by Dale Mayer
Chapter 6
Tessa rode the elevator up the floors, her mind churning in confusion. The conversation going on in her head made no sense.
Leave him behind. Stay strong. Be you. Be the new you.
No, I am Tessa. That wasn’t fair what he said, but it’s true. I’m not letting Deanna influence me.
No, it wasn’t. And you aren’t.
Yes, it was. And I am
She shuddered.
“What the hell is wrong with me?” she whispered to the empty interior. Was anything wrong? No, of course not. Everything was fine. Everything was always fine.
She frowned. No, everything wasn’t always fine. Things hadn’t been fine for a long time. They’d only been fine on a few levels recently. And she didn’t want to do anything to screw that up. She didn’t have the security of years of confidence to draw upon. Life had gotten tough and she’d fought her way through it, so why did she think she was sliding backwards – or maybe losing some of that hard-won self-confidence?
You’re not, said her subconscious.
She sighed as relief swept through her. No, she wasn’t. She was good.
Of course you are.
She froze. That last line was a bit too much for her to swallow. She’d always had self-confidence issues. She’d never been cocky or arrogant like some women she’d known. So where was this coming from now? It so wasn’t her.
If she didn’t know better, she’d think she sounded more like Deanna every moment. Cody’s words trickled through her as the elevator door opened in front of her, but she didn’t move.
Had Deanna’s energy integrated into her psyche to the point that she was becoming like Deanna?
Had that been what Deanna wanted? And did it matter what Deanna wanted? Hell no. That woman had a thousand-plus years to do what she wanted to do. She wasn’t going to be yanking Tessa’s chain from the grave.
Except…she already had.
Tessa closed her eyes and groaned. This is not what I signed up for. I want to be me. Not Deanna and not a cross between her and I. Hortran, can you hear me?
There was a ghostly whisper, like a breeze blowing through her mind.
Tessa would take that as a yes. Is this what Deanna wants – to take over my mind and make me more like her?
There was a quietness in her thoughts, her spinning myriad of questions stilling, becoming a pool of peacefulness in her mind.
Remember to use this information. Her wisdom, her knowledge is yours to use as you deem appropriate. But it is you who are making these decisions.
Me?
Yes, you. She is gone. Her time has passed. You can feel her, sense her, be like her if you wish, but it is you doing so then, not her. Her will is no longer here. The force of her will, being as strong as it was, lingers.
There was a long pause.
You are you. Do you stay that way or do you morph into something else? Your choice. Your will. Your life.
And then a shorter pause.
You have only one to live.
And with that prophetic message, the essence of Hortran slipped away.
So what the hell had she done then? Allowed Deanna’s knowledge to affect Tessa into thinking it was her own knowledge? That Tessa had been the one to learn all Deanna had learned as if it were her own information, knowledge, and experiences?
She smirked. As if. If she’d learned it all in her short years, then she likely would be cocky and arrogant – but she hadn’t. This wasn’t her experience and it wasn’t her achievement.
She sighed and rubbed her head.
Hortran, I need a way to stop me from unconsciously absorbing Deanna’s attitudes, her thoughts, her emotions.
There was an underlying rumble through the space in her mind. She frowned, trying to understand.
I mean it. I don’t want to become Deanna. I don’t want to take on any aspects of her personality. I am happy to carry her information, her knowledge and wisdom. I will honor her for who she was. But I don’t want to become a Deanna clone. And I appear to be doing just that. So please, help me. Zap me, poke me, and scream at me – something to stop me when I start.
And damn if a light laugh didn’t ripple through her mind. Surely that wasn’t Hortran – was it?
Cody?
Deanna?
No response. Shit. Confused and pissed, she took a step toward the still open elevator doors.
The tiny room was empty. She took a cautious step forward into the outer room. It was empty too. Why? They should be lining up the vamps to go downstairs. Of course she hadn’t been gone but a few minutes, so maybe they hadn’t had time?
Then where were the two guards Goran and Serus had left?
*
Cody tried to contact Tessa mentally. There was a pathway but it was cloudy, as if there was static instead of a clear audio path. Like the speakers weren’t plugged in. He hated it. Tessa, can you hear me?
A garbled response slid his way, but it wasn’t distinctly her voice. That really worried him. Deanna better keep her distance. He wasn’t sure if he was crazy or what but considering how powerful that woman had been in life, he wouldn’t put it past her to have a long-reaching influence in death.
And what about Hortran? He remembered Tessa speaking about Hortran and some kind of telepathic highway. And he was a Ghost. Whatever that meant while he was alive didn’t mean the name didn’t take on a different meaning after death.
He had seen things these last few weeks that he wouldn’t have believed before. To have that same belief system pushed back yet again also wasn’t a hard thing to imagine. He could see Tessa learning to do more and more.
Were her capabilities actually due to her Leant heritage? Was that why Deanna had managed to do what she’d done because they were both Leant? He wished he understood more. It would make it easier to watch out for her.
