by Raven Steele
My eyes flew open only to be greeted by darkness. It took a moment to remember I was in my coffin. The smell of dried blood on my clothes permeated the small space reminding me of how much I had ingested the night before. It repulsed me, and yet, my mouth watered for more.
I opened the lid and quietly exited. The lights were off, and next to the coffin was a pile of fresh clothes and a towel. Roman must’ve left them for me. Once again, I was pained with guilt. I didn’t deserve his kindness.
Grabbing the items, I opened the door and peered out. I could hear Rebecca and Oz speaking in command but didn’t hear Amy. She was the one I wanted to avoid the most. I never wanted her to see me as a monster, and the sight of me right now, covered in blood, would surely do it.
I used my super speed to dart to the bathroom. One day, I would have my own real home with a master bath. I used to have one in the small room I lived in on the Bisou Islands, and it was nice.
It didn't take me long to shower and dress. When I finished, I threw away my clothes into the trash, never wanting to see them again. I walked into command feeling slightly better, but as soon as the smell of Oz’s blood hit my nose, I gripped the side of the door frame. I needed blood.
Rebecca and Oz turned around and looked at me.
"Are you feeling better?" she asked. "You looked pretty rough last night."
"I made it home. There are some adjustments I'm going to have to make."
"That should include not going alone where you know humans will be." Her voice was firm.
"Did Emma make it home last night?" I asked Oz, gripping the frame of the door tighter. I couldn’t take much more.
"She did. Victor even waited in his car out front for several hours after."
A sliver of tension escaped me. "We need to discuss our next move, but I need to eat first. I'll be right back."
I acted casual as I walked away, but as soon as I was out of their view, I sped to the halo where Roman kept the refrigerated blood. I didn’t take a breath until two packs of blood were in my hand, and thick liquid was coating my tongue and throat.
I leaned against the wall, sighing in satisfaction. With my hunger pains temporarily subsided, I focused on the sounds all around me. I detected Roman not far, and when I inhaled, I smelled smoke. He must be practicing elemental magic using fire.
"We need to meet," I said.
I downed another blood bag while I waited for him. He arrived a moment later wearing his traditional black, martial arts gi, his hair matted with sweat. "Did you rest well?"
"I did. Thank you again for your help last night." I said the words without looking at him. I would always feel shame for how he had found me.
He reached out and gently touched my arm. "I plan to be able to fight with you soon. You need the support."
"I have Rebecca." I turned and walked toward command.
Roman followed. "I don't know if she will be enough."
I couldn’t disagree with him. Truth was, I didn't trust myself anymore, and I would feel terrible if anything happened to her.
Once back in command, I asked about the humans. “Did everyone survive?"
Rebecca rubbed the back of her neck. “All but one. He lost too much blood.”
Regret and guilt ate at me. Maybe if I could’ve controlled myself better, I could’ve used my blood to heal him. I hated this feeling of losing control. Something had been unleashed inside me, and I was afraid it could take over if I wasn’t careful.
“You two are doing great work,” I said, wishing I could say the same about me.
Oz slapped his thigh. "It's about time I’m seen as a valuable member of this team."
"Roman, did you talk to Samira about weapons?" I asked him.
“What weapons?” Oz asked, sitting upright in his seat.
I looked at him. “Guns that shoot electricity. They temporarily stun vampires.”
“That is sick! I want one.”
"She said it would take a few months,” Roman answered. “At least to get you the quantities you’ll need."
I raised my eyebrows. “Months?”
“They are going to start on them right away.”
I placed my hand on the door jam. There had to be a way to speed up the process.
“Maybe I could help?” Oz asked. “I could fly out there and take a look.”
“Possibly,” I said, seriously considering the idea. If anyone could move things along, it would be Oz.
Rebecca tied her hair back into a ponytail. “Did you read over the reports?”
“Yes. I also read Victor's. I think I have a good idea now of the inner workings of the Principes Noctis, but there are a couple of things I'm not sure about."
Oz spun his chair toward me. "What's that?"
"The first is, where are all the new vampires coming from? They are difficult to make even under the best conditions, but someone’s obviously mastered it."
“I wish we had an answer for that, but we don’t yet,” he answered. "What's your second concern?"
"The strange human last night. He was like me, but he wasn't right in the head."
"I've encountered a few like that," Rebecca said.
I paced the room. "Someone’s still experimenting on V proteins, but we already know it won't work successfully unless their DNA matches. That means someone's making humans suffer unnecessarily. Not only that but if they discover what happens when these humans die, if they haven't already, we could have a bunch of hungry vampire mutants on our hands."
“I think I can answer this one,” Oz said. He reached under his desk and lifted the briefcase he had taken from Marcus’ home. He glanced at Roman. “Do you want to explain what I think I found?”
Roman had been unnaturally quiet until now. I wondered if it was because he was disappointed in me. I wouldn’t blame him. "Humans have been disappearing for the last three months, sometimes a dozen a night. We caught a few of the abductions on our cameras but were unable to track them to wherever it was they’re being taken. Even I couldn’t hear where they went."
“Why wasn’t I told sooner?” I asked. “Missing humans sounds like a big deal.”
