Outbreak

by Annabel Chase

  Brittany shook Peter’s hand next. “You’re an odd mix,” she said, studying him.

  “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve heard that,” Peter said.

  “I sense the druid in you,” Brittany said. Her voice was barely audible. “But there’s something else.”

  “We all need that something else that makes us special,” Peter said. He wasn’t about to divulge his Death Bringer heritage to Blackwell and his girlfriend. That information was on a need-to-know basis.

  “Brittany knows all about special,” Blackwell said. “She’s a Samodiva.”

  Now I was really intrigued. Another Samodiva? I remembered what Cato had told me about a Samodiva losing her magic if her hair is cut or damaged and wondered whether that had happened to Brittany. Although she seemed to be trying to recapture her essence with her fake hair and heavy makeup, that ship had clearly sailed. Even her eyes lacked the fire that I’d seen in the trio at the museum.

  “You’re a rarity in this quadrant,” I said.

  “She’s a rarity everywhere,” Blackwell said proudly. He snaked a possessive arm around her waist. “The most special of her kind because she’s mine.”

  “How do you like this part of the world?” I asked. “Is it different from what you’re used to?”

  Brittany cut a glance at her boyfriend, as though she wasn’t sure how to answer. “There were a lot more ponds and rivers where I originally hail from.”

  “Too bad my friend Bryn isn’t here,” I said. “She’s a powerful water witch.” I hoped to see a reaction from Blackwell, but none was forthcoming.

  “I don’t spend much time in the water anymore,” Brittany said. Even her voice was tinged with sadness.

  “She will, though,” Blackwell said. “I built an indoor pool at the house for her. All part of my plan to revive her spirit.”

  Brittany gave a short barking laugh but quickly fell silent, as though she knew the laughter had been a grave mistake. She returned to her spot in front of the window without another word. With her back to us, I realized that her wings had been clipped as well. Whatever had happened to Brittany, I had a feeling she was lucky to be alive.

  “This is a gorgeous building,” I said. “It’s nothing like an office.” And a far cry from the Liberty Project’s sleek headquarters.

  “Thank you,” Blackwell said. “I snapped it up the moment it became available.” He inhaled with unnecessary intensity. “Coming to work inspires me every day. Not to mention that stone is a great insulator. You travel to enough places, you pick up that little architectural nugget.”

  An odd choice of description.

  “It seems like you’ve built quite an empire,” Peter said. “That’s one of the reasons I was so interested to meet with you. I’d like to build a partnership with somebody with real vision.”

  “I have more vision than all my competitors put together,” the manticore said. He sounded so arrogant that I half expected him to pound his chest. “Everyone has preconceived notions about my kind, and I set out to prove them wrong. And now here I am, running a highly successful business across the four quadrants. I make more money than most paranormals dream of.”

  “Congratulations,” I said. “That’s quite an achievement.”

  “I don’t stop with my own empire, though,” Blackwell said. “I make it my mission to give back, to help those in need.”

  Behind him, Brittany snorted and covered the sound with a cough. Blackwell ignored her.

  “I’d like to do more of that,” Peter said. “I admit to getting caught up in my own needs.”

  I smiled. “Self-awareness is one of his better qualities.”

  “One of the things I like about you, in fact,” Peter told Blackwell, “is your association with the Liberty Project. Now there’s a solid organization.”

  Blackwell sauntered over to the marble countertop and picked up a decanter. “You must really have done your homework. That information is highly confidential.”

  Peter didn’t skip a beat. “My research is very thorough. I won’t even consider a relationship with anyone that hasn’t been fully vetted.”

  Blackwell poured himself a drink. “Glad to know I passed the test.” He held up the glass. “Can I interest you in an afternoon delight?”

  “Not for me, thanks,” Peter said.

  I didn’t respond because the question was clearly only meant for Peter. Blackwell seemed ridiculously old-fashioned in his approach to the opposite gender—the type of male who only viewed us as objects, or someone to rescue rather than as capable equals. The receptionist seemed eternally grateful, though, and the girlfriend looked like she’d been through the ringer, so he likely intervened on her behalf as well.