At the moment, he wanted to turn her over his knee and beat some sense into her.
Hell, she’d likely send him flying for even thinking of doing something like that. He almost wished she would. It would make him feel better to know the same girl was in there.
“Cody, are you coming with us or going after her?” David called from across the huge garage.
“I’m going after her.” That’s when he realized he’d crossed the room to the halfway mark and had stopped. For a reason. It was wrong to let her go alone.
“I’ll see you later,” he called out. “Check out those damn ventilation systems.”
“Good enough.” David raced behind their fathers. Cody stood in the room and watched as the three of them jockeyed for position to get through the door first.
And then he was alone.
Shaking his head, he returned to the elevator and pushed the button – several times.
Damn woman.
She’d better be there when he arrived.
And she’d better be ready to listen.
Because he was tired of her trying to save him.
It was time for him to save her.
*
Serus pulled the door open and charged through. Goran almost slid past him to take the lead. Not a chance. He shoved an arm in front of his friend and snuck ahead. Hearing the growl in his wake, he burst out laughing.
There was nothing on the other side of the door.
Damn right. They probably saw them coming.
He grinned, feeling more alive than he had in a long time. His family was safe, even Tessa after all she’d been through. Even his beloved wife Rhia was doing so much better – in many ways. Then he remembered their last conversation.
At that thought, he called out to her. Rhia? How are you?
Silence was his answer.
Good, maybe she was sleeping.
Then he heard her voice. And her words… oh no…
Serus, I know you won’t understand why I’m doing this, but please know I’m doing it to save our son.
And the voice cut off.
He froze in place. Rhia – what have you done
?
Remember, I love you, Serus. But I can’t live with my actions – I have to save him.
And his mind went blank.
She was gone.
*
Rhia curled up on the floor in the deserted Council room. She should be safe here.
Do it.
No. I don’t want to.
Too bad. You started down this path.
I need to save my son.
And what about your other son? Your daughter? Your best friend and husband? Do you betray those three to save one?
No. I’m not betraying them. I need just enough of the drug to remember.
How much is enough? Face it, you’re addicted. You need another shot. It’s already working. Look at you. On the run from everyone who cares about you.
No. I’m not on the run. I’m going to go to the last address I saw that I could remember having made any sense. But not yet.
No. You’re going to the source. You want more. Need more…
“No,” she cried out to the insistent voice in her head. “I don’t. I just want to know what I did with my son.”
And how are you going to figure that out?
“By going back to the scene of the crime – where I sent him away. I can access those computers. They will have the information.”
So then where is that?
“The hospital. I’m going back to the hospital.”
You know they are trying to kill your family, but you’re going to go to their stronghold why? Who are you deluding? The only thing you’re going to do is give them the power to control you and hold that over your husband’s head to get him to do what they want him to do.
“No, he’d never do that.”
He would in a heartbeat, scoffed her conscience. You know he’d do anything for you. Including sacrificing himself.
“That’s why I have to save his son. I have to do this – even if I sacrifice myself.”
So be it then. But if you fail, Serus will be the one that takes the brunt of your behavior.
“He’s strong. He will survive.”
The reason he’s so strong is he’s had you at his side. What do you think he’ll do when he finds out the others have you in their clutches again?
She shuddered at the thought. Serus would go crazy, and he’d destroy them all if anything happened to her. “I’ll have to be smarter than them. I have to win. The stakes are too high to fail.”
But are you strong enough to withstand the drugs coursing through your veins?
“I have to be. There’s no other option.”
*
Jewel stood tall and proud – at least on the inside. Outside she looked ridiculous, wrapped up in her own wings, but oh, the joy of having her wings follow her command once again was priceless.
“What are you doing?” a nurse stood at the bathroom doorway, shock and concern on her face. “Come back to bed. You shouldn’t be up, and you definitely shouldn’t be walking around. I sure hope you didn’t have a shower as well,” she clucked as she walked toward Jewel and before she knew what had happened, Jewel had been coerced gently but implacably toward the bed.
As she collapsed back down, Jewel realized how much the shower had zapped her strength. That and the shock of having someone walk in on her.
She still didn’t understand where she was or if this woman was there to help her or hurt her, but Jewel had to accept the ministrations.
She was as weak as an infant.
There was no way she could escape.
At least not yet.
Damn it, Tessa. Why hadn’t you shown the rest of us how to tell our vampire genes to kick in and power up when we need it?
Instantly, she felt a weird stirring inside. She straightened, her gaze widening in shock, then closed her eyes and lay down again. The last thing she wanted to do was let this woman or anyone know that she was going to heal a lot faster now.
But she knew, and that’s all that mattered.
*
Jared ran to the hospital, cursing that he couldn’t find the keys to his aunt’s car. It still sat in the driveway, but he’d been unsuccessful in finding the keys. And he’d wasted precious time to go back and look after getting the last horrific messages. Damn. He turned the corner and peeled down the street, hating the panic coursing through his blood. He was a good sprinter, but now it was as if his feet had wings. He couldn’t stop the thoughts of what the doctors might be doing to Chelsea right now. Hopefully they’d not taken her to the final destination. He remembered the time it took for the blood to be taken, sorted, and tested. He’d had at least one day in there where he was safe from their drugs. He couldn’t remember any clearer than that.
