by K. A. Tucker
“Go!” I snapped as I unleashed bolts of fire, charring the five fledglings within seconds, their short-lived screams piercing. I could have destroyed the hotel and been done with it, but that would have meant burning humans alive. I couldn’t bring myself to commit mass murder of innocent people. Not yet.
We would kill these fledglings one by one if we had to.
That was how we proceeded as I chased my tiny army up the stairwell. Floor by floor, room by room, our dark clothes quickly earned a layer of both fledgling and human blood, until every living human left—which wasn’t many on the first two floors—was exiting the front door and every fledgling was left in ashes.
*
“Well, that was easy,” Bishop said sarcastically. From the shadows across the street, we watched the firefighters battle the blaze. I had torched the building to eliminate evidence. They’d be at it for hours. The kind of witch fire I used burned hot enough to turn bone to dust in minutes and took longer to extinguish. They’d find no remains. It had drained my magical reserves.
It actually had been easy. Too easy. “I counted forty-two,” I said. They had fought well, better than expected for such young creatures. That was more than a little concerning.
“And no Jonah.” Mage’s eyes scanned the streets. “I can’t imagine where he would be, if not with his horde.”
“Unless that wasn’t his only horde,” Caden pointed out, wiping fledgling blood from his cheek. “What if there’s a larger one out there?”
A collective groan escaped just as the bright purple light of another tracking bracelet ignited on my wrist. “Here we go again,” I muttered.
*
“I can’t stand being underground,” Kait grumbled as we moved down into the subway system, unsure what would be waiting at the bottom. Thankfully, only a few late-night revelers lingered on the platform, all of them alive and well, if not a tad drunk. Wherever the bracelet was leading us, it was happening within the subway tunnels.
“They must be on a train,” Galen said, leaning over to check the tunnel in both directions.
“Then we go after the train.” I hopped onto the tracks, earning gasps from the unsuspecting humans. I ignored them. “Avoid that one unless you want to find out what six hundred volts of electricity feels like,” I hollered back, pointing to the third rail as the rest of the group followed.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Mage hissed as she ran alongside me. “Stick together so we leave together when the time comes.”
Footsteps trailed behind me as we tore through the tunnels, the purple glow the only light within the darkness, until finally, the back of a moving subway train came into sight ahead. “They must have reached the driver already,” Kait hollered as the train whizzed past the platform. Confused scowls dressed the faces of waiting patrons, all of them completely unaware how lucky they were to not be boarding this train.
We ran for it, easily hopping onto the back. I pushed through the doors to enter the last car.
The fledglings had been here all right.
“Come on.” I charged forward through the car with grim determination, doing my best to ignore the carnage left on the seats and the floor. Car after car, the scene was the same; the fledglings had swept through like locusts. Not a single heartbeat pounded.
The only thing I could be thankful for at this point was that it was late at night and therefore not as busy.
We finally found the fledglings in the last train car. Dozens of them, still finishing off the last few passengers. They’d be easy to kill. But many others stood in the aisle, their eyes glued to the windows.
Waiting.
Those wouldn’t be as easy to kill.
They turned as one, their hideous crimson eyes locking on me. Assessing me. They couldn’t possibly mistake me for human. But would they realize that they were in danger before I killed them all?
“That’s the one,” someone hissed, his reedy finger jabbing the air at me. “That’s her.”
“Me?” I touched my chest in mock concern as flames shot to my fingers. I now knew that someone was dispensing instructions regarding a redhead who wasn’t afraid of them. The question was, who? “Get back, all of you!” I ordered behind me as the closest fledglings leapt forward. Spurts of fire shot out from my fingers, engulfing the vampires.
The flames sparked instant chaos, the fledglings’ shrill screams piercing. Several farther back in the car crashed through the windows of the speeding train.
In my haste, I hadn’t thought to build a shield around myself and now they were pushing closer in an act of defiance. If I wasn’t careful, I’d burn with them.
