It liked the chase. Although this wasn’t much of a chase.
The drunken idiot turned down a dark alley. Annie seized the chance and pounced. With flashing fluid movements, the gun fell to the ground and the man slumped right alongside it, knocked out.
Annie planted her hands on her hips. “Almost too easy.”
And yet the predator side of her rallied, wanting more. It so rarely got the chance to hunt.
“Down you,” she ordered her inner predator. It wasn’t like they were two separate people but that’s how Annie liked to think about it. Her rational side, and the bloodthirsty side she usually kept hidden. Until moments like this. Small acts that shocked her system, interrupting her typical routine lifestyle. Unfortunately, it came with side effects, like wanting to suck the passed out asshole who’d shot the young woman, dry. He deserved it, didn’t he? A little taste of his own medicine.
Annie backed away.
No. Not true. She didn’t know a thing about this man.
Yes, he’d shot someone. Hopefully didn’t kill them.
But it was not her job to be judge and jury. And this was the only choice that kept her from being the rational vampire, turned bloodthirsty killer. It wasn’t her job. Still, there was something satisfying about taking down the bastard. Even if she didn’t get a taste of him.
Bright lights came bursting into the alley.
“Over here,” Annie addressed the cops looking for the man.
“We got him!” one of them shouted. “In here.” They came filing in.
“He came in here and just fell and passed out,” Annie made claim. “Gun’s over there.” She pointed with her head and snuck away as they went to work arresting the man, who was moaning and coming awake again.
Riley stopped working and checked out the injured girl’s wound.
The blood loss was controlled. Her breathing easier. Even her friends crowded close, calmer.
In the same manner in which he was certain of how to save her, he was certain she’d be okay now. It made no sense. He had no ability to see into her future. And no ability to fix a gunshot wound, yet somehow, he had. He was looking right at the work his hands had done.
Hoofs plodded closer. Cop on a horse barreled around the corner dispersing the crowd. He jumped down and called out, “Ambulance is one minute away,” to Riley. “Back up everyone, give us some space here.” He got the crowd to make room and darted over to the injured young woman and her friends. He got down on his knees and looked over Riley’s work.
“Good job, Kid! You a trained EMT or something?”
Riley had no response other than, “Yeah, something like that.” He had no idea how the hell he’d known what to do. It had never happened before, not like this. His feeling led him places and typically his assistance was mundane and seemingly not needed for any lifesaving. But this was a whole other level of fixing things.
A bloodied hand reached out and grasped his shirt. He peered down; the young woman was trying to say something. He leaned in closer to make it easier for her.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I wasn’t ready to die. You saved my life.” At her words, the world stopped rotating. Everything in a sudden stasis. No sound, or movement. His thoughts still working, his mind’s eye lost in a blur of white, which transformed into what Riley could only describe as a vision. Of this woman, Madison’s, future.
After today, after being shot and almost dying, only to be saved by a total stranger, Madison went on to study medicine, determined to do the same for others. And she did, by creating a vaccine that saved thousands of lives.
The world and all its chaos came crashing back in.
Riley stared down at Madison, stunned. Both by the fact he’d just had a glimpse of her future, and that she was destined for such greatness. He’d never seen the results of any of his previous attempts at fixing something. Other than Melinda, when he’d saved her from drowning. Aunt May had claimed his gift was important, and even so, it was still hard to believe.
“You’re going to live a long life, Madison,” he told her. “A really great, long life.”
She barely heard him over all the noise, and in the attempt to stay conscious. She’d exhausted herself just trying to thank him. It didn’t matter. She’d live to see her future unravel as it should.
The ambulance arrived and Riley let them take over. The cop made him answer a few questions, which he did, before moving his attention to the injured girl’s friends.
Another tug at his shirt.
He sucked in, focusing on Annie trying to coax him away.
His feeling wasn’t keeping him here any longer, and in fact, it was now almost warning him to leave and get back to the safety of Sorcier. How bizarre? It had never warned him to leave before, either.
They booked it back to the entrance to Sorcier and charged through the magical barrier no one outside in the Quarter ever noticed, where Riley proceeded to enter Jean’s pub, plunk down, and stare into nothing.
Until a minute later when Annie plopped a shot of something in front of him.
He downed it, the sting of tequila bringing him back into reality.
Was his gift changing?
Was it being in this place?
How the hell had he known how to save that girl?
And holy shit, was that vision for real? Did she really go on to save so many lives? And in part, because a stranger saved her life and Madison decided she wanted to do the same. And he was that stranger who’d given her that path.
He wanted to believe it all true, and he thought he did. There was little reason to doubt, except for the fact it had never happened before, and it was utter nonsense.
But what else was it?
A delusion?
Him, wishing, his gift actually had an important purpose?
So now he was just making it up to feel important? Or… or… or… or…
“Can I have one more of those?” Riley choked out. Annie poured another, graciously not asking any questions as he downed shot number two.
Jean wasn’t so easily deterred. She took a seat opposite him.
“What happened out there?”
Annie grinned. “I think our boy just grew into a man.”
