Zane frowned, not understanding her sudden outburst but standing up beside her, “Serena? What is it? What are you—”
Kristine’s aura broke through the darkness as she strolled towards them, “I heard you’d dragged your bitch-ass out of whatever shit-hole you’d been squatting in, slut! And I know you weren’t about to forget about what you did to us!”
Serena hissed, “Us? ‘Us’? Are you insane!”
Zane frowned and looked from the strange newcomer to Serena, “How do you know this…?” he paused as Serena sprinted by, charging at her.
“I’ll fucking kill you!”
Kristine shook her head, “Not before I kill you, bitch! And not before I take him back!” her purple aura seized and withdrew into her body, causing Serena to pause and backtrack.
“Wh-what? You’re an auric? But… you and Devon… were hunters! H-how could you hunt vampires if…”
“You stupid bitch! You of all people should understand! I knew he wouldn’t have me if he knew what I was, and cutting a few of our kinds’ heads off to try and bag him was more than a fair trade, wouldn’t you agree? But that’s ancient history and I want him!”
Serena frowned, “What are you—”
“Devon, you stupid bitch!” Kristine shrieked, “I know he’s with you! I saw him fuse with your aura the night you killed him and I want him—”
“I killed him?” Serena lunged at her, only to be thrown back as the auric threw out a wave of energy.
Kristine sneered, walking towards her, “Where is he?”
“He’s gone.” Serena glared, pulling herself up.
“Don’t lie to me!” Kristine hissed, “I’ve come too far for that!”
Serena frowned, “It’s not a lie, you psycho-bit—” she was cut off as she was forced to dodge another auric blast from Kristine and cried out as one hit her in the leg and dropped her to the ground.
“Serena!” Zane glared and turned to Kristine, his tattoos beginning to glow as his body started to shift.
“This doesn’t concern you!” Kristine glared at him, charging for another attack.
Serena’s eyes widened, “No! Leave him alone!”
“Oh?” Kristine looked at her, “Might this be a new love? Serena… two men at once? I mean, I knew you were a tramp, but—”
“I already told you; Devon’s dead!”
Kristine shook her head, “If that’s true, then I owe you for taking Devon from me!”
“You’re crazy!” Serena stood, “You started that fire at our weddi—”
“NO!” Kristine glared, “Devon would’ve never married you! It was all you! All your fault!” she glared at Zane, “And I will take what I’m owed!” She growled as she threw out her aura at Zane.
Serena’s eyes widened as the blast hit Zane, “No!” she ran towards him as he slammed into the ground, “Oh god! Please no! Not again!”
But his aura was already gone.
His tattoos; cold and black.
His body…still.
Dead.
“Turn around, bitch! I’m not done with you, yet!” Kristine said, her soft steps approaching behind Serena.
Serena dropped to her knees, tears welling in her eyes, “Zane…”
Kristine’s aura slammed into her back, knocking her to the ground. “Don’t think I’ll kill you so easy! I’ve waited too long for this! Now turn around!”
Serena sobbed, trying to suck in a breath through her aching lungs as she clenched her eyes.
“Zane… no, please! Please don’t let it be true…”
Kristine grabbed her shoulder, “Turn arou—”
“Would you mind terribly if I asked you to try that once more?”
Serena looked down to meet dark brown eyes on Zane’s face.
Serena blushed as she saw Zane stand and, after dusting himself off, look at his hands before grinning down at them.
“Z-Zane?”
He didn’t respond but, instead, smirked at Kristine and took a step towards her, “Oye! You hear me, girlie? I said I want you to attack me!”
Kristine frowned, “No… you’re not you. You can’t be…”
Serena bit her lip as a bright green aura shimmered and grew from his body, writhing and bubbling into life.
Serena struggled to her feet, starting towards him, “Zane!”
Frowning, he shifted his dark eyes to hers for the first time and took her in absently, “I’m afraid not, luv. Not anymore, at least.”
Preface
“Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs.”
William Shakespeare
Dedicated to all those who believe in the transcendence of love past the flesh and through the spirit.
