by Tina Moss
“Humans weren’t the first form of intelligent life on this planet. Long ago they worshipped immortal beings, creatures of pure light as gods and goddesses.” Her face mashed together in a vicious sneer. “Humans, pathetic.” Giving Sera a knowing eye, her features softened. She grabbed Sera’s hand, flipped it over, and swirled a manicured nail over her palm. “Haven’t you ever wondered where your fire comes from?” Not waiting for a response, she continued, “It comes from them, humanity’s false gods and goddesses of old, the Luminarium collective. And all supernatural creatures sprang from them through their vicious rape and abuse of humans.”
“Wait.” Sera held up a hand in a universal stop sign. “You’re telling me all of us, vampires, phage, shifters, and psykes come from humans and these...creatures?” She stared at the gun, trying to determine how drunk the crazy bitch needed to be before fire could be faster than a bullet.
Don’t try it, pet. Guy warned, but offered no alternate plan. Before Sera could badger him for more information, Adriana cut off the silent conversation.
“All of them, yes. The Luminari males violated human females in unspeakable ways.” She downed a third glass of wine, seemingly in a race with herself to finish the bottle. “But not you. You’re something different. You see, we’ve been trying to find a way to reach these...things. And you are the answer. It’s why we needed to find you.”
“How’s that possible?” The slow itch of the flames scratched over her muscles.
“You’re a natural child of the Luminari, born of their essence, not made. Second generation, but still pure. You can communicate with them.” She inched closer and patted Sera’s knee with her free hand. “All we need you to do is make the connection. We want to contact these creatures to,” she paused and smiled, “talk. Once we see your process of communication, we can replicate it. That’s all we want. Then, you’re free to go.”
Her mind churned, and an immediate denial sprang to her lips. “And if I refuse?” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the couch.
“I don’t want this to get ugly.” Adriana stiffened. Her brows drew together.
Be careful, pet. Sera didn’t need Guy’s warning as the gun sat level—in Adriana’s far too steady hand—with her head.
“I’ll need time to think.”
“Certainly. Allow me to give you a space to think.” Grabbing Sera’s forearm, she hoisted her up and shoved the gun at her spinal column. The Martha Stewart poise and polish fell away as the woman’s face fell into a snarl. “I’d preferred this to be civil, Ms. Benenati. But if you insist on being difficult.” The barrel dug into her lower back. “Put your hands over your head and move.”
With all pretenses dropped, Sera put her hands up, but allowed her palms to warm. The heat soothed her, but she needed the opportunity to strike without getting shot. She let Adriana lead her back into the elevator and down three floors.
When the doors opened, the phage bitch knocked her on the side of the head and dragged her into a hall. As Sera clapped a hand to her temple and took in her surroundings, she got sprayed in the face for her efforts. Her eyes burned like liquid fire ate them. She screamed.
“This could have been easy, Sera.” Adriana’s mocking words and the horrible pain had Sera clawing at the air. She squeezed her eyelids to fight the agony. Her arms and legs thrashed, searching for a target. Her skin ignited. “Now, I suggest you behave and think about why you’re in here.”
A harsh white light permeated her stinging vision. The door slammed shut.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
PCD District Eight Headquarters, Calgary, Alberta
Talon stood against the wall, watching as a single bulb flickered overhead. The light cast an orange glow upon the blackmailer. Two chairs met in the middle of the room facing each other. Bound to one sat their prisoner. With his head bowed on his chest, he appeared half-dead, but sadly still breathed. Solid concrete made up the rest of the room. The main wall housed the lone door and a tinted one-way mirror. Microphones and cameras hid in all four corners and could be turned on or off from the outside.
Knocking on the bulletproof glass, Talon signaled they were ready. The electrical equipment went dark and a shutter encapsulated the mirror. No one would be recording what happened in this room tonight.
“Wakey. Wakey.” Drake smacked the prisoner’s burnt cheek. “Time to get up.”
