by Petra Landon
“I asked Hawk and Luis to meet us outside the Registry” Raoul explained. “They weren’t too far from downtown, so they’ll be here in fifteen.”
Jason glanced up from his phone.
“They’ve a half hour lead on us. Hopefully the traffic out of downtown will slow them down.”
“You think that Sienna was the intended target?” the Alpha inquired.
“I’m sure of it. Why do you think I’ve been so careful to never leave Sienna unguarded in the Registry without one of us watching over her?” Jason paused as a sudden thought struck him. “You believe that Tasia was the target” he exclaimed, clearly surprised by the revelation. “Why would anyone kidnap her?”
“This is a wizard Registry” Raoul said slowly. “And she was instrumental in a Guardian’s humiliation less than a week ago. At least, that’s how I imagine a lot of wizards see it.”
“That’s certainly how many wizards see it” Jason concurred. “But I doubt that anyone would go to the trouble of targeting her for her role that night. In any case, Anderson is still in wizard custody in San Francisco. So, it’s highly unlikely that he’s managed to organize her kidnapping.”
The Alpha looked unconvinced. Too many things had been happening around the witchling ever since that night Hawk had brought her to his attention. And more than anyone else, he knew the kind of mystery that hung over her. It wouldn’t surprise him in the least if she had been the target. In either case, they needed to get to her before anyone suspected the magic she was capable of. He hoped that she trusted him to get her out of this jam. That she would not panic and blow her cover. It was hard to predict what she would do. She’d shown exemplary courage in situations, as well as utter foolhardiness on rare occasions when it came to other Chosen.
“We need to find them quickly” Raoul said. “They’re both in danger regardless of who the intended target was. I gather that the GCW is putting together a team to mount a rescue.”
“Yes” Jason acknowledged as they exited the room to head towards the main entrance.
“I want to find them before the GCW does. I don’t trust Guardians to be as watchful of Tasia’s safety as a wizard named McAlister.”
Jason opened his mouth to protest before he shut it again. He knew that the Alpha was right. Sienna was regarded as wizard royalty in their world. Tasia was an unknown wizard who lived in a Shifter Lair and allowed herself to be used to humiliate a Guardian.
“I’m sorry, Merceau” Jason apologized soberly. “I should’ve watched over them better. They were my responsibility.”
Raoul glanced at the contrite expression on the wizard’s face. “You were lulled into a false sense of security by the hallowed premises of the Registry. I can understand that.”
Jason wondered bemusedly if the Alpha had just made a joke.
“You’re not to blame, LaRue” the Alpha reiterated. “I’m responsible for Tasia. I should never have sent her into the archives without more safeguards. I knew you were going to be distracted down there.”
“We’ll find them” Jason assured him confidently, shoving his own anxiety about Sienna to the back of his mind with an effort.
The Registrar strode up to them as they neared the entrance. People milled all around in confusion while a few wizards attempted to maintain order.
“There’s no trace of the two ladies in the building. We’re looking at the security camera tapes now.”
Martha Nichols walked up to them. She ignored the Alpha to address Jason. “Please allow one of us to tend to your wound, Guardian LaRue. A few minutes will not harm your chances of finding the wizards.”
“We’ve a few minutes before Hawk gets here” Raoul interjected softly as Jason hesitated. “Tend to your wound.”
Tasia woke up slowly to gaze groggily at the unfamiliar surroundings. A soft moan drew her attention to a figure on the mattress beside her.
“Sienna” she croaked huskily, her throat scratchy.
Sienna moved her head in an attempt to focus on the voice that called out to her.
“Sienna” Tasia tried again. “Wake up! Something’s happened. I don’t know where we are.”
Sienna groaned as she attempted to sit up, compelled by the urgency in Tasia’s voice. Her head felt woozy and the room seemed to swim before her eyes. But Tasia was right, she realized. They were in a strange room she’d never seen before.
“What happened? Are we still at the Registry?”
