by Kiel Nichols
When he had entered the room, he had kissed Raina gently on the forehead and on the belly.
I wish I could feel that, she said.
Me, too, Gideon answered.
Raina was hooked up to a machine that read the electrical output in her brain. Asia pointed to something on the chart that printed out of the machine. There were little dips and spikes in a fairly uniform way right up to the spot he pointed at.
“What is it that we’re supposed to see?” Gideon asked.
Asia pulled out a sheet of the same type of paper. “This machine measures the electrical output of Raina’s brain. We already knew that Raina’s brain is more active than the average human brain, so I recalibrated this one so that her activity level would look ‘normal’ to anyone looking at it.”
“That makes sense,” Eric said.
“About two hours ago, her electrical rhythm changed,” Asia said. “According to this readout, she’s awake.”
He pointed to the same section again. Gideon saw that the dips and valleys became more erratic. “Well, she kind of is.”
“When you tried to heal her, what did you wish for?” Kristano asked.
“I asked her to wake up,” Asia said. “Oh my God, is it my fault she’s separated from her body?”
Gideon was the one to reassure the doctor. “Even if you did make her consciousness wake up, I don’t think that has anything to do with her still being asleep.”
“I hope not,” Asia said, clearly still beating himself up over not being able to do more.
Gideon’s phone vibrated. When he saw the text message from Joanie coded 911, he excused himself to make a call.
When Gideon returned a few minutes later, his face was grim. “Adder has Bryce.”
* * * *
Adder Cascaval was standing at the window looking out onto the nearly empty street when Agent Jensen brought in Bryce McConnell. The front for the Center was a window company. It allowed agents to come and go at will. It also allowed them to have an attached warehouse with a back loading dock.
“Director Cascaval, we have the prisoner.” Jensen was trying not to sound nervous. He wasn’t succeeding.
“What about Kallan? What is her status?”
“She’s still unconscious. They are treating her as a coma patient at this point. The doctor is with her almost all the time. From what I can tell, she’s never left alone.”
Adder expected no less. He turned and walked toward the agents and Bryce McConnell.
“Michaels, go get Detention Room Three ready.” Agent Michaels left quickly.
Adder saw the slight quiver in Jensen’s body at being left alone with him and the prisoner. “Would you like to interrogate the boy?” Jensen asked.
“Yes.” When Jensen let go of Bryce’s arm and turned toward the door, Adder stopped him. “This time you get to watch.”
Jensen’s Adam’s apple bounced as he swallowed hard. “Yes, sir.”
“Don’t worry Jensen, it’s much more gratifying from this point of view than the one you’re used to.” Adder walked around Bryce, who had been perfectly still since entering the room. Adder circled him and stopped directly in front of Bryce. He backhanded him, drawing blood from his mouth.
“He’s been drinking,” Adder said. Alcohol was one of the only things that stopped Adder’s feeding. If he fed from a drunk, he’d feel drunk himself. Not what he wanted if he was going to remain in control. “I can’t feed from him if he’s drunk.”
* * * *
Feed? What the hell did that mean? Was this director guy a cannibal? Bryce had been careful not to ask questions or make demands since he was captured. His brother always said that the best thing to do in a dangerous situation is to be still and learn. That’s what he was trying to do. The hit made his head reel, though, and pissed him off. “Who the hell are you, anyway?”
The man laughed and bowed in a strangely elegant way. “Director Adder Cascaval, at your service.”
He said it as though Bryce would know who he was, but he had never heard the name before.
Cascaval laughed. “Oh, that’s rich. They didn’t tell you about me. They might as well have set you up to die.”
Bryce flushed. He knew his brother wouldn’t really set him up, regardless of how it looked. If Gideon knew who this was, he must have thought that Bryce wouldn’t be a target. After all, his only warning came a day or so after Gideon met Raina. Obviously no one would mistake Bryce for being her lover now.
“With Raina out of the way and you at my disposal, I’ll have nothing to worry about.”
“My brother is protecting Raina,” Bryce said. “You won’t ever get to her, and if you think I’ll help you, you’re delusional.”
The man laughed. “Your brother is nothing, and you won’t have a choice.”
“If my brother is nothing, then why haven’t you gotten Raina? He’s stopped you every time.” Bryce knew he was egging the guy on, but he didn’t care.
Cascaval laughed long and hard then wiped an imaginary tear from under his eye. “Gideon McConnell is nothing. Kristano is the one keeping Raina alive, and it looks like he may have failed. Even he can’t bring someone back from the dead.”
“She’s not dead. She’s in a coma.” Bryce reminded him.
“In a coma is as good as dead in my eyes,” Cascaval said. “And you’re my ace in the hole. I won’t give you any choice. As a matter of fact,” He flicked his hand and the room shimmered.
Bryce felt the man beside him shake and was stunned. What the hell is going on?
“I can’t do what I really want just yet, but I can show you.” Cascaval practically crooned it. “Come here, Jensen.”
The man standing behind him walked like a zombie toward Cascaval. He stopped in front of him and turned around, tilting his head to expose his neck. The look in his eyes told Bryce that he’d rather be dead than be there. It was a look of desperation the likes of which Bryce had never seen before.
