Black Moon Rising (DarkLife Saga)

by Ronnie Massey

  “But, Mother,” Tamerlane began, but a click of her teeth and her eyes fading to black, stopped his protest.

  She squeezed my hand and nodded her head. “Go ahead and say what you have to, Val.”

  I silently thanked my mother before taking a breath and began. “First things first, I need to ask you a few questions, Fazion.” He nodded his head, and I continued. “I know that you and Irulan have an immunity of sorts to iron. Does the Harbinger?”

  “She can travel in this realm, but it is costing her. We've been chasing her back and forth between the realms as she goes home to renew. We believe that is why she hasn’t come after you sooner. The last time she spent three days in the FaeLands before returning.”

  “So that means we can use her weakness to our advantage; like maybe trapping her in an iron prison.”

  Fazion’s brows came together as he thought my statement. “It could possibly work, if your prison has walls thick enough and she's already weakened. She's already shown you that her cries can obliterate certain metals.”

  “Eh,” I huffed, waving a hand through the air. “So correct me if I’m wrong, but you're saying that, with enough numbers, we can possibly take out this bitch or that if we have a strong enough prison, we could possibly contain her in iron.”

  Irulan flinched beside me and thoughts of Carrie popped into my head but I pushed them aside.

  “You’re correct,” Fazion said. “Either option has a high possibility of success, but only if we can find her.”

  “And using me as bait is the solution to that problem.”

  “Unacceptable,” Irulan spat.

  “Let’s hear her plan before we make any decisions,” my mother countered. “From this line of questioning I assume you have a plan Valeria.”

  I let her hand go, grabbed a small remote from the conference table and moved to the center of the room. “I definitely have a plan, Mother. But it counts on us containing the Banshee while she's separated from her sidekick.” My brothers looked like they were about to burst at the seams, but they kept their mouths shut.

  I aimed the remote at the ceiling, and a large, clear display began to drop from a small opening. Once it was within reach, I pressed my thumb to a corner and it came alive with the Trumaine Industries logo shining in its center. A virtual keyboard appeared in front of me, and I used it to pull up layouts of the complex.

  “There,” I said pointing to an octagonal shape at the rear of the compound. “We can use this as a prison if we can draw her back to the grounds.”

  Constantine leaned forward and frowned at the image. “What is that? I’ve never seen a building like that in any of my visits here.”

  “That’s because it’s underground, and a pretty good distance away from the main complex,” Tamerlane said, answering him before I could. “I’m surprised you know about that place, Val. I didn’t think you kept up with things on the home front while you were a Sentinel.”

  “No matter where I worked, I’m still a Trumaine, Tam. I may not know where the Requisitions Office is located, but if something major went down, Daddy made sure I was informed.”

  “Nice to see he kept someone in the loop,” Constantine muttered. “What is it?”

  “The original Vault,” Tamerlane said. “When we opened the weapons division thirty-five years ago we needed someplace secure for product development and storage. The walls are constructed of solid iron, ten feet thick and there’s only one way in. That door is another two feet thick, has magnetic and pneumatic locks that are now controlled from my office alone. It's separated from the main buildings; that’s why we eventually abandoned it for this one.” He cut his eyes at me and frowned. “As much as I hate to admit it, it’s perfect for what we need.”

  “Do you have a picture of this structure?” Stryfe asked as he pointed at the display.

  A few clicks and I pulled up the pictures that he requested. “Not only is it underground and secure, it’s isolated and under our watch,” I said as I manipulated the images to show off multiple angles of the old Vault. “And here is the tunnel that we have to use to access it.” I picked another picture and zoomed in on it. “That’s a two hundred foot walkway that leads underground. Once we've got her trapped we can fill it with concrete as added protection.”

  Constantine shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed. “Alright I’ll admit that using this space as a prison is an excellent idea, but why does it have to be you. She came after me first, so I’ll do it.”

