Broken: Hidden Book Two (3 page)

I pictured how I would kill him. Fire would be fast and easy, but I would not use it. Knives were always fun. I did enjoy their fear the longer the fight went on and they felt themselves losing. Stake through the heart was the traditional way, if I could find him when he was sleeping. But not as fulfilling. So many options.

He stopped talking again, and I let the silence stretch out longer.

He was on the verge of panic. I had to keep myself from smirking at him. “Thank you for coming. Your complaints have been duly noted.”

“Are you going to take care of this?”

“Oh, I definitely am,” I said. “I will deal with it personally.”

He stood up, nodded, and left without another word. Brennan escorted him out, and I heard Ada resetting the wards after he was gone.

Brennan came back in. “Who’s on this?”

“I am.”

“Molly…”

“I’ve got this one. That piece of shit was lying through his fangs.”

He snorted. “Ready for the next one?”

Chapter Two

I saw a steady stream of supernaturals. A few more witches, a shifter, a sprite. Most of them were simple enough. Someone treading on someone else’s territory, an insult given, a favor asked. I kept working throughout the day. After the sprite left, Brennan came back into my office with another cup of coffee.

“That was the last one. Shanti is here now.”

He seemed uncomfortable.

“What?”

“I figured out what she is.”

I raised my eyebrow, waiting.

“I had to pull her off of Stone. She was trying to eat him.”

“Vamp?”

He nodded.

“Oh, crap. Poor kid.” I rubbed my face. “Is Stone all right?”

“Of course. He was worried about hurting her.”

I nodded. “Okay. Let her in, and then close the door, all right?”

“Shouldn’t I stay? I mean…she’s hungry, Molly.”

“Do you really think I’m incapable of handling myself against a vampire?”

“Of course not, but–”

“Just bring her in, Bren.”

He gave a terse nod. Irritated. A few seconds later, Shanti was walking into my office, and the door closed behind her. Brennan was standing just outside the door, ready. I tried not to be annoyed with him. He was doing what shifter males do best: protecting the pack. And for better or worse, we were it.

I watched Shanti. The last time I’d seen her was over a year ago. The same night, I’d met Nain, I remembered, feeling a familiar stab somewhere in the vicinity of my heart. She’d been fifteen, a thin athletic girl who was able to smile despite the hell she’d just been through. She’d been kidnapped, and was nearly sold to one of the Puppeteer’s puppets, destined to make somebody a whole lot of money. I’d rescued her before any major damage had taken place.

I inspected her now. Her coffee and cream complexion was paler. She looked stronger. She was gorgeous, her natural beauty only enhanced by becoming a vampire, and, now, frozen in time. I sensed for her. She was nervous, afraid, ashamed. She hated herself. She was desperate, and hungry.

Her thoughts were wide open, too. A constant stream, thinking about how she’d almost bitten that man, and how hot that guy is, and wow this is a nice house, holy shit what happened to her eyes?

I smiled. “Shanti. It’s nice to see you again, kiddo.”

I felt her relax a little. She gave me a small smile. “Thank you for seeing me, Angel. I wasn’t sure you would remember me.”

“Of course I do. Have a seat.” She sat, and I thought of something. “Brennan?”

He opened the door. “Yeah?”

I waved him over and he bent so I could speak directly into his ear. “I remember Ada mentioning that Nain always kept bagged blood around for any vampires who happened to visit. Any left?”

“I’ll check and warm it up if there’s any. I forgot about that.”

I nodded, and he left. I turned back to Shanti, who was gazing longingly after Brennan. I almost laughed. Poor kid.

“So. How did you get into this condition, young lady? Whose ass do I need to kick?” I leaned back in my chair.

“From what I hear, you already did. He lived in Indian Village. Tall, white, had an accent.”

Another stab to the heart as my mind went back to that night. Memories that threatened to drown me.

“Angel?” Shanti said, concerned, after I was silent for a few minutes. I took a deep breath, forcing my mind away from the trail it was heading down.