  “The Liberty Project has a lot of value, though I don’t agree with all of their policies,” Blackwell said.

  “Oh no?” I asked. “Which ones?” The question slipped out before I could stop myself.

  Blackwell eyed me curiously. “I’d rather not get political, if you don’t mind.”

  You brought it up, I wanted to say. Instead, I sat quietly for the sake of the mission. And hated it.

  “Who’s your main contact there?” Peter asked. “I deal with Seamus and Angela.”

  Blackwell chortled. “Who doesn’t deal with Seamus and Angela these days? That duo has climbed the ranks and made their mark. If you’d have asked me five years ago, I never would have said either one of their names.” He leaned against the edge of his desk and sipped his drink.

  Peter shifted in his seat, a subtle move, but one I knew indicated that he was about to ask the hard questions. “In terms of importing and exporting, what’s the line you won’t cross? May as well get that out of the way early on, in case we have nothing left to discuss.”

  Blackwell swallowed another mouthful of the magenta liquid and set the glass on the desk. “Straight to the point. I knew I liked you, Zilla.”

  “I’d rather not waste each other’s time,” Peter said. “The business varies in terms of what some companies are willing to do. I’d like to know that you and I are on the same page.”

  Blackwell’s expression hardened. “I’m going to go out on a limb and say that we are.”

  “Great.” Peter rubbed his hands on his thighs. “As I understand it, you’ve got valuable infrastructure involving Terrene. So do I, but I’m guessing in different parts of the quadrant.”

  Brittany moved slowly away from the window. “I’m going out for fresh air, Geddy.”

  He barely glanced at her. “Not too far. You know how tired you get.” She nodded once before slipping into the spiral staircase. Blackwell immediately resumed his conversation with Peter.

  Part of me wanted to continue to sit here and listen in case we could get any information that might lead to Bryn. The other part of me had a strong feeling that Brittany would be willing to talk, especially out of earshot of her overpowering boyfriend.

  “Excuse me,” I interrupted. “Where’s the nearest ladies’ room?”

  Blackwell continued talking to Peter and merely pointed back to the staircase. Peter knew me well enough to figure out my intention.

  I hustled down the narrow, winding steps, careful not to slip. As beautiful as the stone was, falling on them would be particularly painful and unpleasant. The Samodiva’s languid movements made me think I had a strong chance of catching up to her before she disappeared.

  Once I reached the lobby, I glimpsed her unnatural hair as she sailed out the front door. I tried to appear casual as I passed the receptionist. I didn’t want her to alert Blackwell that I was chasing after his girlfriend. That might set off alarm bells.

  I caught up to her as she turned the corner at the side of the building. It was wider and lighter than an alleyway, but it was unclear to me why she would choose this path for fresh air.

  “Brittany,” I called.

  She stopped and turned to face me. “What are you doing?”

  “I wanted to make sure you’re okay,” I said.r />
  She placed a hand on her narrow hip. “Why wouldn’t I be? You heard Geddy. He takes care of me.”

  “Let me help you,” I said. I had no idea how to help her, of course. Not without more information. I just knew something was off about their relationship.

  Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “There’s no point.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Your boss shouldn’t get into business with Geddy,” Brittany said. “He seems like a nice guy and I think he’ll regret it. You certainly will.”

  Brittany’s lips were loosening, so I decided to go all in with my questions. “Do you know anything about three Samodivas that work as mercenaries for the Liberty Project?”

  Shock registered on her face and I knew I’d hit a nerve. “Still three together?”

  “Yes, and I think they’re responsible for kidnapping a young witch? Do you know anything about that?”

  The muscle in Brittany’s gaunt cheek twitched. “You shouldn’t have come here. It’s too dangerous. For both of us.”

  The words came out in a rush. “Bryn’s a good friend. If you know something, please tell me.”

