A pit of unease and anxiety forms in my stomach.
“They’re out of their minds, huh?” I ask, thinking of the wolves.
“Yes. Precisely.”
“Their eyes. Are they silver?”
“Of course not,” he says, sounding both surprised and indignant. “Vampires only ever have red eye. Unless, of course, they try to mask the terrible color with contact lenses. Only this equally hideous black will cover up the red, I am afraid.”
He sounds so sorrowful and disillusioned by this. This vamp who dined with the Frenchies who lost their heads. Did they drink blood from golden chalices?
I shake my head to clear my wandering thoughts. “Have you ever seen glimpses of silver in their eyes?” I press.
The vamp tilts his head to the side and taps a long finger against his cheek. “Yes, actually. Now that you mention it, I do believe I have seen silver. Why? Is this important?”
“Can I see these vamps?” I ask eagerly.
“I only saw it in the one,” he warns. “What does this silver mean?”
“I don’t know, but I plan on finding out. Can you get me a meeting with this vamp?”
“I can do my best,” he murmurs, “but I fear for your safety.”
I wave my hand. “He won’t harm me.”
“Certainly not while he is in his right mind. I fear that is no longer the case.”
“I’ll be fine.” I grin at him. “You will see to it.”
He flashes his fangs. “You would have me hurt one of my brethren?”
“Would you rather your brethren expose you to the world? Would you like to have the gun-toting people of America arm up with silver bullets and hunt you all down?” I counter.
“When you put it like that, how can I possibly refuse to offer you my protection? Very well. Tomorrow night, I will bring him to you.”
“Not to my house!”
Flashes of the destruction that occurred within my house the time a vamp attacked me there come to my mind.
“I’ll be at the location where I first captured Amarok. Do you know where that is?”
“I do. We will be there precisely at midnight.”
“Just the two of you?”
“Yes.” He turns to the door, hand on the handle, hesitates, and faces me again. “Are you prepared for this?”
“I will be,” I vow.
Chapter 17
I’m a bundle of nerves throughout the next day. Should I ask Diego to come with? Angelo? Travis? All of them?
In the end, I don’t risk it. I will never forgive myself if something happened to any of them. The guilt would eat away at me until there would be nothing left.
Yeah, by now, I’ve given up on the whole team aspect thing.
Five of midnight, I stand directly on top of the spot where I had set my cage for Amarok. I had been high on life then.
Other than being brutally beaten up.
Other than the vicious lashing I got from the lieutenant.
Other than putting a bull’s-eye on my back.
I swear if I never saw that first vamp attack, none of this would have ever happened. The homicide would’ve gone unsolved, but this whole war between the vamps and wolves might never have started.
Unknowingly, I had set a long chain of events into action that I can never undo, much to my regret, shame, and dismay.
Precisely at midnight, the wind blows around me, far too fast. The fog is heavy, and the vamps appear as if by magic.
I nod to Jace and turn to the new vamp.
His eyes are red. His face is flushed. Has he just drunk?
He flashes his fangs. They’re all freshly bloodstained.
Well, that answers that question.
I flash my teeth in response, not that mine are intimidating in the least.
“Hi. Clarissa. Seems like most of your kind know who I am, so I guess you already knew that. I have a few questions for you if you don’t mind.”
“I do mind,” he grumbles, his words slurred from his fangs.
Strange. Jace can talk around his fangs, and his words are completely articulate. Jace must be a different breed of vamp. One who actually seems to have maintained his humanity.
Or, rather, regained it. I wonder how many he killed before he learned to control himself.
“Now, now, Finn,” Jace says soothingly, laying a hand on his shoulder. “You promised to play nicely.”
“I never play nice.” Finn bares his fangs again.
I whip out my gun and point it at him. “I hardly ever play nice either. Now, if you put your fangs away, I’ll take the silver bullet out of my gun. Deal?”
“No deal.”
Just as well. I wasn’t going to remove the bullet anyhow. Would’ve pretended to.
“You want my help against the wolves?” I offer.
His eyes narrow with suspicion.
“Then answer a few questions first.”
I’m gambling.
I’m so not a gambler. I have no poker face whatsoever.
But I feel cool Calm. I’m not nervous. I know I should be, but I’m not. I’m not afraid either.
“You aren’t a god, Clarissa,” the lieutenant said.
Maybe not but I sure feel invincible like one.
Or maybe it’s just pride, and I’m about to take a huge fall.
Will all the king’s horses and men be able to put me back together again?
“Fine.” Finn nods. “One question.”
“Three,” I barter.
“One or none,” he says offhandedly.
I hate his indifferent attitude, but maybe indifference is preferable to fury or anger.
“Who sang to you and is controlling you?” I ask in a rush.
His eyes don’t just flash silver. They stay purple.
Does he kill himself? Take my gun and put a bullet through his head or heart?
No.
Instead, he lunges for me and knocks the gun out of my hands.
He’s going after me! I’m so surprised that I fall onto my back.
Jace yanks Finn away from me, but Finn seems to just hold out his hand to his chest. Jace flies through the air and lands a mile away.
