Page 88 of Betrayed in Blood
The vans held the majority of our second wave. There would be eight vamps in each van, plus their driver and team lead. Decker stood next to Elijah and Rachel in addition to Rafael, a vamp that had worked with the shifters before. And bringing up the last SUV would be Simone and three of her guards from Oasis.
Bella and Jacques had left an hour ago with Harlow, Trudy, and Jamal. They would meet up with Roxie and her van a block from the Underwood estate. Their initial mission was to monitor the front and back exits to the property. We had to know who left the estate, assuming they were going to Lorenzo’s party. Jamal was in full homeless gear as he had been the night we’d infiltrated Gheata’s house and would be stationed in the alley near the estate’s back exit. Harlow and Trudy, along with Russell, one of the vamps, would be at the end of the alley, monitoring and backing up Jamal.
Roxie had reviewed the manor’s security and found three active zones. She would take them down one by one once Sergi gave her a go. Everyone had earbuds, while the humans and each team lead also wore body cameras.
Devon and Sergi jogged down the steps, but before I could follow, Lyra and Colantha stepped out of the front door.
“I was wondering if you would come to see us off.” I gave them a hearty smile, jazzed and ready to go.
Lyra’s eyes sparkled, which told me she’d probably just come from a dreamwalk with Hamilton. It was weird to see her starry-eyed, but I couldn’t fault her. After a hundred years of torment, no one deserved more giddy happiness than her.
“I wish I was going with you.” Lyra grabbed my hand.
“No, you don’t. Besides, your place is here to defend the castle.”
Her tinkling laugh made my grin wider. “Yes, and I’ll be monitoring Oasis and the two safe houses while you’re gone, with Colantha’s help.”
“You don’t need my help, child. Neither of you do. But I’ll be here just in case.” Colantha eyed me. “You worry about your team, but are you ready?”
I nodded. “I stopped in the kitchen and drank a glass of your special juice. Are you ever going to tell us what’s in it?”
Her smile was annoyingly predatory. “Soon.”
Always the cryptic one. “I’ll only call on you if things get really hairy.”
“If things get hairy, as you say, you’ll use your dreamwalker power to correct the situation. Only if you can’t hold them will you reach out for me.”
I glanced down at the stonework on the front porch and rubbed the toe of my boot back and forth. “Right.”
“You’ve done it before—you can do it tonight. Just make sure you advise your team before the construct, though I think they’ll understand what’s happening once they see the enemy turn into, what did you call them, zombies? Though true zombies would still be moving. Mannequins might be a better term.”
“Mannequins.” I shivered. “I suppose that is more accurate. I get it, and I’ll follow your advice.”
“Of course, you will. I would hate for you to spend more time in remedial training.”
I winced. I’d spent two hours that morning working through various constructs with Colantha. The same kind of fast-paced jumps from one construct to another she liked to perform, and then long moments within each one, holding three wary volunteers in a single construct. It was intense, and I needed a half-hour nap and a small glass of juice to refresh before I could join the rest of the team reviewing the plans. I didn’t want to have to repeat the exercises.
“Cressa. Let’s go.” Sergi stood next to the lead SUV, and I noticed everyone else was in the vehicles.
“Wish me luck.”
“Luck is for fools who aren’t prepared.” Colantha smiled, her gaze full of humor. Always with the witty comebacks.
I was halfway down the steps when she called out, “To your success.”
I smiled and gave her a wave as I met up with Sergi. “Everything look good?”
He nodded. “Bella reported three SUVs leaving the estate five minutes ago.”
I considered it. “So, worst case, if the SUVs were full, there could be up to six vamps per vehicle.”
He nodded again. “Yes.”
I took a step back and studied him. Vamps did it all the time, and he didn’t seem bothered by it. “Thank you for the excellent work you’ve done so far. I appreciate it.”
He gave me that stare that was supposed to make me shake in my boots. “Are you going soft?”
I snorted. “Hardly. I just think teams work better when they get a little praise.”
