Blood Bonds (13 page)

“The Queen requested your presence and you denied her.” The Male made a clicking sound in the back of his throat.

“I didn’t deny her!” Not yet, anyways. “I just got the email yesterday.”

“And yet you are still not here.” Someone whimpered in the background.

“The email didn’t exactly have a date and time. Look, tell Medan--”

The Male snarled and Farley screamed. “You will address her properly or this conversation is over.”

“Okay ... I beg forgiveness.” Haley’s hands shook. She closed her eyes and pleaded with the God of Man to listen just this once. “Tell ... Her Majesty, that as an employee of the CFKR, I have been restricted to certain areas of the city. I’m not allowed in the Dens without clearance.” The Male on the other end was quiet and so was Farley.

The he said, “The Queen is impressed with your survival among the
Chetrah
. She will grant you forgiveness...” Haley slid to her knees. “But you
will
come to the Dens.”

“Yes...” Haley slumped against the desk. “Yes, I’ll come to the Dens, but I have to have time to talk with my boss.”

The Male was quiet again. “She will allow you to speak with your dominant. But do not take advantage of her kindness.”

Kindness? Kindness would have been a warning. Or maybe even a threat.

Haley said, “Where should I meet with her?”

“The Pit.” The Male said it like Haley should have known.

“What time?”

“Dark.”

“Can I speak to Farley? If Her Majesty should so desire it? Please?” There was the sound of movement again. The scream which came over the line was so loud Haley had to hold the phone away from her ear. It didn’t stop; it just kept getting more desperate until the line went dead.

“Hello?” Haley checked her signal. They must have cut the call. “Damn it!” She pushed herself off the floor.

“Was that Farley screaming?”

Haley looked at her. Claire stood in the middle of the room, her hands at her mouth, her eyes looking like they might pop out of her head. Haley couldn’t help but feel angry. Claire should have called her when Farley didn’t show. The woman knew he worked in the Dens. She knew it was dangerous for him. There was no telling how long they’d had him ... doing ... whatever.

Claire burst into tears. “Oh God, that was him ... that was him screaming ... what’s wrong ... who has him ... what’s...?”

Haley held up her hand. “Just shut up for a second. I need to think.” She took one step, then two towards the door. Then she was running.

Haley tore down the hall. Garrett’s office was a floor up and on the other side of the building. The elevator would be too slow. She took the stairs.

When she got to the top, she forced herself to calm. Her vision had gone all bright. She blinked once, three times. The ache in her teeth receded along with the auras of crystalline light.

Farley.
Her chest ached.

What if Garrett didn’t let her go into the Dens? What if he told her no?

But he wouldn’t. He couldn’t.

Yes, he could. As an employee of the CFKR, Haley was privy to a lot of sensitive information. She knew the names of snitches, undercover informants, and worse than any of that, she knew the Bureau’s methods of watching the money flow, the flesh trading, guns and drugs. There was more, so much more, and all that knowledge suddenly weighed on her like a sin.

Haley knew in her hearts she would never betray Garrett, but she was Kin, Medan was Queen, and it’s just fact that blood was thicker than pink slips, retirement, or even prison time. After all, Medan could make her talk if she wanted to. That power was what made her Queen.

When Haley was calm enough to trust herself, she opened the door and took a brisk walk down the hallway. She kept her eyes down, counting her steps. Two hundred and fourteen of them and she was standing at Garrett’s door. Haley didn’t knock; she just walked in.

Garrett hung up the phone. “Claire called.”

Phones, right. Yeah. She should have thought of that.

“Medan has Farley.”

“Explain.”

“I received an e-mail yesterday. I really didn’t take it seriously.” And, boy, was she regretting that now. “It was from Medan. She requested to meet with me.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

Haley shook her head. “I forgot, I guess. Bauer came in and asked me for help, then I was tired, I went home.” She clenched her eyes shut. “Why would she take Farley? He didn’t ignore her request, I did.” Garrett’s hand touched her shoulder.

“Because she knew taking you is a Federal offense. She would open up a whole can of worms she isn’t ready to deal with.” ‘Cause Haley was an Agent and Farley was an independent contractor: a specialized informant. Only he played both sides. Feeding information back into the Dens, as well as bringing it to the office.

