by R. E. Carr
Mina stifled a small giggle. Gail looked carefully at Jonathan’s face. His normally bright-green eyes looked hazy and unfocused, and she could see red striations radiating under his collar. Mina stepped pointedly in front of him and stretched a hand towards Gail. “I am certain you have a great many questions, Gail, and it’s clear you have concerns, so why don’t we all sit down, have a drink, and discuss this like civilized people? I’m sure even the hotheaded and confused Mr. DeMarco can agree that this is in all our best interests.”
Gail inched back towards Steve and took his hand, prompting a few raised brows. She slid his glove off and smiled at him. “I think it’s in our best interests, if we just talk to them, because we really have no idea what is going on, right, Pumpkin?”
“Sure thing, Honey Bunny,” Steve said, giving her a squeeze. “Nice reversal.”
Lorcan’s eyes cleared for a moment, and his accent switched to guttural Texan as he murmured, “Hey, Pulp Fiction, I got that.” Mina paused and looked concerned for a second but returned to all smiles when the sheriff turned her way.
“You know, if only your brother wasn’t being held captive by Arthur, this would be quite the family reunion, Lorcan. Are you going to go by Lorcan after you do this whole personality thing or what? What do I even call you?” the sheriff asked, leading them towards the back of the Athena statue.
Steve leaned over and whispered, “Really, like she’s one to talk,” in Gail’s ear.
“Yeah, your parents both have like a thousand names each, but you stick to Steve . . . well, except when you go by Stefano, but it’s still pretty close.”
Mina leaned over to both Gail and Steve. “Give it a few centuries, and you’ll want to change it up. It’s totally a vampire thing.” She then looked over to Lorcan. “It is a valid question, darling. What do you want to go by, once we get you all straightened out?”
Before Lorcan could get a word in edgewise, the sheriff cleared her throat and ran her fingers along the etched base of the Athena statue. A click echoed in the antechamber before a secret door popped open. “I made sure this was put in when they did the statue in the nineties,” the sheriff explained. “Despite my best efforts, rumors keep persisting that there is a secret stair under Athena.”
“But there is . . .” Gail trailed off as the sheriff gave her a withering glare.
“I see where Lorcan gets his flair for dramatic secret lairs,” Mina said as they all peered into the hidden stairway behind Athena. In the close huddle, Steve managed to nudge against his mother, cringing and muttering apologies as he grabbed her arm.
“I won’t lie, this is pretty cool,” Gail said as she started her descent into whatever horrors the sheriff had waiting for them down below.
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to hearing all the plans to take over the world,” Steve said with an innocent smile.
“Oh, like I’m just going to tell you everything because you think you can play at being King Arthur? You are sorely mistaken, Steven James DeMarco.”
“Ouch, the middle name came out,” Gail muttered as they reached the base of the stairs. Automatic lights popped on revealing a security door with a keypad. Lorcan looked sheepish as he surveyed the surroundings.
“I see some similarities, yes,” he admitted reluctantly. “There really aren’t a lot of architects who do secret lairs, so I suppose they were bound to end up at least a little alike. I mean, it’s not as though we could just build a full-scale Batcave and go unnoticed. Although that would be rather amazing, the more I think about it.”
“Is it just me or—?” Gail started.
“Lorcan seems a little more Jonathan-like again,” Steve finished. “Yeah, I’m getting that feeling too.”
“Welcome to my secret lair,” the sheriff said with a wry smile. She swung open the heavy steel door to reveal a rather cozy-looking living room setup with overstuffed floral-patterned chairs, a gas fireplace, and a flat screen TV.
“I will admit, was not expecting doilies,” Steve said as he surveyed the console table set with a decanter and brandy glasses. “Nor curtains with tassels.”
“This looks just like my grandmother’s sitting room,” Gail added. “It even smells like it.”
The sheriff settled into one of the wingback chairs and pulled a tablet out of a little crocheted pouch on the side. Mina, Lorcan, Gail, and Steve all watched in confused silence as their host made herself comfy. She finally pointed to the other two chairs. “Figure something out,” she said with a sigh.
