Killing Land (Rune Alexander Book 8) (14 page)

Will didn’t acknowledge Jack, but walked ahead of Rune into
the kitchen when she motioned him on.

She wasn’t ready to have him at her back.

When they entered the big kitchen, Grim was waiting. He
trotted toward the assassin, a sharp, alert look in his eyes. His head was
high, his ears up, and there was one very short moment when Rune was certain
the end had come for Will the Assassin.

Will stopped so suddenly Rune nearly ran into him. He stood
as still as a master vampire as Grim got into his face.

No one moved.

Grim sniffed the assassin from head to foot and when he was
finished he eyed Will thoughtfully, seriously.

The two of them studied each other for what seemed like ten minutes
before finally, Grim backed away and sat on his haunches, his stare still on
the assassin.

“He’s uncertain,” Ellis said. “He’d like to be able to trust
you, at least a little, but he thinks maybe he can’t.”

Rune grinned. “I think that’s the way we all feel.”

Denim, sitting at the table with his chair tilted back,
turned up his lip. “We can’t trust him. There’s no uncertainty.”

Rune poured a coffee and then went to sit down beside him.
She pointed to a chair across from her. “Will, have a seat. We don’t have a lot
of time. Worse, we don’t have a lot of information. I don’t want to hear you
say you don’t know anything. Talk to us.”

“First,” Jack said, his deep voice rumbling, “tell us what
kind of monster we’re about to kill.”

Will
continued
to stand. “I don’t
know exactly.”

“I swear to God, Assassin. If you—”

“I don’t know. We don’t see him. He rarely leaves his den,
and I have no way of knowing where that is. He’s very well hidden.”

His eerie and complete lack of movement made her want to
slam him into a wall. “
Hidden?
Why? Gage Delaney hiding him?”

“Gage Delaney protects the people from it.”

She stared at him silently, waiting. Dragging every little
crumb of information out of people was tedious and irritating, and she was
done. Next time she had to prompt him, she was going to punch his face instead.

Finally, he sat down. He sat with his feet flat on the
floor, his face turned slightly away from her, his body unmoving. “The monster
you’ve come to kill isn’t the only monster in Killing Land.” He seemed to sigh.

She didn’t ask, but Ellie did. “Who are they?” The question
came out in a breathless rush, and they all leaned toward the assassin just a
little.

They all felt the tension, the heaviness.

Grim growled and began pacing the floor, his stare going from
the assassin to the windows.

And when at last he spoke, Will’s voice echoed throughout
the room as he murmured a single word.

He turned his masked face toward her, finally, and in his
eyes was a terrible prophecy of something that would surely make her wish she’d
never heard of Killing Land.

“Gargoyles.”

Jack and Raze moved a step closer to Rune, surrounding her
in an instinctive circle of muscular protection.

Though she couldn’t recall when she’d spoken of her hatred
of gargoyles, they knew.

Hatred and fear.

Disgust.

Shame.

“The statues are all over the fucking town,” she said. “The
monster is a fucking gargoyle.”

“I bet you’re right,” Jack agreed. “He’s mutated and his
family is protecting and feeding him.”

“And we’ll deal with them,” Raze said, calmly.

“That’s the dust you tasted,” Jack said.

“Yeah.”

“What did they do to you?” Will asked.

“Mind your own business,” Ellis told him, his voice crisp as
he walked to Rune. “You shouldn’t have brought her here.”

“I had no way of knowing she’d faced a gargoyle,” Will
answered
. “They don’t look for contact. They hide. That’s
why they’re here.” There was a spark of curiosity in his dark gaze as he
ignored Ellis’s admonishment. “What happened?”

She didn’t want to think about it. Didn’t want to lose her
shit right there in front of all of them. She stood as overwhelming nausea
struck. The contents of her stomach swirled in a whirlpool of food and coffee,
and she backed away from all of them.

She couldn’t take a deep breath because that would have sent
her over the edge, but the suddenly stifling air of the kitchen was too much.

Ellis ran for the kitchen door and shoved it open. “Out you
go, Rune.”

She didn’t hesitate. She’d barely made it around the corner
of the house before she threw up.

She stayed hunched over, her hands on her knees, feeling
somewhat better.

Ellis massaged her back. “Okay?”

“Yeah, baby. I’m good.”

“You’re sick, Rune.”

She straightened, wiped her mouth on her shirt, and gave him
a weak smile. “It was just the gargoyles.”

He pursed his lips.
“Maybe.
Why do
you hate them so much? You never told me.”

“They’re repulsive. Cold, ugly, squat little bastards.”

“They’re
Others,
Rune. And they can’t help how they
look.”

