by Ainsley Cole
She was dead.
“That’s just fucking great—”
Climbing to her feet, her whole body ached. Her chest hurt; her shirt sticking to her. Looking down, the stitches in her chest had ripped again, so soon after Maddison had re-stitched them. Marely looked across to the vampire and spat at it, “Asshole.”
Turning, she limped to the other knife, picking it up as she dug for her phone and dialed.
“This is Rhayden, leave a message.”
Marley frowned, he always had his phone on him and with how many times he had called her—why had it gone to voice-mail?
“Rhayden, we have a problem. I killed a rogue. But, there’s something else. He looks like Vince and Norman.”
She hung up and turned back to the man, walking over and she pulled the dagger from his chin with a sickening squelch. Wiping the knife on the back of her pants, she closed it, shoving it back into her pocket and turned to the alley.
She had to get out of here.
The body of the girl would be found soon enough and with only a few hours until dawn, the vampire would be turned to dust—not a trace left behind. The girl would become an unsolved murder.
Frowning at the turn of events, Marley made to walk away—but stopped, pulling out her phone again and snapped a couple quick photos, making sure she had proof of the vampire she had just killed. Calm in the knowledge he wouldn’t be killing again, Marley turned and walked back around the front of the motel. She made sure she had everything, then took the keys to the office, dropping them in the small box, before she climbed into the Alpha and high-tailed it out of there.
Three
“Absinthe, we have a problem.” Rhayden stormed into the library, hand clutching his phone. He’d heard Marley’s message at least five times. Now he needed to get it to his brother, before something happened. Sliding to a stop, his gaze went to the man sitting in Absinthe’s chair. “Othello.”
“Rhayden Raynes. Just the man I wanted to see.”
Othello Martin was a formidable vampire. Older than both Absinthe and he put together, his skin leathery, thin; showing the age of their Lord.
Rhayden dropped his eyes, showing protocol. “Sire.”
“Sit. What is so important?” Rhayden looked at his brother, seeing Absinthe’s gaze on the table—curtailed by the older man. He nodded, taking a seat opposite, trying to hide his phone as he did so. “What is that?”
Rhayden’s gaze moved to Absinthe’s again and his brother finally looked up, his gaze going to his hand.
“Uh—”
“Rhayden, I do not like things being kept from me.” Othello stated, his hand coming out.
Rhayden sighed, placing his phone onto the older vampire’s palm.
Othello looked down at it, pressing the screen with a long-nailed finger.
Rhayden’s eyes went to Abe’s as Marley’s voice floated from it, tired and scared.
“Rhayden? We have a problem. I killed a rogue. But, there’s something else. He looks like Vince and Norman.”
Abe’s eyes closed and Rhayden lowered his as he heard the phone being placed down gently on the table.
“This Marlene Brennan seems to be a luxury you can no longer control Absinthe,” Othello said, his voice calm, but firm. “She is becoming a problem.”
“Marlene is the best bounty hunter we have ever had Othello.” Abe replied and Rhayden opened his eyes. His brother’s voice held anger, eyes fading to copper.
Rhayden’s gaze shifted to the old vampire at the head of the table, expecting him to lash out at the show of defiance.
Othello in turn, was staring back at him with boredom, “She has killed more than anyone, yes. But if she had not been hired, if you had not given her such lenience’s—then the Mated would not have been slaughtered in the first place.”
“Marely is not the reason for the Mated being killed.” Rhayden quipped and Othello’s dark eyes shifted to him, his lips thinning into a hard line and he closed his mouth, averting his eyes.
“Marley? Such a familiar name for a human toy. For isn’t that what she is? Human. A passing fetish? Tell me Rhayden, are you sleeping with her?”
If he had of been human, Rhayden knew his face would have flushed and he lifted his gaze to the man, tilting his chin higher, “Yes, Marley and I are lovers.”
“And so are we.” Absinthe added.
Othello did look shocked this time, turning his head back to the Coven leader, “You too? Sleeping with the same human woman?”
