I wanted to see Mom before she had to sleep. I wondered what Jill’s plan was.
The bond between mother and daughter is a strong one and when the bond has been strengthened by blood it was painful for me to reject it. As we hugged, I finally let go of that which had separated us for so long and her thoughts and mine merged in our love for each other. We were crying as I turned and gave Jill a big hug as well.
“We’ve initiated our plan,” Mom said. “I will have to let Jill explain as the sun has just risen and I must sleep. I hope I won’t be needed before nightfall.”
After she went to bed, we took a cab to a spot a few blocks away from Andre’s location so I could show Jill what we faced. Purr had headed back up the coast to Ann Le’s safe house, saying she would catch up on her sleep when she got back. There was a little coffee shop with a view of the building just a block away and we sat outside where they had a few tables up in a little patio area.
“Rose was able to identify some of Clive’s underworld contacts and what we have done is to allow one of those contacts to come into the information on Jade’s location,” Jill said. “Depending on how far away he is, our bet is that he will show up to “negotiate” with Andre for possession of Jade. My guess is that he will attempt to
make Andre an offer he can’t refuse and Andre will, of course, refuse. Based on my analysis of Clive’s actions in the past, he will then arrange an attack with a force that he feels will be sufficient to grab her from Andre.”
“Where do we come in?” I asked.
“Do you see that building across the street from Andre’s?”
I took a look. It appeared to be an upper class residential complex, suites and condos most likely. It was two stories higher than the building where Jade was being kept, separated by a two lane street with sidewalks on either side. There was a doorman at the front doors and an underground parking lot just barely in view.
“I have heard that some vampires can jump far and also slow their fall in some manner,” she continued. “Do you and Rose have this ability? Is that a jump you can make and one you can make without breaking your legs from the fall? If not we can possibly shoot some type of anchor to that roof and rope across.”
Mom could do it easily, I thought, looking at it and estimating the distance. With any type of running start she would have no problem making it or slowing her fall. For me slowing a fall was one of the first abilities I had fun with after I was turned, jumping from heights even more than that and driving Mom crazy as I experimented and played with it. In the past, I would have had my doubts I could jump that far but I had gained much in my exchange of blood with Jade and I was quite certain I could do it.
“Yes,” I replied. “We can do it.”
“Good,” Jill said. “I believe I can make a throw with a length of rope with something weighted on the end. You can tie it down and I can follow. I will use a glamour to prevent us from being seen, the worry might be the impact you make on the roof when you make the jump. From what you said, the top floor is full of vamps and shifters. I can’t sense them as you can but I can sense Jade’s magic. It is muted and most likely she is restrained with magical bindings of some type. There is also a powerful ward surrounding her magic. My guess it is a constant spell the witch triad is maintaining to prevent her from shifting. I also sense the witches. They make a powerful triad, one that would be a serious problem for even a high court Fae.”
She paused, sipping her coffee, then smiling. “They have not counted on the Winter Queen to come calling, however.”
“I am betting they put Clive off until nightfall, as it is doubtful that Andre has acquired Jade’s day-walking abilities in such a short time,” I said. “If Clive’s attack comes from above as well, we wait and follow them in. If it’s from below we do it at the point they attack, when the confusion is at its highest point. My bet is that many of those on the top floor will be going downstairs to join the fight.”
“Yes,” Jill said, laughing. “You are starting to think like me. You haven’t been drinking my blood on the side, have you?”
I smiled. I was certainly learning from Jill. It was a good plan, maybe the best possible with just us three.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: JEWEL IN THE ROUGH
THE COFFEE SHOP WAS busy and the tables in the little patio area were filling up. One waitress handled the patio area and I was already on my third cup of coffee. I was not yet craving blood and I had a feeling the coffee was helping in that regard. We were dressed in casual clothes. I had shed the leather outfit I had borrowed from Ann Le and Jill had supplied me with jeans, a T-shirt, and tennis shoes. We both had sunglasses and ball caps on and Jill’s white hair really stood out. She had not bothered with a glamour. My hair had started to grow back and the red hair had pretty much taken over again. Jill told me not to worry too much about being recognized. Our change in status with the cops meant I might be questioned but not arrested on sight. I still had my charmed necklace Catherine gave me in Germany that hid my vamp nature from other supes. Jill said there might be some shifters coming over from Andre’s building and sensing a vamp in daylight would definitely alert them that I had found their location.
We both sat on the same side of the table so we could keep an eye on Andre’s building as well as our target approach building. We planned on splitting up a little later, one remaining to watch as the other went back to rest for a few hours at the hotel. We would go in shifts from that point.
