by Raven Steele
His eyes flashed to Michael’s crowd. "What do you want?"
"I need to talk to you and your boss alone about how this city is being managed. It’s time for a change.”
He snorted a laugh and took a long drink from the beer in his hand. "You and I both, but nothing's going to change so get used to it." He motioned his head toward the entrance of the club. "Get out of here before you get hurt."
My hand snapped out and caught his shoulder, my fingers digging into his flesh. “Get your boss and let’s talk. I’m not asking.”
Despite the pain he had to be feeling, he looked me directly in the eyes. "Are you blind to what’s happening? We can't fight what's on our streets. We lost the battle months ago."
"Only because you’ve been fighting with the wrong weapons, but I'm going to fix that." I released him. "Get Michael now."
He studied me for a moment, then pushed his chair back. He walked over to where Michael sat and forced his way into the center. He bent down and whispered something in Michael's ear. Michael glanced my way, then walked over to me, shoving aside two women who blocked his path. Kevin stayed back a couple of feet.
"You have something you want to say to me?" Michael said, his voice gravelly. Though the club hadn't changed much, Chief Graber had. His stomach had grown rounder and his neck fuller. He had been living off the fat of the city doing Victor’s bidding and probably now Bastian’s for way too long. I'm pretty sure I wasn’t going to get through to him.
"I need to speak to you alone," I said, wanting to give him a chance to do the right thing.
He snorted. "That's not going to happen. I don't know who you are. In fact," Michael withdrew a gun from within his jacket and pointed it at my head. "I might just shoot you right now for interrupting my Friday night. And you know what? No one will bat an eye. I'm the chief of police and can do whatever the hell I want."
Kevin rested a hand on his shoulder. "Let's hear him out first, and then you can shoot him. The guy might have dirt on Bastian."
My eyes flashed to Kevin's in confusion, but his gaze intensified as if to say, "Just go with it."
I looked back at Michael. "I have a lot of information you could use against that crazy vampire. I’m talking a ton of blackmail money."
He rubbed the scruff on his face, considering my words. "It better be good then, because if it's not, I'll finish what I started."
He turned away from me and walked out of VIP toward the rear of the club with Kevin following. I didn’t like where they were headed—the backrooms where I had uncovered some of the worst things I’d ever seen. Like I thought, he turned down a dark hallway with doors on each side. Beyond their barriers, the sounds of frightened cries mingled with pleasurable moans bled into the air. First thing first. Deal with Michael, then deal with the rest of the club.
Michael walked to the third door on the left and opened it wide, interrupting a man and a woman who were partially clothed. "Get out."
They scrambled to get their clothes and hurried past, but when the woman's eyes met mine, she visibly shuttered. Her reaction took me back. Was my appearance that frightening? Or was it something in my eyes she feared?
Michael flipped on the ceiling light illuminating the small room. Several needles and rubber tubing lay sprawled across a glass table. There were also empty blood bags, and in the corner, a garbage can was full of what looked like congealed blood. Someone had vomited.
"Tell me what you know," Michael ordered.
I turned around. “Actually, you’re going to answer my questions."
He pulled the gun on me again. "No one tells me what to do."
"Except for vampires and Victor, right?"
Kevin held up his hands. "Everyone just calm down. Boss, let’s listen to what the man has to say.”
"There's something familiar about you," Michael said, narrowing his eyes at me. "What is it?"
Before he could take his next breath, I disarmed him, snapping the gun in half and dropping it to the ground. His face paled, and Kevin stepped back.
"You're Crow," Michael said. "People are looking for you."
"You have a choice, chief," I said inches from his face. "You're either going to keep serving the Principes Noctis, or you're going to finally take a stand and do something to help this city. Which is it going to be?"
He snickered. "You think you can beat the Principes Noctis? You can't stop them. No one can. They own this city and everyone in it. The only thing left to do to is make sure you're on the winning side.
"You’ve made your choice?"
"My life's been a lot better since they came to town."
Where I was previously holding my breath, I inhaled now. His blood stank of spices, like the kind you put on tacos. Not as pleasant as others I've smelled, but Roman had taught me since a child not to be picky with my food.
I opened my mouth and let my fangs elongate nice and slow so he could watch. He moved to step back, his face paling, but the shift made me strike forward.
Even mice know to hold still when they’re trapped in a viper’s glare.
Chapter 16
My teeth drove deep into the chief’s chubby neck. I had to press extra hard to reach the vein I so desperately craved. I sucked hard and fast holding him still as he struggled against me, his voice quietly begging for mercy. I expected to feel Kevin at my back in an attempt to help his boss, but he didn't interfere.
Less than a minute later, Michael slumped to the floor dead. I whirled around at Kevin, blood dripping off my chin, and my eyes blazing. He smelled more greasy than spicy, but still just as good. I stepped toward him.
He pressed his back against the wall, his hands visibly shaking. The stench of fear filled the air, and it gave me pause. I wiped at the blood on my face with the back of my hand. "Now that he’s out of the picture, what will happen?”
Kevin spoke quickly. “I’ll temporarily take over until the Mayor assigns a new chief. It could be me or someone else.”