Mina settled into one of the other seats and patted the arm with a suggestive look towards Lorcan. Gail and Steve watched in awe as the other vampire dutifully sat next to her. However, as he sat down, the tail bound under him clearly caused him some discomfort, and everyone looked on in pained silence as he struggled to get settled. Finally, he growled and chose to stand next to his ex-wife. Meanwhile, Gail avoided a similar mess by sitting cross-legged on the carpet so that Steve could have a seat as well.
“I must say, this was not quite how I expected this evening to go, but since we’re all here, I might as well explain my dastardly plan. Isn’t that what you want, Steven? I can feel you trying to steer me in that general direction, and I applaud your audacity, son, but you’re not Arthur. You’re not there yet. Now, before the threats start and the accusations fly, let’s get this out of the way.” She reached into the crocheted bag again and pulled out a remote for the television. “Let’s show you your precious Paige, safe and sound.”
She flipped on the screen. “See?”
“Don’t fall,” Paige growled to herself as she swung her legs off the side of the bed. She snarled as she disconnected various tubes and took great pleasure in flinging her restraints against the arm rails. Her joints popped into place as she flicked out her claws. Her moment of badassery was only slightly tempered by her squeaking as her feet finally touched the cold floor. “Come on, Paige!”
She planted her feet and steadied herself. One foot at a time, she wobbled her way towards the cabinet. The world spun a few times, but Paige just kept walking. The door opened, so Paige snatched a nearby tray to brandish it in front of her body, Wonder Woman style.
“Kakago cher—”
Paige peered over the tray to see the stunned gaze of Dr. Antonova. The Russian doctor dropped the tablet she was holding. “You really shouldn’t be—”
“You don’t want me to get upset, do you?” Paige asked as she flicked out her claws. “Isn’t that the point of all your happy little drugs? To keep me from getting upset?”
Dr. Antonova raised her hands in the air. Her glance darted to the dark spot on the ceiling. Paige snarled and took a step forward.
“Is help on the way?” Paige growled. “Do you think they can get here before I rip your face off?”
“You need to stay calm. If you change—”
Paige took another steady step forward. Her claws remained out, but the hairs on her arms didn’t thicken, and her eyes remained completely human. Dr. Antonova gulped. She raised one hand higher and slowly reached for her tablet. “Please, I just think we should talk alone. P-Please, volchitsa.”
“How do I know you aren’t calling for more help?”
“You know as well as I that we are always watched. Please, one conversation. At least I don’t want sheriff to see me mewling for my life. Give me that.”
“You were saying, mother?” Lorcan asked as the screen in the lair went black. “Do you honestly think my wife is perfectly safe?”
Gail looked between Lorcan and the sheriff. She could hear Steve cracking his knuckles behind her. The sheriff rose to her feet. “I did have her safely tucked into a hospital bed. It’s not my fault that she’s paranoid and stubborn.”
“You kidnapped and drugged her. What did you expect?” Gail chimed in.
“I assume that you will now do everything in your power to ensure my wife and child’s safety or else you’ll be breaking a promise, won’t you?”
“I’ll make a call,”
the sheriff said flatly. “Everything will be fine.”
“You mean Paige isn’t here?” Steve asked.
“Not every vampire in this family is stupid enough to keep a slavering she-beast in their sanctum,” the sheriff snapped. “She’s in a medical facility where she belongs.”
“Then you will take me to her, and we will continue this discussion later. I can’t believe—”
“And I can’t believe that you would dismiss me for a minor incident. I have told you that I will handle the situation, and I expect you to treat me with respect, Moderātus.”
“That is no longer who I am, Mother, any more than you are still Morgana; so, let’s stop with all the games, settle the matter, and worry about respect when there isn’t potentially a rampaging werewolf to worry about.”
“Everything will be fine. I have a plan.”
“Famous last words,” both Gail and Steve replied in frightening unison.
15
“The way I figure it, you have two choices, doc, and one of them involves my claws,” Paige said, squaring her shoulders. “You wanted to talk alone—start talking.”
