A Cold Day in Hell (The Hellcat Series)

by Hannaford, Sharon

  The moment she woke and her mind slipped into gear, reality smacked her straight in the forehead. Keeping her intentions from Julius had been one of the hardest things she'd had to do in a long time; she actually had to be grateful for the others stresses that surrounded them. Those few hours they'd just spent together may very well prove to be their last, and he'd had absolutely no idea. But she couldn't dwell on that now. She needed information, and she needed it fast. It was frustrating not being able to contact Xavier, but she couldn't risk him trying to rouse Julius and warn him what they were up to.

  She slipped from the bed, grabbed clothing, and went to the bathroom to shower and dress. When she returned to the bedroom, she steeled herself not to look back at Julius. No one else was up yet. A peek at the wall clock told her it was well after ten in the morning. She hoped they'd still be serving breakfast.

  "Mornin', love," Sally greeted her cheerfully when she wandered into the dining hall. The older woman was fussing around the catering table with coffee and tea. "Well, don't ya just know how to shake a place up, then?" She chuckled. "The whole damn place is talkin' about the last twenty-four hours. It'll be all what's discussed around ’ere for months. Coffee is your poison of choice, init?" she half-asked, already pouring some hellishly strong coffee into a mug. "Come, sit your arse down for a bit. Makin’ as much trouble as you do must be bloody tiring."

  Gabi grinned at the twinkle in Sally's eye. She took the seat Sally indicated and gratefully wrapped her chilled fingers around the steaming mug that was placed in front of her.

  "Decent breakfast, Matilda," Sally called over the general hubbub of the hall to a young waitress who’d just exited the kitchen. The girl nodded briskly and double-timed it back into the kitchen. Sally surprised Gabi by giving a weary sigh and taking the seat opposite her at the small table. "I ’eard about the poisonin’."

  "I know you didn't have anything to do with it," she assured Sally before she could say anything more.

  Sally grimaced. "Not directly, of course not," she said, "but it happened on my watch. That makes me responsible. I know all my kitchen staff like family. I don't know how that woman got past me, but it's still on me. I can't tell you how bad I feel about it." She visibly steeled herself, and her eyes became hard. "If there is a debt to be paid for the slight against you, I will pay it. Would you please convey that to your consort?" She spoke the words in a very formal tone, and Gabi was reminded that she was currently in a place where human rules didn't necessarily apply, but many other rules did. She had to be careful how she handled this.

  "If there is a debt, it is due to me," she said.

  Sally stilled, waiting.

  "I'll consider the debt paid if you can give me some information."

  Sally looked first surprised and then wary. "You ’ave to understand; I ’ave boundaries I cannot cross. There are things I'm simply not allowed to talk about." She didn't look around, but Gabi got the impression she was saying this so that anybody listening would hear her clearly.

  "I understand that," Gabi assured her. "I won't ask you to tell me anything that would get you into trouble. If it's against what you're allowed to say, just don't answer. Okay?"

  Sally smiled. "Ye know, sometimes silence speaks louder than words," she said cryptically, but Gabi got her meaning when she studied the other woman's face. She would find a way to tell Gabi anything she wanted to know. "There’s a lovely balcony just past those doors." Sally nodded at a set of French doors just to Gabi's left. "It may still be a wee bit chilly outside, but the sun is shinin’, and it’d be a good place to enjoy yer breakfast. I'll bring it out to ye."

  Gabi took the hint.

  The watery sun was welcome despite the lack of warmth in the air. It'd been too long since she'd seen the sun. It was easy to forget the simple pleasure of the rays on your skin when you ran with Vampires.

  Sally joined her moments later with a large tray of food: a full English breakfast, toast, jams, the works and, Lady bless her, a carafe of coffee. Gabi was suddenly starving. Sally closed the doors behind her and sat down in one of the heavy cast-iron chairs on the opposite side of the heavy, metal table.

  "Do you know Caspian?" Gabi asked, amused by the surprise on Sally's face. Whatever the other woman had been expecting, it hadn't been a question about Caspian. This was just an opener, something to put Sally at ease; she'd get to the more serious stuff in a bit.

