The Vampire SEAL Collection, page 114
She was still fidgeting with her hands. “I told you I came alone.”
Something wasn’t right. Again, I sniffed, sweeping the shop like the soldier I was trained to be. The human who entered a minute ago was paying for her box of donuts.
I started to stand. “It’s been nice, Kate.” Something told me to get out of there and back to Jo and Sam. To hell with planting the device.
“Wait,” she said, sliding a hand across the table.
She was stalling.
“For what? I got what I came here for, unless you want to come home.”
For a brief second, she looked away as though she was considering my last statement.
If she did want out of Edmund’s stronghold, I would help her, but it would take more time than the fifteen minutes I had before I had to return to the truck. “Look at me, Kate. You want out of Edmund’s rule, don’t you?”
When she lifted her head, remorse washed over her face before she banked it. “I’m curious. Does Steven know you’re here?” she asked in a sharp tone.
“Kate, what’s going on? You’re all over the map with your emotions. You’re giving me signals that tell me you want out. You’re nervous. Unless you’re playing me.”
She lifted a shoulder as she gave me a satisfied smile.
As I pushed to my feet, someone knocked on the window. I switched my attention from my sister to Nicki. What the fuck?
Nicki nodded at Kate.
I shook my head. “Came alone, huh? You’re a great actress, Kate.”
She peered up at me with a smug expression. “Do you know where your precious Jo is?”
My vision blurred as nausea took hold.
“I have to thank you,” she said. “I was not expecting your call, but you did set up our plan perfectly.” She stood, picked up her purse, and hiked it over her shoulder.
We faced off as I fingered the dagger in my pocket. “If you value your life, sister, I would highly suggest you speak now.”
She placed a hand on my chest. “Oh, brother. We have the twins, thanks to you.”
My heart stopped. “Impossible.”
She shook her brown head. “Your precious Jo is clouding your intelligent brain. Bruno put a GPS chip in all the sentinels just in case you survived the explosion. He knows how hard it is to kill a vampire. So, surprise. We’ve known your location all along.” She puffed out her chest. “Nicki and I followed you back from Alaska, while Edmund stayed to fight. We were just waiting for the right time. Now, thanks to you, we’ve picked up the twins from behind the church up the street.”
“So you think you won.” Now it was my turn to smile smugly. “If what you say is true”—I knew she wasn’t lying since she’d just mentioned the church—“then what? You kill me once and for all?” Fuck. Bile rose to settle in my throat. I had fucking led Sam and Jo to slaughter. I was supposed to protect them. I had promised Jo nothing would happen. I’d promised Steven the twins were safe. I clenched my fists as I narrowed my eyes, trying to hold back my fangs from dropping.
Think, London. The problem was I couldn’t think. I wanted to kill my own sister.
“While the thought excites me to kill you, I’ll save that for another day. Right now, you’re going to let me walk out of here. I’m sure you of all people don’t want to cause a scene. I would hate to cut off your head in front of humans.”
I let out a roaring laugh. “That’s not your style.”
The two people in the shop scurried away. Sometimes, I thought humans could tell that people like Kate and me weren’t human.
I gripped her shoulders. “So if you want to kill me, then do it. In fact, I’m sure if you take me with you, Edmund would gladly drive a blade through my heart once and for all.” Somehow, I had to get in that vehicle with her. I had to get to Jo and Sam. Even if that meant I might die in the process, at least I would feel as though I gave my all to try to save the twins.
But if she takes you hostage, then your chances of saving anyone might be zero. They will drug you again for months on end. Bruno would siphon all the blood out of you then let you die like he did Sloan.
Her fangs dropped. “My orders are to bring in Jo and Sam and no one else.”
I angled my head. At that moment, I wished I had the ability to read minds. Bruno had tried to kill me in Alaska, but there I was, standing in front of the enemy, and they weren’t interested in taking me in. “So do you want to kill or not?”
A horn blew.
