TangledHunger

by Tina Christopher

  Duncan tensed every muscle in his body, trying to move.

  Useless.

  Wally pulled Mary’s head back and opened his mouth.

  “Stop!”

  Duncan mentally cursed, using every word he’d learned. And over nearly five hundred years one could learn a lot.

  Tanasha stood at the top of the stairs.

  And she held a knife to her throat.

  Every muscle in Tanasha’s body was clenched tightly. She didn’t dare relax for fear that she would begin to shake like a feather in the wind.

  She’d watched the altercation from upstairs and had to bite her lip numerous times to stop any cries from escaping when the Ferals attacked Duncan. One of them was about to kill the innocent human woman and the other two would find her anyway. Duncan’s wardrobe wasn’t that big.

  She couldn’t let Mary die if there was a chance she could do something to stop it.

  Now her bluff just had to work.

  The leader still held the woman by the hair but was no longer one second away from biting her. “Why should I stop? And what’s with the knife? You going to skewer us?” He laughed and his compatriots fell in.

  “No, I’m not going to attack you.” She pressed the blade of the dagger she’d found in Duncan’s bedroom into the side of her neck. The small cut burned like hell. Blood trickled down the side. “Unless you release the human and let her go free and unharmed, I will cut my throat. I am rather certain that your master thinks of me as more important than one human.”

  Her fingers ached from the hard grip she kept on the dagger. Tanasha wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold the heavy blade without her hand shaking.

  “You’re not going to kill yourself,” the leader scoffed, but he released Mary. The human dropped to the ground and curled up in a fetal position.

  “I have a good idea who sent you and my chances of walking away from him alive are slim to none. This way I can choose my own end. And I’ll die knowing he’ll make you suffer for losing me when you had the chance to stop me.”

  The other two Ferals dropped Duncan to the floor and stepped closer to the leader.

  Tanasha couldn’t hear what they said, but the other two appeared worried and gesticulated wildly.

  The leader didn’t take his eyes off her. Finally he kicked Mary. “All right. I’ll let the bitch go. Drop the fancy knife and come down the stairs.”

  She shook her head, which resulted in another small cut as her hand had cramped around the dagger. “No. Open the door and let Mary go. All three of you remain inside the apartment.”

  Tanasha turned to the woman. “Mary, go to a neighbor on a different level. Don’t tell her what happened other than you’ve been attacked. See if you can stall calling for the Sentinels and give us time to leave. Understood?”

  Mary shook so hard it took her a couple of tries before she could talk. “Yes,” she croaked.

  Tanasha looked at the leader. “Do as I say or the next time the blade cuts it will be through my artery.”

  He hissed and took a step back from Mary. The other two followed his example.

  The human woman tried to get to her feet but couldn’t make it. Instead she crawled to the door, going around the bloody corpse of the dead Feral. Her fingers shook too hard to open the door, so Duncan ordered it open. She used the doorknob to drag herself to her feet and threw one last terrified look backward before she stumbled through the open door.

  Duncan ordered it to close behind her.

  Tanasha’s knees nearly gave out but she couldn’t show any weakness before the monsters. Slowly she dropped her hand and the dagger and walked down the stairs, grateful for the metal railing.

  Without it she would have fallen flat on her face.

  Duncan had frozen his expression into one of studied boredom and she tried to follow suit. The two minions yanked him to his feet. He wobbled for a couple of seconds before he gathered his balance.

  The leader waited for her at the bottom of the steps. His eyes blazed with fury and his hands had balled into tight fists, but he didn’t touch her as she stepped past him and next to Duncan.

  She swallowed and met his gaze. “It looks like we’ve been invited to meet with somebody important.”

  Duncan raised a brow. Other than the fury in his silver eyes none of his emotions showed. “Looks like.”

  She crinkled her nose. “They really didn’t need to send this platoon. A message would have been enough.” She imagined the Ferals as the snootiest and most arrogant Naemas who’d ever looked down on her because of her lack of Gift, the ones she’d never given an inch, no matter what they said.

