“Let’s hope no one figures that out.”
She hoped they didn’t. Vanth liked being home. She’d missed it. This was the first place she ever felt safe, and when she was with Rinnon, it was even better.
He was family.
The only father she ever knew.
“Will we be staying here?” she asked.
“When Gradius is dead, yes. Until then, I don’t know. I’m not sure what he’s going to do.”
She sat beside him. “You’re worried.”
“Yeah, I am.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“I’m trying to gauge our options. If I keep Jolie here for the next three months, she’ll have the babies, and they’ll be safe. Then I have to worry about Gradius taking shots at our family back home. He’ll use them to draw her out.”
“Yes, he will.”
“So, we’re not going to be staying here and hiding.”
She listened.
“This is a mess.”
“You’ll figure this out,” she reassured.
“How do you know?” Flynn asked
“Because Rinnon excels at things like this. He always has. Let him figure it out. He’s the father of our kind. He’s going to know how to put one of them down.”
Flynn thought about it.
He really hoped she was right. He knew this was all going to come down to one thing.
His ability to be the protector his family needed.
* * * H a r c o u r t e * * *
All the way there, he kept his face tucked into her neck. It wasn’t because he was avoiding the sun, which he was, but it was more because the scent of her skin and the kiss of her hair offered him so much calm.
Being beside Kiera was very cathartic.
He never wanted it to end.
“Are we nearly there?” she asked, playing with some of his hair. It ran through her fingers like silk and was mesmerizing.
“Yes. When my son told me the location, he said I wouldn’t miss it.”
They stopped at the base of a mountainous hill.
“Is that it? Up there?” she asked. “How do we even get to the top?”
Mordechai saw a utility road off to the side. At that moment, he wished he borrowed a better-suited vehicle.
“We’ll take it as far as we can, and then we’ll walk the rest of the way,” he offered.
That was fine with them.
They were so close to finding safety, that it was all that mattered.
“Will you be okay in the sun?” she asked, checking Alexzandre’s scars.
“Sunblock,” he said, holding it up. “Care to rub it on me?”
She didn’t hesitate.
“I’ll take care of you,” she promised.
For the first time in his life, Alexzandre didn’t doubt that a woman meant it, and would follow through.
She was just that kind of person.
And he was lucky as hell.
* * * H a r c o u r t e * * *
Monday
Late Afternoon
Flynn felt it the same time Vanth did.
As she appeared in his quarters, he was already shoving energy into Jacques and calling Jolie from death.
When they sat up at the same time, they knew something had to have been happening.
It wasn’t dusk, but he was waking them.
“What is it?” Jacques asked.
“We have company. Someone has accessed the road to the house.”
Jolie watched them.
They looked so serious that it couldn’t be good.
“We’re hidden in a mountain. I think we’re safe.”
Vanth chimed in, “Unless they have a spell.”
They all looked at her.
“Shit,” muttered Jacques, pulling on his clothes. That was one of their biggest issues. They enemy played dirty.
“I’m going out with Vanth. The sun is still out, and you two aren’t going to be able to defend yourselves like we can. Besides, we’ll slow them down.”
“In time for us to do what?” Jacques asked. “If you fail, we’re trapped in a pile of rocks.”
Flynn looked at him.
“A very nice pile of rocks.”
That amused him.
Flynn lifted Jolie’s chin. “In the grotto, there’s a tunnel. If you dive under and swim through, it will lead you to a set of tunnels. Head down them. They will get you out. Two people know about that exit—Vanth and myself. You can hide out until dusk and leave.”
Jolie touched his face. “I’m not leaving without you, Flynn. There’s no way in hell I’m leaving my husband behind to be hurt by Gradius. If he gets you, he’ll take you apart to get to me.”
He was aware.
It was a risk he would take. He couldn’t die.
He hoped…
Flynn closed his eyes, and when he opened them, Rinnon was surfacing. “We’ll be safe. We’re going to stop whoever is coming. You just keep yourself safe, and Jacques will do his job as guardian.”
His mate hugged him.
“Be safe,” he said.
Flynn grabbed an ornamental sword from above the fireplace. Then he grabbed a gun and tucked into the back of his jeans.
It was proof that both men were there inside his body. They were covering all their bases. Plus, they were ready to do battle, side by side.
“Keep your minds open. If it’s trouble, you’ll know.”
Jolie sat in the middle of the bed, the sheet clutched to her body.
“Rinnon!”
He glanced over at her.
“Yes, my love?”
“Be safe. I love you. Come back in one piece or I’ll be really angry.”
He blinked, Flynn returning. “And what? You’ll spank me?” he teased.
She blew him a kiss.
“I love you too, baby.”
Then he was gone.
“I’m worried.”
Jacques was too.
“Let’s get you dressed. If we have to leave, you need to be in clothes that will be protective in the sun.”
