Enemy Mate

by L. J. Red

  The vampire standing before him whimpered in terror, his eyes tracing the stark tattoo across Riker’s neck and face, taking in the flashing anger in his eyes and shrinking away from him.

  Riker’s anger crystallized into a diamond-hard point. He’d had a long fucking night and all he’d wanted was to come back to his club with all his vampires around him and his girlfriend by his side, pretty, silent, and waiting for him. Okay, fine. So, Eden wouldn’t exactly be waiting for him. She wasn’t happy with him lately, ever since he’d turned her in fact, or maybe before then; he wasn’t sure. She was always unhappy about something. He needed to teach her a lesson. Teach her where her place was—by his side, whenever he wanted her. But now some upstart vampire from fuck knows where had come along, slaughtered Max, and taken Eden away.

  Riker gripped the Ravager harder, his claws sinking into the vampire’s flesh. He’d get her back, but in the meantime, he would take his anger out on this sniveling wreck. His fangs sank into his mouth and he grinned down at the shivering vampire, about to launch forward and drain him down when a cold hand clenched on his shoulder so tight, he felt his bones creak. He stopped, stock-still.

  “Have I caught you in a bad time?” the vampire behind him asked, his voice shivering right down to Riker’s soul.

  “Roman,” he said, dropping his grip on the Ravager as Roman dragged him inexorably around, his superior strength impossible to fight. “I wasn’t expecting you. I didn’t realize you were in the city.”

  Roman sneered, his luminescent, pale eyes glowing. “If I wanted you to keep track of my comings and goings, trust me, you’d be informed.” He glanced distastefully at the wreck of the doors. “I see you’ve been redecorating.”

  Riker growled. “I’m handling it,” he said, glancing at the sniveling Ravager and cutting his eyes to the side, gesturing for him to get lost—a lucky escape.

  Roman tracked the Ravager’s movement with his eyes until he disappeared into the club. Then he threw Riker against the wall hard in a sudden explosion of vampire strength. “I hope you haven’t forgotten exactly how the hierarchy works,” he hissed. “You may be in charge of your little vampire gang, but I am the leader of your Bloodline and you are Radiance before anything else.” He snapped his fangs, coming dangerously close to Riker’s throat.

  “Of course.” Riker gulped and swallowed. “I understand.”

  “Good,” Roman said, shoving him away. Riker tried to surreptitiously massage feeling back into his bruised shoulder. “Honestly,” Roman continued, “I do wonder what Kai thought the use would be in turning a bunch of ingrate criminals into vampires.”

  Riker bit down on his anger. He didn’t want another lesson in who was boss. Roman made that absolutely clear the last time he had come to Bloodchase. Roman stalked over to the ashy skeleton of Riker’s dead second and crouched down, inspecting it, keeping the perfect white cuffs of his suit jacket clear of all the dirt. He looked like a ghost in the darkness of the alley, his pale, limp hair glowing with an unearthly light. The sight sent a shiver down Riker’s back. At least Kai had been a run-of-the-mill psychopath; Roman was something else. There was an evil in his core that scared him, not that he would ever admit it. Riker cleared his throat and stepped forward.

  “Why are you here?” he asked. “I thought you wanted me to secure our hold over Chicago.”

  Roman finally stood and stalked back to Riker. “I thought I’d check in on my investment,” he said. “The threat from the Shadows is more pressing than ever.”

  Riker swelled proudly. “Don’t worry, they won’t be a problem for much longer. The last shipment of weapons is due soon.” He felt a shiver of unease at the back of his mind. He had taken Eden to the warehouse by the docks more than once, wanting to show her exactly how powerful his Ravagers had become. But wherever she was, whoever she was with, there was no way she could find her way to the Sanctuary. She was probably hiding in her apartment, waiting for him to come home and teach her a lesson. She hated violence; she’d be the last person to seek out the Shadow Warriors. There was nothing to fear from that quarter.

  “Soon we will have enough weapons to take on the Shadows.” Riker grinned.

  “Good,” Roman said, “and your men?”

  Riker glanced at the club. “The new recruits are here, just as you ordered.”

