Splintered Nights

by Veronica Del Rosa

  Neither one argued against his decree.

  “Yes, sir,” Michelle said. “I’ll pass it along to the rest of my team.”

  She gave a formal curtsey, then spun on her elegant heel and glided from the room. Her light, citrusy perfume hung in the air, an understated scent that didn’t match its wearer.

  Doug scurried to the exit and pulled the door closed, leaving me alone again with Cole.

  He flicked his gaze my way, a sheepish grin lighting up his face. “Sorry about that. She’s overzealous about my safety.”

  He expected me to fall for such an obvious ploy? Nothing about Cole screamed helpless. And not for a second did I believe that she feared I’d harm him. The undercurrent of secrets in their conversation had almost drowned me.

  “Uh-huh,” I drawled, eyeing him up and down. “Goodness knows, I could snap you like a dried twig, so I can see why she was worried. Wanna explain what all that was really about?”

  “Wanna come with me to clean out a vampire nest?” He sauntered closer to me.

  My teeth clenched. Like a dog with a fucking bone, he just wouldn’t let it drop. What good would I be against a nest of fifteen vampires? I could handle a few of them, sure, but we’d be slaughtered.

  “I have other plans, like living another day. But thanks for the offer.” My tone had more bite than I’d intended. “Find someone else.”

  Cole leaned over, his mouth next to my ear, and whispered, “You help with the nest and I’ll tell you why the vampires want you so badly.”

  I sighed, angry with Cole for his manipulations and angry with myself because I was about to agree to something stupid.

  Chapter Seven

  Bright sunlight streamed through the low-hanging clouds and I tilted my face upwards, enjoying the warmth. It wasn’t often I appreciated the weather, since my concerns for nightly shelter occupied my full attention. When you didn’t know where you’d lay your head for the night, it was hard to enjoy the little things in life.

  The building before me could loosely be called a house, though it reminded me more of something from a horror film. Considering what lived inside, it was an apt thought.

  Boards were nailed over the windows, paint was peeling from the siding, brackish water dripped from the cracked eaves, and dirt clung to the exterior. No one human had visited in a long time, since the main road was a quarter kilometre away. Trees and bushes hid the house from sight, forgotten by those who drove past it.

  Cole nudged me with his shoulder, inching me closer to the nightmare. Scathing words burned on my tongue and through a herculean effort, I remained silent. He had answers I needed. Damned if I was gonna turn tail. If I died, though, I planned on haunting his ass until I drove him insane.

  “Thirty minutes to sundown,” he said, his attention on the bushes on our left. I squinted, searching for whatever fascinated him, and came up empty. Green leaves and thick branches hid the object of his attention from my view. With a shrug, I focused on the house again. A shiver rippled across my entire body.

  What the fuck was I thinking? Nothing good would come from standing so close to a nest with less than half an hour until feasting time. The bloodsuckers loved me and Cole expected to protect me from the ravenous monsters by his lonesome?

  “Hey, maybe we should do this some other time, like when we have backup or something. I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’re badass with your blade and all, but just the two of us?”

  Chuffing sounds, almost like huffed laughter, drew my gaze to the bushes. Guess we weren’t alone after all. Halvar’s words came back to me. He’d spoken about the werewolves fighting to protect me. A stupid thought, and it still was, but maybe there was some truth to it after all.

  “You’ll be safe enough.”

  I rolled my eyes, irritation rising. He’d placed me in the role of damsel. Yeah, I wasn’t keen on spending time outside the horror show—honestly, who in their ever-loving mind would?—but I wasn’t a damn coward. I’d survived this long by learning my enemies’ weaknesses as well as my own and then working my ass off to fix mine.

  “Yeah, thanks, He-Man. Glad to have you nearby to save my pitiful self.” But as usual, Cole was oblivious to my sarcasm. I shook my head, disappointed but not surprised. A waste of good material on the Neanderthal. “So we just wait? Your backup gonna introduce themselves or do I have to wait until the show starts?”

  Cole glanced my way, excitement shining in his amber eyes. He grinned, showing off his pointy canines. Aggression and anticipation poured from him and I took a step back, shocked. The clues dropped into place, exploding in my mind. How had I missed the obvious?

