by Susan Illene
“Am I going to have to fight you tonight, Derrick?” My voice came out low.
He let out an exasperated breath and pulled the vehicle over, heedless of the guy driving behind us honking his horn. Once we came to a complete stop, he set the gear shift in place and turned toward me.
“Mel, you and I are not going to face off. Despite your little stunt with waking the vampire, I ain’t really mad at you. Might’ve done the same thing in your shoes. So get those silly thoughts out of your head. No matter how this turns out, things between me and you,” his eyes bored into mine, “they don’t change.”
He closed the distance and pulled my body into a tight hug. His unique scent engulfed me, one that was all man. I embraced him back, hoping he understood how important he’d become. It didn’t seem fair that we had to be on opposing sides, but I’d lived long enough to know life didn’t always go the way you wanted it to.
Derrick didn’t let go for a few minutes. Neither of us said anything, as if this was some kind of final goodbye. When we pulled apart, he kissed my forehead and ran a thumb across my cheek.
“If I can help it, you’ll come out of this alive, you got that?”
I smiled and fought back tears. It was insane to think that a few weeks ago I’d rather have killed this man than touched him. My perceptions had come to a complete turn-around and nothing made sense anymore. We didn’t even know if we would make it through the night, despite Lucas and Nik’s assurances. I hadn’t learned to trust them any more than Derrick had.
“Thanks,” I gave him a watery-eyed smile.
“Anytime, Sensor Girl.”
I laughed. Ever since the first time he’d called me “Sensor Girl” during the search, he’d kept doing it. At least, until things became complicated with Nik. The name came out whenever he wanted to lighten the mood and he always said it in a mocking voice.
By the time we reached Variola’s house, I had my game face on. It was a few minutes after ten o’clock, which worked out well since Nik wanted at least an hour after sunset to get ready before we brought the witch-vamp over. Several of the same werewolves I’d seen outside last time waited for us now. We had called ahead and they were expecting us.
With a sense of déjà vu, I handed my gun and knives over. Giving them up brought a scowl to my face. At least this time I wasn’t molested in the process with Derrick hovering close. I hadn’t wanted to bring them at all, but it would have been suspicious if I didn’t bring them with me. There really hadn’t been a choice. We couldn’t risk anything tipping Variola off ahead of time.
The house had a creepy feeling as we walked through the entrance. I’d never been upstairs at night, but the mood of the place didn’t feel the same. Heavy curtains covered the windows at all times, yet it felt darker than previous visits. As we were led to the living room, I noted the large gathering of sups standing around. Way too many. The stirrings of another headache crept up my neck. It wouldn’t get too bad, though, since I loaded up on ibuprofen before leaving the cabin.
Variola’s lips lifted in a triumphant smile as we walked in. She had to have known the moment we arrived, but pretending surprise was all part of the game to her. She wore her full, leather regalia along with her multitude of braids looking fresh and tight. Noreen sat beside her and shocked me with her own attire. The prissy little witch had changed and now dressed in clothing similar to Variola’s, except she’d added a leather jacket. A couple of warlocks were in the room as well, wearing their own version of leather attire.
“Do I need to go home and change? I feel under-dressed.” The words popped out without thinking.
Variola laughed, waving her hand with black painted fingernails in my direction.
“Don’t be silly, dear. Dress the way you like. It makes no difference.”
In fact, I figured my clothes were a lot more practical for the evening. Jeans, an under-shirt, a long sleeve shirt, a warm jacket chosen for flexibility, and my trusty hiking boots completed my attire. It was cold outside, and while the vampires and werewolves could handle the lower temps, the mortal witches and warlocks could not. They’d be regretting their skimpy leather outfits later.
Variola’s mood turned serious. “You’ve located the vampire?”
“I have.”
She turned to Derrick. “Is this true? Are you certain it is him?”
“Yes. We verified it.” He answered without blinking.
“Good,” she stood up. “Then it looks like we have a spell to perform.”
“Spell?” I asked. “Weren’t you going to kill him?”
Variola clasped her hands together. “Of course, but only after we drain him of his powers. The accursed man ran off before we could perform the next step last time.”
So that had been her plan. She wanted all of his powers for herself, which would be considerable since Nik was no lightweight. Even for being twelve hundred years old, he shouldn’t have been able to reach the level he had.
Three more witches walked in, one of them being my former torturer, but the others I didn’t recognize. They all wore leather too. Maybe they had a few dozen Harley Davidson motorcycles hiding around here we could ride on to keep with the theme.
I shook off that image and started counting. Seven of them were here to work whatever spell she had planned, though it’d been five for the sleep spell. She must have upped her numbers to be safe. There were thirty-two vampires and werewolves in the house now as well, quite a lot more than there had been in my previous visits. Nik’s side would be about even with this one in the coming battle. Variola continued to remain the oldest of her group at four hundred, though, so at least we had age and power going for us. They had witchcraft, though, and that would make things tricky.
We sat around with tension stifling the air while Variola and Noreen went off to ensure whatever preparations they deemed necessary were in order. I jumped in surprise when Aniya came in. She ran over and pressed a hug before checking me over.
