Blood Divine

by Greg Howard

  Odessa circled the room with the calculated steps of a lioness stalking her prey. She stopped in front of Cooper. “The Manheeg has decided it is not safe for you here, and we are to remove you. That is all you need to know at this point. Go pack a bag.”

  Cooper walked right up to her. “Betsy said reinforcements were coming, not a damn moving van. And this Manheeg guy might be your leader, but he sure as hell isn’t mine. Like I said, I’m not going anywhere without my grandmother, and she’s in no condition to travel.”

  “She’ll be dead soon,” Rafe interjected like he was commenting on the weather. “Her spirit is already fading. When she’s gone, you’ll no longer be safe in this house. You’re coming with us, like it or not.”

  A spit of rage flared in Cooper’s gut. He walked over to the chair and knocked Rafe’s leg off of the armrest with his hand. “Watch yourself, Fabio. That’s my grandmother you’re talking about. And that’s her chair you’re treating like a damn barstool.”

  Rafe raised an eyebrow, and a crooked smile formed on his lips like he was slightly turned on by Cooper’s display of aggression. Speechless, Cooper crossed the room shaking his head. Lex met him by the front window, emitting waves of compassion and reason that spilled over Cooper like an invisible rain shower. His anger toward Rafe dissipated in seconds, Lex’s voice in his head only calming him more.

  Cooper, please forgive our intrusion and the disrespectful tone of my colleague. We are only trying to protect you. It is imperative that we get you somewhere safe where the Anakim cannot find you. Once they discover you, as Montgomery has, we will not be able to guarantee your safety.

  Cooper faced the window, rubbing his eyes. How did everything get so screwed up? His life was spinning out of control. Was this his new normal?

  “He’s right, Cooper,” Odessa said from behind. “And we hear you do not have complete control of your power. It is erratic and dangerous. You will not be able to protect yourself or Lillie Mae like that.”

  Betsy’s betrayal stung. She had not been too impressed with his haphazard displays of magic, but he couldn’t really blame her. If he didn’t get past the Trevor mental block, he would never be able to keep Lillie Mae safe. He took a deep breath and turned back to face them. Odessa stood by the fireplace with her arms crossed and one eyebrow raised. She was the one he had to convince. He walked over and stared into her bottomless gray eyes. They were cold, but not completely lacking traces of humanity.

  “Look, I get it, okay? Alexander is a monster, and my blood is like crack to him. It could cause some real balance of nature shit if he gets it.” The tinge of sarcasm in his voice was hard to resist. “But I can’t—no, I won’t leave Lillie Mae. You may be right about her dying, but that’s all the more reason why I won’t go. So you can either help me deal with Alexander here and now, or you can try to take me by force, and I will show you just how dangerous and erratic my power can be.” He crossed his arms, mirroring her domineering stance, and hoped she didn’t call his bluff.

  Odessa stared through him for a solid minute, her face blank and unreadable. The room was silent and thick with tension, but Cooper would not back down. She finally let out a sigh of resignation, rolled her eyes, and looked over at Rafe.

  “Check the house.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Rafe sprang up out of the chair and went over to the wall opposite the fireplace. He put both hands on it and closed his eyes.

  Cooper shook his head and mumbled under his breath. “Great. Now we’re praying for the damn house.”

  Lex drifted over to Odessa, his hands clasped in front of him.

  The Manheeg gave specific instructions, O. We are to remove Cooper and take him to one of our safe houses across the sea.

  Cooper focused on Odessa and peered inside her head. The ease with which he accessed her thoughts surprised him.

  I know what the Manheeg said, Lex. But we can’t take him if he doesn’t want to go.

  Lex raised an eyebrow. Well, in fact, we could.

  Cooper’s muscles stiffened. He’d been bluffing before. He couldn’t count on his power to stop them if they tried to take him by force. All he had was a dagger he’d never used and ten itchy fingers, against the three of them. He didn’t like his odds.

  Lex touched Odessa’s shoulder, likely pure-blood strategy to calm her. I know it is in your nature to go on the offensive rather than retreat, but we do not know how many changelings Montgomery has created or where they have nested. Best to heed the Manheeg’s instructions until we know more.

