by Devyn Dawson
I turned to face Patrick’s pack as well as my group. “Shaynie, get outside to Oakley, you and him are going in. Patrick, if you have two people you can send in with them that would give them back-up, we could use it.” Patrick nodded that he did and sent them off with Shaynie. “Look, Pru may be missing. Gus said she went to the bathroom and hasn’t come back. She isn’t talking wolf, and apparently he can’t either. He’s going that way to check on her. We’re going to go in too. These are my people, and I’m not going to sit back and let them die. Dolly? You in?”
“What is that phrase you use all of the time? H to the E to the double L yeah. Of course I’m going; no one takes my kid and hurts her.” Dolly said as she checked her weapons. “Ernie wouldn’t have sat it out either Abel, he’d be proud of you.”
“We’ll see how proud he is after we get back. Dolly, if they kill Pru, I’ll never forgive myself.”
“Don’t start with the what if’s. You’re letting them get in your head. Trust me, Pru isn’t dead, she’s in trouble, but not dead. Keep your head together and don’t lose it. We’re fine; we’re werewolves and we can kick some serious ass, so let’s go prove a point.”
I laughed to myself thinking about her stealing my saying. No one can say Pru isn’t like her mother. For some unknown reason, I wasn’t afraid, I felt confident and strong.
“Abel, I know you can hear me. Abel, listen its Pru. Abel?”
“Pru? Why can’t anyone else talk to you?”
“I don’t know. They drugged me and Gus. I killed two of them, but they’ve taken me away. Tell Gus to leave. I’m at the Vampire Museum, in a secret room. Tell him to leave, hurry. One more thing, they’re planning on killing me once you get here. It’s a trap, don’t come with them Abel.”
“Don’t you die, Pru!”
“Phelan’s listen up. Pru just got through to me, she said that she is at the Vampire Museum. Oakley, I’m coming in to help you get Gus out. They are setting a trap to kill Pru, use caution. These are vampires, not girl scouts. We are trained fighters; we are the warriors and will not go down without a fight. I plan on all of us living through this, so follow out the plan.” I broadcasted to the pack.
Oakley and Shaynie met me on the side of the restaurant to go in together. Without talking we walked through the doors. The entire room looked up from their menus, dinner, date, whatever they were doing, to look at us. I spotted my sister at a table with Pascale and two other guys, I assumed they were vampires. Pascale held his wine glass up at me; I wanted nothing more than to rip it from his hands. Shaynie was gathering the humans in the room and told them we were on a game show so they would need to leave. She handed each couple the equivalent to a hundred dollars and told them the show would pay for whatever bill they had.
I tried pleading with Allie with my eyes to come over to me but she didn’t move. I would have never had thought she would be seduced by someone to turn her back on her family. She held my gaze without an ounce of expression at all. Get her away from them; lie to her, whatever it takes. I said to myself. “Allie, can I talk to you for a minute?”
“What?” Allie asked her eyes focused on mine. I always knew she was pretty, but now she was amazingly so. Her skin was perfectly flawless, paler, but beautiful. Her lips were redder and eyes were so bright and alive. A strange thought to have about a person that didn’t have a heartbeat.
“You and me, I’m your brother, unlike you, I’d never hurt you.” I said.
“Darling, take your baby brother aside and explain to him that you’re fine. Go on snuggle-butt, I’ll be right here waiting for you.” He kissed her hand and stood to pull her chair out for her.
Snuggle-butt? What kind of stupid pet name was that? Do they get all snuggly in their coffin? I fought the urge to hurl all over the floor.
“Come Abel; let’s get this insanity over with.” Allie headed straight for the door, miracles do happen.
We walked around to the side of the building where I stood with Oakley a few minutes ago. “Allie, come with me, I’ll protect you.”
