Trying Times (The Valens Legacy Book 14)

by Jan Stryvant

  Roxy took a deep breath and gave Roberta another hug. "Sean didn't go into a rage just because John died."

  "How can you say that? I was there, I saw it!"

  "I was there, too," Roxy replied. "Killing John lit his fuse, alright, but he saw you there with John's blood on you, he knew it could have been you who was killed, and that was what pushed him over the edge.

  "You have to remember, Rob, no matter how near and dear any of Sean's friends may be to him, you're his wife, and you mean more to him than anything else in the world. Everything is about family for Sean because he never had one, because what little he had was taken away when he was a child."

  "Still... I felt, I felt relieved, almost... almost happy," Roberta said, sniffing.

  "Survivor's guilt." Roxy sighed. "Something terrible happens, and you're just happy to still be alive. Then you see your friend didn't make it, and suddenly you feel guilty. Guilty for your happiness, guilty to be the one who walked away, all of that."

  "But what'll I tell Sean?" Roberta sobbed. "How do I tell him about this, about any of this?"

  "You don't have to; he already knows," Roxy said and gave her a hug.

  "He does? How..."

  "Why do you think he was sitting with your head in his lap on the plane? He knows you're troubled over what happened. Deep down, where it counts, he knows. Trust me on that."

  "O... Okay," Roberta said, nodding her head.

  "So, does this mean we get Peg here to do her tricks and have someone infect you?"

  "Huh?" Roberta said and, pulling back slightly, she looked up at Roxy, blinking.

  "Well, you said the problem was you weren't a lycan like the rest of the people in the car. Does that mean you want to become one?"

  Roberta blushed and shook her head. "No, Rox. I'm happy being who and what I am, though I admit, for the first time, I'm scared. I know it was different for you and Jo, and even Dae. That you guys got attacked, more than once. It's just, I've never gone through it before."

  "What about the attack at the airport?"

  "That wasn't against us, that was against Sean; we just rode in to rescue him."

  "The attack on the Sorceress Guild?"

  "Again, that wasn't aimed directly at us, at me, that was at everybody. I guess..." Roberta sighed. "I guess I'm just not as brave as I thought I was."

  Roxy smiled and hugged Roberta close.

  "I'll tell you a secret," Roxy whispered. "Neither am I."

  "But you're fearless!"

  Roxy snorted. "I think Daelyn's the only one among us who's really 'fearless', and that's only because she was raised around a bunch of crazy, drunken dwarves. All of us, even Cali, have been afraid at one time or another, especially this last year."

  "Thanks, Rox," Roberta said with a tired smile.

  "Just be there for me when the time comes I need a shoulder to cry on," Roxy said and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Why don't you lie down on the couch here and take a nap? I'll wake you when it's time for lunch."

  Roberta smiled shyly, and Roxy gave her another hug. Getting up, she helped Roberta lie down on the couch, and sat with her as Roberta settled down and took a nap. She chided herself for missing it; she should have realized Roberta was struggling with what happened. Because they all were.

  She'd be sure to talk with Sean later tonight.

  #

  "So what do you think?" Sean asked, looking around the table.

  "It's a set up," Chad said. "It's just too damn obvious.

  "While they've acknowledged everything we claimed, I have to admit it feels too pat," Bill agreed.

  "They had no choice but to acknowledge our claims," Carl said, "we've seen the video evidence that was recorded with their own systems."

  "Have they replied to my demands yet?" Sean asked.

  "No, they're still hedging."

  "So what are we going to do?" Maitland asked.

  "Well, Sean's not going," Chad said and gave Sean a scowl. "Right, Sean?"

  Sean laughed. "No, even if I trusted them, I wouldn't be the one going. This is where I'm needed the most. But Maitland is right, what are we going to do?"

  "The lion in charge really thinks they're going to hit Europe, then?" Bill asked.

  Sean nodded. "Yup, and I think he's right. So we have to do something, but what exactly?"

  "Let's build up in the surrounding countries," Maitland suggested. "I can talk to my cousins for a start, while you talk to the lions about organizing some sort of preparations."

  "And then what? Stage raids into Germany to attack the demons?" Chad said. "Until they ask for help, there's not really anything anyone can do that won't be seen as an act of war."

  "I think I need to talk to my boss," Jack said. "That goes for you too, Carl. Sean, you need to call Steven as well."

  "Why?" Sean asked as they all looked at Jack, who had pretty much been keeping quiet during this little impromptu meeting to discuss what Carl had told Sean last night.

  "We've got a couple of military bases in Germany, and over thirty thousand troops there. I don't think the president or the joint chiefs are going to be happy to find out all of those service members are now in peril."

  Jack looked around the table.

  "I think our 'recruiting team' may find itself on a C-17 to Germany here before the end of the week."

  "So how will this affect our chances of stopping the permanent gateway from forming?" Bill asked.

  "The First doesn't think it'll have too much of an impact," Sean said. "The roving gateways move around too much, and they're too small to haul a lot of people through. However, if we don't go after them, we may find ourselves facing the same kind of war here that the race who let them into the Onderwereld ended up with."

