Redson

by Laurann Dohner

  She turned right as three Vamps entered, Paula leading the charge. Emma leapt up, landing on the island, and crouched slightly, sword held in front of her. “Where the fuck is Malachi? If you killed him, I’ll take your damn heads.”

  Paula looked shocked. “You’re not human.”

  “No shit, bitch. What did you do with my master?”

  “You aren’t a Vampire, either.”

  “Two for two,” Emma yelled. “Is he alive?” She rose up as more Vampires entered the kitchen after they’d dragged the broken cabinet out of the hallway. Seven of them stared up at her on the island. “Answer me, damn it. Where is he? What have you done with him?”

  Eduardo came into the kitchen, stomping on the broken glass. “I told you she was VampLycan. I didn’t lie.”

  “You lie about everything, asshole.” Emma tightened both hands on the hilt of the sword. “Why don’t you come at me now, you coward? I’ll tell you where another sword is to even the fight. I want to fucking kill you so bad. You murdered my mother! I’ll take your fucking head! I’d shove it up your own ass but you’d ash too fast.”

  Two more Vampires came in. Emma silently wondered how many others there were, and if her grandpa was even alive. If he wasn’t, they’d all die. She didn’t care what Velder wanted. They’d pay for killing him.

  For now, she had their attention. That’s all that mattered at the moment.

  She jumped off the island, away from them, and swung her blade, taking out everything on the counter. More glass shattered and the coffee maker broke apart. “Did you kill him?”

  “Put down the sword. We’re not going to kill you,” Paula hissed. “I’m from the council, and that’s a fucking order, Emma.”

  “They aren’t my council.” She swung the sword again, this time taking out the mugs that hung from the cute hooks she’d bought on the internet. It was a good thing she knew they’d never stay in the house again. The mess she was making would take forever to clean. “Where. Is. Mal?”

  “He’s fine. Just contained,” Paula took a step closer. “Put down that sword.” Her eyes lit up.

  Emma dropped her gaze to her lip. “Guess what? Your voice doesn’t do shit for me and I’m not stupid enough to let you look into my eyes. Fuck you. I want to see him. Where is he? I’m not telling you shit or doing anything you want unless you can prove he’s alive.”

  “He’s in his office.”

  “In the safe, to be precise,” Eduardo snickered.

  Horror hit—and Emma lost her shit. “The tiny one in the wall? You ashed him?”

  She screamed and lunged for Eduardo.

  He tried to dodge but he didn’t seem to understand she could move faster than he expected. Part of the blade sliced his arm and he roared. Three of the Vamps jumped toward her and the sword was torn from her hands. She hit the wall hard enough that part of it gave way. Drywall dug into her skin. She screamed and fought.

  They didn’t expect that and tried to get a better hold on her. She collapsed her legs and ended up on her ass. It loosened their holds and she twisted, rolling into their legs, and went for the blade Micah hand given her. She remembered to twist her wrist back in time to prevent the blade from impaling her palm.

  She shoved it upward, nailing one of the bastards in the groin. His scream was piercing.

  The kitchen wasn’t a big space with the massive island. She stayed down on the floor, slashing at them as they tried to grab her, and more came forward to help. They tripped over each other, going down. She braced against the floor for traction and leapt up, landing on the island, and was tackled from the side.

  “Don’t kill her!” Paula shouted.

  That answered that. Not that Emma had time to care, as she was slammed hard into the floor with some asshole on top of her. He pinned the arm with the weapon beside her head.

  She avoided his eyes, the pain, and used her free hand to grab his crotch. Squeeze hard and twist.

  He shrieked in pain and let go of her arm with the blade to try to remove her hand from his nuts. It was a mistake, and she rammed the blade into his throat. He threw his body off her. She scrambled away, into the corner, and stood up.

  More Vamps came at her, until she was pinned like a bug to the wall. They held her arms out to her sides. Her body felt crushed, there were so many hands.

  Paula shoved her way in close enough to grab her chin.

  “Look at me.”

  Emma squeezed her eyes closed. “Fuck you!”

