The Smokiest Grave (The Unnatural Series Book 1)

by Tosha Y. Miller

  Hendrick put a hand up, silencing everyone. “Continue Kitty but be careful what you say next. I'm sure you understand why,” his voice was liquid poison.

  Cat did understand. If she said one wrong word, he’d kill her. He would have no choice, and she knew that, if she were a threat to his people’s lives there would be no mercy. With a sour taste in her mouth she continued, “The Goddess told me to help you. She sent me on this mission to find your brother.”

  Someone yelled, “Lies” from the hallway.

  “It started out as a rescue mission, but something changed.” She stopped again, not sure if she wanted to continue with Hendrick so close to her.

  His eyebrows went up, she had no choice. “Your blood is royal and whoever has him found out,” she whispered, hearing squeaks and squawks behind him. Hendrick was going to say something, but she interrupted.

  "No, let me finish. Because of the power of your family's blood, they are going to sell your brother to someone powerful. This individual is unknown, but they want to take over everything."

  "When you say everything, you mean-” Yvonne said stepping into view next to Hendrick who was still pressing Cat against the wall with his massive body.

  "From what I saw, everything means the world,” Cat said with wide eyes. “Using your brother's blood, they created something that looks similar to zombies. But different. Rage leads them, and they don’t eat you, they just chomp on your flesh."

  “Zombies don’t exist,” Jake’s icy voice chimed in.

  "Well, there was a spell to erase their memories. That caused a mind raging anger to take over. The process hurt like hell, so I could understand why. It was like my brain was on fire. Anyway, they attacked each other, chomping on each other's flesh. That’s why I say they are similar to zombies," Cat explained what she saw, her eyes pleading for them to believe her.

  "Wait, what I don't understand is why you keep saying things like you were there?" said another person Cat didn't recognize. His short blonde hair looked like Yvonne's, though.

  "That's because I was there. The Goddess wanted me to see and understand the true nature of what is going to happen. So, she sent me into the future. From what I saw, it's an evil bronzing spell that turns the world into a light brown horror flick," Cat said, her eyes getting glossy. Why the hell should their approval matter, I can do this on my own. She wasn’t sure why, but she wanted them to trust her.

  "I heard something like that existed when I was a child,” an older woman said as she stepped into the bathroom. “It's an old spell. And it literally does change everything. The goal was to make everything the same, so there wouldn't be any more Unnaturals. Everybody would be a Natural."

  Hendrick turned enough to look at the woman speaking. She was elderly, but beautifully elegant. Her kind blue eyes and long, flowing silver hair had Cat wanting to run into her arms for safety. But she thought twice when she looked deeper into those eyes. They were full of power and the way they shined against her dark skin made her eyes look mystical. Subsequently, Cat decided against it. For all I know she’s as angry as the rest.

  "Are ye sure Nan?" Hendrick asked, his voice gentle.

  "Yes, and like the lass said, it takes an obscene amount of power. Something only our bloodline could give," Hendrick's Nan said as her hand gripped the teal necklace around her neck.

  “Holly hell, we need to get Chris back before they use his blood. Let's get to the warehouse; we should have had seventy-two hours before the Hunters disposed of him. Now, who knows how much time is left," Jake said storming out of the room, punching his fist in his palm.

  "Wait, what warehouse? And why that time frame?" Cat’s shoulders relaxed against the wall. She was only slightly aware of her nakedness now. Hendrick was shielding her body enough to where she wasn’t mind-numbing bashful.

  Hendrick looked down at her, “Izzy called me when he couldn't get a hold of you. My people brought me up to date with what has happened. Jake and Ethan, did some investigating before we got here,” Hendrick said. “They had Yvonne reenact everything and she was able to remember most of the license plate number from the van. And as for the time, that’s how long it takes to fully drain us.”

  Wow, what do they do with them for three days? "Okay, let's go," Cat unintentionally pushed her body against Hendrick's firm one. The feeling of his muscles against her soft breast had the room filling with her sweet arousal scent. Seriously, body?

