A few minutes later, a female voice answered.
“Do you know what time it is?” Anahita growled.
“I need picked up,” I said without inflection in my voice.
“What do I look like, a chauffeur?” Her snark was unmistakable.
“You will pick me up, or I will tell Zane that you refused to help me when I was hurt.”
I heard a slight hiss on the other end. "Fine," Anahita said gruffly. "Where are you?"
Although our connection was still intact, I gave her my location. Then I hung up and texted Nate and Meredith. I told them Sera was attacked and that I was heading to Summa Western. And to use the buddy system. Someone out there was targeting the people that I loved.
Anahita came shortly after in a custom, black-silver Porsche with custom, blackout windows. The doors unlocked when I approached, and I hobbled onto the tan leather seats. Anahita was wearing some black, slip looking dress over her pronounced, extremely pale skin and shaded her eyes with large sunglasses even though there was no sun in sight.
“Well,” she snapped.
“We need to go to Summa Western. Sera was attacked.” My voice was still level with restrained anger, and I kept thinning my lips.
Anahita didn’t say much as she put the car in gear and started to drive off. I was trying to think about what to do next. I had no idea who had attacked Sera or ordered the attack on me, so I had no idea how to go after them. I didn't know how to exact my revenge, and I was becoming frustrated.
“Stop grinding your teeth,” Anahita said.
I scowled at her, not bothering to answer.
“You called me for a reason. Why?”
Again, I just glared at her.
She sighed. "Fine. You're not going to tell me so I will tell you. You are angry, filled with hate, and I am the only one that you hate. So you put yourself in the position to be ready to take your anger out on me."
I turned toward the window, partly from shame because she was right. But my dark mood made it difficult to see anything else, and all of it just filled me with more hate.
“You want revenge,” she continued. “So get your revenge. But take it out on the right person.”
I turned back to her. “That’s the problem. I don’t know who it is,” I snapped, clenching my fists.
“Well, think.”
“I have been trying! The Scelestus I killed moments back said that I went after his ‘friend' at the club. That this was all some sort of message from his ‘master.'"
She ignored my agitation. “This was a personal attack-”
“I figured that out,” I interrupted.
“Who knows that Sera is your sister?”
“Everyone,” I said annoyed.
“Everyone? Including everyone in the Mundus Noctis?”
My heart stopped for a second, as she continued.
"Everyone saw Sera with you at Mick's last night?" There was a bit of acerbity in her voice. For once, it didn't piss me off but made me think beyond my haze of anger.
“No… No, only you guys in the Mundus Noctis know she is my sister.” I narrowed my eyes at her, ready to accuse her, but she held her hands up against the steering wheel.
“It wasn’t me. I’m more scared of Zane than my hatred for you. Who else, princess?”
I scrunched my nose up with her name calling. “Someone at school then. They all know she’s my sister.”
My mind started to wander to Ms. Hollander, but I remembered that she had said she was staying out of it for now. Plus she wasn't a vampire. But none of them were. If they were part of the Scelesti, they wouldn’t be at the school in the daytime.
“None of this makes any sense,” I spouted. “A Scelestus can’t be out during the daytime.”
“What about Scelesti pets?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
She looked over at me to register my reaction, but when she realized my expression wasn’t jocular, she explained.
“There are humans out there that worship the Mundus Noctis and have an obsession with becoming part of their community.” She tilted her head to the side, as she was considering her words. “Both factions have them. They would do anything for the chance to be made.”
“That leaves a lot of possibilities then,” I whispered.
“Perhaps. But maybe not as many as what you think. It’s someone who knows your closeness to Sera.”
I suddenly remembered my dream with the two vampires holding Nate. "And Nate," I added.
She looked at me quizzically through her sunglasses.
“I was given a premonition dream,” I explained.
She turned back to her driving. We were almost to the hospital.
“How do I found out who? Definitively.”
“You could always go back to Mick’s. Your attacker came from there. Odds are those two last night weren’t alone,” she blurted, shrugging her shoulders. And then she realized what she suggested. “Actually, that’s a dangerous idea. If that one guy knew that you were the Venatrix, he probably told others after you staked his friend.”
I gave her a look. "No, they wouldn't have with my Fae disguise."
“I’m not taking you to Mick’s. Forget it. I’m not willing to risk Zane’s wrath.”
“Fine. Then, you go and find out for me.”
The car came to a screeching halt in the hospital parking lot.
“No.”
The feeling of helplessness was rising into my chest again, and I felt the frosty bite of that bitter coldness just on the outside of my limbs.
“Please don’t make me threaten you.” I glowered at her.
She gave me a look of skepticism. “You know you can’t beat me, right. I am stronger than you.”
"I don't have to. But if your fear of your master is as strong as what you say, then Zane doesn't want you to touch a hair on my head. So then, I can pummel you to death, and you won't touch me." It was a cheap shot, I knew it, but I was feeling desperate.
“Get out.” Her voice was crisp with anger.
