I smiled. After all of this, still she did not run. “It took a long time to stop missing the flavors of food, and the warm light of the sun. I must feed to live, though I do not kill. And no one is ever turned on accident. It’s a deliberate process of draining the blood until there is nothing left, and feeding the body that which flows through our veins.”
“One drop does it?” Hannah asked. Her azure eyes sparkled in the moonlight. Gorgeous. Vulnerable.
“It takes more than a drop, and requires a burying ritual for rebirth,” I replied.
“So not just feeding, and not just a small amount from the vampire,” Hannah said, then looked down at the ground. I wondered what she was thinking. Without question, it was a lot for anyone to digest. “What about sex?” she asked, meeting my eyes with unwavering conviction. Only the blush on her cheeks betrayed her discomfort.
“No,” I replied. “Sex is safe—no pregnancy, no disease, no transmission of vampirism,” I said, allowing myself to smile just a bit.
“Good,” Hannah said. “That’s, um, good to know.” The gentle blush brought color to her cheeks. She was so beautiful. “Bennet?”
“Yes?”
“Why were you in the alley the night that we first met?” she asked. “I can't help but wonder what could have happened. Were you there to feed?” There was vulnerability in her blue eyes.
“No,” I said. “We were hunting thrall. A mission to stop the attacks that have plagued the city as of late. I wasn't there to feed.”
“So who do you bite?” Hannah asked.
“Feeding is not required often,” I said. “And when I must, I take only what I need. The donor doesn't remember, and suffers no ill-effects.”
Her lips parted, as if she wished to say something else. Then her eyes flicked down to my side, and her mouth closed.
It wasn’t until I looked down that I realized the faint buzz coming from my jacket pocket. I pulled my phone out and glanced at the number, then back to Hannah.
“I have to go,” I said. “I’m sorry.” And I was.
Chapter Sixteen
Hannah
As quickly as he had appeared, he had disappeared. Speed beyond shifter capability was unsettling. I wasn’t used to missing signs of any approach. But with Bennet, it was the disappearing that left me feeling cold and alone. I had never minded the cold, or being alone. In fact, I'd always enjoyed peace and quiet. But Bennet had changed me. Without him around, I was left longing to be reunited. And I wasn’t sure if that desire was something I wanted, or if it was weakness that would only lead to pain.
Bennet had done nothing to suggest that I couldn’t trust him, but it was hard to let someone in. I’d spent my whole life distancing myself from attachment. Not until I met Ashley did that change, and an exception doesn’t make the rule.
I thought of him the whole way home, of his story, of our time together. And when I reached my bed, I crashed.
“Hannnnaaaahhhhhhh.” A small pokey object relentlessly assaulted my ribs. “Bannnnnaaannnnaaaaaaaa.”
I rolled to my side and opened my eyes. Ashley sat crouched in a little ball, face just inches from mine, finger at the ready.
“I’m awake,” I insisted, in a slurred grumble that sounded anything but.
“You know it’s like two o’clock, right?” Ashley asked, plopping down onto the floor.
“Uh…”
“In the afternoon,” she said.
“Crap.”
“Yeah, I know right?” Ashley smiled wide, clearly enjoying me not having my shit together. “And next time I miss a class or two…”
“I know, I get it, “ I said, forcing myself upright. The room spun as I tried to blink the sleep from my eyes.
“So what happened to you?” Ashley asked. “Did you just get carried away in the park?”
“Kind of,” I admitted.
“No more half-truths and avoidance tactics,” Ashley said. “What’s up with you? Spill it.”
Of course she was right. I needed to confide in someone, and Ashley was it for me. The way I was going, I would crash and burn. It had already started. Staying up all night to be with him, and I was missing classes. Missing classes.
“It’s a guy,” I said.
“Seriously, you’re all like… this over some guy?” Ashley asked, brows furrowed in disbelief. “He must be something special.”
“He is,” I said. “I think.”
