Eye of the Beholder

by M. D. Grimm

  I took ragged breaths, trembling. I closed my eyes and stumbled against the wall. I dropped my face in my hands and just focused on breathing.

  Cassius moved in front of me, but I kept my face hidden.

  “He needs to die,” I said, my words slightly muffled.

  “That is what the council must decide.”

  I lifted my head and met his gaze.

  “He is a danger to all of us, as we’ve seen,” he said. “Especially you. He went after Dain because of his association with us. He will come after you because of my claim on you. I highly doubt the council will vote to spare his life.”

  “You all are voting on whether to kill him?”

  He smiled slightly. “To be more accurate, we will hunt him. A coordinated effort with all the council’s resources.”

  I blinked. “Good.” I paused. “Are you going to use yourself as bait?”

  “If I must. Whatever puts him in the ground the fastest.”

  I didn’t like it. “If that happens, I want in. Or are you going to try to leave me out of it?”

  He stroked a hand over my hair. “Not my decision. Though between you and me, I doubt the duchess will allow the council to exclude you once we vote.”

  “She better not. She was there when I lost him.”

  Cassius kissed my hands. “I apologize for holding your mind captive.”

  I blew out a breath. “Don’t make it a habit, but I get why you did it.”

  He kissed me and then pulled away. “I need to go.”

  I straightened. So many revelations this night, and my mind was still whirling. “Yeah. Stay safe.”

  He stroked his fingers down my cheek. “You as well. I don’t want to leave you unprotected.”

  “I’m not made of glass.”

  He smiled slightly. “No, I know you’re not.”

  His expression made me think he was remembering my memory nightmare he’d accidentally intruded upon. I kissed him lightly.

  “I’ll wait to hear from you.”

  “Thank you.” He left, and I stared out the window as he drove away.

  Once he was out of sight, I began to tremble, anger pulsing through me again. I spun around and stomped to my shop where there was a punching bag. I made good use of it, kicking and punching mercilessly. I imagined slitting the slayer’s throat with my cuff blades and smelling his blood. Breath ragged, I kept punching until my arms shook, and I slid to the floor. Soaked in sweat, I stayed there a long while, waiting for Cassius to call me.

  It was close to sunrise when Cassius contacted me. Just hearing his voice calmed me. The vote was unanimous—the hunt would begin tomorrow night. Cassius would pick me up and take me to Her Grace’s manor to coordinate the approach. I was relieved to be included, though I knew this was just another step to joining her coven. I wouldn’t be able to be a free agent anymore. Oddly enough that didn’t bother me as much as it did when Nicole called me. I got Marcus Cassius Vespillo out of the deal, so what could I complain about? I could still work for the covens across the world. The werewolves might exclude me, but plenty of other paranormal creatures would still call upon my services. I wasn’t out of the business completely.

  “Do we know where he is right now?” I asked.

  “LA. Her Grace is trying to coordinate the thralls to watch him during the day. The werewolves have proven resistant to helping us since Sanchez appears focused on vampires.”

  I sighed heavily. “Freaking furries. One more slayer dead benefits all of us.”

  “Pack a few bags,” he said, his words beginning to slur. “You’ll be staying with me until the slayer is dealt with.”

  Despite already deciding on this course of action, I couldn’t resist poking him. “So you’re making my decisions now?”

  “Vulcan.” How he managed to punch such power in his voice when he was nearly unconscious was a wonder. “You’re not leaving my sight until the bastard is dead.”

  I smiled slightly. “Yes, Mister Vampire. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  I sat back on my couch and noted everything about my place, wondering when I would return. Would Cassius want to live here? I meant what I said before—I wasn’t giving this place up. This was home, and it was the only solid reminder of Dain that I had. This place and I were his legacy. My heart hurt, and I rubbed my chest. He would be repulsed by my decision. Although he might be happy that I was happy.

  I sighed. Didn’t matter. He was dead.

  I worked on a few more unicorns before eating a quick lunch and packing up a few things. Packing basically involved me throwing random shit in a bag and dragging it with me. But as I headed toward the front door, my phone rang. Huh. Who would be calling me during the day?

