by S. Coop
“Maria!” Vincent yelled frantically.
“Silly woman!” Marcus effortlessly snapped Maria’s neck.
The man outside screamed tirelessly for Maria and eventually ran around the side of the house to break a window.
“Let’s kill him, too!” Pony urged, her eyes wide with excitement.
“We could.” Marcus took a step and nearly fell.
“You’re drunk, Marcus,” Morgan said.
“True,” Marcus said. “I am drunk.”
“Then let’s get shit-faced!” Pony cried with glee.
“No, it’s too risky,” Marcus said. “We must go.”
“You’re no fun,” Pony whined. “Neither of you are.”
They escaped through the back door just as the man successfully climbed through the window. The trio ran for what seemed like a lifetime until they felt they were finally in the clear.
“What the fuck, Marcus!” Morgan yelled when they reached the safety of an abandoned rusting hulk of a meatpacking factory.
“Hahahaha!” Pony laughed hysterically. “I wanna do that again!”
“Oh, come now, sweetheart,” Marcus said, his eyes still bright red. “You have to admit it was a little fun, almost like old times.” Marcus smirked at Morgan. “Almost like the night we first met, yes?”
Morgan threw a hard right to his chest. She knew it wouldn’t do him much damage, but that wasn’t the point. She had to let him know how she despised his actions and that he did not own her.
Marcus easily blocked her attempt. “Even sober, you are too slow, child.”
Pony grabbed Morgan’s hair, and Morgan felt as if her hair was being ripped straight from her scalp. “Do not try to touch Daddy again.”
Morgan knew she and Pony had their differences, but Pony had never laid a hand on her before. “Let go of my hair, Pony.”
Pony twisted Morgan’s hair in her fist and yanked, as if trying to remove Morgan’s head from her body. “No. I’m sick of you being such an annoying, whining bitch all the time! You always ruin my fun.”
Morgan found her balance, whirled, and gripped Pony’s neck in her right hand, her eyes glowing with rage. “How dare you! After everything I’ve done for you. All the fucking cleaning up I’ve done for you, and you attack me?”
Pony gasped for air, desperately clawing at Morgan’s hand.
The clawing only made Morgan angrier. “I should end you right now.”
“I command you to put her down!” Marcus shouted.
Morgan tightened her grip. “It would be so easy to end you, Pony. One tiny twist of your little neck.”
“Put her down!” Marcus bellowed. “I command you!”
Morgan turned toward Marcus and saw something in his eyes she had never seen before: fear. “And if I don’t?”
Pony stopped clawing Morgan’s arms, her arms dangling limp at her sides.
“Please, Morgan,” Marcus whispered.
He said please … What has just happened? “As you wish, Maker.” She threw Pony onto a pile of rusted metal.
Pony gasped for air and clutched her neck.
“Are you all right, my child?” Marcus asked.
Pony sprang to her feet and giggled. “Hell, yeah. Shit. I was holding my breath the whole time. I could have been an actress, huh?” She examined a cut on her arm. “Ooh, rusty, and me without a tetanus shot.”
Morgan sighed and faced Marcus. “I’m tired of you putting us in danger because of your sick obsessions, Marcus. We can’t keep doing this. Sooner or later, we are going to get caught.”
Marcus’s eyes faded from red to dark brown. “Caught by whom? The humans? What a joke! We are the dominant species. They are here purely for food and our pleasure, nothing more. Until you come to terms with that fact, my dear, I’m afraid you’ll just have to deal with it.”
Morgan searched Marcus’s eyes. “I am dealing with what you’re doing now. You’re reckless, and you are putting your children in danger.”
Marcus looked away. “Danger? We are danger. Now stop your sniveling, and let’s go!” Marcus motioned to Pony. “Come now ,Princess, we must take our leave. Daytime will be upon us soon.”
Morgan stood her ground. “I am not going anywhere with you.”
“I command you to …” Marcus looked into Morgan’s eyes. “I command you to leave with us now.”
