“Nevaeh, look at me,” Karma directed her. When she did, Karma looked into her eyes, “In order to save your life, Harrison changed you. You’re a vampire now.”
Chapter Twelve
“No,” Nevaeh said for the fifth time, not believing what Karma told her.
“Nevaeh, it was change you or let you die,” Karma explained to her, again.
“Then he should have let me die!” Nevaeh yelled then covered her ears. “Fuck!”
“You get used to it,” Harrison told her, and she snarled at him.
“Stay the fuck away from me,” she snapped at him and he took a step back.
“Can you guys leave us for a couple minutes?” Karma asked, looking from Harrison to Dylan and back again. “Let me talk to her alone.”
“We will be outside,” Dylan responded and pulled Harrison from the room.
Once they were gone, Karma turned to Nevaeh and smiled. “I know you’re angry, I can feel it coming off you in waves, but try to shut your emotions down and think of this as a good thing.”
“In what fucking way can this be a good thing?”
“Close your eyes and listen,” Karma told her and smiled when she did. “Just use your hearing and focus.”
Nevaeh sighed and shut off all her senses except her hearing. She could hear a baby crying in the distance, and a phone conversation from the lobby. The person on the phone was wanting a particular room number, but it was booked already.
Opening her eyes, she looked at Karma and smiled. “Okay, that was kinda awesome.”
“Right?” Karma said with a grin. “All of your senses will do that if you focus. Just think about how much easier hunting will be.”
Nevaeh though for a second, then her smile grew. “I guess this could be fun.”
“Mostly,” Karma said and grinned again. “Until it’s time to eat.”
“Oh fuck! I forgot about the fucking blood thing,” Nevaeh said and cringed. “The thought of drinking blood is a bit disconcerting, but it’s not as disgusting as I feel it should be.”
“That’s an instinct thing. Your brain is telling you it’s gross, but your body is telling you that it’s good. I’ve been there. I was young, like five years old, but I remember the craving.”
“How did you handle it at such a young age?”
“I stole a plate of raw steaks and drained the blood from them. My parents told me about Vincent that day, and they assured me that no matter what, they would always be there to help and support me. Now, and I know this is odd because you’re older than me, but I make that same promise to you. No matter what, I will always be here to help and support you.”
Nevaeh nodded and rose to her feet. “It will take a lot of getting used to, but I think I will be okay. I’m still pissed at Harrison, but I’m more pissed at the vampire who sent the others to kill me. They are the reason this was necessary, and they are the ones I want to make suffer in as many horrible ways as I can.”
“There’s the Nevaeh I know and love,” Karma said with a grin. “Now, let’s go find Dylan and Harrison. We need to get a plan in place, and you’re going to have to train with your new abilities, so we can see exactly what you can do.”
“What do you mean?” Nevaeh asked, not sure what Karma was talking about.
“We aren’t sure how the Amazonian blood will mesh with the vampire, so you may have abilities other vampire don’t have, and, we need to see how you respond to sunlight.”
“Sunlight?” Nevaeh asked, slightly confused.
“Yes, newly turned vampire usually blister in the sunlight, but with your Amazonian blood, I don’t know if you will.”
“I guess we will find out,” Nevaeh said and followed Karma from the room.
“Nice to see you back with us, Nevaeh,” Constance greeted her as they walked outside.
“Guess the sun doesn’t bother you,” Karma said and grinned.
Nevaeh shrugged and turned her attention to the Senate.
“Thank you, I think,” Nevaeh said and frowned. “How long was I out?”
“About three and a half days,” Eduardo answered and smiled. “How do you feel?”
“Like myself, actually. I know I’m not the same, but I honestly cannot feel any differences. At least not yet.”
“We need to train and see how you feel when fighting,” Harrison told her. “But, and you aren’t going to like this, you need to feed first. I had some blood sent from the donation center and we will leave you alone to feed, but it needs to happen before you do too much.”
