She Marches Through Fire (November Snow Book 3)

By A.M. Manay

Read the final installment of the award-winning November Snow Series!
November awakes to find a world that has changed more than she can comprehend. The human government now knows of the existence of supernatural creatures, and the fatal betrayal at the end of Book 2 has left her deeply grieving. A stubborn and painful injury threatens November's life as it saps her strength and suppresses her psychic abilities. Her old captor Luka has the sole power to heal her, and he is, of course, more than happy to use that fact to his advantage.
November struggles to cope with both her ill health and her profound grief as she embarks on a supernatural road trip with the vampire world's most charming and dysfunctional family. She and her companions seek two treasures: an antidote to the poison that is slowly killing her, and an ancient fairy weapon known as "the scepter." A prophesy indicates that November may have to wield this object's great power, which always comes at a terrible cost. When the U.S. military threatens the peaceful supernatural/human community known as Eden, and her brother William works to provoke a war with the human race, November must decide if she is willing to pay the scepter's price.
Friend and stranger alike may be doomed, unless . . .
She Marches Through Fire.
This story contains occasional strong language, supernatural violence, and some sexual content.
She Marches Through Fire is the second sequel to She Dies at the End, which was selected as a
Bronze Medalist in the 2016 Readers' Favorite Book Awards, Supernatural Category
Finalist in the 2016 IAN Book of the Year Awards
Nominee for Rave Reviews Book Club 2016 Book of the Year
Nominee in the category of Best Children's/Young Adult in the 2016 Hot off my Kindle Awards

• Language: English
• Publisher: A.M. Manay
• Release date: Mar 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370171118

A.M. Manay

A.M. Manay writes page-turning, character-driven fantasy with a Bay Area sensibility. In addition to her work as an indie author of supernatural fiction, Manay is a former inner-city chemistry teacher, a singer, a yoga enthusiast, a Clerk of Session in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and a mother through domestic open adoption. She has a passion for increasing diversity in popular culture and for strong heroines who stand up for themselves, make their own decisions, and don't depend on romance as their reason for being.

Book preview

I would not be able to write my books without the love and support of my husband, my son, and all my friends and family. I am so grateful to my readers who enjoyed the earlier books in this series. My thanks goes as well to my subscribers and beta readers who help me make my work as perfect as possible. I am also thankful for my fellow independent for their help, encouragement, and advice. Finally, I give thanks for my excellent proofreaders and fellow authors Pandora Spocks and Patient Lee.

November's Vampire Bloodline

List of Principal Characters

Birch

Fairy, William's right hand, son of Hazel, father of Pine, husband of Rose. Can control fire. A tall Black man with bright green hair.

Bertrand

Fairy spymaster, formerly employed by Luka.

Charles

Werewolf leader in Eden. White with gray hair, tall and slender.

Carlos

Werewolf child who survived captivity by Luka, informally adopted by Zinnia.

Emil

Vampire, son of Ilyn, estranged from the family. Tall, broad, and white, with white hair. Originally from Eastern Europe.

Gregory

Vampire, son of Savita, formerly employed by William. Black, tall, average build with close-cropped black hair.

Gul

3000 year old fairy, known as The Desert King, husband of Raina. Has hiding power. Very tall, with red/orange hair and eyes.

Hazel

1200 year old fairy. Ilyn's right hand. Mother of Birch, grandmother of Pine. Powerful healer. Originally from Ethiopia. Has long, dark green hair, usually in braids.

Hector

Werewolf who survived captivity by Luka. Pine's partner. Young, tall, Latino.

Holly

Fairy, former Chief of Staff for the U.S. Secretary of State. Secretly worked for Luka. Fair with deep red hair.

Ilyn

Recently deposed vampire king. Marisha's progeny and husband. Maker of Emil, Savita, William, and November. Known as The Scourge. Has dark hair and a facial scar. Originally from central Asia.

Jaime Alvarez

A human FBI agent of Mexican heritage. Medium height and build, dark hair.

Lilith

Traitorous former employee of Ilyn. Deceased.

Lilje

Ancient fairy queen, Gul's first wife, a former incarnation of November. Scandinavian, deceased 1000 years.

Luka

Vampire, son of Marisha. Rebelled against Ilyn to take the throne of the vampire/fairy kingdom. Has dark brown hair and mismatched eyes. Originally from Italy.

