Equites : Book 4 of the Heku Series by T.M. Nielsen

up for Kyle to see, “B12.”
    Kyle nodded.
    Damon returned the tray to the
doorstep and then stepped back to wait for Greg. No one else
knocked or brought food the rest of the day. As night fell, the
heku became anxious, and the anticipation of revenge
grew.
    The knock came late at night, and they
both moved into the shadows of the house. They had propped pillows
up on the bed so it looked like Emily was still there. They stood
perfectly still as the key rattled in the door and the door
opened.
    “ I’m back and very hungry
tonight,” Greg said, laughing. He shut the door behind him and
locked it, “You better start taking your B12, Child. I wouldn’t
want to lose my favorite dessert.”
    “ I think you already did,”
Kyle said, stepping out of the shadows. Greg looked at him and
crouched. He turned when he heard a noise behind him and saw Damon
blocking the door.
    “ You can’t kill me. It
would raise suspicions,” Greg smiled.
    “ Oh, I’m not going to kill
you,” Damon said, taking a step forward.
    “ I was thinking that we’d
leave that up to her husband. He’s most anxious to meet you,” Kyle
said with a chilling smile.
    ***
    “ Federal ATF Agents have
released a statement that the V.E.S. leadership has waved a white
flag. The surrender of the cult comes after reports that their
leader, Greg, abandoned them and left the compound unnoticed late
last night. No word yet on the kidnapped woman, Emily,” the
anchorwoman said. “Law Enforcement has arrested all adults in the
compound, while twenty three children have been taken by Protective
Services. ATF has spent the day cataloging and removing a variable
arsenal of firearms.”
    Mark turned off the TV and turned to
Quinn and Maleth, “Now what?”
    “ We need to put out a
statement of our own that Emily has been returned,” Maleth
said.
    “ Law Enforcement is going
to want to talk to her though, she’s too weak for that,” Quinn
said, frowning.
    “ Get our attorneys on the
phone. Find out what course of action we have to keep Emily out of
the interrogation room,” Maleth said to Mark. Mark nodded and
blurred from the room.
    “ Shall we go see how she is
today?” Quinn asked, standing up.
    Maleth nodded, and seconds later, both
appeared at her door. He knocked softly.
    The doctor opened the door and
motioned them both inside. The room was stiflingly hot and dark.
Heavy curtains were pulled over the windows, and the lights were
dimmed. Chevalier sat on the bed beside Emily and held her
hand.
    “ How is she?” Quinn asked,
looking down at her. The dark circles under her eyes were in sharp
contrast to the paleness of her skin.
    Chevalier shrugged and whispered,
“Sleeping still.”
    Quinn whispered to Chevalier, “We’re
contacting our attorneys to see how we can release that Emily is
back, without the ATF questioning her.”
    Chevalier nodded.
    “ Is there anything we can
do?” Maleth asked.
    “ Do you know yet if he is
Valle or Encala?” Chevalier asked, his eyes narrowing.
    “ Not yet, Zohn will be here
within the hour to interrogate him,” Quinn said.
    “ You trust him for that?”
Chevalier questioned.
    “ I will be there, as
well.”
    Chevalier nodded and turned back to
Emily.
    “ It’s so cold,” she said,
still mostly asleep.
     
     
     

Chapter 4 - Horses

    “ Tell me again why I can’t
go?” Chevalier asked as he watched Emily hook up the
trailer.
    “ Because I want to do this
alone,” Emily said, smiling at him. She was enjoying seeing
Chevalier’s discomfort at watching her hook up the trailer. She
knew he could do it twice as fast, but there were some things she
enjoyed doing herself. She also knew that her limp caused by the
cast was bothering him more than anything.
    Chevalier sighed and looked around the
lawn, “Take Kyle then.”
    “ No,” Emily
said.
    “ Mark?”
    Emily looked over at Chevalier, “Are
we going to go through the entire guard list?”
    “ Maybe”
    “ Mark doesn’t want to drive
for