“Sofie!” An arm around my waist pulled me through the door and into the car behind us. Mortimer shoved a metal bar through the sliding mechanism, keeping them from following us.
I unleashed as much fire as I could, cloaking the outside of the last car to keep the remaining fledglings inside as I forced the flames in through the broken windows, reaching like tentacles. I could hear their screams but I closed my eyes. They all needed to die.
Behind me, Amelie yelled about something up ahead. I opened my eyes in time to see the tunnel open up into a dimly lit station. The platform was crawling with fledglings, most likely the ones who’d escaped from the car ahead.
Amelie and Galen crashed through the window, as the fledglings had, to land on the platform just before we were plunged back into the tunnel’s darkness.
I counted how many of us remained in the car. Seven. “Where’s Kait?”
“She went after the first fledglings that jumped,” Lilly said.
“What happened to staying together?” I yelled in disbelief just as a purple glow bloomed on my arm—a tracking bracelet igniting, followed quickly by a second.
And then a third.
I stared at my wrist with dismay. How many hordes were there?
“Let’s go,” Mage said, tugging at my arm.
“Are you nuts? We need to stop this train!” On fire, with no driver, moving at high speeds, the train was a missile. “I can slow it down.” I reached forward with long magic tendrils, intent on seizing the brakes.
“We don’t have time!” Mage barked, her sudden acidity breaking my concentration. My magic evaporated. “That will drain your magic. You can’t waste your reserves on the nonessential.”
“Mage!” I argued, my hand flying out ahead of us. “This will kill a lot of people.”
“That was another sizeable horde of fledglings and Jonah was not there.” Her black eyes flashed. “I think the fledglings are already evolving. And if that’s the case, then we cannot save these people anyway,” she said, unwavering. “We must go now.”
Three more bracelets lit up, as if to emphasize her point.
With great reluctance, I followed them down the length of the train and onto the tracks, running back toward the platform where Galen and Amelie jumped off, leaving the speeding train to its destruction.
Just as we reached the platform, an explosion rattled through the tunnel. The train must’ve plowed into the one ahead. The ground shook with the magnitude of a mild earthquake. Bits of dirt and concrete rained down as the underground tunnels struggled to hold. The terrible, high-pitch screeches of metal dragged on for an eternity.
I winced at the horrific images that filled my mind.
And then I clenched my jaw at the horrific reality in front of me.
This had been a busy station with a lot of people waiting. Left behind was a platform of corpses. So many corpses, a person would have to pick a path to get out. And not a single fledgling, which seemed improbable.
“Amelie!” Caden’s deep voice echoed through the station as he hopped up onto the platform. He stood frozen. No raspy answer came. “Amelie!” Turning to me, he yelled, “Where the hell is she?” Not waiting for my answer, he darted between the bodies, inspecting their faces.
He stopped dead in his tracks, his mouth opening wide.
My insides roiled. Leaping onto
the platform, I ran to join him. Maybe I could save her, maybe there was something I could do. Maybe …
I gasped with relief when I saw that it wasn’t Amelie. It wasn’t even a female.
The relief was only short-lived. As I took in Galen’s lifeless face, a gaping hole in his chest, dread slammed into me.
“Lilly!” I called out, my voice cracking.
She appeared next to me almost instantly. I turned in time to watch her childlike face crumble. “This doesn’t …,” her head shaking back and forth, “… make sense.” Kneeling beside his body, she lifted his hand and then let it go, watching it drop to the speckled tile. “A fledgling can’t kill a thousand-year-old vampire. This just …” Standing, she peered first at me and then at Mage. “This doesn’t make sense.”
A prickle of worry ignited inside me—she was right. Fledglings couldn’t do this, especially not while on the run. I didn’t care what Mage said about their evolution. They weren’t strong or smart or controlled enough to take down someone as skilled as Galen.
There was, however, one person who was.
