by J. J. Bonds
We mull this over in silence, trying to see our way through this puzzle and find a way to exploit Keegan’s connection to the Order. Finally, Shaye speaks.
“You’re overcomplicating it,” she says, tucking her hair behind her ear and meeting my eyes for the first time. “The Order probably knows everything there is to know about Keegan. If you want to trap them, stick close to the truth. That’s how you convince them.”
“She’s right,” Alex agrees. “The closer he sticks to the truth, the less likely they are to sense the lies.”
“So he calls and says what? That he ran because he was scared and wanted to protect his pureblood girlfriend?”
“That may actually work,” Viktor says thoughtfully. “They know she was a student at Crossroads and that she’s close to you.”
“Okay, but why would he return if he’s so worried about Shaye’s safety?” I challenge.
It’s Keegan who answers this time, and his words carry so much conviction, I nearly believe them myself. “Because you hunted us down like dogs. You and the other purebloods.” He crosses his arms and nods at the others. “We tried to escape, but Shaye was killed in the crossfire. I was supposed to protect her, but I failed. I failed her, and she died protecting me. I barely escaped with my life, and now her blood is on my hands. I have nothing left to live for. You’ve taken everything from me. I am ready to fulfill the Order’s mission, and I’ll do whatever it takes to. Take. You. Down.”
“I’m convinced,” Alex says, looking chilled. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”
“Me too,” I say as a shiver runs down my spine. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Keegan did in fact hate my guts. “Make the call.”
Keegan leaves a message for his handler while we wait with bated breath. “He usually calls back within a few hours,” he tells us after disconnecting. “It shouldn’t be long now.”
Keegan and the others move to the parlor to wait for Eli’s call. I remain in the office, needing some time alone to decompress. We split the Linkuri. Alex and Viktor remain with Keegan while Nik stands guard over me.
He stares out the window, his back to me. “If this doesn’t work, they’ll kill him.”
“I know.”
“And you’re sure you can live with that?” he asks, turning to study me. I wonder what he sees, how being an Elder has changed me in his eyes. Have I become so cold and callous that I’d gamble with a friends’ life without a second thought?
“Keegan’s no fool. He knows the risk, and it’s his to take,” I reason. Not that knowing the truth makes it any easier to accept. “He’s trying to make amends. Let him.”
Nik’s face softens. “Do you think it will work?”
“We’ll know soon enough.”
Chapter Twenty-One
As we wait for Keegan’s return, I wonder for the millionth time if we’ve made a mistake trusting him. Letting him walk away was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make. Trusting that his love for Shaye would help him stay the course and double-cross the Order hasn’t been easy. Especially with all of the Elders on lockdown. The last thing any of us wants is to give the Order an opportunity to make good on their promise of taking out another Elder. It’s the first thing we’ve agreed on unanimously.
I take a sip from my mug, letting the warm, coppery goodness quell my nerves. Keegan’s meet up with Eli was three days ago. Where’s he been for the past three days, and what the hell has he been doing? And why hasn’t he called? I’m nervous and skittish and climbing the walls waiting for him to arrive.
At least I’m done with meetings for the day. Viktor scheduled a crap ton more than I’d realized. And frankly, listening to all of the whining has been exhausting. It’s also been a real test of my patience. I can’t even begin to imagine doing this job for a millennium.
Maybe a walk is in order. My legs could use a good stretch and I could use a change of scenery. As I wander the mansion, I find myself at Shaye’s door. At first I hesitate, but what the hell, might as well knock.
She doesn’t answer, but the TV is on. So I knock again.
Still no answer.
“Shaye,” I call, pressing my forehead to the heavy oak door. “I know you’re in there.”
She doesn’t respond.
“You can’t avoid me forever. Besides, I’ve got nowhere else to be. I can wait all night.”
Finally she opens the door, doing her best to look indifferent. “Can we talk?”
“Do I have a choice, Elder Lescinka?” She turns her back on me and moves to sit on the end of the bed. She’s rocking hella short black shorts over fishnet stockings, a faded Nirvana T-shirt, and a hot-pink headband with an oversized flower that practically glows against her dark hair. Typical Shaye.
“Come on, Shaye. It’s not like that.” I take a seat at the vanity across from her. “You know me.”
“No, I don’t. The Katia I know would never send her guards to hunt down her best friend and drag her in like a criminal.”
Okay, she may have a point there. But it’s not like I had another option. “I was worried about you. And I was right about Keegan. How can you defend him when you know what he’s done?”
“This isn’t about Keegan.” She flips her hair, but I don’t miss the pain that flashes in her eyes when she says his name. “This is about us. Our friendship.”
“Then you should understand the incredibly difficult position I was in. You are both my friends, and I would do anything to protect you, but he is involved with the organization that kidnapped Aldo and murdered scores of innocent vamps. I cannot ignore that fact.”
She sniffs but says nothing, instead averting her eyes and staring out the window.
“Sometimes I have to make choices that I hate, but guess what? If it saves lives, then that kind of helps me sleep at night. Do you have any idea how much pressure I am under? I’m just trying to do the right thing,” I tell her, echoing my words to Keegan.
