Gates of Rapture

CHAPTER 10

Twenty-four hours had passed since Greaves had last seen Stannett. He entered the heart of the new Seers Fortress in Illinois Two, instead of Stannett’s private room. The surroundings were lovely: black marble on the ceiling, part of the walls and floors, black leather padding on the rest of the walls, a few dim inset lights around the perimeter to cast the inner sanctum in a nice glow. The Seers’ chaise longues were actually set in a lower level and reached by a flight of stairs at either end, almost like an orchestra pit. The viewing platform was quite large and finished with a fine polished mahogany.
Doors on either side of the inner sanctum led to an outer hall and the rest of the Seers palace.
From the platform, Greaves could watch Stannett and his bound Seers in action.
The chaise longues were arranged in a straight row, but each was tilted ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly. The concept behind the tilt was to keep the body slightly off balance and therefore the mind better focused.
Greaves moved to the edge of the stage and stared down into the pit. Stannett had his Seers strapped in place. His eyes were closed, and he had a sublime expression on his face. No doubt he had just filled his embroidered, red leather pants.
The vampire was hopeless.
“Stannett, we need to talk.”
The Seer opened his eyes. “Hello, Greaves.” He blinked rapidly several times. “I suppose you’d like an update.” He sat up, then glanced at the three women bound to his right and the three to his left. “None of them is conscious yet. The power we just shared has put each in a stupor. Not a bad place to be. At least, they’re not dead.”
Greaves glanced at the women and noted the dark brown skin. “From Mumbai?”
“Yes. Some of your most powerful Seers.”
“How long have you been working them?”
“Not long, about an hour. I allow them to rest for two afterward and make them drink lots of water. I’ve only had two die on me since last night.”
Greaves repressed a sigh. “And what have you discovered about our present difficulties?”
Stannett looked up at him wide-eyed. “Nothing yet. I have kept these early trial runs relegated to less strenuous matters.”
“You mean you’ve been hunting for future stream tail?”
“Well, yes. It seemed the most sensible way to get the women accustomed. I assure you, I haven’t been the only one enjoying the process. If you’d arrived earlier, you would have heard a great deal of delighted moaning.”
“And this is meant to reassure me?”
Greaves knew it was impossible for Stannett to comprehend the difficulties Greaves faced, but he began to suspect that the man was an idiot. Or if not a complete imbecile, then so given to his own pleasure that nothing else seemed to matter.
Greaves folded to his position in the pit. He put a finger beneath Stannett’s chin and used resonance. “Have I not told you how badly I need pure vision? That I must have the best possible information from moment to moment over the next several days?” He could feel Stannett tremble. “Why have you not done as I asked?”
“I … I thought I did,” Stannett said, wincing. Greaves had used resonance and he meant for it to hurt. “You didn’t tell me to start amassing information. You told me to work the skills of your Seers.”
“Then let me be very clear right now. I need an abundance of prophetic material as close to pure vision as you can achieve.” Greaves swept a hand over both sets of women. “Go back in and find me some useful information for tonight. And I do mean tonight.”
Stannett didn’t hesitate. He stretched back out and began the process. Greaves folded back up to the platform. He could feel Stannett’s power moving through the women. He wasn’t surprised when many of them cried out as if in pain.
Good.
He waited for a moment, then when the Seers relaxed, he drove his mental power straight at Stannett, pierced his mind, and found himself in what looked like great chaos. A battle of some sort. Greaves recognized the Seattle hidden colony and the warrior games setup. He watched his death vampires flowing over the citizens and striking them down.
Peace moved through Greaves because he could feel that this was pure vision. If his enemy did not interfere, if Marguerite did not catch wind of the prophecy, then the Seattle Colony would be reduced to rubble. He sought for the timing of the event and knew that he had at least two hours to prepare. But he wanted to see the outcome. He was delighted when he saw his death vampires cheering and drinking people to death, chasing their victims into the forest.
When the stream ended, Greaves’s heart beat strong in his chest. He would strike a blow against the opposition that would leave Endelle reeling. Right now it looked like Marguerite had failed to intervene by blocking Stannett, or maybe Stannett and the six Seers were just too damn powerful.
Either way, he rejoiced.
He was about to fold when he looked down and realized Stannett was trying to rouse the Seer to his left. The woman was dead.
Stannett looked up at him. “When the power begins to flow, they can’t take it without rest, just as I said.”
