“You may call me Seth,” he answered and addressed the group as a whole. “Approximately two and a half weeks ago, an American military base was attacked and destroyed. Everyone within it was slain save one man.”
Shock splashing across their features, the soldiers all looked to the general.
“It’s true,” he confirmed.
“What base?” Tim asked.
“That’s classified.”
“Who did it?” Wayne asked.
“We don’t know. The surveillance footage was damaged and the sole survivor has suffered some kind of mental breakdown.”
Seth glanced at Heather.
Heather swallowed. “Here’s the thing, Dad.” Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she holstered her weapon. “I wanted to tell you this before, after I spoke with Nick.” She glanced at the soldiers. “Nick is the survivor.” Then she met his gaze once more. “But I couldn’t.”
“Tell me what?” the general prodded.
“Nick didn’t have a mental breakdown.”
General Lane frowned. “Of course he did. He thinks vampires attacked the base.”
Words of disbelief burst from the lips of the soldiers.
“He thinks vampires attacked the base,” Heather confirmed, “because vampires did attack the base.”
Oh shit. As her words sank in, the general wanted to cry and hit something all at the same time. What the hell did they do to my baby? he wondered, heartbroken that her mind had obviously—
“Don’t look like that!” she pleaded. “I’m not crazy, Dad. Vampires are real. They actually exist. Look, I’ll prove it.” She turned to face the one she called Ethan. “Smile.”
His eyebrows rose. “What?”
“Smile.” She poked him in the side.
He jerked and grinned, flashing straight, white teeth, when she hit a ticklish spot. “Stop that.”
“Now kiss me,” she ordered.
The general took a step toward her. “Heather . . .”
“Just give me a minute, Dad.” Rising onto her toes, she reached up, curled a hand around Ethan’s neck, and drew his head down.
Their lips met. Locked. Moved and parted as the kiss deepened.
Ethan slid an arm around her waist and urged her closer, kissing her in earnest until he appeared to forget the rest of them were there.
The leader and the quiet one with dreadlocks shared an exasperated look.
Heather broke the contact and dropped her heels to the ground. Turning to her father, she motioned to Ethan’s face. “There. You see?”
General Lane’s eyes fastened on Ethan and clung so long they began to burn with the need to blink.
Ethan’s eyes now glowed vibrant amber. Glowed, as though candlelight flickered behind his irises. And the teeth that had been so straight and perfect before now included long, sharp fangs.
“What . . . the fuck?” Tim muttered.
“Those can’t be real,” Wayne whispered.
“The fangs or the eyes?” Rick asked.
“The fangs.”
General Lane let their voices flow around him as he continued to stare.
“I’ve seen fake fangs that could retract before, but . . . those eyes,” Tim said.
“Contacts don’t do that, man,” Jess informed them. “My brother-in-law is an ophthalmologist and breaks out the novelty shit every Halloween. They don’t have anything close to that.”
“Heather,” the general said through stiff lips, “step away from him.”
Seth arched a brow. “I see we have your attention now. Thank you, Heather, for the demonstration. Although you could have just asked Ethan to flash his fangs.”
“Yes,” Ethan added with unconcealed glee, “thank you, Heather.”
Smiling for the first time, she drove an elbow back into his abs.
Ethan grunted and grinned.
Those fangs.
Burke, a soldier to General Lane’s left, drew his sidearm and fired.
Blood spurted from Ethan’s chest . . . so close to his heart.
Heather cried out and spun around to gape at the bloodstain on his shirt.
Ethan’s eyes flashed brighter as his face twisted with rage. His form blurred as he shot forward past Heather, so swiftly he reminded the general of the Flash. Burke’s gun flew into the night before he could get off another shot.
“Ethan!” Seth shouted.
When Ethan stilled, one of his hands was curled around Burke’s throat, holding him up in the air. He growled, the low, deep rumble of a lion, while the soldier kicked his feet and clawed at the hand that slowly choked the life out of him.
