At the rate we were going, it would take hours to search the entire building, and that was only if everyone was moving at the same pace we were. It was already close to dawn. Any deadborns that Marcus had on his teams were going to fall victim the day sleep soon. We got to the second conference room on the floor and decided to go in together. I scented the entrance as best as I could and Gridlock released the door.
I felt a cache of fear and knew we’d found a large group. As soon as we were spotted, they rushed us. Some pleaded for us to get them out of the building. Others asked us what they could do. They were all loud, when I needed them quiet. I pressed a finger to my lips and screamed 'silent' as loud as I could, jabbing it into their minds.
I counted heads and sighed. There were twelve of them. Too many for Gridlock to lead back and keep quiet at the same time. I looked at Irulan. “I need you to help Gridlock get them down the hall as quietly as possible.”
She nodded and together we herded them to the door. Gridlock took point, and Irulan brought up the rear. We paired the four men with a female each and Irulan grabbed the hand of the woman that was the most shaken.
As they went back down the hall, I pushed on. I searched one room...completely empty, on to the next. As I moved closer to the last room on the hall, I felt the unmistakable rush of something 'Other'. I gathered a ball of black energy in the palm of my hand and inched my way to the door.
The foreign scent was all over the place. I moved to the override panel and began locking in numbers, but looked down at the door I saw that my efforts weren't needed. The stainless steel door was cracked. I raised my energy level another notch and pushed the door open with my toe. At first I saw nothing, but as the door slowly swung open, I saw someone sitting at a computer with their back to me.
I brought my hand up, poised to throw the ball of energy if needed, and stepped into the room. “My name is Valeria Trumaine. I’m a member of the security detail. I need you to slowly back away from the computer with both hands in the air."
The intruder laughed. It was a high pitch tingle that could only belong to a female. As she slid away from the desk, her silver hair swirled around her as she gathered magic. Fae Magic.
“You really do not want to do that,” I called out as I fed more power into my orb.
“I know exactly what I want to do.” Her voice sounded like a song, a malevolent symphony that tried to wrap itself around my mind and make me give myself to her.
I shook off the suggestion, and my world began moving in slow motion. She stood to face me at the same time Irulan called my name. When she lifted her head, I looked into her eyes, or her lack of eyes. Where her eyes should be there was nothing but blank sockets; hollow pools of nothing that seemed to go on forever.
I hurled the ball before those eyes pulled me into them, because I was scared if they did; I’d never be able to find myself again. The woman, if you could call her that, sidestepped the volley and laughed. Her laugh taunted me. 'You’re too slow', it said, 'you’ll never be able to hit me'.
Irulan yelled again, her voice getting closer as she came flying down the hallway toward me. I gathered another ball of black energy and hurled it. That was a mistake.
The Fae opened her mouth and began to scream. Wait-no. To say she screamed was a far cry from what actually happened. The wave of sound that came from her mouth was as different from a scream as I was to leeches. Whatever it was, it was enough to redirect my energy ball and send it flying toward my head.
Unluckily for me, I was now a moving target and my attention was divided between watching my opponent and trying to anticipate what she was going to do next; while I dodged my own attack. Which, it turns out, wasn't a problem. While the force of her wave sent my orb flying back at me, it also lifted me off my feet, knocking me backward through the air.
I slammed into a door behind me; it caved around my body, wrapping me in a steel shell. The Fae sneered as she took a step in my direction. Another blast had the potential to do serious damage, and she knew it. What she didn’t know was, I could funnel the power behind her blast and let the worst of it pass right over me.
As she inhaled and prepared to let loose another volley; I fought to open the funnel inside. The blast came before I was ready, but amazingly enough it never hit me. Irulan slid into place beside me, gliding across the slick surface on her knees, with both of her hands in front of her. Thank God for her shields. Thade’s furry body hunkered down in front of me, protecting me just in case anything got by Irulan.
