Beautiful Darkness(121)

Link tried to bend down next to Macon. “Mr. Ravenwood, can't you come with us and take out a couple a guys for us?”

Macon lifted an eyebrow. This was the first real conversation he'd ever had with Link. “Unfortunately, son, my incarceration has weakened me….”

“He's Transitioning, Link. He can't possibly go down there. He's incredibly vulnerable.” Liv was still holding Macon up, for the most part.

“Olivia is right. Incubuses possess incredible strength and speed. I'm no match for any of them in my present state.”

“Luckily, I am.” The voice came out of nowhere, and she ripped through the darkness even faster. She was wearing a long black coat with a high neck and wrecked black boots. Her brown hair was blowing in the wind.

I recognized the Succubus from the funeral right away. It was Leah Ravenwood, Macon's sister. Macon was as shocked as the rest of us to see her. “Leah?

She slid her arm across his back, supporting him, looking deep into his eyes. “Green, eh? That will take some getting used to.” She laid her head on his shoulder, the way Lena used to.

“How did you find us?”

She laughed. “You're the talk of the Tunnels. Word on the street is my big brother's taking on Abraham. And I heard he isn't too pleased with you.”

Macon's sister — the one Arelia took to New Orleans when she left Macon's father. The Sisters had mentioned her.

“Dark and Light will be what they are.”

Link caught my eye from behind them, and I knew the question. He was waiting for me to make the call. Fight or flight. It wasn't clear what Leah Ravenwood wanted from us or why she was here. But if she was like Hunting, and she fed on blood instead of dreams, we had to get away fast. I looked at Liv. She shook her head, almost imperceptibly. She wasn't sure either.

Macon smiled one of his rare smiles. “Now, what are you doing here, my dear?”

“I'm here to even the odds. You know I love a good family feud.” Leah smiled. She fluttered her wrist, and a long staff, made of polished wood, appeared in her hand. “And I carry a big stick.”

Macon was at a loss. I couldn't decide whether he looked relieved or concerned. Either way, he was stunned. “Why now? You don't usually concern yourself with Caster affairs.”

Leah reached into her pocket and took out a rubber band, pulling her hair into a ponytail. “This isn't just a Caster battle, not anymore. If the Order is destroyed, we may be destroyed with it.”

Macon gave her a meaningful look. I recognized it as his not in front of the children expression. “The Order of Things has stood since the beginning of time. It will take more than a Cataclyst to bring about its destruction.”

She smiled and swung her staff. “And it's about time someone taught Hunting some manners. My motives are pure, like the heart of a Succubus.” Macon laughed at the thought. From where I was standing, it didn't sound so funny.

Dark or Light — Leah Ravenwood could go either way, but it didn't matter to me. “We need to find Lena.”

Leah picked up her stick. “I was waiting for you to say that.”

Link cleared his throat. “Um, I don't wanna be rude, ma'am. But Ethan says Hunting's down there with his Blood pack. Don't get me wrong, you seem pretty badass and all, but you're still just a girl with a stick.”

“This” — in a split second, Leah extended the rod straight out, inches from Link's nose —“is a Succubine Staff, not a stick. And I'm not a girl. I'm a Succubus. When it comes to our kind, the females have the advantage. We are quicker, stronger, and more clever than our male counterparts. Think of me as the praying mantis of the supernatural world.”

“Aren't those the bugs that bite off the heads of the males?” Link looked skeptical.

“Yes. Then they eat them.”

Whatever reservations Macon may have had about Leah, he seemed relieved she was going with us. But he did have some last minute advice. “Larkin has grown up since you last saw him, Leah. He's a powerful Illusionist. Be careful. And according to Olivia, our brother keeps his mindless hounds with him, a Blood pack.”

“Don't worry, big brother. I have a pet of my own.” She looked up at the ledge above us. Some kind of wild mountain lion, about the size of a German shepherd, lounged on the rocks, its tail hanging over the side. “Bade!” The cat leaped to its feet and opened its jaws, flashing rows of razor-sharp teeth, and jumped down beside her. “I'm sure Bade can't wait to play with Hunting's pups. You know what they say about cats and dogs.”

Ridley whispered to Liv. “Bade is the voodoo god of wind and storms. Not one you wanna screw with.” It reminded me of Lena, which made me feel a little better about the hundred and fifty pound cat staring down at me.

“Stalk and ambush is her specialty.” Leah rubbed the cat behind its ears.

At the sight of the wild cat, Lucille ran over and swatted her playfully. Bade nudged Lucille with her muzzle. Leah bent down and picked her up. “Lucille, how's my sweet girl?”

“How do you know my great-aunt's cat?”

“I was there when Lucille was born. She was my mamma's cat. My mother gave Lucille to your Aunt Prue so she could find her way around the Tunnels.” Lucille rolled around between Bade's paws.