  “Not about to happen,” I said shaking my head. “I’m strongest until the rest of you decide to go to the FaeLands and take blood from FaeVar. So it’s got to be me.”

  “The Dark Princess has made a valid argument my King,” Stryfe said. “I believe that we should try her way.”

  Fazion didn’t put up an argument he just nodded his head and pressed a finger to his chin. “Her plan needs to be fleshed out a little but I’m inclined to agree with you, Stryfe.” He leaned forward and let one arm rest against the table while he pointed to the display. “She isn’t going to willingly walk into a metal prison. If we station men along this path try to make it look like an ambush that failed, I believe she will more readily follow Valeria into the passage.”

  Tamerlane and Constantine came forward and began adding to the conversation. And like that six of us, Tamerlane, Constantine, Thade, Fazion, Stryfe and I, began hammering out the details of our plan to capture the Harbinger. Valerian and my mother stood quietly to the side and took everything in as we talked. Their eyes darted back and forth as we pulled up pictures of locations around Charlotte that were less populated, and therefore better places to engage her. We had to put up a fight so it wouldn’t look like a set-up.

  Every now and then one of them offered their input and we adjusted our plans accordingly. By the time we were done, there were two plans intact. If we didn’t have the numbers to stop her, we would use the original Vault as a backup. Irulan was the only person that hadn’t offered her opinion on either one. I picked up my head so I could take a look at her but didn’t find her anywhere. “Where’d she go,” I asked my mother as I pushed away from the table.

  She titled her head toward the door. “She left the room about twenty minutes ago.”

  With the foundation of our offensive lain and secondary planning ensuing, no one noticed when I slipped out of the room to find Irulan.

  Chapter 18

  I found her standing in the doorway to David’s room. Rowan and Dante were on either side of him; each slumped over in the most uncomfortable looking chairs, sleeping soundly.

  “Look at him, Val,” Irulan softly ordered. “Are you so hell bent on dying, that you're going to walk out on him when he needs you the most?”

  “I’m doing this because of him, Ire,” I answered, trying to contain my anger. I understood her position, but to use David to try and guilt me into changing my mind. That was low. I pinched the bridge of my nose and exhaled, then grabbed her hand.

  “Come with me,” I had to fix this before it drove a wedge between us because I didn’t think that I could do it without her. I pulled her to the closest storeroom and prayed that it hadn’t been turned into a makeshift bedroom. “Empty. At least something is going right,” I mumbled and closed the door behind us.

  The instant I turned to face her, Irulan pinched my lips closed and shook her head. “Nothing you can say is going to make me feel any better about what you're planning, Val.”

  “I don't expect you to feel any better about the situation, Ire,” I said as I tried to pull her into my arms. She tugged against me, making it impossible, so I let her go and threw my hands in the air. “But I am asking for your support. Or at the very least, try and pretend that you have a little faith in me.”

  Irulan’s face dropped, and she shook her head. “I don't-”

  “Don’t what-have faith in me? That much is evident from the way you're acting.” I murmured.

  Irulan’s green eyes blinked to their original colori
ng, and she turned away from me. “You don't realize what we’re up against Val, the level of danger that you're placing yourself in. And what about your plan-b, what happens if they have to collapse the tunnel leading to the Vault, with you inside?”

  “Then my family is safe,” I answered without hesitation. It wasn’t the best backup plan that I’d ever concocted, but it was all that we could come up with.

  “I’m sorry, Val. That's not good enough.”

  “It has to be, unless you’ve got a better idea.” Irulan didn’t utter a word in response. We stood there for a few minutes in awkward silence, until I couldn’t take it anymore. I reached around her and lifted her chin, turning her to face me.

  “I know you're scared, baby, hell, I know I am, but somebody has got to stop these things before anyone else dies. If we don't, then who will?”

  Irulan lifted a hand and pulled a stray, burgundy lock of hair, away from my face. “If you're doing this, then I’m going to be right beside you.”

