Dare Me

by Parker Blue

  Val chuckled. “There’s enough pizza for all three of us, if you want.”

  I WANT, Fang assured her.

  “Sure,” Shade said.

  They heated up Princess’s healthy meal and the pizza for the rest of them. Shade even gave Princess a couple of bites of his pizza so she wouldn’t look so forlorn.

  But he wasn’t ready to talk with Val about what had happened last night, especially with vampire hearing being what it was. Apparently, neither was Val. They ate pretty much in awkward silence, until the hellhounds went outside and Shade finally asked, “Where’s Austin?” at the same time Val said, “What’s up for today?”

  “You first,” Shade said.

  She picked at her pizza without looking at him. “To answer your question, Austin woke earlier and said he had to make some phone calls—arrange to take care of his responsibilities in the Movement so he can hang out here and be a pain in my butt.”

  She grimaced, and Shade felt a little better knowing she didn’t want the bloodsucker around any more than he did.

  Continuing, Val said, “I’m new at this Paladin thing and not sure what I’m supposed to do except watch you. You have anything planned?”

  For some reason, the reminder that she was the Underground’s Paladin annoyed him. He didn’t need a babysitter. “Not really,” he said curtly. “Thought I’d get started digitizing the encyclopedia. Don’t think you’ll need to protect me while I’m doing that, unless you suspect the laptop of nefarious intentions.”

  She shot him a hurt glance, and Shade cursed himself. Sheesh, was he trying to pick a fight? It was like he was trying to push her away first, before she could do it to him. Micah and Tessa were right—he needed to get his head together. Val didn’t deserve his pissiness. “Or maybe I’ll do as you suggested and talk to Elspeth,” he said.

  There, that made her face clear up. “Good idea. I’m sure Austin can reach her for you.”

  “Austin already did,” the cowboy vamp said from the doorway as he tucked his phone into his jeans pocket. Before Shade could complain about his nerve, Austin added, “I’ve sponsored Gwen and Elspeth into the house, so it’s my responsibility to ensure they integrate smoothly into their new lifestyles.”

  Val raised an eyebrow. “You mean they’re coming here so you can give them lessons on how to be a vampire?” she translated.

  “Something like that,” Austin said, looking annoyed.

  Shade shrugged. It was none of his business what they did. To have something to do, he helped Val clean the kitchen, then straightened the living room and made his bed while he waited for Elspeth to show. It didn’t take long, and she and Gwen entered without knocking since this was, after all, Gwen’s home. Former home, anyway. Now that she was a vampire, she was living in Alejandro’s mansion.

  Elspeth, the former Memory Eater, was just as creepy-looking as he remembered. But that wasn’t her fault. One of the rare demons who could turn vampire without going insane, she’d still been more than half crazy. Micah had told him she’d starved herself deliberately—if she didn’t drink blood, the vampire and the demon didn’t war within her so much. But now that Val had exorcised the demon from her, there was no more war, and Elspeth looked better.

  When he first saw her, she’d looked like an emaciated bundle of sticks with an animated death’s head mask. But “eating” regularly had given the vampire a small layer of . . . he couldn’t even call it fat, on her bones. Healthy skin, maybe. And her hair looked a lot better. Thicker, not lank and stringy. She’d even put it up in some complicated, old-fashioned twist on top of her head. It made her look almost human, less likely to frighten children on sight.

  Once she’d regained her sanity, she was totally kind and professional, so Shade had no hesitation in approaching her. “Could I speak to you alone?” he asked.

  She glanced at Austin, who said, “Go ahead. I can work with Gwen on some things you already know.”

  “We can use the bedroom,” Shade said, then glanced at the others to ensure they didn’t take that wrong.

  They didn’t. As Austin and Gwen went into the kitchen, Val looked bored. She flopped down on the couch and grabbed the remote. “I guess I’ll just watch television,” she said with a sigh. “Yell if the boogieman comes.”

