Release (The Protector Book 3)

by M. R. Merrick

  “My sweet, Rayna. How I’ve missed looking upon your ravishing face.”

  “Get your hands off me,” she said. Her tone was even and unmoving. “Your ability to manipulate people has not impressed me, and never will. And I have no issues with coming into the shadows to slap you.”

  “You know I love it when you talk rough.” Tiki stepped closer, and in a few swift motions, Rayna had a blade against his cheek. “That fire…it makes me crave you.” Tiki said the last while clenching his teeth together. “But remember, you don’t want to hurt this poor innocent body.”

  “No, but I have no problems hurting you.”

  Tiki’s eyes rolled back in his head and his body shuddered dramatically. “Promises, promises.”

  We entered Revelations as eighties rock music blared through the club’s speakers. Smoke drifted in the air above the crowds and the smell of sweat stung my nostrils.

  The giant Underworld bouncer took our weapons, his glare more than enough to make me shudder. Tattoos covered his arms and part of his shaved head. His black leather vest parted to make room for his large stomach, and his neck was almost non-existent, making it seem like his wide shoulders supported a large, round skull.

  His massive hand gripped my bicep as I began to walk away. My eyes locked with his and my first instinct was to hit him. My knuckles cracked as I curled my fingers into a fist, but I held back the urge and clenched my jaw. “Problem?”

  “Careful, hunter. You keep coming around these parts, and you ain’t welcome. After your last visit, you’re on strike three, buddy. Best watch yourself.” His voice was so deep it was robotic.

  “I’m on my best behavior.”

  “Yeah,” he grunted. “We’ll see about that.” His jet black eyes were unnerving as he dropped my arm.

  I shuddered as the energy shifted in the room. All eyes were on me, and for a brief moment I considered waiting outside, but Rayna grabbed my hand and pulled me forward.

  Tiki was already seated, his black eyes scanning the room. His fingers were clasped together on top of the table, fiddling idly with the salt and pepper shakers. He adjusted himself from one side to the other and his feet tapped along the barstool.

  “So, what’s up?” I dropped into the seat across from him.

  “The good news is that nobody from my…you know, is here,” he said in a hushed whisper. I looked at him questioningly and he shook his head. “You never know who might be listening.”

  I nodded and his eyes panned back over the room. “So where do we start?”

  “There is only one person I see who I will be able to speak with. Nobody else here is trustworthy or of any value to me. I will approach him, but keep an eye on me. You wouldn’t want to see this vessel get destroyed because of your distaste for me, now would you?”

  Tiki unbuttoned the top few buttons of his plaid dress shirt. I didn’t know what Vincent had done to convince him to wear regular clothes, and something told me I didn’t want to know. He turned and walked away from the table, his hips swaying in dramatic fashion.

  I rose from my chair, tension clinging to my shoulders. Tiki was frozen in place and partially hunched over.

  “What is it?” Rayna asked.

  My eyes were fixated on him as he shook his head and regained his balance. He looked lost for a moment before moving forward and disappearing into the crowd.

  “Chase?”

  “I don’t know, but something isn’t right.”

  I tried to keep an eye out for the mess of shaggy black hair, but it was mixed in with a sea of Underworlders.

  “Dammit, I lost him,” I said.

  “Me too,” Rayna replied, stretching her neck at an awkward angle.

  I pushed off the table and jumped into the crowd where I’d last seen him. Moving through a mess of bodies, the back of Tiki’s head came into view. I slowed my pace to keep my distance, trying not to draw attention. He stumbled again, catching the side of a barstool. Demons at the table glared at him, and he smiled, waving at them before continuing forward.

  I squeezed through a small group of Underworlders and Tiki stopped. He wavered and fell backwards.

  I shoved my way through the line at the bar, ignoring the demons’ threats and curses, and slipped my arms behind Tiki before he hit the ground. Underworlders formed a circle around us, and an uneasy feeling formed in the pit of my stomach.

  Tiki was on the floor, his body still and his eyes wide open. The black was gone and small white pupils were dilated in the center of bright orange eyes.

