by Kim Cormack
Was it wise to get drunk before a job?
Lexy responded to Kayn’s thoughts, “Come on. It’s our first seriously sketchy Correction with less than clear details. It would be unwise not to. Plus, it’ll be hilarious to watch Grey’s reaction when he sees us drinking.”
Kayn grinned because it kind of wasn’t their first. Not long ago, they’d killed an entire town full of Demons. The waiter reappeared with the drink tray and placed four shots of golden hell fire on the table. Kayn passed one to Lexy and raised her shot glass as she saluted, “To Dragons.”
Lexy repeated, “To Dragons,” as they both downed their first shot.
Kayn had to fight off the urge to grin. She could feel their Handler’s eyes on their table. Without a second of hesitation, she raised her second shot and announced, “To Handlers.” They clinked their shot glasses and downed the second shot.
“Should we order a few more?” Kayn casually enquired as some salsa and chips were placed on the table.
Lexy smiled and nodded at their waiter as she reached for a chip. As she dipped it into the salsa, she whispered, “Shit...Every damn time.”
Kayn felt it too as her fingerless glove covered hand heated up. One of theirs was wounded. It was time to go to work. The waiter placed four more shots on the table before they could say they were leaving.
Lexy signalled to their server before he walked away and instructed, “Charge this to room 15. Thank you.”
The girls quickly drank the shots and stood up. As Kayn’s eyes darted over to their Handler’s table she noticed they were gone. Where in the hell did they go?
“They’re probably already back at the room,” her fellow Dragon explained. “Time to clean house.”
Kayn was practically jogging to catch up to Lexy as she power-marched through the cobblestone courtyard to the other half of the motel. Feeling both nervous and excited, Kayn asked, “Are we using special weapons like the last time?”
“Kill everything with a gray or black aura. Anything wooden will do the trick,” Lexy replied. “Either their head needs to come off or a direct hit to the heart. It’s rather simple and I’ve always found it kind of fun once you take the whole pesky humanity thing out of the situation. They used to be a touch stronger physically but I have a sneaky suspicion that’s changed now.”
Yes... They were like vampire hunting superheroes. Kayn felt super cocky for a second before she tripped on the uneven cobblestone in her flip flops and fell flat on her face. Son of a... Some things never change. Embarrassed, Kayn peered up. Lexy was standing above her with a peculiar look on her face. She heard giggles from the peanut gallery and realised that both of their Handler’s were on the other side of the bright floral hedge to her left. That wasn’t helpful. Oh, they were in so much trouble when she finished this job.
Lexy’s crimson locks glinted in the light of the flickering torches as she held out her hand, yanked Kayn to her feet and coldly ordered, “Everyone with a dark aura dies. We should be able to sneak up to the first floor, correct the Lampir and get out without alerting anyone.”
Kayn nodded as she wiped the excess blood off her knees. Being freshly healed would make it easier to tell the dark souls from the light. Methodically, Kayn raised her hand to her nose. She inhaled the metallic scent of her blood and allowed the icy veil of nothingness to take her cares away. The laughter on the other side of the bushes ceased and the uncomfortable humidity became nothing more than an afterthought. They wandered into the empty foyer as just tipsy girls making the most of their vacation. There were faint orange hues in the auras around the patrons standing at the front desk. These were mortals. The two inconspicuously strolled through the lobby and slipped unnoticed into the stairwell and up the flight of stairs.
As they stepped out into the empty hallway, Lexy whispered, “Find a weapon. Wood. Only Lampir with dark auras.”
Kayn nodded as the two Dragons split up. There was a decorative table with a vase of fresh flowers on it. She carefully picked it up and placed it gently on the floor, without making a sound. She broke a leg off the table and snapped it in two, just as one of the doors opened. There was a trail of smoky aura and that’s all she needed as she leapt forward and coldly impaled the Lampir in the chest with the table’s leg. His face registered shock as he staggered backwards, solidified and disintegrated into a pile of ash. As Kayn stepped into his room, she realised she was surrounded. There were at least a dozen Lampir. Good...She’d skipped dinner. Some fled through the adjoining door. More than half remained. They were standing there in their human form like they had a chance. Fools. Kayn heard a commotion down the hall. Lexy was taking care of her escapees. Kayn grinned as she motioned them to come at her, while taunting, “What are you waiting for? Let’s do this!”
