I glared at him over my shoulder. “Why should I believe that?”
He bared straight white teeth. “Why would he send her back if he was behind it?”
It stopped me. It didn’t make sense… My rage pulled back to a level where I could take a breath. “What happened?”
“From what we can tell, Jadis and her buddies hired a group of vampires to ambush Lexie and someone named Riley.”
My gaze snapped back to him. “Riley? They tried to kill Riley too?”
The look on his angular face was dour as he shook his head. “The vamps took her as payment. Your father is looking for them now.”
I eyed him. “How do you know that?”
He gave me a curious smirk. “That’s for me to know.”
“Tell me everything or I’ll beat it out of you,” I growled.
She made a small, unhappy sound, drawing our attention. “Nemo…” she muttered, clenching her eyes shut. She was awake and clearly hurting.
Forgetting about everything else, I took her small hand in mine. “I’m here, Angel.”
“Ow…” she whimpered. “Kit…”
My eyes shot to the man who worked for my father.
“She’s safe,” he promised.
Something about him made me trust him long enough to run into the kitchen and jerk open the drawer. Grabbing a bottle of water, I slammed the door to the fridge. The case cracked on the kit as I tore the lid off on my way back. I knelt beside her again and pulled out the nausea dissolve and the pain meds. She tried to sit up but couldn’t manage it.
Hands dipped behind her shoulders and brought her up carefully. “Easy, take it slow. You set off a big blast.”
If my hands had been free, I never would have let him touch her, but she was weaker than ever right now and needed help. I popped the dissolve into her mouth. With her eyes still closed, she chewed then swallowed. I gave her the pain killers, holding the bottle to her lips. When she finished with those, I set the water bottle down and carefully lifted her off the couch and away from him.
She groaned and winced.
“You need rest,” I whispered as I headed upstairs. “I’m just putting you in bed.”
“Liam…” she muttered, making me stop with one foot on the first step. Liam?
“Yeah?” My father’s henchman joined us at the bottom of the stairs.
“Thanks.”
“You are very welcome,” he said, his voice warmer than I liked.
Without a word, I took her upstairs and set her in her bed. After a quick debate, I began to strip off her filthy clothes so she’d be more comfortable. The door closed while I tucked her blankets around her.
Heart heavy, I sat beside her and brushed her hair from her face. I needed to call the others, tell them to watch their backs—something caught my eye. In the trash, a used condom.
Stunned, I stared at it and wondered who. Who did she sleep with? It had to be one of us… I closed my eyes and pictured the schedule and who went where for their dates… Isaac. He said they just watched movies for their date night, that she was too tired to do anything else. Lying bastard.
I sighed as I watched her sleep. Questions rapid fired in my head. How was it? Did she come? Did she love him more than me? Did he hurt her? Did this change things? But above all of it was the thought that it could have been me. She slept peacefully while that thought echoed through my heart. It should have been me… “Am I losing you?”
She scowled with her eyes closed. “Idiot.” Her voice was warm and slurred. “Not possible…”
I grinned. She was definitely more than half asleep. “Did you sleep with Isaac?”
“Not your business.”
She was right. I shouldn’t have asked; it was against the rules we had set up. I eyed the trash. The others would want to see her when they heard what happened. And they’d all see. A part of me was tempted to leave it there. Let everyone know. But that would be petty. I got to my feet and took the garbage out to the curb so no one else would notice, only to find the house empty as I got to the bottom of the stairs. Good.
When I came back, she was out cold again. I texted the others to get here asap, then headed downstairs to wait.
I didn’t have to wait long.
I was at the dinner table trying to salvage her sneakers when Hades shoved through the door and ran straight for the stairs.
Zeke was a heartbeat behind him. “What happened?”
“Jadis’ crew hired vampires to bring Lexie to them. They took Riley as payment.” I didn’t even know where to start filling him in. “She’s upstairs sleeping in her room.”
Zeke’s jaw clenched. He started up the stairs. I continued cleaning her shoes. Zeke was just coming down when the door burst open. The twins charged in.
“Upstairs,” Zeke answered their unspoken demand. They didn’t even give him a chance to move. They all but climbed over Zeke as they ran up.
Zeke was shaking his head as he came to sit across from me at the table. “Riley’s missing?”
I nodded.
“Have you called the cops?” he bit out. The tension in the room rising like a flash flood.
“I can’t call the cops.” I sighed. “She has to be missing for twenty-four hours. Besides, it’s better if her family calls.”
He scowled at me. “Better for who? Us? What about Riley?”
I sighed. “My father is, apparently, on it.”
His shoulders grew rigid. “Your father had something to do with this?”
“His bodyguards rescued Lexie from the basement of the abandoned hospital.” Maybe the washer would work better? I started to unlace her shoes. At this point they were a lost cause if the washer couldn’t get it.
“Miles.”
I looked up at the sharp tone.
“Your father saved Lexie?” he asked very clearly.
“Yes.”
He scowled at me, his eyes growing brighter with anger. “What is he doing in town?”
“Is that really important right now? Riley is missing,” I countered.
