Consumed

by Suzanne Wright

  Sebastian teleported back to us. “Yes, it is. There is not much space inside the ring for me to move, and I do not want to risk alerting its creator by tripping it from the inside. I could probably teleport two people into the circle with me at a time. We can each scoop up a vampire, and then I will teleport us all to The Hollow.”

  “I can help,” said Ian. “Once you’ve gone, I’ll do the same – we’ll alternate.”

  “That would help immensely,” Sebastian told him. “It will take us some time, but we can hopefully have the entire nest out of here before a confrontation occurs between Sam and Diane.” Sebastian teleported Evan and Trent inside the circle. He first scooped up Cristiano, to what was likely Ava’s utter fucking relief, while Evan and Trent each gathered another. Once they were gone, Ian and two of Evan’s squad then teleported inside and did the same.

  After three runs, Evan called out to us from inside the circle, “Maybe you three should join Sam and Jared, since you can’t do much here. They could probably use your help. When I contacted Jared to let him know we’ve found the nest, he said the interior of the warehouse was more heavily guarded than they’d expected, and quite a few have been injured, but Diane doesn’t seem aware of their presence.”

  I definitely wanted to be part of the fight, but leaving these guys alone didn’t sit too well with me. “We should stay and stand guard here.”

  “The other squad is patrolling outside. If they see anyone attempting to enter the building, they’ll let us know. If we need help, I’ll contact Jared and ask him to send or teleport some back-up here. You guys just –”

  A pain slammed into my head as a strange ‘bong’ sound seemed to drown out all else, and I – to my fucking embarrassment – swayed on my feet. I shook my head, trying to focus. And that was when I saw that everyone else was doing the same.

  Max had his hands slapped over his ears. “What the fuck was that?”

  My instincts told me the answer. “That was some kind of psychic blast, and we caught the tail end of it. I’d say Diane knows she has company.”

  “A psychic blast that almost knocked us out when we’re way over here?”

  Ava gasped. “If it almost did that to us, imagine what it’s done to them.”

  A growl rumbled out of Evan. “I have to get to Alora.” He was gone before anyone could say a word.

  “It’s okay,” said Ian. “One of the others can take Evan’s place here. They need you over there. Go.”

  Moving at vampire momentum, we sped out of the building and over to the warehouse, where we crouched beneath a window. Reuben, Damien, and Stuart were sprawled on the floor inside, clearly unconscious. Thankfully, they weren’t piles of ashes.

  “Looks like it’s been a psychic blast that’s a little like your punch, but on a grander scale,” said Max.

  “If the gift is like mine, they’ll wake after a few hours or once the vampire who released the blast is destroyed.”

  “Do you think it’s affected the squad that’s on the lookout?” asked Ava.

  Considering they were closer to the warehouse than we had been…“I’d say so.”

  She frowned. “I can’t sense Evan close by.”

  Neither could I, but I was confident that the last thing Evan would do was anything stupid. All he would be concentrating on was getting to Alora and getting her out of the warehouse. Had I been in his position, I would have done the same.

  We crept further along the building, following the sound of a woman’s maniacal laugh. Pausing in the shadows near another window, we slowly stood and saw Giles, Diane, and four male Pagoris glaring at Sam, Imani, and Jared, who were cocooned inside Sam’s energy shield. Unfortunately, it seemed that Jared was unconscious.

  Max grimaced. “Coach will be pissed that she didn’t expand her shield in time to protect him from the blast.”

  “Going by the mercury glow to her irises,” began Ava, “I’d say you’re right.”

  “I’m thinking we do the same as before. I’ll paralyse their senses and you guys attack them before any have a chance to retaliate.”

  Ava gave a weak smile. “There’s a huge problem with that plan.”

  “What?”

  “One of the Pagoris must have acted as some kind of psychic shield if the six vampires in there were unaffected by the blast. That same shield would protect them from your gift and Salem’s. Any attempt to harm them by us would be instantly sensed, and then we’ll be unconscious too. We’re going to have to rethink that plan and –” Ava froze at the exact moment that myself and Max did…which meant we’d all sensed the two presences behind us.

