Whispers From The Dead 82h4b

THE BRIMSTONE CONSPIRACY BOOK 2: WHISPERS FROM THE DEAD

by

Terence West

WHISKEY CREEK PRESS www.whiskeycreekpress.com

Published by WHISKEY CREEK PRESS www.whiskeycreekpress.com

Copyright © 2009 by Terence West

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Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

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ISBN: 978-1-60313-560-3

Credits Cover Artist: Molly Courtright

Editor: Chere Gruver

Printed in the United States of America

Other Books by Author Available at Whiskey Creek Press: www.whiskeycreekpress.com

The Brimstone Betrayal >Rose Webb isn't the chosen one. She just has a job to do. Part hunter, killer, and public relations agent, Rose is a Brimstone Syndicate Seeker. It's her responsibility to ensure that no humans learn of the Syndicate's existence, and all Inhumans are obeying the laws. Unfortunately she is also a one hundred and thirty year old vampire, and that is easier said than done. Humans still consider those things that go bump in the night just a myth, and the Brimstone Syndicate will do anything to keep it that way. A botched operation to clean out a nest of illegal vampires leads Rose and her partners, a young werewolf and a pissy goblin, directly into a confrontation with powers that threaten to subvert the Syndicate. Rose must use her connections in the underworld to investigate, unravel, and solve the mystery and not everyone, or everything, is as it seems.

~~For my wife Natalie, and my daughter Lexi.~~

Chapter 1

April 17, 1906

Wrapping my lips around his throat, as my fangs pierced his flesh and venom was injected, I heard the child whimper. Gently caressing his face, I drew his crimson life into me. It would be over soon enough. His warmth began to spread through my body. Sliding my fangs into the punctures again, I twisted, widening them. As I ran my tongue over the wound, he involuntarily winced. I could feel his blood vessels starting to collapse and his heart slowing. He was not more than three years old and I wondered if his short life was flashing before his eyes. Pulling my mouth free, I tossed back my blond hair and felt the last of his blood run down my throat. The child’s head made a hollow thump as I dropped him to the hard wood. I took away his future, just as mine had been taken. My pain, my heartache, my suffering was thankfully dulled again. Almost euphoric, death was the only thing that brought me peace, the only thing that made me forget myself. It was always fleeting, but I didn’t have to worry about that right now. I was alive again and it felt good. Turning away, I almost pranced across the floor. Grabbing his five-year-old sister by the shoulder, I pushed her out of the highbacked chair where I had deposited her. As she landed in a heap next to her brother, I watched her twitch. She wasn’t dead yet, despite the fact I had almost completely drained her of blood ten minutes ago. She was still clinging to life, refusing to shuffle off her mortal coil. Her hand slid slowly and painfully from beneath her as she fought my neurotoxin in her veins. As her fingertips brushed against the flesh of her brother’s face, the rigidity of her posture relaxed. Seeing his fate was the same as hers, she finally let go. She didn’t have to protect her little brother anymore. She was too late. Sinking into the chair, I loosened the laces on my black, strapless corset and tried

to wipe a spot of blood off my matching ankle-length skirt. The short jacket I had been wearing messily hung off the mantle. It was unladylike to show this much skin, but I really didn’t care anymore. I didn’t have to wear layers upon layers of garments, or suffer squeezing into ever-tightening corsets, or pull my hair up into a painful bun on the top of my head all in the name of fashion. I wasn’t a slave to society’s whims anymore. I looked with satisfaction over the dying family before me. In the flicker of the gas lamps, their shadows danced on the floor and walls, seeming almost alive. The mother, a brunette almost the same age as I had been when I was turned, was the first to die. She had been kind enough to invite a cold, hungry stranger into her home, and had been repaid with death. The children were next. Stalking them playfully through the house, I captured the son first. As he lay paralyzed, I bled his sister. He watched with wide eyes, unable to help. Seating her in this chair, I took great care to prop her body into a lifelike position so she could watch her brother die in turn. The man of the house had been absent and the kill had come, unfortunately, much quicker than I anticipated. Still, I had what I came for. I thought of my own family for a moment, but it was fleeting. As pleasure swept across my brain, the memories vanished. I couldn’t seem to hold onto them, couldn’t rise above the wreckage of what I had become. It had become a game to me. Each time I had to up the ante. I started with vagrants and migrant workers, simply killing and leaving the bodies where they fell, but that had simply become boring. I had to find new, interesting ways to entertain myself while still attaining the release I craved. I was an addict looking for my next fix. Others turned to prostitutes or opium dens to quench their carnal needs, but I was a Vampire. My needs were much more—I paused, searching for the right word—substantial than theirs. “What have you done?” I craned my head around expecting to see the man of the house, but instead found a familiar Vampire standing in the doorway. “Drew,” I greeted him flatly. I wasn’t in the mood for a scolding. Drew, short for Andrew, looked in dismay at my handiwork. His long, brunette hair was pulled into a perfect ponytail, and even though it was raining outside,

his midnight-blue overcoat seemed dry and immaculate. But his most striking feature was his sea foam green eyes. They, in the right light, could look almost ivory white, or the richest shade of emerald I had ever seen. Tonight, however, they were dulled with anger. He was my adopted teacher, and at one time, I considered him my savior. He had lifted me from the filth. But there was a vital component missing from him, something he could never truly understand. He was given the choice. I wasn’t. This had become the divide I couldn’t cross. It was amazing how easily we could knock down the pedestals we placed our heroes on. “You killed a family?” he asked. I shrugged. Slipping into the chair next to mine, he let his eyes wander to each of my victims. “Rose,” he said my name carefully, “your bloodlust is becoming disturbing.” “Why should it matter?” I retorted. “We can do what we want, Drew. Anything.” I stood from the chair and strode to the fireplace. Snatching my jacket, I slipped it on, but left it unbuttoned. “Society’s rules no longer apply to us.” “Is that what you truly think?” Slightly uncomfortable, Drew shifted in the chair and sighed. “This isn’t who you are. Where is the woman I held crying for days because she had lost her family, her daughter?” Drew asked. “You were forced into this life,” he reminded me, “but you had no intention of living this way.” He crossed his legs and paused, before saying, “And yet, here we are.” I couldn’t hide the hurt and anger on my face. “Don’t you dare preach to me. You have no idea what I endured! The Vampires who made me tortured me for months!” Drew nodded. “And now it’s time for a little retribution? Is that it?” I gritted my teeth. “I lost everything!” Drew’s gaze was unwavering. He showed no signs of disgust or anger. He was simply discussing a topic with me. “Is that how this works now?” he asked, trying to understand my logic. “You lost everything you held dear, so everyone else should too?”

My blue eyes hardened. “Yes.” Sorrow washed over his porcelain features. “I see.” Drew’s gaze finally fell from mine. I watched him sitting quietly for a long time, thinking. I wasn’t sure what I wanted, but silence wasn’t it. Maybe I wanted him to yell at me, even though he had never raised his voice to me, and scold me like a disobedient child? Was this some sort of plea for attention, the sweet release from my pain that I so desired, or simply self-destructive? What did I want? Drew stood from his chair and straightened his coat. “I am going home.” His words were quietly desperate. Come home, he pleaded. We can fix this if you just come home. Please, Rose, just come home to me... I didn’t respond. He waited for a moment longer, hoping I would say something. But I didn’t. Without saying anything further, Drew walked out of the room. Moving to the window, I looked out onto Market Street and saw him appear on the rain-soaked road. With one fleeting glance, Drew turned and slunk silently into the night. His posture was no longer that of the proud Vampire I knew, had come to love, and despise. His shoulders were hunched and his head drooped. Not even realizing my own movements, I pressed my hand to the cool glass but slowly let it slip away. I turned away from the window, and from Drew. Resting my arm on the mantle, I looked at what I had done. In my mind’s eye, I saw the family singing, laughing, and playing and my memory again flashed to my own daughter. I ed watching her take her first tentative steps into my husband’s waiting arms, seeing the innocent sparkle of discovery in her blue eyes, and her gentle laugh as she played or learned something new. She was incredible, truly a miracle, and I had taken that away from this family. In my need to quiet my own Demons, I had destroyed their future, and possibly my own. In my silent grief, I uttered a prayer for the dead, hoping God, if there were such a being, would take these people into his loving embrace and offer some sort of solace. Reaching into my jacket pocket, I produced several coins. I had watched Drew do this a thousand times, but never understood the ritual...until now.

Sliding a coin gently into each of the deceased’s mouths, I stood, turned, and left the grim scene behind. When I wandered out into the night, spring rain fell heavy on my face as I stumbled through the thick fog that had just rolled in off the bay. Wandering up and down the hilly streets, I saw warm golden lights emanating from windows of families living and loving. It seemed a siren’s call to me, beckoning me ever closer, yet I knew I only brought Death. He stood at my side, sneering with his evil, toothy grin, waiting for me to deliver more souls into his icy embrace. How I hated him for it... I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t know where I belonged. I was lost again. It had been so long since I had been at rock bottom, yet here I was again. But I didn’t go home to Drew. Not ever again.

Chapter 2

Present day

“You’ve got to be kidding,” I said and sighed. Casino patrons scattered in terror as the beast rose up on its hind legs and spread its leathery wings. Thick, armored scales ran from its slender head down to the tip of its tail with two horns stretching back from the crest of its reptilian head. When it craned its long, slender neck, its emerald green eyes stared at me as a wisp of smoke escaped its nostrils. As it stood atop a bank of slot machines in the middle of a busy casino, the last remaining pieces of eggshell slipped from the dragon’s light green flesh and cracked on the shattered display case. Karl, my twelve-inch tall, effervescent Goblin partner, pointed at the dragon and laughed. “It’s Puff!” Considered a delicacy by some Inhumans and powerful weapons by others, dragon eggs had become a hot commodity on the black market. Sources informed the Syndicate that a ring had set up shop in Las Vegas and were breeding and trafficking rare and highly illegal dragons into Phoenix, Los Angeles, and across the border into Mexico. Unfortunately several of the eggs had been stolen in transit and one had ended up on display in the Aztec Casino. Not sure what they actually had, the human buyers thought it was nothing more than the recreation of a dinosaur egg and proudly placed it in a glass case in the center of the gaming floor. As the seemingly endless series of unfortunate events compounded, the hot display lights had acted as an incubator and, amazingly, the baby dragon hatched. My partners and I had been looking for this egg for nearly a week. Not learning of its new home in the Aztec until it was too late, we had to somehow capture or kill the beast, and keep this off the front page of every newspaper in America. As I stared up at the seven-foot-tall dragon before me, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

Just the way I liked it. My name is Rose Webb, and I’m a Brimstone Seeker. “Rose.” Toby moved to my side. He pulled his Beretta and clicked off the safety. “Do we have a plan?” “Puff the Magic Dragon...” Karl warbled in his unique, helium-inflated falsetto. “Puff was purple,” I corrected him then glanced to my Werewolf partner. “We have to slay the dragon,” I started. “And bring peace to the kingdom,” Toby finished without looking at me. His comment seemed distant and almost dreamy as if he were living some boyhood dream. I couldn’t help but smile, my fangs glinting in the glittering light of the casino. “We’ve got to get this guy out of here,” I said, unwilling to take my gaze off the dragon. “We can’t fight it in the middle of a casino.” As the last of the word escaped my lips, the dragon lunged. It seems it had a different idea. Feeling trapped and threatened by the screaming humans, the newborn dragon lurched forward, shrieking and sending two slot machines crashing down. Flapping its wings wildly, the dragon hit another row of four machines, which also came careening to the ground. Amidst the electronic shrill of the dying slots, coins clattered to the floor. The people, who hadn’t already run away screaming, ignored the dragon, fell to the floor and started scooping up handfuls of money. Greed was a powerful motivator. I dodged just before the dragon’s toothy muzzle snapped shut. Ripping its head back, it clipped me with its horns, knocking the Beretta from my hand. Latching onto the dragon’s neck, I wrapped one arm around its snout. I hoped all those hours of watching The Crocodile Hunter on television were about to pay off. Crocodilians have an incredible bite force, but the muscles used to open their jaws are not nearly as powerful. With nothing more than hand strength, a man can keep their jaws closed. Praying dragons were somehow connected to their reptilian brethren in the family tree, I clamped my hands over its muzzle. The beast bucked and whimpered, but couldn’t seem to open its mouth. Unfortunately, Steve Irwin’s training failed me at that point. I felt the flesh of my hand sizzle. Only concerned with getting the croc’s mouth closed so it couldn’t bite, he never had to worry about it breathing fire. I yanked my hand away with a

yelp, as the dragon’s mouth snapped open and unleashed a massive fireball. Dragons, in the same way fish have swim bladders, have flight bladders filled with constantly replenished hydrogen. The gas serves to increase their buoyancy, and can be expelled from high-pressure glands at the back of their mouths. Combined with naturally occurring chemicals that can be expelled from their throats, dragons can create instant combustion. The burning jets of hydrogen act like a flamethrower and become a fearsome weapon capable of almost instantly frying a man, or in my case, a Vampire. Rolling behind a row of slot machines, Toby and Karl barely avoided the flames. When it unleashed another blast of fire, I held tightly to the dragon’s neck as it bucked and tried to dislodge me. As we slammed into an elaborate display promising a chance to win a brand new Cadillac, the dragon flitted its wings, finally launching me free of its back. Crashing through the display, I felt my head crack against the ing wooden base. “Rose!” I barely heard Toby shout above the commotion. The dragon threw its head back and unleashed another hell storm. Machines in every direction were set alight as the newborn vigorously defended itself. As the casino’s sprinkler system snapped on, I watched the dragon flap its powerful wings and lift off the ground. Screeching, its stare focused into the distance. Carefully following its line of sight, I saw what it wanted. I swallowed hard. It wanted freedom. “Toby,” I yelled, lifting myself out of the wreckage and pointing to the exit, “don’t let it get out! We’ll lose it!” Toby didn’t hesitate. Launching off a nearby stool, he caught the dragon by the tail in midair. An adult dragon can snatch pretty much anything—cattle, horses, humans, and even other dragons—and maintain flight, but this baby was far too weak to Toby’s added weight. The two thumped down to the floor and rolled. Toby skittered to his feet as the dragon snapped its mouth open. I think I could actually see the jets of hydrogen eject from its glands before they ignited. In an amazing display of speed and power, Karl appeared out of nowhere, dropped his shoulder, and knocked Toby away just before the flames ripped past him. Rolling before the dragon could react, Toby and Karl once again took shelter behind a bank of slots.

“Thanks,” Toby breathed. “It was going to fry me.” Karl laughed. “I just didn’t want to smell burnt dog hair.” Digging myself out of the wreckage, I watched the newborn dragon lift off the ground again. It was still intent on the exit. Flapping its massive wings, the dragon skimmed across the top of the gaming floor at an incredible speed. Hitting the front doors at full speed, the dragon found its freedom amidst an explosion of shattered glass. I heard its call one more time before it was gone. “Damn,” I breathed. Spotting my Beretta on the floor, I scooped it up and returned it to the holster on the hip of my jeans. My nearly barbequed partners stood from their hiding place and ed me. Huge drops of water from the sprinkler system rained down around us, trying hard to quell the flames that still roared around us. Beyond the damaged entrance, I spotted the telltale alternating red and blue flashes of law enforcement and firefighters. What should have been a simple smash-and-grab had turned into a major incident. I was definitely going to hear about this from my boss. “Come on,” Karl turned to Toby and then to me, “we need to get out of here.” “We have to try and contain this,” Toby warned. “All of these people are witnesses.” I nodded. “Karl,” I looked down at my green-skinned partner, “did you bring an eraser?” “Always prepared,” the Goblin replied with a grin. “Somebody around here has to be,” he added snidely. Reaching into his pocket, Karl produced a small glass vial and handed it to me. “Thanks, Karl.” Technically known as an Erado Vial—I wasn’t sure why the Brimstone Mages insisted on giving everything a Latin name—most Seekers simply called it an Eraser. No longer than an inch, and less than a quarter of an inch in diameter, the vial was clear except for a silver cap on each end and appeared much smaller in my hands than it did in the Goblin’s. It looked like an electrical fuse, minus the bubbling green substance inside. Once broken, the spell would be activated and delete the short-term memory of all humans near us. There was one drawback: as the spell disseminated, its effects lessened.

Those nearest would loose a big chunk of recent memories, while people further away would only forget the most current. Inhumans, for some reason, weren’t affected by the spell. It wasn’t perfect, but it’s what we had. Holding the vial with both hands, I shook it, then cracked open the glass. With a poof of smoke, the spell became active and the green substance transformed to purple. Tossing it over my shoulder, we started away from the flames. “Wait.” I felt a hand grab my arm. Turning, I found a frightened human in a drab, brown business suit clinging to me. Streaks of wet soot clung to his face while his tie was badly singed at the bottom. “What the hell was that?” he asked. “It looked like a damned dinosaur!” I could have put the whammy on him and made him forget, but it wasn’t necessary. He was going to catch the full brunt of the Eraser in a moment. I smiled and gently pulled his hand from my arm. “That was a weather balloon.” His face contorted in anger. “A balloon? Are you out of your freaking mind, lady? You expect me to believe that all this was caused by some kind of goddamned balloon?” I nodded. “Nearby swamp gas was reflecting off the surface of the balloon, causing it to become luminous.” I saw his jaw go slack and his pupils dilate. The spell was beginning to affect him. “Swamp gas,” he muttered. “What about the fire?” “Defective slot machine,” I answered. “You really should be more careful, sir. Casinos are very dangerous places.” Letting his arm go, I noticed him stumbling back. The man looked at me then to the fire behind him. Running his hand over his face, he lifted his scorched tie and stared at it in disbelief. “What the hell happened here?” He was done. His memory was gone.

“Sir,” my smile faded, “you need to evacuate. The fire department is on the way.” Nodding, the man stumbled back as if inebriated. His face was thick with confusion. Turning away, he shot me one more glance over his shoulder before he disappeared beyond the flames. Toby placed his hand on my shoulder. “That wasn’t very nice.” Karl giggled. “Funny though.” I started back toward the exit. If we were lucky, we would get lost in the rush of humanity trying to escape the casino. As we walked out into the crisp night air, I watched the first of the fire trucks pull into position flanked by two police cars. As the firefighters began to work, Toby, Karl, and I eased unnoticed into the darkness. Turning, I looked again at the entrance of the Aztec Hotel and Casino. It had certainly seen better days. Still, it was the humans’ fault for constructing it with actual stones from Teotihuacán in Mexico. They had created a mystical focal point in the heart of Las Vegas. Did weird stuff like this happen at Caesar’s Palace, or The Mirage? No. The designers had brought this on themselves. I frowned. It was Brimstone’s job to clean up the mess. Amidst the gathering crowd, I caught the fleeting glance of a tall, dark-haired man. Quickly whirling away from my gaze, he wound through the people as if they weren’t really there and vanished inside the Aztec. I felt the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Hoping for another glimpse of him, I kept my stare trained on the entrance, hoping for another glimpse of him. Something about him seemed to set off my senses, but I wasn’t sure why. He gave me the heebie-jeebies. He was probably just another Inhuman, but still...there was something about him. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it though. “Come on, Rose!” I heard Toby shout from the other side of the parking lot. “Karl’s gotta tinkle.” “Sure,” the Goblin protested, “tell all of Las Vegas I have to pee.” I spun and shot my partners the stink eye. With one last look over my shoulder to the Aztec, I headed toward the car. I had other things to worry about; like how I was going to explain to Maynard that I had lost the dragon.

Chapter 3

Even at two thirty in the morning, the Brimstone Building was a hive of activity. Winding through the various Inhumans and cubicles, I found my way to my desk. There was paperwork to be done on tonight’s event, but it wasn’t on the top of my priority list. First, I didn’t want to have to it that the dragon escaped, and second, the dark-haired being I had glimpsed at the Aztec was weighing heavily on my mind. Who was he, and why did I get such an intense feeling of dread when I looked at him? I wanted answers but time was short. Overtime wasn’t really an option for me since daylight brought me to a quick and fiery death. Toby and Karl had wandered down to the commissary for a late-night snack. I the Goblin muttering something about waffles before the elevator doors slid shut. Sliding into my chair, I set my palms flat on my desk. My eyes wandered slowly and suspiciously over the night shift, carefully noting anything irregular. Chithula’s Las Vegas cloning operation had been shut down, but there was no way to know if the Ifrit had continued his work elsewhere, or had multiple cloning sites. There was a distinct possibility that Maryut clones walked among us now, but there was no sure-fire way of detection. Anyone could be a pod person...and that scared the hell out of me. My gaze slowly settled on the cubicle across the narrow aisle. I stared at the drab, gray-colored walls until I saw a hint of movement. A head with jet-black hair bobbed up and leaned back with a yawn. As she lifted her arms to stretch, she slowly swiveled in her chair and locked gazes with me. Her yawn was instantly gone as her arms shot down to her sides. Her dark eyes hardened. I nodded once to Elena Ramirez, Brimstone’s top Seeker, and she returned the gesture. Since her help in clearing my name after a botched Vampire nest raid late last year, and my rescue of her from Chithula’s cloning operation, we had developed an uneasy truce. I think there was a mutual respect for each other’s skills, yet I had the distinct feeling the Witch still hated me. It was no secret that she was a racist and didn’t like Inhumans, but there was something more there. I hadn’t been able to crack her leathery outer shell to find out what, and I’m not entirely sure I wanted to. It was enough that we didn’t try to kill each other at the

office anymore. “Hey, Rose?” Spinning in my chair, I found a familiar man leaning on the edge of my cubicle. Dressed in a pair of khaki cargo pants, a white polo, and a worn denim jacket, he looked straight from the early ’90’s. His dark hair neatly combed with an almost perfect part down the right side, Grant Gough’s plain exterior was a far cry from the sadistic J’om Demon hidden within. “What’s up, Grant?” I asked casually. I only knew Grant professionally, but he always seemed nice enough. He was a good, but not fantastic, Seeker. It was hard to believe this plain, boring, vanilla individual was one of the most vicious species of Inhuman the Syndicate had ever classified. Grant ran his fingers through the short hair above his left sideburn. If he had longer hair, he would have been tucking it behind his ear. Maybe it was a remnant of a previous hairstyle, or just a nervous habit. “Have you seen Louis?” Louis was one of our numerous office managers, and one of the more obnoxious ones at that. Imagine every Louis you’ve ever met, roll them into one, short, annoying man with Coke-bottle glasses, and you have a pretty good amalgam of our manager. “No.” I shrugged. “Sorry. Why?” “I haven’t seen him all day,” Grant answered. He rubbed his chin. “Or all this week, as a matter of fact.” That struck me as highly unusual. Louis was a pain in the ass, but he was efficient, and loyal as a neutered dog. In the entire time I had been with the Syndicate, I couldn’t the office manager taking a day off...ever. “Has anyone seen him?” Grant shook his head. “No one. Little punk has the paperwork on my latest collar. I have a bitchy Vamp cooling his heels in lockup downstairs that I’m getting pretty tired of. I’m getting verbal warnings from security almost every day.” The Seeker sighed. “This is ridiculous.” “I wish I could help,” I offered. “Thanks, Rose,” Grant said.

I nodded. “If I see him, I’ll point him in your direction—” “Rose!” Shaken by my name being barked, I spun quickly in my chair to see Maynard leaning out of his office door with his telephone receiver waggling in his hand. Glancing down at my desk, I saw two missed calls on the tiny LCD screen and cringed. I had been so wrapped up in Grant’s problem, I hadn’t noticed my phone ringing. Or maybe it was because I kept the ringer off. Way to stay on the boss’ good side. “Be right there, Maynard,” I said, standing up. Elena smirked devilishly at me before disappearing back into her cubicle. She knew something. Damned old Witch... Ignoring Elena, I moved through the cubicles and headed for Maynard’s glass office. A Dendro Demon, basically a living tree, Maynard liked it to be as bright as possible but it left me uncomfortable as there was little privacy. If the boss yelled at me, the whole office knew it. Still, Maynard was a good man...er, demon. Either way, he helped me clear my name last year when he didn’t have to. Outside of my partners, he was one of the few in the Syndicate that I trusted with my life. As I stepped into his lush, plant-filled office, the assistant director motioned for me to sit down. “Where’s my dragon egg, Rose?” I smiled sheepishly. “It flew away.” Maynard seated himself in his large, leather chair opposite me and immediately started to drum his fingers on his desk. “Funny thing.” I laughed softly. “Seems they had the egg on display in the casino, and the lights in the case were warm enough to act as an incubator. We arrived just as it hatched, and were unable to contain it.” Maynard ran his fingers through his wavy blond hair. “And how is that funny?” I thought about the question for a long moment, hoping I really didn’t have to answer.

The Dendro waited. He actually wanted an answer. I sighed softly. “I guess it’s more ironic—” “Dammit, Rose,” Maynard barked. “Why do I continue to have the same conversation with you?” “My charming personality?” I interjected before my brain ed it was a bad idea. “You could be the best Seeker in the entire Syndicate, but you’re sloppy.” Maynard stopped. Leaning forward in his chair, he folded his hands and rested his arms on his elbows. He leveled his gaze at me. “The Tribunal is putting pressure on me to find some kind of resolution. They are very displeased with this situation.” The Tribunal... This had apparently gone all the way to the top. I couldn’t help but wonder if Chithula had something to do with this. Perhaps this was revenge for shutting down his Las Vegas operation? I knew the Ifrit and his clone Maryut were still out there...but where? “I didn’t want to do this,” Maynard said slowly as though he had been practicing, “but my hand has been forced. I want you to know that I went to bat for you, Rose.” “Do what?” I asked quickly. Being part of the Syndicate was like being in the mob. People weren’t fired, they were killed. If my employment was to be terminated, that meant I was too. I was suddenly scared out of my mind. “Just tell me, Maynard.” Maynard nodded. “You’re being placed on istrative probation.” It was a shock, but at least I wasn’t being executed...yet. “What the hell does that mean?” “It means your Seeker status has been revoked,” Maynard explained. “What?” I shot up from my seat and slammed my palms on Maynard’s desk. “My case completion ratio is still well above Syndicate standards. I don’t deserve this.”

“I agree,” Maynard said calmly. He waited for a moment then motioned for me to retake my seat. I slowly complied. “Like I said, Rose, I went to bat for you. I don’t think you deserve this.” Maynard exhaled slowly. “But the Tribunal doesn’t see it that way.” My head fell forward in what I can only describe as defeat. I felt like Maynard had ripped my heart cleanly from my chest and stomped on it. I was devastated. This was all I had. The Syndicate had become my life. It had taken a rogue Vampire and given her purpose and a second chance. Still, if this was how the Syndicate treated one of their top Seekers, I was seriously considering a career change. It was too bad that would probably entail my death. I locked stares with Maynard. “You’ll be placed under one of the other Seekers and have to report directly to them, effective immediately,” Maynard finished. “That’s insulting,” I spat out at the director. “I’m being treated like a first-year rookie!” Maynard started to retort, but I stopped him. “I know, I know,” I said, patting the air with my hands. “I know what you’re going to say. I just wanted to voice my objection.” The Dendro Demon took a long, slow breath in through his nose, and finally nodded. “Your objection has been noted.” Slipping a red folder from the top of a stack on the right side of his desk, Maynard reached over and handed it to me. I already knew what it was before I opened it. Maynard liked to use color-coded folders for cases so he would know what it was before looking inside. I always thought it was a bit obsessive-compulsive, but it seemed to work for him. Staring at the heavy red folder, I felt the insult growing deeper like the Dendro was actually rubbing lemon juice in my open wound. “Are you serious?” I asked, my brow furrowed in annoyance. Maynard’s expression remained unchanged. Steepling his fingers, he pressed

them against his lips and leaned back in his seat. He simply sat, apparently contemplating what I had said. “You’re asg me a Quiris? A Demon Out of Zone?” I tossed the red folder onto his desk. “This is a slap to the face as far as I’m concerned.” Maynard still said nothing. I waited. Finally taking another breath, he lowered his fingers from his mouth. I shook my head. “This is—” “Bullshit,” Maynard barked. “That’s what this is. Your attitude is unprofessional and childish. Throwing a tantrum won’t get you anywhere. Would you rather be dead?” I almost wished I was. We sat staring at each other, a cold war stalemate the likes of which had not been seen since before the Berlin Wall came down. He was resolute, as was I, but he had all the cards on the table, including the one that was my life. I was a rogue Vampire once, and killed more people than I care to , so I know the Syndicate would have no trouble executing me. Maynard knew this, and he wouldn’t argue anymore. The director had said his bit, laid down the law, and no amount of arguing would change his decision. I wasn’t happy with it, but that really didn’t figure into his equations anywhere. Picking up a pen and situating a notepad before him, Maynard got back to work. “Report to Natasha Keenan. That will be all, Rose.” “Please reconsider,” I breathed. “That will be all, Rose,” the Dendro said without looking up at me. I nodded. Standing slowly, I retrieved the red folder from Maynard’s desk, along with my heart that he had torn from my chest. We were done. Walking briskly through the office, I hung my head and headed straight for the

elevator. Keenan was on the floor below. In a span of ten minutes, I had been threatened, berated, and demoted. This was not turning out to be a good day. I just wanted to go home. The chime of the elevator’s arrival caught my attention. As I looked up in dismay, the doors slid open and I found Toby and Karl standing inside. They were exactly the two people in the building I didn’t want to see right now. I had trained them, and was there when both were given Seeker status. Now to tell them that I had been demoted... I didn’t want to deal with that right now. I felt like a failure, in more ways than I cared to it. “Hey, suckhead,” Karl the Goblin greeted me. A large purple stain was splattered down the front of his shirt that I could only hope was some sort of food. “You should have hit the cafeteria with us. We had waffles with grape jelly!” As the Goblin and the Werewolf stepped out of the elevator, I took the opportunity to scoot inside. “I’ll catch you guys later,” I said as I pressed a floor button with my thumb. The doors started to slide shut, but were stopped by Toby’s meaty paw. “What’s going on, Rose?” I looked into the Werewolf’s concerned face and knew I should tell him. I opened my mouth but couldn’t seem to spit out the truth. I held up the red folder, knowing Toby would recognize it. “Quiris. Maynard just assigned it.” “A Demon Out of Zone?” Toby asked. “Isn’t that a little,” he paused, “below us?” I shrugged, not wanting to face the truth. “You need our help, suckhead?” Karl asked quickly. “Not on this one,” I breathed. “Just a quick tag-and-bag. No problem.” The wolf eyed me suspiciously. “I’ll catch you guys tomorrow,” I said finally, hoping Maynard would tell them about my demotion and I wouldn’t have to. Still, that meant I would have to deal

with it sooner or later. Toby’s hand slowly slid away from the door and he gave me the sad puppy dog face, something he was very good at, being a Werewolf and all. Running my hand down my face, I looked away from the wolf. I jabbed the close door button. As the doors slid shut, I felt like an even bigger failure. I couldn’t even look my partners in the face. Closing my eyes, I let my head fell back against the elevator wall. I had always known I was living on the razor’s edge, but for the first time in one hundred and thirty years, I was truly worried. As the doors slid open, I looked out onto the nearly vacant fourth floor. Lights were dimmed and desks were empty, looking more like one would expect a normal office to at this time of night. From somewhere on the floor, I could hear the suffering whine of a dying vacuum cleaner, the wet glug of a water cooler, and the whirr of computer fans. The fourth floor was reserved exclusively for humanoid Seekers who could blend in with humans more easily than the rest of us. Used primarily for intelligence and infiltration, this was a specialty division utilized in a much different way. These were, for lack of a better word, spies. Why I was being assigned to a Seeker spy was a little confusing, and certainly the case Maynard handed me didn’t require any advance intelligence. This just wasn’t adding up. Wandering through the maze of cubicles, I looked at the sparse decorations contained within and the name plaques attached to the soft gray material covering them. I had no idea who, or what, Natasha Keenan was, so finding her was an interesting challenge of its own. “This is stupid,” I breathed, staring at the red folder in my hand. I had handled hundreds of Quiris Demons in my career so this was nothing new. I didn’t need some damned spy to hold my hand. As my indignation grew, I gave up the search and turned back toward the elevator. I didn’t have to deal with this garbage anyway. Knowing I was more than capable of handling this assignment on my own, I would simply report the results to Keenan and Maynard. End of story. Glancing at the clock on the wall as I waited for the elevator, I smiled slyly. I still had time to get downtown to the Aztec and take care of this Quiris before sunrise.

This would be, without a doubt, a slam dunk.

Chapter 4

I’m convinced the Powers That Be, whoever or whatever they are, have a wickedly sick sense of humor. Wiping the blood from my split lip, I looked up at the hulking Demon lumbering toward me. Big, green, and with venom-tipped bone spikes protruding dangerously from its shoulders, back, head, and arms, this Quiris Demon was seriously pissed off at me. After slamming my head against the bar and throwing me onto a table, it wanted to finish the job, and all because of a simple zone violation. Of course, it never was that simple, and really, I should have expected this. Throwing off my leather trench coat, I rolled forward, barely avoiding the Quiris’ lunge. The Demon, who must have been at least three-hundred-and-fifty pounds, crashed into the same table I had, but tore through it like a tank. Skittering to a stop, I watched the Quiris hit the wall, rub its massive head like one of the Stooges, grunt, and turn back toward me. Its brow furrowed angrily. “Syndicate filth,” the Quiris growled. I held up my hands defensively. “Come on. You’re out of zone, and you know it.” The Quiris wasn’t supposed to be in this section of Las Vegas due to its dangerous physiology. In fact, it wasn’t supposed to be in Las Vegas at all. “Just walk out of here. We can solve this peacefully.” The Quiris Demon gritted his teeth. Leaning forward, he roared at the top of his lungs, or whatever he had in there, and charged again. Kicking my leg out, I knocked the Quiris down. He hit with a thump that actually shook the bar floor. I drew my pistol from its shoulder holster, then clicked off the safety and smashed my foot into the back of his neck. “Stop now or I will kill you,” I warned him. The big guy didn’t seem deterred by my threat, despite knowing my shot at point-blank range would blow his spiky skull apart. He reacted faster than I thought he could. Lurching straight up, the Quiris bucked me off and twisted. I pulled the trigger, but my shot went wide. Hitting the carpeted floor, I tried to roll out of his reach but wasn’t fast enough.

A spike punctured my thigh. The Quiris’ venom felt like fire beneath my skin as it quickly spread up my leg. Not actually sure what effect the toxin would have on me, considering I have my own venom, I was a little worried. Ripping my leg free of the Quiris’ spike, I scooted out of arm’s reach and stared at the wound. I grabbed the edges of the tear in my pants. I really liked these pants. With a sigh, I ripped them open and eyed the wound. The puncture was bleeding profusely, and what looked like dark veins were quickly scattering through my skin. This wasn’t good. “Dammit, Frank,” I said, looking up at the Quiris Demon. “This is ridiculous.” Frank, the Quiris Demon, didn’t seem to care. Drawing himself up to his full height of nearly seven feet, the Quiris flexed his muscles and bristled with spikes. His eyes hardened and he started toward me. Certainly, he meant to kill me. Lifting my weapon as my head pounded, I exhaled and pulled the trigger. Frank’s pain-filled moan was barely audible above the shrieks of panicked bar patrons. The shot had hit him directly in the forehead, but he wasn’t stopping. Crap. I fired again, and again, but the Quiris refused to fall. His red eyes seemed distant and glassy, but he lumbered toward me. Each step was becoming more and more labored, but Frank refused to stop. I pulled the trigger a fourth time. Amidst the humans scattering like cockroaches, Frank, the Quiris Demon, finally fell. And so did I... My head hit the floor as the Quiris’ venom exploded through my body. This wasn’t good. The best way I know to describe it was that I felt “foggy,” as if a heavy curtain were separating my brain and body. I felt disconnected and lost in my own mind. As though acid churned just beneath my skin, my body ached and itched. I wanted to rip off my own flesh. Trying to roll onto my side, I watched a

stream of crimson blood fall from my nose. This wasn’t good at all. I needed to get out of here, and take Frank’s body with me. To leave the dead Demon in the middle of a Las Vegas bar pretty much defeated the Brimstone Syndicate’s purpose. Pain rippled through my body as I tried to draw myself up onto my knees, and I suddenly regretted not bringing my partners on this one. “It will be no big deal,” I promised. “I’ll be fine.” Damned ego... Eyeing my pistol on the floor, I tried to grab it but my fingers had become uncooperative. Stubbornly I pawed at the weapon, but couldn’t grip it. Frank’s venom was affecting my fine motor control. Crumbling back to the ground, I started to panic. In my peripheral vision, I could see a crowd had started to gather around Frank and me. The situation was already out of hand, but now we had just added a whole extra suitcase of bad. Turning my head, I spotted my leather trench coat and knew what I had to do. It was my only option left, but I didn’t have to like it. My fingernails clawed into the carpeting as I struggled forward. Something in my mind was fighting me. Whether it was the venom, or my aversion to what I was about to do, I couldn’t tell for sure. I didn’t want to do this, probably because it could mean my own death. I could hear the crowd’s frantic voices around me, but it was little more than a background buzz as my mind swam. As the venom fought my concentration, I reached my coat and worked my hands stupidly over the pockets until I found what I was looking for. My dread was encased in silver and black plastic in the shape of a cell phone. Somehow managing to flick it open, I tapped a key with my knuckle and fell next to it. I could barely hear the squawk of the operator’s voice on the tiny speaker, but I already knew what to say. “Seeker down,” I breathed. “Send the Cleaners.” I slipped from consciousness and into darkness.

