by Julie Wetzel
Pushing that thought from his mind, he dropped his hand to his side and glanced over at Krissy and Phelan standing together on the other side of the elevator. He had so much to tell them, but he didn’t dare breathe a word until they were someplace secure. Even then, he didn’t know where to begin or how much he could safely say. Krissy held the potential of saving the Brenton pack, but it wasn’t going to be easy on her. If Phelan knew what it would cost her, he would do anything he could to stop her. Elliot considered the options for a minute, deciding he would only give them as much as they needed to get the pack ready for the fight. Telling them what could be would only prevent them from making the choices they needed to.
When the elevator pinged and the door slid open, Elliot waited for Zak to scamper out before following the fay and stopping just inside the foyer. He closed his eyes and listened, getting a feel for what was going on inside the apartment. After assessing the situation, he headed towards the main source of noise in the living room, knowing he was about to ruin someone’s day.
***
Krissy glanced at Phelan as she started after Elliot. She didn’t know what was going on, and it unnerved her. She’d tried to get Elliot to explain things during the ride over, but his answers had been short and cryptic. It was enough to make her aching head hurt worse. She was going to have to get something for the pain soon.
Turning her eyes forwards, she found Elliot’s back much closer than it should have been. She jerked back to keep from slamming into him. The sudden change in motion unbalanced her, and she teetered on unstable feet. Phelan’s hand caught her before she could topple over. She drew in a sharp breath at the unexpected touch. She’d been working on rebuilding her mental barriers, but the light touch on her side connected her to Phelan. His feelings tore through those barriers again. His worry and concern filled her, and she had to close her eyes to drive the feelings back.
“Are you okay?” Phelan asked softly as he held her.
Krissy nodded and patted his hand before opening her eyes. “I’m fine,” she said as she started after Elliot again. The fact that Phelan’s emotions walked straight through her defenses at the slightest touch worried her. Sometimes, strong emotions would leak through her shield, but she’d never had any problems keeping them up before. She considered the fact that she was still tired from her night helping the wolves and decided to let the matter drop until after she’d had some food and rest. Things would probably go back to normal once she was feeling better. Once Elliot started moving again, she followed him across the foyer and into the living room.
As Elliot entered the living room, he pulled off his coat and tossed it over the back of the couch. “Jakob.”
Krissy turned to look at what she thought was Jakob. She blushed at the sight. Waves of red hair cascaded down Vanessa’s bare back as she sat straddled on one of the twin vampires’ laps.
Embarrassed they’d walked in on such an intimate moment, Krissy spun around to escape. She ran straight into Phelan.
Unprepared for her sudden change in course, he caught her against him.
She buried her reddened face into his chest and tried not to listen to the interrupted lovers.
Wrapping his arms around Krissy, Phelan glanced around the room. His mind was occupied with the problems of the wolves, and he hadn’t noticed his surroundings. When he realized what caused Krissy such distress, he smirked and held her more gently. Public nudity was commonplace in his world, but he could see how it could embarrass someone with sensibilities that were more delicate.
“Elliot?” Jakob called as he came through the swinging door from the kitchen.
Elliot glanced over at the twin. He wasn’t quite as naked as his brother was. “I’m sorry to bother you,” Elliot said as he crossed the room to one of the curio cabinets in the corner. “But I need your help.” Pulling open the door, Elliot fished inside until he found what he wanted. Taking out a large, wooden vessel, he turned to Jakob. “I need you and your brother to salt the sill and thresholds in the house.” He held the vessel out for the younger vampire to take. “Make sure you include the garbage shoot, the fireplace, and any other openings that might lead outside.”
Without questioning the command, Jakob came over and took the container. “Yes, My Master.”
“Get Vanessa to help you where the sunlight is an issue,” Elliot ordered as he closed up the cabinet. “If you run out of that salt, use the sea salt from the kitchen.” He turned and considered the twins and Vanessa. “Is Beth still here?”
