Chapter 660: Escort
So much for sneaking in, grabbing Charlotte from the clutches of her captors, and sneaking out again. Instead, I was forced to allow Finlay to handle transportation, his Enforcer magic cradling both Isabelle and myself along with his partner.
"You don't have to come." I wanted to give the vampire girl an out since she looked almost sick at the prospect of joining me. But she shook her head immediately.
"I won't let you go alone," she said. "I know how they think and might be useful." Her hesitation told me there was a lot more she wasn't saying and I refused to go into this without all the information I needed.
I pulled her aside, glaring at the pair of witches to back off a second, which they did. I heard Sunny engage them in conversation, though what she talked about was lost to me as I focused on Isabelle.
"So this is going to be bad, then?" There was no other explanation for her reaction.
"I'm afraid so," she said. "The Czar might allow you to enter. But he considers himself autonomous-worse, he thinks he is Creator. A god, above all others." She shuddered delicately. "I maintained contact with some of my family, through the years. The Black Souls are extremely long lived, and Yure Danko has been their leader since the fall of their beloved Rasputin a century ago. Unfortunately, their own careful breeding program since the beginning of their order has meant each leader has grown progressively more insane as their blood lines mingle too closely. Yure is the worst of them all, but he is, sadly, also brilliant."
"Which means by walking in the front door, we're just putting Charlotte at risk." I sighed. Just what I needed. A moldy old sorcerer with a god complex. "Are we sure she is at risk? That she's actually a captive? She left me voluntarily."
Wasn't bitter or anything. But it still hurt.
Still.
Isabelle sighed. "I don't know for certain," she said. "She came to Yure of her own free will, but from what I've been told, she was coerced. Is she there now by choice?" She let out a quick breath despite the fact she didn't need to breathe, a fall back to her time as a mortal. "I don't think so. And knowing the Black Souls as I do, knowing Yure, he's holding something over her." She looked like she was going to go on, but shook her head instead and fell quiet.
I really didn't think Charlotte was there by choice either. Charlotte spent her life with the Dumonts, had been their slave for years. I couldn't see her trading one nasty family for another, not for any reason. And yet, how well did I know her, really?
Only one way to find out.
"Here's the deal," I said, lowering my voice even further. "If this fails, I'm going in to get her. But I'll need you to distract the Tweedles." Dee and Dumb, though I doubted the labels applied, had to be prepared for such an event. Applegate would have made sure of that.
Isabelle didn't look happy. "I can't be seen," she said. "Or recognized. There could be repercussions." Whatever that meant.
I can glamour her, Shaylee sent. If you think my Sidhe power can block their sorcery.
I shared the offer with Isabelle who looked suddenly less anxious.
"They will not think to look for me," she said, "and will have no reason to focus on me if your Sidhe magic keeps them distracted." She nodded sharply. "Very well, we will try it." Her lips lifted in a little smile. "Just give me some warning before you start a war."
"Same for you," I said.
Isabelle arched both eyebrows, all innocence.
Fair enough.
I left her, rejoined my escorts. "I'm ready," I said. "Let's ride."
***
I swear I had never been so cold. Not ever. Bitterly, chillingly, so flipping freezing my skin burned. The second Finlay landed us in the squeaky snow, I started shivering uncontrollably and not even a burst of demon heat warmed me.
I was so busy dying of hypothermia I almost missed the two giant, armed men standing at a towering, black iron gate. Considering they were right in front of us, not spotting them right away was quite a feat. But between my demon wailing over the cold, the fact my feet were already numb and the rest of me felt like I'd been dipped in an ice bath, I had a hard time focusing on anything but the chattering of my teeth.
Good thing Shaylee was more focused than I was. When I glanced sideways at Isabelle, I almost choked. Because the young vampire wasn't there anymore. Only a vaguely attractive young woman my eyes drifted sideways from as though she wasn't interesting.
Sorry, Shaylee sent, easing up, allowing me to see through the glamour. I got excited.
No-chatter-problemo-chatter.
"Coven Leader Sydlynn Hayle," Gwendolyn said as she stepped forward, not a shiver in sight. "Here to speak to your leader."
The guards exchanged a dull, empty stare before ignoring her. Were they wearing fur? Real fur? While the idea disgusted me, I immediately coveted their plush hats and massive jackets. Not so much their large, black guns.
But these were werewolves. When my demon finally generated enough heat I could function, I recognized the fact, the wolves in them familiar thanks to my time spent with Charlotte.
What did weres need with machine guns?