“But you have no problem with that level of power?”
Stannett laughed. “Of course not. Did you think I would?”
“No. You have many failings, my friend, but the inability to handle a power surge is not one of them.” He glanced at the remaining women. “Are any of the rest dead?”
“Yes.” Stannett looked from one to the next. “Three altogether.”
“Pity.” He rocked on his heels slightly. “Get rid of these, harness more, and forge a path through the future streams. And lest you mistake me again, I need as much information as you can gather, despite how hard Marguerite blocks you.”
“Understood,” Stannett responded.
*   *   *

That evening, after dinner at the palace, Leto returned with Grace to the bedroom of his cabin. He was still reeling from the hundred-plus conversations he’d had with the Division Leaders earlier in the day. His initial effort had been to test the waters as subtly as possible. To take anything further, to ask for commitments, was out of the question until he had a plan in place. His largest concern, about executing a mass fold, was just as Grace had suggested. He had no idea how he was going to physically move even one division, not to mention several, without Greaves finding out and stopping him.
He had finished his shower and had a towel around his waist. With another towel, he was drying his hair. Grace was sitting cross-legged on the side of the bed, staring at the wall. She was still in her yoga pants and shirt.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“I’m still stunned by that experience of possessing Fiona and battling Jean-Pierre with a sword. And when I allowed the triad’s power to really infuse my movements, then I became a blur of speed.”
“Were you ever afraid you would wound Jean-Pierre?”
“No, never. You can’t imagine the amount of control the triad has. It was amazing. I’m still in shock.” She looked around.
“Now what’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know if it’s just a residual effect from all the practice today, but my obsidian power is vibrating. I keep trying to intuit the problem, but I’m getting nothing. I just have this feeling…”
He moved to stand in front of her. “What can I do?”
She looked up and put her hand on his hip. “That’s exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you. The funny thing is, I’m not sure. I feel like I’m supposed to do something, but I don’t know what. I guess I’m a little wound up.”
“Why don’t you try contacting either Fiona or Marguerite?”
“I’ve been thinking about it, but it was such a long day for everyone.”
“I think you should anyway.”
She nodded, then closed her eyes. Her shoulders rose and fell, and she grew very still. He didn’t move, either. He didn’t want to disrupt the communication.
Finally, she seemed to relax and opened her eyes. “It was so easy to reach Marguerite. I just thought her name, and suddenly she was there. I wish you could have heard her. She was practically screaming at me, ‘What’s wrong, what’s wrong?’” Grace laughed.
“What did you tell her?”
“Actually, I asked her to hop in the future streams because I was feeling uneasy. She said that was good enough for her and that she’d get back to me.”
“Good, that’s good.”
Grace rose to her feet. “It’s probably nothing. I’ll go take my shower, but don’t go far.” She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
“I’ll be right here.” His chest felt warm and very full. He could see by the light in her eye that she had something cozy on her mind. He was definitely game.
He almost suggested he join her in the shower, but he had a few things to check out first. He looked around the room. Then he felt it, too. Something didn’t feel right. He wondered if Casimir was around causing some sort of mischief.
He heard the shower running. Grace started humming, and the sound gripped his heart in the nicest way. He could feel the water on her skin, her hands soaping up, then rubbing over her shoulders, her arms, her breasts …
Okay, he had to shut that down because he knew if he didn’t, he’d be heading back to the bathroom. He ordered his mind and found that with a little effort, he could block some of her physical sensations. He really did need to check in with the colony’s Militia Warrior HQ to see how things were going.
But as he folded his phone into his hand, his sense of uneasiness increased, though he couldn’t say why. His cabin was a significant distance from the main portion of the village.
He turned the lamps off in the bedroom so that the only light in the room was the glow from the bathroom.
Grace was suddenly in his mind. Marguerite said the Seattle Colony will be under attack.
When?
Anytime.
I’ll let HQ know.
He moved to the large window to the left of the bed and pushed back the curtain to look outside. No movement except the wind in the fir trees. He looked down at his phone. It was only eight in the evening. He thumbed, then located the colony’s HQ phone and tapped the screen.
The phone rang.
The hidden colony HQ had a small working grid that constantly checked the perimeter throughout the mountainous terrain. A second grid checked the space beneath Diallo’s dome of moss-based mist.
There was no answer.
There was no answer.
