“Why are you even up on the hills to do this?”
“We were in training when the two heku began to argue about strength.”
“So they just decided to try to rip their fingers off?”
“They won’t lose a finger,” Mark said, amused at the odd face-off of the two heku. Both were still tugging hard at the chain with their fingers.
“He’s bleeding though,” Emily replied as blood dripped from the finger of one of the heku.
“Ok, so maybe they’ll lose a finger.”
“So stop them.”
“Naw, they’re fine.”
She sighed and watched them, still trying to figure out how an intelligent species could come up with such a brainless test of strength.
“Oh, I forgot to ask. Did you come up here for a reason?” Kralen asked, finally looking over at her.
She shrugged, “Not really, just trying to get away from the Elder.”
“The Elder?”
“Yes… that annoying Elder, who sometimes pretends to be a father.”
Mark cringed, “What happened?”
“Dain called…”
“He did?! Where is he?”
“He wouldn’t say. He just called to say he’s ok, and that he can’t live with Chevalier.”
It was never a good sign when Emily called Chevalier by either his title or his full name. Mark, Silas, and Kralen quietly discussed whether they were able to ask more questions to try to help, or if their interference was a breach in protocol.
Getting irritated with the discussion, Kralen looked over at Emily, “What did the Elder say to that then?”
Mark glared at him.
“He doesn’t care! How can he not care about his own son off in the middle of nowhere alone?”
“He does care… just…”
“No he doesn’t.”
“Let’s go out tonight.”
“Where?” she asked, looking at him from under the low brim of her cowboy hat.
“I don’t know… can we, General?” Kralen asked.
Mark was still frustrated with Kralen and huffed slightly, “We’d have to clear it with the Council.”
“Since when?” Emily asked, pulling her horse around to face Mark.
“Since the three top ranking members of the Cavalry would be out in the mortal city with the wife of an Elder, while a lunatic is running around feeding carelessly,” he told her.
“I’m not afraid of him.”
“Of course you aren’t.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, getting mad.
Silas came to Mark’s defense, “It just means that you often don’t see things that we consider dangerous.”
Her eyes narrowed, “Fine… then we’ll just see how one top ranking member of your Cavalry will do out in the city with the puny mortal wife of a grouch.”
“I’m not taking you alone,” Kralen said quickly.
“Why not?”
“It’s against protocol.”
Silas smiled suddenly, “Besides… you’re not mortal.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Define mortal?”
She just looked at him, “No.”
“You’re an immortal now, proven when you returned from the dead.”
Emily kicked her horse into a walk toward the city, “Come on, Kralen. You can hit the donor bar, and I’ll get some egg rolls.”
Kralen looked over at Mark, who started after Emily, “He’s not going into the city alone with you.”
Emily mimicked what Mark had just said. They all had a sudden flashback of how she used to be before she began agreeing to do what the Council asked.
Wanting to put a stop to any rebelliousness, Mark caught up with her, “Do you want to talk about the Elder thing?”
“No, I want Chinese food.”
“Then the three of us will go.”
Silas and Kralen caught up while Horace watched over the fighting heku.
“Fine, but no talking about the old pain in the ass.”
Mark smiled, “Deal.”
Emily glared at him, “You think this is funny?”
“No, not at all. What I find funny is how you talk about an Elder.”
“He’s not my Elder.”
Silas chuckled, “It doesn’t matter. It almost makes my heart stop when you say something against him. Normally, you’d be killed for it.”
“You can’t kill me. I'm immortal, remember?” she said as she slid off of her stallion. She reached down and pet Devia before putting her horse away.
“Even immortals can die,” Kralen reminded her when she walked back out.
“Immortal means being exempt from death. Come to think of it, you all aren’t immortals either.”
“Yeah we are,” Mark said, smiling.
“Nope, you can die, therefore, not immortal.”
Mark simply walked away, still smiling.
“Where are you going?” Emily called after him.
“Inside,” he said, and then turned toward her.
“You aren’t asking permission are you?”
“Of course not.” Mark disappeared into the palace.
“I’ll get my truck,” Kralen said, and blurred away.
Emily turned to Silas, “Everyone seems tense.”
“I haven’t seen it.”
“Of course not. You’re tense too.”
“I’m not.”
Emily shrugged, “Well, I want you all to relax and let loose tonight. No protocol, or rules, or heku traditions.”
“It’s not that easy to get rid of.”
“Try”
Mark walked up to Chevalier’s office and knocked.
“Enter,” Chevalier called out.
He walked in and bowed, “The Captains and I want to take Emily into town for Chinese food.”
Chevalier sat back, “Was that your idea? I’m not really comfortable with her out there while women are being attacked.”
“No it wasn’t my idea, and I’m almost afraid not to go.”
“Why’s that?”
“Things have been really nice since she returned from Ireland. She’s cooperative, doesn’t sneak out, and listens to us when it comes to her protection.”
“Yes”
“Today, I saw a brief glimpse of her old self.”
Chevalier outwardly winced, “What happened?”
