Of A Darker Nature

by Clay, Michelle

  Emily burst out the door and pushed past several people waiting to get into the club. Brenda glanced over her shoulder, doubling her efforts to evade Emily.

  “Brenda! Wait up,” Emily called after her.

  From somewhere amongst the maze of cars, Marcus sounded angry. “What the hell? You’re supposed to keep her out of trouble.”

  “I’m sorry!” Corey’s equally irritated voice echoed. “That friend of hers showed up and she bolted, I swear.”

  “Fine, get out of here. Follow Riley and see where he goes tonight. He’s getting into his car now.”

  Emily rounded the end of a Pontiac. Brenda leaned against the hood of her car, a cigarette hanging from her mouth. “Hey there, Em. Were you looking for me?”

  Emily gasped, and her fingers searched for the heart charm. “What’s going on? You’re supposed to be in Florida.”

  Flicking the cigarette away, Brenda smirked. “Yeah, that’s what you were supposed to think.”

  “What? Why?” Emily began to feel exposed standing at the very rear of the dark parking lot – especially in the company of a woman who had lied to her. If things got dangerous, she was out of sight of the club-goers.

  Brenda’s laugh sounded cold and grating. “It was so easy to fool you. And you just went right ahead and told me how to break the spell Bill put on the property, didn’t you?”

  Emily’s stomach hollowed out. The sour taste of acid burned at the back of her throat. “What are you saying?”

  “A little scratch here and a bite there, it was all arranged.” Brenda shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “Your vampire boyfriend was supposed to be my golden opportunity. Starr gave me something to put in the blood you were keeping in the fridge. We figured he'd do the job for us.”

  Her knees shook and threatened to buckle. Brenda had manipulated the blood in hopes Marcus would kill her? “Did she force you to do this?”

  Brenda’s face twisted into something detached and ugly. “I didn’t do anything I didn’t want to.”

  The sting of betrayal threatened to reduce Emily to tears. “Brenda we’re friends, how could you?”

  “I did what I had to.” Her face screwed into an ugly expression of anger and hatred.

  Emily’s stomach continued to roll, and her legs went weak. “But your boyfriend…”

  “Was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Brenda said with a shrug. “It wasn’t like I was in love with him.”

  Any residual feelings Emily may have harbored died with Brenda’s heartless statement.

  Starr Carter surfaced out of the darkness. Her toad-like face wore a grin. “Are you too stupid to realize you’re just as dangerous as they are? Trent would have taken care of everything the other night, but lucky for you, your fanged friend showed up.” She moved a bit closer. “You know where Isabella is hidden, don't you?”

  Shaken, Emily backed away from them. “Why are you doing this?”

  “That bitch and her vampires, your vampire, killed my family. I bet he didn’t tell you that, did he?”

  Emily cast a hopeful glance over her shoulder, desperately seeking help. The dark lot offered none.

  Brenda shook her head in mock regret. “I hoped you’d changed after you came back and had the accident. I hoped you wouldn’t be the oddity you’d always been, that you somehow would be normal. You can’t imagine how hard the past year has been dealing with all your sniveling self-pity.”

  Starr patted Brenda’s shoulder in a matronly manner. She smiled remorsefully though she never took her gaze away from Emily. “Her type never changes, Brenda. You see all the trouble she has caused us? See all the misery she’s caused you?”

  Brenda rolled her eyes and made a disgusted noise. “Pretending to care was beginning to wear me down, Em. Why do you think I jumped at the chance to help Starr?”

  Emily took another step backward. Brenda’s hurtful words tore at her heart. “I offered to give you the property. Why didn’t you take it? If that’s all this is about, you can still have it.”

  Brenda chortled. “God, you’re such an idiot. What good would the property do us if Bill put you into the spell?”

  Starr no longer looked apologetic. “I think the ley line is unstable. It feels like it’s faltering, so we probably don’t have much time. You’re coming with us, Emily. You’re going to help us get what we want.” Her features warped into a frightfully determined expression. “I have a little project for you, so don’t make me kill you just yet. Be a good girl and just do what you’re told.”