  We instantly spun. All at once, I growled, Max cursed, and Ava sighed as she said, “This has been a really shit day.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  (Ava)

  “If you kill us, I’ll be totally pissed.”

  Knox Thorne’s dark eyes glinted with amusement. “Our fight isn’t with you or yours, Miss Sanchez. You know who we’re here for. My question is…why are you three out here instead of in there, helping your Grand High Pair?”

  “We were about to think up a plan for getting inside without being placed in a coma when you two showed up.” I eyed Knox and his friend suspiciously. “How long have you been here?” Neither demon answered. “See, I’m thinking you guys watched and waited until the vampires inside were vulnerable. And I think you did it for two reasons. One, it saved you some time and energy. Two, it meant there weren’t many people to interfere with your plans.”

  Knox’s mouth kicked up in one corner. “You should have been a demon, Miss Sanchez. You think like one.”

  Salem sighed. “We get that you want vengeance, but if you do anything –”

  “It could begin a war between our species and yours,” finished Knox, seeming unconcerned. “What you fail to understand is that we’re demons; demons always get even. Do we like war? Not really.” He actually sounded bored by the prospect. “We have better things to do than fight people we have no issue with, so it will be a shame if our species go to war with each other. But demons never let a wrong go unpunished.”

  “Speaking of ‘wrong’,” I began, “it was shitty of you to psychically ‘tap’ one of our legion so you knew what he knew.” Ryder had found the evidence of demon interference a few hours ago; the legion member had been devastated to find he’d been involuntarily leaking information.

  Knox simply shrugged. “I told you that we demons have our ways of getting information.” At Salem’s growl, he added, “We aren’t here for you. But if any of you or your other vampires attack us, we’ll retaliate.”

  “They’re not really in a position to attack you,” I pointed out. “They’re unconscious.”

  Knox’s friend, who I recognised from the hotel – if I was right, he’d been one of the doormen – peered inside the window. “How did that happen?”

  “One of the vampires with Diane seems to have the power to release a powerful psychic blast. As if that doesn’t give us enough of a problem, another of the vampires can create a psychic shield – that shield is currently surrounding all six of those asshole vampires that are awake.”

  “That won’t be a problem for us,” stated Knox, totally confident.

  I frowned. “Why?”

  He shrugged. “It just won’t.”

  “Will you all shush,” said Max, his eyes on what was going on inside the warehouse. “I’m trying to listen here. Coach seems to be doing her best to buy us some time so the nest can get to safety.”

  I peered through the window and watched as Diane went to stand before Sam, Imani, and a still unconscious Jared. In the background, Giles was exchanging smirks of triumph with the four Pagoris behind him.

  “It’s disappointing how easy it was to bring you down.” Diane studied Sam from head to toe. “You’re smaller than I expected. I must say, the females were a surprise. I take it these are from the brothel and they’ve come for their revenge.” It pissed me off that her victims were so insignifican
t to her that she wouldn’t even recognise one if they stood right before her.

  “A little like you, you mean?” asked Sam. “That’s what the brothel was all about, wasn’t it? Buying the girls, forcing them to work at your brothel, blackmailing the clients…It was about getting revenge on men like those who forced you to do the very same thing once-upon-a-time.”

  Diane licked her teeth, as if savouring the idea of biting into Sam’s throat and tearing it out. Apparently she didn’t like to be reminded of her past. Not that I could blame her. “Someone did their homework, I see,” she said with a sneer. “Well, so did I, little hybrid. I learned much about you. About your first years as a vampire. About the rumour that you killed your own Sire.”

  “Good for you.” Sam sounded bored.

  “Your nest was a well of information. Especially the new leader. He didn’t want to talk at first, but Fritz” – she flicked a smile at one of the Pagoris – “persuaded him to answer our questions.” If I hadn’t seen for myself that Cristiano hadn’t been beaten, I’d be panicking right now.

