"Sit down," Lion said. "I'll try to explain so it'll make sense."
"Please," I responded, my voice gruff and demanding. It angered me enough that Earth was considered past saving, but why the hell did they come?
"At times," Lion began as he took a seat nearby, settling his large frame on the leather chair and making himself comfortable, "when a world is considered by the Liaison and his superior to be not worth saving, one of us can volunteer to go anyway. But there are generally rules concerning those expeditions."
"All right, explain that," I said. I still wasn't happy, and it showed in my voice and demeanor.
"The rules are that you go alone, with no assistance from the Liaison or anyone else, and you're pretty much on your own. You win, you get out and leave things as they are, hoping the world manages to correct its course. You lose, you either die or get the hell out before the Ra'Ak takes over or destroys the planet outright."
"So why are you here, then? Why are several of you here? It makes no sense, given what you just said."
"We've told you all along that this is unusual. This is Kee's home world, so she announced she was going to try for it. Just before she left, we got word from above. And when I say above, I mean far above what we usually get. Somehow, this world is important, and I can't say why that is. Either way, we're here and we're doing our best to make this come out right. It's like a dance. We both suspect our enemy is out there, but we can't prove anything, yet. The enemy has an interest in this world as well, and I can't help but believe the reasons are intertwined."
"This is more than confusing," I shook my head.
"Under normal circumstances, we'd have left this one to die."
"That doesn't make me feel any better," I said. "In case you were trying."
"Try to see the humor in it," Lion suggested.
"I fail to see any part of this as humorous."
"Yeah. Same here."
"What about," I began.
"We can't talk about it. Not yet," Lion held up a hand. "You'll have to trust me with this. We let the cat out of the bag, as your kind are fond of saying, and we'll be in trouble—on several levels. Whatever you do, don't let anything slip around Kee. You're vampire; that ought to be simple enough."
"This is important?"
"Extremely."
"All right."
"Good. Ready to hunt rogue werewolves tonight?"
"Absolutely. I was almost killed by rogue wolves. I wouldn't mind a bit of payback."
"This is Kee's version of payback. They kill one of ours; we hunt theirs. Since we know on some level that this world is important to the enemy, we figure we can get away with a few things without them blowing the planet to bits. And since it's not worth saving," Lion shrugged instead of finishing his statement.
"You're not very reassuring, you know."
"Never meant to be. Can't lie, remember?"
* * *
"Bearcat wants to go, so I'm going, too," Joey said. "He was a shapeshifter before, and he likes to join the battle, sometimes."
"Still have your fangs and claws?" I asked.
"When I need them," he nodded. "The nice thing is I don't have to if I don't want to. I feel amazing, Adam. Like I awoke from a bad dream."
"You're saying being a vampire was the bad dream?"
"Kind of. I never did like it much, except for the speed and a few other perks. That whole sleep of the dead thing during daylight bothered me a lot."
"Then dress carefully," I warned. "I don't want you bitten by any of those rogues."
"Hey, I saw what happened to you. No, thanks," Joey shook his head. "Do we know how many?" he added.
"I haven't heard numbers," I said. "Ready? The others are waiting downstairs."
* * *
"One of Shirley's wolves disappeared in the area," Daniel informed us as we climbed from two vehicles and looked about us. Empty land surrounded the SUV, with only a narrow track to drive on. If the area isn't plowed for agriculture, included in the yard around a home or located on a Gulf Coast beach, the land tends to be covered in brush and scrub over sandy soil.
That's where we were—on a side road south of Corpus Christi, with no houses in sight. Joey was taller (but not by much), than the brush lining both sides of the dirt and gravel road. "See this," Daniel pointed toward a narrow space between the growth. The path was barely wide enough for a wolf to have traveled through it.
Darkness had fallen; Lion and Dragon didn't want to call attention to the fact that we were out in numbers, so we'd waited for nightfall. Kiarra was with us, but she'd remained silent for the duration of the trip and I chose not to press her.
