“The Messengers of Osiris?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“I got a letter as well.”
Vincent paused at that. “You what?”
“Yes, this one in fact.” Dante pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. “And it reads: You have started a war against Dream State. It is a war we approve of. It is a war begun by the current king of Sydney and his own toxic concoction. Use any means necessary to infiltrate the mansion and destroy the source of the drug.”
Dante folded the letter and placed it back in his pocket.
“Is this some kind of joke?”
“You can read it if you like.”
Vincent gave a quick roll of his eyes as the situation began to make sense. “This whole thing was a set-up?”
“From the moment I called you.”
“I am still the king. What can you possibly hope to match against my power?”
“You tell me. You’re the one locked in a room with the two vampires in Sydney that feed off vampire blood.”
Vincent looked at Melina who had raised her head and smiled at him, fangs out and looking hungry.
*
“Please… Don’t leave me.” Nicole had tried again to get close to him. A splash of blood had burst from his mouth seconds earlier and sounds of snapping and crunching were echoing all around the room. His body was changing before her eyes. His shirt was in tatters, his facial hair had grown exponentially, giving him thick mutton chops. He held her tight, both at bay and yet still close. His grip dug into her but she didn’t care. She felt as if she was his last hope and that he was holding on to her like he was holding onto his humanity.
“The wolf…warned me…the change would be hard…”
Nicole smoothed his new mane of hair, “That’s it, just keep talking,”
“It’s my…fault. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t…don’t. It’s ok.”
“No!” he boomed. Nicole was blown back with the force of his scream. The moon was high, the transformation was nearly complete. He rose to his full height, towering above her and taking a step.
“Do it. If you care about me…you’ll help me.”
Nicole picked up the gun, slowly pointing it towards Nick, or what once could be called him.
Nick stumbled, the pain reaching its peak. “Please… It’s what I want.”
Nicole was sobbing, the gun was wavering left and right such was the terror coursing through her veins. “I can’t do it.”
“You must. Hurry! KILL M—”
The full moon burst into the room, completely bathing Nick. His scream turned into a roar. His shirt exploded off his body as the muscles underneath became instantly over developed. His nose and mouth extended. He rose again a man mountain, even taller than he was before. Nicole knew, even before he ripped both chains out of the wall one by one, that Nick was gone. What stood before her wasn’t even what killed Jason Trodd. She stared at the Alpha wolf. And it was coming closer.
*
“You dare think you can trick me? Both of you together are half my age. You will fail.”
“We shall see,” Dante said, but Melina was the one who struck first. She flung herself at Vincent who caught her by the throat.
“Mediocre. Where do you think you’re going?” Vincent dropped her when she slashed at his hand with her nails, tearing the skin severely. His blood spat at first then flowed like a fountain. He gasped and held his hand as his head was pummelled with quick strikes from Dante. Vincent swiped at him with a backhand but Dante ducked it. Vincent was about to swing again when Melina slashed at him again with her fingers, this time the side of his neck. He reached blindly for Melina but she dodged his grip as Dante tore more flesh off Vincent’s neck and drank. Vincent clawed at him, managing to get a grip with both hands when Melina bit him on the other side of his neck and drank. The double team was working.
Vincent, regardless of his strength, could not get a bearing on either because they alternated attacks rather than coming at him together. Now, he had two vampires feeding off his powerful eight-hundred-year old blood and it was taking its toll. He couldn’t keep up. They had betrayed him and he had fallen for it, eager to cement his position. The death curst was coming to pass despite all he’d done to stop it.
All three fell to the floor. Dante and Melina held each of his arms with both of their hands as they tore more of his flesh with their fangs, ensuring more blood poured out of the wounds and into their mouths. Finally, Vincent began to sag underneath them, no more fight in him. Dante and Melina released themselves.
“Apart from everything else, this is for the hundreds of people you’ve killed with Dream State,” looming over Vincent.
Vincent laughed. “You think you’ve won? Go ahead then, kill me. You have no idea what this will mean for you. Julian will avenge me.”
Dante laughed himself. “I truly hope so.”
“You did all this for a fucking wolf you don’t even know?
“No, I told you, I did it for my city. An Alpha wolf is nothing compared to the plague you have infected Sydney with.”
Vincent chuckled. “Plague? Dream State is a blessing. I have blessed an entire city…including your former donor.”
Dante knelt down again, picking up Vincent by the scruff of the neck. “What?”
Vincent chuckled, a hollow gargling sound. “Surprise.”
*
The Alpha wolf stepped closer again, heaving, not taking its eyes off Nicole.
Nicole, tears now flowing freely down her face, stared at the beast before her and then threw the gun away. “I don’t know if you can even hear me. But I am not going to do it. God forgive me, I just can’t.”
The Alpha wolf’s gaze followed the arc of the gun, then looked back at her. It held out both of its hands, waiting. Nicole did not think she could possibly move, but somehow she did, closing in on the wolf. The creature took her hands gently before lifting her into its arms. It gripped her securely, and then with a sudden burst of ferocious power, charged at the door and burst through it, racing along the corridor, looking for the way out. Elements of Night members scattered as the wolf blew past them. The world rushed past her as the wolf dashed through the front door and out into freedom, the mansion diminishing behind them.
