Gem stepped into a chamber with tall ceilings and a myriad of artifacts. The soft glow from her dress revealed long tables piled with so many curiosities that she wanted to browse. Often while relic hunting in pawnshops, Viktor confiscated illegal weapons and turned those over to the higher authority. But whatwasall this? Had they belonged to the previous owners? There were numerous bottles of varying shapes, some marked as poison with the old-fashioned skull and crossbones. Quills? Ancient coins? A flute? They belonged in a museum. Why keep them when there were plenty of collectors out there? She touched a crystal shaped like a lotus flower and snapped her arm back.
Magic!The crystal looked innocuous enough, but residual energy still buzzed at her fingertips from the Mage energy infused inside. Her mind wandered. Either Viktor was a collector of curiosities, or these objects were powerful—perhaps more deadly than he understood. It reminded her of the book Niko had once protected because it posed a danger in the wrong hands. Gem briefly wondered why Viktor wouldn’t have consulted her to research them, but if these were as powerful as she surmised, he would never want them to fall in the wrong hands.
On the wall, the paintings were so lifelike—the faces captured perfectly. The men bore a strong resemblance to Viktor. He must have also moved sentimental items down here for safekeeping.
The hourglass on her palm jolted her back to reality.
No time to look! Stick to the plan.
Gem ascended the curved staircase as quietly as possible even though the Vampires couldn’t hear her. It looked as if the steps were carved from the stone walls, no railing to grip.
As soon as she reached the top, she pressed her ear against the crack of the door and listened. It wasn’t likely Vampires would be on the other side. According to Viktor, it was one of the storage rooms located off the east hallway with all the pretty blue windows. Even so, she made no assumptions. Gem quietly opened the door, grimacing at the thought of the hinges creaking. The door glided open, leading her to believe that Viktor kept the mechanism oiled to protect the secrecy of this room. Breathing a sigh of relief, she tiptoed across the floor.
No light slipped into the room from beneath the door, so it must have been one of their soundproof rooms. Judging by the bookshelves around her, it looked like an unused library. Gem cracked the door and listened before stepping into the hall.
The booms and blasts rattled the long row of windows in front of her. She took off to the left and then made a sharp left turn down Hunter and Shepherd’s private hall. She flashed so quickly that the walls and doors around her blurred. Gem came to an abrupt stop, but her momentum didn’t. She kept sliding across the floor in her slippery shoes, her eyes saucer wide at the thought of crashing into Hunter’s door. Instead of panicking, she crouched like a surfer and used her hands to slow down.
Please be in there.
Gem took a quick look behind her before opening Hunter’s door. His bed was unmade, the blanket pulled down and pillows askew. Toys were scattered on his play table and some on the floor, but there was no sign of him.
No, no, no! This can’t happen,she thought, her mind racing.Get it together. Stay focused. Where would he be this early?
Her stomach knotted. If Hunter wasn’t in here, he must be in Kira’s room. But it was dangerously close to the foyer and kitchen. When she spun around to leave, a tapping sound stopped her in her tracks. Gem glanced at the large window, which overlooked the courtyard. There weren’t any birds pecking at it.
Another thought occurred to her. Maybe Hunter was reading in his favorite spot. She tiptoed to the far side of the bed where his bookshelf and plush rug were, but he wasn’t there either.
She stared at the open door. Maybe he was taking a bath, but she didn’t hear giggles or splashing coming from the bathroom two doors down.
Gem’s concentration broke when fear gripped her. Fear that she was going to die and bad things would happen to her. Fear that she was alone. Fear that she was too weak to fight those men—too little.
Wait a second…
She looked down. Hunter’s hand poked out from beneath the bed, his fingers wrapped around her bare ankle. He didn’t have his gloves on either. Those weren’t her fears, they werehis.
Gem knelt and lifted the bedspread. Hunter was curled on his side. The white long-sleeved shirt with a cartoon bird wasn’t one he wore often. Same with the tan trousers. Hunter liked running around in his colorful pink socks, and he usually wore them down to breakfast. Rarely did he ever have shoes on this early, so Kira must have kept him prepared for running on a moment’s notice. Maybe she’d noticed Blue’s falcon.
Gem held his hand for a minute. Were his skills advanced enough that he could interpret complex emotions? Despite her anxiety, she felt a strong sense of purpose, determination, and urgency. Gem put her finger in front of her lips and then in front of his. While Hunter was nonverbal, he sometimes made noises. The Vampires might have grown used to it, but she didn’t want to take chances.
Hunter crawled out from beneath the bed. Thank the fates he didn’t have on his blinking shoes, but he sure noticed the lights on her dress. She covered his mouth to remind him to be quiet.
He nodded, and in that moment, Hunter seemed ten years older than he really was. Gem lifted him into her arms.Geez.He was heavy for a six-year-old. Once he locked his legs around her waist, it made it easier for her to flash down the hall.
Gem skidded to a stop before reaching the end of the hall. After setting him down, she cocked her head and listened closely. They weren’t alone. Someone cleared their throat in the connecting hallway.
Without warning, Hunter skipped ahead of her, his shoes squeaking loudly against the floor. When he reached the end of the hallway, he sat down and started retying his shoelace. Then he waved at someone to his left where the side exit was located.
He was telling Gem where the Vampire was located.
Gem still had the impalement wood in her hand. Even though the Vampires couldn’t hear her, she silently walked alongside the wall until she reached the corner.
Hunter took a red marble out of his pocket and rolled it out of sight. Amid all the loud fireworks outside, she could hear it skittering across the floor. When he waved her over, Gem cautiously peered around the corner.
One Vampire a good twenty feet away, stooped over by the wall to pick up the marble.
Gem flashed toward the guard and stabbed him in the back, her hands gripping the wood to make sure it didn’t slip or break. The tip was sharp and pierced his skin easily, but it cracked in two when he tried to pivot.
The man quickly slumped to the ground.
