She was lying.
“No,” he replied. Yeah, he’d let her go if she loved another, but he knew without a doubt that she didn’t love Roarke. He’d give her anything she wanted—except this.
And she was lying to protect him and the others. She knew he had trust issues and was attempting to throw him off by using it to get him to stay away. Not going to work.
Damien gave a slight nod as if he had been reading his thoughts. “You love her,” he said with a slight twinge of surprise.
“Frig, man, didn’t think you had it in you,” Jedrik said.
Waleron appeared in the room, not by his usual way, instead he walked down the stairs. He glared at Damien and his eyes flashed with disapproval. “Why are you still here?”
“I’m going with you tonight,” Damien announced.
Silence.
Waleron finally spoke. “Abby is a vampire, Damien. It is too late for her. You know this. Trinity has agreed that Abby should be—”
“No.” Damien’s violent reaction put everyone on alert.
None of them needed Waleron to say it aloud, they all guessed what he was about to say. They were going to use Abby as the lure to obtain Rayne. But Abby’s gift was too much of a risk to have in a vampire’s hands.
Waleron remained silent and everyone held their breath, Kilter included. He knew the option would not sit well with any of them. Waleron had no intention of leaving Abby and her ability in the hands of Liam. No, Waleron would never give a vampire that much power, meaning—
Damien went psychotic, his eyes wild and crazed. He began to call to Simian, but Tye and Keir were already on him, pinning his body to the floor as he kicked and shouted with fury.
Waleron approached, his long strides casual as if there was nothing wrong with Damien’s crazed state of mind. Kilter took in the sight and he immediately saw the familiarity of the situation. He knew Damien’s fear and anger—had been there himself—and he knew what would happen if he continued to fight his own kind. He’d never cared about the others, not in a really long time, but seeing Damien’s expression of pure horror had him feeling sympathy and compassion.
What the devil was happening to him?
Kilter made certain his telepathy was shielded against everyone except Damien. “Don’t make the same mistake I did. Fuck it up and you will be put in Rest.”
“Abby.”
“You’re no good to her in Rest. You care for her, then stay out of Rest. I will keep you informed on what Waleron’s plans are.”
Damien ceased his struggles as Waleron raised his hand. Damien glanced over at him and Kilter saw the agony in his rebellious mind.
“Get your ass on the plane now, Damien,” Waleron stated.
“I will say goodbye to Abby,” Damien demanded.
Waleron hesitated, his eyes pensive as he watched Damien, and Kilter knew Waleron was attempting to read his mind. He hoped Damien was smart enough to put up double shields or Waleron would fry both their asses.
Waleron gave an abrupt nod. “Your Scar will be covered.” He looked at Tye. “Accompany him. We leave in two hours.” Then Waleron turned to Delara and everyone tensed. She’d remained quiet the entire time, making no move to interfere or speak. Kilter noticed her pale complexion and the haunted look in her eyes. He wondered what had gone down between the two. “You will come only because Liam has demanded your presence. But I expect you gone when this is over.”
Delara opened her mouth, about to say something, her expression filled with pain and horror at what Waleron was saying. The friction between them—and it wasn’t the usual sexual electricity—was catastrophic. Everyone in the room felt it, tasted it or scented it. Kilter had never seen Delara so meek and fearful before, nor had he seen Waleron so livid with Delara, and that said a lot because Delara had pulled some crazy shit.
Delara lowered her gaze from Waleron’s and gave a subtle nod.
Every face in the room was stunned into silence, except Jedrik who was stupid enough to protest Waleron’s obvious order that Delara leave Toronto.
“What the goddamn hell are you talking about?” Jedrik looked at Waleron, who gave no answer. Jedrik turned to Delara. “Sassy? What does he mean?”
“Leave it,” Waleron said in a cool tone.
Jedrik opened his mouth to retort and Waleron raised his hand and slammed Jedrik with a bolt of energy, sending him across the room and right through the drywall into the next room.
Delara turned and ran up the stairs.
