Blood Trouble

by Connie Suttle

  * * *

  Breanne's Journal

  "Target their weapons." I'd landed near my sister, who stood with Erland, Aryn, Rigo, Roff and someone else I hadn't met. I held my shields up and deliberately didn't read him.

  Lissa stared at me in shock. I didn't wait for her to answer; I went ahead and did what I'd suggested, going to mist and turning the weapons former prisoners carried into flying sparks. Their weapons weren't shielded—they couldn't be or they'd be unable to shoot the population of Gedes, which they were doing with abandon. Once their weapon was destroyed, each prisoner stopped in his tracks, blinking in confusion at his hands. That spelled obsession to me—they'd been instructed to kill and they wouldn't stop killing unless they didn't have a weapon.

  I was joined by Lissa, and then Erland figured out how to destroy weapons with a spell. Another, a half elf—I learned that and other things from reading him—was folding space and destroying weapons much like Erland. Each disarmed prisoner stopped in his tracks, unsure how to proceed from there. It made me want to laugh—the one who'd instructed them hadn't considered that we'd destroy the weapons; they thought we'd break ourselves attempting to crack the shields and destroy the former prisoners.

  The biggest flaw in the designed attack, of course, was in shielding the prisoner and then having to leave the barrel of the weapon unshielded so it could fire. Poor planning, actually, but it was also genius—the shield was devised to allow the barrel of the weapon to move without closing over it. Genius and stupidity, at one and the same time.

  * * *

  Lissa's Journal

  Gedes' police force had set up barricades, but it was difficult to guard against an enemy that had been evenly distributed throughout the city. Most of those still armed worked in twos and threes, one armed with a Ranos launcher, the other two with rifles. Homes and buildings were destroyed with launchers first, and if anyone was left alive inside, they were killed with the rifles. It was a well-planned attack, and that frightened me.

  A sandstorm had precipitated the release of these prisoners, and in the interim, they'd been armed and instructed by someone before they'd been set down in Gedes and ordered to kill whatever lay in their path. This required a great deal of power, there was no doubt about that, and it terrified me. The sandstorms we had no defense against, and I worried that there would be more—many, many more. Aiming my hand, I employed the Larentii trick of separating particles and destroyed a Ranos launcher first, the rifles after.

  * * *

  Breanne's Journal

  I felt my sister on the other side of the city, doing exactly what I was doing—raising her hand and destroying weapons by turning them into rapidly dying sparks. An eighteen-foot High Demon was roaring and destroying the enemy in another part of the city and Erland, the elf and a few others who'd come were creating spells to eliminate weapons. I was more than surprised that we had so few effective members on our side. Where was everybody? Where? This was home to the Founding Member of the Reth Alliance, after all, and people were dying. How thankful was I that the attackers didn't have tanks or planes?

  Gardevik Rath, the High Demon, roared in the distance—he'd taken a hit from a Ranos rifle in the shoulder. I blinked as he was joined by another High Demon, who picked up where Garde left off. This one, though, was taller than Garde—by at least four feet. As enormous as he was, his anger was fiercer as he killed the enemy with furious sweeps of long, black-scaled arms. I wasn't about to argue—I still had enemy to disarm.

  Eventually, Garde moved behind Lissa, destroying what she'd disarmed while the other High Demon worked behind me. I hoped Garde wasn't injured too badly—he was still killing effectively and I was afraid of what that might cost him. The one behind me was uninjured and terrifyingly efficient.

  * * *

  Lissa's Journal

  "What now?" It had taken six hours to destroy weapons, allowing Garde and another High Demon to destroy as many enemy as they could behind me and Breanne. Norian had instructed the local forces to round up the remaining prisoners, who suddenly had no idea what to do.

  I couldn't find Breanne, either, and that upset me. She'd just shown up from nowhere, pointed out the obvious and then went to work. I couldn't even see her mist when she turned, and I could see any vampire's mist. Part and parcel of what she was, no doubt. Garde's High Demon helper had also disappeared quickly, and I didn't know what to make of that, either.

  "Breah-mul, what are we going to do with these?" Norian stood beside me, with Lendill shadowing him. Norian was fresh—he hadn't expended energy to disarm attackers. Lendill, on the other hand, looked as if he'd gone through a wringer—several times. He and Erland were both spent—I doubted either could light a candle using power at the moment.