What in the world?
Finn descends on me. Saliva drips onto my neck. He shoves my hair aside.
I’m punching, screaming, kicking. He is completely unfazed. It doesn’t even bother him when I jab my fingers into pressure points.
His fangs descend.
I scream.
Someone throws him off him. There’s a mad, desperate gamble. Flashes of bodies. Vamps. There’s at least five of them. Six if you count Jace. Seven if you include Finn.
They’re all fighting Finn. I think it’s Jace who recovers my gun, and then it’s over. He puts down Finn, no muss, no fuss.
Just like that.
The vamps stand and line up. Each one nod to me and then flees until only Jace remains.
Well, Jace and Finn’s dead body.
Jace tosses me my gun, nods, and departs like the others.
Jace coming to my rescue I understand. He promised he would. But the others?
Why are vamps protecting me?
Who am I?
Chapter 18
I am so freaked out. Completely freaked out.
But I can’t stop. Won’t stop. I have to get it together
Still, it takes me three days to be able to function again. I mean, I go to work and karate and the gym, but otherwise, I stay home. I hardly talk to anyone. Angelo does enough talking for three people. Diego has been working hard with Rex. Travis, Marlon, and Mercedes are all in vice, working a different case.
I cling to my isolation as if it is my anchor to keep everyone else safe. It’s the only thing that keeps me sane.
But I’m not one to cower. I’m not one to give into fear. Yes, I might be something unnatural. I don’t know what I am, and honestly, that doesn’t matter.
I am and have always been Clarissa Tempest.
Bethlehem h
as always been my hometown.
I’m gonna do all I can to keep her safe.
Which means getting my head out of my ass and standing on my own two feet.
Shortly after dinner that night I decide to make a move, I call up Calliope.
“Clarissa. I’m glad to hear from you.”
“I want to talk to one of the silver-eyed werewolves.”
“Just one?”
“Yes, but I have a stipulation.”
“What is it?” she asks.
I exhale a deep breath and blurt out, “He has to be caged.”
Calliope doesn’t say anything for a long while.
“Hello? Can you hear me?” I ask.
“I’m here,” she says, sounding infuriated. “We aren’t dogs!”
I open my mouth but shut it. I know this idea has to seem terribly unfair to her, but she has to see where I’m coming from, right?
“You want my help? Well, I want to, but only if my safety is guaranteed.”
“I will protect you,” she assures me.
Yeah, you and Jace.
“I need to know who you will pick if it comes down to this wolf or me.”
“What are you talking about?” Her perplexed tone vexes me.
“Trust me. You already know these wolves are dangerous. That’s why you want me to help. I’ve dealt with this before.”
“You have?”
“In a fashion,” I admit after a slight hesitation. “If the wolf goes after me, wants to kill me, will you let him? Or will you put him down?”
“I will do what needs to be done,” she assures me.
I’m not so convinced, but we work out where to meet, at South Mountain where they used to have meetings. Midnight, just like with the vamps. I’m on edge, anxious, worried.
Again, though, I’m not as frightened as I should be.
What on earth is going on with me right now?
Calliope isn’t the only wolf here, nor is she alone with the already silver-eyed wolf. Five sets of wolf eyes peer at me through the darkness. Only Calliope and the silver one are in human form.
I ignore all others and nod to Calliope to show respect. It just seems like the proper thing to do. She’s their leader, right? Well, all of them but the silver ones. I wonder how many wolves and vamps have been affected.
Infected. Maybe that’s a better word.
Infected by what, that remains the burning question.
“Thank you all for coming.” I twist to be able to look at them each in turn.
None react to me.
That’s kinda creepy, not gonna lie. That I felt more at ease with Jace says something, but I’m not sure what exactly it is. Even Calliope doesn’t nod back or smile.
She’s nervous. Terrified. I see it in her eyes. Her wolves must see it too.
All of them are on edge.
Maybe I should call this meeting off. It’s not gonna end well.
I put my hand on my hip, near my gun. I’m not trying to intimidate or put on airs. It’s purely to make me feel better.
Calliope stands next to the silver-eyed one. The others are all around them, farther back and in a semi circle. All of them face me, making me feel like it’s them against me.
One of the wolves paws over to stand beside me.
Oh, that’s unexpected. And appreciated.
“Thank you,” I murmur to him. Or her. I can’t tell which. Somehow, I don’t think the wolf would appreciate a pat on the head.
But I do have a lot of appreciation that the silver-eyed wolf I’m confronting this night isn’t Rolf. It’s a wolf I’ve never seen before. I can’t recall if I saw him when I spied the wolves around a fire.
I don’t know what I would do if Rolf attacked me. He’s shown flashes of silver in his eyes, and he’s been aggressive toward me but only in speech, not actions.
Rolf’s always been a little abrasive toward me, demanding instead of asking. Still, I’d feel sad and guilty if I had to fight him.
I clear my throat. Time to get this rodeo started.
“Who sings to you? Is it a command? Is that person the one who gave you the specs for that UV bomb?”
The silver-eyed wolf blinks. In an instant, he’s in wolf form, barreling down at me.
