Equites : Book 4 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  “Maybe it’s just to torture you with. You have to be hungry, I know I am. I haven’t eaten in days,” Silas said.

  “Yeah, I’m hungry too,” Emily said.

  Silas went over and picked the dome off the tray, “This really looks good.”

  “Don’t eat it!” Emily said.

  “I don’t know, I’m really hungry,” Silas said, looking down at the food.

  “What is it?” she asked, trying to see it.

  “Grilled cheese,” he said, and picked it up and sniffed it. He turned back to Emily, “I’m really hungry.”

  “Me too. Do you think it’s safe?” she asked.

  Silas shrugged, “I’m not sure I care. They can either drain me or poison me.”

  Chevalier gasped when he saw Silas take a bite from the sandwich. Silas grimaced and swallowed hard, hiding his face from Emily. He saw Silas gag a few times, and was sure at one point the grilled cheese was coming back up, but he managed to keep it down. Chevalier vowed he’d repay Silas for that bite.

  “Is it good?” she asked.

  “Very,” Silas said, and with his back to Emily, he pretended to eat and tossed the proof onto the floor behind the table.

  Silas grabbed the other sandwich and turned to Emily, “Do you want one?”

  Emily nodded, “Yes.”

  Silas moved to her side and whispered, too low for her to hear, “Go.”

  Chevalier blurred out of the room. He stopped in the hallway with Mark and Maleth, “That was brilliant.”

  “Is she eating?” Mark asked.

  Chevalier nodded and listened as Silas relayed that her headache was back, and she was getting sick to her stomach. Chevalier felt guilty, those were the same symptoms she’d had the night she was forced to drink Vaughn’s blood.

  “Where’s Damon?” Chevalier asked.

  “In the prison, last I saw,” Maleth said.

  “I will be down there, too. I have some unfinished business,” Chevalier said, and blurred away.

  ***

  By evening, Chevalier had been able to release a lot of his anger on a few of the prisoners, and headed back upstairs with Damon. They could hear Emily screaming from the foyer, still yelling for Keith.

  Chevalier looked up the stairs and nodded when Damon excused himself for the council chambers. Chevalier headed up to their room. Silas was sitting outside of the door looking angrily at a servant.

  “What happened?” Chevalier whispered.

  “Imbecile here… came in and asked why I was in the closet,” Silas said, glaring at the servant.

  “Damn,” Chevalier said, and looked at the door.

  “All that work and it’s blown now,” Silas scowled.

  “Deal with him,” Chevalier said, and stepped into the room.

  Emily stopped screaming and looked over at him from the bed. Her terror turned to rage, which Chevalier recognized was even more dangerous of an emotion for her to have.

  “I just want to talk to you, ok?” Chevalier asked from across the room.

  “Do I have a choice?” Emily snapped.

  “No, I guess you don’t,” Chevalier said, and smiled slightly.

  “Where’s Keith?”

  “He’s back in Montana.”

  “How long have I been here?”

  “Two days.”

  “He’ll kill you,” she said, grinning coldly.

  “I would imagine he will,” Chevalier said, watching her.

  “Where’s the little boy?”

  “He’s around, somewhere.”

  “Is he your prisoner, too?” Emily asked, narrowing her eyes.

  “No, he is my son,” Chevalier explained.

  “Vampires have children?”

  “I’m not a vampire.”

  “Could’ve fooled me.”

  “Do I look familiar to you?”

  Emily looked at him for a few seconds, “No… let me go.”

  “I can’t, not yet.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s hard to explain. You’re confused, and I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

  “Why not? Don’t want to lose a good meal?” Emily asked, scowling.

  “My son… did he look familiar?” Chevalier asked.

  “Yes,” Emily said harshly.

  “He did?” There was a glimmer of hope in Chevalier’s face.

  “He looks like you.”

  Chevalier nodded and left the room. He could hear her cry out for Keith again when the door shut. He sat down in a chair set out in the hallway.

  “Are you mad at me?” Allen asked from the doorway of Kyle’s room.

  Chevalier shook his head and patted his knee. Allen walked over and crawled into his lap.

