Wild and Free (The Three #3)(73)
He didn’t like it, but he was getting that this was the f*cking truth.
Abel nodded to Lucien and looked back to Gregor. “Explain about the enemy uniting.”
Probably because he had to get out of there, Gregor gave it to him quickly and without delay.
“As I mentioned earlier, we thought the wraiths had allied with those who would subjugate humans. Fortunately, they have not. Or, at least, not the vast majority of them who follow their empress, Serena. The Wee, who I also previously mentioned, have long since retreated under the earth. It’s been centuries and no one has seen them or heard from them, thus there’s no way to get a message to them. Regardless, they washed their hands of anything that happens topside a long time ago. They left the surface with some disgust as to how mortals and immortals were behaving, saying they would never get involved. Knowing this, it would be a waste of time and energy to attempt to communicate with them.”
He paused, and when Abel nodded, Gregor continued.
“You must know there are factions of all immortals who side with the enemy. However, the bulk of vampires, werewolves, and, now we know, wraiths are with us. Phantoms, we don’t know. They don’t often get involved with immortal dealings so they could be neutral. They could also be foes. They’re refusing to speak with us or Callum’s emissaries. However, it’s our understanding they’re also refusing talks with our enemy. Unfortunately, golem have aligned with our adversary.”
“And what the f*ck are golem?” Abel asked.
“Human lore says they’re creatures created of clay or mud, formed into human shapes and magically imbued with life, completely controlled by the human who created them, mindless besides,” Lucien shared.
“And the real story?” Abel pushed.
“They’re immortals whose procreation includes the female and male tearing away their own flesh and bones to form an infant. They cover the child in their blood, perform a ritual, and breathe life into their potential offspring from their own mouths,” Callum finished the story.
“Fucking hell,” Abel murmured.
“And they’re not mindless,” Gregor put in. “They’re quite powerful, if clumsy in battle, their bulk, which is considerable, being to their advantage. They can also be beheaded and survive for some time, five, ten minutes, as long as they can find and reattach their heads.”
“Jesus,” Abel mumbled.
Gregor kept speaking.
“The only way to kill them is to dismember them into as many pieces as possible and set fire, again, to as many pieces as possible.”
“They also don’t procreate easily,” Callum added. “The child formed by parts of their parents does not always take their breath and then breathe. Golem mates can try for decades, even centuries, before they create one child. This means they’re particularly careful about losses so it’s a surprise they’ve not stayed neutral. Then again, they don’t look quite like humans, stay hidden almost completely, and have had a very difficult history, including much vilification at human hands that at many points some centuries ago was extreme.”
Gregor sighed and Abel switched his gaze to the vampire. “I wish I had the entirety of the evening to share more, but I must prepare. Serena is en route and she and I have much to discuss.”
“Right,” Abel muttered.
“Lucien and Callum can fill in many blanks, Abel,” Gregor told him. “But I’ll leave you with this. I’m pleased you and Delilah are in the fold. But I’m more pleased with the immortal we’ve discovered you to be—a great warrior, loyal to his family, protective of his mate. As The Prophesies have foretold, you would be that kind of immortal. But in reality, you are that and more. I have always had hope, knowing Lucien and Callum were to lead our fight. Now, fighting at your side with the family you’ve created, the loyalty they showed, and the way they mourn their loss, my hope has increased greatly.”
Abel didn’t want to give a shit about what the guy thought, but he couldn’t help but do it.
And since the vampire put it out there, Abel had to give it back, doing this by muttering his “Thanks.”
Gregor smiled a small smile, downed his whiskey, set his glass aside, turned his head, and tipped his chin to Lucien and Callum.
He left the room, saying, “Until tomorrow.”
The door closed on him and Callum remarked, “You want to get to your mate.”
He gave the wolf his eyes. “And you want to get to yours.”
Callum smiled and crossed his arms on his chest.
That meant yes.
Callum was also right. Abel wanted to get to Delilah.
But there were a few things to cover first.
“Can phantoms attack from the sky, and are there mermaids who can attack by sea?” Abel asked.
Callum’s smile got bigger, but it was Lucien who answered.
“Phantoms can attack from the sky, but The Dominion has an invisible electronic net shielding that area. This net would not entirely stop them, but it would hold them back long enough for us to prepare.” His lips quirked before he concluded, “There are no such things as mermaids.”
“Well thank f*ck for that,” Abel murmured.
“My wolves are making camp on the grounds,” Callum told him, and when Abel looked his way, he saw he was now deadly serious. “You undoubtedly sense the vampires filling the rooms of the compound. What you may not have noted was that The Dominion has soldiers in guardhouses lining the fences. They, and I, have wolves and vampires infiltrating the local towns. The wraiths are doing the same. This is for the humans’ safety as well as ours. Our adversary would have to concentrate a foolish amount of their forces here in order to penetrate our current defenses and claim The Three.”