by Mary Abshire
Chapter Seventeen
Zale’s swift move surprised her, but in a good way. With his hands on each side of her face he kissed her. He was gentle, almost hesitant as if he were afraid of her response. He had no need to worry. She welcomed his lips and his tongue. His warmth generated her own. Tendrils of need spread through her. Each caress increased her longing. It had been too long since she’d felt such affection and desire. She craved more.
“Anna?” Kurt yelled.
She pulled her lips away from Zale. “I have to go.”
He nodded as he released her from his grasp. “Please be careful.”
She’d never met a man with such a strong drive to guard her. She blamed his werewolf heritage.
“I will. And you need to stay back. Make sure the other UoJ agents do too.” While she doubted anything would happen to them, all lives were at risk. In case he hadn’t noticed, she could be equally protective.
Victor stepped onto the curb, grinning. “You’re needed, Anna.”
The vamp annoyed her every time he spoke. Given he could hear Zale’s heartbeat, it was easy for Victor to detect the werewolf’s emotions. She’d noticed the extra beats here and there. The fast rhythm when they’d kissed had been soothing music to her ears. But for Victor, the sounds gave him ammo to tease her. The vamp took great joy in poking fun at others.
She strode away from Zale. “I’m coming.”
Victor snorted. “Are you?”
“Shut up,” she snapped at him as she passed him.
Twenty-two vampires stood on the other side of the vans. Victor made number twenty-three once he stepped around her. All had dressed in black attire and had weapons strapped to various parts of their bodies. They all waited for her to give direction.
She stopped and glanced down the street. Buildings on each side were in desperate need of renovations. All businesses had shut down for the night or for good. Boards covered many windows on the ground floor. Few cars had been parked near the curb. From the street sign, she recalled the map she’d studied. They were two blocks away from the alley behind the warehouse and one block west. At 3:15, Aziel planned to cut the power. Earlier, she’d agreed with Aziel to arrive later than the time of the gathering to allow for stragglers to show up. Having withdrawn her phone, she checked the time. The screen showed they had four minutes to go.
“All right,” she said, stuffing the cell back into her jacket and removing the small microphone she’d taken from the cabinet. “Lights will go off soon. Drivers, you know what to do. The rest of you, follow me.”
She pinned the small microphone to her jacket as she started crossing the street to the other side. Underneath the round device, she pressed a tiny button. Several others in the group wore microphones too. If something happened to go wrong, headquarters would hear it all.
Footsteps clattered behind her on the sidewalk. But it was the beat of a heart that gathered her attention. Glancing over her shoulder, she found Zale standing in front of the van, next to one of the DS agents. The rhythm of his heart had slowed since their kiss, but it remained strong.
She faced forward and smiled. For a man who regarded vampires in a somewhat negative light, Zale didn’t seem to have an issue with her. His care and affectionate treatment continued to surprise her.
Reaching the first intersection, Anna paused. She glanced around the corner. Two cars had been parked off to the side another two blocks up. In the other direction, a cat scurried across the road. Half a mile away, a car drove by. The stoplights in both directions flashed red. Anna continued forward and crossed the street.
Jack strode up to her side. “Lights are going out in thirty seconds.”
“Have you got the gas ready?”
“Locked and loaded.”
The buzz of electricity silenced and darkness engulfed them.
“Right on time,” Jack said.
“I need a team of four to get ready.”
“I’ll get them,” Jack said before he left her.
As she reached the end of the block, she came to a stop. The back of warehouse sat around the corner, one block away. Judging from the amount of heartbeats in the area, the gathering had started.
Jack strode toward her with four vampires in tow. She lifted her palm up, signaling for them to stop. They all halted immediately.
Anna peeked around the corner of the brick building. Darkness surrounded the three-level warehouse. The doors were shut. Many cars sat idle on the side of the alley where Anna stood. Not a soul wandered outside. She couldn’t hear a heartbeat from any of the vehicles either. Flickers of light appeared from a second-story window. A large trash bin sat behind the adjoining building, which had a fire escape. The satellite images she’d seen had been spot on.
She spun to face the four vampires. “There’s a fire escape next to the warehouse. Use it to get to the room, then cross over. In five minutes, we’re going in.”
One of the men lifted his arm. He tapped the watch strapped to his wrist and then met her gaze.
“Ready?” she asked.
They nodded.
“Go.”
The vamp touched his watch again before he took off with the others. They crossed the alley quickly and then stayed close to the building. Once they reached the emergency escape, they stopped. One of the vampires bent his knees and clasped his hands. The female in the group set her foot in his grasp. She leaped as he lifted her. She grabbed hold of the ladder and it lowered enough for the rest of them to reach it with a single jump.
“I take it you’ve found a new interest,” Victor said.
She twisted to find the tall vamp standing near her. “I’m not telling you anything.”
He grinned. “I saw the way he looks at you. And it’s quite obvious by listening to his heart.”
“Are you so bored that you feel the need to watch and study him?”
“He’s a good person. You should get to know him better. Werewolves are great lovers.”
“I’m betting you speak from experience.”
