Fallen Redemption (The Trihune Series Book 1)

by Austin, RB

  Vetis ran into the next room. Standing in front of the screen, he listened to Kobal’s conversation through the walls. The stupid fuck crouched down in front of her. Vetis inhaled sharply. The demon was touching her hair.

  “Hello, sweet.” Kobal’s voice was high as a twelve year olds. “Don’t be frightened.”

  The female lifted her head. Her eyes widened. Didn’t scream, though. The demon must have his teeth covered. Without the grin Kobal resembled a traveling magician. A little scary but promised an exceptional time if one followed him into his tent.

  She cleared her throat. Vetis strained to hear her hoarse whisper. “Are you they?”

  Kobal cocked his head. “They?” Just two little girls whispering in their beds.

  The female licked her lips. “He said they’d be coming.”

  “Oh no, sweet.” Kobal brushed a finger down her cheek.

  Vetis’s nails dug into his palm.

  “I’m not them.”

  “Can you help me?” Her gaze darted to the camera. “Help me escape?”

  Kobal also looked at the camera, grinned. Back around. No scream. Mouth closed. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

  “Please.”

  “Aww, you plead so well.” His voice rose from sweet little girl to scary, possessed little girl.

  The female jerked back, not even flinching when her head banged into the concrete wall. Now she screamed.

  Vetis was half way to the door before he stopped himself. Can. Not. Show. Emotion. He forced himself to turn back to the screen.

  Kobal’s giggle echoed.

  She’d jumped to her feet, shoved herself against the wall. The chains moved. The rattling noise was lost over Kobal’s continued laughter. It looked like she was trying to burrow into the wall.

  Kobal extended his hand. She stiffened. Using the chains for support she jumped, shoving both feet into Kobal’s chest. He flew back, landed on the floor. The female bounced back into the wall. Loosing her grip on the chains, she careened into the concrete again. Her knees scraped the ground.

  Kobal charged toward her. The female scrambled to get back on her feet.

  “You’re going to pay for that, bitch.”

  The female strained to cover her face with her hands. The chains wouldn’t allow it. She hiked her feet up.

  It wasn’t fast enough.

  The loud crack resounded through the room. Her head reared back from the force.

  Vetis sucked in a breath. Kobal wasn’t going to stop there. Vetis charged into the next room. The female had curled into herself but it was no protection from Kobal’s blows. The demon slapped her with an open hand. Crack. Again. Crack. Punched her with closed fists. Head. Stomach. Her body rocked from his hits. Each more powerful than the last. Blood dripped off some part of her.

  Kobal grabbed a hold of her hair. Vetis stepped forward. He wrapped his hand around Kobal’s wrist.

  Kobal spun. Pointed teeth bared. His eyes narrowed in anger. The demon jerked his wrist once. Twice.

  “Enough,” Vetis said, still holding tight.

  “But she,” Kobal started, sniveling.

  “Enough.” The shout rang through the room. The edges of Kobal’s hair iced. He swung the demon and thrust him toward the door. “Go.”

  Kobal wavered then with one last glare over Vetis’s shoulder, left the room.

  Vetis turned back. He wanted to inspect her wounds but dared not. Kobal may be watching or listening. Couldn’t risk it. Vetis studied her. Her breaths were consistent and steady. The female, his female, wouldn’t die.

  Soon she wouldn’t be so breakable.

  With one last glance he left the room.

  Chapter 24

  “I’ll leave at once.” Cade addressed Sarid and Gabriel in the HQ conference room. They’d been discussing the abduction and their options for way too long in Cade’s opinion. He wanted to get out there. Sitting at this table wouldn’t save Emma.

  No one heard the telltale ring of Fallen. Gabriel confirmed it wasn’t the UF. They all agreed it wasn’t a Follower. So another UF? Why after all of these centuries were they showing up now? Where were they before? Why hadn’t Elias said anything?

  “I don’t like it,” Gabriel said.

  Cade gave him a half smile. There was no warmth, just grim determination. “You don’t have to.”