The other soldiers all scrambled back and drew their sidearms.
Seth made a motion with one hand.
The guns leapt from the soldiers’ hands and flew into the night.
“Ethan,” Seth repeated, “let him go.”
“He could’ve killed her,” Ethan snarled.
“But he didn’t,” Seth said, his voice soothing.
Heather took a step forward, her eyes on the spreading stain on the man’s shirt. “Ethan, are you okay?”
“Stay back,” he said, without taking his eyes from the man he throttled.
The one with the dreadlocks sighed. “Put him down, Ethan. This is counterproductive.”
Ethan yanked Burke closer until mere inches separated their faces. “If you ever endanger her life again by pulling some stupid shit like that, I will rip your fucking arms off and beat you to death with them.” He gave him a little shake. “And you know I’m strong enough to do it.”
Burke’s face mottled as his eyes twitched.
Ethan opened his fingers.
Burke dropped to the ground, landing flat on his back.
Heather darted forward, grabbed Ethan’s hand, and tugged him backward.
As Ethan backed away, he pointed to the downed soldier and locked his glowing amber eyes on the general. “You need to kick . . . his fucking . . . ass. He could’ve shot your daughter!”
Yes, he could’ve.
“If that bullet had hit an inch lower and an inch or two to the left,” Ethan continued to rage, “or if she had moved, it could’ve struck her in the head!”
The general felt his hands begin to shake at the knowledge.
It had been a close call. He intended to have a long, not-so-nice chat with Burke as soon as he figured out what the hell was going on.
Who was this man willing to kill another for endangering Heather’s life?
Who was this . . . vampire?
Once she maneuvered Ethan back in line with the others, Heather untucked Ethan’s T-shirt with shaking hands and drew it up almost to his chin.
This was so not going well.
The bullet had come damned close to piercing Ethan’s heart. Blood smeared his chest and washboard abs, but had already ceased to flow.
Heather turned him so she could get a look at his back. The exit hole was larger. Uglier. But began to shrink beneath her worried gaze. Ethan was at full strength. She had watched him sink his fangs into a bag of blood back at David’s place and siphon it directly into his veins. Ethan had actually asked her to watch, wanting her to know everything about his existence. The good, the bad, and the ugly, as he’d put it.
Heather turned him to face her again. She rested a hand beside the ugly wound and looked up at Ethan as it closed and began to form a scar that she knew would disappear once he had more blood or slept a healing sleep.
She hated that he had gotten hurt. Because of her.
Ethan lowered his chin and met her gaze. She hoped he could see how sorry she was for the pain and trouble she’d caused him. Hoped he’d see how much she hated seeing him come to harm. Hoped he’d see . . . everything.
The fury at last drained from his handsome features. His muscles relaxed. Smiling, he covered her hand with one of his. “I’m okay.”
She nodded. But she still blamed herself. They were doing this—risking harm and revealing their exist
ence to someone they never otherwise would have—for her. To try to avoid causing her grief by having to hurt her father.
Who should probably see this, come to think of it.
Heather held up Ethan’s shirt and stepped to one side.
Gasps sounded.
Burke had been helped to his feet and now gaped at Ethan alongside the rest.
“That’s not possible,” Wayne whispered.
Heather recognized every man, had even chatted with a few at barbecues her father had hosted so she could read their minds and assure him he had these men’s absolute loyalty.
Drawing Ethan’s shirt down, she met her father’s gaze, silently pleading for him to believe them and, more importantly, to join them. “Vampires exist, Dad. Nick isn’t insane.”
Her father looked stunned. Confused. Terrified for her.
He shifted his gaze to Seth. “Did you attack the base?”
“No,” Seth told him. “We wish to find the vampires who did and destroy them before they can wreak more havoc.”
“Are you all vampires?” the general asked.
Only Ethan had flashed fangs so far.
