by Kym Grosso
“Luca,” Sydney began. She caught the flicker of his eyes in the rearview mirror. “We already went through this. I’ll be the first to admit it; this half-baked plan of ours sucks, but we don’t have any options. If they see you or if you try to go in after me, they’re going to kill him. Knowing Scurlock, he’s got him in the basement cuffed and silvered, with someone waiting on standby to stake him.”
“He’ll try to do Kade before he does her,” Anthony noted. “He’s keepin’ him alive. He wants her to watch when he kills him. It’s all part of the high …getting off while his vics cry and plead. He’s got a hard on for torture, I’m tellin’ ya, man.”
“As soon as I’m in the house and the door shuts, you go round to the back. If for some reason they rush us, we go balls out with fire power and hope to hell that we make it. But that is like plan Z as far as I’m concerned. I’m not gonna park too close to the house. I’ll run up to the door to keep the focus on me. Hopefully, they won’t try to search the car. If they try to, I’ll make a scene, and they’ll take me inside faster.”
“This is some fucked up shit, Syd. We don’t even have backup,” Anthony said.
“Logan will be around,” Sydney reminded him.
“If things go south in the first two minutes, they’ll join the party. But they won’t get involved right away,” Luca cautioned. “If we can handle this on our own, that’s best. The last thing we need is to be responsible for one of the Alpha’s wolves getting hurt, or worse, dying on us.”
“Remember, take the path around to the back door. It used to be his M.O. to chain up his vics in the basement but we don’t know what we’ve got going on here. This is Louisiana, so if there’s no basement, he could be in the garage. He doesn’t like to make a mess in the main living areas. When we caught the son-of-a-bitch, you would have thought he had a maid, it was so clean in there.” Sydney patted Luca’s hand and then turned the keys in the ignition. She kept the lights off and put the car in gear. “He’s not going to kill me right away. This asshole wants retribution. But he’ll want to torture me first. If I can keep him talking long enough for you to get Kade, then we have a chance. You need to find him.”
“We’ll get him, Syd,” Anthony assured her.
“Once we get Kade, we’re taking everyone out,” Luca told him.
“Scurlock is mine,” Sydney reminded them, her voice cold and even.
“Anthony, if we run into any trouble, let me handle it,” Luca ordered. “No heroics, you hear me?”
“Jesus, you vampires are bossy. I think I can handle it. We’re the ones who got Scurlock the first time.”
“Well, he’s out now, so as far as I’m concerned humans created this shit show. What I say goes.”
“Hey, chill. Save that testosterone. In a few minutes, you’ll be able to kick as much ass as you want,” she promised.
The conversation died as they approached their destination. She turned into the entrance, noting the huge decorative pillars that loomed on the corners of the property. Ominous gargoyles sat atop their stone perches, warning visitors of the impending danger that awaited them. She slowly navigated the winding herringboned driveway which was lined with Southern magnolia trees. In the distance a light flickered on the porch of the restored colonial revival mansion. Modernized, its exterior appeared freshly painted, its elaborate landscaping illuminated with spotlights. Two Mercedes sedans sat parked in the circle. Instead of driving through the carport, she opted to turn the car around so it was facing the street.
“You guys ready to rock and roll?” Sydney whispered. “‘Cause I’ve got dinner waiting and this one’s going down screaming.”
She didn’t bother waiting for a response as she exited. The front door flew open, and two large men wearing suits came toward her. Their leather masks, while distracting, did little to intimidate her. Showing no fear, she didn’t resist as a pair of meaty hands dug into her forearm and hauled her into the house. As she stumbled into the foyer, the stench of cigarettes wafted into her nostrils, and she remembered that Pat was a chain smoker.
Sydney took note of the condition of the home’s interior as her captors guided her into a large living room. From its impeccable cherry hardwood floors, to its ornate crown moldings, to the oriental carpets, the luxurious décor had gone unmarred. In the corner, a thick plastic tarp was spread across the floor. Mya’s lifeless form lay wedged in the corner, blood splattered around her in speckled flecks. Blindfolded, her wrists tied with a belt, she’d been dressed in a black satin corset. Sydney caught sight of red panties that peeked through a long white tutu. A heavy black leather collar coiled around her neck. Several puncture wounds lined her pale shoulder and Sydney inwardly cringed, knowing she’d been violated. Despite the deadly silence, Sydney breathed in relief as she heard the shallow thump of Mya’s heartbeat.
