The Vampire's Redemption: Pittsburgh Vampires Vol. 13

by B. A. Stretke

  “You won’t lose me.” Kash smiled and dropped a sweet kiss to each of their hands. “Cruise and his operation are not invincible. But my problem is the fact Cruise may have an accomplice within the Coven. I have to be careful in handling and reporting the information that I possess.” He told them honestly but left out the part about being accused of murder and having two teams of guards on his trail.

  Gage leaned forward and slipped his hand behind Kash’s neck and pulled him close for a deep emotion-laden kiss that went straight to Kash’s heart. He then moved to bare his throat offering himself. Kash sucked up a pinch of flesh and took just a drop and then licked the wound closed. To take any more than that would have made it impossible for him to leave. The taste of arousal and need was already in the air.

  When he pulled back onto his haunches, he saw that Kyler was there baring his throat just as Gage had done. Kash pulled him over closer and gave him the same small bite he’d given Gage. Even the smallest drop of blood from his two beloveds was enough to energize him and sharpen his focus. No wonder every bonded vampire seemed just a little bit more alive than the rest.

  He kissed Kyler and stood taking one step back and glancing out the barred window. “I’m meeting a good friend and fellow guard at the park in,” He checked his watch. “twenty minutes.” He walked over to the window and closed the shades.

  “Stay in this room and keep the door locked and bolted. I won’t be long and remember don’t answer the door or the phone unless it’s me.” Kyler and Gage both nodded. “If someone shows up use the code.”

  “We will.” They said in unison a trait Kash was beginning to find endearing. With that, he headed out and waited till he heard them lock the door behind him before leaving.

  …

  Kyler leaned against the door and heard Kash walk away before turning to his brother with a deep heartfelt sigh. “I wish this were over and that the three of us were upstairs enjoying ourselves.” It was a serious situation they were in, but Gage could not help laughing at his brother’s sad lament.

  “We could very well be killed and all that concerns you is we didn’t get enough down and dirty personal time with Kash?” He laughed again. “I’m not judging really; I feel the same way.”

  “When he bit me, I nearly came in my pants it was so erotic. I want to be claimed. Can you even imagine how surreal that’s going to be?” Kyler closed his eyes and leaned back against the door.

  “I’m sure it will be epic if we manage to live to experience it.” Gage brought them back to reality. “I’m worried about him, Kyler, I really am.” Kyler walked back over to the sofa and sat down next to Gage.

  “I am too, but in my heart, I know that he’s going to be okay. I feel his confidence and it eases my fear. Reach out to him and you’ll feel it too.” Gage had heard the girls in the dressing room dreamily discussing their future beloveds and how the bond actually links their souls. Now he knew that what he thought was pure romanticism was actually a fact. He could feel Kash’s emotions when he concentrated. It helped to calm and reassure him.

  “I’ll be glad when he gets back,” Gage commented, and Kyler agreed wholeheartedly.

  …

  It was hard to walk away from his beloveds, but he made sure everything was locked and secured before he left. He needed to speak with Sergio. He needed someone on the inside to know what he knew. The park was a short drive and the fountain was not far from the entrance. He arrived with several minutes to spare but upon approach could see that Sergio was already there.

  Sergio looked around and then commented. “Where are your beloveds?”

  “In a safe place,” Kash answered while visually sweeping the immediate area.

  “I met with Nathan right after you called and he’s doing a deep dive into the Ruby Light and the management there,” Sergio told him as he looked him over head to toe. “Are you okay, Kash?”

  The question caught him by surprise, but it shouldn’t have, Sergio was a sensitive who could pick up the heightened emotions of others. Usually, he kept himself blocked but apparently not tonight or rather this morning. Kash corrected himself for it had been a very long couple of days.

  “I’ll be okay as soon as I know Kyler and Gage are safe.” He responded and it was enough for Sergio to back off. They discussed the situation at the Club and the likelihood of Josef or others being involved.

