CHAPTER 35
Lena glanced up at Gauge, not sure what to say. She was glad when Gauge answered for her.
“There are two species of serpents that we know of, Catalan and Leviathan. All serpent males can shift to a battle form and fly, but they are also able to fly or breathe fire in human form. Catalan females can also shift, but the ability has been bred out in most Leviathan females.”
“What is she?” he asked, nodding at Lena.
“Leviathan.”
“If she can’t fly, why does she have wings?”
Gauge was saved from answering by a knock at the door. Lena wasn’t sure what her mate would have said. They didn’t really know why she had feathered wings, or why she had developed wings at all, for that matter.
“Enter,” the general said, standing. He walked around to their side of the table to meet whoever came in.
Gauge put his hand on Lena’s shoulder as they all turned to see who was entering.
She had heard them speak of this Amanda person often, about how she was supposedly the host for the Umi queen’s spirit.
What she didn’t expect to see was this petite female, no taller than five feet, her blonde hair cut short and spiked, the tips shiny black.
If she was worried, Lena could find no trace of it in her bright blue eyes. She looked almost happy to see them.
“Hey, guys,” Amanda said, walking ahead of the soldier who held a weapon aimed at her back.
“I was wondering when you would show up. We’ve just about learned everything we need to know.
As soon as we gather everyone up, I’ll be ready to return to Laizahlia to speak with the council.
There’s a lot they need to know before we attempt to proceed. ”
“Excuse me,” the general said, his expression incredulous. “I’m afraid you and your friends aren’t going anywhere. We are not finished with our interrogations. It would help immensely to speed things along if you would only cooperate.”
Amanda turned to the general. “In what way have we not cooperated, General? The Laizahlian are trying to help save your species, yet you seem intent on allowing Djinn to destroy you. I believe it’s time for our presence to become public knowledge.
The general population of Earth needs to know what they will soon be facing.
Let them make up their own minds if they want our help or not.
It’s obvious to me that you are not capable of making a rational decision in this matter. ”
“That would be very foolish of you,” the general snarled.
“All you’ll succeed in doing is panicking the masses.
You’ll create an even bigger mess than we already have.
We don’t even understand what is going on yet.
How do you expect civilians to follow? You’ve told us there are already groups of shifters living among us humans, yet you won’t tell us where they are. Maybe we should start there.”
Gauge took a step closer to the general, not surprised when the cowardly male stepped back.
“Not long ago you captured a serpent male. You kept him locked up in a facility in eastern Oregon. I recently spoke with his nephew, General. I know what you did to his uncle, how badly you tortured him. Tell me, if I gave you the coordinates to one of our shifter packs here on Earth, what would be your first move?”
Lena could see the general had a hard time holding eye contact with Gauge. His eyes kept shifting all around the room. She also noticed Gauge’s amused expression. Her mate squeezed her shoulder, sending telepathically, “He tries to scramble his thoughts in hopes of keeping his real agenda hidden.”
“Which is?”
“To find a way to get the upper hand with us . . . and Djinn. The male is a fool. We need to find someone else to speak with, someone who holds a superior rank to this one.”
“We don’t have any intention of hurting anyone,” the general finally said to Amanda, “but for now, we feel it would be in the best interest of everyone, including these shifters, to keep them segregated from the general population. I’m sure you agree it would be for their own safety.”
“Ah, you mean to trap them in cages, imprison them. I’m fairly sure they won’t agree to this.” Gauge turned to Amanda. “Is there anything the Umi queen could say to reach this human?”
Amanda sighed, her gaze falling on the general. “Doubtful. He’s already been corrupted by a Djinn. Not all the soldiers here agree with what he’s doing, but they’ll still follow his orders.”
When the general began to object, Gauge entered his mind and froze him. He could listen but not react. “Go ahead,” he said to Amanda.
She nodded. “Once we make our presence known to the general population, Laizahlian and serpent guards will need to be placed around all shifter packs, at least for now. The general isn’t wrong in that some groups will react negatively to our presence.
As soon as I speak with the council, I’ll plan to approach a few reporters and try to open channels of communication.
I suspect most humans will be more curious about us than afraid.
As far as Djinn go, I’m hoping the Umi queen has a plan to stop the expected invasion. ”
“You don’t know?” Gauge asked, frowning.
“No. She tells me only what I need to know at the time. I think part of her hopes her sister will stop this needless attack, but deep down, she knows she won’t.
The Djinn queen won’t be happy until she’s destroyed everything Abriel loves, which is us, shifters.
We are all her children. It doesn’t matter what world we call home.
If humans or vampires die in the conflict, so much the better.
If Raiden becomes involved again, the Djinn queen will try to destroy them too.
At the very least, she will try to take out the serpents. No one is safe from her.”
