Sid (The Protectors Series) Book #4

THE PROTECTORS

SID

Copyright 2014Teresa Gabelman

All rights reserved. The right of Teresa
Gabelman to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. This is a work of fiction and any resemblance between the characters and persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Gabelman, Teresa (
2014-1-5). SID (THE PROTECTORS SERIES) Book #4.

First
Kindle Edition.

Editor
:
Hot Tree Editing

Photo:
www.bigstockphoto.com

Cover Art: Ron Gabelman

www.teresagabelman.com

www.facebook.com/pages/Teresa-Gabelman/191553587598342

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank all the readers who have followed this series. You
r support keeps me going when it gets hard. The messages and love you give are so special to me. I appreciate every single one of you. I do what I do not only for the love of writing, but to connect with new friends. You guys are my Rock Stars and I thank you for everything!

Chapter 1

Frig
id air burned her lungs as she raced back and forth through the woods, trying to throw them off her trail. Small clouds of steamy fog puffed from her lips. Terror threatened to seize every muscle in her body, but she fought it back, willing her legs to pump faster. She hated being chased.

Slipping in the mud
to a full stop, she tilted her head to the side, holding her breath. The woods were silent except for her own heart beating a frantic rhythm in her ears. Slowly, she moved only her eyes, afraid of what might be behind her. Her breath eased out in a smooth exhale as she willed her brain to work. She had to go back, had to circle around before she went too far into the woods.

Hearing rustling from her left
, she held her breath again, pushing herself behind a thick tree. Whatever was out there was coming closer. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes, praying whatever was there wasn’t one of them. A loud snorting noise from behind her hiding place echoed through the trees. Jumping, she squeezed her eyes tighter, and then cursed at herself for being a coward while her friend was still back there enduring God only knew what. Lana Fitzpatrick was no coward, nor was she stupid. When she had the chance to run, she ran, but it looked like running was no longer an option.

Wanting to be the one with surprise on her side
, she fisted her hands and jumped out from her hiding place, determined to face whatever had found her. Her scream of outrage turned into a hysterical yelp as a deer jerked back, staring at her wide–eyed, before turning to escape deeper into the woods. Slapping one hand to her chest and the other across her mouth, she stared in shock where the deer had disappeared. “Son of a…” Her words were muffled by her own hand.

Hearing more movement
, followed by voices, snapped her out of her shocked state. They were too close to out run. Glancing around frantically, she stumbled toward another tree, and without hesitation, she climbed, even as a warning of dread sent her heart skipping. Climbing as high as she dared, she attempted to make herself invisible, if that was at all possible. Pressing her cheek against the tree, the cold bark bit into her skin; her eyes searched out the voices that became more audible the closer they got.

There were t
wo vampires and her friend, who seemed to be currently unharmed. Breathing a sigh of relief, she momentarily froze as golden eyes shot to her hiding place. She quickly slid herself out of view.

“Where
, oh where has our little Lana gone?” The voice of the leader had a sharp edge that commanded attention. He had told them his name was Vincent; he seemed stupid enough to give his real name. “Oh where, oh where can she be?”

Trying to control her breathing
, Lana wished more than anything that she had a weapon. She had nothing but her wits, and at the moment, she was screwed in that department. She was defenseless and tired. She knew that at any moment she would be spotted. Lana considered her options, but came up blank. She had no idea how she was going to get herself and her friend out of this nightmare. A movement out of the corner of her eye drew her attention. Okay, her wits were definitely gone because she could have sworn she saw the flash of a man dart between the trees.

“Lana, I know you’re up there. Not only did I hear you, but I can smell your fear.” Vincent calmly walked under the tree
. “Now, come on down here.” His voice held steel with a hint of amusement.

“Go to
Hell!” Lana peeked around the tree making eye contact with the golden-eyed vampire. His eyes were filled with an evil glint that promised Hell on earth.