  His eyes darkened, "You can take a shower, Kitty. Two other friends of mine are on their way," Hendrick smirked when her voice squeaked.

  “She needs a bath,” Yvonne chimed in.

  “No time, Yvonne. We need to leave quickly,” Hendrick smiled down at Cat when she thanked him.

  "I'm going to wait in the kitchen." Without looking, he pointed down, quietly telling her to cover up.

  Another squawk escaped her, and that potato smell masked any other emotions. Her whole body burned as if it was on fire. How could she have let fabric slip down her body? What is wrong with me?

  Cat bit her lips nervously. "I have a question," she said, stumbling on her words, "Why do you believe me? Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful, but you don't seem like a trusting person."

  ***

  Hendrick lifted his shirt, uncovering a mark the same as Cat's." The other mark is of the Sapphire Charms. They were our sister protectors. No one could get to the Gods with both of our kind protecting them. So, if the Gods could trust us, who am I to not trust?" He walked away quickly, not willing to talk anymore. There were a few things he needed to take care of to ensure Cat’s safety.

  Seventeen

  Hendrick left cat in the bathroom with Yvonne. He knew his team was already in the kitchen eating all his blasted food. That was where they always were.

  He told Cat they weren’t here, so she could take a shower and be ready for this mission. If she went now, her smell could attract the wrong attention. The poor lass had to drink her liver away to calm her nerves.

  He had never had someone trust him like she did on the plane. The least he could do was repay her trust and let her explain things. A few years ago, he would have killed her without listening to her explanation. If they look like a trader, they probably are, was his motto.

  To be a better leader, he needed to bring something else to the table other than protection. The way they had been living was not practical. He needed to change things somehow and being more trusting of people was a start. Who knows, maybe she could help him.

  Most Dragonvires do not survive getting abducted, she could be the ticket to saving his brother. If the Goddess believed in the two of them working together, so should he.

  He sighed when his palm touched the kitchen door. The way he led his people gave them the right to argue and berate him. He wasn’t a fan of it though.

  When Hendrick pushed open the swinging door to the kitchen, the peppery scent of roasted-to-perfection pork wafted toward him. He took a deep breath, filling his nostrils with the delicious smell. His stomach rumbled. They better not have eaten all the meat.

  As soon as the swinging door tapped closed, everyone turned to him. Nobody missed a beat. They bombarded him with copious amounts of questions until their voices fused into one massive din of noise.

  The light blue walls and dark cherry cabinets made him feel like he was walking into the ocean. He was off balance with all of them talking at once as if a riptide was trying to knock him off his feet and rush him away to parts unknown.

  Hendrick made out a question that seemed to lurk on the edge of the roar of those voices, “Why the hell is she still alive?” He recognized his old friend’s accent even before he saw Ethan sitting on the side of the table closest to the kitchen door.

  “Yeah, she's a Sapphire. They could kill her and use her soul amulet to make that reality come true,” Ethan’s cousin Keanu said. His jaw was tight, and his eyes narrowed at Hendrick accusingly.

  Hendrick scowled at Keanu the way a dad would to a rebellious teenager.
Keanu had trouble taking orders from people. If not for Ethan whipping him into shape, Hendrick would never have trusted him.

  The past couple of years Keanu had proven his loyalty and friendship by being there for everyone when they needed him. But right now, he looked like the hell maker he once was sitting in the chair agreeing with everybody’s anger. He was like salt to the water washing over Hendrick, and the damn thing made his eyes sting.

  “It might not even be about Chris,” Jake chimed in. He didn't seem as angry as the rest. His eyes were gentle and considerate.

  “She's too much of a liability, I agree, but think for a second my brothers. She might be as big an asset to us. It’s not every day you find someone that speaks with the Gods.” Marcus’ kind and humble voice made every person think for a second. The storm of sounds quieted.

  Marcus was the youngest of the bunch, so he was not haunted by the Dragonvire’s past like the rest of the team. He had never had to endure the horrifying screams of his family dying, so he trusted people more easily.

  Hendrick was grateful because that brief silence that followed Marcus’ comment gave Hendrick enough time to rekindle his thoughts.

