The clan house is a mix of modern and rustic desert vibes. It’s three stories tall with balconies jutting out in unexpected places. The roof is flat, and while there are dozens of windows, they are all blacked out from the inside. I can’t tell with what, but it looks like it might be steel of some kind.
I follow Hu toward the front door. Reilly falls into step beside me.
“I can already hear him, can you?” He asks me quietly.
I try to focus my hearing past all the chatter around us, but it’s hard to both tune out what’s happening around me and listen harder.
“I think I hear someone screaming,” I say hesitantly.
Reilly nods.
Two EMTs come out of the building carrying a stretcher. Whoever is on the stretcher is in a body bag. The absence of their heartbeat between the other two is almost disorienting.
A man with long, white-blond hair stands in the doorway. He’s wearing a neat gray suit that happens to be smeared with blood. He waits for us to approach with his hands folded in front of him. His eyes stray to Reilly, and he nods.
“Mr. Vaughan,” Agent Stocke says, showing her badge briefly. “I am Agent Stocke with JHAPI. Can you please tell us what you know?”
“Ryan has gone feral,” he says in an even tone. Not a lie. At least he doesn’t believe it is one.
“He killed your second. As far as I understand, that shouldn’t be possible. Feral vampires are normally sloppier, not stronger,” Stocke says, tucking her thumbs into her pockets.
Vaughan looks at her blankly. “Yet, it happened. You have my permission to put Ryan down. Do I need to sign anything, or is my verbal consent enough?”
Vaughan doesn’t look like he cares at all. If Javier had been in a situation like this he would have been fighting to keep his vampire alive. I don’t understand how this guy can stand here so calmly and ask for Ryan’s death.
“There are some forms we need you to sign,” Stocke says looking back at Staci who trots back to the van, I assume to grab those forms. “However, we will be attempting to take Ryan alive.”
The clan leader furrows his brows, the first moment of emotion I’ve seen from him. “Why?”
“We want to know where he has been. Our investigation has suggested that he was kidnapped. I think it’s odd that someone would kidnap a vampire, then drop them off at a local bar. Don’t you?” Stocke asks, tilting her head to one side as she scans his face.
Vaughan smooths out his expression once again. “I don’t presume to understand anything the NWR does.”
“So you know it was the NWR that took him?” She prods.
He shakes his head once. “I simply assumed. I have never heard of anyone else kidnapping paranormals of any kind.”
Stocke smiles. “I’ve never heard of them letting paranormals go. So I’m sure you can understand why this whole thing has peeked my curiosity. Ryan has answers, and I would like the chance to learn them.”
“Whatever you think is best,” Vaughan says, bowing slightly from the waist.
Staci jogs back up, forms in hand. Stocke flips through them, then takes them to Vaughan and points out each place he needs to sign.
* * *
I check the time again. There is still twenty minutes before the brew we need will be here. The entire clan has been sent out of the house. They are gathered in front of the small parking lot next to the garage, watching us.
Reilly appears out of nowhere from behind me and grabs my elbow.
“Come with me,” he whispers.
I hurry after him as he heads inside through the front door. I glance back at Agent Stocke and the others, but they aren’t paying attention.
It’s dark inside the house, but my eyes adjust quickly. Reilly is turning down a hallway just past the winding staircase that dominates the entryway. I stop staring and run to catch up. I don’t have to go far though, I almost run into Reilly as soon as I round the corner.
Vaughan looks at me and narrows his eyes. “I asked to speak with you alone.”
“She is mine. You can trust her,” Reilly says. “What do you want?”
Vaughan sniffs but doesn’t object further. “I want Ryan killed.”
I flinch and look at Reilly, but he doesn’t seem surprised at all.
“Of course,” Reilly says. “And he will be, but JHAPI needs a chance to get their answers first.”
“If Ryan walks out of here alive I will be a laughing stock in front of the council and the other clans,” Vaughan hisses, his lips curling back over his fangs.