  “Perfect.” Roman grinned. “Let’s see about making a few more vampires for our Bloodline.”

  “Sure,” Riker said, smiling wider, his fangs dropping into his mouth. “Let’s do it.” He turned and followed Roman into the club.

  Chapter 7

  The Sanctuary rose up out of the darkness of the city, bigger and more sprawling than Eden had expected—a jumble of buildings ending in an imposing brick mansion on the corner of the row. The wall surrounding the building was tipped with wicked spikes and discreet CCTV cameras. Magnificent wrought iron gates stood at the entrance, and next to them a guard post with two alert sentries. Eden watched them warily as they approached. The Shadow vampire spoke in a low voice to the guards. Hope was shivering next to her. The travel across the city at such rapid speed, surrounded by the darkness of the night, had unsettled Eden, she couldn’t imagine how scared Hope must be. She had protected her sister from as much of her vampiric changes she could; Hope had had no real experience of vampires, so this all had to be terrifying and new to her.

  The iron gates opened, well-oiled and silent, and the Shadow gestured them toward the building. He avoided Eden’s eyes, barely even looking at her before quickly glancing away.

  She didn’t know why she felt disappointed. It was a good thing he wasn’t interested in her. There was a second guard post at the doors to the building, but again the Shadow got them in with barely a word, and then they were inside the vast entrance hall. The floor was a shining, elaborate mosaic floor and richly wallpapered walls stretched to a high, arched ceiling. Eden stared, wide-eyed. She had never been in a building so grand. She felt like she was standing in an art museum, an impression only solidified by the gilded paintings hanging on the walls. She felt totally out of place in her trashy sequined dress and stiletto heels. This wasn’t the kind of world she had been brought up in, not the kind of world she was ever going to be a part of. She shrank back, gripping Hope closely to her side. This was good too, she thought determinedly. Just another reminder that she wasn’t going to be staying.

  The door at the end of the hall opened and a man came out toward them. Not a man, Eden corrected herself. No human man could move with that liquid grace, that attitude of restrained violence. He had to be another of the Shadows.

  “Talon,” the man growled, his voice roughened with a Scottish accent. “What the fuck is this?” he asked, his eyes fixed on the vampire that had brought them here, taking in the blood dripping onto the floor.

  Talon, she thought with a shiver, that was his name. She didn’t understand why the sound of his name should fit like a key into a lock within her chest.

  Talon just growled in response.

  “Fine,” the other Shadow said, his eyes narrowing, “don’t tell me, but trust me; Lucian is going to want to know what the hell is up with you.” He trailed his eyes down Talon’s bloody arms, then visibly set the question in his eyes aside. He transferred his gaze to Eden and Hope.

  He had piercing green eyes and was shorter than Talon but much broader across the shoulders, so much so that his leather jacket seemed to be straining to fit over his muscles. There was a restrained power to him, like Talon, but not nearly as wild. Talon’s power seemed to vibrate under his skin; this vampire was calmer: the same strength, but effortlessly restrained, like he had a source of peace within him. Eden couldn’t understand it; the vampires she knew were all bluster and show, flashing fangs and showing off their strength. These vampires were totally different. There was no bright glare to them, but a darkness that hid a deadly might. It should’ve scared her, so why did she find their darkness so much more comforting than the Ravagers she was familiar with?


  “Who are they?” the new vampire asked Talon.

  “None of your business,” Talon snarled.

  “I damn well think it is my business who you bring into the Sanctuary, Talon,” he growled. “It’s all of our business.”

  “Neal?” A voice came from the open door behind him. “Go back, May,” the vampire said over his shoulder, glaring meaningfully at Talon, his eyes dropping to Talon’s blood-soaked arms. After a second, Talon tucked his hands behind his back, hiding most of the blood. Eden didn’t understand why until she saw the petite young woman come through the doors. She was as different from the two Shadows as night and day, short and delicate with a fragile prettiness that was belied by the fire in her eyes as she glared up at the Shadow. She didn’t seem to have noticed the rest of them at all.

