Creature of Habit (Book 3) (7 page)

"Shut up." I told her, annoyed already by her ridiculous behavior. Elijah hissed with rage from across the field, struggling against Ryan's enormous hands. His anger was palpable. I fought the urge to eliminate her immediately. Ignoring him the best I could, I looked down at Penelope, her mouth opened wide with amusement, but her eyes were dead and hollow.

"Who are you?" I asked and searched her vacant eyes. She hissed, viciously baring her teeth as I pushed harder into her granite flesh, grinding her bones into the grass and dirt underneath her. “Why did Caleb send you?”

“Nice to meet you too, Grant Palmer. I’ve heard so much about you. So very, very much,” she replied with the same gleeful smile on her face. “I’m Penelope, Caleb’s, uh, well… I took Sasha’s place.”

“In his bed?”

“His bed. By his side. A piece in his game.” She shrugged, but I caught the tiny frown on her lips. She didn’t like being second, or possibly third.

“Another piece lost, pity.”

"I see you met up with some of my men," she taunted, eyeing the sore on my arm. "Took a piece of you with him?"

"How many others are there?" I asked, wondering about the size of their remaining army.

She sighed bitterly. "The ones you killed tonight were the last at my disposal."

"How many are at Caleb's disposal?"

She narrowed her eyes in consideration. She could hold me off for a moment but not forever.

"Enough!” she cried, closing her eyes. “He took the best ones, you know, because his precious has to have the best, while the rest of us tromp through the forests like savages.”

His precious
? My temper flared and I asked again, "Where. Are. They?"

“He’s with her, of course,” she whispered, the smirk finally vanishing from her face. She could only fight the compulsion for so long and I felt her will slipping away.

The words were eerie, hauntingly soft for a she-devil. "It took him half a century, trips across the globe, and countless failed attempts, but he found her," she mumbled. "Sasha followed him, hunted with him, loved him, every step of the way, but he only wanted her, the rest of us were merely playthings and pawns. I thought maybe once Sasha was dead he’d see me with different eyes. See that I was valuable too, but none of us were a match to her.”

“Who?” I needed her to say it.

“Sarah Olivia."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Elijah attempt to break free at the mention of Olivia, but Miles pushed his own body over his in an effort to restrain him.

“What are you saying?” I asked. “That she's his mate?"

“His mate?” Her eyes widened at my question, and she began to laugh again, succumbing to fits of giggles. “Oh no, Grant, she is so much more than that. Olivia is the key to his power, his domination over the others, people like you and even the Council.”

I cocked my head in confusion, and cringed when she laughed again.

"Domination?" I asked, thoroughly confused by her ramblings.

"Her powers, you fool. Caleb wanted her abilities, not her companionship. With her gift as a seer, he can manipulate everything and anyone he wants. He can build his own army and control any form of government—vampire or beyond. Haven’t you noticed he’s been doing it all along? Influencing her visions?”

The concept slammed into me like a wrecking ball. She was right. Caleb had controlled all of us for months. Getting into my head. Blocking and diverting Olivia’s visions. Making her think she was losing her touch.

“Ah, you have noticed. It's all about control, Grant, I would think you would understand this. You do love to be in control of things." She rolled her eyes at my apparent naïveté.

Her words filled the night air; I knew the others could hear her. Her pale face was truly beautiful, and her glowing yellow hair tangled in the weeds beneath her head. I focused on her eyes, bitter and soulless, void of any feelings. I leaned into her ear and whispered softly, "Betray him as he betrayed you. The only way to hurt him is to take away the one he cherishes. Isn’t that the game he’s been playing with me? Going after my family. My mate? Tell me how to find him."

She stared at me for a moment, considering my proposal. She opened her mouth to speak, but instead of words she once again giggled maniacally, sounding crazier with each passing moment, her thoughts erratic and bold. Finally she stilled under me and smiled lazily. “He asked me to  give you this,” she said, forcing her way into my mind, the way he had done, implanting a perfect image of Olivia and Caleb in the room she had last seen them in. In seconds I counted the metal boxes on the walls, and read the letters on the small plaque near the door that was thick and glossy silver.

"Which one?" I asked, clenching my hand around her throat.

"Elm Street," she barked, her eyes widening at her admission. Her upper lip curved into the most evil smirk. "She's been in Asheville all along."

I released my grip slightly, glancing at Miles to determine what to do next. Before I could move, Penelope laughed again and said, "Caleb will have a field day when you show up reeking of your human's scent all over your body. Bedding a human, Grant… how shocking. Although, you'd better hope you get there before she does."

In a flash, both of my hands twisted against her throat. She looked at me devilishly. "Why would she get there before me?" I asked, my head cocked in question as ice-cold terror filled my veins.

Penelope struggled against the weight of my hands. I was blocking her windpipe—her ability to speak. I loosened my grip. "He sent you a message, which I'm assuming you didn't receive or you wouldn't be here. Maybe she got it instead?”

"I have no idea what you are referring to," I sneered, placing my faith in Adam to keep Amelia safe. "What kind of message?"

"He's ready for this to end. He wants you to know where he is and how to find him. He would make you work for it, of course, but that's of no consequence now, is it?" She muttered the last part under her breath, aware there were no secrets left in this crazy game.

I shifted infinitesimally, squelching the horror that consumed my mind and dipped my chin at Ryan who nodded in return. He released his grip on Elijah as I slowly removed my weight off of Penelope’s body. Elijah flew from under Miles's grasp, and the only thing I felt was the breeze of his speed as he rushed past me, careening full force into her body. Her expression turned from insane amusement to understanding before shifting to acceptance quicker than I could've expected. I turned my back as Elijah pounced on the passive, laughing demon behind me.