  "Yes, everyone around ’ere knows Caspian," she answered. "He ’angs around a fair bit. Rumour ’as it that he's sworn fealty to Julius?" She made the sentence a question.

  Gabi smiled around a mouthful of egg; now who was paying who? "Yes, he has," she confirmed, not seeing the harm in announcing it.

  Sally shook her head. "Ay, no offense to yer consort, but hat's off to ’im for ’is…excuse me language…balls."

  "What do you mean?" Gabi asked, blowing on a sausage to cool it.

  "It's no secret around ’ere that Caspian has a thing about Julius," she said. "Ask anyone, they'll tell ye. He's jealous as sin that Julius got the power over Vampires while ’e can only control Werewolves. Julius being made a Master before ’im nearly sent him off the deep end. Ye need to keep yer eyes on that one. He's a strange one alright, I wouldn't trust ’im behind me with a teddy bear." A faint chill ran down Gabi's spine as Sally continued. "Ye ’eard the rumours about ’is start in life?"

  Gabi shook her head as she made inroads on the pile of toast.

  Sally settled herself more comfortably, a mug of coffee in her hand as she began her recount. "Well, ’e started life in poverty. His parents were farmers, but ’ad poor land, and ’is father was of ill health. When ’is father died ’e was little more than a teenager and ’e immediately sold the land and began a small merchant business. I can only imagine the stock ’e sold wasn't always legal ’cause ’e was soon a wealthy man.

  "He was in later years when ’e fell in love with a beautiful, but much younger, woman. He arranged the marriage with ’er father and invited the whole town to the wedding. She loved the lifestyle but no’ the man. A few months after the wedding, ’e caught ’er in bed with one of ’is staff. He stabbed the pair of them to death in their bed. The police were building a case against ’im when Simone arrived in town. She was on the run at the time and wanted passage to the new world on one of ’is ships.

  "She soon heard the story about the murders and encouraged ’im to go with ’er. It seemed she promised ’im a new life and the secret to eternal happiness if ’e saw ’er safely across. Of course, once they landed safely she Turned ’im. I assume that didn't help his sanity. By all the accounts I've heard ’e was never the same after ’e killed ’is wife for ’er betrayal. Once Simone got ’er claws in ’im, they cut a swath across America, raping and pillaging as they went, resorting to more and more diabolical behaviour. Finally Simone tired of ’im and left ’im to go off and find newer, younger blood, travelling back to England where she felt more at ’ome.

  "Caspian returned to his ’ometown and resumed his business, taking control back from the managers who'd run it mostly into the ground while ’e'd been gone. The police’d given up pursuing ’im for the murders. They agreed it was the justified actions of a man pushed too far. He stayed and ran the business until people began to comment on ’is lack of aging and the fact that ’e didn't go out during the day. He faked his own death and made ’is way ’ere. He's been hanging around ever since, ’oping ’e'll eventually get strong enough to gain Master level and be given a city of ’is own."

  "Wow, that's a colourful past," Gabi said, impressed that anyone knew that much about a person three hundred years old. "How do you know all this?"

  Sally laughed. "Because the silly man tells the story to all his lovers, and no, before ye go jumping to conclusions, I'm not one of ’em, but this place thrives on gossip. Of course only ye can decide if what ’e says is the truth. What I've repeated are the facts that seem to remain the same, many others change according to ’is mood. Most people d
on’t believe a word of it."

  That made Gabi think of the way he sometimes seemed to be two separate people. Yes, she could imagine him being seen as moody, but perhaps it was something a little more serious. She'd finished breakfast and was wondering how to broach what she really wanted to ask when the older woman spoke in a lower voice than normal.

  "I think anyone listening in will ’ave got bored and given up," she said. "Now ask me what ye really want to know."

  Gabi bit the inside of her cheek, considering how to phrase it. Before she could speak, Sally gave her a penetrating look, one that said she was being assessed down to her soul.

