by Aliya DalRae
“Last time she was still mostly human, fragile. This time she is Vampire, and she is strong.”
“What if I lose her again?” His voice was barely a whisper, but Nox felt his brother’s pain through that familial connection Vampires shared.
“Not gonna happen. Be happy, my brother. After nearly six hundred years of misery, you’ve earned it.”
Raven nodded once and turned to face Nox. “What about you?” he asked. “When will you be happy? I’m not the only one who deserves a bit of good in his life.”
The image of that fiery female in the elevator, her lips fused to his, floated through his mind, and Nox felt a little dance in his stomach. He dragged a hand through his hair, tamped things down and said, “I’ll be happy when I can return to my Perky’s pie.”
Two cell phones dinged the arrival of a text message. Nox reached his first. “Damn,” he said. “Emergency meeting in the War Room. One hour.”
Raven stared at his own cell and rubbed the back of his neck. “What now?”
Chapter Five
R aven sat in a chair while Jessica dabbed at his lip with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball. She brushed a stray lock of chestnut hair from her forehead with her wrist and her ice blue eyes sparked a bit of white. Her irritation with him had reached an all new level.
“What were you thinking?” Jessica’s dabbing took on a degree of aggression beyond what he felt he deserved. He’d been defending her honor, after all. She pressed against the cut on his lip, squeezing the cotton until a stream of antiseptic poured into the wound. He winced, but just a little.
“He insulted you.”
“What you did insults me. Damn it, Raven, this has to stop.”
Raven hung his head, but Jessica forced his chin up so she could clean the blood from beneath his nose. “That’s what Nox said. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
“I’m nervous.”
Jessica stopped what she was doing, thank the gods, and stroked his cheek. “I get that,” she said, the gentle female he’d fallen in love with finally making an appearance. “But Raven, I’m stronger now, and Izzie’s going to be fine.”
And then she was back at it, soaking his open wounds with fresh alcohol. He flinched and she said, “I still don’t get why Nox slugged you though.”
Raven shrugged. “I interrupted his dinn…ow!” Christ on a cracker, that hurt.
“He’s got to be getting tired of taking care of your ass.”
Raven shrugged again. When the female was right, she was right.
Jessica dropped her hands to her side, the cotton ball forgotten.
“Look Raven. We have two months, probably less, before Izzie joins us. Let’s try real hard to get our shit together? Huh?”
Raven smiled, but Jessica’s face had clouded over. “What is it?”
His female grimaced, looked down at her rounded belly and gave it a gentle rub. “I don’t know. You know how I haven’t had a vision since I got pregnant?”
“It was the same before, so not unusual.”
“That’s not it. Raven, I have a very bad feeling. There’s a darkness around us, and it’s strongest around you and Nox. Sometimes it feels like there is a vision trying to fight its way out. I don’t know what it is, but we need to keep our heads about us.”
“You think it’s the Sorcerers?”
Jessica sat on his knee and put her arms around his neck. “It’s hard to say, but it’s gonna be bad, whatever it is.”
Raven pulled her to stand between his legs and put his hands on either side of her baby bump. He leaned down and kissed his beautiful girls. “You are the most exquisite creature I’ve ever met. Sexy waddle and all.”
Jessica combed her fingers through his hair, then lifted his chin and touched her lips to his. Too soon, she pulled away. “Go to your meeting. The sooner we find out what’s going on, the sooner we can face it.”
“I love you. Both of you.”
Jessica smiled and stroked a thumb over his cheek. “Go.”
Chapter Six
W illiam, come here now. Stop playing games. The Primeval will be here soon, and we must be on our best behavior.”
The nanny was relatively new, and she’d taken to calling him by that name, nearly from the start. For seven years, by his best figuring, he’d been called nothing but “boy” or “urchin.” Sometimes worse, but in all that time no one had ever deigned to give him a proper name. He knew about them, of course, all of the nurses had names, and even the Primeval was “Uncle Magnus” when he was in a decent mood.
Lacking a name never bothered him much, not until he was given one. When Pipa addressed him as William his back seemed to straighten and he felt a sense of a belonging he’d never experienced before. It made him feel special, and proud.
He asked her, of course, why she’d chosen to address him as such.
“Everyone deserves a proper name, and William is as fine a name as any. It’s a strong name, and gods know you need strength however you can get it.” He knew she meant to be reassuring, but he caught the edge in her voice, the anger.
“Have I done something wrong?” he asked, forever afraid of irritating his keepers. He learned early on that it was better to behave, to do as instructed and to never, ever, annoy his betters with questions.
But Pipa was different. She invited his curiosity, encouraged him to seek answers for things he didn’t know. She was kind to him, something he’d never experienced before she joined the staff charged with looking after him, and that kindness started with a name. William. He had to admit he rather liked the sound of it.
She knelt before him and looked him in the eye “Of course not,” she said in response to that most important question. She took his hands in hers and turned them over to study his palms. “I’m sorry for what they’re doing to you, is all. And I’m sorry I can’t do anything to stop it. But no matter what happens, I need you to promise me something.”
