Equites : Book 4 of the Heku Series (9 page)

Kyle arrived at the palace just as the
news was starting. The Elders were gathered in the game room to
watch.

“
Local V.E.S. leaders have
agreed to a phone conversation with WJHJ News at Five to discuss
the kidnapping charges filed against the group an hour ago. Law
Enforcement officials have identified the woman as Emily Russo, and
her 4-year-old son, Allen. Charges were filed by her husband,
Keith, earlier today,” the female news anchor said.

“
Mr. Hans, are you there?”
she asked.

“
Yes I am,” a gruff voice
said as his words were typed across the bottom of the
screen.

“
What are your comments
about the kidnap accusations filed against your organization?” she
asked him.

“
They are false
accusations. We didn’t kidnap her and her son. We rescued them from
the hands of the vampires,” Greg said proudly. “As soon as her
brainwashing is reversed, we’ll let her and her son go.”

“
Reports are that her
husband has come forward and is demanding their immediate return.
He denies being… well… a vampire,” she said to him.

“
He’s a vampire all right,
and the woman has been abused by them. She’s in a cast from them
breaking her bones, her arm is injured, and she has scars on her
wrists and neck from all of the feeding they do on her. Her back is
so badly injured it causes her pain just to walk. She’ll be much
better off in the mortal world,” Greg told her.

“
Are the two being held
against their will, or have they admitted that vampires held
them?”

“
Oh… she’s fighting back.
They have her brainwashed well. The boy is too, but growing up with
vampires around is all he’s known,” Greg explained.

“
So you admit that the
woman is trying to get away from you?” the anchorwoman began to
sound mad.

“
Yes, I’ll admit to that,
but only because of the brainwashing,” Greg said, irritated, and
hung up the phone.

“
There you have it, a live
report from the leader of the V.E.S. The woman’s husband, Keith,
and this news station are cooperating fully with local Law
Enforcement to ensure the safe return of Emily and her son. Back to
you John, how are those Broncos doing?”

Kyle muted the TV.

“
Are you getting anything
from her?” Kyle asked Chevalier.

“
Just extreme annoyance,
actually. I’m pretty sure she’s ok, but whatever they are saying to
her, or doing to her, is making her irritated,” Chevalier said with
a smile.

“
I can’t believe we have to
leave this up to the mortals,” Damon said, frustrated.

“
It’s a mortal affair,
though. Not a single immortal seems to be involved,” Quinn reminded
him.

Chevalier picked up his phone when it
rang, “Yes?”

“
Chev?” Emily
asked.

“
Emily, are you ok?”
Chevalier questioned, quickly.

“
I am calling to inform
you, that I am no longer going to be a part of your world,” Emily
said, her voice was monotone and extremely annoyed. “The V.E.S.
will put an end to the vampire’s existence.”

Chevalier laughed, “Are you reading
that?”

“
Say it,” Chevalier heard a
voice say from behind her.

“
I do not love you,” she
said, and Chevalier could almost hear her roll her eyes. “Your
control over me has ended.”

“
Ok, good to know,”
Chevalier chuckled.

“
How is she?” Kyle asked
when Chevalier shut his cell phone.

“
I wouldn’t want to be in
the V.E.S. right now,” Chevalier said, laughing. “She called to
tell us that the vampire’s existence is about to end. She doesn’t
love me, and my control has ended.”

“
Oh really?” Quinn asked,
amused.

“
Oh yeah, I wish you could
have heard her voice. She is extremely annoyed,” Chevalier said,
turning to Kyle. “Better call the police and update them on that
phone call, we have to cooperate fully.”

Kyle nodded and pulled out his cell
phone, then left the game room.

***

“
Today marks the fourth day
of the standoff between the V.E.S. cult and law enforcement over
the kidnapping of Emily Russo and her 4-year-old son, Allen.
Federal ATF agents are set to arrive later today, because of
warnings that come from former V.E.S. members, who say that the
cult has amassed a stockpile of weapons, and are set on ridding the
world of vampires.”

“
This is no longer
amusing,” Chevalier growled.

“
Is she ok?” Damon asked,
muting the TV.

“
Something’s changed. She
not annoyed, now she’s afraid,” Chevalier said.

“
Let me go and get them,”
Damon said, frustrated.

***

Emily sat with Allen at a small table
as one mortal man sat across from them, “Repeat again… vampires are
real, and vampires are evil.”

Emily sighed, “Vampires are real, and
vampires are evil.”

“
Good girl, you are coming
around slowly. Do you still love a vampire?” he asked, smiling
sweetly.

“
Yes,” she responded,
irritated.

The man sighed, “They are incapable of
love. How can we get that through to you?”

“
Let us go, and we’ll find
out for ourselves,” Emily suggested.

“
It’s too dangerous for
you. We are only holding you here for your protection,” he reminded
her.

“
Oh that’s right,” Emily
said, rolling her eyes.

“
Are you ready to tell me
who the father of your baby is? And Allen’s father?”

“
Nope,” she said
bluntly.

“
We just want to know if
the vampires are capable of reproducing, or if they have found
other means,” he said seriously.

Emily laughed, “Other
means?”

“
Yes, invitro, for example,
or a donor. Are the vampires using you to repopulate their
numbers?”

“
That’s stupid,” she said,
raising an eyebrow.

“
Go back to your house. We
want to talk to you later about how to kill a vampire,” the man
said, frustrated.

“
Joy,” Emily replied, and
stood slowly. She cried out slightly when her back sent shooting
pains down her legs. She and Allen walked across the compound to
their small house, escorted by three men with guns.