  "I ’eard that ye had a bit of a near run-in at the Princeps' Ball," she said, her voice full of meaning. "What ye're looking for is in the east wing. Sixth floor, on the far end. Eight in the daytime: seven Werewolves, one Vampire. Tell the Scotsman; ’e can lead ye there. Ye won't be alone. There are many who'll find a way to support ye; just open yerself up to the ’elp." Then she was standing, walking back to the doors that led inside. "Good luck, Dhampir. I hope ye're as good as they say ye are." She glanced back for just a moment. "Look out for the colour purple; it'll mean a friend." And with that she was gone.

  Gabi sat for a moment, stunned, she'd got just what she needed and more, and she hadn't even had to wheedle, cajole or threaten it out of anyone. She chewed on the inside of her lip. She prayed they were genuinely trying to help, not sending her into a trap.

  There was only one way to find out.

  Keeping Julius out of the loop was making the mission far harder than it could've been. Luckily Fergus had been waiting for her to make her move, so he'd picked up her subtle hints. Kyle and Athena were both primed and ready for anything anytime. Her surprising conversation with Sally had given Gabi hope that maybe this could be pulled off.

  Above all else she wanted Julius to genuinely know nothing about it. He needed to be able to say honestly that it wasn't a kill sanctioned by him. She knew far more about Vampire law now and was pretty confident she could manoeuvre around it without jeopardising Julius's Mastership of the City. As long as they could keep herself and Fergus from facing the Princeps, with Faruq's lie-detecting powers, they'd be safe.

  There were still a few loose ends, but there was no more time for planning, only time for action. For the rest they'd have to wing it, something she and Kyle were generally good at, but this time they were in foreign territory. She wished again that she could call on Xavier, but it was too great a risk, for both him and Julius.

  Timing was vital in this mission. They had to get to Santiago before sunset, but not too long before sunset. Their group needed to get out of there as soon as they rose, but at the same time, as soon as Santiago's Clan rose for the night they'd be aware of his death. They needed to be on their way out of the castle before anyone could prove Santiago had been murdered.

  A surprise awaited Gabi when she returned to the apartment after breakfast and her conversation with Sally. A small parcel lay in front of the door. It was wrapped with a purple ribbon. The contents were amazing and encouraging: several vials of a pale orange liquid along with a dart gun and a dozen refillable darts. A note inside the parcel explained that the liquid was an experimental sedative that worked on Lycanthropes. The note was signed simply 'A', and Kyle’s nose confirmed Gabi's suspicions that this was Doctor Abe's work.

  She knew he'd taken an enormous risk getting it to them, and prayed she could repay him by making sure no one found out about his help. It had taken a weight off her shoulders. She wasn't sure that even with Kyle's strength and Alpha control he'd be able to take care of all seven Werewolf guards.

  Another surprise arrived when Kyle had brought a meal up to the room for himself. Wrapped in a pale lilac napkin was a medium-sized, silver key. Gabi knew instinctively that it would be some kind of master key, one that would open the door to Santiago's apartment.

  She tried to stay calm and centre herself, but as the end of the day neared, she was finding it more and more difficult to keep from pacing a hole in the carpet. Athena was sitting, outwardly serene, in a wing-back chair with her eyes closed. The only sign of her nerves was the constant rubbing of her string of well-worn gemstones. Kyle was watching out the window, he'd even managed to eat his hamburger earlier, Gabi was way too wound up to eat, even though she knew she'd regret it later.

  Finally the clock in the room ticked onto five p.m. It was show time. She went into the room shared by Fergus and Nathan and with a quick move, that she was becoming practised at, nicked the vein in her wrist and held the blood to Fergus's lips. She was tense as she waited for him to respond, nervous that he wouldn't wake, and nervous that when he did, he'd awake hungry and latch onto her wrist. Having experienced a Vampire bite from Julius once without his normal control, she knew it hurt. Like Hell. Luckily the big Scotsman's eyes flashed open within seconds, and she knew he was instantly aware of his surroundings, in control of himself. Hunger filled his gaze, but he pulled her wrist away from him and licked the blood from his lips; then he pulled it back and gave the small wound a final lick, helping to stop the flow of blood.

  "Aye, lass," he said in his usual Scottish drawl, "I can see why the boss likes ye." His fangs gleamed in the dim light as he made an attempt at a grin, but for once even Fergus was too wound up for genuine mirth.

