Eternal

by C. C. Hunter

Midway over the rusty posts, Della heard the weres talking. They were close. Too close.

  The sound of her and Chase’s feet hitting the ground thudded in the dark.

  The talking stopped. Silence echoed.

  The guards either heard them or got their scent. Della didn’t care. She was ready to kick ass.

  Chapter Forty-two

  There were five. Even in the dark, Della spotted them running full force at them.

  Chase cut his eyes to her as if making sure she was ready.

  Hell yeah. For Natasha and Liam she was ready to do whatever it took.

  She kicked her foot out, hitting the first were right in the gut, and sending him about five feet in the air. A tree waited on him. He slammed against the trunk with an ominous clunk, then slid to the ground. His lack of muscle control told Della he was unconscious.

  One down, four to go.

  Nope. Make that three. Chase got in a right hook, and another were fell to the ground, out cold.

  Two more came at Della … with knives. The silver of the blades reflected in the moon’s glow.

  Out of the corner of her vision, she spotted six more weres charging toward them. Damn, that made a whole pack of ’em.

  Four surrounded Chase. And two came to join the other two circling her.

  She went to kick one back to make it better odds, when another jabbed a knife into her arm.

  She felt the pain.

  Smelled the blood.

  And just got plain ol’ pissed off.

  Chase’s growl filled the night air. Fearing he was hurt, she cut her eyes his way.

  His eyes glowed bright red, his fangs completely extended, but she got the feeling his reaction came from her injury. Not his own.

  That one-second glance cost her. The weres now stood closer. Too close. Hands, feet, knives, they came at her all at once. But she moved with power, blocking, and even landing a few blows, as she moved.

  She caught one were by the wrist, swung him around, and let him take the next few blows from his friends. He grunted, groaned as feet connected with his ribs.

  When his friends stopped hitting him, she used her captive as a bowling ball. Chan, her champion bowler, would have been proud. He’d have called it a spare, because only one remained standing.

  Just as she moved in to take him out, Burnett showed up. He caught the were by one arm and swung him into a tree.

  Della turned to help Chase. But instead, she watched him take down his last attacker.

  Burnett looked around. “Considering the odds, you did good.” Then his eyes grew brighter as he moved closer to Della and smelled the blood on her shirt.

  “It’s okay,” she muttered. Before Burnett could start coddling her, Chase shot over and did it for him. He ripped off her shirtsleeve to see the wound.

  “It’s not bad,” she said.

  Right then, the sound of fast-approaching footfalls sounded in her ear. All three spun around at the same time.

  Della sucked air in her nose and caught the trace of one were. But he wasn’t alone. He was being chased by several vamps—the other FRU agents.

  Then the were scent found its way into her memory bank.

  “I got this,” she said and bolted forward.

  In the silver light of the moon she caught sight of Red hauling ass toward her. He spotted her and turned his long-legged gait, moving fast back into the line of tall pine trees. But not fast enough.

  “Girl Toy’s baaaacccck!” Della seethed as she tackled him, pressing him into the layer of pine straw covering the ground.

  She put her knee in his back. “Move and I promise I’ll hit you where it hurts and you’ll be talking like a girl for weeks.”

  When he didn’t fight back, she rolled him over and looked him dead in the eyes. “Where are they?” Fear filled the were’s eyes and for good reason. Della didn’t plan on asking twice.

  * * *

  Red, along with all of the other weres told the same story. The owner of the cemetery, Ramon Henderson, had taken part in the underground fights. But when news came from Dallas that the FRU was on to them, he packed his bags, took his best men, and flew to Mexico.

  They also admitted there had been several fresh turns kept at the cemetery, but all they knew was that they were kept in burial vaults. Mr. Henderson and his top men had been in charge of them, and they just assumed he’d disposed of the evidence.

  There were six burial vaults on the property. Keys with numbers on them hung on the office wall.

