Crimson Wind (25 page)

Max shrugged. “I had something to say they wanted to hear. And I’m scarier than you are.”

“I’m a witch,” he protested, sounding like a ten-year-old defending his honor.

Max smiled to herself. “You’re a witch,” she agreed. “But not a particularly frightening one. That’s not a bad thing, if you ask me. But I was made to kill and I’m pretty good at it. That makes me a threat the Leshii can’t ignore.”

“Threats can’t be all they respond to,” he said dubiously, and once again broke into a cough. When he pulled his hand from his mouth, it was spattered with blood.

“I don’t know about that. The world of the Uncanny and Divine is a world of danger, of give and take, kill or be killed. You don’t make a lot of friends.”

“Sounds lonely.”

She shrugged, thinking of Niko and Tyler and Oz and the rest of her fellow Blades and Spears. And Alexander. For so long, it had been terribly lonely. And now—

She stopped dead. Family. They were her family more so even than her own parents and Tris and Kyle, who were strangers to Max.

“Is something wrong?”

She shook her head. “No. Nothing’s wrong.” She kept walking.

Tris was waiting on the porch. She paced, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She turned as Kyle and Max approached through the acrid smoke.

“I want to talk to you,” she told Max. Her voice was raspy from the smoke, and her breath rattled in her lungs.

“I’ll go get ready,” Kyle said, taking the hint that he wasn’t welcome in this conversation.

Max stepped up onto the porch and leaned against the rail. “Whatever it is, keep it short. We don’t have a lot of time.” But it hurt, looking at Tris and seeing only anger.

“That was a great show in there, you know that? All the writhing about on the floor like you were in agony. Really convincing. But you lied. Dad said you have to want to become a Shadowblade; no one can make you do it.”

“Technically, that’s true,” Max agreed. Her heart pounded against her ribs. This was so much harder than she’d thought it would be.

“So what the hell kind of a game are you playing? Why all the drama? Why not just admit you wanted to be—” Tris gestured stiffly with her hand, still clutching her elbows tight against herself. “Whatever you are.”

Max bit her lips hard. “There’s no game and I wasn’t putting on a show. If I so much as think of trying to hurt Giselle, my compulsion spells punish me.”

“Then why? If it’s that bad, why did you do it? Just to be forever young? Were you that stupid?”

“Very stupid,” Max conceded, her stomach churning. “But I didn’t know what I was agreeing to. Not really.”

Tris stopped and stared. “You’re saying this was, what, an accident?”

Max ran her fingers through her hair. “I was drunk,” she admitted. “She asked the questions then. Would I like to live forever? Would I like to never grow old? Would I like to be superhumanly strong? I thought she was joking, so I said sure. That was all it took. I woke up a month later, and I wasn’t human anymore. I was this.” She waved a hand at herself. “And so long as I promised to stay away from you, she promised she wouldn’t have all of you killed.”

That caught Tris up short. She covered her mouth with her hands. “Killed?” she whispered. “Giselle? But she couldn’t mean it. She visited us. She wept for you.”

“She meant every word.”

“And there’s no way out? No way to undo this? What if Dad and Kyle helped you?”

Max shook her head. “No. But, Tris, this is who I am, and I wouldn’t go back now. Not even if I could. I’m—” She was going to say …..
happy
. Holy mother of fuck—was it possible? In thirty years, she’d never been happy, never imagined it was even possible. But somehow it had sneaked up on her. Part of it was her ties to everyone at Horngate. So close she considered them family. Part of it was Alexander. Part of it was her strength and knowing that she could make a difference—protect the people she cared about.

“You like being a—” Tris motioned at Max’s clothes.

Max looked down. Her clothes were shredded and she was covered in blood, hers and the
obake’s
. “If I wasn’t a Shadowblade, then nobody would be here to help you now,” she said, lifting her gaze to her sister.

“But still—”

“But nothing. I am what I am, and I like it. I might hate Giselle and the fact that she owns me, but the rest is good.” She was surprised at how much she meant it. “Now, c’mon, little sister. We’ve got to get out of here before the sun comes up and I fry.”

“Would you really?”

Max snapped her fingers. “Poof. Me and Alexander both.”

“Oh, my God. You can’t go to the beach or watch the sunset?”

It was always the silly things people fixed on in a crisis. “No. But we can talk about it later. Go make sure your girls are ready.”

Tris looked at her a long moment, as if she wanted to say something else, then went inside. Max sighed and rubbed her chest. The smoke was still eating at her lungs. They had to get out of here fast.