  Odessa pushed his hand away and narrowed her eyes on him. “You will remember, Lex, that I am the ranking agent on this mission. Your fabled origin is of no consequence in this matter, and you will do as I say.”

  Without expression or protest, Lex gave her a slight nod and took a visible step back. The woman didn’t play. Not even with a pure-blood.

  Rafe walked the perimeter of the room, running his hand along the wall. “The enchantment is weakening, O. It’s bound to the old woman’s life force. As she fades, it fades. It should hold well enough, though, as long as she’s alive and here in the house.”

  Odessa stood in front of Cooper, her finely crafted nose just inches from his own. He kept his arms crossed between them as a barrier, not about to let the emanating force of her Divinum power intimidate him.

  “Lex is right about one thing. Jericho will never be able to get close to Montgomery unless we first eradicate his changelings. Finding and destroying their nest would take precedence over a VIP security escort. Any ideas on the location of the nest?”

  Cooper glanced at Rafe and Lex before shaking his head. “I only found out last night what the hell a changeling is. How would I know where they nest? They came out of a tunnel under the kitchen house. Except for the one that attacked Betsy here. Somehow it got into the house.”

  Odessa paced in a circle, staring at the floor with one hand planted on her hip and the other propping her chin. “Did you see where this tunnel at Warfield led?”

  Cooper shook his head. “No. But according to local lore, there’s a labyrinth of tunnels under Georgetown dating back to the Revolutionary War. Supposedly they were used for sneak attacks on the British, getting booze into town during Prohibition, and even to smuggle slaves out to the harbor during the Civil War. But those are just old wives’ tales.”

  Odessa nodded. “The nest would be underground, and if there is an entrance close enough for one of the changelings to get into this house, other access points must be scattered around town.”

  A knot formed in the pit of Cooper’s stomach. If Alexander unleashed those monsters, Georgetown would be decimated in minutes. Hundreds, even thousands of people would die. And he had a feeling the Anakim wouldn’t stop with Georgetown.

  Odessa pressed the tip of an index finger to her lips. “If we find the nest and destroy the changelings, it will significantly weaken Montgomery’s defense. We could get to him then. The Manheeg should be pleased enough if we are successful.”

  Rafe strutted over to her. “We going hunting, O?”

  Odessa gave him a quick nod.

  “Fuckin’ A!” His grin was as mischievous as a rowdy frat boy.

  Lex stepped between them with raised eyebrows and a finger in the air. A cold glare from Odessa shut him down before he could protest. She paced with long, elegant strides, looking more like a high-fashion runway model than a lethal weapon. Rafe and Lex were silent, watching her, apparently awaiting instruction.

  She stopped in front of Cooper. “Montgomery must have a day soldier who keeps tabs on you during the day sleep. Have you seen anything unusual or met anyone lately who seemed strange to you?”

  Cooper rubbed his forehead with the tips of his fingers. He hadn’t really seen anyone since he returned except for Randy and Lillie Mae. And Tony. Talk about strange.

  He looked up at them. “Yes. I have. A guy. He was my best friend when we were kids. Tony Tanner. I ran into him the first night I drove
into town, and then I saw him again in front of the house earlier looking kind of sketchy. Jesus, it was right before you got here.

  Rafe bolted out of the room, nearly taking the front door off the hinges from the sound of it.

  Odessa was in Cooper’s face again. The woman had no sense of personal space. “What did he say to you?”

  “Not much. He acted really strange when I first saw him at the Ice House,” Cooper said. “All twitchy and distracted. I thought maybe he was strung out on something. He didn’t try to hurt me or anything. He actually seemed kind of repelled by me.”

  Odessa gave a quick nod. “Montgomery would not have wanted him to hurt you. Just to keep an eye on you. Report back if people like us showed up.”

  Cooper looked at her sideways. “Tony is one of them?”

  “Not likely since you saw him this morning in broad daylight.” She rolled her eyes like his ignorance was a waste of her valuable time. “It sounds like Montgomery got to him, though. Gave him a taste of Anakim blood. Given in small doses, their venom can be quite effective in controlling humans. It connects their minds. The day soldier will crave more of it and will do anything to get it. He’s Montgomery’s slave now.”