“Mya.” Sydney wrenched her arm away from the guard and ran to Mya, her preternatural strength no match for the humans.
She reached for the weapon in her holster and fired off two shots. The bullets whizzed through the air, cleanly piercing through the leather that covered their foreheads. A trace of recognition that she’d just killed two criminals without thought as to whether or not they had a weapon on them flittered through her mind, but the animal inside her would seek a justice of its own. No longer encumbered by human law, she’d seek retribution without guilt.
“It’s okay,” Sydney assured Mya as she removed the bindings from her wrists. She studied the leather choker, looking for its buckle. As she ran her fingers around the back of Mya’s neck, she discovered the small metal studs and rectangular battery. She stifled her disgust and removed the electrocution device, revealing angry flesh burns. “Oh my God, what the hell…”
“No,” Mya moaned, to Sydney’s relief.
“Hey, Mya. It’s Sydney. Remember me from the club?” she asked.
Sydney heard footsteps behind her and went to turn but was too late. The nightmare she’d put away behind bars stood in the vestibule pointing his gun at them. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the glare of the red laser dot on Mya’s forehead.
“Long time no see, detective,” he sneered.
“What do you want?” Sydney asked, already knowing full well he wanted her. She prayed Luca and Anthony had found Kade, but until they arrived, she’d have to hold her own.
“I’ve been waiting for so long, it almost feels like Christmas,” he chuckled.
Sydney observed his appearance, noting that he’d lost weight. While still tall in stature, his gangly legs swam in his jeans, his thin tattooed arms poking through a muscle shirt. He looked as if he were a scarecrow, broomsticks for arms with not nearly enough straw stuffed into his middle. She knew better than to mistake his scrawny build for weakness. It was his mind, not his body that his victims feared.
Her heart began to race, anticipating the violence to come. The battle. His imminent death. She’d come to him as judge, jury and executioner and was prepared to carry out the sentence. But it would not come without cost.
“You shouldn’t have come to New Orleans.” She glanced to the gun in her hand.
“Drop it, detective.” He swirled the red dot on Mya’s skin, reminding her of his true hostage. “You can probably shoot me. You might even kill me, but I’ll definitely kill her. Do you really want to be responsible for ending an innocent life?”
Sydney knew he’d murder Mya in a New York minute. She was certain he was waiting to parade a shackled Kade in front of her, his grand finale of torture. What she didn’t know was if there were more victims in the house. She wished her supernatural senses would kick in so she could hear what was happening in the other parts of the house, but so far, her ears were almost as human as the murderer standing in front of her.
She slowly backed away from Mya. Pat would have to make a choice, her or the girl.
“No, no, no, detective,” he chided. “Gun on the ground. Now.”
Sydney forced a cold smile onto her face and gen
tly laid the weapon down on the woolen carpet. Adrenaline pumped as she considered her next move. He took a step toward her, and she launched herself at Scurlock. As she tackled him to the floor, he fired off a shot. The slug whizzed by Mya’s head, shattering a Tiffany lamp. Sydney ignored the exploding shards of colored glass and wrestled Pat onto his back. She pinned his wrists to the ground, and he spat at her face. The slimy sputum dripped down her temple, and she coughed at the foul-scented nicotine.
“Get off me, bitch!”
“You’re dead,” Sydney hissed. Her fangs lengthened as she tasted victory.
As she reared her head to bite him, a loud pop fired into the air, and the heat of a bullet sliced into her thigh. Although it pierced her flesh clean through, the silver metal poisoned her system and she was unable to hold onto her prey. Tears streamed down her face, as her back hit the wooden planks. Through the haze of the moisture, the outline of a woman came into view…Mya.
“I’m sorry,” Mya mumbled. As if she were drugged, her words came out jumbled.
“Why?” Sydney wiped her face with the back of her hand, refusing to give in to the excruciating pain.
