Eternal Prey

by Nina Bangs

  He returned her phone. “Tor will be here in a while. While we’re waiting, you can fill me in.” He walked to the mouth of the alley and looked up and down the street.

  He didn’t fool her by turning his back to her. She’d seen the Eleven in action. In the time it took her to bring her gun up and shoot him, he could rip her head off. She slipped the gun into her coat pocket. “All the regional leaders got a call from Adam.”

  “And Adam is?”

  “Our boss, leader, biggest toad in the puddle, whatever.” She didn’t like Adam. “He told us to get our butts to Portland because someone was slaughtering vampires. The local clan wasn’t having much luck hunting you, so Adam decided to bring in mid-management.”

  “And now you’re my driver?” His tone suggested she’d better make this good.

  “Adam changed his mind after meeting with Fin. He wants to be on the winning side in this battle between you and the number guys. Fin asked for a little time to talk to you. In the meantime, Fin mentioned that you’d need a human driver. Adam volunteered me.”

  “Why?”

  Because if you won’t listen to reason, I can still kill you. “Because I straddle two worlds. I’m human, but I understand the supernatural. I can fight, and I can help you track down Seven.”

  Utah nodded, but Lia couldn’t tell if she’d convinced him.

  He looked over his shoulder at her. “How did you know I was in trouble tonight?”

  She grinned. “I didn’t. When I came around that corner, I was just trying to catch your ass. As soon as I saw your car, though, I knew something was up.” Lia shrugged. “You know the rest.”

  “You made a helluva distraction.” He smiled.

  For a moment, she was mesmerized by the raw masculine beauty of that smile. The moment allowed him to close the distance between them.

  He grabbed her arm and pulled her close even as she used the hand that wasn’t fumbling for her sword to try to push him away. So close that she was pressed against his chest and stomach. Heat spread from every contact point. She was surprised steam didn’t start rising from their damp clothes.

  Her gun hand was firmly trapped between their bodies, and she couldn’t free her sword with her left hand. Great. Just freaking great. She brought up her knee.

  He deftly stepped aside and bent his head to whisper in her ear. “Don’t ever try to kill me, sweetheart. It wouldn’t end well for you.” Then he released her.

  Lia shoved him away from her. She was furious with him but just as mad at herself. She’d allowed his closeness, his warm breath feathering her skin, her total awareness of him to slow her reaction. A fatal mistake when dealing with the Eleven. Lia was so angry she wanted to draw her sword and skewer him in his oversized ego. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that. And never grab me again without my permission.”

  His smile widened, fueling her temper. Control it. She hadn’t survived growing up around her mother by giving in to her emotions. Taking a deep, calming breath, she changed the subject. “So is all this 2012 stuff I’m hearing about true?”

  He shrugged. “Depends on what you’ve heard. Cliff’s Notes version. Time is cyclic. This particular cycle began millions of years ago. At the end of every cycle, ten immortals are given access to Earth. They destroy the dominant species using the excuse that out of death comes life. Dumbass excuse if you ask me.”

  “So they’ve done this before?”

  “Yeah. The last time they came was sixty-five million years ago. The dinosaurs went extinct then. Now it’s humanity’s turn.”

  “Who gives them access?” She’d cooled her temper with a cold splash of reality. Humans were in big trouble.

  Utah shrugged. “There’s always a higher power.”

  Translation: he didn’t know. Or maybe he was just avoiding answering the question. Lia figured with Utah you could never tell.

  “And all this will go down on December 21?” Guess the Mayans really did know their stuff.

  “Exactly at 11:11, winter solstice. Unless we can get rid of all the immortals. Nine and Eight are gone. We still have to deal with Zero and the other seven.”

  The sound of a car slowing down ended her questioning. Utah went to look and then beckoned to her.

  She made sure she got the passenger seat. Lia didn’t want to chance Utah sitting beside her. He bothered her in ways she didn’t understand, didn’t want to understand. Utah slid into the backseat.

  “Lia, this is Tor. He’s my brother.”

