Between Good and Evil

by Jasmine Wylder

  Dane laughed aloud. “Well, I do like porn, some varieties at least, but having the live-action before me was a lot better. And that it was Rune… Well, I could watch her all day. And I didn’t want to kill you for once, even though you were inside of her instead of me. You’re still in really good shape.”

  “You’re getting a little flabby.”

  “Hey!”

  Isaac grinned and elbowed him. “Naw, you’re still as fit as ever. Remember when we were younger, and we’d ask the girls if they were okay with it?”

  “And most of them looked at us like we were perverts?” Dane nodded. “I remember. The rest were only looking for a sandwich and didn’t care what sort of meat they got. And they were upset when we didn’t put on a show for them. Wait…” His brow furrowed. “Has anything… you know, changed, since then? I mean, we were still teens, and these things aren’t always easy to figure out. Patrick only figured out he was gay in the last couple of years, and I know that bisexuality and pansexuality are both things. I don’t really know the difference but…”

  His ears turned pink, the way they did whenever he was really embarrassed.

  Isaac shook his head. “Nothing has changed. Sharing is good, but I’m not interested in a sexual relationship with you. I’m not into men.”

  “Same.” Dane let out a sigh. “And I’m glad about that. If we weren’t on the same page there, it’d be a lot more complicated. I have considered it, though. Wondered if our tendency to share was more than I realized…”

  “I think we just recognized, on some level, that one day we’d share a mate. We were just waiting for Rune.”

  Speaking of Rune… she dashed into the room and leapt at them. They caught her together, grunting in surprise as she landed in their arms. She feverishly kissed both of them, her head moving this way and that so fast that Isaac was concerned she might get whiplash. By the time they got her to calm down enough to tell them what was going on, she was panting.

  “I figured it out!” She declared, a wide smile on her face. “I was sitting there in the darkness, and I was thinking, why isn’t the universe talking to me? It’s been so vocal lately, so why isn’t it telling me what I need to do now? And I was getting frustrated, which isn’t helpful.”

  “Right,” Isaac said, adjusting his hold on her. He pulled her into his lap. Dane frowned but satisfied himself with her legs slung over his lap. “So what did you discover?”

  “Well, I realized I was thinking in the wrong terms. So I emptied my mind, and then it came to me.” Rune smiled triumphantly as she pressed a kiss to Isaac’s mouth. “You’re going to turn me over to Gregory.”

  ***

  Dane wasn’t entirely certain how he and Isaac managed to get talked into this plan. All he knew for certain that it was a terrible plan that was sure to fail.

  Or it would if he hadn’t put his trust in Rune. She had assured him that it was going to work. He didn’t know how, but he had to believe that she knew what she was talking about. After all, she had gotten him and Isaac back on the same side after both of them had decided to kill the other. If that was possible, anything was.

  So that was how he found himself in a cramped, tight box that smelled so strongly of garlic it was making him sick to his stomach. The darkness was almost more than he could take. He knew it was necessary. The box was nearly airtight in order to prevent the vampires from sniffing him out. The garlic would mask whatever scent was able to make its way from the box. King Gregory wouldn’t just let him walk in, so he had to sneak in somehow.

  The box swayed from side to side and finally was set down. He hadn’t been able to make out what Isaac said was in the box to get the guards to let him bring it in. Dane was getting severely cramped in this position, and his lungs were starting to burn for fresh air.

  All he could hear were Rune’s sniffles and sobs. Even though he knew they were fake, the sounds tore at his heart. He wanted to spring out of this box and comfort her. He wanted to beat the crap out of whoever it was making her cry.

  She has got me whipped, he thought with a wry smile. And boy do I love it.

  It was a good thing that he and Isaac were going to be in this together, otherwise, she’d have all the power in the relationship…

  Thinking about that was a mistake. Dane frowned as he resisted the urge to adjust his position. The button at his head, which he would press to open the box, was quite sensitive. He had to wait until the right time. So there was nothing to distract him from his thoughts; when this was over, was he really going to be able to hand Isaac over the police? He knew he had to, for legal reasons, but already that protectiveness he felt towards those close to him was threatening to swallow him up.

