by Aya Walksfar
Knowing in some cultures that staring was the height of rude behavior, I shifted my glance between Patrice and the youngest witch--not much older than me--who had been introduced as Tabitha.
I explained about the European vampire-led attacks on the North America Region’s vampires late the year before. Then I described the spell that had locked Ariel beneath the waters of the cove. “Serena was able to somehow break that spell with the help of a healer and a Warrior with some witch blood in her heritage, but the cost was high. The three of them fell into a state of suspension from exhaustion. Kira and Sheena have recovered fully; Serena has not recovered.”
“Please,” Patrice interrupted, “to the best of your ability, explain in detail exactly what First Councilwoman Longer experienced.”
With a brisk nod, I took a moment to gather my thoughts. “I can only tell you what Kira, the healer, related to me. After bringing Kira back from the Cold-Between....”
“Impossible!” Mavis exploded, jerking stiffly upright in her chair. “It is impossible that you could bring another back from the Cold-Between.”
Brows jerked low over my eyes. “I do not appreciate being called a liar, Witch.” My jaw clenched.
Patrice held up a staying hand. “Be at peace, Alexis Night Runner.” She turned to face her colleague. “Mavis, I would appreciate if you would refrain from accusations.”
Mavis narrowed her eyes, but kept her voice level. “I merely speak the truth.”
“Ah, you may speak the truth you know, but who can speak the truth universal? Hence forth, please make your truths less abrasive.” Patrice turned to me. “You have my apologies for the rashness of one of ours.”
I consciously relaxed the tension in my clenched fists. “No harm done.”
“Would you elaborate on your experience with the Cold-Between?”
I finished telling how Kira returned then healed me and the others. “Whether or not I should have been able to travel the Cold-Between, the fact remains that I did. Kira healed the First Councilwoman, yet something remains wounded. Her actions and her words are not those of her person before she shattered the spell in the cave.”
“Perhaps, your precious First Councilwoman has tired of the endless demands made on her by her People and by a war she doesn’t want?” Mavis sneered. “Or perhaps, her experience has uncovered her true vampirism?”
Ariel bounced to her feet. “Do not dare to speak of my mother in such a way! You don’t know her; you have never even met her, so don’t you dare judge her.” The child pushed her chin aggressively toward Mavis. Her eyes blazed bluer than I had ever seen before. Power radiated off her slender form.
I reached out and touched her shoulder. “Be at peace, Ariel.”
Ariel’s head snapped around. She shot a glare at me. “I will not stand for anyone dissing my mom.”
“Be seated, Warrior.” The snap in my voice was unmistakable.
Ariel glared for a moment more before she subsided into her chair.
When I looked up, I found Patrice observing both of us with a speculative look. “When you made the appointment with me, you merely said that two others would accompany you to the meeting. I did not realize that the child was Ariel Morningstar-Longer, heir to First Councilwoman Longer. How is it that she travels with you, Alexis Night Runner?”
I sighed and slanted a look at Ariel. “That story is not mine to tell.”
“You freely admit that you are no longer under the command of the First Councilwoman of the North America Region. If you are no longer under her command and you are unwilling to explain why her heir travels with you, how can we trust you? Without her mother’s consent, Ariel’s presence would certainly complicate any relations between the Alliance and the witches. It might even exponentially increase the danger to witches.” Witch Enid--with swarthy skin and midnight hair that heralded Native American heritage--peered across the circle with steady, patient black eyes.
Choking on tightly held emotion, Ariel spoke up. “Alexis won’t tell you because she doesn’t want to embarrass me. I ran away. She let me stay with her and the Warriors because I didn’t have any other place to go and she wanted to protect me.”
Sympathy filled Enid’s eyes and her voice gentled. “Why did you run away, Ariel?”
The child blinked rapidly and ducked her gaze. “My mom...” She lifted her head and faced the witch. “My mom had never hit me before...before she got sick. But after she got sick, she did. Then...and then the night I interfered with her killing Alexis, she...she meant to hurt me, real bad. She said I Challenged her, but I didn’t. I mean, I didn’t mean to, but I couldn’t let her kill Alexis like she killed that other woman. I just couldn’t.” Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. Ri draped an arm around her shoulders and she leaned into the werepanther’s side.
