Hard Days Night (The Firsts Book 8)

by C. L. Quinn

  “Okay, my friends, let’s pony up,” Eillia announced.

  Please let this go well, she prayed.

  IN L.A.

  The cab dropped Mal in front of her apartment building, she paid him, and stepped out, her eyes swiveling. What the fuck was this? Two police cruisers?

  No! Oh, God, no! Tommy…

  She took the stairs two at a time, but when she got to the top, she stepped onto the landing to a crowded hallway. In front of her own apartment, two police officers stood talking, the door to Tommy’s apartment open.

  Mal’s stomach churned as she approached. She didn’t have to speak with anyone at the scene, she already knew. Canzone had gotten to Tommy. The files Jinx had surrendered to him would be gone, and Tommy would be dead.

  And it was her fault.

  When she reached the end of the hall, one of the officers looked up at her.

  “Excuse me, ma’am,” he began, but she already had her badge out of her satchel and flashed it. He nodded and she went through the door. But that’s as far as she could bring herself to go. Standing frozen at the threshold, Mal scanned the room. Tidy, nothing out of place in the living room except an upturned coffee table and some glass beneath it.

  Another cop turned to ask her a question, and he saw her face.

  “Detective,” he said, recognizing Mal. “Who called you in on this? It’s out of your area, isn’t it?”

  “Uh, no one, officer. I live across the hall.”

  “Ah, man, I’m sorry. You know the vic?”

  “He’s dead?”

  “Yeah, thoroughly. The perp sliced him like a pepperoni pizza. Like someone was sending a message, you know?”

  Don’t throw up, Mal. Keep it down until you can get home…because she knew, yes, they were sending a message.

  Nodding, she walked away quickly, digging her keys out after she passed the doorway and hurried to her own apartment.

  As soon as her door closed behind her, Mal dropped onto the floor and emptied her stomach. Tommy had been a really good guy, and that this was her fault, she couldn’t deal with it right now.

  Luka was dead, or as far as she was concerned, he was. Her father had been fucking a vampire. She was pregnant by one. A vicious creep had killed her neighbor now, just to say “hey, I’ve got you,” to her, and the father of her child would apparently take her child away if he ever found out she existed.

  Mal was done. She needed rest, desperately, then she would go to the station and get what she needed. Right now, she wasn’t certain what she was going to do to fix this, but all that was on her mind were two things. First, she had to get justice for Tommy and Luka. Second, Canzone had to be stopped, forever. The Captain had said they’d never been able to prosecute Canzone, no one had been able to get the evidence the legal system needed to do its job.

  Lifting off the floor, Mal walked into the kitchen to get paper towels and her trash can. Her gait was even, her eyes focused, her head forward, the muscles in her neck tight. Would she stay within the letter of the law?

  No. Canzone would die the moment the opportunity opened up. It didn’t matter anyway. Once done, she would disappear.

  After she cleaned up the mess, Mal killed the lights and fell into her bed.

  “I’m so sorry, Tommy,” she whispered as she fell into a deep sleep. Just before she lost consciousness, she felt the baby inside of her moving. It would all be all right because it had to be. Only one question followed her into sleep. Where would she go?

  Cheeto saw her enter. Holy shit, she was back. He’d had Moon Pie and one other buddy keeping an eye on the woman’s apartment. Since he and Moon Pie had followed her back from the house where he’d slain the vampire, she’d suddenly disappeared, so he’d had no recourse. He’d fucked up the assignment and knew his chance with the big organization, SRS, was over.

  Now, though, excited, he dialed his phone. No answer, but that was no surprise since Claude thought Cheeto had fucked up the assignment. And he had, until now.

  He remembered how thrilled Claude was to finally get a promotion within the organization, and that was precisely what would happen for him since he had information that would give Lamont exactly what he wanted. He knew where the vampire’s woman was. He’d seen the vampire with her, it was apparent he’d fucked her, that he liked her, from the steamy, hands-on kiss they’d given each other. Wouldn’t she be exactly what they needed to capture the vampire? Bait?

