Night Huntress Part 7

I closed my eyes, remembering that afternoon. I hadn't liked water before, and since then, I hated getting wet. A daily shower-or on rare occasions, a bath-was the limit to any liquid frolicking I might do. Rain was okay, but I still didn't like it much.

"What happened?" Zach asked. "How did you get out?"

"Camille saved me. You have to understand, even before Mother died, Camille always looked after us. She followed me home after school to make certain I was okay. K'sander swore up and down that he had nothing to do with it, but the truth came out. His parents didn't even punish him. The fact that he'd lied hurt worse than the kids dumping me in the pond."

"Honey, you deserve so much better than that. I'll pick you up at seven on Sunday. We'll go out to the Keg Steakhouse. Afterward, how about a walk through the woods at your place?"

"You're on," I said, hanging up. Inside, I was a ma.s.s of knots. I'd just made a date with Zachary. If Chase found out-but then again, Chase had no place to talk. I ruthlessly kicked him out of my thoughts. I was going to enjoy my evening with Zachary, and Chase could f.u.c.k Erika all he wanted if he needed company. Apparently, she served him on a moment's notice far better than I did.

By the time Iris arrived home, Menolly was awake and puttering around the kitchen, fixing Maggie's dinner. They both listened silently as Camille and I ran down our encounter with the venidemons, the h.e.l.lhound, and the shade, and Camille's resulting wound.

"s.h.i.+t, you really got roughed up," Menolly said, examining Camille's hand. "I wish I could have been there. I'd have sent that h.e.l.lhound back to h.e.l.l in a handbasket. You sure you're going to be okay?"

She poured the warmed cream, sugar, sage, and cinnamon into a bowl and set it down on the floor for Maggie, then prepared the ground meat with which we were supplementing her diet. The Care and Feeding of Woodland Gargoyles The Care and Feeding of Woodland Gargoyles had made it clear that it was time to introduce Maggie to solid food. had made it clear that it was time to introduce Maggie to solid food.

"For the hundredth time, I'm going to be fine," Camille said. She pointed to the raw slice of meat Menolly was mincing. "How's she liking the lamb?"

Maggie had-like any toddler-developed some inexplicable likes and dislikes. She loved chicken and turkey but hated fish. She gobbled up beef and buffalo but was hesitant about pork, and there was no way in h.e.l.l we could get her to touch liver or other organ meats.

Menolly shook her head. "She's eating it so far, but I don't think it's going on her favorites list any time soon. Does the book say she should get any vegetables or fruit?"

I picked up the volume from where she'd tossed it on the table. It was so well-thumbed that we'd need a new copy soon. It felt odd to read in our native language again after reading predominantly English for well over a year, but Mother had taught us both English and Spanish when we were young, along with the various Fae dialects. All three of us were well-versed in multiple languages.

"Let's see." I thumbed through the chapters. "Sleep . . . play . . . hey, have you tried to teach her how to use her claws yet? It says here she should be learning the basic rudiments of hunting through play, though she won't be ready for a real hunt for years to come."

Menolly shrugged. "I tried, but she seems reluctant to take a swipe at anything. I used a dead mouse, but she showed little interest in it, either as a toy or as food."

That was strange. Gargoyles were notorious carnivores, and in the wild they fed on game primarily. I skimmed over the feeding section. "No sign . . . oh here-she needs berries for roughage, and they recommend giving her wildcress and gra.s.swort once a week. In the wild, the mothers chew it up for the babies and regurgitate it." I grimaced. "I don't think I want to chew either one of those, let alone feed it to Maggie afterward. I might urp up hairb.a.l.l.s, but that doesn't mean I enjoy the process."

Camille laughed. "That's what food processors are for. What's the closest thing to wildcress and gra.s.swort over here Earthside?"

Iris piped up from the rocking chair where she was ensconced with a light afghan and a cup of orange spice tea. "Watercress and wheatgra.s.s, I expect. I can buy some next time I'm at the market. I wouldn't wild craft it around here because of all the pesticides and chemicals used on the roads and orchards."

"Sounds good," I said as the phone rang.

Menolly wiped her hands and picked up the phone while Camille and I took turns feeding Maggie the ground meat, one spoonful at a time. Menolly whispered something, then took the phone and disappeared into the hall. Must be Wade, the president of Vampires Anonymous. While they'd dated a little, they'd ended up just friends. Menolly had become extremely active in local vampire politics, especially since offing her sire, though she said there were a number of vamps who disapproved of her actions.

"You say Smoky and Morio are bringing dinner home?" Iris said, frowning as she stared at the clock. "Do you know what they're getting? I'm not sure whether to get out soup bowls, chopsticks, or plates."

