VEE

Seth walks into the farmhouse, hesitant as he looks at the surroundings, holding his hand over the wound. Xander walks ahead and Heath hangs back with us. Is Seth's pale face due to the wound or his nerves around the guys? As he's about to be interrogated by Xander, probably both.

Ewan appears in the doorway and halts for a moment as he sees Seth, welcoming face switching to narrow-eyed suspicion. "So this is the elusive DoomMan, huh? What happened to your friend?"

Ewan strides over and I stand between him and Seth. "He's injured, Ewan. Back down." Ewan's eyes flick over Seth's bloodied jacket. "We found him back at the hall."

Seth rests against the wall, perspiration covering his pallid face. Heath managed to stop the bleeding, but I'm worried by the amount of blood soaking through his shirt.

I place a hand on Seth’s in an attempt to comfort.

"Was that his teeth?" asks Ewan.

Seth shakes his head and grimaces. "Nails."

"He needs medical treatment," replies Xander. "But we didn't want to leave him at the hospital. I'm not letting this guy out of my sight again."

"Yeah, I agree we should talk to Seth before he disappears again," says Ewan in a low voice. "I'd like to hear what happened to Casey, and where he's been today."

"Xander's right.” Joss nods at Seth. "What if the demons succeed in killing him next time?"

Seth takes a sharp take of breath. "Take me to a hospital. I don't care."

I expected Xander to be the one reluctant to allow Seth into the house, not Ewan. He’s never met the guy; he shouldn't form an opinion until we talk.

"Yeah, but we don't let people on the property," says Ewan to the guys. "That was always our rule."

This conversation's pointless. Seth needs help, and the other guys clearly don't want to. "Joss.” I take Seth by his uninjured arm. "He needs help with his wounds."

Joss helps me guide Seth into the kitchen where he sits him at the table. I look away as Joss peels away the blood-soaked shirt tourniquet and studies the wound. "That's a hell of a gash."

Seth forces a smile. "Fucking hurts."

"Vampire," I say.

Joss's head jerks up. "Vampire? Is that who's killing people?"

"Xander doesn't think so."

"Yeah, most victim’s injuries suggest demon not vampire. Apart from Seth. What happened out there?"

"We killed it," I say. "Xander and Heath can tell the rest."

Seth rests his head on the table, eyes closed and face ashen. What does he think about our vampires conversation, or what happened to him? Does Seth think he's hallucinating in pain?

I locate and drag the first aid box from the cupboard, remembering the day Xander cleaned up my wound. Somehow I can't picture Xander as the one who'll help out today.

Joss digs around in the box and pulls out needles and surgical thread.

Ugh, no.

"I hope you have medical training," says Seth weakly.

"I won't hurt as much the other guys." He places a hand on Joss's arm. "Don't be nervous."

"You have a calming bedside manner," says Seth and coughs a laugh.

Joss chuckles. "You have no idea. Vee, get Seth something strong to drink. I'm sure that'll help."

I cross the kitchen and pour Seth a whiskey before excusing myself. I've a million questions for Seth, as I'm sure the others have too, but I'm not asking them while Joss stitches up his arm.

What happened to him in the last day?

I imagine Seth has a few questions for us too, after what he witnessed.

Xander, Heath, and Ewan sit in the lounge, and as I walk in, Xander indicates I should close the door. Heath and Xander's shirts are stained with blood, and I look down at mine. Blood. I wait for the rush of nausea. Nothing. Good. Progress.

"I've given Ewan a run down on what happened with Taron. Are you okay?" asks Xander.

"Fine."

"You sure you're okay, Vee? What you did back there was..." Heath trails off.

I swallow. I have no words either. My rage took over the moment Xander implied the vampire had killed Casey—and attempted to murder Seth. He didn't deserve to live. The anger surges again, still contained and wanting an outlet. Every evil, horrific creature in this world deserves to die, and I will do everything to stop them. I’ll kill a thousand of the bastards and not care.

Whoa. "Yes. Fine. Seth's not dead and that’s what matters."

Ewan chews on his lip as he studies me; I don't like the distance in his eyes. Heath and Xander were quiet on the way home, and the glances they gave made me uncomfortable, as if seeing part of me for the first time. I don't understand why. I've killed before.

This time, instead of resisting the War overcoming me, I held on, determined to prove my strength and ability to deal with threat. That determination took over, and I helped.

Didn't I?

"I have a question, Heath.” Xander crosses his arms. "How did we miss seeing someone dump Seth?”

