by Ainsley Cole
He’d told her once, one of the ways to kill him. She’d taken his advice.
Crouching down, Marley stared at him. He slowly lifted his gaze to her face, shock, and agony etched in his features, “Why—?”
Blinking, her gaze shifting to the wound the dark handle of the knife was flat against his stomach, the blade deeply embedded in his flesh and she wondered if it pierced all the way up to his heart, “Why not?”
Standing, she picked up the keys to the Alpha, flinging one last look back to him.
He was watching her, his eyes slowly turning white again and she raised an eyebrow.
It didn’t faze her.
The creature she had given so much to—by her own hand—bleeding out onto her apartment floor. Closing the door, Marley left the apartment. Sadness about the dying vampire in the room behind her—furthest thing from her mind.
****
Rhayden’s stomach sung with pain, his muscles contracting around the cold steel of the blade. His head was in turmoil, his heart in tatters.
She had stabbed him; with a twelve-inch kitchen knife!
Even when she had stabbed him, after she’d first met them; the bloody blade had only been no more than a few inches, a tiny flick-knife.
It had been more a warning—Keep your distance.
This was a huge kitchen knife!
Johann had done something to her. There was no way she would have been able to get the upper hand on him; she was only human.
Groaning, he moved, the knife twisting slightly in his stomach.
He growled in pain, his first instinct, to rip it from his skin. But with such a huge wound, he would bleed out quickly. As it was, he was sure he could feel the tip of it digging into the bottom of his dead heart.
Reaching into his back pocket, pulling out his phone, he dialed the mansion.
“Absinthe Raynes.”
“Abe.” Rhayden could feel his eyelids growing heavy, his being, the unnatural creature he was, trying to preserve his body. He fought it. He wanted to find Marley, cure her…
“Rhayden? Where the fuck are you?! Are you with Marley? Is she okay?”
“Abe, help me…” voice slurred, his hand shook, trying to hold the phone still.
“Rhayden? Rhayden what happened? Where are you?”
“I’m at her apartment Abe. Please, hurry. Bring serum and blood—lots and lots of blood.” His voice trailed off, head swimming.
“Rhayden? Rhayden!”
The phone dropped to the ground, hand falling to his side.
The edges of his vision started to blacken, closing in on him and he sagged. Falling to the side, his brother’s voice still screaming down the phone, Rhayden slipped into unconsciousness.
****
Marley smiled as she pulled up in front of the club. It was still dark, the night finally coming awake with the creatures she seemed drawn to.
Leaving the Alpha out the front, she dropped the keys into her pocket, sauntering up to the doorman, “Hey, let me in?”
The big man turned his slightly yellowed gaze to her, leaning in closer. He sniffed, huffing slightly, “You shouldn’t be here. This isn’t a place for children.”
Marley turned her head, staring into the man’s eyes, her mouth coming close to his. “Honey, I can handle myself. Let me in, before I huff and puff and blow your shitty little club down.”
The bouncer raised an eyebrow, but stepped back, lifting the little yellow rope and let her into the club. Marley smiled, blowing the man a kiss and stepped into the dark, pulsing building. After the fun she just had, she needed someone to get off with.
****
Absinthe slid to a halt in front of Marley’s apartment door, hoping the sight on the other side of it wouldn’t be as bad as he thought. It hadn’t taken long to get to her apartment—only a couple hours. But to Abe, it had seemed like days.
He looked at Korin. His cousin had been at the mansion for discussions on Mathias and what they would do with difficult coven Lord. Korin shouldered the bag of supplies, nodding, as Absinthe tried the door handle.
The door clicked open and he pushed, his gaze moving around the apartment. There had been a battle here. Items were scattered, the apartment in disarray and his gaze finally settled on the slumped figure of his little brother.
“Rhayden!” rushing across the room, he fell to his knees, turning his brother onto his back. He smoothed away blood-stained blonde hair, exposing his face. “Rhayden!”