“The Registry” Tasia exclaimed softly, her memory jogged by Sienna’s words. “I remember being in the Archive Room” her voice trailed off. “I was searching for the report on their security before the explosion. That’s the last thing I remember.”
“I was making notes on my phone from one of the reports” Sienna said slowly. “I remember sandwiching myself between two aisles to make sure no one caught me taking notes.”
“Jason” she exclaimed abruptly. He’d been the third person in the Archive Room with them.
“He’s not here in here with us though he could certainly be elsewhere in the building” Tasia pushed herself off the mattress with an effort to walk unsteadily to the door. She grasped the knob to pull it gingerly.
“It’s locked” she shook her head.
She glanced around the room where the last rays of the setting sun streamed through the open window. The room was bare except for the mattress the two wizards had woken up on. Sienna, suddenly less woozy at the realization of their predicament, mustered up the strength to check out the window. It looked out onto a residential neighborhood. She must’ve gotten too close to the glass for there was a sudden flash, causing Sienna to stagger back, almost losing her balance.
“Magic” she muttered. “We seem to be prisoners of a Chosen.”
Not just any Chosen for this was no ordinary magic. It was Blutsauger magic!
Tasia’s heart thumped loudly as a black fog of fear unfurled slowly in her. Now that her numbed senses had remembered to function again, she could sense more vampires in the house with them.
Must not panic. Need to think straight. Have to keep the Clan from getting a whiff of what I am. There’s no way either of us is getting out alive unless we keep our wits about us.
“They’ll be looking for us” she reminded the other woman, attempting to reassure both Sienna and herself. “If I know the Alpha, he’s already got the Pack searching for us.”
They were not alone in this, Tasia reminded herself. Raoul Merceau was deadly and ruthless when crossed. Kidnapping Sienna and her should make the cut. Shouldn’t it?
Stop this, the Alpha will come. Have some faith and protect your secret from the Blutsaugers until he does. He’s come every single time. Hasn’t he demonstrated his intentions amply by now?
“You’re right, Tasia” Sienna agreed, glancing around the empty room. “Let’s hope Jason’s not a prisoner like us. One word from him and the GCW will join the search for us.”
Talk of being caught between the devil and the deep sea. The Guardians aren’t any better a choice for me than the vampires. Although perhaps the Blutsaugers have an edge here. Unlike the wizards, the Clan will not rest until they wipe me off the face of the earth.
“And if Jason has been kidnapped with us” Sienna continued, oblivious to her friend’s terror at the prospect of being rescued by Guardians. “Then your Alpha will come looking for us. So, there’s no reason to worry, Tasia” she added reassuringly.
The door rattled softly, all the warning they had before a man strode into the room. His gaze fell on Tasia, who stood by the door.
“Who the hell are you?” he stared at her in consternation.
Tasia’s heart, already beating too fast for comfort at being confronted by the Blutsauger, sank even more as she recognized him. It was the clean cut young-looking vampire who’d broken into The Vault with Lady Bethesda all those years ago, looking not a day older than his visage on the security tape she’d been shown. Sienna’s soft gasp behind her was quickly stifled as she in turn
recognized Rafaelo Bianchi.
“There were two witches with the Guardian, Master. We brought them both since we didn’t know which one you wanted” a second man emerged into the room, his manner obsequious as he proffered an explanation to the first vampire.
The vampire ignored his obeisant subordinate to zero in on Sienna. He strode towards the wizard.
“Sienna McAlister” he breathed softly, coming to a stop before her. “Dare I hope that you remember me? We met once in your house a long time ago.”
Fighting to stay clear of the paralyzing grip of fear enveloping her, Tasia absently noted the vampire’s gaze fixate on the tiny locket that Sienna always wore around her neck, almost as if he couldn’t look away. The small piece of colored stone seemed to draw his eyes, again and again. Sienna had told her that she never took it off because it was one of the last gifts her father had given her.
“No” Sienna replied woodenly. “Who are you and why have you brought us here?”