  The shadows behind the dumpster moved forward. She recognized the black man with the bandaged hand. He’d been at the park the night Starr forced her to read the vampire. Larry, the guy she met earlier in the bar, moved toward her and smiled menacingly. A painfully thin woman accompanied them.

  Brenda drew her legs up onto the hood of the car. Starr rested against it, a smile on her face. “Let’s get this over with. Try not to rough her up too much. I need to use her later, and she'll need to be able to talk.”

  They were on Emily before she could turn to run. Ace grabbed her arms, pinning them behind her back. His breath stank of cigarettes and malt liquor.

  Though she struggled, she couldn’t break his hold. The thin woman moved in, cat-like and deadly. Emily kicked her in the gut and sent her sprawling on the pavement. Larry came at her from the side and his fist connected with her stomach. The air in Emily’s lungs whooshed out, leaving her dizzy and in pain.

  The woman crawled to her feet. “Hang onto her, Ace. I’m gonna drain her dry!” Marcus physically moved a car out of his way. The screech of metal and broken glass indicated he was nearby. He pounced on the woman clinging to Emily’s legs. “Her blood is mine!”

  The woman let go to lunge at Marcus. He caught her by the hair and yanked her head back. An evil grin darkened his features. He continued pulling her head back, ignoring her screams and the nails scrabbling at his arms. The flesh separated and the woman’s shrill scream was abruptly cut off. The head struck the ground only feet from Emily. Already the woman was disintegrating into foul goo.

  Starr pushed away from the car and tossed colored sand at Emily. She shouted, “dissolutus.”

  Emily coughed and sputtered then her body went limp. She had no energy left, no strength at all. Her legs crumpled beneath her, spilling her to the ground. Gravel bit into her cheek and chin, dirt swirled up her nose and in her eyes.

  Ace rushed forward, a long blade in his uninjured hand. “’C’mere pretty boy, we have unfinished business.”

  Larry’s body twisted its shape. He looked grotesque – somewhere between half man and pig. He’d only changed enough to enable him to use his animal strength. The fingers of his left hand fused together to form a misshapen hoof. Tearing a piece of his shirt, he bent and picked up a length of silver chain from the ground. He moved forward and wrapped it around his right hand. He made sure to prevent it from touching his skin.

  Even though her cheek was pressed against the gravel, Emily watched the others advance on the wild eyed vampire. Marcus might be supernaturally strong, but the others had the advantage of their number.

  Emily’s eyes fluttered shut, but the rattle of the chains snapped them back open. Larry flicked the chain like a whip. It spun around Marcus’s right wrist and a tendril of smoke curled up from his burned flesh.

  Ace darted in, slashing at the vampire with the knife. Though Marcus fended him off, his left cheek and hand were sliced and bleeding.

  From above, Brenda said, “Maybe you should throw some of that stuff on the nosferatu.” Starr’s right foot moved close to Emily’s head. If she could just move her arm a little…

  “Can’t,” Starr muttered. “It might hit Ace. Then we’d all be fucked. We don’t want to let the vampire get away. I didn’t think they’d be here, or I would have come more prepared. These spells take so much out of me.” She stepped out of Emily’s line of vision. “Quit playing around and kill him already! He’s the lead enforcer, and
I want the girl wonder to read him.”

  Emily struggled to rise to her feet. Brenda ground her heel into the small of her back and made her cry out in agony.

  “You brought a gun?” Starr’s surprise was evident in her breathy voice.

  “I brought some help, just in case.” Brenda’s weight shifted then she pulled the trigger. The bullet whizzed past Marcus’s head, missing by mere inches. Ace took that opportunity to thrust the knife into the vamp’s chest.

  Marcus fell to his knees, nearly dragging Larry down with him. Blood bubbled from his mouth and ran down his chin. He grappled with the knife but was unable to pull it free. Falling forward, he drove it deeper into his chest. He lay unmoving on the ground.

  Emily searched his face. Though his eyes remained open, they were unblinking. His irises slowly faded from dark to light blue. He couldn’t be gone, could he?

  “No!” Sand stuck to her tear moistened cheeks. Pain and guilt clutched at her heart. Starr’s spell had begun to wear off, and Emily was able to scramble onto hands and knees.