Malcolm

A fairy resident of Eden and proponent of revelation.

Marisha

Ilyn's maker and wife. Deceased 200 years.

Marisol/Esther

William's deceased vampire progeny and wife of several centuries. Severely injured in a bombing. Killed by Hazel. Referred to as both Esther and Marisol.

Nigel/Philip

Vampire and demon, son of Marisha. Has finding ability, works for Luka. Tall, slender, blond, and English.

November

Psychic demon. Ilyn turned her most recent human incarnation into a vampire. Pale with black hair and dark blue eyes.

Pine

Fairy warrior, previously in William's employ, son of Birch and Rose, has power of illusion. Hector's partner. Half white / half Black with blond hair and amber eyes. Medium height and build.

Raina

Vampire, daughter of Marisha, wife of Gul. Former queen of Persia. Fair with dark hair. Originally from Eastern Europe.

Rose

Fairy, previously employed by William, wife of Birch, mother of Pine.

William

Vampire, former Lord of California, son of Ilyn, maker of Marisol and Agnes (both deceased). Husband of Marisol. Short and stocky with red hair. Originally from Scotland.

Savita

Telepathic demon and vampire. Daughter of Ilyn, maker of Gregory. Has the ability to enthrall supernatural creatures. Short, very slender, originally from India.

Zinnia

Young fairy, November's best friend, empath, adoptive mother to Carlos. Half Japanese / half white with blue hair and eyes.

Zara

Human leader in Eden. African-American.

Chapter 1

Ilyn disappears in a cloud of ash.

Marisha's mouth opens as William plunges a stake into her silk-clad back, straight through her whalebone corset. His eyes are vacant as his mother turns to dust.

A mushroom cloud erupts over the water. A bird vanishes in a flash of blinding light.

William raises his pistol and aims it at the President. Luka's men follow suit. Birch drags William out of the chamber as pandemonium erupts. They disappear into the crowd outside. They stop to help no one.

Greg and Pine run into the Capitol as everyone else runs out. They calmly take out one gunman after another while Congressmen and Senators scream and run and hide under their chairs. Hector and Jaime tend to the walking wounded outside, the Washington Mall full of dazed survivors.

Holly stands in an office surrounded by agents with guns drawn. She laughs when they tell her to put up her hands.

The sound of airplanes fills the air. Death screams through the sky. Missiles cut through the clouds. Luka's domain erupts in an inferno, flames consuming it all, every tree blackened, every scream soon silenced. Nigel runs, the night sky lit red behind him.

People stand silently in a bar, staring at smartphone footage of the President and November disappearing into thin air. The television blares. A newscaster with a two day beard and dark circles under his eyes speaks solemnly to the camera. A sketch of Luka appears on the screen, followed by a satellite photo of a nuclear detonation over the sea.

The President huddles with advisors in a situation room.

Savita is alone, kneeling in the dirt, screaming, her eyes wild, her clothing torn, falling ash turning her black hair gray. Luka approaches her carefully. She bares her fangs.

Raina sharpens a knife, grim-faced.

November screams.

Ilyn disappears in a cloud of ash.

A bump jostled her into wakefulness. A roar filled her ears, and her head and leg both throbbed in time with it. It wasn't until she felt another large bump and heard the squeak of old shocks that she realized that she was in a vehicle.

She struggled to open her eyes. What looked to be the ceiling of an old van swam before her. As she finally focused, she could see rust around the rivets.

November opened her mouth and forced out a hoarse, Hello? Is anyone there?

A familiar voice cut through the road noise.

Welcome back, kitten.

***

Two days earlier . . .

She needs your blood, Greg, Pine said as he looked down at November's still form on the floor of a cheap motel room. Plus a lot of human blood. A whole hell of a lot.

How are we going to get her to swallow it, though? Greg asked. We could barely get anything into Ilyn when he was like this. We were using a damned eye dropper. He began rolling up his sleeve, nevertheless.

If someone can swipe me some medical supplies, I can run a feeding tube up her nose, Hector suggested. At Gul's questioning look, he added, I'm a nurse. Or I was. It's hard to keep up with your continuing education from Luka's dungeon. But I think I am still capable of getting a tube into her stomach.

