Son of Sun, page 19
“Getting in won’t be easy.” Jeremy ran his hand over the scruff on his face.
“None of this is going to be easy,” Nola said. “There is no easy plan, but at least ours might not end with a thousand dead Domers.”
“How many dead vampires are we going to have on our hands?” Jeremy met Nola’s gaze.
If people die, it will be because of our plan.
“No matter how we attack, not all of us are making it back to Nightland,” Kieran said. “Every one of us going knows that.”
“You’re going?” Nola stood.
“I have to,” Kieran said. “I know the domes. None of the others do.”
“Emanuel won’t allow it,” Nola said. “He has to keep you here to grow food.”
“He already agreed to let me go. It only took about an hour of me reciting the layout of the domes for him to admit he needs me.” Kieran gave a half-hearted smile. “That was before you and I even started on our plan.”
“Does he want Nola to stay here?” Jeremy asked.
“I won’t.” Nola stepped across the tiny room to lay her hand on Jeremy’s chest. “If you go, I go. And they’ll need both of us to pull this off.”
“But he wanted one of you here to make sure the gardens—”
“We’ve packed up food bags for the survivors to take,” Kieran said. “If this doesn’t go well, there will be no garden to tend. He needs all three of us at the domes. I spent the time you were gone writing out everything I know about the gardens.”
“Kieran.” Nola searched his black eyes for a hint of fear.
Kieran shrugged. “Honestly, it didn’t take as long as I thought it would. Dad has the papers. He’ll keep them safe, and if he has to run, the papers will go with him.”
“And he’ll be with T,” Nola said.
“We can’t be everywhere and protect everyone,” Kieran said. “All we can do is our best and hope people are strong enough to survive without us.”
“He’s right.” Jeremy wrapped an arm around Nola’s waist, letting her lean against his side. “Yours is the best plan we’ve got.”
“Do you still have your uniform?” Kieran asked.
Jeremy kissed the top of Nola’s head before letting go of her to open his dresser drawer. His black Outer Guard uniform lay perfectly folded inside.
“It’s been torn,” Nola said.
“As long as they don’t see me in it until after the fighting’s started, I don’t think any of them will notice,” Jeremy said.
“We should go to Emanuel,” Nola said.
“See if he’ll even agree,” Jeremy said.
“Emanuel may be desperate to protect Nightland,” Kieran said, “but he’s still logical. He’ll understand.”
“We hope.” Jeremy reached for the doorknob.
Kieran placed his hand on the knob first. “Thank you. For listening even though I helped come up with the plan.”
“I never said I didn’t think you were smart,” Jeremy said. “I’ll listen to whoever has a plan that will keep Nola safe.”
Nola froze, watching Kieran and Jeremy stare at each other.
“It’s good to be on the same side.” Jeremy offered his hand.
A crack in Nola’s chest mended as the two shook hands.
“You get to be the one to talk to Emanuel,” Jeremy said. “You know him better than either of us. He’s more likely to listen to you.”
“Best get to it.” Kieran opened the door to the hall. “It’s probably good Raina hasn’t gotten back yet. She’d fight us on every detail.”
“Why?” Raina leaned against the wall in the hall. “What on earth is so important that Kieran and the lovebirds would lock themselves in a room together? Unless the plan was to lock yourselves in the room together.” Raina winked at Nola.
Heat rushed to Nola’s cheeks.
“When did you get back?” Kieran asked. “Were you hurt? What took you so long?”
“Asking too many questions at once bores me,” Raina said.
“When did you get back?” Nola asked.
“Not long ago,” Raina said. “But I had to talk to Emanuel, tell him all about my southern excursion before I came to find you.”
“Do you have any news?” Kieran said.
“Not that has to do with your mushrooms,” Raina said. “Though from the looks of it, your interests are branching out.”
“Does Emanuel want us in the library?” Nola asked.
“Not as much as I want to know what the three of you are chatting about that I’ll hate so badly,” Raina said. “Come on, give me a clue.”
