Hunting Tess

by Kathryn Summers

  Even without my enhanced hearing I would be able to hear a panicked Leo on the other line. I quickly look to the clock which reads just after midnight before remembering he’s a security guard on campus.

  “Hold on, hold on. What did you see? Okay, I’m on my way. And don’t touch it. They have poisonous quills.” Hanging up he shoots me another apologetic face.

  “Want some company?”

  “This shouldn’t take long. And I know for a fact that you’re exhausted.”

  It’s true. Besides the obnoxious ear that refuses to pop it feels like a chore to keep my eyes open. “Why are you still standing here? Leo needs help with . . . something. I don’t even want to imagine what he described to you.”

  Chuckling, Parker kisses my hairline before moving to grab the wallet he threw on the table. “I fully expect you to be asleep by the time I get back, Ms. Addams.”

  “That makes two of us,” I agree. “Please be careful.”

  “I always am,” he smiles, turning down the hallway. I wait until hearing the door close before grudgingly grabbing my overnight bag that I hauled to Dallas, naively thinking I would have some chance to see the city.

  Turning my phone off airplane mode, which I discovered earlier is a problematic tendency when Parker is around to distract me, I’m unsurprised to see Eliza has texted me. Forty-seven times. Shaking my head in amusement I shoot off a quick message that yes, I landed in one piece, and no, I haven’t had the chance to read all of her thoughts quite yet.

  Reverting to autopilot in my bedtime routine, I focus the majority of my energy on gossiping about her and Ben’s budding romance. Setting my toothbrush back on its charger I know Eliza could, and probably will, go on for days, but my energy is spent. Kindly letting her know I will be refreshed and ready in the morning, I smile when she says that she’ll call me.

  Climbing between cool sheets is soothing. After twisting my hair out of the way so I don’t get stuck in the middle of the night, my body relaxes into the mattress.

  Then a phone rings.

  I keep my eyes closed, waiting to see if Caleb is asleep or if he’s with Lorelai. After the fifth ring the phone stops. I figure Caleb must have answered it until it starts ringing again a few seconds later. It might just be possible to fall asleep despite the ringing, I attempt to reason.

  My powers of persuasion need work.

  Jumping out of bed I race down the stairs, following the ringing until I reach Parker’s office. The ceiling lights are off but the blue florescent light and gentle hum of the computer greet me. A cordless phone sits next to the hunk of metal and I silently question the type of person who still uses a landline. When the third set of ringing starts, I snatch up the receiver.

  “Parker?”

  “Uh, no,” I say, feeling like I recognize the voice. “He stepped out. May I take a message?”

  “Tess?”

  “Yes . . .”

  “It’s Marc. Listen, the guys from Dallas just got back to me about the Master’s identity and there’s been a sighting.”

  If they already got a photo of him, we should have focused all our efforts into tracking Stephany Wares a long time ago. I bet it was that guy by the window who provided the answers.

  “A sighting? Where?”

  “CU Boulder.”

  CHAPTER 15

  HIM

  Leo jerks his finger toward the dead creature even though I can see it from here. A round black ball the size of a baseball covered in long razor-sharp spikes lays motionless next to a short set of stairs. I pull on the heavy duty gloves I always keep in my trunk, stretching out my hand so my fingers fit snug as a thick leather pack sits tucked under my arm.

  “Has anyone else seen this?” I ask, crouching down to get a look at the creature, unfolding the bag to deposit its body. More and more of its kind have been venturing into crowded locations instead of the deep damp caves they prefer.

  Leo squats next to me, running his left hand through his hair. “No. I distracted the other guard I was with long enough to kick it in this corner.”

  I look at his black vans, worried he might have been pricked. “And before you ask,” he continues, “I feel fine. No searing pain racing from my foot to my heart. That’s what you said, right? The venom attacks the heart?”

  Delicately picking up the creature I drop it into the open bag, nodding in confirmation. After cinching the cord, we stand. Yellow haze from sidewalk lights illuminates the concrete walkway, casting everything else into darkness. The dark is even more pronounced without the glow from illumined building windows.

