Wind Demon Triology: Book II: Evil Wind

by Charlotte Boyett-Compo

  "I'm so proud of him,” Bridie said. “He is so smart and he picks things up so quickly."

  "That's his Reaper genes at work,” Beryla said.

  "I know but there are other things that really amaze me,” she said. “Did I tell you he's learning to play the guitar?"

  Beryla nodded. “He'll have it mastered in no time if I know that little rapscallion. Like he did the piano."

  Bridie laughed. “You know that high school letter jacket he found at Goodwill? The one with AHS on it?"

  "The one he'd sleep in if you'd let him?"

  "That's the one. I was watching him practice the piano yesterday and he was sitting there with that jacket on and I had this weird image of him suddenly going into Transition.” She shook her head. “Remember that old movie I Was A Teenage Werewolf? It was like watching Michael Landon turning into the werewolf. I actually started laughing."

  Beryla frowned. “You're not worried about him going through puberty and having his first Transition?"

  "Oh, I'm worried, all right,” Bridie said. “I am terrified shitless of it and before that time comes I'm going to have to sit Jae down and explain to him about what will happen to him.” She plucked a blade of grass from the ground and twirled it between her fingers. “I'll take a month off and we'll go up to that cabin Ro-Ro owns up in the Black Hills of South Dakota—away from prying eyes—and I'll see him through his first Transition."

  "If you accept one of Kam's fledglings, that time may come sooner than you think,” Beryla said. “You'll have to have a containment cell built onto the house. How will you explain that?"

  "Bomb shelter,” Bridie said. “I've already thought of that and with the situation worsening in the Middle East, it won't seem so strange to the neighbors. You know how nosy Ione is."

  Although the house Bridie had purchased out in the county had no close neighbors, a woman down the road—whom Bridie had labeled the Neighborhood Watch—kept a close eye on the Cree house. Beryla thought of how Kam would react to Ione Wilkins when he got back and had to smile.

  "Well, let's hope Kam is back before any of that has to be done,” Beryla said. She nudged Bridie with a bare toe. “You know, he could be on his way home right now."

  Bridie felt her heart speed up at those words. She looked at her son, glanced around at the families fathered together in the park, and sighed wistfully. “I hope you are right."

  "So, what's it to be, Dunne?” Beryla asked. “Is Kam going to come home to a decrepit old woman who is so tired and bedraggled she can barely put one foot ahead of the other or are we going to give his cute Reaper ass something sweet to clamp onto?"

  Bridie drew in a long breath. “We give him something to really sink his fangs into,” she said then turned to give her friend a steady look. “All right. Make me beautiful, Beryla."

  "The gods already did that, sweetie,” Beryla said with a grin. “I'll just enhance it a bit for Kam."

  "Aye,” Bridie said. “For Kam."

  Chapter Eighteen

  As the humans geared up for a fight with the ships advancing on them Troi stood with its cybot foot tapping out a slow rhythm on the deck as one finger tapped in counter rhythm on its lean jaw. Its eyes were glowing a dull orange color.

  "What ails you, ‘bot?” Alexi Noll asked. The keeper was very fond of the AIU.

  "'I am wrapped in dismal thinkings',” the ‘bot replied.

  "How so?"

  "'Mine eye hath well examined his parts'."

  "Whose parts?"

  "There was another ‘bot on board the other Reaper's ship,” Paegan Thorne told Noll.

  Tylan looked around. “Another ‘bot?"

  "We can use this to our advantage, Kahn," Khiershon interrupted Tylan's thoughts.

  "Aye. They sensed one another but didn't get the chance to communicate,” Thorne replied. “I think Troi is a mite upset."

  "Can you open a channel between the two ‘bots without anyone on the other ships knowing?” Tylan asked.

  "I believe so,” Thorne said and his hands flew over the keyboard. “And I'm doing this because?"

  "So we can coordinate maneuvers,” Tylan answered with a hiss.

  "Okay...” Thorne drawled.

  Troi suddenly snapped to attention. “'Who art thou?’”

  Over the vid-com came a strange voice: “'And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting!’”

  Troi did a little jig. “'He is a better scholar than I thought he was.’”

  "'Spirit! That dwellest where, In the deep sky!'” Raven cooed.