  He smiled when Yvonne walked into the kitchen. She must have given Cat a small calming session. “He's right.” She flung her long blonde hair over her shoulder and cocked her hip like an older sister about to knock some sense into her younger siblings. “I can feel her aura, it's not evil. She wants to help.”

  “I felt something dark in her Yvonne,” Maria’s disappointed Italian voice chimed in, making the uproar wave grown massive.

  “The darkness is like a hovering shadow, not a consuming one. She is good.” Yvonne stood over everyone sitting down, her calming nature pushing out into their minds.

  “I say bullshit. She’s lying about everything. The Blaigeard wants our blood magic.” Ethan stood up and his bulging arms slammed into the table. Beads of sweat broke out on Ethan’s brow, and the veins in his arms pulsed with anger. He wanted her dead.

  “That's enough!” Hendrick shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. Just like when he wanted his voice to calm women, the deep allure can turn into a demanding one. He watched as heads dropped and butts sat back down in their chairs. “Cat is going with us. I am certain she will help us find Chris.”

  “Hendrick, no disrespect my king, but are you sure you are the person to make that decision?” Maria asked. Besides Yvonne, she was the only other person in the room that wasn’t a Dragonvire. She was the reason all of them could be together without being detected.

  Only blockers can mask the heat of their power. Hendrick never visited his family anymore without a blocker nearby. Unfortunately, they were hard to find, which meant he didn’t get a lot of family time.

  “What do ye mean?” Hendrick narrowed his eyes at her. The outer rim of his orbs turned orange.

  “Well, it’s the month of your parent’s death which always gets you a little hero crazy. We are all the same way, but you blame yours-”

  “I understand that’s how I’ve been in the past, but this is about my brother.” He gave her a stern look, “Anything else? Now is the time to spill it.”

  Maria hesitated, the look on her face said she hoped she wasn’t about to go too far with her next words, “I saw the way you looked at her, Hendrick. It's the same way you looked at Clarissa.” Maria stopped and lowered her head when he put up his hand. He wasn’t going to hit her. He was silencing her.

  Clarissa was his previous girlfriend. He had trusted her. She got her tiny claws into him and he was blind to her flaws. The she-devil ended up drugging him to get to his blood on their one-year celebration. Once she found out what he was, she wanted to get rich by using his blood to turn things to gold.

  Little did she know, the only one that could ask his blood power to do that was Hendrick himself. He never did, though. He never would. Not for all the unicorns and red lions in the world, because the price was too high. Whenever Dragonvires created gold, they had to use a piece of their soul. Consequentially, they aged more rapidly.

  The Blaigeard had ended up at the end of his sword when she tried to backstab him again.

  “I know you are concerned, worried even that Cat is like Clarissa. But she is not like that. Cat is our sister protector, and it would be foolish to deny her help.” He put down his hands trying to convince them without using his royalty. They were his family. “She has as much to lose if people find out what she is. Izzy even said no one knows she is an Unnatural, so she has twice as much to lose. We will just have to make sure they do not get to her. Okay?” Hendrick was asking them to trust him.

  He inspected his group of friends, shifting on his feet, at their culpable stares devoured him. Every eye held distrust, each jaw was clenched, nostrils flared. He looked intently at them, absently lifting his chest, waiting. He was their Alpha, but they had the right to say no.

  The torturous silence was killing him. The little droplets breaking out all over decorated his skin. He couldn’t remember a time when his heart ached with anticipation as much as at this moment.

  Someone needs to get up and punch me or something. Physical combat was easy to deal with; the emotional stuff, not so much.

  ***

  “Okay boss, I'm down,” Marcus said, getting up to put a hand on Maria's shoulder. Marcus believed in Hendrick and would do anything for him. He was usually a good judge of character. There was something about Cat that was right to Marcus.

  ***

  “Me too,” Maria folded her arms tight to her chest. Maria trusted Hendrick with her life. She owed him everything and would do anything for him. Nevertheless, she wasn’t going to let another woman hurt Hendrick.

