Chapter Forty-Two
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ZOE HAD PLACED ANOTHER item in the box of books she was carrying to Vic’s cabin. The girls trekked around the lake, chatting about their day. It was after three o’clock now. They’d finished the thermos of coffee and had eaten all the snacks a couple of hours ago.
“What are you hiding, Zoe?” Grace asked, knowing her friend was distracted.
“You’ll find out soon,” the psychic said mysteriously.
“I hate it when she does this,” the kid muttered.
Victoria had no idea what was going on, but she was glad to have her first real visitors. “Here it is,” she announced as they followed her down the short trail to her home.
“It’s so cute,” Grace said, taking in the small structure. “We didn’t even know this was hiding back here.”
“It hasn’t been used in a long time,” Vic said, awkwardly opening the door with her arms full of baskets and other gear. She carried everything inside and put it all on the floor next to the table.
The girls followed her in and placed the boxes against the wall, so they were out of the way. “It’s cozy,” Zoe decided, examining the fireplace, tiny kitchen, table and two chairs.
“Let’s see your shower,” Grace requested. They piled into the bathroom so the wrestler could show them her plastic tank, hose and showerhead. “Huh, it’s simple, yet effective,” the kid said in approval.
Vic gave them a quick tour, then led them back outside. “This is my shizzer,” she announced, opening the door to the outhouse.
“At least you have an actual seat,” Zoe said enviously. “We’ve been squatting over a trench in the ground.”
“It’s horrible,” Grace said, making a face. “The guys had better get a toilet set up inside before the snow starts to fall, or we’ll have to come over here and borrow your toilet.”
“Only if you take turns emptying the bucket,” Vic said solemnly.
They shared another snicker, then headed back inside for coffee and snacks. Grace stacked a couple of boxes of books on top of each other and gingerly perched on it for a seat. “Okay, Zoe, what’s going on?” she demanded.
Zoe opened the box she’d been carrying and took out two items. “I thought we should give you one of our walky-talkies, so we can get in touch with you quickly if we need to,” she explained.
Vic took the device she was offered, touched by the gesture. “Thanks,” she said awkwardly, not used to receiving gifts. “How do they work?” she asked.
The girls gave her a quick tutorial and Zoe stepped outside to test them. She walked to the edge of the lake before speaking. “This is Zoe. Can you hear me? Over.”
“I hear you loud and clear, Zoe,” Victoria responded.
“You’re supposed to say ‘over’ when you’re done,” Grace said. “Then you have to let go of the button so the other person can speak.”
“Fudge,” Vic muttered. “Over,” she said belatedly.
Zoe laughed and headed back inside, still giggling when she entered the cabin. “We use that channel, so make sure you don’t change it,” she advised their friend.
“I won’t,” Victoria said sheepishly.
“I bet Cam could build you a bookcase for your library,” Grace said, eyeing the wall they’d placed the boxes against. “He’d jump at the chance to get back in your good graces.”
Victoria frowned, unwilling to talk about him yet. “Maybe,” she said as she went about making them some coffee. The girls stayed for an hour before heading home.
Amaros and Cam had finished setting up the shower. Zoe and Grace inspected it and watched as they tested it out yet again. “Good job, guys,” Zoe said, grateful for their skills. They’d attached the long hose to the tank with a metal clip, so it didn’t dangle down uselessly.
“I get first dibs,” Grace said, cheekily claiming first rights to use it. She could only just reach the showerhead to turn the water on.
Zoe didn’t fight her for the honor. She’d been feeling a bit unsettled all day and she didn’t think it was because of their battle.
“What’s wrong, love?” Amaros asked.
“I can feel a vision coming on,” she said. The trio looked at her expectantly and she rolled her eyes. “It isn’t going to happen right now,” she said in exasperation. “I’ll let you know when it does.”
Amaros held in his sigh that one of his men, or another cambion was due to arrive soon and he didn’t have any details yet.
“Why are you carrying one of the walky-talkies around?” Cam asked, just realizing Zoe had one sticking out of her jacket pocket.
“We gave one to Victoria, so we can keep in touch with her,” she said.
“That was smart,” Amaros said, approving of the idea. “We could use her help the next time we travel to Manhattan.”
“But not ours,” Grace said with a scowl. She trudged out of the bathroom before either of the warriors could respond.
