“It’s a holding cell for vampires, both new born and those awaiting sentencing. Reinforced steel, so no need to worry about him escaping,” Victor informs me as he dumps the man on the bed. Victor locks him in, then locks the bedroom door, and punches in a code. Placing a hand on my shoulder Victor stops my retreat as he turns me to face him.
“You’re an unusual woman, Candi. I’ve never met anyone like you, and to be honest, I like it.” Victor leans into me but remains just out of reach. His eyes tangle with mine and search for...Whatever it is, I think he finds it, for with a nod and a slight smile on his delicious mouth he turns away and walks toward the door.
“I’ll go and get Jasmine now. Once we get back we can start questioning him.”
Chapter 11
Thankfully she’d found my CD collection and arrived at the designated area the same time Victor did.
“Thanks, Jasmine,” I say, taking my CD wallet from her. Turning to Victor, I ask rather sheepishly, “Umm, can I borrow your CD player please?”
“Yes, I’ll get it for you now.” With curiosity lacing his voice, Victor asks, “Why do you need music?”
“Strangely enough, it helps me concentrate and extract information quicker.”
I don’t follow Victor when he goes to retrieve his CD player. Instead, I head back to the holding cell, flicking through my music.
“No, no, no, maybe, definitely not.” The last one I snort at. I’d forgotten I had it, but there was no way I was listening to pop music while interrogating someone. Now don’t get me wrong, I like pop music, but cheerful bouncy music with a happy vibe is definitely not appropriate for an interrogation. Granted, most people wouldn’t find any music suitable, or maybe it’s the interrogating most people would find inappropriate?
“Ah, yes, now we’re talking,” I crow in delight, drag out a mixed rock soundtrack from a vampire film I love, just to stop as Victor comes back and gives me a rather queer look.
Quickly taking the CD player from him, I insert my selected CD of choice. I go to open the door, but just in time remember it’s locked. Turning toward Victor, I look at him.
“Do you want me to interrogate him?”
“No, but I do need you to unlock the door,” I reply shaking my head in denial. “Victor, I’m going to assume you have cameras in there. I hope what you see doesn’t change what you think of me. I like you.”
Taking a deep breath at the look of growing puzzlement on Victor’s face, I continue, “I like you a lot, but what you might see me doing—” How can I explain the unexplainable? With a grimace of annoyance, I shake my head again. “Can you unlock the door please?”
****
Moving quickly Victor reaches the door and unlocks it. But blocks my way by stretching a muscled arm across it. He still wears his puzzled look, but his voice is calm.
“We’ll talk when you’re finished. This is not the first interrogation I have seen, and I’ve participated in many during my lifetime. There is nothing you will do that could possibly shock me. I’ve seen too much. Oh, and I like you, too,” Victor finishes his statement, stroking his fingers down the side of my face.
He opens the door and unlocks the cage. “Will you be all right in there on your own? I’ll have to lock both doors behind me for security measures, if you want me to stay, I will.”
“I’ll be fine, thank you, Victor. Lock me in.” I have to admit, I like his concern for me, but like it even more that he doesn’t insist he be the one to extract information, or even be in the room with me.
“We’ll be watching and listening. Be safe.”
****
Stepping into the cell, I sense Victor swing the door closed behind me and with a clang of finality he locks it. Next, he closes the outer door but doesn’t lock it. I place the CD player on the floor by the door.
“Now, I know you’re awake so you can stop pretending,” I inform the prisoner just before he springs off the bed and tries to jump me. Turning swiftly, I punch him in the solar plexus. “That was not nice,” I growl before grabbing him and dragging him to the chair.
I heft him up and plop him down on the chair as he struggles to catch his breath. I stroll back to the CD player and hit play. The opening chords start playing, and I notice a hitch in the wheezing coming from behind me.
“Now the first question I’m going to ask you is simple. What’s your name?”
“I’m not telling you, witch. You can’t make me,” he laughs.
