They asked a couple more questions, but my mind wasn’t on it. My thoughts darted between Kristair, my friends, and finding food. My hunger was quickly becoming overwhelming. There really wasn’t more I could add anyway, so I stuck to my story. I didn’t know if Tony or Steve had seen Kristair and if they had, even been able to recognize him in the state he was in. Damn… I just wanted them to wake up and yell at me or something.
The nurse headed in our direction, her graying braid bouncing over her shoulder. I jumped up from my chair, my heart pounding, my stomach roiling. She looked at the cops, and then gave me a brief reassuring smile. “Tony is awake now. You can speak to him before we move him to a room.”
She started to turn away, but I jumped forward, laying my hand on her arm. “Wait… is Tony going to be okay? Why’re you admitting him?”
She hesitated a moment, eyeing me before answering. “He’ll be fine. It’s just for observation. They’ll probably release him tomorrow.” She tugged her arm out of my grasp and I grabbed it again.
“Wait, what about Steve? He’s okay too… right?” I silently pleaded with her to give me the answer I wanted, willing it with every fiber of my being. He had to be fine… it was Steve.
“He’s not awake yet. That’s all I can say.” Then with another sympathetic glance, she was gone.
“Why don’t you go talk to this Tony, while I finish up here?” Detective Aderson said, sticking his hands in his trench coat. The other nodded and walked off toward the back and I watched him go, my heart sinking. If I could just see Tony with my own eyes, then I might believe he was going to pull through, and I could find out what he’d seen.
I glared at the cop, unable to be diplomatic in my current mood. “I answered all your damned questions. What else is there to say?” I all but snarled the words out. Sometimes I could be a real idiot. This cop gave me the willies. Somehow, I would rather have dealt with the thug-looking one.
His fingertips brushed the sides of my neck before I was even aware of what he was trying to do. I gasped and stepped back, my eyes going wide as I touched the spot where Kristair had bitten me. It was healed, except for two tender areas were the skin was newly formed. I gave the cop a wary glance, everything in me screaming to bolt, but I held my ground.
“You’re one of their pets.” It was a statement, not a question.
I shook my head. “I don’t know—”
“Listen, you were lucky tonight. You may not have that chance again. Your friends might not have that chance again. Get out while you can, kid. You’re in way over your head.” He turned and walked away as well, leaving me staring after him, stunned. I sat down in the chair again, dropping my head in my hands.
Tell me something I didn’t know.
Chapter 19
IT HAD been a long time since my reason had slipped to such a degree. I had always made it a point never to let myself get so hungry. It had been even longer since anyone had had the power to injure me in such a manner. Still, regardless of the reason, I despised being out of control.
I knew Jacob was awake and well. I could feel his own hunger through our bond. I wanted to speak to him, but he wasn’t in any mood to converse with me right now. I suppose I couldn’t blame him. When his roommate had come upon us, instinct had taken over. I wish I could take comfort in the fact that I had retained enough self-possession to not kill either of them, but it wouldn’t even have to be a worry if I’d followed my instincts and gone hunting on the streets instead. And I doubt my sense of guilt would ease Jacob’s worry.
I was miles from Jacob’s apartment now and most of my wounds were healed. The burns on my back were the worst, but by the time I awoke again tomorrow night, even those would only be a memory.
It seemed I had some time on my hands until Jacob cooled off enough to contact me. I glanced around at the massive trees in the park I found myself in and decided to track down the remaining member of the Syndicate who had survived. I grinned, letting the hunt to come wash away my regrets. I hoped my prey had had time to relax. It would make it all the more interesting when I found him.
I brushed my thoughts across Jacob’s, savoring the contact. I had the impression he was sitting by a bed, his insides clawing with hunger. I planted the idea to go eat and withdrew. He would feel much better when he had taken some sustenance. Healing from that kind of drain on his resources took a toll on his body.