The second chair’s metal legs screeched across the stone floor as Talon took a seat. He planted his feet on either side of the chair and palmed his gun. Leaning his elbows on his knees, he tilted forward and stared as the man’s black eyes fluttered open. “So, Matt, is that what you said your name was? You ready to start talking?”
Talon kept his gaze locked on the prisoner, but watched from his peripheral vision as Drake crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the far wall. The tension permeated the air as thick as oil. If they didn’t get answers from this piece of shit, they might never find Sera. He locked his jaw and squeezed his leg hard. He couldn’t let those doubts enter his mind for even a second or he’d never be able to carry on this interrogation.
“Well, Matt.” He counted to five, stifling his emotions and letting the bastard regain consciousness. “What’s it gonna be?”
“Agent Rede.” The prisoner lifted his head. A smile formed on his scarred face, stretching the skin into awkward angles. He looked around, tested the cuffs that bound his wrists and ankles to the bolted metal chair, then met Talon’s eyes. “It seems you’ve caught me at last. Good for you.”
Talon nodded and half smirked. “And now the question is am I going to keep you?” Flicking the safety off, he tapped his gun on his thigh. “You have two options here. Tell us what you know and have a long life in jail or...” He allowed his words to drift away. The shot sailed home an inch from Matt’s foot. The sound reverberated off the concrete walls. “Have a short and painful life in this room. Your choice.”
A manic laugh bubbled from Matt’s throat, sputtering out his lips. “Now, now, no need for the threats. I have nothing to hide.”
“Glad to hear it. Let’s start with Sera.”
He slouched against the seat’s grated backing. “Oh, yes, dear Seraphim. What part would you like to start with?” His voice grew soft, then louder until he shouted and pulled at his restraints. “Her tits? Her ass? No? How about the part where she spouts fire?”
Talon never heard his chair move, nor the sound of Drake’s feet rushing from the corner. Somehow, he’d managed to knock over his seat, holster his gun and wrap his hands around the bastard’s throat. At the same time, Drake maneuvered a hold under his shoulders and yanked. Talon stumbled into the vamp’s chest, but not without leaving harsh red bruises along the prisoner’s neck. It took mere breaths; any longer and they’d have no one to interrogate.
“Try that again, phage, and you’ll wish I let him rip out your throat,” Drake said, holding Talon in a deadlock grip.
“I’m good, vamp. Let go.” He stilled. The blood drained from his head as the rage passed. He shot a look over his shoulder and slanted his eyes. Drake released him and took up his previous position against the wall.
Talon turned to the prisoner, sitting across from him once more. “I won’t kill you, Matt, and if you want to play this game,” he pulled out his gun, aimed and fired. The bullet landed just under Matt’s shoulder, avoiding vital organs. Blood spilled from the wound and the scream pierced the air, “we’ll play by my rules.”
“Asshole.” Matt clamped his teeth as the hole weaved together. “Aren’t you a cop? Where’s my lawyer?”
“You’ll get a lawyer. Later. If you cooperate.” He aimed the gun again. His brows pulled in a line as he concentrated on where to shoot next without putting the bastard under. Pain was a great motivator, but an unconscious prisoner wouldn’t get him answers. “So, let’s try again. Where is Sera?”
A snort was his reply.
Talon pointed the gun at Matt’s stomach, then l
ower.
“All right. All right. You want answers, no problem.” He wiggled the fingers of his right hand and waved his palm down. “Put the gun away. Let’s chat.”
“Gun stays. And for every answer, I don’t like,” he clicked a bullet into the chamber, “I add to your collection of scars.”
“Oh, but that’s the beauty of becoming phage.” He glanced at the spot on his shoulder where Talon had shot him. “No more scars. Besides, Sera already took care of that.”
“You.” Talon stiffened. “You’re the one that tried to hurt her. The piece of shit from high school.”
“I...I...tried to hurt her? Look what she did to me!” He stretched his wrist and motioned to the scars along his collarbone and chest.
“Some might call that justice,” Drake said from the corner. “Wouldn’t you agree, Talon?”
