Banewolf (Dark Siren Book 2) (28 page)

Kali sat alone in a room
where the fire had not touched, filled with apprehension and sadness. War was gone. Ander was dead. And Rion was downstairs, moments away from taking his last breath. Four hours ago, everything was normal. Everyone was alive. Her brain just couldn’t accept the god-awful turn events had taken.

“Kalista.”

Hearing the soft voice, she lifted her head and expected to see Orrin. But it was River who stood in the doorway. He was the last person she wanted to be near at that moment. “Hello, River,” she said dispassionately. 

Apparently accepting the half-hearted greeting as an invitation, he came inside. “You never returned to me. I would have answered your call.”

Kali kept silent. She was unsure of what River referred to, until she remembered their conversation beside the pond. “It’s not that I didn’t want to,” she began hesitantly. “There’s been a lot going on.”

His voice remained kind. “My presence still causes you considerable unease.”

She looked away, not liking his icy scrutiny. “I’m not afraid of you, River.”

“No, Kalista. You have never feared me.” He knelt on the floor in front of her, and Kali trembled. Physically and emotionally, she was exhausted. The day’s events
had left her feeling raw and exposed. She attributed the sudden readiness to jump out of her skin to all of it. River was creepy, but he was harmless.

“I have something for you,” he said and reached into his pocket. Opening his hand revealed a small red jewel at the center of
his palm. Aside from the color, she thought it looked similar to the one Gabriel had touched her with in the locker room.

“Where did you get
that?”

“Rhane has been keeping it from you.”

She narrowed her eyes. “So, how did you get it?”

“I took it when we sparred.” His tone lacked any trace of remorse.

“You—took it?” 

“He has
no right to it.”

Feeling it wise to put distance between herself and the object in River’s hand, she stood up. “You had no right to take anything from him. Rhane always has good reason for whatever he does. And he has never done anything to hurt me.”

River maintained his kneeled position at her feet. “You can’t know that. You don’t remember him.”

“Wrong again. I do remember him.”

“Do you remember me as well?” He stood up. Kali backed away. Even worse than the coldness, his cool gaze had come to life. “You called to me once.”

“Don’t,” she said and spun away as he reached for her. But like all of the kin, River was much faster. His fingers
were iron as they dug into her arm. With them a memory was branded into her mind.

The earth was cold against her bared skin. The walls dripped with sluggish ice. River moved on top of her, quieting her screams with the leather bracers that encircled his arms. She was panting, struggling in vain to get away. She remembered
the shame, self-loathing, and helplessness she felt afterwards.

Hearing his voice agai
n, Kali wanted to vomit. “You were with child when you left. You did not tell Rhane. But you confided in me. He could have been mine.”

Rage replaced her disgust, boiling up to devour all that she was inside. What River had done to her, to Rhane, to their family—

She embraced the fury, harnessed it, and felt changes meld her appearance. She hit him, lashing out with thick talons that’d replaced her fingernails. River reeled from the blow, turning his head as he grunted in pain. Four identical scourges marked the center of his face and quickly pooled with bright red blood.

Lust, hurt, anger—all clouded his countenance
as he came for her again. Kali aimed a punch for the throat just as York had taught her. Her fist connected. River gagged. She followed with an elbow directed at his temple, but he dodged the blow by centimeters. As his hand latched onto her hair, she struck out with fire. But he burst through the flames, knocking her to the floor where her head smashed against the hardwood. The pain stunned her, but she rolled over, ready to fight for her life, her dignity.

Then a furious roar shredded the air. And suddenly, River was gone. There was a crash. A shout. She saw River slide down
the damaged wall, leaving behind the imprint of his body. Kali jumped to her feet. But the fight was over—at least for her.

Rhane stood over his brother, growling, snarling—sounding more animal than man. He jerked River up by the neck and this time nearly slammed him through the plaster. The windows rattled. Rhane roared again. White fur rippled across his forearms and face.

In the next second, the room was full. Orrin crashed through a window. Matthias followed closely at heel. York appeared at Rhane’s side, looking mad as hell and also slightly confused. Bailen trotted in last, measuring the scene serenely. Then he padded over to Kali’s side and shoved his head into her hand.

No one moved for a long time.

River’s eyes remained carefully averted from the maddened warlord who held him. He was bleeding profusely. His face still draining from Kali’s talons, blood also leeched from where Rhane’s claws dug into his neck and shoulder.