“The council wants to know why and how this happened. You will be repaid for any damage done to your reputation, and you will earn the council’s gratefulness,” Reilly says, slipping into that tone that I only now understand means whoever he is talking to is about to get played. I’ve certainly heard it often enough.
“Gratefulness? That is a poor currency,” Vaughan says, pacing in front of Reilly.
“I can also tell the council that you attempted to interfere with their direct request,” Reilly says calmly. “You can accept what you are offered, or you can find out what it means to face their displeasure. The choice is yours.”
Vaughan stills and straightens his back. “I want my new member allotment doubled for the next two years to replace what I have lost.”
“I will submit your request.”
Vaughan clenches his jaw tightly. He has no leverage here, and he’s starting to realize that Reilly knows that, and that Reilly will use it ruthlessly.
“However,” Reilly says. “I will guarantee it if you let Olivia feed from you, right now.”
Vaughan looks at me, his anger shifting to confusion. “What?”
Reilly tilts his head to the side. “You heard me. Take it or leave it.”
Vaughan licks his lips, looking at me with interest for the first time. “That does not seem like a fair trade for you. What are you not telling me?”
Reilly smiles. “You know what a feeding involves, there is nothing more to tell.”
I take a step back. Why is Reilly doing this? I told him I wasn’t going to feed from someone unwilling again.
“No,” I say, finally finding my voice. “Absolutely not.”
Vaughan looks at Reilly, then at me. “Yes.”
Reilly turns to face me. “You heard him, he said yes.”
“He doesn’t—” I stumble over my thoughts. I’m not sure what to say. He doesn’t really understand. He’s still being manipulated.
“You don’t get to withdraw this offer,” Vaughan says stepping up next to Reilly and glaring at me. “If I’m going to get shit on by the council, I want something out of it.”
Reilly looks at me, satisfaction written across his face. He’s so sure, as always, that he has the upper hand. There is a constant hunger in me that I do my best to ignore, but it’s flaring up now with this easy temptation.
Vaughan jerks off his jacket and drops it on the floor then pulls his sleeve up. I can’t look at him. I stare at Reilly instead, my heart pounding angrily in my chest.
Vaughan holds his wrist out toward me, but I don’t move. He glances at Reilly, then lifts his wrist to his own mouth and bites into it. With my senses already enhanced by the vampire magic it’s impossible to ignore the warm, bright scent of blood.
I squeeze my eyes shut, but realize that was a mistake when a hand wraps around the back of my head and Vaughan’s wet wrist is pressed against my mouth. My fangs descend and I bite down purely on instinct. Blood pours into my mouth and my hands wrap around his forearm.
It only takes two long pulls before I realize that I’m doing. I reach for his magic, but stop as I brush against it. Vaughan didn’t agree to this. I grind my teeth into his wrist as I struggle for control. I want this, I want it so much, but Vaughan didn’t understand what he was agreeing to. He might be an awful person, he definitely seems to lack empathy, but I’m not. I refuse to be.
I look back at Reilly, who is watching intently, and pull my magic back into
myself. Vaughan’s blood is powerful on its own. It’s feeding the hunger of the vampire magic within me. Whatever I can take from this alone will have to be enough.
My hands are shaking, and a small, dark part of me keeps insisting I take a just a little of the magic. I keep my eyes on Reilly. As long as I focus on him it’s easy to remember that I can’t. I swallow one last time, then shove Vaughan’s wrist away from me.
I’m still hungry in a way the blood couldn’t satisfy, and I suppose I always will be. If that’s the worst thing I have to endure to keep from turning into a devil, then I’ll learn to live with it.
I spin on my heel and walk away from them both. The tranquilizer should be here. Reilly and Vaughan can keep playing politics if they want to, I’m done.
17
I hear the thrum of the helicopter and look over in the direction of the noise, but I don’t see it yet.
“I can hear it too,” Elise says, coming up to stand next to me. “It’s still a couple of minutes out.”
