by S. K. Sayari
Selena sucked in a deep breath, allowing the monster that lived inside her to awaken. It writhed within its cage, wanting nothing more than to break free of the reins and take control. Learning how to deal with the demon that shared her soul had taken a long time. While the monster craved blood and the need to kill, Selena despised the desires it hungered for. The worry of what would happen, of what it would do if she let go of the restraints, was a constant battle. Imagining a never-ending storm of blood and death, she worked every day to keep a firm grip on it, to never lose control over the monster.
Today, though, with the full moon at her beck and call, she could afford to bring it forward while still holding tight to her leash. For werewolves, the moon’s magic was a curse—but for her it was a blessing, increasing her control.
Closing her eyes, she released her hold ever so slightly and tucked herself into the alley behind the pub. When she opened her eyes, a rush of power coursed through her veins and a darkness enveloped her. The monster within was ready to take down whoever stood in their way. But there was only one kind of life she would allow it to take.
Those most deserving of death.
“All right, let’s find us a criminal, shall we?”
Selena sprinted toward the darker side of town, where all the bad humans liked to parade. She kept to the shadows, heightened senses giving her an edge as she found her way to the place she’d gone almost every full moon since the killing of her master. The man responsible for her bloodlust.
It had been months since she escaped that boarding school—since she ended his life with her own bare hands.
As she slipped through the streets, she slowly neared the town’s center. From ahead came the sound of chanting, and she stilled. Tonight was Worship-the-gods-who-damned-us Day—or to them, Blessed Saint’s Day.
On light feet, Selena kept to her cover, not wanting to be seen as she spied on the spectacle. A dozen or so women stood around an altar of the goddess Freya. Each of them bowed while holding a dim candle. One by one, they placed the burning light next to the altar and returned to their prayers.
“Almighty Freya, we call to you. Bless it be that you give us strength and the means to bring life back into this—”
“Lunatics. All of them,” Selena huffed as she climbed up the side of a building.
She hopped her way from rooftop to rooftop, closing the distance to the darker side of town until she could see over the crowd of thugs—the men and women who prowled the streets like rabid dogs. Looting and stealing, bootleggers and murderers. All the bad Selena loved to gnaw on. She sat there a while, looking for the right one.
A soft breeze brought their scent to her, and the need to jump down and take a man’s life was almost too much. She pulled back the reins of the monster, who lashed against the restraints.
“Not yet,” she hissed.
“Talking to yourself?”
The voice behind her sent Selena to her feet with her dagger drawn. To sneak up on her when her senses were stronger than a normal human’s was nearly impossible; damn her to hell for allowing herself to be distracted by the alluring scent of the men below.
The one who stood before her looked no different than the thugs she wanted to sink her teeth into. His unkempt hair sat shaggy against dark skin while his blue eyes looked her up and down. Her lips curled into a snarl, and the monster within her wanted to tear him to pieces for interrupting their hunt for dinner.
“What do you want?”
“Are you Selena Russo?”
No one had called her by her surname for so long; she almost didn’t recognize it. “Who’s asking?”
“Just someone hoping to have a moment of your time. My name is Xander.”
Selena breathed deeply. Nothing about this man smelled supernatural. Then again, neither did she—and she wasn’t exactly human. Sure, she had a human heart—and pretty much every other organ—but the monster inside would never be anything more.
“You should go.”
“I know what you are.”
Xander took a step closer, and she fought the monster, who wanted to sink its sharp teeth into his neck. The pulse of his veins begged to be sucked dry like a drug. It took her a second to realize what his words meant.
“Do you now?”
“An Infuriya.”
Unaware that humans had ever heard of her kind, Selena stilled. Vampires, werewolves, and witches, sure, but she was something else—something far more dangerous.
Taking a step closer, she sucked in a sharp breath, but again, he smelled like nothing other than aftershave.
“Then you know what I can do.”
“I also know you have a certain set of skills and that you’re closer to a human than any other supernatural predator. I need your help.”
Selena laughed. “You’re asking me for help? Someone that could kill you in a single heartbeat?”
“I’ll pay well.” He held out a sack and opened it, displaying a large wad of bills.
Her eyes widened. Was her need for money so bad that she was actually considering helping him? The beast inside wanted to simply take the money and run, but the look of desperation on the man’s face was almost too much. Selena could have cursed herself for what she was about to do.
“What kind of help are you looking for?” she asked wearily, keeping an eye on the sack.
“I need help finding someone.”
“I’m sure law enforcement is better equipped for such tasks.”
“Finding my sister is not exactly their top priority in a town full of thugs and things that go bump in the night. Plus, I don’t want them. I want you. Please—I can offer more than money if it means you’ll do the job.” Distress layered the man’s words, his plea pathetic but real, and Selena needed the money.
“What are you offering?”
“A place to stay. I know you’ve been living in the motel on Fifth and Park, which has more roaches and rats than the gutters. Come, see what I can offer, and if you still refuse, I will take that as your word and leave you be.”
Selena narrowed her eyes. “You’ve been watching me?”
