Legend of the Ir'Indicti 5 - Destroyer (12 page)

"If I were you, I'd shut up. One of those vamps is holding you, remember?" Weldon's voice was a growl. "I'll do this myself, with Thomas as a witness. It'll be more painful than a quick head removal by Rhett, there."

"Screw you," Nick struggled in Rhett's implacable grip.

"No, thanks. Now, are you gonna die honorably, or are you gonna make Rhett chase you when he lets you go? Remember, he'll have you again before you can blink if you try to run."

"I'll take you down, you flea-ridden mutt," Nick snarled.

"You can try," Weldon's growl was low and menacing. "Rhett, let him go." Rhett nodded to Weldon and released his hold on Nick Robbins. Weldon didn't bother to undress. His clothing ripped as he became werewolf and leapt at the Amarillo Packmaster.

* * *

"We'll fly to Atlanta tonight, to look for a vampire we suspect of theft, illegal arms dealing and the killing of humans," Tony explained to Ashe while Gavin silently looked on.

"You think we need that outmoded method of transportation?" Gavin stared as Ashe's eyes went a dark blue and stars swept through their depths. "I will take you to Atlanta. Before you deal with Rydley Huntington, we will make another stop—at Fort Arland. Your targeted vampire has managed to sell explosives to the Dark Elemaiya, and they are planning to destroy most of the base tonight if we don't stop them."

"What the hell?" Tony backed away from Ashe, whose eyes slowly cleared.

"I mean it," Ashe shrugged. "I know what I know."

"You know where our quarry is?"

"Yeah." Ashe shrugged again.

"This will make things a lot easier," Tony muttered. "A lot scarier, too."

"Anthony, you will keep this information to yourself," Gavin commanded.

"Yes, Anthony, you will keep this information to yourself," Ashe repeated, placing compulsion on Tony. Tony's eyes unfocused for a moment before clearing. He blinked. "Yeah. I guess I will," he nodded.

* * *

"Weldon?" Winkler answered the Grand Master's call on his cell.

"Just wanted to let you know that Amarillo is without a Packmaster right now," Weldon said. Winkler heard clearly the sounds of Weldon dressing while he spoke.

"Took down Robbins?" Winkler asked.

"He tried a coup, earlier. Thought I'd be alone when he set six of his wolves on me. If Thomas, Dalroy and Rhett hadn't been with me, things might not have gone so well. Tell the kid thanks for giving me the heads-up."

"I'll tell him, but he's in a meeting with the vamps here—upstairs in my study."

"They'd better take care of him. Do they even have a clue how valuable—and vulnerable—he is?"

"I think Gavin may have a clue. Jury's still out on Hancock."

"Keep an eye on that cook of yours. I don't think he has a high opinion of shifters."

"I'll fire his ass."

"Don't fire him. Send him to Amarillo and let him help clean up this mess."

"I'll send him in the morning."

"Thomas can pick him up at the airport."

"I'll let you know what time."

* * *

"Trajan, we'll need a new cook," Winkler turned to his Second after ending the call with Weldon.

"I heard," Trajan pulled two sodas from the fridge and handed one to Winkler. "I hear Florence Thompson is a good cook."

"Amos' wife? The swan shifter?"

"Yeah. She made those pies you ate half of at the potluck gathering not long ago."

"That apple pie was almost as good as Lissa's," Winkler sighed. "Can you call her tomorrow? See if she's interested? I know she and Amos had to sell their livestock before the move. If she's bored, she may consider cooking for wolves. Assure Amos she'll be as safe as we can make her, and she can go home every night. Offer her weekends off, too; we can go out."

"How much?" Trajan asked.

"Offer her four thousand a month, if she does three meals five days a week, and she can carry dinner home for Amos."

"Why don't you ask Amos if he'd like a job? He can help guard the perimeter and get a little exercise, too. That way he won't miss his wife's cooking during the week," Trajan grinned. "He used to guard Cloud Chief. All he can do at Star Cove is sit inside that dinky guard shack."

