Rogue

by Karen Lynch

  It was my turn to scowl. “I have other strengths.”

  “Yes, you do, but they are not enough. You were fortunate when you entered that nest that you did not encounter all those vampires together. Your power may be strong, but can you kill that many vampires at once?”

  “No, but neither can a warrior.” Except maybe Nikolas. And Desmund.

  “A warrior would not have attempted that on his own unless he had a death wish.” He thought for a moment. “Can you not use your Mori strength at all?”

  “A little, but not for long. It feels... strange to me.”

  “Strange?”

  “I don’t connect with my Mori the way you guys do, and it’s uncomfortable sharing my mind with someone else. Whenever we join, it’s a bit overwhelming and I can’t keep it up for long.”

  “But how is it possible for you to be separated at all?”

  I stared at the floor, unsure of how to explain my situation to someone who had never spent a day in his four hundred years disconnected from his Mori. No Mohiri, not even Nikolas, could understand what it was like to live with two opposite forces inside of you. Demons and Fae were enemies, and I should not even be possible. But here I was.

  “When I was little, I didn’t know what I was, just that I had something bad in my head. Then my Fae power developed, and I learned to use it to keep my demon locked away so it didn’t make me do bad things.” I met his astonished gaze. “That’s how I grew up, and it was the only thing I knew until I met Nikolas. My Mori and I are like two minds in one body. I can feel it and talk to it, but I can’t use its power unless we join.”

  Jordan leaned away from the wall. “Wait, you talk to it? Isn’t that like talking to yourself?”

  “No.”

  “And your Fae power does not harm your Mori?” Desmund asked, his shock turning to fascination.

  “It hurts it a lot if I’m not careful. I keep my power locked away whenever I let it out.”

  Understanding lit Jordan’s eyes. “That’s how you were able to stay sane all those years? You just kept your Mori locked away?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Damn, Sara.” Jordan shook her head. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

  I frowned. “Fight, apparently.”

  Desmund stroked his jaw. “You can fight, just not well enough to face a real adversary without using your power. To do that, you need to join with your demon. So that is what we must work on.”

  “How?” If he knew a way to help me join easier with my Mori I was all ears.

  “The only way is for you to release the demon and join with it as often and as long as you can. It will be unpleasant at first, but eventually you will become accustomed to it.”

  I swallowed dryly. “And how are you going to help me with that?”

  His smile was back. “I will offer moral support and teach you to use your new demon strength on your enemies.”

  “What about me?” Jordan asked almost reverently. “Can I train with you, too?”

  He gave her an appraising look. “What would you like to work on?”

  “Sword,” Jordan and I said together and laughed.

  Desmund glanced from Jordan to me. “Very well.” He studied the layout of the room then looked at me. “First, we will spend some time working with your Mori, and then we’ll have some weapons training. How does that sound?”

  “Awesome,” I said dryly, earning laughter from the two of them. Something told me I was the only one who wasn’t going to enjoy training, but at least it would help me keep my mind off other things, like Nikolas and what he was doing right now.

  I took a deep breath. “Where do we begin?”

  * * *

  I knew something was wrong the moment I walked into the command center that evening. If the flurry of activity around several of the workstations wasn’t enough evidence, the fact that a hush fell over the room when I entered spoke volumes.

  “What is it?” I asked Raoul, and alarm shot through me when he couldn’t quite meet my eyes. “Tell me.”

  He hesitated before answering. “The teams had a confirmed lock on the target, and they moved into retrieval position an hour ago. We just got word that they are under heavy attack by hostiles.”

  “How many?” Desmund asked calmly from behind me.

  “Unsure, but they are surrounded. We’ve dispatched backup from Seattle, but they are still an hour away.”

  Fear clawed at my chest. Nikolas was in danger, fighting for his life. I’d been so angry at him when he left yesterday. What if he...? No, don’t think that! He’s going to be okay.

