Before the guard could tell he was already dead, the blade pierced the area over his chest. While he was still falling, Sloan sprinted up the wagon and pulled the blade from his torso. She repeated the act of unhitching the panicked horses before setting the wagon on fire.
Pure chaos reigned over the night. Sloan couldn’t help taking a moment to view the battlefield. New Hope vampire soldiers weary from travel were panicked as they ran around the open area, dodging gargoyles who swooped down from the sky spearing soldiers on the tips of their deadly lances.
The wagons that were a perfect line a moment before began to move in different directions as their drivers tried to reign in frightened horses. The main bulk of the army, it seemed, was not worried about the burning wagons yet, still too busy trying to figure out what was happening.
To Sloan’s approval, a dozen other wagons were already burning farther down the convoy. Kade and his sister, as well as Pia and Babs, were doing their work quickly.
You gotta move, you gotta move, Sloan reminded herself. Cherub will be here any minute to pick you up.
Sloan jumped off the wagon she had already lit on fire and made her way to the next in line. This wagon’s horses were rearing back, large eyes showing how scared they were of the unfolding events.
Dodging the hooves that sought to strike her, Sloan jumped on board the wagon next to a frightened soldier who couldn’t have been more than twenty years old. His mouth dropped open.
“Heads-up.” Sloan slammed her forehead into his nose, sending a shower of blood over his face. The boy fell backwards off the wagon.
In two movements, Sloan unhitched the horses and lit the wagon aflame. She jumped down on top of the dazed soldier.
“Listen, kid, this is your lucky day.” Sloan pressed her mage blade close to his throat. “I’m not going to kill you.”
“You … you aren’t?”
“Nope. I need you to send a message back to Leah Eckert. Do you think you can do that for me?”
The boy swallowed hard and nodded.
“I want to hear you say it.”
“Ye-yes,” the boy stuttered. “I-I’ll send your message.”
“Good. Tell Leah that Charlotte Sloan is coming for her. Tell her that she will never be safe. Tell her that the days of her closing her eyes without fear are over and that every step toward Azra is a step closer to her death. Tell her I’m coming for her.”
Sloan was starting to feel sorry for the terrified young soldier. She flicked off her mage sword and sheathed it in her belt.
“You … you’re … Captain Charlotte Sloan?” the soldier croaked. “You’re supposed to be seven feet tall with fangs as long as swords; more monster than human.”
“I don’t know what propaganda you’ve been fed kid, but don’t believe everything you’ve heard.”
BAM! BAM!
Shots were being fired into the air now as the soldiers finally realized they were being attacked by a flying enemy.
Sloan wrestled her view from the soldier still on the ground and looked up. A large, black form swooped down to pick her up. Cherub grabbed her just below the armpits and again lifted her into the sky. A second later, they began the trip back to Azra.
“Casualties?” Sloan shouted to be heard over the cold wind once again.
“Not one!” Cherub shouted back. “I estimate we killed a few hundred!”
Sloan nodded, thinking on Cherub’s words. More importantly, they had sent a message: Kill one of ours, and hundreds of your own will die. Leah wanted a war? Well, now she had one.
Chapter 23
Croft
The raiding party had just arrived, and the reports were better than she could have excepted. Sloan and her party had killed hundreds of the enemy, but more importantly, they had crippled the supply wagons.
This new Sloan, fueled by the recent loss of her friend, was the best thing that could have happened to Azra; with war at their door, having a weapon like Sloan was invaluable.
Croft entered her room. The cell that had been erected for her youngest daughter was still there. Elizabeth lay sleeping behind the bars, with Abigail sleeping on the other end. Her daughters were stronger than she could ever be, the bond they shared strong enough to overcome anything thrown their way.
Croft intentionally made noise as she walked into the room—the bracelet she held clanged against the ring of keys she palmed in the same hand.
