Shadowfever
Page 136
I stared down the leathery wing of my Hunter at the one that was flying tandem with us.
KVruck.
Nightwindflyhighfreeeeeee.
I hastily checked my internal radar. It was hardly a typical Sinsar Dubh thought, but I couldnt be too safe. Only when I was certain the Book was still on the ground did I breathe easily again.
What was KVruck doing here if the Book hadnt brought him? Its thought had been less words and more an observation of the moment.
Was KVruck happy?
It turned its head sideways and gave me a toothy, leathery-lipped grin. The tips of its wings worried my Hunters span, making it rear in alarm.
What are you doing?
What are you?
Huh?
I fly.
I looked at it blankly. It had emphasized the word I.
Used to ride me, it chuffed with reproach. Old friend.
I stared at it, nonplussed.
My eyes narrowed. It was clearly part of some conspiracy to make me think I was the Unseelie King. That was one load of crap I wasnt buying. Go away. I swatted at it like a fly. Shoo. Get out of here. I was shooing finality more final than death.
I was dimly aware of Barrons shouting on my radio.
It turned its leathery smile forward and sailed serenely along, barely moving its enormous wings, surfing a breeze. It was five times the size of my Hunter, several houses of leathery wings and hooves and enormous oven eyes and whatever held all that icy blackness together. As it passed through the dark sky, the breeze that sloughed off its titanic body steamed like dry ice.
Go! I snarled.
Mac, where the hell is the Book? Ryodans voice sounded tinny on the radio. We were higher than Id meant to be. Where are you? I cant see you up there. I see a couple of Hunters flying together, but I dont see you. Fuck, is that one enormous or what?
Great, just what I needed. Somebody to look up and catch me flying side by side with the Unseelie Kings favorite Lamborghini. I thumbed my volume back on. Im here. In a cloud. Hang on. Youll see me in a few minutes, I lied.
There arent any clouds up there, Mac, Lor said.
Christian snapped, Lie, MacKayla. Try again. Who are you flying with?
Wheres the Book? Vlane demanded.
ItsOh, there it is! Damn! Now its four blocks to the west, down by the docks. Im going down for a closer look.
When I nudged my Hunter into a dive, KVruck dove with us.
Ms. Lane, Barrons demanded, what are you doing flying with the Hunter that killed Darroc?
39
They refused to let me land.
I couldnt exactly blamethem.
It wasnt so much that I had my own Satanic wing manthere wasnt anybody on the ground that night who hadnt dipped a toe into something dark at one point or anotheras that they worried the Book would grab KVruck somehow and then wed all be, well KVrucked.
I couldnt shake him. The Hunter who called himself something more final than death simply would not leave my side. And a secret part of me was a little thrilled by it.
I flew over Dublin with Death.
Heady stuff for a bartender from small-town Georgia.
I had to watch from the air as the debacle unfolded. And it was a debacle.
They cornered it, hemmed it in with stones, whittled in and down until they finally had it penned on the steps of the church where Id been raped. I had to wonder if it somehow knew that and was trying to mess with my head.
I kept waiting for it to speak in my mind, but it didnt. Not once. Not a word. It was the first time Id ever been in its vicinity that it hadnt tried to mess with me somehow. I figured the stones and the Druids had a dampening effect.
As I watched, they moved the four stoneseast, west, north, and southin closer and closer until they formed the corners of a box, ten feet by ten feet around it.
A soft blue light began to emanate between the stones, as if forming a cage.
Everyone backed away.
What now? I whispered, circling over the steeple.
Now its mine, Drustan said calmly. The Keltar Druids begin to chant, and the silver-eyed Highlander moved forward.
I had a sudden vision of him, broken and dead on the church steps. The Book morphing into the Beast, towering over them all, laughing. Taking out one after the next.
No, I cried.
No, what? Barrons said instantly.
Stop, Drustan!
The Highlander looked up at me and stopped.
I studied the tableau below. Something wasnt right. The Sinsar Dubh was lying on the steps, an innocuous hardcover. No towering Beast, no chain-saw-toothed OBannion, no skinned Fiona.
When did it get out of the car? I demanded.
Nobody answered me.
Who was driving it? Did anyone see the Book get out of the car?
Ryodan, Lor, speak up! Barrons snapped.
Dont know, Barrons. Didnt see it. Thought you did.
How did it end up on the steps?
Vlane hissed. It is an illusion!
I groaned. Its not really there. I must have lost track of it. I wondered why it wasnt messing with me. It was. Just not the way it usually does. I screwed up. Oh, shitVlanelook out!
