by Katie Reus
“Mo…Mom?” Vega’s voice was slightly slurred. Simultaneous relief and pain flooded Lyra.
“Honey? Where are you? Are you okay?” Turning away from Finn, she pressed the phone tighter against her ear, as if that could somehow bring her closer to her daughter.
“I’m…okay. They havensh hurt…me.”
“Who hasn’t hurt you? Where are you?” The claws on her free hand unsheathed as she fought to breathe. If anyone had hurt her daughter—
“Nope. You’re not getting that answer,” a female voice said in a creepy sing-song tone. It was almost as if the voice was being modified by a machine. “Your daughter is currently being fed and clothed and kept in nice living quarters. If you do something stupid, like try to involve anyone or come looking for her, that will change.”
Cold seeped into Lyra’s veins, slow and utterly painful. “So you expect me to do nothing?”
“I expect you’ll do the smart thing to keep your daughter alive.” Her voice was now razor sharp.
“Why was she talking like that? What have you done to her?” Lyra could see Finn out of the corner of her eye moving closer but she closed her eyes, needing to block him out.
“We’re keeping her sedated. If anything, we’re doing her a favor. We only need her for her blood and when we’re done taking what we need, we’ll let her go. Leave this thing alone and your daughter will be back in your arms after the eclipse five days from now.”
“I want to talk to—”
The line went dead. So much raw fury and pain lanced through her that she shook with it. Still sitting on the edge of the bed, she opened her eyes to find Finn staring intently at her. “Did you hear that?” she asked, her voice uneven.
He nodded. “Do you have any idea who ‘we’ is?”
She shook her head because she didn’t trust her voice and she didn’t want to break down now. It wouldn’t do her daughter any good.
“It sounds like you’re right. They’re planning on using her blood to completely open the door when the time is right. Human sacrifices aren’t a long term option and…” Finn looked hard at her for a long moment, as if searching for the right words. “I don’t say this to be harsh, but you know they’ll kill her after the eclipse?”
Lyra snorted loudly as she stood. No kidding. Once they’d opened a door they’d have no use for her. She wasn’t going to stand idly by, despite what that woman had said. That had never been an option. And the fact that the female who’d called had seemed to know that she was already searching for help bothered Lyra. The call seemed unnecessary unless someone knew she’d come to Finn. And she hadn’t told a soul where she was going. “There are a few hours of darkness still left. I can’t stay cooped up here. We’ve got to do something now.” Her daughter was alive. Lyra kept repeating the words over in her head. Vega was alive and whoever had taken her definitely needed her alive until the eclipse. Five days. She would get her daughter back before then or die trying.
Finn shook his head slightly as if he was going to say no. She was ready to argue but he eventually gave her a short nod. “I know the owner of the hotel your daughter was staying at. We can search the room. It’s likely been cleaned by now but maybe I’ll pick up a scent I recognize. Maybe you will too.”
The heavy weight on her chest lifted a fraction. She knew it was improbable that they’d find anything but she needed to be where Vega had been. They had to explore every option. “Let’s go then.”
* * *
The trip to the hotel had turned up nothing. Lyra wasn’t surprised but she was irrationally disappointed. The room Vega stayed in only had the faintest trace of her daughter’s scent left. Her daughter smelled like moonlight and roses. From the moment she’d been born, the scents had struck Lyra so deeply. Every time she looked at her daughter she felt that innate happiness pouring off her. And someone had taken her away.
Right now Lyra wanted to strike out at someone. Anything to momentarily dull the pain growing inside her. Finn had been so quiet after they’d left the hotel room.
When he looked at her she saw pity in his gaze. Which only made her want to slice him up. Irrational? Yes. She just didn’t care. Part of her knew that if she didn’t get a hold of her baser vampiric instincts to kill she’d go mad and strike out at anyone who got in her way.
