by Susan Illene
“Fair enough.” He tapped his fingers on the table. “Just one more thing. Do you know anything about some recent explosions northeast of town?”
“If I were you, I’d rely on the police reports.” The ones Nik and Kariann had doctored last night.
O’Connell stared at me for a full minute, as if that would persuade me to elaborate. It didn’t. He stood up.
I followed his example. “Can I go?”
“Yes,” he said, glancing at the door. “But you better come through for me on that intel or I can’t say what my agency might do if something big happens and we didn’t get any warning.”
“You’ll get it around the same time I do, I imagine. Keep training. You’re going to need it.” That was one piece of advice I had to give.
“Do you still have my card?”
“Yes.” It was at my house, but I had it.
“That’s the best way to reach me. Be sure to use it when the time comes.”
“And you let me know what your bosses say about leaving. Because if I do catch you hanging around town after tomorrow I’m going to assume we don’t have a deal and act accordingly. And I won’t be as gentle next time,” I warned.
He rubbed the back of his head where I’d probably given him a concussion.
“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” O’Connell said, meaning it.
“You and me both.” I looked at Kerbasi. “Please put your wings away. We’re going.”
He gave a disdainful look at the humans. “Good. The more I see of humans the more I realize you’re far more entertaining than they are.”
“What does he mean by that?” The agent lifted his eyebrows.
“You don’t want to know.” I took Kerbasi’s arm and strolled out, passing the agents who’d move from the doorway to allow us through.
Chapter Thirty-seven
Kariann wasn’t at Nik’s place when I went over there a couple hours after sunset. Instead, a two-hundred-year old vamp named Teego stood guard. He played back-up sometimes when one of the regulars couldn’t be present. I’d never said more than a word of greeting to him, and his idea of a greeting wasn’t exactly conventional.
A blade sailed across the foyer to land in a round birch board target. That was his thing, throwing knives. With vamp speed and reflexes—and many decades of practice—he never missed. I might have seen the knife fly by, but I hadn’t been in danger of getting hit.
“Hey, Teego,” I said, walking past him.
He grunted and fingered another knife.
Voices came from the living room. Nik had called me over because of something important, but he’d refused to explain until I got there. I walked in on him and Felisha arguing.
“You can’t do this!” Her face was red and her eyes were swollen.
She wore an ankle-length green dress held up with spaghetti straps. It fit the contours of her slim body well and showed just a hint of cleavage. Normally she wore more casual clothes, but since Josslyn had come along she’d upgraded her wardrobe.
Nik gave her a firm look. “I must.”
Kerbasi flashed into the room and took a seat at the far table with the chess board. I’d told him to stay at the house, but as usual he hadn’t listened. Now he pretended to study the game pieces as if that was the only reason he’d come, though I knew damn well it wasn’t.
“What’s going on?” I asked, settling on a couch arm.
“We have to stop him, Melena.” Felisha’s gaze ran between the master vampire and me. “He’s going to die if he fights in this duel tonight!”
I stilled. She believed that with every fiber of her being. I’d worried Derrick might issue a challenge and now it was confirmed. The two men would have to fight to the death and by morning, one would be gone from us forever. I swallowed a lump in my throat and met Nik’s eyes.
“She speaks the truth—as she believes it. I’d listen to her.”
He shook his head. “She’s wrong. Derrick is not as strong or as skilled as I am.”
The idiot man refused to listen no matter how many warnings he got. I didn’t want to see him lose his position, but I couldn’t discount all the other things I’d heard. There were those who wanted him out of power. Whether Derrick knew it or not, he was the tool being used to make Nik go.
“Lesser strength didn’t stop Lucas,” Kerbasi said, looking up. “He still beat an archangel in a duel, though we were all certain he’d lose.”
“He what?” Nik and I asked at the same time.
He returned his attention to the chessboard. “Of course, you’re not supposed to know about that.”
“No.” I marched over to him and stuck my finger in his face. “You’re going to tell me or I swear I’ll give you nothing but bologna sandwiches to eat for the next month.”
He pursed his lips and didn’t look at me. “I should say nothing more on the matter, but that would be a fate worse than death.”
“Then tell me,” I demanded.
He sighed and looked up. “How do you think he convinced the archangels to let him give you immortality? He challenged Remiel to a duel for the privilege.”
Apparently, not to the death, since both were alive and well. “And if he’d lost?”
“With the life you lead, I imagine your body would have been feeding the worms months ago. And he’d still be mine to torture.” Kerbasi’s eyes turned mournful. “I do miss my job.”
“My heart bleeds for you.”
Kerbasi didn’t say anything by accident. He’d meant for that to come out and for me to get upset over it. I wouldn’t. The lengths Lucas had gone through to keep me safe might be hard to hear about, but it was the past. Now that I had the truth I could wait for him to tell me in his own words. For at least a few months. If he didn’t confess by then I’d just badger him to death.
I turned away and rejoined Nik and Felisha.
Tears ran down the fairy’s face. “Do you see? Nothing is impossible.”
“I’ll be fine.” Nik didn’t sound quite as confident, but he took the fairy in his arms and hugged her. “Do not worry for me.”