Gul nodded. I'll be right back. His speed nearly took the door off its hinges. Less than a minute later, he reappeared and dumped a garbage bag full of medical odds and ends onto the flowered bedspread. Will this do? I don't actually know what any of this is used for.

Hector began sorting through the pile and nodded. I can work with this. Sit, he ordered Greg.

A moment later, crimson vampire's blood was flowing into a bag. While he waited for it to fill, Hector knelt next to November and carefully placed the tubing to her stomach.

This feels so strange. Like working on a dead person, he muttered. Poor thing.

Greg's bag of blood was soon full and running slowly through a tube and down November's throat. Hector played phlebotomist once more, taking a donation from an ashen-faced Jaime.

You sure you're up for this, man? Hector asked the sole human being in their company.

Yeah, Jaime nodded. Whatever she needs.

Someone will have to go looking for more human blood, Greg pointed out. She's lost a great deal, and he won't be able to give again, he continued with a nod toward Jaime. And we need to start driving to Atlanta. Or at least, I do. My mother . . . Things could be very bad down there, he concluded worriedly.

I stole some blood along with the supplies, Gul assured him. It's in the bag at the bottom of the pile. Gregory, you can rest in the back of the van I also just stole. It looks reasonably light-tight. The rest of you follow in the car, and we make haste to Atlanta. We need Raina's help to get this bullet out of her. I fear it has fragmented. Unless your skills include surgery, Hector?

The werewolf shook his head.

Then we are off.

***

Raina perched in a treetop with a good view of what was left of her brother Luka's compound. The heat pressed against her as one explosion after another obliterated every building on the site. The trees, dry from drought, were now catching fire. Sirens wailed as fire fighters scrambled to contain the blaze. Thanks to Luka's love of isolation, it appeared to Raina that the fire would not threaten any of his neighbors.

She had watched the fight between Luka and Savita, Savita's rage telling her the news of Ilyn's death before her husband had even texted her with the update. She had witnessed her siblings' desperate dive into the Oubliette and now waited for the fire to die down enough for her to retrieve them.

She knew she would need Luka's help to handle Savita until her son arrived. After that, she knew not what Luka's fate would be, or should be.

There was not much to burn in the old slaves' graveyard, and soon the blackened land was clear of flames. Racing the human search teams that she was sure were poised to ransack the vampire terrorist's headquarters, Raina dove through the air faster than the missiles that had so recently rained down from the sky. She smiled, pleased as ever that fate had made her a flyer so many centuries earlier.

She slowed enough to land precisely and looked down into the Oubliette's depths. Need a ride? she asked the two pained faces looking up at her from the muddy bottom.

A laugh escaped Luka's lips, a strange laugh heavy with grief and surprise and suppressed anger. If you please, he finally managed to reply, executing a graceful bow.

Savita made no reply at all. She seemed almost frozen with shock, the rage now knocked out of her by the flames and the fall. Raina saw in Luka's expression that he found Savita's catatonia more worrisome than her homicidal fury had been.

Soon Raina had a sibling dangling from each hand, and she swiftly rose away from the site of Luka's defeat. She had reason to hurry: the sky blushed pink toward the east. She landed in the backyard of a house one of the youngsters from back home had rented for her using one of those websites, or apps, or whatever they were called.

To bed, she ordered Luka and Savita. We'll figure out the rest at dusk. I'll wake up first, so don't even think about trying to run off, either one of you.

I think I'll rest out here, Savita murmured to herself. Luka and Raina exchanged a troubled look.

Raina took her sister's shoulders. Greg will be here by the time you wake up, darling, Raina said in a more soothing tone of voice. Come inside and curl up with me, okay? It's been a long time, hasn't it? Wouldn't it be nice? Like old times, in the tents with the cozy rugs I used to make? Remember that?

Savita nodded and allowed her sister to take her arm. The two of them disappeared through the screen door on the back porch, leaving Luka alone in the yard with the rising sun.

***

Luka exhaled in relief that Savita had allowed herself to be led inside without too much difficulty. He stood and studied the house's peeling siding, weighing his options, none of them good. At last, he shrugged and followed his sisters inside, just ahead of the dawn.

He found his sisters in the finished, windowless basement. Savita was already half-asleep, curled up on an old sofa, her head in Raina's lap.

I thought you might run, came Raina's sardonic voice.