His nose was broken, blood having gushed down his face. Absinthe’s gaze moved to his brother’s stomach, seeing the kitchen knife lying flat against his skin, the blade deeply embedded in his flesh. The sight of the weapon in his brother’s body had his stomach churning.
Who had done this to him? Had Johann stabbed him?
Where was Marley? Was she okay?
Korin went to his knees opposite him, putting the pack on the floor. Opening it, he removed syringes, taking the caps off and he shoved one of the into Absinthe’s hand, bringing him out of his stupor, “Abe, come on, the blood is still wet, we need to get him back, or we will lose him completely.”
Nodding, ignoring the pain in his own chest, Absinthe moved his brother’s arm, pushing the needle into Rhayden’s flesh. Emptying the contents into his vein, he dropped the syringe to the ground, holding his hand out.
“Another.”
The second came to his hand and he pushed into Rhayden’s skin. Absinthe looked down at the blade, knowing he would have to be quick, “We have to get the IV set up, before I pull the blade out.”
“Onto it,” Korin replied, as he opened another needle, pushing it into Rhayden’s other arm. He hooked the IV bag of blood to it as he muttered. “Come on you little shit. Don’t you dare die, I haven’t picked on you enough.”
The blood from the IV bag started to run into Rhayden’s arm and Absinthe moved, grabbing another shot of the serum. He put it between his teeth, grabbing the shirt on Rhayden’s torso and ripped it open, exposing his bare chest.
He peeled it way and looked at his cousin, taking the syringe out of his mouth as he pulled off the cap. “Korin, you will need to pull the blade out as I do this. He’s going to wake up fucking angry and jacked up. So, you’ll need to back up as soon as you do, otherwise you’re going to end up with a broken nose. Okay?”
“Yep.” Korin moved, gripping the knife and Absinthe grimaced, knowing this was going to hurt. Not just his brother, but himself as well. It’d been so long since he’d had to save his life. He forgot how much pain the jackass caused to his heart.
His brother was the only part of his family left…
“Right, on the count of three. One…two…three!”
As Korin pulled the knife, Absinthe slammed the syringe down into his brother’s chest, piercing his heart. Pushing down on the plunger, his cousin scrambled back as Rhayden’s body convulsed and his back arched, “Argh!”
Rhayden’s eyes snapped open, his arm coming up and he ripped the syringe out of his chest, glaring at his brother.
“That fucking hurt, you moron!”
Absinthe hung his head, closing his eyes as he shook it.
“Typical Rhayden.”
He opened his eyes and looked down at his brother’s stomach wound, seeing it stitching itself closed, the skin quickly sealing, and his gaze went to his face. His nose was set again, but the blood still lingered on his skin, “What happened?”
Rhayden’s eyes shifted to him, then to Korin, groaning. “Oh great, not you.”
“Hey, I saved your life, you little turd.”
“Yay,” Rhayden said, shaking his fists as if in celebration, his teeth shining brightly as he grinned, before his face slackened. “Now fuck off.”
“Rhayden.”
“What?” he asked, looking at his brother. “I don’t want him here.”
“Why not? What happened? Did Johann do this?” Rhayden closed his eyes and Absinthe felt his stomach flip. He sank to his ass on the floor, his bottom lip
trembling. “Oh God.”
“I don’t know what he’s done to her Abe, she’s different. Stronger. She easily overpowered me. I couldn’t keep her at bay, she was like an animal,” He sat up, and Korin moved, helping him to sit against the wall. “She had a needle mark in her neck. He’s injected her with something.”
Absinthe opened his eyes, staring at his brother, “No…”
“Do you think it could have been like Hector?” Korin asked and both brothers looked to their cousin.
“What?”
“You know that Lycan-blood derivative. The mess you had to clean up two years ago? He was acting like that. Jacked up, almost a Lycan, but not quite enough to turn him. He sought out other Lycans.”
“That might explain it,” Rhayden mused. “I threw her across the room. She just popped back up like a fucking jack in the box and came at me again. She seemed like she had no soul. She didn’t even flinch when she drove that into me.”
