EnemyMine

by Aline Hunter

  “You’ll need to use a glamour,” Sadie said, glancing at Leigh, who was wriggling uncomfortably. “We can’t let them see our true faces. It’s too dangerous.”

  “I’ve only done a glamour a few times,” Leigh confessed nervously. “What if I mess up?”

  Newbie nerves, there was nothing quite like them. “You’ll be fine. If you solidify the image in your mind and focus on the magic, it’ll hold. No worries.”

  “Easy for you to say.” Leigh sighed and reached for the sun visor above her head. A light came on, allowing the vampire to see her face. Unlike most legends depicted, vampires could see their reflections. A good fucking thing. Otherwise the coven would look mighty unappealing when they went on the town in search of a meal. “Here goes nothing.”

  The shift in Leigh’s face was slow but her hair color quickly went from mahogany to blonde. Sadie bit back a grin when Leigh’s nose shifted, her full lips became thin and her eyes changed from blue to brown. When she finished and looked at Sadie, Sadie gave her a smile instead of a fist pump. No need to make more of the situation. Leigh had to learn to appreciate her abilities and accept them.

  “My turn,” Sadie murmured.

  Years of practice meant she didn’t need a mirror. She called on her magic, imagining herself with a long face, dark hair and brown eyes. She felt the energy washing over her, changing her features. She knew when the spell was completed, the tingle of electricity fading away.

  “Are you sure we can do this?” Leigh squirmed in her seat, suddenly restless.

  “Absolutely.”

  Leigh stopped moving, looked at her and grinned. “Then tell me what you want me to do.”

  Sadie adjusted the weapons under her arms, nodding when she found everything was as it should be. “I want you to approach them. Appear confused and nervous, like you’ve lost your way. While they’re distracted I’m going to phase behind them and take them out. We’ll have to move their bodies to the alley before we go inside.”

  “Then what?” Leigh sounded excited. When Sadie peered over she discovered the young woman looked eager as well.

  Thank Goddess. Excitement trumped fear any day.

  “I’m not sure.” That was the problem. She didn’t know precisely what they were dealing with. “Make sure you’re veiled. I’ll do the same. We have to move quietly and efficiently. The longer we remain inside the higher the risk. I want you to stay hidden. If things get out of hand you’ll need to phase home and tell the coven what’s happened.”

  “You want me to leave you here?” Leigh looked and sounded appalled.

  “I want you to warn the coven. They’ll need to know. If something happens to me they’ll have to take over my duties.”

  “You’re willing to risk your life for him?”

  Leigh’s innocent question made Sadie squirm. Vampires didn’t fall in love with shifters. Yet here she was, ready to put her life on the line. Once word of her misadventures spread through the coven, she’d probably lose her importance. They’d remove her from duty, keeping her in their home only because they needed her physical prowess to protect them.

  Isn’t that the rub of it? The coven was powerful magically but most of the females were weak fighters, resorting to hair pulling or open-hand slapping when they had to defend themselves.

  Sissies.

  “If I have to,” she confessed, the words softer than she intended, putting it all in the open. Surprisingly, it felt good to say it aloud and come out of the closet. “I won’t leave him here.”

  “I understand.” The young vampire ducked her head. “I was in love before I was changed. I didn’t want to leave him behind but I didn’t have a choice. If you have the chance to be happy, you should take it.”

  Sadie frowned and looked at the fragile young woman next to her. No wonder she kept to herself, with an infinite sadness about her. “You never mentioned that.”

  Leigh shrugged, although Sadie could tell the memory pained her. “It was out of my hands. Dwelling on what might have been won’t change things.”

  “I’m sorry.” The words were sincere but they fell short, Sadie knew. Leigh was right. Unless she changed the human she loved, they could never be together. And since Leigh experienced only the worst parts of the transition from mortal to vampire—the bloodlust, the sexual drive and the magic that came along with it—Sadie was sure the young woman didn’t want to place the same burden on someone she cared for.

