I turned around in my seat as the door opened and two young men entered Melcher’s office. One of the guys had shaggy light brown hair that stopped just above his shoulders. He wore faded blue jeans with a hole in one knee and a slate blue shirt. It hung loose over his pants. He looked a lot like Kurt Cobain with slightly darker hair. Maybe the singer hadn’t really died. Maybe the government had made it look like a suicide and recruited him.
The second guy was black with dark hair buzzed nearly to his skull. He wore a long-sleeved gray thermal top, taut against his large muscular chest, and had full lips that immediately caught my eye.
I had a slight thing for lips.
I scrambled out of my chair as Cobain’s twin stretched his hand forward.
“I’m Levi.”
“Aurora,” I said, shaking his hand.
“Mason,” the black guy said, taking my hand after Levi released it.
“Mr. Parker is an informant,” Melcher said, indicating Levi, the shaggy haired Kurt Cobain-look-alike. “And Mr. Hicks is a hunter.” The reason for their arrival didn’t sink in until Melcher said, “The three of you will be working together.”
The ground shifted under my feet. I looked from Parker to Hicks, Levi to Mason. They were way too hot to work with, for one thing. More importantly, they weren’t Dante, Noel, or Valerie.
“Mr. Parker and Mr. Hicks have plenty of experience,” Melcher said.
Like that really put me at ease. And what did Melcher mean by “working together?” Were they going to help me bring back Dante?
I turned slowly towards Melcher. “What exactly is the plan?” I asked.
He leaned forward on his elbows. “We’re going to shut down Diederick’s tastings, permanently.”
For several seconds I was speechless. Here I thought we were planning Dante’s rescue, but Melcher had brought up Diederick. I couldn’t care less about tastings or any other uppity vampire function tailored to the rich and thirsty.
My mouth must have hung open.
“You look confused,” Levi said, flashing me a megawatt smile. Despite the sexy cleft in his chin, his comment annoyed the hell out of me.
I folded my arms across my chest. “My partner’s been kidnapped, so maybe you’ll forgive myconfusion as to why his recovery isn’t top priority.”
Bonehead. I saw right through his bright smile.
“Apprehending Giselle and recouping Dante are top priorities,” Melcher said. “Once I get Jared back in town, we will formulate a plan. In the meantime, your assignment stays the same. I want you on tastings. I want the three of you to put down every vampire who goes upstairs.”
Levi and Mason looked at each other and smiled. So the studs enjoyed the hunt? Charming.
“And how do you propose we do that?” I demanded.
Rather than answer me, Melcher looked at Mason with raised brows. Mason’s lips puckered in thought. They were impossibly full.
“We find a way upstairs and replace one of the wine girls with her.” Mason glanced sideways at me. “One by one, the vampires feed on her, convulse, and one by one, we kill them.”
Levi placed a finger in his cleft. “I hear you, brother, but where do we put the bodies?”
“Bathroom, closet, out the window—I don’t care.”
No, of course not. He wasn’t the one getting the blood sucked out of him. Bodies meant biting. As much as I didn’t enjoy killing, it didn’t seem fair to be the only one doing all the poisoning in one night.
“What about you?” I asked Mason. “You’re a hunter. Why don’t you step in?”
“Sure, let’s have the vampires bite the black man.” Mason folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes.
Wait a minute? Was he trying to turn this into something racial? Because it wasn’t. This was totally and completely sexist. Sure, let’s have the vampires suck on the white chick.
I glared back.
Levi deliberately coughed. “They’re called wine girls,” he said slowly, as though I were daft. “Girls, as in female, as in you.”
“Yeah, I get it,” I said sourly.
“Do you?” Levi asked. “Because it didn’t seem like it a second ago.”
He was an ass hat, all right. They both were.
I looked at Melcher. “Do I have to work with these assholes? I’d rather put my efforts into Giselle. I am her only contact, after all.”