The Lampir’s eyes darted around. They were looking for a way to escape. They’d had their chance. All at once their human disguises slipped away, revealing their true nature. This was how she’d pictured Vampires in her nightmares.
A ballsy salivating female Lampir growled as she came at her, abruptly bringing Kayn back to the situation at hand. She’d falsely assumed she’d be able to easily toss the abomination aside but instead, the Lampir hit her with the brutal force of a linebacker. Kayn buckled at the waist. She was launched through the air, out of the room against the wall on the other side of the hall, knocking the wind out of her. Kayn was gasping for air. She realised, she’d dropped her weapon. Shit! They rushed her as a group with snapping beastly distorted jaws. She struggled to fend them off while reaching for the other half of the table’s leg as they swarmed her, sinking razor sharp fangs into her flesh. She flailed, wildly kicking them away. Adrenaline surged through Kayn’s being as her Healing ability fought to counteract the effects of their sedating pleasure inducing venom. The stake was kicked close enough to reach during the feeding frenzy. Kayn impaled one more. It solidified and turned to dust, as the Lampir virus began to subdue her. Saying their toxin was pleasurable was an understatement. Kayn shivered as she fought to regain her faculties. She struggled to claw them away but there were too many. She was pinned to the floor as they fed from her en masse like sadistically volatile leaches. Their toxin was causing an inescapable euphoria. She hadn’t seen this coming. Her options were narrowing by the millisecond. As her Healing ability caused adrenaline to surge through her once more, Kayn released a primal scream. She grabbed hold of the closest Lampir and drained its energy. Its jaws slackened and it slumped against her. The power of the addictive Lampir energy enveloped her soul as she plummeted into the void of emotional nothingness. Kayn began feeding from another, when its eyes rolled back in its head, she released her hold on her predatory foe. She fed from the next until only the whites of its eyes were visible. It slumped on her chest. The others feeding on her backed away understanding Dragons were predators too and she was taking her rightful place in the immortal food chain. While surging with Lampir life force, Kayn leapt to her feet. They were gathered around her in awe. Their drive to feed obviously nixed any self preservation as did hers. Kayn pried an axe from the grip of one of the awestruck abominations. Convenient. She swung the weapon and chopped off its head. A fine mist sprayed around her momentarily before it turned to ash. Even the blood covering her became a gray ashy film on her clothes. She kicked what was left and it dissipated into the air. Kayn continued this action until she’d methodically disposed of the Lampir that hadn’t been with it enough to scatter the second she got hold of the axe. She coldly walked through the piles of Lampir ash on the floor and began methodically kicking open locked doors, executing the Lampir hiding in each room, until only one remained... Lucien.
He slowly backed away while bartering for his life, “You’re making a mistake. I have nothing to do with this. I’m on your side. I know things. I have information you need.”
Why was he wasting his last moments trying to bargain with a Dragon? She didn’t care about denials or the level of his involvement. She was still hungry. Kayn cocked he
r head as he continued to negotiate for a reprieve.
As she backed Lucien against the wall, he implored, “Lily will be upset! We’re friends! She cares about me!”
As Kayn swung the axe back, she felt an unusual tug at her soul. She believed him. His swirling aura changed from smoky gray to a deep purple and her orders became foggy. Kill everything with a gray or black aura. Was he innocent? Something within her caused emotion to flicker. This prompted her to speak, “Why are you here?”
“I was a part of this, but only so I could trap those involved,” Lucien confessed.
If she fed on him, theoretically he’d be dead but he’d rise again if she didn’t finish him off with the axe. She was starving and this was a gray area. His aura kept changing hues making it unclear. Was he a part of the job? Kayn observed the deep purple smoky haze of his aura. He wasn’t part of this job. She dropped the axe and whispered, “I believe you.” Lucien’s guard dropped as relief spread across his face.