  “Tiki can you hear me?” I yelled over the music.

  Tiki blinked a few times, a confused look warping his features. “What happened?”

  “Tiki, is that you?”

  “Of course it is me, Chase Williams.”

  “We need to get him out of here,” Rayna said, crouching down beside me. “If Tiki’s here, something isn’t right with Vincent.”

  I pulled Tiki to his feet, and after a few wobbly steps, he was fine to walk on his own.

  “Chase Williams, what is happening?”

  “Just follow me, I’ll explain outside.”

  “What did I tell you, hunter?” The doorman blocked the exit.

  “What? I didn’t do anything.”

  “Causing a disturbance, is that what you call doing nothing?” He stood with his arms crossed and the tattoos stretched, holding on to his skin for dear life. The lines of ink covering his skull seemed to shift, and I side-stepped to move past him, but he blocked the way again.

  “Our friend collapsed. I’d hardly say that was anything we can be faulted for.” Rayna’s words were sharp and she glared at the bouncer.

  “Cute,” he said, looking back and forth between us. “I don’t like you, hunter. I won’t be happy if you come back here.”

  I looked up at the bouncer, swallowed my retort, and snatched my weapons from his hand.

  The metal door slammed open against the brick wall and Rayna broke into a run. I trailed behind her with Tiki trying to keep up, but he still seemed disoriented.

  We turned the corner of the alley, racing alongside a string of dilapidated brick buildings before diving into the darkness.

  An unmaintained park filled the shadows. Long grass, flowerbeds full of weeds, and cracked walking paths disappeared into the woods. Silence swirled around me and mature trees rose up into a dark, cloudy sky, absent of stars or moonlight.

  “Where’d he go?” Rayna asked.

  I didn’t give her an answer. I strained my senses for a sign—anything that might tell me where he was.

  “What is happening?” Tiki asked, coming to a standstill behind me. He rubbed his eyes and blood dripped from his nose. “I feel tired.”

  “You okay?”

  The demonic black swallowed Tiki’s orange eyes and he keeled over, letting out a scream.

  “Tiki!” I yelled, rushing to his side.

  Tiki shook his head, and when he stood back up, the orange in his eyes had returned. Blood seeped through his shirt and I tore it open. Claw marks had formed on his chest and a bruise swelled around his eye. Thick red blood dribbled down his chin as his lip split and swelled.

  “What’s happening?” Tiki asked, his words slurred by massively swollen lips. His forehead creased and his hands searched his face. Panic filled his eyes and he reached out, gripping my shoulder. “Chase?”

  “It’s Vincent,” Rayna said. “Whatever’s happening to him is happening to Tiki—they’re still connected.”

  A rustle came from above us and my eyes darted to the shadows. Movements high in a tree caught my eye, but even with branches almost bare of leaves, I couldn’t make out what it was.

  The tree shook and the remaining red and yellow leaves rained down on the grass. Something leaped from one tree to another, and then a flash of white soared through the darkness. A moment later, a body hit the street and rolled across the pavement.

  Vincent moaned and tried to push himself up, but his body collapsed back to th
e asphalt. His shirt was gone, with the exception of a torn strip of silky green fabric that was still tucked into his pants. Flawless skin was tarnished with open wounds and blood smeared across his face. His cheeks were swollen with thick claw marks cutting into them, and blood ran from his chin to the ground.

  Rayna was beside him in seconds, trying to pull him to his feet. Tiki limped cautiously towards them and I scanned the shadows, both blades drawn from their sheaths.

  “Vampires,” I said.

  Dark magic shuddered over me, sending goose bumps down my body. Preparing for the fight I knew was coming, I called my elements forward. Fire and water channeled through my arms and into my blades.

  Each edge lit up with power. Blue magic swirled around the cold metal and frost decorated one blade. The other sparked, quickly turning red with heat. I clenched them in my hands and walked backwards towards the group, not tearing my eyes from the shadows.

