I gripped her briefly before pushing her back. “What happened here?”
Brendan and Rachel hurried through the door, panting heavily. “What's going on?” Brendan boomed.
Darrell appeared beyond Nirena, his dark skin shining under the chandelier above him. “Brendan, sir, we were discovered.”
“By who?” Selena asked, her eyes rounding with fear.
“By IDAHO,” Darrell answered. “They arrived the night you left. They were well-armed. They took most of the Immortals away, and even some of the humans. We were unprepared. Nirena and I...we...”
Nirena thrust up her chin. “We saved who we could. We led them into the passages beneath the manor.”
Brendan scraped a hand over his face. “Good Lord...”
“Who did they take?” I asked, my shoulders tensing.
Selena was shaking with anger or fear, perhaps both. “Cass?” she asked.
Nirena nodded. “We did a headcount. We have a list of those who are missing. It's in your office, sir.” She addressed Brendan. “We were waiting for you to return before we abandoned The Sanctuary completely.”
“What about Jameson?” I demanded.
Nirena shook her head. “He left before the attack. He took a boat with Ulvic Hund and Mercy Helsing, and the other Werewolf girl...Nadine?”
I nodded, but was only marginally relieved. If Jameson was with Ulvic, he was in trouble. I should have known he'd go after his pack members. I'd been so caught up in turning human, I'd let him down. I should have bloody well gone with him.
“We can't stay here, IDAHO could come back,” Brendan said, resting a palm on Selena's shoulder.
“Aren't they the company who kidnapped you all those years ago?” Rachel asked, clinging to the stair banister for support.
Brendan nodded. “This place is no longer safe.”
“What can we do?” I growled, adrenaline surging through my veins. I needed to make a plan, I had to help our friends.
Brendan's jaw hardened as he thought about it. “We'll pack our things. Take everything of value, and head for safety.”
“But where can we go?” Nirena asked, looking desperate. “Darrell and I have spent hours pouring over options. But we're limited by the sun.”
“Of course,” Brendan said simply. “We will take precautions, travel by night...”
“But where to?” Darrell pressed.
“My place is empty in London?” Rachel suggested.
“We cannot walk a group of Immortals into London,” I said, harsher than I intended. But the idea was ludicrous. Immortals had been separated from humans for centuries. One slip up and their true identities could be revealed to the world. The consequences weren't worth thinking about.
“There is one place...” Selena said, giving me an anxious glance.
“Where?” I pressed, not liking the dangerous flare in her eyes.
“Raskdød,” she breathed. “Jameson said only half the Helsing castle was destroyed, which means the other half might still be habitable...”
My gut spiralled.
“The Helsings' castle?” Nirena gasped, looking to me for a reaction.
I'd been a slave to that place for nearly two centuries. But as Selena gazed at me, her eyes full of apology, I knew she would never have suggested it if there was another option.
In fact, if I could overlook my dark past, it was the ideal place to house a group of Immortals. No one would look for us there.
“Selena's right.” I straightened my spine, not allowing anyone to see my doubt. But I could feel Selena's steel-grey eyes burning holes in my head. She had plenty of demons in that castle, too. I wasn't the only one making a sacrifice. “The place is abandoned, it's in the Arctic Circle. And it's big enough to house us all.”
“What about our friends?” Selena asked, looking to me.
I gritted my teeth. “We're going after them of course.”
Jameson
What. The. Actual. Shit?
I stood, gazing between Silas and Cass, waiting for an explanation. The Larkspur had nearly done its job healing my leg, but there was a whole new kinda feeling taking hold of me. Shock. And potentially a heart attack.
“Firefly?” I demanded, rounding on her, my heart beating a frantic rhythm in my chest.
Her eyes were locked with Silas's. She looked ready to kill him. Oh, had pretty boy dropped the ball? Was this their little secret? Had they decided to keep it from me? Founded a little keep-life-altering-things-from-Jameson-club?
A horrible, gut-wrenching possibility filled my head, that he was the father.
