by Leah Silver
It’s my pleasure.
And I could tell it really was. She’d been given something to do that would help with all of this, instead of just sitting by the sidelines waiting for news.
Tempest? She looked over at me. What if she isn’t dreaming?
She is, my dear. Whether or not I will be able to reach her is a better question.
Will you?
I promise to keep trying until I do, or until you return. Whichever comes first.
It was all I could ask of her. I nodded, and tuned back into the council’s meeting.
“Perhaps now would be a good time to resubmit my question to Merry. Do you know who Sara had contact with in the time leading up to the illness?” the grand pooh-bah asked me.
“No. She had contact with only me. We were researching the plague and the possible demon connection that you all had rather haphazardly thrown out there.”
The pooh-bah nodded. “We’ve had some rumblings about a hive not far from here. That might be a good place for you to start.” One of the council’s assistants passed out some folders with papers inside, detailing the location of the suspected hive. But I wasn’t in the mood, and didn’t even look down at the brown folder placed in front of me.
“A hive. Please. Whoever’s doing this isn’t going to be obvious by hanging around a hive.”
“Perhaps you’re giving the demons too much credit,” Devlin said.
I glared. “It would be a mistake to underestimate them.”
“As it would be with me.” His tone changed completely. It was low and cold as he narrowed his eyes.
Unshaken, I turned back to the pooh-bah, who had been watching Devlin closely. “Let me guess, you got your hive information from your one and only seer.”
The pooh-bah didn’t say anything. Neither did Devlin. I stood up. “We don’t have time for wild goose chases.” The men stood around me as I stormed out of the room, on a mission back to my home to gather supplies. I had no idea where I would start, but the so-called hive wasn’t it. Busy work wasn’t on my agenda. Maybe Ike would have some ideas. He was a tracker, after all. Maybe if I let him get a whiff of Sara, he could—
Levi cut my train of thought short. “Thank you for your time,” he said.
“Keep in touch with us,” the pooh-bah’s voice echoed over my shoulder. I waved a hand at him, and kept walking while the others hurried to keep up with me.
“So, what’s the plan here?” Levi asked.
“Well, we’re not going to that hive, I can tell you that much.”
“Why not?” Ed asked.
“Because it’s a goose chase. Don’t you see? We’re Devlin’s puppets. I’ll bet you a case of goblin gold that he knows exactly what’s going on here, and he’s withholding information so he can be in control. Well, he’s toying with my daughter’s life. And I won’t have it.”
“You can’t go after him.” Ike’s voice startled me. Ed and Levi were so comfortable around me. Poor Ike and Oscar fell into the background. As I processed what he’d said, I cursed. He was supposed to be on my side, and help me find the culprits.
“Why the hell not?” I demanded.
“Because he’s a council member,” Levi pointed out.
“So what? I’ve never seen him on the council before, have you? Where did he come from? Does anyone know? Whose father paid for him to be there?”
The silence that hung on my heels while we walked out to the car was all the answer I needed. “We start with Devlin then.”
Levi’s phone rang. “It’s Charles.”
“The grand pooh-bah, you mean.”
He snorted. “What?”
“Never mind. Answer it already,” I said.
“Yeah,” he said. I didn’t care what the pooh-bah told him. Probably that we needed to check out the hive. I didn’t care. I wasn’t under their thumb as much as they thought I was. No matter how much Devlin threatened me.
When we arrived back at my house, I wasn’t surprised to find Tempest already sitting at my daughter’s side. Her room was warm, with flowers blooming everywhere. Tempest had vines climbing the walls, with purple beauties adding a shock of color to her now mostly green room. It added a fresh smell to the space, and an element of comfort.
Tempest looked at me with sad eyes. “You’re not going to the hive, are you?”
“No. Why would I do Devlin’s bidding?”
“Because he’s a very powerful person, Merry. I would urge you to use caution with him.”
“You’re not afraid of him, are you?” I asked, wondering what exactly she knew about Devlin.
