She sighed and looked down at the toddler, “I think I’m done.”
Dain grinned, “Horse!”
Emily smiled, “You wanna go ride?”
Dain nodded.
“Let’s go then,” she said, and picked him up by his ankles. She carried him down the stairs upside down as he giggled.
“Where are we going?” four of the Cavalry asked as they followed her. She jumped slightly and turned to them.
“Don’t sneak up on me!”
“Sorry,” the closest guard said.
“Dain and I are going out on horseback.”
“Great, we’ll go too.”
“Of course you will,” she said, and headed out to the stables. Emily smiled when she saw the lock was off of her stallion’s stall. She quickly saddled her horse and slid into the saddle and pulled Dain up with her. When she led him out of the stables, she saw Kyle waiting for her.
“Thought you and I would go out.”
“No entourage?”
“No entourage.”
Emily whistled for the dogs, and then kicked her horse into a canter out of the city, followed by Kyle. Once they were out on the hills, they sat back and watched the dogs play.
“The Council has a request,” Kyle said, and glanced at her.
Emily sighed, “Remember when you and I used to just hang out?”
“Yeah”
“No Council requests. No hidden agendas?”
“We still can.”
“No, we can’t. You’re like Chev now, too busy to just take a day off.”
“I’m sorry, Em. I think we get so wrapped up in the faction business that we forget about lives.”
“Take a vacation then.”
“Where would I go?” Kyle asked.
Emily thought for a moment, “We could go to Australia.”
“I guess we could.”
She shrugged, “What’s the Council want now… other than Fredrick?”
Kyle grinned, “You could really score me some Elder points if you’d tell me where he is.”
“He’s buried… how’s that?”
“Where?”
“What fun is that? Besides… I owe him a lot of pain and I’m going to get it.”
“Damn then, if he’s buried then that’s why we can’t sniff him out.”
She smiled, “I know.”
“But besides Frederick…”
She looked over at him, “What?”
“We want more information on your houseguest.”
“Like what?”
“More about his vampire hunting occupation. What he’s trying to accomplish, that sort of thing.”
She frowned, “Vampire hunting… would mean he’s out to kill vampires… What more do you need to know?”
“Just talk about it, please. See if you can find out more.”
“Seriously? What’s more to find out other than he’s trying to kill vampires?”
“Weapons… how much he knows that’s the truth…”
“Sure”
“Just no kissing,” Kyle said, and chuckled.
Emily glared at him, “He does not have a crush on me.”
“Oh, no he doesn’t… it’s way beyond a crush.”
“How would you even know? You’re stuck here.”
“I was on patrols last night around your house. I saw him.”
She frowned and looked over at him, “You were spying on us?”
“I wouldn’t call it spying.”
“Sounds like spying,” she said, irritated.
“Where is he, Em?”
“You know me better than that.”
“True, however, I keep hoping you’ll tell someone.”
“First rule of being a criminal, tell no one.” She held tightly to Dain and watched the dogs chase after a squirrel.
Kyle chuckled, “You’re considering yourself a criminal now?”
“If I were heku, would I be out here on horseback?”
“Well… no.”
“Then I am a criminal. One with extenuating circumstances that let me free.”
“Extenuating circumstances? You mean you sleep with the boss.”
Emily gasped and started to laugh, “Oh… you did not just say that.”
“You must be good at it. You get away with enough,” he said, and backed his horse up a bit.
Emily’s eyes grew wide, “Kyle!”
“Just saying…”
Her hand shot back into the saddlebag and she produced a paintball gun, and shot him in the shoulder as he turned his horse to run. She kicked her stallion into a gallop after him and was able to shoot him six more times before they got to the stables.
“Problems?” Mark asked when they rode up and he saw the paint on Kyle’s shirt.
“He accused me of sleeping with the boss!” Emily said, and handed Dain down to Mark.
“Erm… you don’t?” Mark asked.
Emily slid off of her horse, “Is it just you in here, Mark?”
“Yes”
“Good, I have questions for you and Kyle, then.”
Kyle shut the stall door behind his mare, and hung up the bridle, “Ok, ask away.”
She leaned up against the stable door, “Why is Dustin back on the Council?”
Kyle glanced at Mark before answering, “There’s a law that allows members of the Council to go above the Elder’s heads if they feel that the Elders are being swayed in a decision, or are too involved to make an unbiased decision.”
“So he’s free…”
Mark nodded, “Yes, technically he did nothing wrong.”
“So he can just do whatever he wants. Have me assaulted, take away my horse…”
“Pretty much,” Kyle said, and glanced around. “However, Chevalier is livid, and the other two Elders aren’t that happy about it. They are watching him closely and have already rewritten that law.”
Mark looked behind him and then whispered, “It’s those heku from Powan. They know the rule books inside and out and rarely do anything to break them.”
“What are his thoughts about me then?” Emily asked, and picked Dain up.
