He’d made it sound like she was the one trying to push into their lives, trying to be part of their little makeshift pack. But it was the other way around. They’d forced themselves into her life! All she was trying to do was get the mess cleared up so she could go back to her “cushy life” as he’d so scathingly put it.
Grateful that it was still too early for the cleaner to be in, Phoenix slipped quietly towards the back of the bar. She was hoping to catch a few hours’ sleep before she had to face people again.
Fate seemed to have other ideas, however.
As she stepped through the door at the back, she ran straight into Abi. Her friend stood wrapped in a fluffy purple dressing gown that engulfed her petite frame. Her arms were crossed as she leaned against the stairs that led to their apartment.
“I heard you go out early. I was worried.”
Phoenix looked away as the guilt temporarily wiped all other thoughts from her mind. “I couldn’t sleep. Thought maybe I’d go for a run.”
“Bullshit.”
The softly spoken word pulled her attention back to Abi in surprise. Concerned blue eyes watched her expectantly and for the first time ever, she didn’t know what to say to her best friend.
“I’m worried about you, Phoenix.” Abi unfolded her arms with a sigh. “You haven’t been yourself … not since this guy came on the scene.”
“It’s not like that, I –”
Abi held up a hand to stop her protests
“If you don’t want to talk to me about it, that’s fine,” she said, although the hurt expression in her eyes stated otherwise. “But don’t insult our friendship by lying to me.”
A lump formed in Phoenix’s throat that caused a dull ache and made it difficult to swallow. She wanted to deny Abi’s words, but how could she when they were true? Silence stretched between them and unspoken words caused a void that Phoenix didn’t know how to cross.
“I’m calling Paul in to cover the bar. Take the night off and get some rest. You look like shit.” Her friend turned her back without another word and started up the stairs.
At the top, she looked back over her shoulder one last time. “I love you, Phoenix. I’m here when you’re ready to talk.”
Il Maestro regarded the silver coin as it burned an imprint into the palm of his hand. It was funny how such small, innocuous things could cause so much pain. The searing ache of silver had not subsided over the years. He merely found he’d come to enjoy the challenge it posed and the focus the pain demanded. It was now a useful reminder of the hardship that must be endured in order to achieve greatness.
Some things did not need to be endured, however, and he’d reached the end of his patience with the constant interference in his operations. There was too much on the line; he’d waited too long for this.
“Tell me again what happened at the bookshop,” he ordered his head of security. He needed to get the scene straight in his head.
In quick, concise detail, Raphael recounted the botched robbery, including a list of casualties. “Esme has confirmed the talisman is now safely in her possession, however.”
Il Maestro waved the comment away, troubled by something else entirely. “What could the witches tell us about the attackers?”
“Not much. The ones that got away were either more concerned with the talisman, or were feeling somewhat forgetful thanks to their injuries.” Scorn laced Raphael’s tone, making it all too clear what he thought of the witches’ weakness.
“They’ve confirmed that one of the attackers bore the signature of a wolf. The other signature was … unclear.”
It was an odd choice of words. The witches were barely a generation away from being human, but even their inferior skills should have been able to identify the signature.
“It seems strange, don’t you think, that we have once again run into setbacks as a result of a mangy dog.” Il Maestro spoke mostly to himself as his eyes followed the path of the coin over the back of his hand.
Raphael placed enlarged images on the desk in front of him. “We managed to pull these from CCTV footage in the area of the robbery. And this” – he placed another image on the desk, grainier but still legible – “was taken from Temple Bar on the night that the test subjects were attacked.”
Even in the poor quality black and white images, the similarities were evident. “So, we’re dealing with the same subject.”
“We believe so.”
The confirmation didn’t surprise him; it was as he expected. Much of their recent testing had focused on werewolves, it was possible they’d inadvertently drawn attention to themselves as a result. Still, another thought was beginning to take shape in the back of his mind.
As he looked back at the images from the night of the robbery, it was the second subject that drew his attention. Encased in shadows, the figure was little more than a silhouette in the print, but there was one very definable feature that stood out to him.
“Subject two was a woman?” He looked to Raphael for confirmation.
“None of the cameras picked her up clearly, but based on the shape, and the witches limited information, that would seem to be the case.” A somewhat disconcerting smile settled over Raphael’s face. “Quite a fit one too if the silhouette is anything to go by.”
Not for the first time, Il Maestro was reminded why this vampire was his right-hand man. A vision of control and efficient practicality, but beneath the surface lay a level of depravity that rivalled any other he’d encountered. Generally, he could appreciate, and encourage, such proclivities, but for now, they needed to tread carefully.
He debated his decision for a moment before giving the order. “I think it’s time we fetch our hybrid.”
Raphael’s mouth split into a wide grin, displaying his razor-sharp fangs and transforming his face into a thing of nightmares.
Phoenix felt an unexpected sense of comfort and relief being back in her own gym. The smells, the noises, the familiar faces, and a convenient ban on supernatural powers. It seemed like an ideal place to satisfy Ethan’s desire to train but keep his incessant nagging at bay. So she’d thought at least.
