Day Dreamer (Undeadly Secrets Book 2)

by Aaron L Speer

  Alicia, overhearing from the open doorway, bristled. This misogyny was not typical of Wilson.

  “And what is that exactly?” Nicholas sounded offended, which gave Alicia a tinge of pride.

  Wilson drained his glass and slammed it down on the table. “To stick their pretty little arses up in the air and give the world sons.”

  Peeking through the open door, Alicia saw Nicholas set his shoulders, jaw hard.

  “And what exactly offends you about that, my dear boy? Have you forgotten you are a man and this is what we do? We conquer and possess. We purge and fuck.”

  “So you’re saying you think of mum as nothing but a toy?”

  Wilson faltered momentarily, alcohol preventing him from associating his wife, a woman he loved, with every other female he had generalised.

  “Your mother’s…different.”

  Nicholas had begun to walk toward his father and Alicia was prepared to interrupt the situation. What Nicholas would’ve said, what he would’ve done, was anyone’s guess. But before her hand had reached the doorknob, Damien Creed—by his Alpha’s side, as ever—stepped forward and placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder.

  “Easy, son.”

  Nicholas looked at his father’s face, tired and red from drinking, and shook his head. “And you wonder why I don’t jump at the chance to be like you.” He turned on his heel and headed straight for the door. Alicia ducked quickly into another room.

  “I will make sure the young man is all right,” Creed said, leaving without giving Wilson a chance to stop him.

  *

  Creed caught up to Nick. “You should try and be more tolerant of your father.”

  “He has plenty of people being tolerant and not enough telling him what an arsehole he can be.”

  “Master Slade, I am serious!” Creed whispered harshly, stopping Nick. “Your father is desperate for you to claim your birth right because he is losing his support and the factions under his rule are headed for civil war. All of it hinders on the right of succession, and who he chooses.”

  “So tell him to just choose then! I could understand all this pressure if I was one of you, but I’m not. I’m so sick and tired of feeling like I am constantly pissing him off when there’s nothing I can do to change it.”

  Creed considered this. “You really have no abilities? You’re not just pretending?”

  “No, Creed. I am seventeen and haven’t had so much as a supernatural hair out of place. I’m sorry if that means I am less of a man in everyone’s eyes, but that’s the way it is.”

  Creed nodded. “Forgive me. I for one am only disappointed because you would have made a wonderful Alpha. Your temperament and maturity for your age are exceptional. Regardless, know that I am proud of the man you are becoming.”

  Creed offered a hand that Nick shook, and then continued toward his room. Creed did not follow.

  *

  Alicia opened the door of the room she had ducked into. She wanted to catch up with Creed before he got back to Wilson’s study. Suddenly, the window beside her shattered, and bits of flaming glass flew in all directions. Alicia gasped in alarm. The shards struck wood and leather, and smoke began to penetrate the room.

  In the corridor, she could hear sirens, curses and shouts. From outside came the Crack! Crack! of rifle rounds followed by screams of pain.

  The estate was under attack.

  *

  Wilson heard them approach for about two or so minutes, but paid no attention, thinking it was all a drunken nightmare. Intruders and traitors! They were also cowards, attacking without the full moon where the Alpha is strongest of all. Then he heard a crash close by and jerked his head up, listening more intently. He recognised several of the shouting and cursing voices; one of them was Tobias Lee.

  “The little shit.” Wilson would make sure he had his head before morning. He opened his weapons cabinet. The door to his chamber opened and Wilson smiled without even looking, keeping his eyes on the various blades and rifles. Creed loved battle just as much as he did. They would have to choose some appropriately frightening weapons in order to scare Tobias and the others back into submission.

  “Yes, Damien?” Wilson asked casually, slurring his words slightly.

  “We have guests,” Creed replied, hurrying quickly toward the cabinet.

  “So I see. Well we knew this was coming didn’t we? Still nothing like a good—” Wilson jerked with what felt like a hard punch to his spine. He slowly looked down to see the blade of a machete poking out of his chest.

