Key to Justice

by Talia Gryphon

  He chuckled and moved his horse closer to hers. “The dawn is breaking. Odin, Baldr and I will find our own shelter. I will contact Gillian late this afternoon when it is safe for us to rise.”

  “We’ll go into town and find a hotel and some food,” Gillian informed him.

  “What about the horses?” Kimber asked. She found she really liked both riding and her mount.

  “They will return when we need them. Our horses need no stable or fenced field. They are one of our great joys and return to us freely,” Dagr told her.

  Aleksei stroked his hand down Gillian’s hair as she looked down over the valley. “I am sorry I have to leave you, piccola. Please take care while I rest. I will join you as soon as it is possible for me to do so.”

  She turned and looked up at him. “Just make certain you all go to ground in a safe place. I don’t want to find out you’ve been ratted out and staked during the night.”

  “I promise.” He smiled that meltingly magical smile at her that always made her knees weak.

  “Good. Then I’ll try my best not to break too many heads while you’re getting your beauty rest.” Impulsively, she hugged him tightly.

  “I’ll be fine. I’ve got a veritable herd of armed and dangerous people with me. You go on and get hidden before the sun gets any stronger. I swear to the Goddess, if you turn into a crispy critter, the engagement is over,” she added with a grin.

  The first rays of light were indeed streaming across the sky. The bright golden rays were pushing back the dark velvet of the night. As ancient Vampires, Aleksei, Odin and Baldr were not as susceptible as newer ones would be. Aleksei and Odin had the additional benefit of a Lord’s power, allowing them to remain conscious and active far longer than their fellows. Baldr was only a Master level, but he was old. Very old. None of them had anything really to fear except danger to their loved ones. They could have easily remained aboveground for hours yet, but they needed to be in the earth and well hidden before any potential Daywalking allies of Father Daily began roaming the hills.

  Aleksei kissed her quickly. He didn’t want to linger or let his worry for her safety show through.

  In respect for her wishes, Aleksei didn’t pry into her thoughts. It never occurred to him that she watched him intently as he misted out and vanished into the deep woods with their two friends. Gillian’s attentiveness and protectiveness toward him hadn’t yet registered on his radar. He was too busy being worried about her to notice.

  After the parting kiss between Aleksei and Gillian, the rest of the party gave a final wistful pat to their lovely steeds and began to trudge down the mountainside. The Dwarves went first. Kelda literally vanished before everyone’s eyes. Trocar and Dagr exchanged an incredulous look. Evidently even the Elves, with their spectacular visual skills, couldn’t see where she’d gone.

  “No wonder we never see the females. Can they all do that?” Trocar asked Hreidmar, who was stomping down the makeshift trail after his wife.

  “Aye. They can all do that. It is maddening, I tell you.” Hreidmar huffed as he scurried in the direction Kelda had started.

  “I cannot scent them either,” Pavel said to no one in particular. “That is truly amazing.”

  “Nor can I,” agreed Helgi, Odin’s remaining Bear.

  “None can,” Garm concurred. “That truly is interesting.”

  Three of the Shifters opted to change form. Pavel was his usually Shetland pony-sized blond Wolf with playful blue eyes. Garm, however, dwarfed him. The stunning Viking shifted into what looked to Gillian like a Dire Wolf. His body was stockier than Pavel’s, heavier. Overall he was more compact but with much more muscle mass than her friend’s appearance. Golden fur, lighter than Pavel’s, covered him, fading to a cream color on his chest, underbelly and legs. The green eyes were unmistakable, however. There was something so primal, so alien, about them. Combined with the oversized canines of a Dire Wolf, Garm ought to scare the hell out of anything they might encounter.

  Helgi’s form was surprising. Once, long ago, there were legends of the Ghost Bears: a subspecies of grizzly that tended to have light-colored or white fur. Helgi’s fur echoed her own pale, nearly platinum hair. The blue eyes were softly disconcerting in her newly formed ursine face, but she looked formidable enough.

  Daed elected to stay in Human form. Gillian wasn’t certain if it was due to vanity or if he thought the sight of a Minotaur walking the streets of Prague might cause a fuss. Shifters, like other Paramortals, were becoming more open in major cities ever since the original legislation that recognized them as sentient Beings. Her other thought was that he might be saving his ability as a surprise should they need it later. Yeah, she’d go with that. A surprise.

