Seven
IN LAS VEGAS…SERENITY TOWER
When she saw who waited on the other side of the door, Olivia touched the screen and said, “Get in here.”
She hurried to meet Corri, who entered on a run and spread her arms and legs in a superman pose, her grin wide.
“What the hell?” Olivia started laughing.
“I thought I’d welcome you home properly.” Corri held the position. “Don’t you recognize the giant onesie, footed pajamas you had designed for me?”
“Yeah, I do, but I never expected you to wear it outside this apartment.”
Corri moved closer, pushed a loose strand of dark hair behind Olivia’s ear, the grin downgrading to a smile. “I thought you could use a laugh.”
Pulling her into a close hug, Olivia lingered with Corri, then took her hand to lead her to the main balcony.
“Laughs, yes, and booze. Lots of strong booze.”
“No shortage of either here, love. So, Dori from the new buffet downstairs will be here in a few minutes with a full first meal for all of us. We can do a girl’s only night tomorrow and you can fill me in on details.”
“That works for me. I need to talk with you.” Olivia shrugged. “About Will.”
“I figured, sweetie. I can read you like an open book. I’m sorry.”
“It’s the game. So, let me go get some cozies on,” Olivia said, her eyes on Corri’s onesie. “I feel overdressed.”
“Shut up. I’m running back to my apartment to change. Everyone is meeting us here in about twenty. Is that okay?”
“Absolutely. I’ll release the locks, and they can just come on in.”
“All right. I missed you, my friend.”
“Me too.”
After Corri left, Olivia dropped onto her bed, her eyes on the champagne ceiling, draped in satin from a central point to create a cascade of softness. Lighting was always kept low, doors to her private balcony nearly always open after dark to bring in fresh air and extend the space to the outside.
Here was where she rested, where she sought serenity and escape when it was needed. This room was also her special place for sensual blood meals and satisfying sex.
The room was heaven to her. One day, she hoped to share it with Will. While her confident promises to Will in Brazil had assured him they would be together someday, she didn’t know when that might be. Or if it would be.
Destiny kept her hand in the lives of those she guided, Olivia had no doubt, but Destiny was also capricious and often couldn’t be trusted.
A deep sigh filled the quiet space.
“Que sera, sera,” she whispered aloud, an homage to an old song she loved. What will be, will be.
Standing, she dropped her traveling clothes on the floor and lifted a lightweight dress from her closet. Thin, a pale rose that looked incredible with her dark hair, the fabric clung to her body and highlighted her full curves.
“Will would love this.” After she slid the dress over her head, she wandered back into her living space, surprised to see two of her guests already seated on the sofa.
“Rochelle! Hi, Gio. How are you two settling in?”
The displaced vampires from Corri’s bizarre kidnapping and forced conversion had come to Las Vegas with Vaz, and after a nice reunion with Corri, Olivia had found them both jobs in the building. So far, she’d been impressed with their strong work ethic, and how well they performed those jobs. By now, they were on track to become permanent, valued members of her extended family.
Rochelle popped up and gave her a hearty hug.
“Lovin’ this scene, Liv. I’m really good at handling your patrons at the cafe. And I’m surprised how much I enjoy it. Hey, is it okay if I open your bar?”
“Sure.” Olivia turned to the dark-haired man who suddenly stood and lowered his head in a bow.
“Ms. Olivia.”
Gio. The epitome of a gentleman. Beneath that polite quiet exterior, she imagined the heart of a truly sexy beast beat time waiting for the day it could come out and play. He was handsome enough, that was obvious, but he kept everything bottled up. One day, she thought.
“Evening, Gio. And how about you, are you happy here?”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity you gave me. And yes, I am relieved to live a normal life again. You gave me the right job, Ms. Olivia. I am. Happy here, I mean.”
“Wonderful. And, Gio, it’s just Olivia. We don’t stand on formality here. We’re all family.”
“Forgive me. I’m just grateful for my benefactress and for the freedom you’ve given me and my friends. Of course, I’ll try to loosen up.”
Olivia tugged at his shirt collar. “Try to, please. And go get something sinfully alcoholic to drink. Relax, Gio, life is good now. You will always be my hero because you are the one that got Corri away from that motherfucker. Let me take care of you.”
“I could have done nothing different.”
“That tells me all I need to know about you. Gio, I think you have a big future here with me. Go, get that drink.”
When the door opened again, Corri led Vaz through, already having a good night. He’d changed so much since the tortured man he’d been when he showed up desperate to find Corri months ago.
While she kept her welcoming smile in place, it struck her that love, when it goes right, will do that for you.