  "It's time," she said, not even trying to respond to his teasing.

  He nodded and rose as she backed away from the bed. She left the room as he began strapping on his weapons. Back in the main room, Kyle was shoving knives into sheaths attached to his arms and legs. She was trusting Fergus to be able to control and mind-wipe any humans they came across as they made their way to the east wing. Werewolves would be her problem, and Magi would be Athena's. Their biggest concern was walking into Gemini. No one was going to be able to control them. The only thing Gabi could think of was to knock them out, but that would most certainly give away their intentions and assure that everyone in the castle knew their guilt. Athena's lips were moving in a silent prayer to the Lord and Lady; Gabi hoped at least one of them was listening.

  When all four of them were gathered in the main room, they silently took a collective breath and prepared to leave. Suddenly the secret door slid open. Gabi spun, Nex instantly in her grasp, but it was Xavier who stepped through, his hands raised in surrender.

  "I'm here to lead you," he said simply. The shirt he was wearing was a deep indigo.

  "How did you know?" Gabi was immediately suspicious. Surely if Sally knew about Xavier, she would've found a way to tell Gabi.

  "A friend sent me," Xavier explained.

  Gabi raised an eyebrow, making it clear he'd have to be more specific. They were all aware that the walls here could have ears, but she wasn't taking any chances.

  "The friend who came to help when you were poisoned," Xavier continued. "This friend can tell when certain things are going to happen. He said your way wasn't safe. I must lead you my way."

  Gabi bit her lip but knew that if anyone else in the castle knew what was going on it would be Benedict. "There are many who will help with this particular mission," Xavier continued, his expression becoming hard, his disgust clear. "We’ve been selective so far, involving as few as possible, but there are many we can call on if needed."

  Gabi's eyes flicked unbidden to the room where Julius lay, fully in daysleep.

  "I would protect him too," Xavier said simply, following her gaze.

  Finally Gabi nodded. She could sense no deception in the man.

  "Lead the way," she said simply. She, Kyle, Athena and Fergus followed him into the dark corridor on the other side of the secret doorway, Razor shadowing them on large, silent paws.

  CHAPTER 21

  Xavier was surprisingly quiet for a human; Gabi was impressed. Only Athena's footsteps could be heard as they travelled down corridor after corridor. The passageways were bare and musty, often damp and laced with spiderwebs, walls crumbling. Unknown things squidged underfoot, and Gab
i didn't dare look down to see what they were. Rats skittered ahead of them, distracting Razor though he never left Gabi's side, and they gave her an idea. She sent out a thread of awareness and began to gather what she needed. As they walked, she gently caught and held all the tiny minds they came across; lightly, she encouraged them to follow the group. She felt like the Pied Piper by the time Xavier came to a halt. In the gloom of the corridor, Xavier used hand signals to indicate that they were in front of the door that would open into the corridor outside Santiago's apartment. The doors left and right were apartments assigned to his Clan members, but the one directly in front of them was his.

  She gave Xavier a small nod of thanks and then squeezed Athena's shoulder. Her job was to check for magical security measures and negate any that existed, then to cast a spell of silence over the whole apartment to keep the noise of the fight contained. She would then remain in the secret corridor and wait for them to return. If no one returned before sunset, she would go back to the apartment and fill Julius in. Everyone hoped it wouldn't come to that. Athena went into a semi-trance while the rest of them waited, motionless.

  After what felt like hours, she swayed slightly and nodded. "It's clear now," she whispered, "but I think the Vampire was sensitive to Magic. He may have felt the spell break. Hurry."

  The secret door slid open. Gabi noticed with distaste that it was concealed by a life-sized portrait of Santiago with his hand on the head of a young girl. Gabi held her hand up to keep Kyle and Fergus from moving. She mentally warned Razor to stay still and put a cautioning hand over Athena's mouth as a small platoon of rats, mice and bats swarmed from the corridor behind them. Athena gave a start, her eyes going wide, and Gabi removed her hand from the Magus's mouth. With a quick check of the corridor outside, Gabi stepped out, crossed the main corridor, fitted the key, turned it, and thrust Santiago's door open.