I took a shallow breath, trying to hold back my abject rage at that thought. I spoke in a calm, but deadly tone, “Someone better give me an explanation because-”
“It's yours,” Cass blurted.
I was fairly sure I'd just been sucker-punched in the gut. Didn't realise words were capable of that. Apparently they were also capable of squeezing my heart in a vice and strangling my voice-box from the inside.
For once, I was speechless.
Cass's desperate gaze blazed at me. “I'm pregnant and it's yours,” she clarified, slower this time.
In the wake of the shock, a surprising bloom of relief sank into my stomach.
“Not possible,” I said, shaking my head. Because it wasn't. It just wasn't.
“I'm not a V anymore,” she whispered, her shoulders slumping. “Not quite anyway.”
“But we -” I gestured frantically between us. “That happened before Silas turned you into one of his Hybrids. Are you sure he didn't shove a baby inside you as part of his science project?”
Cass looked horribly offended. “No,” she snarled. I could see fear spread through her eyes and she quickly disguised it with anger. “But you know what? Maybe it would be better if he had. Because having no father is probably better than having one who dumped their mother the second he'd had his way with her.”
Another punch to the gut. I didn't leave you by choice, I was forced to! None of those words came out of my mouth, however. All credit due to Ulvic for that.
Silas sidled toward the cave exit. “I'd better leave you to talk.” He plucked a burning log from the fire as he went.
Cass looked ready to kill me, or Silas, or maybe she was about to cry. I was getting better at reading her. But her expression right then was about as decipherable as the Da Vinci Code. I didn't like any of my predicted outcomes. Except maybe the Silas one. I could live with that.
I raised my hands in a truce, trying to process this information. I mean, in a way, I was kind of over the moon. The timing certainly wasn't perfect, or the circumstances. But yeah. If having kids was on the agenda, she was my first and only choice as a mother. I started smiling and Cass's expression went from hot to volcanic.
Oops.
“Why are you smiling?” she snarled.
I was smiling for two reasons. One: because I was going to be a father, and two: Ulvic's command did not extend to this situation. So I could say whatever I damn liked about my own kid.
“We'll call him Jameson Junior like we planned.”
She strode across the space and struck me across the face, her lower lip quivering with anger. “You don't get to name it. You can be involved, Jameson, but I'm not going to risk you walking out of this kid's life like you did mine.”
My throat burned with a million words. I crowded her in against the nearest wall, forcing my way past as many barriers as I could. I wasn't happy anymore. I was angry. Angry at this bullshit situation that was keeping her away from me. Screw you, Ulvic.
I needed to kiss her. I couldn't. But I could touch her now that I'd broken down that particular command. So I pressed my hand to her stomach, holding her in my gaze. “I'm not going anywhere,” I promised. It might as well have been one of Ulvic's commands for how strongly I felt about it. I was going to be there for this kid. And Cass. And one day, I was going to explain away this whole roadblock in our relationship.
She shook her head, her expression
taut. “I'd believe you if you hadn't already broken that promise.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “You told me everything you thought I wanted to hear, didn't you?” She jabbed me in the chest. “You lied through your teeth to get me into bed. I'll never trust anything you say again.”
I shifted closer, closing the gap between us until my chest brushed hers, my palm still flat against her belly. No bump. Not yet. But I knew that little life was in there, I could see the truth in her eyes like a wildfire. I'd wanted our paths irrevocably tangled and here I was, my wish being granted in the most surprising way possible.
I could taste her breath on my lips. I could count every freckle on her nose. And I could see the distrust in her gaze. She was the single most beautiful creature I'd ever encountered. Those emerald eyes were drowning me. They owned me body and soul. Why couldn't she see that? Why did I have to spell it out for her?
Cass ducked under my arm, slipping away from me in more ways than one. She headed out of the cave without another word. Going to him.
My heart crumbled like a cookie in a fist. “I love you,” I said to the wall. The words came out too quiet for her to hear, strangled by Ulvic as if he was here now with his hands around my throat. I pressed my head against the cool stone, saying it again, and again, until I was sure it was just a fraction louder.