Chapter 5

I sat for a long time just watching the immense Observation Wheel turning. Red and blue bands of neon climbing the interior struts sliced slowly through the darkened sky as they escorted sparsely populated cars on a never-ending journey. Sitting on a dilapidated park bench, I noticed various dying shrubs and empty tree branches looked like skeletal fingers clawing at the sky. My gaze wandered along concrete paths weaving through the green grass beneath my feet. The wind meandered through the foliage and licked my flesh, but was subtle enough not to cause goose bumps. A sweet fragrance I couldn’t quite identify wafted around me, tantalizing my senses and memory. I didn’t feel comfortable, but couldn’t put my finger on why. It seemed like I had been here before; I could almost feel it, but I didn’t recognize this place. Pulling windblown strands of blond hair out of my face, I glanced over my shoulder nervously and if my heart actually beat, I think it would have skipped one. Fear compelled me up from the bench and into the relative safety of a tree’s shadow. Curling my fingers around the tree trunk like that horrible black-andwhite image of the Nosferatu burned in celluloid, I peered nervously into the western sky and the sunrise. But I didn’t burn. Cautiously at first, I held out my hand and waited for the inevitable smoke...but there was nothing. With curiosity overwhelming me, I stretched my arm into an orange sunbeam, and again nothing happened. Pulling my arm back to my side, I stared at the sunrise and knew if I was wrong, I was toast. Literally. Biting my bottom lip nervously, I closed my eyes and stepped into the light. And for the first time in one-hundred-and-thirty years, I felt the warmth of the sun on my flesh. I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t burning, but I couldn’t seem to care. As I basked in the glow of the orange and red light, I felt it wash over me almost lovingly. The dread and discomfort I had felt in this strange place melted away, replaced with a feeling I can only describe as “joyful.” Betraying my cool, dark,

vampiric exterior, I lifted my arms and spun slowly to let the light caress my entire body. I felt my lips twist up into a satisfying grin that seemed to somehow stretch from ear to ear. My body vibrated pleasantly, leaving me wanting to collapse into a heap of giggling ecstasy on the grass. “Rose.” I stopped. All of the joy, all of the ecstasy instantly vanished as I turned, leaving only the cold, hard, ominous air I had felt before. Even the lush greens, orange, and red colors drained from before my eyes. He was exactly as I ed him. He wore his trademark midnight-blue overcoat, high-collared white shirt, and dark tros, and his hair was pulled into a ponytail with a few strands framing his perfect porcelain features. There was a bloody spot on the chest of his white shirt that seemed to be steadily growing larger. That was where... I cringed. I started to shrink away from him, but forcefully stopped myself. I didn’t know where I was, but this wasn’t reality. The sunlight wasn’t burning me, and he wasn’t dead. I had fallen deep into the rabbit hole. As I looked at him, a font of emotions I didn’t know I had erupted from deep within me. I was overcome with love, grief, anger, and hatred all at once. My stomach churned and a lump stuck in my throat as though I was about to vomit. It was too much...I was in sensory overload. I wanted out of wherever this was right now. “You’re dead,” I whispered. “Good point.” He nodded, and crossed his arms. “So are you.” Rhetorical nonsense... “Drew.” I spat out his name and fired off the nastiest glare I could muster. I hadn’t seen him in nearly one-hundred years, and I was already falling back into bad habits. I felt as though he was about to lecture me on my feeding preferences...but that was a long, long time ago. Then the weight of his statement and the oddity of this place struck me. “Wait, what do you mean? Is this,” I gasped, “Heaven?” Drew threw his head back and laughed hard. “You wish. After what you’ve done, do you really believe you belong in Heaven?” He was right...I didn’t. “What do you want?”

Circling around me, Drew sat down on the nearby bench, crossed his legs, and looked at me with dull eyes. Over his shoulder, I saw the dark shapes of three figures with horrible red eyes appear. Undulating, the figures rose up like a black tidal wave threatening to crash down over Drew and then me. Their eyes blazed fiercely as they silently judged me, and their mouths were full of razor-sharp teeth. Light could not escape the darkness that swirled around them; instead it was sucked in and crushed by their forms. In that moment, I recognized them, and felt my stomach churn. “Ignore them,” Drew commanded ominously. He made no movements. “This is bigger than your pain.” I had seen them so many times, so many nights. The three loomed terribly, like something out of a nightmare...one of my nightmares. They were the devils that haunted me, and were responsible for the loss of everything I once held dear. The three figures laughed silently, mocking me as if they could sense my pain. Of course they could...they had created it. “Time is short,” Drew said, sitting forward. “You have to pay attention, Rose. Block out the pain and the fear.” I couldn’t take my eyes off them. “What is this?” “Your mind,” Drew said without hesitation. “You’re still on the floor of the bar, dying.” I couldn’t seem to wrap my mind around what my old mentor was telling me. I felt a drop of something warm run down my chin. Running my fingers across it, I pulled them away to find a thick, red smear of blood. Panic gripped me and I looked back to Drew. “What’s happening?” “I told you,” Drew said smugly, “you’re dying. We’re running out of time, Rose. You have to block out the demons and listen to me.” Pulling my arm across my nose, I created another smear of blood. Pain surged up my face as I grazed the split lip the Quiris had given me. “Why should I listen to you? If this is my mind, I already know what you’re going to say.” “Believe what you want,” Drew said.

My legs felt weak as though they were about to collapse beneath me. Reaching out for a nearby tree to myself, I just missed it and crumbled to the ground. “Our time is almost up,” Drew said, standing. The demonic threesome shifted, moving through the bench to follow. “You have to listen,” Drew instructed me, “to the whispers of the dead.” My head felt thick. Clamping my hands to my temples, I gritted my teeth as a dull throb erupted in my skull. I was suddenly queasy and felt disoriented. Was Drew right? Was I dying... “Please, Rose,” Drew said, closing the gap between us. Placing his hands on my upper arms, he tried to help steady me. “Listen,” he said softly, his voice almost pleading. I wanted to collapse into his arms, safe and warm. I wanted this to all go away. “Just listen,” Drew said again. “Listen to the whispers.” I fell out of Drew’s arms and onto the ground. Looking up, I saw the three figures closing in on me, their red eyes burning. I could hear their laughter, mocking and terrible as it echoed in my ears. It reverberated into my torso then rippled into every corner of my body. Closing my eyes tightly, I was consumed by darkness again.

Chapter 6

I came to, a Demon’s hands hovering over me. Shimmering balls of light seeming to be created out of thin air, coalesce around the Demon then wash into my chest. Fear gripped me at first, but as I felt relief, my trepidation abated. Candle flames flickered around us, radiating soft yellow light and heat into the tiny room. Archaic symbols on the walls and ceilings danced in the shadows. Hides of animals I had never seen before littered the floor and covered my naked body. Seated next to me and covered in heavy, black, wool robes, only the Demon’s yellow eyes and hands were visible in the low light. I couldn’t tell the species, but it appeared reptilian. Low and raspy, the healer’s voice was chanting something over and over as it kept its glowing hands just above my chest. I wanted to move, but my limbs felt heavy. Attempting to wiggle my fingers and toes, I could only feel numbness. The healer had instilled some sort of paralysis in me, or maybe it was the Quiris’ venom. I couldn’t be certain. Words, sentences, and questions formed in my mind, but I couldn’t get them to my lips. I felt helpless. The healer placed its clawed hand gently on my forehead. “This will be over soon,” it hissed as though reading my thoughts. I watched its long, black, forked tongue flick out from beneath the hood then disappear back into the blackness. “Please remain still, child.” Understanding, my mind turned inward, focused on Drew’s words. Immediately the grim visages of the three phantoms struck me, but I pushed them away. He was right. This was more important than my pain, more important than the ghosts from my past. Whispers from the dead...what could that possibly mean? How was I to listen to these voices, and more importantly, why was it so important they be heard? It didn’t make any sense, but I knew, somehow, it was very important. Had it been real, or some poison-induced hallucination? I wasn’t sure there was any way to be certain. The glow around the healer’s hands diminished and it pulled them away. Leaning back, it rested its palms on its thighs and seemed to be considering me. Its yellow stare swept slowly over my body and its black tongue flicked rapidly

in and out. “You have been cleansed,” it said from the darkness of its hood. “The neurotoxin has been rendered inert. You should regain motion and speech very soon.” I nodded and watched as the healer stood. Its hand wrapped around the fabric of the hood and slowly pulled it back. Its head was horrific. Looking like a giant cobra, it fluffed its flesh hood out. Its scaly skin was almost jet-black with yellow and brown markings, while its yellow eyes were almost luminous in the candlelight. It seemed evil, its mouth pulled into a perpetual sneer and the brows above its eyes sweeping back as though in anger. I wanted to look away, but found myself mesmerized by the horrid visage. “It’s not polite to stare,” the healer hissed. I felt instantly guilty and self-conscious. I averted my eyes. “Some are blessed with beauty at birth,” the healer said. “I’m sorry you weren’t so lucky.” Did the big snake monster just bag on me? Seriously? I wanted to laugh at the preposterousness of the statement, but still couldn’t make my vocal chords cooperate. Instead I flashed a quick, insincere smile. Flicking its tongue, the healer clasped its hands together and bowed respectfully. The Demon stepped around me, parted two large curtains on my right side, and exited. Alone again, I closed my eyes and wandered back to the strange vision of Drew. It was utterly surreal, and yet every detail was still crisp in my mind’s eye and seemed as real as anything else I could . I could see the giant Ferris wheel spinning, the leaves swaying in the wind, and smell the salty air from the bay wafting through the park. That was the familiar smell I recalled...San Francisco Bay. This was turning out to be one strange trip. I tried to flush the images from my mind. I needed rest, and I couldn’t deal with the hallucination, vision, or whatever the hell it was, anymore. I didn’t need this. I just wanted to get back to work, find that damned dragon, and get my Seeker status reinstated. That seemed simple enough, right?

Light spilled into the room, dilating my eyes, but I could see a large, broad figure standing in the open curtain. He walked inside and was completely silent. Every step, every movement was precisely calculated and flawlessly executed. As my vision adjusted to the darkness again, I could see the sheen on his immaculate black leather jacket, while his powerful blue eyes danced in the low light. Hands clasped at his waist, he stood at my feet simply observing. I had thought I was in the care of the Syndicate’s Healers, but I was wrong. Dead wrong. “Rosy,” he said in a dark voice, lacking any emotion. I hated it when he called me that. I hadn’t seen Jared in almost a year, and with good reason. Last time the Master Vampire had almost killed me, and Toby had been forced to put several rounds into him with my pistol. Of course, he had been trying to help me against Chithula and I betrayed him. I can’t recall exactly where it is in the Official Seeker Handbook, but I know it clearly states “don’t piss off a Master Vampire.” Well, so much for that. Still, I was alive. That had to count for something...unless I was to be tortured... I really needed to work on my sunny disposition. “I intercepted your call for help,” Jared informed. “You were brought directly to my healers, and the Quiris’ body was disposed of.” But the question remained, why had I been brought here? “Because you owe me,” Jared replied. “I stuck my neck out for you, and ended up with a bullet in the skull.” I really wish he wouldn’t do that. I hated it when he read my mind. “I know.” Jared smiled. “Please rest. Your body needs it to heal fully. Whenever you are ready to talk,” he paused dramatically as he moved back to the curtains, “I will be waiting.” I hated that too. Why did Master Vampires have to be so overly operatic? It really got on my nerves. And I was fairly certain it was why he did it. “It is.” Jared laughed as he vanished through the curtains.

Bastard. This day was rapidly spiraling into the seventh level of Hell. I closed my eyes and hoped it would all go away.

Chapter 7

October 29, 1877

Before I could react, I was knocked to the ground amidst glass raining down. My mind whirled frantically as I tried to understand what was happening. Scanning the glass-laden floor, I spotted the object that had broken the front window, and struck me in the cheek. A rock, roughly the size and shape of a small cantaloupe sat quietly on the floor in front of the fireplace, the white scars of its journey evident on the surface. It would have taken some effort to hurl it from the street. Glancing back up to the window, I could see the hellish orange glow of their torches reflected in what remained of the broken glass... I knew they were getting more brazen, and closer. Stars sparkled before my eyes as I tried to sit up. Pressing my palms to the floor for leverage, I felt the undeniable sting of glass cutting into my flesh. With a shriek, I yanked my hand up and cradled it. Just below my thumb, I found a triangular-shaped shard, blood already welling up around it. I gritted my teeth and tried to grasp the fragment, but found it too bloody to grip. I needed help, but more importantly, I needed to get to the children. My heart thumped in my chest so loudly I was certain the crowd outside could hear it. Damned Sandlotters. Why couldn’t they stay in their filthy hovels? ing myself against the wall, I stood and let the last bits of glass on my dress tinkle to the floor. My face where the rock had struck me felt like it was on fire. Pressing my fingertips lightly to the skin, I could feel heat radiating from it. My head felt thick and confused, so much that I snatched the back of a nearby chair for , my fingers digging into the imported fabric, I could hear the angry murmur of the crowd outside getting louder. I looked up to see my servant standing in the hallway, watching the broken window with unmitigated terror upon her face. If the mob did reach the house, she would certainly be lynched. And she knew it. “Sarah,” I said softly, “where are the children?”

Sarah’s eyes were wide with fear, and she was visibly shaking. “Sarah!” I said as loud as my fear allowed. The young Chinese woman snapped her attention to me, but refused to leave the safety of the hallway. Sarah Zhang was a Chinese immigrant to San Francisco, and in the current political climate, she was the enemy. Denis Kearney and his band of unemployed workingmen blamed the Chinese and affluent for taking their jobs and their livelihoods. Some claimed it was more complex than that, but from my point of view, they were nothing more than bigots. Kearney was a foul-mouthed Irishman who had been inciting violence in San Francisco for months, but now he had included the rich in his tirades, which led him and his Sandlotters here to my home on California Street, complete with shovels, pitchforks, and torches. “Where are the children?” I asked again, still cradling my bloody hand. As I started toward her, the crunch of the glass beneath my shoes was so loud, I was certain the mob outside could hear it. “In their rooms,” Sarah answered in nearly perfect English. Her voice was hushed and weak, overwhelmed by fear. “We need to get away from the windows,” I urged, “and get the children out of the house.” As though on cue, a large rock smashed through another window, launching more glass into the house. Fear propelled Sarah and me further into the hallway and toward the stairs to the second floor. The glow of torches was growing ever brighter in the windows, and I knew without question the Sandlotters were marching on my home. Grabbing a handful of my dress to save myself from tripping, I spun around the massive decorative banister and raced up the stairs, with Sarah in tow. My heels clacked loudly against the wood. Another crash from a downstairs window propelled me harder and faster toward the second-floor landing. Reaching the top, I glanced out the window at the end of the hall in horror to see the mob marching up California Street. The orange glow of torches looked like some sort of unholy serpent winding toward my home. Several smaller groups had broken off from the main body and were heading toward the other mansions on Nob Hill

as it seemed Kearney’s message had changed from prejudice to outright hatred. I tore my gaze away from the window and turned toward the children’s rooms...and stopped. Both my son and daughter’s doors were closed, and I was struck by an awkward quietness. Their doors were never closed. Never... I felt my stomach drop. Reaching behind me, I took Sarah by the hand and started toward the end of the hall as my thumping heart climbed into my throat. Events seemed to slowly, as though I were watching them from a distance, and my vision narrowed to a dark tunnel. As my hand slipped around the doorknob, I became more frantic. Something in the back of my mind, something primal, tugged at me, urging me to turn away and run, but my maternal instinct was stronger. I twisted the knob and pushed open the door. Relief ed through me as I saw my daughter in the middle of her four-poster bed. I stared, my mind confused. Something was out of place. I let go of Sarah’s hand and stepped in my daughter’s room. Her eyes... I took another step. My daughter’s eyes were wide open... “Sophia!” I shouted, rushing to her bedside. As I threw back the thin curtain that surrounded the bed, my legs quivered and gave way. After hitting the wood floor hard, I pulled myself up to the edge of her bed. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She stared blindly into nothingness, blood splattered down the right side of her body. Her beautiful blond hair was soaked and matted horribly. Reaching across the bed, I took her small hand into mine. The shock of her cold flesh sent shivers to my very core. My daughter was dead. I fell back to the floor, unsure how to react. Suddenly numb, I wanted to scream, to vomit, to curl up in a ball on the floor and die... But I had to get up. Involuntary sobs escaped my lips as huge tears rolled down my cheeks. “Stay with Sophia,” I said to Sarah.

She nodded, her face drawn. Her emotions were as apparent as mine. Moving back to the hallway, I turned and stopped in front of my son’s door. The same stillness overcame me, and my heart broke. Opening the door, I felt a thump and it stopped. Looking down, I saw Robert’s blond hair behind the door, and a dark pool of blood on the floor next to his head. My son was dead too. “Robert...” Clasping my hand over my mouth, I fell back screaming. Then I heard another crash of broken glass downstairs and a thump from my daughter’s room. Gasping for air like a fish out of water, I pushed toward Sophia’s door. Pulling myself into the doorway, I watched Sarah’s body quiver then crumble to the ground. My breath escaped me as three black forms rose up like nightmares from behind Sarah’s body. Everything was gone in that moment. My children weren’t dead, Sarah wasn’t dead, and there wasn’t an angry mob assaulting my home. There were only the three sneering monsters. I can’t recall any details of their clothes, or facial features, just their horrible, grinning mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth. Before I knew what was happening, I was skittering away from Sophia’s room. Hitting the opposite wall, I pressed myself against it. Trying my best to claw into the wall to escape, I couldn’t take my eyes off the three figures. I knew these weren’t disgruntled Sandlotters; I was looking into the inky black depths of pure evil and I desperately wanted to get away. The three locked their lifeless black stares on me and swept toward me. My screams were swallowed whole by the three vampires.

Chapter 8

Present day

Lurching up, I frantically searched for the three dark, demonic figures. As my mind surfaced from the fog of REM sleep, I realized it was only a dream. I rubbed my eyes then pressed my fingertips to my temples to soothe the throbbing in my skull. As though jackhammers pounded relentlessly on my brain, each beat of my heart sent another shock of pain into my head. My mind wandered immediately back to the dream, and the three figures that killed my children. Their awful, toothy grins were forever seared on my brain. I saw them every time I closed my eyes, and every night when I dreamed. I felt sick inside as I ed the color and smell of my children’s blood... They say time heals all wounds, but that isn’t true. With time comes the welcome fog of forgetting, but the memory is always there, just below the surface, waiting and lurking. Time doesn’t heal, it only conceals. Pulling my messy blond hair out of my face, I looked over my surroundings. I was home, and that offered a small amount of comfort. Clothes were heaped in the corner, hoping someday they would be cleaned and reclaimed, while novels and magazines were stacked waist-high next to my bed. A half-finished blood bag sat on my nightstand, but certainly it had gone bad. I didn’t usually like to eat in bed, but it seemed my habits were becoming more lax as I aged. I can’t the last time I cleaned this place, nor did I really care. That wasn’t a good sign. My gaze settled on the edge of my bed where I found a familiar figure. Sitting Indian style, Jared was pouring over the pages of a yellowing paperback novel. I couldn’t see the title, but the pages were wrinkled and dog-eared, leading me to believe he had read it many times. He was clad in a shiny pair of leather pants, a white dress shirt stylishly unbuttoned, a pair of tight black leather gloves, and chunky boots. His ever-present leather jacket was laid neatly over the bed in front of him. As he looked up, I saw the glint of his perfect fangs and couldn’t help but think of the dream I had just escaped.

A shiver ran down my spine. “How did you sleep?” Jared asked. Closing his novel, he placed it on the bed and folded his hands in his lap. “I had a nightmare,” I itted. Looking down, I realized I was only wearing a black silk robe, and I was partially falling out of it. Pulling it back over my shoulder, I covered my exposed flesh nervously. Of course if Jared really wanted to attack me, there wasn’t much I could do to stop him. I was afraid of him, and he knew it. “A monster that has nightmares,” the Master Vampire said with an air of amusement in his voice. “How aberrant.” He stopped to consider what he felt was a profound, ironic statement. “Usually we are the cause, not the participants. What were you dreaming about?” I didn’t really want to talk about it, least of all to Jared. “The past,” I begrudgingly itted. “What am I doing here?” “I told you,” Jared said unemotionally, “I intercepted your call for help and had my servants collect you and the Quiris Demon.” I shook my head. “No, I mean, why did you bring me home?” “I thought you would be more comfortable in your home after the experience with my healers,” Jared answered. “It can be a difficult experience to endure.” I studied the Master Vampire for a moment. He had never been in my apartment before, with good reason. I was scared of him, and Jared knew it. Adjusting the sheets on the bed, I slipped my hand behind my back and under my pillow. To my dismay, I found the Beretta I usually kept there missing. “What do you want, Jared?” “As I mentioned earlier, there is a debt to be repaid,” Jared smiled his fanged grin, “and it’s time to collect.” My heart sank. That was exactly what I didn’t want to hear. Jared and I have never been in what I would consider to be “good standing.” As Las Vegas’ Master Vampire, he ruled over the entire city’s undead Inhumans, and

it was a position he didn’t take lightly. Nothing vampiric happened in this city without his prior knowledge or approval. Jared was the Vampire equivalent of the Godfather. I was one of the few Vampires who didn’t swear my allegiance to him, and I know that stuck in his craw. I had hoped after Toby put two bullets in him last year he would change his mind, but apparently not. Since he found me two years ago, he had pursued me relentlessly to his brood and become his newest concubine. To say the least, his plan didn’t thrill me. I wasn’t keen on the idea of becoming his sex kitten. “I am in need of your services,” Jared said coolly. “I work for Brimstone,” I reminded him. Jared’s face drained of all emotion. “Not anymore.” If I had breath, it would have escaped me. “You’ve been listed as a Rogue Vampire,” Jared answered. Reaching over the edge of my bed, he lifted a sleek black laptop and set it before him. Opening it, Jared worked his fingers over the track pad. Satisfied, he turned the laptop toward me. A large, grainy image filled the screen. I could make out a blond woman dressed in black and another figure that appeared male. The white time stamp in the lower right corner was yesterday’s date. Jared reached around and tapped the keyboard. The image flickered and shook then came to life. Realizing I was watching poorly shot footage from a handheld video camera, I leaned closer. The blond woman had the figure pressed to the wall, and both were bathed in yellow light. As the focus zoomed in, it appeared the two were making out. The video flickered again and became somehow clearer as if the shooter had found something solid to brace the camera on. The blond woman pulled her head back and turned toward the camera, unaware it was there. I gasped out loud. It was me...clearly. There was no doubt at all. Blood ran down my chin from feeding on the man. Then my eyes hardened as I spotted the person with the camera. Dropping the man to the ground, I shot toward the camera too quickly for even it to record. The image on the screen suddenly tilted and bounced, and was replaced by static. I stared at the screen for a long time, unable to articulate my thoughts. I felt as though I had just been violated.

“This footage was recovered by another Seeker this morning.” Jared folded the screen down and closed the laptop. “The entire Syndicate is hunting you now.” I didn’t know how to respond. I had become public enemy number one. “Is it a clone? Do you believe Chithula is responsible for this?” “Unknown,” Jared answered. “I can’t speak to the Ifrit’s motivations since he went underground. That seems plausible, however,” he concluded. “Do you have any memory of those events?” I shook my head. “I haven’t fed on live human blood in a long, long time.” A knot welled in my throat and I felt dirty. Had I actually killed a human, or was it one of Chithula’s pod people? “The time stamp on that video was when I was with your healer. At least, I think it was.” “I can’t substantiate that claim,” Jared answered. “After the healer left you, you had no visitors until I moved you earlier tonight.” I rubbed my forehead in frustration. He wasn’t making this better. “What do I do? If I go to Brimstone, I’ll be arrested and detained on the spot.” “Agreed,” Jared said, “However, that isn’t why I’m here.” Jared had a way of unnerving me. No one really knew how old the Master Vampire was, but he had an air of mystery and power about him only the ancient ones had. It was like staring into the eyes of a cobra, mesmerizing and deadly. Invisible voices swirled around him like a hurricane, calling to me, professing his desires, and taunting my weaknesses. To even stand in the presence of the Master Vampire was to risk insanity. Yet there was something primal about him, almost animalistic. He was powerful, cultured, and intelligent, but beneath his flesh veneer was a writhing, snarling beast that desperately wanted free. He teetered on the edge of control, dancing on the razor’s blade, hovering just above the wreckage. Was this what time brought to all Vampires? Was I destined to face this as well? “I require your skills, Rose,” Jared said. I hoped he didn’t mean what I think he did.

“No.” Jared laughed. “Not that. I need a Seeker.” “Why me?” I asked quickly. “There are other Vampires in the Syndicate, and more than a few are loyal to your brood.” “Yes,” the Master Vampire answered. “But I need the best.” He was trying to manipulate me. Jared grinned from ear to ear. “Is it working?” “Stay out of my head,” I barked. In my mind’s eye, I imagined heavy steel doors slamming shut, locking him out. Jared’s grin disintegrated, leaving only anger. He furrowed his brow and glared at me. I snapped my gaze to his nose to avoid eye . I couldn’t let myself fall under his thrall. Nearly naked, and with no weapons, I knew this was already a bad situation. I couldn’t afford to let it get worse. His anger slowly abated. “I apologize,” Jared said after a moment. “That was very rude of me. Please forgive my indiscretion.” I didn’t respond. He adjusted his tight leather gloves with a creak. “I’ve lost several prominent of my brood, and I need you to investigate.” More missing Inhumans? This was turning into an epidemic. “Why can’t you?” I asked. “You certainly have the resources, and I have my own problems right now.” “True,” Jared itted, “but I need someone on the outside.” I considered the Master Vampire. “Why should I do this for you? Tell me that.” “If you do, I will consider your debt to me repaid and I will help you clear your name.” He stopped. That should have been enough. “If you do not, I will kill you.”

Seemed pretty straightforward. Do what Jared wanted or die. And since I had no desire to die again, that left my options pretty limited. I ran my fingers through my blond hair and then down my face. “And this will make us even?” “Perfectly,” Jared cooed. I didn’t want to do this. I could care less about Jared and his damned brood, but I liked being on a Master Vampire’s hit list even less and I needed to find out what the hell was going on with my life. I was alone, vulnerable, and subject to Jared’s whims. There was no way I could refuse. I nodded. “All right. I’m in. And then we’re even,” I reminded him quickly. Jared laughed. “Yes. Your debt will be repaid. We must make preparations.” I cocked my head slightly. “For what?” “I will be in soon,” Jared said mysteriously. Standing from my bed, the Master Vampire exited my room without an explanation. I heard my front door open then close, and with that, Jared was gone. Letting my head fall back into my pillows, I ran my hand over my forehead. This sucked. Seriously. In the span of hours, I had gone from Seeker to rogue in service of a Master Vampire. I don’t recall any of these being on my list of career goals. Turning, I saw the novel Jared had been reading still sitting on the edge of my bed, and considered it for a moment. I had to know. Reaching down, I snatched the worn paperback off the comforter and held it in my hands. I stared at the cover in disbelief for a long time. “Harry Potter?” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. The sheer absurdity of it made me feel a little better. Sliding my legs off the edge of the bed, I stared at the mess that was my closet. I had to make preparations of my own, and get out of here.

Chapter 9

I had to get out of my apartment. There was a mark on my head. I was a Rogue Vampire now. For the first time in longer than I can , I was on the run, yet strangely felt energized and somehow more alive. Swinging my feet over the edge, I sat down on the roof of my apartment building. My gaze settled on the shimmering Strip in the distance, a Mecca for the desperate and lost. I guess that’s how I ended up here too. I was born, died, then reborn in San Francisco, but when Drew and I split after nearly thirty years together, I couldn’t stand it there anymore. I wandered, lost, for a long time, city to city and place to place, until the Syndicate brought me to Las Vegas. This place called out to those who were nearing rock bottom, giving them what they craved: hope, even if it was only fleeting. Las Vegas had grown from a tiny speck in the middle of the desert to a living, breathing entity, and Vegas loved to be loved. It needed it, no, it craved it. It was fulfilling the promise America made long ago to take the tired, hungry, and weak, but its motives were far more insidious. It had also become a haven for Inhumans, and the truly evil. In our reality, there are “soft spots,” so to speak, where the demarcation between dimensions is the weakest. This allows Demons, Spirits, and other Inhumans to cross the rift into our reality. Las Vegas was built upon one of these spots, and in fact, there were many in the Syndicate who believed it was why gangster Bugsy Siegel came here, and it was the reason I was here too. These soft spots had a sort of pull, something akin to gravity for Demons. It was also why the Brimstone Syndicate set up shop in Vegas. There were soft spots around the world, but this was one of the most powerful they knew of. Syndicate researchers theorized that these spots were created when something with sufficient mass crossed into our dimension. I shuddered when I thought about the creature that could have created the largest known soft spot in the northern hemisphere. My thoughts turned to my two partners, Toby and Karl. I couldn’t help but wonder where they were, and if they were hunting me too. If that was the case, the Werewolf would be the Seeker most likely to find me. I had taught him everything I knew about being a Seeker, and along the way the two of us had become good friends. Toby knew more about me than I did...and in my current predicament, that scared the hell out of me. If Toby was indeed hunting me, it

would only be a matter of time before he found me. Karl, on the other hand, was a warped, pissy, little Goblin whom I’m certain suffered from “Little Man Syndrome.” Accepted into the Syndicate after last year’s incident with Chithula, Karl had been given Seeker status and placed under Toby’s tutelage. He still lived in the basement of the Brimstone building, but at least now he was doing it legally. I didn’t know what kind of Seeker the Goblin would become, but at least he was interesting to be around. I could really use their help right now. Slowly standing, I then turned and walked along the edge of the roof. Looking down into the darkened street below, I could see cars and people going about their routines in a city that never slept. Lights in nearby buildings clicked on or off as life continued undeterred on its own schedule. It was amazing to me how these humans lived every day, oblivious to the world around them. They never once worried that tomorrow may never come, instead focused on how they were going to cover next month’s rent, or that credit card bill they spent a little too much on. Humanity never understood how close to the brink they came each and every day, not just from their own hand, but from a world teaming with evil they knew nothing about. Perhaps this was what it meant to be human, to be blissfully ignorant. I couldn’t how that felt. I hadn’t been human in one hundred and thirty-one years. Looking across the rooftops, I glimpsed a shadow dart from my view. The tiny hairs on the back of my neck stood nervously at attention. Holding steady, I stared at the spot, unsure of what I had just seen. My night vision is better than most humans, but nothing is perfect. I waited, but didn’t see the shadow again. Leaping to the next rooftop, I walked cautiously toward where I thought I saw it. Weaving around ventilation ducts, oversized air-conditioning units, and bird droppings, I kept my footfalls as light as possible. A nervous buzz ran down my arms and into my fingertips. Reaching in my jacket, I unfastened the safety strap on my holster. My fingers danced lightly on the Beretta’s grip, the coolness of the metal strangely calming. I caught motion in my peripheral vision and froze. I wasn’t alone. Drawing my weapon, I spun and pressed my back against a silver air duct. Taking a deep breath through my nose, I searched for any foreign scents, but

found nothing. I strained my ears but only heard the cars ing on the street below. Whoever, or whatever was up here, was rigged for silent running. I swept my gaze nervously over the rooftop, but found only emptiness. Was another Seeker hunting me? I snapped off the safety on my weapon and felt an instant pang of guilt. I had to defend myself, but I couldn’t just start pumping rounds into whoever was tracking me. If it was a Seeker, these were beings I worked with and knew on some personal level. How could I justify that? Plus, if I killed a Seeker, that would only make things worse for me. I had to find a way to get to Maynard and clear my name...didn’t I? Was reing the Syndicate what I wanted? Did I really miss the constant bickering with Elena, the angry meetings with Maynard, and putting my life on the line each and every night to protect the thankless humans? The slam of metal to my right snapped me from my quandary. Shrapnel exploded out of the air duct and peppered me. Instinctively covering my face, I dropped down to my knees. Looking back up, I saw a hole the size of a softball in the duct’s metal skin with jagged edges bent out like broken ribs. Rising to my feet, I swung around the side of the duct, my senses on high alert. I scanned the rooftop carefully and tried to ascertain where the shot came from, but couldn’t see my attacker. I moved slowly, trying to maintain my cover, my weapon cradled in both hands. I heard the hollow thump of booted feet to my right followed by the unmistakable click-snap of a shotgun reloading. The hunter wanted me to hear him. He was mocking me. Silence again. Circling swiftly around the rooftop, I kept my stare trained on where I heard the sounds. Ducking behind a large air-conditioning unit, I paused and craned my neck out and caught a glimpse of a figure in a light brown trench coat. As though he sensed he was being watched, the figure swung around, brought the shotgun to bear and fired. Yanking my head back with preternatural quickness, I listened to the buckshot ricochet off the air conditioner. I had to move now before he could reload.

Throwing my body forward, I rolled and came up onto my knees in a firing stance. Looking straight down the sights of my weapon, I noticed the figure was gone. I swept my Beretta quickly over the rooftop, searching. Then all of a sudden I heard the ominous click-snap of the shotgun right above me. Lifting my head, I found the figure standing on the air conditioner, the barrel of the shotgun pointed right at my head. My gaze swept up the black barrel to the figure’s face. Calm and collected, he considered me unemotionally. A deep feeling of dread overwhelmed me. Who was he, and why did he want to kill me? Dropping my Beretta, I raised my hands slowly in surrender. His finger twitched on the trigger. I had to act. I didn’t have time for answers. Launching off my knees, I knocked the barrel up as he fired. The muzzle flash exploded next to my ear, almost instantly deafening me. My momentum carried me into the figure, throwing both of us off the air conditioner. We landed hard but instantly began to scuffle for the shotgun. Obviously not preternatural in any way, I used my superior strength to knock the weapon out of the figure’s hands. But I underestimated him. After hitting me with a vicious right cross, he pulled his arm back, pushed back his hand, and a silver blade snapped from a hidden wrist gauntlet in his sleeve and locked into place. He jabbed twice and missed but a horizontal slash nicked the bridge of my nose. Snapping my head back, I narrowly avoided another attack as I rolled off the man. I managed to get to my feet, but somehow my attacker was faster. Catching a punch with my teeth, I felt the split lip the Quiris had given me reopen. By now, I was off balance and shocked by the man’s speed as he landed another punch to my midsection and barely missed with his wrist blade. And that was when I had enough. He threw another punch, but this time I was ready. I caught his fist with a smack in my hand. Clamping down my fingers like a vice, I watched with satisfaction as my attacker sank to his knees, writhing in pain. I could hear the bones and

tendons in his fist starting to crackle and pop, but I didn’t break it. I only wanted him to suffer. I crouched down next to him, his hand still firmly in mine, and glared at him. I knew what he was now. “Vampire Hunter,” I growled. Beneath his brown trench coat were two bandoliers strapped across his chest. Each held the tools of his trade: stakes, crosses, vials of holy water, and silver bullets. Other weapons I couldn’t identify were strapped to his belt, or attached to the bandoliers. A black cord hung around his neck with several Vampire fangs attached like trophies. He was strong, quick, and judging by the fangs on his necklace, relatively successful. In my one hundred and thirty years, I had only a few encounters with Hunters, but none were as prepared or well disciplined as this one. Vampire hunting was illegal under Syndicate laws, but this one seemed to have skated beneath the radar and avoided capture or detection. “Who are you?” I asked, throwing the weight of my mind behind my question. It was a psychic trick I called the “Whammy,” but other Vampires preferred the more ominous sound term “thrall.” Sort of like a Jedi Mind Trick, the Whammy could bend another’s will to your own. It didn’t always work. The Hunter gritted his teeth, but remained quiet. Despite the serious amount of pain he must be in, he stared directly into my eyes. He was openly defying me. “What do you want with me?” I pressed and squeezed his fist slightly harder. “Tell me.” The Hunter whimpered despite his efforts to remain strong. He knew I could completely crush his hand whenever I chose, but he refused to flinch. He kept his stare matched with mine. “You’re going to die, Hunter,” I threatened. It was hollow, but he didn’t need to know that. My eyes glossed over black. “Tell me what I want to know and I may keep you alive as my pet.” The Hunter remained silent, his gaze unaltered. I was honestly tempted to crush his hand. I really wanted to...but I couldn’t. This wasn’t who I was anymore. With a sigh of disgust, I released the Hunter and stepped back. I watched the man cradle his hand as he slowly stood, and I could

see the confusion on his face. I shrugged. “Go before I change my mind.” Stumbling back, the Hunter placed a fair amount of distance between us. Stepping onto the roof’s ledge, he paused. His eyes were hard and emotionless, as though I was looking into a void in his soul. “This doesn’t change anything, Vampire.” Turning, he jumped. I darted to the edge and peered over, but the Hunter was gone. There was nothing below but a sheer, seven-story drop. He was simply gone. I couldn’t sense any magic on the Hunter, and there was nowhere for him to go. I couldn’t explain how, but he had simply vanished. He was good. Motion to my left caught my attention. Sliding around the roof ledge, I stared across the street to my apartment building. My eyes wandered down to the sixth floor and the windows of my corner apartment. Inside I could see movement. Then I saw the beam of a flashlight flicker on and slice through the darkness. Curiosity overwhelmed me. I had to know. Scooping up the Hunter’s shotgun, I dove off the roof.

