Then do it, Ari replied.
In seconds, Ari and Nico found themselves in a small room below Everette's nightclub, where Everette was huddled on a bed in a corner, bleeding sluggishly from wounds to her thigh, shoulder and neck.
"We're here to help," Ari held up a hand as Everette moved, preparing to protect herself.
"Honey, why is your hand glowing?" Everette made an attempt at humor.
"She can remove the bullets and repair much of the damage," Nico explained.
"Thank the goddess," Everette let her head rest against the wall behind her.
"Do you want me to hold your hand while she works?" Nico asked.
"I never turn down an offer from a good-looking man," Everette sighed, holding out her left hand for Nico to take.
"Here we go, then," Ari soothed, holding her glowing, shell-imprinted hand outside the neck wound first. Everette gasped when the bullet left her body, slapping into Ari's hand with a small thump.
"Thigh next," Ari breathed as Everette turned her eyes toward the ceiling, refusing to watch. That bullet came out easier than the one in the neck. Everette drew a shaky breath and nodded for Ari to continue.
"Now, shoulder," Ari said. "This one—is lodged in the bone. It may hurt."
"I'll try not to break your hand," Everette told Nico.
"I can protect myself," Nico soothed. "Ari, do what you must."
Ari's entire body began to glow, forcing Everette to close her eyes. The bullet made a bone-scraping noise as Ari pulled it out of Everette's shoulder.
"There, all done," Nico patted Everette's hand. "How do you feel? Is there anything else we can do to help?"
"I feel much better," Everette sighed. "A vamp's body knows when there's something foreign in it, and it can be painful—and terrifying."
"Do you have more clothes?" Ari asked. "These are kinda bloody."
"At home," Everette replied. "This is my emergency shelter, you understand."
"I think we should take her back to the ranch," Nico suggested. "Unless you want to talk to the police. Claudio, Renault and Alejandro are upstairs with Del and the others."
"How many were hit?" Everett asked.
"Most are dead," Nico said. "Only three escaped without injuries. I believe seven were transported to the hospital. There were six gunmen, and they all carried hundreds of rounds for their weapons."
"I couldn't get to any of them," Everette shook her head. "I was in the back, putting an order together for the club, when the shooting started. Bullets were flying everywhere; you couldn't walk through the place without getting hit. I got knocked down, and they all ran out of the place like they'd been jerked on a string. I heard sirens right after that, so I came down here. Paramedics and vampires don't get along when there's been an accident."
"I can get her back to the ranch," Nico told Ari. "If you want to go upstairs and sniff around."
"All right," Ari said. "Let me know if you need anything, and I'll be right there."
"Thank you for your help," Everette told Ari as Nico helped the vampire to her feet. "I wasn't sure what to do."
"We'll figure this out," Ari said. "Go on, Nico."
Nico transported Everette away, leaving Ari in the small room. Squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath, Ari unlocked the door and walked out, heading for the stairs and the bloody nightclub above.
How is Everette? Renault asked the moment Ari arrived.
She's well enough—we got the bullets out, Ari explained. Nico took her to the ranch to get some rest.
"Thank you for helping," Claudio came to stand beside Renault. "Alejandro is assisting with the investigation."
"Do we have a body count, yet?" Ari asked.
"A preliminary estimate is forty-seven, but that number will likely rise," Claudio said. "Everette's place is quite popular, you understand."
"Everette draws people to her," Ari agreed. "I think she's always been that way."
"I agree with that assessment," Renault nodded. "It's why she was turned."
"Del is attempting to get copies of security recordings," Claudio said. "I hope to see them, too. Renault, Alejandro and I are very adept at recalling images."
"I'm wondering whether these gunmen were sent by the Adversary, or if they saw the call to arms on those websites and acted on their own," Ari said.
"Either way, they serve the Adversary," Renault observed. "They will be easy for him to find, if they are not already pledged to his service directly."
"You mean they're easy for him to find, and not so easy for us to locate?" Ari asked.
