I woke in a serious sweat. There was something wrong and I knew it. I just couldn’t figure out what it was. I checked my phone, but it was silent. I slipped on my Chucks and headed downstairs. This was serious and I suspected it had to do with Andrew.
“Andrew?” I called out to the quiet house.
When he didn’t answer I was positive it was him. I was feeling his distress through whatever bond we had. I went to Sophie’s door and pounded on it.
“Sophie, wake up! WAKE UP!” I shouted, my fist thumping on the wood.
“What on Earth?” She asked.
“I think there is something wrong with Andrew. I need to know where he went to meet the wolves.” I told her.
“I’m not sure. Let me call Gus.” She went back to her nightstand and called. “He isn’t answering.”
I swallowed down the fear threatening to take over.
“Why do you think there is something wrong?” Her eyes huge in the night.
“I can sense it. I’m going to try to track him. I have to help him. Call one of his underlyings and see if you can get someone else going after him. I don’t know how well I can do this.” I headed for the door.
“Kat, take a weapon or something. Don’t head into whatever is causing him distress unarmed.” She called.
I ran back upstairs and clipped my gun holder on. I also slipped on my silver throwing daggers. I had no clue what I was up against, but I was about as ready as I could get in a few minutes. I rushed back downstairs.
“They said the same thing as you. I hope you find him.” She told me.
“I’ll try my best.” I sprinted out of the house.
The cold night air hit me like a truck, but I ignored it. This wasn’t the time to focus on being uncomfortable. Andrew was in trouble and I needed to find him. I stood in the yard turning, trying to get the best reading I could from him. As soon as it was stronger I headed that direction. It was like searching for a signal on your cellphone when you hold it up and move you hand to try and catch it- only I was moving my body and I was looking for a hurting vampire.
An hour later I was standing just outside of some weird ass compound. I knew of two sentries, but I wasn’t sure about any more. Every hit that struck Andrew, sent a burning blow to me. They were using his weaknesses against him and I could feel it. The wind shifted around me and I found myself surrounded by some of his children.
“Mistress.” They bowed to me.
“There are at least two sentries. I don’t know what they are packing, but at this point I don’t care. We need to get him out.” I told them.
I watched them nod and two large vampires headed off to confront the sentries. They went down silently. We inched forward. I looked over the entrance to the compound and held up my hand. There was something that told me not to go this way.
“We must go over it. Jump, but not directly over the doorway. Remember that if you are headed out quickly. Am I understood?” I hoped they would remember, the mechanisms on the passage looked deadly.
They went over without any problems. I followed behind. I watched several spread out to find any other sentries that might be making their rounds. My bond with him pulled me to him, they flanked me. When I hit the door that had Andrew on the other side, it exploded inwards.
“Where is my vampire?” I called out, my voice matching what I could only assume would be similar to a crazed demon.
He didn’t call out, but I felt him peek up.
“And you are not one?” A bitch wolf stepped forward.
“You wanna test me, Bitch?” I snarled.
She lunged for me, but I shot her in the leg. She went down howling.
“Don’t fuck with an agent.” I walked passed her, the wound hissed and foamed from the reaction. She was damn lucky I was being kind, as I could’ve killed her.
Andrew was chained to a wall. His skin burned around the manacles. Blood seeped from own wounds that would not heal. His head hung, and my heart skipped, worrying I was too late. But I felt him. He was still there, barely.
“If anyone else in this room so much as moves, they won’t be as lucky as Little Miss Bitch, am I understood?” No one else moved. “Good. Don’t test me. I was woken up, that makes me damn grumpy and trigger happy. Get him down.”
The two big vampires approached him, but hissed in pain and backed off.
“God dammit!” I growled and stepped up, the wolves in the room watched in amazement as I broke the shackles and freed Andrew. I pulled him away from the wall and the others grabbed him.
“Take him to feed. I’m going to have me a little talk with these wolves.” I cocked my gun.
“Yes, Mistress.” They eyed me with fear.
I walked back over to the woman I had shot.
“Now, you’re going to answer my questions, or you’ll die. Am I clear?” I stood above her.
She nodded.
“Why was Andrew taken?” I asked.
“He was suspected in these cases.” She said.
“That is just bullshit and you know it. He’s even helping solve the case. The murderers aren’t even of this damn world. You wolves are freaking idiots. What did you do to make him not heal?” I growled remembering his weeping wounds.
“The weapons are made to be used against suckers. I hope he dies a slow painful death.” I coldclocked the bitch.
“You are no better than any other idiot out there that thinks they are better than some other peoples. If he dies. You will too. You’ve heard my warning. I’ve seen all of your faces, you’ll meet your end if he does.” I felt the door swing open and a growl escaped before I had the wolf by its throat. I threw it at the two that were still by a table.
My vampire speed made it easy to get out of there and over the fence long before I had to even think about them recovering. I followed my senses back to one of Andrew’s safe houses. I pounded on the door.
“Mistress.” A lanky vampiress bowed to me.
“Where is he?” I demanded. I needed to know he was alright.
“We have him with a second donor. We haven’t seen much recovery.” Her voice was worried.
“Take me to him, and remove the donor.” I hissed.
I followed her up to a bedroom. Andrew lay on the bed, his body angry, nothing was healing. I shook my head.