Relief washed over me at seeing her in one piece, though her complexion appeared a little pale. It was possible someone fed off of her today, but I didn’t want to think about that too much if I wanted to remain calm. A thousand questions ran through my mind, and the look in her eyes told me she had her own. Both of us glanced at Variola’s minions surrounding us and chose to keep silent after our initial greetings. She did grip my arm when we sat down, as if to draw courage from it. Nervousness and worry saturated the air around her.
Derrick didn’t even glance my way. Instead he broke out the dagger he always kept with him so he could clean his finger nails. I always thought it odd how people used knives for that purpose, but I supposed it would be a handy tool if you were carrying one anyway. The two warlocks conversed between themselves in low tones while the three remaining witches gave me venomous looks. I supposed they weren’t happy with me for killing one of their friends. I shrugged my shoulders and smiled at them. They would be dead soon enough.
Almost thirty minutes passed before Variola came back with Noreen. They were smiling a little too much for my liking. Derrick had given them the location where we would be heading so maybe they had been mapping it out. I had no idea what else they would be doing for that long. Their red lipstick didn’t look any fresher than before.
“Let’s get going,” Variola ordered. “Aniya, you will be riding with me.”
That caught my attention. “Why is Aniya coming?”
Variola didn’t bother to turn around as she spoke. “No sense in keeping her here. As soon as you meet your end of the bargain she can go free, as promised.”
I wanted to argue that plan, but it would arouse suspicion to say anything more. Derrick walked beside me and gave my arm a squeeze. The promise in his eyes said he’d watch out for her. I gritted my jaw and kept walking.
We came outside to discover it had begun snowing. The temperature had cooled in the last hour or so, though it remained above freezing. I doubted it would stick to the ground or affect movement as we
traveled. An earlier check of the weather report warned me of the chance for snow, but Nik had promised me the real stuff didn’t come until October, which was almost a month away. I still shivered in anticipation of the coming battle and prayed the white flakes wouldn’t affect things too badly.
As we came around the side of the house, a half-dozen SUVs and vans came into view. They hadn’t been visible from the angle where we pulled up earlier, but it appeared there were enough of them so that all of us could fit in if we squeezed. It beat riding motorcycles in the snow, even if I did feel a little disappointment at the more traditional means of transportation.
Variola ordered Derrick and I to get in the lead vehicle. It made me wonder if she worried about an ambush along the way. The first vehicle was the most vulnerable in combat zones. The site where we were heading would take about half an hour to reach, but I got another surprise when we stopped a few miles into our route. Jack, the deputy from the police department, stood by his patrol car on the side of the road. He didn’t have his lights on, but I recognized him easy enough. What was he doing here?
My palms grew sweaty as we waited in the vehicles. Variola led Aniya out and walked her over to the police officer. Her voice carried well enough to hear her words.
“Jack, I want you to take control of this girl and move her away from here. If I don’t call you in two hours, you will shoot her with your gun. Do you understand?” She had placed compulsion on him.
“Yes, ma’am.”
My hands started shaking. I wanted to leap out and save my friend. Derrick’s sudden grip on my arm stopped me before I realized what I was doing. My fingers were already touching the door handle. If Variola died in the battle, we would have no way to find Aniya in time.
The witch-vamp grabbed Aniya next and used her compelling voice once again. “You will not run or try to hide from the nice deputy. Do you understand?”
Aniya nodded in numbed compliance. “Yes.”
“Good.”
To follow that up, Variola put a charm on Aniya’s wrist. My senses told me it would prevent any location spells from working on her. The witch-vamp gave me a pointed look as she passed my vehicle on the way to her own.
Derrick shook his head when I started to say something. His eyes said we had to carry this through to the bitter end. The amount of time we had might not be enough to find her, but if I made one wrong move now, the whole plan would be ruined. People counted on me to do my part. Yet I had a tough time getting past the possibility my friend might get sacrificed in the process. She was the main reason I had agreed to participate in this to begin with.
I had to control myself as the vehicles drove away, picking up speed. Derrick rubbed my hand in a gentle pattern, attempting to calm me down. It must have shown on my face how upset I felt, and even more so after I glanced at my watch. It was eleven o’clock. Would we get to her in time?
When we reached the old mine site, my emotions were reigned in tight. There was one way to solve all this, and that would be to get this battle over with as fast as possible. Saving Aniya was the only thing that would keep me going. She couldn’t die. She just couldn’t.
Chapter Twenty-five
The presence of numerous sups around the perimeter lit up my senses like a Christmas tree. We parked in a large area cleared of vegetation with the mine at its edge. Tall trees from the nearby woods surrounded us. Nik and his people were here. They hid nearby. Out of sight where Variola and her minions couldn’t see or smell them, but close enough to move in fast.
Until the last of her minions arrived—a few were delayed for some reason—Nik’s side couldn’t attack. We had to draw all her forces in and lull her into a false sense of complacency. I knew the part I had to play in all this.
