by Deanna Chase
I straightened my spine. “You think I did this?”
“Didn’t you?”
“No!” It was impossible. Wasn’t it? My magic couldn’t change the basic makeup of a vampire. I couldn’t breathe life into death. Isn’t that exactly what you did? I mentally asked myself.
Tiny hairs rose on the tips of my wings, which fluttered involuntarily.
“Wil,” David said. Nervous energy shot through my veins at the familiarity of my nickname on his lips. “What happened?”
Tears burned the back of my eyes again, and before I could blink them back, one silent tear fell. The words caught in my throat, and I mouthed, “You died.”
“That’s what Phoebe said, but how is that possible? I’m right here.” He lifted one hand and studied it as if to make sure he really did exist.
I opened my mouth to speak, but a sharp knock at my door cut me off, followed by Phoebe barging in. “The director wants to see us.”
“When?” David asked.
“Now.”
“Okay,” I fluttered my wings and rose gracefully off the floor. “David, we’ll…uh, continue this when I get back.”
“David’s been summoned as well.”
My head snapped up. “Wait, how’s he going to go outside with the sun still up? And how does she know he’s awake?”
Phoebe eyed David. “You haven’t told her yet?”
“We didn’t get that far.”
I settled my wings, standing rigidly as a foreboding settled over me. “Tell me what?”
David’s eyes crinkled, and he visibly tried to dampen a smile threatening to break through.
“What? Tell me what?” I demanded again.
Phoebe glanced at David and frowned. “Sunlight doesn’t affect him at all anymore.”
Chapter 14
“And Maude knows!” I cried. My heart stopped. Actually stopped. Now Maude knew I could alter a vampire. Maude, the one who’d found a way to manipulate me into producing Influence.
Not to mention all the other harmful pieces of unusual magic she’d somehow discovered and managed to get approved by the Void. How else could Cherry Bombs be allowed as sanctioned weapons? Anything that could melt a mortal from the inside should have been buried the moment it was discovered. Thank the gods I’d stumbled on an antidote. It had taken recreating the awful stuff and studying it for months, but I’d finally done it.
My blood pressure rose, kick-starting the frozen organ in my chest. I clutched Phoebe’s arm. “Who told her?”
She shook her head. “Not either of us. At least not at first. She knew when she called to summon us.”
“She must have a spy or surveillance on the house,” David reasoned. “I was outside for quite a while after we realized what happened. She demanded to talk to me, and I had no choice but to relay the details.”
“Do you have any idea what this means?” I asked Phoebe in a tight voice, my fingernails digging into my thigh.
She clutched my hand, eyes full of pity. “Yes, and I’m sorry.”
***
The muddy tang of the Mississippi River wafting in the open window lingered in my nostrils as I fumed.
“Wait a second,” Phoebe said. “You can’t hold them against their will.”
Maude leaned back, studying the three of us. Her casual pose smacked of victory. “I can. As you might recall, they both signed contracts. They belong to me.”
“No one belongs to you, you selfish, power-hungry, two-bit excuse for a faery,” I seethed.
“My dear niece, that is no way to talk to your auntie. What would your mother say?” Glee lit Maude’s eyes and her black wings twitched in anticipation.
I took two steps and leaned over the desk. “My mother will be horrified when she learns what you’ve turned into.”
Maude pursed her lips. “Then we’d best keep you here until you see reason.”
David, who’d been silent ever since Maude had announced the Arcane’s intention to sequester the pair of us until they’d exhausted a comprehensive set of tests, stood. “I cannot be party to testing from the Arcane. Eadric will not be pleased. You’ll have to excuse me. He’s expecting me.”
David opened the office door to a pair of guards, each pointing silver spikes at his chest. He turned a steely gaze on Maude. “Call them off.”
She shifted and crossed one ankle over the other. “We aren’t finished here.”
David eyed the guards, seemed to make a decision, and then closed the door and retreated to stand next to me. “How long will these tests take?”
She shrugged. “Until our scientists can replicate what Willow has achieved.”