  “I personally cannot believe that Josef McQueen whose own beloved was a victim of people like Cruise and his associates would be a part of this. It goes flat against his morals and character.” Sergio asserted.

  “I thought the same until Josef affirmed his relationship with Jason Barton. He can’t be friends with someone like Jason and be the man we think he is.” Kash countered.

  “Still, there has to be more too it.” Sergio persisted.

  “Maybe there is but I can’t take chances with the lives of my beloveds.” Kash again countered

  “Understood.” Sergio relented. “Why don’t I take what you’ve told me and whatever Nathan has unearthed and get it to Master Hadden. That should get things going in the right direction.”

  Kash was about to comment when he saw a dark sedan pull up to the curb just beyond the front entrance. The driver exited and it was clear that Sergio had set him up. Lando started towards them and Ellis was with him. They were two of the coven’s top security personnel. “You set me up.” He barked and turned to run. Sergio just looked at a loss until he turned around and saw Lando rushing towards them.

  Kash heard him getting in the way of the two professionals slowing them down and basically running interference. Sergio had not turned on him, which was a huge relief as he tore across the park towards the back entrance. He’d parked near where Lando had, so getting to his vehicle was out of the question.

  With his vampire speed, he could reach the day rental quick enough, but he also had to dodge all the people suddenly looking for him. Shit was getting complicated. Just as he was getting close, not more than a couple of blocks, they sent the code. His phone began to go off and he was informed someone was trying to get into the house. He ran for his life; these men, these twins were his very life. He’d made them a promise and he was going to keep it. He burst through the front door and found nothing. The door to the den was ajar and the room was empty.

  “Kyler! Gage!” He yelled but there was no answer. Feeling the beginnings of a fury that was powerful enough to take off the top of his head he stopped and stood still and silent for several seconds. He could feel their fear and their panic, he could also feel the presence of what smelled of sex and stale beer. Cruise had been in this house.

  Kash rushed for the door when his phone buzzed again. It was a message from Gage’s phone. “If you want to see these two alive, come to the Club and keep your mouth shut. If you tell anyone what you know, Gage and Kyler will be the first to die.” For a brief second, Kash felt a crushing sense of failure. He’d promised them he would keep them safe. He promised them they would never again be abused by Cruise or his people. He failed on both counts.

  “Kash.” Came a familiar voice. He looked up to see Sergio entering the front door.

  “Are Lando and Ellis with you?” He asked and Sergio shook his head.

  “They got a call and took off. Two of the waiters from the Ruby Light were admitted to hospital this morning with critical injuries.” Sergio said and walked over to stand next to him. “You look like things have gone from bad to worse.”

  “They have.” He lifted his phone and showed him the message.

  “You know it’s a trap. You walk in there and they kill all three of you.” Sergio stated the obvious.

  “Doesn’t matter, I’m going.” Kash started towards the front door.

  “They may already be dead,” Sergio stated the pain of his words etched in his face.

  “They’re alive, I can feel them. Besides, Cruise would want the pleasure of killing them in front of me, he’s that kind of guy.” Kash continued walking.
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br />   “Let me drive you. I’ll stay out of sight. You left your car at the park, remember.” Sergio walked up beside him.

  “I remember.” Kash side-eyed him. “I was going to steal yours.”

  “No need, I’m going with you.” He said and Kash nodded. What did it matter at this point? His only hope was to somehow get the upper hand on those lowlifes. He felt for the staff that has apparently been reaping the rage. Cruise was losing his grip if he very publicly put two staff in the hospital. His hope of keeping all this quiet was getting more unlikely by the moment. Cruise must be creeping toward a total breakdown.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Gage sat in one straight back chair and Kyler sat in another placed side by side. They both had a large knife held not far from their throats. Saul was behind Gage and Phil was behind Kyler. Across the room, Winston Cruise stood with his personal guards on each side waiting.

