Wildfire Gospel (Habitat) (5 page)

Suddenly whatever I was doing seemed wrong. I battled with myself to let go. Visions of burning her skin some more danced in my head. Delicious images. Yet, I forced myself to get up and run in the opposite direction of where the little girl ran. The Rebels were stupid, but with the little girl’s screams they would come my way. I released the doggy. She slumped back into the brick wall.

Maybe I should take one of her arms.
I stiffened.
Why did I just think that? What would I want her arm for?

Footsteps stomped outside the opening. I considered the disgusting thought no more and sped off.
I’ll have to figure out another way to get to Graham.
The Rebels blocked the entrance. Zulu was so paranoid there was only one way of getting in, besides his nifty little flying exits that only he could use.
I’ll have to go back to the house.
The one that La La and I had grown up in. Graham would return their eventually, and if not, I could use the phone in the living room to call MFE.

This will take forever. I should have grabbed her arm. I could play with it while I wait.
A sliver of cold fear crept up my spine as I licked my lips.
Wait, what? What’s wrong with me?

Lanore

Rage condensed the air between Dante and us. His guards’ fingers shook as they held their weapons. Water didn’t even harm Zulu, yet they pointed the water guns at him as if they couldn’t think of what else to do. Once Zulu had stepped outside of the bloodied dining area, I saw that he wore tattered blue suit pants with holes on the side and gunk trimming at the bottom. It was the only thing left from his ball costume from earlier tonight. I wore a new shirt. Dante had provided me with another Bottelli shirt.

Angel remained between both of our groups like a bald headed referee. She held her hands out to the sides. Her fingers on the right hand touched my chest. Her left hand’s fingers grazed Dante’s suit jacket. “So we are all in agreement that no one is killing each other?”

Dante leaned his head to the side to put Zulu in his view. “You’ve taken one third of my family members. We’re even.”

“We’ll be even when you’re dead.” Zulu wrapped his arm around my waist and drew me into him, so that my behind and back molded into his front. “I may have killed your lackeys, but you’ve killed my sister and MeShack. Both of them are worth ten times the amount of people I killed.”

I flinched at the mention of MeShack’s name.

“I may have had an unintentional hand in killing Zulu’s sister, but the Vampire who killed this MeShack was not one of mine.” Dante shifted his attention to me, probably realizing that Zulu would always be a lost cause in the moment when logic merged with forgiveness.

“Nevertheless, I can get you the man who killed this MeShack,” Dante said.

Zulu tensed.

“I would like that a lot, but Zulu is right. We’re not even,” I said.

“Really? Well, I’m not sure you understand this situation so let me catch you up.” Dante curled his lips into a wicked grin. “You’re now in the Bottelli compound. Now let’s look at this in small doses for those who didn’t get a chance to graduate high school.”

Zulu snarled. Angel’s neutral expression shifted to annoyance.

“My compound holds close to a hundred pissed off Vampires. Many who lost friends and lovers at the hands of Zulu tonight. But the absurdity of how fucked you are doesn’t end there.” He spread his hands out. “How familiar are you with Vampire compounds?”

“Not at all.” I leaned my weight to the side.

Dante wagged his finger and sucked his teeth a few times. “It’s all in the history books. All Vampire compounds are connected into one massive base. That means not just Santeria Habitat Vampires live down here. All of the habitats are represented, from Shinto to Christianity, Wicca to Islam. We’re all separated into small compounds, but we have ways of slipping into others.”

Bloodsuckers everywhere?

Suddenly, the walls and ceiling seemed closer, even more suffocating than before.

“How did the humans manage to get every Vampire from every habitat in one place?” I asked.

“Each entrance for our perspective compounds is through a portal. From what I gathered throughout the years, this method is used by other Vampires in different habitats.”

“So you can go into other habitats through their portals?” I asked.

“No. Not that we haven’t all tried. The government creates and arranges the portals for us. It’s a lengthy process to get new people access to our portals. For example, I can only go in and out of the Bottelli portal. I can’t even access other families’ portals in Santeria. I definitely have no permission for other habitats’ portals. However, there is a main area that all of us congregate in.”