KVruck.
Nightwindflyhighfreeeeeee.
I hastily checked my internal radar. It was hardly a typical Sinsar Dubh thought, but I couldnt be too safe. Only when I was certain the Book was still on the ground did I breathe easily again.
What was KVruck doing here if the Book hadnt brought him? Its thought had been less words and more an observation of the moment.
Was KVruck happy?
It turned its head sideways and gave me a toothy, leathery-lipped grin. The tips of its wings worried my Hunters span, making it rear in alarm.
What are you doing?
What are you?
Huh?
I fly.
I looked at it blankly. It had emphasized the word I.
Used to ride me, it chuffed with reproach. Old friend.
I stared at it, nonplussed.
My eyes narrowed. It was clearly part of some conspiracy to make me think I was the Unseelie King. That was one load of crap I wasnt buying. Go away. I swatted at it like a fly. Shoo. Get out of here. I was shooing finality more final than death.
I was dimly aware of Barrons shouting on my radio.
It turned its leathery smile forward and sailed serenely along, barely moving its enormous wings, surfing a breeze. It was five times the size of my Hunter, several houses of leathery wings and hooves and enormous oven eyes and whatever held all that icy blackness together. As it passed through the dark sky, the breeze that sloughed off its titanic body steamed like dry ice.
Go! I snarled.
Mac, where the hell is the Book? Ryodans voice sounded tinny on the radio. We were higher than Id meant to be. Where are you? I cant see you up there. I see a couple of Hunters flying together, but I dont see you. Fuck, is that one enormous or what?
Great, just what I needed. Somebody to look up and catch me flying side by side with the Unseelie Kings favorite Lamborghini. I thumbed my volume back on. Im here. In a cloud. Hang on. Youll see me in a few minutes, I lied.
There arent any clouds up there, Mac, Lor said.
Christian snapped, Lie, MacKayla. Try again. Who are you flying with?
Wheres the Book? Vlane demanded.
ItsOh, there it is! Damn! Now its four blocks to the west, down by the docks. Im going down for a closer look.
When I nudged my Hunter into a dive, KVruck dove with us.
Ms. Lane, Barrons demanded, what are you doing flying with the Hunter that killed Darroc?
39
They refused to let me land.
I couldnt exactly blamethem.
It wasnt so much that I had my own Satanic wing manthere wasnt anybody on the ground that night who hadnt dipped a toe into something dark at one point or anotheras that they worried the Book would grab KVruck somehow and then wed all be, well KVrucked.
I couldnt shake him. The Hunter who called himself something more final than death simply would not leave my side. And a secret part of me was a little thrilled by it.
I flew over Dublin with Death.
Heady stuff for a bartender from small-town Georgia.
I had to watch from the air as the debacle unfolded. And it was a debacle.
They cornered it, hemmed it in with stones, whittled in and down until they finally had it penned on the steps of the church where Id been raped. I had to wonder if it somehow knew that and was trying to mess with my head.
I kept waiting for it to speak in my mind, but it didnt. Not once. Not a word. It was the first time Id ever been in its vicinity that it hadnt tried to mess with me somehow. I figured the stones and the Druids had a dampening effect.
As I watched, they moved the four stoneseast, west, north, and southin closer and closer until they formed the corners of a box, ten feet by ten feet around it.
A soft blue light began to emanate between the stones, as if forming a cage.
Everyone backed away.
What now? I whispered, circling over the steeple.
Now its mine, Drustan said calmly. The Keltar Druids begin to chant, and the silver-eyed Highlander moved forward.
I had a sudden vision of him, broken and dead on the church steps. The Book morphing into the Beast, towering over them all, laughing. Taking out one after the next.
No, I cried.
No, what? Barrons said instantly.
Stop, Drustan!
The Highlander looked up at me and stopped.
I studied the tableau below. Something wasnt right. The Sinsar Dubh was lying on the steps, an innocuous hardcover. No towering Beast, no chain-saw-toothed OBannion, no skinned Fiona.
When did it get out of the car? I demanded.
Nobody answered me.
Who was driving it? Did anyone see the Book get out of the car?
Ryodan, Lor, speak up! Barrons snapped.
Dont know, Barrons. Didnt see it. Thought you did.
How did it end up on the steps?
Vlane hissed. It is an illusion!
I groaned. Its not really there. I must have lost track of it. I wondered why it wasnt messing with me. It was. Just not the way it usually does. I screwed up. Oh, shitVlanelook out!