“If you’re all vampires,” her father went on, “then why are you hunting the others?”
Seth exchanged another look with David, then spoke. “We aren’t vampires. We’re . . . something else. Something more.”
“What does that mean?” the general asked.
“Zach,” Seth said.
Zach vanished and reappeared a millisecond later in front of the tight knot of soldiers.
More gasps all around.
“Tim, is it?” Zach gripped the soldier’s shoulder. He must have read Tim’s mind to know his name, because Heather didn’t remember having heard it spoken since their arrival.
The two disappeared.
Curses filled the night.
A moment later, Zach reappeared, his hand still clutching Tim’s shoulder.
Tim wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. Something white dusted his hair and shoulders and eyelashes.
Was that snow?
Even as Heather watched, the fat snowflakes melted and dampened Tim’s clothing.
“Tim?” her father said, brow furrowing.
Tim shook his head. “I don’t know where the hell we just were, but there was a fucking blizzard going on!”
As Zach strolled back to join the others, Seth said, “David?”
David’s body seemed to melt into the form of a huge black panther.
More curses exploded from lips as soldiers scrambled backward. Eyes widened as the majestic beast padded toward them and stopped just in front of Heather’s father.
Face pale with astonishment, her father held his ground.
The panther roared.
The hair on the back of Heather’s neck stood on end as the rumble vibrated, like thunder, through her body.
In the blink of an eye, the panther morphed back into David, clothes and all. He looked down at her father, who Heather began to fear might have a heart attack. “As Seth said, we’re something more. Vampires do not bear these and the other gifts we possess. We were born with them, much like your daughter was.”
“Y-your daughter can shape-shift?” Wayne stuttered.
David answered for him. “No. She’s telepathic. As am I and several others of our kind.” He looked at Tim. “Yes, I can read your mind . . . Yes, every thought.” His look turned resigned. “Perry the Platypus. Camel. Pink. Jay Z. Doc McStuffins. Pizza. Enough. You’re giving me a headache.” He backed away to rejoin his friends. “We call ourselves immortals. In addition to our special gifts, we possess even greater speed, strength, heightened senses, and regenerative capabilities than vampires do.”
Seth glanced at Wayne. “No one knows about us because we don’t want anyone to know about us, which is why we must insist upon your silence.”
“Dad,” Heather said, drawing his gaze, “these immortals are good guys. They believe the commander of the vampire army that attacked the base also sent vampires to attack me.”
He paled even more. “You were attacked by vampires?”
“Twice. Once, a couple of weeks ago—the same night they struck the base. Then again a few nights ago.” She rubbed Ethan’s arm, then slid her hand down to link her fingers with his. “Both times, Ethan was there and defeated them.”
“We defeated them together,” Ethan corrected, something like pride and admiration in the glowing eyes that met hers. “Your daughter is a valiant warrior, General Lane.”
Heather’s heart fluttered at his praise. “The second time they attacked, I was fatally wounded and would’ve died if Seth hadn’t healed me. These men saved my life. And they want to save more lives, if—”
“Are you a vampire now?” her father interrupted. “Did they turn you?”
He had always been such a strong, commanding figure. To see him so shaken broke her heart.
“No, Dad.”
“You said they healed you.”
“Seth can heal with his hands.”
The soldiers exchanged doubtful glances.
A split second later, Ethan released her hand, yanked the 9mm from her holster, and shot Burke.
Shouts erupted as Burke dropped to the ground. Her father and the other soldiers rushed to help him, kneeling around him and trying to stanch the flow of blood as Burke’s shirt began to glisten.
Mouth falling open, Heather spun around and looked up. “What the hell did you do that for?”
Ethan shrugged. “I believed another demonstration was in order.” His face darkened. “And thought I’d teach him a lesson as well: Fuck with what’s mine and he’ll pay the price.”
“Damn it, Ethan!” Seth grumbled and strode forward.
