Creature of Habit (Book 3)

by Lawson, Angel

  "Hey, play that video again… back to where you can see the wall," he directed, and I found he spot he wanted. He ran his thick finger over the screen again, muttering something under his breath.

  "What?" I asked, feeling oddly nervous at his behavior.

  Adam turned to me and gave me an ultra-white smile, tinged with self-assuredness. "Call your blood sucker. I think I figured out where they're keeping the girl."

  Chapter 10

  Grant

  I quickly passed my family as I traveled through the woods to the location Ryan had given me over the phone. Our destination was deep in Southern West Virginia, away from most civilization, and something about it felt off. We'd met up with Ryan quickly then spreading out into a wide line, covering as much space as possible. Ryan knew Olivia's scent, of course, but I was afraid Caleb may be luring him in the wrong direction. He’d done it before and my fear was that he would lead us intentionally away from her, isolating us from one another. I inhaled and caught Elijah's scent on the leaves and branches that crisscrossed the trail.

  Once I left the house, I was able to push Amelia from my mind. I hated doing it, but she was a distraction I couldn't have at the moment. I loved her and she loved me in return, that had to be enough. When this was all over, we could figure out the future. Right now was about my family, and I owed them my utmost concentration.

  I considered the fact I'd lived so long but never had experienced war first hand. I was too young to enlist in the First World War. I'd watched it unfold around me as a teenager; friends and family leaving, fighting, and if they came home at all, they were never the same. After my transformation, I was able to see the images of war change people. They were different. Elijah was the survivor of a devastatingly bloody war. No matter how much he separated himself from the battles and fights, he was covered with scars, physically as well as mentally.

  I quickly raced around a thick grove of trees, feet pounding on the leaf-covered forest floor. The only sound was that of my body as it made contact with nature, realizing with surprising clarity, that I was heading to war. In my mind, Caleb had threatened my family and loved ones. He trespassed against my property and terrorized my community. He made our kind vulnerable to the outside world by having no regard for life and society. I knew in my mind we were entering into the final battle between us. One or both of us would not survive this encounter. The stakes were that high. Three months ago I would have willingly sacrificed myself for Olivia or Elijah but today… today things were different. I'd given myself over to another, a mate, and every fiber of my being told me to protect that if possible.

  I shifted my focus to my speed and reveled in the sport of pushing my body to the extreme. Genevieve’s voice broke my thought.

  “Grant, wait up,” she called, catching up quickly. “What do you want to do when we find him or them?”

  "I'm not sure, we’ll have to assess the situation," I snapped, leaping over a tree trunk that had fallen across our path and landing on a thick branch that disintegrated under the weight of my body.

  We pushed through the thick underbrush, the others having fanned out a bit, making sure we covered the entire area. I was happy for the distance, as Genevieve and I climbed a steep cliff that lead to a small canyon over a stream.

  “Grant,” she said, her nose tilting into the air.

  I smelled it. Vampires, and not just Elijah and Olivia, were close. Their scent was muddied in the night; I catalogued several at the least, and I craned my neck in an attempt to catch any other sound. The air was heavy with the sound of crickets and the gurgling of the water running below us. I focused and heard the swish of fabric in the distance and muffled voices, presumably from fledglings.

  "Keep going," I told her quietly, "let's tries to lead them away from the others."

  We reached the top of the hill, and I encouraged her to go first, keeping my eyes peeled for predators. The canyon was wide enough that Ryan needed a running start and traveled back down the hill to gain momentum before he jumped over the water. I moved back to gain my own speed, and just as I reached the crest of the hill, I heard a loud grunt. Ryan flew through the air and landed with a splash in the water. A small female vampire clung to his ankles, thrashing and trying futilely to gain the upper hand.

  "Ryan!" I shouted as I leapt through the air, trying to reach the shore of the stream on the other side. I heard a loud growl tear through the cool night air, and I reached out, attempting to make contact with the muddy ground. Before I was able, I was hit from the side with enough extreme force to send me into the shallow water below. I fell with a loud splash, water filling my ears and mouth. My palms found a jagged rock, and I pushed myself out of the water, flinging the newborn backwards.

