“Please, I know the drunks who come in here.” Kade pushed a chair away from the table with his foot. He took a seat as he placed the water and the food in front of Sloan. “You’re not a local and you’re not a drunk. You don’t have money because you didn’t order anything. You chose to sit in the corner of the room and you haven’t taken off your hood since you stepped inside.”
Sloan took a deep breath. Was she really that easy to read?
“All right.” Sloan pushed back the hood, revealing her travel-weary face. “You win. I guess I owe you a thank you for not giving me up when the soldiers came in, ready to blow you away.”
Kade shrugged.
“We stick together in Term. Any enemy of the crown is an friend of mine.” He pointed to the food and water. “Dig in. I would have brought you beer, but that would go straight to your head if you haven’t eaten, and what kind of a gentlemen would I be, intoxicating a lovely young woman like you?”
“I’m not doing anything weird in payment for this food.” Sloan noticed for the first time how attractive Kade really was. He was tall with short blond hair and a slim physique that said he watched what he ate and enjoyed his cardio. “I’m not sure what you’re after, but you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“Easy.” Kade leaned back in his chair. “It’s not like that.”
“Then what is it like?”
“Wow, you have some serious trust issues, don’t you?”
“Yeah, well, if you’ve been through what I have, you would, too.”
“Fair enough.” Kade sat straight in his chair and cleared his throat. “I’m not after anything. I honestly was trying to be nice to someone who looks like they’re in over their head. I didn’t get to where I am in life on my own; I had people help me along the way. I was just trying to help you along yours.”
Kade held Sloan’s gaze for a moment. A mischievous twinkle raced across his orange eyes.
“But, if you insist I’m up to no good, then I can just take these back.” Kade placed a hand on the plate in front of Sloan.
On instinct, Sloan shot her hand forward. She hit his forearm harder than she had intended.
“On second thought, maybe you’re not so bad after all.” Sloan tried her best at a cute smile. It didn’t work. Sloan didn’t do cute. “Thank you.”
Kade released his hold on the plate.
“Please, dig in.” Kade motioned to the food. “You look like you’re half starved. I haven’t seen anyone ever resist our food this long, not when it’s staring them right in the face.”
Sloan wasn’t exactly sure what Kade was saying. Her basic instincts were taking over now as she grabbed the pitcher of water and quenched her thirst. The cool liquid felt heavenly as it rushed down her throat and into her rumbling stomach.
Next, she went after whatever it was on the plate. If there were utensils provided, Sloan didn’t see them, and neither did she care. It was some kind of meat that smelt heavenly. She chomped into the dark, juicy mystery meat that shared a texture with beef. It wasn’t beef, though: the taste was spicier, tangier.
“Slow down,” Kade warned, “there’s more where that came from.”
“I should warn you…” Sloan did her best to hide her mouth full of food as she spoke. “I don’t have money to pay you. Not yet, at least.”
“You’re right”—Kade took a deep sigh—“you do have trust issues.”
“I’ll find a way to repay you somehow.” Sloan gulped down another swallow of the delicious meat. “What is this, by the way? It’s amazing.”
“Ummm…” The way Kade hesitated told Sloan she had asked a horrifying question. “I’ll tell you when you’re done.”
“Seriously.” Sloan wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “You could tell me this is the soldiers you just kicked out right now, and I’d still eat it.”
“All right.” Kade shrugged. “You caught me. It’s one hundred percent grade A human meat.”
Sloan’s jaws stopped chomping. Her stomach twisted in revulsion as she looked down at her hands. What had she done?
“I’m kidding.” Kade stood up with a laugh. “Don’t throw up. It’s only buffalo meat.”
Sloan sighed through her nose.
“You almost made me puke all over your table.” She skewered Kade with a glare that turned into a smile. “But I bet you have a lot of that going on around here.”
“You’d win that bet.” Kade produced a towel from the half apron he wore around his waist. “Do you have a place to stay?”
“Actually, I was looking for someone,” Sloan said, dodging the question. For some reason, Kade’s sincerity made her feel uncomfortable. “You might have seen them. They would have passed through here within the last day or two. One group could have been a young boy, late teens, traveling with two girls?”
“Sorry.” Kade shrugged again. “No such luck.”
“The other group would have been two sciencey-looking guys with a woman carrying a sword, and a gnome.”
Kade’s eyes flashed a dangerous shade of orange.
“If those are your friends, you're better off heading out of town in the opposite direction.” Kade wasn't angry, but there was definitely something in his voice that verged on worried. “For your own sake, I mean.”
“Why?” Sloan pushed the empty plate of food from her. She half disguised a burp. “What’s happened to them?”
“Word on the street is, a group like that came into Term yesterday. One of the guys couldn’t keep his mouth shut, kept yammering about a New Hope invasion.” Kade shook his head as if it were a pity. “He ruffled a few feathers. There’s an unofficially elected mayor in Term who goes by the name of Kimberly. I guess there was some kind of fight. A lot of people died. Your friends were taken prisoners. They stand trial tomorrow … before the hanging.”
Sloan was already on her feet. She wiped her hands on the towel Kade had provided, all thoughts of finishing her meal gone.