He narrowed his eyes and shook his head at the man’s scars. Before he might have felt differently, might have called it unfair, vigilante even, but now... “I agree.”
“Idiots. That bitch put me in a coma for eight years.” His teeth extended from his gums as his jaw widened. Black eyes bulged from their sockets, spinning in circles. “The phage promised me retribution. I became one of them, and I never have to deal with another scar again.” He smiled and the double row of pointed four-inch teeth curved up. “They gave me power and freedom. I could control a whole army of them. All those new phage just itched for flesh. It was so easy to unleash them, and drag Sera into the trap. But that whore kept burning them. So I had to do the deed myself. That’s justice.”
“You turned phage to get revenge on Sera, and use newbies to trap her? Clever. But then, why let her go?” Talon relaxed into the seat.
“Adriana! She stole her. I was supposed to have Seraphim to myself. But she shot me and took her.” His voice screeched higher with each word. “Revenge. She promised me revenge.”
“Ah yes,” Drake said, walking into the light. He raised an eyebrow. “The queen’s general, right? She can be a real piece of work, huh?”
Talon didn’t have a clue who this Adriana was, or how Drake knew about her, but he noticed the vamp’s questioning method and played along. “Not true to her word at all.”
“Yesss.” A crooked tongue forked between Matt’s fangs. “She thinks she’s so high and mighty. But she made me and released me from the mind control so I could do her dirty work.” He banged his fists onto the chair’s arms. “I was supposed to have vengeance, but she stole her. She took her from me.”
“You can’t trust women.” Drake sighed in mock support. “They’ll screw you every time.”
“Now, you’ll never get Sera back.” Talon placed his head in his hand, his cheek resting on his palm. “It’s a shame, really. We could’ve used her for questioning.”
“I will. She’s mine. I won’t share her.” He bit his bottom lip with two long pointed incisors. “I can get her.”
“Might be hard to do from there, but maybe we could help?” A set of keys jingled from Talon’s belt.
A high-pitched screech echoed through the room. Talon struggled not to clap his hands to his head, and subtlety shifted his inner ear canal to lessen the sting. The phage bastard continued to wail, until his eyes popped back into his head and his teeth returned to normal human size. He grinned. “Nice try, but I won’t be conned that easily. I’ll take that lawyer now.”
Shit. Talon cursed inwardly and slid from his seat. “Of course.” He rose with gun still in hand, sensing no amount of threats would get the bastard talking further. “I’m afraid you’ll have to stay here. Overcrowding in the cells. And since it’s the middle of the night, I doubt we’ll be able to get a lawyer down here for you for at least,” he checked his watch, “oh I don’t know, how long do you think it would take, Drake?”
“Easily twelve hours.” The vamp’s wolfish grin showed his elongated fangs.
“If not longer. Ah well, enjoy, Matt.” Talon tapped on the door and it slid open. He ushered Drake out, before turning to wink at their prisoner. He stepped to the hallway and slammed the door shut. The locks clicked into place. He eyed Drake. “Now, tell me about this Adriana. What do you know?”
“Strife told me to get the dirt on her. She’s the bitch from the TV report.” Drake paused as Talon bristled at the vampire’s name. “Veritas is not the enemy here, chief. I’ve told you before.”
“We’ll deal with that later.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and started walking down the hall. “Just tell me.”
“The woman’s name is Adriana Farrington. She’s a supposed advocate for phage rights, but she’s got ties in all sorts of politics.” He moved closer, halting Talon’s strides. “And she’s most likely a general for the phage queen.”
“What in seven hells are you talking about?”
“I tried to tell you about the phage, Talon. They’re not some new SUB group. They’ve been around for a long time and they’re led by this quote queen unquote, Reyna.” He ran a hand through his spiky blond hair sending the locks flying. “Look it’s complicated, but long story short—they’re bad, plain and simple. And if this Adriana chick is working for the queen, Sera’s in real trouble.”
“Then, where do we find this Adriana?”
“Not a clue. Think it’s time you touched base with your tech gal. I’ll go tell Val what we’ve got so far.” Drake made to go.