Irulan screamed again, yelling for Gridlock, Tamerlane, and Ballistic not to engage the enemy, but they were already committed. The bears slid to a halt just outside the door and opened fire. Tam dropped to one knee between them and followed suit.
“Stop it, you idiots!” Irulan screamed. “You’re not a match for her. You're going to get yourself killed!”
They fired round after round. More than half of them made contact, but they didn’t faze her. She laughed like the bullets were nothing more than feathers tickling her skin. She was fucking with them.
She looked past them to gaze into my eyes, and nodded. Son of a bitch. In all the confusion, I was broadcasting my thoughts like network t.v.. She smirked, and I knew she was tired of the games. I fought with the twisted metal around me, but I couldn’t find purchase on my own. I wrapped my arms around Thade’s neck and let him drag me free.
Once I was able to move freely, I shoved Thade behind me and struggled to my knees, pouring my own energy into Irulan’s shield. I was just in time. She let loose another one of her killer, screams from hell.
The scream blasted all three men into the air, sending them barreling toward me and Irulan. If it wasn’t for the shield, they would have slammed into us. As it was, they bounced off of it and slid to the ground in a heap.
“What the fuck is that thing?” Ballistic huffed, as he dragged himself back toward us.
“Death," said Irulan before she powered her way to her feet, dragging me along with her. We moved forwards as one, pushing the shield ahead of us, refusing to let her gain any ground. “Don’t try to fight her, Val, just push her back.”
The creature hissed and pitched her body forward in a fluid, animalistic movement. “Stay out of this, Tuatha. This is none of your affair.”
“They’re my family,” Irulan responded her voice carrying the timbre of power that only a Fae could produce. “That makes it my affair.”
A door banged open at the far end of the hall, causing us all to turn toward the noise. The cavalry was here, finally. The woman gasped and turned toward the window, taking advantage of our momentary distraction. Whatever was coming through the door got her attention where we had failed. I turned and saw the last thing I would have expected. Two griffins came charging into the hallway and the creature let loose an ear-splitting scream.
The scream wasn’t directed toward us; but rather at the steel covered windows surrounding her. The waves of energy cut through the steel and glass, sending a bolt of sunlight flooding into the room and out into the hallway.
The half-lion, half-eagles slid past the door and into the room as Tamerlane and I scrambled away from the sunlight. Odds were the sun wasn’t high enough in the sky to hurt us, but we weren't taking any chances.
Whatever type of Fae the woman was, she wasn’t afraid by us in the least, but the griffins had her spooked. She leapt through the opening she created and escaped into the daylight. The charging creatures didn’t hesitate. Both jumped out of the window after her.
I don't know where they came from, but-Go Griffins! Although the entire order of events happened in the span of a few minutes, it felt like more. None of it seemed real. Aaaaand neither did the group of Manticores that came marching through the door behind Irulan’s cousin Fazion.
Chapter 13
Son of a bitch! Of all the people I expected to walk through that door, he was the last. The smarmy Fae strode down the hall as if he owned the place. When he reached us, he paused to smirk
at Tamerlane, Gridlock, and Ballistic as they pulled themselves up from the floor.
“You should have listened to the princess. She knows a sight more about the being you unsuccessfully tried to apprehend than you do.”
“What the hell are you doing here?” I all but screeched. I was tired of the Fae and their interference in my life.
Fazion ignored me and pointed toward the sun drenched opening. “There, Stryfe, go after her!”
The tall guard at his side motioned for two of the men behind him to do as their king ordered. They ran toward the gaping hole and jumped out, phasing mid-air, into the largest birds I had ever seen. Both were a mixture of crimson and fire and their tails, living flames that whipped around them as their wings carried them away. I stood in awe as I realized I was looking at Phoenixes.
“Sire, Malice and Discord will have to suffice, as I refuse to leave you without more of your guards.”
"Very well," Fazion nodded and turned his attention to Irulan. “Is there somewhere we can talk, cousin?”