Her body shook against his. “I can’t help it.”
Watching her, I realized I didn’t stand a chance if she couldn’t talk him out of it. His emotional ties to me weren’t nearly as strong. I could try shooting him, but he’d still fight and I’d have weakened him beforehand. It was a no-win situation.
I cleared my throat. “Not that I want to interrupt you two, but Josslyn and Kariann are on their way back. Nadine is following behind them.”
They’d just popped up on my radar, though I couldn’t imagine why those three would be together.
Nik let go of Felisha and put a healthy distance between them. “Good. I’d hoped they wouldn’t take long.”
“Where’d they go?” I asked.
“To a small orc community about thirty miles northeast of here. They make excellent dueling swords. When Derrick issued the challenge this evening I suggested we obtain the weapons from there to ensure a fair fight. Nadine insisted on going along.”
He was being so calm about it. One of them was going to kill the other and he showed no signs of it bothering him. I wanted to run up and smack some sense into his thick vampire skull. Actually, if Derrick was around I’d smack him, too. Maybe even twice for starting it.
Kariann and Josslyn entered the room. The blond vampire had a sword in her hand. A blade made of tempered steel with a plain metal cross-guard. It had been polished to a high shine and sharpened to its tip. There was no decoration, but for its purpose it didn’t need any.
Josslyn looked like she was going to be ill as she glanced over at it in Kariann’s hand. Vamps might be immune to viruses and other human ailments, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t make themselves sick through stress and strong emotions.
“Nadine approved of them?” Nik asked, reaching for the sword.
“Yeah, she’s outside with the other one.” Kariann handed it over. “I swear she inspected the b
lades for twenty minutes before agreeing we could use them.”
“It is her right as his second. Just as it was yours to do the same,” Nik said, holding the blade up to the light.
It looked fine to me, but Kariann had only taught me the basics about sword craftsmanship. I still had a lot more to learn.
“I, for one, will be glad when this matter is concluded,” Kerbasi said, moving pieces around the chess board. “It has grown wearisome.”
Everyone ignored him.
“Nik, please reconsider this.” Josslyn said, walking up to him. “Why don’t we just go away and live somewhere in peace?”
He lowered the sword and set it on a nearby table. When he turned to face her again his expression was hard. “Don’t start that again. All of you should be standing with me, supporting me. Instead I must listen to pleas for me to accept defeat.”
“You are doing what you feel you must. There is no dishonor in that.” Lucas had flashed into the room during Nik’s speech.
Relief came over the master vampire’s face. “Good, you’re here.”
“I’ve come merely to observe, but I wish you the best.” Lucas went over and put an arm around Nik, clapping him on the back.
“Thank you.” Nik returned the gesture and stepped away. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to speak to my second alone.”
He waved at Kariann to precede him out of the living room, taking the sword before he followed. They headed down the hallway toward the stairs. There was a training room up there. Maybe he planned to do a warm-up before the big fight.
I looked at Lucas. “Did you have any luck with Jerome?”
It had driven me crazy all day that he hadn’t called.
He frowned. “I tracked his plane, but he wasn’t in the aircraft when it landed a couple of hours south of here.”
It wouldn’t have surprised me if Lucas had been waiting for it, but that was a moot point.
“It didn’t stop anywhere before that?” I asked.
“No. It was a direct flight.” His lips thinned. “I suspect they jumped out somewhere in between.”
I looked up at the ceiling. “Is he copying everything I do?”
“Perhaps, sensor.” Kerbasi was still playing chess with himself. “You inherited your tactics from him. I’ve found children often take on the qualities of their parents.”
I gritted my teeth. That comment hadn’t been just for me.
“If that is the case, guardian.” Lucas gave Kerbasi a hard look. “I’m not sure what that says about your maker.”
Kerbasi blanched.
“Well, I…” A flash of shame passed through his eyes before he looked away.
For the first time, I wondered if he knew his behavior wasn’t as acceptable as he wanted everyone to believe. Or maybe he’d come to realize that since leaving Purgatory. Had I been getting through to him?
“That is what I thought,” Lucas said. “Do not judge us before you judge yourself.”
The guardian’s shoulders stiffened.
Time to change the subject. “Anyway, the fact of the matter is we lost Zoe and our lead to finding her. I’m willing to bet wherever she is Jerome knows and she’s up to no good.”
A choking sound came from nearby.
“I’m going to my room. This is too much.” Josslyn fled.
I’d wondered how long it would take before she left.
“Lucas,” Felisha said, giving the nephilim a pleading look. “Please talk some sense into Nik. If he truly is your friend, you can’t let him die.”
He glanced at me. “What does she mean?”
“Felisha has ‘the sight’ and she’s foreseen his death. She’s sure it’s going to be tonight,” I explained.
Lucas worked his jaw. “Even so. He’s accepted the challenge and must fight. It is too late for us to do anything about it now.”
It was always about honor. I loved and hated that about him.
“No, it can’t be.” Felisha collapsed onto the couch and rested her face in her hands.
“What time is it set for?” I asked.