  Leigh looked out the window, ending the conversation in her usual quiet way. Again Sadie was reminded of the horrible way the girl was transitioned, of her lack of choice. It had been nothing short of rape. In fact, some of the coven whispered that perhaps Leigh had been assaulted in that way but kept the truth to herself. No one blamed her.

  Sadie reached for the handle on the door. “Are you ready?”

  Taking a deep breath, Leigh nodded and opened her door.

  They exited the car quietly. After Sadie collected her sword and slid it into the sheath at her back, she immediately veiled herself. The car was parked far enough away that the men didn’t see them coming. A few of the Shepherds she recognized—the men who tried to blend in with baseball caps, blue jeans and sneakers. True to her word, Leigh approached them like a terrified girl, wringing her hands and glancing from side to side. When the men noticed her, they reached under their jackets for their weapons.

  Please let them go for this, Sadie thought to herself. So much is riding on this first part.

  One of the men stepped forward. “Stop right there.”

  Leigh did, her face revealing her fear. She hunched her shoulders, biting her lip, and kept her hands in front of her. Her small stature made her appear almost childlike. “I’m really sorry to bother you. I’m hoping you could help me.”

  The man hesitated and slowly removed his hand from his jacket. “What’s the problem, ma’am?”

  “I’m visiting the area for a research project and I’m totally lost.” She looked around, moving cautiously as she glanced at the three men. She laughed, sounding anxious. “That was probably a stupid thing to tell you, right? I just want to get back to my motel.”

  And as simple as that, the men were ooey gooey in her hands. They dropped their arms and moved closer.

  Morons.

  “What motel?”

  As soon as one of the men spoke, Sadie phased behind the one to her right. There was no time to go for her sword. They’d have to go the old-fashioned way. She broke the first one’s neck before he knew what hit him. The second was disposed of just as quickly. The third, realizing he’d been duped, tried to scream for help. Sadie had rushed for him, knowing he’d get out a warning, when Leigh lifted her arm and whispered something.

  Power surged through the air, hitting Sadie like a sucker punch. She’d known Leigh was strong with certain things—like locating someone using an object that belonged to them—but she was stunned to discover just how much power the fledgling vampire had kept hidden from the coven.

  “As I will it, so it shall be,” Leigh said, the words backed by strong magic. “Do not speak.”

  The man tried to scream but nothing came out. Collecting herself, Sadie stepped behind him, grabbed hold of his neck and broke it with a quick snap. He collapsed, falling face down on the pavement. She turned on Leigh, suspicious of what other things the tiny girl had kept hidden.

  “Where did you learn that?”

  “Good question.” Leigh dodged the question, waving her hand at the men on the ground. “Don’t we need to move them?”

  “This conversation isn’t over,” she said and grasped the arms of two of the men, ready to drag them to the alley. “You can’t hide power like that. The coven needs to know.”

  “The coven knows enough,” Leigh snapped, taking Sadie by surprise once again, and grabbed the arm of the last man. She followed Sadie into the darkness without another word, her lips pressed together. They rested the Shepherds on top of each other, piling them next to the building in an area that
was so dark they wouldn’t be seen.

  Three down. How many more to go?

  “What now?” Leigh shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. There was no more anger, no more fight—no more excitement.

  Sadie studied her comrade, taking in her posture. There was no defiance either. Perhaps Leigh wasn’t fully aware of the power she had. It would make sense. She’d endured so much in the last year, and she made it clear that learning about her gifts wasn’t a priority. While she could dip into Leigh’s head if she wanted, the coven had a strict rule against it. Privacy was something they all valued and respected.

  “If you want, you can leave,” Sadie said slowly, reading Leigh’s body language, watching for clues. The girl had already done enough. She’d found Trey, which was more than Sadie could possibly ask for.

  “I’m fine.” Leigh dropped her arms and shook her shoulders, as though she was washing away her involvement in killing a man. “Tell me what to do.”

