by E. S. Moore
Eyes looked up and stared at me through a haze of sweet-smelling smoke. There were a few couples making out against the wall, and at least one was doing it with blood mingled between them. I couldn’t tell if they were vampires, werewolves, or just two Purebloods who got off on blood. In the end, it didn’t really matter.
Adrian had already passed the group. I could no longer see the woman or her tail, which meant they were moving pretty fast now.
I started after them, but before I took more than three steps, one of the men by the wall stepped in front of me.
“Hey there,” he said. He blew smoke out of his nose and looked me up and down with bloodshot eyes. “You lookin’ for a little action tonight, baby?”
I slowed long enough to rear back. I didn’t have time for this. I punched him right in the mouth and he dropped with a cry of pain.
I stepped over the man, eyes focused on Adrian’s retreating back. I figured I’d made my point, but the guy grabbed my foot before I could get past him. Two of his friends stepped away from the wall, blocking off the alley. Two more moved behind to keep anyone else from getting in.
“You stupid bitch,” the guy holding my foot said. He jerked hard as if he thought he could take me down. Instead, I spun and kicked him in the teeth, causing his already bloody mouth to spurt.
His grip on my foot loosened as his eyes rolled up into the back of his head. His skull hit the pavement with a crack and I winced, hoping I hadn’t accidentally killed him. I wanted them to leave me alone, but didn’t want to kill anyone. These were just stupid kids; they didn’t deserve to die.
I turned to face his two friends who were keeping me from following after Adrian.
“I’d move if I were you.”
They glanced at each other and for a moment. I thought they were going to comply.
Instead, they both smiled and drew long knives from within their coats. They weren’t silver, but could do a whole hell of a lot of damage to me if they knew how to use them. The edges looked sharp enough to cut flesh.
I really didn’t want to have to fight these guys. From what I could tell, they were simple Purebloods out looking for a good time. They were also high as kites, which meant they weren’t thinking too clearly. The couples were still making out against the wall as if nothing was going on.
“I don’t want to have to hurt you,” I said, which only served to earn me a pair of grins.
That’s when Adrian chose to return.
He came out of the shadows like a ghost. He was surprisingly silent for such a big man. He grabbed one of my attackers by the hair and jerked his head back so hard, it was a wonder the guy’s neck didn’t snap. Adrian spun him around and threw him face-first into the wall. The knife clattered to the littered pavement as the guy collapsed, unconscious.
The second man spun and struck out with his knife. Adrian easily caught his hand well before the blade could come anywhere close to him. He twisted. With a horrendous crack, the man’s forearm snapped. With his other hand, Adrian grabbed the guy’s hair, jerked his head to the side, and then opened his mouth as if he was going to rip out the man’s throat with his teeth.
“No!” I shouted, reaching out and grabbing his hand. It wasn’t like I could stop him if he really wanted to strike. I hated to admit it, but Adrian was stronger than I and because of the Oath, I wouldn’t be able to hurt him. “Don’t kill them. They’re just idiots.”
Adrian’s eyes flashed in anger, but quickly returned to their normal emotionless state. He let go of the man’s hair and instead of breaking his neck or ripping out his throat, he reached down and broke the man’s other arm before dropping him, screaming, to the ground.
“This way,” he said, giving me a look that said more than words that he thought this was somehow my fault. He spun away and hurried down the alley, nose raised, sniffing the air.
The others were watching me now, including the kissing couples. There was fear in their eyes, as well as a sense of excitement. The guy with the broken arms was screaming for someone to take him to the hospital. There was no blood, which was a relief; the bones hadn’t broken the skin.
I stepped over the wailing man, wishing I could do something. Just because he was a moron, didn’t mean he deserved to suffer.
But if I wanted to catch up to Adrian, I couldn’t stick around and help.
I followed him to the end of the alley. He sniffed the air and then turned left, down another street, before slipping into an alley to his right. I tried to stay close, but he was moving fast and there was something about him that worried me. He was tense, almost as if the scuffle had awakened something in him, something that needed to strike out the moment it was able. I wasn’t so sure I’d be safe from it if I was in the way when it broke through.
Adrian slowed as we entered the alley. I caught up to him, miffed about how things had ended with the idiot kids.
“I could have handled myself back there,” I said. “You didn’t need to hurt them.”
“I know.” He sniffed the air again and then took off at a run.
I cursed loudly and followed after him. He vanished around the corner and I came out just in time to see him tear down another side street.
I could tell by the way he was acting that he’d caught wind of our targets and that we were close. I drew both my gun and sword and jogged after him, knowing this would probably end in a fight. I turned down the side street and nearly collided with Adrian’s back.
I was about to grumble at him about warning me next time when I saw what was happening farther down the street.
The woman was fiddling with her keys, standing in front of a door to an apartment complex. She didn’t look harried or rushed any longer. In fact, she appeared to almost be delaying herself on purpose.
At first, I didn’t see the man with the briefcase. There was a moment when I feared he realized he was being followed and skipped out. I was rewarded a few seconds later when the man came out of a small cubby across the street. A syringe was in his hand.