“To stand for what is right, especially against our mothers, takes great courage, Ariel. I lay upon you a blessing for your bravery.” Enid turned her attention to me. “What would you have of us, Alexis Night Runner?”
Hands gripping the arms of the chair, I said, “I don’t know how to break the spell that Serena is under. I understand that you have an extensive library. Open your library so I can seek the knowledge I need. Help me find the cure for her sickness.”
Mavis turned scathing eyes on me. “If we open our books to you, share our knowledge with you--a stranger--what benefit accrues to witches for accepting such risk?”
I locked gazes with the woman and in a grim voice said, “If I can break the spell then you won’t have a powerful vampire hunting your People to drain the magic from their bodies. Instead you will have a steadfast ally to battle the invading European vampires who view all Supernaturals, as well as all humans, as appetizers.”
Chapter 22
Alexis Night Runner
The amulet that Patrice had given me dangled from its leather thong around my neck. Slipping into Other Sight, I stole through the night-shrouded ravine and clawed up the steep side. I hated that I had to wait so long for this attempted rescue, but I needed the advantage of the dark of the moon.
Barely daring to breathe, I slunk into the new and shoddily built one-story house. Creeping between sleeping huvams, I carefully counted the cots and hoped that no one had switched sleeping arrangements. A girl on the cusp of womanhood with mocha skin and soft curls of short black hair tossed and mumbled in her sleep on the ninth bed from the door.
With a quick prayer to Artemis, I slapped a hand over her mouth and whispered, “I'm Alexis. Kira’s friend.”
Sea green eyes popped wide open, but she didn’t struggle.
“Can I take my hand away?”
She nodded once.
“Kira said you sleep in your clothes and that you already have vampire sight. Here, put this necklace on.” I handed the girl an amulet on a rawhide thong identical to the one I wore. Once she dropped it over her head, I leaned close to her ear. “Be careful where you step, but follow me.” I waited for her to pull on her boots and then led the way to the kitchen exit. I eased the door open and watched as a Guardian turned the corner of the house before I counted to twenty and crept out.
Darting into the deepest shadows I could find, I led the girl to the lip of the ravine. “These amulets don’t make us invisible. They only help encourage people not to look our way, so be careful and step the same way that I do. There are a lot of loose rocks and if they start tumbling down the hill, every Guardian on this place is going to be on our butts.”
Though she wasn’t fully trained, the girl’s steps were Warrior light on the ground, not even crackling the many leaves beneath her feet. We had just reached the river at the bottom of the ravine when up above someone called, “Have you found her, yet?”
A second male answered, “Not yet, but she can’t have wandered very far.”
The first male must have been standing on the lip of the ravine because his words echoed down to us. “We’d better find her fast. If First Councilwoman realizes we let another hu
vam get away, she is going to drink us dry just like she did Denny and Ralph when that Kira kid disappeared.”
I waited until the male moved away and I could no longer hear him then worked my way to the river at the bottom of the ravine. The river ran fast in the middle, but stayed shallow for a long while close to the edge. Without hesitation, I stepped into the icy waters. The girl gave a strangled gasp when she followed, but didn’t utter another sound.
Long after my legs felt numb from the cold water, I found a broad, shallow place where the river ran more slowly. I crossed to the far side. We continued to slosh up the river, staying in the embankment’s shadows as much as possible.
At last, I came to the deer trail I’d been watching for and turned to the girl. “Drink now. We have a long walk.” After sucking up some of the icy crisp water, I scrambled up the steep, brush-choked embankment. My boots slid on the slick mud. Grabbing onto bushes and tree limbs, I made it to the top.
Aife emerged from the trail a few moments later. Breathing hard, she sported a few scratches, but was otherwise fine.
“We’ll catch our breath before we keep going. We still have a ways to travel.”