“Good morning, girls.” Croft motioned for a sleepy Elizabeth to meet her at the cell door. An empty tray of food was at her feet. “I see you decided to eat for the first time since you’ve been to Azra.”
“Yeah, well…” Elizabeth let out a long yawn. “I was getting hungry, and it doesn’t look like you’re going to let me out of this cage any time soon. FYI, that bucket you gave me to poop and pee in is horrible.”
“Yes, well, I hope we can move past that soon.” Croft placed a key into the lock of Elizabeth’s cell door. “Before I let you go, I want you to put your hand through the cell and allow this bracelet to be placed on your arm.”
“And why would I do that?” Elizabeth rose and placed her hands on her hips. “I think you’re forgetting that you and I don’t exactly have the most trusting relationship.”
Thus far, Croft hadn’t said anything to Abigail, and neither had Abigail moved besides to stand from her sleeping position. Croft said a silent prayer that her plan would work.
Abigail finally broke the silence. “What’s the bracelet for?” She rubbed sleep from her eyes. “It’s going to stop her from using magic, isn’t it?”
“That’s right.” Croft directed her attention to Abigail, though she placed the bracelet into her open palm so both girls could get a good look at the piece of jewelry.
“It will impede a witch or a wizard from being able to touch the magic inside of them. Likewise, if it’s tampered with, it only bonds stronger to the wearer. The only way to get it off at all is if it’s removed by the person who places it on.”
“Bwahahaha!” Elizabeth shook her head so hard, her long, red hair swayed from side to side. “If you think I’m going to let you put this on me, you’re high.”
“Not me.” Croft nodded to Abigail. “Your sister should be the one who puts it on and the one who will be able to take it off.”
Abigail blinked, trying to understand her mother’s ploy. She looked from her sister to her mother and back again.
“And then she can come out?” Abigail picked up the proverbial pass in conversation. “We can get her out of this cage?”
“Yes.” Croft looked down at the bracelet like she was actually thinking of something instead of pausing for dramatic tone. “She’ll have free reign of Azra, under your supervision.”
The silver bracelet was a band of twisted steel that ended with yellow stones on either side. The yellow stones glowed with magical power. It was easy enough for a witch of her control to craft it, but it would be ten times harder to have someone allow themselves to be fitted with it.
“If you think I don’t know what you’re doing…” Elizabeth huffed as she put her arm through the cell door. “I know exactly what’s going on here. You forget, I have the ability to read people’s minds, and that’s not related to magic at all but to the experiments done to me in the cave laboratory in Burrow Den.”
“If you can still read minds, then why did you believe Leah in the first place?” Abigail asked with a raised eyebrow. “Why didn’t you just read my thoughts when I was telling you the truth that I didn’t abandon you?”
“Because she was being manipulated by the best,” Croft answered for Elizabeth. “Someone with Leah’s power, to take control over another person … to them it’s an art. Leah is the very best at manipulating people to do what she wants.”
“So you’re going to do this?” Abigail looked over at Elizabeth for a final word. “You’re okay with this?”
“It doesn’t look like I have much of a choice.” Elizabeth pushed her arm even farther through
the cell bars. “Come on, let’s get it over with. I’ve been dying for a shower.”
Abigail nodded, opening her hand for Croft to drop the bracelet into her palm. Croft slipped the magical bracelet into her oldest daughter’s open hand.
“What do I do with it now?” Abigail turned the item over in her hands to examine it from every angle. “Do I need to say a special spell or do some kind of magical hand gesture as I put it on her?”
“Um … nope, it just snaps on.” Croft smiled at her daughter who was obviously disappointed by the simple answer.
Abigail approached Elizabeth with the open bracelet in her hands. She snapped the piece of jewelry on her sister’s left wrist. The yellow stones on each end of the bracelet gave off a bright glimmer of light before dying down once more to a steady glow. The bracelet shrank to fit Elizabeth’s wrist perfectly.
“How does it feel?” Abigail took a step back to admire the piece of metal around her sister’s hand. “Does it hurt?”