She did sit beside me in the SUV, however, and I'd kept an arm about her shoulders while Lion drove. "Do we follow, or split up?" Dragon asked.
"I say split up," Daniel said. "I'll go this way," he nodded toward the trail.
"I'll back you up," Lion offered, before turning into the black Lion. I realized that this was his smaller version, like the white mare was Kiarra's smaller animal. I wasn't sure I wanted to see the large, fighting Lion. Dragon? Forget that.
"Two more groups, and spread out," Dragon ordered. I followed Kiarra and Merrill, who went east of the trail Daniel and Lion followed. Dragon went westward, with Joey and Bearcat following him. If our luck held, Daniel would surprise the rogues, while the rest of us converged from different angles, attacking the makeshift Pack from behind.
Four miles in, I caught the noise. Merrill did as well, but Kiarra had already stopped still in front of us. The scent of a fire and cooking meat came moments later. Somebody was camping out, that much was evident. I was surprised the wolves bothered to cook at all. They merely had to change and eat their prey raw.
We stood amid shoulder-high brush and tall grasses, while Kiarra considered a course of action. Likely, she was alerting the others as well, but I'd been shut out of the conversation.
Are you hearing her mindspeech? Merrill asked, shocking the hell out of me. He had it, too.
Through Griffin, when I received his blood, Merrill explained before I could ask. As deaf as a wall before that, he added.
We've been shut out of the conversation, I responded. I suspect she knows something and she, Lion and Dragon are debating what to do.
You're probably correct.
As unfortunate as that might be, I agreed.
I'm concerned about the reason werewolves might cook meat. Especially since these are supposedly hiding, he sent.
As am I.
Get out of there, Griffin's voice blasted into our minds at the same moment the area blew up around us.
* * *
Kiarra paced and cursed, in so many languages I failed to understand more than half of them. I was grateful she, Dragon and Lion had chosen to include the rest of us inside their personal shields. If they hadn't, we'd be dead. That's what their silent conversation had been about—the fact that they sensed danger ahead, and how they might protect the rest of us.
"We don't usually include anybody inside personal shields," Lion handed me a cup of tea. Kiarra's cursing had gone soft, so it was easier to hear Lion's words. "She did it twice—to heal you and Joey. The enemy would have been alerted by the power expenditure if she hadn't."
"What's the problem with doing that?" I asked before sipping tea. Lion had sweetened it and added milk, just as I preferred.
"It leaves us vulnerable," Lion said, gesturing for me to sit down. He took a seat on the sofa with me and drank his tea before continuing. "You could strike out at us while you're inside our shield, and we'd be in trouble," he added.
"That's frightening," I said.
"That's why we seldom do it. It takes a great deal of courage and trust to include someone in that tight bubble around us."
"What, exactly, blew up out there?" I asked. It was on the local news—the fact that a wide area of land was burning south of Corpus Christi. Many reported hearing an explosion, but nobody could assign a reason for it. Fortunately, our vehi
cles were parked far away, and Pheligar saw fit to move them with power, along with the rest of us.
"Things are worse than we imagined," Lion muttered. "Somebody got the undocumented immigrants in the area in a panic, and told them they would be arrested if they didn't get out of town. I figure at least forty people were at that campsite. They're all dead, now."
"They were sent to a campsite that was booby-trapped?"
"Looks that way," Merrill took a chair nearby.
"I figure they'd have been bitten by spawn if we hadn't set off the bomb somehow," Lion observed. "They were being herded, that's easy enough to see."
"How did we set it off?" I asked.
"Could have been anything. While we employ cunning whenever we act, the enemy can be just as cunning—and much more destructive. Those people were dead, no matter what we did." Dragon walked in, carrying a mug of the dark tea he liked so much. I didn't have enough courage to try it; it smelled too strong.
"And we're back to the beginning, hunting werewolves," Daniel and Griffin joined us. "I just spoke with Shirley," Daniel went on. "We have more leads, but I don't want them to turn out like this one."
