by Mary Abshire
“Please, have a seat,” Colin said.
Zale passed Tim and Jeffery as he headed for one of the empty chairs on the other side of the sofas. Anna walked by Michael and Curtis. She claimed the chair closet to them while Zale took a seat near Jeffery. Meeting his gaze, she smiled at him.
“I asked to speak with you, Zale, to find out how things were progressing since the last time we met,” Colin said. “I know it’s only been a few days, but tension is rising in the communities, especially after what happened this morning.”
“What happened?” Anna asked before Zale could.
“Are you not informed?” Colin asked, brows scrunched.
“We’ve been busy,” Zale said. “Why don’t you tell us what you know first and then we’ll share what we’ve been doing.”
Colin crossed his legs. “In the early morning hours, I received word close to nineteen vampires had been found decapitated and burning. Four were found in a car on the south side. Three were found up north in a pile off the side of a road. Six were burning behind a deserted building on the west side. Another six were discovered in two different places on the east side, four in an abandoned house and two females in a parking lot of a church.”
Zale shook his head. “I had no idea.” He wondered why Gordon hadn’t told him and why Aziel hadn’t sent word to Anna. Even though Anna had been given orders to rest, Aziel could’ve sent a message to either of them. Zale wagered Aziel didn’t want them running off to investigate. As for Gordon, Zale guessed his boss had other agents checking out the scenes.
“Neither of us knew what had happened,” Anna said.
“As you can imagine, the community as a whole is outraged,” Colin said. “This is the largest attack in such a short time span. The community is calling for action. They’re not willing to sit and wait for the DS or UoJ to fix the matter.”
“If you two are supposed to be working to stop the demons, where the hell were you this morning?” Curtis asked, his voice deep and condescending.
Zale stiffened and gripped the edges of the armrests. He opened his mouth to respond, but Anna beat him to it.
“The night before last, a team of agents and myself were informed about a gathering for demons,” she said. “We were led to believe a master would be there and was trying to acquire hosts to bring more demons over. We arrived with tear gas and managed to exorcise many, but then Zale discovered a mass of demons heading toward us.”
“It was a set up,” Zale said, and Anna nodded.
“My team escaped, but I stayed with another agent. The automatic weapons had weakened us and I wouldn’t leave my fellow agent. We were captured and held by two masters.”
“Fucking demons,” Curtis grumbled.
“You escaped or you wouldn’t be here,” Jeffery said.
“I found her,” Zale said.
“Zale spent the entire day looking for us.” Anna shifted her gaze to him.
“I found one of the demons on Anna’s list and took him to the DS. Aziel was able to question him after he exorcised the demon. As soon as we learned the location, a team from the DS and UoJ, led by myself, found Anna and the other agent. The demons had chained them up in a building with no windows, exposing them to the sun all day long. By the time I arrived, the demons had destroyed the other agent. Had I been any later, Anna wouldn’t be here.”
“I spent many hours in the clinic with Zale at my side,” Anna said. “If I’d known what was happening, I would’ve attempted to leave and do something, which would’ve required more rest for me.”
“Those fuckers need to be stopped,” Curtis grumbled.
“And we’re working to do that,” she said.
“How?” Michael asked.
“I have the names and locations of two of the masters. I’ve seen them both. We’re going to find them. Once I exorcise them, everyone they brought over in the last twelve months will return to Hell too,” she said.
“How soon can you get them?” Tim asked.
“UoJ agents are taking shifts and waiting outside their homes,” Zale said.
“And if they don’t return to their home?” Colin asked.
“We’ll find them,” Anna said with confidence.
“When?” Curtis asked. “We need them gone as of two days ago. And what are you going to do about the rest of the demons on the streets?”
“The DS will hunt the rest. In the last outbreak, we traveled in groups. We’ll do the same today. I will recommend starting with clubs on one side of town and then moving to another. Clubs are hot spots for demons,” she said.
“Why isn’t the DS doing this now?” Curtis asked. “What are you waiting for? More of us to end up decapitated?”
“The DS is exorcising demons every night and gathering information. But it takes time to decrease the population,” she said.
“The UoJ is working with the DS to find masters and demons,” Zale said. “We have the names and locations of two masters right now. We’re actively looking for them.”
“Not fast enough,” Curtis said and then looked at Colin. “My community won’t stand by any longer. They can get rid of demons faster than the DS.”
“No!” Zale and Anna said in unison.
“You can’t kill a human,” Anna said.
“Any vampire who kills a human is breaking the AoA law,” Zale said. “The UoJ will have to stop helping the DS locate demons to deal with those who kill. Your solution will only hinder our efforts and lead to an outbreak. More vampires will end up as corpses.”
“Maybe we should fight anyone who comes after us,” Curtis said.
“No!” Anna said strongly. “Do you not understand you are causing more harm to the future of mankind and our species if you start killing people?”
“We need humans,” Jeffery said. “And they need us.”
Michael nodded. “If we don’t have humans, we won’t survive. There has to be a better way to stop the demons.”