“No. But I’m afraid you’ve drawn his eye. He doesn’t like you.”
“What do I care who he likes? I don’t like half the council. But I still do my job.”
“So why not do this job?”
“Because this is about control for him. He believes himself to be in control. He knows more than he’s letting on. He’s prolonging this, deliberately. Can’t you see that?”
She turned away, shifting uncomfortably.
“What happened? Who is he, and how did he get a seat on the council, Tempest?”
“I can’t tell you about his origins. I only know he and Charles have clashed many times. But Charles is unable to remove him.”
I threw my hands up. “How do you expect me to do my job when you’re keeping secrets from me? How can the p—” I stopped myself before calling him the pooh-bah in front of Tempest. She cracked a smile, telling me she already knew my pet name for him. I cleared my throat. “How can Charles trust him?”
“He doesn’t. But he does believe there’s more to this plague than meets the eye. It’s a danger that goes deeper than we’d like. We need you to get to the bottom of it. If that means playing his game while you do, so be it.”
I frowned. “I don’t play games.” I looked over at Sara. “Particularly now. There isn’t time.”
“Agreed.” Her gaze followed mine. “So play them quickly.”
I stood there in my daughter’s room, watching her lifeless body, not sure what to do. Anger threatened to bubble to the surface. Okay, rage. But also, a deep sense of helplessness. I knew going to that hive was a dead end. I could feel it in my bones.
“Tempest,” I said, my voice quiet, heavy with my confused emotions. “Most of the reason why I’m so good at what I do is that I trust my instincts, and then I follow them. Everything I have is screaming that at best, the hive is a dead end. At worst, it’s some kind of trap.”
Her refusal to dispute my claim only solidified my resolve. “Good luck to you. I will not leave Sara’s side,” she said eventually. She did not speak in my mind, but the words that silently passed between us with the grave expression on her face weighed heavily on me. If I willingly chose to defy Devlin, there would be consequences. But nothing would be worse than losing Sara. And she was my priority all along, not pleasing some stuffed shirt member of the council.
I let that reassure me as I crossed the room to Sara’s bed. I sat down on the edge of it and took her hand. “I’m going to fix this, my baby. Tempest is going to be here with you. I trust her with not only my own life, but yours. Be good to her while I’m gone.” I kissed her hand. “I love you, my angel. I won’t be gone long. I promise.”
Abruptly, I stood up. I couldn’t sit there any longer, or I’d never leave. The tears were heavy in my throat, making it hard to breathe. But I didn’t let them out. I’d rather choke than waste time on crying. Time Sara didn’t have.
Tempest walked me to the door. “Good luck. And for the Mother’s sake, be careful.”
I nodded. “We will.”
How to win a gunfight with a knife, and other hunting secrets
The guys were waiting in the study, sitting by the fire. I paid no notice to them as I pulled up a secret panel in the staircase, and continued down into the basement. In seconds, I heard them fly out of their chairs and follow me.
“So, we see the true nature of the demon hunter,” Levi said
as he eagerly followed me into the darkness.
“How do you know I won’t kill all of you right here?” I said, but the threat sounded hollow even to me. My heart wasn’t in it.
“Oh, please, darling, you have bigger fish to fry than a bunch of annoying men who follow you like puppies,” Levi said.
I looked over my shoulder, ready to fire something back, but the look on his face completely disarmed me. I wasn’t prepared for that level of compassion. So I turned back around quickly, lest the tears start falling.
I felt a big, heavy hand on my shoulder, and turned to see Oscar giving me a small smile of encouragement. “I, for one, would like to see some of your tricks.”
“Ditto,” I said to the gargoyle.
His smile grew, and he gave me a short nod. It was the most emotion he’d shown in the short time I’d been exposed to him. It was oddly even more disarming than the actual charmer to my right.