I returned to the cathedral, slipping through the shadows and masking my presence from those still milling about despite the late hour. Ever-curious students hovered outside the yellow tape, no doubt anticipating the cancellation of classes on the morrow. The police had set up checkpoints as their various teams investigated, shifting through the wreckage and making sure the rest of the building was sound.
I longed to go into my library and start setting things to right, not to mention seeing if there was anything left of my belongings in my room behind the office. However, I had no desire to draw attention to myself. The night was only going to last so long and I had many tasks to accomplish before then, not the least of which was to find another place to sleep before dawn.
So, as much as it pained me, I avoided the library altogether, lest the temptation prove to be too much. The police continued their work and chattered, unaware of my wraith, except for maybe the passing chill down their spines, which was soon forgotten. It took some concentration to pick out the vampire’s scent from that of all of the humans who had trampled over the area over the past couple of hours.
Fierce triumph surged through me as I caught it. The trail didn’t veer or double back on itself, so my prey hadn’t been worried about being followed. It led to a brownstone tucked away in the heart of Squirrel Hill. For a long time, I studied the building from my vantage point across the street, weighing my options. There was a chance they believed I had perished, in which case, if I didn’t bring their attention to me, I wouldn’t have to worry about them bothering me anymore. On the other hand, the idea of hiding, limiting my actions while those who were responsible for Kayla’s injuries walked free, left a horrid taste in my mouth.
Jacob would’ve already been inside, raising hell. I had to smile at the image that arose of his blue eyes blazing fire in righteous indignation. He was beautiful.
I eyed the house again. There was still activity inside and the majority of rooms had lights on. I wouldn’t make a decision either way without more information.
Sneaking through the walls was not an option. My experience with the voices earlier and the way they’d almost taken me over had made me wary. I didn’t want to tempt fate a second time in one night. Whatever immunity I had gained by my ritual with Jacob seemed to be lost.
That was a worry I’d have to tackle another hour, another day.
I concentrated, my body becoming as insubstantial as mist. I flowed out of my hiding spot, keeping close to the ground. The darkness and snow ought to be enough to shield me against anyone who happened to look out a window. I found one of the exhaust vents and started to make my way through the maze of ductwork, spreading myself out to cover as much ground as possible.
As I slithered, the whisperers arrived. They hovered, silent, and as much as their hushed presence disturbed me, I forced myself to go on, knowing I could do nothing about them at this time.
I found my lone surviving assailant alone in a room upstairs. Alone being a relative term. It was far too late for the woman he was feeding on. Her skin had already sunken in on itself and her limbs twitched feebly. His other victim was slumped over, forgotten on the floor, long since dead.
It was incredibly tempting. I could be on him before he even realized it, and kill him before he could alert the others. It was the lure of the idea that decided me. What if it was a trap? Silently, I flowed on, leaving him to his meal. I would return for him later. He would be busy for some time and I would get my retribution after I found the information I sought.
The others were downstairs, gathered around a table in another room to the
side of the kitchen. There were almost a dozen of them seated, while more stood near the door and windows. Bitter disappointment tasted sharp and rank in my mouth. I might be able to slaughter all of them, but I couldn’t guarantee one wouldn’t escape to alert their headquarters. My city didn’t need to be crawling with more Syndicate members than there already were. I would not risk Jacob and Kayla like that, so I settled in to listen instead.
They were a motley crew, a collection of men and woman of all races, stations, and seeming ages. The only characteristic they had in common was their uncertainty. They stank of fear as they looked around with darting eyes and spoke in hushed tones. Mentally, I smiled, reveling in their reactions that posed another possibility to me. One I had not considered before. Maybe they could be terrorized into leaving me be.
“We cannot report to the Council that the Ancient One was destroyed without proof,” a woman insisted. “They will never accept it.”
“What do you expect us to do?” another woman replied from farther down the table. “If Tuck had stuck around instead of running like such a coward, we would know for certain. He said the Ancient One is dead. I’m inclined to believe him.”
