Deadly Alpha

by Brenda Sparks

  “LOCK!” she screamed.

  The door’s special locking mechanism clicked into place, leaving Michael to scream his frustration on the other side of the door. Christina collapsed on the floor. Adrenaline and fear shook her body. Heavy breaths tore in and out of her lungs while the adrenaline slowly left her body. Pushing to her feet, she took a moment to gather her wits.

  Christina took in her surroundings. On three walls sat shelves with food and drinks, enough for two people to stay there a week if needed. Exploring the room, she discovered a bathroom with a toilet and sink. As she turned from the doorway to the bath, she noticed a long rectangular table. The metal table supported a wall of small TV monitors. One, two, three…ten in all sat on the table.

  Why would anyone need ten TV’s in a safe room, she wondered. Then she took time to focus on what played across the screens.

  She noticed each monitor had an area of the house on it: the kitchen, the front gate, the stairway, and other various areas of the house all covered. Movement on one of the screens grabbed her attention, and she leaned on the table in front of the monitor, taking in the scene playing out.

  Michael paced the hallway just outside the panic room, wiping the blood from his face, and cursed. She watched his form coalesce in on itself until only a wisp of black smoke remained in the hall.

  Suddenly, he reappeared outside the door to the panic room. The vampire looked around the hall in disgust. Noticing the camera perched high on the wall, he turned his menacing scowl toward the lens and leered. With his injured eye mostly healed, his gaze met hers through the monitor.

  “Marcus is smarter than I gave him credit for. Apparently, he lined your room with titanium so I can’t materialize within. I hope you can hear me, woman. You will come to me, Christina. You will come out to me or Stephan’s heartmate will die.”

  Wait! Kat was alive? Realization smacked into Christina. Of course, a broken neck wouldn’t kill a vampire. She had to find a way to help her.

  Michael turned and stalked away from the camera. Her eyes searched the monitors, trying to catch sight of him. She found him going up the stairs.

  “No. Leave her alone, you bastard!” she yelled at the monitors, not knowing if Michael could hear her.

  Her gaze flew to the next monitor, where she saw Michael stalk toward Kat in the foyer. He picked up her lifeless body. She hung limply over one of his arms like a rag doll. Michael looked up at the camera, finding it with intimidating ease.

  “Christina, I’m going to drain her. If you come to me, I’ll stop. If you come out quickly, she might even live. It’s up to you. Her life is in your hands. Tonight you will decide if Katrina lives or dies.”

  He wrapped his hand around Kat’s neck and brought her to his mouth. Looking up at the camera, he stared at the machine as he bit through the delicate skin of her neck and drank. He took long draws, gulping her blood down his throat. After several minutes, when Christina did not come out, he sealed the wounds and let Kat drape again over his arm.

  He moved to the next camera, one closer to the panic room and said, “I’m going to keep doing this, Christina, until you come to me. I’m slowly draining her dry. You can stop this. You can save her. Come to me, and I’ll stop.” Michael again brought Kat to his mouth and began to drink.

  Christina watched in horror as the vampire drank from her friend. Bile pushed into her throat. He was killing her. She had to do something. Her friend was about to die. It wasn’t fair. Michael wanted her. Why should Katrina suffer for her?

  After several more minutes, he moved on to the next camera and repeated the morbid process. Ultimatum. Bite. Drink. By the time he made his way to the camera in front of the panic room, Kat looked ghostly pale, a color whiter than white, her lips blue. Michael glanced up at the camera.

  “Christina, this is it. Your last chance. She is still alive…barely. Her heartbeat stutters. I can hear it. She doesn’t have much blood left. If you want her to live, you must come out. Now.”

  He hesitated a moment, then brought Kat’s neck to his mouth. The end had come! He intended to kill her. Christina couldn’t take it another second. As he bared his fangs, she hit the button to release the locking mechanism of the panic room with a click.

  Opening the door to the room, Christina ran out and yelled, “Stop, Stop. No more. Don’t kill her. Please!”

