Radiance (Brotherhood of the Blade Trilogy #3) (10 page)

“
I’m still on the case. I think she’s in California.”

“
Why do you think that, Sam?”

“
Let’s just say that Griffith Park is like Vampire Central Station. Whatever vampire evil lurks in my neck of the woods, I can go to that place and turn up vampires. I can hardly go to Griffith Park without tripping over one. Sooner or later, I’ll turn up the one who knows where Kristin is. And I’ll make him talk.”

“
Thank you. My brother died in Griffith Park.”

“
That’s right. I think you told me that.”

“
Should I come, Sam? To California? And help find Kristin?”

“
Not yet. I’m still doing surveillance of a vampire-intensive area. I’ll let you know when I get close, okay?”

“
Thanks, Sam.”

“
You’re welcome.”

“
Before Delilah died, she mentioned that Nero had some sort of a vampire nest by the carousel. Is there a carousel there?”

“
There was a long time ago. I’ll check out the area and get back to you. These are about the best clues to her whereabouts that we have had.”

“
I know. So, do you know anyone who I can recruit as a vampire hunter?”

“
Not anyone I would trust from my kind.”

“
All right. I have one other question to ask you.”

“
Shoot,” Sam said.

“
It’s kind of a long shot, but you know Corbin, right?”

“
Your resident werewolf and wildlife biologist whose tongue was hanging out after me?”

“
That’s him.”

“
Yeah, he has unforgettable canine personality. I didn’t know if I should pet him or get him a Milk Bone.”

“
Aw, he can’t help the way he is and he’s a pretty good guy, despite some drama here.”

“
Drama? With Corbin?”

“
Nothing we haven’t dealt with to my satisfaction, though Ambra is fairly ticked off at him. Anyway, he’s asking me to hire him a female werewolf for a full-time research assistant. A wildlife biologist.” I paused. “You’re not laughing, Sam. You don’t find it a preposterous request?”

“
Not at all. In fact, after meeting Corbin, I think it’s an interesting idea. Let me make a phone call. I’ll get back to you if I have anything.”

“
Wait. You know some werewolves?”

“
I know
one
. A male. Maybe he knows a female werewolf.”

“
Interesting. I’m leaving on a trip, so if you can’t get me on my cell, just send email.”

“
Will do.”

“
Before we end our Skype session, tell me one thing that sets Kristin apart from anyone else, like something she can do, or she knows, something distinctive about her.”

“
That’s easy,” I said. “She’s really good at art.”

“
A lot of kids are good at art.”

“
A specific type of art is her distinctive specialty. She’s has made hundreds of tessellations, and they’re mathematically perfect. I’ve measured them.”

“
What do you mean, like Escher, those designs that dovetail into each other and repeat?”

“
Exactly.”

“
How does she know how to do that?” Sam asked.

“
She watched some YouTube video once, with instructions, and her imagination just took off. She made hundreds of designs, all of which I assume burned up in our house. It was kind of her obsession, if you want to know the truth. She made a new design just about every day.”

“
Wow. Is your daughter some sort of genius?”

“
Yes. If she’s alive, that genius brain is probably what’s kept her alive.”

I could hear
Judge Judy
telling off a plaintiff in the background. “I have to go get the kids from school in a little bit, so I need to hang up—but…Rand?”

“
Yeah?”

“
If ever there was a place that seemed like it was the origin of a species, Romania is that place. Don’t make me cry vampire tears over your grave. Stay safe.”

“
Will do, Sam.”

Chapter Seven

Later, Ambra and I rummaged in the fridge for something easy to eat and settled on leftover venison steaks and man, were they tough. Either that, or neither one of us could cook them correctly.

“The sun will be up soon,” I said, looking out the window at the indigo sky against the snow.

“
It’s making me crazy to think about our trip,” Ambra declared.

“
Stay here then. Mind the fort with Mikhail and Joan. Everyone else is going on vacation except Griff, who is going to a medical convention.”

“
You’re not getting off that easily,” she said, setting out plates as I got the utensils. “Don’t even try to sneak off without me or you don’t want to know what I would do to you if you gave me the slip.”

“
I promise I won’t,” I said, thinking of the first time I had sneaked away to Romania and she had followed me across several countries without me even knowing it. “I’ll never do that again.”

“
Don’t lie,” she bickered. “Whenever you think something is too dangerous for me, you go off on your own. You don’t even follow our most basic safety rules of vampire hunting.”

“
You’re right,” I said. “But I know I need you to have my back so I can stay alive.”

She nodded, satisfied.

We sat down to devour about eight thousand calories between us. Thank goodness for potatoes. Those, I could cook.

My cell rang and I looked at the caller ID, answered it and put on the speaker. “Hi, Corbin, you’re on the speaker with me and Ambra. What’s up?”

“Hi, Ambra,” he said.

She didn’t reply and sat with her arms folded, but listening. Obviously, she was still angry with him over the whole almost-turning-her debacle.

“What’s up?” I asked again.

“
I need some funds to go to Pripyat on official business. Wolf pack business.”