I balled my hands into fists and placed them on my hips. “No. I will not consent to these tests. What happened was a freak accident that I have no intention of repeating.”
“Why do you need me?” David asked, ignoring me. “Seems you’d be better off using any other vampire.”
Maude nodded her agreement. “True, and that is on the agenda. But you must see testing your new abilities is in both of our interests.”
David sat, crossing one leg over his knee. To anyone else he would have appeared casual, unconcerned. They wouldn’t notice the tiny squint of his right eye. His one and only tell that he was seconds from losing his patience. Last time I saw that look was right before he’d fired one of the contractors who’d worked on his company’s oil rig. The guy had made one too many inappropriate remarks about tasting my faery bits. Yeah, those bits. The ones reserved for my boyfriend.
“I understand the Arcane’s interest in my situation, but I’m under no obligation to consent.” David nodded toward the door. “And you must know your guards can’t stop me if I decide to leave.”
“But you won’t.”
He smiled with mocking amusement. “What makes you think so?”
Maude jerked her head in my direction. “You won’t leave your girlfriend here unattended.”
David didn’t even spare me a glance. “You overestimate my affection, Director. Besides, Agent Rhoswen can take care of herself.”
The heavy weight of betrayal made bile rise in my throat. What the devil was David up to? He really wasn’t planning on leaving me here, was he?
Maude opened her mouth, shut it, then said, “You’re under contract. You know the consequences if you breach the agreement.”
“My contract specifically states my only duty is to protect Agent Rhoswen from any hostile vampires and to gather intel on my sire. Nowhere does it stipulate I would be used in your lab. However, I can’t think of a better place for Willow to be protected from my kind. You are in the business of bringing down rogue vampires, are you not?”
I gaped at David as he stood and strode to the door. He really did plan to leave me here, and after I’d saved his life. The bastard.
“I’ll be in touch.” He pulled the door open once again. “Step aside, please,” he said to the guards. “The director and I have reached an understanding.”
Maude’s face tightened, unable to conceal her growing anger. She gave a curt nod, and the guards retreated.
David stepped into the hallway, paused, and turned to meet Maude’s furious gaze. “Oh, and don’t damage my girlfriend. I wouldn’t like it.”
My aunt straightened, her wings spread wide. “Do not threaten me, blood-sucker. You have no idea the connections I have. One phone call and you’ll be just as dead as that vampire whore you were associated with.”
David gave her a wry smile but said nothing as he strode off.
I sat, stunned, staring at the now-empty hallway.
“What are you waiting for? Follow him.” Maude’s tight voice came out terse with fury.
I jumped to Phoebe’s side and we both headed for the door.
“Not you, Agent Rhoswen. You’re needed here,” she demanded.
Determined to give David a piece of my mind, I ignored her, but Phoebe paused. She turned. “Willow’s my partner. I’ll need backup if I’m to investigate a daywalk
ing vampire.”
“And I told you last week she wasn’t your partner anymore. Her replacement is waiting for you in the conference room. Get going.”
I stopped in the doorway. Phoebe, halfway between me and Maude, turned and met my intense stare. Keeping eye contact with me, Phoebe said, “I’m sorry, Director, but that is unacceptable. I cannot in good conscience leave a fellow agent here to be studied against her will.”
“Do not push me, witch.”
My muscles tensed at Maude’s tone. I’d only witnessed her rage once before, and right then she was dangerously close to her breaking point.
Phoebe moved to stand in front of me, blocking me from Maude’s view. “I am well aware of the Void’s policies on studying abnormal gifts. Forcing someone to submit is illegal. Maybe if you take some time to formulate the studies you wish to conduct, Willow can look them over and make an informed decision. I’m sure she’s as eager to understand what happened last night as you are.”
“Phoebe,” I began.
“Right, Willow?” she said loudly.
“Yes, but—”
“She isn’t going anywhere,” Maude bellowed. “Guards!”
