Unnaturals (42 page)

Bathed in sunlight,
Last Hope
sat, hulking before them.

`Sire.' The voice rang with delight.

He blinked. `Syrus?'

`Sire, this machine was built for me. I was meant to be here with you. I am yours to command.'

`Nice upgrade,' Renee said, running her hand along the flank of the ATV. A door popped open and she stood waiting. `You heard him, Hunter. Command us.'

Mason touched the armour on the ATV. Whatever the vehicle had been, Syrus had just made it much more. His energy swept through Mason.

Sally sucked in a breath. He glanced down at her, letting her see the darkness at last.

`We hunt.'

The direct link to Sir Robert activated. Max winced, touching his cracked rib.

`What's happened?' Sir Robert appeared on the screen, alert, sipping a coffee.

Another signal appeared and Max went cold. Wilson had activated the emergency beacon. `You see this?'

`Damn it!' Sir Robert nearly dropped his coffee as Max adjusted the view of the Douglas house. The ATV stood out clearly in the image.

`Satan's balls in a jar! How long?'

`Five minutes. Widen the image. It was a major incursion. Air support by the looks of the incendiaries used. Wilson activated the emergency beacon.'

`Any contact yet?'

`None.' Max glanced at his mobile, hoping it would ring. Had it finally happened?

`Regardless,' Sir Robert rubbed at the anger that flickered across his face, `the rules of engagement are changed. Our directive is clear in the Fund lore. The Heir must be protected at all costs. No more fighting in the shadows, Maxwell.'

His grandfather seemed to fill the screen. A hard edge accompanied the glint in his eyes.`You have full authorisation to engage the enemy. Do whatever is required.'

`Yes, Grandfather.' Max looked up at the four pairs of yellow eyes that stared across the room at him. `I understand. Whatever it takes.'

 

Pain shot up Ruth's arms. Something — rope — cut into her wrists. Hard metal pressed against her face. A van. She could just see the interior.

Every part of her hurt. White pain flashed in her eyes as she tried to move, and dots of pain floated in the darkness around her. Blood tainted the air. Her lungs struggled to work.

A sound. Nails scraping against metal.

Ruth froze, trying to see, to understand. Where had the sound had come from. It had been so close.

`Sorry,' a voice moaned in a soft movement of air.

Colours rippled on the edge of her blurred vision. A face swirled out of the darkness. Purple eyes.

The scaled girl. Scarla?

But something about her was wrong. Scarla had been fractured. Black lines were slashed across her small face.

Noises grew louder. Someone was coming.

`Forgive me,' Scarla moaned.

Ruth blinked, trying to get her eyes focused. No success.

`Where?' Unexpectedly, pain tore at her face. She bit down on her scream. Why couldn't she speak?

`They use magic,' Scarla whispered as footsteps grew closer. `To bind you.'

They? She blinked tears away, remembering. Bloodells had come to her home. Nikki? No! Anger flickered. Fear. She tensed her arms, trying to move them.

`Stop. No move. They will hurt you again. Stop.'

She heard scales rasp on steel and the scent of blood grew stronger. Scarla's face grew closer through her haze.

`Stay strong. I failed but He will come. They do not know.'

Intense white light filled the van, blinding her, splitting her vision as she struggled to stay conscious.

`Fucking whore. Get away from that bitch!'

The voice was male. Harsh. Loud. She winced. The van rocked and a sickening crack brought a wail of pain from Scarla. Ruth twisted in her bonds and discovered her feet were tied as well. The pain fed her anger and for the first time she felt something shift inside her. Something — strength — began to flow.

`Move, Yani.'

Ruth writhed. It was coming. The ropes binding her creaked as her skin hardened. She could barely hear the woman's voice through the noise in her head.

`Bemeon's balls, Yani, she's strong for a human. Dose her, quick. Let's keep her out of it.'

She gagged. A vile scent sliced into her mouth and nose, bringing back memories of what had happened at the house. For a moment, clarity and understanding came to her.

Scarla's shattered face burnt into her eyes. She was no more than a girl, broken. They would kill them both.

`Shit — she's resisting!' Strong hands covered her mouth. Fingers forced a mixture of cloth and what felt like hair into her mouth.

She couldn't breathe. Panic filled her. She couldn't move. Her body refused to obey. She was trapped.

