Had his vision not been preternaturally sharp, Ethan wouldn’t have seen most of them in the darkness. All were cloaked in midnight-hued clothing, their faces blackened with he-didn’t-know-what. Their weapons were likewise black and failed to glint in the moonlight. Atop each man’s head rested night-vision goggles or monoculars.
The soldiers guarding the front of David’s home all nodded a greeting.
“Thank you all for being here,” Ethan said, hoping their presence would not be needed. “We appreciate your support.”
The man closest to Ethan smiled. “Here’s hoping we’ll all be bored off our asses.”
Ethan clapped him on the shoulder and stepped inside the front door.
Immortals and their Seconds milled around. The mortals all radiated tension, the immortals seemed as relaxed as though they were heading out to see a movie.
Except for Marcus. Ethan could understand that one’s disquiet as he stuck close to his wife and toddler.
Seth strolled into the room from the hallway, accompanied by three men Ethan didn’t recognize. Pausing, Seth said something to the trio that was lost amongst the cacophony of other voices. The three men nodded, then vanished.
“Who were they?” Ethan asked Sheldon, who loitered nearby.
“Three of the Russian immortals who will fight today,” Sheldon replied.
“They’re teleporters?”
“Yeah. Seth wanted to familiarize them with David’s home so they can teleport here if the need should arise.”
“Ah.”
Ed and Heather entered.
Ethan felt his pulse kick into high gear.
Garbed all in black, Heather had tactical knives strapped to her thighs, sidearms in shoulder holsters, and a few small daggers in sheaths on her belt. She also carried a wicked-looking automatic rifle.
Holy shit, she made his blood heat.
Sheldon laughed and shook his head.
“What?” Ethan asked.
“Your eyes are glowing and you look like you want to devour her.”
“I do. She’s fucking hot.”
Catching his words as she approached, Heather grinned. “I take it I pass muster?”
“Hell yes, you do.”
Sarah laughed nearby. “You guys get turned on by the craziest things.”
“Not really,” her husband corrected. “We just adore strong women.”
Beside him, Ami hugged little Adira, then handed her over to her husband.
Marcus settled the baby girl on his hip and drew Ami to him for a tight hug.
Ethan thought Marcus looked positively tormented when he let her go.
“Masks on,” Seth instructed as Ami crossed to stand at his side.
The immortals who would accompany Seth to Russia—with the exception of David, Zach, Imhotep, and Chaahk—donned the rubbery masks that would protect them from sunlight.
“Everyone ready?” Seth asked.
All responded in the affirmative.
“Then let’s do this. Huddle up.”
The immortals formed a huddle. An instant later they disappeared.
And the long wait began.
Ethan guided Heather over to a love seat. As she sank down on the comfortable cushions, he settled beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
The others found seats as well.
Darnell, Chris, and Sheldon manned laptop computers that would keep them apprised of the battle in Russia.
No television helped the others while away the time. No music pulsed through the room. All cell phones and tablets remained tucked away.
No one wanted anything to impede the immortals’ ability to hear an enemy’s approach.
Even little Adira remained quiet aside from the ih-eeh-ih-eeh-ih-eeh sound her rubbery teething ring made as she chewed on it. Her big green eyes studied them somberly while she leaned against her father’s chest.
Ethan glanced around. “Where’s Aidan?”
“Downstairs,” Darnell answered. “He’s listening to ensure the escape tunnels won’t be breached without our knowledge.”
Every basement bedroom boasted a wardrobe with a false back that concealed the entrance of a tunnel that led deep into the evergreen forest that thrived on David’s property. Though David’s home had never been attacked en masse before, he had wanted to cover all bases just in case and ensure immortals would have a safe avenue of escape—day or night—should the need ever arise.
“Okay,” Darnell murmured, staring at his computer screen. “The battle has begun.”
Knees bobbed up and down as Darnell, Chris, and Sheldon fed them live insights into the fray. Shoulders tightened as minutes crept past at a snail’s pace.
The ih-eeh-ih-eeh-ih-eeh noises ground to a halt as Adira’s eyelids grew heavy and sleep claimed her.
Marcus rose, cuddling her to his chest. “I’m going to put this one to bed and give Aidan a break.”