  His fires burned to think about what might happen to Isaac in jail. The justice system wasn’t kind to the paranormal, and vampires were hated more than shifters. Not to mention the crimes he was accused of could easily get him executed.

  A shudder ran down Dane’s spine. Could he hand Isaac over, knowing it might end up killing him?

  “My lord.” Isaac’s voice came muffled through the box. “I have brought you a gift.”

  So, they were in position. Now Dane just had to wait until the signal was given.”

  “You brought her to me?” A deep, rich voice drew nearer. That must be King Gregory. “I was not expecting this… I thought that you didn’t want the pretty young human in my grasp. You’re even prettier in person, Miss Reid. Those curves of yours… I’d love a taste—”

  Dane nearly slammed the button just so he could jump out and pound the king to the ground for daring to look at Rune that way.

  “She is not your gift.” Isaac’s voice hissed like a whip. “Rune is mine, and I will let nobody else touch her. This is your gift.”

  A tap came on the top of the box. But it was the ‘hold’ signal. Dane breathed evenly, forcing himself to stay still. Vampires had keen senses, in some ways better than a shifter’s, but they wouldn’t be able to hear his beating heart. If he kept himself calm. Rune must not be in the right position yet. Gregory was too close to her or something. That was why Isaac was stalling.

  “Smells like garlic,” Gregory snorted.

  “I had to have something in there to cover the smell.”

  “The smell of what?”

  “Blood and death.” Now Isaac sounded smug. “For in this box is Dane Hemmerick. It wasn’t easy to kill him. Took a stake to the leg, but I got him in the end. Now the dragon will no longer be interfering with your plans… And it may be too bold, but I know that such an act of service will not go unrewarded.”

  “Do you know?” Gregory’s voice took on a dangerous note. “And what is the reward you are thinking of? This girl?”

  Rune made a squeaking noise. Dane wished he could see what was going on. Had somebody grabbed her? Had Isaac brought her back from the guards, from Gregory? Had Gregory grabbed her chin and made her look up at him?

  What the hell was happening?

  “She is mine. And I want to ensure her safety. For all eternity.” Isaac sounded a little nervous. Were the guards pressing in closer to them? Were they threatening Rune? Isaac cleared his throat and drummed his fingers against the box again, as though sensing Dane’s impatience. Hold. “I have the contracts signed already, proving she consents. I wish to turn Rune into a vampire. So that she may live as long as I do.”

  A pause, and then raucous laughter filled the room. Dane found it even worse to endure than the silence. He clenched his fists. Breathe. In, out. In, out. Stay calm. Wait for the signal.

  “You are a young one, aren’t you?” Gregory purred. “Still too young to know that love does not last forever. But very well. If you want to saddle yourself with this girl for the rest of eternity, I will grant that to you. What do you say, girl? Are you ready to be a vampire? I wonder how it will affect your psychic abilities…”

  “Thank you, my lord.” Isaac tapped a new pattern on the box.

  Dane grinned. He punched the button and s
hifted as the box fell apart around him. Wings sprang from his back, his clothes shredded, and he let out a burst of fire, knowing that Isaac would pull Rune out of the way if they were in the wrong spot. Vampires called out and screamed as the flames ate up the air, scorching them.

  He whirled, knocking half a dozen guards off their feet. Isaac had Rune by the waist and all but threw her behind them. The guards lunged, and Dane released another breath of fire. Two of the vampires dodged, while the others threw themselves to the floor.

  The two came forward, wielding swords. One of them slashed at Dane’s neck, and he twisted away. His clawed hands lashed out, deflecting the blade. The second vampire stabbed at his side, but Isaac threw himself forward. He wrenched the guard’s head. A loud snap filled the air, and the guard dropped. Isaac snatched up his sword and danced about, fighting off the guards.

  Dane flung out a wing, throwing a bunch of the guards away from him as the back of a crimson cloak disappeared into a side tunnel. Gregory.