Prologue
“I don’t know how to explain it. I just know that Zane is still out there somewhere.” Serena sighed and choked down the newest batch of synthetic blood, “Oh! Blech! Ahg! Sweet shit, Zoey! What’d you put in this one? Badger piss?”
“Quit complaining and drink it,” Zoey sighed, not looking away from the file on their newest mission from The Council. “And I’m not questioning your instincts,” she retrieved the pen she’d tucked behind her ear, causing a wave of blue-dyed hair to fan across her face, “A part of me wants to believe that he’s still alive, too. But you’re letting it get in the way of what needs to be done.”
“What needs to be done? Really?” Serena rolled her eyes and pulled the file away, “This is nothing more than another distraction! They’re just trying to swamp us with new assignments because they think I’m—”
“Dangerously obsessed?” Zoey frowned, finally looking up at her.
Serena growled and threw the file back on the table. “Dammit, Zoey, not you too!”
The corners of Zoey’s eyes dropped as a wave of sympathy rolled off of her aura—the rippling energy signature matching her hair—and she wetted her lips before letting them part to—
“No!” Serena aimed a stern index finger at her, “You will not do this to me. Not now! You know what they’re doing; keeping me busy just so I don’t…” She bit her lip, “Just so I don’t…”
Zoey stepped over and wrapped her arms around her friend, “Just so you don’t do this to yourself.” She nodded, “And I thank them for that every day.”
Ever since getting her power-hungry brother, Keith, arrested by The Council, the non-human government had recognized Serena as capable of handling the role of leader of her late-father’s clan. And while the respect was a refreshing change of pace, an unwelcome reunion with a bitch-vamp named Kristine from her past shortly after had taken her lover’s life and turned their victory into a bitter-sweet mess. However, never one to make anything simple, Zane’s “death” had only seemed to take his aura—his being—out of the picture and allowed for his old friend, Raith, to take control of his body; a bizarre turn of events that now forced Serena to see Zane on a daily basis while still being expected to believe that he was gone.
And the whole ordeal was most certainly taking its toll.
Though she would never admit it to Zoey—not that it mattered, since the auric vampire’s psychic abilities could spot that little detail easily—Serena was suffering, and The Council’s distractions were probably the only thing keeping her sane.
Still…
She shivered as she imagined Zane’s mismatched, silver-and-blue gaze and the flash of that devious grin of his that always made her toes curl. And the way his fingers…
“Earth to Serena,” Zoey called as she waved her hand in front of Serena’s face. “Hey, airhead, you in there?”
“Yeah,” Serena nodded, “Sorry, just got lost in thought.”
“About what?” Zoey frowned.
Knowing that the subject of Zane would only result in more nauseating pity and even more lectures, Serena put up a psychic shield to hide her thoughts and forced a wicked grin that she’d all-but trained herself to wear by that point. “This delicious hunk of yes-ness I saw in the latest Vogue. He was a hottie-hot-hott
ie!” Serena winked to sell the lie, “Oh, Zoey, the things I would do…”
“That’s fine! I trust you, Serena! I don’t need to hear about the things you’d do. I’m still not fully recovered from that cayenne pepper scenario you chose to share,” Zoey chuckled as she moved the file back towards Serena, “Now, are you ready to get some work done?”
Serena fought the urge to bite her lip and nodded, “Hell yea!”
Zoey smiled and pointed to the intel on the page. “Here’s what The Council has so far on the rogue outlaw.”
Serena sighed, studying the page and taking in the grainy, black-and-white picture that a poorly positioned security camera had captured.
“This?” Serena shook her head at the picture, “This stooge is the rogue that’s eluded capture for so long? He’s just a therion! Bait a damn bear trap with a Milk Bone and—oh… sorry, Zoey.”
Her friend’s aura whipped about in irritation as she shot a glare up at her.
“I take it back, okay? Therions… they have their charm,” Serena offered an apologetic tug on Zoey’s shoulder. “After all, Isaac couldn’t have scored a babe like you if he wasn’t a gentleman, right? Though I have heard that—”
Zoey cleared her throat, “The mission, Serena!”
