Release (The Protector Book 3) (22 page)

“Chase is right,” Jax said, leaning against the iron railing with both arms crossed. “You’ve given us no reason to trust you, and based on your track record with most of the people here, nothing says we should. If you expect assistance, I don’t think his request is unwarranted.”

“I will do no such thing.”

“Vincent,” Chief said. “Tiki has already vowed to help you, regardless of anyone else’s assistance. However, he is only one creature.”

“Yes, Vincent,” Tiki said. “Please consider this. Your mother has very…powerful abilities that I am not immune to.”

“She is an expert in persuasion. She can make you crave even the most horrific death, without a touch. Such is the power of the Sovereign. They are the most adept of my kind. If we spend more time discussing these abilities and developing a plan, we will be much better off.”

“Not until you tell us why,” I said. “Tell us what we’ll be fighting for.”

“You’ll be fighting for my family. The half-vampires that don’t have a chance against them will be killed, simply because they are not born vampires.”

“But why your half-vampires specifically? What did you do to earn the target on your back? Tell us that.”

Vincent’s gaze locked with mine and I could feel his power ripping inside him. He wanted to crush me right now, and I knew he had the ability to do it, but he needed me.

Grinding his teeth together, his skin grew transparent for a brief moment. “No.”

“Then I can’t help you.” I stood and started towards the stairwell.

“Fine,” he said. “I have seven days. That’s more than enough time to check the safe house and hopefully help any survivors escape.”

“And then what?” Rayna asked. “Are you just going to keep on running? Go find another town to set up shop in? How long until they find you then?”

Vincent didn’t respond.

“There is always the truce they offered,” Jax suggested.

“How dare you suggest such a thing! I will not be the guiding hand that takes my family’s lives.”

“Then what?” I asked, stopping at the stairwell. “You can’t save them alone, you said so yourself. You’ve got an entire room full of people here who are willing to help, and all you have to do is tell us the truth. Whoever they think Rayna looks like, they killed once already. What’s to say she’s not in danger now?”

“They won’t touch her.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I won’t let them!” Vincent screamed. The room went silent and the tension was thick. “Forget it.” Vincent jumped the iron railing overlooking the main floor. His feet were silent as he landed, and a moment later the door slammed shut.

The tension didn’t fade from the room. Everyone stood quietly, staring at the floor. After a few moments passed, Tiki moved for the stairwell.

“Just leave him,” I said. “We’ve got more important things to deal with.”

“I made a vow, Chase Williams.”

“And didn’t you make one to me too, or has that been forgotten?”

Tiki stared at me for a long moment and shook his head. “You’re right. I also have a commitment to you.”

I took a deep breath and quelled the anger that roared inside of me. “No you don’t. It was wrong for me to throw that in your face.”

“I made a vow to both of you, and I will find a way to maintain each of them. For now, I will remain here for our discussion.” Tiki’s warm features had gone cold and his expression was neutral.

I knew Tiki owed me nothing. Whatever commitment he’d made was solely his own, and I’d just shoved that down this throat. He didn’t deserve that. Once again my anger had taken over, but at least I had an opportunity to correct it before it was too late.

“Tiki…” I looked around at everyone watching me. Their eyes made me feel even worse for what I’d said. “None of what we’ve accomplished would even be possible without you, and I know that. What I said was childish. If you need to go, I understand, and I’ll fill you in later.”

Tiki’s orange eyes moved back and forth over my face. I tried to offer a smile, but at best it was a fake smirk.

“Are you sure?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Thank you, Chase Williams. I shall return shortly,” Tiki said, descending the first steps on the stairwell.

“Hey, Tiki?” I asked. He turned quietly and looked up at me. “I hope you know I appreciate everything you’ve done. I really am sorry for what I said.”

Tiki nodded, and quietly left the room.

“Sorry,” I said, turning to the others. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on me still. “I lost my head a little.”