He scrolled for Thorne’s number. The phone rang. Thorne picked up. “Marguerite just told me. I’m letting Seriffe know. We’ll mobilize. Get up here to Second as soon as you can, and make sure Grace is safe.”
“Shit. You must be right, and I think it’s already started. I couldn’t reach HQ.”
“Got it.”
When he tossed his phone on the bed, he realized that Grace had shut the water off and she no longer hummed.
Everything felt quiet.
Too quiet.
He turned to face the bathroom.
A shimmering next to Leto caused him to bring his sword into his hand.
Casimir.
“Thank the Creator. We’re under attack.”
“I’m here,” Casimir said.
Leto had blocked Grace’s sensations so he quickly reestablished his breh-connection. Then he knew. He could now feel the cold line of tiles that pressed against both sides of her back as well as her bottom, which meant she had backed up into the corner of the shower.
Leto. Her voice was suddenly in his mind. Bring your sword, she added. We have company.
To Casimir, he sent, Death vamp in the bathroom.
I’ve got your back. Casimir held his hands wide, and Leto could feel the power start to build.
Leto moved with blinding speed to the bathroom. Yet at the exact same moment, he felt three more large bodies fold into the bedroom, into the space he had just vacated.
He didn’t wait to see what happened, but he could hear the vibrations of the hand-blast. Bodies fell to the floor.
He found Grace pressed up against the tile, staring into the face of a warrior-sized death vampire.
Leto used the tip of his sword and pricked the death vampire right on the ass.
The pretty-boy turned around. “What the f*ck,” he muttered, perhaps thinking one of his comrades was giving him a hard time.
Surprise.
Dropping into a fighting stance, Leto kept his gaze pinned on the death vamp. At the same time, he sent, Grace, fold to the basement. Then get dressed. I’ll meet you there in about three seconds.
She vanished. A moment later he felt the cold of the basement touch her wet skin and hair.
He raised his sword, which drew the death vamp’s arm up to meet steel with steel. But Leto had been a warrior a few thousand years longer than this sonofabitch. Folding his dagger into his left hand, he let it fly and caught the bastard straight through the neck.
At the same moment, he folded down to the basement. Grace wore jeans and a long green sweater that ended mid-thigh. She had on leather loafers. Good.
With a wave of his hand, he changed into clean flight battle gear.
To Casimir, he sent, I’m taking Grace to Diallo’s house, deep into the courtyard garden. Meet us there.
Done, Casimir returned.
He took Grace’s arm. “We’re going to fold to Diallo’s house, to the garden. I can’t raise the colony’s HQ on my phone. Casimir will join us there. I’ll block my trace so that we won’t be followed by any other death vampires who arrive here after we’re gone. Okay?”
She nodded.
Leto folded her in a quick flash through nether-space. He felt her feet touch down just as his did. They were where he wanted them to be, hidden by foliage. He blocked his trace. However, Diallo’s central courtyard was crawling with even more death vampires.
Holy shit, while he and Grace had been battling in his cabin, the colony had been attacked by death vampires. Why the f*ck hadn’t the alarms sounded?
Crouch, he sent.
She was quick and ducked.
Leto, what happened here?
He looked up at the dome of mist. It’s simple. Greaves mapped and breached the colony.
The top had been burned away, just like at Nazca.
Another couple of seconds passed, and Casimir folded next to Grace. She looked up at him and nodded. There was nothing of the vampire Leto had known all those months ago. Casimir had been absurd, always taunting with sexual innuendo, always easy in his smiles. Now he was serious, even somber.
Casimir looked at Grace, but without flirtation. Right now, he even looked a little confused. Leto saw nothing to challenge in his demeanor toward Grace. He could only imagine what the redemption pools had been like to have taken the casual smirk from his face.
*   *   *

A number of sensations struck Grace all at once: Casimir’s odd presence beside her, the humidity of the garden, the terrible number of death vampires milling about and ready to fight. She could feel Leto crouching without even looking at him because of the breh-hedden. Earlier, while she was waiting for Leto in the basement, she had felt him throw his dagger at the death vampire. Right now, when he pivoted on his heels to scan every inch of the garden, she could feel his battle sandals grinding against the hard pavers.
She peered through the shrubbery and started counting the number of death vampires, all restless, all moving as though they were hunting, even if their current job was to guard the courtyard. There had to be at least fifteen in the relatively small space. None of them spoke.
The war again.