  “I agree,” Creed hissed. “Why do you think I let them in?”

  As Wilson fell to his knees, he gazed up at his friend. Words of hatred and shock were not enough, even as the life and strength to speak them poured out of Wilson. “Do not look at me like that. You think I have betrayed you. You betrayed me, and all of us, for years. I am taking what is rightfully mine. I have cleaned up your messes, kept your secrets. Should you have done your job and produced a worthy heir…but nothing from your balls resembles anything like a wolf. Yet you still would never think to announce me as the Alpha?” Creed leant back and removed his head with two swings.

  Chapter 6

  It’s No Sacrifice If You Love Them

  Alicia sped along the corridor, heart pounding, running past men going the opposite way—into the battle. “Defend the perimeter! Snipers to the windows and distribute the silver rounds! Time your shots and aim for the head only!” she cried.

  Alicia stopped, closed her eyes and concentrated. Her sensitive ears picked up something beyond the fight outside—a slow but increasing swell of sound.

  Thudding footsteps, bullets hitting flesh and pavement, barked instructions and exclamations from Wilson’s men in the distance.

  “They’re everywhere!”

  ”I got one! Only a hundred more!”

  “They’re not stopping!”

  Rushing to a window, Alicia saw the silhouettes of hundreds pouring over the perimeter wall and into the courtyard of the estate. Even with no moon, their wolf abilities propelled them along at impossible speeds. The two sides—those loyal to Wilson, and those not—clashed in a flood of screams and howls.

  She hoped that Wilson had a plan, or Creed. She shook her head and started moving again, dodging the last of the men charging past, before barging into Wilson’s chamber.

  “Wilson, what—” She stopped abruptly. He was lying on the floor. The iron smell of blood and bone drifted into her nostrils. Alicia covered her mouth with both hands and turned around. She scrunched her face and pressed her palms into her mouth, willing herself not to gag or scream.

  She took a breath and tamped down the sudden shock. She needed to determine what was going on here. The metallic smell had permeated the room to such a degree that Wilson must have been killed at least several minutes ago. That made it too early to be an intruder. Her instincts were right. They had been betrayed.

  Clenching her jaw and balling her fists, she walked with quivering legs back towards the weapons cabinet, sniffling back tears, determined not to look down. She located an M16 rifle and extra magazines. When loaded, she slammed the cabinet closed.

  Don’t look down.

  But her heart would not listen, and her face lowered to view what remained of her husband.

  Her Wilson. He had not been what people would call a good man, but neither was he bad. He was…complicated. He’d been a friend, a fierce opponent, and a trusted confidante, and she had loved him. From the moment she looked into his eyes until now. Seeing them forever closed, when she still had so much to say, so much to regret. The pain ignited anger. She reached down and closed his eyes, saying goodbye with words she knew would bring him comfort, wherever he was.

  “I’m going to carve your name into whoever did this to you.”

  “Mum?”

  Alicia snapped her head around and ran to embrace Nick and keep him from seeing his father in this way.

  “What the hell’s going on?” Nick pa
nted. “What happ—”

  “We need to get out of here. Come on.” She shoved Nick out into the hallway, slung the rifle over her shoulder and closed the door behind her. The two of them tore through the long hallways, Wilson’s men turning their necks to watch them fly past.

  “My lady…!”

  “Alicia! What do we…!”

  She ignored them all. The battle raging outside did not matter to her now. She could trust no one but the love of her life running next to her.

  “They’re inside!” a voice echoed.

  *

  Nicholas felt himself slammed against the corridor wall. He was about to protest, when a man, bounding along on all fours rounded the corner, heading straight for them. At least he appeared to be a man. Except his movements were much too fast for a human.

  Alicia stood her ground and unleashed a furious spray of bullets that tore into the man’s body. He straightened involuntarily and his pace came to a grinding halt, yet Alicia was relentless. More and more bullets pumped into him, blood flowing freely from his various wounds as he fell lifeless to the floor.

