by A. E. Lowan
Just as he passed out of sight from the window, the sidhe cast his hand out at the approaching pack of guards. They all dropped as one. Did he stun them? All at once? How did he do that? Why did he do…? And then the sidhe vanished behind a glamour. Oh, so not good! “Go faster.” He did it to hide to what he was going to do next from the humans.
“What the… Is that guy chasing us?”
Jessie’s heart sped up from both alarm and shock. Brian could see him? How? She couldn’t see him, and she was a wizard. “Go,” she whispered. “Go-go-go.” She wanted to ask, but couldn’t. It would only draw attention to the fact that they were being chased by a guy who was supposed to be invisible.
Brian had floored the gas pedal even before her urging and Jessie imagined she could hear all eight cylinders of the engine roar. The van was empty of all but their weight and it flew down the drive. The iron gates were wide open to let in the trickle of Sunday workers, but a barrier bar stood in their way. On the other side light weekend traffic moved back and forth. “Hold on!”
Jessie whimpered.
The van slammed into the barrier with a bang, twisting it backwards off its hinges and forcing it to an awkward angle. Brian dove into a natural break in traffic, crossing lanes and tipping onto two wheels for a moment with the force of their momentum, but only one car honked at them and they sped away from the office tower.
After a few minutes he slowed down. “Well, that was extremely dramatic. Good news is that guy’s not chasing us anymore – and how he was able to do that, I guess we’ll never know?” He took his eyes off the road for a second to glance at Jessie.
Jessie shrugged. But inside she was squirming with frustration. She wanted to tell him everything. He was smart, he was going to figure it out eventually. She wished it was possible to lie to Winter. Then she could tell Brian everything, then tell Winter he had guessed, but it wasn’t happening. And the events of their get-away weren’t wild enough to mandate full disclosure in Winter’s book. Maybe Brian didn’t want to know, anyway? Of course, that might change when he got a look at the side of his mom’s van.
“Hey, you okay back there?” Brian was looking in the rear view mirror.
Cian! Jessie twisted in her seat as far as her weakness would allow and saw that he looked really sick. What was wrong? And then she remembered the way the strange sidhe had been shaking his hand and her eyes widened with understanding. It was the van. Norah had one of those old conversion vans from like a million years ago that was almost all steel. “Gotta get him back,” she whispered. The sooner they got Cian out of the van, the better.
“Alright. Back where?”
“Theatre.”
“How did I know you were going to say that?”
Jessie knew that Brian didn’t like her hanging at the Theatre, but blew it off. He would never tell her exactly why, anyway. Instead she closed her eyes and settled down to focus on replenishing her energy.
She was going to need it to survive the fallout from this morning’s adventure.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Winter emerged from the powder room, energy singing along her veins, an empty green bottle concealed in the bottom of her bag. She had had two before leaving the house in anticipation of this emergency but they had burned right through her, and in the heat of the argument with Erik she could not drink coffee. She just needed it to get through the next few hours. She needed it to rescue Cian.
She needed it to keep Erik and Etienne from tearing each other apart.
“Have you lost your mind? There isn’t time for breakfast.”
The smell of eggs and sausage hit Winter and her stomach roiled in protest. She swallowed hard, clenching her jaw as she stretched her mouth in a parody of a smile in an attempt at controlling her sudden nausea. The energy potion and food did not mix. She had not eaten since… she cast her thoughts back, uncertain, and then shook her head. It wasn’t important at the moment. “Erik, really, we need to…”
“Winter, sit down. You need to eat something.” Erik indicated the seat that had materialized while she was sneaking the potion. One of his therian stood holding a steaming plate of food.
Oh… oh, no. The fake smile could not hold up. “I’m fine. I…”
“No, you are not fine. You look like death warmed over. And you are going to eat something.”
“Erik, a boy’s life is at stake! We don’t have time for this.” She gestured at the plate but meant the whole nonsense of the morning.
The Vampire King was standing in front of her, his movement so fast she had not seen it. He caught her wrist and held up her hand for inspection, then looked at her face. “Your hand isn’t shaking anymore. But your eyes are glassy and though your cheeks are flushed bright your lips are white and your complexion is almost gray. What did you take?”
Winter tried to tug free but he would not release her. There was no point in trying to lie outright. He had over eleven-hundred years of life experience. “I know what I’m doing, Erik. Let me go and let me do my job!”
“Jessie says she hasn’t seen you eat in weeks and that she keeps finding your uneaten food in the trash. All anyone sees you drink are those coffees. You’re sick and you’re on something. Now, tell me what!” She watched fear and anger and worry chase each other across his face.
Winter stopped struggling and met his eyes. “I’ll tell you if you help us get Cian back.” It was a hope – a hope for help, a hope he would be distracted. A hope to buy her a little more time to hide her secret. She refused to look at Etienne. He suspected, he had said as much. All he had to do was keep quiet a little while longer and maybe she would have enough time left to help him.
She would have been surprised that Jessie had not jumped in with the accusations, but Erik in a full tirade was intimidating. Jessie’s parents yelled at her too much, as it was. She was probably still hiding somewhere in the crowd.