The sound of Cass's scream grabbed my heart and made my legs sprint in her direction.
I found her beyond the cave near the river, her hand clamped over her mouth, choking away her scream. She was crouched on the floor, her hands pressed to the mud. She turned to me, lifting her palms up, showing the blood dripping from them. I dragged her to her feet. “Are you hurt?” I demanded, panic flowing through me.
Thunder grumbled overhead.
She shook her head, gazing around at the trees. “Silas...he's gone. I heard a struggle in the trees. Something took him.” She pointed at a large plant where more blood stained the huge leaves.
“Stay here,” I growled, stepping forward.
Cass caught my arm. “We're not splitting up,” she hissed. I almost argued, but figured I'd rather she was by my side than anywhere else. Plus, the girl was probably tougher than me at times.
She headed toward the bloody leaves, just as a lightning bolt split the darkness in half. I hurried after her as the first of the raindrops splattered my bare shoulders. The storm was rolling in fast, drowning my senses as we ran, the feel of the rising static raising the hairs on my arms. The canopy held the worst of the storm at bay, but the water trickled in streams down the giant leaves above.
Silas's blood was fast being washed away, taking the scent with it.
“Come on,” Cass urged and I quickened my pace to catch her, keeping an eye set on the crimson locks that were plastered to her back.
We pounded on through the forest, until both of us were soaked to the bone.
“I can't smell him anymore,” I said as Cass paused in a small clearing. Puddles lapped at her bare ankles.
She breathed in deeply, closing her eyes. “This way,” she said, darting off through the damp bushes. Guess her sense of smell was better than mine these days.
Another lightning strike tore overhead, casting floating white ghosts before my eyes. We were moving at a phenomenal speed, cutting a path through the thick forest.
A growl caught my ear, the word 'Taste' echoing back to me.
“Cass,” I hissed and she paused, hearing it too.
I crept toward the noise, pushing a large leaf aside. The sight before me made my gut churn. Raj was lying on the floor, most of the skin from his body eaten away, the remaining flesh shredded and torn. And the reason I knew it had been eaten was because of the man standing over him, dripping blood from his mouth. Miguel. But it wasn't Miguel. Maybe he hadn't been Miguel ever since he'd run through the second force-field. He was a Reaper and he decided to prove it by dropping back down and feasting on the remains of Raj's neck.
Cass opened her mouth on a gasp and I clamped a hand over her mouth, dragging her backwards. I turned her around and we started moving, then jogging, then flat-out sprinting away from the carnage.
A fresh splatter of blood lined the ground ahead and Cass moved faster. I pushed myself to keep up, my calves burning. Silas was probably dead. Did I care? Not really. But Cass seemed to. So that was enough to keep up my pace.
Cass slammed to a halt before me and I was moving too fast to stop in time. I collided with her full-force and we tumbled forward, falling down a hill. I tried to hold her against me to protect her, but the hill was too steep, our momentum out of control. We hit the bottom, sinking into a foot of mud with a unified groan.
I dragged myself upright, tugging Cass after me. Both of us were smothered, looking like swamp monsters.
Before I could say a word, a collective hissing and clicking noise filled my ears. There was an almost musical chant to it, a rhythm.
I kept hold of Cass's arm as we moved toward the sound, dragging ourselves out of the bog and up a less muddy hill. I dropped to an army crawl and Cass joined me, moving through the dirt at my side.
We poked our heads through some leaves, finding ourselves overlooking a clearing below. Reapers stood around it in a circle, standing silent and still, their hollow eyes gazing at the man tied upright to a pillar of bones, his arms stretched above his head.
“Silas,” Cass breathed in horror, catching my eye. I held her tight, not letting her move forward - though taking on twenty Reapers should have been off-putting enough. As much as I wished we were, I had to admit we were not the Avengers. Or The A Team. Or even a couple of Power Rangers. We didn't have the numbers to take on this lot. All it would take was one bite to give them our bodies, our strength.
I don't want to end up like Raj – sorry bro.
The Reapers chanted and clicked their tongues, the noise sending a horrible slithering feeling down my spine.
