by Dale Mayer
He opened his mouth to speak, when suddenly all the gates to hell opened up behind him. Spinning around and automatically tucking Tessa behind him, Cody bared his teeth to face whatever new enemy awaited him.
And what an enemy it was.
The two men from the warehouse where they'd found Carstairs Wallace dead at the very beginning of this nightmare, plus several of his goon friends, had grouped together in a show of force. Cody couldn't tell if they numbered four or fourteen from the way they were jammed up together.
"Shit," he said under his breath. Or maybe he said it aloud. Both elders stepped up beside him. Tessa refused to stay back. She squeezed between her father and Cody and sneered at their leader.
"Well, if it isn't the fat ass. Finally made it to the fight, did you?"
"You!" He pinned her with his fierce gaze. "You ain't been nothing but a pack of trouble. I told them they should've put you down like the bitch you are, but no. They wanted to keep you as a lab rat."
Serus hissed.
Tessa laughed. "Well, as you can see, they did a piss poor job of it."
Cody watched as the fatigue slipped off her shoulders, and as she widened her footing into a battle stance, she once again looked like the warrior she was. It was as if she'd never gone through days of captivity and fighting.
Cody had never admired her more, but he'd be damned if he was going to let her show him up. His ego could only take so much. He stepped up beside her.
"Remember me?" He pointed at their leader. "You and I – we have unfinished business."
"And I owe you."
Stunning everyone, Tessa leapt forward in a fast, smooth stride, and just before landing in front of the group, lashed out and kicked fat ass in the jaw. Soundless, in a move right out of the comics, he dropped on the spot. Tessa laughed and stared at the rest of them, a glint of pure fury in her eyes. "That's for Carstairs."
"Who's next?" Cody, who'd just reached her side as the asshole dropped, slipped a hand against the small of her back. Even as the two elders stepped up beside them, he figured David wouldn't be too far behind. Then again, he should be keeping an eye on Jewel. Not that she'd appreciate being coddled anymore than Tessa would.
Cody offered her a silent show of support and what he'd hoped was a nudge of reason, and yet she'd aggravated what appeared to be at least a dozen of these half vamps without a qualm. She was either pissed or nuts. He had to admit to hoping for the former. Even as he stared at their angry faces, his own blood fired. He hoped they were looking for a fight. He might have already battled to the point of exhaustion once already, but he was more than capable of kicking more butt. Especially these ones. These were the assholes who had worked on this nightmare. They'd stolen the humans off the street and turned them into hanging corpses, and then gone back for more.
Tessa was right. They should be taken out like the animals they were.
"Only, they aren't quite animals. And we can't take them out entirely, as much as I'd like to."
Cody paused for a moment before he understood. Then, stunned, he turned to her. "What did you just say?"
"I just answered you." She frowned and shot him a look. "What's wrong with your hearing?"
"But I didn't voice my comment." He couldn't keep the shock out from his voice.
"Yes, you did." She furrowed her brow and reared back. "I heard you."
Serus nudged them both. "I don't know what you two are up to, but now isn't the time for whatever it is. Neither one of you said a word. Work out your differences later."
Tessa's gaze widened. Cody stared intently into her eyes. A growing awareness was building between them.
Shit.
Tessa had read his mind. Not only had she read it, but she'd also answered his thoughts – and even weirder, he had heard her deep inside. That rarely happened with his species, and usually only between partners with strong, ancient bonds.
Holy crap. He hoped she couldn't read everything inside his head. Heat flushed through his cheeks. Her eyes flicked over his face, and then shock hit her eyes. Her curious puzzlement shifted into awareness, and then understanding. "You're embarrassed...and blushing?"
"Wait." He froze in pure horror. "This isn't possible."
"It absolutely is." Laughter lit the depths of her eyes. "And I think it's great."
"There's nothing great about it," he responded stiffly. "I don't blush. I can't blush."
