A Fall of Silver (The Redemption Series)

by Amy Corwin

  A Fall of Silver

  By Amy Corwin

  Chapter One

  Allison “Quicksilver” Bankes rubbed the back of her neck. Her scars ached, presaging a headache she didn’t have time for.

  “We need to look for Kathy Sherman. I’m worried.” Theresa Blackstone’s slim hands jerked nervously. She motioned for the teenagers loitering at the dining table to clear away the remnants of their supper. Despite the late hour, the rich aroma of liver and onions still filled the air.

  “Another kid missing?” Quicksilver touched Theresa’s wrist in sympathy.

  The dark-haired woman pulled away, belatedly pretending to tuck her shirt into the waistband of her jeans.

  Quicksilver pretended not to notice. Most people in the orphanage avoided her, left the room with fear in their eyes when she entered, their feet moving even faster when she smiled. She could guess what they saw in her face. Anger. She tried to control it, but it festered inside her, poisoning everything she touched. She hated the emotion and worked to suppress it, but ironically, her efforts to control it only made the rush of her rage more overwhelming when it awoke.

  She smiled a nice, nonthreatening smile. The expression felt unnatural. “Are you sure she didn’t go for a burger?”

  “No. She’s a good kid. She would have told someone if she intended to be out after dark.” Theresa’s eyes strayed toward the windows of the orphanage. Nothing was visible through the night-shrouded panes.

  “She could’ve lost track of time. You know how it is when you’re seventeen.” Even as she said it, she caught Theresa’s anxiety. Her stomach twisted in response. They both had reason to dread the night.

  Fury stirred the depths of her mind, reptilian and cold. She held it back. This time, she’d control her emotions. Be normal, or at least act that way.

  “Maybe. But we lost the other two kids last month. I’m worried. The dark is hungry—I can feel it. I thought we’d destroyed them, but now I’m not sure. Maybe Gwen and I only made matters worse.”

  “How could you make it worse?” Quicksilver asked. “You killed all the vampires, didn’t you? The entire clan.”

  “Some of them might have escaped the fire. They might be refilling their ranks—I just don’t know!”

  “Kids run away all the time. It may be nothing.” Dear God, don’t let this start again. Don’t let me lose control.

  She had enough blood on her hands, staining her soul.

  “No—please! Find her. Bring her home.” Theresa’s dark eyes clouded with her own terrible memories, but she always managed to stay calm, in control. “Please!”

  How do you do that? Quicksilver stared at her, searching for the key to her composure when Theresa knew only too well what might be hunting in the dark.

  Theresa was one of the few who knew vampires weren’t just flickering images in a horror movie. Years ago, long before Quicksilver arrived in Virginia, Theresa had been a novice nun at the Convent of the Weeping Madonna. A clan of vampires seeking revenged had attacked and only one person escaped with her life: Theresa Blackstone. Her drive to salvage something from the tragedy led her to abandon her previous career choice and create an orphanage out of the ruins of the convent. And if she occasionally woke up screaming, well, no one mentioned it in the morning.

  She wasn’t the only one with nightmares.

  Quicksilver had her share of bad dreams, and she’d been glad to take refuge at the orphanage over a year ago. Exhausted and searching for a safe place to sleep for the night, she found something in Theresa’s air of deep calm that she desperately needed.

  “I’ll bring her back, don’t worry.” Quicksilver hugged Theresa and left abruptly, praying they were wrong.

  There weren’t that many places in Grenville for teenagers to hang out. She made the rounds without success before she started backtracking, hoping to find the missing girl trudging home, alone.

  Four blocks from the orphanage, she turned a corner and halted, surprised. Silhouetted against the dark mouth of an alleyway, Kathy stood illuminated by the golden glow of a streetlight. Two slender, young men bracketed her.

  Men who moved with the flashing grace of vampires.

  Anger stirred inside Quicksilver, so hot and insistent her body went rigid with her efforts to contain it.

  Kathy turned toward a fair-haired man with a light, breathless laugh. She tilted her head. The streetlight illuminated the girl’s face and her shimmering expression of joyful wonder. Quicksilver’s heart twisted with pain, remembering how it felt to find two such seemingly glorious friends. She’d found such friends once and had paid a terrible price for the lesson.

