The Ravenswynd Series - Boxed Set

by Sharon Ricklin Jones

  “Follow who? Who took them?” I whispered; throat still parched.

  “It was the Venators, Elizabeth. We were fortunate that Veronica came to when she did and we managed to get some information out of her. She did seem quite remorseful. I believe her when she says they forced her into this horrendous act. I am not sure what will become of her once this is all over with though.”

  “I’ll kill her, that’s what.” My voice was stronger - the Ambrosia was finally taking effect. “Where is everyone?” I looked around, realizing we were alone; I was on the sofa, still in Melinda and Gavin’s quarters. The pink rain finally stopped, and Phoebe’s face was no longer fuzzy.

  “Nearly everyone is out searching for the Hunters…and the children.”

  “Where is Veronica?” I asked, sitting up slowly. “I need to speak to her.”

  I mean I need to kill her.

  Phoebe pointed behind me. “She’s right there.”

  I turned around toward the back of the sofa. And there she was, sitting in a hardback chair near the dining table, hands and feet bound and strapped to the table, mouth covered with duct tape, black mascara smeared down her face and splatters of blood dotting her shirt. My laugh was wicked and loud.

  “Why is her mouth taped up?” I was thinking that Phoebe had said that Veronica spilled her guts regarding who took the babies, but then I wondered if that was a dream, or another hallucination. Everything was so mixed up, but at least the stupid violins finally stopped.

  “I thought you could use some rest, and she wouldn’t shut up,” Phoebe said, sporting a mocking grin and a raised eyebrow.

  I loved this woman already.

  “You mentioned that we have something the Hunters want. What is it?”

  “Why, Veronica, of course.”

  “What? I thought you said she came clean and that they forced her into this.” My head started spinning again. I was confused and still thirsty.

  “I think you misunderstood me, Dear. I said she seemed remorseful but I do not believe that she was coerced into this situation. Take a look at her text messages.”

  Phoebe handed me a cell phone. It took me a few minutes to read through them all. There were messages back and forth between her and someone named Sage. She’d given him our exact location, and even told him when Gavin and Melinda would be gone. I glanced up at Phoebe, and slowly shook my head.

  “This doesn’t explain why you don’t believe they forced her though. She told me that they threatened her and would kill all of us…”

  “Look at the photos, Elizabeth.”

  I scrolled through the photos on Veronica’s phone. And there it was. It appeared to be the same bald Venator that we had run into at the hospital, posing with Veronica – both with guns drawn, grinning from ear to ear. The next one showed them kissing, and on the one after, they were surrounded by a truckload of Sacred Datura flowers. The label on the photos said, me & Sage.

  Ignoring my dizziness, I leaped to my feet and flew directly to Veronica, ripped the tape off her mouth, and slapped her across her teary-eyed, over-tanned face - apparently even harder than I had planned. Her head jolted sideways, sending her and the chair thundering to the floor. Phoebe suddenly appeared next to me, and grabbed my arm.

  “Wait!” she shouted, afraid I’d kill her on the spot. “We may need to question her further.”

  With one hand, I swiftly up-righted Veronica, still attached to the chair. Her eyes flew wide open and she whimpered, “Please don’t hurt me. I meant you no harm!”

  “That’s a crock!” I screamed in her face. “Are you that big of a fool? We saw your phone messages and we know you’re a Hunter! Your whole reason for coming here was to lead the rest of your murdering group to us! You never really wanted to be one of us, did you?”

  She looked down at the floor. “You’ve got it all wrong, Lizzy,” she sniffed. “I wanted to get away from my life. I hated it. Those photos with Sage were at a party. I was drunk and stupid. I was never a Hunter. Up until that day at the airport, I wasn’t even sure if vampires really existed. And then I met Emrys…and he killed Sage’s brother.” She stared at me, warily - intense fear still visible behind her eyes. “And then Sage kept calling me. He said the other guard told him what had happened, and that I’d left with the men who killed his brother. I felt sorry for him after losing Duke.” Sniffing again, she peered up with a woeful sigh, and added, “Of all people, Lizzy, I’d think you would understand such a loss. Sage and Duke were twins.”

  Oh. My. God. Two of them!