  “It’s time, Chase,” said a voice. It echoed to my left, but laughter came from my right. I knew that voice. It was worse than vampires; it was Arian.

  “Back for more already?” I shouted.

  The snap of Rayna’s whip echoed behind me and power pulsed around Tiki. His eyes went black and razor bones ejected from his forearms. He didn’t release his demon any more than that, but his power hovered beneath the surface, even if he was having trouble staying on his feet.

  “I never left.” He chuckled, his voice behind us now.

  We all turned at once but nobody was there. I searched the broken windows of each building, then the shadows, and finally the alley—still nothing.

  I readjusted my grip on my daggers and a loud bang pierced my ears before a low growl echoed behind me.

  Red eyes peered out at me from a shadow-littered alley. I stepped forward, instantly regretting it the moment a thick lion stepped into the street. Black fur covered the beast, with dark gray stripes lining its sides like a tiger. A bushy gray mane surrounded its head and massive jaws hung open, stained yellow fangs dripping with saliva.

  “This is new,” I said.

  The beast curled back its upper lip and released a fierce and terrifying roar.

  Sweat gathered on my palms and I readjusted my grip again, stepping back towards the middle of the street.

  “I have many forms you have yet to see,” the beast growled. Watching its lips articulate words was bizarre and unnerving.

  “Well I don’t plan on seeing them all.”

  I threw my arm forward, aiming the blade at his head. A stream of fire snapped forward like a flaming whip. As he lunged to the side, the flames crashed into the building behind him and bricks shattered in clouds of red dust, leaving the corner of the building broken.

  Rayna’s whip cracked through the air and struck Arian’s face. Blood splattered over his dull fur and across the sidewalk. He roared again and sprinted towards me, teeth bared and blood dripping from his jaws.

  I brought both daggers above my head and sprang towards him. Before I made contact, a black blur cut in front of me and the lion was lifted off the ground.

  His body moved awkwardly through the air, massive paws clawing the air around him before he hit the street. Rocks from the broken asphalt stuck in his side and dark blood ran over his skin. Arian struggled to his feet, moving in a circle to find his attacker.

  The blur returned, this time from above, slamming into his back. Arian’s legs collapsed and he dropped to the ground. A black cloaked figure stood over top of him. Long strands of blonde hair fluttered from beneath a hood, and a deep red scarf that was wrapped around its neck floated on the air.

  “You will leave,” said a female’s voice. Power pulsed in the air and I stepped back. “And because I’ve spilled enough blood this week, I will give you this opportunity to do so without further incident.”

  Arian clambered to his feet. “Filthy half-breed,” he said, his teeth snapping together as he nipped the air in front of him. Long, bone-like claws sprung from the woman’s fingers and slashed his face open, leaving wide, gushing wounds.

  “This is your last warning,” she commanded. Her voice was deep and demonic, each word articulated with a slight accent as it slipped from her hooded figure.

  Arian stepped back, his eyes moving back and forth between us and the woman.

  “I’m growing tired of these constant interruptions!” he growled. “I can see you now, Chase. Everywhere you go, I am watching. Next time I come, you will become my minion. I won’t let Riley, the Dark Brothers, or any filthy bloodsuckers get in my way!”

  The hooded figure jumped towards him again, swinging her claws out, but Arian dodged the strike. His thick paw swiped back, smashing into her face and she flew to the ground.

  “Your father granted me this power—what a fool—thinking he could actually control me.” Arian laughed. “I will bow to no one, Chase, but you will bow to me. You will be my greatest soldier and you will put me on the dark throne Riley has claimed for himself.” He roared and moved in to bite the vampire, but the silver claws on Rayna’s whip snapped against the ground, sending sparks through the air.

  Arian flinched, and Rayna threw her arm forward. The blades sliced through the darkness and Arian stepped back, evading the strike.

  “You will not escape me next time, Williams,” he said. “And anyone who gets in my way will die.”

  Pain shot through my ears as another crack sounded and the lion vanished, transforming instantly into a black crow. The bird cawed and jumped into the air, disappearing into the dark sky.

