IM02 - Hunters & Prey (12 page)

I gulped. My brain jumbled with fear, anger, and anxiety.
Lysander was right. Why did I have to get her involved?

“Now. Do I have your full attention?”

I took a few moments to calm the anger and make my voice sound normal.

“What do you want?”

“Just a chat, that’s all.” There was laughter mixed in with his voice. He was baiting me, mocking me.

He gave me an address and told me to meet him just after sunset, warning me that I was to come alone or he would kill her.

He hung up before I could say anything more than, “Okay,” leaving me with nothing but silence.

Visions of Fallon enduring horrible tortures crept into my mind. “Why did I have to get her involved?” I whined to the empty room. “Would he really hurt her? He has to be Acta Sanctorum. But they protect humans, they don’t harm them! What if he isn’t one of the Saints?” I paced the room, my mind running a mile a minute trying to figure out what to do. “It’s some kid of trap, obviously, but would they really hurt Fallon if I didn’t show up?” Sunset was still hours away; I was trapped, powerless to stop whatever it was they were doing to her. “I can’t leave her life to chance. I brought her into this. I have to go… alone. But how will I get away from the clan?”

Crystal and Drew would soon be coming to check on me. “I have to hide out. That’s it. I have to get out of here and keep myself hidden until sunset.” Splashing a bit of water on my face, I cleaned myself up. “I have to save her. This is all my fault.,” I said to my reflection in the mirror.

I took Fallon’s purse and phone and left the room.

CHAPTER 8

*****

I
managed to hide out for a few hours, waiting in the stairwell of the hotel tower. My mind swam with guilt for bringing Fallon into this mess. Lysander was right; I should have never gone to her. Divulging our secrets had only brought trouble.
How could I be so stupid
? I cursed myself for ever going back to the café.

Lysander’s warning weighed heavily on my heart as well. He wouldn’t go after her. He wouldn’t want to save her. In fact, he’d probably be glad to be rid of the problem her knowledge caused. Hell, he’d said he would kill her himself if she became a nuisance. I knew my only choice was to clean up the mess I’d made. I had to go after her. Alone.

Time moved slowly, as it always does when you’re waiting for something important to happen. I counted down the minutes as they changed on the phone’s display. I was relieved when the green LED told me it was 8 pm, late enough to be dark. I could finally leave and go after my friend.

I took a cab to the address the caller had given me, an old warehouse in the industrial district. I knew the area well, having attended many parties and raves there when I was younger. The years hadn’t been kind to this place. The whole area had been neglected. Buildings carried rust and chipping paint. Broken liquor bottles and shredded newspapers lined the streets. The stench of rancid garbage hung in the air and the pitter-patter of rodents scurrying in and out of storm drains filled the otherwise silent night.

A familiar shiver ran up my spine, spreading to all my nerves as I walked close to the old building. The hair on the back of my neck prickled. I had the distinct feeling I was being watched, but it wasn’t the same sensation that accompanied a vampire’s presence. Though different, it was no less creepy. If I hadn’t known I was walking into a trap, I wouldn’t have had a reason to fear. The Acta Sanctorum employed strange methods of destroying my kind. They were the only humans a vampire need fear.

Trap or no trap, I have to at least try to save Fallon.
I took a deep, calming breath and picked up a faint hint of sweetness in the air: a human smell. Immediately, I thought of Fallon.

“I’m here now. Let Fallon go,” I shouted, hoping the volume of my voice would mask the fear speeding my heart. It beat like a drum roll preceding my impending doom.

“But we haven’t had our little chat yet,” a male voice answered. I recognized the arrogant tone. It was the man who’d called earlier.

“Why hide in the shadows?” Turning left and right, I tried to discern the direction the voice had come from. I fought to keep fear from leaching out into my voice. “Are you too afraid to face me, coward? Where is my friend?”

“Now, now. Let’s not resort to petty name calling.” His voice was tinged with laughter. “She’s safe … for the moment.”

A weapon discharged. The loud
bang
sounded mere milliseconds before I felt the sting. My ears rang from the blast, which blocked out everything but the pain. The bullet tore through my body, searing my insides. It burst through my back, taking with it flesh and bone. As if time had slowed, I felt every excruciating sensation. My eyes watered. I bit back a scream and fell to my knees.

“Stings a bit, doesn’t it?” the man said with a mocking laugh. “I’ll bet it does. But, as I can’t have you trying to fight me for your friend, I must ensure you are not a threat.”

I couldn’t tell where the voice came from; pain flooded every cell of my body, overcoming all of my other senses. Hunching over, I looked down to see the gaping wound in my stomach, and fought back the urge to scream. No ordinary handgun would have made an entry wound that big. It had to have been some kind of high-caliber round. Blood gushed from the wound like a fountain. I felt as if I were deflating, emptying out onto the street, as the darkened pool spread out beneath me. My vision faded in and out. My eyelids started to droop. As if from a great distance, I again heard a shot. I felt a second white-hot sting, this time whipping through my shoulder. I swayed and dropped down hard on my hands, crying out in agony.

I’d lost too much blood. I’d failed before I could even attempt the rescue. I was at the mercy of whoever it was hunting me, having foolishly played right into their hands.

A third shot rang out, but I was too far gone to feel it. Weakness took over. I collapsed on to the hot asphalt as my vision faded to black.

***

Surprised to be alive, I awoke, finding myself laid out on a cold flat surface. Even in my groggy and disoriented state, I knew this wasn’t good. The Acta Sanctorum didn’t take vampires as prisoners. They were killers, plain and simple.

An odor of stale blood, mixed with the tang of metal and bleach, hung in the air. I tried to fight against the heavy weight of my eyelids, needing to see where I was, but the strain caused stabbing pains to streak through my head like lightning.