“Welcome, everyone, come on in. This girl has been gone too long, so let’s celebrate my return. Now, where’s that feast?”
SIX BLOCKS AWAY
“Sir, I have two for you. They are definitely what you wanted.”
“Just two?” Frederick inquired, expecting a greater number from his man in Brazil.
“They’re all you need, sir. These two are the closest to the vampires you want to know about. If I attempt to take more, they will discover my presence, and then the mission’s blown.”
“Sensible. That’s why I hired you. Locktite, bring them to me. The jet has been dispatched.”
“As discussed. You’re still in the same building?”
“Off Sunset and Wisteria, yes.”
“I will see you tonight.”
Closing the call without the standard greeting, Frederick Villioth dropped onto a hard chair, relieved. Soon, he would have two humans he could control by compulsion to find out what they knew about the supervamps, or whatever the hell they were.
Finally, maybe he would get his answers. Kidnapping people was distasteful, not something he would ordinarily condone, but he had been presented with no other option. He couldn’t just go up to the vampire Olivia and ask what hell she was, not with the violent reaction from that one in Corsica who had the same mysterious skills.
“Did you get anything yet?”
Thalasia entered, and as usual, her voice heralded her arrival. The woman did amazing things with that mouth, but the incessant gabbing was not one of them. It was a pleasant voice, but she did prattle on.
“Perhaps,” Frederick answered. “My man is bringing two humans for me to interrogate. Ah, I do hate that word.”
Thalasia hopped up on the top of the bar counter, swinging her long legs, red spiked heels striking the wood.
“Interrogate? But you do it so well.”
“Doesn’t mean I enjoy it. However, in this case, it must be done.”
“Oh, for that hot vampire babe. Why don’t you just go ask her?”
“Because, dear lady, I am quite certain she would use her unbelievable skill to compel me, which she should not be able to do, and purge my memory of her altogether.”
“Like that big guy in Corsica. Yeah, he was pretty spectacular. Well, you’ll get her.”
“I don’t need to get her, I would just like to be in the loop and understand what she and that Koen are.”
“Yeah, I know. Fred, I’ve never seen you fail. Once you get what you want, are you going to do what you promised? Are you going to convert me?”
It had been an impromptu promise back in Corsica, and he didn’t answer. Dialing his fone again, he spoke as soon as it engaged. “Elmo, prepare restraints for two humans.”
“Locktite bringing them in?”
“He is. Tonight.”
“Yeah, they’ll be ready. He gonna tranq ‘em?”
Lord. “Yes, he gonna tranq ‘em.”
“Okay. I’ll get to it.”
Finally. He’d had three teams working on this mystery since he’d first observed the owner of Serenity Tower use compulsion on a vampire. When it had happened again in Corsica, he’d made a deal with a vampire named Vaz. He would help Vaz find a rogue vampire in exchange for the information on how it was possible for a vampire to compel a vampire, but the asshole had reneged and disappeared. He’d distrusted Frederick, and bolted.
Frederick admitted that there was reason to distrust him. His motives were rarely pure, hadn’t even been when he’d still been human, but that didn’t make him evil.
His only option had been to return to the female vampire he knew was unique, to watch and wait for the opportunity for something, anything, to reveal what she was.
After kidnapping her closest vampire ally with failed results, he’d known his best avenue was to find a human being on her inner circle. Humans could be compelled and he would easily have his story. Tonight was one for celebration.
Thalasia’s voice interrupted again. “Are you going to take me out of this building finally? Or can I go on my own? I’m bored.”
“You remember why we came here?”
“Yeah. You met a vampire who can control…”
“Compel.”
“Right. Same difference, really. You met a vampire who can do what they shouldn’t be able to do, and you being you, you can’t let it go until you know how they can.”
A long sigh of exasperation preceded his nod. “Yes, me being me, I need answers. When I became vampire three hundred years ago, the things I could do that mere humans could not blew me away. It still did until I realized that apparently there is yet another level higher to achieve.”
“And you have to be at the highest level, right Fred?”
“My dear Thalasia, a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”
Fred watched his favorite blood-bond, her huge eyes wide open as she listened to him. She’d never understand the Robert Browning reference, but it was fine, she was good at fucking and that’s all he needed her for. The moment when he’d considered bringing her over had passed. He liked the brazen woman, but a commitment of several lifetimes with her around, he couldn’t see it. He wouldn’t tell her, of course, why disappoint the poor thing.
“So they get here tonight?” she asked abruptly.