What’s mine? Heather thought some part of her should object to him referring to her as though she were some possession of his, but . . . she found she kinda liked it.
Though they were wary as hell of him, the soldiers didn’t shy away at Seth’s approach. All stuck by their friend, a dozen hands attempting to render aid at once.
Seth knelt beside her father. “Easy, Burke,” he murmured when the injured man’s eyes widened and he tried to move away. “You’re going to be fine. This will only take a moment.” He looked to her father. “Tell your men to release him.”
Heather held her breath as her father stared into Seth’s eyes.
General Lane looked to the others. “Let him go.”
The men all did as ordered, but stayed close.
Seth rested a hand on the fallen soldier’s chest.
Seconds later, Burke gasped. The tightness in his expression eased as Seth siphoned away his pain and healed his injury.
Seth withdrew his touch. Rising, he offered his hand to the soldier.
Staring up at him with awe, Burke took it.
Seth drew the man to his feet and clapped him on the back. “Looks like you’re even. As long as you don’t put Heather at risk again, Ethan won’t harm you.”
Burke nodded.
As Seth walked away, returning to stand beside David, Burke yanked up his shirt.
The wound in his chest, like Ethan’s, had healed.
Expressions of amazement wafted from his comrades.
Heather met her father’s gaze. “As I said, these are good men. They didn’t know about the attack on the base until I spoke with Nick. We were at the base today, trying to find some clue that would lead them to the vampire army so they can destroy it. They aren’t familiar with army bases, so they asked me to accompany them and see if anything stood out as odd. Anything that might have made that particular base seem a more attractive target.”
Her father shifted his gaze to Seth. “You found it.”
Seth arched a brow. “The biohazard symbol in the basement?”
“Yes. They were researching ways to counter biological weapons our troops may be exposed to. Or the American people, if terrorists should ever manage to strike that way.”
“Those bi
ological weapons were present in that facility?”
“Yes. You can’t learn how to counter them if you don’t have them on hand to study.”
“The doors down there did not appear to be damaged. Were any of the toxins taken?”
“No. As far as we can tell, those doors were never breached. That was one of the many things that puzzled us about this. If the . . . vampires . . . attacked the base because they wanted to get their hands on the bioweapons, why leave without them?”
Heather glanced at Seth. “Could the doors have been too thick for them to break through?”
“We saw no evidence they had even tried.”
She didn’t remember having seen any either.
David shook his head. “Unless the walls are as thick and impenetrable as the doors, it wouldn’t have mattered. The vampires would’ve just plowed through them. Wood, Sheetrock, and insulation would’ve proven no deterrent to them.”
“Then what was?” she asked.
“The biohazard symbol?” Zach suggested and looked to Seth. “Perhaps you were right. Perhaps these vampires weren’t told exactly what was on the island they were ordered to attack. Slaying the soldiers might have been fun to them, but most humans hold at least some fear of illness. If these vampires did not abandon their humanity very long ago, they may have little understanding of their new condition and may not realize that such things can no longer harm them. Laughing in the face of the common cold is one thing. Coming face-to-face with something you’ve been taught to fear, something that has killed thousands or hundreds of thousands—if not millions—in the past, is another.”
A thoughtful silence ensued.
General Lane studied them all. “Are you saying these vampires might not have been there for the weapons? That they just killed our men for the fun of it?”
“Yes,” Seth answered. “Their goal was most likely to spark an international incident, to pit you against whomever you would eventually blame for the attack.”
“On whose order?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
“What can you tell me?”
“Very little, I’m afraid. We don’t even know where this vampire army is consolidating. That’s why we’re here. That’s why we didn’t simply find you while you slept tonight and erase your memory of seeing us earlier. We need your help. You have access to information we do not. And your mind is, as you know, very difficult to read. Your daughter doesn’t wish to see you harmed and asked us to sway you to our side instead, if we can.”
Shadows Strike Page 23