“Your death will be on my hands and my hands only. But today isn’t that day. So if Nicki and I don’t return, then Edmund will be sure to kill Jo first.”
My mind was trying to process her admission. My own sister still wanted me dead. Sometimes, I believed she had been brainwashed by Edmund. I searched her eyes. She didn’t have the glossed-over look in them like victims who had been compelled. She made her decisions on her own.
“He won’t. He’s been waiting for months to get her. He’s not going to give up the one thing that is stopping him from building the perfect army. Why can’t you see that you’re just a pawn in his game? Edmund is so much worse than Steven.”
She set her jaw. “Edmund loves me, and Steven didn’t want me in his bed.”
The room spun for a split second. “Say what?” Her motives were becoming clear. “Are you telling me that you and Steven were lovers?” Hell, I had on blinders. “You want revenge against Steven because he didn’t want you in his bed? You think by killing me, you would hurt Steven?” For now, I had to shake off the revelation. Jo’s and Sam’s lives were at stake. “Here’s the plan. You and I will walk out calmly. Then you’ll tell Nicki to drive away, that we’re not done talking about family business, and that you’ll call her when you’re ready.” Kate was coming with me. It was time my sister was locked up and tortured until she told us where the twins were. It was time to end our feud once and for all.
“She won’t believe you. Besides, you can’t go anywhere without us tracking you.”
“Then Nicki won’t mind leaving you with me.” I didn’t give a fuck about the chip embedded in me because I was on my way to the base, anyway. With one hand, I grasped Kate’s arm, and with my other, I took out the tiny tracking device just in case the shit hit the fan. “We’re going to walk out of here calmly.”
As we shuffled to the door with Kate slightly ahead of me, I dropped the tracking device into a side pocket of her purse. Once outside, I removed my dagger with my free hand and pressed the blade to Kate’s neck, pulling her to me so her back was to my front.
Nicki rolled down the window on the black SUV. We stared at each other for a long second. Her gray eyes seemed to smile as though I was screwed. Then she leaned over from the driver’s side and opened the door. “Let her go, Webb. You don’t stand a chance.”
“I have a dagger to her throat,” I said calmly. “So drive away.”
Kate kicked my shin and tried to wriggle out of my hold. The blade scored her neck.
“I have no problem killing my sister,” I added.
Cars sped by, oblivious to what was happening, at least from what I could tell. Then an identical-looking SUV careened into the lot, and the door opened. A brute of a vampire pointed a gun at Kate and me. As though the situation were synchronized like a smooth orchestra, Kate bent forward just as a gun went off. Suddenly, I became dizzy.
Fuck.
I couldn’t pass out. I dropped the dagger as Kate ran to Nicki. Then I reached for the dart-like bullet and yanked it out of my throat. Warmth began to spill into my veins, making me sway on my feet. Tires screeched, and I squinted to read the license plate. But my vision was too blurry.
Fuck was on repeat in my head as I fell to my knees, my eyelids becoming heavy. I shook my head vigorously, hoping to keep from passing out. I needed blood. Maybe drinking blood would counteract the effects of whatever they’d shot me up with.
A small human hand touched my arm, her scent so delicious that my gums burned with need to sink my fangs into her. “Sir, are you all right? I’ll call the cops.”
I squinted at the young girl who smelled like donuts—the same girl who had been behind the counter. “Don’t.” I inhaled a deep breath, which wasn’t the best idea since her sweet scent was driving my need to sink my fangs into her.
“Are you sure?” the girl asked as a teenage boy walked up, smoking a cigarette. The disgusting scent masked anything else.
My vision teetered in and out of blurriness.
“Cee Cee, what’s going on? Is this dude bothering you?” the teenage boy asked.
“No. He just got shot,” she said, her voice hitching.
The teenage boy with spiked black hair snuffed out his cigarette then picked up my bloody dagger. “No shit? You’re not bleeding, but your hand is covered in blood and so is the blade. Did someone stab you?”
“I’m fine. It was just a drill. I work for the military.” I planted shaky hands on the ground and pushed myself to stand. When I did, I wobbled.