  "'But shall we dance, if they desire to't?'” Troi agreed.

  "Let them talk privately amongst themselves,” Tylan snapped. “We've got two ships almost up our tail pipes, gentlemen!"

  "We're programming our ‘bot now," Khiershon sent to Tylan. "We can catch your two ships between us and blow them out of the sky. The one on me is from Diabolusia and doesn't seem eager to engage us just yet."

  Tylan gripped the hands of the command chair as a violent explosion rocked the Vortex. "Then let the ‘bots have at it, Cree!" He looked over at Noll. “Let Troi do his thing."

  The Vortex banked sharply to starboard as Troi took over the ship's controls, all the while keeping up a steady conversation with his counterpart on the DarkWind. Their speech was digitalized and flitting so quickly across the screen no one could either hear or read it.

  "The Diabolusian ship is hailing us, Admiral,” Tealson Hesar spoke up from the communications desk.

  "Ignore it,” Tylan grated. He nearly fell out of his chair when another volley of laser pulses shot past the hull of the Vortex.

  "They took off our gods-be-damned weapons array!” Taborn spat.

  "Get that fucking Diabolusian bitch out of our way so we can vaporize those other two ships,” Tylan shouted.

  "No! She's friendly," Khiershon sent. “I repeat. The Diabolusian is friendly."

  "Are you sure?" Kahn asked.

  "Aye."

  The two Multitude ships were firing their weapons at the Vortex as the Rysalian ship's computer was being programmed by its ‘bot to fire in unison with the DarkWind to take out the two Multitude ships. A laser blast from the DarkWind hit one of the Multitude ships and it vanished in a pulsing mist of bright yellow light. But the jubilation felt by the men on the Vortex was short lived.

  A tremendous explosion ripped through the hull of the Vortex and the ship started plummeting, spinning wildly out of control as it fell. Troi toppled over and skidded across the deck to land against the elevator wall.

  "'Fool, there was never a man so notoriously abused',” the ‘bot grumbled, struggling to get up but its legs kept skidding out from under it.

  "'And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming',” Raven pronounced.

  "Cree?” Kahn bellowed out loud. “We're going down!"

  "We're bringing you on board, Kahn. Hold on!” Khiershon yelled over the vid-com.

  One moment the men of the Vortex were being tossed like leaves in a harsh wind and the next they were standing on the bridge of the DarkWind alongside Troi. They stumbled as another savage explosion rippled through the heavens and the DarkWind shook.

  "Got her!” Iyan McGregor shouted as the second Multitude ship vanished in a fiery red ball of fire. The DarkWind shuddered as the percussion wave rippled over it then stilled.

  Tylan Kahn bent over and clasped his knees, breathing heavily to get his nerves under control. He had thought sure he was a goner along with the Vortex and was relieved to know he'd live to fight another day. “Son-of-a-bitch,” he whispered. “I thought we were goners."

  Raven sidled over to Troi and looked the other ‘bot up and down. “'If I live a thousand years, I can never forget the intense emotion with which I regarded this figure.’”

  Troi bowed elegantly to his counterpart. “'Your faithful subject I, a gentleman'.” The ‘bot straightened. “'In kissing, do you render or receive?’”

  "Oh, shit,” Iya
n gasped. “Is that ‘bot asking what I think it's asking?"

  Raven sighed loudly. “'From childhood's hour I have not been as others were',” it answered.

  Troi smiled. “'I prithee, pretty youth, let me be better acquainted with thee',” the cybot said and extended its arm to Raven.

  The two ‘bots sidled off, their heads bent together and their language once more going much too fast for human ears to understand.

  "Ewww,” Raine McGregor said. “That's just wrong."

  Khiershon came over to Kahn and held out his hand. “Admiral Kahn, I am Cree."

  Kahn took the strong arm in his warrior fashion and shook it. “It is my honor to meet the eldest of the Prime and you have our gratitude for saving our asses."

  The Reaper smiled. “You have my thanks for providing a playmate for Raven."

  "Believe me the pleasure is all mine,” Tylan grumbled. “Why your bloodsire felt the need to program that monstrosity with Shakespearean verse boggles the mind."