Maybe a meteor strike or something catastrophic could happen in the meantime to stop it. Or a fire. I could have Kerbasi set everything ablaze. Then we could postpone the duel long enough for us to talk some sense into the men. Then again, who was I kidding? It was going to happen whether I wanted it to or not. Nik had been quite resolute about his decision.
“One in the morning,” Lucas replied.
Nope. Definitely not enough time to create a big enough distraction. We had less than two hours.
Chapter Thirty-eight
At twenty minutes before one o’clock we gathered outside on the front lawn. The weather had turned cool now that September had come and night made it even more so. It reminded me of the time two years ago when I’d fought my first battle alongside Nik and Lucas to retake Fairbanks. Derrick had been there, too, though I hadn’t known then if he’d be with or against us. Now the fate of the city rested on a duel and whoever took charge would be the one who’d have to protect the residents when the revolution came.
Would it be Nik or Derrick?
Supernaturals from all over the area gathered to watch. More than one hundred had showed up already and packed the lawn with their cars. Except for the section we’d roped off just across from the house entrance. The opponents would have fifty square feet to attempt to kill each other.
Kerbasi stood next to me. “Why is the alpha not here yet?”
“I don’t know.” I shook my head.
“Perhaps he changed his mind?”
I snorted. “That’s rather doubtful.”
Lucas walked up to me from where he’d been speaking with Nik and Kariann. “Melena, can you sense the alpha anywhere nearby?”
“Um, no, not yet…” I stopped when my senses lit up. “Actually, he’s coming this way now.”
He’d certainly pushed it to the last minute, which wasn’t like him.
“Good. There are rules to go over before the duel begins.”
“Right.” I nodded.
Lucas went back onto the dueling field.
My belly churned. The closer Derrick got the more he felt off to my senses. His power level was way too high even accounting for his age and alpha status. As he pulled down the drive, I could no longer deny what I felt. In the day since I’d seen him last he’d managed to more than double his strength. What had he done?
“Be right back.”
I abandoned Kerbasi and raced over to the alpha’s truck. He’d had to park it far back, well away from the gathering spectators and almost to the highway. He was climbing out of it when I reached him, but as soon as he saw me he stopped. Both feet on the ground and one hand on the door. I wasn’t sure what was the best attire for a duel—excluding my recent experience—but he’d kept it simple with blue jeans and a black t-shirt. Nik was wearing casual clothes, too.
“Melena.”
“What did you do?” I grabbed Derrick’s arm.
He shrugged me off. “What I had to.”
“Don’t give me that vague crap. You’ve seen someone powerful and they fed you their blood so you could win this fight. Who was it?” I demanded.
Derrick looked around. No one had followed me and there weren’t any people close enough to overhear us if we kept our voices low. He shut the truck door.
“You know who,” he answered, meeting my eyes. “He gave me what I wanted.”
There was only one supernatural I knew of who might have been able to give Derrick a boost like that. Yerik had taken a huge risk by doing it. The wrong dosage could have killed the werewolf or it might have drawn the attention of the archangels, though they seemed to be getting rather lax these days.
“So you wanted power?” Derrick had been content as Nik’s second until recently. I couldn’t figure out the sudden change.
He looked at me impatiently. “Power was a bonus. I wanted Zoe.”
“He gave her to you?”
If Ye
rik had her, then he had to have supported the attack at Charlie’s. He’d let Jerome do all those things and threaten my life after asking for my help. It didn’t make sense. The daimoun had been genuine when I’d spoken with him. Could something have happened in the last two days to alter that? If that was the case there was no way I’d help him now.
Derrick’s face was a harsh mask. “He let me see her and decide her fate, which is more than I can say about you and Nik.”
“Just like that?” I snapped my fingers. “And what did you decide for her?”
“Maybe someday I’ll tell you, but not today. Not after the things I found out from her that you were keeping from me. Things I had a right to know.” He started to walk off.
Dammit. Who knew what she’d said to him or how it had affected his decision to follow Yerik’s plans. This was exactly what I’d hoped to avoid by keeping him from Zoe.
“Derrick, wait. You just sided with a man who let Charlie get killed. How could you do that?” I was beginning to think I couldn’t trust anyone.
The alpha turned. “Yerik didn’t set up that attack, your father did. It was only after Zoe got free and showed up in New Orleans that he recaptured her. He doesn’t agree with the things she’s been doing any more than the rest of us.”
“You can’t be sure he’s telling the truth.” The alpha had a natural ability to sniff out lies in most people, but I doubted he could do it with Yerik.
“Then perhaps the next time you see him—and I’m sure you will—you can ask him for yourself.” Derrick began walking again and I didn’t stop him this time.
He knew. The things he’d said and the look in his eyes proved that.
At a slower pace, I walked back. Thinking through everything Derrick had said and not said. What had he done with Zoe? Was Yerik involved in the attack at Charlie’s or not? It was all too much to wrap my head around. Especially with the duel about to begin.
The power difference between the opponents wasn’t as wide anymore. As soon as Derrick got close enough, Nik would figure it out—sups could feel things like that at short ranges. The master vampire was left with only a small advantage, but I didn’t know if it was enough to make a difference.