“We shouldn’t keep Emanuel waiting,” Jeremy said.
“Sure.” Raina tossed her scarlet and purple streaked hair behind her shoulder. “That could be fun too. It’s not like I just spent days stomping all over creation. Let’s do what you want to do.” She sauntered toward the library.
“What kept you out so long?” Nola said.
“This and that,” Raina said.
“Did you blow something up a couple of days ago?” Jeremy asked.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Raina opened the doors to the library, stepping aside to let Nola and Jeremy pass.
“Jeremy,” a female voice spoke from inside the library.
“And boom,” Raina said.
A streak of black raced across the room, pummeling into Jeremy.
A head of short, dark blond hair blocked Nola’s view of Jeremy’s face.
“Gentry?” Nola said.
“You’re actually alive.” Gentry stepped back, taking her younger brother’s face in her hands.
“Like I’d lie.” Raina stepped into the library, heading toward three others dressed in filthy and worn Outer Guard uniforms.
“How did you get here?” Tears rolled down Jeremy’s cheeks.
“We spotted Raina, and I knew she’d been with Nola when she disappeared,” Gentry said.
“That’s not really how it happened, but sure,” Raina said. “Took me a little longer to get back since even fancy trained Domers are still slow as hell. But it seemed like you might want to see her.”
Jeremy stepped away from his sister, reaching Raina in a few quick strides.
Before she could speak, he’d pulled Raina into a hug, his mass covering everything but her brightly colored hair.
“Thank you,” Jeremy said.
“Don’t get mushy.” Raina backed away from Jeremy’s embrace. “I’m morally opposed to feelings, and you’ll make me regret hauling four lost humans all the way to Nightland.”
“Right.” Jeremy nodded. “Thanks.” He turned to the other three Outer Guard.
Nola recognized the woman from the domes, but she’d never seen the two men before.
“Thanks for sticking with my sister,” Jeremy said.
“She’s a pretty convincing leader,” the woman said.
“And you’ll all be an asset to Nightland,” Emanuel said.
Nola turned toward his chair for the first time.
Emanuel stood, his gaze drifting from Jeremy to Gentry. “I’m afraid you’ve arrived at a difficult time. I built Nightland to be a safe haven for vampires and humans, but the domes and Salinger seem determined to destroy everything outside their control.”
“Yeah,” Gentry said, “that’s the gist of it. They wouldn’t even let us give an evacuation order before they started dropping fire packs on the city.”
“We’re going to attack,” Jeremy said. “Things have gotten worse since you left. Salinger sent down a mandatory breeding order.”
“What?” Gentry said.
“We can’t let him stay in control,” Jeremy said.
“We have a plan.” Nola turned to Emanuel. “One that might end better for everyone.”
“Does it involve lots of blood?” Raina grinned.
“Hopefully not,” Kieran said, “but it would take some explosives.”
“I’m moderately intrigued,” Raina said.
“You can’t attack the domes.” One of the male Outer Guard stepped forward.
“I haul you all the way here, and that’s what I get?” Raina said. “A sorry Salinger is killing people, but don’t attack the domes?”
“It’s not that you’d be wrong to do it,” the female guard said. “He means it can’t be done. Salinger has made them too strong.”
“You have no idea who you’re dealing with,” Raina said. “Spill the plan, Kieran.”
“We should go to the kitchen,” Emanuel said. “Let our new friends find food and rest. You’ll have to forgive us.” Emanuel bowed to the guards. “First generation vampires like Raina and myself often forget how immediate the needs of humans can be.”
“We can wait,” Gentry said.
“I insist,” Emanuel said. “Jeremy, Nola, take them down to Bea. She’ll feed them and arrange a room for them to share.”
“We should stay,” Nola said.
“It’s okay,” Kieran said. “I won’t leave out any of the details. Take care of the Domers.”
“Thanks,” Jeremy said. “Come on, we’ll get you fed.”
“Sure.” Gentry turned to Emanuel. “Thank you for your hospitality.”
