“He’s imprisoned here and no longer involved.”
“So you say… I was able to get orders out of this prison easily enough.”
Zohn hissed softly.
Reese gasped and looked at Emily with wide eyes. Chevalier looked over at her and saw Dain readied to sink his tiny teeth into her neck. He quickly took the toddler from her and sat him on his lap.
“Does the child feed from her?” Reese asked, shocked.
“No… he does not,” Chevalier said glaringly, and ordered something for Dain to drink. After the servant left, Chevalier handed the toddler a sippy cup and he settled down in his Dad’s arms.
“To have a heku child…” Sotomar said, watching Dain with amazement.
William growled, “Have you interrogated Vaughn to find a location?”
“Yes, and he doesn’t know anymore. His information is greatly out of date,” Quinn explained.
“This meeting is getting us nowhere,” Reese sighed. “Until we have a location of one of the Ferus strongholds, we can’t do much else. Let’s make arrangements for when we do find them, and disperse.”
“Agreed,” Exavior said, watching Emily sleep.
“Equal numbers… no prisoners… we kill them all,” William suggested.
“If we keep high-ranking Ferus, they can tell us more information,” Sotomar said, and hit Exavior’s leg under the table to get his attention away from Emily.
“We need at least 2 high-ranking officials, or we’ll be on the hunt all over again,” Quinn said. “We suggest we match their numbers, 2,000, in case our sources are wrong. That would be roughly 700 heku from each faction.”
“Fine, we agree,” William said after the Encala discussed it.
“So our staging point will be your Thukil?” Exavior asked.
“No, we won’t use a coven as a staging location. It’s too dangerous,” Chevalier said.
Sotomar grinned, “You don’t trust us near your coven?”
“No, actually, I don’t.”
“Interesting”
“No!” Emily yelled, and sat up suddenly. She blushed and sat back in her chair when the heku all looked to her.
Chevalier chuckled and turned back to the others, “Staging will be a neutral location. We each will send 700... As soon as we find them, that is.”
Emily reached over and took Dain from his Dad when he reached out for her. He sat in her lap and took another sippy cup.
“Agreed,” William said after a long pause.
Exavior nodded, “We agree also.”
“He is 2, correct?” Valle Elder Ryan asked.
Emily nodded, “Yes, he will be three next month.”
“Two,” Dain said, and held up his two fingers.
“Have the Ferus attempted to take Emily recently?” Sotomar asked.
“Not recently, no,” Chevalier told him.
“They’d be pretty hard pressed to get me without my entourage,” Emily said, somewhat irritated.
“We didn’t have a problem finding you with only one guard,” Exavior reminded her.
“The guards are to appease the Council. I can take care of myself.”
“Against the V.E.S. too?”
“Shut up, Exavior,” she growled.
“Was just making a point that guards are necessary.”
“Save your breath. We’ve tried that,” Zohn said.
“The plan is laid then. We’ll be in touch,” Quinn said, and was the first to stand up. The others stood up, followed by Emily.
“I can help you with your injured leg,” Sotomar told her.
“I’m fine.”
“If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
“Yes, I do.”
The enemy Elders left the conference room and Emily turned to the Equites Elders, “I want a meeting of my own.”
Zohn glanced at Chevalier and they all sat down.
“I want Allen back in the palace,” she told them.
“He cannot return. His offense was too great,” Quinn reminded her.
“I don’t care what he did. He needs to be with his family.”
“Last I heard, he’s enjoying his time on the island,” Chevalier told her.
“I miss him,” she whispered and looked at Chevalier.
“He cannot come back.”
“He’s your son too. Don’t you want him back?”
“Not if he’s a risk to you.”
“Why aren’t your kids as important as I am?” Emily asked, frustrated.
“They are, but he’s not a child. He’s a fully grown heku.”
“Next month is Dain’s 3rd birthday… Allen should be here.”
Chevalier sighed, “Emily… no.”
“What do I have to do to get him back then?”
“Nothing, it was settled by the Council,” Zohn told her.
“Go to the island. You can visit him,” Chevalier suggested.
“I don’t want to visit my son. I want to live with him. He’s only 15…”
“He’s an adult, and made a decision that he now has to pay for,” Quinn said.
“Go to the island… that’s your only solution?” she asked, irritated.
“Yes, that is, you may visit him whenever you wish.”
“So nice to have visiting rights to my son.”
“He assaulted you, Em,” Chevalier reminded her. “He could kill you and you know it.”
“You’ve assaulted me too, but I don’t see you staying away.”
Chevalier sighed, “That was a long time ago.”
“You’re all in agreement over this?”
Zohn nodded, “Yes, we are.”
“Fine… then I’m going to the island,” she said, and stormed out, still carrying Dain.
“Wow, I didn’t think she’d go back to the island this soon,” Zohn said.
Chevalier frowned slightly, “I didn’t either, which makes me nervous.”
The Elders were just joining the Council in the council chambers when they heard Winchester 1 take off for the island.
“Who is with her?” Zohn called out.
Silas’ voice ran through the palace, “Alex and Dain. She left without guards.”