She threw her head back and busted out laughing; not the cute laugh she used to have. No, she had some evil vampire-on-crack laugh now. “Abel, you’re really getting boring with the same damn thing over and over. You can’t protect me, not now, not ever. I’m a vampire, and you’re a wolf. You’re the king of wolves, and right now I’m a pretty good queen of vamps. The answer is n. o. no.”
“You’ve always been the one to do things the hard way, and this is no exception,” I said. Those were the code words to have Parker and Patrick come secure her for transport to the museum.
“Have you lost your mind? He will kill you all, all of you! Abel Casey you have no idea what you’re up against.” She growled.
Parker slapped handcuffs around her wrists. I leaned in and said in and whispered “They’ve no idea what they’re up against. I’m one big bad wolf and I’m about to blow their freakin house down.” I grabbed her chin forcing her to look at me. “And don’t you forget it.”
“Pay, you’ll pay with your stupid pathetic lives.” Allie squealed at the top of her lungs, all the way to the van.
I was too mad to pay any attention to how cold it was. I took in a deep breath and walked inside to get Shaynie and Oakley.
“We’re finished here,” I said and turned around to leave.
I felt him behind me before I heard the table fall over. “Mutt, what did you do with my queen?”
I grinned to myself before turning around. Shaynie and Oakley pulled me behind them. “My sister said she was tired of the blood diet and wants to go home. I guess you’ll have to trade your double wide coffin in for a sleeker single.”
His entire body went rigid as if he was reminding himself that he wasn’t a man but a vampire sire. He tilted his head side to side, stretching it out. “Abel my dear, you will return my Allie or I’ll take great pleasure in telling the world of not only my secret, but yours as well. How do you think your little town of Choctaw, Oklahoma will take it? They’ll run and hide from your little vegetable garden. You’re reputation will suffer far more than mine ever will. I’m able to offer them salvation from murderers and crazed militias. What can you do for them? Hump them to death?”
“Give me Pru and Gus, you can have Allie. Where is Pru?” I said in a defeated sounding voice.
“I’ll meet you at my museum. I believe you know the way. You have thirty minutes, and I’m being generous. I will rip her limb from limb in front of you if you are one minute late.” He turned around and was gone.
“Get damage control in here,” I said to Shaynie.
“Was that a pile of ashes by the bar?” I asked Oakley.
“Yeah, that was the remains to a vamp that asked if I wanted a dog biscuit,” he said. “I couldn’t help myself. After he said that, he made a comment about Pru liking it doggie style. I snapped. ”
I put my hand on his shoulder. I knew it would be tough sending him in with her missing. “No worries, one less vampire to deal with. We better hurry.”
Chapter 37. Cell
“But we must make preparations for winter, or else we shall suffer from Hunger,” said the cat, “and you, little mouse, cannot venture out everywhere, or in the end you will be caught in a trap.” Cat and Mouse in Partnership ~ Grimm’s Household Tales
PRU
The Kardashian wannabe’s walked me through an office of some sorts and through yet another secret passage. The room held a jail cell fully equipped with a toilet and bunk beds. Video cameras were everywhere. The ones aimed at me, followed me around the room. The big burly vampire guard had on gloves as he opened the iron cell door. I kept sending out messages in hopes the drug had worn off, to no avail. In a moment of brilliance I remembered how Abel could hear human thoughts and bingo, it worked. Awesome, now Gus wouldn’t try to find me himself. I sat down on the floor in an attempt of meditating to reach Quinney. No matter how hard I concentrated, I couldn’t relax.
After a few minutes I tried wit
h everything in me to reach Oakley, but it still wouldn’t work. I heard a lot of noise going on outside the room. The grunts and groans sounded familiar, too familiar. Oh no, not Gus. Damn, I had hoped Abel would get to him in time.
“Gus! I’m okay! I’m FINE!” I yelled at the top of my lungs.
I heard a loud thud against the door to the room and then I heard it again, but this time louder. I heard a few four letter words and the screams of one of the Things. The door flew open barely attached to its frame.