  Nicole.

  I caught my breath and dropped the bag. I swallowed hard as I answered.

  “Nic—”

  “Help me! He’s going to kill me! Help!”

  Then we disconnected. I stood there, frozen for a moment before racing out of the door. The absolute terror in her voice had me wishing I had superspeed. I jammed on my helmet and hopped on my motorcycle, peeling down the driveway. I’d head for her store first. I only had a vague idea where she lived.

  Should I try the police?

  My heart raced and my head throbbed as I fumbled for my phone. I went way too fast down the gravel drive and didn’t care a bit. I turned sharply onto the main road and punched in 9-1-1. The operator answered and I tried to tell her clearly what I suspected—that Nicole was being attacked. Of course she wanted more information than I could or wanted to give. And we had to shout to each other over the roaring wind because there was no way I was stopping.

  I clicked off when I was halfway out of Calabasas and a large pickup truck zoomed toward me before swerving to the side, blocking the road. The screech of tires hurt my ears, and I stopped. Dread knotted my gut as adrenaline continued to pump. It was too early for anyone to witness the ambush. I activated my cuff blades and squinted at the truck, the tinted windows hindering my view of the driver.

  Slayer. Had to be. Shit, was it Sanchez?

  My mind raced ahead as I realized the trap I’d fallen into. He must have recorded Nicole’s voice, which meant he had harmed her, but it was only to get me away from the protection of my home.

  The truck window rolled down. I revved my engine. From the shadows of the cab, something streaked out. I didn’t have superspeed so the fucking dart pierced my neck, bypassing the armored jacket. Damn, the bastard was a good shot. I hissed and yanked it out before spinning my motorcycle around and heading back the way I’d come. If I could get him to follow me into the deadly traps around my home…. The numbing effect of the tranq quickly took effect, and I teetered on the bike before sliding off. I hit the pavement hard and rolled a few feet before coming to a jarring stop. My bike wobbled a short ways without me before tipping over and dying.

  Footsteps came closer, then stopped. My vision turned hazy, but I managed to make out the smug grin of my assailant.

  “Don’t worry,” he said with a slight Spanish accent, “you’re more useful alive than dead. Live bait catches more fish, after all. And I love fishing.”

  Cassius.

  Blackness dragged me down.

  Chapter Sixteen

  I woke in chains. I was stripped to my pants, all my weapons taken, and the cold stone floor bit into my bare feet. I gritted my teeth as my head swam, my vision fuzzing in and out. A groan escaped my lips before I could swallow it down.

  “I thought I’d killed you along with your mentor all those years ago. But your rep reached even the Old World. I knew I had to bide my time and lie low until the right moment to strike. When I realized that bloodsucking duchess was on my ass, what else could I do? Seriously, I got more flack for killing one traitorous human than for the dozens of vamps under my belt.”

  I squinted in the dim light. I had no idea where I was and could only make out shapes and the flicker of a TV in the corner, tuned to some
sitcom. An old warehouse, perhaps? How cliché could this guy get?

  “Traitors always get their just deserts.” His voice came from behind me. I grunted when he slapped the back of my head, causing it to snap forward. My already sore head protested painfully, and I took shallow breaths through my mouth to keep from vomiting.

  Santiago Sanchez stepped in front of me, an older Spanish man in his late forties or early fifties and in optimal shape. His hair was a skullcap, his eyes nearly black, and his skin was the healthy brown that came from the combination of DNA and sun. Yet he was ordinary. Nothing about him stood out from the crowd. With the right clothes and attitude, he could simply blend in. A useful trait for a slayer. His keen gaze met mine, and all I saw was smug arrogance and seething hatred.

  He turned his head slightly, and that was when I saw one thing that would make him stand out. Across his neck were two deep scars. I suspected they were made by fangs.

  “He certainly didn’t leave unscathed, I promise you,” Cassius had said.

  I swallowed hard. “What did you do to Nicole?”

  He rolled his eyes. “She was a means to an end. After I sufficiently scared her, I tranq’d her.”