So did I, Luka answered wearily. But where would I go? And if I'm to die for my sins when the sun goes down, I'd rather spend my last day resting with my sisters than sleeping alone, he confessed.

He sat down on the orange shag carpet in front of the couch and tentatively rested his head against Raina's knee, prompting a surprised glance downward from his eldest sister. He took out his phone and found a brick with a smashed screen. He tossed it aside.

What actually happened in D.C.? Luka asked with a sigh. Can you tell me that much?

Raina supposed that giving him the short version wouldn't do any harm. Our little princess dropped your nuke over the ocean. After William shot her and killed Ilyn.

His head snapped around. William? he breathed, disbelieving. I knew he was a piece of work, but I didn't think he had it in him to go against the old man.

A wild moan began in Savita's throat at the news that her brother had killed their maker.

Oh, honey, I shouldn't have said that. I thought you were already asleep, Raina fussed.

Luka turned and laid a comforting hand on Savita's arm, handing her a pristine handkerchief that had, somehow, emerged unsullied by recent events.

Shhh, he whispered. We'll take care of you. I'll even help you go after him if you want to, when you're ready. William is a dead man walking.

You don't understand. It's all my fault! Savita cried. She closed her eyes tightly, as though willing herself to disappear.

How could it possibly be your fault? Raina countered.

Because I knew what he did, and I didn't tell anyone. I was afraid of what would happen, Savita sobbed. Blood ran in rivers down her face. Luka's handkerchief was soon soaked through. And now he's done it again, and I could have stopped him if I hadn't been so stupid and weak.

"You are neither stupid nor weak. What are you talking about, Savu akka?" Luka asked. He tried to keep his tone even, to ignore the cold pit in his stomach.

You're going to hate me, Savita replied, now pulling at her hair. You're both going to hate me forever.

I couldn't possibly, Luka assured her. He hoped he wasn't lying.

It can't be that bad. Just have out with it, and you'll feel better, and we can all rest, Raina urged Savita. Luka waited for the ax to fall.

I knew, Savita finally confessed. I knew what William was capable of. I knew because William killed Mother.

A terrible silence filled the room, the calm before the storm.

Raina made a terrible sound, and her hand flew up as though she could stuff the whimper back into her mouth. Luka stiffened, his free hand clenching into a fist as he struggled to control himself. He forced himself to his feet and fled to the other side of the room, lest he injure his favorite sister. He closed his eyes, and behind the lids he saw himself kneeling by Marisha's ashes, screaming. He opened them to find he'd punched several holes into the wall. He looked down at his knuckles and saw that he'd gone clear through to the dirt.

Finally, Savita's voice pierced his pain, and he began to register her words again. She kept saying the same thing over and over. You should kill me. I deserve it. You should kill me.

Somehow, her grief quenched his own rage, and a strange, heavy peace fell over him. He crossed back over to Savita's side and knelt down. No, he said quietly, shaking his head. I don't want to. His words only made her weep more.

Luka then pulled her off of the couch and into his own lap. He wrapped his arms around her. Savita sobbed while Raina pulled her knees to her chest and set her chin upon them, staring at the damaged faux wood paneling, her lips pressed tight, her eyes dry and bright with anger.

Just tell me, Luka urged Savita. Just tell me all of it. Have it done.

Savita took several deep breaths in her apparent effort to comply, and it all began to pour out, a secret kept for centuries.

I saw it in William's thoughts at the end of Mother's funeral. When I confronted him, he swore it had been an accident, that he had lost his temper. He seemed so remorseful; he was weeping like a child. I wanted to believe him. He begged me not to tell. I knew if I did, it would mean war. It would tear the family apart, you two and Ilyn going after him, alone or together. Everyone would have to choose sides, fairies included. I feared it would be a bloodbath . . . She shuddered before forcing herself to continue. I couldn't face the idea of losing anyone else. So I kept it secret, and I kept an eye on William all the time. I thought that if I was with him, I could keep him in check.

Is that why you stayed with him in California afterwards, instead of coming with me when I asked you to? Luka asked. He well remembered how he had felt when she'd told him of that decision. He'd been depressed for a year.

Yes, Savita answered miserably. I thought I had to stay close. I suppose part of me must have suspected that his remorse wasn't real. But the years went by, and he seemed to behave so well. He acted so loving. I thought it really had just been a momentary lapse. The tears began to flow anew. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry!