“Been there and back
,” he chuckled without humor. “We could have done this the easy way, but since you’re being a stupid bitch…”

The tree shook causing Lana to grip tightly. “Oh
, shit!” Lana whispered as she scrambled around to the front of the tree. With one kick of his foot, the tree uprooted and began to fall as if in slow motion to the ground. The only thing she could do was hold on for the ride. Before the tree hit the ground, she pushed off, not wanting to get caught underneath the large trunk. She hit the ground hard. Air whooshed out of her lungs as she rolled to her back. Looking up, Vincent stood above her, a cruel grin on his face.

“…
we will do it my way,” he finished his sentence. Reaching down, he grabbed her by the hair, dragging her through the limbs of the downed tree. Effortlessly, he tossed her in front of the other vampire and Amy. “Get up,” he ordered nudging her with his foot.

Standing was the hardest thing Lana had ever done
at that very moment, but she refused to cower in front of the bastard. If she was going to die, she was going to die in defiance. Slowly, she rose, locking her knees in place, her eyes making contact with a terrified Amy, which wasn’t good; she needed Amy on her toes. Lana’s eyes then met those of the other vampire, who was supposed to be her date. His golden eyes looked angry, but not cruel. There was something in his gaze that surprised her, but before she could think more about it, Vincent stepped into her vision.

“Now, are you finished being a pain in my ass?” Vincent reached out
, grasped a strand of her hair and pulled hard.

“Probably not
,” she replied, knocking his hand away, knowing she was playing with fire. Lana had already convinced herself that she was dead anyway, so she refused to hold back and figured she would go down being her typical smart-ass self.

He
pinched her face in a cruel grip, bringing it close to his. “Is it true? Can you speak to the dead?”

Lana didn’t say anything
; didn’t flinch. She focused a steady gaze on Vincent, refusing to submit and give anything away.

“I could crush your skul
l, Lana Banana.” A smile was placed firmly on his face, but his eyes promised he could and would do exactly that.

“Then you’ll never know
the answer to your question, will you?” She was able to reply with her lips scrunched together.

His laugh was even
and cruel. “You’re a brave one, aren’t you?” He let go of her face with a push. “I don’t like that trait in women. What about you, VC? You like that trait in women?”

“Not usually looking at traits when I’m with a woman
,” the vampire called VC replied, his voice deep, as his eyes drilled into hers.

“True
,” Vincent chuckled. “I am a man who loves big tits, but that’s about all she has going for her.”

“I would have to disagree
,” VC grinned, his eyes roaming her body with a very confident gaze. “I think me and Lana would get along quite well.”

Lana tried to slump her shoulders so her breast
s weren’t so prominent, but that was like trying to hide a bus behind a Volkswagen; it just wasn’t happening. Her actions made the handsome vampire, VC’s, grin spread, which made him even more breathtaking, and that pissed her off. He was the enemy for shit’s sake.

“As a matter of fact…”
one-step and he was directly in front of her, looking down into her eyes, “if we’re not in a hurry, I’d like to finish our date.”

Lana’s eyes widened. Was he crazy? “Like
I’d give you the time of day, moron.”

VC
actually laughed. “Moron?” He cocked an eyebrow at her and gripped her chin in his hand, bringing her face closer to his. She noticed that his grip was gentler than Vincent’s. “I’d have you screaming within seconds, my lovely Lana.”

“
Yes, you would,” she hissed, pulling her face away, her skin tingling from his gentle grip. “In disgust.” When she looked into his eyes, she saw the confident gleam that he could and would probably have her screaming as he boasted. He had a body to make any woman…Lana shook her head looking away from him and his smug grin.
Dammit, focus, Lana,
she mentally screamed at herself.

“Oh, we will see
, lovely Lana.” He gave her a slow wink.

Lana
shot him her most evil glare. She hated when people gave her nicknames, and her name was prime for stupid rhymes.

“We don’t have time for this
,” Vincent interrupted with a growl. “And they need to be handed over untouched.”

“Handed over?” Amy took a step back
, making eye contact with Lana. “Handed over to who?”

“How much are women going for these days?” Lana
ignored Amy’s glance. The guy, VC, was watching her too closely. She needed time to think, to stall.

“Enough to make me turn over my momma, if I had one
,” Vincent replied; his eyes narrowed at her with a greedy gleam. “And you, my pain in the ass, will bring triple with your talents.”