  “You’ve never done this before, boss. You don’t know how you’re going to react.”

  “Sarid will be with me and I have done it before. I can handle it.”

  Gabriel opened his mouth to offer other arguments no doubt. Cade put a hand on his shoulder. “I need you here to follow through on anything I get. I want this over tonight.”

  “Count me in.”

  All three heads swiveled to the doorway. Lucas stood, arms loose at his sides, tats a solid black, clothed in fighting gear, eyes clear. A small bubble of relief popped in Cade’s chest.

  Lucas raised a gloved hand. “Elias’s suggestion.”

  “Great idea,” Gabriel said.

  “You’re sitting this one out.”

  Lucas stepped into the room. “I can help.”

  “Not this time.” Cade studied the red inked locations on the map of the city that lay on the table.

  “Let him help.” Gabriel spoke.

  “I can’t risk it.” Cade didn’t raise his head.

  “He’s cured. Elias healed him. Don’t be an idiot.”

  “Time will tell if he’s truly healed.”

  “That’s bullshit.” Gabriel pushed at Cade’s shoulder, forcing him to meet his gaze. “We need him. I’d think you’d want all the help you can get. Perhaps you don’t care for her like you say.”

  Cade stiffened.

  Lucas stepped forward. “Enough, Gabe.” He laid a hand on his ach’s shoulder. “Cade is right to be cautious.”

  “You can tell if it worked or not. You know you’re cured. Why aren’t you protesting this?”

  “I do know it worked but I acted horribly the last few days. And I lied. A lot. Cade is making the best decision.” Lucas met his leader’s gaze. “I’ll sit with Father Gregory. We’ll pray you find the nheq—Emma in time.” He turned and headed to the door.

  “Hey, Lucas.”

  He stopped.

  “You can sit in with Gabriel.”

  Gabriel’s mouth fell open. “You were testing him.”

  Cade didn’t take his eyes from Lucas. “I was and you passed.”

  Lucas stayed in the doorway. “Are you sure?”

  “Getcha ass in here. We need you.”

  Relief spread across his face.

  With Lucas at the table Cade shifted back to the map. “I marked five different locations. We’ll start here.” He pointed. “Progress in this direction until I get a hit. Sarid will report my findings. You guys will check it for verification.”

  “I can do a police search too. Look for recent disturbances or any hits on her car.”

  “Great. Gabriel, when this is over I want your report on their behavior.”

  Gabriel’s eyes widened. “Okay, although I need to tweak my numbers. I was wrong about the Fallen being gone during the ceremony.” He ran a hand over his stomach, grimacing. “Way wrong.”

  “We can work on it together. The enemy has stepped up their game. They’re no longer trying to stay unnoticed in the Follower population. We’ll need to change our strategies.”

  Gabriel grinned. “Absolutely, boss, and I’m sorry about the Emma comment.”

  “No worries. I’m glad you care for her.” Cade paused at the flash of jealousy surging through him. His gums burned from the pressure of his fangs wanting to release. “Not that I want you to act on it.” He added, barely controlling the urge
to growl.

  Gabriel held up his hands, palms out.

  Cade relaxed. “It’s nice that this truce of ours doesn’t mean you’ve completely changed your childish ways of yelling and throwing a temper tantrum when the world doesn’t go your way.”

  “And it sucks you haven’t been cured of being a commanding asshole,” Gabriel shot back.

  “Yes, too bad.” The corners of his mouth twitched, but one glance at the map and his almost smile fell. “Let’s do this.”

  Sarid parked in front of the downtown coffee shop. They were only two spaces away from where Cade last saw Emma. He headed toward the shop’s entrance. “I’ll get us drinks.” Cade pointed to the cluster of tables and chairs in a heated, semi-enclosed area. “Grab the table back in the corner.” That wouldn’t be an issue. Followers were already giving them a wide berth.