“I asked for help from the vampire communities before,” Zale said. “You need to speak to everyone and tell them to contact the UoJ. We can bring demons to the DS for exorcism and questioning.”
“I asked you to relay this to your communities,” Colin said. “Have you?”
“I sent word, but many are still antsy,” Tim said.
“Are they notifying the UoJ?” Colin asked. “And how did you notify them?”
Tim tossed his palm up. “I sent an email to everyone and I don’t know if any have contacted the UoJ.”
“Email is not enough,” Zale said. “You need to call a meeting and stand in front of them. You have to be strong and supportive. They have to see and hear you believe in us.”
“Jeffery, what about you?” Colin asked.
“I sent a message in email too, but I’ve also spread the word with everyone I’ve been in contact with. And I ask them to share too. A few vampires told me they had called the UoJ,” Jeffery said.
“Michael?” Colin asked.
He scratched a brow with his thumbnail. “I held a meeting and informed everyone in attendance. Since it had been a last minute meeting, the turnout was low. I sent an email to everyone too. But I have not heard of anyone contacting the UoJ.”
Zale and the others turned their gaze to Curtis.
“I have told people and I don’t know if anyone is informing the UoJ,” Curtis said.
“You have to show your support and be more aggressive in spreading the word,” Zale said.
“If you don’t, you’re leading us on a path to an outbreak,” Anna said.
“Do you really think you can stop one when our population is decreasing in size every night while the demons are increasing their numbers?” Curtis asked.
“Yes,” Anna and Zale both said together.
He grinned as he met her gaze.
“Please, give us a little more time,” Anna said.
“How much?” Tim asked.
“We can’
t give you a deadline,” Zale said.
“A week? Two?” Tim asked. “My community needs to see more of an effort.”
“Mine wants to see some kind of effort or they’ll make their own,” Curtis said.
Frustration grew within Zale and he clenched one of his fists. Two of the four had done very little to aid the two agencies. Their lack of support hurt the people they represented. Why couldn’t they see that?
“If you’d spend more time informing your communities, we might be closer to finding other masters and lowering the demon population,” Zale said a bit harsher than he’d intended.
“Might?” Curtis asked.
“Give us a week to locate the masters,” Anna said. “We’ll need longer to stop an outbreak. A month at least. You have to get out in your communities and talk.”
“You want us to sit and do nothing for a fucking week?” Curtis asked.
“We want to save lives and end the bloodshed so everyone comes out a survivor. But you have to help us,” Zale said.
Curtis scoffed and shook his head. The other three men shifted their gaze to Colin.
“Would you excuse us while we convene in the adjoining suite? You’re welcome to stay here and help yourself to any refreshments. We brought blood and regular drinks. They’re in the refrigerator,” Colin said.
“We’ll wait here,” Anna said.
Curtis stood. “Gentlemen.” He gestured toward the room behind them.
The four men rose. Silence filled the room as they left.
Anxiety high, Zale strode to the patio door. Vertical blinds hid the outside world. He pushed one aside. The view over a shorter building held zero appeal. Above, the stars and almost full moon shined in the clear dark sky.
Anna came to stand beside him. She glided her hand across his back, stealing his gaze. “You did well.”
“They’re not listening to us.”
“They will. They have to or…”
“Talking about fighting us and demons… They could start a war.”
“Colin is a good Community Leader. If they vote, I think they’ll favor our terms.”
“And if they don’t?” He glided his fingers down the side of her face, fighting the desire to kiss her.
She wrapped her arms around him as much as she could, and then leaned into him. “They will. Think positive and have faith. You said the same to me earlier. Now, I’m telling you.”
Her words brought a smile to his face and lifted his spirit. She was definitely his mate. And no matter what the vamps decided, he’d love and protect her and continue to fight by her side. They wouldn’t change. But their challenges would increase tenfold. For the sake of mankind, he hoped the vamp leaders would make the right choice.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Anna enjoyed the warmth and love Zale shared as he held her tightly pressed to him. The tune of his beating heart calmed her. The obstacles they had to face continued to grow. Yet, his affection for her and commitment to mankind remained strong. What an admirable and noble man. She prayed he would never change.
“We really need to find those masters,” he said. “I asked Gordon earlier and he said no one has shown up at the addresses. They might know we’re waiting for them to show up.”
She took a step back. “I’m sure they know. They could be staying at any house belonging to a demon they brought over.”
“How do we find them?” he whispered. “They”—he shot his eyes behind her—“want us to find them in a week, based on your terms.”
“The DS has leads. According to a message I got from Rachel, more demons are being exorcised. Perhaps we need to break into the homes and you and other UoJ agents can get their scent. If enough of you know it and we follow up on leads, we should find them. If the UoJ searches during the day, the DS can go out in teams at night and hit the clubs. I haven’t mentioned this to Aziel since we’ve focused on finding the masters. But if your agency is doing more of the searching during the day—“
“The DS can take action at night. We hit them twice as hard.”
“Exactly. I’m sure Aziel will go along with my plan.”
“Gordon will too, especially after he talks to your boss.”
“We can do this. We can stop an outbreak.”
