Rex cleared his throat. “Where the fuck did that boy come from?”
“He’s been here the whole time,” said Adalia.
“Huh,” said Rex. “That’s something you don’t see every day.”
“I’m cool with it,” said Uncle John.
“What did you do?” said Melissa.
Adalia smiled at her. “Something beautiful.”
• • •
Gabriel came to stand in front of her. “I think … I think I need to go now.”
“You do,” said Adalia. “You shouldn’t even be here at all.”
“I haven’t finished though,” he said. His long lashes lowered as he looked at his feet. “I was supposed to help you.”
Adalia laughed. “You were never here for me, Gabriel.”
“What?”
“I was here for you.” She reached out to touch his hand. “I was here for you.”
“Adalia Kendrick,” said Gabriel. “Adalia Kendrick, I love you.”
“Shhh now,” she said. “That’s enough.”
But she was speaking to herself, as the winds plucked away Gabriel Pearce like lost smoke, and took him to where the dead go when they die.
• • •
Melissa was sitting on the bench next to her. They looked out at a street filling with National Guard, and said nothing very much for a long time. Melissa had offered to shoot the first soldier that had tried to take her away for ‘medical help’, and now she was resting in their made-quiet zone.
Adalia scuffed her shoe against the ground. “You should have let them take you,” she said. “You’re pretty beat up.”
“You’re the expert now?” Melissa snorted.
“I know everything—”
“No,” said Melissa.
“I—”
“It’s not that I don’t believe that you know things,” she said, her voice so soft Adalia had to strain to hear. “It’s that I don’t know if you know the right things.”
Adalia thought about that for a while, their pool of silence holding against the bustle of activity around them. “I know why Ajay … did what he did.”
“That’s not really a thing I care about,” said Melissa, in a tone that said she cared very much. Her hands were gripping her jeans, fingers white.
“No lies,” said Adalia.
Melissa sighed. “No lies,” she agreed. “I thought—”
“He was broken,” said Adalia. She twisted her fingers together. “Like if you get two sets of Lego, and make them into each other. Neither can be what it was supposed to be.”
“Raeni?” Melissa frowned. “That was real?”
“She burrowed in to his soul, through his heart,” said Adalia. “He was Talin’s son, do you know that? I thought that was weird. And she wanted to control him. And she did. And then … she got you too. Caught you, like a fly in amber. Made you … want him.”
“Possession?” Melissa leaned forward, hugging herself. “Like a demon?”
“It’s not like the movies,” said Adalia.
“You shouldn’t be watching those kinds of movies. You’re too young.”
Adalia let that sit between them for a moment. “I’m … too young?”
“Yeah,” said Melissa. “There are rules.” But Adalia could see the hint of a smile on Melissa’s face, and it warmed her heart to see it there.
“He wanted to love you,” said Adalia.
“No lies,” said Melissa.
“It’s true,” she said, her hair spilling around her face as she looked at the ground. “There was a piece of him left that hadn’t been gnawed away. It saw the brightness of you. It’s what pulled them here. It’s what you saw in him. I can feel it, Melissa. I can … see what might have been, if she hadn’t … broken the rules.” Adalia rubbed a tear off her face. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying.”
“Me neither,” said Melissa, rubbing her face as well. “I’m not really the crying type, but I think today I killed a man who I wanted to … know … because a dead woman ate his soul.”
“I let the sweetest boy I’ve ever met kill himself so that the Universe’s trade could be made,” said Adalia. “I miss him.”
“Yeah,” said Melissa. Then, “Yeah, that’s not great.”
“It wasn’t that Talin was evil, that there’s some cosmic balance between light and dark that needs to be maintained,” said Adalia. “That’s what we do. People. We decide. No … it’s that he broke the rules. The Universe doesn’t care about us, not in the way you think. Not in a good and evil kind of way. That’s what made … that’s why James Malory had to die. Something right was made wrong, so something wrong had to be done to make it right.”
