3 Minutes to Midnight: Urban Fantasy Midnight Trilogy Book 1

by L. M Hatchell

“What can I get you?” the petite female behind the bar asked with a smile.

  “I’ll have your finest whiskey and the pleasure of your company for a drink,” Darius said, allowing his natural persuasion to seep into the words.

  Her blue eyes sparkled, but she took only a single glass from the counter.

  Stretching to the highest shelf behind her, she grabbed an old bottle, causing Darius to raise a neatly manicured eyebrow. She knew her whiskey. It almost made him feel bad about his plans to torture her … Almost.

  “I haven’t seen you around before.” She poured the rich golden liquid into a glass and slid it towards him.

  “I travel a lot for business,” he replied as he noted her appreciative glance at the black Armani suit he’d chosen. “It’s not often I get to appreciate the benefits the area has to offer. It appears I’ve been missing out.”

  The female snorted and gave him a look that very clearly said “cut the bull”.

  Swiftly changing tactic, Darius leaned back and rested his arm along the back of his chair. “You own this place?”

  She nodded and he looked around, wondering what it was that Phoenix had loved so much about the small, dingy pub. Although, the whiskey was good, he conceded as he took a sip of his drink, savouring the rich burn as it slid effortlessly down the back of his throat.

  “It’s impressive,” he said out loud. “Could I be so bold as to ask the name of the owner?”

  She shook her head with a wry smile. “I’m Abi. Might I be so bold as to ask your name?”

  “A lady as beautiful as you may be as bold as you like.” He inclined his head and took another sip of his whiskey. “I’m Darius.”

  With introductions complete, his prey relaxed noticeably; her smile came more quickly to his carefully placed compliments, and her pupils dilated ever so slightly as he ran his tongue over his bottom lip.

  He allowed the conversation to flow, imagining creative ways to make her pale skin bleed as he smiled and laughed along at the appropriate moments. Eventually though, he grew tired of the small talk and decided to cut to the chase.

  “What time do you get off work?” he asked, subtly brushing against the fingers she’d been moving subconsciously closer to him.

  Abi gave a quick glance around the bar, then smiled at him. “Any time I want. I’m the boss.”

  “Let me buy you dinner.”

  She hesitated.

  Darius took her hand in his as he stood and met her uncertain gaze with his most seductive smile. “I’m sure your barman can manage without you for an hour. You wouldn’t leave a man to eat alone, now would you?”

  She looked around the bar once more. Only a handful of tables were occupied, and the few customers at the bar were happily nursing their pints.

  “Feck it, why not.” Abi’s smile grew bigger and her eyes sparkled. “Let me tell Paul I’m going and leave a note in case my friend comes back.”

  The smile that watched her back as she hurried away was his first genuine one of the night.

  Even with the benefit of Ethan’s motorbike, the journey took forever. Ethan had wanted to go straight back to his apartment, but though Phoenix knew it was dangerous, she needed to see Abi. She needed to say goodbye.

  The angry growl of the engine only highlighted the crushing weight of things unsaid, and her heart was heavy as they pulled up in front of the pub. Phoenix braced herself for what she needed to do. It wouldn’t be forever. As soon as the whole mess was fixed, she’d come back.

  With a deep breath, she paused at the door and turned to Ethan. “Can you wait here for me?”

  “Phoenix –”

  “Please, Ethan. This is hard enough.”

  She could see the battle rage across his face. He wanted so much to protect her, and this was the easiest place for Darius to find them. But she knew her friend; Abi would think she was being pressured into leaving and that Ethan was the bad guy.

  Eventually, he sighed and nodded. “Make it quick, Phoenix. It’s not safe here.”

  As she turned towards the door of the pub, he reached out a hand to stop her. “I called my father before we came out tonight, just in case things didn’t go to plan with the Council. He’s agreed to give you and your parents refuge with the pack until everything blows over.”

  Ethan watched her closely, as if trying to gauge her reaction. “You’ll be safe there. I’ll make sure of it.”