"Yes. The Adversary is adept at sniffing out those who are amenable to his purpose."
"All who were still living have been transported," Alejandro joined them. "All others are beyond help."
"Do you think Everette should close her business for now? It could be dangerous for her to reopen in this climate," Ari said.
"It will take some time to clean and remodel, once the investigation is concluded," Claudio explained. "I hope she can reopen after that, with no threat to the safety of her guests or herself."
"I hope it will be safe. I'm really worried, now," Ari shivered.
"As are we," Renault conceded. "But we are not free if we are afraid."
Ari lifted her eyes to Renault's. "You're right," she sighed. "It's just a horrible, ironic life we live, huh?"
"As it has always been," Alejandro nodded wisely. "Pointing fingers always create targets, do they not?"
"Yeah. I think I'll check on Lance and Mona."
"We will accompany you," Claudio said. Ari stepped carefully around the perimeter of yellow tape which circled bodies and a crime scene from a nightmare, heading for Lance and Mona, who spoke to a detective near the door.
"Do you need anything?" Nico asked Everette as he showed her to the steps leading into the basement.
"I'll be fine," Everette said.
"It's all right to be worried," Nico soothed. "We're worried, too, because they've widened their hit list from witches only, and fast, too. I'm concerned about who their target will be next time."
"Did this have anything to do with those attacks in Austin earlier?"
"Yes. I can answer questions downstairs if you'd like to lie down."
"Thank you. I do have plenty of questions," Everette confirmed. "Will it upset you if I have some of Claudio's bagged blood?"
"No. I think you need it," Nico replied. "Go on down, I'll be right behind you."
Minutes later, Everette sat on a bed in the basement, sipping from a bag of blood with her back to the wall. "I really want those murderers to suffer. Those people they killed—many of them are personal friends," she said.
"I'm sorry you were targeted," Nico told her. "They targeted my parents—and me, too. My parents died. I only survived because I decided to visit Ari at her gallery across the street, rather than going in to work early."
"You're that one," Everette breathed, studying Nico in the dim light. "Your parents owned that restaurant."
"Everybody else thinks I'm dead. I have to stay hidden to fight the Adversary. They think Ari's dead, too, and she'll stay hidden for the same reason."
"This sounds like a big conspiracy theory," Everette said.
"I know. Except people are dying, and we're the only ones who can stop it."
"Most people don't care about that, as long as it happens to somebody else," Everette pointed out.
"It's sad, but you're right."
"What are you doing to stop it?"
"Well, today we were only half a failure. We managed to save half of those targeted by the demons in Austin. Whatever the final count is, double that and you'll know the number of intended victims. Mac, Ari, Renault and I were there. We saved as many as we could."
"Four of you saved a hundred and fifty-two? That's how many are missing, and if you saved as many as were taken," Everette blew out a breath. "I saw those things on television when I woke—that's what stopped me from getting to the club on time
and kept me from being in the middle of the firefight. I stayed to watch the whole thing on the news. The inventory should have been done already, and I would normally have been on the floor when those assholes came in. I wish I could help you in some way, to get back at the ones who are causing all this. I can only help at night, though." Everette's tone betrayed how helpless and depressed she felt.
"I'll say this, then," Nico said. "Get some rest so those wounds will heal completely. We'll see what tomorrow may bring. Good-night, Everette. Pleasant dreams."
"Masks. You can't see well enough past them to get any reliable images," Claudio shook his head when Del ran the images again. "With the little we can see through those clear masks, in addition to their body images, I've determined that all the assailants are male."
"That's what our experts are saying after they've cleaned and magnified the images," Del agreed. "We're going through recordings outside the club—all six rode off on motorcycles."
"You don't think they're blaming the LGBTQ community for what happened in Austin, do you?"
"People do weird shit," Mona drawled. "A therapist might call it displacement. I mean, we saw clear images of demons flying away with their helpless victims in Austin. Why shouldn't they blame the guests in this nightclub for that?"
