Stormwind (The Storm Chronicles Book 3)

by Skye Knizley

  “Good. Good…” Raven said. “Help me up and somebody call my partner.”

  “I beg your pardon?” the paramedic asked.

  “I’m fine. Help me up,” Raven repeated. “Or do you want me to break these stupid straps?”

  “I think you better do as she says,” Levac said, stepping up with two cups of coffee.

  “You’re both crazy,” the paramedic said.

  “Maybe. But we also have badges and I, for one, have a gun. Let her up.”

  The paramedic complied and Raven sat up, accepting one of the coffee cups gratefully.

  “Thanks, Rupe. How was Aspen?” she asked.

  He looked away for a beat. “I don’t know. She was gone when I got here. And I should tell you, that isn’t coffee.”

  Raven groaned, but sucked down the warm claret, knowing she needed it to keep going. She tossed the empty cup away in disgust and held her hand out for Levac’s coffee.

  “Hey, this is mine…” Levac said.

  “Gimme,” Raven said, opening and closing her hand. “If I ever get my wallet back I will buy you all the coffee you want. I need to get this taste out of my mouth.”

  Levac handed her the cup and she held it in both hands, sipping from the sweet, hot brew.

  “Tell me straight, Rupe, was Aspen alive when they took her?” she asked between sips.

  “I really don’t know, Ray. Like I said, they’d already taken her. All I know is you had crushed ribs and a punctured lung. It took them forty minutes to extricate you from what was left of the car. Aspen they just rolled off you and carted away to the hospital.”

  “I hope she’s okay, I can’t feel her,” Raven said. “Have you been to the roof?”

  “Yeah, I went to see why you jumped off a roof. You got him, one naked man on the roof with an arrow through his eye,” Levac said.

  “Man?” Raven asked.

  “Yeah, Caito. You killed him with one shot,” Levac replied. “I’m guessing he was a lycan. I’ve got a team up there bagging and tagging his ass right now.”

  “Shit,” Raven said, sliding off the gurney.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Caito isn’t the alpha I saw in the tunnels,” Raven replied. “I’m not even sure he was an alpha at all. Just a warrior.”

  “How do you know?” Levac asked.

  “Cause the alpha was female, a she-wolf and Eliazarr’s mate. She’s the one pulling the strings.”

  Raven began to pace back and forth in the rain, holding the cup in front of her lips.

  “Ming must have run the evidence we collected. What did you find? Anything useful?”

  Levac nodded and pulled his soggy notebook out of his pocket. “Ming examined that key thing we found at Diarmait’s place and figured out it was made from native stone cut approximately four thousand years ago, Pocock ran DNA on the bone weapons and confirmed they were made from a variety of animals, but primarily deer and moose, he collected a few prints from the bodies, but they didn’t match anyone in AFIS, he matched a partial from Diarmait’s place to that Evangelina woman who was at your house, she had a record for prostitution. Frost sent Corona and Driemeier to question her, but it was just like we left it before. There was no sign of her.”

  “She’s dead. She was a backstabbing pain in the rear, but she’s not the person we’re looking for. Diarmait is dead, too. My guess is he was working with the lycans in an effort to find that temple, which is why he had the key. They found out he was a hunter and put him in there with us. What else?”

  Levac studied his smeared notes again. “He typed that hair I collected at Franks’ place. There is a 98% probability it came from an Asian female. It also contained traces of an unknown, dormant, virus. It’s nothing dangerous, but it excited Ming to no end. He wants to write a paper about it.”

  “It’s not dormant and it is only harmless in the state he found it in,” Raven said. “It’s Lycanthrope and it’s dormant until the carrier bites someone and passes it on.”

  “What’s Lycanthrope?” Levac asked, his pen poised over the wet paper.

  “It’s the virus that turns lycans into lycans,” Raven replied. “Lycan is short for Lycanthrope. It’s like the HVT virus that pureblood vampires carry that turns humans into Embraced or Familiars.”

  “So whoever attacked Franks was a female Asian werewolf?”

  “I think so,” Raven replied. “And I’m pretty sure I know who it is.”

  “Are you going to share with the rest of the class?”

