by Dale Mayer
Cody got a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach as he turned to look. "No. I don't think so."
The ancients were staring at the door. Goran reached out and kicked it. Nothing. Serus did the same.
Still nothing.
Shit. Cody dropped his head. He was getting damn tired of this place.
*.*.*
Jared was tired of waiting around. Talk about an anti-climatic ending. He'd been sitting here for an hour. The two humans hadn't returned to the surface and Taz hadn't returned with more staff.
Like what the hell?
Part of him wanted action while the rest just wanted answers. He couldn't help but feel it was too late for his father. Taz hadn't been hopeful, and depending on what the assholes had done to the blood farm – if anything – then his father might be gone for good.
A father he'd only just realized he'd had. Grief and anger and yes…hatred burned inside him.
He stared at the garage entrance. His father was dead, or more or less dead. What did he do with that? He couldn't grieve properly because his father wasn't really dead. And until Taz came back with specialists that said he couldn't be saved…he wasn't ready to let go of the idea. He loved the thought of living out the rest of his life with his father at his side.
That he had no mother either made his insides hurt. Could she be in there too? He didn't think he ever knew what had happened to her. But if his uncle could have, he'd have gotten rid of her too. Bile rose up in the back of his throat. Surely not.
But how to know for sure? He looked at his cell phone and wondered. What could he find out from here?
*.*.*
Rhia walked into the council chambers. The building hummed with activity. Probably Gloria's doing. Tired and worn out, she headed to the back office. At least it was quiet here. Out of the way of the hurried plans being set into motion.
As soon as she closed the door behind her, she collapsed on one of the chairs and dropped her head onto her folded arms. She couldn't think straight any more. The drugs were still slowly making its way out of her system. She was tired and worried. She had not heard back from anyone in her family. Sian was talking to Taz and they were pulling more teams together. Medical teams as well this time. Everyone was heading to the mountain.
She hated that place. Hated what it represented and what it was trying to take from her. The irony that all those people hanging had been taken from someone else wasn't lost on her. But she wasn't going to let more people be lost.
It bothered her that Jared had stayed up there. He should be home where he'd be safe. Nothing up there was safe anymore – for human or vampire.
That mountain was sucking the life out of everyone.
Sian rushed in and then came to a skittering stop. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you. Taz says they have enough men to search the mountain and keep the two entrances covered. With backup all around the mountain in case there are other exits."
"Which there are as far as we know because Tessa was able to escape high above the snow line."
"Right. Well, I don't know that they thought about that potential exit, but there are going to be helicopters in the air as well doing an aerial search for anyone trying to escape the military net."
Rhia groaned but pulled herself upright. "I'm coming."
"Actually," Sian said, "I want to go, but I agreed to stay here and work with Gloria."
As much as Rhia would love to have Sian by her side, she understood. She nodded. "Yes, her hands are full, aren't they? Between picking up all the suppliers and shutting down those businesses and storage places, she needs all the help she can get."
Besides, Sian was pregnant. She should stay here. "I'm going though."
Sian looked at her, sorrow, regret, and determination on her face. "No. You're not."
Now that she hadn't expected. Sure, she'd thought Sian might argue, maybe try to talk her out of it. But not this 'the decision is made and I know you won't like it' tone of voice.
"Why is that?" Rhia stiffened, sure she wasn't going to like the next part.
Sian stayed silent for a long moment, and then said, "Because they left 10 minutes ago."
Rhia's breath froze in her chest. Pain and anguish filled her. "Why," she whispered. "Why couldn't I go?"
"Because Taz promised Serus he'd keep you safe. No matter what." And that was that her tone said. She'd do anything to make that happen too. "Serus would do anything to keep you safe. As I know Taz feels the same way about me."
Instead of the expected anger, tears sprung to Rhia's eyes. It was something she hadn't felt in a very long time. "I don't want to live if I lose my family," she whispered.
"And that's another reason you have to stay here. They are trying to get to you. If they succeed and you have returned to the blood farm, the whole lot of them will turn around and try to find you." Sian gazed at her solemnly. "This is best for everyone."
Rhia swallowed. "God, I hope you're right. Because if you're wrong…" she didn't finish the sentence. She couldn't. Sobs had clogged her throat. She turned and walked away.
As she left the room she barely heard Sian's sad whisper. "I do too."
Cody stared at the closed door then down at his precious burden. Tessa appeared completely unconscious, her body soft and warm but harder to carry than if she were awake and holding on to him. "We need to find a way through that door, everyone."
"We're working on it," Serus snapped. He cast a quick glance over at Tessa then turned his efforts back to the closed and apparently impenetrable door.
"Or another exit," suggested Jewel.
Cody spun slowly, holding Tessa gently as he surveyed the large empty room. "I can't see any other exit."
Ian piped up, "And Tessa only saw the energy up at the top where you guys tangled with the two vamps."
Goran turned to look at him as if he'd said something surprising. Then he looked down at the remains of the vamps beside them. "That's actually a good point. The younger vamp didn't have any wings. How did he get up there?"