“Oh, right,” Serena giggled, nudging her friend once more before scanning over the file again. “Axle Travers: last seen… huh,” Serena looked over her shoulder at a large map of the city they’d tacked to the wall, “That’s only two hours from here. Why did we JUST get this file now? These cases are dated from several months ago!”
“Yeah, I guess he’d been quiet lately.” Zoey shrugged, flipping through the pages before finally pulling a few of the last pages free and holding them up, “At least until recently.”
“Okay, so what did this big, bad boy do recently to get The Council’s panties in a bunch after such a long time of ‘who gives a shit’?” Serena frowned.
Zoey shrugged, “Near as I can tell: he moved.”
Serena frowned, “Huh?”
Zoey nodded, “No new charges. Just some intel on a shift in whereabouts. See: an informant spotted him in our district about a week ago.”
“Doing what?” Serena quirked an eyebrow.
“Uhm…” Zoey ran her fingertip over the report for a moment, “Buying a half-gallon of milk, I guess.” She shrugged, “It doesn’t look like he’s done anything suspicious, but The Council seems convinced that, because of his history, he might be up to something.”
Serena looked back at the picture, “So they want us to keep an eye on the stray dog just because he has a history of biting?”
Zoey sighed, “Though I’m not thrilled with your choice of metaphors, that would appear to be the case. However, there has been a rise in robberies and a few cases of arson since he was reported to have arrived, but The Council isn’t interested in the affairs of the humans’ laws.”
“So even if he is the one responsible, The Council won’t give two wet shits about it?” Serena frowned, “Doesn’t a thieving therion register even as a blip on their radar?”
Zoey shook her head, “Not with what I’ve heard. Apparently they’ve got their hands full with a bunch of bodies that have been popping up with that Stryker-kid’s name on them. Literally!”
“Mmm! That boy is a little cutey, though,” Serena chuckled, “Wouldn’t mind showing him a thing-or—”
“Really, Serena? Really? Is sex the only thing you think about?” Zoey shook her head, motioning back to the file. “Can we get back to the point? Remember: thieving therion?”
“Oh, right. Him…” Serena smirked, “Well then, I can only hope that he decides that good behavior isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
“You want him to bring trouble into our area?” Zoey frowned up at her.
Serena nodded, “You bet! If this little crotch-sniffer stirs up more trouble, then The Council’s gonna want results! I give them the results—bring in this unobtainable rogue—and they’ll see that I’m not the nutcase that everyone”—she shot a look at Zoey—“seems to think I am. Then maybe they’ll give me the support I need to finally track down that bitch Kristine and—”
“And continue this man-hunt for Zane?” Zoey turned to face her. “And what if he is gone, Serena; really, really gone!”
Serena growled, “Then I’ll rip that murdering bitch apart!”
“What makes you so sure she’s even still alive?” Zoey frowned, “You and Raith… well, you weren’t merciful.”
“Yea, but the stupid cunt slipped away before we could finish the job,” Serena growled, “And she made damn sure to mask her aura and her trail when she did. She might be a scabby twat-rag, but she’s clever enough to stay hidden and stubborn enough to not die.”
“Well, if it makes any difference to you, I think Raith shares your sentiments. He wasn’t at all pleased with her escape, either,” Zoey shrugged. “Whether or not he got control of the body from it, he was Zane’s friend. I’m sure he’s every bit as furious at Kristine for attacking him. At least the Maledictus hasn’t been active since he’s taken control.”
Serena bit her lip, “Any idea why that might be? Or why he was even in Zane’s body in the first place?”
Zoey shook her head, “It all seems to have something to do with the curse that was put on Zane, but any memories that Raith might have aren’t presenting themselves.”
“Have you actually looked?” Serena looked over, “I mean truly tried to probe Raith’s mind?”