“I can’t…he’s always loved me…mother…mother needs him.” The gun tumbled from Mya’s hands and Pat shoved to his feet and grabbed her by the back of her neck.
“About time, you dumb bitch. She almost killed me. At least you didn’t kill her.” He dragged Mya over to the tarp and threw her to the floor.
Confused, Sydney tried to process what was happening. He’d abused Mya, yet she’d saved him. As she pushed up onto her elbows, Sydney heard the click of heels in the hallway. Tearing off her jacket, she wrapped it around her thigh in an attempt to stem the flow of blood pouring out from her wound. The tapping grew closer, and she sensed a vampire was near.
She crawled toward the wall and clutched at it, using it as leverage. But as she hoisted herself upward, she lost her footing and slipped in her own blood. She shoved onto her hands and knees, clawed at the chair rail and fought to right herself against the wall. Pat’s maniacal laughter echoed in her ears. She knew he’d let her rally, to prolong her suffering. He’d allowed his victims to heal, even if it took weeks, so that he could torment them over and over.
Heaving for breath, she stared into his seething eyes as he fell back onto the sofa and chuckled. Pat waved the gun, his arms spread wide across the back of the couch. He broke eye contact, and Sydney turned to see who’d caught his attention. Her heart dropped as the vampire entered the room, holding the victim by the back of her hair. Sydney released a cry she hadn’t known she possessed as her eyes locked on Samantha’s. With her mouth duct taped shut, she was unable to speak, and the tears in her eyes told Sydney that she was unable to use her magic.
“How could you do this?” Sydney exclaimed.
She moved to rescue Samantha, but the pain was too much. As her leg became numb, she shifted all her weight to one foot in an effort to stand.
“Hello, Sydney. We’ve been expecting you,” the vampire told her.
“Kade’s going to kill you.” Sydney sucked a breath, summoning every last ounce of energy that remained.
The vampire merely laughed, throwing the pregnant prisoner to the ground. Sydney fell reaching to catch Samantha. The shock of her leg hitting the floor shot a stabbing pain throughout her entire body. She grasped at the carpet, dragging herself over to her friend. When Sydney reached Samantha, she took her into her arms, and glared at her attacker. Dominique.
Chapter Twelve
“I told you not to make a mess.” Dominique glared at Pat.
“I swear I’ll clean it up. It’s her fault. Look what she made me do,” he complained.
“You’re a disgrace.”
“No, stop saying that,” he whined.
“Look what you did. All this blood wasted…”
“Let me kill her…she deserves to die. She put me away. She ruined my life.”
“How can you do this?” Sydney interrupted their conversation.
“Shut up, bitch.” He pointed the gun at her.
“There’s still the matter of Issacson.” Dominique smoothed a stray hair from her face and brushed a tiny speck of lint off her crisp white sleeve.
“I don’t care anymore. I just want her dead.”
“You never did master torture the way I taught you. Such a disappointment you are.” Dominique glanced at Sydney, and gave a strong kick to her injured leg. Ignoring her cries, she approached Mya. “And her, she’s never been anything. No matter how hard I’ve tried, she’s failed me.”
“If you’d just make us vampires, we wouldn’t have to do this…”
“Silence, you idiot. The only reason I brought you down here…allowed you to come here into my home was to take her out.” She pointed at Sydney. “And you haven’t even done that right. Now look what you made me do.”
“How could you do this?” Sydney couldn’t fathom why Dominique would attack her. “I know we haven’t always been friends but this isn’t you.”
“You don’t even know who I am,” she snapped.
“Why don’t you tell me then, because Kade’s going to be here soon and I’ll tell you what, he’s going to kill you… and him.” She looked over to Pat.
“He’s not going anywhere.”
“Luca’s going to find him and they’ll be coming for you.”
“Yeah well, not anymore. Once he sees that I’ve got his precious cargo on board, he’ll leave Kade with me.” Dominique spun and snatched a tissue out of her small purse. She knelt down and began to scour a tiny smudge of blood, which soon blended into a pink blob on the cream-colored carpet. “I can’t believe you ruined my rug. It’s an antique.”