"Where was Rita's body found?" Kiarra stopped pacing and cursing to ask the question.
"They said a house outside town," Daniel replied. "That's all I know."
"Then it's time we found out," she said.
Griffin rattled off an address for her. She frowned.
"That's down the street from Roy Cheek's house," Joey said. He and Bearcat had just walked in.
"Adam, how fast can you turn to mist now?" Kiarra asked.
"I haven't tried it," I said, rising to my feet. "You know I'm a mister?"
"Yes. Try it now."
I did. "Wow, Adam," Joey breathed. "I didn't even see it, it was so fast."
I became corporeal again and blinked stupidly at Kiarra. "It's my blood," she shrugged. "How about a reconnaissance mission? I think we should check both those houses."
"They won't be able to detect his mist," Griffin laughed.
"Can you take someone with you?" she asked.
"I've never been able to turn anyone else with me," I hedged.
"Try it now," Griffin nodded.
"Come here, sweetheart," I motioned for her to come to me. She did. I pulled her into my arms, offering her a quick kiss before going to mist.
"It works!" Joey crowed. "Adam, you're both mist. That's outstanding."
"We'll go tomorrow," I said, allowing us to become corporeal. "I think we need to sleep on this."
"I think that's an excellent idea," Dragon said. "How about before dawn?"
"Always a good time for an attack," Kiarra nodded.
* * *
"Kee, reconnaissance only," Lion reminded as we prepared to go the following morning. He and Dragon were dropping us off two miles away, then driving to a small restaurant on the west side of town for breakfast. We'd mist to the houses in question from our drop-off point and report our findings.
It took less than a minute to mist to the first house, where I found the barest crack to slip through. The blood was easy enough to find—it was dried on the carpet in one of the bedrooms. My nose, curiously enough, still works while I'm mist. I was grateful.
Werewolves were here, I informed Kiarra. The smell of them is everywhere. I smell Rita, too, and her blood. I also smell my sire, and one other vampire. Too bad they're not still here, I grumbled.
So we know they're all together in this, she returned. Let's go to Cheek's house.
Misting through the same crack a second time, I changed course and headed down the street toward Cheek's house. Joey had staked it out several times, as had Kiarra. The garage door was easy enough to slip past, and the back door leading into the kitchen allowed enough space between it and the jamb to slide my mist through to the interior.
They've been here, too, I said. All the scents, plus other vampires. I don't like this at all, my heart. I smell at least six vampires and a dozen werewolves.
Adam, let's get out of here, Kiarra said, a fair amount of panic in her sending. I sped toward the cracks I'd found in order to enter the house. We'd barely made it out again before Cheek's house exploded behind us.
* * *
"Somebody knows how to build bombs," Lion handed a menu to me when Kiarra and I walked in and sat down.
"That much is certain," I said, accepting the menu and opening it. Kiarra scooted as close against me as she could—Lion and Dragon had chosen a booth near the door, and Dragon had moved from his seat opposite Lion so Kiarra and I could sit together.
"They're either good guessers or they have an edge of some sort," Dragon pointed out.
"I'd say guessing on this," Kiarra said. "They knew we'd latch onto that information, and after we set off what we did last night," she shook her head.
"So they're laying traps, and hoping we'll fall into at least one of them," Lion nodded. "Sounds about right. I think I'll have steak and eggs."
* * *
"Shirley has someone watching both houses, now," Daniel said later, after ending a phone conversation with the Corpus Christi Packmaster. "The one where Rita was killed was an empty rental property. It's scheduled for cleanup and renovation now, but that won't happen for a few weeks," he shrugged.
"What have the authorities made of the scales they found?" Dragon asked.
"They have no clue, and forensics hasn't been able to identify what type of scales they are. We have a wolf on the force, so that's how I'm getting information—through him."
"At least they came from the same kapirus," Kiarra said. "I know by Looking," she held up a hand. "How are these rogue werewolves feeding themselves?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Deer and small game are in the area," Daniel said.
