Daughter of Anat Read online

  “Before we end this, I want to be sure of something.”

  He tensed right back up.

  “Did you ever...did you two….” I couldn’t say it.

  He reared back. “Hell no, Stace. She is repulsive and vile. She wants only to have me for my title. She cares nothing for me and I her. I have only seen her on a handful of occasions and even then they were with her relatives due to a business trip with my father.”

  Done then. “That’s settled then. Let’s kill the bitch.”

  He had that uncanny way of staring without a single blink just like I imagined all Vampires to have. “That won’t solve anything.”

  Harrumph! The heck it won’t. “I won’t share either, Cas.”

  His eyes narrowed to slits. “Agreed. And I won’t let you become a murderer.”

  Okay. So jealousy was a worse enemy than even Borgon and his bad deeds. “Fine. But if she comes at me again, I have that right. Or if she comes near you.”

  He didn’t agree, but he didn’t disagree.

  Chapter Four

  ...he made me love him without looking at me.

  Turns out, Szar had word from my father that Borgon was raiding a Were camp and Cord was already on it but agreed to get his own together and meet us. No rest for the weary. Scratch the warehouse meet and greet. I didn’t really want to announce the events anyway.

  Cas made a point to tell me the informant’s name who talked to my father. Who do you think?

  Lee!

  First, Cas told me for a reason. Second, Lee did it for a reason. Overanalyzing was easy here.

  Suddenly, I had a great idea. A stupid idea, but great. I’d find Lee later and ask for a favor.

  We packed on the weapons, took the Hummer that incidentally was always on a full tank with Cas’ funds and human servants. Someday I will free all living creatures from their bondages and take care of myself twenty-four hours, seven days a week. Until then, I was thankful for their help. Besides, I knew the servants were paid well. Better than a human lawyer even so I knew they weren’t complaining. Not many humans were entrusted to knowing we existed and new the unfortunate consequences of what letting it leak would happen for themselves and their families. Neither wiped memories or death ever sounded appealing.

  Headed for the hidden camp located deep in the Rainwater Forestry district an hour away from any citywide area, we discussed the wreck and whys of Lee Dyer sharing his fabulous tidbit of information. Or at least we were discussing the topic until Cas interrupted me with his thoughts that I wasn’t sure if he did intentional or not. I went with the not after I heard it.

  ...Lord Bane cursed her with this. It’s not her fault but—

  “Not her freaking fault!” I screamed aloud making everyone in the car jump in their seat.

  Since he was driving, he couldn’t give me his full man glare attention.

  Kissa.

  “Don’t Kissa me. She is evil and doesn’t deserve pity.”

  She doesn’t know any better.

  “You’re taking her side?” I fumed. I was so angry. “Stop the car.”

  Kissa.

  “STOP THE DAMN CAR!” I snarled in his ear.

  Compassion was not my goal at the moment.

  Szar found his opportunity to chime in. “Who are we speaking of in this one sided conversational love spat?”

  I popped him in the face with my fist as hard as I dared. Anger issues weren’t uncommon in goddess destined Valkyries. Or so I’ve heard.

  “Ow, sis. Easy on the face. Girls like it too much.”

  I jumped out of the car with it still rolling. Seeing that we were in a deserted field with only a sparse amount of trees, I ran for one and fell against it rather than beat it up like the guys would. I wanted to just scream or...or...hit a punching bag, but not a tree where my hand would be all bloody.

  They were beside me conversing about the famous Nara and her evil ways. Turns out, Szar was very aware of who she was.

  “Stace,” my brother bent down, “she means nothing to him. You don’t have to worry.”

  “Not the point, Szar. He defends her.”

  Szar bent an eyebrow and matching head shake up to Cas to yell, “Dude. Keep your thoughts to yourself.”

  I growled and kicked him making him fall on his butt.

  “Ow. Sis. Can you please save the ass kicking for the bad guys? I would like to arrive uninjured before I come home in band-aids from you.”

  “I don’t mean to stand up for her or anything. Just—

  “Justifying her existence. She was trying to bite me for goodness sake.” I turned back to Cas.