“She took Anna to the airport,” Josh said from where he sat on the couch with Vanessa in his lap. She’d buried her face into his shoulder, doing her best to hide her embarrassment.
Elliot made a noise in his throat as he started back across the room. “Good, I wouldn’t want Anna to miss her flight.” When he reached Phelan and Krissy, he touched the wolf on the shoulder. “Come.” He passed the pair and stepped into the foyer. “Zak,” he called.
The little horror scampered out of the kitchen door and bumped into Elliot’s legs.
Kneeling down, the vampire rubbed his hands down Zak’s back. “Find Odette and let her know we are sealing this place up as soon as the boys finish laying the salt. She’s welcome to stay, but she won’t be able to leave until we’re done. I don’t want her to be trapped here accidently.”
Zak yipped at him and scurried up the steps.
“Sealing the place up?” Phelan asked.
Elliot stood up to face Phelan and Krissy. “It’s the only way to be sure,” he said and started up the steps.
Krissy and Phelan exchanged a worried glance before following Elliot upstairs.
“What are we up against?” Phelan asked as he followed Elliot around the corner and into Darien’s office.
Krissy stopped at the doorway and stared down the short hall leading to the room. The fact that she still didn’t have any idea what was going on was starting to wear on her. Following the men into the room, she stopped and looked around. She could barely see the blood-red walls behind all the bookcases. Her eyes scanned over the shelves filled with old books and strange items. She took a few tentative steps towards the desk in the center of the room as she listened to the men talk.
“I can’t say quite yet,” Elliot said as he moved around to the backside of the desk and pulled a worn ledger from the shelves. “You’re just going to have to trust me for now.” He flipped the book open to start scanning the pages.
Krissy could feel the frustration radiating off Phelan as the wolf stood in front of the desk and waited for the vampire to explain. She could sympathize with his feelings. Closing her eyes, she tipped her head forwards to try to ease the pain in her head. The sound of an exasperated sigh pulled her head back up. She turned just in time to see Phelan pull his coat off.
“It looks like we’re going to be here for a while,” he grumbled as he folded his coat over his arm and turned to her. “Let me have your coat.”
“Do I have to stay?” she asked, struggling out of her borrowed jacket. Her head was killing her, and she wanted out of her running clothes. A nice sandwich and a bath wouldn’t hurt either.
“No,” Elliot said. He dropped the book on the desk and came out from behind it. “You’re free to leave at any time, but I would appreciate your help if you’re willing to stay.”
Krissy whimpered at the idea of staying. She really wanted to go home, but it was hard to say no to the imploring look in Elliot’s eyes. The thought of food and rest made refusing an enticing option, but she remembered what Elliot had said about her decisions. If she could make a difference in the fight, then she should stay and help. Although she still didn’t see what it had to do with her—she wasn’t a werewolf. She glanced at Phelan to find he didn’t want her to leave either. Turning back to Elliot, she briefly wondered if he was trying to compel her, but dropped that idea. If she had enough of a mind to question his actions, then he wasn’t trying to force her into something. She considered him and Phelan for a
moment longer before letting her breath rush from her lungs. “All right,” she said, “but is there any way I could get something for pain? My head is killing me.”
Elliot gave her a surprised look. “I’m sorry,” he said. He turned towards a door in the side of the room. “I didn’t realize you were hurting.”
“I’ve had a headache since I woke up,” she said as she followed him across the room. She stopped in the doorway and looked around the small room. It appeared to have been a bathroom at one time. Someone had decked the room out with more shelving, and it gave the feeling of a storage closet.
Rummaging around on one of the shelves, Elliot made an understanding noise in his throat. “That makes sense.” He pulled a small vial from the shelf and held it out towards Krissy. “Drink this.”
She looked at it in disgust. The fluid that sloshed inside was clear and the most offensive shade of orange she had ever seen. A thick layer of stuff had settled to the bottom of the bottle. “What is it?”
