FIVE

Monday Morning, 5:00 a.m.

Judah stood a top a low hill less-than half a mile from the Raintree home, darkness surrounding him, a man alone with many decisions to make. Suddenly the small phone in the inside pocket of his jacket vibrated. He retrieved the phone and checked the lighted screen for the identity of the caller. Claude. He and his cousin occasionally communicated telepathically, but since telepathic exchanges used up precious energy, they usually simply telephone deach other. And since using telepathy also made one’s thoughts susceptible to being sensed by others with the same capabilities, a secure phone was safer. The last thing he needed right now was Cael trying to listen to his private conversations.

“You’re up awfully early,” Judah said to his cousin.

“Where are you?” Claude asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure. It could be nothing.”

“You wouldn’t contact me if you thought it was nothing. Is there a business problem or-”

“Bartholomew sent for me a short time ago,” Claude said. “Sidra had a vision.”

The two elderly council members had been married for over fifty years. Bartholomew possessed many powers in varying degrees, but his wife’s abilities were limited to a few, one quite powerful. She was a psychic of unparalleled talent.

Judah ’s gut tightened. “Tell me.”

“She saw fire and blood. In the center of the fire was a Dranir’s crown. A Raintree Dranir. And within the pool of blood rested a gun that shot lightning.”

“We know that Dante Raintree possesses many of the same skills that I do, including dominion over fire.”

“Yes. That’s why we assumed her vision was about him and…” Claude he sitated for a moment. “Prince Gideon works as a police detective, doesn’t he? And we believe his greatest gift is connected to electrical energy and the elements, such as lightning.”

“You’ve surmised that Sidra had a vision about the royal Raintree brothers, but you haven’t told me why this is of importance to us…to the Ansara.”

“The fire consuming the crown and the blood surrounding the gun both came from Cael. Sidra saw this. Before she fell into a deep sleep, she told Bartholomew that this was not a prophecy, that these events had already occurred. She believes that Cael has already struck against the Raintree Dranir and his brother.”

The ground beneath Judah ’s feet trembled. Rage shot through him swiftly, igniting fire on each of his fingertips. Clenching his hands, he extinguished the blazes. Puffs of smoke rose from inside his closed fists.

“Cael has to be stopped,” Judah said.

“He has a small but loyal following. We will have to deal with them, as well.”

“We need to move quickly,” Judah said. “Speak only to those you trust. Gather information. I’ll be home by this evening.”

“Why the delay? Sidra believes action should be taken immediately to counteract whatever Cael has done.”

“There are complications here.”

“Where is here?”

“I am at the Raintree sanctuary.”

“Inside the sanctuary?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t the place surrounded by a force field? How did you use your powers to get inside without alerting-”

“I’ll explain more when I see you this evening.”

“Do these complications involve Mercy Raintree?” Claude asked.

“What?”

“You flew to North Carolina to save her from Greynell, didn’t you?” “She was not his kill. She’s mine. I thought you and everyone on the council understood my reasons for coming here to save her life.”

“No one questions your right to kill her and her brother Dante in The Battle that is to come, but…I know you, Judah. I know you better than anyone else knows you. I have seen inside your mind.”

“And I into yours, but I don’t understand what you’re getting at.”

“I’ve seen Mercy Raintree in your mind on several occasions, before you were able to shut out thoughts of her.”

Judah could deny Claude’s accusation, but his cousin would know he was lying.

“You know that I had sex with her years ago,” Judah said. “I took the Raintree princess’s virginity.”

“So is she what keeps you there?” Claude grunted. “No doubt she’s never forgotten you, either.”

“She is of no importance. I simply have something to settle with her before I return to Terrebonne.”

“Very well,” Claude replied. “I’ll speak to Benedict and Bartholomew. We will call a private meeting for tonight, and make plans to stop Cael before he moves prematurely against the Raintree and brings their wrath down on all of us.”

“Stay safe,” Judah warned. “Don’t turn your back on Cael. Not for a single moment. If he’s bold enough to send an assassin to kill me, you aren’t safe, either. No one who is loyal to me is safe from him.”

Monday Morning, 5:35 a.m.

When the telephone rang, Mercy grabbed the receiver from the nightstand, sat up and kicked back the covers. She hadn’t slept more than a few minutes at a time and still had her clothes on from yesterday. When she glanced down at the phone, she noted Gideon’s number on the caller I.D.

“What’s wrong?”

“Don’t get upset,” her brother said. “I’m fine. Dante’s fine.”

“But?”

“But there was a fire at Dante’s casino.”

“How bad?”

“He said it could be worse, but that it was bad enough.”

“You’re sure he’s all right?”

“Yeah, he’s okay. He phoned me a couple of hours ago and told me to call you. He didn’t want either of us to read it in the newspaper or for you to see it on TV.”

“The fire must have been really bad if Dante thinks it’ll make the national news.”

“Yeah, it probably was.”

“I wish you two wouldn’t shut me out all the time. If you’d-”

Gideon grumbled under his breath. “You’re our little sister. We don’t want you messing around inside our heads and getting involved in our private lives.”

Ignoring his explanation just as she had numerous times in the past, Mercy asked, “Are you going to Reno to make sure he’s all right and see what you can do to help him?” If she didn’t have her hands full here at the Sanctuary, she could be on the next plane out of Asheville. But dealing with Judah Ansara was just about all she could handle right now.

“Dante said for us to stay put, that he can handle things without help from either us. But he’s going to be pretty busy for the next few days, so don’t worry if he’s not in touch with us for a while.”

“If you talk to him again, give him my love. Tell him…Gideon?”

“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” she lied. “It’s just…I worry about you and Dante.”

“We’re big boys. We can take care of ourselves. You just keep the home fires burning and take care of Eve.”

“I can do that.”

“I’ve got to go.”

“I love you,” Mercy said.

“Yeah, me too.”

Mercy replaced the receiver, then sighed heavily. Could she really take care of Eve now that she had to protect her from her own father? She hadn’t seen Judah since late last night and had no idea where he was this morning. He wasn’t in the house, that she knew for certain. She would have sensed his presence. For the time being Eve was safe from him. But where was he, and what was he doing? Plotting against me, Mercy thought. He’s probably making plans to take Eve.

Or worse.

The Ansara were not like the Raintree, but they weren’t like mere mortals, either. Given the right provocation, they could and would kill their own offspring. The evil that had taken root inside them centuries ago had altered the entire clan, making a once kindred tribe of the Raintree their sworn enemies. Judah was Ansara. He was evil. She couldn’t allow herself to believe otherwise, no matter how much she wished she could.

During the past seven years, she had tried countless ways to erase her memories of the night she had spent in his arms, a willing pupil, giving herself to him completely, yearning to learn all that he could teach her. Thoughts of his lips on hers, of his large, strong hands tenderly caressing her body, his heated words of passion, tormented her, reminding her what a reckless young fool she had been. And far too trusting.