"Then offer both of them a job," Winkler nodded.

"I'll call first thing in the morning, and tell the wolves they have to behave."

"If they don't want the job, see if anybody else in Star Cove is interested."

"Will do, Boss."

* * *

"Peyton, you've been in the same place for too long." Zeke's growl worried Peyton. "Did you think I wouldn't have a locator on that cell I gave you?"

Peyton gulped. He hadn't considered that, and he knew he should have. "Just getting my bearings, Mr. Tanner," Peyton replied, attempting to keep his voice calm and even. Zeke could smell fear from a hundred miles away.

"I expect you to be in Corpus Christi by tomorrow," Zeke snapped. "If I see you haven't moved, I'll send somebody after you. Got it?"

"Yeah. I'll be in Corpus by nightfall tomorrow."

"Good. We'll discuss a game plan when you get there."

* * *

Kid, what are we waiting for?
Tony sent mindspeech to Ashe. He, Gavin and Ashe were hidden behind a forklift inside a darkened warehouse. Surrounding them were crates, boxes and supports filled with grenades, bullets, shells, rocket launchers and all sorts of weapons.

Six Elemaiya. The dark kind. With explosives bought from Rydley Huntington
, Ashe replied.
You take care of the Elemaiya. I'll handle the explosives
.

What do you plan to do with the bodies?
Tony asked.

Send them back where they came from
, Ashe's mental voice was grim.
It'll cause trouble down the road, but it could mean bigger trouble in the interim
.

That's very comforting
, Tony's response was sarcastic.

You used to do this kind of crap for a living. Vampirism has definitely gone to your head.

Don't get smart with me.

Then get smart with yourself. Look around you. What will this do if we let it happen? The nation goes on lockdown, people start looking for terrorists under their beds and wars start. End of story
.

Kid, the vamps generally stay out of human affairs.

Except for those who work for Matt Michaels. Or the ones Wlodek has stashed here and there around the globe, so he can keep his fingers in every pie. Except for those, you mean?

Kid, watch your mouth
.

Get ready
, Ashe warned, just as six Elemaiya appeared inside the warehouse.

* * *

"What the hell?" Winkler and Trajan were drinking their sodas on the deck and watching the waves roll in under a waning moon when Winkler received the text from an unknown source.

Hello, Mr. Winkler
, the message began.
My name is Peyton Miller. I've been working for Zeke Tanner in Mexico for more than twenty years. I've managed to get away from him, but he'll be hunting me, soon. He's hunting you, too. I'd like to meet with you and share information, in exchange for protection
. Trajan was beside Winkler's chair quickly and reading over Winkler's shoulder.

"What the hell?" Trajan repeated Winkler's confused statement.

* * *

Peyton ground the cell Zeke Tanner had given him under his heel, destroying it as best he could. He'd just purchased another cell at a discount store and used it to contact William Winkler. He'd gotten Winkler's number from Zeke, who'd gotten it from another source. It didn't matter now—Peyton's life hung in the balance, and he'd prefer a quicker death from the Grand Master than what he'd likely get from Zeke and his trackers. No matter what happened, Peyton would be traveling to Corpus Christi. If Winkler agreed to meet with him, whether to kill him or listen to what he had to say, he no longer cared. Peyton was tired of the drugs and the killings.

* * *

Gavin Montegue, ancient vampire that he was, had never seen anything like this. Ashe, holding out a hand, had caused knapsacks filled with explosives to disintegrate and float away as harmless sparks. Six headless bodies littered the concrete floor of the base warehouse—Gavin and Tony had seen to that. Ashe now contemplated the bodies while a wave of nausea hit him.

"Kid, don't get sick. I hate that smell," Tony whined.

"I'll be fine," Ashe rasped, drawing in a shaky breath. "I just have to get it out of my mind before I send them back to Baltis."

"Baltis?"

