Morvicti Execution: A Morvicti Tale (A Morvicti Novel)

by Lee Swift

  She turned to another monitor that had a better view of Luke’s porch. One of the men with a gun fired at the lock until it released.

  “Luke, they’re inside your house now.” She could still hear gunfire echoing through her mother’s phone. “Where are you?”

  “Close…don’t…out…Rom…almost…”

  The line went dead. In a panic, she tried to call Luke again. No answer. On the monitors, she saw the black masks searching all the rooms. Please, Luke. Be safe. I can’t lose someone else. Not again.

  One of the men’s voices came through a speaker. “She’s not in here.”

  “Kitchen is empty,” another yelled. “But there’s a note to the halfblood on the counter.”

  They’re searching for me.

  The guy with the axe stood staring up at the painting of Roxanna. “The bitch isn’t in the living room either.”

  She recognized the axe-wielding bastard’s voice. It’s Allen Wade.

  “Her car is in the garage,” one of the other men shouted. “She’s got to be somewhere in here.”

  “Or she might be hiding outside.” The other gunman ran to the back door. “I’ll check the perimeter.”

  “If we have to tear every board of this place apart to find her, we will.” Wade’s voice, which had once seemed warm to her, now sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard.

  He removed his mask, clearly unconcerned about her identifying him.

  He’s going to kill me. She shook her head in defiance. Unless I kill him first.

  Wade picked up one of the long fireplace matches. “We can burn this place down with her inside.” A wicked, twisted smirk appeared on his face as he lit the match. “Did you hear me, Cassie? I know you are here. If you don’t come out right now, I’m going to make sure you are burned alive.”

  She glared at the monitor. It took everything inside her not to rush out of the safe room with her gun firing, taking the scum down. She thought about O’Malley’s words on what needed to happen for her to lose the “rookie” title.

  “Do you have to be led by the hand through every procedure?” What would he do in this situation? He would be smart. He would stay put. So that was exactly what she was going to do. The justice O’Malley and her mother deserved would have to wait.

  Wade frowned. “Suit yourself. Stay hidden like a little mouse. I’ll pull your disgusting halfblood body from the ashes. Then I will chop off your head and rid our world of yet another abomination for good.”

  She watched in horror as Wade set the painting of Roxanna on fire and then moved on to the drapes. He’s destroying Luke’s beautiful home.

  “Come out, come out wherever you are, Cassie.” Wade taunted, continuing to light the furniture on fire.

  What choices did she have? Stay, or try to escape undetected?

  The room might survive machine gun fire and a hurricane, but Luke had said nothing about fire. Did it have its own ventilation system that would give her enough oxygen should the house burn to the ground? And even if the answer was yes, what then? With its Kevlar walls, the safe room would likely remain intact, which would reveal to Wade her hiding place once the fire died down. Wouldn’t the local fire department be arriving soon? Would he wait that long? She just didn’t know. It wouldn’t matter because he couldn’t get in. The safe room was totally secure. And Rom was coming. She needed to stay put. That’s what O’Malley would do.

  Praying Luke was still okay, she dialed Rom’s number.

  “Cassandra?”

  “Luke’s in trouble, Rom. The Brotherhood found us. They’ve set the house on fire.”

  “I’m close. Where are you?”

  “In Luke’s safe room behind the mirror.”

  “You’ll be okay there,” Rom said. “That room will withstand any blaze. Where is Luke?”

  “I don’t know. The other SUV chased him.” She feared the worst. “I heard gunshots through the phone and then his line went dead.”

  “Hang on, Cassandra. Don’t leave that room for any reason until you see me.”

  Knowing the odds were stacked against her, she understood it was best to stay put until backup arrived. “Hurry, Rom.”

  Once again, every bloody image from the night returned full force. O’Malley’s severed head. Her mother with the axe in her chest. The black mask askew on their killer’s face. As soon as the cavalry shows, I’m going to take Wade and his two minions down.

  On one of the monitors she saw a yellow utility van pull up next to the black SUV. More black masks?