He looked at the blade and frowned.
“Othello has the only cure for it. I thought he was the one who had the only vial of it left too, keeping it out of idiot’s hands.” Absinthe asked his cousin.
When the Lycan derivative had come into the light those two long years ago, Othello had confiscated it and locked it away.
“His mansion was broken into while we were at yours Absinthe for Marley’s trial, it might have been taken,” Korin replied and he lifted himself up off the ground. “I will go and see him, see if he has it and if the cure is still there, I will meet you back at the mansion. Go and find her. It’s one thing to have a human off her nut on Lycan juice, but it’s another, when that same human knows where we all live.”
He left the apartment and Absinthe turned to his brother, seeing the frown on his face, “Are you okay?”
“Define okay,” He said huffily, looking down at the IV in his arm. “Can I get this thing out of me now?”
“Not yet. It’s almost done,” Abe said, he went to the small bag of blood Korin had put up on the chair, letting it drain down to his brother. “There we go.”
He showed Rhayden the bag and his brother gripped the IV needle and pulled it out of his arm, handing it to him, “Finally. Fuck that sucked.”
“Yes, finding you comatose on the floor with a kitchen knife in your gut was just as bad,” Abe replied, reaching down and he helped his brother off the floor. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Rhayden blinked. “Are you going all protective princess on me?”
Absinthe rolled his eyes and Rhayden grinned.
“Yes, I’m fine. I’d love to get hold of Johann and beat the fucking shit out of him.”
“You’re not the only one Rhayden. But my main priority is Marley,” He crouched down and started to clear away the IV, needles and the knife, pushing them all into the backpack, before he turned to his brother.
“I have an idea Abe.”
“Why does it feel like I am not going to like this?” Abe asked, grossing his arms over his chest and Rhayden grimaced.
“Because you probably won’t. It means we have to split up.”
Abe frowned, pursing his lips, “Let’s have it then.”
“I will find Johann. Drag his ass back to the mansion. You find Marley, do the same.”
Abe turned to the window, seeing the lights of Jacksonville blinking at them. They still had almost four hours of night left. They could do it—he just had to find Marley, pick up her scent. It wasn’t that hard.
He had learned her scent a long time ago. He’d be able to pick it up in an instant, “All right, let’s do it then, it seems to be the only option.”
“Good.” Rhayden said, walking into Marley’s bedroom and he pulled out one of Abe old shirts, letting it hang on his lithe frame.
“So, that’s where that one went.” Abe mused and Rhayden smirked, chuckling.
“You didn’t know she nicked your clothes? She likes to sleep in them,” His laughter died, and he looked at Abe. “We have to find her Abe, she’s vulnerable, but dangerous.”
Abe nodded, “I know. Good luck.”
The brother’s left the apartment, closing the door behind them. When they got to the lobby, they went their separate way, a quick nod to each other, before they hunted their respective targets.
Three
Marley had never felt so alive.
Her hair whipped wildly around her, from the wind machine as she stood in the middle of the dance floor, letting the music thud through her.
The smells were more intense, the sounds louder and she could pick out things in the dark she had never been able to see before.
Like the 6ft 2 mound of muscle who was eyeing her off.
He stepped out of the shadows, walking towards her, his body tense. Her heart kicked up a gear as he gripped her waist. Bringing her closer, his hips swayed against hers, his shaved head reflecting the bright strobe lights, “Hey beautiful.”
“Well hello big boy,” She grinned, gripping his groin hard, earning a wince of pain and pleasure, his cock hardening instantly in her hand. “What’cha got down there?”
He growled, his hands gripping her ass, lifting her to him and she wrapped her legs around his waist, “Let me show you.”
He turned, carrying her from the dance floor, his mouth hungry on hers as he moved down the corridor. He pushed her against the wall, her hands ripping at his shirt.
God, she was so horny—
****
“Move or be moved.” Absinthe growled, his eyes fading and the man at the door shrunk back. He obviously wasn’t a stranger to the viciousness of vampires and knew an elder, when he saw one.
