by Deanna Chase
“You’ve lost your freakin’ mind,” Phoebe said without any heat. There was no love lost between the two, but she’d stopped actively hating him when he volunteered himself for the Arcane testing. They’d turned me into a lab rat, studying everything from how I changed vamps into daywalkers to what effect they had on me after the change. It had been unpleasant to say the least.
I was more than grateful he’d been with me. He’d stepped in when the testing went too far and had taken care of me on the nights I’d had trouble driving due to the pain. I’d come to rely on him again, and that’s what made this whole situation that much more unbearable.
“We had to know what the vampire could do,” I heard David say. “I swear to God, I was there, ready to engage had Victoria gone too far.”
Phoebe snorted. “Really? You didn’t think almost biting Willow wasn’t too far? You didn’t think that Willow having to drain Victoria in front of witnesses wasn’t too far? You vamps have a fucked-up sense of what too far really means.”
I couldn’t see David, but I imagined him wincing at her words. He couldn’t argue with her assessment. Allcot and his ilk did have a distorted view of reality. But the fact he’d said they had to know what Victoria could do meant they knew about her and had been watching her. What else did they know? “Phoebs, let him in,” I said.
She glanced back at me, one perfectly shaped eyebrow raised in question. “You sure?”
I nodded. “He apparently has information. And I want it.”
She pursed her lips. “Yeah, okay.”
The door swung open as Phoebe stepped back. She waved a hand in my direction. “If it were up to me, I would’ve fed you a Truth Cluster first,” she said to David, her lips curling into an evil smile. “Then I would’ve kicked you in the nuts just for good measure.”
David stared at her, his face like stone.
I laughed but sobered as I turned to face my ex. “I swear, David, every time I start to think I can trust you and Allcot, something like this shit happens. Now, what do you know about Victoria? Is she the one who’s been attacking the tourists? Is she the one Phoebe and I were after? Or is it the vamp who was there and then left?”
He stood in the middle of our living room, facing me, his shoulders stiff with tension. “Yes, it’s Victoria. The vampire you sensed was one of ours. He was there as backup.”
My stomach sank. They should have taken her out as soon as they knew. People had died. I moved to my couch and sank down into the soft cushions, rubbing one temple.
David sat in the chair across from me and leaned forward, his hands clasped between his knees.
I looked him straight in the eye, knowing my next question could change our relationship forever. I couldn’t… no, wouldn’t… associate with vampires who used humans as bait. Using me was bad enough. I at least had abilities that meant I had some chance at escape. But regular people? Not unless they were using Tal’s new superhuman-strength elixir. And that was highly controlled by the Arcane. “How long have you been investigating her?”
“Four days.”
“Fuck!” Phoebe kicked a pillow Link had pushed off the couch. “Two people have died since then!”
David swallowed.
I just stared at him, my mouth open, unable to really believe this was happening. The Cryrique vampires had allowed people to die in order to investigate another vampire.
“You don’t understand,” David said, his voice quiet.
“You’re damn right.” Phoebe paced, her hands shaking with anger. She turned to me. “Can I dust him now?”
I shrugged. “Might be tough with his daywalking abilities.”
“I have other ways.”
David stood. “Look. I know you’re both upset. And I apologize, but there are bigger forces at work here that you’re not aware of, and that is what I’m here to explain. The two people who died? They were volunteers. Cryrique employees who wanted to be turned. Eadric sent them and worked it out with the club owner that they would be the chosen victims. They were not innocent bystanders.”
I blanched. “You let two of your own die?”
“No. Well, technically yes. They were turned after Victoria discarded them. They’re in transition now.”
Phoebe and I exchanged a glance. Turning humans into vampires wasn’t illegal if they consented to it. But it was a dangerous activity and not everyone survived. At least they hadn’t really died. At least not permanently. Still, I had pretty strong feelings about turning anyone. If I had my way, no one would ever be turned again. As a life faery, death went against everything I stood for. In my opinion, immortality was more of a curse than a gift. But it wasn’t my decision to make, no matter how I felt about it.
“You’re saying they both survived?” Phoebe asked.
“Yes.” David let out a slow breath. “Look, Victoria and that fae have been wielding some sort of weird magic we’ve never seen before to spellbind people. Vampires appear to be immune to it, as well as humans who’ve taken Kavanagh’s super drug. But no one else. Not fae and not witches. That was confirmed tonight.”
“Okay. If vamps aren’t affected, then why didn’t your crew just take her down?”
“She has other witches under her spell,” Phoebe said. “There were a dozen of them in the audience. If she’d asked them to fight the vamps, they would. Right to the death.” She glanced at David. “Right?”
“Yes.” He sounded tired and frustrated. “We needed to know if they were following her out of choice or compulsion.”
“Compulsion for sure,” Phoebe confirmed. “I knew a number of those witches. They were enamored with her just as I was before the spell broke. But they’d never in a million years sit by and let Victoria torture another without intervening. I wouldn’t have.”
I narrowed my eyes at David, seething. “You knew of the mist and let us just walk in there unprepared?”
His weary gaze met mine. “If you’d been prepared, you could’ve fought it off. We needed to know what we’re dealing with. I never would’ve let anything happen to you. You have to know that.”
