Neither of them wanted anywhere near the ranos pistol that Milton used in his attempts to hit the rat.
Two other rats waited beneath Milton's chair while this went on for seconds—until Milton started shooting. The first shot blew a hole in the cave wall. Milton's second shot obliterated his own leg and part of the floor, but by that time, his rat attacker was already on the other side of the cave.
The rat's companions went to work, then, biting snake tails and dodging out of the way whenever the snakes struck at them.
Wake up, Lexsi, I shouted mentally. This was my opportunity and I was letting it get away.
Mist. I needed to be mist. Get in here now, I shouted at Kory. He and a small army of werewolves, led by Davis and Thomas, appeared inside our branch of the cave.
Kory's smaller Thifilathi ripped Watson's cage apart, freeing the werewolf. I, however, misted toward Farin and gathered her into my mist. Her mental shriek at her sudden transformation distracted me for a moment.
Milton, with one foot and part of his right leg missing, attempted to crawl out of the cave.
The snakes had abandoned the rats and scuttled out of our cave as quickly as they could.
Trap.
They'd laid a trap for us.
I could hear running outside the cave—our captors were getting away.
"It's packed with explosives," Watson shouted.
Now I understood.
We were going to die.
Unless—I had no idea how much time I had. Gathering everyone inside the smaller cave into my mist, I flew toward the cave entrance when the entire hillside exploded around us.
Chapter 19
Kordevik
As traps went, it was one of the best I'd ever seen.
I barely recalled being weightless for uncounted seconds, while we tumbled so high into the night sky we wouldn't have survived had we still been ourselves.
Still, I attempted to quiet the ringing in my ears from the explosion. I was the only one on his feet, too, when we spilled into the vineyard across the road.
Lexsi was out cold—she'd gotten us safely back to solid ground before passing out. I considered it a miracle that she'd lasted that long.
Unconscious werewolves, rats and one human were also scattered about me, where they'd dropped after Lexsi rematerialized.
Lexsi, somehow, had inherited that talent from her grandmother. I wasn't about to quibble about the amount of vampire in Lexsi's blood—it had just saved our lives.
Turning, I gazed on the smoking ruin of the wine cave. From six hundred yards, I could make out the swarm of werewolves and others, sniffing and digging in the rubble where the smaller cave had been.
They were searching for our remains, to determine whether they'd killed all of us.
"That was rough," Anita sat up with difficulty.
"We're alive," I growled the reminder.
"Yeah. I hope Lexsi gets better at her landings."
"Lexsi's unconscious," I snapped. "She isn't broken, just out. I've already checked."
"Oh. Where is Farin, then? I'll check on her."
The sound of a plane in the distance drew my attention. "Take Farin back to the house, then wake Davis and Thomas," I said. "Our reinforcements are almost here."
* * *
Lexsi
When I regained consciousness, I was lying flat on my back with Anita bending over me.
Around us, vampires dangling from parachutes, each holding an unhappy werewolf in their arms, dropped out of the sky, hitting the ground softly. Werewolves were released immediately, and all of them hopped away from the vampire holding them as if they'd been caught in a compromising position.
Yes, I thought I was dreaming at first. Vamps and werewolves seldom got that chummy, even when it wasn't during a full moon. I eventually understood that a changed werewolf couldn't pull the cord to release a parachute, but I was disoriented when I awoke.
Davis had arranged to have his small army delivered to the vineyard across the road from Claudia's.
"What happened?" I croaked while attempting to sit up.
"I think you passed out when we—uh—hit the ground," Anita said. She helped me sit up, then pulled me to my feet.
"Sorry." I wobbled for a moment, searching for balance between rows of grapevines.
"Kory says that Claudia's wolves are digging through the rubble of the cave. They're looking for us. I don't know what they'll do when they don't find anybody."
"They'll find Milton," I suppressed a hysterical giggle. "He shot his own leg off, trying to get Tibby away from him."
"Smart," Anita mumbled. "We'll save that story for later. You okay to join the others?"
"I think so. Is there any water?"
"We have problems," Mason appeared behind Anita. "All the werewolves have changed, including Davis and Thomas. I have messages coming from agents and police near downtown San Francisco. An entire city block is on fire and the firefighters can't put a dent in it. Nothing they've thrown at it does any good."
"Spelled fire," Anita said. "From our friendly, neighborhood warlocks."
"Yeah. I was beginning to think they had more than one," I agreed.
"What can stop it?" Mason asked.
"Either a counter spell, which we don't have, or a High Demon going building to building, to nullify the spell," Anita explained.
A wolf howled across the road.
"I think they've discovered we're not dead," Anita mumbled.
"Somebody has to help with the fires," Mason pointed out. "The entire city could burn if we don't."
"The war is about to start here," Kory walked up in his smaller Thifilathi, breathing clouds of smoke.
"Mason and I are going with Lexsi to put out fires in the city," Anita said. "I trust you can handle things here?"
"Yeah." The word was a growl. Kory didn't look happy.
