Zoey Avenger (Incubatti Series Book 2)

by Lizzy Ford

  “Grant’s gone,” Chrissy said. “Declan sent someone to his home and office. He didn’t go willingly, Zoey. There’s blood.”

  “Shit. I’ll find him, Chrissy. Lyd, heat sensors. I need to know where the fuck Olivia is!”

  Zoey watched the flickering of flashlights as her Halflings began the process of waking up the others. The tips of her toes and fingers remained numb while her movements felt slower than she was used to.

  “Not fucking … going without me …” Vikki’s groggy objection came across the comms. “Shoot me … ‘gain.”

  “Then get your ass up,” Zoey replied. She whipped out a handgun with titanium bullets and a knife with her other hand. “Catch up, V.” She wiped the slime from her boots and then took off at trot. The flashlight lit up a small red circle a yard ahead. “Lyd! Need directions!”

  “You’ve got incoming, Z,” Lydia reported. “The route you’re headed is packed with security personnel.”

  Zoey’s senses picked up on movement around a corner. She assessed it for a split second before whipping around. Firing three shots, she smashed the knife into the face of the fourth before whipping it across the neck of the succubus. She straightened, warm blood on her hand. “Vikki, Tiff, Gin! What’s your status?”

  “On my way.” Vikki grunted.

  “Shit,” Ginny grumbled.

  “Working on … it,” said Tiff.

  “Tiff, take the Halflings. Gin and Vikki, get them some space to evacuate.” Zoey paused, listening to the sounds of more attackers on the way. “We’ve got incoming. I need the Halflings out!”

  “Talk about moody,” Vikki teased. “On your right. A little off but good enough to kill shit.”

  Zoey flicked off the flashlight and heard Vikki move into place. Her best friend was sluggish. “What the fuck is going on here?”

  “I’d say this was an ambush.”

  “Not everyone knew. The lab rats down the hall were going about business as usual.”

  “Last minute ambush,” Vikki guessed. “Take point. I’m … sucking.”

  Zoey reached out to touch her friend. Vikki was trembling from the combination of two shots of adrenaline and sex magic, radiating energy enough to make Zoey edgy. Zoey stepped over the bodies and moved swiftly down the hallway. She paused when the footfalls and flashlights of succubae security forces reached her.

  One of them began firing shots randomly into the darkness. A bullet grazed Zoey’s shoulder.

  Ouch. Zoey flattened herself against the wall, Vikki beside her. The flash of fire from the muzzle gave her a target, and she lifted her arm, aiming before squeezing off three shots.

  The succubus dropped. Using their flashlights to identify their locations, Zoey finished off her magazine, reloaded it, tucked the weapon away and raced forward, slamming into body of a succubus. Vikki followed, taking out another two. No part of her was about to give the succubae of her former society any mercy and instead, Zoey treated them like Cambions: killing fast and mercilessly. Blood splattered her as her third target fell, and the hall went quiet.

  “Any luck with layout?” she whispered.

  “None. Whatever modifications they did, it’s not on the blueprints. No permits were filed with the county, no history of construction work anywhere online,” Chrissy said, her frustration clear.

  “This is Olivia,” Lydia said. “She’d build it like a security chief. With whatever’s most important at the center of a maze.”

  “We’re working blind here,” Zoey said.

  “Sending you approximate directions,” Chrissy said. “No promises, but I tagged the center of the compound.”

  Zoey’s watch lit up. She started forward, aware Vikki would shadow. They moved in darkness through the hallways, closer to the center of the building, meeting occasional speed bumps in the form of IAB security personnel working with their flashlights on. Zoey and Vikki relied on their instincts to guide them rather than light.

  “Here,” Zoey whispered. She rested her hand on the wall and stepped over their latest targets. The cool concrete gave way to the thick plastic of a medical style door. She tapped Vikki and pushed her down the hall, indicating she should find a secondary entrance.

  Zoey nudged the door open with a hip, weapon ready. She lifted one hand to shield her eyes, blinded by the blazing lights inside the room, and took a second step in. It was a clean room with its own electricity and the hum of an air purifier running. Smaller than the lab, it was too big for her to feel comfortable. Stainless steel counters lined the walls, some laden with lap equipment Zoey didn’t know enough to identify. Three rows of shelves containing supplies were beside an area with refrigeration units.

