Stormwind (The Storm Chronicles Book 3) (26 page)

Raven was halfway across the roof when an air conditioner vent flew out of the darkness and hit her in the side. She staggered under the impact; that was enough for Hisakawa to get the upper hand. The she-wolf ran forward and slashed Raven with both sets of claws, cutting through her skin and knocking her to the ground before disappearing back into the dark maze of equipment.

Raven groaned and picked herself up again, wiping water and fiery hair from her face. She could feel blood running down her back, but she ignored it. Hisakawa had to be stopped.

She raised her head and sniffed, picking up the lycan’s scent easily; the smell of blood and wet dog hung heavily in the air. She turned and followed the scent, keeping her eyes raised for any sign of the lycan. Again a piece of equipment flew out of the darkness, big enough to crush her under its weight. Raven shoulder rolled out of the way and fired at the fast-moving lycan. The bullets went wide, kicking sparks from air conditioners and rooftop equipment.

Cursing, Raven ran after the she-wolf, leaping over broken equipment and onto an air conditioner, hoping to see where the lycan had gone. She was just turning when the she-wolf barreled into her, baring her to the ground and knocking the Automag from her hand.

In a frenzy, the lycan tore at her body like a wild animal. Raven screamed as pieces of skin, flesh and bone were torn from her body, going limp under the onslaught. The lycan sat up and howled in triumph, raising both bloody arms to the sky.

Snarling, Raven sat up and sank her fangs through fur, muscle and sinew into the artery in the lycan’s arm. Feeling claret fill her mouth, she drank deeply. The lycan blood made her gag and her head feel like it was going to explode, but she held on, feeling the terrible wounds in her body begin to heal.

The she-wolf pulled herself free and pushed Raven away, cradling her wounded arm. Raven spat blood and groaned, glaring at the lycan as she shifted back to human.

“You’re going to die, half-breed,” Hisakawa said, cradling her destroyed arm.  “No vampire can feed from a lycan. The virus will kill you and I’m going to watch.”

“I’m no vampire,” Raven replied, feeling stronger. “As you keep helpfully pointing out. It won’t kill me before I put you down. You’re not a leader or a mother, you’re just another monster.”

She picked up her Automag and stood. Across from her Hisakawa shifted back to her lycan form, a low growl rising in her throat.

“Ready for round three?” Raven asked. “This one’s for all the cookies.”

The lycan snarled and charged. Raven gauged its run across the wet roof and waited a beat before running forward and leaping into the air. Her legs wrapped around the lycan’s neck and she lifted herself into a sitting position on the she-wolf’s shoulders. She planted the barrel of the Automag between Hisakawa’s eyes and pulled the trigger. The bullet passed through the lycan’s skull to disappear into the darkness and the two women crashed to the roof, sliding to a stop on the gravel.

Raven lay on the roof staring at the clouds for some time. She could feel the lycan’s blood in her system, the HVT and Lycanthrope viruses fighting for control while her wounds healed. Eventually she pushed Hisakawa’s body off and wretched, her system clearing itself of the contaminated blood.

When she was done she collapsed on top of Hisakawa and wished desperately for a cup of coffee.

“That was attractive,” Levac said from nearby.

Raven smiled and sat up. The man in the tan trench coat stood in a nearby doorway, his pistol held in one hand.

“Hey, partner,” Raven said, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand.

Levac smiled and stepped out into the rain, holstering his pistol as he walked. “Hey, Ray. Sorry I’m late.”

Raven stood and wrapped her arms around her mostly naked torso. “Better late than never. Seems you’re always showing up just when I need someone to bring me back.”

“It’s an honor to do it, Raven.”

Levac wrapped his coat around Raven and escorted her back inside.

“One more weird case solved?” he asked.

“One more for the books, Rupe,” Raven replied. “Are you ready for the next one? Or are you still requesting that transfer?”

“Yeah, about that… Frost never put it through and I’ve been thinking,” Levac replied.

“Yeah?” Raven asked, trying to keep the hope out of her voice.

Levac nodded. “You’re a pain in the ass, you keep secrets, you run off when you should wait for backup…”

Raven looked away so Levac wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes.

“But you’re my partner and my friend. We solve the cases no one else can touch,” Levac continued. “Besides, look at the stuff you get into without me.”

Raven turned and smiled at Levac.