  The first four were empty. As she, Burnett, Chase, and two other agents hurried through the cemetery to the fifth vault, she told herself not to panic. They were minutes from finding Natasha and Liam. We’re coming. We’re coming. She repeated in her head, somehow hoping Natasha and Liam could hear her.

  The fifth vault proved difficult to open. Burnett rushed back to the office, found two sledgehammers in a storage room, and between him and Chase they brought the thick concrete door down.

  And as soon as it crumbled, so did Della’s heart. The strong smell of death whooshed out as if seeking escape. The two agents shot back.

  Burnett, gritting his teeth, looked back at her and Chase with empathy. “You two stay here,” he said as he stepped into the dark vault.

  “No,” she cried and tried to follow, but Chase grabbed her. “Let him check.”

  She fought Chase for a second, then she read the reasons in his eyes. If it was them, he didn’t want her to see them like this. He didn’t want to see them, either. Della leaned against Chase and fought to grasp tightly to her newfound hope. But the smell of death was so strong it threatened to destroy it.

  In only a few seconds Burnett came out. He held his arm over the lower half of his face. His gaze went to Della and Chase. He lowered his arm and swallowed hard.

  “Four bodies. Three male, one female. They are in too bad a shape to identify.” His voice came out tight as if the sight sickened him.

  “It’s not them,” Della said, her pulse racing so fast she felt it fluttering in her throat. “They were alone.”

  Burnett looked down as if seeking strength, and then up. “One female and male were alone in a room.”

  Della felt doubt cut through her heart like glass.

  “There’s still one tomb left.”

  Burnett nodded, apparently not throwing in the towel yet, either. He turned to the others and gave orders for someone to call for a van to take the bodies in.

  He picked up the sledgehammer, Chase grabbed the other, and the three of them went in search of the last vault. The last one was half way across the graveyard. They didn’t talk as they moved.

  The moon gave off just enough light and turned some of the gravestones a milky white. When they came to the raised tomb, taller than Della, she didn’t think her heart even beat. She couldn’t seem to get enough oxygen into her lungs.

  This was it. If Natasha and Liam weren’t in there …

  The key didn’t want to turn the padlock that hung from the large concrete door. Burnett grabbed the sledgehammer and hit the lock and knocked it loose.

  It took both her and Burnett to push the door open.

  Darkness hung heavy in the tomb. Burnett switched on a flashlight. The beam of light moved left to right. Only a pile of concrete blocks filled the vault. No Liam. No Natasha.

  Chase let out a breath. She felt him pull her closer, and they looked at each other. This near him she could see his eyes looked wet and hopeless. Frustration built up in Della so tight, she wanted to scream. She dropped to the floor, hugged her shins, and buried her head on her knees. They had failed. Della felt sick, her stomach heaved.

  “Did you hear that?”

  She recognized the voice and pulled in a shuddered breath. It wasn’t Chase or Burnett.

  “Hear what?” She raised her face, but saw only darkness.

  “That noise,” Liam said.

  “They’re burying someone else,” Natasha said. “I don’t want to listen.”

  �
��No, it was different. Listen.”

  “No, I’m tired, Liam. I want to go to sleep forever.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “They’re here!” Another voice sounded, but distantly, and Della realized it was Chase. “They’re here somewhere!”

  “They’re not,” Burnett said. “We tried.”

  Della came out of the vision just in time to see Chase grab his sledgehammer. “Do you hear this?” he screamed as he slammed into the stone wall and knocked a hole in the tomb.

  He must have been in the vision, too. And somewhere deep in her soul, she remained just enough in the vision to hear Liam say, “That? Did you hear it?”

  “They can hear us!” Della screamed and jumped up. She turned in a complete circle searching in the dark for a door or entrance. None existed. Then her gaze fell to the pile of concrete blocks.

  “There,” she said. “Under there.”

  Burnett didn’t look convinced, but when she and Chase started tossing the blocks to the other side, he helped.

  Ten heavy blocks later, Della saw the metal latch that pulled up a steel door. Her tears of regret that had fallen were now followed by tears of joy.