He nodded, unable to resist the fervor in her voice, the intensity of her eyes. “Promise me you will never let them convince you that you deserve this. You’re but a child, and what they’re doing to you is wrong. I don’t care what the prophecies say. You’re a sweet boy. Promise me you won’t let them change you.”
He didn’t know what she was talking about, didn’t know what she thought was being done to him. Things were as they had always been, with the nurses and nannies, the room that changed as he grew from a nursery to the room he now occupied. He slept when they said sleep, he ate when they brought him food, and occasionally the Primeval would come, to praise or to punish. Either way, it was simply the way of things.
But he nodded again, because it seemed to be what she wanted.
She smiled at him and pulled him into her arms, wrapping him tight in her warmth. He stiffened, not sure what she was doing or if this was another form of punishment he simply hadn’t been exposed to yet.
After a moment, she drew back and held him at arm’s length. “My gods, child, have you never been hugged before?”
He shrugged, ashamed at being unfamiliar with the word, let alone the action.
Pipa pulled him into her arms again, and rubbed his back. He heard her crying, scented her tears, and he was ashamed to have caused her sadness. He hesitated a moment, then lifted his small arms to wrap them around her neck, aping her actions. When she felt his “hug” her tears inexplicably increased, but her arms tightened around him and she squeezed him to her.
He didn’t understand any of this, not the crying, nor the hug, but he couldn’t deny it made him feel good…safe. That was another word he’d only heard whispered by those in charge of him, but he’d never grasped the meaning until his moment. It was a powerful thing, safe. It seeped into his skin and settled inside him like a fierce protector, and it all started with this female. With Pipa. Was this what having a mother was like? he wondered. Of course, he wouldn’t know. So, he clung to the nanny, terrified that this feeling would be short lived, that he would nev
er experience this sort of thing ever again.
All too soon, Pipa drew away from him. She grasped his face in her hands, wiped his pink tears from his cheeks and held his eyes with her own. Finally, she said, “You will always have a home in my arms, child. But this must be our secret, all of it. When others are around, you have no name, and I am just another nanny. But please remember that even when I can’t put my arms around you, I’m hugging you in my heart. If you are alone and frightened, just think of me, and you will know that you are loved. Promise me, William.”
He nodded. Of course, he would obey. He may be a child, but he was a child all too aware of what could happen if he didn’t.
~~~~
N ox sat at his dining room table alone, absently stuffing nasty, warmed-over pizza into his mouth, and fighting the memories of the boy he’d been. The more comfortable he became in his new home, the more the past haunted him. He had a bad feeling it was going to get a whole lot worse before it got better.
He’d sent Raven home to have his lip tended to, and nuked a couple of slices of Perky’s, but it just wasn’t the same. Raven owed him, big time. You don’t mess with a Vampire and his pizza.
With time to kill and a strong desire to find something else to occupy his mind, he arrived at the War Room ahead of the appointed time. He’d hoped to run into someone, anyone who might be able to fill him in on what this meeting was about. He walked in to find Merlin already set up at his usual spot near the head of the table.
“Hey, Merlin.”
The e-geek finished what he was doing before looking up. “Hey, you’re early.”
Nox thought about throwing out a “Captain Obvious” comment, but the Warrior seemed more distracted than usual. However, if anyone had the four-one-one, it would be Merlin.
“So, what’s the emergency?” Nox said as he pulled out one of the fancy leather conference chairs.
Merlin’s blank stare seemed to last an hour before he finally answered. “I think we should wait for Mason and the others.”
Shit. “Is it the Sorcerers?”
“The team will be here soon,” he said and went back to his computer.
Looked like he wouldn’t be getting anything from Merlin, so Nox leaned back in his seat and waited.
Viper came in next with the same questions. The munitions expert got the same answers. Tas and Harrier followed, and then Raven, whose lip was all but healed, although he carried with him the faint odor of rubbing alcohol.
By the time Mason arrived, the tension in the room had settled upon them all like a thick London fog.
The Warlord didn’t sit, but rather stood with his palms on top of the giant oak table. “We have a problem.”
When no one spoke, Mason continued.
“I’ve just received some very disturbing news from Britain’s Primeval, Charles Magnus. Before I go on, Raven? Nox? Is there anything you want to share with me? Anything I should know?”
The twins exchanged a look and a shrug.
“Sorry, Mason,” Raven said. “I lost my temper. It won’t happen again, I swear.” He threw up a “scout’s honor” salute, but dropped it when the Warlord glared at him.
“What are you talking about?”
“The Soldier in the Med Wing. I thought…what are you talking about?”
Mason swung his attention to Nox, who felt the world shift under the scrutiny of those intense grey eyes. He would confess to kidnapping the Lindbergh baby under that steely glare. “I was with Raven. I thought you were referring to his continued lack of restraint.”
“Did you say a Soldier was in the infirmary? Never mind. I’m sure he’ll heal?”
Both twins nodded. “Then, let’s talk about the real issue at hand. The Primeval is under the impression that the two of you have turned me and this entire branch of the Legion into traitors, prepared to overthrow the Primeval and take over the race.”
“Are you fucking serious?” Raven jumped to his feet, but Mason waved him down with a hard stare. Raven sat, but his tirade continued.
