Zoey Avenger (Incubatti Series Book 2)

by Lizzy Ford

  You destroyed me. He couldn’t get her words, or the look on her face when she said them, out of his thoughts. He didn’t deserve to. Seeing what he’d done to her was worse than any other punishment he could imagine. Even now it made his blood run cold and his chest clench so tightly it hurt.

  The idea she was giving him a chance, that she was giving them another shot, left him humbled, grateful, and even more concerned about how he was going to juggle his duty and his soul-mate without losing either. If there was a way to prevent the confrontation that loomed, he was running out of time to find it.

  My little Zoey. He sent the words through their connection.

  She didn’t respond. He didn’t expect her to.

  Rubbing his tight chest, Declan glanced at the time before stripping off his clothing and heading to the bathroom for an icy shower.

  Chapter Nineteen: Exploded

  “Zoey, you okay?”

  She blinked out of her stupor, realizing at least three Halflings were staring at her in alarm. She stood in the office at the corner of Olivia’s underground lab. Vikki and Ginny were present, a sign no one had gotten caught during their attempt to distract the Enforcers tracking them the night before. “Yeah, fine. Got your samples, Chrissy.” Tugging the bottles free of her pockets, she handed them over.

  Chrissy frowned. “You, uh, look rough.”

  Zoey glanced at her reflection in a window. Her eyes were puffy and red, her hair a mess and her features pale.

  “Where did you get these?” Vikki asked, taking the bottles.

  Zoey felt heat on her cheeks.

  “Oh.” Vikki appeared surprised. “Did he do something to make you cry?”

  “I wasn’t crying,” Zoey snapped, embarrassed. “Why aren’t you working on fixing this shit, Chrissy?”

  The human took the bottles and rolled her eyes, exiting to the lab.

  Vikki was watching her closely. Zoey ignored her and shooed the other Halflings out of the office in the lab. She’d seen the guarded entrance of the office where the rightful residents of the lab had been tied and guessed the takeover had gone well, or there’d be a slew of messages on her cell.

  “What’s our status?” she asked Vikki.

  “So far, so good. We expect about another five to six hours of uninterrupted time. I don’t think it’s long enough for her to do what she needs to, though. Apparently, this shit is complex. But she did finish up one of her new projects using the tools here.”

  Zoey’s gaze settled on Chrissy. The genius was a godsend. If she didn’t think they’d have the solution to the issue with the Halflings before their time ran out, then Zoey needed an alternative strategy.

  “In the meantime, we have another two Halflings down from convulsions for a total of twelve and two more in the beds here. Grant is stashing the twelve in some secret facility but his people don’t know what we do,” Vikki added. “The others are getting worried.”

  “We need to tear this place apart,” Zoey said, leaving the office. “Whatever Olivia was using to dope everyone has to be here.”

  “Maybe for the Halflings. Not for us,” Vikki pointed out.

  “I’m the only one having blackouts, right?”

  “So far.”

  Zoey nodded, content with the knowledge only she was suffering. She’d have a meltdown if one of her half-sisters were experiencing the terror of waking up somewhere new next to a body. But she wasn’t going to assume her luck would hold out long.

  Vikki reached into her pocket and pulled out three round disks the size of pennies. “These are Chrissy’s newest toys. She calls them buzzers. They’re basically mini-Tazers. Flick it out of the case and throw. When it hits body heat or some shit, it zaps them. They should be disabled for about twenty minutes.”

  “Awesome.” Zoey accepted the three button-sized weapons and scrutinized them. “She’s amazing.” She tucked them into her pocket and started towards the lab exit.

  “You gonna tell me what happened?” Vikki asked, drawing alongside her as they emerged from the lab into the hallway. “This way.” She pointed down the hallway where Zoey had been dropped in Olivia’s office.

  “Nothing happened,” Zoey replied.

  “When have I ever believed any lie you tried to tell me?”

  Zoey rolled her eyes. “Where’s the Professor?”

  “Safe. Now talk.”

  Zoey sighed and followed her best friend into a storage room. “We talked. That’s it.”