“We don’t know what happened between you and Dain, but she’s pretty upset about it and has somewhat reverted.”
“Damnit,” he said, leaning forward. “Take her out then. Just don’t take your eyes off of her.”
“We won’t, Elder,’ Mark said. He then bowed and blurred down to the waiting truck.
Emily glanced back when Kralen started out for the city, “So Grouchy said we can go?”
Mark smiled, “What makes you think I went in to get permission?”
“Because you’re heku.”
It was quiet in the truck until Kralen pulled up at the Chinese Restaurant. Emily looked back at the donor bar and saw that the parking lot was almost empty.
“Wow, slow night at your bar.”
Mark nodded, “Let’s get inside.”
Emily shrugged and crawled out of the truck. Once they were seated, they all ordered and then sat back to wait.
“It’s stupid that you have to sit here with me,” Emily said. “Why don’t you go to the donor bar and eat up?”
“We can’t leave you here alone, and you know it,” Silas reminded her.
“Then one at a time can go.”
“Nope, it’s all or none.”
“Suit yourself. You must be hungry though.”
“We’re good,” Mark said, and then leaned forward. “So now do you want to tell us about Dain?”
“Not much to say really. He and Chev fight all the time, and he’s going to go explore the world and stay away from his Dad.”
“It’s hard with a full heku.”
“No it’s not. He’s not a full heku. H
e's my son… the heku part is secondary to being flesh and blood.”
“It isn’t secondary,” Kralen said. “Being heku dictates a lot of his thoughts, instincts, and abilities. They are always at the forefront of our actions.”
“No it’s not, or you all would feed off of me regularly,” Emily said, and then took her Sprite from the waitress.
“We have control, something Dain’s severely lacking in.”
“I honestly don't give a rat’s ass about his species. He’s my son, and he’s Chev’s son, whether he wants it or not.”
“It’s not that he doesn’t want Dain as a son,” Mark explained. “It’s just that he knows how best to handle Dain, and sometimes Dain doesn’t agree with that.”
Emily sighed, “He doesn’t know how to handle Dain. No one does! Dain’s a one-of-a-kind and can’t be treated like all of Chev’s minions.”
“Minions?” Silas asked as he pushed the food around on his plate.
“Yes, minions. Chevalier knows how to take care of newly turned adults. He has no idea how to treat a heku born into it. He also doesn’t know how to handle his own kids.”
“He’s a good father,” Mark said. He couldn’t help but defend his Elder.
“No he isn’t. Allen and Megara are the only two of the kids that Chev will have anything to do with.”
“That’s because Allen was mostly obedient and has grown into a responsible and mature adult,” Mark said.
“Megara’s still too young, and when the Elder had to take care of her, he clearly became attached at that time,” Silas added.
Kralen chuckled, “I disagree. Megara looks strikingly like Emily, and the Elder lavished her with the attention and gifts that he wishes Emily would take.”
“That’s not true,” Emily said, frowning. “She’s just too young to be written off by him yet. Give him time.”
“It’s very true,” Kralen told her.
Emily thought for a moment and then looked at Kralen, “Is that what everyone thinks? That Chev is pampering Megara because I won’t let him pamper me?”
“Yes”
“No,” Mark said, and gave Kralen a stern look.
Kralen sat back and focused on his plate.
Emily smiled, “Damn, I like you, Kralen.”
He chuckled but didn’t respond.
She finished her meal in silence and then paid and stood up with the heku. Once out in the parking lot, the heku headed for her truck while she started for the donor bar.
“Wait,” Mark called out. “We’re not going in there with you.”
“Why not?” she asked, and turned to look at him.
“No”
“Oh for heaven’s sake. I know you all feed. You might as well go get some.”
“No”
“I bet Kralen can use a good feel too.”
“Do what?” Kralen asked.
“Wandering hands, you know.”
“How do you know his hands wander when he feeds?” Mark asked as his eyes narrowed. Kralen and Silas both froze.
Emily laughed, “Are you kidding me? Do you even know Kralen? Of course his hands travel.”
“We’re not feeding in front of you. End of story,” Mark said, and then opened the truck door.
Emily shook her head and opened the door to the donor bar. She spun suddenly when she heard Mark yell, “Don’t ash them. We got this.”
She walked forward as the three Equites crouched and watched seven heku walk toward them.
“Fancy running into the Winchester here,” the closest heku said.
Emily stopped just behind her guards and studied the advancing heku.
“Keep back,” Mark growled.
“She was heading into the donor bar though. That means she’s fair game,” he said, smiling at Emily. The other heku with him all laughed, and then met the attack posture of the Equites.
“Not with me around,” Kralen said to him.
“You three little Equites are going to stop the seven of us?”
“You’re unfactioned… so yes,” Mark said.
Emily jumped slightly when the heku lunged at each other, and the fight began. She took a step back, wondering if she should help the heku or not. Mark had told her not to ash them, but she wasn’t going to stand by while her guards were pummeled by unfactioned heku trying to get to her.