“Nope.” Elizabeth retracted her arm, twisting her wrist this way and that as she examined her new piece of bling. “But I can smell myself, so about that shower?”
Croft twisted the key in the lock. A loud click filled the silence before the cell door swung open in a wide arc. She stepped to the side and waved her younger daughter forward.
“If Leah’s hold on you is dulling now, you can read my mind and know that everything I’ve told you is the truth. You may not love me, but you know that I love you.” Croft looked over to Abigail. “I’m not going to have any guards follow you. They have all been instructed that you and Elizabeth are to have free reign over the city. As you both know, the fighting is about to start, and when it does, I think it would be best for Elizabeth to be as far away as possible from Leah’s manipulation.”
“What are you saying?” Abigail asked, trying to piece together her mother’s words.
“She wants us to leave the city,” Elizabeth answered her sister. “She wants you to take me away.”
“What? No way.” Abigail looked at her mother like she was crazy. “I’m not going anywhere. We’re finally together. Elizabeth isn’t trying to kill us, and now you want us to go?”
“I can’t make you leave, but it would be for the best for you to go,” Croft said, hating every word. As a mother, it wasn’t about her any more. From the beginning of her journey it was never about her, and it could never be about her ever again. “You and your sister have to make your own choice.”
“Yeah, and right now, I choose to take a shower, unless you two want to smell a sweaty magic-bracelet-wearing witch for the foreseeable future.” Elizabeth took a tentative step out of her cell, expecting that she might be shocked, or somehow this had all been an elaborate trick. When nothing happened, she let out a deep sigh.
Theo rushed into the room a moment later. The large shifter’s eyes were wide as he nearly tripped over his crutch. “Scouts are reporting that despite Sloan’s attack, the New Hope army is pushing forward. They’ll be here by nightfall.”
Chapter 24
Leah
“She’s a stupid girl who thinks that a night raid that kills a fraction of our army will stop us.” Leah lounged in her seat, rolling her eyes at Commander Steel. “She’s banking on the fact that I care about the lives of our soldiers. I, unlike her, understand that in war, casualties are inevitable.”
“She destroyed most of our blood supply and took out two hundred and forty nine soldiers in the process.” Commander Steel had said the words as if they should have meant something to Leah. “Yes, that is a drop in the bucket of our army, but the morale of the men is low.”
Leah studied Commander Steel. Had she made a mistake promoting him to a place of such power? Had she been blinded by his good looks and toned physique from the beginning?
“Well then, it’s your job to make sure that our army sees this night ambush against them as an act of cowardice. Spin it as a trap against us from weak, spineless enemies who attack in the dark and run in the day.”
“I have. Your army will take Azra as soon as we get to the city, as you’ve commanded. However, may I recommend a rest before we begin the assault?”
“Why? My vampire soldiers don’t need rest. They don’t require sleep.”
“Sleep no, but after running two days all day and all night, giving them a moment to prepare before the invasion may be helpful.”
“No, push them forward. You know the plan. The assault has to last long enough for the slaves to finish building the track for the mage engine. We have to get the tracks laid all the way to the gates, or else we’ll have to go with Plan B.”
“Understood.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be there, and so will Dominic, to inspire and lead.”
“He was reported injured.” Commander Steel cocked his head to the side. “I don’t see him here now.”
“He’ll be fine.” Leah waved away the question with an open hand. “I want my armor prepared for the attack. Let the weapon smith know.”
“Already done.”
“Good. When we’re within sight of Azra, notify me. You are dismissed.”
Commander Steel bowed, then left the compartment, leaving Leah alone to think.
Leah let out a heavy sigh. She looked around the compartment, giving her eyes something to do while her brain worked on the attack strategy. The compartment she was in was just behind the mage engine and in front of the cars holding the slaves. Very soon, the mage engine would need to slow to allow the slaves off to begin work on progressing the track to Azra.