Kyle shrugged, “He doesn’t say.”
“It seems strange to me, that on a whim, the Elders can get rid of a council member… just say that he’s being weak. Yet they can’t get a grip on Fido.”
“It’s more complicated than just deciding that someone’s weak. They have to prove it.”
“I should put him with Frederick.”
“Emily!” Kyle gasped.
Mark shook his head, “Keep that to yourself, would you?”
She shrugged, “Well, not a lot of incentive to stay here when I have a house all to myself with no werewolves hanging around.”
“We’d prefer if you would stay here,” Kyle reminded her.
“Come to the house, Kyle. Turn off the phone… sit and watch a movie or something.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“Think about it,” she said, and started for the door. “Tell Chev I’m heading back, will you.”
“No, Mommy,” Dain said, and wrapped his arms around her, “I go too.”
“You can’t go, Baby. I’ll be back in the morning,” she said, and kissed his cheek.
“Come on, Screech,” Mark said, and took Dain from her.
“Stop it, Mark!”
He grinned, “Sorry.”
Kyle walked with Emily into the garage and raised his eyebrows when she walked past the Jeep and put on her helmet.
“You’re taking the motorcycle?”
“Yes, seems I’m going out tonight with Robert,” she said, and slid onto the seat.
“Be careful, Em.”
“The Council needs you,” Emily said, and grinned before starting up the Harley.
Kyle turned toward the door, “I didn’t hear them call.”
“Trust me,” she said, and drove out of the palace’s garage.
Kyle heard his name called just after she left, and he bl
urred into the council chambers.
Chevalier was grinning as he looked through a ledger.
“You called for me?” Kyle asked, and started for the Council stand.
“Revive Dustin, please,” Zohn chuckled.
***
“You’re really going out with me tonight?” Robert asked, shocked.
“Sure, you’ve invited me enough. It could be fun,” Emily said, and came down the stairs in her black leather pants and black leather vest. Robert’s eyes grew wide and she heard Silas hiss softly.
“No bodyguards?”
“No bodyguards.”
Robert smiled, “Let’s go then… I’ll go get the motorcycle.”
“Oh, I don’t ride bitch. I have my own.”
“You can ride it?”
Her eyes narrowed, “Yes.”
Robert grinned and headed outside.
Kralen put his hand on Emily’s arm, “Must you wear that?”
She frowned slightly, “Leather’s the safest if I wreck.”
“I can see your pulse through those pants,” he whispered angrily.
“It never seemed to bother you before.”
“That’s because you weren’t out with lover boy over there.”
“Chill,” she said, and pulled her arm out of his grasp.
“Nice bike,” Robert said as she pulled up alongside him in the driveway.
“Let’s go, my guards are watching us like I’m about to die,” she said, and glanced back at the door of the house before heading out into the night.
Robert grinned at Kralen in the window and followed her on his Yamaha TW200. They rode side-by-side for almost an hour before Robert motioned for Emily to pull over. She stopped at the side of the road and killed the engine.
“What’s up?” she asked, looking around.
“I want to go talk to that vampire,” he told her, and motioned across the street at a park. Emily saw the dark figure of someone standing in the trees.
She frowned, “How do you know that’s a vampire?”
“I just do, stay here,” he said, and started to walk across the street. Emily got off of her Harley and followed him, “I said stay.”
“I don’t take orders from you,” she reminded him. As they got closer, she recognized one of the city guards. He was in a black trench coat and looked over when they approached.
Emily started to get nervous, but then noticed he wasn’t paying any attention to her.
“You have no right to be in this city, and if I had my gear, you’d be dead,” Robert said to the tall heku.
Emily frowned, “He doesn’t look like a vampire to me.”
The heku glared at Robert, “I’m not.”
“I want to know where your cave is,” Robert said angrily.
“Cave?” the heku asked.
“Yes… where you and your vampire buddies live.”
Emily rolled her eyes and watched them.
“You’re starting to annoy me,” the heku said, and took a step towards Robert. He stood over a foot taller than the mortal, and outweighed him by almost 75 pounds of pure muscle.
“Let’s just go,” Emily said, and took Robert’s arm. “There’s no reason to harass this man.”
“I’m not going to let him push me around,” Robert said, and stood his ground.
Emily sighed and whispered as softly as she could, “Go.”
The heku glared once more at Robert and then disappeared.
“Where’d he go?” Robert asked, looking around.
“I have no idea,” Emily told him, and sat down at a picnic table. “Come, have a seat.”
Robert walked over and sat down, but kept scanning the trees.
“What’s up with that? That poor man was just standing there,” Emily asked.
“He’s a vampire.”
“How do you know?”
“I can just tell.”
She nodded slightly, “Ok, so… why kill him? He didn’t attack us.”
“I have to kill one to become one.”
Emily gasped, “What?”
Robert smiled, “I’m going to be a vampire.”
“That’s insane.”