I flipped a switch on the wall, bathing the entire room in bright white light. It didn’t help the industrial feel of the space, which Sara vehemently complained about every chance she got. But I’d told her it wasn’t supposed to feel homey down here. It was supposed to be efficient, so I could grab what I needed and go.
“Each steel cabinet holds an array of weapons, mostly knives and daggers. Feel free to explore. Take what you need, but I do ask that you clean and return whatever you use. I’ve spent many lifetimes collecting these weapons.”
While the men looked, occasionally taking a dagger down and holding it in their hands, they always put them back. I tried not to pay much attention as I went to the back corner. I wasn’t used to having men in my bunker, so when I opened my cabinet and looked at my hunting clothes, I wasn’t sure what to do. I always dressed down here. It was easier. All my holsters and things were part of my uniform.
“Uh, could you guys turn around for me?”
“What?” Levi asked.
It was stupid. They were so distracted by my weapons that none of them had even been looking at me in the first place.
“I just need to change.”
“Oh, of course.” Levi put the knife he’d been inspecting back in its holder. It was one of my favorites. Gifted to me by Tempest herself. With green emeralds in the handle, she claimed it had powers beyond the rest of my blades. All of my blades were specially made by wizards like Ed. They had to be, if they were going to have any effect at all on the demons I hunted. But Tempest’s creations were said to bond with its owner, and would never miss for that person. Conversely, it would never hit for anyone else, and thus could never be used against me. I didn’t know. I’d never let anyone else throw it, but I always kept it with me on a hunt. And she was right; so far, it had never missed.
There was a general clearing of throats and some murmuring of small talk as they gathered in the far corner with their backs to me. It could not have been more awkward if I actually narrated what I was doing. I shook my head at my idiocy, and dressed faster than I ever had. The black leather pants and tank top usually took some time to ease on, but this time, I spared nothing. The material was strong, and didn’t tear, despite how I yanked on it.
As I started strapping on my holsters, I said, “I’m decent.”
A collective sigh escaped them, and I chuckled. “For Bael’s sake, you’d think you’d never been in the same room with a naked woman before.”
“Not one so good looking as you,” Levi said, a hunger in his golden eyes I hadn’t noticed before.
My pulse raced, and I swallowed hard before looking back to my ankle holster, securing it tightly. Probably tighter than it needed to be, if I were being honest. “Then you haven’t been around enough women,” I said quietly.
Ed laughed out loud, creating a strange echo in the boxy room. “I sincerely doubt that, my lady.” I snorted in spite of myself, and Ed’s smile widened as if I’d encouraged him to go on. “Of all of us, he’s not exactly the one who’s awkward around women. He is a charmer, after all.”
I chuckled, even if my heart wasn’t in it. “Point taken.” I eyed Levi, whose smile never faded while he listened.
I shook my head as I fitted the last holster to my arm. Two on my back, one on each leg, and one on each arm gave me a fair arsenal. I never wanted to run out. And since I had a tendency to throw them, it was a real possibility. I grabbed my black jacket off the hook and tossed it on the table in the center of the room.
“You look ready,” Ike said, a hint of approval in his voice.
“Not quite,” I said as I made my rounds of the room. I never took the same set of weapons on any two missions. The only knife I took with me every time was my emerald beauty. But she was a known quantity. The others were the ones who needed to speak to me. Tell me their mark, so I would bring them along.
I walked the room slowly. All the cabinets had already been opened, so I was left to wander freely while the men watched.
“Is there something you need help with?” Levi asked, clearly confused with my ritual.
I didn’t answer him while I continued my perusal. When none stuck out to me, I stood and went to my emerald beauty. I could always start with her. The weapons I had were like the story of my past. Each one I’d fought hard for, been entrusted with, or found in some depth of hell. Each one had a purpose, not unlike our motley team of supernaturals.
Take my emerald beauty for example.
This blade has been in my family for centuries. She’s never found a home here, because she was made for you, Tempest had said.
I’d hesitated to take the weapon, uncomfortable with the idea of receiving a Fae blade that was basically an heirloom.