  It was pretty clear they were waiting for Kash. Gage had no idea what they said to him when they took his phone, but it was probably ruthless. Reaching out he could get a sense of Kash’s rage even without their bond being completed. It was a force that roared through the air and filled his mind. He glanced across at Kyler who seemed just as aware of the fury that was headed their way.

  Kash and Sergio pulled up and parked a block down from the Club. It was early morning, so things were starting to come to life but still quiet enough to hide what was going on at the Ruby Light.

  “What’s our plan?” Sergio asked as they approached the front of the building.

  “Walk in the front door,” Kash stated matter-of-factly.

  “Good plan,” Sergio stated with little sarcasm and fell into step beside Kash.

  They walked in to face a startled Winston Cruise and his bodyguards. Cruise took a step back but recovered when he saw it was just the two of them. Kash stopped and scanned the room instantly taking in the men on the dance floor holding knives to the throats of his beloveds. His immediate reaction was to rush them but when he made a move, they tightened their hold on Gage and Kyler and held the knives to their flesh. His heart was shattering but he had to remain disciplined and in control. Gage and Kyler’s lives depended on it.

  “You so much as breath wrong and my men with slice them open.” Cruise shouted, trying to appear in command of this shit show. “I told you to come alone.” He shouted again. Kash didn’t respond, he just kept scanning the room and figuring his odds. His sweet men were scared but they were holding it together. They kept their eyes on Kash watching and waiting, they knew something was coming.

  “How do you think you’re going to survive this, Cruise?” Kash finally spoke and shifted his gaze to rake the man from head to toe showing his disdain. “You sent two staff to the hospital and there’s the dead body of your guard in a motel room. That’s a lot of shit to cover up. Do you really think the Hadden Coven is that stupid?” Kash thought to get him talking and wait for an opening. Sergio was on board it was a tactic they’d used in the past.

  The knives put Kash on edge, but Saul and Phil were too cowardly to do anything that would leave them open to attack. The twins provided them protection while alive so they would keep them that way until they were no longer of value.

  “I have my connections and my cover.” He smiled cocky and self-assured. “How do you think I’ve managed to stay in charge of this place so long? I have protection.” Cruise continued to boast but he was starting to look less certain by the minute. Suddenly his expression fell, and fear filled his eyes as he took several steps back as did his guards behind him.

  Kash felt two people walk in and come up to stand beside him. Their energy crackled in the air and filled the room. He didn’t have to look to know who stood there. Sergio stepped back to man the door and make certain they were not disturbed.

  “Your connection in the accounts department has been dispatched permanently. He will no longer cover for your irregularities or rubber stamp your reports.” Master Hadden’s voice was level and measured but the force of it still landed like a slap.

  Cruise continued to slowly step back as his mind took in this new development and worked to formulate an explanation. Kash kept his eyes on his beloveds and noticed Saul and Phil looking nervous but they hadn’t dropped their knives. They were still considering Gage and Kyler to be their protection.

  Kash pushed his calm to his lovers as they sat there very still and silent. Their bright blue eyes speaking volumes as to their trust and composure. He swung his attention back to when Cruise ordered them to lower their blades. They did but very slowly and did not step away. Gage and Kyler were still in imminent danger.

  “We weren’t actually going to hurt those men. It was just a tactic to get Kash to come back here and it worked. We wanted to capture him and deliver him to you for punishment for killing Jason Barton.” Cruise strung together a mishmash of intention and outcomes none of which was making sense in real-time.

  Master Hadden’s patience was coming to an end as his anger began to heat the room. The paint and varnish were beginning to bubble on the walls as the very air began to steam. “You dare to play me for a fool.” That statement was so piercing it had everyone panicking as Cruise began to beg and the guards started to look for an exit. Cruise knew his time was up and Kash feared he would do something drastic.

  Kash broke and ran for his beloveds when Saul and Phil cast their gaze to the back door. It was the opening he had been waiting for. No one moved, no one interfered as Kash grabbed Saul and punched him square in the face, knocking his head back and causing him to lose his balance.