  Yvonne was next, “I'm always with you brother.” She bowed her head with grace. The happiness was rolling off her in waves. Yvonne was always on his side no matter what.

  ***

  “Me too,” Jake said, “besides, she's a hottie, and we need more of that around.” The girls rolled their eyes and scoffed at him. Jake was a playboy, but he was loyal. He continued, “My place is by your side, Hendrick.”

  Hendrick didn’t want to show his emotions, so he hid behind keen eyes as if considering everyone’s words. Deep inside he was dancing for joy. He never made all the right choices, but he always had his people in mind. His vision blurred, My people still believe in me.

  Hendrick watched Ethan with strained eyes, as if he was staring at the suns’ harsh gaze, not his oldest friend. No matter what, Hendrick refused to persuade Ethan in any way. If their friendship didn’t hold merit for Ethan to trust him anymore, Hendrick would take the metaphorical sword to the chest and respect his decision.

  He watched, Ethan sizing him up. Hendrick could see his intelligent, introspective orbs not looking at him, but searing past his flesh into his being. They were diving into his soul, weighing its worth.

  When Dragonvires cohabitate for extended periods of time they can connect with one another’s spirit. Hendrick’s dad used to say it was a way to make sure evil wasn’t in their dragon’s den, and Ethan was using that ability on him.

  Hendrick lifted his chin higher, like the key to his soul was through his neck. He didn’t know if Ethan knew what he was doing, but if he did, Hendrick had no qualms about letting him in.

  ***

  Ethan’s hand twitched, so he closed his hand before it was noticeable. He was torn inside. He wanted to trust Hendrick’s word. Yet, he remembered all too well the kiss of betrayal a new person could give to his people. To trust a new person was the hardest thing Hendrick could ask of him.

  As their souls intertwined, the sense of warm love and fierce devotion fluttered around Ethan. Everything was okay in the depths of Hendrick. Ethan was worried Cat had put a curse on Hendrick or fogged his mind somehow. There was nothing like that inside of Hendrick, though.

  So, Ethan tilted his head, not quite understanding why he was doing this, but trusting he knew what he was doing. He nodded slightly and said
with uncharacteristic softness, “Aye, I’m with you.”

  Everyone noticed a change in Hendrick’s stance; he looked like a weight had been lifted off his back. The nonchalant look he gave betrayed by the light in his eyes. At this moment Hendrick was happy, and not a lot could do that these days.

  To make sure of the decision, Hendrick explored the room, meeting each person’s eyes. In turn, they nodded their approval without hesitation. Even the people not going with them bowed their heads.

  ***

  Hendrick’s mood lifted. In fact, it went from anxious to ecstatic so quickly as if he might float away at any second. “Okay, we leave in fifteen minutes. Be ready,” Hendrick ordered. His people still had faith in him, and that's all he could ask for in his friends. Now, it was time to eat!

  His brother needed him to be strong. I’m coming Chris hold on.

  Eighteen

  Maria left the kitchen still frustrated with the group’s discussion. If she was honest with herself, it had a lot to do with jealousy. She would never admit that though.

  Marcus bumped his shoulder on hers, “Stop being a sour puss. Hendrick knows what he’s doing.”

  She sighed, “I know, Buba. But I don’t trust her.”

  Ethan called Marcus’s name, so he hurriedly said, “Just don’t be stupid.” He lowered his voice, “If you do, just don’t get caught.” Marcus smiled and ran towards Ethan.

  Maria bit her lip conflicted. When she saw Cat was still in the bathroom she made up her mind. Maria was going to take matters into her own hands.

  She walked into the bathroom and slid under the blanket Yvonne must have put up to give Cat some privacy. The steam made Maria feel like she had walked into a sauna. Perfect, Cat was still in the shower. I’ll just zip in and zap her.

  Maria peeked into the shower to check on Cat. Cat was turned away from Maria, letting the water cover her face. Maria’s green monster came out at the look of her flawless skin and full bottom. If Maria had beautiful curves and skin like hers maybe she wouldn’t be single.