His phone buzzed and he turned to leave. “I have to go.”
“Where?” She took a step after him. She hadn’t meant to sound so desperate. He was the only person she could talk to and now he was leaving as well?
“I have a run to make, but I’ll be back in a few hours at the most. When I get back we’ll do something…fun.”
She smiled and then frowned. “What’s the catch?”
“You have to stay here.” He pointed to the floor. “In here. This room, while I’m gone.”
She bit her cheek. That was a tall order. “Okay. But, what kind of fun?”
“You decide. We’ll do whatever you want.”
She clapped her hand. “Seriously? Okay, this is going to be awesome.”
He shook his head and chuckled.
“What now?” She huffed.
“No one says ‘awesome’ anymore.”
“Really? What do they say?”
“Sick.”
“Sick?” Strange word. “Okay then it’s going to be ‘sick.’”
“Here.” He pulled something from his pocket and tossed it to her.
“A phone! Sick! Now I just need to find someone to call.” She turned the smooth object over in her hands.
“My number is programmed in there. Just hit the green phone button and go to contacts and then hit the phone button again and it’ll call me. I also put music and games on there for you so you can waste some time.”
“Is Mason’s number in here?”
His expression hardened again.
What had she said?
“Not yet. Until he gives me permission, only mine is in there.”
Damn. If she could just talk to him.
He tossed her a cord. “You’ll need to charge it so the batteries don’t run out. I’ll be back soon.”
“Neeman?” A flutter ran through her. She hadn’t been given a gift in years. “Thank you,” she finally said.
He looked at her for another minute, then nodded and closed the door.
* * * *
Neeman headed to his room. He’d gotten the address for the area of the sighting and told Riley and Stephos to prepare to leave. He needed to prepare as well.
A door opened to his right. “Neeman. A moment?” asked Riley.
Neeman halted.
“I wondered if maybe we could bring a couple of the humans along for the run.”
“No.” That was the last thing he needed.
“Hear me out. I know you think they aren’t ready, but I’ve heard them talk. They want to get out of here. They want to test their skills in a real environment. This should be an easy mission with three of us there. Let me pick two, just two. I’ll keep them out of the way and make sure they don’t bother you.”
Riley had a point. They needed to test their skills and he needed to see what they could do. But he didn’t even know what they were going into or what they might face.
“You take one of them, only one, in a separate vehicle. I don’t want them with me.”
Riley smiled. “Great. I’ll keep them out of the way. I promise.”
“No. You need to treat them like they’re one of us. I can’t afford to have you splitting your attention. They can either hack it, or they can’t.”
“They can. And I’ll be all there for the squad.”
Neeman nodded. “All right. Tell them we leave in five.”
Riley jogged down the hall toward the human wing.
Neeman continued to his room and opened the door. The sweet smell of lavender hit him. He stiffened briefly and then relaxed at the familiar scent.
“Hello.” The female rose from the bed and turned to face him.
“I don’t have much time this evening. I have to go on a run.”
“We can be quick.” Her starched white shirt and black skirt looked clean as ever. Her brown eyes and brown hair were a perfect match.
He’d never asked her name. He didn’t need to know.
“Sit.” He gestured to the chair at his desk.
She sat where she was told.
She’d been coming to him for close to a decade. An arrangement he’d set up with Clive, the owner of the slave auction house. Clive sent a slave to the compound twice a week for Neeman’s use. In return, Neeman paid him well, and had taken care of more than a couple problems for him. Now that Clive would be leaving though, he would need to make other arrangements. He couldn’t focus on that now.
Neeman crossed to his closet and pulled out his old wooden box. Entering the combination, he then removed the lock and set it on the floor. He ran his fingers over the design on the lid of the chest, which he’d stolen from the Vampire who’d turned him. Killing the Vampire hadn’t been as cathartic as Neeman had spent years anticipating it would be.
He opened the lid and grabbed the goblet and knife from inside. They’d been gifts from his mentor and the previous head of the Tracking Squad, Roth. Roth had been a true friend. Still was, though since he’d become a slaver they hadn’t spoken much.
Neeman stood and handed the goblet and knife to the girl. She set them on the desk, pulled out a bandage from her purse, and sat it alongside.
She never questioned Neeman about his methods, never asked for more, never resisted. And Neeman appreciated that.
When she’d arranged the items the way she wanted them, she looked up at Neeman and nodded. He returned the nod, headed into the bathroom, and closed the door.
He glanced in the mirror at his reflection and was disgusted by what he saw. His ice blue eyes were not his own. He’d been born with deep blue eyes. Sapphire suns, his mother had called them. The bumps under his top lip were where his ever-present canines hung low in his mouth.
How could he be what he was, he asked himself for the millionth time. Every evening, he rose and told himself tonight would be the night he’d end it all. But every night passed and he still stood. Like a coward.
Neeman took a deep breath and shook his head. He looked at the time on his phone. He wanted to open the door to see if she was finished, but couldn’t take the chance of slipping. This was his ritual. This was how he had to do it. He owed it to the humans still living.
