Proditor : Book 5 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  Emily reached out and touched his hand. He turned to look at her, and his eyes were pitch-black and full of rage. He pulled his hand away from hers and disappeared from the room.

  Emily reached stiffly into the drawer by her bed and took out her 9mm, then motioned for Mark to pick her up.

  “I’m not taking you there,” Mark said softly.

  She frowned and motioned for Sotomar.

  “No, Child,” he said, and shook his head.

  Emily turned to William and he shook his head.

  “Yes,” Emily whispered, and then began to cough uncontrollably.

  Dr. Cook arrived suddenly and listened to her back with a stethoscope after she stopped coughing, “You’re getting pneumonia. It’s not uncommon after a lung injury.”

  Emily motioned for the doctor to pick her up. He glanced back at Quinn and then stood up, “Sorry, you need to stay in bed and put your oxygen back on.”

  Emily glared at him as he dug an antibiotic out of his bag and handed her the small pill. She took it and threw it at him, hitting him in the chest.

  “Pneumonia in a damaged lung can be serious. Take this and it may not get worse,” he said, and tried to hand her another pill, but she just glared at him.

  “Take it or we use a shot,” Zohn told her, and grinned slightly when she turned her glare to him. “You already hate me. I’ll do it.”

  Emily took the pill with some water, still glaring angrily at Zohn and pointed at the door. She motioned for everyone to get out.

  The heku obliged and left her room, but Mark stayed behind and turned to her when the others disappeared.

  “Do you want me to stay?” Mark asked her.

  Emily nodded and laid back in bed. Mark propped her arms back up on the pillows and slid the oxygen cannula onto her face. She looked out the window toward the west trees.

  “He’ll be ok, it’s Exavior I’d be worried about,” Mark said, following her gaze. “I bet he’s too afraid of the Elder to even show up.”

  “Is… he…” Emily tried to talk, but her voice was still hoarse and cracked.

  Mark looked over at her, “Is he what?”

  Emily shrugged and looked out the window.

  “He’s not mad at you,” Mark told her.

  Emily watched out the window until the sun fell and she slowly drifted off to sleep. Mark heard Chevalier come back into the palace a few hours later and moved to the door to hear the conversation.

  “That Sonofabitch didn’t show,” Chevalier growled.

  “I didn’t think he would,” Sotomar said. “He’s good when he’s in charge, but if he’s not running the show, he’s a coward.”

  “He may not even be near here,” William suggested.

  “He’s out there,” Chevalier said angrily.

  “Can you tell us?” Sotomar asked.

  “Yes, I suppose I can, at least to let you know why she’s leaving as soon as she’s well,” Chevalier said, his voice softening some.

  “Do you really think she will leave?” William asked.

  “I would if I were her,” Chevalier said, and the Elders moved to the council chambers where Mark was no longer able to hear.

  Mark watched Emily sleep for a few hours before Chevalier came into her room. Her breathing had become labored and made a raspy noise.

  “Has he called again?” Chevalier whispered.

  “No,” Mark whispered back. “She thinks you’re mad at her.”

  “Why would I be mad at her?”

  “I don’t know what you saw, so I can’t answer that. She tried to get to you when you went after him though.”

  “I heard,” Chevalier sighed and walked closer to her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Dr. Cook said she’s getting pneumonia,” Mark explained.

  Chevalier took a step forward. He wanted to sit down and take her in his arms, but wasn’t sure how well she would handle that after what she’d been through with Exavior.

  “The doctor said it’s normal after a lung injury,” Mark whispered.

  “What he did to her,” Chevalier hissed, his hands balling into fists. “I’m going to do to him.”

  “I want to pull the Cavalry into the palace,” Mark suggested. “I want double the guards until we find him.”

  Chevalier nodded, and his hands relaxed, “Go, I’ll wait with her.”

  Mark nodded and blurred from the room.

  Chevalier pulled up one of the cushioned chairs and sat next to the bed, watching Emily sleep. He knew she was having a bad dream. Her eyes darted back and forth under her eyelids and her hands grasped at the blankets.

