Nicole (The Mate Series) Book #1

by Teresa Gabelman

  “What the fuck does that mean?” Steve said, staring down at the woman and shivering. “That was fucking creepy fucking shit.”

  “That means whatever we are dealing with is strong and can possess without being inside the person,” Duncan said, moving out of the way as Adam walked inside, straight toward the woman. Immediately, he placed his hand on her.

  “Nothing.” Adam glanced up, his eyes going straight to Damon.

  Panic like he never felt swarmed through his body. He needed to get outside and regain control so he could think. Nicole’s life depended on it. His eyes traveled toward her car, then around the yard to the driveway as something caught his eyes. He knelt, poking his finger in a puddle of liquid and sniffed. Antifreeze. His gaze went from the puddle and followed a line that went down the driveway and out into the road. He stood. It looked like the line continued on the road. It was a fucking long shot, but it was all they had, so he’d take it. Heading for his bike, he shouted for everyone to follow.

  “What?” Jared ran toward his bike and focused on where Damon pointed.

  “It’s all we got,” Damon shouted as he took off, following a thin line of antifreeze that may or may not lead him to Nicole.

  When Nicole’s eyes opened, they felt heavy and burned like fire. Everything blurred, but after blinking a few times, she refocused. Panic swarmed her, but she made herself remain calm as memories of what had happened overloaded her brain. She didn’t want to alert anyone she was awake, yet. She was inside a cage, cramped up to the point of claustrophobia. Her eyes took in the chains hanging from the cage, and she knew she was in the same setup as she had found Pike and the rest.

  Movement had her eyes shifting, and she saw through the chains a young body standing just feet away from the cage, wringing his hands in a nervous motion.

  Slowly she lifted her chin, but her head felt as heavy as a bowling ball. The silver, even though not touching her, was close enough that it affected her strongly. Finally, she raised it up enough to look around. Cages filled the space. Sounds of moaning filtered through the ringing in her ears. She searched for Tessa, but didn’t see her.

  “Shit,” Nicole hissed, noticing that she was naked. Her eyes once again went to, who she assumed was Frankie, staring at her through the chains. “Frankie?” Nicole’s raw voice came out as a croak.

  Frankie looked at her with wide eyes and shook his head, then put his fingers up to his lips as if telling her to be quiet. Footsteps sounded above her head. When a door opened, Nicole quickly laid her head down and closed her eyes, pretending to still be unconscious.

  “You keeping a good eye on them, boy?” A male voice broke the silence.

  “Yes, sir.” Frankie’s voice shook, fear lacing every syllable.

  “Good.” The man’s voice was gruff. “You come and get me when those two wake up.”

  “I will,” Frankie replied immediately.

  Nicole listened as the man once again went up the stairs, slamming the door shut. Raising her head, she stared at Frankie, who was looking at her with wide eyes. “Where’s my friend?”

  “Don’t tell her,” a girl’s voice whispered toward Frankie. “You’ll get us punished.”

  Nicole glanced toward where the voice came from to see a little girl standing in the shadows, her wide blue eyes staring at her. “Beth?”

  “How do you know my name?” Beth whispered, then put her hand over her mouth like she wasn’t supposed to say anything.

  “I’m Nicole.” She kept her voice at a low whisper. Trying to shift, her leg hit one of the silver chains between the cage bars, making her hiss in pain. Shit, it burned like hellfire. Pushing the pain away, she once again looked toward Beth. “I came to see you today, but you weren’t home.”

  “You did?” The innocence in the girl’s voice broke Nicole’s heart. She would make sure these bastards paid for all of the injustice they did against these kids.

  “Yes, me and my friend.” Nicole’s eyes searched around for Tessa. “Can you tell me where she is?”

  The girl pointed, and Nicole looked that way, but another cage blocked her view of Tessa. “I really need to check on my friend. Can you let me out?” Nicole knew it was a long shot, but she tried anyway. “I can help you.”

  “Give it up,” a weak voice said from the cage next to her. Nicole shifted her gaze that way to see a pair of eyes staring at her from between chains. “They’re too scared, and the more you ask, then it will come.”

  “It?” Nicole tried to shift around, but there was just no room.