She looked up. Remnants of the mist remained but mostly it was just gone, destroyed. In the distance, she could hear screams coming from the lane beyond Diallo’s house as well as the sound of a rhythmic drumbeat. Why was there the sound of a drum?
Creator help them.
To Leto, she sent, What do we do?
I’m not sure, he responded. I talked to Thorne. He said he was contacting Seriffe and would mobilize the Militia Warrior contingent at Apache Two. But I have a bad feeling about Diallo and Mei-Amadi.
When she shivered, he slid his arm around her waist. Sorry, he sent. But I think this is about to get worse.
It’s okay. I’ll manage. She thought for a moment. Do you think they have Diallo and his wife?
That’s what I think. Greaves would have ordered them to be either apprehended or killed.
Do you want me to look for them? She met his gaze. His blue eyes glittered in the garden shadows.
How will you look for them? Wait, I can feel your obsidian power rising, up through your legs.
She nodded. Yes, that’s it exactly. I can do what I did for you in Moscow Two and when I searched out Nazca One. I can use the apparition part of this power to travel the house.
Won’t you be seen?
She shook her head. Don’t you remember? Even Greaves couldn’t see me. Just you and … Casimir.
She felt him tense then relax. She could feel him swallow, which was a strange experience all in itself.
He nodded, but turned to stare once more through the leaves. Do it.
She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Steady me while I do this thing.
You got it. He tightened his arm around her. I’ll let Thorne know what’s going on.
Grace let her obsidian power flow. Because her blue flame was now fully opened, the rush of energy was like a flood.
She glanced up at Casimir and telepathically told him what was going on.
Be careful, he sent. He reached for her, glanced at Leto, then withdrew his hand.
Grace turned toward the house. She thought of Mei-Amadi, and her apparition-self moved swiftly through the shrubs and even past the death vampires.
She sped into the hall. To the left was the kitchen and dining room and another major hall leading to the bedrooms.
Shifting to face forward, she saw that the largest gathering of death vampires was in the front living room where she had sat with Leto all those months ago. They were making a lot of noise, even cheering. She found the pretty-boys grouped around a single death vampire on the floor. He was engaged in copulation and was drinking a woman to death.
Oh, God. Mei-Amadi.
She froze for a moment as visceral memories pummeled her. She knew exactly what the woman was experiencing, the terror, the pain, and the rage combined. She felt ill.
Grace, are you all right? Leto sent. You’re trembling in my arms.
His voice eased her. Yes, she responded. She drew close and saw that the lovely African-Asian woman was white-faced, near death. They have Diallo’s wife. But she knew what to do. She put her apparition-hand on the woman’s forehead.
Grace simply took her with her so that Mei-Amadi vanished from beneath the death vamp. With a rush of energy, she headed back to Leto. At the same time she gave him a brisk mental warning of what she had done.
When she arrived and Mei-Amadi materialized beside her, she collapsed on Grace. She was naked, bruised, and bloody. She was also weeping. Her sounds would bring the death vamps.
We’ve got to get her out of here, Grace sent to Leto.
He drew Mei-Amadi into his arms and sent, We’re folding to the Militia Warrior HQ in Apache Junction Two. The landing platforms. He glanced past her, and she could tell that he was sending Casimir a similar message.
Take her, Grace sent. I’ll follow.
As he dematerialized, he was shouting into her head. Grace, come with us now. This is too dangerous.
She shifted to meet Casimir’s gaze. He frowned heavily. You need to go with him, don’t you?
He nodded, but he looked pained. I hate to leave you here, but I’m Leto’s guardian. Will you be safe?
Yes. But I must find Diallo. She noticed movement to her right and saw that a couple of death vampires were headed in her direction. She couldn’t stay in the garden.
She considered all her options and looked up. I’m going to the roof. Come with me.
She folded to the rooftop and blocked her trace. She’d half expected to meet up with a couple of death vamps here on top of the house, but none was present. She lay down on the shingle roof, making herself almost invisible since the sky was dark overhead.
Casimir materialized next to her. What are you doing?
I’m going to remain prone while I do my split-self. Don’t worry. I feel very secure here. Go to Leto. I can feel your need to guard him.
He put a hand on her shoulder, then vanished.
Once more she let her obsidian power flow. She moved in apparition-form and began searching through the house room by room. A great deal of angry shouting was going on in the living room. She pressed on.