She let him lead her to the closet, but the entire time, she was thinking about her Flynn.
‘I’m here, my submissive little minx.’
It helped her relax.
‘If you come back safe, you can put me over your knee all you want, Flynn.’
There was laughter.
‘Deal.’
Jolie closed her eyes and hoped they’d be fine.
It was all she wanted.
Flynn and Vanth took their spots outside the mountain. They moved into defensive positions not far from where the road opened into the clearing. When the other car arrived, they’d see their vehicle, and hopefully, that would distract them.
As they heard the motor, Vanth touched his arm. “It’s the witch. I can smell her from here. She’s with two vampyres. One is Jacques’s father, and the other is Jolie’s brother.”
Flynn relaxed.
He sent a message to his mates to come outside. He didn’t give any other information. This would be a great surprise for both of them, and they’d be thrilled to see their family again.
“Let’s welcome them to our home.”
Vanth grinned. “Can I eat the witch?” she asked.
Flynn stared at her.
“Absolutely not.”
“You used to let me eat whoever I wanted, Father. I think I liked you better without Master Flynn. He’s no fun.”
He pointed at her as his eyes went blue. “Vanth, you may not eat the guests.”
She pouted.
“See? Spoil sport.”
Flynn laughed.
He was more than okay with that.
∞ Thirty Nine ∞
When she got outside, Jacques was practically on top of her. Truth be told, they expected to see carnage from Flynn killing the intruders.
Instead, they saw something completely different.
There, standing not far from Flynn were three visitors, and they were a we
lcome sight.
“Alex?” Jolie said, bracing her hand on her pregnant belly.
When he heard his name, he turned.
There stood his sister.
“Oh, Jolie!”
He moved toward her.
It was obvious that he’d been tortured. He was marred up, and he had a limp. As he nearly reached her, she raced at him.
He caught her in his arms.
“Jolie! I’ve missed you so much.”
She began sobbing.
Jacques saw his other mate move, and behind him was Mordechai.
He was shocked.
“Father?”
Mordechai began moving toward his son. At first, he wasn’t sure if he’d be welcomed there or not.
“Jacques.”
They embraced. There was so much love in that one moment that they could all feel it.
“Are you okay?”
Mordechai knew he needed to be a better father. He really thought he was going to lose his mate and his son. He had to let the anger go. This experience added a new perspective to how he’d been living his life.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for all the years that I was too hard to love, Jacques. I shouldn’t have been so cold.”
Jacques didn’t know what to say. “Are you really my father? Did they replace you with a look-alike?”
If he wasn’t so sad about the truth in that statement, he would have laughed.
“Please forgive me.”
“It’s okay, Father. I’m not angry.”
And he wasn’t.
For the last day, he really thought his father had been taken, killed, and nothing more than ashes.
“Where’s mother?”
Mordechai closed his eyes. “I don’t know. When I woke, the Tueur was in our home. I heard her screaming, and I couldn’t get to her. They took me to Gradius’s prison.”
Flynn headed their way.
“What the hell is going on?” Alexzandre said, as he brought Jolie closer.
She knew they needed to explain, but first.
“Kiera, are you okay?”
“I am, Jolie. It’s been a crazy couple of days. When you left, I was taken.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I’m not,” Alexzandre said. “She found us. Kiera is the reason we escaped.”
Jacques and Jolie hugged her.
“We should go inside,” Flynn offered. “I don’t like being out in the open.”
They agreed.
As they headed toward the side of the mountain, Mordechai was confused. “Where are we going exactly? Mountain climbing?”
Jacques grinned. “Wait until you see this.”
When Flynn approached, the wall wavered, and there was the entrance.
“Holy bloody hell! What is this place?”
“My lair.”
Jolie snorted. “This is Rinnon’s home.”
Mordechai and Alexzandre stared at each other. They were pretty sure they’d heard her wrong.
“Rinnon? As in the demon God?” Mordechai asked.
“Yes.”
“How did you get his home? He’s not real. I thought he was a story.”
Flynn said nothing as he led them inside. The place lit up, coming alive when he was there.
“Jesus,” muttered Alexzandre.
Kiera looked around. “This is amazing.”
Alexzandre took her hand in his. “It is.”
No one missed how they were holding hands, especially Jolie.
“I thought I picked up your scent on her when I hugged her,” Jolie stated.
“Kiera is my mate. She found and saved me.”
Jolie grinned. “I’m so happy for you.”
Alexzandre pulled her under his arm. He wasn’t giving her a chance to argue it. She was going to be his. All he had to do is find a way to make her stay.
“It’s shocking, but true.”
Jolie laughed.
“What?”
“That’s not shocking. In fact, it’s barely a blip on the radar. You never could do drama, Alex.”
“Oh, you can do better, dear sister?” he teased, yanking on her hair.
She grinned wickedly. “I can.”
“Go for it.”
Jolie pointed at her belly. “I’m giving birth to twins.”