  “How many people are working tonight?” I ask, unable to shake off the ominous mood settling in my bones.

  “There are just four of us. Not unusual, but I’ll do a sweep to make sure there aren’t any more of those things lying around.”

  A man steps out from the shadows into the haze of one of the lights, his hands inside his front pockets like he hasn’t a care in the world. His feet carry him closer, strolling along the sidewalk.

  “Excuse me, sir, but the campus is currently closed. I’m going to have to ask you to exit the premises.”

  The advancement doesn’t stop and I have to put my arm out in front of Leo to keep him from approaching. A second pair come from the left, entering the quad which is quickly becoming too crowded for my taste.

  Sizing up the newcomers becomes difficult when more individuals round various corners pinning us in. My body desperately wants to shift from the cloying scent of danger.

  “How many people know you work the night shift security?”

  Out of the corner of my eye I see Leo shaking, likewise controlling the urge to shift. “No one. I haven’t been working for very long.”

  “Except for the people you work with,” I piece together under my breath. “Has anyone not shown up for their shift today?”

  “Well, someone came in sick so my boss sent her home,” Leo answers, confused about my question.

  A light breeze races through the open space bringing astounding clarity and instant rage.

  “It’s a set up.”

  I realize after hastily calculating the number of vampires Leo and I will be up against that we are not in a favorable position. Nimbly sliding the phone from my pocket, I go to call Caleb when I see fifteen missed calls from Tess.

  Shoot.

  “You’re out a little late, aren’t you pups?” one of the men sneers. I really hate to lose this top since Tess commented on how she liked it earlier, but desperate times.

  Ripping through my clothes I phase in record speed, watching Leo’s back until his transformation is complete. The stench of rotting fruit assaults my nose and I wish I could cover it with a cloth. The vampires step back from witnessing firsthand the enormity of our size. At least they have some sense of fear. If Leo and I are going to try and take on the twenty vamps littering the quad then maybe that fear will come in handy.

  I snarl at a vampire who gets brave, sending her right back to the safety of her coven.

  “Now, now,” a tall man chides. He’s dressed like he should be shopping in Milan instead of standing on wet pavement in designer shoes. “Let’s not antagonize our guests . . . yet.”

  The others shrink back when he walks by them and I can feel the saliva dripping down my canines. This must be the Master. Though he keeps his distance, probably knowing I will rip his head off the first chance I get, he looks calm.

  Tension rolls off Leo in waves. As part of the same pack we can discern each other’s moods. It comes in handy during a hunt, but I don’t think the tool will work as well here.

  “It’s a shame you’ve already changed since I would have enjoyed a conversation while we wait. But, I must admit, I prefer you keep your current furry form. Talking with a naked individual has never appealed to me. Unless, of course, they were a fine woman.”

  My jaws snap thinking of him getting his hands on Tess. Before my brain tells my body it’s a bad idea, I’m charging the vampire only to b
e knocked aside by Leo. Pain flashes at my left shoulder when it grates against the cement. Leo nips at a couple of vampires who come too close while I’m on the ground, but I’m grateful for his interference. The vampire is just baiting me. And I almost left Leo completely alone. If I die Leo will too.

  Shaking off the pain, I walk a territorial circle to get a good idea on how to attack. Leo is the least experienced of the three of us, though that doesn’t make his teeth any less sharp.

  A cry of agony echoes against the buildings surrounding the quad as heads snap toward the noise.

  “I’ve always thought bath bombs and lotions were therapeutic. Turns out ridding the world of one more scumbag has the same effect.” Tess kicks the dead vampire at her feet. Her loose hair flows freely against the darkened sky, and while I know how dangerous she can be, she doesn’t look all that threatening in fuzzy pajamas.

  My heart squeezes at her abrupt appearance. I could have created a distraction to give Leo enough time to get away, but I cannot allow Tess to be taken.