“In a world where allies are hard to find, we must make the best of those who come our way,” Emanuel said.
“This way.” Jeremy opened the door to the corridor. “If you’ve been outside since the city burned, you probably need a good meal.”
“Eating would be nice,” one of the men said.
Nola watched Emanuel lead Kieran and Raina into his home.
“Does he not trust you or not trust us?” Gentry said.
“You,” Jeremy said.
“It’s okay,” Nola said. “Kieran will convince them.”
“Convince them of what?” Gentry said.
Jeremy glanced to Nola. “Nothing that will happen before you eat.”
Shaking her head, Gentry followed Jeremy out into the hall. Nola walked at the back of the group.
Am I protecting them, or guarding against them?
“How long have you been here?” Gentry trailed her fingers along the stone wall as they walked toward the pantry.
“We got here two nights after I left,” Jeremy said.
“Left is a hell of a way to put it,” the female guard said.
“That’s rich coming from you, Bishop.” Jeremy glanced over his shoulder, a grin on his face. “You ended up here, too.”
“Shit happens,” Bishop said.
“None of us planned on leaving,” the older of the two men said. “But when they plant you at the perimeter of a city and start dropping fire packs on it, your day doesn’t go according to plan.”
“The world isn’t split into dome citizens and Vampers,” Gentry said. “I swore I would give my life for the domes. I never promised them my soul.”
“And how can you let innocent people burn and claim you still have one?” Bishop said.
“We were in the city when it burned,” Jeremy said.
“We?” Gentry said.
“Nola and I. We were looking for someone. We found one of the groups you’d tried to save. You left them near Bellevue. The people, they got out.”
“Good.” Gentry’s voice tightened. “We tried to go back for them, but there wasn’t a path through the flames.”
“The important thing is that you tried,” Jeremy said. “The domes decided to slaughter people, and you tried to help. Even if they hadn’t made it out, it wouldn’t have been your fault. It’s the domes.”
“It’s Salinger,” the younger of the male guards said. “I was in the first batch the Incorporation sent. This was going to be my new permanent placement. I thought everything was going to be okay. Then he came in, and I couldn’t see anything in my future but blood and death.”
“It’ll be—” Jeremy cut himself off. “Don’t give up. We aren’t done yet.” He stopped in front of the door to the pantry, knocking loudly before speaking. “Emanuel sent me down with some new people who need food and a bed.”
Silence answered.
“Should you knock again?” the young man asked.
“Hungry, Dave?” Bishop raised a singed eyebrow.
“It’s best if we wait,” Nola said. “No one rushes Bea.”
“What sort of food do you have here?” Dave asked.
“I hope you like mushrooms,” Jeremy said.
The door to the pantry opened, and Bea peered out into the hall, her already wrinkled forehead furrowing into thick lines.
“Sorry to bother you, Bea.” Jeremy gave a polite nod. “This is Gentry, Bishop, Dave, and…”
“Jefferson.” The older guard reached out his hand, which Bea stared at without speaking.
“Emanuel wanted us to bring them here to get food and said you could find a place for them to sleep,” Nola said.
Bea shuffled away from the door, leaving it open behind her.
“Don’t touch anything she doesn’t give you,” Jeremy said.
“Really?” Gentry mouthed to her brother.
Jeremy nodded and bowed the others into the pantry.
The sacks of packed food waited at the bottom of the shelves.
Only a day before we leave.
I may never know if Bea had to use the sacks.
Nola ended up by Jeremy’s side without knowing she had made the decision to move. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head as Bea laid out beans, dried beef, and seedy bread.
With a sigh Bea headed for the door at the back of the pantry.
“Eat up,” Jeremy said.
“Thanks,” Dave said.
Nola twisted, keeping her back pressed to Jeremy.
While the other three guards ate, Gentry stared at Jeremy and Nola.
“You really did leave because of her,” Gentry said.
Jeremy tightened his arms around Nola. “They were going to kill her.”
“Right.” Gentry ruffled her short hair. “Right.”
