Family Blood Ties Set - 3 books in 1

by Dale Mayer

  "That brings us back to the same problem of logistics." David's tone dropped. "It takes a huge organization – well run and even better funded – to pull this off in the short time they had."

  "When did they first know we were onto them?" Cody asked. "I knew I shouldn't have let those two guys leave back in the beginning. But Tessa had collapsed. I let them go to protect her. If those two guys went to their bosses then, they could have started damage control immediately. And pulled together a contingency plan if we blew their operation apart."

  Ian looked at him and to the other men in the room. "There's only one female here. On the last bed."

  "That's what was bugging me. How could I not see it?" Jewel gasped. "There are no females here."

  Cody strode toward the last bed, taking time to look at the faces, trying to memorize the placid features. "Do we know her?"

  "Ah…yes." Ian said uncomfortably. "It's Xana."

  Cody and David spun to look at him. Cody blinked. "What? Why would she be here? She wouldn't have come to the rescue at the blood farm. She doesn't do anything for anyone."

  Jewel walked down the end of the row. "Do we leave her?" Making a sudden decision, she went to pull the needles from Xana's arm.

  "Wait."

  Jewel jerked toward Cody. He ran down toward her. "You might harm her." He arrived to find the needles in Jewel's hands, Jewel's surprised face staring at him. "Or not." He shrugged, turning his attention to Xana. Her long red hair fanned out on the pillow behind her. Even unconscious, she looked model perfect. "I don't understand why she's here."

  "She had to have been there with the others. Taken out as part of the group." David wandered the space. "It's weird. There are doors at either end. We can only go one way."

  "I doubt that one locked door can keep us in here. The locks were built for drugged-up patients, not pissed young male vamps." Ian snorted.

  "They wouldn't be so stupid. These rooms are all connected for a reason."

  "Yeah, like a production line. You finish in one room and graduate to the other." And that was a concept to make anyone sick. Cody walked to the end door. It could lead anywhere. Or they were being pushed into a specific direction. By locking the first door, they were continuing to move in the only way forward. How many of these damn doors could there be in this fun house? And where in all of this was Tessa?

  He cast a last glance at the rows of comatose vamps.

  He could only hope she wasn't hooked up like these vamps. Unfortunately, he might already be too late.

  ***

  Jared ran down the stairs, still trying to pull his t-shirt over his head. He stopped at the living room entranceway to run his fingers through his hair. Damn, he hoped it was Tessa. He sauntered into the room.

  And stopped.

  A woman older than he was expecting faced the window. A looker, maybe – if you liked them older – but she was not Tessa.

  She turned to face him. And he recognized her. It was his aunt.

  Anger rose up his spine in a tsunami wave. After what he'd been through, how dare she come here?

  Her smile faltered. "I didn't know. Honest."

  He frowned, the anger still alive and churning in his gut. He didn't know who to believe any more. Who had known? And who had participated? If anyone? Maybe it had been random. Maybe not. But he highly doubted anyone in his family had given a damn. He'd only seen this woman a dozen times in his life, and had spoken to her maybe half that. She'd never cared before. So why now?

  "Really?" Scorn lanced at her. Jared couldn't help it. Cynicism lived inside. Maybe it always had. But not to the extent it lived there now.

  She winced, took a deep breath, and said, "The authorities contacted your uncle. He called me. Asked me come here. He wants to know that you are safe."

  "Like hell he does. He probably wants to know if the goods are in decent enough condition to resell."

  She gasped, and froze. "You can't possibly think he sold you to those…those vampires?"

  "Why not? He's always hated me. Always looking for the next buck to buy another bottle. He wouldn't care what happened to me. Especially if he could get a dollar for his efforts."

  "That's not true," she cried out, her hand clasping to her chest. "He's not been a great father figure, I know." She held up her left hand, as if to stop his words, while talking faster over his snort of disgust. "But he'd never have done anything to deliberately hurt you."

  "Like hell." Jared knew his uncle. He'd seen the sideways glances, assessing looks in the background. "I just hoped to make it through high school before I had to leave. No, he wouldn't even give me that."

  "The authorities said you'd implicated him in this nastiness." She shook her head violently, her hair clip falling to the ground. "He'd never do that."

  Jared watched as she bent and picked it up. He didn't know if the experience of the last week had opened his eyes or if that had just tainted his perspective, but nothing she'd said in any way made him even reconsider his uncle. Or her.

  "Why are you here?" He walked over to stand by the window, but not taking his eyes off her. He didn't trust anyone anymore. "I haven't seen you in what, a year?"

  She flushed. "You're right. I haven't been very involved in your life." She held out her hands, palms up. "I have no excuse, but to say that it was easier to avoid my brother and his heavy drinking than to deal with it."

  "Now, that much is probably true."