She found Diallo in the middle of his large master bedroom, beaten around his head and face, his arms cut up. A death vampire was behind him, his fangs in deep and drinking him down at his neck. Another was in front, and had attacked him in the groin, sucking from the vein. There were other fang-marks as well. Diallo’s beautiful brown skin had actually paled.
Grace hurried toward him and he met her gaze. Diallo had so much power that he could see her when even Greaves couldn’t. She put her hand on his forehead, and he simply vanished with her as she flew back to the roof and reentered her physical self. He collapsed facedown on the roof next to her.
“Lie still,” she whispered. “I’m going to fold us to safety, but it will hurt like hell because you’re wounded.”
Diallo merely smiled.
She folded him to the landing platforms at the Militia Warrior HQ. He arrived facedown on the platform, screaming. In addition to the many cuts, it now became apparent that he had broken bones as well. After a few seconds, his back arched and he passed out.
Not long after, probably because of Leto’s advance warning, several healers arrived. They moved Diallo off the platform, but not very far, as they began healing him.
Thorne arrived running up the ramp toward her. He drew her into his arms. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, then looked around. “Where’s Leto?”
“He took Mei-Amadi straight to the hospital from here.”
She could sense that Leto’s arms were wrapped around his stomach and that he was blinking rapidly. Leto, I’m at the landing platform. I’ve got Diallo. He’s alive.
Oh, thank God. I could feel that you had folded and that you had him with you. The breh-hedden is really something, but who the hell is hugging you?
Grace didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The whole situation was so horrible, yet Leto had time to be jealous? Thorne. Just Thorne.
Okay. Sorry about that. Diallo’s wife has been calling for him. What can I tell her?
We got him in time. The healers are with him. He’s really messed up: drained, cut up, some broken bones. I’m going to wait here with Thorne. Come to us when you can.
I’ll come back as soon as Alison gets here, probably just a minute or two.
Okay, that’s good. Is Casimir with you?
There was a slight pause, then He just left. I told him you were with Thorne.
She knew he was angry, and she knew exactly why, so she sent, Leto, you must not fault him for not staying with me. He is your guardian. You know how critical that feels. You’ve served as a Guardian of Ascension in centuries past. You know he did what he had to do.
I know. But I don’t have to like it. I’ll leave here shortly.
She turned to Thorne and told him what she’d seen. “The mist was destroyed and the colonists are being slaughtered. Diallo’s house was crawling with death vampires.”
“We’re getting ready to launch. Donna, who works the grid here at HQ, moved the grid to the colony’s location. Seriffe is with her. He has his eye on everything as well. He sent out a general call for Militia Warriors fifteen minutes ago. We’re assembling the squadrons in the flight hangar now. They’ve already started arriving. A couple dozen squads are just about ready to fold.”
As if his words were magic, the landing platform officer called out, “Incoming. Friendlies.”
More squadrons folded in from all over the Metro Phoenix Two area. By long habit of drilling and preparation, the Thunder God Warriors marched off to the left toward a large departure hangar.
Thorne took her hand. “I want you to see this.”
Grace went with him to the double doors. Within were dozens of tight squads of four, repeated over and over. Wherever a squad awaited one of theirs, the warriors stood grouped at the back. Once a squad had all four members, they moved into position to the fore awaiting orders on several sets of departure platforms.
Thorne leaned close. “We have a reconnaissance team, couched in Endelle’s mist, over the colony right now. We’ll have a report within seconds.”
As if on cue, the large screens came to life and the horror of the attack on the colony caused Grace to list. A moment later, Leto arrived and slid his arm around her waist to support her. “Alison is with Mei-Amadi now. God, I felt you start to fall. What is it?” But his gaze found the screens soon enough, and he murmured, “Creator help us.”
Hundreds of death vampires roamed what had been the fair-like atmosphere of the warrior games. The bodies of several colonists could be seen lying prone on the sawdust, but fewer than Grace had expected. A number of death vamps were using them, going after dying blood. The enemy appeared to be celebrating, gathering around the feeding spots, shouting, raising their fists in the air.
“I thought there would be more casualties,” Grace said.
Leto squeezed her waist. “The colonists are well trained. Remember the drums?”
“Yes. I didn’t know what they were.”
“That was the secondary alarm. Once the electronic alarm failed, the HQ warriors would have started pounding the drums. The death vamps would have had no idea what that was.”
“So you’re saying a lot of the colonists would have gotten away?”