  “Let him go,” Emily whispered lightly in her sleep.

  Chevalier took her hand and her dream filled his mind.

  Emily was hanging from the shackles, high on the wall as Exavior tightened the rack with Chevalier in it.

  Chevalier’s skin was gray and wrinkled. His feral eyes watched her hungrily as the pain from the torture infuriated him.

  “Let him go,” Emily screamed, and fought against the restraints.

  “Only if you’ll love me,” Exavior said, and turned the crank again. A sickening grinding sounded as Chevalier’s shoulders popped out of joint.

  “Please, leave him alone! Put me in there,” Emily yelled.

  Chevalier growled in pain, his eyes rolling back into his head.

  Exavior turned and got an iron poker from the fire, the end orange with the heat. He pressed it against Chevalier’s chest, and the Elder screamed in agony.

  Exavior grinned and slowly released the tension on the rack. Chevalier continued to watch Emily as Exavior released his arms and legs from the restraints. Chevalier sprung to his feet and crouched before her, running his tongue along his cracked teeth.

  Chevalier opened his eyes and looked at her, then put his hand on her shoulder, “Shhhh.”

  Emily jerked once and then settled down in the bed. She pulled the covers up high on her shoulders and Chevalier whispered for a servant to stoke the fires. Soon, the room was stiflingly hot, and Chevalier pulled one of the blankets off of her when she broke out in a sweat. The raspiness of her breathing got worse, and she coughed often in her sleep.

  Chevalier pulled the blinds in the room when the sun came up, and then called for the doctor. Dr. Cook came into the room and immediately sat on the bed beside Emily. He ran a thermometer across her forehead and hissed slightly. Chevalier watched quietly as the doctor listened to her breathing and began to dig through his bag. He readied a syringe and glanced up at the Elder.

  “Her fever is too high,” Dr. Cook whispered. “I’m going to give her a stronger anti-biotic, then I’ll need you to take her into a cool bath. See if you can get her temperature down.”

  Chevalier nodded and then frowned when Emily didn’t respond as the doctor injected the medicine into her thigh. Dr. Cook disappeared from the room, and Chevalier ran a tepid bath, and then slipped Emily’s braces and nightgown off on the bed before picking her up carefully, and laying her down in the water. The heat from her body began to warm up the water so he added cool water and continued to hold her.

  Chevalier looked over her carefully. She was covered in dark bruises, and her ankles, knees, wrists, and shoulders were swollen and inflamed. The darkest bruise, just below her breastbone, slightly resembled a hand, and he had to fight to control his temper. He ran cool water over her neck where the ring of puncture wounds was red and swollen.

  Once she cooled down, he lifted her out of the water and returned her to the bed where he gently pulled on her nightgown and tucked her back in. He returned the oxygen to her face and then sat beside her and held her hand.

  Dr. Cook returned the next morning and listened to her lungs again. He gave her another antibiotic injection and left the room after nodding to the Elder.

  Emily reached up in her sleep and removed the oxygen, groaning slightly as she bent her arm.

  “Keep it on,” Chevalier whispered and put it back.

  “No, Exavior,”
she whispered, and reached for it again. Chevalier took her hands and held them as she fell back into a deep sleep.

  He kissed her hand softly and whispered, “Keep telling him no, Em.”

  Allen brought Alexis in before bed. They each kissed Emily softly and then he took her back out, afraid she might wake her. Her breathing slowed down and the raspy noise lessened, and by the following morning, was completely gone.

  Emily sighed and pulled her oxygen off as she opened her eyes.

  Chevalier chuckled and put it back on her, “Keep it on.”

  Emily looked over at him and whispered, “Is he dead?”

  “Not yet, but I’ll get him,” Chevalier told her, and kissed her hand.

  “I’m sorry I went to the doctor alone,” she whispered, watching him closely.

  “This wasn’t your fault,” he told her. “None of this was your fault.”

  “You saw it?”

  “Yes”

  “All of it?” she whispered.

  Chevalier nodded, “Yes.”

  “I wish you wouldn’t have.”

