Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
While Adrian phoned Brennan and the council about their progress, Emma reloaded their weapons and devoted time to routine maintenance. Thomas and Harrison helped her.
River and Zac had already called the local police chief and contacted a friend with connections in high places. Police across the state were now hunting for a man of Joe’s description, claiming he was wanted for questioning related to the assault of a woman with a deadly weapon.
Adrian stepped into the room, posture stiff and face grim. One look at his tense jaw told Emma everything she needed to know.
“They shot you down?”
“Aye. It’s up to Lillian to decide to cancel the gala. And for me to acquire lodgings for all of us unless we want to split up in New Orleans.”
“I’m all for staying together,” River said, while two of the three shifters shot her dirty looks. “And I’m happy to speak for all of us. There’s safety in numbers.”
“I guess you’re right,” Zacarias grudgingly admitted. “It’s strange enough to have the both of you in my house, but... a good friend of mine is a vampire now.”
Emma jerked her attention away from the handgun magazine she was loading. “Yeah?”
“Some assholes from Rosenhaven decided to turn my friend Bobby to get to us. We caught on to their plan in time and saved him before he fully turned and lost control.”
“What happened?”
Thomas glanced up from his gun maintenance. “My wife’s uncle has a thousand connections across Texas and found a small coven to take him in. He’s called twice in the past year, but we haven’t seen him yet.”
“The first year is the hardest, I think,” Emma said in sympathy.
Adrian pocketed his phone. “All right. We have a long drive ahead of us and a day to spare at least if we want to make it to New Orleans, but I’ve located a place large enough for the six of us.”
“I guess I better pack then,” River said as she rose from her seat on the sofa beside Zacarias. “Are you sure your vampire elder folk aren’t going to lose their shit about three shifters and a witch learning where to find one of your sanctuaries?”
Emma snorted in derision. “Our elders don’t care about much. If anything, they’ll close that one down, sell it, and buy another property. Or they won’t be bothered. No telling.”
Thomas whistled. “Man, must be nice to be so flippant with real estate.”
“They’ve had centuries to accumulate wealth and property,” Emma pointed out.
“Still, it must be nice. Not looking forward to the drive though.” Thomas rose and cracked his back.
“About that. I have a better way to get us to New Orleans,” River said. “Quicker too.”
“Our kind don’t do well on airplanes, so unless you have a private jet and are able to get a flight plan approved in the next half hour, flying’s out,” Adrian said.
“Who said anything about flying? I said quicker. As in taking a portal.”
Zac snapped his gaze over to her and frowned. “You sure you’re up for that, babe?”
“I’ll be fine. We may have to get a rental for the way back depending how things go, but at least this way we’d get there without racing the sun or whatever the hunters are planning.”
“And it’s safe?” Emma asked.
“Perfectly. All I need is to see a photograph of where we’re going and know it’s location,” River explained.
Thanks to Google Maps and their sanctuary database, Adrian provided River with both coordinates, a map, and a photograph of the townhouse situated in the French Quarter.
For a while, she studied the image on the phone, as if committing it to her memory, and then she glanced at her husband. “Hey, Zac, do you mind packing a few things for me while I draw this transportation circle?”
“Sure. The usual?”
“That’ll do. Yeah.”
It took River an hour to draw the magical glyph in chalk on the expanse of cement beyond her kitchen doors. Without anything else to do, Emma lounged in one of their deck chairs and observed the process. She’d never watched anyone perform an act of magic before.
“Do you normally cast complicated magical spells in your backyard within view of the neighbors?”
“We are our neighbors.” River grinned at her.
“When the duplex beside us came on the market, we bought it since Zac likes to strut around the back without his clothes on and stuff. There was an old blind guy there before that, but his family came and moved him in with them across town. The tenant of the second unit sold out when Zac made an offer.”
Emma glanced across the dimly lit yard, a few solar lanterns the only illumination.
Thick trees swayed in the distance and bordered the rear of the garden, the start of a deep forested area.
“I miss Texas sometimes. You know, for this. All the wilderness. Sometimes I’d grab a flashlight and go for a hike at night. ”
“Yeah, but you have a beach on your doorstep, right? That’s gotta be nice.”
When she’d first transferred to Dartmouth, Emma had been enchanted by the harbor.
Then the older, established vampires in the coven had their fun and sent her running on a wild goose chase to break up wild neophyte parties.
