by Kody Boye
“I’m more woman than you are man,” Scarlet growled.
One of the vampires hissed and neared.
Scarlet trained her gun on it.
The gleam of silver was enough to send it back.
“You may be alive,” the head vampire said, “but we are many. We are legion.”
I shivered as the word left his lips and crossed my being, as if it were dark magic being used to spell my utter demise. Rooted from fear as I was, I didn’t dare move, less I prompt the animal instinct in them to lash out and attempt to kill me.
Guy, on the other hand, did not falter in the least. He stepped forward and formed, above one hand, a sliver of crystal, which revolved like a dancing ballerina in thin air. “There are fifty Kaldr and twenty Howlers on this property, bloodsucker. Try to breach our borders.”
“We don’t intend on breaching the borders, Elemental. We come to offer a deal.”
I waited for them to continue.
“There is a Svell in Austin,” the creature said, “who does not call itself Kaldr. Who wishes to end this futile game that we, the Winters and DePella plays.”
“And how is that?” Scarlet growled.
“By surrendering the one who has usurped the order.”
I shuddered as each of the three creatures turned their attention on me. “You have one score days before we descend upon this ranch and annihilate you.”
A gun fired.
A Sanguine went down.
Guy’s sliver of ice flew into another Sanguine’s hood and the third lashed out at me.
Aerick—who’d been standing at my side—intercepted by grabbing, then slamming the creature into the ground. The sound of its neck snapping, followed by the crunch of his boot through its decaying skull, confirmed its death.
I paused, stunned, as I felt blood slithering down my face.
“Jason,” Guy said. “Are you hurt?”
“No,” I said, pausing. “I’m… not.”
Physically, I was just fine.
Mentally?
My mind was a battlefield, stained with blood and covered with the corpses of both Kaldr and Howler.
I could barely comprehend it.
I’d thought my war, as inconsequential as it once was, had been over.
Now I realized it had only just begun.
10
“You can’t panic,” Guy said.
“Yeah,” Aerick added. “They’ll bring more Hunters from the Agency. They have to. They’ve got to. Otherwise Central Texas will be witness to the largest bloodbath in history.”
I frantically scrubbed at my face—trying, desperately, to purge myself of the horrible feeling that encompassed my being. The blood was gone, its impact all but faded, but its realization was still there, startling in its portrayal of violence. Scarlet had not hesitated to shoot, nor had Guy. And Aerick—he’d put himself in the line of fire for me. All because of one little—
I shook my head.
No.
I couldn’t blame myself for this. I just couldn’t. I hadn’t asked for the Sanguine to visit, nor had I asked for them to attack me that night at the compound in west Texas. And now, this…
Flashes of Austin entered my mind when I thought about what the Sanguine had said.
The Svell.
The Ice.
The one who does not call itself Kaldr.
I thought of the lake and the young men who had died alongside it and realized, with complete and utter horror, just who it was that wanted to meet me.
The Lady Bird Lake Killer—the one who’d started all this. Who’d ruined my life. Who’d taken away everything. Who—
I slammed my fist into the bathroom countertop with enough force to send a throbbing pain into my wrist, but I didn’t care. No. All that consumed me at that moment was rage.
“Jason?” Aerick asked. “What’re you—”
“The one who wants to meet with me is the one who caused all to this happen,” I said. “The one who killed the men near the lake. The one who hired the man to rob Guy. Who—”
Ruined my life, I wanted to say, but couldn’t because that wasn’t entirely true.
Sighing, I cupped my face in my hands and bowed my head.
This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t. Not now, not so shortly after what had happened with Pierre.
This was supposed to be done. Over. My happily-ever-after with my princes charming. This was—
I lifted my eyes as I felt two hands on me.
Reflected in the mirror were myself, Guy and Aerick, both of whom had somber expressions on their faces.
“You know what they want to do,” Guy said.
“They want to kill you,” Aerick finished. “Take you out of the picture.”
“I know,” I said. “But this might be the last chance I get to ever make anything right.”
“How would your death make anything right?”
“Because it would let the two of you live.”
Neither of them said anything.
When I continued to look at the both of them in the mirror, the finality of my statement began to set in.
“No,” Aerick said.
“Absolutely not,” Guy added. “We’ll find a way around this. The Agency will get involved. We now have definitive proof that this whole operation has been orchestrated to extort my clan and to attempt to reveal the existence of supernatural creatures to the world. No one will stand for this.”
“It doesn’t matter what they’ll stand for,” I replied. “The vampires are dead, we have no idea where the Lady Bird Lake killer is. If anything…” I sighed. “If anything…”
I was fucked.
I shook my head, reached over to grab a towel from the rung beside the sink, then dried my face before tossing the towel down and making my way toward the doorway.
“Where are you going?” Guy asked.
“To talk to Scarlet,” I replied.
11
“I’ve already made contact with the Agency,” Scarlet said. “They’ve classified this as a code-red exposure event and are dispatching agents to both Fredericksburg and Austin.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I replied. “The only way we’re going to be able to draw the killer out is if I expose myself.”