“Look, I really do just want to see healthy little werewolf babies. I want to continue my family’s work. My best chance was to work for Lung family, and I need blood. The sheriff made sure that only hers or her son’s blood would keep me alive. Anything else and I’d risk reaction . . .” Dr. Antonova sputtered. “Really, I had no . . . had no choice.”
“You do know who my husband is, right?” Paige deadpanned. “Or my Great-Grandpa? Either way, I’ve got you covered. Now, how are we gonna do this?”
The doctor pulled a set of keys from her belt. “Look, we are locked in. Guards will be here any moment, and you are in no shape—”
Paige cracked her knuckles. “I’m pregnant, not dead, and you’re still terrified of me. Like I said, you have a choice of how to play this.”
Dr. Antonova looked over her shoulder, then back at Paige. She handed her the keys and then stumbled back to the doorway. “There are two heavily-armed and highly-trained guards, volchitsa. Right outside this door, and if you change—”
“I’m taking a chance on you, doc,” Paige growled. “Don’t make us both regret it.”
Dr. Antonova opened the door and barreled into the hall, screaming like a little girl. In the ensuing confusion, Paige was easily able to sweep one guard and knock him into the other. She plowed her fist into a jaw with enough force to make a crack, then slammed the tray into the other guy’s face, knocking him out. Dr. Antonova paused to appreciate the damage. “You are stronger than I thought. Need bigger cages next time.”
“No . . . more . . . cages,” Paige snarled as she began lumbering for the stairwell.
“Are those guys dead?” Gail heard as she rushed to take the pulse of a frightfully still guard. A faint but steady beat revealed that the human thug had so far survived his injuries. Gail furrowed her brows as she took in the swelling and bruising on the temples. The other guy at least moaned and twitched as Gail approached. A massive lump distorted his cheek and a couple of teeth decorated the floor.
“Well, it’s obvious—Antonova is a traitor and has kidnapped Paige. I’ll be sure to kill her for you once we find her,” the sheriff said as she surveyed the scene.
“Did Dr. Antonova have a sledgehammer?” Gail asked as she checked on the guy with a broken jaw. “Because I don’t think even a vampire hits this hard.”
“Oh, like you are an expert of what vampires can and cannot do now, child,” the sheriff replied, even as she made sure to put a bit of distance between herself and the others. “Now, I understand how all of this looks, but you have to believe me when I say that I have your best interests at heart. Paige is hormonal, unhinged, and most likely doesn’t know what is best for herself.”
“You really need a new modus operandi. No one likes kidnapping and drugging,” Gail said, returning to the first guard to check his eye dilation. “This guy has a concussion and needs help.”
“How bad is it?” the sheriff asked with mild concern. “I am getting rather peckish.”
“He needs a hospital bed, not a straw! This is a clinic, right?” Gail watched incredulously as the sheriff licked her lips. Finally, Gail grunted and slid her arms under the large, unconscious man. Although she tottered and wobbled at first, she managed to steady herself and carry the guard into the exam room, setting him on an adjustable bed fitted with restraints. Her eyes widened as she saw a half-constructed cage arching over one of the beds, and a torn tangle of sheets, soaked in blood and other bodily fluids, cascading over the other. Once she was sure the guard was settled in and breathing steadily, she darted back for the other guy.
“You have a bed with a cage over it, and you wonder why she freaked out?” Gail asked. She also looked at the four other vampires. “Seriously, none of you are going to help?”
“You’re the nurse,” Steve offered weakly.
Gail picked up the other guard and lugged him over to the bed with the proto-cage. She waited as Steve pushed the frame away, then set him down and spoke in a low voice. “I’ll take care of these guys, see if you can get your mom or Mina to talk.”
“I don’t think my whammy voice works on them,” he hissed.
“Keep trying. Dr. Nakano said that the potency increases with repeated doses. Maybe it just takes a while.”
“Like either lady is gonna let me touch them. That is insane.”
“It’s always insane! Just try your best, and I’ll see if I can get any answers from these guys and this room. Ándale!”
