by Nina Bangs
She would’ve added more to her lecture, but suddenly, Kione was in her head.
“Utah has a hit. Meet me by the car.”
The young vampire watched her walk away.
* * *
Utah ghosted from shadow to shadow, hugging walls and merging with the darkness beneath trees. Not too many humans stumbled by, but the ones who did would be easy pickings for any bloodsucker that wasn’t too choosy about his food.
Even as the dark outline of the stadium came into view, he still felt the echo of his need for Lia. Yeah, so some of it had to do with how close his soul was to the surface. His beast didn’t differentiate between hungers. One bled into the other. Then there was Kione. His reach must be longer than expected.
Utah almost missed the vampires. Two of them. Tucked up against the wall of the building next to the stadium. Trees and deep shadows protected them. The scent of blood told its own story.
Instinctively, he walled off his thoughts. He was supposed to contact Kione. Not an option anymore. His beast had edged too close to the surface. It didn’t want to share a kill. Kione would probably show up, wiggle his eyebrows, and the two vampires would confess to everything. Where was the fun in that? Lia would remind him that this was about getting information, not slaughtering vampires. No blood. No death. The hell with that. His soul was in control. Utah welcomed it.
He glanced around. Good thing it was so late. Businesses closed. No stray humans wandering in the area. Only a few cars. The vampires had chosen a great spot to feed. Too bad they were due for a serious case of indigestion.
Utah crept closer and closer. Couldn’t overrate the importance of surprise. Had to release his beast as near as possible, as far away from human eyes as possible. Don’t give them a chance to run. His heart pounded, his breathing quickened. Yes, just a little nearer and . . .
He froze. Someone was stalking him. He could feel the presence of another even if he couldn’t hear or see him. Utah remained still, not even breathing, as he assessed the new danger.
“Need help, brother? One for each of us.”
Recognition hit him hard. Utah whirled to face Tor. Damn. “Where the hell did you come from?” His voice was a furious hiss.
Tor grinned at him and put a finger to his lips as he nodded toward their prey. The vampires were busy finishing up what looked like someone who’d waited too late for that last drink. They weren’t paying attention. Too bad for them.
Utah’s brother leaned close. “We’re pack. Pack hunts together. I followed you.”
“Does Fin know what you’re doing?” Utah wanted to stay mad at Tor, but he couldn’t. He’d missed him.
“You kidding? Fin knows everything. He didn’t try to stop me, though.”
Utah nodded. “We take both of them down, but don’t kill them. We want enough left to question.” Once Tor and he had their fun, he’d open up the airwaves for Kione.
Okay, whispering done. Amazing that the vampires hadn’t heard them. Most predators wouldn’t let another hunter sneak up on them like this. Maybe the vampires had grown fat and lazy thinking they were the biggest badasses in town. Utah grinned. They were in for a surprise.
Tor left as soundlessly as he’d arrived. The old routine kicked in. God, it felt good. Utah knew his brother was working his way around the vampires, knew exactly how long it would take, knew the exact moment he stopped and prepared to free his soul. Utah crouched and did the same.
They leaped at the same time. Utah’s soul caught him in mid-jump. Even though he knew anyone watching would see the shadow of his human form within his beast, he didn’t feel human. He was twenty feet of focused death. Utahraptor. The familiar savage hunger and excitement for the kill filled him completely, overflowed in a frothing frenzy. You didn’t get that kind of buzz from a take-out window.
As he leaped over the human’s body to reach the vampire nearer him, Utah noticed that the man still lived. He stared up at Utah with wide glazed eyes. Not good.
Then Utah forgot everything as his soul screamed a silent challenge. He hit his chosen vampire before the bloodsucker even realized he was under attack. The force of his charge knocked the vampire down.
Utah held on to his prey with his bladelike claws while he attempted to disembowel the vampire with the foot-long curved talon on each of his back feet. He closed his jaws with their serrated flesh-cutting teeth on the vampire’s arm. He would’ve preferred the bloodsucker’s head, but he was holding on to his rapidly disappearing control. Don’t kill, don’t kill, don’t kill.