“No? Okay, when you’re ready to tell me, let me know,” I reply with a friendly smile, just before I punch him in the face and break his nose.
“Ahhh, you broke my nose, you fucking bitch,” he garbles, as blood runs down his face.
“You will have lots more broken if you don’t tell me what I want to know,” I reply and kick him in the calf.
A scream of pure agony rips from his throat as his fibula bone gives a sickening crack. “Benny, my name’s Benny O’Brien, you crazy fucking cow.”
“Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it, Benny? Especially, since that was the easiest question. Why were you watching my grandmother’s house?”
“I was to wait for you to come back and take you in,” Benny mutters, before spitting at me.
“Take me where, Benny?” I ask with venom lacing my words.
Benny starts to shake and snivel. “I’m only doing what I’m told.” And then he tries to throw a punch at me.
I quickly deflect his punch, grab his wrist, and break his arm in one quick brutal maneuver. “Now Benny, just answer my questions and I’ll stop hurting you. Stop the screaming Benny, and answer my questions, then I’ll get you some help. Where were you going to take me?” I enquire, as I walk in a circle around him.
“I can’t believe you broke my arm,” sobs Benny, his voice laced with pain and shock. His chin trembles uncontrollably, and his pasty complexion looks even paler. He watches me circle him, not knowing when the next blow will come. I slam my fist into his cheekbone, breaking the bone.
With a scream of terror, Benny finally answers my question. “I was to take you to George Seabast the Fourth’s house,” he moans.
“What? Does he have my grandmother?” I demand, but to be honest I’m confused by this turn of events.
“Your grandmother? I don’t think so,” Benny sobs, sounding just as confused.
“Why were you hiding in the bushes staking out my grandmother’s house?” I growl.
“Ah…yeah, you, I was paid to take you, but I know nothing about your grandmother. I promise,” whines Benny. “Please, don’t hurt me anymore.”
“What does he want me for,” I snarl, looming over Benny with such savageness he starts to scream in terror.
With a disgusted look, I turn my back on him and walk toward the cell door. Benny lunges at me, and I turn just in time to see the manic look in his face turn to shock, as my fingers elongate into razor sharp claws. I slash my claws across his stomach.
“Oh Benny, you shouldn’t have done that,” I murmur, as I push him back into the chair and drive my claws through his thigh pinning him to the seat.
“Tell me what I need to know, and leave nothing out.” With my free hand, I call forth a flame, and cauterize his stomach wound.
“Now, let’s start again, and this time, I won’t be so easy on you.” I growl the final part, before swiping my hand out of his leg to push it through his side. I turn my claws into flames, and burn his wounds from the inside out, catheterizing the bleeding as his howls of pain echo through the cell.
“Stop, stop, please I’ll tell you,” Benny begs, as blood, snot and tears wash down his face mingling with his saliva.
“He wants to punish you for embarrassing him.”
“That’s not all Benny, or you would have told me straight away. You wouldn’t have been stalking my grandmother’s house, if that was all. You know more than you’re telling me,” I inform him so quietly he has to strain to hear me.
I know the instant my words register, for h
is pasty face blanches even more until it’s turned a grayish green color.
“You knew!”
“Of course I knew.” I transform my fingers back into claws, and lash them across his stomach.
“Now before I spill your guts across this floor, tell me where my grandmother is. Trust me, Benny; this is your last chance.”
“George-Seabast-the-Fourth-has-her-at-his-place-in-a-shed-around-the-back.” Benny pants as he rushes the sentence out in one long word. “Please, don’t hurt me anymore. I’ve told you the truth, honest,” he begs before bursting into even louder sobs.
“Don’t worry, Benny, I won’t hurt you any more unless I find out you have left anything out or lied to me. Then, I won’t go easy on you at all.” Before he can say anything else, I whisper a healing spell.
His wounds start to knit back together. I turn my back on him as he screams in pain, his bones mending and wounds closing. I walk toward the cell door again, this time I look up toward the ceiling, letting Jasmine know I was ready to leave. When I reach the door, Victor unlocks it, letting me out.