  “It just gives me more of a reason to kill him slowly.”

  “He’s like Sybil.”

  Chevalier smiled, “Yes, he is.”

  “Those starving heku,” she whispered. “Where are they?”

  “Sotomar released them,” Chevalier told her. “We suspect they didn’t deserve to be there.”

  “They were…” Emily started to say, but her body tensed and she started to panic.

  “I know,” Chevalier said, and touched her face softly.

  Emily sat up slowly, grasping her stomach as she sat up. She coughed and then swung her legs out of bed when the coughing stopped.

  “Where are you going?” Chevalier asked.

  “Nowhere,” she whispered, and slowly pulled herself to her feet. She tossed the oxygen cannula onto the bed and took a cautious step forward. When her legs held, she took another step and braced herself on the bedpost.

  She disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door. When she emerged, she was in jeans and a t-shirt and her hair was brushed, but hanging down against her waist. She used the walls to support herself as she walked toward the closet, then went inside and came back out with a turtle neck over her t-shirt and a sweater over that.

  “Are you cold?” Chevalier asked curiously.

  “No,” Emily whispered, and sat down at the table. “Can I get coffee?”

  Silas appeared a few minutes later with a pot of hot coffee and a cup. He set it down on the table and poured Emily a cup.

  “Would you like anything else?” Silas asked.

  Emily was watching him with wide eyes. Suddenly, she couldn’t breathe and knew that at any moment he would backhand her. She jerked away from him and covered her face when he reached for the creamer. He yanked his hand back and looked over at the Elder.

  Chevalier whispered for him to leave, and Silas disappeared from the room and shut the door, frowning.

  Emily sunk her face into her hands and bent her knees, slowly pulling her legs up against her chest. She took some deep breaths, calming the fear inside of her, and then wrapped her arms around her legs and leaned her forehead against her knees. She began to rock slowly in the chair.

  Chevalier watched her from across the room and after a few minutes, she slowly uncurled out of her protective ball and reached out timidly for the coffee. She cupped it gently in her hands and sipped it slowly, watching the fire.

  “He’s going to come after me,” Emily whispered softly. Chevalier watched to make sure she had really spoken. She was facing the fire and her voice was far away and hesitant.

  “Yes, he will,” Chevalier told her. “He can’t get in here.”

  “He’ll keep trying.”

  “I am planning on it… and then I’ll get him.” His voice held a certain air of revenge and Emily turned to look at him.

  “Can I leave this room?”

  Chevalier frowned, “Of course you can. You can go wherever you want.”

  Emily stood slowly. She pulled the sleeves of her sweater down over her hands and crossed her arms over her chest, then walked toward the door, still not completely trusting the strength in her legs. Chevalier ordered Silas to move to the shadows just before she opened the door. She leaned out of the room and peered down to the fifth-floor foyer.

  Kralen smiled at Emily when she looked at him, and he took a few steps back. She walked out of the room and used the railings along the stairs to walk down to the second floor. She turned suddenly when the Encala and Valle Elders stepped out of one of the conference rooms.

  “It’s good to see you out,” Sotomar said, and reached for her hand.

  Emily gasped and moved away from his hand, looking at it, horrified.

  Sotomar drew his hand back slowly and glanced at William.

  “Are you feeling better?” William asked, taking a step away from her.

  Emily backed away from Sotomar, closely watching his hands, and then turned and walked quickly down the hallway, disappearing into the game room.

  “I didn’t…” Sotomar started to tell Chevalier.

  “I know,” Chevalier said, and smiled slightly. “She’s just jumpy.”

  “Where did she go?” Elder Ryan asked.

  “Game room,” Chevalier told him. “She likes to watch movies in there. Silas?”

  Silas appeared behind him, “Yes, Elder?”

  “You and Kralen watch the game room door. If you hear her coming out, move back and let her just see Kralen,” Chevalier ordered.

  “Yes, Sir,” Silas said, and blurred to the game room door, followed by Kralen.

  “Mark?” Chevalier called.

  “Yes, Elder?” Mark asked, walking up to them.