“Drake.” Talon caught him by the arm and stopped him a moment longer. “Thanks.”
He nodded and disappeared down the hall.
Digging his cell out of his pocket, he called Meg. When he heard her greeting on the other end, he didn’t give her anytime to breathe and launched into a rundown of Adriana, the phage, Matt, and most important, finding Sera.
When the call ended, he paced the hall. Visions of his time with Sera occupied his head. He tried to shut them out, but couldn’t shake the fear that gripped him and the question that lingered. Where is she?
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Apartment Complex, Calgary, Alberta
Sera? Sera? Guy nagged and interrupted her wallowing. Oh come on now, pet. Don’t be that way.
“What do you want?” Sera rested against vertical bars. Well, at least, she suspected they were bars. Her eyes still stung like a dozen beestings. So far, everything she’d been able to find out about her new accommodations fired her nerves. The room took eight steps to crawl across and drowned her in light that burned her sensitive eyes. It didn’t have any tangible exit she could discern without her vision, although she knew one door existed since Adriana smashed it in her face.
So touchy. Her pest continued talking. No matter. I’ll still help.
“Help?” She rubbed her cheeks where the poisonous spray had touched, but it only made the irritation worse. “How are you going to help?”
Simple. This phage wants to know how to contact the Luminarium. We’ll show her.
“Wh-What’re you babbling on about?” A strange tingling started in the base of her neck. She massaged the spot. “You think she was telling the truth about these creatures?”
Luminari, or collectively, the Luminarium. Sera felt Guy bristle like a weird shimmy across her mind. She may be insane, pet. But she wasn’t lying.
“Oh, please. You’re as crazy as she is.”
That’s possible, but that’d make you a nutcase too. He laughed, a low gurgling that made her want to tear her hair out. Besides, it’s not that difficult. All you have to do is contact your grandfather.
“My grandfather? What does he have to do with this?”
Geez, pet. I thought you’d have put two and two together by now, you being a journalist and all. He sighed. The dramatic gesture swept over her psyche. Ah well. I’ll spell it out. Your grandfather is a Luminari. Hate to break it to you, but the phage told you the truth. The Luminarium, the collective, are real.
“As soon as I get out of here, I’m having myself committed to the psych ward.” She blinked away tears as her eyes flushed out the spray’
s chemicals. “Maybe the docs will be able to figure out how to get rid of you.”
There’s no getting rid of me, pet. I’m part of you. He paused as if waiting for her response. She refused to rise to his bait. Don’t believe me? Call to your grandfather. Let go and initiate the connection. You’ve already embraced your fire. You aren’t afraid of it anymore, so it’s possible to reach him now.
“If she wasn’t lying, then my grandfather is some immortal god.” Her fingers shook as she pulled at an amber strand.
Don’t listen to half-truths, pet. You’re better than that.
The lights grew brighter when her vision cleared. The stinging subsided, but the white fluorescents almost blinded her anew. She shook her head, questioning if she was indeed “better than that” as Guy implied. The room appeared even smaller than she imagined and the walls seemed to move closer with each passing second.
She took a deep breath and said, “Fine, what do I do?”
You’ve talked with him before. Close your eyes, stop fighting, and embrace who you are. Who we are, pet.
“I don’t know how to do it.”
You’ve already done it. It’s how your grandfather was able to make contact with you in the first place, when you accepted the fire and attacked those phage in Buckhorn. A subtle breeze seemed to sweep across her mind. Breathe, pet and let go. He imitated a cricket’s hum. Now go, grasshopper.
“Idiot,” she murmured, closing her eyes. She focused on resisting the urge to crank up some heavy metal to block out Guy’s annoying voice. Warmth encircled her heart as she took cleansing breaths. All this time, she’d imagine it’d be difficult. She’d fought so hard to keep it away—Guy, her past, the fire, the pain. But letting go, it was...freeing, easy, as simple as taking a breath. She sighed, using the inhale and exhale to center her energy. After a few minutes, she heard it.
“Hello Sera.”