  At the center of the room was Grant, his head sagging forward. He was bound and tied to a chair, blood visible on his clothing.

  “Found Grant,” she said.

  “Is he okay?” Chrissy asked.

  “Not sure.” Zoey started forward.

  The door closed and locked behind her. She whirled and checked it. It was secure. An alarm went off in her thoughts, one that told her that she’d walked into Olivia’s trap.

  “I think things are about to get rough. If you don’t hear from me in ten minutes, take my comms link, watch, everything of mine offline.”

  No one spoke, understanding her fear. If she blacked out under Olivia’s control, she’d hunt them down using the equipment.

  After a second look at the trap around her, Zoey spoke again. “Paper, Lydia.”

  “Zoey –”

  “Five minutes is more than enough time.”

  Zoey gripped the stock of her handgun, heart racing. She pried the ear bud free, along with the watch, her cell, and the tracker Chrissy gave her. Setting them on the nearest counter, she replaced her gun and drew knife.

  “I’m scared,” she whispered to Declan, unable to voice her concern of being forced into zombie mode and hurting the others.

  You got a huge dose of me last night. Declan reminded her through their connection. Huge.

  She rolled her eyes, grateful for his attempt at humor when she felt next to panicking.

  I’m here, Zoey. I’ll pull you out of the blackout mode.

  “Thank you.” Releasing her breath, Zoey moved into the center of the lab. “Olivia!” she called. “I know you’re here.”

  No response.

  Zoey crossed to Grant and checked his vital signs. He was alive, unconscious and … soaking wet. She flung the wetness of her hand. His wounds appeared superficial. She tugged her armband off and placed it around his wrist. He stood no chance against the succubae without it, assuming he awoke anytime soon.

  The walls absorbed sex energy the way they had in Olivia’s other lab. Zoey searched the perimeter without finding anyone else present in the brightly lit room. Her eyes followed a similar sprinkler system set up in the ceiling.

  The scrape of wood against stone made her whirl. Grant was shaking, unconsciously convulsing. Zoey sheathed her knife and bent beside him, not understanding what was wrong. His frame bucked hard enough for the chair to move. She cut him loose before stepping back, uncertain how or if she should grab him. He fell to the floor.

  The door opened, and she whipped out her weapon, facing it. A woman in a lab coat froze in place, syringe in hand. Olivia stood behind her.

  “He dies without this shot,” the IAB chief said.

  Zoey didn’t move. “What is it?”

  “An experiment. One that’ll kill him without my help.”

  She glanced at Grant. His face was nearly purple, his episode growing worse. Clenching her jaw, Zoey waved the lab technician forward. The succubus knelt and gave him the shot in the neck. She stood and hurried to the door, disappearing into the hallway.

  Grant’s convulsions slowed and stopped. He stilled. Zoey checked to make sure he wasn’t dead before she rose.

  Olivia remained in the doorway, regarding her with amused anger.

  Zoey felt the mist hit her and cursed, glaring up at the sou
rce of the drugs. She stretched for the syringe with one hand and jerked as a drop of water hit her hand.

  This wasn’t the sleeper agent. This was sex energy in its purest form. Each drop was like Declan’s touch and sent a streak of hot desire through her. Zoey froze, suddenly realizing what Olivia was doing – trying to trigger a blackout using mist instead of the concentrated sex energy in an energy drink.

  Zoey pulled her weapon free and faced the pipe leading into the room. Ignoring the amplified sound in the enclosed room, she emptied her magazine into the pipe. It exploded, a small deluge running down the wall to the floor.

  Her instincts gave out a shout of silent warning, and she twisted, barely missing the blade of a short sword aimed at her midsection. It skimmed her hip instead. Olivia’s second blade sliced through her shoulder, and she automatically dropped the handgun.

  With a pain-filled grunt, Zoey threw herself to the ground to avoid a third strike and rolled, bounding to her feet. Olivia smashed an elbow into her, followed by a kick, and Zoey flew back into a shelf filled with supplies. Glass crunched between her and the wall and smashed to pieces at her feet.