The wolf beside me slides to be in front of me.
The silver-eyed wolf doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t change course. He swats at the other wolf, earning a loud yip. My foe jumps on top of his fellow wolf, leaps into the air, and lands directly in front of me. He would’ve landed right on top of me if I hadn’t stepped back.
My gun is out, but the first wolf is back and in action. He’s rolling around with silver-eyed, and I can’t get a clear shot. More whimpers and yelps ring out, followed by a loud howl.
The other wolves join the fray, and I can’t see what’s happening between all of the dark fur.
Finally, the wolves back away, one by one.
One lies down on the ground, broken, bleeding.
Dead.
I don’t need to lift an eyelid to know that the dead wolf is the one with the silver eyes.
The wolves stood up for me. They protected me. They put down one of their own.
The one who stood near me limps over. He’s beaten and broken too. His fur is matted with blood just above his eye.
I have no words for them. They have no words for me.
Two of the wolves drag the dead one away. The others slip into the shadows and disappear. Calliope is the last to leave.
For a few minutes, I stare at the ground. It’s too dark for me to see the grass, but I know it’s bloodstained.
So much devastation. It’s all to protect a secret.
Who is the puppet master?
More importantly, what does he or she want?
Chapter 19
Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving give away to a lot more crimes. A lot more. And they’re all perpetrated by criminals with silver eyes.
Silver eyes. Control. Songs. Singing.
There’s a connection. I’m just missing whatever that connection is.
I’m at the station. Only a skeleton crew should be here given that tomorrow is a holiday. With the rampant crime, though, a ton of us are working.
On my computer, I’ve been reading everything I can about vamps and wolves. It’s almost impossible to separate fact from fiction.
The lieutenant kicks me out a few minutes later. Actually, the day’s gone by. It’s after five. Whoops.
I go straight home and sit on my couch, laptop on my lap where I continue to do research. Singing and control.
A hit comes up.
The sirens.
“Hello, girlie,” a lyrical voice whispers in my ear.
I glance over to see a tall woman. She’s gorgeous.
And she’s also there one minute and gone the next.
My mouth drops open with shock and dismay, and I let out a loud yell.
“Come back here, you witch!” I shriek. I practically throw my computer onto the coffee table so I can jump to my feet. “You stupid siren! You’re the reason this whole war is happening, aren’t you? It’s all because of you! Why on earth do you want the vamps and wolves to kill each other? Why the Hell do you want them to kill me? All of those attempts on my life are on your hands, by your voice, aren’t they? You coward! Using and abusing others to achieve your terrible goal!”
A siren. Yes! How did I not figure it out before?
Well, maybe because I hadn’t wanted to believe that yet another mythological creature is actually alive. And is truly terrifying.
A siren is said to lure people to their deaths. Why? Are sirens cannibals? Are there more than one here? How many are there?
I’ve only seen the one, but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna just assume there’s only one hanging around.
The siren isn’t luring people to their death with her song. No. She’s creating this war, igniting it, setting it ablaze. For what purpose?
The humans, when pressed, killed
themselves. Is that her doing? But why did the vamp and the wolf try to kill me? Are they fighting her influence? Or is she not strong enough to fully control them?
Who is she going to control next? More vamps? More wolves?
My friends and coworkers?
“You can’t have them, do you hear me?” I shriek.
Man, I so have to sound like I’m crazy. I’ve never been gladder that I don’t live in a row or a half a double. My neighbors would be calling the cops otherwise.
The irony isn’t lost on me.
“Do you hear me?” I repeat. “Leave my friends out of this. I know you’ve been watching me. You probably feel like you can’t touch me. Well, you go on feeling that, and you include my friends in that too. Leave us all alone. In fact, leave all of Bethlehem alone! Crawl back into whatever hole you climbed out of. Go back to the water. Sing to sailors. Eat them. Hell, I don’t care what you do, just leave.”
Somehow, I can still feel her presence. I don’t see her, but she remains here in some fashion.
Even worse, I know my words mean nothing. She is going to stick around. She is going to target someone I know. And she is going to continue waging her war until she’s stopped.
Only I have no idea how to stop her.
Chapter 20
The faintest sound comes to me, prickling my ears, nudging at me. At first, I think it’s some ad playing in the background on my computer. I shut off the volume.
The sound remains.
The siren. She’s back. But not completely. Just her voice.
The sound remains faint, but it changes slightly. It becomes more lyrical, more melodious. I still can’t quite hear the words, but it is a little clearer.
She’s singing a song.
I clear my throat. “If you’re trying to control me, it ain’t working. Hate to break it to ya. Then again, you suspected that already, didn’t you? That’s why you had those others try to kill me.
A loud shriek paralyzes me for a few seconds. Glass shards burst toward the floor as my windows shatter. My hands fly to my ears the moment I can move again. That is one powerful, terrifying voice! I’m amazed my ears aren’t bleeding.
A being stands before me. The siren. Now, she’s returned, body and voice.
When Sirens Screech (Bedlam in Bethlehem Book 4) Page 8
