by Tina Folsom
Logan went right up in his face and growled, “Because the Great One gave me explicit orders! That’s why! Or would you rather feel his wrath? Shall I tell him you questioned his orders?”
The demon suddenly shrank away. “No, no. I’ll do it. Of course. Where does he want me to take her?”
“To San Francisco. Once you’re there, hide her, stay with her. The Great One will find you when it’s safe.”
The demon nodded dutifully and Logan released Winter’s arm. She stared at him, frightened and shocked. But it was good this way. She looked genuinely scared. The demon wouldn’t suspect a thing.
“Go!”
The demon snatched Winter by the arm and cast a vortex in the middle of the circle, then jumped in with her.
Not losing any time, Logan made himself invisible and lunged after them. Inside the swirling mass of fog and mist it was dark, but his eyes could make out Winter’s form, and he snatched her hand and held on to it.
Transporting through a demon’s vortex felt the same as transporting through a Stealth Guardian’s portal, with one difference. Logan could hear the demon’s thoughts.
Goddamn it, why is it always me who has to follow orders?
Not much longer, Logan thought to himself.
Suddenly he felt Winter and the demon move, and realized they’d arrived and were stepping out of the vortex. Logan, still invisible, followed them, holding Winter’s hand. The vortex closed behind them and Logan saw where they’d landed: in a warehouse district close to the water.
Not wanting to take any chances, Logan let go of Winter’s hand and pulled out his dagger. Without making a sound, he approached the demon and stabbed the dagger into his heart. There was a gurgling sound, then the demon’s dead body fell to the ground, making a satisfying thump.
Finally able to breathe, Logan turned to Winter and made himself visible. She threw herself into his arms without hesitation.
“Oh God,” she said tearfully. “I was so scared. I thought you were going to stay down there. I thought you wouldn’t make it.”
He rubbed his hands over her back. “And leave you in the hands of a demon? Not a chance.”
“You came. After everything that happened, you came to save me.” She sniffled.
He drew back a little. This was the moment he’d dreaded most. Because despite having saved Winter from the demons, he’d done something that he wasn’t sure she could ever forgive.
Logan wiped a tear from her cheek. “Winter, I need to tell you something. The way we left things…” He dropped his arms to release her. “Your grandmother. I did kill her. I’m sorry. I wish I could say that it wasn’t me. That I didn’t do it. But I did. I had to. Not because I was ordered to, but because she was already gone. They already had her. She’d succumbed to them.”
He dropped his head so he didn’t have to look at her anymore. Didn’t have to see the hatred in her eyes.
A soft hand suddenly caressed his cheek and he snapped his head back up to stare at Winter.
“I already know. Zoltan told me. I think he wanted to prove to me that everybody eventually submits, even a woman as good as my grandmother.” She paused. “He also told me that he used me as the bargaining chip. It was my fault, Logan, my fault that my grandmother succumbed to them. Zoltan threatened her with hurting me if she didn’t give in. She did it for me, you see.” She shook her head. “It wasn’t your fault. You did what you had to do. And knowing what I know now, I would have done it myself, as much as it would have hurt me.” Tears streamed down her face now.
Logan pulled her into his arms. “I’m so sorry, Winter, I’m so sorry you had to find out and go through all this. I wish I could have spared you this pain.”
She sobbed against his chest. “I’m so sorry I didn’t trust you enough.”
“It’s all good now, love, it’s all good. You’re safe now, and I’m going to keep it that way.”
She lifted her head and smiled at him through her tears. “You still have green eyes.”
“Sorry about that. Wes didn’t say how long the potion would last.” He brought one hand to her face. “Do you mind if I kiss you anyway, even though I look like a demon?”
He’d barely finished his sentence, when Winter’s lips were on his and she was kissing him. He responded to her immediately, pulling her even tighter into his embrace, not wanting to ever let her go again.
“Well, looks like it all went well then,” a familiar male voice suddenly said from a few feet away.
