The Culling (Book 2): The Hollow:

by Bell, A. C.

“He says you have serious game.”

  Raiden tilted his head back and laughed, granting us some odd looks from a few Viesci. I smiled at a woman in the row in front of us, but when she caught me looking, she turned back around. My good mood dimmed. Raiden’s fingers grazed my shoulder and he leaned close to my ear.

  “Mach dir keine Sorgen,” he muttered comfortingly in German, telling me not to worry.

  “But...” I turned forlornly into his contrite green eyes. “Mein Luftkissenfahrzeug ist voller Aale.”

  Raiden’s mouth dropped open in surprise and amusement. “He did not teach you that!”

  I giggled. “He did. It was the first thing I memorized.”

  Raiden laughed again.

  “Did you know that your nose scrunches when you laugh? It might possibly be the most endearing thing I’ve ever seen.”

  His eyes drifted past me when the door opened. Slade hesitated, looking at everyone in the room. How long, I wondered, had it been since he had seen them. His eyes softened when he turned back to Kendra as she slowly stepped into the room behind him. Her cobalt eyes were full of reluctance and the desire to run. People around us gasped and I realized others had turned to see who had come in. Kendra’s desire to run heightened. Assuming she would prefer to sit by the door, I turned to Raiden.

  “Scoot over.”

  He did and I gestured for Kendra to take my vacated seat. Pin straight and stiff as a brick, she lowered herself onto the chair. Her hands, clenched so tightly in her lap, trembled. I ached to help, to offer some kind of moral support, but her gaze was locked forward.

  Slade strutted to the front of the room to a modest wooden podium I hadn’t noticed. As soon as he stepped behind it, all murmur around the room ceased. He folded his arms across his chest, obscuring half of the Slipknot logo on his shirt. “I know most of you live far away, so thank you for coming.”

  “Since when are fremde invited to these gatherings?” Someone asked across the room. His eyes narrowed to slits at us. Others murmured their agreement. I shifted uncomfortably and Raiden’s hand found mine.

  “They’re here because I invited them,” Slade answered.

  “She wears one of our rings,” a man growled down our row.

  From his tone and the cautious sidelong looks some of the Viesci sent me, I guessed they had gathered why. Slade didn’t answer right away, reluctant to confirm. He looked to me and I nodded.

  He sighed. “She’s the estranged great-great-granddaughter of Xavier Cahn.”

  No one spoke for seventeen uncomfortable heartbeats. The tension in the room made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Raiden must have felt my hand start to shake because he comfortingly traced circles on the back of it.

  My ‘friend’ down the aisle spoke up again. “She wears that ring like she has any right to it. When did we start allowing dreckschwein into our proceedings?” I had never heard the term before, but ‘schwein’ was easy enough to decipher. Anger gnawed at my gut. I spun the ring on my middle finger around so no one could see the “C” with a slit shaped ruby set in the middle, almost like a cat’s eye. It had been my fathers, handed down from when Xavier had Wyatt. Raiden’s grip on my other hand tightened and he turned with some likely choice words prepared for the man who’d spoken, but Slade beat him to it.

  “Enough. There is no room for your archaic bigotry here, Richter. If you had your way, we would die out.”

  “Better to die pure then tainted. At least Rowena had the good sense not to come, lest she bring her dreckschwein with her.”

  “Adeline is my family. Anyone who has a problem with that can leave now.”

  A fuzzy feeling warmed my heart when he claimed me as family, but it fizzled to discomfort when half a dozen people, Richter included, stood to leave. Slade’s grey-blue eyes flicked to mine sadly. Thin-lipped, he waited in silence while they filed out. The room remained silent for a few moments after the door shut.

  “Alright. I’ve asked you all here today because a serious problem has come to my attention. But first, I have also recently learned that Rurik Tanikov is still alive.” Palpable fear filled the room as people gasped and murmured. Were any of them faking, I wondered? If Rurik really hadn’t been the one working with the Hunters, was the true guilty party here?

  Slade continued. “In the past year, three of our people have gone missing, that I know of.”

