Splintered Nights

by Veronica Del Rosa

  He had no clue the hell I’d survived because of these monsters. Kids slaughtered because they’d had the misfortune to share a group home with me. An endless parade of homeless shelters and abandoned buildings and sleepless nights with a knife in my hand just to keep innocents safe. Pushing away everyone who showed me even the slightest consideration because being near me was too risky. Jacy had ignored my prickly exterior and now she, too, was paying for my involvement in her life.

  The vampire either spilled her guts or I’d spill them for her.

  She leaned closer to me, uncaring of the knife at her throat. “He saved your life. And now your life belongs to him. Embrace his will. Give yourself over to our sire.”

  Bile rose in my throat as I stared at the creature. She believed what she said, no hint of doubt. The mad vampire thought I was like her. Her conviction shook me. I wasn’t a vampire, was I? No, I couldn’t be. I walked in the sun. I didn’t crave blood. I enjoyed food.

  “I’m not like you. I have no master pulling my strings.” The scowl remained on my face, hiding my newfound fears. “What did Maxwell tell you?”

  “I love stories. Let me tell you one.” Her grin widened, giving me an unobstructed view of her fangs. “Long ago, a man angered a werewolf. He was a stupid man, but he thought he was clever. The werewolf hunted him down and punished his daughter. Clawed her back, bled her out, left her for dead. The stupid man found his child and begged his vampire master to save the dying girl.”

  I froze, horror flooding me. My father had been a blood slave? He’d freely given blood to Maxwell? No, he would’ve told me.

  “Then what happened?” I asked when she paused for too long. My tone stayed cool and detached. I wasn’t fooling her, judging by the gleam in her eyes. A part of me screamed to walk away, to ignore her words. But I’d spent my whole adult life wondering why vampires wouldn’t leave me alone and why my father had been obsessed with teaching me to defend myself.

  “His master, a kind and caring vampire, fed his blood to the child. Not enough to turn her. Just enough to save her and bind her soul to his. And then the stupid man ran. Stole his master’s property. His master searched for a decade before he found the thieving man. Your father was a disgrace and died horribly as a warning for others.”

  I shook my head, denying her words. My father had been killed in a mugging. In the middle of the night, the police had knocked at the door and broken the heart-shattering news to me. At the time, unease had coloured their words and neither one had met my gaze. I’d assumed it bothered them to tell a kid her only parent was dead. Or had there been something else that had shaken the two veteran police officers? Like, say, the state of his body?

  “No, you lie,” I hissed, shaking off the decade-old memory.

  “Believe me or don’t. Doesn’t change the truth.” She licked her lips, her gaze fastened on my neck. “I’m hungry. Be a good blood slave and feed me.”

  My fingers tightened on the knife’s hilt. One hard slash would sever her vocal cords and shut her up.

  Halvar moved, his bulk belying his grace, and plucked the weapon from my hand. I didn’t fight back, too surprised at his speed. Was he also enhanced by vampire blood or did he just have years of practice?

  I stepped back from the vile creature, my mind whirling like a carnival ride. So many little things made sense now. As far back as I could remember, I had been able to sense vampires and thresholds. My unnatural speed and talent at killing the monsters, even though my food consumption bordered on the anorexic, was something I ignored for the sake of my own sanity.

  “Where’s the missing werewolf?” Halvar asked, taking over as interrogator.

  A mixture of shame and guilt added to the growing horror within me. I’d forgotten about Jacy, too absorbed in the unfolding tale from the vampire. Once I rescued her, I’d walk away. She deserved a better friend than me.

  Poison ran through my veins.

  The vampire shrugged, her expression settling into boredom. “Don’t know. Don’t care. Maxwell doesn’t want werewolves. He wants Pearle. Look within the pack and you’ll find your betrayer.”

  “Hmm, I doubt Maxwell told you the name. You’re a lackey, someone he sent out to die.” Halvar circled around her, his tone one of mild curiosity. He tapped the blade of my knife against his cargo-clad thigh. It looked like a butter knife in his hand.

  Her cackle chilled my blood and a sly madness entered her eyes. “Your words don’t matter to me. The wolves will tear themselves apart searching for the traitor. My silence will speed their destruction and the head alpha will fall.”