“You’re determined to go in there with Reilly, aren’t you?” I ask. I won’t say it aloud and piss her off, but I’m a little worried she isn’t fast enough as well.
She nods decisively and rolls her shoulders in a movement that looks more wolf than human. “He’s going to need help. I’ve fought vampires before. Old ones. This is something I can handle.”
“I’m going in there too,” I say, uncrossing my arms and tapping my fingers against my leg.
She glances at me. “The way you moved in that last raid was different. That’s not something a hedgewitch or a Finder or a healer can do.”
“Sure isn’t,” I agree.
“Are you going to explain how you can do it?” Elise asks.
“I’m not supposed to talk about it,” I deflect.
Elise rolls her eyes and punches me in the shoulder. “Your super-secret hidden talents better not get us killed.”
“They won’t,” I say, punching her back and letting a little of my vampire strength slip through to make my point. She winces and glares at me.
“You passed out last time,” she says, rubbing at the place I punched.
“Not until after,” I say. “Whatever happens in there is going to be over quickly anyhow. Either we subdue him within a few minutes, or he kills us all.”
Elise chuckles. “Such positive thinking.”
“Realistic thinking,” I correct.
The helicopter finally comes into view. It circles the house once, then chooses a point off the west corner of the house to land.
Staci hurries off toward the helicopter and Reilly finally walks out of the house. He heads straight for Agent Stocke. Elise and I walk in that direction as well. I can’t hear what they’re talking about over the noise of the helicopter, but Stocke glances at me, her brows raised, and shakes her head. Reilly says something else, waving his hand through the air. She rolls her eyes but finally nods.
Elise and I approach and Stocke walks over to me.
“I don’t need you dying the first two weeks on the job,” Stocke says, arms crossed.
“I’m not suicidal, Agent,” I say firmly. “I wouldn’t go in there if I didn’t think I was going to walk out.”
“It’s your neck,” Stocke says shaking her head, still looking unconvinced. “I think you have a better chance with three people than one, but I’d be more comfortable sending in Hu if I thought he stood a chance of being able to move out of the way of an attack.”
“I can’t blame you. Hu is a better offensive magic user than I am,” I say with a shrug.
“Every time I turn around there is something else you can do that should be impossible,” Stocke says, looking at me intently. “After this, we are going to sit down and you are going to tell me exactly what you are capable of, and why, or you and Reilly are off the team. Politics be damned.”
I’m taken aback for a moment by her vehemence, but I shouldn’t be surprised. She is protective of her team, and as far as she is concerned I’m a total wild card. I swallow thickly and nod.
Staci runs up behind us.
“I have it!” She says gleefully, waving a heavy metal cylinder in the air. She has two injection guns clutched in her other hand.
Reilly walks over to join us and we scoot out into a loose circle. Stocke takes the cylinder from Staci and twists it open.
“Alright,” Stocke says, slipping back into her usual business mode. “There are two injectors and two full doses.”
Staci hands one of the injectors to Reilly and the other to me. Elise pulls off her jacket and begins kicking off her shoes.
“You can inject the brew anywhere,” Stocke explains as she lifts the slender glass tubes out of the cylinder. “If the two doses don’t stop him, then nothing will. Do not die in there trying to capture him. The main priority is getting all three of you out alive, second is Ryan. Is that understood?”
We all nod.
“Vaughan has a key to the room Ryan is locked it. He is going to open the door just long enough for the three of you to get inside, then shut it and lock it behind you.” Stocke grabs two earpieces out of her pocket, handing one to Reilly and I. “Stay in constant communication. Elise, howl if you need out.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Elise says, handing her jacket to Staci, then stripping off the rest of her clothes.
Only Elise could stand buck-ass naked in front of her boss and still act like it’s just another day at work. I admire her nerve.