  Tor looked exactly like Utah, except that Tor had short, spiky hair and a better attitude. He grinned at Lia. “I remember you from Philly. Eight kidnapped you and Jenna. Took you to the Museum of Art. We saved your butts.”

  “My butt thanks you.” Lia figured she sounded as grumpy as she looked because Tor left her alone. Instead, he pried the night’s story out of Utah.

  While Utah and Tor discussed things, Lia worried about her car. If she found a burned-out hulk tomorrow, she’d use the insurance money to buy a car with a big engine. For a human, survival in this shadow battle going on right under the world’s nose depended on speed and smarts. And the smart needed speed to escape.

  She came out of her funk in time to notice that Utah and Tor had changed the subject.

  “So how did Fin draw you back into the fold, bro?” Tor didn’t take his eyes from the road while he talked. And he was driving under the speed limit.

  Ah, the careful brother. If she had to hang with one of the Eleven, then Tor should be the one. Instead, all she could remember was her adrenaline rush as she’d chased Utah across town.

  “Fin pointed out that we need the vampires. Without them, it’ll take longer and be a lot tougher to get rid of Zero and his bunch. And that means he won’t be able to bring Rap back anytime soon. He’s right.” Utah didn’t sound as though he liked admitting Fin could be right about anything.

  Tor nodded. “And with you killing off the vampires, they won’t be signing on to our team.”

  Lia turned to look at Utah. “You took out Adam’s top enforcer two nights ago. Don’t expect an invite to any vampire parties.”

  “Yeah?” Utah’s lips tipped up in a half smile that made her swallow hard. She stomped on the reaction.

  Lia had to know something. “Bring Rap back?”

  Utah didn’t say anything for a moment, but then he shrugged. “We’d gone to a little restaurant in South Philly for cheesesteaks. Vampires ambushed us. Rap didn’t get a chance to free his beast before one of them took his head.”

  “And?”

  “His body died. His soul didn’t.” Utah met her gaze, his eyes almost black in the darkness. “Fin can remove souls from bodies. That’s how he saved all of the Eleven. He sends the souls to a safe place near a strong natural power source until he can return them to a body. Rap is tucked away underground somewhere near Sedona, Arizona, right now.”

  “What’s stopping Fin from bringing Rap back now? Lord knows you need all the help you can get.”

  Utah looked frustrated. “Fin needs his power to keep Zero off our backs. Hard to believe, but Fin says Zero is stronger than he is. Fin tries to distract the bastard with a constant barrage of psychic attacks. A soul transfer would drain too much from Fin. Besides, Fin needs the right body. So Rap will have to wait.”

  What kind of being could manipulate souls? The word “god” popped into her mind, but she shoved it aside. “What if something happens to Fin?”

  “Then Rap’s soul sleeps forever.”

  Utah might sound casual, but there was nothing casual about his clenched fists.

  “I’m sorry.” And she was. She studied his face, for the first time seeing just a man. A man who was hurting for his brother.

  “Yeah.” He seemed to give in to weariness as he rested his head against the headrest and closed his eyes.

  She took the hint and turned away to stare out the window. It seemed to take way too long before they pulled into the condo’s underground parking garage. No one said
anything as they took the elevator up to the top floor.

  Stepping from the car, Utah covered the distance to Fin’s door in a few long strides. He pounded on it. Lia would have rung the bell. She wondered if they had even one thing in common.

  He’d raised his fist to pound again when the door swung open. A tall, dark-haired man stared at them. As doormen went, he looked a little intense.

  “Lia, this is Shen, Fin’s assistant.” Utah stepped past the man into the condo.

  Shen smiled and stood aside for Tor and her to enter. His smile didn’t exactly transform him into Mr. Relaxed, but at least he seemed welcoming. “Hi, Lia. Follow me. Everyone’s in the dining room.”

  As she followed Shen, Lia tried not to let the total awesomeness of the condo impress her. Walls of glass overlooked the city and river. And Fin definitely didn’t shop for furniture in the same places she did. Mega cash outlay. Where had Fin scraped that kind of money together? But she figured if you had your own pack of predators working for you, people gave you what you wanted.

