Collateral Damage (30 page)

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"Where's my son."

The stranger's tone chilled my blood and sent fear skittering up my spine on spindly legs. Before I could stand, I found myself on my back with a blade to my throat and a knee in my gut.

The end of a long, brown ponytail slipped over a wiry arm. Green eyes flashed as the woman bared her fangs and leaned over me. "She stinks of Cyrus, but there's more of
him
on her. I bet he'll talk to keep her from getting cut up."

I looked at Vince through the corner of my eye. A man with a shaved head held a gun to his temple. But both he and the man were watching the woman.

"Careful, Lydia," the man said. "I still don't trust your control."

"I'm fine." Lydia's eyes flared as she gently traced the knife back and forth under my chin. "That might change when she starts bleeding though."

"Lydia—"

"You're wasting time, Daederich."

Taking advantage of their distraction, Vince pivoted and snapped the heel of his palm into Daederich's wrist. The gun went off as they struggled for it. Vince had the advantage for a split second. He elbowed Daederich in the face and got both hands on the gun.

Daederich threw his shoulder into Vince's stomach and hammered him into the wall. In a flash, he'd retrieved the gun. And had it pressed to the center of Vince's forehead.

"I'll ask one more time, and then I'll let Lydia carve up your girlfriend." He barred his forearm across Vince's throat. "Where. Is. My. Son?"

"He's not here." Vince said through his teeth. "And, like your bitch said, you're wasting time."

I had a feeling Vince was trying to piss the man off enough to make him lose control. But it didn't work. If anything, Daederich seemed calmer.

The "bitch," however, was a different story.

"Bitch?" Lydia laughed, and the blade nicked my throat. "You want to see a bitch?"

Something slammed into the door. Elah took two long strides past the men, walked straight up to Lydia, and wrenched her up by her hair. Then he glared at Daederich. "Put it away."

Daederich let out a gruff sound, pushed away from Vince, and then snapped the gun into the holster on his hip. "They know where—"

"If they knew, they'd have him and be long gone. Use your head, man!" Elah shook Lydia when she snarled and twisted in his grasp. "And get her under control or I will."

"Lydia!" Daederich's tone whipped out, and I winced. The power in his voice crackled in the air. "Come here!"

The light faded from her eyes. She stopped fighting Elah and went straight to Daederich when she was released.

Something . . . her
will? . . .
seemed to have been taken. Then returned once she reached Daederich's side. Eyes narrowed, she glared at him. "You've got some fucking—"

"You lose yourself to the fight, love." Daederich took her hand and brought it to his lips. "We'll have to work on that. After we find Alrik."

"I offered to give her a few lessons the last time you let her lose it." Elah offered me his hand and then hauled me up to my feet when I took it. "Care to take me up on it this time?"

"Go fuck yourself, Elah," Daederich said.

Elah shook his head, keeping me slightly behind him as he brought me to Vince, taking a protective stance between us as I snuggled into Vince's firm embrace. "This man has done everything in his power to protect your son, Daederich. You should thank him. And her, for all she's gone through to do the same." Elah dropped a heavy hand on Vince's shoulder, and then smoothed it down over my hair. The muscles in his bare chest tensed when Daederich didn't comment. "I'm waiting."

Daederich grunted and looked at the door. "My son is still out there. Likely with Cyrus. I won't thank anyone until he's safe."

Lydia touched his cheek, and then stepped away from him. After glancing at Elah, she turned to me. "Thank you. And I'm sorry if I hurt you. Daederich's right. I go a little crazy after killing a few people, and I thought you were working with Cyrus. If Elah says you helped Alrik, I know it's true. And I can't imagine what you went through to . . . ."

Her sharp shudder said otherwise. I had a feeling she knew
exactly
what I'd gone through. Not that it made me like her or anything—the shallow cut on my throat reminded me of what she'd wanted to do. But, still, I couldn't say I'd have handled things any differently. To find Alrik, I might do as much, if not worse.

"It's okay . . . I get it." I bit my lip and couldn't help but look at her a little closer.

She reminded me of someone. Her coloring was just like . . . .

"Lacy. Jesus. You look just like Lacy. You're more built, but your hair, your features—"

"Nicole . . . ." Vince put his arms around me and drew me back. "Don't."