“Hold the fuck up,” Tamerlane grunted and took a step toward Fazion. He barely moved an inch before the Manticores took action. They shifted, forming an impenetrable wall of armor-covered-muscle, in front of their monarch, refusing to let Tamerlane pass. My brother wasn’t impressed. “Who in the hell do you think you are? And what do you know about that thing that just tore a hole in the side of my building?” He roared at the top of his lungs.
Stryfe pulled a long sword from a sheath on his back and pointed it at my brother. “Watch your tongue when you talk to King Fazion, you filthy blood-sucking parasite.”
Tamerlane’s eyes faded to black, and he leapt at Stryfe with his clawed hands outstretched and aimed toward his neck. Irulan yelped and jumped out of the way, but Gridlock and Ballistic stopped him before he made contact. “Listen, Tam,” Gridlock huffed as he struggled to hold onto my brother. “These guys just ran off that psycho bitch that was handing us our asses. I don't know about you, but that makes them the good guys in my book.”
While they wrestled Tamerlane down the hall, I stepped forward and smiled at Stryfe. I pointed at him but directed my question to Fazion. “Do you mind?”
If he knew what I was about to do, he would have said no, but he didn’t, so Fazion nodded. I snapped my arm through the air, aiming my fist at the loud mouth's cheek. The moment I socked Stryfe and laid him out on his ass, he regretted his decision. Thade rushed to my side, dancing on his front paws in anticipation of a fight. I stood over the Manticore and offered him my hand.
“You’re crazy,” he hissed, but he took my hand and let me help him up. As he stood there holding his bruised chin, I cleared up a few things.
“My brother is no parasite. He's a prince of the Fomori, and entitled to the same level of respect that I am. Don't talk to him like that again.”
Fazion humped. “Are you children done so we can deal with the problem at hand?”
I rounded on Fazion, ready to deck him. Irulan rushed to grab my hand and prevent a total Sidhe political disaster. “I should have known you were involved when Irulan told me it was a Fae. This is your fault,” I hissed and turned to walk away. Fazion grabbed me by the arm and jerked me around to face him. Thade wedged himself between us, bared his teeth and issued a warning growl.
Irulan let of me and pulled Fazion's hands free. “I refuse to play referee! You two need to calm down.”
Fazion threw his hands in the air and huffed. “You think this is my doing. That's rich. Believe it or not I’m trying to clean up the mess that you two made, before it causes a full out war between the courts. And that’s the least of our problems.”
That got my attention, and my father's. He waltzed past me and held out his hand to Fazion. “My name is Hadrian Trumaine, I’m Valeria’s father. I am very pleased to make your acquaintance.” Daddy’s voice oozed with a special brand of charisma that only he was capable of. With just a few words, he had Fazion eating out of his hand.
Fazion shook my father’s hand and sighed, “Finally someone with some wits about them. Do you have somewhere we can talk?”
Father held up his hand and paused before putting it on Fazion’s back, “If I may, Your Highness?” Showoff.
Fazion smiled and let Daddy lead him to an empty office. As we filed inside, I stopped long enough to send Thade after Marcus. No need to let them finish searching the building when our hostile was long gone.
Tamerlane, Gridlock, and Ballistic, joined us, my brother having cooled off considerably. Fazion took a seat; and Daddy leaned against a desk while the rest of us stood. “Now,” Daddy began. “If you wouldn’t mind telling us what's going on.”
Fazion’s pompous demeanor wavered, and for a brief moment I felt the truth of his feelings. He was worried, more than he'd been since being freed from Tristan’s manipulations. He shook his head, and the ‘asshole’ mask slid back into place.
“I’ll tell you exactly what's going on. Your lovely daughter and my dear cousin have solidified the joining of the courts in more ways than one, and all hell has broken loose in the FaeLands.”
Irulan shook her head, “What are you talking about, Faze?”
“I’ll tell you what I’m talking about. You two come to the FaeLands flaunting your relationship before the courts and thought that just because FaeVar and I could accept it, everyone else would. Life doesn’t work that way.”