It didn't take anyone with tendencies toward genius to realize that they'd planned this carefully. Without my mist, we'd have died in the cave explosion. Since they'd failed in their first volley, they intended to split our forces by setting downtown San Francisco ablaze with spelled fires.
What did they plan to do here? I wasn't naïve enough to think this battle would be close to an even match. I suspected they had other tricks up their sleeves, but had no idea what they could be.
Either way, Kory and I were in for a long night. Our enemy wanted us out of the way; that was certain. Their attacks would be geared toward killing us. The rest they could handle with their pet Sirenali and rogue warlocks.
Don't get killed, I sent to Kory.
Blinding clouds of smoke formed his reply.
* * *
The unrelenting screech of sirens filled the air, nearly deafening us as Anita set us down at the perimeter of the most recent outbreak of fires.
At least it was night and most of the workers had gone home. Only a few, late-night bars and restaurants were still open; their occupants spilling into the streets as the businesses they'd exited burned behind them.
A few screams could be heard amid the blaring sirens. Firetrucks were everywhere, blasting water at flames that were never meant to be quenched.
"You need to go to Thifilatha," Anita shouted over the din.
What if they mistake me for the one causing all this? I swept out a hand.
Will your nullification work if you're mist?
There's one way to find out.
Then take Mason and me with you.
Fine.
* * *
Kordevik
They fired at us, first—a normal shot from a rocket launcher. That meant they had humanoids on their side—werewolves can't fire weapons while they're wolf. Klancy, in Mason's absence, had to take over phone duty with Davis' contacts.
That's when the line of enemy werewolves broke through Claudia's fence and charged us.
Granger's vampires were right behind them. More deafening blasts hit the ground around me, tossing gouts of earth and twisted grap
evines far into the sky. When they fell, we were pelted heavily with vines, rock and debris.
A werewolf was knocked into me by a vampire; whether from our side or the other, I couldn't tell. I'd barely had time to hold back my heat to keep the werewolf from incinerating against my scales. Smaller wars, with participants fighting to the death, were waged all about me.
Time for me to stop worrying about Lexsi and what else might happen. With a roar, I became full, smoking Thifilathi and stomped through the vineyard, heading for the other side.
* * *
Lexsi
I wanted to weep.
Every time I nullified the spell feeding one fire, another broke out nearby. I could feel Mason cringe every time we flew through a fire, too; Anita refused to give in to her fear.
This isn't working. Anita verified what I already knew.
The buildings are firing in a line, Mason said.
I almost jerked at his mindspeech.
I should have expected it, though. He was a King Vampire. It made sense that he'd have at least one gift.
I'll get ahead of it, then, I replied.
Flying swiftly, I settled in position beside the next building.
The Warlock who'd set the spells was probably laughing at me; the fire moved to the building beyond, which was outside my diameter of effectiveness.
Set us down, Anita sounded weary.
Yeah. I became solid next to the building I'd saved while Mason and Anita tumbled into corporeality beside me. The sidewalk around us was deserted but not quiet—fire has a loud voice all its own. It rejoices with every boom and flurry of sparks as it finds something new to destroy. I wanted to slide down the side of the building, cover my face with both hands and let the tears come.
I, a High Demon who could not only turn Thifilatha but could also become mist, could do nothing against this carefully laid spell.
"At least this one isn't burning," Anita sighed.
"I don't know what to do," I shook my head at her as tears began to fall. The heat from the fires around us dried them on my cheeks.
Somewhere, news crews positioned on the perimeter of this disaster, were recording and reporting while a nation—a world—fed hungrily on their words.
Had this been caused by normal means, I would be reporting next to them.
My mother would have sorted this out—I had no doubt of that. She'd done so many heroic things during her time with the ASD. She'd even forced a volcano to burn—wait.
"I think I know what to do," I turned to Anita. "Get Mason back to Kory's army and pray what I'm about to do works."
* * *
Kordevik
We were losing. Every time I skipped toward the humanoids firing rockets at us, they relocated instantly. I found myself tiring; stress and lack of sleep ensured that.
The one who'd planned this battle was a genius; I understood now that he—or she—had realized early on what a High Demon's talents were and took measures to combat us most effectively.
The road and the vineyards on both sides was littered with vampire ash and dead or dying werewolves. I had no idea how to sort them, even had I the time to do so.
We're here, Anita announced in my head. Mason and I, she clarified.
Lexsi? I skipped toward a nearby hill, where rockets and bullets had been sent flying in our direction.
She says she thinks she knows how to deal with the fires. She sent us back to you, Anita replied.
You need us, Mason added. My addled brain didn't process his mindspeech for a moment.
Yeah. I need you and a hundred more like you, I said. The roar escaped me involuntarily—my quarry had vanished, only to reappear on another small hill to my right.
They were circling me, while allies and enemies died in private battles of their own. I wasn't helping them; I was playing Whack-A-Mole with a talented warlock and losing badly.
Anita and Mason fought somewhere behind me; more rockets fired from another small hill.
Except this time, they weren't ordinary rockets.