  “See if Emily will let you stay with her. I don’t want her out of your sight.”

  Mark nodded and blurred into the game room.

  Chevalier turned to the other Elders, “It’s time for you to go back to your factions. Let’s get a game plan first.”

  “Yes, it is time,” Sotomar agreed, and followed the others into the small conference room. They all sat around the table and silently marveled at the strange alliance the factions formed all because of one mortal.

  “We, of course, will keep double guards anywhere Emily is. He’s going to try to get her,” Chevalier said.

  “We are going to encourage him to return. We will stress the tension between the factions, and will do what we can to assure him his return will be safe,” Sotomar said.

  “I believe he will return to the Council,” Valle Elder Ryan said. “We feel that eventually he will need to realign himself with us.”

  “What then?” Quinn asked.

  “Then we will destroy him,” Sotomar said sadly. “He’s a liability and we don’t need a loose cannon in our midst.”

  “Be prepared for him to come to you,” Elder Ryan said to William.

  William frowned, “Why would he come to the Encala?”

  “To find someone that will accept him. The Equites are obviously not going to, and if he gets word that we are less than pleased with his behavior, he may come and offer his services to you,” Sotomar explained.

  William nodded, “We will kill him if we see him. He’s not welcome with the Encala either.”

  The Encala and Valle Elders cocked their heads to the side when they heard Mark yell, “Die, Emily!”

  “So it’s settled, he needs to die… if I get him though, it will be slow and painful,” Chevalier said.

  Mark yelled, “You can’t kill me! I’m too strong.”

  “He should pay for his crimes,” Quinn said, nodding.

  “I want your blood!” Mark roared.

  “Should we do something?” Sotomar asked, frowning at the unmoving Equites Elders.

  Chevalier chuckled, “They’re playing a game.”

  “If Emily could talk, she would be screaming at him too,” Zohn said, grinning slightly.

  “Disturbing,” Ry
an said, shaking his head.

  “What are we going to do about Emily then?” Elder Reese asked.

  “You mean about her leaving?” Chevalier asked.

  “Yes”

  “What can we do? If I were her, I would leave too,” Chevalier told them.

  “We can’t just let the Winchester disappear,” Sotomar said. “It’s too dangerous for her out there.”

  “All we can do is try to keep her here, but I won’t force her,” Chevalier said. “She’s been confined, tortured, punished, and restrained too much, and I won’t do it to her.”

  Sotomar nodded, “So now we just wait… and hope she finds it safe enough to stay here.”

  “If Exavior is dead, it may help,” Quinn suggested.

  “True,” Sotomar said, and stood up. “Let us know, either way.”

  Chevalier nodded and watched as the enemy Elders left, and soon, the sound of their helicopters taking off sounded through the palace.

  “I never thought I would see the day when the factions aligned for a common cause, nor that that cause would be a mortal,” Quinn said.

  Chevalier smiled slightly, “But will it last?”

  Emily reached for her phone when it rang and checked the number. She didn’t recognize it, so she answered in a whisper, “Yes?”

  “My love,” Exavior said, pleased.

  Emily couldn’t breathe. Even the sound of his voice sent terror through her, and she froze.

  “I’m glad you are well enough to play games with the bodyguard,” he said, amused. “Though it’s not quite fair. He should let you win at the vampire game.”

  Emily dropped the phone on the floor and stood up, looking fearfully around the game room.

  Mark stood up and crouched, “What?”

  “He sees us,” Emily whispered, backing up against the wall.

  “Kralen, Silas,” Mark called, and turned when they entered the room. “Search this room.”

  The three heku searched the room as Emily pulled herself into a protective ball in the corner and watched them, her knees pulled tightly to her chest as she slowly began to rock.

  “What’s going on?” Chevalier asked, blurring into the room.

  “Emily said Exavior can see us,” Mark growled, and began to pull pictures off of the stone walls. The third picture he destroyed had a wire coming out of the back of it. He hissed and pulled a tiny camera out of the frame, “Sonofabitch! He has the palace under surveillance.”