“Yes, as many as heard the drums would have folded to the Portland Colony. We should have a report soon.”
“Thank the Creator for that. Leto, were the drums your idea?”
He nodded. “It seemed like a logical precaution. And something the enemy wouldn’t have expected. I made sure that every colony drilled with drums.”
A voice came over the loudspeaker. “None of the death vampires is watching the skies.” The image on the screen pivoted to what Grace knew to be a position in the west because she’d been there herself earlier in the evening. The voice added, “The landing platforms are clear and unguarded.”
Thorne leaned in her direction. “Gideon has several reconnaissance warriors in flight and cloaked in mist. They’re over the colony now. You’re hearing one of them reporting.”
Grace could make out the flapping of the warrior’s wings, the one who apparently wore the camera strapped to his head. She could also see the fine lace-like appearance of mist surrounding the warrior. None of the death vampires had the power to see the mist or to perceive the Militia Warrior’s flight over the battle site.
She felt heat radiating from Thorne and glanced up at him. He was glowing, his obsidian flame power lighting him up. He looked god-like and in control. He touched his com. “Gideon, start sending the squads.”
Gideon’s voice broke over the heads of the warriors at the lead spots. “On my mark to the Seattle One Colony platforms. I want an eight-squad fold pattern. You know the drill. Get me some blue skin.”
The air in the hanger heated up, now charged with anticipation and intent. The first thirty-two Thunder God Warriors sped to the folding line and simply vanished. The next eight squads were on their heels with only a five-second interval between.
On the screen, the reconnaissance warrior held his camera aimed at the platforms.
“Thorne,” Leto called out. “This is some righteous shit.”
“Yes, it is,” he said.
Grace glanced up at her brother. “You created this, didn’t you?”
Thorne shook his head. “No, this is Seriffe’s work in partnership with Leto. I’d take credit if I could.” As the Militia Warriors continued to fold to Mortal Earth, Thorne turned to Leto. “So how did you save Diallo and his wife? What happened?”
Leto spoke in a clipped manner, as though giving a report to a commanding officer, which Grace supposed was exactly what he was doing. He spoke of death vampires coming to his cabin, which was their first knowledge that the colony was under attack.
Thorne put a hand on Grace’s shoulder and very quietly sent, When Mei-Amadi arrived, we could see that she had been badly used. I’m so sorry.
He was remembering.
It was a long time ago, Thorne.
I know, but I have a feeling it still feels like yesterday for you.
Grace realized she’d never given her brother enough credit. Yes. Sometimes, like tonight, it does.
Leto turned toward Grace. “I have to get out there. My place is at the colony, but I think you should stay here, stay with your brother. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Do you think it’s wise,” she asked, “if you and I are separated right now?”
He took her hand. “I’m not sure, but I have to be part of securing the colony.” He glanced at Thorne. “I think we’ll need Endelle to work on restoring the mist. Diallo won’t be fit for duty for a few more hours yet, though I made sure Horace was with him.”
“Good,” Thorne said. Horace was the strongest healer on Second Earth. He glanced at Grace then back to Leto. “I’ll take Grace to the palace with me. Endelle will want to know everything, and I’ll get her started on the mist. Just report in as soon as the colony is secured.”
*   *   *

Casimir stood at the observation window over the portal to Third. It felt so strange being with Grace and Leto just now. He knew they had completed the breh-hedden. He could feel their bond as though it had strings he could touch.
Though she had parted from him, still he loved her. How strange to know she was with another vampire and that his duty was to keep that vampire alive.
After having been with Patience earlier, he wondered if he would scent Grace again, but he had smelled nothing from her.
He glanced around the deck. He sniffed; the wildflower scent that belonged to Patience was still very much present in the space.
He focused on his voyeur window, holding Leto’s image in his mind. He saw the warrior running through the Seattle Colony. Casimir used his window as a tracking device, and since he knew there were death vampires at the colony, he simply folded with a thought to Leto’s position but kept himself invisible.
He watched Leto drop to his knees as he tended to a wounded colonist who was still breathing. He lifted up and called for a healer.
Casimir had enjoyed both men and women in his long life, and Leto was one of the finest-looking warriors he had ever seen. His eyes were an exquisite shade of blue and very intense, a heady combination. He was built, too. He would make a wonderful lover for Grace, for anyone really.
