Dark Flame (Flame 3)

Brannick moved through a building that represented everything he hated about his world. Dark flame had stolen his life and killed his family and Roche had made a fortune out of the misery of masses of people, both human and alter.

He got the gist of what Juliet had in mind. They both wanted this production facility destroyed. It might take a few months, but with a lot of strategic planning and the use of several trustworthy vampires, he knew it could be done.

First, though, they needed to find another way out.

He already knew they would have to follow the pattern of the initial mission. They could easily sneak in through one of the front doors of the Fae Cathedral. But they wouldn’t be able to leave the same way, not with the amount of security personnel Roche employed.

Another exit had to be found.

He flew toward the east end of the building and began drifting through door after door, each leading to the normal rooms found in a production facility; cafeteria, bathrooms, offices for management.

At the north end, close to the executive offices, Brannick found what they needed. A spacious elevator.

He took the dreamglide within the elevator and rose up and up. The doors opened onto a private space guarded by two powerful fae warriors, each wearing tight, black t-shirts, black leathers and bearing an assortment of tattoos.

He flew through them and entered what turned out to be Roche’s private mansion. He stopped his forward movement, but rose to hover halfway to a tall twenty foot ceiling.

The bastard’s living area looked like the hotel of a fancy Las Vegas lobby with marble pillars and massive plants. The lighting made it look like it was high noon.

Juliet took his hand. This is what seems so unfair about what men like Roche do. They build their fortunes on something that brings so much pain and suffering to tens of thousands of people, then build palaces. She shook her head.

I’m with you on that. Roche should live at the end of that alley with the corpses and flies. That’s where he belongs.

You got that right.

Brannick didn’t need to see the rest of the place. He flew the dreamglide toward the fairly long foyer and a set of heavy, wood-carved double doors.

Shall we go outside?

Juliet nodded. I’d really like to see where we are in Revel and in relation to the Graveyard. His home is probably in a fancy neighborhood.

As Brannick passed through the doors, the opposite of Juliet’s prediction was true.

Juliet glanced around. “Oh, my God. Well, if he wanted to disguise his location, this would do it.”

“This is unbelievable.”

The street onto which Roche’s house emptied used to be a strip-mall but now only showcased a long row of derelict storefronts. A Revel patrol SUV cruised by, then another.

Roche’s men? Juliet asked.

Undoubtedly. In order to live in an area that would usually be overrun by homeless addicts by now, he’d need his security force patrolling constantly.

Brann, look to the south. The street is blocked with a lot of barbed wire.

I see it. And to the north, not fifty yards away is the Graveyard.

Juliet turned around. You wouldn’t know this was his home.

Brannick dipped his chin. Not in a million years.

The abandoned row of storefronts had boarded up windows as though preparing for a hurricane. Colorful graffiti created an odd yet striking panorama across the entire face. Desert weeds and cactus had filled in the torn up asphalt of the parking lot.

Juliet shook her head. I have to give him credit. He chose his location well, because who would want to live this close to the Graveyard?

He glanced at her and saw that she’d wrinkled up her nose. That’s when he smelled it as well. Jesus, that has to be a decaying body. Well, Roche is nothing if not innovative. And I’ll bet he makes sure when his addicted workers die, he lets a few rot out here to keep everyone else away

Juliet pursed her lips. So, how do we do this? How do we tear down the factory without killing hundreds of innocent people?