I searched his eyes. “I’ll give you the same choice I gave Michael. When the time comes, will you help fix this city, or will you serve the Principes Noctis?”
Anger replaced the fear in his eyes. “I want the bastards gone!”
“Then wait until the time is right to act. I have something that will help. In the meantime, figure out who on your force you can trust. I’ll get rid of the bad apples.”
I opened the door to leave, the taste of fresh blood still clinging to my taste buds. I wanted more. I wanted it to fill me until I no longer saw straight. I gripped the edges of the doorframe and closed my eyes.
Think of Emma.
I sensed Kevin approaching from behind. "Are you okay?"
"Stay back," I hissed.
I inhaled a long breath, held it, and blended into the darkened hallway. At the next room over, the sounds of whimpering slipped out from beneath the door. I took two steps to it and kicked it down. Two vampires were on a bed feeding off a young girl.
* * *
Rage took over every part of me. I grabbed the daggers within my jacket and rammed their sharpened tips in each of the vampire’s hearts before they could stand. Dust polluted the air. I stared down at the girl, blood flowing from a bite in her neck and another in her thigh. My fangs ached in my mouth, and I groaned.
“Please don’t hurt me!” she begged.
I growled and forced myself from the room. I kicked down the next door. This one appealed to me more.
Two humans sprawled on a couch, their glazed-over eyes cast upward. Rhino dust was scattered on the table in front of them. In the corner, a girl huddled in a fetal position. She had several cuts on her body. I wasn't sure exactly what had happened here, but whatever it was, it wasn't good.
I attacked the male first, eagerly sinking my teeth into his neck. The taste of his blood tainted with rhino dust tasted bitter like a green olive, and yet sweet as if it was floating in an alcoholic drink. I drunk him dry and tossed him aside, anxious to taste the female.
I was halfway into my feast when a rush of adrenaline shocked my system. I released the woman and stumbled back. The room spun and turned different shades of colors, some I didn't recognize. An end table in front of me began to stretch wide as if it were warm taffy.
Stumbling into the wall behind me, I slumped to the floor. What was happening? I stared straight ahead, unable to do anything else. Blue powdered rhino dust stared back at me.
I'm not sure how much time had passed, could have been hours or only minutes, but suddenly Victor was crouching in front of me speaking words I couldn't understand. All I could do was stare, my mouth agape. He looked pissed.
I made a fist best I could and shot it towards his face, but my aim was off, and there was no strength behind the punch. He knocked my hand away and reached inside his jacket pocket. He removed a syringe full of clear liquid and plunged it into my arm. I tried to resist, but every time I moved, the room swayed with me.
This was it. I was going to die at the hands of my enemy all because I couldn’t control myself.
My gaze lowered to my stretched-out legs, which I couldn’t feel. I waited for a blade to cross my neck or a wooden stake to pierce my heart, but it never came. What did come were clearer sounds, most notably, Victor's voice.
"Are you with me yet, dumb ass?”
I groaned and brought my knees, which I could feel again, to my chest.
“If you ever see rhino dust,” he said, “stay away from it. It jacks vampires up. What are you doing drinking human blood from the vein anyway? Are you one of them now?"
I slowly looked up at him, my senses fully returned. I shoved him away from me and came to my feet.
He tossed a cloth napkin at me. "Wipe your face."
"What are you doing here?" I rubbed the cloth on my chin quickly.
"Trying to keep you from being killed. You can't walk into a place like this and not expect people to start talking. Bastian is already on his way. You're lucky one of my guys spotted you the moment you walked in and called me."
My pulse raced. "Bastian's coming? I need to talk to him. "
He grabbed me by the arm and started for the door. "Not yet, you don't. There’s something more important you need to do."
I shrugged off his hand, hating his touch. "Nothing is more important."
"Emma is."
This got my attention. "What's happened?"
"You happened," he said, looking at me pointedly. "Now that everyone knows you’re back for sure, Bastian ordered his men to bring her to him, probably so she could be used against you. She's not safe here anymore."
"Then you need to get her out of the city," I said. “Now.”
"She won't go. She's heard the rumors about you, too."
My chest tightened at the thought of her knowing I was back and that I hadn't seen her yet. She probably hated me. "What did you tell her?"
"I'm not your damn messaging service. You talk to her yourself, but don’t you dare hurt her, physically or emotionally. I've grown quite fond of Emma and will kill anyone who harms her.”
“It wasn’t that long ago that you threatened to kill her.”
His nostrils flared. “I don’t have time to explain to you why I do the things that I do.”
I opened my mouth to come back with a sarcastic response but stopped myself. I had to think of Emma right now. "If she won't leave the city, then what do you suggest?"
"My heightened senses can detect almost anyone in this city, but most of the time, I'm unable to locate you. I assume this is because you have a hidden lair somewhere. Take her there, and I bet she'll be safe."
I considered his words even as my thirst for blood surged again inside of me. Would I be able to resist myself around her? Do I even dare put her life at risk?
"I know what you're thinking," he said. “But I know you won’t hurt her, especially if you really love her. I’m guessing you would rather set yourself on fire then cause Emma any suffering. Besides, her life is in danger now. Will she be any more at risk with you?"