"If Smoky has anything to do with it, plan on pizza," Camille said with a shake of the head. The dragon had developed a pizza fixation over the past month, and we'd eaten it every time he'd been in charge of bringing home food. He'd shaken off every gentle hint to perhaps go for Chinese, or hamburgers, or even fish and chips.

At that moment, the door slammed open and Vanzir and Rozurial strode in. Vanzir looked ready to bust. "Man, have I got some information for you-" he started, but I waved him silent.

"Wait till Menolly's off the phone. Meanwhile, go take off your coats. Dinner will be ready soon." We'd gone from eating alone to big family-like dinners. Iris loved it, but sometimes I missed the privacy we'd had for so many months. Between Chase, Smoky, Morio, and-until recently Trillian-and then the two demons, and occasionally Bruce, Iris's leprechaun boyfriend, we had somehow expanded our evenings alone to lively discussion roundtables. Fun, but right now, I wasn't feeling very social.

I was about to excuse myself when Smoky and Morio meandered in. Instead of the predictable pizza boxes, Morio was carrying a large bag from Chang's Golden Palace, a Chinese restaurant about ten minutes down the road. It had recently opened up, and I'd been wanting to try their food.

"Dinner's on," Morio said.

"Thank the G.o.ds you convinced him to get something other than pizza," Camille said as Iris pulled out plates and chopsticks. As she set the table, Roz and Vanzir helped her. Menolly came strolling back into the kitchen and slowly replaced the receiver.

She turned to me. "So, when were you going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?" I stared at her, wondering what bee she was hiding in her bonnet this time.

"Tell me that your d.i.c.k of a boyfriend decided to expand the explorations of his p.e.n.i.s. That was Chase. He told me what happened. I'll give him this-he knew better than to lie. So, your detective's developed a yen for his own kind? Good riddance." She hovered up by the ceiling, her eyes flas.h.i.+ng dangerously. "You want I should spank him a good one?"

Smoky blinked. "Chase strayed? Without asking permission?"

Camille swiveled her head to stare at him. "They aren't married, dude. Chill out, this isn't our affair."

"They may not be married, but from Chase's tone, I gather he knows he screwed up," Menolly said from her perch near the ceiling.

Iris cleared her throat. "Dinner's ready. I suggest we leave Delilah's business to Delilah for the meantime. I believe Vanzir had something to tell us?"

Oh yeah, the night was just getting better and better. I flashed Iris a grateful look and pulled out a chair, sliding into it with a thud. "Thanks, Iris. I'm going to say this once, and one time only tonight. The last thing I want is a bunch of unsolicited advice. I'll handle this in my own way, and it doesn't include any spanking, crisping, groin kicks, or any other attacks. Let me attend to my own affairs. I'll call Chase when-and if-I'm ready to, and until then, you can tell him I'm not available if he calls. Of course, if there's an emergency, we'll get the job done, but right now, b.u.t.t out of my private life. Everybody."

The room fell silent until Camille let out a snort. "Good girl," she said as she piled her plate high with pot stickers, rice, almond chicken, and an egg roll.

Menolly glared at me. "Kitten, you tell me everything. I can't believe you were planning on keeping this a secret from me. Chase has no right to treat you like this-"

I jumped up. "See? This is why I didn't want to tell you. Camille, I told. Okay? She's leaving my decisions to me lately, and I appreciate it. You, on the other hand, still act like I'm five. If you'll remember, I'm older than you-Oh what's the use?"

Seeing her expression, I knew it was hopeless. Dropping back into my chair, I grabbed the nearest box of takeout. "You never listen. Just let it go for now, okay? Vanzir, what do you have for us? And it better have nothing to do with boyfriends, love, or s.e.x."

He gave me a sympathetic smile, but the light in his eyes was cold. Sometimes it took me a moment to remember he was a demon, after all. Not human, not Fae, but a dream chaser demon who had, up until recently, entered humans' dreams and dined on their life essence, leaving them weakened and terrified from the constant barrage of nightmares he brought with him during his soporific visits.

"I was hanging around the b.l.o.o.d.y Gin, when I overheard somebody talking about Karvanak," he said.

I grimaced. The b.l.o.o.d.y Gin was yet another vampire-owned bar that welcomed shadier customers. Like Dominick's and the Fangtabula, they'd resisted every attempt by Wade and Menolly to get them on board with the mission statement of Vampires Anonymous.

