Guardian Witch: Burning Both Ends Part 12

Gilbert was back thirty seconds later. "Found 'em. GPS location was accurate. Farm house on Fuller Road, about fifteen miles east of town. Lots of activity. At least a dozen wolves, maybe more. My scouts don't recognize anyone so far-no f.a.gan or his friends-but that doesn't mean they aren't inside. They don't see Steffan either."

"Tell your scouts to sit tight and watch for now. If anyone leaves, call me ASAP."

"Got it."

"Leave someone to watch Steffan's place, and meet me by the Willow Creek Bridge in...um, half an hour."

When Ari ended the call, she turned to find Robert putting on a jacket.

"You heard?"

Jena and the wizard nodded. The others were grabbing coats and jackets.

"You can't go," she said to Robert.

"Try to stop me." He put his hands in his pockets. "Look, Ari. We've allowed you to run things for the last several hours. Now it's time for us to take action. We know where the enemy is. Let's go confront the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds and finish this."

Ari shook her head. "What if something goes wrong? We can't lose any more of you. Jena has to come, because the kidnappers are calling her cell phone, and I need to be part of that conversation. The rest of you have to stay here, where we can guard you."

They broke into loud protests.

"That's ridiculous," Vita spat. "I'm going."

"You don't have any authority over us," Warren added, his voice softer but no less determined. "You don't get to decide." He stood tall, hitched his pants and glared at Ari.

The Magic Council president intervened. "Friends. Friends, please." When their voices grew quieter, he said, "I must support Arianna on this. No, you need to listen, Robert. The risk to all of you is simply too great. If you went, you would distract and divide our forces, in order to keep you safe."

"n.o.body has to protect me," Robert growled. "The others can stay, but I'm going."

"Who protects the Magic Hall, the president and the others?" Ari asked. "What if the wolves come here while we're gone? Are you willing to leave everyone unprotected?"

That stopped him for a moment. "Then all the wolves go with us and everyone else goes home," he suggested. With a hint of triumph, he added, "If the kidnappers attack the hall, no one will be here."

Ari heaved a deep sigh. She was going to have to play her ace in the hole.

"Sorry," she said, glancing at Vita and apologizing before she exposed the woman's secret. "I'm not willing to let Vita take an unnecessary risk with her unborn child."

The wolves stared at the she-wolf in shocked disbelief.

"Extraordinary," the wizard murmured into his beard.

"How did you know?" Vita demanded, automatically laying a defensive hand on her stomach.

"I can sense wolves, see their auras," Ari explained. "You register on my radar as two."

"d.a.m.n. I didn't expect that. OK, it's true," she said, a stubborn pout on her lips. "I'm pregnant, but that doesn't mean I can't fight."

"Yes, it does," Warren said. "Full-blooded, silver wolf babes are too rare. I'll stay here with her."

"Derik knows this?" Robert demanded.

"Naturally," Vita snapped. "I hope you're not implying anything with that question."

"Only that you two have been very secretive. This is a cause for celebration. Why hide the news?"

"It was early in the pregnancy. We wanted to wait until the critical period was over. But," she said with a budding smile, "last weekend we pa.s.sed three months."

"Since she can't go, we all must stay." Robert dropped his hands in resignation but gave Ari a bitter look. "Our duty is clear. The future of our species takes precedence. That leaves Steffan's rescue in your hands. Don't blow it."

Chapter Eleven.

It was almost 4:00 a.m. by the time Lilith, two of the weretigers, and Ari reached the bridge near the enemy camp. Ari's companions were heavily armed; she had the usual silver dagger and derringer, with her pockets full of spells and potions. Her witch blood hummed, her fingers tingled, ready for action.

At first glimpse, the area seemed deserted, but she could feel the power of Otherworld beings. She spotted Gilbert and several wolves huddled in the shadows under the bridge structure. Some were in creature form, but Gilbert had retained his man-shape to handle the a.s.sault rifle clutched in his hands. It was equipped with a night scope. He walked over to join her.

"Any news?" Ari kept her voice to a whisper.

Gilbert showed her his cell phone and put it on mute. "We're keeping an open line with the two scouts near the farm. No change there. They've counted at least sixteen, with more inside. Still no sight of Steffan or f.a.gan, but we can't get close without risking exposure." He pointed to his nose.

Yeah, she got it. The wolves' sense of smell worked for and against both sides. It made sneaking up on them an iffy proposition.

"How far away are your people?" Jena asked.

"About half a mile and using long-range night scopes, but even that's risky."

Ari frowned. "An acceptable risk, I gather? Would they pay any attention to the scent of two lone wolves, even if they picked it up?"

Jena and Gilbert looked at each other and shrugged. "Under normal circ.u.mstances, probably not," he said. "But I'd guess they're being super vigilant tonight."

