Chapter Twenty-Eight
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CATERINA FROZE WHEN she saw the box that was sitting on the picnic table. About eight inches long and six inches wide, it was black and glossy. A picture of a hawk had been engraved on it. It was the box she’d dreamed about. The one her great-grandmother had tossed into a bottomless pit.
Crossing to the table, the cambion lifted the lid with a shaky hand.
Her jewelry, photos of her mom and other precious mementos were inside, along with a folded note.
She picked up the note and recognized Granny Blaze’s handwriting.
Reading the note, she dropped it and put her hands over her face.
Her body became wracked with sobs again.
Once more, Ramiel folded her into his embrace. The huge warrior held her tightly as she cried in relief and sorrow. “What did the note say, female?” he asked her gently when her tears began to ebb.
“You were right,” she said, pulling away to wipe her tears with the hem of her t-shirt.
His gaze dropped to her toned abs and he jerked his gaze away.
He sat at the picnic table in an unsuccessful attempt to hide his desire.
Picking up the note, she sat down across from him.
“Granny Blaze saw a vision of Luca attacking me and me defending myself,” she said.
“They found his body and buried him, then had to move on. “Someone would have spotted their caravans and attacked in a large group if they’d stayed.”
“Why didn’t the humans find the box?” he asked.
“The caravans left, so no one had any reason to search the campsite,” she figured. “My family is fine and Granny Blaze said she’s sure we’ll meet again one day.”
Caterina felt like a weight had been lifted off her now that she knew she hadn’t been banished from her clan. Luca was the outcast instead of her and she knew she would see her great-grandmother again eventually.
“We should continue on to Manhattan,” Ramiel figured.
She could tell he was disappointed that his questions would remain unanswered.
“I wish I had the sight so I could fill you in on what Fate’s plan for us is,” she said.
Tucking the note back into the box, she started putting her jewelry on again.
The gold and silver bracelets, anklets and necklaces made more noise than she’d realized once she’d donned them.
“I’ll have to take these off if I need to sneak up on anyone,” she said ruefully.
“I’m glad your family is safe and well,” Ramiel told her when she got up to leave. “I’m glad they buried Luca near the toilets,” he added.
Caterina snickered as she tucked the box with the note in it beneath her arm. “It’s kind of fitting,” she agreed.
“Do you know the way to Manhattan from here?” he asked as they got back into the pickup truck.
“We just need to get onto a nearby highway, then follow the signs,” she replied. “It’ll take a few hours to get there, since we’re inland a bit.”
Ramiel took off and she guided him to the highway. They wended their way around obstacles as he asked her questions about her life. Nomadic people had been around in previous eras, so her lifestyle didn’t seem all that strange to him.
“I don’t think we can go any further,” Caterina said when she saw a huge pileup ahead. “We’re pretty close to Manhattan now. I think most of the roads will be clogged with traffic. We should probably park somewhere and go the rest of the way on foot.”
Ramiel nodded in agreement, then peered around. He spied an open double garage that only had a small sedan in it. The spot next to it was vacant, so he deftly reversed inside. “The truck should be safe here,” he figured.
They got out and she shoved the black box and some supplies into a backpack. “I’ll have to remember where this house is so I can come back for the rest later,” Caterina said.
“With luck, we’ll find my brothers and they can take us to their base,” her companion said.
“It’s getting cloudy,” his female noted. “I think it’s going to storm before too long.
Shouldering their gear, they ran along the sidewalk, passing stalled traffic and skeletons. Few of the houses were occupied as they raced past them. Caterina guided Ramiel to the Bronx. “I have a bad feeling about this,” she murmured. “Where the hell is everyone?”
“The area is far too deserted,” Ramiel agreed uneasily. “We should climb up high and scout the city from afar.”
“It’s lucky I stole these from the cannibals,” Caterina said, taking binoculars from a duffle bag. She’d found them in the town hall. Ramiel’s grin made her heart flutter like one of the heroines in his beloved romance books.
Snickering to herself, she followed the warrior to one of the tallest buildings in the neighborhood. They climbed the stairs to the rooftop, then loped over to the side facing Manhattan.
It was late afternoon by now and the sun was beginning to set. “What’s that tall building with the lights all lit up?” Ramiel asked, peering through her binoculars.
She could see it even without assistance. “That’s the Empire State Building,” Caterina told him. “It’s where Governor Giamano’s headquarters is.”
“You mean Rahab’s human puppet?” Ramiel said with a sneer. “The human probably has no idea he’s being controlled by his master.”
He handed the binoculars to Caterina and she studied the area. “I can see a lot of people wearing white armbands,” she noted. “They’re moving in groups of eight or ten and seem to be searching the buildings.”
“They need food for their troops,” Ramiel said, then frowned. “I can hear a large group of humans approaching.”
Moving to the far side of the building, they watched around a hundred people marching towards Manhattan. They’d brought their own supplies with them, but they looked gaunt and weary.
Returning to the southern side of the rooftop, they kept track of the group. “I can feel someone coming,” Caterina said with a frown. “They seem similar to you.”
Ramiel gave her a startled look, then took hold of her hand.
“We need to leave,” he said grimly, then sprinted for the stairs.
Caterina did her best to keep up with the knight as he sped down to the first floor and exited from the building.
They raced back the way they’d come, then heard distant gunshots.
“What’s going on back there?” she asked, casting a look over her shoulder while trying to keep her feet. He still had hold of her hand so he didn’t leave her behind.
“I believe the Soldiers of Chaos who just arrived are culling the humans,” Ramiel said. “Some of them looked sick and they wouldn’t have made very good slave labor.”
“Why did you seem so spooked when I told you I could sense one of the soldiers?” Caterina asked when he slowed down.
“I sensed ten of my enemies arrive just as we fled from the building,” he said. “If one of them stood out to you, it can only mean one thing. He has to be your sire.”
“Oh,” she said, then shivered. “I’m glad we left before he could sense me.”
“So am I,” he agreed. “He would have used his parental bond to control you if they’d captured us.”
“Not if I set him on fire first,” Caterina said fiercely.
He’d told her all about how evil his enemies were.
She wasn’t about to allow her red-eyed dad to take over her mind.
Ramiel’s grin of admiration bolstered her spirits.
They both knew how deadly she could be when she turned her magic against her foes.