  Cole? He was the target? I was missing something, but what? What difference did one werewolf make, and why Jacy?

  I hated mysteries. Couldn’t stand them and always jumped to the last few pages to figure out who’d done it. And now I had to stumble my way through a real-life mystery. The universe was a cruel and uncaring mistress. However, I had stubbornness on my side. If I hadn’t, I would’ve curled up and died ages ago.

  I held out my hand to Halvar. “Give me my knife.”

  He hesitated, sizing me up. Still wondering if I had it in me to torture a monster? I had to admit, I was wondering the same thing. My lust for gore had cooled, replaced by rationality. Harming her wouldn’t get me answers. She was a creature born of pain and death.

  But there were other ways of enticing her.

  Halvar slapped the knife into my hand, hilt first, and took up his spot against the wall again. Quiet speculation entered his gaze. He was debating how to use me, wasn’t he? It would have been my first thought. I shot him a grin. Well, more of a grimace, since I wasn’t sure I’d stick around. Learn what I could from Halvar, rescue Jacy, and then bounce.

  Flicking my gaze back to the vampire, my grimace slid away. I held up both hands and pricked my left index finger with the knife. Blood welled up immediately.

  The vampire’s eyes widened and her tongue slipped across her teeth, hunger contorting her features. She wanted—craved—a taste of me. The other monsters became maddened by just the scent of me, never mind the nourishment running through my veins.

  “Who helped Maxwell? Give me a name.” I slowly waved my finger under her nose, paying close attention to her mouth in case she decided to latch on.

  “Names weren’t given. Our sire doesn’t care who helped him. No rewards are given to the whimpering dogs.” Her sneer was marred by her fascination with the drop of blood glistening on my skin. She darted out her tongue and I pulled my hand back before she made contact.

  “Uh-uh, no taste for you. I’m not happy with your answer. Did you see this werewolf? Was it a male or female? Describe them. Give me something to work with or you’ll die without ever knowing how I taste.”

  She snarled and strained against the cuffs, any semblance of humanity gone. Her jaw elongated, the gaping hole filled with needle-sharp teeth. Claws burst from her fingertips, and she gouged at her wrists, tearing the flesh. Brackish red liquid fought against the black ash, wisps of smoke curling upwards.

  I glanced at Halvar, who shrugged at me, looking as stunned as I felt.

  Vampire blood and the ash of their dead burned each other? Made sense that the monsters were incapacitated when injected. But why didn’t it kill them?

  “Oh fuck!” I yelled as she slipped one wrist free. The ash no longer held her immobile. “Knock her out, damn it.”

  He ghosted next to her, a needle in his hand, and she slashed out, ripping her filthy claws across his chest. Halvar slammed against the wall from the force, his eyes wide as he vainly tried to stem the gushing.

  Fighting against my urge to help him, I instead pounded against the door. We were trapped in here with a pissed-off, partially restrained vampire and I couldn’t open the fucking door because of the hand scanner. Was the other woman watching us? Did she know Halvar was dying?

  Gas hissed from vents in the ceilings, ones I’d missed with my cursory scan earlier. I held my breath, furious the hunters would kill m
e and Halvar instead of saving us. Was his life worth so little to them? I was nothing to them, but wasn’t he their leader?

  Black dots appeared in front of my eyes and my lungs burned from lack of oxygen. Legs wobbly, I sank down in the corner, as far away from the monster as possible. If she freed both her arms, though, I’d die and so would Halvar. Her cuffed legs wouldn’t keep us safe.

  I slumped to the side, unable to hold my breath any longer. Sickly sweet gas invaded my lungs and I coughed, unused to the sensation. My stomach roiled and my head pounded.

  The vampire’s snarls lessened as she, too, succumbed to the gas. Halvar coughed once, his chin resting against his chest.

  Death by vampire hunters, not vampires. How embarrassing.

  Chapter Twenty

  Tiny, nasty jackhammers rearranged my grey matter and a tsunami of stomach acid crashed against my throat. I moaned, both upset and relieved I wasn’t dead. No way would death feel this horrible, unless I’d found my way into hell.

