A Tempest In The Night Part 43

We don't have time to argue now.

Illy?

Now, Daedalus. I love you.

"Daddy Dearest? No argument? You coward." She pushed the syringe into my skin, pressed the plunger down.

The drug was like liquid fire in my veins.

Now!

Instead of a burning that permeated every inch of my body, a burning that warmed my insides swept away the acidity in my veins. Ilida shone like an angel glowing form within. She held me. I felt the insidious acid leave my body.

How stupid I'd been all this time. I could have joined with her, become one with her weeks ago. I knew then that I loved Ilida. Her patience and her bravery set me free despite my hesitancy.

We're almost there Daedalus. I have to disconnect.

No, wait!

Oh G.o.d!

Ilida?

Chapter Thirty-seven

The Queen, King and acolyte found themselves in the lion's den. Zombies, some of them in various stages of decay, advanced on them like spiders on flies.

"This is our welcoming committee," Ilida said.

"You two need to get behind me," Alec said.

Ilida wasn't going to move. She wanted to see this through to the end for herself and for Daedalus. "I'm staying where I am," Ilida said.

Tania nodded at Ilida.

"Me, too," Tania said.

"Here they come." Ilida dumbstruck stared ahead at the advancing zombies.

They came at them crawling on the ceiling, on the walls running towards them on the floor. Tania aimed then pulled the trigger. The milk-filled bullets. .h.i.t their targets. Thumps on the ceiling made them all look up. Three zombies crashed through the ceiling, landed in front of her.

She put her self-defense training to good use- punching and kicking, fending them off. If she drew first blood, it would burn her skin straight down to the bone.

"We need to find Daedalus and get out of here."

"Duck!"

Tania fired off four rounds, hitting the zombies in the head and chest. More jumped through the hole in the ceiling.

"Come on, Tania."

Ilida saw Alec standing over four zombies. Their heads cut off. The smell of blood luring her. Then she saw the blood wasn't from the dead zombies but from Alec's arm.

"You're hurt."

He waved it off as he flicked his jagged-edged blade in the air ridding it of the toxic blood. It was some sword. Ilida realized these people played for keeps and she was now one of them.

"Let's find my brother," Alec commanded.

She ran ahead with Alec and Tania covering her. Hearing behind her the sounds of battle, Daedalus became her homing beacon. She could find him; she would find him alive.

She felt stronger, faster. She ran down the hall, every object a blur. She fought a giddy excitement. She had to concentrate on finding Daedalus. She came upon a closed door, his thoughts the strongest through it. She heard Tania and Alec behind her; she was grateful they were still alive.

"It's steel."

Ilida moved back as Tania and Alec punched a hole in the door. It was thick. Tania joined in punching, making dents, but it wasn't enough. At that rate they would lose precious time and more of those Red Queen zombies might be on the loose.

"Let me try to open it."

"How? You're strong but not strong enough."

"I'm also telekinetic."

I focused on Terra. She cowered against the wall. The last of the drug leaked from my pores. A power sung in my veins; nerve endings rippled with pain, bones grew realigned. The restraints fell apart like cheap string and landed on the floor. Fur broke through my pores. I dropped on all fours then charged.

"I never partic.i.p.ated in the Breeding Circle, Terra. Ma.n.u.s' concubines freed me from my imprisonment for one night." My voice sounded gravely like I'd swallowed rocks-foreign to my ears. "She showed me I wasn't a piece of filth. Two years later, after I killed Ma.n.u.s, she gave me my daughter to raise. The daughter you killed!"

"You would say anything to save yourself." Then she raised her hand to me. Heat then pain coursed through my body. Sweat wetted my fur making my skin itch.

"Terra you're... already dead."

"Then who is my father?"

"He was...the former leader of the Vrykolakas... Clan."

"Where is he?"

A primitive growl ripped out of me. "I killed him!"

"You b.a.s.t.a.r.d!"

Just then, the ma.s.sive steel door came down. Alec and Tania rushed in, followed by my Ilida. She was taller, more muscular and her body was covered in short dark hair. Her ears were pointy and her back sported medium length bat wings.

Terra relaxed her hold on me. I jumped on her opened my ma.s.sive jaws and bit her shoulder. She screamed. Blood erupted in my mouth.

I let go, dropping Terra. Terra fainted from the shock of me biting her. The scorching liquid burned my throat. I reverted to human form and spit the blood out.

Ilida, the woman who dodged her psychic powers for five years, stood before me unashamed, nude and covered in hair. My female equivalent, Ilida the werebat. The huntress and my heroine. I was smitten all over again.

"How did you do that?" she asked, keeping her distance. The concern she felt resounded loud and clear in my head and heart.

I wiped my mouth of the last of the blood. The little smear of blood on my hand singed my skin, and slivers of smoke floated into the air. I wanted to hold Ilida but the way we'd left things didn't give me much hope. I simply reminded her, "Gauge is my twin. How are you?"

Tania interrupted Ilida. This wasn't the place for reconciliation. "You rest, Daedalus," Tania ordered. "We can take care of Terra from here."

"That reminds me. I brought your sword." Ilida held it out to me in a respectful manner, remembering how I taught her how to hold it with reverence.

"Thank you."

"Sure."

Chapter Thirty-eight

For the first time in weeks, I felt relaxed. Terra, the first Tyrian Guard prisoner, made little trouble in the three nights she'd been held here. Alec and I stood by one of the many windows on the first floor under the staircase to talk.

"You have to call the Death Decree," Alec said.

"Ma.n.u.s was Terra's father. Ilida is her descendant," I said facing him. "I'm killing off her family one by one."

"It's your duty, Daedalus."

I smirked, blew out a puff of smoke in another direction away from Alec's nose. "Duty."

"Does Terra know she's related to Ilida?"

"No."

"Will you tell her?"

I sighed knowing my decision would have repercussions eventually. "There's no need to."

"You stepped in it."

Yeah, I stepped in it. My foot was so entrenched in s.h.i.+t that I couldn't see my ankle, and the stink will never go away.

"I don't envy your position now," Alec said.

Nothing like familial sympathy to make the heart grow fonder. "That's good to know, Alec."

"I didn't mean it that way."

"What did you mean?"

Alec s.h.i.+fted his weight for the first time ever, looking uncomfortable in my presence.

"I manage to get my foot in my mouth whenever we talk."

"You noticed that, too?"

"Now you're giving me a hard time," he said.

"Sorry."

"I'm sorry. Ilida proved herself last night."

"She had nothing to prove."

"I know. She loves you."

Our relations.h.i.+p was thawing a bit. I didn't have the need to antagonize him. Finally, I was on the road to peace with my family. I leaned against the windowpane and crossed my arms. I wanted to walk down that path, take the ferry to the mainland and find Ilida. "She's also willing to let me go. That's some love, isn't it?"

"You two had an argument? I felt the tension between you after we'd found you."

"Ilida thinks I hate her."

"Because of Ma.n.u.s?"

Alec doesn't know about my rape. He doesn't need to know just yet. "Even from the grave that a.s.shole is still f.u.c.king up my life."

"Don't let this fester, Daedalus," he said.

"I don't know how to have a real relations.h.i.+p."

"You take it one day at a time with Ilida and do it fast. Don't let her think you don't care."

"Good advice."