Whisper to Me (Borne Vampires Book 1) (19 page)

Rathe handed her several clips loaded with silver
bullets. He wore a short leather jacket, his sword strapped to his back, same
as Faeroes and Simon. “When we’re finished, I’ll contact you.”

“Be careful. Do not underestimate Jarrod. Yes, he
wants me and Kai, but he also wants you dead.”

“I’ll be careful.” He pressed his forehead briefly
to hers before kissing her. Releasing her, he turned and leapt in the air,
followed by his brothers.

Anya kicked at the ground. “Like hell I'm going to
run again!” She glared in the direction the men went.

Mariah made to comment when Kai took her hand, her
youthful face pinched with worry. “Kai, what’s the matter?”

“Mom, I don’t like it. We should stay together.”

“It’s safer for you to leave here.” Pushing her gently
toward the house, she said, “Go get your bags.”

Watching the sky, Tereza said, “Mariah, David and
Rona need to leave — without Kai.”

“What?”

“Lydia knows the enemy and can protect Kai better.
Your friends don’t. They’ll die for her.”

“You’ve another plan?”

“Keep your thoughts protected, elsewise the boys
will know we’re not in agreement.”

David and Rona hurried toward her with their
luggage. Kai was slower, obviously not happy. She led the dogs with her.

“We’re ready.” Rona waved at Kai to hurry.

“Change of plans. You’re not taking Kai. You’re
taking my dogs. Rona, please don’t argue. Just drive until I contact you.”

“What about Kai? You both can’t stay here. It’s
not safe.”

“Best you don’t know what we’re doing. Be careful
and do not trust anyone. Keep driving until I call you and tell you it’s safe
to return.”

“Okay. I trust you.” Rona hugged her and had to be
pried off her by David. Mariah put the dogs in the back of their truck, but
Salish and Bear weren’t happy about it. Bereft of her dogs, she watched as the
truck sped down the driveway.

Taking her daughter's hands, she told Kai, “If
something should go wrong tonight, I want you to call Rona. She’ll come and get
you.”

Frantic, Kai threw her arms around her. “Mom, please
be careful! I don’t want to live without you!”

She drew her daughter back, holding Kai's sweet
face in her hands. “Honey, I
will
survive
this night!” She ordered, “Lydia, you take the sports car. Keep going until we
call you back.” Giving Lydia a light shove toward the car, she urged, “Go on.
Everything will work out.”

Tereza led Mina to the car, surprising everyone. “Lydia,
I am placing Aramina into your care.” Mina protested, halting when Tereza
smiled and kissed her cheeks. “My daughter, you are a Borne. You are strong.”
She withdrew the knife out of her boot and handed it to her. “Kai and Lydia are
our family. Protect each other.”

Hugging Kai tight, Mariah forced herself to
release her daughter and helped her into the backseat of the car. Mina climbed
in and shut the car door. Lydia looked at her from the other side of the car.

“I promise I will keep them safe. I swear it.”

“I know you will. Now get the hell out of here!”
She watched as her only child tried to be brave, buckling her seatbelt. The red
car sped away.

“Ladies, let’s ready ourselves for battle.” Anya
indicated they follow her to the elegant town car she and Faeroes owned, opening
the trunk. She stared at her before she reached in and grabbed a sheathed
sword, handing it to her. “Here, you’ll need it tonight.”

Taking the hilt in one hand, scabbard in the
other, Mariah drew the sword free. Something inside her clicked, as if wielding
the sword was perfectly natural. More than natural, it was her destiny. Sliding
it back in the scabbard, she fastened it, like Rathe had, across her back. She
braided her long hair and fastened the end with a rubber band Anya handed her. Cold,
she felt her face, her skin icy to the touch. Her stomach hurt, the ravaging
hunger beat at her violently, making her sick and weak. Hand on the car for
support, she struggled not to vomit.

 
Behind her,
Tereza said, “Its normal, Mariah. You just need to feed.”

“I drank Rathe’s blood earlier.”

“Drinking Borne blood will stay back the worst of
hunger, but it does not give us the nutrition we need. Only human blood can. We’ll
find donors in town.” Tereza strapped her sword across her back and holstered
her gun at her hip.

How would Rathe feel about her feeding on another
man? Pushing the worry away, she needed to be strong with the fight coming.

