Revenge of the Fae

by Carly Fall

  For a brief moment, Avery considered spilling the story to her friend but decided against it.

  “The less you know, the better.”

  “Forget it. I don’t even want to know. Come over. I’ll leave the door unlocked for you, but make sure you knock before you come in so I can be sure to get into the bedroom.”

  “Thanks, Vic. I owe you.”

  “Yes, you do, little faery. Don’t forget to knock. I don’t feel like melting into a pile of flaming goo today.”

  Avery hit the disconnect button, then shoved the phone into her pocket and studied the people walking past her on the street. No one even glanced her way, and it made her feel just a bit better about her situation. She didn’t think she had been followed, and no one appeared to hold any interest in her. For the moment, she felt safe moving through the city.

  With a deep breath, she headed toward Victoria’s apartment, which was located only a couple of blocks away. She kept pace with those around her, but in reality, she wanted to sprint as though alligators bit at her heels with each step.

  She reached the apartment complex, and instead of going to the main entrance, she went around the back, then down a set of stairs. Victoria lived in the basement, which had probably never been meant to be an apartment, but the landlord had converted it. With no windows, it was perfect for a vampire, except for the doorway, which still received natural light during the day.

  As Avery knocked on the door, she glanced up the stairwell. Her coming here put Victoria in danger, but she didn’t have any other choice. Going to her own place was out of the question, and she figured McAllister would have someone watching her mother’s apartment as well. Besides, she didn’t think she could go back there. She’d become a criminal, which would have horrified her mother. She feared Melia’s ghost resided in the apartment and would give her a stern lecture about her recent bad choices.

  She waited a few more seconds, then opened the door a crack. “I’m coming in, Victoria!”

  When silence met her ears, she hurried in and immediately shut the door. She leaned against it and waited for her eyes to adjust to the candlelight.

  Once they did, she glanced around.

  Victoria liked black and red, and the whole living room was decorated with it. Black pillows accented a red velvet sofa that sat on a black rug, which partially covered the red tile. Red and black candles burned around the room, adding to the eerie feeling of an underground den. If Victoria hadn’t been her friend, she would have sworn she’d entered some old-fashioned vampire movie and was about the get the life sucked out of her.

  The bedroom door slowly opened, and Victoria walked out dressed in a black silk robe, her short hair a tousled mess. She appeared seductive and stunning, with just a hint of evil brewing beneath the surface.

  “Hey, Avery,” she said, sitting down on the sofa, crossing one leg over the other. Her robe split, and Avery got an eyeful of milky-white thigh. “I’ve changed my mind. I want to know what you did.”

  Avery joined her friend on the other end of the couch and sighed, the paper in her pocket feeling as if it weighed a thousand pounds. She longed to study it, but she didn’t want to involve her friend any more than necessary.

  “I’ve already told you it’s best if you don’t know,” she said again as she shook her head. “I’m in deep, Vic, and the less you know, the better off you’ll be.”

  Victoria reached over and grabbed Avery’s chin, then turned her head so Avery had to meet her gaze.

  “Did you kill someone?”

  “No.”

  But she had thought about it for a second when she’d stood over McAllister. Avery lowered her gaze as she recalled the moment. A heavy stone of guilt settled in her stomach.

  “Then whatever happened isn’t as tragic as you think it is. Spill it.”

  She wrenched her jaw away from Victoria’s grasp and stared down at the carpet.

  They sat in silence for a long moment before Victoria spoke again, her voice low.

  “Does it have to do with your mom?”

  Tears welled in Avery’s eyes, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep them from spilling. She couldn’t talk as emotion clogged her throat, so she just nodded.

  “Is there anything I can do besides offer up my couch and not question you?” Victoria asked.

  Avery shut her eyes, wishing she could sleep. When was the last time she’d had a good eight hours, anyway? She couldn’t even remember. Ever since that day when Jake had attacked her at work, she’d been living on caffeine, adrenaline, and her desire to know what had really happened to her mom.

  “No,” she said, rising from the couch and heading to the kitchen. “There’s nothing you can do.”

  She kept her eyes focused down as she got a bottle of water from the fridge, which contained little else besides some yogurt and string cheese, But as her stomach howled, the snack became a five-star buffet to Avery.

  “Okay, then,” Victoria replied as she rose from the couch. “I’ll go back to bed, and I’ll be up in a few hours to head to work. You let me know if you need anything, and if you turn on the television, keep the volume low, please.”

  Avery watched her friend over her glass as she retired to the bedroom, then shut the door.

  Finally. Alone. Avery’s shoulder sagged, and she set down her bottle. She pulled out the crumpled paper from her pocket and concentrated on it in her palm for a moment.

  What if it was a misplaced grocery list, or a note from a lover? What if everything she’d done and had been through the past few hours had been for nothing?

  If she was caught, chances of her going to Spectral Prison were very high. Avery had never heard anything good about it either. All varieties of paranormal entities were jammed into small spaces, no matter whether they hated each other or not. Shifters were housed with the Fae… vampires with aliens. She couldn’t imagine a worse fate than being sent there. But then again, she supposed the humans felt the same about their own jails and prisons.