He stood up and grabbed Irulan by the shoulders. “I love you, and I’m eternally grateful for what your wife did for the Tuatha, but while I tolerate your union and make is so that no one in our court harms her, I cannot speak for the other Light Kings.”
“What about Uncle Kent? A decree from him would encompass all the Light Lands. Won't he speak for me?”
Fazion pulled Irulan into his arms and ran his hands down her hair. “I’m afraid Father refuses to act. He says you’ve made your bed now you must lie in it. Besides, the good king has more pressing matters to attend to at the moment.”
Irulan’s teeth clamped down on her bottom lip as she fought to control her emotions. I pulled her away from Fazion and into my arms. “Finish your story, Fazion,” I said softly, afraid of where it was going, but having no other choice, but to face it.
He sighed then he started again. “The remaining Light Courts sought allies within two of the Dark because of you, Valeria. You've brought them together in a way your union never could have accomplished.”
“What in the hell did I do besides get rid of Tristan for you?” I was tired of getting ragged on by these damn uptight Sidhe.
“Do you remember the guards you killed outside your grandfather’s castle?”
“Yeah, what about them? They attacked us first.”
“Like my Manticores, your grandfather’s Chimeras are the best warriors that each Dark Kingdom has to offer. When you killed them, their individual kings demanded justice for their deaths. FaeVar refused and ordered no one lift a hand against you.”
“They attacked us first,” I cried. “What the hell was I supposed to do?”
“It does not matter. In the eyes of their kings, they were within their rights as it is their duty to protect the High King.” He shook his head and cleared his throat before he pressed on. “The Dark Kings cannot act against you or they will face FaeVar and Mikilos. But once they learned of the Light Kings that weren't too thrilled with you either, correspondence began.”
Irulan turned and pulled away from me. She rushed to her cousin and dropped to her knees in front of him. “Please tell me they didn’t.”
“I can't, Ire, because they did.”
“Did what?” I yelled. “What in the hell is going on?”
“I thought it was just the Banshee,” Irulan mumbled. When she looked up at me, there was a wild look in her eyes that I’d never seen. Fazion took her hand in his, offering what little comfort he was capable of giving.
“The kings have come together and summoned the Harbinger under the guise of justice. In truth they
fear the power you give the Fomori. They want you and everyone in your family that bears Fomori blood, dead.”
My father’s cool attitude warmed considerably. “Over my dead body,” he hissed. “How do we kill that thing?”
Fazion slapped his hand against the armrest. “You’ve got to understand it before you can kill it. I’d suggest you get all your people in one area that’s easily defendable, because the Harbinger is not alone. She has an accomplice, and they will divide and conquer if all else fails.”
On cue, Daddy’s pocket began ringing. He pulled his cell out and his eyes widen in terror as he looked at the display. He jerked away from the desk and began pacing back and forth in the tight area as he listened to an animated voice on the other end.
Daddy’s panic brought Constantine and Valerian rushing into the room, both afraid for the unknown that was causing our father so much pain. When the call ended, Daddy yelled and smashed his phone into the ground.
“What’s wrong, Father?” Tamerlane asked with a note of fear in his voice. Tears fell from my father’s eyes, as he began ripping his jacket and shirt away from his body.
“Daddy, please, talk to me.” I rushed forward and wiped away tears. He didn’t even realize I was there.
Fazion swiped a hand down his face and when he spoke his voice was full of sorrow and compassion. “It’s begun,” he said and squeezed Irulan’s hand harder.
“What the fuck has begun,” Constantine yelled. He grabbed Daddy by the shoulders and shook him. “Father, damn it, what the hell is going on!”
Daddy shook his head and headed for the door. “I’ve got to go, son. I’ve got to go,” His voice a measured whisper that sent chills through me. He tried to push his way by us, but we rushed him together. Valerian jumped in front of him and forced him to look at him.
“Dad! Please, you’ve got to talk to talk to us.” Daddy looked down at the ground before taking a deep breath. His head shook back and forth as he told us what was wrong.
Black Moon Rising (DarkLife Saga) Page 11