  “Excuse me?” she said. “You don’t get to order me around, mister. I’m not a vassal anymore.” She had to be May, the one the Shadow had been telling to go back. She seemed angry, but then she grinned to take the bite out of her words as she drew level with the Shadow. Eden was shocked to see the flash of fangs under the woman’s grin and she flinched back. The woman glanced at her then blushed, raising a hand to her face. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said, “I haven’t quite got the hang of that yet.”

  Eden stared, too surprised to say anything. This woman was a vampire, not just that, but a fledgling—it was only new vampires who accidentally flashed fangs without meaning to, Eden still did it; it drove her mad.

  “It’s… it’s fine,” she said to the woman, “I just didn’t realize—”

  “Didn’t realize I was a vampire,” May said, shocking Eden a second time by tucking her arm into the crook of the other Shadow’s elbow and leaning against him with a soft smile. “I know,” she said, “I don’t exactly look like the type, but I’m a bona fide vampire.”

  Eden was now thoroughly confused. These were the terrifying Shadows she’d heard so much about? The evil violent monsters Riker hated? Sure, they were violent, Talon had proved that, and this new one, Neal, was all restrained strength, but his hand rested on May’s with a gentleness that made Eden’s heart ache to see it and May leaned against him in a way that spoke of complete trust.

  At Bloodchase, there was a constant undertone of fear and unease surrounding the Ravagers, but here, Eden glanced between the vampires, there was none of that.

  “What’s going on?” a voice said behind her and Eden spun around to see another vampire entering from a different door. Just as gorgeous as the other Shadows—seriously, was that a requirement or something?—he stalked like a white tiger through the snow. Tall and built, his muscles thick under a tunic-like top, his golden blond hair cut short but for a couple of thin braids, and a wicked-looking scar curving over his brow. He looked like a Viking warrior, stepped out of history, and with a shiver, Eden realized it was possible he was exactly that. The Shadows were an ancient Bloodline after all.

  “Who are they?” he said roughly, as he drew close to the others, jerking his chin to indicate Eden and Hope. Hope flinched away from all the vampires and clutched closer at Eden’s arm. She cried out as Hope accidentally dug her fingers into one of the wounds Max had given her.

  “You’re injured,” Talon said, suddenly appearing before her, cradling her arm, blood smearing from his hands onto hers. She tried to jerk back out of his grip, but he was holding her too tightly.

  “It’s fine. It’s nothing.” She tried to tug away again.

  “You’re bleeding,” he snarled.

  “Talon, let the woman go. You’re scaring her,” Neal said, coming forward. Talon snarled at him and stepped between them. Eden could feel the sense of violence rising in the air and she didn’t like it. This was more like the Ravagers. But she didn’t want to be the reason they got in a fight. She’d seen how Talon ripped through Max. What if he attacked Neal like that? She didn’t have any quarrel with the green-eyed vampire, and she could see May clearly cared for him. She would not be the reason someone lost their love. A genuine bond like that was too precious, Eden thought, pushing down a stab of longing.

  “It’s fine,” she said again, pulling hard away from Talon, finally getting free. “Honestly, there’s nothing wrong. It’s just a scratch.” She raised her arm and Neal’s eyes widened at the blood running down it. Eden caught her breath. That wasn’t blood from Talon’s hands; it was her own blood running down from the wounds Max had given her, high in her bicep. Not just a scratch after all. The adrenaline had kept her from realizing how bad the wound was, but now she’d seen it, she felt suddenly she felt woozy at the sight of her own blood, and she swayed.

  “She needs to be taken to the infirmary,” May said calmly. “Talon,” she continued, a slight edge entering her voice, her gaze flickering to his bloody hands, then away, “why don’t you take her there?”

  “No, don’t leave me,” Hope said, looking scared as her eyes went from vampire to vampire. Eden couldn’t leave her with these warriors.

  “It’s okay.” May stepped forward, glancing warily as she stepped around Talon. Eden saw Neal tense behind her, but Talon didn’t seem to notice any of it; his eyes were on Eden. She shivered at the intensity, trying to keep her feet. Blood dripped distractingly down her arm.

  “I can take you to the guest rooms,” May said to Hope, glancing at Eden. “I’ll get her settled in and then you can come and join her after you’ve been patched up, okay?” She smiled at them both reassuringly.