  The Master silently questions a younger vampire next to him who nods his head. It only takes a second to recognize him from the computer monitor the night the Tess’s parents were murdered.

  “Ah, Tess, I apologize our introduction is less than orthodox, but you are a tricky woman to lure out of hiding.”

  The two vampires closest to her move in sync for a capture, but end up facedown like their comrade.

  Against all my better judgement she walks closer. I try to will her into reading my mind, frantically shouting for her to get away. Steadily passing within the vicinity of the lamplights makes it easier to see the cartoonish elephants decorating her soft blue pajamas. I wonder how she figured out this trap and mentally kick myself for keeping my phone on silent.

  She makes eye contact and I nearly go berserk from rage. Her calm demeanor is the only thing tethering my tauten muscles in place. If a vampire so much as touches her, I know I will attack.

  “I assume you aren’t worried about this little episode going viral?”

  The Master appraises the intimate gathering. “Not when those within earshot have been dispatched.”

  Leo said only four coworkers showed up for their shifts tonight. That’s four more innocent people killed. I wonder if the body count will stop there.

  Brazenly walking through enemy lines, she grows closer to the eye of the storm as other unholy creature’s step back in hesitation. Granted, they just lost three of their party which I suppose would put you on edge. Keeping my eyes trained on her the rage begins to calm. Her path to me is straight, now unmolested by any vampire wishing to stay undead.

  Before she bridges that final gap the Master steps into her path along with a handful of others. A growl rumbles in my chest as red fills my vision. Others must sense their leader in trouble because they tighten the circle and invariably grow closer to Tess.

  Light from the nearest hazy beam illuminates her face as she stares down the Master.

  “I know you,” she whispers in shock. A look of concentration comes over her, like she’s trying to remember something. Whatever it was, her face instantly morphs to revulsion. “First of all, eww. Second of all, not going to happen so thanks for playing. And third of all, if you like your head where it is then step away from my mate.”

  “So it is true,” he responds knowingly as if previously rehearsed. “It pains me that you will take the separation so hard, but in time all things heal—”

  “Are you insane?” she sputters the same time I release a menacing bark. Leo bumps into my back as he guards the half I cannot see.

  “Do not. Interrupt me. Again.” The staccato words are neither whispered nor shouted, but the sudden power behind them leaves no doubt that this truly is a Master.

  The wind picks up in intensity, blowing Tess’s dark strands away from her face. The number of vampires separating her from me would be time consuming and messy. But I will make it to her side. So trained on Tess I completely ignore all other movement until I’m blindsided by the additional reinforcements for the vampires side.

  Even if all three of us were to fight, we’re outnumbered ten to one. Tess can handle herself, of that I have no doubt. I would be fine as well, most likely. Leo on the other hand. He needs more training before going up against a crew of this size. Then there is also the Master to worry about.

  “Your safety is my greatest priority. Therefore, it is my desire for this meeting to remain civil, though that is up to you. If you come willingly then the lives of these dogs will be spared. But I will not leave here empty-handed. If these shifters die trying to keep you from me, then so be it.”

  She recoils as if physically hit, her stance no longer neutral. “For as long as you have lived,” she whispers faintly, a stillness settling over her form which I recognize as the quiet before the storm, “you’re pretty stupid.”

  Swinging her arm up, the Master moves with incredible speed before chaos erupts and I can no longer see Tess. Biting and slashing my way through the pressing hordes, a sharp scrape slides the length of my side and I fear for a moment that I was disemboweled. Ripping off the arm of the vampire wielding its nails like a dagger only puts another fully functioning monster in its place. Shouts ring out into the night, echoing off the buildings and intensifying the fight which now leans more toward a battle.

  A cacophony of new voices blends together into a discordant song, but the one voice I am actively searching for stays silent. Barking and snapping at anything remotely close, a searing heat flies overhead nearly scorching my ears. The fireball erupts against a section of paned glass windows covering one of the buildings.