Her compartment was plain, made up of grey carpet, black walls, and sparse furnishings. A painting of a broken city was the only thing on the walls, minus the windows that lined the sides of the cart.
Right now, the most important thing was to rest her mind for the fight that would come against her sister. The battle with Croft would be the deciding factor in the war. There was no doubt she would be able to defeat her sister, no matter how powerful she had become.
Dominic Drencher was the ace up her sleeve. If, for any reason, there was the slightest chance she could fail, Dominic would be there to support her.
Leah forced herself to relax. She envisioned victory in her mind, the walls of Azra broken by her mage engine, a pile of broken bodies beneath her feet, starting with Charlotte Sloan and ending with Croft.
The night would be a bloodbath on both sides, but there was no doubt in her mind they would prevail.
Chapter 25
Jack
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The door to Amber’s house rattled so hard, it looked like it was going to break down. Jack ran to the door, already lifting the wand from the holster at his side. It glowed a dull green at the tip.
The lupine snarls on the other side of the door told Jack he didn’t have anything to worry about, but he had to be sure. Jack cracked the door open. Marcus was on all fours. Blood dripped off his white coat, too much of it to be his own and still be standing.
“You’re going to let that monster in?” Amber looked up from Aareth’s body, past Jack, toward Marcus’ massive frame.
“He’s a puppy when you get to know him.” Aareth smiled with a wince. “Ugh … I need a drink.”
Marcus shifted in front of Jack. His impressive height shrank, his shoulders narrowed, and his canines disappeared. Blood now dripped off his skin instead of off his fur.
Jack took off his brown coat and wrapped it around his father’s shoulders.
“The city is clear,” Marcus reported. “The last of the vampires holding Term ran. I let them go. I lost two wolves and have another six injured. Enough blood has been spilled for one day.”
“Did he just turn from a monster to a man?” Amber looked over Jack’s shoulder to Marcus. “What the hell is going on? Why is he naked? Better yet, why did you cover him up?”
Kimberly came from the back of the room, carrying the medical bag Jack had been on his way to retrieve when the knock had come at the door.
/>
Amber accepted her bag from Kimberly. Her eyes never left Marcus.
“I’m going to tend to the pack.” Marcus ignored Amber’s words, but couldn’t help letting a smile play at his lips. “They need to rest and prepare for what comes next.”
“I’ll go with you,” Jack offered. More than anything, he wanted to spend time with the father he had lost and found, then lost and found again. “If you want, I mean.”
A loud crash reverberated from inside the house. Everyone looked to where Kimberly lay on the ground. The gargoyle had been strong and hidden the true extent of her wounds for as long as she could.
“Kimberly!” Jack raced to her side and knelt down next to the gargoyle, cradling her giant frame as best he could. “Are you all right?”
“What the heck is going on here?” Amber was elbows-deep in Aareth’s wound as she looked over to Kimberly. “Why are all of you people so injured?”
“What do you mean ‘you people’?” Kimberly coughed from her position on the floor.
“Oh, you know what I meant.” Amber pressed a white gauze pad to Aareth’s side. “I didn’t mean to be racist. Stop giving me a hard time. I’m saving your friend over here.”
“She needs to take the stone sleep.” Marcus lifted one of Kimberly’s arms and motioned for Jack to take the other. “We need to get her outside.”
“If my ancestors could see me now.…” Kimberly winced in pain as the werewolf and the wizard helped her to her feet and led her outside into the sun. “Aided by a beast creature and a wizard child. They’re rolling in their graves right now.”
Jack and Marcus led Kimberly outside. The morning sun was just up. As soon as they exited the house, Kimberly looked over to Jack. “I’ll be powerless while I sleep.”
Jack understood this was the best the gargoyle could do when faced with asking a favor.
“I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.” Jack smiled with a wink. “I mean, I can’t help if a bird or two lands on you, but I’ll make sure you’re not too bothered.”
House of Wrath: The Vampire Project Book 5 Page 10