“No.” Angelina held onto Anne’s hand.
“They only take the ones they turn up there.” Anne’s voice shook.
“They’ll kill them, Anne,” the woman, who Steve was interviewing, cried out. “They’ll know you told.”
“They won’t know anything,” Jill assured Anne, tossing a look toward Steve, who regained the focus of the woman he was interviewing. “How do you get up there?”
Anne shook her head, fear evident in every movement of her head. “You can’t go up there.”
“Anne, you need to tell them.” Angelina still held her hand as she urged Anne to do the right thing. “They are here to help us. Jill and the Warriors won’t let anything happen to you or your family.”
Anne looked from Angelina to Jill. “Please don’t tell anyone.”
Jill nodded, knowing she couldn’t keep that promise, but she would find that room with Anne’s help or not. “Where is it, Anne?”
Anne pointed to the other side of the room. “In the hall, there’s a door in the ceiling.”
Jill looked over her shoulder then to Steve. “I’ll be back,” she told him before looking back at Angelina. “Stay here, okay?”
“Do you need me to come with you?” Angelina started to stand, but Anne’s cry stopped her.
“No!” Anne pulled Angelina back down with enough strength that Angelina cried out in pain. “You can’t go up there, Angelina. Please don’t.”
“She’s not going anywhere.” Jill pried Anne’s hand off Angelina’s arm. “Anne, you need to let her go. You’re hurting her.”
Anne’s mismatched eyes widened in alarm. “I’m so sorry,” she cried out again.
“It’s okay.” Angelina smiled, but rubbed her arm.
“Stay here. I’ll be right back.” Jill turned and headed out of the room.
Glancing up and down the hall, she saw no one, but could hear busy activity and voices downstairs. Looking up, she finally spotted the ceiling attic door. Heading that way, she stopped underneath still looking up. With one last glance behind her, she jumped, hoping she could make it to the high ceiling, catch the short dangling cord and hit the floor in one motion. Feeling the cord hit her fingers, she grasped tight. As she headed back to the floor, she pulled the door open as the ladder came out and down toward her face. Quickly with the other hand, she caught the ladder and held it in place, but then let it go when the door clicked open. She hit the ground and waited as the ladder caught up to her.
“Cool,” Jill whispered, proud that she had done that on one try. Wasting no more time, she began to climb. Once at the top, she slowly raised her head through the hole and looked around prepared for anything. But what she saw she wasn’t prepared for. Shock vibrated through her body making her numb with disbelief. Slowly, she made her way all the way through the hole, her eyes wide, taking in everything at once. She went to step, but stopped just before her foot stepped on nothing but insulation. In just a few feet, plywood had been placed across the beams for a makeshift floor. Putting one foot on one beam and the other foot on the beam next to it, she made her way to the plywood. Once there, she stared in horror. Pictures lined the walls of women and even men as they lay on metal slab tables. Jill frowned when she found two pictures of Anne, one before she was turned with greenish blue eyes and then the other with one golden half-breed eye and one greenish blue. The fear coming from the picture made Jill’s blood boil. “Bastards!”
Filing cabinets lined one side of the room. Reaching out, she tried to open one, but it was locked, as were the rest of them. Grabbing the handle, she reinforced the cabinet with the other hand before giving the handle a hard jerk. The drawer opened. “Too bad I’m not being tested now,” Jill whispered to herself as she thumbed through, and then pulled out a file. It had a woman’s name on it with personal information inside. A page labeled ’Buyer Information’ was the last page, indicating a large sum of money, but all private information including name and contact information was blacked out. Shoving the file back, she pulled another with the same result. Opening each filing cabinet, it was the same thing, but the third and last one were different. None of these files had names, just pictures and different addresses, indicating home address and business address, as well as notes of their daily activities. A chill traveled down Jill’s spine. These women were walking around today, not even knowing they were targets. Reaching over into another cabinet, she grasped one of those files, and then turned to head out with her findings and to inform the Warriors.
