by Cat Miller
“I think it’s rather amusing that no matter how hard you try, you can’t do a damn thing on your own. Without the talents of others to act for you, you’re useless,” David taunted.
“I didn’t need anyone else’s help to fuck you over for more than twenty-five years, did I?” Sheena smirked, blowing off David’s attempt at baiting her.
“Anyway,” she released her death grip on the bars of the cell door and returned her attention to Lindsay, “I didn’t want to disappoint her this time. If she insists on believing she’s a murderer, we’ll make her one. What she just received was the largest dose of Hypervamp she’s ever had.” Sheena chuckled. “One of you is going to die. If she wakes up at all, and frankly she may not, she’ll be out of her mind. Maybe you should take the advantage while you have it and kill her now, while she’s still out of it.”
“You can’t know she blames herself for the deaths of those humans. Lindsay said you were never able to control her mind.” David was grasping at straws. He wouldn’t kill Lindsay. Sheena was right about one thing. Lindsay had a soft heart. David had been in her mind while they were together. It was amazing how much Lindsay and Leann were alike from their physical features to their kind souls. He’d believed Lindsay was Leann, but she didn’t act like his Leann. She didn’t love him. She wouldn’t give herself to him. So he’d bent her mind until she believed she loved him, too. They’d been in a messed up sort of relationship of David’s making. He knew her inside and out. Sheena was correct. Lindsay would blame herself for those deaths and for his death. It was a lose-lose situation for David and Lindsay.
“It’s true, I couldn’t control her, but I had a telepath who was able to read her mind and plague Lindsay with suggestions that she kill everyone around her. It was so much fun to feed her belief that she was an evil nightmare creature,” Sheena giggled. “She’s eaten alive with self-hatred,” Sheena revealed the torment of Lindsay’s heart with glee and pride. “I had to reinforce Lindsay’s belief in her crimes against the human race. She thinks she’s insane, that there’s an evil inner vampire making her want to do these nasty deeds. It was my minion in her head the whole time, aided by the drugs, of course.”
David began to understand the real extent of Lindsay’s suffering. No wonder she’d had such a difficult time adjusting to her new life. Lindsay was still being manipulated by this monster of a vampire.
Lindsay rolled to her side and moaned. She was shaking as she got to her knees and crawled toward the corner. David noticed the changes in Lindsay since he’d seen her last. David and Lindsay both lived at the Enclave and David had seen her once. She’d put back on some of the weight lost in captivity, filling up her curves to their former glory. Her waist-length golden locks were once again glossy, and thick with health.
“Here we go! It looks like she might live.” Sheena clapped her hands and hopped up and down on her high-heels, “Lindsay, dear, I’ve brought you a treat.”
After reaching the corner on her hands and knees, Lindsay began to retch. Violent heaving racked her body. The smell of vomit and the chemicals coursing through Lindsay’s body filled the air.
“Oh, my. Maybe I really did give her too much.” Sheena’s joy was dimmed as she seemed to contemplate her evil plan ending anticlimactically with an overdose instead of a death match.
David wanted desperately to go to Lindsay and try to comfort her somehow. Lindsay was not the mate his mind had tricked him into thinking she was, but they’d had a real if fucked up relationship. They were both confused about what had happened between them. David now genuinely cared for Lindsay’s wellbeing. He was the reason for all of her suffering. He wanted to hold her and comfort her if this really was the end of her life at Sheena’s hands. Lindsay was no longer human and not his mate so he couldn’t read her mind any longer to see if she was even aware of what was happening to her under the influence of Hypervamp. Staying where he was, he watched Sheena instead.
“Go get the doctor,” Sheena instructed Sarah, who David still hadn’t seen, but he knew it was her as surely as he knew Sheena was insane. “Tell him to bring the crash bag and the dart gun. It looks like we may need to sedate him so we can save my favorite toy. I’d hate to lose her this way. She hasn’t suffered enough just yet.”
The sound of high-heels scurrying away echoed down the corridor. Lindsay backed away from the puddle of vomit and leaned against the wall. She was breathing harshly and shaking.