Silas writhed against his restraints, his muscles bulging, his mouth gagged with a slim vine. I ground my teeth as I watched, trying to figure out what to do. Option A: leave Silas to be eaten alive by a bunch of Reapers (tempting) or option B: run down there and risk our necks to save him (less tempting). I didn't fancy hanging around for whoever those creepy mother-suckers were waiting for. Especially as I was pretty sure it wasn't going to be Justin Bieber. So Option A seemed like the obvious choice.
Blood was soaking through a wound on Silas's shoulder, but apart from that, he seemed in reasonably good shape. Discounting the fact he was tied to a pillar of bones like a human sacrifice.
The lightning sliced the sky in two above the trees and the Reapers craned their necks back, the hoods of their cloaks falling away to reveal their thinly-skinned heads.
I followed their gaze upwards, spying a dark shape amongst the swaying boughs, surveying the scene below. It was as large as a gorilla, but its stance more human. Its features were obscured by shadow, but something told me this was the creature I'd come eye to eye with in the vine tree. Definitely not Justin Bieber. Unless that bro had been lifting like a champ.
“We need to get out of here,” I whispered.
“We're not leaving him,” Cass insisted. In my eyes, Silas was a goner. Much as I liked to be the hero, I didn't fancy swooping down into that pile of hungry skeletons to risk my neck. And not just my neck, but all the flesh on my bones.
The figure in the trees dropped like lead, hitting the ground and spraying mud around its thick-skinned feet. Bare and chimp-like. It threw its head back, howling like a baboon.
Hasta la vista, Silas.
The beastly creature stalked closer to Silas, towering over him. Its teeth gnashed together, the sound cutting through the air like a thunder clap.
The Reapers' chanting grew louder, the hissing, rattling sound scratching against my eardrums.
My stomach churned.
Cass gave me a look that said 'I'm sorry' then sprung to her feet and howled to the sky. She cupped her hands around her mouth, continuing the noise
until every Reaper turned its attention to us. Largest beasty included.
Ho-ly shit.
“Help him,” Cass ordered before charging toward the nearest tree, clambering her way up it.
I watched in terror and awe for several seconds as the Reapers surged toward her. They dropped onto all fours, scuttling like animals as they followed. Their leader ran toward the closest tree, resting its hands on its knuckles, moving like an ape. But that was no ape. It scaled the tree trunk in less than thirty seconds. I could just see Cass high up above, tip-toeing across the branches, leaping between them like a cat.
I didn't waste a second longer, barrelling down into the pit to rescue Silas. Apparently, it was his lucky day.
Charging to his side, I snapped the vines around his wrists, dragging him forward. He immediately cupped the wound on his shoulder, nodding to me in thanks. Up close, he was as pale as a sheet.
“Can you walk?” I demanded.
He tugged the vine free from his mouth. Before he answered, his eyes darted over my shoulder and he barged me aside. A Reaper caught hold of his arm instead of mine.
“Shit!” I barked, throwing a punch at it. It moved fast, dodging my attack.
Its bony fingers were locked around Silas's wrist. I grabbed hold of its skull-like head, squeezing as hard as I could.
Time to go Hulk.
Silas held its arms back as I struggled to hold onto the Reaper's head. It screeched like a banshee as I used all of my strength to cave in its skull, crushing it like a tin can.
A satisfying crack filled my ears and the Reaper slumped to the ground. A greenish-black gloop coated my hands. Nice.
“Jameson!” Cass's voice reached to me and I snapped my head up, searching for her in the trees.
She was hanging from a branch, her muddy legs dangling and kicking, but she didn't seem to be in trouble. Apart from the fact nearly twenty Reapers were scuttling along the branch she was hanging from.
“Catch me!” she cried, letting go. She fell through the air, her tattered green dress sailing up around her wheeling legs.
I stumbled forward, holding out my arms as she crashed into me. I crushed her to my chest, panting in alarm. “What if I'd missed!?” I shouted.
Wolf Games: Island of Shade (The Vampire Games Book 5) Page 7