I smiled to myself. It was nice to remember there were plenty of strategic minds in our group. I didn’t feel great about being so close, but the reasoning was solid. Before, the thick rock of the mountains had shielded us from the more refined location tech. Now, the overwhelming number of different frequencies in and around the tear would render us practically invisible.
I gaped as the dotted line of the Bureau’s barricade came into view. I had watched them set it up on the news, but now I could see it spread much farther than I had assumed—miles and miles of blockades and twisted wire sprawling out into the desert. High above it, amid the clear blue and occasional wisps of cloud, a patch of sky held hints of livid purple and sickly green. Barely enough to notice and little more than a trick of the light. But I knew better. The tear was starting to become visible.
“That’s the Bureau’s security perimeter,” I told Sike. “We need to sneak by it if you can.”
“You got it, boss,” he said and saluted me playfully. He gestured to Dorian, indicating for him to follow us. “I hope you’re not queasy.”
I still had the aftertaste of delicious fries in my mouth, and I would rather die than toss them up. Setting my jaw, I held on tightly as the redbill veered toward a series of canyons. By foot, they appeared treacherous. I hoped the Bureau wouldn’t be able to see us flying through them. The redbill dove between the first series of canyons, weaving in and out of jutting rock structures that dotted the area.
“They won’t see us if we use the canyons as camouflage,” Sike assured me. “We’re almost there.”
The redbills began to slow as they approached a sandstone cliff face riddled with holes carved by time and weather. They landed, their flapping wings sending up a screen of dust around us. A slight murmuring came from inside the caves. The voices echoed quietly as if the caverns stretched far into the cliffside. Sike helped me off the redbill. My boots landed in gritty sand.
Sike led the way into the hideout, Dorian close behind. I fell in beside Louise.
“How are you?” she asked softly. There were dark circles under her eyes.
“Fine,” I promised. “What about you? I was impressed by the chase you gave that monster. Which, by the way, is called a shrieking decay.”
She grinned wearily. “My legs are still kind of cramping, but I’m just glad Bryce kept up with me.”
I placed a hand on her arm and drew us to a halt, letting the two vampires move a little farther ahead. “I’m sorry about Grayson. I should have done something.”
Her face dropped, and she closed her eyes for a second. “He made a call, and it ended up being the wrong one,” she eventually said. “And I’m angry about it. I’m angry he was willing to betray us all like that, knowing full well what the Bureau would do to the vampires. I’m even angrier that Finley, and by extension the Bureau, saw nothing wrong with killing him, even though he was trying to be loyal to them in some strange way.”
I noticed Sike and Dorian had stopped to wait for her. From their grave expressions, they likely knew what we were talking about.
“We’re going to find a way to stop all this madness,” I assured Louise with a confidence I didn’t entirely feel.
She smiled weakly, taking the half-promise for what it was, then moved toward the cave entrance and the waiting vampires.
The cave was less impressive than our first two hideouts by a long shot. I was right about the caverns being carved far back into the cliffside. The beams of our solar-powered flashlights, the handles jammed into cracks in the rock, barely lit the overwhelming darkness but gave a sense of how deep the cave went. There was a light layer of sand on the stone floor and not much else.
But there were people.
My tired eyes, as they adjusted to the gloom, took in a parade of weary, hopeless expressions. In the low light, it took a while to make out the moving figures as we appeared in the entrance of the cave.
“Lyra!”
My entire body soared with joy as Zach lifted me into the air.
“I was so worried!” He twirled me in a circle, giddy with laughter and sheer relief.
His voice was so warm and welcome and alive in my ears. I clung to him just as tightly as he held me. He was here. I was here. We were alive. We were alive. I drank in the sensation of being able to finally touch him and see his grinning face.
“He wasn’t the only one,” Gina said, coming up behind him.
“You’re alive,” Zach murmured over and over into my shoulder, refusing to let me go. There was a pungent, earthy smell to him that reminded me of the salve Dorian had used on Drigar, and I remembered I needed to thank Hart for his new concern for the group.
Gina swatted him. “You’re hogging her.”
He finally released me with a laugh, but I could hear the tears in his voice.
Gina wrapped her arms around me in a fierce hug. “We were so worried about you.”
“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” I said playfully. “Certainly not if Dorian has anything to do with it. H was the one who made sure we both didn’t die.” I was so thankful to see her after the haunting image of the crashing helicopter.
She rubbed her eyes, sniffing a little. I understood completely. My own emotions were run ragged after the events of the last few days. I swept them both back up into a joint hug.
For a passing moment, I had my family, and it was enough.
Gina stepped back. She and Zach stared at me as if they could scarcely believe I was actually in front of them.
I smiled and wiped at my damp eyes. “You guys have no idea how happy I am to see your faces.”
Heavy footsteps rang out on the stone, and then Roxy was gawking at me from behind Gina and Zach. Her expression was torn between shock and something I couldn’t put my finger on. Suddenly, she rushed me and drew me into a tight bear hug.
“We thought you were dead,” Roxy said hoarsely.