  The leader hit Duncan again.

  “Don’t take that tone with us or lover boy will be less pretty by the time we get to our destination.” He grabbed Tanasha’s shoulder and pushed her to the door. “Let’s go.”

  “Where are we going?” Duncan asked.

  Nobody gave him an answer.

  Tanasha hoped the monsters dragging them into the waiting transport didn’t sense the cold sweat trickling down her back. She struggled to keep her fingers, clenched so tightly in her lap they’d turned white, out of sight.

  The poking and prodding she’d suffered through growing up had taught her to hide her emotions on her face, but keeping control of her panic-stricken body was much more difficult.

  The stench of the two Ferals surrounding her like bookends aggravated her nauseated stomach to the point of nearly no return. Only Duncan’s presence across from her stopped her from throwing up.

  He appeared slightly bored despite the beating he’d suffered. She hoped she matched his confidence.

  Outside her blacked-out windows the human District raced past. At first she struggled to recognize the area, but when she did her stomach clenched even further.

  They were just minutes away from her Naema District.

  Tanasha caught Duncan’s eye, lifting her brows the tiniest bit in question.

  He gave her a brief nod.

  Her heartbeat increased. Her palms moistened. Blood rushed in her ears.

  They reached the gate. The window on her right cleared.

  The Guard looked inside but before he could respond the Feral beside Duncan blinded him with a small mirror. The Guard blinked a few times and scanned the transport number. He nodded and tipped his hat. “Have a lovely day, Honorable Disper.” The gate opened.

  Tanasha couldn’t believe her eyes. She opened her mouth to scream bloody murder, but the Feral next to Duncan raised a laser to his throat. “One word and he’s dead.”

  She swallowed her scream. “How¼how did you manage to trick the Guard? How did you make him see somebody who isn’t here?”

  The Vampire laughed and burned Duncan’s neck before pulling back the laser. “Magic. Magic that will finally give us the power to take our rightful place in this galaxy.”

  The hairs at the back of her neck rose. Her gaze met Duncan’s. His only giveaway to the Feral’s statement was a deepening of lines around his mouth.

  She looked away, focusing on breathing evenly. If the Ferals had access to magic that could even trick Naemas they would take over the galaxy with very little resistance. Vampires, only held back from being Feral by the threat of punishment, would turn Feral, doubling and tripling their population.

  It would be a bloodbath like none had ever seen.

  As the knowledge sank in they drove through the large gate outside Sydney’s house.

  No surprise there.

  Tanasha stiffened her knees as the bookends dragged her out of the transport. She didn’t scream or make herself known to the neighbors. It would be useless. The neighbors would only see what they were supposed to.

  The bookends didn’t touch her once she stepped out of the transport, only walked beside her. The leader, the one who continued to burn Duncan and punch him intermittently, shoved Duncan forward. The front door opened and the familiar maid-bot let them in.

  At first Tanasha was uncertain wh
y Duncan didn’t use his telekinesis, but watching him closely out of the corner of her eye she realized the cuffs must have done something to paralyze or numb his upper body. He didn’t respond to any of the many small burns or cuts the Feral gave him.

  And neither did he heal.

  She swallowed.

  She couldn’t imagine Marius ever letting them go, not after bringing them here in this manner.

  Terror clawed at her insides. She wanted to turn around and cling to the safety of Duncan’s arms. She didn’t. Somewhere deep inside her she dug up courage. Tanasha would not give Marius the satisfaction of seeing her defeated.

  This time the maid-bot led them to the far end of the house. Crystals sparkled in the shine of the solar lights. One couldn’t walk past tables, shelves and stairs without being blinded by at least one crystal reflection.

  Behind her Duncan’s steps slowed.

  Tanasha turned to him. Just a quick glance, but it was enough. His beautiful eyes glazed over. His confident walk grew less determined.

  “Duncan, don’t you think that Marius’ sense of style leaves something to be desired?”