Chapter 38
Hail
Through the scope of his rifle, Calibos peered into the mansion. He had only just seen the massive blur race far past him and needed a second to both catch his breath, and stop grinning. Not even Wilson had been that developed when fully transformed.
The Elements of Night soldiers picked themselves up and ran for the door, shouting pursuit instructions to each other. A handful clambered into the first black SUV. Seconds later, the vehicle exploded, tossing the remaining soldiers back, scattered like leaves on Autumn wind. The car had burst into flames the instant the driver-side door was shut.
Calibos cackled and clapped Matt on the shoulder. “Good going, Matty.”
Matt threw the remote detonator to the floor and raised a semi-automatic. “Let’s hunt.”
Now that Matt had been without Dream State for a few weeks, his mind and bits of memory had started to come back to him. This meant that his improvement had slowed down dramatically, but thank fully not his enthusiasm.
*
Dante heard the explosion, but did not flinch. He kept his eyes on Vincent. Nothing else mattered to him. “What are you talking about? Michelle?” he asked through gritted teeth. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Melina move towards the window, looking down on the situation below.
“Dream State needed a test subject. I may have anonymously leaked information that there was a cure for Vincent’s Bitter. There is no such thing, of course. It’s ironic, really. Despite all you have done to keep her safe, she will die and it will be because of you. All so she could see your pretty face again. Still, I wouldn’t worry about your former blood-sack. It appears you have more pressing matters…Your Majesty.”
“Why should I be worried? From the sounds of it, I’d hazard a guess your mystery wolf pack is eager to introduce themselves.”
“So let them find me and be done with it.”
“I don’t think so,” Dante said looking at Melina and then back again. “When you get to hell, I want the devil to know who sent you.”
Dante bit Vincent as hard as he could, intent on draining Vincent of every ounce of blood he had left. Vincent’s face, frozen in a sneer of pain, was becoming pale and dry. Dante merely drank more deeply. Melina took Vincent’s shaking hand and bit his wrist to finish the job. After a moment, Dante rose and peered down at Vincent, who was nothing more now than a skeleton with a thin layer of desiccated, stretched skin.
“You’re not thinking of going to her, I hope?” Melina asked.
“I need to.” He couldn’t let Michelle go without seeing her a final time, without proving to himself what Vincent said was true. The sound of rapid gunfire cracking through the air outside the mansion filtered in to them.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Can you not hear what’s going on around you? I need you here.”
“This is nothing you can’t handle, Melina.”
“Fuck you! You can’t just cop out on this. You’re the king now. Take your damn responsibility.” Melina thrust her arm toward the window where more gunfire could be heard.
Dante paused, clenched his teeth. “You’re right. Free the women. Explain to them what happened. I fear the sight of me would not go over well with them right now.”
Melina snorted. “Imagine that. It only appeared as if you were betraying them all, is that right?”
Dante did not gratify her snipe with an answer, but instead made his way toward the door.
“By the way…” Melina’s fist came at him and descended hard across his nose. “That’s for ramming my head into the door.” She swept her long red hair behind her shoulder and exited the room before he stopped seeing stars.
“It needed to look real,” Dante grumbled to no one.
He made his way outside where two soldiers of the Elements of Night were in cover on each side of the front door, blindly firing at anything past the flaming car.
“Cease fire,” Dante said.
“What? Are you kidding me?” one screamed.
“It’s a waste of bullets. C’mon, you can’t seriously see anything out there.” Dante indicated the lawn and driveway of the mansion and then realised he had a better reason. “I order you as the king of Sydney.”
The order gave them pause, but they looked him full in the face at this. Dante knew Vincent’s blood must still be all over his mouth and chin. The two folded into their respective covers and stowed their weapons. Still, they were, perhaps understandably, sceptical.
“We’re just supposed to believe you?”
“Not at all,” Dante said, striding past them and into the open night and gunfire. “I’m happy to prove it to you.”
*
The wolf abandoned its journey along the ground. It left barely a sound as it bounded along, leaping sleekly from rooftop to rooftop.
When it reached Nicole’s house, it missed the roof and landed on the ground beside her bedroom, digging the nails of its free hand and feet into the cement to steady itself as it helped her to the window. Her feet touched the ground and in the same movement she turned to face the wolf.
The wolf sensed her fear before she moved to back away. It was only a few steps, but the intent was clear. Her eyes roamed over his frame, taking in the changes.
Changes. To Nicholas. That’s what she was used to. The wolf raised its hand and stared. The thick, sausage fingers, the not quite inch-long nails, the overgrown arm and palm hair. Nicole surely did not view it as a hand that protected her, but a weapon used to murder. A peculiar feeling welled inside the wolf that it did not expect. A human emotion. Shame. Not for the attack on the punks. But…for having frightened her. The wolf scraped its nails briefly along the base of the windowsill, keeping its eyes off her. It couldn’t speak, but it needed to try to communicate with her in some way. Nicole took a hesitant step forward but recoiled once more at the sound the wolf made.