Chapter 10

When I caught the fire escape as I plummeted toward the ground, my momentum swung me up and onto the landing. As I touched down on the balls of my feet, the metal escape rang and reverberated against the building. I pressed myself to the wall, looked up and waited, hoping I hadn’t been heard. Satisfied, I swung onto the ladder leading to the next landing above. Not judging my jump right had caused me to land three floors below my target. Still, it was probably better this way, and gave me the element of surprise. I looked up as a massive plume of fire erupted from my apartment. Windows exploded out, raining razor-sharp shards of glass down on me. Well...no need for the element of surprise now. I leapt off the top of the ladder, snatched the bottom rung of the next and vaulted onto the sixth floor escape. As I stepped onto the window ledge, glass crackled beneath my feet and I felt the uncomfortable pang of my earlier dream. Pushing it from my mind, I stared in anger into my apartment. Thick, black smoke bellowed from the windows as an inferno chewed through my meager belongings. Heat licked my flesh, and I could hear the sizzle of my leather jacket as several glowing embers landed on it. Still I held my position, and I was rewarded. Amidst the smoke and flame, I saw movement. Slipping the Hunter’s shotgun off my shoulder, I cocked a fresh shell into the chamber. There were probably three rounds left in the weapon, assuming the Hunter hadn’t modified the weapon in any way. I lost my weapon during the scuffle, so I had to make them count. As I threw off my jacket, I ducked down and launched into the blaze. Hitting the floor, I rolled onto my knees and held the shotgun before me defensively. Smoke and haze choked the air while orange flames danced as though alive. The massive inferno growled and roared in defiance. Scanning through the heat waves, I spotted movement in the kitchen. Staying low, I moved carefully but swiftly as Hell swirled around me.

Catching a glimpse of a dark form near the refrigerator, I rose to my feet and leveled the Hunter’s shotgun. “Don’t move,” I shouted, “or you’re dead!” The figure spun and lunged. Shocked, I hesitated. I pulled the trigger, but the shot was too late. When the figure hit me in the chest, we tumbled wildly to the ground and the weapon was dislodged from my grip. I shrieked as my hand burst through the wall of flame surrounding us. Ripping it free, I could smell burnt skin and heard it sizzling like bacon in a frying pan. Coming up onto my knees, I cradled the damaged flesh and got my first good look at the intruder. I was looking at myself. Her hair, her eyes, and her mouth...even down to the clothes she wore...it was me. There was even a tiny scar below her left eye I had received from a childhood accident. It was barely noticeable, as was mine, but it was there. We were identical. As I looked into the expression on her face, I knew we were experiencing the same thing. Neither of us expected to find the other here. We had officially entered The Twilight Zone. But I knew what she was and who had created her. I would not let Chithula steal my life...no matter how crappy it had become. Ignoring the pain of my seared flesh, I rolled to my feet and lunged. Dropping my shoulder, I plowed hard into my evil twin. Feeling her hands claw into my back as she tried to remain vertical, I pumped my legs hard and pressed forward. As I stopped, I felt her claws scrape up my back as the momentum carried her off. Amidst the smoke and flame, she hit the wall dividing the kitchen from the living room. The wall, already weakened by the fire, gave way, raining flaming debris down on her. The pile came to rest, and there seemed to be no movement within. Holding my scorched hand to my chest, I waited, watching. Of course, I knew exactly what was going to happen. I had seen enough horror movies to know that just when you least expect it, the monster bursts free and kills you. I waited.

Flames roared around me, but I could hear the distant sound of police and fire sirens. Black smoke stung my eyes and embers flitting through the air sizzled as they touched my skin and clothes. I had to get out of here, or risk being consumed by the blaze. Moving quickly to the window, I paused and looked back at the pile of debris that covered my evil twin. She wasn’t getting out, and I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. I didn’t know exactly what she was, or what she was doing here. My evil twin was taking all the answers with her. I ducked out the window and climbed back onto the roof. The blue and red emergency lights reflected off nearby buildings as black smoke billowed into the night sky. So much for my apartment... I kind of liked it there. And with no Syndicate assistance, it would be difficult to find a new one. Vampires tend to have little or no paperwork, and that made necessities like renting thorny. Crap. I definitely didn’t want to be here when the authorities arrived. This was just getting worse and worse.

Chapter 11

Standing outside of the Aztec Hotel and Casino, I kept repeating to myself, This is not a good idea. The Aztec housed the only licensed Demon bar in Las Vegas, and was a haven for Syndicate operatives, but I needed answers. I was risking capture, but I didn’t have any other options. If I kept my current pace, by morning I would be public enemy number one and have nowhere left on Earth to run. Were they building condos on the Moon yet? This is not a good idea... Moving toward the entrance, I tried to brush some of the ash from my clothes. Spending time in a fire tended to really mess up fabric, and the black baby doll tshirt I had on was no exception. There was a large burn on the right shoulder, but I was hoping it would look fashionably torn. I would have changed, but you know, fire and all...and my other spares were in a locker in the Brimstone Building. Discarding the leather holster on my shoulders since my weapon was lost, I felt naked. I think I loved that Beretta. Well, at least I looked cool in my leather pants and boots. I thought so anyway. As I stepped through the main doors, the smell of smoke hit me like a crashing wave. Music from various sources overlapped and disintegrated, while the constant electronic cacophony of the slot machines overrode everything. Stone floors with Aztec style carvings, matching the exterior of the casino, spanned the lobby, while giant figures representing various South American gods stood silently observing. Dark carpet grew from the stones and stretched beneath the gaming floor. Lighting and ambiance were very carefully controlled in casinos, and windows were almost never present, hiding all traces of time. Here it was always twilight, that magical time between day and night where hope dwelled. Standing on the edge of the gaming floor, I crossed my arms and watched the crush of humanity. Against the wall near the restrooms, there was a row of nickel and penny machines occupied by several blue hairs and an overweight man who smelled as though he hadn’t bathed in weeks. These machines were for the lightweights who wanted to gamble but not risk that much. These games often featured brightly colored characters and some semblance of a story that made

them feel more like a video game. Across the way, ringing the poker and craps tables, were the high-stakes machines. Packed with what I would consider more affluent gamblers, these were the ones who had more to lose and most often consisted of tourists. Scantily clad waitresses wandered about the games, offering free drinks and just enough flesh to keep men, and women, interested. Creatures of the darkness mingled invisibly with humanity, but I could see and smell them. They were here, just below the surface, exactly where they liked to be. And I was one of them now...a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The thought left me unsettled. I was a monster, and no matter how I flipped it in my head, it was all I would ever be. I was human once, and I ed how sunlight felt on my skin, how food tasted in my mouth, and how my body felt when it was alive. I missed the rise and fall of my chest as I breathed, and the constant thump of my heartbeat. But I hadn’t experienced any of those things in over one-hundred-and-thirty years. Why I was so preoccupied with the past right now was odd, and it was starting to aggravate me. Screw it. This is what I was now, and there was no force in Heaven or Hell that could change that. I was a monster. It was time to start to acting like it. With a sigh of disgust, I moved briskly through the casino. Large, blue, neon tubes shaped like a plumed serpent coiled around double doors on the far side of the gaming floor. This was Quetzalcoatl, a Mesoamerican god, and guardian of Club Toltec. So named for the mythical ancestors of the Aztecs, the Toltec were considered the supreme race who gave birth to the Aztec and Mayans. Club Toltec was one of the few Demon sanctuaries in Las Vegas where humans could openly mingle with them, and the only Syndicate licensed Demon bar. This, as far as I was concerned, was never a good idea. Letting humans in with the Inhumans was akin to putting a beer in front of an alcoholic, or more appropriately, dropping a baby seal in great white shark-infested water. It was only a matter of time before instinct overwhelmed them and something very, very bad happened. A long line led away from the doors and slithered through the gaming floor. Toltec was one of the hottest tickets in town and patrons waited for hours to get inside. Most humans thought it was simply an upscale club with

performers dressed as monsters, and they loved to have their pictures taken with the Demons. It was grotesque. A large man, certainly a product of steroids or human growth hormones, stood watch at the door. With his arms crossed over his massive chest, his expression was a mixture of anger and boredom. Of Samoan heritage, long, black dreads hung from his head making him resemble the alien from the Predator films. He was a formidable man, and I was certain that even with my preternatural abilities, he might have been able to hold his own against me. I should have used the Whammy to get inside, but I didn’t have the patience at the moment and I certainly wasn’t waiting in line. Heading straight for the entrance, the Samoan turned to face me. Before he could say anything, I clamped my hand around his throat and broke his neck. A groan escaped the massive man’s mouth as he crumbled to the ground. Shrieks and screams erupted from the men and women waiting in line as they instantly scattered. Stepping over the Samoan’s corpse, I pushed the Toltec’s doors open and moved inside. I didn’t have much time. Then, what felt like a charge of electricity suddenly skittered down my spine, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Spinning slowly, I found the hulking Samoan lifting himself off the floor, his head hanging at an unnatural angle. Placing his hands against his head, he aligned it squarely onto his shoulders. As he twisted his neck, it popped and crackled like morning breakfast cereal. The Samoan adjusted his black jacket with a tug, grunted, and started toward me. Crap... I didn’t know the bouncer was Inhuman. Well, that certainly sucked. Maybe I should have rethought the whole “I’m a badass” tactic. The Samoan lunged and swatted at me with his massive paw. Leaning back, I barely avoided the swipe. Spinning, the Samoan dropped down and swept my legs out from beneath me. I landed flat on my back and stars sparkled before my eyes. As they cleared, I saw a fist the size of a cinder block screaming toward my face. Rolling to my right, I narrowly avoided the attack. Flipping back over, I grabbed the Samoan’s wrist and threw a punch into the side of his elbow. Bone and tendons snapped and broke as the t was forced in the wrong direction.

Balling my fist, I delivered a backhand and then butted him squarely in the forehead. As the Inhuman doorman teetered back and fell, I rolled to my feet and sprinted inside Toltec. Glancing over my shoulder, I watched the Samoan shake his head as he got to his feet. This hadn’t gone down the way I expected. Inside the club the pounding, throbbing music and the blue neon everywhere overwhelmed me. The crowd was wall to wall. My senses were confused by the smell of cologne and perfume mingling and creating an unholy stench. Beams of colored light danced through the club and sliced through the crowd like lasers. It might be possible to lose the Samoan in the crowd, but then again, I had no idea what kind of Inhuman it was. The odds were against me. I had to move quickly. Then it hit me: I had no idea if he was even here. I couldn’t deal with that. I had to keep on. Diving into the crowd, I pushed through as bodies crashed against me like waves on the shore. The bar stretched against the back wall, mobbed with people waiting to get drunk, and others who had already arrived. A small seating area sat in front of the bar, ringed by blue neon. There were a few booths and tables arranged in the center, but this wasn’t the kind of place you came to sit. The dance floor was sunk below the bar, and had recently been renovated, adding thick glass and computer-controlled effects beneath it. Lights flashed, flickered, and danced below the glass floor while fog machines layered nearly noxious chemicals through the dancers and lights, creating a confusing, ethereal experience. It was easily the most pretentious thing I had ever seen. As a muscular man bounced off me, nearly spilling his drink on me, he cursed and was immediately backed by several similarly dressed men. Gangbangers...not what I needed right now. “Hey, Chica,” the man slurred in Spanglish. Adjusting the ball cap situated lazily on his head, he cocked his head and rubbed his penciled-in mustache. “Why don’t you watch where you’re going? I paid five dollars for that drink.” “Which you probably stole.” I looked down at his half-empty glass and rolled my eyes. “Get away from me.” The men surrounded me, while their leader stepped into my face. “Oh,

Mija...nobody talks to me like that. You’re going to have to apologize.” I glanced over my shoulder and scanned for the Samoan, but felt a sharp prick pressed against my lower back. I lifted my arm slowly and looked down to find one of the other thugs holding a switchblade to my side. I didn’t have time for this. Anger gripped me, and I felt my eyes gloss over black. Moving far too fast for the thug to track, or react to, I grabbed the lead gangbanger’s thumb and twisted it to the point of breaking. The man’s face contorted in pain and he fell to his knees, whimpering. Throwing my elbow back, I spiked the thug with the knife hard in the nose. Still holding the leader’s thumb, I peeled back my lips and showed him my fangs. “I think you owe me an apology.” He started chattering angrily in Spanish. I didn’t catch most of it, but I recognized the dirty words. I twisted his thumb harder, wrenching his entire arm into an awkward, unnatural position. “I said you owe me an apology,” I snarled out. The thug’s face melted from pain into sheer terror. “Por favor,” he stuttered, “don’t kill me...” Lifting my head, I saw the Samoan wade into the crowd. Turning back to the thug, I smiled. “What did you learn today?” The thug shook his head, letting his hat fall to the ground. “Que?” I twisted his arm a little harder. I could feel the bones and tendons straining. “The moral of the story is don’t be an idiot,” I growled and finally released him. Standing tall, I waited to see if his crew would press. Luckily for them, they didn’t. Stepping away from the wannabe hoods, I checked for the Samoan. Despite his being built like a tank, I had lost him in the crowd. I circled around the dance floor and headed directly for the small outcropping of booths in front of the bar. Before the remodel, there were far more tables, but the owners decided to move away from that to an environment patrons were less likely to loiter in. This way, they hoped to create a steady flow of people in and out of the club. Instead, they had created a dark, cramped space even more

appealing to all the things that went bump in the night. Many wondered if the Aztec’s owners were Inhumans and had done this on purpose, but I knew for a fact they were human and merely stupid. I scanned over the booth’s occupants and felt my heart sink. He wasn’t here. I rubbed my hand over my brow in frustration. He was always here. Spotting a familiar cocktail waitress, I grabbed her arm and corralled her. “Have you seen Crash?” The beautiful blonde woman appeared in shock as she looked at me and tried to process my question. Then I watched the fog clear from behind her eyes as she recognized me. “Rose,” the waitress breathed, “no, I haven’t seen Crash in a while. Bastard owes me a hundred bucks too. That’s the last time I pick up his tab trying to be nice.” I nodded. “Thank you.” Truth be told, I didn’t even know her name. Since we were only acquaintances, I hadn’t spent any time trying to get to know her. Letting my hand slide off her arm, I turned away and wandered aimlessly back into the crowd. I wasn’t sure what to do now. Crash, a Raze Demon and known Brimstone informant, had been my best shot at getting to the bottom of this mess. If something happened in Vegas, Crash usually knew about it, and more often than not, had a hand in it. Someone had decided to take apart my life, brick by brick, and I had no idea who...or why. Leaning on the blue neon railing that surrounded the dance floor, I tried to get my bearings and figure out what to do next. “Rose!” Was it the Samoan? I felt a twinge run down my spine that straightened me up. Lifting my hands, I turned slowly and stared down the barrel of a pistol aimed at my forehead. “If you move, I will kill you.” The club, people, and pounding music around me faded away. My stare settled on the black weapon and slowly crept up to the face of the person holding it. His blue eyes were hard as steel, while his expression was angry, but he was doing his best to hide it.

I stared for a long time at the man who had become my best friend. “What are you doing, Toby?” Toby frowned. “Placing you under arrest.”

Chapter 12

My hands clasped, I stared at the silver handcuffs locked around my wrists. They were magically charged as most Inhumans had the strength to easily break the chain that connected them. Sitting quietly in the rear of Toby’s car, I stared at the back of his head. I hadn’t put up a struggle or tried to evade capture. Even facing death, I wouldn’t do that to Toby. He hadn’t said a word to me since placing me under arrest, and it was starting to get to me. I wanted him to say anything, yell, scream, berate, or even tell me how disappointed he was...anything. Squirming in the center of the backseat, I tried to stay as far away from the doors and front seats as possible. Toby had blessed them with holy water as an extra precaution. He knew he was coming to get me. This hadn’t been some random meeting, Toby knew where to find me and he was prepared. A wooden stake and crucifix sat on the enger seat, easily within his reach, and I knew he would use them on me without hesitation. I had taught him well. Toby was an interesting case. Not a naturally born Werewolf, he had been accidentally turned almost eight years ago in a rogue attack. Only in his midtwenties, his hair had gone completely gray because of the stress of transformation. A natural-born wolf, for whatever reason, is better equipped to handle the change, but one who has been turned rarely survives past their second full moon. Toby was one of the rare few to be turned and survive. Somehow he had been able to get a leash on his inner beast and learn how to control it, most likely due to his amazing sense of control and self-discipline. I had discovered him while hunting the Rogue Werewolf. Brimstone Syndicate laws mandate that turned wolves be killed on site because of the danger they pose, but I hadn’t been able to turn my weapon on the teenager. Because of the change, he had lost everything...his family, his friends, his life...everything. He had taken to me, basically unconsciously following pack rules, but it was strange he had chosen a Vampire over another Werewolf. Everywhere I went, there was a little, dirty, homeless Werewolf who wanted to help. After much insisting, Maynard had helped me “sneak” Toby into the Syndicate, and into the Seeker training program by creating falsified paperwork and identification for the wolf. No one outside of the three of us knew Toby wasn’t a

natural-born, or who he claimed to be. I had given him a new life after his old one was stolen, probably because of some misguided sense of guilt and regret over my own. And now he was escorting me to my death. Funny how life works, isn’t it? I wanted to reach out for him but the holy water-imbued seats repulsed me, that and the fact he had a stake sitting next to him. Sighing loudly, I wanted him to hear me, to take pity on me, or at least talk to me. The silence was becoming deafening, but I would not plead or beg. It was below me, and the wolf. And we both knew it. Turning away from Toby, I watched the lights streaking past the car window. They glittered and shined, inviting us in, and offering a safe oasis from the night. As the desert darkness swallowed Las Vegas whole, I knew there were multitudes of sins hidden within. And yet here was a Seeker escorting an innocent Vampire to lockup. Someone was playing a game with my life, and a multitude of people had been sucked in incidentally. Leaning back, I stared at the landscape beyond the windshield. The road ahead darkened, and only the stars were left twinkling. This wasn’t the way to Brimstone. In fact, we seemed to be leaving Las Vegas entirely. If my heart still worked, I’m pretty sure it would be beating faster right about now. Getting as close to the window as I dared, I searched amidst the sagebrush for any signs of our destination as my mind started to whirl. Was I being taken out into the desert to be executed, or could this be something else entirely? As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I spotted the Spring Mountains running to our right and realized we were headed toward California. What the hell was Toby up to? Minutes seemed to stretch into hours as we drove further and further into the desert. The bitter flavor of anxiety gurgled at the back of my throat. The silent treatment was killing me, and waiting was even worse. Whatever game Toby was playing, I didn’t like it. I shifted restlessly, hoping to find some comfort in the handcuffs. “Toby,” I said, surprising even myself, “what are you doing?” No reply. Our momentum slowed and I heard the rapid click of the car’s blinker. I strained

my eyes looking out the windows but could only see a dirt road exiting the highway. There were no signs or markers, and from the road’s state of disrepair, I knew it wasn’t heavily traveled. Navigating through a huge, dry rut, the car bounced as the shocks tried to compensate. I wanted to reach out for the door handles to hold on to, but didn’t dare get burned. Instead I braced my feet against the floor and pushed myself hard into the seat as the car lurched again. Finally, Toby pulled the car off the side of the road and shifted it into park. We sat in silence as he killed the engine and unbuckled his seat belt. I knew in that instant I was out here to die. There was nothing for miles in any direction. Unlike what you see on television, Vampires don’t disintegrate or burst into flames when killed. The body simply dies, creating a need for disposal. And like the mobsters who had helped settle Las Vegas, Toby had brought me out here in hopes the desert would swallow his sins. I was about to be executed. I heard the familiar sound of metal sliding against leather as Toby pulled his weapon from its holster. Spinning in the seat, he lifted his pistol and aimed it at my forehead. A bullet wouldn’t kill me, but it would knock me down long enough so the wolf could. The young Werewolf stared directly into my eyes. I could see anger, confusion, and fear hidden just below the surface. He wasn’t afraid of what he was doing, or of me, but it was something else that I couldn’t quite substantiate. Toby slipped his finger into the trigger guard. “Did you do it?” He waited. “You have one chance, Rose. Tell me you didn’t do it.” I looked past the weapon at the wolf’s face, and he stared into mine. We had come to depend on each other, and I had put my life in his hands more times than I could count. Long ago, before recorded history, there was a war between Vampires and Werewolves, and to this day wolves were wary of us...even Toby. I just hoped he wasn’t letting that color his judgment. I trusted the wolf implicitly, and I hoped, no, I prayed he trusted me. “I didn’t,” I breathed. Toby’s finger remained on the trigger. “You have to believe me,” I urged, but refused to plead. “You know me, Toby, and you know I couldn’t do this.”

I was suddenly lost in his beautiful blue eyes. He seemed tired, more so than I had seen since he was a young wolf. Bags hung under his eyes, and his face was pale and drawn. His gray hair, a result of the heavy toll the lycanthropy took on his body, looked unkempt, and a ragged five o’clock shadow peppered his face. He hadn’t been sleeping...probably since the order came down to hunt and kill his partner. “Trust me,” I whispered with the sincere feeling that he wanted to. The wolf breathed in deeply and slowly exhaled, considering my words. He ran his free hand down his face, trying to wipe away the exhaustion. Pulling the weapon away, he turned and slid out of the car. Momentarily blinded by the sudden burst from the dome light, I didn’t see the wolf move to my door. It opened with a pop click, and Toby stood waiting. “Get out,” he ordered. I hesitated, unsure if I was being given a reprieve or if Toby just didn’t want to get blood on the upholstery. The wolf waited, his hands on his hips. Then I saw his weapon secured in its belt holster again. Turning slowly, I swung my legs out the door and carefully scooted past the blessed metals. As my arm brushed the open door, I felt a quick sting and the sizzle of burning flesh. Twisting away quickly, I saw a red welt forming on my upper arm. No one was really sure why religious items had an effect on Vampires, but it was something I didn’t want to test. As my eyes readjusted to the darkness, I looked up at the blanket of stars unfolding endlessly. The Milky Way stretched from horizon to horizon, a bridge of billions of stars. I had read once that there are more visible stars in the sky than all the grains of sand on the planet Earth, and as I stood beneath their glory, I believed that wholeheartedly. I was looking into history at stars that may not even exist anymore since light traveled at a fixed rate, and the distances were so vast, it was difficult to comprehend. They had always been there, silently watching, even before the Earth had life which could watch back. Partially obscured by the door, Toby instructed me to step away from the car. Circling around me, Toby shut the door and placed his hand on my lower back in a gesture that seemed a bit too intimate for an executioner. Warily, he led me through the sagebrush and Joshua trees into the desert. I remained quiet, unsure

what was coming next. Coming over a small slope, we walked down into a clearing and stopped. A ring of rocks was arranged in the center, burnt sticks and ashes contained within, and the pungent odor of fire clinging to the vegetation. “Rose,” Toby said my name slowly, “turn around.” I closed my eyes. This was it. I was about to be executed. Shuffling my feet as though my body refused to follow the order, I slowly spun to face the wolf. His eyes were hard, almost luminous in the darkness, and his expression was drawn and empty. He let his gaze fall away from mine. “Rose...” He said my name again as though he were trying to get his fill while he still could. Lifting his fist, he held it to me and slowly opened his fingers. I saw the silver handcuff key in his palm. “I believe you.” I felt a wave of relief wash through me, and my legs felt weak. I watched the wolf unlock my restraints then slide them into his back pocket. Impulsively throwing my arms around Toby, I hugged him tightly. “Thank you.” “This wasn’t my idea,” Toby whispered. I pulled away from my partner, a strange sensation suddenly between us. He was sent to kill me... Toby raised his hand and pointed behind me. Turning, I watched a figure step out of the darkness and I was certain my mouth dropped open in awe.

Chapter 13

“Overseer Sumner,” I breathed in shock. I had only met the Brimstone Syndicate’s North American Overseer once before during a rare visit to the Las Vegas office. He was dressed in a black Christian Dior suit with a lavender tie, which probably cost more than I made in two years. A redhead, Matthew Sumner’s face reminded me of a high school principal’s. It was stern and intelligent with a hint of warmth, but tired. In his mid-forties, Sumner was a good-looking man with more power than God. Each of the six Overseers worldwide controlled a continent and every Syndicate office and operative therein. They were the direct link to the Tribunal, a coven of thirteen witches who governed the Syndicate, and some of the most powerful beings on Earth. “Ms. Webb,” Sumner said, greeting me. His hands were stuffed deep in his pant pockets, and I could tell he was keeping his distance from me. He was a powerful witch, but I was faster. “Thank you for coming.” “I didn’t seem to have a choice,” I answered. Rubbing my sore wrists where the cuffs had been, I noticed there were distinctive red marks on my flesh. “My apologies for the handcuffs,” Sumner said. His voice was low, but not in the Barry White range, and very pleasant to listen to. It seemed very calming, and was probably so by design. A witch was never without their bag of tricks. “You understand precautions were required.” During my investigation into Chithula’s cloning operation, Overseer Sumner had been implicated as an accomplice and there had even been accusations he had been replaced with a pod person. However, I came to understand that Sumner was not involved, and the Ifrit had given me false information in an attempt to bring down the Overseer so he could gain control over the North American branch of the Syndicate. I was to be the Ifrit’s patsy. It was a brilliant plot, but had ultimately failed. It seemed Sumner was actually one of the good guys, at least overtly anyway. Still...there was something about him I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

“Toby,” Sumner addressed the wolf, “thank you for your help. That will be all.” Toby’s face was a mix of confusion and worry. He obviously didn’t want to leave the Overseer alone with me, and probably figured Sumner was taking a hell of an unnecessary risk. “Sir?” “Please leave us,” Sumner said calmly. He lifted his arm and turned his palm up. A blue ball of flame materialized there and hovered. When he closed his fist, the ball disintegrated with an audible pop. It was a display of power for both Toby and me. “I assure you,” he smirked, “I will be fine.” Toby took a breath, shook his head, and turned toward the car. I turned back to face the Overseer and waited. Sumner waited for Toby to disappear into the darkness then returned his attention to me. “I’m sorry it had to come to this.” The apology confused me. Looking at the Overseer, I started to feel like I wanted Toby to come back...for my protection. Sumner turned his hand on its side and made a motion as though he were squeezing something. Crap... Pain instantly erupted in my rib cage, dropping me to my knees as I realized Sumner was pulling a Darth Vader. Throwing my arm protectively across my chest, I felt my vision blur as the pain increased. It felt like my heart was about to burst. I tried to yell for Toby’s help, but the pain was too intense and I couldn’t get the sound past my throat. I collapsed in sheer agony. “Master Chithula apologizes he couldn’t be here for your death in person since you have caused so much trouble for him,” Sumner said, kneeling down next to me, “but he wishes you safe age on your way to oblivion. Goodbye, Rose.” I knew it! This wasn’t Overseer Sumner, but one of Chithula’s pod people. Coughing and gasping, I writhed in pain on the ground, trying to get to Sumner. If I could reach him, I would suck every drop of blood out of that son of a bitch.

I clawed at the ground, but my arms and hands were too weak to make any forward momentum. My eyes settled on Sumner’s overly expensive shoes for a moment, but I was fading fast. I crumbled into a sagebrush, rolled, and hit the sun-baked desert floor hard. I heard a thump, then a shrill, blood-curdling scream. An eerie silence settled over the night, as even the bugs stopped chirping. I felt the pressure abate in my chest and I lifted my head nervously. Rising onto my hands and knees, I scanned where I had last glimpsed the Overseer. One of his expensive black leather shoes was lying empty at the base of a large bush, but the former occupant was nowhere to be seen. A massive form lifted from the brush. It looked ghostly as its gray and white hair shimmered softly in the moonlight, while the fur around its muzzle and claws glistened with blood. Its coat resembled that of a timber wolf, while its yellow eyes were luminous in the darkness and undeniably fierce. The wolf turned to me, lips curled into a vicious sneer with its razor-sharp teeth exposed. As I struggled to my feet, the wolf did the same. Nearly eight feet tall, the Werewolf’s limbs were longer and more powerful than a human’s, but slender and built for speed. Toby dwarfed me. Looking down at the wolf’s feet, I saw a twisted, gnarled body and knew the Overseer was dead. Toby had saved my life. “Thank you.” Werewolves can’t speak in animal form, so instead Toby barked softly to reply. I was still wary of my partner, and I didn’t know what to expect. He had captured me and delivered me to my death, but it seemed as though he had second thoughts. Did that mean I had been granted a reprieve, or was he defending me out of some misguided sense of loyalty? Perhaps he simply wanted me to face justice via the Syndicate’s Tribunal? I didn’t know what to do. A Werewolf could change into a wolf at will, but reverting to human form was much more difficult. As if when the beast was unleashed, it was unwilling to release control. I knew it would be some time before Toby was able to speak again. I pressed my hand to my chest, and moaned. My heart ached, and not in the

romantic way that poets often referenced. I looked up at Toby who was watching me carefully. “Don’t suppose you have an aspirin?” Toby woofed, and then whined softly. “I didn’t think so,” I said with a shrug. “Just had to ask. So what do we do here, T?” The wolf lowered his head, hunched his back and took a single step. It took everything I had not to flee, but I held my ground. Dropping onto all fours, Toby walked carefully toward me. His movements were careful, measured, and gentle as he moved. Stopping well within arms’ reach of me, he pulled his ears back and lowered his tail. Toby waited. “Please don’t kill me,” I breathed as fear raged through my veins. A single Vampire was not an even match for a Werewolf. Toby could shred me before I even had a chance to think about retaliating. Stretching forward, Toby brushed his cold nose against my hand then pulled back. All I could see was the blood splattered on his gray muzzle and imagine that mine would be next. Toby nuzzled me like a house pet would, then sat back like a tamed dog and panted. His open mouth almost looked like a smile, in the same horrible way a great white shark’s does. “So we’re still friends?” I asked the wolf. Toby barked once then rubbed his cheek against my leg. “I am so glad to hear that.” I laughed and scratched the Werewolf behind the right ear. He lowered his head and whined. His yellow eyes seemed sad. Was he apologizing to me, or upset he killed the Overseer? Kneeling down, I put my hands on his face. “You want to get out of here?” Toby lifted his head and barked like a dog that had just been asked if it wanted to go for a car ride.

“Okay,” I said, standing. My eyes wandered back to the bloody mess that was formerly an Overseer. “Toby, can you pick up Sumner?” Toby growled. I looked pleadingly at the wolf. “I need to know what he knows.” Toby turned and begrudgingly headed for the Overseer. I’ve had worse ideas, but I can’t when. Letting my head fall back, I looked at the stars and sighed. Ah, to hell with it... When you’ve hit rock bottom, there’s nothing left to lose.

Chapter 14

Even though I didn’t breathe anymore, I felt like I couldn’t catch my breath. Everything had gone wrong since we encountered the baby dragon inside the Aztec, and it was getting worse. As though events were compounding, my life had become a runaway snowball screaming down the side of Mount Everest. As I rolled, I continued gathering problem after problem, and now the whole ball was in danger of splattering against the rocks on the bottom. I was spiraling deeper into the pit I was digging for myself. But how did this happen? One minute it felt like I was in charge, then all Hell broke loose. Evidently I was no longer in control of my life. And that scared the crap out of me. Glancing into the rearview mirror, I watched Toby stretch out across the backseat, trying to scratch his ear with his foot while balancing his massive frame. Still unable to revert to human form, he grunted softly as he scratched. At least the wolf seemed to be enjoying himself. He had cleaned most of the Overseer’s blood from his muzzle and claws, but a few crusting patches remained. The wolf had saved my life, but fear churned in my guts at the very sight of his aggressive yellow eyes. Was he honestly unaware of what the Overseer planned, or had he truly been sent to kill me? I couldn’t seem to reconcile the events in my mind, and the taste of distrust was bitter in my mouth. Letting my gaze fall back to the road ahead, I tried to ignore the corpse of the Overseer strapped into the enger seat. Sumner’s head hung at a strange angle, most likely due to the gaping bite Toby had taken out of the Witch’s throat. The metallic, iron-rich smell of cloned blood was overpowering and was actually making me sick. There was nothing more disgusting in my opinion than dead blood, and my Vampire physiology seemed to agree. In wolf form, Toby was too big for the front seat, and Sumner wouldn’t fit in the trunk, so we had been forced to let the clone ride shotgun. Why Toby didn’t have a bigger vehicle, I didn’t know, but the dead clone next to me was really starting to gross me out. I felt my cell phone vibrate in my pocket. Digging it out of my pocket, I realized I had actually forgotten I had it. Staring at the rectangular display on the front, I

noted that I had a new text message. It was a trend I really didn’t understand, but one Karl the Goblin excelled at. He was always sending me those idiotic messages with pictures and music that were utterly obnoxious. His favorite was a naughty picture with a recorded voice that announced to everyone in earshot that the recipient was looking at porn. Delightful. If I never saw another LOL, ROTFL, WTF, or OMG, I would be completely content. I guess the thing that bothered me the most about SMS was the complete lack of context. There was no way to know what sentiment the note was written in, or the state of the author. The digital age had stripped our communiqués of emotion as we resolved everything to endless strings of ones and zeroes. Flipping open the phone, I stared at the number. I didn’t recognize it, and it wasn’t contained within my s, but it was a Las Vegas area code. Hitting the OK key, I scanned through the message. Simply an address, I scrolled down until I found a signature at the end: Jared. I cursed under my breath. How the hell did he get my cell number in the first place? The Master Vampire had certainly picked a helluva time to call in a favor. My life was in the process of unraveling and he wanted me to track down a few missing Vampires. But I had given him my word...and right now, that was all I had left. Still, I might be able to swing this to my advantage. Jared had resources well beyond anything I had access to now. And now with Toby on the outs with the Syndicate, I needed all the help I could get. I looked down at the cell phone in my hand and it dawned on me: I still had a within the Syndicate. And as much as it annoyed me, the little, green dirtbag had suddenly become an extremely valuable asset. Opening the text Jared sent me, I forwarded the address to Karl with a note to meet Toby and me there. Hopefully the pissy Goblin wouldn’t descend on Jared’s compound with a squad of Cleaners to arrest me. I didn’t think he would, but then again I didn’t think Toby would willingly agree to execute me. It was suddenly a topsy-turvy world. Reaching the outskirts of Las Vegas, I tried to plot the quickest way to reach the address without going through the heart of the city. Considering driving down the Strip with a dead body in the enger seat probably wasn’t a good plan. Although in Las Vegas, it was a fair bet that no one would really pay that much attention. Still, it wasn’t worth risking. Glancing into the rearview mirror again, I saw the first few patches of pink flesh exposed on Toby as his fur fell away. He

was finally starting to revert, though it would be some time before the transformation was complete. Wolves between stages were often considered the most volatile because two extremely different personas are vying for control. It probably wasn’t in anyone’s best interest to take him into a Vampire’s nest in this state, but I wasn’t sure what to do with him. Could I just leave him in the car and crack a window? The thought made me giggle, at least. I had to find something to do with him, though. My cell phone buzzed again as I received a new text. It was Karl, and the message simply said, On my way. I wasn’t sure how to take that. Seeing how my luck was going lately, he would probably arrive with the Cleaners, Marines, Army, and Air Force in tow. I had to remind myself to have faith in the Goblin. He had never let me down before. As I turned off the main road, my headlights flashed off the crumbling concrete structures of the industrial district. It had once been more prominent in the history of the city, but that was before gaming became the main draw of Las Vegas. Now large swaths of the industrial park were abandoned, the sole domain of all the things that go bump in the night. Illegal Inhumans flocked here, as did the desperate of humanity’s children. Boarded windows looked like black eyes on the faces of the buildings, while tired street lamps flickered in the gloom. This was a place for the lost and wicked. Unfortunately, Toby and I fit right in. A black cat’s eyes reflected ominously as it skittered across the road ahead of me. I don’t consider myself to be overly superstitious, but even I know that wasn’t a good sign. Things were about to get worse. As predicted, heavily armed soldiers materialized out of the night and converged on Toby’s car. While slamming on the brakes, I threw my hands into the air as the lights on their weapons blinded me. Blinking my eyes rapidly in a futile attempt to wash away the spots, I looked into the rearview mirror. Toby was almost fully human now, and incredibly weak from the transformation. No help there. I heard my name yelled outside. Holding up my hand to block the lights, I tried to get some idea of who the soldiers were. I heard my name shouted again along with a command to step out of the car. I bit my lip and hesitated. My instincts told me if they wanted me dead, they would have already riddled the car with bullets. I opened the door and stepped out.