Erik frowned, nodded, and let go of her wrist. “Agreed. But no more secrets. Now you eat breakfast while I get what fighters I have together. You have a few minutes.” He stepped away and made a summoning motion towards one of his lieutenants.
Her stomach twisted. “No, I should go on ahead and review Midir’s protections, see what I can do to bypass…”
Erik silenced her with a look meant to quell warriors. “Winter. Sit. Down.”
She stiffened her spine rod straight and braced her knees. “Erik, I love you, but you do not tell me what to do.”
He took a step towards her. “Do not think you're too big to spank, little girl. I’m already not happy with you.”
Her face flushed an indignant shade of embarrassed. He had to say that in front of his court? Really?
“It’s reasonable,” said Etienne, watching her, his expression neutral. “You need food in you.”
Winter had to fight to not look in desperation for a quick exit.
Erik looked at the faerie knight with curiosity but had to turn back to answer a question from his lieutenant.
Etienne held out his hand to Winter. She took it and let him lead her, her body stiff, to the chair beside the therian with the cooling plate of breakfast.
Lana emerged from the crowd, her color high and her lips swollen, a pleased smile on her face. She looked around with interest. “What did I miss?”
Etienne shot her a look of irritation.
Another therian produced a folding table for Winter and her breakfast was served on it with a glass of juice. She picked up her fork and took a breath, trying to ignore the savory, greasy smell of the sausage. Why was Erik trying to make her eat sausage? He hadn’t eaten it in over a century, since the time he found that fingertip… She shuddered, and shoved the visual out of her mind. She wasn’t helping herself. Having been raised by Erik, she was not a fan of sausage, either.
This could be a good thing. Not eating really was very bad for her. If she could ride out the initial nausea, it would be good to have protein in her body. She stabbed at a bite of scrambled eggs and gave it th
e bare minimum of chewing to try to avoid tasting it before choking it down. Two more bites followed this pattern and then she had a sip of juice. She raised her brows in surprise. It was work-
She heard a scream and felt like a taloned fist ripped into her stomach. Winter was doubled over without remembering how, her throat buzzing, and realized she had been the one who cried out. She felt the food coming back up and tried to get out of the chair, but her legs tangled on the little table, knocking both it and her over. She got upright on her hands and one knee just as pain ripped again through her belly and the heaving took complete control. Alarmed voices swirled around her, and somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she would be utterly humiliated later. Hands rubbed her cold back, hot even through her coat, sweater, and dress. The green body of the potion mixed with a heavy stream of bright blood. She struggled to breathe through the clenching agony that rode her body, that forced tears from her eyes as she continued to vomit blood long past when she should have stopped. All she could do was clutch at the ornate carpet as if she were drowning.
Something was wrong.
At last the fist that crushed her released and Winter drew a gagging breath, her mouth tasting hot and metallic. It seemed to be over. All except for the pain. She felt torn inside and cried out when she tried to sit upright.
Erik pulled her away from the mess soaking into the rugs that covered his dais and wiped the blood from her mouth with a cloth. “What’s wrong?” he asked her in a voice she had not heard since the last time she fell off her bike.
Winter’s throat burned even more and tears welled up. She had thought she had more time. She parted her lips… she had so much to tell him, but her vision spun, pulling her into darkness.
The pain found her. There were voices there, too.
“She’s so thin. It’s like she’s made of bones. How did she get like this?”
“How did you miss it? Even sidhe women aren’t this thin.”
“With the clothes she wears, the loose sweaters and the long dresses, no one could tell. I mean, we saw something was wrong. The whole community is talking about it. We just didn’t know how bad it was really getting.”
Winter opened her eyes and found herself looking at the underside of a dark blue bed canopy, embroidered with dragon-headed ships. She was in Erik’s bed? How odd. She turned her head towards the voices. Etienne and Erik sat on either side of the hearth, leaning inward toward each other and speaking in low tones. A smile tugged at one corner of her mouth. They no longer seemed on the verge of violence.
Michael sat on the arm of Erik’s chair. He turned to face her and smiled. “She’s awake.”
The men gathered at her bedside. Erik brushed his rough hand over her hair. His sea-blue eyes were dark with worry. “You gave us a scare, little girl.”
She gave him a small grimace that was half pain, half apology. “I need my bag.” Her voice was ragged. Michael nodded and moved away.
“What do you want?” Erik frowned with suspicion.
Winter looked at Etienne. He also frowned. They had spoken, it seemed. “I hurt.” Talking was not helping, but she had to do it nonetheless. “I need the painkiller.” She gasped and writhed a little, her arms wrapped tight around her belly as if to contain the tearing pain.
The mistrust vanished from Erik’s face. “Michael, hurry!” He laid his hands over hers, as if trying to control her pain with his will.
Michael appeared at his side, eyes wide, and Etienne took the bag. He looked inside and scowled harder. “What the hell am I looking for? I thought my backpack was bad – your bag is a disaster.” The contents rattled and clanked together as he shifted it around.