Gus was pushed from behind into the room. Thing Two came at him with her hands out as if to choke him. He grabbed her and threw her across the room into the concrete wall. She was screaming in French and she was ten sides to mad. She ran at him again with a pure rage filled attack. I watched as he grabbed her and held her against the bars spread eagle. In an instant, I knew exactly what to do. I pulled the stake from my sleeve and as I snuck up from behind, I rammed the stake through her back. The gurgling sound from her mouth let me know I hit the target. As she fell to disintegration I saw the look of hope come from Gus’ face.
“Pru, you’re okay. Give me a minute to find the key and I’ll get you out.” He bent over to sift through the ashes on the floor for the key.
Before I could warn him, a vampire kicked him so hard, his head smashed into the bars. The vampire picked him up off of the floor and slammed him into the wall. Gus was unconscious and still grunting at each blow.
“STOP! You’re killing him!” I yelled.
“I have no orders to keep him alive, bitch!” The vampire hissed. “Since you want him so bad, maybe you can save him.” He unlocked the cell and with his gloved hand he held the door open as he kicked Gus into the room. Slamming the door shut he turned to laugh at me. “Does he need a little bandage, princess?”
I took my final stake and flung it at him as hard as I could, perfectly aimed, it rammed through his heart.
I dropped to the floor, bending over to check for a pulse. He wasn’t breathing so I started with rescue breaths. Starting CPR I knew it was risky with the crushing type of blows he had just had.
“Gus, don’t die, please don’t die.” I said as I pumped on his heart. “Please, I need you. The pack needs you.” I pumped and pumped. I checked his pulse again, nothing. I sat on the floor and put his head in my lap. “Gus, please stay with me,” I begged as I stroked his face. “I haven’t had a chance to thank you for escorting me around Paris. Do you have any idea how much you’ve taught us? Come on, please.” I bent my head over and tears poured from my eyes, they dripped onto his face and ran off as if they were his own. “Gus, listen, you can’t die. Remember, we all agreed we’d go back together.” I stroked his hair, I’d never touched it before and now it was all I wanted to do.
His eyes opened and he looked at me and I saw his chest rise slightly with breath. “Pru?” He whispered and I saw blood trickle out the side of his mouth.
“I’m here, I’m not leaving you. I knew those bastards couldn’t kill my mighty warrior wolf.”
“Pru, did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?” He asked softly.
I shook my head no. “Don’t talk like that.” I said.
“You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever known. Take care of your mom, she’s a good woman” he sputtered. A tear fell from his eye. “It hurts, man he kicked the shit out of me.”
“It’s going to be okay. I’ll fix this, I will. Please don’t die,” I sobbed. “Rest Gus, just rest okay.”
“Bye Pru, I always wondered what it would have been like to kiss you. I guess I’ll never know.” His eyes went blank and his head fell to the side.
“NO! NO! Gus, no, I’ll kiss you every day, don’t die, please,” I pleaded. Nothing happened; his blank look would haunt me forever.
I bent over and kissed him, in my mind I was hoping it was like a fairytale. A happy ending all through the magic of a kiss; but it wasn’t.
The pain was like no other, not even like what I felt for my dad. This man died because of me. He tried to protect me and he died. I would never have a bodyguard again. Never! I could never go through that again. In a special way, I loved him, and now he was dead. I sat on the floor with his head cradled in my lap, it felt like hours but I knew it wasn’t.
A cacophony of yelling rumbled me out of my trance. I needed to move Gus out of the way. I put my arms underneath his armpits and pulled him across the room. Grabbing the blanket off the bunk I covered him; I didn’t want the vampires near him. I knew their stupid cameras saw everything, I didn’t care. Those vile creatures would pay; a certainty I’d follow through with.
“Pru, we’re here. I’ve been trying to find Gus but I can’t. Pascale said he is taking us to you and we’ll handle it from there,” Abel’s voice was a welcomed sound.
