A Shade of Vampire 63: A Jungle of Rogues

by Bella Forrest

  Isda shrugged. “I like my life.”

  “But do you? Really? I mean, do you like getting smacked around by the likes of Abaddon?” I said, wishing there was a way for me to snap her out of this delusion she’d so comfortably settled into.

  “He won’t hurt me again. Father has ordered him to stop,” Isda murmured, looking away as she served more bowls of food from the cart.

  “Isda, what else can you tell us about the outsiders?” Hansa asked.

  “Well, I know Araquiel and his team are trying to hunt them down,” Isda replied. “Araquiel is one of our strongest and brightest, though not as smart as Amane and Amal put together,” she added, smirking. “He’d never be able to help Father with his genetic work, for example, but he’s a quick learner and has an impressive, strategic mind. If anyone can conquer the entire universe, it’s definitely Araquiel. His team is on his level, too. Which is why I was surprised to hear that a bunch of outsiders with clearly inferior genes were able to dodge him, more than once.”

  “You keep underestimating us, simply because we weren’t crossbred in a lab, like you.” Anjani said, crossing her arms as she refused the food that Isda offered.

  Isda pushed the bowl to Anjani’s chest, forcing her to take it. “You must eat and build your strength,” the Faulty replied. “As for your kind, well, you’re all here, and you cannot do anything against Father and the Perfects. Just because a bunch of your kind have managed to elude Araquiel doesn’t mean they won’t end up in here, with the rest of you. It’s only a matter of time. You might as well get used to the idea. You have it better with Father, anyway. At least you get to live, unlike the others.”

  “My granddaughter will burn this whole place to the ground before she lets anyone put a collar around her neck,” I retorted, then took a sip of blood. It tasted delicious—most likely taken from one of those wild animals we’d fed on during our stay at the resort on Noagh. Slightly fruity and full-bodied. My senses sharpened with each sip.

  Isda chuckled softly. “I don’t doubt your granddaughter’s ability to wreak havoc,” she said. “I suppose the same goes for the rest in her group, since the latest reports from the field state that they managed to take a Perfect prisoner.”

  “Whoa, way to save that little gem till the last minute!” I gasped. “When… How did that happen?”

  “I don’t know. I only overheard Douma’s name mentioned. I was in the room with Father and Amal when the reports came in,” she said. “They cannot kill the Perfects, anyway. They can try all they want, but they will fail. Douma will free herself, eventually. Once she gathers enough information from the inside, she will turn on them. They can’t keep her down forever.”

  My heart started racing as I thought of a Perfect in their midst, ready to slit their throats the first chance she got. While I applauded their prowess and ingeniousness, because it must’ve taken some to capture a freaking Perfect, I worried that they didn’t yet understand the danger these creatures presented. I worried about Varga, too, stuck here while his sister was out there. I feared he might try something even with the collar on.

  I took a deep breath, then gave Isda a warm smile. “Thank you for telling us all this, Isda. I truly appreciate it.”

  “It’s nothing. You deserve to know. Besides, you’ll see your granddaughter soon enough.”

  “Can you find out more about these field reports?” I asked. “I need to know more about what they’ve done so far. It’s only for my peace of mind,” I added, pointing at my collar. “I obviously can’t do anything with the information because of these nifty gadgets. But, Isda, we need to know more. Can you help us? Can you maybe find out who they’re with? Or where they were last spotted, and the distance from here?”

  Isda’s smile faded. Fear slipped into her expression, her eyes widening.

  “I don’t think so. I wouldn’t want to upset Father,” she replied. “It’s bad enough I’m talking to you like this, despite his orders. He doesn’t want us eavesdropping and leaking intel.”

  “Please, Isda. We’re not doing any harm. Like you said, we deserve to know. We can’t do anything about it, but we’re going crazy in here, cut off from the rest of the world,” I insisted.

  “Father will punish me if he catches me,” Isda mumbled. “I’m afraid I can’t risk that, and—”

  The hall’s double doors burst wide open.