Zoey frowned, “You can’t ask me to invade somebody’s privacy to that extent, Serena. I’ve only scanned him deep enough to know that he doesn’t mean us any harm.” She blushed and looked away, “And that his feelings for Nikki are sincere.”
“Him and Nikki…” Serena sneered, shuddering at the memory of seeing Zane’s body—freshly “possessed” by his old friend—locked in an embrace with their taroe comrade and…
“I know. I wasn’t expecting that either,” Zoey sighed.
Serena clenched her fists, “Maybe if those two would quit being lovey-dovey long enough to explain anything then we might find Zane.”
Zoey bit her lip, “And then maybe you’ll stop putting holes in your bedroom walls every time they’re together?”
Serena felt her fangs begin to extend and she growled, “If I find out they’re bumping nasties, I’m gonna—”
“Serena!” Zoey took her wrist in her left hand and Serena felt the flood of anger begin to numb, “Whether you like it or not you need to remember that that isn’t Zane.”
“It’s…” Serena struggled to keep her thoughts focused even as Zoey’s auric efforts calmed her boiling mind, “It’s still… his body.”
Zoey nodded, “And we’ll deal with the situation when the time comes, but in the meantime…” She slowly withdrew her hand when she saw that Serena’s mind was calm.
Serena offered a thankful nod. “In the meantime, we keep ourselves busy,” she looked back down at the papers, grinning at the picture of Axle; their newest assignment. Her newest distraction. “What do you say we go find this Axle guy and see if we can’t stir up some fun?”
Zoey smiled and nodded, “I love that idea… but can I ask for one little, itsy-bitsy favor?”
“What's up, Zoe?” Serena grinned, already beginning to pull on her steel-toed boots.
Zoey blushed, “Can I drive?”
1
The Chase
“Oh god… oh god… OH GO—Why did I let you talk me into letting YOU drive again?” Zoey cried out as Serena downshifted into a squealing drift that carried the green convertible across two lanes of oncoming traffic. Halfway through the turn, Serena threw the clutch and floored the gas pedal, sending them rocketing forward between an eighteen-wheeler and a honking Jeep before she jerked the wheel and returned the car to the right side of the road. “Dear Jesus! Blessed Buddha! Humble Shiva! Sweet Satan… SOMEBODY—ANYBODY—SAVE ME!!”
“Because you KNOW you actually have fu
n with me driving! Come on, Zoey! Let loose for once!” Serena laughed as she quickly swerved across another two lanes onto their exit.
“C-can’t you slow down just a litt—AH SHIT!” Zoey cried, grabbing hold of the edge of the windshield and whimpering, “Why did you have to get a convertible?”
Serena smirked, “Because it’s fun to see you flail without an ‘oh shit’ handle to grab ahold of! Too bad Isaac’s not here; I hear he’s got quite an ‘oh shit’ ha—”
Zoey’s eyes widened, “KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD!”
Serena swerved around the oncoming car and slipped back into her lane without taking her eyes off her friend, “You’re too tense, you know that, right?”
Making it into the more populated area of the city, Serena slowed the car and began to look around the streets.
“You said he’d be in this area, Zoey. Where do I turn now?” She scanned the sleepy business district, the towering buildings—dark and vacant—providing no sign of any sort of activity; mythos or otherwise. Sighing, Serena turned onto another street.
“Wait! Did you hear that?” Zoey frowned.
Focusing her superhuman ears, Serena picked up on the squeal of an alarm in the distance and she smirked, “Good ear, Zoe!”
Zoey bit her lip, “Does this mean…?”
“Oh you know it, sister!” Serena howled excitedly as she hit the gas and spun in the direction of the sound.
Zoey cried out as Serena weaved in and out of the lighter traffic filled areas. Zoey screamed as they sailed through two red lights and nearly collided with a pickup truck.
“What a rush!” Serena smirked, turning the wheel as they made it to the source and she slammed the brakes. The convertible’s tires shrieked louder than the alarm as it came to an abrupt stop and Serena threw it in park before vaulting over the door and turning to wait on her friend.
Scarlet Night: The Complete Trilogy Page 23