“Yes, and it won’t be the failure it was when my first team took Olivia’s vampire friend. I’m practically vibrating with excitement. You see, after being alive for centuries, very little surprises a vampire. This, however, exhilarates me like Christmas day used to when I was a child. Oh, to find something new after all these years.”
“I can imagine.”
Frederick noticed Thalasia’s eyes as she spoke, a depth undefined and never before seen. He could almost believe she could.
Serenity Tower’s New Night Club
“Whoo-hoo!”
Rochelle was in her element, dancing on stage, the frighteningly brief dress in danger of sliding off with the next cha-cha move, her arms flailing above her head as she wiggled and turned.
Corri and Olivia held onto each other, they were laughing so hard at Rochelle’s antics. Dancing around Rochelle and at least half a dozen other women, eight perfectly buff human men wearing only the briefest of briefs tried to do their job entertaining the clients in the club.
“Where did you find these men?” Olivia asked.
“Hot, hot, hot, aren’t they? I was talking to Cairine about produce the other day and told her that I was looking for male dancers for your new club and she mentioned that a lot of the workers in Australia were really ripped. So I called Eras and he sent me some pics. Whoa, hell yeah, so I contacted them to see if anyone was interested. Forty men were thrilled to send me audition vids. I picked these eight for a limited engagement just to see how it went.”
“Excellent choice, it’s a hit.”
Their eyes back on the hired dancers, they noticed Rochelle with a dark-skinned man she was practically humping as they danced.
“I think Ro would agree.”
Sighing, Corri pushed from her seat. Rochelle had limited inhibitions, and humans were less comfortable with blatant public sex displays, even in this type of setting, so she knew she’d better rein her in.
“Unless we want to see more of Rochelle than that tube top she’s using for a dress covers, I’d better go get her.”
“If there weren’t so many humans attending, I’d say let her be, but yes, I think we need to cool her down.”
Sipping one of Corri’s unique concoctions, Olivia relaxed back into a plush chair identical to every other chair in the club. This newest club, Persistence, had been designed for the optimum experience of pleasure and stimulation. Overt sexual acts were kept from the main part of the club, but a series of nicely dressed rooms lined the back where people could go to get a happy ending. Her staff was replete with skilled, lovely people of all shapes and sizes, a world palette of skin tones, and any combination of genders. It was an upscale, safe place to explore sexual pleasures.
Now up on the stage, Corri had her arms around Rochelle, trying to detangle her from the Australian dancer. Rochelle, drunk, horny, pulled Corri close, her hands around her friend’s waist as Corri led her off the stage.
“Uh, sweetie, let’s set you up with a partner.”
“I want the gorgeous Aussie.”
“Sorry, honey, he’s a dancer, not a server. You know you won’t be disappointed here.”
“Yeah, I know. I miss our days together in the orgies sometimes, Cor.”
“Yes, but it’s much better now. We’re free and happy.”
“True. Okay, but I want dark chocolate tonight. I want someone beautifully roasted like me.”
“How about Clyde?”
Rochelle slid a hand down her chest, stopping at her nipples. “Oh, yeah, Clyde is exactly what I want.”
“Come with me, Ro, but, uh, keep your clothes on until I close the door behind you two.”
Rochelle laughed too loud, stomping after Corri, eager now to get to the suites in the Pleasure Center of the club.
Leading Rochelle through the crowd, flashbacks of her days with Rocky’s troupe, endless sex, naked people everywhere, it struck her as strange that they weren’t all bad memories. Much of the time near the end, Rocky had left them alone, so she and Rochelle had just enjoyed young vampire life in Italy. Of course, it couldn’t compare to the joy she had now with Vaz at her side and Olivia as family. Happier now than she ever thought possible after she’d been kidnapped and forcibly converted, she was grateful she didn’t suffer post-traumatic issues from that horrible experience.
Clyde, a large man with dark skin and hazel eyes, looked up as they approached the Center. When he saw Rochelle, he smiled.
“Ro. Shell,” he purred. “I hoped you’d come see me again soon.”
“Not soon enough, hot buns.” Rochelle hooked him with an arm and yanked him into Suite 3, waving behind her back at Corri as the door closed.
Corri sighed and smiled. “Someday, you’re going to fall in love, my friend, and your world will change again.”
AT IFE’S COMPOUND IN BRAZIL
“José has located their fones. Come on, we’ll take the lift-car.” Scottie already had the keyfob in her hand and one foot out the door, with Brigitte, Ife, and Torin following on her heels.
