“I trisected the cemetery with a binding spell,” Gilly said. Viv saw a blush rise in her cheeks.
“Very well thought out,” Nikoli said. “This will be very helpful. We’ll only have three places to monitor. One cemetery for you, Gilly. The cathedral for Evee, and the North compound for Viv.”
Viv felt her heart flutter in her chest. “I like the divide and conquer thing, but what do we do about the Originals that are missing?”
“Since we’ve just found out about it, you’ll have to give me a minute to think that through.”
“What about having seven Benders instead of four?” Viv asked.
Nikoli’s brow furrowed. “I don’t understand.”
“Well...do you have any more of those scabiors?”
“No,” Lucien said. “Each Bender is given a scabior at the time of their training and it stays with them until their death.”
“Can you get more?” Viv asked.
“No,” Gavril said. “They’re not like guns or knives. The way it works is one scabior to one Bender.”
“What are you thinking?” Nikoli asked Viv.
“I thought if you had extras, that my sisters and I could use them, as well, to fight Cartesians. It wouldn’t be just the four of you. I mean, I’m sure I could handle one. It didn’t look that hard. I’d have to get used to that loud popping noise, though. Scared the hell out of me the first time I heard it.”
Nikoli stared at her, seemingly frozen. “You heard that sound?”
“Yeah.”
Nikoli turned to Gilly. “Did you?”
“No, I never heard a popping anything. But then again, Viv has great hearing. All of us have our own little specialties, you know? Like Viv hears really well and does this partial invisibility thing. I have a strong sense of smell and can astral project. Evee runs really fast, and she can channel and produce illusions. She can do things with water, too. I can do things with fire, and Viv with earth.”
“I understand different abilities,” Lucien said. “It’s the same with us. Nikoli has exceptional hearing, Ronan can smell anything a mile away and Gavril runs faster than a gazelle. As for me, I can jump up five to six feet from a complete standstill.”
“Wow,” Evee said. “Very impressive.” Her copper eyes twinkled with a smile.
Nikoli put a finger to his lips for a moment and the movement sent the scent of him wafting Viv’s way. He smelled of soap and musk. So delicious.
He suddenly turned to Viv. “The Triads... I mean, the three of you are human, right?
“Of course we’re human,” Viv said, slightly taken aback. “We have different talents like the four of you do, but it’s kind of like being a prodigy. We simply have the ability to do different things. Why do you question whether we’re human?”
“Because until this moment, I’ve never heard of another human being able to hear that popping sound. Only a Bender.”
“Sorry to bust your bubble,” Viv said with a shrug.
“What did you see before or at the moment you heard the sound?” Nikoli asked.
“I saw a big, black rip in the sky, like it had been unzipped. Blacker than anything I’ve ever seen. Then those monstrosities lunged out. When you did whatever you do with your scabior and that bolt of lightning shot out of the bloodstone, hitting the Cartesians right on their heads... Good shot by the way...”
“Thank you.”
“I saw the Cartesians fold over in half, like they’d been punched in the stomach. Then I saw them get sucked backward into the hole in the sky. That’s when I heard the first pop. There seemed to be an even darker place behind them that pulled them farther back. When they entered that darker space, that’s when I heard the second pop. After that, the sky closed up. No more pops.” Viv got to her feet. “Now, I hate to break up our little tête-à-tête but the clock’s ticking. I need to go check on my Loups. See if anything else has changed.”
Everyone at the table stood.
“I’ll go with you,” Nikoli said.
“I can handle it on my own,” Viv insisted. “I’ve been doing it for years. Look, we have Originals on the loose and Cartesians dropping out of thin air. So what’s the verdict? Pair up or spread out so we could cover more territory?”
“You and your sisters can’t go out there alone,” Nikoli said solemnly.
“Since when?” Viv asked, frowning. “Is there something you haven’t told us?”
Nikoli glanced around the table at everyone before settling his eyes back on her. “I haven’t even discussed this with my cousins yet because the thought just occurred to me. If the Cartesians, specifically the leader of the Cartesians, is so hell-bent on getting to the Originals, there’s a good possibility he might take the three of you out so he can have easier access to your groups. It’s like the old saying, if you want to destroy a beehive, you kill the queen. If he destroys the three of you, he has nothing to hold him back from the Originals. You wouldn’t be around to protect them.”
“Wait,” Evee said. “You mean the three of us might be attacked by Cartesians?”
“We’ve discussed this already, Evee,” Viv said, slightly annoyed with her sister and not sure why.
“The thought occurred to me,” Nikoli said. “And I think it’s a valid concern. We have to assume the worst. Think about it. What would you do if you were in the Cartesians’ leader’s shoes? You want to conquer every Original because you want their power. Because the ultimate goal is supreme power over the world. Over the universe. What would be the fastest way to accomplish that goal? It would be to get the three of you out of the way, leaving the Originals unprotected. He’d have complete control over all of them.”
Evee held a hand to her mouth.
“Shit,” Gilly said with a shaky voice. “That makes sense.”
Gavril stood military straight and said, “I won’t let anything happen to you, Gilly.” He looked at Evee and Viv. “To any of you. The three of you will be with one or two of us at all times. We’ll get this figured out and taken care of. You have our word.”