"What if we switch them out with tigers?" Lilith broke in with the suggestion. "It would be a different scent. They'll notice the new arrivals, but as long as the tigers move around and don't approach the farmhouse, it may not seem suspicious. Lots of Otherworlders hunt in these woods. And the kidnappers will be looking for other wolves, won't they?"

"It's a good thought," Gilbert said, looking at Ari. "Can't hurt, and they might fall for it."

"Then let's do it." She gave Lilith an approving nod. The lioness had a good head on her shoulders. Andreas should consider a promotion for her when this was over and Lilith returned to Toronto. Ari would miss her.

Time moved with an erratic tempo in the early morning hours. Either it crawled at a snail's pace or forged ahead at blistering speeds, depending on the stage of events. The first fifteen minutes slowed to an eternity. Ari and her companions huddled under the bridge, waiting for the kidnapper's next call or updates from the tigers watching the farmhouse. They couldn't make a move until they'd verified Steffan was present and could approach without putting him at greater risk. The wind was cold, and everyone was strung tight. Ari shivered, stomped her feet, and pulled her jacket collar up around her ears.

Jena, who had been leaning causally against a bridge support, jumped to attention when her phone rang. She hit speaker.

"What's your decision?" The caller's voice was masculine, gruff.

"How do we know Steffan's still alive?" Jena countered.

"You'll have to take my word on it. Quit stalling."

Jena took a deep breath, glanced at Ari, then continued with the prearranged script known only to the two of them. "I can't do that. We're prepared to agree to your demands, but only if we see for ourselves that Steffan is alive. If you won't do that, we'll know he's dead and any deal is off."

The kidnapper was silent for a moment.

Good. They'd caught him off guard. Ari held her breath. Jena's breathing was ragged. It was an enormous risk, but beyond the obvious need to verify Steffan's safety, Ari wanted a look at the kidnapper. And, if she could pull enough of the wolves out of the farm house, Gilbert's group might be able to take the rest of them down. She didn't have time to wait or starve them out, and storming the farmhouse under current conditions would turn into a scene of carnage.

"Unacceptable," he said. The phone line went dead.

"Well, s.h.i.t," Jena squeaked.

Ari let out her breath with a whoosh. "He'll call back. He must be deciding what to do." She wished she was as confident as she sounded. But his hesitation made her think he was uncertain, a little rattled by their demand.

She paced the small area under the bridge. Gilbert and his wolves were more stoic as they all waited.

Jena kept checking her phone, as if she could make it ring by force of will.

"Heads up," Gilbert said. "They're on the move." He held the phone glued to his ear. "Four men... No, five, six...uh, nine came out of the house. They're shifting into furry form and leaving. Headed south toward town." Gilbert's attention swung to Ari. "What do you want the tigers to do? Follow or let them go?"

"Follow, but tell them to stay well behind. Send your original wolf team in to cover the farmhouse, and let your team at Steffan's place know they may have visitors soon. And Jena, call Robert, just in case they'd headed toward the Magic Hall."

While Jena and Gilbert were following those instructions, Ari's phone buzzed. Unknown caller? What the h.e.l.l?

Almost expecting to hear the kidnapper's voice, she answered with a cautious, "Yes?"

"Ari, this is Gabriel."

Aw, h.e.l.l. Talk about bad timing.

"Sorry, Gabriel, I can't talk right now. I'll have to call you back."

"No! Don't hang up. This is important."

"It can't be more important than a man's life. I'll call." She put her finger over the disconnection b.u.t.ton.

"More important than Andreas's life?"

"What's that mean? What happened to him?" Ari's pulse went into double-time.

"Nothing yet."

"Dammit, Gabriel." Relief nearly buckled her knees. She'd been sucker-punched-maybe several times. "Then spit it out, and be quick."

"He needs you here. We've got multiple challenges. Andreas won't ask you, but I will."

Holy c.r.a.p! "How many is multiple? It's happening now, tonight? Dammit, why didn't he call me?"

"He knows you're tied up on this search for someone. No, it's not tonight, but..."

"Then it'll have to wait." Ari hung up, taking deep breaths and muttering curses on Gabriel, his ancestors, and the sire who'd made him a vampire so he could hang around long enough to nearly give her heart failure. He rang back within seconds, and she ignored the call. She grimaced as it stopped abruptly, imaging his reaction when he reached voice mail.

"What's up?" Lilith whispered.

"More trouble." She explained the call. "I'll call him back and get the details later. And possibly apologize for hanging up," she added ruefully. "First, we have to get Steffan back alive."

"I'll talk to Russell." Lilith glanced at the clock on Ari's phone screen. "He should be up in a couple hours, and by that time the vamps will be safely asleep until tomorrow night." She glanced at Ari's face. "I promise I'll stay on top of this. Keep your focus on Steffan."

Ari wanted to do that, but despite the relatively calm face she showed to Lilith, her head was spinning. What if Andreas was in real danger right now? What could she do from here?

Not one d.a.m.ned thing.