“Don’t judge me, Ellie. You’re not exactly fond of the
vampires, are you?”

He shuddered. “You have a point.”

Jack stuck his head around the corner.
“Rune?”

“I’m good.”

He nodded,
then
disappeared.

“I’m going to brush my teeth and have a look around the
town, Ellie. You keep that gun with you at all times, and call me if anything
happens.”

“I will.” He took her arm and walked with her back inside.
“And I have an idea Grim will stay with me. He’s more protection than the gun.”

That was the truth. Grim would attack while Ellis was still
fumbling with the shotgun.

Just in case he needed her to command him, she knelt down
beside his big body. “Protect Ellie, Grim. Got it?”

He panted gently, and didn’t take his stare off hers.

“Where’s the assassin?” she asked.

“He left as soon as you were out the door,” Jack answered.

She stood. “I’ll be ready in ten minutes. Let’s see if we
can scare some answers out of these people.”

“Like where we can find a block of gargoyles and their
flesh-eating kin,” Raze growled.

When she got out of the bathroom, Raze, Levi, and Denim had
already gone. Jack and Roma were waiting for her by the front door, impatient
to get to work.

“We have four hours of daylight left,” Jack said.

“Darkness never stopped us before,” Rune told him.

“Nope,” he agreed, “but it’s easier to search out a new
place when you can see it. I’ll drive.”

She didn’t argue.

“Will Blackthorne is not a team player,” Roma declared,
settling into the back seat.

“I’d rather not have that son of a bitch in the car with me
anyway,” Jack said, driving slowly down the empty street.

“Everyone has decided to hide from us,” Rune said. “When we
first came in, there were clusters of people glaring at us.”

“No movement at all,” Jack said. “But I bet they’re
watching.”

“Oh yes,” she murmured. “They’re watching.”

“This is the poorest place I’ve ever seen,” Roma said. “And
I’ve seen some—”

“Jack,” Rune
said,
her voice sharp.

He braked at once.
“Where?”

She held up a hand. “Listen.”

They barely breathed, listening hard, but there were no sounds
other than the nearly silent whine of Jack’s window as he let it down.

“There’s something…” She opened her door and got out, barely
noticing as Jack and Roma followed her lead. “I can feel it.”

The air was heavy.
Heavy and dusty.

“I don’t hear anything,” Roma whispered.

Then the town burst to life as dozens of wings beat at the
air above them, releasing the dust of crushed stone upon their heads.

Rune ducked automatically and stared at the sky,
incredulous.

One gargoyle was bad enough.

Flying above them was a block of at least fifteen gargoyles,
soundless but for their wings.

“Demons,” Roma said.
“Demons!”

“Not demons,” Rune told her. “Worse.” And her hands shook as
she retracted claws she hadn’t even been aware of releasing.
“Fucking
gargoyles.”

Luckily, they were rare. She’d only been up against a
gargoyle once in her life—and she’d lost that particular battle.

Of course, that had been before she had her monster on her
side.

They vanished as quickly as they’d appeared.

“Are you going to faint?” Roma asked her. “What can I do?”

“No, I’m not going to
faint,
dammit. Get back in the
car.”

Once inside the car, they sat in silence. The sight they’d
just witnessed had been overwhelming. Rune had seen a lot of incredible
things—they all had.

But gargoyles.

There was nothing on earth like gargoyles.

“They make me feel strange,” Roma said. “But I don’t know
what the strange feeling is.”

Jack nodded.

“Awe,” Rune said. “They make you feel awe.”

“But not you,” Roma said.

“No. They just make me sick.”

“Why
is
that?” Jack looked at her, and in his eye was
the same look she imagined was in Roma’s.

Stunned fucking
awe
.

“They protect all that’s good,” Rune whispered. “They
protect like angels protect. They protect the good from the evil.” She looked
at him.

And in that second, Jack understood. She saw it in his
softening, pitying gaze. He took her hand. “Oh, honey.”

“What?” Roma asked. “I need to know.”

“Not yet,” Rune said, staring out her window.
Not ever
.

Jack squeezed her hand. “Do you want to ride the fuck out of
here, Rune? We can go.”

Rune returned his squeeze then pushed his hand away. “Let’s
do our jobs.”

“They’re going to be throwing up walls at every turn,” Jack
said, driving on.

“If we come to a wall you can’t blast through,” Roma said,
“I will make you a path with my slingshot.”

Jack laughed. “I appreciate it.”

Roma beamed.

“Dude standing at the stop sign ahead,” Rune said.

“I see him,” Jack said.

The guy leaned casually against the sign, smoking,
the
bill of a cap covering his lowered face.