`
Mason!
'

His face burnt into her mind as cold slapped her unconscious.

 

Mason spasmed. He felt Ruth. He felt pain. Fear.

`Ruth.' His gut churned. They had her. She was hurt.

Renee grabbed his arm. `She called to you.'

Wilson shook him `Dad?'

Mason felt numb. Or was it Ruth who'd felt numb? Had she been drugged? The sensation faded. He was sitting in the ATV. Ruth was somewhere cold and dark.

`She's hurt, unconscious,' he said, analysing what he had heard and felt. `They've drugged her.' Bitterness lingered in his mouth. `She was on something cold. Hard, like steel.'

`A van.' Renee squeezed his arm. `I could smell fuel, rubber and blood. Someone else was with her. She must be in a van. It makes sense.'

`You got all that from Mum?'

`Yes,' Mason and Reneed said in unison.

`They're connected, Wilson,' Nikki said, hands clasped over her stomach. `Pathing is strong in Hunters. But, it must be growing in Ruth. It comes in times of great danger to some.'

`A survival gift,' Mason said, looking south. They'd travelled south, he was sure of it. He could track them as Hunter. He had Renee, together they could find her.

A comms monitor chimed and came to life on the ATV's complex dash.

`That's Max.' Wilson didn't look at the monitor, watching him instead. `He thinks you're dead.'

Mason snapped away from Hunter's murmurings. `The emergency beacon?'

`Yes. Can you really feel Mum?'

`Mason,' Max grinned at him from the monitor. `You're alive.'

`They took Ruth, Max.' Four words he had never wanted to say, knowing the pain they would trigger.

`Understood, sir,' Max moved closer to the screen. `I need a report, fast. Injuries?'

`We're fine,' Wilson said, as Mason tried to feel for Ruth again. He needed to hear her. `There are six of us on board and we think they went south. Apparently they can teleport as well, but only short distances.'

`You connected to SATCOM yet?'

Wilson pressed a touch screen and it powered up. Mason strained. He felt something. South. Definitely to the south.

`Sweep the area to the south, Max. Pull every satellite we have. Don't care about protocols, just do it.' Mason paid attention to the screens in front of him. The ATV had been built for combat.

`SATCOM is live and sweeping the area in ten kilometre sections now. There!'

Mason saw the swirl of energy blurring the SATCOM image. The day they'd realised the flawed images often indicated Unnatural energy was the day they started learning how to track Bloodells. `Got it. They must have a rendezvous, to regroup.'

`It's right beside the main highway,' Max glanced off screen as Mason studied the map, remembering the spot. `We've got chatter on emergency channels already. The attack on your home is known and there's been a major incident on the highway.'

Mason nodded as the image moved in to show trucks and cars scattered across the highway. `Move, Wilson. Get this thing underway.' He knew what to do, how to track the Bloodells.

The ATV surged forward. `They've got a good lead on us. It'll be hard to make up time.'

`Confirming that a white van was seen leaving the site of that accident. Police have a description of it. It has to be them,' Max said looking back. `I can continue to track it by hacking into state and federal systems.'

`Do it. If they're smart they will jump every chance they get. It won't be easy.'

`Mason, any idea why they took Ruth?'

Mason sat back. He heard Lilly move behind him, and reminded himself this wasn't her fault.

`Mason?' Max waited for an answer. Wilson wheeled the ATV out onto the bitumen road. Silent.

`They came for me,' Lilly said, leaning past Mason so the camera mounted in the cabin would pick her up. `They — my mother came for me.'

`And who the hell are you?' Max peered into the screen. Finally, he sat back. `Ruth's a hostage then. They'll want to trade.'

`Lilly,' Mason said softly, `is with us, Max, and there will be no trade. Bloodells don't bargain. They will use Ruth to get to me, and to Lilly.'

`This isn't like Bloodells,' Max shook his head. `Something bigger is going on.'

`I agree, but they don't know about us.' Mason glanced at Lilly, her face streaked with tears. `By engaging in open combat, the Bloodells must believe they have the upper hand. Whatever triggered this must be happening soon.'

`Makes sense, kind of.'

Mason glanced around the cab. Sally stared at Lilly. The ATV was moving fast but he trusted Wilson. Would they trust him?

`Syrus, you ready to jump?'

`Yes, Sire.'