“As revolting as that should sound, it really doesn’t,” Nevaeh mused and shrugged.
“Good, then after, you need to talk to your Huntresses. They have been concerned about you and if you’re going to be different as a vampire,” Ramsey told her and smiled. “I tried reassuring them, but they don’t fully trust me.”
“I’ll talk to them while you feed if you want,” Karma said, and Nevaeh nodded.
“They’ll listen to you,” Nevaeh told her then turned to Harrison. “Lead the way. I want to get this part over with, so we can get to training. I want to see if I can beat Karma in hand to hand. I haven’t been able to do that in a very long time.”
Laughter followed them back into the hotel, but once the doors closed behind them, Nevaeh stopped Harrison and pulled him into the stairwell.
“Thank you for saving my life,” she told him and kissed him deeply.
Letting instinct take over, he pulled her against him and deepened the kiss. She gasped into his mouth when she felt his hardness press into her, and he pulled back and nipped her bottom lip before releasing her.
“I want nothing more, in this moment, then to carry you back to my room and make love with you for the next few days, but you need to feed, then we need to train,” he told her and pulled her against him again. “But know this. As soon as we get the chance, I will be inside of you, just a deep as I can go, and everyone within a hundred-mile radius will know my name.”
After kissing her again, he released her and walked out of the stairwell. Grinning at his back, she quickly caught up to him and pushed him against the wall.
“Only after they know mine,” she countered and nipped his bottom lip just hard enough for a drop of blood to escape, before pulling away and looking into his eyes.
“Let’s get you fed, then we will talk about who’s name they will know first,” he told her, then licked the blood from his lips. The look in her eyes as she watched his tongue stirred things inside him that he’d never thought possible.
He wanted to let her drink from him, and that was a line he was not ready to cross with anyone. Or was he?
****
“Hello everyone,” Karma said to the Huntresses and smiled. “As you all know, Nevaeh was severely injured in an attack three nights ago, and it was decided to be in the best interest of everyone to change her. I’m happy to tell everyone, she has woken up and is doing well.”
“How is she taking to being a vampire?” Gina asked.
“She seems to be taking it well. She had a few moments of indecision, but after realizing how much vampire abilities help with hunting, she realized it’s not such a bad thing,” Karma answered and smiled. “She’s dealing with feeding right now, then we are going to train. Anyone who wants to join, let me know and I will send you a message when we are ready. I don’t think it’s a good idea to train here in the hotel gym, so I will have to find us a large place to go so we don’t break anything.”
“There’s an empty warehouse on the docks,” Ashtyn spoke up. “Nikki and I discovered it a couple of nights ago. I think it was just emptied out earlier this week.”
“What makes you think that?” Dylan asked.
“Last week there were lights on inside, then the night after Nevaeh was attacked, Nikki and I were on patrol and noticed the doors were open. We went inside to look around and it was empty,” she answered, and Dylan looked at Karma.
“Can you show us where?” Karma asked, and Ash
tyn nodded.
“Sure, I’ve walked past it every night I’ve been on patrol. I’m sure all of us have,” she replied and looked around at the other Huntresses. “I’m not sure we’d have even noticed it was empty had the doors not been left open.”
“Are you talking about the warehouse at the end of the docks? The older one that sits a bit away from the others?” A Huntress named Lexie asked.
“Yes, that’s the one,” Ashtyn confirmed.
“Malinda, Randee, and I were patrolling the night before Nevaeh was attacked and there were trucks at it. We assumed they were loading for early morning shipments,” Lexie said and looked at Karma.
“We will check it out,” Karma told them. “Until we do, I want you all to stay away from there though. I don’t want any Huntress to go anywhere alone, and I want all groups to have at least one vampire in them. You’re all fantastic fighters, but whoever sent those vampire to kill Nevaeh isn’t as likely to target a group, especially one with a vampire in it.”