Riley smirked at her rather simplified explanation of the moment, but it wasn’t so far a stretch. Not really. Something had changed, something big. And it made him feel all kinds of emotions he had no measure for. Nothing to compare them to.
Jean gave him a kind smile and patted his arm, getting out of her chair.
“Give the boy another shot, something tells me he earned it.”
Annie went to pour went Riley came back to life and bounded out of his chair.
“Oh my God! What time is it? I gotta go.”
“Another feeling already?” questioned Annie. And didn’t that idea get her riled up in a way she didn’t like. Damn, she hated restlessness.
“No. I gotta go feed William. I’ve got just enough time to get back there.”
“Back to William, covered in all that blood?” Jean pointed out. Riley gazed down at himself. He’d been so out of his mind he’d forgotten about the blood, and the vampires he was currently keeping company with.
“I’ll race home, shower first.” Definitely the smart plan before facing the vampire currently struggling through a blood detox. He raced out, Jean and Annie sharing a knowing smile.
“Good kid. Though, I have a feeling Sorcier will be losing its favorite new tenant soon,” confessed Jean.
“Really?”
Jean noted the sadness hidden behind that one-word reply.
“Is William leaving so soon? After his detox?”
“I’m not certain about William.” On so many levels. “Riley belongs elsewhere though. I think that much is apparent.” Jean stalled. Annie caught her mother’s unusual pause.
“What?”
“Are you happy here?”
“Of course I am. What makes you ask?”
“You don’t stay b
ecause of me?”
“Oh, well, I suppose it’s an added benefit.” Annie grinned. “You know me better than anyone. I like it here. It’s predictable. Which is safe for our kind.”
“You’re restless,” Jean stated.
Annie squirmed. “Not that much. It’ll pass.”
Jean reached out and stroked her adopted daughter’s cheek. “It might. Sometimes, though, if you don’t scratch that itch, it gangs up on you.”
“Which can lead to vampiric disaster,” finished Annie. She’d heard the warning often over her many years as a vampire. “What’s this all about?”
“William wants you to return to The Demon Isle when he goes.”
“What? Really?”
Jean gauged her daughter’s reaction. It was as she expected, thrill mixed with apprehension.
“He’s always turned me down before. And I understood why he didn’t want me to.” The unpredictability of the place. It was not simple and routine, or safe, and had a way of sucking you in so you never left, he’d explained more than once. Traveling around the world to get rid of her restlessness had always been a safer option than visiting him on the Isle.
“It intrigues you,” said Jean.
“I suppose it does. A place I’ve only ever heard tales of. How long does he wish me to stay?”
Jean stalled. Again. “I think that’s up to you.” She’d not give away William’s secrets; they were his to share. Although she hoped he’d have the sense to warn his only created daughter as the shock of his loss might tip the scale she kept so even, for so long.
“Mother?” Annie ground out. “What’s going on? You’re not telling me everything.”
“I’m just sad to see you go.”
“I haven’t left yet. And I haven’t decided to go.”
Jean tossed her an incredulous grin.
“Okay, yes, I really want to go.”
“Then embrace that decision. I have faith in you. And although Sorcier will miss you,” meaning her mother most of all, “it will be a good experience for you. However long you stay. And if you don’t like it, if it proves too much excitement for you, your home awaits. Just promise you’ll do better at staying in touch than William.”
Annie laughed. “Not a hard record to beat. And I promise.”
Jean meandered into the kitchen to clean up some dishes. Annie wasn’t fooled, there was something else bothering her mother. Not just the idea of her daughter leaving for some extended period of time. But she’d share when ready.
Annie was satisfied living in Sorcier, this was her home. She was comfortable here. And when she got restless, she’d travel. See the world a little. Just enough excitement to shove the restlessness back down deep.
This new edginess was different. Not so easily satiated. She expected it was something to do with this nagging need to find a purpose. Other than just existing. It was such a human need. She supposed that came from living amongst humans, and as much like humans, as possible. And since she could not feed her inner predator, she had to feed the need to do something more, with her potential forever existence. Sorcier was safe. Kept the monster from surfacing. Not something to just write off, either.
But there was something else too. A deep curiosity… about Riley.
She’d kept it to herself, but when she’d returned from capturing the gunman and Riley was saving that young woman, she’d noticed something no one else had. An aura of sorts, surrounding him. Annie wasn’t sure of the meaning of it, but he was special, this Riley Deane.
She was surrounded by talented, gifted people. And sure, she did have the ability to tell when people were lying or not. A gift that had grown after she’d been turned into a vampire. It came in handy from time to time, but never once had it ever done something so incredible as what Riley did today. Mostly saved her from drawn out heartache or trouble when it came to romance or friendships.
Riley was a reminder that life went on outside the borders of Sorcier, too.
And although it was mostly peaceful here, outside, this was not always the case. There were battles, and evil, and general mayhem she wasn’t used to. Annie always thought of herself as comfortable in her own skin… of course, the problem might be she was a little too comfortable in her own skin. But isn’t that what she’d spent all these years striving for? The simple life, to keep the monster in check?
