Blood Wyne (5 page)
We’re in the middle of a nasty demonic war, trying to prevent Shadow Wing, the demon lord in control of the Subterranean Realms, from pulling a major coup on Earth and Otherworld. To do so, he needs to gather as many of the spirit seals—parts of an ancient artifact—as he can. We’re trying to get to them first, so it’s a race. We’ve managed to keep five away from him. He’s got one. Three are up for grabs.
So far, we’ve kept him and his hordes at bay, but a month ago they trashed our house and so we’re doing our best to regroup and strengthen ourselves. There are so many variables in this war by now that we’re taking it one day at a time and hoping for the best. But lately
the best
just seems to mean we get beat up a lot. And a few of our friends have learned the hard way that their connection to us can lead to major injury . . . or death. We do what we can, but one day our luck’s going to run dry.
the best
just seems to mean we get beat up a lot. And a few of our friends have learned the hard way that their connection to us can lead to major injury . . . or death. We do what we can, but one day our luck’s going to run dry.
The best we can hope is that somehow we’ll emerge victorious. The worst is that our end will be as quick and painless as it can be, because frankly, the more mired we get, the less optimistic we are. But until we know which way the pendulum’s going to swing, we’ll kick all the demon ass we can, and if we go down, we’ll take as many of them with us as we can. Because we know we’re on the right side. And that’s what counts in this cold, heartless world.
As I headed back to the bar, I thought about the meeting with Chase. A vampire serial killer meant major problems. For one thing, I was persona non grata among the vampires who might give a damn, and a villain among those who would cheer the creep on. Which meant that, for all intents and purposes, I was the odd vamp out.
Sassy Branson—the socialite turned vampire who was fostering the one daughter I’d sired—might help me, although Sassy was having problems of her own, and they were growing more marked. I wasn’t quite so trusting of her as of late. But Wade, the leader of Vampires Anonymous, and the rest of the pack that followed him had made it clear I wasn’t welcome anymore.
The bar was jumping when I returned, but Derrick seemed to be handling the crowd in stride. I waved to him and headed into my office.
Chrysandra poked her head in. “Nerissa said to tell you she’s headed out for the night. She’ll call you later.”
“Thanks, chickadee,” I said, mulling over who might be able to help us out in this situation. Delilah was ostensibly a PI, but really that was more for show than anything else, though she was good at ferreting out information. And no way was I sending her out scouting for information on vampires. That was a recipe for disaster. No, we needed help from the undead side of things.
Hesitating, I picked up a cream-colored invitation and stared at it. I hadn’t answered yet—at least, not more than a
maybe
. But the man who’d sent this, he might be able to help. Technically, he wasn’t just a man. He was a vampire, but I was very cautious about getting anywhere near him.
maybe
. But the man who’d sent this, he might be able to help. Technically, he wasn’t just a man. He was a vampire, but I was very cautious about getting anywhere near him.
With a sigh, I picked up the phone and dialed the number.
Both Kitten and Camille were waiting up when I got home. I’d called and asked them to haul ass out of bed because we had a few things we needed to discuss, and I didn’t want to wait until tomorrow night.
Camille was sipping a cup of steaming tea. Dressed in a black filmy gown, she had a cozy fleece robe thrown over the top. She was gorgeous. That raven hair of hers seemed to be getting longer, and her curves filled out the night-gown and robe nicely.
Good thing we’re sisters, or I might not be able to keep my eyes to myself
, I thought.
Good thing we’re sisters, or I might not be able to keep my eyes to myself
, I thought.
Delilah, on the other hand, was wearing a pair of pink flannel pajamas with a kitty on the front, and fuzzy slippers that reminded me of tribbles. She was nursing a glass of warm milk and munching on cookies.
I took off my boots and jacket and sat cross-legged in the big overstuffed chair that Smoky had bought for the living room to replace one of the chairs damaged when the demons trashed our home. Most of the furniture was new, actually, and there were still gouges on some of the walls where the Tregart demons had punched holes through the drywall.
The guys had repaired all of the outside damage and were slowly working their way through the inside of the house now, taking care of the detail work.
“We’ve got a problem. Chase called me over to HQ tonight. It looks like we have ourselves a vampire serial killer on the loose.” I leaned back against the cushions, closing my eyes. It felt good to be home. I loved clubbing, loved hanging out on the dance floor with my girl, or at the bar with my staff, but at the end of the night, I wanted to be home, to play with Maggie, our cute little calico gargoyle, to chill with my sisters and Iris, and just . . . just to be.