  Her flush deepened, a hint of anger shining in her gaze. "I didn't come here to argue with you."

  "Good. So why are you here?"

  "The authorities are asking questions." Her tone turned mocking. "You've become a bit of a celebrity overnight, according to the media."

  Jared looked at her. Had he slept that long? What media? Of course, after Tessa's panic button, so many people had ended up at the blood farm at the end that he could well imagine the sensational journalism going on right now. He just hadn't contemplated his role in it all. Damn, he hoped they were leaving Tessa alone. She'd been through enough.

  "Now your family is being investigated. Surely you don't need to be 'someone' so badly that you have to throw suspicion on those that raised you?" She straightened, a determined look coming into her eye. "I want you to tell the police that you were wrong about your uncle's involvement."

  What a shock. Not. He glared at this woman who knew nothing about him or what he'd been through. "No. I will not. As far as I'm concerned, there's a damn good chance my uncle did sell me to that damn blood farm. And even if he didn't, I'm sure he wasn't worried about finding me after I went missing."

  "He believed you'd run away," she cried. "You can't blame him for that. You two were always fighting."

  "And that's where you're wrong. I never fought with him. I left early in the morning, went to school, went to work, and then home again. I avoided him like the plague."

  "And he avoided you. He probably didn't even know you'd gone missing."

  And that stopped Jared. Damn. That was all too possible.

  ***

  Serus strode toward the underground hospital parking lot, worry eating away at him. Sian would guard Rhia. The two were closer than sisters. Not that that was a good comparison, given Rhia's sisters. Vamp females, exotic and sexy, were lethal in many ways. He'd been blessed to find Rhia centuries ago, and even she'd mellowed since. Having their kids had improved her heart. Those vamps without families lost what little bit of humanity was ever in them.

  Gittora was a prime example. But Sian was a match for her. She'd keep Rhia safe.

  Goran strode at his side. Serus could feel his old friend watching him, studying his face. They had known each other for so long, their thoughts usually blended to the same topic. The same answer.

  "We're going back to the blood farm," Serus said, his voice calm and determined. "And we have to retrace the route the kids took."

  "Not just the kids. Two more councilmen and their drivers are also missing."

  Serus didn't resp
ond. His jaw locked. Damned if this wasn't going to be an all-out war before the week was out. That was fine with him. His family was at stake. And his way of life.

  There were a few vamps worth saving. The ones who'd taken his kids were marked for death. He'd do that job personally.

  "Have you spoken to Taz at all? Has he been warned?"

  Serus glanced over at Goran. "Sian couldn't get through. She's going to keep trying. The last thing she'd allow is to have Taz strung up again."

  Goran nodded. "That doesn't mean there is anyone left at the blood farm on his side. Being human, he can't defend himself at all."

  And that was the crux of the matter. Humans were vulnerable in a way vamps never were. Sian and Taz had been to hell and back already. When Taz had gone missing decades ago, Sian had found him in the blood farm that had caused the last war.

  "We need to get there fast." The more he considered it, the worse the whole scenario became. He couldn't believe that everyone at the farm had been taken out, but the possibility was all too likely.

  "Do you want to drive or me?"

  Serus weighed the options. He was tired. But angry. "You drive. I'll make the calls."

  "Yeah? Who is there left to call?" Goran grinned. "I think Tessa contacted damn near everyone."

  "Not quite." He'd been thinking about it. Pondering their options. They'd lost a mess of good vamps last time. Many of the others had been sick of the fighting, taking to the far corners of the world to heal and recuperate. He'd lost touch with many of them. But that didn't mean they weren't all out there. Still capable of beating the enemy to the ground once again.

  Still, it had been brutal last time. Their losses heavy. These vamps had aged since. They may have lost their will to fight again.

  And they may have gained the taste for blood.

  That was a personal choice every vamp had to deal with. Each person had to make the moral stance that they were comfortable with. But harvesting blood from animals, humans included, wasn't the same as harvesting from humans hanging like living dead with no quality of life.

  He wanted to get Seth involved. His son would know a whole different group of people, too. And then there was Goran's oldest son, Tyson. Maybe he'd help.

  Blood banks had been voluntary years ago. Then the humans were paid to donate. That had worked to a certain extent, with synthetic blood being the latest and longest solution. But now the blood farm thing had reared its ugly head again. Human greed might have helped it to flourish. A common weakness in the species.

  For the price of protection, they'd sell their enemies, neighbors, and even family members.

  Wasn't that what Jared had suggested? That his uncle might have sold him to the blood farm. And if there was one case of that happening…

  Tessa glided to the tree closest to the house. Deep in the trees, covered windows, dark on the outside, dark on the inside. There was also a hill behind it. Right behind it. She eyed the hill suspiciously.