  A raucous chorus of voices filled the room as everyone tried to get more information all at once. “Who is missing?” I heard one man ask. “How has nobody noticed until now?” Another asked. “Are they dead?” Asked the woman in front of me. The rest was indistinguishable to me.

  “Wait!” Slade held up a hand. “Hold on!” Slowly, the voices hushed. “I know you all have questions, and we’ll get to them, but first I want to run through a list of everyone who isn’t here and see if anyone has heard from them recently.” He ran through a list of about twenty names, not including those who had left. In the end, Galina Alexeev, Rainer Deitrich, Minnie Foth, Ilyse Voss, and Abram Pavlov were unaccounted for, along with the three Slade had told us about. A total of eight possible victims.

  “It’s the Hunters, isn’t it?” A man asked.

  “We don’t know that yet.”

  “What about Kendra? She was missing.” Everyone turned toward Kendra, who went pale.

  A protective edge accompanied Slade’s words. “I asked her to come to see all of you after being away, not so she could be interrogated about what she’s been through. She doesn’t know anything about this, so leave her be. Any other questions?”

  “Are our missing people dead?” The woman in front of me asked again.

  “Warren Heinrich is confirmed dead, but we haven’t found his body. As for the others, I don’t know for sure. Anyone else?” No one spoke up. “Alright. The SAU will be looking into this, but in the meantime, please, be extra cautious. Keep in touch with each other and with me so I know you’re safe. Renenet has had food prepared in the room next door, so help yourselves and thank you again for coming.”

  As soon as Slade stepped away from the podium, a chorus of conversation filled the room. Some people filed out and others stayed, hugging each other and talking like the old friends they were. Slade was waylaid by a few people and listened fervently as they spoke.

  “They all look to him as a leader,” I observed.

  “He is their leader.”

  In the brief glance I got of Kendra before she stood to leave, I found sadness in her blue eyes. I moved to follow, but another young woman slipped past her into the room. This woman’s chin-length brunette hair hung in wispy waves around her pointy face, currently scrunched in a scowl of disapproval.

  “Sorry.” I moved out of her way. Raiden swore in his seat and she narrowed in on him and put her well-manicured hands on her hips.

  “Christopher Raiden Lewis,” she scolded.

  Raiden stepped cautiously out of the row of chairs. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and seemed to shrink a little under her glare. I stifled a chuckle. Her glance flicked to me curiously when I moved to his side, but she wasn’t finished with Raiden yet.

  “Hey, what are you doing here?” he asked awkwardly.

  “What else am I supposed to do when my hair-brained brother gets attacked at court and doesn’t call?” she quipped.

  I smoothed my shirt, suddenly nervous. This was his sister?

  “I would have called if it had been serious, but I’m okay.”

  Her grey eyes narrowed to slits. “That’s not the point.”

  Raiden’s hand touched my back. “This is Adeline, by the way,” he said, oh-so-subtly changing the subject. “Adeline, this is Michelle.”

  Michelle’s blue-green eyes shifted to me and she smiled warmly, extending her hand. “Ah, I’ve heard good things about you. I’m glad you’re okay. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Oh,” I said surprisingly. I shook her hand and grinned. What had Raiden told her, I wondered. “It’s nice to meet you, t
oo.”

  “I see Wynona still likes to lurk in corners,” Raiden said, peering over Michelle’s head. Not difficult since she was barely five feet tall. I followed Raiden’s eyes to a woman tucked in the corner by the door. How I’d missed her, I had no idea. She was at least six feet tall and wore all white. The white hood sewn onto her white long-sleeved shirt hung low over her face. The inside was lined with a crimson fabric, casting her face into shadow. Except for her strange orange eyes. They glowed faintly like embers.

  “Leave her be, Raiden, she doesn’t like crowds,” Michelle scolded. Her glance slid mischievously to me. “So, is Adeline going to be your date to the festival?”

  Raiden’s eyes narrowed. “Well, we were going to keep the festival a surprise.”

  “Oops.”

  “Festival?” I sent him a curious look.

  “Both the Summer and Winter Solstices are big holidays in the supernatural community. During that time, all supernaturals can tap into at least a little magic. Places like Renenet’s hold festivals to celebrate. It’ll be on Tuesday.”