Melcher pressed his lips together. I couldn’t tell whether he was thinking or curbing his anger. Finally he spoke. “Complete this mission successfully, and I will take you off all other assignments until Dante is back.”
My heart surged. I felt hopeful and deflated all at once. Melcher had promised what I wanted most—no more missions, no more assignments until Dante was safe. But he also said I had to go back to the lodge first.
I could do it. I didn’t like it, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t capable.
“Okay,” I said, lifting my chin. “I will go back one last time.”
Melcher nodded. “You are a defender of humanity, Aurora; a champion and a guardian angel. Never forget how important your work is.”
On opposite sides of me, Levi and Mason nodded solemnly. Did these guys really buy into Melcher’s bullshit or, like Valerie, were they simply playing along? If so, they all had me beat in the acting department. I had a hard time not gagging.
“Thanks,” I said, the “s” hissing between my teeth. “But the next tasting isn’t until Friday, and I’d like to look for Dante in the meantime.”
Melcher lowered his chin. “I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do until Jared gets to town.”
“And when will that be?”
Oh, goodie. Jared back in Anchorage. His arrival was a necessary evil, but one I dreaded nevertheless.
Melcher straightened. “As soon as possible. In the meantime, I suggest you go to class. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? To be a college student?”
Yeah, like I was really going to be able to concentrate in class while Giselle held Dante hostage. I stared at Melcher a moment, looking for some sign of compassion. I saw nothing. His eyes were as empty as Giselle’s.
Rather than answer Melcher’s question, I asked, “Do you have a spare key to Dante’s place?”
“Why would you need a key?” Melcher asked.
“So I can get his dog.”
Parallel lines formed beside Melcher’s chin when he frowned. “I warned Dante against keeping a pet. Our work doesn’t allow for their care and upkeep,” he said. Melcher drummed his fingers over his desk slowly. He stopped, got up, and went over to a square metal cabinet attached to the wall. He pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the cabinet. From behind him, I could see rows of keys hanging from labeled key chains. A sick sensation twisted in my gut knowing that Melcher could get inside my house at any time. And why shouldn’t he? He owned the house. He owned us.
My gut churned.
Melcher pulled a key out and relocked the cabinet. Before returning to his desk, he stopped in front of the ancient file cabinet.
The room was silent, other than the metallic groan the drawer made as Melcher opened and closed it. He returned to his desk with the key and a file.
Melcher looked at Levi. “Mr. Parker, take care of the animal.”
“Consider it done.”
A jolt shot straight up my spine as Melcher’s words registered. “What? No!”
Levi stepped forward, stretching his palm out for the key. I tried to intercept him, but Levi grabbed the key before I could stop him. He lifted it in the air, grinning like this was some kind of game.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll make sure the dog finds a loving home.” He looked over my shoulder and smirked, sharing a laugh with his partner.
“Tommy already has a loving home, you fuckwit,” I said, jumping for the key.
Levi held it higher, grinning wider. I pulled my arm back and socked him in the chest with everything I had, anger adding extra “pow” to my punch.
Levi’s smile dropped, but the key didn’t.
“Agent Sky, get ahold of yourself!” Melcher roared.
I caught Mason out of the corner of my eye inching in behind me.
Three brutes against one woman. Even if I got lucky, got the key, and got past the guys, I’d never make it out of the building, let alone off base.
I took a shaky breath.
“I’ll poison as many vampires as you want. I’ll kill them all, just give me the key.”
I implored Melcher with my eyes. He stared into them absently for several seconds before shaking his head. “You don’t have time to take care of a pet.”
“I’ll find someone to watch him.”
Again, a shake of the head.
“You have far more important things to worry about than adog.”
Melcher said “dog” like it was the lowest of all creatures, worse than vampires.
Melcher looked at Levi. “You are dismissed, Mr. Parker. I want a word with my hunters.”
Levi gave an obedient head nod and headed for the door. I got in front of him so fast he bumped into me. Levi shook his head slightly.
“Know when to accept defeat,” he said.
