The Brimstone Betrayal

by Terence West

  I reached out and undid the hook allowing the blankets to fall over the window. Sliding the cool cotton sheets over my body, I rested my head on the pillows. I wasn't looking forward to tomorrow. I had to finish processing Vlad, and deal with Elena.

  It was not going to be a good day.

  Chapter 4

  I was right.

  "Worthless leech!"

  I struggled against Elena's invisible hold. She caught me as soon as I came in the door. She snatched me from the floor and slammed me repeatedly against the wall with her magic. Office personnel scattered like cockroaches as the powerful Witch advanced on me. A warm trickle of blood ran down my forehead from where it cracked into the drywall. I kicked and fought against her grip, but it was kind of difficult to fight something I couldn't touch. My anger welled up like a geyser in my chest threatening to explode. If she released me, I would bleed the Witch dry.

  I fell to the floor.

  Acquiring my target, my eyes glossed over black. I charged without a second thought, my fangs bared and my claws fully extended. Leaping off the edge of a nearby desk, I gave myself fully to the kill. I didn't care about my status as a Seeker, that we were in the middle of the Brimstone offices, or that she was one of the most powerful Witches I had ever seen. The blood rage had me. I moved fast, faster than a human could track. I could smell her dry, earthy scent inches from my face.

  But I wasn't fast enough.

  Grabbing me out of mid-leap, Elena lifted me into the air once again. Her hand began to slowly clench. I felt my throat being crushed under her invisible grip.

  "How dare you steal my collar,” the old Witch hissed. “Do you know how long I worked that case?"

  Elena's eyes were filled with rage as she spoke. Her Hispanic features were drawn into an evil sneer while the power she drew in was whipping her long, black hair around her head. My gaze settled on the pulsating silver amulet she wore around her neck. She wasn't thinking clearly, otherwise the old Witch would have never let me get this close. Lashing out with my claws I tore the necklace from her throat. As it hit the floor, I felt her grip on me release.

  Dropping onto the balls of my feet, I returned the favor. Snapping my clawed hand around Elena's throat, I lifted her easily from the ground. She gasped and coughed trying to draw breath. Unlike me, crushing her throat would kill her. She still needed to breathe. I dug my thumbnail into her flesh letting a small trickle of blood loose. I could smell her power in the blood. It smelled of earth and flowers, like a garden. I had never bled a Witch before, but in this case I would make an exception.

  "Stop!"

  I snapped my head around just in time to see several green spikes headed for my chest. Letting go of Elena and twisting slightly, I kept them from becoming a killing blow by piercing my heart. Instead the spikes dig into my shoulder. As the barbs pulled free, I gasped in pain and crumbled. I felt like my flesh was on fire. With Elena on the floor next to me gasping for air like a fish that had just been pulled from the water, I looked up to see my attacker. I wondered what took him so long to intervene.

  "What the hell are you two doing?” Maynard's voice was low and angry. His usually soft brown eyes were glazed over green.

  Maynard Markham was the head honcho of the Las Vegas branch and a Dendro Demon. Dendros are basically tree monsters that can grow spines on their limbs which carry a deadly poison. Known for their extreme heights, bark-like flesh, long lives, and abundant patience, Dendros are perfect for management positions. Maynard had been gifted with a spell that allowed him to appear human at will. It was so good that it could even fool most of the Witches in the building. Only the oldest, like Elena, and those of keen smell, like myself, had any idea he wasn't human. He was tall with perfectly kept blond hair styled into the latest fashion. He was an intimidating specimen with the physique of a body builder, but he had a huge heart. He was also one of the few Inhumans in the office not afraid of me, probably because he didn't have any blood.

  To really upset him, like he was now, was a truly rare occurrence and in my position, very frightening. Maynard's body was wood. His spikes, which were sharp and hard enough to easily pierce flesh, were also wood. One good shot to my heart and I was dead. I made no move to pull myself off the floor even though it still felt like I was on fire.

  "I can't have my two top Seekers tearing each other apart,” Maynard growled again.

