Dark Flame (6 page)

He dipped his chin slowly, his lips compressing. “We’d made a toast, then drank together. How many times have I wished I’d tested it first? They’d still be alive, all three of them.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss.”

He held her gaze. “And I’m sorry for yours. Your husband sounds like he was a good man.”

“He was the best. He wept when he signed the divorce papers. I had always thought that I wouldn’t be one of those people who left their spouse after the
alter.
But when I came out of the coma, I understood how profound the
alter
change truly is. I could feel it in every part of my body. Even colors looked different through my new fae eyes, and I had this unexpected ability to read people that went way beyond anything I’d known as a human. I could feel my husband’s revulsion of what I’d become, his fear as well. I didn’t blame him, though. The wife he’d known was gone.

“He provided well for me after the divorce. I’ve been happy here in Lotus Tree.”

She was about to ask him if he’d like to see her house in real-time, when movement caught her eye.

She turned to look at the waterway toward the south. And there, flying above the water between the rows of majestic sissoo trees moving with the wind, were seven warrior fae and an eighth man. It took her two blinks to realize who the last man was.

“Oh, God. It’s Roche. But what is he doing out here?”

Brannick rose upright. “You sure it’s him?”

“I know it is. He has a fae signature that I can read at any distance. But why is he out here with his security detail?” Roche lived mostly underground, the mole-like creep that he was. “Brannick, am I seeing right? Do all those men have their swords drawn?”

“Yep. And they’re coming right toward us.”

CHAPTER THREE

Brannick cursed under his breath. “Juliet, get down and stay down.”

If he levitated, Roche and his men would chase him. But how did they know he was here or were they after Juliet?

A surprising but very strong instinct surged within him, letting him know that Roche was after Juliet. He knew why as well. Given her high level of fae ability and power, Roche would want her for his dreamglide sex club.

He thought about covering Juliet and himself with his vampire shield, but he wasn’t sure if Roche had the power to see through it or not. Some of the most powerful fae could do that, and he didn’t want to take the chance of getting trapped.

He drew his Glock, then supported it with his free hand. Every shot would have to count if either of them were going to survive.

He aimed at the fae warrior on the left and fired, then shifted immediately to the one on the right, pulling the trigger a second time. Both men spiraled toward the canal, dropping into the water.

The remaining five, along with Roche, flew closer.

He took a measured breath and fired to the left again, then the right, quick shots. The first warrior fell into the water, but he’d missed the other one who drew close to the bridge, sword raised.

Brannick fired into the man’s chest, then levitated at the same time, diving forward to catch the warrior’s sword as it flipped from his hand midair. Brannick heard him hit the water as well.

The three remaining warriors were farther back, guarding Roche. Yet still they flew toward the bridge.

He needed to lead them away from Juliet.

He levitated to the west bank. When he touched down, he turned and fired at the fifth man flying straight for him. The shot hit the fae’s left arm, the force sending him spinning backward. He landed hard on the far bank near the sidewalk, but rose to his feet immediately. Brannick had only nicked him.

Juliet’s voice entered his mind.
Fae warrior to the north and behind you.

He took Juliet at her word, spun and drove his sword into the man’s abdomen. The warrior fell backward as Brannick withdrew the blade.

Brannick turned and started to levitate, but the warrior whose arm he’d nicked caught him at the waist and brought him down hard on his back. Brannick still had his Glock in his hand, and he dragged it between their bodies and fired. The recoil slammed into Brannick’s gut but the warrior fell limp.

He pushed him off and rose to his feet. He’d lost track of the other warrior.

Brannick, behind you!

He had just started to turn, when he felt a tremendous pressure on his back. He looked down and saw the point of a bloody sword emerge from his own abdomen. He couldn’t feel his legs. He couldn’t think.

His enemy jerked the sword from Brannick’s body. He watched the blade disappear, then fell face down on the grass not far from the man he’d shot to death. He heard shouting near him, the sound of victory.

Where was Juliet? Was he leaving her to the enemy?