He kept out of the way and just watched him work. His view of life was so different now that what he began to feel for Leto wasn’t so much lust as it was respect. Leto deserved a woman like Grace, whose heart was pure and compassionate, who saw the best in everyone she met.
With a piercing sense of self-awareness, he knew Grace was with the man who deserved her.
He had made a promise to his boys that he would bring Grace back to them, but there had been a part of him still hoping that she would return as his breh. That was now over, especially because Patience had suddenly arrived in his life. Yet deep in his heart, he knew Grace would fulfill her promise to be a part of his sons’ lives. Just knowing that eased his heart.
The healer arrived and began taking care of the colonist. Leto moved on. Remaining invisible, Casimir trailed after him as he worked with three squads of Militia Warriors, hunting deep into the forest for death vampires.
*   *   *

Endelle stood before the mirror in her bedroom and unhooked the scorpion belt. She let it fall to the floor. She had just gotten word that the Seattle Colony had been attacked and that Seriffe and Thorne were sending her Militia Warriors after Greaves’s death vampires.
She opened her closet door and pulled out a black flight suit, nothing special. She waved a hand and with nine thousand years of experience switched outfits within the blink of an eye. She drew a leather piece from her closet, something she had never worn before, and for the first time in centuries there was absolutely nothing silly or absurd about this garment. She’d had it made about fifteen years ago when Greaves had started turning up the heat. She slid it on the old-fashioned way then buckled the belt in front and adjusted the side fittings. She felt for the dagger at her waist with a left-hand draw. She’d need her right hand for her sword if it came to that.
“You look perfect, Endelle. You were made to wear a weapons harness.”
She turned slowly. Braulio was there, that handsome bastard, standing near her bed. But she’d give him this, he wasn’t sporting his usual teasing come-f*ck-me smile.
“I think this might be it,” she said.
Braulio nodded. He looked very serious, more than he ever had.
“So, you gonna tell me what you did to me?” She reached up and rubbed the ripple of scars over her neck.
“Not yet. But soon.”
She didn’t bother to argue. With the war ramping up, nothing else seemed to matter. Besides, Braulio wouldn’t tell her a damn thing until he was ready.
“I’m with you, Endelle,” he said. “I’ll be close by when you need me.”
“Are you talking future stream shit?”
He nodded.
“Fine. Whatever.”
He offered her half a smile, then just vanished.
She headed back to Thorne’s command center since she really wanted to see what was happening in the Seattle Colony.
So Greaves had finally figured out how to locate the hidden colonies. She had a feeling that Nazca and Seattle were just the beginning, and she suspected he meant to move fast. One more flank to cover.
Once at the center, she moved to stand in front of the largest central screen. A few seconds later, Thorne arrived with Grace on his arm. When he reached Endelle, he smiled down at Grace then kissed her on the cheek.
Jesus, he looked so different. He was a new man—but maybe that’s what happened to any man when he got laid on a solid, regular basis. Marguerite was good for him, and so was the breh-hedden.
When Thorne inclined his head to Endelle and took his seat in front of the same screen, Endelle said, “Thought I’d watch the action from here.”
Thorne tapped a few buttons and spoke softly into his com. “Donna, we’re ready to link up.” He waited for a moment. The screen suddenly came alive. “Thanks, we’ve got it.”
He shifted slightly and spoke to Endelle over his shoulder. “Once we had a visual at Apache Junction Two, which started up about ten minutes ago, we gathered two hundred squadrons and began folding them down to Mortal Earth.”
Endelle stood back and watched Thorne work. He was all business these days, more sure of himself, relaxed, willing to take criticism in the name of building a stronger administration and army, and still he battled at the Borderlands a few hours every night. “Just to stay fit,” he’d told her a couple of weeks ago.
She crossed her arms over her chest and took a couple of deep breaths. Her gaze was fixed to the back of his head. Yep, like an amputee watching a limb walk around by itself. She wondered if she’d ever get over the absence of the mind-link she had once shared with him.
Grace moved to stand off to Thorne’s left.
Endelle glanced at her. Grace stared back then sent, They were raping Diallo’s wife when I found her. She’d almost bled out by then.
Shit.
Exactly.
But you brought her out?
Grace nodded.
Endelle narrowed her eyes. How?
The explanation involved Grace’s obsidian power, the same power she’d employed to locate the attack at Nazca.