“Lindsay,” David couldn’t help calling to her. He took a step in Lindsay’s direction, but Sheena shot him a glare that dared him to move again. What did he care now? Sheena was about to dart his ass anyway, and it didn’t sound like Sheena had any intentions of giving Lindsay any peace. “Lindsay, honey, can you hear me?”
David went to Lindsay. He knelt next to her and pulled her hair back out of her face. She didn’t respond to his touch or answer him. She was sweating and seemed to be fighting for air.
“Get away from her! Don’t touch her!” Sheena was shrieking.
David ignored Sheena and began to braid Lindsay’s long hair. He recalled doing this when they were together and wondering how Leann’s hair had gotten so long so fast. He’d just finished when Lindsay let out a fierce snarl. Before he could react, she’d risen to her knees and clasped her hands together. Lindsay twisted and struck David in the chest with her clubbed hands. David flew through the air until his back slammed into the opposite stone wall. He wasn’t sure what would cave in first, his chest from her blow or his back from hitting the wall. He couldn’t catch his breath. His head was spinning, and he saw stars.
“I told you not to touch her, David. You never listen. Lindsay is a beast now. She’s a murdering animal, aren’t you, Lindsay?” David could hear Sheena, but he couldn’t see her with all black spots floating in his vision. He also heard Lindsay getting to her feet. “There he is, Lindsay. It’s David, your master, the man who brought you to me. He used you until he was sick of you. Then he gave you to me to use as a lab rat,” Sheena taunted.
Lindsay made unintelligible growling sounds—like she was trying to speak but couldn’t order her thoughts into words. David expected Lindsay to attack at any moment, so he rolled over and tried to pull himself together. He wanted to defend himself against Sheena’s accusations, but what did it matter? Sheena was twisting the truth, but David had ruined Lindsay’s life, no matter how you looked at it.
“I couldn’t find the doctor, but this was propped up in the corner.” Sarah had returned with the dart gun it seemed.
“What do you mean you couldn’t find him?”
“I mean I looked, and he wasn’t around. So I grabbed the damn gun. Don’t you people have cell phones? Call him,” Sarah replied peevishly. “I’m not your damn butler.”
“Where is the girl?”
“Samantha is sitting handcuffed where you left her. She won’t leave without me.”
The two women weren’t paying attention and standing a little too close to danger. A maddened Lindsay had Sheena in her sights. David said nothing as Lindsay crept over to the door. She lunged, thrusting her hand through the bars. Lindsay had managed to get a hold of some of Sheena’s hair. Sheena screamed, and the tranquilizer gun clattered to the ground. Lindsay pulled, but Sheena threw her body away from Lindsay, fighting against giving her enemy a better grip. Sarah grabbed Sheena and held on. Lindsay howled in frustration and Sheena screamed again when Lindsay ripped the clump of hair from Sheena’s head.
“You crazy bitch! You’re going to pay for that,” Sheena seethed, clutching the side of her head. “I promise you won’t die quickly when I finally end your worthless life!”
David imagined there was a rather large bald spot on Sheena’s head now, judging by the fistful of hair Lindsay was holding. Lindsay mindlessly threw her body against the bars and stretched to get her hands on Sheena again. Hair was floating to the floor, and Lindsay was bloodying herself with every crash of her body on the metal.
David and Sarah eyed each othe
r over Sheena’s head while Sheena and Lindsay hissed at each other. Sarah seemed shell-shocked. She was used to the peaceful, elegant life her father and Griffin had provided for her. The violence and pure lunacy of Sheena’s world must seem like a nightmare to Sarah. David had to wonder exactly how she came to be at the nest with Sheena. In the past, Sarah had sought David out to help her deal with Griffin. It was very likely that had happened again. That was just one more reason to end her life. Sarah knew David would come for her if he survived. He’d warned her, and he could see the knowledge of her impending doom in Sarah’s beautiful brown eyes. If David didn’t live to avenge Griffin, Sheena would eventually kill Sarah when her usefulness was depleted. Sarah had gone to the well one time too many. Now she was going to drown in it, and unfortunately, Samantha would suffer for her mother’s greed.