  “Don’t worry, ma petite chérie, you’ll meet them soon enough.”

  “Oh yeah? You their alpha? Is that why you’re out here talking to me instead of skulking in the shrubbery?” I kept my tone light and casual. Pissing off a werewolf while I was surrounded by his pack was the height of stupidity.

  He laughed, a deep-throated sound echoed by the wolves, which ended on a hair-raising howl. His eyes no longer human, Cole tossed me a cocky grin.

  “I wondered how long it’d take you to figure it out. Thought I’d have to change right in front of you.” Knuckles brushing against my cheek, a gesture more possessive than romantic, he continued, “As I said, you’re safe. No vamps will harm you tonight.”

  “Yeah, and what about wolves? Will any of them hurt me?”

  Shit, I knew next to nothing about werewolves. In fact, I wasn’t even sure if my intel was accurate. Like the vampires, information was sketchy at best and romanticized. Far as I was concerned, they were monsters, too, until proven otherwise.

  Baring his teeth, Cole snarled and turned his head towards his hidden pack. “They won’t harm you either. You’re under my protection.”

  My apparent protector only kept me safe because, as he’d already said, I attracted the bloodsuckers. Guess that little tidbit of lore was correct—vamps and werewolves hated each other. Why, though?

  Age-old war? Species-ism? Was that even a thing? When would I learn any of this crap? Why keep me in the dark when a little information would keep me alive longer? Telling Cole off at this exact moment wouldn’t endear me to him or his pack, so my mouth stayed shut.

  Darkness inched its way across the brown, patchy lawn, and the shadow from the house stretched inky fingers towards me, like it, too, wanted me in its grasp. Proving I wasn’t completely stupid, the urge to flee scurried through my mind. And I almost—almost—gave into the primal instinct.

  I wasn’t anything special. No fangs, no claws, no super strength or super healing. Human and fragile. So why stay? Turn tail, run, disappear far away from this place. Maybe Belleville was the gathering point for the monsters and I could find a nice, small town far away to hide out in.

  Stomach churning, muscles quivering, I didn’t move. I couldn’t. Cole’s gaze held me in place, the amber glow bright in the encroaching darkness, his lip curled to reveal his long canines.

  “Don’t bother. You won’t get far and you’ll trigger our need to hunt. We enjoy the chase.” He leaned in close, his lips brushing against my cheek as he whispered, “But we enjoy the kill even more.”

  Mouth glued shut, my head jerked towards the house, as if pulled by an invisible string. The vampires had awoken. I could feel them—an unnerving sensation, like invisible bugs skittering across my skin. Sheer willpower and years of practice helped me ignore their vileness. I never wished for the sensation to disappear, though, since it gave me a hell of an advantage. Shame it had taken me so damn long to figure out what caused it.

  “They’re awake,” I whispered, my throat dry from fear. I’d never been so close to a nest before. One or two was my limit and even that stretched my tolerance for the bloodsuckers. “They’re watching us.”

  A wolf slinked out of the bushes, his tail low, his ears pinned against his head. Canines exposed, he emitted a low rumble. His gaze, thankfully, was on the house, not me. I wasn’t the reason for his h
atred. At least, not yet. How long before they turned on me? Once I’d outlasted my usefulness?

  “I’ll stay human for a while. Keep you company.” Cole’s attention wasn’t on me either. His amber eyes narrowed as he grinned at the house. Did he see someone in the windows? Was it bravado on his part or anticipation of the upcoming bloodbath? Judging by the energy vibrating from him, I laid odds on anticipation.

  Drawing his machete, he tapped the blade against his leg. The rhythm bothered me. After a long moment, I realized he was drumming it in time with my heartbeat. My pulse sped up at that thought, and so did his tapping. Creepy bastard.

  “Are we waiting for them to attack?” Why hadn’t we attacked them while they slept, if Cole and his pack already knew their location? Why wait for nightfall when the vampires were awake and less vulnerable?

  Cole glanced at me for a quick second, then back to the house. “There are rules to this war. Anyone who breaks them dies by their own. Without the rules, we’re no better than humans.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” My eyebrows disappeared into my bangs, and I shook my head to clear my hearing. I must’ve heard him wrong. Rules? Between monsters and murder? “You guys are slaughtering each other. And you follow rules? That makes zero sense.”