The shift rolls over her all at once. I grit my teeth against the nose of her bones crunching and changing. Skin gives way to fur and her face lengthens into a snout full of sharp teeth. When she’s done she shakes like a wet dog and her thick black fur ripples.
I hadn’t paid much attention to her size or appearance when I saw her shifted in the last raid. There had been too much to think about, and I had been in a lot of pain. She is beautiful though. I reach over and ruffle the fur on the top of her head. The glare she gives me would be intimidating if I didn’t know her. I grin unrepentantly.
Stocke hands me one of the vials. I hold it up and inspect the brew. It’s dark blue, you might think it was black if you didn’t look closely. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Staci practically drooling over it. I slip it into the injection gun and lock it in place.
Stocke looks at each of us in turn, then nods. “Let’s get this over with.”
Staci fetches Vaughan and the six of us go inside. The room they have the vampire trapped in is in a building attached to the back of the house by an enclosed walkway.
The vampire has been screaming off and on since we arrived, but as we get closer it becomes almost constant. I’m not sure if it can hear us, smell us, or both. It certainly knows we’re coming.
The building is a solid, windowless block that makes me think of a tomb. I shudder internally. The door is solid metal with bars on the outside.
“The door is inlaid with silver. Neither you nor Ryan will be able to damage it,” Vaughan says. “I will leave the bars off while you are inside.”
Vaughan lifts the two solid bars off the door.
I pull on the vampire magic inside of me without hesitation and hold it ready. I’m going to need the speed and strength that comes with it. The vampire magic is energized from Vaughan’s blood, but the unsatisfied hunger for magic within me thinks Hawking smells like food. She has power coursing through her that is so different from anything I’ve ever taken before. My fangs push out of my gums and I lean toward her.
“Olivia,” Reilly whispers harshly, his eyes scanning my face. “Are you still with me?”
“I’m fine,” I growl out. I need something to do with all of this power or the hunger is going to overwhelm me.
The key slide into place and the lock clicks open.
“Ready?” Vaughan asks.
Reilly nods and moves to the door, his shoulders relaxed and the injector gun held loosely at his side. He doesn’t look like he’s about to walk into a fight at all. I edge up behi
nd him and take a deep breath. Elise presses against my leg, her muscles just as tense as mine.
Vaughan pulls on the door and it slides to the right. Reilly lunges inside and I run into the absolute darkness after him. The door bangs shut behind us, shaking the entire building. It’s absolutely silent in here. The vampire stopped screaming as soon as the door started to move.
Elise is still close to me. I can hear her breathing and the subtle scratch of her claws against the concrete floor. I’m not sure where Reilly is. More importantly, I have no idea where Ryan is. My eyes are slowly adjusting to the pitch black of the room, but it seems that not even the vampire magic can compensate for the lack of light completely.
There is what looks like a table or bed near the center of the room. Directly in front of me is a long table with chairs set around it, half over them overturned. There are other shapes across the room that I can’t make out, but I think they might be cages. It’s creepy now, but it makes sense if this is where they keep new vampires.
Quick footsteps vibrate along the floor and I launch myself forward on instinct. A rush of displaced air rushes along my back as I dodge the first charge. I don’t wait for the second, darting to the right and praying I don’t trip over anything.
I slide to a stop, my eyes glued to the jerky silhouette that I assume is Ryan. He’s not large, maybe only three inches taller than I am. He’s slender as well, like all the other vampires in this clan that I saw outside.
Just behind him, I see a low shape creeping along the floor. Ryan twitches and tilts his head back like he’s sniffing. I stomp my foot on the ground, and his head whips around to me. Elise lunges and hits his back. He shrieks and I run forward, injector ready, but Reilly beats me there.
Ryan flings Elise off of him and she flies through the air as Reilly shoves the injector against his side. There is a hiss and pop as the brew is forced through his skin in a thin stream. Ryan’s elbow connects with Reilly’s chest and something cracks as Reilly is sent flying as well.
Blood Magic: Witch’s Bite Series Book Three Page 13