Glancing to her right, she spotted what looked like a hospital curtain. Light from an arch window in the attic helped her human eye see through the darkness. Once there, she reached out to pull the curtain open, but stopped. Dropping her hand, she rolled her eyes at herself. “Just open the damn thing already,” she hissed at herself before whipping open the curtain and gasping. The metal slab table sat like a monster. Leather straps dangled from each of the corners, as if waiting for its next victim; she was once a victim of a similar table. Forcing her eyes away, she spotted a tall glass cabinet and inside were vials, as well as other bottles.
“Holy shit!” Before she could move that way, a man stepped out from behind the cabinet, but instead of her safety, her first thought was please don’t knock over that cabinet. She knew Slade needed to know what was in there. He was a half-breed wearing only boxers. “Holy shit!” she repeated, taking a step back. It seemed that was the only words her brain and mouth could form.
His golden eye turned dark as he stared at her. His mouth formed into a scowl, his fangs growing. He took one step before bending over and clutching his stomach in pain.
“Who are you?” Jill finally found some different words, but regret filled her as his head snapped up and he hissed at her. “Listen, you’re going to be okay. I’m here to help you.”
An inhuman roar left his lips as his head reared back. Okay, this was one pissed off newly turned half-breed. Jill opened her mouth to shout for help, but knew it was way too late for that. Turning, she took off, eyeing the hole in the floor and just hoped if she made a run and jump for it, she would hit the downstairs and land in the middle of a few Warriors. Hitting the end of the plywood, she jumped, aiming toward the opening, but she never made it. The half-breed caught her from behind, and instead of hitting the hole, they hit beams and insulation that couldn’t take their weight. All Jill could do was try to turn so she landed on the guy, but as she did, all she saw were razor sharp fangs heading for her neck.
Using her elbow, she thrust back and hit him in the face just as they hit the ground. The air whooshed out of her as colored spots danced in front of her eyes. They had landed on a table, which crumpled beneath their weight. Fighting with everything she had left, she lifted when she felt him move, but he grabbed her by the hair, jerking her head back.
Suddenly, the room was filled with cursing. “Let her go!” Slade’s voice boomed throughout the room. “Let her go or die,” he repeated, his tone more demanding, more lethal.
Jill didn’t have long hair, but she had enough that his hand was tangled tight and she felt no relief even with Slade’s warnings. She felt two strong jerks before the grip on her hair loosened. Rolling quickly, she crab crawled backwards. Slade had the man by the neck and tossed him to the side near Jared who was staring from her to the ceiling.
Slade walked to her, his scowl fierce. “Are you hurt?”
“No,” she lied, trying to be the tough chick. Something wet trickled down her forehead, heading toward her eye. Swiping it with her hand, she frowned when she saw blood on her fingers. Wiping it on her jeans, she stood, wobbled, spread her arms out to steady herself, and then smiled. “I’m fine.”
“What in the fuck do you think you were doing?” Slade shouted, causing her to step back surprised and in the process tripping over a broken beam.
When he reached out for her, she stopped him. “I was checking the attic out.” She frowned at him. “I’m fine. I’m good.”
“What in the hel
l happened?” Sloan stopped, looking up at the ceiling and then back to her.
Jill cringed at Sloan’s bellow. Her eyes looked behind him at Adam who looked at her with wide eyes. Beside him was the Mayor, who she had seen in the newspaper not an hour or so ago, with Alice glaring at her.
“What’s that cum dumpster doing here?” Jill sneered, and then looked Alice up and down with a snort.
“Why you little bitch.” Alice turned ugly in a flash, clawing her way toward Jill, but when Jill flicked her hand up, palm out as if she was going to plaster her to a wall or tumble her across the room again, Alice pushed her fiancé in front of her with a yelp.
“Yeah, you better back off,” Jill hissed, and then stepped back when Sloan got in her face.
“Focus!” Sloan glared down at Jill and spread his arms wide. “What in the fuck is this?”