“All in good time” the attractive man seemed unruffled by her brusque response. “You’re here because there’s someone eager to see you. Someone you haven’t seen in a long time.”
Could he be talking about her mother, Sienna wondered frantically even as she worked hard to proffer a poker face to the vampire. Her instincts warned her to not betray any sign of recognition or curiosity to the dangerous man who stood before her. She needed to play her role with aplomb. Hopefully that would buy the rescue team searching for them, enough time to get to them. She might’ve walked away from the wizard world but she was still Sienna McAlister, descended from wizard royalty on both sides of her lineage. Sienna stiffened her spine with determination. It was time she acted like who she was.
“You have no idea who you’ve messed with here” she said fiercely. “You’ll regret this evening’s work, whoever you are.”
“I might at that, cara mia” he laughed out loud, his face crinkling attractively. “You have a lot of your mother in you. I look forward to getting to know you better.”
“My mother” Sienna pretended shock. “What has this to do with my mother! She’s been dead a long time.”
“Patience, cara mia. All in good time” he said with cocky self-confidence before walking away from her.
“Get rid of the spare” he commanded the subordinate who waited by the doorway. “I have no further use for her.” The words were said with a cruelty and callousness that shocked Tasia, immobilizing her in her tracks.
“Nooo” Sienna’s voice rang out clearly. She hurried towards the other wizard to put an arm protectively around her. “She’s my friend.”
Bianchi simply arched his eyebrow at her in response, as if waiting to hear a better reason for sparing Tasia’s life. Sienna thought furiously.
“You told me that you brought me here to meet someone. Whoever is waiting to meet me will not be happy if I’m in a bad mood.” She paused for emphasis. “If you harm my friend, it’ll put me in a seriously bad mood.”
“We wouldn’t want that now, cara mia, would we” the vampire responded with a singularly charming smile that made Tasia’s blood curl at the sight.
Psychopath, she thought in terror and despair. The two vampires exited the room, locking the door behind them. There was an instant of silence as the two girls attempted to digest what had just happened. Sienna put both arms around a stupefied Tasia to hug the trembling girl.
“Vampires” she whispered into Tasia’s ear. “I think my mother might’ve put them up to this.”
Tasia nodded slowly, curling her hands into fists in an attempt to stop her tremors. Sienna had remembered that the vampires’ hearing rivalled that of the Shifters. Tasia allowed herself to relax, grateful that Sienna had kept her wits about her. She drew deep breaths, attempting to banish the residual fright from the brief encounter.
“We need to get out of here, Sienna” she whispered. “I’ve a very bad feeling about this.”
“Yeah, me too” Sienna agreed. She glanced at the window which now reflected the darkness outside. The sun had set.
“Can you seal the door with magic?” Tasia inquired in a whisper. That way they would be safe in the room. She figured that if Sienna started the process, she could silently bolster the effort without the other wizard being any wiser.
Sienna grasped the message quickly. “You think they’ll come back for you?”
Tasia nodded. “I don’t trust Bianchi” she said simply.
“Neither do I, the slimy bastard” Sienna said fiercely. She let go of the other girl whose shivers had finally stopped to focus on the door. “I might be able to although I’m seriously out of practice. In any case …”
The words were left unsaid as the door crashed open with an almighty thud and three vampires streamed in. Sienna had time only for a short gasp as one of the vampires pulled her off Tasia to separate the two. The other two converged on Tasia.
“Tasia” she screamed, fearful for the other girl.
Tasia was not even given the luxury of a short gasp. She realized with a sinking heart that time had run out. Her mind seemed to snap out of the fog of fear holding it hostage at the realization of the acute danger that now threatened her. The need of the hour was to make sure that no Blutsauger got an inkling of what she was. If in the endeavor, some of her powers were revealed to Sienna, then so be it, Tasia determined with clear-headed logic. She would deal with the consequences later.
