Vengeance of the Demons (3 page)

“I’ll go,” William offered. “I’ll follow her and track her whereabouts. If she meets up with an enclave, I’ll send word.” Why did he keep offering to do this crap?

“No, William, you’re too valuable,” said Danika.

“Actually, I’m the most expendable,” he countered. “Roth and Neeman are needed to lead the trackers. You’re the coven lord. Mason and Selene are needed for their strength and knowledge, but I’m nothing.”

“You underestimate how we rely on you.”

William chuckled. “Please, I’m not trying to get you to flatter me. I’m telling you that which you already know. Roth said himself you need everybody here. Which means that no tracker can go. And there isn’t anyone else outside this room that knows of the threat besides King Sherman and those that sided with them a month ago. Let me go. I’ll make contact with the humans and try to reason with them.”

“And if you fail?” asked Roth.

He shrugged, trying to fake his way past the fear that gnawed at him. “Well then I hope they kill me before the demons show up because I have a feeling the demons won’t be so kind.”

The group fell silent. It was a hard decision, but they had to see it was the right decision.

“Okay,” Danika whispered. The emotion on her face struck him to the core. “Roth, you set up the fake escape for Evan. Make sure William has everything he needs not only to follow her, but also to keep himself safe. This has to work. We only get one shot at it.”

“I’ll do it myself,” Roth replied.

Mason stepped forward and his large palm fell on Danika’s shoulder. She met William’s gaze. “You’ll take two phones with you.”

“Of course.”

“And you check in every six hours.”

“Yes.”

“And if you don’t…” Her eyes misted.

“I’ll come for you myself,” said Mason.

“I appreciate that.” This was absolutely where his family was. A pang of apprehension hit him. He’d lived in the enclave until a year ago when he’d been captured by slavers and sold to Danika. In all that time, he’d never gone anywhere by himself. If he got stuck out there in the daytime with nowhere to go…

“Come on.” Neeman slapped him on the shoulder. “Let’s plan this out.

William nodded and stood. Finally, he was going to be useful. There was no way to back out now.

William removed a crisp blue dress shirt from its hanger and folded it. He was only taking one suitcase with him, so he had to choose wisely the things that he might need. This shirt would be the only nice one he would bring. Everything needed to be comfortable and practical.

He laid the shirt inside his bag when shouts caught his attention. Heavy footsteps pounded down the landing to the floor below. He stepped out into the hallway and jogged to the balcony. Men shouted from below. Roth and Mason were organizing trackers into cars.

“Demons?” he called.

Roth nodded and continued barking orders.

William ran down the stairs to the front door. Mason caught him by the arm.

“No. You have a different mission. We’ll handle this.”

“I can help.”

“You can, but this isn’t your fight. Finish packing. You leave as soon as we return.”

Mason took off outside and jumped into the last SUV in the driveway. William closed the front door as they pulled out of sight. He wasn’t a fighter, though he could fight, but he wanted to be out there protecting his friends. His family.

“William.”

The sound of Danika’s voice made him turn. The look of trepidation on her face struck him.

“How many are there?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I didn’t get a chance to find out before Mason ran out. I was on the phone with Sherman.”

William squeezed her arm. “They’ll be fine. They know what they’re doing.”

She nodded and gave him her stoic coven lord expression. “Are you ready to go?”

“Not yet. I am finishing packing.”

She linked her arm in his. “Come. I’ll help you.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I am well aware of that, but it will help me keep my mind off the fact that just about everyone in my family is out fighting demons.”

William inclined his head and led Danika up to his room.

* * * *

The sounds of cars approaching had both Danika and William rushing to the front door two hours later.

The door flung open and Mason entered carrying Neeman. William’s stomach turned at the sight of Selene, whose red-rimmed eyes tracked Mason’s movements.

“Take him right to Doc,” she said.

Mason spoke something to Selene in draconic, his voice soft and soothing.