“Doesn’t appear to be planning to shoot,” Jack noted.

“No.” But she frowned. Something was vaguely familiar about
him, but she had no idea what it was.
His stance, maybe.

Jack drove by him, slowly, and at the last second he lifted
his tattooed face and grinned at Rune.

Her gaze connected to his only briefly.

It was enough.

“Son of a bitch,” she whispered.

“Who is it?” Jack asked, slowing the car. His voice was
cold.

“Drive on, Jack.” She stared into her mirror, disbelieving,
watching as he grew smaller and smaller.

And he watched her.

“Shit,” she said, again, her throat tight.

The man they’d just driven by was a man who was as dangerous
as men could be, and he hated her with everything inside him.

She’d put him in prison.

She was responsible for his Annie’s death.

And she owed him.

“Leon Lafitte,” she murmured.

“It can’t be,” Jack said. “Leon Lafitte is not getting out
of prison anytime soon.”

“It’s Leon. I know his face.”

He glanced at her. “Yeah, you would.” He hesitated. “You’re sure?”

“It’s him.”

“Annie…”

“Yeah.
He was already pissed at me
for putting him in prison, but Annie’s death…he’s not going to forgive me for
that.”

“You didn’t kill her.”

“I might as well have. I brought her to Karin’s attention.”

Jack shrugged, finally. “Fuck him.”

Leon in Killing Land.

What a fucking coincidence.

“I owe him,” she said, finally.

“I need a favor.”

“Why should I do you any favors? You the bitch help put
me here.”

“Are you going to hold a grudge, Leon? You may get out someday.
You’ll need a friend.”

“You no friend of mine, Alexander.”

“Think about it, dude. I’ll owe you one. And I always pay
what I owe.”

She closed her eyes.

Leon Lafitte was either going to call in his favors or he
was going to make her life an impossible hell. He could.

He surely could.

She picked up her cell and called Ellis.

“Everything okay, Rune?” he asked.

“Ellis, I just saw Leon Lafitte.”

“Rune,” he said. “No.”

“Grim still there?”

“Yes.” His voice was calm.
Too calm.
“And I have the gun. I’ll be careful. No one is getting into this house.”

“I’m sending Levi back to you.
Just in
case.”

“Don’t do that, Rune. I’ll be fine.”

She hung up and called Levi. “Go take care of Ellis.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.
Yet.
I just saw a very old, very bad…acquaintance. I don’t want to take any
chances.”

“Got it.
I’m on my way back.”

“I have a lot to guard you from,” Roma said, after Rune got
off the phone.

Rune snorted.

“If I do this thing for you, you owe me for the rest of
your life.”

“I’ll owe you for the rest of
your
life.”

But the thing hadn’t gotten done.

Annie was supposed to have killed Karin Love.

Karin Love killed Annie, instead.

And she’d made it hurt.

Leon had lost the love of his life. When Annie had gone,
she’d taken his heart with her.

Rune knew how he felt.

And she understood his rage, his blame, and his darkness.

She couldn’t let herself be sympathetic, though.

Leon had come after her.

She would have to be ready for him.

“You have your vest on?” Jack asked her.

She nodded. “I put it on before we left the house.”

“Good. That’s good.”

“You can relax,” Roma said. “I won’t allow him to hurt her.
Is he human?”

“Yes,” Rune answered.

“A puny human is nothing to worry about.”

Rune half turned to face her. “Jack is human.”

“He’s special,” Roma blurted.

Rune grinned. “He is that.”

“We might have to start knocking on doors,” Jack said.

Rune’s cell rang.
“Yeah?”

“Finally.”
She mumbled something
Rune didn’t catch. “It’s Jill.”

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine. But I need you to—”

“I’m not in River County, Jill. If you’re in danger, go to
the Annex and—”

“I know you’re not. You’re in Killing Land, just like me.”

Rune straightened. “What?”

“Listen to what I have to say.”

“Where—”

“Drive to the old elementary school—follow Center Street and
you’ll see it. Turn left and follow Gervais Road for about fifteen miles.
You’ll drive up Hewitt Hill. Don’t go down it. Turn to the left at the very top
and drive until you see what you need to see. There are camps. That’s where I
am.

“Kill the monster and leave the town to those who need it.
You’ll do that, won’t you?”

“Yeah.
I will. But how—”

“I know you will.”

“Jill? Why are you here?”

But she was talking to dead air.

She gave Jack the directions,
then
called
Raze to have him and Denim meet her there. She’d have called Will the Assassin
but had no number for him.

She had a feeling he’d end up there anyway.