  Elena, rubbing her throat, decided to pipe up. “She stole my—"

  "I know who started this,” Maynard barked at the old Witch, stopping her in mid-sentence, “and I will speak to you in my office privately.” He waited for a moment to see if she moved. “Right now!” He watched Elena stand and brush a bit of dust off her clothes. Reaching down, she snatched her focus amulet and deposited it in her pocket. Adjusting her shirt, she stared angrily at me and huffed off to Maynard's waiting office.

  I felt a flash of joy at watching Elena disciplined.

  "Rose."

  Damn. The sound of my name told me that I wasn't off the hook either.

  Maynard knelt down next to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. I started to feel the poison abate. “How many times have I asked you not to piss Elena off?"

  I lifted myself into a sitting position. “I dunno,” I croaked. “Twelve? Thirteen times?” I rubbed my throat. Apparently Elena's assault had bruised my voice box.

  Maynard smiled but quickly flushed it from his face. “The question was rhetorical, Rose."

  "Hey, how about a little sympathy for this devil?” I said, rubbing my forehead. I pulled two bloody fingers away and showed them to Maynard.

  He took his hand from my shoulder. “Better?"

  Surprised, I nodded as the burning began to ease.

  He looked at the holes in my leather jacket he had created. “Sorry I had to spike you, but it really looked like you were about to kill her."

  I was.

  "You're still in trouble,” Maynard pointed out, “but I did see who started it. I'm not going to let Elena off easy this time, but you shouldn't have retaliated."

  "What was I supposed to do?” I laughed. “Let the Witch kick the crap out of me? I don't think so. This kitty's got claws."

  Not amused by my joke, Maynard stood but kept his stare firmly on me. The green spikes quickly vanished into his flesh. “I want to see you in my office after I finish with Elena. You can head down to the infirmary if you need to."

  I smiled politely even though I was still in pain. He may have neutralized the poison, but there was the matter of the holes in my flesh his barbs had created. Leaning against the nearest desk I watched the Dendro return to his office and shut the door.

  Standing, I felt a twinge of pain run down my back. I touched my hand to my shoulder and pulled it away. Sticky cool blood clung to my palm and fingertips. There was something about a Dendro's poison that inhibited coagulation. Grabbing a handful of tissues from a box situated on the corner of the desk, I tried to wipe the blood from my hand and shoulder.

  Looking up, I watched the rest of the office slowly start to filter back in. I didn't blame them for running. There was nothing worse than an angry Witch. Spells and magic took focus. When enraged, a Witch usually forgot that little necessity and started blasting wildly. Which is why Elena was wearing the focus amulet. It concentrated her power and kept it under her control. When I knocked it away, she lost her concentration. Even that momentary lapse was enough for me. It was a handy little trick I learned while trying to bring in a coven of Witches last year.

  The bittersweet smell of brewed coffee hit my nose. I turned to find Toby waiting patiently with two cups of coffee in his hand. That makes twice he's snuck up on me. He's getting better.

  I accepted the mug from the young Werewolf and cradled it in my hands. The warmth from the beverage inside felt good on my hands. “Thanks for watching my back, T.” I smiled sarcastically.

  "Nothing I could do,” he said after taking a heady drink from the mug. “This was your fight.” He lowered hi
s voice. “And I knew you could take the Witch."

  Toby seemed more at ease with me today. Maybe a little rest had done him good, or maybe because the office wasn't empty. Or, more likely, he had recovered from his change. Whatever the reason, he wasn't eyeing me warily as if I were about to pounce on him. He looked better as well. His skin was rich and his eyes sparkled with life. His gray hair was still a mess, but it was stylishly messy. He was wearing a simple pair of jeans, a yellow bowling shirt, and his usual pair of white and black sneakers. And they even fit.

  I saw a golden glimmer around his throat. A thin chain wrapped around his neck and disappeared down into the collar of his shirt. As he leaned back slightly to take another drink of his coffee, my brow furrowed. I wasn't sure if I should be insulted, or ignore it. Not remembering if I had ever seen him wear a cross before, I let it drop. It was small enough to go unnoticed. If he started shoving it in my face, then we might have a problem.