  As much as it pained me to say the words, I nodded my head, agreeing with her. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  When I pulled her toward me, this time there was no resistance. She slipped into my arms, and I laid my head on her shoulder. The scent of her strawberry and pomegranate body wash filled my head and I growled. What a time for my libido to kick in. I smiled and lifted my head to press a kiss to the side of her neck.

  “I know a couple of tried and true relaxation techniques,” I murmured against her skin. “It would probably be better for both of us if we headed into battle with clear minds.”

  Irulan laughed in-spite of my god-awful timing and jerked out of my arms, but not before she slapped me on a shoulder. “Seriously, Val, sex in the janitors’ closet is so cliché. We’ll look like a bad soap if we get caught.”

  “So let’s not get caught,” I purred and reached for her. A solid knock on the door made me skip in my tracks. A second later Valerian called my name.

  “I know you're in there, Sis. Tam needs the both if you. We've been monitoring the CMS and nine-one-one systems and think we may have a few sightings. Some kids ran across what they thought was a dead body, but when they went to check it out, they claim a woman with no eyes attacked them. And we've got a few after hours break-ins at two different botanical gardens.”

  So much for a quickie. “How long ago?”

  “About fifteen minutes on one break-in. Around twenty for the other one, and the kid’s report,” Valerian answered as I pulled the door open. “The police took statements at all three, searched the areas, but found nothing.”

  “Are the teams loaded and ready?” I asked as we followed my brother.

  “Everyone is geared up and ready to roll as soon as you are,” Vedo nodded. We followed my brother back toward the command center but were met halfway there by Thade.

  “They’ve already headed for the loading dock,” he informed us with a nod of his head.

  “How are we on numbers,” I asked no one in particular.

  “Uncle Marcus is there with sixteen wolves,” said Thade.

  “And twenty three of our guys have arrived,” Valerian offered, “Tam has already text the others with their locations. We should have the full thirty-seven by on deck when we need them.”

  We rounded a corner and entered the Vault’s loading area. Every head turned toward me. Some of the Manticores looked at me with respect, while some of the wolves, ones that I knew personally, looked like I was about to walk the Green Mile. Both of my big brothers looked like they were one the verge of losing it at any moment. And Valerian, well my twin had donned the Trumaine Gaze. His face was void of emotion, unreadable. That was definitely not good.

  There were no less than thirty people gathered before me, and every one of them was radiating mixed emotions like a radioactive core in a nuclear meltdown.

  I clamped my eyes closed and sighed. “You guys really need to tone it down a little,” I said between clenched teeth, as I tried to control that part of me that wanted to feed on the dour emotions filling the area, “Half of you look like you're on the way to a funeral and the other half look like you just left one.”

  I walked into the group and threw my arm across Gridlock’s wide shoulder. “And all of you look like we’re about to head to the gallows. We’re never going to accomplish what we set out to do, if you’ve already made it up in your minds that we’re going to lose.”

  Gridlock coughed and rested his large hand over my smaller one, “We can't hide our worry, Val. You may be a smart-mouthed, pain in the ass, but you're our pain in the ass, and we don't want anything to hurt you.”

  I smiled and winked an eye at a Ballistic. “It’s going to take more than a psycho bitch with dragon breath to take me out guys.” That declaration got me a few half-hearted smiles, so I kept going.

  “Anybody got any Orbits or Mentos? Maybe we can throw them at her and hope that they'll work like Kryptonite.”

  That one got me a few honest to God laughs. I waited until the room was quiet before I took Irulan’s hand and moved to the center of the crowd. “I can't be mad at you guys for loving me, but I am asking you to remember why we’re doing this, and to set aside those overprotective feelings long enough for us to trap this thing.” There was a collective nodding of heads, but the mood didn’t lighten, one bit.