“You see,” Cascaval said. “I control those around me. Do you want to know how?”
Bryce couldn’t help himself. He answered truthfully, “Yes.”
Cascaval smiled, and Bryce saw his canines extend. Before he could process it, Cascaval buried his teeth into Jensen’s neck. Jensen’s scream echoed off the walls.
A moment later, Cascaval raised his head. He snapped his fingers, and Jensen’s neck was healed. His scream cut off on a whimper. Cascaval started toward him. Bryce felt darkness edge around his eyes. He’d never passed out before, but he thought this time...
* * * *
“I don’t know what to do,” Gideon said. “I know what he’ll do to him.”
“It’s worse than that,” Kristano said grimly. “He might make him a puppet.”
Gideon started to pace. “Do we know where he might have been taken?”
I can find out, Raina said. I should be able to find him.
“Yes, that’s a good idea. Raina, please find him quickly.”
Raina thought about Bryce, pictured him in her mind. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a jail cell. Bryce was sleeping on the cot in the corner.
Bryce! Raina yelled. A guard walked toward the door as though he heard something. Raina realized that he might be able to hear her. If Adder fed off of him, he might be “tuned” into her frequency. Raina didn’t try again to reach Bryce.
Instead, she headed out of the cell. If she could just get outside, she could tell Gideon exactly where Bryce was. She realized that she was in a warehouse that contained sections. The section she had just left had cells. The next section was an open bull pen with cubicles. There were offices along the outside edge. Out of curiosity, Raina walked down the corridor that was so familiar from her “ride along” with Agent Jensen when he was tortured.
She arrived outside an office that she remembered too well. Taking a deep breath for courage, she went into the office. When she entered the room, Adder looked up. He’d been doing the paperwork on his desk. He looked around as though he sen
sed something, but wasn’t sure what. After a moment he went back to work.
Raina didn’t want to get close, but she needed to see what the paperwork said. Not seeing anything interesting, she was about to leave when there was a knock at the door.
“Yes?” Adder asked.
Jensen walked in and stopped just inside the room. “The prisoner is in the detention area. He’s sleeping, as expected. How long do you want me to let him sleep?”
“I want that alcohol mostly out of his system. Bring him back up to me around nine tonight. I know they’re going to try to find him and mount a rescue. Be prepared for that. I can’t imagine they’ll find this place anytime soon, but in case they do, I don’t want him here overnight.”
“I can’t imagine how they’d find him to begin with,” Agent Jensen said loyally.
Adder raised an eyebrow. “They have their ways. Do you doubt me?”
“No, sir. Not at all. We’ll be careful.”
“Good. I’ll take care of McConnell tonight then have him dumped on their doorstep. They won’t know if they can trust him or not. Of course, they won’t hurt him, so whatever I can find out will be to our benefit.” Adder looked back down at his paper.
He looked up a moment later. “Dismissed.”
Agent Jensen practically tripped over himself scrambling to get out of the room.
Raina knew time was short and followed him out of the room. She went down the hallway and out through the front that looked like a working office of some kind. The name on the front door read “Wilder Doors and Windows.”
Raina went down the street until she got to a cross street. The nearest corner was Markum and Second Streets. She closed her eyes and thought hard of Gideon.
When she opened them, she was back in her hospital room.
We have until nine o’clock tonight, she said.
Everyone stopped what they were doing. I know where he is, she added.
“Let’s go,” Gideon said.
“Wait!” Eric said. “We need a plan. Let’s take a minute.”
“I agree,” Kristano said. “We have the time to put together a plan that will work.”
Gideon’s eyes were fiery red. “Then let’s do it,” he snarled. “I won’t let that bastard get my brother.”
Chapter 18
The evening breeze carried the first hint of the approaching spring. The moonless night was especially dark, but there was nothing ominous about it.
Eric parked the car two doors down from the window business that was the front for the Center. Eric and Gideon walked casually past the building, down the alleyway next to it, and climbed onto the loading dock. There were cameras all around the Center, but there was no one watching the screens. Kristano had gone in and put the guards to sleep. Raina was also inside the building, watching the location of the guards and checking on Bryce. They decided that Asia needed to stay with Raina. His talents weren’t offensive, and if something went wrong with Raina, they wanted him close by.
Gideon was actually grateful that Raina was still unconscious. She would have wanted to come along on the rescue mission, and he would have been terrified that something would happen to her. This way, he knew that she was free from danger.
Gideon! Raina’s fear echoed in her voice. They’re moving Bryce. I think they’re taking him to Adder.
Is he still OK?
He seems to be.
We knew this might happen. Remember what to do?
Gideon could actually hear her deep breath as though she was standing beside him. Yes. I’m going to go convince the guard that he has to go to the bathroom.
Gideon and Eric climbed up onto the loading dock. When they approached the door, it opened automatically. Gideon looked at Eric sharply.
“Hey, I may not be Harry Potter, but I can at least open a door,” Eric joked softly.
“You’re a handy man to have around.” Gideon grinned. If it wasn’t for the danger Bryce was in, Gideon would be enjoying this little adventure.