  My blood froze at the sight of Abaddon. He was such a beautiful, yet terrifying creature. With one eye blue and the other green, like the other Perfect males and like Ta’Zan himself, he scanned the entire dome area, then grinned at the sight of Derek, Sofia, and the others in our group. Isda vanished from my side, pushing the cart deeper into the crowd, obviously terrified of facing him again. Not that I could blame her.

  Abaddon sauntered into the hall, accompanied by four other Perfects. They were all clad in white silken tunics with intricate gems embroidered along the sleeves and around the neckline. I moved closer to Derek and Sofia, eager to rip Abaddon’s throat out if he tried something stupid. I was ready to take one for the team, if necessary. The guy was unhinged, and there was this viciously psychopathic glimmer in his eyes that sent shivers down my spine whenever he looked at us.

  “Ah, there you are!” Abaddon said, sneering at Derek.

  “What do you want? I thought your master told you to stay away from us,” Derek retorted, keeping his chin up high and standing his ground.

  Abaddon snickered, then raised his hands in a defensive gesture. “Hey, I’m not here to stir any trouble. But I was so excited to share the news with you, I had to come here myself!” he replied. “You see, my brother Araquiel was tasked with capturing that group of yours that’s still out there, sneaking around like little mice, and he failed. So, Father decided to send me out there to get them myself. He knows I’m very good at what I do. In fact, I’m a much better hunter than Araquiel. He’s more of a command-and-conquer kind of guy, whereas I… Well, I catch prey. And it’s open season on your people.”

  Derek didn’t respond immediately. Even I could tell that Abaddon was here to taunt us, and Derek wasn’t going to play into that so easily.

  “Pretty sure you’re getting overexcited here,” Derek said. “If our people were able to evade yours for this long, chances are they’re getting better and more cunning with each hour that passes.”

  “You’re also forgetting that our people are hunters, as well. And they’ve lived longer than you. You can’t top their experience,” Xavier cut in with a confident smirk.

  Abaddon chuckled, then measured each of us from head to toe, paying extra attention to our expressions. Aware of the collar around my neck, I tried my best to keep my mind clear and focus on his words, instead. The device was able to read my brainwaves, and, if given enough time, it could identify my intentions.

  I breathed out and kept my gaze fixed on Abaddon.

  “Well, you see, the problem with Araquiel and his crew is that they’re keen on taking your people alive,” he said. “Granted, I’m pretty sure Araquiel isn’t too happy about that, but Douma was quite the stickler for the rules. If I get involved, too, I doubt capturing the outsiders alive will still be a priority.”

  “You’re supposed to take them alive,” Derek said. “Everyone was pretty clear about it, since Ta’Zan wants live specimens for his work.”

  That still sounded ridiculously creepy, but it could finally be used as an argument in securing some kind of safety for my granddaughter and her team. Abaddon laughed again, and I could feel my blood simmering. I’d gone from fear to anger in less than a second.

  “Hey, I’ll give it a shot,” Abaddon replied. “But, frankly, I doubt I’ll make too much of an effort. If they put up a fight, I won’t have much of a choice. Father can still lift some bio-samples from them and store them in a freezer. He’ll just have a limited amount to work with. Besides, there are so many of you in here already. I’m pretty sure the suckers I’m about to hunt down are not unique in their genetic makeup.
”

  It was my turn to chuckle. “You think we’re all mass-produced like you, maybe?” I retorted. “Each of us is unique, not just through our genes, but also through our personalities, our educations, and our experiences. You don’t have any of that. You only have your bodies, your factory settings, and a couple of days’ worth of living. No wonder our people have been running circles around you.”

  Abaddon didn’t seem to like my intervention. A muscle ticked angrily in his jaw as he narrowed his eyes at me. “I take it you’ve got someone you love in that group?”

  My heart stopped for a second. I had to give him credit—he was very good at reading people, and that didn’t work in my favor.

  “We love everyone,” I said, my voice somewhat shaky. It betrayed me, and Abaddon caught a whiff of fear from me. “Unlike you, we don’t stomp on others just to make ourselves feel unique.”