  Shen stopped in front of a closed door. Lia could hear men’s voices behind it. She steeled herself as Tor swung the door open.

  They were all seated around a long table. Everyone stopped talking. They turned and looked at her. These were the Eleven then. No, ten, since Rap was missing. All big, all lethal, and probably humanity’s best chance to survive the end of this year. She’d seen some of them in Philly, but in very different forms.

  Lia straightened her spine, tipped her chin up at a confident angle, and walked with Utah and Tor into the room. She felt their stares follow her as she chose a seat between Utah and Tor. Then she met each of their gazes.

  She’d lived around vampires her whole life. Lia understood predators. Never look nervous, never look away, and always send a message that you’re the biggest badass in the room. She saved the man at the head of the table for last.

  This, then, was Utah’s boss, the leader of the Eleven. And no matter that she’d heard descriptions of him . . .

  There were no words.

  He had to be at least six foot seven, but it wasn’t his size that riveted her.

  Long silver hair spilled over his shoulders and down his back. Not gray. Silver. The glittery glow of it raised goose bumps along her arms.

  “I’ve been waiting to meet you, Lia.”

  Fin’s voice, sensual or threatening? Lia came down on the side of threatening. But who would ever care about his voice when he had that face? It was a face carved from shadows and dark places where normal people never dared go. It was primitive force, sexual power, and unearthly beauty all stamped with an aura so ancient it took her breath away.

  “We need to have a long talk soon.” Fin smiled.

  Lia decided Fin’s smile wouldn’t fool anyone. Transfixing like the rest of him, the smile somehow didn’t ring true. Maybe because she sensed that no emotion lay beneath it. Fin’s smile would be the last thing you’d see as you died, and it wouldn’t make the dying easier.

  “Sure.” She tried to sound casual, but she absolutely did not want to be closed into a room alone with this man.

  “I don’t think you’ve met most of the Eleven.”

  “Not in their human forms.”

  Fin introduced all of them, a string of names attached to unfamiliar faces. But it wasn’t their faces she saw in her mind, but their beasts. She didn’t think humanity was ready to accept what walked among them. Lia wasn’t sure she was either.

  Fin leaned back in his chair and shifted his attention to Utah. “What happened tonight?”

  Utah told his story, straightforward with no apologies.

  Lia found herself holding her breath, waiting for Fin’s anger to explode. It didn’t. His expression remained neutral.

  “You have to control your anger, Utah.” There was no condemnation in Fin’s voice. He was simply stating a fact.

  Lia surprised herself by speaking up. “He lost a brother he loved a month ago. Anyone’s emotions would still be raw.”

  Utah’s look said her defense had shocked him. She frowned at him so he’d know that this didn’t make them friends. Lia just thought someone should keep things fair.

  Tor leaned close. “Thanks. Not many outsiders would dare disagree with Fin.”

  Lia was an outsider here. She had to remember that and maybe keep her mouth shut more.

  When he spoke, Utah’s voice sounded calm, but she could almost feel the tension rolling off him.

  “You knew what you were getting when you woke me four months ago. My last memory? A kill that Rap, Tor, and I made a lot of years ago. But that kill felt as though it’d happened only minutes before I woke. None of us have had much time to adapt. I’m still what I was back then. One of those online research sites called my beast cunning, savage, and ruthless. That’s me. I’m a killer. Deal.”

  “You will overcome your animal nature.” Fin stood and strode to the bank of windows. He stared out at the city lights.

  Lia sensed an or-else attached to that order.

  “You made a big mistake, O Glorious Leader.”

  Fin didn’t turn around.

  “When you put my soul into a man’s body, you didn’t allow for human emotions. Now you have mindless savagery married to human feelings. I hurt. And my soul is big and bad enough to do something about it.”

  Everyone in the room went still, waiting. From the tense glances the rest of the Eleven were sending Fin’s way, she got the feeling most of them trod a little more carefully around their leader.

  Fin turned and walked back to the table. He sat and then looked at Utah. When his lips turned up in a rueful smile, Lia could hear the collective sigh of relief.

