Hunting a Dragon: Hunter Elite, #9

Chapter One

DOOM HUNG OVER US LIKE a heavy cloud as we gathered in the library in the Scottish Archives. Tables were pushed together so all thirty true shapeshifters could be a part of our discussion. Connor’s foster parents kept their distance from him. They were respecting his wishes to give him room. The clan had ostracized him for choosing me as his mate and had threatened to kill him if he ever returned to his homeland. Now we were all joined together in a common cause. We intended to take down the witch, the demon and the druid before they could wreak havoc on our world.

This is what we know so far, Quin said to get the meeting started and everyone quietened down to listen. The witch has returned from another dimension with an army of thousands of creatures called Dread Wraiths. They’re like ghosts, but they can kill or cause immense pain with one touch.

Lilly sat next to her mother, strangely attentive and focused for once. Mirra had broken her obsession with Connor and it seemed to have worked. While I was disappointed I wouldn’t get to kill the shifter, at least she was no longer staring at my mate worshipfully.

Just like our witch saw in her vision, Blair confirmed.

Von Hades has a relic in his possession that has the ability to break the witch free from her Grim Reaper, Quin continued. The spell he is going to use it in will render her mortal so she can be killed.

Murmurs sounded from the shifters before Jean spoke over top of them. What’s your plan? Are you going to allow the demon to use the relic and take down the witch, then target him?

No, I said before Quin could respond. We need the relic. We’re going to steal it from Spencer’s mansion in Rosethorn.

What are you going to do with it? Lilly asked. Her tone was even rather than antagonistic. Use it against the witch yourselves?

We have to trade it to save Connor’s life, Quin said.

All eyes went to my mate. A fine sheen of sweat covered his forehead and he was slightly paler than usual. You don’t look well, son, Blair said in genuine concern. Although his foster son had broken clan law by becoming mates with me, he and Jean still cared about him deeply.

He was poisoned by a Jaculus, I explained. She wants the relic and in return, she’ll undo whatever she did to him.

What does she want this object for? Marcus asked. As the second in command of the clan, he was quieter and more introspective than most.

We don’t know, Quin replied. She believes the relic will be safest in her hands.

What’s a Jaculus? Jean asked in confusion. Surely, you must have some idea why she wants this thing.

They’re shapeshifting reptiles, like cousins to dragons, I explained. I have no idea why she wants it and I don’t care. I’m going to get it and trade it to save my mate and no one is going to stop me.

The shifters drew away from me in fear. They knew I was a vampire and that my kind had been created to hunt theirs. Your eyes are glowing, Lilly said in fascination.

Even I could see the greenish-yellow glow. I was just glad it wasn’t glowing red like a demon’s anymore. The demonic blood I’d ingested had worn off, thankfully. That happens when I get angry, I told her. Fortunately, the glow faded quickly as I calmed down again. Connor’s hand on my thigh helped.

Mirra was the one to get us back on track this time. Before we break into the demon’s mansion, we need to find Roderick so Ari can de-thrall us all.

De-thrall? one of the shifters asked for clarification.

Von Hades fed us his blood and turned us into his thralls, Quin told them. We ditched our normal cell phones and are avoiding him so he can’t give us any orders that we won’t be able to refuse. Ari knows a spell that can break his hold over us.

Doubtful looks were exchanged before Marcus spoke. Nothing can sever a demon’s hold once it has enthralled its minions.

This can, I said, fishing the flask out of my pocket. Unicorn blood is the purest substance in existence. It’s powerful enough to do the job.

Where is Roderick? Jean asked.

We don’t know yet, I replied, slipping the flask back into my pocket. I’m going to cast a locater spell to find him.

You’d better get on that, sweetheart, Jake told me. I have a feeling we need to get a move on. The witch has probably gotten over her tantrum from young Connor escaping from her clutches by now. She’ll begin her plans for world domination soon.

You were caught by the witch? Blair asked Connor in horror. How did you manage to escape?

By making a deal with the Jaculus and with Winston’s help, he replied.

Who is Winston? someone muttered.

We have three ghosts on our team, I said. Looking at the specters who were standing on the sidelines, I raised an eyebrow in silent enquiry.

You might as well cast the spell that will let them all see and hear us, Jonah said. They could control who they could communicate with, so they could easily hide from them when they wanted to.

I no longer needed ingredients to cast this minor spell. With a bit of power and a few words, I sent the enchantment out to cover everyone. Spotting the trio of phantoms, a short babble broke out before Winston held his hands up to quell them. I am Winston Worthington, former Archivist of this very establishment, he said with a bow. At your service.

Jonah rolled his eyes before introducing himself. I’m Jonah. I used to haunt the Hunter Elite mansion in West Virginia before Ari bound me to a locket. Now I’ve joined the team and can travel on their missions with them.

Brandi was nervous at having so many shifters staring at her. I’m Brandi with an I, she said and Jonah sniggered. She shot him a dark look before continuing. I was stuck in an old fallout shelter that a master vampire took over as his lair. Ari saved me from a decade of boredom and bound me to a lighter. I can go with her wherever she goes now, too.