"Hey, you two, earth to Cody and Tessa, get back on target, will you?" David's confused voice interrupted the intensity of the moment.
Tessa spun around with a frown and glared at her brother. "What's the matter?"
"You – you're sitting there staring at Cody as if you've never seen him before. Like, get with it. Okay? We've got a problem or two on our hands. Focus!"
Wide eyed, Cody blinked at David. Turning back, he gazed into Tessa's eyes again. And found the same answer in her eyes. Confused, and with an almost unbearable sense of connectedness, he turned away. He didn't understand. He couldn't. It was too...too intimate.
Tessa faced the group shifting uneasily in front of them. She held her hands up, letting the others see her nails elongate into deadly claws. "As far as I'm concerned, let's kill them all."
"Really?" Cody stared at her, shocked.
She titled her head and studied them closely. "No. That would be too good for them. I suggest we hang them up alongside their victims."
Her smile made Cody cringe. As he studied the men in front of him, he realized they weren't immune to the implications of this either. They all appeared to be considering ending their lives strung up like their victims – and they didn't like the idea at all. Their eyes bulged as they glanced furtively at the hanging horror show, then back at each other again.
"You'll never live long enough to make it happen," one of the ones in the back said.
Cody met his eyes. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."
As if his words were a key that had just unlocked them, the group charged.
Jared fell into step with the others, grateful that he wouldn't have to walk anymore. He caught sight of the station wagon and smiled. He hadn't been aware they were still available any more. Large trucks and SUVs filled the streets now.
Everyone crowded into the vehicle. It was a tight squeeze, but Jared kept his mouth shut, knowing he was the extra body taking up the room. They drove up the road. Jared tried to look around the two girls sitting on the laps of the four guys in the back seat, but couldn't peer past everyone's heads. As long as they were going in the right direction, he didn't care. Damn, he was tired.
"See, Jared?"
Opening his eyes in surprise, Jared blinked and tried to understand the shift in his world. He must have gone to sleep.
"Hey, man. You awake?"
"Yeah, I am now," Jared croaked in a dry and raspy voice. "Sorry, I guess I dropped off."
"No worries. You've been through a lot. Need to take a break when you can get it." The girl in his lap shifted to smile down at him.
Jared smiled back. Hell, who wouldn't? She was one cute girl, and Jared couldn't remember the last time he'd had a soft, curvy butt only a hand’s breath away. This was definitely a novel experience. He hid a grin. He thought she said her name was Sarah. Shouldn't a guy at least know a girl's name after they'd spent time squished together like this? He was still pondering that thought, when the vehicle slowed down.
Silence filled the car as they stopped.
"What's going on?" he whispered to the girl on his lap.
"There's a line of vehicles up ahead and people are blocking the road, talking."
Jared tried to see, but everyone else had craned their necks to look out the windows. "I need to speak with them."
"Yeah, I think so. A couple of dudes are walking over now."
Everyone opened their doors, and all of the kids piled out of the car. Jared scooted over to get out the same side of the vehicle the girl did. He locked eyes
warily with two approaching men dressed in some kind of security guard uniforms. With enemies on both sides of the genetic marker, how could he know who to trust?
He couldn't stop the sense of relief when he recognized the guards as human. Maybe they'd be good guys, for a change. He was damned tired of fighting the other ones.
The men stopped and eyed the group with suspicion-filled gazes. "What are you kids doing here?"
En masse, the teens stiffened and thrust their jaws forward, while Jared only shook his head. Adults never learned.
"I'm Jared," he said. "I'm hoping you're here to rescue the poor victims at the blood farm."
"Jared?" The first man's eyebrows shot up. "As in Jared the kid who was kidnapped?"
"Yes." He nodded. "Hundreds more are down there, and the team that rescued me is in trouble."
"Can you show us the way?" Both men had turned serious.
Jared grimaced. "I hope so. It's up the mountain. I came down that way." He pointed off to the left toward the woods. "I came through a tunnel entrance. There's another entrance at the main house, but I don't know how to get in that way."