  Michael dropped Kat’s body onto the floor. With a thud, she fell limp like a sack of cement. When Christina tried to reach her friend, Michael’s fingers clamped around her wrist, preventing her from checking on Katrina.

  Wearing an evil smile, he flung Christina over his shoulder. His long strides took them out of the house. She bounced on his shoulder with every step. His clavicle bone cut into her stomach with each footfall. The pain in her abdomen couldn’t compare with the pain in her heart as she thought of Kat lying helpless on the floor.

  “Did you kill her?” Christina whispered.

  “She is still technically alive, but fading. If she dies, it will be your fault. You took too long to come out. You should have come to me sooner, Christina. You know there will have to be a punishment for your bad behavior.”

  She didn’t want to dwell on what punishment he might have in mind. She’d never trusted Michael, but this behavior seemed extreme, even for him. What happened to make him take these measures?

  “What are you going to do to me?” Tears streamed down her face, falling on the gravel drive as he strode to his vehicle.

  “That is entirely up to you. You will reap what you sow. Behave, and I’ll take that into consideration.”

  As they moved away from the mansion, Christina glanced up for one last look at the residence, in case she never saw the home again.

  Michael tossed her into the back seat of a silver Mercedes and slammed the door then walked nonchalantly around the car, slipped behind the wheel and brought the engine to life. Michael glanced at Christina from the driver’s seat as she slowly sat up. When their eyes met, she fell into their depths. The sinister smile on his face made Christina’s flesh crawl, just before the world went black.

  ****

  Stephan and Vlad walked down Fifth Street for the third time in a week. Stephan had been itchy all night. He felt the cold tingling of something amiss, but all was well on the streets, nothing out of place. The humans went about their usual business of getting a bite to eat and meeting friends in the bars that lined the street. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but still something felt off to Stephan.

  Suddenly a physical pain, like none he’d felt before, gripped his chest. He dropped to his knees, the sidewalk digging in. The biting pain took the breath from his lungs. He gripped his shirt in desperation, trying to catch his breath.

  Katrina! Stephan desperately tried to establish their mental connection, but only silence met his call.

  Vlad put a hand on Stephan’s shoulder and knelt beside him. “What is it, Stephan? What’s wrong?”

  “It’s Kat. Something is terribly wrong. I can feel it. I must get to her.”

  “Can you dematerialize?”

  Stephan closed his eyes and tried to imagine himself at Marcus’ home. As his form started to waver, another wave of pain hit, and he became solid. “No. I can’t concentrate enough to dematerialize. You have to get me to the plantation now!”

  Vlad ran with blurring speed to where the two left their SUV. Jumping behind the wheel, he gunned the engine and took off with a screech of tires to pick up Stephan. He leaned over and opened the passenger door as Stephan stood. The Alpha leader struggled into the vehicle on legs weakened by pain and fear for his mate.

  “Go, go, go. NOW!” commanded Stephan as he closed the door.

  His mind sought Kat through their mindlink. No response. He stilled, sensed nothing from her, no thoughts, no feelings, just a blankness that sent a wave of desperation through him. If he couldn’t reach Katrina, perhaps Marcus could get to the plantation before they would. His mind searched for Marcus, finding him with perfu
nctory ease.

  Marcus, something’s wrong. I can’t connect with Kat. Vlad is taking us to your place now. You need to get your ass home.

  I know. Alex and I aren’t too far from the plantation. Just pulled a U-turn. We’re on our way.

  Can you contact Christina? Find out what’s going on?

  I’ve tried. I haven’t gotten through yet, but I’ll keep trying.

  As will I.

  Twenty minutes later, the two SUV’s pulled into the drive one behind the other. They ground to a halt, skidding on the gravel drive as they arrived at the front door. The door to the homestead yawned open, and light streamed from within, casting an eerie glow onto the front porch.