  He left a message.

  Mal slept fitfully for about three hours before she sat up and rubbed sore, tired eyes with rough fingers. Three a.m. Too early to go to the station, too late to save Tommy or Luka. Nice life, Mal, whose life you gonna fuck up now?

  As soon as that thought passed her mind, calmness overcame her, and she consciously felt her body relax and her mind clear. This child, this incredible child.

  “How are you doing this, my baby girl? What are you that you can do this?”

  Silly question. Mal had already completely accepted the existence of vampires. It was apparent that her unborn child was doing vampire tricks from the womb, and while she was ready to concede that other forms of life, supernatural life, existed, the knowledge that the baby inside of her had these powers, blew her mind. That didn’t change anything. The baby was affecting her mother, and Mal actually achieved a calm balance.

  She didn’t need the coffee now. Or the sugar. Just a chance to kill Canzone and evaporate.

  “What do you think, baby? Is this the right path? I feel like it is. I feel like someone needs to stop him, and he’s begging it to be me. I like to please.”

  With a big yawn, Mal dropped back into her bed and tried to fall asleep again. Her eyes were still open when the sun finally punched a hole into her window.

  Cheeto’s phone finally pinged, and although it was four a.m. when he looked at the screen, he was thrilled that it was Claude.

  “Hey, Boss.”

  The silence was deafening. Yeah, Cheeto knew that Claude had been angry that Ahmose was still alive.

  “I know you’re pissed at me, but I think I can make up for it. You know that vampire you wanted me to kill but I couldn’t, even though it wasn’t my own fault and even though he was able to survive a dead-shot to his forehead since it turned out that you were right?”

  Claude sighed loudly. “Fuck, Cheeto, take a breath. What are you trying to say, anyway?”

  “I got his girl. I mean, I know where we can get his girl. He’ll want her back and you can catch him that way. What do you think, you want us to take her?”

  Claude didn’t speak again and Cheeto decided that maybe his idea wasn’t as good as he thought.

  Then Claude started laughing.

  “Yeah, I do. One thing I know about these vampires is they love their women. You think he’ll come for her?”

  “I bet he will. I saw him with her that morning when he disappeared. He gave her a hot kiss. I know he fucked her.”

  “Then he likely will. I’ll let Lamont know. And Cheeto, capturing her will go a long way towards fixing things with me. So don’t fuck it up again.”

  “No, sir, I won’t sir. Anyway, she’s human, right? I can control a chick.”

  “If she’s with the vampire, I would be careful. She may not be human, and even if she is, she’s likely to be quite feisty.”

  “Done, Boss. See, Cheeto knows what he’s doing. It’s just that fucking vampire, who saw that coming.”

  Claude said nothing since he saw that coming and, even warned, Cheeto had still failed.

  “Just, call me when you have her,” Claude finally said and the phone call ended.

  Cheeto slipped his cell phone into his pocket and whistled while he walked back to his car. It was going to be okay.

  IN LONDON

  Claude dialed Lamont. When Lamont answered, agitated as usual, Claude sighed and continued.

  “My man in the U.S. has a little gift for us. He’s securing a woman that the big new vampire from Tasmania seems to have feeling
s for. We’ve discovered that with a simple threat to their loved ones, they comply without problem to whatever we ask of them. We may yet be able to influence a first blood to convert us.”

  “Wonderful. How soon will she be here?”

  “My associate is still in procurement, but expects to have her secured by tonight. You want her brought here?”

  “I do, and as soon as possible. In fact, I’m restless tonight. I think I’ll head to the facility to get some work done.”

  “Fine,” Claude responded. “I will keep you in the loop on the girl’s capture and transport.”

  “I know that you will.”

  Lamont left the conversation, leaving Claude staring at the screen of his phone. Damn, that man was arrogant! I know you will. It wasn’t a statement of confidence in Claude but a demand that he knew better than to fail.