  These turned out to be around two hundred prisoners—all that was left after Garde and his unknown helper got through with the others.

  "We can't take them to Evensun," Rigo pointed out judiciously. "As long as those shields surround them, they can't do anything else."

  "They're protected from themselves, too," Roff muttered, staring about us. "I don't think they were meant to live long after this. They can't get food or water through those shields, and I have no idea what's holding them up, anyway."

  "They'll starve to death or die from dehydration. Not a pretty way to go," Lendill muttered.

  "I can't get past their shields, so there's nothing we can do," I sighed.

  "I'll take care of this." Garde arrived in his smaller Thifilathi, weary and bleeding sluggishly from a shoulder wound.

  "Garde, honey, you've done enough. Let me call Karzac."

  "Call the physician, avilepha, I will welcome the help."

  Karzac arrived, and thankfully, he had Jayd with him. I don't know whether Garde called Jayd or if Karzac made Jayd feel guilty, but it didn't matter—Garde became humanoid so Karzac could treat his wound while Jayd destroyed two hundred obsessed prisoners.

  "Lissa?" Ildevar appeared at my side as I watched Karzac treat Garde.

  "Ildevar." I hunched my shoulders. "Who do you think did this? Never mind, that's a stupid question."

  * * *

  Breanne's Journal

  I didn't stay. There was no need, and I had no desire to get caught in Gavin's trap again. At least he hadn't come with Lissa to deal with the former prisoners bent on destroying Ildevar Wyyld's capital city. I had no idea why the founder of the Reth Alliance kept showing up on my radar, but he did. It didn't matter—I wanted to weep for those who'd died at the hands of obsessed monsters. I couldn't Change What Was for so many scattered individuals without exhausting myself and waving a flag for Kalenegar to see. I got the idea that somebody else might be watching, too, and I sure didn't want to attract unwanted attention.

  My cellphone rang as I was getting ice water from the fridge in my kitchen. It was Hank.

  "Hank?" I answered the call when I knew I shouldn't. Weary couldn't begin to describe how I felt, and there wasn't any way I could explain why to Hank Bell.

  "Baby, where have you been? I've tried calling you six times."

  "Six times since you got what you wanted and took off?"

  "Fuck," he sighed. "I was afraid you'd take it that way."

  "Look, I ought to be used to it by now. Bye, Hank." I ended the call and tossed the cellphone on the kitchen counter. It rang again immediately. Hank again.

  "What?" I said this time.

  "I'm coming to pick you up. Take you to dinner."

  "No, that's not part of the agreement, remember? No dinner. No flowers. No kissing, hugging, et cetera and so forth," I pointed out. "Take Jayson. I don't think he wants your kisses or hugs. Besides, I've had a tough day." I had—the ride from D.C., Hank, then the conversation with Jayson and a trip to Wyyld to save as much of Gedes as I could, with help from my sister and a few others had worn me out. The trouble was, I was exhausted and wound up at the same time.

  "I keep forgetting you flew in from D.C. this morning. I'm on West Coast time."r />
  "Yeah."

  "Bree?" His voice had gone soft.

  "What?"

  "Don't count me out, baby. I swear I'll always be there for you. I promise."

  "Sure. Good night, Hank."

  * * *

  "Opal, we may have another problem," Bill passed a folder to his shapeshifter agent. "Two young women, missing from an Austin campus."

  "This makes no sense, Director," Opal flipped the folder open and studied two photographs. "Why do you think this age-group is being targeted?"

  "No idea. Breanne might help with that, though."

  "I'm assuming you'll call her?"

  "Yes, but I'll wait until next week. I don't want to wear her out because she's convenient. Besides, this could be a random attack. We don't know for sure it's connected."

  "True. And she's certainly that—Breanne is," Opal agreed while reading through information on missing college students. "Convenient, that is. I like her a lot."

  "So do I."

  * * *

  Lissa's Journal

  "Erland says Breanne showed up." Drew sipped dark Falchani tea next to his brother at the breakfast table. Gavin's head jerked up instantly. I hadn't told him anything—I'd gone straight to bed after getting home the night before. I'd stayed to help Ildevar prepare a statement for the journalists who were converging on Gedes—after the danger was eliminated.