“Malory, huh?” Melissa looked out at the street, as if Adalia was making perfect sense. “That’s a good name, for a good kid.”
“He could see it,” said Adalia, pleading. “Couldn’t he?”
“Kid,” said Melissa.
“Yes?” But she was crying now, the tears spilling out like they’d never stop.
“Kid,” said Melissa. “This is one of those ‘right things’ you don’t know. It doesn’t matter if he could see it. He could see you.”
“What have I done?” said Adalia, her breath coming faster. “What am I?”
Melissa’s arms were warm around her, her friend’s words soft in her ear. “Something beautiful.”
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWO
The news was full of stories of a mysterious virus, something that stole a whole city’s will to live. The recovery teams were helping. They mentioned a Major Pearce who had spearheaded initial efforts before disappearing. They’d wanted to court-martial her at first, said she’d misappropriated resources, whatever that meant. When the tide of sentiment had turned, when the people had been cheering for her, for what she’d done, well. Then they’d wanted to give her a medal. Pearce, it seemed, wanted neither of those things. She’d walked off, exited stage left, leaving the city better than it was when she’d started. Walked out, didn’t say goodbye or thank you. Major Jessica Pearce wasn’t angry or sad. She was done.
Val walked into the apartment lobby, his arms heavy with bags. Danny was at—
Pack mate.
—his side, carrying more bags. They’d been out shopping. Chicago was limping back to its feet, stores opening, people getting by. It would be a while, maybe never, before the city was whole again. Until that happened, there was plenty of work to be done. Petty crime, and other not-so-petty crime, was festering under the skin of the place, and it needed constant attention.
Val put the bags down in the foyer. There were plenty of hungry people here who could use it. Danny left hers there as well — they kept one bag back and started to climb the stairs. Electricity was still iffy, and being stuck in an elevator for an hour wasn’t good, clean, family fun. They pushed open the door to their floor, the faded carpet at least clean. Danny led the way, curls bouncing, and opened the door for him.
“What’d you get?” John’s eyes still held that pain, would for a long time unless Val missed his guess. “Something tasty?”
“Knock yourself out,” said Val, handing over the bag. “Don’t fuck it up.”
“That’s cold,” said John. “You can cook, you know.”
“I know I can cook,” said Val. “You were the one who said he wanted to feel useful.”
“I meant, you know, by fighting bad guys,” said John.
“Lord preserve us,” said Carlisle. She was still pale, but moving about. “Did you get more coffee?”
John tossed her a cardboard bag. She caught it one-handed, and inhaled the outside. “Divine.”
“I need a shower,” said Val.
“Yes you do,” said Danny. “Don’t take all the hot water.”
“Maybe you should join me,” he said.
“Deal,” she said.
• • •
“So here’s the thing,” said Val. They were sitting around their rickety table, empty plates in front of
them. It actually hadn’t been terrible, but that was only because Jessica had stepped in to help. God dammit, Miles, she’d said. How do you manage to tie your shoelaces in the morning? You’re borderline incompetent.
He’d smiled, because that’s what John did, and made space for her in the kitchen. Because she needed a purpose too.
Adalia pushed her phone around in front of her. “You want to go hunting.”
“Young lady,” said Val, “it gets annoying when you do that.”
“I can’t help it,” she said, “if I know everything.”
“You don’t know when to keep your mouth shut,” said Carlisle.
“The deal,” said Val, “is that I’m tired of running.” He let that sink in, silence falling around the table. Rex looked thoughtful. Jessica looked eager. Carlisle looked bored, like she was waiting for him to get to the point. John was John, not really paying attention. Danny squeezed his hand, so he continued. “You ever wonder why there’re not more of us?”
“Werewolves?” said Rex. “I’d say there’s two more than there should be. World doesn’t seem quite right anymore.”
“That,” said John, “is racist.”
