by C. T. Adams
They wound up back in the study, with Charles finishing the memo they’d just experienced firsthand. “ ‘I hope you saw information that will be useful to you,’ ” Holly read. “ ‘For obvious reasons, I couldn’t tell you this in person. She might cause me to give false information in an attempt to keep her movements secret until it’s too late. But she can’t hide my memories, so I will have to find a way to become so injured I can put myself into a healing trance. Amber taught me how years ago, for times when she wasn’t close by. Unfortunately, she always planned to be nearby, so I don’t know if I can wake up by myself. If I cannot and if no healers survive the battle, please select a leader who is calm in temperament, and strong enough to best even the most obstinate council member in battle. I will destroy this letter as soon as I finish writing it, so none but you will know its contents. Good luck, my friends. I wish you strength, and hope we meet at the end of the journey. Sincerely, Charles Wingate, formerly Sasha, ruler of the Great White North.’ ”
“Okay, gang,” Tony said after Holly finished the final word, “Let’s wrap this up. We have plenty to do and—”
You great white FOOL! Did you think there was an area of your mind I could not control?
The voice was female, but so deep it was nearly male. It echoed through the darkness, searing along Eric’s skin like red-hot coals.
“Guys, this software officially has a virus. We’re leaving now!”
Eric once again felt the world fall out from under him as Tony tried to pull them away from Charles’s mind. But the voice in the dark wouldn’t let go so easily.
I think not, young seer. You know far too much to be allowed to leave. Silvery eyes appeared in the blackness, each one as wide across as a big screen television. You will remain here until I can either break your minds or kill you.
Pain seared across Eric’s body and mind with white-hot intensity. Holly screamed and dropped into a fetal position on the floor. Tony grunted and fell to his knees. Blood appeared from a dozen cuts in his skin and Eric wondered if the same was happening to his body.
“This isn’t a drill, people. Marduc’s inside Charles’s mind. Get us out of here!” Tony yelled the words just before his throat was slashed by unseen claws. He grabbed at the wound and his eyes went wide. Eric threw power at the silvery eyes, aiming for the very center. He kept pushing as fast as he could, hoping to take the pressure off the other two. Holly managed to get to her knees and stumble to her feet, even though he wished she’d stay down.
She went immediately to Tony’s side. Green power bloomed in a wide arc around the wounded seer, until Eric couldn’t see them through the light. Her power was diminished by at least half before Tony started breathing, coughing up thick clots of blood as he struggled to get air. She threw another burst of power into him and he collapsed onto the ground, either out cold or dead.
Eric was running out of power fast. Why weren’t the council members helping? Had they already been killed by Marduc? Was this a real attack, rather than just a psychic one?
Eric was concentrating so much on blinding the snake with power that he didn’t see Holly come up beside him. “I’m sorry, Eric,” she said softly as she touched his face. “But at least one of us has to survive. Please stay safe, and know that I wanted to.”
He felt a shock of pain and then he was falling. Green energy pressed in on him and turned into a soothing cocoon that he couldn’t seem to escape from. He smelled berries and cinnamon, but the scents were tainted with fear and intense pain. He heard a woman scream and then the green light faded. Everything went black.
Chapter Twelve
“ALL THAT EFFORT. Ruined!” Nasil looked around the tiny cave set high in the cliff with anger and frustration. The priests were dead—had been for days, they’d either been eaten by their Goddess or by scavengers. The eggshell was also broken, from the inside out.
He turned and stared out onto the wide open plains. She was somewhere out there, and he had no idea whether she was sane, or even if she was still alive. Nor would he probably ever find out, since she was invisible. What was he supposed to do, call her like a puppy to come back home?
Nasil reached up to scratch his nose and realized once again that he’d done so unconsciously. Ever since he’d woken in the car, he’d discovered that he had limited use of his hand. It was still clumsy, but it worked. Obviously the girl had something to do with it, and he wasn’t complaining. He planned to use every bit of the newfound ability to find the Goddess.
Hmm. I wonder . . . He went to the nest in the corner and flicked his tongue around the broken eggshell. The taste was immediately unpleasant, not so much from the venom she obviously secreted from her fangs, but from something that made her uniquely Marduc. He would definitely recognize the taste if he encountered it again.
He felt around the nest, hoping to find a few errant feathers. He was nearly out of the invisibility powder. It would be good to restock. He winced as one sliced open his hand. But there were only two. Barely enough for one more trip.
“But that’s all right. I only need one more trip to find you, I think,” he said quietly.
Unless I find you first—
The voice seemed to come from everywhere. It pressed in on him, and flowed out through his own mouth. What the hell?
“Where are you?” he demanded of the air, turning in a circle, but feeling no presence. “Show yourself.”
I remember you, said the voice, now a hissing contralto in his mind. You assisted the snake who wished to be my mate. You found my resting place . . . with my help, of course.
Nasil felt his blood chill. Marduc was fully sentient and able to remember their search? From before they’d even opened the tomb?
Of course I remember. I have always been and always will be. Did you expect a child to be born from the mind of a queen?