Out of nowhere, half a dozen Void security guards rushed in. Where had the other four come from? Surely a vampire warranted more muscle than a defenseless witch and faery. The magic neutralizers in the lobby had seen to that.
“Apprehend them both.” Maude pointed at Link. “And bind the wolf.”
One of the guards did a double take and started laughing. “That ankle biter is a wolf?”
“Link, run,” I shouted as I rammed my elbow into the side of one of the guards. He let out a surprised grunt and doubled over in pain. Link, unable to shift, growled a sad little dog growl but grabbed hold of the laughing guard’s leg and didn’t let go.
“Fuckin’ dog.” He spat and kicked him with his other foot.
Link yelped as he flew across the room but scrambled back up and launched himself at the back of his attacker. His jaws clamped down and the man roared.
I started to laugh at the Shih Tzu hanging from the guard’s backside, but another guard grabbed my shoulders and slammed me against the wall. My cheek met the brick, scraping along the rough surface. “Ouch!” I yelped. “That wasn’t necessary.”
A linen sack came down over my head, muffling my cries. Tiny pinpricks of light penetrated the tight weave, saving me from total blackness. I only heard one last yelp from Link and an agonizing groan I thought for sure came from Phoebe before someone picked me up and carried me off.
“Let go!” I screamed, writhing in my captor’s grip. “I’m an agent. I work for the Void. You can’t do this.”
The arms tightened around me, crushing my ribs. A voice I didn’t recognize spoke in my ear. “Sorry, Rhoswen. Director’s orders.”
“Get your hands off me!” I kicked, ramming my foot into something solid. Pain darted through my ankle and I groaned as it went limp.
“I don’t want to hurt you. This will be easier for both of us if you calm down.”
No way was I going to make this easy for anyone. Not everyone in the Arcane was corrupted by power. Someone would step in. They had to. The agents of the Arcane were the good guys. Of course, I had a bag over my head and my wings were crushed against the guard. How could the good guys rescue me if they didn’t know who I was?
Anyone who heard my screams would likely assume I’d been taken into custody for some wrongdoing. Not for unauthorized scientific testing.
That’s when a lightbulb went off. “My name is Willow Rhoswen, Agent Rhoswen from the Void branch, and my rights are being violated. The director wants to use me for experimental testing. Someone help!”
“Sorry, Rhoswen. No one’s here but you and me.” A door slammed shut and the guard plopped me down on a hard surface. A chair of some sort.
Pain seared up my tailbone. “Argh!”
Before I could get my feet under me, cool, smooth metal glided over my right wrist, followed by a quiet snick of a lock sliding into place. I jerked both arms up. My right wrist bounced back, shackled to the chair, but the left collided painfully with a mass in front of me.
“Oomph.”
I felt more than heard the guard tumble at my feet. Reflexively, I grabbed the linen sack and yanked. My eyes watered as the glaring bright lights blinded me. “My retinas! What’s with the lights?”
“It’s an interrogation room,” the dark-skinned fae mumbled as he got to his feet. “You didn’t have to hit me.”
“You handcuffed me.”
“Only because they could walk in at any minute and it would look suspicious if I didn’t.”
Hope blossomed and I stilled. Was it possible this guard could be on my side? I took in his solid, confident stance and met his kind, hazel eyes. “I don’t belong here.”
He frowned. “I know.”
“Can you help me?”
With a pained expression, he shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he croaked and moved toward the door.
“You can’t leave me here.” I tried to scoot the chair in his direction, but the front legs caught and it tilted forward. I slid to my knees. “They plan to use me as a lab rat.”
He stared down at me, eyes conflicted, and then took a deep breath. “I truly am sorry, but I have kids to take care of. If I help you, they’ll kill me.” The metal door closed behind him before I could respond.
I slammed my fist on the concrete ground, barely noticing the reverberating pain shooting up my arm. Damn it all to hell and back. I’d just lost my best shot of getting out unscathed. No doubt Phoebe would be locked up soon. And Link…oh, gods, Link. Would anyone think to check if he was okay? And if he wasn’t, would they get him help? Fear rushed through my veins. If those bastards hurt my Link, I’d kill them. Or at least spike their food with nettle sticks. The resulting month-long rash would teach them not to kick dogs…wolves, whatever.