His mind began to swirl with black clouds. Juliet. He had to get to her, to help her.

But his consciousness faded, then he fell into a black hole.

What seemed like a second later, however, he emerged inside what he knew instinctively was his own dreamglide. He had no idea how he’d gotten there, or how the hell, as a vampire, this was even possible.

He was on the bridge with Juliet, yet not with her, but hovering nearby. She wasn’t in his dreamglide with him, which meant he needed to figure out what kind of trouble she was in.

Roche was on the bridge not ten feet away from Juliet. But he kept looking around as though he couldn’t see her.

Juliet, can you hear me?

Brannick, is that you? Wait a minute, where are you? I’m seeing your body through the stone balustrades of the bridge. You’re lying face down in the grass. You look like you’ve passed out. How are you in my head?

I’m in a dreamglide, something I think I created by myself though I have no idea how I did it. And I’m right next to you. Can you come to me?
Brannick couldn’t fathom how much power it required to do exactly what he was doing. How could a vampire perform a fae skill?

He felt Juliet grow very quiet and a moment later, she drifted into his dreamglide. Within the half-dreaming, half-waking state, she rose to her feet and turned to stare at him.

She gripped his arms.
Then you’re not dead?

Close, but not yet.

Suddenly, memories of all their times together from the past five months rushed forward. The swell and sensation was so great, he almost fell, but righted himself at the last moment.

He and Juliet were lovers. No wonder the sight of her in Carl’s garage had started leaking memories to his conscious mind.

His first inclination was to haul her into his arms, but he had a couple more important things to attend to.

Through the blur of the dreamglide, he could see Juliet below him in real-time. She sat on the bridge ten feet away from Roche, her legs pulled up, her knees pressed into one of the curved stone balusters.

It looked like Roche couldn’t see her, but she’d done the smart thing curling up against the bridge rails.

Roche was a dangerous
alter
fae with red hair to his shoulders and small dark eyes. He had teal flames on his neck and cheeks. He might be lean because of drug use, but he was bulked with muscle as well.

Juliet, I’m not understanding something right now. It appears to me that Roche can’t see you. Why is that?
It didn’t make sense.

I’m not sure.

Within the dreamglide, Brannick drew close to Juliet and slid his arm around her. He was very weak, a sure sign he was close to death. Still, if he could save Juliet right now, nothing else mattered.
Tell me what you did when I first started firing at Roche’s men.

I dropped down as you see me now on the bridge. I thought it would be wise to make myself as small as possible.

Very smart. But can you tell me what thoughts went through your head when you did this?

Juliet huffed a sigh.
I wanted to tell you to use your vampire shielding power, that it was my guess none of the men, not even Roche, would be able to see you, but everything happened so fast.

Then that’s it,
he said.
And I can feel it now, an energy you have that is all about the vampire ability to create a shielding cloak.

I feel it, too. Although, at first I thought I was just so full of adrenaline, I couldn’t stop shaking. But now I know what I’m experiencing is vampire power. So how am I doing this?

I suppose the same way I took on your skill to create a dreamglide.

Brannick felt himself fading a little more
.
The dreamgliding would soon come to an end as his unconsciousness took over.
We need to figure out how to get your real-time self to safety. Can you get to your feet, in real-time I mean?

Yes, but not until I leave the dreamglide.

Roche turned in a slow circle, still hunting for her.

Juliet, before you leave the dreamglide, listen. I’m right at death’s door, but there’s one person who might be able to help, the witch, Emma. Call the safe house in Elegance Territory that Vaughn and Emma operate together. Emma has powerful healing abilities, though Vaughn will need to help her as well. Apparently, he facilitates her power.

I will, Brann, but please stay with me ’til I make contact.

Of course. And one more thing. You need to find out if the shield includes the disguising of your voice. Roche might not be able to see you right now, but it’s possible he could hear you.

Okay. What do I do?

When you leave the dreamglide, clear your throat softly. If he doesn’t respond, do it louder. If he still doesn’t appear to hear you, call out his name. You’ll know by then.