But the only way he could claim responsibility would be by being one step ahead of us, lying in wait. I hoped I was wrong.
Because Amelie was missing.
“You need to come take a look at this,” Bishop called, his foot nudging the body of a young Asian man. I stepped around the bodies, closing the distance just as vomit shot out of the man’s mouth.
“He’s changing,” I stated, my gaze rolling over the other bodies. “Check the others.” Mortimer, Bishop, Fiona, and I inspected the litter of bodies and found five more already wearing their stomach contents; another six were convulsing. “Twelve of them are changing.”
In their killing spree, the fledglings had managed to create twelve new vampires.
“They are evolving,” Mage whispered without even a hint of “I told you so.” There was nothing to gloat about here. If those fledglings could go from mass murder to using their venom while on the run, we were in real trouble.
With a thought and flicker of my fingers, twelve individual pyres erupted on the platform floor, the smell of burning flesh curling my nostrils. I stopped on Galen, waiting until Lilly gave her silent nod. When she stepped away, I ignited him too.
He’d been a pain in the ass but he didn’t deserve this.
“Caden, have you tried calling her? Maybe she went after a stray.” I prayed that everyone else was too distracted to connect the dots.
With a shake, Caden pulled out his cell. And frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“Evangeline. She called me. Five times.” He punched in a button and held the phone to his ear, muttering, “I was too distracted to answer.”
“She’s probably just worried.” I watched as he paced, scowling. The faint ringing on the other end went on and on and … no answer.
Sliding the phone into his pocket, he settled a hard-jawed look on me.
“Go find out,” I commanded. “Call me when you know.”
He vanished.
“And then there were six,” Mage said under her breath. I couldn’t tell if that was a warning to me, but I didn’t care. My weakness had always been and always would be Evangeline. I wouldn’t think straight until I knew she was okay.
The flashing tracking bracelets around my arm reminded me that we had to move. But to where? I was being pulled in every direction! I headed for the stairs, hoping to get a better feel when we reached street level. This place would be crawling with emergency crews soon enough anyway.
My boot hit the first step when Lilly yelled out, “Sofie!” I turned to find her staring at me, her own phone to her ears. “Forget the trackers. We need to go that way.” Her little black bob shifted smoothly as she nodded toward the tunnels.
“Why?”
Her lips pressed together. “Kait thinks she found Jonah’s horde.” By her grim expression, I knew that it wasn’t coming as good news.
Chapter Five – Evangeline
“Julian!” I screamed, pushing past the snarling wolves, balancing two containers of blood against my chest.
It did nothing to distract Julian, his hands gripping Brian’s neck as he bashed the man’s head against the hard ground. Over and over again, relentlessly. I could see the back of his mangled skull—matted with blood—and, though I knew it would heal on its own if it had time, it didn’t appear that Julian would be letting up.
To my left, Veronique faced off against Cecile, the two vampiresses baring their teeth and snarling at each other as Cecile hovered over the cooler of blood.
A quick glance at Julian’s and Veronique’s empty cartons identified the catalyst of this brutality.
“Julian! Here!” I dropped the containers to the ground and peeled off the lids. That caught Veronique’s attention. Within two blinks, she was at my feet, sinking her teeth into a fresh bag.
But Julian’s rage persisted and bits of bone and gray matter splattered the ground.
I warned you. Vampires aren’t keen on sharing, Max said.
“Julian. Hey …” I ran over to my friend—the friend who had saved me when Ursula wanted me dead, the friend who I shared more in common with than anyone else in this entire ordeal—and grabbed his shoulder, trying to break the murderous rampage he was on.
My touch apparently turned that murderous rampage onto me.
He lashed out, growling, his wild arm connecting with my jaw. The bone cracked and pain reflected through my neck and skull. Another round coursed through my back as I slammed into the wall. One … two … for three seconds I was sure I would defy all odds and cry. Then the pain dissipated and I was whole again.