He exhaled deeply as he introduced himself, “My name’s...”
Kayn silenced him with her finger as she revealed, “I don’t care. I’m starving.” Being a creature that took life, he understood what she needed.
The leader of the Lampir offered her his hands while giving his consent, “Feed from me.”
She didn’t need him to say it twice. She took his hands. His knees buckled as the euphoric energy travelled up her arms into her torso. He was delicious. Too tasty to stop herself. Kayn shuddered. She sunk to her knees as they became weak from pleasure and gave way. Lucien began to struggle. She couldn’t stop. He groaned with abandon. This excited her. Kayn trembled as a wave of ecstasy triggered her ability, releasing pheromones into the air. He was now caught in her intoxicating web.
Lucien moaned aloud as his inhibitions ceased to exist, “My turn.” His eyes darkened as he sunk his teeth into the tantalizing flesh of her forearm.
The exquisite agony of his fangs mixed with the sensual pleasure of their shared feeding made her tremble with desire. She moaned as he adjusted his bite. Their eyes met and the aching sense of wanting to be fulfilled was all she could feel. Seemingly from the end of a long echoing tunnel, she heard Zach’s voice, “Kayn stop!”
She couldn’t. She didn’t want to. She wanted him to bite her throat.
“Kayn stop!” Zach’s voice yelled.
She felt a startling jolt of reality as she was pried away from the Lampir by Lexy, Grey and Zach. They held her down with the full weight of all three as she struggled against them and if she wasn’t hallucinating, Markus and Orin grabbed the Lampir’s leader and forced Lucien out of the room. She was in agony. Starving with desire, overflowing with this intense urgency that made it impossible to think about anything but her next feed. Kayn thrashed around, refusing to submit to her clan. Her gaze locked with Grey’s. She ceased to fight knowing he was under the spell of her potent sexually charged pheromones. He’d allow her to take whatever she wanted from him.
Zach yelled, “Kayn! Enough! Stop!”
Lexy snatched Grey from Kayn’s perilous grasp. He fought against her as Lexy forced Grey out of the room.
“Kayn. Come back to me.” Zach pleaded, desperately trying to bring her back from the emotionless void.
She wanted more. Their eyes locked and there was nothing her Handler could do. Her perilous pheromones were impossible to resist. Zach’s resolve ebbed as he slid into the quicksand of her ability. “You smell incredible,” he whispered as he inched closer until their lips met. Unable to fight it anymore, Zach succumbed to the pheromones drugging him of his free will as he deepened their kiss. His hands began travelling over her curves and as they slipped beneath the material of her tank top, she felt a sharp pain as the lights went out.
Chapter 7
Boyfriends and Lycanthropes
MELODY AND FROST HAD been watching Kayn’s naughty ability related issues from the balcony. As soon as the Handler and Dragon duo began making out, Frost opted out. He strolled back into the room just as Markus and Orin rather comically tackled the Lampir’s leader onto the bed. He was the last person Frost wanted to see right now. He grabbed a Corona from the minibar and made a quick exit.
Melody grabbed a beer and chased after Frost as he power-walked away from the girlfriend related drama. As Mel caught up, she asserted, “You know she can’t help it.”
Frost stopped walking away. He faced Mel as he replied, “I knew we were going to have fidelity related issues but she lasted all of twenty-four hours. My ego just had a bit of a smackdown. I just need a minute. I’m going to drink this beer and just try to chill myself out.”
“So, you’re fine with it?” Mel enquired.
“Fine, isn’t the word I’d use...Concerned, is more where I am,” he commented under his breath. Frost took a swig of the chilled Corona and wiped the perspiration from his brow.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Mel probed while placing her hand on his shoulder.
Frost playfully swatted her hand away and teased, “Not tempting me to retaliate is a start.”
“I would never do that...Ever!” Mel clarified while giving him the dirtiest look in her repertoire.
Frost was giggling as he started walking again. He glanced back at her and ribbed, “Relax. I was joking.”
Mel kept pace with Frost’s long strides as they strolled through the courtyard.