“Where can I find this Kimberly?”
Chapter Two
Jack
“If we have to be taken prisoner, I guess there are worse places to be held captive, right?” Jack looked over to Abigail who sat on one of the two large beds.
“I’m going to kill her for using my sister like this.” Abigail ground her teeth while she stared at the floor. “She’s my little sister. I’m supposed to be protecting and looking out for her, not the other way around.”
Jack stood quiet, thinking of the right thing to say while all the wrong things kept coming to mind. Since their capture by Leah Noble, Jack and Abigail had been shoved into a large room waiting for … well, they didn’t really know what they were waiting for.
The only things Jack could tell for certain was that they were still underground, or it seemed like it, since there were no windows in their room. The second thing was that his magic had left him. It was something he had never felt before, but it was obviously gone. He felt like an empty vessel trying so hard to be full.
Leah Noble had somehow figured out a way to sap his magical ability. It was all Jack could do not to entertain the thought that his abilities were permanently gone.
Now, the sorcerer and the warrior-in-training were stuck. The room they had been provided with was gigantic, with two large beds, dressers, chairs, desks, and a massive washroom with a standing shower and a tub.
“You can’t tell me this doesn’t bother you.” Abigail stood up with a start. “They tricked us and we walked right into the ambush. We were taken like a couple of children. Why aren’t you angrier at this?”
“The truth is, I’m furious.” Jack ran a hand through his wild, brown hair. “But anger isn’t going to help us. We need to come up with a plan.”
“Yeah, of course we need a plan.” Abigail crossed her arms over her chest. “But it’s okay to be angry. I mean, our fathers both died only a few days ago. I still cry at night. It isn’t fair. And I know that life isn't fair, but it still sucks, and I’m still pissed and sad
.”
The words came from her mouth like someone had turned on a faucet. Jack couldn’t blame her for any of it. Truth be told, he was feeling the exact same way.
“I don’t want to think about it.” Jack furrowed his brow as thoughts of his father raced through his mind. “I’m tired of being sad. I’ve done my crying. I don’t want to be sad anymore.”
“Have you?” Abigail walked toward Jack, tears already in her eyes. “How much crying is enough? I’ve mourned the father I killed, but should we just put our best foot forward and forget about them?”
“Not forget.” Jack felt a large lump build in his throat. “We can never forget. I loved … I do love my father and that will never change. His death is a sadness I will carry with me for the rest of my life, but he would want me to move forward. I’m putting my best foot in front of the other because that’s what he would want me to do.”
Jack couldn’t stop the tears. They fell down his face with abandon. Abigail’s cheeks were also wet with tears that refused to be held back.
“At least your father loved you.” Abigail shook her head, lowering her gaze to the floor. “I mean, I know my father loved me in his own way, and he wasn’t always the monster you saw. I do have good memories of him. Once my mother left, it just started to deteriorate. And now he’s gone, because I killed him, and my sister is lost, because I couldn’t protect her.”
Jack went to Abigail without even thinking. She folded into his arms like she had belonged there her entire life.
“We’ll get through this,” Jack promised. “I’m not going to leave you. We’ll get through this together.”
Abigail looked up, her lips wet with tears. Their mouths gravitated toward one another until they pressed together.
A banging on the only door in the room broke their embrace.
“Away from the door,” a familiar voice echoed in. “I promise, if you try to ambush me, it’ll be a mistake.”
The door swung open to reveal The Scar. Jack recognized him from their battle on the train while the group traveled to Burrow Den. But he had changed somehow. Not only was he pale with long canines and red eyes, but he also looked larger, somehow visibly stronger.
Entering the room behind him was Leah Noble. Both of them were dressed in the black-and-grey of New Hope. The Scar wore a uniform emblazoned with the New Hope sigil of two swords crossed behind a black bat.
Leah Noble wore a long, black dress. Her hair was swept back, revealing a plunging neckline.
“Well, well, well.” Leah walked in, smiling at both Jack and Abigail. “Am I mistaken, or did I interrupt something especially naughty happening here?”
“Give me back my sister, you monster!” Abigail lunged at Leah.
Jack caught her, holding her back with both arms.
The Scar also took a step forward, ready to intercept either of them if they made a move toward Leah.
“Manners, you little brat.” Leah’s eyes widened as she brightened at a thought. “Or maybe not. I’m always looking for new test subjects. You see, tenacity and fire are looked on as a plus when you're undergoing experimentation. It’s rough on the body, or so I'm told.”
Abigail ignored Leah’s previous words. “She’s just a kid! You can have me. Do whatever you want to me, just let Elizabeth go.”
“Tempting, but you’re in no position to be making such deals.” Leah shrugged, looking at the underside of her long, manicured fingernails. “I could have all of you in the lab if I wanted to. Lucky for you, I just want your sister. Our ranks are already filled with the addition of the vampire soldiers.”
“What is it you want?” Jack let go of Abigail, giving her a moment to gather herself. “Why keep us here? What have you done to my mage power?”