  The girl reminded her achingly of herself in that terrible moment when her innocence was shattered. The inexperienced teen was flattered and awed at attracting such handsome men. She didn’t realize what awaited her if she followed them into the dark, if she let them eat her soul.

  Despite a sense of bitter futility, Quicksilver steeled herself. A final, sympathetic breath whispered over her lips as she strode forward. Relinquishing control, she unleashed the fury within, the force she’d come to hate.

  The trio left the narrow circle of light and blended into the shadows of the alley. Quicksilver crossed the street and broke into a run, her heart thudding in her chest.

  Swerving around the corner, she didn’t stop until she caught sight of them. They stood at the far end of the alleyway. A rusting chain-link fence sagged behind them, creating a dead end.

  Even if Kathy had realized her mistake now, she couldn’t escape. The eight-foot fence blocked the way.

  Quicksilver’s breathing grew harsh and fast as she hesitated, balanced on the balls of her feet. The rank odor of spoiled milk and rotting meat from the trash littering the narrow alley caught in her throat. The oily stench seeped through the air. It saturated her clothing and hair with the foulness trapped between the brick walls. She swallowed a cough and quietly moved forward.

  The blond vampire put his arms around Kathy. Her hands rested on his chest as she stared into his face, mesmerized by his gaze. The second creature stood nearby, his shoulder against the fence, waiting.

  Just like Carlos and Carol. Anger thrummed in her head at the memory of her own personal Hell.

  A rat skittered along the wall, disturbed by her light tread. At the sound, the second vampire glanced her way. He chuckled and gestured to his companion before striding forward, his steps springy with self-assurance.

  “Kathy!” Quicksilver reached behind her back. Her fingers gripped the cool metal handle of a whip.

  “Your friend is occupied,” the dark-haired vampire replied. His eyes flickered over her. She could feel his interest quicken along with his stride. “Come—leave your friend to Jason.” He held out his hand. “I’m Tyler—why don’t you and I talk—”

  “Let’s not.” She flicked her whip, uncoiling it with a sharp snap. The silver fall uncoiled and flashed in the darkness. “Kathy, come here! These men are dangerous!”

  “Who are you supposed to be? Wonder Woman?” Tyler gestured at her whip and grinned. His loose-limbed walk closed the distance before she could blink. His eyes glittered with a feral, crimson light in the darkness.

  “I’m not interested in justice.” She glanced over his shoulder, focusing on the girl. “Kathy, get away from him! Now!”

  Kathy made no response. She gazed at Jason, so entranced that she showed no sign of hearing the urgent warning. With eerie grace, she tilted her head to one side and exposed her long, white neck. Blank docility smoothed her face. Her pale pink lips curved in an uncomprehending smile.

  “Kathy!” Quicksilver’s throat tightened. She knew the pain of
those teeth…. “Please, Kathy!”

  Tyler laughed. One pale hand pressed melodramatically over his heart. “She’s found true love.”

  “She doesn’t know what she’s found.”

  “Give her another minute. She’ll find out.” The vampire halted just a few yards away. His dark gaze examined her with the clinical detachment of a butcher eyeing an unexpected, but not unwanted, delivery of beef.

  An expectant hush whispered around them.

  She couldn’t allow Kathy, hardly more than a child, to suffer the pain the vampire threatened.

  Fury surged upward, taking over her mind as logic vanished. She cracked the whip above his head.

  Tyler’s gaze snapped upward, following the arc of the silver lash. A smile still curved his lips when she flicked her wrist again.

  The thin coil wrapped around his neck.

  “You can’t hurt me with a whip—”

  “Really?” She yanked.

  The monofilament strand tightened. A second jerk sliced cleanly through the skin and bones.

  Tyler was still grinning when his head slowly toppled off his shoulders and landed sloppily at his feet. A hiss sizzled through his flesh and crackled into deep fissures. He disintegrated into a fine cloud of ash. The gray powder swirled through the air before a draft forced them down to rain silently over the dank pavement.