“But I got in your compound, with ease.” Zulu tapped his chest. “And how could you carry Lanore through?”

“Once you both bombed my factory, I bribed a few officials to get Lanore access. As far as you, Zulu, I have no idea why you were allowed in. If anybody down here discovers that, it will be a big problem.”

Because if Zulu could just slip in, then why can’t others enter while the Vamps are sleeping and kill them all, not just the ones in Santeria, but everyone in the world. We have to find out why Zulu can get in.

Angel nodded at me, no doubt reading my thoughts.

“So then where is this base located? I know we’re underground, but where?” Zulu’s grip on me loosened.

“That’s been the billion dollar question for years. We have no idea.” Dante gestured for his men to lower their water guns. “We know the base isn’t in Florida.”

“Why?” I asked.

“A few times we’ve experienced earthquakes. Ever felt one in Santeria?”

“No.”

“There you go.”

I made a mental note to look into this. Knowing the location to the base could be useful, if only to rid the world forever of fanged villains. I’d probably be awarded the noble prize, at least the supernatural equivalent.

Dante clapped his hands together. “We’re off track. Either way, your location in the Bottelli compound leaves you all with the simple realization that must be ringing in your heads, you’re surrounded by Vampires from every ilk. You have no idea where the portal to leave the compound and return to Santeria is—”

“I could follow the blood and corpses.” Zulu shrugged.

Yep. I’m in love with a psycho.

Angel cleared her throat. “Either way, it seems the time to kill each other is not now. Do we all agree on that?”

Zulu grumbled, but continued to hold me close to him. I translated that as a yes. “No killing for now. However, can I set the guy who killed MeShack on fire?”

“Yes.” Dante nodded. “That man did so without my orders. I told all of my men several times to not harm you or your party.”

Yeah right.

“When I obtain this Vampire’s identity, he’s yours to do with whatever you like.”

“Let’s go.” I smirked. “I agree to not kill anyone, unless it’s in self-defense.”

Zulu grunted.

“Temporary truce. It is.” Dante adjusted his jacket and walked off. Angel sighed. Dante’s men continued to face us and walk backward. “My people think they have Mother Earth’s location. It’s an apartment in a building located at the center of Oya District. They watched her walk in and are monitoring the apartment until daylight ends.”

That was quick.

However, the location wasn’t a huge surprise. Most Shapeshifters and middle class supes lived in Oya. The thing that bothered me was the fact that she just strolled off to her apartment with no care in the world. Dante claimed the Witch Council blamed MFE and the Vampire Bottelli Family for the ball. Surely, news had spread around the habitat that Dante had carted me off.

Wouldn’t she wonder that we talked and put two and two together or did she simply assume that we fell into her trap and killed each other without having been the wiser? Or are her and Dante really working together and he simply has me trapped down here?

My head hurt. I rubbed my temples and hoped for an answer to all of the questions spinning in my mind.

“We’ll go to Mother Earth’s place once the sun sets.” Dante led us down more of the glass underground tunnel. “We have eight hours until that happens.”

“We don’t need to wait until the sun goes down.” I climbed out of Zulu’s grip and marched after him. “We’re not Vampires.”

“I’m aware of that.” Dante rounded the corner. The pathway shifted from glass to shiny green stones that adorned the walls, ceiling, and floor. There weren’t any glass cages in this section of his compound. When we’d walked to this area, I passed so many displays full of almost every supernatural species, from all types of Elemental Witches to various Shapeshifters, Mixbreeds to different Fairies. All of their faces were cut on the right side. Every one of their gazes rested on me like they were begging me to help them.

And I will just as soon as I’m able to help myself out of here.

I could care less about any approval from officials for Dante’s testing. Whatever he was trying to do was wrong. I didn’t know how or why, but my gut said to never forget those faces and figure out a way to return and help them escape.

“Give me the address,” I demanded.

“No.”

I pushed fire out of my hand. Angel snapped her fingers. My flames disappeared. My vision shifted to an orange glow. My eyes must have been ablaze. “Don’t take away my fire again.”

“Or what?” Angel’s face reddened, but she kept her hands out and to the side. “I know you’re pissed, but remember the paths. I’m here to make sure you don’t end several paths by killing off one blood-sucking dick head.”