  Imani leaned into Sam. “I once had a dog called Fritz.”

  Brows raised, Sam looked at Imani. “Yeah? What breed was he?”

  “I’m sure you have bigger things to worry about than pets,” Diane ground out.

  “Of course,” placated Sam. “Do continue. Or is this the part where you’re hoping to kill us? I say ‘hoping’, because it would be a delusional idea.”

  Giles snickered. “You say that…yet here you are, without the protection of your squad.” Yes, it was easy to look all smug and brave when he had four guards at his back.

  “You cannot attack us from inside your shield,” Diane said to Sam. “I learned that from the new leader of your nest.” I doubted that Cristiano had told her a single thing about Sam. Considering how many assignments Sam had been on, it would be easy to find out about her gifts. I wondered if Diane was hoping that mentioning the nest would prod Sam into asking when Diane had spoken to them so that she could then smugly reveal that she had them in her possession.

  “Yeah, I believe you already mentioned that you’d spoken with him. I’m tired of that subject now. How about we discuss your surrender instead?”

  A loud laugh burst out of Giles. “And why would we surrender?”

  “Because you’ll die if you don’t.” It was said with such certainty that both Giles and Diane’s confidence seemed to falter. But only for a moment.

  “You can’t hurt us from inside your shield,” Diane maintained.

  It was true that Sam couldn’t, but I was betting that Imani could. While Diane and her crew were psychically shielded, however, Imani couldn’t harm them with her gift.

  “Your back-up has been disabled,” continued Diane. “You have only your friend here.”

  Sam cocked her head. “You don’t think the vampires in this building were the only back-up I brought along, do you?”

  “No, which is why I have some back-up of my own.”

  “Oh, you mean the vampires you sporadically placed around the warehouse? The marksmen? Yeah, they’re dead.”

  Diane’s eyes narrowed. “You lie.”

  “You’re cunning, devious, and calculated – I’ll grant you that. But Diane, I’ve been up against people much more cunning and dangerous than you. People who put you more in the league of a rabid squirrel. Did you really think I wouldn’t be prepared for whatever you threw at us? You honestly believe that more of my legion won’t be swarming this place any minute now?”

  “We’ll see how prepared you really are. I have something you’ll want.”

  “I hope it’s the new Call of Duty game,” Sam said to Imani.

  With a nod, Imani spoke in an excited whisper. “Fingers crossed.”

  I heard Knox’s friend snort with laughter behind me.

  “I’d leave you to try and guess what it is, but you never will.” Diane’s chin lifted as a superior smirk surfaced on her face. “I have your nest.”

  Sam just blinked. “I don’t have a nest.”

  Diane rolled her eyes. “Your old nest, then. I have them all.”

  “So?”

  That had Diane doing a double-take. “So if you want them to live, you’ll give me exactly what I want.”

  “Oh, you think you can use them as leverage. It won’t work. But out of interest, what is it you intended to ask for?”

  “It’s simple, really.” Diane shrugged. “I want your blood.”

  Sam’s brows arched. “Say again?” Giles looked just as shocked. Apparently Diane hadn’t shared her plans with him until now.

  “Just enough blood to Turn a few humans. Those newborn vampires can then Turn others for me, and so on and so on.”

  “You hope to create a hybrid army for yourself?” asked Imani.

  “Wars are not my thing. But if I was to open a brothel containing a multitude of hybrids…now that would earn me big money. Many would pay to drink from a hybrid.” The red tint to Diane’s irises glowed as her gaze locked on Sam. “And you owe me. I lost a lot of money and business because of you. I had to give up my homes because of you. I’ve been in hiding because of you.” Like she had been falsely accused of something and forced to go on the run.

  Sam made a ‘hmmm’ sound. “You’re missing a few things.”

  “Such as?”

  “If my blood was used to Turn any humans, it would make me their Maker. That would mean you would have no way of concealing them from me. I would find them, find you.”

