Pamela dropped her arms and sagged. Liam caught her and stepped into the Jeep, her slight weight nothing in his arms.
“Okay, let’s go.”
Milly didn’t hesitate, put the Jeep in gear and hit the gas pedal. Frank said nothing as they drove down the dark road, the raging fire behind them lighting the night sky.
Chapter 13
Faris found us, asleep, waiting on him. To say he was not happy was an understatement.
“What in all the seven bloody fucking hells are you doing?” he roared, his foot swinging toward Alex with a kick I knew from past experience would break ribs. Alex scrambled out of the way, barely missing the blow.
“Resting after we almost got eaten by a spider Guardian.” I yawned and stretched as though we had all the time in the world, my skirt sliding even further up my thighs. Hell, if he could have a nap there was no reason we couldn’t too.
Faris spun twice where he stood, one eye bloodshot and twitching like crazy, his words making no sense. “Piece of what—do you think—there is no reason Tracker—sunrise is coming—prophecies fade …”
Doran grabbed me and jerked me out of the way as Faris continued to flail and speak like a maniac. “This is bad. He doesn’t have the control to go without blood, Rylee. Power, yes, in spades. But not control. He’ll never make it to the end.”
I stared at the vampire in front of us, who twitched and jerked like an epileptic having a grand mal, his bones creaking with each jump of his body, teeth snapping and a low pacing growl trickling out of his mouth. And he seemed to not see us at all.
“Then we have to kill him, we can’t be dealing with a vampire gone mental,” I said, carefully removing my sword, doing my best not to draw Faris’s attention. Fast, this had to be fast and without warning if I was taking his head.
Doran put a hand over mine, stopping me. “There is another choice. If we feed him, it will bring him back.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Why the fuck would we do that?”
“Because he is powerful, even if he doesn’t have control right now. And if we kill him, Berget wins. There is no guarantee we can stop her on our own. You do understand what we must do if the spell and opal don’t work?”
I jerked my hand out from under his, and before I could say anything, Alex let out a howl.
Faris had him pinned to the ground, his face buried in Alex’s fur along his neck, feeding deeply.
“Fucking vampire!” I leapt toward them, driving the point of my sword through Faris’s middle. He reared back, his lips smeared with blood, his eyes no longer twitching or bloodshot.
“Enough. Enough.” Faris raised his hands in submission, his movements slow.
Alex scampered away, whimpering, putting his paw to his neck. “Owie, fucking vampire.”
“Stay over there, Alex.” I pointed to the far wall as I pulled my second sword. There was no need for me to say what I was going to do, we all knew.
Faris, his skin dull and his eyes dim even after taking blood from Alex, continued to hold up his hands. “I am out of the running now. I free you from your oath to help me find the Blood.”
Holy shit. I lowered the tip of my blade lightly. “And the other oaths.”
“Even after you kill me, you will hold to your oath to kill the Child Empress.”
I shook my head. “No. I won’t. You killed my friend, Faris, and you threatened everyone I love. Big mistake.” I raised my sword, and his eyes widened. The swing of the sword was halfway through when he spoke.
“Charlie isn’t dead.”
I froze, the blade mere inches from his neck, shocked that he would admit it. But I played along. “Bullshit.”
He leaned back on the stone floor, bracing himself on his elbows. “Charlie is fine; he’s a brownie, Rylee. He can move through time and space using doorways and windows. An opening through the veil is a doorway.”
I lowered my sword tip. “Then why?”
Faris snorted and lay down on the stone, flat on his back. “Rylee, you are the most stubborn, difficult woman I have ever dealt with. I tried seducing you, I tried to help you, I tried asking, but none of it worked when it came to getting you to help me. You forced me to resort to methods even I am loathe to use. And yet even blackmail isn’t enough, is it? Berget tried the same methods, attempting to kill your Eve, yet none of it worked.” He lifted his head slightly just to arch his eyebrow at me and then lay back down. “You are too fucking stubborn to do anything you don’t want to. Did you tell the others that I was blackmailing you?”