“Let’s hope the leaders agree.”
“If they don’t, we move forward as planned and wait until the shit hits the fan.”
He grinned at her and shifted his gaze to the vamp standing near the door. The large guard crossed his arms as he stared at her and Zale. She’d noticed his protective instinct had kicked in when Ethan had approached her earlier.
“I’m sure the leaders are being cautious. Gordon is too, or your friends wouldn’t be here,” she said.
“Perhaps.”
She put her hand on the side of his face and gently nudged him to meet her gaze. “Should we get a room?”
His lips curved. “We can.”
The smile on his face died before he shifted his attention back to Ethan. Outside, Trevor was telling the vamp he needed to get a message to Zale. The vamp told him to step back. Trevor argued.
“Something’s wrong,” Zale said.
She guessed the same the minute Trevor asked to speak to Zale.
“911, Zale,” Trevor called out on the other side of the door.
“Yep, problem,” Zale said, grabbing her arm. He escorted her around the furniture.
Colin and the other four leaders walked into the room. Hearing the ruckus, Colin looked to the guard.
“We need to let the UoJ agents inside,” Anna said to Colin.
“Let them in,” Colin said.
As the door opened, Ethan stepped in front of Colin. Trevor and Derek rushed inside. The two stopped near Zale.
“I think demons are heading this way,” Derek said and then took a deep breath. “I was outside watching the lot when three vans pulled in. At least fifteen men exited, a few wearing trench coats and trying to conceal large weapons. I ran up through the back entrance.”
Derek’s assessment sounded reasonable. Brows tense, she met Zale’s gaze. He clenched his jaw.
She veered her attention to the leaders. “You have to go. Now.”
“The roof,” Zale said, his heart thumping faster. “If there’s a helicopter on the roof—“
“There is. We came in on it,” Colin said.
Zale let go of her arm and stepped closer to the Community Leader. Ethan held up his arms, preventing Zale from getting too close.
“If you agree to Anna’s terms, I will ensure you make it up there and get away,” Zale said.
Alarm shot through Anna. She didn’t like him making promises under such dangerous circumstances. “Zale?”
Colin gave him a nod. “We agree to Anna’s terms. One week to find the masters. A month to reduce the demon population and stop an outbreak.”
Zale spun to Derek. “Take them to the roof and make sure they leave. Trevor, make sure Anna gets on that chopper with them.” He reached behind his neck.
“Zale no, I’m not leaving,” she said.
“Follow me,” Derek said, and Trevor stepped out of the way.
As the vamps passed by, Zale unclipped his necklace. He handed it to her.
“What are you doing? You can’t stay here.” She refused to take the gift she’d given him.
“You have to go.” He grabbed her hand and put the necklace in it.
“Zale!”
He met Trevor’s gaze. “Carry her if you have to, but get her out of here.”
Infuriated, she fisted her hands. “You bastard, don’t you do this to me.”
Trevor grabbed her arm. “Come on.”
She yanked it away from him. “I’m not leaving.”
Zale removed his shirt. Holding it in one hand, he snatched her face and pressed his lips to hers. “I love you.”
“Zale—“ She tried to grab hold of his arms, but his biceps were too bi
g. She couldn’t even get her hands half way around them.
“Get her out, now!” Zale said in an urgent tone directed to Trevor.
“No!” she snapped.
Before she could get another word out, Trevor lifted her off the ground and tossed her over his shoulder. She screamed in protest behind her clenched teeth. “Put me down.” She punched at the man’s back.
Trevor swung her around to open the door. She looked up at Zale and found him unfastening his jeans.
“Zale, don’t do this. You have to go. Don’t do this. Please,” she said before he was gone from her sight.
Chills spread through her when the door snapped shut. She couldn’t believe what was happening. He sent her away. He was going to face the demons by himself. Fearing she might never see him again, she began kicking her feet.
“Put me down,” she grunted as he held her thighs.
She bounced against his backside while he carried her. She kicked his front and punched at his back.
“Damn, you’re feisty,” Trevor said, reaching the stairwell.
Voices from below made him pause. She stilled her fight. Taps on the concrete stairs indicated their ascent. Trevor stayed close to the wall and began climbing the steps two at a time. From the different voices and heartbeats she heard, at least seven men were on the way upward. Derek had mentioned he’d seen at least fifteen men. Maybe he miscounted. Maybe seven other men were climbing other stairs.
Anna wanted to yell and curse, but any sound would attract attention. She wiggled, kicked, and clawed in an effort to stop Trevor. She ripped his shirt with her nails. He held her tight. Step after step, he took her farther away from the man she loved. If Zale died in an effort to protect her and the vampires who had considered killing humans, she’d spend every waking minute of her existence searching for demons and sending them all to Hell. And she’d remind the leaders on a nightly basis how a werewolf gave his life to ensure their survival.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Zale shoved his pants and boxers down his legs. He hurried to step out of them and his shoes at the same time. Anxiety rushed through him, giving him extra energy. As soon as he changed into his wolf form, he’d gain additional strength and be ready to fight.