“We will make new assignments today and send a list to everyone’s phones,” Dylan told them and smiled. “I’m sure Nevaeh will want to meet with everyone after we check out the warehouse, but for now, everyone just hang out at the hotel and rest. We will let you all know something as soon as we know.”
“We don’t take orders from you,” a Huntress said from the back of the group.
Gina, not liking the disrespect she just heard, moved to Karma’s side and cleared her throat. “Whoever said that had better get themselves in check. Karma is as much a Huntress as the rest of us, and Dylan is her lifemate. You will show them the same respect as you do Nevaeh and myself or you can pack your things and leave. Karma has been training with Nevaeh for nearly four years, and has risked herself more times than I can count to help us. She doesn’t have to, mind you, she chooses to because she cares about Nevaeh.”
“Thank you, Gina,” Karma said and looked into the crowd. “I know who said that, but rest assured I will not tell Nevaeh. I will, however, do everything I can to keep you from being attacked the way Nevaeh was.”
“Karma,” Malinda spoke up. “We will do as you and Dylan ask. I’ve watched you these past four years as you’ve trained with Nevaeh, and I’ve fought beside you on several occasions. You have great instincts and if those instincts are telling you to have us stay here, then that’s what we will do.”
“Anyone, and I mean anyone, leaves this hotel for any reason without either Karma, Dylan, Harrison, Nevaeh, or myself approving it, will be on the first plane back to California,” Gina told them. “You’re all dismissed to your rooms.”
“Thank you, Gina,” Dylan said and watched as the Huntresses filed past them. Spotting the one who questioned them, he watched her closely as she scowled at him and walked out of the gym.
“Her name is Tonya,” Karma told him once they were alone. “She joined the Huntresses just before I started training with them, and has never liked me because I’m a Halfling.”
“I get the feeling she’s hiding something,” he said and brushed his hand down her hair. “Be careful around that one.”
“I’m not scared of her. She and I sparred a few times, and she’s predictable in her movements. She’s not the strongest fighter, but she’s tenacious as fuck, which is why Nevaeh has kept her around.”
“Just be safe,” he told her and kissed her deeply.
“If putting myself in danger earns me that, maybe I should go pick a fight with someone,” she teased.
“Putting yourself in danger will earn you something,” he countered and nipped her lip, letting his fangs nick them. After licking the droplets of blood off, he kissed her again.
“Get a room,” Nevaeh said as she walked into the gym.
“Got one, but it’s too far away,” Karma replied and kissed Dylan again before pulling out of his arms and facing Nevaeh and Harrison.
“How did the Huntresses deal with the news?” Nevaeh asked.
“As expected,” Karma replied. “We did find out something interesting from Ashtyn, and it was confirmed by Lexie. The old warehouse at the end of the docks was emptied out the night before you were attacked. I think we should go see if anything was left to give us a clue as to what, or who, was being held inside.”
“Oh, I really hope we run into trouble. I’m ready for a good fight,” Nevaeh said, and Harrison chuckled.
“It seems like we may have another Karma on our hands,” he said with a gleam in his eyes. “This could be fun.”
“And maybe a bit boring,” Dylan added and chuckled when Karma stuck her tongue out at him.
“I’ll make sure you’re well entertained later, but for now, we have a warehouse to check out,” Karma told him and chuckled at the look in his eyes.
“Down boy.” Harrison said, and everyone laughed. “Let’s get going so we can get back. I have a feeling it’s going to be an interesting night for us all.”
Chapter Thirteen
“I was by this warehouse with Fuller a few nights ago,” Nevaeh said and looked around. “It was quiet, but there were lights on. Now, you can tell it’s clearly deserted.”
“And it looks like they left in a hurry,” Karma said when she saw the bay doors open. “And it’s doubtful they’re coming back.”
“There were vampire in here,” Harrison said and sniffed the air. “I can’t tell how many, but more than one, and they’ve been gone at least three days.”
“There were also humans in here, and,” Karma sniffed deeply as she walked around the inside of the warehouse. “A Halfling.”