  He flinched at the sound of her voice, but his eyes brightened. He cleared his throat. “Very much so. He really should take a few lessons.”

  The Feral beside him punched him in the stomach. “Show some respect. One more comment like that and you’ll lose a hand.” He punched Duncan again, this time in the face. “Understood?”

  Duncan spit blood onto the floor. “Whatever you say, kaveri. Whatever you say.” The lines around his eyes deepened.

  They maid-bot opened one last door and guided them into a small sunroom. Marius sat in a large leather armchair, reading a book. “Ah, Tanasha. How nice of you to stop by.”

  Tanasha nearly snorted at his staged behavior. Instead she crossed her arms over her chest. “Like you gave us a choice. Why are we here, Marius? What do you want?”

  “Please, where are my manners? Have a seat.” He closed the thick leather-bound tome in his hands and set it on a side table before waving her to the sofa across from him. “Tanasha, it was you who gave me no choice. It was all right as long as you were the only one thinking Sydney wasn’t on one last jaunt. But then you had to go out and hire a private investigator.”

  Marius tut-tutted as he leaned back and crossed his legs. He grimaced when his gaze landed on Duncan. “And a Vampire at that.” He shook himself. “Never mind. Unfortunately O’Clare is about to go completely crazy and get his hands on a faulty laser. In the struggle he unfortunately atomized you, my dear. I will kill O’Clare in self-defense, of course. And with the faulty laser burning every atom in your body, nobody will expect to find your corpse. So bad, so sad. While everybody thinks the Vampire killed you, you’ll sit in my basement and bring in a lot of credits for me. Sydney’s drying up and my partner’s demand for Naema blood is incessant.”

  Tanasha’s heart stopped. “You are insane. How can you sell Naema blood to a Feral? Do want another galaxy-wide war? Jade, you’ve lost what little sense you had.”

  The lines around his mouth deepened and fury darkened his eyes. “I wouldn’t expect a shapeless Null like you to understand strategy and long-term planning.”

  She flinched and rubbed her palms across her thighs. Bull’s-eye.

  And the malicious sneer across his face showed her he knew. Before Tanasha could respond to the jab, Duncan interrupted.

  “Hey, wing weasel, can you take the cuffs off? If I’m a dead man walking, I’d like to at least be somewhat comfortable.” He nodded at the Feral who tormented him the whole time. “And it’s not like your minions will let me get away.”

  Marius nodded and the two Ferals accompanying her joined the third at Duncan’s side. One of them punched Duncan in the face.

  Duncan groaned and spit more blood. “That wasn’t necessary. I thought you were the big ringer around here. You saying you can’t keep control of me without the cuffs?”

  Tanasha wanted to shout at Duncan to stop challenging Marius. The Naema wouldn’t hurt her because he needed her healthy enough to take her blood, but he had no compunction about beating up Duncan.

  Sure enough. One hand gesture and another fist ended up in Duncan’s stomach.

  Not that it seemed to deter her Vampire.

  “Really? You need me to be tied up to punch me? Very manly.”

  Marius paused for a moment. “Do you really believe your cheap little tricks will make the slightest bit of difference?”

  “I’d shrug, but with no feeling in my shoulders that’s kind of impossible. Kaveri, every time I say something your goons hit me. I’d say I’m making progress. Just one question, how are you going to explain my beat-up body to the Guard?”

  Marius sneered. “They won’t ask a single question.”

  “Oh, yeah, you’re going to use your super-duper magic power to snow them. Sure. That’ll work.”

  “Why, in Jade’s name, would it not work?”

  Duncan pursed his lips. “There are an awful lot of people involved in a murder investigation and even more if a high-flying Naema like Tanasha supposedly died. Not all of them will ever come to your house where you can use your freaky power to make them fall in line. Are you going to chase after every tech or drone just so you can put the whammy on them?” He rolled back on his heels. “Hey, just saying. Also, if the ME takes a look at me he’ll find that I’ve been systematically beaten and your fancy cuffs leave distinct bruises. If you want me to look like a killer I can’t look like a victim.”

