by J. C. Diem
Quin joined us for breakfast the next morning. We were used to the routine of getting up at six and had risen at the usual time. The dark smudges beneath her eyes were worse, which meant she hadn’t gotten any sleep last night. It was the final night of the full moon tonight, so she would probably crash and sleep like the dead tomorrow.
“Did you have any problems last night?” our boss asked when we were all seated. The young couple had opted to sleep in, so we were alone.
“Nope,” Connor reported.
Quin saw Mirra’s smug smile, then flicked a look at me. She knew something had happened, but figured it had been a minor incident. As always, she ate healthy cereal. I’d heaped my plate high with pancakes and poured syrup over them.
“That’s a heart attack in the making,” Mirra pointed out, staring at the sugary mess.
“Sugar doesn’t affect me anymore,” I said, then stuffed a forkful of pancakes into my mouth. I groaned in enjoyment. “It tastes so good,” I said, but it came out garbled.
Mirra screwed up her face in disgust and I sniggered, almost spitting the mouthful out. Connor ignored us both and Quin’s expression was pained. She would have to get used to my quirks if she wanted me to stay on the team. I’d never pretended to be a lady and I wasn’t about to start now.
I had syrup all over my hands, mouth and chin by the time I finished eating. Napkins weren’t enough to deal with the sticky mess, so I left the table and sauntered into the ladies’ room. Washing my hands and face, I heard the others talking about me when I shut the water off.
“I just don’t think she’s fit to join our team,” Mirra said in a low voice. “She’s far too childish to be in the Hunter Elite. She eats like a five-year-old.”
Heat flooded into my face at the insult and I balled my hands into fists.
“I don’t care how she eats,” Quin said in a hard tone. “The only thing I care about is whether she can help us to stay alive. We still don’t know who is hunting us. We need all the help we can get, or we’ll end up like our predecessors.”
It was Connor’s turn to weigh in next. “I partially agree with Mirra.” That hurt more than I’d been expecting and I flinched at his clinical tone when he continued. “Arienna is barely more than a child, but at least she shows some promise. With more training, she could become an asset to the team.”
His assessment took away some of the sting, but I wasn’t about to forget they both thought I was a kid. Compared to them, I supposed I was. But I hadn’t been born a supernatural creature like they had. In the human world, I was an adult and the other hunters had accepted me for the way I was. My hurt and anger faded a little when I realized I was going to have to do more to prove myself to these creatures. We’d only been on one mission together so far. It would take a lot more than that for them to trust me.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed away my hurt and pretended I hadn’t overheard their conversation when I returned to the table. Lashing out and accusing them of talking about me behind my back wouldn’t help. It would only prove that I couldn’t control my emotions.
I took my seat and poured coffee from the pot into my mug. “Did I miss anything?” I asked.
Quin gave me a sharp look and I kept my face bland. “We were just discussing how well you are fitting into the group,” she said, surprising me with her honesty. “Our thoughts are divided so far,” she added. “Some of us think you could use some more maturity.”
Mirra smirked at her plate and daintily ate some more toast. Connor met my gaze squarely, expecting an outburst. I wasn’t about to descend into a tantrum like the five-year-old Mirra had accused me of being. “I’m nineteen,” I said evenly. “Of course I could use some more maturity. I’m still technically a teenager.” I would be glad when I turned twenty and could put my teens behind me forever.
“Don’t you realize?” the siren said with false sympathy. “You’re a vampire now. You’ll be nineteen forever.”
Quin frowned at her and Mirra withered a little beneath her steely stare. “Arienna will most likely appear to be the age she is now until she dies,” Quin said, “but her mind will continue to mature.”
“I hope it matures quickly,” the siren said sulkily.
“How long does it take your kind to grow up?” I asked. “You don’t seem to act any older than I am.” Her dark eyes flashed in anger and she opened her mouth to issue a tirade.
