An Unwanted Hunger (10 page)

“The airfield is currently under heavy guard by Alliance forces. We must seek sanctuary at the estate where the peace accord is scheduled. Between our forces and those of the other V’Kar factions our chances of repelling an attack until reinforcements can arrive are greatly increased.”

“Have our people leave now. We will be down momentarily.”

The moment the door closed he was out of the bed. Resa jumped up and started dressing, thanking her lucky stars that she’d arrived with her weapons.

Neither of them spoke until they were dressed. Constantine opened the door but put his hand on her shoulder as she started to exit the room. “There is only one way the Alliance could have discovered our location,” he whispered.

“You have a traitor in your midst,” she replied in a low voice.

He nodded and she reached up to cover his hand with hers. “We’ll find who it is, Constantine. But now, your safety is paramount.”

“Our safety,” he corrected.

She smiled and preceded him to the lower level. Madron was waiting with six bodyguards at the door. Outside a limousine was parked. Constantine nodded and they hurried to the car. In moments they were speeding their way to the estate where the rest of the V’Kar were housed.

No one had anything to say on the ride. When they arrived they were met by Leonidas at the door.

“Where is Octavian?” Constantine asked as Leonidas led them into a massive study.

“He left after you last night.”

“Is there word from him?” Resa asked. “Do you know if he’s safe?”

“Why should that matter to you?” Leonidas sneered.

“Fuck you,” she snapped and stuck her chin out as he glowered at her. “He’s one of your people and he commands many. If the Alliance knows of this summit, it’s a pretty sure bet that when they don’t find Constantine where they thought they would, they’ll come here. And we’ll need as many V’Kar as possible to repel their assault. So where Octavian is and whether he can lend assistance is of prime importance to all of us.”

“She speaks true.” Constantine spoke in a quiet tone that nonetheless carried the weight of command. He turned to Madron. “Try to contact the Priest.”

Madron nodded and pulled out his cell phone, crossing to the other side of the massive foyer.

Leonidas gave Resa another hate-filled look then turned his attention to Madron. “Excuse me, Sire.” Madron addressed Constantine. “The Priest cannot be located. However it appears as if he has dispatched people to flank the Alliance from the west as they approach from the south and north. Our only means of escape is to the east, via the sea.”

Constantine’s brow furrowed. He turned to Leonidas. “Fight or flee?”

“Fight.”

Resa noticed there was no hesitation in Leonidas’ response. His eagerness to do battle was almost palpable, it was so strong. Constantine, on the other hand, was less eager to wage war. She did not take it as a lack of courage on his part for she could read his concerns. His fears were for his people.

Constantine looked at her and she shook her head. “The sea will not be a viable means of escape. They will have the coastline guarded, depending on us to try to make an escape by water. However, if we create a diversion and appear to be attempting to escape to the west, they will draw the bulk of their troops from the shore.”

“That would be foolish,” Leonidas argued.

“Not if they believe your people and Constantine’s are trying to get you to safety. You are of far more value than the rest of your people combined. The Alliance knows if they can capture you, your people will capitulate to any demand they make to ensure your continued existence.”

Leonidas shook his head. “No, we stand and fight.”

“I didn’t say not fight. Just make it appear as if you are fleeing. Divert their attention and split their forces.”

He glared at her for a long time then nodded. “Very well. I will have my—”

He never got a chance to finish. The window on the outside wall of the library exploded in a storm of glass. At the same moment an explosion rocked the estate from the direction of the front entrance.

Resa snatched her sword from its sheath and tossed it to Constantine. Leonidas’ people were flooding into the room, amassing around him. He bellowed, snatched an enormous battle axe from its mount on the wall and made for the door.

Before he reached it the Alliance was upon them. Resa had no time to think. The attack from the door was matched by warriors pouring in from the shattered window. She backed up against Constantine, both blades from her arm harness in hand, slashing every opponent who got close as Constantine fought behind her.