  There it was again. Solstice. I shot him an open-mouthed grin. “Really? That’s so cool!”

  Raiden and Michelle laughed. “You want to come, then?”

  “Do you really need to ask?”

  Conspiracy

  All the lights were off when I arrived for work on Monday. Alexandra was nowhere in sight. Instead, I found a note addressed to me on her desk.

  “Adeline, I won’t need you to come to work today. Enjoy your day off.”

  “Huh,” I muttered to myself. Somehow, the situation settled wrong in my gut. If she was going to give me the day off, wouldn’t she call rather than leave a note? “Alexandra?” I called out, to be sure.

  No answer came, but I could have sworn I heard something in her office. A thump as if I had spooked someone who was hiding under her desk. I veered around the counter past the dark window of the office and thumped my fist on the door. Was the store being robbed? I tried the handle but it was locked.

  “Who is that?” No answer came. “Don’t make me come in there,” I warned. I flexed my hand a few times while I got my Splinter Skill going and metal began spreading up my arm. Strengthened, I gripped the handle again, ready to force it down and break the lock.

  “Go away, Adeline,” Alexandra finally said. Her voice was thick as if she’d been crying.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked. “Why are you sitting in the dark?”

  “It’s my anniversary. My ex-husband will try to find me.”

  My heart clenched. “If you’re afraid of him, then I’ll stay with you.”

  “You’re sweet, but no. I won’t put you on his radar. He holds onto grudges. It’s okay, he won’t find me in here.”

  I exhaled, reluctant to leave. “Are you sure?”

  “I’ll be alright. Just go”

  I took a deep breath and ambled slowly back outside, chewing anxiously on my lip. It felt like I couldn’t lock up fast enough, like those few seconds when the door was unlocked was putting her in danger. I did not want to go home, though. Since I was supposed to be here all day anyway, I decided to camp out in my car to see if anyone showed up.

  A note was pinned beneath the wiper blade of my car. For half a panicked second, I thought it was a ticket, but no, it was just a note. I looked around curiously while my heart rate returned to normal after the scare. I had only been inside for a few minutes. Whoever had left it must have been waiting for me to arrive. The paper was damp from the light snowfall. I peeled it open, but before I could start reading the smudged handwriting, a hand touched my shoulder. Reflexes kicked in and I grabbed the hand. I kicked back at his leg to trip him and willed strength into my grip and bent his arm backward by pushing on his shoulder blade with my other hand, forcing his broad chest onto Farrah’s hood.

  “Ow! Okay, sorry!” Beads of melted snow clung to the man’s short-cropped tightly curled black hair and his teeth were bright white against his deep sepia skin. I didn’t release him, even though he was too young to be Alexandra’s ex unless she was secretly a Cougar. Late-twenties, I’d guess.

  “Who are you?” I asked.

  “I left you the note. My name is Orson Bradley. My friend and I are the ones who checked out the books.”

  I squinted suspiciously. “What are you and your ‘friend’ up to, exactly?”

  “He wants to meet you, to talk. Across the street.”

  “How do I know this isn’t a trap?”

  “Because I’m letting you keep me pinned down. We aren’t here to hurt anyone.”

  “What do you mean ‘letting’ me?” I asked incredulously, tightening my grip.

  He breathed out a sigh. “My skill. I can phase through things.” To emphasize his point, his hand passed incorporeally through mine. He let me keep him pinned as a show of good faith, but I was so wigged out that I let go and backpedaled, nearly slipping on the slick sidewalk. He rolled the shoulder I’d been holding down as he straightened.

  “What’s wrong?” He asked, in reference to my wide eyes.

  “I’ve just never met another dhampir before,” I offered. His easy smile helped ease the tension. “I’m assuming your friend left the notes in the books? Why does he want to talk?” I asked.

  “He’ll explain. Please?” He pointed across the street to the second floor of the coffee shop. The windows were dark. I narrowed my eyes at him. “We won’t hurt you.”