“Yes.” Abe said, his voice low, but his chin held high.
Othello sat back, looking at them, “Interesting. Why?”
“Why what?” Rhayden asked, confused.
“Why sleep with a human? She is fragile, could die at any moment. You haven’t turned her. So, again. Why?”
Rhayden frowned. He didn’t think he had an answer for that question and his gaze shifted to his brother, seeing Abe staring at him. He didn’t seem to know either and they both looked at Othello.
“I see, just a passing fetish then. Well Absinthe, Rhayden, I suggest you find your fetish and find her soon.” He said, pulling another phone from his coat pocket and he placed it on the table, pressing the button on the screen.
“Lord Othello, one of my Senior Coven members has been slain. I implore you to find the culprit. A human by the name of Marlene Brennan, the bounty hunter who is employed by Absinthe Raynes and bring her to justice. If you don’t— I will have to take matters into my own hands.”
Rhayden felt his stomach flip and he looked at Absinthe, seeing the tears threaten in his brother’s eyes and he looked to Othello, “Sire, please, let me find her, bring her back.”
The old vampire looked at him, shaking his head. “No, not you—”
“I will find her.” Absinthe said, and Othello looked at him.
“Yes, you will. She is your mess. You clean it up. I want her here by this time tomorrow night to explain her actions, or I will have no choice in sending Mathias after her.”
Othello stood, as did Rhayden and Absinthe. He looked at both, before turning from them and walking to the door. He stopped, looking back to the pair of brothers, seeing the hurt and emotion in their silvered gaze.
“If you do care for this woman, as I can see in your eyes, then you have 24 hours. After that, I have no control over Mathias, and he will have permission to kill her on sight.”
****
Marley looked at the dilapidated building. The peeling paint, the blacked-out windows, and she shoved the map back into the glove compartment where she had found it.
“Right.”
Climbing slowly from the car, she pulled the gun from her thigh holster and lifted it. Walking toward the structure, ignoring the pain in her arms, the grazes on her back, she had to make sure the building was secure before she went in. Make sure there were no hidden surprises—like vampires. This seemed to have been the only safe-house on Rhayden’s map which was in the middle of nowhere, with a different mark to all the others.
Carefully treading up the steps, she tested the handles of the doors. They didn’t move, “Of course, it’s locked.”
That was a good sign and she turned back and walked to the car, getting her pack. She grabbed the small bag of guns and walked back up the stairs. Dropping it to the side, she pulled out Absinthe’s key from between her breasts and slid it into the lock.
Twisting it, hearing the satisfying whir as the lock started to open, she leaned down, picking up the bag and walked into the building, closing the door behind her.
Moving quickly, ignoring the need to seek out more weapons; she descended the stairs, making her way to the cellar, flashlight in hand.
The open door of the chamber vampires used when they slept here during the day was ahead of her.
Entering it, she closed the heavy door behind her and turning the locking wheel, sealing herself in the space. Marley turned, eyeing the small room and sighed, sinking to the nearest bed and curled up, crying herse
lf to sleep, hoping that when she woke, everything would be fine.
****
“Lord Raynes!” Absinthe turned seeing Tony burst through the door, his face in a grimace.
“Tony? What is it?”
Had Maddi already given birth to the first child after the Mated killings? It was too early—had she lost it? He didn’t think he could handle the thought of losing a child of his Coven, it had never happened before.
The heavy-set man looked at him, his eyes wild, “The New Orleans safe house has been activated.”
“Orleans?” Absinthe asked. The safe house in New Orleans was one which rarely got used. It was owned by Othello, a safe house for everyone, the only one in his jurisdiction, why would it have been activated?
No-one used it—unless it was for emergencies.
He stalked past Tony, making his way to the guard rooms, shoving open the door. His brother stood in front of the screens, hands on the controls, “Rhayden.”