As if sensing my uncertainty, Tempest held it out to me. I know you will save our world with this. Take it, so I might do my part.
“Now, now,” I’d said as I gingerly picked it up by the beautiful green handle. It almost looked like dragon scales, and made me wonder at the history of the weapon. “No need to be dramatic. I’ll take it if you really want me to have it, but I make no promises about being some kind of hero. You know who I am, Tempest.”
She’d smiled at me, all those centuries ago, as if she knew something I didn’t, the minx. Yes. I know exactly who you are.
Smiling to myself at the memory, I gently picked the green beauty up and lovingly passed my hand over her blade. “You ready?” She was always ready, and I slid her into the holster on my back. The one I always went to first. She needed a sibling. That led me to another gift from the Fae, but not Tempest. A black-hearted little beast with a blade as dark as the souls it took. I would definitely need his strength for this journey.
I thought about what I was up against, the unknown, and that led me to another. One I’d found and had no idea of its origins. I hadn’t used it often, feeling unsure of its allegiances. But it was such a beautiful knife, with markings I’d never tracked down carved into the blade. It was one of Sara’s many research projects that always got pushed to the back burner.
Three more empty holsters. I already had one unknown. I needed knowns. Ones that were tried and true. As if of their own accord, my feet took me to the cabinet closest to my wardrobe. I had about twenty blades in there, but the two I was after were right smack in the middle. My work horses. I used them for just about everything from slicing demons to cutting ropes.
One slot left. I wanted a silver blade. Just in case. All of my weapons had some traces of the metal in them, but I wanted a purer one that would do the job more quickly than the others. I moved one cabinet over and selected a medium-sized silver dagger with a wooden handle. I slid her into the slot next to my emerald beauty. I knew if Devlin came at me, I’d need her quickly.
I stood up, feeling stronger, my arsenal giving me the strength I needed. I had more purpose.
“Now, I’m ready.”
Sunshine, roses, and ridding the garden of moles
“Do we have a plan?” I asked as we settled in the study around the fire. Ike went to make some tea before anyone would r
eally answer my question.
“I made a cup for you as well,” he said as he handed me a steaming mug. Huh. Wouldn’t have pegged the werewolf as a tea maker.
Someone snorted, but I couldn’t tell who. They’d schooled their faces so quickly I didn’t have any idea. I decided to ignore it and grabbed my cup, even though I wasn’t really in the mood for tea. I was in the mood for hunting. I never had tea before a hunt. Whiskey, maybe. But I didn’t like to dull my senses. The stop at the pub was for after.
“Where are we with a plan?” I asked as I held my cup and saucer without taking a drink.
“Well, we all know you don’t want to go to the hive, but…” Levi trailed off. Apparently, he’d been named spokesmen for the group.
“But what? Like I told Tempest—at best, it’s a dead end. At worst, it’s some kind of trap. What will you do if we get there, and whoever’s behind this just wants to eliminate us?”
“I think it would be difficult to capture us, given our number,” Ed said, seeming to measure his words carefully.
“Five doesn’t exactly make an army, Ed. Plus, you’d sacrifice one or two of us for a mistake? One I think we can all agree is pretty clear,” I argued.
“We don’t all agree it’s a mistake. We’ll get some answers out of it. If it is a trap, who set it? We’re liable to find out if we go into it,” Levi argued.
I looked at the two who hadn’t spoken, but didn’t get a reading on either of them. “All right, let’s hear some arguments from the rule followers. Because if the only reason you want to go into a demon hive is because the council said so, I’ll boot you right off this team.”
“We’ve agreed we don’t have any other place to start,” Levi argued.
“The others can’t speak for themselves?” I asked.
“They can. But you’re a bit confrontational. Especially when you’re armed to the teeth,” Levi said with a shit-ass grin.
I sighed. “You know, I get tired of men being intimidated by me. If you can’t walk next to me, what are you doing here?”
“Not helpful,” Ed mumbled.