Of A Darker Nature (6 page)

“Why?” Wren tried to jerk her arms free.

“I'd like to see firsthand how she reads the dead.” Not to mention he wanted to taste her, touch her, and thoroughly explore her abilities. It was unlike him to entertain fantasies like this, especially when they centered on a mortal creature.

Wren may have reacted, but it was interrupted by Jai Li.

“There he is!” Jai Li shouted, rousing him out of the fantasy.

Corey, tall and thin with spiky hair and studded leather wristbands, skidded around the corner of the liquor store across the street. He appeared out of breath as he stumbled toward them. The clink of metal from his bondage pants and the coppery stench of blood followed him across the street. “They’re on my tail.”

Marcus tossed Jai Li the keys to the car. Corey dove into the backseat. 

“Take him back to Isabella, but make sure no one tails you.”

“She's coming,” Wren murmured, but didn't seem happy about it. Her eyes were wide with fear and her chin quivered.

The hairs on the back of Marcus’s neck stood up with apprehension. Trent and a couple of his helpers had just entered the parking lot. A platinum-haired black woman stood across the street between the buildings Corey had just passed. 

Wren managed to twist away. She tottered toward Ace, who burst out of the alley they'd just left.

Starr Carter and three humans stalked closer. The witch turned up her hands, and Marcus swore a faint glow shimmered within her cupped palms. Her eyes seemed to shine with an unusual radiance. He was mesmerized by whatever she had done and almost missed the shadows of the others creeping closer.

The car roared to life. Leaning across the seat, Jai Li opened the passenger’s door. “There’s too many. Let’s go!”

Marcus slid across the hood of the car. Jai Li had already let the car roll away from the curb by the time he lunged inside. She laid rubber. The back end fishtailed, knocking over a newspaper machine and narrowly avoided a telephone pole.

The witch stepped into the street behind them. Fury masked her dark face. Her hand lifted and she made a jerking motion. The man next to Trent flew from the sidewalk as if pulled by an invisible string. His body struck the hood of the car with a bone cracking thud. His pained face had pressed against the fractured windshield before the body bounced over and away. It landed on the street, limbs akimbo.

“Holy fuck! Did you see that?” Jai Li accelerated around a corner. “She was out in the open! Anyone could have seen it.”

Corey laid his head against the seat and shut his dark eyes. The pained grimace that wound across his face concerned Marcus. Twisting in the seat, Marcus turned to study Corey. The kid's gaze looked unfocused, and there were dark areas beneath his eyes. His breaths came in shallow, labored gasps. "Hey, you okay?"

“What’s wrong with him?” Jai Li switched lanes. The big car lurched and growled.

Marcus crawled over the plush leather seats into the back and ignored her huffs of irritation. After a few choice curses in Chinese, she growled, “Don’t scuff my seats, heathen!”

Marcus took Corey’s face in his hands. He seemed to be close to unconsciousness, maybe even going into shock. His veins stood out in stark contrast against pale skin. “Where are you injured?”

“It hurts.” Corey's head rocked back. “What’s happening to me, Marcus? Feels like my insides are on fire.”

“Stay with me, kid. Tell me where it hurts.” Marcus ran his hands over Corey’s chest and arms. He maneuvered him until he lay against his chest and examined his back too. Corey didn’t help much in the exploration as he slipped in and out of consciousness.

“Did she spell him?” Jai Li asked.

A car behind them laid on its horn. Jai Li accelerated, and the big sedan lurched forward.

Corey made a desperate noise and convulsed. His eyes rolled up into his head until only the whites showed. He bucked against the seat, and his heels thrummed on the floorboard. Christ, a seizure too?

Marcus ran his hands down Corey’s legs and found a small tear in his pants. He ripped the fabric away. A sliver of silver, probably a penknife, had broken off on the inside of Corey’s thigh. The kid had bled out while he ran for his life. His body must be fighting, attempting to mend what had broken. Corey’s system had too little blood left to aid the process. Marcus had never seen anyone react this way to silver. Corey might find true death if they didn’t get him some sustenance soon.

The blade had broken off flush with the skin. The area around it was angry and inflamed. Now that it no longer bled, it had begun to heal and seal the silver inside the wound.

Corey’s eyes were glassy and vacant. His words slurred together like he was drunk. “Must've got me when I ran past them. Broke it clean off, huh?”

“Hold on, Corey, this is going to hurt like a son of a bitch.” Marcus dug his finger and thumb into the meat of Corey’s thigh to extract a long, slender piece of silver. The blade slipped from the soft tissue. Corey screamed and clutched at Marcus's shoulders.

Corey slumped over, and blackened saliva leaked from the corners of his mouth.

“Shit! Pull over!”

The car bumped to a stop against the curb. Marcus wrenched the door open and pulled Corey from its confines. The younger vampire spewed frothy black liquid across the cement.

Marcus helped him get into the car afterward. He allowed the younger vampire to collapse against him. Jai Li pulled back onto the road. Marcus was surprised that she said nothing about the ruined seats.

Corey clutched at him, holding on like a frightened child.

Marcus embraced him. “I've got you.”