  “Do you have any contacts here?” she whispered to Daed.

  “Nope. You?” He glanced over to her, then continued navigating his way down the path Hreidmar had made.

  “Nope. Well, shit. Scouting around town is all right, but staying in the city is probably a bad idea unless we split up,” Gillian suggested.

  “Splitting up is definitely a bad idea,” Daed replied.

  “True. Hmmm. Prague is a major tourist destination these days. What if we mingle in with a tour group?” Gill said as she hopped over a fallen log.

  “Gillyflower . . .” Trocar’s dulcet tones whispered over their party. “Stop where you are and stay very still.”

  Gillian stopped instantly. If Trocar said stop, something was amiss. “What’s up?”

  “The Dwarves have stopped. Or at least Hreidmar has. I cannot tell where Kelda is.” The Grael suddenly appeared at her elbow.

  Daed was next to Gillian, frozen in midstride. He scented the air. “There is a faint scent . . .”

  Gillian’s blood ran cold in the next instant as Vlad Dracula misted out of the coming dawn to stand by her side.

  “Good . . . morning, Dr. Key.” Vlad’s voice was no less beautiful than she remembered. At the moment, it was no less chilling.

  Trocar’s reaction was instantaneous. He pinned the Vampire against a nearby oak’s trunk. That would have been fine except he had literally pinned him. Vlad’s arms and legs were abruptly bristling with four of Trocar’s runed knives. It was difficult to say who was more surprised: Vlad, Gillian, Daed, the Shifters, the Dwarves, Kimber or Dagr, who came sprinting up, bow drawn and ready to fire.

  “What the hell are you doing here? Better yet . . . how the hell did you get here?” Gillian was alternating between mad, astonished, mad, scared, mad . . . Mad seemed to be winning.

  Just as suddenly, Osiris appeared next to the group. Vlad was busy writhing against his impromptu bounds, making inarticulate noises but not bleeding very much. Trocar was good at his job. He’d intentionally avoided the major arteries in Vlad’s limbs. Points for Trocar.

  The Egyptian Lord gave a slight bow to Gillian before he spoke. “I am sorry for the sudden intrusion, Gillian. Aleksei? Could you join us?” Osiris’s incredible voice resonated around them.

  The request was both vocal and sent from Osiris’s powerful mind. Aleksei appeared within the space of a breath. He inserted himself between Vlad and Gillian, platinum eyes blazing at Osiris.

  “Why has this monster been released from your care and why have you brought him here, to confront her?” Aleksei’s normally lovely voice carried undertones of fury.

  “I apologize again, to both of you. This is a most unusual situation and not meant as a confrontation. He awoke, literally minutes ago, from his catatonia. I have been giving him transfusions of my own blood since we all parted in Akabat.” Osiris waved a hand and Vlad froze against the tree. Even his dripping blood slowed, then stopped.

  “It is near dawn. Why would you bring him here now, whatever the reason?” Aleksei was clearly annoyed with his friend.

  “He awoke within the space of a heartbeat. His eyes became focused; his first words were that Gillian was in mortal danger and that I must accompany him to her immediately. Aleksei, I cannot detect any of his forme
r dark taint. I examined his mind fully before bringing him here. There is none of the madness or the evil that had resided within him,” Osiris informed them.

  “Trocar, wait.” Gillian had one eye on Osiris and the other on her friend. She wanted to hear the details before Trocar did bad things to the former Dark Prince. The Dark Elf was lazily spinning a wicked-looking blade near Vlad’s nose.

  Aleksei was still frowning but the fury was melting from his voice. “You drained him completely before the infusions?”

  “Yes. It was my thought that since my blood was First Blood of the Nephilim as his was, it might undo the damage in his soul and bring him back in order for him to stand trial for his crimes. I had no idea if it was successful. He has been as he became at Akabat until minutes ago.”

  Osiris studied the myriad emotions sweeping across Aleksei’s face. “Scan him yourself, Aleksei. You have a Lord’s power. See if you can detect anything I may have missed.”

