Free Wilder by Christina Dodd Page A

like Jessica again. Civilized, clearheaded, knowledgeable.
    Martha set a large bowl of soup before her, and put another, smaller bowl of croutons beside it. “They’re baked with Parmesan cheese,” she informed Taurean. “Good for floating on top.”
    Taurean dipped her spoon in, tasted the soup, and after one taste, ate eagerly until the spoon rattled on the bottom.
    Martha whisked the bowl away, refilled it, and this time sprinkled the croutons on the top without asking.
    Irving waited until Taurean had had two spoonfuls before he said, “You wanted to see me?”
    “What? Oh, yes.” Taurean put down the spoon. “Charisma said she wants Isabelle to come to her.”
    “What!?”
The incredulous outburst struck her from all sides.
    She covered her face in fear.
    “It’s all right,” Irving said in a soothing tone. “We shouldn’t have shouted. We appreciate your bringing the message. But understand, my dear, we thought Charisma was dead.”
    Taurean peered from between her fingers. “Almost,” she whispered. “That thing bit her. She almost died, but
he
wouldn’t give up. He put her in a cradle in the earth, and she lived.”
    No one seemed to understand that, but it didn’t matter. All three smiled, and Martha clasped her hands at her chest, “Praise God. The Chosen will be so pleased.”
    “No.” Swiftly, Irving turned on her. “Do not tell them!”
    “But, Mr. Shea,” Martha said, “they’ll be so relieved!”
    “Do not try to contact them,” he said sternly.
    “Yes, Mr. Shea.” But she bit her lip and looked rebellious.
    “Where is she?” McKenna asked.
    “In the earth,” Taurean said again. She’d already told them that.
    “Who is
he
?” Martha asked. “The man who wouldn’t give up?”
    “He is our Guardian.”
    Martha frowned as if Taurean were mocking her.
    Irving looked worried. “If Charisma is alive, why does she need Isabelle?”
    “She said to bring Isabelle.” It was the only answer Taurean had.
    “Bring her where?” McKenna asked.
    “Into the earth,” Taurean answered.
    “Into the tunnels?” McKenna clarified.
    “Yes. Into the tunnels.” Taurean enunciated each word, wondering why they didn’t understand. “She was lost. He found her. He saved her. But she wants Isabelle.”
    “Eat your soup.” Irving raised a shaking hand to his chin and stroked it. “You see, Taurean, the trouble is—Isabelle can’t come right now. The Chosen Ones, including Isabelle, are in Switzerland at a bank in a vault deep underground, trying to open a safety-deposit box consigned to the Gypsy Travel Agency.”
    Taurean picked up her spoon. Her fingers were trembling, she noticed. “Why are they doing that?”
    Irving said, “Because if they aren’t successful, in less than a month, the devil will sign the papers that give him a thousand-year lease on the whole world.”

Chapter 10
     
    T he five Chosen Ones and their mates huddled close in the confines of the Swiss bank’s underground steel-lined vault.
    Samuel reflected that there wasn’t enough room to do anything
except
huddle close. The room was long and narrow, cool, and austere, containing only a marble countertop and a safe.
    The bank president, Adelbrecht Wagner, used a handprint reader, a series of voice commands, and a key to open that safe. “There you have it,” he said, as if everything should be easy. Removing a long gray metal box, he placed it on the marble counter. “I will leave you alone now to discover the contents of your safety-deposit box. I hope you have better luck this time than those other times when Samuel visited.”
    “Ha, ha.” Samuel laughed feebly and without humor. He’d been here half a dozen times trying to figure out how to do nothing more complicated than remove the safety-deposit box from the room. Last time, whatever was inside had zapped him so hard he’d been unconscious for a half hour.
    “I will lock you in. This is our highest-security area, and no one is allowed to wander