I thought I saw a flicker of pity on his face. I’d take what I could get. I leaned into Levi and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. His eyes dropped to the spot where I touched him. From there they moved to my lips.
“Promise me you’ll do the right thing,” I said in a whisper. “Promise me you won’t hurt Tommy. Promise me—”
Before I could finish the next sentence, Levi silenced me with his finger. He pressed his pointer against my lips, leaned forward, and whispered in my ear, “And what do you promise in return?”
A sick sensation rolled over me. I didn’t know whether to throw up, slap him, or promise whatever he wanted so long as he kept Tommy safe.
“Enough,” Melcher said, before I could respond in any of the above ways. “This is not a negotiation.”
Levi removed his finger from my lips, straightened, and smiled. “Don’t worry. The dog will be better off now.” Levi slipped out the door. When it shut, it felt like a physical weight slamming over my heart.
Hatred coursed through my body when I glared at Melcher.
“I know you’re upset,” he said. “But you have to think of the greater good. People are counting on you, Aurora. They’re counting on all of us to keep them safe.”
I couldn’t care less about people at the moment. Humanity could go fuck itself, right after Agent Melcher. I fixated on his desk and had a brief fantasy in which I shoved it backward and crushed him against the wall.
“Now let’s get back to the problems at hand,” Melcher said. He took the file from his desk and handed it to Mason. “Henry Fisher has been giving Aurora problems. I want you to bring him in. Alive,” Melcher added. “Since Mr. Fisher is already aware of our operation, we can put him to immediate use during our agency’s next initiation.”
My heart flipped as Melcher’s intentions sunk in.
“You’re going to put him in a cell and make a new recruit kill him,” I said, staring absently at the bare walls.
“That’s correct,” Melcher said. “This way Mr. Fisher’s existence won’t be an entire waste. I find it poetic when one of the damned has an opportunity to do something good before they die.”
Sick. I always knew Melcher was twisted, but he still found ways to sicken me more. I was no friend of Henry’s, but there was nothing remotely poetic about putting him in a cage for some poor recruit to kill.
“That’s all for now,” Melcher said. “Mr. Hicks, please drive Miss Sky home.”
I didn’t bother beseeching Melcher one last time. I couldn’t even look at him. I walked out of the office in front of Mason. Once outside, I said, “Before we go, I have to use the ladies room.”
“Whatever,” he said.
I strode over to the secretary’s desk. A young woman wearing a camo top and pants looked up at me.
“Where’s the bathroom?” I asked.
She pointed down the hall. “Take the first left. You’ll see it on the right side of the hallway.”
“Thanks.”
I forced myself not to run. Once I’d rounded the corner, I dove into the bathroom and checked under the stalls for beige boots. Thankfully, the room was empty. I whipped my phone out and called Noel.
The more it rang, the more my heart jammed up my throat. When Noel answered I breathed out in relief.
“Don’t get mad at me,” Noel said, before I could get a word in. “He insisted on staying the night.”
I experienced a moment’s confusion before realizing she was referring to Fane. That was the least of my worries.
“I don’t care about that! I need your help now.”
Noel’s voice dropped. “Aurora, what’s wrong?”
I caught a glimpse of myself in the wide mirror above the bathroom sinks. I looked crazy eyed, face flushed and splotchy. My distressed features matched the tone of my voice.
“I don’t have time to explain. You need to get over to Dante’s house now and get his dog out of there.”
“What’s going on? Where are you?”
“I told you I don’t have time to explain,” I said, right before proceeding to do just that. “I’m on base. There’s an informant on his way right now to get Tommy and do who knows what with him.”
“Aurora…”
“What?”
Noel exhaled. “I’m in Girdwood.”
My heart dropped. Girdwood was roughly forty-five minutes away. There was no possible way for Noel to beat Levi to Dante’s.
I caught my eye in the mirror. I stared back in determination.
“Call Fane,” I said. “Call anyone. I have to go, another hunter is waiting to take me home.”
I hung up before Noel could answer. She better find someone. She owed me.
