Vaewolf: Damn the Darkness: The Prophecy's Promise (Hearts of Darkness Book 3) (35 page)

The women rushed to the spot Isobel pointed out and lifted Lissette from the brush.

“I’m not getting any mental readings.” Caitlin warned, hoping the poor woman was just unconscious and not severely injured. “Genevieve and Juliette were here. I sense their fae light.”

Just then, Lissette moaned and grabbed Caitlin’s arm. “They took the girls…”

“Lissette, how many?”

“Two rogue shifters and a demon.”

“Isobel, do you have your phone? I left without mine.” She should kick her own butt for letting emotion rule good sense.

“Yes,” she said. “What should we do?”

“I’m going after them. They couldn’t have gone far.”

“You shouldn’t.” Isobel grabbed her wrist.

“I have to before they escape with the girls. There could be a portal nearby.”

“What can I do to help?”

“You call Garr and tell him what happened. I’ll mentally link with Dylan if he’ll open for me. In any case, Garr should call Jackson and tell him what’s going on.”

“Be careful,
cherie
.” Isobel sliced her wrist and offered it to Caitlin. “Drink. You can mentally link with me if you need to. I’ll keep my mind open.”

Caitlin took what the good vampire offered and hugged her instead of giving the ritual bow. “Thank you, my friend.”

Then, for the first time in her new life, she dematerialized without help and traced along the path she sensed the kidnappers had taken. Caitlin heard a cell phone ring somewhere, way off in the background, and wondered who was back there and if they were tracking her. All she could hope was that it was the Calvary. She had no idea how she would rescue the Halflings alone. She just couldn’t risk losing their trail. Beside, they needed the location of the other portal into the Underworld.

“Dylan, open up our link, dammit. There’s trouble.”
Nothing. She’d have to try again and hope Jackson got the message.