I flushed. “Yes and no. Charlie told them, but I would have anyway. They’re my family; we don’t keep secrets.”
“Do you see, Doran, what I was trying to work with? Wait, you knew Charlie was alive?” Faris lifted his head and stared at me, his eyes wide.
I lowered my blade. “Yes.”
“Then why did you come with me if you knew it was a bluff?”
“Faris, you are the biggest asshole in all the world, but at least you are not going to turn the world over to the vampires. You aren’t going mad with power. As much as I hate to say it, you were the best choice.”
Besides, we needed the vampires unified—and not under someone certifiable—if I was going to convince them to help me in the upcoming shit show with Orion. Not that I was ready to spill those beans to Faris just yet.
He thumped his head back into the stone. “And now, there is only one.”
I cleared my throat and slid my blades back into their sheaths. “That isn’t true, exactly.”
Doran let out a strangled squawk. “No. Rylee. Just. No.”
Faris wobbled to his feet. “Wait, what are you talking about?”
And if Faris knows you plan to turn Doran into a vampire, and take the throne, you think he won’t just kill him?
Time to think fast and lie through my teeth, something I wasn’t all that good at. “I have an idea.”
Faris’s eyes focused on me. “And the idea is …”
“Not sure if it will work yet.” I shrugged. “When the time comes to tell you, I will.”
Doran hadn’t moved, his green eyes distant, and I could almost feel him closing off from us.
“Faris.” I lifted my hand, stopping him, feeling my world tighten further. “Let it go. Apparently, I am the only one who has to make a sacrifice to save this fucking world. Let’s find the Blood. We’ll wait for Berget there and deal with her.”
I wanted Liam so badly I ached all over. I didn’t trust either of these men I was with. I’d thought I could trust Doran, but apparently I was wrong.
Faris surprised me by doing as I asked. “So, it is proven now that I do not have the control to lead, but we know the Child Empress is no better. It will be difficult at best to kill her, let alone implement whatever plan it is you two have hatched.” He limped forward.
I put a finger to his chest, my next words measured and slow. “What the fuck is going on? I cannot deal with this mercurial shit you’re pulling, Faris. Either you are trying to hurt me, or you are on our side. I will tell you this straight right fucking now.” I took a step closer, pulling my blades and pressing them into the hollow of his throat. “Turn on me one more time, play one more fucking game with me and nothing you say or do will keep me from striking your twisted head from your shoulders.”
His eyes never wavered from mine, but he didn’t try to bespell me.
“You have my word, Rylee. I will not turn on you again, or even seemingly turn on you. Now, what is your plan for our little empress?”
I dropped my blades. That would be the best I could get out of him. A glance at Doran showed him still off in la-la land. Some help there.
“If we can pin her down, we can end her.”
Faris threw back his head, his laughter echoing off the stone walls. “Just how do you plan to ‘pin’ her down?”
I frowned at him. “Hadn’t got that far.”
The vampire put a hand to his chin. “We can figure that out
as we go, but perhaps it would be best to find the Blood first. There is a time limit on this.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “Spit it out.”
“Three days until the winter equinox rolls around. And depending on where the Blood resides, that could mean we have less than three days.”
Why was there always a fucking time limit? Even if we found the right door, the Blood wouldn’t be waiting for us on the other side, they could be thousands of miles away. “If you feed, can you jump me across continents?”
He nodded. “Yes, that would be the fastest way to Track them.”
My brain kicked into overdrive. “You go feed. I’ll keep checking doorways, see if we can’t find what we’re looking for before you get back.”
“So we are a team now, are we? And you are Red Leader? Interesting turn of events.” Faris turned his back and jumped the veil, leaving me with my mouth hanging open.
“Did he just refer to Star Wars?”
“Yes,” Doran said. “I believe he did.”
“Done sulking?” I wouldn’t look at him, couldn’t. He’d let me down, and that disappointment was like a fire in my gut.