A spray of blood from the vampire’s torn stomach and the satisfying crack of a breaking bone drove him on. He didn’t know what his pack mate was doing. Didn’t care. Utah’s soul was immersed in his battle—the hot coppery scent of it, the feel of flesh tearing, the contorted face of his victim.
It was a silent fight. Even seriously hurt, the vampire didn’t want to call attention to himself. Besides, he was busy trying to play catch-up. He drove his fangs into Utah’s jaw, the only body part he could reach, and ripped away.
Utah felt the hot flow of his own blood, and gloried in it. Yes. This was what he missed, the huge rush of knowing that another predator wanted to kill you unless you killed him first.
The vampire put all his power into trying to pry Utah’s jaws open. Wasn’t going to happen.
Suddenly, the vampire went limp. Utah dropped him. At the same moment, something flung Utah into the wall of the building with such force that he freaking bounced. He came off the wall with a furious scream.
“Be quiet. Sound carries. We don’t want any late-night drop-ins.”
Kione? The red haze of battle faded a little, enough for him to see the dark fairy standing there with Lia beside him. Tor had already returned to human form, and both vampires were down for the moment.
No. It hadn’t lasted long enough. Adrenaline still spiked, zinging in nervous starts to every part of his body. Utah shook from the need to kill and kill some more.
“I can put you on the ground if that’s what you choose. I’m not particularly happy with you right now, partner. Perhaps I misunderstood Adam, but I thought this was supposed to be a team effort.” Kione stared at Tor. “And when did we gain another team member?”
Crap. Just what Utah needed, a bunch of snark from Kione. He shoved his soul back into its cave and returned to human form. “How did you know?”
For the first time, Kione laughed. Utah didn’t like the way Lia’s eyes widened as she watched the fae prince.
“You’re easy, raptor. As soon as you tried to shut me out of your thoughts, I knew you’d found something.”
“So you knocked down my wall and took what you wanted from my mind.” Utah would’ve been a lot more pissed if what Kione said wasn’t true. He had tried to block the unseelie bastard because he wanted the takedown all for himself.
“I didn’t have to. I can find anyone or anything I’ve connected with. So once I knew you’d made a hit, I collected Lia and here we are.” He didn’t give Utah a chance to ask the obvious question. “I can’t explain my powers any more than you can explain how you release your soul. Just know that no matter where you are, I’ll be able to find you.”
“Useful, but creepy as hell.” Utah could imagine a few scenarios where Kione’s talent would mess with his plans.
Lia’s expression said she agreed with Utah. “We need to ask our questions and get out of here before anyone notices us standing around.”
She obviously wasn’t into the power struggle developing between Kione and him.
“I’ll ask the questions.” Kione was definite about that. “And I assume this is your brother. He looks exactly like you only more together.”
Utah didn’t care enough to challenge him for the right to ask the questions. He’d gotten what he wanted from the event. “Hey, knock yourself out. And yeah, this is Tor.” He turned to his brother. “Meet Kione. He’s the fae prince who helped save Lio and finish off Eight back in Philly. I don’t know why he’s here in Portlan
d, but the vampires’ big shit wants him to be our partner.” He motioned to Lia. “You already met Lia.”
Tor nodded at Kione, his expression neutral. Then he grinned at Lia. “Not only did I save your butt at the Museum of Art, but I was there when you challenged Jude.”
Lia didn’t return his grin. “How could I forget? You freed your beast and threatened all of my people.”
Tor shrugged. “Vampires aren’t people.”
She looked as though she wanted to stomp Tor into the dirt over his aren’t-people comment, but he didn’t give her a chance. “Look, I’ve got things to do.” He glanced at Utah. “Talk to you later.” And then he was gone.
Kione didn’t pay any attention to Tor’s departure. He’d walked over to the vampire that Utah’s brother had been battling. The guy was still flat on his back, and he didn’t look like he’d be getting up anytime soon. “Look at me.”
The vampire wasn’t dumb. He didn’t intend to make eye contact with Kione. He looked away.