  If this idea came to fruition, if they were both made vampire someday, and more powerful because of that, Claude anticipated a battle to the death in that future between himself and the intolerable Lamont. Someone had to be king.

  On the street outside of Claude’s apartment in the highest building on the street, David, Taggert, and Xavier arrived in their borrowed car. Their plan was simple, designed by Xavier. Go in, blow the shit out of Claude, and go home. No discourse, no delay, kill the motherfucker and get back to normal life without the looming threat of these assholes.

  Xavier considered himself a simple man. Complications had no place in his life. Point one, Claude was the enemy, had killed a lot of people and posed a significant threat to his race. Point two, he dies. See? Simple?

  At his side, David, quiet, agreed wholeheartedly. He had been held for three decades and tortured into insanity by Lamont’s organization, and while Claude hadn’t been part of it, he was the next generation that would continue the torture. He had no sentimentality or mercy at this point for anyone involved with the SRS on Claude and Lamont’s level. Find the enemy, kill the enemy. Yeah, it worked for him.

  Using air displacement to travel much faster than any human ever could, both men were up the stairs and outside of Claude’s apartment within seconds. Taggert would lag by quite a few minutes, but they didn’t want him there when they found Claude at first. Just in case there was gunfire, Taggert was safer coming in after they entered the place.

  “It’s quiet. I can’t even hear him breathe,” Xavier said.

  “You could hear that, even out here? Maybe he isn’t inside, then.”

  “Only one way to fully determine that.” Xavier, with all of the finesse he was famous for, splintered the entry door, and disappeared into the room. David, with a crooked smile, followed. Rough, but he kind of liked Xavier’s style. The huge vampire was results-oriented and that, too, worked for David.

  After a quick search of the six generously sized rooms, it was clear that Claude was not in the apartment.

  “He couldn’t have known we were coming,” David commented, as Taggert, breathing hard, entered the shattered doorway.

  “No, unless…” Taggert’s expression was troubled. “Unless he knew we were here when we got here.” He scanned the room, his eyes landing on a desktop computer set into an elaborate wall unit and walked over to turn on the monitor.

  Six divided views showed camera images, one clearly showing the three men now standing in the center of this room. Another camera angle faced the hallway outside of the door.

  Xavier rolled his eyes. “Fuck. When do we get a break?”

  “When we play as dirty as they are. They’re smart, I’ll give them that. They outsmart us every time. I didn’t expect cameras at their residences, but I guess I underestimated their paranoia.” Taggert shoved the monitor back and it tipped over.

  David nodded. “Yeah, Eillia said once that they were the kings of surprise, and I guess they are. We are just not used to thinking like soldiers.”

  “Well, I am. I should have anticipated this. Not only did he get away, but now we don’t have surprise on our side.”

  Xavier’s hand landed hard on Taggert’s shoulder, nearly shoving him to his knees. “But we’ve got power and magics on our side. We’ll get the motherfuckers, don’t worry, little human.”

  Taggert had adjusted to the vampires, but this new one, aggressive and loud, spooked him. He rubbed his shoulder and neck as he stepped closer to David.

  “I’ll go back to the SRS and see if I can find out where he is. When I do, I’ll text you and we can finish this mission.”

  Xavier slammed a fist down on a thick wood sofa table and broke it into two equal halves. “Aye, do that. David and I will be waitin’ in that restaurant we just came from.”

  Taggert stared at Xavier for a few moments longer, then flipped his phone out as he walked through the open doorway.

  Across town, Eillia, Koen, and Ahmose walked up to the house that Taggert had told her was currently owned by Lamont. It was a three story brownstone in a high-rent area, and while she figured there would be camera surveillance, she didn’t care right now. Later, they’d take care of any video problems. Right now, Lamont was the only concern.

  Eillia spelled any openings to the house.

  “Now, he won’t be able to leave. If he’s inside, we have him.”