  Khiershon hooked a finger down the bridge of his nose. “Well, I, ah, programmed Raven with verse from Edgar Allan Poe."

  "Like father, like son,” Taborn concluded and stuck out his hand. “I am Taborn, former prince of Necroman and boon friend of the Prime."

  "You are a warrior of great reputation, Your Grace,” Khiershon replied as he greeted Taborn. He glanced around at Caitlin. “May I present my wife, Caitlin."

  "As lovely as her mother-in-law,” Taborn complimented Caitlin. “A Celtic lady, as well?"

  "I am,” Caitlin said.

  "My second in command,” Khiershon said, nodding toward Iyan. “Iyan McGregor."

  As the men and women of the DarkWind were introduced to Tylan and his band of warrior brethren, Raine walked over to Iyan. “I believe we're cousins,” Raine said, taking Iyan's arm in greeting. “I am Raine McGregor."

  "Your Grace!” Iyan said and would have knelt before his prince but Raine kept hold of his arm and would not allow it.

  "I am just Raine,” McGregor said. “The title is long gone."

  "It need not be,” Iyan said. “You would be welcomed on Serenia."

  "I would like to think so but my home is now on Terra and once I have my woman back...” He frowned. “Do you know anything of Dorrie Burkhart?” He looked at the others. “Have you any information on her? She was with Kamerone."

  "I'm sorry but the name isn't familiar. She is most likely with the Amazeen ship,” Caitlin said. “They are docked on Rysalia Prime."

  "Kam will take good care of her, McGregor,” Taborn stated.

  Tylan glanced at the vid-com screen where an image of the Diabolusian ship was showing. “I expected them to attack us."

  "Apparently the captain is a woman who had her crew stand down as soon as she found out there was a Reaper on the DarkWind. She and her women were on the way to the Feast to try to save my bloodsire from execution,” Khiershon said. “She will go back with us and run interference if we need it."

  "So not all the women in this part of the megaverse hate Kamerone Cree,” Taborn said.

  "Far from it, actually,” Khiershon said. “According to Captain Vargas, there are more who believe the Multitude betrayed him than there are those who would like to see him burn."

  "And especially after it was learned he was the recipient of Attribution not once but three times,” came a heavily-accented voice over the vid-com. “You can not but admire such a man."

  The men turned to see a lovely woman with long dark hair standing with her hands folded at her waist.

  "I am Captain Elena Vargas and it is my pleasure to meet the esteemed Tylan Kahn.” Her dark green eyes glowed with something other than respect. “Your reputation precedes you, Admiral."

  Tylan smiled, arching one dark brow. “Is that so?"

  "Perhaps we could discuss your accomplishments in depth over a glass of Chalean brandy once we have the Prime Reaper safe?"

  Kahn's smile wavered. “I will be returning to Terra as quickly as possible, Captain, but if you're ever in my neck of the woods, I'd love to buy you a glass of something I've found to be far more powerful than Chalean brandy."

  "There is such a thing?” she asked breathlessly, flicking her tongue out to lick her upper lip.

  Kahn drew in a sharp breath. “Aye. It is Greek liquor called ouzo and it runs rings around any brandy I've ever tasted,” he told her.

  "Stop flirting,” Taborn snapped. “We've a friend to rescue, Kahn."

  "I just might journey with you through the wormhole for a taste of your ... ah, liquor ... Admiral,” Vargas said in a sultry voice. She flicked an irritated look over Taborn then the vid-com screen went black.

  "Spoil sport,” Kahn grumbled at Taborn.

  Taborn sniffed. He looked at Khiershon. “We will need a larger ship to convey us back to Terra, son of Cree. We need containment cells and E.S.U.s and..."

  "And we have such a vessel,” Khiershon told him. “It is a Class 9 StarRaider currently under the command of an Amazeen warrioress and.... “He glanced at Raine. “Your cousin Maeve Lynne."

  "Little Maeve Lynne?” Raine said. “She was in swaddling when last I saw her!” He slapped a hand to the side of his head as though memory had been jogged. “And she is your little sister, is she not, Iyan?"

  The DarkWind's 2-I-C bobbed his head. “Aye, but she's not an infant now and she does our name proud,” Iyan told Raine.

