Soulless at Sunset

by Deanna Chase

  “It was. It’s been empty for the past forty years. Or it was empty.” That chilling expression was back on his face, and I had no doubt he was imagining the slow death of whoever had abducted Pandora.

  “Did Nicola see anyone else with her?” I asked. “Willow or Talisen?”

  “No.”

  My heart sank a little, but I wasn’t surprised. Willow hadn’t seen Pandora either.

  Allcot yanked the wheel, and we turned onto River Road. He sped up, taking the curves as if we were flying around a speedway.

  I tightened my grip on the door handle and secretly wished he’d go even faster. The vampire’s reflexes were legendary. If anyone could maintain control of a car, especially one as nice as his BMW, it was him.

  Suddenly Allcot took a left turn down a tree-lined gravel road. The vegetation was overgrown, and when the house came into view, it was no surprise to find the paint was peeling, the porch was sagging, and most of the windows were broken. The grand old dame’s glory days were definitely behind her.

  Allcot slammed on the brakes, causing the car to skid to a stop. A second later, he was out of the BMW, moving so fast toward the house he was little more than a blur. I let Link out of the back seat. He immediately ran off to inspect the grounds while I took my time, glancing around at the surroundings. There were partial tire tracks in the mud at the edge of the gravel drive. Someone had left an empty forty-ounce bottle of Bayou Reserve, the malt liquor heavily favored by the New Orleans shifter population, on the porch, and there was a pile of cigarette butts in a bucket in the neglected raised flowerbed. The place might appear to be deserted, but shifters had definitely been here in the recent past. The cigarettes and the beer bottle said it all. Vampires didn’t smoke, and if they drank they indulged in red wine and fine spirits.

  I paused on the porch, my skin prickling. Something wasn’t right. But I couldn’t put my finger on what it might be. An eerie feeling washed over me, and I scanned the area one more time.

  Nothing. No shifters. No vamps. No witches.

  Still, the feeling only intensified. I reached for my dagger, which was tucked into my waistband, with one hand and grabbed my sun agate with the other. If a shifter, vampire, or fellow witch came after me, I was prepared.

  “Link,” I called.

  The wolf appeared from behind the house and jumped up onto the porch.

  “Keep guard on the house. If you see anyone, warn us.”

  The wolf started to pace the porch, and I took that as a sign he’d understood my instructions.

  I strode into the house, the spongy wood floors creaking under my weight. It was easy to see the place had been beautiful in its day, with the delicate floral wallpaper and sweeping grand staircase. Only now the discolored wallpaper had turned yellow and the moth-eaten pink velvet couch had more holes than a honeycomb. Trash was scattered in one corner, and there was so much water damage mold was growing around the windowsills.

  Careful not to touch anything, I quickly made my way from room to room. When it was clear the bottom floor was empty, I climbed the creaky stairs. The second floor was just as empty as the first. I eyed the second set of rotting stairs that led to the third floor and prayed they wouldn’t collapse under my weight.

  It didn’t take long to find Eadric. He was standing in the doorway of one of the bedrooms, his head bowed. I made my way to him and pressed my hand to his back, knowing he would have heard me long before he felt me.

  “What did you find?” I asked.

  “She was here. Now she’s not. They knew, Kilsen. They fucking knew Nicola cast the tracing spell.”

  Fear seized my heart as I thought of Willow. “They knew? How?”

  “Fuck if I know. But look.” He dropped his arm, giving me access to the room.

  I stepped around him and let out a gasp as I read the words on the far wall.

  Welcome to your living hell, Allcot. Pinned below the spray-painted words was the see-through lacy black bustier and skirt Pandora had been wearing the night before at the gala. I’d recognize the outfit anywhere. That slit was so high it was indecent. Only a vampire would have enough gall to try to pull it off.

  “I’ll fucking kill them all, Kilsen,” Allcot said, his body vibrating with agitation.

  “Not if we kill you first,” a muffled voice sounded from somewhere overhead.

  Both of our heads snapped up, searching for the voice. I spotted the tiny speaker mounted in the corner just as Allcot let out a growl that ricocheted off the walls. I ran out into the hallway, quickly checking each of the rooms for whoever appeared to be listening in on us, but found no one.