Reluctantly, Logan severed the kiss and turned his head to see Wesley and Virginia approaching.
“Your timing sucks, Wes,” Logan said with a smirk.
“I can see that,” Wes replied and exchanged a look with his wife.
Virginia stared right into Logan’s eyes. “Still green like those of a demon. If I didn’t know you were one of us, I’d be stabbing you with my dagger right now.”
Logan smiled at her. “You do have a very talented husband.”
Virginia glanced at Wes. “Oh, I know.”
Wes grinned. “I am. But the GPS device didn’t hold up. It went dead the moment the portal exploded. We had no idea if you made it or not. Until a few minutes ago, when the GPS kicked into high gear right here in San Francisco.”
“Guess it doesn’t work in the Underworld,” Logan said.
“Would have been too good to be true,” Virginia added, then nodded at Winter. “I’m glad you made it. But you know this isn’t the end.”
Winter sucked in a deep breath. “Will they let me live?”
Virginia gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s up to you now to convince the council members. You already have my vote.”
Logan sought Winter’s gaze. “We can do this.” Because failing wasn’t an option.
36
All members of the Council of Nine were assembled, seven men and two women including Virginia, when Winter entered the chamber accompanied by Logan. Virginia had gone ahead and informed the council in broad strokes about what had happened after Logan had escaped the lead cell at the council compound. Aiden had joined her to directly appeal to his father for leniency, given that Winter’s and Logan’s actions had saved Barclay’s family from certain death.
Now they were finally ready to hear Winter and Logan speak in their own defense, and decide their fate.
Winter didn’t let her gaze linger too long on any individual council member, feeling intimidated in their presence. Instead she looked forward, fixing her eyes on the gavel in Barclay’s hand. Logan had instructed her beforehand only to speak to the council once spoken to and show the utmost respect.
“Well, Logan,” Barclay started, “it seems we all underestimated you.”
Winter took a breath of relief. This sounded like good news.
“Not only did you act against the council’s orders and subsequently lose your charge to the demons, no, you were also reckless enough to let your friends from Scanguards blow up one of our portals with you inside. Have you completely lost your mind? What if it had killed you instead of sending you into Zoltan’s Underworld?”
“It worked, as you well know,” Logan said.
Barclay growled. “Yes, it worked. That doesn’t mean the council approves of your actions. What if you hadn’t been able to come back? Then not only would the demons have a psychic at their mercy, but also a Stealth Guardian warrior. Or did you not even consider this possibility before making such a foolhardy choice?”
Several councilmembers grumbled in agreement with their leader.
“I take full responsibility for my actions,” Logan said. “However, I didn’t go into this without a plan. I knew it would work, and I knew how to escape the Underworld. With Winter. I’d planned for every eventuality.”
Winter dropped her lids, not wanting to catch anybody’s eye, so they wouldn’t see the doubt in them, because even she had wondered whether they’d make it out of the Underworld. She doubted that escaping a torture chamber by bridging a bubbling lava pit h
ad been part of Logan’s plan. There’d been plenty of improvising involved in her rescue.
“Then maybe you also planned for the psychic to be captured by the demons after you rescued Aiden and his family?” another councilmember chimed in, his words dripping with sarcasm.
“Since you mention the successful rescue of Aiden and his family, Councilmember Ian,” Logan pivoted like a skillful politician, “that rescue would not have been possible without the help of said psychic.” He motioned to Winter. “Winter saw the attack in her vision and—”
“Yes, yes, we’re already aware of this,” Ian said impatiently, “but what I’m trying to point out is that a psychic under your protection was snatched by the demons. It’s the very reason the majority of this council voted to eliminate her.”
At that Winter shivered. She hated that word. It sounded so clinical, yet it was cruel.
“With all due respect, councilmember,” Logan said, his voice sounding even tighter, “Winter has proven to all of you that she can be of use to us. That her visions can save lives.”