  There was only one way to find out if all of her efforts had been for nothing, and that was to read the damned paper.

  She returned to the couch and sat, pulling one of the candles on the side table closer to her. Carefully, she straightened out the note.

  Avery stifled a scream as a loud knock sounded at the front door, then shoved the paper between the cushions. Bringing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her shins, she bit her lip and closed her eyes, fully expecting the police to break down the panel at any second. She had no place to go, so she didn’t bother to hide. It was time. She’d assaulted a cop, for the sake of the gods, and now she had to pay her dues.

  As she waited for the wood to splinter and McAllister to come rushing in, her heart raced.

  After a few seconds, nothing happened. She opened her eyes and turned her gaze to the door.

  The person knocked again, but she didn’t budge.

  Finally, she heard faint footsteps climbing the stairs, away from the door.

  She exhaled and pulled out the paper again, her hands shaking and sweaty.

  Probably a solicitor or a neighbor.

  Avery focused on the writing, trying to calm her anxiety. At this rate, she’d give herself a stroke before she found out the truth about her mother’s killer.

  Two names and an address were scrawled across it. She didn’t recognize them, and her gaze traveled down the page as she read.

  Vampires – convicted of crimes against humans or other paranormal entities.

  Okay, so she wasn’t really dealing with upstanding citizens of the paranormal world, but then again, good people didn’t murder others.

  So, what did it mean?

  She laid her head back on the cushions and clutched the page to her chest. This paper was in her mother’s file, so it had to be related to the case, didn’t it? Could these be the two suspects McAllister had his eye on? If so, why would he tell her paranormal entities weren’t involved in her mother’s murder? />
  She’d have to ask.

  The thought of going back on the city streets curled her stomach. She felt somewhat safe here in Victoria’s dark, underground apartment, and she didn’t want to leave.

  However, she’d set this series of events in motion. She’d done things she never imagined she’d have the guts to do, but here she was.

  For a brief moment, Avery considered giving up the search for her mother’s killer. She could go to McAllister and apologize for breaking and entering, claiming that grief had rendered her temporarily insane and hope he forgave her. She could then go back to her life and leave the police work to the professionals.

  She quickly brushed the idea aside. No turning back now.

  The desire of wanting to know the truth of what happened to her mom had shifted into something else entirely.

  Revenge.

  Avery wanted vengeance, and it bothered her. Before her mother’s death, she’d just been a chick who loved to work in construction, who minded her own business, and had a fairly uncomplicated life.

  Where had that woman gone?

  Avery had no idea, but she was nowhere in sight. This other person had taken over; the one who ran on emotions, adrenaline, anxiety and caffeine was now in charge. Her focus lay on avenging her mother’s death.

  Besides, it had become blatantly obvious the police weren’t going to do anything to solve the case. In fact, it seemed they were going to cover it up, so it was now up to her.

  And the next step was to visit the addresses on the paper. Although, if it was in the part of town she thought it was, it could definitely be a frightening trip.

  11

  Just as the sun set, Avery caught a bus to the other side of town and exited into a neighborhood she’d rather avoid. Taking a deep breath, she glanced around at the addresses of the old homes, then checked the paper again. She realized she’d probably be searching for another house that had been divided into apartments.

  She’d spent the daylight hours in Victoria’s apartment eating string cheese while waiting for the vampire to rise from her slumber. Avery had also swallowed her anxiety and gone to the grocery store after raiding Victoria’s savings jar located in a kitchen cupboard.

  While there, she’d bought a mix of herbs and spices that would harm vampires if it made contact with their skin. The recipe was a secret among vampires—one they liked to keep to themselves. Victoria had told her about it when it became apparent that they were becoming fast friends. With vampires loving Fae blood, Victoria had wanted her to be able to protect herself at any time. When they’d first had the discussion, more than a year ago, Avery had rolled her eyes, thinking it silly. However, now she was glad Victoria had given up the secret, and that she’d actually remembered the recipe. A concoction of garlic, cumin, turmeric, pepper and ground mustard seed sat in the pocket of her sweatshirt in a plastic bag. If need be, she’d use it and her Fae power to fight off the vampire she was visiting tonight.

  Striding down the sidewalk toward the location, she walked quickly, but not fast enough to draw attention. The crowd was a mix of some who had gotten off work late, and others heading out for the evening. The streets were busy, and it helped her feel safe as her presence was swallowed up in the numbers.

  When Avery arrived at the destination, she stood out in front of the building and studied it for a moment. She couldn’t imagine a bloodsucker living in one of the apartments with oversized, picturesque windows. Even if he had covered them with foil, it would still be dangerous for a vampire during daylight hours.

  Somewhere, there had to be a basement apartment.

  She walked around the side of the house and followed a path leading to stairs and down to a door.

  Taking a deep breath, she twisted a lock of her hair and tried to calm her nerves. Her stomach snarled, but she didn’t know if that was from all the string cheese she’d eaten, or her anxiety.

