Danika ground her teeth together. She turned on her mate and stepped up to his enormous frame. “Who is the lord of this coven? You? William? No, me! It is just this kind of thing that makes the three kings think they can push me around and tell me what to do and who to let in my lands.”
“That’s not fair,” said Mason. “You know very well that William and I only ever have your back. We called Neeman because he is family. Coven family. And he has a right to know what’s going on in our area if he’s to do his job effectively.”
Neeman couldn’t see Danika’s expression, but he had a pretty good idea what it looked like.
Danika didn’t like being wrong, but she liked being seen as weak even less. And if having him there strengthened her, she’d allow it.
Mason set his hand on her waist and leaned in close. He whispered something in her ear so low that even Neeman’s vampyr hearing couldn’t pick it up. After a second, Mason chuckled and Danika’s posture relaxed.
“Fine. Neeman can be here.” She turned to him. “But you are here as coven family members, not trackers. Which means I don’t want Coven War Five breaking out tonight. Are we understood?”
Neeman nodded.
“Come on,” she said. “Let’s everyone have a drink before they get here.”
The group headed into the kitchen. Neeman caught William’s arm. They hung back until the rest of the group was out of earshot.
“Do you have anything besides Savor?” he asked.
“We have blood slaves if—”
“No.” Neeman waved his hand and licked his lips. His gut clenched. He’d never told anyone he didn’t drink directly from the vein. Not even Danika. “Do you have anything in stock?”
“We have some in the cellar storage.”
“Okay. I’ll be back in a few.”
William looked at him quizzically for a moment and then nodded. “Of course.”
Neeman walked to the back stairs. At least they’d won the first battle. Danika agreed to have them there. Now to make sure no one killed each other at the meeting.
Chapter 10
Selene slid from the roof of the SUV and stretched. She shouldn’t have worn flats. Trying to hold on for the fifteen minute ride had given her calves a harder workout than if she’d been on the stair-stepper for an hour.
Guards milled about on the grounds and dogs ran the perimeter. She stepped into the bushes and peered through the window. Neeman and the others spoke to Mason and the vampyr William who’d met them at the door. She caught a glimpse of the back of a red-headed woman. The group moved to the rear of the house. Neeman stopped to talk to William and then he headed to the back of the staircase and disappeared.
Inside, the interior was beautiful enough to rival the penthouses her mother used to live in. Antique European furnishings gleamed from frequent polishing. A large red carpet ran to the door, covering beautiful marble floors.
She turned at the sounds of barking. The large guard dogs chased two sedans up the driveway. She crouched behind the bushes as the cars pulled in front of the house and stopped. The dogs barked until the guards reined them in. Several large Vampire guards walked to the cars and waited.
The doors opened and out of the first car stepped two men who were identical in appearance, followed by four other Vampires. The other car also emptied half a dozen Vampires onto the driveway. The group stared at the guards for a moment before being showed to the door.
One of the twins spoke to the other. She recognized their language as Russian immediately.
“We aren’t even greeted by Danika. I told you coming here would be futile.” The speaker nodded to the guard and smiled.
“But look how few guards there are.” The second looked around. “This place is wide open for an attack.”
The hairs on Selene’s neck stood on end. The guards made no move against the men, so she could only assume they didn’t speak Russian.
“That’s not why we’re here, Alexi. You know the job. We wait and see how things play out.”
The group disappeared into the house. One of the guard dogs started barking again, staring at her. The Vampire who held the dog looked at where she stood.
“Shut up,” he said.
Selene slid around the side of the house. The dog’s eyes tracked her the entire way. She rounded the corner and headed for the back of the property.
A large brick building stood behind the main house and on the side of it stood another recently added building. Inside, humans milled about. Some ate, some read, others watched television.
The front door of the barracks opened and three females dressed in all white walked toward the main house, carrying cleaning supplies.
As the slaves opened the door to go in, a male Vampire and a heavily pregnant blond female exited, followed closely by a human male in his early sixties, whose eyes darted back and forth.
“Ike, would you please get one of the blood slaves? I’m going to walk Sinya to the garden to sit for a few moments of fresh air,” said the male Vampire.
Ike nodded and headed to the barracks.
“Are you sure you feel up to working?” asked the male Vampire.
“Lance, honestly. I’m pregnant, not dying.” Sinya laughed.
“I worry is all, my love.” Lance kissed his wife’s hand.
“All I am doing tonight is talking to the humans to find out what they need and how the training is going. The baby isn’t due for another month. With Danika lessening my workload and giving it to William, I feel like I’m no use to anyone anymore.”
Lance stopped walking and held his wife’s face in his hands. “Not so, my dearest. You are more precious to us all than you know. Which is why Danika doesn’t want to overburden you.”
Ike returned from the barrack alongside a female human.
“Come,” Lance called. “Let’s dine in the gazebo under the stars.” He took Sinya’s arm and the two walked into the garden, followed by Ike and the slave.
