Revenge's Web (Kieran Grey Psionic Hunter)

by R. B. Fivecoat

  As I climbed the stairs to the station, people started to notice me. I had on my glasses, and my badge was clearly around my neck. People either froze in place and stared, or rushed to get out of the way.

  Fear is a great motivator at times.

  Ren was held up in her office with three officers decked out in riot gear and assault rifles.

  “Interesting fashion choice. Ms. Rambo,” Ren teased.

  The officers stepped outside to let us talk in private. I gave her the guns and a pair of my jeans and another turtleneck shirt. I wanted her to have good protection. The guns were the same Walther pistols I used.

  To hell with legalities, we needed the firepower.

  “What’s with the clothes?”

  “Wear them. They may not look like much, but they have a Level IIIA ballistic rating, and they’re virtually cut proof.”

  “This is like that sweatshirt Cassie had on, right? The werewolf could only cut her once it got its claws under the sweatshirt against the skin.”

  “Yeah, the same stuff.” I didn’t tell her they were spider-silk.

  “You know I still have that armor suit from when we went after Targ. Wouldn’t that be better?”

  “I never even thought of that. Do you have it here?”

  “Yeah, in my closet.”

  The closet was a gun safe with a number-pad lock. After punching in the code, Ren pulled out the armor suit that had been custom made for her by the Tailor. She changed clothes in front of me without hesitation.

  Did she forget I used to be a guy?

  I openly ogled her. Damn she looks sexy standing there in the middle of her office in only her underwear! And such sexy lingerie! I’d love to tear those off her and have her on her desk right now! Of course that was just the guy in me. Memories of her body pressed against me from the other night filled my mind as my body reacted, tightening and lubricating. I shook my head to clear away the thoughts. Damn it! This is no time to get horny, not that I can stop myself even when I try. No sex! She’s your friend!

  Ren stopped my dirty thoughts cold when she spoke up, “I finally got permission from the parents to scan that kid that watched his girlfriend die in the park. The vision from him was very clear. It was that spider-guy thing we ran into at the warehouse.”

  “It’s called an arachnataur. Supposedly it is some sort of extinct-ancient-immortal-evil-demon-thing.”

  “Extinct immortal? Isn’t that an oxymoron?”

  “When they were around they were immortal, then they just disappeared. Everyone thought they killed themselves off.”

  “I guess they were wrong.”

  Julie suddenly appeared in my glasses.

  “Miss Grey, you have a call from Nikolai.”

  Of all people– Why is he calling me?

  “Put him on.”

  The picture switched. Nikolai the werewolf was hunched over, glancing around himself nervously over his reading glasses. At least I thought he looked nervous. It was really hard to read emotions on the animal faces of shifters.

  “I don’t have much time, so please just listen!” he whispered the command with one hand covering the side of his muzzle as if to keep others from hearing. “Jacob has infiltrated the Archives. He has taken a number of hostages including Doc, and your friends. They are being held in sub-reactor B. There are a large number of vampires and werewolves with him. I have no idea how many, but I was able to count over thirty before they killed the entire surveillance system. All of the staff have been moved to the cafeteria with the rest of the employees that were attending the Christmas Party.

  “I was working on the Bestiary vents when they showed up. They haven’t found me yet. They let lose a number of creatures from the Bestiary. The animals are roaming freely through the Archives, and the vamps are patrolling the halls with the werewolves. Jacob is expecting you to come attempt to rescue your friends.

  “It’s a trap! I will make my way to the entrance at the branch office of the GCP on 14th Street. Once there I will disable the security systems on the entrance. You will be able to enter there without alerting Jacob to your arrival. Julie can give you a schematic and directions inside the Archives to get you to your friends. Remember, sub-reactor B.”

  He was suddenly gone. I told Ren what he had said.

  “It’s a trap, but we’re going anyway, right?”

  “Right, but not without help.”

  Really big superhuman help.