Gliding through the dark skies, this lift-car had been fitted with extra lighting beneath the vehicle that, when flipped on, provided efficient ground-directed search lights. Most cars in cities had little use for this type of retro-fit, but ninety percent of the reclaimed Amazon basin was naturally pitch dark again now that the mega-corporations had been forced out. Ife considered that one of her finest achievements.
Using the ground lights, Scottie found the rocky ridge where José had tracked their fones to, and, landing carefully in the limited space, she killed the engine. The sudden silence seemed ominous as the four passengers, using hand-held lights, searched the ground for their friends, the fones, or any evidence to let them know where they could be.
“Here,” Scottie called out moments into the search.
“Dani’s fone. Oh, fuck! She’d never leave this behind. Something has definitely happened to them.”
Brigitte’s imagination started firing off ideas, scenarios, history, and her head snapped up. “Is there a chance they were swallowed by the earth like before?”
No one answered because no one had the answer, so they continued the search wordlessly, radiating out from the center of the area where Dani’s fone had lain abandoned. Scottie stood to the side of the ledge, searching through it in case there were any photos, notes, or clues as to their fate. Finally, she turned it off. “Nothing here, guys. Keep looking for Will’s.”
Five minutes later, Torin barked out, “Got it!,” and everyone gathered around him as he opened up the main screen and began to scroll through any recent entries or photos. He was about to announce the same thing Scottie had when a photo came up next as he searched. It stopped him there, stunned. The image was of Olivia, naked, wet, rising from a pool in a cave he did not recognize. He knew it had to have been taken when they both disappeared in that second collapse a few days ago.
God, she was luminous! He knew in that moment why his friend had been so quiet these past two weeks. He was in love with Olivia.
Brigitte watched Torin staring at the fone after a long pause, silent. “What is it?”
Closing off the device, he glanced up casually.
“Nothing. Just the usual lame pics. Nothing helpful.”
Torin glanced at Ife as he finished and put the fone into his pocket. Once Brigitte wandered away, he touched her arm. “Did you know?”
Ife nodded. “But neither of them had admitted it by then. I don’t know if they really have yet. Of course, now Will’s missing, and, no Torin, I don’t think he’s run off to join Olivia in Vegas. I truly think that he and Dani are in trouble.”
“Okay. I think so too, but…”
He fished the fone out and turned it toward Ife to reveal the photo Will had taken of Olivia. “I wish someone had told me. I would never have gone after her if I’d known.”
“You’re a good man, Torin. Will knows that. He trusts you and wanted you to be happy. Let’s just focus on finding them and you two will work this out.”
A simple nod let Ife know that Torin agreed, and she watched him turn the fone back off and pocket it. As he walked away, she turned from him to face the barely lit valley below. The photo had been taken by a man in love, but it was of a woman in love with that man, too. She hoped like hell this would have a happy ending.
Dizziness moved through her head out of nowhere, and she knew that a spiritual guide was trying to send her an image. Once it arrived in her head, she moaned. No, no happy ending from what the spirit world revealed. Ife didn’t care, they needed to do all they could to find Will and Dani.
Scottie walked toward her out of the darkness, the others close behind. “There’s nothing here to let us know where they are or what might have happened to them.”
“Okay, here’s the next important question. Brigitte, has Will ever taken your blood?”
A slight shake of Brigitte’s head answered.
“Does anyone know if Dani has fed on vampire blood?”
“I doubt it. She hasn’t really been with anyone since we all got together. I’m sure she hasn’t been with a vampire.”
“You’re probably right. Why don’t you all get back in the car and I’ll be right there.”
Torin watched her as he walked toward the car, well aware of what she was going to do.
Once everyone was clear, she hit another button and waited for an answer, but the call went to voicemail.
“Olivia, I have an urgent question. It involves Will and Dani’s safety, so text me the second you get this message.”
Staring at the fone after she left her message, she hit one more button. “Call Chione.”
Near an abandoned airstrip outside of Brazil
Will woke first, aided, he thought, by his earth magics. Hands and feet tied together with brixstix, releasable only with a coded wand, he assessed the dimly lit room where whoever had taken them kept them secured.
Dani lay beside him, breathing normally, her face pressed into a concrete floor. Sitting upright, he moved his banded hands to gently roll her face away from the rough surface. The movement roused her, and seconds later, she groaned and opened her eyes.
“Will? Where the fuck are we? Why?”
“I just woke up, so I have no idea. Jealous boyfriend?”
“Hardly. You’re talking to a girl who had sex so long ago, I’m probably a virgin again.”
“Didn’t know that could happen. And TMI, darlin’. All right, first, you’re okay, nothing seems hurt? Broken?”