  “Fuck!” Reeling from the attack, Zoey shook her head. Glass bit into the exposed skin of her arms, back and chest, and she tested her injured shoulder. Blood streamed down her arms. Declan’s magic flowed unfettered into her, but the shoulder wound was bad enough that she couldn’t lift her arm. “What the fuck do you want with Grant?” she managed and climbed to her feet with a grimace.

  “He sold me out. It pissed me off, so I made him a new subject.” Olivia twirled the swords in her hand. “Never tried anything on a human. Not sure what’ll happen.” She pushed the door closed with her hip.

  Sorry, Chrissy. With Olivia blocking the entrance, Zoey concentrated on healing fast and fighting faster. She freed the short sword at her back with her good hand. The feeling was back in her fingertips, which she took as a good sign.

  “Declan know about the baby?”

  Zoey glared at her. Not about to be baited, she raised her sword and strode forward, lashing out. Olivia blocked and whirled, smashing two blows into Zoey. She danced away, assessing her biological mother’s agility to be nearly as good as any of her daughter’s.

  “He knows what you did to his mom,” Zoey told her. “And that you intended to do the same to me, assuming you could catch me.”

  “It’s only a matter of time, Zoey. Sienna left Ethan for two days. It’s all it takes for your immunity to weaken enough for me to dose you.”

  Zoey said nothing, not liking the reminder that she was flawed in a way that she couldn’t fix.

  “You’re back with Declan now. If I don’t get you, whoever replaces me will,” Olivia continued.

  “You had two months and couldn’t find me,” Zoey replied. “I’m not afraid of you anymore, Olivia, and I’m going to make sure that you never hurt anyone again.”

  “You’re strong, Zoey, but you couldn’t protect the Halflings. What makes you think you can protect anyone else?”

  “Why’d you have to do that?” Zoey’s throat tightened. Even knowing Olivia was trying to manipulate her through emotion, she struggled not to react.

  Olivia lashed out at her.

  Her arm still useless, Zoey deftly maneuvered away from the blades aimed at her head. She ducked a blow and then leapt on top of a counter, smashing her foot into the side of Olivia’s head.

  The IAB chief staggered back. Zoey dropped to the ground, breathing hard yet energized by anger. “You wanna know why you have no backup?” she snapped. “Because your own Council knows you’re a fucking psycho. Hell, even the Cambions are smart enough not to get involved. How fucking messed up do you have -”

  Olivia launched at her, tackling her and smashing her into the wall. Zoey grimaced at the pain in her hurt arm, her eyes on the blade inches from her face. The gorgeous succubus was furious, blood trickling from her temple from the impact with the metal toe of Zoey’s boot.

  “You’ve … lost … Olivia!” Zoey gasped.

  “Not yet.”

  Zoey smacked her knee into Olivia’s thigh. The succubus’s leg folded, and Zoey pushed away.

  “You, your sisters, and your child will never be safe, Zoey. Don’t kid yourself into believing they will.” Olivia snarled.

  “Wrong again. You have got to be a world record for wrongest, stupidest succubus ever,” Zoey retorted. “I can take care of myself and everyone around me, and I’ve got Declan to help me. No one will ever get within a mile of our child. I’ll make sure your replacement knows what happens if she fucks with my family.”

  Fury crossed Olivia’s features. She attacked Zoey with emotion this time, her blades and feet moving too fast to see clearly. Zoey surrendered to her instincts the way she always did, content to avoid being sliced open rather than striking back. Her arm was healing fast with Declan’s help though not yet well enough to use, so she concentrated on predicting Olivia’s movement and remaining a step ahead. Weaving, ducking, whirling and maneuvering through the lab, Zoey waited for Olivia to show a weakness in her defenses or to slip up. Her own motion was slowing, labored by the wounds. A fiery slash sliced one cheek, and she lunged backward to avoid a second blow aimed at her neck.

  Slipping in the layer of liquid sex energy covering the floor, Zoey caught her balance and wheeled to avoid taking their battle close to the unconscious human. Olivia stumbled and shoved into her. The IAB chief dropped to her knees while Zoey went sprawling, splashing into a puddle.

  Breathing hard, Olivia climbed to her feet.