“Enough,” Quin barked, quelling our argument before it could start. She shook her head and pushed her empty bowl away. “How did I come to be saddled with the equivalent of three children?” she asked herself, confirming my hunch that Mirra was young for her species.
“You’re just lucky, boss,” Connor replied seriously.
I sniggered, then pretended to cough and took a swallow of the bitter coffee. I wished Jonah was with us. He appreciated my sense of humor far more than these three ever would.
Since we were heading for the Main Archives rather than on a mission, I’d chosen jeans, a tank top and a light jacket to wear. Connor and Quin had toned down their almost military gear and wore similar clothes to mine. Mirra stood out in her tight dress, but being a siren meant she was always the center of attention anyway.
We left the bed n’ breakfast and packed our gear into the back of the SUV. Quin had cleaned the seats of traces of mud and sewage before the rest of us had risen. It smelled a lot better than it had yesterday. Despite not sleeping for two nights, she took the wheel. Her reflexes were excellent even in her sleep deprived state. She wended her way through the small amount of traffic when we reached Rosethorn.
I gazed through the window, noting the town was large, but quaint. Most of the buildings in the main street were at least a couple of centuries old. We parked near a public library and I searched the area for the Main Archives. To my surprise, Quin led the way to the library itself.
The building was old, made of red bricks and smelled musty when we stepped inside. It was brightly lit and Mirra’s yellow dress almost seemed to glow when she stepped beneath one of the dangling globes. Men stopped to stare at her in wonder and awe. Even the women gaped. One poor guy walked into a bookshelf and almost made it topple over. Books rained down on him, snapping him out of his daze until she caught his attention again. Mirra basked in their adoration until Connor gave her a light shove to get her moving.
Quin led us to the back of the library. She made sure we weren’t being followed before ducking into a narrow hallway with a dead end. Her fingers ran over the bricks until she found a hidden button. When she pressed it, the blank wall that led to nothing slid aside to reveal an elevator.
“Someone is coming,” Connor murmured. I heard the footsteps as well and we hurried into the elevator. It was a tight fit and Connor yanked me up against him so Quin could press the button. The door slid shut a moment before the person who had followed us could see where we’d gone. They would assume we’d left through the back exit. They would never know we were descending beneath the library floor.
We sank down three levels before coming to a stop. As soon as the door opened, I lurched outside. Every time Connor touched me, my heart beat faster and my breathing sped up. I didn’t want him to know how much he affected me, but I thought he already suspected from the sidelong look he gave me.
“This way,” Quin said and turned left towards the only door in the short hallway. It must have taken a lot of time and money to create the hidden bunker. It made me even more curious about the H.E.’s founders.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Quin came to a stop at the heavy metal door. Above us, a camera watched our every move. A device that looked like it could scan handprints was attached to the wall. She knocked, which meant she didn’t have access. The door rolled open sideways and a hard-faced man in a black suit examined us before letting us in. He nodded at Quin and Connor familiarly and averted his gaze from Mirra. Clearly, he’d met them all before. I received a cursory glance before he slid the door shut and locked it. It was obvious
he was a guard rather than an Archivist.
My attention was drawn to the rows of metal bookshelves that stretched out into the distance. The Main Archives was far larger than the one I’d visited previously. Books both ancient and new were crammed in together. Rolling ladders were attached to the stacks to give access to the books on the highest shelves. I was already amazed at the sheer number of volumes on display and realized there were two more floors above us.
Quin didn’t need directions and headed towards a door to the right. The layout was the same as Stephanie’s Archives, with a kitchen and bathroom to the left. Tables and chairs had been placed in strategic spots for people to sit and study. A few people were browsing the books. I could tell at a glance that they were human hunters. Their flannel shirts, t-shirts and worn jeans were a dead giveaway. It was the unofficial hunters’ uniform.
