“About Damon…” Quinn said, grinning slightly. “He’s been turned to ash.”
Kyle grinned, “Did she say why?”
“No, she didn’t say anything,” Zohn told them. “According to the guards, she walked down without saying a word and then left a few seconds later. They didn’t even know he was ash until cell checks.”
“I say leave him,” Chevalier suggested. “Banish him for 1,000 years and put him in the ancient’s room.”
“Is it just me, or is she moodier this time?” Quinn asked.
“It’s not just you. She’s sicker, and moodier,” Kyle said.
“How is she?” Chevalier asked, glancing toward the door when he heard Emily get up in her room and start to walk around.
“She’s fine. She woke up after about 24 hours and attempted to eat, and then just did things around the palace,” Quinn said. “We, of course, let her go without guards.”
“Derrick, ask Emily in, please,” Chevalier said as she walked down the stairs. She came in to the council chambers a few minutes later in only a bikini and sarong. She had a towel in one hand and sunglasses holding her hair back.
“What did I do now?” she asked, crossing her arms.
“Nothing, why do you always assume that?” Quinn asked, glancing nervously at his hands.
“Because it’s normally true.”
Chevalier ran his eyes over her and then grinned, “Yes, that’s normally true. We want to talk to you about guards.”
“I don’t need guards,” she said, narrowing her eyes.
“The Ferus have regrouped,” Kyle lied, keeping Chevalier from having to. “We feel it would be best if you had someone with you.”
Emily glanced at Kyle and blushed, then looked at anyone on the Council other than him, “No.”
“What about just 1 guard… one that never stopped you from doing anything, just a shadow, if you will,” Quinn suggested.
“No,” she said, and turned to leave.
“Em…” Chevalier said, and she turned back to them. He couldn’t help but notice the smallest bulge on her abdomen, somewhat accentuated by the sarong tied low on her hips. The Council all shifted nervously. The bikini and sarong were just low enough the Equites crest tattoo peeked out over her lower back.
“What?”
“Please, we promise the guards won’t interfere, they will quietly follow you and…”
“Talk about me? Spread rumors that I’m a two-bit whore sleeping with everyone on the Council?” she asked, irritated.
“That was one guard,” Zohn said.
“It was not. He mentioned the guards… plural… were talking about it. I’m better off by myself. If I see the Ferus, I’ll deal with them myself.”
“You’ve been too weak to do any damage,” the Chief Interrogator said.
Chevalier winced slightly when he saw the anger cross into her face.
“Too weak? Want me to prove I can still ash you?” Emily asked, taking a step forward.
“No… no, I just mean that you’ve been sick,” he said nervously.
“No guards, period,” she said, and left the council chambers.
Chevalier grinned and stood up.
“Elder!” Kyle whispered. “The ancient’s room.”
He sighed and sat back down.
“So much for thousands of years of patience,” Quinn chuckled, and thumbed through papers on his desk.
“Where did you want the pool?” Zohn asked.
***
“Who’re you?” Emily asked, watching the two guards posted outside of the stables. She fidgeted nervously, pulling down her t-shirt as they turned towards her.
“City guards, we’ve been assigned to the stables,” the tallest one said.
Emily’s eyes narrowed, “Are we expecting an attack on the horses?”
The guard grinned, “I don’t know, Ma’am. We’re just following orders.”
Emily shook her head and quickly bridled her stallion. She was still feeling weak, though she wouldn’t admit it, and had to use a make-shift stair out of hay to get onto his back. She cantered through the city and slowed the thoroughbred into a walk as she rode out toward the derelict Durango. She wanted to see if anything was left of it, something to get her out of the city, and away from the guards posted at every room.
She stopped, eyes wide, when she saw the Durango and the guard posted outside of it.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she asked him angrily.
“This is my new post. The guards are now scattered throughout the woods,” he explained.
“Who’s orders?”
“The Council’s, Ma’am.”
“Which member of the Council?”
“That I don’t know. My General gave me this location.”
Emily growled, and kicked her stallion into a fast gallop, quickly heading for the hills west of the city. She knew that the Council was aware that was her favorite spot to run the horses, and she was sure they would also post guards there. She wanted to see if the guards were just at her favorite spots, or if they were all over the area.
She saw the dark figures before even getting all the way onto the hills. She bypassed them and ran the stallion straight into the woods. Within just a few yards into the trees, Emily saw another guard, standing out in the middle of a small clearing. She ignored him and turned back for the palace.
The brief ride wore her out, which irritated her more, and it took a little longer to return the stallion to his stall. She walked over when she saw the Elders out by the new stable addition and one of the Cavalry took her horse for her.
“What the hell’s up with the guards at the stable and out around the trees?” she asked, putting her hands on her hips.
“We told you,” Zohn said, stifling a grin. “The Ferus are building numbers.”
“And… what? They’re after our horses?”
“No, but we’re protecting all areas of the city.”
“Em, we have an appointment in an hour,” Chevalier reminded her.
She spun toward him, her eyes fierce, “No, I have an appointment.”
“I’m not allowed to go?”
“No, you aren’t.”
“Em…”
Emily just screamed and stormed off into the palace.