“Yes. I know who you mean. I take it you didn’t want to be turned?”

She shook her head. “He caught me in the alley behind my work when I was taking the garbage out. I thought he was going to kill me, but when I came to, I was this,” she said, waving at herself in disgust. Then she became afraid, ashamed again. “I’ve killed people, Angel. Innocent people, because I can’t control it. I attacked your friend…”

I held out my hand. “I know. It’s okay. You’ll learn to control it. I’ll help you.”

“I was kind of hoping you’d kill me.”

We sat in silence. She looked anywhere but at me. Finally, I said, “Do you really want to die, Shanti?”

“Vampires are evil. I don’t want to be evil,” she said. Tears flooded her eyes, tinged pink. Vampire tears.

“Do you know what I am?” I asked softly.

“Rumor is, you’re a demon, but I don’t believe it,” she said, shaking her head emphatically.

“Believe it. I’m a demon. I am many things. But I try not to be evil, if I can at all help it.”

She stared at me.

I went on. “We decide who we are. Being a vampire, or a demon, or a witch…you can fall on either side. There are decent vampires in this city, just as there are shithead ones. And a vampire who’s also a decent person can do a lot of good.”

“I’m afraid of hurting people.”

“We’ll teach you to deal with it. You can live here if you want. We have room.”

“You’d let me live here?” she said in disbelief.

“Sure. There are rules. Expectations. And if you ever put my friends in danger, I will definitely kill you, painfully. But I can’t imagine that you’d do anything like that.”

She swallowed. “I ran away from home. I was afraid of hurting my aunts. I almost drank from one of them.”

“That kind of danger we can handle. Double crossing us or betraying us….that is the kind of thing that will bring my wrath down on you.”

Brennan knocked on the door then, walked in holding a large cup. He glanced at me, and set it on the desk in front of Shanti. “Drink up,” he said. Then he headed back toward the door.

“Oh, my god, thank you,” she said, her voice lispy as her fangs lengthened in her mouth. She picked up the cup and slugged it back. I sensed relief, gratitude from her.

I sat and waited as she drained the cup. I could feel her becoming less tense, less on edge, as she drank. I remembered feeling that way, whenever I’d been starving and then been fed–

I had to stop this.

She put the cup down, wiped at her mouth.

“Better?” I asked.

“Much. Thank you so much,” she said. I nodded. “So, I can really stay?”

“Yes. You’ll have to allow Ada to put a spell on you that will prevent you from inviting anyone in here, as well as one that will let us know if you give secret information to anyone.”

She nodded.

“And you’ll have to learn how to shield your thoughts. Any telepath can pick up what you’re thinking.”

She stared at me. “Uh…you don’t have any telepaths here, do you?”

I raised my hand, wiggling my fingers slightly, gave her a small smile. She paled. and I sensed total embarrassment flood her.

“Oh, god.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m the only one, and I’m not all that easy to offend, really.”

She shook her head. We were quiet for a minute. “I, um. I heard that you lost a friend a while back. I'm sorry,” she said, fiddling with the edge of her skirt.

“He was my husband,” I said softly.

Surprise filled her. “Oh, Jesus. I am so sorry.”

“He was also a demon.”

“Two good demons, eh? There is hope for me, then,” she said.

“Of course.”

“What was his name?”

“Nain,” I said, his name still honey on my lips. I turned the frame around, and she picked the photo up, studied it.

She smiled. “He looks like as much of a badass as you are.”

I nodded. “He was THE badass. I met him the night I rescued you, actually. Remember that truck that was following us?”

She nodded. “That was him? Really?”

“Yeah. My life changed that night.” I bit my lip.

Do not cry in front of the confused teenage girl who is depending on you to be a badass, I told myself. Not now.

“Do you have anything you need to move in?” I asked, changing the subject.

She shook her head. “Just what’s in this bag. Clothes and books.”

“Okay. Want to get settled in, then?”