  When she saw Luke get out, relief rolled through her. She recognized him from the photo Rom had sent to her. Luke was alive, thank God. How had he gotten away from the men in the other black SUV? She stared at the monitor and saw a bloodstain on his shirt. He was shot, but that didn’t seem to slow him down.

  Before she had a chance to call Rom, Cassie saw Luke race into the flames, which were multiplying by the second. He ran down the hallway. Luke was coming for her.

  Then, on another monitor, a terrifying image appeared—Wade with his axe in hand, running after Luke, who was clearly unaware that he was being followed.

  Adrenalin shot through her veins, and faster than she’d ever moved in her life, Cassie opened the safe room’s door and aimed her gun past Luke, straight at Wade. In a millisecond, all the possible targets on the Ranger’s body flashed in her mind. If she chose wrong, the axe might hit Luke.

  She squeezed the trigger and shot Wade in the arm. He dropped the axe and it slid across the floor, coming to a stop just inches from Luke’s feet.

  Wade reached in his jacket and pulled out a gun. Her second shot hit him in the heart before he could fire. Wade groaned and collapsed to the floor. Blood soaked his shirt and poured from his unmoving mouth and now deaf ears. He was the second man she’d killed today. He was dead, and finally she had a clear view of his violet palms.

  “You’re quite the sharpshooter, Cassie.” Luke coughed several times before adding, “You saved my life.”

  More gunshots could be heard outside.

  “I bet that’s Rom.” She covered her mouth as the smoke thickened.

  “Let’s get out of here before the fire engulfs us, Cassie.” He coughed again.

  She nodded, feeling her lungs burning. They raced down the hallway, past the flames, to the front door.

  One of Wade’s buddies tried to jump her, but Luke shot him between the eyes, sending him to the floor.

  She turned to Luke. “It’s my turn to say ‘you saved my life.’ ”

  “We take care of each other, but we better get out of here.”

  They rushed to the front door.

  When they got outside, they found Rom standing over the body of Wade’s other accomplice. “Any more of these buggers around?”

  Luke shook his head. “Cassie took out one inside that had an axe aimed at my back.”

  Rom’s eyebrows shot up. “Impressive.”

  “Luke took out the other.” She coughed, trying to expel the smoke from her lungs. “And it’s pretty clear you finished off the last one.”

  “We all did our part today, Cassandra.”

  “Shouldn’t we be leaving now?” She looked toward the street. “There might be other black masks coming.”

  “Current intel shows there are no more in the area,” Rom said. “We’ve got about a half hour before we need to go. That’ll give me time to tie everything up.”

  “That’s a relief.” She turned to Luke. The stain on his shirt she’d seen on the monitor was bigger than before. “Do you realize you’ve been shot? You need medical attention.”

  “All in a day’s work.” He shrugged, adding a cough to his extremely calm speech.

  “We need to get you blood, Luke.” Rom walked to his BMW, which was parked beside Luke’s van. “And Cassie, too.”

  “Me?” She remembered all the times her mother had given her blood as if it were medicine.

  “Yes, you,” Luke said. “It will help your lungs heal faster
.”

  “Mom never told me why human blood works on our…kind…the way it does.” Cassie still had no idea how to put these strange truths into words.

  Rom returned with two bags of blood, handing one to her and the other to Luke.

  “It’s because of how Morvicti evolved alongside Homo sapiens.” Luke took a sip. “There is a symbiotic relationship between our species.”

  “And I’m a product of both species. Half human. Half Morvicti.” She coughed again and stared at the bag in her hand. “So where does the blood come from?”

  “We collect it through many channels. Blood banks. Hospitals.” Luke took another sip, and the color in his face deepened.

  “I’m sure this is a lot to take in, Cassie.” Rom gazed into the flames. “You’ll have plenty of time to learn all about us.”

  “You’ve had blood before, haven’t you?” Luke asked.

  “When I was a child.” She stared at the bag in her hand.

  “Drink. It will make you feel better.”

  She hated to ask, but her need to know was more important than ever. “Do the Morvicti ever kill humans for blood?”

  “We aren’t murderers, Cassie,” Luke said. “We believe all life—whether human or Morvicti—is sacred.”

