Kindling Flames: Stolen Fire (The Ancient Fire Series Book 4) (24 page)

Vicky blinked in surprise. She hadn’t even seen him move.

Darien smiled at him. “Yes,” he admitted. “You could bleed me dry right now, and there would be nothing I could do about it.” He looked pointedly at Elliot’s hand, pressed into Jakob’s throat. “If you managed to survive the night, my death would leave you tied to this inexperienced rogue. And, if he isn’t stopped, the Council will hunt him. They now know he has my powers, and Clara will stop at nothing to destroy him, leaving this kiss masterless.” Reaching out, Darien drew Elliot’s hand away from the stunned vampire. “Who do you think will take you in, then?”

Understanding flickered in Jakob’s eyes. Hurting Darien would be a death sentence for all of them. “Forgive me, My Master.” Jakob dropped to a knee in front of Darien. He raised his hand to his heart and bowed his head.

Darien reached out and touched him on the shoulder. “Remember this.”

Jakob looked up as Darien spoke.

“Just because someone is down, doesn’t mean they don’t have unseen strength.” He patted Elliot on the arm in thanks.

Elliot nodded his head and went back to lounging in his chair.

“Yes, My Lord.” Jakob stood up and fell as he tried to step back from Darien. His legs were tangled in blackish-green tentacles.

Zak gurgled a warning before releasing his hold on the vampire. No one had noticed the fay’s silent shift during the exchange.

“He won’t do it again,” Josh promised as he came down the steps and ruffled Zak’s feelers. “Sometimes, my brother likes to push things.”

“I know.” Darien sat back down on the couch next to Vicky.

Zak wiggled into his lap protectively.

“So, how can we help?” Josh asked as he found a seat on the couch next to Rose.

“Vicky has the ability to track Darecy.” Darien patted Vicky on the leg.

She smiled at him reassuringly.

“But, the man is clever. He got away from us once.”

“He threatened to bomb the Boys and Girls Club,” Vicky explained.

Zak grumbled and writhed in Darien’s lap.

Allen and Josh exchanged a worried look.

“This man is dangerous,” Darien said gravely. “I want as few people around him as possible, so Elliot and I will take him on.” He nodded to his friend.

Elliot nodded back.

“So what do you need us for?” Jakob asked as he claimed the chair next to Elliot.

Darien smiled at the crafty twin. “Verification.”

Vicky looked over her shoulder at the two vampires sitting in the back of Darien’s SUV. “Are you sure this is going to work?”

“Of course.” Josh smiled at her. “We’ve been tracking the sights where Darecy has been attacking people in hopes of finding him. If he stays true to his habits, we’ll only have to cover the center of the city.” The younger vampire looked over to Elliot sitting next to him. “With all the kisses spread around, we should be able to verify a bomb if he tries that again.”

“Yeah,” Darien growled. “I don’t like the fact that so many people just happened to show up at the house and volunteer to help.”

Elliot chuckled. When they had woken up in the afternoon, the living room was bustling with activity. There was at least one person from each kiss hanging out. When Darien questioned them, they all claimed to be there for game day—a tradition that had many of Darien’s people confused.

Grinning, Elliot leaned back in the seat next to Josh. “Clara found a way around our plan.”

“I will not have them endangered in this,” Darien grumbled.

Josh smiled. “We’ve already got that covered.”

Vicky looked back at the powder-blue Prius following them. “I still don’t understand how this is all going to work out.” She had fallen asleep while plans were being laid.

“I’ll relay the information to Jakob, and he will call it out,” Josh explained.

“But, will that work?” Vicky still didn’t understand.

“My brother may be an insensitive bastard at times,” Josh let out a deep sigh, “but he wouldn’t be foolish enough to endanger our new master by neglecting this.”

Vicky gave Elliot a worried look before turning back to Josh. “That’s not what I meant.” She shook her head. “I know you and your brother are linked, but how does it work?” Pausing, she tried to form her question more clearly. “I mean, I can feel things through Darien’s marks, but all I get are flashes of feelings and abstract thoughts. Sometimes I can pick up images if I concentrate hard enough, but how do you send specific information across that link? And won’t Darecy pick it up?”

Josh chuckled at her. “Our connection is different than what we share with Darien. We are linked directly and are always in each other’s minds.” He looked back over his shoulder at the car following him.

Vicky wiggled in her seat. “Well, that’s got to be uncomfortable at times.” She could think of many times she wouldn’t want anyone in her head.

Josh laughed at her. “It can be, but we’ve learned to handle it.” He shrugged. “We can close off the link if we want to. It’s how I know Jakob is getting into mischief.” Josh let out a snort of laughter.

“What?” Vicky asked.

“Nothing.” Josh shook his head. “My brother just made some choice comments that I will beat him for later.”

Vicky raised an eyebrow at this and turned back around in her seat. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know what had passed through Jakob’s mind.

Pointing her thoughts inward, she felt along the lines that linked her to the vampires. Since Darien’s power had been stolen, she had started to feel those pathways more clearly. Before, she had to reach for Darien before touching the others. Now, it was like a buffer had been pulled away. Each line had a different feel, almost a flavor she could feel on the back of her tongue. Each responded to her touch, some more energetically than others, but all seemed to be waiting for her call.