  “Were they both working as Venators?” Phoebe asked calmly. From her lack of surprise at hearing her son had killed a Hunter; I had to assume she’d already heard this story.

  “I don’t know for sure,” Veronica said glancing at Phoebe. “All I know is that he kept calling me and begging me to help him get through this hard time.”

  I knew all those phone calls would bring us trouble, and I cleared my throat.

  Veronica’s eyes darted back to me. “Sage flew here a few weeks ago and we met in town. I spent the day with him and he seemed so sincere. But I was deceived, Lizzy. He followed me home. Here I thought he was just a guy who mourned his brother, and then the next thing I know, he’s threatening to burn the whole place down with all of us in it. He said if I helped him rescue the babies, he would make sure they’d be safe. That it just wasn’t right to give human babies to vampires. And that he would only seek revenge on Emrys, and no one else.

  My heart dropped again. And then I wondered where Emrys was.

  I put my hands over my eyes, trying to take all this information in, and then asked, “How can we ever trust you, Veronica?” I glared at her again and, still seething, added, “You allowed him into our home!”

  “It wasn’t like that…” she said, pausing, shaking her head and licking her lips nervously. “Could I please have a drink of water?” Her frightened eyes darted from me to Phoebe, and then back to me.

  As Phoebe went to the sink and filled a glass, I waited with arms folded, tapping my foot impatiently. Phoebe held the glass out to our prisoner. Veronica drank from a straw, her hands still tied. “Thank you,” she said, giving Phoebe a hesitant smile.

  “Go on, tell us what happened.” I was nearly at my limit - all I wanted to do was smash her head in and go help search for my nieces and nephew. Melinda had to be beside herself with worry by now. And if Gavin found out that anyone hurt his children, there was no telling how many Hunters he’d kill.

  Veronica cleared her throat and continued. “I took the kids for a walk in their buggy. The gatekeeper waved at me when I walked past him. Sage and two women met me on the other side of the stone bridge, completely out of anyone’s view.” Her guilt-ridden look surprised me, and she closed her eyes, shaking her head. She whispered, “I’m so sorry.”

  But I still wanted to kill her. She gave Lindy’s babies to strangers! Clenching my fists, I took a deep breath - trying to stay in control. Phoebe put a tender, calming hand on my arm, sensing my returning rage. She leaned close to my ear and whispered, “Not yet, daughter. Not yet.”

  Now clenching my teeth, I hissed, “Why the flaming hell were you still in here when I arrived then?”

  She looked down again. “I left the nursery window unlocked, and I was going to make it look like they’d been kidnapped while I was out here in the living room. I figured if I put on a good enough act, that everyone would believe I had nothing to do with the kidnapping. The idiotic gatekeeper never noticed a thing when I came back with an empty buggy.”

  I almost slapped her again. “Why would he?” I said, gritting my teeth. “It seems like you’ve convinced nearly everyone around here what a wonderful person you are.”

  Wonderful?

  And then I remembered something else and added, “Apparently, you’re the one who filled the cribs with Sacred Datura! How wonderful is that?” I was livid all over again.

  She glanced at me for only a moment, tears filling her eyes. And then she hun
g her head down, letting her blonde hair cover her face. I walked back to the sofa and sat down, leaning forward, elbows on my knees. Phoebe gave Veronica another drink of water and then joined me.

  “Now what? We just sit here and wait? I can’t stand this.” I found my phone and dialed Emrys. He didn’t answer. Searching Phoebe’s eyes, I asked, “Does Ambrose carry a cell phone?” When Phoebe nodded, I handed her my phone saying, “Here, call him please.”

  Phoebe dialed, but then hung up saying, “He’s not answering either.”

  I had an idea and turned my head back to Veronica and asked, “Where exactly did you meet with Sage last week?”

  “At the Stone Pine Inn,” she said through her tears.

  After a few moments of mulling it over, Phoebe suddenly said, “That’s where I saw her before!” Ambrose told me he thought she looked familiar too. She was there - with him - with Sage - at the same time as we were! I remember clearly now, we were just checking in and she went up the steps with a bald man.”