“Don’t remind me,” Zeke replied. “But your father is looking for her and I’m sure he’ll find her one way or another. There’s no way he’ll fuck that up for you.”
I sighed. He had a point. My father was a question mark, but if he said he’d do something, he would. “He was doing me a favor.”
“What favor?” Zeke demanded not letting up.
“He’s going to make it so Lexie can stay in school.” I got to my feet and went to the small door under the stairs. Inside was a stacked washer and dryer. I set the shoes in the wash and turned to find Zeke standing with his arms crossed.
It was clear on his face he wanted answers. “How? How was he going to do it, Miles? Did you think to ask?”
I opened my mouth to tell him I did only to realize I’d be lying. I hadn’t asked how he’d do it. “No, I didn’t.”
“You just wanted the results, right?” Zeke shook his head. “You didn’t care what it did to anyone else?”
“Go to hell.” My control on my temper cracking.
His eyes met mine. “Your father worked for the mob, Miles.”
“He was a sub-contractor.”
Zeke didn’t move a muscle.
“He sold them the shipping business. That’s why it wasn’t on the trust,” I began. “He’s in hiding, he got Mom on an expedition in South America.”
He still didn’t move. His gaze held mine, demanding that I look at this from his perspective.
I replayed my words in my head. They echoed back to me from the past. We were little kids when I told the others, insisting that Dad wasn’t that bad. A child blind to the truth. My heart sank.
“You can’t trust him, Miles.” He stepped closer. “You know that.”
“He saved her.” I swallowed hard. “He warned me that the mafia know about supernaturals and to keep Lexie’s head down.”
“Before or after you showed what she means to you?” he asked simply.
<
br /> I thought it over again and cursed. “After.”
“See.”
I shook my head and chastised myself. I knew not to believe him. Hell, I hadn’t even tried the number he gave me for Mother. In the back of my mind, I knew that there was a chance it wouldn’t be real. I shook my head, my eyes stinging and throat tight. “I’m so sick of not being able to protect you guys.”
Zeke stepped closer and pulled me into a hug. “I know, man. I know more than most.”
Tears fell as I hugged him back.
“But there’s a right way and a wrong way. And sometimes the fucking paths look the same,” he said in raspy voice.
Lexie, Asher, Ethan, Isaac… Money was supposed to be useful and protect the people you loved. Only it couldn’t. Nothing could. And it was terrifying.
I hugged Zeke tighter. I’d find a way to protect them. I had to…
Lexie
I woke up to an almost dark room. Male voices came from downstairs, tempting me enough to move and slowly change into pjs.
By the time I came downstairs, everyone except Rory was there to greet me. I wasn’t exactly quiet in cursing and stumbling around upstairs.
“Did anyone find Riley?” I asked as soon as I was halfway down the stairs.
Miles’ face grew blank, Zeke shook his head while the twins shared a look.
“No,” Asher answered for everyone.
Shit. “We need to find her,” I said through a tight throat.
Everyone seemed lost as to what to do.
Except Isaac. He got to his feet, came to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I leaned against him, needing his heat. “It’s going to be okay, Red.”
“My father has people out looking, and Sam and his people are looking too,” Miles said. “There’s nothing we can do but wait at the moment.”
I slumped against Isaac. He was right. I hated it, but he was right.
Isaac squeezed me gently. “But we can take care of you. Come on, Asher made your favorite.”
I perked up enough to lift my head. “Cookies?”
Isaac snorted. “Yellow curry with green apples in it.”
My stomach growled so loudly the guys chuckled.
Asher got to his feet from the armchair and took my hand to collect me from Isaac. He led me to the dining area. “Sit, I’ll bring it over.”
“Thanks, Ash.” My mind was already back to wondering what was happening to Riley. They just took her as if they had a right to her. I couldn’t believe that. Well, I could, but I didn’t want that to happen to her.
Asher set a plate in front of me and moved across the table from me. “Eat your dinner, honey.”
Nodding, I dug into my meal. It was delicious. The green apples gave it a sweetness I couldn’t get enough of.
A phone rang.
“Yes?” Miles answered with all of us watching and holding our breath.
Miles’ face was that expressionless mask as he listened.
Was it about Riley? Was she okay? I choked back my questions and waited impatiently.
My stomach was knotted by the time Miles hung up and turned to me.
“Where is she?” I demanded. “Rory can say he got—”
“They’re gone.” Miles got to his feet and came to sit beside me at the table. His eyes were flashing cold then back to warmth over and over. “They got you guys and then flew out right after delivering you to Jadis.”
My heart dropped as I shook my head. No. This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t be gone. “That’s it? That’s all he got? Where are these fucking connections he’s supposed to have? He’s supposed to find her so we can get her back.” My breathing picked up, desperation filling me. It couldn’t end like this. Not for her! “We have to find her!”
“He knows they landed at J.F.K in New York and moved to a corporate hanger before even getting out of the plane, but that’s all he could get for now.”
“At least he found the right ones.” Sam’s voice had me turning to the back door. How’d he get past the guys?
Sam scratched Hades’ ears before letting the glass French door close. He met my gaze. “I, on the other hand, have access to more information.”
