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“That could prove problematic,” said Colby.
“It already has,” said Cullen, resignedly.
Jinx had just finished superimposing the star map on the tall ceiling when Salem returned with the Celestial Key humming in her hand. She placed it on the desk facing up.
“Now comes the tricky part,” said Salem, “what to ask it. The last time I asked it where I was needed most, and it led us to the mill.”
“Start with that,” Cullen said,
“Show me where I’m needed most,” Salem said solemnly.
The Celestial Key whirred and buzzed and then pinpointed the spot. They all looked at Jinx, who was clattering away on the keyboard to get the geo coordinates.
“No good,” she said. “It’s pinpointed Ghost Moon Manor.”
“Show me where the vampires are holding more prisoners,” Salem intoned. The key made its usual noises but showed nothing. “Oh, wait. Show me the location of the ritual.” This time the key pointed the way, and the program spit out the geo-coordinates.
“Give me a minute,” said Jinx as she worked her own kind of magic. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“What is it?”
“Cullen, remember the stories about a mine that disturbed an ancient burial site and how all the miners and townsfolk who had set up shop died terrible deaths—every single one of them?” Cullen nodded. “Unless I miss my guess, the Celestial Key just pointed us to it.”
Cullen looked over Jinx’s shoulder at her screen. “Where is it?” asked Salem as she and Colby joined Cullen and Jinx.
“That’s got to be it,” whispered Colby.
“Okay, new kid on the block. What are we looking at?” asked Salem.
“The Sanguine Mine,” said Cullen. “Not only were there some grisly, unexplained murders up there over the years, but like Jinx said, a whole town and group of miners was said to have disappeared, and the town and mine were buried in an avalanche. Some archeologists started to dig in the area, but they, too, disappeared. It’s kind of like the tomb of Antony and Cleopatra—everyone who’s gone looking for it never comes back.”
“Sanguine means blood,” added Colby. “More than one folktale says the Sanguine Mine and the town at the base of it was founded by wurdulaks.”
“Wurdu whats?” asked Salem.
“Wurdulaks. For lack of a better definition, Russian vampires.”
“Shit,” Salem swore.
“Does that mean something to you?”
She nodded. “A nasty bratva family known as the Wurdulaks. I knew it sounded familiar. They are known for—wait for it—particularly gruesome forms of torture and execution involving lots and lots of blood. If they’ve teamed up with the Shadow League, we need to put an end to them and do so now.”
“The mill was probably a staging point,” said Colby. “Payne remembers thinking they were waiting to transport the prisoners.”
“That’s got to be it, then. We can put together a strike team. The Ghost Moon territory includes the mine, and generations of kids have been hurt or killed there. Shaw and I know the area well.”
“I can get my men…” started Colby.
“I don’t think there’s time. I’d love to have the time to coordinate a larger attack force, but we’re going to need to move before then if we have any chance of taking them by surprise. And before you ask, we’re going to need to do just that. It’s a relatively open field up to where the mine is supposed to be, and the key confirms its location.”
“Cullen’s right,” said Salem. “Our men are used to working together and Miska says they are trained to fight and follow their alpha. We’ll be able to move faster without you, but we might do better if we can pull a larger force from our own people. Maybe some of your men could help guard the estate and those who have to remain behind.”
“You’re not going,” growled Cullen. “I told you I would keep you safe. Exposing you to a bunch of Russian vampires intent on getting their jollies and sending shifters and mankind into darkness is not my idea of safe.”
“I don’t disagree with you,” started Colby.
“Just because you can’t bring your mate to heel, don’t be telling me how to handle mine,” interrupted Cullen.