  "Breanne did show up," I nodded, refusing to glance Gavin's way again. "If she hadn't been there, we probably would have lost the entire city. Gedes is relatively small because Ildevar likes it that way. There's only half a million living there. Most work in nearby Fendes. Ildevar won't allow manufacturing near the palace, and all of Gedes is included in that."

  "Did you talk to her?" Drake's dark eyes studied me over his tea.

  "I didn't get the chance. She showed up, told us what we needed to do and then went to work. She disappeared afterward, too. I wish I knew where to find her."

  "I feel bad that we got to talk to her and you didn't," Drew sighed.

  "That happened a lot, it seems," I said and lifted my cup of coffee.

  "Lissa, please stop. You cannot make me feel worse than I do already." Gavin rose and stalked away.

  "Was it something we said?" Drew asked innocently.

  * * *

  "Dee, what good would it do?" Gavril sighed. "She's gone. If Mom can't find her, who can? If I take the compulsion off the Starr brothers and the other two, they'll just be pissed at me and still have no Breanne."

  "Child, you made a grave mistake. Perhaps it is time to admit that."

  "All right—I fucked up. I really, really fucked up. If Mom ever finds out, the fur may fly, too."

  "I fail to understand that idiom, nevertheless, I believe I grasp the concept," Dee muttered dryly. "I still believe it would be better to admit your mistake now, rather than waiting to be caught out, as you often say."

  "Dee, it was a mistake. I admit that. I'll lose my warlocks over it, too, no matter when I own up to it. I'd prefer to wait, if you don't mind."

  "I do mind, but I see you won't budge on this," Dee replied, a touch of acid in his voice. "Here are the reports you requested." He set a comp-vid on Gavril's desk. "I'll be available tomorrow if you wish to discuss the figures included."

  "Why tomorrow?"

  "Because I am taking the rest of the day off." Dee walked out of Gavril's study without a backward glance.

  * * *

  Breanne's Journal

  "Jayson, I said to shut off that stupid app." He and Hank found me at a vegetarian café at lunchtime the following day. "Give Trina her phone back while you're at it," I grumped when both of them slid into my booth. Hank took the space next to me while Jayson occupied the opposite side.

  Francie's Veggie Café was still busy, although the lunch hour was winding down for downtown San Francisco workers. I loved their hummus sandwich, because they'd make it the way I wanted it—with black olives, tomatoes, lettuce and cheese. "Do you know how aggravating it is not to have any privacy?" I added.

  "He only checked because I asked him to," Hank slipped an arm around my shoulders.

  "Refer to my previous statement," I muttered. "Never mind, I'll disable it on my end," I pulled out my cellphone and started scrolling through apps.

  "No, baby," Hank lifted the cellphone from my hand and turned it off before handing it back. "Keep it. It scares the life out of me if I don't know where you are."

  "Hmmph," I grumbled before taking a bite of my hummus sandwich. A part of me still wanted to delete the app. Another part wanted to do exactly what Hank wanted.

  "Are you hungry?" I asked after chewing and swallowing. "I can get your lunch here, or do you require dead, cooked animals before satisfaction can be achieved? I think I can have the pizza place next door slap something together and deliver it here. The same person owns both places, so I don't think they'll have a fit."

  "Baby, do you know how good you are?" Hank hugged me tighter for a moment before releasing me with a sigh. "I wouldn't say no to a pepperoni and sausage pizza."

  "I'd take some of that," Jayson agreed. Pulling out my cellphone again, I placed the order. The employee laughed when I asked to have it delivered next door and said it would be ready in twenty minutes. I gave my credit-card number and hung up.

  "There," I lifted my sandwich again. "Get moneybags Rome to buy drinks at the counter, since he's violating my privacy."

  "I'll get drinks." Jayson rose and walked toward the counter.

  "He knows what you want?" I turned to Hank. God, what a handsome man. His hair was as black as Merrill's, and Hank was probably the most beautiful thing—male or female—I'd ever seen. Did I want to touch him? Yeah. I did. I turned back to my sandwich and swallowed that desire with a bite of bread-covered hummus.