We noticed a couple of food deliveries to Andre’s building. It looked as if his security was not going out and about at all this morning, probably being under orders to maintain a large presence inside. As the food deliveries pulled up, a few shifters would come out and grab the deliveries, not letting them inside.
Jill perked up as a young teenage couple approached from our target building. We could tell they were a couple as they managed to rub shoulders a few times crossing the street. Jill whispered that they were a pair of young witches. As they entered the patio area, the girl looked over at Jill curiously. We had a couple of seats available and they plopped down across from us.
“Mind if we join you?” the girl asked.
I could tell she was the leader of this couple. The young man was still looking at Jill. She was obviously Fae, pure blooded, her snow white hair coming out from beneath the baseball cap failing to completely hide her pointed ears and regal features.
“Certainly,” Jill said. “We could use some company.”
“I’m Jewel,” she replied. “This is my friend Ben. We don’t see too many Fae around here. Your magic is like a bright light, it’s really incredible.”
Nothing shy about this girl, I thought, looking at Jill to see how she would respond.
“Nice to meet you both,” she replied. “I’m Jill, but you probably know me as the Winter Queen. This is my friend, London Jane. You probably know her as the day-walking vamp that has been in the news lately.”
I gave Jill a quick glance as we exchanged handshakes across the table.
“Oh wow, this is too cool,” Jewel said. “Something told me to bring my yearbook with me this morning. Now I know why.”
Ben had his hand to his forehead. I could tell he was a little embarrassed. “She gets an autograph from just about anyone, she thinks is anyone interesting,” he said. “This is our last year of regular school. They’re shipping us off to witch school in the fall.”
Parents or mentors train witches when they are young. When they get to High School they start their formal witch training. That would mean these kids were probably only around fifteen or sixteen years old.
“I have the perfect spot for you guys.” Jewel said, opening her yearbook up and flipping through it. I could tell each page had quite a few autographs. It was obvious this was something she was really into.
She stopped on the page labeled supe city club, and turned it around so we could sign.
“Happy to do that,” Jill said, smiling. She signed Jill with the Winter Queen written right under her name and the royal seal of the Winter Court magically appeared below that.
“Showoff,” I said. I signed as London Jane and wrote day-walking vamp under my name. I could tell Jewel was pleased.
“To think I had to drag Ben out of his apartment this morning,” she said.
Our waitress arrived to take their orders and refill our coffee. They both ordered juice and several pastries and Jill also ordered a pastry.
After the waitress left to complete the orders Jill asked them if they knew how to access the roof in their building.
“I’m on the top floor,” Ben said. “There is a service door at the end of the stairwell. They keep it locked but it’s pretty easy to magic it open. We have been up there a couple of times at night. Just messing around, nothing bad,” he added.
“Yeah, great view of the city and the stars,” Jewel added, punching Ben lightly on the arm.
“What can you tell me about the building across the street?” Jill asked, nodding towards Andre’s place.
“Lots of supes,” Jewel said. “Yesterday even more arrived. I don’t know how that many can even fit in there. Vamps and shifters, mostly. Dad won’t let us go walking by ourselves at night since they bought that place a few months ago. He’s complained but t
here is nothing they can do about it.”
“My folks will probably move soon,” Ben said. “Close to where we are going to school. We’ve been trying to convince her parents to do the same and it looks like with these people being there, they might try and find some new jobs. We are heading to magic school in Nevada.”
“There are some witches there as well,” Jewel said. “I can sense them. Their magic is not the good kind, it’s dark. Very bad mojo coming from over there.”
“Yes,” Jill said. “We may do something about that soon. Make sure you stay inside tonight and don’t get out on the streets at all.”
“Is your friend Jade in there?” Jewel asked me.
“Yes, but not for long,” I said.
Jill called just after sunset and I heard Mom up and about already. We had traded shifts and both of us had a brief nap. Clive had arrived.
When we got there, Clive had already entered the building. There was a car parked near the front entrance with just a driver inside. Jill said Clive entered by himself. I didn’t think it would take too long for him to realize Andre was not going to give up his prize and I doubted Clive would be willing to compromise.
Jill said she would provide us a glamour that would make us virtually invisible to those inside but she could not mask our scent or our sounds so we would not be able to hide our presence from the shifters. She doubted the vamps would be able to sense our heartbeats over the many others in the building so we would have even more of an advantage over the vamps. The same glamour would enable us to enter the building across the street without being detected and to make the leap across to Andre’s building without being seen. Jill felt pretty confident the rope she would use to make the crossing between buildings would not be seen. It was a cloudy night, with rain in the forecast and it was getting darker already.
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