  Chapter 21

  Ren was amazed at the hovercar. Most people were, including me. I’ll have to let her drive it sometime. We had four patrol cars with us now. Eight officers in full riot gear. It was good, but I wanted something a little more powerful than humans for backup.

  We got out of the car in front of the Dark Towers with our escorts behind us. It wasn’t until I caught our reflections in the elevator doors that I realized how we looked. Ren and I looked ready for war with our guns strapped on and the multi-barreled assault rifles ready. The two of us each looked like a certifiable bad-ass, and the officers in riot gear behind us just added to the effect.

  There was a party on the top floor. It was wall to wall people. That didn’t stop us though. We stepped out of the elevator and went straight for the doors on the other side of the room. The crowd parted for us quickly.

  I’m starting to think it’s the guns.

  Yuric was standing in the middle of his penthouse office with a small collection of guests. Vampire guests all decked to the nines in expensive formal wear. They were taking turns spying on the party below.

  I hope they aren’t picking out dinner. EEEWW!!! That’s a bad thought.

  “I will venture a guess based on your wardrobe and entourage, that all is not well in the land of men my Child,” he said as he hurried to meet us.

  It took a few minutes to fill him in. His face fell by the time I finished. He looked pissed off. It was terrifying to be that close to him when he looked like that.

  He lifted his watch and tapped a button on the side. The glass cover of the analogue watch glazed over and turned into a holographic display. With a twist of the dias, his watch switched between different pictures of a representation of a body with lists of information next to it. The vampire studied the watch like it held the key to the universe while he twisted the dias. A moment later his eyes lifted to mine.

  “They are alive.”

  “How do you know?”

  Against better judgment, I grabbed his wrist and twisted it around so that I could see his watch better. He didn’t fight against me, but the tension level in the room escalated as soon as I touched him. Every vamp in the place was suddenly glaring at us. Some even looked like they were on the verge of attacking.

  “It is alright,” Yuric announced to the crowd over his shoulder with vamp power in his voice.

  My heart stopped in my throat. The tiny watch was displaying Cassie’s vitals. It showed her barely breathing, and her heartbeat was almost nonexistent. The representation of a body showed several glowing red marks across her body, including the claw marks across her face.

  What the fuck?!?

  I started to ask, then I saw the watch he’d given me on my left wrist inches away from his as I held his arm.

  “You’re spying on us with the watches?!?”

  Ren’s face twisted into a look of horror when she stared down at the watch on her own wrist.

  “Not spying. Monitoring. You are the best hope we have against Jacob and his followers. We offered you our support. Part of that is doing what we can to keep you alive. We can use the watches to locate the others.”

  I started to chew him out. Then I realized that the watches were exactly what I had been after when I couldn’t find the others earlier. If I’d only known.

  Without an apology for grabbing him the way I did, I let go of his arm and tapped the same button on my wrist. The watch changed to show me the same information Yuric’s had. It even had a map that showed the watch on Cassie’s wrist was deep under th
e city.

  “These work with anyone?” I asked and he nodded. “I need three more. One each for Emmy, Vicki, and Mary. I don’t care what they cost.”

  “Kieran! Doesn’t it matter that he was lying to us?” Ren protested, but never took off the watch.

  “We never asked if they were more than just watches.”

  “Very true. Do not be offended Detective. The watches only give your vitals and location. I wouldn’t dream of using them unless it was an emergency.” He turned to face me, looking straight into my eyes. “You shall have the other watches you require.”

  “Good. We’ll need help to storm the Archives to rescue the others. It’s possible that we can stop Jacob for good this time. Can you help us?” I asked.

  “Of course. Tell me where to meet you, and I will gather my best warriors there.”

  “Thank you. I think that we need numbers on our side. I’m going to go recruit as many shifters that I can as well.”

  “A keen idea. It will take me three hours to gather my troops.”

  “Alright, meet us at the GCP branch office on 14th Street, but don’t go in until I get there.”

  “As you wish.”

  “I promised Cassie and Emmy we’d spend Christmas together, and I intend to do just that.”