  "Get off!" I heard Ryan scream as I emerged out of the water. Heavy droplets of creek water flung from my hair as I searched for my attacker. He had righted himself and came after me through the knee deep water.

  Beside me, Ryan continued to fight off his own assailant, impressed when he kicked him squarely in the chest, propelling him into a large rock near the tree line. Two fledglings approached me, striding across the water. My clothes were heavy and cumbersome. I pulled my thick button-down off and threw it on the ground.

  The vampires in front of me were both young, average in height and weight. Their expressions confirmed they were purely focused on fighting me. Thirsty, probably half-starved by Caleb, they were desperate for blood. The one that had attacked me in the water was the smaller of the two; he mumbled under his breath. I tilted my head to listen and heard a murderous chant. “Bite, tear, kick, burn, bite, tear, kick burn...”

  From the corner of my eye, I watched Ryan repeatedly kick his attacker on the ground before lunging at him, tearing his body to shreds. His dark hair flew around his face with each exaggerated blow to the vampire at his mercy. I’d never seen him so thoroughly pissed.

  "He’ll be finished in a minute, boys, and you'll be next," I told the two vampires in front of me, in an attempt to buy time. I distinctly smelled Caleb’s scent on them. "While we wait, why don't you tell me where Caleb is?"

  They both hissed as I said his name, but it wasn’t out of loyalty. There was a little hatred there, too. “You’re dead, traitor,” one said, drool dripping from his mouth.

  "That's not going to happen,” I explained slowly, making eye contact with both of them. I ignored their snarling and continued, "What will happen is you are going to tell me where Caleb is so I can find my family. Then you are going to die—for real this time."

  I saw a flame kick up on the side of the beach, and Ryan’s vampire burst into fire as he hovered over it with a branch he had lit, patiently allowing the flames to consume the body entirely.

  “Tell me where Caleb is,” I said again.

  One of the newborns shook her head and grunted. “Fuck you.”

  The other swallowed and looked at the fire.

  Ryan dropped the branch into the water to extinguish it. I heard it sizzle on contact and saw a light wisp of smoke twisting through the air. Rubbing his cheek with his soot-covered hand, he rolled his eyes and muttered, "Thanks for helping."

  "That one," I said and pointed to the newborn that told me to fuck off, "has the information I need. The other is expendable."

  He raised an eyebrow, and with that, I lunged at the male vampire. I caught him off guard, pushing his back into the cliff. The sand was soft under my feet and my shoes slipped from the water. The vampire struggled under my weight, but continued to fight erratically, kicking and lunging at my arms with his razor-sharp teeth. I slipped, giving him an opportunity. His jaw connected with my arm.

  "Dammit," I groaned and wrenched my arm out of his mouth, kicking him off my body. Bending my knees, I pounced while he attempted to regain his balance and proceeded to tear his body, limb from limb, tossing the parts over my shoulder onto the burning embers near the shore. The other newborn under Ryan's guard growled fiercely behind my back. Annoyed with the situation, Ryan r
eached back and swung, striking her hard across the face with his fist and telling her to shut up.

  Finishing up, I walked over to Ryan, who was now standing behind the newborn, holding her arms to her back while she attempted to get loose. I brushed my hands off and looked down at the rapidly healing wound on my bicep, still red and oozing in the center. Moving closer, I looked the girl in the eye. She was young, and clearly once well-groomed, her clothing expensive and her hair thick and curled.

  "Where's Caleb?" I asked calmly, acknowledging that she wasn't worth the rage I felt building under my skin. She had no choice but to answer due to the compulsion. Resistance was futile.

  She shook her head but glanced at the burning pile of flesh near the water. "Caleb didn’t bring us here," she grumbled, clearly confused about who had the upper hand in this situation.

  I glanced at Ryan, if Caleb wasn’t here, and then Olivia mustn’t be here either. But before I could respond to the fledgling, she caved, telling me about a female vampire named Penelope leading them all to the forest.

  “She’s in the clearing. Waiting for you,” she said.

