by Quinn Loftis
“How much further?” Peri asked Vasile.
“A couple hundred yards.” Vasile turned to his mate. “You stay next to Sally.” Alina didn’t argue.
They continued forward and, after walking for a few more minutes, Peri extinguished the glowing orbs. Sally held onto Alina so she didn’t stumble in the blackness. They weren’t left in the darkness for long.
Sally could see light ahead of them coming through an arched doorway. They stopped only feet from it. Costin turned to her and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Stay with Alina.”
“I thought you told me to stay with you,” she challenged, not wanting him to leave her.
Costin grinned, his dimple making an appearance. “And suddenly you have the urge to do what I tell you?”
No, not really, Sally thought to herself. She just didn’t want to be down here without him next to her.
“I love you, Sally mine. Please stay with Alina so that I know you’re safe.” He kissed her forehead.
“I love you too,” she told him and then watched as he followed Vasile, Cypher, and Nissa into the lit doorway. Alina took her hand and pulled her to the side of the tunnel, close to the door but not close enough that she could see anything.
“This isn’t a big coven, Sally,” Alina told her. “They will be fine.”
She tried to be reassured by Alina’s words, but then the screaming started. Sally felt her blood run cold as the sounds of snarls joined the screams and then her mate slammed the bond between them closed.
She lunged forward, attempting to get to the doorway, to get to Costin. But Alina was much faster and stronger. The Alpha female wrapped her arms around the healer and pulled her tightly against her. Sally felt the tears streaming down her face as the screams continued. She didn’t know why she was crying. Perhaps, it was because of the utter despair she could feel radiating from the room, or maybe it was because she knew that they weren’t just under the city of Little Rock. They were in a graveyard. But this wasn’t a normal graveyard where people could come visit their loved ones who had peacefully passed on. This was a graveyard for lost souls. It was a graveyard for those who had been ripped from their own happy lives, had their blood drained from their bodies, and then been tossed aside like a discarded empty bottle.
Tears continued to stream down her face as Alina attempted to hold her together. Sally was pretty sure that if she let her go she would fall to the floor in a thousand pieces.
“It’s almost over,” Alina whispered into her hair. “Hang on a little longer.”
Costin bit back the snarl as they entered the underground lair. Like fat lazy cats, vampires lay sprawled across Victorian couches and chintz armchairs that were spread throughout the room. Some of them had bloodstains on their clothes, some on their faces. All of them disgusted him.
“What’s wrong with them?” Nissa whispered.
Peri’s lip curled. “Blood coma. They’re in a stupor from gorging themselves. Like overstuffed ticks, they can’t move because of the amount of blood they’ve ingested.”
“That’s just gross,” the other fae responded.
“They’re vampires,” Peri said dryly. “What part of this did you think wouldn’t be gross?”
Nissa simply shrugged.
Suddenly there was an earsplitting scream and Costin, along with the others, turned in the direction of a tunnel that broke off to the right. He lowered himself into a crouch, as did the others, ready for battle.
The screaming continued as suddenly five shrieking vampires came barreling out of the tunnel. Costin didn’t wait for them to get close. He phased his hands to claws and allowed his canines to lengthen and then lunged forward, closing the mate bond at the same time. Snarls joined the screams as body after body fell at his feet. He no longer cared if his enemy was on their feet attacking him or lying in their overfed induced stupor; he killed indiscriminately. The whole thing couldn’t have taken longer than ten minutes.
Costin stood, panting as he turned in a circle to see his other three comrades standing and staring at the carnage before them. They were all soaked in blood, though it seemed that he and Vasile sported more than the two fae females.
“Everyone okay?” Vasile asked.
Costin nodded.
“Peri, you and Nissa check that tunnel and make sure that there aren’t more laying in wait. Costin and I will search for any survivors.” Vasile motioned for Costin to follow him and they took off down the third tunnel opening. After searching for half an hour and coming up empty, they headed back to the main room.
Costin’s feet froze as he crossed the threshold to the chamber. Peri and Nissa where both kneeling on the floor in the center of a circle of small bodies. Both females’ faces were tight with emotion, but neither shed a tear as they whispered their magic over the bodies and cleaned the blood from their skin, erasing all traces of the horrific death they’d been dealt.
“What are they going to do with them?” Costin asked Vasile in a low voice so not to disturb the fae’s work.
“They’re going to move them to a different location and give the police an anonymous tip. Unfortunately, the parents won’t ever know what really happened to their children, but at least they will have some closure.”
As soon as Vasile stopped speaking, the two fae began disappearing and reappearing, each time taking another child with them until there were none left.
“Well, one coven down, and undeterminable number left to go,” Peri said as she ran a hand down the front of her. The clothes that had just been a bloody mess were suddenly spot free.
Nissa did the same thing and then the two fae motioned toward Costin and Vasile and gave them the same treatment.
Peri and Vasile began talking about how to completely burn the remains of the coven and Costin turned to head back to the doorway where he’d left his mate. He began to open the bond and as soon as he did her fear, doubts, and pain rushed into him like a tidal wave stealing his breath.