“Oh, Andrew.” My words were nothing more than a whisper.
He looked at me but said nothing.
I found you. I sent the thought to him.
I knew you would. He sounded so tired.
I went to the bed. I put my hand over his wound, it felt strange. “This may hurt.” I took my nails and scraped out the wound. He screamed in response. I cut my palm and held it to the injury, I watched as it slowed mended shut.
What did you do? His inner voice was weakening.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get you better.” I told him.
I stood up and called out the door for someone to bring me several cups of blood.
“Andrew, I need to remove whatever their weapons were coated in that is keeping your wounds open. It will hurt. I want you to drink the blood that your people bring you. Do you understand me?” I asked him.
Yes.
“Good, you are to bring him blood until I tell you to stop.” I barked at the vampire holding a glass, he nodded at me.
With the next scream several vampires came to see if they needed to protect their Master. Instead they ended up helping to hold him down. Once I had all of his injuries healed, I made them stop bringing the blood and dismissed them.
“Andrew, I want you to drink from me.” I told him.
No. Too dangerous. Get a donor.
“I will not, and you feed from me. My blood will heal you, theirs won’t right now. Please trust me.” I barked at him.
I sliced my arm and held it to his mouth. The blood slid into his mouth for a second before he latched on. His fangs bit down hard on my flesh and the pain flashed through me. The world shifted in a strange way as I experience both my side and his from him drinking from me. It was like the world had suddenly flipped and I couldn’t understand what was happening for a second. It took my mind time to translate the new set of information it was receiving.
He drank in greedy gulps and I could feel his body begin to heal. The shackle marks were disappearing and his strength was returning. My head started to feel light. He continued to drink. I wonder how long he can drink before it becomes too dangerous? I didn’t want to stop him if I didn’t have to.
“Andrew.” I was weakening but his name came out strong.
His purple eyes were ringed in red. He grabbed my arm, like a dog with a bone.
“Andrew, let go.” I told him.
He didn’t.
I did the only thing I could think of. I slipped one of my silver daggers out and slid the blade across his hand. He let go of my arm and when he howled in pain, I pulled my arm to safety.
“You back to the land of normal yet?” I asked.
He nodded and watched his hand close.
“Kat. Are you alright?” His voice was worried.
“I’ve been better. I mean, I was sleeping and then I was woken up to this mess. Then, of course, after saving your dumbass, you tried to drink me dry. What if I had been a donor? You would’ve killed me. What were you thinking trying to dismiss me?” I shook my head.
“Thank you.” He looked down.
“You knew I would come. It wasn’t a question. Your distress woke me and as soon as I was up I had to find you. I wish you would’ve listened to me. Does this mean we are at war with the wolves now?” I sighed, not knowing if I wanted to deal with another supe war.
“No. This was a rogue group. I was a fool for even going. I didn’t want our people to look like they were at fault for any of this. My plan was to share the information we had already and what was being put into place, but they didn’t want to talk. No, they wanted to say they killed the person responsible even if I wasn’t.” He growled.
“Interesting. You’re still an idiot. Are you going to report this to the main pack?” I asked him.
“Yes, it is in the treaty that any attacks made against the others be reported. I have no choice. The pack might be kind and not kill them, but I don’t see it.” He shook his head.
“Perhaps they can just be shipped off to a different area? The wolves shouldn’t be killing off anyone right now. Their numbers are dwindling.” I told him the brief conversation I had with Harkins about global attacks.
“Hmm, I’ll suggest it. But the wolves really prefer that we stay the hell out of their business.” He pinched the bridge of his nose.
“You’ll need to feed again before the night is over. I need more sleep if I am going to be of any use for anything. I’d like some of our sentries put up around the house. I don’t care if they are human guards, but tonight I want protection. I don’t want to be woken up by another attack. Keep your children safe and out of the open tonight. Those wolves will want blood for the pain we’ve caused. Make sure you get in touch with the pack as soon as possible too.” I crossed my arms, allowing my annoyance to settle on me.
“As you wish, Kat. Will you accept a ride home?” He asked.
“Yes, I don’t want to run all the way back.” My adrenaline was failing.
“You could stay here.” He said.
“No, thank you. You need to feed and I don’t know how well I can keep myself in check now. I’m drained and tired and want to go back to sleep in my bed.” I grumbled.
“Let me … Oh, hell, I have to send some pets to get Gus. They hog tied him and threw him in the limo.” Andrew shot out of bed.
“Slow down. You aren’t healed all the way.” I shouted at him.
He went to the door and called out something that I didn’t catch, my brain slowing down with a need to rest.
“Do you mind if someone other than Gus drives you home?” He asked.
“No, it’s fine.” I yawned.
He flipped open his phone, and I long blinked.
“Kat, your ride is here.” John’s voice floated on my sleepiness.
“John?” I felt him pick me up.
“Come on, our badass princess, time for you to get home.” He laughed.
“Okay, John. Why are you here?” I mumbled.
“Someone has to keep the bad things that go bump in the night away.” He held me close.
“Keep her safe, Black.” Andrew called.
“With my life. The agency has sent protection to the house. Don’t worry about her. We know how to protect our own. There will be some over here too.” He slipped out of the house before Andrew could argue.
Then the world was a nice fuzzy sleepiness.