  Eden, who was starting to feel woozy from the blood loss, wasn’t sure if Hope would agree. She turned slowly to her sister and found her staring warily at Talon. Hope was afraid of him, Eden realized. No wonder. In fact, she didn’t know why she wasn’t more afraid of him too. He looked like a demon stepped right out of hell, still coated in blood, his eyes dark with unnamable emotion as he looked down at Eden.

  “Hope?” she said, “are you—” She stepped aside and swayed, almost falling if it hadn’t been for Talon. He was suddenly beside her, gripping her with an iron strength, but surprisingly gentle hands. Hope looked back at Eden and widened her eyes. Clearly, Eden looked worse than she realized.

  “Yes, yes, of course,” Hope said, visibly gathering her courage. She glanced at Talon and flinched away. “You go to the infirmary. I’ll be okay.” She took a half step away from Talon.

  “There you go,” May said reassuringly, leading Hope away a pace or two. She looked up at Talon as they passed him, placing herself between him and Hope in a protective gesture that made Eden’s heart ease. She didn’t know why, but she trusted this tiny, calm vampire.

  “I’ll tell Dr. Patil to expect you,” the scarred, blond vampire said, and left silently.

  Talon slid his hand around her back, and Eden shivered at his touch. The walk to the infirmary passed in a haze of rising lust at Talon’s closeness. She couldn’t have said how many hallways they walked down, how many doors they went through. Before she knew it, they were in a clean, white room, medical equipment neatly stored on the shelves and a bed in the center.

  Talon was standing extremely close, a look in his eyes that Eden thought might be concern, but that didn’t make sense. Why would he be concerned about her? In fact, his entire behavior hadn’t made any sense. She thought he was just bringing her here to question her, but May had said something about guest rooms… Luckily, before she could get too caught up in her thoughts, the door opened once more and an Indian woman stepped through wearing a white lab coat.

  “Which one of you is injured?” she asked.

  “She is,” Talon said, stepping minutely to the side.

  The doctor looked him up and down with an extremely unimpressed look. “You’re going to need to get rid of those clothes,” she said. “You can put them in the basket there for incineration.”

  Talon didn’t move, didn’t even look away from Eden. She shifted uncomfortably, hot under his gaze. The doctor snapped her fingers between them, right in front of his eyes and Talon flinched back, turning a sn
arling face to her.

  “Yes, yes,” she said, completely unimpressed. “You have very big teeth, very scary, I’m sure.” She pointed at the basket. “Blood. Clothes. Basket. Incinerator,” she snapped.

  Eden gulped back a laugh, unable to block it behind her teeth so she tried to turn it into a cough as Talon’s intense look faded in the face of the Doctor’s totally deadpan look. Eden was impressed; she’d met a few unflappable doctors during her nurse training. Seeing the kind of trauma that ended up in the ER on a Friday night would teach you that. But this woman was on a whole new level.

  Talon finally stepped back, and the doctor moved into the gap, catching Eden’s eyes. She rolled her own eyes. “Men, honestly, they’re just the same whether they have fangs or not. I can’t tell you how many of the Shadows end up in here with blood-covered shirts. I’ve started keeping a store of t-shirts here for them.” Eden smiled back nervously. She knew the Shadows were dangerous, but coming back from missions bloody so often? And yet the doctor didn’t seem at all fazed.

  “I’m Dr. Patil,” she continued, “the resident expert in vampire biology, so, if you will let me take a look at your wounds?”

  Eden nodded, lifting her arm. An expert in vampire biology. Eden didn’t even know there was such a thing. In fact, she had assumed that ever since becoming a vampire, her dreams of studying medicine were all for nothing, and yet here was a woman—a human woman if the sound of her heartbeat was anything to go by—and she was working as a doctor for the vampires. Eden had no idea that such a thing was even possible. She was surprised by an urge of longing but she pushed it down. She wasn’t going to be here long enough to ask the doctor questions, let alone learn from her.

  “Ah yes,” Dr. Patil murmured, pulling on a pair of gloves and gently inspecting Eden’s arm. “Claws, I imagine?”