  "So win the battle and lose the war?" Chad said.

  Sean nodded. "I'm afraid so."

  "Well, we won't know for sure until those gates start forming, but still, we need to warn folks about the risk and prepare for it."

  Another Day

  Sean sighed as he dropped onto the couch in the living room; this last gate must have opened in someone else's territory, because even though it was a small one, a lot of demons had come out of it.

  "We got another request to help them in Germany." Roxy sighed.

  "Let me guess, they still haven't repealed that law?"

  "Nope."

  "What worries me is there have been three gate cycles since they asked for help, and nobody has yet figured where these 'off location' gates are opening."

  "From what I heard when I was on the other side, they don't know where they'll open over there either. But once they find it, it doesn't move much," Estrella said.

  "So either they haven't found them yet…?"

  "Or they haven't done enough damage to stand out."

  "How are Stew's girls doing, Jo?"

  "Oh, now they're 'Stew's girls'?" Jolene asked with a smile.

  "You know what I mean," Sean grumbled.

  "Well, he finally cut them loose a few days ago."

  "Cut them loose? Please don't tell me they're wandering around Reno on their own!"

  Jo laughed. "Hardly. They're not allowed off the property without an escort, but they're free to do whatever..."

  "Or whoever!" Peg interrupted, laughing.

  "... they want," Jolene finished.

  "So they're...?" Sean asked, looking from Peg to Jolene.

  "Engaging in their favorite pastime," Jolene said with a shrug. "They're old enough, and despite what Stewart may think, mature enough as well. I think they're growing and maturing, mentally, but I don't think they're going to settle down with anybody for a long time yet."

  "And the girl who was part of the raid group?"

  "She disappeared into the Marine barracks two days ago and hasn't been seen since!" Peg said, laughing.

  "Wait, what?"

  "Apparently she's very popular," Cali said with a nod.

  "They're not keeping her there against her will, are the
y?" Sean asked. "The last thing I want to do right now is break any heads."

  "Oh no, she's there quite willingly, from what I saw," Peg said. "I think she's discovered a liking for big, tough men and big, tough cats."

  "Any idea why?"

  "She's looking for someone to infect her," Cali said, causing his eyebrows to rise.

  "She's doing what?"

  "She's afraid of being alone, being vulnerable, being taken advantage of, all of the very things that happened to her. She's looking for the right man, then she's gonna shack up with him while he teaches her how to care for herself, and of course infects her."

  "Wow, how'd you find all that out, Cali?" Peg asked, looking impressed.

  Cali smiled. "I asked her."

  "What! And she told you?"

  "She still hasn't learned how to lie," Cali said with a laugh.

  Sean just shook his head. "Any word from our 'recruiting' team the government sent to Germany?"

  "They started processing people today. I hear they're also sending all the dependents and civilian workers home, unless they agree to be infected. Apparently the top brass has the same sneaking suspicion we do."

  "Well, it's not our problem," Sean said and shrugged.

  "You mean it ain't our problem yet," Daelyn corrected.

  #

  Karl looked around the farmhouse; he'd already seen a dozen like it this week. Dead bodies everywhere. Some looked like an animal had ripped them apart. Some had large bites taken out of them, as if they'd been eaten.

  And some didn't have a single mark on them.

  "What kind of a person, or animal, does something like this?" Hannah, the lead investigator on the case, asked him.

  "I don't know, Investigator, isn't that why they sent you here?" Karl grumbled.

  "Do you have a problem with female officers, Chief Inspector?" Hannah asked him.

  "No, I have a problem with a federal officer taking over this case instead of the local state investigators. I also have a problem with the complete secrecy that's been assigned to these crimes! How are we supposed to protect people if we're not allowed to warn them?"

  "I heard the previous state inspector was removed from this case for those very same sentiments," Hannah said, looking at him. "Would you like to be removed as well?"

  "And have an adjoining jail cell?" Karl shook his head. "No thank you, Madam Investigator."

  "Better." Hannah sighed and turned away to look at the carnage once more. "All I know is I have my orders, and they come straight from Berlin. We are to investigate, learn who or what is committing these murders, and report to them. We are not to tell anyone, not even our spouses."

  "And you don't find that peculiar?"

  "I find it most peculiar; however, I also find that I like my job, I like my pay check, and I most specifically do not like actions that will put a premature end to my career. Now, let the rest of your team in. I want the bodies bagged immediately. We'll bury them before the sun has set."

  "What about evidence?" Karl asked, surprised.

  "I've been told we have enough evidence." Hannah sighed, frowning.

  "And doesn't that bother you?" Karl asked her.

  "Unlike you, I have faith in my superiors. Now, I would suggest you follow orders. Unless, of course, you'd like to end up in my report as well?"

  Karl shook his head. "No, Ma'am. I'll take care of it immediately."

  Turning on his heel, Karl went outside to alert the medical examiner's workers. They were all very experienced men and women, and they'd seen this very scene too many times in the last week.

  "All yours," Karl said and gave a nod to the front door.

  For the next hour, Karl sat there and watched as they hauled out the remains of the family. He'd known them in passing, just as he knew many of the families in this town.