I love your hair, one of the female shifters said. Brandi beamed, running a hand through the shoulder length pink locks. As always, the stringy strands didn’t move at all.

Is the master vampire dead? Lilly asked.

No, Quin replied. He’s currently locked in the basement of our mansion.

Why would you take it prisoner? Jean asked in disgust. Why didn’t you kill it?

It isn’t just any master vampire. It’s Alakay, Connor told them and the room fell silent. They all knew the leech and his nest had killed his entire village. He’s the first vampire ever created. There’s a chance he could help us defeat his mistress. We thought it would be best to keep him alive for the time being.

Won’t he be getting hungry by now? Brandi asked nervously.

That was a good point. We’d left him behind when we’d fled from the mansion. He was all alone in the cell I usually sent Jonah to. He would be wondering if he’d been abandoned. While I didn’t care about his mental wellbeing, I couldn’t deny that he might come in useful.

I guess we should go and get him, I said reluctantly.

You can’t bring that thing here! Lilly protested. It’ll kill us all!

We have a cell we can lock him in, Quin said. He won’t be able to get out.

Who wants to do the honors? I asked the ghosts.

I’ll do it, Brandi said with a grin of pure malice. I’d love to lock Dracula up in a dungeon.

‘Dracula’, one of the shifters said, then snorted out a laugh.

Jonah, go with her just to be sure he doesn’t try to get away, I said.

Brandi looked at Quin, waiting for instructions since she carried her lighter. Brandi, go to our mansion in West Virginia and bring Alakay back here, our boss ordered. Jonah will show you where to imprison him.

This quest we’re on gets more interesting by the day, Rudy said and shook his head when the two ghosts disappeared. He’d been largely quiet so far, watching and listening rather than participating. His species were tricksters rather than warriors, but I was sure he would play his part in our coming war.

Chapter Two

I’M GOING TO CAST THE locating spell on Roderick, I said to my friends and stood. Connor was right beside me as I headed for the hidden chambers Winston had discovered over a hundred years ago. I didn’t blame my mate for wanting to escape from his kin. Their judgmental stares had to be weighing on him.

You’ll need this, Rudy said before we could walk away. Pulling a piece of chalk out of thin air, he tossed it to us. Connor caught it and nodded in thanks.

What’s that for? Lilly asked, voice fading as we continued towards what looked like a blank brick wall.

That’s to make sure the leech can’t escape from his cell, Jake told her. I glanced over my shoulder to see the blonde beauty was entranced by my foster father. We use chalk to lock and unlock the door, he added.

Lilly smiled at him flirtatiously and my upper lip lifted. Ugh, it would make my entire year if that crazy cow falls for Jake, I said quietly to Connor.

She would never sleep with someone who isn’t a true shapeshifter, he told me with a wry grin. But that doesn’t mean she can’t look.

She can’t look if I poke her eyes out, I grumbled. The shifter showed no signs that she remembered trying to kill me more than once and had tried to steal my mate from me. Everyone was pretending her obsession had never existed, so we would just have to go along with it.

Connor reached out to the brass sconce that was still wreathed in cobwebs and gave it a tug. The hidden door swung open and we entered the dark hallway. I could already feel the two ghosts and master vampire at the end of the hall. The spell to keep the leech locked inside wasn’t active at the moment, which meant they had to be keeping him in there by force.

Increasing my pace, I trotted to the door and yanked it open. For a moment, I stared in stunned amazement, then broke into sniggers. Brandi had Alakay in a headlock and was holding on with grim determination. Cursing foully in his native language, the vampire thrashed in an effort to escape from her grip. Thanks to the boost of power the ghost gained from being linked to Quin, she was more than a match for him. It helped that it was daylight here and he was fighting the urge to sink into sleep.

Jonah was laughing just as hard as I was. He was doubled over, slapping his thigh soundlessly with one hand and pointing at the leech with the other.

Connor let out a small sigh, then crooked his finger at the spirits. Come on, you two. We have things to do.

Brandi released Alakay and gave him a shove that sent him crashing into the wall. He snarled, but didn’t try to attack since he couldn’t see her. His cheeks were hollow, which meant he needed blood. Where am I? he asked, looking around at the cell. It was covered in the same spells as the other room he’d been trapped in, but it was made of stone rather than concrete.

We’re in Scotland, I told him. The witch is back, by the way.

Twisting the ring on his finger that Spencer had given him, he withered a little. I thought that was the case, he said in a subdued tone. I can hear her voice faintly in the back of my head. She is whispering instructions, but the ring blocks her control and I can’t quite hear them. His expression went dreamy, but held a tinge of unhappiness. He hated being her lacky and had been trying to escape from her control for eons.

She’s brought things called ‘Dread Wraiths’ back through the portal with her, I said. They’re like a cross between ghosts and Grim Reapers.

He didn’t seem surprised. She can control the dead through her reaper, he said. It is only natural she would search for unliving allies.