  “You did?” Vikki glanced at her. “About the big issue?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And … do you believe him? Forgive him?”

  “Does it matter?” Zoey snapped. “He’s declared war on us.”

  “Yeah but … who really gives a fuck? I mean, how does that change anything? We pulled the plug on both societies when we left. So he’s trying to find us, too. Like I care if one more incubus is hunting me down.”

  Zoey laughed. If there was ever a person she knew she could trust, no matter what, it was Vikki. There was no drama, no hurt feelings, no secrets. “I love you, V.”

  They stopped in the doorway of a storage room. It was littered with cardboard boxes and shelves of office and cleaning supplies.

  “Whatever.” Vikki rested her hands on her hips. “This is the only room where we didn’t take everything apart. There was nothing in the lab or elsewhere.”

  “This looks like files.” Zoey nudged one box with her foot. “Who would keep medical supplies here?”

  “Someone who didn’t want them found.”

  “Hmm. Maybe.” She bent over and pulled a knife free, lifting the flap on top of the box with the blade.

  “So do you?” Vikki pried.

  “Do I what?”

  “Believe Declan.”

  “I don’t know,” Zoey mumbled. “I want to, and I want to hate him. He’s done a lot for us recently.” She paused, mind going to the quiver in his voice when he’d admitted to everything. “If someone is drugged and forced to do something against his or her will, does it really count as bad?”

  “Chrissy is into like karma shit. She says it’s the intention behind the action that counts.”

  “But if you do something really bad without bad intention, you still do bad.” Zoey shook her head and peered into the box. “Files.”

  “Same here.”

  They pushed the boxes to the side and moved to the next.

  “What would you do?” Zoey asked.

  “I would’ve murdered him in his sleep. You’ve always been a bit more … human than I am.”

  “You’re calling short again, aren’t you.” Zoey shot her friend a glare. After a lifetime of being compared to the other six foot tall Barbie dolls that the Halflings and succubae resembled, she’s always been self-conscious of her size, despite being the best Hunter ever.

  “Maybe.” Vikki grinned. “You are short, Zoey.”

  “I’m average!”

  “For a human. It’s cute.”

  Zoey growled in response and hacked at tape binding the box before her.

  “Anyway, I wouldn’t have let him have the chance to explain things,” Vikki continued. “I think it’s a good thing this happened to you and not me for that reason.”

  “You think I should forgive him.” Zoey grew pensive. “Files.”

  “Supplies.”

  They pushed two more boxes to the far side of the room.

  “Forgive is a really strong word. I’d say you should hold it against him for about ten years and make him pleasure you every way possible every day.”

  “I actually like that plan,” Zoey said, almost feeling Declan’s large arousal pressed to her bottom once more. “I just have an issue sleeping with him when I feel so sad.”

  “Give it time,” Vikki advised. “Heidi’s dead so she can’t piss you off anymore.”

  “Not an ounce of pity for that bitch.” Zoey peered into another box then those around it. “Supplies, files, empty files, cartoon bobbleheads?” She
plucked one of the packaged novelties from the box. “Avengers.”

  “Damn civilians. They get the bobbleheads and we get to flee for our lives.”

  Zoey dropped it, growing frustrated. “We know there were Halflings here! Succubae don’t do real work. That’s what Halflings are for.” She pushed aside the boxes to access the row behind it.

  “Ha!” Vikki laughed. “More bobbleheads. Actually, I think these are cool.”

  Zoey sorted through more boxes.

  “Hey, Z. Are you in meltdown mode?”

  “I don’t have a meltdown mode,” Zoey grated.

  “Yeah, you really do. It’s why I didn’t tell you about being pregnant. You were stressed enough. I didn’t want to burden you. You’re always calmer after you and Declan … talk.”

  “That’s all we did, Vikki.”

  “Okay. Well you seem calmer. Like you haven’t melted down or flipped out today when I say his name the way you did the past few weeks.”

  “I wasn’t that bad.”

  “Yeah, you were.”