  I lifted the mug to my lips and took a sip of the coffee. Way too hot, the dark liquid seared the tip of my tongue. Pulling the beverage away with a wince, I waited for the pain to subside. “So what did you do with your evening?"

  "Food Network,” Toby answered. “They had a great show on Creole cooking. I wrote down a couple of recipes. Might attempt jambalaya this weekend."

  I was suddenly thankful I didn't eat food. That meant the inevitable invitation to sample his creations would never come—among other reasons. Toby was a bit of an odd wolf. He claimed he could smell the preservatives and chemicals in pre-prepared food and they soured his stomach. I would have thought he was full of it, but it was well known that Werewolves had the most developed sense of smell of any Inhuman. Therefore, he was teaching himself to be a gourmet chef. Maybe it wasn't that odd after all, but I always had the image of an eight-foot-tall werewolf trying to make pancakes in my head when he talked about cooking. It made me smile at least.

  He took another sip of his coffee. “You?"

  "Snow angels in the sheets."

  He cocked an eyebrow and laughed.

  "Seriously,” I defended myself.

  Maynard's office door flew open as Elena charged out. Holding her fingers over the cut I'd given her on her throat, she shot me a snarky glance. Moving to the elevator, she disappeared without a single word.

  Toby laughed under his breath. “Woo, boy. She is pissed at you, Rose."

  Feeling a wad of fear well up in my throat, I nodded. I had done far worse than steal her collar. I had embarrassed her in front of our coworkers. She would not let this end well. Turning back, I saw Maynard leaning in his doorframe waiting for me.

  "Your turn, Rose,” he announced as calmly as possible. He leaned his head slightly to the right and spotted my Werewolf protégé. “Morning, Toby.” He paused. “You might as well join us on this one."

  Toby looked awestruck for a moment, but quickly let it drop realizing the disciplining was complete. It was time to get back to work.

  Holding his coffee carefully, Toby followed me into Maynard's office. I couldn't help but notice how he clung to my heels as we walked, almost like a loyal pet. The wolf was starting to show dominance while he was in human form. Interesting.

  Sliding into one of the cushy chairs, I set my coffee mug on the edge of Maynard's desk. His office was a mixture of black and wood tones. I wondered if it made a tree Demon uneasy to have a wooden desk. It didn't seem to bother Maynard, although there were more potted plants in his office than in the rest of the building. It was his personal forest. Long ago the Dendros Demons were protectors of forests. There were rumors some Dendros had never left their posts. They were still fighting off developers and loggers encroaching on their trees. Maybe Maynard still needed his own little grove to protect.

  Crossing my legs, I folded my hands in my lap and waited. I saw Toby do the same out of the corner of my eye.

  Maynard shut his office door and walked around to his padded leather chair. He looked at Toby then back to me as he sat down. “Why do I keep putting up with you, Rose?"

  I shrugged. “Because I'm a pretty good Seeker?"

  Maynard snorted. “Must be it.” He leaned back with a squeak of leather. “I'm not going to scold you, but you know messing with a Witch is dangerous business, especially if the Tribunal learns of it. You know how they feel about one of their own being assaulted by another Inhuman."

  He was doing his best to be my friend and not my boss. I wasn't sure it was working out so well. Still it was good advice. The Brimstone Tribunal, a coven of thirteen Witches, was especially protective of other Witches in the syndicate. It was almost a weird form of nepotism.

  Maynard lifted a red folder from his desk and tossed it to me. Flipping it open, I quickly started to leaf through a series of black and white photos. I didn't recognize any of the subjects but they all looked like—

  "Vampires,” Maynard confirmed, a step ahead of my inevitable question. “A whole brood in downtown. They've been snatching tourists off the Strip. One or two I might be able to turn the other way, but this is becoming an epidemic. They've killed four this week already."

  And it was only Tuesday.

  "Search and destroy?” Toby asked as he sipped his cooling coffee.