  * * *

  The patrol cars couldn’t keep up with the hover-car, so Ren sent them ahead to the entrance. We made excellent time getting out to the Panther Queen’s ranch. Of course it didn’t take as long as it should of, since we could cut across country. I found out that the hovercar could go up to fifty feet above the ground. It made clearing traffic, fences, and other obstacles easy, including the houses in the suburbs.

  Christmas music was blaring from their party as we got out of the car. I parked it right next to the doors. Why walk? I left my rifle and started for the door. The same two goons that were at the door the last time I visited were there again. I don’t have time for them tonight. Drawing both my pulse guns as I walked, I shot each of them five times without warning or missing a step. That should keep them out of my hair.

  “We may have needed their help later you know,” Ren was complaining as she rushed to catch up to me.

  I entered the house and pushed my way to the back room. Guns were not allowed for any reason at the Queen’s parties, so I stuck out just a little. All eyes were on me as I crossed the large throne room straight to Ash without paying my respects to the queen first. It was rude of me, but I was working against a time frame. Besides, I honestly didn’t care. Ash stood up from the table and walked towards me, head down, glancing at the Queen and King.

  “What in the hell are you doing here dressed like that?” she asked through clenched teeth pointing at the guns with her chin.

  “Vicki and my friends have been assaulted and kidnaped by Jacob. As far as we know he is intending to kill them. We need help getting them back.” I let my voice carry through the room as far as the music would allow.

  The Queen raised her hand, the music instantly stopped. “How dare you defile MY home! What is the meaning of this INSULT?!”

  Do I really have to put up with her tonight? Fine.

  “Your highness, a number of people including shifters were recently abducted by a group of werewolves and vampires under the lead of the Rogue Psionic Vampire Jacob.” Too much sarcasm?

  “BLASPHEMY!!! You have no proof! How dare you!” This from the Werewolf King.

  “Believe what you want. You know full well that you’ve been losing wolves to Jacob for over a year now, and you’ve done nothing about it. You should be held responsible for their actions just as any leader should.”

  He bolted straight up from his throne. “I will rip out your throat!”

  I blew him off with a wave of my hand. “Whatever. Look we need help against shifters that have turned from you to rescue shifters. Are you going to help or not?”

  Ash stepped forward. “Vicki is my cat, I’ll help you.”

  Others I recognized from the Christmas party of the House of Lesser Cats the night before stepped forward. The King protested. Then the Queen herself stood.

  “You break MY rules, invade MY house, insult MY guests and dare not ask help of ME properly–”

  “YOU DON’T MEAN SHIT TO ME!!! I didn’t even come here for you anyway! YOU FUCKING SELF-CENTERED BITCH!!!”

  The entire house took a collective gasp and fell deathly quiet.

  I guess that I must’ve broken some unwritten law. Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about this?

  “BLIND BLOOD!!! BLIND BLOOD!!! BLIND BLOOD!!!” the crowd started chanting.

  Ash leaned in to talk over the chanting. “Now you did it. Look, the only way the two of you are going to get out of here without a bloodbath is to fight the Queen’s champion.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding.” I rolled my eyes.

  “No, she is quite serious. Bruiser!” the Queen called.

  Bruiser? What, is she calling her dog?

  A wall of a man appeared beside the thrones. He was almost as big as Marsala. BRUISER was written in bold white letters across his black muscle shirt. Knuckles cracked as he stretched out his hands.

  Oh shit, this looks like anything but fun.

  The crowd formed a circle around us, creating a makeshift arena of the dance floor. Someone handed me a blindfold.

  “Ash, what’s going on?”

  “You directly insulted the King and Queen. This is their way of getting payback. You’ll fight Bruiser blindfolded until one of you draws first blood. He won’t shift and you can’t use your guns. Just don’t lose, that would be bad for both of you. Trust me, you don’t even want to know what will happen if you lose.”

  “Kieran, don’t do this. Let’s just go,” Ren sounded concerned.

