“Yes,” Etienne announced.
Lisette whooped and circled the table so fast she blurred, drawing Krysta into a hug, then squeezing the stuffing out of her brother. “I’m so happy for the two of you.”
Richart rose and approached more slowly with a broad grin. He, too, hugged them both, as did Jenna.
When Sheldon rose and tried to hug Krysta, Etienne shoved him aside with a roll of his eyes.
Congratulations and well wishes abounded.
Even the quiet giant, David, sitting at the head of the table on the other side of Sean, wished them happiness and expressed his pleasure over the union.
All retook their seats.
And still Roland stared.
“Okay,” Krysta said when she couldn’t take it any longer. “Why do you keep staring at me?”
Etienne glanced down at her, then followed her gaze to Roland. “He’s staring at you?”
“Yes, ever since we arrived.”
Etienne frowned. “If you’re still pissed because I asked you to transform her—”
“That isn’t it. I was trying to recall where we had first met.”
“You and me?” Krysta asked with a frown of her own. “Here at David’s place the night the mercenaries tore up my house.”
Roland shook his head. “No. We met before that. I just couldn’t remember where until a few moments ago.”
“I’m pretty sure I would remember it if I had met you before.”
“Not if you had just been bitten by a vampire.”
Her blood chilled. She had only been bitten by a vampire once . . . the night she and Michael had been attacked. “You were there?”
“Yes. I’m the reason the vampires didn’t kill you. I intervened when the scent of blood led me to you.”
She gripped Etienne’s hand like a lifeline. “No. I remember the attack. The chemical—whatever it is—that affects memory when humans are bitten doesn’t affect me. The vampires grabbed us, dragged us away from campus, tortured Michael, and fed on me. Then I blacked out from blood loss.”
Roland shook his head. “Vampires don’t leave witnesses. Particularly female witnesses. Did you never wonder why they let you live?”
She had. Every day.
Why had they let her live and killed Michael?
That single question had spawned a nearly suffocating guilt that had never left her.
“Yes,” she said. “But, I don’t remember you being there.”
David leaned forward, drawing her gaze. “Do you want to remember? All of it?”
All these years she had thought she had remembered it. “Yes.”
He reached past Sean and touched the tip of his middle finger to her temple.
Nothing happened at first. Then images flooded her mind. Memories buried by either the concussion the vamps had given her in their initial attack or the drug the vamp’s bite had released into her system.
A drug against which she had believed she was impervious.
She saw it all at lightning speed. Strolling hand in hand with Michael. The vampires confronting them and dragging them away. The pleasure they took in cutting and biting and torturing Michael while they made her watch. One of the vamps turning his attention on her and thrusting his fangs into her throat. Then . . .
Roland arrived, striking with a ferocity that was as frightening as the vampires, his white and purple aura contrasting with the bright orange of theirs. He tore the vampires apart, as vicious as an animal, then turned to her. The vampire feeding from her bolted. Krysta let her gaze stray to Michael, saw his chest rising and falling in pained pants.
Roland took out his phone and called for a cleanup, then started after the vampire.
Krysta caught his pant leg as he passed, clutching it with a hand that shook. “P-Please.”
He knelt beside her, brushed her hair back with gentle fingers.
“H-help him,” she begged, looking at Michael, too weak to point. “S-save him.”
Roland shook his head, his strong face full of compassion. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “One of them tried to turn him. If he lives, he will become a monster like them. Dying is far more merciful.”
Darkness threatened.
David withdrew his touch.
Krysta stared at Roland through eyes full of moisture. “You were there.”
He nodded. “I arrived too late to save him. He had been infected on too large a scale and, as a human, would have turned vampire. Had he lived, he would have long since lost his sanity by now.”
She blinked, knowing he spoke the truth. Tears trailed down her cheeks.
Beside her, Etienne released her hand and wrapped a comforting arm around her.
“Thank you for saving me,” she said.
He dipped his head in acknowledgment and looked from her to Etienne. “I am doubly glad now that I was able to do so.”
The front door opened and Chris entered, the strap of a bulging soft leather briefcase looped over one shoulder. Securing the door behind him, he headed for the table and took one of the two unclaimed chairs, leaving the chair at the opposite end of the table from David empty.