  Given what she'd been through, that wasn't unexpected.

  Still…she jumped down and approached cautiously. They could have cameras on the outside for any approaching visitors. She hoped not. She hadn't been that quiet or stayed that hidden. Maybe this was just a small family holding.

  She slipped up to the back of the house and flattened against the wall. The sky had darkened with black clouds. That should make it easier to see the energy signatures in the sky, but they'd spread on the winds. There was so little energy left, she couldn't pinpoint which of the houses they'd gone into. There wasn't any energy traveling behind the houses, either. Wherever the vamps had landed, they'd stayed.

  This place was as good as any to start looking. She closed her eyes and sent out a silent probe.

  Cody? Cody, can you hear me?

  Nothing.

  With a shrug, Tessa slipped up to the back door and tested the handle. It turned easily under her grip. Taking a deep breath, she pushed it open. It moved soundlessly. The interior was dark. And quiet.

  She closed her eyes briefly, wondering about the wisdom of going in. But if her friends were here, then she had to find them.

  Groaning at the lack of choices, she slipped inside and flattened against the first wall. She couldn't hear anything over the pounding in her heart. She tried to calm her breathing, but the raspy air came out of her mouth so loud, she knew anyone close could hear her. Vampires had incredibly sensitive hearing. Amongst other things.

  She gave herself another few seconds and a firm talking to. Then she switched on both sets of visions to allow herself to see anything and everything as she crept from one room to another.

  Each room was fully furnished, but empty of signs of living. There were no books, papers, dishes – dirt, even. No items of clothing or obvious signs of comfort. There were pictures on the wall.

  After quickly checking that the room was empty, she walked over to the pictures and searched the faces. She moved from one picture to the other. She didn't recognize any of the vamps. And they were vamps. Not that she needed that confirmation at this point.

  They didn't resemble any she'd met over the blood farm mess or through her associations with her father or the council. Her father would most likely recognize some of them.

  She spun around as another thought occurred. Did they have cell phones here? She walked the walls looking for cords, chargers, any type of phone. Some way to communicate. Even a laptop would be helpful. Actually, damn helpful.

  She searched the whole downstairs.

  Nothing.

  Not wanting to, but knowing she had to, she slipped up the stairs and checked out the second floor. There was the same autonomous look to the bedrooms as there was to the downstairs. She checked out the closets but there were no clothes, no bedding, no signs of habitation. For all intents and purposes, the house was empty – and had been for a long time.

  She walked through to see if there was anything useable. A shower would be nice. A change of clothes would be great. Hers were bloodstained, sweat-stained, and showed more skin than she was comfortable with at this time. A nap would be even better. Just a short power nap. To recharge. She was used to those. Having a family that lived all night and attending a school that operated all night, she was used to twenty-minute power naps to recharge.

  Could she chance it?

  She sat down on the side of the bed, suddenly more tired than she could remember. She stared down at her torn, dirty clothes – so fashionable, sooo very long ago.

  Running a weary hand through her hair she realized she needed a plan. A way forward. She'd found shelter. That was a start. And the rest?

  She didn't know what was next.

  With the idea of rest and recuperation foremost in her mind, she went back through the closets and bedrooms, searching for any items of clothing left behind. She found a shirt forgotten in the closet of the smallest bedroom. In the closet on the back shelf. In black, of course. She went to the bathroom and turned a tap, hoping for water. It trickled out. Not enough for a shower, but enough for a wash and a drink.

  Food would be a lost cause. This was a vampire holding. Blood only. And if no one had been here in a long time, there'd be no blood either.

  She hated blood, but necessity being what it was…she'd check in a few minutes. First, maybe she could remove a layer of dirt. The vamps would smell her coming at this rate. She found an old towel below the sink and took a moment to clean up. The water was cold. She forced herself to do a good job regardless. Pulling on her new shirt, she checked out the mirror. Not fashionable, but she'd had enough of that at this point. Feeling much better, she ran her fingers though her hair, then tugged it back into long sections, which she quickly braided into a single plait down her back.

  Feeling more energized and in control than she had been for days, she folded her shirt into as small a bundle as she could, stuffed it in her coat pocket, and went back downstairs.

  She'd been lucky so far. Maybe it would hold for a little while longer.

&nb
sp; Tessa stood outside the house, searching the darkening sky. No sign of life in any direction. Could the owners be absent, or had this place been deserted? And if so, why?

  It was dark enough for her fellow vamps to be out, at least in the shadows. Some of the weird new vamps were also traveling in daylight. Or, rather, half light.

  Still, she couldn't hear anything.

  It was that complete absence of sound that bothered her the most. There should be birds, wind, the rustling of small animals. Dogs, even. Here, there was nothing.

  It's as if someone swept through the village and stole away everything that was alive.

  Except her.