  “We’re going to phase to the fire escape on the top floor and work our way down. Keep your veil in place when we get inside. I’m not sure how many of them we’ll be dealing with.”

  “Okay.”

  It only took a second for them to teleport to the fire escape Sadie motioned to. Sadie looked inside the window, saw the coast was clear and phased inside the building. Once there she listened, homing her hearing and listening for sounds that might guide her to Trey. Leigh appeared beside her.

  “He’s below us,” Leigh whispered. “If this place has a basement, I’d wager he’s there.”

  “Then stay close.” Sadie drew her sword, making sure her veil was rock solid. “Remember what I told you. If things go wrong, don’t stick around. Your responsibility is to the coven.”

  “Okay.” Leigh’s hushed response came from behind her and Sadie knew the vampire had veiled herself. They were as ready as they were going to be.

  There were a couple of guards along the way, posted at windows. Sadie took them out before they saw what was coming, grateful that Leigh had the foresight to catch each one and lower them to the ground. Down they went, floor by floor. The structure was one that had to have been used as a business once, perhaps a clothing manufacturer of some sort. Basements weren’t always typical in older buildings but this one definitely had one.

  When they came to the ground level, Sadie heard voices. “It’s time.” She communicated to Leigh telepathically. “Remember what I told you.”

  When they rounded the corner, Sadie hesitated. There were five of them, all carrying weapons. Her veil wouldn’t hold for long after she engaged them. Perhaps she could take down three before they could see her.

  “We should seek help from the coven,” Leigh whispered in her mind. “There are so many of them.”

  “We can’t.” Sadie wanted to scream at that fact. Her sisters-in-magic wouldn’t come to the aid of a shifter. They’d likely laugh in her face. “If something happens, get out of here, Leigh. That’s not a request.”

  Left with no other choice, Sadie advanced and clenched her fingers around the hilt of her sword. The first two Shepherds went down fast, her blade sliding easily through the flesh and bone of their necks, separating their heads from their bodies. However, when the Shepherds pulled out their guns and one of them accidentally bumped into her, her veil vanished. Three to one? Not odds she liked but she’d faced worse. The question was how many of them would come from the basement? Was there a miniature army down there?

  Braced for what was to come, Sadie took a fighting stance facing her opponents.

  It was time to find out.

  As they fired she moved, trusting her instincts and allowing them to guide her. Despite a swift thrust into the closest man, straight into his heart, she heard the barrage of bullets coming in her direction. The she felt the harsh bite as they thrust past her skin, lodging in her torso. She forced aside the pain, going for the next in line. Another clean strike removed the head of the man but during her attack she was shot again, then again.

  Goddess help me.

  Pivoting on her heel, she spun around. Heavy stomping came from the stairwell behind the door the men were protecting.

  Trey was down there. Waiting for her.

  Mustering up as much strength as she could, she went for her last target. He was equally adept at combat, crashing into her body and sending them to the ground as her sword slipped from her fingers. She balled her fist and punched him in the nose. Blood gushed, pouring to his mouth. The bloodlust rose, the darker side of her coming to life. In normal situations she’d never rely on the vampire, trusting her sword far more, but beggars couldn’t be choosers and she was losing a lot of blood.

  “Bastard,” she grated and yanked on his shirt, pulling him forward. Without preamble, she sank her fangs into his throat. She drank deep until she heard the door open.

  Company has arrived.

  Knocking the unconscious man aside, she made it to her feet. She retrieved her sword, fingers shaking. These Shepherds were in their normal attire, dressed to impress in Stetsons, flaring dusters and boots. She stared down the barrels of the guns the men aimed at her. The throbbing in her chest worsened, the bullets buried deep inside like solid weights that shifted with each breath. A spasm in her heart was the last thing she wanted to feel, but she felt it just the same. Being shot wasn’t necessarily a death sentence. She had the healing pools her coven had created to speed up the process. But a wound in or around the heart, like the one she could feel now, could destroy her.

  “Phase out,” Leigh thought frantically. “We have to go. You can’t do this alone.”