He sighed, “Of course she did.”
“Mom, I’m missing class,” Alexis grumbled, and crossed her arms.
“I don’t really care. We’re going on vacation,” Emily told her, and put Dain on the floor to play. She reached into the cooler and got a cold orange juice and then offered one to Alexis, who just rolled her eyes and declined.
“What fun is the island? It’s boring,” she complained.
“We’re not staying on the island, and watch the attitude.”
“Where are we going?”
“My house. A heku-less place where we can celebrate Dain’s birthday.”
“What about Dad?”
Emily sighed and looked out the window, “I don’t think heku really care much about birthdays.”
The rest of the flight was quiet, and only Anna came up to greet them.
“I’m sorry it wasn’t more… We didn’t know you were coming,” Anna said.
“We’re not staying. Where is Allen?”
Anna shifted nervously, “I’m not sure, Ma’am.”
“Fine, if you see him, tell him to pack… I’m going to check on the horses, and then we’re taking the truck.”
“Yes, Ma’am, shall I take Dain?”
“Yes, please. I’ll be right back… Alex, don’t go far.”
Alexis nodded and sat down in Chevalier’s room with a book. Emily went out to check on the two horses left in the barn. There was an overseer hired from the town that was watching over them, but she preferred to check up on them anyway. She got out to the barn and opened the first stall, but turned when she heard an odd noise from the loft.
Frowning, Emily climbed the old rickety ladder up into the loft, a part of the barn she avoided because of the potential for mice. What she saw made her blush deeply, the gentl
e rise and fall of the blanket in the corner where two heku were kissing softly.
Emily started back down the ladder, leaving the two lovers alone, but when the girl caught sight of her and gasped, Emily felt her temper rising.
“Allen!?” she yelled, and jumped back into the loft.
“Mom!” he gasped, then stood up quickly and began slipping his pants back on.
Miri wrapped herself in the blanket and began to grab her clothes.
“Mom, listen to me. I love her,” Allen said as he pulled his shirt on.
“Get in the truck,” Emily said through gritted teeth.
“Mom, no.”
“Do it or the slut gets ashed.”
Miri gasped and walked behind a stack of hay to get dressed.
“Listen to me. I’m not a child!” Allen yelled.
“Allen, maybe you better do what she says,” Miri said from behind the hay.
“Get in the truck,” she said again, and pushed Allen toward the ladder.
“I’ll be back,” Allen said to Miri, and went down the stairs.
Emily spun toward the pretty blonde heku, “Stay the hell away from my son, or I’ll hide your ashes where no one will ever find them.”
“Please, Lady Emily, we’re engaged... I love Allen,” Miri said softly.
Emily’s eyes narrowed, “You heard me, and get off this island.”
“I’m a member of this coven now.”
“Chevalier knows?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Miri told her, her voice calm and polite.
“We’ll see about that,” Emily growled, and crawled down the ladder. She heard Miri jump down behind her, but ignored her and got into the truck. She didn’t say anything to Allen when she pulled up to the front of the castle and got out to get Dain and Alexis.
“Shall I go with you?” the door guard asked.
“No,” Emily said bluntly, and buckled Dain in. Soon, they were on the ferry headed for the mainland.
“Where are we going? I’m not allowed back in Council City,” Allen said.
“We’re getting away from the heku for a while and spending family time for Dain’s birthday,” Emily said, still angry.
“Can we get out and walk around?” Alexis asked.
Emily thought and then nodded. There wasn’t anywhere for the kids to go, so it seemed safe. She leaned back in the truck and thought about what to do with Allen.
Two hours into the trip, Emily grabbed her cell phone when it rang. She saw the caller ID and answered, “Hello, Chev.”
“Em, where are you headed to?”
“Away”
Chevalier sighed, “I’ve been talking to Allen.”
“Either he moves back into the palace, or we stay in my house.”
“Which is where, exactly?”
“Far away from Council City.”
“He’s in love with her, Em.”
“He’s not old enough to be in love… Right now, he’s thinking with his teenage hormones.”
“No he’s not. You know as well as I do that he’s advanced for his age. I’m guessing he’s closer to 25.”
“So if you caught Alexis fucking some heku at 15, you’d be ok with that?”
There was a soft growl, “That’s different. She’s mortal.”
“No it’s not different. I’m not going to let my 15-year-old sleep around.”
“He’s completely devoted to her. There’s nothing wrong with it.”
Emily hung up the phone and ignored it when it rang again. When land was in sight, she called the kids back into the truck.
“Give me your cell phone,” Emily said, and held her hand out.
“No,” Allen told her. “I’m not going to let you cut me off from Miri or Dad.”
“Give it to me or so help me you’ll never see her again.”
Allen growled and slammed the phone into her hand. She rolled down the window as she pulled off of the ferry, and tossed it into the water.
“It’s a 24 hour trip, get comfortable,” Emily told them, and headed south along I-95.
“When do we get to know where we’re going?” Alexis asked.
“When we get there. I’m not going to have your brother telling his Dad, and find my new house surrounded by guards.”