  She stared at the unmoving body lying at Rom’s feet. “But not The Brotherhood. They have no qualms when it comes to killing.”

  Rom nodded. “They are fringe fanatics.”

  Feeling the need to cough again, she closed her eyes and took a sip. Instantly, she felt her lungs clearing. Mom was right about the blood, too. “Luke, what happened to the guys in the other black SUV?”

  “There were only two in that van. It was easy to handle them. They are up the road.”

  “Only two?” Rom chuckled, bringing out his phone. “You always downplay your heroism, cousin.”

  “I’m a Drake, just like you. That’s what we do.”

  “Yes, it is.” Rom bent down and checked the fallen man’s pulse. “I need to call the cleanup crew. I have them on standby.”

  “Very astute of you.” Luke bowed in front of Rom, which puzzled her. “My apologies, my lord, for this mess.”

  “None of that formality here, cousin,” Rom said. “Please.”

  Luke sent her a quick, secretive wink. “As you wish…my lord.”

  Rom groaned and then began talking into his phone. “How close are you? Good. We have six bodies at Lucretius’s home that need to be transported to the Sanctuary of the Forgotten.”

  “Isn’t it seven bodies?” she asked Luke quietly. “Counting my mother? And what’s the Sanctuary of the Forgotten?”

  “A place the Morvicti send criminals, but your mom is coming with us, Cassie.”

  Oh God, I forgot. I’ve got a funeral to plan. “I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay you for all you’ve done for me.”

  “Repay? You’re my niece. We are family.”

  “You’re my uncle?”

  He pulled her in for a hug. “I am. Your mom is my sister.”

  Is? He’s having trouble accepting the fact Mom is gone, too.

  Rom ended his call and patted Luke on the back. “I’m glad we were able to protect your niece.”

  “Even if she’s a halfblood?” Cassie’s voice was a whisper as she watched the flames and smoke now pouring out of every window. “And the one who caused Luke’s home to be destroyed?”

  “Pure blood, halfblood, human blood…I don’t care. All that matters to me is that we are blood.” Rom put his arm around her shoulder. “And concerning Luke’s house. You didn’t cause this, Cassie. The Brotherhood did.”

  “Houses can be replaced and rebuilt.” Luke’s kind eyes made her feel a little better. “Besides, my work here is done. I’ve been checking on you and your mother since you were born. Now I will return to my home in London.”

  “But where will I go?” She wondered once again about what her life ahead was going to be. Without Mom. “The Brotherhood wants me dead.”

  “You will come back to London with me and Rom.”

  “My mother told me so much about the Morvicti, and not all of it is good. That’s why we had to live in hiding my entire life.”

  “Prejudice still exist, Cassie.” Luke closed his eyes. “My own daughter, Irina, was killed by The Brotherhood for having loved a human.”

  She thought about her mother’s pet goat, that had been named for Luke’s daughter.

  “I will keep you safe until the laws are changed,” he promised.

  “And so will my brother and I,” Rom added. “The Brotherhood is a fringe group. Radical in their ancient religion. Our beliefs have changed and when The Brotherhood breaks our laws they are brought to justice, as these men here have been.”

  “I remember my mother telling me about how it is now a crime to kill halfbloods like me.” She could hear her gentle voice; a time when Cassie was still young and willing to listen to her stories. “But that hasn’t changed everything. Even the Morvicti that don’t want me dead still won’t ever accept me as one of their own.”

  “I accept you, Cassie.” Luke placed his hands on her shoulders and locked his gaze with hers. “You are one of us, no matter what our laws say.”

  Rom stood next to Luke. “And I accept you, too, Cassandra. You will come with us to London. Meet my brother, the king.”

  “Your brother is King of the Morvicti?”

  “Yes. You’ll be safe with us. Trust me.”

  “I trust both of you, but I’m afraid. Can you understand that? I really don’t have any other choice but to go with you. I can’t go back to my old life. That’s impossible, not just because of the warrant that will certainly be issued on me for leaving town, but because I know the truth of who I really am and where I came from. I don’t know what lies ahead, but I don’t want to bring any more danger to your families.”