“If he’s only available to keep you up all night, and if he’s worth it, you could switch to afternoon-only classes next semester,” Ashley said, and leaned back on her hands. “I did that our first semester for that smokin’ bartender, remember?” That one actually wasn’t bad looking. It turned out that he was a total dick though, trying to juggle three girls at once. But at least she’d dropped him quick when she found out.
“Yeah,” I said. And it was a good thought. If I wanted to spend my nights in the woods with Bennet, I needed to figure out how to work out my days so that I wasn’t turning my entire life upside-down. I needed to graduate so I could get some sort of job and make it on my own. No way was I going to end up back in Nowheresville, running the general store like my mother before me.
“When do I get to meet him?” Ashley asked, with a wide grin and hope sparkling in her eyes.
That was a good question. One I didn’t want to answer yet. How was I supposed to say to her, ‘You already have. His buddy is the pretty boy that bit you and you’ve been obsessing about. We should get pizza sometime.’ Yeah, not ready for that. “Uhh,” was all I managed.
“Okay, I know you’re not embarrassed of me. So what is it about him you don’t want to share?” Ashley asked. “Don’t worry, if he has a tiny penis, a third nipple, a teddy bear costume, mom issues, or like a butter face, or whatever, I’ve been there.” If I hadn’t met these guys, and heard their stories, that may have seemed like a weird list. “The heart wants what the heart wants.”
“It does,” I agreed, remembering the feel of Bennet beneath me. No way that was a tiny penis.
“You’re blushing.”
“No,” I said.
“Now I have to meet him,” Ashley said. “We can do a whole double thing, whenever I hear back from Scott. It’s not the furry thing, right?”
“No,” I said. “You haven’t heard from Scott?” I asked, happy to change the subject. “I thought you guys were doing that whole group hangout thing on the weekends.”
“We were,” Ashley said. “But something’s up with him. I don’t know. He was being kind of squirrelly when I was over there last, like paranoid. He said something about the vampires he was turning not doing what he told them to.” Of course they didn't. They were just a bunch of goth kids playing vampire. Why would they follow everything Scott said? “He was rambling about being followed. And he hasn’t returned my calls since.”
“Are you worried?” I asked. She certainly seemed to be.
“Nah,” Ashley said. “I’m sure it was some bad mushrooms or something. He’ll call when he’s sober and has time. It’s not like he’d ditch me or something. I mean, just look at me.” She swiped her hands down and over her perfect shape. She laughed, hiding her concern with a smile I could see right through.
“You are a great catch,” I agreed, and hugged my best friend. “Let’s get some girl time, watch a marathon of trash TV, and forget all about boys for the day. And I’m thinking it’s a sit-around-in-pajamas kind of day too.”
Ashley nodded, while she rubbed her thumb and forefinger over her chin in contemplation. Then she smiled wide and said, “I’m in. But only if you’re making brownies.”
“Deal.”
Chapter Seventeen
Bennet
“No, please. I’m begging you.” Her stoic demeanor had quickly shattered into bleak, sobbing desperation. I didn’t need to be in the same room as Yeke’s latest victim to empathize. The dire truth of our situation was that all of us were only one mistake from being in her place.
The w
ooden door to the throne room clicked shut from within, muffling the young vamp’s cries, but far from silencing her. Walter, from his seat on the ugly, red sofa, appeared stiff but unaffected. Charlie paced across the Oriental carpet between us, cringing at every sound the woman made.
“Maybe next time when we need to check in, I could stay in the car,” Charlie said, looking to his sire.
Walter said nothing.
I watched Charlie walk back and forth, but remained still where I stood. There was little time left to decide what to say to the King. My nerves were as shot as the young vamp’s, but it did me no favors to let it show. Yeke needed to believe that Hannah was not a threat. And I couldn’t appear emotionally attached.
“AHHHHHHHHH!” A final scream passed into the great room from Yeke’s victim before silence hung heavy in the air.
Calm.