“Yeah, until you’re sent out to bust the younglings who are skinny dipping. ”
“Why?”
“Propriety and all that. Plus, the older vamps made me think it was a legit rule we had to follow.”
River snorted. “Vampire hazing, basically.”
“Yeah. I ran around for a month enforcing stupid rules no one upholds anymore until Lord Brennan clued me in.”
“It’s nice to know vampires aren’t too different from the rest of us. The witches have their own little amusements for new initiates, and I know a group of shifter guys who are always picking on each other.”
“Shifters always seem too stern and serious for that kind of thing.”
“Wait until you get to know Tommy and Zac.”
Pleasant conversation continued between them as River readjusted her position, drawing flawless circles and arcane symbols that gleamed gold as sunlight. Mesmerized, Emma watched the sparks of magic ignite against the cement.
“Have you ever done anything like this before?” Emma asked.
“Technically? In another life.”
“Um, okay.”
River’s deep, warm chuckle eased some of the tension knotting in Emma’s stomach.
“It’ll be fine. I actually teleported myself across the country to California a few months ago without the circle.
Think of this as a safety net. It’ll direct our path and gather the energy needed to move so many people without taxing me.
” She paused and glanced up, appearing thoughtful.
“The older witches claim I eventually won’t need one at all once I remember who I am. ”
“So you’re saying one day you’ll just be able to snap your fingers and poof us wherever?”
“I guess that’s one of the benefits of being a goddess.”
“One day, when all of this is over, maybe you can tell me that story.”
“Maybe.”
Emma stepped back and left River to finish without distraction. Inside the office, she found the men gathered around Zacarias’s computer and scrutinizing a map of New Orleans.
“The party is going to take place here at Chateau Noir, a short distance away from the sanctuary I’ve found us,” Adrian said as he tapped a square on the map.
Thomas snorted. “Too bad that lady blew off your warnings about the hunters.”
“That’s Lillian for you. I’ve known her for centuries, and she never changes, stubborn to a flaw,” Adrian replied.
Straightening up from his lean toward the monitor, Thomas laced his fingers together and loudly cracked the knuckles. “Stubborn to the point of getting her guests killed if an armed team of hunters crashes their party. Be honest, dude, are most noble vamps able to really get down and fight?”
“No. Most of us earn rank and title, but some, like Lillian, are born into the life. If it came down to a fight between her and a hunter, she’d be a pile of ashes.”
Zacarias blinked. “Wait. Your kind can get knocked up?”
Emma crossed her arms over her chest and cleared her throat. “Yeah, we can. We’re not undead monsters with shriveled organs. Occasionally it does happen.”
Chastened, Thomas glanced down at his feet and cleared his throat. “Sorry. Don’t act like you guys don’t have weird preconceptions about us too.”
Without missing a beat, Adrian quipped, “Aside from you pissing on trees and chasing trucks? Not really.”
“Ha. Ha.” Thomas chortled in good humor and the awkward ice was broken, returning the friendly atmosphere. “Right, so what’s the plan? Whatever you guys need, we’re ready to help.”
“If Lillian won’t listen to reason, we’ll just have to seek this mage, his hunters, and Joe out on our own. Once we establish base at the sanctuary, I’ll rely on you guys to be our eyes and ears during daylight.”
“Right. Then what?” Harrison asked. “I’ve done this kind of reconnaissance thing before, since I’m a raven and no one notices us sitting on roofs. You want me to just monitor their hotel? Follow anyone in particular?”
“Focus on Josh. We need to know the location of the Eye and figure out what he’s planning to do with it. If he sets that bitch free, we’re fucked. If all else fails, we’ll send Emma and River to check out the party while we set up an ambush outside.”
Zac shifted in discomfort but said nothing. A moment later, River stepped inside and brushed her hands against her jeans.
“Circle’s ready. We can go once everyone is set,” River announced.
Once they collected their gear, slinging backpacks on shoulders and arming themselves, the group moved to the rear patio.
As River stepped inside the completed circle, a radiant tower of gilded light rose toward the sky. Zacarias followed, then the shifters stepped inside. “C’mon, guys.”
Emma eyed it and crossed the line. While it shone as bright as the sun, it enveloped her in a comforting embrace instead of scorching her to the bone. Adrian stepped beside her. Once each member of their hunting party moved inside the spell circle, River clapped her hands together.