Grim Echoes

Chapter 61 - Maeve

"Now you can't go running off, its taken us over an hour to get you out of there. You're coming to our place for a visit."

She struggled against him, but his grip was like steel.

"Enough of this, it's almost dawn," the stern female with long light hair told him and yanked Maeve out of his arms.

Maeve couldn't breathe. The female was deceptively strong. The female threw Maeve over her shoulder and took off. She closed her eyes to keep from throwing up. The female moved too quickly. Just as the sky lightened, they reached the hive. No time for Maeve to have any reaction, good or bad, before she was tossed onto the dusty floor. She coughed to catch her breath.

"And here is our final guest, although very late to the party, I'm afraid. Rather rude," a melodic voice caressed Maeve's ears.

The sound of the voice promised everything. All her secret desires, anything she wanted as long as she traded her soul. She couldn't help but gaze adoringly at the pale woman with coal black hair and eyes.

"She was the one giving you so much trouble, Mort? She seems very amiable," the pale beauty said and ran an icy finger across Maeve's cheek.

In the distance Maeve heard odd noises of struggle, but she couldn't look away enraptured by the gorgeous woman. The woman leaned down and breathed in her scent, close to her neck. Maeve closed her eyes. More strange sounds of struggle. When she opened her eyes, the woman had titled her head to the right and studied her.

"Well, well, aren't you a treasure? How considerate of you boys to bring me such a gift," she said with a smile and looked left. Her pearly fangs glistened in the candle light.

Maeve's eyes followed her movement. Tied down with zip ties and chains were Ander and Will, they'd been roughed up. Difficult to tell how much because they were covered in dried blood. Will's determined grey eyes bore into her, pushed at her, forced her to remember. Remember what? Her eyes moved to Ander, whose green eyes sparked with fear, not for himself but for her and something gentle that lifted her. She blinked and reached for a gun that wasn't there.

"Lady Thana, she is no longer in your thrall," a female voice from the shadows stated.

The black haired beauty snapped her head back to Maeve. "How did you manage that? You are becoming more interesting by the moment," she purred and stepped toward her.

Maeve flinched, didn't want this monster anywhere near her. The dark woman's power rolled off her, attempted to crush her. With closed eyes, she thought about how Will and Ander had stared at her. Needed to be strong, had to help them get out of there. Couldn't she just knock out the boards in front of the windows and everyone would catch on fire? No, that wasn't right. Ander had explained not all vampires were allergic to the sun, he'd said it diminished their powers during the day.

She pulled herself to her feet. Refused to bow to this monster. Lady Thana may be powerful, but she was below her. Maeve dusted herself off before she tilted her chin up and peered into those black eyes. The intense crushing power of Lady Thana compounded, difficult to resist. Odd emotions and thoughts crept into her mind. They felt like hers, but were Lady Thana's. Years of her own ability had taught her when someone's own memories or emotions tied to them weren't real. Why was Lady Thana sharing her soul with her? Rather, why was she forcing herself into Maeve?

The realization clicked. She was one of those the puppet masters. She was trying to overwrite Maeve with her own will, not just dominate her thoughts. A sheen of sweat broke out on her body from the effort to keep Lady Thana out. Maeve clenched her fists, wouldn't allow this creature to overwrite her. Lady Thana stepped back, genuine surprise on her delicate features.