  “No wonder she tried to stay out of sight when you two were around. She was afraid you’d say something,” I said, nodding. Everything was beginning to make more sense. Someone needed to go to the Inn and check it out.

  “I’m so sorry,” Veronica cried. “I wish I could do something.”

  I glared at her and said, “Haven’t you done enough?”

  Turning back to my mother-in-law, I said, “Wait a minute, Phoebe. Earlier you said that we had something the Hunters wanted. But if Veronica was being threatened too, then they won’t bother to come back for her.” I jumped up, saying, “We have to find them now, before they leave for good!”

  Understanding my meaning, Phoebe raised an eyebrow and said, “Perhaps I should take a quick trip to the Stone Pine Inn?” I knew she meant in her other form, which would be much faster than driving through all the winding roads. I wished Emrys or Ambrose would call. They really needed to meet her there. I didn’t feel right letting Phoebe go alone, and yet I wasn’t sure if we should leave our prisoner alone either.

  I took my mother-in-law into the other room. “You could go to the Inn and check out the situation, but don’t let anyone see you. Stay in your night-shifter form, okay?”

  She nodded and said, “Yes, that was my plan, Dear. You mustn’t worry about me though. I’m more worried about you being here alone with her. Perhaps we should move the two of you to my quarters. If the Venator does come back for her, he wouldn’t look there.

  “You’re probably right.” I was so worried about the babies that it had never occurred to me, or to Phoebe, that the Hunter was most likely, still looking for Emrys.

  After untying Veronica’s legs and grabbing her phone in case the Hunter tried to call her, we left my sister’s suite. The hallways were eerily quiet and empty, and I wondered if everyone had gone to search for the babies.

  Oh God, let them be okay!

  On the way to Phoebe’s place, I recalled Emrys’ constant admonition, ‘one should never be unprepared’ so we took a quick detour, and stopped at my suite to pick up my trusty sword.

  Once we had our captive secured again, Phoebe gave me a quick hug and reminded me to lock the door. She gave me a warm smile, turned, and hurried down the hall. I called after her, “Be careful, Mother.”

  I paced. I redialed Emrys’ number several times. I tried everyone, but not a soul answered.

  Does the whole damn world have their phones turned off?

  Frustrated, I paced some more, probably wearing out the carpeting. Every now and then, I’d glance at Veronica. She had no choice but to be quiet since the tape was still over her mouth. But several times I spotted a tear escape from her red, swollen eyes.

  Your tears will get you nowhere with me, you stupid twit.

  I kept my thoughts to myself. I had absolutely no sympathy for her, and wasn’t about to waste my time discussing her side of the story. And I certainly didn’t want to hear any more of her feeble excuses.

  I peered out the windows, trying to see beyond the darkness. After what felt like an eternity, but was really only about 45 minutes, I finally spotted a white owl flying high above the trees, coming towards Ravenswynd. A few minutes later I heard a commotion at the door. Excited and nervous, I called out, “Phoebe, did you forget your keys?” I ran down the hall and into the foyer, flung open the door, saying, “Did you find the babies? Were they there?”

  The shimmering metal of his weapons was the first thing that caught my eye. In one hand he held a rather large gun, and in the other a sharp sword. Strapped crisscross over his chest were two gun harnesses, and he wore a belt loaded with extra bullets. Looking up I was now staring into the steely, angry, vengeful eyes of the Hunter, Sage. Eyeing me scornfully, he cocked his head to the side and before I could slam the door on him, he stopped it with a heavy foot and shoved past me. He was much bigger than the man I’d seen at the hospital. Apparently, this twin worked out. He charged through the foyer and said, “Where is the blood-sucking bastard that murdered my brother?”

  “He’s not here,” I shouted at his back, following him as he turned from the hallway and marched into the living room. I had glanced behind realizing the door was left open, but decided it didn’t matter much now. By the time I caught up, he had Veronica halfway untied. She just sat there rubbing her wrists.

  I heard Sage mumble something to her about how great modern technology is, and the GPS in her phone, and then he added, “I told you I’d find you wherever you were.”

  “So you came back here for her?” I asked, wondering how he would respond. Crouched on the floor, he slipped a knife between her ankles, cut the ropes and threw them down, then stood; put both hands on his hips and faced me.