“Rose Webb?” a disembodied voice shouted from somewhere in the wall of soldiers. With one hand raised and the other trying to shield my eyes, I nodded. “Who wants to know?” The sound of the shot and the searing pain of the bullet ripping into my chest were nearly simultaneous. My legs folded beneath me and I crumbled to the asphalt. Fumbling as though I were seizing, I tried to get my hands over the wound and stop the bleeding. Flopping onto my side, I gasped in pain. The bullet had almost cleaved my heart, and I knew it was intended to be a kill shot. Glancing back through the open car door, I saw Toby’s head peeking from between the seats. He was mouthing something, but the ringing in my ears from the shot was overpowering. I did my best to wave him off but there wasn’t much the wolf could do. The hard click of boot heels echoed eerily off the vacant structures as the soldiers moved in to finish me. This was it. Game over.

Chapter 15

October 31, 1877

I screamed at the top of my lungs, but that gave me the distinct feeling it only enhanced their enjoyment. Bent over a table, the three demonic Vampires pinned my arms and took turns violating me in ever worsening, horrific ways. My legs were sticky from my blood and other bodily fluids, and I was raw in a way I didn’t even know was possible. I had run out of tears hours ago, leaving my cheeks painfully chapped. The flesh of my throat was shredded from crying, so much so that I was coughing up straight blood, and my neck, shoulders, back, and thighs were cratered with bite marks. I wanted to die, but they wouldn’t let me. Each time they would finish raping and sucking the blood from my body, I stared into their soulless, black, vampiric eyes, hoping for death...but then came their blood. It was just a drop or two, not enough to turn me, only to keep me alive. Given, at best, a half-hour to heal, my captors restarted their torture, and I had to endure the encounter again. It repeated over and over again while my body and mind hovered somewhere between life and death. I was their plaything, in the same way a cat played with a mouse. Each time they drained me, I prayed they would become bored of me soon and let me go. It was my only hope. Alone now in a cold, dark, damp place, I pushed myself as far into the corner as my body would allow. If I could have become the wall, I would have. Shivering so hard I felt as though I would rattle apart, I had to clamp my jaw down to keep my teeth from chattering. Drawing my knees up tightly to my chest, I wrapped my arms around them for warmth and rolled onto my side, as even sitting had become excruciating. I was bruised, battered, and broken. My body ached, but my soul even more so. The lifeless faces of my children, especially Sophia’s, were burned on my memory. They were all I could see every time I closed my eyes, and it was worse than any physical pain I could endure. I had failed to

protect them. I had failed as a mother. There were no windows in my makeshift prison, so even the ing of day and night was denied me. I had no concept of time in this place. My head turned toward Heaven and I prayed to God to kill me. I asked that He send a messenger or even come down from Heaven Himself to end my suffering. I was a good Christian, after all. I attended church every week, followed His son’s teachings, and donated generously to the church coffers. How could He allow the suffering of one of His children to continue this way? What had I done to anger Him so? Please Lord, I pleaded over and over again, almost begging, please take my life. Please... But I knew my prayers fell on deaf ears because the Devil himself was in the next room. I was certain I saw him standing amidst the darkness, red and horrible as blood, while the Vampires raped me. I could see the glow of his cigar as it briefly illuminated his features and black horns in a hellish orange glow. He watched silently, unblinking, approving of the evil wrought by his three minions. Lucifer was there, but not, a wisp of smoke barely visible in the light, and behind him, he brought a band of Demons to enjoy the show. I knew at any moment the floor would burn away, leaving the Vampires and me engulfed in Mephistopheles’ fiery domain. I was in Hell. As each encounter became worse, I began to disconnect. I had become emotionally numb, and was somehow able to separate the pain from my mind. I was dead inside, and what the Vampires did to me meant nothing. I was no longer fighting, and didn’t need to be restrained. Even the images of their horned master faded away with my screams, as the experiences became less and less pleasurable for the Vampires. I had all but given up, and resigned myself to this fate. I could not live or die, so I merely existed. It was a punishment far worse than anything I could ever fathom. Yet somehow I knew I deserved it. For letting my children die, I deserved it. And then came the moment when everything changed. As with most similar moments, this one was born of accident and raw emotion. As my fight died, the Vampires became more lackadaisical in their actions. Where once they would have restrained me en masse, now they came one by one, used my body, and discarded me. They didn’t even bother to send me back to my cell any longer. It was during one of these encounters that I snapped. I had reached my breaking point, and had taken enough.

Naked, bruised, battered, and broken, I was tossed haphazardly on a wooden table. My head fell back and hit with a crack, but I didn’t even flinch. Instead, I closed my eyes, exhaled, and detached. My legs were spread and I could feel the Vampire’s icy flesh pressed against mine. Then came the familiar discomfort of his penis being forced inside me. As he climbed atop me and awkwardly fondled my breasts, I felt as though I couldn’t breathe. The Vampire’s scent was overpowering. A mixture of sweat, blood, semen, and filth, it turned my stomach. I wanted to push him off, to roll him off the table, but I couldn’t summon the strength. I wanted to cry, but I no longer had the tears. Letting my arms fall uselessly to my sides, I felt my body bounce as the monster stabbed his erection into me repeatedly. His grunts and moans of pleasure sounded loudly in my ears, and his member started to throb. The Vampire was nearing climax, and I knew it would be over soon. But this time, I had had enough. Ejaculating, the Vampire groaned and fell on me, spent. His body felt like dead weight as he lay unmoving on top of me. Anger blossomed in me like a blast furnace. Before I realized what I was doing, my arms and legs clamped around the Vampire, and I bit its neck. I felt his skin bulge and break as blood splattered in my mouth and down my throat. It burned like red-hot needles searing into my body. Using every bit of my remaining strength, I ripped my head back and tore a hunk of flesh from its throat. The Demon wailed and clawed at my head, ripping chunks of hair away. Pressing my mouth over the wound, I took every drop of the Vampire’s scarlet life I could, so much so that I was suffocating myself, drowning in his blood... Pulling my head away, I swallowed and gasped in agony as millions of razor blades shredded me from the inside. The Vampire reared back and slapped me hard across the face while hiking up its pants. I heard my cheekbone crunch under the impact, and pain washed through my head. Grabbing a fistful of my filthy blond hair, the Demon yanked me kicking and screaming off the table and tossed me to the floor. As it clamped its hand over the gaping wound in its throat, the monster’s face contorted with rage and confusion. It held its position, simply watching me.

The Vampire’s blood felt like a living creature skittering angrily through my body, hollowing me out, and nesting in my chest. As I writhed on the floor, my skin crawled, and my brain burned as my body died. My head snapped back as pain seared through my mouth, and I heard the audible crack of my canine teeth breaking, making way for my new fangs. I felt as though flames shot out of my eye sockets, roasting my eyeballs. My muscles strained to their limits as I was transformed, and my lungs struggled to function. As my final breath escaped, I fell back silent and physically exhausted. It was over, and I was dead. I had become the thing I hated most in this world...I was a Vampire now. When I sat up, my new preternatural eyes stared at the Vampire I’d stolen immortality from. The same white-hot anger exploded in my chest, but felt somehow amplified now. I could feel it in my chest, burning like a wildfire in my brain, and reaching all the way into the tips of my extremities. All of my pain, everything they had done, and the lifeless bodies of my children came rushing over me like flood waters from a broken levee. Screaming, I lurched at the Vampire without hesitation. The Demon sidestepped my clumsy attack while laughing derisively. He kicked me hard in the midsection with his boots. Then I felt his hand clamp around my throat and lift me from the floor like a child’s doll. Baring his fangs, he stared at me with his lifeless, black eyes. “I will take back what you have stolen,” he growled. Struggling against his grip, clawing, I tried to open his vice-like fingers to breathe...but it didn’t feel right. I wasn’t choking, or blacking out. A tiny voice in the back of my mind spoke calmly to me, reminding me that I was dead. I didn’t have breath any longer. I met the Vampire’s gaze and grinned. Balling my fist, I hit the Demon as hard as I could in the windpipe. His hand snapped open, releasing me as he coughed, gagged, and doubled over. Grabbing his hair, I gritted my teeth and slammed his head into the wooden table he had just raped me on. To my amazement and satisfaction, the wood splintered and gave way under the force. When I tossed the Vampire down as the table collapsed, the same voice in my head returned and told me how to kill it. Was this my voice? How did I know?

At the moment, it didn’t matter. Kneeling next to the Vampire, I broke a pointed chunk of wood from the damaged table and clasped it tightly in my hands. Raising it above my head, I paused, enjoying the moment. The Vampire whimpered and moved. I couldn’t hesitate anymore. Whipping the wood down, I drove it deep into the Demon’s back and heard the satisfying crunch of broken ribs, and what sounded like fabric tearing as the Vampire’s heart was pierced. Blood spurted from the wound as I forced it all the way through his chest and into the wood floor below. The monster gasped, convulsed, then vomited blood. Flopping like a fish out of water, it twisted onto its back screaming and dug at the makeshift stake. Stepping back, I watched the Vampire in its death throes with a morbid curiosity. Could I be witnessing the same fate that would befall me? As the Vampire’s twitching and writhing slowly ceased, the scent of blood became overwhelming. I wanted it...no, it was more than that. I had to have it. Dropping back to my knees, I lapped the blood on the Vampire’s throat like a dog at its water dish. Still warm, I felt the same tingle in my mouth as before, but the sensation, sadly, wasn’t as powerful and the blood tasted bitter. Spitting the remainder from my mouth, I wiped my arm across my mouth to remove the excess. There was something wrong with it, but I didn’t know what. After standing, I distanced myself from the dead Vampire. I had to get out of this place. The clarity my anger had afforded me was fading, leaving my mind chaotic. As I tried to understand the change I was still going through, my brain was confused as it tried to somehow rationalize the vessel’s preternatural abilities. I felt alien, as though I was suddenly in someone else’s body. Staring at my hands, I could see even my flesh seemed changed, somehow harder, yet there was an underlying brittleness to it. Fire raged in my guts, making me want to vomit, and every muscle ached in pain. Something completely new... I was only Rose in name now. The thought sickened and frightened me more than anything ever had before. Snatching a discarded coat from the floor, I wrapped it around my naked body and moved quietly through the abandoned house the Vampires called home. It seemed I was alone here. As I stopped in the hallway that led into the main family room, the air was thick and still. Tightening my grip on the coat, I peered

cautiously into the great room. A silver slice of moonlight spilled in over the dirty floors and debris, but the room was empty. Tiptoeing as quickly as I could toward the main door, I was scared beyond reasoning and my heart should have been thumping wildly in my chest, but it wasn’t. I felt empty inside, almost as if everything that made me human was gone. And suddenly I hated myself. Grabbing the door handle, I twisted it open with a horrible squeak that echoed through the empty house. It was as I was...a derelict. Standing in the chilled night air, I took a long breath out of habit. The lights of San Francisco were dim in the distance, and I could see the shimmering ocean beyond. Moving quickly across the wooden porch that had seen better days and down the steps, I started running. There were two more Vampires left, and I knew once they found the other dead inside, they would come looking. I ran hard and fast. I just kept running and running from the other Vampires...and from what I had become.

Chapter 16

Present day

I came to with Karl’s arm buried elbow deep in my chest. “What the hell are you doing?” “Trying to get the bullet out before it kills you,” Karl snapped. “Now shut up and lay still, suckhead.” The little, green Goblin stopped and looked at me with a devilish grin. “I bet you’ve heard that before, huh?” “Go fu—” My witty retort died mid-sentence as pain exploded in my chest. The little shit must’ve found the bullet, a nerve ending, or probably both. Balling my fists and gritting my teeth, I felt another shock wave of pain rip through me. Because he was working so close to my heart, I could actually feel Karl’s fingers brushing against the organ, and it made me queasy. I wanted to reach up and knock the Goblin away, but I forced myself to remain calm and ignore the sounds that sounded like cuts of wet meat being squished together. “Got it,” Karl said, proudly pulling his bloody hand free. Sliding off my chest, he grabbed my hand, lifted it palm up, and deposited the bullet there. Holding it between my fingers, I examined the bronze-colored slug that had almost claimed my life. I balled my fist around it, and silently thanked whoever, or whatever, must be watching out for me. Rolling onto my side and applying pressure to the wound, I nodded to Karl. “Thank you.” “You owe me.” Karl laughed as he tried to wring my blood from his hands. I let my gaze wander over the drab gray walls that surrounded us. Concrete with a single low wattage bulb hanging from an exposed power cable in the ceiling, there was nothing in here but a single metal door, Karl, Toby, and me. My Werewolf protector was asleep, or unconscious, and naked in the far corner. I had no idea how long I had been out, and more importantly... “Where the hell are

we?” “No clue.” Karl shrugged. “The accommodations are crap, and I ordered room service an hour ago. They are going to get such a bad review from me.” I forced a smile at Karl’s lame attempt to amuse me. My gaze wandered back to the wolf. Slowly sitting up, I grunted as pain erupted in my chest again. Gritting my teeth, I doubled over and waited for it to . “How’s Toby?” I asked. “Puppy?” Karl asked. “He’s been in and out of consciousness ever since we arrived. They drugged him.” “TS-1138?” I asked. Developed by the Syndicate as a heavy duty tranquilizer, it had a side effect of disrupting lycanthrope transformations. It wasn’t long before it started appearing on the black market, and in the hands of those it was designed to stop. “I can’t say for sure,” Karl apologized. “I didn’t get a good look at the syringe they dosed him with.” He turned and looked at Toby. “His heart rate is steady, and his breathing is still even. I think he may just be sedated.” I rubbed my head, trying to shake away some of the cobwebs on my mind. “What happened?” “I think you stumbled into the middle of Operation: Iraqi Freedom,” Karl answered with a smirk. “I show up, heading to the address you sent me, and find you down with a bullet and puppy is being yanked from the car and drugged by heavily armed soldiers. I tried to play it cool, but I’m pretty sure they were expecting me too. Dirtbags snared me with a magically imbued net. That’s insulting. I’m a Seeker now, not some half-assed Leprechaun. They didn’t get my Lucky Charms, though.” “Did you recognize the soldiers?” I asked and slowly started to scoot toward Toby. “Did they look like Jared’s commandos?” Karl shook his head. “No. I couldn’t see any insignia on their uniforms though. They could work for anyone.” “Great.” I sighed.

When I reached Toby, I placed my hand gently on his side and found his flesh cold. Concerned, I pressed my fingertips to his throat and took his pulse. I wouldn’t call it strong, but it was there. I caught sight of a dark area on the back of his neck. Leaning over him, I found a good-sized bruise almost completely black in the center with splotchy, burgundy edges. That must have been where they dosed him. Running my fingers through his gray hair, I wished he wasn’t so damned heroic, but was glad he was. He had saved me more times than I cared to count, but he kept getting his ass kicked in the process. It seemed like I was a jinx to the wolf. I hope he never figured that out. I had this sneaking suspicion I would be lost without him. A ghostly creak echoed off the bare walls as the heavy metal door was pushed open. “Heads up,” Karl said, circling around the room toward Toby and me. Two black-clad soldiers like I had seen earlier moved quickly inside, their automatic weapons trained on us. Settling between us and the door, the soldiers held defensive positions. Their faces were grim and emotionless. Sniffing the air, I caught the barely perceptible scent of fear, and realized they were both human...but there was something off about them. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what, though. A tall man, wearing one of the newer, dark blue “B” Army uniforms, strode confidently into the room, his polished shoes clicking importantly on the concrete. His face was long and gaunt, looking more like a predatory bird’s than a human’s, while his gray hair was cropped close to his scalp. The breast of his coat was a virtual rainbow of awards, commendations, and achievements, and he wore the stars of a colonel on his shoulders. Clasping his hands behind his back, the officer stopped between the two black-clad soldiers and scowled. This was a man of some importance, and he was apparently very unhappy with me. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” the colonel barked. Obviously I had no answer to give. At the risk of being pistol-whipped, I shrugged sheepishly. Blood and anger rushed to the colonel’s face, turning it bright red. A vein in his forehead started to throb as though it were about to explode under the stress. “You royally screwed up a major operation in the works for well over a year.”

The colonel huffed and puffed. “Well? What do you have to say for yourself?” I looked to Karl then back to the colonel. “Sorry?” The colonel’s scowl turned downright evil, and I was certain he was plotting my execution. Then, slowly, his expression softened. “I had certain assurances to your level of cooperation,” he said quietly. I pointed to the bloody hole in my chest. “What the hell?” The soldier dismissed my wound with nary any interest. “That was necessary. The operation had already been compromised. I couldn’t allow you to further endanger my men.” “Jesus-tap-dancing-Christ,” I barked. “What are you on about?” I looked up into the corners of the Spartan cell. “I certainly don’t see any cameras. I mean, I am being punk’d, right? Should I expect Ashton Kutcher to stroll out in a minute?” Karl giggled with a snort. At least he appreciated my humor. The colonel cocked an eyebrow then turned back to one of his men. “Did you dose her too?” Okay, I deserved that. I was raving like a drug-crazed lunatic. There must be some way out of here. There was too much confusion. “We’re wasting our time,” the colonel concluded after a moment. Standing, he snapped his fingers authoritatively and pointed at the three of us. “Captain, process them.” “Whoa,” I said, holding up my hands in surrender. I didn’t know what “processing” was, nor did I honestly care to find out. This was turning surreal rather quickly. “We can work through this, Colonel. Just give me a chance.” “I believe I already did. We’re done here,” the colonel said matter-of-factly. Turning, he vanished through the still open door. “On your feet,” the soldier identified as captain instructed. He circled back from the door, but kept his weapons locked on us. As the other soldier moved through the door and took up position outside, the captain motioned with the barrel of his

P90 toward the exposed hallway. “Let’s go. Single file. If you so much as twitch in a way I don’t like, I will kill you.” Crap... Checking Toby one more time, I slowly stood and lifted my hands in surrender. I looked down to find Karl doing the same. Not only was my life going straight down the toilet, I was taking my two closest friends with me. Not to sound completely self-involved, but at least I had company on the trip. That was terrible...I know. Lowering my head like a scolded puppy, I tucked my tail and started toward processing...whatever the hell that was. This did not bode well for any of us.

Chapter 17

The hallways were much the same as the cell. Dominated by bland, gray concrete, with no windows anywhere. Wide and tall enough to allow traditionalsized vehicles through, they had massive conduits stretched along the top corners, accompanied by a single, silver pipe down the center of the ceiling that was most likely ventilation. Doors were slightly recessed into the walls, and were built of heavy, riveted steel that had been painted a horrible Army OD green. The only markings were black spray-painted codes on the walls and doors that consisted of a single letter, a dash, and then a number. Listening to the pitter patter of Karl’s footsteps echo off the walls and the angry insect-like buzz of the lights above me, I watched the soldier ahead of me march. As the Goblin and I had entered the hallway, we were handcuffed while the captain radioed for help to transport Toby. Two more similarly dressed soldiers had arrived immediately with a gurney and strapped the wolf to it. Little more than an archaic table with wheels, the gurney squeaked horribly as it rolled, creating a metal scraping sound straight from every horror movie made in the 80’s. A man and a woman, dressed in green fatigues with no markings other than their names, appeared in the hallway ahead of us, but the lead soldier quickly got them out of the way until we ed. This had to be some sort of working military installation, but like none I had ever seen before. There was no concept of time in this place. With no exterior views, the age of the sun was obscured and only the disgusting, green-hued fluorescent bulbs offered any light. I had no idea whatsoever where we were. This place was as nondescript as possible, probably by design, and I was starting to get the distinct feeling I would never see moonlight again. My life was reeling, like I was systematically losing everything and everyone close to me. It seemed as though someone was going to great lengths to dismantle and destroy me, bit by bit...and I was beginning to have a sneaking suspicion of who that someone was. It almost seemed to add up, with the exception of Jared’s interventions, and the Vampire Hunter I encountered. Those were two of the loose ends bothering me. How did they fit, and moreover, were they actually part of this or merely random occurrences?

I didn’t believe in coincidences. The universe was far too structured to allow for things such as luck or chaos. Everything had a reason. As we came to two large double doors at the end of the hall, the lead soldier lowered his weapon and pushed them open. A massive, two-tiered room opened up beyond, stretching so far I couldn’t readily see the opposite side. Barred cell doors lined the two levels while security personnel armed with automatic weapons stood guard. The combined cacophony of animalistic vocalizations and the smell of hundreds of beings and bodily fluids spilled into the hall, overpowering me. I wanted to turn away and retch, but somehow held it down. It was a prison for Inhumans...at least I hoped so. The alternative was far too dark to consider. Six figures, dressed in sterile white garments with their faces hidden behind black gas masks, approached us and immediately split into three groups. Separating Karl, Toby, and me, the faceless men moved quickly to restrain us. While two held my arms, the third circled around and I felt a quick pinch at the base of my neck accompanied by a short hiss. Staring into the round, emotionless, tinted goggles of the gas masks, I felt my world begin to spin. Whatever they had just injected me with was working quickly into my system. I tried to resist, but my limbs felt heavy and clumsy as though I were drunk. I could hear Karl shouting in protest, but it sounded quiet and distant. Pushing me into a waiting wheelchair, the faceless men carted me helplessly away from my partners. The brightness of the lights became overwhelming as whatever drug they injected me with washed over my brain. The hallway seemed to twist and turn like a roller coaster, and I felt like I was about to spill to the floor. I tried to lean on the armrest of the wheelchair for , but couldn’t quite manage it as my arm kept slipping off. As the faceless men turned me into a large white room and stopped, I almost spilled out of the chair. I felt them grab my arms and haul me up. I felt like a rag doll, limp and weak, as they propped me against the wall. My arms were lifted above my head and I felt the familiar click of cold steel snap around my wrists. As my world spun, I saw the glimmer of a silver blade reflected in one of the faceless men’s emotionless goggles. Helplessly strung from shackles on the wall, he yanked on my clothes and started to cut them away. I listened to the hollow, inhuman hiss of his breath through the mask and was utterly repulsed but helpless. I could barely touch the floor with my toes.

I tried to scream and yell in protest, but only managed a sickly gurgle. My face felt heavy and numb like it was about to slough off and hit the floor with a splat. As the last of my clothes were cut away, I hung naked, the cold air from the ventilation system licking my flesh. Then an acidic scent hit my nose. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as a stream of liquid hit me in the chest. As the jet cycled systematically over my skin, I felt it splash on my face and into my mouth. The smell of the chemical was making me nauseous. My stomach churned like a ball of rattlesnakes squirming and biting. As I let my head fall forward, my body tensed and I retched. I felt my head throb as the hot, gooey contents of my stomach were expelled. The pressure of the stream intensified and the pain surging through my torso felt like a laser beam slicing into me. Then as abruptly as it started, the spray stopped. My skin burned and crawled as though thousands of army ants were crawling and biting over and over again. I wanted to dig my fingernails into my flesh, itching and tearing, but could only writhe in agony. My mind swam and my eyes blurred. I wanted to throw up again, but my stomach was already painfully empty. The muscles in my calves started to shake as I stood on my toes to take some of the pressure off my wrists. I was exhausted, sick, naked, wet, and my mind was too foggy to think straight. I was utterly miserable. For the first time in a very long time, I wanted to die. A flash of light stunned me. It seemed to come from everywhere in the room at the same time, and was the brightest light I had ever seen. I tried blinking my eyes, but could only see blinding white spots. Lifting my head, I saw the colonel appear just beyond the door. He seemed to be motioning emphatically, but I couldn’t see who he was talking to. His voice echoed off the tile walls of the room, but sounded like it was miles away. Finally, he let his arms fall to his sides in defeat, shot me a snide look, and strode quickly away. My head fell forward in exhaustion, but I managed to lift it one more time. A figure was standing in the doorway now, arms crossed and scowling. It almost looked like...no, it couldn’t be. It simply wasn’t possible. His brown hair fell down onto his shoulders in soft curls...just the way I ed it. I licked my lips, and blinked my eyes several times to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating, but I couldn’t be sure. I took a chance and called out, “Drew...”

The man’s eyes widened for a moment, as though in shock, and quickly vanished from the doorway. I waited for a moment, hoping he would return, and trying my best to convince myself I was hallucinating. It couldn’t have been him. I was absolutely certain of that. Drew was dead. I let my head fall. My entire world had just been tossed on its ear.

Chapter 18

November 3, 1886

I was lost... Living on the streets of San Francisco, I had become something more akin to a phantom than a human being. A vagrant, I lurked in the shadows, waiting to rob the unsuspecting of something far more valuable than their money. Disgusting and dirty, my clothes hung in tatters barely covering my frame and my blond hair was a matted mess. Nearly a decade had ed since I was turned, and I had almost completely lost the will to live, leaving me a shell of my former self. Merely surviving, I was too much of a coward to face my own death. My family was gone, stolen from me, and now I had to relive that experience every single night when I fed. I was taking the life of someone’s brother, sister, mother, or father with each moonrise. They still tormented me every night when I awoke from my deathly slumber, and each morning as I escaped from the holy sunrise. I was a monster...exactly like those who had taken everything from me. Sitting amidst a pile of trash and filth, I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms tightly around them. The pungent odor of the garbage was almost intolerable, but I felt like I belonged here. Not the same woman I once was, I had become refuse, something that had once held great value, but had been used up and discarded. Resting my chin on my knees, I stared at my dirty, bloody hands. A glistening streak of red cut across my palm, a remnant from tonight’s meal and a reminder of my true nature. Wiping my hand on my dress, I felt I could never be truly free of the bloodstains. I was Lady Macbeth decrying, “Out, out damned spot.” Lightning arced across the sky, ripping open the clouds and unleashing a torrent of icy rain. The raindrops echoed rhythmically as they impacted the refuse around me. The cold water stung as it hit my flesh but felt refreshing, as though cleansing my sins. I could feel the rain streaking down my face, taking layers of blood and grime with it. But my relief was fleeting. The weight of my pain

crushed down on me, reminding me that I had once been a wife and mother. Now I had completely lost myself. The residual warmth of the blood I had ingested began to cool under the storm’s quell, leaving me shivering violently. Tears rolled down my face. I didn’t want to do this anymore...I couldn’t. As the downpour washed away the dirt, I spotted a glimmer at my feet. Recognizing it, I wrapped my fingers around it and took it into my hand. Nothing more than a chunk of glass, I examined it sitting on the pale flesh of my palm. Roughly triangular, the green shard had, like me, been part of a whole once, but was now useless and had been discarded. I ran my fingers over the smooth convex surface, marveling at how beautiful the shard was, despite itself. The edges glistened under the lightning, and appeared flawless as rainwater washed over them. It was somehow appropriate that we had found each other amidst the refuse. Holding the glass tightly in my fingers, I pressed the edges to my wrist. My heart should have been beating wildly in my chest, but it wasn’t. I was numb, and that pushed me over the edge. Pushing as hard as I could, I watched a bead of blood form where the glass met my flesh. I gritted my teeth, apologized to whatever God would still listen to a Vampire, and pulled. I felt veins, tendons, and flesh slice open, almost sounding like paper being torn. My wrist was instantly splayed open, and I could feel the muscles of my forearm snap up to my elbow like a shade opening. Blood immediately poured unnaturally out of the wound. Switching hands, I repeated the cut on my opposite wrist and let the glass fall. As I dropped my wrists to the ground, my blood quickly started to pool around me, but was washed away by the rain. I shivered, cold and weary. I had hoped for some sort of release, but found only more pain. As the blood drained from my body, I recalled being repeatedly exsanguinated by the three Vampires, and how it made me feel hollow as though the lightest touch would cause my body to shatter into a million pieces. My vision clouded, and my thoughts became increasingly arbitrary as the blood feeding my brain dissipated. Random images of my husband speaking at some event, and my children’s birthdays danced tantalizingly through my mind’s eye then receded into the fog. I saw a Vampire’s horrible black eyes leering at me as it raped me, and then my mother and father walking quietly with me along the coast. The foamy waves lapped at my feet as the tide swelled in, and holding the small doll Mother had sewn for me, I hiked up my dress and retreated from the

surf with a squeal of glee that only a child is capable of. Then it was all gone, as though the floodgates that had released my memories had run dry, and I was left with a terrible darkness. The blue crackle of lightning illuminated my eyes for the briefest moment, but the darkness quickly consumed me again. Sliding down the wall, I crumbled into the puddle of rainwater, waste, and blood. I wanted to right myself, to get away from the horrible stench seeping into my nose and mouth, but deep down, I knew this was where I belonged. I closed my eyes. Then I felt water splash on my face as I was forcefully righted. Hands clamped on my shoulders like vices and lifted me from the filth. Pressed against the alley wall, I felt a presence standing before me and prayed it was the Grim Reaper come to claim me. When I opened my eyes, the blurred face of a man stared intently at me. I tried to focus, but couldn’t seem to manage that simple feat. I was weak, and if not for my vampiric physiology, I would have been dead already. I couldn’t lift my arms, despite the urge to push the man away and fall back into my puddle of waste. Too heavy to hold up, my head slumped, feeling like it was full of bricks. I just wanted to lie down. I sobbed in agony, letting tears roll down my face. Why couldn’t I just die... “Leave me to die,” I slurred, almost incoherently. “You can’t die.” The man laughed politely, bent down, and lifted me into his arms. “Let’s get you out of here, madame.” His touch sent shivers down my flesh. I didn’t want to, but I was too weak to struggle. Collapsing into his arms, I rested my head against his chest as he carried me out of the filth.

Chapter 19

Present day

The loose orange clothes were easily two sizes too big and hung off my frame uncomfortably. With each awkward step, the pants were almost tugged down as the hem slipped over the ugly, plastic sandals I had been fitted with. The waistband was cinched tightly, but that didn’t ease the fear that my circus clown pants could fall down at any moment and reveal my nakedness. That didn’t sit well with me in this prisonlike setting. Still wet and smelling of the chemical they sprayed on me, there was a dull ache in my chest from the bullet wound. My hair hung in matted, disgusting clumps from my scalp. A metal collar around my throat was connected to magically imbued cuffs around my wrists and ankles by a thick chain. They, whoever this branch of the military truly was, knew how to deal with Inhumans. I had virtually no chance of escape. Still woozy and sick, the catwalk twisted in front of my eyes as two soldiers led me toward a holding cell. My guts ached and my head throbbed. All I wanted to do was lie down and sleep, but there was a real fear in the back of my mind that I might never wake up again. Who knew what these people were truly doing here? I could be spare parts for some insidious experiment for all I knew, or this may be nothing more than a prison where I would spend the rest of my unnatural life. My thoughts turned back to the man I saw with the colonel. It was my Drew. I knew it, but he couldn’t be here. He was dead...of that I was certain. I had done it myself. I simply couldn’t handle it. I didn’t like the station this train of thought was pulling into. “Open cell four fifty-one!” one of my escorts yelled. Stopping, they turned me to face a cell door. My equilibrium spun wildly for a

moment and I almost tumbled, but one of the soldiers steadied me with his hand on my shoulder. The lock disengaged with a loud clunk that echoed off the concrete walls and floors, and even over the din of the other inmates. As the bars slid back, the soldiers quickly began to unshackle me, only leaving my hands cuffed. A shadowed form within the cell rose up in the corner, and suddenly occupied most of it. I could see its silvery eyes glistening in the low light. As it watched me, it blinked one set of eyes, then another, and then another. Pushing me inside, the soldiers spun me around and unlocked the handcuffs. “Close four fifty-one!” the soldier shouted again. I immediately spun and pushed myself as far away from my new roommate as possible. Falling onto the bunk bolted to the wall, I scooted quickly back into the corner. I knew what it was, and I had no desire to have an intimate relationship with it. A throaty gurgle escaped the Inhuman’s mouth, almost sounding like the deep chug of massive machinery. That didn’t seem like a good start to our new friendship. I stared at the rolls of charcoal-colored blubber that fell around its body and limbs. Its head looked like little more than a disfigured mound of clay with six eyes and a gaping, cavernous mouth that was capable of swallowing a Goblin whole. Easily nine feet tall, this mountain of Inhuman was known as a Sloth Demon, named for the deadly sin. It was a disgusting pile of fat, slime, stink, and goo. Lucky for me, Sloths were usually fairly docile beings. The Sloth leaned forward and roared angrily, spitting phlegm and slime at me. Crap. And that was my luck lately. I was locked in with the one Sloth Demon who was the exception to the rule. “Listen,” I said, lifting my hands in surrender and not even bothering to wipe the goo from my face, “I don’t want any trouble. I’m stuck here too. We can work this out, right?” The Sloth took a step toward me, its foot landing with a splat on the floor. Its mouth hung open so far, I could see all the way down into that pit of Hell it called a throat. It lumbered toward me. I tried getting further away from the Sloth, but I was pinned in the corner where the bars met concrete. Looking down, I saw a white smudge on the inside of my orange pants. And then I saw the colored sprinkles. Lifting my leg, I found a paper plate on the bunk with what used to be several frosted cupcakes. Damn, I

cursed, I smashed the Sloth’s cupcakes. I looked back up at the silver-eyed demon. “I am so sorry. I didn’t know they were there,” I added as I offered it the plate of crushed baked goods. “I will get you more. Please don’t kill me!” “Kill you?” The Sloth gurgled and snatched the paper plate from my hand with his sausage-like fingers. “I’m just a little upset you smashed my birthday cupcakes. I wouldn’t kill you over that.” I cocked an eyebrow and stared uneasily at the Sloth. “Seriously?” The Sloth nodded. Opening its mouth, it pushed the entire plate inside and swallowed it whole. Moaning in satisfaction, it stepped back and sank down slowly on the opposite bunk. Slime dripped off the Sloth’s body and pooled around its feet as it considered me. “I’m so sorry,” I said honestly. “Happy Birthday?” “It was until you smashed my treats. It took a lot of work to even get them in here,” the Sloth answered. The massive Demon sighed then shrugged. “But it was an accident. Can’t change that now.” “It was an accident,” I added, reinforcing his suggestion. “I’m not myself,” I said, trying to vindicate my mistake. “The guards drugged me, and then sprayed me with some chemical that’s making me sick. I feel horrible.” “It’ll wear off,” the Sloth assured. “Processing sucks. What are you in for?” “To be honest,” I breathed, “I have no idea. I don’t even know where this is.” “Well.” The Sloth laughed. “Then let me be the first to welcome you to Dreamland.” The name sent a shiver down my body. It sounded ominous but familiar, yet I couldn’t quite place it. “You are deep in the horrible bowels of the base humans call Area 51,” the Sloth added with an odd twist of sarcasm. “Oh snap,” I muttered, and then immediately realizing how stupid I sounded, wished I could take it back.

Area 51... The name conjured up a frightening multitude of myths, urban legends, and conspiracy theories revolving around a supposedly top-secret base in the southern Nevada desert. They involved everything from captured aliens, reverse engineered extraterrestrial technology, and human genetic experiments that would make the creators of the Geneva Convention cringe. I had always assumed it was just an airbase where the military tested newly developed aircraft, or perhaps a red herring designed to divert attention from the government’s true agenda. That seemed the most logical conclusion. But apparently something far more insidious was happening here and I was right in the middle of it. Lowering my head, I rubbed my brow with the tips of my fingers in frustration. The Sloth Demon nodded as though completely understanding. “I’d offer you a cupcake, but you smashed them with your ass.” I stared at the disgusting demon...then laughed in spite of myself. “Thank you.” I smiled. “I’m Rose, by the way.” “Galyak,” the Sloth replied. “My name’s almost as disgusting as I am. Nice to meet you, Rose.” I nodded. “You as well, Galyak. Hey,” I lowered my voice, “is it possible, theoretically speaking, for one to get out of here?” Galyak smiled. “Not possible. At least,” he paused, “not without help.” Leaning against the cool concrete wall, I looked out the cell door. Figures moved around in the cramped cells on the opposite side, while black-clad guards patrolled with emotionless stares. I spotted a Goblin across the way, but it wasn’t Karl. There was an amazing array of Inhumans here, some species of which I didn’t even recognize. I was locked in a secret government installation in the southern Nevada Desert with no hope of escape or reprieve. I truly felt as though I had come to the end of all things. Letting my head fall back against the wall, I closed my eyes and immediately drifted off.

