The Dark Edge Chronicles - Clan War

Catching a Plane

By the time all of their resupply efforts were done, it was late evening. Normally it wouldn't have been a problem. Dusk was the regular time vampires would wake up and begin to prepare for their nocturnal activities.

For the small group of Ventru and their new comrades, however, evening was no longer ideal to begin an operation. For the last two days they had operated during daylight hours in an attempt to keep the Hand limited in how they could work to stop them. That, of course, only brought the White Flames more to prominence as, outside of the attack on the late afternoon train out of Galway, the majority of attacks on them were carried out by the powerful human faction.

Now, starting out in the evening brought the Hand back into the picture. And, just as he didn't doubt there were still White Flames in the city looking for them, he didn't doubt the Hand was waiting for them to make a move. A move they could counter without needing to wear the heavy and cumbersome daycloaks.

A car horn honking pulled Lash's head around to stare hard at the door. That was Bronwyn's pre-arranged signal to announce she had arrived with the rental car that would take them to the airport.

"Nestari!" he barked. "Front and center!"

Truk and Narcist quickly shifted into view, pushing the last of their supplies into bulging duffel bags, backpacks already slung over their shoulders.

"Bronwyn's out front," he said as their eyes fell onto him. "Go and stow your gear, but keep your Shiva's on you. I don't want to get caught by surprise outside our own damn door!"

"Copy that, Wolf," Truk said after reaching into the small of his back to check the status of the machine pistol Lash had made for him with the mini-forge. He then looked at Fiadh as the lilith stepped into view.

"Night Mistress," he said with a respectful bow of his head. "May I take your bag?"

Fiadh looked at the heavy duffel bag she was almost dragging on the floor, then back at Truk with a thankful smile.

"Yes, you may, nestari," she said, holding the bag's strap out to the sturdy Ventru warrior. With another respectful nod to her, and a quick nod to Lash, Truk took the strap and added it to the bag already on his shoulder as Narcist opened the front door. Then the two trooped outside where Bronwyn was already waiting with the back hatch open.

Lash watched them for a moment before a delicate hand was knotting itself in his tunic and pulling him back around. Then his full attention was on Fiadh and the deep kiss she was planting on him. Leaning into it for a moment, pricking her tongue with his fangs even as she bit his, the big vampire savored the kiss and the embrace of the Irish lilith he had the increasing pleasure of knowing.

Then he stepped back to reach out and quickly check both the fit of her neuron armor, and the heavier kevlar and ceramic vest over top of it, both beneath the light jacket she was wearing.

"No tugging or discomfort?" he asked, running his hand along the sides of her body to make sure there weren't any gaps in her protection.

"No, my wolf," she replied with a playful smile. "You keep touching me like that, however, and I'll drag you upstairs, delaying our trip by at least several hours!"

Stifling the apology he almost and quite automatically made, he smiled instead.

"A second more, and I would've been dragging you upstairs!" he said and, with a giggle, she stepped in for another kiss.

"Promises, promises," she breathed into his mouth after the kiss broke, licking his blood off her lips.

"Flight's leaving in an hour, you two," Bronwyn said through the open door.