"It is," Rebecca said, "but we don't know where they go or why they're taken. We wondered if maybe they were driven out of the city."
Oz rubbed at his eyes. “But I think we know now. At least the why the part.”
“Explain,” I said.
Roman spoke first. "Oz found some documents last night detailing several studies involving humans and V protein. Many tests were conducted, a lot of them unsuccessful." He paused. "Richard's name was mentioned. It appears they are still using him."
My heart skipped a beat. “Where?”
A shadow darkened his face. “We don’t know, but at least we have something to go on now. The Principes Noctis have been very careful.”
“How do you know it’s not Victor?” I countered.
They all looked at each other.
Oz shrugged. “I guess it could be, but then why try to be all buddy buddy with you?”
“To gain his trust,” Rebecca said. “Victor already has Bastian breathing down his neck. He probably wants Aris on his side for protection.”
My stomach growled in hunger; the motion was painful. I held my breath. If I didn't breathe, I wouldn't be able to smell the human blood in the room. It was only slightly less potent with Rebecca in it, for which I was grateful.
"It's a start. Oz, can you tell me where the chief of police is tonight?"
“Why do you want to talk to him?” Rebecca asked, her nose wrinkling in disgust.
Oz turned to the camera feeds and pointed to the top left screen. “On Friday nights, him and his men go to Blue Fire where they get special VIP treatment."
My muscles flexed. Blue Fire was a club I had hit when I was human. Terrible things went on there. I couldn’t imagine how much worse it had become now that vampires had taken over. "I want to get a feel about where the police department stands, specifically Chief Graber.
If I give them weapons, I want to know they’ll use them when the time is right. Do a lot of humans still go to Blue Fire?”
"For sure,” Oz said. “Next to the Devil's Playground, it's the most popular club. Smart people don’t go there, but there are still a lot who are in denial about the growing vampire population."
Rebecca narrowed her eyes. "What are you going do if the chief doesn't agree to help you?"
"I'll kill him." The words came easily from my mouth.
The room grew quiet.
"That's a complete one-eighty from the old Aris," Oz said. "Are you sure that's what you really want to do?"
"It's all there’s left to do. Who would I turn him into? The police won’t hold him. And what court will prosecute him? The whole system needs to be torn down starting with the men at the top.”
Oz turned his attention back to the screens on the walls. I couldn't tell if he was disappointed or angry but, truth was, I didn't care. This had to be done. I tried the other way and it hadn’t worked.
"Do you want me to go with you?" Rebecca asked. I detected tension in her voice. She was probably worried about me going into a place with humans. For good reason, too.
"Normally I would say yes, but vampires will be there. I don’t want them to detect you or me. I’ll be quick. I’m going in just to talk to the police, then after I’ll call you, and we will go hunting."
"You should take her," Roman insisted.
"I can’t risk it. Look, I know you are all worried about me, rightly so, but I’ll be careful. I’ll also drink an extra blood bag just to be sure.” But even as I said those words, the hunger pains grew more intense. Extra blood bag might not cut it. Maybe two.
"I'll watch the camera feed from here," Oz said. “If you get into trouble, you can always just go outside and wave or something. I’ll see it."
"It’s a plan,” I said, but silently vowed not to let anything happen. I had to be strong. The other night had been a mistake, and I’d prove that to them. I stepped out of command and onto the boardwalk.
Roman came up beside me and said in a low voice, "There is much aggression in you."
"Of course, there's aggression in me," I said through my teeth. “The city has fallen apart."
My muscles flexed, and hunger cramped my stomach all at once.
Oz and Rebecca walked outside with us. Oz’s hands were stuffed into his pockets, and he avoided eye contact. It made the empty pains in my stomach burn even more.
"Hey, guys!" Amy called, as she came out from her house across the street. She sprinted toward me before I could guard myself against the smell of her fragrant blood. A primal urge released adrenalin into my system, and my fangs elongated. Before my reasoning mind could stop me, I lunged for her, determined to taste her blood.
Chapter 15
Roman bolted between Amy and me and shoved me backward. I flew into a wall, nearly missing a window. I slumped to the floor, my eyes widening in horror at what I had almost done.
Amy stopped dead in her tracks, her bottom lip trembling.
Oz rushed to her side and pulled her behind him. "What the hell, dude?"
Rebecca also stepped between the others and me, her hand outstretched, as if to stop me should I go for Amy again.
“I… I’m—,” I stuttered, still in disbelief. How could I have let this happen? I cared for Amy as a sister! Never in a million years would I think I was capable of hurting her, and yet, with my focus elsewhere, my bloodlust had been unleashed. What could I say to ever make this right?
Nothing.
I jumped to my feet and disappeared into the tunnels, running fast. My body was full of emotions all competing for the same space inside me. Rage, sadness, horror, excitement. All of them lurking in the shadows of my hunger. I punched at the side of a tunnel in passing.
“Aris!” Rebecca called. “Stop.”
I stumbled to my knees and bent over, my stomach lurching. Nothing came out.
She caught up to me and tossed me two blood bags. "You are not okay.”
