“Sir, I know you’re upset,” Sasha said calmly, glancing around. “But if we could impose on you for one more favor or two… We need that van over there turned into a military vehicle, if you can… and anything you need to use as material-like wheel lugs-to transform into AK-47s or M-16s, whichever is easiest, and silver shells for them. Maybe you can use the steel tire irons for the on-the-fly alchemy? But we need weapons, a vehicle, and a way out, stat. Appreciate your help.”
Sasha went to the side of the van, marveling at how the police continued to shout through the bullhorn as the SWAT unit arrived. Shogun caught the Elf under his tiny arms before he fainted.
“We’re a peaceful people,” the Elf said, gulping. “Do I have to make guns?”
“I will be your eyes,” Silver Hawk said as he sat across the table from Clarissa, with Doc and Bradley by her side. He looked up at Bear Shadow and Crow Shadow and waited for them to nod.
“I will be your ears,” Clarissa murmured, looking at both men.
“Listen for our voices and only our voices to direct you… or that of the Great Spirit,” Silver Hawk said quietly. “I will call the positive ancestors. I will call the shaman guides. I will ask the Great Spirit for your protection. You must free our people from the shackles of this curse!”
Sir Rodney dropped down from the tree line with a smile as soon as Sasha’s vehicle came into the long drive.
“I knew you wanted us to be here,” he said with a wide smile, vindicated, and glancing at his astonished men.
“Thank you,” Sasha said, jumping down from the armored jeep and coming up to Sir Rodney with a wide smile. “Seems I’ve been saying that to you a lot, lately. Your man in town outfitted us beautifully… but we wouldn’t have gotten out of there if it weren’t for a traditional Fae glamour. Although I think your constituent was so upset that he may need medical attention-that or a good therapist. We stressed the poor man, and we apologize for that.”
“Men, listen up-you ’eard what the lady said.” Sir Rodney beamed and glanced around at his troops. “There would be no more Seelie Fae glamour ’ad these brave wolves not gone in and undone a foul curse on the House of Clerk.”
He waited until the cheers and whistles died down and then turned to Sasha. “We thank you… The least we could do was provide you some military fatigues, a wee bit of munitions, and a chance to escape… Standard bibbidibobbidi-boo; easy charms, milady. The stuff of Faerie tales and Dragon lore.” His men laughed as he took a deep bow, seeming much revived now that his magic was back to full strength outside his castle walls. However, when he looked at Hunter, his smile faded. “This man has been shot.”
“Bullet passed through my arm, didn’t knick bone. Twenty-four hours and a session with a good healer, and I’ll be fine,” Hunter said, studying the plantation-style mansion. “Trees to the east are good cover. We have to decide how to take the property-there will definitely be security forces present. Humans to prevent daylight incursions. Maybe even some wolves from the Buchanan Brous-sard camp-so let’s not get overconfident. It ain’t over till it’s over… Never underestimate Vampires.”
“True. And Vamps are like sharks,” Shogun said. “You know that, brother. You’re bleeding and you can’t merge into the shadows… This isn’t like going up against humans; in a pitch-black lair they move faster than-”
“I know. I understand the risks. But we go in there full force, one clan, allies.” Hunter’s gaze slowly surveyed the group until he received nods of agreement.
He motioned with his chin toward the large, antebellum mansion. “Quite a beaut… I’d say forty, fifty rooms to sack, and who knows what they’ve got under the ground?”
Fisher lifted a shoulder cannon and smiled. “We could do it the quick, just-add-water way and be home before dark to have a brew.”
“I like the way this man thinks,” Sir Rodney said with a smile.
“Before we blow the roof off the sucker,” Sasha said, staring at the mansion, “we need to know if there are any innocents in there.”
“Anybody in there is not innocent,” Sir Rodney said. “But if it’ll make you feel better, we do stealth very, very well.”
Baron Montague opened his eyes and sat up slowly in the dark chambers beneath the house. “We have guests,” he said calmly as two female Vampires gathered in closer to him yawning. “I smell blood.” He looked up at the vaulted ceiling in the concrete cavern. “Blood tainted by silver,” he said snarling. “Guards!”
A huge blast rocked the house. Small crumbles of concrete rained down on the bed as he jumped up and dressed in a flash. All above him he could hear battle raging. He shut his eyes and his entire estate came into view. The manor was an inferno above-that would draw humans!
“Fools! There will be blood for this transgression!”
“Give them Kiagehul!” one of his lovers screeched. “The little bastard has caused us nothing but trouble-we are not involved in this… There are Fae out there fighting alongside both wolf clans!”
The baron slapped her in frustration, but fear for her life made her hiss and challenge him. “You may not like to hear my words but you cannot deny the truth.”
Her sister screeched and drew to her side. “Listen to her, Geoff-they will find the vault and open this sanctuary in broad daylight, damn you! Give them the fucking little troll, or whatever he is! Let the Unseelie queen be outraged that they took the law into their own hands and beheaded him! This is not our battle.”
“Oh, but there will be hell to pay for an unprovoked attack without proof!” the baron snarled between his fangs. “A botched attack on their human boy does not begin to redress this offense… We lost one of our own-according to law, that is enough of a fine for going after the little miscreant… And now they’ve laid siege to my lair in an unauthorized attack?”
“Feel the walls,” the other sister said in a hiss. “They are practically glowing. How long do you think it will take for the house to burn down to ash and for them to find us huddled in a corner, screaming for them not to open this tomb!” She stood up on the bed and then levitated toward him. “Give them the betrayer!”
The baron sent a black charge toward her, but she and her sister deflected it with a snarl.
The eldest sister circled him like a hissing cat. “You do not have enough energy to hold them off from this lair, keep it cool enough in here that we not suffer, and fight us-now choose!”
Priceless antiques were going up in flames. Machine-gun reports rang out and echoed in his mind’s eye. His best human security forces were slaughtered… his bouncers in upper-floor lairs had been sentenced to instant death by daylight. The baron turned away from her, closed his eyes, and sent a hard, flashing image of Kiagehul’s hidden coven to Sir Rodney.
“Fall back!” Sir Rodney shouted.
Sasha looked at Hunter as he jerked back a silver-shell-loaded AK-47. Shogun caught up to them, dusting dead Vampire embers off his fatigues.
“Woods, Fisher!” Sasha hunted for her men in the billowing smoke, but let out a hard breath of relief when one last grenade blew and she saw them jogging from the far side of the building as it collapsed.
Sir Rodney used two fingers to point toward the woods, and then closed his eyes and grabbed his forehead. “I can see him,” he said, wincing. “The Vampire gave him up, put the image in me bleedin’ ’ead! But we will have hell to pay… The Vampires were not involved, only spectators in the larger game. I can sense it in me magick; it’s deep in the marrow of me bones!”
“Oh… shit…” Sasha stood numb for a second. “The retaliation is going to be a bitch.”