  Cas actually rolled his eyes at me and scoffed his feet on the patchy dirt like a male pride hurt gesture. “She never had a chance and she was stuck with me. And...” he trailed off.

  “And?” I did look up now to his face to study it’s hidden meanings. His emotions were haywire and his face was even harder to read.

  “I never wanted her and she tried more than once to try to hurt you. I was forced to have her chained up on more than one occasion.”

  I don’t know why, but I looked at Szar.

  “Don’t look at me. He’s telling the truth and I only helped with the time and places. I was with him on everything but the sympathy card. The first time she tried to kill my sister, she was a zero in my book.”

  My eyes zapped back to Cas. “So why all the caring about her.”

  “I don’t care about her Anastacia. I feel sorry for her. She was turned just like me. She had no choice.”

  My breathing stopped. “You-don’t-want to be who you are?” I was choking on every word to get the question out.

  Cas flew off his feet and closed the field length distance between us. Sliding down nearly on top of me, he buried his face in my hair. “I only want you. I did what I had to...to have you.”

  A freight train just ran over my heart. I didn’t know what to say.

  I love who I am because it was meant to keep and have you safe and in my arms. You’re the only thing that can take that away. It’s your choice. It will always be your choice Anastacia.

  My name was used way too many times in the conversation. I had my choice and it was him. There were bigger issues here than jealousy so I needed to get back off my high horse and move on.

  “Fine. But just so you know. I.Don’t.Like.Her.”

  “Join the club.” Szar snickered listening in an uninvited conversation, but we didn’t exactly make it private for him.

  I kissed the side of Cas mouth where it was pressed against my face to offer some peace to my stupidity. I was right in my brain.

  Szar curved the subject back around for me when we convened in the car. Cord had parked and never joined us. He waited listening to his music full blast and only nodded when we drove off and he followed.

  “Maybe the wreck was a diversion to keep us away,” Szar suggested.

  I’d thought of that the second it was shared that Borgon was raiding the Were’s.

  Cord saluted me specifically as I passed the Hummer. A supped-up four wheel drive Ford F150 black as his obsidian eyes made cars move aside to avoid its hemi echo and to avoid brushing even the smallest amount of diesel air their direction. Tinted black, trimmed in silver, blaring something alternative rock and loud. He passed us twice as Cas revved the engine super strong and passed him back. Even in great peril, boys will be boys with their toys.

  The physics lesson continued and I wondered if one of their engines might just drop to the ground from exhaustion.

  After the second “race” was tapered back off I commented on Szar’s lead in. “I worry that he never intended to hurt me in the wreck, just rattle me.”

  “Right on, sis. He was going to take you though. Probably use you with the Were’s to dangle you in front of Cord. Nara is where it gets confusing.”

  I ignored the Vampire witch implications for now. “He doesn’t know what we can do I hope. I know we say it might be good for them to know our power, but
I still worry that knowledge in the case of evil villain’s prove only as a dangling gem over the fire. Borgon won’t hesitate to try and cut us off from each other.”

  “All the more reason for the five of us to stay together.”

  Harrumph!

  “I’m not spending my days with four sweaty men waiting for doom. I need more than that.” Not to mention the whole Valkyrie spell I pulled more often than I realized. I at least knew how I was causing it to make it stop.

  “What, sis. I thought all girls dream of things like that. You’re one lucky girl.”

  “Turn the tables around and make it four chicks and a guy and see if he complains,” Calum offered up.

  “No thank you for that either. Four girls would cat fight it out after ten minutes of any practice or real battle. The guy would die of a heart attack before—

  “No, dude. He’d die of a heart attack from the amount of—

  “All right. Enough! Both of you.” Cas stopped them both packing a large amount of emotions that should probably remain unsaid to my tender ears. I just ignored it anyway.

  Changing the subject to something less R rated, I mentioned the cars. I had to be motherly just a bit and remind all of them to take care of their super supped up vehicles. We’d already wrecked one. After telling the guys in the car with me, I told Cord the same. Cord texted back with...