"Maybe he's a glider?" Serus suggested.
With a smirk, Goran turned to Serus. "I wouldn't tell you this under any other circumstance, but you are no ordinary glider. I doubt most could make it up to that office space like you did."
Cody had actually wondered about that because Serus was well known for his prowess whereas Wendy, another glider who'd been in on the initial search for Jared couldn't begin to do what Serus was capable of doing. He'd put it down to Wendy's age, but he didn't think so now. He looked up to where they'd found the dying vamp. There's no way another glider could jump that high. He vaguely remembered seeing Serus bounce off walls getting higher each time but still...
"You're thinking there is another way in or out from up there?" Jewel asked. "I don't think I can get up there."
"I'll go take a look." Goran took to the air while Serus resumed kicking the door in front of him.
"I should be able to knock this thing over, and yet it's still standing."
"As in vampire proof?" Ian walked over to search for the seams of the doorway. "That doesn't make any sense. This was a place for vamps. Why would they be trying to keep vamps out?"
"Probably only select vamps." Cody stared down at Tessa's pale skin. He wished she'd wake up. He hated seeing her like this. And although he was strong, he hoped he didn't have to carry for too long. Showing weakness wouldn't go down well. He did not want to have to ask someone else for help.
A shout sounded from above. Everyone glanced up to see Goran jumping over the edge of the half wall to land gently in front of them. "Tessa was right. There is another door up there. I haven't tried to open it. Thought maybe we should stick together."
Serus nodded. "It's going to take a few trips."
Goran grinned. "Sure will."
With a big laugh, he snatched Jewel up out of David's arms and jumped into the air.
Serus shook his head and took off af
ter his friend, David on his back.
Within minutes, Goran had returned, nodded at Ian to grab hold of him, then checked with Cody. "Son, are you going to be okay?"
Cody glared at him and lifted off, Tessa cradled in his arms. The distance was short, the space wide open so he could use his wings to land gently enough and not jar Tessa.
He folded his wings back and waited. While he watched, Serus walked to the new door and gave it a hard kick.
Silently, it swung inward.
*.*.*
Goran stepped through the doorway. No matter what they did, they were being forced to go deeper into the mountain. He came to a standstill.
Yeah, he might be old compared to these kids in the group, but he got it eventually. He turned, caught Serus's gaze over the heads of the others and said, "I'm starting to wonder if we aren't being herded in a certain direction. As if maybe they want us here in this place."
Serus's gazed hardened as he understood.
"That's not likely." David said. "Think about it. How would they know that we'd find this door?"
Everyone turned to look at the unconscious Tessa.
"Okay, so they might think we'd find our way here, but they couldn't know that we would."
"True." Goran turned back to the dark passage in front of him. It looked like another mine tunnel. Only there were no white tiles covering the walls or the floor. They really had no other option at this point. With the others following behind, he walked forward cautiously, having a hard time letting go of the idea that this was another trap.
A few more steps and he hit a corner. There was a new tunnel covered with white tiles. Maybe this was another way into the blood farm? Was that possible? Knowing that they were going to be more exposed against the bright tiles, he crept forward, a hand up behind in warning to the others.
A second corner loomed – and sounds filtered toward him.
*.*.*
Stupid. He should have left with Taz. He couldn't believe he was still sitting here all alone. No one had come out of the blood farm and no one else had arrived. His butt hurt and he was hungry. Hell, he was always hungry. How many meals had he missed when he was drugged in that damn place anyway? Technically none as they had fed him intravenously, but that didn't make up for hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes.
His stomach growled. He so shouldn't be thinking about food. He shifted his position and studied his cell phone. He'd been trying to track down the property owners and had found the name had been changed a dozen times in the last couple of centuries. Cool that all the registration records were online. So not cool that he only had a cell phone.
He could really use a laptop screen at this point. It would be easier.
Just as he switched websites again, he heard a noise coming up the road.
Please let it be Taz. He'd said he'd be back hours ago. At this point, Jared wasn't sure if he was pissed that the guy hadn't shown up or scared that something had happened to him.
Either way, Jared was tired of waiting around. The noise grew louder. And louder. It sounded heavy. He hopped to his feet and ran back to his hiding place behind the garage shed.
And waited.
*.*.*
Rhia walked into the main room of the council hall to find Gloria and Sian working on laptops, phones at their ears.
She didn't want to be at this end of the action. She understood the logic of keeping her here, but she didn't agree with it. That's because she knew one thing – if her family died because this war, then she'd rather die with them.
The others wouldn't understand.
For a vampire, eternal life was the thing to preserve. She didn't have the same outlook. But she had something most of them didn't have – she had a family.
Sian would understand somewhat. She'd really understand when her baby was born. Until then, she only had a glimpse of that emotion that Rhia grappled with.
And Rhia knew the cost of this war. She'd seen it before. Had lived it before. She and Serus had survived back then, but the odds were against all her family surviving this time. And that scared her shitless.