Levac smiled back. “I threw away the request. You’re stuck with me, Ray.”

Raven shook her head. “Not stuck, Rupe. With, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

She pulled Levac’s coat around herself and headed down the stairs, feeling Levac’s eyes on the back of her head. She half turned and looked up at him.

“Coffee?”

“I don’t think you’re dressed for coffee, Ray. Your shirt is almost nonexistent,” Levac replied.

“I’ve got your coat,” Raven said, her hands sliding into the pockets. “I could get used to this…”

Her grin turned into a rictus of horror and she glared up at Levac. “Oh my god, what the hell is in this pocket?”

“Look, Ray, I can explain…”

“This is disgusting, Rupe,” Raven said.

“Oh stop, it isn’t that bad. A little hand sanitizer from the other pocket and you’ll be right as rain,” Levac said.

“You can’t put hand sanitizer on my brain! What is it with you?” Raven snarled.

“Well…you drink blood…” Levac replied.

“Ugh…”

RAVEN KNELT AMONG THE GARGOYLES atop Holy Name Cathedral looking out at the city. Her city. She and Levac had been reinstated as partners and were already assigned a new weird case. Someone was murdering people using fire that left no accelerant or other evidence behind. So far they’d found nothing useful in the wreckage of the victim’s homes, but it was only a matter of time.

She’s also had a long talk with her mother. Valentina had agreed to train Pandora as her day to day bodyguard, bringing Dora into the Court, something she actually cared about, while at the same time freeing Raven for only her duties as Fürstin. It was a situation everyone could live with.

She leaned back against one of the gargoyles and pulled a photo from her pocket. Even in the gloom she could see Aspen’s grinning face. Raven ran her thumb across the photo and smiled back before sliding it back into her pocket and standing for a better view of a distant glow.

“You killed my children and my mate,” a deep voice growled from somewhere in the shadows behind her.

Raven drew her Automag and spun, staring into the darkness. “I figured I’d be hearing from you sooner or later, Eliazarr.”

“And so you have. Why did you butcher that which was mine?”

“Because they violated the Treaty and were killing innocents. I hate to tell you this, but your wife was a psychotic bitch,” Raven replied.

She heard a low growl and the biggest wolf she had ever seen padded out of the shadows. He stood six feet at the shoulder at least and had a jaw that could have swallowed her head in one bite. He sat on his haunches, his tail twitching.

“She wasn’t always so bloodthirsty,” he said. “When I created her she was the perfect mate and a good mother. She carried many strong pups. The years wore on her, I think. Not everyone is able to live forever and keep their sanity. Still… I would have seen lycan justice for her, not vampire.”

“It was human justice,” Raven replied. “I offered her mercy, I offered her freedom and she tried to kill me. I did what I would do to any criminal that was a danger to others. I put her down.”

The wolf nodded his massive head.

“And my children? My pups that you killed in the temple?” Eliazarr asked.

Raven shrugged. “It was their stupid contest. They took it too far and I put an end to it. Maybe vampires once would have agreed to your challenge of honorable combat. But this wasn’t honorable. This was carnage, plain and simple. Anyone who won this battle would have been a poor second in command for your Clan.”

Eliazarr looked away. “You are very wise, dhampyr. For someone who won’t live more than a hundred years.”

“Thanks… I think,” Raven replied. “So what happens now?”

“For now I will leave with the First Clan and search for a new mate,” Eliazarr replied. “Somewhere, a daughter of the wolf is waiting.”

He stood and padded back into the darkness. Within a moment he was swallowed by the shadows.

“Don’t worry, little dhampyr. I will not forget what you have done. You will see me again.”

Raven cocked the Automag and searched the darkness for any sign of the giant wolf.

“But not today?” she asked.

“Not today,” the wolf confirmed.

As always, My gamers are first in my thoughts. If it weren’t for you, I would never have written a single word. Thank you for years of friendship and crazy ideas.

I also want to thank my Whedonesque family for keeping me going and putting up with the crazy blonde chick. Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people who love you, no matter what.

To my publisher, SJ Davis: Thank you for always knowing the right thing to say.

To the City of Chicago: You breathe life into Raven’s world. Thank you for your help.

To Jeannette and Pyxi: Best. Marketing. Team. Ever!

To my editor, as always: Gracias, Chica!

And to my fans: Thank you for all the kind messages. You guys rock!