Chapter Forty Nine

The Prophecy’s Promise

Garr called Jackson, and he called Dylan. “Open your damn link and find her—sift if you have to. I have her scent but it’s mixed with demon, rogues, and the Halflings. They’re heading to the bayou, and if there’s a portal we could lose her. I heard screams, but it wasn’t her. I’m shifting into the vaewolf for speed and strength. Get to her!”

~~~~

The screams came from several yards ahead. It sounded like Genevieve, but she couldn’t be sure. Then Caitlin smelled the demon scent, stronger than the one she’d been tracking and similar to a scent she smelled before.
Amyra.

“Dylan, open up your link.”

“Caitlin!”

“Thank God! I smell Amyra. Is it possible?”

“Caitlin, keep the link to me open. I’m sifting to you now. Do not move.”

“I can’t wait. There’s a portal…and oh, hell, it’s not Amyra. I think it’s Baphomet.”

“Damn it, Caitlin. Stop.”

Dylan couldn’t lock on to her. Instead he shifted to the spot where she’d last been.
When he materialized, he remained concealed to take stock of the situation. What he saw chilled him to the bone. Yes, indeed, Caitlin was right. The right hand to the Lord of the Underworld was here in the human realm. Baphomet’s hand held a knife forged in hell against Caitlin’s throat. The knife which could kill immortals with one stroke—the permanent death. The Halfling Genevieve, the demoness-fae who’d imprinted with Max was being held by the other demon. The rogue jaguar shifters were in their half human form. One held the little demoness child, Juliette, and the other rogue looked like he was preparing to open the portal.

“Only one our link, Caitlin.”

“I understand. Now let’s take these guys out.”

“Stall a few more minutes. Jackson will be pissed if he misses a good fight.”

“Really? Wait? Something is happening to me. The anger is building, and I’m not sure if I can wait.”

“It’s probably some other form of deadly DNA you inherited. Consider it a benefit. When I say ‘strike’ go with it.”

“Dylan? Are you laughing?”

“Absolutely…Not. Okay maybe snickering a little. These guys have no idea what’s about to take them out. My berserker has surfaced. Jackson’s vaewolf is right behind me. Hear that roar? That’s him, and the other one will be me.”

“Jackson’s here. I see him.”

“Caitlin? STRIKE.”

Caitlin broke free of Baphomet just as her fingers began twisting and curving. Her faery wings popped out but turned into huge, taloned, leathery-looking bat wings. Her eyes glowed red, her facial features shifted—her jaw and forehead broadened, her nails curled into claws, and her fangs elongated two-fold.

She slashed at Baphomet, the demonic spawn of the devil, until Dylan replaced her, then she backed away to block the portal. Jackson took out the rogue at the entrance, and the one holding the tiny Halfling.

Caitlin looked at her hands and mentally said,
“My, my, I must look a fright?”

“Look at Jackson. You look exactly like a blonde version of him…almost…just prettier…a lot prettier. In bed, I’d prefer the sex fae look, but right now you couldn’t look lovelier! We can always use another vaewolf!”

“Berserker coming in on your right.”

“Max?”

Max, in all his frightening glory, jumped the demon holding Genevieve. The fight was a mismatch from the start. The demoness had a technique of her own once she was freed.

“Stop playing around, Dylan.” Jackson grunted.

“Still fighting off the Lord of the Underworld here. Anytime someone would like to dive in and help…” Max took Dylan’s right and Jackson took his left. That left Caitlin to watch over the last demon and the defeated rogues. The lesser demon wasn’t even worth the attack. No one was going to mess with her…well with her
fae demon vaewolf
if that’s what she was.

Baphomet put his arms down and backed up. With a voice forged in hell, he ordered Caitlin away from the portal entrance. “Come with me, woman. Satan’s son needs a wife.”

“Oh, uh, not interested,” Caitlin hissed through her horrific fangs. “I’m spoken for.” She glanced at Dylan then Jackson. “In fact, I’m twice spoken for,” she said arrogantly.

“You are not bound.” Baphomet glanced at Dylan and Jackson, cocked his head to the side, and asked, “What is wrong that you haven’t
claimed
the woman, yet. Bind her before I return. Satan will not be denied,” Baphomet warned in a dangerous rasp. “And, he wants his demonesses returned.”

“Never!” Max’s growl was an unbelievable roar of denial.

Dylan stepped in front of his distant cousin. “They are half fae, and the Seelie claimed them first. You cannot force them.” Dylan knew all the laws of the mortal realm and the Underworld, as well as both Seelie and Unseelie courts.

“There is demon in every human born of this realm. It’s what you call evil, and we call potential,” Baphomet gave Dylan a sly smile.

“Then the choice is still theirs, because there’s light in every human as well.” Dylan flipped into vampire mode and replied, “The reason we were brought down from Olympus was to protect them from the likes of you. Where there is light, there is hope.”

At that moment, Caitlin couldn’t help thinking the mentor the demi-god, Niccolai, had chosen for Jackson was a very wise choice.

Chapter Fifty

The Aftermath

Dylan’s insides wouldn’t stop shaking as he held the phone to his ear. “Garr, get Cassie over here to close up this damn portal that’s practically sitting in my den!” He clicked OFF. “The rest of you meet me at my place in an hour. I’m calling a Parrish meeting. We need to talk and get a few things settled.”

He cupped Caitlin’s head in a big hand and pulled her into a passionate kiss. “Jackson, stick that necklace around her neck and see her home.”