  Maybe Leigh was right, maybe not. “I have no other choice.”

  Another bullet struck her, lodging in her thigh. Sadie staggered, trying to remain standing. The sword felt so heavy—too fucking heavy. She knew it was the blood loss. With each agonized pump of her heart she was losing what was essential to her kind, the very thing they needed to live.

  She wanted to spin around when she heard Leigh whispering. The foolish girl had to get out while she still could. A well-placed shot to Sadie’s injury-free leg took her down. The floor was unforgiving as she collapsed against it, knocking the breath from her body.

  “As I will it, so it shall be,” Leigh said softly. Sadie gasped when magic flowed from Leigh and slammed into her a second time, answering Leigh’s call as a member of the coven, aiding Leigh in weaving the spell she’d created. “You will not breathe. You can’t breathe.”

  Sadie watched, dumbfounded, as the men dropped their guns and clawed at their throats. Their eyes bulged in fear, their mouths opening and closing. But there was no sound, there couldn’t be.

  Not if they couldn’t take the breath necessary to formulate words.

  Blessed be, Leigh was more powerful than she had ever imagined. If she’d known how strong she was before, things could have been a lot easier.

  Why didn’t she tell me? Why did she keep something like this from the coven?

  The poor bastards sank to the floor, twitching as they suffocated. Sadie went to her hands and knees. Standing didn’t just hurt—it was agonizing. After she had her sword in hand, it took several attempts to get it into its sheath. She didn’t worry about cleaning the blood away. If the sword was ruined, she’d have another made. Right now she had to find Trey, free him and phase to the healing caverns.

  “Let me help.”

  Leigh wrapped her arm around Sadie’s waist, aiding her as she rose. Her legs were like water wobbling beneath her, and the gunshots to her thighs burned like a son of a bitch. Gazing down, she saw the blood covering her chest. Blood loss was another thing a vampire could survive, but if she lost too much she’d slip into a coma until she was reawakened with a feeding.

  “There might be more of them,” Sadie wheezed, leaning on Leigh and hating herself for it. “It’s not safe for you to go downstairs.”

  “I’m in better shape than you,” Leigh replied, her lips curving into a small smile. “You might
need me.”

  “Why?” So many questions in one word, but Sadie knew Leigh would understand.

  “I don’t like magic.” Leigh supported Sadie’s weight as they started down the stairs. “I just want to be normal. Magic takes that away.”

  As a vampire, Leigh would never be normal. There were too many changes in her life, too many differences. The puzzle pieces started coming together, allowing Sadie to see the big picture. “And you’re afraid your power will make you stand out?”

  “Won’t it?”

  Yes, it would. If the coven found out that Leigh was capable of such things they’d extort her ability. Each member of the coven had a purpose, and it was well-known that when a gift was revealed it was used as often as possible.

  “I won’t tell them about Trey if you don’t tell them about me.” Leigh intruded on her thoughts. “Deal?”

  “Deal.” Sadie lifted her head and looked at the powerful vampiric mage. “But we’re going to talk about what you can do. You need someone to help you understand the magic inside of you.”

  Leigh nodded and lowered her gaze, staring at the stairs and watching her feet. “It’ll be nice to have someone to talk to.”

  When they made it to the basement floor, Sadie was relieved to discover all the men on watch had come upstairs to intercept her. She didn’t have the strength to fight anyone else. Hell, she couldn’t even walk. A couple of steps and she saw the cage. Trey was inside, resting on his side. She would have run to him if she’d been able, ripping the silver bars from the atrocious thing that kept him trapped. Sadly, she relied on Leigh to get her there.

  “Lean against the bars,” Leigh said and helped her get her balance. “I’ll get this open.”

  Sadie wondered what other trick Leigh had up her sleeve and groaned when she saw a key hanging on the far wall. Shepherds might be smart but in this situation they were damn stupid. Leigh retrieved the key, shoved it into the lock and opened the door. Trey didn’t stir, nothing more than a large mass resting on the cold floor.