I attempted to ignore the sounds as I walked away—the shouts to calm Elijah, the collection of wood, and the familiar noises of starting a fire. There was the distinct thump of still-moving body parts landing on the soft, grassy field. Elijah's pain was deafening, filling my soul with heartache and grief. The only sound that overshadowed it was the ripping of flesh and squealing laughter from the demented.

Genevieve and Miles approached me, their questions cutting through the emotional haze of my mind. They asked for Olivia's location and what exactly did Penelope mean by her comments of domination. They worried about Amelia, but most of all they watched me, my image reflected in their eyes. My face was constricted. Hair standing on end, disheveled almost beyond recognition. My pale arms were exposed, having lost my shirt earlier. I was now covered with dirt and scars from the fight. All of these things shocked me, including the way my fists balled by my side and the obvious tension in my shoulders.

I looked as crazy as Penelope felt.

Running a hand in my tangled hair, I found I couldn't respond to their questions verbally. I was too blinded by rage and fury, too distracted by the aching pain of loss, as I thought of Olivia imprisoned by that monster, the same one who threatened my Amelia, the keeper of my soul.

Stopping at the edge of the forest, I said into the smoky night air, "She's in town—held in the Asheville First National Bank."

Without another word, I slipped away from my family and into the absolute darkness of the forest. Positioning myself in the direction towards Asheville, I began reviewing the information I had. Penelope and Caleb’s fighters were dead. I knew where Olivia was being held. I had to trust that Amelia was safe with the Shifter. This situation was coming to an end, cumulating to just Caleb and I, as it should have been all along. Picking up my pace, I thrust myself though the woods, determined to finish this once and for all.

Chapter 11

Amelia

"He won't pick up," I said, throwing the phone onto the couch. It bounced off the cushion and hit Adam on the leg. "Why doesn't he pick up?"

Adam sighed in annoyance, rubbing his hand through his hair. "I don't know Amelia, because he's fighting vampires and maybe doesn't have time to take a call from his girlfriend?"

I shot him a dirty look and began pacing across the glossy hardwood floors that spanned the Palmers’ foyer. I'd finally gotten myself together and stopped crying over the terrifying video, becoming almost numb after watching it countless times. Adam had a theory that Olivia was being held in an old bank, near the center of town, in the vault. The safety deposit boxes on the wall and a small plaque by the door tipped him off to the location. Not being able to reach Grant by phone was infuriating.

I looked at Adam, who appeared unfazed by the whole thing, and asked, "What should we do? You know how to find Caleb, I can't reach Grant, and Olivia needs our help."

"I know one thing," he said, glancing up from the computer screen where he was watching the video Caleb had sent again. "There’s nothing you can do to help in this situation so you may as well relax for a while. And I hate to break it to you, but I’m not getting involved with saving one vampire from another vampire.”

I groaned in exasperation, dropping into the cushy arm chair across from him and sighing. He was completely right. There was nothing I could do, and asking him to get involved with finding Olivia was probably out of line. Grant would kill me if I stuck one toe outside this door without him. Plus, I had no interest in coming face to face with Caleb in real life after my earlier evil vampire encounters. Twice was enough. Sasha and Joe were terrifying, but the video had shown me that Caleb was a whole other level of psycho.

Picking up one of the magazines from the end table, I began flipping through it, restlessly skimming the pages of kitchens, expanded attics, and period-style bathrooms. Not interested in This Perfectly Perfect Old House I tossed it back, scattering the organized pile of similar magazines across the table.

"You better put those back," Adam warned, his deep voice bouncing off the vaulted ceiling. "Things in this house are very 'in place’. I wouldn't want to be the one who messed it up."

I scowled but began methodically arranging the magazines as they were before I knocked them askew. My heart almost broke when I realized they were in chronological order by month and it reminded me of Grant and his ridiculous obsessive-compulsive tendencies. "Well, at least he's not the only one," I muttered under my breath.

"Not the only one what?" Adam asked from the couch. Didn't he need to use the bathroom or go outside to check on David?

I raised an eyebrow in his direction as I moved across the room and began looking though the row of books lining the shelves near the fireplace to distract myself. "Great. You have super hearing, too." Irritated suddenly at my apparent lack of super powers, and feeling increasingly stressed at the fact my phone hadn't rung, I decided to change the subject. "What are the other animals doing now?"

Adam stretched his legs out in front of him and placed his hands behind his head. "They're out there in the woods, merged completely with the forest. Birds, squirrels, coyotes, fox. Take your pick. Your demons were following a specific trail north. The Shifters are patrolling between Asheville and Lost Cove, because our job is to keep our community safe,” he explained. "We only expanded our territory to include you."

Feeling ungrateful, I offered him an appreciative smile in return and quietly said, "Thanks. I guess I would’ve heard from them if something—"

I never finished my sentence because Adam sprang out of the seat, the couch itself slamming back against the wall forcefully.

“Holy shit!” I cried. In mere seconds Adam was no longer Adam, but had transformed-mid-air-into his cat. The animal, larger than I remembered him, leapt across the room with a screeching growl before crashing through the solid glass front door.

My hands moved to my ears as the sound of cascading glass showered over the hard floors. After the glass settled it was—for a moment—eerily quiet, the only sound in the room was my heavy breathing and the gentle breeze in the trees that flittered through the now open doorway.

“How?” I said. How did he move so fast? How did he break through the door? Why didn’t I realize how powerful he was?

I stood up slowly and edged around the sharp pieces of glass that littered the floor, walking towards the window. I occasionally heard the hard crunch under my shoes as the glass ground into the home’s pristine floors. When I reached the window, I tentatively lifted the curtain, pushing it to the side to gain a better view of the yard. There was nothing there but dark and silence. I dropped the gauzy white fabric and touched my pocket.