  SWT RDE HUH?

  I laughed so loud the boys thought I’d lost my mind. Cas said the exact same words, only verbal and with inserted vowels.

  Parked in the folds of darkness surrounded by woods and checking ammo, Cord stepped up to me and whispered, “What was the stop about? I saw you were angry.”

  Unbeknownst to me or Cord, Szar had inserted himself directly beside the tree that would hide him until needed.

  “Does the name Nara ring a bell?” Szar sang unfolding around the tree beside Cord’s truck.

  “Ahhh!” Cord looked at me and for once didn’t smile. “Don’t worry your pretty little head over that Vix. She was never meant to be.” He winked at me and moved over to the front of the cars where Calum the unusually quiet warrior stood.

  “So you stabbed a Vampire with a stick, huh? How did you manage to not find your famous knife babies included in the scuffle?” Szar was such a butt sometimes.

  The first clue that something wasn’t right was the all too quiet walk from the road to the hidden camp. The lack and smell or noise made us all a little on edge as Cord lead us into a clearing that split four corners with small cabin-like buildings that looked very abandoned. Calum was still just as quiet and it unnerved me. Cord had the wolf sensory meter going on, but Calum was the Hunter. And right then, he looked like he was already aware of what he was hunting.

  Everyone stayed on guard regardless as we were all in favor of not being invited to the last to know party. Gathering in a group with eyes peeled, we conveyed what each other was thinking.

  “Think we were duped?” Szar asked careful to keep it low.

  “Either falsely told or intentional, no one is here. And if there is one thing I hate about fishing, it’s being the bait," Cord shared the obvious handing a pair of jeans to Cas. Talk about something out of place! I sure didn't ask for fear of the answer. “Anyone think it would have been a better plan to surprise them and not walk right into their hands?”

  If Lee set this up, I would kill him. Maybe not literally, but I would give him hell to pay. I wasn’t so sure that the others would leave him alive. Their attachment didn’t reach as deep as mine.

  “I will see to Lee. We should—

  The surprise attack by the well armed Werewolves clad in the finer armor was a shock to say the least. I was taken aback from them being in animal form that my initial reaction was to hesitate. Cord flew into this giant animal before my eyes bringing me up short a second time in a matter of seconds. His clothes disappeared one second and fur the next. I’d like to say I didn’t see anything, but I did.

  I so did.

  And I’d like to say I am very glad I am not a Were. That could be so embarrassing.

  My body sticky from the crowding furry blanket man all over every body part I owned, I screamed for Cas from the claustrophobia of it. He was at my side tearing me from the furry Cord and holding me from any harm between the two. Cord walked away and I was aware of what state Cassius Cross, the Vampire Lord, was in. I felt kind of like a helpless girl and damsel in distress was sadly becoming my calling card that I so desperately fought.

  I gathered enough to see that the unchanged Weres were crowding around and beginning to calm. However, just when it appeared that the good guys realized that the other set were also the good guys the newest good guys hunkered down into crouched positions and you said it, changed like my new best friend Cord.

  A Vampire, whom was not part of my boy band membered crew, stood facing the red not yet furred-out Were whom I did not know but knew he was a Were.

  “A follower?” the red-haired Were indicated to Cas. He had a lilt. An Irish one.

  “Not at the time, Angus.”

  I tilted my head to Cas. He knew this guy.

  Cord growled at the Vamp and a different Were in wolf form standing beside him. I was beginning to recognize the pitch to Cord's particular territorial claims.

  Cas took two steps back pushing me away.

  And they attacked.

  Calum went after a really big one. The wolf. It took some major guts and I appreciated the gesture, but he’s a Hunter, not a robot. He can still get hurt. Then out of nowhere, Calum jumps on top of the giant almost seven foot Werewolf that I had yet to know who is.

  Why were they attacking us? And who is attacking who?

  I saw a woman running frantically into the clearing from the path that leads to where our vehicles were parked. She ducked under the brush after seeing the situation making me guess she was a Were, since nothing else fit.