  Brittany gazed at me with tremendous sadness. “I’m so sorry, but you really shouldn’t have come.”

  I pressed on. “I need to know where she is. Please.”

  Brittany turned away. “I fear you’re about to find out.”

  Then something hard cracked against the back of my head and everything went black.

  Chapter Ten

  My eyes blinked open and I immediately realized that my arms were not in their usual position. They were stretched to either side and my wrists were chained to a stone wall. I yanked on both golden chains but to no avail. It was only when I opened my mouth to call for help that I saw it.

  A demon.

  With its charcoal body and burning red eyes, the demon looked fresh out of one of the underworlds. What was it doing in here with me?

  My head swiveled, trying to locate the nearest exit. There were no doors. No windows. Nothing to indicate how the demon and I even arrived in this room.

  The demon’s forked tongue flicked in and out of its mouth. It seemed to notice that I was awake.

  I struggled to break free of the chains. I called to my magic, desperate to escape before the demon reached me. Smoke puffed from its nostrils and, without even knowing its species, I could tell it was preparing to attack.

  I went straight for my fire magic, generating enough heat to transfer it from my skin to the golden chains. Whatever they were made of, they weren’t impervious to fire. I was relieved to see that they were melting. My heart thundered in my chest as the demon launched itself at me. I lifted my legs and pounded my feet into its concave chest. It staggered backward but quickly recovered for another try.

  I remained focused on my magic, pulling more and more heat to the chains until they were nothing more than liquid pools on the floor. The demon bolted for me and I threw out my hands, creating a wall of fire between us. The creature failed to stop in time, stepping right into the center of the flames. Its body began to burn and it flailed and howled until its body became as dry as a husk. It finally cracked into pieces and dropped in a pile of charcoal dust.

  The fire wall dissipated and I clutched my chest, struggling to regain my composure. What just happened? Where was I?

  I ran to the nearest wall and banged my fists on the slick white surface. “Let me out!”

  The wall in front of me evaporated, leaving a shimmering transparent barrier in its place. As I raised a hand to summon my magic, a figure stepped into view. Her brown hair was cropped fashionably short and she wore a black jumpsuit with several gold bracelets and high heels.

  “Well done, Number Five,” the woman said. “We were pleasantly surprised by your talents. Most unexpected.”

  My jaw clenched. “Let me out.” I forced out each word, ready to explode with anger.

  “I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” she said. “I’m Sheila, by the way. I get credit for you, so rest assured I’ll take good care of you, especially now that I’ve seen you in action.”

  I gaped at her. “You get credit for me? What does that even mean? Open this wall and release me now, or you’re going to have serious regrets.”

  Sheila smiled, displaying her fangs. I should have known she was a vampire. She was far too fancy and self-assured to be anything else.

  “You’re as feisty as you are beautiful,” Sheila said. “This is a good thing, Number Five. The more attractive ones are always more desirable.” Her fingers lightly stroked the dip of her throat. “I should know.”

  “Stop calling me a number,” I said. “My name is Danielle Montrose….”

  Sheila held up a hand to stop me. “I don’t care who you were, fire witch. Your life as you know it is over. You’re Number Five now.” With the flick of a finger, the white wall returned and she was gone.

  I threw my forearms against the wall and screamed in anguish. Every time I tried to conjure a spell or summon my magic, it was as though I was an ordinary human, which made no sense because I’d just defeated the demon using magic. The walls had to be enchanted.

  I spun around, looking for any sign of weakness in the room. My hands touched every surface within reach. I examined every crack in the floor. I punched. I kicked. I called to my magic again.

  Nothing.

  Where was I and why was I here? I remembered what the Samodiva had said before I was knocked unconscious. Was Bryn here? Were our friends searching for us? I thought of Cerys and her time trapped in the underworld with a demon. Had these same thoughts raced through her mind when she’d first been taken?

  “Let me out now!” I screamed.

