Darkness Rises (Immortal Guardians) (19 page)

 

Krysta studied the men and women seated around the table in the grim hush that followed.

She glanced at Sean to see how he was taking all of this.

Suspicion had fled his face and been replaced by the same fascination she suspected lit her own. This was amazing. She didn’t know what she had expected, but it hadn’t been this.

They were like a big family. They teased. They bantered. They got snippy with each other, like when Étienne had tossed his dagger at Ethan.

That had been too funny.
And
rather revealing. Étienne’s eyes had actually glowed with jealousy. How cool was that?

Sean shifted slightly. “How did the mercenaries find out about you before?” he asked, surprising her. She had sensed he was relaxing into the situation, but hadn’t thought he had relaxed enough to participate in the conversation.

David answered. “The brother of a vampire we slew told them, enlisting their aid in his quest for vengeance.”

“Could something similar have happened this time?”

Seth shook his head. “It was the first time in history that such had occurred. Because of the madness that plagues them, vampires tend to either kill or transform relatives they bring into the loop. And most vampires think the only thing that differentiates us is immortals’ unwillingness to kill innocents, or to let
them
do it. Because we don’t fraternize, vampires often don’t realize how much longer immortals live or know that we differ genetically. This human male was in a unique position to learn this information.”

Everyone shifted their gaze to a man at the opposite end of the table who sat with his arm around a pretty brunet. Krysta thought his name was Bastien, but was having trouble keeping up.

As her own attention was drawn that way, she noticed for the third or fourth time that the forbidding immortal across from Sheldon was staring at her.

Roland? Was that his name?

Krysta didn’t know what it was about him, but he unnerved her more than anyone else present. He just seemed menacing. Like he could slit your throat, then sit down, prop his feet on your corpse, and eat a sandwich.

Uneasy, she looked up at Étienne. “Who else could be in a unique position to share this information?”

He shook his head. “No one.”

“Bullshit,” Roland growled.

Étienne frowned. “No one at this table would betray us.”

“I wasn’t thinking of someone at this table,” he intoned. “We all know the mercenaries’ goal. At least the goal of those we fought before. They know vampires swiftly lose their mental faculties and immortals don’t. They need to capture one of
us
so they can torture and dissect us and figure out why. Once they do, they intend to use the virus and whatever information they can glean from us to create an army of supersoldiers they can hire out to the highest bidder.”

“Oh, shit,” Sean breathed. “They could make billions.”

David nodded. “And wreak havoc upon the world. No human army could stand against an army of immortals. Or a more expendable army of vampires.”

“Why expendable?” Sean questioned.

“Any human soldiers they intentionally infected with the virus would have to be slain a year later to ensure their leaders could maintain control.”

One year? “The madness kicks in that fast?” Krysta asked. No wonder she had never encountered a sane or non-murderous vampire.

“It varies from human to human and can be accelerated by things like poor living conditions or torture,” David explained. “Sometimes vampires begin to lose impulse control and experience psychotic breaks six months after infection. Sometimes, if they are extraordinarily strong, they can have three or four years before lucidity abandons them. Since the change can be insidious and difficult to detect in the beginning, the mercenary leaders would have to limit the lifespan of their soldiers in order to prevent chaos and collateral damage.”

Damn. Krysta wondered how that would work. Would the soldiers volunteer to be infected? Would they even understand what they would be infected with? Would they know, going in, that they would be killed a year later? Or would that caveat be kept from them?

“I think we all know what happened,” Roland spoke again, “why mercenaries have risen against us once more.”

“Not really,” Étienne said.

Several others nodded. They truly seemed baffled.

Roland shook his head. “Isn’t it obvious? Someone at the network betrayed us.”

Chris slammed a hand down on the table. “Bullshit!”

Krysta jumped.

Unperturbed, Roland returned his irate stare. “One of your mortal pets decided a billion dollars in his bank account sounded pretty damned good and sold us out. Probably one of your techno-geeps.”

“Geeks,” his wife murmured, chewing her lower lip.

“Fuck you, Roland! My people are handpicked and loyal to the core. You have no reason to doubt them beyond your massive paranoia and I’m sick of you trying to dump that shit on my doorstep!”

Roland’s eyes flashed amber.

Krysta’s heartbeat picked up nervously.

Étienne reached across her lap and rested a hand on the thigh farthest from him as though readying himself to sweep her behind him if all hell broke loose.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Sean palm a dagger under the table.

Oh, crap.

Roland leaned forward. “I doubt
everyone
because of what you call my massive paranoia. Experience has taught me that even those I trust the most could stab me in the back. And have. However, I doubt
your
people and think
them
responsible for this new threat because it is the only plausible explanation. No one else knew. No one else could gain access to the tranquilizer, of which you keep a substantial supply at network headquarters. A network employee or employees, therefore, must be responsible.”

Judging by the looks of things, Roland wasn’t the only one present who thought so now that he had suggested it.

Chris was furious. “That
isn’t
the only explanation. Maybe one of the memory wipes didn’t work.”

“The memory wipes worked,” Seth said. “Had Étienne or Lisette handled the memories, then I would be concerned.”

Krysta looked at Étienne, who shrugged.
I told you there were limits to my telepathic abilities. I am only a couple hundred years old.

Uh-huh. Just a couple,
she thought back to him.
A veritable infant.

His lips twitched. But he kept his hand on her thigh and didn’t relax.

“However, David and I handled it,” Seth continued. “Any memories
we
bury never see the light of day again.”

Jenna slowly raised a hand.