“How are you doing?”

Alexander stepped up onto the porch and leaned against the rail beside her. She’d been aware of him for a few minutes. She looked at him.

“I’ll live. But I always do.”

He brushed his knuckles down her cheek, and she leaned into his touch, her throat knotting with pain she didn’t want to think about.

“It will get better.”

“Maybe. But I’m not my parents’ daughter anymore, and I don’t know if any of them can get around that.”

“You will have time to figure it out.”

She shrugged. Maybe. She stood up straight. “We’d better go. What kinds of vehicles did you find?”

He stood and slid his hands delicately around her neck. She almost whimpered at the gentleness of his touch. It was so very opposite to the way she was feeling. He bent and brushed his lips against hers, and warming heat poured through her. He ran his hands down to her shoulders as he pulled away. She licked her lips, wanting more than a brief taste of him. He watched her, his eyes flaring. He stepped back, letting go.

“Just remember, I am not going anywhere,” he said, still watching her lips. “And if you ever try to hide from me, I will not believe you are dead. I will find you. Count on it.”

She stared at him. He meant it. And more than that. There was a promise under those words that made her stomach twist with both fear and longing. She licked her lips again, all too aware of the effect it was having on him and liking it a whole lot.

“You’d better,” she said finally. “Don’t let me down, Slick.”

Chapter 17

ALEXANDER HAD FOUND A PAIR OF PICKUP TRUCKS and a stock trailer. “There are a couple of little cars and an old Suburban. The gas tank is about empty on that one, and the
obake
would overrun the other two,” he told Max.

She was wound so tight he was afraid she was near to snapping. She was holding herself under tight control, but he could feel her emotions churning. There was little he could do for her except watch her back.

She nodded. “We’ll take just one truck and the trailer. Peter can drive and we’ll put everyone else inside the trailer. The windows are small and the back is closed. That will keep the
obake
from being able to swarm them. They’ll have to fight off the
bakemono
. Nothing will keep them out.” The smoke creatures could slide inside a crack and shift into a flesh shape to attack.

“Are they up to it?”

“They’ll have to be. Kyle can ride with them. I don’t know if he knows how to use his magic to kill, but he’ll have to learn fast. You’ll ride on the running boards and try to keep Peter alive, and I’ll protect the Leshii.”

It was not a good plan, but he had nothing better to offer.

Max went back to the house to fetch her family, and he went back to the barn and found several lengths of chain. He had already filled the back of the truck with all the tools he could find that might serve as weapons. He returned to the trailer and hooked the chain up inside so that it could be locked from within.

A few minutes later, Max returned, leading her family. They were carrying an assortment of kitchen knives, rifles, and handguns. Max’s face was flat and cold. It made his stomach drop.

Her mother had her arms wrapped around the two teenage boys, her face pinched. Tris was holding a butcher knife and an aluminum bat and looking terrified. Kyle and Peter were caught between excitement and fear, as if they were about to get on a roller coaster. Tris’s two girls brought up the rear, carrying golf clubs and pulling small suitcases.

Alexander ignored them, going to Max, putting his hands on her arms, and holding her gently. He ignored the stares of her family.

“What happened?”

“Jim. He’s dead. Coughed up a bunch of blood and then—”

She tried to pull away.

He tightened his grip. “I am sorry.” He pulled her roughly against his chest, hugging her tightly. “He died well.”

“He died because of me. He shouldn’t have been here at all.”

“He made his own choice. It is what friends do,” he said against her hair.

For a moment, he felt her clutch him tight. Then she twisted away. “Let’s get this over with.”

She turned. “Everyone, remember what I told you. As soon as we cross the ward line, we’ll be under attack. If I’m right and we’re the only humans left alive in Winters, then there’s likely to be quite a swarm of
obake
waiting. Be ready to kill them; they certainly won’t hesitate to kill you.”

She looked at her father. “Peter, you’re driving. Alexander is going to guard you. He’s going to kill everything that comes at you. The Leshii and I are going to lead the way. You won’t be able to see much, maybe not even at all, which is going to make guiding you a bitch. But that’s not the only problem. The smoke is going to try to trick you. It’s going to give you illusions. You need to ignore them. Listen to Alexander and steer. If we get stuck in the smoke, we’re dead. Are you going to be able to do that?”

Her father’s childish excitement faded and he sobered. “I’ll do it. How am I supposed to stay on the road if I can’t see anything?”

“I’m still working the signals out,” she said. “Get in.”