  A slim line glimmered in the wall just above the floor and a tray of food slid across to me. That quickly, the line disappeared.

  I studied and sniffed the contents of the tray. I doubted there was any poison. If they’d wanted to kill me, they could easily have done so by now. And Sheila had said she’d take good care of me, for her own purposes, but still.

  I gobbled down the food and water as though I hadn’t eaten for weeks. Truth be told, I had no idea how long I’d been here. Although it only felt like hours, it could have been days. There was no way to tell.

  The moment I finished, the thin portion of the wall disappeared again and the tray was sucked through to the other side as though a magnet were pulling it. Then the wall reappeared.

  “What now?” I yelled, spinning in a circle. I had a feeling someone was watching me, but I didn’t know from which angle. “Any more demons to fight today or was that just a taster session?”

  “Not today, Number Five,” a disembodied voice said. A male. “We needed to test your ability to think quickly and under pressure. Your presence here was unplanned.”

  “Why am I here?” I asked. “Is Bryn here?”

  “There are no names here,” the voice said. “Only numbers.”

  “Sheila is a name, you wereass,” I shot back. A light chuckle followed my declaration. At least the disembodied voice had a sense of humor.

  It was then that I felt the effects of whatever sedative they’d slipped into the food. Not poison at least. I moved quickly to the wall and pressed my back against it, so that I didn’t fall and bang my head. I had to keep my wits about me to the best of my ability.

  My eyelids grew heavy as I slid down the wall. I didn’t feel the slightest twinge of pain as my tailbone slammed against the hard floor. My mouth opened to yell once more, but no sound came out as I promptly drifted into unconsciousness.

  “Number Five is awake,” a voice said.

  I stirred and tried to focus on the source of the sound. I was in a different room now, with my wrists and ankles strapped to a long table. A quick survey of the room revealed dozens of machines and devices that all looked designed for torture.

  Sheila stood at the foot of the table, studying me. Instead of a black pantsuit, she now wore a boxy red jacket wit
h matching wide-legged trousers and a white blouse. Her deep red lipstick made her pale skin appear even paler.

  “We’d like to run a few tests today,” Sheila said. “Decide how to proceed with you.” She patted my shin. “Try not to let me down.”

  I did the only thing I could do from this position. I spit. It didn’t reach her, of course, but it came close enough. Laughter erupted behind Sheila.

  “I warned you she’d make your life difficult,” a familiar voice said, and my heart soared.

  “You’re doing quite enough of that all on your own,” Sheila said, remaining fixed on me.

  “Bryn?” I called.

  “I’m here, Dani,” she replied. “Not quite the spa treatment I was hoping for. They’re a bit cheap with the scented oils.”

  I was both relieved and horrified to realize that Bryn was in the same place. “Is it just us?” I asked.

  “In this room, yes,” Sheila replied. “But not in this facility.”

  “What exactly is this facility?” I asked. If she was in the mood to talk, I was ready to pepper her with questions.

  Sheila clasped her hands together. “It’s called the Fortress.”

  “Ten points for originality,” Bryn called. “That’s out of a hundred points, by the way. Just to make my disappointment clear.”

  Sheila refused to look over her shoulder at Bryn. “Your disappointment is of no consequence. Make no mistake, Number One, you’re not a guest here.”

  “I feel bad for whoever’s called Number Two,” Bryn said. “That’s got to suck.”

  Sheila bristled and I sensed that she was losing patience with the water witch. Knowing Bryn, her irritating behavior was part of a bigger plan.

  “Why are we in here?” I asked. “The other room was far more comfortable.”

  Sheila inched closer to me. “I told you. It’s time for testing.”

  I craned my neck to see the details of my table, but I couldn’t see anything other than the enchanted restraints. Now that Sheila had changed position, I had a full view of Bryn. She was hanging from a bar affixed to the wall. Her wrists were attached to two U-shaped metal pieces that hung from either end of the bar. It was only when I noticed the block beneath her feet that I understood why she wasn’t crying out in pain.