  Quicksilver glanced at the end of the alley. The remaining vampire stared back. His surprised expression revealed the animalistic canines between the curve of his open lips.

  “Tyler!” he yelled. He belatedly focused on her. “Damn you, who are you?”

  “Who do you want me to be?” She smiled at the fair-haired vampire.

  Jason.

  He pushed the girl away. The chain link fence clattered and flexed as Kathy’s shoulder hit the flimsy barricade. She glanced up at him, her expression puzzled and hurt. Her trembling hand reached out to touch him.

  Uncaring, he shook her off with a curse. Then he moved to confront Quicksilver.

  She laid a mocking hand against her cold cheek, the skin damp from the evening air. “Oh, dear! Where is poor little Tyler?”

  “Wha—at?” Kathy’s voice sounded slurred, sleepy. She rubbed her bruised arm. Then she noticed Quicksilver standing a few yards away. The girl studied her, her face slack with confusion.

  “Stay where you are, Kathy.” She ran forward, closing the gap.

  Unfortunately, she wasn’t fast enough.

  Face twisted with the sudden realization that he was not as invulnerable as he imagined, Jason crouched. His gaze darted back and forth, calculating his escape. Then, instead of facing her, he leapt backward. He hit the fence with a rippling, metallic clang. It bowed under his weight, but didn’t collapse.

  She ran faster, ignoring the tearing pain in her thighs as she pushed to go faster than her human muscles could withstand. If he survived, he’d return for Kathy, and he’d be far crueler when his fear turned to rage over his friend’s death. He’d seek revenge and inflict as much pain on Kathy as he could, but his savagery wouldn’t stop there. Soon there’d be some other ignorant girl to use, a girl entranced by his inhuman beauty. She’d believe him, too, when he told her she was special, his chosen one. And she would die if Quicksilver failed to stop him now.

  “Jason, wait!” Kathy caught at his shirt. Her needy, desperate expression tore at Quicksilver.

  Did I look like that when Carlos…. She forced the memory away.

  The metal fence swayed under his weight, the links banging and sagging.

  “Let go!” He kicked Kathy in the chest as he caught the top of the fence.

  He bolted over. Gasping in pain, Kathy fell back, hands pressed against her chest.

  Jason landed lightly in the abandoned lot beyond the flimsy barrier. Poised in a half-crouch, he glanced over his shoulder at Quicksilver.

  Pulse thundering, she sped up. The air seemed too thin to fill her straining lungs. Pushing herself faster, she hit the fence just as Kathy turned.

  “Who—” Kathy started to ask, her eyes wide with confusion.

  “Go back to the home, now!” Quicksilver panted. Her pulse pounded in her ears.

  “Don’t hurt him! Stop!” Kathy tried to grab her, but she skirted the girl.

  Moving almost as fast as the vampire, Quicksilver scrambled over the fence. She landed with a thud on the cracked blacktop. Through the wire diamonds of the chain links, she caught Kathy’s gaze for a split second. “Go home.”

  “Leave him alone! I—”

  “Go!” She turned and sprinted after the vampire.

  The vacant parking lot stretched before her, cracked and overgrown with sprawling weeds. Dark brick building crowded around the asphalt on three sides, blocking out lights from the street. No doors provided escape from the expanse of crumbling blacktop. No way out for her or the desperate creature she pursued. Even if there were doors, he couldn’t use them uninvited.

  Only one avenue existed, straight ahead into the mouth of another dark alley.

  Thundering over the uneven pavement, Quicksilver raced past crumpled fast food bags and beer bottles. The litter swirled in her wake. Her lungs burned with the metallic smell of old car exhaust.

  The narrow lane was empty.

  She stumbled to a stop at the edge of an intersecting sidewalk. The well-lit entrance to an inn, The Orchard Hotel and Conference Center, beckoned from across the street. A doorman held open the door as visitors passed, bidding them a good evening and inviting guests to enter.

  A hotel? She hesitated and glanced over her shoulder. She pressed a hand against her breastbone as she caught her breath, thinking about Jason’s kick hitting the center of Kathy’s chest.