  Breathless, Alicia said, “Remember, the only thing that can stop a werewolf is what?”

  “Silver bullet,” Nick replied without thinking.

  “And why is that? Why not simply a knife or sword made of silver?”

  “Because the silver must be heated. A blade would only work if you managed to remove the head.”

  “Very good,” she replied, reaching into the back of her jeans, “Here is your prize.”

  Nick caught the pistol his mother threw at him one handed.

  “Ever used one?” Alicia asked.

  “We did shooting ranges,” he replied, staring at the weapon. “They taught us the basics in school.”

  “Hope they taught you never to hesitate.”

  Alicia shouldered the rifle and marched forward. Nick, his mind a whirlwind of emotion, took a deep breath and followed. The woman that sung him nursery rhymes as a baby, that tenderly kissed his face no matter what age he was, had just brutally murdered a man in front of him. A man that would’ve ripped both of them to shreds given the chance. Nick moved past the splattering of blood on the walls and up to the dead man’s torso.

  At first, he thought he tripped, but as he went down on one knee, he felt a tugging on his leg. Digging into Nick’s ankle with his fingers, the man opened his mouth. Two sets of fangs on the top and bottom of his jaw extended, inches away when the bullet fired from Nick’s pistol pierced his skull, leaving a gaping hole at both ends.

  Nick wrenched his ankle free and rose to his feet.

  “Nice work,” Alicia said.

  “I thought he was dead.”

  “These,” she replied, holding up the rifle, “Are not silver. Yours are.”

  Nick took one last look at the now-dead man. Eyes closed, fangs gone, a soft sizzling sound coming from his wound.

  Mother and son continued. Bodies fell around them. Plaster and cement exploded on all sides, but they did not halt, sticking to the shadows and out of enemy sight. Nick did not need to ask where they were going. As they passed the long line of windows leading to the garage, Nick could see their target: the helipad. The Sikorsky, their best chance of freedom, looked untouched so far.

  Alicia was careful not to fire at anything now, trying not to draw attention to them. When they finally reached the garage that housed Wilson’s collectable cars, Alicia did not take long before spotting the one she wanted.

  “Here!” she exclaimed, leading Nick to an armoured truck. She hopped in the driver’s seat, finding the keys under the chair. “Someone is bound to spot us, so this is our best chance.”

  The engine roared to life and Alicia floored the accelerator, bursting through the garage door and speeding for the helipad. Within seconds, they heard the outside body of the vehicle pummelled with bullets; so many it could’ve been mistaken for a drum roll.

  “Don’t worry!” Alicia screamed over the noise. “I’ll stop the truck right in front of the Sikorsky and block the gun fire from the chopper. Just jump in when I say!”

  Nick nodded, gripping the door hard. The truck reached the plane and turned it broadside toward the estate and the shooters aiming for them.

  “Go!” Alicia screamed.

  Nick vaulted himself out and swiftly leapt into the cockpit.

  “Nick!”

  Alicia was on the ground, grasping for her dropped rifle, an arm wrapped around her throat. The attacker must have been on top of the truck. Nick jumped out and aimed his pistol when he felt a stinging blow to the back of his head. He fell and rolled several feet from the impact, his pistol flung away. Getting to his feet again despite the throbbing pain, he rushed to his mother to stop the man choking her. The one that had struck him belted him again and knocked him back hard.

  “Pitiful weakling.” His attacker turned his attention to Alicia and crossed his arms. “Snap her neck.”

  Two quick shots rang out. Both attackers fell down dead. Nick turned to find Sam the pilot leaning out of the Sikorsky’s window with Nick’s pistol in his hands and a dozen men far behind him pouring out from the estate on all fours, closing in fast. “Get in!” he yelled to Nick, sprinting to the driver’s side. Alicia coughed, trying to get her breath back.