Leonidas was like a killing machine, cutting a path through the attackers with his axe. Screams and grunts mixed with the clang of steel on steel and the thuds of bodies and body parts hitting the floor and all the while the sound of explosions and gunfire came from outside the manor and from within.

Resa had no time for fear until the Alliance sent a new wave. Their numbers were too many. Many of Constantine’s and Leonidas’ men had fallen. It was time to get Constantine to safety.

“Protect the Prince!” she screamed, drawing the attention of the V’Karians loyal to Constantine. Within a moment a ring of protection had formed around him, leaving Resa on the outside of the circle.

“To the tower,” she hissed to Madron who fought behind her.

She did not wait for a reply but fought her way to the door. Constantine and his men followed. It took them nearly half an hour to reach the tower, but once there they barricaded themselves inside.

Resa turned to Constantine. “From here you can fly to safety. Go now.”

“You’ll come with me.”

“I can’t.”

“You must.”

“Constantine, listen to me. Everyone in this room is expendable but you. You must leave. But we must stay. It has to be seen that your people fought with and for Leonidas. He can’t transform, but he can fool people into believing he’s someone else. If we can get him away from that mob, he can walk out of here making them think he’s one of them.”

“No.”

“Yes. You know I’m right. We have to save him. For V’Kar’s sake. For your sake. If you save him you gain politically. And you make him indebted to you. That’s in your favor and can be used for the advantage of your people. But you have to go.”

“I will not leave you.”

Resa looked at Madron who stepped forward. “Sire, she is right.”

“I will not leave her behind.”

The moment his attention turned to Madron, she acted. Raising her right hand, she nicked him on the wrist with her blade. His head whipped around, shock clear in his eyes.

“I’m sorry. You left me no choice. I love you and will not let you die.” She turned to Madron. “Have you the strength to transport him to safety?”

“I do.”

“Then take wing. Now. There is time to save him.”

Madron asked no questions and offered no argument. In moments he had transformed into an enormous hawk. Resa turned her attention to Constantine. Already the iridium was working on him. His face was pale and covered in sheen of sweat.

“Resa, no.”

“Go,” she whispered and kissed him.

His eyes fluttered and closed and his body went limp. His men strapped him to Madron’s back then knocked the glass out of the massive tower window. Madron stepped up on the ledge and lifted off.

Resa turned to look around at the men. “Now we save the Nurians.”

* * * * *

It was a scene from a nightmare. The dead and dying littered the stairway, the corridors and the foyer of the manor. Resa and the D’Harahn fought their way to the study where Leonidas still battled the seemingly endless horde.

Resa had never seen so many battalions of the Alliance forces dispatched at one time. They must have thought they would corner the leaders of V’Kar in one location and either eliminate them all or take them captive. Either way, one thing was clear. There was a traitor among the V’Kar.

Resa fought her way to Leonidas. “We have a plan,” she panted as she dispatched an opponent with both blades to his gut and an upward cut. “We need to talk.”

“Talk later. Fight now!”

She admired his endurance, strength and warrior spirit. Even after all the time that had elapsed since the battle began, he and his followers fought like Berserkers, those Norse warriors of legend who were thought to have battled in an uncontrolled trance of fury, lusting for the thrill of battle.

Seeing that she would get nowhere arguing with him, she made her way across the room to where two of his men were slicing and hacking at the wave of enemy fighters still pouring in from the window.

“We must save Leonidas,” she said as she assisted their efforts, slicing through the neck of an enemy then delivering a kick to his chest that sent him flailing backward through the window. “The D’Harahn fight for his survival.”

“Then fight,” one of them shouted.

“The numbers are too many. We must get Leonidas to a more secure location.”

The men spared a moment to glance at one another, then the larger of the two nodded. “We are with you.”

Leaving a trail of carnage in their wake, they sliced and hacked their way to Leonidas, gaining more to their number as they fought.

“We must gain a superior position to slay our enemy,” one of the Nurians shouted to Leonidas. “The Dhampir woman and the D’Harahn are with us.”

