“So you come from a long line of cowboys,” Jia said.
Russell nodded. “It became a tradition for the eldest son to serve in the military. My grandfather fought in World War I; my father in World War II. The pistols were handed down to each of them. Before I left for my first tour of duty in Vietnam, my father took me to my great-grandfather’s grave, and we buried the pistols there by the headstone. He told me I had to survive, no matter what, so I could come back to get them.”
“And you did,” Jia said softly.
Russell sighed. “I came back undead.”
“So you’ve been a vampire since the Vietnam War?” That had to be about forty years, Jia thought. When Russell didn’t answer, she tried another question. “Why did your father bury the pistols? He could have just waited for you to come back.”
“He had lung cancer. He wasn’t sure how long he’d be around, and he was worried . . .” Keeping his back to her, Russell shifted his weight and raked a hand through his hair. “My younger brother, Markos, was having some trouble. Drugs. My dad was afraid he’d take the pistols and sell them. They’re worth a lot of money.”
Jia stepped closer. “And your father is gone now? What about your mother?”
Russell turned toward her, his eyes no longer red. “All I have left are the damned pistols.” He shrugged like he didn’t care, but the tears in his eyes made her heart ache.
Did he have no family at all? “Is your brother gone, too?”
“Markos actually straightened out. He joined the Marines a few years after I did. Even did a tour in Vietnam.” Russell took a deep breath. “He was always trying to follow in my footsteps. I guess he did. He’s listed as MIA, just like I am.”
“I’m sorry.” So Russell was all alone. She was tempted to tell him he wasn’t alone, that she would be with him, but how could she make such a promise?
Russell shrugged. “So are you going to stop nagging me now?”
She smiled. “I’ll give you a short reprieve.”
“That’s decent of you.” He held out a hand. “Let’s get going.”
She walked up to him. “I’m sorry if I made you sad.”
“You didn’t. I plan. I strategize. I’m undead. I don’t do feelings.”
“Of course you do.”
“Not if I can help it. They’re a distraction. They make you weak.”
She huffed. “I disagree!”
“Imagine that,” he muttered dryly, taking hold of her waist.
“Feelings make you strong.” She grabbed hold of his shoulders. “I would have never managed what I’ve done if it hadn’t been for the way I feel about my parents and brother.”
“Those feelings have led you into danger. They could get you killed.”
“And you’re not trying to kill Han because of feelings?” She thumped Russell on the chest. “You don’t keep those pistols because of feelings?”
His hands tightened on her, but he remained silent.
“You have your pistols. I have my mother’s bracelets. We’re holding on to the only things left from our families.” Her eyes burned with tears. “Because we loved them.”
He closed his eyes briefly and drew in a long, shuddering breath. “Let’s go.”
“That’s all you have to say?”
“I don’t explain myself.” He teleported, taking her with him.
“Stay down.” Russell crouched behind a large boulder with Jia.
She looked around. “I don’t recall coming to this campsite before.”
“We haven’t. There’s no good cover here for spying.” He’d brought her to the northernmost camp, close to the Tibetan border. There were no trees to hide behind, just dry, barren ground with a few scattered rocks and boulders.
Since the land was unsuitable for farming, the population was sparse. With no people to control, Han rarely visited this outpost. But it had occurred to Russell that it also made a good area for him to hide in.
Peering around the boulder, Russell spotted a truck emerging from the wide gate. Another truck followed. And another.
Were they deserting the campsite? “I need a closer look.” He glanced at Jia. “Will you be all right here?”
She nodded. “Be careful.”
The concern in her eyes was hard to bear. She was killing him with all her talk about feelings. What did she expect from him? She was engaged. As soon as their mission was done, she’d marry her prince and go far away. He’d probably never see her again.
And even if he could win her heart, what did he have to offer her? A cave he didn’t own? The stuff inside the cave wasn’t his. He’d borrowed or stolen most of it. The ranch in Colorado was gone, sold years ago while he’d been stuck in a coma in a cave in Thailand. He had no home to take her to. No family. He was a penniless vampire vagabond.
He had to be honorable to Jia. Honor was about the only thing he had left.
“I’ll be right back.” He teleported into a dark, shadowy spot outside the barricade, then levitated enough to peer over the top.
The soldiers were packing up and leaving. Russell spotted the officer Wu Shen supervising. Wu Shen had helped them before. When Darafer had taken Dougal’s wife prisoner, the officer had sneaked into Tiger Town to let them know where she was. It had been his way to repay them for rescuing some of his family members who had been forced to work at Darafer’s demon herb farm. Darafer had turned them into living zombies.
Russell teleported into the camp, hiding in the shadow between two buildings. Wu Shen stepped back as another transport truck drove through the gates.
“Captain, sir?” Russell called out softly in Chinese.
Wu Shen turned, then his eyes narrowed. He barked out more orders to a nearby group of soldiers, and as they hurried away, he strode toward the shadow where Russell was hiding.
“What are you doing here?” Wu Shen whispered.
“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Russell said.
Wu Shen snorted. “You should leave before I order my men to capture you.”
“I would just teleport away. What’s going on?”