Morgan felt the compulsion she always did when he used his Maker’s command on her, but her rage and resolve suddenly broke his power like a rubber band pulled too tight. I’m free. I am finally free! “Fuck off, Marcus,” she said calmly.
Marcus’s eyes widened. “What did you say to me?”
She put her palm on his chest and gently pushed him away. “Fuck … off.” She turned to Pony. “Good luck, kid. You’re going to need it.”
Though she could have flown out of the factory in a flash, she decided to walk. She could hear Marcus calling out to her, commanding her to return to him, but for the first time ever, she ignored him and felt no compulsion to follow his orders. Tonight was the last straw, and I vow never to be part of something like that again.
She walked beside a turgid river with a heavy heart. She could have saved that woman. She should have saved that woman. At least I saved the boy, she thought sadly as she ventured into the unknown, alone …
Morgan struggled to catch her breath and fought to free herself from her covers.
Lasandro sat in a chair beside the bed. “Hey, take it easy. You had a fall. Lay back.”
Morgan lay still. “What happened?”
Lasandro slid beside her. “I don’t know. I found you passed out on the stairs. Are you okay?”
“I … I just …” She blinked her eyes rapidly. “I’m fine. Sorry to worry you.”
“You sure you’re okay? You really freaked me out when I found you. I brought you in here and watched you have what must have been one hell of a nightmare.”
Morgan cleared her throat. “Yeah, a nightmare.” She sat up. “I need some air.”
“I’ll open a window,” Lasandro said.
“No, I need …” She kicked off the covers. “I’m going to walk on the beach.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Alone.” She turned to him and smiled. “Um, I have to clear my head, okay?” She squeezed his hand. “Thanks for taking care of me. I’m fine now. Really.”
She left the room and the house and walked through the sand to stand at the water’s edge, the waves bubbling around her feet, the stars making the foam sparkle.
Oh my God, this isn’t’ happening. It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t be! I know Marcus and Pony killed his mother, but I was there and did nothing to stop it. I’m just as guilty as they are!
She splashed toward the crashing waves and let them wash around her. How can I tell Lasandro? If I do, he’ll leave me and never want to see me again. What am I going to do?
She sensed Lasandro’s presence before he appeared beside her.
“Good night for a swim,” he said.
“You do know the definition of the word ‘alone,’ don’t you?”
Lasandro took in her scent and wrapped his arms around her waist. “What is it, baby? I could feel how upset you are from the house.”
Morgan took great pains to block her thoughts as much as she could. The last thing she wanted was for him to feel her memories. She decided to tell him a partial truth. “I’m still processing that nightmare, that’s all. I’ll tell you about it, um, one day.” The last day I ever see you.
“I know what’ll cheer you up.” He stood in front of her with his arms extended and rose out of the water. “Come on,” he beckoned her. “I’ve been practicing, ya know.”
“Someone might see us,” Morgan said.
Lasandro looked up and down the beach. “I don’t see a single soul. Come on.”
Morgan floated up with him.
“You see, not bad for a noob, huh?” He laughed while doing a couple flips.
Morgan smiled. “Noob? What is this word?”
“Aha. A noob is someone who’s new to something. Like me being a new vampire. However, I must say that although I’m new, I’m probably the sexiest vampire alive.” He winked, grabbed her hand, and pulled her to his chest.
Morgan rolled her eyes. “You are so full of yourself.” She laid her head on his chest.
“And you like it when you’re full of me, right?”
“I do.”
The moon rose and shined against their bodies as they cuddled. Morgan loved how tender he could be. Damn, he could be so romantic sometimes, and yes, she thought he was the sexiest vampire alive, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. She could feel his love for her. She had only felt that once before, and that was from Nikolai. But would Lasandro still love her if he knew the truth?
He gently lowered her to the water and stared into her eyes. She stared back at him and saw his pupils dance when he eyed her lips.
