by Brenda Trim
She’d taken no more than two steps when she saw a sight that had her blood turning to ice. About ten feet away, a Buruburu hovered above the crowd, and it looked like he was inhaling, if ghosts could inhale.
She had heard of the phantom spirits but had never seen one. The male was a mixture of shades of blue, had a skeletal face and shoulder-length brown hair. His frame was tall and willowy, draped in tattered rags and ended with claw-tipped hands. He was by far the most terrifying thing she’d ever encountered, yet she was oddly drawn to him.
His head swiveled her way, and she caught a glimpse of midnight eyes that connected with hers. They slanted up at the corners, and she thought he smiled. Heart in her throat, she took off running, afraid he was going to latch onto her shoulders and suck every ounce of fear from her.
She had enough terror coursing through her veins to feed ten of the ghastly creatures, but no one survived the attention of a Buruburu, and she wanted to live at least long enough to strangle her best friend for causing her such worry.
She ran until she found the medical area and sailed right through the large crowd, ignoring the doctors calling out to her. Where the fuck was a zipper when you needed one, she wondered as she searched the area. The further she got from the blast zone, the less activity there was. She had to have run five blocks before finding a glyder.
Hopping on, she set the destination for the Forest dome, and the black hoverboard sped home. She glanced back and locked eyes with the Buruburu staring at her as she took off.
“Better luck next time,” she murmured.
She hadn’t found Charlotte, but she knew she survived the explosion. As soon as her heart settled back into her chest and she was in the comfort of her small apartment, she’d give her a call.
Those midnight eyes were tattooed on her brain. She had a sinking feeling they were more permanent than the runes inked into her flesh.
4
Zaid watched the female race away as if the demons of Hell were chasing her. Her fear was intoxicating. He was having a hard time holding his molecules together. He wanted to let go of his form and chase after her. The impulse was so strong that it had him vibrating with excitement.
He had never felt such a deep craving. As a male, he couldn’t help but acknowledge the Druid’s appeal. She was stunning with long silver hair and light green eyes. She was slim, but not skinny, with curves in all the right places.
Her eyes had been filled with horror when she’d looked his way. She knew what he was and what his kind did. The fact that revulsion crossed her face right before she fled caused him more pain than the treatments he endured.
But, she was right to run because he’d felt his demonic side rear its ugly head when her fear slammed into him. He generally kept his darker half in check, but not with her. What was it about her that enticed him to such levels?
Before coming to the Complex, he would have gladly given into his urges and used his powers on her. He imagined his claws sinking into her supple flesh as he consumed her fear until her heart pulsed its final beat. It was that moment that gave his kind the biggest energy boost. The taking of a life. It was the greatest high and sustained him for years.
However, the thought of her death caused a chill to his spirit. Her essence should always exist.
Shit, he was convinced he’d never need another treatment if he could feed off her residual fear. Even now, minutes after she’d left, he was soaking in more energy than he’d received from his last ten feedings combined. He’d never had an orgasm, but he imagined the pleasure was akin to what he was feeling.
“Zaid,” a deep voice barked from behind.
Shaking off the haze the female had induced, he turned and faced Braden, the powerful Meta that led his unit. Contrary to the rumor that he ruthlessly killed during P-Extinction, Zaid considered him a fair boss.
“Scott told me you two watched from surveillance. Have you seen the perps?” the male asked as he approached his side.
Zaid shook his head, struggling to pay attention. “No, not yet, but the last I saw they headed this way after the detonation. I’m certain they’re close. You don’t stick around to detonate a bomb unless you want to witness your handy work.”
“It’s what I’m counting on. Pieces of shit, always trying to undermine our efforts at peace. Wait ‘til I get my fucking hands around their necks,” Braden spat disgustingly.
Finally, there was a glimpse of the ruthless Slayer known to take out Humans without compunction during the war. Zaid had never seen him so angry, but then again, he understood. The bombing went against the laws of the Complex and needed to be punished.
The Complex was supposed to be a place for the various races to prove to the worlds they could live together in peace. It was a bold idea that held promise for the future, but Zaid worried about the success of the experiment.
From his surveillance position from the ‘eye in the sky,’ he’d gotten a glimpse too often of the problems. It wasn’t always the rebellion trying to undermine the Complex. Meta had their share of issues, as well.
Zaid recalled the three hundred long years aboard the spaceship. When Metas had been forced to evacuate their planet, he jumped on board without a thought. He didn’t have to do much to survive that trip as tensions mounted.
Metas were quick-tempered and fought over any and everything, but Zaid could sit back and soak up the terror. It was a never-ending feast for him. Fear permeated the air during a time fraught with uncertainty and competition, all of which inevitably led to battle.
“Yeah, it was the Humans,” Zaid snapped. These bastards had death wishes, and he’d happily send them back to their creator for disrupting his turf.
The Complex was a metal dome. Granted, it was an exceptionally large metal dome, but it was an enclosed space and a blast large enough could take out the entire place if it were set just right.
“I rushed over to try and locate them,” Zaid added.
“Good,” Braden replied. “Find those fuckers and have AI send me a message once you have them in custody.”