And Karvanak was a Rksasa-a Persian demon. He'd stolen the third spirit seal from us during our last big battle. Vanzir had defected at that point, but we'd still lost the seal, and Camille blamed herself, though there wasn't much she could have done. Rksasas were greater demons who had far more power than we did.

Even with the horn of the Black Unicorn-a gift Camille had received from the Dahns Unicorns-she'd been unable to withstand the demon's demands and had lost the seal to him. Chalk one up for Shadow Wing. We were determined it wasn't going to happen again.

"Just what did you hear?" Menolly asked, leaning close.

Vanzir gave her a long, studied look, and she backed away just enough to tell me she still didn't fully trust him. None of us did.

"I overheard a goblin tell a vampire that Karvanak was offering big money for any clue to a great treasure, a gem that was priceless. The goblin seemed to think it was some sort of ring or something, but I'll bet you anything that Karvanak's putting out feelers, trying to find the fourth seal." He crossed to the silverware drawer. "Anybody else need a fork? I can't use chopsticks."

"Me, please," I said, raising my hand. Smoky did, too. Menolly stared at the food like she was both starved and ready to throw up. I had to give her credit. Sitting through dinner, watching all of us eat while she could never touch food again, had to be rough, but she did it for the cause.

"How does that help us, though?" Iris asked.

Vanzir handed me a fork and one to Smoky, then sat back down, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "It helps us because I also spent some time today talking to a couple of modern-day prospectors whom Karvanak at one time had thought to employ. They weren't interested in scouting out the mountains for him, and rather than tell them as to why he wanted their help, he just pa.s.sed by the rejection and let them go."

"Prospectors?" I asked. "They spend a lot of time up in the Cascade Mountains?"

He nodded, the grin widening. "Oh yeah, and they were eager to make a quick buck today, especially when Rozurial laid on the charm. We found out several interesting things, including that one of the men ran across a cave a few weeks ago. A cave that's haunted haunted. But before he managed to escape the cave, sans his buddy, he caught sight of a necklace being guarded by what sounds suspiciously like a pa.s.sel of wights. A ruby set in gold. And it was glowing like a firefly in June."

A ruby? I glanced at Camille. "Is one of the spirit seals-" She nodded. "A ruby? Yes. Did the dude remember where the cave was? And, more important, did he tell Karvanak about it?"

Vanzir shook his head. "Yes, and no. And he won't ever have the chance to spill his guts, either."

"You didn't-" Iris gasped and almost fell off the high stool that boosted her to the table. "You didn't kill that poor man, did you?" she asked, steadying herself.

Roz cleared his throat. "Chill, pretty wench. No, Vanzir did not kill the guy. Neither did I, though we thought about it. After all, Karvanak can't very well extract information from a dead man, now can he? But I charmed him and talked him into going to sleep, and Vanzir slid into his dreams and ate up the memory. There's nothing for him to tell now, so he should be safe enough. And so should we."

I stared at my plate, my appet.i.te starting to return. "That means that we know where the fourth spirit seal is, but that Karvanak hasn't got a clue. We can s.n.a.t.c.h it up and send it back to Queen Asteria."

"No s.h.i.+t, Sherlock," Vanzir said, but his eyes crinkled, and the cold fire went out of them for a moment. "We're one up on Shadow Wing's cronies this time. Let's just make sure we keep it that way."

Suddenly hungry, I filled my plate and began chowing down as we sorted out our plans. We were too tired tonight, and tomorrow we had a trip to OW to make. But come tomorrow night, we could drive up into the mountains and search for the cave. And-with a little luck-we'd find the seal before anybody was the wiser.

CHAPTER 10.

For the first time in ages, I crept into bed alone, not knowing if Chase would ever be in it again. At first, exhausted though I was, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. I thought about getting up, sneaking downstairs to watch late-night trash TV with Menolly before she had to go to work. But she was still p.i.s.sed at me, and I didn't feel like answering any questions about Chase right now. So I padded over to the window seat and s.h.i.+fted into cat form. I hopped up on the cus.h.i.+oned bench and curled into a ball, staring out at the moon.

Sometimes life made more sense when I was in cat form. I was still me, my emotions still ran freely, but life on two legs didn't seem quite so important or quite so painful. I inhaled deeply and let it out with a soft purr. So Chase was s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g around. Did it really matter? In the long run, would it matter at all? We were a long way from winning the war against the demons, and who knew if any of us would be around in a year? We might all be dead. Or my sisters and I might be called back to Otherworld. Chase might just be a blip in the road map of my life.

I stood, stretched, and turned around three or four times, trying to find the most comfortable position. As I rested my head on my paws, settling in for a much-needed doze, there was a faint knock on the door, and then it opened and Menolly peeked around the side. She glanced around the room, looking puzzled, until she caught sight of me.