  There was no line when he entered the shop and he ordered two black coffees to go. Outside, he set down the coffees they wouldn’t be drinking and positioned the chair until his back was against the wall. Sarid had done the same. Cade sat and began the process to relax his body. With his sunglasses on, he placed his hands on his thighs and took two slow breaths.

  Noise surrounded him. Fear of not being able to find Emma in time played cardiac arrest with his heart. Cade would be on the floor, in a fetal position right now if he were a Follower. His mind could process only two words: Go. Find. With Tesshu’s methods in the forefront of his mind he shut everything out in a matter of seconds.

  He’d lied to Gabriel. Cade never allowed the seal to break. Never willingly opened himself to all those around, Follower and animal. Before the change it’d happen almost daily with no warning. Just a stray thought here and there. Although never from animals and only when a human projected. Those intrusions had been manageable. It was after the change when he heard everything and was unable to manage any of it.

  Cade closed his eyes. Then pinpointed the exact spot in his mind that controlled his curse. Slowly he began to lift away the seal Elias helped him erect.

  Thoughts flew at him from all directions. The mother sitting across from her son inside the coffee shop worried over paying this month’s rent. The bird on the telephone wire called for her lost baby. The mistress drinking with the cheating husband prayed he’d divorce his wife soon. The rat in the alley one half block down scrounged for scraps.

  It was too much, too fast. Worry. Greed. Hunger. Fear. One emotion bled into another. Every Follower and animal’s unique voice vied for dominance. Cade was unable to focus. It controlled him just like when he was newly turned. Emotions and thoughts bombarded his mind. He jerked. His foot kicked the metal table making it clang as it collided into the brick wall. Sarid’s voice filtered through the noise. Before he could decipher his ach’s words the baby in the pharmacy two stores down wailed from the discomfort of a messy diaper. The man inside his car drove to work dealing with indigestion. The fetus floated inside her mother’s womb feeling loved, protected, and at peace. The daughter wanted to tell her mother she lost her virginity and may be pregnant.

  Stop. The voice came from deep inside. The noises paused for only a millimeter of a second before the volume unmuted. No. He wouldn’t allow it. This was his only hope.

  Cade opened his eyes. Zeroed in on the cheating husband and mistress sitting a few tables away. The husband was mentally reminding himself to pick up a birthday gift for his wife before going home. The mistress was remembering how he said “I love you” for the first time today. Cade leveled his gaze on the blonde walking down the street.

  She wasn’t going to get the breast implants her boyfriend wanted her to. Actually, was thinking of ditching him and moving back to Texas to stay with her sister. Her new shoes were killing her feet.

  A teenager walked his golden retriever. The young boy watched the blonde, wondering if she was the woman from his playboy magazine hidden underneath his mattress. The retriever was happy and content.

  Cade switched to Sarid. Silence. The others became a mosquito in his ear.

  He had control. Thank heavens.

  “All right?” Sarid asked.

  “Let’s move,” he said in reply. Cade walked down the sidewalk. When his gaze would land on a Follower their thoughts became his. He went inside stores. Stood outside. Sat at different benches. Eyed the drivers and passengers in passing vehicles.

  It was a slow process. Cade didn’t stop even as the sun began its decent and the thoughts became a monotonous blur. Sex. Money. Wants. Needs. It was all the same. Their emotions became his. His despair grew. There was nothing to report.

  Cade took his gaze from a young pregnant woman and flicked it to the teenager from before, minus the dog. The boy was meeting a friend who’d scored some cigarettes from his mother’s purse and information on the party Holly was throwing. Cade moved his gaze from the teenager to latch onto an older man driving a rusty truck. Right before his gaze locked onto the old man he caught the last thought of the teenager. He refocused his gaze.

  The boy was remembering the abandoned warehouse he and his friend skateboarded at last night. His friend had just lit a cigarette when undistinguishable noises came from inside. They’d run, afraid of cops or a night watchman.

  “What is it?” Sarid asked.

  “Better than what I’ve heard already.” He searched the boy’s mind and found the warehouse’s location. Cade relayed the address to Sarid who repeated it to Lucas. The building was three miles away.