“I love you,” he whispered before he went in for a soft, tender kiss so sensual and full of passion that Morgan felt her body melt. There was no holding back, no pretense. It was just them again in their own little bubble. The rest of the world did not exist.
Her lips parted for his tongue, and their tongues met in a sweet, slow dance. Morgan’s arousal grew, and she could feel his. She could also feel intense sorrow. She did not want what she had with this man to end, but she had to tell him the truth. She just had to. She tore her lips away and stared at him while tears streamed down her face.
“Morgan? What’s bothering you? You can tell me, baby. Remember our promise? I will always be honest with you, and you will always be honest with me. I can feel something’s really wrong.”
Damn him! Damn him for being so understanding. He won’t be understanding for long, not if I tell him!
“Get it off your chest and let me take the pain away from you.”
You can’t take this pain away. This pain will last for eternity. “Promise me you won’t hate me,” she said, her voice shaking, her lower lip trembling.
Lasandro squinted. “Why would I hate you? I love you.”
“I … I was there,” she whispered.
“You were where?” he asked.
“Your mother, when she died. I was there, but I didn’t hurt her. Marcus and Pony, they—”
“What are you talking about?” Lasandro interrupted.
“The … .the vampires that killed your mother. I was there, Lasandro. I didn’t remember it until I saw your painting and then I recognized your mother. I didn’t know until then.”
Lasandro blinked rapidly. “Morgan, please, don’t tell me that.” He shook his head and backed away.
Morgan could see the hurt in his eyes, hurt mixed with disbelief, hurt mixed with rage. He was in shock and it was all because of her.
“All this time, Morgan.” His voice cracked. “I’ve been looking for my mother’s killer, and you knew! You knew this whole time!”
“No, not until I saw your painting,” Morgan said, moving closer to him. “That painting … it … she was so familiar. I just didn’t know why. I know now, and I’m so, so sorry. Lasandro I swear I didn’t know. I tried to stop them, but they wouldn’t listen. I tried to—”
“Are you fucking kidding me, Morgan? You expect me to believe that?”
“Lasandro, please!” Morgan pleaded. “That was a long time ago, and—”
“Those fucking piece-of-shit, blood-sucking, motherfuckers are dead!” Lasandro interrupted. “Marcus is dead! Pony is dead!”
“Lasandro, you can’t—”
“I can’t what? Kill the motherfuckers who killed my mother?”
“You aren’t strong enough,” Morgan said. “They will kill you.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” Lasandro said, stalking out of the surf. “And don’t try to fucking stop me either. I don’t care that he’s your Maker. That son of a bitch and that little girl will be bags of plasma when I’m done with them!”
“Lasandro!” Morgan cried.
Lasandro vanished in a flash.
Morgan’s knees gave out, and she crumpled to the sand. She had lost him. What she feared would happen had happened. He was going to go try to kill Marcus and Pony, and he would die hating her. Marcus had centuries on him, and Pony had unnatural speed and brutality. There was no way he could take them down. They were a team. Lasandro wouldn’t even stand a chance against Marcus alone.
At least not by himself.
I know what I have to do.
I owe it to Lasandro.
Morgan had known Lasandro long before he knew her. She wondered why she was so drawn to him, and now she knew why. Their dynamic dated back almost two decades when she unknowingly saved his life.
We were destined to meet again.
Morgan wiped the tears from her eyes. There was no time for tears. He was right. Marcus had to die, and he had to die first. Without her Maker, Pony wouldn’t be nearly as powerful.
I am going to do what I should have done a long time ago.
Even if it kills me.
Chapter Fourteen
Hide and Seek
The streetlights assaulted Lasandro’s eyes as he ran past each one in a blur. He knew vampires killed his mother, but he didn’t know he had been lying with the enemy. He felt pure rage and a need for revenge. The father he hated had told the truth, and the woman he loved had been lying.
As he hurried toward Katya’s, he wondered why Morgan had been suspicious of Katya. Was that a lie, too? He sensed that Katya knew more than she let on, and he was sure she knew where he could find Marcus. He vowed to make Marcus suffer as his mother did.
