Dark Flame (Flame 3)

Juliet still lay quietly on the couch, but teal flames had appeared on her cheeks. Roche had drugged her.

Brannick had to work hard again to keep his temper in check. Otherwise, he could inadvertently let Roche know he was on his way.

But the knowledge Roche had shot her up with drugs made his blood boil, and it took some doing to suppress his rage.

Hopping back out of Juliet’s dreamglide, he levitated above the strip-center, his gaze fixed to the southwest. A few seconds later, Fergus appeared in the distance, flying with six of his warriors. Only the more powerful wolves could take to the air, a real advantage when traveling from one territory to the next, otherwise they could be turned back at any of the five major bridges they intended to cross.

Brannick removed his vampire shield, so that he’d be visible to the wolves.

When they arrived, he led the way to the front walkway of Roche’s home until they stood as a group in front of the door. He glanced at each man, then engaged in group telepathy. Speak mind-to-mind only. We’ve got sharp ears on us and all kinds of surveillance. Our primary objective is to get Juliet out of there, and once I have her, I’ll fly her back to Agnes’s compound. But I’ll return as fast as I can.

Right now, I’m going into my dreamglide to find out what’s happening inside and where Roche has positioned his men.

All seven warriors nodded, chins lowered, shoulders tense, AR-15s in hand. They were a fierce, tattooed bunch, most with long, wild-looking hair. They moved as a unit, a pack, and were ready to make war.

Brannick let them know he would make a rapid sweep of the house with his dreamglide. Fergus asked if he’d be unconscious, but Brannick assured him he’d recently discovered that if he moved fast, he could remain upright and aware for a limited time.

Fergus lifted his brows. Shit, that sounds like some power. And very fae.

Brannick understood his astonishment, that a vampire was holding so much essential fae ability. I know. Weird for me, too.

He then entered his dreamglide and moved through Roche’s home. Except for Juliet on the couch, the room was empty. But a look into the two main exit points, other than the front door, showed fae security lined up and waiting, about ten in all, just as Brannick had sensed.

When he couldn’t locate Roche, he focused on him and the dreamglide sped to his location. He was below in his factory and sending his workers out. Those that left passed a number of security men moving into the factory. Roche was protecting his product first.

Brannick headed back to the house and saw that the security detail hadn’t changed position. Brannick went outside and merged with his real-time self. Six on the left, four will come from the hallway on the right where the elevator is. But be careful, Juliet is in the middle of the room, lying unconscious on a sofa. Ready?

Fergus smiled. Hell, yeah.

Brannick jogged up the front path, opened the door, took three steps inside then crouched. As Fergus and his men moved in behind him, Roche’s men appeared, well-armed and ready to fire. But Fergus’s team let loose with their automatic rifles, which sent Roche’s detail leaping for cover.

As soon as the men disappeared down both halls, Brannick moved swiftly forward and gathered Juliet up in his arms.

The wolves continued to fire at the walls, tearing up the drywall and giving Brannick cover.

Brannick levitated and took Juliet back out into the street and up into the air. She was limp in his arms, but safe, for now.

He flew her back to Agnes at the compound who took charge of her.

Agnes said not to worry, she’d rebuilt Juliet’s dreamglide blocks and she’d start her on the blood cleanse right away to get the drug out of her system. She also said that by the appearance of the teal flame markings on her cheeks, Roche hadn’t given her anywhere near the same potency he’d used on Mary. Agnes expected Juliet’s recovery to be fairly quick.

Brannick let Agnes know what was going on at Roche’s house, then headed once more into the air.

~ ~ ~

Juliet came to consciousness and sat up, then put a hand to her head. Oh, God, the pain. “Wow, that’s bad.”

Agnes rose from a nearby chair. “Your head will hurt for a while. Brannick brought you in about five minutes ago, and I’ve got you on a drip that will remove the drug from your blood pretty fast.”

Juliet’s gaze shifted back and forth over her lap as she mentally started piecing together what had happened. “The last thing I remember was Roche blasting through my dreamglide barrier. It smelled so bad.”

“He used a dark witch spell. He must have paid a huge price for it, because nothing else could have taken down your dreamglide block. It was as though he’d set explosives to it.”

“That’s exactly what it looked like.” She recalled standing in the cottage near the stairs and feeling the explosion. “You said Brannick brought me here? Because I don’t remember anything from the time Roche hijacked me from my dreamglide.”

“You were in his home, laid out on the sofa with teal flames on your cheeks.”

She put a hand to her face. “Are the markings gone yet?”