  The vampire guards fell back, bunching together at the entrance of the tunnel, preparing to defend it. Dane grinned as he threw himself across the room. He beat his wings to increase his speed. They braced themselves, holding their weapons out in front of them. Just before he would be skewered, Dane shifted back to human form. He dropped several feet and bowled into their knees. Isaac soared over him as he knocked the guards over like bowling pins.

  Behind them, Rune shouted, “Hurry!”

  Isaac sprang down the corridor while Dane shifted back to dragon form. Most of the guards hurried after Isaac, calling out warnings to their departing king. Dane spread his wings and slashed at the guards that stayed behind, preventing them from getting back to Rune. After he sliced two of them open with his claws, they too turned and fled.

  Dane shifted back to human form since the tunnel was too small for him as a dragon. He snatched a sword from the ground and barreled after them. His feet pounded the stone floor. The sound of clashing metal sounded from before him and he prayed that this plan would work. His mind flashed to Rune, but he forced himself to think ahead, only ahead, where Isaac would be waiting.

  “You have to do exactly as I say,” Rune had said before she explained the plan. “Or it’ll all go wrong, and we’ll die.”

  Soon, he skidded to a stop in another room. He nearly ran into Isaac’s back as he stood there, hands wrapped around his sword. Dane took up his spot beside him, facing off with their enemies.

  Before them where at least a dozen of the guards. Highly trained, ancient, with plenty of experience. Gregory stood behind them, his crown gleaming in the electric lights. A wide grin spread over his face and he started to laugh triumphantly. He clapped his hands; the guards lifted their weapons. Dane’s heart pounded in his chest as he readjusted his grip on his own sword.

  Now came the true test. When trust came into it. He had to trust that Isaac was genuine in wanting out of this life. He had to trust that Rune knew what she was doing when she planned this out. He had to trust that the universe wasn’t out to get him, that it would somehow all work out.

  Gregory’s triumphant laughter faded away into a knowing smirk. He strode forward casually, though he did not step in front of the guards or present a target of himself.

  “What were you hoping to accomplish here today? Did you really think you could defeat me so easily?”

  “Nope,” Dane replied with a casual shrug. “But we have to try to prevent you from taking over the world. That’s some serious shit that we do not want to see happen.”

  Gregory arched a brow at Isaac. “I thought you had a better sense of self-preservation than that.”

  “You thought wrong.” Isaac stood tall and strong as he mirrored Gregory’s grin. “I might be a weapon of destruction, but I will no longer be your weapon.”

  “More fool to you, then.”

  Isaac shrugged. He glanced at Dane, that grin still on his face. “You know what?”

  “What?”

  “It feels good to fight at your side again.”

  Dane returned the grin. “That it does.”

  They both lunged.

  The guards instantly formed a protective barrier in front of Gregory. The king moved back, standing on a raised dais so he could still watch. The guards came in on all sides surrounding them. Dane thrust and stabbed with his weapon, parrying blows and preventing the strikes from hitting Isaac. A familiar look of sheer concentration came over Isaac’s face. His gaze locked on Gregory and he surged forward, his own sword flashing this way and that.

  Together, they forced the horde of guards first this way and then that. Gregory, at one point, had to jump from his dais and scamper sideways because Isaac had broken through the line. Dane held his back, defending him as he cut destruction and death among the guards. The scent of blood and the sound of screams filled the room.

  A sword slipped past Dane’s defenses and sliced Isaac’s arm. He stumbled and Dane roared. He shifted form, taking several blows across his scaly body as he spread himself around Isaac, shielding him. Dane let loose another, final breath of fire over the guards. They scattered back, giving the two just enough space to reestablish themselves.

  Dane shifted back to human form, pressing his back to Isaac’s. “Snap out of it, Fisher,” he called over his shoulder as the guards came at them again. “We can’t get him, we need to retreat.”

  Gregory laughed as Isaac snarled. But, together, they turned and fought their way from the king, back towards the tunnel. They burst out and ran as hard as they could, while Gregory ordered his guards to follow and kill them.

