Key to Redemption

by Talia Gryphon

  “You perverted son of a bitch.” It was ground out between clenched teeth as she fired at his head.

  Vampires are fast. Ask any Human who’s ever pissed one off, and actually lived, just how fast. They can move in the blink of an eye, which was what Jack did when she fired at him. Gillian saw the blur and moved, but he materialized in front of her, backhanding her across the jaw as he formed, throwing her a good eight feet. Fuck, that hurt!

  Rolling as she hit the ground, scraping head, arms and thigh, knowing that she was going to hurt later, she ducked her head between her arms, which were still held stiff, pointing her weapon. Sighting him as best she could from her prone position, she fired as he headed for her, hitting him twice in the upper body. The concussion from the nine-millimeter weapon knocked him backward, giving her time to get to her feet and move.

  “Tanis! Trocar!” she bellowed in her best Marine Captain voice, circling around from where she had been standing as the Ripper snapped back to his feet and started for her, scalpel poised to kill.

  Gillian had the benefit of some of Aleksei’s mystic Vampire foo in her veins and used it, moving faster than the Ripper thought she might and avoiding his blade. He still could have killed her easily, but like any good sexual sadist, he wanted her pain and fear first. That was good and bad for her.

  Unbelievably, he overbalanced when his thrust didn’t connect and stumbled. Maybe she accidentally had hit something vital. Nope, he was still after her. Gill dodged the other way and started to run as if every demon she’d ever faced were on her heels, then realized her leg was bleeding. He’d managed to clip her after all, but she couldn’t worry about it right now. In the distance, she thought she heard someone running toward her. Too bad they’d get there too late.

  This was it. She wasn’t going to make it so she sent Aleksei a frantically apologetic thought that she was sorry to break her promise and to please take care of everyone, especially Perrin, for her. Most especially she wanted him to know that her death wasn’t his fault. It had been her choice; she was an adult and she wasn’t sorry. Clanging the barriers back down, she closed her mind again to everything but her immediate survival. She kept moving, praying that her luck would hold out for a few more seconds.

  A noise far too close behind her made her flinch, then fury roared through her. Dammit, she was not going to die running away. Dropping to a crouch as she spun, she leveled the gun at every monster she’d ever faced, praying she had time to fire just once more and maybe give the bastard a bullet in the brain before he killed her.

  Tanis’s back filled her vision as he dropped from the sky to stand in front of her like a big Romanian wall. She jerked the weapon up just in time and avoided accidentally shooting him.

  He stood like a rock between her and certain death. The Ripper was only a few feet away, staring up in surprise at the much taller Vampire as Tanis’s hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat. Jack struggled and tried to cut him. Tanis slapped the scalpel out of his hand almost casually, golden eyes blazing as he lifted the smaller Vampire off the ground by his neck.

  “Where the hell have you been?” Gillian gasped, happy to see him.

  “He had a few friends with him,” Tanis replied softly as Gillian came around to his side. His clothes were torn and there was blood on his pants, boots and shirt.

  “Are you hurt?” she asked.

  “Nothing important,” he replied, still holding Jack, who was tearing at Tanis’s hand with his nails. “We have all been busy with revenants, lesser Vampires and ghouls. Kimber and Aisling are a little disheveled but safe, we got to them in time. Pavel is helping the Fey round up the rest of his servants.”

  “Where’s Trocar?”

  “Here, Gillyflower,” the Dark Elf said as he strolled into the street from yet another alleyway. “I apologize for being detained.”

  She looked him over. Trocar was, as always, immaculate except that the knives he held in both hands were dark with blood and other bits of things that she didn’t want to think about. He looked her up and down too. “We need to bandage your leg, Captain.”

  “I’m all right. We need to get Jenna.”

  Tanis hadn’t moved. His eyes were locked on the Ripper in front of him, who was bucking in an undignified manner in the air. “Jenna?”

  “She’s in that room on the second floor; he jumped out of it. He says she’s still alive.”

  “You are injured, Gillian. I can smell your blood. Take Trocar and get her out of there, then get back to the compound.” Tanis’s voice was low and full of rage.