He went to get into the front seat. Alexander motioned the others to get into the stock trailer. It was clean but for wisps of hay. The floor was wood and the sides were steel. Small sliding windows lined the upper half on both sides, with larger windows at the back. They were already closed and secured with twists of wire.

“Careful,” he said before shutting the door. “The smoke will get thick in here. The
bakemono
can cast illusions. Make sure you know where everyone is before you attack. You are safe until they take human form. Then do not hesitate. You cannot have mercy, and you cannot hold back. They will kill you if you do not kill them first. Remember, they are no stronger than ordinary humans and will die easily enough.”

They stared with eyes full of horrified denial. Four teenagers, a mother and grandmother, and a witch with untried power and skill. Alexander grimaced and hoped they would have the stomach to do what they had to do.

“Chain the door when I shut it. Good luck.”

He swung the door closed and listened as the chain rattled and the lock snicked into place. He hoped they would do what was necessary to save themselves. Max and he could only do so much.

Alexander rattled the door to be sure it was secure, then returned to Max. The Leshii had appeared and now gathered around her. Max looked at the father. “I know you don’t like metal, but I think your family is safer in the back of the truck.”

He looked past her and then back and shook his head. “No harm to us from them.”

He said “them” like he was talking about maggots. Alexander smiled and hoped the creature was not overconfident.

“Then that just leaves the problem of guiding the truck. The Leshii will have to guide Peter with their voices. Luckily, it is not far. Once we get to the main road, it is not even a mile to where we left the car,” he said.

“A mile is a hell of a long way when everybody’s out to kill you,” she said.

“Should be exciting, then.”

She grinned. “No doubt about it.”

Max unwound the witch chain from her waist and laid her sword on the hood. She fastened the chain to the grille on the passenger side. Alexander did the same, threading his through two holes he punched in the driver door with his sword. Tethered to the truck, they could not get lost in the smoke.

“Ready?” Max asked.

Peter nodded. Sweat rolled down his forehead. His face was tense. Good. He was finally figuring out that this was no game. He turned his head to look at Alexander.

“I love my daughter. I never meant to hurt her. I never in a million years would have thought Giselle could do something like this. She was always such a sweet girl and I thought she was like me—a hedgewitch. Nothing more. I would have warned Anne—Max—if I had thought she was in danger.” He faced the windshield again. “Tell her that for me, in case.”

“I will,” Alexander said. “We should go.”

Max’s father took a slow breath and nodded. “Right.” He twisted the key and the truck rumbled to life.

“Nice and slow,” Alexander reminded him, stepping up onto the running board.

The truck rolled forward, following Max and the Leshii. The two elder aunts held the hands of the children, and the parents walked just ahead. Pale green magic limned them all. Max walked to their right.

As if feeling Alexander’s eyes on her, she turned. “Try not to get killed.”

“Are you saying you would miss me?”

“Yeah, Slick. That’s what I’m saying. You’re like a boil on my ass that I’ve gotten used to.”

“That is so sweet. Like a Hallmark card from hell.”

She laughed. “I do like you, Slick.”

“It is a start.”

They had reached the entrance of the orchard, where the driveway cut through to the main road. The ward line glowed faintly against the wall of white smoke.

“Ready?” Alexander asked Peter.

The other man nodded jerkily, his jaw flexing and his hands knotting on the steering wheel as he stared ahead of him.

Alexander held his sword ready, counting again the number of grenades in his bandolier. There were four. And six flash bombs, all given to him by Maple when they’d left the dead covenstead. He doubted the latter would do much good against the
obake
, but he would not count them out yet.

Max looked over her shoulder and nodded at him. Just then, she stiffened, lifting her head as if smelling something. Alexander did the same. Diesel fumes and smoke overwhelmed his senses, but then he caught a whiff of something else. He put a hand on Peter’s shoulder.

“Stop.”

The truck jerked to a halt. “What’s wrong?” Peter demanded hoarsely.

“Maybe something is right. Hold on.”

Alexander unfastened his witch chain as Max did the same. He bounded over the hood to join her. She prowled back toward the house and he headed out to the left. He found the scent trail and followed it. Max veered to join him. They went around the side of the house on silent feet, approaching the intruders from behind.

“What in the hell are you doing here?” Max demanded.

Ivy, Oak, and Steel jumped guiltily and spun around. They were covered with blood, their clothes torn. The wounds they had suffered were healing, and they looked a lot better than they had.

“We thought you might need some help,” Ivy said, flushing to the roots of her hair.