Greetings flowed around the room as Darnell took out his phone and dialed, but the call went to Seth’s voice mail.
He met David’s gaze as he put away the phone.David turned his head to one side, as though listening, and closed his eyes. “Seth.”
Everyone exchanged glances.
“Yes.” David opened his eyes and faced them. “He shall be here shortly.”
Sheldon stared. “Where is he?”
“Anchorage.”
“Alaska?”
“Yes.”
“And he could hear you?”
“Yes.”
Lisette met Etienne and Richart’s gazes. “That’s amazing. I have to at least be in the same state to hear my brothers.”
Krysta looked up at Etienne as he nodded.
David shrugged. “I’m older. It requires a great deal of power.”
“That’s awesome,” Sheldon said. “Can you contact any immortal that way?”
“Yes.”
“Would you tell Oscar in California that I want the hundred bucks he owes me? He isn’t answering his phone.”
David stared at him.
Sheldon swallowed. “You aren’t telling him, are you?”
“No.”
Krysta’s tears dried as amusement sifted through her.
Seth appeared just inside the front door, katanas in hand, his face and clothing blood-splattered. “One moment,” he told them, then vanished.
Krysta heard a faucet turn on down in the basement. Rustling. The water shut off.
Seth reappeared, face and hands clean, fresh clothing adorning his tall form, weapons sheathed. He took his seat. “Sean,” he said, “I understand you wish to be transformed.”
Every eye turned to Sean. “Yes, sir.”
“You have my permission. Etienne may transform you at any time of your choosing after tonight.”
“Thank you.”
“Tonight I would like you to remain here and offer what aid you can in the infirmary in case any of the wounded come here instead of going to the network. A staff is already on hand, ready to be of service, and have been informed of your ability.”
“I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“Do not push yourself too far healing or you may not live long enough to be transformed.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Chris?”
Chris rose and, opening his briefcase, began to hand out file folders. “Seth and David inspected the compound this afternoon. These are the schematics they drew. Since the tracking devices could be discovered at any moment, we need to strike tonight.”
Etienne took the folder offered to him. “How do you know they haven’t already been discovered?”
“My men have been surveilling the place all day. There has been no increase in activity. Although we do believe the commander arrived just before sunset with two other men. The mercenaries all saluted him and treated him with deference and respect.”
Krysta took a folder, feeling a sense of pride that she was now one of them and treated as such. Even Sean was given a folder.
Chris handed David one and rounded the table.
Marcus took a folder. “Do you know who the commander is yet?”
“No. My men had to keep their distance to avoid compromising their mission and couldn’t get a good look at his face.”
Krysta studied the map. A large main building. Two hangars that shielded who knew what. Helicopters.
Marcus scowled. “This is nearly identical to the last compound we conquered.”
Seth leaned back in his chair. “Yes, it is. There’s no denying anymore that there is a connection. We just don’t know what it is.”
Ami bit her lip and met Seth’s gaze, worry shadowing her pretty green eyes.
Seth spoke softly to her. “Ami, I want you to sit this battle out. Stay here with Darnell and help him coordinate the other Seconds. And help Sean with the wounded if you can.”
Ami looked up at Marcus and nodded. “All right.”
“Jenna,” Seth added. “I’d like you to remain here, too. You haven’t completed your training and aren’t prepared to face the opposition you would if you accompanied us.”
Beside Richart, Jenna nodded. “If you find yourself in need of an extra pair of hands . . .”
He smiled. “Richart or I will come for you.”
David leaned forward and clasped his hands on the table. “Since it worked well for us before, we’re going to employ the same strategy we used the last time. The immortals will strike first, catching them off guard and clearing a path. Then the Seconds and network guards will sweep in behind us.”
Chris nodded. “I have Black Hawks, two Sisu XA-180 armored personnel carriers, and two Humvees full of men standing by a few miles from the compound. The Seconds here will accompany me to the rendezvous point in a van.”
“A majority of the mercenaries will likely be in the main structure,” Seth said. “David, Roland, Sarah, Marcus, Lisette, and I will tackle that. Bastien, Melanie, Etienne, and Krysta, take the barracks. Richart, Ethan, and Edward, handle the guards on the grounds, but beware of land mines and other traps. Yuri and Stanislov, take the hangers.”