“It’s not racist,” said Carlisle. “It’s…” Her words ran out, and she narrowed her eyes. “Anyway, it’s not racist.”
“We remember,” said Danny.
“Great,” said Jessica. “What exactly do you remember? I mean, that’s not really an inspirational line.”
“I remember,” said Danny, “when dragons filled the skies.”
“I remember,” said Val, “when we ran free. All of us. There were even unicorns. Can you believe it?”
“There were fairies,” said Danny. She smiled at her hands, something sad in her face. She looked up at them. “They were very small.”
“Point is,” said Val, “they’re gone. Everything wonderful. It’s all gone.”
“Where?” Rex leaned forward. “You remember that?”
“They were eaten,” said Adalia.
The table fell silent. Val cleared his throat. “She’s more or less right.”
“What … wait. Are you telling me that there was something out there that could eat you guys?” John stood up, walked to the window. He pointed outside, at the skyscrapers, and at the snow. “Ain’t nothing out there that can take you down. Not really. Not in a fair fight.”
“The Night,” said Danny, “is full of wonder. We’re not the only members of our little club. But we’re almost all that’s left.”
“For the longest time,” said Val, “we’ve been on the run. My … father, and his maker, and so on up the line. Hiding. Surviving. So, I made a deal.”
“A what?” John looked around. “With whom?”
“With the Night,” said Adalia. “It’s why he could come back.”
“You’re like a small psychopath who steals all the punchlines to a guy’s jokes,” said Val. Danny glared at him, so he said, “I mean that in a loving way, Adalia.”
“Sorry,” said Adalia. “You just talk a lot slower than you should.”
“Sass,” said John. “I can work with that.”
“No,” said Danny, “you can’t.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” said John.
“Doesn’t matter,” said Jessica.
“Really doesn’t,” said Rex.
“So, the deal,” said Val, moving on. “I said, well … I said, kinda, that the whole idea of Pack was flawed.”
“You don’t like family?” said Carlisle, something catching in her voice.
“Hear him out,” said Danny, her hand finding Carlisle’s across the table.
“I said,” said Val, “that what we needed to do was … enlarge the problem.”
“Ah,” said Rex. “Do an Eisenhower.”
“A who?” said Adalia.
“I thought you knew everything,” said John.
“Important stuff,” said Adalia.
“Eisenhower was important,” said Rex. “He was—”
“The deal,” said Val, “is that we consider that most of the human race is broadly on our team. That we stop killing people, in order to focus on the real issue.”
“Which is?” John walked back to the table, kicked his chair back, and sat down. “Space aliens?”
“No,” said Danny. “The real problem is that we are hunted. And we are never hunted. We are the hunters.”
Val looked around the table, meeting their eyes. He knew John would be in, whatever it took, because of Sky. Because of their history. And because he was John Miles, and the Universe was just going to have to keep owing him one for as long as it took. Carlisle wasn’t watching him, she was looking between Danny and Adalia, and Val knew she’d do whatever it took to—
Shield them. Protect our Pack.
—look after her friends, her family. It was Rex and Jessica he watched closest of all, these new people who’d come into his life. The Guide. The Lost Warrior.
“Way I see it,” said Rex, “is that there’s some assholes out there been killing all that’s good in the world.”
“Not everything good,” said Val. “We’re still here.”
“Right,” said Rex. “But it wouldn’t be such a heavy job lifting the load if there were a few more of you to go around.”
“Right,” said Val.
“I think that’s a problem we should be solving,” said Rex.
“Why?” Val leaned forward, palms on the table. “I need to hear why you’d care.”
“Because it’s the right thing to do,” said Rex. “Because my wife would kick my ass if I didn’t.” He swallowed, and looked down at his plate. “Because I miss having a family.”
“Jessica?” Val looked at the ex-soldier, still sitting military-straight in her chair. “You’ve paid your dues. You’ve helped Chicago, more than you should have. You lost your job. You got places you’d rather be?”
