We gathered up our stuff and made our way to the car. As Roderick started the engine, I got butterflies in my stomach. After all the shit I’d been through, you’d think I’d be used to this. I wasn’t and I just hoped I got to see Liz’s face again.
Chapter 37
I’d found a nice tree pretty close to the property to use to get a good view point from. There was a slight breeze towards me, which made using my sniffer a lot easier. Sound also carries better, and I picked up a few voices, Scottish by the sounds of ‘em, talking. I grabbed my binoculars to see what we were up against.
By my count, there were eight werewolves (Black wolves from the looks of it) roaming around the back, dressed in leather like they were some sort of gang.
They seemed a bit disorganized, which was both good and bad. If they were more pack like, they’d have a disciplined patrol going on. Because these guys did whatever they wanted, it’d be hard to pick the opportune moment to make a run for the shed.
The silver lining was that these guys wouldn’t be very organized if a fight broke out. I didn’t see any guns, just knives and of course their natural werewolf gifts. Still, if fortune was not on our side, a fight against eight wolves would be bad. With one last look, I jumped down from my tree and made my way back to Roderick and Gregory.
I didn’t want to run back and waste all my energy, I hadn’t had a proper meal in awhile, but I walked as fast as I could. It took about twenty minutes for me to tackle all three kilometers. The two vampires were where I’d left them.
Roderick popped up when he saw me. “What is the status?”
“Eight Blacks, probably Scottish, roaming the yard, no guns but a lot of knives. They looked a bit on the older side, almost like a gang of some sort.”
Roderick punched a fist into open palm. “It seems our friend Jonathan hired the Macleods. They are vicious and should not be taken lightly. It would be best if we could avoid a confrontation.”
“I’ll try my best to make sure we get to that shed unseen. The last thing we need is to tip off Pan and John that we’re here.”
Gregory opened the large bag that was beside him. He grabbed the weapons and started handing them out. “Do you have everything you need Vic?”
The sword was strapped to my back and I patted my pocket where the Tiger Claws were that he gave me. “Yeah, until I find Roscoe, I’ll be well protected.”
For the first time I noticed Gregory’s weapons. They were two odd looking things that looked like mutated saw blades. “What’re those?”
“These are Chakram. They are particularly nasty, especially in the right hands.”
Not mine in other words. “I’ll take your word for it. If we’re all set, let’s go.”
The two vampires fell in line behind me. This time we took the journey to the house at a light jog. Not even ten minutes later, we were back, just outside the property line.
Keeping my voice low, “When I say go, we go. I don’t get the impression these boys are expecting anyone, so it’ll make it slightly easier.”
I hunched back down and took in the movement of the wolves. A few closer to the house seemed to be setting up a card game. A few of the others looked over and started to make their way up to see if they could get in. It was game time.
“Go, now quickly!”
I took off, with the others behind me. It wasn’t a great distance, but it felt like it took forever to get to the shed. I opened the door and Roderick and Gregory slid in. One of the wolves was turning his head this way, but I rolled in and shut the door. On the ground, I put my finger to my lips.
“Oye Reggie! Ya see anything?”
“I dun think so. Probably just an animal.”
“Go grab the rest, game’s about ta start.”
“Step one is complete. You ready to take the lead Roderick?”
He slowly got up and went over to the back of the shed. He lifted up a hidden door from the floor. “At the bottom of the ladder is our way in. Let us make haste.”
He disappeared down the opening, followed by Gregory, and then me. At the bottom of the ladder was a small, dark tunnel. “This looks like the catacombs below the city.”
“Fortunately there are no traps or guardians waiting for us this time. We will follow the route that will take us to the kitchens. Something tells me we will find them empty.”
Sounded good to me. The path was dark, but fairly straightforward. Moving quickly, we came to the first intersection. “We go to the right. The left is the one I used last time to infiltrate the house and get the witch.”
“She’s royally pissed at you by the way.”
“Forgive me for being cautious. She had been in Divas’s service for so long I feared she was another agent of Pan.”
Have I ever mentioned how paranoid vampires are? Everything is a damned conspiracy with them. We kept moving, following the path until we got to a staircase leading up. I guess we’d come to the end of our path.
“At the top of this staircase is a door that leads into the pantry. As I said, the kitchen should be clear, but we take it slowly and carefully. Go as if you are prepared for battle.”
Roderick went up the stairs. Gregory gave me one last look before unhooking his Chakram and following. I sighed and took out the sword that was worth more than my car, house, apartment, and ten years of my paychecks.
When all three of us we up against the door, “Victor, do you hear or smell anything?”
All was quiet and nothing struck me as out of the ordinary. Plus, the scent of the wolves wasn’t close. “Nope, but remember, vampires don’t carry a scent.”
Roderick turned back and slowly opened the door. With weapon raised high, he left the pantry. “All clear.”
Gregory and I followed out and thankfully we were all alone. Gregory put his Chakram back on his back, “Where do you think they are keeping everyone?”
“Pan told us that John fancied Rissa, so I guess she might be held up in his room.” Gregory got an angry look on his face, but remained silent. “As for Liz, he might’ve put in the dungeon. She doesn’t have much use other than the fact she’s his sister.”