`What?' Nikki grabbed his shoulder. `Are you mad?'

`No, Magi, he is not. It will work.' Syrus fell silent. Mason waited for Wilson.

`You can do it, Dad?' Wilson didn't look away from the road but Mason could see he was unsure.

`If we lose the van—'

`Do it!' Wilson gunned the ATV past a slower car. `We've got to get Mum back.'

`Oh, shit,' Nikki muttered.

`Jump?' Max asked, frowning into the screen. `ATV and all?'

`About to find out.' Mason stared at the image before him, seeking out the energy he'd used last time.

`Sally, sit back and breathe,' Wilson said. `It will be cold and will hurt for a second, but you will be safe.'

`You are its master. Call the gift.'
Renee was confident. Relaxed.

`
I feel it.
'

`You're serious, aren't you?' Sally's voice quivered.

`It's how we all came here. Mason brought us using his gift,' Lilly said, sounding as confident as Renee. `We will be safe.'

`Oh god,' Sally whispered, then quiet filled the ATV.

Energy crept up through Mason; a clear picture of the area locked into his mind.

There. Go.

It came. Cold energy rushed forth and the road before him vanished.

 

Scarla clung to consciousness, determined. Her body struggled to heal, but she hadn't fed for so long she had little in reserve. She gritted her teeth, forcing her body to keep healing. She had to be ready.

She must not fail again. Ruth needed her. She needed Ruth to live. She stifled a groan of agony as she edged across the floor of the van, closer to Ruth. If only she could move her arms, but other more vital organs required healing first. She lay still. Resting. Healing. Listening.

`Don't draw any more attention to us, Yani!'

`Yes, Priestess. Whatever you say, Priestess.'

`Don't be a smartarse. Slow down!'

`If you wish.'

She felt the van slow and released her grip long enough to test her finger movement. Healing was slow.

`Listen, you arrogant Roman prick, I will not tolerate your disobedience. Follow the plan, stick to the road, try to blend in.'

`We have his wife, Michelle, there's no chance of us blending in anymore.'

Scarla almost smiled at the sound her Mistress made at Yani.

`Listen, whatever happened in the past doesn't give you the right to be familiar with me, ever again. Besides, they won't be able to track us. I will jump again shortly.'

`So, the fact the boy has a gift is not of concern, then? You saw it. He has the fire in him.'

`That was unexpected, but it matters not.'

Scarla twitched, surprised to hear the flicker of fear in her Mistress's voice.

`Perhaps,' Yani said, keeping his voice low. `But nothing went to plan, Priestess. The Darkells' Magi was with child, and she was stronger than ever before.'

`You doubted my skill? Yet I live, and she is no more.'

`Just saying, everything felt wrong back there,' he said calmly. `The clans in London paid highly for their misjudgement of him.'

`Do I detect fear in the mighty Yani?' she teased, dashing Scarla's hopes that they would fight.

`Things might have gone astray back there but we have Butcher's wife. He will follow and bring Lilith with him. It has worked out better than expected. We will kill him and his whores and I will get my daughter back.'

Scarla's hand curled into a fist. Good, her limbs were healing. She didn't move again.

`Back there. At the house. Did you feel anything?'

Scarla tensed; Yani rarely sounded so nervous.

`You speak in riddles,' Michelle said, sounding calmer. `Age has begun to cloud your mind.'

`Priestess, I was old when Agnes' sisters brought you to me to be trained. When Agnes was slain, I felt fear then. She was more powerful than any before her, yet she still perished. Before Agnes, in the great wars, I felt fear without truly knowing its source. Today, it was the same.'

`You're serious?'

Scarla cursed inwardly, afraid Yani's fear would undo her surprise.

`We did not see him there today, but still our mercenaries all failed. None of the men survived either,' Yani said. `Butcher has killed many of us, but never in a mass conflict like today. Before, he always fought at his choosing. Today we had the advantage. Yet we two are all who are left.'

`You're really going to waste your effort thinking on this? Tomorrow it will matter not.'

Scarla held her breath.

`Caution is all that I am suggesting, Priestess. Once we reach our reinforcements I will be happier. But you must be hungry, too?'

`Jumping burns so much energy. But it is necessary.'

Oxygen filled Scarla's lungs completely again. Her own hunger was a powerful distraction, but she pushed it away.