“Follow me.” Jill stepped over the broken table, ceiling and a knocked out half-breed. Behind her was a line of Warriors. She noticed for the first time she’d landed in the room where Steve, the two women who had been turned, and Angelina stood. She stopped, ignoring Steve’s shocked expression. “Did you know him?” she asked the women, nodding toward the half-breed lying on the floor.
“No,” Angelina replied while the other two women shook their head. “I’ve never seen him before.”
“I’ll stay down here and watch him.” Adam nodded toward the man on the floor as Sloan passed.
Jill walked out of the room and actually felt Slade glaring at the back of her head. Before she could climb up the steps, Slade grabbed her arm, stopped her, and moved her to the side. “Stay here.”
“But…” She started to argue, but stopped when he actually growled at her. She crossed her arms glaring back and watched as each Warrior followed Slade up the steps to the attic, even the asshole Mayor went up.
Glancing out of the corner of her eye, Alice stood, looking her up and down. “What’s your problem?”
“Just wondering what it feels like to have tits and a dick?” Alice smirked, and then laughed at herself. “It’s sad really, watching you slobber over Slade when you know that man would never go for someone like you.”
Jill turned to look at Alice, but stopped and decided not to respond. She was already in enough trouble and was going to try to be the bigger person here.
“Slade is looking real good.” Alice smoothed her tight dress over her body. “I think I may have to see about making an appointment with him.”
“I don’t think he specializes in STDs. There’s a free clinic a few blocks away.” Yeah, so much for keeping her mouth shut. Jill turned and started climbing the steps; she decided that taking a chance of being bitched out, rather than killing a bitch would be much better for her in the long run. Curses and threats followed her all the way up.
Jill was just in time to see Jared jump from the last step to the plywood and rolled her eyes. Why in the hell didn’t she think of that? Sometimes, she forgot her own abilities, or at least until a half-crazed half-breed was chasing her. A smile cracked her lips as the Mayor scooted carefully along one beam, his arms outstretched trying to keep his balance. At least she had been smarter than him and used two beams to get across. With one leap, she landed just behind Jared, who turned quickly toward her ready to pounce.
“Dammit, Jill!” Jared pulled his punch. “You were told to stay downstairs.”
Jill glanced at Slade who was glaring at her again. “Yeah, but I found some things up here and forgot to tell you so I thought I’d better show you.” She walked over to the file cabinets, ignoring all the glaring. The files she had taken were scattered somewhere after she was tackled. “These three cabinets are filled with personal information on who has been sold as well as the buyers, but the buyers’ info is blacked out.” She handed out some files so they could see.
“What’s in that one?” Duncan asked, nodded at it, but still looking at the file in his hand.
Frowning, Jill pulled out files and opened one to see the smiling face of a very pretty woman. “These are potential targets.” She handed the file to Sloan. “These women have no idea they’re being watched.”
The silence was deafening. Even the Mayor was quiet and not saying a word, but staring in horror at the pictures pinned to the wall.
Glancing at Slade, he was staring at her without the glare, and if she wasn’t mistaken, there was a little respect in his gaze. “That’s not all.” Jill broke eye contact and headed toward the curtained off area. Opening it wider, she exposed the metal slab. “In that cabinet, which I didn’t touch, are vials that I believe were used in turning these people.”
“Son of a bitch.” Jared’s eyes left the cabinet to look at her. “Good job, rookie.”
“No big deal.” Jill felt weird now she was being praised; she didn’t like it. “Had a hunch and just followed up on it.” She did her best to keep Anne’s name out of it.
“Without back-up,” Slade added, but nodded as he passed her, heading toward the cabinets.
“Good work, Jill.” Sloan also passed her, but went in a different direction. “Damon and Duncan, help Slade secure this area. I want everything and I mean everything boxed up and sent to the compound and in my office. I’ll send Sid and Lana up to help.”
The Mayor remained still, looking at the pictures. “Have all of these people been turned?”