  "Does she have Olivia?" I asked. She fought the compulsion and Ryan leaned close to her, whispering something in her ear. Her eyes flicked to the pile of ash.

  "I haven't seen her, but that doesn’t mean anything. I was sent out here to do a job.”

  “Anything else I need to know?” I asked, staring into her soulless eyes.

  “She’ll kill you,” the vamp said, gritting her teeth against the compulsion. “Caleb told her—told all of us—about who you are and what you do. You kill your own kind. You’re a murderer. A betrayer. For every one of us you take out like Sasha or Joe, there’s another waiting to take their place to bring you down.”

  “Thanks for the info,” I said, nodding at Ryan. Without hesitation, he twisted her neck with a loud tear while I quickly grabbed the vamp’s writhing body and threw it in the pile with the others.

  Ryan kicked sand over the remains and I searched for my phone to notify Miles of our whereabouts and where we should meet.

  "Damn it," I muttered, patting my pockets, "I dropped my phone."

  Ryan found his and I half listened as he proceeded to call Miles and explain what happened. I caught a glimmer under the water and fished my phone from the sandy bottom, realizing immediately it was ruined. I hurled it at the nearest tree and it splintered into an explosion of small pieces, covering the forest floor.

  "Let's go," I directed, after he ended the call. I dug my fingers into the soft, clay walls and hoisted myself over the edge of the cliff and reached a hand to Ryan as he followed.

  "Nice shirt," he said, laughing at my soaking wet undershirt, streaked with mud. His laughed ceased when he saw the bite on my upper arm. "You okay?"

  I nodded. "Yeah, hurts like hell, though.”

  Gesturing in the direction we needed to go, we took off through the forest once again in pursuit of our family. It didn't take long, and we easily found them waiting for us next to an outcropping of boulders deep in the forest. It was pitch black, the moon hiding behind a cloud.

  "Grant took the brunt of the fight," Ryan said, when we came out of the woods.

  "Just a nasty bite,” I said. “We were ambushed by three of their newborns. They were clueless and completely unhelpful.”

  "Olivia and Elijah?" Miles asked, reaching out to inspect my injury. I allowed him the distraction and stood still while he prodded the inflamed area.

  “Caleb isn’t here and I suspect Olivia isn’t either—probably a trap like we expected. He sent a female named Penelope. She should be in a clearing not far from here,” Ryan explained.

  "I doubt she has Olivia, but Elijah is sure to be there by now. My only hope is that the girl is still alive so I can question her."

  Miles nodded in agreement, both of us knowing the probability of finding Penelope or any other vampire torn to shreds was likely.

  "Ready?" I asked the others, and with a quick nod of approval, we took off through the night, pushing past the leaves and branches, and climbing the rocks and hills that we soared over in an effort to get to Elijah quickly. As the brush thinned and the sky became lighter, I inhaled a strong waft of Elijah's scent. I held my hand up, motioning for the others to stop at the edge of the clearing, just out of view. It would only be seconds before they would notice us, but in the meantime we took in the sight ahead of us.

  "Dear God," Genevieve declared, her eyes wide.

  Elijah had Penelope by the throat with her knees to the ground. Murderous waves of anger rolled off his body, hitting us like smoke from a bonfire. Despite this, she was alive. I breathed a sigh of relief. He knew she was our only opportunity and he waited for us to show. I turned my interest to Penelope who was pinned beneath him, mumbling incoherently.

  I called the others closer and gave instructions. "Ryan and Miles, I want you to remove Elijah from the girl. Get him as far away as possible—he's holding on, but only by a thread." They nodded in agreement. I turned to Genevieve. "I need you to cover the perimeter. There could be more fledglings. We also need to be prepared in case she attempts an escape. No one leaves this area until I say so. That includes Elijah."

  I pointed out the areas and looked the two men in the eye. "After you remove Elijah from her, I will take the vampire. I’ll see what I can get from her before she is destroyed."