  Thank God. If he was telling the truth. “You should run while you still can, coward.”

  He raised an eyebrow and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Really? That’s the best you can do? I have an ego, kid, but none of your words will affect me. You’re just a feedbag for those bloodsuckers.”

  “If I’m so replaceable, why do you think any of them will come for me?”

  “Because I’ve done my homework. You’re the pet of an ancient, one I’ve been after for half my life.”

  My heart hammered against my ribs, and I struggled to swallow my panic and rage.

  “You got your info wrong, dude. I don’t belong to any vamp. I work for them, sure, but I’m a free agent.”

  “You were a free agent. I would have taken you out in due time, but when your intimate relationship with the Roman vamp reached my ears, I knew it was a gift from God. Why hunt the bastard on his turf when I can bring him to my own?”

  There was no use pretending anymore. I wouldn’t waste my breath.

  “Either way, he will rip your throat out.”

  Sanchez grinned wide and punched me right in the face. Agony crashed through my cheek and blood dripped from my nose. I didn’t think he broke it, thank God.

  “He won’t try unless he wants to watch you die in front of him. I’m sure you’ve noticed that vamps are the possessive kind.” He punched my stomach. As I struggled back the urge to vomit, he sighed in obvious satisfaction. “Been wanting to do that for years.”

  I’d relish barfing on him but I was certain I’d need all the energy I had to survive whatever Sanchez had planned.

  “Why?” I asked, gasping. “What the fuck did I ever do to you?”

  “Personally? Nothing. But anyone who betrays their own species deserves the same fate as their beastly masters. Thralls, feedbags, those like you and Dain, are all the same to me.”

  That told me that any of the duchess’s thralls ordered to surveil him were most likely dead.

  “Monster.”

  He laughed. “Oh, that’s rich, coming from the likes of you. Time to check your history and literature, kid. The monster is the one you let fang you and, more disgustingly, fuck you. The Roman was a butcher even before becoming a vamp. Did you know that? He and his troops were the most vicious auxiliary along the Rhine.”

  “He’s a warrior,” I said, taking careful breaths. “A soldier in wars that neither of us could ever fathom. You have no right to judge him.”

  He snorted. “Pathetic. You make Almighty God and Our Lord Jesus Christ weep, kid. Death is too good for you.”

  I met his gaze, glaring. “Back at you, asshole.”

  He snorted again and turned away, heading back to his TV. As he watched mindless shows, I struggled to free myself. Nothing doing. I was stuck tight. So now what? It was still daytime since Sanchez was so relaxed. But come nightfall… Cassius would come by to pick me up and not find me there. The first thing he’d do would be to reach out telepathically. If I didn’t answer, he’d follow my scent, and Sanchez’s, and come straight here, wherever here was. If I did answer, he’d still track me and end up here. There was no way around it. He would never leave me in the hands of the slayer.

  I would answer and I would warn him.

  Then I wondered how Sanchez would guarantee Cassius came alone. I doubted he could take on an entire coven by himself, no matter how badass he was. Maybe he left a note at my place for Cassius? Threatening that if he didn’t come alone, I’d be dead before the big rescue. I could only speculate.

  It had been early afternoon when he’d captured me but now I had no sense of time. I had no idea the distance between my hours and this factory. The minutes and hours dragged. I became thirsty though my stomach was still queasy. Sanchez ate heartily and often flashed me a smile and smirk, happily neglecting me. I managed to scowl at him each time, though my strength was flagging.

  Standing in one place for hours wasn’t exactly comfortable either. I fidgeted and flexed, the chains rattling with my movements. Sanchez let me squirm, occasionally watching me with amusement.

  An eternity passed before he spoke again. “Showtime.” He walked right up to me with a syringe. I cringed back, knowing it was useless.

  “Can’t have you calling all your fang friends.” He stabbed me in the neck, and I flinched.

  “Son of a fucking bitch!”

  He merely smirked as the drug took quick effect. I soon turned sluggish and drooped, my raw wrists holding more of my weight. With no food in my system, the drug worked faster and hit harder. I could still see and hear just fine, but my brain was mush. My stomach turned into a roiling mess.