  He had a point about not struggling before if he could have gotten free that easily. Vandalizing books was hardly the sign of a violent criminal. His dark eyes seemed contrite. I sighed. I didn’t want to leave Alexandra unattended. What if her ex showed up while I was gone? But I also wanted to know what these guys were up to. I would be able to see the store from the rendezvous point.

  “Alright. Lead the way.”

  The space above the coffee shop was apparently a rentable apartment, currently vacant. Judging by how we had to go up through the fire escape around back, I guessed we weren’t supposed to be in there. No lights were on when we stepped inside, but the large windows in the main room let in dim overcast sunshine. Another man stood beside one of the picture windows, just out of view from the outside. He watched people walk by with his eyes narrowed in mistrust. His chin-length chestnut hair was unkempt and his clothes were wrinkled. When he noticed us, he lowered the blinds, plunging the room into further darkness, perforated only by narrow strips of light from the blinds.

  “Lux,” The man muttered.

  A ball of light appeared in his hand and he threw it to the ceiling, where it stuck. Orson moved past us to peek out the window. The other man folded his arms across his chest and meandered over to me at a slow, calculated pace. I grew irritated when he began to circle me with his eyes still narrowed.

  “You asked me to come, remember? I’m the one who should be suspicious.”

  When he circled back in front of me, he stopped to meet my eye. A Scottish accent garnished his words. “Forgive my caution. I have reason. My name is Donnan Mercer. So, you’re the one who found my notes. How? It was sealed and you don’t have magic.”

  “A friend and I found it by accident.”

  “Accident? A spell can’t be broken by accident.” He turned away, shaking his head. “You shouldn’t have looked. You definitely shouldn’t have alerted the authorities.”

  “That’s what you do when someone vandalizes someone else’s property in an overtly suspicious manner.”

  He swiveled back around, manic and wide-eyed. I pulled the pocket knife from my boot and brandished it as a warning to keep his distance. He stepped back, but clapped his hands together, gesturing desperately. “But now you’re in danger! You both are! Why else do you think she’s hiding in there?”

  “You think the SAU is going to hurt us because you scribbled in some books?”

  “Not them specifically. They still have strong ties to the Maleficarum, who do not like your kind. They won’t send their own people, either,
but they can’t risk letting what I uncovered get out.”

  “Donnan, you gotta go,” Orson interrupted.

  Mercer retreated back to the window and I debated leaving while their backs were turned, but what were they looking at?

  “Get her out of here,” Mercer ordered.

  I strutted over to the window beside them and pried two of the shades apart to look across to the bookstore. The lights were still off, but I caught the glint of several flashlight beams inside. My blood ran cold. If she was expecting her ex-husband, then why were there three of them?

  “Who’s in there?” I demanded.

  “Hunters,” Mercer whispered disdainfully.

  “She lied,” I muttered to myself. She’d known they were coming, seen it or sensed it, and just wanted to get me out. Distress set in and I spun for the door. “I won’t let them hurt her.” Unless I was already too late.

  A hand grabbed my wrist. “Wait, don’t—”

  I turned and shoved Orson roughly to get him off of me and since he wasn’t expecting it, the hit landed. He let go and fell to the floor. I sprinted out while he recuperated. I didn’t bother with the crosswalk and just ran across the street at the first opening. Instead of just bolting in the front door, I sprinted down the alley to the back. I crouched to peek around the corner and was glad I had. A van was parked by the back door. Squinting at the side mirror, I didn’t see anyone inside. Quietly rolling my steps anyway just in case, I hurried up to the rear and slipped the pocket knife back out of my sleeve. But wait, if I slashed the tires, it would likely make a lot of noise. Instead, I unscrewed the air cap from both back tires and air began to hiss out. No quick getaways. I then sprinted to the back door and let myself in with my key.

  Rustling sounds in the room told me they were looking through the books for something. Crouching once again, I snuck down the aisle toward the office and barely peeked my head around to get a visual on the front desk. No one was in sight.

  “Any keys yet?” A gruff voice called from the office. So, they were looking for the keys to the lift.

  “Not yet. Ask her again,” A woman near the front of the store answered tersely.