“Great. Another Harold, only after vampires instead of Fae?” Camille grimaced. Harold Young still sat uneasy on her mind. All of our minds, actually. He’d been the worst of the monsters, even though he’d been an FBH. In fact, that was what made him so horrible—he
had
been all human by blood. But pure demon into the depths of his soul.
had
been all human by blood. But pure demon into the depths of his soul.
“No—not a serial killer after vampires. A
vampire serial killer
. He’s killing young women.” I gave them the rundown on what Chase had shown me. “He has to be either a fairly new vampire or new to the area, unless there was a trigger to set off this spree.”
vampire serial killer
. He’s killing young women.” I gave them the rundown on what Chase had shown me. “He has to be either a fairly new vampire or new to the area, unless there was a trigger to set off this spree.”
The doorbell rang and we all stared at the hallway for a moment. It was three in the morning. Who the fuck would be at our door at this time?
“Could it be Nerissa?” Delilah stood, but I motioned for her to sit and silently crossed to the door, wishing I hadn’t already taken off my boots.
We were all leery ever since the skirmish in late October when Iris had almost gotten killed. We’d inadvertently left our home open to invasion and paid for it. After that, we begged some brawn from the elven goon squad back in Otherworld. They didn’t look particularly strong, but the three elves posted outside the house were deadly when it came to martial arts and magic. Trenyth, Queen Asteria’s right-hand man, had arranged for them to stay with us for now.
We had two peepholes, one at Iris’s level and one at Delilah’s. I used Iris’s, and, to my surprise, saw my daughter.
“Erin?” What the hell was she doing here, and alone? I didn’t like her wandering around without supervision. I might be an overprotective mother, but I knew what risks there were out there, how great the hunger was for a fledgling and just how easy it was to slip.
I yanked open the door.
“Erin, what are you doing here? Is Sassy with you?” I glanced outside, scanning the yard, but there was no sign of the older socialite.
Erin shook her head and dropped to the floor, kneeling in front of me. As her sire, I’d always take on a certain godlike essence to her, and she’d fear my displeasure for a long time. At least until the day her powers grew to the point where she could destroy me. But considering who my sire was, chances were that day would never come.
Dredge had been one of the strongest, deadliest vamps to ever walk either Earthside or Otherworld, and I’d fed directly from his veins. Erin was once removed from him, and she was also human.
I’d turned Erin a little over a year ago, when she was forty-nine years old. She’d always been butch until Sassy took over fostering her. Now she was dressed in Chanel, with a stylish haircut, and her tan had faded into the albino skin that most vamps sported. Erin would never be beautiful, at least not to most eyes. But her heart was pure gold, even in her new state.
I held out my hand for her to kiss, as custom dictated. She pressed her lips against my pale skin, and I motioned for her to stand. “Come in. What’s going on? Why are you here? If you needed me, you could have called and I’d have come right over.”
I led her into the living room and nodded for Camille and Delilah to leave us. Not good for Erin to be around the living much. Not yet. The temptation to drink was a strong force. Thirst burned in the young.
Erin waved at my sisters, and they waved back as they left the room, Camille with a stricken look on her face. Erin had been her friend, and Dredge had used her as a weapon when he came after me.
Collateral damage.
So far, two of Camille’s friends had lost their lives thanks to our enemies.
Collateral damage.
So far, two of Camille’s friends had lost their lives thanks to our enemies.
“We’ll be in the kitchen,” Delilah said as they slipped into the hallway.
I motioned for Erin to sit next to me. “What’s going on? Why are you here?” Vampires didn’t usually dillydally with small talk. It was a waste of words.
“I’m worried about Sassy.” Erin gazed at me, her pale brown eyes fading into the mist. They were shifting to gray, as most vampire eyes did over time. She drew her hand across her face and pinched her brow. “Mistress, Sassy, she’s . . . something’s not right.”
“What isn’t right? Can you be more specific?” I had a sinking feeling I already knew the answer but hoped I was wrong.
“Last night someone came to the house. I don’t know who it was, but I know it was another vampire. He brought . . .” She stopped and swallowed, fear clouding her face. “I don’t want to get Sassy in trouble. She’s done so much for me.” As a look of clarity raced through her eyes, I realized that Erin was, indeed, growing and learning.