  My ears thrum with rushing blood. My singular purpose is to end the existence of as many vampires as possible. Perhaps then Tess will have a chance to escape.

  ***

  My throat burns and my side feels like someone is shoving a white-hot six-foot long poker up against it. But the stench of now decaying flesh and death is replaced with sweat and the alluring fragrance of rose. Blinking away the frenzy of the fight, my body unwinds at the warm arms clamped around my neck.

  “Well that could have gone better,” Derek, a member of Marc’s team, chimes from somewhere behind me. I nuzzle my face against Tess, trying to fill in the blanks of the fight and vowing to never leave her side again.

  “We were lucky they retreated,” Marc comments. Straightening up I eye the leader and nod my head. Tess must have found out through Marc, and though I wish she hadn’t come, I’m grateful he did. The reinforcements he brought is the main reason I’m still alive.

  Swinging my head in search of Leo, I find him standing in his human form and exhale my relief. When I didn’t feel any emotions coming from him, I feared the worst. Guilt assuages me at what nearly happened to him. To him and Tess.

  “Your side looks pretty bad, but from what Rebecca said you’ll recover.” Tears prick Tess’s eyes and I step back to do a full visual scan making sure she wasn’t injured. “I’ll be fine,” she says, giving a watery chuckle at the thorough examination before growing quiet for a moment.

  “He knew who you were.” She tears up again and I want to change back to hold her in my arms, but doing so without clothes would send the wrong message. “He knows how much you mean to me. Parker, you’re not safe anymore.”

  “Hey, do you want to change?” Leo comes up to ask, stepping around the remains scattered across the grass. “I’ve got another set of clothes in my car. We’ll need all hands on deck to clean up this mess.”

  A tear trails down Tess’s soft cheek so I do the only thing I can.

  “Eww, gross,” she laughs, wiping away the spit covering half her face.

  “Thanks for showing up when you did,” Leo states to Marc who stops before us, his face all business.

  “I want to know everything that happened today, starting with Dallas. The team there was able to get facial software recognition set up in record time, and I want to know how they were able to jumpstart thi
ngs so quickly when we’ve been working on tracking the Master for weeks.”

  “I think Stephany Wares is the person responsible for this fiasco.” Tess pulls out her phone which has a large crack now running down the center of the screen, her quick fingers already swiping a message. “I’ll see if I can find anything out about her.”

  “And by that you mean?”

  “She’s gifted. Or do you suppose vampires would work with any ol’ person? I want to know what she can do. After selling us out to her boss, I want to pay her a little visit.”

  “Did you expect anything less?” Leo asks.

  “No. But I expected Grant’s team to handle her better.”

  “I had a brief talk with Grant,” Marc informs as his team drags bodies of the undead now officially dead out of the quad. We could leave them to turn to ash in the sunlight, but I’m sure campus will see some activity before then. Cleaning up Pete’s fire damage will be another problem. “His team paid Ms. Wares another visit only to find an empty space. She packed up and left without a trace.”

  Leo claps Tess on the shoulder. “Looks like your plot for revenge will have to wait.”

  I want to ask about the other security guards since Leo obviously hasn’t pieced together that they’ve been killed, but a muzzle isn’t suitable for talking.

  “Parker, I need you to do a quick scout and make sure there aren’t any lurkers. After that we’ve got work to do.”

  CHAPTER 16

  HER

  “You’re amazing, you know that, right?” I laugh, bouncing in my seat when the SUV goes over a speed bump.

  “I have been told once or twice,” Ben replies over the phone. His networking skills are impressive to have discovered Stephany Wares history this quickly. “Anyway, I should go. Eliza and I have a movie date in about ten minutes.”

  “Then what are you doing still talking to me? Go, go!”

  Hitting the end button, I look up into the expectant face of Parker. “Turns out I was right. Stephany Wares has the very interesting ability to see a person’s greatest bond. Whether it’s another person or object, she can tell what makes a person vulnerable. It’s a pretty nifty talent.”