“You got it,” he agreed then glided in the direction the culprits had gone. It was a chore to fight the urge to go after the female.
When he’d moved closer to her, he noticed the Druid runes on her arms. If he didn’t know better, he’d say it was her heritage that affected him so. He’d been around plenty of Druids on the ship and was attracted to their magic, but this went so much deeper. Her fear was intoxicating, like a drug, and he was dying for another fix.
Ghosting through the crowd, he shook his head at the loss of life. Most of his time had been spent in graveyards, so he was no stranger to death. But this. This was pointless.
Countless innocents were out eating, shopping and minding their business when someone decided they needed to die. The Human rebellion didn’t give a shit about killing their own. Following the path of the bombers, Zaid swooped through the streets.
He stopped short when he took a turn and saw the perps crouched in nearby shrubs. They were watching the injured scramble in search of treatment. Zaid released his visual form and floated up, moving closer.
Hovering in the tree above the foursome, he listened to the males boast their success. They had hoped to take out the medical clinic on the other side of the salon, but an Intra agent was out front and they changed plans at the last minute. These Humans had no regard for life of any kind.
Rage coursed through Zaid at their callousness. Embracing his true nature, Zaid allowed his magic to seep from him in urgent waves. A smile crept over Zaid’s face when the males sensed the danger and turned in circles.
“You feel that?” one asked.
“Yeah, but I don’t see anything,” another added.
A vicious pulse left Zaid and the four went still. Instinctively, he started towards them, but their fear was bitter and repulsive, unlike the alluring temptation he felt earlier. Just thinking of the female had his desire for vengeance against these individuals evaporating.
Crossing to the nearest establishment, he linked to AI. After filling in Braden of their location, Zaid retraced his steps until he caught her unique scent.
Picking up speed, he soared in the direction of her energy. He was surprised when he ended up at the Forest dome. How had he lived there for months without crossing paths with her?
He found his way into the middle of the wooded area. He was happy to see the maintenance workers had fixed the reported leak from earlier. Continuing, it didn’t take him long to find her huddled in the middle of the trees.
She was sobbing and he had the absurd urge to go to her, wrap his arms around her small waist, and offer comfort. Only he didn’t have arms and his kind didn’t exactly offer comfort.
“Are you hurt?” he asked as he stopped by her side.
She gasped and jumped up, placing a trembling hand over her heart. That intoxicating energy flooded Zaid and he shuddered with pleasure.
“Get away from me,” she blurted. “I’ll call Intra. You can’t hurt me,” she warned as she backed away from him.
He cocked his head, wondering whom she was trying to convince. “I’m Intra,” he replied, turning to show her the patch on his shoulder. “I’m not here to hurt you. I saw you at the explosion, but then you took off. You’re covered in blood. Are you okay?”
Her eyes narrowed when she saw the badge denoting his authority. “You’re Intra?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes, Zaid at your service. You’re afraid,” he indicated, wanting to kick his own stupid ass for stating the obvious. “But, are you hurt?”
She looked down to her clothes. She was an absolute wreck from head to toe. Her silver hair was tangled and bloodied with twigs caught in the tresses. Blood and ash coated her face and her clothes were torn and stained crimson.
“Most of this isn’t my blood,” she replied as she took several more steps away from him.
“There’s no need to be frightened. The males responsible were located and my boss is taking them into custody as we speak. This won’t happen again,” he reassured her.
Irritation crossed her beautiful face and she thrust clenched fists onto her hips in her pique. “If you work for Intra you should know better than to give false assurances like that. So you caught these culprits. There’s always more. And I’m not afraid of them at the moment. It’s you!” she accused.
Trying to appear as non-threatening as possible, Zaid willed away his demonic side. Nothing could soften the skeletal mask he wore or cover the harsh feel to his energy, but he wanted her to trust him. This female provoked him in ways most did not.
“I’m not trying to feed off you. It’s an unfortunate side effect of the fear in Main City,” he explained.
Shaking her head vigorously, her hair tumbled over her shoulders. “Yeah, and I’m a dainty little fairy. You’re feeding on me, I feel it, and that’s illegal in the Complex.”
“Any energy I am absorbing is incidental. I can’t help but soak up what permeates the air. I am doing nothing to facilitate it,” Zaid denied, edging closer to her. She was so appealing as fear poured from her pores. Yes, she was an addictive drug. Just a little more was all he wanted.
“Do you think I’m that naïve? I know your kind feeds until you cause heart failure. I refuse to give you that satisfaction,” she announced as she rubbed a rune on her arm.
He expected it to flare to life as she accessed the power, but nothing happened. “You need to go to the clinic and feed. I hear they’re serving filet mignon tonight,” she taunted.
He couldn’t help it. He threw back his head and laughed. She might carry more fear than he’d ever experienced from one being, but she was also courageous and that was turning him on as much as her terror.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me. I need to check on a friend and you have dinner reservations to make,” she finished and strode away.
He watched her walk away with a stiff back and head held high. He sensed she wanted to tuck tail and run from him as fast as she could, but she walked with as much confidence as she could muster.
So. Damn. Sexy.
5
“I could kick your ass, Rayna,” Charlotte griped as she pushed her way into the apartment.