Max stared stony-eyed. “You’re supposed to be on your way north.”

Ivy lifted a shoulder in a defiant half-shrug, but did not answer.

“How did you even find us here?” Max demanded.

“Steel. He can find anything anywhere. It’s one of his talents.”

Alexander eyed the blond Blade appraisingly. He was one of the twins. He looked far less shy and diffident than before. Now he prowled about, sensing and searching.

“Where are the others?” Max asked.

“By your car. Waiting for us in the RV.”

“Shit. Holy mother of fucking night.” Max scraped her fingers through her hair. “What were you thinking? Have you seen what’s coming down the valley? And you left your witches out there hanging?”

Again Ivy gave that shrug, but her expression was tenacious. “We owe you.”

“Are you saying you don’t need help?” Oak asked. His arms were crossed, and he stood hipshot, his brows raised, his chin outthrust.

“No, dumbshit. I’m saying you are too stupid for words,” Max snapped. “All right. You’re here. Let’s get going.”

“Can he find his way back to the cars on the road?” Alexander asked, still watching Steel.

Ivy nodded. “He’s amazing. Plus Flint is back there. Because they are twins, they always know where the other one is. As good as GPS.”

Alexander glanced at Max. “Put him in the truck with your father, and we do not have to have the Leshii.”

Her lip curled in an animal snarl. “I’m not leaving them. I promised them a place to go.”

“Of course not, but it means we can find our way without their help. We can go faster.”

She gave a sharp nod and stalked away. Ivy hurried after, and Steel wound back and forth behind like a hunting dog. Oak fell in beside Alexander.

“How come you’re both Blade Primes?” he asked suddenly. “I’ve been wondering since we found you.”

“It is a long story.”

“But you work together?”

“She is Prime. I am one of her Blades.” Or he hoped to be. That was still to be determined.

You will be Prime.

Not a fucking chance.

“Never heard of a Prime serving under another Prime.”

“And you have heard of everything, right?” Alexander’s temper was rising.

Oak ducked his head and eased away, abashed. “No offense meant.” Then, “Are you guys really going to let us stay at your coven?”

Is this all a trap?
was the underlying question. That he had the balls to ask in the face of an angry Prime showed he was not a coward.

“Depends on you and your witches. Helping us will not hurt.”

“That’s what Maple said. That, and we all agreed we owe you. Bad karma to show up at the covenstead when we could’ve stayed and helped you.”

“We are glad for the help.”

Oak looked at Max and grimaced. “I could tell.”

“She is letting you walk behind her. It means something.”

The other man looked taken aback and then nodded slowly. “Our Prime was not given to thinking a lot about fighting. Patricia wasn’t that kind of witch.”

“I did not know there was any other kind.”

“She liked to grow things. She was an artist, too. All the coven were. She didn’t go looking for trouble. That’s why it was a full coven even though she wasn’t all that strong. She was good to us.”

He face tightened with grief, surprising Alexander. He hadn’t thought Oak was capable of anything besides anger.

Max reached the truck with Ivy and Steel.

“Get in the cab with Peter,” she told the blond Blade, and turned to the Leshii. “We can go faster now without your help. You’ve got to ride. Can you do that?”

The father looked up at her. “We made bargain.”

“We did, and I will stick to my end of it. But we have someone to guide us faster than you can, which means fewer chances for the rest of us to die. So you need to ride.”

“In iron box.” His voice was thick with distaste.

“I’m afraid so. It won’t be long.”

“Will hurt.”

“I know.” She waited.

Asking them to ride inside the trailer was a lot. Alexander knew she did not want them in the back of the truck. She would put Ivy and Oak there to keep any
obake
from breaking through the back window and attacking her father and Steel. That left no room for the Leshii.

The father looked at the truck and the trailer, then motioned for his family to follow. Max and Alexander followed to let the family inside. But the Leshii stopped at the front of the trailer. Then the mother climbed up the front of it. From her hands extended small tendrils that clung to the metal. She clambered up and reached down, and now her arms lengthened, turning into long, snakelike vines. She wrapped the two children and lifted them. Then the aunts and father followed her up. They sat on the top in a diamond shape, with the father and mother in front and back, the two aunts on the sides, and the children in the middle. After a moment, a green bubble of light rose around them.

Then, to Alexander’s surprise, it pushed out, enveloping most of the trailer. The father looked down at Max. “Bargain?”

Never take a favor when you do not know the cost.

She nodded. “Yes.”