“Mariah,” Tereza motioned her to her, “flying is
relatively easy. Focus on the thought of flying, direct your body and mind to
obey your will.”

“Okay, sounds easy enough to do.” When they flew
upward, she did as Tereza said, and to her astonishment, she was able to keep
up with them.

Across the lake, they made for the infamous Coeur
d'Alene Lake Resort, displayed in a golden array of lights. Anya landed first
onto the floating docks and nodded it was safe. They landed beside her. Evening
quiet and cold, couples walked hand in hand. Anya signaled that three men were
coming, their loud laughter disrupting the peacefulness. When they were close,
Mariah could smell the alcohol on their breath.

Great, first time feeding on a human and I get one
intoxicated. Wonderful.

Silver eyes shining in the soft lights, Anya
beckoned the men to her. “Gentlemen, look into my eyes. You will feel no pain.
Relax and accept.” The men stared at her, unmoving. “Mariah, come and drink.”

Feeling awkward at what to do, she felt her fangs drop
as she thought about drinking his blood. The bluish-colored vein below his ear held
her spellbound. Placing her hand on his shoulder, the other on his head, she
angled him so she could better sink her teeth into him. Opening her mouth, she
felt her teeth pierce the young man's skin like a knife sliding through butter.
The immediate rush of hot, sweet blood thrilled her, and she fastened her mouth
over the wound she’d created and suckled in the needed nourishment. Tasting
human blood was completely different compared to Rathe’s blood, and she
instantly felt stronger, more alert — more aware of her vampire senses.

“Mariah, stop!” Tereza warned, pulling the man
away. “Never take so much you stop the human’s heart. If you kill, the death
takes your soul with it!”

Wiping her mouth, she watched as Anya whispered to
the men as she and Tereza sat them down on the bench. The vampiress planted the
idea they had drank way too much alcohol and needed to sleep it off.

Tereza asked, “Mariah, where is the club?”

“Two blocks north of here. Follow me.”

Chimes echoed, and the belfry tower rung eight
times. Off the docks, they cautiously entered City Park.

Anya stopped, sniffing the air. “Draw your swords!”

Pulling her sword free, Mariah dodged when a vamp ran
at her, gnashing his teeth at her. She swung, chopping off his head. No time to
wonder how she knew how to fight with a sword, she kept her back to Anya and
Tereza, as they formed a protective circle.

Anya growled, “Why aren’t they trying to kill us?”

Shit!

If they were taken alive, Tereza and Anya would
surely suffer a horrid death, played out for Jarrod's sick pleasure.

“Tereza, you and Anya run!”

“No! We won’t—” Anya’s words were lost when Mariah
rushed the vamps as Tereza pulled her with her as she leapt upward into the
air.

The vamps circled Mariah warily. Just like she
thought. She was their intended prey. Candy stepped out behind the tree, a
triumphant smile on her sallow features.

“How noble of you to sacrifice yourself for them,
too bad it was a wasted effort. They will be captured shortly.” The bite wounds
on her neck were raw and festering, the smell putrid.

“Nice hickey,” she said dryly, keeping her sword’s
tip lowered, prepared in case the twisted bitch attacked her.

Candy whipped her hand up and covered her wounds
self-consciously. “Soon, I will be beautiful and an immortal. He says I am one
of his children now.”

“Sorry, honey, but you haven’t improved your
situation or your looks since becoming Damned.”

“Be careful, Mariah, I can have you killed with
the snap of my fingers.”

Stabbing the tip of her sword in the ground, she
put her hands on her hips. “You just don’t get it, do you? I’m not to be
harmed, remember? Hell, I could kill you right now and those guys,” she thumbed
at the vampires, “won’t lift a finger to save your skanky ass.”

The enraged woman screamed at her, her long, red
nails became claws as she ran at her. Snarling, Mariah drew back her fist,
drawing her strength in, and slammed it right into Candy’s face. Candy's head
snapped back. Quicker, she punched Candy again, sending her flying onto her
backside. Dazed, Candy blinked several times, shaking her head. Mariah took up
her sword, intending to finish the bitch off.

Candy lifted her hand. “Stop! My master has in his
possession something quite precious to you, and if you want to see them again,
don’t hit me!”

“Who do you have?” Fear clutched her heart.

“You’ll just have to come with me and see, won’t
you?” Candy sneered, rising slowly to her feet as she wiped the green-colored
fluid off her mouth and chin.