  “I asked you a question, blood-sucker. Where the hell is he?” he rumbled. “And don’t make me ask you again.”

  Veronica stood next to Sage and glared at me, rubbing her cheek.

  Two against one, huh?

  This was going to be a tad trickier than I originally thought.

  CHAPTER 16

  TRICK OR TREAT

  “Why don’t you ask your partner?” I said, ignoring his threatening tone. “She seems to know more about this whole situation than I do, and she’s had her eye on my husband since day one.” I put my hands on my hips, unafraid, and not willing to back down.

  Sage twisted his head toward Veronica.

  My first thought was: Is he jealous?

  But then he just growled, “Did you tell them where we’re holed up?” He sounded accusatory and pissed, but not one bit jealous.

  “No, Sage. Honest, I didn’t.” Veronica glared at me again, still rubbing her sore, red cheek. Although it was obvious that she was afraid of this stupid hulk, at first, I couldn’t tell if she was just pretending to be on his side and acting like she had nothing but scorn for me. But then something in the way she glared at me clinched it, and I got an inkling that the babies might really be at the Inn where she’d met with him. All I needed was a confirmation from Phoebe. What happened to Phoebe? I wondered, peering over my shoulder.

  I decided not to give this knowledge away; after all, he could call his cohorts and have them move and hide the children in another spot.

  “So tell me something, Veronica. Are you a Venator or not?” I glared right back at her, playing along, pretending I had no clue where their hiding place was.

  Sage laughed scornfully. “She could barely make it as a security guard, so what makes you think she could ever be a Hunter?” He rolled his eyes and elbowed her, shoving her backwards about two feet.

  Veronica took another half step back out of Sage’s view, and gave me a quick incensed look as if to say, “See, he’s an ass and I hate him.” But she said nothing and just rubbed her arm as though it hurt.

  “We have an agreement though, don’t we Ronnie?” He glanced at her, his hand resting on the holstered gun. “If she helps me, I won’t kill her when I put all of you blood-suckers out of your misery.”

  Veronic
a’s eyes widened. “But I thought you said you only wanted to save the human children. You lied to me?” She sounded more wounded than surprised. I realized then how much she liked Emrys and didn’t want him to die at all. Perhaps I was wrong about her motives after all, and the only reason I kept getting the bad feelings was because of her blatant infatuation with my husband.

  “You’re such a stupid moron. What makes you think that I’d come all this way only to avenge my brother. His death was his own doing. As usual, he could never keep his big mouth shut. I came for two main reasons: To rescue the human children - and to punish these blood-suckers for stepping foot on my land.”

  “So your whole brother in mourning deal wasn’t anything but an act?” Veronica asked, somewhat bewildered. “I believed you! I thought you loved your brother…that’s really a dirty trick, Sage.”

  “We barely spoke,” he admitted. “But my tactics worked on you, and I got you to cooperate, didn’t I?”

  Veronica shook her head, looking disgusted. “You are a complete ass.” She plopped herself down on the chair and rubbed the back of her head, checking her fingers for blood.

  “I guess you can never trust anyone, right Veronica?” I said, almost feeling a tad guilty for the way I’d treated her earlier. “So, now what? I asked, staring up into Sage’s steely eyes. Are you going to kill me first?”

  “There’s no time like the present,” he said with a wicked grin. He pulled his sword out of its sheath and I noticed the dried blood. His eyes followed mine and he chuckled, “Ah, yes. The guard at the gate put up a good fight. But then he lost his head…” He snickered at his own sick joke and added, “You’ll find it somewhere out in the grass.”

  With horror I racked my brain trying to remember who had been on duty. Matthew and Nicholas alternated most days, but occasionally Royal still helped them out too.

  It wasn’t Royal, was it?

  As unnerved as that thought made me, I had no time to waste. Whirling away from him, I sped into the other room and yanked out my sword. With the rage I now felt, it would be far more satisfying to just snap his ugly thick neck with my bare hands. After all, I was still a fairly new Raven, and we were much stronger and faster than any measly human was. But since this vile human had weapons, I’d be equally satisfied to chop him into tiny bits. I grinned to myself in hopeful anticipation.