Of Water and Madness (26 page)

The only window in the room was wide open to the night and a cold breeze hauntingly fluttered the drapes. Outside, the world was disturbingly quiet.

Blythe stood in the middle of the room, examining the destruction, her hands fisted in her hair as she fought back the urge to scream.

Turning to look at Liam, she met his eyes and saw the staggering grief in them. For a moment they said nothing, both reveling in shock and disbelief.

He felt his legs give out as he suddenly stumbled toward her and crumbled to his knees at her feet, amidst the shards of porcelain, wood, and drops of dark red blood that he knew was Rhiannon’s.

Dante had made her bleed. He had caused her harm. And then he had taken her.

He clutched his head as the pain and denial tore through him, the helplessness and the regret. His body shook with aching sobs as the agony of it all quite simply destroyed him.

When he let out an anguished, almost inhuman cry of pain, it shook Blythe to the very core, shuddering through her violently as she knelt down shakily to hold him while he wept.

They were too late.

While Blythe spoke
with the elderly couple that owned the inn and the police were contacted, Liam stood in the little room beside the open window, his eyes glassy with pain and shock. He reached out to lightly touch the half empty wine glass that was perched on the window sill, picturing her sitting in the armchair, sipping wine and enjoying the night. That is, until
they
came.

He had heard the elderly woman mention that the last thing she remembered was a dark haired man and a blonde woman coming to the door. Then the next thing she experienced was waking up beside her husband on the loveseat in the parlor, unscathed. She’d thought she had just fallen asleep and dreamed up the strange couple. But by the destruction in the room Rhiannon had occupied, it had been no dream.

So Dante and Stella had possessed and controlled their way into the building, most likely fooling Rhiannon and toying with her before making themselves known. And then they had terrorized her and taken her, fleeing out the open window and going God knows where.

And since the sensor Blythe had brought with her had informed them that not only had a demon been present, but a Muse as well, there was now no doubt in their minds just what Stella was.

He stared out at the starry night sky and wondered desperately where Rhiannon was now. Did she think he would be trying to find her? Or was she still convinced that he had truly wanted Stella over her?

Who knew how much of the plan Dante would fill Rhiannon in on while he held her captive. He might be filling her head with more poisonous lies that very moment.

Frustrated and emotional, he tore his eyes away from the sky and whirled around to search the room. Maybe they had left something, anything, giving a hint as to where they were going with her.

He saw her practical black suitcase lying beside the bed, torn to pieces, her clothes and toiletries scattered. Inside, he saw a copy of Jane Austen’s
Emma
, and his eyes filled miserably.

Some part of her hadn’t wanted to forget him, not completely…

“The police are here, so we’re gonna have to give statements,” Blythe said as she came into the room, stepping gingerly over the shards of porcelain on the carpet. “But I was thinking we should just book it, because we really don’t have time to deal with all of this. Not like we can tell them the truth, anyhow. They’d lock us up like crazy people.”

Liam looked over at her, shaking his head. “Get Thea on the phone, Blythe. Tell her what’s happening. I’ll go feed some kind of story to the cops. We really shouldn’t leave that older couple hanging.”

Blythe nodded and turned away, digging the cell phone out of her pocket. Liam started to leave the room, when something resting on the nightstand caught his eye.

He stepped over Rhiannon’s destroyed suitcase and grabbed the envelope, his chest tightening at the sight of his name scrawled across it. Tearing it open, he unfolded the letter and frantically began reading it.

To Liam and the people of Euphora,

If you are reading this, then you are aware that we have the girl and that you are too late. If I were a kinder, more honest man, perhaps I’d guarantee her safety and demand a ransom for her head, but…that’s not much fun, is it? So I’ll say this instead. I may or may not hurt her. I may or may not kill her. But I know that you want her, so therefore I’m going to give you one chance, and one chance only, to get her back.

I want all of you to come to Times Square in New York City tomorrow night at eight o’clock sharp. Perhaps I will be there, if I feel like it. And if I am, then we can chat, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll give her back to you.

She is rather pretty, I might just keep her. Though she isn’t my first choice…besides, I have loftier goals than keeping a woman. Come to Times Square, and perhaps I will share with you what those goals are…

Dante

P.S. - Vivica sends her warmest regards to Thea and Sebastian. She’s rather offended that they did not recognize her, but then again, her disguise is rather good.

