Gates of Rapture (Guardians of Ascension 6)

Leto had asked Endelle to create two large areas on the planet that she could cloak in mist, to which Leto could begin sending the support staff and materials any working army needed: latrines, tents, an abundance of food and water, and weapons.

The logistics of his part in the battle plans had finally come together. All that needed to be done now was to make sure that the triad could locate each misted area with ease. From what Grace had told him, she would simply need to see the location in her mind, something that could be accomplished as soon as the locations were set up.

Grace. Sweet Christ, his heart had expanded over the past few days. And how his life had changed. Was it only days ago that Grace had come back to him? During that time, he’d made peace with his beast-self and learned to make the transition with ease and without putting anyone in jeopardy. Incredible.

He wanted to give her more, to give of himself fully. And he was trying. But he also knew himself, that the war had taken something from him, had made it almost impossible to give all that he had to give. He wondered if that would ever be different.

He felt the hairs at the back of his neck rise. He turned, and sure enough Casimir made himself visible. “You are really starting to bug the shit out of me.”

Casimir’s smile was rueful. “I need a word with you.”

“Okay.” Leto frowned. He didn’t know what to make of the Fourth ascender. He recalled doing battle with him in the Convent when Casimir had been acting on Greaves’s behalf. Casimir’s purpose had been to destroy both Grace and Leto, but then the breh-hedden had gotten hold of Casimir and changed everything.

Casimir drew in a deep breath. “I wanted to apologize for that Convent mess and for my behavior.”

Leto didn’t know what to say, but he felt angry all over again. “You took Grace to Fourth. You somehow persuaded her that you needed her. Don’t think for a moment that I don’t know how you worked to manipulate and seduce her, because I do know. She deserved better than you.” His hands were balled into fists. He wanted to hit Casimir, but the damn man just stood there—no cocky smile, just sincerity in his dark brown eyes.

“I should never have taken her,” Casimir confessed. “But I was a different man back then and I’d made a deal with Greaves. The prize was Grace.”

Leto knew it wasn’t as simple as that. Grace had explained to him a dozen times that her intuition had told her she had to be with Casimir if she was to save Leto’s hide.

But he was a man and Casimir had walked off with Grace as pretty as you please, and he’d been too lost in his dying blood fiasco to do a thing about it.

“I don’t know what you want from me,” Leto said.

Only then did Casimir smile. “Your forgiveness.”

“Aw f**k.”

Fortunately, Endelle showed up and ended what would no doubt have turned into one of those really awkward moments.

Casimir greeted Endelle but then made his excuses and left.

Leto watched him leave, thinking that he didn’t know what to make of the man. But it was getting harder to stay mad at him when he admitted he should never have gone after Grace, and even apologized for it.

When he turned back to Endelle, he did a double take and he couldn’t help but laugh. For a while, Endelle had actually worn a flight suit and a weapons harness, showing that her warrior side was ready to do battle.

But the other side of her that had fully embraced the spectacle aspect of their plans had clearly taken over. She wore some kind of strange spotted-fur bustier that looked similar to leopard but the spots were too small. Civet cat came to mind. Probably. A large red pendant bounced against her br**sts.

She wore black-and-white-striped, and very snug, leather pants.

When she reached him, he said, “Thought you’d given up your fashion sense for the duration.”

Endelle smiled. “Are you kidding? We’ve got a spectacle to put on. This is just the beginning. I have my seamstresses working on a coat with several trains, perfect for flight.” Endelle was leading the review. Unlike Greaves, who had waited ceremoniously in his concrete grandstand, Endelle meant to be the opening act.

For some reason, he found her enthusiasm comforting. Endelle had always taken the war with Greaves in stride, something necessary for a conflict that went on for centuries. Her pleasure in her absurd clothes had no doubt been a tremendous release for her, perhaps even a passionate avocation.

“How’s the army-hunting going?”

“Good. Real good.”

She met his gaze and, for a moment those ancient lined eyes filled with compassion. “Damn, I missed you Leto. You and Marcus had been with me longest, and for decades both of you were AWOL. But now you’re here. And you’re bringing me an army. I’ll bet James’s announcement wrenched your heart.”

“More than you’ll know.” Leto was moved. He would never have believed that his service to Greaves would have taken this turn.

Endelle added, “And you know that if any of the other generals had built the army, this couldn’t have happened.”

“I’ve been thinking about that. I think you’re exactly right. Greaves’s generals are almost as power-hungry as Greaves is. They won’t have treated their Division and Section Leaders well.”

“So, what do you think Greaves’s strategy will be? You probably know him better than anyone.”

“Thorne and I have talked about Greaves a lot. Over the decades, I heard a number of scenarios discussed. However, because I’m in your camp, he’ll probably change things up. One thing I’m convinced he’ll do is attempt to eliminate the hidden colonies, because he has no idea what threat level the colonial militia presents. By now, he’ll have learned that I trained the militia force and he’ll do what he can to neutralize it.”

“How do you think he’ll do it? I mean what’s your take on it?”

“At some point, he’ll attempt to move his death vampire force into place all over Mortal Earth, burn the mossy mist away, and attack all at once. And trust me, I know this because that’s how I would have advised him. He doesn’t do anything without measured thought. That’s why he’s still around.”

“Have you got any idea about how to handle the colony sitch?”

“Every colony has a militia force ready to fight, but you know the odds: one death vampire against four militia warriors. He’s been building his death vampire force for decades, feeding them from his blood slave facilities, so that they are a very powerful force. Our effort must be to keep him from burning away the mist. The death vamps can’t get in otherwise.”