Emily shut the door and locked it
behind her. She turned to Allen, “You have the note?”

“
Yes, Mommy,” he said,
patting his back pocket.

“
Do you know the
plan?”

“
Yes”

“
Just remember, I don’t
care who the Equites is, run to them, and stay with them, ok?” she
asked, kissing his forehead.

“
You come, too,” Allen
pleaded.

“
I can’t leave. This plan
only works if I’m here to cause a diversion.” She smiled,
reassuringly.

Allen nodded and climbed onto Emily’s
lap. She held him closely, “It’ll be ok.”

“
Why do they want to kill
Daddy?” Allen asked her, tears forming in his eyes.

“
They are just confused,
they think Daddy is bad.”

“
Can’t they meet him? He
can tell them.”

“
It doesn’t really work
like that.”

“
I don’t want to leave you
here,” Allen said, looking up at her.

Emily smiled, “I need you to get that
note to Daddy.”

Allen nodded.

Emily jumped slightly when there was a
hard knock at the door.

“
Go, now,” Emily whispered.
She watched as Allen laid down on the bed and pretended to be
asleep.

She opened the door and stepped out,
“What?” she whispered.

“
You’re to come with us,”
one of them men said.

“
Fine, but Allen’s asleep,
he’s not feeling well,” she said. Emily shut the door, catching one
last glimpse of Allen before latching it, and locking it behind
her.

“
Come on,” the man said,
pointing a gun at her.

Emily followed the men to a conference
room, moving slowly because of her back and casted leg. A long
table filled with men wearing camouflage and carrying
semi-automatic weapons was in the center. Emily was pushed toward
the end chair and she sat down.

Soren, the second in command at the
V.E.S. compound, stood to speak to her.

“
Emily, this is the last
time we’re going to do this nicely. Either you give us the
information we want, or you’ll have to be punished,” he said to
her.

Emily lowered her head and
nodded.

“
What is the easiest way to
kill a vampire?” he asked her, sternly.

Emily began to cry, her pregnancy
hormones made it easy, “Stake.”

Soren smiled, “A stake through the
heart?”

Emily nodded, tears spilling down her
cheeks.

“
What about Holy
Water?”

“
Only…” she looked up at
them, and then back to her hands. “Only very cold.”

“
That’s what we’re doing
wrong then… thank you, Emily, you’re doing very well,” Soren said,
and she could tell he was pleased.

Emily just sat perfectly
still.

“
What about
Garlic?”

“
Makes them sick if they
eat it,” she had to fight a laugh, that one was true.

“
Will it keep them away?”
he asked, frowning.

Emily shook her head no.

“
What about silver?” Soren
asked, writing down everything she said.

Emily frowned. She hadn’t heard
anything about vampires not liking silver. She finally
nodded.

“
What about silver? Does it
burn them?”

She nodded.

“
Can they be restrained
with Silver?”

“
Yes,” Emily replied. She
had a brief glimpse of the pain Chevalier had gone through because
of electricity.

“
Anything else? Anything at
all you can think of that can help us?” Soren asked, leaning closer
to her.

“
They will kill me if I
tell you,” Emily whispered.

“
We’ll protect you, I swear
to it,” Soren told her.

“
Alcohol,” she said
finally.

“
What about it?”

“
It makes them weak,” she
whispered.

“
Did you know that?” Soren
asked the man next to him angrily.

The other man shook his
head.

“
Are you sure?”

She nodded.

An alarm sounded in the
distance.

“
Get her back to her room,”
Soren ordered, as he ran from the building.

“
Allen!” Kyle said, holding
his arms out. Allen ran into his arms and Kyle hugged him
tightly.

“
Follow me,” an ATF agent
said to Kyle, and Kyle crawled into the back of a van, still
holding Allen. They were taken to the police department where a
doctor was waiting to check Allen over. After Allen was given a
physical, he was medically cleared, and both Allen and Kyle were
taken to a conference room.

Kyle sat down in a chair and put Allen
on his lap while other ATF agents and local police gathered and sat
down.

ATF Agent Williams smiled at Allen,
“It’s good to see you, Boy. How did you get out?”

“
Mommy created a
detersion,” he said, leaning his head back on Kyle’s
chest.

“
A diversion?” Williams
asked.

Allen nodded.

“
Did you see any
guns?”

Again, Allen nodded.

“
A lot of them?”

“
Yes, everyone has a gun,”
Allen said.

“
Were they…” Agent Williams
glanced at Kyle briefly, “Nice to you and your Mommy?”

Allen shrugged, “Sort of, Mommy’s back
hurts.”

“
What do you mean, sort
of?” he asked, concerned.

“
They yell at Mommy a lot.
She won’t help them.”

Agent Williams frowned, “Have they hit
your Mommy?”

“
No, but they say they
will,” Allen told them.

Kyle pulled Allen closer to him, “Can
I please just take him home now?”

Agent Williams nodded, “Yes, there’s
not much more we can ask a 4-year-old.”

Kyle nodded, he knew that Allen was
far advanced beyond his age, but just wanted to get him back to the
palace. Within a few minutes, Kyle and Allen were headed back to
the palace in Kyle’s Ferrari. He kicked it up to the top gear and
topped out the speedometer, then called ahead to the palace to let
them know he was coming.

Chevalier was waiting in the garage
for them. Allen unbuckled his seat belt and ran to him. Chevalier
scooped his son up into his arms and hugged him tightly.