  Dane’s feet pounded against the stone floor as he ran back the way he’d come. Back towards Rune.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The multiple floodlights that had been packed into the box with Dane had tumbled out as soon as he sprang out and started fighting. Rune, as she had been told (multiple times) by the boys, found a little nook to wedge herself into. Blood had spurted through the air, but soon enough, the fighting had moved down the corridor, following Gregory.

  Just as she had seen.

  Now, her heart pounded as she set up all the lights. Two along this wall, three on this one. The vampire caves were dim since vampires didn’t require light to see by. Their eyes were adjusted to that dim light. Rune’s hand shook as she connected the lights together. First, this plugged in, and then that one—or was it that one?

  She froze, staring at the mass of wires, a bitter taste in her mouth. Dane and Isaac had gone over this part of the plan a dozen times with her until she was able to put them together with her eyes closed. Now, though, her mind was a blank. It was as though they hadn’t even talked about it! She began to tremble. She couldn’t mess up now! Her mates depended on her.

  With her throat dry, she closed her eyes and reached out with her hands. The universe would surely guide her to the right plugs, right? Her hands lit on one and she started to plug it into the one in her hand, but it didn’t feel right. When she opened her eyes, she saw it was the red cord—and that one was supposed to be last!

  Everything flooded back. Working quickly, she fixed the cords in the proper order and crouched next to the socket, waiting. There was a good chance that this was going to burn out the power system across the palace section of the Starlight Mountains, but they just needed the time.

  She waited. And waited. Sounds of clashing metal and screams of pain echoed down the corridor toward her. Several dead vampires lay about the room and she had to resist the urge to grab one of their silver-plated swords and rush up the corridor to help her mates.

  I don’t know how to wield a sword, she reminded herself. And I’d just end up getting in the way. It’s like what I told Isaac and Dane. Stick to the plan. As long as we stick to the plan, we have a chance of getting out of this.

  Her visions had been very clear… of course, that didn’t mean that they were as straightforward as she thought. She could have misinterpreted something, or it very well could be that the worl
d was going to explode right after the last things she had seen—

  Stop it! Negative thinking could cause negative things to happen. Just stick to the plan.

  Moments later, the clashing of swords stopped. Her heart jumped to her throat, the worst of possibilities flitting across her mind. Then there came the pounding footsteps rushing back down the corridor. They echoed like drum beats and she clenched her hands around the massive plug, holding her breath as she watched the corridor with anxious eyes.

  “Hey!”

  Rune jumped, whirling. A vampire woman wearing a sky-blue bra and panty set (and nothing else) stared at her. She stared back. The vampire glanced around and snarled. She lunged, grabbed a sword from one of the dead men and held it out before her.

  “Who the fuck are you and what are you doing here?”

  “Uh…” See, this is where negative thinking leads you. She hadn’t seen this in her vision. “Hello. Would you be interested in buying some floodlights?” she blurted. Then flushed. The vampire woman stared at her incredulous. “You’re right, I’m not here to sell floodlights. I’m here to take down your king and end his reign.”

  The scantily-clad vampire woman blinked twice. Then her face contorted in rage. With a scream, she threw herself at Rune. Rune screamed back, more out of instinct than anything else, and shoved the plug for the floodlights in.

  The room flared with light just as Dane and Isaac came rushing in. The vampire woman shied back, throwing her hands in front of her eyes. Her sword clattered to the floor. The horde of vampire guards cried out, shielding their eyes. Dane had an arm over his eyes and Isaac was wearing a pair of sunglasses. He whirled, Dane moving with him as though they were connected by invisible strings. They flowed through the disoriented guards, disarming half of them—

  Then the lights went out. Sparks flew from the plug. Rune cried out and threw herself backward, tripping over cables as she did so. There were cries of triumph and the sounds of battle started up again. Everything was so pitch black Rune couldn’t tell where her own ass was. The scrape of silver against stone brought her heart to her throat.