Banishment : Book 9 of the Heku Series (24 page)

“Even immortals can die,” Kralen reminded her
when she walked back out.

“Immortal means being exempt from death. Come
to think of it, you all aren’t immortals either.”

“Yeah we are,” Mark said, smiling.

“Nope, you can die, therefore, not
immortal.”

Mark simply walked away, still smiling.

“Where are you going?” Emily called after
him.

“Inside,” he said, and then turned toward
her.

“You aren’t asking permission are you?”

“Of course not.” Mark disappeared into the
palace.

“I’ll get my truck,” Kralen said, and blurred
away.

Emily turned to Silas, “Everyone seems
tense.”

“I haven’t seen it.”

“Of course not. You’re tense too.”

“I’m not.”

Emily shrugged, “Well, I want you all to
relax and let loose tonight. No protocol, or rules, or heku
traditions.”

“It’s not that easy to get rid of.”

“Try”

Mark walked up to Chevalier’s office and
knocked.

“Enter,” Chevalier called out.

He walked in and bowed, “The Captains and I
want to take Emily into town for Chinese food.”

Chevalier sat back, “Was that your idea? I’m
not really comfortable with her out there while women are being
attacked.”

“No it wasn’t my idea, and I’m almost afraid
not to go.”

“Why’s that?”

“Things have been really nice since she
returned from Ireland. She’s cooperative, doesn’t sneak out, and
listens to us when it comes to her protection.”

“Yes”

“Today, I saw a brief glimpse of her old
self.”

Chevalier outwardly winced, “What
happened?”

“We don’t know what happened between you and
Dain, but she’s pretty upset about it and has somewhat
reverted.”

“Damnit,” he said, leaning forward. “Take her
out then. Just don’t take your eyes off of her.”

“We won’t, Elder,’ Mark said. He then bowed
and blurred down to the waiting truck.

Emily glanced back when Kralen started out
for the city, “So Grouchy said we can go?”

Mark smiled, “What makes you think I went in
to get permission?”

“Because you’re heku.”

It was quiet in the truck until Kralen pulled
up at the Chinese Restaurant. Emily looked back at the donor bar
and saw that the parking lot was almost empty.

“Wow, slow night at your bar.”

Mark nodded, “Let’s get inside.”

Emily shrugged and crawled out of the truck.
Once they were seated, they all ordered and then sat back to
wait.

“It’s stupid that you have to sit here with
me,” Emily said. “Why don’t you go to the donor bar and eat
up?”

“We can’t leave you here alone, and you know
it,” Silas reminded her.

“Then one at a time can go.”

“Nope, it’s all or none.”

“Suit yourself. You must be hungry
though.”

“We’re good,” Mark said, and then leaned
forward. “So now do you want to tell us about Dain?”

“Not much to say really. He and Chev fight
all the time, and he’s going to go explore the world and stay away
from his Dad.”

“It’s hard with a full heku.”

“No it’s not. He’s not a full heku. He's my
son… the heku part is secondary to being flesh and blood.”

“It isn’t secondary,” Kralen said. “Being
heku dictates a lot of his thoughts, instincts, and abilities. They
are always at the forefront of our actions.”

“No it’s not, or you all would feed off of me
regularly,” Emily said, and then took her Sprite from the
waitress.

“We have control, something Dain’s severely
lacking in.”

“I honestly don't give a rat’s ass about his
species. He’s my son, and he’s Chev’s son, whether he wants it or
not.”

“It’s not that he doesn’t want Dain as a
son,” Mark explained. “It’s just that he knows how best to handle
Dain, and sometimes Dain doesn’t agree with that.”

Emily sighed, “He doesn’t know how to handle
Dain. No one does! Dain’s a one-of-a-kind and can’t be treated like
all of Chev’s minions.”

“Minions?” Silas asked as he pushed the food
around on his plate.

“Yes, minions. Chevalier knows how to take
care of newly turned adults. He has no idea how to treat a heku
born into it. He also doesn’t know how to handle his own kids.”

“He’s a good father,” Mark said. He couldn’t
help but defend his Elder.

“No he isn’t. Allen and Megara are the only
two of the kids that Chev will have anything to do with.”