My stomach unknotted as those silver eyes met mine.
He hesitated.
My stomach cramped again. This couldn’t be good. “Just tell me.”
He licked his lips and sighed. “Jadis hired a vampire house to capture and deliver you to them. The nest from New York. The Domus Mortis.”
That didn’t ring any bells. “Who?”
He let out a deep breath as his eyes met mine. “The House of Death. They’re the vampire nest that runs New York. The entire house works as contractual threat removal.”
I sat there, waiting for him to further explain “They’re assassins, Lexie. If you need someone killed, human or supernatural, they’re the ones you call and pay.”
My stomach rolled. “What are they going to do to her?”
He pressed his lips together. “Knowing them, as soon as they get back to their nest, they’ll start the process of converting her. And once that starts… You can’t stop it.”
I deflated, sitting down hard back into a chair. “They’re going to kill her.”
He shook his head. “Vampires aren’t dead, Lexie.”
That drew everyone’s attention.
“Our bodies are actually hyper alive. We burn at a higher level of energy. And we go through our own blood extremely quickly. We can’t go out in the sun because we absorb vitamin D from the light too quickly and have an exothermic reaction. That’s why we need to feed off others. Without blood, our bodies stop moving oxygen, stop breathing, and we die.”
“That doesn’t sound bad…” Isaac thought out loud.
“That’s not the bad part,” he said. “The bad part is this is all we get. No afterlife, nothing. This is it.”
“So, what happens if you die?” Miles asked.
I cringed.
Sam didn’t seem to mind the question. He turned to Miles. “We cease to be. That’s the price of being a vampire.”
“Sam.”
He turned to me. It was obvious he knew what I was going to ask.
“Sam, go get her. Please?” I begged in a whisper.
He swallowed hard. “I can’t go get her. If she even gets a drop of blood in her mouth, she’ll need a nest to teach her control. She can never come back from this.”
“Then help her,” I pleaded. “Please. Don’t leave her in that nest.”
“It’s not that easy,” he reminded me. “There are blood bonds that come into play, oaths to work around. For vampires, oaths are everything, and blood bonds force compliance. You don’t understand what would be involved.”
“Then tell me.” I got to my feet and went to stand in front of him.
He ran his hand through his hair. For the first time, I was seeing him frustrated. “I’d have to go in undercover by joining the nest. I know this master. He’ll be wanting to punish me for… This isn’t a weekend errand, Lexie. I’d be gone for months, maybe years, depending on how skilled she turns out to be.” His gaze met mine, his face earnest. “This will mean I’m out of the fight here. Do you understand that?”
I nodded.
He cursed in French.
My throat tightened. “I know, it’s probably impossible. Suicidal even.” My eyes overflowed. “I have no right to ask—”
“You opened the Veil,” Sam countered. “You saved the world from being choked to death with energy. And you’re still working to find who did it.” He shook his head. “You are the only person in the world that has a right to ask this big of a favor from anyone.”
I wiped my face. “Please, find her? Help her? Keep her as safe as you can?”
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Alright. I’ll contact the nest tonight about coming back.”
“Thank you, Sam.” I croaked.
He set his hand on my hair and rustled it. “That weepy woman ac
t is cheating.”
I snorted as my throat loosened.
He started for the back door.
“Tell her…” I swallowed hard as he paused with the door open. “Tell her… I’m sorry. And that I’d trade places with her if I could.”
He nodded once before walking out the door and disappearing into the darkness.
Hold on, Riley. Just, please, hold on.
Riley
Head aching, neck throbbing, I forced my eyes open only to find darkness. Shoulders and arms aching above my head, I stretched my legs and feet to get some relief but could only just brush icy metal. Goosebumps covered every inch of me.
“Lexie?” I called, remembering she had been in the parking lot.
There was no answer. Shit! She might still be unconscious or already dead… Fuck!
Something swung me forward. I swung back and forth as my heart raced. Oh God. Where was I? Who are they? Fuck! Someone, please…
Voices sounded outside. I continued shivering as the voices grew louder. My breathing came in short pants. Oh God…
Something metal clanged. Light blinded me. I squinted my eyes and turned my head away as much as I could.
“Ah, one of them is awake,” a voice announced.
I blinked hard, forcing my eyes to adjust faster. A truck. With meat hooks hanging from the ceiling. Oh God. I wasn’t alone.
“Impressive,” a man’s voice said. “They were all given the same sedative.”
I turned back to eye the man with black hair and violet eyes. My breathing became unsteady.
“She also stayed conscious longer,” another voice said.
The elegant man stood over me. His face somehow managed to be angelic and horrifying at the same time. “Interesting.”
I bared my teeth at him and spit in his face.
He chuckled as he wiped my spit from his cheek. “She’s got fire. That’s promising. You might actually survive.”
The truck dipped as another man climbed in and joined us. “She seems to be the only one,” he said, nodding behind me.
I forced myself to turn and look at where he had motioned. Five other people hung from chains. Two were just waking up, three still out cold. The boys whimpered in fear as the others walked through the rows of empty chains.
When the Dead Come Home Page 25