  Maynard nodded. “But we need to come up with a cover story as well. The human police are going to want someone they can pin these crimes on.” The Dendro leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “The mayor is pressuring them to make a capture. He doesn't think this looks good for tourism."

  "I can imagine,” I said with an uneasy chuckle. “They want tourists to gamble their money, not their lives.” I stared at the surveillance photos of the Vampires. “How did a brood this big form illegally under our nose?"

  "That's what we need to know,” Maynard replied. “I want you and Toby to take the lead on this one. I'm sending you in with a team of Cleaners. This assignment is top priority. Everything else is on hold."

  Toby twisted his coffee mug nervously in his hands. “When do we hit the place?"

  "Just before dawn,” Maynard said evenly. “That'll give you and Rose a chance to come up with a cover story and scope out the brood's nest. Now get to work.” He dismissed us with a wave of his massive hands. “Oh, and, Rose,” Maynard leaned forward and leveled his eyes with mine, “don't burn down the building this time."

  I stood up and smiled broadly. “No promises."

  Chapter 5

  "I've got it,” Toby said quietly. “How about a cannibal serial killer?"

  I shook my head as I perched on the roof of the house opposite the brood's. “That's gross. Plus, I don't think that would look good for Vegas on the national news. This has to be,” I paused, watching a Vampire exit the house and move quickly down the sidewalk, “mundane. It has to be forgotten in a few weeks. We don't want a major investigation into this."

  Pulling a compact digital camera from my pocket, I zoomed in on the Vampire and snapped a couple of quick pics. I caught his scent on the morning breeze. The smell of fresh blood was heavy on him. He had killed recently, but there wasn't anything I could do about it right now. He was the third Vampire to fly the nest tonight. Clicking off the camera, I returned it to my coat and cursed under my breath. If they didn't come back before dawn, I would have to track them down later. If even one was left, it could start the process again. They all had to be destroyed.

  I stretched my shoulder gently looking for a twinge of pain. Only a slight stiffness remained as my wounds had mostly healed from the night's earlier encounter with Elena and Maynard. Leaning forward, I could smell the stench of death from the brood's house. The Vampires were indeed bleeding humans. It set me on edge. As the night had drawn on, the smells had started to overpower me. I think I would have been happy to join them; to feel my fangs sink into the soft flesh of a human's throat, but I had a job to do. I had to remain strong for my sake. I looked over my shoulder, for Toby's sake.

  We had been in the same spot for most of the night. Luckily this area o
f Las Vegas was a bit more rundown than the tourists usually see. The house we had appropriated for surveillance was empty. The brood's nest looked as if it were about to collapse on itself. Large sections of the roof had already cratered into the second floor, and not a single pane of glass remained. The wooden porch was caved in just beyond the front door as if a bomb had hit it. These were dirty, filthy Vampires.

  Not unlike the ones who turned me.

  Attempting to tuck the memory back into the deep, dark recesses of my mind, I tried to stay focused. I didn't have time to stew over things that happened over a hundred years ago. But it wasn't working. They stole everything from me. My life, my family, my husband ... My lips curled into a sneer as I thought about the ways I would like to torture them. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I would tear out their fangs, one by one, with a pair of pliers—

  "Rose?"

  Toby's hand on my shoulder startled me. I spun and stared at the Werewolf with black eyes and fangs bared.

  "Whoa,” he said, jumping back from me with his hands in the air. “Ease up, Cybil."

  The air around us became tense as we both remained still. I stared at the wolf. Slowly my grips on the wooden shingles relaxed as my claws retracted. Shaking my head, I felt my black eyes revert to normal. “Toby,” I said apologetically, letting my gaze fall away. “I went someplace dark for a minute."

  "No kidding,” Toby growled. “I thought you were going to tear my head off."

  "I'm—” I lifted my hand and brushed a lock of blond hair from my eyes. “I'm really sorry.” I realized at this rate, he would never want to work with me again. Or he would kill me. Whichever came first.

  Toby cocked his head slightly. “Why do you do that?"