“Oh, and Benny, if anything has happened to even a hair on my grandmother’s head, what happened here will look like a party to what I will do to you.” I collect the CD player and leave, leaving Victor to lock up behind me, and Benny whimpering and screaming in pain and terror.
Chapter 12
Jasmine greets me with a cold bottle of water, and silently she points me to a bedroom I can use to shower and change into clean clothes. I hate the extra time I have to take to get clean, when anything could be happening to my grandmother, but supernaturals have a great sense of smell, and we can’t take the chance of being found because I reek of Benny’s blood. It could get us all killed.
Closing the bedroom door, I drop the CD player onto the nearest chair. It’s still playing on the loop I’d put it on.
I strip off my blood-splattered clothes, and as I walk past the bed, I spot my favorite hunting clothes. Jasmine must have put them there.
A plain black sports bra, black knickers, black socks, black vest top, black cargo pants, black leather jacket, and black knee high boots. There is nothing worse than having a spot of color give away my position.
In satisfaction, I walk into the bathroom and step into the shower. Turning the water onto hot I wash my hair and body in unscented soap and shampoo. Once finished I switch off the shower, wring my hair out, and towel dry myself before wrapping the towel around my body, and return to the bedroom to get dressed.
****
The first thing I notice is the silence. Someone had turned off the music. The second thing I notice is Victor, lounging on the bed. He looks dangerous, like a great big panther, who’s finished a snack and is looking for the main course.
“Victor can you leave please, I need to get dressed?” I grip my towel tighter around my body.
“We need to talk about what happened in the cell.” Victor’s voice ripples over my skin and soothes my nerves.
“We can do it later. I need to get dressed and rescue my grandmother,” I mutter, as I reach the bed and reach out to scoop up my clothes.
Fast as lightning, Victor’s hand wraps around my wrist. I hadn’t even seen him move.
“We’ll talk now. You can dress while you talk, can’t you?” He rubs the leaping pulse on the inside of my wrist.
“Okay, fine, we’ll talk now. Let me go and turn around,” I huff in frustration.
With a twist of his lips Victor releases me but doesn’t turn around, instead he just raises an eyebrow. With a snort of derision, I grab my clothes and head back toward the bathroom and walk straight into what feels like a brick wall. To make things worse, I would have landed on my butt except for Victor grasping me by the elbows to keep me upright.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I demand in annoyance, as a scowl furrows my brow.
“You have nothing I haven’t seen before, and as you put it, we are in a rush to rescue your grandmother. Now get dressed and tell me, what happened in the cell.”
Dragging myself out of his grasp, I storm back to the bed and sit down to put on my knickers. I drag them up my legs under the towel. Victor watches, his eyes dilating the further up my legs they go.
Ha, he might have seen plenty of naked women. but he isn’t going to see me naked unless I want him to. Lifting my hips off the bed, I slide my knickers in place. Next, I put on my socks and combat trousers; at this stage, it is more than obvious Victor is very aroused.
“Well, as you saw I’m more than just a witch,” I answer, as I pick up my sports bra next.
Victor’s eyes snap up to meet mine, and I raise a sardonic eyebrow at him. I put my arms through my straps and hook it behind my back. Next, I pull on my vestie top and adjust my sports bra properly. Hey, gotta make the girls comfy, and with Victor looking hot and bothered, all the better in my opinion. Finally, when completely covered I remove the towel and let it drop to the floor.
I grab my boots, slide the first one on, and lace it up to my knees, the other one following a second later. With a wicked look directed at Victor, I can’t help asking, “Did you enjoy the show?”
Next thing I know my back is pressed against the wall, and every hard muscled inch of Victor is pressed against me, his manhood throbbing against my pelvis.
“Later, I’ll enjoy the show in reverse,” Victor rumbles his promise, as desire drips from each word he speaks.