The door to the office was open. Quin knocked and the man who was seated behind the desk looked up and smiled. “Ah, Quintessa, please come in.” Her shoulders tensed at his use of her hated name, but she didn’t protest. The Master Archivist was a handsome man in his early forties. I’d pictured him as short, round, soft and balding. He was nothing like I’d imagined at all. His thick black hair was graying at the temples, which gave him a distinguished appearance. He wore a tailored dark gray suit and seemed to be in shape.
He shook hands with everyone, taking pains not to look at Mirra for too long, then turned to me. “You must be Arienna Austin,” he said with a courtly bow. His faint accent was hard to place and was probably European. “I am Spencer Von Hades. It is a real pleasure to meet you.” He shook my hand firmly and his eyes narrowed slightly when he felt my unnatural coolness. I started at hearing his surname. I was pretty sure Hades was another name for hell.
“Thank you for seeing us at such short notice, Spencer,” Quin said.
He released my hand and gestured at the four chairs that were waiting for us. “Please, take a seat.” His gaze strayed towards Mirra again and he sighed. Opening a drawer of his desk, he rummaged around and took a bronze bracelet out. He slipped it on and gave a pleased smile. “I was hoping that would work,” he murmured as he took a seat.
“What is it?” I asked.
His eyes were as gray as his suit and he regarded me solemnly. “It has been imbued with a spell to ward off magic,” he told me. “I asked a witch to make it in the hope that it would shield me from Mirra’s delightful ability to bamboozle my mind with her beauty and grace.” He smiled widely and the siren preened. Connor gave him a sour look and I realized the shifter didn’t like the Master Archivist at all.
“Did you receive the photos I sent you?” Quin asked, getting us back on track. I had a feeling she wasn’t a fan of Spencer either.
“I did,” Von Hades replied, returning to the business at hand. He touched something on his computer and a large TV attached to the wall came to life. The photos Quin had taken came up on the screen. Both the rat-like creatures and the aquatic ones were on display. “In all my years with the organization, I’ve never seen anything like these,” he said. “I’ve conferred with the other Archivists in the US and Europe and no one is familiar with them.”
His fingers tapped on the keyboard and more photos came up. Different monsters showed on the screen. All were vaguely humanoid, but resembled animals. “These creatures have been spotted all over the country,” he told us gravely. “Hunters have eradicated them all so far, but not without loss of human lives.”
“Could any of them use magic?” Connor asked and became the Master Archivist’s focus. “The creatures Ari and I encountered had sophisticated trapdoors that appeared to be made by magic,” he explained.
Spencer’s brow furrowed in concern. “No one has reported seeing the creatures using special powers.”
“The aquatic monsters reeked of magic,” Mirra said, backing Connor up. “I could sense it most strongly in their queen.”
“Hmm,” Von Hades mused, resting his chin on his knuckles. “I will have to do some more research on this topic.” While he was no longer beneath her spell, his gaze still dropped to her spectacular breasts for a few seconds. “I’ll let you know if I uncover more information about these creatures.”
As the Master Archivist, I’d expected him to have already done his research. Stephanie, the only other Archivist I’d met, would have. It made me wonder how he’d gotten this position in the first place if he wasn’t the best person for the job.
Realizing there was nothing more he could tell us, Quin rose. “Thank you for your time, Spencer,” she said. “We’d best return to our base.”
“Jonah will be lonely without us,” I added with a grin.
“You know about the ghost?” Spencer queried.
“I can see and talk to him,” I said, surprised that Quin hadn’t told him about my ability. From her guarded glance, I wondered if I’d made a mistake saying anything. Clearly, he knew we weren’t human. Maybe he didn’t know I was a half-vampire.
“I’d like to speak to Ms. Austin alone for a few moments,” Von Hades said.
Quin wasn’t happy about it, but nodded and motioned for the others to follow her outside. Connor flicked the handsome older man a glance that I couldn’t read. Spencer saw something in his face that I didn’t and grinned. “Do not fear, Mr. McAllister. Your young friend will be perfectly safe in my company.” Taking the bracelet off, he tossed it to the shifter. “Here. You will probably find this far more useful than I will. The magic will eventually wear off. It will need to be recharged by a witch, so I suggest you use it sparingly.”
