J.R. Ward the Black Dagger Brotherhood Novels 5-8 - J. R. Ward [702]
This was why Ehlena chose to forgive Rehvenge—and she hoped his sister would do the same.
Of course, that forgiveness didn’t mean Ehlena was going to end up with the male—the stuff about Rehv being her hellren had been to make sure she went to the colony; it didn’t reflect reality. Besides, who knew whether they were even going make it back to Caldwell in one piece.
Lives could be lost tonight.
Ehlena and the Brothers took form in the lee of a thick stand of pines, a protected spot chosen after Xhex had detailed the area. Up ahead, just as the female had described, was a picturesque white farmhouse with a sign that read, TAOIST MONASTICAL ORDER, EST. 1982.
On the surface, it was hard to believe anything other than jam and quilt making went on inside those pristine clapboard walls. Harder still to think that the charming place was the entry to the colony of symphaths. But there was something very wrong about the whole setup, as if a force field of dread surrounded all the come-on-in.
As Ehlena looked around, she could feel that Rehv was close, and just before Xhex spoke, she focused on an outbuilding that was about a hundred yards away from the farmhouse. There…yes, he was there.
“We’ll enter through that barn,” Xhex said quietly, pointing where Ehlena was drawn to. “It’s the only way into the labyrinth. Like I said last night, they’ll already know we’re here, so when we go face-to-face, our best shot is to approach this in an ostensibly diplomatic fashion—we’re merely taking back what is ours and want no bloodshed. They’ll understand and respect the reasoning—before they start fighting—”
A stench of sweetness drifted over on the cold breeze.
As all heads turned, Ehlena frowned at the sight of the male who had appeared out of nowhere on the farmhouse lawn. His blond hair was slicked back from his forehead, and his eyes glowed with an odd shining blackness. As he strode toward the front porch, his gait was anger in motion, his powerful body tight, as if he were ready for battle.
“What the fuck,” V breathed. “Is that Lash I’m looking at?”
“Apparently,” Butch answered.
Xhex cut in. “You didn’t know?”
All the Brothers stared back at her as V said, “That he was alive and a lesser? Er, that would be a hell no. And why are you not surprised?”
“I saw him a couple of weeks ago. Just assumed the Brotherhood knew.”
“Ass. You. Me.”
“That would be just you—”
“Cut the crap,” Z hissed. “Both of you.”
Everyone went back to focusing on the male, who by now had leaped up onto the porch and was banging on the door.
“I’m calling the others in,” V whispered. “The lesser presence has to be neutralized before we can go in.”
“Or it could create a diversion that helps us,” Xhex said with a lot of duh.
“Or we could call for backup and not be idiots,” V snapped.
“That would be tough for you.”
“Fuck y—”
Z forced a phone into V’s gloved hand. “Dial.” Then he pointed at Xhex. “Stop pushing his buttons.”
As V talked and Xhex shut up, daggers and guns were unsheathed, and a moment later, the others appeared.
Xhex stepped over to the Brother Tohrment. “Look, I really think we should split up. You guys take care of Lash and I’ll go in for Rehv. The chaos of the fighting will split the colony’s attentions. It’s better this way.”
There was a pause as everyone looked at Tohr. “I agree,” he said. “But you don’t go in alone. V and Zsadist are with you and Ehlena.”
There was a collective nod and…holy shit, they were on the move, out in the open, jogging across the snow.
As Ehlena headed for the barn, the boots she’d been given crunched over the ground, her palms sweated in her gloves, and the backpack full of medical supplies she wore grabbed at her shoulders. She did not arm herself, having agreed not to draw her gun unless there was a good reason to. Made sense. You wouldn’t want an amateur manning an emergency room; there was no reason to complicate the situation with her trying to pretend she was as comfortable at the trigger as Xhex and the Brothers