  Stephan bolted inside. He closed his eyes and sent his senses flaring out through the home, searching for his beloved. When the other Alphas crowded into the foyer behind him, he hushed them so he could concentrate. A faint, erratic beat reached his ears, the sound familiar yet strange at the same time. The Alpha leader concentrated hard on the sound, attempting to place it.

  Recognition hit him. Opening his eyes, Stephan took off toward the noise as fast as his preternatural speed allowed. He raced through the house, Vlad and Alexander hard on his heels.

  Finding Kat lying on the floor in the hall outside the panic room, Stephan scooped her limp body in his arms and brushed the hair from her face. The warrior hugged his mate to him, rocking her as his gaze roamed her body, assessing her injuries. Her head listed to one side, exposing her neck. It was broken and ravaged with multiple bites.

  His eyes clouded, and her features blurred. He closed his eyes to keep the tears from falling and pushed his emotions aside so he could send his consciousness into her body to continue his assessment. The muscles in her back were bruised in multiple places and her neck had yet to begin to fuse the ruptured spinal cord. The lack of blood made her heart struggle for each beat. It sputtered in her chest.

  He leaned back his head and allowed the pained roar to escape his throat, the sound akin to the howl of a great animal losing its mate. The bellow shook the walls.

  “Don’t you leave me, Kitten,” the Alpha pleaded, brushing Kat’s hair from her face. “Don’t you go. You stay with me. Dammit.”

  ****

  Marcus searched wildly for Christina, using his preternatural speed to physically check every room, but she was nowhere to be found. When Marcus approached the panic room, the scene with Stephan and Kat greeted him, as did the mighty roar of grief from his sire.

  Shock slowed his steps, bringing him to a stop next to the couple. Anger shook his body as he looked down on his friends. Questions pinged around his brain. Who would do such a terrible thing? Why would anyone attack Katrina? And just as importantly, where was Christina? If Katrina was this badly injured, how was his heartmate? His concern spurred him into action.

  “Vlad, Alexander, where are you?” he called, making his way down the hall, past the couple.

  “In here,” Vlad replied from the panic room.

  Marcus’ long strides took him into the safe room where Vlad and Alexander watched the monitors. As his gaze flew to the screens, he stilled. Like a Saturday Night Horror Movie of the Week, the video of what transpired while the Alphas were on patrol played before his eyes. Marcus watched Michael drain Kat slowly until Christina sacrificed herself to save their friend.

  Anger flooded his blood at the cruelty and betrayal of one of their own. He’d fought beside that bastard for decades. He’d called him brother, and even though he’d not been himself lately, Marcus never expected this type of duplicity from Michael.

  The monster would pay. He’d make sure of that.

  Marcus reached out again to his beloved. Christina, can you hear me? Cara, I need you to respond. Speak to me!

  The silence that met his plea was deafening. Desperation pushed in on him. His stomach knotted until he couldn’t breathe.

  Alex took control. “I’ll stay and help Stephan. Vlad, you and Marcus go to Michael’s place. See if you can find Christina. On your way, call Demetri and get him to meet you there.”

  Marcus knew Stephan possessed a special ability to heal using his aura, and Kat would need his special talent to survive. Kat would also need a lot of blood to replace what Michael had taken, and he hoped Alex and Stephan had enough between them. If Vlad and he were lucky, they would reach Christina in time to save her.

  They had to reach her in time. The Fates only knew what Michael intended for her. He sent a quick prayer to the heavens that they weren’t too late.

  ****

  Wake up, Christina. I don’t want you to miss a minute of what I have planned for you.

  Christina awoke with a jolt of fear and pushed up into a seated position just as the vehicle passed the large graveyard located on the outskirts of Savannah, far away from the inner city. The car turned down an obscured dirt road. Spanish moss hung from the live oaks and maples like spidery fingers swaying in the wind as they made their way down the bumpy lane until they came to a clearing. The moonless night cast the yard into darkness, making it difficult for Christina to discern her surroundings, but she could tell the tree-cluttered lawn concealed them from the highway.

  Michael rolled to a stop in front of a compound. Christina knew if she went into that building she would never come out, so she pushed open the car door and ran for all she was worth.