  Glad that Val hadn’t tried to push herself into this meeting, Shade showed Elspeth into his room. He offered her the chair by Gwen’s desk while he sat on the bed and swiped his suddenly damp palms on his jeans.

  “Do you mind if I touch you?” Elspeth asked. “I would see your face, if it pleases you.”

  “Uh, sure.” He must look as creepy to her as she did to him.

  She moved to sit on the bed beside him and touched his wrist lightly. As always when someone grounded him in this reality, he felt more human, more . . . together, somehow. The images and emotions from other dimensions stopped flowing through him uncontrollably. Now, they’d only come through if he wanted them to, such as when he deliberately called upon them to heal someone.

  “How can I assist you?” she asked, her gaunt face softening into an expression of concern.

  He wasn’t quite sure how to ask her what was going on in his brain without sounding crazy. “Uh, you’ve known a lot of demons, lived a long time. I was wondering if you could help with the encyclopedia, flesh out the knowledge in there so future generations won’t be so in the dark.”

  “Of course. But, I do not think that is the only thing you wanted to ask me, is it?”

  Shade grimaced and figured he’d better just lay it out there. “No, I guess not. I’m having a few weird things going on with my memories, and since you were the Lethe for so long, Val thought you might be able to help.”

  “I may be able to,” she said. “What seems to be the problem?”

  “I’m not sure. I don’t know if you’re aware of what shadow demons are . . .?”

  “I have some past experience,” she said encouragingly.

  “Well, I always have strange emotions running through me from other dimensions, but lately, it seems that I’m feeling things I shouldn’t. Things people say or do that never bothered me before now make me react in ways I don’t expect.”

  “How so?”

  “Like earlier. Val mentioned that she was a Paladin, and it just ticked me off, for no reason.”

  “I see,” Elspeth said thoughtfully.

  “And I’m having weird dreams. Bad ones, that I can’t remember but scare the heck out of me anyway.” He felt foolish for admitting it, but she had lived so long, seen so many demons, maybe she knew more about shadow demons than he did. “Is it possible that the other dimensions are alternate realities and memories from other Shades are leaking into this world?”

  “I’ve never heard of anything like that happening,” she said, then cocked her head to give him a piercing look. “How is your memory?”

  How was that relevant? “Fine, I guess. Why?”

  “How much do you remember of your earlier years?”

  He shrugged. “Not much, like everyone else.” It was pretty much a big blur. Besides, it wasn’t relevant, so why should he think about it?

  “What is your earliest memory?” she persisted.

  “I don’t know.” And for some reason, he didn’t even want to think about that either.

  “Do you know where you lived before you came to San Antonio?”

  “Of course.” He frowned. No, he didn’t remember. “I mean, I’ve always lived here.”

  She looked at him thoughtfully, as if she didn’t believe him. “I see. Do you have strange dreams, dreams that feel like memories? Dreams you have a hard time remembering upon awakening?”

  “Yes, sometimes. Doesn’t everyone?”

  “No, not everyone.”

  Puzzled, he asked, “What does it mean, then?”
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  “It means your submerged memories are trying to come through.”

  Huh? “What submerged memories?”

  She patted him on the hand. “Don’t worry about it, and don’t fight it. Shadow Boy will remember what he once knew in his own good time.”

  Shadow Boy . . . that sounded familiar. But who the heck was Shadow Boy, and what did he have to do with Shade?

  Chapter Six

  Austin

  THE NEXT EVENING, Austin called Gwen and Elspeth to come to Val’s so he could talk to them about their training. With Micah and the other demons holding a powwow in the living room about the Underground’s response to Shade’s attacker, Austin asked the two new vamps to join him in the kitchen at the table.

  He regarded them thoughtfully. They’d healed from their “training” with Luis, but what a contrast. Gwen, a young, pretty redhead whose human life had been taken from her by her brother’s ex-fiancée, looked bright as a new penny against Elspeth’s gaunt, aged appearance. And though Elspeth had been turned hundreds of years ago with her full consent, she’d been living in isolation ever since in the Demon Underground. Now that Val had exorcised the demon and the madness from her, she was fully vamp and ready to take her place in the New Blood Movement alongside Gwen.