Chapter 20

The heavy clank of the cell door opening woke me. “On your feet, Webb.” Looking up, I saw two soldiers with their weapons trained on me. The click of their safeties disengaging echoed off the concrete walls. They started to move inside, but Galyak was immediately on the move. With a speed and agility a Sloth Demon shouldn’t possess, Galyak placed his considerable frame protectively between us before I even had time to fully process what was happening. The Sloth obviously knew something I didn’t, and was doing his best to not let it happen. Scooting back along the bed, I skittered to my feet and pressed myself into the back corner of the cell. “Move,” the nearest soldier ordered Galyak, “or I will kill you.” Galyak laughed at the soldiers. I knew Galyak would be hard to kill, but not impossible, and the soldiers had enough bullets in their weapons to make sure of it. “Wait,” I said, “I’ll go.” I wanted to put my hand on Galyak’s shoulder, but the shimmering layer of ooze on his charcoal skin deterred me. Climbing onto my cot, I maneuvered around the Sloth and stepped down in front of the soldiers with my hands raised. “I’ll go willingly.” “Don’t do this, Rose,” Galyak urged quietly. “When the men in black take one of us, they never come back.” “Stow it,” the nearest soldier barked at the Sloth Demon. “It’ll be okay.” I marveled at the sheer stupidity of the statement, but it was the only thing I could think of. I looked from Galyak to the soldiers, then back to the demon. “Thank you.” Nodding, Galyak stepped back.

“Turn and put your hands behind your back,” the soldier ordered. Complying, I watched the Sloth slump onto his cot. His face twisted into a defeated grimace and he let his silver eyes close. As the cool metal cuffs ratcheted tightly around my wrists, I felt the familiar buzz skitter up my arms. The restraints were magically imbued. The same strange scent I caught on the soldiers returned. It was strange, and somehow unnatural. I couldn’t be sure if I smelled Galyak, the soldiers, or the horde of Inhumans outside. A feeling of dread balled in my throat and then dropped into my stomach with a plop. What am I doing? As the guards led me out of the cell, an eerie silence fell over the prison. The multitude of voices, squawks, and screams were suddenly gone, leaving only hushed whispers, and I felt like I was walking the Green Mile being led to my execution. Head down, I shuffled my feet on the concrete as I moved, hoping to avoid whatever waited for me at the end of the walk. But I knew I was only delaying the inevitable...whatever that was. The only thing missing was a preacher walking behind us and quoting scripture, though as a Vampire, it didn’t bother me all that much. My gaze wandered from cell to cell, hoping to catch a glimpse of a familiar face, but Toby and Karl were nowhere to be seen. Did the fate awaiting me already befall my partners? This train of thought was leading me someplace very dark. I didn’t even want to consider it. Moving down the stairs, the guards maneuvered me back toward where I had been processed. We walked down the wide concrete hallway past the shower still reeking of the chemicals I had been sprayed with, and continued on. Several massive metal doors, big enough to move a vehicle through, were recessed into the walls. Marked clearly with yellow and black warning stripes, heavy rivets lined the doors, and the hinges that held them to the wall. In a place that held Inhumans captive, I could only imagine what was contained behind them. If this truly was Area 51 like Galyak claimed, I had no way to know for certain. It could be anything from recovered Russian military planes to extraterrestrial technology. This was a place that did what it wanted, without any fear of recourse or consequence. As we came to an intersection in the hall, one of the soldiers moved around me and led us to the left. It was identical to every other hallway in this place. It seemed as though the base was designed like a maze, probably as much to keep

people in as out. Once past another bank of metal doors, the architecture changed slightly. The ceiling lowered, the walls narrowed, and the metal doors were replaced with smaller hatches. Each had a red illuminated keypad attached to the right of the door with a plaque that clearly read, “Sub Lab C—Authorized personnel only.” My vampiric senses were piqued as my attention was drawn to the lead soldier. I smelled the pungent odor of adrenaline in his sweat, and his heart rate was elevated. He had been calm and collected, even when facing the Sloth in my cell, but something about this area bothered him. I could hear the swish of blood being pumped out of his heart as it rushed through his veins and arteries, and his pace quickened slightly. I didn’t like this. Staring at his back, I noticed a small mark just above his shirt collar with a tiny scab in the center that looked very much like an injection bruise. There were a myriad of possibilities, but coupled with his anxiety, it seemed there was something insidious happening in Sub Lab C. What the hell is going on here? Turning right into an ading hallway, I heard the familiar sound of dozens of keyboards clacking away. Inside a large room, I saw men and women dressed in Army blue working diligently at computer terminals. Each sat at drab, olive green, metal desks that were nearly identical. No personal effects decorated the space, only a single lamp, a plastic tray for paperwork, and a black cup filled with writing utensils. A few glanced up at me, but showed little interest. A goodlooking woman in shackles was obviously nothing new to them. That didn’t bode well for me. On the other side of the office, we came to our destination. Turning inside an open doorway, we found a cute brunette sitting behind a similar desk in a small room. A picture of the President hung on the wall behind her, while the American flag hung regally in the corner. A row of filing cabinets were arranged on the opposite wall, and directly in front of us was a door with the name Colonel L. Fallon stenciled on the window. This was probably the same colonel who had questioned me earlier, and then sent me to processing. Crap. “Prisoner eleven-oh-four as requested,” the lead soldier said to the general’s

assistant. I was requested? And I’m prisoner number eleven-oh-four? The number was mind-boggling. How many Inhumans did they have locked up here? “The colonel is waiting,” the brunette confirmed. “You can show her inside.” The lead soldier nodded, turned toward the general’s office, and opened the door. Moving inside, the soldier stepped out of the way and allowed me to . Colonel Fallon sat behind a huge wooden desk, his hands clasped before him. Unlike the rest of the base, his office was decorated with personal effects and pictures of himself with various notable politicians and military leaders. There was even one of him and President Clinton shaking hands and laughing with the punch line of some joke eternally frozen in time. A few ferns decorated the corners, as did several bookcases overfilled with literature. I recognized some of the names decorating the spines, but the rest were unfamiliar. Antique weapons decorated the wall directly behind Fallon’s desk, and included everything from a revolution era musket, to one of the first machine guns used in World War II. He had obviously been in this office for some time, and from the looks of him, had no intention of giving it up. The soldier snapped to attention and saluted his superior officer. “Prisoner eleven-oh-four as requested, Colonel.” Fallon nodded. “Very good, Captain. Dismissed.” He returned the soldier’s salute. As the two soldiers exited the room, they closed the office door and left me alone with Fallon. I stood before his desk, hands still cuffed behind my back, simply waiting. Fallon considered me for a long time, his pale blue eyes burning into me. He motioned to one of the chairs before his desk. “Please, Ms. Webb, have a seat.” The thought of sitting on my cuffed hands didn’t seem very appealing, or comfortable. I twisted slightly to show Fallon the cuffs. “I would very much like to.” Fallon smiled. As he waved his hand through the air, I felt the cuffs unlock and

fall to the ground. “I don’t think you need those anymore. Now, please, have a seat.” Glancing down nervously at the handcuffs on the floor, I rubbed my wrists as I complied with Fallon’s request. Studying the man for a long time, I finally worked up the nerve to speak. “Witch?” “No.” Fallon laughed. “Nothing idiotic like that. Just a little trick I’ve been capable of since childhood.” The colonel seemed distant for a moment, as though lost in thought. A sharp breath brought him back. “Telekinesis,” I said after a moment. Fallon snapped his fingers. “I can never you freaks’ voodoo terminology.” Well, at least the colonel was in a pleasant mood. “I’m certain you’re curious why you’re here, Ms. Webb,” Fallon said, picking up a black and gold pen on his desk. He started to twirl it in his fingers, almost nervously. “I’m going to cut right to it.” “By all means,” I agreed, certain I was about to face my death sentence. “Why did you compromise my mission?” Fallon asked. I felt like I had just showed up on finals’ day after missing the entire course. “Colonel Fallon,” I addressed him formally, hoping to win some points, “let me be frank: I have no freakin’ idea what you’re talking about.” Well, there went any points I had earned. “Unacceptable,” Fallon barked. I watched the vein throb in his forehead again... He stopped, released his clenched fists, and set his pen back on his desk. Adjusting it with the tip of his finger, he made certain it was exactly parallel to the edge of his desk. “How dare you sit here and lie to my face?” “Lie?” I shrugged. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.” “Who are you working for?” Fallon hissed. “I want names, and I want them

now.” The colonel slammed his fist on the desk so hard that a small flag display on the edge toppled over. What the hell had I gotten myself in the middle of? “As far as I can see,” Fallon took a breath, “you have two options. One, tell me who you’re working for, or two, die for the second time. And trust me, this time, it will be permanent,” the colonel threatened. “Colonel Fallon,” I said slowly, “are you familiar with an Ifrit named Chithula?” “Son of a bitch,” Fallon snapped and slammed his fist on the desk again. “I knew it!” The colonel shot up from his chair and circled quickly toward me. “You give me Chithula, and you might survive this.” “No,” I said quickly, “I’m not working for the Ifrit.” I watched Colonel Fallon’s face droop into a frown. “I think he’s using me as his patsy...again.” Fallon stood perfectly still, as though waiting for the punch line. “Excuse me?” “Chithula’s original plan was to use an inhuman species called the Maryut who could be manipulated to look like anyone, and then place these doppelgangers in key positions within various institutions,” I explained. “The Ifrit’s goal was to assassinate Overseer Sumner then replace him with a clone. And now it seems Chithula may have actually accomplished it.” “I am well aware of the Ifrit’s machinations. What’s your point?” Fallon asked, giving me very little latitude. “Overseer Sumner is most likely dead. What I killed was a clone,” I stated bluntly. “Chithula’s plan has succeeded. He created this mess: the clone of me, the Vampire Hunter, and my job troubles at the Syndicate.” I stopped and considered everything for a moment, carefully trying to come to some sort of conclusion. “I just wandered into your mission accidentally. I don’t think this was part of his plan.” I watched Fallon’s face very closely for any change, or inkling of understanding, but his expression remained unchanged. Did he know something I didn’t? “There are two more Seekers inside Area 51 right now who can my

,” I said, referring to Toby and Karl. “We’ve gone up against Chithula before, and we’re responsible for eliminating the Las Vegas branch of his operation. I don’t think that was the end though, just a set back. He’s still moving forward, and using me as a pawn in his game.” The colonel returned to his seat, steepled his fingers, and leaned them against his clean-shaven chin. Disdain was clearly painted on his face. “Ms. Webb,” Fallon said thoughtfully, “I can’t tell, are you drowning or waving?” I could certainly understand how Fallon thought I was concocting a story to save my own ass, but it still pissed me off. I was handing him the keys to the kingdom, but felt like I was trying to convince a dog to swallow a vitamin. “This is stupid,” I blurted out angrily. “I told you the truth, and you still don’t believe me. What do you want me to do? Sing a little song? Dance for you?” Shooting up from my seat, I slapped my hands on his desk and vamped. As my fangs sprouted and my eyes blackened, I stared at the colonel. “I could kill you before you draw breath.” Fallon’s harsh expression refused to ease, and he didn’t so much as flinch. I leaned closer, hovering in his grill. I could smell the blood in his veins, and something else... What is that scent? As I took a whiff, it startled me. It was the same odor I had detected on the soldiers outside, and the ones from earlier. It certainly wasn’t a human odor, but something more bitter and sulphuric. I still couldn’t place it, but it triggered my urge to flee. My subconscious screamed for me to back away, but I couldn’t relinquish my show of force, and I would not stand down from a human. “Please take your seat, Ms. Webb,” Fallon said quietly, but with an ominous undercurrent of violence. “Stop embarrassing yourself.” That was enough of this pathetic little human with his delusions of grandeur. Calling every ounce of my vampiric strength and speed, I bared my fangs and launched at Fallon, intent on ripping his throat out. But I stopped. Pain surged through my face as I hung in the air mere inches from Fallon. Unable to move, it was as though I had smacked into an unseen wall. My body felt numb, as though I was somehow disconnected from it. Stuck in mid-attack, I

stared helplessly at Fallon’s smug grin as it spread wide across his face. Lifting his hand, he flicked his fingers as though knocking away a spec of dust and immediately I sailed across his office. After I slammed into the opposite wall, I crumbled to the floor in a pain-filled heap. Before I had a chance to recover, Fallon was out of his chair, across the room, and on top of me. Snapping his hand around my throat, he pinned my hands to the floor with his knees. “Vampire,” Fallon growled, his eyes burning with rage, “worthless leech. How dare you!” I struggled against him, but couldn’t move. Panic set in. This wasn’t possible... Fallon moved faster than a human being should, and with my preternatural strength, there should be no way he could pin me...yet here we were. I looked into his eyes, searching for answers, any hint of the truth, but found only rage. “What are you?” “Forgiving,” Fallon answered after a moment. He breathed heavily as though just completing a triathlon. “And that,” he said, then released me and stood up, “is very lucky for you, my little Vampire.” Rubbing my fingers across my throat, I eyed the colonel warily. My flesh and windpipe were bruised, and I could still feel the spots where his fingertips had been. I held my spot on the floor, unsure what to do. My muscles tensed and my senses were on high alert, ready, but hoping the next attack wouldn’t come. I had seriously misjudged Fallon, but it wasn’t a mistake I would make twice. Fallon’s expression softened as he seemed to regain his composure. His raw rage receded, leaving only the icy demeanor I had first met with. Tugging on the lapel of his jacket and craning his neck, he straightened his uniform then wiped a bit of dust off his shoulder. Moving back to his desk, he seated himself and folded his hands. “Now,” Fallon said evenly, “I’m not sure why you’re trying to concoct this elaborate lie, but it doesn’t change anything.” I slowly stood, but kept my back against the wall. I stared at Fallon intently while one thought kept playing over and over in my head: He isn’t human. He can’t be. He leaned forward and scooped a small radio into his hand. “This is Fallon. Get me an escort detail,” he said, keying the mic. “I want prisoner eleven-oh-four back in her cell immediately. She’s going to need her rest.” The radio squawked

an acknowledgement. Setting it aside, he returned his attention to me. “I have plenty of time,” he said cryptically with a smirk. Time... If there’s one thing a Vampire had in excess, it was time. Two soldiers entered Fallon’s office and moved briskly toward me. As they went about cuffing me, and activating the magical enhancements, I kept my stare locked on Fallon. I knew he wasn’t human...but what the hell was he? I ed the general’s sulphuric smell...but what did it mean? Something was rotten in the state of Dreamland. As the two soldiers led me out of Fallon’s office, I could feel his stare boring into my back and it sent shivers over my flesh. I hated that man.

Chapter 21

November 4, 1886

Raising my naked body into a sitting position, I looked at my wrists. Both had been wrapped tightly with some sort of white fabric I wasn’t familiar with. Bloodstains soaked the cloth, which had oxidized into an ugly rust color. Twisting my hands carefully, I waited for the expected twinge of pain from the deep cuts I had inflicted...but there was nothing. I cocked my head curiously and started to slowly unwrap my left wrist. The bandages crackled and popped, but gave way fairly easily. Examining the flesh beneath, I carefully flicked away chips of dried blood with my thumbnail. To my amazement, there was no sign of the cuts, not even a scar. Quickly unwrapping my other wrist, I found the same. I had completely healed. I felt surprise and disgust at the sight. Tossing the dirty bandages away, I leaned back and pulled the covers tightly to my chin to hide my nakedness. The bed was bigger than any I had seen, and luxuriously fitted with soft sheets, and a thick quilt with intricate, hand-sewn patterns and designs. A single candle burned next to the bed, wax trickling beautifully down its slender shaft as the flame danced playfully on the wick. A single gas lamp was affixed to the wall next to the door, leaving the two light sources fighting for control of the constantly shifting shadows. It had been so long since I felt the comfort of a clean bed, I wanted to completely wrap myself in the warmth and close my eyes forever. My surroundings were as posh as the bed where I lay. From beneath the lace canopy, my gaze was met with deep, rich wood tones and beautiful, highly polished gold accents. Decorations with origins I had no hope of recognizing occupied wall space, while volumes of forgotten lore stood like silent, ancient guardians of knowledge on various shelves. One could get lost here with no concern for the outside world. It was all so perfect. I had always wanted a place like this in life, so beautiful, so quiet, and yet now I didn’t belong. All of this only stood to remind me of what I was, and

what I had lost. “Don’t think of it that way,” a voice said. My gaze darted to the door and found fingers, with beautifully manicured nails curled around the frame. I could barely make out the masculine form peeking through the crack at me. Fear propelled me into a sitting position, and I held the covers tightly against my body. “Who are you, and how did you know what I was thinking?” The man was silent as he opened the door slightly. “Madame,” he breathed, “I apologize for the intrusion. May I enter?” Manners...something else I had missed dearly in the last decade. I thought of my nakedness and was momentarily embarrassed, but dismissed it as I had no use for those mortal concerns anymore. Staring through the darkness that swathed him, I could see his features and smell his scent with my Vampire senses. I ed him from the alley, ed his scent as he held me tightly in the rain. My anxiety eased somewhat, but refused to completely abate. I nodded, approving my erstwhile savior’s request. “My thanks,” he said and opened the door a bit wider. Stepping inside, he quietly pushed the door closed behind him. Clasping his hands, he waited. He was nothing special to look at; that is to say if he were standing in a crowd, this man wouldn’t draw any special attention. His shoulderlength brown hair was pulled back tightly and restrained with a black ribbon at the nape of his neck. The men of this period had begun wearing their hair shorter, but it was clear he clung to an earlier fashion. The collar of his cream-colored, silk shirt was wrapped high on his throat, while a midnight-blue, wool jacket hung majestically from his slender shoulders, terminating just below his hips. His legs were swathed in black, straight, wool tros that must have cost a pretty penny. But his most striking feature, by far, were his unnaturally emerald eyes. The dark rings of his irises faded into a sea foam green canvas that appeared nearly as white as his sclera. They glistened like unholy ice in his sockets, penetrating into anything they desired, and in the flickering candlelight, seemed almost luminescent. He was beautifully plain, and I understood in that moment, it was by design. Not a single hair, not a button nor

thread was out of place on his being. He was immaculately human. “How are you feeling, Madame?” he asked softly. I hadn’t recognized it at first, as though he had gone to great lengths to conceal it, but his French heritage was inimitable as he addressed me and I could see it in his gaunt cheekbones now that I was looking for it. I glanced at my miraculously healed wrists for a moment then returned my attention to the man. I felt queasy, disgusted, and monstrous. “Well, thank you,” I answered. The man smiled slyly. “There are no secrets between our kind. Your thoughts tell the real tale.” He was a Vampire. I sighed. I should’ve known. Only a monster would rescue a monster. His stare hardened for a moment, but he shook off the insult. “Allow me to introduce myself.” He bowed elegantly. “My name is Andrew, but you may call me Drew.” “Rose,” I blurted out. Laughing uncomfortably, I realized I had spent too much time in the gutter. “Sorry. My name is Rose.” “Such a beautiful name,” Drew breathed with the soul of a poet, “Rose.” He looked me over as though my appearance had new meaning now that he knew my name. “Simply exquisite.” I didn’t know how to reply. No one had ever complimented me in such a way. But the shimmer of his beautiful words quickly died under the weight of my pain and cynicism. I was not the woman I once was, and a silver tongue could no longer sway me as easily. “Who are you?” I waited. “Really?” Drew nodded as though completely understanding. “There will be time for answers,” he stated. “First, you must regain your strength, and to do that, you must rest. Please,” he motioned for me to lie back down, “take as much time as you need, Madame. Something as beautiful and innocent as you should never have been made to suffer in such a way. This is a travesty of the most horrific design.”

As though he were influencing me, my eyelids began to feel heavy and I slipped back down into the pillows. My body wanted to sleep, but I fought it. I wasn’t entirely comfortable with this strange man, this queer place, or anything that had unfolded here. But the urge to rest was overwhelming. I closed my eyes and almost instantly began to drift. I could still hear him speaking softly. “Whatever spark they stole from you, I will give back a thousandfold. I promise you, Rose...”

Chapter 22

Present day

“You can’t be serious,” I said, looking down at the skintight, black cat suit I had been poured into. It looked like leather, but wasn’t, and accentuated my breasts and hips in a way I wasn’t entirely comfortable with. If I still drew breath, I wasn’t certain I would be able to in this outfit. White piping ran over several seams and patches that mimicked major muscle groups, giving the suit an almost biomechanical appearance. A belt hung off my hips and terminated high on my thigh that seemed to serve no other purpose than decoration. Plus, I was certain I was now infringing on numerous comic book heroes’ trademarked images. As I stood in the center of a chrome-laden laboratory, several technicians clad in white lab coats scurried around me checking and rechecking the suit. On a slightly elevated, circular platform, I stood with my arms raised and my stance wide as I had been instructed. One tech, a young Asian man with a shiny bald head, leaned against a bank of computers, just beyond the fray. As various cables and wires were attached to the suit, he made notes on his clipboard while he watched. He was obviously the team leader, and I decided to call him Chen—he just looked like a “Chen.” As the technicians moved away, apparently satisfied with their work, Chen stood and walked toward me. “How do you feel?” “Like a gay superhero,” I answered. “Is this really necessary?” Chen chuckled and made another note on his clipboard. “Colonel Fallon wants you ready to move, and instructed you be suited up.” He stopped and looked over the suit, almost lovingly. I understood it was his creation. “You are wearing an advanced body glove that’s the culmination of a fifty-billion-dollar research project. This suit represents the peak of American combat technology.”

“Fifty billion?” I asked. “You couldn’t have sprung for more comfortable material with that much cash?” Chen ignored my question. “This suit will monitor your core temperature, breathing, and heart rate.” “I don’t have any of those,” I interjected. I pointed to myself. “Vampire.” Chen ran his fingers over his forehead in obvious frustration and muttered something under his breath. “The suit will also help protect you from injury, and contains a GPS tracking system so we can follow your every movement.” I laughed. “What if I just take the damned thing off?” He produced a small, black box from his coat pocket. As he flipped it over in his hand, I saw it was some type of remote control with an impressive array of gray buttons on the surface. Moving his eyes over the small text, Chen smiled. “You won’t be able to.” My eyes widened. Crap... Chen thumbed the button. Pain exploded through my entire body. Instantly doubling over, I wrapped my arms tightly around my midsection as the suit constricted. It felt as though hundreds of red-hot needles were being forced into my flesh. As my muscles started to tremble under the sting, I crumbled to the platform. “The suit bonds itself to the wearer via nanotechnology,” Chen explained. “Utilizing millions of microscopic robots, it creates probes inside major muscle groups, and in essence, becomes a second skin.” Kneeling down, he observed me closely. “This ensures our readings are instantaneous, and perfectly accurate.” Rolling onto my back, I let out an involuntary whimper. I was in agony and wanted to rip the suit off. Clawing at the collar with my fingers brought another shock of pain while the suit refused to so much as wrinkle. My back arched and I flipped onto my stomach. “Make it stop.” I reached for Chen. “Please...” “The suit also works as a behavioral modification tool,” he added, pleased with his technical description. “It’s kind of like a fifty-billion-dollar shock collar,”

Chen added with an evil grin. He tapped the remote again, deactivating the suit. The pain finally subsided and I could feel the suit slacken. Drawing up onto my knees, I wrapped my arms around my midsection to try and quiet the dull ache in my skin and muscles. I felt my eyes vamp to black as I looked up at Chen and anger overtook me. I could have been up and had my teeth in his throat in less time than it took to reactivate the suit, but then I was still stuck in a maximumsecurity military facility in the middle of the Nevada desert. Recalling my earlier encounter with Fallon, I licked my lips and forced myself to cool down. “Seems as though it’s working.” Chen snickered. Setting his clipboard on a nearby workstation, he moved his hand to a black, oblong device attached to the collar of his lab coat. Keying it with his thumb, he lifted it toward his mouth. “She’s ready.” A fuzzy acknowledgement came through the device, identifying it as a radio. I looked at Chen, considering him. He was, I hoped, at the core, a man of science, logic, and reason. He reminded me very much of Ming the Merciless from the old Flash Gordon movie serials, but I hoped it was only in appearance. “Chen,” I addressed him carefully, unsure if I should actually ask the question on my mind, “what’s going to happen to me?” Chen cocked an eyebrow. “Why did you call me Chen?” I smiled. “You just look like a Chen.” “That’s racist,” Chen spat out. “My name isn’t ‘Chen.’” He paused. “It’s Bruce.” I had to stifle a giggle, ing Bruce Lee. Maybe I was racist? It was certainly starting to look that way. “Really?” Bruce kicked at the floor like an eight-year-old trying to concoct a quick lie to a question. “But I was born Ang Lu.” “I knew it.” I smirked. I let the moment , but didn’t let it completely escape. He had opened up to me, if only to argue against my apparent bigotry. I focused my attention directly into his eyes, hoping he had let his guard down enough to sway him. “Bruce, what’s Fallon going to do with me?”

“I didn’t agree to this,” Bruce blurted out, but stopped himself, trying to retain his composure. Rolling the black remote in his hand, he ran his thumb nervously over the edges. He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn’t seem to form words. His eyes became heavy with what looked like guilt, and he shrugged. He wanted to tell me... “This isn’t what I signed on for. I—” The sound of the lab doors opening ripped Bruce’s attention from me. Damn. I had him... Two soldiers strode quickly inside and took positions around me. Shaking his head as though waking up from a deep sleep, Bruce handed the remote to the nearest man. The soldier flipped it and snapped it into a waiting slot on his weapon so it was in easy thumb reach, while still maintaining his hand on the grip. He motioned with the barrel of his weapon for me to step off the platform. The second soldier instructed me to place my hands behind my back. As I complied and felt the icy steel cuffs click into place, I threw the whammy at Bruce again, putting everything I had into it. Our eyes locked, and Bruce wilted under the pressure. I could see the beginnings of tears welling up in his eyes. He was fighting it with everything he had, but losing. I almost had him. I just needed a moment longer... “Move,” the soldier with the remote barked, shattering the moment. “I’m sorry,” Bruce breathed and turned away. His grief and guilt was palpable. He snatched his clipboard and moved off into the lab. He tried not to make it obvious he was wiping his eyes. In that moment, I knew the “job” Fallon was using me for was a one-way ticket. I shot one final glance at Bruce. That was the only fear of using the whammy on ordinary humans: I had been too forceful and broke him. He would probably be okay, but I had opened the floodgates the scientist had been carefully guarding. I felt guilty about crushing him, but tried to swallow it down, reminding myself that extreme circumstances called for extreme measures. As the soldiers maneuvered me out of the lab, I could only think of how much I needed Toby right now. Yet as I watched the soldiers and lab technicians scurry about the facility, waiting for a fleeting glimpse of that familiar head of gray

hair, my thoughts were preoccupied with visions of Drew, and how I had wronged him. Had I really seen him? I thought I had. Convinced he was here...somewhere, I simply couldn’t accept that the vision was a figment of my imagination. Perhaps I had finally cracked under the strain? That seemed plausible... One hundred thirty years was a very, very long time for a mind to remain sane. Stuck in the middle of the Nevada desert in one of the world’s most top-secret facilities, I realized nothing seemed beyond the realm of possibility at this point. We walked in silence down the long, concrete corridors. The rhythmic sounds of our footfalls were the only break in the silence. Consumed by hectic images as I worked to bring some narrative cohesion to the previous days, I hadn’t paid attention to where we were or where we were going. Instead my stare was trained on the heels of the soldier in front of me, and I barely glanced up. Events seemed to be churning around me with no readily apparent motive, as though whatever, or whoever, controlled my fate had been completely obliterated. I didn’t like to believe in a concept like fate. I wanted to be in control of my own destiny. But the events seemed somehow too perfectly random to be believed. One stacked on top of the other, never giving me time to process or deal with them in any way, and I didn’t like the conclusions I was coming to. Someone, or something, is out to get me. Through the corridor, we came into a massive, rectangular room. Wooden crates and metal drums lined the back wall nearly to the vaulted ceiling, while two huge metal doors were recessed into the opposite wall. Yellow and black striped warning bands lined the doors and the areas around them, while armed sentries stood silently observing, waiting. The far door was open and I could see numerous men and women in black fatigues unloading cargo from the trailers of what appeared to be civilian transports. That must be how they serviced the needs of the base without raising suspicion. The sheer wickedness of it sent chills down my back. Maneuvering me toward the second door, my two escorts stopped just beyond the caution area and signaled to the waiting sentry. The guard nodded, turned, and activated the door controls behind him. Hidden motors whirred and hummed, filling the room with a deep, mechanical rumble as the door began to rise. As a gust of air rushed over us with a hiss, only darkness was visible. Then

I began to see subdued red hues and the vague outlines of objects, vehicles, and people. Enormous banks of red lights clung to the ceiling and walls, barely giving me enough light to see inside. Moving into the hangar, the soldiers escorted me down a concrete ramp toward the bottom. My eyes slowly adjusted and I started to make out the ominous form of a large stealth jet. Technicians scurried about the jet, preparing it for what seemed like a mission. Three soldiers dressed in body suits similar to mine moved out of the darkness toward me. “Strap her in tightly,” one of my escorts instructed. “She’s got a long trip ahead of her.” It was a mission...for me. I felt a sharp jab in my neck, then the familiar hiss of chemicals releasing. Turning, I saw one of the technicians pulling away an air-powered syringe. Immediately the corners of my world began to blur. Crap...

Chapter 23

November 6, 1886

I awoke feeling somewhat better. Whatever Drew had done to me, it seemed to have actually worked. With no idea how long I had been out, or what had transpired during that time, trepidation was thick in my throat. Sitting up slowly, I looked around the room to find things exactly as I recalled. A beautiful white dress waited on the bottom of the bed, but I had no intention of putting it on. This could be some sort of sick game of this vampire’s who called himself Drew. I was not his doll to play with. Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, I started to dismantle it. Pulling the quilt off the top, I balled up the sheets and held them to my chest. Standing, I stretched my arms and arched my back. I felt rested for what felt like the first time in an eternity. Wrapping the sheet tightly around my body, I tucked the excess into my cleavage. Holding my arm across my chest, I tried to keep my cover in place, but didn’t actually care that much. It occurred to me that I was completely naked already, and Drew was probably the one who had done it. It didn’t seem to really matter if anything became “accidentally” exposed. After walking to the bedroom door, I let my hand rest gently on the handle. I wanted to go through, but I had no idea what lay beyond. For all I knew, I could actually have died when I slit my wrists, and this was Hell. I could have been talking to the Devil himself. How could I possibly know? Of course, I may be over-thinking this. Twisting the knob, I listened to the mechanism disengage with an ominous click, as though my destiny had just been unleashed. I pulled open the door and stood frozen as the rest of Drew’s home spread out majestically. Standing in the doorway of what I now knew to be a second-floor room, I looked out beneath the vaulted ceilings and tried to take everything in.

The same rich shades of the room I had been in were splashed across all the surfaces, and the identical meticulous attention to detail was readily apparent in every aspect of the décor. Moving cautiously to the banister, I placed my hands on the highly polished wood and tried to take in the beauty. If I still had to breathe, I knew it would have been taken away by the exquisiteness of this place. I knew in that moment I could live comfortably here for the rest of my existence, and never want anything more. This was the most gorgeous home I had ever seen. My eyes fell on a figure in the foyer clad in the now familiar midnight blue. His hair was falling down around his shoulders, wavy and perfectly coiffed. He was quite beautiful. Take me over...I heard in my mind. It was my voice, but the thoughts were alien. However I knew where they were originating. I wasn’t being asked to, I was being convinced to allow him. So easy how we come undone... Take me over and make me strong... Drew’s eyes sliced through the flickering candlelight, casting the darkness out, leaving my soul vulnerable and completely naked as he stared. Rows of candles flickered behind him, a gleam in the darkness burning for...someone. Had he lit these for the lost, or those he had taken? “But will they burn for me?” I asked. Immediately the statement took me back. They were not my words, and I had only the most vague conception of their meaning. Then I understood. I looked down at Drew. “They will burn for me.” “Come,” Drew lifted his hand and beckoned to me, “I know you have many questions.” I hesitated. Not entirely uncomfortable with this Vampire, which scared me, I also didn’t feel at ease with him. My last experience with Vampires had resulted in the death of my entire family, and repeated rape and torture. How could I know if this would be any different? Under the beauty, and perfectly coiffed exterior, Drew was an evil monster. But what were good and evil? It was all about perception. I had killed humans or animals almost every night since I was turned. Did that make me evil? This man had rescued me from my own personal Hell, given me a place and time to rest, and had so far asked for nothing in return. But what if he did? I didn’t care anymore. I would do anything he asked. I didn’t have to look

at myself in the mirror anymore, and everyone I had to answer to, including my own self, was dead. I, just like Drew, was an evil monster. But if he had answers, I needed to know. Hiking up the sheet slightly so as not to trip on it, I walked carefully down the stairs into the foyer. One arm holding the sheet across my chest, the other with a handful of fabric at my thigh, I must have looked like a prostitute finishing a job. It was extremely unladylike to show this much flesh, and suddenly under Drew’s watchful gaze, I felt uncomfortable and awkward. Reaching the bottom, I saw how massive his display of candles truly was. It stretched off across the bottom floor of the house, unbroken. There was no furniture, only shelves, tables, and stands with more tiny candles held in red glasses. The maroon glow of the glass, mixed with the flickering yellow of the flames, created a grisly light that appeared almost like blood oozing over the entire first floor. With each candle, I saw a small personal effect and knew these were remembrances of each of his victims. It was as small as a ring or a piece of jewelry, to a dead and dried rose that seemed it would disintegrate if touched. Each of these candles represented someone Drew had killed, and I had the feeling I was next. My gaze turned to the Vampire. The flickering candlelight caused his shadow to jump and twist unnaturally on the floor around him. The beautiful features I ed from my room now seemed ghastly and horrible. Long, dark shadows occupied his eyes, letting only the occasional golden flicker be glimpsed within. He looked completely evil in this place, and I felt he was not my savior, but just another Demon sent to damn me. Satan wanted my soul, and would stop at nothing to claim it. Drew reached out for me, extending his hand palm up. I noticed for the first time that his long, sharp, perfectly manicured fingernails extended past the tips of his fingers. He waited, in the bloody darkness, unmoving. His stillness was horrible. There was nary a breath to show he was living. I lifted my hand, but stopped. Was I willingly taking the hand of the Devil himself? After I placed my hand gently in his, his fingers curled around mine and I was repulsed by the icy coolness of his flesh. I wanted it to be warm so badly. I

wanted to feel the slight wetness of sweat, and the beat of his heart, but there was nothing. He, like me, was a farce of humanity. We were grotesque distortions somehow stealing life, all the while mocking God and his creations. In that moment, I was him, and he was me. We were death become life. We belonged together, eternally with one hand in the crypt, the other dipped in blood. Turning, he led me out of the foyer. We walked down the avenue of death he had created in flickering light. I couldn’t tell if they were trophies, or expressions of Drew’s guilt. Neither would surprise me. Moving into what would be considered the study, he led me toward an exquisite, high-backed, leather chair. Sinking into it, I adjusted the sheet and made sure as much of my flesh was covered as possible. While Drew sat in a similar chair opposite mine, I let my gaze wander around the room. There weren’t as many candles in here, and the oil lamps burning brightly on the walls thankfully muted the bloody glare. Shelves upon shelves of books occupied every empty space, while even more tomes were stacked on the floor around Drew’s chair, so tall that the top of the stack seemed unreachable. It was clear he spent much of his time in this room, and then I understood something else: the candles represented his guilt. He did not want to be this way. “You are a very clever woman, Rose.” Drew smiled. His features seemed less devilish in this room, warmed by the glow of the oil lamps. “I did not choose to be this way,” he itted, “and my constantly burning candles are my eternal respect to those who must sacrifice their lives so that mine can continue.” He paused and brushed his perfect fingers across his forehead thoughtfully. “I was like you once. I was there in the gutter, swallowed by the darkness, but I knew there had to be something more...something this life afforded me, even if I have become the Grim Reaper.” “What could there be?” I spat out. “Each time I take a life, I want mine to be sucked down with it.” I turned away from my host. “I want to die,” I whispered with an anger that surprised even me. I wasn’t sure where that came from. “No you don’t,” Drew argued. He stopped and considered me for a long moment. “If you truly wanted to, you would have found a way.” Drew had a point. Even now, this way, I could have killed myself. I had found

early that daylight was my enemy, and it would have been so easy to throw myself into its mercy. I hated what I had become. “Feel no shame for what you are,” Drew said after a brief pause. He was reading my thoughts again, gathering my emotions and responses before I had even fully formed them. It unnerved me more than I wanted to it. I had no such window into this Vampire. I stared at him, determined to delve into his very soul, but found I could not penetrate his thick veneer. There was nothing I could gather or obtain. He was as still as water with no environmental influences acting upon it. It was unsettling that he could reach inside me with little or no effort, but I could not to the same to him. “Some have the gift, and others do not. It also seems to appear with age,” Drew said, answering my question without me even asking it. “I didn’t find that I could do it until nearly three hundred years had ed.” “Three hundred years?” I gasped before I could stop myself. My mind reeled. I had not assumed he was anywhere near that age, still preoccupied with the forty to fifty-year span most humans achieved today. By his standards, if he were only three hundred, Drew was nigh on ancient. I couldn’t even fathom the history he had been witness to. That would mean he was born around... “That’s not important,” Drew said, stopping my train of thought. “Age is merely a number, a chapter break in the age of time. Never let it dominate who you are, Rose.” He was much older than three hundred. “I am,” the Vampire said slyly. I nodded, trying my best to digest the information he gave me but failing miserably. “Why do we not age?” “Oh.” Drew laughed. “We do. How old do I physically look to you?” I studied him carefully. There were the beginnings of crow’s feet around his eyes, and a barely visible scar high on his right cheek. His eyes seemed soft and wizened, but they were only reflecting the centuries of hidden experiences within. His features looked as though he was a man in his late twenties.