She nodded, and followed me out of the office, up the stairs to the room that had been Veronica’s. Ada had gone through both this room and George’s old one, donated clothing and other items to charity. All that remained was the furniture, a television and a radio.

“Here we go. There are bed linens in the closet, there. This room shares a small bathroom with the room on the other side, but that room’s empty right now.”

“This is amazing. I’ve been sleeping in parks and bus stops.” She looked around, and I could feel the gratitude flowing from her.

“All right. No eating your housemates. We have some bagged blood in the fridge. I’ll get a hold of more.”

“I didn’t even know something like that existed,” she said.

“Neither did I. But, like I said, there are good vamps in the city, too. The bagged blood is synthetic. Was it close enough?”

She nodded. “I feel much better. It will work.”

“Okay. So if you get hungry, it’s in the fridge downstairs. You can heat it up for a minute or so in the microwave if you want to. I’ve heard it tastes better that way.”

She nodded again.

“All right. I have some things I need to go do. Get settled, and when you’re ready later we’ll introduce you to everyone.”

“Thanks so much, Angel,” she said, grabbing me for a huge hug.

I hugged her back. “My friends call me Molly,” I said, patting her on the back and stepping away. “Make yourself at home.”

I made sure Shanti was settled, then I headed back downstairs. Brennan was waiting in the dining room for me, along with Ada and Stone.

 “Well, we seem to have adopted a girl,” I said, walking up to them. “Can you get a hold of more bagged blood? We’ll need a steady supply.”

Brennan nodded, pulled out his phone again.

“I can’t just turn her out. Are you all okay with this?”

“Of course,” Ada said. “That is just what Nain would have done.”

“She’s got little baby fangs. Fine with me,” Stone said, winking at me. “Not even scary yet.”

“It’s fine with me. I’m glad you didn’t turn her out,” Brennan said, still looking at his phone.

“Thanks, guys. Ada, I’ll need you to put the two protection spells on her, okay?” Ada nodded. “Before she leaves the loft again.”

I sat down, and Brennan left, then came back and set a cup of coffee and a slice of cake in front of me. “Eat.”

“You are so damn bossy,” I muttered. Stone laughed, and Ada jokingly asked where hers was. Brennan sat next to me, making sure I ate.

“Whatever, Molly. Just eat the freaking cake.”

“I don’t need anyone to take care of me, you know,” I said, digging into the chocolate cake.

“Yep. I know.”

I finished the cake, slugged back the coffee. “She’s going to be in her room for a while. Leave her alone. She’ll come out and meet everyone officially when she’s ready,” I said. I stood up. “I have to–”

I didn’t get to finish what I was saying. One of the Guardians, the beings who escort supernatural souls to the Nether upon death, swooped into the loft out of nowhere.

My team jumped up. Brennan knocked over his chair in his haste and surprise, leapt, of all places, 
between
 me and the Guardian. Ada and Stone stared. I could feel the fear coming from them. From Brennan, nothing but determination as he stood in front of me.

I crossed my arms and watched the Guardian. I’d gotten used to this one. She’d followed me around all night the night Nain died, summoning her sisters every time I’d killed again. She’d sat by my bedside in the hours afterward, refused to sever my tie to the mortal world. I was still pretty pissed with her for that last one.

“Eunomia,” I said in greeting. “I haven’t killed anybody yet.” I put my hands on Brennan’s arms, gently pushed him aside.

“The night is still young, demon girl,” she said cheerfully, landing on her feet next to me. I glanced at my team. I was used to seeing the Guardian, but they were not. The last time they’d seen her, she’d been there with her sisters, performing the ritual that would free Nain’s soul of its Earthly ties.

I tilted my head toward her. “Please tell them no one is going to die.”

She looked at the team, as if she’d just noticed them. “You’re all safe. This is a social call.”

They stood, still as statues, staring at her, then back at me, then at her again. She laughed. “Perceptive friends you have.”

“Huh?”

She rolled her eyes at me, winked at the team. “Come talk to me.” She fluttered into my office.