The boy caught me.
I swiped the dagger from him and pocketed it. “I’ll give you a thousand dollars if you get me out of here,” I said, towering over the spiky-haired boy.
His dark eyes lit up. “What the fuck are we waiting for? Cee Cee, go back inside. I’ll call you later.”
If people were watching or saw what had happened, I couldn’t tell. I could only see a foot in front of me.
“My truck is up the street.” Blackness encroached. My eyelids fluttered shut, and again, I listed. I shook my head a few more times as I clutched the bullet in one hand.
“I hope you’ll be all right,” Cee Cee bellowed as the spiky-haired boy and I walked away.
Sweat beaded on my forehead, and the entire city spun while the boy helped me to my truck. When we rounded the church, my truck blurred in the distance.
“Seems like someone broke in to your truck,” the boy said. “Do you have the keys?”
I shook my head.
“That’s okay. I know how to hot-wire a car.”
When he helped me into the passenger seat, I closed my eyes briefly, trying to ward off the dizziness. When I opened them, I saw a note taped to the dashboard, but the words blurred.
The boy got into the driver’s seat. “Oh, the keys are in the ignition.”
“What’s your name?” My speech slurred.
“Diego.”
“Well, Diego, can you read that note?”
“It says ‘thank you.’”
“Any name on it?” I asked.
“No.” He started the engine. “Where to?”
“The military base on the water.”
As he navigated out of the parking lot, I rested my head back and closed my eyes. I was trying to think, but I was a second away from dropping into a deep sleep.
“Diego, I need you to punch me in the face.”
He chuckled. “No offense, dude, but you’re a mile taller than me, and you’re kind of scary.”
I sucked on my tongue to get some saliva to coat my throat. “I have to stay awake.” I also had to keep my fangs from shooting out. While Cee Cee smelled like a jelly donut, Diego smelled like a juicy steak.
“We’re almost there,” Diego said.
I opened my eyes as wide as I could, even though they felt as though I had a ten-pound weight on each eyelid.
Diego came to an abrupt halt at the guard shack. He rolled down the window when a sentinel approached.
The guard, who was dressed in fatigues and had his hand on his holster, peered into the truck. His bronze gaze met mine. “Lieutenant? What happened?”
“I got shot with a sedative-laced bullet. I need to get up to the infirmary,” I said in a lazy tone. “Lane, can you drive me in? And make sure Diego here gets a ride to wherever he needs to go.”
“You owe me money, man,” Diego said.
Oh, right. I fumbled with the glove compartment, where I kept emergency money hidden. Then I pulled out ten large bills and handed Diego the thousand dollars.
Lane opened the door. “Diego, step out, please, and have a seat in the guardhouse.”
“Thank you, man. I hope you’re okay,” Diego said as he traded places with Lane.
Lane barked words into his radio as he sped through the military base.
“I can’t keep my eyes open any longer.” My words slurred. “Tell Dr. Vieira to inject me with the antidote.”
As Lane pinched his eyebrows, my head lolled forward, and blackness finally consumed me.
18
Jo
The scent of bleach tickled my nostrils as my eyes slowly opened then closed. Voices hummed around me as metal clanked on metal. I went to turn over to continue my restful sleep, when something tugged at my arm before a pain seared my wrists. I sat straight up, or at least tried to. I gasped when I checked my body and found that I was anchored to a cold, metal table. I pulled on both my wrists to no avail. I tried kicking, but my ankles were strapped down, and the burning sensation of the cobalt metal was working its way up my legs.
“That won’t do you any good,” a familiar voice said.
I lifted my head.
My uncle Patrick sauntered toward me, looking deathly since the last time I’d seen him in the base prison months ago. Black circles marred the underside of his sky-blue eyes. His brown hair was a mess as though he hadn’t combed it in over a year. He settled on the side of the table, angling his head. “You’ve grown. You’ve turned into a beautiful woman.”
I bared my fangs at him. “Is the compliment supposed to soothe my anger?”