  Had the girl been hurt? He could easily have cracked her ribs. Should she go back?

  She took a step forward. He hadn’t bitten Kathy. Perhaps she was safe, assuming Quicksilver could find Jason before he caught Kathy again.

  She edged toward the street, stepping around a laughing couple clinging to each other and smelling of metabolized alcohol and garlic.

  Her stomach rumbled, but her gaze remained focused on the hotel.

  In the golden glow from the lighted porte-cochere, she caught a glimpse of a sleek, dark blond head. A pale, masculine face glanced in her direction, eyes burning red. Then he spun through the revolving door into the lobby, invited inside by the warm welcome of the uniformed doorman.

  Heedless of traffic, she darted into the street. She held up her hand in apology amidst the honking horns and squealing tires. Ignoring the shouted curses, she calmly refolded her whip, trying to assume a pleasant expression as she approached the lighted entrance, repressing her fury.

  Pretend you’re Theresa. Calm. Confident.

  The Orchard Hotel catered to business travelers and families. She didn’t want to create panic or to see anyone harmed by a creature they didn’t even know existed, but she was awkward and overly conscious of her inability to fit into such a wholesome atmosphere. She was damaged, bitter, and too angry to be normal, but at least she could ensure others didn’t lose their innocence or smiling confidence in their safety.

  Her cheeks warmed as she caught the gaze of a woman handing her young daughter a bottle of water.

  Nodding reassuringly, Quicksilver smiled and gave small wave to the child. The woman blanched and turned away, taking care to shield her daughter with her body. When she glanced over her shoulder at Quicksilver, her mouth compressed into a tight line and she hunched over her daughter as she caught her gaze.

  Quicksilver hurried forward. Someone was bound to call Security if she scared too many people. Security meant delays and awkward explanations. There was no way to explain the three whips tucked into the back of her belt.

  She had to find the vampire.

  Pulling her leather jacket down to hide the handles, she walked through the lobby. She moved quickly, trying not to run while striving to look like she belonged. A normal guest, a weary traveler on her way to h
er room.

  She glanced around, senses humming as she searched for Jason. She felt him. The cold void of his presence was unmistakable. He was here somewhere.

  Chapter Two

  Quicksilver hesitated near the registration desk where she studied the clusters of people, searching for the gleaming blond hair of the vampire. Most of the guests wore somber business suits in shades of black, navy, and gray, lending an elegant, monochromatic air to the subdued décor of the hotel.

  Opposite the door, a large paneled alcove arched around the massive wooden registration desk. Two corridors branched out from either side of the counter, providing two avenues for escape.

  Which way? If she guessed wrong, he’d escape and possibly circle back to Kathy. A moment of panic flared. She rocked on the balls of her feet, indecisive. Had she made a fatal mistake? Should she have stayed with Kathy instead of chasing Jason?

  No. She was going to end this, tonight. Then and only then would Kathy be safe.

  Gambling, Quicksilver took the left corridor. Head held high, she walked as if she owned the place, past the desk, past the curious glances, and past the certainty that she didn’t belong in a room with normal humans any more than a tiger made a good nanny for a two year old child.

  No one stopped her, although a few men stared. The hotel staff ignored her as they fumbled around in an effort to register a noisy group of suits.

  The corridor bowed in an arc with brass signage indicating apple orchard-related names for the conference rooms: Macintosh, Winesap, Granny Smith, Gala. Somewhere past the bend in the hallway, the soft click of a door closing whispered.

  Her hand slipped under the hem of her jacket. Her cold fingers tingled. She gripped the handle of a whip as she strode forward. At the end of the corridor another black-lettered sign said, “Brandywine.” Her pulse kicked up. Despite the chilled stiffness of her hand, the door handle felt even colder, like a chunk of ice beneath her warm palm.

  What if there were innocent people inside? What if Jason wasn’t the one who so quietly closed the door?

  Act first, clean up later. Don’t give him time to hurt anyone else. Any humans inside might be shocked when she dealt with Jason, might even be furious with her, but it was better than winding up dead, even if they didn’t realize it now.