Kilter was realizing that he was not alone in the tribulations of his life. Delara was self-destructing with her choice of sex partners, and Damien, a women-hater, was trying to protect a witch-vampire who was going to be killed tonight.
Christ, he was selfish thinking he was the only one hurting from his past and present situation. Everyone had pain and hurt and emotional manure to dig through, he’d just been selfish and only thought of his own.
Chapter 30
Tye waited by the steel door, staring at the floor as if trying to appear invisible. Wasn’t working. Damien could smell his tension and the sweat emanating from his pores.
The steel plate over his shoulder to keep his Scar from emerging felt heavy and cold against his skin. He didn’t object to putting it on knowing Tye wouldn’t let him near Abby if Simian was able to rise.
He approached the steel bars. The rest of the room was like any other except supported with steel walls. They tried to make it as comfortable as possible for those who had to be contained. A private washroom in one corner with all the luxurious amenities, a couch and lounge chair with a coffee table. One wall had an assortment of books, and there was a large plasma TV on the wall. Over in the far corner was a king-size bed with white satin sheets and big fluffy pillows. It was there that he saw Abby except she wasn’t on the bed, instead next to it, sitting on the floor, knees pulled up to her chest, face hidden by her hair as she pressed her cheek against them.
“Abb,” he called. She made no movement, her eyes staring listlessly at the hardwood floor. His heart fractured at the sight. Desolate. Alone. Everything inside him wanted to force his way to her and hold her in his arms, stroke her hair, tell her everything was going to be all right.
But it wasn’t.
“Abb, honey, you have to listen to me.” She remained unmoving and he swore beneath his breath with frustration. A vise gripped his guts, tearing, ripping him apart, sparing no sympathy. He linked his hands around the bars. “No matter what happens tonight, I want you to remember that girl in the grocery store. Okay? Remember who you are.” Please, Abby. Please remember, he begged. “Remember the woman I met in the grocery store.” He wanted to tell her that he’d help her, but Tye would overhear. “Peaches, Abb. Don’t forget the peaches.” She stared, comatose, eyes rimmed with red, not a flicker of recognition. “Abb, don’t give up on me. On you.”
He closed his eyes, forehead leaning against the bars, anguish suffocating his every breath. If he knew he could get away, he’d rip apart this place and take her away. Force her to remember who she was. Because somewhere inside the mind now filled with bloodlust still lived Abby.
He heard Tye shift his feet and felt his eyes on him. He didn’t give a crap what the guy was thinking. Abby needed to remember who she was. She was now a vampire, but she could be a sane one. Abby was still within.
“Jesus, Abb, look at me,” Damien shouted. He slammed his fist into one of the bars and a ding vibrated throughout the room.
She slowly raised her head and her eyes met his. God, Abb. She looked like a wilted piece of lettuce drowning in sorrow. His senses picked up her pulse. Her heart stopped, then skipped several beats as it struggled to find life with so much sorrow. Why, he screamed inside. Why?
“I don’t want you to see me like this,” Abby finally said in a rough scratchy voice. It was the first words he heard her speak since she changed. “Go away, Damien.”
“Damn it, Abb. I spent months with you in hell. Don’t you dare tell me to
go away,” he shouted. “Don’t you dare!” He was pissed when he should have been sympathetic, but she’d abhor anyone showing her pity. He made a deep growl in the back of his throat. “Get your ass over here and talk to me.”
Tye cleared his throat. “Umm, I don’t think—”
“Piss off, Tye. Abb.” He stared across the twenty-foot expanse of space, his vision able to take in every detail, even the one drop of sweat that dripped from her hairline on the right side. Her scent was fear, frustration and anger, a real shitty combination for an unpredictable starving vamp, but he needed the starving part. He slid his arm through the bars, wrist up. “Take my blood, Abb.”
“Jesus, Damien,” Tye said, his stance straightening and his gaze finally lifting from the floor. So much for respectful privacy. “You’re kiddin’ right? Shittin’ me?”