"King of the Dark Elemaiya. He was doing this in retaliation for his brother's death in Chicago."

"One of those Matt Michaels and a few vamps took out?"

"Yeah. Baltis doesn't have much recourse against the vamps—and he's scared witless of you guys anyway. You move too fast. Humans, though, he doesn't mind killing because he's gotten away with it too many times."

"Young one, might we move faster? Anthony, stop distracting him," Gavin muttered.

"Gotcha," Ashe mumbled, holding out a hand again. The six bodies, with their heads, disappeared. "Now, all we have to do is clean up the blood and any evidence that we were here and we're good."

* * *

"We have to move swiftly." Wildrif was pulling off his clothing while one of two werewolves dressed a mangled, unrecognizable shapeshifter in Wildrif's discarded clothing. Wildrif had more clothing brought by the werewolves, but he'd just had a vision of six headless bodies appearing at Baltis' feet back in the camp. Wildrif's life would be worthless if Baltis found him again.

It didn't matter; Wildrif still had his contacts with the Bright Queen, and she was more than willing to listen. Zeke Tanner, too, would be putty in his hands. Wildrif had spent years building trust with both, and they would willingly listen to anything he suggested. Things were falling into place surprisingly well. Who cared if the Earth was destroyed, as long as Wildrif's revenge could be served?

* * *

Baltis' rage could not be contained. Ruin had contacted Raze, who as yet didn't realize what had happened. Six bodies and their disconnected heads lay at Baltis' feet, and he had already destroyed the tent and most of his belongings. Dark Elemaiya fled from Baltis' wrath, as he pulled energy from his crown to blast the sands beneath his feet.

Chapter 8
 

"Hello, Rydley. Didn't expect us, did you?" Tony grinned at Rydley Huntington. The house in Atlanta where Ashe had taken Gavin and Tony was quite large. Rydley had employed compulsion to convince the wealthy owner to allow him access to his home and his extensive bank account. Explosives filled the six-car garage, too, forcing the human occupant to leave his expensive automobiles parked in the driveway.

"What the?" Rydley didn't get to finish his question; Gavin held him by the throat. "You will be still and answer questions. No other words will pass your lips." Gavin's eyes were red and the tips of his fangs showed as he placed a mind-bending compulsion on three-hundred-year-old Rydley. Rydley could only nod his compliance; Gavin held his throat too tightly.

What about the human?
Ashe asked.

The compulsion will die when Rydley does
, Tony said.

That's not scary or anything
, Ashe replied.

Kid, don't say scary to me. I have a whole new respect for you, now
.

"Hmmph," Ashe responded aloud and crossed arms over his chest.

"Shhh," Tony whispered.

Ashe watched as Gavin questioned Rydley Huntington about his dealings in arms, who he'd sold to and what, which humans had died and which he still did business with. The list was long. Ashe listened with interest.

* * *

"You weren't gone as long as I thought you might be," Winkler remarked as Ashe wandered into the kitchen at noon the following day.

"Mr. Winkler, have you ever seen a vampire die?" Ashe opened the fridge and stared at its contents absently.

"Yeah. Several times. Killed a few of 'em myself. Why do you ask?"

"They just turn to ash. Dust. Whatever." Ashe shrugged.

"Yep. You can clean up an entire vamp with a hand vacuum." Winkler sipped the cup of coffee in front of him—he'd made a pot for himself.

"That's funny. And not funny. At the same time," Ashe hauled the milk jug from the fridge and pulled a tall glass from a cabinet. "Where's grumpy?"

"Grumpy?"

"Craig."

"Oh. Sent him to Amarillo this morning after breakfast. Grand Master needed help cleaning out the Amarillo Pack. Nick Robbins is no more."

"Too bad. He was involved in a lot of crime. Inadvertently sometimes, through Josiah Dunnigan. Didn't argue when he got paid, though."

"Weldon never did trust him. Nick tried to take down the Grand Master last night. Obviously that was a mistake."