  “Nope,” Raven said. “Not until I’m sure which one it is. I don’t suppose you managed to get my gun and car back?”

  Levac shook his head and handed over her badge. “Sorry, Ray, this was all I could get my hands on. Frost wouldn’t release anything else until you’re cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of Sanchez. Technically he wants me to bring you in for questioning.”

  “Later. I’ll stand in front of an IA board if I have to,” Raven said. “This is more important. These lycans have killed dozens of innocent people for nothing more than cannibalism and sport. If I don’t stop them now, they’ll go back into the forests and won’t be back for another hundred years; they’ll prey on innocents and spill more blood.”

  “What’s our play then?”

  “Get your car, we’re going to Club Black,” Raven said.

  LEVAC PARKED HIS NASH IN front of Club Black. Music was still blaring from within and a handful of late night partiers were standing around outside enjoying a smoke under the awning.

  Raven and Levac stepped onto the curb and Raven pulled her new compound bow from the back seat along with two dozen of Thad’s customized arrows. He’d gone all out like he thought his little sister was a super hero. Most of the arrows were silver and oak, but she packed a few surprises she hoped she didn’t have to use.

  She slung the quiver over her shoulder and turned toward the Club Black entrance.

  “You don’t look so good, lady,” one of the drunken partiers said.

  “It isn’t my blood,” Raven replied, giving the man a look.

  The man paled and stepped away. “Gotcha. H… have fun inside.”

  Raven strode down the sidewalk and started past the doorman, who held up a hand to stop her.

  “I’m sorry, Madame, but you cannot enter Club Black looking like that,” he said in a French accent.

  “Like what?” Raven said, looking down at her torn, bloodstained tank, jeans and tattered bandages.

  “Like you’ve been in a war. I suggest you get cleaned up and come back tomorrow,” the doorman said.

  “Mistake,” Levac said from behind Raven.

  Raven grabbed the Frenchman by his collar and leaned close, her bloody, coffee scented breath on his face.

  “You’re not who I’m looking for, though I’ve no doubt you know who I want. You have one chance to walk away without multiple bruises, contusions and abrasions,” she said. “I suggest you take it. This job isn’t worth the pain.”

  She let go and watched the doorman, waiting for him to make a move. He straightened his tie with all the dignity he could muster and stepped off the landing to walk off into the rain.

  “Smart man,” Levac said.

  “I must be mellowing,” Raven said. “He smelled like a wet dog.”

  She pulled open the doors and walked through into the lobby. The receptionist looked up when they entered and growled, her eyes glowing like a wolf’s. She stepped out from behind her podium, unzipped the front of her red and black top and began to shift into lycan form.

  Raven pushed Levac toward the club proper. “Get everyone out of here, but be careful. Anyone who doesn’t want to leave is probably a lycan. Use Thad’s rounds and go for the head or heart. These guys can shrug off a Mack truck.”

  Levac squeezed Raven’s arm and drew his pistol.

  “I’ll be right back, save some of that alpha for me.”

  Raven turned her attention back to the lycan who had finished shifting and was now paci
ng back and forth, a low growl building in her throat.

  “In public?” Raven asked. “You guys really couldn’t care less about the treaty, could you?”

  By way of answer the lycan picked up the podium and threw it at Raven. She ducked under the flying wood and came up with the bow in her hands. Her shots went wide of the raging lycan and it jumped off the wall to pounce on Raven.

  Raven tried to roll aside, but the lycan caught her with one powerful arm and sent her flying into the red leather sofa. She gasped in pain as her spine slammed into the heavy furniture, the air forced from her lungs. She fell to the floor and sucked in a breath through clenched teeth, watching the lycan from the corner of her eye.

  The lycan turned and charged, its claws digging furrows in the floor. Raven waited until the she-wolf was almost on top of her before she did a one-handed cartwheel and drew another arrow. She flipped backwards again as the lycan spun, its claws whistling through the air and she loosed the arrow. The silver hunting tip punctured the lycan’s skull and the creature dropped, sliding to a stop at Raven’s feet. She watched it change back and stood, knocking a fresh arrow.

  “That wasn’t very nice, Fürstin Ravenel,” Hisakawa said from her spot near her office door. “She was just doing her job.”