I tore into them greedily and drank them dry. I couldn't look up at her when I finished. "I'm one of them—a monster."
“You've got to rein it in before someone gets hurt."
I tossed the bags aside. "Don't you think I know that? I didn't want to become this, but this is what was required of me."
"You've returned too soon," she said, her voice gentle.
I came to my feet, my hunger pains dulled. "It is what it is. I will just have to try harder."
She stared at me for a moment, her hand fidgeting with the bottom of her shirt. "Like you, I was once in a dark place. Someone very close to me was killed and left a giant hole in my heart. I did a lot of things I regret, and I don't want to see that happen to you."
"Is that why you're here? To try and atone for your sins?"
She set her jaw and looked away. "Something like that."
"I will do my best not to slip up, but if I do, I'll make sure it's against our enemies.”
Her gaze returned to mine. "That's a slippery slope, killing just for the sake of killing.”
"I must go." I stepped a few steps away from her. "I'll call you if they're not at the club. In the meantime, could you check on Emma for me?"
"Does she really mean that much to you?"
"I would die without her," I blurted.
"I loved someone that much too.” She lowered her head. “I will make sure she stays safe."
"Then I will be in your debt."
We parted ways, and I slowed my speed as I traveled through the tunnels. The cold darkness calmed the confusion inside me, and finally, I could think clearly. I had to control my bloodlust. That’s all there was to it. Samira had once admitted to me that whenever she felt out of control, she would think of someone important to her. She never told me who that was, but it made sense. When I was human, thoughts of Emma had always abated my anger. My love for her was strong enough that it should work for my bloodlust as well.
I remembered our first kiss, every detail, and touched my fingers to my lips as if I could still feel her mouth against mine. I continued to think of her, even when I surfaced to the street. Humans were all around me, their blood an open invitation to feed. I clamped my jaw together and pressed my nails to my palm until it hurt. Think of Emma.
I walked three blocks to Blue Fire. Even though it was barely nine o'clock, there was already a long line of customers down the street, most of them human from what I could tell. The place was much more popular than I remembered.
Skipping the line, I headed toward the front doors and two bouncers standing in front of them. This might be a good time to test my compelling abilities. Samira had said it would come with practice. No better time than now.
Just as I reached the entrance, the bouncers, both the size of tanks, stopped me.
"Back of the line," the one on my right said. His blood smelled like raspberry candy.
I stepped closer to him and stared into his eyes. "Let me pass."
His pupils widened slightly then returned to normal. He shook his bald head and tapped my chest. "I said back."
A surge of anger ignited inside of me, and I took hold of his finger, resisting the urge to break it. This time when I looked in his eyes, I felt the strength behind my gaze. "I'm going in, and you're not going to stop me."
"Hey!" the other bouncer said and reached for me, but I flashed him the same, stone-cold glare. He backed away.
I returned my attention to the first man. His pupils had enlarged, and he slowly blinked as if he had just taken a long hit from a bong. He stepped back and let me pass.
Smiling, I walked inside. It had actually worked, although I wasn't sure how long the compulsion would last for. I better hurry.
The club was almost exactly as I remembered it down to the blue rope lighting on the ceiling. I even recognized some of the same dancers on the stage that had been here the last time I came. Music played, a deep bass that shook my insides. The dance floor was crow
ded along with tables against the wall and on the balcony surrounding the room. There was only one difference—giant plastic bubbles hanging from the ceiling with women dancing provocatively inside.
Make that two differences, I realized when I inhaled. Humans weren’t the only ones in the room. Vampires were here, too. I could smell them hidden within the crowd.
I walked to the balcony stairs and stepped up halfway to where I could look out over the club. Some of the vampires easily stood out from the humans. It was their unnatural stillness that gave them away, but I feared there were many more who were better at pretending. I would be able to detect them through elemental magic, but that wasn’t my goal right now. I had something else to do.
That’s when I spotted it—the VIP section. It wasn’t nearly as crowded and was obviously nicer than the rest of the club. The chief, Michael Graber, was there sitting on a sofa surrounded by women and other police officers. Sitting away from them, but still in the VIP section, was his assistant Kevin. Good. I wanted to talk to them both.
I made my way back downstairs and snaked my way through the crowd, shoving aside anyone who bumped into me. I was afraid if they drew too close, I may not be able to resist their blood. As it was, I was barely able to hold it together. Only holding my breath, and my thoughts of Emma kept my bloodlust at bay.
I approached the VIP section but was stopped by another bouncer when he said, “You're not allowed back here."
“Let me pass.” I stared into his eyes, feeling an ancient power rise within me.
His mouth fell open, and he nodded his head slowly. It was almost too easy.
I approached Kevin first as he was alone at a table. None of the people with Michael paid me any attention. I dropped into a chair across from Kevin. He looked at me surprised, then scanned my face as if trying to figure out who I was. He even glimpsed my tattoo, but either he didn't recognize it, or it was too dark to make out.
He had blond hair that was graying at the sides just above his ear. His boyish face and large stature made him look only thirty-five, but the silver hair aged him. He also had lines in his forehead that may not have been there had he had a different job.