  “The choice to leave is no longer yours, Detective!” the Queen spat at us.

  “I don’t have time for this. Hurry up, so we can get this over with. I’ve got vamps to kill.”

  I gave my guns to Ren and Ash. No one complained about me keeping on the blades, and I never told them about the derringers. The blindfold did just what it was supposed to, I couldn’t see a thing. That meant that Bruiser shouldn’t have been able to see either. I stepped forward into the open floor. It was easy to hear Bruiser stomping around on the other side.

  Good. All I’ve got to do is listen for him to come close and then dodge.

  Then the crowd ruined my good idea. They began chanting again, much louder this time. I couldn’t even hear myself think.

  Something slammed into my shields hard, throwing me to the ground. The crowd screamed louder with joy. It took a second to struggle back to my feet. I couldn’t afford to keep getting hit like that. Sure I would last a while, then I would crumble just like any human would.

  This guy could kill me if I don’t do something.

  I flexed my hand expanding out a shield-bubble. Violet light filled my vision, allowing me to see through the blindfold. Bruiser was walking around, arms up, playing to the crowd. Then he turned back towards me. His head lifted up as he sniffed the air. He’s tracking me by scent, not sound. I could see him grin a second before he charged at me. Just before he hit me I dove to the side. He slammed into the crowd.

  Twice more he charged me and I dogged him. On the next pass I stood my ground. He came straight at me as I poured all my strength into my hand as I punched. I hit him in mid-stride with the power of my shields. He flew backwards across the room crashing into the spectators. I readied myself for his next charge.

  “First blood!” someone yelled.

  “No, that little bitch couldn’t bleed me! Not me! I am the champion!” Bruiser was screaming as he wiped his mouth, and yanked off his blindfold.

  I took off my blindfold, blinking my eyes to focus in the lights. He had blood smeared across his face where I’d split open his lip. Well that’s that. I turned towards Ash and Ren. Both of their eyes went wide.

  “Claws!” Ash yelled.

  Without looki
ng I dove to my left. I reached behind me and drew the straight blades as I knelt into a crouch. There were deep gashes in the hardwood floor where I had been standing a second earlier. Bruiser howled in rage. His hands had turned into werewolf hands. Claws and all.

  “I don’t want to hurt you,” I tried to sound sincere.

  “I will rip out your heart for my King to feast upon!” He charged me again.

  That’s a threat right?

  I waited for him to close the distance between us. He drew back his hand, claws ready, and prepared to strike. I switched the blade in my left hand to a reverse grip. The blade extended down the back of my forearm as I lifted it to block the blow. The werewolf’s hand came crashing down. His wrist hit the dead-center of the blade. Instantly his hand was severed off as he followed through with his swing.

  The hand landed on the ground by my feet. A few seconds passed until Bruiser registered that he was missing a hand. He roared in pain as soon as he noticed the missing limb. Then he grabbed at the bleeding stump. The room came alive. A dozen people started to shift, as others rushed me.

  So much for getting any help. I really need to learn to control my temper better.

  “ENOUGH!!!” the Queen bellowed.

  Everyone stopped moving to look at her. I scanned the room to find Ren hiding behind her guns. She was ready to shoot her way out. Things can’t get much worse can they? The Queen sauntered slowly down the steps from her throne. The crowd parted for her to walk over to Bruiser. She grabbed his stump, yanking it to her face. He yelped in pain.

  “Pathetic. How could you let a human maim you like that?” she was hissing in his face.

  “Forgive me my Queen. She isn’t human. No human is that strong.” He ducked his head to speak to her.

  The Queen turned to glare at me with a lifted eyebrow. “Indeed!” She stormed over to me. I flinched as she reached down and picked up Bruisers severed hand. “Explain yourself!” she commanded shaking the hand in my face.

  I really hate royalty, or at least people that act like it.

  Never dropping the blades, I held out my badge to her, never saying a word. She glanced at it, then took a second look. The rage left her face.