Sunfall Read online

  My anxiety spiked and I worked to keep my voice even. “Describe it to me.”

  “I can make out the parasite floating around in my blood, but it’s not all that prevalent. Mostly, I’m seeing something that looks like an altered version of the parasite, but I can’t tell what—if anything—it’s doing.”

  “Compare it with mine,” Solana said from behind me.

  As she examined Solana’s sample, Val frowned. “I see more of the free-floating parasite, than in mine, but also those other structures.”

  “Try mine.” Tonya held out a slide.

  “Normal,” Val said after a moment. She glanced at Solana. “Whatever the flower does, it’s expressing differently in each of us.”

  “That may be related to how we consumed it,” said Solana. “It came to you in the blood of a Were whose soul is mated with yours. I can think of no more powerful combination.”

  Val labeled each of the vials and handed them to Tonya. “Don’t take your eyes off these, and run them both through a comprehensive battery of tests, twice. I want to know everything we possibly can about what the flower is doing to our blood cells. When you have the results, call me.”

  She turned to Solana. “As far as I can see, we don’t need to worry about what will happen in the short term. As soon as I know anything more, so will you.”

  As we left the room and rejoined the guards, I wondered how Solana’s conceptualization of her own future had changed over the past few days. Did she want to remain at Helen’s side? If so, had she considered willingly making the transition to full vampire so as to join Helen in the darkness? Or did she worry that in losing the light, she would also lose her ability to love? Before hearing their story, I’d believed that an individual needed a soul in order to feel and express that kind of devotion. Now, I wasn’t so sure. Even during our separation, Valentine had fixated on me obsessively. Could she have learned a measure of compassion over time?

  In my musings, I had fallen behind Val and Solana. Shaking my head, I picked up my pace and forced myself not to dwell on the repercussions of whatever complex processes were going on in Valentine’s circulatory system. Until she received the test results, we all needed to focus instead on the very real possibility that any minute, we would learn news of Brenner’s location. We had to prepare for every contingency and be ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.

  *

  An hour later, I threw open the doors to Valentine’s wardrobe, wondering where to start. While she returned to the bank to act on Malcolm’s orders, I had gone to the apartment to pack. Two large duffle bags stood near the door: one filled with cold weather gear and the other with lighter clothing. Now I surveyed Val’s gun collection. Doubtless, she would want to make her own choices about weaponry, but on the off chance that we received word before she returned home, I wanted to be ready.

  I was just reaching for the largest of her sniper rifles when the door opened. As soon as I saw her face, I knew she hadn’t heard any good news. She pulled me into the living room and sat heavily on the couch. I curled into her and slipped one hand beneath her shirt to rub her taut abdominal muscles.

  “What’s happened, sweetheart?”

  “Not any one thing. More like a confluence of events.” She leaned her head back and stared at the ceiling. “Blaine is escalating quickly, and Caleb has yet to find any vulnerabilities that we can easily capitalize on. Though his people did uncover a possible connection to the drug trade.”

  “Blaine might be the one managing it?”

  “Yes. Though it’s still unclear whether he’s always had that role, or if this is something new.”

  The fatigue in her voice made my heart ache. I straddled her thighs and combed my fingers through her hair, hoping to help her relax. “I take it his political connections are throwing up all kinds of road blocks?”

  “Like you wouldn’t believe.” When my massaging touch reached the back of her neck, she sighed in pleasure. “To top it off, there’s still no word from Tian, and Summers’s people haven’t found any reliable leads as to Brenner’s whereabouts.”

  I made my touch firmer in the hopes of distracting her. A breathy moan escaped her lips as I found a knot above her left shoulder, and the sound galvanized my desire. The urgency of the moment crystallized: we might have only minutes before we were called to action, and it might be days or weeks before we could be close again.

  I needed her. Now. Pulling back, I whipped off my shirt, gratified to see her instinctively raise her hands to cup my breasts.