  The tall woman leaned against the wall appearing relaxed in a red leather dress buttoned to the neck. Her black hair was held in place with two sticks of silver and her face was perfectly made up with dark eyes and lips that matched her dress.

  Raven looked at her and swallowed her anger. “Neither was trying to kill me and my familiar, butchering dozens of innocent people and declaring war on my mother’s house. You tell me who was more wrong.”

  “The First Clan does not answer to humans or vampires, half-breed. Nor do we follow your rules. We prowled this land when you were still hiding from the sun in caves,” Hisakawa said.

  “I don’t hide from the sun,” Raven replied. “And if you’re in this city you answer to our laws, one way or the other.”

  “This land belongs to the Clan,” Hisakawa said.

  Raven shrugged. “Then you probably should have put up a no vacancy sign before a bunch of people moved here. I’m not the government. If you want to complain, call the state department.”

  “You’re an impossible woman,” Hisakawa said.

  “Whatever. You’re a murdering psycho who can’t control her animal. Someone should have put you down long ago,” Raven replied.

  “Many have tried, half-breed, and most were armed with more than a fancy bow and a handful of arrows. All perished beneath my claws.”

  “I’m terrified,” Raven replied. “I’m sure you can tell. Look, lady, I’ve faced things more frightening than you just trying to get a cup of coffee. Have you ever seen a writer after three days without caffeine? It’s not a pretty sight.”

  Hisakawa sneered. “I have heard all about Fürstin Ravenel, Chicago’s protector and Lady Valentina’s champion. You’re the best this pathetic city has to offer. I’m not impressed.”

  “What do you say then, She-wolf? Do you want a shot at my title? You can hang my skin over your cave entrance,” Raven said.

  “Do not mock me, bloodsucker,” Hisakawa warned.

  Raven grinned. “But it’s just so easy, I can’t help myself.” She stopped smiling, letting her Sanguinarch blood boil. “Come get some, bitch.”

  Hisakawa growled and shifted, ripping her dress to shreds that clung to her silver fur. Raven fired before the lycan had even taken a step; the she-wolf batted the silver tip aside and charged. Raven back peddled and tried to knock another arrow, but the lycan was too fast. She’d barely got a grip on the arrow when the she-wolf slapped the bow out of her hands with one powerful blow.

  Raven gripped the arrow and somersaulted backwards, putting distance between herself and the lycan. When she was clear, she spun and threw the arrow with all her strength; it flew straight and hit the lycan in the thigh eliciting a howl of pain.

  “You should have stayed in your cave and left me and mine alone,” Raven said.

  The lycan’s howl turned into a laugh as it pulled the arrow free and tossed it aside.

  “I am no mere lycan, bloodsucker,” the she-wolf rumbled. “You will need more than bravado and a bit of silver to keep me from drinking blood from your skull.”

  Raven made a face. “That’s disgusting. You know, I can barely drink blood from an IV bag? Just can’t stand the taste.”

  “You are weak, half-breed.”

  “If thinking blood tastes like crap makes me weak, so be it. At least I don’t need a case of shaving cream for my legs every full moon.”

  The she-wolf snarled and charged again. Raven met her, blocking the lycan’s angry swing with her right arm and backhanding the she-wolf with her left. The lycan spit out a canine and lashed out with blinding speed, her claws tearing through Raven’s shirt and leaving four bloody welts across her stomach.

  Raven hissed in pain, but stayed close to the lycan, punching and kicking like a muay thai champion on a rampage. The pair exchanged blow after blow with neither gaining the upper hand until the lycan’s roundhouse backhand caught Raven in the face and sent her sprawling to the floor, blood trailing across the tile.

  The lycan roared and pounced, coming in for the kill. Raven rolled aside at the last second and the lycan crashed to the floor, splintering antique marble with her claws. Raven kicked her in the ribs hard enough to shatter bone and cartwheeled away again, stopping in a guard position.

  “I thought you were the big bad wolf. What’s the matter? Can’t win a fight with someone who isn’t weak from hunger?”

  The lycan kipped to her feet and turned, wiping blood from her muzzle.

  “I will eat your living brain last, half-breed,” she snarled. “My pups will nurse on your blood!”