  “You are my family, Cassie.” Luke looked at her very seriously. “You are a Drake. That’s your real surname. You are Cassandra Leigh Drake. Your mother changed her last name when she became pregnant and moved to Mertzon to remain off The Brotherhood’s radar.”

  “It’s all so surreal,” she confessed. “Everything Mom told me was true, but she never told me that I was related to a king, only to Roxanna. I left my mother’s painting of her behind. Luke, the fire has destroyed your portrait of her. She was so different in our picture. No crown; just a ribbon. Was Roxanna a queen?”

  “Yes, Cassie. She’s my grandmother.” Rom’s pride for Roxanna was evident.

  “As well as mine and your mother’s great-aunt,” Luke added.

  I’m related to a queen. “So Roxanna really is my great-great-aunt?”

  “Correct. You’re a Drake, just like Luke said,” Rom stated firmly. “We protect each other no matter what it takes.”

  “I wish I could have gotten my mother’s painting…and her other things.”

  Luke grabbed her hands and squeezed. “Don’t worry, Cassie. Our people are making sure all your belongings are out of your apartment and your mother’s house. We’ll take care of everything.”

  “This may sound crazy, but will you ask them to get Mom’s black goat? Her name is Irina.”

  “I’m not surprised your mother named her after my sweet daughter.” Luke’s eyes welled up, and he smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m sure Irina is being taken care of.”

  “Well, you may not be surprised, Luke, but I am,” Rom said, obviously trying to lighten the mood. “You have another daughter. Seraphina should have had two goats.”

  Luke grinned.

  Cassie was glad he had another daughter. Maybe it helped soften the grief he carried for Irina just a little. Feeling her own sense of loss, she wondered what would ever have the power to soften her own deep sadness.

  Hearing an approaching vehicle, she turned and looked down the road. A large semi was headed in their direction.

  “Here comes the cleanup crew now,” Rom pointed to the truck.

  “How many are
on the team?” Luke asked.

  “Five of our most trusted people.”

  Cassie took a deep breath. Her lungs felt fine now. “Are they Morvicti, too?”

  “They are,” Rom answered.

  The truck pulled into the driveway. The three men and two women who exited the vehicle bowed to Rom and then quickly went to work putting out the fire.

  He’s really a prince.

  Three members of the crew pulled large water hoses from the sides of the truck. The other two brought out gurneys from the back.

  “What kind of truck is that?” she asked.

  “One that is outfitted with whatever we need in this kind of situation, Cassie.” Rom definitely had a ton of incredible resources at his disposal.

  The two moved the black-masked man lying at Rom’s feet onto the gurney. She was shocked when they brought a bag of blood to his lips.

  A Morvicti custom?

  “There are two more inside,” Luke told the leader of the team. “Two more down the road. There are also two Morvicti inside the yellow van. The man is one of The Brotherhood. The other is my sister. Leave her. She’s coming with her daughter, Romulus, and me.”

  Her mother’s killer was taken out of Luke’s van and moved to the semi. No longer hidden behind the black mask, she could see his face. Justice had been served today. He was dead. Wade was dead, along with the others. But there were more members of The Brotherhood still out there looking to kill innocent men, women, and children.

  Her heart broke as she remembered the last moment she’d been with her mother.

  “Luke, I’d like to see my mom before we leave.”

  As Rom continued directing his people to clean up the mess, he led her to the back of his van.

  Luke opened the doors. She’d been expecting to see a body bag—not her mother lying on a hospital bed attached to an IV—receiving blood.

  Completely in shock, she asked, “Is this some kind of Morvicti ritual? Why are you giving her blood?”

  He looked confused. “So she can heal.”

  Now Cassie was completely confused. “But…Mom can’t be alive. She had no heartbeat. She stopped breathing. She was sent to the morgue.” Cassie entered the van and grabbed her mother’s hand, once again checking for a pulse. Nothing. Tears stung her eyes and the guilt returned. This is all my fault. I’m so sorry, Mom. How can I enter the Morvicti world, your world, without you? “She’s dead, Luke. No pulse. No heartbeat.”