Beware, p.17
Beware, page 17
He nodded at her.
Sighing again, Molly nodded. “We’ll do an autopsy here. Under close supervision. My tests on the drugs I took from Faye have proven fruitless. Get me what you can, and I’ll start research as soon as I’m rested.”
She said the last bit for his benefit since she wasn’t even going to attempt to get out of bed quite yet unless she had to. He stood up without a word, leaving her alone. Just as he reached the door, Molly called to him.
“We’ll figure this out, my friend. I promise.”
“Hopefully before we’re all dead.”
“Faye will live through it, I’m sure.”
“Not if she keeps going.”
Molly had no response for that. Without a doubt, Amachon was right. Molly just didn’t want to admit it.
Chapter Nineteen
Faye glanced around the medical area and slipped from the stretcher she’d been confined to for the better part of three days. Her barefeet hit the cold floor, sending a shiver straight up her spine. Molly had yet to be down to see her, but that wasn’t a surprise. Faye had seen her pale cheeks, her heavy lidded eyes, and the struggle she’d had just to stay there and talk for the few minutes she did.
Padding barefoot, Faye left the small room she’d been confined to and walked into the next one over. Malek lay on another bed, his hair a mess, his clothes stripped. He was hooked up to machines like Faye had been when she woke up. Amachon must have been worried. He never hooked Molly up to those things when she overexerted herself.
Faye slipped onto the edge of the bed. Three days was a long time. The last time she’d seen him like this it had lasted a little over a full day before he recovered. His skin was ashen, like he was truly sick instead of just having exhausted his magical powers. Drawing in a deep breath, Faye debated what to do. She’d been told to leave him alone, but she was awful at listening to rules, they knew that.
Taking his hand, Faye trailed her thumb across the back of his in a circular pattern. She’d felt attraction to him from the moment they’d met, much like with Molly but also so very different. With Malek, while there was physical sexual attraction, that was it. Molly held something else over her. Malek had told her about the odd interdependency between vampires and witches, something Molly had failed to share with her. Faye was certain that was why she felt anything for Malek at all. They were built to make sure the other survived. They needed each other.
“Malek,” her voice was soft, a whisper nearly. “Malek, you need to wake up.”
“I am awake,” he muttered. “I don’t want to open my eyes.”
“Headache?”
He nodded very slowly, his chin moving up and down, but he curled his fingers around her hand and squeezed.
“Molly gets those when she’s depleted her magic as well.”
Snorting, Malek squeezed her hand again before shifting on the bed. “Where is she?”
“Resting in her room according to Amachon.”
“And I’m relegated to the medical area.” The disdain in his tone was strong.
Faye chuckled at it. “She wasn’t as bad off as you to begin with, but this is also her house. We follow the all wise witch’s orders quite well here.”
“Do you?” Malek popped one eye open and reached up, brushing his fingers across Faye’s cheek in a loving touch. “You don’t seem as someone who follows orders well.”
“Didn’t say I did it well. Everyone else, however, does.”
Malek groaned as he shifted on the bed, turning so he was on his side and facing her. “Turn the lights off, would you?”
“Sure.” Faye stood up, hit the light switch, and came back to right where she had been. She took his hand once more between both of hers and stared down at it.
“Why do you stay here, Faye?”
Faye cocked her head at him. “What do you mean?”
“You don’t fit in. Vampires aren’t built for fitting in, being with others, other than witches, that is. Why not come back to the fold with me? We could use you. You could use us. We have lots we could teach you about your own history.”
Faye sighed. “I haven’t heard very kind things about your fold.”
“Oh?”
“Well, not really. I haven’t heard much of anything about it, actually.” Faye bit her lip, staring down at his wide eyes. Now that it was dark, he stared right at her. “Why do you want me and her to go back with you so badly?”
“You’re the only living vampire.”
Faye raised an eyebrow at that. She was not the only living vampire, although she didn’t know how much Malek knew. Her father was a point of contention in her life, and she’d rather not think about him if she could. However, his statement still raised some questions. “Are you saying that because I’m the only born vampire?”
“There is quite a difference.” His voice was soft when he spoke. “Your abilities and power to start with.”
“And what else?”
“Your abilities to rejuvenate.”
“You or the fold?”
He chuckled lightly. “Both.”
“See? I knew there was something else there, that this wasn’t just because you liked me or I fucked you.”
Malek’s lips quirked into a smile. “That was most pleasant.”
“Sure.” Faye’s cheeks heated. It hadn’t been bad sex, though she’d much preferred sex with Molly when they would initiate the magical bond between them, something Molly had been adamant about not doing with Malek, which didn’t surprise Faye in the least. Even what she’d done with Reina and Corbin that had been a one-off had been better sex than what she, Malek, and Molly had managed, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. “I’d help you out now, but I’m not sure you’d be able to handle it in your current state.”
“You’re probably right,” he muttered. “How is Molly fairing?”
“Haven’t seen her, so I imagine about as good as you.”
“She hasn’t visited?”
“Not at all.” Faye drew in a deep breath. Once again she found herself rubbing up and down his arm. “Malek, why are you here? Really.”
