by Liz Schulte
Hours later, after all the vampire bodies had been dealt with and humans were persuaded nothing had happened, Sy dropped me off back at my apartment in Chicago. I collapsed onto my couch. We didn’t meet with the council until the following night, which gave me time to recover. I wouldn’t find the skinwalker before the meeting, but I didn’t care. That wasn’t why they’d sent me anyway. It was good to be home. I let the darkness take me as I drifted off to sleep for the first time in two days.
My eyes sprang open as something thin and needlelike slipped into my neck, jerking me awake, but it was already too late.
“Shhh. This is the way it has to be,” Dempsey said into my ear. “Just relax.” He petted the side of my head. “Everything will be okay.”
“No,” I said, but the word came out thick and slow even to my ears. My hands felt huge, and were harder and harder to move as I tried to knock him away from me.
“It’s okay. I am not here to hurt you. I want you to understand.” He took a couple steps back and sat in the chair in front of the dark window. He smiled at me. “I knew you would be the one the moment I met you,” he said, folding his hands in his lap. “I spent years trying to get to Paolo.”
I moved my lips but no words came out.
“I didn’t want to kill the human, but you stabbed me.” His hand lightly touched his arm.
I shook my head. I had tested him.
He laughed, holding up his arm. “What, this? Porcelain knife. The other bounty hunters refused to see what was happening. They refused to look at the vampires. All they wanted was to find me. So single-minded. I tried to lead them as I did you, but it didn’t work, and the council ignored Amos. You were perfect. You cared.”
I stared at him because that was the only thing I could do. My entire body was paralyzed.
“Do you know what vampires do with skinwalkers? They keep us. Feed from us. We have no body, and we do not age, so they can drink from us for centuries. I do not know how long he kept me, but he did. I thought for certain Corbin would recognize me the moment I set foot in the cabin, but he was too distracted by Thomas. He had to be punished, and I couldn’t do it. I needed someone stronger, someone like the council. So I was working my way up when they sent me you. The very person who could bring about what I wanted.” He moved closer again, touching my face. “Thank you. Now there is one more thing we need to do. I need to be on the council. It’s the only way to destroy the vampires once and for all. The entire world will be better for it. I believe Sy is my best choice.”
I shook my head.
“I was afraid you’d say that,” he said, revealing a knife. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”
He jerked from the floor as an arm went around his neck and a knife sank into his chest.
“I knew I recognized your scent,” Corbin said, letting the body fall to the floor. “When I couldn’t find him in New Orleans, I figured he’d come here.” He glanced down at me still paralyzed on the couch. He smiled. “I bet you’re glad to see me. I always pay my debts. You’ll be safe tonight. Consider us even.”
If I could have laughed, I would have. Vampires.