The creak of the heavy doors echoed through the expansive halls, as Yeke’s guards pushed open the gateway to our fate. Two soldiers strode side by side from the throne room, like the cogs in the machine that they were. Between them, a woman hung limp, dragged by her upper arms toward the back of the mansion. It was her dark head of thick hair that caught my eye, only a few shades lighter than Hannah’s. When the guards passed, I saw the woman’s face. She was pale, even for a vampire, likely due to injury. Her black shirt and pants were torn and tattered, damp with the familiar scent of blood. I knew it wasn’t Hannah. I didn’t know this woman. But the resemblance was enough to make my chest ache.
Charlie leaned in to me, and watched with wide eyes. “What do you think happened to her?” he asked, his voice but a whisper. “What could she have possibly-”
“Nothing you should question here,” I replied, just as quietly.
“She probably asked a stupid question,” Walter said, keeping his gaze trained on the open doorway to Yeke. “Come. It’s our turn.”
“Thanks, sire,” Charlie said, shoulders hanging. “I feel so much better.”
More like a torture chamber than a throne room, the evidence of Yeke’s last victim still remained. A pile of chains pooled on the floor by the entry. Blood was splattered across the white velvet of the throne, across the stone walls and hardwood floor. Across Yeke’s cheek.
The behemoth stood beside the dais, shoulders squared, blade in hand. Too close. The stiff, black fabric of Yeke’s suit did nothing to hide the monster within. He could parade as whatever he wanted, but no one was fooled. His black eyes scanned the three of us, as his tongue slid over the crimson-coated blade held tight in his fist. Yeke’s fangs shone as the corners of his lips lifted into a humorless grin.
My hair stood on end. Instinct told me to flee. I stepped in beside my kin, two feet from the rabid King, and listened to the doors shut behind us. Only then did the King speak.
“Your mission was simple, Walter Chapman. Yet, no rogue has been brought before me,” Yeke said, his contempt clear in his furrowed brow.
“We’ve made progress,” Walter replied, stoic as ever. And to Charlie’s credit, he followed his sire’s example.
“Sure,” Yeke replied. “But I’ve done your job for you. What need do I have for a servant that cannot perform a simple task?”
Walter said nothing.
“WHAT NEED?” the King seethed. In a single motion, Yeke was inches away from Walter, towering over him, with his blade pressed to my brother’s throat. The edge drew blood. But Walter remained still, unflinching.
“If you’ve found the vampire responsible for spawning the thrall,” I said, keeping my tone even and unaffected by the fury that boiled beneath the surface, “there’s no better hunter to finish the job.”
Charlie’s wide eyes remained fixed upon the blade, and his balled fists at his sides. His weight shifted back and forth, as if remaining still required every ounce of self-control he possessed. I placed my hand on the young vampire’s shoulder.
Yeke remained, unmoving, long enough to make his point. Then he turned and stepped up on the dais as if nothing had happened. “You have an hour,” he said. “Then you pay for your incompetence with the blood of your progeny.”
“More time will be required,” Walter said.
“Excuses,” Yeke said.
“Thrall have surfaced all over the city,” Walter said. “I’ve spent my time minimizing damage and reports. Still, more remain.”
Yeke listened, and watched as my brother spoke.
“To clear the nest and properly glamor witnesses takes time. Rushed, more problems may arise, leading to unwanted attention to your territory,” Walter said. “Seventy-two hours should suffice. Then-”
“Forty-eight,” Yeke said, and slammed his fist on the arm of his throne.
“That seems-” Charlie began.
This time it was Walter that stopped him. With a simple raise of his palm, my brother silenced his progeny. “It is as good as done.”
“It better be,” Yeke replied. “There’s a warehouse by the docks. Forty-three. The clock’s ticking. Go.”
We didn’t hesitate. But as soon as I turned to go, the King spoke once again. “Bennet Pierce, you stay.” I watched as my family walked safely through the doors before turning back to the throne.
“Yes, sir. What can I-”
“Majesty,” Yeke cut in. “Your Majesty.” Tyr never would have demanded such foolishness. Progenies weren’t hidden during his rule, thrall not created. Under Yeke, everything was different. None of it good.