“That’s because Allen was mostly obedient and
has grown into a responsible and mature adult,” Mark said.

“Megara’s still too young, and when the Elder
had to take care of her, he clearly became attached at that time,”
Silas added.

Kralen chuckled, “I disagree. Megara looks
strikingly like Emily, and the Elder lavished her with the
attention and gifts that he wishes Emily would take.”

“That’s not true,” Emily said, frowning.
“She’s just too young to be written off by him yet. Give him
time.”

“It’s very true,” Kralen told her.

Emily thought for a moment and then looked at
Kralen, “Is that what everyone thinks? That Chev is pampering
Megara because I won’t let him pamper me?”

“Yes”

“No,” Mark said, and gave Kralen a stern
look.

Kralen sat back and focused on his plate.

Emily smiled, “Damn, I like you, Kralen.”

He chuckled but didn’t respond.

She finished her meal in silence and then
paid and stood up with the heku. Once out in the parking lot, the
heku headed for her truck while she started for the donor bar.

“Wait,” Mark called out. “We’re not going in
there with you.”

“Why not?” she asked, and turned to look at
him.

“No”

“Oh for heaven’s sake. I know you all feed.
You might as well go get some.”

“No”

“I bet Kralen can use a good feel too.”

“Do what?” Kralen asked.

“Wandering hands, you know.”

“How do you know his hands wander when he
feeds?” Mark asked as his eyes narrowed. Kralen and Silas both
froze.

Emily laughed, “Are you kidding me? Do you
even know Kralen? Of course his hands travel.”

“We’re not feeding in front of you. End of
story,” Mark said, and then opened the truck door.

Emily shook her head and opened the door to
the donor bar. She spun suddenly when she heard Mark yell, “Don’t
ash them. We got this.”

She walked forward as the three Equites
crouched and watched seven heku walk toward them.

“Fancy running into the Winchester here,” the
closest heku said.

Emily stopped just behind her guards and
studied the advancing heku.

“Keep back,” Mark growled.

“She was heading into the donor bar though.
That means she’s fair game,” he said, smiling at Emily. The other
heku with him all laughed, and then met the attack posture of the
Equites.

“Not with me around,” Kralen said to him.

“You three little Equites are going to stop
the seven of us?”

“You’re unfactioned… so yes,” Mark said.

Emily jumped slightly when the heku lunged at
each other, and the fight began. She took a step back, wondering if
she should help the heku or not. Mark had told her not to ash them,
but she wasn’t going to stand by while her guards were pummeled by
unfactioned heku trying to get to her.

Deciding the best way to help them was to go
into the donor bar and get Equites backup, she ran through the
doors and into the back room where the heku met up with potential
donors. She slid to a stop and looked around.

“Any Equites in here?” she called out.

Two heku walked up to her, smiling, “You a
donor?”

“Are you Equites?”

“No,” he said, scanning her body slowly.

She spun and started for the door, but one of
them grabbed her arm roughly and turned her around, “Why you
leaving?”

“Let me go,” she said, glaring at them.

He pulled her hand up and ran his nose along
her wrist, inhaling deeply.

“What faction are you?” she asked, and then
started to pull harder to free her hand.

“Don’t have one,” he said, gripping
tighter.

“Let go. You’re hurting me.”

“Nope. You’re mine now.”

“I get her next,” the other heku said.

Emily struggled when he suddenly sunk his
teeth into her neck. She knew she only had a few seconds before the
relaxation started, so she immediately kneed him in the groin. He
let go and bent slightly, but his grip on her tightened.

“Best not fight it,” the other heku said,
watching curiously.

She sent out a burn to each of them and
watched as they dropped to their knees. She could feel the blood
dripping down her neck and clutched her hand over it. Once they
both fell unconscious, she ran out of the bar and into the dark
parking lot.

Emily looked quickly over what was left of
the fight. It was now evenly matched with 3 on 3. The bodies of the
other four heku were in pieces and thrown around the parking lot
into grotesque piles.