Jai Li’s concerned gaze darted from the road to the rearview mirror. “Is he going to die?”

“Not if I can help it.” Marcus raised his left wrist to Corey's lips. “Feed.”

Corey turned his face away. “It’s forbidden.”

“It’ll stay within this car. No one will ever know.” Marcus shot a pointed look in Jai Li’s direction. “He’s already one of us. It’s not like I’ll sire a new vamp.”

She considered this a moment then nodded. “Do it, Corey.”

Marcus used his thumbnail to tear the skin. Blood welled in the cut, and he pressed it against Corey’s mouth. “Drink it or you’ll die.”

Corey latched onto his wrist. His throat worked greedily as Marcus's blood flowed into his mouth.

“Should I find a donor?” Jai Li’s petite features darkened with concern.

"Yeah, he needs more blood than I can give him. I don't think he can wait.”

After a few moments, Marcus pulled his arm away. Corey made a desperate noise and grabbed for him. Marcus cradled him against his chest and murmured words meant to soothe. Corey’s body relaxed a bit, and he seemed to doze.

They were close to the Lincoln crossover, an old city bridge where the homeless and prostitutes gathered. “Pull over here.”

Moments later, he plucked a listless Corey from the car and sat him near the underpass. Jai Li went in search of a warm body. She returned after a few moments, a woman in hot pants and a tube top with her. Jai Li must have said something that frightened her. The woman’s fear radiated toward them in waves. Marcus’s hunger reared its head, eager for nourishment.

He joined Jai Li beside the car while Corey fed. “You know this can never leave the three of us, right?”

Jai Li watched Corey with wary eyes. “I agree. It stays with us. Isabella will never know.”

Marcus spotted the blade he’d pulled from Corey’s leg. He snatched it off the floorboard. While it was true that vampires were allergic to silver, it was uncommon for one to react so violently. It weakened their kind, but as far as he knew, it was never life threatening.

Jai Li wrapped her arms loosely around Marcus's waist and rested her forehead against his shoulder. “I thought we were going to lose him.”

He put an arm around her and tossed the blade aside. It skittered across the concrete and left a black smear in its wake. “Maybe it isn't just silver.” 

A light breeze blew long strands of black hair across Jai Li's face when she pulled away. “Do you think it had a spell on it? Can the witch do that?”

He stared at the car's dented hood. “Honestly, she could be capable of anything. I just don't know. I've never encountered anyone like her before.”

Jai Li moved to the front of the car and ran her hand along the hood’s curve. Her lips pressed into a thin line. “I hate that bitch.”

“Looks like Corey’s done,” Marcus pushed away from the vehicle. “Why don’t you pop the trunk and I’ll gather his trash.” 

Emily tackled Brenda's laptop and the maze of information it contained. There was so much data on the web, and she had no idea where to begin.

“Want some help?” Brenda bit off the end of a peanut butter sandwich.

“Nah, I just got a little sidetracked.”

Brenda eased onto the couch next to her. She chewed slowly and watched Emily peck at the keys with one stiff finger. “Honestly, you type slower than my grandma.”

That was saying a lot since the woman had died ten years ago. 

Brenda pawed through the various books piled on the coffee table then grimaced at the titles.
The Idiot's Guide to Witchcraft. Paganism and You.
Beginner's Guide to Wicca
. She didn’t mention the vampire encyclopedia lying next to Emily.

“Why the sudden interest? Is Christianity not working for you anymore?”

Emily placed the computer on top of the table. “It's working just fine, thanks.”

“I’ll help if you tell me why we're doing research on witchcraft, of all things.” 

Emily debated on exactly how much she wanted to admit. “A witch wanted to hire me to do a reading. I turned her down.”

Brenda gawked at her. “How'd she even know you could?”

“I have no idea, but I got a bad vibe from her.” A little chill raced down Emily's spine at the memory of Starr's threats.

Brenda flopped back onto the couch to stare at her through lowered lashes. She gestured toward the pile of books. “Is that why you’re reading this crap?”

“Sort of. This witch did something to me. She forced me to remember the car crash.” Unable to say the rest out loud, Emily shook her head. “It was so real like I was reliving it.”

“Oh my god, Em.” Brenda sat up, her eyes wide. “Are you okay?”

“If I never see Starr Carter again, it’ll be too soon.”

“Starr Carter? She and some of her coven came into the bar a few nights ago. They were real rowdy and tried to recruit new members.” Brenda reached across and lifted the laptop screen. Her eyebrows rose at the search results listed. “I see you’ve been researching your talent again. Did you find a way to get rid of it?”

“No. There's not a lot of info about necro-telepathy. What little I did find was for some nerdy game.” She shrugged. “What were you saying about Starr Carter?”

“She was telling everyone that vampires killed her family.” Brenda lowered her voice as if telling a campfire tale. “Starr was just a kid at the time. The police found all this witchcraft stuff in her bedroom and thought she did it.”

Emily shivered. “Do you believe vampires could be real, Brenda? I mean, Beau swears they are, and you said you had seen some weird stuff at the club.” 