  Gill didn’t argue with him but did as he asked, giving the Ripper a wide berth as Pavel ran panting into the square and, seeing her, ran to follow her. He looked a little worse for wear. There was blood around his muzzle, he had a knick in his right ear, and some of his lovely fur had been yanked out in chunks.

  They found the door to the upper-story staircase easily enough and one kick from Gillian and Trocar splintered it. Racing up the stairs, blood running down her leg to squish in her boot, she followed as Pavel located the room where Jenna lay tied and gagged on a bed with bloody sheets. Trocar slashed the bonds as Gillian helped her sit up. There were sounds of a struggle outside; they needed to hurry.

  “You okay, honey?” Gillian asked, brushing her friend’s hair out of her face.

  “Yeah, now,” Jenna said, then burst into tears.

  Gillian and Trocar held her, offering comfort while quickly checking her over for injuries. Jack had slashed her wrists and breasts lightly, presumably to attract Tanis, but the wounds were superficial. Gillian tore pieces from Aleksei’s already ruined shirt and bound the wounds up. Trocar insisted on doing the same for Gillian’s leg. The Ripper had sliced the muscle of her thigh straight down the length. The wound wasn’t particularly deep but they didn’t have a field medicine kit so it would have to wait till they got back to the castle. At least he had missed the femoral artery.

  “I knew you guys would come. He said you wouldn’t, but I know my friends,” Jenna said definitively.

  “Leave no one behind.” Gillian smiled. Helping Jenna off the bed, she flinched as Trocar gently turned her toward him with his fingertips, examining her face.

  “He struck you?”

  “Yes, but I’m lucky that’s all he did.”

  “Damn, Gill, you’ve got a helluva bruise going on there. Somebody’s gonna be pissed,” Jenna said, wide-eyed.

  “Not as pissed as I am for being sucker punched by a psycho,” Gillian joked.

  They helped Jenna downstairs and out the door, where Pavel placed himself squarely between them and the two Vampires who were locked in combat in front of them. Tanis, in a rather brutal move, had released Jack, allowing him a chance to fight him. He had been beating, biting and tearing the shit out of the Ripper ever since. The problem was, Tanis was just too honorable simply to hold Jack helpless as he ripped him into pieces and was done with it, so he let the serial killer have some kind of a chance.

  Gill noted that Jack’s clothing was mostly tattered and he was dripping blood everywhere as he staggered out of Tanis’s reach. She brought her gun up and leveled it at the back of Jack’s head, waiting for a clear shot.

  “No, Gillian. Let them be. This is now a matter of honor. Take Jenna and Pavel and leave,” Trocar ordered her as she turned to stare at him. “I have plans of my own for Jack the Ripper, and I will share them with Tanis. Now trust me and go.”

  Tanis heard him. “Stay out of this, Elf. Get them back safely.”

  “I do not take orders from you, Vampire,” Trocar purred, stepping into the street, twin long knives flashing dully from the blood on them. Expertly whirling them, he slashed across the back of Jack’s legs, hamstringing him. The Ripper went down hard, screaming until he felt the cool edge of Trocar’s knife at his throat. “Gillian, I will take my garrote if you don’t mind.”

  Nodding, she unwound it and tossed it to him. She’d quite forgotten she’d had it. Having gotten Jenna on Pavel�
�s back since he was the size of a pony and could carry her easily, they headed in the opposite direction, toward the castle. They hadn’t gotten far when Kimber and Aisling joined them with their Fey bodyguards.

  All were bloody, bruised and bandaged, but Gillian won the unofficial prize for looking like hell. Her roll on the pavement courtesy of Jack had given her a shallow cut on her head, which had bled and matted her hair on one side, road rash on one shoulder and hand, and a twisted ankle she hadn’t noticed until they pointed out she was limping. Not to mention her sliced leg, which had bled enough to make her boot soggy.

  Then, there was her jaw. The left side of her face hurt like a bitch, but at least none of her teeth were loose. Just a split lip and a bruise from where Jack had clocked her. Bastard. It would have been a pleasure to get one good hit in on him, but she was just glad to have Jenna back and the rest of them in one piece. Killing Jack herself would have made her happy but she wasn’t that egotistical. Tanis and Trocar would finish it. That was fine with her. She just wanted to take a shower.