  A strange feeling tightened Phoenix’s chest and all she could do was nod her gratitude. She pulled open the heavy door and was hit with a blast of warm air along with the familiar scent of home. Low music formed the background soundtrack to the hum of conversation and occasional laughter.

  She looked around apprehensively as she made her way through the pub, but there was no sign of Abi. Grateful that Paul, their part-time barman, was preoccupied with customers, Phoenix gave a small wave and slipped behind the bar, running upstairs to find her friend.

  The dark silence that met her at the top of the stairs caused her steps to falter. There was a strange feeling of abandonment to the apartment. The darkness muted all the bright colours that usually brought it to life, and shadows hinted at ominous possibilities.

  “Abi?” Phoenix called, trying to ignore the niggling sense of unease that was tapping its way along her spine. As she made her way down the hallway to check Abi’s room, she chastised herself for being so jumpy. It’d been a long few days and she needed sleep.

  Abi’s room was empty and the bed neatly made. A subtle hint of musk permeated the air. Phoenix instantly recognised the scent of Abi’s ‘good’ perfume.

  She debated whether or not to call Abi’s mobile as she made her way back to the kitchen, but when she got there, she noticed a small sheet of white paper stuck to the fridge with her name on it. Abi’s bubbly script was immediately recognisable and her shoulders loosened their rigid hold with a sigh of relief as she pulled it from the door. Trust Abi to resort to stone age communication on the off-chance Phoenix returned while she was gone.

  A smile began to form as she read, almost able to hear her friend’s enthusiastic voice describing the tall, dark, handsome man that had come into the bar and insisted she join him for dinner or his life would not be complete. She shook her head, laughing, clearly able to picture the scene in her mind. Abi loved flirting with the customers, but she also liked to make them work for it.

  As she reached the end of the note, the laughter died abruptly in her throat. The words leapt off the page at her, turning her blood to ice in her veins.

  You better get home soon. I need my roomie back. Wish me luck with Darius! X

  Time froze around her, and the words blurred on the page. She clutched desperately for any other explanation; a random coincidence of names, a spelling mistake. Anything.

  It was with an oddly calm sense of detachment that she pulled the phone out of her pocket and scrolled through her contacts. The roar of her heart beat was all she could hear as she pressed the call button and raised the phone to her ear.

  “Phoenix, darling, I’ve been waiting for your call.”

  Darius’s voice was rich and warm on the other end of the phone, but now she could hear something in his tone she’d never heard before – a cruel mocking; subtle but very present.

  “Where is she?” Phoenix was surprised at the steadiness of her voice and amazed that her hands remained still, even as a crushing weight bore down on her chest.

  Laughter rolled through the phone, sending chills through her.

  “What? No time for small talk? But we have so much to catch up on.”

  “Don’t play games with me, Darius.”

  Darius’s voice turned cold, devoid of its feigned warmth. “I don’t play games, Phoenix. You should know that.”

  For the first time, Phoenix realised she was hearing Darius for who he really was, and a little part of her heart – the part that still held a childish hope – broke.

  “What do you want from me?” she asked softly, gripping the ph
one so tight it was a miracle it didn’t snap in half.

  “It’s time we had a little heart to heart. Come to the lair. Alone. If I even sense your little werewolf friend, I will kill the human. And then I will take much pleasure in killing him too.”

  The thump of her pulse grew louder and louder until it was like thunder pounding through her head. She knew the question she needed to ask, but the words stuck in her throat like razor blades.

  “How do I know Abi is alive?” she said finally, and braced herself with resolve.

  The line was quiet for a moment before the silence was shattered by a muffled scream.

  Phoenix’s heart stopped short, and fear for her friend threatened to overwhelm her completely. “I swear, Darius, if you hurt her –”

  “Now is not the time for idle threats, Phoenix. If I were you, I’d get here quickly. It wouldn’t be a good idea to leave me alone too long with such a fragile toy.”

  With a click, the phone went dead and Phoenix let it slide limply from her hand. She stood frozen, her mind desperately grasping for any options available to her. But really, she had none.