  Zoey rose, a little dizzy from the influence of sex magic. A headache pulsed at the corner of her mind, and she shook her head, not about to blackout now. Sex energy spun through her from the pool at her feet. Intoxicating and invigorating, it was also overwhelming. Another dip into the liquid, and she’d be dragged under. She sucked up what she could to use against Olivia.

  “Problem?” Olivia sneered. “I’m gonna turn you into my slave and send you out to kill everyone you care about.”

  “Fuck you, Olivia. If I fail, this whole place is coming down. There won’t be anything left of you.”

  They circled one another.

  “I’ll take my chances,” Olivia replied.

  “So will I.” Zoey lifted her wounded shoulder. It was moving once more, a sign of how powerful Declan’s magic was. “All good again.”

  “Not for long.” Olivia snatched the handgun that had fallen when Zoey did. She fired it.

  Zoey twisted away. The bullet streaked across her belly, leaving a trail of burning pain. The second went through her side. She threw a knife out of instinct. The blade buried itself to the hilt in Olivia’s hand.

  The IAB chief cursed and dropped the weapon.

  “Here I thought you were trying to fight fair. You were going for my mini-me, weren’t you?” New rage filled Zoey, pushing back the looming blackout. “You will never touch anyone I love, Olivia!” She kicked Olivia square in the chest and sent her smashing into a counter.

  Olivia spun, but Zoey was there, a blade in each hand. Zoey slashed one calf, driving Olivia to her knees.

  “If you kill me, you will never know how to fix Grant!” Olivia cried.

  Zoey slammed the hilt of one sword into Olivia’s head to keep her from rising. “No, but Chrissy will.” She hesitated, aware of what killing Olivia meant. It was the end of the era, the last tie to the Sucubatti, the woman who had created and set her free.

  And Zoey hated her more this night than ever before, knowing what such a black-hearted person was capable of. A month before, if someone had tried to convince her that Olivia was worse than every Cambion alive combined, Zoey would’ve laughed. Knowing how Olivia manipulated the Cambions, her Council, and destroyed the Halflings without blinking … Zoey could find no ounce of pity for the woman who was her mother.

  “Goodbye, Olivia.” With no remorse or second thought, Zoey formed a pair of scissors with the blades and slashed through the succub
us’s neck.

  Olivia’s head rolled to the floor.

  Zoey sheathed her weapons, exhausted. She limped to Grant and shook him. “Grant? C’mon, dude.”

  The floors shook, and the lights flickered.

  “Shit.” Zoey went to the counter where she’d left her equipment. It had been knocked to the floor and submerged in the inch deep puddle of sex energy. Wrenching the door open with one hand, she stood back as Vikki all but tumbled into the room.

  “What the fuck is going on?” her best friend cried. “I’ve been fucking banging …” She stopped as her eyes feel to the blood and lifeless body. “Lyd set off the charge. We gotta go.” She reached for Zoey, visibly assessing Zoey’s wounds.

  Zoey waved her away. “I’m fine. Grant needs help.” She tested her thigh. It hurt badly, but it held. Her gaze went to the body of Olivia. Zoey bent her good leg and snagged the hair on the back of Olivia’s lifeless head.

  “You’re taking that?” Vikki asked, frowning. She hauled Grant up into a fireman’s carry.

  “Yeah.” Zoey limped into the hallway, holding her midsection. Her leg shook.

  “Out the back. Lyd’s blowing the building from the front.”

  Zoey glanced at her bare wrist. The floor down one hallway quaked, so she went the opposite direction. Pain blazing and headache growing, she focused on returning the way they’d come. The hallway behind them began to quake and cave, and she ran as fast as her leg would let her, good arm around Vikki to help support Grant.

  “Fuck!” Vikki muttered, careening into a wall.

  Zoey yanked her in the direction she assumed they needed to go. Her flashlight was gone and she stretched her senses to guide them.

  The floor pitched and threw them to the ground. Grant’s motionless body landed half on both of them. Grunting and dizzy, Zoey staggered to her feet and hauled him up. “Vikki!”

  “I’m … good. Fuck!”

  “We need a window. No way we’re making it out of here.”

  Vikki shined her flashlight down the trembling hallway. “There!”