Supporting each other, they scooted up against a wall behind them, concrete too, but covered with dirt and organic growth of some kind. It was none too clean, but neither of them were stable enough to sit upright very long without something to lean against.
“Ummm….I don’t think so. You?”
“I’m okay. After that healing pool, my body seems to go into hyperdrive to repair itself.”
“Handy, especially since we’ve apparently been abducted.”
Will slid his hand down to his pants pocket and grimaced. “Dani, do you have your fone?”
“No. I usually keep it in my side pocket and it’s empty.”
“Fuck. Next question. Have you fed from any of the vampires?”
“No, never.”
“All right, then, they can’t find us. No problem, we’ll just do this ourselves.”
“Break free? Well, let’s see, we’re locked in what looks like a concrete room and tied up with unbreakable bonds. If you’re expecting me to use my sex appeal to convince someone to let us go, you might want to know I suck at flirting.”
“Never gonna believe that, but not necessary. No, Dani, I think…”
He stopped when raised voices outside the room were followed with the scrape of stone as a heavy door pushed open. Three large men entered, two holding laser pistols, and one carrying a great big smile.
Artificially tanned skin set off the smiling man’s perfect white teeth as he moved close and bumped Will’s foot.
“Hello there. How are we feeling tonight? Anyone have a headache? Hungry? You will be happy to know that we all want to get along. If you’d like something to eat or drink, or need to shit, you need to let me know. Our plane arrives in half an hour.”
Calmly, Will caught the man’s attention.
“Plane? You can’t put me on a plane.”
“Big motherfucker like you afraid of flying? Wouldn’t have guessed it. Of course, you have exactly no choice in the matter. Suck it up, buddy. Now, who’s hungry? How about you beautiful?”
Dani shook her head, although it struck her that since she was going to die soon, she might as well have a last meal.
“Sir, you need to listen to Will. You can’t take him off the ground. If you do…”
“Yeah, yeah. Sorry, babe, you two got someplace you need to be by tonight. Boss has sent one of his fastest jets. That thing’ll have us in Las Vegas in four hours.”
“Listen to me, we’ll crash if you put me on any plane, especially one with fast take-offs like those hyperjets. I’m bonded to the earth…”
“Save your breath. You are going into that plane if I have to cut you into pieces to do it. So, no requests? Suit yourselves, we’ll be back to get you in thirty minutes or less.”
“Stop! Listen to me, asshole! I’m not fucking with you, we’ll hit the ground in a big fireball!”
White Teeth shook his head, laughing, as he motioned for the gun-toting sentries to follow him.
The door closed behind them again, neither Dani or Will spoke at first. Both knew how serious this situation was and if they couldn’t get their kidnappers to understand it, they were all dead.
Hyperjets took off so fast, they would be high in the sky when Will’s earth bond pulled them back, and when it did, with that kind of speed and elevation, no one would survive the yank back to the ground.
His eyes on the nasty room at first, finally Will turned to Dani. He wouldn’t be the cause of the death of another woman he cared about. She had a long, beautiful life ahead of her and this, a tragic death at her young age, was not going to fucking happen.
“Whoa, this just went sideways fast.” Dani’s voice defied the nerves that had to be frayed by the situation.
“I won’t let them put us on that plane.”
“Okay. Well, good. Because death by fire or drowning have always been off my list. Now, smothering in whipped cream, maybe.”
“Dani, it’s okay.”
“No, Will, it’s not okay. And it’s also not your fault, so don’t you fucking dare think it is. If this is our last hour alive, I want you to listen to me. This past year has been electric. I wouldn’t give up a moment. And you, you hot, sexy, broody guy, are one of the best things in it. I think you’re the first close friend I’ve had other than my brother, and I won’t have you going to your eternal rest thinking that you caused my death.”
“I will, if they do this. I’ll cause several. Although they might deserve it, you don’t.”
Dani scooted closer to Will and leaned against him, stretching up to kiss him on the lips. As she dropped back down, her eyes tear-filled, he felt her fingers lace into his.
“It’s really okay, Will. It really is. I’ll meet you over the rainbow. We both know that this isn’t the end.”
Tears sliding onto his cheeks, Will couldn’t stop shaking his head. No, no, no…
“I’ve lived a lot, Dani, and while I have some major regrets about dying now, I’m okay, I’ve made peace with mistakes I’ve made and who I am. But, you, sweet girl, I won’t let them put you on that plane with me.”
“Hum, well, I don’t think you have a choice. And if this is our destiny, I’m okay with it too. But Will, if they don’t separate us, will you hold onto me? If you can?”