  Allcot was right, they’d set us up and were likely watching us from somewhere nearby. But the bayou was vast and had many remote areas. They could be just about anywhere, and finding them wouldn’t be easy. I walked back into the far bedroom and found Allcot carefully removing Pandora’s outfit from the wall. Her stilettos were at his feet along with the diamond pendant she normally wore. The one Nicola had likely used as a catalyst for her tracing spell since the pair of them wore matching pendants. Son of a bitch. That was going to make this a fuck ton harder.

  “Goodbye, vampire,” the ominous voice boomed. “It’s too bad you brought the witch. We could’ve used her for our cause. But we all know how sacrifices have to be made. May you once again be reunited with your soul as you rest in peace.”

  I tightened my fingers around the hilt of my dagger and shifted into a fighting stance, more than ready to kick some ass. But instead of an army of paranormals coming after us like I’d expected, the door slammed shut and out of nowhere fire started to climb the walls.

  A spell had been activated, likely by the distinct wording of the message Pandora’s kidnapper had conveyed over the speaker.

  Allcot didn’t hesitate. He instantly turned toward the large bay window, grabbed an armchair, and swung. The legs of the chair broke clean off the frame, but the window miraculously stayed intact. The blow didn’t even produce a crack.

  “What the fuck?” Allcot stared at the sheared legs for just moment even as the smoke turned thick in the room. The fire was spreading quickly, and we were going to be crispy fried in a matter of minutes. Fire wasn’t something a vampire could survive.

  I coughed and ducked down under the rising smoke. “The windows have been spelled. They aren’t going to budge unless I can break the curse.”

  Allcot let out a roar and swung again, this time putting the entire weight of his body behind the motion. He bounced off and came perilously close to the fire.

  “Allcot!” I cried. “Move!”

  He quickly scrambled back to my side, his eyes red and his fangs bared. “What are you waiting for, break the damned curse.”

  “Gladly. Just keep your ass away from the flames.” I climbed to my feet, closed my eyes, and concentrated with everything I had. “Power of my blood, blood of my veins, I call up my strength and command thy will.” Magic rushed through my limbs, my hands lighting up with blue light. “Power of my blood, blood of my veins, cut through the binds, let us cross the line.”

  “Kilsen, now!” Allcot demanded.

  I rushed toward the floor-to-ceiling windows, my dagger raised, and let out a cry of determination as my dagger pierced the magical barrier. The glass shattered right along with the spell. Suddenly there was nothing to stop my forward motion, and I sailed headfirst through the third-story window.

  Time seemed to slow down as visions of Willow, Talisen, and even Link flashed in my mind, followed closely by an image of Dax smiling down at me. The surge of pure emotion called up a swell of magic, but it wasn’t focused and I had no way to channel my power to cushion my fall. My magic didn’t work that way. The best I could hope for was a landing on the grass where I could tuck and roll.

  Unfortunately, the gravel was coming fast. Acting on instinct, I spun my body in the air, made sure my feet were aiming for the earth, and did my best to remain relaxed. Once I hit the ground, my best option was to tuck
and roll after the initial impact. It would hurt like a bitch, but I’d be damned if I was going to die today.

  Barking filled the spring air, and before the ground rushed up to meet me, strong hands grabbed me and we shot up in the air, hovered for a moment, then slowly came back down to earth.

  Allcot. He’d caught me.

  “Thanks,” I said as he let me go and the two of us stood there, staring at the inferno blazing before us.

  “I think maybe I’m the one who should be thanking you,” he said. “Fire isn’t my favorite element.”

  I snorted out a humorless laugh. “I’d say that’s an understatement.”

  “Perhaps. I owe you one, Kilsen.” He turned and stalked back over to the car.

  I glanced down at Link. He was pacing in front of me, still in wolf form. I placed a hand on the top of his head, soothing him. “Let’s go, Link. Looks like our chances of finding any clues just went up in smoke.”