As they drove back to Finn’s home in silence, a chasm seemed to be forming between them. Normally she didn’t mind silence but the quiet seemed to stretch endlessly. It gave her too much time to think. Too much time to dwell on ‘what if’ questions running through her head. Like ‘what if she didn’t find her daughter in five days?’ or ‘what if Finn discovered her lie before they found Vega?’
She fought her urge to look at Finn, but nothing could block out her peripheral vision. While she ached so badly inside, she still couldn’t deny her awareness of the tall and powerful shifter. She might hate and want to ignore it, but it had been like that the first time she’d met him. As if something inside her had woken up the instant they’d locked gazes. With his Mediterranean heritage his skin was a gorgeous olive tone. If anything he was even darker than he’d been years ago. The differences between his darker skin and her pale body had always been so erotic to her when they’d been naked and tangled up together. Longing punched into her with a surprising jolt as she remembered what he’d been able to do with the long fingers currently wrapped around the steering wheel.
As another thought occurred to her, she tensed and asked, “Is it going to cause problems with me staying in your room?”
He glanced at her with his eyebrows lifted. “Why would it?”
She shrugged, hating the dark side of her that wanted to start a fight with him just to take her mind off Vega’s absence. “I’m just surprised you’re not mated yet…or at least seeing someone.” She knew him well enough that he wouldn’t have let her stay in his room if he was involved with someone, safety issues or not. And any sane she-wolf wouldn’t have put up with another female staying in her intended mate’s room. She-wolves were just as territorial as vampires.
“I’m surprised you’re not either.” His response threw her. He hadn’t answered, not that she’d actually given him a question. And she didn’t miss the slight questioning note in his voice, though she chose to ignore it.
She pursed her lips, unsure what to say. Of course she wasn’t mated. After being with Finn, other males paled in comparison. And she hated that about him as much as she still desired him. Just being around him and that familiar male scent reminded her of all the sensuous things they’d done together. How his mouth had covered every inch of her body in teasing kisses. The only good thing about that was that it proved to be an actual distraction to her inner turmoil.
As they neared the Biloxi Bay Bridge, he slowed and turned into a parking lot next to one of the casinos right on the water. Instead of heading for the parking garage attached to the casino, he continued driving across the deserted lot and headed for the water. “What are you doing?”
Finn briefly turned those ice blue eyes in her direction. “There are still a couple hours left until sunrise. You’re tense and need to let out the rage I can sense coming from you.”
Something akin to annoyance burst inside her. “And how do you plan on helping me get out my rage?”
He gave her a sharp look that said he knew what she assumed he’d meant. Then he nodded toward the bridge, now looming on their left. “There’s a walkway that connects from Biloxi to Ocean Springs. It doesn’t happen often but I’ve caught a few of the demons lurking on the bridge after dusk. Most humans don’t venture here at night but if they do and get attacked, they don’t have anywhere to go unless they want to jump into the bay.”
From her vantage point that was a pretty high drop even from the lowest point, which appeared to be about fifty feet up. The highest could be closer to a hundred feet.
“So…you want to hunt some of the demons?” Lyra’s hands automatically clenched into fists as her body prepared for a fight
. Killing some of the very monsters who were indirectly the cause of Vega’s kidnapping sounded perfect.
He shrugged and for a brief moment his gaze flicked to her chest. “I can see the outline of the blade you’re carrying under your jacket. I’m assuming you know how to use it?”
When she nodded, his lips pulled into a thin line, as if he didn’t like that idea. “When did you start carrying weapons?”
“Seventeen years ago.” Uncaring what he made of her statement, she turned from him and got out of the vehicle. The salty ocean air instantly enveloped her senses.
She heard a soft growl before she slammed the door shut. Self-consciously she played with the zipper of her lightweight black jacket, wondering if he’d noticed her gun. Oh yes, she had a gun too. As a single female vampire traveling alone, she was always prepared. Considering her vampire strength, agility and incredible speed it was unlikely she’d have to use her weapons on a human intent on doing her harm, but there were a lot of non-human predators out there.
