“True,” Hideo conceded. “Many centuries ago we struck a deal with your coven Elders that my people were to be apart from their rule. We had our own structure, our own lifestyle that did not fit within their world. Unfortunately, it now seems that the problems of the West have leaked into the East.”
“The naturi,” I muttered with a shake of my head. With the many doors that had opened around the world following the sacrifice at Machu Picchu the past fall, I had little doubt that even Japan was now seeing its share of problems with the naturi. In truth, I hadn’t given it much thought since Aurora had made her base here in the West, but the repercussions of our failure in Peru were being felt everywhere.
Hideo nodded as he folded his arms across his chest. “Yes, those earthbound creatures that you call the naturi have been attacking our clans both day and night. We have never had such a problem before, so we came to you after Matsui told us of your many battles with their type.”
“But why me?” I said, shaking my head, as I hoped to dodge responsibility for this lonely group looking for a little direction. I had enough of my own problems without adding an entire new set.
“Besides your personal experience with the naturi, Matsui informs us that you recently achieved a position of Elder on your coven, Fire Starter,” Hideo carefully said. He was good. He was not only calling on my fighting experience but also using this as an opportunity to formally address a representative of the coven. And as if that wasn’t all, he was invoking my position in the nightwalker world as the Fire Starter. Yep, I was screwed.
Do you think they would help us? Danaus whispered in my brain.
Against Aurora?
It seems they can handle themselves in a fight, and taking down Aurora could ease their problems at home.
But would they accept an alliance with their enemy? I wondered to myself. It was something I was still struggling with, and I wasn’t sure that I would be able to sell such a plan to a group that already shunned its own kind under most circumstances.
“We have much to discuss, and I would prefer to spend that time in more comfortable quarters,” I announced, loudly clapping my hands together. “Matsui, will you please bring our guests to me in one hour? That shall give Danaus and myself time to clean up here and check on a few matters before we have our meeting. They will be able to sense my location, I am sure.”
“Is there anything we can assist you with?” Hideo offered, but I quickly waved him off.
I snapped my fingers and a small teardrop flame appeared above my hand. “Most of what needs to be done can be finished in a flash. I just need a little time to freshen up.” And develop a new game plan, I thought.
For now, Daniel and the Daylight Coalition were forgotten. Cynnia and her troubles with Aurora had slipped away. Even my struggles with both Jabari and Nick had fallen by the wayside. The mysterious Soga clan was in my domain, and I was certainly not the best emissary for my kind here in the West. For once, I wished the damned sun would finally rise.
Sixteen
Danaus bade me to stop pacing for a third time, but I wasn’t listening. My mind kept turning over the fact that I was suddenly being thrust into talks with a clan of Japanese nightwalkers; a significant and completely unexpected event. I was a fledgling the last time a member of the Far East nightwalkers appeared before the coven, and the meeting did not go well. After centuries of silence, I knew that the naturi were the reason for their appearance. But did they also know that I was partially to blame for the failure to prevent their return?
To further complicate matters, I was now aligned with members of the naturi in hopes of killing their queen so I could place a different naturi on the throne. And the best part: I was expected to play nice with the naturi that had been trying to destroy me for most of my existence. How had things gotten to be so bad so fast?
Leaning against a tree at the edge of the clearing, Danaus watched as I swung my katana through the air, slicing at the wind that was beginning to stir. After a brief trip to my house, where we took the opportunity to rearm with an assortment of blades, we traveled out to the clearing the Savannah pack used during the full moon for its meetings. Out here, we were hidden from the view of humans in the event that this conversation went as poorly as their last visit to the coven.
“Are these Japanese nightwalkers really that tough?” Danaus inquired as I carefully slid the sleek sword into the sheath hanging across my back, then ran my hands down over the knives strapped to my sides.
Keep your voice to yourself. You don’t know how close they are. They could be listening.
A little paranoid, aren’t you? Danaus asked in a mocking tone. But his sense of humor didn’t keep him from being just as prepared as me. The hunter had grabbed his favorite sword with the rune inscribed along the blade, as well as a collection of knives that were secreted about his person.
They are in a foreign land and may be looking for an advantage over us. It’s enough that they had to step in and save our hides from the naturi. They need not hear our private conversations about them as well.
Why are you so concerned?
I finally stopped pacing and stood in front of the hunter. Because I am completely unprepared for this. I don’t know what they want. They’ve not spoken to anyone outside Japan in centuries. These nightwalkers are also centuries old. Ancients! I’m half tempted to go track down Jabari since I know he’s still lurking in the region, but I fear he would make a bigger mess of things.
We’re better off without him.
I— The words halted in my brain as I felt a swell of power drawing near. A car had stopped less than a mile away from the clearing. They weren’t attempting to cloak their appearance any longer. There were three nightwalkers approaching, along with one human I could only presume was Matsui. A ball of anger flared. I had trusted my bodyguard to protect me. I have to admit that I had always suspected he was a spy, but I’d hoped I was wrong. After I was finished with the Japanese nightwalkers, Matsui was getting on a plane with them. Gabriel would have to find another replacement for my poor Michael.
Unfortunately, I was also coming to the realization that I would never find a replacement for my fallen bodyguard. Michael and Gabriel had been the perfect combination. Their experience, wisdom, and just general common sense allowed them to survive at my side for several years. Finding another that would protect me with his life and wouldn’t betray me was proving to be difficult.
Danaus sensed our approaching company as well and pushed away from the tree to slowly walk out into the clearing. With a wave of my hand, a large fire sprang to life in the center of the clearing, deepening and pushing back the shadows to the surrounding woods. Several other fireballs burst into existence around the clearing, hanging in the air like oversized fireflies. We all had perfect night vision, but I wanted nothing to be hidden here. I wanted to remind the Soga clan exactly who they were dealing with. The Fire Starter.
The hunter came to stand beside me, a frown pulling at the corners of his mouth as his hands rested on the hilt of two knives strapped to either side of his waist. “You’re right. They are old. Ancients at least as old as Jabari, if not older.”
“You should never have come,” I whispered, angry with myself for not considering it sooner. His life had already been at risk when we faced the naturi that evening. I didn’t need to add to it by pitting him up against a trio of nightwalkers that were significantly stronger than me. I should have handled this alone.