  Two very different women, but with the same ignorance of their new existence.

  Austin cleared his throat. “First of all, I apologize for shirking my duty in training you.”

  Gwen shook her head. “It’s not your fault. We understand you have other duties, other commitments.” She smiled. “Like saving San Antonio from mage demons and the like.”

  Gwen was trying to be nice, but he wouldn’t let himself off the hook. “No excuses. You are my responsibility, and I should have been more proactive in helping you acclimate to your new life. How are you adjusting?” This sort of life after death could be challenging for new members.

  “It is more difficult for Gwen than it is for me,” Elspeth said. “Not only because she was turned against her will, but because she is not accustomed to drinking blood, and she is still becoming acclimated to the demands and changes in her body.”

  Gwen shrugged as if it were no big deal, but she wouldn’t meet his eyes. “I’ll adjust. It’s just that . . . my whole life changed. I can’t go back to work at the ER, and while most people at the mansion are kind and helpful, I really need something to do.”

  “I would appreciate some meaningful occupation as well,” Elspeth said.

  Austin could appreciate that. Boredom was one of the chief problems with a vampire’s existence. Too many had turned rogue, killed themselves, or set themselves up as despots simply to alleviate the monotony. “I understand. I was giving you a chance to acclimate first, but I’m sure we can find something for you to do. Gwen, with your medical training, you’d be invaluable in assisting us at the blood banks, for medical assistance and research. Would you be interested in that?”

  “I haven’t done much research, but yes, I’d love to help in any way I can.” She smiled as if he’d given her a present, and Austin kicked himself for not thinking of this earlier.

  “Good. I’ll get you in touch with Vincent.” He glanced at Elspeth. “I’m sorry, I don’t know your skills . . .?”

  “I have none that translate well to this age except for holding house. I would be happy to assist Rosa in that area.”

  Well, that was a relief. Too many thought management of the household was beneath them, and Rosa could always use the help. “Excellent suggestion. I’ll talk to her about it, and we can work around your training. Right now, with Val so vulnerable and unknown demons attacking, I need to spend more time here with Val and won’t be able to do the physical training you need until this crisis is over.” He hesitated, then added, “I’m sorry, I should never have left you vulnerable to Luis’s training methods, but I’ll rectify that as soon as possible.” He tried not to let his anger at Luis’s presumption show through, but wasn’t sure he was successful.

  Elspeth nodded. “We accept your apology. But is the battle training really necessary?”

  “I’m afraid it is,” Austin said with regret. “The fact that we are what we are paints a target on our backs, makes us vulnerable to the unaffiliated vampires who hate what we stand for, and to the occasional human zealot who doesn’t understand the difference between us and the rogues.

  “We need to teach you to be aware of your vulnerabilities and how to defend yourself and the other members of the Movement. Too often lately, we have been attacked for what we are, with no regard to how we truly interact with humans.”

  “Are humans really a threat?” Elspeth asked. “After all, we are so much stronger and faster than they are.”

  “We are, but we have a responsibility to the Movement. Our goal is to come out to the world, to pass legislation that will require every vampire to belong to the New Blood Movement. This would not only provide us protection under the law and allow us to live in harmony with humans, but any rogues who refuse to join and follow our precepts would not be afforded that protection.”

  They nodded their understanding, so Austin continued. “The Movement isn’t just about providing blood banks to protect the humans, it’s also about ensuring humans have no cause to fear us, no cause to enter into witch hunts. So, first and foremost, we must ensure we do not harm them.”

  “Not even if they attack us?” Elspeth asked, looking worried.

  “That’s what the training is for,” Austin explained. “To learn how to defend yourself against them without hurting them.” When Elspeth looked worried, he added, “It’s not always possible, but it should be our primary aim.”