The girl nodded and greedily sucked in air until her chest quit heaving with each breath. “Yo’ Native chick, wha’sup? Or do you just like taking sistahs on midnight strolls? Least you ain’t got no sharp teeth.”
“When Kira made her way to us, she said you wanted to leave, too, but Serena had Guardians posted to prevent any humans or huvams from escaping the estate and harshly punished anyone caught trying to get away. With that kind of threat hanging over your head, why did you even consider running?”
The girl stared at me for a while then shrugged and dropped her ‘tude. “When I met the First Councilwoman I was way leery. My dad had had his throat ripped out not long before that and I wasn’t too hyped on being next on some vampire’s menu. I got to trusting her, though, and I thought living with...with my People would be radical.”
When it seemed as if she might not continue, I gently prodded, “What happened?”
“A few nights before you disappeared, I was outside practicing my stealth skills by following a wanton that I’d gotten to know. I figured it’d be good practice because she always snuck out to see some guy. There I was crushin’ it. The wanton got to that spot over to the west of the gate, you know the one that’s not all rocks and dirt; even has a bit of grass?”
I gave an encouraging nod and waited.
“I'm thinkin’ it’s probably time to make like a ghost--that’s what General Trueson calls it when we try to be invisible to our target--and pull a fade out. I'm not into sex as a spectator sport. Anyway, before I can move the First Councilwoman suddenly appears.”
She shook her head in awe. “I was soooo lucky. I had no clue she was anywhere near. Then I thought, wow, I was wrong; it wasn’t a Guardian meeting Betsy. Now, I'm kinda scared to move; to be honest, I’m hardly breathing. The First Councilwoman been acting kinda funny from what I’d been hearing and seeing, so I had no want-to in getting snagged by her. I did my best Hershey’s candy bar action and tried to melt into the tree I was hiding behind.”
In the pale strip of moonlight, I could see horror in the girl’s eyes. “That vampire bitch jumped Betsy so fast that I barely saw her move before she had that woman on the ground. At first I thought Betsy was, you know, getting into it with all that moaning she was doing. That’s cool and I figured I could fade out while they’re getting it on. Then I smelled the blood.”
Aife’s face blanched, her skin turning an ashy gray. “Not just blood though. It was that same horrible stench that I smelled the night I found my dad. Blood and shit and fear. I felt like I was drowning in it. I could hardly breathe. I wanted to gag, but I didn’t dare make a noise. First Councilwoman finished real quick and disappeared just as fast as she’d come.”
Hands trembling, her voice hollow, the girl relived the nightmare. “When I was sure she was gone, I snuck over to Betsy. Just like my dad, half her throat had been ripped out.” She turned haunted eyes to me. “Why? I thought the First Councilwoman was one of the good guys.”
“Why didn’t you tell Kira what happened? She said you wouldn’t talk about why you wanted to leave. Just that you had to go.”
The girl snorted a harsh laugh. “Like anyone would have believed me. Everyone thinks that bitch walks on water. They would never have believed some black ghetto rat and then I’d be found with my throat torn out.”
“Why tell me now? It’s not like I haven’t already helped you get away.”
“Wantons like to talk, even when they’re scared. I heard the night that you and Ariel made like smoke and drifted off that the First Councilwoman almost ate you. Would have, too, ‘cept her kid showed up and stopped her. I figure you and the kid are the good guys; and I want to team up with you.”
I pushed away from the tree and stood up straight. “You asked why Serena would do such a thing. She wouldn’t.” The girl’s mouth popped open. I held up a hand to forestall an argument. “I understand that you were part of the team searching the upstairs of the house and securing the premises when Serena and the other four cornered the sorcerer in the cave beneath my house.”
Aife’s eyes widened with awe. “Yeah, I heard it was, like, an awesome fight.”
“Yeah, well, I wasn’t there either, but Serena had to break a spell to save Ariel and the others.”
Aife nodded. “Yeah, I heard that’s why First Councilwoman and Kira and Sheena were like wiped out totally.”
“When she broke the spell, something really bad happened to Serena.”