She rushed beside Neeman and whispered into his ear. Danika put her arm around Selene’s shoulder and the group moved swiftly to the elevator. As they passed William, he spotted a huge gash down the side of Neeman’s face that continued down his throat and flayed open his shoulder. The wound was deep enough for William to see bone.

He turned away and cursed under his breath. This was why they needed the humans’ cooperation and possibly the weapons they had. If they didn’t get them soon, there would be no one left to defend against the demons. There was no choice, the entire country needed to come together on this one. Even the complacent vamps would be forced to fight if things got worse.

The rest of the trackers as well as Roth piled in the house.

“What happened?” asked William.

“There were more than ever. They fanned out and surrounded us. Neeman and Selene were pinned down by the edge of the park. We couldn’t get there until it was too late. If not for Selene, he’d be dead.”

He didn’t look too far off from that now.

“How many did we lose?” William asked.

“Three. Three good men. We’ll bury them tomorrow evening with the rest.”

William searched Roth’s hard face. A gash in his dark hairline caught William’s attention. “You should see Doc for that gash.”

“No need. I’ll feed and be fine. I’ve had worse. Much worse.” He glanced at his watch. “Damn. We’re supposed to be at the airport in thirty minutes. Are you ready to go?”

“Almost. I just need to get Evan.”

Roth nodded. “Do that, and then we’ll head out. The sooner you find those weapons the sooner we’ll stop burying friends.”

William swallowed. “Do you think Neeman will make it?”

Roth blinked several times and licked his lips. “I honestly don’t know. If he does though, I don’t know how much fighting he’ll do in the future. That arm…” He coughed and clapped William on the shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”

* * * *

William stood outside Evan’s room and took a deep breath. He clutched a dry-cleaner’s bag full of clothing in his hand. It had been almost five days since he’d had his fateful conversation with her and now the time had come. He knocked.

A moment later the door opened and Evan peered at him with her aquamarine eyes. She cocked an eyebrow when he didn’t say anything.

“Here.” He shoved the dry-cleaning bag at her.

Her brow furrowed and she snickered. “Okay.” She held up the bag inspecting it. “And what’s this?”

“Put it on.” He rubbed his slick palms on his slacks. “Gather your things. You’re leaving.”

A fearful expression crossed her face, and then she snorted and shoved the clothes back at him. “Ha-ha. Very funny.”

He handed them back. “It’s not a joke. Lord Danika has decided you can no longer stay here. You’re being transferred.”

“Transferred or sold?” Her gaze hardened like steel.

“You leave in fifteen minutes. Be downstairs or I’ll send the house guard up to get you.” He turned and headed down the hallway.

“Wait. William.”

He swallowed hard and refused to turn. He couldn’t blow this.

* * * *

William waited by the front door when Mason emerged from the elevator that led to the underground bunker and Doc’s office. He was covered in blood and dirt and crossed to William when he spotted him.

“Hey.”

“How’s Neeman?”

Mason shook his head. “He’ll make it but it isn’t good. We have no idea yet if he’ll ever regain use of his arm.”

“Doc’s as good as they come. If anyone can sew Neeman up, it’ll be him.”

Mason nodded, but his expression said he wasn’t so convinced. “You getting ready to head out?”

“Just waiting on Evan. She should be down any minute.”

“I have something for you.” He pulled a small leather pouch attached to a leather strap from his pocket and handed it to William.

William turned the soft leather over in his hands and then pulled on the drawstring. A small, warm vial rolled into William’s palm.

“It’s my blood,” said Mason. “Doc drew it for me downstairs. It’s in case… In case you get in trouble. If you need a boost, that should get you through.”

William had witnessed firsthand the effect Mason’s blood could have on a Vampire. It was strengthening at best and enraging at worst.

“Thank you.” William put the vial back into the pouch and shoved it in the pocket of his leather jacket.

The back door opened and Evan walked in. She spotted William and continued forward.

Mason laid his warm hand on William’s shoulder. “I meant what I said. If you’re in any trouble, you tell us, and I’ll come at once.”

“Thank you.”

Mason’s amber eyes searched William’s face for a moment. “You’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a little brother. I would hate to lose you.”