He replayed his conversation with Morgan. He couldn’t believe she would hold something like that back from him. He had completely opened up to her, given her his heart, which by no means was an easy feat. He thought about how it probably went down. He doubted Morgan stood by and watched while Marcus and Pony devoured his mom. Morgan struggled with self-control, and he was a testament to that fact. His stomach twisted in disgust as his vision of that night’s events played through his head.
Had Morgan been the first to taste my mother’s blood? Or did she have the last drop? Why stop at her? Why didn’t she drain my father—or me? I guess she didn’t have to because that night, a big part of me died along with my mom. It didn’t matter if my heart was still beating or not.
Lasandro pounded on the familiar door. He heard whispering inside, but no one was opening up. He banged harder until the wood splintered.
The door swung open revealing Katya. “What do you have against doors, man? I was coming. What do you want?”
“Just the man I wanted to see,” quipped Lasandro.
“Very funny,” Katya replied, slamming the door in his face.
Lasandro smashed his fist through the door, pulled hard, and broke the door off its hinges, tossing it behind him. “That was rude, Katya. It’s not nice to be rude to one of your guests.”
Katya backed away into the empty party room. “I don’t have anything to tell you. Get out!”
Lasandro zipped behind her, grabbed her hair, and wrapped it around her neck. “Where is he? Where’s Marcus?”
“You have just made a big mistake,” Katya wheezed.
“I know you know more, and I want answers, the whole story. The nonfiction version!”
Katya’s fangs descended. “Who might I ask is going to make me do that? You? I have at least fifty years on you and plenty of friends, sweetie. Don’t be foolish.”
“Funny how everyone says how many years they got on me, yet they end up picking their fangs up off the floor. I wouldn’t underestimate me if I were you, Katya.”
“Kat?” a faint whisper came from the hallway. A short, thin-framed woman swathed in bandages came into view and shuffled her way toward them. “Is everything all right?”
“Really, Katya?” Lasandro said. “She is supposed to help you stop me?”
“Shut up, Lasandro
!” Katya yelled. “You don’t know anything about this! Laura, go back to bed, honey. You need your rest.”
Laura nodded and shuffled back down the hallway. In a moment, Lasandro heard a door click shut.
“You turned her, didn’t you?” Lasandro asked.
Katya’s body became rigid. “How can you know that?”
“She couldn’t hide her thoughts from me,” Lasandro said. “So Morgan’s not the only one with a newborn, huh?”
“Laura is my best friend,” Katya said. “Her parents were about to pull the plug on her. I had to turn her.”
“And you think I care? From what I understand of the rules, Katya, you could be in a lot of trouble if anyone were to find out about her.”
Katya closed her eyes, “You wouldn’t do that, and you know it. You would expose yourself, and you’re not that stupid.” Katya sighed and relaxed her body. “Marcus betrayed me, you know. He promised me a permit if I kept tabs on you.”
“How do I know you’re telling me the truth?”
“Read me if you’re so good at it.”
Lasandro delved into Katya’s mind and “heard” Marcus go back on his promise. “Okay.” He released her hand and stood back. “So why are you still protecting him?”
Katya rubbed her neck. “I’m not anymore.”
“So where is he?”
“He’s here. In town.”
“Where exactly?”
Katya drifted toward a window and looked out. “I’ve been looking for a new alliance. This might be the best time for one.”
“You got it. Now where is he?”
“Before I tell you, I need to warn you. Getting to him is not going to be easy, and if you’re going to defeat Marcus, you’re going to need help. You see, under normal circumstances I would let you go get yourself killed because you’re the only one who has seen Laura. Your death could ensure my safety, but …” She sighed. “Marcus always has a way of finding out. I know Marcus, and I know he would never accept what I have done, just as he cannot accept what Morgan did to you.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” Lasandro said. “But I don’t want to talk about her. Now where is he?”