“Rylee—”
“Don’t fucking bother, Doran. You don’t want to take responsibility. I get it.” I strode toward the next door. Doran might not want to lead the vampires, but what other choice was there? Berget? Fuck no.
Forcing my thoughts back to the task at hand I stared at the next crossing. Classic castle doorway, heavy bands of iron across it with round loops of iron for a handle. Sword in one hand, I grabbed the ring of iron and pulled. The door slid open on what felt like oiled hinges, revealing just another part of the castle. Also lined with doors.
That wasn’t what made my jaw drop, though.
Nope, my jaw dropped because I found myself staring at Jack. Not the sickly, almost dead Jack I had met, a cranky old Tracker who couldn’t stand without help or a cane.
The Jack I found myself staring at was young, vibrant with life, and had a brand spanking new set of fangs.
By the time they got to the farmhouse, the twenty-four hours Rylee had said it would take her had come and gone. And Liam was close to pulling his hair out.
“She’ll wait for us, or she’ll come looking for us,” Milly said as they slowed to a stop in the driveway. “She does have this nifty little trick that allows her to find people.”
Liam let out slow breath. Much as he hated to admit the witch was right, she was. They might be behind, but Rylee could find them a hell of a lot easier than they could find her.
“Let’s check on your uncle, Frank. See if we can’t get something out of him.” The four of them stepped out of the Jeep and headed toward the barn. A loud squawk drew his eyes upward. On top of the barn perched a perturbed Harpy.
“Eve.” He lifted a hand, and the Harpy let out a second squawk and flew down to greet them.
“Liam, Pamela! The big lizard has buried himself in the fields, under the dirt as if he is hiding.”
I’m not hiding; I’m being inconspicuous.
“Whatever, lizard.”
Blaz didn’t answer and so, that was that. Though what he had to be inconspicuous about was beyond him.
Eve flapped her wings, drawing his eyes to her.
“There is something,” she said in a lowered voice and her words were hitched. “Dead in the barn. Please tell me it is not Dox and the others.”
“No, it isn’t Dox.” One of these days, he would have to ask Rylee about that, about where the bodies of the supernaturals went. Because as far as he’d been able to tell, they just vanished.
“You’re right, though, there is something dead in there,” Liam said, reaching up to put a hand on her ruffled feathers. The Harpy shook her head, a flash of silver and gold flickering off her. That was different.
“New jewelry?” He’d never thought to see anything like that on the Harpy, yet the dangling earrings suited her.
“Gifts from the unicorns, to show they mean to honor the old ways.” She fluffed her wings. “I will leave soon. I have to convince the other Harpies to stand with us.”
A chill swept through Liam. “You’ve said they’d kill you.”
She lifted her head. “I will take the chance, as we all do each day. I must try.”
His wolf puffed up with pride. His pack was strong and loyal to the core, even if they were from all walks of the supernatural world. “Be safe, Eve, and come back to us.”
Her luminous eyes flicked over them, then strode to where Frank stood, shaking. “Who is this?”
“Frank, meet Eve. Eve, Frank is a necromancer. He’s going to help us with the dead guy.” Without any more introductions, he headed toward the barn.
Eve reeled back as if she’d been struck. “Frank must come with me.”
Liam’s feet froze. “What?”
“He must come with me.”
Frank stammered out, “I … can’t, I have to help Liam.”
Eve shook her head. “No. You will fly with me to the Harpies and help me convince them. That is all there is to that, Death Walker.”
Liam’s wolf nodded his approval.
The prophecies come true in strange ways. For the moment, he ignored the voice inside his head, even if he did agree with it. Though he knew no prophecy that dealt with a Harpy and a necromancer, that didn’t mean it wasn’t important.
“First, we need Frank’s help with Agent Valley. Then he can go with you.”
While Frank stammered and stuttered his way to the barn, the others didn’t question Liam’s decision. About fucking time they saw it was his job to run the show.