“She just wants to help and be part of the team,” Zoe said, knowing how the teen felt, since she felt the same way. Neither of them were battle ready. They would just be a liability if they ran into any of the Soldiers of Chaos.
Forewarned that a vision was coming on, Zoe was ready for it when her mind was hijacked after dinner. Amaros caught her hand when she reached out, making sure she didn’t fall out of her chair.
“Cam!” Grace called out and the warrior came running to the great room.
“She’s having a vision?” he figured when he saw Zoe’s blank face and unfocused eyes.
Amaros nodded, waiting for the news he’d been hoping to hear.
“Another warrior will fall tonight,” Zoe announced. “You’ll have to go and rescue him,” she added as the images faded. “He’s going to land near the Statue of Liberty.”
“Where’s that?” Amaros asked, wracking his brain for the information.
“It’s on an island to the south of Manhattan,” Grace told him.
“We’ll need a boat to reach it,” Camriel figured.
“Is he going to be in trouble?” Amaros asked.
“The soldiers will see him fall and they’ll try to get to him first,” Zoe said grimly.
“We should leave now,” her mate said. “It’ll take us six hours to get there even if we hurry.”
“You’ll need to take Victoria with you,” Zoe told him. “I had a feeling you’d need her soon, which is why I gave her one of the walky-talkies.”
“Call her and ask her for her aid,” Amaros said. “It’ll take us longer to get to the island, since she won’t be able to run as fast as we can.”
Zoe took the walkie talkie out of her pocket. “Vic? It’s Zoe. Over.”
“I’m here,” Victoria replied instantly. “Over,” she added.
“I just had a vision that another knight will fall tonight,” Zoe said. “The guys will need your help. Over.”
“I’m on my way,” the wrestler said grimly. “Over and out.”
“That’s my cambion,” Camriel said proudly. “She didn’t even hesitate.”
“Did you see how many soldiers we’ll be up against?” Amaros asked.
Zoe shook her head. “All I saw was rain, two boats heading to the Statue of Liberty and gunfire before the vision ended.” She hesitated before adding something reluctantly. “You should take medical supplies with you.”
Grace groaned at that suggestion. “Did you see who’s going to get hurt?” she asked.
“No,” Zoe said, looking pale and drawn. “I just know they’ll need to take supplies with them.”
Amaros was already forming a plan. “Gear up,” he ordered his second. “We could be gone for a couple of days, depending on how badly one or more of us are wounded.” He would need food and water and so would Victoria.
“I’m on it, boss,” Camriel said, then hurried to pack everything they would need in a couple of backpacks.
He sensed his cambion arriving just as it started to rain heavily.
He stepped into the main wing in time to see her stride through the back entrance.
Dressed in black from head to toe, Victoria was armed with her compound bow, arrows, sickle and a couple of throwing knives.
Their eyes met and she nodded in greeting.
He nodded back, hiding his stab of desire at the determined look in her eyes.
She hadn’t even met their fellow warrior yet and she was already intent on saving his life.
“Thanks for coming, Vic,” Zoe said as she and Grace greeted the cambion.
“As if I’d miss out on a rescue mission,” Victoria said. “I assume the new knight is going to be in some sort of trouble?” she surmised.
“I didn’t see much in the vision, just that some soldiers will try to get to him first,” Zoe explained.
“Did you see where he’s going to land?” the wrestler asked.
“Somewhere near the Statue of Liberty,” Grace told her.
“It’s been years since I took a ferry to see the old green girl,” Vic said in a musing tone. “It’s about fudging time I visited her again.”
“This fight will be dangerous,” Zoe warned her. “I’m pretty sure someone is going to get hurt.”
“Then we’ll make the cork sucking mother fudgers pay for it with their own blood,” Victoria declared.
Camriel wished he could dunk himself in the lake to cool his libido before they left. Knowing his mate was fully capable of fighting for her life was a massive turn on. He finished gathering their supplies and raced to join his friends.
Zoe and Grace gave them all a hug, then stood in the doorway to watch them leave.
They left the tarp on the back of the tank to keep the water out, but removed the one that covered the rest of the vehicle.
Victoria had brought her own backpack full of supplies.
She climbed into the back as Cam shoved their gear onto the seat next to her.
The men got in, then they set out on their mission to save one of their own.