“But we can only do so much with what we have,” Viv said. “That’s reality. We have a responsibility to the city to protect the people in it. I can’t just sit by the compound and wait for these Cartesians. I have to look for my missing Loups.”
“The Nosferatu and Chenilles, too,” Gilly added.
“Can you cast a binding spell around the Originals that are missing?” Nikoli asked Viv.
“Each of us did cast a repelling spell, hoping that will keep the missing Originals away from people. But since they’re not even responding to our calls, we have no way of knowing if the spells will be effective or not.”
Nikoli stroked his beard thoughtfully.
Viv let out a frustrated breath. “We need to figure out a way to secure the Originals we’re controlling now. That way we can hunt for the ones that are missing.”
“I have an idea,” Ronan said, giving voice for the first time since they’d arrived. “I don’t know if it will work, but it may be worth a try.”
“Speak now, cousin,” Lucien said, “or forever hold your peace.”
“You remember the fencing around the North compound?”
“Of course,” Nikoli said.
“And that big steel corner post not far from the entrance?” Ronan looked at Viv. “Do you have the same kind of poles on the other three corners of the property?”
“It takes more than four poles to hold up that much fencing,” Viv said. “There must be at least forty.”
“Perfect,” Ronan said. “Now, do you have access to any bloodstones?”
“Oh, I have tons of bloodstones out in the work shed behind the house,” Gilly said. “I work with a lot of crystals and gems.”
“Wonderful,” Ronan said.
“
What are you thinking?” Nikoli asked him.
“Okay, hear me out before you blow me off, all right?” Ronan said.
“Go,” Nikoli said. “Let’s hear it.”
“What if we set a bloodstone on top of each corner post at the North compound? The posts are steel like our scabiors, and with the bloodstone added, you’d basically have a gigantic scabior. If we had four of them aimed at each other and charged them with our real scabiors, they’d stay charged since no one’s able to hold them. With the four posts aimed at the center of the compound, we’d basically be creating a huge electrical canopy over it. That way no Cartesian would be able to drop down into the center of it.”
“Hmm,” Nikoli said. “I’ve never heard of that being done before.”
“Me neither,” Gavril said. “But it sounds plausible.”
“How are we going to move those huge, steel posts so they’re aimed at each other?” Lucien asked.
“Does it matter if they’re bent?” Viv asked. “Like two or three feet from the ground, if they were bent from there and aimed where you want them?”
“I don’t think it would make a difference if they’re bent rather than hammered at an angle into the ground,” Ronan said. “As long as they’re aimed toward each other.”
“Then the problem’s solved,” Viv said. “All I have to do is have Jaco and Aaron bend the posts. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a Loup in action, but the strongest of them can easily bend something like that.”
“How do you keep them in the compound if they’re that strong?” Lucien asked. “Aren’t you afraid they’ll escape?”
“One reason,” Viv said, “is because the barbs on top of the fence and woven through it are dipped in silver, something none of the Originals can tolerate. And second, I would only have Jaco or Aaron bend those poles. I trust them. They know we’re here to take care of them, feed them, protect them from people who would literally kill them for sport.”
“So what do you say?” Ronan asked Nikoli. “Think it’s worth a shot?”
“You may have something there, cousin. If we can make this happen at the North compound, we might be able to create a version of it around the cemetery where the Chenilles are and in the catacombs. If it works, that would protect the Chenilles, the Nosferatu and Loup Garous, who are already contained, from the Cartesians. That would give us some freedom to look for the ones that are missing and hunt for Cartesians before they figure out a way to get through the containment areas. It’ll take longer to secure a cemetery since we’re limited on manpower.”
“Manpower won’t be a problem,” Gilly said. “My lead Chenilles can take care of that.”
Everyone standing at the table exhanged glances.
“So what do you say?” Viv asked Nikoli. “Do we give this a try or what? Are you confident enough that you can charge those poles with your scabior?”
“No,” he said. “As I said, to my knowledge, this has never been done before. I do know that if you aim a scabior at anything and activate it, something will definitely happen. Since we’re talking steel and bloodstone, though, and no Bender handling it, it should stay charged. That’s only taking into consideration the laws of physics and how the scabior works. My vote is we give it a try.”
“I say yes, too,” Gilly said.
“Same here,” Gavril said.
“I’m in,” Lucien added.
“Me, too,” Evee chimed in.
Ronan shrugged. “It was my idea so of course I’m for it.”
Viv nodded. “Gilly, why don’t you and Gavril go take a look at Louis 1. Figure out where we’ll set up this rig job. Evee, you can go with Lucien and Ronan to the cathedral to figure out how we’ll set up scabiors in the catacombs. I’ll collect the supplies we’ll need and head to the compound so we can get Jaco and Aaron started on the posts. Let’s plan to meet up at the ferry at our regular time, right before feeding. We’ll compare notes then.”
Everyone except Nikoli shuffled around the table and headed for the foyer. As Viv watched her sisters pair off with their respective Bender and leave the house, she offered a short prayer to the elements, asking for guidance and protection.