“We can’t do that, Jason. It’s too risky. And at Lady Bird Lake?” She shook her head. “The foot traffic there is outrageous. God. Day or night, there’s always someone there.”
“Which is why I would have to go myself,” I said, sliding my hands into my pockets. I looked to Shadow, then Scarlet, then back again before saying, “Would you be willing to help me?”
“If you wish to expose yourself anonymously,” Shadow said, “then yes. I would be willing to help you.”
“You can’t let him do this,” Scarlet said.
“Guy and Aerick sure aren’t going to let me,” I replied.
“Because it’s stupid,” she said. “Ignorant, outrageous, and incredibly naive. Who’s to say they’ll stop once it’s done? Huh? What then?”
“That’s where you come in,” I replied.
“What?” Scarlet frowned.
“I know the Agency must have access to all sorts of technology,” I replied. “Which is why I’d imagine you’d be able to get some sort of tracking chip.”
“To—”
“Implant in me. To reveal the source of the killer’s dwelling.”
“If they kill you on the lake, it won’t matter if you have a chip in you.”
“The Lady Bird Lake Killer is a Kaldr,” I said. “And like it or not, they can’t use anything against me that I can’t use against them.”
Scarlet, nor Shadow, replied. Their only response was to look at each other before Scarlet turned to say, “That could work.”
“If the Kaldr isn’t able to subdue you with their magic,” Shadow said, “it means you’d be fighting on equal ground.”
“Which means you’d have a fair chance.”
“All I’d need for
this plan to work is bait.”
“Bait?” Scarlet asked.
I sighed.
This plan was not going to go over well.
12
“You want to use me as bait?” Aerick asked. “For some crazy, strung-out, homicidal killer?”
“You’re the only one I trust enough to do this,” I replied, placing my hands on Aerick’s shoulders. “Like it or not, you’re the perfect target, hon. You’re small, you’re skinny, you’re hot. You’re the killer’s MO.”
“It means,” Guy said, “that you’re likely to be targeted.”
“And once they’re drawn out, I can surrender myself to them.”
“This isn’t a good idea,” Aerick said. “Not at all.”
“I don’t agree with Jason surrendering himself either,” Guy said. “But if he has a chip, that means we can track him.”
“Which means you’ll know where I am,” I added.
“Yeah,” Aerick said. “Which means we’ll find you dead.”
Aerick’s pessimism wasn’t unwarranted. If anything, it leveled my circumstances and continued to remind me just how dangerous this entire situation was. I couldn’t get cocky. Just because I’d managed to get out of a dangerous spot one or two times didn’t mean I’d get out on the third. Third time’s the charm, they say. But for what, in this instance? For me to get away unscathed? Or for me to get killed?
I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at Aerick. Still adamantly opposed to the idea, he met me with indignant eyes, his lips curled into a vicious frown and his eyes alight with hellfire. I’d never seen him mad, much less even slightly angry, but this… this was something else.
“I’m not going to do it,” Aerick said. “I’d sooner die than see you get hurt.”
“You’d risk starting a war?” Guy asked.
“If it meant Jason would be safe—yeah. I would.” Aerick stepped forward, his presence reeking of confrontation. “I’m surprised you’re not on my side.”
“I am on your side.”
“Then why are you fighting with me?”
“Just stop!” I cried. “Stop it! Both of you!”
They turned to look at me as I shrunk away from both of them.
“I… need time to think,” I said. “About everything. Just… please. Leave.”
“Jason,” Aerick said.
“Just go,” I said.
Guy went for the door without hesitation. Aerick, on the other hand, remained in place, his hand balled into a fist and his eyes ablaze with anger. He wasn’t going to move—not of his own free will—and if he wasn’t going to do what I asked, I—
He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. “Please don’t make me put you in danger,” he whispered, bowing his head into my shoulder to reveal wet tears that’d suddenly burst free. “Please, Jason. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I—”
“If you use me as bait to draw the Kaldr out, he’s going to kill you, plain and simple. They’re mad, Jason. Mad. All they want is to get rid of you because you’ve caused all this trouble.”
“What if we all went?” Guy asked.
“What?” I frowned. Aerick, lifting his tear-stained face from my shoulder, turned his head to look at Guy.
“I said—”
“I heard what you said, Guy. I just… I don’t understand.”
“What if all three of us went to Austin. Together. With Shadow. He could erase the minds of anyone who sees the three of us and we could run the trail together. If one good-looking guy is enough to attract a Kaldr’s attention, think of what three hunks could do.”
“I’m no hunk,” I said.
“You’re not,” Aerick replied, pressing a sloppy, tear-riddled kiss to my cheek, “but Guy is.”
“If Aerick’s not willing to do what you want him to,” Guy said, “and if you’re not going to back down and let the Agency do their job, then let’s go—you, me, Aerick and Shadow—and draw this motherfucker out.”
“Jason?” Aerick asked, sniffling.
I looked into his tear-drenched eyes and sighed. “Ok,” I said. “Let’s go. The three of us. Together.”
Guy stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me and Aerick. “I love you guys,” he whispered. “So much.”
Aerick and I both agreed.