She doesn’t budge. In fact, she’s like a brick wall, perched on the end of the bed with her arms crossed and her back rigid.
“I miss you. I don’t want this to come between us.”
“Too late.”
I sigh. Maybe she just needs more time. “After everything we’ve been through, I guess I just expected more.”
“More what?”
“I don’t know,” I reply truthfully. “Maybe understanding?”
I stand and move to the door. No point sitting here torturing myself any further. It’s better to give her space and let her work through it at her own pace, if she can.
I twist the doorknob and pause. “I truly am sorry for hurting you Shaye.”
**********
I’m sitting in the office, stewing over my failed attempt to mend fences with Shaye, when Alex knocks.
“Keegan’s returned.”
I freeze, excitement coursing through my veins. “Bring him here immediately and call for the others. Get Shaye too,” I add as an afterthought. She’s as desperate to see him alive and well as the rest of us, albeit for different reasons.
Once we’re all gathered, we wait with bated breath for Keegan’s report.
“So?” I ask, daring to hope he’s gained some speck of information that will lead us to Aldo. “Were you successful?”
“That depends on how you define success.” He shifts in his chair as five pairs of eyes bore into him. “I didn’t get names, but I got a location. Sort of.”
“Sort of? What the hell does that mean?” I demand.
“It means Eli bought the story and Ana agreed to meet with me. Unfortunately, they aren’t exactly the most trusting of vamps. They black-bagged me, so I didn’t see much, but I think it was their main headquarters.”
“Describe it for me.” I’ve seen their lair once before, when I drank from Jacobs.
“It was underground. The walls were stone, and there was a long table at the front of the chamber. The Order’s logo was painted on the floor. There was no electricit
y. They used torches for light.”
“That’s it,” I confirm for the rest of the group. “It’s the same as my vision.”
“Do you think you could find it again?” Viktor asks.
“I don’t know.” Keegan hesitates. The struggle is written all over his face. He’s afraid to say no, but also afraid to lie and say yes. “No, I don’t think it would be possible.”
“Tell us everything you can remember,” Alex orders. “Starting with where you met Eli. Maybe there are details we can use to isolate the location.”
“He picked me up from the airport in Durango, Colorado, but after that, I didn’t get much. Before we got on the highway, he handed me a black hood and instructed me to put it on. The next thing I saw was the floor of the chamber.”
“Any idea how long you were on the road?” Alex asks.
“About an hour.”
“How can you be sure?” Viktor demands.
Keegan holds up his wrist. “Stopwatch. I use it to time the horses back at Crossroads. I started it as soon as Eli bagged me.”
Viktor nods in appreciation.
“That’s good information,” Alex says. “We should be able to come up with a fairly accurate radius, but that’s still too much ground for us to cover. We need more to narrow it down. What else can you tell us? Was it all highway driving? Did you cross any bridges? Railroad tracks?”
“We were on the highway except for the last few miles,” Keegan confirms. “The last few miles were bumpier, like off-roading. We parked in a gravelly area and walked the rest of the way. We were in a forest. There were a lot of animals, and the brush was thick. It was slow going with the bag over my head.”
“How far do you think you walked?” Nik asks.
“Probably two and half or three miles. Mostly uphill. Hard to say, but it wasn’t too far.”
Alex is taking notes now, writing down everything Keegan remembers. “What did you hear?”
He shrugs. “Nothing unusual. Birds. Small animals. Stuff like that.”
Alex continues the interrogation. She’s pretty good at it too. “Focus, Keegan. This is important. Did you hear any people? A river, maybe?”
“There was something,” he says, scratching his head. “Right before we went underground, I could hear the roar of moving water. But I don’t think it was a river. It was too loud, and there was a lot of splashing, like water breaking on the rocks.”
“Rapids?” Nik offers.
“Sounds more like a waterfall to me,” I chime in, remembering the way the water roared when my parents took me to Niagara Falls.
Viktor’s face lights up. “That has to be helpful. How many waterfalls can there be within an hour’s drive of Durango?”
Alex nods. “How do you know you were underground and not in a cave or a stone building?
“I had to go down steps, and it was very dark,” Keegan says, closing his eyes as if to visualize the scene. “Even when they took the hood off, it was pitch black. No light could get in.”
“Is there anything else you can remember that might help us identify the location?”
“No, but there is some good news. It’s not as heavily guarded as you’d think given there are few who know the location. I only saw maybe twelve or fifteen vamps.” Keegan shoots a look at Shaye. She’s listening raptly, but her face is hard to read.
“What about my uncle? Did you see him? Was he alive?”
“I’m sorry. I did not see him,” Keegan answers. “But I was told he’s still alive.”
I turn my attention to Nik. He looks troubled, his mouth pressed in a grim line. His dimple nowhere in sight. I wonder if he’s thinking what I’m thinking.
“In the past Ana has always come to you, right?” Keegan nods. “So why do you think they brought you to her this time? Doesn’t that seem a little convenient to anyone else here?”
I don’t want to outright accuse Keegan of lying or of double-crossing us, but I’d be a fool not to be skeptical. Even if he demanded to see Ana, she could have come to him. So why bring him to her command center now?