“Her temper’s actually kind of endearing,” Quinn said, watching her leave.
“Oh, hell, don’t let her hear you say that,” Chevalier chuckled. “She’s fierce and menacing, remember that if she asks.”
“Back to the question at hand. I say we let Emily do it,” Zohn said, watching the new addition.
“That trailer is what? 8 horses?” Quinn asked.
“Yes, it’s for 8 horses,” Chevalier said, thinking. “It’d give her something to do, but I’d rather not send her out alone to buy them.”
“Make that a stipulation. Either we send Kralen and Silas to find horses, or we let her go with them,” Quinn suggested.
“I may not word it quite like that… damn, I hate that motorcycle,” Chevalier said, turning to watch Emily leave the city on the Harley.
“You’re not sending guards behind her?” Zohn asked, shocked.
Chevalier grinned, “I sent them out an hour ago. They’re stationed at the medical building.”
Quinn chuckled and turned back to the stables. They again began discussing changes to the Cavalry.
“Duty calls,” Zohn sighed when they were summoned to the council chambers an hour later.
The three Elders returned and took their seats, surprised to see four Valle standing before them, surrounded by city guards.
Chevalier leaned forward, “Ok, we’re here.”
“We’re representatives of the Valle Council, and have come to request that the Winchester be turned over to us for punishment,” one of the Valle said. He was in traditional guard uniform and bore the emblem of the Valle’s Imperial Guard.
“No,” Zohn said, sitting back in his chair.
“She maliciously
killed a mortal that we were turning. It was a violent and painful death, and we seek restitution.”
“It wasn’t maliciously done. It’s a proximity affect, and uncontrollable,” Quinn explained.
“That doesn’t matter. She needs to pay for his death.”
“No,” Chevalier said, his eyes narrowing.
“You give us no choice than to attack and take her ourselves.”
“Bring it,” the Chief Investigator said, grinning.
“You can’t protect her forever. Winchester or not, she’ll pay for the death,” he said, and the Valle turned and left the palace angrily.
“Saw that coming,” Chevalier said, leaning back. “Damn how do we get guards around her?”
“We don’t,” Kyle said. “If we push guards on her, she’ll slip them… if we don’t, then she’ll do as normal and stay around the palace, occasionally going out for a ride. She’s still too sick to leave for long.”
“A blessing in disguise,” Quinn said, smiling slightly.
“Start the Cavalry training. That ensures that she’s well guarded for 8 hours a day,” Zohn said, glancing at the clock when he heard the Harley pull back into the garage.
“We’ll send her for horses and then start immediately. Let Mark know to start picking guards,” Chevalier said.
“Derrick, send Emily in,” Quinn called out.
Emily came in with her helmet tucked under her arm, “What now?”
Zohn chuckled, “At least it wasn’t ‘What did I do now?’”
Emily glared at him.
“We need you to arrange for the purchase of 8 new horses,” Quinn said, and saw her face light up. “Our only request is that you take Mark, Silas, and Kralen with you to help with them.”
“Seriously?” she asked, still smiling.
“Yes, we’re training a new batch of Cavalry and they will need horses. The addition to the stables is complete,” Chevalier said, glad to see a smile.
“There’s a horse show in Great Falls next week, we’ll go!” she said, and ran out of the room.
“Did she hear the part about the guards?” Zohn asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I don’t think she cared,” Kyle told him.
Chevalier stood up and headed for the back door.
“Elder?” the Chief Interrogator asked.
Chevalier turned around.
“We’d all like to know what the ancient’s room was.”
Chevalier grinned, “As would I. I’m just going to talk.”
When Chevalier headed up the stairs, Zohn sighed. “Do we have those blueprints for the pool house?”
Chevalier walked into the bedroom and looked around, “Em?”
“Go away,” he heard her whisper from the bathroom.
He opened the bathroom door and sighed. She was lying on the bathroom floor. Her eyes were closed and she was pale and shaky.
“What did the doctor say?” he asked, sitting down beside her.
“That you’re a pain in the ass.”
Chevalier grinned, “I bet he did... but what did he say about you?”
“That you’re a pain in my ass, too.”
He chuckled, “You’re cute when you’re mad.”
Emily kicked at him, but he caught her foot, slipped off her shoe, and started to rub her foot.
“Now stop making rude comments and tell me what he said… please,” he said, still smiling.
“It’s the same thing, not eating enough, low iron, low blood, low blood sugar, high blood pressure…”
“Wait… it’s high now?”
“Sure, why not?”
“Well last I heard, it was low.”
“I was supposed to go to the store, but I didn’t feel like it.” She shut her eyes, too tired to keep them open.
“For what? I’ll have someone go get it,” he said, becoming concerned about her color and lack of energy.
“Vinegar potato chips and suckers.”
“Hmm… what’s a sucker?”
Emily opened her eyes and looked at him, “I’ll go to the store later. I don’t need some leech coming back with a new vacuum.”
Chevalier chuckled, “Leech?”
“Yeah, slimy blood sucking bugs.”
“I know what a leech is, they’re worms, not bugs.”