  They walked back to Sarid’s car and Cade continued his search with every Follower who crossed their path. The sun was falling and the downtown area was less busy.

  He stopped, stiffened. Yes, there it was. Emma’s name. Was it spoken out loud or in a head? Cade prompted the seal to open wider. With an ease he’d learned through the past hours he swam through thoughts, dove past others, pushed some out of the way until he found the one he wanted. The voice in his head was like a beacon of light and he followed it back to the coffee shop.

  “She was really upset with me.” The nheqeba said to her companion. Cade focused. An image of who she spoke to sprang into his mind. He must have made a sound because Sarid rounded, expression puzzled. Cade shook his head and tuned back in.

  “I’m not surprised, Jenny. I told you not to take those pictures.”

  Jenny scoffed. “You were right there with me, Sean. I don’t recall you telling me not to do it.”

  “I thought you were doing the wrong thing. I just didn’t vocalize it.”

  “You helped put them in my trunk!”

  “Whatever. All I’m saying is if you’d asked me I’d have told you not to go behind Emma’s back and give the gallery one of her pictures.”

  Jenny sighed. “I wanted to help.”

  “I know. We both want to help her.”

  A low growl rumbled in his throat at the loving tone of Sean’s words.

  “She won’t call me back.”

  “When did you speak to her last?”

  “Outside the gallery last night.”

  Cade severed the connection.

  “What’s going on?” Sarid asked.

  “Nothing new. But have Lucas tell Jeeves he needs to hit up the Astoria Art Gallery tomorrow.”

  Sarid relayed the information then listened for a moment before turning to Cade. “A red four door Camry was found abandoned on the side of a gravel road. Windows were shattered. It’s one mile from the warehouse. The call was placed anonymously.”

  Even though his heart spiked and every urge told him to run, he made himself still. “It’s too easy. Like it’s a—”

  “Trap,” Sarid finished for him. “Lucas and Gabriel are meeting us a half a mile from the car’s location.”

  Sarid drove and Cade relaxed into the Hummer’s leather seat. He worked on closing the seal. This proved di
fficult and sweat was dripping down his face by the time he finished.

  “ETA two minutes,” Sarid said quietly.

  Cade inhaled slowly and exhaled the same. The complete quiet in his head was disorienting. Opening his eyes, he immediately braced both hands on the dashboard. He had begun to tip toward the door. His stomach churned and he was glad his stomach was empty.

  “What’s going on?”

  Cade blinked and blinked again trying to dispel the dizziness and complete exhaustion weighing him down. Closing his eyes, he tightened his death grip on the plastic in front of him. His breath sawed in and out of his mouth. Just holding himself up was a workout. “Fuck.” Cade needed blood. Opening the seal had zapped the rest of his energy.

  He forced his eyes open. The windshield in front of him rippled like pool water. His nails dug into the dashboard. The plastic cracked. Although his eyes were open he couldn’t discern anything outside the window. The car slowed and Sarid pulled to the side of the road.

  Cade retracted his fingers and sat back. Sarid wavered once before coming into focus.

  “This it?”

  “No. Tell me what’s up.”

  “Nothing. Let’s move.”

  “You need blood.”

  “I need to find Emma.”

  “Lucas or Gabriel,” he began.

  “Will need to be strong. I’ll not drink from them and you’ll not mention this to the others.”

  Sarid’s expression insinuated he wouldn’t have to but he thankfully remained silent and maneuvered back onto the road. They turned onto a dirt road. It held trees, wildly grown grass and one house with yellow condemned stickers on the windows and front door. Tall trees and thick brush began on both sides a half-acre back from the road.

  Cade was still nauseous. Sudden movements made him dizzy and items in his peripheral view wavered. The windshield had returned to its solid state, though, so things were improving.

  Too soon, yet not fast enough, Sarid pulled behind the Escalade. Lucas and Gabriel emerged from their car. Cade opened his door as soon as Sarid stopped.