  Footsteps behind her made her turn. Tanis. “I did not want to alarm you, so I made noise,” he said apologetically.

  “Nice. Where’s Trocar?” Gillian asked, looking past the Vampire for the Grael.

  “He wanted to have some private time with Jack. He said you would understand. I decided that after I had nearly removed his heart, the Elf deserved a turn.” Tanis was positively smirking. Oh great. Trocar had a new buddy.

  Gillian grimaced. “Jack is about to meet Hell itself.”

  “I cannot imagine what else Trocar will do to him,” Aisling remarked.

  “I can,” Gillian said flatly and continued limping along with a grim expression on her face.

  No one asked her for details.

  CHAPTER 16

  IT was dangerously close to dawn by the time the tired and battered group of Ripper Busters slogged down the road near Castle Rachlav . . . er . . . Rachlav Institute of Paramortal Healing. Tanis was carrying Gillian by now. After watching her limping next to Pavel, who was carrying Jenna, the Vampire hadn’t taken no for an answer, scooping her up in his arms and carrying her down the road.

  Hearing a shout, everyone looked up to see Aleksei, Perrin and, oh joy . . . Daed and Helmut, all running down the road toward them. They seemed to be upset about something, goddess only knew what.

  Please, oh please, let it not be another goddamn crisis, Gillian thought wearily in Tanis’s arms. The collective groans from her companions indicated everyone else felt pretty much the same way.

  “Shit, please tell me nothing else happened while we were gone,” Jenna said, folding over onto Pavel’s furry neck, echoing Gillian’s thoughts.

  “Gillian!” Aleksei called out. He had heard them tramping up the road, singing “The Night Jack the Ripper Died” to the tune of the Irish drinking song “The Night Pat Murphy Died” to give them something to do after they had discussed the likelihood of everyone being cross with them when they got back since they all looked like shit.

  His heart had leapt with joy when he’d actually seen the ragged little group. With blurring speed, the Vampire Lord was at Gillian’s side and lifting her from Tanis and into his own arms. Gillian flinched in his embrace, discovering for herself and alerting Aleksei that she had a bruised rib cage. He set her down to look her over, his face alternating between joy at her being back and fury at her injuries.

  The rest followed as they had expected. As they were hustled back to the castle and relative safety, with Aleksei cradling Gillian in his enormously strong arms like a child and Perrin pacing rigidly next to them, there was collective and individual swearing, hugging, welcoming back and scolding of their band of rescuers. When everyone settled in the great hall area to attend to their assortment of injuries, Tuuli, Dalton, Samuel and Esi came in with Finian, the Sidhe and Gunnolf Crosswind to thank Gillian and the others for everything they’d done.

  She waved them off, embarrassed, insisting that it was a team effort and that all was well. They lingered in the great hall, sitting among the returning walking wounded, wanting to share the light of camaraderie with all the residents. Even the Brownies pattered downstairs to see what was happening. They’d been staying in the upper attics of the castle and were vaguely miffed that their help had not been required after the Perrin-inspired orgy. Yup, the Brownies had been exposed to the magic and had been reveling, as it were, on their own.

  Luis and Oscar were notably absent, but it was near daylight, and since they’d spent the evening in the castle watching movies with the Brownies after Aleksei’s confrontation, no one gave it another thought. Until proven otherwise, Aleksei insisted that everyone receive the benefit of the doubt. The lovers had done nothing wrong to his knowledge, so no one should assume anything different.

  Tanis and Aleksei had to leave as the dawn was beginning to streak the night sky with pale shadows. They could have stayed long after it had actually broken since all windows of the castle were heavily draped and the great hall itself was completely shielded by stone and heavy tapestries. With their awesome new Vampire powers, neither of them was as susceptible to sunlight as other Vampires of their age range and could remain awake far longer than most. However, they still had an exchange to complete for the second night of Tanis’s conversion from Dracula’s subordinate to Aleksei’s House.

  Both had blood that was old and powerful, but as full brothers, one a newly developed Master and the other a newly evolved Lord, the reconversion process stood a good chance of succeeding and they didn’t want to miss a night. Aleksei had been reluctant to leave Gillian until Tanis practically dragged him off physically.