The memory flooded him. Sneaking into the mansion where Brodrick, the Vampire who’d turned him, stayed. Waiting for the monster in the gentlemen’s study, which smelled of expensive cigars. Bloodlust slamming into him, weakening his limbs and leaving him heavy and dull because he’d refused to feed. The agony in his limbs, like being stabbed with a thousand needles.
But then the door had opened and Brodrick had entered, talking on the phone. The texture of the wooden knife handle cut into Neeman’s palm, his hands shaking as he waited to strike. Brodrick’s brown eyes widened in terror when he saw Neeman and recognition dawned on his face before—
A soft knock on the bathroom door pulled Neeman from his memories. He blew out a breath and scrubbed his hands over his face.
Composing himself, he stepped back into his room. The girl was gone but the goblet and clean knife sat on the desk.
He crossed to the goblet, his body humming with need. He picked it up and sniffed. The scent of lavender wafted off the rich crimson liquid. His fangs throbbed for the taste. The pain shot up the nerve endings in his face and over his scalp. He held back, refusing to give in to his baser nature. Control, he needed control. He was in charge, not the appetite.
His gut clenched like a dried piece of lumber. His head throbbed and his eyesight blurred. He took a sip. The taste lingered on his tongue, bold and beautiful. He savored the flavor, letting it pool and roll across his tongue like a fine wine.
Who was he kidding?
Gripping the goblet so tight he feared he’d break it, he drained the glass in two gulps. Strength rushed through him at the influx of nutrients. Like electricity flowing through wires, the blood rushed through him, replenishing his sapped energy stores. He tipped the goblet and sucked down the last drops before ri
nsing it in the sink and heading to his wooden box.
He weighed the familiar knife in his hand before setting it in the box. The sensation of stabbing Brodrick over and over and over, so many times he’d lost count, ran through him. He set the goblet next to it. His gaze travelled to his treasured photographs.
That wasn’t the photo that should have been on top.
He took out the pictures and thumbed through them. They were in order, but the top three were in the back. He tried to remember when he’d last looked through them. He couldn’t.
“Neeman, are you ready?” asked Riley, from outside his door.
He organized the photos before locking the box and setting it back in his closet.
“Coming.”
Chapter 6
Neeman pulled out of what was left of the Navy Pier into what was once called Streeterville and headed south toward Chicago Heights. The southernmost part of Chicago city now, but not even close to being the edge of Chicago territory.
The territory Danika lorded over stretched from North Dakota to Oklahoma, over to Kentucky and up to Michigan. Of all the areas in what was left of the United States, it was the smallest, population-wise. No Vampires lived in most of the states, unless they were trying to keep under the radar. And a lot of the hotter and colder places housed only small encampments of human refugees fleeing from the Vampire rule.
In the years since the awakening when Vampires and vampyr had come out of hiding, he still hadn’t become used to driving around in the open. But with the wars and then the outbreak turning the majority of humans into vamps, he was actually considered a leader of sorts in the country. He went where he wanted with only Danika and the three kings to answer to. He’d never been that powerful before. As a human, he’d been a firefighter. The women loved it and he’d loved the thrill.
Driving past the half-vacant businesses reminded Neeman of his firefighter days. Every three or four buildings there was a burned out one, from arsonists. A bakery stood open. Next to it, the flower shop had closed down. The outbreak of the V2000 virus had wiped out over half the world’s population. The rest now lived as the blue-collar servants of the Vampire society, subservient to Vampire and vampyr alike.
He passed the stadium. No longer used, the building still stood as a testament to the country that had once been.
“Do we know what we’re looking for?” asked Stephos from the passenger seat.
“A demon,” said Neeman.
“Then he could look like anything. Mason’s demon and he looks like a human.”
“Then I guess we look for a human. There aren’t many Vampire down south, so a human would be as out of place as a bright orange demon with a tail,” Neeman replied.
Stephos closed his mouth and looked the other way.
Going on a run without much of a description made Neeman’s gut queasy. On his missions, he was used to knowing where they were going and what he was looking for. Not enough intel got people killed.
Neeman was sorry for being hard on Stephos. He didn’t like being harsh to his men. They needed to know he was in charge, but being an ass didn’t garner camaraderie. His whole life was in upheaval, though.
There were murderous beasts coming to their area. Chase was missing and Russians had come to Chicago without invitation. He was craving blood more and more each day and it was getting hard to resist. He was on a mission with no idea what to expect. Even worse a female was in his house who had no regard for either boundaries or rules. One he’d thought about sleeping with, but she most likely was in love with the same man who Danika was in love with. And that man, Mason, he wanted to hate more than anything, but he couldn’t. It wasn’t Mason’s fault he’d been dragged to this plane. He hadn’t asked to be caught by slavers and sold to Danika at auction. In many ways, Mason had more in common with Neeman than anyone knew. Even Mason.
Neeman turned on some music and tried not to think about anything, but all that kept popping into his head was a beautiful, ebony-haired, green-eyed girl, with a tongue like a whip.