Wu Shen’s eyes flashed with anger. “Why should I tell you anything? You and your friends killed my sons at Beyul-La.”
Russell stiffened. “You had sons there? In the cave?”
“Yes. The cave you blew up.”
Russell winced. “It’s true we trapped them in there. But the plan was to knock them out, then use the cave as a clinic to change them back to normal. We intended to save them.”
Wu Shen grew pale. “Why didn’t you?”
“The trapped soldiers panicked before we could knock them out. They tried to blast their way out with grenades and brought the mountain down on themselves.”
A pained look crossed Wu Shen’s face. “This is true?”
“Yes. Whenever possible, Angus and his guys take your soldiers prisoner. They have two clinics where they’re able to undo the mutations and turn the soldiers back to normal. The goal has always been to kill Han, not the mortals who were tricked into serving him.”
Wu Shen sighed. “I believe you. I’ve known for some time that you’ve been taking soldiers prisoner. There are signs of a struggle, but never any bodies.”
“I’m sorry about your sons.”
Wu Shen nodded. “My boys were lured in with the promise of becoming superhuman. They believed Han, believed that he could take over all of China—even the world—and they would live like kings.” He snorted. “I never trusted Han, but I resigned my position with the Chinese army so I could become an officer here and watch over my boys.”
“I’m sorry.” Russell winced inwardly, recalling how many of Han’s soldiers he’d killed with the attitude that they’d asked for it. Over the last few days, he’d seen Jia’s reaction to killing, and it had opened his eyes to how cold-blooded he’d become.
Wu Shen turned away, his shoulders slumped.
“Can you tell me where Han is hiding?”
He shook his head.
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“Then tell me where they’re keeping the dragon boy prisoner.”
With a frown, Wu Shen turned back to Russell. “I wish I could help you, but the boy is in the same place as Han.”
“Is he all right?”
“He’s doing well, but he’s terrified.” Wu Shen grimaced. “Darafer would terrify anyone.”
“You know you’re working for some cruel bastards.”
“If that’s all you came to say—”
“We need your help.”
“If I’m caught, I’ll be killed. If I try to leave, I’ll be killed. I’m as trapped as my boys were in that cave.”
“If we can kill Han, the soldiers will be free. No more will have to die.”
Wu Shen nodded slowly. “My boys sold their souls to Darafer, so now they’re in hell. I might as well join them there.”
“What can you tell me?”
“I received orders from Han earlier this evening. Soldiers from each camp are to move southeast, where the army will assemble. New recruits will be mutated tomorrow to increase the army’s size. I’ve been given three nights, starting tonight, to prepare the army and move them into place. On the fourth night, Han will teleport there to lead the attack.”
“Where is the attack?” Russell asked.
“The main village of were-tigers.” When Russell drew in a sharp breath, Wu Shen nodded. “I suggest you evacuate the women and children. And prepare for battle.”
Chapter Fourteen
When Russell arrived with Jia, the courtyard of Tiger Town was bustling with activity. Angus and about thirty of his employees were there. Most of the were-tiger villagers were lurking about, curiously watching the proceedings. They greeted Jia’s sudden appearance with cheers and waves.
Russell gave her a wry look. “They’re glad to have their princess back.”
Rajiv ran up to them and gave Jia a hug. “Thank God you’re back.” He nodded at Russell. “You did the right thing.”
“We have bad news.” Russell waved Angus and his men over and switched to English. “I just talked to Wu Shen. Han’s army is preparing to march on Tiger Town.”
“What?” Rajiv turned to Jia and asked in Chinese, “Han is coming here?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “We need to evacuate the women and children.”
A series of gasps echoed around them, then a flurry of whispering as the news spread among the villagers.
“This is rotten timing,” Rajiv muttered. “Your fiancé is supposed to arrive in a little over a week.”
Jia winced. “Can we postpone his visit?”
Rajiv sighed as he looked around Tiger Town. “We’ll wait to see how the battle goes.”
“How long before Han arrives?” Angus asked in English.
“He plans to lead the attack in four nights,” Russell replied. “This isn’t like Beyul-La, in the middle of the Himalayas. There are roads here, and his army has transport trucks, so they’ll be moving faster.”
Angus nodded. “I’ll call in reinforcements. About a hundred of the soldiers we saved over the last year have promised to help.” He turned to J.L. and Dougal. “Can ye contact them?”
Dougal nodded. “My wife kept a record of all their names and villages.”
“If we divide the villages up, we can reach most of the soldiers tonight,” J.L. said, and the two Vamps dashed to the clinic.
“We have three nights to get prepared,” Russell said. “Wu Shen said they would be mutating new recruits tomorrow.”
“Any idea how many?” When Russell shook his head, Angus continued, “Over the last six months, we’ve taken eighty soldiers prisoner. Thirty more last night. We figure Han has close to three hundred.”
Russell frowned. Even with the hundred rescued soldiers, Angus could pull together a force of less than two hundred. “You should continue attacking Han’s camps for the next three nights. We need to deplete his army as much as possible.”
“Agreed,” Angus said. “We’ll start after we evacuate the women and children.”
Something nagged at the back of Russell’s mind. He was forgetting something. Something Wu Shen had said.
