Blood Hunt

by Jessica Wayne

  “You don’t even know what fucking Council they were referring to?”

  “No, but it don’t matter. She’s reforming things. Changing the way immortals do business. And there’s no place for hunters.”

  I shake my head, irritated. There’s no way in hell the Immortal Council would offer up a coveted spot to a drug-peddling newbie vampire. Which means there’s probably no way to track down who wants her dead. If it’s just a supernatural looking for a power grab, it could be literally anyone.

  Which poses a massive problem for me since, as I mentioned before, I need her alive. “Anything else I should know?” I ask, and he shakes his head.

  “Good.”

  I squeeze and tear, removing his head from his body and tossing them both to the ground. After checking the hall directly behind me where he came from, I confirm one more dead human, but no vampires.

  “You killed them,” a soft voice carries in from the direction the newbie disappeared into earlier.

  I turn and face him. “I did.”

  He lifts his face to me. “Kill me too, please.”

  “What you are—it’s not the end of the world,” I tell him. Meaningless words since I’m actively looking for a way out myself.

  But the hopelessness on his face, I’ve seen it more times than I care to count when it comes to vampires who are turned. Even the ones who think they know what they’re getting into regret it when the deed is done. The born ones know no difference, but the turned carry the memories of their previous life.

  “I don’t want to be this. I don’t want to be alive,” he chokes out. “The blood, I can’t stand it. Please!” he rushes forward in the shadows and trips, falling into the sunlight. A scream rips through the small house, and he reaches for me.

  I could grab him, pull him out of the sun, and try to talk some sense into him, but I don’t. Because I’m not that person.

  There’s not a heroic bone in my body.

  So instead, I walk toward him and slam my foot into his face, knocking him unconscious. He collapses all the way to the ground, his body sizzling in the sun as I walk outside and retrieve my jacket as though I didn’t just behead two vampires and have a hand in the death of a third.

  6

  Rainey

  The precinct is busy as usual this morning, so I offer waves and smiles at some of the officers as I make my way over to my desk. Ramirez is already in, and there’s a fresh coffee on my desk. “Morning.”

  “Morning. Got you coffee.”

  “Thanks.” I take a sip as I remove my jacket and place it over the back of my chair.

  “Heard you had a busy morning.”

  Taking another sip of my coffee, I shrug. “It was interesting.”

  Ramirez looks up from his computer. “I’m glad you were able to book him for something, but you know unless the man he attacked presses charges, we can’t hold him.”

  Which he won’t. “I know. I think he just needs to sober up and come to the realization that Minnie is better off without him.”

  “Let’s hope that’s what happens.”

  “I already called Jane and told her what happened. Minnie’s getting her stuff and moving out while we’ve got him locked up.”

  “Good. Bout time.”

  “Agreed. Anything new pop up on that homicide?”

  “We got IDs on the dead. All have been booked on prior drug charges, but the last charge for each was about four years ago. Seems they got clean and kept out of trouble until last night.”

  Which means they were probably turned shortly after their last incarcerations. “Family?”

  “None living for any of them.”

  “Weird.” Though it’s really not. The Gale clan goes after the ones who won’t be missed.

  “What’s really strange is that we have no known addresses, no employers for any of them.”

  “No driver’s licenses?”

  He shakes his head. “Expired. I sent units to the addresses listed, and they’re either vacant or have someone else living there.”

  “I’d say that’s strange.” Another lie.

  “Same. And that’s not even the weirdest thing that’s come up this morning.”

  Lifting an eyebrow, I lean back against my seat. “And what could possibly be weirder than that?”

  “Eight people came in early this morning and are refusing to talk to anyone but you. Said they were kidnapped but won’t give us any details.”

  A prickle runs over my skin, and my stomach churns. Eight people? Who asked for me specifically? “Where are they?”

  “St. Vincent’s.”

  I get to my feet and grab my jacket. “Any idea what happened?”

  “They won’t say. Just that they were held captive. Doctors say they’re malnourished, and some had lost a lot of blood.”

  Lost a lot of blood. I clench both hands into fists and grind my teeth together. “They asked for me specifically?”

  He nods. “Refused to talk to me even when I told them I was your partner. They requested you come interview them alone.”

  “Well, guess I’ve got my morning planned.” I slip my jacket on. “Why didn’t anyone call me?”

  “They were taken to the hospital about an hour ago. Figured you’d be in early enough.”

  I hate hospitals. Always have, always will. Whether it’s the sterile smell or the way I feel a complete loss of control inside, I’m not sure. Hell, maybe it’s all of the above combined with the fact that they remind me of my mother. Either way, they’re my least favorite place to be.

  I head in through the emergency room entrance and walk up to the window where I’m greeted by a woman wearing navy scrubs and large, red-rimmed glasses. “Hi, how can I help you?”

  I pull the badge out from beneath my jacket. “I’m Detective Rainey Astor. I was told a group of people was brought in this morning.”

  Her face softens, and she nods sadly. “We’ve been expecting you. Go down the hall and take your first left. The elevators are right there. They’re in room three-twenty-four.”

  “Thank you.”

