Broken Heart 06 Come Hell or High Water (21 page)

"You... you said the Consortium would come up with a story," I said, feeling a little hysterical.

"You were right. They told him I'd died. What does that mean?"

"It means they believe you are dead."

I looked at him. "Why would they think that?"

"I dinnae know." He kissed me. "We'll go ask them."

I wanted to go to Broken Heart
right then
and take apart the Consortium headquarters brick by brick.

Anger pulsed through my shock, shoved away the hysteria that threatened. Then I realized this could be it. The moment I gave Danny to Jackson for good. They would believe me dead, and even though it would be tough for a while, it would give them the freedom to create a normal life. I would be a memory, hopefully cherished and remembered as fun, as laughing.

Danny could live in the sun.

"I'm so selfish," I choked out. "I don't want to let him go."

Connor had been there, in my thoughts with me, the strength I needed without even knowing it. He took my hand and kissed my knuckles. "Danny needs his mother. Never think he'd be better off without you."

"If we survive..." I said. I cleared my throat. "No. As soon we save the friggin' day, we're bringing Jackson in on the secret. I won't live without my son."

Unless I had to. If things didn't work out, then it was better that Jackson already believed I was dead. That way he wouldn't have to relive it. He wasn't my lover, but he was my friend. We loved Danny, and that was bond enough.

Connor kissed my temple. "We have company, lass."

I blinked away the cobwebs of my residual shock. "What?" I looked over my shoulder. No one was in the room except Scrymgeour. He was on all fours, his gaze on the door. Outside the frosted glass pane, I saw several restless shadows. "Who?"

"Guess." He sighed. "Bad news. Anise and Ren didn't get the ring."

I rolled my eyes. "The ring Astria said they had to steal and give an abducted girl?"

"Apparently there was some sort of overnight event at the museum, a party to celebrate the last evening of a children's art camp. They couldn't go inside."

"Perfect."

It was decided we would swing by the museum, steal the Sumerian jewelry that Astria insisted Ella needed, and then go to Broken Heart and explain everything. I was so relieved we'd be headed back to town, I didn't question why everyone else seemed acquiescent.

Astria insisted on accompanying us to the Philbrook Museum of Art, and no one could dissuade her. I didn't know why we all had to go. Yesterday it had been okay for a two-person team to retrieve the item. It seemed overkill for all of us to go.

We arrived in the first-floor hallway of the original house. I didn't know how Ren managed to turn off security cameras and alarms, but he assured us we had five minutes to get in and get out.

Oversized paintings hung on the paneled walls. The place had a hushed, you're-not-supposed-to-be-here feeling.

We didn't speak. We hurried down the red carpet until our feet hit the smooth marble floor of the massive room used for the Sumerian artifacts display. Walls of thick security glass housed tools, ivory cylinder seals, spouted jars, cuneiform tablets, and other amazing details from lives already lived.

"Where is it,
ma fleur
?" asked Anise.

Astria crossed the room and went straight to a display overshadowed by a big piece of statuary. She gestured me over and pointed it out.

"It's carnelian," she said. She sounded apprehensive. "I always thought that stone looked like captured sunlight."

"They carved the whole piece out of it," I said. "That must've been work."

She nodded absently. "You are the first person I've ever met who asked me what I wanted."

"That's a shame, Astria."

"I've always been the prophet, but I've never considered my own happiness." She slanted a look at me. "I think, Phoebe, that the prophecy brought you a gift. You can choose to accept it or not."

"Connor?"

"Yes." She sighed. "I think I would've enjoyed making more choices. I wish now that I had realized I had more opportunities. Small decisions all my own - how fun that would've been."

Her tone of finality was starting to freak me out. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"That's just it. I'm never wrong," she said. Her eyes met mine. "Connor stole the talisman fragment because I told him to. He followed my vision to it... and to you."

"Astria," hissed Anise. "We must hurry."

We both ignored the annoyed werewolf.

"Tell me what's going on, Astria."

We stood alone at the jewelry display. Connor was closest to me, trying to give us privacy because he sensed Astria wanted it. The other three stood at the threshold of the room, waiting.

Foreboding chilled me. Astria lifted her hand and a gold beam shot out. Connor was knocked backward, off his feet. I heard shouts and running, but I couldn't take my gaze off this heart-broken little girl.

Within moments, a golden bubble surrounded us. There was no sound or movement, but I knew the others were on the other side, trying to get through.

She grinned. "They didn't know I could do that."

"It's impressive."

"The gods give us prophets a little gift," said Astria. "We know when we're going to die. I was afraid." Tears spilled out of her luminous gaze and tracked down her alabaster cheeks. "I'm only seventeen."

"You mean you've already had a vision about your death?"

She nodded. "It would be wrong to try to protect me, Phoebe. If I don't die, then the world suffers. Something shifts or changes, and not for the better."

