by Dannika Dark
I’d never really accepted my life as an immortal, not since the day I became Breed. No one forced me into this world; I’d chosen it of my own free will. But when things didn’t go as expected from day one, I felt cast aside by my maker, by God or whoever was running the show. I grew resentful of the immortals around me who flaunted their wealth and happiness. I’d contemplated suicide in the darkest times when all hope was lost and my days were filled with sorrow. It took me a long time to redirect that anger and find a purpose, but I still hated what I’d become. Killing made me feel brighter in this world, but in the process, I’d been poisoning myself with dark light and tainted blood.
Now, for the first time, I glimpsed a future with many lifetimes. Healing myself restored something I’d lost years ago—something I hadn’t realized I needed until just now. Hope. I wanted to be excited about what each day brought, and that wasn’t going to happen as long as I was holding on to all that rage and resentment. It wasn’t completely gone, but maybe just enough that I could start over.
The sun moved swiftly behind a cloud, and a blanket of shadows spread across the land, cooling the temperature and dulling the colors.
Nothing good ever lasted in my life—that was why I’d always chosen to live for the moment and not the future.
I rose to my feet and returned to the mansion, armed with a sense of purpose. Lives were at stake, and running was not an option.
“Viktor!” I charged up the stairs, skipping every other step. “Viktor!”
When I reached the second floor, I found everyone gathered in the open area, deep in discussion. Claude rose from a sitting chair, and Niko looked around as if he were watching an energy show.
Gem scanned my face and then whipped her head around to Christian. “I thought you said she was badly—”
He covered her mouth, his eyes locked on mine, staring in disbelief.
I flipped my hood off and shook out my hair. “My father’s in danger. If Darius means to blackmail me, he’s going to send one of his men to the trailer park to find out who I’ve been visiting. I can’t go after Darius until I know my father’s safe, and if that’s not something you can give me, then we’ll have to part ways.”
Viktor furrowed his brow. “He might not.”
“I can’t take that chance.” I waved my hand at the group. “And spare me the lecture about cutting human ties and letting destiny do its thing. If you were in my shoes, you’d do the same. You can make me give up my family, but you can’t make me stop loving them.”
Blue reached in her pocket and pulled out a short necklace with a long silver spike. She latched it around her neck and looked at Viktor. “I’ll go.”
He nodded.
Relief swam through me, and I gave her the address and the best way to find it. You couldn’t miss his motorcycles out front.
With a graceful turn, Blue ran down a long hall toward an open window. In a fluid motion, her clothes fell away and large wings extended as she gracefully shifted into a grey falcon. She angled her body as she neared the open window and then disappeared.
I released a breath I’d been holding. “What did she put around her neck?”
Gem sat down on a small end table. “It’s one of those stunner spike thingies. There aren’t many like those around. When they used to make stunners, they mostly used daggers. Spikes and arrowheads weren’t as common because people lost them all the time. It’s easy for her to carry since it stays on her animal.”
“What if there’s more than one Mage?”
Shepherd smirked from his seated position in a curved-back chair. He continued sharpening his knife against a thin rod, the same knife he probably used to shave his head. “Blue can take care of herself.”
I imagined a beguiling and very naked woman approaching Darius’s guards, concealing the spike in the palm of her hand. That would be like shooting fish in a barrel.
Viktor headed toward the staircase. “I want everyone dressed and weapons ready in fifteen minutes. Meet me downstairs at the table, and we’ll devise a plan.”
Gem strutted toward me and hooked her arm in mine. “Let’s get you changed into something a little more appropriate than a ratty old sweatshirt.”
Christian reached out and clasped Shepherd’s hand, pulling him to his feet. “Gird your loins, men. We’re going into battle.”
Chapter 25
While I was perfectly content going on a raid in my jeans, Gem pointed out the bloodstains and insisted it was bad luck.
Given Gem was about four inches shorter than me, and I was a mean five-eight, borrowing her clothes was out of the question. The clothes I’d left behind were still in the armoire, and when she pulled out a black dress, I regarded her with a patient smile.
“This isn’t a cocktail party,” I said, tossing it on the bed.
Her wavy hair bobbed when she tilted her head to the side. “A dress is less restrictive if you have to flash.”
I gave her knee-high boots a pointed stare. “What about those?”
“I can run in anything,” she said with a playful smirk.
Not everyone could pull off tall boots and a black romper. I admired her confidence.
After I threw on a pair of dark jeans and a formfitting shirt with long sleeves, we rushed downstairs where the van was waiting. It was after dark, and once Christian had checked the area to make sure it was clear, we headed into the city.
The van bounced around, and I gripped the bench to keep from flailing about since we didn’t have on seat belts. There were no regular seats, only narrow benches on either side. Viktor drove, Shepherd rode shotgun, and the rest of us were holding on to our butts during sharp turns.
Wyatt tapped his boots on the cheap carpet. “I’m not going anywhere near you guys, just so you know. Don’t even think about following me.”
“We know,” Gem said with an exaggerated tilt of her head.
I looked across the van at him. “Why not?”