“Analia?” Nevaeh asked, looking at her hopefully.
“Possibly,” Karma replied and looked around. “Come over here.”
“What is it?” Harrison asked as he walked up behind her.
“Look at this,” she said and pointed to a loose piece of metal at the bottom of the stairs. “It looks like someone clawed through this.”
“Let’s see if there’s anything inside,” Dylan suggested.
Karma shrugged and pulled the loose piece of wall back. “There’s a cell phone inside,” she said and pulled it out for them to see.
Taking it from her, Harrison tried to turn it on, but the battery was dead. “Wonder how long this has been in here?”
“Long enough to die,” Dylan commented, and Harrison grinned.
“Great deduction there, Watson,” he said, and Dylan chuckled.
“Why thank you, Sherlock,” Dylan responded without missing a beat.
“Sherlock, Watson, if you two are finished, you need to come see this,” Nevaeh said and motioned for them to come to the other side of the warehouse.
“What is it?” Karma asked as she joined her.
“It’s a series of numbers,” Nevaeh said as she pulled her phone from her pocket and snapped several pictures of them. “It almost looks like several invoice numbers.”
“Someone left these things in hopes someone would find them,” Harrison said and looked around. “Let’s see if there’s anything else before heading back to the hotel. I have a feeling that whoever wants this found, may not have wanted us to be the ones to find it.”
“I think you may be right,” Karma agreed and walked back to the stairs. “There’s an office up here. I’m going to check it out.”
“I’ll come with you,” Dylan said, and they headed upstairs.
Once inside the office, they searched the desk and file cabinets that were left behind, but came up empty.
“Nothing,” Karma said and moved to sit in the chair. As she lowered, her hip bumped the chair and it rolled out from under, causing her to land on her butt.
“Shit, are you okay?” Dylan asked as he moved to help her up.
“Shh,” she said, looking under the desk. “Well I’ll be damned.”
“What?” He asked, and she grinned.
“This is what,” she said and pulled a manila envelope from where it was taped to the bottom of the desk. “I think we need to head back to the hotel an
d check all this out.”
“Shh,” Dylan said and dropped to the floor beside her.
“Fuck,” she mouthed silently when she heard what Dylan had heard.
After tucking the envelope into the back waistband of her pants, she slid two daggers from her boot and handed them to Dylan, before sliding her Sai from the holsters on her thighs, and motioned for him to follow her to the door.
“Who the fuck are you?” They heard a male voice ask from the back of the warehouse.
“I was just about to ask you the same thing,” Nevaeh said as she looked at the dozen or so vampire who had just walked in.
“Our boss sent us to make sure nothing was left inside,” the largest answered. “Now answer my fucking question.”
“I’m Nevaeh and this is Harrison. We’re part of the Vampire Enforcement Bureau and we’re here because we received a report of suspicious activity in the area.”
“Bullshit,” the female beside the leader spoke up. “You’re Nevaeh, the leader of the Huntresses, and you’re here because you were attacked and almost killed on the docks a few nights ago.”
Before anyone could move, Nevaeh leaped and knocked the female to the ground and pressed her scimitar to her chest. “Who are you and what do you know about that?”
“Name’s Fuck-off, and I’m not telling you shit, bitch,” she spat and tried to buck Nevaeh off her.
“Let her up, or your friend dies,” the apparent leader said, and Nevaeh looked up to see him with a stake to Harrison’s heart.
“I don’t think so,” Karma called down from the landing and sent a Sai flying. It embedded itself into the leader’s chest and he fell before the others could move.
Grinning a little, Dylan and Karma jumped from the landing into the middle of the others and killed three more before any of them could register what was happening.
“Nice shot,” Nevaeh said as she drove her scimitar into the other vampire’s chest.
“Thanks,” Karma replied.
“The odds look a little better now,” Harrison said as he ripped the head off a vampire going to Nevaeh with his fangs out. “Maybe you should save some for the rest of us though, Karma.”
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