“No,” she said. She looked at Adalia, then at Carlisle. “You people do incredible things,” she said after a moment, looking for all the world like she was trying to choose her words with exquisite care. Like she was going for a job interview for a job she really wanted. “You change the world.”
“Reckon so,” said Val. “I reckon we’re going to keep changing the world.”
“I’m in,” she said. “This will be something worthy of my service.”
“You won’t get to see Gabriel again,” said Adalia. “That was … I shouldn’t have done that at all.”
Jessica reached out a hand to grab Adalia’s, holding on to her like a lifeline. “I won’t forget it.”
“It was a trade, that’s all,” said Adalia, almost mumbling. She was hiding behind her hair again, before she picked up her phone.
“Okay,” said Val. “Then we’re agreed?” He scanned the table, first to Danny, her purpose as clear as his own. Carlisle, her faith and strength burnished for all to see. Jessica, straight, guided, quiet, ready to serve. John, well, he was John. He was always going to make the difference, whatever was required. Rex, the old man looking astonished at his own words, like he’d expected to be in a home and here he was, playing a younger man’s game, but alive with the thrill of it. And Adalia, sweet Adalia, who’d had to carry them, when they all failed her.
“You didn’t fail me,” she said. “It was my turn, is all.”
“Okay,” said Val, again. “It begins.”
“Yes,” said Danny. “Now, we hunt.”
We are the Night.
• • •
The lights were out, the small apartment rooms full of sleeping family. Val was standing watch, looking out at the scattered dark and light that was Chicago.
“What was the deal?” said Adalia. “Really?”
“You can see it,” said Val, not turning around.
“No,” she said. “I can’t see into your home.”
“Oh,” said Val. He smiled. “That’s too bad.”
“Don’t be mean,” she said.
“I’m
not being mean,” said Val. “I just think it’s funny. I think it’s good for you to learn there are … limits.”
“I’m not going to become a monster,” said Adalia. “I’m still Adalia.”
Val turned to face her, seeing her face picked out in the lights coming in from the street. “Yes,” he said. “You are, and you always will be.”
“I think you should do it,” she said.
“Do what?”
“Ask her what’s in your heart.” She tipped her head to one side.
“Will she want me to?” Val ran a hand through his hair before looking back out the window. “Do you know?”
“I … no,” she said. “Some stuff is hard, complicated. Like I shouldn’t know.”
“Sounds about right,” said Val. “Sounds about the way the rest of us see things.”
Adalia was quiet for a moment before she moved closer. Leaned her head against his shoulder, sharing a view out at the street. They stood in silence for a while before she said, “I’d like it.”
“Okay,” he said. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. No pressure, right?”
“No pressure,” she said. Then, “What was the deal?”
“I’ll tell you something, straight up,” said Val. “You ready?”
She took a step back, then nodded. “Ready.”
“Sometimes,” said Val, “you don’t always get to know everything. Not for certain. But if you want, we can walk the path together. Are you okay with that?”
Adalia looked at him, then she gave a small nod. “I’m okay with that.”
“Good,” he said. “Now go to bed. Even the Universe needs a good eight hours’ sleep.”
She gave an exaggerated sigh, but walked away. He watched her go for a moment, then looked out the window again. “Tomorrow,” he said, “we begin the hunt.”
We begin the hunt.
NIGHT'S END
Can mortals stand against the powers of the heavens?
Vampires have hunted werewolves almost to extinction. Val and Danny, the last of their werewolf kind, aim to strike back at the heart of their ancient foe. They have tracked the vampire leaders to the City That Never Sleeps.
Kaylan Gleicher is Death, and with her brother Pestilence, they lead the vampires. They are Riders of the Apocalypse, and have created the vampires to drain the life from the world. The Night’s Champions are nothing compared with the forces of creation. Even Adalia’s gifts can’t stand against those made to end all things.
The Night's Champion Collection: A supernatural werewolf thriller trilogy Page 75