The wolf was instantly alert. Its senses were alive, giving off signals, no, warnings. Something was tracking them. And closing. The wolf growled and snarled at the audacity. But through the beastly rage was the human concern. The wolf would lead this unknown in open combat, and it would destroy it. But it would do so far away from Nicole.
“Wait! Don’t go!” Nicole raised her hand and held it palm out.
The wolf paused, eager to stay but unable to speak of the danger approaching. The wolf pressed its gigantic hand against hers. I know you fear me, but I would never hurt you. You are too important to me.
*
A furious hail of gunfire pelted and pummelled Dante’s body, hot lead ripping his skin to pieces, yet he still stood. He held up his hand, as a submission of sorts. Unexpectedly, the gunfire stopped.
“Thank you.” Dante locked his knees, struggling to stay up through the sheen of pain clouding his vision. “Show yourself, so we can talk. I’m sure we can come to some agreement.”
One crept out, keeping his gun trained on Dante. “We didn’t come here to talk. We want what’s ours.”
“Tell me your name. Perhaps if you tell me what it is you want, I can help you.”
“Don’t act like you don’t know. We want our comrades back.”
“Take them. They were never my prisoners.”
“Liar,” he spat.
Behind and above him, Melina appeared on the veranda with Alex.
Alex gasped and took a few steps into the yard. “Matt? Matt…is that you?”
Matt stood from among the remaining shooters and joined the one speaking. He used his hand to lower the speaker’s gun. “Not now, Calibos.”
“Matt, what the hell did they do to you?” Alex took another tentative step.
“They…” Matt began, straining through the words. “F-fixed me.”
Calibos stared at Alex for a few seconds. “You’re the ex? Alex?”
Alex nodded.
“Matty sobs your name in his sleep.” Calibos chuckled, thinking this was somehow quite the joke. He then turned back to Dante. “They went in to broker a deal with your king and never came out.”
“As I said…take them. Your missing pack members mean nothing to me. Take them and leave.”
“Walk into a vampire stronghold with the king still inside? You must think we’re stupid,” Calibos said.
“The king is dead. Long live me, I guess, as I am the new king. Search the mansion. If you find them, they are yours. I would hazard a guess Melina might know where to start.”
Melina gave a curt nod.
“Now if you’ll excuse me.” Dante limped toward Vincent’s—Mine, he reminded himself—collection of cars.
“Dante!” Alex called. “Wait!”
“I cannot wait. Michelle is in trouble.”
Alex ran up beside him. “Melina told me. I’m driving.”
Dante stumbled and Alex caught him and kept him from falling to the ground. “I think that’s a good idea,” he mumbled.
“God, you’re bleeding badly. Are you going to be ok?”
“I just need more time to heal.”
Alex helped him into the passenger side of a rather sleek-looking car and quickly ran to the driver’s side and hopped in. Dante found the keys in the glove compartment. Thievery obviously wasn’t a big issue in the vampire mansion.
“Here,” she said, offering her wrist to him.
“No. I need more than what you can give me, and I need you alert to drive.”
She started the car and sped off. “I just wanted to say thank you. But I need an explanation. Like, yesterday.”
“I won’t apologise for the deception, because it was necessary. Vincent needed to believe it. I am sorry it frightened you.”
“Frightened me? You scared the shit out of me! And poor Nicole, what
about her? You let those arseholes manhandle us, then inject Nick with God knows what. You chained him up and made her think she had to kill him! Jesus…that poor girl.”
“It had to look real…” Dante found himself repeating the answer he’d given Melina earlier and wondered if he’d gone too far. He hated the fact that he’d had to betray anyone’s trust.
“Trust me, it did. Too bloody real. But why, Dante? Why would you do this to us, even pretending? You risked a hell of a lot on a very shaky plan, where every little thing had to fall in place. Did you not even once think about trusting me with this, talking to me at all?”
“Yes…but that would’ve been the surest way to get you killed.”
“You don’t know that for sure.”
Dante sighed. “Please do not misunderstand. I had no desire to hurt or frighten anyone, and I do not doubt you possess supreme deception skills when needed. But you cannot hide the pheromone of real fear. Do you think Vincent believed I would turn on you, when I had done so much to keep you alive and close to me? Sure, he could understand my actions regarding a werewolf in the midst, but to completely fool him, you needed to be terrified. Shocked. Feeling betrayed. He would’ve sensed if you were in on it, then not only would Nick have died, we all would have been killed as well.”
“Did you always know? About Nick, I mean.”
“No, not until a few days ago. You let it slip that Alicia Slade was his mother. Had I known that, I might have made the connection sooner. I knew, though, that if I realised who he was, it wouldn’t be long before others did too, now the wolf was out. That’s when I called Vincent and set everything up. I needed a way to get in and get close to Vincent. I knew I couldn’t take him alone, so I needed Melina.”
Day Dreamer (Undeadly Secrets Book 2) Page 31