Mark was the first to finish off his heku, so
he turned and started helping Kralen. By the time Emily reached
Kralen’s truck, the Equites were done killing off the unfactioned.
Silas was hurt the worst and was lying down on the ground panting,
with his hand clenched to his bleeding side. Mark and Kralen both
helped him up, and they all limped to the truck as Emily crawled
into the driver’s seat and adjusted the seat forward so she could
reach the pedals.

“Awww, did your guards get hurt, Sweetheart?”
someone said from behind them.

Mark turned and crouched again, though it was
obvious he was in a lot of pain already. The two unfactioned heku
Emily had encountered in the bar were walking forward, ready to
attack.

“Mark…” Emily whispered, watching them.

“We got it,” he told her, and then started
forward with Kralen. Emily wasn’t sure how well this fight would
go. Her guards were already pretty beaten up and tired from the
first fight. She did feel guilty that by running into the bar,
she’d brought even more unfactioned out to the Equites.

By the time Kralen and Mark were done, Emily
had managed to get Silas into the back of the truck and was just
leaned over, panting, as she tried to catch her breath.

Kralen helped Mark into the truck and then
climbed into the passenger side and collapsed into the seat. Emily
sped off as she contemplated how to lessen the blow of this attack
when the Council found out. She screeched to a halt in front of the
palace and jumped out of the high truck.

“Chev!” Emily yelled, and then opened the
back door to where Silas and Mark were.

“What happened?” he asked, blurring up. He
immediately called for more Cavalry, and then checked Emily over.
The first thing he saw was the fresh puncture marks on her neck and
the hand bruises on her arm. She was shaking and pale but didn’t
seem injured.

Emily turned when the Cavalry helped the
injured from the truck.

“What happened, Em?” Chevalier asked
again.

She swallowed hard and then leaned forward
against his chest. She shut her eyes tightly and relaxed some when
his powerful arms wrapped around her.

“Sir?” Horace asked, walking up.

“How are they?” Chevalier asked him.

“They’ll be ok. Silas is hurt the worst but
is already healing well.”

“Are they talking?”

“Not yet, Elder. Mark tried to explain, but
he has one pretty nasty gash that flared up.”

Chevalier tightened his grip on Emily and
when whispered, “Em, can you tell us what happened?”

She nodded but didn’t speak.

Horace chuckled when Chevalier grinned.

“Elder,” Derrick said, walking up. “The
Council wants to know if they can get a report.”

“Em, can you tell the Council what happened?”
Chevalier asked.

Again, she nodded.

He reached down and took her hand, and then
followed Derrick and Horace up the stairs to the council chambers.
Chevalier was still worried about the amount of fear that Emily put
out when she entered the council chambers, so he decided to stay in
the trial area with her as she faced the Council.

“Are you ok?” Kyle asked, immediately seeing
the feed marks on her neck.

Emily nodded.

“All we’ve gotten out of your guards are that
they ran into unfactioned.”

“Nine of them,” she said.

“We thought it was only seven of them,” Zohn
told her.

She sighed, “It was just seven, but then I
ran into the donor bar to get them some help and accidentally added
two more.”

“So three of our Cavalry took out nine
unfactioned?” the Chief of Defense asked.

“They wouldn’t let me ash them.”

“Good,” Chevalier said. “I’m proud of you for
letting them handle it.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I was ready to take over
if the guards were losing.”

He smiled, “I’m sure you would have.”

“We are wondering if it is one of the
unfactioned that have been attacking women in the city,” Kyle
said.

She shrugged, “Maybe.”

“Did they hurt you when they fed?”

Emily blushed. She hated when heku saw that
she’d been fed from, “No, I kneed him, and he stopped.”

“Do you know why they attacked?”

“Not really.”

Chevalier watched the others and then looked
down at her, “They were sent to kidnap you.”

Emily pulled away from him and looked into
his eyes, “Kidnap me? What do the unfactioned want with me?”

“We don’t know. That was the only information
the Cavalry could get.”

“Great”

“So, again, we need you to stay in the city
for a while.”

“Fine by me. No use putting the Cavalry in
danger because I’m craving something,” Emily said, and it was
becoming obvious that she was upset about the attack.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Kyle told her.

“Yes, it was,” she said, and then turned and
walked out of the council chambers.