The ember of excitement over her possible journey to The Demon Isle was burning bright. So close to bursting into flame. It was the most thrilling and frightening sort of heat.
“You packed your bags yet?” Jean interrupted Annie, who hadn’t moved a muscle in minutes she was so deep in thought.
Annie rolled her eyes at the grin on Jean’s face.
“This place won’t be the same without you.” She only prayed if or when Annie returned, she would still be her Annie.
##
Riley charged into William’s house, raced to shower the blood off himself, threw on a tee-shirt and jeans, then scurried down the cellar stairs. There were voices. William and… oh, it was Aunt May. She must have come to visit with the vampire. That must mean he wasn’t too hungry or crazed yet. Riley had ten minutes to spare, so he hung back on the bottom step to avoid interrupting.
“It will have to be sooner than later, William,” Aunt May was saying. “I keep getting the same message. She awakens. The she, I have no idea who this is. But it’s clearly a warning of something about to happen, and it is on The Demon Isle.”
Riley froze, breath held. Back to this again. Some vague warning about some terrible power rising. But no one can say when. Or who, or how. Only where, and that where was The Demon Isle.
“I’m in this cell until my detox is over, Aunt May. And after this is finished, I have not decided when I shall return to the Isle. I will have to think on this.”
“If not you, William, the boy then.”
“He’s not a boy, Aunt May.”
“Compared to us, at our ages, he is,” she laughed lightly. “He must go back to The Demon Isle, William. I’ve seen what he becomes.” There was a hiss, and the seer stopped.
“So you keep telling me, but not the what he becomes.”
So much vagueness. Riley was over it, especially since they were clearly discussing him now. And what the hell did she mean?
“So testy, my old friend.”
“I’m hungry,” growled William.
“I’m sorry I cannot say more. Truly, I am. I see much, but not everything is meant to be shared. Not when it might alter his destination.”
Riley almost bounded around the corner to demand she share.
“You’ve never steered me wrong,” William grumbled. Aunt May nodded and bade him goodbye. Riley scurried up a few stairs and pounded down hard as if just arriving. He met the mysterious woman at the bottom.
“Oh. Hello.” He acted surprised to see her. Although he wasn’t the least bit confident in his acting since he was dying to force her to tell him what she wasn’t willing to share, and exactly where this mysterious destination was. Because it also seemed she wanted him and William to go back to The Demon Isle. No mystery there.
Aunt May smiled in a kind, but mischievous manner, looking him over.
“You’ve had quite the day, young man. Good.” She walked around him and up the stairs with a satisfied smirk on her face.
“Um. Bye.” He was so close to spinning the woman around and making her talk, but held his tongue and got to William’s cell.
“Pushing it a little close,” droned the fanged, starving, and super cranky, prisoner.
“I did make it. With a few minutes to spare. And believe me, you didn’t want to see me how I looked ten minutes ago.”
“Yes, thank you for showering first. I smelled the blood the moment you walked into the house.”
Riley’s face pinched inward. Crazy ass sense of smell, vampires had.
“And let’s not pretend you didn’t overhear Aunt May,” William continued.
“Okay, since we’r
e going there, do you understand what she meant by all that?” He wanted to add, why didn’t you force her to tell you?
“She’s worried about a new power rising on the Isle. Her messages are the same and becoming more frequent and urgent.”
“She awakens… yeah, she told me the same thing during my fake/not so fake reading after I first got here. Does it really mean something bad is about to happen on the Isle?”
“There’s always something bad about to happen on the Isle,” the vampire growled miserably. “Now feed me so I can think straight.”
“Okee dokee, Mr. Grumpy.”
William growled out a long breath of obscenities, only further proving his grumpy status.
Riley opened the rectangular shaped food delivery door on the cell. Or in this case, blood. William took it and drank it, mustering all the willpower he could, to not eat the entire package just in case he missed a drop.
Riley discarded the empty blood bag a few minutes later.
“Better?” He bit back the grin taunting his lips.
William rolled his eyes. And paced his cell. Ignoring the humored expression on the young man’s face.
“Is this new evil, she-devil, whatever the hell it is, more dangerous than what the Howard’s have faced before?” Riley questioned the vampire.
He stopped pacing, exhaling, his body visibly deflating. “Possibly.” He deflated a little more. “Very possibly.”
“Is there anything that can stop it?”
“Without knowing more, no. The Isle will always attract beings from the supernatural world, and therefore, trouble. As long as there is a magical power source, there will be evil attempting to steal it, or draw off its power.”
“So if it can’t be stopped, what’s the point of even having some kind of warning? Why’s Aunt May even bothering to tell us at all?”
“Because she believes our services will be needed in whatever crisis is coming.”
“Oh. That whole going back to the Isle thing…”
“Yes. That. Aunt May’s persistence is…”
“Driving you crazy?” guessed Riley.
Dead Witch Walking (Demon Isle Witches Uncut): Hi-Ho Black Magic-O, A Cursing We Will Go (A Wicked Good Witches Paranormal Romance Book 10) Page 6