“You don’t believe him any more than I do,” a man sneered, stabbing a finger in her direction. His accent was Italian and heavy. It made me want to sink my fangs into his throat. “Are you going to stand before the Council and give them half-truths? They’ll see right through them. If we go back, the Council will either destroy us for failing, or send us right back to finish our job.”
Chaos erupted around the table as various factions sided against one another. I couldn’t remember the last time I was the subject of so much controversy. It was nice to know I could cause such discord amongst my enemies. The Italian soon got the others under control. Clearly, he was the one in charge. I’d deal with him first.
He stared down those gathered, his voice bared steel. “The chances the Ancient One was destroyed are slim. He is stronger, more invulnerable than we are. He is clever and patient. What terrified fools you are. Do you think he’s survived this many centuries to be destroyed so easily, with so little cost to us?”
Ah, a thinker. There had to be at least one.
“So little cost!” A heavyset woman pushed her way from the wall to the table and glared at the Italian. “Doverspade is dead! Ch—”
“As I said,” the Italian cut in smoothly. “A small price to pay as yet. This isn’t over with. He will not take our assault without an answer; unless we’re prepared we’re going to lose many more.” He got up from his seat and leaned over the table, stopping responses with his gaze. “We made a mistake. He wasn’t injured in the blast, so he mustn’t have been sleeping there. That was your job, Frank.” His eyes glinted as he looked at a tall, blond man, standing near one of the windows.
“Everything we’ve learned about him indicated he haunts the cathedral,” Frank replied, looking unrepentant. “We knew there was another room behind the office and that it was reinforced. It made sense.”
“You screwed up,” the Italian said. “We had to be utterly sure before we went ahead. Now, we’ve lost our advantage. He knows we’re coming after him and it’s going to be harder to catch him unaware.”
I listened with half my attention as they continued to argue. That answered one question. They weren’t going to go away. Well, if they wanted a war, I’d be more than happy to oblige them.
I debated whether or not to get Mr. Ussier mixed up in this. He considered Pittsburgh to be his city and defended his territory ferociously against outsiders. Still, this was a private matter and I’d already involved him once.
Mr. Ussier would want to be kept updated, however. I vacillated between leaving my vantage point to call him or staying put. I ran through several options and discarded them all. Finally, I decided to go look in on Tuck again. He probably had a phone on him since all of the younger people, human and vampire, seemed to be slaves to the device.
Tuck sat alone, either healing from unseen injuries or contemplating the trouble he was in from his fellow Syndicate members. He’d cast off the woman, no doubt sated after feeding so much. He would be lethargic. Anticipation heightened my senses and I could taste the kill even before I attacked.
Quickly, I flowed out of the vents and surrounded him before he realized something was amiss. Tuck jumped up from the bed, his eyes widening in alarm. He opened his mouth to shout and that’s when I struck, pouring myself into him through his mouth, nose, and ears, smothering the sound before it started. Ah, his fear was intoxicating. It ran through my senses, thrilling and dark.
Tuck stiffened as my essence invaded every particle of his body. His mental screams buffeted me as I leeched all of the blood from him with a thought. It was a simple matter to cause his heart to implode, a mere twist of my energy around the muscle. The vampire fell to the floor next to his victims, as cold and empty as they were.
That was interesting. I flowed out of him and resumed my form, studying his body. The expression on Tuck’s face was terror-stricken. I had never killed anyone in that manner before. I hadn’t even known it was possible. Over the years, I had learned I could do just about anything with my matter. It only required time, months, sometimes years, to puzzle out how to alter my form, use it. This time, I thought it and it happened. Interesting, indeed. It opened new possibilities.
I dug through his pockets until I found his cell phone. This was fast becoming a habit with me. My conversation with Mr. Ussier was terse. As I suspected, he was not pleased by these new events. It was not going to be a pleasant evening for the members of this household.
I locked the door from the inside in case anyone decided to check on the departed Tuck. Then I transformed myself into the mist again. As I moved behind the walls, I sensed the mass presence in my thoughts, which had remained quiet so far, grow stronger. I tried to ignore the sibilant sounds, which crawled through me as insidiously as I had invaded Tuck. Then inexplicably, they died off as I took up my earlier spot. Uneasy, I put the incident out of my mind, needing to be clear-headed when Mr. Ussier and his cohorts arrived.