It wasn't until Finlay put himself between them, blue Enforcer magic crackling, the pair actually paid attention. And the threat he presented only generated a minor act. Guard number one pulled a two-way from his pocket and spoke into it. In Ukrainian, I guessed. Sounded like the language Charlotte let slip now and again. Static crackled before a voice came through. Isabelle tensed beside me as the guard let his hand drop.
"??," he said. The word sounded like "knee". What was wrong with his knee?
"'??' means no," Isabelle whispered.
Splutter.
Like hell.
My surging anger did more to warm me up than any magic as I shoved my way into the armed guard's face. Yes, it meant rising on my tiptoes while he stared down at me with his flat, cold expression. Sure, I probably looked ridiculous, half his size and red-faced from the cold.
Didn't care. Amber fire crackled around me, sizzling the snow beneath my feet into clouds of steam, the mist rising to flare in the sheets of flame my demon provided. Wolf eyes flickered across dark brown as I finally got the big jerk's attention.
"Move your ass," I said, "or I'll move it for you."
Please. Don't move.
Guard number two entered my peripheral vision, probably coming to his friend's rescue. A surge of Sidhe earth magic rocked the ground under his feet, exploding upward, sending him flying back, his gun landing with a soft thud in the snow even as the ground beneath him steamed before giving way, a quicksand pit swallowing him to his hips.
"Coven Leader!" I didn't have to look to know Gwendolyn's face had to be pinched in shock, because from the choked sound of her voice coming from behind me, things weren't going as she'd planned.
Yeah, diplomacy and I didn't get along very well. And I hated being told no.
The first guard must have decided he needed to take me seriously at last, because I felt his body tense, shift, just before I opened to my vampire and let her out. Snarling, spirit power flaring in a corona so bright he cried out. She shoved him hard, back against the iron gate, pinning him. He fought us, battled for control while his friend shouted something in Ukrainian into his own two-way, still trying to pull himself free of the sucking ground Shaylee created.
Let them send reinforcements. I was already irritated by this whole mess. I'd take them all on.
Coven Leader. Finlay's mental connection flared bright blue as he forced his way into my mind. An incident will mean your expulsion from Europe permanently.
Damn it.
Just. Damn. It.
I backed off, reeling in my demon, my vampire sighing her frustration as Shaylee pouted, solidifying the ground around the other guard as she retreated. Too late, I heard the roar of an engine, knew I'd stepped over the line and just doomed Charlotte and myself to alternatives I wasn't sure I was prepared to follow through.
Screw that. Applegate could start her ridiculous war. I was getting my friend out of there if it was the last thing I did.
The large military vehicle roared to a halt on the other side of the gate, the passenger door slamming while a dozen or so werewolves in fatigues and carrying guns leaped from the back of the covered truck and formed a line with their weapons trained on me.
Like shooting at me would do them any good. Though I supposed guns would impress others. But at this point, I'd broken Applegate's rule. Which meant, I could now use maji power.
Poor little wereboys and girls. They had no idea they didn't stand a chance.
A tall figure pushed his way through the line, coming to stand a foot or so from the gate. Flat, gray eyes looked me up and down, glanced sideways at the guard writhing, up to his waist in freezing earth. At the one who denied my entry. Back to me.
His angular features and long, thin nose made him look more fox-like than wolf, and though he was bundled in as much fur as the others, I could tell he was leaner, too. But to me, no less dangerous.
More so, if I knew his type. And when I reached for him, I realized my mistake. Not a werewolf at all. The black emptiness of him told me what I needed to know.
Sorcerer.
"???????," he said, before switching to heavily accented English. "Be welcome, Coven Leader Hayle."
Um, okay.
"I'm totally getting 'hey, how are you' from your little show here," I said. Gwendolyn hissed behind me, a warning most likely. Whatever.
A thin smile cracked the sorcerer's lips, pulling at the deep dimple in his chin. "We are not used to accepting visitors. Especially ones so esteemed."
His words might have been complimentary, but I still got the dirt bag vibe from him.
"I'm here to talk to Yure Danko," I said. "I was told 'no'." I leaned closer to the gate, letting my demon rumble her unhappiness in my eyes. "I don't do 'no'."
Another smile, wider, though those gray eyes were as cold as ever. "An unfortunate error," he said. Bowed slightly. "I am Vasyl Krajnik, the Czar's head of security. I am more than happy to escort you," again his eyes traveled, this time over my shoulder at my companions before snapping back to me, "to meet his Royal Majesty."
So maybe my rule-breaking moment wasn't one after all. No incident, no retaliation from Applegate. And though I was sure I was in for a show and a whole heap of disappointment, the leader of the European Council had bound my hands.
Show it was. Pass the popcorn.
***
