Chosen (The Chosen Few Trilogy #1) (15 page)

“’
Shrooms?
”
I questioned, as Felicia giggled.

“
Magic mushrooms,
”
Ceriden smiled
.
“
Are a lycan delicacy. They have the same effect on lycans as cannabis does on humans. Or Bram does on vampires.
They make her
frisky.
”

I stared at the blonde wolf in human form.
“
You mean she
’
s high?
”

“
Most of the time
.
”
Ceriden reached into the freezer, levered out a carton of blood and placed it in the microwave.
“
Emergency ration,
”
he said to my appalled look.

“
Well,
Mr.
‘fashion-victim‘, I hear your powers might have started to surface?
”
 

“
Not really.”  

“
What did you feel?
”

“
Sick. I almost threw up.
”

“
Almost? Well
, try studying your dress sense. T
hat should do the trick. Anyway, avoiding the situation will not change it.
”

“
It
’
s not
your
situation. Maybe I’m
the wrong man. And what the hell is Bram?
”

“
You don
’
t want to believe it.
”
Ceriden ignored my question and sidled with perturbing speed and grace over to the table. He picked up a copy o
f Cosmo and started leafing
through it.
“
That
’
s fine. But you
did
feel something. Sweet-cheeks
told me, and it was
a response to the danger your friend was in. Devon Summers had a similar response to the danger
she
was in. Devon, however, had no choice but to embrace her powers.
”

I met the
vampire’s
hard gaze.
“
It saved her life, didn
’
t it?
”

“
Yes. And now
face this
fact- one day soon your life will be in danger. And the lives of your friends, and your daughter. What will you do then?
”

“
You can
’
t put this on me,
”
I turned away, not liking the way my playful co
nversation with Felicia had
turned.
“
I didn
’
t ask for it. Christ, I have a disturbed daughter, a wife I haven
’
t seen in two years, a huge debt, and a business to run. Do you really think I need to take on your burdens too?
”

“
Your daughter will be fine,
”
the vampire said a little too quickly. 

“
I don
’
t want you anywhere near my daughter.
”

Lucy was vulnerable, impressionable, and fifteen.

“
I understand,
”
Ceriden inclined his head, diffusing the situation in a second. I wasn
’
t
sure what else to say so I turned to Felicia.
“
Have you guys turned anything up on this ultimate evil that
’
s rising? Whatever’s
behind all
this?
”

“
Gorgoroth,
”
Ceriden said
.

“
Our resources go back thousands of years,
"
she said.
“
No text mentions him. No volume references him. The library is so vast. It
’
s like looking for your favourite tree in the
forest,” she tried a
grin. “Practically impossible.
”

I smiled at her little joke at her own expense.
“
Too many books, too little time,
”
I said.
“
Maybe you
’
re looking in the wrong place.
”

“
Meaning?
”
I sensed Ceriden’s sudden interest

“
I don
’
t
know,"
I said in frustration.
“
But it makes sense. If all your scholars can
’
t turn up
one single thing,
then change your strategy. Look elsewhere.
”

Ceriden gulped down whatever the hell he was drinking, then threw the carton in the rubbish and headed for the door with
his copy of Cosmo tucked
under his arm.
“
Tristran has a hundred thousand volumes to go through. We are all doing what we can,
”
he said
.
“
I think you should do the same,
Mr.
Logan.
”

Ceriden flounced out of the room, choosing the dramatic exit.

I stared after him, turning my mug in my hands and biting my lip to stifle any pointless retort. When I turned back to Felicia she was staring at me
with a mix of sympathy and
interest.

“
Don
’
t mind him,
”
she said.
“
He thinks he
’
s second in command of the master race and, who knows, he could be right.
”
Felicia rose
to her feet, and once again I was left staring at her belly-button ring.

“
It
’
s an Uber thing,
”
she said again, then
deliberately
looked down and twisted it through the hole it made in h
er flesh.

“
I hear Belinda’s got one too
,
”
she said
, her words making doubly sure I
stared as she
walk
ed
out the door. Alone in the kitchen and surrounded by the comforting smell of fresh coffee and the blunted fury of the storm outside, I tried again to absorb everything that had been said and done in the last few days.