  I follow her directions but stop just as I’m getting to the elevator. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end as a shiver of awareness washes over me. Someone’s watching me again. Turning, I analyze the waiting room behind me, searching for anything—anyone—out of place. A handful of people sit in blue chairs, staring down at their phones, magazines, and after listening for any abnormalities, I dismiss the feeling. They’re all humans. Still, something is off. I narrow my eyes, seeking what I’m not seeing. A blurred shape appears in the corner of the room. I only see it because the paint is a shade off in that particular spot.

  I step toward the room, and it moves, shifting to the side.

  “Ma’am? Are you all right?”

  Turning, I face a man wearing blue scrubs that match the ones worn by the receptionist I spoke to earlier. “Yeah, fine.” I search for the shape again, but nothing’s there. Nothing out of the ordinary, and yet, I can still feel eyes on me all the way to the elevator.

  As soon as I step onto the third floor, I’m greeted by a grey-haired man wearing a white coat. “Detective Astor?”

  “That’s me.”

  He holds out a slightly wrinkled hand. His soft blue eyes are kind and shielded by silver glasses. “I’m Doctor Harris. The E.R. registrar told me you were coming.”

  “How are they?”

  “Pretty banged up. My best guess, based on the markings and blood loss, is that they were attacked by some kind of animal. Though, to be frank, the bites are unlike any I’ve ever seen.”

  Some kind of animal, indeed. “Where are they?”

  “This way.” He leads me down the hall and stops right before a door.

  “All eight are in here?”

  He nods. “Some didn’t need additional medical attention, and they refused to separate into different rooms. Sometimes people who’ve faced a traumatic experience together bond over it. It’s not unusual. We not
ified families, so they should be here shortly.”

  I nod and knock on the door as he steps away.

  A woman calls out, “Come in.”

  I push the door open and step inside as eight pairs of curious and exhausted eyes land on me. “I’m Detective Rainey Astor,” I say, showing them my badge. “I heard you wanted to speak to me?”

  “Yes, please. Close the door.” A woman wearing dirty blue jeans and a stained, torn sweatshirt gestures behind me, so I shut the door. There are two beds, one holding a teenage boy who looks to be no older than fourteen, and the other holding a woman who has so many bite marks on her throat I can see them from here. Fucking vampires.

  Just to be sure, I listen for anything abnormal in the way their hearts beat but find nothing. They’re definitely human. “Can you tell me what happened?” I ask, crossing my arms.

  The woman glances around the room, and everyone looks at her before nodding. Seems we have the leader. “He said you’ll believe us.”

  “Who?”

  “The man who let us out.”

  “Does he have a name?”

  She shakes her head. “He never said. He told us to go to the precinct and ask for you. That we should only talk to you.”

  That’s a new one. “Then let’s talk.” I lean against a counter beside the needle disposal.

  “We were taken by vampires,” she whispers.

  Color me surprised. “When?”

  “You believe us?” a man asks from the corner, and I nod.

  “Let’s just say I’ve seen my fair share of weird. Go on.”

  “Different times. I was taken from the parking lot of a grocery store, James was taken when he was walking home from school.”

  “I was grabbed after work,” a woman who appears to be in her early twenties says.

  “My house.”

  “The gym.”

  “I was out jogging.”

  One by one, they tell me where they were grabbed. All from different locations throughout the city, and none of them knew each other before they woke up in what is described to me as a dungeon.

  Dark, damp, made of brick.

  “They fed on us,” James says, his voice cracking as he clutches the blankets to his chest.

  “Tell me about the man who rescued you. Why didn’t he come here with you?”

  “I wouldn’t exactly say he rescued us,” the man who said he’d been grabbed from his office chimed in. “He said he wasn’t doing it for us.”

  “Did he say why?”

  “No. Just that we shouldn’t thank him.”

  Interesting. “Can you tell me anything else about him?”

  “He was one of them,” the same man whispers.

  I lift an eyebrow. “You were rescued by a vampire?” Another new one for me. A vampire saving humans? Can it get any stranger?

  “We don’t know if that’s what he is, Stan,” the leader snaps.

  “He broke the chains without an issue!”

  “He could’ve been a superhero,” James adds from his bed.

  “What did he look like?” I pull out my notebook and flip to a new page.

  “Probably about your age, well built, shoulder-length hair. His eyes were blue. Brighter than any I’ve ever seen.”

  “Any tattoos? Scars?”

  “No, but he had an accent.”

  Blue eyes, thick accent, long hair. “What kind of accent?”

  “Irish maybe? He sounded like that actor—what’s his name?—Collin Farrell.” She snaps her fingers. “That was it.”

  That can’t be a coincidence. “So this stranger let you out—seemingly for his own gain and not yours. Did he ask you for anything in return?”

  “No, just that we go see you and only you.”

  I clench my teeth together and try to put seemingly mismatched puzzle pieces together. The alley last night, the humans today. Is it possible they’re related somehow? “Do you remember where you were held?”

  “We don’t know the exact location we were brought in, but I can tell you exactly where we climbed out.”

  “Tell me.”

