Chapter 45
CHAPTER 45
The training room had been converted into an armory over the course of the last week. More tables had been brought in, and each was laden with holy water, UV flashlights, wooden stakes, silver chains, and swords. One table was filled with handguns and special ammunition, but only trained fighters—ones like Lacey, Josefina, and Thomas—who had years of experience with firearms and combat training were carrying firearms. In the wrong hands, knives were deadly enough. Roger wasn’t willing to risk friendly fire for the sake of maybe taking out an enemy.
Since winter nights were so long, the plan was for teams to filter in, take their weapons, and prepare to rendezvous at their given locations around the mansion. Team leaders had synchronized watches and would launch their attacks at 6:25 a.m. That was almost twenty minutes before the sun would completely clear the horizon, which should be enough time to strike and get their vampire compatriots into hiding places before they burned in sunlight. Seamus might be able to tolerate some light, but the daylight would keep him at bay, too.
All attention went to Roger as he stepped into the middle of the room. The team leaders were the only ones gathered so far. Among them were Dmitri, Josefina, Nathaniel, Bastian, and Thomas. Like them, he was dressed in black tactical gear. Josefina had managed to get her hands on some, and Ben Clarke-Coldwell, Noah’s husband, had managed to buy more.
“I know I don’t have to give a big speech,” Roger said. “These last few weeks have been intense, and we’ve been spending a lot of that time together. What we’re doing is risky, and I don’t know that I’ll have a chance to say this later on. Thank you. Thank you for trying, thank you for seeing that this is doable. For believing. I’ve spent so much of my life not believing, in suppressing any possibility of hope because I was afraid it was going to crush me. We will pull this off, and when we do, we will send a clear message that the Great Lakes Coven will burn. That Seamus’s stranglehold is coming to an end. I hope to see all of you on the other side.”
Lacey began to clap, and a few of the others joined in the applause.
Roger nodded to the group and ducked back toward the wall. Time was moving in peculiar jumps and drags. Every time he thought an hour had passed, only three minutes had, and when he thought only a minute had gone by, at least half an hour had. The agony of a winter’s night was in its length. At barely past seven p.m., Roger both had far too much time before he was due at the servants’ entrance to Chateau de Vampire and not enough. He touched Zack’s pendant and then slipped it under his black shirt.
Noah, the slight warlock who had spelled Vincent to sleep during his violent magical outburst, joined Roger at the wall and surveyed the room before them. “Inspiring speech.”
“Thanks,” Roger said. “Do you have it?”
“Already in your left pocket,” Noah replied.
Roger frowned but reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold necklace with a medallion on it. Runes were carved into it. “How do I activate it?”
“Slide it over your head, concentrate however your magic speaks to you, and say ‘alius sui.’ Medallion’s set to do the rest of the work for you. When you want to end it, just slip it off. Should work five times before the charm wears off.” Noah cracked a lopsided grin. “Illusions are a specialty of mine. One reason I’m on team Post-Game. My husband’s on team Firestarter.”
Roger ran his thumb over the runes. In one of the first honest, long conversations Zack and Roger had ever had, Zack had attempted to drop as many news updates on him as possible. Same-sex marriage had come up, and the reality of its existence had made Roger ready to weep. So long in the shadows, pushed down and away, and yet there had been change. There was reason for hope. Life didn’t have to stay the same.
But one still had to fight.
“Thank you, for this.” Roger held up the necklace before sliding it back into his pocket. “A week isn’t enough to master the sort of spell I needed.”
“Eh, happy to help. The more involved I get with the Burrow, the more bullshit I realize goes on in this city. I’m looking forward to shaking up the status quo.” Noah patted Roger’s shoulder and then walked away.
Roger took one last look around at the people gathered. That more would filter in and out and join the mission was mind-boggling. He’d always assumed that no one would dare to take on Seamus because he’d been unable to for centuries. But his people weren’t doing this to save Zack and Takashi—several of them were aiming for that to be part of their outcome, but it wasn’t the group’s primary focus. They were willing to take on one of the biggest powerhouses in Chicago because Roger had finally said enough was enough. How many lives would he have saved if he had acted sooner?
I can’t save the past. Only the future .
Silently, Roger slipped away to the alleyway.
Before he’d gone more than a few steps, the building’s door swung open, and Thomas stepped out. Darkness filled the narrow alley as he let the door close behind him. The streetlights were farther away, leaving long shadows that made Thomas seem older and haunted. “Not much of a goodbye there.”
“I’ll see you later,” Roger replied.
“I know you will. But here. I was hoping you would take this.” Thomas held out an envelope.
“What’s this?” Roger took it from him.
“A letter for my son.” Thomas cleared his throat. “If everything goes well, I’ll have a chance to talk to him after we’re done tonight. That letter is for … if you can give it to him at the Chateau, I’d appreciate it. I want to tell him that I’m sorry and I love him. I don’t want him to think that I stopped caring.”
“Even though he’s a vampire?” Roger asked.
“He’s my son,” Thomas said firmly. “I’ve failed him for too long. I won’t do it again.”
The sincerity in his words left an ache in their wake. Thomas was trying to mend what he’d broken. Roger folded the envelope and slid it into his back pocket. “I can’t promise a favorable response.”
“He’d be within his rights to tell me to go to hell,” Thomas replied. “Either way, I want you to know I am part of this fight as long as it takes. If I have to do it far from Zack, I will.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Roger held out his hand. “I’m glad you came when I called.”
“I’m glad you reached out.” Thomas clasped Roger’s hand. They shook once, solid and firm, and then Roger departed for his car.