Seth smiled. “Yes, Jenna?”

“I’m confused. Do you
erase
the memories or bury them?”

“We bury them. Truly wiping them or erasing them can cause brain damage and scarring.”

“Oh.”

Roland leaned back. “And thus my point is proven.”

“Well,” Chris said, “we must have missed something on the technical side. A laptop or a DVD or an exterior hard drive one of the mercenaries took home.”

David shook his head. “We searched their minds before we buried the pertinent memories. If someone so much as wrote themselves a note on a napkin and took it home with them, we found it and destroyed it.”

Even though Étienne thought Chris wanted to interrogate her, Krysta actually found herself feeling sorry for him. The blond looked both furious and crushed at the idea that one of his own people may have strayed from the fold.

“Look into it,” Seth told him. “It’s the most logical hypothesis. Someone at the network must have taken information to another mercenary group and sold them the tranquilizer. Narrow down the possibilities.”

Stone-faced, Chris nodded.

“Seconds,” David said, “make sure your immortals have an ample supply of the antidote and don’t let them leave the house without it.”

The mortals around the table nodded.

Seth leaned back. “Immortals, start carrying your infrared goggles and scopes again and check periodically for heat signatures in shadows even your acute vision cannot penetrate. If you are struck with a dart, get the hell out of there and call your Second. The younger immortals among us should consider returning to hunting in pairs. For now, I leave the decision up to you. That will change if another mercenary attack ensues.”

Bastien cleared his throat. “We should also step up our attempts to recruit vampires.”

“What?” Krysta blurted, then flushed when everyone looked at her.

“The ones who have not yet entirely lost their sanity,” he clarified. “We can’t risk the mercenaries getting their hands on the virus by capturing a vampire, so we must convince the vampires we’re the lesser of two evils and see if we can’t bring them over to our side.”

“Why don’t you just kill them all?” she asked. No way in hell would she partner with a freaking vampire.

Marcus smiled. “I like this woman.”

Roland nodded.

Bastien shook his head. “The point is to have them spread the word to the other vampires that they should do everything they can to stay out of the hands of the human mercenaries. We
can’t
let the soldiers get their hands on the virus.”

Seth nodded. “Do it. I know you don’t like it, but vampires outnumber us and could be a valuable tool we could use to thwart our new enemies. Recruit those you can. Kill the rest. David, have you anything you wish to add?”

The other elder looked to Chris. “Only that I will make myself available anytime you wish me to examine the thoughts of network employees you think may be involved in this.”

Chris gave an abrupt nod.

“All right” Seth said. “Meeting adjourned. Safe hunting, everyone.”

Several mumbled a response.

Étienne’s hand on Krysta’s thigh relaxed.

“Étienne,” David said as they rose, “would you, Krysta, Sean, and Cameron join Seth, Chris, and I in my study?”

Krysta cursed inwardly. They had been
that
close to getting away unscathed.

“Of course,” Étienne responded.

Seth strode around the table, Chris on his heels, and joined David as he walked through the throng and crossed the living room.

Trying to ignore the stares she drew, Krysta peered through the black-clad bodies and glimpsed a wicker basket on the floor near one of the sofas.

Kittens?

The multicolored fur pile shifted, revealing a little triangle-shaped face.

Yes, kittens. In a house full of incredibly powerful men and women who instantly seemed less intimidating.

Well, everyone except Roland and the two elders.

She returned her gaze to Seth and David’s broad backs.

Following them to the study, she felt a bit like a child being called to the principal’s office. To distract herself she studied the elders’ auras.

So bright and beautiful. Almost mesmerizing.

You’re drooling,
Étienne spoke in her mind.

Krysta detected a bit of rancor in his tone.
What?

He rested a hand on her lower back.
Different from what?

The two elders shared a look as they entered a darkened hallway.

Were they listening?

David and Seth paused before an open doorway and motioned for them to enter.

Étienne and Krysta proceeded inside, followed by Chris, Cameron, and Sean, then the elders. As Seth started to close the door, Darnell slipped inside.

Smiling, Seth closed the door.

Nice study. Books lined floor-to-ceiling shelves on every wall, and the room had ten- or twelve-foot ceilings. The little home she and Sean rented had ceilings that ranged from eight feet to a mere six and a half. These men wouldn’t even be able to stand upright in her kitchen, so she imagined they appreciated the extra headroom here.

Potted plants abounded, filling the room with color. A massive desk had been planted close enough to the large windows to allow anyone seated in the chair behind it to benefit from the natural light without sitting directly in it. Five chairs faced the desk. Two looked as though they had been there for years. Three more appeared to be new additions, probably added for this little get-together.

Some distance away, a smaller desk resided, something vaguely feminine in its appearance.

As they all congregated near the large desk, she waited anxiously to see what would happen. Would the interrogation Étienne feared begin now? Would they threaten her? Threaten Sean? Bury their memories of all of this?

Did they think her in league with the mercenaries? She had killed two of them. Didn’t that count for anything and show where her loyalties lay?

Wait. Was she saying she was loyal to the immortals?

She thought about everything she had learned at the meeting and from her time with Étienne.

Hell. Why not? They seemed like good guys.

Seth and David smiled.

Seth held out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Krysta.”

“Oh.” She took it. And, wow, was it large. Her own hand looked like a child’s in his. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you, too.”

He covered their clasped hands with his other hand. Her own heated with a tingling warmth that swept up her arm and rippled through her body.

She gasped. “What just happened?”

He patted her hand, then released her and shook Sean’s hand. “I healed your injuries,” he said as he stepped back.