Rising Darkness (A Rylee Adamson Novel, Book 9) (16 page)

The last thought as I drifted off was of Liam holding me as I fell into dreamland. Just one more time.

CHAPTER 20

Rylee

T
he dream was
fuzzy, like a TV set out of focus. Doran stood a few feet away and I stared at him. He wasn’t moving. Was he a statue? Was this a real dream or one I would wake from unrested but having gained information?

“Rylee.”

A hundred points for unrested and information. “Doran, what’s going on?”

“Deanna is sick. She refused your blood so we could use it for others. Everyone else who took some is doing fine, but we are still keeping clear of the worst of the plague centers.”

“Smart. But you wouldn’t contact me just to tell me that.” Which meant something bad was coming my way.

“There are vampires in your area that have broken free from me. They are coming for you, Rylee. And they mean to take all of your blood.”

“Oh, that’s just fucking awesome,” I whispered. “How many?”

“Four. But before you say that isn’t too many, they are old and strong and very, very scared. Which in a vampire is a dangerous combination.”

“Wonderful.” I grimaced and then lifted my eyebrows. “Any other tidbits you’d like to offer up?”

“Faris is a tricky bastard, you know that. But even I didn’t realize the depth of his conniving. Apparently, he could kick out Liam’s spirit if he wanted. But he hasn’t, correct?”

I shook my head. “I know all this. It goes both ways. Liam could leave if he wanted to, but he hasn’t. So they’re both up to no good.”

Doran grinned at me. “They’re both on your shit list? How wonderful for me.” He swooped in and grabbed me around the waist. “I don’t suppose you want to pick out colors for the bedroom, do you?”

I slapped his hands away, but I was laughing, which I was sure was the point of his game. “Stop it. You know Berget is madly in love with you.”

He frowned and slung an arm over my shoulders. “After all we’ve been through, you still push me toward her?”

“Look at it from my point of view. She’s my little sister, how would she feel if she knew you were hot to trot for me and from time to time I encourage you?”

Laughing, he kissed me on the cheek. “I think perhaps you are one of the best friends I have ever had, Rylee. No matter what happens, don’t let that change.”

I lifted my hand to him, the dream fading. “Never. Friends to the end.”

His smiled slipped. “To the end.”

I woke slowly. Those hadn’t been the best words to say, not with everything going on. But they were true.

Alex rolled toward me, his tongue hanging out, dirt sticking to it. I grimaced and sat up, pushing Eve’s wing off us. The light had faded, but the sun was still above the horizon. I looked around for Griffin. He was nowhere to be seen.

“He went to side track the supernaturals coming,” Eve said quietly, dropping her head to mine. “He said to say he would see you at the last battle to fight with you against Orion if he didn’t make it back in time to say goodbye.”

I stood. “Guess that means he’s told us everything.”

Eve stood and shook her whole body. “It wasn’t a direct answer, though, was it? A riddle. I really don’t like riddles, Rylee.”

I nodded and checked my weapons. Everything was there, both swords, extra knives, whip, crossbow, and bolts. Crazy to think that sleeping with all my weapons on was so damn easy now.

“I believe that he’s helped as much as he could. Whatever power these elemental creatures have, it’s more than I’ve ever dealt with.” I thought about the air elemental Erik and I had called on to deliver our throw down to the demons, right before Liam died. My memory of that was fuzzy, and the more I thought about it, the more into focus it came. Elementals. The myth of the supernatural world. I shook my head.

“Marco, can you go up and get a look at how far away the horde is? If you can help Griffin without getting injured, do it.” Marco lifted without question, and I watched as Eve’s eyes followed him.

“You love him?’

“Yes.”

I smiled. “Good.”

She fluttered her wings and tipped her head to one side. “He’s going to help me re-unite the unicorns with the Harpies . . . .”

I didn’t respond to her unspoken words. It would depend on how many of each species were left after this cluster-fuck of plague and demons.

Alex stretched beside me, yawning and kicking each of his legs out, one at a time. “Time to go yet?”

“Soon.”

I crouched by the cave entrance. “You two awake?”

“Rylee, we don’t really sleep. This has been terrible,” Berget said.

“Shit, I’m sorry we couldn’t find you something better.”

Faris snorted. “That wasn’t what you said when I complained.”

“Faris, you’re old enough to be grateful for every day on this side of the veil,” Eve snapped, her beak darting into the opening.

He hollered something I couldn’t make out. “Ease off, Eve.”

She ruffled her feathers. “Stupid vampire.”

I leaned down. “We have incoming hostiles. Supernaturals, and according to Doran, four big, bad, ugly vampires that really want to make my acquaintance.”

“Did he say who?” Faris asked.

“Nope, no names. Just four really old ones. Does it matter who they are?”

“Might. If I know them, I might be able to get us all out in one piece.”

A loud thump behind us spun me around. Marco had returned. And Griffin was on his back. That was not a good sign.

Griffin slid off. “You got about ten minutes before the shambling horde hits here.”

“And sunset?”

“Fifteen minutes.”

Of course. Fucking hell.

The minutes ticking down to sunset pulled at him as if his muscles were being plucked like harp strings. His muscles. Not Faris’s. Damn, the longer he stayed, the more integrated he was into the vampire.

What happens when we don’t remember ourselves?
That was quickly becoming his biggest fear. Because despite the supposed truth that he could leave Faris whenever he wanted, he didn’t know how. Faris snorted.

“Won’t happen. I’ll kick you out before then.”

“Faris,” Berget said, “stop talking to yourself, you weirdo.”