  Koen stared at her before they crossed the street. “I’m using Xavier’s methods, you understand?”

  Eillia nodded. “I do and you will hear no request for mercy from me. We kill him. Well, you do. I hate that man beyond belief for what he has done and what he would continue to do if we did not stop him. But you are better suited to the task. Ahmose, I assume you’re okay with this?”

  “Completely. I am the one who ended Windari last year when it was necessary. I did not enjoy taking her life, but I stood on Mother Earth and when the judgment was rendered, I could not ask any of my brothers or sisters to do what I had proclaimed must be done. I performed the task with respect.” He paused, then finished his thought.

  “I think it pleased her that it was I who ended her life. That still disturbs me.”

  “I can’t imagine something like that. You’re a strong leader, Ahmose.”

  “My people mean everything to me. I would give them my life without question. I can tell, you would do the same.”

  “Yes, yes, great leader,” Koen said, with typical Koen impatience and humor. “But we need to get this done. Later, if you like, you two can continue the mutual admiration society.”

  While there was no chance of escape with Eillia’s magic sealing the house, if Lamont was in the house, Koen just wanted this finished.

  “I’m sorry, Koen, you’re right. Let’s go.”

  While Koen did not destroy the door as Xavier had done, he did break off the handle as he crushed it and shoved the door in. Eillia swept through first, her empathic skill reading the lower rooms quickly.

  “He’s not here. Let’s try the next story.”

  She couldn’t read him? Koen thought, fuck this isn’t going to go our way again, I know it.

  And it didn’t. After checking all three levels, the house was empty. Ahmose found a panic room on the second level, but no one was inside.

  At that moment, the silence was sliced by the low tones of Eillia’s cell phone.

  She answered instantly, and heard Taggert’s pleasant voice. If she wasn’t mated, she would have used the term sexy, but Daniel would not have liked her thinking about him like that. She’d told him that she never thought of any other man sexually, and he knew that, but his vampire nature, hot red blood, still found that possessive streak he couldn’t deny.

  “Taggert. Please tell me you were successful.”

  “I’m afraid I can’t. Claude wasn’t home. More accurately, if he was home, he knew we were here, had an escape route, and got the fuck out of there. You?”

  “My target wasn’t home at all. I can feel a sense of him, and it’s distant. He hasn’t been here for at least an hour. I’m inclined to speculate he was just absent, not aware that we were after him tonight.”r />
  “I agree. There’s no way they knew we were coming for them. It’s just that the surveillance here was unexpected. I don’t know what the fuck went wrong there. All of my recon shows both men in their residences every night long before now. Something must have happened to draw Lamont away. Fuck the timing!”

  “Indeed. Okay, let’s meet and regroup. The café?”

  “Yeah. Xavier’s already mentioned it. We’re on our way.”

  Ending the call, Eillia turned to the two men beside her.

  “Sorry, Koen, bloodshed will have to wait.”

  Koen looked around the townhouse. “I’m going to stay and check this place out first, then I’ll join you guys.”

  Ahmose began to move toward the second story. “I will remain, too. Perhaps something will lead us to him.”

  Eillia nodded to her dedicated team. “All right, but call me if anything happens, if he comes back, if you find anything at all.”

  Koen waved a hand to her absentmindedly as he perused a hand-written book that had been lying on a tabletop in the foyer. “It’s Lamont’s. Fuck, he keeps a diary. Well, this should be interesting reading.”

  He tucked it into his coat pocket and glanced up at Eillia. “Go on, meet the team, I’ll call, I promise.”

  With raised eyebrows, because she knew he wouldn’t, Eillia hurried out of the house and headed back downtown.

  IN L.A.

  After killing a decaffeinated cup of coffee, Mal dressed and went to her door. The last minute check for her gun, properly holstered, and her badge, stopped her at the door for a moment, but as she started to pull it open, she paused, her hand just above the handle.

  When she opened the door, she would be face-to-face with Tommy’s apartment door, and her heart pounded.