"All it takes is a rumor nowadays," Ari said. "It's astounding how easy it is to manipulate some people with only a single, non-verifiable allegation. Lies and rumors like these are so loud and raucous, the truth can't make itself heard."
"I'll check in with our group who watches those sites," Del said.
"As will I," Claudio agreed. "We are attempting to track these sources, you understand, but that is difficult."
"If you find anything, will you let me know? Perhaps we can combine efforts to hunt the sources down. This may lead us to a connection of some kind to the ones we wish to find most."
"Of course, but I must warn you; if we have resources in the appropriate areas, you may hear of it afterward. Rest assured, we will obtain information if at all possible, before taking action."
"Well, I appreciate your honesty," Del grimaced. "My Department may not be happy that someone else cut in, but I understand that hesitation could cost us a lot."
"We need to get a better handle on who the next target could be," Lance observed. "If we'd had any idea that this was about to happen," he made a helpless gesture.
"We may have a few suggestions," Claudio turned toward Lance. "The problem, of course, is how to provide information or protection without the Adversary becoming aware and selecting a different target instead."
"You will find that the Adversary is more slippery than an eel, as elusive as a unicorn and able to wear more disguises than a chameleon," Mac said. "And, like the legendary hydra, will only grow more heads the longer he is attacked. The only good news in all this is that it could take two weeks or more for the abductees in Austin to become demon. I doubt the Adversary will send that portion of his army out until its numbers are acceptable. That doesn't mean he won't send the odd ones out now and then, but it will be far more covert than the debacle in Austin."
"How will he build up the number of demons, without an attack on a grand scale like the one in Austin?" Del asked.
"Kidnappings—by the same type that shot up the nightclub. With human involvement, guns, zip ties and duct tape can be convenient and persuasive."
"How the hell can we combat those tactics?" Lance demanded.
"We need more of us," Mac's shoulders drooped. "In the past, we stayed small and mobile, but that's when horses were the fastest mode of transportation. Here and now, it's like emptying an ocean with a single bucket—while it's raining. Back then, the Adversary couldn't create demons where he was; the stone and its previous owners prevented it. Once it left Spain behind, he was also free to leave. My guess is his ultimate goal is to destroy the stone and the one who holds it. Once here, his power appears to be unlimited to do just that."
"You haven't talked about the stone before," Laronda said.
"It's better to keep it hidden," Mac replied.
"What does it look like?"
"Like this." Renault held out his hand bearing the imprint.
"It chose Renault, just as it chose Ari and Nico. They are sworn to fight the Adversary," Mac explained. "It's building an army of its own, but it's taking longer and choosing more carefully than the Adversary has to."
"It's a shell?" Mona studied Renault's palm.
"It's carved of hard jet. You can call it petrified wood, for lack of a better term."
"There are two types of jet," Claudio said, as if lecturing a class. "Soft jet is created by carbon compression and fresh water. Hard jet is created by carbon compression and saltwater. There is a theory among the scholars that this particular jet stone is from a tree that never grew upon this world."
"Is that true?" Del asked.
"I cannot say," Mac neatly avoided answering the question.
"It is nearing dawn, Master Scholar," Alejandro reminded Claudio. "We have been at this most of the night."
"I can take you back," Ari offered.
"Take all of us back," Del pulled the thumb drive containing security camera recordings from the computer in Lance's office. "We can work on this in a more comfortable setting there."
"Nico," Hunter exclaimed after finding Nico hunched over a coffee mug in Janie's kitchen the following morning.
"Hey, Hunter. Is Erly around?"
"He went out with Val earlier, and let me sleep in a little," Hunter admitted. "They should be back for breakfast."
"Barn finished?"
"Yep. Did a good job, too." Hunter pulled out a barstool next to Nico's. "Why do you want to know?"
"Because we have other stuff to get to," Nico said.
"Hunter, would you like juice or milk?" Mary Kate asked.