  Without further conversation, we split apart and ran across the field. Elijah sniffed and looked up just before he was hit by their full speed. The force sent them tumbling across the field, finally landing with a thunderous crash over twenty feet away. Dirt and grass scattered around them, showering over the field like hail. Before they had even moved an inch from Penelope’s body, I was on top of her, pressing her bony shoulders into the ground while my wet boots cut into her ankles. Once she realized our position she began laughing hysterically, her voice bouncing across the field and echoing in the trees surrounding us.

  "Shut up." I told her, annoyed already by her ridiculous behavior. Elijah hissed with rage from across the field, struggling against Ryan's enormous hands. His anger was palpable. I fought the urge to eliminate her immediately. Ignoring him the best I could, I looked down at Penelope, her mouth opened wide with amusement, but her eyes were dead and hollow.

  "Who are you?" I asked and searched her vacant eyes. She hissed, viciously baring her teeth as I pushed harder into her granite flesh, grinding her bones into the grass and dirt underneath her. “Why did Caleb send you?”

  “Nice to meet you too, Grant Palmer. I’ve heard so much about you. So very, very much,” she replied with the same gleeful smile on her face. “I’m Penelope, Caleb’s, uh, well… I took Sasha’s place.”

  “In his bed?”

  “His bed. By his side. A piece in his game.” She shrugged, but I caught the tiny frown on her lips. She didn’t like being second, or possibly third.

  “Another piece lost, pity.”

  "I see you met up with some of my men," she taunted, eyeing the sore on my arm. "Took a piece of you with him?"

  "How many others are there?" I asked, wondering about the size of their remaining army.

  She sighed bitterly. "The ones you killed tonight were the last at my disposal."

  "How many are at Caleb's disposal?"

  She narrowed her eyes in consideration. She could hold me off for a moment but not forever.

  "Enough!” she cried, closing her eyes. “He took the best ones, you know, because his precious has to have the best, while the rest of us tromp through the forests like savages.”

  His precious? My temper flared and I asked again, "Where. Are. They?"

  “He’s with her, of course,” she whispered, the smirk finally vanishing from her face. She could only fight the compulsion for so long and I felt her will slipping away.

  The words were eerie, hauntingly soft for a she-devil. "It took him half a century, trips across the globe, and countless failed attempts, but he found her," she mum
bled. "Sasha followed him, hunted with him, loved him, every step of the way, but he only wanted her, the rest of us were merely playthings and pawns. I thought maybe once Sasha was dead he’d see me with different eyes. See that I was valuable too, but none of us were a match to her.”

  “Who?” I needed her to say it.

  “Sarah Olivia."

  Out of the corner of my eye I saw Elijah attempt to break free at the mention of Olivia, but Miles pushed his own body over his in an effort to restrain him.

  “What are you saying?” I asked. “That she's his mate?"

  “His mate?” Her eyes widened at my question, and she began to laugh again, succumbing to fits of giggles. “Oh no, Grant, she is so much more than that. Olivia is the key to his power, his domination over the others, people like you and even the Council.”

  I cocked my head in confusion, and cringed when she laughed again.

  "Domination?" I asked, thoroughly confused by her ramblings.

  "Her powers, you fool. Caleb wanted her abilities, not her companionship. With her gift as a seer, he can manipulate everything and anyone he wants. He can build his own army and control any form of government—vampire or beyond. Haven’t you noticed he’s been doing it all along? Influencing her visions?”

  The concept slammed into me like a wrecking ball. She was right. Caleb had controlled all of us for months. Getting into my head. Blocking and diverting Olivia’s visions. Making her think she was losing her touch.

  “Ah, you have noticed. It's all about control, Grant, I would think you would understand this. You do love to be in control of things." She rolled her eyes at my apparent naïveté.

  Her words filled the night air; I knew the others could hear her. Her pale face was truly beautiful, and her glowing yellow hair tangled in the weeds beneath her head. I focused on her eyes, bitter and soulless, void of any feelings. I leaned into her ear and whispered softly, "Betray him as he betrayed you. The only way to hurt him is to take away the one he cherishes. Isn’t that the game he’s been playing with me? Going after my family. My mate? Tell me how to find him."