“Absolutely,” Brenna replied. She waved Mira forward. “It would mean more coming from Mira, since she wants you dead.”
For a moment it seemed Claudius would argue. It would be a boon for him to taste Brenna’s blood and receive the subsequent power surge. But Claudius accepted Brenna’s terms.
“Agreed.” Claudius turned to Mira, the lust in his eyes was plain. It was an interesting turn in circumstance. “But only if Mira is willing.”
Mira stiffened. “Brenna, can’t someone else?”
Brenna shook her head. “No. It has to be you.” She squeezed the other woman’s hand. “But if you say no, we will find another way.”
A sigh of resignation slipped from Mira’s lips. “You owe me for this.” She cast a look at Gray. “You too.”
Claudius’s eyes widened as Mira allowed her coat to slide down her body to puddle on the floor.
“We’ll give you two privacy,” Brenna murmured, glancing at Gray.
Vampires mixed blood with sex. Gray had no desire to watch, so he followed Brenna back into the hall. Before they closed the door, Claudius had slipped his shirttails free of his pants.
Out of earshot, he turned to Brenna. “Well played.”
She smiled. “I couldn’t give him my blood.” She laughed. “He’s impossible enough as it is.”
“Hopefully Mira doesn’t kill him,” Gray said. “I’m surprised she agreed.”
“I’m not.” Brenna paused. “I’ve never understood her feelings about Claudius. But underneath that hatred, she desires him. This will give her a chance to explore those feelings.”
“Ah. Underneath your stern demeanor you’re a romantic.”
Brenna shrugged. “I used to be.”
“Mira and Claudius.” He considered. “That’s a potential disaster.”
“You never know.” Brenna smiled. “Stranger things have happened.”
Placing a hand on the small of her back, he urged her into the empty kitchen. “You’re still weak.”
She smirked. “I assume you’re taking me somewhere private to rectify the issue?” She moved over to the sink. “Didn’t we already have this conversation?”
“I thought the solution was more than satisfactory.”
Shaking her head, she poured herself a glass of water. “Should we lock ourselves in a bedroom? Let the rest of the world go to hell?”
“That’s one possibility. Besides, the demons are already here. It wouldn’t be much of a change. At least we’d enjoy ourselves.”
Choking on her water, Brenna quickly sat down her glass. “You don’t give up, do you?”
Gray sidled up next to her. “Why should I?” He took her glass from the sink and took a drink. “You need my help.” He set down the cup then took her chin in his hand. “And I need you.” He lowered his lips to hers. He sipped on her warmth, reveling in her sweet taste.
For several moments she remained still, pressed against his chest. Then she gently pushed him back. “I’m not going to deny I want you,” she said. “But we’re in the middle of a war now. There is no time for this.”
“But you want it?” He brushed his lips against hers.
“No. I want you.” Slowly, she dropped her arms, pulling away. “But it could only be physical. Nothing more.”
Gray smiled.
She could deny her feelings, but he knew the truth. He decided to change the subject. “Do you think this alliance with Claudius is wise? He is a loose cannon.”
Clearly relieved, she stepped back. “If he betrays us, I have his blood signature. I can track him to the ends of the Earth. Claudius isn’t stupid. And he needs his people back.”
“Or the rest may mutiny,” Gray finished.
“Exactly.”
“It may have been smarter to let him come to us for help.” Gray leaned back against the counter.
“His ego would never allow it.” Brenna sighed. “Vampires amaze me. They live hundreds of years, but life lessons tend to escape them.”
“Die rather than show weakness?” Gray grinned. “I know a few of our kind who live by that mantra as well.”
Shrugging, she walked away from him. “That doesn’t make it wise. Stupidity runs in every circle.” She took a long breath. “Claudius will be helpful. We just have to keep a close eye on him.”
Seraph stepped inside the kitchen, “Looks like you managed to rope him in. I can hear him and Mira fighting.” He looked back over his shoulder. “At least, I think it’s fighting.”