Leonidas cut a hard look at Resa then nodded. She yelled to the D’Harahn, and as a unit they banded with the Nurians and bullied their way out of the room. The corridor was no less dangerous. Inch by inch they pushed their way through the enemy’s ranks to the rear of the manor.

The enormous kitchen was littered with bodies and dying warriors, but there was no fighting. Resa yelled to the men to barricade the door and focused her attention on Leonidas.

“I know you can’t transform, but you can fool the Alliance. You and your men must make them believe you’re part of the Alliance forces and escape.”

“We will not run!”

“Then you lose!”

“Never!”

“Leonidas, listen to me. If you die, your people here on earth are without a leader and your world without a successor to power. If you die here today you die for nothing. Your world holds no hope of regaining its former greatness and no hope to right wrongs of the past. Would you throw the future of your people away for one battle that will gain you no glory or advantage?”

“Woman, do not counsel me on my position!”

“Then stop acting like a fool!”

Resa heard more than one murmur or intake of breath at her words and knew she trod a dangerous path. Leonidas was not a man to be challenged. His temper was hair-trigger and his rage a force that knew no limits. But she had to get through to him.

He stepped up close to her, glaring down at her with enough malice that her skin prickled. She could not show fear. Only strength would win his cooperation. So she matched his glare, refusing to retreat even when his body was an inch away and he towered over her like an angry god.

“You dare to call me a fool?”

“I’d dare to call you a jackass if I thought it’d get through to you. Think. Just think about it, Leonidas. The Alliance has launched an attack unlike any in your long history of contention. They are throwing the bulk of their forces against us. Have you asked yourself why?”

His glare diminished fractionally and she saw she’d hit her mark so she pressed forward. “There is a traitor among the V’Kar.”

A collective murmur arose from those assembled, the D’Harahn and the Nurian eyeing one another suspiciously.

“None of my people would dare to betray me.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. All I know is that there is a traitor. It’s the only explanation. There’s no other way the Alliance could have known about this summit. That all three leaders of the races of V’Kar would be present. Someone leaked the information and location to the Alliance. And in time for them to mount an all-out assault with the bulk of their army. It’s no small feat to move that many troops in so short an amount of time. Therefore it follows that they received the news at the same time Constantine and Octavian were informed.

“You can stay and fight and yes, you can kill a great many of their warriors. But the heads of the hydra remain hidden, and until you can deal with those of power in the Alliance, you cannot win.”

She played her final card, hoping it would be the nail that struck home. “A warrior’s death must count for something. Do not risk dying without cause. It dishonors your family name and your race.”

He stared at her for a long time and she started to think she’d missed her target. But then he nodded and looked over her head at his men. “We will appear as Alliance warriors and make our way to the nearest safe house. Spread the word among our people. I want to know the name of the man…or woman,” he added and cut a look at Resa, “who betrayed us.”

With that he turned to face the door, issuing an order for the barricade to be removed. Resa turned her attention to one of the D’Harahn. “Can you establish mental contact with the rest of your people?”

“Yes.”

“Then do so. They are to retreat now, in whatever form will take them to safety.”

“Stay by my side. I will transport you.”

She nodded and they all turned their attention to the door. The moment the barricade was lifted, the enemy poured in.

Resa had no more time to think. Now it was a matter of surviving and hoping they could discover who had betrayed them.

“Die, you bitch!”

The snarl behind her had her whirling, blades coming together in a crossed position to stop the blade that sliced at her heart. “Stephan!”

The eyes that stared into hers were no longer those of the boy she’d grown up with, loved like a brother, helped train and enjoyed getting into trouble with as a child. There was no love or compassion in the eyes of the man who faced her. Only hatred.

“Look around you, bitch, at what you’ve done. These are your brothers and sisters. Your family. Your betrayal has killed them and for that you must die.”

Resa fought against the push he gave, trying to slide his sword past her defense. “You’re a fool, Stephen. The Alliance has lied to us. All of us.”