“I didn’t mean to do it…accidents happen.” Pat scrubbed the barrel of the gun against his chin.
“Must I do everything myself?” Dominique leaned over and grabbed Samantha by her arms, yanking her up to her feet.
“Mother,” Pat declared, pushing off the sofa. “This is your responsibility.”
Dominique is Pat Scurlock’s mother? What the ever loving fuck? If she is his mother, then who is …? Sydney’s eyes fell onto Mya, who’d fallen back into a drug-induced haze. Unresponsive, she lay passed out in the corner. Dominique laughed, and Sydney’s attention was drawn back to the vampire who dangled Samantha like a rag doll. Shocked, she studied the red-haired vampire, who looked identical to her friend. No, no, no. Dominique would not do this.
Sydney focused on Pat as he crossed the room and approached the one he’d called Mother. Sydney began to feel dizzy; she’d lost too much blood. Her heart started to race. If she didn’t feed soon, she’d pass out like she’d done in Mya’s apartment. Her mind went fuzzy. As if she’d entered an alternative universe, she observed Pat take Dominique’s free hand. He began to kiss it, not like a son, but as a lover. Sydney fought the bile that rose in her stomach. By the time his lips met Dominique’s, Sydney’s vision had begun to blur. She prayed to God that Kade and Luca would arrive soon. She wouldn’t last much longer.
Kade’s voice bellowed through the robin’s-egg-blue steel cellar doors. Anthony secured his gun with both hands, keeping it upright. His heart pounded against his ribs in anticipation. Luca held his fingers to his lips and reached for the handle. Anthony had never been one to cower away from a dangerous situation, but he was well aware that he was no match for the supernatural forces that lay in wait. But having made a connection with Kade, he’d known he’d give his own life to save him.
The creaking storm door flew open, and within seconds he and Luca had broken down the oak door which stood as the home’s last defense. As he stepped into the darkness, he choked on the stench of urine. Reaching for his small flashlight, he flicked it on and caught sight of Luca wrestling a vampire into the far corner of the basement. He swiveled to the right and spied a woman lying motionless on a stained futon. Her blouse had been torn open, her neck littered with small bites. Her eyes bulged, blindly staring into the rafters. C
ertain she was dead, he moved to Kade, who groaned his name.
“It’s okay, man.” Anthony stifled his reaction as he shone the light onto his friend. Tethered by silver to sewer pipes, Kade’s pale skin had been marred with cigarette burns.
“Get me out of here,” Kade pleaded; his voice, usually strong, wavered.
“How many are there?”
“Maybe four or five. I’m not sure.”
“I got ya.”
“Tony…there’s a guard. Where’s Luca?” Kade coughed, his chin lolling forward onto his chest.
“I’m good,” Luca yelled from across the room. The clatter of wood breaking sounded in the corner.
“Is he smiling?” Kade joked.
“You know he loves a good ass kicking.” Anthony couldn’t believe Kade was making light of the situation, given his condition. He gingerly tried to remove the silver chains, but they’d been wound in knots, a padlock securing them in place. “You couldn’t get tied up by something a little easier? Cuffs I could do. Rope even. But a fucking padlock? Jesus Christ.”
“Stop complaining.”
“Yeah, yeah, gotcha.” Anthony laughed. He pushed up onto his feet, searching for a tool to open the lock. It wasn’t lost on him that Kade had called him Tony. As long as he’d known him, Kade had maintained a formal disposition, one that set him apart from vampires and mortals alike. Anthony suspected that his vulnerability had altered his usual reserved demeanor, but he decided not to call attention to it. A loud grunt sounded from the corner, and he flashed the light over to Luca, who’d taken a right hook to his cheek. “You need some help over there?”
“Hell, no. We’re just having a little fun.” Luca dug his foot into the guy’s chest, and sent him flying across the room. “Now would you stop jerkin’ off over there and get Kade loose?”
“Goddamned fucking vampires.” Anthony shoved boxes to the side, looking for something he could use as a tool. He picked up what he thought was a screwdriver but it was made out of plastic. Hurling it across the room, he spied what he needed in a cobwebbed corner. “The only reason I’m here is because Sydney was once human. A very nice human.”