Brenda’s dark eyes searched Emily's face. “I honestly do, sweetie. I wouldn't have believed it possible a few years back, but just think about it. You can read the dead. Starr Carter is a witch who can do real magic. Beau is a self-confessed vampire. I guess just about anything seems possible nowadays.” 

“Maybe you've seen my John Doe at the club?” Emily struggled to keep her excitement tamped down.

Brenda's face remained neutral during Emily’s description of the alleged vampire. “I see lots of people. Unless they're real weirdoes, they don't stand out in my memory. Sorry, Em.”

“I know. I just…” Emily did her best to shrug away the disappointment. “I'm trying to piece this all this together. A lot of it still doesn't make sense. And if you’d seen him you’d understand why I can’t get him off my mind.”

Brenda slanted a glance at the clock. “Didn't you say you had to work tonight? We’ll talk while you doll up.”

Emily dragged herself out of the chair. “Again, I'm sorry. I wanted to spend the night eating junk food and watching old movies with you.”

“It's okay. I volunteered to cover another girl's shift tonight.”

Brenda followed her into the bedroom. She inspected the items in Emily's closet and made a sound of disapproval. “Hey, is this my shirt?”

Emily selected a pair of dark jeans. She also took the red tank top from Brenda’s hand.

Her friend dropped onto the bed. “Those jeans make your butt look good. You're trying to impress Scott, huh? Or maybe it's Beau's eye you're trying to catch?” Brenda said the vampire’s name with a curl of her lip. “What is it with you and older men?”

Emily chose not to grace her with an answer. Instead, she applied a pink shimmery gloss to her lips.

“So what are you going to do about Starr Carter?” 

“What do you think actually happened to Starr's family?” Emily leaned close to the dresser to apply eyeliner. “Surely she doesn’t tell people vampires killed her family. Who would believe her?”

“She tells anyone who will listen. She’s been trying to get an uprising against them for years. Of course, most people just think she’s fruit loops until they see her power.” Brenda tossed a pillow at her. “You realize redheads aren't supposed to wear red, right?”

“Do you think she did it?” Emily tossed the pillow back onto the bed, annoyed at how quickly her friend was distracted.

“Supposedly there was blood on the floors, the wall, and even the ceiling. She was seven when she witnessed her entire family being butchered. That’s got to fuck you up, right?”

Brenda was excellent at telling scary stories. Emily's insides knotted, and goose bumps erupted across her skin. She fumbled with the necklace at her throat. “No wonder she hates them so much. Surely the cops didn't think a little girl was capable of all that?”

Brenda cocked her head. “They probably grasped at anything half-ass believable to explain it away.”

They grabbed their purses and headed for the front door. Emily snapped on the porch light and shut the door.

Brenda followed her onto the porch. “So what does Scott have you doing tonight? The mortuary has been pretty busy, hasn't it?"

“I’m not working tonight. I’m going to try to read a vampire.” She practically danced with anticipation. “At first, I was going to decline, but I decided to give it a try. Aside from Beau and my mortuary guy, I’ve never been in contact with one. I mean, I’m sure I pass them on the street all the time, but it’s not like they have neon signs above their heads.”

Brenda frowned at her enthusiasm. “What happened to not reading bodies anymore?”

“I'm just curious. This guy, David, says he's a friend of Beau's. He wants to remember his past.”

Brenda crossed her arms. “Why don't you read Beau if you're so hot on finding out if you can do it?”

“I guess I never thought about it.” Even Brenda's somber words couldn't extinguish the excitement of it all. “What if it doesn't work? It might be a complete waste of everyone’s time.”

Brenda grasped her hand. “This is how it starts. You help Scott out a couple times, and then your friends start asking favors. Keep it up, and you’ll be doing it full time.”

"I'm pretty good at it. And if it helps people, maybe I shouldn't keep it to myself.” Brenda wouldn’t understand, but Emily felt the need to explain it. “I'm hoping this guy is my John Doe."

Brenda dropped her hand and stepped off the porch. “That's an idiotic idea.”

Emily ignored her outburst. “He was beautiful. I mean, after his head was back to normal. And he had the palest blue eyes I've ever seen.”

Brenda gripped Emily's shoulders and gave her a teeth-rattling shake. “You’re talking about a vampire! Are you sure you want to witness everything that he's done and seen?”

Her words doused the giddiness. She was right. He could be the bloodthirsty monster Brenda made him out to be. In her rush to help Beau's friend and maybe learn something new about herself, Emily had forgotten about the promise she'd made. Too many times she wished for an end to this strange ability. 

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Brenda balanced the straw purse on the hood of Emily’s car. “The landlord sent this a few days ago. I forgot to give it to you.”

She withdrew a wrinkled white envelope. Bill Duncan’s scribbled name was on the front.

Emily used her keys to rip it open. She unfolded the crumpled paper and stared open mouthed. “He's given me the deed to the house and five acres.”

A shadow flitted behind Brenda’s eyes, but she quickly hid it. “I wonder why he gave it to you. I’m the one who signed the lease. Let me see it.”

A fierce scowl stained Brenda's features as she scanned it. She thrust the paper back into Emily’s hand. “Can we talk about this later? I need to get to work. If I’m late again, my pay will be docked.” Without apology, Brenda pushed past and got into her car.