  “Mum, come on!” Nick said, helping her to her feet as the plane powered up.

  “The chopper only seats two.”

  “What?”

  With no time to spare, Alicia pulled out the letter from her pocket and thrust it into Nick’s hands. “I’m sorry it had to be this way. Sam will take you as far as he can. There is a bank card in the envelope linked to an account no one knows about. Use it to get to Australia! You’ll be safe there.”

  “Australia?”

  Alicia took cover from behind the van and unloaded the rest of her magazine at the oncoming horde, felling several but not slowing the rest.

  “Be your own person. Know I love you.”

  “Mum…I—”

  “Go!” Alicia screamed. Nick turned and did the hardest thing he’d ever had to do. He ran, diving into the passenger side of the rising helicopter, the sight of his mother reloading getting smaller and smaller. He looked up towards the house to see more and more men pouring out through the doors, heading straight for her.

  “Sam, we have to help her!”

  “We can’t go back there. It’s suicide. Her orders to get you safe are my priority.”

  Nick grabbed Sam by the front of his jacket. “She’s my priority!”

  *

  Alicia tried to time her shots when they were in range, but she knew it was hopeless as she fired at the windows of the estate as well. All she could do was draw their fire away from the plane, still rising higher and higher.

  She chanced a look at the oncoming enemy and emptied another clip; the ones behind the fallen just ran over the top of them to get to her. The ones she had shot originally were beginning to rise. She did not even have enough time to reload her last magazine when she heard several of them jump over the van’s roof. They picked her up roughly, shoving her against the wall of the van.

  “I bet you taste good,” one said, licking his lips as the rest of them came into her view.

  One beside him screamed and ran for cover, followed by the others as they scrambled. Alicia shoved the first away and leapt into the armoured truck, slamming the door.

  The Sikorsky had returned, tail up, side propellers inches off the ground as it rocketed into the group of fleeing men, cutting their bodies to pieces and sending them sailing across the grounds. After a final sweep, the Sikorsky rose again and headed away from the estate, disappearing quickly.

  Alicia opened the truck door and stepped into nothing but remains of the attacking werewolves, scattered around her for yards. She looked up into the sky, at the speck in the distance that carried her son.

  “Goodbye,” she whispered.

  Two more men, one she knew quite well, approached her from the mansi
on. Both covered in blood that did not appear to be their own.

  Alicia, feet set, glared at them.

  “The new Alpha wants to have a word with you.” Tobias Lee grinned. “So what’s it going to be, bitch?”

  Alicia lowered herself like a sprinter, snarled and charged towards them.

  *

  Nick leaned back in the passenger seat, relieved to know his mother was still alive, but he couldn’t help wondering for how long. He took out the letter and studied the addressee, realizing it had been written out when intended to be sent via mail. Now it showed him who it was he had to count on for help. The one person in the whole world Alicia trusted with his safety.

  Ms. Alexandra Hensley

  4/2 Macintosh St, Mascot

  Sydney NSW

  2020

  Australia

  Chapter 7

  Return of the King

  Present Day – Sydney

  Dante wrapped his arm around Alex as she looked up at the mansion and gave an involuntarily shiver.

  Dante gave her a comforting squeeze-shake. “You could wait in the car if you like.”

  “I’m not waiting out here alone for you. Besides, this whole thing concerns me too.”

  “It’ll be all right.”

  “Are you sure? After what happened last time, don’t you think it was a little too easy to score an invitation again?”

  Dante shrugged. “That’s Vincent for you. He probably couldn’t resist knowing why I wanted to see him so soon. Curiosity is one of his defining characteristics. As well as arrogance.”

  He stepped forward and knocked. Strange that there’s no guard. The door opened and Dante nearly started when Vincent himself stood there.

  “Ah, Dante. Still as beautiful as ever. Come in.”

  Dante led Alex into the living area. Vincent indicated that they should sit before himself sinking into a huge leather armchair. He crossed his legs and put his chin on his fist. Waiting.