I stared him down for a moment. Then I sighed, just as weary. I believed him. I just hated always feeling like I was being manipulated. “Yeah. I know.”
“There’s something else.” Emotion swam in his brilliant blue eyes, turning them dark with pain. “Three of our human guards had an interaction with Victoria five days ago. The spell didn’t work on them, so her fae shot them with some sort of poisonous dart. At first they had minor flu-like symptoms coupled with minor infections at the wound site. But now they’re bedridden, paler than vampires, and almost too weak to even lift their heads.”
My gut began to ache. “Which three?” I asked, afraid to hear his answer. If there was pain in his eyes, that meant someone he was close to was dying. And what he described meant they were all too weak to be turned.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Harrison and his team.”
Phoebe let out a curse.
My heart ached. Harrison. He’d been my bodyguard and had turned into a friend of sorts. The thought of losing him left me gutted, not just for myself but for David as well.
I leaned forward. “The healers haven’t been able to help at all?”
He shook his head. “Not permanently. The three we’ve had over had short-lived successes, but Harrison and the others aren’t getting better. We need to find out what was used in that poison to create something to reverse the effects.”
We all fell silent. If I had a sample, I might be able to work out the ingredients, but not an antidote. That was out of my wheelhouse. They’d need a skilled healer for that. I blew out a breath and asked David, “What else have you learned about Victoria?”
“We’ve been observing for four days, and so far the only thing we know is that her spell works on everyone except vampires. Even animals.” He stared pointedly at Link.
Phoebe’s head snapped up. “Wait. Vampires don’t have magic. How could Victoria cas
t it?”
“The spell was cast by the emcee. He’s fae,” I said. “A rare shifter who can shift into any living being. Or in this case, undead being. He had to have put the spell on the club.”
“A shifting fae?” David asked. “I’ve heard of them before, but always in sort of a mystical sense. Not as if any actually existed now.”
“My brother was friends with one back in Eureka when we were growing up.” I leaned back into the couch and patted the cushion for Link to join me. “Wolf shifters like Link here are more common. The original spell came from a fae shifter. Now, through breeding, there are hundreds of them. They’re regulated so you don’t see them everywhere, though.”
“But you knew one?” David asked, his tone laced with a hint of accusation.
I stiffened and ignored his question, unwilling to let his attitude rattle me. “Fae shifters are very powerful and very private. You find them more often in heavily wooded areas. It makes it easier to shift into other animals. Most fae shifters don’t like to shift into humans or other races. It holds no appeal. Or so Beau’s friend said. Was the emcee with Victoria when the attack happened on Harrison and the others?”
David shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. He’s been with her at the club this entire time, so that makes sense.” He whipped out his phone and sent a text. No doubt to Allcot.
His phone buzzed again and after David read the text, he scowled and leaped off the chair, already dialing. “I’ll be right back,” he said as he stalked out the front door.
Phoebe rolled her eyes. “Always with the secrecy. Fifty bucks says Allcot wants you to work on this.”
I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. The odds were too high that she was right. “You know I can’t afford to take that bet.”
She smiled, but there wasn’t any amusement in her expression. The realization that she was probably right must’ve hit her. The door swung open again and David stood in the threshold, staring at me with an odd expression. “Father wants you to go to Eureka and bring back Kavanagh.”
I scoffed. “Well, he isn’t likely to get what he wants, now, is he?”
“Kavanagh will come if you ask him.” David’s expression had turned to stone. He wasn’t any happier about the request than I was.
“Have you two forgotten that Tal isn’t talking to me? What makes you think I can convince him to come back here?” I wasn’t going to be of any help in that regard. My chest constricted with the idea that I might see him again. If Allcot sent for him, he might come. Who was I kidding? Tal hated the vampires. Allcot had no sway with him. Tal probably wouldn’t take his calls, either.
Phoebe swiveled her head back and forth between the two of us, her eyebrows raised in interest. “Well. This certainly makes things interesting, doesn’t it?”
“Phoebs…” I gave her a pointed look.
“Sorry.” She tucked her feet under her and waited for the fireworks to start.
“I’ll come with you,” David said.
That made Phoebe laugh.
I glared at her, then turned my steely gaze back to David. “Please. Talisen left because of you and your father. Besides, bringing a vampire to Eureka, it’s… just no. The fae population would run you out of town before you could even get one word out. They’re not tolerant.”
David squared his shoulders and frowned. “I don’t think you understand the seriousness of this. We’ve had every healer within a two-hundred-mile radius take a look at the crew. None of them can do anything for our guys. Harrison and the others will die. The Arcane is no longer cooperating, and Father says they’ve refused to let any of our vampires in to question Victoria. The emcee has disappeared. He either escaped while being transported to the Arcane or the Arcane is lying. Either is plausible. We’re going on nothing here. There’s no time to waste.”
David’s phone buzzed again. He read a text, frowned, and stuffed it back into his pocket. “Father wants your brother’s shifting fae as well.”
“What? I barely knew him!” I jumped up out of my chair.
“Why?” Phoebe asked David, her dark eyes narrowed.