"Don't what?" I glanced up at him and tried to wriggle free. "You told me when Cyrus looked at Lacy, it was like he saw someone else. I'd want to know—"

Lydia's skin had lost all color. "Who's Lacy?"

"She was Cyrus' pet." Vince shoved me behind him and trapped me against the wall. "But he's had many women. It means nothing."

"I'm not so sure about that." Elah paced between Vince and me, and Daederich and Lydia. "We've been trailing Cyrus for years, gathering all the information we can.

There have been no trends so far other than his habit of collecting and torturing those who get too close to taking him down. This is good. It's a weakness we might exploit."

"How do you figure?" Lydia asked, sounding a bit shaken.

Not that I blamed her. I'd be freaked if Cyrus were obsessed with me. Bad enough I'd been a tool to use against Vince.

"I'm sure we can find a hunter that looks something like you." Elah stopped his pacing and stepped up to Lydia, cupping her face in his hands, ignoring Daederich's warning growl. "Don't worry, I won't let him anywhere near you. Death first, remember? An imitation will be more than enough to throw him off. And our women are just as disciplined as our men. She'll cut his throat in his sleep, and it will be over."

"I can cut his throat in his sleep. I'm only second blood, Elah. The day doesn't hamper me as it does your people." Lydia jutted up her chin, but continued to let Elah, touch her, as though it comforted her. "And I refuse to let anyone take my place. You think an imitation will throw him off? Imagine what the real thing will do."

Okay. Now I liked her. And respected her. I pulled away from Vince and touched Elah's arm. "If you think Cyrus has Alrik, I'm coming too. I might not be as tough as the rest of you, but I know how to deal with kids."

"You'll slow us down." Elah looked from me to Vince, as though he expected him to put me in my place. "Get her out of here."

"As you said, she went through a lot to protect Alrik. She' not going anywhere without him." Vince put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. "And neither am I."

Elah's lips curled back from his teeth. He stepped forward, forcing Vince back.

"You listen to me. I didn't let myself get caught for shits and giggles. I did it to make sure you got out of this alive. You probably don't remember him, you were too young, but your father was one of us. Cyrus killed him and took you to send a message. And I'll be damned if I'll let you put yourself back in the line of fire now."

"Then you'll fucking well be damned." Vince pushed Elah away from him. "I finally recognized you. And I remember my father. Vaguely, yes, but I know enough to say he would have been ashamed of me if I ran for cover while that little boy is still in the hands of that monster. Cyrus might have made me who I am, but I haven't forgotten who I was. And I refuse to let Cyrus warp Alrik. Look at me!" He slapped his hands into Elah's chest. "You wanted to 'save' me? Well you're too late. Losing my eye is the least of the damage that was done. I won't let that happen to Alrik."

A man came to the door and cleared his throat. "Sire?"

"What!" Elah turned his anger on the messenger, his cool composure completely lost. "You better have something—"

"Cyrus has been spotted. One of the rogues called in. He's in Asheville." The messenger drew back his massive shoulders and glared at Elah. "So sorry to interrupt."

Daederich lunged forward and grabbed the man by the collar. "Where?"

"Does he have the boy?" Elah turned his back on Vince and rubbed his face with his hands. "If he doesn't—"

"He does." The messenger put a hand on the butt of the gun at his hip and unhooked Daederich's fingers from his shirt. "From reports he appears to be . . .

waiting."

"I'll bet he is." Elah straightened and nodded. "Is the house secure?"

"Yeah." The messenger said. "Dead bodies don't usually cause much trouble."

"Dead bodies?" I pictured all the men and women who'd been used at the party, nothing but screams behind closed doors for the longest time. They couldn't all be dead? "What about the other prisoners."

Elah dismissed the messenger, and then turned back to Vince and me. "There are none. Not here anyway."

"But how—?"

"Cyrus was two steps ahead of you, wasn't he?" Vince said to Elah while rubbing my arms as though sensing I needed comfort.

I put my hands over his because I sensed he did, too.

"At least," Elah said. "Anything of value still in this house is on the bodies of the spectators. Cyrus got out somehow just as my men were setting up to deal with the crowd. But the captives must have been moved earlier. And the boy . . . ."