“I didn’t ask him to,” Nola said. “Everything just sort of spiraled, and we ended up here.”
“With everything that’s happening in the domes, I’m not sorry we left,” Jeremy said. “Gentry, none of us would have been able to stand by and let Salinger burn a city or treat the domes women like animals to be bred.”
“I want in,” Gentry said.
“What?” Jeremy said.
“However Emanuel is planning on attacking the domes, I want in.” Gentry stared at Jeremy, every bit the Outer Guard her father had raised her to be.
“You can’t,” Jeremy said. “With how fast we’re going to be moving, it would take being a vampire or having Graylock for you to keep up.”
“So I’m just supposed to sit here?” Gentry said. “After how far we came to get here, I should just relax in a cave? Bond with Nola, since you two are apparently a real thing now.”
“I won’t be here,” Nola said. “I’m going with Emanuel.”
“Gonna ride piggy back?” Gentry said.
“Nola’s had Graylock,” Jeremy said. “When I found her, she was dying, and I had my triage kit.”
“What?” Gentry said.
The other guards turned to stare.
“I can run it on my own,” Nola said.
“Nola’s like me,” Jeremy said. “I made her like me.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
I should sleep.
Nola pinched the bridge of her nose, willing her eyes to find some hint of fatigue. The sun had risen outside the caves hours ago. As soon as the day ended, they would be leaving for the north, running toward the plan Nola and Kieran had built.
If people die, it will be my fault.
Jeremy had taken refuge in the sparring room, fighting away the words Gentry had shouted at them.
Is she mad that he saved me, or that he followed me?
Nola shook her head, trying to break away from the awful thought.
Gentry wanted to take Graylock from the beginning. Now I’ve had it, and she hasn’t. I’m stronger than she is.
T had refused to look her in the eye ever since she stormed out of the pantry. Beauford had taken the same approach, staying close to T’s side, as though the evacuation order might come down at any moment.
I’m hurting everyone. All I want to do is help, and I keep hurting everyone.
“I don’t want to do this anymore.” Her words rang dully around Jeremy’s empty room. “Our room. This is our room, in our home, which I’m trying to save so we can have a life.” Nola looked up to the stone ceiling. “And now I’m talking to myself.”
She yanked on her shoes, giving one last, longing look to the bed before heading out into the hallway.
A strange scent caught her nose as she moved toward Emanuel’s library.
Fresh blood.
Nola shivered but kept moving toward the door. One drop of red stained the handle on the library doors.
“Emanuel?” Nola stepped into the library.
The room was empty. Everyone else in Nightland was either sleeping or preparing.
“And I’m wandering,” Nola said. “And still talking to myself.”
The scent of blood thickened in the library. Red dots marred the floor, leaving a path to Emanuel’s home.
“Eden.” Nola sprinted for the door, wrenching it open before knocking. The trail of red didn’t lead to the kitchen, but farther down the hall, stopping at the metal door to Dr. Wynne’s laboratory.
Nola banged on the door. “Dr. Wynne, are you okay? Dr. Wynne?”
“I’m fine.” Dr. Wynne’s voice carried through the door. “Quite unharmed. You have no need to worry.”
The false brightness of his tone shot fear into Nola’s stomach that screaming couldn’t have managed.
“I’m coming in.” Nola twisted the knob, half-expecting the door to be locked. But the handle turned easily, and Nola stepped into the laboratory. More spots of blood shone on the floor, leading to the metal table where Gentry sat, eyes closed, jaw clenched.
“What happened?” Nola reached for Gentry. “Did one of the vampires attack?”
“No.” Dr. Wynne fluttered his hands through the air. “No sort of attack. No harm at all, really. Gentry is extremely healthy.”
“But there was blood,” Nola said, “down the hall and leading here. Gentry, what happened?”
“Perhaps it’s best if we leave her to a nice rest.” Dr. Wynne shooed Nola toward the door. “Not long left to get everything ready, and our new, former guard friends have just arrived.”