  “Believe me, you don’t want to know,” the man said, closing his eyes. “You really don’t want to know.”

  “Shush!” Frankie stepped closer, his eyes going toward the ceiling. “Stop talking.”

  “Frankie, if you let me out of here, I promise I’ll help you and Beth get away from here.” Nicole ignored the warning from the man next to her. She could see the ray of hope in Frankie’s gaze as he looked from the ceiling toward her. He actually took a step. “I promise you, Frankie,” she urged, then realized he couldn’t touch the cage. “But you’re going to have to get something to move the chains. They’ll burn you.”

  “Stop!” A male voice came from the direction where Beth had been, shocking Nicole.

  “I told you.” The man’s voice wheezed in fear.

  Nicole looked that way as Beth came out of the shadows, a sweet smile on her lips as she tilted her head, peering at Nicole through the chains. Frankie whimpered as he moved away from her cage, flattening himself against the wall as he stared at Beth with such fear shock radiated through Nicole. Had that voice come from this little girl? No way.

  “Beth?” Nicole whispered as she watched the girl come closer. Small hands reached inside the cage and touched Nicole’s hair, twirling it between her fingers.

  “Please don’t make him mad,” Beth whispered into her cage. “I don’t like when he gets mad. He makes me do bad things.”

  “Fight it, Beth,” Nicole whispered back, her voice holding as much strength as it could. Her eyes met that of the scared little girl before a black shutter came down over those beautiful eyes.

  Beth growled as she picked up Nicole’s cage and threw it across the room, sending it crashing into the wall. The force knocked the wind out of Nicole, but it also sent the chains flying. Fighting her way out of the cage, she stared at Beth who stood in the middle of the room, glaring at her with those dark, sinister eyes. The young girl’s shoulders heaved up and down as if preparing for a fight.

  “Beth!” Nicole stood slowly, trying to regain her strength from being so close to the silver, but it wasn’t coming fast enough. “Come back. I know you hear me.”

  “She doesn’t hear shit,” the wicked man’s voice said through the mouth of Beth. “She’s just a weak little girl.”

  “Beth. Fight him,” Nicole continued, not knowing if it was doing any good until she saw her eyes flash back to normal, then black again. “Come on, Beth, I know you can do it. It’s weak and can’t control you if you don’t want it to.” Nicole had no clue if what she was saying was true, but it was all she had.

  “What in the hell is going on!” another man’s voice bellowed as the door opened.

  At the sound of the man’s voice, Beth’s head snapped back and her mouth opened wide as a swirl of black mist came from her mouth. Nicole stumbled back in shock.

  “Black breath,” she whispered in horror, and watched as it disappeared and Beth crumbled to the ground. “No!” Nicole rushed toward Beth, picked her up, and listened to her chest. On hearing a heartbeat, she felt such relief that she didn’t see the kick coming toward her until pain exploded through her head. She barely uttered a groan before black greeted her.

  Chapter 24

  Damon stopped in the middle of the road where the line faded away. “Son of a bitch!” With narrowed eyes, he scanned the area, but he knew nothing was there. That had been their only clue, and it was gone.

  Bikes surrounded him as they blo
cked the road. Cars went around, some cursing and others honking. “What now?”

  He wished to hell he knew. A police cruiser with Sloan and Viktor following in one of their black SUVs pulled up. “We have an address. Neighbor saw Ms. Tucker’s son leave in a blue work van about a half an hour before we showed up. Said he carried out two large rolls of carpet.”

  Damon glanced at Jared whose eyes shifted to his.

  “Neighbor also saw Nicole and Tessa enter the house, but never leave,” Sloan added with a scowl.

  “What’s the address?” Damon demanded, rolling his bike back ready to take off. Jared moved up beside him.

  “White farmhouse on Hopper Road,” Sloan informed him. “There are only two houses, most of it’s wooded.”

  Damon didn’t need to hear any more. He knew where Hopper Road was. He passed the cruiser and thought about ditching the bike because he could probably run faster. A loud scream echoed inside his head, almost making him lose control of the bike. Then Nicole’s voice filled with pain as she shouted his name. With an urgency he’d never felt before, Damon used his strength to kick himself off the bike. Landing on his feet, he ran, not even looking back as his bike flipped across the road behind him. “Hold on, baby.” He grunted aloud as his feet pounded against the pavement. “I’m coming.”