Shaye’s temper flares as she jumps to her feet, heat coloring her cheeks. “He risked his life to get this information for you, and you’re questioning his motives. What more do you want? His blood?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I want.”
Keegan looks to me, and I see understanding in his eyes. He’s not angry. Maybe he expected this. “Elder Lescinka is right to be suspicious. She’s responsible for many lives, and I have broken her trust in the past.” He stands and moves closer to the desk, extending his wrist to me. “Please, drink.”
I stare at Keegan’s upturned wrist. His blood calls to me, pounding through his veins and seeking release, a release my fangs are happy to provide. I inhale deeply as my fangs drop, bringing with them the craving for fresh blood. I exhale. I must remain focused. Keegan’s history is long and troubled, and I don’t want to get sucked into his worst memories. Or his best ones, for that matter, because I really don’t need to see firsthand what he and Shaye do behind closed doors. I have to stay in control.
I bring Keegan’s dark flesh to my mouth and bite down, my fangs sinking into him with more force than I’d intended, judging by the hiss that escapes his lips. His blood pumps into my mouth, and with it comes an onslaught of memories. I push past the whirlwind, seeking one specific memory. I must find his most recent encounter with Ana. Fortunately, it’s top of mind and comes to me easily.
The office fades away and is quickly replaced by the underground chamber where the Order convenes. It’s just as I remember it, moss-covered walls and all. I stride to the front of the chamber with the air of a man who has nothing to lose. My cocky gait is not lost on Ana, who studies me from behind the granite table with an amused smile. Her amber eyes follow my every move. She has not changed since I last saw her, and despite her age, Ana’s face remains unlined, although her dark hair has faded to silver.
“Keegan,” she says in that dangerous and silky tone of hers. She plucks a flower from the vase on the table. Similar to a lily, it has five white petals covered with red and pink dots. She’s toying with me, just like she’s toying with the flower. “I understand you’ve had a change of heart regarding your debt to the Order of the Red Dawn. Do tell.”
“I have nothing left to lose,” I tell her truthfully. “I am ready to give myself over fully to the cause. No more BS jobs. I want to do something that matters. Something that will make a difference and strip the purebloods of their morale. Like killing that bitch Katia and extinguishing the Lescinka bloodline, if you so will it.”
“You are driven by revenge,” Ana says with a cold smile that chills my bones. “I know how deep that well runs, but I think we both know that killing the impostor will not end the bloodline. Not as long as Aldo continues to be useful. Still, the death of another Elder has been promised, and I would like to see her dead. Do you think you can still get close to her? Our people have already failed once. She is well guarded.”
“I’m prepared to die trying, if that’s what it takes,” I swear vehemently.
“Let us hope it does not come to that, for there is something else I require of you.”
I release my grip on Keegan, returning to the office and the fascinated gazes of those nearest and dearest to me. I wipe the back of my hand across my lips self-consciously as my fangs retract.
“It’s true,” I confirm, planting my hands on the desk to stabilize myself. “All of it. Aldo’s alive, and it would seem the Order has tasked Keegan with taking my life. The good news is that the other Elders are safe. For now.”
Nik growls under his breath. Guess he doesn’t think that’s particularly good news since Keegan’s currently a guest under my roof. I, on the other hand, am confident that his loyalties no longer lie with the Order and will sleep just fine tonight.
“Alex,” I say, turning my attention to her. “I’m not sure if it’s important, but I saw something else in the vision that may help you isolate
the location.”
Five hours later, Alex and Nik have identified the search area they feel holds the most promise and are showing me a map of Archuleta County, Colorado.
“We started with a seventy-five-mile radius around the airport,” Alex explains, “assuming they would have stayed within reason of the speed limit to avoid police. We then factored in the forest setting and the waterfall.”
“Speaking of which, do you have any idea how many waterfalls there are in Colorado?” Nik’s perched on the edge of the desk looking like the proverbial cat who at the canary. “There are twenty-two in Archuleta County alone.”
“We don’t have the resources to search an entire county,” I return, feeling dejected as I look at the map. “Let alone one with two national forests.”
“We won’t have to,” Alex advises with a victorious grin. I’ve never seen her look so pleased with herself. “Those flowers you saw in the vision? They’re called Pagosa Skyrocket. They’re highly endangered and only grow in the wild in three locations, one of which butts up against San Juan National Forest, home to thirteen of Archuleta’s waterfalls. Based on Keegan’s description of the hiking distance, we’ve narrowed it down to a handful of possible locations.”
She hands me a list of the possible search sites. Several of the falls have Indian names, while others are named for their geography. There’s one name in particular catches my attention.
“One of these things is not like the others,” I mutter, tossing the list on the desk. “Vampire Valley Falls? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Tell me about it.” Nik snorts. “It’s an unverified waterfall, but we were able to dig up the coordinates. It’s a little further out than Keegan described, but, I mean, look at the name. We’d be stupid not to check it out. The locals named it that way for a reason.”
“I’m working on a grid to check all of these areas.” Alex shoots Nik a reproachful glare. “We shouldn’t assume anything based on a name.”