“Of course.” He grinned again.
Anna spun away from him. The vamps had climbed the escape and had reached the roof. She estimated it would only take them half a minute to cross over to the warehouse.
She stepped away from the building and faced the group. Jack stood behind Victor. “I want one person blocking the back entrance, the rest will follow me.”
She peeked down the alley one last time before she darted across. Steps fast, she leaped onto the curb and kept going. She stopped at the end of the building.
Cars lined both sides of the street for several blocks. While she heard the beats of many hearts and voices talking, she didn’t hear any music. Across the street she spotted the salon Leon had mentioned. A big closed sign stuck to the barred door.
Anna spun to face her team. The time had arrived for them to fight and exorcise demons. Many had already fought before, but half were new. She hoped everyone was ready.
Jack unsnapped the strap from the holster on his hip and removed his weapon. From his pocket, he withdrew a clip. He shoved it into the chamber. “Rubber bullets. I hear they sting like a bitch.”
Kurt stepped forward with his backpack hanging off his shoulder. He had a can in one hand and removed another from his bag. He handed one to her. “Pull the silver clip in the center and the gas shoots out.” He took another can from his bag and gave it to the vamp next to him.
The round container had the same shape as a soda pop can. Painted black, it had a label plastered around it and a big warning sign. Jack had said the gas was safe, so she trusted him. Besides, didn’t most things have warnings on the labels?
“I need one person to stay outside and block the door. Nobody is to leave,” she said. “Understood?”
They each acknowledged her command. Gas in hand, she rounded the corner and headed for the main entrance to the warehouse. She eagerly looked forward to sending demons to hell and facing a
master. Evil would not win while she was walking the Earth.
Chapter Eighteen
Zale watched the bravest woman he’d met lead over twenty vampires to exorcise demons. He hoped she’d send a master to Hell too. Shifting his weight from foot to foot, he fought the compulsion to join the group. He was her partner, after all. He should be at her side. If he shifted into his wolf form, he wouldn’t be susceptible to possession.
The vampire next to him set the receiver on the hood of the van. Like the others, he’d dressed in black pants and a matching long-sleeved shirt. He had an average build and wavy dark locks. His beard gave him an older appearance.
“My name’s Russell.” He offered his hand.
Zale shook it. “Zale.”
“You’re with the Union of Justice, right?”
“I am.”
“I’ve had drinks with some UoJ agents before. You guys and gals have a pretty tough job tracking the criminals of our kind and then serving justice upon them. I hold a lot of respect for the UoJ.”
The vamp’s words stunned. Zale gave him his full attention. “Thank you, it’s not often I hear that.”
“Oh, I’m sure.” He grinned. “We never receive praise from humans after we free the demons from them, but we still do it.”
“It’s incredible how you can exorcise demons and send them to Hell.”
“It takes a lot of faith and devotion. It’s similar to a marriage. I’m sure you know what that’s like. I bet you feel married to your job too.”
“I hadn’t thought of it like that before, but it makes sense.”
“Vampires, especially those in the Divine Syndicate, are not too different from everyone else. We all want the same thing. We’re not looking to take over and dominate every species. I think people hear the word vampire and they instantly fear us or think we’re evil.” Russell shook his head. “We have a bad reputation because of Bram Stoker.”
Zale fought a chuckle. Russell had a valid argument. Most people, regardless of their race, thought negatively about vampires. Yet, they continued to fight to save mankind. Did they ever get any rewards, thank you cards, or congratulations? Zale didn’t think so.
He glanced down the street and saw Anna pause. She scanned the area before leading the team across the street.
“We passed some of your buddies a block from him here. You’re welcome to check on them and say hello if you want to. We could be here a while,” Russell said.
Zale had little interest in check with his coworkers, but he had a huge desire to monitor Anna’s movements. “Mind if I take the radio?”
Russell looked at it before he stepped back from the van. He tilted to look at the one parked behind them. “He’s got one I can listen to, so you’re welcome to take it with you.”
Zale snatched the radio from the hood. “Thank you. Is it set on the right station?” He twisted the volume up and heard Anna’s voice. “I guess it is.”
“Bring it back with you.”
“Sure thing.”
Zale strode across the street and walked in the opposite direction the vans were facing. He held onto the radio and listened to Anna. The sound of her voice encouraged him to find her and watch her movements. He needed to make sure she would be safe once she entered the building.
Rounding the corner, he took off in a jog. The empty street contained no traffic in either direction. A dark stoplight hung above the pavement. He crossed and saw a parked car with two large men. They stiffened and pointed to him. Zale held up the radio and gave a thumb up. One of the men waved him on.
At the end of the next block he spotted two more men sitting behind a parked SUV in the alley across from where he stood. Zale waved at them before he turned and headed in the direction of the warehouse. He planned to arrive at the opposite side of the target spot, so she shouldn’t see him.
The electricity had been shut off for several blocks to help conceal Anna and her team. With time running out, he started jogging again. The alley smelled of piss and garbage. Dumpsters overflowed and the bags on the ground had been ripped open. He held his breath until he reached the end of the block.
