Venom Valley 03 - Blood & Stone by Hank Edwards

Author:Hank Edwards
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2014-03-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Glory folded her hands on the table and looked into Calling Wolf’s eyes. The chief looked nervous, uncertain why he had been asked to meet with her, Josh, Dex, and Walker. She smiled in an attempt to reassure him, ignoring the quiet sound of exasperation from Crow Feather, the old woman who had chastised her back at the Apache camp for having a protective spirit. As though she, as a six-year-old, could have controlled what her father had done for her. Glory wished they had been able to sit with Calling Wolf without Crow Feather’s knowledge, but the woman was sticking close to the new chief’s side, either afraid to lose her influence or indulging a fierce need to know the tribe’s business. Most likely a mixture of both, Glory decided after a moment.

“Are you ready, Glory?” Josh asked.

She nodded. “I am. You may begin.”

“Thank you.” Josh looked at Calling Wolf and Crow Feather, smiling and nodding to them. “I have asked you here to discuss the vampire Balthazar.”

Glory interpreted for Josh, saw Calling Wolf nod and Crow Feather’s eyes narrow with suspicion. Glory wished, yet again, they could have found a way around including the old woman in this discussion.

“He killed or turned most of the residents of Belkin’s Pass,” Josh continued. “And he used his influence over one of the women to burn down the town. Over the years, he has preyed on your tribe as well, until two nights ago when he led an attack that took the lives of many of your loved ones.”

Despair crept into Glory as she interpreted Josh’s words. Balthazar had taken so much from all who lived around Venom Valley, and he was so powerful, imagining a way to kill him was difficult. But Josh had told her his plan, explaining it in great detail before they had asked to speak to Calling Wolf and Crow Feather. At first, Glory had thought the plan disrespected the tribe and was too risky. But after discussing it further with Josh, she had come to see it as their only hope to attack Balthazar in his cave and finish this once and for all. She just hoped they all were ready for what was to come.

Calling Wolf nodded as Glory finished speaking. He replied in Apache, “Many loved ones have been lost. Or turned to his darkness, forever stalking the night.”

Glory told Josh what the chief had said to her.

“So we are agreed on these points,” Josh said. He let out a breath and, with no other option, pushed on. “I have a power within me, a type of magic. I can control the bodies of the dead. The spirit has already fled the physical shell of the person, leaving behind a corpse that I can make move to my will.”

After she had interpreted Josh’s statement, Calling Wolf shifted nervously on the bench of the mess tent table and glanced at Crow Feather who stared distrustfully at Josh.

“I have learned to control the power very well with this,” Josh continued, holding up the carnelian stone Glory had provided him.

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