  7

  Elijah

  Sunglasses shielding me from the bright sun, I watch the entrance of the hospital as Rainey Astor steps out onto the sidewalk. She’s wearing black jeans and a leather jacket, looking every bit the bloodthirsty hunter her lineage is known for.

  The Astors are much like the Hawthornes—deadly, ancient, and direct descendants of the originals. Our main differences being the species we were born as. She’s from a line of hunters while I descend from vampires.

  Let’s not even add in the witch side of me. I tap into my power and slow my heartbeat just enough so she doesn’t pick up any abnormality. It’s not quite the time for her to know about me, so I don’t approach. Where I go from here depends on what she’s about to do. When it does come time though, let’s hope rescuing eight humans earned me at least the opportunity to speak with her before she tries to take my head off.

  She straddles a motorcycle and speeds off, so I head back toward my car and climb in to follow. I’m pretty damn sure I know exactly where she’s going. A stupid move, but hunters haven’t ever truly been known for their brainpower.

  I’m not being an asshole. They will walk into a trap, knowing what it is and still thinking they’ll survive. When you consider yourself invincible, there’s little you fear. While people may believe fear weakens you—a healthy dose of it can actually save your life.

  From what I know of Rainey though, she’s smarter than most but completely unaware of what she’s actually capable of. With hunters, the power is spread through the bloodline. The more hunters alive in a family, the less power per.

  Rainey is the last of her line. The final Astor walking, which makes her a hell of a lot more powerful than your run-of-the-mill hunter. Especially given the Astors are, as I said, direct descendants. She’s been the last Astor for long enough that the power should be concentrated in her blood. Because of that, she should have spotted me in the club. Should have sensed my power when I sat beside her. And yet, I was able to fool her just as I fool the others.

  Which is a huge problem.

  I promised Delaney years ago that I would keep an eye on Rainey if anything were to happen to her, and ever since her death, I’ve done everything possible to avoid fulfilling that particular promise. Mainly because I always felt like I failed Delaney. It wasn’t romantic between us, never was, but our relationship developed into something akin to friendship. And I can’t help but feel responsible for not being there the night she was killed.

  Instead, she’d gone out with another hunter and had her throat ripped out by shifters. My hands tighten almost painfully on the steering wheel as I make a turn and follow Rainey down another street. She’s just turning off when I pull onto it, so I park and opt to walk the rest of the way.

  We’re close enough to the street I brought the survivors through that if I continue following, she might get suspicious. The air has a bit of a chill to it, which isn’t uncommon this time of year even though we’re still a couple of months away from the winter.

  Humans stroll past me, unable to see past the cloak I’ve placed over myself. Yet another spell Rainey should have been able to penetrate with her hunter abilities. I’ve been following her for weeks now, and while she’s turned toward me a few times, she’s not noticed me once.

  Honestly, I’ve wondered a time or two whether or not she’s full-blooded. It would explain why she’s yet to tap into her heritage.

  I turn onto the street I sent the survivors down this morning and am greeted with the sight of Rainey bent over, staring down through the manhole she removed. I never had sexual thoughts for Delaney despite how beautiful she was. But Rainey bent over? I’d be a fool if I didn’t admit what a delicious sight it is.

  Kneeling, she places both hands on the side of the entrance. Surely she’s not going to—“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I murmur as she jumps down inside. “Damned bloodt
hirsty hunters.” I race toward the entrance, no longer concerned about her seeing past my cloak. A spell that only works on me. I’m not powerful enough to shield us both should she come under attack.

  Which is a deadly possibility seeing as how the Council will already be on edge with the humans escaping. And the chances that everyone is sleeping soundly? Slim to none since they’ll likely be preparing for the Council’s departure.

  The soles of my leather shoes pound softly on the ground of the stone tunnel. Reaching up, I slide the cover back into place and run through the dim light. Rainey is nowhere in sight, but with how curvy the tunnels are, she could be just around the corner.

  Left turn. Still nothing. My heart pounds even faster than normal, adrenaline pumping through my veins as I drop my visibility cloak.

  Make a right here. Someone grunts ahead, and I pump my arms faster as fear surges through my veins. The fear that I’m about to stumble on her corpse is overwhelming. Blood. The copper-tinged air around me reeks of it.

  Not a hunter. Two bodies lie on the bloody stones around the next corner, I barely offer them a glance as I pass, though. Rainey is just ahead.

  “What do we have here?”

  Abruptly, I come to a stop before rounding the next corner.

  “Funny, I was just about to ask you the same question,” Rainey replies.

  I slip my cloak back into place and step around the corner. She’s just ahead of me, maybe three or four yards away, and facing off with two of the Council’s guards. I move closer, wanting to be near enough to grab her should shit go bad.

  “You’re in our place, hunter bitch.”

  “You kidnapped eight humans. That makes you my problem.”

  “And what do you think you’re going to do? Seems like you’re pretty outnumbered.”

  She snorts and puts both hands on her hips. To them, it looks like she’s simply taken a comforting stance, but the silver tips of two daggers are just barely visible beneath the cuffs of her leather jacket.