Chapter Ten

Cartazonon took a deep breath of the cold Montana air. Why he allowed Lee’s horse obsession to influence him, he’d never know. Lee raced across the snowy meadow on the sturdy gray Mongolian pony. His cheeks were ruddy, and the flaps from his fur hat fluttered around his face. Cartazonon was transported back to his first human life. He had spent years in his animal form, hiding, barely surviving, and then finally he was able to transform. He’d watch the Mongol warriors for years and knew their ways. Lee was a young boy, well man, back then at fourteen, and he’d been thrown from his horse and wounded. Cartazonon had rescued him, saving his life. At least Lee and his family had thought so, and they had taken him in.

Cartazonon rose to power, becoming a feared warlord with Lee by his side. More than a thousand years had passed, and Lee was the only one he truly trusted.

Which is why he was freezing his ass off in Montana in the middle of winter. He sensed a cold presence connected to him: the walk-in he’d sent to London. He sat still on his mount while the images from the walk-in played in his mind.

Damn it, he wanted that torc. Was there a chance that someone bought it? He should buy the stupid antique store. There were several antique stores that would post photos of their new merchandise but would only sell things in person. His long pale fingers engulfed the crystal around his neck. The Akashic crystal thrummed with the magic and life force he’d taken from magical beings. He followed the connection to his people and holdings in England.

At first everything seemed as it should. The web he created connected all his people and properties. He reached out to his general there, a bright glimmer. He reached deeper, under the surface—a different energy was replacing his. This wasn’t an attack, but a bid for freedom.

Cartazonon clutched the crystal so hard the tip cut into his palm. After centuries of feeding energy, money, and knowledge into his general this was how she repaid him.

“Khan, is everything okay?” Lee asked, his cheeks red from the cold wind.

“We need to go to London,” Cartazonon said, letting go of the crystal and healing his hand.

Lee frowned and patted the neck of his horse. “Now?”

“No, I think patience is the key. We’ll wait a bit. But not too long. Someone is trying to betray me.” Cartazonon looked over at the porch swing.

Sapphire held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t sense her this time.

“Our mysterious visitor is here again,” Cartazonon said.

Lee’s thin eyes narrowed. He pulled a wicked curved blade. “I don’t like it. Who dares to watch us, and how do we rid ourselves of their presence?”

Sapphire stepped away from them, grateful she didn’t leave footprints in the snow. She wasn’t sure what would happen if he stabbed her, but she definitely didn’t want to find out.

“So about the general in London?” Lee asked.

“I’ll have our people investigate. Time means nothing but timing is everything, after all.” Cartazonon smiled, not willing to give too much information in front of the invisible stranger.

Lee huffed. He’d been using that line for over five hundred years since he first heard it, and now Cartazonon had appropriated it.

Is the general in London a possible ally? Sapphire wondered. Or someone who wants to be the head of his own evil empire and not a minion?

“Go and ride some more. I know you want to,” Cartazonon said. “I’m going inside. It’s cold, and I have a meeting over Skype in a few minutes.”

Lee glared in Sapphire’s direction. “What about our visitor?”

Cartazonon smiled and held up his hand drawing power to his palm.

Sapphire flinched as white energy grew, it looked like a sparkle lay on his hand.

Cartazonon looked into her eyes and smiled. “Good-bye.”

He threw the energy at her.

Sapphire screamed as it hit her shields.

* * *

Panting, I scooted away from the power Cartazonon had thrown at me, and fell off the couch. I was safe. I patted my body making sure his energy hadn’t touched me. Okay. Taking a shaky breath, I stood up. Well, that was new and unpleasant.

Opening my laptop, I emailed Gavin everything I remembered about my dream. Unlike Sasha the images and words from my dreams tended to fade. I wasn’t sure what would be important, so I did my best to remember even the smallest detail, as the images and words began to disappear.

I knew better than to fall asleep after being close to any of the Sons of Belial. Once we’d come back to the hotel I’d been steered to Gavin and Anali’s room where I was hit by a wall of emotions, fear and anger being the strongest.

They talked—well ranted—and with the way the others were going on, you’d think I had been in mortal peril or run off and done something stupid again. Thankfully, the intensity of emotions had given Anali a headache, and we’d all been sent out of their rooms.

Miu had stayed to help Anali, and I’d rushed to our room shutting the door. I had fallen asleep instead of reading as I had planned. I texted Gavin letting him know about the dream/vision and the email.

I jumped as the alarm on my phone beeped at me. I had to be ready in an hour for the stupid party. Sighing, I headed for the bathroom and a hot shower. Hopefully, the hot water would wash away the crazy from the day.