I scrambled to my feet just as Julian stalked forward, his hands out, looking ready to tear me apart. Though I knew I’d heal, eventually, I also knew this was going to hurt. He was so much stronger than I was.
“Julian …” My hands went up in surrender. “You don’t want to—”
A massive black body flew at him from the right. Max’s jaws wrapped around Julian’s neck, primed to tear out his jugular.
I shrieked as I watched them tumble in a pile of fur and skin, claws raking and fists flying. Brian found his way to his feet, his skull no longer smashed. His hateful eyes locked on Julian, as if waiting his turn.
The sound of a bone snapping, followed by a canine yelp echoed through the tunnel, setting my hair on end. I knew Max would heal but hearing his pain was worse than feeling my own.
Max struggled to stand, one of his hind legs very obviously broken, his ocher eyes still fixed on Julian. He would attack again to protect me, even with broken bones.
For the love of God, Max, just stay down. You stubborn fool! I silently screamed as Julian rose to his feet, his attention shifting between Brian and me, as if deciding whom to attack first.
Fine, but he’s a dirty fighter. Watch out.
My mouth dropped in shock, temporarily distracted. Did I just … You can hear me?
There was a pause. Yes. I suppose I can. Max turned to me, and I swear the big beast may have smiled.
Julian came at me again, face contorted with rage, eyes red and veiny, looking ready to rip my head off my shoulders. That strange energy bubbled in my core, and I assumed it was terror—I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I was terrified. I didn’t want to fight. I just wanted my friend back.
With that silent plea in my mind, my hand flew out in front of me, palm out. “Julian! Stop!”
His charge ended as his feet planted themselves. He blinked and squinted several times, as if trying to regain focus. “Evie?”
Had I somehow gotten through to him? “Yes, it’s me. Your friend. You’ve been in this haze for hours. It’s time to take a break.”
He blinked several more times, like he’d just awoken from a dream. The red disappeared from his eyes, his pupils returning to normal. “Did I hit you?” His eyes widened. “I’m sorry! I don’t know what got into—”
The distraction afforded Bria
n his chance. He lunged, sending Julian flying back, his head smashing into the stone wall. As Julian crumpled, Brian charged forward, grabbing hold of Julian’s shirt to pummel his body against the wall, looking intent on returning the brain-bashing favor. Julian cried out as his bones shattered without a chance to heal.
Rage erupted inside me. I charged after Brian, throwing my body into his side. The force sent us flying across the room. The refrigerator broke our momentum, teetering a few times before the entire thing toppled, a prominent dent visible in its steel door.
Brian regained his balance and hovered over me, his hands around my neck, an intense look in his eyes as his fingers tightened around my flesh.
“Go to your cooler!” I croaked as my arm flailed toward the opposite side of the tunnel. Brian froze. His eyes darted between me and the corner twice before he released his grip and quickly claimed his spot, his teeth sinking into a fresh blood bag.
Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.
“What?” I rubbed the sting out of my neck, watching Brian with distrustful eyes.
What do you mean, what? Max retorted. Brian was ready to break your neck and he just stopped. That doesn’t happen.
“It just did.”
“Are you okay?” Julian asked, helping me up. “That guy’s an asshole.”
“Yeah, well, you haven’t exactly been charming lately, either.”
Julian grinned sheepishly. I couldn’t help myself; I threw my arms around his neck in a tight embrace. “You were horrible! I’m so glad you’re back. Please stay like this.”
I felt his body relax and mold itself into mine. I closed my eyes and sighed, a wave of contentment spreading through me.
He suddenly pulled away, his eyes searching with anticipation. “I need to see Amelie.”
“We need to stay here.”
“But—”
“I know. I get it.” I grabbed his hand and squeezed as I recited the reasons that only hours ago I’d fought to accept. “It’s too dangerous for us to be there. They can’t fight and watch over us at the same time. We need to stay here.”
He nodded, indicating that he understood, and the distraught aura around him faded.