  I made contact with each one of my brothers as I talked before settling my gaze on Tam. Constantine may be the oldest, but Tamerlane was the boss, everyone was taking their cues from him. “Tam, please help me out here.”

  My brother exhaled before brushing away an un-shed tear that was clinging to an eyelash. “Alright fellas,” he barked, “Let’s get this show on the road before those clowns at the CMPD does something stupid, like assume that they can handle this on their own.”

  He began herding them toward the vehicles that were waiting. “Move it ladies. We don't have all day.” With the exception of Fazion, and his Manticores, everyone was loaded and ready to roll, a minute later.

  “We’ll follow from the air,” Fazion said. “If it comes to plan b, spare nothing in your efforts. She's got to believe your ruse or she won't follow you back onto Trumaine territory.”

  I nodded and sighed. “Fight like hell, got it.”

  “Let’s get this over with,” Irulan called out to Hank; the were behind the wheel.

  He started the engine of the modified Hummer and fell in line behind the vehicle that held my brothers. As we drove up the long, winding, darkened incline that led to the surface, I thought of David lying so still back in the Vault, and prayed that I would get to see my son again. “How did things get so screwed,” I wondered aloud to no one in particular.

  Irulan shifted behind me and put her arm around my shoulder. “I don't know, baby, but I do know that life with you will never be boring.”

  Hank chuckled and spared me a glance. “You know, I remember the alpha saying something just like that. I think it was right after he became your CO.”

  We drove through the gated tunnel and into the night. Will, a deadborn and member of the security team, began pressing buttons on a console. A few seconds later he turned to look back at us.

  “Alright ladies, all the vehicles are patched into the C.M.P.D.’s systems. We’ll hear everything they do.”

  “And Marcus has clearance to pull rank on any human officers that we might run across,” Hank offered. All the small details of our operation were falling into place.

  I nodded but didn’t say a word. I was lost in thought, going over everything that I knew about the being that we were about to face. I had to give credit where it was due. Using a creature that could deflect energy based attacks, was a smart move. Aside from my augmented senses and ability to feed on negative emotions, most of the changes that I’d gone through since taking blood from my grandfather; were energy based.

  They thought that they would cripple me by taking those options away from me. But I’m more than the Fomori blood that runs throu
gh my veins. More than the spoiled, smart-mouthed, brat that people think I am, or rather I’m trying to become more. I thought back to that day in the FaeLands and the fight that got us into all this.

  If I hadn’t acted so rashly and killed those men, we wouldn’t be in this mess. I tried to replay the fight. Maybe see if there had been another way to diffuse the situation without the loss of life, but those memories weren't reliable. I was half-dead, in pain and Irulan was in danger. I did the only thing I could do to save her, and at the time, I didn’t even realize what I was doing.

  I coughed and pulled myself out of my thoughts. “This is my fault.”

  “What,” Irulan said, “I don't think I heard you right.”

  I stared out of a window, at the night sky and frowned. “Everything that’s happened because of the Harbinger is my fault. If I hadn’t killed those men that day, the Fae Kings would have never had a reason to summon her. The attack on my grandmother, Fee Baker’s death…it's my fault.”

  “If you hadn’t killed those Chimeras then I would probably be dead, Val,” Irulan said. “They were fully engaged in battle, with intent to kill, not capture. Your actions were justified. Those kings acted out of fear, not a desire to see justice served.”

  The vehicle rolled to a stop, and Hank turned to look at us. “We’re here, Valeria. And for what it’s worth, none of the wolves blame you for any of this. You did what you did to protect your mate. Any one of us would have done the same.”

  “It’s worth a lot, Hank,” I smiled. “Thank you.”

  A knock on the window pulled our focus to our surrounding. We slipped out of the hummer and took a look around. Instead of the lights and congestion of traffic I was expecting to find, we were parked inside a park. It looks like we drew the straw that led to the kids. I nodded at my brothers, and we walked over to Fazion, who was standing with Stryfe, near a small gazebo.