  Phil, the last man to ever help or pitch in, must have realized his life hung in the balance so he tried to help Saul, but was finished before he started. Phil rushed at him and Kash punched him in the throat crushing his windpipe and opening his throat without ever taking his eyes off Saul. Phil dropped to his knees as he bled out on the blistered, hardwood floor.

  Saul made a dive for Gage hoping to use him as a shield, but he missed his mark. Kash jumped in front of his beloved grabbed Saul by the hair of his head and threw him against the back wall with a force that was considerable. Kash was angry and on his last nerve and was taking it all out on Saul. The room remained silent and watchful as Saul slid down and lay in a heap on the floor before gathering himself and attempting another attack.

  Grabbing the knife, he’d tossed on the floor earlier, Saul ran at Kash but Kash grabbed his wrist and twisted it back. He used Saul’s own momentum to turn his hand and to force the knife backward into Saul's stomach. Kash held him and drove the knife deep before thrusting it upwards and laying his chest wide open.

  Kash dropped him to the floor next to Phil and walked over to untie Gage and Kyler. They had their backs to the carnage which was good. His beloveds did not need to be traumatized any more than they already were. Kash pulled them into his arms and they held him tightly demonstrating their panic and relief.

  He pressed their faces to his chest to spare them as he watched Josef take out the two guards with Cruise in a swift and bloody fashion leaving Cruise alone and at the mercy of Master Hadden.

  “You abused my people and the humans who worked here. You took from them and you took from me. You turned this business into a squalid crime-ridden enterprise that has colored and damaged the reputation of the entire Coven.” Master Hadden took a step towards Cruise and he backed up until he hit the bar and then tried to still lean away from the power emanating off of the Master.

  “It’s a lie, I never. It was all for you, sir. I was increasing revenue by decreasing wages. It was simple budget manipulation it wasn’t theft. No one was really hurt by the measures I put into place.” Cruise scrambled to save himself.

  “Two servers from the Ruby Light are in the hospital with critical injuries. They told me it was you who inflicted those injuries.” The Master began to seethe. His anger so hot it was hard to bear. “They told me many things as did the agent in charge of your accounts just before I killed him.”

>   “They’re liars, they did that to themselves. The staff here are always fighting and the agent was working for himself. I wasn’t involved in his fraud.” That was all the Master could tolerate apparently, because he raised his hand and suddenly Cruise stopped talking.

  “I am Master Nikolas Hadden. Master of the Hadden Coven and Supreme Vampire and you have the audacity to lie to me.” The Master closed his fist and Cruise clutched at his throat unable to breathe as his neck was slowly crushed by an unseen force. The Master flicked his wrist and Cruise’s head turned completely around making a sickening cracking noise as his neck was severed. Cruise’s body slumped over the bar and then slipped to the floor. His severed head hit the floor with a sickening thud, a dumbfounded expression painted on its countenance.

  Gage held onto Kash like a lifeline and so did Kyler. They had no doubt through it all that he would save them, but the process had been gruesome to watch. Those that received final judgment deserved it but still, it was hard to witness. They both buried their faces against Kash’s chest so relieved to be safe and in his arms once again. “Your out of harm's way my loves,” Kash whispered and dropped a possessive kiss to the top of their heads and pulled them closer effectively tucking them under his arms.

  Master Hadden turned to Kash. “You coming here, to the Ruby Light, was pure destiny. You found your beloveds and rooted out the evil within. I take full responsibility for the actions of the men who lay dead in this room. Without my inattention and failure to show concern for the smaller aspects of my Coven, they would have never had the opportunity or belief they could succeed in their exploitation and dishonesty.”

  The Master approached Kash with Josef close behind. He reached out his hand and Kash took it. “Thank you, Kash, for being the type of guard that has always made me and the people of the Hadden Coven proud.” He then looked down at the two beauties in Kash’s arms.