Nox, on the other hand, was speechless. His brother’s words were probably a reflection of his own disbelief, but the Warlord’s announcement stunned him to the point he heard nothing but the buzz of wind on the air.
From the moment he’d found his brother, acquired this little piece of family, Nox had been waiting for the other shoe to drop. Good things were a rarity in his life, and the few he’d experienced didn’t last. Deep down he knew this would someday come to an end, but being prepared for a thing didn’t soften the blow. He felt himself deflate, reminded himself there was a reason he’d kept his distance from Rachel. Proof of life’s capricious nature now stared him in the face. He’d escaped Primeval Magnus once. He doubted he’d be so lucky a second time.
Raven was about to be a father, though, and there was no way Nox would allow his brother to suffer a fate that was not his own. He didn’t know who would spread such lies, but he was certain Magnus would use it as a way to get his own revenge. Nox may not be able to defend himself, but he would die to protect his family. “Do we know who our accusers are?” he asked.
Mason sat and pulled his chair to the table. “I have an idea but I needed to see your reactions first.”
“Fuck you, Mason,” Raven said. “You know better.”
“I do,” Mason agreed. “But then again, I thought you’d have your beast under control by now, and that’s obviously not the case. I had to ask. Harrier, we’ll need to leave at dusk. Can you have the Citation ready by then?’
Harrier groaned. “Yeah, but I’m not thrilled about going to Britain again.”
“None of us are,” Mason said. “Trust me.”
Chapter Seven
H arrier stopped by Rachel’s suite to let her know he’d be out of town for a bit. Saying goodbye to his mate, Kythryn, nearly tore his heart from his chest. She’d been less than happy with him, but he promised her she’d have Rachel there to keep her company until he returned. For some reason she hadn’t found that as soothing as he thought she would.
Rachel, on the other hand, was downright livid.
“Why on earth are they making you go?”
“I’ve got the plane and, you know, the pilot’s license,” Harrier said. “Besides, there’s something major going on with the Primeval and we’re all at risk. If anything goes wrong, I want to be there to defend Mason and the others.”
“I don’t like it. It reeks of Sorcerers and you know how dirty they play.”
“Of course it’s the Sorcerers, but when the Primeval demands an audience, you fucking go.”
“Then I’m going with you.”
“Why?”
“I don’t feel right about this, Harrier. I think there’s more to it.”
“What about the kids?”
Rachel paced the floor, chewing on her cuticle as she thought. “I’ll get Perry or Martin to stay with them. The kids will think it’s an adventure.”
“What do you have against Perry and Martin?”
“Be serious, Harrier. Something is telling me I need to be there and you know better than to disregard my feelings. I may not have visions like Jessica, but I’m still sensitive. We can’t ignore this.”
“Yeah, yeah. Seer blood and all that. I’ll let Mason know.”
“Thank you, Harrier. And don’t let him strong arm you. This isn’t a negotiation.”
“I get it,” he said, and turned for the door. “I’ll have Merlin change the Soldiers’ schedules, tell them they’re on special assignment or something. You be at the airstrip in an hour. I’ve got to go prep the plane.”
He reached for the door again, but before he could leave, Rachel had her arms around his neck. Her embrace was fierce, and when he felt her tremble, he returned the hug. “We’ll be all right,” he said and felt her nod against his chest. “Be at the plane in an hour,” he repeated and she nodded again.
Tearing his sister’s arms from his neck and walking out that door left him with a grim feeling of his
own. The charges against them were bad, but nothing a face-to-face with Magnus couldn’t straighten out. For Rachel to be this out of sorts, something else was going on, and it left him cold inside.
From Rachel’s he went straight to the Citation. He’d been there once already to drop off his travel bag and to get the ground crew started on preparations for a transatlantic flight. As he double and triple checked their work, he couldn’t help the trepidation building in his gut. Rachel wasn’t the only one with Seer blood running through her veins, and her alarm only served to intensify his own.
As he quadruple-checked the landing gear, he shuddered. For the first time in his life, he didn’t want to fly.
Chapter Eight
N ox climbed the stairs to board the Citation with something close to panic. It was his first time on a plane of any kind, and he didn’t fancy the idea of sitting in a tin can and allowing it to catapult him across the ocean. Not at all.
If he’d been meant to fly, he would have been born with wings. At least that’s what he told himself. He glanced at Harrier, who was already in the driver’s seat or whatever you called it, flipping switches. The one guy who actually had wings was their pilot. Nox made a mental note to ask him which form of flight he preferred, though he thought he probably knew the answer. Why would anyone want to take the tin can route when they could feel the wind in their, er, feathers.
He settled into a seat near the front and searched for the ends of his safety belt. Yes, they were still on the ground but Nox wasn’t taking any chances. He buckled up and did some deep breathing exercises.
Raven boarded next, and chose the seat facing Nox. Upon his arrival, Mason opted to sit across the aisle from Raven, preferring to face toward the front of the aircraft, Nox supposed.
When they sat on the tarmac for another ten minutes, Nox asked the room in general, “What are we waiting for?” He was anxious to get this bird off the ground and get the trip over with. Not just the flight, but the whole damn thing.