* * * *
They’re heading down the corridor to Adder’s office. I got through to the guards, but I’m not sure how much time I bought, Raina said. She could sense Gideon’s exhilaration and thought he was crazy. She was a nervous wreck, and there wasn’t even any way that she could get hurt.
Which way, darlin’? Eric asked.
Down the hall and to the right, Kristano answered for her. Sweetie, he added, just to be funny.
You’re a riot. You should head the undead comedy tour.
Kristano snorted. I’m as undead as you are. Go right into the men’s room.
Raina wanted to scream at them to shut up. Didn’t they know how much danger they were all in?
Raina stood in the men’s room with her back to the urinals. Obviously her push to the agent that he had to go to the bathroom was a little less than gentle. Since they’d entered, both he and Bryce had been peeing constantly.
Raina watched as the men’s room door opened. She saw Gideon and Eric enter. Just as they did she heard Kristano say sleep.
Raina turned to find the agent sleeping standing up at the urinal like a horse. He still had his willy in his hand.
Bryce saw them walk in and went to give his brother a hug.
“Hey, hey,” Gideon said, slapping him on the back. “Not till you wash your hands.”
Bryce said, “You’re kidding, right.”
“No way. Come on, hurry up. The guards are off us for now, but no use tempting fate.”
Bryce washed his hands quickly, the entire time watching the man who was standing there sleeping.
“What happened to him? And what the hell is going on? I saw something you’ll never believe.” Bryce rushed forward and grabbed Gideon’s arm. “We have to get out of here, there’s something wrong with the guy who runs this place.”
It’s too much to wish that Bryce hadn’t seen anything, Raina commented.
Leaving him out is what put him in danger, Gideon said.
I agree, Kristano added. My first instinct was to keep this from him, but now I think he needs to know. I’d hate to have to erase his memory.
But now’s not the time to... Before Raina could finish the thought, Kristano materialized in the room.
Bryce stumbled back and almost fell. “What the fuck? How did you do that?”
“I can’t explain now,” Kristano said, “but we know that Adder isn’t a regular guy.”
* * * *
When they left the bathroom, Kristano went invisible to once again clear the way. Raina decided it might be a good idea for someone to check in on Adder.
Raina walked right through the door of Adder’s office. She decided that she didn’t mind being incorporeal, she just wished she could go back and forth between being in her own body and being out of it. She believed that she was strong enough to will herself back into her body, but she had a feeling that it would be a one-way trip and wanted to gather all the intel she could before waking up.
Adder was at his computer, working intently. When she walked into the room he looked up, and then looked right back at the screen, as though he felt a displacement of the air in the room.
“Just a little further,” he muttered. “You’re almost out.”
Raina was curious about what he was looking at so she went around the desk. On the screen she saw Eric and Gideon leading Bryce out of the building. They were just about to go out through the exit door.
Gideon! Raina screamed, It’s a trap.
The three men kept going like they hadn’t heard her. Even though distance had never been a factor before, Raina was suddenly concerned that she was too far away. She raced for the door.
And crashed right into it. She scrambled up and tried again. She couldn’t even grasp the door handle to get through.
Then she heard the laughing.
* * * *
Kristano materialized right next to Gideon in the hallway, making him jump. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” he said. “It’s been too
easy.”
“Too easy?” Bryce said incredulously. “For you, maybe. It’s been hell for me.”
“It could have been worse,” Gideon said. “Trust me, you got away without too much damage. I’ve seen what Adder can do.”
Bryce shuddered. “I can imagine.”
“No, actually, I don’t think you can. If you could, I’d be worried about you.”
Kristano still blocked the way.
“Hey, Kris. We need to go.” Eric was throwing furtive looks behind him. “Now, I think.”
“I’m going out first,” Kristano said. “I’m the only one who can take a bullet and not die.”
“Why?” Bryce asked.
“Explanations later, escape now,” Gideon said.
Gideon and Eric pressed against the wall behind the door with Bryce between them. Gideon had a gun, and they both had magic. Bryce was defenseless.
Kristano stepped through the door and after a moment of silence, there was a slight popping sound. The bullet that struck Kristano’s chest made a splash of blood. Kristano backed through the door, and they slammed it shut again.
“Shit,” Kristano said, blood pouring out of a gaping wound on his chest. “Looks like an ambush.”
Bryce stood agog. “What the hell! We’ve got to get you to a hospital.”
“Nah,” Kristano said. He disappeared for a moment, and when he reappeared, he was back to normal. Even his shirt was fixed. The only problem was that he was very pale.
“You can’t do that again without feeding,” Gideon said. “Do you have time to do it?”
“Feeding?” Bryce backed away from Kristano, edging down the hallway. Eric stopped him with a hand on his arm. “What does that mean?”
“I’m not a vampire, but I require blood to restore the magic I use when I’m injured. I know it’s a lot to take in, but Adder is the bad guy. I’m the good guy.”
They didn’t have time for explanations, yet it seemed necessary to give them, if for no other reason than so that Bryce didn’t freak out and get them into deeper trouble than they were already in.