“The witch,” Roderick jumped in, “is my biggest concern. It is her that can help them free Cain.”
“Why don’t we split up? Gregory, you go get Rissa.” He nodded. “Roderick, you know the house the best, you find Rosette, and I’ll head to the dungeon and get Liz. I know it’s dangerous, but I don’t know what other choices we got.”
Roderick didn’t agree. “Splitting up will give them the advantage.”
“I agree with Vic, we cover more ground and this is a rescue mission first.”
He was outnumbered, “Fine, we go with that plan. I say we have a half hour to find our targets and meet back here. If someone is not here, we can assume they were captured, or worse.”
I swallowed, hard. It seemed like a good plan in my mind but now that I was losing the protection of my two vampire friends, the daunting nature of the task took hold. “Alright guys, a half hour, no more. Good luck to both of you.”
Gregory hugged me, “You too Vic. You have become like a brother to me. I know it goes against your nature, but do not do anything stupid.”
“You too man, though I can’t guarantee anything.” That made him laugh.
“We leave in two minute intervals. Victor, you go first, and then Gregory, with me being the last. If you encounter any danger, you must use lethal force.”
That I figured. I grabbed my sword and walked over to the door. “See you guys soon.”
Chapter 38
**Gregory**
I’d left a few moments after Vic had. The hallway was clear and I turned left out of the kitchens towards the second floor staircase. It was not long before I ran into my first difficult situation; two werewolves were hanging out by the stairs. I popped into a closet caddy-corner to my destination and waited to see what happened.
“How long do ya think this vampire brat will pay us?”
“He said he needed protection until tomorrow night, up until departure. Who cares, the money’s good.”
It seemed we were just in time. I now needed to get rid of these wolves. I cracked open the door, just enough to see where they were located. I grabbed a small silver knife out of my jacket and aimed it up. I did not need a kill, I needed a distraction. With one quick flick of the wrist, I sent the dagger down the hall and it clanged loudly off the heat register.
“What was that?”
“I dunno. We’d best check it out.”
The two wolves scurried, leaving the staircase. Quickly I got to my feet and went up. With ease, I made it to the second floor landing. I saw another wolf, and rolled out of the way, into an open bedroom. I quickly closed the door three-quarters of the way, just enough to see.
“Gregory, is that you?” The low voice startled me and I grabbed my weapon.
I turned around, with the Chakram held high. Elizabeth was sitting on the bed, chained up. “Oh no!”
“I am sorry I am not your doe-eyed waif!”
She was starting to get mad and loud. “Shhh, keep quiet. Victor has gone to the dungeons looking for you. If you are here, than he could be headed into danger.”
“The two of you are trying to pull a rescue?”
“No, three of us.” She looked at me weird. “Roderick survived Vic’s gunshot wounds and is with us. He is searching for Rosette as we speak.”
As best she could, she pointed to the far wall. “The key to my restraints is over there. Hurry, the silver nitrate is starting to wear off and Pan will be here soon to administer more.”
I grabbed it and quickly undid the locks. Helping her to her feet, “Do you know where everyone else is?”
“Rosette is in the dungeons, as they are not planning to leave for Turkey until tomorrow. Rissa is on the third floor, where we held her wrongly during the murder investigation. She is to be sacrificed to Cain.”
I felt the blood drain out of my body. “I must rescue her.”
“I know, that is why I will go to the dungeons and help Vic. If along the way I can find Roderick, I will get him too.”
“Thank you for understanding Elizabeth.”
She opened the closest in the room and grabbed all of her stuff, including the two silver tantos I knew were Vic’s. “Be very careful Gregory, Pan is roaming around up here.”
“I will.”
“And know that Drusilla would be very happy that you have chosen to move on.”
**Roderick**
I hoped that Jonathan would be with the witch when I found her. He was owed a great deal of punishment for what he had done to me and those closest. I knew full well that I shared some of the burden of pain caused and after this was over, I would own up to that.
I turned down the hallway that led to the study and library. Two wolves spotted me, but with quickness and precision, I ended their existence before they could even whimper. I left the bodies lie, as a warning to those stupid enough to confront me.
Both the study and the library were empty. Could the witch be in the dungeons too?
“Aren’t you a freaking cat?”
Waiting for me back in the hallway was the one whose release started all the events. With as much venom as I could muster, “Pan.”
“That’s my name, don’t wear it out.”
I advanced towards him slowly. “You have committed many crimes and for that I sentence you to death.”
“Oh so now you get to be judge and executioner? How high and mighty of you Rod.” He added the last part with a sneer, as a way to mock me.
“This is one encounter you will not survive.”
He grinned at me. “I’m not planning on fighting you. Just came by to say hi.”
With that, he ran into the room that was beside us. I took chase, but was too late. Pan jumped through the window and to the ground below. With one last wave, he disappeared into the night.
My bloodlust came to the surface and a wolf ran around the corner to see what the ruckus was. It was the last thing he ever did, as I cut him down with ease. It was time to purge this house of the traitorous blood roaming free.