“Yeah, umm, shall we go and rescue my grandmother now?” I tentatively ask. Blimey, I shouldn’t have said anything, but I didn’t think my little teasing would cause such a reaction.
Slowly Victor peels himself off me. His hands release my hands, which he had restrained above my head, making my breasts thrust against his rock hard chest. He leans backward, his chest rising off mine, which pushes his hips further into me, making me gasp and my eyes dilate.
He steps backward, releasing me altogether. By this time, my breathing has hitched, and I have to physically shake myself, before I’m able to step away from the wall. It is the only thing supporting me. I stumble on shaky legs to the bed and grab up my jacket, making a quick exit out the bedroom door, without looking back.
****
Jasmine is waiting for me in the kitchen. When she spies my flushed face, she looks like she’s about to ask me something. Until she sees Victor coming out of the bedroom after me, then her jaw drops open in surprise... I give my head the barest of shakes, to say nothing had happened.
“Okay, Candi, I’ve got your stuff.” She tries to hide her smile and distract me by indicating my knives, phone, gun with silencer and extra ammunition (silver), and finally plasters. It’s never good to leave your blood behind. Too many spells require blood, and when your blood is different like mine is, it’s even more dangerous. I can heal myself, but it’s not always practical to think I will be able to.
I strap on my belt which fits snugly around my hips, put my bowie knives into their sheathes and my gun into its holster at the back of my belt. I have two extra knives in a pouch inside each of my boots and everything else except my phone gets distributed between my pockets. I put my phone in my jacket pocket with my keys and wallet.
Once again I catch Victor staring as I load my weapons. This time, I just shake my head at him, in a silent denial, of what I have no idea. To which I get a dirty smile back and he mouths “chicken” at me.
I give a snort, and remember something really obvious.
“Does anyone know where he lives?” as I realize I have no idea of where we’re going.
“Yes, I printed off a map of his lands, and the surrounding land as well. I also noted who lives where,” replies Jasmine with her usual efficiency as she puts the map out on the counter so we can all study it.
“Huh, he lives near the college campus,” I murmur. Something is niggling at the back of my head, I just can’t work out what the importance is.
After studying the layout a bit longer, I fold up the map and put it in my jacket pocket. F
inally, we leave to rescue my grandmother.
Chapter 13
The moon rises high into the sky, and in an otherwise pitch-black night, it is our only illumination. Silently we move out of the college campus and cross into the border area of George Seabast the Fourth’s land.
Jasmine had transformed back into her dog form at the warehouse, Victor and I move with silent stealth beside her. We move as one through the night and hunt my grandmother’s kidnapper, and the man who’d sent someone to kidnap me. As we near the house, we silently separate to surround it.
“Where are they?” a shrill voice hollers from inside the house.
I can’t tell if it’s a male or female speaking, so I flatten myself against the wall and peer into the window. To my surprise, it’s the old woman from my grandmother’s shop. What has she got to do with all this? There are other people in the room, but I don’t recognize any of them, which isn’t surprising, as I hardly know anyone in town. I do notice George is missing. I duck down and slide under the window, so no one can see me. I carry on around the house.
I don’t see anyone else until I bump into Jasmine, who has finished her search, and Victor who silently drops from the roof, scaring the shit out of me.
Quickly he clamps a large hand over my mouth to stop me screaming. I yank his hand off my face, and signal toward the room that I had noticed everyone in. In a blink, Victor is at the window and then back to us. Damn, he’s fast.
****
The three of us head away from the house and farther into the gardens. I tell Jasmine what I’d seen, finishing with the fact George is missing from the group.
“If we find him, we’ll probably find my grandmother,” I finish, my voice so quiet it barely travels to Jasmine and Victor.
“Salasen was in the room,” Victor adds. When he sees our blank expressions, he adds, “He’s a vampire high lord. I’ve never trusted him, and if I’m correct, this means he could be one of The Protectors.” Victor finishes on a grim note.
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