“Yes, your majesty, what can I do to serve?” I asked, as sincerely as I could stand.
“Tell me about the wolves,” Yeke commanded.
Hannah. I pictured the girl from the hall, bruised and bloody, and my chest tightened. How long could I pretend her pack was hiding in the city? If he didn’t already know she was alone, he certainly would soon. Yeke’s trust in my bloodline was limited at best. A lie now would get us all killed.
“She’s alone,” I replied, regretting the words as they slipped through my lips. Hannah wasn’t alone. She had me. I would protect her with my life. “There is no pack in Scarlet Harbor.”
“Good,” Yeke replied. “I want that thing’s head by daybreak.”
If only she had run. If only she had left town when I’d told her to. I had to think of something. Fast. The King’s gaze assessed me, it’s weight like stone. I remained outwardly unaffected, and answered, “It is as good as done.”
Chapter Eighteen
Hannah
When bright beams of morning light heated my face, I woke feeling refreshed for the first time in weeks. Everything was going to be okay. It was Ashley. The movies, the chatting, the chocolate—my best friend had given me the strength to look up from behind my comforter and kick the morning right in the face. First catch up on classes. Then a nap, so I could handle staying up all night without becoming a sleep-deprived zombie in the morning. Well, given the new world I’d recently discovered, maybe not the best choice of words. The point was, that I was taking control of my life. I wanted to give a real chance to this thing between me and Bennet. And I needed to stay me while I did.
As the hours passed, that confident enthusiasm waned. Ashley left for classes. The quiet helped me complete all of my school work. But when nap time came, I felt like a small child, and questioned my decision to schedule a nap into my planner. After tossing and turning, I decided to go with the normal adult option and drank a mega, XXL, super-sized, iced coffee instead. Which is pretty much the same as waking up from a restful nap. Or so I decided at the time.
After the caffeine wore off, the minutes dragged on like hours waiting for sunset. As I checked the clock for the eleven thousandth time, my roommate popped her head in the door.
“Hey,” Ashley said.
“Hey,” I replied. “How was class?”
“Boring,” she said, stepping in and dropping her books all over her balled-up, black comforter. “How’d the new schedule thing work out?”
“It started well,” I replied.
“Was it
chemistry that threw you? I feel your pain. It’s a waste of time anyway. I don’t need to know how many Qs are in my water to drink it,” Ashley said.
“Qs?” She’d lost me.
“Aquas or whatever,” Ashley said. “Anyway, water is water.” And then I understood why she had failed chemistry last semester.
“I did all the work I needed to,” I said. “It’s the waiting.”
“For night owl mystery man?” Ashley asked.
“Yeah,” I admitted. It felt good to have someone to talk to, even if I couldn’t share everything.
“Walk with me,” Ashley said. “We’ll make the time fly.” Her green eyes sparkled with her wide smile.
“Sounds good,” I said, and linked my elbow in hers.
It felt good to be outdoors. The frigid autumn breeze bit my cheeks, and perked me up. We walked through campus, along the pathway that weaved between massive, brick buildings. Each was five or more stories tall, and named for some successful man who died a hundred years before I was born. Any one would have made a good postcard, with manicured plots of green grass, and colorful-leafed trees. And the air was filled with the scents of fall—freshly-fallen leaves and damp earthiness.
Bicycles weaved through foot traffic and slow moving cars. One guy stood in the center of a crosswalk flipping his skateboard over and over again. The little doughnut shop on the corner smelled like cinnamon, spiced apples, hot chocolate, and fried dough. Tempting.
The closer we got to the edge of campus, the less trees there were. Brick paths were replaced by concrete sidewalks. The scents of grass and leaves faded behind those of exhaust and people.
And just like it always was, the city was alive. Crowds bustled by in every direction, across traffic-filled streets, and into skyscrapers. Then the buildings grew shorter, offices exchanged for cafes and boutiques. It didn’t take long to guess where Ashley was leading me.
Pierced: A Wolf Shifter & Vampire Paranormal Romance (Vampires of Scarlet Harbor Book 1) Page 8