“Very close, I suppose,” Drew said thoughtfully. “When I was turned,” he paused, “I was eight.” I felt as though the wind was knocked out of me. “You were a mere child.” “And in my time as a Vampire, I have grown from a child of eight, into a man in his late twenties.” Drew blinked for the first time since we had entered the study. “I can only imagine what I’ll look like in another three hundred years. Forty? Fifty? What awaits those who truly reach old age?” These were questions I had no concept of. Until ten minutes ago, I didn’t think I even aged. It was difficult to comprehend. There were other questions, though, that I needed answers to. “Why are we here?” “The meaning of it all.” Drew laughed. “You cut right to the difficult ones, don’t you?” He shifted in his seat and crossed his legs. “I assume you mean, ‘is there a God and Devil, and if so, are we evil?’” I nodded. It was the one thing that had consumed me since the night my family died. Am I evil? “I know many things,” Drew itted, “but that is not one of them. I haven’t actually spent much time thinking about the grand scheme of it all. I don’t,” he sighed, “actually care. I light my candles out of respect, not so the dead can find their way to the life beyond. I find that preposterous.” “But surely you must know something,” I pressed. He had claimed to have answers, but not to the one question I truly needed to know. “Why should I know these things?” Drew barked and stood from his chair. He slammed his fist angrily against a stack of books, sending them crashing to the ground in a plume of dust. Fuming, he stomped toward the only window in the room and stopped. Folding his hands behind his back, he seemed to regain his composure. “I do not know. I’m sorry. If you must force an answer,” he sighed, “after six hundred years, I know nothing of God. I have learned no truth that would save or damn me. This,” he lifted his arms and motioned to everything I saw around me, “this is all that there is.” I denied his cynicism, all the while choking back tears. This simply couldn’t be. I knew it in my heart to be true. From the years of Catholic schooling, to my

biweekly devotionals, I knew it to be true. This was not simply the be all and end all of life. It was only a stop on our journey. Drew was simply ignoring the possibility. This was his belief, not mine. I could not...no, would not believe, that this was all there was. There had to be something more... There had to be a Hell, and I was a vile, evil monster who deserved to go there. “No you don’t,” Drew said, regaining some of his composure. Circling around his chair, he looked at the mess of books he had created, and shook his head. He slipped back into his chair, ran his fingers through his hair, and crossed his legs. “Does the lion that kills the gazelle on the Serengeti to eat deserve to go to Hell? Does the shark that kills a fish in the vast oceans deserve to go to Hell? Does the wolf that kills chickens because it is starving deserve to go to Hell?” I considered his questions for a moment. They seemed rather straightforward. “This is nature. There is no such thing as salvation or damnation for these creatures. These animals are killing to eat.” “As do we,” Drew countered. “But we are human,” I shot back. Drew nodded. “How is that different?” I stopped. I couldn’t answer. Is it because we have a concept of divinity that makes it wrong for us to kill or is it because we understand what we are doing? “All of these answers are correct.” Drew smiled, his fangs visible for the first time. “It is the limitations we place on ourselves that makes it wrong. We are nothing more than animals. Animals that are capable of reason, but animals nonetheless.” “But we aren’t killing fish or deer,” I argued. “We’re killing other people. It could be someone’s mother, or brother,” I paused uncomfortably at the thought, “or child.” The Vampire seemed to sense my discomfort and breathe it in. Reaching over, he placed his beautiful hand on the arm of my chair, only a hairsbreadth away from me. “I see we have a lot of work to do.” I leaned back in the chair. Though only minutes had ed, it felt like days since

I had been in this place. To have a conversation with Drew was mentally taxing, to say the least. “That is good though,” Drew said, somehow gleaning pleasure from my criticism. “We must make you examine what it is to be human, and what it means to be a Vampire. You must shuffle off your mortal concerns. Together,” he breathed, “we can accomplish this.” He was grooming me to become the perfect killer. Something he himself was not. But I knew he sensed the promise of it in me. That scared me more than I cared to think about. I looked up into his perfect sea green eyes. “But what if I don’t want to?”

Chapter 24

Present day

The plane’s vibrations woke me. Seated in an immense cargo hold, I could see there was nothing inside except what looked like a vicious all-terrain vehicle in the rear. Mounted high on four oversized tires, the chassis was black, angular, and I smiled, extremely sexy. The front windshield was thick, but curved down into the hood and up over the roof for maximum visibility. A massive chain gun was attached to the back of the vehicle, and looked as though it could be fired manually, or via controls in the cab. Its aggressive stance resembled some kind of jungle cat, perhaps a puma. I didn’t recognize the make, but it reminded me of the military’s new “Striker” Class vehicles. I hoped very much I would get to drive it. Licking my lips, I tried to work up some saliva in my mouth. I was groggy, tired, and my head felt thick...a remnant from the injection I had been given. Leaning my head back against the fuselage, I listened to the constant hum of the engines. Outside, through a small window, I could see fluffy clouds lazily moving by in the light blue sky. It was daylight. Two slices of sunlight cut like laser beams across the hold, one on each side, but I wasn’t in any danger of being burned...yet. I was buckled into one of six seats in the middle of the hold, but I wasn’t locked in place. Unbuckling my seat belt, I stood up and stretched my body. ts ached and popped as though I had been sleeping for days, but it felt good to be upright again. And, for the first time in days, I was alone. I scooted as close as I dared to the open windows. If the plane made a sudden evasive maneuver, or we hit a pocket of turbulence, I could find myself pretty crispy pretty quickly, but I still wanted to see. Hovering in the shadows, I peered down onto the beautiful scene below us. Clouds lumbered lazily like unsweetened cotton candy, leaving only patches of water and land visible

beneath, and above us was absolutely nothing. No more clouds...just the deepest, bluest sky I had ever seen that seemed to stretch on into infinity. It was the most beautiful lie I had ever seen. Daylight wasn’t as rare as Vampire-based media made believe, but it was just as harmful. As soon as direct sunlight touched my skin, it would start to smoke and burn. Syndicate researchers discovered that the ultraviolet radiation from the sun was the main culprit, causing vampiric cells to violently die and melt down. The result, after only minutes of direct exposure, was a horrible, fiery death. It was basically sunburn, only terrifically amped up. I saw the blue sky almost every day, and saw how the sunlight danced off the steel, concrete, and glass of downtown Las Vegas. I could still feel the sun’s warmth, though not directly as often as I would have liked. The Syndicate had installed Necrolamia (the official name for the virus responsible for vampirism) resistant glass panes in all offices that filtered out the harmful radiation from the sun, responsible for killing Vampires and many species of Inhumans. I didn’t have, or could never have a tan, as my skin cells didn’t process sunlight the way a human’s did, but I actually did spend a great deal of time in the daylight and enjoyed every moment of it. Pulling away from the window, I saw two massive crates in the back of the hold. With them partially hidden behind the Striker, it explained why I hadn’t seen them. I had been too busy drooling over the sex appeal of the military equipment. Turning, I adjusted the collar of my black combat suit, trying to loosen it a bit. I felt it strain against me. Walking slowly around the Striker and dragging my fingertips down the chassis as though it were a lover, I stopped in front of the crates. Both were constructed of metal, and locked tightly on several sides with heavy padlocks. Each had Army emblems painted on the fronts, but the bottom one had something more. I stared at the words, stenciled in heavy, black lettering:

DANGER: LYCANTHROPE

I wish my heart still beat, as I know it would have just fluttered. Pressing my ear to the cold metal, I tried to listen inside, but could hear nothing. The metal,

whatever it was, was too thick. Examining the locking mechanisms on the crate, I couldn’t see how they opened. Next, I tried to move the crate on top, but even with my vampiric strength, I couldn’t make it budge. Stepping back, I stared at the crates in frustration. That’s it, I’d had it... Balling my fist, I reared back and threw all of my strength into a punch. Landing directly on the lock, I felt it crush under the force, but at the same time my knuckles broke so badly my bones felt as though they had disintegrated. Grunting and stepping back, I cradled my broken right hand and stared at the dent I had created. I watched the lock dangle dangerously as my hand throbbed with pain. I couldn’t move my fingers. Biting my lip and fighting through the pain, I knew my hand would heal...eventually. I felt the suit tighten around my forearm. Lifting my hand, I watched the suit change its properties and become like a liquid. It rapidly oozed forward and engulfed my right hand. I felt a beat of fear, but as the pain subsided, it eased. Hardening, the suit now resembled a perfectly fit black glove. I could feel pressure as it worked, but it seemed to be healing the injury. I gasped as I heard a crunch from within the glove then several snaps as my broken bones were reset. Lifting my hand, I stared at it. Cautiously, I tried to wiggle my fingers and found, to my amazement, that I could. There was only a slight twinge of pain as I curled them completely. Opening and closing my hand, I felt the pain diminish almost completely. Returning my attention to the crate, I knocked the lock away with my left hand and listened to it skitter along the metallic floor. Hearing what sounded like metal bending, I stepped away from the groan as the front started to move. Falling forward, the heavy metal smashed across the back of the Striker, damaging it before it landed with an ear-shattering clang. I waited. A hunched-over figure in the back of the crate moved forward and stepped out. He smiled. “Took you long enough.” “I was drugged,” I countered. We threw ourselves into each other’s arms and hugged tightly.

Stepping back, I looked at my Werewolf partner. He was dressed in the same kind of suit I was, but I think I wore it better. Still, I smiled. He made it look good. “Toby,” I patted my best friend on the arm, “where the hell have you been?” Toby cocked his head. “Where have I been? Where have you been? I’ve been sitting in that damned thing for hours.” He motioned with his thumb over his shoulder at the box. “Why didn’t you get me out sooner?” “Drugged,” I said again. “The soldiers injected me with something. It kicked my ass.” I ran my fingers through my hair and ired Toby’s physique in the suit. He usually wore loose-fitting clothes, but he actually had an amazingly sculpted body. “Like the suit?” “Yeah.” Toby giggled. “You look spectacular!” “No,” I said, suddenly uncomfortable with how revealing the skintight black suit was. I crossed my arms over my chest. “I meant yours.” “Yeah.” Toby laughed, lifted his arms and examined his suit. “They stuffed me into this damned thing, and then shocked the hell out of me. I think the lab techs were trying to prove a point.” “They did the same to me.” I laughed. “Showed me their big stick, so to speak.” Toby nodded. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in weeks, Rose.” He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled. “It’s good to know you’re okay. It’s good to see you.” “You too.” I returned his smile. It was so good to see him. Toby had a way of being my rock in stormy weather, and I needed him now more than ever. With everything going on, my evil doppelganger that supposedly died—although if there was one, there would certainly be another—in my apartment fire, the Vampire Hunter who attacked me on the Vegas rooftop, the impossible sightings of my former lover and teacher Drew, and now my apparent abduction at the hands of the Army. My life, it seemed, had been tossed in a blender, then set to puree. I needed Toby, and I was definitely glad to see him. I sighed...I needed him. “I wish we could take these damned things off,” I said, pawing my suit.

Toby’s face lit up like a child’s on Christmas morning. “Me too...” I shot the wolf the stink eye. We were close, but not that close. Time to change the subject. “Any idea where we’re going?” “I had hoped you did,” Toby itted. “They used the shock feature of my suit then stuffed me in this stupid metal box. I don’t think a mission briefing was on the agenda.” I nodded. “Guess we just have to ride this one out. Hey,” I stared in Toby’s empty box, “where’s Karl?” Toby’s eyes widened. “I have no idea. I haven’t seen him since he dug that bullet out of your chest. How are you feeling, by the way?” I pressed my hand to my chest. I actually hadn’t thought about the bullet wound since before I was put in the suit. It seemed as though the suit had killed that pain as well. “I feel...” I stopped and considered my chest for a moment, “better.” Toby stopped and looked at me curiously. I shrugged. “What?” Toby waited, kicking at the floor like a child unwilling to tell the truth. “You okay?” “Yeah,” I lied. “Why?” “It’s just...” Toby breathed. He made the stop talking motion across his throat with his hand. “Never mind.” “No, what?” Toby sank back from me, making me feel slightly uncomfortable. “Tell me.” Toby ran his fingers over his brow nervously, obviously deciding if he actually wanted to tell me or not. “You haven’t been acting like yourself.” He stopped. “Not for a while now.” The situation called for a calm, cool head. Toby was, after all, just being honest

and trying to be my friend. I, of course, did the exact opposite. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Toby held up his hands defensively. “Whoa, I was just saying. You just haven’t been yourself lately.” My hands went to my hips, and I’m certain my face wore the most vicious scowl I could create. “Care to elaborate?” “The Rose I know,” Toby started, “is a strong, confident woman.” Woman... No one had called me that in a long, long time. It was always “Vampire,” or “Seeker,” or “Demon.” Woman... It sounded nice to hear again. “You aren’t even acting like the Rose I know.” He had already waded in the water; I guess he decided to just dive in. “I can tell something is distracting you. Your mind is wandering all over the damned place.” I knew exactly what he was talking about, but I wouldn’t it it. Not even to Toby. The wolf, my partner, my best friend, was genuinely concerned. But like all men, he didn’t know how to express it properly. “What the hell is going on with you?” He was trying... I just didn’t want to talk about it. Even though we dealt with the supernatural every day—hell, we were the supernatural—I couldn’t tell him that I felt like I was being haunted by a face from my past. It just didn’t feel right. I didn’t feel right. “I’m okay,” I offered. It was all I had to give. Toby didn’t like it. I could tell by the grimace he made as though he were trying to swallow a bitter pill. Finally getting it down, he took a breath and nodded, understanding it was all he was going to get. “Really,” I added. “Thank you for worrying, though.” I took his hand. “You’re a sweet, sensitive beast.” Toby laughed. “I had never quite thought of myself that way, but thank you.”

We heard a sharp thump from behind us. As I turned, my gaze settled on the top crate. I pointed up to the lock on the front. “Your turn. I broke my hand getting you out.” “What?” Toby asked. I looked down at my hand, and was openly surprised. The suit had receded, leaving only my pale flesh. Lifting it, I curled my fingers once, and then again. There was no pain, and my knuckles appeared to be completely healed. Even for an Inhuman, that was incredible. The suit worked as d. “Well, that’s a helluva thing. My hand,” I showed it to Toby, “it’s not broken anymore.” Another thump. “Whaddya think?” Toby asked with a wicked grin. We both already knew. Grabbing the top of the box he’d been in, Toby swung it up, grabbed the lock on the second, and ripped it away with ease. I grumbled under my breath. I broke my hand to get Toby out. He did the same without even breaking a sweat. I wished I were as strong as a Werewolf. A Vampire’s strength was nothing to sneeze at, but a Werewolf could rip anything to ribbons without a second thought. Dropping out of the way, Toby watched the crate creak open. Catching the door, Toby eased it down with ease. Stepping back, the wolf waited. “It’s about time, jerks.” I laughed, winked at Toby, and then looked up at the box. “Hi, Karl,” Toby and I said in unison. The Goblin walked to the front of the box, looked at Toby and me, then proceeded to give us the finger. It was his way of greeting us, I assumed. The pissy, four-foot-tall Inhuman had been stuffed into the same exact suit we had, and didn’t look any better. But at least we matched, and that...was something.

“What took you so long?” Karl asked spitefully in his unique, helium-inflated voice. “You two have to stop for a make-out session before springing me?” “Nice outfit.” I laughed at the Goblin. “Yeah,” Karl said, and looked almost deflated for a moment. “At least I’m not the only gay superhero here. You two look rainbowtastic.” “It’s nice to see you too, Karl.” Toby laughed. “Did you, by chance, happen to overhear where we’re going?” I asked my espionage specialist. It wasn’t that Karl was extremely proficient at spying; he was simply small enough to be stuffed into little places. “Don’t know,” Karl said, sitting down on the edge of the metal box, which put him at eye level with Toby and me. “They painted this damned suit on me, shocked the hell out of me then stuffed me in the box.” I frowned. “I did, however, hear two of the techs talking about a recovery mission as I was loaded into the plane,” Karl added, “and something about an idol. That’s all I know.” “Idol?” Toby repeated. Karl shrugged. “No clue,” I conceded. “Well, I guess we just have to wait and see how this one plays out. I don’t think we have much of a choice anyway.” We, all three of us, had become the government’s puppets. While we were in these stupid suits, they could make us do anything and go anywhere they wanted, and were fully exploiting that fact. Toby, Karl, and I were expendable in every sense of the word, and they knew it. I had a bad feeling about this.

Chapter 25

Thankfully, night had fallen as we landed. Peering through the windows, the three of us tried to make heads or tails of where we were. Beyond the small airport, thick, dark jungle enveloped everything as far as we could see. With no distinguishing features, it could have been anywhere with a jungle, which didn’t exactly help narrow down the possibilities. An hour had easily ed since landing, but beyond the crew attending to the plane, there had been no access to the cargo hold. Sister moon rose gently over the tops of the trees, casting her silver light down on us, but it was little help. I was still unable to get a good bead on where we were. “Any guesses?” I asked my partners. “The Amazon,” Karl chirped. It was as good a guess as any, I supposed. Still, it didn’t feel like deepest, darkest Africa. Toby lifted his head slightly. “Smells like Mexico.” Karl laughed. “Is that a racist comment?” The wolf glared at Karl, obviously insulted. We all knew Toby’s sense of smell was far beyond mine or Karl’s, and beyond what we could even fathom. “Whaddya got, T?” I asked. “Not sure,” Toby said, shaking his head. “Just a feeling I get.” Yellow warning lights began to flash within the hold, and our ears were filled with the low rumble of the main door motors as they began to whirr. We each turned to look at the opening doors and immediately were met with several heavily armed soldiers moving toward us with weapons drawn. They were dressed identically to the men inside of Area 51: straight black with no patches or other identifying marks. Each had a P90 sub-machine gun attached to a

harness around their chests, and black caps slung low on their heads. They were serious about their work. My mind instantly turned to thoughts of escape. I knew our preternatural speed and strength would level the playing field, but, even though the bullets probably wouldn’t kill me, they would do a lot of damage to Toby and Karl. There was nothing to do. I raised my hands, and waited for my partners to do the same. As the soldiers moved toward us, they immediately displayed the remotes to our suits and barked for us to put our hands behind our backs. As I complied, a soldier spun me around and snapped cuffs around my wrists. I felt the familiar electrical buzz of magic skitter up my flesh. Even with the suit’s built-in defenses they were taking no chances. They were very serious about their work. The soldiers barked for us to turn and exit the hold. “Where are we?” I asked. No reply. I felt the butt of a weapon hit me solidly in the center of my upper back and knock me forward. Stumbling, I caught my balance and glared back over my shoulder at the soldier. He was a young man, no more than twenty years old, with steely brown eyes. He stared unflinching at me, his finger steady on the trigger of his P90. There was no emotion in his gaze, only perfect discipline from years and years of training. He wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger if ordered. He knew I understood that was part of his intimidation: the reality of what he was capable of. Standing at the top of the ramp, I looked over the small airfield we were in. A few hangars stood on the far side of the runway, while a dilapidated building, that looked more like termites holding hands than an actual structure, seemed to be the terminal. Thick, dark jungle surrounded the airport on all sides, threatening to swallow the tiny man-made structure. The cacophony of animals in the distance unnerved me, as though they were the sirens of mythology calling me to my doom. It was a foreboding place that sent shivers down my spine. It scared me...a monster. That was never a good sign. “I demand to know where we are,” I said forcefully. No reply.

“You are not in a position to make demands,” a familiar voice said as we were moved down the ramp. My gaze found Colonel Fallon in the same jet-black gear his men wore. Two soldiers escorted him, P90s held at the ready. They moved before and after him, one on each side, ready to cover their commanding officer should there be any trouble. Yanking off his black cap, he tucked it under his arm as he walked briskly toward us. His expression was much the same as every other time I had seen him, expressing the same deep sense of concern and unhappiness. “Colonel,” I said, giving him an icy greeting. Fallon looked from me, to Toby, and then down to Karl with a scowl. “Jesus,” he muttered. “This is the best the Syndicate can offer? A bleached-blond Vampire, a skinny, gray-haired wolf, and a little, green Kewpie doll?” Karl worked over the statement in his tiny brain, but remained quiet. “My dead grandmother could field a better Recon Team.” Fallon shook his head. “Maynard must be pretty hard up for personnel to consider you three rejects the best of the best.” Maynard... Fallon used my boss’ first name as though he knew the Demon personally. And he called us a “Recon Team.” What the hell? This didn’t bode well for us at all. “Care to share what’s going on, Colonel? Or do you plan to send us out into the darkness to wander around, hoping we accidentally stumble onto our target?” “Mission debriefing at twenty-three hundred hours,” Fallon spat out. It was easy to see that he didn’t like being questioned. Turning, he and his escorts started back across the tarmac without another word. “Well, at least we’ll know what’s going on,” Toby offered. I nodded, but didn’t feel comforted. “Hey,” Karl said after a moment, I assume after finally realizing what a Kewpie doll was, “the jerk colonel insulted me.” He looked up at Toby. “Do I really look like one of those stupid dolls?”

Toby laughed. “Sort of. I had always thought you looked more like a troll doll. If I roll you in my hands, will your hair get all wild?” “Screw you, puppy,” Karl spat out.

Chapter 26

The soldiers had moved the three of us into the terminal on the far side of the tarmac. The building was, as far as I could tell, abandoned. That explained how the United States Army had control of it. Toby, Karl, and I had been separated, probably with good reason. Separate, we could do damage, but not on the level Toby and I could achieve together. Little more than a cell, there was no place to go in this tiny room, and only a single door with, I was certain, armed guards on the other side. This was probably one of the areas they detained potential threats in while the airport was functional. I was stuck, at least temporarily. Leaning against the wall, I slid down to the floor and pulled my legs up to my chest. Resting my arms on my knees, I tried to ignore the stupid suit binding up uncomfortably on me. Sitting in the darkness, I couldn’t help but think of Drew. I had seen him twice now: once in front of the Aztec after we failed to capture the dragon, and again inside of Area 51. It had to be him. Before this mess started, it had been over one hundred years since I had seen my dark mentor, and that was by my design. I had left him in that place. Left him to die... I shook my head to try and clear the cobwebs. A rarity among vampires, Drew had chosen not to fuel his immortality with the blood of “innocents,” as he called them. He had endeavored to find alternatives. He was my adopted teacher, and at one time, I considered him my savior. He had lifted me from the filth and offered me a different way. But there was a vital component missing from him, something he could never truly understand. He was given the choice. I wasn’t. This had become the divide I couldn’t cross. It was amazing how easily we could knock down the pedestals we placed people on. Drew was an amazing, but tortured soul. I could never fathom why he would keep remembrances of every single kill, as it only tormented him further. Every

time he killed, he died a little more. I truly believe he had become a shell of the being he once was. During our nearly three decades together, I had gone from awe to disdain in my master’s presence. I knew there was nothing he could teach me that I wanted to learn. I would not utter a prayer over each of my kills, nor light a candle to light their way to the afterlife. I couldn’t deal with Drew’s weakness. He continually professed there was no Heavenly being, but didn’t have the courage of his convictions. To truly believe there is no God meant no prayer, no coins for the Ferryman, and no worry that anything we did would save or damn us. His endless suffering had become the bane of my existence. I simply couldn’t take it anymore. And that’s why I killed him... The boom of the metal door unlocking wrenched me from my thoughts. My eyes dilated as light flooded into the small cell. A Vampire’s eyes can adjust rapidly, but not that fast. Before I could blink the spots away from my eyes, I felt two pairs of hands grab my upper arms and lift me off the floor. I began to make out the familiar black garb of the soldiers. Pushing me toward the door, the two soldiers escorted me into the terminal. I caught Toby’s scent before I saw him. “Rose!” I heard the wolf shout. Straining against the two soldiers, I turned and looked over my shoulder. Four soldiers had Toby’s hands and feet shackled and were bringing him out of a room similar to the one I had been in. Still, I knew, it wasn’t enough. He could probably kill, or seriously injure all four of the soldiers before they could get a shot off. The two soldiers escorting me pulled against me, but I held my ground. I started to shout back to the wolf, but one of my escorts yanked my arm, sending a shock of pain through my shoulder. “That’s enough,” I growled. Knocking the soldier’s weapon away, my hand snapped around his throat faster than he could react. As I lifted him easily off the ground, I felt my eyes vamp to black. Whipping the soldier around like a doll, I bowled him into the second man and shot off like a rocket. I was already to Toby before my two escorts hit the ground. Dropping my shoulder, I plowed through two of the soldiers guarding

the wolf, sending them sprawling to the floor. “Toby now!” I shouted. The remaining two men reacted and snapped their weapons up. I was on the move before their fingers slid inside the trigger guards. Toby’s face was awash with confusion. “What?” “Put on your game face, T,” I barked as I threw a solid elbow into one of the soldier’s throats. The man sputtered and fell back, gasping for air. “I could use a little wolf assistance!” The remaining soldier fired, but it went wide, barely missing me. “Rose, stop!” Toby yelled. Grabbing the remaining soldier by the throat, I dropped down to one knee and slammed him to the ground with a thump. “This is an escape! Wolf out!” I yelled to my partner as I heard the terminal doors swing open and a swarm of blackclad soldiers pour in. “I can’t,” Toby barked. I muttered a nasty word under my breath as I slowly turned to look at the Werewolf. “Whaddya mean you can’t?” The soldiers were almost on us. “I can’t change,” Toby answered. “The suit must be blocking me somehow.” Well...that certainly sucks. I felt a billy club crack hard across my upper back. Pain raced through my shoulders and terminated in my skull. I gasped, but wouldn’t let the blow drop me. If Toby couldn’t help, I’d have to do this myself. Sweeping my leg back and spinning, I knocked my attacker to the floor and was on him. Driving my fangs into the exposed flesh of his neck, I delivered a dose of neurotoxin to paralyze him. Standing, I licked the soldier’s blood from my lips and felt my anger increase. I easily dodged another soldier’s attack and broke a third’s nose.

Then the pain started. It was so severe it dropped me to my knees. It was the suit. The soldiers had brought out their big stick. Clawing angrily at the suit as I writhed on the floor, I tried to tear it free but couldn’t budge it. Wrapping my fingers inside the collar, I pulled with all of my might as torrents of pain washed through me. With each pull, the suit only seemed to tighten in defense as though alive. I felt like I was on fire, and my flesh was being seared off. Rolling onto my stomach, I lifted onto my knees and sat up. “Make it stop,” I cried. I saw a soldier step to me and unbuckle the P90 from his chest harness. Flipping it over, he looked down at me and sneered. The butt of the weapon hit me hard in the cheek and then everything went back.

Chapter 27

December 28, 1899

A shiver ran up my body as his naked chest rubbed over my breasts and I felt his erection between my legs. Hovering just above the threshold, Drew leaned in and ran his lips down my neck. I ran my fingers through his hair, finally stopping on the back of his head, and guided the Vampire toward my breasts. His tongue worked quickly, but with a learned precision across my nipples. He knew what I liked. Grabbing my hand from the back of his head, Drew pinned both of my wrists to the bed. He lifted up and stared into my eyes as he pushed his member into me. I felt every inch of his flesh until his pelvis met with mine. Moaning, I crossed my legs over his hips, holding him tightly against me. As he let go of my wrists, I wrapped my arms around his naked back, enjoying the sensation of his muscles moving as he pressed closely to me. We worked together, our bodies in unison, as Drew increased the speed of his rhythm. Slowly at first, his pace quickened and I felt the first shivers of climax in our bodies. He started to throb, and I felt unbridled pleasure skitter up my stomach. As he held his hand tenderly to my cheek, I stared into his eyes and watched them shift to black. In that moment, I could feel mine doing the same. As lust overtook me, I could feel my fangs acutely inside my mouth. Drew leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against my neck. I heard the familiar pop of his fangs breaking my flesh and then the painful yet sensual sensation of my blood being drawn into his mouth. Leaning my head forward, I placed my mouth on his throat and bit down as well. The warm gush of blood in my mouth felt amazing as he continued to work me harder and harder. I could taste the endorphins in his blood, and feel my own building in my brain as we verged on climax. We truly became one. Holding each other as tightly as we could, we peaked in the same moment. I felt Drew’s body shiver as he exploded in me, each throb giving me more and more pleasure. I wanted him to stop, as I didn’t think I could take any more. Pulling my mouth away, I felt his blood run down my chin and over my throat. Then I

pulled his head away from my throat, before I kissed him ionately and rolled him onto his back. Climbing on top of him, I took him back inside me and slowly started to grind my hips. My blood glistened on his lips, and his fangs were still visible. He looked amazing, but unearthly, only increasing my satisfaction. After running my fingers over the wound he had created on my neck, I placed them in his mouth. I felt another orgasm building as he sucked my fingers clean. Sitting straight up, I arched my back and placed my hands on his thighs behind me. I knew he loved the way this pushed my breasts up, and I could feel his penis rubbing the perfect spot. I moaned, then screamed, as I reached climax again. Throwing myself forward onto Drew, I held him as tightly as I could, begging him not to move. Feeling his blood coursing through my system, and my body tingling with pleasure, I was completely satisfied. Slowly, I pulled off of Drew and slipped into his arms. Resting my head on his chest, I hoped to hear his heart pounding, but found only the eerie silence I had come to hate. Still, I felt amazing, and was completely in love with this Vampire. “Thank you,” I whispered. Drew ran his fingers lovingly through my hair. “It was my pleasure, love.” After slipping out of the embrace, he dropped his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. As he started to gather his garments from where we left them on the floor, I enjoyed watching his toned body highlighted by the flickering candlelight. We had awakened less than an hour ago and so far hadn’t accomplished anything, except for sex, which was all right in my book. It’s not like we didn’t have time. With humans, time seems to faster when they are happy, and it was no different for us. Drew and I had spent the past two decades together, learning from and loving each other. He had become my dark mentor and my lover. Of course it hadn’t been perfect, the cracks in our foundation were showing, but what relationship ever is. I had grown impatient with Drew’s slow, tortured methods of feeding, and found my appetite was much greater than his. I wasn’t the Vampire he imagined me to be. In an effort to teach me to respect the kill, Drew would never feed more than once a night, no matter how the hunger gripped him. We would stalk targets

through the streets of San Francisco, waiting, watching, and picking only those who seemed to be without attachment or use to society. We were lions on the Serengeti, picking off the weak and sick antelope to make the herd faster and healthier. At least, that was how Drew viewed it. He was beautifully tortured, a poet with the hands of a monster, and went to great lengths to ensure his kill was quick, clean, and painless. He would never bring pain or suffering to his precious humans; he even offered a prayer as they lay dying and paid the Ferryman so the departed could cross the River Styx by placing a gold coin in his victim’s mouth. He had no proof God existed, even flatly denied it on many occasions, yet he still couldn’t bring himself to send his prey to oblivion without some prudence. In our early years together, I wondered if his peculiar rituals were done out of hope—hope for something greater than the sum of our parts—but as I grew to know this Vampire, I understood it was done out of fear. A fear that he was wrong and there was a Heaven and Hell, as he certainly didn’t want to end up there. He considered himself an academic, always learning and trying to understand, but he was a shell with a scared child cowering inside that didn’t want to be punished by daddy...just in case. But still, after all this time, God said nothing back. He was a walking dichotomy, so certain, as Nietzsche professed that “God is dead,” but unable to fully subscribe to it. I found the whole thing absurd, and his compulsions obsessive at best. In my nearly thirty years as a Vampire, I had become aware of how easy it was to do whatever I wanted, as long as I didn’t have to look at myself in the mirror every morning. I understood now that everything I had been taught on religion and theology was a means of control, not the truth. We were gods walking among men, and I wanted very much to conduct myself as such. This life of feeding, remorse, and hiding was a waste of the gift we had been given. Everything had been stolen from me, and this way of life forced upon me. I would no longer bemoan what was gone, but rather spend my time embracing what I had. “I want to take in a show tonight,” I declared. Drew stopped, turned, and looked at me. “No.” I rolled onto my back and draped my arm across my stomach. It was the same argument we’d had many, many times, but I was determined to get a different

outcome tonight. “Why?” “We are not a part of that world,” Drew said, pulling on his tros. “We cannot lay down with the sheep and expect to be accepted. We must not ever forget that.” I sat up and pulled the sheet over my breasts, as though Drew had just lost his viewing privileges. “We were human once. We still look like them. That’s our gift.” “No,” Drew said again quietly as he continued to pull on his clothes. He wasn’t paying much attention to my argument. “Why do you deny us the pleasures life has to offer?” I asked. “You, who believes there is nothing more, deny yourself? Shouldn’t we be enjoying what we can, while we can?” “What do you mean ‘while’?” Drew asked as he slid his white shirt over his perfect shoulders. After scooping his hair up with his hands, he snatched a red ribbon off the nightstand and began tying it with practiced ease. “We are here forever. There is no ‘while’ to be considered.” “I want to.” I sighed. “Here’s the rub,” Drew said, still calm. “Mingling with humans would be akin to one of them walking into a cow pasture and conversing with the livestock, knowing they would be a bloody piece of meat on their plate later that evening.” His argument annoyed me. “They are not cows. We are them.” Drew eyed me angrily. “I will not take in a show with dinner, so to speak. They are our food, and I will not look at them in any other way.” He crossed his arms into a defensive posture that I had come to know very well. “Whether by design, or by accident,” he motioned to me, “we are not human anymore. We cannot be a part of that world.” He audibly sighed. “I will not. When you are older, you will understand.” That set me off. Launching out of the bed, I stood toe to toe with the Vampire who was easily a foot taller than me. “Why do you do this to me? I died once! Don’t make me do it again.” My words trailed off. “I thought you loved me.”

“Love has nothing to do with it,” Drew said, holding his ground. “And I am not killing you.” “Yes you are,” I barked. “You wish that I would die like you have. You want me to be a husk of a being like you are. You wish that on me so I kill the same way you do, and then come home and sit quietly. You are dead inside, Drew, and you are trying to make me like you.” Drew was shocked at my verbal slap. “How dare you?” he spat out. “That I want to be alive? That I want to experience life other than in books? How dare I?” I pushed up right into his face. “I had everything taken from me, and now you are trying to take the rest. How dare you, sir!” “I have given you everything,” Drew argued vehemently. “I have given you a home, taught you how to live with the gift you have been given, and to kill with mercy. I could have left you in the gutter where I found you.” I was starting to wish he had left me there, but I keyed on another statement. “Live with the gift I have been given? This is no gift. My family was killed in front of me! I was raped and murdered...repeatedly! How could you even jest that this is some sort of gift? I lost everything!” Drew refused to give ground. “And that is your problem, Rose. You refuse to let go of your humanity, the pain, and the suffering.” And that set me off even more. “You honestly want to preach to me about pain and suffering? You, my tortured artist who goes to insane lengths to ensure his anguish with every single death? You, who lights a remembrance candle for every human life he takes, and has a keepsake so you can agonize over what you must do to live? Your pain is the only thing that keeps you alive, and you revel in it.” “I am trapped,” Drew argued. “I have this, and this alone. I can’t choose to eat something else. This is what I have. This is all that I have.” “But you don’t have to die every time you take a life. The world is spread out before us,” I offered, “beckoning us to enjoy it.” And then I said what I was really thinking, “We are like Gods. Act like it.”