Sheena snatched up the dart gun. “I’ve had enough of this shit. Kill him, or I’ll kill your friend. Do understand me, you murdering animal? Kill David or Samantha dies. She’ll never wake up from this.” Sheena was shaking the gun at Lindsay, but Lindsay was too far gone. The drugs took her brain to a primal place that didn’t understand language or personal connections.
“Lindsay,” David called her name. They were locked in the cell together, and Sheena wouldn’t relent until she got what she wanted. There was no avoiding this nightmare. David rolled up his sleeves and stretched to loosen his limbs. He planned to get her attention to get it over with. He would evade Lindsay’s charges and try to wear her out. He was a big man and much older than Lindsay, in human years and vampire years. If he could get himself wrapped around her and pin her until the drugs wore off, maybe they would both survive if Sheena didn’t shoot him first.
“Lindsay, come get me.”
Lindsay’s head whipped around, but there was no recognition in her eyes. David was a threat; not the male who deserved her wrath, but just another animal in her territory. She charged at him, and David stepped out of the way at the last possible moment. Lindsay was fast, faster than he was prepared for, and it made staying out of her range nearly impossible in such a small space. She’d caught him with her nails several times, ripping his shirt and taking off skin from his arms and torso. Lindsay’s blood spattered the walls from sheer force of her impacts with the rough stone. David had to get her pinned and soon before she cracked her skull open.
“Come on. Come get me,” David taunted, and Lindsay obliged, charging at him. He barely got out of her path. He turning in just enough time to wrap his arms around her, but he hadn’t trapped her arms as he’d planned. Lindsay hissed and twisted as they fell to the rock-hard floor. She was smashing one fist into the side of his head with surprising strength. David had to release his hold on her body to prevent Lindsay from bashing his head in. They tussled and rolled across the floor, grappling for the upper hand until Lindsay walloped him on the ear and stunned David. She was on him with her hands around his throat like steel vices. Her black eyes were like that of an injured animal, terrified to back down. Her fangs were fully extended, and she snapped at him when his hands got too close to her face. Lindsay was utterly lost to the poison in her veins. David rolled, but Lindsay wouldn’t release her grip on his windpipe. He struggled and fought to break her hold, but Lindsay’s strength under the influence of Hypervamp was endless. David’s power declined with the lack of oxygen. He would have to cause a mortal injury to Lindsay to back her down now. She was already bloodied and battered from slamming herself into the walls. David couldn’t bring himself to put another mark on a completely innocent and pure soul. He looked up at Lindsay through the tears in his eyes, and David saw Leann smiling down at him. His heart stuttered in his chest, then David blinked and his vision cleared. Leann would never be there to smile at him or kiss him or choke him for that matter. Leann was long gone, and David was tired, not just from the fight, but of life.
David was ready to die. He had been since he’d awakened to the horrible truth of his mate’s death. It would be a relief not to feel the constant heartache of losing his mate, but first, David needed to absolve Lindsay of any guilt she might feel for taking his life. She might not understand him in her current state of mind, and he might struggle to get the words out with her hands wrapped around his throat, but he had to try. David stopped fighting and raised both of his hands to cup Lindsay’s face.
“It’s okay, Lindsay, this isn’t your fault. She did this to you. I did this to you,” David gasped and choked. Tears streamed down his cheeks. Once he passed out, Lindsay might release him. He could heal and would eventually come back around, but that was only if she ceased her mindless attack.
“That’s it. You’re a killer. Do it. End his worthless life. Rip out his throat,” Sheena encouraged.
“No.” David tried to shake his head. “You aren’t a killer, Lindsay, this isn’t you.” His words were nearly unintelligible and drowned out by Sheena’s ranting.
Lindsay blinked down at him. She looked confused. Her grip lessened, and David was able to suck in a much-needed lungful of air. Then Lindsay leapt away from him completely. Plastering herself against the wall, she clung to it like a life raft.
“What are you doing?” Sheena shouted. “Kill him. Do it now before he kills you!”
“I won’t do it. You can’t make me do it. I’m not a murderer.” Lindsay was mumbling to herself. “Kayden. Kayden. Kayden. Kayden,” she chanted her mate’s name.