“York.” Rhane’s voice was thick and guttural. York stepped forward. Rhane let go. “He doesn’t move,” he said.

But as Rhane moved aside, Orrin barreled forward and hauled River two feet off the floor. His teeth were all canine as his lips parted, emitting a soft growl. River met Orrin’s glower defiantly.

Rhane restrained Orrin by
one shoulder. “Not yet.”

He came to Kali and clasped her face in his hands. His eyes were a troubled storm, dark and dangerous enough to hit anything with lightning. It was crucial for her to calm him. Or River might end up dead before she got answers. “I’m okay.”

“Did he hurt you?”

“I’m okay,” she repeated. The words were weak in her own ears. She would have to do better to convince him.

“You’re shaking.” He rubbed her arms. Looking back at his brother—under close guard of York and Orrin—his eyes darkened to black. “What did he do?”

She took a deep breath, only then noticing
the smooth and hard object clenched within her fist. She looked down. The small, red stone glittered like a ruby.

Rhane’s tone became unreadable. “Where did you get that?”

Crapola.
Reflexively, she glanced at River, but realized the mistake and closed her eyes. Even so, she could feel River’s intense gaze on her. A beastly snarl tore from Rhane’s throat and then he was lunging toward River again. The other kin backed away quickly, removing themselves from Rhane’s violent path.

“I found it!” Kali yelled. “When I touched the stone, I started seeing things.”

Rhane pulled up short, freezing in place. His back was to Kali, so she couldn’t see his expression. But he wasn’t killing River...yet. 

“The memories were awful. They triggered something in me. Rhane…” She swallowed, unsure if she could continue. “I haven’t fed in a while. I didn’t know
when you were going to wake up, didn’t know if you’d be strong enough. I tried to take from River without hurting him.” She stopped. She couldn’t lie anymore. Hopefully, Rhane had heard enough to believe her story.

He turned around.
His movements were slow and stiff. “That is what happened?” It was more of a statement than a question. He came back, touched her face gently. “Kalista—”

She kissed him, noticed the slight tremble in his lips. “Don’t be mad at me…or him.”

“I’m not angry with you.” He pulled her into his arms.

She stroked his face, touched his hardened jaw. Nervous fingers clutching his neck, she pressed her face into the warm curve of his shoulder. “War needs you,” she whispered. “You have to go get him back.”

Rhane leaned away to search her eyes. He was confused. Kali knew he could tell something was wrong. She knew that he sensed she needed him more than ever in that moment. But she also saw the realization that he had to act now to have any chance of getting War back.

She pushed lightly at his shoulders. “Go. York will take care of me.”

He didn’t move an inch.

“Rhane?” York called. “She’s right. We have to deal with this later.”

Rhane gritted his teeth. Kissed Kali’s hair. “Let him go,” he said.

There was just one more thing Rhane had to do. He could have gone about it the hard way and tried tracing the rogues from the manor. But the kin had failed to track the creatures
like that once before. From the ghost town in Jackson, the trail ended long before a lair was found. He wasn’t sure he was ready to take that sort of chance with War’s life possibly hanging on the outcome.

There
was someone who Rhane was certain would know the location of the rogue lair. Ian. Kindred and rogues were blood enemies. With such a massive hive in habitation so close to kindred territory, it was without a doubt that the kindred alpha knew exactly where the lair was. Rhane was counting on it. But even if he didn’t need Ian’s help, Rhane would have gone to see him. The sacrifice Ander had made needed to be recognized. And it needed to be done in person.

Several
of the creatures melted from shadow, forming a half circle around his position. Two more and Ian rose from the mouth of the cave. Water from the falls cascaded from their naked bodies in sheer streams.

Ian’s expression was grave. “Banewolf.”

Rhane greeted him cautiously. “Hello, Ian.”

“You have news.”

“I’m afraid it is bad news.”  He looked at the surrounding kindred and then back at Ian. “The manor was attacked. There were casualties.”

“Our scouts retrieved Mykelti. They reported the da
mage sustained by your dwelling, and that Ander did not survive.”

Inclining his head, Rhane dropped to one knee. It was the ultimate demonstration of respect a warlord could show to an ally. “He died bravely. His actions saved two of my
own.”

“You honor his death.”

Rhane nodded, keeping his eyes lowered. “You sent Ander and Matthias to me as soldiers. They became our brothers.”