He lifted his eyes. “Do you really need to ask? I don’t like to be anywhere in the vicinity of a murder scene, especially when it’s happening. I’m just here to search for evidence. You keep those freshies away from me. That’s a therapy session I ain’t got time for.”
Christian sat to the right of Wyatt, and he’d been staring at my legs since we left Keystone.
I tipped my head to the side. “What?”
“Where’s your lucky dress?”
“Where’s yours?”
Claude put his arm around me. “Tone it down, Christian. Let’s not turn on each other before we even get there.”
Christian folded his arms. “That’s grand coming from a big house cat who flipped his switch on our last raid.”
“That wasn’t my fault,” Claude growled. “He hit Gem.”
Gem stood up and crossed the van, taking a seat in Claude’s lap and wrapping her arm around his right shoulder. “Don’t worry about me; I’m a Mage, remember?”
“That doesn’t mean I like seeing a female get hurt.”
She giggled. “I’m the lookout girl tonight, so you don’t have to worry about me. Just stay calm. We can’t control you when your switch is flipped—it’s chaos. And the last time, we were supposed to catch the guy, not kill him.”
Gem poked at his teeth where his fangs would be if they were out, and I realized he must have bitten a Mage and sentenced him to death.
I couldn’t tell what direction we were heading. Viktor’s plan was to park a few blocks away from Darius’s house, just in case his men were scattered to report suspicious activity. I had drawn a layout of the building from what I’d seen, and I had to describe it to Niko, including furniture placement and any steps I remembered. There were numerous floors I hadn’t seen, so that raised concern. Wyatt showed everyone the blueprint, but I noticed that it had been renovated from the original design.
Wyatt chuckled privately, his eyes downcast.
Christian glared and elbowed him in the ribs. “Mind sharing the joke?”
“An architect was checking out the land next door to Keystone. It looks like someone’s buying it.”
Niko leaned forward from his seat on my left. “That land has been up for sale for years. No one can afford the price they set.”
“Well, someone did. Any guesses on who it is?”
Shepherd peered around from the passenger seat. “Hell to the no.”
Gem looked between them. “Who is it?”
“My bet’s on Darius,” Christian said.
Shepherd cursed under his breath. “If he’s the new neighbor, I’m torching his lawn.”
A few of us chuckled.
“Who owns it?” I asked.
Christian stroked his beard. “Someone who wants to make a lot of money. That’s prime real estate up there.”
Gem squeaked when the van hit a bump.
I glanced around. “We’re dressed like we’re going to a funeral.”
“Are you trying to jinx us? Jaysus wept.”
“I’m just pointing out the obvious. If we pile out of the van looking like this, someone’s going to think we’re up to something. No one ever goes to these things in polka dots?”
Niko barked out a laugh. “I wouldn’t know the difference.”
“Maybe we should shut off the circuit breakers when we get inside,” I suggested. “Throw those goons in the dark.”
“What good would that do?” Wyatt asked. “Do I look like I can see in the dark?”
I tapped my finger against my temple. “Think about it. Four of us in this van are undetectable to a Mage. Gem, Niko, and I can conceal our energy, and nobody can sense Christian. We’re not as helpless as they are. Claude can sniff out a Twinkie within a five-mile radius, Christian and I can see in the dark, and Niko doesn’t need light. We’d have more of an advantage than they would. You can take a pen light.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Viktor said over his shoulder. “Scan the outside of the building for the circuit breakers, and if we find nothing, then check the basement.”
“If we get in,” Wyatt said, giving me a skeptical glance.
I unknotted a small tangle in my hair. “Look, if there’s no secret passageway, we’ll bust through the windows. No big deal. The only place they’ll have to go is the roof or out the back door.”
“Unless they have fire escapes,” Wyatt added.
Shepherd glared at him. “Why do you always have to be the wet blanket?”
Viktor parked the van, and we climbed out the rear door. When Claude jumped out, the van practically bounced with relief.
“Pair up,” Viktor said.
Christian stepped out and breezed by me. “I go solo.”
Viktor pointed at Shepherd. “You’re with Raven. Keep an eye on her.”
The team scattered in different directions, some walking up the dark street and others skulking in the shadows. Shepherd and I stopped by a square-shaped manhole cover in an alley that I recognized as one leading to the underground tunnels. Most of the street covers had been sealed up over the years, but usually the ones that were forgotten were located in alleyways.
Shepherd set down a cloth tool bag and tire iron. The manhole was large enough that I could easily slip through, but I made a skeptical appraisal of Shepherd’s V-shaped body and broad shoulders.
He ran his hand around the square cover. “It’s not bolted.”
“Hurry up,” I whispered.
He glared. “Feel free to lend a hand. This thing weighs more than you.”
Shepherd used the tire iron to pry open the lid and drag it aside. Then he rose to his feet and gaped down at the black hole. “I’m not sure I can fit in there.”
I clapped my hand on his shoulder. “Of course you can. I’ll go first, and if you get stuck, I’ll just tug on your legs until something pops.”
“Get in before I change my mind.”
I sat on the edge with my legs hanging down, pushing away thoughts of flesh-eating monsters that would devour me. I lowered myself, gripping the edge and then dropping to the lower level.