William gave him a tight smile. “And I you.”

Evan approached and Mason dropped his hand and stepped away. Her face was a mask of anger. She’d put on the black pants and white shirt of a slave that he’d given her.

“Well,” she said. “Are we leaving or not?”

William opened the door and motioned toward the car. “After you.”

* * * *

Evan tilted her chin higher and refused to let the fear show. They may control where she went, but they didn’t control her. She strode out to the awaiting sedan. Her dress slacks were the nicest thing she’d worn in a while, but the uniform of a slave wasn’t something she appreciated.

She stepped to the passenger side.

“You don’t have to open my door. It’s not like we’re on a date.” She slid in, being sure to keep her eyes forward the entire time.

She swallowed when he shut her door and then got in the driver’s side. He started the car and glanced over.

“Put on your seatbelt, please.”

“Why? Afraid of hurting someone else’s merchandise?”

“Suit yourself.”

The car rolled forward, and she silently snapped her seatbelt on. William looked both directions as he pulled out onto the road. His wavy brown hair covered one eye, and he pushed it back.

They drove past other expensive homes with every second of silence hanging between them like a solid wall.

Evan wrapped herself in a hug and chewed her lip. The neighborhood flew by as they picked up speed and headed out to a less residential area.

“So where am I going?” she finally asked.

“I don’t know for sure.”

“It’s okay, you can tell me. I’m a big girl.”

“No, really. I have no idea where you’re going. I think it’s to one of the European covens though. Maybe the Russian.”

Her stomach lurched and her head lightened. “Europe?”

“Lord Danika felt it would be a better fit for someone of your…high spirit.”

This couldn’t be happening. She’d never heard of anyone coming back to the US once they were sold over there. No one knew what it was like, but rumor was that outside the US, Vampires were not kind to slaves of any sort.

She couldn’t go there. She needed to get back to her enclave. To her family.

“Okay. So, say I was willing to help you,” she said. “Take you to my enclave.”

William glanced at her but then shook his head. “I’m sorry but it’s too late. Lord Danika has made these arrangements for you.”

“Please don’t do this.” She hated the weak, breathy sound of her own voice.

“I’m sorry.”

The pleading words that clung to the roof of her mouth stuck there with her pride. She wouldn’t beg.

“William.”

He turned on the radio and concentrated on the road. Evan turned to stare out the window. Tears welled in her eyes, and she breathed slowly through her mouth to hide her shame.

This was the price she paid for trying to fulfill her mission. She’d betrayed her people once before. She refused to do it again, whatever happened to her.

* * * *

William pulled the car onto the tarmac of the airport and parked several yards from a small personal jet. A silver ramp descended to the ground, flanked by two guards. Wherever she was going awaited her on the other side of the open door.

William parked the car but left it running and stepped out. “Come on,” he said.

Evan’s heart pounded with the slam of his door. He walked to the guards and shook hands with them. She couldn’t let this happen.

William spotted her in the car and walked back. As his hand touched the handle, she locked the car. A confused expression crossed his features as he tried the handle.

“Very funny, Evan. Open up.”

This was it. Her chance. It was possible they’d drag her back, but what if they didn’t? William rapped on the window with his knuckles.

“Open the door.”

She stared at him, unable to move, and his expression hardened. His knock was sharp and his tone angered. “Open it now.”

Evan slid into the driver’s side, and William slammed his hand on the roof and swore.

She’d never driven a car before. She scanned the buttons and knobs and looked to the stick on the dashboard. She pressed a pedal with her foot and the engine roared, matching the smash of William’s hand onto the glass of the driver’s side window.

Evan’s head whipped to his. He yelled at her through the closed window, but she couldn’t hear the words over the pumping of blood in her ears.

The two guards jogged forward and William spoke to them.

It was now or never. She pressed her foot onto the pedal that wasn’t the gas and moved the stick to the letter D like she’d seen her cousin Peter do a million times when they’d driven. Slowly she released the brake and put her other foot on the gas, and the car lurched forward with William hanging on.