“Sally,” he breathed out as his walk turned into a run.
Chapter 9
“I’m considering starting a diary. With all the crap that has happened to me, it’s bound to be interesting. But then again, it might just say, today I didn’t kill my mate and we saved the world, page after page after page. Lame. I could write about Dec and I, but then I’d be all hot and bothered even more than I am now. Not practical. Okay, so the diary is out.” ~Jen
Jacque restlessly paced the alleyway as they waited for the others to return from their little vampire extermination mission. She pressed her hand to her stomach as she felt the baby kick and then gritted her teeth as the jar to her bladder nearly caused her to revert back to pre-potty trained ways.
“You okay, Luna?” Fane asked as he placed a large hand on her lower back.
“Your child just likes to do the Irish River Dance on my bladder, no biggee.”
He chuckled, as if she was being funny. She wasn’t. Jacque frowned at him and continued her pacing. She had never been good at waiting, especially if it meant waiting to see if all of those she cared about were going to return to her in one piece.
"She's going to be fine," Jen said as she started walking beside Jacque matching her step for step.
"I know," Jacque retorted. "I'll just be happier when I can see that for myself."
"How did we handle her being gone with Peri for so long?" Jen asked as she shook her head.
Jacque shrugged. "We didn't know what she was doing. Now we know. She's possibly fighting a coven of vampires that are killing children." She turned to look at Decebel and Fane. "Should we be able to hear anything? I mean if they’ve already started fighting?"
"I've put up a sound barrier," Alston spoke up. "No noise will come up out of that opening and I'm sure Peri has done the same thing."
"So we won't know if they're getting slaughtered?" Jacque snapped.
"Love," Fane said gently as he walked over to her and took her hand. He pulled her away from the others and took her f
ace in his hands. "Are you okay?"
She took several deep breaths. "Yes, I'm fine. It's just… I'm just worried about Sally."
"Costin won't let anything happen to her, nor would my father, my mother, or Peri for that matter. She's as safe with them as she would be here."
She knew what he was saying was true, and maybe it was just her hormones (man she was sick of that excuse) but Jacque was concerned about Sally. It was on the tail end of that thought that Sally's screams reached her ears.
Jen's eyes snapped from Jacque to the manhole from which Sally's screams were ringing loud and clear.
"I thought you put up some fancy sound barrier," Jen snarled at Alston as she made a lunge for the manhole. She heard Decebel's growl behind her, but she didn’t stop to see how close he was to snatching her out of the air. Jen dove headfirst into the hole, executing a perfect summersault that, had she not been part werewolf, she'd never have been able to pull off. She landed in a tucked roll and the momentum carried her to her feet.
As she rolled up and hit the ground running, she looked back to see Decebel land just where she'd been. Jen knew she was going to catch hell from him for acting before thinking, but if it meant getting to Sally and helping her, then whatever Dec threw at her would be worth it.
Sally's screams were still filling the air as Jen rounded a corner. She'd been pulling on her wolf’s superior senses in order to follow the sound of her terrified friend’s voice. The reverberation of her screams was painful on the wolf’s sensitive ears, but Jen was immensely grateful both for Sally's incredible lungs and her own supernatural hearing, because it meant that finding her in the underground labyrinth would be a tad easier.
"Jennifer!" Decebel growled from behind her and, based on how well she could hear his voice even over Sally's screams, Jen knew her mate was within grabbing distance.
"She needs our help, Decebel. I'm not just going to stand by and listen to my best friend scream in terror."
"In what life would I ever ask that of you? I'm simply asking that you let me go first. Let me meet whatever danger there is so that you can tend to Sally."
Okay, so maybe he had a point. She slowed a little and let him take the lead. The look he gave her as he past made Jen want to smack him. She could be reasonable—sometimes.
They rounded another corner and finally found her best friend, although it wasn't the scene Jen had been expecting to encounter. What she'd expected was hissing vampires and raging wolves. What she got was Sally kneeling on the ground with her mate wrapped around her while she sobbed. The screaming had turned into smaller wails of utter agony.
Jen took several steps forward but Decebel wrapped an arm around her and pulled her back against his chest. "Give them a moment. He is the only who can calm her," Decebel whispered into her ear causing a shudder to run through her. Yes, he still affected her, even in the most inappropriate situations. "I hope I always affect you, Jennifer."
Jen rolled her eyes. "Nosy much?"
She felt his amusement but he didn't respond.
After several minutes, Sally seemed to be gathering her emotions back together, though she was having a hard time getting Costin to release her. When Costin finally unwrapped his arms from his mate and helped her stand, Decebel let Jen go. She hurried forward and just barely kept from pushing Costin out of the way.
"How ya doing, Gypsy Lady?" Jen asked, attempting to keep her voice upbeat despite the worry she felt. When Sally's eyes met hers, Jen’s stomach fell to her feet. The look on her face was haunted.
"Do you feel it?" Sally asked her.
"Feel what?"
"The pain, the suffering. I can practically hear them crying. They were so scared. There were no arms to comfort them, no soft words to chase away the nightmare—the monsters." Several tears escaped her eyes and trailed down her face. Costin practically whined as he reached up and wiped the tears away.