  “I do not wish to leave Jenna either, Aleksei, but I am going to because this is important if I am to have any kind of relationship with her,” Tanis reprimanded his brother.

  Jenna smiled and pressed his hand to her cheek. She understood as well; he’d explained what he and Aleksei were trying, and she supported him in it. Also, she wasn’t as badly hurt as Gillian was, even after being in Jack’s hands for several hours before her rescue. The Vampire had wanted Gillian in exchange and intended to keep her alive as a bargaining chip unless they hadn’t come for her.

  “Go on, Tanis, I know this is important. I will be fine,” Jenna substantiated for his benefit.

  Gillian was rather glad they would have an opportunity later to process, particularly with Aleksei and Perrin, the whole of what had happened. Both men were furious with her and Tanis for not letting them know that they were all right and breathing after the Ripper fight. When Gillian had sent her frantic “good-bye” thoughts to Aleksei, he had feared the worst. His agonized reaction had alerted Perrin that everything was not all right. They’d started toward the village, Aleksei forced not to shift and thereby abandon Perrin on the way.

  Seeing her alive, seeing his brother walking strongly along, holding her petite bruised and battered body, had evoked a tapestry of emotions within his very soul. Deep dark impulses roared through him. She was his. He had the right and the glorious responsibility to protect her, shield her, cherish her . . . lock her up for her own good, if necessary. Civilized urges warred with those instincts. He respected her and her abilities. He wanted her to know that. That precluded any need he had about enforcing dominance. Gillian wanted a partner, a lover, not a keeper. He was going to have to deal with it, bottom line.

  For Gillian’s part, she was delighted and encouraged that Aleksei hadn’t flipped the fuck out on her. She could feel his restraint, feel the seething emotions he was holding firmly in check, for her benefit. It added a new layer of respect to her thoughts about him. His culture demanded that he take care of her—see her as a possession. His evolving relationship skills were allowing him to see her not only as a woman but as a partner. She was proud of the old fossil. He was trying.

  Right now, though, she hurt in every muscle and bone of her body after getting knocked across the street by Jack, and she wanted to die quietly in her bed after a
steaming hot shower. She lifted her face to see frosty gray eyes examining every inch of her and held out her hand to him.

  Aleksei took it, raising her scraped knuckles to his mouth and laving the injuries with his tongue before kissing each abrasion. When he smiled at her, it was with warmth and concern rather than anger. Gill took the next move and leaned over to bestow a kiss at the corner of his lovely mouth.

  Kissing Aleksei good-bye gingerly with her split and swollen lip put renewed fury and sorrow in the Vampire’s eyes. Instinct told him to stay with her; responsibility for her and Tanis tore at him. He wanted to stay but needed to go more. That evoked a brief argument between himself and Gillian until Perrin stepped in and promised to take care of her for him during the daylight hours, his eyes and that of the Vampire’s locking for a moment in perfect understanding of what he meant.

  Keep her out of trouble; see that she rests. Aleksei and the disfigured genius had shared a long conversation while Gillian and the others were away. They had come to a few basic understandings and Aleksei now trusted Perrin as he did few others, despite the level of the man’s professional relationship with Gillian.

  There was simply no duplicity in Perrin. He didn’t know how to lie, was incapable of flirting, had no emotional filter. Gillian had awakened something in him, something raw, primal and protective that superseded his own desires. He was evolving into what he should have been all along: a man who could be a partner, not a teacher, not a keeper, but someone who could live his life, rather than merely exist.

  Gillian strenuously disputed her need to be looked after until both of them stared her down, ice gray and gray green eyes burning into her own, each pair beautiful yet insistent and a little ominous in its demeanor. Since she was too tired to fight with both of them at the moment, she relented but insisted Daed look after the others first. Her injuries could wait.

  Tanis led Aleksei away after kissing Jenna softly. Perrin remained seated on the arm of the sofa next to Gill, a quiet, slender presence, holding her hand. Pavel was at her feet, still in Wolf form, healing himself more efficiently than medical attention could have. His injuries were relatively minor. He needed rest and the camaraderie of his friends.