Cronin's Key (26 page)

Cronin’s growl got louder.

“And they attacked you?” Cronin asked. “Why?”

“To get near Alec,” Bes said. “For us to lead them to him. That is why we stayed away. We have covered many miles and my other family members split off to create a diversion.” His eyes were wide and honest. “We would not risk Alec’s life by them following us.”

Johan bowed his head at Cronin. “I am sorry to speak such words so harshly, Cronin. But they want Alec dead so Queen Keket is at a stalemate. She cannot succeed if he is not alive.”

Alec looked at Cronin. “I know. I said something similar.”

Cronin’s jaw bulged. “No.”

“Cronin, there was another coven,” Johan said, his head still bowed.

“They were Egyptian,” Bes said. “They were like an army, military precision. In the alleys like a checkpoint, asking for the Key’s whereabouts to take back to their Queen.”

“These are the vampires we were warned of,” Jodis said softly. “When the Seekers had located Alec, they said she sent forth battalions.”

Bes nodded. “Yes. I fear this also.”

“How did you get away?” Eiji asked Bes. “Did they not recognize you as Egyptian?”

Eleanor answered, “I saw the Indian coven approaching. I knew they’d argue with the Egyptian guards and serve as a distraction for us, so I talked until they arrived. As soon as the Indian coven arrived, the Egyptians were more interested in them. We fled. From what I could see, they had no tracker with them, though he could have been cloaked, hidden from my view. The best trackers have both abilities.”

“We are sure we were not followed here,” Johan said.

“I worry for my family,” Bes said. “They are not familiar with these lands.”

“We will find them,” Eiji said, putting his hand on Bes’s arm. “They served us well and that won’t be forgotten.”

Bes gave a hard nod. “Gratitude.”

“The gratitude is ours,” Cronin said. “Thank you, all of you, for what you have done to keep Alec safe.”

Then Eleanor tilted her head, clearly seeing something no one else could. Her milky eyes flickered and everyone waited for her to speak. “They know Alec is the key. Whether from trackers or seers or even from the news that showed him disappear with you. They know he is in New York, but the trail is cold. They now wish to harm those closest to Alec, to bring him out, to expose him.” She faced Cronin directly. “They’re moving in, seeking out anyone who knows anything about him.”

“So these vampires are trying to take out anyone I care about?” Alec asked. Cold fear ran down his spine, a thousand tiny needles of realization. He looked at Cronin, his voice was just a whisper. “What if they go after my dad?”

Cronin pulled out his phone and put it to his ear. “Jacques? … Yes, yes, we thought as much. Where is he now? … I need you to present yourself to Alec’s father … Right now. Wake him up. Tell him I sent you, tell him who you are, and tell him we’ll be there shortly.”

Cronin ended the call, looking squarely at Alec. “We’ll bring him here.”

Alec nodded quickly. “Thank you.” Then Alec turned to Johan, Eleanor, and Bes. “Thank you, all of you, for what you did.” He didn’t know what else to say. What could he say that would adequately convey his gratitude?

Cronin spoke to Eiji. “Get in touch with as many coven members as you can. Tell them to be on guard, warn them. Tell them if they find Bes’s family, to take them in as their own.”

Eiji gave a nod and was quickly texting someone on his phone when Cronin put his arm around Alec and leapt him to his father’s house.

The living room was dark, though the moonlight cast enough light for Alec to see. There were voices in the kitchen. “Dad?”

Kole came out, dressed in his pajamas and looking a little pale, followed by Jacques. “Alec?”

“Oh, thank God you’re all right.” Alec’s relief was immediate.

“What the hell’s going on?” his father asked. “This guy”—Kole pointed his thumb at Jacques—“woke me up and told me you were coming. I gotta say, I was thinkin’ my number was up, being woken by a vampire and all.” Kole shrugged at Jacques. “No offense.”

Jacques gave a nod. “None taken.” Then Jacques looked at Cronin. “I was just explaining who I was.”

Alec guessed Jacques didn’t want Cronin to think he wasn’t doing his job. “Dad, can you pack a bag?” Alec asked. “We’ll explain later, but you’re not safe here.”

“What?” Kole asked again. “Course I am.”

Just then, a shadow moved past the front window. Kole’s eyes went wide and then a keening, scratching noise came from the back of the house. Both Cronin and Jacques crinkled their noses as though they could smell something the humans couldn’t.