Gray snorted. “They are undergoing a blood oath.”
Seraph grinned. “Is that it? The yelling is vibrating the walls.”
Brenna laughed, handing him a soft drink from the pantry. “It keeps life interesting.”
Seraph settled into one of the old wooden chairs. “We need to talk about the tunnels running under this place. How long has it been since they’ve been cleared?”
Brenna wondered where he was going with this. “They get checked every spring. I keep it open as an escape route.”
“Good,” Seraph replied, leaning back in his chair. “The demons know we are here. It’s only a matter of time until they attack. The tunnels could be our only way out.” He paused. “Do you have a map?”
“No. But they end in an abandoned field inside one of the craters, near interstate seventy.” Brenna crossed her arms. “So do you have any idea who our mole is? Tell me it’s not one of the men I healed.”
“I have no idea.” Seraph blew out a long breath. “But they’re just soldiers. Common sense says it is someone high enough up to have full access, but that’s impossible.”
“Why?” Gray asked.
“The only higher ups who aren’t dead are seated at this table.” Seraph looked at them pointedly.
Gray ignored Brenna’s fixed stare. How could she possibly still think it could be him? “I am trustworthy. As hard as that may be to believe.”
“It’s not either of you,” Seraph said.
“Possession of a staff member?” Brenna considered, then shook her head. “The alarms would catch that. Shape shifter? But there aren’t many of those.”
“Anyone that can go spectral, but that’s an even shorter list.”
“Debating this is pointless.” Seraph pounded the table with his fist. “We don’t have enough information.” He pushed away from the table. “I need to check on my men.” He paused at the door. “Tell Claudius he needs to move in here with some of his people. The people he lost disappeared from inside the compound. It’s been compromised, just like our headquarters. We’ll move locations soon, but for now this is the safest place.”
“That’ll go over well,” Gray muttered.
Seraph turned. “I don’t care how it goes over. Make it happen.” He left the room, the door slamming in his wake.
“Aye, Aye, Sir.” Gray rolled his eyes at Seraph’s retreating back. “I miss the days when he wasn’t so cocky.”
“Then you’ve known him longer than I have.” Brenna gave him a quizzical look. “The two of you seem to have an unusual relationship. How long have you known him?”
Gray paused. “I doubt I’ve known him as long as you have.” What she would say if he admitted he had known Seraph since birth?
“I’ve always wondered what Seraph is, you know, under the glamour. But he always shuts me down. A lot like you.” Her eyes narrowed.
Gray laughed, praying it didn’t sound nervous. “Seraph and I are in cahoots. We’re behind this demon invasion. All part of our evil scheme.”
Brenna chuckled. “Okay, I may be a little paranoid.”
“Just a little?”
She smirked and got up. “Let’s go check the tunnels. Seraph’s right. It’s only a matter of time before they come here.”
Gray followed her to the door. As she was about to leave, he pulled her against him. “So what are you the most afraid of? Me or the demons?”
Her body stiffened, but she didn’t try to pull away. “I’m working with you, aren’t I? Ob
viously you are the lesser threat.” Gray loosened his hold and she pulled free. He watched her disappear through the doorway.
“You’re wrong,” he said once she was out of earshot.
Chapter Thirteen
There were too many people in the house. It was making Brenna claustrophobic. Seraph had moved in what remained of the IRT hunters and staff as well as a contingent of Claudius’ vampires. The result was standing room only. It was unbearable.
If the demons were smart, they would bomb the house. Their greatest threat at the moment would be gone in one fell swoop. Thankfully, demons weren’t all that bright. They trusted in brute strength and power hungry individuals to make any headway outside their own realm.
Brenna pushed through the mass of bodies stationed in the living room into the dining room, which was less crowded. The trapdoor to the tunnels was hidden under a ragged red and blue circular rug beneath an arm chair in the far corner. The tunnels were dark, quiet and hopefully empty.
Using her foot to shove away the frayed rug, she opened the entrance, kicking up a cloud of dust. She sneezed as she placed a foot on the first rung of the ladder and pulled the door closed.