  Zoey ignored her. The contents of one tucked in a corner caught her eye, and she cut the tape from the second flap before sheathing the knife and kneeling. “Bingo!”

  “Watcha got?” Vikki asked, winding through the boxes to her.

  Zoey tugged a thumb-sized energy drink shot free and held it up. “There’s got to be a few hundred in here.”

  Vikki’s eyes lit up. She peered into the box then began opening those around it.

  “This will work for the Halflings,” Zoey said and wrestled the cardboard unit free. “Chrissy can tell us how much we need.”

  “This one is full, too.” Vikki motioned to another one.

  “Let’s get them to the elevator.”

  Together, they carried one box then the second to the lift. Zoey grabbed one bottle and trotted down the hall to the lab, where Chrissy wore lab glasses and was carefully collecting drops of the serums Zoey brought.

  “Guess what we found!” Zoey held up the vial. “This’ll work, right?”

  “You know for sure they have the toxin in them?” Chrissy asked without glancing up.

  Zoey twisted off the lid and took a whiff. Her nose wrinkled at the potent, bitter scent. “Oh, yeah. I’d recognize that smell everywhere. Super strong, though.”

  “Probably concentrated.”

  “So water down and give to the Halflings? How much should we use?”

  “Experiment. Won’t kill them, I don’t think.”

  “Um, do you know this will work?”

  Chrissy looked up, one eyebrow arched. “Are you asking the doctor or the scientist or the psychic?”

  “I’ll let you know if something goes wrong.” Amused by their key source of brainpower, Zoey snagged a water bottle and dumped half a bottle of the bitter energy drink into it. She took a sip to test it. It was still strong, but she guessed the Halflings were going to need more than usual to balance out.

  She headed to the prison, which had been converted into a patient ward. Two Halflings were in the beds, pale and semiconscious, strapped down after they went near-rabid. The one she recognized as Wendy was awake.

  Zoey approached and sat on the edge of the bed. “Got something for you.” She held out the water bottle.

  Wendy turned glazed eyes to her. After a moment, she took it, struggling to focus on the bottle in her hand. “Water?”

  “Special water. Drink it. It’ll help.” I hope. Zoey suppressed her excitement, praying she’d found an interim solution to keeping the Hunters safe.

  Wendy took a sip and frowned. She took another drink and then downed the rest, as if innately knowing the drug she needed was within. “Awful!”

  Zoey took the bottle and watched her intently.

  Color returned to Wendy’s cheeks, and the glazed look faded from her eyes. She looked around, awareness crossing her features. “Why am I tied down?”

  “How do you feel?” Zoey asked.

  “Good. Like … really good.” Wendy appeared confused. “I felt like shit before.” Her eyes went to the bottle in Zoey’s hands. “What is it?”

  Zoey loosened the straps tying Wendy down. “It’s what Olivia used to drug Halflings,” she explained grimly. “We need to get this to every Halfling on the team.”

  Wendy sat up and rubbed her wrists.

  “I’m sending you and V out with enough for everyone,” Zoey said. “Come down to the lab when you’re ready.” Thrilled the simple mix worked, she hurried back to the lab. “Success, Chrissy!”

  “Okay, good,” came the distracted response. “This antitoxin is insane. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “Meaning …”

  “Meaning, I think it’ll only work when released through natural means. Like if you had the right gland or if you absorbed it from an incubus directly.”

  “Not the right answer, Chrissy.”

  “How do I explain this …” Chrissy paused.

  Vikki joined them, arms crossed as she listened.

  “The toxin is easy to derive a serum from, which is maybe why Olivia used it,” Chrissy started. “The antitoxin, though, is basically … well, useless. It won’t mix with anything else, at least not in the liquid state. I have a feeling it’ll have to be airborne. We can make it airborne, but the antigen that makes it counteract the toxin is destroyed in the process. It’s super unstable outside of the human body. I’m thinking there’s a secondary gland or chemical secreted that mixes with this or triggers it.”

  Dread sank into Zoey’s stomach. “So to stop the blackout, we need an incubus around capable of producing the antitoxin.”