A pair of dark hands entered Rhane’s vision, touching the ground as the alpha
kneeled with him. Grime filled creases and fingernails embedded with soil were a testament to the kindred oath to remain one with nature. Rhane looked up, meeting Ian’s glimmering red eyes. The alpha spoke softly. “There is hope for us yet, Banewolf.”

Both men stood. Rhane regretted the timing, but it couldn’t be helped. He was out of time. “There is one more thing.”

“Name it.”

“I need to know where the rogues in this region are
nesting.”

For the first time since their meeting began, Ian’s face darkened with menace. “I will share this information under one condition.”

Rhane lifted an eyebrow. He wasn’t sure what to expect. “What?”

Ian’s hands balled into fists. “I must go with you.”

“Forgive me if this sounds patronizing, but this operation is extremely dangerous, Ian. The only plan I have is to literally kick down the front door. Hit them hard and hit them fast. The hive will come alive with rogues wanting to tear our throats out. And when I find Warren, I will have him to look after. I won’t be able to guarantee your safety.”

The alpha wasn’t swayed. His lips pulled back into a disturbed smile. “I accept your terms, Banewolf. And I guarantee you will find my presence most useful.”

Seeing no other choice, Rhane decided to live with that. “Make arrangements with your men. Then lead the way.”

#

Cold Creek on the Ridge claimed to be a Baptist Church. Rhane had seen dozens of the buildings throughout South Carolina. All had the same beige tin walls and roof, expansive but well-manicured front lawns decorated by a few pine trees, and a department store sized sign emblazoned with the spiritual message of the week. After running for many miles, Ian stopped a hundred yards from Ridge Creek’s local Cold Creek on the Ridge. Rhane had never seen the inside of this particular church. But as he and the alpha crouched near the tree line, blending into the obscurity of the fading twilight, it seemed that he was about to.

Rhane looked at Ian doubtfully. “This is it?”

“Their nest lies beneath.”

He studied the parking lot full of cars and noted the music blaring within the building. Some sort of gospel rock. Rhane looked at his watch and then at Ian again. “A service is in full swing.”

“Yes. A revival, I believe.”

Frowning, “
Tell me there’s a back entrance,” he said.

“There is. But it will be more heavily guarded. The best approach is sometimes the most irrational because what is irrational is least expected.”

Rhane hesitated. Ian, of course, was ass-naked. And Rhane was dressed in all black with an extremely conspicuous sword strapped to his back. Recent waves of violence throughout the country motivated by whack jobs with nonspecific targets had left many citizens in a constant state of orange alert. The second he and Ian walked in there, people would notice and start to get concerned. There would be questions. There might be screaming.

Ian studied him keenly. “Our time expires, Banewolf. Do you fear angering some higher power by disrupting this human worship?”

“It’s not that.” Rhane explained the best way he could. “You kindred probably don’t have access to such modern luxuries as television. If you did, you’d know going into a public crowd dressed like I am and walking next to a nude guy is a terrible idea.”

Ian blinked. “I like your clothing.”

Under different circumstances, Rhane would have laughed. He made a mental note to relate the conversation to War and Rion later. “We’ll have to move fast. Where do we go once inside?”

“The cellar, it leads to the realm we seek.”

“And you know exactly where that is?”

Ian nodded.

Rhane pictured Ian running and himself following. Great. It was going to look as if he were chasing a naked little brown man through a church. “Ready when you are.”

Things happened just as Rhane predicted they would. Ian swung open the doors and stood before the congregation in all his glory. Men and women screamed. At least three people fainted. But by the time they’d slumped forward in their seats, he and Ian were already down in the damp two-room cellar. The first was a normal storage unit containing chairs, tables, plastic decorations, and
a small collection of wine. The second was completely empty, except for two hooded figures standing guard near a heavy door in the far wall. Game time.

He and Ian locked eyes and rushed forward. Seconds later, Rhane’s rogue hit the floor in separate halves. He turned to see how Ian had managed and feared he might lose his lunch. The alpha was kneeling next to the dead rouge, holding fistfuls of its entrails as he ate them. Bloody chunks
steamed in the cold air, clinging to his face and torso. Ian didn’t seem to notice he was being watched. Trying to maintain a neutral expression, Rhane cleared his throat. The alpha abandoned the feast and stood up. “I missed dinner,” he said by way of explanation.

“Their blood doesn’t affect you?”

Ian smiled. “Not if one maintains a steady diet of it.”

Rhane grimaced. “Pass.” Gripping the knob to the cellar door, he twisted it open. Then he and Ian stepped into total darkness.