Connor caught the bracelet and his surprise was palpable. “I thought you had this made for yourself.”
“It is just a prototype,” Spencer said, waving his concern away. “Now that I know it works, I will ask the witch to make me another one.”
With a nod of thanks, Connor slipped the bracelet into his pocket and left the room, closing the door behind him. Alone with the strange man, nerves suddenly hit me. Spencer didn’t look dangerous, yet there was something mysterious about him.
He studied me closely, then leaned forward to rest his chin on his fist again. “You are quite an enigma, young lady,” he said in a teasing tone. “From what Quintessa has reported, you are an impossibility. No vampire has ever managed to hold onto their soul before, yet you have accomplished it.”
“I think it had something to do with the necromancer,” I said uneasily.
“You believe you stole his life force?” he asked with an arched brow. Clearly, she’d told him all about me after all.
“That’s what it felt like. He was using so much power that it leaked all over me. I was dying from the vampirism, but I absorbed his essence and it seemed to have cemented my soul inside me.”
“Fascinating,” he said, riveted by my story. “Have you noticed any other differences between yourself and your vampire kin?”
“My heart still beats, but it’s a lot slower than normal. I sleep and dream, but the dreams are vivid and disturbing.” I didn’t mention they were usually linked to Alakay. “The main difference is that I can walk around in the sun and eat normal food.”
“That is a distinct advantage.” He studied me in silence until I grew uncomfortable and began to fidget. “Tell me,” he said suddenly, startling me into jumping slightly. “Have you seen any ghosts besides Jonah?”
“Not that I know of, but it’s possible. He just looks like a normal person to me.” They would have to vanish, or walk through a wall for me to notice they weren’t real humans.
“When Quin first notified me that a ghost was haunting her mansion, I did some research,” he said. Spinning his chair around, he stood and walked over to a row of metal filing cabinets. He opened a drawer and pulled out a folder. Returning to the desk, he handed it to me. “I told her I was unsuccessful at finding any information on the ghost, but that was a lie.”
“Why did you lie to her?”
“The young man’s story is tragic. I didn’t w
ant Quin or her team to become aware of Jonah’s history. If they attempted to discuss it with him during their séances, he might have become distraught and caused them harm.”
“We’re friends,” I said, holding the folder without opening it. “He won’t hurt me.”
“That is my hope,” he agreed. “Everything I have learned about the spirit is in that folder. You may take it with you, but please give it to Quintessa when you are done. She will make sure it is returned to me.”
“Thanks,” I said and stood, sensing my audience was over.
“You are welcome, Ms. Austin,” he said. “I think you will be an excellent addition to the Hunter Elite.” His smile was both mysterious and unnerving. I nodded awkwardly, then left the room, thankful to be escaping from his presence without really knowing why he unsettled me so badly.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Quin waited until we were back at the SUV before she questioned me. “What did Spencer want to talk to you about?” She eyed the folder I was clutching, knowing it had something to do with our discussion.
My answer surprised them all. “He lied to you about Jonah,” I said. “Spencer apparently knows all about him. He kept it from you because he didn’t want Jonah to hurt you if he found out the truth.”
“What is the truth?” Mirra asked.
“I don’t know yet. It’s in the file.”
Leaning against the car, Quin wasn’t happy that the Master Archivist had lied to her. “I knew he was hiding something,” she muttered. “What else did he say?”
“He wanted to know how different I was to other vampires. I told him the truth.”
“That was wise,” Connor said, but he didn’t seem thrilled. “Spencer always knows when someone is lying to him.”
“What is he?” I asked, going on a hunch that Von Hades wasn’t human.
“An old and powerful being,” Quin said sourly. “I’m not sure what he is. I only know that he is one of the Hunter Elite’s original founders and that he contributes to funding our unit and the Archives.”