Sheldon closed his laptop and stood. “We’ll come with you.” Tucking the laptop under his arm, he reached back and took Tracy’s hand.
Tracy rose, and the small group headed down to the basement.
A moment later, Aidan strolled into the living room.
Aidan studied Ethan and Heather.
How he envied them. Envied him. Ethan had only been immortal for a century and had already found a gifted one he loved and whom he hoped would one day transform for him.
Aidan suspected she would. He had little difficulty reading her thoughts and knew she was already considering it. Their feelings for each other had hit them both like sledgehammers. Quick, hard, and heavy. Really the only thing holding her back was a deep-seated fear that Gershom had further plans for her and might use her against Ethan and his immortal brethren.
Aidan liked her. She was an honorable woman, willing to sacrifice her own happiness to ensure the welfare of others.
Would he ever find such a woman for himself? A woman who could love him despite the darkness that had crowded him for centuries now? A woman who could alleviate the darkness, perhaps eradicate it entirely? A gifted one who would transform for him so he could actually welcome the endless stretch of days and nights before him?
A sound reached his ears. Miles away. Too far away for Ethan to hear yet, Ethan being so much younger than Aidan.
Swearing, Aidan rose. “Here they come.”
Every man and woman present leapt to his or her feet.
“Who?” Ethan demanded.
“Vampires, by the sounds of it. A hell of a lot of them. Five miles out. Chris, prepare your men.”
Aidan teleported to the basement hallway just outside Marcus and Ami’s bedroom.
Marcus stepped into the doorway just as Aidan appeared.
Sheldon and Tracy sat in chairs in the bedroom behind him, their eyes on Sheldon’s laptop. Both glanced up at Marcus’s movement.
“What is it?” Sheldon asked.
“Vampires,” Aidan announced and met Marcus’s gaze. “Dozens of them. I’m going to take Adira to network headquarters.” Striding past Marcus, Aidan crossed to the crib.
“I go where Adira goes,” Marcus said, picking up a bulging bag Aidan knew from experience was packed with toys and diapers and whatever the hell else babies needed.
Aidan reached down and carefully lifted the slumbering toddler into his arms. “No. All is quiet at the network. She’ll be safe there. And you’re needed here. Badly. You’ll understand that in a moment when you hear just how many vampires are headed this way.”
Yanking the bag away from Marcus, Aidan teleported to the network’s infirmary, the other man’s curses ringing in his ears.
Melanie jumped and emitted a startled squeak at his sudden appearance. “Damn it. I’m never going to get used to that.”
Bastien, Linda, and Alleck all lounged nearby.
Aidan tossed the diaper bag to Bastien, then turned to Melanie. “David’s home is under attack. Too many vampires to count.”
Alarm pinching her pretty features, Melanie hurried forward to take Adira.
Bastien frowned as he rose. “Do you want me to go back with you?”
Alleck stood. “I can come, too.”
“No,” Aidan said. “Stay here and keep your ears open. If anything—anything—happens, call me immediately so I can come get Adira. If we allow anyone to harm so much as a hair on that baby’s head, Seth will slay us all.”
Aidan teleported back to the basement of David’s home.
A fist caught him in the jaw as soon as he arrived.
“Take me to my daughter!” Marcus roared.
“She’s safe,” Aidan gritted and drew his short swords. “As I said, all is quiet there and I told them to call me in an instant if that changes.”
Rapid suppressed gunfire—a lot of it—disrupted the quiet outside.
“Get your head in the game,” Aidan ordered, halting further protest, “and make sure none of those bastards find their way in through the tunnels. I’ll help Chris’s men outside.”
Sheldon and Tracy armed themselves with automatic rifles and joined Marcus out in the hallway.
Aidan teleported outside, appearing between the two soldiers who guarded the front door.
Sensing movement, both men swung around.
Aidan used a telekinetic push to keep them from shooting him.
Recognition lit their features.
“I thought you could use some help,” Aidan told them.
Nodding, they turned their weapons back upon the figures swarming toward them over David’s lawn and opened fire.
So many vampires. Almost as many as he had slain at Shadow River. How the hell had Gershom raised such a large army without their knowledge?