It fascinated Selene that the humans obeyed so willingly, allowing the Vampires to take their blood with no thought for their own wellbeing. They were no better than pets.
Neeman’s words floated back to her. “You’re too pretty to clean toilets.” Her skin prickled and her stomach lurched. She couldn’t imagine being bitten and sucked on day in and day out. Unless it was for someone she cared about. Maybe she’d let someone she loved bite her.
* * * *
Neeman, William and several other house guards and trackers stood behind Danika’s and Mason’s chairs in the nighttime atrium of Coven House. In front of them stood an entourage of a dozen Russian Vampires, not one among them a vampyr. The two men in front were Danika’s second cousins, twins by the names of Alexi and Eliander. The males had to be close to a hundred. The cousins had spent the last ten minutes trying to break the ice with Danika. It wasn’t working.
“I see no reason for you to be here, is explanation enough,” said Danika.
“Cousin, we come as an offering of solidarity. We only want to help strengthen you and your position in the States. In light of recent events in your area, we worry for you.”
“And what events would those be?” Danika asked.
“Why, the threats to you by Lord Garon and by the abundance of humans who need tending to.”
“So you have no problems with Mason as my mate then?” Her voice held surprise.
“Not at all, cousin,” said Eliander. “We are more than happy to have a male such as Mason standing at your side. Demons have ever been a noble race, worthy of our respect and alliance.”
“I see.” Danika tapped her nails on her chair arm. “Let’s stop beating around the bush. What do you want?”
Danika’s patience was wearing thin, it was obvious to everyone who knew her. Neeman wondered how much longer she would go on with the farce of listening to them before throwing them out.
The brothers looked at each other.
�
��I don’t understand,” said Alexi. “We’re here to help.”
“Really?” said Danika. “Well, where were you when my parents were murdered? Why didn’t you come to help me then? And when my life was almost taken a year ago by my minion, why did you not come?”
“Because you had Chase,” said Alexi. “But when we heard you’d been attacked by him as well, we knew we could no longer sit still.”
Danika continued to tap her nails. She was letting them stew, but he knew her better than most. She was trying to figure out what their angle was.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I cannot agree.”
“But cousin—”
She held up her hand. “Please stop calling me that. I do not know you. You are no more family to me than the three kings are.”
The twins sniffed in unison.
“Then maybe we should take our request to join you to the three kings,” said Eliander.
“From what I understand, you already have.” Danika stood. “Do not try to intimidate me. I don’t intimidate. And with that, I think this meeting is adjourned.”
Mason rose from his seat and took Danika’s arm in his.
Anger burned in the twins’ eyes. Neeman reached for his gun as he waited for them to make a move.
After a tense moment, Eliander smiled. “Lord Danika, we’d like to continue in Chicago and to call on you again. In a less formal setting perhaps? To have dinner?”
Danika inclined her head. “I give you leave to stay in Chicago for the next thirty days. In that time, having dinner would be acceptable. If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to call upon William.”
Danika looked back at William and he moved to her side. “Please see our guests out.”
William nodded. “Yes, m’lord.” He walked to the group. “If you will follow me.” The Russians bowed as a group to Danika and then followed William. He led them from the room.
After they’d shut the outer door she turned and met Neeman’s eye. “I don’t like it.”
“Me neither,” he said. “Do you believe they genuinely want to help?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I think they’re more trouble to deal with.”
“I think this is going to get uglier before it gets better.” Mason stepped closer to Danika.
“We’re here for you. Whatever you need,” said Neeman.
Danika gave him a tight smile and nodded. “I’m counting on it.”
Chapter 11
Selene ran back to the front of the house. The Russian visitors stormed out and headed for the cars.
“Stupid girl. She has no idea who she’s dealing with.”
“It’s Chase’s fault for trying to kill her. If he’d kept his wits about him, none of this would have happened.”
“We never should have taken him in.”
“It doesn’t matter. We’ll just have to give her some incentive to want our help.” The Vampire pulled out a phone. “Time to set things in motion.”
A pit formed in Selene’s stomach.
The cars pulled away and a ripple raced through her. She looked down. Damn. Her spell was fading. Stupid Earth plane. If there were more magic here this wouldn’t be a problem. She had to get to the compound. If Neeman found her here... If Mason found her here… They would never trust her. Running down the driveway, she slipped out the gate behind the sedans.
She ran down the beautifully manicured street toward the compound. The houses in the area were nicely cared for, but none of them were half as nice as Coven House. Ironic but not surprising that the nicest area of Chicago was full of people, where lower areas were boarded up and dying off.
Half a mile down the road, a shiny black motorcycle caught her eye and she slowed her pace. A smile crept over her face.
“Perfect.”
She rushed to the bike and tipped it off its kickstand. She snorted when she saw the keys dangling from the ignition. The world really had changed.
“Their loss.”
Placing her hand on the handlebar, she became completely visible again.
Time to go.
The bike roared to life and she sped away.