And she could read minds? Terrific. He threw out a burst of power in the hope he would be able to think faster than she could read. Then he’d have to find a way to block his thoughts. “What would you have of me, my queen?”
I’m not ready for you yet. You’re not like the others. But you will serve me . . . soon. I’ve tasted you now and can find you at will. I will come back for you when I’m ready to have alphas worship me. But first I need more food.
The abrupt absence of the mind dropped him to his knees. He tried to think, analyze what she’d said. Not like the others. What others?
He needed to go to the gathering of Sazi he saw in the valley. The odor of various species had drifted upon the breeze. He couldn’t imagine why that many wolves and cats would be living in such tight quarters. Mammals didn’t like to live in snake piles, where there were a thousand others around you to keep you warm. Something important was going on to make them pack together so tight. As soon as Bruce arrived, he’d make him comfortable and then journey down into the valley.
And even as he watched, a lone car turned off the main road and headed in his direction. He couldn’t wait to see his lover again. To touch his hair and his skin. But first he’d need to clean out one of the caves, make it habitable for a time. Then he would find the girl. He had no doubt she was somewhere within the gathering of Sazi. This was where he’d traced the helicopter.
And with Marduc already born, there was nothing to stop Nasil from using her healing magic to make him and Bruce whole again. Even if it took every bit of magic she had.
After all, if Marduc was alive, she would be searching for the healer too. And it would be far better for Holly Sanchez if Nasil found her first.
Chapter Thirteen
“WHAT IN THE hell were you thinking?!” Eric looked absolutely livid. He paced the length of the RV, making the floor squeak and the whole vehicle rock. He ran his fingers through his hair repeatedly with an expression that would send most people running. But underneath the angry scent was thick, wet worry and enough fear to make her tense. “Do you have any idea how reckless that was?”
Holly had seen him like this before, bac
k in Boulder, after she’d gotten back from the hospital and refused to file a complaint with the pack. She tried to remember what it had been that time. Oh yeah, Jasmine had tried to pull her arm from the socket for daring to borrow her comb. Hardly a unique occurrence, and telling the pack leaders at that point probably would have gotten her sister a slap on the wrist. Of course, that would have succeeded in making Holly’s life hell for a month after.
She had to struggle not to smile at the memory of Eric’s frustrated outrage on her behalf. He’d been so protective then, at a time when she had nobody.
But she didn’t need protection anymore. “I already told you. I was thinking exactly what I said before you went into the trance—one of us had to survive. I picked you. How was I supposed to know it would be as simple as putting Tony in a trance to break the hindsight connection?”
He turned and glared at her, fists clenched so tight the knuckles were white. “You picked me? So you were just going to sacrifice yourself without even bothering to check with anyone?”
Okay, that was over the line. Holly tried to sit up on the bed holding the sheet to her chest. It was a slow process, because any movement made her head pound. She’d used up so much power healing Tony and putting him and Eric in a trance that it had taken Tatya to bring her back from the brink. “Excuse me? Who exactly was I supposed to ‘check’ with? The guy bleeding to death on the floor? The council that I couldn’t see? You? It’s not like there was a lot of time to wait for people to think about it. Besides, did it ever occur to you that maybe that’s why I was supposed to be there—because I could make that decision?”
And speaking of being there, she still couldn’t figure out why he was here. Who’d elected him her nursemaid? She was wobbling, which was annoying. It didn’t really portray the image she needed to pull off the tough words. Sitting wasn’t working, so she let herself ease back down to rest on the wonderfully soft pillow. Whoever’s trailer this was, they had good taste in bedding. “Look, if you’re only going to yell at me, why don’t you just leave? I’ve got a headache and there are enough people here to yell at me that I don’t need another one.”
Eric sat down on the couch, leaned back, and closed his eyes. “Nobody’s going to yell at you.” He sounded tired when he said it, as exhausted as she felt.
She turned her head to stare at him incredulously. “Uh, news flash. You’re yelling at me. And I haven’t even met with the council yet about the other stuff.”
His eyes didn’t open as he spoke. “I already told them about it.”
Her mouth opened as she gasped in sudden outrage. “What? Damn it, Eric! You said I could tell them in my own way.”
Now he turned his head to look at her. “Yeah, that was before you were unconscious for this long. Have you checked the windows, Holly? That’s not sunrise outside. It’s sunset. You’ve been out for a day.”
She looked out the windshield. It was hard to orient herself inside the trailer. She had presumed it was sunrise, because it had been dark when they’d begun the hindsight. A day?
“You nearly died, Holly.” Eric’s voice was softer now. “That’s why I’m here in the trailer with you. I thought they needed to know in case someone knew of a way to reverse ‘the cure’ on Lucas. They had Tony do a hindsight on you while you were out, just in case you didn’t make it. You’ve been cleared of any wrongdoing with the FMU.”
They’d done a hindsight on her? “Wouldn’t I remember having a hindsight done?”
Eric shook his head. “Apparently that’s standard procedure. Tony usually wipes all memory of it. He said he was going to ease your memory of Rose, too. Did he manage that?”
While she realized it had just been a few hours since Rose died, it did feel like it had been longer. She nodded absently, still confused.