“I—”
“Forget it. Take me to your home.”
Even if he was leading her into a trap or a ruse, all she needed to do was let the monster loose and move on. She supposed finding a new town to live in wouldn’t be so bad. Getting away from the manor at the top of Floyd Hill would probably be for the best anyway. Visions of killing her master still flooded her dreams, but maybe being away from this place would ease her mind a little.
Xander led her through the dark streets, and the monster within grew wild with hunger. Once she was sure the man’s words were true, she’d find food. If not, well, then they had already found their dinner for the night, hadn’t they?
The house they stopped in front of sat between two taller structures. It appeared abandoned, with the front gate hanging from broken hinges while the lawn sprouted to the tops of her knees. Most of the yellow siding was faded or missing, leaving the wood exposed. The only window, a small oculus with a crack from one edge to another, remained covered by a curtain on the inside. Nothing screamed quaint or inviting.
“This is where you live?” she asked.
“The outside is rough, I know. But the inside is updated and not as pathetic. It’s my job to take care of these things, but that’s hard to do when all you can think about is finding your sister.” Xander shrugged and pushed open the gate, which desperately needed some sort of grease.
Inside, much to Xander’s word, had been updated but still begged for a good clean. Selena slid a finger against the round table at the entrance and grimaced at the amount of dust she collected.
They walked through the front room and into a kitchenette. Nothing here showed a speck of grime. Xander was right; this was way better than the crummy room she was staying in.
“All right. I’ll help you, but I need to know every detail—places she could have gone, people who had a grudge against her
…anything that could lead me in the right direction. I’ll also need something of hers, something that carries her scent.”
“Her name is Alexi.” He withdrew a picture from the pocket of his jeans and handed it to Selena. “She never went anywhere except the park a few blocks down. I told her she needed to stop going there alone, given that she’s deaf. No one dislikes Lex—she’s a beautiful ray of sunlight—but one night when I returned home, she was just…gone.”
Selena looked at the picture in her hand, a child no older than ten with bright gold pigtails and a face she found herself smiling at. She bit her lip, forcing the beast to stand down, its thoughts overpowering her mind as she witnessed its need to taste such a delectable treat. Xander fidgeted with the collar of his shirt, his nerves only making her hunger worse.
“Give me something so I can recognize her scent. I’ll head out to the park and see what I can find. How long has it been?” Selena slid the picture of Alexi into her pocket and looked to Xander, whose gaze wouldn’t meet her own.
“It’s been a year today.”
“A year!” Selena shook her head. Finding anyone after that long…he had to know the odds by now. She felt sorry for him—and the need to comfort him. An emotion she’d thought lost to her.
How peculiar.
“I’ve been searching and done everything I can to no avail. If I had any other option.… Just help me find her.”
She owed this human nothing. Walking away from this would be as easy as throwing another knife at the red target. Yet, it was as if something compelled her to help him—a stranger she’d only just met. She couldn’t put a finger on why and huffed a sigh. “Okay, fine. Though I’m not sure I can find someone who’s been missing for a year with no leads.”
“Well, there was one lead. The police found her favorite hat in the trunk of some thug’s car. He claimed he found it and was going to give it to his daughter. The police never found any sign the man was lying, but…”
“Go on.”
“It was one of the Marzden brothers.”
Selena groaned. The Marzden family were a whole clan of vampires, nestled into the rich side of town in luxurious houses, and part of the mob. They were as close to her kin as any of the supernatural families, and she despised them. More than likely they had done the job, but they also had all of law enforcement in their pocket.
“I know where one hangs out, and he and I have an understanding. Let’s go. But I have one request before we do—I’m going to need some of your blood.”
Xander nodded, a little too quickly. Had he been expecting this? It made her skeptical of his intentions, and she hesitated—but only for a moment. The beast’s hunger outweighed any worry. She let the monster show, just enough to take what she needed. His blood tasted sweet, a little more so than normal, but still, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She pulled away, wiping her lips on her sleeve, before looking back at Xander, who seemed unperturbed, like he did this all the time. No look of horror, no shiver or sway in his body.
“Are you sure you’re human?” Selena narrowed her eyes.
“As human as I look.” He shrugged.
“Tell me the truth.” Selena gazed into his eyes, pulling on what magic she possessed. It wasn’t much, but it aided her when needed, and she was wary of this man’s intentions.
“I have not lied to you.”
She could feel his truth as if it were her own, yet the monster inside was unconvinced. Being at odds with herself didn’t sit well, but what else could she do? His truth outweighed her monster’s worry.
Suspicious still, Selena continued to keep her guard up as they drove away in Xander’s car. They headed across town to a strip club owned by the Marzdens that also served as one of their illegal casinos. A place Selena frequented often when needing extra cash, though the last time she'd been told to never return. Lucky for her, she never listened to orders.
Selena couldn’t help gazing at Xander. Before they’d left, he’d changed into a nice button-up top and pants that matched his dark skin tone. She found herself staring and pried her eyes away. Odd that she’d find herself attracted to a human. Another question to the riddle that was Xander.