Drew recoiled as if looking upon the Devil herself. His face was aghast at my arrogance, and he became something I had never seen before: speechless. I felt suddenly dirty under his stare. “I,” Drew breathed, taking another step back. His stare fell away from me finally. “I need to go.” Drew, wait, I wanted to say, but didn’t. He turned and walked out of our room without another word, leaving me alone. Stepping back, I sank down onto the edge of the bed. I shivered, frightened by what I had said, and the thoughts rampaging through my brain. Part of me wanted to go after him, but the rest wanted him to go...and perhaps die. Was that too harsh? I was angry. I didn’t care. If he was going to sulk in the darkness, I was going to do whatever I wanted to, consequences be damned. Tonight, I was whatever I wanted to be. I recalled the last time I went out without Drew. I wanted that again, but this time, I grinned broadly, I wanted it to be better. I was out to raise Hell and make the Devil himself envious.

Chapter 28

Present day

“Welcome to Mexico. Hope you got your shots,” Fallon said drolly. Rubbing my face as I came to, I felt pain radiate out from the impact point. Blinking my eyes to clear the spots, I found that Toby, Karl, and I were crammed into a small room in the back of the terminal. It was hot and muggy, and the only air circulation was coming from a broken-down fan that sputtered more often than pushed air. The paint peeled off the cracking walls, while the fluorescent lights buzzed and flickered overhead, threatening to die at any moment. Outside the only window, the jungle waited ominously, like a hungry beast biding its time. It had claimed the world once, and had a taste for it. Slowly standing, I felt woozy for a moment but kept my balance. I could still taste the soldier’s blood, mingled with my own, on my lips, and it was driving me a bit crazy. I couldn’t the last time I fed, and I was starving. That, mixed with the vicious blow to the head I had taken, was making me a little irritable. I tried to focus, but my concentration was on a very short fuse. I’d had it with this idiot colonel and his damned operation. The sulphuric smell in this tiny, cramped room was almost overwhelming. It was wafting off every single man and woman. I still couldn’t place it, but it had the definite aroma of Inhuman physiology. These people weren’t Inhuman though. They were genuine grade “A” human beings. Was it something on their uniforms? Leaning close to the nearest soldier, but trying not to look like I was, I took a deep whiff. To my surprise, the smell of sulpher was coming from his sweat...which meant it was being manufactured inside his body. These weren’t normal humans after all. I scooted uneasily back toward Toby. If they weren’t human, what the hell were they? Fallon stood at the front of the room, with what looked like a recently installed whiteboard with various satellite photos taped to it. I didn’t recognize the

location, but I had the horrible feeling I would know it very intimately all too soon. “This, ladies and gentlemen,” Fallon said, pointing to one of the photos, “is Teotihuacán.” Crap... I felt a lump form in my guts. Teotihuacán was a place of unspeakable evil, despite being on all the tourist literature. Every single stone was washed in human and Inhuman blood from the hundreds of thousands of sacrifices and battles fought on the steps of the pyramids. It had become a focal point of darkness, and Fallon was leading us right to it. “Our objective is deep inside the Pyramid of the Moon,” Fallon concluded. “Excuse me,” I said, raising my hand sheepishly, “maybe you already answered this while I was unconscious on the floor, but what exactly is our objective?” Fallon ignored my question, and checked his watch. “We deploy in thirty minutes. I want equipment checks and prep done in fifteen.” “Colonel,” I barked. “Answer the question.” Toby shot me a wicked glance, trying to warn me off my present course of action. The memory of my last insurrection was still fresh in his memory, and stinging my face. Fallon stared at me, but issued no commands. “Colonel Fallon,” I breathed, “we deserve to know what we’re risking our lives for.” “No one said anything about risk,” Fallon argued. “I think your fifty well-armed soldiers prove otherwise,” I shot back. “This isn’t some damned camping trip, and these men aren’t boy scouts. We deserve to know.” “You don’t deserve to live,” Fallon spat. “You are nothing more than a parasite, a leech.”

Well, I think we had finally just solved the puzzle about the colonel liking me or not. “That’s lovely,” I replied. “Now, what’s our objective?” “You filthy little...” Fallon charged toward me, lifting his hand as though to strike me, but stopped short. I noticed him gritting his teeth which made me think he realized he had lost his cool in front of his men, and it disturbed him. To smack me around in the privacy of his office was one thing, but in front of his men was something completely different. I got the impression that the man must’ve worked his ass off to become the head of one of the most sensitive installations in the world, and a slip like that was simply poor form. I had him. Unflinching, I smiled as sweetly as I could, trying to prove I wasn’t a monster, but a sweet, innocent, little girl. “Colonel, please?” Fallon closed his eyes, waiting for the anger to abate. And for a moment, only the briefest moment, I smelled the same sulphuric scent on him. Exhaling slowly, he opened his eyes and smiled devilishly. “All will be revealed, Ms. Webb. You must have patience.” Now he was just messing with me. “I require your special abilities on this mission, so great care will be taken of your well-being,” Fallon said cryptically. My special abilities? What the hell does that mean? And why are Toby and Karl here? The evidence wasn’t adding up to anything. There were too many variables still missing. Me plus Teotihuacán didn’t equal a solution I could come up with. I ran my fingers nervously through my blond hair. There were a million places I would rather be than Teotihuacán, including back in my cell at Area 51. “All right.” Fallon clapped his hands as he turned back to face his soldiers. “You have your orders. Fifteen minutes. Dismissed!” The cacophony of boots on the hard floor became overwhelming as the soldiers set about their work. As they dispersed, six soldiers remained to escort Toby, Karl, and me. Fallon also stayed. Pulling his sidearm out of its holster, the colonel ejected the clip, checked his

rounds and then snapped it back into the weapon with a loud click. Eyeing the simple beauty of the jet-black pistol, he finally slid it back into his holster. All this was done to unnerve me. “I will not hesitate to kill the Goblin or the Wolf,” he warned me. “Why am I the one always on the chopping block?” Karl asked anxiously. “Because I can,” Fallon growled. He had a point. “Ms. Webb is necessary to this mission,” Fallon continued. “You two,” he addressed the Goblin and Wolf, “I consider insurance.” He turned his attention to me. “Do you understand, Rose?” I nodded. “Why are you doing this?” “I’ve looked into your Syndicate file, Ms. Webb,” Fallon said. “I know you were born in San Francisco, and even though you’re dead, that makes you an American.” “Thank you, Captain Obvious,” Karl grumbled under his breath. Fallon shot the Goblin the stink eye. “You have an obligation to your country, Ms. Webb. Do you understand?” He was drawing on my sense of patriotism. Too bad I didn’t have one. I was almost as old as the state of California. “Yeah,” I said finally. “I get it.” But I didn’t like it. “Good,” Fallon answered. “This mission is very important to the future of the sovereignty of our great nation. I will not let a worthless leach like you endanger that.” “Comforting,” I said snidely. “Get them to the transport,” Fallon commanded his soldiers. “I don’t want to deal with any of these freaks until we reach Teotihuacán.” Turning, he marched out of the terminal without another word.

I waited until I was certain Fallon was out of ear shot. “Any guesses?” I asked Toby and Karl as the soldiers began to shackle me. They weren’t taking any chances this time. “None whatsoever,” Toby said quietly as the soldiers reattached the chain to his wrist and ankle shackles. “I’m not dying for you, suckhead,” Karl spat out. “I’ll tell you that right now.” “Thanks,” I breathed as the soldiers led me out. “You two are a lot of help.”

Chapter 29

December 28, 1899

I was alone for the first time in years. The house was empty and quiet, and I felt suddenly euphoric like a teenager with her parents gone. Jumping out of bed, I made no move to hide my nakedness as I opened the bedroom door and waited. Peering downstairs, I watched and waited for any sign of Drew in the flickering candlelight of his idiotic remembrances. Becoming bolder, I opened the door and quietly walked out. I placed my hands on the railing and leaned toward the first floor. “Drew?” Nothing. He was really gone. Perfect... I had become, for lack of a better description, bored of Drew’s tutelage and constant tortured whining. He was a good teacher, and a brilliant lover, but as we approached the turn of the century, I couldn’t help feeling that he was mired in his old, stodgy ways. It had become very clear that my appetite was much different from his, and that I wasn’t the Vampire he wished me to be. I think on many levels, I was a disappointment to Drew, but he had never given up on me. That in itself was annoying. This is who I was, and all I was ever going to be. No amount of doting could ever change that, and frankly, I was tired of hearing it. I wanted to have some fun for once. Walking out the front door of Drew’s house, I saw the fog had rolled in off the bay. It was dark, but the fog was scattering the light from the lamps, giving it an oddly luminous effect, like some otherworldly illumination emanating from nowhere and everywhere at once. I wandered aimlessly, enjoying the moisture on my pale flesh, the night, and the marching darkness permeating my soul. As had been done to me, tonight I wanted to destroy something beautiful. It was less

than an hour later when I found myself in a seedy waterfront bar. I loved it. Disgusting, dirty, and vile, it was everything Drew wasn’t. This was exactly where I wanted to be. The floors were wooden and dirty, with patches of sawdust covering vomit, blood, and spilled drinks. Tables were scattered across the bar with a smattering of patrons. Most of them were seamen, and had seen better days, but there were a few women scattered throughout—probably prostitutes. Dressed suggestively, they were working the men looking for a score. A lone, disinterested bartender stood behind the bar, wiping glasses with a white towel slung over his shoulder. He wore a white shirt with a red vest hanging smartly over his dark tros. An untalented piano player tried vainly to find a song on the ebony and ivory keys between shots of a heady amber liquid. One of the prostitutes hung on the edge of the piano, somehow enjoying the disted melody the piano player was creating. Still, there was no place I would rather be. Cozying up to the bar, I stood in the corner and watched. To Drew, this was a terrible crime. He would never want to hear his possible victim speak, or see them in any way which made them more human. His style was quick and clean, and that was the exact opposite of what I wanted tonight. I had never done anything like this before. Butterflies appeared in my stomach, and I could feel my palms sweating...I felt alive. “Something to drink or are you here on business?” the bartender asked me. “Business?” As soon as the word left my mouth, it occurred to me what I was being asked. “I’m not a prostitute.” The bartender laughed. “Sure, honey.” “Vodka,” I ordered, knowing I would never actually drink it. The bartender nodded and moved to fill my order. Setting a shot glass on the bar, he retrieved a bottle of the clear alcohol and uncorked it. Giving me two fingers, he slid the shot over the worn bar to me. Digging some money out of my handbag, I tossed it across the bar and snatched my drink. Lifting it to my nose, I took a whiff of the heady alcohol and recoiled.

It was far too potent, and I knew there was no way I could tolerate it. Holding the glass to my lips, I tipped it back and pretended to take a sip to satisfy the watchful bartender. Returning the glass to the bar, I turned back to the tiny crowd. I wanted to pick my target. I scanned over the potential men and women. I hadn’t really decided what I wanted yet. In my vampiric life, I had killed both, but tonight, I wanted something more. I stopped as my gaze fell on a busty prostitute working the corner. She was almost beautiful, with long, wavy, black hair that licked up into curls seemingly at random. Her face and figure were full, but very pretty. Dressed in a white peasant blouse, unlaced and hanging off her shoulder seductively, and a dark skirt that hung just above her ankles, she was attractive in a very unconventional way, and I understood why she chose to become a prostitute. Men swarmed her as though she was air to be breathed. She was perfect. I had to move quickly, as she looked like she was about to complete a deal with one of the sailors in the back. Both were starting to pet each other and coo loudly. “Excuse me,” I said to the man and hooker as I approached. “I believe the lady would rather be with me.” The whore eyed me curiously, but wasn’t repulsed by my statement. “Piss off,” the sailor barked without looking. His face was buried in the hooker’s neck. That’s where I wanted to be. “That was rude.” Grabbing the meaty man by the scruff of the neck, I easily lifted him off the prostitute, and out of his chair. “I said,” throwing the full weight of vampiric persuasion into my voice, “the lady would rather be with me.” I watched him crack under the pressure of my thrall. My urges wanted me to kill him right there and then, but this was more fun. He started to shake and then I repeated my statement. I had him. “Now,” I smiled, giving him a fleeting glance of my fangs, “you love the ocean

so much, you should go jump in it.” “Jump in the ocean,” the sailor repeated like a parrot, turned and headed for the door. He was actually going to do what I told him to! This was easily the greatest power that I had, and I rarely had the opportunity to use it. Drew never, ever spoke to his victims, and even aborted the kill if they said a word to him. This was so much more fun. I turned to the whore, and took her in. She was actually quite beautiful. Seating myself in the chair formerly occupied by the sailor, I gently laid my hand on her thigh and leaned in. “How much?” The whore flinched slightly. “I don’t do women.” I could use my vampiric persuasion on her, but I wanted the challenge. Digging into my bag, I produced every bit of money I had and set it on the table before her. “I can make it worth your while.” I saw her eyes widen at the prospect of that much money. I leaned in closer, my lips hovering above her neck. I could already taste the salt of her sweat, feel the rush of endorphins, and hear her blood rushing through her veins. When she didn’t recoil, I kissed her neck gently. I wanted her. I heard her coo pleasurably. I placed my hand on hers. “Let’s get out of here.” She looked into my eyes. Her expression was a strange mixture of excitement, fear, and unease. I think she wanted this too, more than for the money. She wanted something she had never done before; she wanted a new experience. She hesitated then nodded at me. Taking her by the hand, I retrieved my money from the table, and led her into the foggy San Francisco night. The dark-haired whore grabbed me, pulling me into an ading alley and pushed me against the wall. Her stare bored into mine, and I knew it was more than business in that moment...exactly what I wanted. She leaned in and kissed me. Her lips were soft, full, and perfect, nothing like Drew’s. She sucked my bottom lip into her mouth and pulled gently away. Wrapping my arms around her body, I held her against me enjoying the sensation of her breasts pressed against mine. I kissed her again, and felt her tongue slip

softly into my mouth. Kissing down my chin, she ran her tongue up my throat. I moved one hand up and into her blouse, cupping her bare breast, while my other strayed down to her voluptuous ass. As she kissed down to my chest, I felt her hand bunching my dress as she quickly began to pull it up. Suddenly her fingers were against the flesh of my thigh. A chill ran up my body as the cool night air touched my exposed skin. My skin ached for her touch. It was strange how the touch of a complete stranger could enthrall me so, but it was absolutely incredible. “You’re so cold,” she said. “Warm me,” I said, almost begging. As her hand slid between my legs my body shivered with pleasure. I kissed her again as her fingers rocked back and forth. I could feel my climax beginning to grow. Loosening her blouse, I leaned down and kissed her supple breasts. When I got to her nipples, I found her as excited as I was. She worked her fingers faster, hitting the exact spot I needed, as my tongue flicked over her exposed nipples. I glanced to the mouth of the alley, waiting, and possibly hoping to be discovered. It made the moment all the more thrilling. My body shuddered under the impending orgasm. Closer and closer, I could feel it lapping at me like the ocean against the shore. I was almost there... I looked into the prostitute’s eyes and I felt my mouth drop open. It was the first time in years that anyone other than Drew had brought me to climax. I let my head fall back as a moan of pleasure escaped my mouth. Grabbing the prostitute’s hand, I held it still against my vagina and pulled her tightly to me. I couldn’t take any more. Letting my forehead rest on her shoulder, I waited for the pleasure to abate. “Thank you,” I breathed. “The pleasure was mine,” she replied honestly. “Time for your payment.” Digging my money out of my bag, I placed it in her hand. It was everything I had, but it didn’t matter. I was about to get it back.

“Thank you,” the whore said as she stuffed the money into a pocket in her dress. “One more thing,” I said. The whore looked at me curiously, but with a smile. It looked as though she was up for anything now. I let my eyes vamp over black, and opened my mouth, exposing my fangs. The hooker screamed, but it was short-lived. Grabbing her by the hair, I spun and slammed her head into the alley wall. Pinning myself against her back, I pulled her hair out of the way and bit hard into the curve where her neck met her shoulder. I felt her flesh and muscles pop and tear beneath the force of my bite. The first spurt of blood shot into my mouth and I swallowed it down. As it slid down my throat, I could feel it warming me and the first hints of the endorphin rush in her blood. Holding myself against the prostitute, I felt her ribs crack under the force. As I took more and more of her blood, her heartbeat began to slow. “Rose!” I pulled away from the prostitute, my mouth and chin covered with her blood. The woman who had just pleasured me, and then fed me, slumped to the alley floor dead. My gaze settled on the mouth of the alley to find a familiar form. “Drew.” I greeted him coolly. I had nothing to say to him. “What have you done?” He was horrified at the scene before him. Wiping my mouth on my sleeve, I shrugged, and knelt down next to the dead whore. Digging my money out of her pocket, I replaced it in mine. “You can’t make them suffer,” Drew said, charging into the alley. “They are so precious.” Kneeling down next to me, he rolled the whore onto her back, and carefully arranged her hands so they crossed her heart. “Stop playing the martyr,” I growled. “This isn’t who you are.” Grabbing me, he dug a coin out of my pocket. “What have you done?” His voice

was filled with fear and dismay. Opening the prostitute’s mouth, he slid the coin gently inside. “For age,” he offered. “Stop it!” I yelled and ripped his hand away from my kill. “You can’t keep doing this to yourself, and to me! You’re killing me, little by little, day by day. You profess there is no God, but you are scared to death of him. Nothing is so like him than we are. We can choose who lives, and who dies; we can create life, and take it away in one horrible swoop. We can do anything we want.” I paused, ing our argument from earlier. “Drew, we are gods!” Drew looked at me with utter disdain. “You’re a monster,” he spat out. Standing, he stumbled back from me, turned, and charged out of the alley. “Yes,” I breathed with a morbid sense of satisfaction, “and so are you.” It was the beginning of the end for Drew and me. Nothing would ever be the same between us again.

Chapter 30

Present day

It was almost two in the morning by the time we arrived at Teotihuacán. We had been transported by heavy truck, the three of us shackled and chained to the vehicle and each other. Our ever-present escorts rode with us silently, guns at the ready. As they loaded us into the trucks, I saw at least three more, and one jetblack sedan that must be for Colonel Fallon. This was a serious operation. I wasn’t certain what they were expecting to encounter, but they seemed ready for anything. Still, I didn’t know how they were planning to launch a major military operation in an area constantly filled with tourists. Teotihuacán wasn’t a lost city. It was in all the tourist literature, making it one of the most visited ancient structures in the world. Arranged on a main street, Teotihuacán was home to numerous pyramids, including the Pyramid of the Serpent, Moon, and the Sun, the third largest pyramid in the world. The Pyramid of the Moon stood at the end of the Avenue of the Dead, while our destination, the Pyramid of the Sun, sat roughly in the middle. Looking like children’s building blocks stacked one on top of the next, it was enormous, with a single staircase reaching all the way to the top. I imagined the stepped sides stained with human blood and piles of bodies at the base, discarded like refuse down the stairs once the sacrifices were completed. According to legends, not only were children and virgins sacrificed here, but warriors from rival tribes to appease the Aztec’s warrior gods. It had become a place of wonder and awe that an ancient civilization was capable of creating structures this magnificent, but so truly evil. There was no other place on this planet responsible for more deaths. The bloodshed was almost unimaginable. And that was exactly what gave Teotihuacán its draw. This place had an unfathomable power, and I knew that was exactly what Fallon was here to unlock. As they moved us out of the truck, I saw Fallon’s men moving quickly and quietly down the Avenue of the Dead. Practically invisible, it was only my

vampiric sight that allowed me to see them. I watched in horror as they moved silently on the remaining tourists and eliminated them with deadly force. The muted thump of silenced weapons filled the city over and over again as Fallon’s men killed people whose only crime was being in his way. It was a precise, but horrific display of military discipline and training. Then they were gone. All of them. The first of Fallon’s men began to appear in the darkness, dragging corpses. I felt nauseous watching Fallon’s monstrous attitude toward civilians, and his ultimate goal...whatever that was. Fallon emerged from the darkness. “Beautiful night for an op.” He laughed. “This is outrageous,” I spat out. “What gives you the right to kill innocent people?” “Apparently the same thing that gave you the right for one hundred and thirty years,” Fallon spat back. “I read your Syndicate jacket. I know what you did. You were a cold-blooded killer.” He smiled. “A woman after my own heart.” “I am nothing like you,” I replied, but in my heart, I knew he was right. There was nothing about what he was doing now that so very different than what I had done as a Vampire. I used to be a monster, like Fallon, but I was different now. I was better. “What do you want from me?” “Funny you should ask,” Fallon said. He snapped his fingers and several soldiers with a white band on their upper arms appeared. I recognized the red cross on the band identifying the men as field medics. “I want something very specific from you.” Crap. I had a really, really bad feeling about this. “You are in possession of something I need,” Fallon said unemotionally, “and this is the only place in the world that I can get at it.” He looked around at his men then to the three of us. “Get these three to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun, immediately. Let’s move!” Lightning crackled through the sky above us, followed immediately by a clap of thunder. The heavy black clouds broke open, unleashing the storm’s full

potential. Torrential rain streamed down from the heavens as we stood at the base of the pyramid, as though the Powers That Be were trying to keep us from the top. Lifting my foot onto the first step, I felt something akin to heartburn. Vampires didn’t get indigestion. When I pressed my hand to my chest, my discomfort grew as I took another step. Glancing back at Toby and Karl, I watched for any sign that they might be experiencing the same thing. They seemed, minus the shackles and armed soldiers surrounding them, normal. It didn’t appear to be affecting them...only me. It was as though someone had taken a branding iron, heated it, and stuck it right between my breasts. Is it the suit, or something else? It became worse, and I was starting to feel utterly terrible. Stumbling forward, I doubled over and grabbed my chest. “What’s happening to me?” I looked up to find Fallon eyeing me. “What?” “Nothing.” Fallon grinned then moved away. I saw the colonel whisper to one of the field medics as he turned back up the stairs. Even with my preternatural hearing, I didn’t catch what he said, but it made me feel even more uneasy. He knew something I didn’t, and I didn’t like it. Amidst the howling rain, gale-force winds, and the thunder rattling the stones of the pyramid, the trek to the top was long and arduous. The pain in my chest was constantly growing worse. It was like having a searing hot chunk of metal burning me from the inside out. Each step toward the summit became harder and harder as though something was pulling me down. Fire raged inside of me, surging through my torso and erupting into my brain. The pain was becoming unbearable...but I was almost there. Lightning tore through the sky as we reached the top. Rectangular and flat, the landing had a single stone bench occupying the center. Another bluish flash illuminated the platform for a split second, and I glimpsed a figure waiting on the far side. It looked like... It couldn’t be... Fallon’s soldiers moved around the landing, taking up strategic positions to secure the area. Four of the men shuffled Toby and Karl toward the back, while

two others escorted me to the stone bench. Just shy of it, another burst of pain dropped me to my knees. I gasped in agony as it felt like my insides were on fire. “Get her on the table!” Fallon shouted. My escorts grabbed my arms and lifted me onto the stone bench. As they pinned me down, I watched the two field medics move to my side and begin to unload their packs. “You are in possession of something I need, Rose,” Fallon stated. “I want it. Now.” He snapped his fingers at the medics. “Cut it out.” My eyes widened in horror. “Don’t do this!” I looked from Fallon to Toby, and my gaze finally settled on the figure at the far side of the platform. I knew who it was, and had known since I saw him with Fallon inside Area 51. How could he do this to me? Why wouldn’t he help me? I looked back at my chest as the suit was cut open, exposing my chest. Beneath my skin, I could see a faint red glow roughly where my heart should have been. It was pulsating slightly, and seemed to be steadily growing in intensity. “What the hell is this?” “It was a gift,” Drew spoke from the far side of the platform. “Do you , Rose?” I had no idea what he was—wait...I did . He put this thing inside of me. “What have you done to me?” The medic’s scalpel dove into the flesh of my chest and pain shot through my torso. I could hear the blade scraping against my ribcage. I screamed. “Rose!” Toby shouted as he tried to break free. My eyes locked on Drew’s. Don’t do this, I pleaded. But it was too late, and he said nothing. His eyes were hard and grim.

As they ripped the artifact out of my chest, my consciousness was engulfed by darkness.

Chapter 31

April 18, 1906

I wandered the city, racked with guilt. My master, my mentor, and my lover had turned his back on me. I didn’t know what to do, or where to go. The world seemed strange. It was still and quiet, as though I were in the eye of a hurricane. There was a sweet scent in the air I couldn’t quite identify. Not entirely unpleasant, but I still found it off-putting. I couldn’t explain why, but San Francisco simply felt wrong. Was it because my world had just come crashing down around my feet, or was there something more, something indefinable? Morning was coming. I could feel the first rays of light burning the fog off the city. As the sunlight filtered down into the city, I could already feel my flesh aching. It took more than just a little sunlight to burn me, but any exposure hurt. And it seemed to be getting worse as I aged. It was generally accepted that when vampires aged, they became stronger, so my increasingly adverse reaction to sunlight was confusing. I was more and more a creature of the night as the last shreds of my humanity shuffled off. I was a monster...and I hated myself for it. I had to find shelter against the day, but I would not, no...I could not go home to Drew. That was exactly what he wanted. This was the Vampire I chose to be, and no matter the consequence, I would not it to error. I was a goddess among men, and I would not turn my back on that for Drew, or anyone. As I moved through the fog-laden streets, I saw a clock in a shop window. It was closing in on six in the morning. The first pangs of panic struck me. I had never been out this late before. Drew always made certain I was in bed well before the first horrible rays of dawn. I didn’t know what to do, or where to go. I didn’t want to die. I hung my head. I had to go home. I could leave Drew at nightfall, but for now, I had no other choice. It was either him, or my demise amidst the holy flame of the sun. And despite how monstrous I had become, despite how much I loathed

what I was, I could not willingly face my own death. A burst of sunlight flooded the city and I felt my skin crackle. Looking at my arms, I watched my flesh turn ashen white and begin to flit away in the morning breeze. I gasped as the ash turned black and orange embers danced across my exposed body. I had to get out of the light. That’s when all hell broke loose. My ears were met with a low rumble I had never heard in my life—seeming to emanate from below my feet—and suddenly the ground was heaved up toward the sky. I lost my footing and tumbled while the buildings around me swayed violently as they tried to remain upright. The rumbling grew in intensity as I watched the city around me swell and sink as though we were standing on ocean waves. Shops and houses tried to withstand the shaking, but gave way under the stress. Then it stopped. It couldn’t have lasted more than twenty seconds. After lifting myself off the ground, I scooted into the shade of a nearby alley and looked at the damage the earthquake had caused. It was bad, but it was about to get worse. The Earth shook again, this time much more violently. Bricks fell around me like rain, leaving the buildings resembling steel skeletons swaying in the wind. Fire blossomed on all sides, creating huge plumes of thick, black smoke which blotted out the morning sky. Rubble fell to the ground amidst the shrill shrieks of people being awoken by this beast. A girder from the next building over swung loose and careened to the ground, barely missing me. I had to get out of here, sun or no sun. Swinging back onto Market Street, I utilized every ounce of my preternatural speed to keep my footing and avoid falling debris. My flesh sizzled like frying bacon as I narrowly avoided the crash of a two-story building before me. Dust and wreckage whipped around me, and a chunk of glass sliced my cheek open as it sailed past. Blood spilled out of the wound, but was immediately disintegrated by the sun. Wisps of smoke rose from my skin but were lost in the dust as the ground heaved and rolled again. The city around me was dying. Then it was over. During the two events, only a little over a minute had elapsed, and San Francisco had been destroyed as far as I could see in any direction.

Buildings rose like broken ribs jutting from damaged flesh, broken and destroyed, while piles of debris littered the streets. Nearby, a lone doorway arch, the only survivor of its structure, opened emptily to reveal even more damage. Steel skeletons rose out of destroyed lots, bits and pieces of brick and mortar flesh clinging to them. Jagged edges, once strong, full walls, jutted toward the sky amidst the smoke and dust that clung to the city like the fog that rolled in almost every night. People, those lucky enough to survive, many still clad in their nightwear, staggered through the streets on bare feet, trying to take in the almost unimaginable destruction. Voices called out for friends, family, and pets they would never see again as aftershocks rumbled through the damage. Evading the sun between patches of shade, I tried to find somewhere to hide. My options had just become a lot more limited because of the earthquake, and I had the sneaky feeling this was my last sunrise on Earth. My hands were blackened with burns, my hair was gray, brittle, and falling out. I could only imagine what my face looked like. Each time I bent my fingers or wrist, my flesh would crack angrily and well up with blood. I was going to die. Pulling myself into the shade, I took a long, nervous breath, probably out of habit. Trying not to move my hands, I watched the edge of the shadow creeping toward me. I had to get out of here, but there was nowhere else to go...then I saw it: a large building that had mostly survived the earthquake. It had roof damage, and several of the exterior walls had collapsed, but it would provide enough darkness to keep me safe through the day. The only problem being it was across the street and about a block down with no shadows between. I had to run. Summoning my courage, I jumped out of my safe zone and faced the horrible dawn. Holding my arms over my head, I ran as hard and as fast as I could. Each step felt like it brought me only inches closer, while the door seemed further and further away. I pushed myself harder. The building looked like an office complex of some sort, but thankfully appeared empty. I was almost there. Black smoke billowed off me as my flesh burned and my clothes caught fire. Throwing myself into the door, I smashed it down and hit the ground inside. Grabbing handfuls of dirt and debris, I tossed them on my body as I tried to smother the flames that engulfed me. Finally seeing the last yellow flame die, I lay back in the cool darkness, trying to fight the urge to retch.

The pain receptors all over my body were in complete overload. I wanted to scream, but it hurt to open my mouth. I wanted to curl into a little ball, but it hurt to move my limbs. Even blinking was painful. Still, I had to get up. I couldn’t stay in front of the door like this. With no heartbeat, and charred to a crisp, I would probably be considered a victim of the earthquake if found, and carted out with the rest of the dead. That was exactly what I didn’t need. Rolling onto my side, I groaned and pain exploded into my brain. After finally getting to my feet, I hobbled further inside the building doing my best to avoid debris. Finding a tiny storage closet at the back, I stumbled inside and shut the door. Locking it, I started pushing refuse against it to keep it closed. I couldn’t have some unsuspecting human barging in on me. Even with me in this condition, they wouldn’t stand much of a chance. There was the possibility another Vampire, or even a Vampire Hunter could find me, and I was no match for either. I had to stay here and hope I would survive until nightfall. It would take weeks for my burns to completely heal. Once the sun set, I had to go back to Drew. I didn’t have a choice. I closed my eyes and tried to rest. “Rose?” My eyes shot back open and tried to focus. I looked up to find a tall figure standing over me. Even though my vision was blurry, I could tell who it was. “How did you find me?” I asked, my voice tired and gravelly. Drew didn’t respond; instead he knelt down next to me. “I got you something,” he said, lifting his hand. Is this real, or am I dreaming? Drew opened his hand revealing a golden semicircle. I couldn’t quite make out what it was, but it looked like half of an oversized coin. There were raised markings around the outer edge, and a face of some sort in the center. I didn’t recognize any of them. “This will help you,” he said softly. “I promise.” Help me? I was too weak to argue.

I watched his hand move toward my chest. Carefully, he peeled away the burned remnants of my dress, exposing the charred flesh beneath. The object began to glow slightly in the darkness as it neared my chest. Setting it against my flesh, Drew pressed his palm gently over it. Pain shot through my chest as I watched wisps of smoke escape Drew’s fingers. Gritting my teeth, I felt the burn all the way into my ribcage and through to my spine. Like a wildfire spreading through dry cheatgrass, the pain surged through my body until it culminated in my fingers and toes searing everything along the way. As the pain subsided, I felt hollow, as though everything that was me was being seared away. I felt like an empty shell of the Vampire I used to be. Looking down, beneath the charred flesh, I saw a faint red glow pulsing slightly. As Drew pulled his hand away, it started to fade. “Come on,” Drew said, sliding his arms around me as he had done in the alley so many years ago. “Let’s get you out of here, madame.”

Chapter 32

Present day

As I came to, I looked down at the wound in my chest. Blood was beginning to pool, but I could see what I assumed was my heart, and part of my lungs. Both looked emaciated, as I hadn’t used either organ in over one hundred years. Pain radiated out from the edges of the wound that felt like a gaping, aching chasm. I couldn’t move. My arms and legs felt solid and heavy, and I knew the suit was keeping me immobilized. My gaze wandered to Drew. He was standing silently, his hair in messy waves around his face. His eyes were burning like coals in his skull as he stared at me. His face was thin and drawn, and for the first time ever, I saw him in something other than a midnight-blue overcoat. Instead, he was clad in a black trench coat and slacks with an un-tucked, white, long-sleeved shirt unbuttoned just enough to show his sculpted chest. He looked more like a rock star than a Vampire. This wasn’t the Vampire I knew all those years ago. As they pulled the artifact out of my chest, lightning struck the platform, knocking several soldiers down the side of the Pyramid of the Sun. Fallon moved in quickly and snatched the artifact from the medic’s hand. Reaching into the pocket of his uniform, he produced what looked like the matching half to my artifact. As he held the two pieces before his face, lightning crackled ominously yet again. And suddenly I saw him as the maniacal supervillain that just discovered Kryptonite will defeat the hero. The two halves began to glow red as Fallon brought them close. “I’ve been searching for this for years,” he said, iring the bloody artifact in his hand. “Who could have known it was inside a worthless leach?” This wasn’t good. Looking down, I watched the suit begin to close over the wound. The nanites worked to heal me. The black material oozed into the gash like black tar and began to fill it. Within moments there was no remaining sign of the hole in my

chest and the pain began to subside. This was why Fallon had put me in the suit, but why did he want it to keep me alive? Had I not fulfilled my role? I started to feel strange. It was as though my conscience had simply been clicked off and I was left with raw venom pulsing through my veins. I saw my children’s dead bodies in my mind’s eye, my rape and torture, and those responsible for it. I turned to look at Drew, and the others who made me forget. I began to tremble with rage... What is happening to me? Sitting straight up, I fought the suit’s control with what felt like little effort. Grabbing the nearest medic, I twisted his head under my arm and easily snapped his neck. The man, his gloved hands still wet with my blood, crumbled like a sack of potatoes. That felt good... As I leaped up, the suit fought against me, but my rage simply overwhelmed it. It almost felt as though the suit had no control over me anymore. Well, that certainly leveled the playing field. My stare snapped up to the soldiers bearing down on me, but they weren’t who I wanted. I turned to look directly at Fallon and vamped. I wanted to taste his soul... I charged. Amazingly, a soldier caught me, before I made it to Fallon, with the butt of his weapon. It cracked against my cheekbone and dropped me hard. Spilling to the ground, I only felt my raw anger grow. Snapping out my arm, I grabbed the soldier’s leg and ripped his feet out from beneath him. Before he even hit the ground, I was on him. I dug my fangs hard into his neck and injected as much venom as I could. Drawing back, I watched the fang wound in his neck blacken and crack due to the excessive neurotoxin I had pumped in. That would certainly kill him. I sneered, delighted with my work. As lightning crackled overhead, I saw several shadows moving in my direction. This is too much fun! As I jumped up, I spun and delivered a brutal punch to the nearest soldier’s windpipe. He grabbed his throat and crumbled to the ground, gasping like a fish

out of water. Rolling into the second man in uniform, I pounced. Biting into his neck, I drew a mouthful of blood and spit it in the next soldier’s eyes. As the man stumbled back rubbing his eyes, I fed on the second soldier until I felt his heart stop completely. Dropping him from my arms, I grabbed the soldier I had spit blood on by the ear and turned to Fallon. “Is this the best you’ve got, Colonel?” I ripped the soldier’s ear off with one tug and tossed it away like refuse. “This is rather pathetic.” “Rose,” Toby said in shock, “what the hell are you doing?” He was trying to break free of his escort’s grip, but failing. “What I should have done a long time ago,” I said, slipping my arms around the screaming soldier’s neck. “It’s just an ear,” I muttered to the young man then snapped his neck. “Stop whining.” I returned my attention to Toby as I dropped the dead soldier. “I’m doing the same thing you should be. Help me,” I added with a devious grin. “We can take all of them, together.” I felt arms like steel bands snap around my chest. Pain exploded from the still mending surgical wound. I peered over my shoulder. “Drew,” I grunted through the agony, “I knew you missed me.” “I’m not going to let you do this,” Drew whispered in my ear. “This wasn’t my intention. I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.” Grabbing my neck, he spun me to the edge of the pyramid and flung me off in one fluid motion. As I sailed through the air I heard Toby scream my name, but at the same time saw about a thousand vicious, little, gray Maryut skittering toward the top of the Pyramid like a swarm of insects. They were Chithula’s. Just before I impacted, I smiled. Hopefully Fallon was about to die. I hit the ground har—

Chapter 33

April 20, 1906

Pain seared through my body as I opened my eyes. Every bit of my body ached. Even the blood in my veins hurt. I tried to look around my surroundings, but my eyes were still sore. My vision was blurred and foggy, but it slowly started to clear. Lifting my hands, I saw the burns were nearly gone. Only a few charred patches of flesh remained on my alabaster skin, but the hurt was deep down. My body was still healing. I moaned and then gritted my teeth. It even hurt to talk. Even my voice ached. Slowly, carefully, I sat up. As I scooted my body toward the headboard, the pillows felt soft and cool on my back. I didn’t recognize my surroundings. This wasn’t Drew’s house. It was a tiny, dingy room with only a twin-sized bed in the center. A heavy, iron wood-burning stove occupied the far corner, but it wasn’t lit. Pictures and decorations, formerly on the wall, had been knocked free and broken by the earthquake. A large crack in the brick façade ran from floor up and spider webbed along the ceiling. This place had taken a pounding in the quake, as had I. Then I ed something else... I pressed my hand to my chest just above my breasts. Looking down, I couldn’t see any wounds or scars. There was no trace of the object Drew implanted in my chest. I recalled the soft red glow as he pushed it inside me. I couldn’t feel anything, inside or out. Was I dreaming? Had that really happened? It didn’t seem real somehow, but I had so many unanswered questions. Turning to the other side of the bed, I found Drew seated in the corner of the room, his knees drawn up to his chest and his head down. He was quiet, and seemed somehow defeated. His midnight-blue overcoat was dirty and burned. His hair, usually pulled up in a tight ponytail, was messy and down around his

face. His eyes were closed, and I couldn’t see his mouth but I had no doubt it was drawn into a tortured frown. I could see a patch of ash on his forehead that ran down across his nose. He had taken a great risk to save me, and it had apparently cost him. But had he really been saving me, or himself? “Drew,” I called softly. He lifted his head. His once beautiful eyes were bloodshot and dulled with burns. Drew said nothing. “Where are we?” Drew looked around, then back at me. “Just a small house. I don’t know who it belongs to.” “Why didn’t you take us home?” I asked. “My home,” he breathed, “was destroyed by the earthquake. My remembrance candles were most likely the cause of the fire that consumed everything I owned. My home, my books, my possessions...” He let his words trail off. I nodded, but there was only one question I truly wanted answered. I had to know. “Why did you save me after what I did?” “I,” Drew paused, “felt responsible.” “For what?” I asked. He looked at me with tired, hurt, and angry eyes. “For you.” That statement was a verbal slap in the face. I recoiled slightly from Drew’s hateful stare. I felt guilty, as though all of my anger and hatred had been scooped out and left me hollow inside. It was all I had known for over thirty years, and now it had abandoned me. I felt alone as pangs of guilt and regret ran unchecked through my body. All at once, I wanted to scream, to vomit, and to cry. For the first time since being turned, I felt my bottom lip quiver as I fought back tears. But I knew he was right. I had become a monster. Suddenly the faces of all of my victims began to explode in my brain, and I understood Drew’s motives intimately. I didn’t like this at all.