  “I also want you compliant for what I have in mind.”

  Vulcan. Cassius’s voice sounded in my mind.

  I struggled to respond but couldn’t focus. I whimpered, and I felt Sanchez step closer to my side.

  “He’s talking to you, isn’t he?” Sanchez said eagerly.

  Cassius pushed further into my brain. I could offer no resistance. Though my barriers were still in place, they didn’t hinder him since we’d shared blood.

  Vulcan, where are you?

  The pressure in my brain intensified until I knew he could see, feel, and hear what I could. I whimpered again.

  Cas, I managed to say. Since he was fully inside my brain now, I didn’t have to try hard.

  “Can you hear me, monster?” Sanchez whispered in my ear. “You remember your old friend from ten years ago?”

  I flinched when fiery rage not my own flooded my mind.

  Sanchez chuckled. “Listen well, bloodsucker. Your pet is dependent on you for his life. Come alone. Come quickly. If you fail at either, I will gut him like a fish and string him up by his intestines. You know I will. I’ve done it before.”

  Sanchez was hardcore devoted, and I hoped it got his throat ripped out.

  You are dead. The cold venom of Cassius’s words sent a shiver down my spine.

  “Is he coming?” Sanchez asked me.

  I said nothing. He gripped my hair and yanked back my head. I opened my eyes and glared at him, though my vision was blurry with tears.

  He smiled. “Good. Also, vampire, look at your pet’s door. You’ll find instructions. Solve the riddle. You have twenty minutes, or I start slicing.”

  Cas, don’t listen to him. Get backup. I knew my thoughts and words were jumbled, but he was still fully in my brain, and he had to understand my intent.

  He didn’t say a thing. Then he was gone. Not even a bit of pressure remained in my head. He’d completely severed the mental connection.

  I took a deep breath, dizzy, my vision spinning every time I opened my eyes.

  “Go to hell,” I slurred.

  “Not before that monster.” Sanchez unchained my wrists and easily held me with one arm wrapped
around my waist. My head lolled to the side, my limbs felt weighed down with lead, and my mouth was slack. What the fuck had he dosed me with?

  He backed us into a dark corner, a long dagger gleaming in his other hand. We waited. I didn’t know what Sanchez meant by a riddle and instructions, and I didn’t doubt for a second he would follow through with his plans to gut me if Cassius failed his little test.

  Even if Cassius did bring backup, they weren’t as fast as he was. And he wouldn’t wait for them. I was his to protect. His to fight for and cherish.

  Vulcan! There he was, brushing against my mind once again.

  Here. I barely managed to concentrate on the words. Drugged. Can’t. Help.

  A snarling roar, reminding me of a tiger, echoed inside my head. I shuddered as a quiet beeping went off on Sanchez’s watch. Or what I thought was a watch.

  “Ah, the monster’s here. And alone. Wonderful. He made good time.” Sanchez raised the dagger to my throat and pressed hard enough for me to feel the prick of the blade but not enough to draw blood. With one flick he could cut my carotid artery, and that would be it. Mere seconds and I’d be dead.

  A low rumbling growl filled the warehouse, steadily coming closer. Bright red eyes gleamed in the dim light, attached to a sleek predator that appeared human but so wasn’t.

  Sanchez moved us out of the shadows, clearly showing Cassius my dire situation. Cassius froze, still growling, eyes locked on us. He bared his teeth, his fangs fully extended, his facial skin stretched thinly over his bones.

  A standoff. Now what?

  Sanchez raised the hand that held me around the waist to his other wrist. To the device I thought was a watch. He hit some button, and the warehouse was abruptly filled with bright light. I flinched and squinted even as an insane roar of the deepest agony screeched across my eardrums.

  It was UV light.

  Cassius screamed his torment as his skin boiled, the stench of burning flesh filling the room. I struggled despite the blade and got nicked for my trouble. Oh dear God.

  “Cas,” I slurred.

  Cassius thrashed around, his pain beyond words, beyond comprehension. Smoke rose up from his body, his clothes burning from the heat of his skin.