by Brenda Trim
The air in the tunnel thickened and Gerrick’s body slowed as Zander exerted his power. Gerrick had never felt so much pressure and control from the Vampire King and was stunned he was still standing after such expenditure. Zander’s harsh commands blasted through the group, “Enough! Cease!” Zander barked.
Only panting breaths could be heard in the corridor. Gerrick looked around and saw Shae several feet away, leaning against the wall. Her posture seemed nonchalant, but the clench of her jaw and the brackets around her mouth and eyes told a different story. Again, he had the urge to go to her and wrap her in his arms. He shook his head against the bizarre impulse and locked his legs to keep from following through.
“The archdemons willna be back tonight, they suffered too many injuries. We are going to head oot of here and go back to Zeum, and there willna be any more bloodshed this night,” Zander told the group before he turned and headed to the exit.
As the groups started to follow Zander, Gerrick realized that all of the females, except for Shae, had been given some type of clothing. Gerrick removed his leather jacket and approached her. He held the jacket open to her and waited while she glared warily at him. “Put it on. It’s cold outside.” He kept eye contact with her and watched her try to hide the way her body trembled from the cold.
“I can handle a little cold,” she protested as she slipped her arms into the sleeves. “That’s nothing compared to what I’ve been through.” He saw through her bold words to the core of shame for her current predicament.
She huddled into the jacket and let a small sigh escape. He swore she brought the lapel to her nose and inhaled his scent. He contemplated the small smile playing over her lips as he bent down and removed his shoes as well. The last thing he wanted was for her to walk across the studded boards, broken glass and other debris, not to mention the cold streets above.
She looked from him to the boots dangling from his fingers. “Are you sure your feet can handle being without? I’m used to the discomfort.”
His gut twisted hearing the despair behind her words. He’d bet his prized sgian dubhs that she wouldn’t have taken the jacket if she didn’t understand they were about to encounter humans. It was clear to him that she would never break the mandate that no supernatural could reveal the existence of the Tehrex Realm. The way she gazed at Zander and his brothers in awe told him what a dedicated vampire she was.
As for pain, little did she know how much he’d dealt with in his long life. “Physical pain is nothing,” he told her honestly and began walking.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” she muttered wryly before calling out, “I’m Shae, by the way.”
He glanced over his shoulder and felt a smile tug at his lips seeing her hop up and down as she tried to put his boots on then hurried after him. Amusement was so foreign it made him scowl. He didn’t smile, ever. “Got it.”
“You must be the friendly one in the bunch, Gerrick,” she snapped sarcastically, making him want to smile again. “Just sayin’.”
“Yep, I’m Happy and he’s Dopey,” he said pointing to Bhric.
“Fuck you. I’m Sexy,” Bhric retorted. Gerrick continued with his easy pace until he caught his foot on a board. He wanted to curse when he felt the rusty nail cut the bottom of his heel, but held it back. He didn’t want her to give his shoes back. He’d be damned if he allowed her feet to get scraped up.
“Yeah, I can tell you’re just a barrel of laughs. Do you always sweat so much when you fight?” she asked, fingering the lapels of his jacket. The movement gave him an enticing glimpse at her breasts, and fuck, if he wasn’t rock hard again. He didn’t let himself think further about how the sight of her bared flesh affected him, but turned around and continued walking.
“Would you rather have my shirt? It’s drenched.” He wasn’t helping himself forget about her allure, as the image of her wearing his shirt was even more arousing. Sure, he’d had sex with females over the centuries, but he’d never wanted one of them in his clothing. At that moment, he wanted Shae in his shirt and nothing else. He reasoned it had to be because he felt so bad about what this particular female had been through.
“I’m good with the jacket thanks, Sweaty. So, what’s the date?” she asked, making her way next to him.
“December first.” He wasn’t a conversationalist, preferring to listen. And hell, with her sultry voice, he could listen to her talk all day long. Her voice had the barest hint of roughness that set it apart from most females.
“Okay…what year?”