"Kitten? Hey, Kitten, what you doing over here, furble?" She silently crossed the room and, in one swift motion, sat down on the bench next to me. I glanced up at her, not sure I wanted to change back just yet. She caught me up in her arms. When I was in cat form, I was especially sensitive to Menolly's scent. She reminded me of Hi'ran. Her fragrance was that of graveyard soil and old bones and dusty rooms long hidden from the sun. She smelled slightly sweet, like overripe fruit, but it was so faint that most people would never catch her scent on the wind. But the Fae-and Weres-we could smell the undead.

Sometimes I still got creeped out by the thought that my sister was a vampire. Our family had been ripped apart by her death and rebirth. Camille had managed to keep it together until help arrived, and one thing Father never knew-nor did Menolly-was that I'd been there. I'd seen the whole thing, but I'd been in cat form, and when she came bursting through the door like a b.l.o.o.d.y terror, Camille had grabbed me up and tossed me out the window, whispering for me to flee, to get away.

I'd run for help but had been so frightened that I couldn't change back, and it had taken Camille's piercing screams to summon aid. Long after she'd managed to lure Menolly into the safe room and lock her up-a room Father had made in case we were ever overrun by trolls or goblins-Camille had continued to scream.

When I realized that she hadn't followed me out and that I was useless in going for help, I'd doubled back and climbed up the tree next to the living room. I watched as Camille raced to the door, still screaming, and out into the streets.

After that, I lost track of what happened, but it wasn't long before Father arrived home, along with several members of the OIA. By then, I managed to s.h.i.+ft back, and I came in like I'd been away all afternoon. I was too ashamed to say I'd been there but hadn't lifted a finger to help Camille. She never told anybody, and for that, I was grateful. Later, she tried to convince me that she understood, but I couldn't forgive myself for letting her down.

Now, of course, things were vastly different, but the memory of what Menolly had first looked like when she burst through the door, a murderous rage filling her face, covered from head to toe in blood-both her own and her victims along the way-stuck in the back of my mind. No matter how hard I tried, it was an impossible image to erase. Camille had managed to get past it, but I still couldn't. So I tried to spend extra time with Menolly, to overcome the web of fear that still wove itself around a corner of my heart.

Menolly scooped me up in her arms and chucked me under the chin, scratching softly. I shook off my worries and settled into her arms as she cooed over me gently.

"Kitten, I know you can hear me. I know you can understand me. Chase called again a few minutes ago. He wants you to call him; he wants to talk to you. He said he'd be up for another hour or two."

She paused, then let out a long sigh. Menolly didn't have to breathe. When she did so it was purely for effect, though sometimes I suspected she used breathing exercises to cope with the bloodl.u.s.t when it hit her. With a scritch between my ears, she whispered, "You should call him, you know. Get this straightened out one way or another."

Obviously, she wasn't going to let this go. I leapt out of her arms and padded softly toward the bed. I was going to have to talk to her sometime, it might as well be now. But before I could s.h.i.+ft, I felt a lurch in my stomach. d.a.m.n it. Why now now?

My body shook as I began to hack. It was like having a hair caught in your throat and trying to spit it out, only I didn't have fingers and I couldn't feel around inside my mouth to grab hold of it. I backed up, yowling once-loudly-before I began to cough and then it was there, slimy and thick. Struggling to expel it from my throat, I strained, coughing loudly.

Menolly sighed. "Hairball? Oh, Kitten, I'm sorry. I'll make sure Iris grooms you more. Or I can brush you if you like. Let me know which you prefer." As she spoke, I opened my mouth, and the glob of gunk ricocheted out of my throat, onto the braided rug. It would have to be the rug. It was always the rug, or the bedspread, or the pillow. Never the floor. Nope Nope, no matter how hard I tried, I could never land one on the hardwood floor, where it would be easier to clean up.

As soon as the hairball was free, I s.h.i.+fted back. I'd had enough playing kitty cat for one night. I stretched and yawned as I s.h.i.+mmered back into bipedal form and blinked. Menolly grinned at me as she cleaned up the hairball for me.

"Playing nudist, I see?" She ran her eyes up and down my body in an exaggerated leer.

I glanced down. Oh s.h.i.+t, I'd changed into cat form when I was naked. No wonder I hadn't been wearing my usual collar. "Very funny," I said, grabbing my sleep s.h.i.+rt and yanking it over my head. It was chilly, so I fished out the magenta pajama bottoms to match and slid into them, then hopped on the bed and crossed my legs. I searched through the nightstand drawer until I found my stash of Snickers. Tearing open the wrapper, I bit into the gooey treat, sighing as the taste of chocolate coated my throat.