  “No.” I slapped her hands away, and before she could protest, I pressed my right nipple into her mouth. She groaned against my skin, the hot swipes of her tongue electrifying me. The short, sharp thrusts of her hips were proof of her own arousal and I returned my grip to her hair, pulling her even closer.

  The world disappeared as we moved together. When the ache between my thighs intensified, I unbuttoned my pants and guided her hand inside. My head snapped back in unbearable pleasure as she filled me, and I moaned her name between gritted teeth. Yanking her head away from my breast, I braced myself against the couch and rode her fingers slowly. She kept her hand still and let me set the pace. When I looked down into her eyes, she licked her lips.

  “So hot, baby. I love you, and you are so, so fucking hot.”

  I leaned in, exposing my neck. “Drink.”

  She lunged for me, thrusting deep with her fingers as her teeth broke my skin. Ecstasy burst through my veins, dimming my vision as my body flowed for her, around her. Distantly, I felt her shudder against me and rejoiced that she too had found release.

  Minutes passed before I could move. Finally, I pushed myself up, allowing Val to ease her fingers from my body. She stared at me in awe.

  “What was that?”

  I stroked the damp hair back from her forehead. “Us, my love. That was us.”

  “We are awesome.”

  My laughter caught me by surprise, and it felt so good. That was exactly the kind of sentiment I’d fallen in love with Valentine over. Despite her strained relationship with her family, despite having been turned into a vampire, Val had never lost her childlike exuberance until she had lost her soul. To see that radiant enthusiasm reappear in the wake of all she had been through over the past few months felt like a miracle.

  “I love you so much.” I kissed her slowly, gently, enjoying the gradual build of heat between us.

  And then, just as I was entertaining the thought of dragging her to bed, my phone vibrated. While my first instinct was to ignore it, I knew I couldn’t. Reluctantly, I leaned back just far enough to fish my cell phone out of my pocket. I had expected Karma or Solana—maybe even Constantine.

  “It’s Olivia,” I said, hearing the surprise in my voice.

  “Really.” Val cupped my waist, her thumbs sliding along my rib cage. I wondered whether she had any sense of her own possessiveness or whether, like my own, it was instinctual. “What does she want?”

  “To know if I’m still awake.” I tapped out a simple Yes, in response.

  Her reply came only seconds later. Me too. Can’t sleep. Is there anything I can do?

  I sat back on Val’s legs and turned the phone to face her. “Sounds like she’s having a hard time dealing with everything she knows. She wants to help.”

  I wasn’t surprised. Olivia had learned the truth about wereshifters while dating one, and she’d practically blackmailed me into taking her along on my mission to find the Tear of Isis. Since my success in reclaiming Valentine, she’d had no role to play.

  “Maybe she can,” said Val.

  “How? No one at the Consortium will trust her.”

  “But I do.” Val smiled wryly. She and Olivia had known each other since childhood. They were too alike not to be competitors, but the lengths to which Olivia had gone on my behalf had clearly impressed Val despite the fact that Olivia wanted me.

  “If I asked her to go after Blaine, she might actually make some headway.”


  I considered her idea. Olivia’s family had even more powerful political connections than did Val’s, and her work in the district attorney’s office must have opened up even more avenues.

  “Shall I tell her to come over?”

  Val nodded. “We can finish packing in the meantime.”

  Twenty minutes later, Val was just zipping up the bag containing her weapons and spare ammunition when the buzzer announced Olivia’s arrival downstairs. As we waited for her to make the elevator ride up, Val pulled me close to her and grinned.

  “My fingers still smell like you.”

  I tugged her head down for a quick, hard kiss. “Good. I’m yours. So no need to vamp out on her.”

  Val was still laughing when the door chimed. As she stepped forward to kiss Olivia on the cheek, I couldn’t help but compare them. Olivia, dressed in slimming jeans and a fitted, v-neck black sweater, was undeniably attractive. But only Val, who had changed into a white A-shirt and dark cargo pants, exuded a coiled strength and confidence that rekindled my desire. She moved aside and I hugged Olivia briefly. Always slim, she was even thinner than she had been a few days ago. Her shoulders were slightly hunched, as though they carried an invisible weight.