  It took all three of them to pull the door open.

  Della jumped down into the small space. But she saw nothing but blackness.

  Then she heard it. Breathing. She inhaled and caught the scent of vampires. Two.

  “Natasha?” Della said. “Are you here?” Her vision cleared just enough to see another open doorway.

  “We’re here,” Natasha said and it sounded as if she’d started crying. “We’re … here. Right here.”

  Della ducked down to go through the doorway. A beam of light came behind her. She turned and saw Chase with a flashlight.

  “We found them.” She smiled up at him through her teary vision.

  “I know.” He handed her the light and came to stand next to her. His shoulder brushed against hers and she let herself savor that touch for one second. “Let’s get them out of here.”

  Chapter Forty-three

  Dr. Whitman and his family were on vacation, so Burnett had a different doctor meet them at Shadow Falls. He put the doctor and his patients in one of the bedrooms in an extra cabin. Della, Chase, Burnett, Holiday, and Hannah all sat in the living room. Miranda and Kylie had stopped in for support. Miranda hugged Della, Kylie just gave a thumbs-up, and then they went on their way.

  Chase sat right beside Della, as if it was his place. She didn’t argue with him. They had made a hell of a team. While her thoughts were mostly on the two behind the door, she couldn’t help but think about Burnett’s message about her and Chase: After this case, if you continue to see Chase, your career with the FRU is over.

  Did she really have to make that choice?

  She glanced at Chase and wondered what the chances were of him coming to work for the FRU.

  From behind the bedroom wall, she could hear the doctor moving around and treating the patients. The first thing he’d asked for was extra blood. He’d brought some, but needed more. Burnett left and returned with four pints from his own reserves.

  The doctor was going to let them feed and give it to them via IV while he checked them. Finding Natasha and Liam alive had erased Della’s panic, but seeing them so thin and weak brought some of it back. Both of them had been going in and out of consciousness on the way over here.

  They looked like the old pictures of prisoners of war. The mood in the cabin now was cautiously optimistic.

  Burnett stood on the front porch to make a few calls. Probably checking in to make sure things had gotten taken care of back at the cemetery.

  Holiday, with Hannah in her arms, came over and sat beside Della and Chase. She offered Della a gentle, calming touch and then some words. “I’m proud of you. And you,” she said, looking at Chase.

  “Thanks,” Chase said and Della saw a spark of pride in his eyes.

  Hannah smiled up at Chase and flapped her arms.

  “It appears my little girl already has good taste in men,” Holiday said. “I’m afraid she’s a big flirt.”

  After a second, Holiday continued. “And I’m a little disappointed in myself. I had serious doubts because I’ve never seen a case where the spirit was able to connect two live people, but I’m beginning to learn that nothing is impossible.”

  “I’m just glad it turned out okay.” Della looked back at the bedroom door. “They’re going to be okay, aren’t they?”

  “I’m not a doctor, but I would think so.”

  Della inhaled and breathed a little deeper this time.

  “Did the spirit pass over?” Holiday asked.

  Della looked back at Holiday. “I don’t know.”

  “Oh, you’d know,” Holiday said. “You’ll see it. It’s rather beautiful. A reward for all your work. And it’s worth it.” She got a gentle smile on her face.

  “Then I guess she hasn’t,” Della said.

  “Why would she still be hanging around?” Chase leaned in and asked.

  “She might want to make sure they are okay. Or she might want something else.”

  Della recalled the bloody vision of her aunt, dead. And she knew from both Holiday and Kylie, that often what ghosts wanted was justice. But how could she offer that on a murder that happened so many years ago? And the thought of even trying to discover the truth when …

  Holiday spoke again. “Did you ever find the connection of the ghost to these two?”

  “She’s Natasha’s mother,” Della said, but didn’t add the fact that she was also her aunt. She knew that would lead Burnett to discovering too many truths. And before he went digging into her family tree, Della wanted to find the answers herself.