“Ahhh, yes.” Leah crossed her arms, looking Jack up and down. “I was wondering when we would get to that. Your power is being hampered by a ward I have in place. To be honest with you, Jack, I was expecting more from you. You really need to spend time practicing and growing your mage power, instead of batting your eyes at pretty young girls. Your powers are disappointing, really.”
“My father and I only used it to track paranormals while we worked in the Outland. We never used it to fight. I—”
“I’m going to stop you there now.” Leah held up a hand to Jack. “I really don’t care what excuse you have, and I’m on somewhat of a deadline. What you need to know is that escape is futile. You’re being kept alive at Elizabeth’s expense. As long as she continues to work obediently under our control, you will be kept safe and healthy.”
“You’re using us as blackmail?” Abigail’s hands opened and closed into fists. “You’re a monster, and I’m going to kill you before this is all over.”
“Promises, promises.” Leah blew a kiss to Abigail. “Use this time to get to know each other better. Or don’t. I don’t care. But you should know escaping is pointless. We’re two stories underground the palace and I have vampire guards stationed at your door around the clock.
“Our friends will come.” Jack felt his temper flare. “They’ll come looking for us.”
At this, The Scar laughed out loud. The sound was a high-pitched cackle.
“You really have no idea what’s going on, do you?” Leah motioned for The Scar to open the door. “Your friends are wanted by the crown for treason. Every soldier in the army is looking for them now, and if they don’t find them, the reward we’re going to put on their heads will bring every bounty hunter in the Outland down on them. They’re lucky if they’re not dead already.”
Chapter Three
Sloan
“I need you not to be dead already,” Sloan said, walking up to Aareth’s still form. “Hey, are you sleeping?”
The massive wolf-like creature jumped with a start. The half-man, half-wolf Aareth had reared back on his hind legs, baring teeth as long as knives.
“Okay, okay.” Sloan put both hands out wide. “It’s me, and if you try to bite me again, I swear to God I’m going to chop off your tail.”
Aareth’s bright blue eyes took her in, and a moment later he went down to all fours, whimpering a hello.
Sloan and Aareth had found a cave just outside the city of Term. It had been abandoned when they got there, and if it wasn’t completely abandoned then, it was now. The cave was against a small mountain range in the middle of the forest.
Aareth slumped down again, wagging his tail.
“Listen.” Sloan tried her best at calming her voice. “I have good news. I know what happened to our friends, at least some of them, but I’m going to need your help. I know you can understand me. I need you to turn back to your human form.”
Aareth cocked his furry head, panting in quick, deep breaths.
“If you have any control at all over your changing back and forth, I need you to do it now, “ Sloan tried again. “Come on, Aareth, we have a lead on your wife. We might be able to free her tonight and reunite you two.”
Aareth jumped and yelped at the mention of his wife, but no physical change took place.
“I’m going to have to do this myself, aren’t I?” Sloan slumped down, taking in a deep breath. “All right.”
Aareth came up next to her, laying his massive head in her lap.
“I know you would if you could.” Sloan patted his head. “Don’t worry, once we get Edison back, we’ll figure out a way to turn you back into your normal human self. Actually, now that I think of it, having you in this form is an improvement.”
Aareth huffed and removed his head from her lap.
Sloan looked out of the mouth of the cave, heaving a heavy sigh of her own. The sun was still high overhead; plenty of time to go back into town and do some scouting as to where Edison and the others were being held.
Sloan scrunched her nose for the dozenth time as the odor from her traveling cloak assailed her nostrils. She’d come a long way in a few short days. From lush banquets at the palace, soft beds, and clean, pressed uniforms, to taking handouts, sleepi
ng in caves, and fishing clothing out of the trash.
An idea struck Sloan while she batted away a fly.
“I think I may have a way for you to help after all.” Sloan looked over at Aareth, zeroing in on the two pointy ears that stuck up from his head. “How good is your hearing?”
Chapter Four
Sloan
Sloan walked through the town’s wide dirt path. Shops and bars opened up on either side of the main road. Streets branching off in every direction led deeper into the small city of Term.
The building Sloan had her eyes on was a two-story wooden structure with two white pillars holding up the porch. The wood looked new, like it had been erected just for the occasion of Sloan’s arrival to Term.
A large sign on the front door hung from a pair of shiny, new nails. It read: Sheriff’s Office.
Sloan resisted the urge to head in through the front door. Kicking in doors and ordering actions in the name of the crown was a life lost to her now. Not only did these people have no love for the queen, but they also straight up despised her.
Sloan took a long breath as her senses worked on overdrive. The best way to tackle this scenario was to gather as much information as she could before making her move. She chose a storefront across the street from the sheriff's office.
Sloan removed her hood to avoid suspicion. She did her best to untangle the knotted mess of her hair, but what little she could do didn’t make her look any better.
Inside, her body tingled with new power and the promise of raw speed. Since her transformation into whatever she was now, Sloan had felt a burning power inside of her and she yearned to test its limits.
How fast was she, exactly? How strong? Her body had mended her wounds from the fight exiting New Hope, along with Aareth’s bite. Did that mean she was immortal?
The Complete Vampire Project Series: (Books 1 - 5) Page 37