It was a dangerous two-way game of chicken.

And Farley never blinked.

“But why? I mean, why would she even want to talk to me? She expelled me from the Dens...” Haley looked up at Garrett, hoping to find answers, but his stormy eyes were just as lost, just as worried. “I can’t leave him there. If I don’t show, she’ll kill him.” When Garrett didn’t reply, she paced the floor. “I know Farley screws up here and there, but he’s a good Kin. He loves his job. We owe him this. I owe him. I have to get clearance. You have to give me permission, or...” Garrett’s face was still stone cold and blank. “Or I’ll go in there without your permission, even if it means winding up in jail ... or worse ... Garrett...”

Her boss seemed to deflate. His eyes dropped, and he stepped back behind his desk. Garrett picked up the phone and tapped out a number Haley didn’t recognize. He put the receiver to his ear. “Connect me to Greenville.”

Greenville? Greenville, South Carolina was the Bureau hub. Garrett was going to make this happen.

“Transfer me to Moreland.” He tapped a finger against the calendar on his desk. “Yes, sir. This is Pip Garrett with the Atlanta CFKR. I need to request a two-ninty-seven clearance.” All clearances were referred to as numbers. “Yes, sir. Yes, it is, sir. Yes, sir, I have a five-oh-eight-I.” Emergency scenarios were numbers and letters. Haley had never heard Garrett use so many “sirs” in one conversation. He was quiet for a moment. His lips thinned out. “Yes, sir. I understand, sir. Yes, sir.” Garrett put the receiver back on the hook and stood there staring at it.

When his eyes shut, Haley knew. They’d denied his request. And still she asked, “They gave the okay, right?”

Garrett’s jaw tightened. “I’m sorry, Haley.”

“No ... I can’t believe they would do this to him. After everything he’s done for this office, for Greenville. God of Man, if it wasn’t for Farley, the Green-Street Killer would still be out there hacking people up, and the Atlanta PD would still be looking for a Kin. What about the shipping manifests he was able to slip out last month? How many people did he save on that truck? How many innocent Human lives did Farley keep from becoming part of the flesh trade? In case you forgot, eighty-one. Eighty-one! Because Farley risked his life!” Haley took a breath. Her throat hurt and her lungs burned from yelling.

Garrett looked as his calendar again. “My anniversary is tomorrow. Becky and I will have been married forty years.”

“What does that have to do with Farley?” Haley looked at the calendar where Garrett kept tapping his finger on the little square.

He acted like he didn’t hear her. “I’ve got a really busy schedule today, meetings, a couple of debriefings. The usual.” Garrett looked up at her and his eyes were sharp. “What did you help me pick out last year?”

Haley stared at him, gaping. Farley was in the Dens, his life on the line, and Garrett wanted to talk about what she picked out for Becky last year? “Sir, I don’t...”

He cut her off. “I thought about flowers but those are too overdone. And besides, she needs something special for putting up with me for this long.” He rifled through a small stack of mail sitting on his desk. “Been thinking about going all out this year.” He pulled out an advertisement with a small “ah-ha.”

Garrett pointed to the bright blue stone on the front. “That jeweler down on West Lane. You know, about a block or so from the south Dens? He makes these beauties by hand.” He showed her the picture, but Haley didn’t see it. She was too busy staring at Garrett like she didn’t recognize him. “He makes the orders while you wait. Sometimes it can take hours. Unfortunately I just don’t seem to have the time.” His gray eyes hit hers like a Mack truck. “You’re not busy today, are you?”

Haley shook her head. “I don’t know how long I’ll need.”

“Then buy something really expensive and extravagant.” Garrett fished through his pocket and pulled out his wallet and gave her a Visa card. “Just put it on that.” He waved a hand at her. “And have him engrave it for me.”

Haley took the card. “What do you want it to say?” She sounded as numb as she felt.

“You think of something. I’m not too good at those kinds of things.” He sat back down.

“I’ll get him out.” Haley put the card in the pocket of her blazer.

“You do that.”

“I’ll do right by this, sir. I swear...”

He coughed and rubbed one eye with his large knuckle. “Wish it would rain soon, pollen is getting to me.”

But it rained last night.

“Thank you.” Haley didn’t know what else to say.