The Syndicate members were still talking when I looked down on them, though most of the arguing seemed to have ceased. They were trying to find a way to lure me out of wherever I was holed up now. Wouldn’t they just love to know? my thoughts snickered. Their methods and suggestions were inventive, I’d give them that. Though the burning question in my mind wasn’t how they were going to capture me, but how they planned on holding me if they succeeded. That would be a feat in and of itself, but if they had a method for doing so, they neglected to mention it in the midst of their debate.
“What of the boy?”
My senses became sharply tuned as I focused on the speaker, a woman who had been quiet until now. She seemed to be in her mid-forties, with light brown hair and strikingly angular features.
The Italian’s lip curled. “You cannot be serious.”
Fury consumed me at the hint of a threat toward Jacob. It took all of my discipline to make myself wait. Ussier would be there soon with reinforcements. Now, I had to make doubly sure none escaped with the thought of Jacob in their minds. I marked her to be my first victim, moving the Italian down my mental list. I billowed and coiled, moving continually in my restlessness. Mr. Ussier had better hurry.
My sudden rage must have alerted Jacob, for I felt the hesitant brush of his thoughts. I seized the contact, making sure through our link he was okay. “Where are you, mo chroí?”
“At the hospital.” His mind was colored with guilt and lingering anger.
That was good; he would be safe there with all the people and activity. And if he was there this late into the night, he wasn’t likely to leave before dawn. I pressed a mental kiss to his lips. “Stay there until daylight. Your friends too.” I hesitated, and then tried to offer him some reassurance. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“I didn’t listen, as usual. You tried to warn me.”
Jacob’s em
otions were a tangled knot of self-reproach, anger, and worry. I tried not to let his fear toward me affect me. “I will see you soon. We can talk about it then.” He didn’t answer and I gently withdrew, leaving a tendril of contact.
“Whether or not he cares for the boy is moot,” the woman was saying. “But the Ancient One must have some interest in him to be spending so much time with him. It might give us leverage.”
“He’s human.” The Italian’s voice was baffled. “What possible interest could he hold for the Ancient One?” He shook his head. “We’re wasting our time.”
“Now who is the fool?” The woman replied with a superior smile on her face. “What harm would it cause to take the boy? If we’re wrong and the Ancient One has no interest in him, we’ll just kill him. Then we won’t have lost anything for the effort.”
“Just our—”
Whatever the vampire was going to say was lost when the door exploded inward, disintegrating the vampire who had been standing guard before it. Shouts of alarm filled the room as the vampires scrambled away from the table, tripping over one another in their haste. Their expressions of fear first changed to confusion, then rage when Mr. Ussier stepped through the wreckage, alone. I suppose they were expecting me instead. He was a tall, light-skinned black man, with a hard face and incongruous dimples on his cheeks.
“Who the fuck are—”
The gun in Mr. Ussier’s hand was the size of a small cannon. And it cut off the Italian’s query as his head exploded, his final words hanging in the air.
I was not about to let Ussier have all the enjoyment out of this battle. I poured out of the vent and coalesced behind the woman who’d brought up Jacob’s existence. She screamed once as I grabbed her, ending her life swiftly. She was lucky. Had I the time, I would’ve lingered over her death for the rest of the night, savoring it.
Bullets ripped by, finding their targets as I turned and leapt on another. He fought back fiercely, his claws digging deep into my side and shoulders, but he had neither my strength nor my bloodlust, not with the memory of Kayla lying still, and the threat to my lover uppermost in my thoughts. He went down and I moved on to my next opponent and then the next. Several swarmed over me, pulling me down, biting and savaging. One’s head exploded in a mist of brains and blood, and I tore another one’s heart out as the third turned to run again. Ussier’s gun was quicker and I was up again.
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