How could she prevent them from contact with her blood, she pondered frantically as the vampires converged on her. There was no time to build a personal shield for they came at her with single-minded focus. She blasted one of the vampires with her magic to buy some time. He flew a few feet to hit the wall before dusting himself up to come at her again. This time, she used more power when she blasted the second one. He hit his head with a loud crunch and was slower to come back at her. Engaged in handling the two vampires attacking her, Tasia was caught by surprise when the third one sank his nails into her upper arm from behind. Tasia screamed with pain, the overgrown and dirty talons leaving behind deep groves in her skin. Sienna said something urgently from behind her as Tasia staggered with the pain of the unexpected assault. The two vampires she had been fighting came at Tasia with a renewed sense of purpose, the scent of her freshly spilt blood spurring them on.
Sienna directed her magic at the vampire who had injured Tasia. He skittered a few feet, unharmed and seemingly unaffected by Sienna’s magic. He brought his dripping fingers to his mouth to taste the blood his talons had gouged from Tasia. There was a sudden high keening cry that seemed to go on for a long time before he slumped down with a whimper. The cry and his still figure brought his two comrades to a sudden halt to stare bemusedly down at the huddled figure on the floor. It bought Sienna the few seconds she needed to throw herself protectively before Tasia like a human shield. Tasia held on to the other wizard to prevent herself from toppling onto the floor.
The three Shifters in the car lifted their heads in a curiously animal-like gesture, their nostrils flaring. If Jason had not been so anxious for Sienna, he’d have smiled at the sight.
“Leeches” muttered Luis and Hawk in unison, their voices reflecting similar derision.
Luis, in the driver’s seat, and Hawk, in the passenger seat beside him, craned their necks as one to look at their Alpha who was seated in the back with Jason.
“How close are we to Sienna?” the Alpha asked the wizard.
“Two blocks” Jason took a quick glance at the software on his phone that allowed him to track Sienna’s locator chip. They’d been driving for almost an hour, the last thirty minutes of which, from all indications, Sienna had been stationary at the address that they were here to search. In a strange coincidence, the two wizards were being held at a location in the suburbs only minutes away from their current accommodations at the Chicago Lair.
“Park here” the Alpha directed. “The leech smell is strong. We’re pretty close.”
He turned to Jason. “L
uis and I will reconnoiter first.”
Jason opened his mouth to protest.
“Leeches can hear almost as well as us Shifters” the Alpha warned quietly. “We’ll need to be very quiet as we get closer. Or we’ll lose the element of surprise.”
“You think that vampires are involved in the kidnapping?” Jason looked shocked. “Why? What would they have to gain?”
“I don’t know. But we smell leeches in this neighborhood. And I don’t believe in coincidences.”
There was a short silence as the Guardian and the Shifter stared at each other for a long moment.
“Okay” Jason gave in eventually. “I agreed to not wait for the GCW team, Alpha. Now I want it understood that this is my operation. I need to do this” he emphasized quietly. “Sienna is my responsibility. The First Wizard chose me to protect her.”
“It is your operation, Guardian” the Alpha acknowledged after a short pause. “Just remember that you have Shifters on your team. Use us to our strengths. Let us bring back intelligence that we can use. That way, we’ll have a better shot of getting both ladies out safely.”
“Go” Jason agreed.
Hawk stayed silent while his Pack mates exited the car, disappearing into the darkness as if born to it. Jason couldn’t help but note how the Shifters moved quietly from house to house, like an extension of the dark shadows in the night. He’d been born with a lot of power and he knew how to manipulate that to work for him, but the Shifters were something else. They were capable of completely changing the game. The Alpha had been right in advising him to use them to their natural strengths.
“Is there any reason for the leec … vampires to target Sienna or the Guardians?” Hawk asked. He’d been silent on the drive here while Jason and the Alpha had given Luis and him a quick rundown of the pertinent events at the Registry leading to Sienna and Tasia’s disappearance.
“Not that I’m aware of. Sienna has lived the life of a Si’ffa by choice for a long time now, so I doubt that she’s had the opportunity to make enemies amongst the vampires. As for the GCW, we don’t have great relations with the Clan but who does.”
