by R. E. Butler
“The others are dead. We left them at the side of the road.”
She wasn’t sure if she believed him. Vampires were very hard to kill, but she decided to go along with whatever he said.
“Why am I here? Why spare me?”
“Because you’re more valuable to us alive,” one of the other men said.
“That’s right. We’ve got plans for you.” Sean snapped his fingers, and two of the men rushed her, lifting her to her feet. She stifled a cry at the pain in her ankle as they dragged her from the room. They hauled her down a hallway, passing several closed doors. Then they turned into what appeared to be a small auditorium. She looked around as they dragged her down the center aisle between rows of chairs, and she realized they were in a school. There were posters on the walls urging students to be kind to others and proclaiming various plays and shows. There was a stage with a red velvet curtain, an old piano on the floor near it, and a set of stairs on either side. Judging by how dirty the place was, she didn’t think the school was in use, which was not good news for her.
A single wooden chair sat in the center of the stage. She was dropped onto it, and then her wrists were bound behind the back of the chair with rope, and her ankles were each bound to a leg. She couldn’t stop the pain-filled scream as they tightly wrapped her injured ankle with a rough rope, and she was sure she heard them chuckling.
“Now,” Sean said, coming to stand in front of her. “First, let me dash all hope. No one knows where you are. No one is coming to rescue you. This is where you’ll meet your end, but not for a while.”
One of the men grabbed a hunk of her hair and pulled back sharply. She gasped and winced. “That ankle is just the beginning, bitch.”
“What did I ever do to any of you?” she asked, tears stinging her eyes as he released his grip on her hair.
Sean grabbed the center of her shirt and pulled her away from the chair, her bonds cutting into her skin as he held her tightly. “What did you do? You’re a disgrace to the human race! A traitor! We could abide you working for the bloodsuckers, but living with one? Fucking one? It’s an insult to everything humans stand for.”
He let go of her shirt, and she sank back onto the chair, grateful for the reprieve on her wrists and ankles. Her mind spun as she realized what he’d revealed. Not only did they know she worked at the restaurant, but somehow, they also knew she was living in the apartment complex.
And they also thought she was human, which she could use to her advantage.
“Why do you care? I’m not hurting anyone,” she said. She looked around, counting the people with Sean. Including him, there were eight males. Some were young, but most appeared middle-aged, with beer bellies and angry scowls.
“Aren’t you? You’re encouraging them to stay in Ohio,” one of the males said. “We’re trying to save the human race, and you’re cavorting like a whore.”
“Hey! I’m not a whore!”
One of the males slapped her. Her teeth cut her cheek, and she tasted blood. Spitting it out so she didn’t swallow it and make herself sick, she said, “You and your church attack the vampires for doing nothing more than existing. You’re the ones killing your own kind to try to send a message. But the vampires aren’t leaving. They’ll be around long after you’re all dead.”
“Not if we have anything to say about it,” Sean said. “And you’re going to help us get that message to the world.”
“What message would that be?”
“Any human who willfully, knowingly works for, fucks, feeds, or in any other way interacts with bloodsuckers will be considered an enemy of the church and the human race.”
“And they’ll die for it,” another male said. He was smiling in a dark way, his eyes filled with glee.
Fucking crazy people.
Her eyes caught an object at the side of the stage that she’d missed—a phone on a tripod. She knew then what they were going to do—kill her on video, probably live stream it on social media.
Well, that wasn’t going to happen. She wouldn’t allow herself to be used as some kind of sick warning to others to stay away from vampires.
Her cat was anxious, pacing in her mind. She wanted to be with Merrix to ensure he was safe from harm, and she needed to protect her unborn child. She wasn’t going to let some misguided, crazy humans take her from this life because not only would she die, but Merrix and her baby would as well, and that was not something she would allow.
Cyrus’s words came back to her. She had access to Merrix’s military training because of their beloved bond. She only had to tap into those memories. That, coupled with her cat, would be enough to get her ass out of danger and put down the church's Cleveland branch for good.
It had to happen. There was no other way.
Chapter Nineteen
Merrix came to abruptly and staggered. Cyrus kept him from falling over while he got his legs back.
“What the hell was that?” Merrix asked.
“I needed to see Aeryn. It helps with the tracking,” Cassara said.
“You don’t have a less painful way to do that?” Merrix asked. “It felt like you were pulling my brain out through my ears.”
“Well, yeah, but it takes longer. You want me to find her, right? Especially considering your people’s enemies have her.”
“Yes! Of course.” Merrix rubbed at the ache at his temples. “I’m sorry for snapping.”
“It hurts like a bitch, don’t worry about it.” Cassara smiled apologetically. “Now, let’s get over to the access road.”
Their group hustled through the trees and down to the paved road that ran alongside the highway. Cassara moved from them and padded down the center of the road.
“What’s she doing?” Merrix asked.
“She’s sending out her power. Watch her hands,” Atlas said.