"Oh, akka, Luka sighed. I'll save my rage for the one who deserves it. You're suffering enough for your mistake as it is. You being who you are, you couldn't have chosen any differently. You like peace too much to choose war."

Raina spoke at last, though her voice was little more than a whisper. I'm not as angry with you as I should be, either, Savita. Honestly. It was an impossible position to be in. We were all such a mess when she died. Raina reached down a tentative hand to touch her sister's hair.

I still want to die, Savita whispered.

I know, Luka said. I forbid it, he added with a tight smile.

After a few more minutes of quiet weeping, Savita, mercifully, fell asleep.

I wonder if I even remember how, Raina commented in an off-hand way, looking down at her siblings.

How to what? Luka asked.

How to rain down vengeance upon my enemies, she said with a grin. The smile failed to reach her eyes.

Chapter 2

Hector was coming out of his skin, buzzing with rage. Do you honestly expect me to just sit here and let Luka sleep when I could be tearing his throat out? he demanded. Pine stood helplessly, knowing there was nothing he could do or say to lighten Hector's burden.

That is precisely what I expect you to do, was Gul’s even-toned reply.  

And shouldn't we be calling the in the feds? He committed a terrorist act against the human government, Jaime insisted. At some point, he has to answer for that. He could still have co-conspirators out there doing God knows what. We're harboring a fugitive at the top of the most wanted list. Until a few days ago, I carried a badge. I know I don't have any authority here, but this whole scenario makes me seriously uncomfortable.

November's been poisoned, we suspect with something William got from one of Luka’s people.  We need the antidote.  We may also need Luka's blood. For now, we need him alive and with us. And there is no human jail that could hold him, Gul explained patiently.

He murdered everyone I ever cared about! Hector growled.

And a great many others besides, Gul acknowledged.  And I hope one day to help you get justice.  But today is not that day.  November's life is worth more than vengeance. Gul paused before adding, I intend to make Luka pay dearly for any mercy he gets today, I assure you.

Hector took a deep breath and ran both hands through his shaggy hair.  Pine placed a hand on his love's lower back.  You're right, Hector finally sighed.  But I don't like it.  Just keep him the hell away from me.  The werewolf then stalked out of the basement, taking out his anger on the stairs and rattling the whole house. Pine winced at each angry footfall.

He’s not going to be the last person you have to talk out of killing him tonight, I suspect, dear husband, Raina pointed out sleepily.  The eldest vampire in the room, she had just woken, a bit ahead of the others. She quickly disentangled herself from her still-slumbering siblings.

She gave Gul a peck on the cheek and crossed the room to a large suitcase from which she removed an ancient-looking leather case and a pair of black calfskin gloves.  Maybe seeing him in this will cheer Hector up.

Gul shook his head.  Woman, is there anywhere you don’t haul that along?

Well, this time it’s actually useful! she retorted.  We don’t want Luka slithering off before we’re done with him, do we?

Gul nodded, and his wife quickly gloved her hands and locked her brother into a set of antique silver stocks.  She closed them first around his ankles, then reached for his hands and pulled his inert form forward, binding his wrists into the diabolical device. She searched him for weapons and pulled out his fairy-forged dagger in its leather sheath.

I remember this thing, she sighed. Nasty bit of work. She hung the sheath on her belt, stood straight, removed the gloves, and looked down next at her sister.  

Savita was in a bad way this morning.  I don’t imagine dusk will find her much better, she reported to the others.

Greg is sleeping in the van.  Hopefully he will be able to console her in her grief, Gul answered.

It isn’t just that, unfortunately, Raina sighed.  Apparently, William did not just murder his own maker. He also slew mine.  Savita knew and kept his secret, to her now eternal regret.

Pine whispered, Holy shit. William killed Queen Marisha?

Gul's eyebrow met his hairline, and he shook his head.  What a tangled mess.

We excel at that in my family, Raina replied.  I can’t even manage to hate Savita properly for keeping her mouth shut.  William, on the other hand . . . William is in for a reckoning.  Her normally cheerful eyes burned.

As I told Hector, justice is, unfortunately, a job for another day, Gul said gently.  He pulled his wife toward him, and she consented to rest her head briefly against his shoulder.