He moved so silently, it made me wonder if there was something supernatural about him. I knew the Left Hand were good at sneaking up on supes, but seeing it was almost freaky. The were should have sniffed him out before he came anywhere close, yet she didn’t seem to notice him inching ever closer.
The man got within a few steps without her turning. If I let him get any closer, he’d inject her with the serum and we might not be able to get to her in time to save her.
And then he made a mistake.
A small chunk of concrete clattered as his foot bumped up against it. He froze in place, but he’d already been discovered.
The woman spun and saw him where he stood, uncertain. Her eyes flashed yellow and she grinned.
The Left Hand man made a lunge for her. She easily batted the syringe from his hand. It clattered to the pavement, somehow not shattering when it hit. She grabbed him by both arms and headbutted him square in the nose. Blood spurted and he cried out, but not in fear. He cursed her and spit in her face, grinning all the while.
Fur sprouted from around her ears and her fingers extended into claws. Her face started to contort and I could hear the snap of bones and muscle from all the way down the street.
“Shit,” I cursed, raising my gun. I wanted the guy alive. “Stop!” I shouted. “Don’t kill him.”
The were glanced at me and I knew it was already too late. Her snout was almost fully extended now, her eyes wild with blood lust. I had but seconds before she would kill him.
“Adrian,” I growled. “Do something.”
He stood by, watching the scene. He didn’t make a move to help.
“Don’t kill him,” I said again. “I need him alive.” My aim firmed on the werewolf.
She snarled at me and before I could pull the trigger, she spun the Left Hand man around, putting him between us. He screamed once, and then blood splattered the pavement. His scream turned into a gurgle as she tore out his throat.
There was a mome
nt when everything seemed to stand still. The guy jerked a few times in her hands and then fell limp. There were tearing sounds coming from the other side of him and I knew she was feeding.
Adrian stepped forward, putting himself between me and the were. He knew I was going to shoot the bitch the moment she dropped her meal and I think he was trying to protect her. He probably planned on recruiting her.
Just then, the sound of a window opening made me look up.
A face appeared, looking down at me. Yellow eyes gleamed in the faint light.
The woman dropped the dead man to the ground. Blood covered her snout and gristle hung from her teeth. She raised her head to the sky and howled.
The door to the apartment building burst open. A window shattered overhead.
Half a dozen werewolves poured into the alley, ready for a fight.
10
Sharp claws lashed out, just barely missing my fingers. My gun clattered to the pavement a few yards away. The wolf snarled and leapt forward, teeth bared. He was already fully shifted, as if he’d been waiting inside for this very moment.
I didn’t have time to think. I sure as hell didn’t expect to get into a fight like this tonight. I knew there were places where rogue wolves congregated together, but they were often off the beaten path. Having too many werewolves living close together—or like these ones, living together—would typically draw the eye of the local count. These guys must have been damn near model citizens to still be living together like this.
Until now, that is.
I ducked backward, losing my balance as the wolf barreled into me. Hot breath that smelled vaguely of spaghetti washed over me as he snapped at me. He thought he could overpower me with his bulk, but I surprised him by adjusting my fall and using his momentum to fling him over me. I took a knee to the chin and got up close and personal with his private parts, but otherwise, was unharmed.
As soon as I hit the ground, I rolled to the side. The wolf was up and moving almost as soon as he hit, so I had just barely enough time to spin. I kept low to the ground and swung my sword in a low arc. The werewolf tried to jump, but he was a tad too slow. The blade bit into his leg, just above his left ankle. He crashed to the ground with a yelp.
Normally, I would have finished him off so he couldn’t rejoin the fight the moment the silver ran its course through his veins, but I felt something coming at me. I ducked and swung around as the female were came at me. Her clothes were in tatters now that she was fully shifted. Blood splattered her maw and her teeth were stained red from the Left Hand man’s blood. There was a chunk of something in her teeth.
She dodged my swing and tried to loop around to grab me. I rolled back and sprang to my feet, sword at the ready. I was out of her reach for the moment, but the wall was at my back now. I’d run out of room.
The wolf grinned and hunched her shoulders as if ready to spring.
That’s when Adrian hit her.
Once again he’d arrived to save me when I didn’t really need it. He smashed into her side, almost faster than the eye could see. He’d fully shifted at some point while I’d been distracted with my own fight. There were two crumpled bodies nearby. The amount of blood told me they weren’t going to be getting up ever again.
Powerful jaws closed around the woman’s throat. Their eyes met and something passed between them. The female wolf gave half a snarl before he ripped her throat out in a spray of blood and gristle.
He turned to me, still chewing on the flesh. I could almost see the glee in his eyes, something that was rare for him. He was usually so good at keeping his face calm and blank, it was a surprise to see anything else.
This was what he lived for. This was the sort of thing he reveled in. Violence. Death. It was all a thrill to him.
Which was exactly why I’d never become one of his.
There were two weres remaining. They were watching us, yellow eyes flaring. There was no way they’d run. Once shifted, werewolves can barely control themselves. They had enough sense not to attack their friends most of the time, but it was often a close call. It was damn near impossible for them to walk away from a fight, especially on their own territory.