“I’ll hold on for all I’ve got. If this happens, I’ve got you. But now, this destiny thing, I’ve yet to embrace it as immutable.”
Holding her to his chest, Will decided at that moment that there was no fucking way in this world that he would let Dani die tonight.
At Serenity Tower in Las Vegas
All three drunk, Olivia led Corri and Rochelle into her apartment. Rochelle, still dancing, arms swinging, belted out a loud and out-of-tune rendition of an old dance song called Disco Inferno from over a century ago.
“Sh-h-h-h.” Olivia put a finger to her lips, giggling. “You’ll wake the baby.”
Corri popped her in the shoulder. “Baby what? Hey, you don’t even have a dog. Why don’t we have a dog?”
Baby? Olivia wondered why she’d said something so ludicrous. “Let’s get some dogs! I’ll call the desk clerk.”
“Yay!” Corri yelled and started to move along with Rochelle.
“Yup, I’ll just call…hey, where’s my fone?”
“It was on the table at the club. You didn’t grab it?”
“Nope. I’ll send one of Sam’s guys to get it. Hey, we should get Ro to bed.”
Rochelle had just dropped onto the sofa, her head lagging to the side.
“Uh, huh. I’ll do it, and then I’m going to sneak out. I’m kinda feelin’ like some Vaz tonight.”
“Lucky, lucky girl. When am I gonna get my Vaz?”
Corri watched Olivia sigh, moving toward the balcony, and followed, slipping off her high-heeled shoes.
“Oh, honey, your Will will…”
“Nope. Don’t. No cheering me up tonight. I’m drunk and horny, and I think I want to wallow. Wallowing can be cathartic.”
“Yeah, I guess. Honey, we’ll talk all this out when we wake. You okay?”
At the railing, overlooking her favorite view in the world, Olivia nodded. “I’m always okay.”
“I don’t know about that. You know I love you, don’t you?”
Her gaze softened, Olivia turned to face her closest friend. “I do. Right back to you, my dear Corri. Get that girl into bed and get out of here. You’ve got a man waiting for you.”
Fifteen minutes later, she heard the door swoosh closed and turned to face her living space. For some odd reason, her stomach was upset tonight, an ailment usually unknown to vampires.
“Stress. Worry. Loneliness. You pitiful fourth-generation first blood vampire. He’ll come.”
Wandering to her bedroom suite, she instructed the apartment’s AI to close the lights to dim, lock the apartment down, and slide all the UV security panels into place.
Rest would help. When the sun dropped, things would be normal again and she’d get back to her life.
After sliding out of her dress, she dropped her black spike heels on the floor and slid between satin sheets that caressed overly sensitive skin. Olivia hadn’t been kidding when she admitted she was horny, but the idea of sending for one of her sexy blood-bonds didn’t appeal. The idea of anyone else inside her, for the first time in her life, felt wrong and alien.
Sleep finally took her from consciousness, but her unconscious mind wasn’t through with her. Much of the night, she saw Will standing distant, a bright sun above his head, and knew, no matter how badly she wanted him, there was no way she could possibly reach him.
Suddenly awakened somewhere mid-day, a sense of panic struck her and she couldn’t breathe. Pushing off the bed, she paced, a hand on her chest, confusion, because she had no idea why she felt like this, she needed to get out of the apartment and onto the balcony. Daylight locked her into the room more than the three inch thick titanium panels that circled the apartment. A full glass of water later, and a shot of whisky helped to calm her down, and she fell onto her bed, uncovered, her eyes moist, she didn’t know why, and finally fell into restless sleep.
At Ife’s Compound
“Chione, is there any way to find them?”
“Yes. I need to pull together at least four of the earth warriors and we can reach across the air to discover where they are. You are all so spread out now, it will take a few hours.”
“Please hurry. I have no idea who’s taken them, but I sense something bad may happen.”
“I’ll call as soon as I know their whereabouts.”
“Thank you.”
Ife turned to her waiting friends. Torin sat on the top of one of her best sofas, his feet in the cushions, Scottie still stood at attention waiting for Chione’s answer and Brigitte sat rigidly in a chair.
“She may be able to trace them, but she needs physical connection to four of us warriors, and has to put them together. I’m sorry, but that isn’t quite good enough. Scottie, call Zia and Mac and get them back here. They only have about an hour to make it before daybreak.”
“You’re going to try to do a trace with us.”
“Yes. There are five warriors right here and we’re searching for two more who should still be within this continent. What do you think?”
“It’s worth a try. I’m on it.”