  “Is he dead?” Starr’s voice sounded buoyant. “That was almost too easy.”

  Just to make sure, Larry gave Marcus a kick to the ribs. The vampire didn’t flinch or blink.

  Brenda stepped away and Starr filled Emily's vision. The witch gave her leg a kick. Emily cut her eyes around to find the gun pointed at her now. “Get up. Go over to him.”

  Emily crawled to her feet. She had no choice but to allow Brenda to grip her arm and push her toward her fallen lover.

  She brushed the hair off of his forehead as tears filled her eyes. His last thoughts were only of her. Strange feelings of hunger, lust, and perhaps even affection engulfed her. She smoothed trembling fingers across his cheek. He had been afraid to lose her, even more afraid to love her.

  Noise at the front of the parking lot left Starr skittish. “Hurry up. We can't be seen.”

  “Let's just throw her in the trunk with him.” Brenda jerked Emily to her feet. “She'll have no choice but to touch him in that cramped space.”

  Ace grinned. “If he isn't dead, he'll wake and probably eat her.”

  “Pop the trunk.” Starr motioned to one of the men. “We need to get them out of here. After we find out what she knows, we’ll plan our next move. I’ll meet you guys back at my place.” She whirled and nearly ran into the shifter. “And for Goddess sakes, change back into a human!”

  The pig-man answered with a grunt. In the excitement of the struggle, his nose now resembled a snout. Starr grumbled a curse then stalked away.

  The rattle of chains drew Emily’s attention back to Marcus. He surged to his feet and launched himself at the men. The chain wrapped around Larry’s throat and Marcus gave it a yank. Pig-man's neck snapped. Ace grabbed Marcus by the time he swung the length of silver from the body.

  Marcus was pulled into the crushing embrace of the black man.

  The weakened vampire twisted and writhed and somehow managed to work the knife from his chest. Ace didn’t have time to react.

  Marcus plunged the blade into the big man’s right eye socket. He dropped Marcus and fell onto the gravel.

  Marcus turned and stalked toward Brenda and Emily. Brenda pointed the gun at him, her hand steady. “Stay back!”

  Emily grasped her arm and tried to yank the gun away. She got an elbow in the face for her efforts. Marcus took two shots to the chest and one in the neck.

  He didn’t fall this time. A determined expression swallowed his features. His darkened eyes focused on Brenda. Had he not been slowed down by his injuries, he most likely would have reached her before she dove into the car.

  Brenda floored the gas, and the engine whined. The car surged forward, and Marcus yanked Emily out of the way just in time. Brenda sped out of the lot and screeched down the block.

  Marcus fell heavily against the trunk of the closest car. He dragged in a few ragged breaths and his fingers scrabbled at the worst of the wounds.

  Emily hurried to his side. God, but he looked a mess. Close to tears and unsure of what to do, she ran her hands over his hips in search of keys and his phone. The phone had been smashed beyond use, so she allowed it to fall away. She dipped her fingers into his pocket again and fished the keys out. With careful fingers, she smoothed the hair out of his eyes. “Please don't die.”

  Marcus gripped her wrist, fingers leaving a crimson smear. Blue eyes drifted shut, and his hand fell away.

  Emily wrestled his limp body into the Corvette. She supposed a person could do most anything they put their mind to, given the right circumstances.

  Marcus groaned and shifted in the passenger’s seat. His right hand pressed against his chest in an effort to slow the trickle of blood. The breath in his lungs bubbled and crackled. “Something’s not right.”

  “What can I do?” Emily’s panic was full blown at this point. She put the car into gear and sped through the lot.

  “Morgue.” The hand fell from his chest and his head rolled against the seat. His reflection in the window looked grim. Dark circles stood out beneath his eyes and his cheeks were sunken.

  The bleeding had stopped, but he hadn’t begun to heal. The most visible wounds were glistening, raw holes. Emily worried there had been more in the gun than plain old bullets. She tried not to think about how or why her best friend had betrayed her. There were far more pressing matters at hand.

  The gears grinded and made a terrible racket. Marcus didn’t even open his eyes. “Morgue. Claude knows.” He gasped and choked on blood. “What to do.”