“Medicine,” Elliot said. “I suspect you have a backlash headache from dealing with the wolves last night.” He looked at the vial and shook it hard before holding it out to her again. “This will help.”
Krissy stared at it again. The sediment at the bottom had mixed with the liquid. It swirled around like metallic clouds. It was very interesting to look at, but not something she wanted to drink “Don’t you have some Tylenol or something?”
“Probably,” Phelan said from behind her. He looked over her shoulder at the vial. “But if you are suffering from magical backlash, regular pain relievers won’t help.” He laid his hand on Krissy’s shoulder and reached for the vial.
Elliot handed it to him.
“Is this one of Darien’s remedies?” Phelan asked as he shook the bottle, sending the contents swirling again.
“Actually, I think it’s one of Niall’s,” Elliot answered.
Phelan nodded his approval. “Even better.”
Krissy turned and looked over her shoulder at Phelan. “Who’s Niall?”
“A fay that Darien reveres for his herbal remedies,” Phelan explained handing the bottle back to Elliot.
Frustrated with the way the conversation was going, Krissy finally snapped. “Who the hell is Darien?” She’d heard the man’s name thrown around with respect, but she wasn’t about to trust the judgment of someone she’d never met.
“He’s the master of the city,” Phelan explained.
“But don’t tell him that,” Elliot said with a grin.
Krissy gave them both an annoyed glare. She didn’t see what was funny, and she still didn’t know who Darien was.
Elliot cleared his throat and tried to act more serious. “Darien is my master,” he explained. “He is also the oldest and most powerful vampire in the city. He could rule us all if he so desired.”
“But that’s not what he wants?” she asked, trying to understand.
Elliot shook his head. “No. Darien was never one for the politics that came with power. He’s content to watch from the sidelines and let Clara run the city.”
Krissy shook her head, trying to wrap her mind around the complicated world she now found herself in.
“But that doesn’t matter right now,” Elliot said, taking Krissy’s hand and placing the vial in it. “All you really need to know is that Darien is a skilled healer. He may be a bit of a pack rat at times, but he doesn’t keep anything around that doesn’t have a use. I assure you, if your headache is magically induced or not, this will help.” He curled her fingers around the glass and pushed it towards her.
Opening her hand, Krissy looked at the vial one more time. The metallic cloud had started to settle again so she rocked it back and forth. She could feel Phelan standing at her back, waiting patiently. She closed her eyes and let his emotions flow through her. He was concerned for his kin, but nothing in him gave her doubt about the potion she held. In fact, he was confident Elliot was telling her the truth. Opening her eyes, she looked down at the bottle once more. Taking it up, she swirled the contents around and pulled the cork from the top. The soft scent of citrus reached her as she held the vial up. She turned curious eyes to Elliot. “All of it?”
“All of it,” he said.
Raising the glass to her lips, she sipped the liquid. The tastes of oranges and herbs filled her mouth. Finding it pleasant, she poured the rest in and swallowed. Heat bloomed in the back of her mouth and followed the liquid as it raced down her throat. The warmth radiated up the back of her sinuses, carried by the aromatic herbs. Sparkles flashed in her eyes, and she grabbed for the doorframe as things went out of focus. Phelan’s hand touched her side, but she didn’t really need his help staying up. The potion raced through her, driving out the pain and fatigue she’d been feeling. Her vision cleared, and she stared up at Elliot.
“Better?”
“Wow,” she answered, trying to come to terms with what had just happened. “That stuff packs a punch.” She felt as if she’d had a full night’s rest and was ready to take on the world.
“Fay potions always do,” he said, taking the vial from her hand and dropping it into the sink.
“How’s your headache?” Phelan asked.
Krissy turned and looked at him. The pain that had been beating at the back of her eye wasn’t there. “Gone.”
“Good,” Elliot said. “Then we had better get started. We don’t have much time.”
Krissy and Phelan both moved back into the office, so Elliot could get out of the room.
Closing the door, Elliot made his way across the room to the short hall that led out. “Come help me with this.” Stopping just inside, he turned and pulled open the closet door.