  He would kill her. Despite her difficulties comprehending this new reality, she was under no illusions about that point. It didn’t matter though, she wouldn’t leave her friend at his mercy. Whatever happened, she would get Abi out.

  ***

  A satisfied smile spread over Darius’s face as he let the phone fall to the ground and crushed it under the heel of his shoe. She would come. There was no way she’d leave her friend to suffer. Always such a bleeding heart.

  As his thoughts returned to the human, he assessed the small frame hanging from chains fixed to the wall of the main chamber. She was a curious sight, so small and fragile, her blue eyes wide with terror. Yet, a strange defiance remained, and even with her fear, she continued to look him square in the eye.

  It would be fun to try to break her while he waited for Phoenix to arrive.

  He moved closer to her and ghosted his hand slowly down her jaw. Her heartbeat quickened, but still she refused to look away. Driven by her defiance, he let his finger trail down the front of her throat, moving ever lower until it hit the opening of her loose blouse and brushed against the pale mound of her breasts. Her fists clenched tightly as she tensed against his touch, eliciting a rich laugh from him.

  Turning to the metal table that had been set up to the left of the shackles, he ran his hands over the various toys he’d laid out. Soft leather lay in stark contrast to hard, cold steel. Each object held tantalising possibilities.

  Which to choose, which to choose …

  He picked up the heavy iron scissors, enjoying the weight of the metal in his hand. With slow, deliberate movements he made his way back to the girl, twisting his hand so that the flickering candlelight glinted off the blood-stained blades.

  Following the same path his finger had taken, he slid the tip of the scissors gently along her jaw and down the front of her throat. With careful precision, he allowed the razor-sharp blades to continue down before slicing through the soft material of her blouse like it was tissue paper. He paused only when he reached the soft, vulnerable skin of her stomach.

  Sweat beaded on her forehead and she held her breath, as if she could make herself invisible by remaining completely still.

  With a swift upward slice, he tore through the gag covering her mouth. He’d expected her to beg and plead, but was surprised when, instead of doing either, she reared back her head as far as the restraints would allow and spat in his face.

  Warm saliva slid a mocking trail down his cheek and he clenched his jaw in fury. Turning once more to the table, he wiped his cheek and put down the scissors. In its place, he chose the soft leather whip that was his toy of choice for pretty ladies.

  As he faced the human, Darius allowed his fangs to extend. And this time, as the candlelight glinted off the silver spikes that graced the end of the whip, the screaming started in earnest.

  Ethan paced restlessly in front of the pub. It wasn’t safe for them to be here. How had he let her talk him into coming?

  The night around him was quiet and the streets were empty as midnight drew closer. There’d been no sign of the vampires, and no trouble since they’d made their getaway from the lair. That fact alone worried him.

  Needing to do something productive while he waited, he pulled out his phone and called Nate.

  “Is Aria with you?”

  A huffy response regarding his lack of manners, and some muffled noises preceded Aria’s breathless voice.

  “Is Phoenix okay?”

  “Yes, yes, everything’s fine,” he quickly assured her, realising too late the thoughts that must be going through her head. He kept one eye on his surroundings and one on the door of the pub as he quickly relayed the details of their meeting with the C.L.O. rep.

  “It’s not safe for us to stay here any longer is it?” Aria said after a long pause, her voice heavy with resignation.

  He resisted the urge to apologise, knowing his words wouldn’t change the reality she’d faced ever since meeting Marcus.

  “I think it’s best that we head to Donegal tonight,” he replied instead, focusing on the ways that he could help.

  “We’ll be ready. Just bring my baby girl back safe, Ethan.” And with that she hung up, leaving him staring once more at the door of the pub, wondering how long Phoenix had been gone.

  His wolf paced restlessly, something about Aria’s words setting his animal instincts on edge. Phoenix would be furious at him for interrupting a heart to heart with Abi, and he wanted to give her time to say goodbye, but they’d been lucky until now. That luck wouldn’t last forever.

