Page 76 of Death Dance

TWENTY-THREE

The wise always bring a glove.

Thirty-eight women, most of them Mexican and one American, who resembled the twins enough I held no doubt she was their mother, crowded together in a large cage, and they slept under the influence of the sun. Someone had set up a series of four toilets, a single shower, and a kitchenette for them to use along with a washer and dryer. Empty bottles were scattered beyond the edge of their cage, and numerous crates indicated Breckenan had provided blood for them. The sight, completely lacking in privacy, infuriated me into shapeshifting.

Emerick somehow caught the blue anole in the chaos, and he cradled the little lizard in his hand. After making certain she was okay, he stashed her in his shirt pocket.

During the rather violent transformation, I shed a ridiculous number of feathers. My father, heaving a sigh, pressed his hand to my back and forced me to the stone floor while I hissed threats of retribution.

“This is the problem with teaching younglings how to shift early. They become upset, feathers end up everywhere, and it’s a damned good thing her brothers are holding down the fort elsewhere, as we’d have even more feathers and a great deal of complaining to contend with. Emerick, when they do awaken, try to reassure them. You’re likely the most calming presence. Do be aware of that cage. It is potent.”

I eyed the metal bars, and as I lacked the ability to speak English, I screeched a demand for more information.

Alheen set his pack down and pulled out a leather gauntlet, which he tossed to my father. “The wise always bring a glove.”

“Thank you,” my father replied before donning the leather, releasing me, and offering his forearm for me to perch upon.

As my father would teach me a few lessons I wouldn’t appreciate should I disobey, I did as he requested. I fluffed my feathers, preened, and settled my wings. Once satisfied I cooperated, he began to speak in Spanish, soft enough he wouldn’t wake them but loud enough he could be readily heard.

“He is simply repeating that we are there to help him. The sun will be setting soon, and some may wake early.”

Emerick went to the cage door and glowered at the lock before digging through his pack, pulling out a heavy duty pair of bolt cutters, and getting to work.

While it took him a few minutes, he severed the lock, removed it, and opened the door.

The women remained asleep.

“Alheen? Do you think we have enough time to transfer them before nightfall?”

“We can enforce their sleep and return them to their casa so they wake at home—and the women who are not part of the casa, we will take to a comfortable hotel and call in some of the brides; they can help better than we can,” my father’s uncle replied, and he stepped into the cage to visit each slumbering woman, lifting her arm and giving her the lightest of bites. “For the moment, I am drawing them into my brood; if Breckenan did have them in a brood, the power binding them broke with his death.”

A mercy, that. I spread my wings and hissed at the Original.

“They have not endured anything like what you or Clarke dealt with,” he promised. “This is gentle compared to Breckenan’s workings. He likely wished to use them as the start of his empire, releasing one at a time back to their families to ensure their good behavior. We will have to take care with teaching them. Charlie, we are going to need numerous extra helicopters or many trips. Is your satellite phone working?”

My father, careful not to dislodge me, checked his device. “I will have to go outside to check. The stone is thick.”

“Try not to lose your daughter. Should she fly off, we can smack around her husband for a while. That should get her winging back readily enough. I believe the one is the mother we seek, and we will reunite her with her husband and send them back to the United States so their family can integrate them into their brood.”

I hissed at Alheen to make it clear I disliked the idea of them smacking my husband around.

“I could also leave her in her husband’s care. I’m sure he can contain her for a few minutes.” My father headed over to Emerick, transferred me to his bare arm, waited for my husband to don the glove, and transferred me back.

While I did my best, I scratched my father during the process.

He stroked my head. “Expected with those talons of yours. Don’t worry about it. I will return shortly after arranging for sufficient transport, the tools needed to lift the women out of here, and a warning to Mexico that we will need numerous doctors, more blood, and an investigative team for this temple. I will also warn the Columbian authorities about the site and its potency so there are not any mistakes.”

Emerick settled into the serious business of smoothing my feathers, petting my head, and otherwise showering me with my owed attention. “I forgot they would be sleeping.”

Alheen and the other Originals laughed at my husband. “You’ve had your hands full containing Pepper now that she stays awake at her whim rather than the sun’s. You will get your peaceful mornings, so don’t worry about that, but once we’re riled, we tend to skip out on sleep until the problem has been dealt with. We will all be sleeping well soon enough. Most of us haven’t rested much since Breckenan kidnapped Pepper. It’s doubtful her father has slept a wink. We will have to keep a close eye on him along with his brood once he does settle down to get some rest.”

“Her brothers can help keep an eye on your broods while you all rest. Then there is the matter of the ball and the ceremony.”

I screeched at Alheen, spread my wings, and added a hiss for good measure.

Emerick bounced me on his arm. “I will be allowing her parents to plan most of it. Pepper will be happiest if she can just show up. As long as the guests know we are being quite casual about some elements of the ceremony, it will be fine. I doubt she will tolerate an extravagant wedding gown.”

I settled on his arm and bobbed my head.