I let out a sharp mumble of shock, frozen. Finally, my arms went up to clap her on the back. Appreciation filled me. Roxy had fought hard during our battle with the Bureau. She was a big reason I’d been able to get on the monster, risking herself to make sure the Bureau soldiers didn’t stop me. Without her quick thinking and actions, the battle could’ve turned out very differently.
“Roxy, I wouldn’t have made it out of that battle without you,” I said, sincere.
She pulled back with a wild grin and a confident tilt to her chin, her right eyebrow split with a newly stitched wound. “You’re right about that.”
I laughed, surprised by the strength of my own joy. During my adventure with Dorian, I had worried over my brother and friends. Seeing them in person after the uncertainty of the past few days changed everything. I soaked in the welcome and ignored my sore ribs that were soon aching from tight embraces. The vampires clustered around Dorian. In the confusion, I didn’t pay much attention to them, but I saw some familiar faces. Oleah was there, looking more haggard than before. Bravi, Laini, Gavril, Vonn, and more I couldn’t make out in the low light.
“Glad to have you back,” Bryce said, moving toward our little group, one of his arms swathed in thick bandages. The brave captain who managed to outrun an immortal monster. I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor throughout all this.
“Glad to be back.” I smiled at him.
We hadn’t lost everything during our battle. Their faces were tired, but they were alive.
“What have you guys been doing?” I asked Zach and Gina, the three of us tucking ourselves into an alcove near the entrance where it was light enough to see one another’s faces.
“Mostly surviving. Among the other cuts and the massive number of bruises, Zach’s leg wound reopened slightly, but it’s under control,” Gina replied. “And I’d say we definitely did okay, considering we survived crash-landing a chopper that was melting to sludge.” She and Zach wearily high-fived. “Never want to do that again.”
“We also have a few more members now,” Zach said. “Most of the o
riginal vampires are back from the Immortal Plane.” He gave a subtle nod in their direction, both he and Gina apparently reluctant to draw their attention.
I raised an eyebrow as I turned to see for myself. Since when did vampires concern them like that?
Halla stared defiantly at me from across the cavern. Ah. Now I understood. Halla never had the kindest words for me or the other humans. Perhaps Gina and Zach were skeptical about how the ever-changing dynamics would affect our group cohesion. Surely we can sort it out now.
“It’s good we have more numbers,” I assured him. “I’m just glad the vampires are back.”
Rayne and Harlowe were also back among the vampire clan, and Dorian greeted them enthusiastically.
“Is Kane here?” he asked, searching the faces.
His visible disappointment made my throat tight with sadness. Kane hadn’t returned from the Immortal Plane either? He could be injured or dead. Even though he wasn’t always kind, I still hoped for his safety.
“No,” Bravi replied, emerging from the crowd.
I smiled upon seeing her strong face even with her mouth turned down wearily, one side swollen from her missing teeth. If there was anyone who could help us continue our difficult journey, it was Bravi. Perhaps she had a clearer idea of what happened to the vampires since Dorian didn’t have time to take stock of everything before the battle.
“The mission into the Immortal Plane. How many were lost?” I asked, stepping closer to the gathered vampires.
“Too many,” Bravi informed us. “The battles were unending. We weren’t able to find Thoth again. Rhome and his family are also missing.” Her hard eyes settled on Dorian, searching for the next step. She wasn’t the only one.
“Jeth didn’t make it back. One of the twins is also missing,” Sike said quietly. “Myndra. We saw her get badly injured, then we lost her when we had to flee the fight.”
Sabal sat by herself on the far side of the cavern, facing the wall. She didn’t react at the mention of her sister’s name, her fingers twirling the end of her braid over and over again. She must have panicked when she lost sight of her sister. Just like that. Gone and possibly dead. Although Myndra often frustrated me, she didn’t deserve to be injured and missing in the Immortal Plane. None of the vampires did.
What kind of evil were they facing over there? I wished I could’ve seen what happened, what the immortal enemies looked like.
“We’ll regroup and move forward,” Dorian promised gravely.
“Let’s give the vampires some privacy,” I suggested, building off his words. “Ideally sitting down. I’m tired.”
The vampires moved deeper into the dark, happy to comply with that request. Our human group formed a circle in the red dirt near the entrance where Zach and Gina had remained. I ran my hands over the cool, dusty stone.
“There have been so many losses,” Louise said, speaking slowly and quietly. “Grayson… I always thought of him as a younger brother. I wish I’d known he was desperate enough to call the Bureau. I wish I could’ve protected him from Finley.”
“We all wish that,” Zach assured her. “Everybody tried their best during that battle, and because of that we didn’t lose anyone else on our side.”
“Yes.” Bryce shook his head. “But I should’ve been there for him. It’s my duty to protect my team, even if we’re not in the Bureau anymore.” He paused for a moment, closing his eyes. After Jim’s passing, losing Grayson only added to the pain the Bureau had caused.
A cold realization dawned over me: the Bureau really would do anything. They were lying about the actual cause of fires and attacks, hoping to cover their story. The monster they brought to the last attack could’ve hurt civilians. Numb dread sat cold in my gut. Everything led back to the board, which meant Alan had to be involved. He seemed to be the one in charge, at least among the higher ranks. I saw no alternatives to explain it.