“Surprising at your age, but not shocking, and I already knew that.”
She was setting him up.
“They’re the next Destroyers. That’s why the Tueur is after me. They need to stop their birth.”
He opened his mouth and then closed it. “Okay, that’s pretty shocking.”
He hadn’t seen anything yet.
“Oh, and Flynn…”
They all looked over.
“He’s Rinnon’s incarnate. He’s was human, then was changed into a vamp/human hybrid, and now he’s just a full-blown demon.”
They all heard the flutter of wings, his eyes went black at hearing his name, and his fangs filled his mouth.
It pulled the vampyre from all of them.
“Welcome to my home. I hope you have a wonderful stay. Don’t wander too far. This place has been known to make its guests go missing.”
Alexzandre stared. “Uh, okay, you win.”
She winked at her mates.
No one could beat that.
* * * H a r c o u r t e * * *
One Hour Later
After dropping the bomb, they all needed some time to regroup. Getting cleaned up and finding clean clothes was a priority.
As soon as they finished, they were going to meet downstairs in Rinnon’s family room.
As they entered, first Jolie and her mates, then Mordechai being led by Vanth, and then Alexzandre and Keira, they knew there was a lot to talk about.
They had things to sort out, mostly, about their next move. More importantly, they needed to find Jacques’s mother. If she was alive, they couldn’t let Gradius have her.
It wasn’t happening.
As they took their seats, Vanth handed out wine. She kept refilling Mordechai’s glass, even when he wasn’t done.
Somehow, no one believed she was playing good host.
Flynn pointed at her. “You can’t eat him either. That’s Jacques’s father, so stop trying to get him drunk.”
She sighed, snapped her fingers, and then disappeared.
“Sorry, but demons are wildcards,” he offered. “They like flesh, and they pretty much will do anything to get it.”
Jolie snorted.
“I’m still a little shocked,” Mordechai said. “You’re really…?”
He stopped him. “If you say his name, he comes to the surface. I can’t stop him all the time.”
He closed his mouth.
“How did all of this happen?”
Jolie told him. “I got pregnant. It sounds simple enough, but it set fate in motion. I didn’t know that it was going to end up like this.”
No one did, but then again, she didn’t mind.
As she held both mates’ hands, it still felt right.
“I have to find Gradius and kill him for Death,” Flynn offered. “I made a deal, and I have to get her his head.”
“That sounds dangerous,” Kiera offered.
It was, but what choice did he have?
“He wants to kill our children. Azriel and Angelique will be born. They’re not dying on my watch, and neither is Jolie.”
“How did they find us?” Jolie asked. “We were well hidden.”
Flynn had that feeling in his gut.
Maybe it was because he was a cop or maybe because he was a demon, but it was there.
He could smell someone familiar on Alexzandre.
It was bothering him, but he said nothing.
It wasn’t the time.
He’d figure it out later.
“Really, this whole Death thing is crazy,” Mordechai stated. “You actually have seen our Mistress? She’s real?”
They all started laughing.
“D
eath, I need you,” Flynn called, his eyes bleeding black. He’d noticed only Rinnon could call for her.
Her laughter was first, and then she appeared in all her wicked glory. Death liked an entrance. She was wearing head to toe red leather and eating an apple.
“You rang, Rinnon?”
All the vampyres in the room went very still.
“Holy hell,” muttered Mordechai.
Immediately, he had Death’s attention.
“Well, Mr. Degaul, it’s my pleasure,” she said strutting toward him. When she plopped down in his lap, he didn’t know what to do.
That amused her.
“I do exist.”
“I can…I can see that.”
“You needed me, Rinnon?”
“My guests weren’t sure you were real.”
Her laughter filled the room. “I’m very real. I’m so real, that I’m going to let you in on a little secret.”
“What?” he asked.
“That you still haven’t gotten me Gradius’s fucking head on a platter.”
She stood, and she was angry. “I’m not here for parlor games to be called at your whim. I’m very busy.”
Everyone gasped.
Flynn stood. His body seemed to get bigger. He was bulkier, and his clothing morphed into the things that Jolie had seen when he whisked her away.
He was ready for battle.
“You will come when I call. You will do as I ask. I’m not your slave, Death. You answered to me at one time, and that will be what happens again.”
She crossed her arms like a petulant child. “I was busy.”
He pointed at her and she dropped to her knees.
“Okay, you’re bitchy. If you’re done, I’ll go. Kill Gradius. I want the Tueur undone.”
She snapped her fingers, and she was gone.
When Flynn sat, they all stared at him.
“What?”
“You just manhandled Death.”
“Yeah, and?”
Did he not see how strong he was getting?
“It’s this place. I recharge here. Out there, I’m limited by my Flynn half. In here, she can’t mess with us.”
Dangerous Sacrifice (The Harcourte Vampyre Society Book 6) Page 46