“Nobody is disputing that fact,” Barclay calmly interjected.
Winter lifted her eyes and looked at Barclay, who sat in the middle of the crescent-shaped table. He did his best to look impartial, but she knew from Aiden that he was on her side. He was willing to let her live. But five others on the council weren’t.
“Maybe it’s time to let Winter speak for herself,” Barclay said kindly.
A few councilmembers uttered their displeasure, but Barclay made a motion with his hand. “Any questions for the psychic?”
A woman raised her hand.
“Riona, go ahead.”
The woman looked straight at her, and Winter had to meet her gaze in order not to appear rude. “When you were captured, what secrets did you divulge to the demons?”
“None!” Winter said immediately.
Riona raised her eyebrows. “Come, come, Miss Collins, according to the reports we received, you were a prisoner for over six hours, and you expect us to believe that in that time the demons weren’t able to influence you in any way, be it by using their mental powers or by means of physical torture?” She let out a laugh. “I wasn’t born yesterday, neither were my colleagues.”
Winter felt her shoulders stiffen. This woman wouldn’t be easily convinced. “Zoltan tried it with charm at first. He told me that your race isn’t any better than his. That you kill just as indiscriminately as he does.”
Gasps went through the assembly.
“His words, not mine,” she said quickly. “But his charm didn’t work on me. I wasn’t fooled by his propaganda. So he tried to get into my mind.”
“So you gave him information,” Riona coaxed, and exchanged glances with her colleagues.
Winter shook her head. “I injured him.”
Riona snapped her gaze back to Winter. “You did what?”
“I injured Zoltan, their leader. When he tried to get into my head, I fought back. My psychic powers pushed him out. My mind isn’t like that of an ordinary human. I didn’t know that until I met Gabriel, a vampire who works for Scanguards…”
“We know him,” Barclay interjected. “Continue.”
“Gabriel tried to help me with my visions, so I could learn to guide them, but the process failed. However, during that attempt, we learned that my mind is like a fortress. It won’t allow any invasion. My mind will fight back and injure whomever is trying to invade it.” She looked at Logan.
He nodded. They had discussed earlier what she would have to tell the council to win them over. He seemed pleased now.
“I burned Gabriel’s face and hands. I injured a powerful vampire, and I injured Zoltan, the leader of the demons. I may not look like it, I may look physically weak, but I’m stronger than Zoltan. I’ll never give in to him or his demons.”
Murmurs went through the chamber.
“Barclay?” another councilmember asked.
“Go ahead, Cinead.”
“Miss Collins, that may be the case. But would you have withstood physical torture?” Cinead asked.
“It never came to that,” Winter said.
She pushed her chin up and looked at the man who’d spoken, hoping to dispel his doubts. He was about Barclay’s age, a man who in human years looked like he was in his late forties, early fifties, but considering Logan was already two hundred years old, this councilmember was probably at least double Logan’s age. However, it wasn’t his age that made her look at him closer. His face looked familiar. As if they’d met before.
But before she could place him, Cinead continued, “But it will come to that if you fall into their hands again. What then?”
“That’s an unfair question,” Logan interrupted.
Cinead shot a displeased look at Logan. “It’s a valid one. I want her to answer.”
Cinead stared right at her, looking dominant and regal. She’d seen that look before. She knew where. She was certain of it. The man on the painting. The man with his wife and infant son.
“The child,” Winter murmured, recalling her vision. “It was your son.”
“Answer Cinead’s question!” Riona interrupted.
Cinead put his hand on her forearm, stopping her, his eyes still pinned on Winter. “What child?” His voice was different now, colored with emotions that hadn’t been present earlier.
“The baby in the crib. The one the demon stole.”
Cinead shook his head. “Stole? No. My son… You’re just making this up. You heard something. Somebody told you about my son… About his death…” His voice faltered.
“He had a birthmark on his butt cheek.”