Zach caught my tortured expression and frowned but said nothing. Did he know I was thinking about Alan? We had accepted our uncle’s darkness to an extent, but it was still difficult to process. Nothing felt like real life anymore.
“I’m pissed,” Colin said abruptly. His mild-mannered nature had vanished, and his face contorted as anger bubbled to the surface. “The Bureau betrayed us. I pledged my life to them. Grayson did too. Look what that got him.”
I’d never seen Colin like this. His anger was understandable. After what happened with Grayson, I didn’t want to dismiss another person’s feelings again. I wanted to be more sensitive. I needed to find a way to tie that in with our need for leadership. Group cohesion would be vital for the upcoming missions.
“You’re right to be furious,” Roxy announced, crossing her arms. “The Bureau has done enough. I want revenge. They need to be held accountable for what they’ve done.”
“Absolutely,” Colin agreed. His eyes burned.
I pressed down an anxious sensation. Roxy and Colin seemed beyond mad. I could sympathize with that, considering their recent torture, but would I be able to strategize around anger, both mine and theirs? We needed to be careful about our approach to the Bureau, and revenge would be a tough line to toe for everyone. If it didn’t involve more bloodshed, I would be open to it.
“I want revenge too,” Gina declared abruptly. She wasn’t one to share her stronger feelings publicly, but now a storm built on her usually calm face. “I can’t stand by and let them do this anymore. I want to know that the people I love are safe. That the public is safe. That innocent people and vampires are safe. I want to make sure our families don’t get hurt. How dare the Bureau act like they have free rein to ruin innocent lives? We could retaliate and stop them from chasing us in the process.”
“The Bureau has overstepped massively,” Roxy said. “They’ll pay dearly for that.”
“We can find a way to get justice for Grayson,” I promised. “We just need to know what our retaliation would look like before we charge ahead.”
Bryce nodded. “Misplaced and reckless anger is partly what led the Bureau to their current actions,” he warned.
Our conversation was beginning to draw listeners. Dorian wandered over to our group and sat beside me. Sike and Bravi followed, and a few more vampires trailed after them.
“I hear what you’re saying, Bryce, but the CIA using trackers on us was the last straw,” Zach said. A muscle in his jaw clenched.
Louise nodded, her mouth twisting with anger. “They used us. All they cared about was helping the Bureau,” she said. “We put all of the clothing we wore in water to drown out every tracker they might have put on us.”
How many times would our trust be betrayed by government agencies meant to be doing good in the world?
“If the CIA is as tightly connected with the Bureau’s inner workings as it seems, then it means we should probably be skeptical of any oversight agency. Who knows how deeply involved in the Bureau’s plans the other agencies are?” I said slowly. Talking out loud helped me sort out my own thoughts. After I spoke, the weight of my words came over me. Were we really on our own?
“Where does that leave us?” Louise asked, her eyes wide with frustration. “The vampires might be the ones to show up on scanners, but we can’t split up from them. Just because disappearing as humans is easier doesn’t mean we’ll be safer. The Bureau would find ways to track us down, and then we’d have no chance of fighting them off. Vampires and humans have to work together to come to a solution.”
She was right. We had to rely on each other to defeat the Bureau. We all carried a target on our backs now, one that our former agency had made very clear they were willing to shoot at. I wished we had time to grieve. My limbs felt numb. Panicked voices and heated emotions wouldn’t bring Grayson back. It wouldn’t help us plan.
But as the conversation rolled on around me, I caught Bryce’s eye and saw the understanding there as he stayed quiet. The team needed to vent. None of us had been able to express ourselves during our chaotic battle with the Bureau
and the shrieking decay. It was all coming out now. It might be better to let the emotions flow, at least for a while.
My gaze darted to Dorian. He stared at me, intently. I hoped he was theorizing how our discussion might affect his approach with the vampires.
Louise piped up again, on an impassioned roll. “If nobody in the government is willing to listen, we should go public and create a huge uproar. So big the Bureau has to acknowledge us and admit vampires are real.”
“The thought had crossed my mind,” I said, “but I’m worried about our status as dissenting soldiers. It would be hard to go up against the entire Bureau and their reputation.”
Zach leaned forward, his eyes intent. “I agree with Lyra. I don’t see how we could make that work. We’re a handful of dirty soldiers who work for an organization that most people don’t even know exists. We’ll sound like lunatics and risk immediately getting captured,” he pointed out. “The Bureau would bury us. The public will always believe the government, even if we have proof and a platform.”
Good to know I wasn’t alone in my concerns, though I wasn’t quite so adamant in my negativity.
“Unfortunately, he’s right,” Roxy said. “We need to aim at the Bureau. Every trail leads back to them. If we’re going to take out evil, we should take it out at the source.”
“The Bureau is the source, but if the issue with the CIA has shown us anything, it’s more complicated than just taking on one organization,” I admitted. “The question of how to hold the Bureau accountable and make all their lies public is what we’ll have to figure out. We don’t want to hurt innocent people, but it might be impossible not to since the Bureau clearly doesn’t care about human lives.”
Darklight 2: Darkthirst Page 36