  A roar tore through the kitchen…and then all hell really broke loose.

  Something smashed through the window nearest her, and Emma was able to turn her head when Paula released her jaw. She opened her eyes, seeing the shade was torn off and a body-size hole now gaped where the glass used to be. Someone screamed. Probably the Vamp who was thrown out the hole and was now burning in the sun.

  There was a twenty-something-foot drop on that side to the walkout basement area, and no shade.

  The cavalry had arrived. Vamps let her go as they turned to fight but were grabbed and pinned instead by enraged VampLycans.

  Red got to her first. He lifted her, hugging her so tight she felt pretty sure he cracked some ribs, if they weren’t already in that condition. She burst into sobs.

  “I’ve got you, baby. Where are you hurt? What did those bastards do to you?”

  She remembered the blade and tried hard not to stab him as she clung to him. “They killed Grandpa!”

  “God. It’s going to be okay, baby. I’ve got you.”

  Her sobs grew worse. She was safe…but she hadn’t been able to rescue her grandpa.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The Vampires were subdued. There were fourteen in all. It seemed Graves had brought industrial handcuffs and some spiked chains. They were trussed up and shoved on their knees. The rescue team had dragged all of them inside the living room and had shoved back the furniture to keep them all together.

  Emma sipped the water that Red had made her drink. She had cried while they’d cleared the house and captured every Vampire trapped inside. It wasn’t as if the Vamps could run outside into the sunshine. Graves and Micah had protected the tunnel once they’d entered the house. No one had gotten past them.

  She glared at Eduardo.

  “He’s mine.” She locked gazes with Velder. “I get his head. He killed my mother. But they all die since they murdered my grandpa. None of them get to live. Do what you must, then it’s my right to ash these bastards.”

  “Master Malachi is not dead,” Paula stated clearly. She tried to stand.

  Lake shoved her back on her ass. “Stay down,” he snarled.

  Emma pulled out of Red’s hold. “Where did you take him then? The house was searched, and that asshat,” she pointed at Eduardo, “said you put Grandpa in his office safe. It’s twelve inches by ten inches.”

  “We found one upstairs in a walk-in closet, carried it downstairs, and crammed him inside.” Paula sighed. “The master will be fine once he’s given some blood. He was too difficult to control. We had to put him to sleep.”

  “Oh my God!” Emma was glad Red stayed close as her knees almost buckled. He caught her and held her against his front. “You assholes suffocated him? When? How long has he been in there?” She tried to wiggle out of Red’s hold to rush to find her grandpa but he tightened his arms around her.

  “Not yet,” he whispered. “We’ll get him.”

  Paula directed her attention to Velder. “You seem to be the one in charge. I’m here on behalf of the Vampire Council. Master Malachi and his granddaughter have been accused of crimes. We’re here to capture and bring them both in to be tried.”

  “That’s a lie. Who said we broke laws? The asshat?” Emma wanted to wring Eduardo’s neck and then rip it off his body. “He’s a liar.”

  Velder growled low and shook his head at her. “Silence, Emma. Let’s hear what they have to say. I’m more than curious.” He faced her and grinned. It was gone in an instant when he turned
to face the Vamps. “Your name?”

  “Paula. These are my nest members you hold captive.”

  “Including Eduardo? Did he join your little assassin team?”

  Surprise showed on Paula’s face, but she recovered fast. “No.”

  “I’m aware of what you do for your council, and your teams are not part of any nest.” Velder took a seat on a chair and got comfortable. “What’s the real reason you came after them, Paula? Don’t play games with me. Your lives are in my hands.”

  Paula lowered her head and tried to look submissive. Emma didn’t buy it, judging from her tense body. She would bet the Vampire inwardly seethed and hid her eyes to hide her real emotions.

  “Master Malachi abandoned his nest and left them in chaos. That is against our laws. He chose this Emma over his nest as well. Blood is first and foremost. She’s not his child.”

  “I see. Emma is his blood though, isn’t she? She did come first. What’s her crime, according to your council?”