"Let's go, then." The two men nodded. "We'll contact the others."
A shout went up around the men.
*.*.*
The charging crowd barrelled forward, a war cry building with every step. Christ. There had to more than two dozen racing toward her.
Tessa took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders as the large vamp lumbered toward her. Eyes narrowed, nostrils flared, his teeth were bared in anticipation of getting his hands on her.
As if.
Moving slowly and deliberately toward him, she let her fury fire her courage and give her strength. Nails extended, she slashed at his outstretched hands. As his ugly head jerked back in surprise, she spun and kicked out with her right boot. She caught him high between the ribs. Hard enough her knees felt the blow. Tension coiling her muscles, she staggered back...waiting.
He faltered, his eyes bulging. Crouching, she watched him swallow hard, then take a step forward. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and his knees buckled. With a fierceness that would have shocked her at any other time, she jumped forward, her hand curled into a fist, and landed a second blow to his head.
He face planted onto the floor with a heavy thud...and lay still.
Maybe she had worn the right clothes to the party after all.
Triumph whistled through her. The call of an absent crowd chanted in her head. Fight, fight, fight! She spun around to search for her next target and was grabbed from behind.
She grinned savagely, her heart pounding with a fierce joy. Perfect. She'd let them come to her.
She leaned back on the over-muscled creep to send out a high, hard kick as another vamp ran at her, eager to join the fray. The second vampire tumbled into a goon holding Ian in a headlock. The goon stumbled, his grip on him loosening. Ian leapt onto him in a second.
"Fucking bitch." The arm around her throat tightened. "I'll fix you for that."
Tessa reached up and slashed across her attacker's face with one hand, while digging her nails into his forearm with her other hand. He screamed, but didn't loosen his hold around her neck. Tensing the cords of her neck to prevent him from cutting off her air, she grabbed the inside of his wrist and her nails tore through the skin...and the vein below. A roar ripped from his chest as blood spurted from his torn flesh.
With her adrenaline reaching new limits, she snapped around, then kicked and pounded him until he dropped to his knees, holding his wrist with his free hand as he tried to stem his life force from draining to the floor. She watched without guilt, without mercy. These monsters didn't deserve compassion.
The sudden beat of wings flapping in the air told her both Goran and Cody had taken to the air.
For a second time, she was grabbed from behind. Caught off guard, Tessa stumbled and somehow wrenched her arms loose. She twisted to see David apply a killer blow to her fool attacker. Her gaze widened at David's face.
God! Absolute fury twisted his features into something terrifying. If she'd ever doubted the ancient vampire genes running through her family, he'd just laid them to rest.
With a fierce grin, she crouched. Ancient blood fired her senses and she leapt up, taking flight, soaring over everyone's heads to the back of the fight. Landing, she pivoted and slashed the back of the neck of the vamp bringing up the rear. He never saw it coming and crumpled to his knees. She grabbed the left side of his neck, hitting the sweet spot her father had shown her and dropped him flat.
Satisfaction surged through her. They could do this. In spite of being battered, beaten, even drugged, these assholes were no match for her people. Her people were fighting to right a wrong. Her people were fighting for the freedom of these poor suspended people. Her people were fighting on the side of justice.
With a ferociousness that matched her brother's, Tessa waded into the fray. She slashed out, ripping at the skin of a goon fighting Jewel. Tessa's fingers dripped blood as the goon whipped around and into her claws. Merciless, she gouged his face. Jewel smashed the final blow against his temple. He crumpled to the ground. Tessa and Jewel shared a triumphant grin, and then Tessa turned to the next in line.
She lost track of time as she hit, kicked and clawed her opponents. In return, they grabbed her, punched her, and knocked her to the ground. She jumped back up every time, baring her fangs, her claws dripping with bloody proof of her attacks. She should be feeling the pain of her own injuries, but the adrenaline kept it at bay better than a pain pill. Her body was wired for action, wired to kill.