“Very well. Perhaps the Umi queen will have more to say to the council,” Gauge said. “If you’re ready, we should probably leave. Do you know where they’re holding your mate?”
The first sign of anger entered the blonde woman’s blue eyes.
Lena could swear she saw flames shoot across the surface.
“We didn’t anticipate Djinn having already corrupted this base.
Nor did we expect these humans to already have access to the drug that separates a shifter from their animal.
We have always believed this drug was developed by one of our own physicians.
It’s obvious now that he had outside help.
Tallyn was injected shortly after we arrived. Neyvarre and Kimberly as well.”
“And you?”
“Because of the Umi queen, drugs won’t work with me. I can break them down too quickly to be effective. We do need to get Tallyn, Neyvarre and Kimi out of here. I’m assuming you have a ship standing by.”
“Yes, but I can’t reach them from here. They’ve used chromastin to line the walls. It apparently blocks telepathic communication. I doubt a communicator will break through either. We’ll need to go to the surface.”
Amanda motioned toward the frozen general. “Will the asshole stay like that for a while?”
“Just until we leave this level. I may not be able to maintain control through the chromastin.”
Amanda turned to the soldier standing in the doorway, his eyes open far too wide, sweat dripping down the sides of his face. “Take me to my mate. We wish to leave now.”
The soldier looked toward the general, as if seeking permission.
“It’s okay,” Amanda said softly. “He won’t remember anything about you helping us.” She turned to Gauge. “Right?”
Gauge tipped his head, acknowledging her unspoken request.
“Are you sure he won’t remember?” the soldier said, his posture starting to relax a little.
“Yes,” Gauge replied.
“I want you to know that a lot of us here don’t like what the general did to you.
That white-haired woman he’s been talking to, she gives us the willies.
We just don’t have a choice but to obey orders.
” He hesitated a moment, then asked, “Is it true? Is that woman a real Djinn, like the grant-wishes type of Djinn?”
“It’s okay, Thad,” Amanda said. “We knew from the start this wouldn’t be easy.
And yes, she is a real Djinn, though she’s using glamour to hide behind.
And never ask a Djinn to grant you a wish.
She will twist it up and turn it on you.
Now, I really do need to go. Can you take us to Tallyn?
Then I need to get to Neyvarre and Kimi. ”
Thad shivered, fear entering his eyes again.
“You can’t really tell by just looking at him, but that big man, Kimi’s husband, he’s furious.
The general took his woman and placed her in a separate cell.
He thought he could break them easier if he separated them.
I don’t think that man is the breaking type. ”
“Shit,” Amanda said softly, turning to Gauge. “Is this going to be a problem?”
“Not unless the general physically hurt Kimberly. Can the Umi queen reach them to find out. We should know what we’re getting into. An enraged Hunter is not to be taken lightly.”
Amanda held up a finger. “Hang on. Let me ask her.”
Lena stepped in closer against Gauge as she watched the petite female close her eyes.
A few seconds later, she opened them, only her eyes weren’t blue anymore; they were an odd silvery color that seemed to flow back and forth across both eyes.
Lena shivered when Amanda spoke, her voice layered, as though more than one person was speaking through her.
Lena was grateful when Gauge slipped his arm behind her back, gently rubbing.
“I am bonded with the Hunter and his mate. I will speak with him now to make sure he hasn’t lost control. I sense Kimberly is unhappy but not seriously hurt. She is more afraid that the injection they gave her might not wear off. I will assure them both that it is only temporary.”
“Thank you, your Majesty,” Gauge said, crossing his fist over his chest. “Your help is greatly appreciated.”
A few minutes later, Amanda opened her eyes, and Lena was relieved to see they were once again bright blue instead of silver. She’d felt the rise in energy when the other entity spoke through the petite woman. It had tickled along her scales, just shy of being painful.
“Okay,” Amanda said. “Neyvarre is pissed off royally, but he calmed down when the queen told him Kimi wasn’t hurt.
He is frustrated with the humans, especially numbnuts over there.
” She motioned toward the general, whose eyes were wide, panicked, frightened.
“We are wasting our time here. General Hardy will never listen to reason.” Amanda grinned.
“Have to say, though, I always wanted to know what they did here. Area 51 has always been associated with aliens but kept very hush hush. I bet the general here almost shit his pants when he got his hands on some real live aliens.” She giggled, then turned her attention to the soldier.
“We’re ready, Thad. Let’s go get my friends. ”
Lena couldn’t believe the difference between the real Amanda and the one who lived inside her. She could only follow some of what she said, not entirely sure what ‘pissed off’ or ‘numbnuts’ meant, though it was obviously derogatory in nature.
Gauge pressed against her lower back, following Amanda as they left the room. Teo, who’d been mostly silent through it all, brought up the rear.