Thirty minutes later, Neeman pulled the vehicle into a gas station near Chicago Heights and got out. A group of young vamps stood by the entrance. He walked toward them and they stopped talking.
“You from around here?” he asked.
“Down the road.” One of them pointed.
“You hear or see anything strange lately?”
The boys all looked at each other and then at Neeman.
“There’s some kind of big party down off 16th and Aberdeen.”
“A party isn’t exactly what I was thinking of.”
“This one might be. It’s being held in one of the abandoned houses. A human took up residence there a few days ago and all the female vamps in the area have been flocking to it. Parties there every night this week.”
A human, alone, in an abandoned house. Sounded like what he was looking for.
“16th and Aberdeen? Have any of you gone down there to check it out?”
The boys shook their heads.
“A girl from work went there yesterday and didn’t show up for her shift today, though,” said one.
“Thanks for the help.” Neeman walked back to the car. “A human has taken up residence in an abandoned house a few miles from here. Probably our guy.”
Stephos cracked his knuckles. “Then let’s go knock on his door.”
* * * *
It wasn’t hard to figure out which house the boys had mentioned. All they had to do was follow the stream of female vamps walking up to the front of a boarded up house and through the door. From behind the wooden slats, multicolored light and loud music emanated. A group of male vamps had gathered on the lawn.
Neeman stopped the car and he and Stephos got out. Riley pulled up behind them and both he and a human named John exited their car as well. They grouped up and set a plan.
“I’ll take Stephos and get a feel for what’s going on. Riley, you and John head around the back and see if the door is accessible. If it is, cover it. I’ll call if we need you. I’m hoping this will be an easy one.”
“Do we know what we’re looking for?” asked John.
Neeman clenched his jaw. “A human male.”
“A human?” John’s eyes widened.
“Come on.” Riley tugged John away. “I told you not to bug Neeman,” he whispered.
Neeman and Stephos retrieved their weapons and headed for the front. They passed the group of male vamps.
“Go home,” Neeman said. “We’ll take care of this.”
“My wife’s been in there for two days,” said one male.
“Go home.” Neeman tried to keep his temper in check.
The vamps watched him and Stephos for a minute and then turned and walked away. He made sure they were halfway down the block before continuing. The scent of blood hit Neeman as he stepped onto the crumbling porch. His stomach lurched. It wasn’t human, but vamp blood, sour and almost rotten.
“That’s not a little blood,” said Stephos.
The music pounded out the front door. “Stayin’ Alive” played loud and hard. Neeman took a deep breath and readied himself for whatever he might see. He and Stephos stepped through the door. The front room was empty, not a vamp in sight. Neeman motioned for Stephos to go left into a different room and he continued right. The blaring stereo sat on a table in the corner. Neeman turned it off, his gaze constantly scanning the area. The suddenness of the silence made his ears buzz.
Giggling drifted down the staircase. Stephos came from the back of the house followed by Riley and John.
Neeman pointed upstairs. Stephos nodded.
“The stench is coming from the basement,” Stephos mouthed.
Neeman locked eyes on Riley and pointed. Riley nodded and he and John headed to the back of the house once more.
Neeman followed Stephos to the staircase. They reached the bottom stair the same time as a female vamp. She smiled and then her smile faded.<
br />
“You’re not supposed to be in here. Master Rex will be most displeased.”
She turned, but Neeman grabbed her by the arm. “Get out.”
She laughed. “Of course not. Master Rex likes me. I’m his favorite.”
Neeman gripped her tighter. “Get. Out.”
Her brows furrowed, but she kept on smiling.
The hairs on Neeman’s neck prickled. Something wasn’t right. Before she could move, he backhanded her. Her head rocked to the side.
She blinked twice, her smile fell, and her eyes widened.
“Where am I? Get me out of here,” she whispered. She looked up the stairs and her frame shook. “Get me away from him. Please. He’s a monster.”
John and Riley ran to meet them.
“Bodies,” said Riley. “The basement. It’s full of dead female vamps.”
“Get her outside,” said Neeman.
Riley took the female’s hand and helped her to the door.
“I don’t hear my music!” A male called from upstairs.
“Let’s go.” Neeman and Stephos took the steps two at a time, trying to keep the creaks to a minimum. Peeling and faded green-striped wallpaper was held up only by faded, yellowing photos of a human family. The threadbare, matted carpeting barely covered a scratched wooden floor. At the top of the stairs, several doors were open and light shone from inside.
They passed the first. Naked females sat on a sagging bed braiding each other’s hair. Neeman stared at the scene in disbelief for a moment. He motioned to Stephos and nodded. Stephos stepped into the room. Neeman passed other rooms full of equally saggy and worn furniture with naked women in them. They were all doing innocuous female things. Fixing their hair, putting on makeup, laughing, talking.
“Wife number one, where is my music?” called the male again.
The voice came from the end of the hall. Neeman stopped just outside the room. Riley joined him, with John behind.
“Get the females out,” Neeman whispered.
Rise of the Fae Page 6