Time passed in a hazy blur of bodies. It was one man up, one man down, then onto the next one. Blood mingled with sweat. Fear mingled with aggression. Cries of pain mingled with cries of triumph. Sweaty, focused and driven, Tessa twisted and crouched, ready for the next one...
...until she realized no one was coming at her anymore.
Cody landed beside her. "Hey, I think we've got them all."
Tessa spun around, her claws out, a hiss escaping.
"Whoa." He backed up several steps, holding his hands up, his voice soothing and calm. "Easy, Tessa, we're good." His gaze locked on hers as he nodded toward what was left of the crowd. "Look."
Breathing hard, she spun back toward the fight and slowly straightened from her crouch. Bodies littered the floor. Her eyes frantically searched out those who mattered. David stood triumphant at the far edge of the heap, holding Jewel close. Ian stood tall as well, chest heaving but a huge grin on his face. A bloody grin, but none of it appeared to be his. In fact, he looked better than he had since he'd been rescued.
Tessa glanced up. Goran crouched on one of the heavy pipes crisscrossing the room. Battle worn and scarred, he surveyed the mess below. Even from where she stood, she could see the exhaustion on his face.
Her knees wobbled and her breath gusted out in a whoosh. She reached out a hand. Cody reached back. Her fingers clenched his in a death grip.
"Where's Dad?" she asked, fear coloring her voice, thinning it. She searched his eyes in panic.
His hand holding hers firm, Cody angled his head. "Right behind you."
Strong arms gently enfolded her from behind. She tensed, and then relaxed as she recognized her father's loving touch. She dropped Cody's hand then turned to burrow deeper. Thank God her father was safe. She hugged him close, squeezing him hard. They were all safe. Unbelievable. She shuddered.
Murmuring close to her ear, her father whispered, "It's okay, honey. Take it easy. It's over."
"Thank God." Tessa closed her eyes and swayed as the last of the blood lust drained from her soul. "But is it really?"
"No." He set her back and looked into her eyes. "It won't be over until we ferret out the poison at all levels on both sides. Then, and only then, will this be completely over. But is the current issue at an end? Yes." He nodded at the other men. "We need a place to lock up these guys until we ca
n cart them away."
Tessa widened her eyes. Her stomach sank as she realized just how far off she might have gone. She winced, not wanting to acknowledge how deep into fighting mode she'd been.
Her voice low, she asked, shamefaced, "Are any of them still alive?"
"Most likely." He tightened his arm around her shoulders. "They're vamps. We shouldn't have been able to kill them too easily. Chances are they're just unconscious."
David and Cody snorted. "I don't think so. I know I broke a couple of necks." David stood defiant of any criticism. "This wasn't a play fight. If they could have killed us, they would have."
"True enough." Goran landed beside Cody. "They got what they deserved. However, we still have to move them. Tie up and lock up anyone still alive and put them into the room where they held us. We'll dump the dead ones in an empty room. We're likely to soon be overrun since Tessa pressed the panic button. So let's get this cleaned up before anyone else arrives."
Tessa groaned and leaned against the closest wall. She didn't want to pull the weak female role, but the thought of putting out one more ounce of physical effort made her stomach heave. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten, let alone rested.
"You stay here. We can carry these guys without any trouble." Serus picked up one, while Goran laughed at him and reached for two of the limp bodies. "Hey – stop showing off!"
Serus reached down and snagged a second man. Cody and David looked at each other, then reached and grabbed one body each.
Ian groaned and stepped up beside them. "I don't see why Tessa and Jewel can't pick up the last two. One trip and we'd be done."
"If you weren't such weaklings you could each take two, and we'd be done in one trip anyway," Serus called back, laughing.
"Hell," Ian snagged one of the last two men and half dragged him after the others. His movements were slow. Tessa felt sorry for him. He was still fighting off the effects of the drugs, too.