"Did you know this would happen?" Costin turned to look at Peri who had just come through an arched doorway.
Peri frowned as she looked at Sally. "No, I didn't know she would be able to do this."
Jen raised a hand. "Um, could someone please explain exactly what it is she's doing?"
Peri stepped closer to Sally and reached out a hand. Costin snarled at her, attempting to push Sally behind him.
Peri's power swelled around her. "You know I would never harm her. Get a freaking grip or I swear I will shave you like a poodle the next time you're in your wolf form. Now, move!"
Costin bared his teeth at her one more time before finally stepping out of the way.
"Sally, may I?" Peri asked as she reached out her hand again.
Sally nodded
The high fae placed her hand on Sally's forehead and closed her eyes. Jen was so restless to know what was going on that she started tapping her foot as her hands went to her hips.
Finally, Peri opened her eyes and looked at Jen. "Strong emotions, especially when supernaturals are involved, leave something behind—like a fingerprint. Some humans actually pick up on it at times. Usually if a person is confused by the uneasiness they suddenly have when entering a room or building, they're picking up the emotional fingerprint that's been left behind." She paused and looked at Sally thoughtfully. "Then there are some people, usually of the supernatural persuasion, who are very sensitive to these fingerprints. Sally, it seems is one such person."
"But she's never done this before?" Jen pointed out. "And we've been in some pretty crappy places since joining your merry band of furballs."
Peri shrugged. "The Great Luna has changed the game. There are so many things happening that have never happened before. There's no telling why a healer suddenly has such a gift."
"This is not a gift," Sally ground out through clenched teeth. "This is a form of hell."
Costin wrapped a hand around the back of Sally’s neck, attempting to soothe her.
Jen turned back in the direction they'd come. "Well we aren't going to figure it out right now. There's no point standing here making her feel all those emotions. Peri, can't you get her out of here?"
Peri nodded and took Sally's hand, flashing out of the tunnel.
Costin growled and turned, running past Jen at an inhuman pace. Peri could have taken him along with his mate, but she loved poking testy wolves. Jen was pretty sure the fae got her kicks from it.
Costin desperately needed to kill something. Killing the vampires hadn't been enough, not after seeing his mate curled up in a ball screaming in anguish. He jumped through the manhole with a powerful push of his legs and landed in a crouch. His head swung around, ignoring everyone else and looking for Sally. She was off to the left with Jacque’s arms wrapped around her.
An irrational surge of possessiveness filled him as he stepped toward them. She was his to comfort, his to hold, and his to protect. He wasn't jealous of Jacque, not the way he would have been had it been a male wrapped around her. But, he didn't like anyone else doing what he longed to do for her.
Sally’s head rose suddenly and turned to look at him. Her eyes pinned him in place. Did she want him to hold her? Maybe she didn't want him. Maybe she wanted it to be her friends comforting her.
"There is no room for insecurities, Costin. Not between us. I always need you and always want you." Her words were a soothing balm to the festering wound that the doubts had been causing.
Costin started toward her again; this time in better control. Jacque stepped aside when he reached his mate. He gave Fane’s mate a slight nod of his head, acknowledging that he appreciated her allowing him access to Sally.
Costin pulled her into his arms and struggled not to squeeze her too tightly. His hands ran over her back, attempting to appease his wolf by touching her. Skin, his wolf growled. He was a needy bastard but Costin couldn't help but agree. Feeling her warm soft flesh reassured them that she was okay.
Sally reached behind her to grab his hands. She pulled them up to her face, placing one on either side. She looked into his eyes and
gave him one of the smiles she reserved only for him.
"I’m better now," she said softly as she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. "It was just too much, but it's all gone now. Only the memory of it remains."
"I don’t want you to have those kind of memories," Costin growled. His mate was a light—pure and precious. Nothing so dark as the emotions she had felt should touch her. It was once again a foe that he could not vanquish.
Her head tilted thoughtfully and her eyes filled with compassion. "Someone should know what those poor children have gone through. Someone should know the truth because their parents never will. They shouldn't have died like that, Costin." Her voice broke.
He pulled her head to his chest, massaging the back of her neck. "Why does it have to be you?"
"If not me, then who?" Sally challenged. "It would not be fair to wish it on anyone else. How many times has Vasile told us that we are held to a higher standard, a higher calling because of the gifts we have? I know it sucks, believe me. But instead of questioning it, I need you to help me endure it." Sally pulled back to look up at him. Her big brown eyes pulled him in as they always did. "Can you do that?" she asked.
He blinked several times, trying to break the spell she held over him. Then he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Costin pulled back just far enough to whisper, "For you, I can do anything."
Peri watched the group of wolves check on Sally. They were a family. Regardless of the fact that they were from two different packs, they were still family. Wolves were a protective bunch and she knew it was necessary to let them each reassure themselves that one of their own was okay. Even the warlock king was checking on her, though none of the pack would let him get close enough to touch her. “Overprotective fleabags,” she thought.