Grit and dust covered the concrete floor, and when I switched on my flashlight, it revealed a dark tunnel with a curved ceiling. A few rats screeched and scurried into the shadows.
Shepherd sat down with his legs dangling, and when he tried to lower himself, he got stuck. After a few curse words, he slipped one arm through the hole and then hung suspended for a brief moment before he fell onto his back. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and he stared warily at the tiny eyes glowing in the darkness before scrambling to his feet.
“Don’t you need the tire iron?”
“Not from inside,” he said, glancing at our surroundings. “I don’t feel good about this tunnel situation.”
“It’s not so bad. A few drapes, a pretty vase…”
He ran his hand across his bristly hair. “You don’t need to tell me if anyone’s coming at us. I can usually feel the emotional spike. Sharpen your light and rely on your senses. If anyone approaches, use your night vision to see if they’re armed. Got it?”
“Where’s Wyatt? I thought you two always partnered up.”
“He’s probably with Christian. Wyatt doesn’t carry weapons. That’s not his job when we go on these assignments. He stays out of the action, so he needs the most protection.”
We moved north, my flashlight flooding the ground ahead of us. “Maybe Viktor should have partnered them to begin with.”
Shepherd spat out a curse when he stepped over a rat. “Wyatt and I work together searching through evidence. Mostly I just protect his ass until he gets the job done, but sometimes he needs me to pick up emotional imprints on documents to find out what’s important.”
Shepherd had packed a knife but no guns since they would draw attention in the city. A guy like Shepherd didn’t need a weapon with arms like those.
“How do you know we’re going the right way?” he asked.
“I have a good sense of direction. After a few years living on the streets, I got into a habit of counting my steps, and I know how many it takes to cross a street or pass a building. Right now we’re passing the bookstore. I know where we’re going and how far it is from here, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Ah. So you’re like a little Rain Man.”
I smiled and looked up at him. “I think this is the first time I’ve heard you utter more than two sentences. You’re a quiet guy.”
“Don’t have much to say.”
I shone the light in his face. “Really? Because usually those are the people with the most going on in their head.”
He winced and knocked my hand away. “Get that light off me.”
Even though I tried to play it off like he didn’t scare me, Shepherd was an intimidating man. He reminded me of some of the tough guys my father used to hang around with at the biker bars, and not all of them were teddy bears. Some of those men had done hard time and were broken beyond repair—to the point where doing bad things gave them a thrill. It made me wonder how a Sensor—who could feel people’s fear, love, anger, and sorrow—could be so apathetic.
I increased the distance between us, keeping my hand on the dagger strapped to my thigh. For all I knew, Viktor had given him a special order to dispose of me when this was all finished.
“This is it,” I whispered, looking up at a pocket of light that seeped through a small hole in the cover above us.
Shepherd lifted his hands and touched it. “I don’t sense anyone in there.” He set his wrench on the floor and then reached up, pressing his palms against the rectangle. “Moment of truth.”
I held my breath, praying it hadn’t been sealed from inside. From what I’d overheard, many of the building owners didn’t know the tunnels existed, or if they did, assumed they were for drainage.
He pounded at it a few times before exerting all his strength pushing it up. The metal scraped, and then one side popped up. He carefully balanced it in his hands so as not to make more noise than necessary. After a few solid pats with the p
alm of his hand, the other side lifted up. This one wasn’t as heavy-duty as the one on the street. Shepherd stood on his tiptoes and carefully moved the lid out of sight.
“I can’t reach that,” I whispered.
Didn’t matter, because Shepherd must have been the master champion of pull-ups. He lifted himself with ease, squeezing one arm in first before wiggling his way through. I held on to his legs, boosting him up so he wouldn’t get lodged in the opening. After a second, he reached down with one arm and I took it. I was moving from one dark place to the next, and halfway out, he let go so I could crawl the rest of the way. I shone my small flashlight around the dark basement. Large dusty boxes and pieces of junk were stacked in corners, and wooden beams supported the ceilings.
Shepherd walked the length of the room in search of the circuit breakers. He almost passed a box and then did a backstep.
“What is it?” I whispered, shining my light on the wall.
He shook his head. “Security alarms.”
I snorted. “Does he think calling humans to save the day is a good idea if a Mage breaks in?”
“I doubt it goes to one of them. There might be a private group set up with Breed, but it probably came with the building. Either way, it’s a noisemaker, so snip snip.”
While he took care of that, I tested the air in search of Mage energy. Most let their shields down in private places, so their energy pulsed and quivered. I didn’t sense anything in the immediate area.
After Shepherd finished messing with the security box, he found the circuit breakers. “Get ready,” he said. “When the lights go out, someone’s coming down. Hide behind that beam.”
When Shepherd switched off the breakers, I turned off my flashlight and waited in darkness. Gem was the lookout girl on the street, and Niko had climbed onto the roof with Viktor. I wasn’t sure where everyone else had gone, but our job was to get in and kill the lights. That was Keystone’s signal to enter.
The basement door opened, and Shepherd slipped out of sight. My Vampire eyes allowed me to see somewhat, although not as well as I would have liked.