  By her fifth step, Michael stood in front of her, like an immovable wall of stone. He grabbed her arm in a bruising grip and spun her around, marching her into the compound. “Don’t ever try to run away from me again. I have been more than patient with you, but my patience is wearing thin.” He looked down at her with a chilling smile. “Come with me. I have something I want you to see.”

  Michael marched Christina around the back of the compound to the smaller of the two buildings. Opening the door with his mind, he escorted her inside. The smell of the room washed over her when they entered, death and decay. It smelled similar to the morgue at the hospital, without the scent of antiseptic.

  A few candles scattered throughout dimly lit the room. Christina’s human eyes had difficulty adjusting—which was a blessing because the things she could see brought bile into her throat.

  She noticed a woman with red hair lying motionless on a rack. The woman’s wrists and ankles were strapped down, her eyes closed. Unable to tell if her chest moved, Christina didn’t know if the woman lay dead or unconscious.

  Training as a nurse compelled her to try to help the woman. She shifted her weight, taking a step toward the table, but Michael tightened his grip on her arm, keeping her by his side. “Where do you think you are going?”

  “I’m going to help her.”

  “She’s dead. She didn’t survive the fun I had planned. Humans break so easily, you know.”

  The similarities between the woman and herself struck Christina. The dead woman was about her size, same red hair, similar frame. Her voice sounded small as she squeaked, “She looks like me.”

  “Yes,” her captor agreed. “When I didn’t get you that evening in your apartment, I needed to find a substitute.

  “At first, I became furious when Marcus interrupted us in your apartment. But it actually turned out to be a good thing. She taught me that in your human state, you will be too weak for the things I have planned, so I’m going to convert you.”

  Panic gripped her with its icy claws. A shiver raced down her spine. Christina rounded on Michael, a look of terror on her face. “You’re going to convert me?”

  Before Michael responded, she heard a cry from a pitch-black corner of the room.

  “What was that?” Christina turned toward the sound.

  “That is your first meal. After I convert you, you will need to feed. I will bring you here to feed from her.”

  Her eyes, wide with a combination of fear and repulsion, returned to her captor. Michael took a deep inhale, his nostrils flaring.

  “I do so love it when my special toys are scared.” A twisted smile took
his face, and another shudder went through Christina’s body. He bent, lowering his voice as he whispered in her ear, “And after you feed, we will put this playroom to good use.”

  Chapter 27

  Demetri and Nicholai exited the SUV. Having finished driving their section of the city, they planned on walking the streets, so they could look in the nooks and crannies of the buildings when Demetri’s cell phone vibrated against his chest. He pulled the phone from the pocket of his shirt and accepted the call with the push of a button.

  “Hello.”

  “Demetri, Vlad here. We are at the mansion. There has been an incident.”

  Demetri listened to Vlad explain what he and Alex saw on the security monitors at the plantation. The warrior stopped walking and gripped the phone harder, the cracking of the case evidence of his anger.

  “Michael’s place is near here. We can be there in five. You and Marcus meet us there.”

  He slid the phone back in his pocket and informed Nicholai about the emergency. The warriors jumped back into the SUV, and two minutes later the vehicle screeched to a halt in front of the brick building Michael called home.

  Demetri bounded up the stairs, his cousin in tow. Tearing the door from its hinges, he burst through the entryway. A cloud of dust kicked up when Demetri’s booted foot hit the floor. His eyes roamed the space, discovering a layer of dust an inch thick covering everything within. No prints marred the dusty floor. The house appeared abandoned.

  Once inside, the cousins split. Demetri took the downstairs, while Nicholai headed up. As Demetri searched through the house, he wondered if Michael had ever lived there. Dust covered the furniture so thick it looked like a sheet. The kitchen sat empty except for a bottle of rum in the back of the pantry. The refrigerator stood bare, as vacant as a campsite during a hurricane. Demetri turned to head upstairs, but the sound of soft footsteps walking through the back door stilled his feet.