Damien kept his eyes on Abb, but his other senses were locked on Tye. There was no way he’d get away with this without some sort of confrontation. She was crawling to her feet, eyes hungry with need. He was pissed that Waleron had only given her enough blood to sustain her violence.
But she needed this. He needed this.
“Are you insane? You can’t give her your blood.” Tye began to stride across the room.
Damien turned, his eyes focusing in on Tye. “Stay where you are or I’ll blast your ass.”
Tye stopped short, hands up, but Damien smelled his intent. “Damien, man, I can’t let you do this.”
Damien’s eyes heated and blazed, every sensory in his body ready to fight for this one last moment he had with Abby. “I have to do this. She needs this,” Damien said. “Back off, and I won’t singe your ass.”
“No can do, buddy. Against our laws, man.”
Damien knew Tye followed the rules to the letter. That was why Waleron had chosen him to come with him. But all he needed was two seconds for Abby to take his wrist. “Abb, do as I tell you.” He heard her soft hesitant steps approaching, like a wounded animal weary of another trap.
Damien was ready when Tye leapt. He jerked his head upwards and the chair beside him went flying through the air and blocked Tye’s path. He felt his eyes burning and directed the power at Tye, who was already on his feet and looking rather discontent. Damien was about to blast him with a surge of power from his eyes, then suddenly decided against it. If he used his Visionary skills against another Senses . . . no, he’d not go back to Rest. Not now. Not ever.
Using telekinesis was a fair enough, though, and he quickly lifted the old antique shield Keir had hanging on the wall. It hovered in the air for a second; the weight was impressive and it took a lot for him to will it with his mind.
Tye saw it and ducked to the right, but Damien expected the reaction and the shield slammed into Tye’s chest, sending him across the room and into the wall.
Abby’s soft familiar touch caressed his skin as she took his arm within her grip. He closed his eyes at the contact. This was all he could give her and it was killing him. He should be able to protect her and he couldn’t, damn it. He couldn’t.
His concentration faltered, sending the shield crashing to the floor. He breathed in the scent of her hair, remembering the day before yesterday when he’d washed it with papaya shampoo. “Remember, Abb. You goddamn remember the blood you taste this night. My blood. No one else’s. You stay strong.”
There were tears in her eyes and he saw her hesitation, the uncertainty as if she was fighting what she was and remembering the girl she had been. But it was too late. She’d have to face that. “Do it!” he ordered.
Tye cautiously approached.
Damien sucked in his breath as her fangs drove into his wrist. It felt painful and yet sweet at the same time because it was Abby. Her lips caressed his skin and then he felt the drain of blood from his vein.
This was all he could give her. A part of him to take wherever it led. He wanted—no, he needed her to remember what they’d been through together, what she once was—a free-spirited girl who laughed at the simplest things. The woman who made him laugh. He hoped by taking his blood, she’d take with her a part of what they’d shared. Because goddamn it, he sure as hell was.
The air shifted and his wrist was ripped from Abby’s mouth as a rock-solid body slammed into him and he went flying through the air to land on the unforgiving floor with Tye on top of him.
“Nice tackle.” Damien held his hands up with mercy. “Now get the hell off me.”
Tye hauled back and punched him in the jaw. “Crazy bastard. Get your ass out of here.” Tye jumped off him and didn’t offer a hand, although Damien was just damn lucky Tye hadn’t broken his jaw.
Damien easily came to his feet, his jaw hurting like a son-of-a-bitch and his wrist bleeding from two puncture holes. He took a final glance over his shoulder at Abby and caught a glimpse of two tears sliding down her cheeks.
His heart shattered into a million fragmented slivers.
****
Rayne had no idea what was going down tonight, but Liam was prepared for something. He obviously had warned his vamps of her capability and none touched her, although three of them surrounded her as they walked in silence through the deserted exhibition grounds.
There was no sign of Jasmine or the CWOs, but she suspected they were around somewhere. It was doubtful Liam would go against the Senses without her.
Dark shadows of Liam’s underlings were on top of the buildings, alert and ready for any surprise attacks by the Senses. Liam led them with confidence, each stride purposeful as if he was unconcerned.