I tried to get up, but thick, unyielding straps at my wrists and feet kept me in place. My stomach and shoulder ached as I tried to move. My clothes pulled against fresh scabs, ripping open my tender skin, reminding me of the gunshots that had taken me down. I moaned in pain, but the sound was muffled by a gag.

I was really screwed!

“You see how easy it was to get her here,” an arrogant male voice said. “You spend all this time chasing down the monsters and for what? It’s a waste of energy when you can make them come to you.”

“I do not put innocents in harm’s way with
my
methods… Sir,” I heard Santino reply.

Finally cracking open my eyes, I fought against the blurriness to examine my surroundings. A light hung directly over my head, its brightness blinding, causing my eyes to water with pain. I struggled to keep them open and turned away from the light. Once my eyes adjusted to the bright room, I was able to focus and see cabinets lining the walls surrounding me. I had the feeling this room was some form of makeshift laboratory.

I spotted the familiar form of Santino standing over me. His arms were crossed in front of his chest and his jaw was tight as if he were grinding his teeth. Disdain narrowed his eyes, yet he made no motion to act on his contempt.

Feebly, I struggled once more against my restraints. I needed to break free, but they didn’t budge. My chest felt heavy, as if a weight sat on it, holding me down. Neither of the two men paid me any attention as they continued their conversation.

“No innocent was harmed to capture this beastly creature,” the arrogant voice said. I craned my neck to see who was speaking: a man with dark eyes, framed by a pair of silver reading glasses. His neatly cropped, raven-black hair was cut in the same fashion as Julius Caesar’s. He dressed all in black with the tell-tale white collar of a Catholic priest.

His domineering manner was a shock to me. He showed no trepidation at all in front of the warrior Santino. Everyone I had met since my turning had regarded Santino with a certain level of respectful fear, yet this man seemed to be openly sniping at him. And more surprising than that, Santino was subserviently taking this treatment. I guessed he must be Quentin, the one Nicholas spoke of. I shuddered at the thought that there might actually be someone out there worse than Santino, and I was at the mercy of them both.

But why am I here? And why did they leave me alive?
It didn’t make sense.

“Perhaps not injured, Quentin, but the covenant of secrecy was broken,” Santino growled.

“Not by us. You reported to me yourself that this ...” Quentin pointed a chubby finger at me, “monster was divulging her secrets long before we took the girl as bait.”

“That does not excuse our putting a mortal woman in danger.” Santino finally turned his head to look at Quentin.

“Santino, you cannot see things as always black or white. This young human woman is a sympathizer. She would allow these monsters to run around unchecked. Her life is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But we can still use her to help us take down the entire nest of those creatures you’ve been hunting.” A sparkle of excitement glinted in his eyes as he spoke of killing off my clan.

Santino turned away again. His jaw clenched. He took a deep breath before speaking. “I am not comfortable operating under these methods. Humans are to be protected. Not used as bait.”

“Some humans can be very useful to our cause. You will see in time. You will adjust.” He smiled wickedly.

The irony of his words was not lost on me. Nor Santino, it seemed. A human telling a vampire what he would learn in time. Ridiculous.

Santino’s lip curled and his eyes narrowed. “Do not deign to lecture me about time, Quentin.”

“Someone should.” Quentin chortled. “After all your centuries, you are still nothing but a petty enforcer. One would think you would have been promoted to something more prestigious by now, with all of that age and experience you have.”

Santino’s body stiffened. His hand balled into a fist at his side. “My position in our organization is not in question. Your methods are. This is not our way.”

For once, I agreed with him. I hoped that he might persuade Quentin to let Fallon go. She would be no use as bait for my clan and, in some weird way, it was his job to protect her.

Quentin waved a dismissive hand at Santino. “Do not let yourself get too set in those old ways. One must move with time and adapt with the changes. To fight against the
Unnatural
one must employ many unconventional methods.”

Santino grunted his disapproval and turned his angry glare at me.

I gulped as my heart jumped into my throat.

“Shall I finish her now?” Santino asked as his fingertips danced on the hilt of the knife sheathed in his belt.

“No, I don’t think I’m done with her yet,” Quentin said. He adjusted his glasses, pushing them up on his nose. “I may be able to use her to bring in others.”

Santino let out an exasperated sigh. “You have the human girl. There is nothing more to do with this vampire. She is a monster to be put down.”

His words were cold and emotionless. Another streak of fear shot through me. My death was imminent. Again I tried to struggle against the restraints. Biting at the gag in my mouth, pushing at it with my tongue, I tried everything I could to dislodge it. I stretched and pulled against the ties at my hands, feeling my wounds tear open with the struggle. For all my preternatural strength, I couldn’t break my bonds. I was too weak. I wished I had not lost so much blood. With a groan of frustration, I gave up the fight and focused on Quentin, wondering what he wanted to do with me.

“I have my plans. Leave us.” Without a second glance, he waved Santino off.

Santino’s nostrils flared and another growl rumbled through his chest. “As you wish, Sir.” He turned and stalked to the door.

Quentin gave a snort of a laugh. “I’ve left a dog in your room. In case you need a bedtime snack,” he said with a mocking smile. “Good work tonight. I’ll make my report to our superiors of your accomplishment.”

The door slammed shut behind Santino, and Quentin’s smile turned to a scowl. “I’m getting tired of his insubordination. Perhaps it’s time I get rid of him. I’m sure I can come up with a reason for his death. Something to tell the superiors without raising suspicion.” He punched his fist into his palm as he paced the room.

I tried struggling again, moaning as the straps bit into my skin.

The sound of my struggle caught Quentin’s attention.

“Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about you.” He gave me a sinister smile. “You’re going to help me with a little experiment.” He leisurely walked toward me.