Angus turned to Rajiv. “How quickly can ye coordinate the evacuation? I’ll lend you as many Vamps as I can for teleporting.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Rajiv bounded halfway up the stairs in front of the palace and called in Chinese for the villagers’ attention. They gathered around the base of the stairs, complaining.
“We don’t want to leave!” an elderly man shouted.
Rajiv lifted his hands, but the grumbling increased.
“You can’t make us leave our homes!”
Jia rushed up the stairs to be by her cousin’s side. When Russell followed her, he was jostled by angry were-tigers.
“You all heard the news,” Rajiv announced. “Han’s army is coming here.”
“It’s those vampires’ fault,” an old woman yelled, glaring at Russell. “They came here, and now we’re in trouble.”
Another woman pointed at Russell. “Why was this vampire with our princess? I thought she was with Your Eminence’s brother in Thailand.”
Rajiv exchanged a worried look with Jia.
“She was!” Russell replied. “But when I learned that Tiger Town was in danger, I picked her up on the way here. I knew she would want to be with you.”
Jia slanted him a grateful look before addressing the crowd. “I will do everything I can to help.”
“Then send the vampires away!” the old woman shouted. “If they leave, Master Han will leave us alone.”
“That’s not true,” Rajiv said. “Han and his vampire lords have plagued us for many years, long before we met the good Vamps.”
“There’s no such thing as a good Vamp!” An elderly man shook his fist.
“My grandfather, the Grand Tiger, lost three of his sons to Han and his evil vampire lords.” Rajiv motioned to his cousin beside him. “Lady Jia and I both lost our parents to vampires. How many of you have suffered and lost loved ones because of Master Han?”
The were-tigers grumbled.
“Since we met the good Vamps, all three of Han’s evil vampire lords have been vanquished,” Rajiv continued. “Russell here killed Lord Ming. With help from Jin Long, Jia and I were able to kill Lord Qing. The captive dragon shifter killed Lord Liao. Han is the only one left. We are so close to being free from them forever! Bear with us just a little longer.”
“But we have to leave our homes,” a woman whined.
“Yes,” Rajiv told her. “It is the best way to keep you and your children safe.”
“It shouldn’t be more than a week,” Jia added. “Most of you have relatives in the other colonies. Just spend a few days with them until it’s safe to come back. Think of it as a small vacation.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” another woman muttered. “You haven’t met my mother-in-law.”
Everyone chuckled.
Rajiv smiled. “You have my word. Han will soon be dead, and the vampire menace that has plagued our people for forty years will be over!”
The villagers cheered.
“All men with fighting experience should remain to defend our town,” Rajiv told them. “The rest of you, pack only what you need for a few days, then come to the palace. Lady Jia and I will help you get sorted into groups, according to which colony you wish to go to. Then the good Vamps will take you there.”
The villagers rushed off to their homes to pack.
The warrior women, Neona and Winifred, rushed up the stairs. “Can we help?”
“Yes, thank you.” Jia took the two women into the palace.
“You did well,” Russell told Rajiv.
He snorted. “I never expected to become the Grand Tiger.” With a sigh, he headed up the stairs. “I hope I don’t let them down.”
“You won’t.” Russell followed him. “I never realized until now how much some of the were-tigers dislike vampires.”
“Yeah, we had a bad hi
story with them before you guys came along.” Rajiv gave him an embarrassed look. “I apologize for accusing you of kidnapping Jia. I know she probably begged you to take her. She’s lived for revenge for so long. I kept procrastinating, hoping she would get over it.”
Russell nodded. “She’s very . . . determined.”
Rajiv arched a brow. “You mean stubborn? Anyway, I appreciate you keeping her safe. Rinzen and Tenzen are still in the forest hunting for you. If I call them, will you teleport them back? They’re excellent warriors, so I need them here.”
“I can do that.”
“Thank you.” Rajiv glanced at the open palace door and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Jia might insist on being here for the battle, but I don’t want her in danger. Do you have a safe place you can take her?”
Russell nodded. “I can—”
A bright flash in the sky interrupted them.
“What the—” Russell lifted a hand to shade his eyes from the glare.
A glowing ball of light was falling from the sky and seemed headed straight for the courtyard. The people there dashed to the edge, watching and shouting with great excitement.
“Jia!” Rajiv yelled. “Come see this!”
Jia, Neona, and Winifred emerged from the palace and gaped at the sky.
“I’ve seen this before.” With a grin, Jia clasped her hands together. “When Dou Gal’s wife was captured. They helped us rescue her.”
“They?” Russell asked.
Rajiv nodded, smiling. “They can help us.”
“Who are they?” Neona and Winifred both asked.
As Russell watched, the bright light suddenly split into seven balls of fire that shot down to the courtyard, then hovered just inches above the pavement. Each fireball assumed the shape of a man, holding a sword extended to the sky. Six of the fiery men were in a line, while one stood in front. With a whoosh, the fires extinguished, receding up the men’s bodies till only their swords were left ablaze.
Russell shook his head, hardly believing his eyes. In the courtyard below, there was hushed talk about angels. Some of the villagers fell to their knees and bowed.
Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire Page 15