“Love that you can split into an apparition. Reminds me of my darkening work, although it sounds more powerful and more versatile, like you can go just about anywhere.”
Thorne was tapping away at the computer, and the next moment the screen split into four segments, each a live feed from the in-flight video crews that were flying over the colony.
To her infinite pleasure, the Thunder God Warriors were making mincemeat of a bunch of blue-skinned, black-winged sociopaths.
“Hot damn,” Thorne shouted. The room, which had a dozen techs on different monitors, burst into shouts and applause.
Endelle could see Militia Warriors engaging four-to-one against each death vamp. Militia Warriors were limited in that way—it was the rare warrior who could take on a death vamp by himself. Her Warriors of the Blood were the truly gifted and could battle as many as eight at a time. Luken, the biggest of her warriors, often battled nine or more on a regular basis. He was one fit brute.
But the squads of four Militia Warriors were brilliantly trained and took down the enemy like dominoes falling one after the other.
As new squads peeled off the colony’s landing platform, at least three Section Leaders were directing the action, speaking into their coms and aiming traffic as needed. Many of the squads headed south into the valley’s grain fields, but more and more of them were sent into the forest. Their activity would be difficult to track, but guerrilla work was part of the training.
“Are you streaming any of this to Marcus?” Endelle asked. “He’ll want to send this out to our allied High Administrators all around the globe.”
“He was my third phone call after you and Seriffe.”
“Good.” Something inside Endelle began to ease. She had hated her break with Thorne when Marguerite entered the picture, but right now she saw the results. Thorne in this position, essentially commanding all aspects of the war against Greaves, was exactly what she had needed.
As for Marcus, who headed up her PR, he would be eating up the videos. Ever since he’d returned from a two-hundred-year vacay on Mortal Earth, he’d been piling the electronics. She now saw one of the results: He could mobilize his PR crews within seconds of any situation. She approved. On the other hand, one of the other results bugged the shit out of her since she now had a website called MadameEndelle.com, and all the other crap that Marcus called “a critical social media platform.” Thanks to a thing called “tweets” that Marcus and his breh, Havily, formulated on her behalf, Endelle was enjoying a surge in popularity.
How f*cking precious.
“So what do we think all this means?” Endelle asked.
Thorne turned to meet her gaze. “Besides the obvious?”
“That’s right, besides the fact that Greaves has attacked two of the colonies on Mortal Earth two nights in a row and risked our world becoming known to the human population. Besides all that, what the f*ck is the bastard up to?”
But it was Grace who answered. “He’s testing everything without showing his hand on Second Earth: the strength of Diallo’s mist, response time of the Militia Warrior army, what, if anything, obsidian flame would do if he attacks, perhaps even my own power.”
“She’s right,” Thorne said. “This isn’t an overt battle. If Greaves had wanted to do that, he would have launched at Apache Junction Two at any of your allied Territories around the world. But he knows if he does that, he opens the war. He’s not ready yet to go full-out, but I don’t think he’s going to wait very long.”
Endelle turned to Grace. “Where’s your man right now? Alison said you completed the breh-hedden. Can you find him?”
Grace nodded, then blinked a couple of times as if she was concentrating. Finally, she said, “He’s just sent a squad of sixteen deep into the forest after three death vamps. He also said to alert Jeannie that he’d want to start moving corpses and clearing debris in small bursts. I told him I’d relay the message.”
Thorne held the mouthpiece of his headset, clicked a couple more buttons, and Jeannie’s voice filled the space. “Jeannie here.”
Thorne gave her Leto’s instructions. “Shall I let Gideon know?” he asked.
“I’ve got it,” she said. “Later.”
Endelle heard the softest click. She was f*cking impressed. This was a massive team that Thorne had built. “What do we think Greaves’s next move will be?”
Thorne turned around to face her. “This worries me the most because we just don’t know, and according to Marguerite, that bastard Stannett is working his ass off blocking Greaves’s movements in the future streams. She has four teams of Seers working with high rates of accuracy, but none of them is able to find out much about Greaves or his generals or his army. I can tell you what my biggest concerns are.”
But Endelle already knew them. “You’re worried about the colonies falling to Greaves, because Leto a built a force of a hundred thousand.”
He nodded then glanced at Grace. His brow was furrowed. “And I’m worried as hell about obsidian flame.”

Peace, though sought from every corner of the universe, Can only be found deep in the heart.

—Collected Proverbs, Beatrice of Fourth