"Enough to feed a group? Every day?"
"Probably. They'll hunt coyotes if they're desperate, and there are plenty of those around."
"That sounds tasty," Joey made a face.
"How are the vampires feeding themselves?" I spoke my thoughts aloud.
"Good question," Merrill said. "Very good question."
"If they're following the rules, then no bodies will show up and the human won't remember being bitten after compulsion is laid," I said.
"What about the safe house?" Kiarra asked. "You left bagged blood in the fridge."
"Shall we go see?" I turned both of us to mist before anyone could object and flew toward the door.
* * *
The safe house refrigerator had been left open, and all the blood had been taken. We studied it for only a moment—there was no other evidence that the house had been inhabited—before misting away again.
"There's enough to feed them for several days," I said when we reached the beach house again. "They took all of it, including what was in the freezer."
"I'll let Charles know the safe house has been compromised," Merrill said. I knew what that meant—the house would be destroyed and the property sold before Charles searched for a new location to build another.
"What now?" I asked. "They have a food supply for a few days. Past that, it's donors unless they find another source of bagged blood."
"I have a suggestion," Griffin said.
"What's that?" Kiarra turned to him.
"We know they're housing part of their army on those two oil platforms. At the moment, those things are still in operation, to keep the corporate offices off their back and to make everything appear normal. I say we take the fight there, to let the enemy know we're not backing down."
"Is that what you meant when you said the crews had been fired and replaced?" I asked Kiarra.
"Yeah. But you didn't take the bait, did you?"
"No. I feel naïve now," I said. "The more I learn, the more I realize I don't know."
"But you didn't feel so naïve then, did you?" Lion grinned. "Ignorance really is bliss, sometimes."
"The ground certainly felt firmer beneath my feet," I conceded. "I'm standing on quicksand
now, and slowly sinking."
"Sweetie, stop worrying. We're nearly as clueless, and we've been dealing with this for a long time," Kiarra rubbed my back.
"Did you just call me sweetie?" I lifted an eyebrow at her.
"I called you sweetie. Does that mess with your tough vampire mojo or something?"
"It might," I rumbled.
"You may call me sweetie," Merrill offered.
"Adam can stare down most vampires," Joey chuckled. "The rest of them bow and scrape, because they're afraid. I've never seen him lose a fight," he added.
"His Council records are impeccable," Merrill agreed.
"You've read them?" I turned to Merrill with a frown.
"Of course. I've read all the records on Enforcers and Assassins."
"You have access?"
"I do. Wlodek is my sire."
"Holy fuck," Joey breathed. "No wonder he takes your calls."
"He is still unaware that you are my turn," Merrill informed Joey. "I was warned to keep that information from all the Council, so I have."
"Are we going to the oil platforms?" Kiarra asked. "I worry that it may set something in motion we may not be prepared for."
"It will come anyway, regardless of what we do," Griffin advised.
"Probably true. When are we going?"
"Tonight. I'll find a fishing boat big enough for all of us, plus a few werewolves."
"I'll contact Shirley," Daniel said and pulled out his cell phone.
* * *
"How dangerous will this be?" I asked, moving the collar of Kiarra's shirt aside to kiss her shoulder. We were back in our bedroom; the decision to rest before going to the platforms later was an opportunity for me and I intended to seize it.
"Dangerous enough. You've already fought spawn, in small numbers. This will be an army of them. Some may be older and larger, like the trolls you saw in Shreveport."
"How far apart are these platforms?" I slowly began to unbutton her blouse.
"Less than a mile. The good thing is that once we attack, the spawn from the second platform will be forced to join the others by conventional means, unless the enemy is willing to reveal himself. I doubt he's ready for that, yet."
"Meaning we may have time to eliminate one army before the second attacks? That's something, I suppose. This will anger the enemy, no doubt, if we eliminate a major portion of his fighting force," I said.
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