I had stepped over the line, and I wouldn’t be getting anything else out of her. I was also pretty sure that she wouldn’t be doing me any favors. I did feel partially guilty for my threat, but I didn’t know what else I could have said that would have made a difference to her.
I exited the car and expected to feel the sharp pain in my ankle, but it was only a little tender instead. I was afraid to put any additional pressure on it for the moment, so stuffing my lingering pain and guilt down, I shuffled into the hospital’s emergency section. I hastily, as much as was possible, headed to the reception area when Zane grabbed my elbow, coming from the side and pulled me into a corner.
“Well?” I demanded.
“I was able to get her in. She’s unconscious in the ICU,” he whispered. “I gave them your information, but apparently the doctor said that she knew you.”
“Dr. Spencer?”
“Yeah, that was the name. Anyway, she wants you somewhere safe while they work on her. They want to get a few transfusions in her. Get her heart rate back up. All that medical stuff.” His face and body were stiff with apprehension and the severity of the situation.
I pulled away from him. It's not that I didn't believe Zane, because I did, but I needed to talk to Ms. Weber. I wanted to hear from someone else that I knew would do everything possible to help Sera. It would mean waiting hours to speak to Dr. Spencer (either of them) since they were both taking care of patients, and Sera was one of them. And there was no way I was endangering her life any further. Also, I needed to let Ms. Weber know about the dangers toward Meredith and Nate. I knew she would tell the Spencers as well.
I went up to the reception desk and asked if Joanna Weber was working. They confirmed that she was, and I asked to talk to her. The older, lady with dark skin wrinkled from stress, not age gave me a dubious look.
“Little girl, this is an emergency area,” she replied.
“This is an emergency,” I responded, tryin
g very hard to control the angry and panicked feelings flowing throughout my body.
I hadn’t notice Zane behind me until I felt his closeness and a hand went to my shoulder.
“This is an emergency,” Zane repeated. His voice was hypnotic and enthralling, and when I looked at him, his gaze held a detached intensity as it was locked on the receptionist.
"Nurse Weber, you are wanted in the emergency waiting room," the receptionist paged woodenly over the loudspeaker of the hospital.
Zane disconnected his gaze from the woman and pulled me back to the corner again, keeping me close.
There were so many questions that I wanted to ask him. Especially since I was pretty sure he enthralled the receptionist to do my bidding. And I felt so grateful toward him that he was there, that he had done everything in his power to help me. But I couldn't articulate them, primarily through all the negative I was feeling. So my arms went around him, and I pulled him close, placing my head on his chest, as we waited for Ms. Weber to come out. I took comfort from him and was surprised by his bodily warmth even as his heart didn't beat.
I was pretty sure he wasn't expecting me to hug him since he stiffened the minute my arms went around him. But when I hadn't expected anything more, he relaxed in my arms and even put a hand on my head.
It wasn't too long before Ms. Weber burst through the emergency doors, clearly not used to the one being paged. She came out, looking a little frazzled. And I pulled away from Zane instantly.
“Caden, are you okay,” She asked, concerned.
“I’m okay. Is Sera?”
She put a hand on my shoulder. “She is stable at the moment. We are keeping an eye on her.”
I tried to shift from foot to foot, but there was still a lingering pain in my ankle. I was uncomfortable about how to approach her on this next topic and not feel like it was all my fault that her daughter was involved with me.
“Ms. Weber. It was a personal attack. Someone is going after my family and friends.” I let it sink in for a second.
As I expected, anger furrowed her face.
“I want Meredith and Nate, and you guys to stay at Underhill until this is figured out. It will be safe there,” I continued.
“How can you promise me that Underhill is safe?” Her question was more of a maternal reproach than an actual question.
“Because it’s warded. It’s the safest place I can think of.”
She nodded in agreement. “The Spencers and I can take extra shifts here. Even if you don’t feel it, the hospital is warded as well. And we’ll leave in groups.”
“I’m sorry for all of this.” My throat was scratchy with guilt.
Ms. Weber looked taken back. “Oh, Caden, I’m not upset with you. I’m upset with those that are after you and my daughter.” She sighed. “Being part of the Mundus Noctis means that at one point or another, your life is going to be in danger or a danger to others. I have had my fair share of close encounters.”
“Meredith told me about the warlock,” I interrupted.
She nodded. “The point is, it’s how we handle ourselves while this is going on and what we do about it in the end that makes us who we are.” She gave me a quick hug.
“It will be alright,” she assured me, giving me one last squeeze. “I have to go back to work, but your number was left on the paperwork. I will give you a call if something changes or when you can see Sera.”
Tears started to well in the corner of my eyes. “Thank you, Ms. Weber.”
She touched my cheek and turned around, going back through those two hospital doors.
I felt Zane come up behind me without turning around. His proximity sending a warm sensation down my spine, as if my body was seeking his comfort again. And I wanted it, but now that one hurdle was over, I couldn’t allow my body to rest while there were more.
“You feel better now?” He whispered in my ear from behind.
I shook my head. “No. I won’t until this is over with.”
He gingerly touched my shoulder. “Let’s go back to Underhill.”