“Look at me.” This time Kione must’ve put some compulsion into his demand, because the vampire’s head slowly turned toward him. He met Kione’s stare, but he didn’t look happy about it.
Kione’s smile wasn’t encouraging. “Good. Now tell me the name of the leader to whom you give your allegiance.”
The vampire looked defiant. “Don’t have to answer you, asshole.”
“Oh, but you do.” Kione’s expression remained pleasant.
The vampire’s didn’t. His face twisted into an agonized mask. “Okay, okay, I’ll tell you. Just stop that.”
Stop what? Utah knew he’d have a lot to ask Kione when this was all over.
“I follow Ben. He’s our regional leader. And we all answer to Adam.” The vampire put his hands to the side of his head as though he were trying to hold his brain in.
“Stop it.” Lia stepped toward Kione. “He gave his answer. He’s not with Seven or Adam’s rogue. Now let him go.”
Utah figured it was too late for the vampire. The bloodsucker’s eyes closed, and his body settled into that loose look that signaled his essence had left the house. Guess he’d decided to burn the house down after him because a thin trail of smoke drifted from his nose. Utah had heard the phrase “frying your brain,” but he’d never expected to see the real deal.
Lia slowly lifted her gaze from the vampire’s body to Kione. “You cold bastard.”
Kione didn’t blink. “When you go to war you have to expect some collateral damage. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of the body.” As if on cue, the vampire disappeared.
Utah should’ve been solidly on Kione’s side. The only thing he should have regretted was that he hadn’t done the killing. Then where was the satisfaction at one less bloodsucker walking the Earth? Was he allowing Lia’s distress to influence him?
He glanced at the remaining vampire. Young. About sixteen when he was turned. Panic filled the vampire’s eyes. He was trying to roll over so he could crawl, but he was too badly injured. For the first time, Utah saw the human in the monster. He wondered if anyone would bother to see the human in his monster. Not that it mattered.
Kione walked over to the vampire. “Do you have anything more interesting to tell me than your friend did?”
Utah would never have believed he’d see a vampire frozen in fear. Well, now he had. The guy looked up at Kione with eyes wide and staring.
Kione sighed. “I suppose I’ll have to heat up your brain as well.”
“No.” The vampire’s gaze skittered from one to the other. “I follow Ben too. I’ve never heard of this Seven you’re talking about. Please, I don’t know what you want me to say.”
Lia had already planted herself opposite Kione. She stared at him across the vampire’s body. “Leave. Him. Alone.”
Kione didn’t lift his gaze from the vampire. “It seems you have a champion. Too bad that two of us here think you should join your partner in the final death.”
Utah moved to Kione’s side. “What’s your name?” When had he started worrying about a bloodsucker’s name?
“Dan.” The vampire cast him a terrified glance.
“How long have you been vampire?” Why was that important to him?
“Six months.” Dan’s voice cracked.
A child. Utah was impressed. From what he knew of vampires, a six-month-old bloodsucker should be a single-minded, brainless feeding machine. Both vampires were probably young. That’s why they’d been careless enough to be taken by surprise.
“I think he’s telling the truth.” Kione sounded impatient. “I can’t get anything from his mind. There’s too much fear.” He looked at Utah. “Would you like to take care of this?”
Kione was extending an olive branch by offering him the kill. Funny thing, though. He didn’t want to kill the kid. Kid? The kid had probably sucked more than a few Portland citizens dry.
“I won’t let you.” Lia drew her gun. “Either of you.”
“Do you think you can stop us?” Kione’s voice was deceptively soft.
“Scratch the ‘us,’ Kione.” Utah couldn’t believe he was coming down on the side of a vampire. “Let him go.”
Lia looked at Utah, surprise and gratitude in her eyes. Her approval warmed him. Not a good sign. Maybe his reaction was just a residual effect of Kione’s power. He’d rather believe that than admit . . . What? He didn’t know and refused to speculate.
Kione turned his attention to Utah. Wicked anticipation lit his eyes. “And if I don’t? Will you challenge me, raptor?”
Utah understood the hungry shine in Kione’s eyes, knew his own eyes must look the same. “Definitely.”