"The world would not be better without you in it," I said.

She sobbed openly now. "You must protect Ella. She's... important."

"And the ring?"

"It's for you," she said. "It'll break your mating to Connor if you want."

"What?"

"It has a wish in it. Just one."

I gathered Astria into my arms and stroked her hair. I didn't think I'd ever met anyone so lonely. Prophet or not, she should have some kind of life. She could live openly in Broken Heart, among other children with their own gifts, who were used to the paranormal. She needed it; she deserved it.

"Why did you tell the others the ring was for Ella? That we needed it last night?"

"I wanted you and Connor to be alone. I wanted you to love each other. I would've slipped it to you later and told you its purpose."

"Doesn't giving me an instant divorce go against your romantic scheme?"

"You made me realize that no one should be without a choice, no matter how small. I've followed prophecies and visions my whole life without complaint." She looked at me and frowned. "And sometimes, I really wanted to."

I laughed.

"You and Connor really are supposed to be together. I've seen it. How happy you will be. But... you should want him for him. Not because some stupid vision told you to marry him."

"That's why he married me."

"Maybe." She sniffled. "But I think he really does love you."

"Oh, Astria." Another thought occurred to me, one that made me go cold. "You knew we had to come here tonight, didn't you?" I pulled away just a little. "Why?"

"Because," she said miserably, "this is where I'm supposed to die."

"Let's get the ring, and get the hell out of here," I said. I drew my Glock and shot the glass surrounding the jewelry display. You would've thought it was fancy bulletproof plastic or something, but no... not so much.

"You can't save me," cried Astria.

"Bullshit. You got a cell phone?"

She nodded and pulled it out of her back jeans pocket. I slipped the ring onto my finger and told her the number to call. I kept my Glock out, ready for anything. I hoped it worked outside the bubble. The gun was for the last resort. Maybe I was freaking out just a little.

I glanced at the four people standing outside the bubble. They had varying expressions of worry and disbelief. I hadn't asked Astria to drop the shield yet, because I wanted to call in the troops and I didn't want to freaking argue about it.

Astria Vedere wasn't gonna die tonight.

The gods could kiss my ass.

"It's ringing," she said.

I gave her the Glock, showed her how to hold it, and said, "Shoot anything that tries to harm you. By the way, do you have any idea how you're supposed to... you know?"

"Demons," she said.

Terrific.

Damian finally picked up.
"Ja?"

"It's Phoebe. I'm at the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa. I need help. Lots of freaking help. Except from the hunters. I really don't like those guys."

"You are not dead," he said, and I heard relief in his voice. "Why did you wait so long to call us,
Liebling
?"

"Long story," I said. "Damian. Please."

"On it." Then he hung up.

"Drop the shield," I said, stepping in front of Astria.

She did, and four pissed-off people rushed toward us. I held out my hand when Anise tried to bypass me.

"She is mine to guard!" she yelled. "You go too far."

"She's supposed to die tonight," I said. "Demons are coming."

It was as if my words called them.

Five black clouds, a cloying stink of sulfur, and then we were facing some ugly, mean bastards. Ren and Larsa went full throttle, and so did Connor. Larsa easily fought two, while her male counterparts fought one each.

The other one... Shit. Where'd it go?

I heard Anise cry out. I whirled around and found her sailing across the room. She crashed against a case displaying a jug, and it crashed to the floor with her. She went limp and I knew she'd been knocked out.

The Glock in Astria's pale hands shook, but she fired at its massive chest.
Good girl, Astria.

It roared with pain as each bullet thunked into it. I whipped out one of my silver knives, jumped onto its back, and sank the dagger hilt-deep into its thick neck.

He swiped out, angry, and his claws raked through Astria's neck. Blurt spurted in a grotesque arc. She dropped the gun and fell, her eyes going wide.

"No!" I leapt off the demon as it sank to its knees. I kicked its head and knocked it to the floor. I scrambled to Astria and scooped her up. "Oh, my God."

"Told. You." She gasped. "Never. Wrong."

"Phoebe." Damian was kneeling beside me. I looked at him, my throat knotted, my eyes aching to cry. "How did you..." I looked up as Patrick joined him, and I realized Damian had 'ported here. No doubt he'd tracked the cell phone from which I'd called or maybe just hooked into my vampire mojo. Patrick was practically an Ancient, and half-
sidhe
. Like Connor.

I could hear the buzz of battle, but I couldn't look away from Astria. "Patrick, can you take her to Brigid? Please. She's a Vedere. She's the prophet."

"I will take her." He placed a hand on her bleeding neck, scooped her up, and sparkled away.

"You should go, too,
Liebling
," said Damian.

"Connor," I whispered. And then,
Connor
.

Damian's gaze narrowed. "He abducted you?"

"He married me."

Connor appeared, and without a word he picked me up. I was bloody and terrified for Astria. Brigid was a goddess; she could save her.