"I'll get my juice," Hunter dropped off his seat and walked toward the fridge. "Need any help with breakfast?"
"I'm good," Mary Kate smiled at him.
"Want anything while I'm up?" Hunter asked Nico.
"I'd take some juice."
"Good morning, Nico," Ari shuffled in, hair damp from a shower, house slippers on her feet and wearing jeans and a T-shirt. She stopped to put an arm around Nico's shoulders to give him a hug.
"Thanks, Ari," Nico gave her a smile as she walked around the island to pour coffee for herself.
"We have something to do today, don't we?" she asked him as she lifted the coffeepot and filled a mug.
"Yeah. I don't think it'll be easy to watch, either."
"You're talking about the hearings at the state house, aren't you?"
"Yeah. We need to find a seat in the gallery. Renault will have to remember it for Claudio, since he can't come."
"They'll probably record it," Ari said.
"Well, anything could happen, I guess."
"You think something may happen, don't you?"
"I'm worried, yes."
"Then we definitely need to be there. Del and Laronda, too."
"I want Erly and Hunter to come with us," Nico said. "I doubt there'll be anyone allowed in the gallery, so you and I have to get everybody in. Nobody will see us," he added.
"You've worked this out, haven't you?"
"Yeah."
"Have you told Mac?"
"Told me what?" Mac walked in much as Ari had, after getting too little sleep. Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, Mac had chosen to walk barefoot into the kitchen.
"Take a seat—I'll get your coffee," Ari told him after taking a good look at the lines on Mac's face.
She's worried about you, Nico sent to Mac.
I don't deserve it, Mac replied.
My mother would say Mira lo que trajo el gato, Nico informed him.
Look what the cat brought?
Well, I've seen you look better. It was Mama's version of look what the cat dragged in.
Mac, rather than becoming angry, barked a laugh. It was an infectious laugh, filled with genuine
humor.
"Here you are," Ari set a mug of coffee in front of Mac.
"Thanks, Ari." He shocked the hell out of her by lifting her free hand to his lips and kissing it.
"Huh?" was all she could muster after moments of silence passed.
"Nico says I look like something the cat dragged in. I figure that cat would have to be you," Mac grinned at her.
"I figure she could drag you back to her lair and feast on your flesh," Nico teased.
"Uh, I'm not sure I should acknowledge that one," Ari said. "Besides, I don't have a lair—that sounds too arch villain-ey. Plus, I figure he'd be tough to chew."
"I would be," Mac confirmed. "Sit down and drink your coffee before it gets cold."
"Yeah. Need coffee. Make brain work gooder."
"I see what you did there," Hunter leaned around Nico to grin at Ari.
"Don't worry; you'll be old one day," Ari wrinkled her nose at him.
"Yeah, but you'll always be older."
"Can't argue with that," Ari lifted her coffee mug and drank.
"Who's older?" Erly walked in the back door with Val.
"I'm older than anybody in this house," Mac raised a hand. "And, as Hunter pointed out, I will always be older than everybody in the house."
"You may need to explain that sometime," Erly said. "Did you leave any coffee for me?"
"There's plenty of coffee," Ari said. "Come have a seat and I'll get you a cup."
"I won't say no to that," Erly grinned and took a seat next to Hunter.
"So. You were an engineer?" Mac asked Erly.
"Word gets around, I guess," Erly thanked Ari as she set his coffee on the island. "I can fix just about anything, from your roof to your vacuum cleaner."
"How did you end up so far in the back of beyond, then?" Laronda asked as she and Del joined the others in the kitchen.
"Fell out of love with the human race," Erly toyed with his coffee cup. "After Katrina, the insurance company only paid half what my house was worth, and I spent most of my money trying to make them give me what I paid 'em for. Found the place outside Swindall for what little I had left, fixed it up and retired from humanity."
"Do you still own the property in New Orleans—sorry—Nawlins?" Nico asked.
Raven, Red Page 26