“Blythe,” Liam stammered, whirling around while his sister spoke in muted tones to Thea, describing what they had found. He stumbled over the suitcase and tripped over a crumbled chair, but managed to get to her and whirl her around. “Give me the phone.”

“Hold on, Thea, Liam wants to say something.” Blythe handed him the cell phone, confused and irritated until she spotted the letter he held in his hands, at which point hope and adrenaline began to pump through her.

“Thea?” Liam’s eyes met Blythe’s with a sudden stone cold resolve. “He left a letter for us. He wants us all to meet him in New York City tomorrow evening.”

Blythe’s eyes widened as Liam read the note to Thea, and she rubbed her face in her hands as the weight of what all of this meant hit her. Dante was using Rhiannon to lure all of them from the safety of Euphora and out into the open, where they would surely be vulnerable…

“Blythe and I will catch a flight out to New York right now, and I want the rest of you to meet us there tomorrow at six o’clock in the evening.” He paused, listening to Thea question whether it was wise for all of them to fall in line with what was obviously a trap. “Damnit, Thea, this is the goddamn battle, okay? This is the war we’ve been waiting for.”

“And what other option do we have?” Blythe put in, shrugging.

Liam nodded at her, fierce determination in his eyes. “Dante and Vivica have Rhiannon, Thea. Period. I’m not going to lose her, not again, not like this.”

“I really hate airports,” Blythe grumbled, wading her way through the crowded terminal, Liam at her side.

He frowned at her, nearly running into a man who suddenly stopped in front of him to tie his shoe. Dodging the man, he rolled his eyes and growled. “I was going to ask you why, but never mind. I think I know.”

“Too many stupid people, it’s like a zoo.” Blythe shoved her hands into the pockets of her bright blue hoodie, glaring around for examples. “Like that guy over there, with the kids? He’s stuffing his face with a hotdog while his two brat kids play right in the middle of the walkway, forcing everyone to walk around. No consideration for other people whatsoever.”

“Some people just shouldn’t procreate,” Liam suggested, finding the conversation easing some of his restlessness. They were in New York City and on their way to Manhattan, twelve hours to go before Dante wanted to meet. He could stand to distract himself, at least a little.

“Oh God,” Blythe said, clasping her hands over her mouth and staring wide eyed up at Liam.

“What?” A jolt of fear raced through him at the horror in her expression. He stopped mid-step and gripped her shoulders, shaking her. “What is it?”

Blythe lowered her hands, her face oddly pale. “Do you think Capri’s gonna get knocked up right away? I don’t think I can handle being an auntie just yet.”

He would have laughed if he hadn’t been so furious with her for making him worry. He let out a whoosh of breath, attempting to calm himself as he slung an arm over her shoulders and continued to walk.

“I don’t think Capri getting pregnant is really up to you,” he told her, managing a half smile as he looked her in the eye. “Besides, I know deep down that you have a soft spot for kids. And once there’s a little blonde haired mini Capri running around, you’ll want one of your own.”

“Don’t even say that,” Blythe managed, her hand clutching her stomach as it rolled sickeningly. “The last thing I need right now is a kid.”

Because thinking of Blythe and Capri having children automatically made him think of Rhiannon, rosily pregnant with
his
child, he went quiet, hurt by the image. God, he hoped that was still a possibility…if she didn’t make it, if Dante killed her, he didn’t think he could live with himself. If he failed her, then there was just no point in living anymore…

They made it through the airport and hailed a cab that would take them directly to Times Square. Liam wanted to survey the area first and get an idea of what Dante might be planning.

Why he had chosen such a public place for the meeting, Liam couldn’t be sure. Maybe he thought that they would be less inclined to fight back with hundreds of humans in the area, innocents that could potentially be harmed if an all out war started right then and there. Or maybe that was Dante’s intention…to cause as much destruction as he possibly could, innocents be damned.

Hopefully he wouldn’t expect them to be able to prepare very thoroughly on such short notice, but Thea had already contacted the Enforcers and arranged to have snipers on various rooftops facing the Square, and others to stand by in civilian clothes, ready to rush in if needed. Of course, all of that was in addition to the arsenal his family would be packing as well, and Liam had a feeling that Rian and Brogan were having a field day breaking out all the weapons they had stowed away.

Part of him regretted the fact that Capri and Rian had come home from their honeymoon only to find everything in virtual shambles. But he was sure they understood, and both would be willing to fight if it came down to it. Capri would fight because of Rhiannon, and Rian would fight because it was not only his duty, but because he knew Capri needed him to.