“I’m talking to Liam. He’s a chatty boy today.”

Berget went quiet and pulled as far from him as she could, which wasn’t all that far.

What if you can’t?

“Suddenly you’re tired of my company? What’s the matter, wolf, scared?” The sneer in his voice was audible and Liam “leapt” forward as the sounds of fighting erupted above them. He shoved Faris’s being deep into the recesses of the body they shared.

“Berget, how soon can we get out of here?”

“Liam?”

He nodded, knowing that even in the dark she could see him.

“Three minutes. You should be able to feel the sun fading. Like the pull of something on your skin.”

She was right, as soon as she pointed it out he sensed the sun being gobbled up by the night, piece by piece until with a final gulp it was gone. He burst out of the shallow cave and slammed right into a vampire he didn’t know. No hesitation, he used the element of surprise to his advantage, tearing the vampire’s head off in a single motion.

The scene was utter and complete chaos. The supernaturals attacking Rylee were doing so on their last legs. They were cut down as fast as they came at her and Griffin.

There were three other vampires and they spotted him. One actually had the nerve to wave. “Hey, Faris. Nice to see you here, too.” His accent was Spanish and his dark features testified to his heritage.

I can talk them down, let me forward.

“Piss off,” he snarled and leapt into the fray, tearing supernaturals away as if they were children’s toys. Limbs and necks snapped under his hands and it was only when he reached Rylee at the center of the mass that he realized everyone else had stopped fighting. The supernaturals cringed away from him, their eyes wide, bodies shaking.

“Liam?” Rylee asked, but didn’t lower her blades.

A nod. “Time to go.”

“Agreed. Griffin, thank you.” She leaned to kiss Griffin on the cheek. The bastard twisted his head and caught her on the lips.

“Lovely. I see why you bound her, yeah?” He gave Liam a wink, which only made him snarl.

Berget shifted into view, placing herself between Rylee and the vampires on the right. “Where are the Harpies?”

Shit, he hadn’t even noticed they weren’t on the ground. Alex pointed up with one long claw. “They flew.”

Liam didn’t take his eyes from the vampires, and neither did Rylee. Everyone else looked up to the sky. It was then the vampires came at them.

One slammed Berget hard enough that bones cracked, Griffin was thrown high into the air, toward the treetops. Liam put his back to Rylee’s.

“Just like old times.”

“Except you look better now.” She laughed, and his jaw dropped as the first vampire reached him. Alex darted out and grabbed the vampire’s pants leg, jerking him off balance. Liam caught him around the neck with one hand, long greasy hair tangled around the other and pulled.

Except the expected didn’t happen. The vampire laughed. “Keep trying, I like to see you sweat, Faris.”

A grunt behind him and the sound of something hitting the ground. A head most likely.

“I’ve got one fucker dealt with, Liam,” Rylee confirmed for him what was going on. Holding his captive, he spun to face the final vampire with her. Side by side. Where he should have been all along.

I told you so. You are an idiot to think sacrificing yourself was a good idea.

Faris’s tone was relaxed. Far too relaxed for his liking.

He ignored the vampire for the moment. “I can’t pull his head off. Take it, would you?”

He held out the greasy haired bloodsucker so his neck was presented to Rylee. It was then he saw the thing around the vamp’s neck. It was corded with something, and when Rylee’s sword hit it, sparks flew.

“His neck is wrapped in metal.”

They raised their heads to see the last vampire standing quietly in front of them. But they were no longer alone. Berget had gotten up, and Griffin was back in full wolf form.

A whoosh of wings and Eve and Marco were back on the ground.

“Thanks for the heads up.” Rylee took her second sword and drove it into Metal Neck’s chest, slicing him open and removing his heart. Not quite surgeon precise, but close. “That’ll slow him down.”

She wiped her blade and looked at the last vampire.

“You’re outnumbered pretty fucking bad. Perhaps you’d like to take your dumbass and get out of here?”

The vampire, Faris called him Adam, smiled at them. “Outnumbered is not the same thing as outmatched. Surely you must know that, Tracker?”

Liam didn’t like the way the confrontation was going. He grabbed Rylee and all but threw her onto Eve’s back. “Everyone up. Now.”

Alex and Berget scrambled to obey. Griffin gave him a nod and leapt onto Marco’s back. “Take them up.”

“Liam, no!” Rylee yelled as Eve launched into the air, Marco right behind them.

“Come back when we’re done.”

Adam tipped his head. “Have you gone soft, Faris? You always were the piece of shit on the empire’s shoes. But I never thought I’d see you put someone else first.”

Liam pulled hard on his old abilities and the wolf tied to his spirit rushed through his blood stream.

Adam must have sensed something because there was no warning, he was suddenly rushing Liam. Faris took that moment to steal control of his body again, dropping to one knee and rolling so both fists were thrust up into Adam’s belly.

The vampire was shoved high into the air, eyes wide. Faris pulled his cutlass and as Adam fell, took his head in a single slice.

“I never liked him anyway.”

Why did you take control? I had
that.

“I know his moves. He used to spar with me.” Faris slid the cutlass home and gave a wave to Eve and Marco. The two Harpies circled low and landed.

Liam shoved his way forward and Faris all but howled as his spirit was stuffed backward. Again.

“I want to talk to my grandfather. Give me that, at least
.
” He didn’t want to ask permission, yet . . . he was softening toward the vampire. How could he not? He’d seen how horrific Faris’s life had been. What Faris had shared with Rylee had been a drop in the ocean in terms of the horrors he’d faced.