"Vince read him a story this evening," I said. "We were surprised that he allowed us to see Alrik before the show—"

"Yes, he can be
very
generous." Lydia pressed her eyes shut and leaned against Daederich. "When fucking with your head works into his plans. I'm sure he'll give Alrik everything he wants. And then . . . Goddamn it, he wouldn't have been here if I hadn't—"

"How he came to be here is irrelevant." Daederich curved his hand around the back of Lydia's neck, his touch somehow comforting, possessive, and restrictive all at once. "What matters is we're going to get him back." He gave Elah a level look. "With or without you. I really don't give a shit. Either stay here and babysit, or let them tag along. This discussion is over."

And with that, Daederich and Lydia walked out.

Elah growled and turned to Vince. "You stay close. If anything happens, you are my priority. I won't think twice about leaving her behind. Are you sure you want to come?"

"If you're smart, you'll make
her
your priority. Otherwise, I promise you'll regret saving me." Vince gave Elah a cold smile. "I was Cyrus' very best pupil, and, without her, I may regress."

"Is that a fancy way of saying you're pussy-whipped, boy?" Elah's expression turned smug as he waited, likely for some kind of comeback. When he got none the smugness melted into grudging approval. "You're just like your father. Nothing fazed him, either. Stubborn bastard."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should." Elah said. "Now, let's go."

Chapter Twenty-Six

The restaurant to which Cyrus had been traced was on the border of Asheville.

Big rigs were parked on one side. The cars lined up on the other were mostly from other states. A pit stop for weary travelers.

Despite the ungodly hour, there were children inside the restaurant, groggily propped up beside their parents, some in PJs, eating everything from breakfast cereal to burgers and fries. One burly man who looked to be a trucker nudged the preadolescent boy at his side seconds before he plopped his face into his soup.

A waitress wearing a white-and-red-checkered apron met us at the door. She shrank a little when Daederich glared at her, but braved her way through the standard greeting. "Table for five?"

"We're meeting someone." Daederich stepped around her and strode across the restaurant.

"Daddy!"

At the sound of Alrik's voice, I jerked forward, but Vince put his hand on my arm and forced me to keep pace with him as he followed Elah and Lydia.

Daederich stood at the table where Cyrus sat with Alrik, his face white with fury.

"What have you done to him!"

I swallowed and studied Alrik's face, prepared for bruises, blood, the shadows of

. . . abuse in his eyes.

He looked fine. Better than usual. Positively glowing with health.

"Jesus." Vince's grip on my arm tightened. "We're too late."

Elah reached for his gun. "No, we're not."

"I wouldn't do that, Elah." Cyrus leaned his elbows on the table and steepled his fingers. "Mustn't forget your precious laws. Secrecy above all else. You haven't the power to avert the attention of the mortals, not when I've taken such pains to draw it.

Please." He held his hand out to the seats across from him. "Join us."

No one moved.

Cyrus sighed. "No manners. Very well, let's get down to business then. You want the boy. I'm willing to make an exchange."

I brought a quivering hand up to my mouth to smother a nervous laugh.
As if
he's in a position to negotiate!

"But I am, Nicole." Cyrus extended his arm, and Alrik snuggled against him, his initial excitement over seeing his father gone. "You might have noticed Daederich has made no attempt to take his son from me. Even the great hunter has admitted his defeat. Their arrogance has cost them."

Elah flattened his hands on the table and leaned forward. "You'll never make it out of here alive."

"Then neither will he." Cyrus reclined and watched with detached interest as Alrik snatched a knife off the table, turned it in his small hands, and pressed the tip to his throat. "And neither will you."

Movement from behind us had me pressing closer to Vince. My eyes widened as the trucker and the young boy beside him rose from their table, eyes glowing. Several other patrons joined them. Those who didn't stand shifted in their seats, staring as the thick tension in the restaurant grew.

"Careless, Elah. Of course, I suppose that's what happens when a hunter becomes emotionally involved." Cyrus smirked at Elah, then turned to Vince. "I must give you credit, Vincent. If not for your ingenious plan, none of this would have been possible."