Hunted

“If she knows what’s good for her, she won’t try it,” Angelia retorted.

“Come on, Cardinal Bran,” Daryl added. “Do you really think we would let you take away our bargaining chip?”

Izzy laughed. “We are being blackmailed by two prepubescent kids.”

“I’m fourteen,” Daryl said, sounding insulted. “The clock is ticking, Cardinals. So what is it going to be? Cardinal Kim’s life or a sanctuary for us?”

They had the upper hand and knew it. As children from Coronis’ evil breeding program, they had powers we didn’t even know about. I had no idea what I’d face if I mind-blended with Angelia.

“We have to find a place for them to sleep tonight,” I said.

“Lil,” Bran and Izzy protested at the same time.

“You’re not going to let her guilt you into helping her again,” Remy snapped.

“I’m not. If they were just the two of them, I’d say to take them back, but they’re not.” I looked at Angelia. “Tell the others they can come out now.”

She hesitated as though to defy me.

“Do you want me to do it?” I asked.

She shook her head, then looked at Daryl.

“No teleporting,” Bran warned.

Meekly, they walked up to the cave and disappeared inside. Within minutes, they reappeared with Cade, telekinetically carrying him. He was still out. Kylie ran to his side and cradled his head.

The others Specials followed, like a line of ants. Some carried backpacks, others their favorite toy. It wasn’t just the two dozen Specials we rescued months ago. They were accompanied by their adopted sisters and brothers, mothers, aunts and grandmothers—a total of nearly sixty children under the age of sixteen, and about thirty women.

“Tartarus’ pit,” Izzy mumbled, eyeing them with wide eyes.

“Okay, Angelia, we’ve agreed to your terms,” Remy said, not masking his impatience. “Where is Cardinal Kim?”

“Lord Valafar took her.”

- 22 - WE MEET AGAIN

My stomach roiled. It couldn’t be true. The conversation with Gavyn and Solaris flashed in my head like a nightmare. Despite the twins’ claim, I hadn’t really believed my father could still be alive.

“Are you sure?” Bran asked in a harsh voice.

Angelia nodded. “The demons who took her said so. They took her to an old hotel they’re fixing up.”

“Where?” Bran said.

“I don’t know. It was an old hotel with the words ‘Lee Plaza’ on the front.”

“The Lee Plaza. That’s in Detroit.” He glanced at me. “It’s the Order’s headquarters. Did you go inside?”

“No way,” Angelia said. “As soon as I heard the guards say, ‘Lord Valafar will be happy. Now he has leverage.’ I got out of there. I don’t know what ‘leverage’ means, but it sounded bad.”

“This changes everything,” Izzy said, shaking her head, curly ponytail swinging back and forth. “We have to tell the senior Cardinals. Kim might not want them involved, but we’re dealing with the devil’s spawn. Sorry, Lil.”

“No,” I said.

Izzy’s eyes narrowed. “No?”

“I know Valafar is evil and unscrupulous, but I meant, no, we can’t tell the senior Cardinals. My grandfather is not going to let me go anywhere near Valafar, and when he takes that position, everyone will think he’s throwing Kim under the bus to protect me. Worse, we go in with the others and there will be fighting and killing. We use powers, and the archangels will find us. I have to do this.”

“I know what you are planning, and I’m not letting you do it,’ Bran said, emerald eyes flashing.

“You are acting the way Grampa would,” I shot back. “I’m the one he wants. Not Kim. I will not allow him to hurt her to get to me.” I glanced at Izzy and Remy. They didn’t meet my gaze. “You all know I’m right. I have no intention of staying with him. As soon as Kim is safe with you guys, I’ll escape.”

No one spoke, but their refusal to agree or disagree said a lot.

“You are not meeting with him without us,” Bran vowed.

“Of course not.” Somehow I had a feeling Valafar was behind Gavyn’s invitation to join them. Would he listen to reason? Maybe agree to call off the archangels if I agreed to have some sort of a relationship with him?

“What do we do about them?” Remy asked, slanting his head toward the Specials and their entourage.

One of the women detached herself from the group and approached us. “I am Aurora, Daryl’s mother,” she said. “We didn’t know you hadn’t offered us sanctuary. The children…” she glanced at Daryl and blinked. “If you want us to leave, we will leave.”

With them back in the Brotherhood compound, we wouldn’t have to worry about them. Unfortunately, Angelia already believed we were liars. Sending them home now would only confirm it.

“No, you don’t have to leave,” I said just as a familiar black SUV pulled off the highway and onto the parking lot. Sykes stepped down from behind the wheel. The passenger doors opened and out stepped Esras, Lunaris, Solaris, and Lucien.

“What are they doing here?” Remy asked.

Sykes raised his heads. “Don’t worry—everything is under control. Master Haziel sent them. He ordered them to help us.”

No one bothered to ask how he’d known.

“Cardinal Sykes told us about Kim being missing, but not them.” Esras indicated the children and the women with a nod.

“We’ll explain later,” Bran said. “Right now, we have to get them out of here and indoors. The glamour won’t hold for long.” His gaze followed a car as it zipped past us, then he glanced at Remy. “They can’t teleport or the Psi-dar will lock on them. Any ideas?”

“I’ll get transportation…buses. Esras, come with me,” Remy said.

“Where are we getting buses at this time of night?” Esras asked.

“The local transit bus depot,” Remy said impatiently. “We’ll borrow two. Lil, we’ll need drivers. Ask Kylie and Cade. We’ll take their truck and leave it by the grocery store next to the depot. They can pick it up when they return the buses. If they say no, compel them. We. Need. Them.” He nodded at Sykes. “Find a local hotel that can accommodate all of them. Each room can have an adult and two children. The teens can room in groups of two or three. Come up with a good cover story.”

That was the Remy I knew. Confident. Decisive. Unstoppable.

Sykes snapped his fingers. “Already got a cover story. They are exchange students from Europe touring the country with their parents, and the valley is their next stop.”

“Good. We’ll be back in a few.” He and Esras took off in Cade’s truck.

“I need a cell phone,” Sykes said, looking around. “Anyone got one?”

My eyes connected with Bran’s. I’d felt his gaze on me ever since we discussed Valafar. He wasn’t too happy with my decision, but he knew there was no way out.

How are you holding up? he asked.

I’m trying not to think about it. “Kylie might have a phone,” I said and moved away. She still held Cade on her lap and watched me with a weird expression as I drew closer. “How’s he doing?”

“I don’t know. Can you wake him up or something?”

“I will. Just give me a second. Can we borrow your cell phone?”