Speaking of family, her sister just walked into the front hall.
Rhia stiffened. She had no proof her sister was involved. Either of her sisters. But it's something they'd certainly condone. Humans were food for them.
"There you are. I've been trying to catch up with you all day. You could have told me about the laptop, you know," she complained. "Instead I had to find out through Gloria."
Rhia spun around and stared at Sian, her mind racing. She could see the same questions mirrored in Sian's gaze.
"I didn't know you knew Gloria that well?" Rhia said, managing to keep her voice level and calm while inside, her heart raced. Had she trusted the wrong person? Her gaze switched to look at Gloria. Gloria lifted her head, her gaze going from one sister to the other, and then she rolled her eyes and dropped her gaze back to her laptop.
"Of course I do. So do you."
Gittoria walked closer. "Are you sure you should be out of hospital?"
Rhia stepped back instinctively. "I'm fine."
"I don't think you are, you know." Gittoria leaned a little closer. "You're not acting normal. I think you should let the doctors check you out again."
Rhia stared into the blackness of her sister's gaze and wondered at the extent of her involvement. She couldn't bring herself to trust in her siblings. Either of them. They were both catty bitches to the highest vampire order and they only did what was good for them.
"I'm fine." Rhia cast another glance over at Sian, then with a slight tilt of her head. "But I think I will go lie down."
"Good idea. Maybe I should watch over you."
Rhia snorted. "Like hell. You're just as likely to kill me." Her words found their target.
Gittoria stepped back, her head tilting to the side, a mocking look on her face. "Like I said, you aren't acting rationally."
"If anyone is going to watch over me, it will be Sian. But thanks for the offer."
She turned to walk away and found Sian already at her side, saying. "Let's go. It's actually not a bad idea to lie down, you know."
"I can't rest." Rhia kept her voice low so as to not be overheard. A quick glance around told her she needn't have worried. Gittoria had gone to speak with Gloria.
"What the hell is going on? Why is she here?"
"I don't know. If you go and lie down so I don't have to worry about you, I might be able to find out."
Rhia pushed her towards the other two. "Go now. I don't trust my sister. And if she's good friends with Gloria, I'm not sure I trust her either."
"I'll go see what they are up to."
Rhia walked to the door and waited for Sian to slip back into her spot and become engrossed in her laptop. She would get to the bottom of this. Of all the people in the hall, Sian was the one she trusted the most.
"Can we move a little faster?" Cody muttered. The tunnel stretched endlessly in front of him.
"I said I'd carry her." Serus's growl washed over him.
"I'm fine. But if there is some way out up ahead, I'd like to reach it." Cody walked forward slowly, knowing he should just shut up. Everyone wanted out, not just him. He looked down at Tessa in his arms. She's the one who really needed to get out.
He stopped suddenly. Was her color pinker? Or was that just the different light?
"What's the matter?" Serus crowded closer and peered down at Tessa. "Has something changed? Is she awake?"
"No, but I think her color is brighter."
Serus snorted. "Well that isn't much help. Now if she'd wake up..."
As if on cue, Tessa tried to move. Cody held her tighter, not wanting to drop her in case she was about to start struggling. Then she moaned.
"Tessa?" Cody said, "Take it easy. You're going to be just fine." At least he hoped she would.
"Tessa?" Serus said, "Can you hear me? Talk to me if you can."
Tessa groaned again, but she stayed motionless. Cody wondered if they should try to wake her or if she'd just go under again. It might be better if she slipped under until she was fully healed.
Then she opened her eyes and stared at him.
And frowned.
Cody?
Hey. There you are. How are you feeling?
Her eyes drifted closed and she slipped away without answering.
He raised his head to stare at Serus. "She said my name but now she's gone under again."
Serus frowned. He reached out and stroked her forehead. "Guess it's not a bad thing. She seems to be healing at least."
"I hope so." Cody shifted her weight gently in his arms and strode ahead. What he really wanted was out of this damn hellhole and get back home.
Me too.
There you are. Cody laughed. "She's talking again."
Only she was gone again. Damn. "She keeps drifting in and out of consciousness." That scared the crap out of him.
"Not good." Serus took one last look at Tessa then raced ahead, calling back, "Let's see if we have a way out. Goran could fly her home and she'd be getting the best care within twenty minutes."
Now that would be ideal.
Only somehow Cody didn't think it would happen. They weren't that lucky.
*.*.*
There was a warm sense of security wafting through Tessa's mind. She was moving. Being carried. By Cody. She recognized the feel of his arms. The caring touch. She barely remembered being carried by Goran and her father, but Cody's arms...she'd never forgotten that warm sensation. That loving touch.
She checked out the rest of her body.
Something was wrong. Ice and fire streamed through her body, muscles, and bones. She couldn't tell which was which as the pain shifted. As soon as she thought about the heat in her chest, ice joined it and put out the fire. But then when she wanted to shiver from the chill in her legs, fire blasted down her muscles, warming her legs.