  Given my nightly activities, hell was a distinct possibility. Was killing vampires a good or evil pastime?

  Another splash of acid silenced my moral debating and I pushed myself upright. The threadbare mattress under me had no sheet and no frame. It sat naked on the floor. I, however, remained clothed.

  Don’t taunt the hungry vampire with my blood. Got it. Words I never thought I’d string together. I’d been in control in the interrogation room . . . until I wasn’t. How’d I lost it so quickly?

  Blinking, I rubbed my fingers over my face, trying to clear away my confusion. Where was I? Why wasn’t I dead? Shit, was Halvar dead?

  “Hello?” I croaked out. “Is anyone there?”

  The woman from earlier rushed through the doorway, her expression worried. “Oh, thank god, you’re awake. We thought we’d used too much knockout juice. Halvar’s already up. And cranky as hell, too.”

  Relief unfurled in my gut, warring with the acid. He was alive.

  “What’s your name?” I needed something to call her, especially once I started yelling at her.

  “What? Oh, it’s Nekane.” She tugged at her sleeves while she hovered at the foot of the bed. With a furtive glance at the door, she leaned over and whispered, “I heard what the vampire said, about you. Halvar disagrees, but we can use you against Maxwell.”

  “Let’s start with the important things first, like why did you fucking gas me?” I jumped up and immediately regretted it when the pounding caused an explosion in my head. Teeth gritted, I ignored the sensation. Get answers first, pass out second.

  “Standard protocol. The gas works on vampires, too. Once everyone is unconscious, we can re-secure the prisoner and help the wounded.” Another peek at the door. “And he’s easier to stitch up when he’s out. Too much roaring and complaining when he’s awake.”

  “Heard that.” Halvar sauntered into the room, his bulk shrinking the space. “Stitches don’t bother me. The perfection does. I don’t care if the knots are tied just so. Get it done without wasting my time.”

  Nekane rolled her eyes, though she made sure Halvar couldn’t see the move. “Cranky.”

  If his head felt like mine, I understood and approved of his crankiness.

  “When does the headache go away? Got any aspirin?” I placed my shaky fingers against my temple. “And some water? I’m so thirsty.”

  I didn’t miss the concerned look that passed between Halvar and Nekane.

  He stalked closer, grasped my chin between thumb and forefinger, and tilted my head upwards. A zap of electricity made goose bumps erupt on my skin. Halvar stared into my eyes and I had the uncomfortable urge to hide. What did he see?

  “The gas has no adverse effect on humans. We wake up fine, if a little grouchy. Vampires, on the other hand, suffer horribly. Headaches, nausea, weak as a baby. Our guest was telling the truth. You’re bonded to Maxwell. Your humanity will fade.”

  I yanked out of his grasp and knocked his arm away. He didn’t bother moving. If he thought to intimidate me, he was wrong. “Screw you. I’ve killed more vampires than any of you. I won’t be his lackey. Now get out of my way. I need more information from your prisoner.”

  “You can’t,” Nekane said. “She’s still unconscious. Will be for another three hours.”

  I craned my head around Halvar, giving Nekane the stink eye. “Fine. Then I’ll come back later to have another chat with her.”

  Time to speak to some werewolves then, and see which one of them had betrayed Cole and Jacy.

  With a less-than-friendly smile, I brushed past Halvar and marched out of the house. No one tried to stop me, lucky for them. I wasn’t in a pleasant, chatty mood. One wrong word and I’d snap.

  Back at Cole’s house, I sauntered through the crowded foyer, searching for the head alpha. He already suspected someone had sold him out to the vampires, and now I’d confirmed it. But I didn’t want to expose my knowledge to the traitor. They kept secrets, and so would I.

  I nodded to the werewolves I knew, and they nodded back, their humanity stretched thin. Conversations swirled around me, and the content tightened my gut with anger. Not a single one worried for Jacy. No, they were furious someone had dared to attack the alpha’s home, had invaded their territory and killed one of their own. The pack demanded blood for retribution, but none of them said a word about finding Jacy.

  “Hey, Pearle, Cole was worried about you.” Omar appeared next to me, his footsteps as silent as the dead. I felt like a blundering elephant next to him. “Where were you?”