“No, it’s not. They have it made, they live alone… they hunt, feed, rest, and get superhuman strength and speed. They answer to no one.”
Emily raised her eyebrows, “Oh?”
“Completely immune to all laws. That’s what I want.”
“And you have to kill one…”
“To become one, right,” Robert told her. “One perfectly placed stake in the heart or a cross to the chest and I’ll take their place among the undead.”
“You do realize how ridiculous that sounds.”
“Yes, I do, but I’m right.”
“You said a vampire killed someone you were guarding, though.”
“Right, and didn’t pay for it. That’s when it dawned on me that that’s the life I want to lead.”
“Without laws.”
“Right”
“So you can just kill whomever you want.”
“No, I don’t want to kill anyone.”
“Then why do it?”
“It’s the thrill of it,” Robert said, and smiled at her. “You could become one, too.”
“Not my thing,” she said, and looked into the dark trees.
“I could reconsider.”
Emily looked over at him and saw the way he was watching her, “I’m married.”
“41% of marriages fail.”
“Mine’s holding steady, I assure you.”
“You don’t know that. You’re too young to have been married for very long… plus… you married an older man. That has to up the divorce rate.”
Emily frowned, “I don’t want to talk about this.”
“Someone has to… The way he watches you, puts guards on you, it’s controlling and unnecessary.”
“He loves me and there are reasons for guards… I may not completely agree, but there are valid reasons.”
“Sure there are, he doesn’t trust you. Have you cheated on him?”
“No!” Emily yelled.
Robert grinned, “Just asking… looks to me like he treats you more like a daughter.”
“Yeah… well… sometimes he does, but most of the time, he treats me like a wife.”
“That’s what you get for marrying an old man.”
“He’s not old.”
“You’re… what… in your 20’s?”
Her eyes narrowed.
“I’d put him at 40, maybe 45… so he’s twice your age.”
“Doesn’t matter when you’re in love.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for the trophy wife but…”
“Hey! I am not a trophy wife.”
“Sure”
“Mark was right. You do have too many opinions about things you don’t know about.”
“So now let’s be honest with each other,” Robert said, ignoring her comment.
“About what?”
“12 years ago, you and your 4-year-old were captured by the V.E.S. when you were pregnant, yet I see no kids…”
Emily watched him closely.
“I know you worked for the V.E.S. later, and were even a person of interest in Bruce Isaac’s murder.”
“You seem to know a lot about me.”
“I came looking for you. That’s why I’m here.”
Emily tensed slightly, “What is it you want, then?”
“I want you to take me to the vampire’s lair.”
She grinned, “There’s no such thing as vampires.”
“You sticking by that?”
“Yes”
“So why work for the V.E.S.?”
“I needed a job. It’s amazing what you can fake when you’re broke.”
His eyes narrowed, “I suspect you haven’t been broke a day in your life. You have one huge house… nice cars… servants.”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but Chev and I were having a rough time
and I’d moved out.”
“That’s all bullshit, and I want you to tell me where the vampire’s lair is, now.”
Emily stood up, “This conversation is over.”
Robert jumped to his feet and grabbed her arm, “You’re not leaving until you tell me where that damned lair is.”
“Let me go.”
“No! This is the first time I’ve gotten you away from those bloody guards, and I want some answers.”
“You know what? Yes, I know where the vampire lair is, and I’m not going to tell you.”
His eyes grew wide, “You’re friends with them then?”
“You could say that.”
His hand tightened, “Take me to it.”
“No!” she yelled, and tried to pull away from him.
Robert spun her around and pulled her body close to his as he wrapped his arms around her, “You’re not getting away until you tell me.”
Emily’s eyes narrowed and she brought her knee up hard into his groin. He groaned and dropped to his knees, clutching his groin as he fell over. She turned quickly and ran to her motorcycle, then sped away, just as Robert got to his feet and headed for his.
She kept checking behind her as she quickly made her way toward Council City. She wasn’t even close to the turn off when her motorcycle started making a grinding noise and slowly died at the side of a dark street.
“No!” Emily hissed, and tried to start the engine. Nothing happened, and she looked around for anything to help. When she heard another motorcycle approaching, she left the Harley and ran off on foot.
“You can’t run from me!” she heard Robert yell from behind her. She weaved through the abandoned business section of town and silently called for help.
Miles away, Chevalier frowned and his body tensed, “Emily’s in trouble.”
Kyle looked up from the trial area, “What?”
“She just called for help.”
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know,” the Elder said, and disappeared from the council chambers, followed by Kyle and Dustin. Mark, Silas, and Kralen met them in the garage and took off in separate cars to find her.
Emily stopped running long enough to see if she recognized any of the buildings around her. She could still hear Robert far behind her, and when she figured out she was in a completely foreign part of town, she began to run again.
Eternity of Vengeance (Extended Edition) : Book 7 of the Heku Series Page 9