“I may be able to get a message to Zach through Grey,” Frost replied. “Zach needs to know she can’t use my ability on mortals until she’s gained some control. Even then, we really don’t know what she’s capable of. Her Conduit ability is something we haven’t dealt with before.”
Mel responded, “I thought we weren’t allowed any contact.”
“We’re not allowed contact because our Oracle told Markus, removal from their peer group would be the only way to regain control,” Frost explained. “It’s a smart move. Jenna’s usually right.”
They wandered down to the pool area in the darkness, where they sat on the ledge and dangled their legs into the luke warm water. They heard voices and they both looked up and waved at the Aries Group as they strolled past the flickering torches. They were obviously here to dispose of the evidence, disguised as a cleaning crew.
After a pause in the conversation, Mel enquired, “Aren’t you even a little bit jealous?”
Frost glance her way as he casually responded, “Why?”
Mel shrugged. Curiosity got the best of her as she pried, “So, you two have an open relationship?”
He took a swig from his Corona and chuckled, “There’s no point in trying to put a label on it. It’s too soon after the Testing for any of you to have your heads on straight. Kayn just fed from a dozen Lampir and she can’t control her Conduit ability. I’d imagine, each one had gifts and they’ve been added to her collection. She’s likely to be an emotionally unhinged shit show for a good month. It’s probably better for our relationship that we’re not in the same place right now.”
Mel chuckled as Markus’s voice came from behind them, “It’s time to go.”
Frost got up, grabbed his bag and asserted, “I need to get a message to Grey.”
“That could be arranged,” Markus replied as they strolled out into the dimly lit parking lot.
Kayn gasped as she awoke to the sound of spinning tires on the highway. The evening’s events filtered through her memory and she winced.
“It was me. I killed you,” Lexy confessed from the front seat.
Grey was sleeping beside her and Zach was sitting up front with Lexy as she drove. A vision of their steamy make-out session replayed in her memory. She’d been naughty. Grey’s breathing changed and she glanced his way.
He mumbled, “Don’t pee where you sleep,” as he rolled over.
Hilarious.
Zach piped in from the front, “So, does this mean we’re getting married now?”
“Alright. I get it,” Kayn sighed. “Thanks for taking me out before I broke the Handler Dr
agon intimacy seal.”
“Not a problem,” her sister replied.
Grey added his two cents, “You should never sleep with your Handler. I’m so grateful we’ve never crossed that line.”
Lexy mouthed the words, “Oh my God,” at her reflection in the rear-view mirror.
Zach glanced back and grinned at Kayn as he assured, “I could think of worse things.”
He could think of worse things...Nice. It was too dark to see the road because there were no street lights. So, she stared out into the endless span of pitch black nothingness as Zach searched for a radio station. Every station was in Spanish. Maybe, she should get Zach to teach her Spanish? A beautiful song came on the radio and even though she couldn’t understand the lyrics the passionate vocals caused her to feel a part of it. She thought of Frost and there was a surge of guilt. She hadn’t even managed to stay faithful for twenty-four hours. Kayn reach over and touched Lexy’s shoulder as she questioned, “Aren’t they supposed to be at the Summit?”
Lexy responded, “They’ve probably already left.”
Headlights were approaching them on the other side of the road. The first driver they’d passed all night. Well, that she’d noticed. She felt oddly uncomfortable as the headlights came closer. She only managed to say, “I have a weird...” The vehicle veered into their lane. Kayn was laughing hysterically as they crashed and began flipping down the darkened highway with the sound of crunching metal. She was flung out of the wreckage mid flip. Her body landed with an explosion of excruciating pain and skidded along the unforgiving pavement. Kayn lay there broken and bruised, aware that she was seriously injured but not incredibly concerned about it. The Ankh symbol on her hand heated up, warning her that others were also injured. Her vision blurred making what little she could see hazy and unidentifiable. Her chest was burning. Each breath took effort until it became nearly impossible. She was aware of the panting breaths coming from the shadows that circled her. She struggled for a breath as the lights went out.