“Dammit, wolf, what’s your problem?”
She blew sweat-soaked hair out of her eyes. Had he decided pummelling her to death was the best way to stop the prophecy?
Ethan merely grunted and flung a towel at her as he turned for the changing rooms. “Get dressed. Abi will be expecting you.”
Phoenix sighed and wiped her face with the towel. It had been so tempting not to answer her phone after the last training session. So tempting to just stay home and forget it all. She’d even cancelled her round of patrol the following night by claiming the bar was short-staffed and she needed to work. However, it didn’t take long for guilt to get the better of her.
As it turned out, Ethan had fallen off the radar himself for a few days, so no one seemed too concerned about her absence; a fact that only reinforced Shade’s words. Questions to his whereabouts had been met with vague responses, but he was definitely crankier since returning. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear it was the full moon again already.
Once at the showers, Phoenix struggled out of her now-drenched sports top, wrestling to free herself of the clingy material. Every muscle in her body ached, and even her bones were making their protest known.
The presence of humans hadn’t given her the upper hand in the slightest. If anything, he’d gone harder on her since he couldn’t push the issue of her non-existent powers. She was still glad she’d made him train on her terms for once, though. The distance from the others, Shade in particular, gave her a bit of the perspective she’d been needing.
By the time the scalding water finished its pounding dance over her skin, she was even feeling somewhat understanding of the stress Ethan was under. Somewhat.
She took a couple of minutes to blow dry her hair – death by pneumonia would be very anti-climactic – before grabbing her jacket and heading outside to find Ethan under the dim glow
of a streetlight.
The sight made Phoenix stop. It was odd for him to place himself in such a visible, open position; he was usually more careful than that. Her concern grew as she noted the stiff set of his stance and the strain showing around his eyes.
What the hell is up with him?
Before she could comment, he shifted his weight from the lamppost and motioned for her to start walking.
She pulled her jacket tightly around herself and followed him in silence. Her breath misted in front of her face as the chilling air hit her lungs. The cold didn’t seem to bother Ethan at all, and Phoenix found herself envious of the naturally high body temperature that was typical of wolves and shifters.
The streets were deserted as they walked in the direction of the pub. The near freezing temperatures and heavy threat of rain encouraged anyone with sense to curl up in front of a warm fire for the night.
“Why did you want to train here?” Ethan asked, breaking the silence that sat heavily between them.
She hesitated, wondering how honest to be. In the end, she opted for his tactic: keep it vague. “I just needed to be close to home for a while.”
“Shade said you weren’t around for training while I was gone.”
Phoenix tensed. What else had Shade being saying to him when she wasn’t around? “I’m sure he didn’t miss me too much.”
Clearly noticing the edge to her tone, Ethan gave her a mildly reprimanding look. She fought the urge to stick her tongue out at him and focused instead on the path in front of her.
“I know he’s not an easy person to get on with, but Shade’s a good guy once you get past the exterior.”
“Sure.”
“His Sire abandoned him before he’d even finished turning. He was all alone, yet he managed not to give in to blood lust.”
Ethan’s words stopped Phoenix short, just as he knew they would. Young vampires were extremely susceptible to blood lust; it was why the Council imposed such strict rules around siring. For a newly turned vampire to wake alone and control those urges was astounding.
“His Sire just left him to turn?”
Ethan nodded. “He has no memories from before he was turned. At least that’s what he says.”
She chewed this information over as they lapsed back into silence. Had she been too quick to judge Shade? Sure, he had a shitty attitude, but waking up dead and alone had to leave you with some issues. Rather than making her feel more charitable, the thought just made her more irritated. Shade had been a complete dick to her since she’d met him. And for what? All she was doing was trying to help.
She blew out a long breath and forced herself to let go of the silent argument that was brewing in her head. It would do no good wasting precious energy being pissed; best to just forget it.
As they passed Whitethorn Park, Phoenix’s thoughts turned to the strange makeshift pack Ethan had formed. He’d surrounded himself with a member of nearly every race of the Lore and seemed oblivious to how strange that was. What would he do when it was all over?
“Will you go back to your pack? When everything is over with the prophecy?”
He looked at her in surprise, a puzzled expression settling on his face. “I hadn’t really thought about it. I guess so. There’d be no real reason for me to stick around.”
“Do you not think the others would miss you?”
More confusion. “Why would they?”
Phoenix let out a short laugh of disbelief. “You’re their leader. They look up to you.”
At her words, his expression closed down completely, only the telltale muscle tick in his jaw telling her she’d hit a nerve.
“I’m nobody’s leader,” he said tightly, and turned away from her.
More than ready to call bullshit, Phoenix stopped walking and stood with her hands on her hips. “Really? Well, it doesn’t stop you from bossing everyone around!”
He gave her a warning glare but didn’t respond.
“Oh, come on, Ethan. Lie to yourself all you want, but you’re an Alpha through and through. You can’t hide from what you are.”