  “Yes, but all I need is to take some of their blood – just like I intend to take some of yours. Any hybrids created from their blood would have no blood-link to you. You would be unable to find them. As soon as I have the blood of your ‘babies’, I can destroy them before you have a chance to locate them. We both know in that moment you will be in no state to track them down, not when the breaking of a blood-link is excruciating. To suffer the breaking of several blood-links at one time might even kill you.” That was probably true. Christ, what a bitch.

  Sam pursed her lips. “It’s a good plan.”

  “I think so.”

  “There is a big problem with it, though.”

  “And that is…?”

  “Well, I have no intention of giving you my blood. Guess that fucks up everything.”

  “You would let your old nest die?” Diane’s expression said ‘doubtful’.

  “Yep. If you were thinking I had some kind of emotional tie to them, you clearly didn’t do your homework well enough.”

  I almost jumped when Sebastian appeared beside me. “Shitting hell,” I hissed.

  “My apologies. I simply wished to let you know the nest has been moved.”

  I went to introduce him to Knox and his friend. “Fuck, where did they go?” I swiftly spun and returned my attention to the happenings going on inside the warehouse. There were no signs of the demons in there.

  Diane clenched her fists. “How can you not care about the nest? You’re the Grand High Bitch –”

  “Oh, I like that title.” Sam smiled at Imani.

  “– which means every single vampire is your responsibility!”

  “Yeah, I get that. And I really do care about the safety of every vampire in existence. But the thing is, the last time I risked my life to save others, Jared got really pissed about it and made me promise not to do it again.” She made a huffing ‘What an overreaction!’ sound. “And then there’s the fact that if I die, he dies, since we’re mated. So, yeah, there’s just no chance I’ll give you what you want. And I can’t regret that, considering what you would have done with any blood I gave you. No good whatsoever would come out of it.”

  Eyes diamond hard, Diane announced, “Then the nest dies.” When Sam didn’t react, Diane gave a nod to the vampire on Giles’ far right, who I was guessing was the creator of the detonation ring.

  After a few seconds, he gruffly told Diane, “It’s done.”

  The image of self-satisfaction, Diane switched her
focus back to Sam. “Now maybe I’ll move on to all these squad members of yours just lying around the building. Maybe that will make a difference to you.”

  “No, it will just make your death more painful.”

  Diane laughed. “I doubt that.”

  “You really shouldn’t.” Knox stepped out of the shadows on Sam’s left. At the exact same moment, four demons emerged out of the shadows behind the four Pagoris at Giles’ back…and then suddenly those four Pagoris were ashes. I didn’t even see what the demons had done to them.

  Giles pivoted, clearly terrified – his gaze darted from the demons to Diane to Knox and to Sam…Did he expect her to protect him? What a fucking idiot.

  Sam shrugged at Giles. “I did warn you the demons would come for you at some point if you didn’t give her up.”

  A terrified Diane made a move to run, but in a blink Knox was in front of her, shaking his head.

  “Imani,” said Sam, “show Diane and Giles what happens when they don’t have a psychic shield.” With a wide grin, Imani did exactly that. Diane and Giles both dropped to their knees, crying out in pain.

  “What is she doing to them?” one of the demons asked, appearing both curious and approving.

  “Playing a tune on their blood-link,” answered Sam.

  Another demon then came out of the shadows; it was one I recognised. “She’s the one we found in the attic,” I said to Salem, who nodded.

  Knox raised a brow at the she-demon. “Is that her?”

  The she-demon studied Diane. “That’s her. When I try to get an image of her face in my mind, I can’t see it. But I know that’s her.”

  Knox glared down at Diane. “Then you’ll be coming with us.” He cast Giles an uninterested glance before turning to Sam. “Do what you want with him. But she’s ours.”

  Sam, holding the hand of a now conscious Jared, frowned thoughtfully at Knox. Her eyes then darted briefly to the she-demon, her expression torn.

  It was Jared who replied to Knox. “Just make sure she suffers for what she did.”

  “That I can do,” Knox drawled.