“
Okay.” I blew out some air. “Do you fill out some sort of paperwork or do I just give you the money?”

“
You just give me the money. You go in the safe and get cash or you write me a check on the wolf pack account, payable from the bank in Zürich.”

“
How much do you need?”

He told me the number and I was floored. “Seriously?”

“I’m sorry it’s so much money, but I’ll bring you the receipts.”

“
All right. Why does the name of that city ring a bell?”

“
It’s in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Northern Ukraine.”

“
What? Why the hell are you going
there
, Corbin?”

“
One of our wolves lost her newborn cubs to a brown bear. She was off hunting game and he broke into her den and killed the cubs.”

“
Quel dommage,
” Ambra said.

“
It
is
a terrible shame. And it’s almost unprecedented in the modern history of Switzerland. There are hardly any wild bears left here, but I saw the tracks. I reported it to the authorities and I got an emergency permit to go and get a litter of wolf cubs of the same genetic strain that just lost their mother. The packs are distantly related.”

“
Is it safe for you to go into the contamination zone?” I asked.

“
Yes, I’m a werewolf. Only silver can kill me.”

“
But you can get sick from radiation, can’t you?”

“
I don’t know, but it will be less than a day. It is permitted to go in with a guide for less than twenty-four hours. I’ll use protective clothing. Humans go in. They just have to take precautions and not stay long or stir up the soil, things like that. I’ll do the same.”

“
I’m still worried about you.”

“
My pack’s alpha female is beside herself with grief and the pack society is suffering. I only have a few days to get her some cubs or her milk will begin to dry up. I can easily integrate these new wolves into the pack, but only if she raises them from newborns.”

“
Are the cubs healthy?”

“
They
are
radioactive, but healthy, according to the biologists I spoke with.”

“
How will you get her to accept them?” I asked.

“
A few minutes before she meets them, I’ll play recordings of hungry wolf cubs. Her milk will start leaking and by the time she meets the cubs, I think she’ll lay down for them.”

“
But she’ll know they aren’t hers?”

“
Of course. I think it’ll work out, though. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t ask you. I have to leave soon if the answer is yes.”

“
Yes, go. Just know this is getting complicated. Ambra and I are going on a trip, too. On Eurail.”

“
Well, me, too. Imagine that.”

“
Where is Pripyat, relative to Bran?”

“
You’re going to Romania,
again
?”

“
Yes.”

“
After what happened last time…well, anyway, what for?”

“
I’ll tell you on the train. Is Pripyat on the way?”

“
No. Pripyat is about another fifteen hours further and I’ll have to rent a car for the last part of the journey. I’ll ride with you two to Bran on the train and go on from there by myself. Toward the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.”

I took a deep breath and let it out. “It’s at least forty hours to get to Pripyat then?”

“Yes.”

“
Won’t her milk dry up before you can get back to Zürich with the cubs?”

“
I worried about that, too. Therefore, she’s coming with us.”

“
A full-grown wolf is coming with us? On the train?”

“
Yes,” Corbin replied.

“
In a dog crate?”

“
We’ll bring one to get her loaded on the train and once we’re on, I’ll see if she’ll take the leash. I have mild tranquilizers to help her make that decision.”

“
We’re going on a train with a stoned wolf that might want to eat us?”

“
I’ll be with her every moment. I won’t leave her side. She’s very good when she wants to be. And I will have treats. Lots of treats.”

“
When’s the last time you put one of the wolves on a leash?”

“
Never
.”

My mouth dropped open. “What will Eurail say when you show up with a full-grown wolf?”

“They will ask for her ticket. I believe she will travel as a large dog in disguise at half the second-class ticket fare. She’s supposed to wear a muzzle, but maybe we can get a private compartment and take it off. I will need to bring her shot records and documentation for international travel. The cubs will be in a big crate for the ride home. She will hopefully bond with them and feed them on the train.”

“
Inconceivable. The only thing that could make this trip even more complicated is a full moon,” said Ambra.

Corbin laughed wickedly and gave a little bark at the end. “I’m just kidding. I just turned into a werewolf. I need to get you a lunar calendar, Rand.”

Corbin and I hung up.

Ambra said, “This is ludicrous. Vampires, werewolves, wolves and vampire hunters!”

“Oh, my!” I threw in for good measure.

Chapter Eight

Corbin and the tranquilized, muzzled bitch wolf rode with us in a private compartment with an en-suite shower, a toilet and two beds. The wolf was quiet and trembling and hid her head under Corbin’s leg for most of the train journey. He comforted her with communication I didn’t understand because they were soft whines and yips.

“She’s grieving over her dead wolf cubs,” he explained.

When I reached out my hand, he said, “She’s not a dog. She’s a wild animal. You don’t know her, so don’t pet her. And don’t make any sudden movements if you want to keep your hand.” I pulled back. Corbin and the alpha female wolf took one bed and Ambra and I took the other. Eventually, the wolf relaxed and he took off the muzzle. Somehow, we all slept.