  We don’t expect you to understand, human. A voice ghosted through my head, uncomfortable and unwelcome, the sneer plain to hear.

  Fuck you, I sent back, but received no response. Either he ignored me or he couldn’t hear my thoughts. I hoped it was the latter.

  I didn’t bother turning around to see which wolf had sent me the message, though Cole did. So it wasn’t just me he’d spoken to. Telepathy: another unanswered question to add to the pile.

  “Look, I’m not sure how you guys are playing this damn war, since no one told me, but you’d think bringing someone like me into it would be against the rules, right? Shouldn’t this be between vampires and werewolves? Why bother us humans? Can’t keep your murderous tendencies in check?” Yeah, yeah, us humans ain’t always full of peace and love towards our fellow man. Hell, I was pretty sure we’d killed more of our kind than these monsters ever had, but I wasn’t in a charitable mood right now. They’d dragged me into their stupid-ass war without giving me any guidelines, so screw them all.

  “The vampires brought you into this war by targeting you. Feed, wipe your memories, and leave you alone. Those are the rules. Humans knowing about us is against the law.” Cole’s gaze drifted back towards the house, though I could sense his attention on me. Werewolves. They weirded me out.

  I decided now wasn’t the time to voice the rest of my opinions about both races.

  The shadows from the house touched my shoe and I shifted back. The inky blackness felt wrong, like it wanted to devour me. Goose bumps broke out on my arms while my stomach churned in anticipation. I hated fighting, but I wouldn’t lie down and die.

  Cole shifted his stance, his limbs loose. I’d seen him in battle before. Graceful and deadly. The bloodlust in his eyes when he killed should’ve tipped me off to his otherworldliness. Instead, I’d been too damn grateful for his intervention. Because of him, I’d remained breathing. And now I was paying the price.

  “Here they come,” he whispered and the wolves tensed, ears pricked, ready for battle. I grabbed a stake and my knife. If I died, it’d be while fighting, not cowering.

  Chapter Eight

  The sun sank below the horizon. Shadows boiled and erupted all around us. Elongated jaws, curled talons, and soulless eyes spoke of the monsters surrounding our small army. No one would ever mistake a vampire for human. Unlike werewolves, they couldn’t put on a normal face and mingle with the populace.

  I swung out with my knife, a pitiful attack, but I wanted the creature facing me to hesitate. Years of fighting against one or two vampires had taught me well, and with the little pieces of information Cole had doled out, I finally understood why they focused on me with such intensity. I’d assumed it was due to hunger, but no, something about me drove them to forget all sense of self-preservation.

  Cole, apparently, had appointed himself as my protector, since he jumped on the vampire before me and severed his opponent’s head with his machete. I didn’t complain. If he wanted to expend his energy on keeping me safe, I was all for it. I had a feeling that by the end of the battle, I’d be sore and aching.

  Wolves flowed from the trees, snarling as one.

  I lost track of who fought who, too intent on staying alive. The sounds of hatred and death deafened me to everything but the blood pounding in my ears. My vision narrowed to the vampires near me. Each one was a threat I had to eliminate. If they survived, I’d remain a target. The fewer monsters breathing, the better for me.

  Blood splattered across my face when I sliced my knife against a vampire’s throat. He gurgled but continued towards me. I grinned, feral and out of control. My other hand shot out, stake at the ready, and the wood slammed into his chest, past his ribs, and into his black heart. The creature stuttered, his eyes blinking in disbelief. He’d assumed I was weak. His mistake, not mine.

  Wrenching the stake from his ruined heart, adrenaline lending me strength, I whirled, searching for my next fight. Though my arms were tired and my legs shaking, I couldn’t stop. Bodies lay around me, slowly turning to black ash. The air filled with the remains of the dead invading my lungs. I tried not to think about it.

  Later, when no one else was around, I’d break down. Now I had to stay alive.

  A wolf jumped onto my back and used me as a launching pad. I yelped, unable to contain the noise, as claws raked my flesh. The stinging, however, faded into the background with all the other aches and pains plaguing me. I would’ve yelled at the stupid wolf who thought I was a trampoline, except they all looked alike to me. I couldn’t tell which one had had the nerve. None of them glanced my way while they battled.