“Twenty fifteen,” he responded curiously. How long had she been down here?
“Oh my Goddess,” she gasped. He glanced over and saw the devastation on her face. He had the urge to comfort her, but something told him that was the last thing she’d welcome. “It’s only been seven months. It feels like I’ve been down her for decades.” At the mention of the time that had passed, the other females began sobbing. It was all the other warriors could do to herd and comfort them. Gerrick expected Shae to break down, as well, but she walked along in silence with her fists balled, her jaw clenched tight and her eyes narrowed. She was pissed, and her reaction spoke volumes about what she’d been through, more so than the tears and hysterics around them.
They’d made it to the stairs and Gerrick paused, allowing the females to ascend before him. Zander and Breslin waited at the top. When their entourage made it to the street, they proceeded to the parking lot as quickly as they could, given the size and injuries of their group. Gerrick cursed as the cold bit into the soles of his feet. He hadn’t lied about physical discomfort, but it had been many centuries since he’d been so exposed to the cold. The sting from the nail was an irritant he would just as soon be rid of. Thank the Goddess he healed preternaturally fast.
The sounds of fighting reached their ears before they made it to the parking lot. Gerrick didn’t hesitate as he took off running. “Shite, Breslin, stay with the females. You too, Cade, Caell,” Zander ordered before Gerrick heard the pounding of his feet.
Rhett, a fire demon and recent addition to their household, came dashing down a side street and joined them as they hit the lot to find the witches and their mates fighting a large group of skirm. Hell, how many skirm were there? Kadir and Azazel had been busy little demons. Now he understood what had interrupted the witches’ spell.
A stream of fire left Rhett’s palm as he looked over. “Do you guys always have this much fun? When’s the next initiation?” Mack laughed at the male. She had a history with the fire demon and he had returned with her and Kyran after their sojourn in the dragon realm of Khoth.
“You thinking of staying awhile, Match? You sure you won’t miss your desk job?” Mack teased the male as they fought side by side.
“I wouldn’t dream of leaving yet, Sunshine.” Rhett grunted when his inattention earned him a punch in the ribs. He ducked the skirm’s next blow, laughing. “Besides, I haven’t been a big enough pain in your mate’s ass. Plus, I like it here. There are so many females and different places I can visit on this planet that promise good times and adventure.”
Gerrick bounced on the frozen balls of his feet and slashed out, quickly dusting every skirm within his reach. Two humans chose that moment to cross the street from the ferry dock. Gerrick heard the startled gasps and so did the skirm. Two broke off from their group and headed toward the humans. Without stopping to think, Gerrick was running after them.
The human female began shrieking as the skirm bared bloody fangs at them and lunged for her. Gerrick snarled and cursed as he crouched and sprang at the pair. He landed on the skirm’s back, taking him to the ground. Unfortunately, the human female went along with them, screeching the whole way. He hated high-pitched screaming and muttered a spell making the female mute. He sighed in relief when the noise stopped. She looked around wide-eyed in fright, clutching at her throat.
Not giving the female another thought, he thrust his sgian dubh into the skirm’s chest cavity and felt the satisfying pop a
s it entered the blackened heart. Never once looking back, he was up and ashing the second skirm. The human male was reaching down to help the female as Gerrick turned and walked away. It wasn’t until after he was halfway across the street that he realized he hadn’t lifted his spell. He stalked back to the couple, grabbed her shoulders and released his magic. He was ready to be home. It had been a long night.
“Damn, Gerrick, you scared the shit out of those people. Hell, even I didn’t know if you were going after them or the skirm. They’ll be having nightmares for a while,” Mack chastised.
“No they aren’t, one of the vampires will erase their memory,” Gerrick retorted and rushed back to help finish the rest. It was quick work for their group to eliminate the skirm that had converged on the witches.
He signaled Breslin who then led the females around the corner as the witches were recounting their attack to Zander. They ushered the females to the waiting vans and were loaded up, heading back to Zeum within minutes. Gerrick laid his head on the seat, wondering what was in store for them now.