**Vic**
It’d taken forever to get down to the dungeons. Wolves were everywhere and the slow go to avoid detection wore my patience thin. I looked at my watch, twenty minutes had gone by. At least with Liz back in tow, we’d be able to cut down on the time to get back.
The door to the dungeon was open. I drew the sword Roderick gave me and slowly entered. All the cells were empty, except one, which had Rosette in it and not Liz.
“Rosette, are you okay?”
She looked up and saw me enter. “Get outta here ye fool! It’s a bloody trap!”
Too late, the dungeon door shut, John waiting on the other side. “I did not expect you, especially after being warned that my former boss was here.”
“That makes me sad, I don’t like disappointing people.”
“If only Baron Forte did his job. You and my sister would be dead and this whole process would have been much easier.”
I spit on the ground by his fancy shoes. “You’re sick, wanting to kill your own blood. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Elizabeth would never have understood my vision. Naturally, it is hard for me to kill her myself, but if she had died in battle with an old one, she would have died a hero.”
“Shut up.” I pointed the sword at his face.
His eyes bugged at of his head when he saw it. “It cannot be! Where did you get that weapon?”
“It’s currently on loan from a reputable antique store. The sword is the least of your concerns you dick.”
“How dare you handle the weapon of Lord Drakel himself! That blade should be mine!”
With rage in his eyes, he jumped at me, knocking the sword away. Did I mention I’m terrible with blades? I tried to fight him off, but he was way too strong.
“You will die with honor wolf. Thank you for bringing what is rightfully mine back to me.”
Struggling to keep him away, “Eat shit.”
He started laughing, with mixed in with Rosette’s screams, produced some really bad noise. I knew I was in trouble, but I’d hoped whatever juice I found before kicked in.
The door swung open and Liz came in like an angry Amazon war goddess. She grabbed her brother and threw him up against the cell. “How dare you touch him?!”
He looked annoyed at her presence. “Ahh my sister with her soft spot for the lesser beings, a pity you do not understand what I am trying to do.”
She threw a knife at him. He dodged it, but the intent was clear. “We were never family! You are just an abomination that my mother created.”
“Are you going to slaughter me like you did your own parents?”
“If I must. Your days as the Hammer of Jehovah are over.”
He looked at both of us before he opened the cell door. Grabbing Rosette, “You both lose. Your time will come soon enough.”
He slammed the door shut, locking it from the inside. Rosette tried her best to fight him off, but he was too strong. Opening a secret passage in the back of the cell, he escaped. It happened so fast, both of us were stuck in position.
“Liz, where does that passage go to?”
“To the garage, he must be trying to flee the country tonight.”
I took her hand, “Not if we can help it. Let’s grab the others and go.”
Chapter 39
Gregory had found Rissa, only having to kill a few wolves to free her. Roderick, in a mad fury, slayed the rest of the wolves, both inside and out. With the house cleared out and the hostages rescued, we’d grabbed a few cars to take chase.
Liz was driving ours. Roderick was stuck in the backseat and seemed to fear his life. “Elizabeth, I implore you to drive as if we should survive.”
“Who is driving Roderick? No one likes to hear chirping from the back.”
I’d gotten quite used to her maniac style and just held on for dear life, as
usual. “Where do you think he’s headed?”
“He has no chance to get a flight out of Heathrow, but there is a small, private airfield between London and Reading along the River Thames.” Roderick tried his best to sit up, closer to us. “Do you remember where it is Elizabeth?”
She nodded and made a sharp turn on to another road. “Of course, Nigel purchased the airfield for you, years ago.”
“He certainly liked to remind me that this was his find. It is a shame how his fate turned out.”
It was a sobering reminder to what lengths John was going to go to see his mad plans succeed. If we didn’t stop him and save Rosette, I didn’t even want to think about the ramifications.
In the rearview mirror, I saw Gregory and Rissa were still following. God bless Gregory for being able to keep up with the crazy lady.
It took some time but we eventually got to the airfield. Sure enough, it looked more like an executive airport, with the hangars and runways being accessible to pretty much everyone. The place also looked very much abandoned, with no personnel running anything.
“As you can see, there are three main hangars. One keeps the helicopter, while the other two hold jets.”
“Whoa, you guys get your own helicopter and jets?”
Roderick smiled at us, “Do you not have such luxuries in America?”
Liz was ready to snap, but I stopped the inevitable argument. “So why does this place look like a ghost town?”
“Both Jonathan and I are trained pilots. We never really had use for anyone to assist in the takeoff or landing process. It is not like this field is used for anything but vampire business.”
Liz parked the car by the first hangar. “I do not see the car they took. Did we come to the wrong place?”
I started to walk around a little, seeing if there were any clues. So far, nothing stuck out. “Maybe we beat ‘em here.”
Gregory and Rissa joined the little group. “Are we the first ones here?”
“It would seem so. My brother is nowhere to be seen.”
I let the vampires talk, I needed to concentrate and find something that’d help. The closer I walked over to the second hangar, something started to strike me as odd. It was a grinding sound, not too far away. “Hey Roderick, come here.”
The Wrath of Pan (The Inglewood Chronicles Book 2) Page 17