Blood Trinity (Belador #1)(111)

Laurette’s dog jumped off the sofa and ran around her feet, growling. “I can’t think. Give me a minute.” She frowned at her little dog. “Okay, Brutus. Let’s go out back.”

Evalle had to sit on her hands to keep from jumping up and shaking Laurette to make her hurry, but the woman was coming around. Just the fact that she hadn’t said no meant she planned to say yes.

This was almost too easy.

Storm should be close to changing by now. Once Evalle called him to pick up Laurette and the stone, she’d contact Tzader and Quinn to meet her at Trey’s house, then they’d call in every Belador in the city to hunt the Kujoo. The minute VIPER had control of the stone, Tzader would have to convince Sen to ask the stone for help with containing the Kujoo, Tristan and the zombielike beings the Nightstalkers had been changed into.

Sen might be a miserable SOB and a mystery, but there was no more powerful operative within VIPER.

This could work.

When Laurette returned, she stopped at the door to the kitchen, acceptance clear on her face. “I guess I really don’t have any choice.”

“Not really, but I give you my word we will save Vyan if we can get to him in time. Let me call Storm, one of our agents, to come escort us. The sooner we get moving, the sooner we’ll find him.” Evalle pulled out her cell phone as she stood up.

The front door burst open and Tristan strode in. “I should have expected to find you here.”

Laurette clutched the stone to her chest. “Where’s Vyan?”

“Waiting on you.” Tristan extended his hand. “Give me the stone and I’ll take you to him.”

Evalle jumped in front of Laurette and threw up a forcefield to stop Tristan’s advance. She yelled at Laurette, “Go to Storm.”

Laurette squeaked out something Evalle couldn’t decipher.

Tristan’s face erupted with rage. He raised his hand and shoved it toward Evalle, knocking her backward … into an empty kitchen, where she slammed into the cabinets.

That rung her bell. She reached up and rubbed her head. Had a new lump on the back. Tristan must be getting stronger.

Evalle glanced around, clearing her vision.

Laurette was gone.

But had she gone to Vyan or to Storm?

Tristan barged into the kitchen. “You should have done what I told you and come to me with the rock.”

“Do I look like June Cleaver following Ward’s orders?” Evalle sat up. “I don’t dance to anyone’s music but my own.”

“If you had come through I could have saved you.”

“But killed all the Beladors,” Evalle countered. “They won’t come. I didn’t tell any of them about you.”

“They’ll come. They’re all over the city already. Don’t bet on the girl going anywhere with that rock but to Vyan.”

I hope you’re wrong. If Laurette did go to Storm, he could come back and track from this house.

“Get moving, Evalle.” Tristan stepped back so she could push to her feet. “You screwed up big time by not coming to me first.”

She ignored his words, planning to contact Tzader as soon as she figured out where Tristan was taking her. If she risked it now and Tristan had the ability to pick up her telepathy, she’d blow her only chance. He’d said he wanted her, so she should be safe for now, at least until he got the rock. She held hope close to her chest until she stepped outside the house with Tristan.

Her hands slapped together in front of her as if locked.

Tristan hadn’t done that.

Evalle looked past him to find a Medb priestess hovering above the grass in the front yard. “Ah, Sleeping Beauty returns.”

Kizira’s robes glowed in the night and billowed around her as if there was a breath of wind in the middle of summer. “Where is the stone?”

“The girl disappeared with it to … someplace.” Tristan could have said that Evalle knew where, but he was sure Laurette had gone to Vyan.

Or he’d been protecting Evalle.

No way.

Kizira’s eyes beamed like two tiny yellow suns when she smiled. “You may have escaped me two years ago in Utah, Alterant, but not this time. You will tell me where the girl is.”

“She’s traveling first class on the Ngak Rock Airlines. If I could tell you where she went I’d play the lottery.” Evalle struggled to free her hands or use her kinetics mentally, but she was locked up tight. She could only hope that wherever they were taking her would eat up enough time for Storm to find her, if he could track them.

But she had to alert Tzader to the Kujoo’s plan now.

Tzader, where are … Pain shot through Evalle’s head. Her knees folded, but Tristan caught her arm to keep her upright.

“What’re you doing to her?” Tristan demanded of Kizira.

“Stopping her from contacting other Beladors until we’re ready for her to send a message. I’ll enjoy making you pay for killing my brother, Alterant,” Kizira said to Evalle.

I’ll enjoy making you eat my boot heels, bitch.

The priestess lifted her arms and spoke words Evalle couldn’t understand until everything swirled into darkness.

Ah, no, not teleporting.

Storm would never find her now.





THIRTY-SIX