It was settled.
We would go to Austin—together—and end this rogue Kaldr’s reign of terror.
Part 4
1
Scarlet did not agree to this plan, nor did Elliot, Amadeo, and the majority of the Kaldr and Howlers who had gathered to listen as we devised our scheme. It was determined, via a series of votes and a number of inputs, that I was mad—‘absolutely fucking bonkers’ if I wanted Scarlet’s approval of the whole thing—but that didn’t matter. We had already decided.
“It’s the only way to ensure that the ranch stays safe,” I said, “and to effectively draw out and hopefully kill the Kaldr that’s hunting young men in Austin.”
“And if you die?” Elliot asked.
I’d never considered the option. Dying wasn’t in my vocabulary—at least, not yet—but when I thought about it, it didn’t particularly matter. If I died, like Elliot so painfully asked, life would go on. The ranch would be safe, next year’s crops would be grown. Guy and Aerick would mourn, but at least they would have each other. And me—I wouldn’t care, because once I stopped breathing, this whole debacle surrounding me and my place within the world would be over.
With a deep breath, I pointed to the map of Texas and centered my finger on Austin. “Once we hit Austin,” I said, “The five of us—Shadow, Scarlet, Guy, Aerick and I—will camp out beside Lady Bird Lake near South Pleasant Valley Road and wait until nightfall. Then, when the three of us guys are ready, we’ll start jogging the pass until we draw the attention we want.”
“Shadow will run reconnaissance,” Scarlet said, “and I’ll be there to provide protection if anything goes wrong.”
“It’s not a foolproof plan, by any means,” I said, “but it’s the only plan that’s going to keep me somewhat safe while still protecting the ranch.”
“This ranch has withstood the test of time,” Elliot said. “A few Sanguine won’t stop it.”
“No,” Scarlet said, “but a brood of Sanguine, a flock of Banshees and whatever else they have will surely bring it down. You’ve got to remember—the Shadow World isn’t united. It only takes a small idea to spark a revolution.”
“We can’t risk humanity being caught in the crossfire,” I said. “If something happened and it hit the Internet…” I shook my head. “It’d be over. The secret would be out.”
“Then the world would be changed,” Guy said. “Forever.”
“And not for the good,” Aerick added.
Nodding, I turned my attention to Faith—who, though hesitant to perform the procedure I had initially requested, was willing to do it regardless of her reservations. “Faith,” I said. “Are you almost ready to implant the chip inside me?”
“Yes, Jason,” she sighed. “I am.”
2
I was administered a generalized numbing agent before the surgery began. Armed with a scalpel, a needle and thread, and the GPS device that would be able to track my every move, Faith began the surgery first by sterilizing the area with iodine, then by taking the scalpel and cutting into my flesh above my left collarbone.
I grimaced, almost unable to take the pain, but ground my teeth together and tightened my hold on Guy’s hand. Aerick—who remained close by—set a hand on my leg and stroked my calf, trying his hardest to offer some form of comfort even though he couldn’t be at my side.
“We’re almost there,” Faith said as she took the GPS device into her bloodied finger. “You’re doing great, Jason.”
“I don’t feel l like it,” I managed.
She pressed the cylindrical object—which couldn’t have been any more than an inch or two long and maybe half that wide—against the opening of
the wound, then into my flesh. I howled with pain and tightened my hold around Guy’s hand to the point where even he grimaced.
“And we’re done,” Faith said.
I sighed, then took in a deep breath to replenish the lost air. “Sorry,” I said, gently squeezing Guy’s hand.
“Don’t be,” he replied. “I’d rather suffer a little pain and know where you are than you have none and not know what happened to you.”
With a nod, I closed my eyes and grimaced as Faith began the delicate act of threading and then stitching my wound. Aerick—who chose to switch places with Guy—extended his arm above my head and allowed me to suckle at the flesh at his wrist, which instantaneously relieved me of almost all of my pain.
“Careful,” Guy said. “Don’t take too much.”
“It’s fine,” Aerick said, his words slurred and almost incoherent.
Guy pulled Aerick’s hand away, then offered his own. The cooler flesh I sucked at ravenously, slicking my tongue across the bulging muscle and prying at the vein beneath.
It was over almost as soon as it had begun. Faith cut the stitching, cleaned the wound, then pulled away to admire the work that she had done.
With Guy’s help, I lifted myself into a sitting position and looked into the nearby mirror.
By the time my wound healed, it would look like nothing more than a simple three-inch scar in my flesh.
“You should have full mobility of your arm,” Faith said, nodding as I tested my reach and flexibility. “Take something minor for the pain, make sure to keep it covered. We should be able to remove the stitches within a week, give or take.”
“We technically have twenty days to do this,” Guy said, steadying Aerick as he swayed on his feet. “You are aware of that. Right, Jason?”
“I know,” I said, grimacing as I hopped off the metal table and as Faith began to apply bandaging to the fresh wound. I considered Aerick and his desperate attempts to remain upright before looking at Guy. “Take him to our room,” I said.
“He’ll be the first to try out the new mattress,” Guy smiled.