Merrix focused on her as she walked, moving between the vehicles’ lights and shadows on the road. He saw nothing at first, and then he noticed her hands were glowing an odd purple color. It started as wisps around her fingers and then moved away from her like vines. Her power spread out, fanning across the road. It moved like it had a mind of its own, running over the pavement and up the embankment, weaving around the trees. Cassara turned suddenly and Merrix’s brows rose.
Her eyes were purple, and the magical vines seemed to be all over her skin.
“I know where they took her.”
Merrix’s heart leaped into his throat. “You do? Where?”
“It’s not too far, but we’re short on time. They have very, very evil intentions.”
She made a swooping motion with both hands, and the purple vines flowed backward into her hands. “Atlas, we fly!”
“On it,” the male said.
Merrix watched as the white-haired male stripped and shifted into a huge Pegasus. He’d never seen one in real life and didn’t know one was in Ohio.
Cassara grabbed a handful of his white mane and hauled herself up. “Follow me. There’s no time to waste!”
Merrix and the others rushed to the road to get into their vehicles as Cassara took to the sky on Atlas’s back.
“We’re going with you,” Elizabeth said. “You guys need all the help you can get.”
“Thank you,” Merrix said. He pulled shut the passenger door of the SUV Cyrus was driving.
“Mishka’s sending a crew to clean up the mess,” Cyrus said as he shifted into gear and pressed on the gas. Ahead of them, the Pegasus was flying, his white body and wings making him visible in the night sky.
“Good. We just need to hurry.”
“She’s alive. That’s what matters.”
“I know, I just...I should’ve been with her.”
“Hey, they took out four SUVs of vampires. Clearly, they knew how to attack us, and even though our people are careful that they aren’t followed, the bastards somehow discovered where they were. It’s better that you’re here now so you can get her back safely than if you’d been taken out of commission during the attack.”
Merrix didn’t agree entirely, but he knew Cyrus wasn’t wrong. The attack had taken out males far more advanced in fighting and warfare than him.
But all he cared about was getting Aeryn home safe. Nothing else mattered.
* * *
Aeryn listened as the males talked about the video they were going to make as she called her cat forth to make her claws come out. Forcing just her claws—when her cat wanted to shift fully and go on a killing spree—was challenging and sweat broke out on her upper lip with the effort. She knew she couldn’t shift while her arms were tied. It could hinder her shift until she freed herself, and then she’d give the humans an opportunity to cause her harm.
“Hey, Jason,” Sean said.
Aeryn glanced up and saw Sean with his phone in front of his face, smiling broadly.
“We got her!”
“Are you sure it’s the new one?” Jason’s voice came over the phone’s speaker.
“Yep. When the wizard called us, we had people watching the apartment complex anyway, so they tagged the SUVs when they left. They drive the hell all over when they’re trying to lose a tail.”
“That’s why we don’t follow them like that anymore,” Jason said. “The bloodsuckers don’t think we’re very creative.”
“Nope.”
“Where did the SUVs go?”
“Back to the club’s garage. We waited for them to leave again, but they didn’t. It’s too bad we didn’t know where they came from.”
“How do you know she’s the new mate?” Jason insisted.
“Because we have the list of bloodsuckers living in the complex, and we watched it for a few days, and she was the only one who wasn’t on our list that’s not a vampire.”
“What do you mean that’s not a vampire?”
“We think someone moved out of one of the apartments recently, and a new vampire is living at the complex.” Sean shrugged.
“Probably that bitch who got her sister and brother-in-law killed moved out,” Jason said, voice filled with disgust. “It’s such a shame when humans turn against their own. But we’ll teach this human a lesson, and we’ll make sure others know just how dangerous it is to associate with the bloodsuckers.”
Aeryn didn’t know who they were talking about, and she made a point to take mental notes of all the idiots were saying while her claws worked at the ropes. As Jason and Sean discussed her death—which was just about the most surreal and frightening thing she’d ever witnessed—she worked her sharp claws in between the rope’s fibers and shredded them. All the while, she kept her eyes and ears open to watch the other males as they moved around to get ready for what they were now referring to as “the big show.”
The rope loosened entirely as she cut through the final strands, and she gripped it with both hands to ensure it didn’t fall and reveal what she’d done. She let her cat start to grow within her as a plan formed in her mind. It was easy to tap into Merrix’s memories. The process reminded her a bit of flipping through a photo album, but instead of pictures, it was memories she sifted through. She found his military training and let the knowledge fill her. Before she shifted, she had to take out those closest to her because they had guns, and her shift wasn’t instant.
“We’re ready to go whenever you are, Sean,” the male behind the phone on the tripod said as he moved the camera over to where she sat. He faced her, adjusting the phone and tripod to get whatever angle he was going for. The man was about ten feet from her.
“You ready, Jason?” Sean asked.
“I’ve been ready for years. Mom, Dad, and Olivia would be proud of you, Sean. Thank you. I couldn’t do this without you.”
“We’ll keep going until every last vampire is dead,” Sean said, speaking with conviction. He handed his phone to one of the other men and told him to hold it up so Jason could watch live. Then he said, “Let’s do this.”
Sean pulled a ski mask over his head. She thought it was ironic that he was willing to kill her and broadcast it live but wasn’t willing to show his face.