“There is no time,” Cronin said. He touched Alec with one hand, Jacques with his other. Just as Alec put his arm around his father, a vampire came through the kitchen door, and they leapt.

* * * *

Alec’s father’s reaction to leaping was much like Alec’s had been that first time. As soon as they appeared in Cronin’s living room, the older man sucked back a breath, groaned out a scream, and his whole body trembled.

Alec put his hand on Kole’s shoulder. “You’re all right, Dad. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Kole straightened himself out and shook his arms and legs. “What the hell was that?”

“It’s called leaping,” Alec explained.

“Like quantum leaping?” he asked, still looking a little pale.

“Yes,” Cronin answered. “I apologize.”

“Who was the vampire in my house?” Kole asked.

“From his clothes and the color of his skin, I would assume he was Egyptian, possibly Illyrian,” Jacques answered. “I didn’t hear him speak.”

By this time, Eiji, Jodis, and the others were all standing there, alarmed. “What vampire?” Eiji said.

Cronin was more specific. “He wore a
shendyt
. His skin was very dark, like a mummified corpse, his face somewhat distorted, and there was a foul smell.”

Bes nodded. “The stench of a returned vampire is unmistakable.”

Cronin nodded. “Yes. He was definitely one of Keket’s men. He broke into Kole’s house when we were there or because we were there, I don’t know.” Then Cronin looked at Alec. “Are you well?”

Alec gave him a relieved smile. “I am, thank you. That was close.”

“Too close,” Cronin agreed.

Kole was looking at Eiji, recognizing him, and the small Japanese vampire smiled at him. “Nice to finally meet you,” Eiji said, holding out his hand.

Kole shook Eiji’s hand. “Thought you looked familiar.”

Alec interrupted to do introductions of everyone in the room, and Kole took in his surroundings. The older human was clearly overwhelmed. “How about a drink?” Alec suggested. Not waiting for an answer, he came back out with the bottle of Johnnie Walker scotch and one tumbler. He poured his dad a healthy nip and Kole, taking the glass gratefully, threw the liquor back without flinching. Alec poured him another.

Kole sat slowly on the sofa, and Alec was reminded of his reaction the first night he got there. “Dad, you’re safe here. All doors, windows, and exits are blocked, the elevator is blocked, and the shaft is monitored. This place is like Fort Knox.”

Kole nodded. “What happened?”

Alec sat beside his father, and having explained the basic vampire histories and lore to his dad beforehand, he only had to fill him in on the latest. “Queen Keket, an Egyptian vampire, has sent out swarms of vampires to bring me to her,” Alec said. “And there are other covens from around the world who are also trying to get me. They figure if they get me first, then the Queen can’t wage her war. We realized tonight that because they couldn’t get me, they’d go after those closest to me.”

Kole was silent for a long time, his wide hazel eyes scanning his son’s face. “Because you’re the key.”

Alec nodded. “Apparently.”

“What does that mean?” Kole asked. “What does the key mean to her, this Queen Keket?”

Alec thought a little omission about having his heart ripped out was in order for the sake of his father’s health. “She needs me to bring back a dead pharaoh.”

“Right,” Kole said flatly. “Of course she does.”

Alec shrugged. “Weird, huh?”

Kole was quiet for a minute, then his brow furrowed. “And how are you supposed to do that?”

“I’m not going to do it,” Alec said. “We’re gonna take her out before it gets to that.”

Kole raised one questioning eyebrow. “And how are you gonna do
that
?”

“Well, we’re gonna turn up at her place and stake her in the heart,” Alec said, simplifying a very not-simple plan.

Kole laughed. “You can’t lie for shit.” So he turned to Cronin instead. “How are you gonna take her out?”

Cronin’s eyes darted to Alec first, then back to Kole. For a second, Alec thought he was about to divulge everything about their plans and Queen Keket’s plan to take Alec’s heart, but he didn’t. He lifted his chin a little and said, “We’re gonna turn up at her place and stake her in the heart.”

Eiji laughed and even Alec chuckled. “Here, Dad,” he said, pouring another nip of scotch into his glass. “Dad, you’re gonna have to stay here for the next few days, until this is all over. Then you can go home. The kitchen’s through there”—Alec pointed in that direction, then in the opposite direction—“bathroom’s through there. There’s a home theater with a screen as big as your living room wall through there. We’ll set you up in the spare bedroom.” Alec waved his hand at the metal wall. “That’s normally a window and, Dad, the view is… well, it’s something else. But we’ve got the security wall up for the time being, but you wait ’til you see it, Dad. The views over New York City are like nothing you’ve ever seen.”