  "Come back to my apartment with me after lunch," Hank breathed against my ear. Could he read me that easily? I sighed.

  Hank and Jayson ate the whole pizza. Granted the large size was a chain restaurant's medium, but they ate it. Hank had a refill on iced tea, too. I teased him about not having an old fashioned, but he came right back with the fact that they didn't serve alcohol at my favorite veggie café.

  "Next time you decide to stalk, let me know ahead of time so I can plan accordingly," I wrinkled my nose at him.

  "Baby, I'll stalk you every minute of every day," Hank mumbled against my hair after pulling me into a hug. "Give me your phone," he added after pulling away.

  "What?" I frowned at him.

  "Come on. Jayson already has you on that fucked up app. I want it, too."

  "This isn't where I intended that to go," I turned my head away and stared at the wall. The surface was plaster and painted a pale gray, with white on the chair rail and crown moldings.

  "Come on," Hank coaxed gently. "I promise not to overdo it."

  "What? You just said you'd stalk every day all day," I huffed.

  "Yeah, but I'll keep it to myself," he grinned. Any grin from Hank Bell would make a men's magazine cover.

  "Here." I pushed my purse toward Hank. "Help yourself. While you're having your way with my phone, look up behavior modification classes," I said.

  "Why?" Dark eyes glinted curiously.

  "Because I need to learn how to say no," I replied. Hank laughed.

  * * *

  "I had this designed for the club. We're gonna break it in," Hank grinned after hauling me to his apartment.

  "Huh?" I stared at the contraption he seemed so proud to show me. It was a table—sort of.

  "Come on, you kneel here," he patted the lower, padded portion that I thought was a narrow seat, "Lean over this part," he patted the upper padded portion, "And we get it on."

  "Uh-huh." I blinked at him, a frown plastered on my face.

  "Baby, I'm not gonna tie you to it, although that's what it's designed for," he grinned.

  "You'd better not tie me to anything," I said.

  "I know what merinthophobia means. I taught Jayson t
he word, baby," Hank sighed.

  "You know, I think I'll go home, now." I lifted my purse off Hank's kitchen island and headed toward the door.

  "No, baby. Stay with me. I didn't mean to scare you."

  "Then what did you mean to do?"

  "Give you a climax and let you sleep," he sighed. "You look tired."

  "I'd settle for sleep. I haven't gotten much of that lately," I said.

  "Come on, then. I'll wear you out and then let you sleep it off."

  "Is that your answer for insomnia?" I lifted an eyebrow at Hank.

  "It's my answer where you're concerned. Bree, I've walked around with a constant erection since I met you." He grinned wickedly.

  "And there I thought at first you had absolutely no reaction where I was concerned."

  "You just weren't looking at the proper end of things."

  "Is that all it was?"

  "Baby, stop wrinkling your nose or I'll have you on the floor."

  "Which is less impersonal?" I asked, nodding toward the sex bench.

  "Come here." Hank motioned me forward. "I'll show you less impersonal."

  The knee bench slid inward and locked in place. Who knew? Hank set me on top of the bench and then proceeded to lift the knit shirt over my head. He then kissed the tops of my breasts before removing my bra. He'd never paid much attention to my breasts before, past the initial intake of breath on seeing them the first time.

  "Perfect. Perfect, perfect, perfect," he whispered against them before taking my left nipple between his teeth and biting gently. I had no idea that would cause my nether regions to clench—hard. I reached for his belt buckle.

  "No. No, no, no. Not yet, I'm not done here," he moved my hand, placing it flat on the bench beside me. "Keep your hands on the bench, baby, or I'll hold them there," he murmured. I wanted to moan at his words—I'd never gotten to touch his shoulders or run my hands over his ribs—which is what I really wanted to do. Damn Hank Bell and his fucked up fuck buddy rules. Maybe someday I'd bite his ass and give him the vampire version of a climax. The thought made me smile shortly before Hank bit my other nipple, making me squeal and then moan.

  "Come back to me, baby, and what I'm doing to you. I'd blindfold you, but that would scare you, I know. Close your eyes and keep them closed unless I do scare you. Okay? I'm not about to hurt you. I promise."