  “I know what you’re feeling. You have no idea how much I know.” He tapped one finger on the table as his expression turned thoughtful. “Did you say the man who attacked you had red hair?”

  Utah nodded. “Yeah. I figure it was Seven.”

  Fin’s thoughts seemed to turn inward. “I think congratulations are in order for both you and Lia.”

  Utah looked puzzled. Lia had a bad feeling about this.

  “Because you both met Zero tonight.”

  Beside her, Tor sucked in his breath.

  “And survived.”

  Chapter Two

  Utah heard Lia’s small gasp, felt the shocked ripples circling the room.

  “I wasn’t the target.” Utah was certain of that. “Zero didn’t want me to die in that car. He could’ve killed me anytime he wanted. He did want to scare the crap out of me, though, so I’d call you.” He met Fin’s gaze. “Zero wanted to draw you out. He even told me to call you.”

  “And you didn’t.” Fin finally looked annoyed.

  “No.”

  “If there’s ever a next time, call.”

  “No.” Utah saw Fin’s annoyance turning to anger and decided to explain. “You’re the only one who matches up with Zero. Sure, the rest of us might get lucky and manage to kick the rest of his gang back out into the cosmos, but then Zero would wipe us out. The way I see it, you need to survive.”

  “And you’re not expendable.” Fin’s expression said the discussion was closed. “Now we need to talk about how to find Seven.”

  Utah subsided.

  Lia leaned toward him. “He’s right. Fin needs you guys as much as you need him. Don’t underestimate yourself.”

  Utah didn’t want anything she said to make him feel good. It was bad enough that he was imagining those legs . . . No, he wasn’t going there. Ever.

  “Does anyone have any leads on Seven?” Fin looked around the table. His question got no response. “Let me rephrase that. Has anyone heard of unusual events in Portland lately?”

  “Homicides are way up. I checked the city crime stats.” Q kept up with things like that.

  Fin nodded. “Right now Seven is recruiting from the paranormal population, from your people.” He glanced at Lia. “He’s promising them power and wealth, promising that they can kill at wi
ll. The killings serve a purpose. Terrorize the population and the battle is half won.”

  “Adam’s mad because almost a third of the Portland clan has gone missing. He thinks there’s a rogue vampire out there luring them away to join a new clan.” Lia looked at Utah. “Then there’re the ones you killed.”

  “Interesting.” Fin didn’t seem concerned with the dead vampires. “We can assume the missing vampires are with Seven.”

  “That doesn’t help us find the bastard.” Car stated the obvious.

  “We need the local vampires. They know Portland and all the places nonhumans gather.” Spin looked ready to tear the city apart to find Seven.

  Lia leaned forward. “If you want the vampires’ help, then Adam is your key. As he goes, so goes the whole vampire nation.” She smiled. “Except for a few regional leaders with the guts to stand up to him.”

  “Like Jude.” Fin went back to tapping the table with his finger. “He helped us in Philly, and he’s passed on some helpful information here in Portland. We’re lucky Adam called for all his regional leaders to help hunt Utah or else Jude would still be back in Texas.”

  “Adam won’t like that. What’s his is his forever. He doesn’t share, and that includes information.” Lia looked worried for Jude.

  “I explained to Adam how upset I’d be if any harm came to Jude.” Fin’s eyes turned glacial.

  “One thing you need to know about Adam. He can’t be trusted. Sure, he seems to be leaning your way right now, but that could change in a second. Power motivates him.” Lia didn’t sound as though Adam was her leader of choice.

  Utah let the conversation flow around him as he built a plan he thought might work. When he had everything straight in his head, he spoke. “We need Adam, and Adam needs a new enforcer to wipe out this rogue vampire and any vampires who follow him.”

  “A new enforcer?” Ty was starting to look interested.

  “I killed the old one.”

  A few of the Eleven congratulated him, but Fin’s stare stopped that.

  “I’ll volunteer to be Adam’s enforcer.”

  Lia laughed. “Adam hates you.”

  “What do you have in mind, Utah?” Fin sat forward.