  “Are you doing okay, Liv?”

  “Fine, thanks.” The response was automatic, and she seemed to be having a hard time looking directly at all of us. And then she noticed the bags stacked to one side of the hallway. “Traveling somewhere?”

  “We’re going after Brenner as soon as we get a lead.” Val gestured toward the kitchen. “Want a drink?”

  “Sure. Something strong.”

  As she mixed a martini, Val explained the situation at the Bank of Mithras. “My people are looking into ways to counter Blaine’s lawsuits, but we’re also hoping to go on offense against him. Tonight, my head of security received information suggesting that Blaine may be ultimately responsible for Brenner’s drug-peddling operations in the city. Would you be interested in investigating?”

  Olivia’s eyes lit up and she squared her shoulders. “Very much, yes.”

  “I’ll make sure you can liaise with the bank,” continued Val. “But it would be best if you used your own resources. I’ll compensate you, of course.”

  “That’s fine.”

  I could tell that her brain was already going a mile a minute. The cloak of her fatigue had suddenly been replaced by a hunter’s air of determination.

  “Promise us you won’t go rushing into anything,” I said. “This isn’t the drug trade you’re used to fighting.”

  “I’ll be careful,” she said, but the reply was perfunctory.

  Val picked up her phone. “Caleb,” she said a moment later. “I’ve just asked Olivia Lloyd to work the drug angle. She’s going to use her own people, but if you come across anything helpful, I want you to send it her way.”

  She listened for a moment, then asked Olivia for her cell number and repeated it to Caleb. Suddenly, she stiffened.

  “I have another call incoming. Headquarters. Call you back.” Her gaze held mine as she switched over. “Darrow.” When the barest hint of a smile curved her lips, I knew we’d finally heard some good news.

  “We’ll be there. Half an hour, tops.” She hung up the phone, already in motion toward the hall. “Time to go.”

  Olivia threw back her drink as Val opened the door for her. “Will I be able to contact you if I have questions or information?” she asked.

  “Calls only. Don’t leave a message, and you’ll need to memorize the number I’m about to give you. It’s for my satellite phone.” She rattled off a string of digits. “Okay?”

  “Great.” Olivia stepped across the threshold, looking between us. “Be careful.”

  “Careful as we can be.” Val shut the door, then faced me. “Tian got a message through to Headquarters. She was in Vancouver and is on the move north and east. She’ll relay more information when she has a chance.”

  “So, cold weather gear.” I slipped on my heavy boots and grabbed the larger of the duffels. “Canada. Interesting. I thought she would be somewhere in China.”

  Val handed me my parka, tucked hers under her arm, and hefted the bag full of guns. “That’s probably why she wasn’t.”

  The door swung shut behind us, and at the hollow click of the lock I wondered how long it would be before we could return. We both sorely needed some peace in our lives, but as long as we were together, I could easily forgo other kinds of stability.

  valentine

  Chapter Ten

  The jet, with its leather seats, booths, full-service kitchen, and private conference room, was even more luxurious than my father’s. Heavy blackout curtains had been tacked down over each of the oval windows for the sake of Foster and Summers.

  I spent the first hour of the flight corresponding with Bridget, whom I’d left in control of the bank. She would do a good job—better than me, probably. Depending on her performance, perhaps I could make her the permanent CEO when I returned. Despite having developed an appreciation for the banking profession over the past few months, there was so much I wanted to accomplish that had nothing to do with the world of high finance. In particular, I was fascinated by the Tear of Isis and its restorative properties. If I could study the flower in-depth, I might be able to isolate and synthesize the components that caused such miraculous effects. Becoming a vampire would no longer mean being sentenced to darkness for eternity.