  Rafe rumbled back into the room. “Nothing. He’s gone.”

  Cooper scratched the back of his neck. “Alexander couldn’t have known that Tony and I knew each other, though.”

  Lex glided over to him, his nearly translucent skin accentuated by his all-white attire. If he dressed that way to tone down the haunting effect of his skin, he failed.

  Human scents are like Anakim radar, Cooper. No matter how long it has been since you last saw this man, he will always carry traces of yours on him. That’s how the Anakim knew you were connected. This friend of yours was likely the first Alexander encountered here carrying your scent. It could have been anyone that knew you.

  Odessa tapped a toe on the floor. “Do you know where this guy lives?”

  Cooper shrugged. “No clue. Why?”

  She tapped the tip of her index finger to her bottom lip. “He may know where the nest is.”

  Rafe plopped down on the sofa and picked up Cooper’s iPad from the coffee table, handling it like it belonged to him.

  Cooper leaned in over Rafe’s shoulder. “Tony Tanner.”

  Rafe typed the name into a search engine, mumbling to himself. “Tony Tanner. Georgetown, South Carolina.”

  Odessa sat on the arm of the sofa and peered in. Cooper looked up to find Lex suddenly standing right beside him. Damn, that was creepy.

  “Got him.” Rafe held the tablet out at arm’s length so they all could see.

  He looked over his shoulder at Cooper. “Do you know a place called Harmony Hills Mobile Home Park? Map shows it off Montford Road. Near the…”

  “Near the Pennyroyal Cemetery,” Cooper said. He knew the place all too well, having buried his entire family there. It was also just down the road from the Waccamaw Rehabilitation Center and Nursing Home. He’d avoided Montford Road like the plague for over a decade.

  “I guess you do,” Rafe said with a raised brow and then looked up at Odessa. “What do you want to do, O?”

  Odessa stood and cupped her shapely hips with her hands. She sauntered over to the fireplace, Rafe’s leer following her ass with brazen lust and appreciation.

  Turning on her heel, she tapped her fingertips together. “Let’s pay this day soldier a little visit. See what he knows.”

  Lex moved to her side. Odessa, Betsy said—

  She shot him a glare full of daggers. “You think I care what that infernal Anakim bitch said?”

  Lex stared at her, eyes wide. Betsy is a loyal and dedicated Jericho soldier.

  “Perhaps.” Odessa balled her right hand into a fist at her side. “But if she doesn’t do the deed when the time comes, I will gladly do it for her.”

  Lex raised an eyebrow at her. And will you do the same to the Manheeg? Or is it his fondness for Betsy that fuels your impertinence?

  Odessa shoved her index finger up into his face. “You are out of line, Lex. I suggest you stop now before I lose my temper.”

  Lex stood his ground for only a moment, then drifted backward, easing the suffocating tension in the room. The retreat was odd. Something about Lex made Cooper think Odessa’s Divinum power was no match for the pure-blood, yet he obeyed her anyway.

  “Lex, you will stay here with Cooper and Lillie Mae,” Odessa announced with renewed authority.

  Lex gave her a protracted nod, as if to reinforce his submission to her commands.

  “No chance in hell,” Cooper said. “I’m coming with you.” He expanded his chest with a deep breath, preparing for Odessa’s wrath. “If Tony knows something, there’s a better chance that he would tell me than you. We’ve known each other since we could walk. Besides, my gut tells me my methods would be a little more humane than yours.”

  Odessa cut her eyes at him, but he didn’t back down. He would go with them whether she liked it or not.

  Rafe dropped the iPad on the coffee table just hard enough to make Cooper flinch. “We doing this or what?”

  Odessa’s glare faded a little too quickly for Cooper’s comfort. He’d expected more of a fight. “Don’t be surprised if he isn’t as receptive to you as you think. Trust me. He’s changed.” She looked over at Rafe. “He’s with you. Transportation?”

  Rafe stood. “Already taken care of.” He walked around the sofa and slapped Cooper on the shoulder. “Let’s roll, Ginger.”

  Cooper shot him an icy scowl. He’d always hated being called that. The idea of leaving Lillie Mae with a stranger—a very strange stranger—unnerved him. Looking up into Lex’s peaceful white eyes, a sudden wave of reassurance spilled over him.