“He’s with me, just get here and get me out of this place. Be careful, there is a psycho vampire chick that is a little ticked off about her sister’s death.”
Chapter 38. Fear
“The wife of a rich man fell sick, and as she felt that her end was drawing near, she called her only daughter to her bedside and said, dear child, be good and pious, and then the good God will always protect you, and I will look down on you from heaven and be near you.” Cinderella ~ Grimm’s Household Tales
ABEL
The ride over to the museum was anything but easy. I wished I knew where those tunnels were, it would’ve been easier to follow her scent. We managed to make every light and only one pedestrian ran for cover. Mom and Dad where with Parker and Patrick trying to talk Allie into leaving. The text I got from Parker said it wasn’t going very well.
A very tall and very old looking person opened up the door as we approached. I couldn’t tell if he was one of them or not. Other than being tall, he didn’t have eyebrows. Strange.
I sent out a mental message to Pru and felt relieved when she replied. Okay everyone, play it cool. They’ve got Pru and Gus and we have Allie. We’ll try to spare the vampires until they’re released.
Tall guy took us through a series of mazes and hidden doors until I was certain we were no longer technically on the museum property. Through the last doors we came upon Pascale.
“Look at that,” Pascale said looking at his watch. “Five minutes to spare. I guess she’ll get to keep her extremities. She’s a wild child, that Pru. Where is my queen, I don’t feel her in the building.”
“Allie is safe, she is with our parents. You have my word that she is safe, and if she chooses to be with you, so be it,” I said. Looking at him, I wondered if he had a playful side to him. Allie loved playing jokes on people, I wondered if she still did. Pascale had obviously made himself more comfortable since we saw him at the restaurant. He had shed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves to his dress shirt. I wouldn’t have been comfortable always dressed up like he was. My jeans and t-shirts where my suit and tie.
“You little prick; my queen will return to me, I assure you. I always win,” Pascale said as he turned his back to me.
My skin started to itch and my stomach started to burn, crap, I was about to shift. My malevolence towards Pascale increased ten-fold. I felt that I was covered in beads of sweat and tried as hard as I could to keep my composure.
“Why would you expose what we’ve hidden for centuries? It is ridiculous for you to think that humans will accept you with open arms. You’re foolish to even fantasize about it,” Oakley said in his Oklahoma drawl.
Dolly stomped her cowboy boot clad foot on the floor to get attention. “Allie will not be returned as a vampire. We’ve found the antidote and intend to use it; unless of course you agree that you will not go public with anyone’s secret. Allie has proven to us that she is a dedicated servant to you but she misses her family.”
Pascale threw his head back and cackled like a fool. “Dolina, you do amuse me.”
Something snapped in me, instinct took over. Rage boiled in my veins and I felt my wolf side pulsate through me. Something was off, it was as if I was a wolf, but
I didn’t shift. Everything went black and white, and I felt powerful. Oakley took a step back, giving me room to shift if needed. It wasn’t. I tilted my head, taking pictures with my mind, the vampire that stole my sister. Not Arien, but Pascale. We stood maybe three feet apart, I heard myself snort before I closed the gap between us.
“Vampire, listen and listen close. My spirit was foretold by wiser shamans than you’ll ever know. I haven’t disintegrated you as I should have the moment I saw you, out of respect for the human side of me. Right now? I’m not human, I’m all wolf. I have the strength of twenty men, and the gumption to stake you now. Our agreement in sparing you your life will be your silence. If this is not possible, you die, now. You see, vampire when a verbal agreement is made with me, it is a binding contract. I am the Great Wolf, and you are nothing within your race. I am the king of supernaturals and I speak for all, as their protector, and leader. Now look me in the eye and agree or Allie dies. Regardless if she is the sister to the human I am, my obligation belongs to the secrets I am bound to protect. Her one single death will be nothing compared to what will come if you go public. Do I make myself clear?” The voice that came from my mouth sounded like the Wizard of Oz when he was standing behind the curtain.