“Some things have changed in the fold since you arrived on my doorstep.”
Faye pressed her lips tightly together, not sure what she could have changed except asking for their help in healing Molly from a curse that was determined to make her batshit crazy for the rest of her life. She’d really gone off the deep end, and it had taken them far too long to figure out what was wrong before they’d found a way to break the curse.
“What changed?”
“First the realization of the others that vampires are not as dead as they once thought.”
Faye hummed. “I might not be dead, or undead, but my race certainly is.”
“You could always grow it back if you wanted. That’s the beauty of vampires, they can repopulate rapidly.”
“Not really my style.” Faye sneered at the thought, repulsed. The conversation was taking a very similar turn to one she’d had with Caliban Troy, the asshole who’d kidnapped her to try and revive the dead race of vampires using Faye as his personal baby making machine.
“I thought as much.” Malek’s eyes closed again, and he drew in a sharp breath.
Faye bent down close to him and kissed his cheek. “You should rest.”
“In a minute I will. They want me to bring you and Molly back into the fold. We need you as much as you need us.”
“I’ve lived seventy some-odd years without you. I think I’m good.”
Malek gave a wry smile. “Yes, but you have no idea what we can offer.”
“Sex. I know that.”
“Yes, sex.” He blinked slowly. “But also so much more.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“That’s all I can ask.”
“You have neatly avoided my question, however. Why are you here, Malek? I know it is more than just bringing us back to the fold.”
“That’s all, I swear. They sent me here to convince you to come home.”
The word “home” sent a shiver down Faye’s spine, and not in a good way. Letting the conversation drop, Faye kissed his lips and cupped his cheek. “Rest, Malek. There will be time to talk later.”
“Faye?”
“Yeah.” She stood up, staying nearby.
“Don’t take that drug again.”
Snorting, Faye laughed as she walked away from his bed with an extra sway to her hips as she went. No one told her what to do, and that drug was the only relief she got from her demons in the past few years. It was a wonderful respite to have despite what the others thought. Settling back onto her own bed, Faye stood up immediately. She’d listened enough. It was time to do something else and get out of the medical area. She was healed, and there was no reason for her to be stuck there. Walking out the door, she slipped into the halls and headed straight for her room.
###
Faye wanted fresh clothes before she left her room and headed straight for Molly’s. Amachon didn’t know, but Faye could be very helpful for Molly in her recovery. She jumped in the shower and cleaned up. Stepping out of the bathroom, Faye was completely naked, her hair wrapped up in a towel on top of her head. She stopped short. Ben stared back at her from her bed with wide eyes before he flung his hands up over his face.
“Oh my God! I did not need to see that.”
“You liked it, don’t deny it.” Faye smirked and walked closer to him. “I know you did.”
“Faye…” Ben whined, still covering his face with his hands and not even taking a peek.
Chuckling, Faye headed for her closet and grabbed a clean outfit. She took her time getting dressed, wanting to make Ben pay the toll for coming into her room unexpectedly. When she was finally dressed, she sat next to him on the bed and moved his hands.
“You’re a dork.”
He scrunched his nose at her. “Feeling better?”
“Loads. What’s up?” Faye didn’t want to make Molly wait any longer when she could very easily help her power rejuvenate.
Ben sighed and covered his face again. “Joel told me to come see you.”
“O…kay? What about?”
“I’ve managed to shift twice now.”
“Really? That’s awesome.” Faye clapped him on the shoulder and stood up like the conversation was over. She wish she’d been there to see him shift, but with the current state of her life, it was probably better she wasn’t.
“It is for the most part.” He scratched the back of his head. “I just…I don’t know how to ask this, but you’re the only other Tainted in this house who actually shifts form even though you’re not a shifter like me, but I thought you might have a clue what to do because I’m not sure what to do—”
“Benjamin.” Faye shook her head and put her hands on her hips, staring him down. “Out with it.”
He looked at her like a little kid who was completely lost. His voice was so quiet and demure, she worried she had misheard him. “Does it always hurt?”
“Oh.” Faye drew in a deep breath, looked at the ceiling to try and figure out what the hell to say, and sat on the edge of the mattress next to him again. “Yeah, it does.”
“Great.” Ben paled.
She reached over and grabbed his fingers, squeezing them in a comforting gesture. “Look, I’ve been shifting into my vampiric form since I was a kid. It hurts. It’s always hurt. I remember the first time truly that I did it intentionally, not just to feed on some energy but to actually shift on purpose. Oh my fucking God, Ben, that hurt. I nearly passed out from the pain.”
“Really?” A light of hope echoed in his eyes.
“Yeah, really. It hurt. It took me months to even want to try to shift on purpose again. The difference, I think anyway, was that I wasn’t in a rush to feed and having more issues with being hungry than with shifting. Anyway, when I was twelve or so, I couldn’t take it any longer. My aunt had these pain pills she used to take and I snuck into her bathroom one night and downed the entire bottle.”
“No shit!”