  “Where are you going?” Jordan called as I spun toward the door.

  “I need to find Eldeorin.”

  She ran after me. “He could be anywhere. How will you find him?”

  I stopped and stared at her, flinching at the sympathy in her eyes. “I don’t...” My mind raced desperately and the answer hit me. “Heb. He can find him.” I took off running again, followed closely by Jordan and Desmund. Eldeorin had said if I ever needed him, to send the dwarf and he would come.

  Heb was polishing the silver when I burst into the kitchen, and I almost sobbed in relief. “I need Eldeorin, Heb. Please!”

  He disappeared without a word, leaving me clinging to the granite countertop for support. Please, don’t let us be too late.

  Desmund placed his strong hands on my shoulders and turned me to face him. Worry darkened his eyes. “What are you going to do when the faerie gets here, little one?”

  “I’m going after Nikolas and Chris.”

  “Nikolas would not want you to endanger yourself that way.”

  “Don’t!” I pulled away and he let me go. “Don’t talk about him like he’s gone.”

  He held up a hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t intend that the way it sounded. I only meant that if he was here, he would not be happy with what you are planning.”

  “I know, but I won’t stand back and do nothing.” I clenched my hands anxiously. “Where the hell are they?”

  “Cousin, what is wrong? Are you ill?”

  I almost hurled myself at Eldeorin when he appeared beside me. “Nikolas is in trouble. He needs me.”

  Eldeorin pulled me to him and his hand stroked the back of my head, sending his calming influence over me. “Hush. We will help your warrior. Where is he?”

  “Vancouver,” Desmund answered for me. “She is too upset and inexperienced for this. Take me instead.”

  Eldeorin patted my back and tucked me against his side, smiling as if nothing was wrong. His blue eyes gave Desmund an appraising look. “As much as I’d love to take you instead, that is not possible. My magic would harm you, maybe even kill you. Something tells me that my little cousin would be very upset by that.” His arm gave me a squeeze. “Don’t worry about her. She is much stronger than you know.”

  I clutched the hand that rested on my shoulder. “Can we please go?”

  “Of course. Let’s go find your warrior.”

  Chapter 16

  Cold filled my chest the moment we arrived on the quiet street lined with large older homes. Though not a vampire was in sight, I knew immediately that there were at least three dozen of them nearby, and my improved radar told me exactly where they were. So many vampires working together was almost unheard of, and no Mohiri team could expect to defeat that many at once.

  “Do you feel them?” I asked Eldeorin.

  “I sense demons, but I have trouble telling the Mohiri and the vampires apart.”

  I looked up and down the street. I couldn’t sense Nikolas, but I told myself that was just because he wasn’t close enough. He’s okay. If anyone is okay, it’s him.

  “I can’t do this alone. There are too many.”

  “We’ll do it together.” He waved a hand, and I found myself dressed in black again, this time with two silver blades strapped to my thighs.

  Seconds later, a male vampire ran from between two houses. I knew Eldeorin had made us – or at
least me – visible when the vampire stopped and stared at me across the well-lit street. Indecision showed clearly on his face, and he looked up the street before his gaze came back to me.

  I saw it the moment he made up his mind, and I was ready when he attacked. He was fast and his fangs were already extended when he reached me. He grabbed my shoulders in an iron grip and pulled me against him.

  My hand came up between us, and he let out a small scream and staggered back when the first blast of power ripped through him. I don’t think he knew what was happening until I pressed my glowing hand to his chest a second time. Shock and fear filled his face as he crumpled to the pavement.

  I stepped around the body in the direction he had been looking. “This way.”

  Two houses down we encountered two vampires feeding on an older man. I leapt on one of them and took him out quickly, leaving Eldeorin to handle the other one. There was nothing we could do for the man, so we moved on.

  The need to find Nikolas burned through me, dampening my fear and lending speed to my movements. Methodically, I located vampires, and Eldeorin helped me kill them as we made our way up the street to a large white house where I sensed the largest concentration of vampires.