Kole nodded slowly and swallowed the rest of his scotch.

“I know it’s a lot to take in,” Alec said quietly. “But I’m glad you’re safe.” He looked at his watch. It was almost 5:00 a.m. “You okay?”

Kole nodded, but he looked every one of his fifty-eight years. He looked around the penthouse living room, though it looked more like a tactical response room at the moment. He looked at the maps, the crossbows, the bullets. “So this is it, huh? What you were born to do?”

Alec nodded. “I think so, Dad.”

“I wish it were me,” he said quietly. “I wish I could take your place, Ailig, and you could just live out your days in peace.”

Alec petted his dad’s knee. “It’ll be fine. I’ll be fine. I’ve got these guys to help me.” Alec waved his hand around the room, but he looked at Cronin. “We’ll be fine.”

Cronin gave a hard nod. “Mr. MacAidan, I will do everything within my power to bring him home safely. You have my word.”

Kole nodded, and the overwhelmed look on his face gave way to exhaustion. Alec stood up. “Come on, Dad. You can rest a bit while we go through some details.”

Kole didn’t argue, and Alec led him to the spare room. When he left his dad and closed the door, Cronin met him in the hall. “Is he well?”

Alec nodded slowly. “Shocked, I think. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“He is worried for his son,” Cronin whispered. He put his hand to Alec’s face and searched his eyes for a moment. “As am I.”

Alec threw his arms around Cronin, and the two stood in the hall in a long, silent embrace. Alec relished the warmth, the feel of Cronin against him, a scent made just for him, and he felt his worries falling away.

“Cronin,” Eleanor said from another room. “Cronin!”

Cronin flew to the living room, and by the time Alec reached him, Eleanor had come in from the kitchen. “It’s changed. Everything’s changed,” Eleanor said quietly. Her milky eyes were scanning for something. “You don’t have three days.”

“What?” Jodis asked. Everyone in the room was now on their feet, staring at the blind vampire woman. “What do you see?”

Eleanor swayed her head back and forth. “Queen Keket has decided she won’t wait. If Alec isn’t brought to her by tomorrow, she’ll come for him herself,” Eleanor said quietly. She swayed some more and shook her head. “She will kill anyone and everyone who gets in her way.”

The room became a flurry of motion. “Get London on screen,” Eiji said. His smile was long gone, a fierce determination in its place.

Johan had a laptop open, and in no time, the screen flashed with a face Alec recognized from before.

“Elders,” the English voice said.

Eiji nodded and replied with an equal respect. “Elder.”

“Have you news?” the English vampire asked. “Our seer has seen plans change.”

“Yes, so has ours,” Eiji replied. “Just now. Our deadline has moved to tonight. Are you ready?”

The English vampire nodded. Alec could see people—vampires—moving in the background. Their headquarters was a blur of movement. Alec interrupted Eiji. “May I?”

“Yes, of course,” Eiji said, making room for Alec to sit in front of the screen. Cronin stood beside him. Eiji made the introductions. “Kennard, this is Alec. Alec, Kennard heads the London coven.”

Alec looked at the screen. Kennard had dainty features, pale skin, and pink, boyish lips. Alec’s first impression was that Kennard should be wearing a Tudor-era prince’s clothing. He looked no more than sixteen, and yet Alec was sure it was the leader’s innocent looks that made an underlying almighty and ferocious nature all the more frightening.

He held rank over London, and Alec knew without doubt that it was for good reason.

“It’s an honor,” Alec said.

“The honor is mine,” Kennard said. “You are Ailig, yes?”

Alec nodded. “I am.”

“The key,” Kennard mused. “And human.”

“Guilty.”

“And you belong to Cronin,” Kennard said, his eyes full of delight.

A week ago, Alec would have bristled at the suggestion that he
belonged
to anyone. Now he smiled. “I would not assume to correct an Elder, but you are mistaken,” Alec said with a smile. “It is Cronin who belongs to me.”

Cronin quickly took Alec’s hand and gave it a squeeze. When Alec looked at him, he was fighting a smile but his eyes gave him away.

Kennard laughed, looking younger still. “Hearts lay broken around the world at such news.”

Cronin leaned in so Kennard could see him. “There will be time for flattery and acquaintances later, my friend. Though for now we should concentrate on impending news.”