Heath straightens. "I don’t know.”

"I asked you to watch while I was at the bar.” He gestures between Heath and I. "Were you paying attention?”

"Mostly. Maybe I didn’t spend my whole time nose to the window!” he retorts.

"You screwed up. We could’ve seen who it was.”

The tension in the air thickens between the brothers.

"Maybe they took him in from a different side of the building?”

Xander scowls. "I don’t care. This was a fuck up.”

"There’s nothing we can do now, Xander,” I say.

"Have you had a chance to ask Seth any questions?" continues Xander.

"Not in his current state. Please leave Joss to stitch him up, Xander. I think when Seth's rested, he'll be up to an interrogation."

Xander screws his face up, and I'm impressed by his self-control when he sits on a nearby armchair instead of launching himself into the kitchen.

"Where's he been, Vee? What happened to him today?" Ewan asks.

"We don't know."

I pick up an emotion from Xander I'm sure he doesn't want to share—uncertainty. For Seth’s sake, I hope the frustration resting beneath doesn't take him over. "Seth has a lot of explaining to do if he wants to stay here."

"I'm sure both sides have a lot of questions to ask," I reply.

Heath nods. "He saw us killing a vampire tonight. A vampire sent to kill him. Now we can be certain that whatever happened to his group has a demon connection."

Us killing? Me. I sit on the sofa beside Ewan as the three continue to discuss Taron, and I sigh at yet another connection in the Horsemen's world I have no clue about. Ewan takes in the new information with an enthusiastic relief to match Xander's earlier and heads to his laptop for research.

As the anxiety over Seth ebbs and the anger from my War finally drops, another energy triggers. I should be exhausted after the last thirty-six hours, but I'm invigorated after War took hold and the energy surged inside. I struggle to focus on Xander's words, and staying present, but my power's hunger for something more stirs. I want the release I only achieve through sex with one of the guys.

I don't have the strength to fight that side of myself; I'm aware how the night will end.

* * *

In the kitchen, Joss tidies away bloodied gauze and Seth lies with his head on the table, outstretched arm covered in a fresh cream-coloured bandage. Seth’s mouth is parted in sleep, head still covered in perspiration, damp hair sticking to his forehead. Bruises mark his cheeks and around his eyes, and there are more on his exposed arms. What happened to Seth? Who did this?

"Did you put him to sleep?" I ask Joss. "Can you do that?"

Joss drops the used bandages and gauze into the waste bin. "Not exactly. Seth passed out, and I encouraged him to stay that way."

"Encouraged?" Joss raises a brow at me. "I won't ask."

"Are you okay?" he asks.

"Me? It annoys me when you all constantly ask. Yes, I am. I know you all think it's strange what I did to Taron but—"

"Not, that, Vee." He flicks on the tap to wash his hands. "You channelled War tonight. We all know what happens when you use your powers."

I close my eyes. "You're sensing it, aren't you?"

"Your raging hormones? Yep."

"Don't worry, I won't jump on you."

"Shame." He throws me a Joss grin and flicks the tap off. "Grab me a beer, will you?"

Seth remains quiet, unmoving against the table, and I stand with Joss by the kitchen counter as we both drink one. In my time here, I'm acquiring a taste for bottled beer. Maybe that's part of my Horseman "assimilation"?

"What's funny?" asks Joss.

"Oh. Nothing.” I drink. "But there's something weird Heath said, and I want to talk to you about it."

"Uh huh. Heath says weird shit a lot. Was he philosophising again?"

"Funny. No. Heath said something about me and my human side. Can I talk to you? I want another opinion."

Joss blows air into his cheeks. "Right. I don't want to discuss things with other ears around." He points at Seth. "Maybe we can talk in the study? Wait there a sec."

Joss leaves the room and I drink my beer, while watching Seth.

Joss returns a few moments later with Xander. "Watch your hostage for a few. Me and Vee have something to talk about."

Xander sits on the edge of the table. "Oh, really? Talk, huh?" He smirks at Joss and refuses to look at me.

"Ha! I wish," says Joss. "I don't think we're past first base yet."

"Shut up," I warn them and point at our captive. "Someone else is here, remember?"

"Yeah, but Vee can't control herself sometimes. Watch it or she'll pin you to the floor." Xander turns his face to me, and I refuse to look away from his challenging stare.

I wait for a Joss joke, but none comes.

Xander breaks our stand off. "Fine. I'll watch your friend. Go talk."

Throwing Xander a tight smile, I follow Joss from the kitchen.