“You’ll need these.” He handed her his keys. “Take the office car. It has GPS. And drive it home. You may be there a while. No need to bring it back here and then take a cab.”

She knew where West Lane was, but the GPS was a Send-Receive. The data on all the cars was uploaded daily. If they were out on the road, the office could locate an employee at any time. Or if the car was parked somewhere, it was recorded for how long.

Haley closed her hand around the keys.

“One more thing, Agent. Don’t be late tomorrow.”

Haley said the only thing she could, “I won’t.”

Farley flinched when something warm brushed the side of his face. He blinked, trying to clear the static from his head. He faintly remembered hearing Haley’s voice. But that was impossible. He was in the Dens, and Haley never came to the Dens.

A hand stroked his cheek, then pulled his head up.

Farley recognized the face. It was one of the three Males who took him down outside his apartment. No, what Haley had was an apartment. What he had was a hole in the wall he shared with the rats.

And cockroaches the size of rats.

“Her Greatness is content with the arrangement. She has granted you a stay of execution.”

Oh, right. Now Farley remembered why every bone in his body ached. Because they’d broken them. The lower caverns were cold enough to make Farley’s breath turn white, but that wasn’t what made him cold. His resources were running low. His welcoming committee had been at this for hours.

“Are you ready to dine yet, little dragon?” The Male’s thumb stroked Farley’s cheek and he leaned down close enough for Farley to get a real up close and personal view of his sharp and pointies. “Your
hunger
rises, does it not? You crave flesh, you crave blood?”

The hands of other Males worked to undo the shackles holding Farley down to the roughhewn table. His body contracted in rebellion from being stretched out so long. He screamed as his muscles pulled tight, and still broken bones tore through half-healed skin. Around him there was laughter.

Something hot touched Farley’s leg. He cracked his eyes and watched as one of the Males ran his tongue from his ankle to his calf. They had taken his clothes somewhere between topside and the Hive, so there was nothing to get in his way. The Male smacked his lips, making a show of tasting him. Lots of Males liked the way Farley tasted. He used the natural born talent to stay alive.

“Are you ready to
feed
yet?”

“I’m fine. I had a big lunch yesterday.”

Like hell he was.

The Human standing in the corner, looking like a food buffet, was making Farley’s mouth water.

“Please, Your Greatness, let me be the life for which you need.” And it sure as hell didn’t help that she kept saying stupid shit like that.

The dark Male grabbed Farley’s chin and forced his head to twist in the direction he was trying so hard to avoid.

“Look at her!” Farley clenched his eyelids tighter. Claws sank into his cheek and dug into the bone of his jaw. “Look at her or I will peel off your eyelids!”

He opened his eyes. Naked, clean, the pretty blonde just stood there like she’d been doing for the past several hours. There was a big black tattoo across her chest spelling out
Chetrah
.

Her name was Chrissy and she was a diehard MKFK member.

Emphasis on the “die”.

Chrissy pushed back a lock of blond hair and smiled so sweetly at him.

Blond hair, thought Farley. Claire has blond hair. He tried imagining that Chrissy was Claire. He cared about Claire and would never hurt her. It wasn’t too hard. Chrissy was pretty enough, but taller, with a little more shape. Claire was small, bird like, with narrow hips and a B cup.

Claire.
Farley told himself.
You’re looking at Claire.

Both of them had C names.

Getting easier all the time.

Chrissy held out her hands to him.

Claire, Claire, Claire.
It became Farley’s mantra.

“Please, oh Great and Wise, take my flesh and my blood. I am pure. No Kin has ever fed from me. You will be my first and it will be my honor.”

Maybe if she was scarred, Farley would find it easier to remember why he stayed off the Human flesh. Medan probably thought of the same thing when she’d picked the girl.

A sharp pain hit Farley in the back of the thigh as one of the Males latched onto him. Teeth pulled and tore at his skin, keeping the wound open and flowing. The little sucking noises the Male made caused Farley’s hunger to kick, not to mention the ache between his legs.

Farley tried to close his eyes again, but the dark Male tightened his grip.

“You will heal faster if you will just
feed
,” said another Male, close to his ear. “Look at you. You tremble. You grow cold.” A hand stroked Farley’s arm, traveled across to his chest.