The fae prince stilled. Utah tensed. He didn’t fool himself. Kione would have him before he had a chance to free his beast. He wished he knew what the damn fairy was thinking.
The moment stretched on, the silent promise of death interrupted only by the vampire’s terrified whimper.
Lia broke the silence. “Maybe you’ve forgotten why we’re here. If you guys tear each other up, then I’ll have to hunt down this rogue vampire by myself.” She didn’t look as casual as she sounded. She still held her gun ready. “I’ve already had to get his name for you.”
“What?” Utah and Kione spoke in unison.
“His name is Chris.”
She’d taken on a vampire and gotten a name from him? “How?” Utah knew his eyes were wide with shock.
“I met a vampire in the bar near where the car is parked. We talked. He told me.”
Utah’s stare promised he’d have the whole story later.
Kione took a deep breath, and the tension eased. “I don’t understand all this passion over one vampire.”
“I’m human now, but pretty soon I’ll be like Dan here. That won’t change the essential me, though.” Lia lowered her gun a little.
“Are you sure?” Kione looked doubtful. “I’ve seen what happens to the old ones. After a few hundred years, you won’t remember your humanity. Humans will be merely a food source.”
“Don’t count on it.” Lia sounded pretty definite about that. “I don’t think Dan was a bad human, and I’d bet he’s not a bad vampire either.” Lia leaned forward, her expression intent. “Vampires are individuals—some bad, some good. Maybe you should find out which before killing any more.”
Kione looked down at the vampire. “He’s not worth drawing blood over. I’ll wipe his memory and give him a new one. I’d rather not have Adam know I destroyed one of his people. It might damage his image of me as his helpless tool.”
Kione went down on one knee beside Dan. “Look at me, vampire.”
Dan didn’t try to fight him.
“None of this happened. You split from your friend. You never saw him again. And you don’t remember ever seeing any of us. You met with a strange vampire who attacked you. You managed to escape.” He stood and turned his back on the vampire.
He walked over to the human who was still somehow conscious. “I suppose you want him saved
too.”
“Yes.” Lia scanned the area. She slipped her gun back into her pocket. “Then let’s get out of here before someone sees us.”
Utah watched Dan roll over and crawl into the shadows. It wouldn’t take him long to heal enough to make it back to the tunnels.
Kione reached down and cupped his hand over the human’s torn throat. The wound closed before disappearing. Then he placed his palm on the man’s forehead. The man blinked and sat up.
“What the hell happened?” The guy got shakily to his feet. He stood swaying as he stared at them. “God, I feel dizzy.” He glanced down. “Where’d all this blood come from?”
Kione locked gazes with the man. “I suppose you had too much to drink. I wouldn’t know about the blood. Perhaps you’d better hope no dead bodies turn up around here. We were passing by and saw you lying here. Can you make it home on your own?” Kione couldn’t quite twist his expression into something that resembled human caring.
“Yeah, I guess so.” He braced himself against a tree. “Feel sort of funny. Uh, thanks for stopping.” Then he pushed away from the tree and staggered toward the street.
“You have no idea how thankful you should be.” Kione’s whispered comment didn’t reach the man.
“Wow, I’m impressed, prince. The healing, the mind wipe, all powerful stuff. I wonder what else you can do.” Lia might be telling the truth about being impressed, but she didn’t look friendly while she was saying it. “Too bad you enjoy killing so much.”
Utah noticed that she’d put some distance between Kione and her. He could tell her it didn’t matter. Kione’s sexual compulsion had a long reach.
Kione’s smile was a mere baring of his teeth. “It’s ‘too bad’ that you don’t understand the true nature of vampires. They deserve killing.”
Well, what do you know. Someone who hated vampires as much as he did.
Lia interrupted Utah’s thoughts. “Just got a mental bulletin from Adam. He wants us to report back to him. Now. Oh, and he wants you guys to drop your shields so he can reach you in an emergency.”
Interesting. Utah couldn’t keep Kione out of his head, but his wall must be working with Adam. Good to know.