It was pitch black as she descended into the caverns. They were similar to the ones that led to headquarters, but these had no rounded edges. Sconces filled with mismatched candles and torches decorated the earthen walls. The tunnels went on for about ten miles. Short enough they could be traveled while carrying the injured.
Although the passages had been cleared regularly, she wouldn’t be surprised to find some rodents still living inside them. She lit one of the sconces then lifted it from the wall. The torch cast grim shadows across the earthen floors, making her miss the Christmas lights strewn across the tunnels beneath headquarters.
“Trying to escape?” She froze at the sound of Gray’s voice. “Seraph showed me the entrance.”
“I needed a moment to myself.” She stepped aside, allowing him to pass her in the narrow corridor. It was cold down here, though not as bad as outside on the surface.
“We could be attacked at any moment. We should stay within sight of one another.” With a flick of his fingers, he lit another sconce. “Besides, this will go faster if we do it together.”
Grunting, she pushed past him. “There isn’t much to do. These tunnels,” she waved her hands at three openings, “all lead to an open chamber. I want to make sure we can all fit if we need to stay there a few days, if necessary.” She then looked down the opposite direction. “That way leads to the highway. We can check that next.”
“Are there supplies in the chamber?”
“Enough for five people for a month.” She sighed. “We’d go through them in a day.”
“We can restock.” The tunnel now widened into a large room. There was a fire pit in its center. Wool mats and sleeping bags littered the floor. “This will work.” He walked over to the fire pit. “There’s enough lumber in here to last at least three days, maybe more.”
She watched as he took inventory. His presence unnerved her. Having him here made her jumpy, on edge. He circled the room, stopping at the far side and pushing at the dirt with his boot.
“Look.” He moved the dirt with his foot uncovering a metal object. It glowed in the torchlight. “It’s a ceremonial blade.” Kneeling down, he brushed the soil away.
She knelt beside him. “It’s not mine, but it might be Marissa’s. Sometimes she’d use this place for spell casting or to meet with her coven. It was the only way she could get privacy. ”
“It’s been used.” Gray lifted the dagger and held it to the light. “There is blood on the blade.” He sniffed. “Demon.” He brushed a hand across the dirt to reveal deep grooves in the packed earth beneath. It had been hastily covered up.
Brenna helped uncover the rest of the circle. A familiar symbol was carved in the center. “That’s Marissa’s symbol. It looks weird, I know, but it was her thing.” She sighed. The pieces began to fall together. “She wouldn’t have left anything here intentionally.”
“This may have been where she was taken.” Gray walked the curve of the circle, looking at it from every angle. “Explains the blood on the dagger.”
“We need to show Seraph. If the demons attack, we can hole up here until we clear the tunnels that lead out. But if Marissa was taken from here, even this place might not be safe.”
He started for the ladder, Brenna following. “How many people know about these tunnels?”
Brenna made a mental list. “Anyone who has ever lived in the house. These tunnels were used to train hunters when I first started. But that was years ago. Most of those hunters are long gone, though.”
Seraph was waiting for them by the fireplace when they returned. They showed him what they had found. As he examined the object, she caught him up to speed.
“Someone watching you closely could have found out about the tunnels.” Gray rubbed his hands together by the warmth of the fire. “Of course that wouldn’t give them access through the wards.”
“No, it wouldn’t,” Seraph said. He set the knife down. “It’s time we made our move. We need to rescue Claudius’s people and learn what we can from them.”
“When do we leave?” Brenna asked. The fire was too hot for her. She brushed away a bead of sweat. “If we delay the demons will just come to our doorstep.”
“It’s too late to worry about that.” Seraph fixed his gaze on the window beside him. “I believe an attack may be imminent.”
He tackled Brenna and Gray to the floor as the window exploded into shards.
“A day to recuperate would have been nice,” Gray muttered. He threw open the parlor door with a wave of his hand and dove through.