Instead of continuing forward to reach the warehouse, he turned and ran down the street heading away. He needed to keep a block between him and warehouse. Holding the small receiver, he ran as fast as he could to circle the block. He stopped when he’d reached the end.
Breathing fast through his nose, he peeked around the corner. Anna and her team were crossing the street. Movement above caught his attention. Four agents were jumping from the roof of the building next to the warehouse. He estimated he had maybe a minute to get into position to watch her go inside.
He darted across the alley filled with parked cars. While he’d been running he’d kept alert for heartbeats. He heard a slew in the area including ones from the warehouse. He suspected the heartbeats in the perimeter were from occupants in the old buildings. The shops were closed or out of business, but people still tended to live on the upper floors.
He stopped at the intersection and leaned his back against the bricks. Holding the radio close to his ear, he listened to her receiving instructions from Kurt how to use the gas. She gave a final command.
Zale swallowed hard while his heart raced. The patter of their feet on the sidewalk indicated they were on the move. He fought the overwhelming desire to look, to see her lead her army of righteous vampires into battle. Stopping this gathering of demons would show the vampire community the DS and UoJ were working to restore peace. The important task ranked high on preventing an outbreak too.
On the radio, women started screaming and men were yelling. Through the chaos of voices, a soft hissing noise sounded similar to static. People were coughing. There were smacks, clatter, pops, and grunts. Anna yelled at people, telling them to stay back. More than ever, Zale wished he were at her side.
He snuck a glance around the building. Green smoke drifted from under the doors. A vampire stood in front of them, his attention pointed in the opposite direction but was moving.
Zale returned to his spot before the guard could spot him. He doubted the vamp would suspect him nearby with all the heartbeats in the warehouse. Keeping the radio on a low level, he held it to his ear again. Anna instructed someone to check places. The screams and yells were fading. The amount of voices had lessened. Several continued to cough. In little time, he heard only the chatter from Anna and her team.
Relief filled Zale as he inhaled a deep breath. His anxiety began to decline. Anna had made it inside and managed to knock everyone out with gas. Mission half complete. Now, she had to spend a few hours exorcising demons.
Pride swelled within him as he thought about her. She deserved a ton of praise for efforts and what she was about to do. She had earned a huge celebration. He wondered if she’d take a little time to go out with him. He’d insist she celebrate, if even only for a few hours. And he’d ensure she’d have a good time.
Anna continued to give orders. Since she would be busy for a while, he didn’t see the need to stick around. He began to head back up the street.
He paused at the alley behind the warehouse. A vampire stood outside the doors. Zale waited until the vamp turned his head before he darted across to the other side.
As he continued walking, he pressed the radio to his ear again. This time her heard chants in the language Anna had used on the demon in the early morning. The exorcisms had begun.
Before Zale reached the end of the block, he detected multiple smells and various heartbeats. The wind carried the scents from his left. He paused and tilted his nose toward the wind. There were too many of them and they weren’t from the garbage nearby. He couldn’t count heartbeats either. But one thing he knew for certain, they were getting closer.
Zale ran a hand through his hair. The UoJ wouldn’t approach in a mass. Agents had been ordered to watch the perimeter. Whoever they were, they had to break through the boundary unless they’d already been i
nside it.
A chill shot through him. What if demons had been waiting to see if the DS showed up? What if he’d been right in thinking the gathering was a trap? Surely the DS would see with their satellite surveillance and drones if a large group were heading toward the warehouse. But seeing wasn’t the same as being able help within minutes, which is what he estimated Anna had before the crowd showed up.
Zale spun around, looking for a place to change. If demons were approaching, he would be safer in his wolf form. Besides a dumpster, he had no place nearby to conceal his shift or hide his clothes. He started to remove his shirt as he ran back toward large trash bin. Reaching it, he stepped out of his shoes and slid the radio into his empty pocket. His cell and keys were already crammed into one. Jeans unfastened, he shoved them down. When he bent, the necklace around his neck dangled. He quickly removed it and stuck in the pocket with his phone. Hands and knees on the dirty ground near the garbage, he began to shift.
Intense heat blazed through his body. His bones burned while they snapped. His skin twitched as hair sprouted all over him. He ached fiercely, especially in his face as his muzzle took shape. The transformation pained him as always, but once it had ended he felt powerful, stronger, and ready to take charge. His senses had sharpened. He could hear clearer and smell the different scents better.
Leaving his clothes, he trotted around the dumpster. He stopped near the edge of the building and gazed around it. Through the darkness, he saw nothing, but the wind carried many odors. The claps of shoes and soft thuds indicated they were close. Judging from the sounds, they were one block up.
He darted away from the alley and ran across the next street. When he reached the end of the block, he stopped close to the building. He took one step past it and gazed down the street. Men and women with black eyes filled the width of the street and sidewalks. They were only a few feet away and heading toward him.
He backed away and took off running. With the amount of demons he’d seen, they would’ve had little trouble getting through the perimeter. And they’d have little difficulty destroying Anna and her team. He had to warn her.