“You’re live in three... two... one,” the male behind the recording phone said.
“Good human people of the city of Cleveland, and those around the glorious state of Ohio, and this great country of ours...we come to you live tonight to show you what happens when a human crosses the line and goes against her own kind. The First Church of Humanity will no longer tolerate the humans who turn their backs on other humans and fornicate with the scourge known as the bloodsuckers.”
Aeryn rolled her eyes. She’d never been called a fornicator before.
What a fucking asshole.
While everyone was enthralled with Sean’s ridiculous speech, Aeryn took that moment to make her move.
Her cat filled her, strength and speed coming to her defense as she swung her clawed hands outward and lunged toward Sean. She sliced across the backs of his legs, blood spilling as she landed on her knees, the chair still attached at her ankles. Sean fell to the stage, screaming in agony. Aeryn swiped her claws on the ropes binding her legs and freed herself, dodging to the side as one of the males took aim at her with his gun. A bullet hit the stage next to her, and she sprang into action, shifting to her cat as fast as she ever had in her life. Her clothes shredded around her as she landed on four paws and growled.
The humans scattered as she took down the one who had fired at her. She landed on his chest, pressing her weight into him until his ribs cracked. He beat at her head with his fists, and she swung her paw down, knocking his head sideways and breaking his neck.
Turning with a vicious roar, she chased the males, counting them down as she took them out one by one.
Until there was only one left.
Sean.
The male was whimpering on the stage as he crawled toward a gun. She stalked toward him, making her way up the stairs.
“She’s a tiger! A tiger! Jason, help me!” Sean screamed.
He grabbed the gun and swung it around wildly, shooting in her direction. A bullet hit her shoulder, and she let out a snarl but didn’t let the pain stop her. She moved forward, ignoring that the gun was pointed right at her, and leaped. She landed on him and wasted no time in putting him out of his misery. Breaking his neck, as she’d done with the others, she snuffed out his life and ensured he wouldn’t ever hurt anyone else again.
She lifted her head and let out a triumphant roar.
“Sean! Sean?”
She looked around and found Sean’s phone. Leaving the dead male, she walked to it and snuffled the screen, her eyes crossing slightly as she stared at the small rectangle.
“You! Where’s my brother? Sean!”
She put her paw on the phone and pressed down until it shattered and the annoying voice stopped.
Sitting on her haunches, she looked around and decided she’d done a very good thing. She’d successfully protected herself, her baby, and her mate.
She was kickass.
A hardcore don’t-mess-with-me bitch who would kill to keep her family safe.
She wanted to shift and find a way to contact Merrix, but she wouldn’t be able to for a while, so she decided to explore until her cat was ready to return to her subconscious and she could get back to being human again. Before she left the auditorium, she checked that all eight males were dead, and then she leaned on the doors leading out into the hall until they opened and padded away from the death and destruction.
Chapter Twenty
“I talked to Gavin,” Cyrus said. “Told him what’s going on so he could let his parents know.”
“Thanks,” Merrix said. “That’ll definitely make them hate me.”
“We don’t know why they took her. It could’ve easily have been from them deciding to target people working at the restaurant.”
Vex snarled. “This is the problem. We’re always a step behind them. Just when we figure out what they’re doing, they change tactics. It’s maddening.”
Merrix wanted to hunt Jason down himself and
rip him apart. If only the coward weren’t hiding somewhere. No one knew if he was even in the States anymore. The bastard sure liked to let others do his dirty work for him.
He scrubbed a hand through his hair, frustrated that he didn’t know what was going on with his mate. He could feel her, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t being harmed.
“They’re turning. Hold on,” Cyrus said.
Merrix leaned over and looked out the window, watching as Atlas and Cassara hung a right in the sky and slowly circled downward. Cyrus turned down a side road and followed the gradual descent of the two.
“What are we looking at?” Merrix asked. The GPS screen showed a big building, but there were no identifying markers.
“Masuro Performing Arts School,” Cyrus read out loud as they passed a sign. The barrier blocking the parking lot of the single-story school was broken. There were no vehicles visible and no lights on.
“It looks abandoned,” Vex said.
Atlas landed on the sidewalk, and Cassara climbed off. When their vehicle was stopped, Merrix was the first one out, hurrying to where Atlas was changing into the clothes Cassara had brought for him.
“She’s in here?”
“Yep,” Cassara said.
“Let’s go!”
“Wait, hold on,” Rage said, stepping in front of him. “We need to be smart about this. These assholes are dangerous. They could have the doors rigged with explosives, or they could be waiting for us to run in there before they kill your beloved.”
Merrix gnashed his teeth together. It went against everything within him to just wait now that they were here.
Cassara chuckled. “I don’t think we need to wait, guys.”
Merrix looked at her in confusion. She pointed to the school's glass front doors, where a huge orange tiger was staring at them. She was on her hind legs, and her front paws were pressed to the glass.
“Baby!” Merrix raced forward, ignoring the shouts of those who told him to wait. The doors were chained shut. He tugged experimentally, but the thick chains didn’t budge. “Hold on, kitten!”