What does she plan to do with them? Connor asked harshly. He could barely bring himself to look at the leech. His rage and hatred were still strong after five hundred years.

My mistress has one goal in mind, Alakay responded. To punish those who imprisoned her. After that, she will no doubt go on a global killing spree until every human that remains alive bends their knee to her. His brown eyes became sly and slid to the doorway. If you let me out of here, I will join you in your war willingly. With this, I am protected from the witch. He pointed at the ring. I myself will strangle the life out of my mistress.

Not while her reaper is still bound to her, you won’t, I reminded him. For now, we’re going to leave you in here. There are thirty or so true shapeshifters who will be happy to tear your head off if you step foot out of that cell.

Alarm flashed across his face before it was replaced with a sulky pout. Can I at least have some blood, or do you intend to starve me into submission?

Jonah? I said wearily.

I’m on it, he replied and vanished. We had a store of blood in the fridge upstairs and he returned in moments with a container full of it. Rudy had been kind enough to teleport Connor to gather supplies while the pair had been waiting for us. He’d bought a lot of things in anticipation of our arrival. The leprechaun must have supplied the money to buy the supplies as well.

It’s cold, the leech complained when the ghost tossed the container to him. At my flat stare, he drained the contents and his cheeks magically filled out again. Thank you, he said with a courtly bow and tossed the container back towards my bestie without knowing exactly where he was standing. Jonah had to lunge to catch it. The bloodsucker put his back to the wall and slid down until he was sitting with one knee bent to his chest. I will be ready when you finally realize my usefulness. With that, his head slumped as he succumbed to sleep. He was confident that he would come in useful, but I wasn’t sure that was really the case. If it was up to me, I’d stake him right now and turn him into a small pile of dust.

We left the cell and Connor used the chalk to complete the circle to lock Alakay inside. While I wasn’t happy we were his babysitters, I felt better knowing he wasn’t running around loose and causing mischief.

The long-dead rogue Archivist’s conjuring chambers was our next stop. I’d found some of Roderick’s hair on his pillow and took it out of my pocket. Dropping it into the cauldron, I looked around for something we could use as a focus for the incantation.

I saw an old compass lying on one of the tables in the library, Jonah said. Do you want me to get it?

You might as well, I replied. We’d used a compass for this enchantment before and it had worked well enough.

He disappeared and returned with a tarnished silver compass. It went into the cauldron along with Roderick’s hair. It had taken a long time to cast and had drained me the first time I’d used this spell. I could now circumvent all the fancy stuff and concentrate on the bones of the enchantment. With a surge of power and a few words, the compass was infused and ready to go.

Connor fished a handkerchief out of his pocket and carefully picked the compass up by the chain. Silver wasn’t harmful to him, but it was wreathed in dark magic and he didn’t want to touch it. Now we just need a map, he said.

Slipping my arm through his, we headed back to the library. Quin already had a pile of maps spread out on the tables. She was impatient to rescue Roderick so we could move on with our mission.

Winston hovered beside us, wringing his hands in worry as Connor held the compass over a map of the world. Show me where Roderick is, my mate said. The compass began to swing, tugging his hand until it came to a stop over England.

Quin grabbed a map of the UK and placed it in front of him. The compass immediately went into action again, then came to a stop when it rested over London. The spell is a lot stronger now, I said. It might be able to pinpoint exactly where he is.

Quin accepted the challenge and sorted through the maps until she found one of London. It was decades out of date, but we didn’t need it to be current. The compass tugged on Connor’s hand until it came to rest in the one place that we feared Roderick would be.

He’s in the London Archives, Winston said in dread. It won’t be easy to infiltrate it without the demon knowing what we’re up to. The building is no doubt warded to warn him if any of you enter it now that you’ve gone rogue.

Is it warded to warn him if ghosts enter? Rudy said slyly. Methinks the demon doesn’t believe phantoms are worthy of his respect. His oversight could very well work in our favor.

I bet Roderick is locked in the restricted section, Jonah pointed out. Not even ghosts can get in there.

He has to come out sometime, I reminded him and checked my watch. It’s just about morning tea time. I’ll bet he’ll be going in search of tea and scones any minute now.

Connor looked at the compass, then tried something new. Is Roderick inside the restricted section of the London Archives? he asked. Swing left to right for yes and right to left for no. The compass immediately swung left to right before going still. Can you tell me when he leaves the restricted section? my mate asked next. Again, the compass swung left to right, indicating yes.

Quin leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms and smiled. Winston, I think we’ll let you do the honors this time. The instant Roderick takes a break, go and retrieve him for us.

Winston looked at Connor, waiting for confirmation of the command since he was wearing Roderick’s watch. Do as Quin ordered, Connor said. All eyes went to the compass, waiting for it to move.

Chapter Three

WE WATCHED THE COMPASS in tense silence, waiting for it to give us a sign that Roderick had left the safety of the restricted area. Winston’s eyes were glued to it. As a ghost, he didn’t need to blink. After a few minutes, the compass swung from left to right.