“Tell me. I know you’re afraid, but you can tell me anything.” I reached out and slowly stroked her face, running my fingers down her cheek. I’d vowed never to sire a child, but here she was, my daughter forever until one of us walked into the sunlight. How could I not care what happened to her? And her behavior would reflect on me.
Erin shuddered at my touch, raising her hand to cover mine. “I know I can. That’s why I came to you. Someone came over last night; a vampire, but I don’t know his name. He brought a girl with him. Sassy told me to go to my room and stay there—that she had some business to attend to. I was angry. Earlier we’d had a fight. I wanted to wear my jeans but she wanted me to wear some designer crap. Anyway . . . she and this guy disappeared with the girl as I pretended to do what she told me to. I know I’m supposed to obey her, but something felt wrong.”
My stomach sank and I had the nasty feeling I knew how this was going to end. “What happened?”
“I followed them. They took the girl down to Sassy’s safe room. I was able to watch without being seen. They savaged her, Menolly. I wanted so bad to go join them, to feed, but I forced myself to remember what you taught me about honor and the path we walk. And I don’t think the girl wanted it. They . . . fell on her and . . .” She paled—if vampires can pale—and hung her head, looking sick. “It was bad. It was really bad. I’ve never seen Sassy so cruel.”
“What did she do?” I didn’t want to know, and yet I had to.
“She went down on her, then fed from her.
Down there.
The girl started screaming but fell into a stupor. When Sassy finished, the male vamp took his turn. Neither one of them was looking for just food. And then . . . they drained her. I know she was dead,” Erin whispered, bloody tears trailing from her eyes. “It made me sick. I ran back to my room and kept my mouth shut. I wanted to come right over, but if they knew I was gone, they’d have come after me. Tonight, Sassy went to a party and left me home, so I slipped out.”
Down there.
The girl started screaming but fell into a stupor. When Sassy finished, the male vamp took his turn. Neither one of them was looking for just food. And then . . . they drained her. I know she was dead,” Erin whispered, bloody tears trailing from her eyes. “It made me sick. I ran back to my room and kept my mouth shut. I wanted to come right over, but if they knew I was gone, they’d have come after me. Tonight, Sassy went to a party and left me home, so I slipped out.”
I stared at my daughter. What the fuck had I been thinking, leaving her in the care of someone I didn’t really know? What the hell had I done? I wanted to punch something but stopped. If I put a hole through the wall, Iris would have my ass.
“What has Janet said about these goings-on?” Janet was Sassy’s lifelong companion—a combination older sister/ personal maid. The elder woman was as delightful as Julia Child and as prim as Emily Post. I’d come to love how she looked after Sassy.
“Not much of anything. I don’t think she knows. Janet’s really sick,” Erin said, staring at the floor.
My stomach lurched. Janet had a brain tumor that was slowly eating away at her life. “Is she . . . her tumor?”
“Yeah, I think she’s in the last stages. She’s been in bed a lot lately. And she’s scared, Menolly. Sassy . . . Sassy keeps talking about turning her, and Janet keeps begging her not to.”
“Crap. How long do you think Janet has?” I bit my lip, wanting to cry. Janet didn’t deserve to be harassed at the end of her life, and the old Sassy would never have even
thought
of turning her best friend.
thought
of turning her best friend.
“A few days at the most, but it could be any time. She’s been asking about you.”
“I’ll go as soon as I can—in the next night or so. I promise. Meanwhile, you’re not going back. You will sleep here tomorrow, with me. But you must promise to be on your best behavior. And I’ll find a safer place for you to live.” I stood up and held out my hands. She took them and smiled at me, bravely. Erin might have been a grown woman when she died, but all vamps revert back into an awkward stage for their first few years after death. In essence, Erin was both a middle-aged woman and a shy teenager.
“Come now. I’m going to take you down to my lair and get you some blood—wait till you taste what Morio makes for me. It’s almost as good as being alive again.” It wasn’t ideal to reference life in a newly minted vamp’s presence. Erin would still be mourning her loss, but with the flavored blood my sister’s youkai-kitsune husband prepared for me, Erin would get a little taste of her former life back.
“Come.” I led her into the kitchen. Delilah and Camille looked up. “Erin’s going to be staying with us for the night. She’ll sleep in my lair with me. I’m just going to get her a bottle of blood and settle her in, and then I’ll be back.”
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