  She followed the path and knocked on the door. The sun had fully set, so if the vampire was home, he shouldn’t have any issues answering—unless he was simply antisocial and didn’t like unannounced visitors. She couldn’t blame him for that. More than one time recently, she’d not answered her own door simply because she didn’t want to get off the couch.

  When she knocked, the door opened slowly, and before her stood a tall, thin, incredibly handsome man wearing sky-blue medical scrubs that matched his eyes. His dark hair had been combed back and appeared wet, as if he’d just stepped from a shower.

  Vampires and shifters. Why are they always so beautiful?

  His gaze raked over her, and he smiled.

  “Can I help you?”

  Her hands began to shake, and she worried he would overpower her. Yes, he was nice to stare at, but he could also destroy her in a heartbeat.

  She stuck a sweaty hand into her jacket pocket and opened the plastic bag, keeping a pinch of the poison concoction between her forefinger and her thumb.

  “I’m looking for Everett Johnson,” she said, trying to keep the nervous tremble out of her voice.

  He raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his chest as if intrigued.

  “That’s me. What can I do for you?”

  “I was hoping to talk to you about a personal matter.”

  “Well, I’m on my way to work, but I can spare a minute or two. Would you prefer to come inside?”

  “No, I think we’re fine out here.”

  She wasn’t about to go into his apartment, especially once he finally figured out she was Fae.

  He furrowed his brow. “Okay, then what can I do for you?”

  She took a deep breath but noticed the sudden change in his demeanor. His pupils dilated as his fangs elongated. She took a step back, ready to run up the stairs.

  “You’re a Fae,” he whispered. That didn’t take long, of course.

  He didn’t wait for an answer but grabbed her by the shoulders and hauled her into the apartment, slamming the door, before she could even think about an escape plan.

  She swallowed back a scream and wrenched away from his hold, scrambling to put the black leather couch between them. Sweat broke out on her brow as she studied him. It was as if the scent of her blood had made him lose his mind. He glared at her, the blue of his eyes now black, saliva actually dripping from his chin. Coming there had been just another bad idea in a long string of them lately.

  How can I get out of this alive?

  Extending her hand, she used magic to slam the lamp from the side table into his face. The base shattered but didn’t seem to faze him. He kept coming at her, and she continued to slide away, keeping the sofa between them.

  He leapt over the couch and landed on the coffee table. She swore as it shattered under his weight, and she ran into the kitchen.

  The walls of the apartment seemed to be closing in on her, causing her throat to constrict. She could barely breathe.

  She used her power to fling a chair at him. This time it stunned him for a moment, and he stumbled backward. If she were to use the concoction in her pocket, she had to let him get close. However, he could overpower her within seconds, so it would have to be timed just right.

  Everett Johnson shook his head for a moment as a growl escaped his lips, but he charged after her once again. She felt like a lamb about to be slaughtered.

  Cornered, she backed up farther into the kitchen and found herself trapped between him and the stove. She reached into her sweatshirt pocket and palmed a handful of the spices in the bag.

  Her breath heaved in and out, and she wanted to vomit, fear making her stomach curl. The vampire eased toward her slowly, the front of his shirt now wet from his own saliva. She noticed a slight gash in his forehead from where the lamp had slammed into him. It was already healing.

  When he was about two feet away, she pulled her hand from her sweatshirt and prayed the spice mix would work. If not, she was dead.

  She threw a handful at him, then blew the remnants off her palm in his direction.

  A
t first, nothing happened, and she held her breath as her life passed before her eyes. She would be remembered as the loser Fae who’d tried to find her mother’s murderer, but instead, ended up dead at the hands of a vampire, the very species she should have avoided.

  His hand gripped her shoulder, and she closed her eyes and raised her arms to block his mouth from making contact with her throat. The panic had overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t concentrate enough to use her magic.

  A moment later, a hissing sound met her ears, and Everett let her go. He grunted, and she turned to see what had happened.

  Narrow puffs of steam rose from his exposed skin, and he smacked his arms, as if trying to put out a fire.

  “What did you do?” he screamed.

  Small blisters had popped up on his face and arms but began to heal almost as soon as they’d appeared.

  It had worked!

  Avery didn’t want to hurt him. She just needed him to concentrate on something other than the smell of her blood. His fangs retracted, and his eyes now widened with fear.

  “You’re already healing,” she said as she held her hands out in front of her, her nervousness subsiding. She glanced around the room searching for something she could slam into him if it became necessary. The open cupboard filled with coffee cups was an option. Hopefully, they would make great projectile weapons, if need be.

  “I just want to talk to you without being sucked dry. Can we do that?”

  Johnson kept stepping away from her, then backed into the kitchen table. He rubbed his arms again, his brow furrowing in confusion.

  “What do you want?” he shrieked.

  She pulled out the piece of paper and approached him, holding it up in front of his face. “Your name is on this paper with a note that says, ‘crimes against humans or other paranormal entities.’ I want to know what you did.”

  He sighed and studied his flesh. The blisters were healing nicely, and she hoped he didn’t slip back into bloodlust.

  “That was more than a year ago,” he said, his voice full of indignation. “Who are you, anyway?”