  “Oh, you definitely have someone special to you out there,” he replied. “I’ll be able to tell. There must be a bloodline or something. I can already smell it between you two and him!” he added, pointing at Yuri and me, then at Varga.

  Elonora’s brother was fuming. It was only a matter of time before he did something that would end up hurting him.

  “Abaddon, I thought you said you weren’t here to start a fight, yet I see you’re itching for one,” Derek said, raising his voice so the Perfect guards would hear him, too.

  It got the desired effect, as the guards forgot all about keeping an eye on the Faulties feeding the rest of the prisoners, and directed their attention to Abaddon and the four Perfects standing behind him.

  “It’s not my fault you people have thin skins,” Abaddon said, then looked at Varga. “You, in particular. You’re such an easy target. It’s almost impossible for me to hold back when I see you burning up like this. I mean, how can I not say that I look forward to ripping your loved one’s spine out from their body, when I know what it will do to you, huh?”

  Varga cursed under his breath and took his first step forward. In that instant, Abaddon grinned, ready to take him on. I had to do something, and fast. I darted toward Abaddon. It only took a split second, in which I got my claws out and slashed his throat, before an electric surge blazed through me.

  I heard Derek and the others gasping. The image shifted before me, but I managed to catch a glimpse of blood spraying out of Abaddon’s throat. I landed hard on the ground, my joints and muscles stiffened. Electricity kept coursing through me.

  Everything went black. I smelled burning flesh.

  But at least I’d torn the bastard open.

  Worth it.

  Derek

  Varga and Jovi were the first to react when Claudia went down. Abaddon fell backward, spraying blood everywhere. The other four Perfects caught him as he choked and gurgled, struggling to stay alive.

  Jovi and Varga went straight for Abaddon’s partners, but the collars shocked them hard enough to bring them to their knees. Xavier, Lucas, and I pulled them back just as they tried to get up again, while Yuri, Sofia, Vivienne, and Hansa gathered around Claudia. She was out cold, but she was going to recover. I could still hear her heartbeat.

  “Let me go!” Varga shouted, squirming in my firm grip. “I’ve got some heads to rip off!”

  The Perfect guards intervened, positioning themselves between us and Abaddon. Jax and the others in our crew pushed back on the rest of the prisoners, who were now buzzing and moving closer. We needed to clear the area and cool everybody’s heels—we couldn’t afford a confrontation with the Perfects. Not at this point in time.

  “Any action you take against us is punishable through electrical shocks!” one of the Perfect guards announced, reminding us of our collars’ functionality. As if we hadn’t seen and felt it already. “Stand back and keep your distance!”

  Varga kept struggling, until I tightened my hold on him, pressing my forearm against his windpipe and cutting his air supply off. “Calm the hell down, or you’ll fry yourself like Claudia!” I hissed. “She’ll be fine. She’s just knocked out.”

  “Abaddon has it much worse,” Lucas replied, nodding at the fallen Perfect.

  His partners tore their own sleeves to press them against Abaddon’s open throat in an attempt to stop the bleeding and rush the healing process. Abaddon was still, staring at the domed glass ceiling as he took measured breaths.

  Less than a minute later, the cut was already beginning to heal. The bleeding had subsided.

  I knew it wasn’t enough to kill a Perfect, but I had to give Claudia credit. She’d managed quite a feat, even with the collar on. I wondered how she’d managed to bypass the device’s brainwave reader, in order to get that close to Abaddon.

  Varga removed himself from my hold and kneeled by Claudia’s side. Yuri had her in his arms, pressing his lips against her forehead. He’d already slipped some of his blood into her mouth, judging by the crimson smears on her chin. She was going to heal soon.

  “Well, that was interesting, to say the least,” Xavier quipped, raising an eyebrow as he stared at Claudia. “She got pretty far.”

  “I would love to know how she pulled that off,” Lucas muttered.

  I shushed him. “We’ll talk once they’re all gone,” I whispered, briefly nodding at the Perfect guards, who watched us like hawks.

  “What’s going on here?” Amal’s voice cut through the hall.