  I lifted a shoulder. “Out. I needed a walk.”

  The truth, since it took all of thirty minutes to walk to Halvar’s place. What I had done between my two walks was none of his business.

  “I’m so sorry about Jacy. She was a good werewolf.” He patted my arm in comfort and I yanked away, my brows furrowed.

  “Is. She is a good werewolf.” I’d thought his defence of Jacy against Lex had meant he respected her, yet his dismissal of her life made me realize otherwise. “We haven’t seen her body, and until then, I refuse to believe she’s dead.”

  I stalked away from him, too furious to listen to another word, lest I punch his throat.

  Asshole.

  Without knocking, I barged into Cole’s office. Nyle and Baris lounged on the couch, their expressions too calm for my liking. At least Cole had the decency to appear worried. He toyed with a pen, twirling it between his fingers.

  “Pearle, nice of you to join us.” His half-hearted grin squeezed my heart. No amount of rudeness on my part had dimmed his cocky attitude. Jacy’s abduction and Lena’s death had ripped the light from him, though, and it hurt to see him in pain.

  The truth hit me. I liked Cole. I liked him as a person. I enjoyed spending time with him and baiting him. I looked forward to our conversations. When the hell had that happened? I blamed Jacy for that, and when I saw her next, I’d tell her off for it.

  “Sorry, needed some time to think.” I gave a polite smile to the other alphas. “If you could excuse us, I need to speak to Cole. Mate matters. I’m sure you understand.”

  Nyle and Baris stood, their motions inhuman in their smoothness. Without a word, they left, though Baris shot a hard look at Cole. Didn’t like someone ordering him around, or was I missing a piece of the conversation? Why were the two alphas talking to Cole without the rest of the pack alphas present?

  “Where were you? Your note didn’t say much.” He plucked a piece of paper from the untidy pile on his desk. “In fact, all it said was, ‘Back in a bit, don’t worry.’ What the fuck? One of my werewolves is dead and another one missing, so you run off without telling me your location?”

  I dropped into the chair facing him, my legs still a tad shaky from the adrenaline, the knockout gas, and the run back. “I went to Halvar’s. Is this room soundproof?”

  “What kind of question is that? Think I’m gonna yell at you? Because I might.” Cole slammed his fists against the desk and stood. “You don’t just disa
ppear on me. It looks bad and I was worried. Someone killed Lena and took Jacy from my home. My home! And you thought it was a good idea to just fucking leave?”

  “You’re yelling,” I said, striving for calm when I wanted to yell back. Jacy’s safety had motivated my actions, so I didn’t appreciate him taking me to task. Plus I wasn’t a part of his pack. He had no authority over me. “I’m a grown woman and I don’t need your permission.”

  And that set him off.

  Honestly, I tuned him out. It was either that or walk out and I couldn’t do that until I’d told him what I’d learned. While he berated me for being a selfish idiot, I snagged one of the bits of paper on his desk and a pencil. Making it seem like I was doodling, which pissed him off even more, I wrote a note.

  After a solid thirty minutes—I timed it—Cole wound down and slumped in his chair, his face red. The amber leeched from his eyes and he thumped his head on his desk.

  I pushed the paper towards him and waited, which wasn’t my strong suit. Ten seconds passed and still no acknowledgment from Cole, so I flicked the pencil at him and he growled, a low, scary noise. A sane person would’ve run.

  He looked up, chin rested on the desk, and he grabbed the paper. His eyes narrowed as he read it. Important information to share. Possible ears listening in? Trusted place to share secrets?

  “This room is clean. I sweep it for bugs on a regular basis.” He placed the paper into the shredder next to him, its whirling noise filling the air.

  “Really?” I squeaked out. My eyebrows disappeared into my hairline. I had to admit, I had just been worried about eavesdroppers, but his paranoia trumped mine. Given a few centuries more of living, maybe I’d rival him.

  “Close your mouth and tell me everything,” Cole demanded.

  I wisely didn’t point out how contradictory his commands were and instead filled him in on everything I’d learned from the vampire about the traitor in our midst. He took it well. No hint of rage, not even a glint of amber in his eyes.