  I couldn’t think of the flower without being reminded of the Herculean effort Alexa had undertaken for me. For us. After getting caught up with Karma during the first half of the flight, she had fallen asleep with her head pillowed on my shoulder. Her slow, even breaths puffed against my neck, and as I let myself follow her example, I silently vowed to make the most of this second chance she’d given us.

  When the pilot announced that we were just under an hour from touching down, Malcolm summoned us into the conference room, where he gave Foster the floor.

  “Our latest update from Tian indicates that she initially made a feint toward Calgary but is in fact heading north to Prince George. If we fly directly there, we risk alerting Brenner to her plans. Instead, we will land at our original destination just outside of Vancouver and drive the remainder of the way.

  “We’ll split into two groups. Both will begin by traveling northeast, reinforcing Tian’s deception. One group will then swing up and around to approach Prince George from the west, while the other maintains an easterly route.”

  “What’s the next step?” Alexa asked.

  “We escort her to New York,” said Malcolm.

  “Leon, Malcolm, and Constantine will take the eastern path,” said Foster. “Val, Alexa, Karma, and I will circle west.”

  The four of us spent the remainder of the flight in one of the booths, hunched over the table with several maps of British Columbia spread out before us. North of Vancouver, the countryside quickly became mountainous and heavily forested—ideal terrain for an ambush. While it seemed likely that the majority of Brenner’s forces in the region would be targeting Tian, I had no doubt that he was also monitoring our movements.

  When we landed at a small, private airfield outside the city limits, we found two black Humvees parked just inside the hangar. Several boxes of combat gear and survival supplies had been stacked between them.

  “Help yourselves to the equipment,” said Malcolm, “and be sure to take a box of provisions as well.”

  My breath steamed in the cold air as I pulled on a ballistic vest over my sweater. The side pockets yielded MREs, a knife, and several packets of caffeine pills and painkillers. The boxes contained additional medical supplies and food rations. I muscled one into the trunk of the nearest Humvee and turned to the sight of Alexa tightening the fit of her vest. Her dark hair brushed gently against her shoulders and her lower lip stuck out ever so slightly in a frown of concentration and the barest flicker of her abdominal muscles was visible as she wrestled to adjust one shoulder strap.

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sp; Love and thirst flared up together, twin fires curling around my heart, galvanizing it into action. Despite the urgency of the moment, I stepped forward, stilling her hands and untangling the twisted strap.

  “There.” And then I kissed her, right there in front of every-one—a deep, searching kiss that stole my breath and hers. Color rushed to her cheeks when I pulled back, but she kept her eyes on me and didn’t turn away until I bent to grab one of our duffels.

  As we loaded our bags into the trunks, the inevitable argument began.

  “Who’s driving?” asked Karma.

  “I am,” Foster and I said simultaneously.

  For a moment, we squared off across the glossy hood. A few feet away, Summers and Constantine appeared to be engaged in a similar battle.

  “Maybe you should arm wrestle,” Alexa suggested dryly.

  “This is a waste of time,” I said. “And we don’t have any of that to spare. You take the first shift. I’m going to play with my guns in the backseat.”

  Karma and Alexa laughed, and even Foster cracked a half-grin. For an instant, I felt a strange sense of disconnect—as though we were simply four friends about to pile into a car for a road trip, instead of four creatures of legend and nightmare about to attempt a daring rescue. And then I felt the weight of my bulletproof vest bearing down on my shoulders, and the moment passed.

  “Check in every hour,” Constantine called as we climbed into the vehicle.

  As Foster revved the engine, I moved the bag containing our weapons to the space between Alexa and me on the backseat. Karma served as navigator while I pieced together my sniper rifle and Alexa loaded the shotguns and pistols. Her western Wisconsin upbringing had given her a comfort level with firearms that I hadn’t managed to achieve until recently.

  Our task completed, we distributed the weapons and settled in for the long haul. The drive would take just over ten hours, and it was imperative that we reach Tian before the sun rose. We had very little leeway, and we had to push hard.