After an awkward and silent car ride, while Xander continued to rub the sore on his wrist, they pulled up to Fangs and found themselves being eyed by the bouncer. Selena recognized him and smiled. Purely human, but a blood bank to the vampires inside.
“Selena! It’s been a while. You know you’re not allowed in here.”
“Hey, Cliff. I know, but Bruno isn’t here. I can tell by the level of stench that hasn’t wafted my way. I just want to show my new friend here a good time.” Selena grabbed Cliff’s hand, placing a few bills in it before closing his fingers and winking.
“No fighting this time, please.”
“I can’t promise to be on my best behavior, but I can give you this.” Selena looked into Cliff’s eyes, letting her monster peek out from behind the human guise. “You never saw me; you have no idea how I got into the club or who I was with.”
Cliff swayed on his heels. By the time he caught his balance, Selena and Xander were already walking into the club. She hated using her gifts on good humans, but she liked Cliff, and the less he knew the safer he was.
“What now?” asked Xander.
“Stay close and let me do most of the talking. You being a human is going to put us at a big disadvantage. We need to find who we are looking for and get out before someone important notices. Got it?”
“Loud and clear.”
As they pushed their way through the crowd of people, Selena sensed Xander’s gaze shifting between the dancers on the stages that surrounded them. Most were human, and judging by the collars around their necks, they were nothing more than pets to the vampires. It had taken Selena a long time to stop asking if they needed her help. They never listened anyway. She pulled on Xander’s arm, doing her best to keep him from being enthralled like the rest of the room, and made her way toward the back of the club. Standing there with arms crossed was someone else she knew all too well.
“Are we going to have another problem, Max, or are you going to let me pass?”
The guard looked at Xander and then back to Selena. The black eye he had was finally going away, though she wouldn’t mind giving him another if needed. “Keep your puppet and your hands to yourself. I give you one hour; after that you have to leave.”
Good enough to find her man, ask for answers, and get out before Bruno showed up.
They entered the casino, a much classier sight than the dancing buffoons they’d left behind. Here, people were dressed in cocktail dresses and suits more expensive than anything Selena would ever be able to afford. She only had a few moments to check out her surroundings before the man she’d come for entered her line of sight.
“Come with me.” Selena linked her arm with Xander’s, and her heart sped up as she felt the muscle beneath his shirt.
They approached the bar where Alonzo sat. His bald head and bulky shoulders were too easy to spot in the crowd of young beauty. She slid into the seat next to him, motioning for Xander to take the other, and huffed.
“Do you really think that thing is going to keep people from noticing your shiny head?” She pointed toward the fedora that sat on the bar.
“Selena. I thought you weren’t allowed back.” Alonzo’s deep voice vibrated within her. She might have worked with him in the past, but the vampire was scary. Vibrant green eyes drifted down her torso and back up until they stopped on her lips. He licked his own, causing Selena to shudder.
“You didn’t come here to play, or you wouldn’t have brought that,” he grumbled, nodding toward Xander.
“I’m here on business, and I wouldn’t play with you even if you paid me.”
Alonzo snorted. “And here I thought you were all about pleasure.”
“I’m looking for a girl. Name’s Alexi.” Selena ignored his seductive tone, pulling out the picture and handing it to him.
&
nbsp; His brows furrowed as he studied the girl’s face. “Who wants to know?”
Ha! So he did know something. Satisfied, Selena snatched the picture back. “I do. You know where she is?”
Alonzo shook his head. “I remember her though. Cute girl. She and Hailey played together at the park. Haven’t seen her in a long time.”
“Hailey?”
“She’s a Marzden’s kid. A human girl turned vamp. Parents thought it was a good idea to let her be with people who knew how to take care of her.”
Ignoring the fact that a vampire child was running around somewhere, she pulled her questions back to finding Alexi. “Police said one of the brothers had the girl’s hat in the trunk of his car. You think they turned her?”
“Turned?” Xander shot out of his chair, sending it skidding back. “What are you saying?”
“Not now,” Selena hissed and turned back to Alonzo.
“You better watch yourself, Lena. They hear you’re investigating them—”
Selena threw her hands up. “I’m just looking for a girl, Al. I don’t care about the brothers.”
“Is that so?”
Shit.
Selena turned in her chair and came face-to-face with the one person she’d been trying to avoid. This vampire was straight class and could fool any human into thinking him normal. He was anything but. If Selena had to guess, he was kissed by the goddess Hera herself with how he walked about. A dark-grey suit curved along his muscular build, contrasting perfectly against his dark skin. His emerald eyes were deep and inviting, but that wasn’t what caught her attention the most. The military-cut hair he sported was almost enough to make her wonder what it might feel like between her fingers. Though, sadly, she’d only ever felt his face on her knuckles. Which was how she preferred most of her men.
“Bruno.”
“And here I thought we’d banned you. Good to know we need to take Cliff off bouncer duties. Who do we have here?” Bruno eyed Xander, sliding his tongue against his bottom lip, showing off his fangs.