Not quite fifteen minutes later Jack turned left at the top
of Hewitt Hill. “This gives the term country roads a whole new meaning.”

“It’s rough,” Rune agreed.

Rough was something of an understatement. The dirt road was
riddled with jagged crevices and deep ruts, and at one point they thought
they’d wandered off the road after Jack had to swerve around a rock the size of
a barn.

They went deeper and deeper into the wooded, perilous area,
and finally, they began to see signs of life—candy bar wrappers, beer cans, the
odd sneaker missing its laces.

And then, with a suddenness that startled them, they sat atop
a rise that had nearly gotten the best of the car, and stared down at a valley
of people.

Houses, if one could call them
that—shacks, mainly, small and unpainted—trailers, campers, and even tents.

People lounged in front of their dwellings in folding chairs
and other seats, dressed, for the most part, in heavy winter clothing. Fires
dotted the valley, dogs ran from campfire to campfire to beg for scraps, and
Rune spotted four children, one of them a swaddled infant in its mother’s arms.

There were ATVs, tire swings, and rough wooden pens holding
what appeared to be pigs. Laughter mingled with curses, cries, and a lone,
distant voice lifted in song.

Rune stared across the hood of the car at Jack.
“Son of a bitch, Jack.
That’s
the real Killing Land.”

“Damn right,” a strong male voice said, “and we don’t
especially care for outsiders paying us surprise visits.”

“Easy,” another said, as Rune turned sharply to see who was
speaking.

“Not bad,” she told one of the men holding a shotgun pointed
at her head. He stood a few feet away, mostly hidden by the brown and dark
green tangles of foliage that lined the road. “It’s not often a man can sneak
up on us.”

“We didn’t sneak,” he said, turning his head to the side to
spit tobacco juice into the weeds. “We’ve been here all along.”

“We don’t want any trouble. We were invited to visit.”

“By who?”
He didn’t sound
skeptical, or angry, or much of anything, really.
Just flat.
He could have shot her in the head and walked away, thinking of that night’s
dinner.

She saw it in his cold, uninterested eyes.

“You’re a killer,” Roma told him, then glanced at Rune,
shrugging. As though she wasn’t sure why she’d decided to let him know she
recognized his kind.

“Born and raised,” he agreed, and spat again. The shotgun
didn’t waver. “Who brought you here?”

Men peppered the area surrounding them—Rune could feel them
there, once she was over her shock at the community spread out below them.

She looked at Jack, and he nodded.

He was aware.

“I can’t tell you that,” she told the man. Jill hadn’t said
one way or the other, but she wasn’t going to take a chance and get the older
woman into more trouble than she was already in.

“Then you ain’t going in,” another man said. He stood on
Jack’s side, a few yards away,
a
pistol in each hand.
“Get back in your car.”

“Nope,” the first man said. “I’m not letting them go.
Too risky.”

“
We shooting
them?”

“Yup.
No other choice.”

“All right, then.”

Rune lifted an eyebrow.
“Dude.
We
don’t want to hurt you and your friends. We’re here to take out the cannibal, and
we need your help to find him.”

The second man’s face twisted as he appeared caught between
wanting to laugh at the notion of her hurting him and wanting to throw up at
the mention of the monster.

“Well, shit,” one of the others said.
“You
the law?
James, if they’re the law, there’s more of them coming. You
know it.”

“We’re with the Annex,” she said. “We hunt monsters. We
don’t want you or your friends.”

He pursed his lips.

“I swear it,” she told him. “I’m trying to be nice, but if I
think you’re really going to shoot, I’ll have to kill you.” She held up her
hands, palms facing him. “I don’t want to kill you.”

James did laugh, then. “What are you going to do, missy?
Talk me to death?”

“Yeah,” one of the others said. “We’re the ones with the
guns.”

“
We
have weapons,” she said, her voice mild.

The second man snorted. “Maybe, but they ain’t cleared your
belts, lady. That means we—”

She didn’t bother shooting out her claws, just used her
speed to yank the shotgun from the first man, and then, while he was still
gaping at his empty hand, she sprinted to the second guy and punched him in the
head with it.

His guns sailed from his grip, and he flew backward to land
in an ungainly heap on the ground, out cold.

“Now,” she said, while the others were still trying to
decide whether to run or to shoot. “If any one of you starts to squeeze a
trigger, I’m going to make you fucking eat your gun. We’re going down the hill.
You all want to come with, or you want to bleed out on this cold ground?”

In the end there were only two other guards who stepped
out,
and they decided it’d be in their best interest to
escort Shiv Crew down into the Killing Land valley.

Their friends had melted into the woods as quietly as they’d
appeared.