As she dropped out of the dreamglide, Brannick heard her clear her throat, but Roche gave no indication he’d heard her. She followed the process Brannick had suggested, and when she spoke Roche’s name in a clear strong voice and he still didn’t respond, Juliet sat up and pulled her phone from the pocket of her dress. She then contacted Brannick telepathically,
What’s the safe house number?

She tapped each in as he spoke them. She reached the safe house but was being routed to Emma, which might take some time.

He watched Juliet as she waited. She kept her gaze pinned to Roche’s position, but looked ready to bolt if he got too close.

Fortunately, Roche was still a good ten feet away, his gaze extended to the surrounding garden. He called out to his last remaining guard. “Keep checking. We all saw her. She has to be here somewhere.” The fae warrior flew from one side of the bank to the other, scouring any bush large enough to hide her.

Finally, Juliet made contact. “Emma, it’s Juliet Tunney in Revel. You don’t know me, but Robert Brannick told me to call you. He’s been mortally wounded, a sword through the back. We need your healing power at the Talisman Bridge in Revel Territory. Can you come to us? He said you’d need Vaughn with you as well.”

Juliet appeared to be listening. Then after a long moment, she covered her face with her free hand and said, “Thank God. I’ll be waiting for you next to Brannick.”

He heard the sob in Juliet’s voice as she ended the call.

She tucked the phone away and slowly rose to her feet. She kept a guarded pace as she began walking carefully in Roche’s direction. She’d have to pass by him to get across the bridge to where Brannick’s body lay.

Brannick stayed right with her in his dreamglide.
You’re doing fine.

I can smell Roche. He reeks of dark flame.

I know. Just keep going.

She gave Roche a wide berth, but as soon as she passed by him, she broke into a sprint and ran the remaining distance to Brannick.

Still within the dreamglide, but feeling weaker as each second passed, Brannick watched two Revel Border Patrol SUVs pull up. The doors flew open and four officers emerged. He knew a couple of the men, good men. One of the neighbors must have called in the sound of gunfire.

Brannick checked Roche’s position. But he and his one surviving warrior were already in the air. Roche no doubt didn’t want a confrontation with the border patrol, especially with men who opposed the drug trade as these officers did. Within a few seconds, they rose high into the night sky then disappeared from view.

Juliet knelt beside Brannick’s body. He watched as blood seeped onto her light green dress. She leaned over and pressed both hands against the wound in his back, trying to staunch the flow.

One of the men he knew, Officer Keelen, knelt beside Brannick’s body. Keelen was one of his main contacts in Revel, who worked his off hours to get human women out of the dangerous sex trade.

On the side opposite to Juliet, Keelen pressed two fingers to Brannick’s neck. He called over his shoulder to his fellow officer. “He’s gone.”

Juliet spoke to him. “No, he’s not.”

But Keelen didn’t respond to her in any way.

Brannick quickly realized the man couldn’t see or hear her.
Juliet, you’ll have to release the vampire shield. Keelen doesn’t know you’re here.

Right. How do I do that?

Brannick thought for a minute, recalling his early days as a vampire when he’d had to practice building the shield then letting it go. But he didn’t know how to communicate that to her.

The same odd, powerful instinct that had told him Roche was after Juliet now told him what Juliet needed to do, at least in this situation.
You have to let go of me.

What? But Brann, I can’t do that. I don’t want to. I’m afraid if I do, you’ll die.

He stared down at his body, at the severity of the wound, at the blood he could see pooled on the grass off to the side. His skin was very pale, unusual for him. Was he looking at his own death?

He also knew that the moment Juliet released him, the shield would peel away, he would leave the dreamglide, and she’d be visible to all four officers who had responded to the scene.

Juliet?

Yes?

It’s okay to let me go, and I’ll do everything in my power to stay alive. But I want you to know that I’ve loved my time with you. If I survive, please keep fighting for us. I have a lot of baggage, mostly I think because of losing my family and watching my sister die. But you mean everything to me. Will you do that?