The barn door pulled open easily, but the scent of rot was not so easy to take. One of the few times Liam actually cursed his sensitive sense of smell. “Fuck, that is nasty.” Though the light was dim, he saw clearly. But he wasn’t so sure the others could. Reaching to the right, he flicked on the switch for the overhead lights.
The view was, unfortunately, no better than the smell.
Behind him, the two witches gagged and wretched, and a glance back showed him they were not coming any further into the barn.
Milly pointed at the house. “We’ll wait inside.”
Frank followed Liam into the barn. “It’s not that bad, you know. I’ve smelled worse.”
Liam couldn’t help the way his eyebrows shot up. “Worse?”
Frank shrugged. “Probably just part of being a necromancer.”
Agent Valley shuffled toward them, one eye sagging out of its socket. Liam planted his feet firmly, determined not to back down.
“O’Sheaaaaaaa … Ingers is tied … Black Coveeeeeeeeen.” Agent Valley gasped for breath, feet stalling as he wobbled from side to side.
“Frank, can you find out more information? Details, places and names?”
“It will drain what is left of him. I don’t want to do that,” Frank whispered, backing away. Liam lunged toward him and grabbed the kid by the arms.
“He’s already dead, Frank. But he can still help us if you can pull your shit together. Do you understand? This isn’t a game. It’s life or death, and your uncle died to protect you, trying to protect all of us.”
Frank’s eyes filled with tears. “He was the closest thing to a father I had.”
This was not the moment for Liam to soften, and he knew it. “Then make him proud, Frank. Do what you have to do.”
Frank sniffled loudly, and then slowly nodded. “You have the questions, so you ask him. You need to touch him.”
This was not what he was expecting. “How?”
The kid walked forward and put his hands on Valley’s head, thumbs above the eye sockets, fingers wrapped around his head. “Press in hard, hard enough to feel … past the bone. I’ll open the connection between you two.”
Oh shit, this was not what he’d been thinking at all. But there was no way he’d back down now that he’d shamed the kid into it.
Two steps and he was face-to-face with his old boss. He lifted his ha
nds and placed them where Frank had, the feel of dead flesh under his fingers making his own skin crawl. He couldn’t stop the low growl that built in his chest. Bearing down, his fingers pushed through the dying tissue that had once been Agent Valley. Breathing shallowly, he thought for a moment that he was going to lose it, his gorge rose and he had to fight not to jerk away.
Then his fingers touched the soft resistance of Agent Valley’s brain, and everything shifted.
“O’Shea. This was not how I expected to speak to you after our last visit.”
Liam closed his eyes and concentrated on the voice in his head. Kind of like Blaz’s, only this felt more distant. Almost like he heard the words outside his head at the same time they echoed inside his head.
“Yeah, me neither, boss.”
“Did you find where the guns are being made?”
“Yes. Grabbed a few for myself.”
Good man. But that is only the start. Ingers had connections within the Army, and if she can prove the supernatural world exists …” Agent Valley didn’t have to say anything more, Liam knew.
If the Army felt threatened, then it really would be an all out war with the humans.
“Fuck, we can’t let that happen.”
“I agree. You have to kill Ingers, wipe her files, get rid of everything that is even mildly connected to the supernatural.”
The body of Agent Valley let out a heavy groaning sigh. “All those years I tried to tie the humans and the supernaturals together, to bring about change. To help Frank. All to see it be wiped out now.”
Liam felt the Agent’s emotions as if they were his own, and he shared in the disappointment that was so much more than just a simple task going unfinished.
“Humans aren’t ready, not yet, Agent. You know that.”
“I’d hoped perhaps we’d finally come far enough.” Another deep groaning sigh rumbled out and Liam had to hold his breath to not take in the putrid scent from the belly of the rotting Agent.
“Sir, is there anything else you can tell us?”
“The meeting is on the night of the winter equinox. I don’t know how Ingers plans on showing her hand to the Army, but I know that is the night. She has ties to the Black Coven. I was coming to warn you about them when she killed me.”
Tracker: A Rylee Adamson Novel (Book 6) Page 13