Smoke billowed through the hallway. Sam appeared, a naked blade clenched in his hand. “We have to get out of the house and attack. There’s at least four surrounding us, all they have to do is set fire to the house and we’re toast.”
Gray grabbed Sam’s shoulder, stalling him. “Where are the others?”
“Mira went to get the human host. I told her to round up the wounded and get them to the tunnels.” Sam glanced at Brenna. “Were they cleaned out?”
“It’s good enough for now. There’s a central room we can stay in. The tunnels can be cleaned as we go.” With a flip of her hand, her blade flew past him through the window. A shrill scream rent the room as a shadowy form retreated. With a yank, she summoned the blade back to her hand. She looked for Seraph only to find he had disappeared and turned back to Gray. “Let’s go. If we take them out, the others will have a chance.”
She ducked as a fireball flew through the hall and out the back window, praying Seraph had rallied his men’s defense. Pushing through the walls of bodies, she made her way out onto the front porch. Someone had gone outside and taken the attack to the demons.
Seraph.
Gold and scarlet sparks danced in the air as Seraph and three of his men fought four creatures spinning around them in the darkness.
These demons were free of their human hosts, towering over seven feet and twice as wide as a human. Talons sprang from the tips of their fingers.
Each creature was so powerful one strike from their weapon would kill a lesser hunter, but the men were holding their own.
She cursed herself for hesitating and joined the battle. Gray rushed to Seraph’s side, katana in hand. He weakened the demon closest to them with a power-stripping spell as Seraph struck with his sword, leaving its head nearly severed. Brenna banished what was left beyond the Veil before it could heal.
Three left.
Mira and two hunters dispatched another of the demons. Sam and some of Claudius’s vampires took down a third. Brenna quickly banished their remains. As she finished, she found the last demon racing toward her, an evil blade clutched in its gnarled hand.
“He will find you,” it growled, raising the weapon as it barreled toward her. Pulling power from her core, focusing the rage she’d kept suppressed for so long, she gathe
red a massive fireball and hurled it at the creature, knocking it onto its back. Seraph lunged forward, his sword peeling through the layers of fire to finish it off.
Brenna bent over, taking several deep breaths. The urge to kill still raged in her veins. She turned to Seraph. “How are the demons out of the hosts?”
“I don’t know. We saw the same thing at headquarters. We could barely handle four; imagine if a larger group attacked. We can find answers once we are in a secure location. Right now we have to move.” Seraph motioned them to the shed behind the house. “Before I came outside, I told Lucy to take command of those in the tunnels; Mira, Hilda and Sam will go with us.”
“And Claudius?” Brenna asked.
“Claudius will go with the others.”
“Seems a bit uneven.” Gray moved behind Brenna. He placed his hands on her shoulders, rubbing at the knots.
“It’s necessary. He needs to be there to control his people. We’ll meet up soon enough. I want us to be closer to an entrance point in the Veil.” He had them follow him to the vehicle that was precariously parked atop several broken concrete slabs, somehow undamaged in the fight. “I’m driving.”
Mira was already waiting in the passenger seat, so Brenna slid into the back. Gray pressed hard against her side. They were both exhausted. His need for blood and rest resonated in her psyche and amplified her own. It didn’t help that breathing room was scarce once Sam smashed in beside them. Right now she wouldn’t mind being ethereal like Hilda.
Silent, they sped through the night. The shell of old Denver flew past as they traveled along what was once interstate seventy. Soon it was nothing but a curvy dirt and gravel road that ran up the side of what was left of the Rocky Mountains. Much of what was left of the majestic range had crumpled into craters of ice and snow.
They drove past the resort towns of the old world until they reached what had once been the city of Breckinridge. Pulling off the main road, Seraph drove them through the abandoned ski village until they came to a clearing filled with aspen. A narrow path lay between two sets of trees. Trees scraped against the sides of the SUV as they continued forward until they stopped in front of an old rickety cabin.
Shadows of Fate (Shadow Born) Page 16