Dylan sifted from the clearing in the bayou to his conference room where there was room for everyone to sit…and also a full bar. There was alcohol, good alcohol, and audio visual equipment if Max or Victor or Shelby needed it. He called the elder vampire from the desk phone and put him on speaker, then Dylan told Dr. Salazar about the problem.

“So, Victor, what more do we know? Should I risk binding with her and Jackson? No, we can’t fucking wait. Satan’s son wants Caitlin, now. Baphomet threatened to come back if someone doesn’t
claim
her and bind her before they open another portal.”

Maybe he was out of line, but hey, Dylan couldn’t remember being this pissed in a long time. The damned Lord of the Underworld had the audacity to stop by for a chat and try to steal his life mate. Who wouldn’t be a little put off? At the bar, he poured the good stuff in a glass and downed it without tasting it.

He stared at his empty glass as the drink warmed its way down his throat. Hell, if he was going to drink like this, he should switch to the cheap stuff.

Two vampires materialized inside the conference room.

“Victor, say hi to Jackson and Max. They just came in, and they don’t look like they feel any better than I do…Victor’s on speaker.”

Max started the conversation. “Look Victor, bring Kyle and Shelby, we need a full court press, sorry modern basketball lingo… We need every brain we have to go over the details. I’m leaning toward recommending they move forward after what we just encountered. The demons want the ability to move into this realm and make it theirs.”

Jackson jumped in. “And it seems they’re doing just that with every human they take with fae or demi-god blood. When Baphomet can slip between realms without his blood supply from Amyra, that scares the hell out of me…and it should scare you, too. Any of us could be on his short list, and the crazy bastard doesn’t need a reason.”

Max spoke up, “Dylan, says everyone should be here in an hour. I’m going to get all my files and tell Shelby to bring the charts she’s been working on. Would you mind bringing yours?”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can gather everything.” Victor said. “See you in a few minutes, and Dylan…?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t worry. I have a few more pieces to the puzzle, and things are looking brighter.”

“Thanks, Salazar. I could use some good news.” Dylan couldn’t quite smile.

He punched the speed dial for conference call to reach everyone who didn’t already know about the meeting. He wasn’t requesting their presence—he was ordering it. No more Mr. Nice Guy until he straightened out this mess.

Within a few minutes everyone began arriving, including the succubus, Simone who, as usual, just ghosted through a wall and appeared as a shadow at the back of the room. “Simone? Are you going to be visibly in attendance?”

“No, I work better this way.”

Dylan nodded. He couldn’t argue with her logic.

Once almost everyone was in attendance and milling around the room, Dylan asked for their attention. Cassie burst in through the door, breathing hard. “Sorry I’m late. I closed the portal, but sensed another one not far from it and had to take care of that one, too. Who’s opening these portals? At this rate I may not be able to keep up with them.”

“I think it could be that warlock from the Upper Peninsular,” Jackson said.

“Nicodemus Jones? I wouldn’t put it past him.” Cassie looked exhausted. “I’m going to need more witches to help scour the area…I’d welcome anyone with fae blood, even a dark fae could sense an open portal.”

Simone took offense and popped from the shadows into her full blown sexual splendor. “Excuse me. But not every dark fae is a dolt. Some of us have extremely valuable and talented gifts.”

“Oh, I meant no offense, Simone. You know I love you, sweetie.”

Everyone knew that was true. Cassie did like the succubus. Even if Simone did her best at all times to make Dylan uncomfortable, the succubus had proven her worth. Giving him the herbal potion to stave off Caitlin’s dark fae until he could provide Victor with the answers they needed, was a life saver. She liked Caitlin so who was he to judge.

“Thank you. I would be happy to assist you in any way.” Simone returned to the shadows.

“Ah, before you disappear, Simone, I have a few questions about the herb disappearing from Tanya’s while I was gone. You know anything about that?”

Without full materializing, her voice whispered din his ear. “Without the threat of death, Jackson and Caitlin wouldn’t betray you. The prophecy has to be fulfilled.”

Dylan turned in the direction of the disembodied voice and asked, “What do you know of the prophecy?”

Simone’s laughter tinkled like tiny silver bells. “Trust your heart, Dylan. Trust Niccolai’s choice.”

“Simone? Who are you?” The silence told Dylan she’d said all she would say.

With a long sigh, Dylan turned to Jackson. “What’s the condition of the witch you captured?”

“She’s clean according to Delavega.” Jackson went through all his updates. “Cassie’s coven tested Tess. She passed all the requirements to join. We believe Jones just used her, and she had no knowledge of what he’s been up to. We returned the demons to their own realm through the open portal the coven is guarding, and the rogue shifters are under Julian’s control. Between using his blood and the doctors’ research, they’re hoping to reverse the rogue effects. With each dose of the antidote, the men remain symptom free for longer and longer periods of time.”