  But no Nikolas. “Why can’t I feel him?” The possible answer to that was something I refused to consider. If I did, I’d fall to pieces.

  “My glamour prevents your demons from sensing each other,” Eldeorin said. “It is the only way to shield you from detection.”

  “Oh thank God.”

  I didn’t need to feel Nikolas to know he was in the white house that was crawling with vampires. “There are way too many vampires in there. We have to draw them out and give Nikolas and the others a chance.”

  Eldeorin studied the large house. “How would you like to do that?”

  It occurred to me then that he was letting me make all the tactical decisions. I didn’t care if he was turning this into another training session as long as we helped Nikolas and Chris.

  “Nikolas won’t recognize me, right?”

  “Not unless you want him to.”

  The urge to laugh eased some of the tension coiled in my body. “Let’s save that drama for another day.” Putting my fingers to my lips, I let out a piercing whistle. “Hey, suckers, fresh meat.”

  Eldeorin shook his head as the front door crashed open. “I see we are going with the direct approach.”

  I should have been terrified to see six vampires spill from the house, but I felt strangely calm. Maybe it was the powerful faerie standing beside me or the result of our training sessions. Or maybe it was the knowledge that every vampire I drew out of the house gave Nikolas a better chance at survival.

  “You are awfully young to be a hunter,” drawled one of the vampires as they advanced slowly on us.

  One of his companions laughed. “But not too young to die.”

  “I heard young Mohiri blood is very sweet,” the first one said. “I get first drink.”

  Another vampire spoke up. “Hey, why do you get first drink? We all saw her at the same time.”

  “Because I’m the oldest and I say so, that’s why.”

  “Are you guys for real?” Were they actually arguing over my blood in front of me?

  They stopped bickering to stare at me.

  “Before you draw straws to see who gets the first taste, you might want to ask yourselves one question.”

  The six of them formed a semicircle in front of us. The fact that they never looked at Eldeorin told me he was invisible again. These guys had no clue what was in store for them.

  “What question?” asked the vampire who acted like their leader.

  “You gotta ask why a defenseless girl would walk up to a house full of blood suckers.” I watched their eyes go round as blue sparks rolled over my skin and lifted my hair from my shoulders. A thrill shot through me, and I knew how a hunter felt when they sighted their prey.

  Six pairs of eyes suddenly shifted to my right as Eldeorin made his entrance. I used their surprise to my advantage, and I attacked before they knew what was happening. A few months ago, my power would have given a baby vampire a very painful but otherwise harmless shock. Not so anymore.

  I hit the leader with a palm heel strike that sent him flying backward with flames sprouting from his chest. My leg swept another vampire off his feet. I grabbed his arm and shot power into him as a third vampire jumped on my back. The one on my back screamed and tried to get away from me as soon as he got a taste of my power. I flipped him over my shoulder and grabbed his throat before he hit the ground. After spending the last month killing older vampires, fighting a bunch of baby vamps was almost too easy. In less than two minutes, I killed four of them, while Eldeorin took care of the last two.

  “That worked well.”

  I barely heard Eldeorin because I was listening to the sounds of fighting coming from inside the house. By my count we had killed about fifteen vampires so far. That still left twenty or so, and I knew they weren’t all young or Nikolas and his team would have taken care of them already.

  “There are still too many of them.” I ran toward the house, but instead of going to the front door, I went around to the back. The door was wide open and I could see movement inside. I took a deep breath and prepared to call out again, hoping to trick a few more vampires into leaving the house.

  Before I could open my mouth, my eyes were drawn to a movement above. A figure dove through a window and rolled across the roof of the back porch. Nimbly she came to her feet and jumped off the porch, landing silently in the grass. Shock immobilized me when I saw her hair gleaming like white gold in the moonlight.

  “Madeline!”