I stared at the candy bar. "Sometimes, our mother's people get it right, and when they do, they get it right in a big way."

Menolly shrugged. "I wouldn't know. At least not now. But I remember when Mother brought home the bag of chocolate Kisses from one of her trips. We were what . . . I don't remember . . . little, though. Camille had barely started her training with the Coterie of the Moon Mother. They were good, I remember, but almost too sweet for me."

"Nothing's too sweet for me," I mumbled, taking another bite of the chocolate bar. "You aren't going to let it drop, are you? About Chase?"

She shook her head. "You need to talk to him. One way or another, you have to come to terms with this."

"I thought you said we were doomed." I stared glumly at the pattern on the comforter. I'd picked out one with a swirl of roses and ivy, and now I thought maybe I should trade it in for a SpongeBob bedspread, or something with monkeys on it. Something whimsical to make me laugh.

"I still think you are, but that doesn't mean you can leave it like this." She stood up. "Whatever happens, I'm here for you. But don't push me out of the loop, Kitten. I love you, and I care about you. Even when I'm being a total bada.s.s b.i.t.c.h." She kissed me on the forehead and headed toward the door, stopping to peer over her shoulder. "By the way, while you and Camille are back in OW, if you get the chance, try to sc.r.a.pe up a few toys for Maggie. Something she'd like to play with that would at least introduce her to her home world. I want her to know both Earthside and OW culture."

I nodded, smiling, but said nothing. Menolly was playing mama to Maggie. She was following in the steps of our own mother, but if I told her that, she'd pooh-pooh it. I finished my chocolate and turned off the light, sliding under the covers. Finally, somewhere near midnight, sleep caught up to me, and I fell into an exhausted, dreamless slumber.

Camille, Morio, Smoky, Iris, and I stood at the entrance to the Hydegar Park portal. One of the random portals to open up over the past few months, it was in the corner of a small, two-block-square park that the city had let grow wild. Luckily, the park was seldom used, and we'd gotten away with a.s.signing an elderly-but still powerful-elf to watch over it.

Sent by Queen Asteria, Mirela dressed like a bag lady so as not to attract attention and spent her days in the park. At night, she cast a temporary seal on the portal, but it never held for long; the energy of the portal dissolved it. By morning the seal dissipated, and Mirela was once again camped out in the park, watching to make sure nothing nasty got through. In case it did, she had a cell phone and our numbers, and we'd hear about it in under five minutes.

The portal led straight to Darkynwyrd, problematic because the dark forest bordered the Shadowlands and shortly thereafter, the Southern Wastes. Should the beasties who prowled the woods there realize that the portal had opened, there would be plenty of creatures who would take delight in crossing over to wreak as much havoc as they could.

That was the problem with goblins and trolls and any number of other denizens of Otherworld. The more trouble they caused, the more b.u.t.t-slapping, back-patting bulls.h.i.+t went on back in their native watering holes. It was like a men's locker room, only worse. And the women were just as bad. I'd only met a few goblin wenches, but they were just downright nasty.

Camille waved at Mirela. "Hey, we're ready. Anybody around this morning?"

Mirela shook her head. "n.o.body stirring but the birds, and even they have been uncommonly quiet. There's a storm brewing-thunder, it feels like, and lightning, and heavy dark clouds coming this way."

Iris sat down beside her on the bench. "You're right about that. I've sensed it since I woke this morning. Camille, you'll probably be able to, too, if you close your eyes and focus."

We'd decided to bring Iris with us because she was an expert with plants, and she'd be able to ferret out a Panteris phir Panteris phir plant without any problem. Maggie was tucked away in Menolly's lair, and we'd left Rozurial to watch over the place. Vanzir had been sent packing for the day. Not that we didn't trust him, but we preferred to err on the side of caution. plant without any problem. Maggie was tucked away in Menolly's lair, and we'd left Rozurial to watch over the place. Vanzir had been sent packing for the day. Not that we didn't trust him, but we preferred to err on the side of caution.

The elf motioned to the two trees that created the framework for the portal. Sometimes portals were erected between standing stones, other times they were dependent on trees or cave entrances or even large boulders. In Hydegar Park, one of the trees was oak, the other cedar. Guardians both, and sentient, though they would not speak to me. I could sense their watchful natures, observing us, taking in all that went on around them. Earthside forests kept to themselves. Compared with our woodlands back home, they were quiet and sometimes sullen, resentful of those who had destroyed wide swaths of thicket and copse.