The gravel from the unpaved parking lot crunched under her flat, steel-toed boots. It had been a while since she’d gone out hunting, but she hadn’t forgotten how. Even though she’d been sheltered from the moment she was born she’d trained often. And after Vega’s birth she’d picked up some new tricks in an effort to better defend herself and her daughter.
Voices of humans on their way to gamble from the parking garage carried on the wind. The noise of cars and trucks zooming down the highway next to the enclosed walkway on the bridge grew louder as they approached it. Despite the city lights, she could see a few twinkling stars above the ocean.
She and Finn walked in silence across the bridge. A few cabin cruisers and even a tiny aluminum boat passed through the calm intracoastal waterway under them. Over a mile and a half and no humans in sight so they turned around. The energy and anger humming through her had faded a little, but not much. She hated feeling so helpless where her daughter was concerned. And her annoying awareness of Finn didn’t help her guilt.
On their return trek, she froze as they neared the point they’d started. She’d never actually seen an Akkadian demon—just rough drawings from some old texts—but she knew what she was staring at. The skin that stretched over the large humanoid creature’s body was reptilian. It had hollowed out cheeks and glowing eyes. The clawed hands and feet added to the creature’s already horrific appearance. If she had to guess, it was about seven feet tall.
Before Lyra could think of anything to say, another, smaller female creature appeared from behind the male. She could tell the differences in their sex because they had similar body parts as humans. If for some reason she had any doubt what they were, they absolutely stank. They put off a nasty sulfuric scent that raked against her over sensitive vampiric senses.
Finn immediately took a step forward, partially blocking her body.
Though she was touched by his protectiveness, she ignored him and kept her gaze on the first creature hovering by the entrance to the walkway of the bridge. Its eyes had a yellow tint a little lighter than a harvest moon. The color was unusual and creepy.
Ballsy creature, Lyra thought. Another more potent scent on the breeze caught her nostrils. She glanced over the edge of the bridge onto the gravel parking lot below. There were two more of them.
Since they were close to the end of the walkway it would only be about a ten foot drop from the last stretch of the bridge to the ground. She made a decision. “Two more below us. I’ll get them. You take those.” She motioned to the male and female in front of them. Without waiting for Finn’s response, Lyra unzipped her jacket and unsheathed her twelve inch blade as she jumped over the edge.
Her jacket flapped lightly in the wind, but the demons didn’t see or hear her until it was too late. With her knife outstretched, she sliced through one demon’s neck straight to the bone. Thick red fluid sprayed everywhere and a sulfuric scent permeated the air.
The thing hit the ground about the same time her feet did. The other creature snarled as it rushed her. Sharp claws sliced through her upper arm as it grabbed her and slung her to the ground.
The strength behind that hold surprised her. But not enough to make her tuck tail and run. Jumping to her feet she let her fangs and the claws on one hand extend. A low growl built in her throat as she began to circle the creature.
It dove at her again with no apparent thought to its survival. With its head low, it tried to barrel into her chest.
Using all the strength in her legs she propelled herself upward, jumping completely over it. In the air she turned and came back down hard on the creature. Her free hand dug into its shoulder for a firm grip while she raised the blade with her right hand. She drew it up high and to the left then slashed hard back down in a giant arc to sever the head.
Instinctively she jerked back as more putrid fluid sprayed her. She raised her arm so that it missed her face.
As the body hit the ground next to its fallen companion, something unexpected happened. The demon with the half-severed head began to move.
“Son of a…” Moving lightning fast she jumped on it and finished what she’d started. The razor sharp weapon completed its job with one lethal pass.
Pushing up, she tensed as she heard slight movement behind her. Before she’d turned completely around, however, she relaxed. Finn’s earthy scent was unmistakable.
“You okay?” Real concern laced his voice as he raced toward her, his boots almost soundless.
She nodded, her adrenaline still pumping. “Did you get the other two?”