“That was kinda Javier of you, Pumpkin.”
“Don’t have time for banter, Honey Bunny,” she replied, as she started rummaging through the room and looking for supplies. Steve made a tactical retreat and gave her a little salute at the door.
“I’ll do my best, el capitán.”
Gail found enough tools and drugs to at least make a dent in healing the poor guy with the broken jaw. She did her best to get him sedated and double-checked that he wouldn’t choke on anything as she checked her surroundings. The first stop was snagging some syringes and bottles of ketamine before loading them up as quickly as she could. She cocked her head as she saw old school bottles of chloroform and rags stashed in the back of the cabinet. She lifted a set of those as well before grabbing enough painkillers to knock the guards completely out.
“Why did you do this?” Gail asked the empty room. “Why risk pissing off Lorcan? It makes no sense.”
Gail looked at the restraints and the IV lines dangling from the other bed. She checked the saline, the blood, and the feed—nothing seemed sinister or out of the ordinary. Gail finally inspected the fridge and saw nothing more terrifying than pudding and protein shakes. After nudging the pudding aside, she saw a particularly plump blood bag. Her stomach growled. With a guilty look, Gail snagged the bag and nipped the corner with her fangs. The second it touched her lips, she sprayed it on the floor. “That’s not right.”
Gail went back to the IV and took a taste of the blood in that bag. Once more she spat it out. She grabbed the bag and rushed into the hall. After a few confused minutes of searching, she finally found the other vampires hunched around a desk, while the sheriff yelled something in Korean over the phone. Gail tossed the bag on the desk and pointed an accusatory finger towards the sheriff. “What sort of poison are you putting into Paige?” she demanded. “That blood is wrong.”
“Sister, what is the meaning of this?” Mina asked. “After everything I did to get you—”
Lorcan snarled. The sheriff only rolled her eyes. “Taste it, and you’ll see.”
Lorcan sank a fang into the corner of the bag and looked sharply at the sheriff. “How did you . . .?”
“Wait, what is it?” Gail asked.
“It’s Lorcan’s blood,” Lorcan said with a shocked look on his face. “And it’s fresh.”
“Excuse me, but, um, aren’t you Lorcan?” Steve asked. Gail nodded.
&
nbsp; “I saw you,” Gail said, pointing at the sheriff. “I saw you dump the bag into Jonathan, so unless I’m missing something, then isn’t he . . . you know . . .?”
Lorcan looked at Steve. “What happened to my old body, Steven? You didn’t just leave it on a table in Italy for my enemies to find, did you?”
“Of course not!” Steve protested. He shuffled a little. “We left it in a freezer.”
Lorcan blinked a few times. “You did what?”
“To be fair, there wasn’t a lot left, and what was left was disintegrating fast. Couple that with the fact that, oh, your dad was trying to kill us all—sorry, we didn’t really have time to clean up after ourselves. What’s the big deal, though? You’re in the new model.”
“How did you get this?” Lorcan asked.
“And why are you giving it to Paige?” Gail added. “Vampire blood—”
“All of you be quiet!” Mina said softly, but her voice echoed like a thundercrack in Gail’s ears. Steve reeled as well, and Lorcan grabbed his temples. “I got the blood for Paige. The sheriff asked me to help because she was worried that the baby wasn’t developing properly. I gave her my blood, but it didn’t seem to help. Now, because I still have agents within our brother’s organization, I was able to get something a little stronger. Merlin is keeping Lorcan’s old body in a lab in Boston and has been cloning cells and running experiments on the remains. After all, Lorcan managed to keep his body in near-perfect stasis for two thousand years, even though he was infected by the berserker virus. It’s valuable research for all our kind.”
“Why his?” Gail asked.
“Because it heals people and restores strength. Any vampire recovers quickly enough, but Lorcan not only healed quickly by our kind’s standards, he could also pass that gift on to others—well, to humans, at least. His blood tastes foul and disgusting to our kind, probably because of the infections he carried. That’s why he’s had two human wives, and we kept our traditional intimacy infrequent.”