  Holiday smiled. “I should have guessed.” She bounced Hannah on her lap. “Maternal bonds are pretty powerful.”

  Della’s thoughts went to her own mom and the last time she’d spoken with her. She could only hope whatever problem had arisen at home had decompressed. But as soon as she had a chance, she needed to call.

  Voices echoed from the bedroom and she heard Natasha talking to the doctor.

  Della wanted to talk to Natasha right away, but Burnett insisted they get them medical help first. And rightfully so.

  Finally, the doctor walked out. Burnett moved through the door. Holiday, Chase, and Della all stood up. The doctor smiled, and suddenly the air tasted sweeter to Della.

  “They’re going to make it. I’m not sure how much longer they could have survived. It will take some time for them to get their strength back. They’ll probably have more emotional scars than physical, but they’ll be fine.”

  Della leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and said a prayer of thanks. Chase leaned in and whispered in her ear, “We did it.”

  She opened her eyes and smiled at him.

  “The patients need rest,” the doctor continued. “But if you’d like to visit with them, that’s fine. Keep it low-key. One at a time and make it short.”

  Burnett inched forward and looked at Della and Chase. “I have to go to the office to fill out some paperwork. Why don’t you two visit with them, and I’ll do my interrogation later.”

  Della nodded.

  “Oh,” the doctor added, “I tried to convince them they would rest better in separate rooms, but they refused to be separated. Which isn’t uncommon for victims who went through an ordeal together. I recommend letting them stay together for a while.”

  Della would bet that Natasha and Liam would be together longer than a while.

  Chase’s phone started to vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked up at Della. “It’s the council, I should update them.”

  Della saw Burnett frown, but much to his credit, he didn’t say anything. He kissed his wife and child and left.

  After a few seconds, Chase went outside on the porch to take his call. Della heard him recounting what happened.

  She looked back at the doctor. “Is it okay if I go in now?”

 
; “Sure. But if they’re sleeping, let them be.”

  “I understand.” She started toward the door when Chase walked back inside. He moved over to her. “I need to go fill the council in on things in person. I shouldn’t be too long.”

  “Good,” she said. Before she knew his intent, he leaned down and kissed her. It wasn’t a kiss full of sexual tension, just a simple good-bye from someone who cared about another person. It was, Della realized, very much like the one Burnett had just given Holiday.

  He smiled and then passed his finger over her lips. “I won’t be long.”

  “We need to talk,” she said, prepared to tell him about the FRU ultimatum.

  “That we do,” he said, and she saw in his eyes how much he cared.

  He turned to go, but she grabbed his hand and pulled him back. And she kissed him. This kiss lasted just a little longer. She knew Holiday and the doctor watched, but for once, she didn’t care.

  “Thank you,” she said when she pulled back.

  “For what?” he asked, smiling.

  “For everything.”

  He gave her hand a squeeze. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  She smiled and watched him leave. When she heard him take a flying leap off the porch, she felt like a part of herself had taken off with him. It hit her then, somehow, someway, she wasn’t going to stop seeing Chase. It didn’t matter if her feelings were due to the bonding. She still felt them. And their being together was right. Like Natasha and Liam. Like Kylie and Lucas. Burnett and Holiday.

  When she looked back, she saw Holiday’s expression was less than happy. But Della refused to worry too much. Things would work out. She had to believe that.

  “I’m going to check on Natasha and Liam,” she said.

  “You do that,” Holiday said.

  Della got to the door and paused. Taking a deep breath, and not completely sure what she was going to tell her cousin and her boyfriend, she eased open the door to their room.

  * * *

  Natasha and Liam were in separate twin beds, but someone had pushed them together. Each had an IV going into their arm. They both had their eyes closed.

  Della paused at the door, her gaze going to Natasha. The doctor must have used a washcloth to at least get some of the dirt off her. She wore a gown, and Della suspected it was Holiday’s. She almost turned around when Natasha’s eyes fluttered open.