“Come here. Relax, baby.” Zulu seized my arm and towed me back.

“This from a guy that’s been peeling skin and making finger bouquets for the last few hours?” I returned to him.

“I’m just trying to help you see the fact that we’re at his mercy.” Zulu winked at me.

“I’m glad someone sees that.” Dante continued further down the stone hallway. His footsteps pounded on the surface. Shock spread across my face. I quirked my eyebrows at Zulu.

“It was one thing for me to die underground because you were dead,” Zulu said. “Now that you’re alive, my mind is clearer. Once we’re out, I plan on slicing Dante with my claws and taking my time.”

“Glad to hear our alliance is getting stronger and stronger with each moment.” Dante turned another corner. We passed a huge hole on our right. I paused and peered inside, forcing Zulu to stay with me. Mixbreeds, with silver collars wrapped around their necks crowded the hole.
They’re Vamp-owned.
They were Mixbreeds that volunteered service to Vampire families for a lump sum of money to be given to them after their service completed. The only problem was that most of the time Mixbreeds didn’t survive the end of their term.

They wore blue denim coveralls as they coughed and dug up dirt. Buckets of rocks, pebbles, mud, and roots scattered the area. The carved out tunnel extended at least two blocks in length. There must’ve been at least thirty Vamp-owned down there.
What are they digging for?
I leaned in to get a closer look. Scabs covered their hands and faces. Green pus leaked from their eyes. Snot dangled from many of their noses. More coughed. I sniffed the air.

Chemicals. There are some sort of chemicals in the soil.

“Let’s go,” Dante yelled over his shoulder. “I’m already late.”

“Late for what?” I asked.

“It’s none of your concern.”

“What are those Vamp-owned digging?” Zulu and I exchanged glances.

Dante scowled at us. “Just because you’re down here doesn’t mean you will know all of my business.”

“Are they digging for something special or just trying to find a path to freedom?” I joked. He didn’t laugh. His guards appeared uncomfortable, looking anywhere but my way.

Had I been right? Were they really trying to find a path out of here? Why wouldn’t they? Zulu and I couldn’t be the only people who want to get out of the caged city.

A solid door appeared in front of us.

“So you’re trying to shovel your way out of Santeria, huh?”

“We’re not under Santeria. I just told you that.” Dante turned around and crossed his arms around his chest.

“That’s not an answer.”

“Let’s get something straight right now before you enter.” He gestured for the guards to go in without him. They seemed worried that we might attack him, if left with us by himself. However, they opened the door and dragged themselves through.

Once they exited, Dante focused on me. “You want to know my secrets, then tell me yours. Until then keep your theories to yourself.”

“I have no secrets. You know everything about me, Zulu, and MFE.”

“But there is something that Mother Earth—and whoever else she works for—knows, that I don’t. They don’t want us around each other or working together. Why not?” Dante asked.

“I have no idea.”

Dante switched his gaze to Zulu. “I think you do. What type of beast are you? Maybe that’s the key.”

“It’s not.”

“You both are hiding something. For example, Zulu could slip through the portal with no problem. I’ve tested this out with many Mixbreeds and other species. I’ve always needed them to get permission. Something is different about you.”

It was. Zulu and I both were weird hybrids of Fairy and other species. For some reason, when Fairy blood was added into the mix, interesting things arose. As far as we knew, Zulu and I were the only two people in Santeria that could touch the wall and its bars. No one else could due to the walls’ harsh metals and herbs that were hazardous to Purebloods and other Mixbreeds. The plan had been to test other Mixbreeds with the wall and see if they could touch it too. What stopped us was the war we’d incited with Dante by blowing up his blood factory. The war served as a detour to us finding a way out of the habitat.

Maybe that’s it.

“The Vamp-owned you had digging in the tunnel are reacting to all the chemicals in the dirt, ones that the humans put in there so you wouldn’t do things like dig, right?” I asked. “Just tell me.”

“What do I get out of it?” Dante targeted me with his gaze.

“Information from us. Give and take, Dante. That’s important.”

“Yes. We have them dig as long as they can. Each family designates teams of Vamp-owned that are assigned to dig in different directions of their compounds.”