“Yeah. You sure you’re all right?” He took another step toward her and she instantly backed away. She couldn’t take his concern right now. Not when she was this edgy.
She quickly stripped off her blood soaked jacket, knowing she wouldn’t be wearing it again.
Finn extended his hand. Unsure what he meant, she handed him her jacket. In one tug, he ripped it in two. After lighting each piece on fire, he threw them on the dead creatures.
Lyra watched in fascination as they burst into flames so quickly. They were already turning to ash as she and Finn walked away.
“I already got the other two on the bridge. There won’t be anything left of them soon.”
“They burn just like…vampires.” It was a little disturbing to have anything in common with the monstrous creatures.
Finn grunted in agreement. When they reached the SUV, he opened the back hatch and unzipped a duffle bag. “I always have extra clothes so if you want to change I’ll give you privacy.” He didn’t look at her as he spoke but his thoughtfulness moved her.
Her dark sweater had been covered by her jacket but it was ripped where she’d been grabbed. Her own blood had dried on it and her pants had traces of the sulfuric scented blood on them. It might not be visible but she could smell it. Frowning, she scanned the rest of her body. As she wiped her boots off with a rag, she asked, “How did you stay so clean killing those others?”
He shrugged. “Practice. We’ve been killing these things the past couple weeks.”
“One of them grabbed me and it was strong. Like really strong.” She decided to keep the pants she had on since they might run into more of the creatures but her ripped sweater needed to go. If they ran into humans it wouldn’t do to stand out.
“Some are stronger than others, and some only seem to have limited reasoning skills.”
She nodded in agreement, but didn’t say anything else. After finding a long-sleeved T-shirt small enough to fit, she stripped off her torn sweater so that she was just wearing a bra.
Next to her Finn sucked in a breath. “Damn it, Lyra. I didn’t realize you’d been wounded.” He covered the short distance between them and lifted her arm so that it was outstretched.
She started to tug away but his eyes narrowed. “I’m cleaning your arm.”
Even though she didn’t like standing in front of him feeling so exposed and she definitely didn’t like him taking care of her—that brought ba
ck way too many memories—she waited while he opened the first aid kit. Expertly he swiped and cleaned her wound which was already healing, and would be fine by the end of the night. Then he carefully wrapped a bandage around her arm. She barely felt any pain with his deft fingers gliding over her skin. All she experienced was heat and desire racing through her. That was the most unnerving thing of all. She shouldn’t be feeling anything other than agony right now. Guilt and worry for Vega cut through her worse than her physical wound, but this longing for him was unnerving.
She knew part of it was biological. There was just something about him that had always called to her. But she also knew the memories she carried of them together weren’t helping things. With the not-quite-full moon overhead and few visible stars over the glistening water, the vivid vision of their first time together flickered in and out of her mind. She tried to banish it, but it was fighting for dominance over everything else.
The oversized quilt he’d laid out. The incredibly bright moon that night. The giant pond with the weeping willow giving them ultimate privacy. His mouth and gentle hands as he’d brought her to climax more than once before he’d ever entered her—
“You sure you’re okay?” His voice was raspy and uneven as he stepped back and closed the kit.
Breathing hard, she looked up to find him eyeing her with a mix of warring emotions in his expression. In that moment she was very thankful he couldn’t read her mind. Guilt and lust seemed to be the most prevalent in his gaze. Her own heart rate increased as his blue eyes darkened and roved over her exposed flesh.
“I’m fine.” Physically maybe, but inside was another story. She thought she’d been ready to face him, but being near him after so many years apart had her off kilter. She was wearing a bra, but it didn’t matter. He stared at her as if he could see everything. As if he was remembering what he’d seen so many times before.
She felt completely bare under that heated gaze. And it was her own fault. She couldn’t believe she’d just casually stripped off her sweater in front of him. To shifters, nudity was no big deal and for the most part, it wasn’t to vampires either. It wasn’t as if she ran around naked for the fun of it, but she was old enough that she felt comfortable in her own skin.