*****
Shae closed her eyes and leaned her head on the window as they drove to the infamous Zeum compound. She was finally free from the archdemons. She had prayed for seven long months for this moment, and now that it was here she had no idea what she was going to do next. Before she’d been kidnapped, she would go home and knit after a long day at work, yet she hadn’t had access to her yarn and needles during her captivity. She couldn’t help but wonder if the hobby would still bring her any peace after what she’d been through.
She missed her family and wanted to be taken home immediately, but held back. Tears gathered in her eyes as she contemplated her life. No doubt everyone believed she was dead when they hadn’t heard from her for so long.
Her parents had to be beside themselves with grief, not to mention her brother. He may have been centuries older than her, but they had been as close as twins. Every one of her memories had him in it. He’d taught her how to play baseball, and later how to drive. On the rare occasion she went out to the clubs with friends, he was always there looking out for her.
Her grandfather’s fierce face flashed into her head, making her wonder how many times he’d searched the streets for a sign of her. She’d bet every dime she had that he had used his wolf senses to try and track her, and been frustrated when he had failed. There was no way to track someone when they teleported away from a scene, which was how the demons snatched her that fated night. She loved her grandfather so much and would give anything to feel his big, strong arms wrap around her and make her feel safe again. She didn’t think she’d ever feel safe again.
Thoughts of family had her wondering if one of her uncles had turned her bedroom into their office. Like all supernaturals, she lived with her extended family and the space was tight for them. They didn’t live in a huge mansion and her small home didn’t allow for luxuries like an office. As much as she missed her family she couldn’t fathom seeing them right now. She wanted to tell them she was alive, but wasn’t sure she’d be able to handle a conversation about what had happened to her.
She was not the same female that had been kidnapped all those months ago. Then, she had been a happy vampire who smiled easily and loved to go out with friends. She enjoyed concerts and wineries and despite the fact that she wasn’t an athlete, she played on the bank softball team. Getting a bi-weekly pedi and mani was more her speed. There wasn’t anyone special in her life, but she had dated. Now, she couldn’t imagine ever letting a male touch her again. Hell, she didn’t even know who she was.
And her head was killing her from trying to sort it all out.
She heard someone mention Dante, her boss, and the Cambion Lord. She thought of her job and wondered if she still even had a position at the bank. She recalled the day he’d hired her all those years ago. He’d flirted and told her he’d hire her if she wore short skirts to work. She had told him to fuck off figuring she wasn’t going to get the job and had been shocked when he had hired her anyway. Later he told her it was her cockiness that had won him over. She knew Dante was part of the Dark Alliance Council with Zander and prayed she didn’t have to deal with him yet, either.
The van stopped and her eyes shot open in alarm. She gazed around warily and noticed they were parked next to a pair of large, intricately carved black doors. The car trip had gone by far too quickly for her comfort. She wanted to sit there in silence and avoid reality as long as she could.
Without warning, the home’s doors flew open and a petite, dark-haired female came rushing out. Heart thundering in her chest, Shae exited the vehicle when prompted and stepped next to the other females who looked just as nervous as she was.
Zander approached the female and kissed her gently before turning her to their group. “Welcome to Zeum. If you haven’t figured it out, I’m Zander’s mate, Elsie. It’s good to finally have you guys here. Come on, let’s talk inside. It’s way too cold out here,” the female said, making eye contact with each of them.
They were herded inside by the warriors, which brought Shae’s hackles up. She didn’t like the idea going into an unknown situation no matter how many were smiling and trying to set her at ease. When it came down to it, she didn’t know these people and had been through enough to know better than to blindly trust anyone. Azazel was a perfect example. He was beautiful on the outside, but the most vicious creature she’d ever met.
She reminded herself this was her King’s home, and she had been rescued by the Dark Warriors and they were the most revered supernaturals in the realm. Still, the effort of keeping her reaction in check had her sweating in Gerrick’s jacket. She itched to leave again, feeling claustrophobic in the large mansion.