  “It looks that way. Same theory behind why you five members of Team Rogue are drawn to the super incubuses. They’d have to produce an unusually large amount of the antitoxin to counter their natural neurotoxin production.”

  “I hate incubuses,” Vikki grumbled.

  I wish I did, too. Instead, Zoey found her thoughts going once more to Declan and how he’d reacted when she told him the truth, that he destroyed her. The impact of those three words had more of an effect than she expected, and a truth she’d begun to suspect – that he truly did love her – began to grow roots.

  What she did about it after his indiscretions was much harder for her to fathom. She’d been as fragile as glass in his hands, and he’d responded with tenderness, restraint and compassion.

  Somehow, he always managed to surprise her.

  “Earth to Zoey!” Vikki snapped fingers in front of her face. “Movement on the perimeter. Our time’s up.”

  Zoey yanked her mind out of the night with Declan. “V, you and Wendy need to take the drugs to as many Halflings as you can. Chrissy, c’mon!” She whirled her finger in the air in a circle, signaling the rest of the Hunters lingering in the lab to head to the rendezvous point.

  “I just need another –” Chrissy objected.

  Zoey grabbed the samples and pulled Chrissy away, all too aware that a human stood less of a chance than a weak Halfling if they were cornered. “Now, Chrissy!”

  Chrissy went. She reached into her pocket and pulled free a triangular shaped hand grenade. “This fries everything I was doing and should scramble their electronics.” She pulled free of Zoey, shook the device, and flung it into the center of the lab, slamming the door closed.

  “Going up, Z!” Vikki called from the elevator.

  “Stay safe!” Zoey shouted with a wave. “Chrissy, come on!” She tugged at Chrissy’s lab coat.

  “Coming!”

  Zoey waited with another Halfling for the elevator to return. A familiar sensation went through her and she glanced instinctively at her armband to ensure it was in place. “He wasn’t joking.”

  “Who?” Chrissy asked.

  “I don’t think the Sucubatti is here.” Zoey looked up, wishing she could see through the ground. “I think the Enforcers are.”

  Chrissy paled. “I don’t want to meet more of them.”

  “Me neither.”


  The lift opened, and they hurried into it. Zoey tapped her foot anxiously, aware that every second Declan had to move closer was one less for her to escape. She turned on her earpiece when they reached the ground level.

  “Zoey radio check,” she said and gripped Chrissy’s arm, running towards the entrance of the warehouse.

  “Head south,” Vikki directed, sounding out of breath, like she was running. “And for the love of fuck, go out the back.”

  Zoey froze, hand on the front entrance. She backed away and spun, signaling the remaining Hunters out the rear exit. Able to feel the sizzle of sex magic in the air, Chrissy ran with her.

  A Halfling yanked open the back door to reveal the black van waiting, Lydia in the driver’s seat. She waved them over hurriedly, coiffed blond hair and large blue eyes giving her the appearance of a doll.

  They all hopped into the van. Lydia took off before they could close the door, and Zoey tumbled into the back. She grunted as she hit the back and clawed her way forward again to close the door.

  “You okay, Z?” Lydia asked.

  “Drive.” Zoey climbed into the passenger side seat, smacking against the ceiling as Lydia drove the van through a ditch in the field. “Holy shit, Lyd! Didn’t you take the combat driving course?”

  “No!”

  Zoey smacked into the passenger side door and pulled the seatbelt free. Once she was safely strapped in, she gave Lydia a glare then turned her attention to their surroundings.

  “V, what’s happening?” she asked, situating the earpiece after the jarring start to Lydia’s driving.

  “Scattered like roaches. The usual. You clear?”

  “Aside from Lyd’s driving, yeah.”

  “Listen, Z, back to the conversation I wanted to start when we found the energy bottles.” The guilt in Vikki’s voice was a warning.

  “Yeah?” Zoey asked cautiously. “You’ve been hiding something from me because you don’t want me to flip out.”

  Lydia glanced at her.

  The van smacked into something and launched into the air a foot. Zoey pushed at the ceiling. “Focus, Lyd!”