“I heard she got hurt bad from that fight. I just...” she shrugged. “I just thought, like, Kira and Sheena got over it and kept acting like themselves. I figured when First Councilwoman came around, she was, like, fine too, but everyone was using the sorcerer shit to give the bitch a pass on what she’s been doing ever since she woke up. She don’t look like she sick or hurt to me.”
“No pass; the truth, Aife. Sometimes, there are hurts that a person’s eyes can’t see. You know?”
For a moment, moisture glinted in Aife’s eyes, but she blinked it away. “Yeah, I know how that can be.”
“I'm sure you do. Listen, you’re welcome to hang with us for as long as you like. I’ve heard about some of the stuff you’ve done working with Gregory’s people. Sounds like you have the talent to become a good Warrior. We could complete your training. However, there is one thing you’ll need to do--you’ll need to refrain from calling Serena a bitch. Ariel loves her mother and this is difficult enough for her without that.” I swung around, not waiting for Aife’s answer.
“No prob.” Aife murmured as she hurried behind me.
Chapter 23
Serena Longer
I poured a tall scotch on the rocks, but didn’t offer one to Gregory. Regally seated in a wingback chair in the living room, I raised a brow. “I am not pleased with your report, General.”
Hands linked behind him, he stood with his shoulders back, spine ramrod straight. In a flat voice, he answered. “A report is just that, First Councilwoman. A report of facts; a good messenger doesn’t manufacture facts to please his superior.”
I flicked the fingers of one hand. Gregory flew backwards and slammed into the far wall. As he slid to the floor in a heap, I frowned. “See what you made me do, General? Now someone is going to have to repair that sizable hole.”
Shaking his head, Gregory climbed slowly to his feet. Eyes glowing amber, he faced me. His upper lip curled in disdain. “Blood Magic,” he snarled. “You are dabbling in….” It amused me to note that he struggled to not accuse me of practicing Pale Blood Magic. Finally, he spit out, “Blood Magic.”
“You are repeating yourself like a peasant, General.” With a lift of one shoulder, I shrugged off his concern. “What I dabble in, is of no concern to you. All you should concern yourself with is finding my daughter, locating that traitor Night Runner, and rounding up my subjec
ts. How difficult can that be, General? A child, a human magic user, a couple of huvams and a few wantons--at this time that’s all I am requiring from you. Still, you return to me time and again over nearly the entire month of April with no word of any of my subjects. You have even failed to bring in the wantons housed at Clan Dellefore’s farm. What is your excuse for that failure this time, General?”
His jaw clenched as his angry eyes bored holes in me. “By Vampire Law, Clan Leader of Clan Dellefore is within his rights to refuse to relinquish any of his People. As for the others you demanded I locate and bring to you, I told you I cannot disregard Artemis’ Purpose. Those you have listed, except for the huvams, are Caine’s Children. I will not force them to come and to remain where they do not wish to be. As for the huvams…” He tossed his hands out to the sides then let them slap against his thighs. “I do not know where they have gone.”
“I see.” I settled against the back of the chair, raised my glass of Scotch and sipped. “Your attitude does not please me, General Trueson. You are dismissed.”
He whirled on his heel and marched out.
Head resting against the back of the chair, I closed my eyes. The pounding behind my forehead had increased during the past two days. I set the glass on the table and my hands fell to my lap. Tired. So tired. The only time that I had felt good in weeks had been right after drinking that witch dry.
Last night I had awakened to stomach cramps such as I hadn’t experienced in hundreds of years--the last time being when I had been young in my vampirism. Those had been brutal hunger cramps back then. Surely at my age, such pains should not plague me. I reveled in being old enough, powerful enough, to control my need for blood. Power and control. As a child, I had sworn I would become so powerful that no one and nothing could control me, ever again; not even my bloodlust.
The pain morphed into a hot lance and speared through me. I jackknifed and fell from the chair onto the floor. Curled into a fetal ball, I pressed my hands hard against the sides of my head. Still the pounding ratcheted higher.