  She glanced at me in surprise, then she began to sprint away.

  “Mother!”

  Madeline stopped running, and her head swung in my direction again. At first she looked confused, and then I saw recognition in her eyes. I knew Eldeorin had lifted my glamour so she could see the real me. Shock and something I could not define passed over her face as we stared at each other for several seconds. I waited for her to say something to the daughter she hadn’t seen in sixteen years.

  She ran instead.

  I didn’t try to chase her, as much as I wanted to, because I could never catch her on foot. I watched as she raced toward the tall fence at the back of the yard and vaulted over it without once looking back.

  Vampire screams drew my attention back to the house. There was no time to dwell on the fact that I’d finally caught up to Madeline and let her slip away. Or to question what kind of mother leaves her daughter – even an estranged one – behind with a vampire horde. Right now, my only concern was the vampire that had run outside at the sound of my voice. He wasn’t young like the ones out front, and I barely had time to recover from my shock about Madeline before he was on me.

  Eldeorin materialized and ripped the vampire away from me. I don’t think I ever fully grasped the extent of my mentor’s power until I saw a mature vampire almost disintegrate in his hands. Would I ever be that powerful? The prospect excited and frightened me at the same time.

  A male shouted inside the house, and he was answered by another. Nikolas!

  I was almost to the open door when three figures flew through it. The two vampires snarled and rounded on the blond warrior as he raised his long thin sword. I knew Chris could handle them. I wasn’t so sure about the two more vampires sneaking up behind him.

  I pulled out one of the knives I hadn’t needed until now. It wasn’t a throwing knife in my hand, but I knew from practice how to hold it and make it behave like one. I didn’t hesitate as I drew back my arm and let the knife fly straight into the chest of one of the advancing vampires.

  The vampire’s strangled cry alerted Chris to the threat behind him and drew everyone’s attention to me. Chris frowned, and his expression told me he was surprised to see someone else there. His lack of recognition told me Eldeorin had glamoured me again.

  One of the vampires spli
t away to come after me, and the others attacked Chris. I had my other knife out and my power ready before the vampire reached me. He lunged at me, but his eyes were on the blade in my right hand instead of my glowing left hand. I let him grab me before I brought my hand up between us. Shock registered on his face, and he shuddered violently as my power found its mark. I threw him away from me, and he twitched on the ground in his death throes.

  My attention turned back to Chris, who had killed one vampire and was quickly dispatching the other. His opponent fell and he immediately scanned the yard for other dangers. His eyes fell on me, and he gave a slight nod before he raced back into the house again. I heard more shouts and screams and the sound of metal sliding through flesh. When two more vampires fled from the house with fear written plainly on their faces, I knew the battle had turned in our favor. I let Eldeorin have the pleasure of killing the vampires before they could escape.

  A vampire crashed through a lower window and another ran out the back door. I was moving to intercept them when a warrior sped through the doorway and cut one down with one of his swords. He spun away from the dying vampire to impale the one that had gone through the window before it had a chance to stand.

  My knees grew weak and relief washed over me as I watched Nikolas fight. He was magnificent. And he was safe. All I wanted to do was run to him, but I remembered in time that he couldn’t know I was here.

  His eyes swept the yard and settled on me. It was hard to read his expression, and I wondered what I looked like to him, or if he connected me with the vigilante whose movements they had been following.

  “Who are you?”

  My voice refused to work for several seconds. “A friend,” I managed to say.

  “That doesn’t answer my question.” He waved a hand at the bodies littering the yard. “No human could do this. What are you and how did you find us?”

  “That is because I am not human. As for how I found you, I have my ways.”

  His furrowed brow told me he wasn’t satisfied with my response – not that I’d expected anything else. He took a step toward me, and I suddenly realized the situation I was in. I couldn’t outrun him, and I couldn’t just disappear in front of his eyes either. That was a Fae ability, and he was too smart not to put the pieces together.