Crezia and Mac had hiked into the interior of one of the jungles to gather samples of both animal and plant life in preparation for an upcoming project. They’d left just after Brigitte had arrived, but Scottie knew the general vicinity, and it wasn’t beyond the timeframe to get back before the sun trapped them.
At the airstrip outside of Brazil
Dani rested against Will’s chest. He could feel her heartbeat under his fingers. Her eyes closed, she wasn’t sleeping, but it gave him the moment he needed to think about what he could do. Powerful magic rode inside him and now, at this desperate moment, he asked the universe to give him reign over them.
Silently praying to the living planet, he reached for his magics, drawing them from the earth as he had so many times, bidden and unbidden. As expected, they moved into him, waiting for release, stronger than before. Could he do what he hoped?
Dani opened her eyes and slid back away from Will.
“I feel it, the power moving around us. What are you doing?”
“What I was made to do. Move away from me, Dani.”
Without delay, she pushed onto her feet as Will did the same.
Standing now, anchored to the ground, he squatted and placed both hands on the concrete surface. Dani watched, fascinated, as he pressed his fingers into the slab and they began to shake. Seconds later, the unbreakable was broken.
Will’s hands were free. He looked at her and smiled.
“There’s a bit of magic for you.”
His eyes on hers, he walked to her and wrapped his hands around her cuffs. Pressure built, the magic swirling around her, almost tangible, and silently, with no warning, the band around her own wrists split and fell to the floor.
Rubbing sore wrists, she nodded. “My hero.”
“All in a day’s work. Now we have to escape our cinderblock.”
“Can you get the door open?”
The look Will shot her made her laugh. “What was I thinking?”
“The question is, what happens when we open it?”
“We have no weapons, no vehicle, and they are probably outside the door. The guy said we would board the plane shortly, so I doubt they’re far.”
Will’s mind working overtime, he knew they couldn’t plan without knowing what was out there. He had a thought, and no idea if it would work.
“Dani, pick up the cuff, slide it back around your hands, the opening to the back. When they come to lead us to the plane, I’m going to try to freeze them. If I can do it, we can get to the car and get the hell out of here.”
“You really think you can do it?”
“I think I have to try. Dani, we don’ t know how they’re going to react to my attempt. Stay behind me. Promise me.”
“Will…”
“Promise me. I can’t concentrate if I’m worried about you.”
“All right, I promise.”
“Okay then, we have a plan. Get your cuff and I’ll get mine.”
No sooner had they slipped the cuffs back around their wrists, the door opened and the same three men entered. The one who had barked out the orders before motioned to Will. “Come on. You don’t have any choice, so no thrilling heroics. Follow Duke, the guy with the awful Mohawk and the biggest gun.”
Duke waited at the entrance, and when Dani and Will stepped through, he pushed in front of them. Will immediately began to assess the scene. It was daylight, but he’d already assumed it was. These guys would be stupid to try anything when the vampires could come for them.
Stepping toward a small jet waiting on a paved runway surrounded by nothing but grass, Duke kept a slight distance and the gun on Will. His eyes moving swiftly over the landscape, it was apparent that this was an isolated airstrip for illegal business. No help here.
Dani stayed close as requested. Behind her, the second armed man kept some distance too, the man giving orders taking up the rear, as they proceeded to the open hatch of the high-speed jet.
Careful with his hand motions, Will saw only one other vehicle; a lift-car parked about thirty feet from the jet. The ground vehicle that must have been used to transport them there was nowhere in sight.
That, then, was the only option. He couldn’t escape in the lift-car, but Dani could.
Time to try out his other new skill. Focusing, he sent his thoughts to Dani, praying that he got it right. First, he spoke her name.
Dani.
Her head shot up and her eyes went to his. Success.
Hi, I wasn’t sure this would work. Telepathy is so weird. I am going to try to freeze these guys. If I succeed, you need to run to the lift-car and get out of here. Hopefully, one of these assholes left the keyfob in the ignition.
He could already see the immediate rejection of the idea.
Dani, this is our only chance. I can’t go with you, you know that, but if you get out of here, you can bring help. I can see in your eyes that you don’t want to leave me behind but I’ll be okay. I think I can use my magics to disable the plane. Nod, Dani, to let me know you understand and will go.
Her eyes were wide, but he watched her tamp down her panic, and she nodded.
Good. Just, when I tell you, go and don’t stop. Trust me.
She didn’t have to speak, he knew what she was thinking. He’d have felt the same about leaving a friend behind, but this was the only way he could be sure she was clear and safe.
Twenty feet from the hatch of the jet, Will stopped suddenly, forcing Duke to turn on him.