It had been a long night of worrying about her best friend so she understood the sentiment. Charlotte hadn’t answered and her responding signal was from two days ago. The clinics were overwhelmed and not taking calls. Rayna had been tempted to call Intra, but her fear of Zaid kept her from doing that.
He unsettled her for reasons she barely understood. The mere sight of his ghastly face had her palms sweating and her heart racing until she was unable to catch her breath. The eerie blue glow of his body and his skeletal mask made her think of death. And she had major issues with death.
Druids were as close to immortal as you could get. They lived forever, but were easily killed. She’d learned that lesson after witnessing a Reaper tear her parents to shreds. She’d been twelve years old and completely innocent in the ways of the world until that violent act scarred her for life. That was only the beginning of the deaths she was forced to endure. Her sister and adoptive father had followed her parents’ fate before she fled the spaceship in search of a more peaceful life.
“I could say the same thing to you. Why the hell didn’t you answer my calls?” Rayna replied as she pulled Charlotte into a hug.
After a long embrace, Rayna stepped back and got a good look at her friend. Charlotte’s short red hair was clean and her uniform looked fresh; however, bruises covered her face. There was a bandage covering her right arm and she was moving stiffly, but she had survived.
“I didn’t answer your calls because I was in the clinic and they disabled my chip. They needed to stitch my arm and it kept going off and shocking the nurses. I told them if they’d let me answer the call that my best friend would stop electrocuting them,” she said with a smirk.
“I was so worried,” Rayna admitted then followed her friend to the couch. Her apartment was like the rest of the housing in the Complex. The furnishings were simple and functional. She had one bedroom with her Waste Disposal connected to it. The kitchen was sparse, but held a refrigerator, cooking unit, and sink.
She still had some of the food provided to her the day she moved in. Working at a restaurant meant that she ate on the job and often took home leftover items so they didn’t go to waste.
Charlotte flopped onto the couch then winced when her arm banged against the cushion. “What happened to you after the explosion?” her friend asked as she rested her head against the back of her sofa. “And, why in the name of Zeus’s butt-hole have you not asked for a new sofa? What you have should be classified a cement block and right now I could use soft cushions and a martini.”
“That would be a negatory on both counts. What you need is sleep,” Rayna retorted. “And, I haven’t worked up the nerve to ask for a new sofa. You know me. Trying to fly below the radar.”
Charlotte rolled her eyes. “You need to get over that shit. Your prince is out there and he isn’t going to want to make out with you while sitting on this torture device. Why didn’t you go to triage? Shell said you were looking for me,” she added.
Rayna tucked her feet up under her legs and wrapped her arms around her knees. “I ran into my worst nightmare, Char. I thought he was going to kill me and I took off in my panic. You know how I get. I can’t think straight when danger is near.”
“Was this threat real, or something you imagined? I’d dismiss your paranoia outright since we’re living in the safest place right now,” Charlotte said and put quotation marks up to emphasize her mockery, “but since I just survived a bombing, your delusions are making more and more sense to me.” Her friend’s eyes drooped as fatigue kicked her ass.
“It was realer than real. Can you believe they allowed Buruburu to come to the Complex? And…work for Intra?” she commented as her arms flailed, gesturing wildly. “He caught sight of
me and honed in on my fear. I saw the change with my own two eyes. He went from a light blue apparition to a glowing monster-skeleton. And, you want to talk about terror? I have never been that frightened in my entire life.”
“Well, they do have those treatments now that are supposed to suppress their magic or whatever. I can see AS allowing them in. They’re Meta, after all. I wonder why he turned if he’s getting treatments,” Charlotte mused.
“My point exactly! And, he followed me back to the Forest. He cornered me in our favorite spot and I swear I didn’t think I was going to make it out alive,” she admitted.
Funny enough, she expected to be shaking as she recounted the events to Charlotte, but she wasn’t. She was still scared, yes, but it wasn’t debilitating like she would’ve expected.
“He followed you home? Holy shit, that’s creepy. Tell me you called Intra,” Charlotte demanded as she sat up.
“Who was I going to call? He works for them, Char. I seriously doubt they would’ve believed me. Plus, he said he found the guys that set off that bomb.”
Her best friend’s head tilted to the side as she considered what Rayna had told her. “That makes no sense. From what I’ve heard about Buruburu, that behavior doesn’t fit. I can see him going down to the site to feed. That’s probably why he turned. All that fear had to be like a big juicy steak to him.”
Rayna couldn’t help but laugh at that. “I told him the clinic had a filet waiting for him and that he needed to stop feeding from me and make a reservation.”
“No!” she barked out and laughed. “Who are you and what have you done with my best friend? You must have hit your head harder than I did,” Charlotte teased and laid her head back down. Rayna pushed the strands of hair from Charlotte’s forehead and snatched her hand back when she felt stitches.
“Oh, Char, I’m so sorry. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” she asked as she tried to peer through the hair to the injury.
“It hurts like a bitch, but you didn’t make it any worse. It’s why the clinic kept me for so long. The doctors wanted to watch me and make sure I hadn’t scrambled my brain,” she replied and stuck her tongue out, making a crazy face.