“Good,” he said, rising slowly to his feet. “Then you’re probably right that I should leave. Lots to do, and all that.” He stood up and the scent of frustration, mingled with something that she couldn’t quite place, made her brain even more befuddled. “I made you a sandwich—roast beef with horseradish. You should probably eat. You didn’t get much stew in you yesterday before you ended up wearing it. Let me know when you’re ready to talk, and we’ll . . . well, we’ll see where it goes.”
He walked the few steps to the door and opened it. He paused with one foot on the ground outside, like he wanted to say something. But he just shook his head and closed the door behind him.
She stared at the closed door for several minutes, her mind completely blank. She finally turned to stare at the photo someone had taped to the paneling above her head. It was a peaceful scene, with a long stretch of white beach and palm trees. A woman stretched out on a lounge chair, while a pair of redheaded children played in the surf—their smiles frozen in time. Was it a family portrait, or a long-dreamed-of vacation? It should have reminded her of California or Cozumel. But instead, it made her think of Australia and a little mining town. Maybe it was the way the sand sparkled.
It made her think of Rose . . . and Eric. Why had it been so easy to talk to him when she was fifteen, but now they struggled to even speak a sentence to each other?
Holly? You’d better be there, girlfriend. If you’re dead, I swear I’ll kill you . . . Holly?
Even though it made her head throb with each word, Cat’s voice made her smile. She let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. There was still hope if Cat was alive. Not dead yet, and glad you’re not either.
Not for lack of trying—apparently for both of us this time. Cat’s voice sounded stern in her head, but Holly knew that Cat would understand her reasoning.
Eh. Throw a couple of people into a trance and temporarily defeat the big-bad, and people call a person reckless. She paused. Not that you’d know anything about getting scolded for surviving.
In fact, for most of Cat’s existence as a Sazi she’d been on the wrong side of the council for being, as Cat called it, proactive toward her own survival.
Moi? No, not me. I’m the very picture of discretion and temperate behavior.
Holly laughed out loud. This was just what she needed. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She still had service and a nearly full battery. Do me a favor, huh? Call me. I’ve got a blinding headache and could use a friendly voice in my ear.
Cat didn’t reply, but a moment later the phone started chirping. “Knew you’d find a hideout with a phone,” she answered without even checking the display. “Everybody okay there?”
“Not everyone,” Cat said sadly. “We lost Betty. She was never quite the same after her last childbirth. It got ugly and she just wasn’t fast enough. Even I barely managed to get away. But the babies are fine and Raphael managed to get the rest of the pack away. Betty died a hero. She planted herself in the doorway and wouldn’t let a single snake through until . . . well, by then she was gone. We owe her a lot.”
Holly had never really thought of the former psychologist of the Boulder pack as particularly heroic. Mostly, she’d been . . . solid. A comforting presence. “Does anyone here know? And do you know what’s been happening out here?”
“Yeah,” Cat said sadly. “I know the basics . . . Lucas and Uncle Chuck and the whole snake-bitch thing. Lucky you—you get to see the maw of death coming.”
Holly fluffed her pillow and threw back the covers to get some air. It must be ninety degrees in the trailer. Except . . . crap. She was nearly naked, wearing just her panties and bra. And the drapes were open. She tossed the covers back over her and started to look around the room for her clothes. But after a few seconds of trying to spot them, her head started to pound again. She plopped back down on the pillow. Screw it. I can just bake. “Yeah, lucky me. You probably heard about Rose too.”
Cat gasped and Holly could almost see those green eyes widen in her mind. “No! What happened? Surely not the snakes? Why would they attack humans?”
Holly told her everything she knew. By the time she’d finished her st
ory with Eric leaving the trailer the landscape outside was bathed in darkness. “So, that’s the story. I mean, I can’t even wrap my head around the whole Marduc thing. A creature that scares the Chief Justice? That’s just freaky. Hell, I can’t even figure out what’s up with a guy I used to totally crush on.”
Cat laughed, and there was a sharp quality to it that made Holly wince. “You’re joking, right? The woman who harassed me for not memorizing every word of the official Sazi manual hasn’t figured out the obvious? Too funny!”
“Okay, apparently I’m missing something right in front of my nose. Clue me in.”
“Hmm . . . let’s see.” Cat’s voice was teasing again. Holly could put up with it from Cat, because at least she’d get some answers from her. “Handsome bad boy sent to Boulder ten years ago to channel aggressions, but instead of spending time with other aggressive wolves—as is totally normal for wolves—he spends all his time with a human girl who’s jailbait. Fast-forward a decade and within a few days of seeing you, said bad boy has his tongue stuck down your throat and he’s assigned to stay at your side in a lonely trailer to keep you alive.” She paused. “Getting any flashes of inspiration yet?”
Holly bit her lower lip before replying. “Um . . . he likes me?”
“Um . . . no. He ‘likes’ you in that same subtle, unassuming way that my husband likes me.”
A laugh escaped Holly’s mouth. “Well, that’s a whole different thing. You and Raphael are mate—” The word caught in her throat as the realization finally struck home.
That’s why I’m here in the trailer with you.