I groaned, not liking this situation. I would rather die than hurt Emma, but I felt the same way about Amy, and I had nearly attacked her. Was I strong enough to prevent that from happening again? But it wasn’t just that. Living underground was not the life I envisioned for Emma. She deserved so much more. Maybe if I saw her, I could talk some sense into her and get her to leave Coast City.
"I’ll see what I can do. Where is she?"
"She's at her house. My men are outside, but even they can be bought off lately. There's very few I trust anymore." He tilted his head as if listening to a far-off sound. "He's in the club. Quickly. Get out of here."
I concentrated hard, but not even my super vampire senses could detect what Victor could. What if he was lying to me?
"I'll find you," I said, not willing to take the chance, especially if Emma could be in danger.
I super sped out of the room and down the hall, knocking over several people. Skating out the back door, I leaped up to the roof of the building where I would be harder to detect from other vampires. I hurried along the rooftops, jumping higher when necessary and dropping when required.
I reached the top of Emma's building and peered over the ledge. Two vehicles parked out front with four men sitting in each one—Victor’s men. I inhaled, smelling the faint smell of citrus, and listened to the steady sounds of Emma breathing in and out. She was sleeping.
There was no balcony or any kind of architectural lip I could use to sneak in through her window, which meant I would have to break in through a door. I moved to the other side of the roof and leaped to the ground between her house and another. I circled to the backyard. Emma’s family was one of the lucky few to have such a luxury in the big city.
I approached the door and very quietly and carefully popped the lock, including two deadbolts. I would have to fix that later. Not that it really mattered anymore. She would be leaving the city tonight if I had my way.
After I slipped inside, I pressed the four-digit code Victor had given me into a numbered pad before an alarm sounded. As quiet as a breath of air, I ascended the steps to her bedroom, knowing exactly where I was going. I only had to follow her scent that grew stronger the closer I came. I wondered if her blood tasted as sweet. I froze as a wave of intense pleasure washed over me at the thought of feeling my fangs inside her neck.
I fisted my hands and ground my teeth together. I can’t think thoughts like this. Not about her.
I stole a moment to focus on my training in Louisiana with the Ames de la Terra. Instead of embracing the darkness inside of me, something I had been doing a lot of lately, I found a sliver of light that lay buried within me. It was hard to find, as the pull of darkness was much stronger. My light were my memories of Emma and me when we were children. She had helped me feel normal in an otherwise very un-normal childhood.
After a few minutes, my hunger for blood waned and was replaced by only a longing to help Emma. I silently approached her room and opened the door.
I was about to step inside when a voice said, "Die, you son of a bitch!"
Chapter 17
A sound, like the short-circuiting of wires, precipitated a blast of electricity that hit my body and dropped me to the ground, shaking uncontrollably. My jaw clenched together involuntarily, and my back arched high.
Emma jumped from the bed and flipped on the lights, holding a dagger high above her head. Even though she was wearing only a tank top and cotton shorts, she looked fierce. I attempted to raise my arm to try and stop her from stabbing me with it, but it only jerked upward. I tried to speak her name, but it came out more like, “Mem”.
She frowned and looked at me strangely as if trying to figure out why I looked familiar. Her mouth dropped open. She knew. She stepped back, hesitated, then she stepped forward again as if she didn’t know how to respond.
The electricity began to fade from my body, and I forced myself into an upright position, pressing through the pain. My eyes slowly met hers
.
She brought her hand to her mouth and dropped onto the bed as if her legs could no longer support her. The wooden stake fell from her hands and clattered onto the floor.
After a few more twitches, the electricity finally passed from my body, leaving only a dull ache deep within my bones. I came to my feet and stared at her, unable to find the right words. Saying sorry for leaving her without a word felt shallow, but telling her to skip town seemed arrogant.
Her face contorted from wonder to anger. Finding strength, she stood and closed the distance between us, her chin quivering. Her eyes searched mine, and she opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. She slapped me across the face, startling me. The sting hurt far more than anything else I had felt in the last two days.
"You left me," she said. The pain in her voice further injured me.
“I—”
She punched me in the chest, then did it again with her other hand.
"You left me," she repeated. She continued to hit my chest, hot tears spilling from her eyes and onto her cheeks. "I thought you were dead." She punched me harder.
I took it all from her knowing I deserved it. I could've called her from the Bisou Islands to let her know what had happened. But I didn't.
At the time, I didn’t want her to think about me being a monster. I wasn't ready to explain what had happened to me, but standing here in front of her and seeing her heart bleed all over, maybe that was a mistake. Or was it? Would her knowing I was a vampire make her life better or worse? Based on how the last few days had gone for me, definitely worse.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
She hit me again. "You were dead, and yet I couldn't leave the city. I felt like such a fool waiting for a ghost."
This time when she moved to strike me, I caught her fist in my hand. "I never meant to hurt you, I swear it. Everything just changed so fast. I guess I was just trying to process what was happening to me when I should've considered your feelings more. I'm sorry I left, but I didn't have a choice."