“Bring it on,” I said, wiping at my mouth. There was blood there from where my fangs had extended during the fight. It made me wonder how different Adrian and I really were.
The wolves charged as one. One came at me, the other at Adrian. I felt flattered that the bigger one chose to rush at me.
I braced myself and drew a knife from my belt. The wolf snarled and leapt at me from a few yards away. His dark fur was wet, as if he’d been showering when he’d shifted. Water droplets sprayed from him as he flew through the air, muscles rippling, claws extended.
I waited until the last possible moment before spinning away. Using a backhanded motion, I struck out with my knife. Warmth spilled out over my hand as the blade sank home. I let the knife go and let the wolf fall face-first onto the pavement where I’d just been standing. He convulsed once as the silver began to work through him and then fell still.
Adrian was still fighting with the other wolf, though fighting might not be an accurate description of what was going on. He was toying with the smaller wolf, letting him get in close before batting him away. There was a wolfish grin on his face and his eyes gleamed as if he were laughing.
A scowl spread across my face. I might kill weres and vamps, but I didn’t torture them. I finished them off as soon as possible and moved on. Toying with them like this was like a cat playing with a mouse—if the mouse had sharp talons for claws and teeth that could rip through wood.
I glanced around and found my gun lying next to the open doorway. I walked over to it, watching the entrance, as well as the windows above, just in case more wolves decided to show up. I glanced inside the doorway, saw nothing, and picked up my Glock. There was a faint scratch along the side I knew would cause Ethan to complain, but it looked otherwise unharmed.
I turned, found Adrian still playing with the other wolf, raised my gun, and fired. The bullet took the smaller were in the side of the head.
Adrian jumped about three feet back and turned on me. Absolute rage filled his eyes and I turned on him, suddenly worried. His upper lip raised in a sneer and he took two threatening steps forward.
“That’s far enough, Adrian,” I said. My arm was shaking and a shudder ran through my gut.
It was the Oath. I couldn’t shoot him. Even if he charged me and grabbed me by the head and squeezed, I wouldn’t be able to shoot him. The best I could do would be to try to get away, but without being able to harm him, I knew I wouldn’t get far. To run would more than likely set off his hunting instinct and I’d stand no chance.
“Adrian,” I said as he took another step my way, “we need to go.” Someone had to have heard the fight. There was a chance the police would be on the way, if not a vampire count come to claim the survivors. Either way, it wouldn’t be good. Someone would get hurt.
A groan caused Adrian to stop and turn. The were I’d hit in the leg was trying to crawl away, though the silver kept him virtually paralyzed.
With a snarl, Adrian leapt at him and ravaged the poor wolf. Blood and gore bloomed all around the two almost instantly. It was the single most violent thing I’d ever seen, and I’d seen quite a lot of horrible things. I was forced to turn away lest I be sick.
A moment later, the sound of rending and tearing stopped. There were a few cracks and pops and, a moment later, the sound of bare, wet feet, approached. I turned to find Adrian walking toward me, blood covering his nude form.
“I want him,” he said, jerking a thumb toward the wolf who still had my knife stuck in his gut.
I glanced at the remains of the wolf Adrian had just ravaged and wondered if he planned on doing the same to the other. There was nothing left but strings of flesh and gore. It was almost impossible to tell it had once been human.
“Why?” I demanded, my stomach churning. “So you can toy with him like that other w
ere? So you can torture him and rip him apart at your leisure?” I was angry. Adrian was a monster. If I’d ever questioned it in the slightest, I had more than enough proof of that now.
Adrian shrugged, his face back to being blank. “He could prove useful to me.”
I scowled. “You’re recruiting him?”
“He could find a place in my House, yes.”
“You just want him as another foot soldier to do your bidding.”
Once more he shrugged. “Better than dead.”
I wasn’t so sure about that.
Adrian glanced around the alley and then walked toward me. “Watch him,” he said, nodding toward the downed wolf. “I need to find something to wear.”
Adrian’s old clothes were lying on the ground in shreds. There was no way he was going to get back into them.
He vanished into the apartment complex, presumably to rifle through the dead men’s clothes. A siren was wailing in the distance, but it was fading—it wasn’t coming our way. A few curtains swished in nearby buildings, but if anyone was watching, they weren’t getting involved.
I glanced at the incapacitated wolf. Knowing he wasn’t about to get up and walk away, I turned toward the Left Hand member, or what was left of him.
Like Adrian’s victim, he was a mess of blood and gore. Somewhere in the fight, someone had torn him up a little more than the female wolf had. He was barely recognizable as a man now. His face was gone. Only flaps of flesh clung to the bone.
I knelt beside him, doing my best to control my hunger. Out of everyone there, he was the only one whose blood wouldn’t taint me.
But I wasn’t about to feed on him. He was dead, which means he wouldn’t care, but there was something about feeding on someone else’s remains, lapping at cooling blood, that repulsed me in a way a normal feeding wouldn’t.
It wasn’t pleasant, but I checked the man’s pockets in the hopes of finding something that would identify him. Most of the damage to his body was on the upper half, so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.