“Will have the surveillance up in a—there.” He stepped back, and Absinthe looked at the video his brother had brought up. Rhayden’s Alpha pulled into the driveway of the building, the small, beautiful form of Marlene stepping out, checking the house, gun rose, before she entered.
“Internal view.”
Rhayden moved, flicking the cameras to the view of the inside of the house.
Marley entered the chamber of the basement, the door closing. The view changed again, showing her curled up on one of the beds and he looked at Rhayden, the hurt in his brother gaze matching his own. Their lover was alone, without either of them to help her.
“I’m going to get her.”
Rhayden’s gaze snapped to his, widening with shock, before looking to the window, the sky already losing its inky blackness, “Abe, It’s only an hour and a half until sunrise—”
“Rhayden, I am the reason she is out there alone. I have to be the one to go and get her.”
His pale haired brother sighed, crossing his arms over his chest, “Fine. But hurry, I had a call from Korin, they know the safe house has been activated too. And that means—”
“Mathias does too.”
“Yes. And he is a lot closer.”
Absinthe turned almost running out of the room, heading out to the sweeping driveway. He ran to the gates, not caring if he was in his pajama bottoms and shirt, or he had nothing on his feet.
He’d been almost ready to turn in for the day’s sleep.
None of that mattered now. He had to get to New Orleans and Marley, before Mathias found her.
****
The night air was chilled as she stepped out of the building, bags slung over her shoulder. She looked at the horizon, the sun almost ready to poke its head over the edge and light up the morning sky.
Marley had managed a couple of hours sleep. But it had been fitful. Constantly jerking awake, thinking the door of the vault had been opened.
She had to keep moving, make sure she was ahead of what she knew would come after her.
She’d killed a vampire.
He might have been a rogue, killing an innocent girl, when the hunting of humans was forbidden; but he had been an unsanctioned kill and she had broken the rules.
She was only ever allowed to hunt and kill rogues which had been sanctioned by Absinthe, or in the event of Norman, she had been given permission by Korin; because the vampire had been killing in his territory.
Not that she had killed him, that had been Rhayden, while she bled out—
Now she would be hunted herself, never safe until she had been made to pay for what she had done. And she knew that the payment for her crime would no doubt be death to herself.
Moving to the Alpha, she sighed, sliding the key into the lock, ready to leave and run again—movement caught her eye.
Spinning around, Absinthe walked toward her, his eyes silver, his white shirt plastered to his body, outlining the muscles on his chest.
The pajama pants stuck to his legs, his hair flowing over his shoulders, wild and un-kept. “Abe?”
“Marley,” his mouth went to hers, his lips hard, tongue spearing into her mouth. His hands held her to him, hard against his body.
She dropped the bag, gripping his hips, moaning as his body betrayed his need for her. His shaft was hard against her stomach and she broke away, looking up at him, “Abe, how did you find me?”
He smiled down at her, gaze dropping to her lips, “The safe house belongs to Othello. Everyone knows where you are.”
She frowned, pushing away from him, “That’s just great.”
“I have to…take you back….Marley…” his voice was slurring, and she looked to the building, seeing the pink tinge to the sky above it. She turned back to him, heart hammering with the fear of what was coming.
“Abe. The sun.”
He turned his head, his silver eyes picking up the shine of the sunrise, his mouth turning down. His body slumped in her arms. The sunrise was sapping his energy and she grabbed him, putting his arm around her neck, dragging him toward the safe house, needing to get him inside.
“Are you okay?” His whispered voice asked, and she turned her head, his eyes were filled with concern.
“What? You are just about to be turned into a vampire-crispy-treat and you ask if I’m okay?” She lifted her hand, fumbling for the key and Absinthe reached out, gripping the lock and twisted, snapping it off. “Okay then, Othello will be pissed.”
“I’ll replace it.” He said quietly, and she frowned.
Turning to the stairs, she helped him down to the basement. His body was becoming increasingly heavy and she knew he was weak, his body shutting down, eyelids starting to droop.