It was dark out now, and he watched the skies as carefully as he watched the traffic. He didn’t dare get caught by any vampires out hunting. So few people understood what he was going through. So few people he could trust. And he knew more vampires than humans in both categories at this point.
How sad was that?
He turned another corner, feeling the power and need driving him forward. It helped to have the blood pulse through his veins, reminding him why he was doing this. Why the vamps were doing this. They were higher up the food chain. They could do this, so they did. It was people like Tessa and her family who would be able to stop this massacre – with his help.
Hopefully before they got their damn needles into Chelsea. He didn’t know her well, but he sure liked what he did know and he couldn’t let any more humans be sacrificed to that damn farm.
He should have asked her if she had family – friends. Maybe a better question was if she had any enemies. Although chances were good that given the timing, her questions about Tobias had triggered some alarm and the assholes decided she’d become a troublemaker and needed to be taken out of the picture.
As he’d been labeled the same.
He didn’t care if they did come after him. Let them. He was more than willing to have a chance at payback. Especially since he realized Tessa and her family would come after him again.
If she knew about this.
Which was a very good point.
Pursing his lips, he thought about who to tell and why. With his breath harsh and raspy, he realized he needed to tell Tessa – just to be sure. He hadn’t heard from her in a long while, and that bothered him. But he also had no idea if she was even awake.
If he found Chelsea safe and sound, then no problem, but if something happened to him in the process…well, he’d like someone to know. Someone who’d do something about the travesty. That meant Tessa.
He could only hope she’d ditched the arrogant Cody, but he doubted such a thing would be easy.
Cody looked like he went where he wanted regardless of anyone else’s wishes. Right now Jared figured Cody would be busy thrashing Jared for getting into trouble again. And blaming him for Chelsea’s disappearance. Which maybe he was responsible for. He hated the thought, but it couldn’t be avoided. If he hadn’t told Chelsea what he’d seen that night, then she wouldn’t have ended up at the hospital looking for Tobias.
And wouldn’t have found Taz.
So how had someone found out about what they were doing? Had they been overheard at the hospital? Were the phone lines bugged? Or had someone seen her asking unwanted questions? Or had she asked the wrong person at school? He wouldn’t put it past her to have told damn near every student and teacher there about Tobias. That widened the suspect pool to almost everyone as those she’d spoken to initially were likely to have spoken to one or two friends. Especially by now. Gossip travelled fast.
That’s how misinformation and gossip turned the corner from being harmless to being a big problem.
He didn’t need more problems, but he needed to find Tobias. He’d seen the condition he’d been in as he was hauled out of the group home. Not a pretty sight.
He reached the hospital and came to an abrupt halt. It wouldn’t do to go in there in a panic. It was the emergency room. Likely they’d have him flat
on a stretcher and undergoing an examination before he could tell them what he was doing there.
With his breath under control, he wiped his sweaty hands on his jeans and entered.
Ignoring the front desk, he headed to Taz’s office. When he reached the last corner and went to duck around it, someone called out, “Can I help you?”
He turned and gave the green uniformed woman a headshake. “No, I’m fine, thanks. I’m just looking for Taz.”
“He’s not here,” she said, glaring at him. “He’s gone home for the night.”
As if seeing a protest about to burst forth, she said in a waspish tone, “What did you expect? That he lived here? No, he’s gone home for some well-deserved rest.”
Meekly, he walked away, but inside he was trying to figure out how to get a hold of Taz. Then he realized he could text him. Stupid.
He sent a short message to both Taz and Sian and waited for a response. In the meantime, he sent Chelsea’s message to Tessa in the hope that she might have some idea of how to hunt his friend down. He then added several more by way of explanation.
When he was done, there was still no response from Taz. He couldn’t go home when he’d done nothing yet for Chelsea, so he sat on the closest bench and waited for the good doctor to get back to him.
It wasn’t long and the message made him smile. It was the doctor’s address and a terse message. Come.
He grinned, feeling reconnected. He responded with, Okay, Taz, I’m on the way.
“Let’s hope you have some magic left in your world to pull out yet another trick to help Chelsea. Hell,” he said aloud, “How about a way to stop this whole damn issue?”
With a look at the map, he turned in the direction of the doctor’s house and started to run – again.
Chapter 7
Tessa walked forward slowly into the empty room. Had the two vamps they’d left behind been taken out? Or had they gone to take other vamps out? Her gaze spun from side to side looking for anything out of the ordinary. If the assholes had actually managed to do a mass drugging, she could be in deep trouble. She had to avoid that at all costs. But how did one do that when she was in the same building? She sniffed the air experimentally, ready to bolt back to the elevator.