  No, scratch that, one did pay attention to me. His unnerving amber eyes bore into me and he stalked forward. I frantically searched for Cole. Would one of his pack “accidentally” kill me? None of them seemed to care about me. Well, neither did he, unless you counted my usefulness as bait.

  I backed up, gripping my knife tighter. I’d gut the wolf before I allowed him to bite me. He picked up speed and jumped, sailing through the air, a bullet headed straight for me. Sweat slicked my palms, but I wouldn’t let the blade drop. Readying myself for impact, I blinked in surprise when he soared over me.

  Growling erupted from behind and I spun. Fuck, I’m an idiot!

  A vampire had snuck up on me. I’d been too distracted by the damn wolf to sense him behind me. Battles weren’t my forte. I wasn’t made for high adrenaline and drama. One or two monsters a night were enough for me. Hell, even that was too many, though I’d learned to accept my lousy lot in life.

  Pay attention! The words were snarled in my mind, an invasion I hated. I sneered at the wolf, certain it was Cole. It certainly sounded like him, even if I’d never heard him use that tone on me before.

  With a mocking salute to no one in particular, I raced towards the nearest vampire and worked out my frustration on her. Long, tangled hair covered the female’s face, though her eyes glowed beneath the ink-black strands. Tattered clothes barely covered her emaciated form and for a moment I felt a hint of pity. Had she wanted to become a vampire? Had it been a choice or had someone forced her into this life?

  When she tried to slash my face open with her talons, my shred of pity vanished. If she’d ever been human, she wasn’t any longer. She had to die.

  I leapt back and for the first time, I wish I’d learned how to use a sword. Guns were useless against a vampire, since they healed bullet holes faster than a person could empty a clip. I’d watched one scared human attempt to fight with a gun, and then I’d slipped behind the creature and stabbed it in the back with a stake. Lesson learned that day: don’t trust advanced weaponry.

  The reach of a sword would’ve kept this nasty bloodsucker away, but try explaining to ran
dom strangers or clients why I had one strapped to my back. Maybe they’d believe I enjoyed cosplay?

  Doubtful.

  Instead, I made do with my short blade and stake.

  The female rushed me, ignoring my weapons front and center. Maybe she assumed I couldn’t protect myself or maybe she didn’t care. As Cole had said, the vampires focused on me to the exclusion of all else. All of them fought to gain access to me, unconcerned with the werewolves tearing them apart.

  I ducked under her wild swing only to feel my teeth snap shut. She wasn’t as mindless as she’d acted. The vampire had sucker-punched me with her other fist while I was avoiding her first attack. Pain burst in my brain and for a second my eyesight dimmed. Stumbling backwards, desperate to clear my mind, I brought up the knife. Pitiful protection, but it was all I could do at the moment.

  A snarl—vicious and bone rattling—erupted to my right. Blinking, my vision cleared and I wished it hadn’t. A large grey wolf clawed at the vampire’s chest while his teeth gnawed her neck. I swallowed the bile rising in my throat. Puking would cement the pack’s thoughts regarding me.

  Another vampire raced towards me, this one wearing a ripped and stained suit. A sleeve was missing from his jacket and both knees were torn. Over his chest, rust stained his shirt. No. Not rust. Blood. He was a messy eater, obviously one who didn’t care about harming his meal.

  Anger warred with fear. Bad enough these monsters fed on humans, but to cause pain and terror? Oh hell no.

  Fiery rage burned away any exhaustion lingering in my body. I screamed, releasing all my fury, hatred, and terror into this vampire. Knife slashing, I severed the tendons in his wrist when he tried to grab me. Next target, his throat. It wouldn’t kill him since I didn’t behead him, but the gaping wound would slow him. His unharmed hand clawed my face, drawing blood. I didn’t care. He would die tonight.

  Another vampire snuck up behind me and wrapped his arm around my chest, locking my arms to my side. He dug his talons into my jaw, twisting my head to expose my throat. I squirmed and kicked, trying vainly to dislodge the ravenous monster.