Her nerves were snapped as if wire cutters had cut each one, although a few still frizzled like live wires gone bad. Her evil twin pushed to be free, begging to send her body into a full-on panic. She repeated over in her mind Rebecca’s words, remembering her voice and all the work they’d done on keeping her panic at bay.
Liam stopped at a steel door and broke the padlock off the latch with one yank. He held the door open and gestured for one of his underlings to enter. They waited several minutes then the guy came back and gave the okay.
“After you, my dear.” Liam grabbed her elbow when she hesitated and guided her into the darkness.
The instant she walked into the deserted warehouse, she smelled the remnants of food and knew where they were. Delara had told her about the Canadian National Exhibition grounds, which opened for two weeks out of the year with rides and games, and one of the most popular attractions was the food building. It showcased vendors galore with every possible kind of mouthwatering treats. Delara said she liked the three cheese fries with sour cream and onions, although Rayne could only smell the overpowering smell of meats.
It was an open warehouse that had a high ceiling with metal beams, a benefit for the vamps agility capabilities. Rayne guessed it had to be half the size of a football field. Liam had probably picked this place because the smell of food would hinder the Senses’ abilities. Intelligent.
She saw the shadows of vampires up on the metal beams, but she couldn’t hear them, they were so silent and agile as they took their places around the building. Liam was taking no chances. Still there was no sign of Jasmine.
Her ears suddenly began to ring with a screeching sound and she groaned as it pierced her eardrums. She tried to put her hands over her ears, but Liam yanked her arms down.
“A precaution,” Liam stated. “High frequency tends to make telepathy difficult. Only dogs and of course Senses can hear it.”
The constant sound was throwing her off-balance, and she tried to block it out with her shields, but it pounded them down until she was too exhausted to fight it.
Liam grabbed her elbow as a door creaked open then slammed. “Behave yourself.”
The steady sound of booted feet walked in their direction; it was dark but her vision had improved since her weight gain and she saw Waleron approaching. Her heart thumped against her ribcage and her palms began to sweat.
Waleron wore simple back trousers and a matching T-shirt with no weapons in view.
His expression was unreadable as his eyes locked on Liam, not even for a second wavering from his adversary. Delara came up beside him wearing her usual green army pants and a dark green long-sleeved shirt. Rayne picked up on Delara’s emotions and she staggered at the despair that was all consuming. Something was wrong. Delara was pale and distraught, her eyes unable to meet her own. What were they planning?
A high-pitched screech had Liam’s underlings step closer to her, and the grip on her elbow tightened. Rayne had no idea what could make that horrid sound until she saw a young woman struggling like a rabid animal in the grip of a . . . it was a Scar—not like her Serafina, but a majestic, lithe panther-like man with a sleek black coat across an eight-foot two-legged figure. The muzzle was sharp and defined with long straight black whiskers. It had small ears on the sides of his head instead of on top, like a panther’s. The eyes were human-looking, intelligent and watching every single movement. It completely ignored the struggling woman, its massive paws—which had thumbs—clamping down on her arms. The Scar didn’t need weapons; it looked like it had a jaw of iron and, by the way it walked, was quick on its feet.
“I said no weapons,” Liam said, his tone showing annoyance.
Waleron nodded towards the girl. “She would sink her teeth into our flesh if we go near her. It is easier this way. You specifically asked that we be cautious with her.”
“Abigail, you will settle,” Liam issued the order and Rayne was surprised when the girl stopped struggling and stood meek in the Scar’s grip.
Rayne felt her knees weaken and wobble as she saw Kilter step out of the shadows, coming up beside Waleron on the opposite side of Delara. None of them seemed to be hurt by the high-frequency device, although she expected it affected them just as much as her.
Kilter met her eyes and the rising anxiety eased as his calmness settled into her. She was surprised by his cool fortitude, considering the situation. She’d expected a raging lunatic charging in by himself without a care to the other Senses. Instead, Kilter gave her a tiny nod with the corner of his lips twitching up the slightest amount.
STEP (The Senses) Page 29