Until we arrived, we hadn't even been sure that Gregor would still be in this house. It took a full day and a half from the time Fabian left the vicinity to the time Bones was handed that cell phone from the very bewildered member of Mencheres's staff. Then another several hours to get to Moldova, then a couple hours of reconnaissance to determine this wasn't a trap. Not that I doubted Fabian's loyalty, but there was always the chance that Gregor had recognized the ghost and put two and two together. So far, though, it seemed like those in the house had no idea they were about to be attacked.
I gave a worried glance at the sky. All that was good news. The bad news was, dawn was only about half an hour away.
As if hearing my thought, Bones met my gaze. "You should stay back, Kitten."
My first instinct was to argue. Vehemently, and with lots of profanity. That was my mother trapped in the house, so I damn well wasn't going to sit back and just hope things went okay.
Then I looked around the faces staring back at me. Everyone here was risking their lives on my mother's behalf, plus breaking undead laws on top of that, and I was the only one susceptible to the dawn. Sure, now I could stay awake and even walk when sunlight hit, but fight? No. Not even if my mother's life - or mine - depended on it.
"I'll stay," I said, seeing Bones's brows go up like those were the last words he expected to hear from me. "Give me the detonator. We might need the diversion if Gregor returns before we have my mom safely away."
Spade nodded, handing over the detonator he'd had located in his belt. Several packs of TNT had been strapped to the trees, as close to the house as we dared to plant them without being seen. In a fight, the explosions wouldn't harm any vampires or ghouls, unless they happened to be right next to the trees when the bombs went off, but they would make a hell of racket. And sometimes, distraction made all the difference between life and death - or escape and capture.
Bones gave me a quick, hard kiss. "I won't return without her," he promised.
"Don't say that." The words were out of my mouth at once. "If something happens, if it's too dangerous to get her now, you come back to me. We'll find another way."
Rodney began crawling through the brush. Spade gave me a somber look and followed. Bones caressed my face once, then left as well. So did Fabian. I stayed where I was, not needing binoculars to watch their progress toward the house. There were four guards outside and, according to Fabian, at least eight more inside, plus Cannelle. The element of surprise would be all the advantage they had, outnumbered four to one, and I doubted Gregor had left weak vampires or ghouls as guards.
Even though the distance was less than two miles, it took the three men over ten minutes to crawl there, barely disturbing the long grass around them. I was almost a wreck by the time they approached the house. A jumble of fear, hope, frustration, and nerves made me feel like I could jump out of my own skin. Did the guards have instructions to kill my mother at once if there was an attack? Could Bones, Spade, or Rodney get to her in time, without getting themselves killed in the process? Oh God, please, let this work.
I couldn't help it; I began to crawl closer, promising myself to only get within a mile. Just close enough to really see what was going on. The scattering of trees made for a skewed view of the house.
The ground was free of tall grass within thirty yards of the house, so there was no more coverage for Bones, Rodney, and Spade to sneak up in. Everything in me tensed as I saw the three men rise at the exact same time to charge the house.
Shouts of alarms came from the four guards, but I was savagely pleased to see how fast they were cut off. Bones took two down himself, one from a distance by throwing silver into his chest, and the other by an up-close twist of the same metal through the guard's heart. Spade and Rodney made short work of their two guards, then, from different angles, the three men entered the house.
More shouts came from inside. I crawled faster, keeping low but within eyesight of the house. Gunshots barked in terrifying staccato from what sounded like automatic weapons. A feminine voice rose in a furious, accented screech. Cannelle. Remembering her kicking my mother while holding a leash made me want Cannelle dead almost as much as Gregor.
I'd made it to the mile mark when Fabian came streaking toward me, waving his ghostly arms.
"Gregor's returned!" he exclaimed.
Oh shit. "Go tell Bones," I said, taking the detonator out of my belt. I eyed the sky with mounting despair. Definitely too close to dawn for me to risk jumping into the fight, but I could still press some buttons. That much I could do to help.
Fabian disappeared through the structure of the house, not bothering to use one of the smashed front windows as an entry point. I waited, counting off the seconds in a frenzy of tension until he came out, hovering near the roof. It looked like he pointed to my left, which was where the screech of tires had come from. Damn Gregor for being a clever bloodsucker. He wasn't going to drive right up to the house and provide an easier target. No, he'd come through the trees and brush to make his own ambush instead.
I waved at Fabian, careful to stay low, and the ghost dove down and seemed to disappear into the ground. He came up moments later right in front of me, startling me at how he was all of a sudden inches from my face.
"Tell me where they are," I whispered.
Fabian disappeared below the dirt again. I waited, the following seconds like a blowtorch on my nerves. Then Fabian's ghostly head popped up from the dirt like a hazy gopher.
"They're circling around." His voice was so soft, I could hardly hear him. "They're heading this way, but a little farther up than you are."
I smiled grimly. That would put them right near the TNT strapped to the trees. Come on, Gregor. Show me where you are.
My wish came true when I heard the stealthy sounds of movement in the brush not fifty yards from me. I waited, counting off the distance. Twenty yards. Ten. Almost there. Almost...
I blew the charges right as Gregor and his guards passed the closest to the most-heavily-rigged trees. The explosions went off, one after the other, scattering Gregor and the others with their confusion over what might blow up next. It was also my very loud signal to Bones that they had to pull out, now, whether they had my mom or not. With the dozen guards Gregor had with him, it would be dicey making it out alive ourselves. We couldn't afford to wait any longer.
I glanced at the ever-brightening sky with loathing. If only it were an hour earlier, I could fight! I could help get my mother, or draw off some guards, or just do something, other than hide to keep a bad situation from getting far worse by being captured.