“Get movin’! You got a sweet ride to Vegas waiting.”
Will did the opposite, dug his center of gravity into the earth and lifted his hands to the sky to reach for earth and universal elements, for power to do what only first blood vampires could do. Air began to whip around them as Will pushed for enough power to do what he needed to.
“Locktite, what the fuck is he doing?” Duke barked, looking to the leader behind them.
“I don’t fucking know. They’re human, I know that, so they can’t do anything dangerous.”
The second gunman had noticed the change in the air and felt the unnatural pressure. “I think you guys might be wrong about that.”
As suddenly as the moment began when Will stopped to reach for the magics, he lowered his hands and looked at the men. He pushed his need, waited, breath held, as he watched Duke, the man with the biggest gun.
He didn’t move.
Will moved his eyes to the second gunman, and the last man. Neither moved, and when he turned back to Duke, touched his cheek and saw shock in his eyes, Will turned to Dani. “Go.”
“Will, come with me, I’ll fly low.”
“No, I don’t know what height is dangerous. Get out of here. Dani, go get Torin and a security team.”
He just wanted her safe and away from however things happened here. “You promised. I don’t know how long I can keep them like this.”
Decision made, she turned and ran full out, climbed into the lift-car, and he heard the engine start, saw her lean out, and then head straight up.
“Thank the gods,” he whispered. “You guys need to trust me that I cannot go up into a plane without bringing it right back down. I’m going to try to disable it.”
Still unmoving, the three who’d abducted them left behind on the grass, Will started toward the plane.
He heard the report of the bullet only a split second before it slammed into him and he went down.
Instantly, he was able to move again. Locktite twisted his head back and forth, lifted his fingers and wiggled them as he raised a leg and lowered it. Motherfuck!
He watched as Duke and Sid started to move again as well. His eyes went to Will’s still body lying in the grass several feet from Duke.
“What the hell are you?” he snapped. Surging forward, he kicked Will in the side using all his strength.
Shit! Villioth wanted him unhurt or at least functional.
A few moments later, staring down at his target, bleeding from the side because his pilot had shot him, and because he’d kicked the fuck out of him, he kicked him again, and then waved to Duke.
“Get him in the plane and see what you can do about his wounds. Tie him up again, and this time, cover his eyes, and tranquilize him heavily. Haven’t ever had complications like this one.”
Duke hoisted Will’s body up, but needed help from Sid to get him into the plane.
“Get us up,” Locktite barked and dropped into a wide seat with a glass of Villioth’s expensive wine. He admitted that he didn’t really get the difference between a 30 dollar bottle of wine and a 300 dollar bottle, but if someone gave him the 300 dollar bottle of wine, yeah, he’d fuckin’ kill it.
Sighing with relief that they were finally on their way, he wondered how bad it was gonna be when he showed up in Vegas with just one human who might be able to tell him about his strange vampire?
Ready for go, the pilot, aware that the runway was short, calculated that this hyperjet would have no trouble with the minimal distance, headed down the cracked pavement, gathering speed. When it hit the airspeed required for takeoff, he enjoyed the gorgeous roar of the jet engine as it brought this beautiful bird into the sky and started a fast, steep climb. Banking to the right, he keyed into the flight system all the particulars of the flight, destination, cruising altitude, and turned it over to the highly efficient AI. Sitting back, he scanned the horizon as the plane rose, higher, higher, into the blue.
Some distance away, Dani, in the stolen lift-car, sick at her stomach, ran the car full-out to get back to Ife’s and bring help before Will was hurt or worse. The car was stripped down and didn’t have a proper GPS or coms system.
“Probably stolen, the assholes,” she mumbled as she watched the landscape to make sure she didn’t lose direction. Scanning below, Dani assessed the location of Dez’s compound to be closer than Ife’s and that was the wiser choice. Searching for landmarks, she jumped when a sudden fireball erupted to her left, lighting up the sky, the percussion reaching her from even this distance.
Seconds passed as the implication hit, and even then, somewhere in the back of her mind, she refused to believe it.
No, no, no, no, no…
Heat and moisture filled in behind her eyes as she faced what she knew must be the truth…they’d overtaken Will somehow and put him on that plane. What she’d witnessed just now was the horrific collision of the jet with the hard earth as it stretched its arms to pull its chosen son back to its bosom. If the crash was as bad as it looked, no one aboard would have survived.
Their attempt to rescue themselves had failed, and Will was wrong.
“You were wrong, you were wrong, you were wrong…”
She couldn’t stop whispering it to herself as she tried to remember where she was going.
You were wrong, Will, you’re not okay.