Cinead glared at Logan. “Did you put her up to this? I swear I’ll challenge you to a fight if you did!”
“I never mentioned your son to Winter, I swear. Damn it, I never even mentioned you to Winter,” Logan said.
Cinead’s eyes landed back on Winter. “Let’s get to the bottom of your tarot card mumbo-jumbo. What kind of birthmark?”
“It was odd, hard to describe.”
“Just as I thought, you’re lying. You had no vision about my son. You—”
“An axe. It looked like an axe.”
Cinead gasped. His expression changed. Pain darkened his features. “You saw the demons kill my son?”
“No. Not kill. A demon came and took him out of the crib. Carefully, actually, as if he didn’t want to hurt him.”
“That’s a lie! There was blood. They didn’t even leave me his body to bury,” Cinead cried out. “Goddamn it! Get her out of my sight! My vote stands! Eliminate her!”
“That wasn’t your son’s blood. The demon had a flask with blood. Red. Like a human’s or an animal’s, but it was blood. And he spilled it over the mattress and the sheets in the crib. He didn’t harm the baby. He cradled your son to his chest as if he was precious. I followed him.”
“Followed him?” Cinead echoed.
“In my vision. I followed him down the stairs, and there in the hallway of this mansion, your home, he conjured up a vortex and disappeared with the child. And I was left looking at a portrait of you with your wife and an infant in her arms. I swear it’s what I saw. The baby was alive when the demon disappeared in the vortex.”
“But…” Cinead exchanged looks with his colleagues, confusion and something else spreading on his face: hope. Hope that his son was alive. “Are you aware how long ago this happened, Winter?”
She shook her head. “I can only guess from the type of furniture and the clothing you and your wife wore in the painting. Sometime in the Regency period.”
Cinead nodded. “Over two hundred years ago my son was taken from me. I buried an empty coffin, and I grieved for him.” Tears were welling up in his eyes. “Can I really believe that there’s hope? That my son is alive?”
Winter stepped closer to the table, and nobody stopped her. Right in front of Cinead, she halted. “He was alive when the demon took him. If he wanted to kill your son, why not kill h
im right there and then? Wouldn’t it have been worse having to see your son’s mutilated body, knowing the pain he had suffered?” Winter shook her head and reached her hand across the table to clasp Cinead’s. “I don’t believe they killed him. They just wanted to make sure you thought he was dead so you would never come looking for him.”
Cinead locked eyes with her. “Angus, his name was Angus.” Then he looked toward the center of the table, where Barclay sat. “I would like to change my vote. I want Winter protected at all times.”
Winter squeezed Cinead’s hand.
“Will you help me find Angus?” he asked.
She nodded, tears now streaming down her face. Moments later, she felt Logan put his arms around her and pull her into an embrace.
Suddenly everybody was speaking at the same time, until Barclay’s gavel sounded to call for order in the chamber.
“The vote has been changed. Winter Collins, you’ll be assigned a permanent guardian for your protection. We will discuss everything further in another session. Now for Logan’s punishment. Logan, considering the unusual events that have taken place, the council will reconvene at another time to discuss appropriate action, however, in the meantime the council will reduce the charge of treason to the lesser charge of insubordination. This meeting is adjourned.” Barclay hit the gavel on the table once more.
“Thank you, Primus,” Logan said and bowed.
Immediately the noise level escalated, while councilmembers rose from their seats, the doors opened, and Logan’s friends, who’d been waiting outside, entered.
“You did it,” Logan said to her. “You changed their minds.”
“With your help.”
He shook his head. “You didn’t need my help.” He smiled. “Why didn’t you tell me about your vision earlier?”
“There was no time.” She looked at Cinead, who’d now rounded the table and was heading their way. “I had the vision just after Zoltan tried to invade my mind, before he knocked me unconscious. I’d forgotten about it with everything else that happened in the last twenty-four hours.” She smiled at Cinead. “But when I recognized you from the painting, it all came back.”