  With a sigh, he pushed his way through the heavy door and was met with a blast of warm air. Dimmed lights and hushed conversations gave an intimate feel that seemed suitably matched to the cold winter night beyond the pub’s confines. Ethan gave the room a quick scan, not really expecting to find Abi or Phoenix in the main part of the bar. He waited until the barman was busy cleaning tables before he slipped quietly to the back of the bar and through the door that led to the living quarters. He took the stairs two at a time, noting vaguely the cool draft as he stepped into the apartment.

  Phoenix’s scent clung to every surface of the small space, but the bright, artistic décor seemed to him the complete antithesis of her personality. Any other time he’d have smiled trying to picture her here with Abi, surrounded by so many colours and soft furnishings. But the silence of the apartment distracted him from any other thoughts of colour charts.

  Phoenix’s scent was fresh, confirming she’d come up to the apartment. So where was she?

  He looked around each room, but saw no signs of struggle and no obvious cause for concern, yet something was setting alarm bells trembling in his head. The cold blast of air when he opened the door to the kitchen explained the draft he’d been feeling. And the open window at the far side of the room sent those alarm bells screaming at full force.

  She wouldn’t have …

  In his rush to the window, Ethan struck something with his foot, sending it sliding across the tiled floor with a clatter. The soft glow of moonlight filtering in from the open window glinted off the object and caused his heart to leap in his chest.

  Phoenix’s phone lay abandoned on the floor, cracked screen causing the shine that had drawn his attention. With a new sense of urgency, he picked it up, temporarily grateful for her negligible sense of security as he easily flicked to her call list without a pin code.

  He knew what he’d find before he saw it – Darius’s name at the top of the list, mocking him. What he didn’t know, or understand, was why she’d call him. Was she that desperate for revenge?

  He forced himself to stay calm as he continued towards the open window. Her scent was particularly strong there, and as he looked down on the alley at the back of the pub, he cursed his incompetence for letting her go in alone.

  Wanting to roar in frustration, he slammed his
fist down on the kitchen counter.

  Another quick scan of the room showed nothing out of place, aside from a crumpled piece of paper that looked odd for no other reason than the relative cleanliness of the room. After pocketing Phoenix’s phone, he unfolded the paper. Bubbly script covered the page before him, and as he quickly scanned the words everything became clear.

  If there was one thing he’d learned about Phoenix, it was that she was unfailingly loyal. She may not be stupid enough to face Darius for revenge alone, but if he had Abi, she wouldn’t hesitate to offer herself up as a sacrifice.

  Without wasting another second, he left the apartment, pulling his own phone from his pocket as he went.

  “Nate, we have a problem.”

  The trip back to the lair was the longest of Phoenix’s life. Her heart had twisted in her chest as she snuck out the back and slipped away into the night in her trusty Mustang. Ethan would be crushed by her betrayal, but there was no other choice.

  Ahead of her, familiar imposing walls loomed, blocking her view of the large, white mansion that lay at the end of the winding driveway. Thick, metal security gates opened silently as she approached, and she drove solemnly into the mouth of the beast. She could feel unseen eyes watching her every move as she pulled up in front of the lair and stepped out of the car.

  The night around her was completely silent, devoid of all signs of life, and shivers ran down her spine that had little to do with the chilling wind. The unnatural silence and the feeling of being watched followed her as she entered the large mansion that housed Darius’s vampires.

  A single vampire stepped into the hallway in front of her, and Phoenix tensed. She didn’t recognise the man, but his black uniform clearly identified him as security, and his seemingly calm demeanour was no indication of his orders. The vampire merely sneered in acknowledgement of her obvious fear and held out a large hand with his palm up.

  Her weapons. He’d been sent to collect her weapons.

  Phoenix almost laughed out loud, realising they’d given her far more credit than they should have. Fear for Abi had overwhelmed her so much that all she’d been able to think about was sneaking out of the pub without Ethan noticing. The large carving knife stuck down the side of her boot wouldn’t have been much help against a lair full of vampires anyway, so it cost her little to hand it over.