“I need to call my family. They have to be worried about me,” Cami said immediately.
“That’s no’ going to happen, lass,” Zander responded kindly.
Shae was instantly pissed as were the rest of the females. She could feel it. No one was going to hold them against their will again. Her mind began plotting ways to escape the second an opportunity presented itself. It was impossible at the moment, since the warriors and their mates surrounded them, but she would find a way.
“Why not?” Cami snapped.
“Because we doona know enough to contain the fall-oot from this situation. Humans canna know aboot the Tehrex Realm and we need to run tests and learn what effects the demon’s venom has had on you,” Zander explained.
“I want to go home, now!” Cami yelled.
“She can go home if she wants to,” Shae snapped. “We’ve been prisoners long enough. You don’t get to tell us what to do!”
“Calm doon,” Princess Breslin cooed, raising her arms in a gesture of peace. Too bad, Shae was good and pissed and wanted to throat punch the female.
“We can’t keep them here. It would be barbaric after all they’ve been through,” Gerrick argued. Shae was shocked to hear this warrior coming to their defense. He didn’t strike her as the caring type. She’d watched him fight with a cold detachment that made her wonder if he felt anything.
“They are staying, Gerrick. We doona know what we have on our hands or the risk they pose,” Zander retorted.
“Zander is right. ‘Tis no’ safe to have them oot there,” Breslin added. Without thinking, Shae threw off Gerrick’s jacket and charged the female. Her shoulder hit the princess in the side. A fist smacked into her cheek, making her momentarily see stars. She bared her fangs and remained in her crouch, swiveling around and kicking Breslin in the shin. She heard yelling in the background, but didn’t pay any attention to what was being said.
Breslin grabbed her ankle and pulled. Having spent months in the fight cages, Shae was able to maintain her balance while pummeling Breslin. Fighting had become second nature and she never lost. Losing in the cages meant death and she had no intention of dying anytime soon. Breslin hissed and bared her fangs and Shae saw flames of rage flicker in her amber eyes. She wasn’t giving in, either. Sudde
nly strong, warm arms wrapped around her middle and her feet left the ground.
“You alright, sweetheart?” the fire demon asked the princess, crouching beside Breslin. It didn’t matter who was holding her, she would make sure Breslin couldn’t respond to that question. Shae struggled against her hold and was pinned so tightly against the hot body behind her she couldn’t move even an inch.
“I’m no’ you’re sweetheart,” Breslin huffed, storming out of the room.
“I’m getting to her, I can tell,” the fire demon quipped at the same time Shae dug her nails into the flesh banding her waist. She used all her strength to twist her head and see who was holding her. It was Gerrick and he had a grim look on his face.
“Put me down. I’m leaving,” she spat, throwing her head back. He tried to avoid her strike, but the back of her head hit his chin. She’d been hoping to break his nose and was disappointed at not injuring him in the least.
“You’re not leaving, Shae. At least, not right now,” Gerrick murmured in her ear, wrangling her into an even tighter hold. Her anger ricocheted through the roof and she fought Gerrick wildly. She refused to be put in another cage.
CHAPTER THREE
Gerrick held a wildcat in his arms. Shae had gone off without listening to reason. It wasn’t that he agreed with keeping these females locked up, but he understood that they were dealing with an unknown at the moment and there was no way they were going to be able to be released right now.
Crazy thing was that while the other females were upset and had begun yelling, only Shae had lost her shit. The red-head in his arms was out of control.
She threw her head back again and nailed him in the chin. He cursed and snapped, “Stop, dammit. We’re trying to help you. This isn’t helping your cause any.” He could have been talking to a wall for all she listened. He glanced at Jessie, shock written across her features.
Jessie, Cailyn’s friend, had joined them a few months ago after she had been bitten and infected by the same archdemon. It was through her that the realm became aware of the difference in the reaction of a male and a female when they were bitten by an archdemon. Before Jessie, a female had never been infected by an archdemon, so everyone assumed being bitten by an archdemon meant you would become a mindless skirm.