He turned on her in an instant, his eyes flashing angrily. “Really? You’re one to talk, Phoenix.”
She reeled, the sting of his anger catching her completely by surprise. “Me?”
“Yes, you, Phoenix! You’ve spent your whole life trying to run from who you are, and now you’re going to judge me?”
Phoenix stood frozen to the spot. Her gut clenched as if his words had been a solid right hook. All the anger and frustration of recent weeks began to rise like bile in her throat, burning open countless old wounds.
“I don’t have a problem with who I am,” she spat back, digging her nails into the palm of her hands to stop them trembling. “It’s everyone else that seems to have a problem with that.”
“Oh, cry me a fucking river, Phoenix. You’ve had a hard life? Well, guess what? Everyone has. Maybe if you started accepting who you are, everyone else would too.”
“I do accept who I am,” she shouted, no longer feeling understanding or conciliatory in the slightest.
“Then why do you hold your powers back?” Ethan yelled, equally as loud.
Without thinking, she took a step back and a look of triumph flashed in his eyes. Anger was quickly replaced with numbness as the walls she’d perfected her whole life were thrown up to block the pain caused by his words. Funny, she hadn’t even realised they had come down to start with.
Without another word, she turned and walked away. The deafening thud of her heart the only sound that followed her.
***
Phoenix was shaking as she strode purposefully in the direction of the bar. Adrenaline flooded her system, making her feel sick to her stomach, and she pointedly ignored the strange burning in her throat that indicated the embarrassing potential for tears.
Who the hell does he think he is? He better not even think about following me …
Actually, why the hell wasn’t he following her? He should be rushing to apologise; he’d been completely out of line!
Where had that outburst even come from? She’d obviously hit a sore spot, but that didn’t mean he had to lash out at her. She was working her arse off trying to help; it wasn’t her fault if she wasn’t living up to his expectations –
Her mental ramblings were swiftly cut off by a snarl as a dead weight hit her, dropping her to the cold, unforgiving concrete.
Her head hit the ground with a solid thud, and the flash of pain caused her vision to swim. A heavy weight pinned her and made it impossible to move. Her lungs struggled to expand beneath the restriction.
She tried to get a look at her assailant, but a large hand shoved her face unceremoniously back towards the ground. Her senses screamed vampire, but the blow to her head, coupled with reducing oxygen levels, made it hard to think straight. Whoever her attacker was, he wasn’t human.
The hard grit of the ground rubbed against her cheek, and she could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck. Large hands moved from her shoulders to run suggestively down along her sides. The movement caused her heart rate to ricochet and her vision to clear abruptly.
With considerable effort, she forced herself to slow her breathing and let her body become soft and compliant. The pressure on her back eased a little, and a deep, masculine voice chuckled softly in her ear. The sound made her skin crawl; it was all she could do not to scratch her skin off.
She waited until he was preoccupied with his uninhibited groping before she snapped her head back with as much force as she could muster from her limited vantage point. Her efforts were rewarded with a satisfying crunch of bone and an angry grunt as blood splattered the ground around her.
His hold on her didn’t give, however. Instead, it tightened as he hauled her to her feet like a ragdoll. She struggled against him as every cell in her body screamed to get away from his touch. A heavy heat began to build in the palms of her hands.
“Uh uh, no you don’t,” he growled as he slamme
d her against a nearby wall.
His voice. There was something strangely familiar about it. A niggling memory tugged at her consciousness, but before she could think on it further, she felt a sharp prick in her neck and all strength left her body in an instant.
Fear spiked through her as she watched the needle fall to the ground. Her thoughts became hazy, and she was dimly aware of the cold air hitting her stomach as her attacker roughly pushed a hand under her top. His calloused skin grasped her breast as he shoved her legs apart.
“Il Maestro never said anything about me having a bit of fun before I brought you in. I’ve wanted to do this for a very long time.” The low-spoken words were filled with such malice that, even through the haze, it chilled her to her very soul.
A voice, deep in the back of her mind, screamed for her to fight back. But she couldn’t move. Her limbs were heavier than they’d ever felt before. She wanted to sob, to scream out in frustration at her ineptitude.
Slowly, her vision began to fade, filling with a white light that seemed to grow stronger and stronger. Numbly, she was aware that her body was shaking and a heat was building once again. Only this time, it was building not just in her hands, but throughout her entire body. It grew hotter and hotter as the white light grew stronger.
“Argh, you bitch!” Her attacker roared in pain and slammed her against the wall again before sinking a pair of razor-sharp fangs deep into her throat.
In an instant the light was gone, and all that was left was pain.
Blinding pain.
Phoenix screamed.
Dammit that woman drives me insane!
Ethan fumed as he stared in the now empty direction Phoenix had stalked off. She had no right lecturing him about accepting who he was when she was the one who insisted on ignoring everything that made her special.
3 Minutes to Midnight: Urban Fantasy Midnight Trilogy Book 1 Page 12