  Marius rose. “Untie him.” He turned to Duncan. “One move and you die. I can always rearrange my story to suit the situation. Understood?”

  Duncan rubbed his bloody wrists. “Sure thing, kaveri.” He walked over to Tanasha and dropped onto the sofa beside her. A small hiss escaped him as he sat. He had to be in agony. Blood trickled from some of the many cuts.

  Tanasha edged the tiniest bit closer and leaned her shoulder against his, grateful for the contact. His only response was to lean more weight against her, deepening the touch.

  “So, you going to tell us your evil schemes? Dying people like to know.”

  Marius chuckled. “Do you really expect me to lay out my plans like a stupid villain from a vid, just so you can try and stop me?”

  “Nah, I just like poking holes at other people’s ideas. Makes me feel all big and mighty.”

  Tanasha’s heart stopped when Marius finally dropped the mask he’d worn since they stepped into the room. Where before he’d appeared coldly arrogant he now looked utterly blank. No emotions whatsoever. No glee at catching them, no triumph or elation.

  He was empty.

  She realized that there was no good in appealing to Marius’ better nature.

  He didn’t have one.

  She grasped Duncan’s hand. Warmth flowed through her and some of the terror abated.

  “Oh, how sweet.” Marius sneered at them. “I had you in mind as my next wife, Tanasha, but now that you’ve fucked a Vampire I don’t believe you worthy any longer. You only have yourself to blame. At my side you could have been somebody. You only get what you deserve.”

  Tanasha gaped. “Marius, you’re married to my best friend. I would have never stood at your side. How can you even think that?”

  Marius shook his head. “Tanasha, Sydney will suffer a horrible accident and as her best friend you would have felt it your duty to look in on me. Of course I would have required a lot of help and support and one thing would lead to another. Let’s be blunt, you’re not the sharpest tool in the shed. You would have fallen for me.”

  Duncan laughed out loud. “Jade, you’re even dumber than you look. But what would you expect from a wing weasel?”

  For a moment stomach-curling fury filled the emptiness in Marius’ eyes. Tanasha wanted to scream at Duncan to stop aggravating him. Before she could do anything the anger disappeared again.

  Tanasha swallowed. This can’t be good.

  “You are getting on my
nerves,” Marius said and turned to one of the Ferals. “Bring me the crystal.”

  The Vampire turned around like a bot and marched out of the room.

  Marius’ smile made the hairs at the back of Tanasha’s neck stand up. She tightened her grip on Duncan’s hand.

  “What’s with those crystals? You’ve spread them across the house like an addict would his drug stashes.” Duncan behaved as if he didn’t have a care in the world, but his tension was palpable. She only wished she knew what he planned.

  The door opened again and the Feral returned. In his hand he held the biggest cut and polished crystal Tanasha had ever seen. It was bigger than a small child’s head and when the lamplight hit it the reflections nearly blinded her.

  Her stomach churned. Her heart sank.

  Marius used the crystals to overcome any shields or barriers in his victims’ minds. This was how he’d made Sydney’s family love him. That’s how the Feral manipulated the Guard.

  “Let me demonstrate.” Marius turned to the other Feral. “Move him away from her.”

  For one last second Tanasha clung to Duncan’s hand before she released him.

  And now Marius would do the same to Duncan.

  Her Vampire jumped to his feet before the Feral could get close to her and spread his arms. “Then show me the big secret.”

  Marius took the crystal from the Feral. “Hold his head.”

  The Ferals stepped beside Duncan. One held his head, the other two grasped his wrists.

  Tanasha had never felt so helpless in her entire life. Even when the doctor attached the electric connections to her entire body and shocked her. She saw no way to stop Marius from using the crystal. From turning Duncan into another mindless zombie following Marius’ every order.

  She swallowed. There is no other way.

  She grabbed the connection, this pale rainbow light shimmering between them, and squeezed it, metaphorically, with both hands. Moments later she found herself back in the bedroom.