  Lex’s smile warmed Cooper to the bones. She will be safe with me, Cooper. You have my word.

  Cooper believed him, and he followed Odessa into the foyer with Rafe close behind. An imposing figure filled the sidelight of the front door, its rugged, handsome face peering in through the glass. Randy. Cooper sighed, grabbed his coat, and reached for the doorknob, pulling it open before Randy had a chance to ring the bell and wake Lillie Mae again.

  Looking smart and fit in his uniform, a puffy breath of cold air slipped out between Randy’s parted lips. He looked over Cooper’s shoulder to the odd cluster of guests standing behind him. Wrinkles formed in the corners of his eyes, and his chiseled jawline stiffened.

  “Sorry. I didn’t know you had company.”

  Cooper avoided those eyes and kept his voice even. “Randy. Hey.” His heart thumped hard against his chest, and he silently cursed it for doing so. Hell if he would let this guy get to him again. His heart was not available to the unavailable, and Randy had made it perfectly clear last night that he was not available. At least not to Cooper.

  Rafe cleared his throat from behind, prompting Cooper to move it along.

  “We were just leaving.” Cooper clenched his fists, quelling the hurt and anger churning in his gut.

  A disingenuous smile formed on Randy’s lips. “You going to introduce me to your friends?”

  Cooper nodded over his shoulder. “That’s Odessa, Rafe, and Lex.”

  Randy pointed his thumb over his shoulder toward the street. “There are only two bikes.”

  Cooper peered around him. Two tricked-out black Harleys sat the end of the driveway. He wondered where the hell they had come from, because he certainly hadn’t heard them pull in. Rafe must have conjured them up to provide a more traditional mode of transportation for the newbie.

  He looked back at Randy. “Lex is staying here with Lillie Mae.”

  Rafe stepped up beside Cooper and put a hand on his shoulder. “And Cooper is riding with me.” The jerk winked at Randy, as if trying to make the situation even more uncomfortable than it already was. He was probably getting off on it.

  Randy’s raised eyebrows implied that he wanted more of an explanation, but Cooper didn’t offer any. He was too busy rebuilding
the fortress around his heart and systematically shutting down his emotions. The sting of Randy’s rejection was still fresh.

  Randy abandoned his line of questioning and leaned in. “I wanted to talk about last night. I could come back later if that’s okay.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “I just want to make sure things are square between us.”

  Cooper chose his words carefully. “There’s really no need. Everything is fine. We’re square.”

  After a momentary silent stare down, Randy sighed and moved aside. Stepping out onto the porch, Cooper let Odessa and Rafe pass. They regarded Randy like he had leprosy as they passed him. The heels of Odessa’s boots punctuated her displeasure with the delay in a noisy clatter of clicks and scuffs down the front steps. Cooper closed the door behind them and strolled down the walkway, leaving Randy standing on the porch alone. His heart sank, and he sighed. What the hell was the matter with him? It was Randy, for Christ’s sake. He glanced back over his shoulder. Randy stood with hands on his hips, shoulders back, and a laser glare shooting down the walk at Cooper like an arrow.

  Rafe shuffled up beside Cooper and flashed him what his brother used to call a shit-eatin’ grin, a reference that he never quite understood. Why would someone grin if they ate shit?

  “That your man?” Rafe jabbed a playful finger in his side.

  Cooper flinched and pulled away, heat rising in his cheeks.

  Rafe let out a throaty laugh and threw a thick arm around his shoulders. “What? He’s one sexy motherfucker. Hell, I’ll do him if you don’t.” Rafe slapped him on the ass and sprinted ahead to the bikes.

  Cooper lowered his head and kept walking, too mortified to look back at Randy.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Harmony Hills Mobile Home Park was an eyesore of Southern Americana. Established before it was in vogue to add porches or decks to your doublewide to give the feel of a traditional brick and mortar home, the trailers at Harmony Hills looked like they had been pulled in, lined up side-by-side, unhitched, and forgotten. Narrow sandy paths connected by a black asphalt road bore names like Recital Road, Symphony Circle, and Refrain Lane, and were all that separated the endless rows of rusted hurricane bait.