  “I’m not mad at all, not at you,” Chevalier said. “Why would you think that?”

  Allen shrugged, “Just making sure.”

  “Tell me what’s up.”

  “Could I ever make you mad enough to lock me in prison?” Allen looked up at his Dad with serious eyes.

  “No,” Chevalier said, suddenly frowning. “Why would you think that?”

  Again, Allen shrugged.

  Chevalier smiled, “You’re worried about your Mom?”

  “Why is she tied up?”

  “It’s hard to explain, but she won’t be for long, ok?”

  “Ok, can you tuck me into bed?” Allen asked.

  Chevalier nodded. He tucked Allen in and then returned to the hallway to wait out the night. Just after dawn, he heard Emily wake up.

  “Chev!” Emily screamed from the room. “Kyle… help me!”

  Chevalier ran into the room. She was pulling against the restraints enough her hands were turning purple. She turned to him, her eyes pleading.

  “Let me go,” Emily said frantically. She had the sudden image of him saying no, and finding out she was to be a prisoner of the heku now. She would no longer able to freely come and go, locked in a cell with the others.

  “I got it,” Chevalier said, undoing her restraints.

  “Who… who put me in these?” she asked as he untied her. She sat up and rubbed her wrists where purple bruises had formed. Emily was ready to run at the first sign that things changed for her in Council City.

  “I did, Em,” Chevalier said, sitting down beside her. “Don’t you remember the last two days?”

  “You put me in restraints?” she yelled.

  “You forgot... everything. You were trying to run back to Keith,” Chevalier said, and took one of her feet to rub her ankle.

  Emily thought back. Her mind raced from the Encala attack, to the dream she had about not knowing anyone, not remembering the heku, or her life since the ranch. She remembered shooting Kyle, and threatening the Council with a gun. The images of her dream intensified in her mind, and she realized it was all real.

  She frowned and looked around the room, “I thought that was a dream.”

  “I wish it had been,” he said softly.

  “Mommy!” Allen yelled, and ran into her room and jumped on the bed. Emily winced when his foot brushed against her burned thigh.

  Emily held him tightly, “How are you?”

  “Do you remember me?” Allen asked, smiling.

  Emily mussed his hair and hugged him tightly, “Of course.”

  “Who are you betrothed to?” Allen asked, pulling back and looking at Emily.

  “No one, I’m already married to your Daddy.”

  “Then why do the voices tell you to come to them, because you are betrothed?”

  “What voices?” Chevalier asked.

  “Just voices, they stopped last night, though,” Allen said. “Can I play the Wii?”

  Emily nodded and looked at Chevalier, “I didn’t hear voices.”

  “He used to hear the Ancient when he spoke to you too, maybe it’s Vaughn calling you,” Chevalier said, his thoughts far away. “First they made you forget us, and then they call you to them, it all makes sense. The blood the Encala forced you to drink made his link with
you stronger.”

  “So why did it all stop?” Emily asked, frowning.

  Chevalier sighed, “That… may best be kept a secret.”

  “Why’s that?” Emily asked.

  “Because I broke a promise again, one I’d like to keep to myself,” Chevalier said with a half-smile.

  “You know, maybe I don’t want to know,” Emily said, and looked at her bruised wrists. “Did you have to tie me up?”

  “I’m sorry, but you were waving the gun at everyone, and we were afraid you’d hurt yourself,” Chevalier said, smiling slightly.

  “Will they ever leave me alone?” she asked him, seriously.

  “I honestly don’t know.”

  Chapter 7 - Child

  “I need to go talk to the Council, are you ok?” Chevalier asked, and kissed Emily softly.

  She nodded, “I think I’ll take Allen down and make some lunch. He’s not eating well lately.”

  “You sure you feel up to it?” he asked, helping her to her feet.

  “No, my head is pounding, but I can’t sit in here forever. Come on Allen, let’s go to the kitchen,” Emily said, and held her hand out for him. He turned the TV off and took her hand. Chevalier walked them down to the fourth floor, and then they parted.