Touching a power that was cool and green like dappled sunlight, Vicky recognized Elliot, but there was something different about his power. It was warmer than the last time she encountered it. Turning, she looked at him. Elliot held her eyes for a moment. She thought about asking him what had changed, but a slight shake of his head derailed her question.

“So.” Elliot broke into her contemplation. “Where are we going?”

Shaking her head, she pulled herself away from the vampires. She would ask Elliot about the change in his power later. Vicky focused her thoughts on the one line she should be following. “Downtown.” The line was steadily growing stronger as they drove closer to the center of the city. “He knows we’re coming.”

Darien nodded his head. “We knew he would.”

“He’s confident about this fight.” Vicky pressed at the connection as much as she dared. “More so than the last time we saw him.”

Darien nodded. “He’s up to something.”

“I think so.” Vicky sighed.

Darien took a deep breath and kept on driving. They had done everything they could think of to cover any plans Darcey could have made. They had people spread out to deal with any diversions the man could come up with, and Darien was still a formidable magician, even without his vampire abilities. Plus, they had weapons, both hand to hand and long range. It didn’t matter what Darcey was planning; they would take him down one way or another.

“There.” Vicky pointed to a building off in the distance. “He’s there.”

Darien nodded as he pointed his SUV towards the parking garage.

Vicky squinted as she looked at the building. “About halfway up.”

“Jakob is clearing the area,” Josh added from his spot in the back. “Are you sure you just want us to go in?” Several brave people had offered to go into the fight, but Darien had limited the group to just the five who had to be there. He would have loved to keep Vicky out of it, but she was the only one that could find where Darecy was hiding.

“No.” Darien shook his head. “I have to take him down myself.” Having a large group to help him with this would have been preferable, but Dakine had been very clear on this point. If Darien wanted his powers back, he had to be the one to kill Darcey. And it would have to be up close and personal. If Darecy died without Darien there to take back his powers, there was no telling where the loose energy would go.

Vicky rubbed him on the arm reassuringly.

Darien caught her hand and kissed the back of it.

It only took them a few minutes to get to the concrete structure in the business end of town. It actually wasn’t too far from Darien’s main office. He found a few open spots on the lowest level and pulled in. Allen’s powder-blue Prius pulled in right next to them.

“Shouldn’t we go higher?” Josh asked as they all piled out of the SUV.

Darien shook his head. “He may know we’re coming, but I want to take him by as much surprise as I can.” He opened the back door of the SUV. Pulling out two swords, he handed one to Elliot. The other he strapped to his waist.

Vicky recognized the dark sword that had given Darien his fay name.

“Do I get one, too?” Jakob jeered as he climbed out of Allen’s car.

Darien shot him a withering look. “Do you know how to use one?”

Jakob shook his head and took up a protected spot behind his brother.

“Then don’t ask stupid questions,” Elliot chided as he pulled his belt tight. He tested the draw of his sword and adjusted it.

“Here.” Darien held a gun wrapped in a leather harness out to Josh. “I trust you know how to use this.”

Josh nodded and took the gun.

Darien pinned the more responsible twin with a sharp look. “Don’t use it unless you absolutely have to, and aim for low center mass or legs if you do.”

Josh slipped out of his coat and into the leather shoulder strap. “Yes, Master.” He checked the gun over before stowing it away under his jacket again.

Darien nodded his approval and handed a second gun to Elliot.

This one Elliot fed into a holster he had already placed on his belt.

Taking one more sword out of the SUV, Darien closed the hatch and turned towards the group gathered around. “Now, everyone understands that I have to take him down, correct?” He got a mutter of understanding from the group. “Good. Let’s go.”

The group turned as a whole and started towards the ramp that would lead them up to the next level.

Darien slid in close to Vicky and wrapped her hand around his arm as they walked.

She took a quick glance back at the people following them. They must have been an interesting sight as they walked. Vicky and Darien led the way, with Zak weaving around their feet. Josh and Elliot stood at their backs with hands already on their weapons. Jakob and Allen followed up a few steps behind them. The sound of their footsteps was the only thing that broke through the frosty air.

“How far?” Darien asked.

Vicky turned her attention to the link she has with Darecy. She could feel him above them, waiting. “Two floors,” she guessed.

“Then shut it down,” Darien directed.

Vicky clamped her connection with Darecy down as tightly as she could. She was starting to get good at this control thing. Nodding, she signaled that she was as disconnected from Darecy as she could get.

Darien stopped and turned to the four men following them. “Allen, Jakob, take the stairs up but stay out of sight.” They both nodded and headed towards the concrete steps in the corner of the building. Darien looked back at the three people waiting with him. “Let’s go.” He turned and hooked Vicky’s arm again.

Zak barked his agreement and scampered off up the ramp.

Elliot fell into step next to Darien, while Josh took the side next to Vicky.

Vicky took a deep breath and let Darien lead them up the ramp to whatever Darecy had planned.