In turmoil, I turned to the coffee pot.

2
2

LAS VEGAS, U.S.A.

The man called Loki flew into McCarran airport and quickly located the nearest Starbucks. The
fulfillment
of Vice Number Two was paramount. After that he flagged down a cab
and
asked to be taken to the Bellagio hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard. He scanned the
dusk-filled roads as they drove
whilst
punch
ing
out a number on
his
cell phone.

A woman
’
s voice answered immediately.
“
Crowe.
”

“
You know who this is?
”

“
Yes Sir, I do.
”

“
Good,
”
his lips, like pale rat’s tails, curled in a grimace of satisfaction.
“
I am His Commander. You will do as I say.
”

“
Yes.
”

“
I have the address. The target is there right now. The Vampire race will never recover.
”

“
We will be successful.
”

“
We will have to be. There is no one else. Trickster is in deep cover. Sorcerer is in Barbados, and shortly Hawaii. Malevolence is in north England. Spirit will soon be in London.
”

“
And Eradicator is already in place in New Babylon,
”
Crowe finished.
“
I watch CNN, too.
”

“Ah yes.
I e
njoyed the concert coverage hugely the other night, by the way.
And
one thing,
”
Loki watched the bright procession of hotels pass the cab window as they turned on to the Strip.
“
This must end by midnight. We have just located one of the Eight in L.A., and I must be there by morning.
”

2
3

YORK, ENGLAND

It felt like my head had just hit the pillow when Lucy came bursting into my room, shouting:
“
Get up! Wake up! Something
’
s happened! Dad!
”

I tried to wedge my eyes open.
“
Lubbghh?
”

“
It
’
s Ceriden! Something
’
s happened to Ceriden! Mai and Vipas won
’
t let us see him!
”

I sat up slowly.
“
Slow down, Luce. What
’
s happened?
” And who the hell were Mai and Vipas?

“
I don
’
t know,
”
Lucy wa
s hopping about,
beside herself.
“
They won
’
t
tell me.
”

It didn
’
t sound good.
“
Ten minutes,
”
I said.
“
Meet me in the kitchen. Ask Belinda to put some of that Zambian blend on.
”
Good quality coffee was fast becoming my new addiction.

“
Can
’
t. She left earlier to collect Giles and a woman called Lysette Cohen from Manchester airport.
”

“
Okaaaay.
”
My daughter was even quicker than Sky News. I waved at her to close the door. Five minutes later I was pouring my own coffee.
I checked my watch. Jesus, it was barely past seven. I turned away and headed for the patio doors, which were thrown open to allow access to the garden. I spotted Holly immediately.

“
Hol,
”
I nodded and sipped my coffee.

“
James keeps on ringing,
”
Holly said in a flat voice.

“
James?
”

“
Tentative boyfriend.
‘
He who is younger than me and the source of humour to you.
’”

“
Maybe he can
’
t find his school bag?
”

“
Bite me.
”

“
Have you seen Lucy?
”
I cast around, pursing my lips.

“
Not so far,
”
Holly nodded
towards the kitchen.
“
Big morning, it seems. What’s going on in there?
”

“
Didn’t wait to find out.
Where did all these people come from anyway?
”

“
They have been arriving since six,
”
an American drawl came from behind us.

I turned, and caught my breath. I had no doubt this was Devon Summers, the Hawaiian girl who had recently come into her power. Red, wavy hair fell to the middle of her back, piercing green eyes pinned us. An aura of contentment seemed to surround her.

“
Hi, I
’
m Devon,
”
she laughed.
“
You
are the first of the Eight
I have met.
”

We shook hands. Her touch was light and luxurious, like silk.
“
This is Holly, my friend,
”
I said.

After our introductions some
chitchat followed. I suddenly felt that I wanted my best friend to leave. I wanted to quiz this red-headed woman, Devon, who had embraced her power. I wanted to talk to her privately, and tell her that I didn
’
t believe in my own ability. I wanted to see her reaction. In truth I wanted to get the hell out of there and run back to my old life like there was no tomorrow.