  My boots crunched on the gravel as I made my way to the car where Allcot was waiting. But Link didn’t follow. Instead, he ran over to the side of the house and barked once.

  “What is it, boy?” I asked him, squinting through the billowing smoke.

  He barked again, and this time he ran flat out, disappearing into the haze.

  I glanced at Allcot. “Looks like the wolf’s found something.”

  13

  Allcot’s eyes blazed with fury as he followed Link, his movements sleek and graceful and just as predatory as a cheetah. I ran to catch up with him and the wolf, my eyes stinging from the smoke-filled air.

  Moving deeper into the smoke, I pulled my T-shirt up over my mouth and put my head down. The heat from the burning house prickled my skin, setting me on edge. Whatever Link had found had better be worth it, I thought. Because if we survived the premeditated attack and the fall from the third story of the house just to get swallowed up in blaze anyway, I was going to be supremely pissed.

  “Kilsen, get over here,” Allcot ordered.

  I followed the sound of his voice, my eyes too watery to see much of anything. But then the wind shifted directions, taking the smoke with it. I took a deep breath, blinking rapidly, and my vision cleared. My eyes widened as I stared at the vampire nailed to a shed. He was held up by a total of five lawn stakes, one in each of his hands, one through his sternum, and one each through his ankles.

  “Holy shit.”

  Allcot snarled at the vampire, his fangs bared.

  I’d never seen the leader of the Cryrique look so savage, so feral, before. The cool, cold-as-ice persona I’d come to know so well had vanished. There was nothing left of the CEO businessman, only a pissed-off vampire who’d given in to the beast inside himself.

  “Where is she?” Allcot demanded, lashing one hand out and grabbing the other vampire by the throat.

  The redheaded vampire looked almost identical to Carter Voelkel, only his face was slightly rounded with a few more age lines. There was no doubt the two were related. It was impossible to tell how long he’d been staked to the shed, but it’d been long enough. The wounds around each of the stakes had already healed. Curiously, he still had a bloody wound on his face.

  The vampire didn’t even try to speak as hatred swam in his blue gaze.

  “Eadric, you’re going to have to let go if we want to get answers,” I said conversationally.

  Allcot only squeezed the other vamp’s neck harder.

  The redheaded vamp’s eyes bulged and a bone cracked under the weight of Allcot’s fist.

  “Are you trying to break his neck?” I asked the Cryrique leader.

  “Yes,” he said, “I’d like nothing better than to rip his head off.”

  “That would be productive,” I said sarcastically. “I seriously doubt we’re going to get another potential witness just handed to us, but if you feel that strongly, then maybe you should just end him. Put him out of his misery and we’ll go about our business, trying to find someone else with answers.” I had no idea why Allcot hated the other vampire, but in that moment I didn’t care. Whatever it was, we had more important matters to deal with.

  Allcot turned his steely glare on me and hissed.

  I raised my hands, palms up, and shrugged as if the next move was entirely up to him. It wasn’t. If Allcot attempted to kill the vampire before we questioned him, I wouldn’t hesitate to stake him with my dagger… the cursed one that would knock his ass out. “What do you say, Allcot? Should we find out what he knows before ending him?”

  There was a long, pregnant pause.

  I tapped my finger on the hilt of my blade and waited.

  “Fine,” Allcot said with a sneer. He leaned into the other vamp and said, “Move one muscle and my companion here will turn your ass to ash, got it?”

  “I will?” I asked before I could stop myself.

  “Yes, you will,” Allcot snapped as he released his hold on the other vampire. “Keep your dagger ready.”

  “Oh, right.” I took a step forward and held the dagger up, pointing the tip straight at his heart. “Ever seen one of these before, carrot top? The magic in the blade makes it feel like your insides are on fire.”

  “Don’t fucking call me that,” he rasped.

  “Then what should I call you?”

  “Dante.”

  “Seriously?” I said, shaking my head. “Is that your given name, or did you just decide Dante made you sound cool?”

  The vampire averted his gaze, not meeting my eyes, and let out a barely audible huff of annoyance.