“What else is new?” Grams snapped as she stomped up the stairs, her banana yellow shoes tapping along the floor. “Let’s get this meeting over with. I’ve got to apply another dose of medicine to Kate, and there are poultices to make for the rest. Speaking of which, I’ll need your help, kitty cat,” she said, glaring at Rayna. “We need to figure out this magic issue of yours, otherwise you’re no damn use as a witch.”

“Kate doing well then?” Jax asked.

“Venom the likes of which I’ve never seen ate away half her stomach. I’d hardly say she’s doing well.” Grams’s voice was hoarse and angry. She reached into the giant purse hanging over her shoulder and pulled out a cigarette.

Marcus cleared his throat just as she was about to light it, and Grams grumbled, throwing the cigarette on the table next to her. “Oh right, I’d hate to corrupt the
innocents
,” she said. “I’m a busy woman, so can we get to the point of this meeting?”

“Most of the shifters are healing nicely. They should be back on their feet in the next few days,” Jax said. “But our numbers are down, and from what I’ve heard, we have a lead on the soul piece. But unless we can find Eric, we don’t have the people to go diving into another world and still keep this one safe.”

“That’s all we have right now,” I said.

“There aren’t enough of us,” Jax repeated. “Against Riley and the Brothers, right now our strength is in numbers.”

“Jax is right,” Chief said. “We’ve already lost more than half our allies to their attacks. If we don’t get the soul pieces and we have to fight, we need everyone we can get.”

“It’s not going to come to that,” I said. “We
will
get the soul piece, and we
will
destroy it. After that, Riley can’t finish the invocation and this is over.”

“And how do you plan on destroying it?” Jax asked. “If I’m not mistaken, it takes a soul piece to destroy one. Before we go guns blazing into one of Ithreal’s worlds, we should make sure we can do something with it once we have it. Not to mention, once we enter his dimension, we still don’t know where to go.”

I didn’t want to agree with him, but he was right. We didn’t have a clue where the soul piece was, and I hadn’t heard Elyas’s voice since Theral. Even with her guidance to find the soul piece, once we got it, Riley would be all over us. We needed to make sure we could destroy it, and without another soul piece, we couldn’t do that.

“Then we need to find a second piece,” Rayna said. “We found Ithreal’s dagger, we can find the rest.”

Grams laughed. “You’d need the gods’ help for that, or a huge stroke of luck. From what I’ve seen, this kid ain’t lucky, and those assholes up there aren’t exactly straightforward,” Grams said, looking up at the ceiling. “And even if they would help, this one squandered away the ring, so you can’t even ask ‘em.”

I wanted to respond, but again she was right. I was the reason we lost the ring, and that was more than a little setback. All I could do was sit back and nod my head. I had nothing else to offer.

“We’ll find another way,” Marcus said.

Grams snorted. “Sure we will, and while we’re waiting, I’ll go make us a magic eight ball that has all the answers.” She turned and snatched her cigarette off the table. “After I smoke.”

Strange energy filled the room and the bookshelves began to shake. Grams stopped at the top of the stairs and we all braced ourselves as the condo quaked. Books flew off the shelves, the fireplace ignited in a wash of orange flames, and even with the heat of the fire, the room dropped drastically in temperature.

When the tremor stopped, the room was still, silence filling the voids between us. Eyes panned from face to face, questioning what just happened. White air puffed from everyone’s lips and a chill fell over my skin as the smell of fresh rain came into the room. “You are wasting time!” a man’s deep voice shouted.

I turned to the voice and found Rayna staring back at me. Both her eyes had been swallowed by a sparkling emerald green with a glint of a silver pupil in the center.

My chest tightened, my gaze locked on her. I was torn between reaching for my daggers and calling my elements, but something told me neither would help.

The energy in the room swelled as Rayna’s body shuddered. The green and silver eyes lit up like a flashlight held behind a gem. Her hands grabbed her head, pulling it to the side. Cracks sounded as bones popped down her spine and she stretched out her body.

“It has been many years since I occupied a mortal form. It is strange and restricting,” the voice said. Rayna’s body moved toward me, hips swaying and heels clacking against the floor. “I only invade this frail creature and endure discomfort because it is necessary, so I will make this brief.”