David was wheezing and panting as he got to his feet.
“Don’t move a muscle.” Sheena raised the dart gun and aimed it at him. “This is a lethal dose as well. It’s deadly to anyone but that monster.” She tilted her head toward Lindsay who was chanting her mate’s name. If Lindsay had come around to herself enough to reach out to telepathically contact Kayden, the cavalry would be on the way sooner than later. That was a benefit of being mated. They could communicate telepathically. They could find each other if both parties were conscious. Lindsay had been awake for a while, but David wouldn’t call her precisely aware and able to help Kayden find her.
“He’s coming. He’s coming for me.” Lindsay was still mumbling, but they understood her clearly. “I’m sorry.” Lindsay’s eyes flashed to David.
“It’s okay. I told you. None of this is your fault,” David reassured her.
“Who’s coming? What is she talking about?” Sheena was looking nervous and pointing the gun at Lindsay now.
There was a determined glint in Lindsay’s eyes when she squared her shoulders and spoke more plainly.
“That shot will kill you, but not me. Don’t let her get away again. End this,” Lindsay told David. “Don’t let her get away.” And without giving David time to wonder what Lindsay had planned, she charged the bars of the cell door.
Sheena shrieked in surprise and fired the dart gun. The dart hit Lindsay in the chest, but she kept moving. It would take long seconds for the sedative to take her down. Lindsay only needed one of those seconds to set them free.
She hit the door with the force of a locomotive. The cells were built to keep most vampires contained. Lindsay wasn’t most vampires. Not when she was hopped up on a high dose of Hypervamp. Bones cracked and skin split, but the cell popped open. Lindsay hit the bars with no thought for self-preservation. The door smacked loudly against the wall. Lindsay dropped like a stone, blocking the entrance from slamming shut again. Sheena took off as fast as her human strength would carry her up the stairs. Sarah was nowhere in sight. David still struggled for air but ran after Sheena. When he stepped over Lindsay’s inert body, David prayed she hadn’t just ended her life. Blood seeped out from around her form, but David couldn’t stop to check on her. If Sheena got away and Lindsay died, her sacrifice would be in vain. David planned to bring Sheena down or die trying.
Twenty-two
David burst through the exit at the top of the stairs expecting to have to fight his way to Sheena, but the upstairs was empty. David crept into the kitchen and heard the sound of a struggle in the dining room. He pe
eked around the doorjamb and found his son, Abel, fighting two males. There were two more already sprawled on the floor with their necks at odd angles. Abel had been cleaning house. He’d been trained from a young age to fight without mercy. David had no doubt that Abel could handle the males alone. However, his presence surely meant the cavalry was on the way to help Lindsay. David had to deal with Sheena before they arrived. She couldn’t be allowed to live, no matter the cost to David.
He slid through the French doors on the opposite side of the dining room and onto the expanse of overgrown lawn in the rear of the house as quietly as a ghost, in spite of the urgency pounding in his chest. Lindsay was collapsed in a pool of her own blood down in the depths of the mansion, and David had to make her sacrifice worth it. It was after dark on a moonless night, and he couldn’t have been more grateful for the timing. He crept along the building and followed the line of hedges and overturned patio furniture for as long as he could to stay out of sight of the party crossing the turf ahead of him. Sheena kept glancing over her shoulder to the door at the far end of the mansion where she expected David to emerge, but he knew the estate like the back of his hand. He wove his way through the first level to exit the building in the darkest place possible. He didn’t want Sheena to see him until it was too late. So far so good.
Sheena and one of her goons had nearly made it to the emergency escape route, but they weren’t alone. David had expected to come up against a throng of minions working under Sheena, but there was only one, and the mysterious doctor was nowhere to be found. Maybe one of the bodies in the house belonged to the doctor.
David had been hoping Sarah made it out with Samantha when she quietly slipped away during Sheena’s tirade in the dungeons, but the beautiful, blonde mother-daughter duo was being herded toward the bluff that dropped sharply to the shoreline. A steep and winding wooden staircase led to a boat dock below. David would not allow Sheena to make it to the boat he knew would be waiting to ferry her to safety.