Allen crossed his arms and glared at Emily. Night fell only a few hours into the trip, and Emily stopped just long enough for fuel and strong coffee.
“Mom, just let me drive for a bit,” Allen said when Emily almost ran off the road.
She pulled over and nodded, “Just keep going south.”
Allen pulled out into traffic while Emily kicked back to get some sleep. After 6 hours, she started to drive again and felt relieved when they finally passed into Georgia.
“When did you buy a house?” Allen asked. He’d decided while driving to let his Mom cool off and do as she asked until he could talk to Chevalier and get help with Miri.
“I didn’t. It was a gift,” she said, and slipped on her sunglasses.
“From?”
Emily grinned, “Sotomar.”
Allen gasped, “Mom! This could be a trap… We could be going into the hands of the Valle.”
“We aren’t.”
“You have to stop trusting heku.”
“Apparently,” she said, in a tone that let Allen know she meant him also.
“It’s not safe.”
“It is too… You aren’t allowed in the palace, and I don’t want to stay on the island. This was the only choice I had for us to be together for a while.”
“Together, except Dad,” Alexis reminded her.
“That was his choice.”
Emily stopped just outside of Savannah and pulled out the manila envelope with the deed and directions. She found the correct route and stopped at a grocery store before taking the small road out to the plantation known as Four-Winds.
“Wow,” Alexis gasped when the large white plantation came into view. It was lined with tall white pillars and huge bay windows. The driveway looped in front of it and off to the side was a large garage.
Emily stopped by the front doors and turned off the truck.
“Let me go in first. One sign of heku and we need to leave,” Allen said, and stepped out.
Emily got Dain out of his seat and started around the house. The side opposite the garage was full of peach trees inside of a fence and the back yard was massive with a white gazebo containing hammocks and tables. There was a flower garden lining a small white fence on what Emily thought must be the property line, and a wishing well was situated off to the side of the gazebo.
She smiled and went over to check out the garage while Allen went inside to look for intruders. She opened the side door to the garage and flipped on the lights. She was surprised to see a new silver Dodge Durango parked with a big red ribbon on it. She looked inside and saw the keys in the ignition.
“The house is clear. I’m not seeing any signs of a heku,” Allen said, walking into the garage.
“Get the groceries in. I’ll be in in a second,” she said, and looked through some of the drawers in the garage. They were full of miscellaneous tools, most of which she wasn’t sure what were for.
After looking around the property again, Emily headed inside. The plantation was a good sized house, not overly ostentatious like Chevalier’s mansion. It was homey, warm, and inviting. The dual staircases leading up to the second floor were in the main foyer and doors off to the side went into sitting rooms and a large dining room.
Alex came running down the stairs, “Can I have the room in purple?”
Emily smiled, “I’ll go look.”
They both headed up the stairs and Emily immediately found the master suite with its own fireplace and master bathroom complete with a jetted tub built into the floor. She went to where Alexis was yelling for her, and saw a large bedroom decorated in various shades of purple.
“Yes, you can have this room.”
“Sweet!” Alexis yelled, and jumped onto the bed. T
he bookshelves in her room were lined with both educational and casual reading books, perfect for the 10-year-old.
Emily walked back out into the hallway and saw Allen in a doorway, “I’ll stay in here.”
She nodded, “I’m going to take a nap. You all are ok?”
“Sure,” he said, and looked around. “We’ll just explore, see if there’s a game room or anything.”
Alexis took Dain and Emily fell fast asleep.
Chapter 16 - Georgia
“Mom, someone’s at the door,” Allen told her. Emily put down her book and got out of the overstuffed chair. She opened the door to two gentlemen. One was an older man with short silver hair and thick rimmed glasses. The other was younger with a handsome face and messy brown hair.
“We’re sorry to interrupt. We heard someone was here,” the younger man said.
“No problem. What can I do for you?” she asked.
“I’m Aiden and this is Courtney,” he said, and motioned toward the older man.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Emily.”
The man tilted his cowboy hat and smiled.
“Well we just talked to your husband a bit,” the older man said. “He thought we’d need to run an invitation by you.”
Emily frowned, “You talked to my husband?”
“Yes, the man who answered the door.”
“That’s not my husband,” she said, irritated.
“Oh, I apologize. Anyway, we’re here on behalf of the town council. There’s a barn raising tonight, and we’d like to invite you.”
Emily smiled, “Really?”
“Yes, everyone in town’d like to meet you. We knew Four-Winds sold a few years ago, but haven’t seen anyone in it.”
“Sure, where is it?”
The older man handed her a paper with directions, “We look forward to ya’ll being there.”
Emily nodded, “Ok, we’ll see you there.”
She shut the door and put the paper on a table in the hallway.
“How are you going to explain me?” Allen asked. “I look older than you do.”
Emily frowned, “I hadn’t thought about that…”
“I mean… feel free to tell people I’m your son, but your driver’s license says you’re 19.”
“Damn”
“Brother then?”
She sighed, “That seems wrong.”
“You’re too young to even be Alexis’ mom.”
Ferus : Book 6 of the Heku Series Page 38