“Where is Jarrod?”

“Waiting for us at the club.”

Sheathing her sword, Mariah shrugged her shoulders
and shape-shifted into an enormous eagle. Grabbing the screaming woman in her
talons, she leapt into the air. The cold rush of air from her wings sent dust
and leaves swirling about, temporarily blinding the vampires.

Flying across the park, she made for the club.
Above
The Inferno
, she released Candy.
Screaming, the woman fell, apparently forgetting she was a vampire and could
stop her own fall. Like a sack of potatoes, she hit the roof. Shifting as she
landed, Mariah shook her head as Candy struggled to climb to her feet.

Why hadn’t the vampires at the park followed her?

Unsure what their game was, she searched the clear
sky and had an idea how to keep them from coming too close to the club.
Concentrating, she summoned the storm. The air grew alive with static
electricity. Thunder rumbled ominously. In the distance, clouds raced across
the lake, merging and rolling angrily as lightening arced, illuminating them.

“How are you doing that?” Afraid, Candy demanded,
her ample chest heaving.

Jarrod's suave, softly-accented voice answered her,
“Because,” a smug smile curved his mouth when she turned to face him, “she is
my flesh and blood.”

The rising wind lifted strands of his pale hair
about his lean body. Clad in his customary white suit, Jarrod was what the
movies thought beautiful in a vampire and was a thousand times deadlier than
any sociopath. He tenderly caressed Candy’s mottled face.

“Mariah is the storm. She is Gypsy and Vampire
born. Destined to become my bride.”

“Your bride?”

“Together, we will create a new world where
vampires rule and the humans will be our slaves.” He grinned at her. “Won’t we,
my love?”

“Never! I’ll not betray my family, like you have.”

“Let’s head downstairs, shall we? Hate to have lightning
strike me. That’d take out all the fun we’re to have tonight.”

Refusing to budge, she lifted her chin. “No.”

“No?” Jarrod smiled dangerously. “I guess I’ll
just have to take the hard approach then.”

Big brawny arms pulled into her in a brutal
embrace. By the smell, the man was definitely a ghoul. Struggling to free
herself, she cried out when he squeezed his arms, crushing her ribs. Forced to
cease her efforts, she wasn’t the only prey Jarrod had trapped tonight.

“No!”

 
✝✝✝

“Candy’s gonna be pissed at me for sure.” Worried,
Jeremy sped down the highway. Mariah hadn’t fallen for their ploy, like she
said she would.

Driving back to
The
Inferno
, Jeremy parked outside the club. A rumbling, powerful engine
made him turn around to see who was coming. A lifted, black, four-door truck
pulled in front of the club. Six brutal-looking men climbed out. The driver, a
short, stocky man, shrugged on a heavy biker’s jacket. He approached Jeremy,
wearing a fake, cheerful smile on his scarred features.

“Candy's husband, yes?” Russian accent?

“Yes, I am. Where’s Candy? She said to meet her
here.”

“Candy’s been sent on an errand. Weren't you supposed
to bring us the writer?” The man's sharp eyes watched him, making Jeremy
nervous.

“She wouldn’t come. Hates my ass for dumping her
for Candy. Want me to go back and force her here?”

“No. We’ve sent others to bring her in.”

“What are you planning to do to Mariah? You’re not
going to hurt her, are you?”

“No worries about Mariah Jordan. The boss wants
her treated like a queen. However, we’re looking for the people she is with.”

“The big guy and his family?” The man nodded. “You
know they’re vampires, right?”

He thumbed at his men, and they went inside the
club. “Yeah, we know what they are. That’s why we want them.”

“Are you vampire hunters?”

Shrugging, he spread his hands out, and the way he
smiled made Jeremy nervous. “We’re all hunters, in one shape or another.”

“I guess Candy and I won’t get the reward, huh?”

“Oh, I think you’ll get something for your trouble.
Be back here in an hour. Boss will be here to meet you and that pretty wife of
yours.” He went inside the club, the door closed behind him.

“God, how the hell did I get involved in this?”
Jeremy asked himself as he got into his car.

The money, of course. Two hundred thousand dollars,
to be exact.

Parking in his spot outside the modest apartment
he and Candy rented, he went inside, relieved to find his wife gone. Tired, he
laid on the couch. Closing his eyes, he kept seeing again and again the love shining
in Mariah's eyes for that Rathe.