“It looks that way,” Jared replied, his eyes narrowing as he also glanced at the pictures.
“What in the hell are you going to do about this?” The Mayor demanded, turning to Sloan.
Purposefully ignoring the Mayor, Sloan jumped toward the ceiling door, landing perfectly on a beam, and then headed downstairs. Jared followed suit, and then turned to look at the large hole.
“You know you probably could have used your power to stop yourself from hitting the floor.” Jared looked up at Jill.
Jill shrugged, wondering if she could have actually done that. “I really wasn’t thinking clearly with a two-hundred pound man on my ass,” Jill replied, a grin forming on her lips when Jared chuckled at her. Once he disappeared, she jumped, passing the Mayor again as he tried to make his way to the door not paying any attention to them at all.
Sloan and Jared stood at the bottom talking, until she headed toward them. “Finish up with them,” Sloan ordered her as she passed. They all ignored Alice, who remained at the bottom of the steps; the expression on her face clearly indicated she was pissed and didn’t like being ignored.
“Where are they going to go?” Jill asked. “They can’t go home yet. Anne has a young son. It would be too dangerous until she is sure she’s under control with feeding.”
“We got room at the compound,” Jared supplied, raising his eyebrows at Sloan. “Other Warrior groups have taken the others.”
“Shit!” Sloan cursed running his hand through his hair. “Okay, but you guys are responsible.”
Everyone jumped out of the way as a loud noise sounded above them. Looking up, they watched as the Mayor’s shiny black dress shoe came through the floor. “Alice!” he yelled from above.
Jill laughed loudly along with Jared and even Sloan let out a deep laugh. They all walked away; no one saw Alice whose fangs had grown as she watched Jill follow the Warriors.
Chapter 13
Walking out on the porch, Adam glanced at his watch. It was almost midnight, and according to Slade, they were still starting their training in the morning. Even though he was half-vampire, his other half needed sleep. His feelings about Angelina were still mixed. He loved her; that he had no doubt, yet there was something keeping him from her. Guilt maybe that he had left her, just turned and walked away when she was in danger.
Slade came out on the porch and stopped next to him. “Good job tonight.”
“This should have happened when I first came here,” Adam replied, his eyes finding Angelina as she stood next to Jill and Anne, who was hugging her husband. Sid also stood close by, making sure things went smoothly before they ushered the w
omen to the compound to help with their transition. “I just walked away.”
“You said you read her.” Slade leaned against the porch railing, also looking out over the yard toward the scene below.
“Yeah, I did and I read her as happily married,” Adam shook his head in confusion. “I can always read people, even when they try to hide something from me.”
Slade sighed, rubbing his eyes. He then ran his hand through his hair. “You can’t always depend on your powers, Adam,” Slade warned. “Many things can affect the outcome.”
The expression on Adam’s face was tense with frustration. “But why didn’t she warn me, why not send me a message that she was in trouble instead of filling her head with being happily married to the fucking asshole?”
“That I can’t answer.” Slade pushed himself away from the railing. “But she can.” He nodded toward Angelina before disappearing back into the house.
Adam looked on as she stood back a little from Anne and her family, but close enough if Anne needed her. His Angel was a good woman with a good heart. Knowing he had to talk to her, he took a step in her direction, but Jared shoved a large box against his stomach.
“Stop standing around mooning over your woman.” Jared rolled his eyes. “We need to get this shit loaded and back to the compound, and I’ll be damned if I do it all by myself.”
Adam glared at Jared and took hold of the box before it hit the ground. Not knowing which vehicle to put it, he placed it in the backseat of his car. Just as he was heading back, he saw the Mayor limping toward Angelina, with Alice and five uniformed officers following.
“Take the women as well as the male breed downtown.” The Mayor ordered, his tux covered in white drywall dust and insulation.
Jill’s head snapped around. “They’re going with us.”
“Ah, shit.” Adam picked up his pace stopping next to Angelina.
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