We climbed out of the vehicles and into the cold and drifting snow. The mood was tense with expectation. Derrick and I made our way over to Variola, who stood directing her minions on what she wanted them to do. Despite wearing a low-cut leather top with no sleeves, she didn’t shiver. I envied her that. The cool, wet weather was making me uncomfortable. I was huddling in my jacket when she motioned us over.
“Derrick, is this the place where the vampire rests?” She pointed in the direction of the mine entrance.
He nodded. “It is.”
Variola called out to a mixed group of werewolves and vampires, indicating they should come forward. As they got close, their harsh visages came into view. Each one illuminated by nearby headlights that hadn’t been turned off yet. All were in regulation leather gear and carried a plethora of weapons, including knives and swords, on their belts. My fingers itched to be holding my own gun.
“Very well,” she said. “The sensor and these five men here will go in and bring him out.”
Derrick took a step forward. “I should go in with her. She isn’t comfortable in the mine, and she can’t see well in the dark.”
This was one argument I wanted him to win. He might be on the wrong side, but at least he wouldn’t hurt me. The same couldn’t be said for the others.
Variola waved off his concerns. “These men will help her find her way and she can bring a flashlight if that makes her feel better.”
As if on cue, someone brought one over. I took it from them, gripping the cold plastic in my hand. It would help light my way, but it wouldn’t make much of a weapon. Being a weak human really sucked.
“Better?” Variola asked. I could tell by the look in her eyes she saw me as pathetic too.
I nodded. She’d have her turn at the feeling later.
“Very well, sensor. Make sure you don’t mess this up or it will be your friend’s life.”
Though she stood several inches shorter than my height, the woman managed to look down her nose at me with a warning expression. I kept my face impassive, refusing to give away a single one of my vengeful thoughts.
“Don’t worry. I won’t mess up,” I replied.
At least, not according to my plans, but hers might not go the way she wanted. The witch-vamp would be battling for her life soon enough. Visions of her dying danced through my head. They made me feel warmer until I remember her death could mean I wouldn’t reach Aniya in time. There had to be a way.
Variola nodded, appearing satisfied with my response and ordered us to go inside. Her minions followed me as I led them over to the mineshaft. It opened up on the side of a hill, unlike the previous one that had been a hole in the ground. My flashlight clicked on as we entered, but it didn’t provide much illumination.
I took care making my way through, thinking of my previous visits here and the random objects that had snuck up to attack me when I wasn’t paying attention. A pickaxe had almost taken my leg out the last time. The sups behind me moved with ease and grumbled at my slow pace. I ignored them, happy the movement and lack of wind made the cold more bearable, despite the ice on the walls. Sunny California would have been really nice right about now.
After a few minutes, no sounds from outside reached us. Some of the guys began to get edgy. One of them remarked about a possible cave-in and the tension rose. The darkness gave the impression that the walls were closing in, but I’d already walked through this part of the shaft and didn’t think it would collapse anytime soon.
A turn-off appeared to the left. I almost missed it with my attention focused on the ground. My hand dropped the flashlight so it rolled a couple feet before stopping with its beam reflecting off the wall. In the space of a heartbeat, Lucas appeared with a golden ray of light and handed me my sword. I grabbed it and pivoted on my heels, sensing him flash away to come up behind the five sups. Nikolas appeared at my side and gave me a brief nod before maneuvering himself into position. Variola’s minions let out a slew of curses as we came at them from three directions.
No hesitation, I reminded myself.
The werewolf in front of me reached back to draw out a knife. I took advantage of his exposed torso and thrust my blade into the soft tissue of his stomach. The sword had been sharpened to
a fine point and slid in with little resistance. Blood already soaked his front when I twisted it and pulled the blade back out, readying myself for another strike.
The man stumbled, clutching his wound as he looked at me with rounded eyes. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I kept the sword tight in my hand. I expected my opponent to return my attack, but to my surprise, he fell to the ground. I’d thought his kind would be able to take more damage than that. His overwhelming pain hit my senses, proving it wasn’t an act.
A sickening thud came from my left, drawing my attention.
Nik had relieved one of the vampires of his head. Both parts turned to dust moments later. He took a swipe at another vampire who’d been trapped behind his cohort in the narrow tunnel. The man ducked the blade and rushed forward with blazing eyes. Nik kicked his foot out and slammed the smaller man’s shoulder, knocking him back. The movement was precise and graceful, though it flashed by, almost too fast to see.
I forced myself to return my attention to the werewolf I’d impaled. He was curled on the ground, struggling for breath while clutching his bloody wound. The damage might have been enough to kill a human, but he was already starting to heal. According to Nik, it was always better to take the head off or else a sup could recover and come back to attack again. I had no choice but to finish the job.
As the werewolf began to get up, I lifted the sword in a high arc and aimed for his neck. He raised his arm at the last second to block the blow, not leaving me time to readjust. The blade cut through his wrist and only made it partway through his throat. Blood splattered all over us both.
I tried not to think of the pain I was causing him. Killing an enemy was one thing, making him suffer was another. Dragging in a lungful of air, I sliced at him again, making it half-way through his thick neck. It took a third attempt before I managed to finish him off.