  Damon skidded to a stop as the house came into view. In the driveway was a blue van. Glancing around, the Warriors who had also ditched their bikes in order to not draw notice, stood around him.

  “Our mates are in there.” Damon looked at each of them in the eye. “I don’t give a fuck what happens as long as they are out safe.”

  Each Warrior hit their chest hard with a fist as a promise from one Warrior to another as Sid growled, “These fuckers have no idea.” He clapped Jared on the back. “We’ll get her, man. You know this. She’s fine.”

  “She better be.” Jared’s fangs gleamed and venom laced his voice.

  “What’s the plan?” Steve knelt, staring at the house.

  “Kill anything that fucking moves,” Jared hissed, anger and rage evident with every word.

  “That works.” Steve nodded, then stood. “But since it’s a two-story house, how about some of us get at the top, some get in the main floor, while Jared and Damon hit the basement since that’s most likely where they are?”

  Damon cocked his eyebrow at Steve with a nod, knowing if they ran in without a plan, Nicole and Tessa could get hurt.

  “Damn, Steve,” Sid said with approval. “You may have to ask Sloan for a raise.”

  “Well, I may just do that,” Steve whispered, looking around. “Wish Katrina was here though. We sure could use some help from her furry friends.”

  “Jesus, will you shut the fuck up?” Damon growled, then gave everyone orders on where to go. They all got into position as Jared and Damon made their way around the house, looking for a basement door. Not seeing one, Damon cursed, then rushed to the front just as every single Warrior entered the house. He just hoped they weren’t too late because if they were, his life was over and so was the life of the son of a bitch who brought her harm.

  Nicole’s head pounded as she lay on the floor. The kick didn’t knock her out, but she pretended that it did. She needed a minute. Through the slits of her eyes, she saw Tessa hiding behind one of the cages peeking at her. Frankie knelt beside her, and she knew that kid had set Tessa loose. She was going to hug him when they got out of this mess.

  “Frankie!” the man shouted, then toed Beth, who still lay on the floor unconscious. “Boy, you best answer me.”

  The other vampires in the cages became restless, the noise ranging from hissing, moaning, and crying out.

  “Shut the hell up, you bloodsucking bastards. I can’t wait until he comes and gets you all. Nothing but a pain in my ass.” The man kicked one of the cages as he passed, looking for Frankie. With his back turned, Nicole slowly stood, her naked body regaining strength from no longer being so close to the silver. He was human, she was vampire, and she was going to kick his ass.

  Nicole cursed when Frankie stepped out from behind the cage where he and Tessa had been hiding. Tessa also stood. She had on a T-shirt that fell to her knees.

  “Hello, asshole.” Tessa gave him a nasty grin, revealing her fangs. “Surprise.”

  The man turned, trying to get away from Tessa, but was faced with Nicole. “Going somewhere?”

  The man shook his head. Stepping back as he stared at something behind her, he shouted, “No, Beth!”

  Fear for the girl had Nicole turning away from her opponent, which she knew was a big no-no. Shock raced through her. Beth moved the chains as she stared at the big man behind Nicole, her gaze unwavering. Beth reached out and unlatched the cage. A woman crawled out, her eyes jet-black as they zeroed in on the man who remained behind Nicole.

  Nicole side-stepped, hoping to get to Beth before the woman turned on the child, but that only caused the woman to glare at her. Instead of rushing them, the woman began opening cages, not caring that the silver burned her. Nicole studied her eyes closer, and noticed that she wasn’t looking into the eyes of a vampire. There was something much more sinister in their depths. Vampire after vampire escaped their confines.

  Finally making her way toward Beth, Nicole pulled the child behind her, backing away. Ready to defend if necessary, Nicole watched as the female moved closer to Tessa and Frankie as she released the last of the vampires. Finally, the woman walked up to the motionless man. Once before him, she sniffed his neck, baring her fangs.

  Feeling a small hand tugging at her, Nicole glanced down to see Beth handing her something. Taking the material, she was relieved to see a shirt. She quickly put it on, her eyes never straying from what was happening in the middle of the room.