  When the last of the bodies had been removed and loaded into the vans, Hannah came out, closed the door, and put an official seal over it.

  "Will you be needing me for anything else, Madam Investigator?" Karl inquired politely.

  "Trying to butter me up won't work, Chief Inspector."

  Karl shrugged. "As I see it, there's no gain here for either of us. It's out of our hands now."

  "I see you've adopted a much wiser attitude, and no, I will not be needing you again. Good day."

  Karl tipped his hat and walked back to his car. He'd seen a lot of things in the last few days, and a lot of it hadn't sat well with him. Several well established families had suddenly moved out in the middle of the night without telling a soul, and now this.

  Well, as long as he was thinking about those families, he might as well drop by their homes to make sure no one was taking advantage of their absence. Climbing into his car, he drove over to the home of the Von Graffs' first. A quick tour of the property showed nothing amiss, so then it was on to the Hoffners' place.

  The back door was ajar when he got there, so pulling out his flashlight, he shined it inside. Not seeing anything, he quietly made his way through the house. As he got to the den, he saw a flickering light in the walls. Stepping carefully, he peeked around the doorway.

  The Hoffners' computer was on, and a young boy was sitting at it with his back turned to the door.

  "What do you think you're doing there!"

  "Ahhh!" the boy yelped and jumped to his feet. Turning around, he saw Karl and stopped, looking more relieved than frightened, to Karl's surprise.

  "Chief Weber! What are you doing here?"

  "Checking on the Hoffners' house, now what are you doing in here, Peter?"

  "Otto said I could use their computer while they were gone as long as I watered the plants!" Peter said in a rush.

  "What's wrong with your own computer then?"

  Peter looked guilty. "I didn't want anyone to see what I was looking at?"

  "Aren't you a bit too young to be looking at those kinds of things? Honestly, Peter, I don't want to have a talk with your parents over this!"

  "No, Sir! It's not that! Not anything like that at all!"

  "Then what is it?"

  "Well, all of those things that have been going on at the farmhouses outside of town, the things we're not supposed to talk about…"

  "What do you know about that?" Karl asked, looking at Peter a bit more closely.

  "Well, I remembered something Otto told me about, something that happened in America last month, and well, the site's being blocked by my parents' ISP at home, but Otto's dad, he's got a special connection for work, and I found it!"

  "Found what?"

  "This," Peter said and pointed to the screen.

  Karl looked at the screen; it was a news report, he could read the captioning in English scrolling along the bottom. In it there were people being slaughtered by a bunch of horrendous monsters. Just like the dead bodies he'd found in the farmhouses.

  "They're here now, aren't they?" Peter asked.

  Karl felt the blood draining from his face. "Yes, Peter, I'm afraid they are."

  End Book Fourteen

  Afterword

  Hello everyone, I'd like to start by saying, if you enjoyed this book, please go on Amazon and give me a review and a rating. I've said it before, and of course I'll say it again: Ratings are my lifeblood as an independent author, with 4 and 5 star ratings being the ones that help me the most. The more of those I get, the more likely Amazon is to show my work to other folks.

  Now, as much as I hate to talk about it, I'm currently embroiled in a bit of a fight with someone who is pirating all of my books. I won't mention their site or their name here, however I'd like to let you know, if you got this book for free, it's most likely stolen. Now normally I don't bother with pirate sites, though the few I have run into in the past were always polite and took stuff down when asked. Also, they weren't making money off of me.

  This gentleman not only refuses to take down my works, even when my lawyer contacted him, but he is making money off of me. Think about that, he doesn't want ME to make money
off of my hard work, but he sure wants to! (And he has made a lot of money off of me and the other people he's stealing from, a LOT of money). Further, his website makes it look like he has permission to host my works, which he definitely does not.

  The only place this ebook can be bought and downloaded from is Amazon, no place else. So please, don't go giving money to someone who is stealing from others. This has made a significant dent in my income and is hurting me financially. Remember, I only make money off of books I actually sell. I'm not with a publishing house.

  For those of you who have been supporting me by buying my books, again, THANK YOU ALL for reading and enjoying my work. I do it all for you, and you all mean so much to me. Hopefully I will be able to continue to do so.

  Some Recommendations: As mentioned before, I do have another name I write under: John Van Stry. If you haven't looked at it, you might appreciate my 'Portals of Infinity' series. It's currently at eight books and will continue, I will hopefully be writing the ninth book in the series within the next few months.

  Some other people I enjoy reading in this genre, and you might, as well:

  William D. Arand (aka Randi Darren) – Please check him out, he's good.

  Blaise Corvin – The Delvers books are really a lot of fun and very much worth it.

  Michael-Scott Earle – one of these days I'm going to bribe him to finish Lion Quest.

  They're all good people and great writers. You may also want to check out this group on Facebook:

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/haremlit/

  Again, thank you for your support and for buying my books.

  My Amazon Author's webpage:

  https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Stryvant/e/B06ZY7L62L/

  Occasional announcements at:

  https://stryvant.blogspot.com/

  Jan Stryvant website at:

  http://www.vanstry.net/stryvant/

  Email:

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