Nikoli called out to his cousins. “Stay sharp!” Then he looked at Viv as he continued to speak. “We have to protect what is ours at all costs.”
Tonight could change everything. They’d either win or lose everything they’d ever known. He glanced over at Viv. Or treasured.
Chapter 16
Viv bit the inside of her cheek hard. The pain did little to stop her hand from trembling as she closed the front door of her home, sending her sisters and the other three Benders on their way.
Nikoli stood just behind her, which sent a flush throughout her body, and no amount of cheek biting changed that. She scolded herself silently. You’ve gotta turn around, stupid. You can’t just stand here, staring at the door. He’s going to think you’re dysfunctional.
Viv turned to Nikoli, avoiding his eyes. “Okay, supplies. What are we going to need?”
Nikoli ticked a list of items off with his fingers. “Flashlights, bloodstones, rope or cable.”
“What’s the rope or cable for?”
“Just in case.” He grinned. “We’ll also need a ladder. My cousins and I are tall, but not tall enough to reach the top of the twenty-foot pole, even if it is at a forty-five degree angle. The bloodstones will need to go on top of each pole.”
“We don’t have to worry about ladders,” Viv said, heading for the kitchen. Nikoli followed closely behind. “My Loups can shimmy up the poles and set the bloodstone wherever I tell them to. The same goes for Gilly’s Chenilles and Evee’s Nosferatu. Though I’m not sure how we’re going to handle the catacombs. Twenty-foot poles and fencing will definitely not fit under the cathedral. There’s not much height under there.”
“We’ll figure something out for the catacombs,” Nikoli assured her.
When they reached the kitchen, Viv went to a supply cabinet and pulled out two flashlights. She handed one to him. “It’s cloudy tonight. We’ll definitely need these. No need to bother with rope or cable here. I’ve got some in the back of my pickup I keep parked under the lean-to across river.”
Nikoli nodded, took the flashlight she handed to him and stuck the long handle of it into his back pocket.
Lucky flashlight.
She hurried out of the kitchen, Nikoli in tow.
When she reached the stairs that led to the second floor, she said to him, “I have a couple of items to get upstairs. If you don’t mind, please wait down here. I’ll be right back.”
“Sure,” he said. He placed a hand on the newel post and planted a foot on the bottom step. His eyes bore into hers. “I’ll be waiting right here.”
Those swirling, stormy gray eyes caused Viv to nearly trip on her way up the stairs. She had to get her head together.
She entered her bedroom, and Socrates, who’d been stretched out on her bed, confronted her with a loud hiss.
“Why, Vivienne,” Socrates said, sarcasm in his tone, “what have you been up to?”
“Too much to go through right now. And besides, I know you, you little sneak. I’m sure you’ve been creeping and hiding around every corner and already know what’s been said and planned. I don’t think there’s one bit of conversation we’ve had that you’ve missed. You know what’s going on.”
“Oh, I’m not talking about all the Cartesian hullabaloo and scabiors and what not. I’m talking about you and the Bender downstairs. The one who’s anxiously awaiting your return. I can feel him, even from here. He’s really struggling to keep himself together, you know. You seem to have an odd effect on him.” Socrates lifted his head as if to sniff the air. “Hmm. His heart is beating faster, and he’s fighting to keep his thoughts on the job. They keep bouncing back to you.”<
br />
“Shut up already,” Viv said and went to her closet.
“You know what you’re planning is a stupid idea,” Socrates continued. “Someone is going to get hurt or killed.”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” Viv said. “I’ve got all the scoop on how dangerous it is, but I have no choice. My Loups are in danger. So are the Chenilles and Nosferatu. What would you have me do, stay home and play canasta with you?”
Socrates yawned. “You don’t even know how to play canasta. I’m just warning you. It’s my job.” He shook his head rapidly, as if to clear his mind of sleep. “Humans can be so ridiculous at times. Take me for example. I know when to nap, when to eat, I know when to keep my nose out of certain situations so I don’t get into trouble. Humans on the other hand eat fat-laden garbage from drive-through windows, carouse most of the night and manage three or four hours of sleep, thinking they’ll be productive the following day. And they allow their asses to make decisions for them instead of their heads.”
Viv came out of the closet with a satchel and headed for the nightstand on the right side of the bed. “You know I don’t eat drive-through food.”
“I’m talking about humans in general,” Socrates said. “The thinking with your ass part, though, you have down pat.”
Ignoring him, Viv opened the top drawer of the nightstand and pulled out a spool of red yarn. She threw it into the satchel.
“What?” Socrates said. “You plan to knit him a sweater?”
“No, Kitty Warhol. It’s for emergencies. Holding spell.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Where are Hoot and Elvis?” Viv asked, suddenly thinking about Evee’s and Gilly’s familiars. “I haven’t seen them around lately.”
Socrates yawned again. “That ridiculous bird and rat have been in hiding since this Bender-Cartesian incident started. They have no backbone whatsoever. It’s quite embarrassing if you ask me.”
Viv waved a dismissive hand at her familiar. “I’m sure if Gilly or Evee needed Hoot or Elvis, they’d be there for them.”
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