  “You’ve failed me. They now know about me.” The voice that had earlier come out of Beth was now coming out of the woman. “And for that, you must suffer.”

  “No.” The man shook his head back and forth as a large patch of wetness spread across the front of his pants. “I’ll do better. I swear it. Please!”

  The vampire swiped out with her hand at the man’s face leaving deep gouges that immediately poured blood. Damage done, she stepped back, letting out a horrible, wicked laugh. “Humans are weak,” the vampire said in that raspy low voice. “Too bad we can’t use you instead of the vampires. You are so easy to control, but weak.”

  The man shook as the rest of the vampires circled him. Hunger seemed to claw at them, their eyes frenzied with the heavy scent of blood that filled the air. He began to cry and beg, but it fell on deaf ears. Nicole looked toward Tessa as the vampires pounced, obviously controlled by the one who stood back watching the feast. Tessa had Frankie behind her and was backing away. Nicole had nowhere to go.

  Turning, Nicole knelt and grabbed Beth’s hands. “Listen to me. Do not move from this corner. Close your eyes and think of something you love. Do you know any songs?” Beth nodded, her eyes wide with fear. “Put your hands over your ears and sing. Don’t open them for anything, Beth. Do you understand?”

  Before Beth could answer, Nicole heard Tessa shout out a warning, but it was too late. She was pulled up by the hair, then swung around like a ragdoll. She watched as Tessa ran toward her, but the vampire shot her arm out, stopping Tessa immediately. With the flick of her wrist, the possessed vampire sent Tessa sailing back to where she was.

  “I’ll deal with you in a minute,” the vampire hissed but smiled at Nicole. “So you think to stop me?”

  “I don’t think.” Nicole placed both her hands on the bitch’s wrists, trying to free herself. With a well-aimed kick, she thrust out, landing the blow against the vampire’s stomach. It worked. Released, Nicole hit the ground hard. “I know.”

  The possessed female laughed and shook her head. The sounds of feeding from behind the woman were gruesome. Sounds from upstairs had everyone looking up, even the feeding vampires whose bloodlust was out of control. Glass breaking, shouts, and the pounding of r
unning above sent relief so strong through Nicole, she almost fell to her knees.

  In her moment of distraction, the vampire slashed out with her hand. Not fast enough, pain radiated through Nicole’s cheek. “See you in hell,” the woman hissed as she looked up at the door. With her mouth wide open, the black mist escaped only to disappear. The vampire shook her head, then sniffed the air. Her eyes shot to Nicole, going straight to her bloody cheek.

  “Ah, shit!” Nicole prepared herself as the vampire attacked her. There was little stronger than a vampire on the verge of bloodlust. When ruled by their hunger, they didn’t care who they fed on as long as they fed. If the vampire got one taste of her blood, Nicole was a goner for sure. Fighting with everything she had as the vampire went berserk, she saw a flash of Tessa trying to pull her off, screaming.

  Nicole cursed as she tried to fight the vampire off. “Tessa, watch out behind you.” She grunted as she held the vampire’s face away from hers. The other vampires must have gotten a scent of her blood and were coming their way. Tessa was pulled away from the frenzied vampire, but it was the scream from Tessa that had her fighting even harder.

  Dammit, she refused to die this way. Reaching deep, she gave one final shove, launching the vampire off her, but the bitch scrambled right back to her. This time Nicole was ready with a well-placed kick to the face. The sound of smashing bone echoed over Tessa’s screams.

  Grabbing one of the attacking vampires’ legs, Nicole tried to pull him off Tessa, but couldn’t. Standing, she jumped on top of him, while grabbing another one’s hair trying to tug them off Tessa. It wasn’t working. “Get off her!” She cursed, bit, and fought with everything she had until she felt something bite into her shoulder blade. Oh God. Fear like she’d never felt in her life paralyzed her. This was it. Damon’s face flashed through her mind as more bites tore at her flesh. She glanced over at Beth. The young girl remained in the corner, her eyes open as they stared at Nicole in horror. “Keep singing, Beth!” she screamed. “Don’t stop singing.”