Krissy followed as he stepped inside the small room. She glanced around at the shelves and racks filled with more amazing things. A flash of silver caught her eye, and she turned her attention to one of the shelves. Something long and shiny was stretched out on one of the shelves. She moved closer to see it better. It looked like a snake made out of silver plates. Drawn to it, she reached out and lifted the serpent from the shelf. “What is this?”
Elliot turned from the shelf and looked at what she held. “That,” he said, turning back to his search, “is Jörmungand, The Asgardian World Serpent.”
Krissy marveled at the craftsmanship. Each section was amazingly detailed and articulated so it moved like a real snake.
“You should probably put him back,” Elliot said in a tone that was suggestive but not reprimanding. “He likes women, so I doubt he’d bite you, but I wouldn’t risk it. He’s easily agitated and his venom is the most toxic thing I’ve ever seen.”
Her eyes widened in astonishment, and she carefully laid the silver snake back on the shelf. “It’s alive?” A look of shock covered her face as she turned to Elliot.
“Not really,” Elliot explained as he shuffled through things on one of the racks. “That’s just one of the many physical manifestations of the Midgard Serpent. In his true form, Jörmungand would stretch around the world.”
This concept confused Krissy and her brow furrowed as she tried to wrap her mind around it. She had no idea what Asgardian meant outside of the recent superhero movies, but those were based on comic books, not real life. She turned back to the shelf where she’d placed the snake, but the thing was gone. “What the hell?” She took a quick step back, looking for some sign of the missing serpent.
“What happened?” Elliot asked, glancing up from his search.
Krissy pointed at the shelf. “It’s gone!”
Elliot looked at the empty space where the snake had been. “He’s here somewhere,” he said as he went back to shuffling through stuff. “Unless he went someplace else, then he’s gone. I wouldn’t worry too much about it. He can take care of himself.”
“But…” Krissy stammered as she glanced around the room. “How?” The disappearing snake was starting to freak her out.
Phelan laid his hand on her shoulder to calm her. “It’s all right. It’s
just a bit of magic.”
Fear filled Krissy as she turned to meet Phelan’s eyes. “But…” Things randomly disappearing didn’t settle well in her worldview.
“It’s okay,” Phelan said, trying to soothe her. “Magic defies reason. It’s best if you just let it go. Just relax and breathe.” He drew in several slow, deep breaths, urging Krissy to follow.
On the verge of hyperventilating, she mimicked Phelan and managed to get her heart rate down before passing out.
“Better now?” Phelan asked.
Krissy shook her head but didn’t get the chance to answer.
“Found it,” Elliot said as he stood up from the shelf with a large wooden case. “I should have realized he’d put it on a lower shelf.” The memory of the last time he’d rummaged in Darien’s things came to Elliot’s mind. He’d accidently dropped one of the bottles of holy water and splashed it all over his legs when it broke. The burns had hung around for a few weeks.
Both Krissy and Phelan turned to him.
Elliot held the box out. “Take this.”
Phelan moved past Krissy and took it from Elliot.
“Set it on the desk,” Elliot said as he bent back over. He pulled several bottles from the same shelf. “Here.” He started handing them up to Krissy.
“What’s this?” Krissy asked as she gathered the bottles into her arms.
“Holy water,” Elliot said in disgust. “Don’t drop them.”
Krissy stared down at the little bottles in surprise. She couldn’t think of any reason a vampire would have holy water around. “What do I do with them?”
“Set them on the desk,” Elliot said as he pulled some cloth off another shelf.
Turning around, Krissy carried the bottles to the desk. Phelan helped her to line the bottles up next to the wooden case.
Elliot followed her out and dropped a pile of cloth on the chair behind the desk. He also set a wooden pole on top of the desk. Turning around, he went into the bathroom for a moment before coming out with an empty spray bottle. “Here.” He held the bottle out to Phelan. “Take some of that water down to Vanessa and have her spray all the sills the twins have salted.”