Marley slumped him onto the bed, pushing his body over so he was lying flat. She turned, going back to the door, needing to close it. But Absinthe grabbed her wrist, holding her in place, “Marley—I’m sorry.”
“For what?” She whispered, lip trembling.
“For everything—” he said, before his eyes closed, leaving her with his hibernating form and she swore softly.
“For fuck sake Abe.” She ran out of the room, quickly grabbing everything she could to survive the eleven hours with the comatose creature. Locking the Alpha again, jamming the door of the Safe-house closed as best she could, she went back to the basement. Spinning the wheel, she closed the door behind her.
Sighing, she dropped the objects to the ground and crossed to the bed. Smoothing back his hair, staring down at his beautiful, peaceful face, she leaned in, kissing him.
“You almost killed yourself, you idiot.”
She smiled, leaning down further and she curled up against him, quickly falling asleep.
Four
Absinthe woke to warmth.
He turned his head, Marley was curled beside him, her hand over his long dead heart, and he smiled. Leaning over, he kissed her forehead, making her stir, dark eyes opening, and she looked up at him, “Hi.”
“Evening Marlene,” he replied quietly. His hand came up, caressing the soft skin of her cheek, loving the warmth it transferred to his fingertips. “Are you okay?’
“I hurt.” She replied, and his stomach flipped.
“Hurt?” Marley nodded, rolling to the side. Blood from her chest, soaked into her shirt—into his shirt.
Abe sat up, reaching for her, ripping open her shirt. Her dark bra; holding her magnificent breasts, made his body stir. But the fresh bout of blood which oozed from her wound made him hiss. It should have healed by now and his eyes went to the bruises on her body. They were dark black, “What happened?”
“The vampire I killed. He threw me against the wall. My back hurts too.”
He helped her sit, peeling the ripped shirt away. Grazes were stark on her back and his fingers lightly moved over them, making her wince. Standing, moving to the small cabinet in the corner of the room, he crouched down and opened it. Finding the small panel at the back, he popped it open, not caring for the lock and removed the syringe of serum, turnin
g back to Marley. Huge doe eyes looked at him, “Absinthe…”
Her voice dug into him, making his body twitch and he watched as she lifted herself. Crossing to him, her hands came to his abs, fingers digging into them and he hissed at the pleasure which raced through him, “Marley, you’re hurt—”
She looked at him, her gaze telling him what she wanted, and he looked up at the small back box in the corner of the room. With quick movements, he walked to it, reaching up and pulled it from the wall, dropping it to the floor and turned back to her.
“Don’t like having an audience.”
Marley blushed, the color coming to her face and breasts also bringing fresh blood with it and his fangs itched in his gums. He put the syringe on the bed, turning to her, “I need you Marley. I need to be rough.”
She lifted her hand to his face, caressing his cheek, sending tingles through his skin, “Do what you have to.”
Absinthe slammed his mouth down onto hers, making her gasp. Lifting her, slamming her against the wall, his body hard against hers.
His fingers gripped her buttocks, knowing he was going to leave bruises, but he didn’t care, he needed her hard and fast.
He could smell the scent of her blood and he dipped his head, kissing her chest, licking the blood from her skin as she moaned. Her hands gripped the neck of his shirt, ripping it from his body, tossing it across the room.
He turned, laying her on another one of the beds, his hands quickly going to her pants, pulling them from her. His hands opened her legs, exposing her beautiful flower to his eyes, but he was in too much of a hurry to savor it. He pulled his pajama pants down a little, exposing his hardness.
Bringing her to him again, gripping her buttocks, he turned. Mouth hard on hers, slammed her against the wall again, making her gasp. With quick movements, he filled her, his shaft sliding into her core and he moaned, having missed the tightness of her, the heat.
“Abe—” her voice dragged out his name, his whole being aching with need. Marley tipped her head back and he moved, sinking his fangs into the soft flesh of her neck.
Since the first moment he had tasted her blood, the first time he had seduced her, her blood had been the only blood he had wanted to consume.