  Emily excused the kitchen staff, and then looked around for the ingredients to make spaghetti. She set it out and turned to Allen.

  “Did you see that your new Wii game came? One of the heku must have picked it up from the mail,” Emily said, and started to cut up some mushrooms.

  “No, what game?” Allen asked.

  “Ouch, crap,” Emily said, and held up a bloody finger. She put the knife down and looked around for a towel, then spun suddenly when she heard a hiss from behind her.

  She looked past Allen for a servant, but her eyes fell back on her son. He was staring at her oddly. His teeth were exposed, and a soft hiss came from his mouth.

  “Allen?” she asked, putting a towel over her bloody finger.

  Allen crouched with his hands curled into claws. His eyes were focused on the drops of blood on the floor.

  “Chev!” Emily yelled, just as Allen lunged at her, growling. She was able to hold him off, but was surprised at his strength. Allen fought against her and tried to get his mouth close to her still bleeding finger.

  Kyle arrived first, having heard her call, and pulled Allen off of Emily. Allen hissed and pulled at Kyle’s hands, trying to get to his Mom. Kyle could smell fresh blood in the room.

  “What’s going on here?” Chevalier asked, confused.

  “He… he attacked me,” Emily said, watching Allen with wide eyes. The 4-year-old was hissing violently and fighting Kyle.

  Chevalier looked at Allen with surprise, “He attacked you?”

  Chevalier pulled Allen from Kyle’s grasp and held him closely.

  “I cut my finger and heard a hiss. Then I turned around…” Emily said.

  Sam ran into the room and pulled Allen from Chevalier, then pushed the boy behind him, “Stay away from him.”

  “You knew?” Chevalier growled at Sam.

  “Knew what?” Emily asked. She tried to get to Allen, but Kyle held her back.

  “Just leave him alone, he’ll be fine,” Sam said frantically.

  “You kept it from us?” Chevalier growled.

  “What’s going on?” Emily asked, frustrated.

  “Kyle, give him something to drink,” Chevalier said as he watched Sam carefully.

  Emily turned as Kyle poured something into a tall glass and handed it to Allen. Allen shut his eyes and smelled the drink, then gripped the glass tighter, and drank it all quickly.

  “More,” Allen hissed.

  Kyle moved quickly and refilled Allen’s glass. Again, Allen smelled the drink and downed the contents.

  A deep growl erupted from behind Sam, and Kyle again refilled the glass and handed it to Allen. He drank again, but not as deeply. Once half of the glass was gone, he froze and dropped it, shattering glass and blood across the floor.

  Emily gasped and took a step back.

  “How long has he preferred blood?” Chevalier asked Sam.

  “You gave him blood?” Emily asked Kyle, and he nodded, also watching Allen.

  “How long, Sam? Answer me,” Chevalier growled.

  “Just about two years,” Sam said, holding Allen behind him.

  “You kept that from us!” Chevalier yelled, taking a step toward the familiar.

  “Stop, Sam, you promised not to tell,” Allen said fearfully from behind Sam.

  “Allen, come here,” Chevalier said.

  “No, I’ll take care of this,” Sam said.

  “Kyle,” Chevalier said, and Kyle blurred to Sam, pinning him against the wall behind them.

  Chevalier knelt in front of Allen, “Show me your teeth.”

  Allen opened his mouth so Chevalier could look.

  “He has a mortal’s mouth. He can’t bite deep enough to get blood,” Sam said, straining against Kyle.

  “Can you move fast?” Chevalier asked him.

  “Sort of,” Allen said, afraid.

  “Can you control mortals?”

  Allen nodded slowly.

  “Anything else?” Chevalier asked.

  “No,” Allen whispered.

  “What… you told me he’s mortal,” Emily said, still in shock.

  “The child of a heku and a human is always mortal,” Chevalier said. “I don’t understand this.”

  “He tried to bite me,” Emily said, frowning.

  “He’s a 4-year-old predator with the instincts of a natural killer, but the control of a child,” Kyle explained.

  “Why did you keep this from us?” Chevalier asked Sam, and Kyle let him go so the familiar could face the Elder.