  The hooded figure was back on her feet, walking towards us. Her entire face was masked by shadows, and the blonde hair and red scarf were tangled together. Power vibrated off her and I kept my blades at the ready.

  A strange tingling started over my shoulder, becoming painful. It broke my focus and the magic inside me faded. The skin along my back burned and I shifted my shoulders, trying to relieve tension that had formed in the muscles.

  Vincent pushed himself into a sitting position, his wounds already starting to close. Blood was still smeared on his chest and face, but the wounds were now only thin scratches.

  “You’ve grown more powerful, my son,” said the hooded woman.

  “Son?” I asked.

  Vincent sighed and lowered his gaze. “Chase Williams, meet my mother, Lady Alessia Lazzario.”

  Chapter 19

  “Umm…hi,” I said, trying not to sound confused. Saved by the very demon I was supposed to be protecting Vincent from? Something wasn’t right about that.

  The woman didn’t respond. She nodded and turned back to Vincent. “You’ve built yourself quite the world here, son. I can’t say I’m not impressed.” Her Italian accent was thick, and each word was just above a whisper.

  “Yet you managed to crumble it in just a few short days.” Vincent’s wounds were closed completely now and he pushed himself to his feet.

  “That is hardly the case. You know how things work, my child. When you come to a city you’re unfamiliar with, you have two choices: watch idly from the shadows or make an impression. Naturally after four centuries, waiting was not something your father was eager to do.”

  “Four centuries or not, Father has never been keen to stay on the sidelines.”

  “Your words ring true.”

  “Why are you here?” Vincent asked.

  “You don’t truly expect me to distinguish that with a response, do you? Your absence after the death of—”

  “I know why you’re in Stonewall. Why are you here, in this place, with us? If the Sovereign wants me dead, I see no reason why it matters whose hand delivers the final blow.”

  Alessia laughed. “I do not want you dead, son. I’m appalled you would even consider that..”

  “You may not, but you are not the only member of the Sovereign. Answer the question, Mother.”

  “My reasons are my own,” she said. “But if you must have an answer, why is it so hard to believe I don’t want to see my son hurt?”<
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  Vincent’s jaw clenched and his forehead creased. “Because you could have saved me pain once and you chose silence. As always, you pathetically fall in line behind your narrow-minded husband.”

  Alessia’s gloved hand struck Vincent’s face, and the sound—even open handed—was a solid crack.

  Vincent hit the ground with force and his body bounced off the pavement. Mimicking Vincent’s body, Tiki fell too, his cheeks splitting open. Blood trickled from their wounds before they closed.

  Vincent’s eyes opened wide as he watched the blood run down Tiki’s face and his power flooded the air. Tiki’s body jerked at an awkward angle and then he went limp.

  “I’m sorry, my friend.” Vincent nodded to Tiki and turned back to Alessia. “As for you, I owe you an apology as well. Such a comment was obtuse of me. Please forgive me, Mother,” Vincent whispered.

  Alessia nodded, reaching her covered hands up and pushing the hood off her head. Blonde hair fluttered out from the cowl. Long golden locks brightened the midnight backdrop, and the red scarf wrapped around her neck tangled with her hair.

  Deep purple eyes carried an outer ring of gold, and thin lines of it swirled into the purple. Her pupils were small, and perfectly manicured eyebrows arched above her fierce gaze. Flawless white skin was contrasted by pouty lips painted a dark purple that nearly matched her eyes. She was taller than Vincent, and only an inch or two shorter than me.

  She glanced at each of us, devouring us with her eyes. Her power caressed me, dancing along my skin and sending nips of apprehension throughout my body.

  A smile curled along her lips as I diverted my eyes from hers. “Interesting company you find yourself in, son. A demon I’ve never seen, but I suspect purity in his veins,” she said, nodding to Tiki. “A hybrid of pure independence,” she tilted her head towards Rayna. “And a hunter.” Her gaze swallowed me and I fought the unnatural urge to look at her.