  I took off towards Calum intending to stake the beast with my knife to his knees hoping it would incapacitate him enough for Calum to back up, but no—Calum had to go for seconds. I plunged my #2 into his kneecap and watched him flinch as Calum slid down him like a playground slide. Now Calum was huge compared to the many months ago when I met him, but not like this guy. A hand ripped me back making my butt thud to the ground. As a black steel-toed boot entered my peripheral, I jumped up knowing the assailant would be sharing my space and try to stop my violation. I doubled around and gutted the Were hating it all the while. Why would Cord’s people attack us?

  Looking back at Calum still pounding away at Frankenstein Were Giant boy, I couldn’t help but be a little disguarded by the fact that Calum was too often needlessly off task. He chased the fight, not the better good. I would have to remember that in the time of grave danger.

  Oh, since this is not.

  A scream let out of the female variety and all heads fell in that direction. A Were woman, in her forties I’m guessing, lay bleeding on the ground with her arms sliced up and her face covered in blood. Beside her, a Vampire stood dripping crimson frost and making the face of one who was about to flee.

  Oh great, a setback.

  We were supposed to be taking Borgon out, not making more havoc among our own.

  Scanning the battlefield, I noted that the majority of the Weres were falling back and slowly making a perimeter circle barrier to keep him from escaping. They probably didn’t know he was a rogue and was most definitely not with us.

  I eyed the red furred wolf and sensed he was still on my side. We both stepped into the heat of it being weary of Mr. Bloody Hellraiser. The Vamp wiped his chin on the sleeve of his filthy black t-shirt and singled a look just for me. All in a matter of five seconds flat, the Vamp flew towards me, was intercepted by a Valkyrie swordsman, a rock hard Hunter, a teeth baring Were, and the leader of his own kind. All I knew was he was dead when the tornado of bodies finally cleared, in pieces rather than just dead. I’d never seen anything like it.

  As if everyone had the same thought
, a collective silence continued until I stepped forward making a split second decision to let Cord lead this little bru-ha-ha, but he wasn’t budging. I didn’t think about the fact that he couldn’t talk in animal form. The things I didn’t know about my world and I called myself intelligent.

  Covertly eyeing the guys before Szar silently announced that they needed to step back and let me take the lead, I pushed forth the confidence I needed to portray for this particular crowd. It seemed to me that, for the most part, I was just an actress in an endless story book where the author forgot to make me this fabulously brave heroine. I only hoped I could come as close as possible.

  Cord read me fast enough he headed my way stepping over Vampire parts. His huge head looked at Cas and then jumped four feet in the air behind the trees. Mostly hidden. Cas threw something into the trees and then a mostly naked Cord came strutting out. He stepped up too close giving too much of an intimate appearance in our acutely obvious past acquaintance stage of friendship. I allowed it simply because it sent a better message than a possible enemy causing trouble.

  “I can see your mind is at work,” Cord murmured without feeling and complete for the first time without expression.

  “Borgon was never here, was he?”

  Cord nodded a no.

  “Can we apologize and explain the mix-up or will they listen?”

  “They will do as I say,” he growled his true colors shining through. “I neglected to mention that they were attacking only a Vampire and I guessed a stray Were, not the camp."

  “We tell them we were given false intel and see if they have information. If the camp was abandoned by you or your predecessor, then I’d like to look around and see that it has remained so. It will be easy to see evidence of anyone staying here unnoticed.”

  Anyone else would have missed his nod as he turned from me, waved a hand at Cas to join him, and headed towards the closing in Were warriors in ready-to-fight-again mode. I followed close behind remaining the mediator in waiting.

  Cord seemed to just stare for a while at the tall, red haired guy with a snarly attitude then said in a growl, “Angus.” He was the red furred Were who won the stand-off, I was sure. He glowered before bowing his head at Cord and took a step back. The others around him did the same. Cord turned to Cas and told him the pack understood that this was an isolated incident with a rogue Vampire who Cas vowed to investigate immediately as to why he would be in an abandoned Were camp. The Were who challenged us was with the Vamp and not part of their groups and no one knew who he was.