“Because we need to understand this spell to make sure this never happens again,” David answered. “That spell puts everyone at risk.”
“You know each fae has their own gifts, right? There’s no guarantee another fae will be able to cast the same spell.”
David walked to the door. “It’s all we have to go on right now.” He turned and straightened to his full height, his eyes determined. “Father’s jet will be ready at dawn. I’ll meet you and Link at the airport. Don’t be late.”
Then he left without waiting for my answer.
“He’s lying,” Phoebe said.
“About which part?”
“Why they need the other fae. What he said might be part of the truth, but my bet is they are pissed as hell to find out a fae can shift into a vampire and they want to study him so they aren’t caught off guard again.”
I had to admit I agreed with her. I very much doubted I could find him anyway. But I did know where to find Tal. “Looks like I’m going home.”
Both of her eyebrows disappeared under her dark bangs. “You don’t have to, you know. You’re not Allcot’s beck-and-call girl.”
I shook my head. “Of course I’m not. But we both know that if I don’t go, he’s likely to send David or one of his other vampires. And I’m not going to let that happen. Besides, I like Harrison. If I can help in any way, I will.”
“I knew you were going to say that. You want me to go with you?”
“No, but thanks.” I moved toward the stairs, heading toward my bedroom. “There’s nothing to worry about back home.” As I climbed the stairs I mumbled, “Except maybe my heart.”
Chapter 4
Early the next morning, Link and I stood on the tarmac, waiting to board Allcot’s Learjet. Allcot himself was there to see us off. He was dressed in a sleek, fitted-to-perfection silk suit, every bit the high-powered corporate mob boss disguised as a respectable CEO.
“The plane will land and wait for you at the Eureka airport.” Allcot handed me a business card. “As soon as you have your friend and the fae shifter, call this number and the pilot will meet you to bring you home.”
I fought to keep the grimace from claiming my face. Sparring with Allcot never worked in my favor. “Didn’t David tell you I don’t even really know that fae? He was my brother’s friend, not mine. I have no idea if he still lives there. Besides, the chances are highly unlikely that he’ll want to come to New Orleans to talk to vampires.”
His stone features gave away nothing. “It is imperative we speak to the fae. If you do not bring him here, we will go to him.”
Shit.
Of course he would. Dammit. If Hunter was still in the area, I’d have to figure out something. Even if I had to stretch the truth a bit. The last thing my community needed was an infiltration of vampires. That was a shit storm waiting to happen.
“I’ll do what I can,” I said as Link and I boarded.
“Check in with me each evening, Rhoswen.”
As I climbed the stairs to the jet, I scowled. Despite the fact I’d saved Allcot’s life a few months ago, we still hadn’t formed a relationship based on mutual respect. He ordered me around and used threats to get his way. Serious, not-in-any-way-idle–type threats. He was a coldhearted bastard to everyone, even those he loved. And it bothered me that David put up with it. I glanced at Allcot over my shoulder. “I’ll check in with David.” At least with him, I knew he had a heart underneath all the obligation Allcot had saddled him with.
“Fine. And remember, time’s running out.” With that, he turned and slipped into the back of his black Town Car.
Link and I watched the car disappear behind one of the hangars.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come?” David said from the doorway. He’d boarded to talk to the pilot and to make sure we had food and drinks for the five-and-a-half-hour flight. Since vampires didn
’t need food, the plane was rarely stocked with the necessities the rest of us needed. “I could stay at a hotel and just be nearby if you need anything.”
I suppressed a sigh. “No. It’s not a good idea.”
He stepped aside to let Link and me board.
Trying to calm my nerves, I took a seat facing the cockpit. Flying always drained me. It was the metal of the plane that depleted my energy. Once I landed and was near nature, I’d be fine, but after a few hours on the flight, I’d be weak and vulnerable. My body tensed with unease from the thought. Clutching the armrests, I glanced up at David. He was so handsome standing there with the sunlight washing over him. It always shook me to see him appearing human, the way he’d been when we’d been together. Before I’d been sucked into his crazy vampire world.
“I’ll call you later tonight,” I said quietly.
“Okay.” He hesitated at the door.
Then he took two steps and pulled me out of the chair. His arms came around me, and for once I didn’t lose my breath or find myself lost in his embrace. The coolness of his skin only served as another stark reminder that he’d always be a vampire, always be tied to Allcot. If I was with him, I could never take him home to California. Never have a family of my own. Never be a part of Talisen’s life. Now that I was going home to see Tal, this thing, whatever it was David and I had been dancing around, seemed too much like a betrayal. As if I’d only proven Talisen right when he’d left. My stomach twisted into a ball of knots.
“Be careful,” he whispered into my ear.
“I will.” Out of habit, I hugged him back, but all I wanted was for him to go so we could get this show on the road. I hadn’t seen Tal in over three months. Had barely even talked to him. And I had things to say.
Finally David let me go. With one last look, he exited the plane. A crew member shut the door and within a few minutes we were in the air. In less than six hours, I’d be back home. The thought comforted me as I petted Link’s Shih Tzu head lying in my lap. My eyes closed, and I tried to push away all the turmoil crowding my brain.