“I’ll kill myself first
, you bastard.” Fear gripped Lana. The women who had been found were damaged beyond repair, both mentally and physically. If she left this spot, she and Amy would be lost along with all of those other women.

“And I’ll just bring you back.” His laugh
was wicked. “I can do that, you know. Honey, you’re my ticket to more money than I’ve ever seen.”

“
You sure this guy is legit?” VC spoke up. He had taken a step away from Lana. “I’m not risking my ass for a few dollars, man.”

“Oh, he’s legit.
He’s calling the shots now. Killed the last big guy who ran the operation, and no one fucks with him. If I pull this off, I may be his second in command,” he boasted, his chest inflating with pride.

‘Not if I have anything to do with it’,
Lana thought to herself. This stupid man with his puffed-up ego needed to be taken down. Dammit, she needed a plan. She looked to the other one called VC who was staring at her, his eyebrow cocked as if he could read her mind, but Lana knew that wasn’t possible. She was an expert at keeping her thoughts closed off behind a steel door of ‘get the fuck out of my business, asshole’.

“Yeah, well to me
, he’s nobody,” VC grunted, turning his focus back to Vincent. “I’m making the drop with you.”

“No
,” Vincent shook his head. “I’m making the drop while you wait here. I’ll make good on my promise.”

“I don’t think so.” VC took a
n aggressive step forward. “I don’t trust anyone with that amount of money, and I’m ass-deep in this shit now. Who are you making the drop to?”

As they argued
, Lana sent a message with her eyes and a small nod of her head to Amy, who, thank God, was paying attention. Taking a step back, she edged herself toward the woods. Amy tried to do the same thing, but she wasn’t as careful. Walking backward, she tripped over a log.

“Get the fuck over here
!” Vincent grabbed Amy’s arm. Reaching behind him, he pulled out a gun, holding it to Amy’s temple as his eyes landed on Lana. “Everybody just calm the fuck down. I’m in charge here, and what I say goes.”

Lana stopped
, staring at the gun pointed toward Amy’s head. “You’re crazy,” Lana hissed, knowing she had to react and fast. Taking a quick look at VC, Lana noticed something that didn’t make sense. He looked to be assessing the situation like she was. She didn’t know what the hell was going on, but something was definitely not right.

“Think of a number
,” Vincent interrupted, pushing the gun harder against Amy’s head. “Hey! You bastard.” Lana took a step toward Amy, but stopped when Amy cried out in pain as the gun was shoved harder into her temple. “Why don’t you put the gun down and play like a real vampire.” Lana frowned wondering what the hell she meant by that, but seeing him with a gun had thrown her.

“What?” Amy cried,
her eyes wide with panic, glaring at Lana.

“Think of a number
!” He jerked Amy’s arm hard, ignoring Lana. “You have one?”

Amy nodded
, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth. Her eyes were wide with fright; her chin quivered slightly, but her eyes never left Lana’s.

“Now
,
Lana
, in the bar your little friend here told me you had a talent for talking to the dead.” Vincent looked hard at Lana. “Is that true?”

Lana
remained silent. She stared him in the eyes, praying his threat was a bluff. When he pulled back the trigger, she realized he was far from bluffing. Lana cursed under her breath, and then noticed VC taking a step closer to Vincent and Amy.

“In three seconds
, I’m going to blow her brains out.” He nudged the gun into Amy’s head again, making her cry out. “And it is going to be
your
fault,
Lana Banana. After I blow her brains out, you are going to tell me the number she has been thinking.”

“If she’s dead
, how will you know if I’m lying or not?” Lana was desperate for more time. This couldn’t happen. Not to Amy. Not to her. She knew that if she admitted that she had the talent—she almost scoffed at the choice of word, more like curse at this moment—then they were as good as dead anyway, both of them. She was not going to be sold to anyone. This was not going as planned, and she hated when her plans didn’t go her way.

Vincent’s raised voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
“Because she’s weak!” he yelled, spittle spraying from his mouth. “I can read her like a fucking book.”