  “He abandoned his nest and harbored a child that shouldn’t have been born.” Her head lifted, her face an emotionless mask. “It’s against your own laws for VampLycans to breed without permission.” A cold smile formed on her lips. “We were trying to contain the situation and honor you by arresting her. The council would have contacted you to let you know of her existence.”

  Velder threw back his head and laughed. “I bet they would have.”

  Paula’s smile faded and her eyes narrowed.

  Velder stopped laughing and leaned forward, putting his hands on his thighs. When he spoke, his voice held anger. “That’s a good one.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I love your explanation. You mean they would have used her for leverage in some way against us if you’d been able to bring Emma to them. Kallie, Emma’s mother, was a part of my clan.” He stood. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Velder, clan leader.” He took a threatening step toward Paula. “My clan does not need permission to breed. It’s you Vampires who aren’t allowed to touch a Lycan without approval, since you can’t be trusted to ensure it’s consensual. Emma is one of mine…and you’ve admitted to coming after her. Is the council declaring war on VampLycans?”

  Glacier stepped forward. “That would mean the GarLycans as well.” Glacier nodded at another man who resembled him. She figured it must be his brother, since it was the first time she’d seen him. “We back the VampLycans on all things. You take on clan, you get both.”

  Their skin began to change color and Emma sealed her mouth tight. Both brothers turned their skin into a kind of gray armor. It was cool but scary-looking too. Her attention went to Paula to see her reaction.

  Paula’s already pale face whitened even more. She shook her head. “The council doesn’t want a war. We thought we were doing you a service. Clans live together. Emma seemed rogue to us. We were certain the VampLycans weren’t aware of her existence.”

  “You and they were wrong.” Velder motioned the GarLycan brothers back. “War is what they almost started by sending you here. You tell your council Emma belongs to us. As for Malachi, he might be a Vampire, but he’s considered mine too.”

  “You have no right!”

  Velder snarled. “I have no right? I’m half Vampire. You’re telling me we can’t claim family ties to our sires?” He let his claws slide out of his fingertips. “We exist because Vampires wanted to breed. Well, take a good look.”

  One of the VampLycans removed his clothes and shifted until he stood on four legs. He growled at the Vampires and let them get an up-close look at his body. Emma glanced at the Vamps—they appeared terrified.

  “Bet if they could piss, they would right now,” she whispered.

  Velder shot her a dirty look. She decided not to make any more comments. Red brushed a kiss on the top of her head.

  “I think they get the point.” Velder nodded at the beasty man. “Thank you, Jarred. You can put your clothes back on.” He walked over to Paula and crouched, leaving only a few feet between them. “Do you want to pick a team member to take on one of my VampLycans to see if you fight better than we do? You’d watch one of yours get ashed. We don’t fuck around. Malachi is one of mine. He fathered VampLycans, and unlike most of your kind, he didn’t force the Lycan who birthed his children. He’s clan. VampLycan’s don’t need permission to breed. Emma is the child of one. You have no right to attempt to capture any of our kind. You tell that to your damn council.”

  Paula dropped her head. “We were just trying to offer justice for the past. I was unware of the willingness of his breeder. But Master Malachi still abandoned his nest. He shouldn’t have formed one if he didn’t plan to rule them. My council wants him to be tried for that.”

  Emma felt frustrated. It was bullshit. She wanted to say as much but Red tightened his hold. She looked up at him and he gave her a slight shake of his head. “Trust us,” he mouthed. She did. She said nothing.

  Velder lowered his hand to the floor, claws out, and braced it inches from where Paula sat. “You mean the nest that disregarded Malachi’s orders and killed four of my VampLycans? Four of my clan? That nest?” The words were said with deadly calm and a chilling tone. “The same nest who tried to murder a child of my clan, forcing Malachi to flee to spare her from being slaughtered? That fucking nest?”

  Paula curled into her body and lowered her head more. “That’s not what we were told.”

  Glacier’s brother snorted. “Again? It’s like your number-one excuse. Some bloodsucker lies, and you don’t bother to check it out first before sending assassins after the wrong person? Fucking morons.”