Her palms turned clammy, and she fought the urge to run to the nearest airport. Could she abandon Steffan? d.a.m.n, d.a.m.n, d.a.m.n. Before Ari could marshal her thoughts around an answer, the kidnapper called.

She snapped into focus, waiting to hear what he'd say.

Jena had forgotten to hit the speaker b.u.t.ton and listened for several seconds, while Ari and the wolves hovered. "Give us a minute," Jena finally said. She handed the phone to Gilbert and motioned for Ari to follow her. When they were several feet away, Jena whispered, "He agreed to one of us seeing Steffan, but alone, and at a place of his choosing. It sounds like a trap. He may just s.n.a.t.c.h another hostage. What do I tell him?"

"Tell him I'm coming, and make sure he knows I'm a Guardian. If he hoped to kidnap another wolf leader, he'll probably object to your choice. Don't give in. I want him to know the Magic Council's involved. It might make him think twice about how far he carries this." When Jena looked like she wanted to protest, Ari added, "I can handle this. Tell him, before he gets tired of waiting and hangs up."

Jena delivered the message. Standing next to Jena, Ari heard his loud, negative reaction. At first he flat out refused, threatening to break off contact. They argued back and forth a couple of times, but with Ari waving her hands and mouthing encouragement, Jena brushed off his threats. She reminded him this was the only way to get what he wanted.

When he suddenly agreed, setting a time and place, a reluctant smile tugged at Ari's lips. It had come too easily, too quickly. He must have a really good trap in mind.

So be it. Two could play. She tapped her lips with one finger, already planning how she could get the upper hand. She was developing a grudging respect for his abilities. Despite their efforts to outsmart him, he kept adapting, staying one step ahead. Still, she'd made a couple of observations. He didn't indulge in unnecessary violence-or hadn't so far, and he was a control freak. He'd handled every contact himself. Either he found it impossible to delegate or he didn't trust his followers. Whichever was the motivation, Ari could almost guarantee he would come to meet her in person. She looked forward to it, and she planned to have a surprise or two of her own.

Ari stopped to scan the area. She was fifteen minutes early by design. Time to get the feel of the place, filter out the normal sounds and smells. The kidnapper had chosen the east shelter in Riverdale's Goshen Park, 5:30 a.m. Since the park didn't open for ordinary traffic until 8 o'clock, they had plenty of time to conduct their business. The location was an odd choice for a stranger. How did he know they'd have privacy, that the area was restricted to Otherworlders at night? If Steffan had made the suggestion, it would mean her friend was not only alive but interacting with his captor. An encouraging fact. Or maybe she was grabbing at straws.

All the way to the park Ari had struggled to make sense of this case, but she'd come up with more questions than answers. Wasn't kidnapping a strange way to influence the vote? It seemed like a poorly conceived last minute act of desperation. Yet, their access to inside information would seem to require a certain amount of pre-planning.

Why had no one been harmed? Despite the threats and dire warnings, nothing bad had actually happened. The kidnapper grumbled and yelled every time his demands weren't met, but he ultimately accepted everything. That didn't sound like any hardened criminal or terrorist type she'd heard of.

So maybe they were normally law-abiding wolves who were trying to make a statement and had gotten overly zealous. Genuine believers in a cause. Not hired killers. Not pros. Would that make them more or less dangerous? What about a coalition could rouse that kind of pa.s.sion?

Ari sighed. Fitting the right pieces together wasn't an easy task, and her judgment might be impaired. Her head was in two places, her loyalties divided. Andreas. Steffan. She had responsibilities to both. On the way over, Lilith had tried to convince her that Andreas wasn't in immediate danger, but she couldn't be sure. How could she leave him to face the challenges alone? Whatever they were to each other, she belonged at his side. If she didn't get there in time, she would have let him down.

d.a.m.n, she was tired. Ari ma.s.saged her temples and forced her attention back to the present scene. She needed to get this over with quickly, so she didn't let either man down.

She slowly turned around, releasing tendrils of magic into the surrounding woods. The only being she found was Lilith, hidden about fifty yards away. Ari had done a masking spell to cover the lioness's scent and given her a vial of the cloaking potion. The potion was about eighty percent reliable. Not perfect, but hopefully it would be enough until Ari needed her.

Gilbert and his pack waited at a local bar two blocks from the park. No one had heard from the two weretigers who were tracking the first splinter group of nine wolves. A man bundled in a cloak and the remaining wolves, another eight or nine, had left the farm, with Steffan-or someone covered in a blanket-nearly half an hour ago. They had piled into two vans and disappeared into a traffic snarl on the freeway.

She tapped her watch. Still running. The kidnapper and Steffan were nine minutes late.

She was poised to call Gilbert and discuss the situation, when her witch senses roared to life. Werewolves. Five distinct scents, and she recognized one of them. The hairs on her arms quivered. The wolves were approaching from two separate directions. Three from behind her; two in front. One of the two was Steffan.