“I don’t want no trouble.”
“Then let me get who I came for and you won’t have it.” He replied, stepping forward. The bouncer nodded, opening the rope, letting him into the dark building.
Absinthe pushed through the crowd of dancers, smelling the stink of Lycan and the sweetness of humans combined.
But it was the scent of Marley he could pick out over the whole lot. Lycan side stepped him, smelling the old blood in his veins. He got a growl every now and then, but no-one challenged him, they were scared.
Even though he knew, if every Lycan in the club attacked him at once, he’d be dead. He hadn’t been this surrounded by the over-grown flea bags in over a hundred years.
Turning, walking toward the corridor the scent was wafting to from, his eyes picked out dozens of couples. All in lover’s embraces and he felt his anger build the closer he got to the end of the hall—the pair right at the back making his blood boil.
Marley was wrapped around a Lycan, her mouth hot on his, her hands ripping at his shirt, his hands on her—
“Hey!”
The Lycan turned his head, ripping his mouth from Marley’s. She lazily looked over the Lycan’s shoulder at him, a grin spreading across her features, “Oh, hey Absinthe.”
“You know this guy?” The Lycan asked, looking back to her.
She shrugged, “Sure, he’s a pain in the ass.”
Absinthe ground his teeth, knowing this wasn’t his Marley. She may have been pissed off at him, but she would never say anything like that.
The Lycan slowly put her down, turning to him. With his stance, Absinthe knew to get to Marley. He would have to go through the slobbering animal. “Back off man.”
Absinthe let his eyes change, their copper color coming forward and the Lycan’s stance changed. His whole body tensed as he realized what creature he was up against. His lip curled up in a snarl, “Fucking blood sucker.”
Abe’s gaze shifted to Marlene, she was leaning against the wall, amusement in her dark eyes. He frowned stepping toward her.
“Want her? You have to go through me.” The mountain of muscle stepped forward, his hands coming out, ready to grip Absinthe.
The faster vampire whipped to the side, moving past him and brought his elbow down onto the back of the creature’s neck, felling him instantly.
Clapping sounded
from Marley and he looked at her, her grin spreading across her beautiful face. It was the grin of insanity and his stomach churned, “Wow! Do that again, that was awesome!”
He stalked up to her, gripping her arms, shoving her against the wall, “Marley.”
She shoved him, and his back hit the opposite wall, her hands on him instantly, her body pressing against his as she hissed at him, “Watch it Lord Raynes.”
Staring down at her, seeing the unnatural brightness to her eyes, he knew what Korin had suggested was right. She had been injected with the Lycan derivative. He’d seen it in the Detective two years earlier.
Utter madness.
Absinthe gripped her arms, trying to reason with her. “Marley, let me take you home, you’re sick.”
“No, I’m not. I’m fine. But I am horny Absinthe— you ruined my chance with big boy. You going to take his place?” her hands were hard on his biceps, holding him against the wall. She moved her head, lifting to tiptoes and gripped his lip with her teeth, tugging on it, before she kissed him hard.
Abe’s knees went weak.
He had never had her be so wild and primal with him and she let go of his arms. Her hands snaked into his hair, gripping it hard, pulling it back as she nipped along the skin of his throat, making him moan, “Marley, stop.”
“Why?” she growled, her body pressing against him. “Your cock is hard Absinthe. You want me—”
He gripped her arms, pushing her to the other wall, pinning her to it. His mouth found hers again as he slipped his hands to her butt, lifting her to him. She moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him, her hot sex grinding against his stomach.
Abe moaned, wanting to keep going, wanting to take her hard against the wall of the club, not caring if everyone saw them, watched them—
But he knew he couldn’t, and fumbled to his pocket, pulling the small syringe out. Flicking off the cap, he drove it into the side of her buttock.
She cried out, pushing at him and he let her go as she dropped back to her feet, glaring at him.
The syringe stuck out of her rump and she pulled it, looking at it, before she glared at him, “I should have just stabbed you too. Asshole.”