  “I can handle it,” Sam said just as Chevalier backhanded him into the stone wall.

  Emily backed up slowly and watched horrified from across the kitchen.

  “I’m his father! I have the right to know,” Chevalier growled.

  “He needs me, I can control him,” Sam said from the floor. “Today was my fault. I was late feeding him and when Emily cut her finger…”

  “Obviously, you can’t control him,” Chevalier said angrily.

  “Are you going to lock me up?” Allen asked softly.

  Chevalier knelt beside him, “No, how would you get that idea?”

  “Sam… he said if you found out, you would lock me up, and Mommy would leave,” Allen said.

  “You said what?” Emily yelled at Sam.

  “Allen, listen to me,” Sam said.

  “Guards! Get him to prison,” Emily yelled. Chevalier was surprised when her orders were followed quickly, and without question.

  Emily scooped Allen up in her arms and held him close as she left the kitchen and ran up the stairs, followed by Kyle and Chevalier. She turned with Allen in her arms and looked at Chevalier.

  “Did you know?”

  “No, I had no idea,” Chevalier said, looking concerned at his son.

  “How can he be a heku? Never in the history of our species has there been a child,” Kyle said, still stunned at the revelation.

  “I don’t know, it’s unheard of,” Chevalier said.

  Emily glared and held Allen tighter when Quinn, Maleth, and Damon appeared in the doorway.

  “Get away from my son,” she yelled at them.

  “We couldn’t help but hear. We aren’t here to take him,” Maleth said, stepping toward them.

  “A 4-year-old predator, now that sounds interesting,” Damon said, amused.

  Emily glared at Damon and tightened her grip on Allen.

  Quinn nodded, “I think I understand.”

  Chevalier turned to the other Elder, “You made sense of this?”

  “Yes, think about it. The original Winchester children were 50% heku and 50% human right?” Quinn said.

  Chevalier nodded.

  “Their children then, were 25% mortal because of their pure morta
l fathers.”

  “Ok,” Chevalier said, trying to see where this was going.

  “It’s been said that Emily’s mother had almost no powers. She had to be around 1% heku by that point,” Quinn said, his mind was racing.

  Chevalier nodded, “Yes, then Emily’s Dad was an ancient.”

  “So that would mean Emily was… about 51% heku,” Quinn said, and started to pace.

  “If that, yes.” Chevalier agreed.

  “And that extra 1% made her more powerful than any other mortal.”

  “Yes”

  “So your children would be 75% heku and 25% mortal,” Quinn said, turning to him.

  “So 50% and 50% and the child takes on the mortal traits… but my children would be only 1/4 mortal,” Chevalier said, and the thought hit him, Allen could be the first child heku.

  “Maybe even less than 1/4. It seems improbable, because there has never, in the history of the heku, been a child born to it,” Quinn said, impressed.

  “So that means this baby will be heku also?” Emily asked, frowning.

  “Probably, though if it’s a female there may be more of the Winchester’s inherent traits,” Quinn said.

  “The factions will fight to get him,” Damon said bluntly.

  Chevalier nodded, “Yes they will. Which means the safest place for him is with Emily right now.”

  “Not if he’s going to snack on her,” Damon chuckled.

  “Shut up, Damon,” Chevalier growled.

  “I mean no disrespect, but how much control does he have? So we leave him alone with his mortal mother?” Damon said softly.

  “He’s been going to school. Sam must have figured out a way,” Chevalier said.

  “I’ll go talk to him,” Kyle said, and blurred from the room.

  “Mommy, can I get down?” Allen asked softly.

  “No,” Emily whispered, glaring at Damon.

  “Em, you have to put him down,” Chevalier told her, and touched her arm lightly.

  Emily reluctantly set Allen down, and he turned and looked nervously at the others.

  “Are you going to lock me up in prison?” Allen asked Damon.

  Damon grinned, “Of course not, I’m proud of you!”

  “A heku child, who would ever have imagined,” Maleth said, smiling.

  “There has to be others… a child that’s turned,” Emily said, frowning.

  “No, no child can survive the process,” Maleth explained.