Deciding the best way to help them was to go into the donor bar and get Equites backup, she ran through the doors and into the back room where the heku met up with potential donors. She slid to a stop and looked around.
“Any Equites in here?” she called out.
Two heku walked up to her, smiling, “You a donor?”
“Are you Equites?”
“No,” he said, scanning her body slowly.
She spun and started for the door, but one of them grabbed her arm roughly and turned her around, “Why you leaving?”
“Let me go,” she said, glaring at them.
He pulled her hand up and ran his nose along her wrist, inhaling deeply.
“What faction are you?” she asked, and then started to pull harder to free her hand.
“Don’t have one,” he said, gripping tighter.
“Let go. You’re hurting me.”
“Nope. You’re mine now.”
“I get her next,” the other heku said.
Emily struggled when he suddenly sunk his teeth into her neck. She knew she only had a few seconds before the relaxation started, so she immediately kneed him in the groin. He let go and bent slightly, but his grip on her tightened.
“Best not fight it,” the other heku said, watching curiously.
She sent out a burn to each of them and watched as they dropped to their knees. She could feel the blood dripping down her neck and clutched her hand over it. Once they both fell unconscious, she ran out of the bar and into the dark parking lot.
Emily looked quickly over what was left of the fight. It was now evenly matched with 3 on 3. The bodies of the other four heku were in pieces and thrown around the parking lot into grotesque piles.
Mark was the first to finish off his heku, so he turned and started helping Kralen. By the time Emily reached Kralen’s truck, the Equites were done killing off the unfactioned. Silas was hurt the worst and was lying down on the ground panting, with his hand clenched to his bleeding side. Mark and Kralen both helped him up, and they all limped to the truck as Emily crawled into the driver’s seat and adjusted the seat forward so she could reach the pedals.
“Awww, did your guards get hurt, Sweetheart?” someone said from behind them.
Mark turned and crouched again, though it was obvious he was in a lot of pain already. The two unfactioned heku Emily had encountered in the bar were walking forward, ready to attack.
“Mark…” Emily whispered, watching them.
“We got it,” he told her, and then started forward with Kralen. Emily wasn’t sure how well this fight would go. Her guards were already pretty beaten up and tired from the first fight. She did feel guilty that by running into the bar, she’d brought even more unfactioned out to the Equites.
By the time Kralen and Mark were done, Emily had managed to get Silas into the back of the truck and was just leaned over, panting, as she tried to catch her breath.
Kralen helped Mark into the truck and then climbed into the passenger side and collapsed into the seat. Emily sped off as she contemplated how to lessen the blow of this attack when the Council found out. She screeched to a halt in front of the palace and jumped out of the high truck.
“Chev!” Emily yelled, and then opened the back door to where Silas and Mark were.
“What happened?” he asked, blurring up. He immediately called for more Cavalry, and then checked Emily over. The first thing he saw was the fresh puncture marks on her neck and the hand bruises on her arm. She was shaking and pale but didn’t seem injured.
Emily turned when the Cavalry helped the injured from the truck.
“What happened, Em?” Chevalier
asked again.
She swallowed hard and then leaned forward against his chest. She shut her eyes tightly and relaxed some when his powerful arms wrapped around her.
“Sir?” Horace asked, walking up.
“How are they?” Chevalier asked him.
“They’ll be ok. Silas is hurt the worst but is already healing well.”
“Are they talking?”
“Not yet, Elder. Mark tried to explain, but he has one pretty nasty gash that flared up.”
Chevalier tightened his grip on Emily and when whispered, “Em, can you tell us what happened?”
She nodded but didn’t speak.
Horace chuckled when Chevalier grinned.
“Elder,” Derrick said, walking up. “The Council wants to know if they can get a report.”
“Em, can you tell the Council what happened?” Chevalier asked.
Again, she nodded.
He reached down and took her hand, and then followed Derrick and Horace up the stairs to the council chambers. Chevalier was still worried about the amount of fear that Emily put out when she entered the council chambers, so he decided to stay in the trial area with her as she faced the Council.
“Are you ok?” Kyle asked, immediately seeing the feed marks on her neck.
Emily nodded.
“All we’ve gotten out of your guards are that they ran into unfactioned.”
“Nine of them,” she said.
“We thought it was only seven of them,” Zohn told her.
She sighed, “It was just seven, but then I ran into the donor bar to get them some help and accidentally added two more.”
“So three of our Cavalry took out nine unfactioned?” the Chief of Defense asked.
“They wouldn’t let me ash them.”
“Good,” Chevalier said. “I’m proud of you for letting them handle it.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I was ready to take over if the guards were losing.”
He smiled, “I’m sure you would have.”
“We are wondering if it is one of the unfactioned that have been attacking women in the city,” Kyle said.
She shrugged, “Maybe.”
“Did they hurt you when they fed?”
Emily blushed. She hated when heku saw that she’d been fed from, “No, I kneed him, and he stopped.”
“Do you know why they attacked?”
“Not really.”
Chevalier watched the others and then looked down at her, “They were sent to kidnap you.”
Banishment : Book 9 of the Heku Series Page 19