  "We'll head straight to Serenia and exchange vessels,” Khiershon said. “The StarRaider is large enough to easily hold two hundred crewmen and more than enough fuel for two trips and back to Terra."

  "I don't believe we'll be coming back, young Cree,” Tylan said. “If there are those who wish to go—and stay—then they'd best decide before we head to Montyne Vex. There will be no turning back."

  Caitlin looked at her husband. “Khier, we need to take the men of the Orion back with us."

  Khiershon thought of the medivac ship's crewmen and nodded. “Aye, we will, Cait."

  "And there's the problem of Triso and Sustenance,” Barb Fuller spoke up. “We'll need to stockpile plenty."

  "That's a given,” Khiershon agreed. He looked to his Com Off. “Dak, open a channel to our base on Serenia and make sure they get all that ready for us—including the men of the Orion. We don't want to be there any longer than necessary."

  "I hate to interrupt, but the Feast is within a few hours, gentlemen,” Nyndam Dax reminded them. “We should be making our way back to Rysalia Prime."

  "If they'll let us anywhere near the planet,” Iyan snapped. “After Caitlin pulled our asses out of orbit, we'll be on their foig list."

  "Get bent, Iyan,” Caitlin snapped.

  "My bloodsire wants us close,” Khiershon said, “but I don't think we need to be in orbit around Rysalia Prime. Remember there is also the Necromanian ship sitting out there cloaked and Raphaella is standing by, as well. It's better to be at his back to hold off the pursuers."

  Taborn's chin came up. “My people are there?"

  "The captain is a Necromanian prince,” Khiershon said. “I'm sorry but I can't give you his name. The Prime did not tell me."

  "It must be one of my brother's brats,” Taborn said, nodding. “I would say either Kamau or Tirj.” He grinned. “And they have cloaking capability. That is welcome news.” His smile faded suddenly and he swallowed loudly. “Ah, are there women with my people?"

  Khiershon cocked a shoulder. “I have no way of knowing."

  "I'd say you just turned pale, dark man, but how would I know?” Kahn asked with a nasty smirk. “Is there a certain woman you hope you don't run into here?"

  Taborn growled but did not answer.

  Khiershon looked to Dakim Hesar who was laughing with Tealson Hesar. It was obvious the two men were related and had been happy to see one another. “Dak, inform Captain Vargas we're heading back now and to fall in behind us."

  "Aye, aye, sir!” Hesar replied.

  "I wish I knew what Kam had planned,” Tylan said
.

  "He said to let him handle it,” Khiershon said. “After all, he is the Prime."

  Chapter Nineteen

  As the morning sun rose over Rysalia Prime, the rain clouds began dispersing. The sodden gray sky boiled as the light beams beat back the darkness. It had stormed all night with vicious lightning strikes spearing down all around the cage in which Kamerone Cree had sat hunched over and miserable. His headache had returned with a vengeance. There was nowhere for him to lie down to ease the brutal pain for the concrete slab upon which the iron cage sat had an uneven floor and puddles spread out in all directions. He looked longingly at the soggy lump that had been his pillow and sighed. How he wished he could lay his head upon something soft and giving.

  "Like my lady's sweet little belly,” he said wistfully as he sat with his arms locked around his raised knees.

  His thoughts were on Bridget—as they had been all during the violent storm. His lady hated bad weather though he reveled in it for it was then he could hold her tightly to him to keep at bay the terrors that so frightened her when the lightning jagged and shrieked across the heavens.

  "What are you doing right now, my love?” he asked, his amber eyes glazed over with longing and loneliness.

  Mentally calculating that their son would be of school age now, he wondered if she had decided to home school him as had been her intent before her husband had been stolen from her.

  Pain lanced through his heart and he put up a hand to scrub at his tired face. He had not closed his eyes all night for the events of the coming day preyed heavily upon his mind. He had no doubt that those who were intent on helping him and his bloodkin would do all they could but there were always the vagaries of fate and he did not trust the word of the goddess who had promised Her aid. He wanted no one to trip in harm's way because of him ... especially not the young men who bore the same burden of genetic torture that he had lived with all his life.

  "Taegin Kullen is the oldest,” Sern had told him. “Rylan and his twin Braiden Cree are next in age. The two youngest are yours: Corydon and Kaelan."