  Gwen and Elspeth exchanged uncertain looks. Gwen asked, “Does everyone have to follow that rule, even Alejandro’s lieutenants?”

  “Are you thinking of Lily?” Austin asked. Alejandro’s former lieutenant had fooled them into believing she followed their creed, then went her own way. “She was an aberration, and we took care of that. We police our own,” he added sternly. Not that he worried about these two going rogue.

  “No, not Lily,” Gwen said hesitantly and exchanged another glance with Elspeth.

  “Then who?” Austin demanded. He knew it wasn’t him, so that left only Rosa and Luis. “Did Luis do something?”

  “We must tell him,” Elspeth said, placing a hand atop Gwen’s.

  “Yes, tell me,” Austin bit out. But he had a feeling he wasn’t going to like what they had to say.

  Gwen glanced down at the table where she’d twisted her hands into a knot. “Alejandro asked Luis to give us a tour of a blood bank last week,” Gwen explained. “And he left us in the lobby while he, uh . . .”

  Understanding her reluctance to finish that sentence, Austin said, “While he went to a private room and fed directly from the source?” Austin didn’t agree at all with this option of the blood bank—it provided too many temptations.

  “Yes,” Elspeth said, and it was obvious she didn’t approve either.

  Gwen continued. “A man came in, upset that his wife was, er, donating, and attacked Elspeth. He stabbed her in the shoulder with a stake, and I grabbed him from behind to hold him off. We were defending ourselves all right—without hurting him—but it created a huge commotion in the lobby, and Luis came out, livid.”

  “And?” Austin prompted, trying to keep the anger from his voice at what he suspected was coming.

  Gwen twisted her fingers even tighter. “He . . . he broke the man’s neck.”

  Elspeth nodded. “It wasn’t an accident. He did it deliberately.”

  Rage surged through Austin. Luis had always been arrogant, but he’d played by the rules. What possessed him to do this? “Why haven’t I heard about this?”

  “Because he removed the memories of every human present and staged an accident to look as though
the man fell off a roof . . . in another part of town,” Elspeth explained, sounding indignant. “We found the notice in the paper the next day.”

  “That’s why he was training us,” Gwen said. “He said we had to learn how to defend ourselves.”

  Austin wanted to hit something, wring Luis’s neck. “Really? Or was he trying to punish you?”

  “Both, I believe,” Elspeth said quietly.

  Austin fought to control his anger. “This is a total violation of everything we stand for. We can’t let him stay in a position of power any longer. We have to tell Alejandro.”

  “No, you can’t,” Gwen said, reaching out a hand as if to stop him. “He said that if we ever told anyone, he’d . . . take care of us.”

  He dared? “Alejandro and I will protect you,” Austin said. “And Alejandro will banish him.” Maybe even eliminate him. Austin would gladly take on that responsibility himself.

  “Will he?” Elspeth asked calmly. “Alejandro sees the best in everyone. Luis said it was an accident, that he didn’t mean to do it. Alejandro will believe him and think Luis can be rehabilitated.”

  “You see?” Gwen said. “If you tell him, we’ll still be in danger.”

  Austin shut his eyes in pain. They were right. He couldn’t reveal Luis’s perfidy without endangering these two women, who were supposed to be under his protection. He couldn’t watch them every moment of every day and take care of Val at the same time.

  “Perhaps we should leave, join a group in another city,” Elspeth suggested.

  For a brief moment, Austin entertained the idea, but when he saw the misery on Gwen’s face, he said, “No. You’re safest here.” They had no idea how lucky they were here, and they might not be treated as well elsewhere, especially since they were so new, so vulnerable, so ripe for exploitation.

  He sighed. “All right,” he said. “I won’t tell Alejandro.” But if Austin caught Luis, there would be no need to keep his mouth shut. He’d have to keep an eye on the Spaniard. “But I want you to stay with me, or Rosa, or others we trust at all times until Luis is satisfied you’re not going to reveal his secret.”