  “Oh gods. It’s not your real name.” I shook my head in pity. “Listen, Dante. I’m not sure anyone’s ever told you this, but picking a cooler name doesn’t do anything to help with your cool points. In fact, I’d say it’s probably a strike against you. It says you know you’re uncool and are trying too hard. If I were you, I’d have gone with something more like Rusty or Smoke or even Coal. But Dante? Come on. No one’s buying that.”

  Allcot let out a snort of amusement, and I was glad I’d managed to distract him from his single-minded determination to annihilate the vamp.

  “Shut the fuck up, Kilsen,” Dante said, glaring at me now.

  “Oh, you know who I am. That’s interesting. But I think we’ll save that story for later.” I inched closer, tightening my grip on the dagger. “For now, let’s start with who did this to you?”

  He ignored me.

  “If you cooperate, we might help you down, but—”

  “No you won’t.” He nodded his head toward Allcot. “He won’t let you.”

  “Seems you’re not as stupid as you look,” Allcot said.

  I glanced between them. “You two know each other?”

  “You could say that.” Allcot nudged me out of the way, stepped up to the vampire, and pressed a sharpened fingernail to Dante’s neck. A thin line of blood beaded from the shallow scrape. “Why don’t you tell Kilsen here exactly who you are, Dante?”

  He scowled and shook his head.

  “No? I guess it’s up to me then.” Allcot took a step back and, in a flat, expressionless tone said, “He’s Pandora’s ex, and I’d bet money she’s the one who nailed his ass to this shed.”

  “Pandora’s ex?” I asked, shocked. Eadric and Pandora were like an institution. It had never crossed my mind that there was a time when they hadn’t been together. Of course, that was faulty logic as everyone had pasts and history. “But how come you think Pandora did this to him? How could she have done that if she’s captured?”

  Allcot moved in close again, grabbed the vampire’s jaw and jerked his head to the side.

  The vampire let out a grunt.

  “See this?” Allcot ran his thumb over the one remaining bloody mark on the vampire’s skin. “See how it hasn’t healed?”

  “Yeah.” I squinted, trying to make out the shape of the wound. “Is that a fleur-de-lis?”

  “Yes. Now ask me who’s been working on a line of cursed rings that are designed to be used during an attack and have the a
dded benefit of magically scarring the attacker.”

  “Nicola?” I guessed, impressed at her ingenuity.

  “And guess who has been testing them out for her?”

  “Pandora.”

  “Right again, Kilsen,” Allcot said, slamming Dante’s head against the wall. “This mark right here proves they’ve been fighting within the past couple of hours. Because while the curse leaves a mark, it does heal enough to just leave a scar.” He tugged his sleeve up and showed me his inner arm. An identical mark was just below the crook of his elbow, only Allcot’s had turned into a pink scar and was no longer a fresh wound. “I’d say Dante’s here will look just like this within a few hours.”

  “Holy shit. That means Pandora was here recently.” I turned and scanned the area, already knowing she couldn’t be anywhere near. If she were, Link would’ve scented her. Those fresh tire tracks in the mud guaranteed she’d either driven off by herself or had been recaptured and hauled away again. It was hard to say which scenario was most likely.

  “She was and Dante here likely knows where they’re taking her next, don’t you, Dante?”

  I frowned. “Why would anyone leave him behind with information they clearly wouldn’t want you to have?”

  “Insurance,” Allcot said, his cold, sinister smile sending a chill up my spine despite the warm, humid day. “Just in case their trap didn’t work. They left me a gift so I’ll be sure to show up again for the next round of cat and mouse.”

  I glanced back and forth between Dante and Allcot, my skin prickling from their mutual hatred as I tried to make sense of what Allcot was telling me.

  “You really pissed someone off, didn’t you, Dante?” Allcot tsked. “Looks like whoever you’re working with wants you dead.”

  They must, otherwise they’d never have left him here for Allcot to find.

  “Did they finally figure out your loyalty is shit? What did you do? Try to sell Pandora to the highest bidder?”

  Dante’s lips twisted into a maniacal grin. “That bitch is worth a lot of money.”

  Allcot’s precarious hold on his control snapped, and he grabbed the vampire, yanking him clear off the structure.