  Aleksei closed his eyes, casting his powerful, intelligent mind outward. Osiris waved a hand, releasing Vlad from his unmoving state.

  The first word from Vlad’s mouth shocked everyone. “Please, Elf. Please release me. I mean neither her nor any of you harm. Gillian . . . you are in terrible danger. Father Daily . . . We must destroy him.”

  Aleksei’s eyes flew wide. He and Osiris exchanged a glance. Neither of them had ever heard Vlad Dracula say please for any reason.

  Gillian was stunned as well. She moved closer to Vlad, drawing her Glock and pointing it at his head. “How do you know about Father Daily?”

  Vlad met her gaze unflinchingly. “Because I made him.”

  Silence reigned. A squirrel in a nearby oak dropped an acorn, nearly giving everyone a heart attack.

  “You . . . made him,” Gillian repeated, hoping she’d heard him wrong.

  “Over four hundred years ago. He was a protégé, much like Jack. The connection between Lord and servant remains. I am both grateful and ashamed of that.” Vlad shook his head. The movement made Trocar’s knives bounce. It looked very surreal.

  “I’m confused,” Kimber said, lowering her rifle. Gillian noted it was a modified Kalashnikov. Where the hell had Kimber hidden that?

  Aleksei stared at both of them, then at Trocar. He hadn’t realized any of them were armed.

  “Join the party,” Gillian said. “I’m still not clear on this, Vlad. You tried to kill me . . . Hell, you tried to kill all of us in Akabat, not to mention that ‘taking over the world’ thing. Now you’re here essentially saying that you’re concerned about my safety from one of your . . .”

  “Progeny,” Osiris filled in for her.

  “Have you two got this?” Gillian asked Osiris and Aleksei. “I mean, if Trocar lets him down, can you heal him enough and talk quickly enough before the three of you become charcoal briquettes to determine if he is telling the truth? And can you kill him quickly enough if he isn’t?”

  Osiris glanced at the sky. It was fully dawn now, yet they were deep in the forest and sheltered well enough by the trees. “We already have determined that he is being truthful, but yes, we could kill him and still obtain shelter quickly enough.”

  “Aleksei?” Gillian turned to him. “I trust Osiris’s judgment, but I trust yours more.”

  The bottom line was, she trusted her own empathy above all, and it was in overdrive trying to determine something, anything, from her former enemy. She was getting nothing from Vlad that triggered any unease. That in itself made her uncomfortable. He felt different. On her name-that-Vampire meter . . . he almost felt like Osiris, Dionysus . . . even Aleksei, in terms of his intent.

  “He is telling the truth; of that I am certain. I also cannot detect any of his former evil.” Aleksei wanted to embrace her for her admission of trust, but knew her well enough to realize that touching her right now was not what she wanted.

  “All right. Trocar, release him.” Gill gave the order.

  “As you wish.” Trocar didn’t hesitate. She knew the Vampires better than he did. However, after spending so much time in Aleksei’s company and observing his treatment of Gillian, he was willing to take his word as well, though he dearly wanted to carve Vlad’s heart out.

  Once Vlad was released, Osiris offered him his wrist. Vlad’s eyes closed in seeming ecstasy as he took in the powerful blood. Like magic, the wounds in his arms and legs closed. When he released Osiris’s wrist, even his color was brighter, his skin more alabaster.

  He thanked Osiris, turning back to Aleksei and Gillian. “Bartholomew was one of my most vocal detractors in Walachia when I was a living Prince. I did not want to kill him outright for political reasons, but I needed to stop him and his poisonous diatribe.

  “Our nation had been decimated by Turk raiders. Since I did not have enough personal wealth, I wanted the Church’s treasuries to donate enough to buy seeds, grain and livestock to be distributed around our province. Bartholomew opposed all of it.

  “His viewpoints alienated my people from their Faith. They already had nothing, and he took away more so that they had no hope. At that point, I realized I had waited too long. I had to act.”

  “I hate to interrupt but we are sitting ducks out here in the woods like this in daylight,” Daed interjected.

  “Shush. Let him talk,” Gillian rebuked him.

  Vlad continued. “I had not realized the extent of my powers until then. I was able to approach him, seduce him and eventually Turn him over the course of a few nights. When he rose, he was as a Master. I stayed with him, taught him, used my influence over him. He became a faithful servant.”