I nodded, but when I was prepared to follow him out of the hospital, my phone went off. It was a text from an unrecognizable number.
If you want your revenge, go to 1984 Elm Street.
Anahita had come through. Although I wasn’t sure how, since Mick’s was closed at this hour. It was about 9 am, even if it looked like it was still early morning. The sun was having a difficult time pushing through the dark clouds. But I knew what this really was. This was the first day of dark. I only had a few days left. But I thought perhaps I could end it before I had to go through the challenge. Technically it was day, so the Scelesti should be sleeping.
Zane tugged on my hand, and I followed him outside. He wound his fingers through mine, and we started walking toward Underhill. My ankle was improving now and only felt slightly tender. The hospital was a timely walk to Underhill, and Elm Street wasn’t that far from Underhill. It was part of the “tree” named streets of the neighborhood.
It didn't surprise me that the person responsible for this was so close. It felt like people were setting up the chess board with me in the middle, ready to make a move when the time was right. One side prepared to spring in defense; the other to pounce. Who knew how long the Scelesti had been setting up their hand.
I unwound my fingers from Zane's when we reached Oak Street and pulled away from him. I wasn't telling Zane what I was about to do. It was my fight, and I wasn't going to put anyone else in front of it. Elm was a few streets up and over, but I didn't want Zane to follow me straight there. I knew he would try, and I wanted the time to figure out how to lose him and farther mute the bound.
“What are you doing?” An uncertain look passed over his face.
"I need some time alone to think," I responded, giving him a half-truth.
A suspicious glint in his eyes sparked as he looked at me. I now knew for sure he was going to follow me.
“Please,” I begged. “I feel so confused, guilty and angry. I need the time to sort out these feelings.” I pulled further away from him.
He looked a little hurt, and still slightly apprehensive, but he let me go. I turned away, walking down Oak Street with now only a small ache in the joint of my ankle.
I allowed the bond to flow freely at first, making it seem like I really was just taking a walk. Zane had started to follow me, but with the bond active, he began to take the long way back to Underhill. Anahita was somewhere outside of the city, unknown to me; and Meredith and Nate were still at school. Sure that everyone was somewhere else, I started to shut the bond off slowly. Not enough that they would notice at first, and I walked around Elm Street for a while. I didn't dare go down Elm until I was sure the bond was shut off almost entirely since I couldn't break it. They would know I was alive, but wouldn't know where I went. And even then, I turned around to see if I could smell or see Zane. I didn't and proceeded to 1984 Elm.
I let myself fill with rage as I walked toward the house; thinking about everything that had happened to Sera and to me. Not to mention all the safety checks my friends now had to go through. I wanted my revenge. It wasn’t that difficult to let all that toxic, vile emotion overtake me. I hoped that I could use it all to my advantage. Maybe it would help flare the Fae magic within me, which I had been told was extremely powerful.
I stopped in front of 1984 Elm. The house was guised. I felt the magic of the guise as it trickled over my limbs. Even without it, I knew it was the right house. Standing outside of it, it stunk to high heaven of death. But beyond that, I couldn’t see what the owner wanted it to look like, but to me, the house was dilapidated. The screens in the windows were shredded. The grey paint that was probably once white was flaking off the siding. Half of a hinge was missing off the front door, making it lean. Even the lawn was brown in the spots where the weeds didn’t grow. This house had been abandoned for some time.
My stomach sank a little. I had no idea how to proceed. I would be entering a building withou
t knowing what exactly was inside. Obviously, the front door was out. One didn't simply walk through a front door into a vampire lair.
I crept to the back, noticing the back slider was boarded up from the inside. I could see the planks of wood peeking through the glass. The screen was torn to shreds, but the glass slider was intact. I wouldn’t be going in through that way. If I broke the glass, whoever was inside would hear me.
I ground my teeth. This was starting to become a Herculean task. I continued my round to the other side of the house. There was another door on the side. Again, the screens were worn to the point that hardly anything was left. Unfortunately, the door was still hinged, but I felt safer going through the side than the front.
I tried to make my footsteps silent as I crept to the door and tried the handle. It was unlocked, and it gave me pause.
Why would it be unlocked, I asked myself. The only answers I could come up with were that anyone entering this house was signing their death warrant or that Anahita had sold me out and they were waiting for me. I pulled out the stake that I had repocketed after my earlier encounter with shaky hands. The sick feeling continued to churn, and I thought I might vomit. I pushed it down and opened the door slowly.
I waited outside for a moment in case anything sprang forward or came at me. When nothing did, I tiptoed into the entryway, still making sure I could flee if I needed to. It was as quiet as a tomb inside. Nothing moved, nothing talked, nothing breathed except me.
The door had opened up into what once was a kitchen. Only cabinets that were falling off their hinges and a sink under a window remained. Dark old stains covered the floor. It was too difficult to determine if they were made from mud, dirt, or some oily substance, but the way it was smeared across the floor gave me a clue that it was none of the above and instead something else. And bile started to rise up my throat.
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