Everyone remained still and silent. I didn’t know who was talking to us, but his power was intense and it vibrated against my skin.

“First, you will show respect for the gods,” he said, pointing to Grams. “I have sat idly long enough, listening to the contempt that your kind delivers. You are but a puppet compared to our powers. Should I demonstrate this?” His power swallowed the room and focused on Grams.

Grams stood with eyes wide open. She clutched the cigarette in her fingers, and as it snapped, brown leaves of tobacco fluttered to the floor. She opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it and shook her head.

“And you.” Rayna’s body moved towards me. “You squander the opportunities presented time and time again, and I have seen enough. You were given the Mark, but I find you unworthy, not yet using its gifts to their full potential. You were delivered the ring, yet you lost it to your enemy—an enemy that is on the verge of discovering its purpose. If Riley gets the soul pieces, he will free Ithreal, the very god I and the others have sacrificed much of our power in order to contain. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Fear rose inside me like smoke from an extinguished flame. His energy moved over me and the smell of fresh rain became thicker. It was my favorite smell and it should’ve calmed me, but it didn’t. I was terrified, and as his presence expanded through the room, I found myself humbled by his power.

“I don’t know how to use it…” I said.

Anger flashed in his eyes and I shivered uncontrollably.

“Who are you?” I asked, hoping to avoid his wrath.

“Who am I?” The man scoffed. “I am Athaniel, brother to Serephina, creator of Silas, and high god of the Otherworld.”

“And why are you here?” Chief moved to step forward, but hesitated when Athaniel turned his attention on him. Chief stepped back and lowered his eyes.

“You foolish mortals, must we explain everything? I am here to ensure my kind’s safekeeping. If you would stop wasting our generosity, this could be achieved rather easily.”

“I’m not sure we follow,” Marcus said. “We are trying…” Marcus tore his eyes off Athaniel and cowered as the god’s power flared.

Rayna’s body turned and her eyes paused momentarily on each person’s face. “In order to stop Riley, you must gather the soul pieces and destroy them.”

“With all due respect,” Jax said, “that’s what we’re trying to accomplish. However, we have little to go on.”

“That is because you fail when we offer guidance!”

Jax’s shoulders slumped and the determination that had filled his eyes was gone.

“You were unsuccessful in keeping the ring safe and remarkably stupid when you relinquished the dagger to the son of Ithreal,” Athaniel said in a low growl. “I am here to make sure those mistakes do not occur again.”

Anger flourished inside me, buried just beneath the fear. I tried to fight it, but when it wouldn’t recede, I used another avenue. I called my water element and it tore through the fear, rushing through my body and calming my nerves.

The energy rolled like a wave though my veins, and although I was still nervous, my mind was partly cleared. “What was I supposed to do?” I asked, trying to regain my wits. “The spirit in Ithreal’s soul piece was about to kill me.”

“Then you should have used the tools you were given, Protector.”

“I tried, but they did nothing against him.”

“Then you didn’t use the right ones, now did you? You have not finished what you started.”

“What is that supposed to mean, and where is Rayna?”

“The girl is here with me,” he said. “This…Rayna, is to me and so many others, what Riley will be for Ithreal—a vessel.”

I tried to speak, but more power entered the room. Athaniel’s emerald eyes flickered again and confusion warped Rayna’s features.

“She is coming. I do not have much time.” Athaniel moved faster than I could follow and appeared in front of me. “You must stop your irrational idling and go to my world. Find my statue and from there, travel into the Northeast Forest. The Mark will guide you, and you will discover the Dunopai. They are the Paragons of Silas and balancers of all dimensions. They are in possession of the Claw of Virtue—my soul piece. I would expect with the equilibrium having shifted, they will work willingly with you, but you will obtain the Claw by any means necessary. Use it to destroy Ithreal’s soul piece and put an end to this. I will stand by no longer as an indolent imbecile who awaits Ithreal’s wrath.”