“Rose.” Drew pulled in a breath slowly. “What is wrong with me?” I shouted before he had a chance to speak. Tears erupted from my eyes and a sob escaped before I could catch it. Drew said nothing. “What did you do to me?” I asked through my tears. “Nothing,” Drew answered. He was lying. I could tell. I was hurt and angry, and he wasn’t helping by denying the truth. “Tell me! What have you done?” The old Vampire didn’t even flinch. He looked at me with patient anger, that of a parent watching his child throwing a tantrum. “There is nothing wrong with you,” Drew said finally. “You are experiencing guilt and remorse, nothing more.” “No,” I breathed. It didn’t feel like it was something that simple; it couldn’t be. I knew, without question, he was lying. There was no way that one moment I was the Vampire I wanted to be, and then a guilt-ridden wreck... I stopped. The “Vampire I wanted to be?” What the hell did that mean? I had been a monster, and I hated myself for it. I knew that. Why would I want that, anyway? Was I holding on to the hate and anger because it was all I had? After my family’s murder, and my death, all I had left was rage. I had been holding on to that so intently, that it had consumed me. Every night, every victim, I was taking my revenge out on a world that had allowed such misery and grief in my life. Every drop of blood that I took was payment for what had been stolen from me. It was indeed all that I had. I felt the eyes of each and every one of my kills staring at me, judging me, and hating me. Their voices ran in my ears, screaming my name, bellowing for justice. They wanted my death, and with good cause. The ghosts wanted blood, and I knew I deserved to die. I wanted to shrink down into the bed and pull the

covers over my head, but that wouldn’t be enough. They weren’t disembodied spirits watching and shouting at me from afar, they were only inside my head. I had nowhere to hide. I looked up at Drew again and understood he wasn’t lying. There was no glowing artifact, no psychic surgery. It had all been a creation of my fevered, overwhelmed brain. There was only a good man who risked his life to save me. But I wish he hadn’t. “You should have left me to die,” I said finally. “It would have been easier.” “Maybe,” Drew said. “There’s no sense in questioning it now. You’re here, and safe. That’s all that matters.” Standing, he dusted off his coat. I didn’t want him to go. I didn’t want to be left alone right now, not with my ghosts. He walked to the only door in this small shack. Opening it, he paused and glanced over his shoulder at me one more time. Without another word, he turned and disappeared into the night. Falling back onto the bed, I sighed. Lifting my hands, I pressed them gently to my eyelids. Balling my fists, I slid them to my ears and tried to block out the horrid screams of the phantoms shrieking for my blood. It was overwhelming. I didn’t want to be alone right now...I couldn’t be. Sitting up, I snatched the fresh clothes Drew had left for me and quickly began to pull them on.

Chapter 34

Present day

The Pyramid of the Sun was on fire. As I opened my eyes, I saw that a goodsized chunk of the top had been completely destroyed, and flames raged down the stepped sides. I could see human and Inhuman bodies scattered down the side of the pyramid, while the shrill screams of the Maryut, mixed with the sound of machine guns, echoed into the night. In the distance, I heard the howl of a wolf. Toby had survived; I wondered how many of Fallon’s men had. It was a war over the artifact, and it was exactly where I wanted to be. As I sat up, a rush of pain charged up my spine and exploded in my head. Lifting my right arm, I found it broken at the wrist, and again just below my elbow. My arm looked like a cobra ready to strike, and hurt like hell. Grabbing my hand, I gritted my teeth and pulled. With two loud pops, I reset both of the breaks. I could feel the suit starting to heal the numerous breaks and damage to my body. Running my fingers over my chest, I could feel the surgical wound had almost completely healed. Well, at least it was good for something. Moaning, I slowly stood. Drew had thrown me completely off the pyramid, but luckily for me, I had landed on the jungle side of Teotihuacán instead of the paved avenue. I turned and found a broken tree behind me. That must have been where I initially hit. It was cracked in two, the branches helplessly on the ground. I wanted to get into the middle of the battle. I knew in that moment what the artifact truly was, and couldn’t be happier to have it out of me. All the anger and darkness in my soul had been turned into a thick sludge that coalesced around the artifact, but now that it was gone... Venom ran unchecked through my body, and I wanted each and every one of them to die. Especially Drew. In his effort to take away my pain and make me more like him, he had killed me for the last time and created the horrible Syndicate Slave I had become. I didn’t

want to help humans and Inhumans...I wanted to kill them all. And Drew, most of all, deserved to suffer for what he had done to me. Balling my right fist, I flexed the muscles in my forearm. Pain, albeit muted, raged up into my shoulder, but at least I could move my fingers. The suit was accelerating my healing process tenfold, and I was already recovering from the fall and adhoc surgery. I couldn’t up the chaos the Maryut had created. Vamping, I felt my eyes shift to black and my fangs extend. Lifting my hands, I watched my nails reshape into razor-sharp claws. I was ready. It was time to go hunting. Moving quickly and quietly, I was a shadow as I moved toward the Pyramid of the Sun. Looking up, I watched the Maryut skittering like insects. I caught one of the little, gray Inhumans by its pencil-thin neck when I reached the stairs. Spinning the monster around, I stared into its huge, black, pupil-less eyes. The beast squealed at me from its tiny slit of a mouth showing its razor-sharp teeth, and slashed at me with its black claws. Before it could alert the others, I snapped its neck with my thumb. Coughing and sputtering in its death throes, a trickle of what looked like motor oil spilled out of its mouth as it died. Chithula used the Maryut because of their simplistic DNA structure. Using a cloning technology that Syndicate scientists had yet to understand, the Ifrit was able to reconfigure individual Maryut into anyone, or anything he wanted. The Maryut were considered part of the triad of Jinn—an ancient species composed of Maryut, Ifrit, and Shaitan, often confused for Genies in lore—no one knew how old they were, but there were some who said they were the original inhabitants of this planet. Known for using the same modus operandi as Succubi and Incubi, the Maryut snuck into unsuspecting houses at night and claimed the life energy they craved. But unlike their Inhuman brethren, the Maryut had venom-tipped claws that created a powerful hallucinogenic compound that was responsible for the usual abduction stories. Even thought they were the lesser of the Jinn, Maryut were still formidable opponents, especially when they swarmed. Dropping the Maryut, I heard machine guns rage just above me. As lightning flashed in the sky above, I saw several of Fallon’s men trying to fend off a swarm of Maryut. Perfect.

Swinging around the debris caused by the unknown explosion that had claimed the zenith of the Pyramid, I moved in on Fallon’s men. They hadn’t seen me yet. As the last Maryut fell, I leapt off the edge of the stairs and landed right in the middle of the battle. Grabbing the nearest soldier’s weapon, I ripped it from his hands and turned it on Fallon’s men. Four soldiers fell under a hail of bullets. Tossing the weapon away, I threw myself down onto the nearest soldier and drove my fangs hard into his neck. Biting again and again, I created a gaping wound in the man’s neck. His heart pumped blood fast out of the wound, allowing me to lap leisurely at the font. I could hear the man’s screams of pain, but they sounded distant and unimportant as I fed. Feeling his heart begin to slow, I considered letting the man die, but where was the fun in that? Spotting a machete strapped to his thigh, I ripped it free and held it before the man’s face. Smiling with blood spilling down my face, I stabbed him in the chest cleaving his heart. After I ripped the machete free, I was off and heading up the stairs. I had to find Drew and Fallon. Reaching what was left of the top, I found a gaping hole. Bodies and debris lay scattered everywhere, but I didn’t see Fallon, Toby, Karl, or Drew among the dead. What the hell happened here? It looked deep, dark, and ominous. ...Exactly where I wanted to be. Diving inside, I sailed into the darkness. Hitting a set of unseen stairs, my ankle nearly gave way but I clasped onto the wall and held my balance. Holding the glinting machete in my hand, I smiled. “Drew? Where are you?” I called playfully. I heard voices shouting deep within the pyramid, and I was almost certain I heard Drew. Then I heard something surprising: the growl of a werewolf. ...Even better. Toby must’ve somehow figured out how to transform in his suit. I knew his animal instincts would make him easier to sway to my way of thinking. Together, we could kill them all. Moving briskly down the stairs, deeper into the hidden bowels of the pyramid, I came to a large opening. The rectangular walls were carved with the familiar

Aztec designs of gods and demons. Several flashlights were scattered across the floor, as well as glowing green military-strength glow sticks, giving everything an eerie glow. More dead soldiers and Maryut were here. I heard a noise like teeth chattering in the cold. Scanning the room, I spotted a wounded soldier in the far corner with several deep cuts across his face. Most likely hallucinating. I moved toward him. “Stand at attention, soldier,” I barked. I was going to kill him, but I wanted to know what happened first. The soldier spotted me, acknowledged the order, then stood and saluted. “At ease,” I commanded, keeping my distance. “What happened here, soldier?” “Unknown, sir,” the soldier answered. He was standing with his legs shoulderwidth apart, and his hands clasped behind his back. He was trying to stand still, but because of the Maryut venom, wasn’t doing a very good job of it. “Colonel Fallon had the artifact taken from the Vampire. When he brought the two pieces together, all hell broke loose, sir.” At least he didn’t recognize me. “Explain, soldier!” “Sir,” the soldier stuttered, trying to articulate his thoughts through the fog in his brain, “it looked like when the pieces of the artifact touched each other, it exploded.” “Where’s Colonel Fallon?” “Dead, sir,” the soldier answered. “Everything within five feet of the artifact was completely vaporized during the explosion.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Still, I would have liked to have killed him myself. As I sprang forward, I wrapped my arms and legs around the soldier and sank my fangs into his neck. Then I kissed him on the forehead. “Thanks, soldier. You’ve been a doll.” Biting again, I sucked him dry. Up and off, I moved quietly back to the stairs. Sniffing the musty air, I caught Karl’s pungent odor emanating from further down. Drew had to be there.

Slinking down like a cat, I carefully stepped over bodies strewn haphazardly on the stairs. There was another howl from a wolf that had to be Toby, but then I heard the horrible hiss of several Maryut. Snapping my head up, I saw three Maryut clinging to the walls and ceiling above me. Damn... The first one let go and lunged with its claws, but I avoided the attack. Grabbing the beast by the back of its bulbous head, I smashed it into the stairs and felt something akin to a balloon popping. The Maryut convulsed several times, and became still. Before I could return my attention to the other two, I felt a pair of stinging claws tear across my back. As I crumbled to the stairs with a gasp of pain, I felt the two remaining Maryut jump on my back. With a terrible screech, they began ripping and tearing at my flesh. “Get,” I rolled and kicked the first Maryut I saw hard in the chest, “off of me!” Throwing a left hook, I caught the third Maryut in the mouth. As its head snapped back, I grabbed the monster, spun on top of it and ripped its head cleanly from its neck. Grabbing the Maryut’s decapitated head, I turned and threw it at the third Maryut with every ounce of my strength. I heard an audible crack as the head hit the third Inhuman in the face. Squealing like a stuck pig, the monster fell from the ceiling and crashed to the stairs. Its body convulsed once then became still. Peering over my shoulder, I tried to see the severity of the Maryut’s attack. The black suit was shredded and I was bleeding heavily, but I could already see the suit beginning to repair itself, and me. The nanites seeped from the suit into my wounds and started repairing them. This thing was turning out to be a dream come true for me. I didn’t want to ever take it off. Coming to the bottom of the stairs, I spotted Drew and Toby. I couldn’t help the devilish sneer that spread across my face.

Chapter 35

April 20, 1906

I chased Drew into the night. I didn’t recognize this part of the city, and the destruction from the earthquake made finding recognizable landmarks difficult. I had to find Drew. He was the only one who would probably understand. I only hoped I hadn’t irreparably wounded his pride. For three decades he had been all that I knew, and now on the eve of losing all that, I felt more alone than I ever had in my life. This was nearly as bad as losing my family all over again. One thought kept running through my mind: did I love Drew? I searched my heart, but I couldn’t find an answer. There were certainly parts of me that believed so, but how could I know for sure? I just needed him right now so badly. I didn’t want to be alone. Thousands of voices screamed inside my brain, as faces seemed to appear in the fog, glaring at me, and mocking me. They howled for vengeance; no, they howled for my death. They wanted blood. Balling my fists, I pressed them into my temples as hard as I could. I felt almost drunk as I staggered through the fog. Shutting my eyes and screaming at the top of my lungs, I tried to drown out their shrieks. It was becoming too much; I couldn’t take it anymore; I needed release. Stumbling around a corner, I found a dead body, and I knew I had found Drew’s handiwork. The arms were crossed peacefully over his chest, and I could see the gleam of a gold coin in the corpse’s mouth. Kneeling down, I ran my fingertips over the man’s forehead and said the same prayer I had heard Drew speak a thousand times, “‘And though you walk through the valley of death, you shall fear no evil for the Lord is your shepherd.’” I sighed. “I will find my way through the valley.” “What do you hope to find, Rose?”

My gaze shot skyward to find Drew standing on the roof of the building above me. I didn’t know how to answer exactly, as I really didn’t know what I wanted. “I just want someone to hold me,” I breathed. “Someone to take away the pain.” I sobbed as I felt tears roll down my cheeks. “I can’t do this. I can’t stop hearing them... I can’t stop seeing their faces...” I looked up at my mentor. “Why won’t it stop?” “It’s called guilt, love,” Drew answered, turned and walked away. “Don’t walk away from me,” I pleaded. Grabbing onto the damaged building, I used my claws to skitter easily to the roof. Swinging over the ledge, I spotted Drew walking slowly toward the other side. “Drew,” I barked, “please don’t walk away from me!” Drew stopped, but didn’t speak. “Don’t leave me like this,” I pleaded. “What?” Drew said, spinning back toward me. “What would you have me do, Rose? Love you like nothing happened? How can I do that after I’ve seen what you’re capable of?” “Give me a chance,” I breathed. Moving so fast that I barely ed his movements, he was on me, his hand clamped around my throat. “You deserve no more chances.” “Then why did you save me?” I croaked, trying to loosen his grip. “Guilt,” Drew answered, “I suppose. I tried to make you more than the sum of your parts, Rose. I tried to show you how to be a better Vampire, but that’s not what you wanted. You, who are so full of anger and venom, only wanted to spread your rage like a disease on anyone you could find.” “Please,” I squeaked as his grip tightened on my throat. He was crushing my windpipe. “Now you beg for mercy,” Drew scoffed. “You who had none to give to that prostitute, or the family you toyed with then killed. You don’t deserve mercy, Rose. You are a monster.”

He was right, as were the cacophony of voices screaming in my head—I was a monster and I deserved to die. I wanted to die. “Kill me,” I wheezed. “Please kill me, Drew.” Drew released his grip and took a step back. “No.” Falling to my knees, I reached for him. “Why? Why won’t you do this for me? Don’t you love me?” “Love?” Drew let the word spill off his tongue. “Surely you jest. How could I love a monster like you? Besides,” he brushed a bit of soot from his jacket, “if I kill you, and I can, this will all be over. Your suffering will be at an end, and that isn’t what you deserve.” I looked at my master with wide eyes. This was a side of Drew I had never seen before. “I want you to live, Rose, live with the voices in your head for all eternity so you can know the pain and suffering you’ve caused.” Drew sneered. “This is my curse on you. I’ve given you back your soul, my dear. Enjoy it. Some of us never get to know how that feels.” He turned and started away from me. My soul? I couldn’t fathom living like this for the rest of my life. I would not. If he wouldn’t kill me, then I would force his hand. Leaping to my feet, I charged Drew. He started to spin back to stop me, but I caught him in the side with my shoulder. The force of the impact sent us both careening across the rooftop toward the damaged edge of the structure. The earthquake had knocked down the corner, leaving only a half-standing pile of bricks, with metal poles jutting from the rubble. Rolling on top of the Vampire, I slashed once across his neck with my claws, then down his chest, tearing open his shirt. “Kill me!” Drew delivered a solid punch to my jaw, snapping my head back. Throwing his arm across my body, he used his superior strength to knock me free. “Don’t do this, Rose,” he said, climbing to his feet. “I will not do this.” “The hell you won’t,” I said as I charged again.

This time he moved and I sailed past him off the roof and into the air. Reaching back with my preternatural speed, I grabbed him by the collar and yanked him down with me. Spinning in the air, I clawed at his face. “You created me, Drew!” We landed hard on the debris from the earthquake. Rolling onto my back, I felt a twinge of pain shoot up my spine. My vision blurred for a moment, but finally started to clear. Climbing to my feet, I readied myself. It was time to finish this. I found Drew lying on his side, not moving. “Get up, Drew. Get up!” He didn’t move. Reaching down, I grabbed his shoulder and rolled him onto his back. My eyes widened and I fell to my knees next to him. “Oh God,” I breathed and my fingers traced the metal bar piercing his chest. “What have I done? Drew, I’m so sorry.” Drew’s eyes were wide and staring off into an eternity I could not see. The first wisp of mist erupted from his chest, and I knew the bar had cleaved his heart. “It’s so beautiful...” he whispered. “Drew?” I asked as the mist grew. I was losing him. “Drew, stay with me.” His mouth fell open and his eyes were wide as the last of the mist escaped his body. He was gone. Lifting my hand, I carefully closed his eyes and crossed his hands over his chest. I didn’t have any coins for the ferryman, but I didn’t think it mattered. “I’m so sorry, Drew.” I looked up to the sky as tears streaked down my face. “‘In the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.’” My master, my mentor, and my lover was dead, by my hand. Stumbling from the wreckage, I wandered into the night, and as I was so many years ago before Drew found and rescued me, I was lost again.

Chapter 36

Present day

Walking into the lower chamber, I found Drew with Toby and Karl shackled to the wall. Toby was in full Werewolf form, his black suit hanging in shreds from his neck and waist. Drew had several of Fallon’s men guarding him, and in his hand I could clearly see the artifact. There was no need for stealth as I had already been spotted by the soldiers. “Hi, Drew.” I smiled. “Aren’t you dead?” Toby howled. “Rose,” Drew greeted me, his sea foam green eyes threatening to draw me in and drown me. “I’m glad to see you survived.” “Get out, Rose!” Karl shouted, but was quickly silenced by the butt of a soldier’s weapon. “Before I kill you,” I looked at the soldiers, “all of you, I think it’s time for some answers. Drew, care to share?” “I tried to save you all those years ago, Rose. You have to believe me,” Drew said quietly. “I never wanted to hurt you.” “Could have fooled me,” I snarled. “Throwing me off the top of the pyramid didn’t seem all that friendly.” Drew held up the half of the artifact that had spent the last hundred years in my chest. “This is a sacred Aztec artifact. It was washed with the blood of thousands of sacrifices. I knew your spirit wasn’t strong enough to hold the monster within, so I gave you a thousand souls, and it worked. You became the Vampire I had always hoped you could be.”

I was hurt and dismayed by the statement. I was truly a monster. “Then why take it out? How much did Fallon pay you?” “Because you were right about one thing,” Drew said as his eyes turned to flame. His body exploded and tripled in size as fire engulfed him. Chithula’s familiar dark, massive form appeared in the flames, and I could see the two enormous horns that swept from his head down to his jawline, his mouth filled with angry, jagged teeth. Chithula threw his head back and laughed with his horrible, deep, demonic voice. “Drew is dead.” I stared at what was probably the most powerful Ifrit on this plane of existence, unsure what to do. He could kill me with a single swat from his massive hands. Fallon’s soldiers turned on Chithula and immediately opened fire. The bullets were engulfed by flame, doing no damage to him at all. Holding up his hand, the Ifrit shot a ball of flame at the soldiers which completely swallowed them. Screaming, they tried to stop, drop, and roll, but the flames were mystical in nature and could not be smothered. “You’ve done me a great service, Rose,” Chithula said as he watched the soldiers die with glee. “You eliminated Fallon for me. Now I can move my operation to Area 51 and completely take over Las Vegas. After your intervention last year, I’ve been forced to hide like a common Goblin, biding my time, and waiting for the right moment. My scientists uncovered something peculiar in the scan I took of you last year.” He held up the two halves of the artifact. “I had no idea you were carrying a weapon of such mass destruction.” “You did all this for the artifact?” I asked. “No,” Chithula said, dropping the two halves to the ground. “The artifact is moot. It’s played its part by killing Fallon. That’s all I needed it for. You may have this trinket, if you wish.” I looked to Toby and Karl handing on the wall. “What are you doing to do with them?” “They are yours,” Chithula growled ominously, “if you me.” Chithula’s words shocked and thrilled me. Here was a chance to be at the heart of one, if not the most powerful, criminal cartel in the Inhuman world. I could do

what I wanted, when I wanted, with no thought of consequences, and now with the artifact removed, no regret either. I wanted that. I looked at Toby and Karl, and ittedly wanted to taste their blood on my lips. Karl had it coming, but I wanted Toby in another way. I walked past the Ifrit to Toby and ran my fingers over his muzzle and down to his chest. The wolf whimpered like a dog being punished. I wanted to feel the wolf on top of me, and then behind me, his claws digging into my sides. It had always been a fantasy of mine, and now I could make that a reality. Carefully staying just beyond the wolf’s reach, I turned and looked back over my shoulder at Chithula. “I can have them both?” The Ifrit nodded. “They are yours to do with what you want.” As I scooped the artifact pieces from the floor, my gaze settled on Toby again. I wanted, no, I craved his touch and his taste. There had always been something there...and for a Vampire to have a Werewolf lover was unheard of. I knew he was capable of raw, unimaginable, animalistic ion, and it would be so easy to turn him to my side. Together we could cause unimaginable destruction and chaos. Turn him to my side? What was I thinking? How could I even fathom turning this amazing person evil? I was evil... ...and how I hated myself for it. The thoughts of goodness seared my soul like holy water. I looked down at the artifact and immediately knew what it was doing to me...or was it something more? I wanted to drop the artifact, but couldn’t bring my fingers to unfurl. I didn’t want to let go...and I didn’t want to hurt my Toby. I looked back up to Toby. “Help me,” I whispered. Toby whimpered and pulled against his shackles uselessly. It was up to me. Pressing the two halves of the artifact together in my hand, I immediately felt

them begin to heat up as they glowed ominously. Turning, I tossed it at Chithula. “Catch.” The Ifrit threw out his hands and caught the artifact. As he looked at it in his hands, his eyes lit up with fiery rage, but it was too late. There was a blue flash of light that quickly engulfed the Ifrit then started to blossom out dangerously. I knew I had five feet, give or take, according to the hallucinating soldier I killed earlier. Breaking Toby and Karl free of their shackles, I moved back with them as far as I could in the small tomb. Toby attacked. I felt his claws bite into my shoulder and his razor-sharp teeth lunge toward my throat. Snapping my hands up, I caught his head just before he reached me. “Now’s not the time, T!” “Kill the evil bitch!” Karl shouted. Without looking, I kicked the Goblin in the stomach. He was much less of a threat than the Werewolf at my throat. After pushing Toby back with all of my strength, I threw a hard punch across his face that snapped his head back. Leaning in, I bit hard into his neck and injected a healthy dose of my venom. I felt the wolf claw at my sides, then start to slow. My neurotoxin was kicking in quickly. Throwing a headlock on Toby, I dragged him into the corner and dropped him out of harm’s way. Looking back, I gasped. “Karl!” The bluish-white bubble of energy continued to grow toward us, chewing through floor, walls, and ceiling as it came, and I had kicked Karl directly into its path. “No!” I shouted as I lunged for the little pissy Goblin. Grabbing his hand, I watched as the bubble engulfed his legs and hips. “Hold on, Karl!” I tried to pull him free, but something was holding him inside the bubble. “Don’t let me go,” Karl pleaded. “Please, don’t let me go!” “I’m trying to pull you free,” I said, digging in my heels and holding his hand

with all of my strength. “Karl, I’m so sorry.” The bubble was up over his chest now and inching toward his face. “I don’t want to die!” Karl screeched. I didn’t want him to die either. He may have started out on the wrong side of the Syndicate, and annoyed the hell out of me, but he was a good man and a good Seeker. He worked his ass off to get where he is, and I would not let him die. Holding him with every bit of my strength, I started to feel his shoulder pop under the stress. “I won’t let you die, Karl,” I said, but knew I was lying. There wasn’t anything I could do. I watched the bubble roll over his head, and his grip on my hand go slack. “Karl,” I moaned softly. The bubble crackled and popped like electricity arcing, then imploded and was gone. Chithula and Karl were gone. I sat quietly, unwilling to move for a long time. I had defeated the monster within me, but it had cost my friend’s life. I was responsible for Karl’s death. I could never let this happen again. Looking down in the center of the hole the bubble created, I saw the two halves of the artifact. It had kept me safe for almost a hundred years. I knew what I had to do. Sliding down into the depression, I lifted half of the artifact and held it in my hand. It started to glow softly. I listened to the voices that seemed to swirl around the artifact, calling to me, calming me. I listened to the whispers from the dead. Was it truly the only way to stave off the monster inside of me? Did I really want to do this? Curling my fingers around the artifact, I climbed out of the crater it had created. I found Toby had reverted to human form under the force of my venom. Lifting him off the floor, I hoisted him over my shoulder and started out of the pyramid. Stopping at the entrance to the stairs, I turned and looked back. “Goodbye, Karl.”

Chapter 37

December 30, 1937

The movie theater was thankfully quiet. Amidst the chorus of the animated dwarfs singing, “Hi ho, hi ho,” I moved quietly, but with purpose. I had seen it come in here after killing a woman in cold blood. It was in human form, but I could smell what it really was. It had seen me, but I had to find it, before it killed again. As I walked down the aisle, all the heads were turned toward the screen...except one. I had him. Charging, I launched myself toward the Demon and caught it before it had a chance to flee. Throwing my arms around him, we tumbled over a row of seats and into the laps of several unsuspecting movie patrons. Screams of terror erupted, ruining the screening of Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Clawing and kicking, the Demon did everything he could to get me off him. When it clawed me across my cheek, the scrapes immediately began to burn. The monster had some sort of poison in his claws. He let down his human disguise, revealing the horrible monster within. His face looked like molten metal blackened by fire. Shining silver tattoos glistened on its forehead and cheeks. Throwing its head toward me, it opened its mouth and shrieked. Grabbing the Demon’s head, I used all of my strength and cracked its head to the right, breaking its neck. “Shut up.” Standing, I saw the faces of cowering humans in the darkened theater. I wanted to say something, wanted to assuage them somehow, and tell them it would be okay. No words came.

Stepping into the aisle, I walked quickly out of the theater under the terrible stares of everyone still inside. Bursting into the lobby, I exhaled out of habit, not necessity. Running my hand through my hair, I started toward the exit. This was my third Demon this month, and it was only getting harder. When I walked out into the crisp night air, it felt good on my skin. “Rose?” I turned and found a tall, well-built man staring at me. I sniffed the air and caught his peculiar scent. “Demon,” I spat out and showed my fangs. “No, whoa,” the man said, holding up his hands defensively. “I’m on your side, sister.” I could smell no fear, no hatred emanating from the Demon. I let my eyes revert to normal. He slowly lowered his hands and pushed back his fedora. “My name is Maynard Markham. I work for an organization called the Brimstone Syndicate. We’ve been taking note of your activities.” “You’ve been watching me?” I asked. “Why?” “First, you’re a Vampire. We track Inhumans,” Maynard explained. “Second, you’re doing our job.” “I’m not tracking,” I said honestly. “We, for a lack of a better word, police the Inhuman population, and keep them away from humans.” Maynard pushed his wool trench coat back and stuffed his hands in his tro pockets. “Basically, we protect humanity from the things that go bump in the night, but we also serve Inhumans who have found the straight and narrow path in life. Like you. We want you to us.” I had never really considered what was a “right” or “wrong” path in life, nor did I consider that I was doing some sort of public service. I was simply killing killers. I had no idea I could make a career of it. “We’ll give you everything you need,” Maynard offered, “money, an identity, a place to live,” he paused, “blood.”

I was wary of the offer. “Why would I do this?” “Because it’s the right thing to do,” Maynard said with conviction. I stood, letting my head slide back to stare into the crisp, starry sky. It had been over thirty years since I killed Drew. I had never had a home, instead drifted from shelter to shelter during all that time. I didn’t have an identity to cling to. I barely even knew my own name anymore. I had lived a life of wild hedonism, and this could be a fresh start, a new chance after all of my mistakes. It seemed the Powers That Be were giving me a second chance. I would be a fool not to take it. “All right,” I breathed, watching my breath turn to vapor in the brisk night air. “I’m in. What do I have to do?” “Come with me,” Maynard smiled, “to your new life in the Syndicate.”

Chapter 38

Present day

I stared at Maynard across his desk as he looked at the artifact. Gently, he turned it over in his massive fingers, marveling at the craftsmanship and beauty of the piece. “Well,” he said after a moment, “what are you going to do, Rose?” “I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “That thing is like concentrated Vampire lithium. The worse part was that Drew didn’t give me a choice. I feel betrayed, and used.” Maynard nodded and placed the artifact on his desk. “Do you think you can control yourself without it?” I wasn’t certain I could keep the monster at bay. It consumed me, ate at me like a cancer, hollowing me out to sit in my soul. I wanted to say yes, but in the end, I wasn’t actually sure that I could. Good intentions only get you an “A” for effort. Maynard took a long, slow breath, and steepled his fingers in front of his mouth. “The Tribunal still has questions about Overseer Sumner’s death. They want the clone’s body for processing.” He paused. “But your Seeker status has been restored. They are pleased with your resolution of the Chithula incident.” I felt a burst of pride. That, at least, was something. Maynard continued, saying, “And they have also expressed their gratitude for bringing the activities at Area 51 to their attention.” I cocked an eyebrow. “Pardon?” “Colonel Fallon was experimenting on humans and Inhumans,” Maynard answered. “Taking what he wanted from Inhumans and implanting his soldiers with it. He was, in essence, breeding a new species.”

“I knew it!” I slapped the arm of my chair. “I could smell it, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.” “The Inhumans at Area 51 have been processed, released, or moved to Brimstone lockup, and his staff has been dismantled,” Maynard continued. “He had over twelve hundred Inhumans of almost every species locked up there.” There was a knock on the door. Maynard looked up, then motioned for them to enter. I turned to see Toby open the door and poke his head in. “Toby,” I said excitedly and stood up. I opened my arms for a hug, but the wolf refused to accept it. I shrank back, deflated. He had been wary of me ever since we returned...ever since Karl’s death. I sank back into my chair. “You wanted to see me, boss?” Toby asked Maynard. “Yeah.” Maynard motioned to the chair next to mine. “Sit down.” Toby slid around me, careful not to touch me, and into the waiting seat. “This thing with Karl,” Maynard said, “it’s a damned shame. Karl was a good Seeker, and had a promising career ahead of him. I’m so sorry for both of you.” “Thank you,” I whispered. I still hadn’t come to grips with Karl’s death. I could still see his face, his eyes, and hear his screams as he died. It was my fault, and Toby knew that. He hadn’t forgiven me, and I wasn’t sure he ever would. “Toby,” Maynard breathed. “Are you sure about this?” “I’ve thought it over,” Toby said. “This is the only solution I could come up with.” “All right.” Maynard lifted a folder off his desk and tossed it to Toby. “Transfer approved.” The words felt like a slap. “What?” “I’m going home,” Toby replied, “back to Philadelphia.”

I didn’t understand. “Why?” “Thank you, Maynard. It’s been a pleasure working with you.” Toby stood and stormed out of Maynard’s office without answering my question. “Toby!” I shouted after him. “I think he’s made up his mind,” Maynard commented. I shot Maynard the stink eye, snatched the artifact off his desk, and charged after my friend. “Toby, wait!” Toby stopped just short of the elevator. “Tell me why,” I said. “You owe me at least that much.” “I can’t do this anymore, Rose,” Toby said, looking right at me for the first time since Karl died. “I can’t trust you anymore. What happens the next time you snap and turn evil? Who will you kill then? Me? Maynard? Who will it be?” “That’s unfair,” I argued. “There were circumstances—” “I don’t care,” Toby said, cutting me off. “My transfer’s been approved.” He jabbed the elevator call button. “I’m done. Now please, leave me be.” I watched the elevator doors slide open and Toby step inside. As the doors slid shut, I watched him disappear, maybe for the last time. I didn’t know if I should go charging after him, or just let him go. I stood at the elevator for what seemed like hours, hoping he would change his mind and come back. He didn’t. I turned and walked back to my desk, then slumped into my chair. I sat staring at the artifact I held in my hand and watching it glow slightly. Everyone who was important in my life, I had let down: Drew, Toby, and Karl. I would not let that happen again. Not ever. Taking a deep breath, I pressed it to my chest and felt the same searing pain I had almost a hundred years ago. This time, it was my choice.

About the Author

The author of numerous novels including the best sellers Fallen Angels, Darkness, and Crusade, Terence West is a Gen X refugee that fears the day his generation will rule the world. He’s currently stockpiling goods and supplies in Twin Falls, Idaho with his wife and four dogs. Terence grew up near the small skiing town of Steamboat Springs. Living there gave him a lot of time to work on his writing because of the elements. He jokes that “back in Colorado we had one month of summer, and eleven months of winter.” A very artistic student, his goal in life was to be an illustrator. In his spare time he hunched over a makeshift-drafting table working on his own comic books. He would write and draw all of his stories. It was then that he learned he enjoyed writing the stories more than drawing them. Terence is married, has a beautiful daughter named Alexis, a step-son named Garson, and a new baby boy named Jack that arrived October 1st 2008. When not behind the keyboard, he’s behind the microphone hosting middays on Twin Falls’ number one radio station, 95.7 KEZJ. After spending a decade in radio, he can no longer how to be anything other than “delightfully eccentric.” Of course, that’s what he calls it. Terence has won several writing awards, including a Dream Realm Award, and an EPPIE in 2008 for his involvement in the Twisted Tails II Anthology. He credits a lot of his talent as a writer to his mother and father. They never pressured him to follow in his father’s footsteps, rather to find his own path in life. You are invited to visit his website at: http://brimstonesyndicate.com/

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