  Velder snapped his head toward the man. “Tempest, I’ve got this.”

  The GarLycan threw up his hands. “Sorry. My bad. It’s just frustrating. I’m volunteering though if you want me to demonstrate the GarLycan blender move. My wings can rip through Vampires like a blade through wet tissue paper. I get fucking testy when they do this shit. Learn, dipshits.”

  Velder chuckled. “I understand, but no demonstration needed.”

  “See why we call him Pest?” Glacier muttered.

  Velder rose to his feet. “Paula, you and your fellow assassins are ordered to stay put. I’ll listen if you wish to live. It’s not as if you have anywhere to go. I hope for your sake Malachi is whole and can be revived. Your lives depend on it.” He backed up. “Except for Eduardo.”

  The shithead whimpered.

  “He’s ours.” Paula lifted her head.

  “Emma, come forward.”

  Red released her. She walked up to Velder’s side. He reached out to place a hand on her shoulder and stopped her from getting any closer to the Vampires. “Can you identify the one who attacked you as a child? The one who murdered your mother and our other VampLycans?”

  She was more than happy to point Eduardo out, and did. “That asshole.”

  “You fucking bitch,” Eduardo hissed. “Your mother cried while we bled her! She tasted like shit!”

  Emma was filled with rage and tried to go after him. Velder hooked his arm around her waist and pushed her back. Red’s arms embraced her from behind and he lifted her off her feet. Velder gripped her face with both of his hands. She stilled as he leaned in, holding her gaze.

  “His life is yours to take. Let’s get Malachi first and see how painful you get to make it. Justice is yours.”

  Tears blinded her, and she nodded.

  Velder backed away and glanced at the men with him. “GarLycans, if you’d please keep the assassin team and the murderer company, I would appreciate it. Tempest, if they try to attack, show them your blender move. Just wait for me to return before you do. I admit I’m morbidly curious.”

  Red put Emma on her feet and released her and she rushed toward her grandpa’s office. It had been trashed. All the books on the shelves lay on the floor as if the Vampires were looking for something. Some of the furniture had been broken and smashed. Blood stained the carpet in places. It looked like one hell of a figh
t had happened, and she knew her grandpa had been involved.

  The large safe sat in one corner, stained with dried blood. She ran forward and dropped on her knees, trying to calm her mind enough to remember the combination.

  “Do you know it?” Red crouched next to her.

  “Yes. Grandpa keeps our papers and some of my childhood art projects in it.” Tears blinded her, and she wiped them away. She had to use her fingernail to scratch some of the crusted blood off the dial to read the numbers. It was a mistake to inhale through her nose.

  “It’s Grandpa’s blood.” It tore her up, knowing he must have suffered. It wasn’t a big safe. He had to be balled up tight to fit. He’d have suffocated fast, trapped, and lost consciousness, his body starved for air.

  The lock clicked, and she yanked the heavy door open.

  A moan tore from her at the sight.

  He was in there, his clothing covered with dried blood, and the skin that she could see had turned a dark color it shouldn’t have been—a ghastly shade of grayish blue. The stench of decayed blood made her gag.

  Red grabbed her around the waist and hauled them both to their feet. He backed up, and she watched as Velder and two other VampLycans crowded down to get her grandpa out.

  “Fuck,” Lake muttered. “His body isn’t showing signs of rigor mortis but all the blood on his jeans and sweater is stiff as hell.”

  “Be careful with his neck,” Velder whispered. “They really packed him in. Jarred, try to move him down a little to get his head clear.”

  Emma bit her lip, grateful that they were getting her grandpa out. “He needs blood.”

  “Not yours.”

  She stared up at Red. “I’m his granddaughter.”

  “And you’re fucking tiny. I’ll offer up a vein.”

  She didn’t care who fed her grandpa, as long as he woke okay. The men inched back and put her grandpa on the floor in front of the safe. His clothing made sickening sounds as they attempted to straighten his body to lay him flat on his back. She tried to get closer but Red wouldn’t allow it.