  “You really need therapy,” Raven replied. “What kind of example is that for a child? They need puppy chow.”

  The lycan snarled and approached, more warily this time. Raven watched her, adjusting her feet and keeping the lycan in front of her. In a split second they joined battle again. The lycan’s claws tore through Raven’s arms and legs as she blocked, but she refused to give ground, her fists and feet giving as good as she got. A spin kick caught the lycan in the face, shattering her jaw. The lycan whimpered in pain and backed off, holding her face together with one paw.

  Raven refused to let the she-wolf get away. Blood dripping from her fingers she ran forward and jumped onto the massive she-wolf, bearing it to the floor with the force of the impact. As they hit the ground Raven wrapped her legs around the lycan’s muscular neck and grabbed one of her flailing arms, pulling it back into an arm-lock until the shoulder socket gave way with a sickening wet pop.

  The lycan moaned in pain and tried to push Raven off, eventually shifting back to human. Raven let go and stood, looking down at the bloody woman. She wiped gore from her own face, ignoring the rivulets that still ran from the healing wounds in her arms and legs.

  “Mercy, Fürstin Ravenel!” Hisakawa begged. “I ask for Mercy under the Treaty.”

  “Fine,” Raven replied. “I’ve had enough killing. Gather whatever is left of your clan and get the hell out of my city. If you ever come back I will kill every last one of you.”

  She turned away to find Levac standing in the doorway. She walked over to him and nearly fell when she reached him, the bloodlust fading from her eyes.

  “Nice job, Ray,” he said, catching her.

  “Thanks,” Raven murmured. “I think I need a nap.”

  “I think you need about a week in the hospital,” Levac replied. “I got all the innocents out and put down two lycans that tried to stop me. Frost is on his way to see what all the commotion is and…arrest you.”

  “Super,” Raven said. “I can sleep in a nice quiet jail cell where no-one can rip my head off.”

  “You will not be sleeping, Fürstin Ravenel. You’ll be dying!” Hisakawa said.

 
Raven looked over her shoulder to see Hisakawa, nude, fully healed and ready to fight.

  “Damn…” Raven muttered.

  “She showed you mercy, Ms. Hisakawa,” Levac said, drawing his pistol.

  “Mercy is for the weak,” Hisakawa replied. “She should have killed me when she had the chance.”

  The woman ran forward, shifting to lycan form as she ran. Levac raised his pistol and emptied the magazine into the running figure causing her to slow but not fall. She swiped one enormous paw at Raven, opening deep welts in her side and throwing her through the plate glass window where she landed in the street mere inches from Friday night traffic. The lycan then kicked Levac hard enough he fell down the stairs and into the club below. She glared at his crumpled form, let out a blood-curdling howl and ran out into the night, bounding over cars and onto the side of a building where she began to climb like a miniature King Kong.

  “Hey, Storm!” Frost yelled.

  Raven raised her head and tried to focus on the figure standing on the curb, a cigarette hanging from his lips.

  “You’re reinstated. Do what you do and stop that thing.”

  Frost tossed a shoulder holster into the street. It slid to a halt next to Raven and she picked it up. Inside was her Automag and two magazines of Thad’s specials. She buckled it on, staring at Frost all the while.

  “What about Rupert?”

  “I’ll take care of him,” Frost said. “You take care of the werewolf before it gets away and creates even more paperwork.”

  Raven gave a slight nod and turned to follow Hisakawa, sliding over the hoods of cars and crashing through the glass doors of the building the lycan had climbed.

  A handful of minutes later she kicked open the door to the roof and stepped back into the rain. Even through the smell of cooling tar and hot air conditioners she could smell the lycan’s blood. It had passed this way just seconds before. She followed it’s scent across the roof, her steps quiet and deliberate. Hisakawa was wounded and trying to escape. That made her an incredibly dangerous animal.

  Raven was halfway across the roof when an air conditioner vent flew out of the darkness and hit her in the side. She staggered under the impact; that was enough for Hisakawa to get the upper hand. The she-wolf ran forward and slashed Raven with both sets of claws, cutting through her skin and knocking her to the ground before disappearing back into the dark maze of equipment.