By the time the ranos blast tore a hole in one of my wings, I was already shouting mindspeech at Anita to get everyone away. We were doomed and I knew it.
Not many to save, will do what I can, Anita sent back. I understood she was fighting an enemy while making a reply.
I'll hold them off as long as I can, I said. Let me know when you're past this ring of hills.
Will do, she grunted.
I'll help, Mason joined the conversation.
Good. Do it now, I'm about done for.
Don't get killed, Mason echoed Lexsi's words.
Lexsi.
I love you, I sent to her and waded into the blasts sent in my direction.
* * *
Lexsi
I heard the desperation in Kory's mental voice and understood he expected to die.
Hold on, and get everybody away from those vineyards, I responded.
There was no reply.
Yes, I wanted to scream my fury and grief as I hurled myself toward Claudia's vineyard.
My larger Thifilatha thumped to the ground near the road. In the distance, I could see the rubble of the wine cave. When I'd landed, someone still fired ranos blasts from a nearby hill, causing enormous gouts of rock and earth to fly upward with a resounding boom.
Whatever they aimed in my direction, however, was useless against me. Suddenly, the firing stopped. Suddenly, things had gone still. Quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the fire licking my body.
It's as if I'd pulled the fire from the buildings in the city and clothed myself in it.
A Thifilathi—or Thifilatha—will never be harmed by fire.
Release it, a small voice instructed. Before they get away.
* * *
Anita
Kordevik hadn't gotten away.
Lexsi, when she appeared at the center of the battle, burned so brightly nobody could look at her.
When she released the fire that surrounded her, a meteor striking Earth would have caused less damage. Light bloomed; the ensuing explosion rocked the ground beneath our feet and knocked us down from a half mile away.
My guess as to the damage proved correct; nothing but a huge crater remained of Claudia's vineyard.
"Are you well?" Klancy, who'd sunk his lengthy claws into the ground to keep from being thrown farther back, ended up beside me.
"I'm okay," I sighed before dropping my forehead onto the grass. "How many did we lose?" At that moment, I prayed that Watson was still alive.
"Many," Klancy replied. "I must go and see who survived; that will be an easier task than counting the dead."
"Kory and Lexsi?" I mumbled.
"No sign of them."
"Fuck."
"Agreed."
I had no energy left, but found some well of strength to hold me upright. It took three trips to transport the living back to Lexsi's house; Watson wasn't among those I hauled.
Davis was wounded; Thomas better off. Mason tended Davis while two other vampires assisted Klancy in setting a few broken bones.
One of Tibby's cousins didn't make it back, either.
"What happened?" Farin wandered into the kitchen, which had become a temporary hospital. She was dressed in a robe and pajamas—somehow, she'd been exhausted enough to sleep. I was grateful for even that small miracle.
The full moon still held sway over every shifter in the house; that's why Tibby's rat squeaked once and leapt into Farin's arms. I'd never seen anyone kiss a rat before, but Farin had her mouth all over Tibby's head. Somehow, with the other events of the night, it seemed perfectly normal.
Watson is gone.
I sighed.
I'd lost three good friends during the night, but now wasn't the time to grieve. I had to help Klancy and the others put wounded werewolves back together. Common sense demanded it. I'd never felt less like doing anything of the kind in my life.
The early-morning news was filled with images of the fires in San Francisco,
burning out of control until the miracle happened. I knew it was Lexsi's work, and still didn't understand how she'd done it.
The fires went out, one by one, as if set to a timer. Blink, blink, blink. That's how they died.
Some news stations claimed to have footage of a fifteen-foot, winged creature rising from a city street after the last fire died. Nothing could be proven, however—their cameras only recorded a huge fireball, because it burned too brightly for their equipment to record properly.
I knew it was Lexsi, who held all the fire from all the buildings about her, or possibly in her as well. As I said, I didn't understand how she'd done it.
The news then switched to the crater in Sonoma County, where authorities claimed a meteorite had struck Earth, destroying one vineyard and part of another. Authorities had blocked the area from unauthorized visitors, so there were no images on the news.
That crater had also been caused by Lexsi.
Had she known that Kory was taken down? Is that why she'd done it?
I had no answers and holes in my heart.
Chapter 20
Lexsi
Kory's unconscious body covered mine at the center of the crater I'd created. Overhead, a few stars winked in a brightening sky.
Dawn was coming.
If I could muster the strength, there was one more thing I wanted to do. Perhaps I'd dreamed it while unconscious.
I only knew I had to do something or he'd die—the real James Rome, Jr., who didn't look like the real James Rome, Jr.
"Kory?" I brushed dark hair off his face. Like me, he was naked. Our fires had seen to that. Mine, though, had been more intense than any Thifilathi could ever lay claim to.
The ranos cannon blast meant to kill Kory had almost reached his Thifilathi when I sent the fire I held flying. Thankfully, it had kept him from dying.
"Mmmm?" Kory buried his face against my breast.
"We have to go to LA," I said. "To Rescue Jamie Rome. The real one."
"Don't want to."
"I know." I traced his left ear with a finger.
"God, Lexsi, you smell good."
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