He cleared his throat and inclined his head to the door. He spoke in a sharp voice. “I need to get some more weapons, ammo for the Glock in case you decide to use it again, then we’ll leave here.” He narrowed his gaze and asked, “What does your locating ability tell you right now?”
Lily focused on the weapon, and as before, he could sense her reaching out. The tendrils of her tracking skill headed in several directions at once, but were unable to connect to an end point. He felt the level of her concentration and saw the lines of tension around her eyes, but nothing happened.
Glancing at him, she shook her head. “I’m sorry. I can feel the ability there; I know it exists. But it’s as though I just don’t have enough power to propel the search forward, if that makes sense.”
“It’s new to you. I’m sure in time it’ll come. For now we’ll just keep following our leads.”
As she set her jaw once more, he brushed past her, leading the way back to the office and his armory.
Lily buried her face in Adrien’s shoulder. She still didn’t understand how the process worked, how she, as a human, could pass through anything solid. Though she kept her eyes closed, she could feel the difference between air and a mass of any kind, but it felt more like the difference between dry air and fog, the solid parts a soft clinging to the skin.
Adrien flew slowly for her sake, and though her head pounded, no sharp stabbing pains threatened to split her brain apart. Even the nausea at such a slow speed remained a faint queasiness. Still, she took deep breaths and tried to relax.
They must have left Paris behind, because for several minutes she’d felt only the texture of air. Though retaining her tight hold on Adrien, and her left foot balanced on his right boot, she set her gaze across his broad chest to see what they passed by.
Not much since it was the middle of the night, but as she looked up through a now thin layer of clouds she caught the occasional star, more wisps of clouds, more stars.
At one point she relaxed against him and his hand shifted on her waist, circling her even more fully. She felt his need to keep her secure and maybe that’s why she let loose with a sigh and permitted her head to actually rest on his shoulder.
In this moment, the reality of her situation stunned her: that she flew in a state of mass that could pass through other masses, that a vampire built like a tank held her in his arms, that she watched clouds and stars pass like it was any other nighttime outing.
We’re almost there. And now his rumbling voice in her head. He had an interesting voice, very deep and resonant. Her husband’s voice had been like that. She missed him so much, the comfort of his arms around her, making love, even arguing with him about how to raise their children.
Now she was alone, trying to save her son if she possibly could, trying not to get killed in the process.
Don’t be sad, Lily …
What did you say? So he knew she was sad and didn’t want her to be.
Nothing. More gruffly this time, even in her head. I didn’t mean to say anything.
Fine.
Fine.
She felt the descent and as she looked down, her acquired vampire vision warmed up the country setting below: a small French town, a nearby river, trees, lots of trees, farm country in broad stretches surrounding the town.
Adrien shifted direction, and as buildings raced toward her she closed her eyes. She felt them pass through a few buildings. Finally his boots hit a solid spot and the warmth of the air told her she was indoors.
We’re in a home at the edge of town. Oh, my God.
She stepped off his foot and opened her eyes.
The house had been ransacked, papers strewn everywhere, furniture overturned. Adrien moved toward a doorway to the left, and she followed behind quickly.
Once more, he spoke straight into her head. Someone got here before us.
No kidding.
For now, stick with telepathy.
I sort of figured.
Good. At least you don’t lack for brains. Then, Oh, God, no. He picked up his pace.
She saw the body lying in a twisted mass.
The Ancestral? she asked.
No. His servant, though, a half-breed who’s been with him a long time.
She stayed on Adrien’s heels as he put his feet in motion again. She ignored the body on the floor, holding her breath as she moved by. Surely death had an odor, and she didn’t want to smell any of it.
One hallway led to another room, another hall, a narrow staircase, a real rabbit warren.
Lily stuck close, resisting the urge to hold on to the bottom of his coat. Her back itched with the thought that someone could attack her from behind. She felt jumpy and as her chain vibrated, and she reached out to sense what he was feeling, she knew Adrien felt the same way.
When she stepped into what had to be an attic, she heard the sound of movement on the rooftop above, someone walking or sliding on tiles. Then a thump and a harsh cry.
Adrien caught her arm and met her gaze, his jaw tight. We have to go up there. When we flew in, no one was on the roof, but I think Sebastien is there now and he’s in trouble.
She nodded. Let’s go. She stepped onto his foot and slung her arms around his neck.
Hold on tight.
You got it.
She felt him dip down and heard the faintest sliding sound and knew he’d just armed himself. The next second he shot into the air, passing through the roof at a wide angle so that they went about thirty feet into the air off to the side.
Four men on the roof. When I land, roll away from my right foot, but catch hold of the tiles. You can do this.
Lily’s heartbeat went into overdrive as he flew down once more and landed. She rolled and caught at the tiles, but slipped, tried to catch, slipped some more but finally held fast. Her arms and hands were scraped up. She thought she’d be bruised—then she felt it, vampire healing because of the chains. But the tug of the chains told her she had to get closer to Adrien, especially since he battled three hooded, robed figures.
Fanatics.
She looked up and watched as another man, the Ancestral in striped pajamas and a dark silk robe, stood at the edge of the roof.
She turned and crawled in Adrien’s direction because the blood-chain still tugged hard.
Adrien whipped into the air, moving closer to her and faster than the other vampires. She watched him use his battle chain first, whipping it to his right and catching the forearm and therefore the dagger of one of the attackers. He jerked hard, which flipped the man in the air and brought him down on his back. He grunted but stayed there.
The other two rushed Adrien. She couldn’t make out all his moves because he was so fast, but by the time they reached him, he had a dagger in each hand. Then she saw it, how he separated and became two different men. The act alone gave him an advantage, since the remaining attackers paused, probably stunned by the maneuver, which gave Adrien the opportunity to move with swift jabs and quicker retreats.
The attackers took up more defensive positions, working the two Adriens farther apart.
Once more Lily felt the tug on the chains and began working her way back up the roof, scrambling each time, scraping up her hands all over again, but she didn’t care.