* * * *
Selene pulled the bike into the warehouse and hid it in a dark corner behind some supplies. She yanked the keys from the ignition and ran for the elevator; there was no telling when Neeman would return. She needed to make sure she was in her room when he arrived.
Her heart sank. Not that he’d come check on her. After what she’d done, she wouldn’t blame him if he never spoke to her again.
“Who cares?” Her inner voice chimed in for the first time in hours.
“I do.” Her words surprised even her. She did care. She cared what he thought and how he felt about her, though she had no clue why. He wasn’t her husband. Hell, he wasn’t even her boyfriend. He was her captor, warden, and babysitter.
As she plopped down on her bed, the words rang false in her ears. She was lying to herself.
“If that’s how you really feel about him, why did you come back? Why didn’t you just take off on that motorcycle and keep on riding till you found humans?”
She grabbed her pillow, threw it over her face, and screamed.
Her inner voice laughed. “That’s what I thought.”
“Shut up! You aren’t supposed to be talking to me.” How was her inner voice talking to her?
She rolled over and stared at the wall. There was no way she had feelings for Neeman.
A rumbling sound from above made Selene look up. The ceiling shook and in the corner the standing lamp crashed to the floor.
What the hell?
The elevator rang in the hallway. She darted to her door and grabbed the knob as a hissing sound sent a shiver up her spine. Selene swallowed, closed her eyes, and breathed deep. She knew that sound. A million years could pass and she would still know the sound of every monster out there.
Despite the magick Selene had invoked to keep her at bay, her demon half broke from her cage and screamed like a banshee.
They’d been too late.
When Neeman had picked up Rex and brought him back, Rex had sent a signal. And now the demons had found her.
Selene covered her ears with her hands and a wave of nausea hit her. A fine sheen of sweat blossomed on her skin as her inner beast clawed at her to be let loose.
Outside the door, shouts and gunfire bounced down the hallway, muffled by the closed door.
“Do something. Go out and fight.”
“I can’t,” she cried.
“Then let me out.”
“No!”
More gunfire rang out and a roar shook the walls. She needed to get out of here. Where was Neeman? Her phone! She needed her phone.
She rushed about the room throwing new clothes and shoes everywhere. She grabbed one of the new bags and slung it over her shoulder. Then she stuffed a pair of underwear in it, and a hairbrush and found the phone under a pile of clothing.
“What’s wrong with you? Demons in the hallway and you’re looking to comb your hair?”
“Shut up! I have to think!”
“Fight. It’s the only way.”
No! She should stay hidden and wait for Neeman to come. She swiped the phone to turn it on. She found Neeman’s number and dialed it. The phone beeped and turned off.
What?
She tried again, and again it beeped and turned off. She hit the phone on her hand.
“Why won’t you work?”
A terrible shrieking bell went off in the hallway and suddenly water poured down on her.
“Great, just what I needed. A shower.”
The lights flickered and went out. A set of dim backup lights turned on. The acrid smell of smoke drifted under the door. She glanced around the room. Everything was soaked.
Panic settled in her chest. She couldn’t just sit here and let the whole place burn down around her while she drowned.
She grabbed the door handle and pulled the door wide. A billow of smoke entered the room making her cough. Down the hall, near the elevator, the walls and ceiling were alight. Three trackers were engaged in a battle with two demons. The giant human-looking demons with eyes like pitch and black ooze dripping from their lips slashed and spit at the Vampires. Everywhere their spit landed, the floor melted away. Ash demons.
“Kill them.”
She didn’t want to get involved, she wanted to make a run for it. But there was nowhere to go. One of the Vampires fell to the ground, a sizzling hole through his chest. They were all going to die if she didn’t do something.
Selene took a deep breath, dropped her bag, and slipped off her flats. She ran toward the demons and was three rooms down when a massive shape jumped in her path and shoved her backward. She flew through the air and landed in a heap, sliding on the wet ground back to where she’d started.
The air whooshed out of her lungs as her head hit the cement with a thwack. Lights exploded into her vision and she blinked rapidly trying to clear the stars. This was no time to get caught blind. She wiped water droplets from her face and pushed her hair back.
“Ah, there you are, Princess. We’ve been looking for you.” An incendiary demon smiled and strode toward her, the water glistening on his blackened skin.
She sucked in huge gulps of air trying to get the tightness in her chest to dissipate. Not fully able to see, she leaned on the wall and got to her feet. Her head pounded and a trickle of blood skimmed down her temple to her cheek.
“Let me out!”
The demon advanced, his massive frame taking up the entire hallway. She needed to act fast.
She cradled her arm and massaged her shoulder, her vision clearing. “Please. Just go. Leave me be.”
He laughed and continued to advance. “You should savor this moment, Princess, because it shall be the last time you feel no pain in a long while. You ran away from your father and he is not very happy about it.” The ancient language slithered from his mouth.
She widened her eyes and backed away. “Please, don’t hurt me.”
Rise of the Fae Page 11