  We all turned our heads to find her walking through the open double doorway, pushing a metal cart loaded with bandages and various bottles with clear and multicolored liquids. It was already time to check on the more severely wounded among our prisoners. Heath could definitely use a change of bandages, as blood was seeping through the ones wrapped around his waist.

  Once she reached us and got a full view of the bloody scene, Amal shook her head. We’d disappointed her, it seemed. She gave me a dark and sullen frown.

  “I expected better from you,” she said.

  I offered a shrug in return, then pointed at Claudia. “I tried my best, Amal, but Abaddon kept harassing Claudia. She caved in. I thought he wasn’t allowed anywhere near us!” I replied, fueled by anger.

  “He isn’t,” she said, then glowered at the guards. “What was Abaddon doing in here?”

  “We couldn’t stop him!” one of the guards retorted.

  “You didn’t even try!” Sofia interjected, while holding Claudia’s hand.

  Amal checked each of us out, then glowered at Abaddon, who was slowly recovering on the floor, surrounded by his partners. “You know Father will punish you for this,” she said.

  Abaddon sneered. “After I deliver the outsiders,” he whispered. His vocal cords were still healing. “By the way, your sister is slumming it with those rats.”

  “What?” Amal gasped, the color drained from her face.

  Abaddon chuckled, then instantly regretted it, as he choked and coughed, spitting out blood in the process. The Perfects holding him down squirmed, visibly disgusted at the sight of their now-dirty silken tunics.

  “Amane is fraternizing with the outsiders,” Abaddon managed. “She’s so screwed.”

  “You’re to bring her back alive, you animal!” Amal burst out, pointing an angry finger at him.

  “I’ll try…” Abaddon drawled, taking great pleasure in tormenting her.

  “No. You’ll do as you’re told. Father ordered that they all be brought back here alive!” Amal spat. “Unless you want him to drag your ass back to the drawing board and turn you into garden fertilizer, you’ll do as you’re told!”

  That hit Abaddon deep. I quickly glanced around the hall and noticed Isda and Monos standing twenty yards away, settled behind the food carts and staring at Amal and Abaddon. This didn’t seem like a regular encounter to them. I had a feeling it had something to do with the fact that Amal was a Faulty and was still standing after talking to a Perfect the way she had. The last time Isda had tried to speak up, she’d been swatted away like a fly.

  “You’ll lose your head for
speaking to me this way!” Abaddon hissed.

  “No, I won’t. Because I’m useful and loyal. I helped create your sorry ass. Stop making me regret it,” Amal retorted. “I may not be a Perfect, but I have my worth, and so does my sister. While I don’t condone her treachery, it’s my responsibility to punish her. You stay out of this and deliver her, like you were told!”

  Amal was downright fearless when angered. I was impressed.

  I also noticed the tremor in her voice whenever she spoke of her sister. I made a mental note to try to talk to her about it—later, once all the hostile elements were out of the dome. Abaddon’s mere presence turned my stomach upside down. It was quite a challenge to control my urge to snap him in half.

  “You’re worthless without your sister,” Abaddon replied, refusing to wipe the smirk from his face.

  “We’ll see who’s worthless when you come back emptyhanded, like your cohorts,” Varga said, mirroring his arrogant sneer.

  It didn’t sit well with Abaddon, who tried to get up so he could start another fight. Yuri instinctively gripped Varga’s arm and whispered something in his ear. It was enough to get the young vampire sentry to cool down, almost immediately.

  “Well, look at that. Yuri’s the sentry whisperer.” Lucas chuckled, noticing the exchange.

  “You’re lucky that Father has more use for you alive than dead, Amal,” Abaddon said as he finally got up, aided by his four Perfects. His throat was almost fully healed, but he’d lost a tremendous amount of blood. It was going to take a little while longer for his strength to return. “Either way, you’re all doomed to a miserable existence,” he added, narrowing his eyes with disgust as he looked at us. “You’re already weak and inferior. Your people won’t stand a chance. We’ll pick them off, one by one. We’ll burn your planets down. We’ll wipe your civilizations from the entire universe. The world will know nothing but the Perfects! As it should be!”