  “He did mention you in his speech,” Gillian said dryly.

  “What speech?” Now it was Vlad’s turn to look confused.

  “While you were . . . away, he got himself some press coverage and was talking up a storm about how Gillian had interfered with your master plan involving the Angels.” Daed was happy to enlighten him.

  “He also has my friend as a hostage,” Gillian told him.

  “Then we must act immediately.” Vlad sounded almost panicked.

  He looked around the forest for a moment. “Where are we? Near Prague?”

  “Yup.” Gill nodded.

  “How did he know that?” Kimber asked Gill.

  “Because he’s older than dirt and probably has been here a million times.” Gillian snorted.

  “We must get to ground. We can discuss everything this evening,” Aleksei reminded them.

  “I will secure Vlad for now. We will rejoin the rest of you when it is safe to do so.” Osiris clapped a large hand on Vlad’s shoulder and vanished with his charge.

  “Be careful, cara.” Aleksei kissed Gillian quickly, then he too misted out.

  “Should we camp here or closer to the city?” Daed asked.

  “Let’s go into the city. We can do some legwork, see if anyone has seen Daily or has knowledge of him. That way when they get back we’ll have something to go on.” Gillian put her gun away and brushed the hair back from her face.

  “Is that safe? We don’t want to draw too much attention to ourselves.” Daed wasn’t certain about marching into Prague as a group.

  “I think Kelda will be enough of a distraction if she and Hreidmar go into town looking for a honeymoon suite.” Gillian winked at the Dwarves.

  Hreidmar laughed uproariously. “Aye. That is indeed a plan. Kelda, my love, are you up for being a bit of a diversion?”

  “Does it involve danger, subterfuge and perhaps a fight?” She winked at him.

  “Of course. Do you think I would take you someplace where you would be bored?” Hreidmar bellowed.

  “Then I am ready.” Kelda took his proffered hand and cuddled against his shoulder.

  “This is going to be exciting.” Trocar’s ever-present sarcasm was a sure sign he felt everything was in order.

  He flipped his cape over his shoulder and melted into the woods again. He allowed them to catch glimpses of him through the trees ahead. Everyone followed
his path and began the long hike down the slope toward Prague.

  CHAPTER 17

  “WHY are we in Prague again?” Kimber was dragging ass down the street. Her backpack shifted over to one hip and her energy level was sagging. Pavel trotted along beside her, still in Wolf form.

  “To rescue Jenna.” Gillian was no better off. Her steps were slower and she was feeling more than a little bit shitty. Currently light- headedness, nausea and thirst were hammering at her.

  “Why is Jenna in Prague?”

  Gillian stopped and stared at her. “Are you serious?”

  “Oh fuck. Father Daily. That’s right. Pregnancy fog. Jesus, Gill, I forgot all about Jenna for a minute. Does that make me a bad friend?” Kimber’s green gold eyes misted for a moment.

  “No. It makes you pregnant and going on fourteen hours without food, just like me. Let’s find a pub or something. I’m starving.”

  The truth was Gillian had never felt less like eating in her life. She was worried about her friend and pissed off at Daily, Vlad and Osiris at the moment. Well, sort of. She wasn’t as much pissed off at Osiris himself as she was at his timing. Who brings a recently catatonic, recovering megalomaniac, paranoid schizophrenic Vampire to a knife fight? That was what this was going to boil down to: an old-fashioned knife fight. No rules, just people kicking ass and taking names, and hopefully no casualties on her side of the disagreement.

  “I can carry one or both of you.” Garm interrupted her thoughts. He had shifted back into his Human form and was walking arm in arm with Helgi, who had also abandoned her animal shape at the edge of the forest.

  “Or I can as well,” Helgi added.

  “Did Aleksei or Pavel put you up to this?” Gillian stopped in her tracks. “Just ignore anything they might have told you. If I need help, I’ll ask for it.”

  Both Norse Shifters looked confused. “No . . . no, no one gave us instructions. We were only trying to help. No offense was meant, Gillian,” Helgi soothed.

  “Fine,” she said, turning back to the city and scanning the streets for somewhere with food.