  Emily rolled through several intersections, much to the chagrin of other motorists. Several honked their displeasure, but she was beyond caring. She’d never driven so fast in her life.

  She pawed through her purse with one hand and dug her cell phone out. She speed dialed Scott's number, but he didn’t answer. The car swerved, nearly taking them into the ditch. She dropped the phone in the cup holder and gripped the wheel with both hands.

  Marcus fumbled with the cell phone during one of his lucid moments. He even managed to press a few buttons before it slipped from limp fingers and landed at his feet. She didn’t think he’d managed to call anyone.

  “Marcus, please don't die.” Her throat burned, and tears made her vision swim. “I just found you. I can’t lose you now.”

  Moments later, Emily parked behind the city morgue. She swung the car door open and ran toward the building. Claude answered her pounding at the back door after only a few seconds.

  “Is that you, Emily Cross?” The bald man’s breath reeked of pepperoncini and cherry cigars. He fingered the cleft that dimpled his chin.

  Emily suppressed a shudder. She turned and pointed toward the car. “Marcus needs your help. He’s been hurt.”

  Claudius Ballinger craned his neck and peered over her shoulder at the Corvette. “Is he conscious? Can he walk?”

  Emily regarded the dark vehicle. “No, he’s really out of it. He should be healing by now, but isn’t. Please don't let him die.”

  An odd smile twitched at the corners of Claude’s mouth. “Why don’t you go wait inside and I’ll take a look at him.”

  He moved aside to allow Emily entry, but she didn’t budge. She peered into his craggy face. Couldn’t he see how urgent this was?

  “Please, you’ve got to help him.”

  Claude grasped her arm and pulled her into the building with him. “Have a seat and I’ll run out and get old Marcus. I’ll have him fixed up in no time, you’ll see.”

  Emily stiffened at the coroner’s touch. He dragged her into the workroom, oblivious to her discomfort. Once inside, she spied a man with claws and sharp teeth lying on one of the tables. His eyes were clouded in death, but there wasn't a mark on him.

  “Do you mind if I cover him? He gives me the creeps.” She grasped the sheet and made sure to allow her fingers to brush across his skin as she pulled it over him.

  The shifter, a gray tabby cat, Marcus had asked to investigate Claude. This ma
n had spent a great deal of time pretending to be a stray the coroner fed and cared for. He hadn't actually believed good old Claude was to blame for the disappearances of vampires and shifters in the community. He was a healer at heart and would never turn away one of God's creatures.

  A little over a month ago, the cat had witnessed money change hands—dirty money for the dirtiest of deeds. There was no turning back now. Claude's hands were stained with the blood money Starr had offered. He had told her, “I'll do it because the goddamned supernatural is taking over.”

  The cat witnessed the doctor destroy the very ones he used to mend. Claude had purposely sent Marcus to the Hall Funeral Home. Corey and the others would look for him at the morgue instead, giving Trent time to reach him. He'd been paid big bucks to keep his trap shut and “accidentally” switch the paperwork with another body that was headed elsewhere.

  Cat-man wondered if Scott had accepted the money Starr offered him. He honestly doubted it. Scott had always been such a goody-goody, with his self-righteous nose in the air.

  The cat hung around every time business was going down. Claude began to suspect the cat wasn't an ordinary cat. For days, the cat was locked in a large cage and watched over. He hadn't had a chance to report back to Marcus or Isabella. He finally broke and transformed back. Claude was there to slip a needle beneath his skin. The man had writhed and screamed. His system shut down, unable to fully return to human.

  Claude maneuvered Emily toward an orange plastic chair in the corner. “Why don’t you sit here and I’ll go grab a stretcher from down the hall.”

  Despite her growing anxieties, Emily nodded. She sincerely hoped he didn’t know about her ability. “Sure, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

  “No, no I got this. You look pretty banged up yourself. I’ll give you a looking over too.” He raised bushy gray brows and fingered the cleft again.

  Claude moved toward the door leading to the hallway. It was all Emily could do to stay perched on the edge of that seat, waiting for the disgusting man to drop his guard and leave the room. Finally, he stepped into the hall. Just as the door swung shut, she noticed him take out his cell phone.