For the next two hours I sat alone, staring at the ticking clock on the wall, waiting for my fate to be revealed. No one materialized to so much as even check on me.
After five hours passed, I started visualizing new and inventive ways to torture David. The asshole had sold me out. What on Goddess’s green earth had he been thinking when he’d told Maude about what had happened? Then he’d just left me to fend for myself. The rancid, no-good, two-bit, fanged loser. Less than twenty-four hours earlier, I’d saved his sorry ass. If I had to do it over again, I’d dust him myself. Now I’d have to hang him by his ankles and feed him his toenails for dinner. If he was lucky, he could lap up the resulting blood running down his legs.
Just as I envisioned dousing him in honey and unleashing a horde of fire ants on him, the metal door swung open.
Maude appeared in a white lab coat, carrying a clipboard. “Did you have enough time to clear your head?”
I stared at the door, refusing to engage.
Maude moved into my line of vision and pursed her lips. “No? Do you need more encouragement?”
Silence.
“I see. Maybe you’ve been too comfortable. That’s fine. I could use a few more hours to formulate our experiments.” She pushed an intercom button I hadn’t noticed and said, “Brockman, bring the straps.”
I jerked back and my eyes narrowed.
Maude chuckled, her cold eyes crinkling in amusement. “That got your attention. Would you like to start over?”
Through gritted teeth, I said, “You’ll have to kill me first.”
“Oh no, not me. Though the vampire might if you don’t behave.”
Chapter 15
Blood rushed to my head. My wings flared, stiff with anxiety. If a vampire wanted to kill me, I’d be dead. With my magical ability neutralized, I was vamp food for sure. I didn’t even have any backup. Link and Phoebe were probably locked up somewhere. “You’re willing to let me die if I don’t cooperate?”
Maude opened the door, letting in a stocky agent holding leather straps. The white pentagram symbol on his
badge identified him as a Void witch.
Oh crap.
He moved through the stark room, his face blank. In one swift movement he grabbed my right arm and secured it with another cuff.
“Hey!” I cried, kicking out. He sidestepped what would have been a painful blow to his treasured jewels and grabbed both my legs. Holding them tight with one large, unnaturally strong hand, he wrapped them with a leather strap, yanking hard until the edges cut into my ankles. No doubt his strength was magically enhanced. Powerless to stop him, I glared at Maude. “You’re a pathetic excuse for an aunt.”
She tugged at the straps. Forcing myself not to wince, I aimed a two-footed blow at her chest. With a disgusted snarl, she launched herself backward into a roll and landed on her feet. “Do that again, and I’ll have those legs chained to the floor.”
I clamped my mouth shut, pressing my lips together in a tight line. In my current state, I couldn’t walk due to the restraints holding my legs together. But at least I could stretch them out or maneuver into another position if need be. Risking further bindings wasn’t worth it just then.
“Considering your insubordination, it’s within my rights to have you killed, but I don’t think your cooperation will be a problem.”
My ankles throbbed, and I swore silently. “You’re awfully sure of yourself.”
A cat-that-ate-the-canary smile transformed Maude’s face. “I have information on your brother’s death.”
It took a moment for the meaning of the words to sink in. I struggled against the restraints as my wings fluttered in anger. I rose only a few inches before the wall chains jerked me back into my hard wooden chair.
“I see I’ve struck a nerve.” The metal door creaked as Maude opened it. “If you behave, I’ll consider filling you in.”
“Murderer!” I screamed as the door clicked shut. I didn’t know how or why, but suddenly I was convinced Maude was responsible for what had happened to Beau. If she hadn’t done it herself, she’d had a direct hand in it.
A variety of toxic plants flashed in my brain. For the first time in my life, I seriously considered magically concocting an edible poison. One I would force-feed to Maude with my own hands.