“Is Kyle around?” Emily asked, adjusting to a new, cool spot on the floor.
“Yes, why?”
“Damn, that means if I ash you, he’ll just revive you.”
“Tell me what a sucker is and I’ll send someone out,” he said, amused.
“It’s candy on a stick. Now go away.”
“Come on, grouchy,” he said, and stood up, then reached down and picked her up in a cradle.
“Seriously… buggin’,” she mumbled, but leaned her head against his neck.
He kissed her on the top of the head before laying her on the bed, then unbuttoned her jeans and slipped them off.
“Am I getting a pool?” she asked, watching him.
“No, I’m just getting you comfortable,” he told her, and then started to stoke the fire.
“Good, because I’d hate to have to kick your ass in front of the palace. It’d make you appear weak, and then the whole balance of power would be blown to bits.”
“Yes, getting beat up by a mortal would do that,” he said, and stayed facing the fire so she didn’t see him grinning.
“Might as well build me a pool,” she said a little softer. The room was getting warmer, and now that she was on the bed, she started to fall asleep quickly.
“I’m not giving up that easily,” he said, and stood up, turning toward her. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was slowing down as she started to sleep. His eyes ran down from the slow rise of her chest to the tight contours of her abdomen, except where the small bump was starting, then down to her soft thighs. He could easily see losing the bet and decided to go back to the council chambers before he had to tell the others they weren’t going to find out about the ancient’s room.
“Do we put in a pool then?” Zohn asked when Chevalier took his seat.
“Little credit,” Chevalier said, grinning. “You forget, thousands of years of control.”
“We’ve had the blueprints drawn up,” Quinn chuckled. “You’ll never win.”
“Damn, I know,” Chevalier said, and turned to the files in front of him. “What are we dealing with now?”
“There was a Ferus attack on a coven in Nevada, the Glorwin Coven,” Zohn said, filling him in. “Four were killed and three are missing, including the Coven Lord.”
“I thought we wiped them out,” Chevalier growled. “Any leads on the location of the Ferus?”
“All we know is somewhere around the four corners, which doesn’t help a lot,” Quinn said, looking at a map.
“I say we send in Emily as an Elder, and she can feed us the information we need to exterminate the entire pseudo-faction,” the Chief of Defense suggested. He leaned back in his chair when all three Elders glared at him.
“I’ll go when Emily leaves for the horse fair,” Chevalier said. “I’ll take Chris with me, he can track them.”
“We can’t wait the few days until the fair, I’ll go today,” Quinn said. “As soon as I find them, we’ll need to be ready to send in the troops.”
***
“Damn, her scent is stronger,” Mark said, taking a deep breath of fresh air when Emily walked away.
“I think her blood supply is growing,” Chevalier whispered. “Her scent gets stronger by the hour, can you handle it?”
Mark nodded, “Yeah, I’m good… I just can’t stay away from her for too long and let it grow much.”
“Man… to have tasted that,” Silas said, grinning. He patted Mark on the back and climbed into the back of the truck’s cab.
Kralen finished hooking up the horse trailer and went over to the others, “I think that’s it.”
“Where’s Em?” Mark asked, looking around.
“She went back
in after those candy things she’s been eating,” Kralen said, and crawled into the truck beside Silas.
“Suckers,” Chevalier said, walking over to the open door. “Don’t tease her about them, she’s really not in a very good mood lately.”
“Who’s not in a good mood lately?” Emily asked, crawling into the driver’s side of the truck.
“Silas, he’s grouchy,” Chevalier said, grinning as he walked over to the driver’s door.
“Don’t be grouchy with me, I’ll ash you and dump you in a ditch,” she said, pulling a new sucker out of the package.
“Be nice to them, they’re afraid of you,” Chevalier told her, and kissed her softly before she could start on the new sucker.
“There’s still room for you,” Emily told him.
“I have things to do here.”
“Still not going to tell me where Quinn’s been all week?”
“Nope, have fun at the horse show.”
“If we get there in time,” Marks said, buckling in.
“I don’t drive slow!” Emily said, and started out of the city.
Chevalier headed back inside as hundreds of heku in all black came out of hiding and lined up ahead of him.
“Nothing new, they haven’t called since yesterday,” Zohn said.
“The Encala are sending how many?” Chevalier asked.
“They are sending 130 to meet us in Cortez, Colorado,” Zohn said, pulling on a black shirt.
“Have they heard anything from Aaron?”
“Not since he disappeared four days ago. He has to be with Quinn, that’s too much of a coincidence. We still haven’t heard from the Valle. I’m starting to wonder if you’re right and they’ve joined up with the Ferus.”
“I want phone calls every 2 hours with locations. If you disappear, I don’t want to start over,” Chevalier said.
“Kyle’s phone has GPS turned on, Allen has a laptop set up to track us,” Zohn said, and glanced over his shoulder. “He’s mad we aren’t taking him.”
“I’ll deal with Allen, just find those Elders and get back.”
Zohn nodded and turned when six AW101 transport helicopters landed on the south lawn of the palace. The troops followed the two Elders out and filed into the helicopters.
Proditor : Book 5 of the Heku Series Page 76