“I wished that my brother, your father, and I could’ve gotten along. I wished he would’ve taken me seriously.”
“You’re still jealous that you decided not to turn vampire when you had the chance.” I rolled my eyes. “Give it up. Any serum you come up with is not going to change a mere human into a perfect vampire. We all saw what happened to Blake Turner.”
“Ah, but we’ve come a long way in just a few short months,” he said proudly. “I’m only missing one ingredient that I believe will do the trick.”
“Let me guess—me and Sam.” I glanced to my right then left. “Where’s my brother?”
Patrick smiled as if he’d caught the canary. “Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Sam has the same DNA makeup as you. Well, one or two small differences, but when I combine your blood and marrow, the results will be powerful. I’ll create vampires that supersede your father, your brother, and even you.” Confidence oozed off him. “I’ll return shortly to take you into my lab.”
I stared up at the metal ceiling.
The door squeaked open. “Oh, and Jo? Your powers don’t work in here. So even if you get loose, you won’t be able to take down the building.” The door shut with a resounding thud.
Great! I was dead in the water. I scanned the room. The walls, floor, and ceiling were metal, and probably cobalt. It was the one metal that could kill vampires and the one substance that could prevent us from wielding our powers. I knew firsthand since the cells in the base prison were made out of the same metal.
I relaxed as my breathing slowed. Panicking wouldn’t get me off the table. I had to think. But all I could think about was how Webb was probably losing his mind by now. As soon as he’d left the truck, an eerie feeling had come over me before the scent of vampires floated in the air. Sam had tried to start the truck’s engine, but for some reason, it wouldn’t start. Then before we could even get out of the truck, men came up from behind, pulled us out, stuck needles into us, then threw us into a black SUV. Now I was between a rock and a hard place with no way out. Tears welled up as the urge to scream sat heavily within me. The urge to kill was stronger, though.
Your powers won’t work in here. Maybe not, but I had to try. I remembered when I had found Edmund in the base prison. The one thing he’d been able to do amid the cobalt walls was telepathy. Maybe I could get into Sam’s head and find out where he was.
“Sam.” I said his name out loud and repeated his name in my head. “If you can hear me, I’m okay. How about you?”
As I waited, I heard voices, although they were faint. Someone was almost yelling.
“You owe me that money,” the male said. That was Bruno. I couldn’t forget his distinct baritone voice.
“You didn’t deliver Jo and Sam,” Edmund said. “My team did.”
I shivered at the sound of Edmund’s voice as excitement blanketed me. Maybe I would have the chance to get my revenge on him.
“I put that GPS tracking chip in London,” Bruno returned. “I did everything you asked me to.”
“You were supposed to kill London. That was your first order.”
Bruno raised his voice. “The outcome is still the same. You got what you wanted.”
“No, I didn’t. You were supposed to deliver the Mason twins. And what are you crying about? You stand to make more selling sentinel blood than the mere million you would have made from me,” Edmund said. “Now, get out. Don’t make me kill you.”
Bruno laughed before a door slammed shut.
Footsteps drew near. A beep sounded before the door opened. I lifted up. Lo and behold, Edmund strutted in, his long legs encased in jeans. A crisp white button-up shirt covered his chest, and his black hair was perfectly coifed as though he was getting ready to model for a men’s magazine. Edmund wasn’t ugly by any means. I could see why Kate was drawn to him.
He smiled, showing white sharp fangs, as he settled next to me. “How are you?” His voice was sweet.
I laughed. “My enemy wants to know how I am? Do you care?”
“Jo, that hurts,” he said. “You should be excited that you and your brother will be part of something epic in our world. The elders will be ecstatic when they see firsthand what we can do with science. Then the military will be answering to me and not your father.”
The only thing that I was excited about was driving a dagger through his heart. Better yet, burning him before I cut off his head. He didn’t deserve to have a cobalt blade through the heart. That would be too easy. No, Edmund Rain needed to be tortured to a slow death.