I’d never missed Dante as much as I did sitting in Mason’s Hummer on the ride home. Mason wasn’t the talkative type. I wasn’t in the mood for conversation, anyway, but it would have helped to know the big guy possessed emotions of any kind.
Dante, where are you? My head screamed as I stared out the window.
“Is this it?” Mason asked, speaking his first words of the entire drive when he slowed in front of my house.
“Yes,” I said, voice lifting when I saw the familiar Roadster from the previous night in the driveway.
Relief flooded over me. Noel had come through. One of her gothic boy toys had made it in time. It was the first small victory of the day.
“Who’s that?” Mason asked, staring at the car.
“None of your damn business,” I said. I stepped out of the car, grateful to get away from Mason and find Tommy safe from Levi’s clutches.
I walked up the driveway, listening for Mason’s rig to pull away. When it didn’t, I looked over my shoulder and glared at him. He watched me with a steady gaze, lips relaxed into a neutral line. This reminded me of being stalked by a vampire. Vampires, assassins, informants—I was beginning to hate them all equally.
Tommy wasn’t inside the car. I stopped at the driver’s door and tapped lightly on the window.
Daren, the shorter of the Goth guys with the eyebrow piercing opened his door. A square bandage covered the spot on his neck where I’d seen the bloody bite mark the week before.
“I drove over as soon as Noel called,” Daren said.
“Shh,” I said, even though Mason couldn’t hear us.
“Just walk inside with me like everything’s cool.”
Daren quickly closed his mouth and followed me to the front door.
My feet felt as if they were moving in slow motion. I wanted to run, but I couldn’t, not with Mason watching.
Daren and I moved forward, a foot apart, until we reached the door. I unlocked the deadbolt, re-locking it once we were inside. No more unannounced visitors bursting in, thank you very much.
I listened at the door until I heard the
Hummer drive away. Mason had gone, probably after Henry now.
I turned to Daren. “Tell me you got Tommy.”
I didn’t like the frown on Daren’s lips.
“I went to the address Noel gave me, but there was no dog there.”
“How do you know?” I asked. “Did you go inside?”
Daren nodded. “The door was open. I went in and searched the whole house.”
I stared at Daren for several seconds, hoping I’d heard wrong. He needed to revise his story, tell me what I wanted to hear. I refused to accept this outcome. It didn’t work. It wasn’t acceptable.
I collapsed against Daren, nearly knocking him down. He grasped me by the shoulders, fumbling for a better hold.
“Are you okay?” he asked in alarm.
I took a steadying breath as I righted myself. No, I wasn’t okay. I was far from okay.
“I haven’t had anything to eat or drink in nearly twenty-four hours,” I said.
I stared at Daren’s pale arms. He still had a hold on my shoulders. When he saw me staring, he let go. I could make out the blue ridge of his veins on his knuckles. They looked precariously close to the surface of his skin.
“What happened here?” I asked, poking the bandage on his neck.
Daren’s hand shot up to the bandage as soon as I pulled my finger back. “It’s nothing,” he said quickly.
“You like getting bit,” I said in a far-off voice.
My eyes kept gravitating to his neck.
“Don’t you?” Daren asked. “You know, when you and Fane were together?”
I moved my head slowly from side to side. His neck shifted back and forth as I did.
I didn’t like being bitten. I didn’t like having my blood sucked. I wanted to do the sucking. That was part of what it took to hack a life as a vampire. I knew I liked blood, but biting had never thrilled me until now.
God, I was famished.
I ripped the bandage from Daren’s neck, experiencing a sudden craze. Hunger pains gripped me by the waist. Saliva gathered inside my mouth. I was stressed, starved, and angry—not a good combination… at least not for Daren.
The raw wound beckoned to me. It would be so easy to reopen it. This time, I grabbed Daren’s shoulders. I yanked him to me, fueled by the promise of bloody nourishment. It had revived me once; it could revive me again.
Bad Blood (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Vol. 3) Page 24