Speaking of Hector, I’d better check on him, Pine worried aloud.

Could you carry Savita out to the van while you're at it? Raina asked. And shake Greg awake. She's going to need him when she rises.

Pine placed Savita over his shoulder and bounded up the stairs two at a time. After the handoff to Greg, he found his boyfriend in the backyard, taking an ax to a tree stump. Chips flew into the air. The western sky was all pinks and oranges behind him.

Hey, Pine called. He was careful to stay out of ax range.

Hector left the blade embedded in the wood and turned around to face Pine. Hey.

Pine crossed the grass and embraced the larger man. Hector buried his face in Pine's neck before whispering, I can't do this. I can't look at his smirking face and not bash it in.

Yeah. I know. I think we should split up. You and I can go with Greg and Savita, take her to Eden to recover. Let Gul and Raina deal with Luka and finding a cure for November. We'll be more nimble and attract less attention in smaller groups.

I don't want November to think I abandoned her, Hector replied, his voice now stronger. She saved my life.

She won't think that. I'm pretty sure she'll understand better than anyone. She was there, after all. She saw what Luka did to your people.

Hector took a shuddering deep breath. Fair enough.

Raina has Luka clapped in silver. Looks like some kind of a medieval torture device. It's kind of nice to see the tables turned on the smug bastard, Pine tentatively offered. You could go throw rocks at him or something. Knives from the kitchen. Furniture. Whatever comes to mind.

You fairies, always looking on the bright side, Hector said, managing a weak smile.

***

Luka woke, and he jerked as he registered the presence of the silver bindings holding him helpless on the floor. He looked up at his companions: Pine, Hector, Raina, and Gul.

Oh, dear, he commented, voice bleak.

Tide has turned a bit, you worthless bastard, Hector spat, unable to resist the urge to needle the man he despised.

Indeed, it has, Luka admitted. The wheel of fortune does turn. One day at the top, and the next . . . Well, here we are. Are you going to torture me, Hector? Make me beg for death? he mocked, widening his eyes in fake fear.

He wouldn't stoop to your level, Pine replied tensely.

Luka looked from Pine to Hector and back again before a grin spread over his face without reaching his eyes. "My, my. How deliciously perverse. Whatever will your Grandma Hazel say? Did you know that she used to keep a werewolf head mounted on the wall of her bedroom? You have to do some kind of special magic on it so it doesn't turn back into a human one when the creature dies. I'm not really familiar with the details. At any rate, it was quite the conversation piece. Do you suppose she still has it stashed somewhere? In some ratty storage facility in the suburbs or something? Can you imagine? That would make a very special episode of Storage Wars, don't you think?"

Shut up, murderer, Hector ordered, his hands balling into fists. His knuckles glowed white against his brown skin.

And speaking of murderers, dear Pine, has Hector told you how old his father was when I so cruelly had him slain?

A cloud crossed Pine's face.

He hasn't? Luka continued. Well, that should make for an interesting tale, indeed, but I don't think you'll much enjoy it. Might give you bad dreams. You know, if fairies slept.

I know how old Carlos was when you murdered his family and stole his childhood, Pine managed to reply, in a voice that shook, much to Luka's satisfaction. You're vile.

Tell me, Hector, do you mutts still leave your defective children to the elements? Poor little cripples who'll never turn— freezing to death in the snow, or burning up with thirst? Mauled by vermin? Pecked at by razor-beaked birds before they even expire? Luka had dropped his pretense of jocularity, his fangs now peeking out of his snarl.

Enough, Raina declared. I need to see to November, and I may need Luka's help. Savita may need him as well, if Greg will allow it. Nobody is torturing or killing anybody today.

What's wrong with November? Luka demanded, the hostility suddenly gone from his voice, replaced by concern bordering on fear.

I told you, William shot her, Raina said impatiently.

So, you pull the bullet out, and she heals. What's the problem? Luka asked, increasingly agitated. Even a baby can take a bullet or three.

Gul and Raina exchanged a look. William poisoned the bullet, which shattered in her leg, Gul finally explained. Some exceptionally strong werewolf toxin. I believe you're familiar with it, since he got it from one of yours, he added pointedly. It would be quite helpful if you could give us the antidote.

Luka was heartsick. "I had plenty of it.