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Their conversation was fast since he didn’t know much. There were rumors of unusual activity in a town about three hundred miles from his palace. Jules had been seen there twice, and several Therians had gone missing in the area. Savas suspected Jules was operating a slaving base from there and amassing mercenary followers.
Ivanna thanked him for his assistance.
Her next stop was Viktorija. This was a matter for the leader of the King’s Guard. “I didn’t want to say anything until I had spoken to people who were less…drunk,” Ivanna explained after she described what she’d heard.
Viktorija nodded. “I’m impressed. You did well. This…this is a big problem. Nikoli was aware of that rat bastard Jules for years. He was always a greedy shit, but I never took him for the fighting type. He seemed like the kind of guy who would get in your face but back down once he realized his initial show of dominance didn’t work. The type who would put his hands up and laugh, then offer to buy you a beer to diffuse the situation. With someone else’s money, of course.”
“Jules has to be stopped. Permanently, if necessary.”
Viktorija nodded. “I want you to collect volunteers from visiting King’s Guards, as well as our forces, and investigate. You’ve done very well, so let’s see what else you can get. I’ll inform Luca about what is happening and see if he has anything further to say. Keep me updated.”
Ivanna nodded, pleased that Viktorija was impressed and trusted her judgment on something so important. She left to gather the volunteers.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Mosier Home, Enfield, New York, Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Ash and Dani were in the living room of the Mosiers’ home, relaxing after a day of intense training. They were surprised when the doorbell rang since they weren’t expecting anyone. Bishara hopped up to answer the door.
Ash and Dani were shocked to hear Eiko’s lilting voice a moment later. “We know her!” Dani called. Ash was already moving toward the front door.
“Eiko-sama! Is everything okay? Did something happen to Luca? We weren’t expecting you.” She hugged the tiny witch after Eiko shook her head. “It’s wonderful to see you.”
Harley charged down the hallway toward the newcomer but she skidded to a stop when Eiko met her gaze. She patted the dog on the head and rubbed her ears. “Aren’t you a good girl?”
Ash gaped at her. “How?”
“I told her to sit down and I would pet her. She accepted.”
“You speak dog?” Dani asked.
Eiko grinned. “Ash-san, I have completed the spell that will let you walk in the sun permanently!” She was excited about the discovery, but Ash noticed the lines of strain on her face.
“That’s wonderful news. Please come in and sit. You must be exhausted after all that travel. How did you find us?”
Eiko followed Ash to the living room and sank into an overstuffed chair that almost swallowed her. “I tracked you with magic, but you were too far away for me to portal here. I came as far as I could but then had to rely on conventional methods of travel.”
“I’m glad you made it safely, Eiko-sama. We would have come to get you from the airport,” Dani said from the couch.
Eiko brushed away her concerns and pulled something from her pocket. She held it out to Ash, who took it curiously. The small reddish-orange stone was streaked with bands of lighter orange. It reminded Ash of a sunset.
“What is this?” she asked.
“A carnelian. To most, it is just a semi-precious stone, but with the right spell attached, the carnelian can protect your flesh from the sun.” The witch looked satisfied.
“How does it do that?” Dani asked.
Eiko’s smile faded. “It has to be embedded between the heart and lungs and interact with her blood to provide the protection she needs.”
Ash’s eyes widened. “It has to go where?”
Eiko looked defensive. “Child, do you think I would place you in danger? The insertion will be minor since I can use magic rather than a knife. It will still hurt, though, and it’s going to burn until the protection cycles through your body.”
She’d walked in the sun without igniting using Eiko’s protection rings, but she always had to be aware that her protection could fail and she could burn. Being able to walk freely in the sun felt like regaining part of her human self.
“My blood circulates? I have no idea how my body works now. I can’t eat anymore, but food still smells good.” Ash grimaced.
Eiko frowned. “You were turned by magic, not by a vampire. You and Nadya are the only vampires who are still alive.”