Winter gritted her teeth. “Upper pocket, nearest the strap. Small blue bottle with a black eye dropper top.” Her breathing came in short, shallow gasps, and sweat chilled her skin. Her bag was not a disaster – just because he didn’t understand how she organized things, did not mean it was a mess.
Etienne dug around and came up with a bottle. “This?” His gray eyes were intense, but he exhibited none of the worry the two vampires did.
She appreciated his reserve and focused past the pain onto Etienne’s hand. She nodded. “Three drops in a small glass of water.”
Michael flashed away and returned, a shot glass in his hand. “Is this too small?”
Winter shook her head. Actually, a tumbler would be better, but given her earlier vomiting she did not trust herself to hold it all down. The shot glass would be fine.
Michael poured two fingers of water into the tiny glass and held it for Etienne to measure three drops of light blue potion. Each one swirled in a dance of ghostly tendrils as it descended below the surface, suspended in place but never mixing completely. Etienne shifted forward and slid his free arm beneath Winter’s back, cradling and lifting her into a sitting position.
Winter clenched her teeth against the pain, but whimpers escaped all the same.
Erik reached for her. “You’re hurting her.”
“Can’t be helped.” Etienne’s tone was matter-of-fact, but only Winter could see his eyes. The strain of the morning was showing where the other men could not see. There was fear there. He must have been so worried for Cian. She needed to get back on her feet so she could return his young friend to him. He held the shot glass steady to her lower lip, and then waited for her to bring her weak and shaking hand up to guide the mixture into her mouth.
It tasted like bright, metallic water turned too sharp, too intense. Winter downed it in one swallow and fought to not gag, convulsing once in Etienne’s embrace. She had never taken this potion before, but had administered it on hundreds of occasions. It flowed into her core and then swept outward, suppressing her pain with a suddenness that was itself a small agony. It took Winter’s breath away and stiffened her spine. Etienne held her through it all.
Winter took her first deep breaths without pain and sagged against Etienne’s arm in relief.
“Better?” he murmured against her hair.
She nodded and struggled to sit all the way up on her own. She didn’t have time to rest. The painkiller would only work for a few hours and to be brutally honest with herself she was not sure how much longer she had to live. The painkiller would help her to function, but it would do nothing for the internal bleeding. Even the magic of her most potent potions could not stop the deterioration – not at this point. Etienne helped her swing her legs around and then stepped back.
Erik knelt down in front of her legs. “What happened? What’s going on with you?”
She reached out and took the Vampire King’s hands. Where to start? She wanted to push it off further away, after they got Cian back, but she knew Erik would not let her out of this room without an explanation, not now. She lowered her head. She did not want to hurt him. He had been the closest thing she had to a father, when her own refused to be there. Her lower lip trembled and she bit down hard to still it. She was still so angry at her father – last night she had told him she was dying and he had not cared. He still wouldn’t care if she told him she had less time than she had thought. Erik, though… Erik would care.
But she couldn’t do this in front of Jessie. She wouldn’t understand. She was too young. Winter raised her head, looking around for the girl. Later. She would talk to her… Winter frowned, twisted to see around the bed curtains. “Erik, where’s Jessie?” Maybe she was in the bathroom. After her collapse, there was no way Jessie would have stayed away.
“She’s not here.”
What? “No, she was right there…” Winter trailed off. She had seen Jessie earlier, standing by Jason, but that had been a while ago. With all the yelling and the fighting and going around and around, she had lost track of her. Where could she…? Her eyes widened in dawning comprehension and her heart began to hammer. “Oh, no. No-no-no-no-no,” she whispered as horror swept through her.
“What?” Etienne gripped her shoulder and gave her a small shake. “What’s wrong?”
She clench
ed Erik’s hands. “We have to go get her. Erik, we have to go now!”
“Where? Wait… you don’t mean… Winter, she wouldn’t have.”
Winter made a noise of exasperation. “Erik, have you met her?”
“What are you two talking about?” Etienne was looking back and forth between them in confusion.
“She’s gone to Moore Investments. Erik, let me up. She’s gone after Cian on her own.” Winter stretched out to grab her bag. Her hands shook violently and she had to twist the strap around her wrist to secure it. “Now we have both kids over there…” Her voice trailed off again, and she couldn’t think. Her whole body was shaking. Now what was wrong with her?
Erik stood, towering over her. “Stay here. We’ll go.” His voice held tension.
“I can’t lose her.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
Winter grasped Erik’s arm. He was still shirtless. “I’ve lost everyone else. Please, I can’t lose Jessie, too.” The faces of her family, in life – in death – flashed through her memory. She saw Jessie’s sweet round face the day she caught her shoplifting with magic, full of fear and anger; and then later, after she had not called the police and instead made Jessie sweep the store and put away stock, and then given her the items she had tried to steal and taught her a little magic. Jessie had been confused, suspicious… and had come back the next day, and the next. Not to steal, but to learn. To be accepted. Winter and her family had taken her in as if she had been born to them.
Her chest was tight with fear. She had already given her life to this city. What could she sacrifice for Jessie’s safety? What more did she have to give? She would give it, if only she knew what it was.
All three men turned as one towards the bedroom door. Their hearing was so much more sensitive than hers. “What is it?”