Faye nodded and stretched her back as she shifted to stare at the floor instead of him. Faye clenched her jaw. “My aunt was so pissed.”
“I’d be pissed too if I found you’d taken a whole bottle.”
Snorting, Faye rolled her eyes. “She wasn’t mad because I got high. She was mad that I took her drugs to get high. She wanted them.”
“Your aunt did drugs?”
“Yeah. Runs in the family, I guess. Anyway, I took pain pills for a long time to make it easier to go back and forth between the two. Eventually, I guess, I just got used to the pain, and it wasn’t as big of a deal to take them before I became a vampire.”
Ben wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “So that’s why you started taking drugs?”
“Yup. Not why I continued. That’s a whole different story.”
“Tell me, then. I’m not sure you’ve ever shared that with me.”
“It’s not that good of a story.”
“I want to know.”
Groaning, Faye brushed her hand through her damp hair. “Fine. We have to feed as vampires, right? I hate it. It’s disgusting. And I didn’t know any vampires or Tainted who would willingly do it like Molly. Human blood is stronger than animal blood, and sometimes, depending on what shit I’d gotten myself into, I’d need human blood or even Tainted if I could find some, but that was harder. I hated doing it.”
“You still do, I think.”
“Yeah, mostly, unless it’s with Molly.”
Ben gave her a wan smile.
“I was at this party one night. My ex had invited me to it. Everyone was drinking, which sucked because alcohol barely makes a dent in me unless I have a lot of it. They were getting high, smoking joints, dropping acid, whatever floated their boat. I’ve tried it all, Ben. Heroin, however, is its own master.”
“How so?”
“God, it makes you feel so good. It gets you all warm and tingly and hot and bothered.” Her eyes lit up. “It’s amazing.”
“Why’d you need it to feed?”
“Taking energy can be pleasurable if it’s done the right way, and if I’m going to take energy from someone, I’m going to do it where they at least get something out of it. I don’t want to be the asshole who only gets something she needs.”
“Now that sounds like you.” Ben gave her a cocky half-grin.
Faye laughed. “Heroin would get me in the mood to get there for whoever I was taking energy from. That’s why I started taking it.”
“Ah. I don’t think I’m going to take drugs.”
“No. Probably not. Though, if you want, I know which ones should work well.” She winked at him. “You’ll get used to the pain. I promise. It sucks for a while, but it does get easier to deal with, and you’ll find the better positions to stand in to shift more quickly.”
“I…hadn’t thought of that.”
“Time, Ben. Time. Now, get out. I have things to do and people to see.”
“Molly?”
“Yes, and if you interrupt us, I’ll kill you myself.”
Ben put both his hands up as he stood and walked backward toward the door. “I promise you I will not intrude again.”
“Good. And knock next time.”
“I did. You didn’t answer.”
“Maybe because I was in the shower!” Faye laughed as he blushed furiously. “And don’t think I know you didn’t look.”
“I did not look!” Ben’s voice rose in pitch. “I swear.”
“Uh huh, sure.” Faye shut the door behind him, spun around in a circle to make sure she had everything she needed, and left the room herself. She was on a mission to find Molly and give back the way Molly had given days before.
Chapter Twenty
Molly set her tablet down when the door to her bedroom snicked open. She rested her head into the headboard and smiled as Joel gave her stern look before shutting the door behind him. Even in her respite, she wouldn’t deny him. Amachon and Joel typically kept everyone away when she needed to rest.
“You’re not supposed to be working.”
Her eyes crinkled as her smile broadened. “It was just a little work.”
“Molly, you need to rest and get better. You can’t do that if you keep working.”
“Yes, sir.” She gave him a half-salute like Faye had given her before she’d left the medical area. Amachon had given her fair warning Faye had escaped the medical bay, and Molly was slightly surprised Faye hadn’t joined her yet. “What can I do for you?”
Joel moved to join her on the bed, much as Amachon had, only Joel was far more comfortable in her space. He ran a hand up and down her thigh through the covers and let out a long sigh. Molly kept her mouth closed, sensing Joel needed to come around to whatever he wanted to tell her on his own.
She settled the tablet on the opposite side and folded her hands together, waiting as patiently as she could. When minutes went by and he said nothing, she covered his hand with hers and squeezed to get his attention.
“What is it?” her voice was tender and soft, almost motherly as she tried to coax whatever was bothering him out.
“It’s Faye.”
Molly’s stomach clenched. She had a flashback to four years prior when Joel held her up in her office one evening to talk to her about Faye, only then they’d thought her name was Caroline because of all the lies she’d told, but once again Molly felt Joel was about to explain all Faye was doing that she shouldn’t.
“What did Faye do?”
“Well, it’s not so much Faye as it is what she represents.”
Molly squinted her eyes at him. “You’ll have to help me here, Joel. I still have a migraine, and I don’t have the ability to read between the lines. Plain words, if you will.”
“I’m sorry. I should leave. This can wait.”
Molly leaned forward and reached for him, holding him in place. “This is bothering you. Tell me what it is.”
Joel drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He rubbed a hand over his eyes and then behind his head. “The drug, whatever drug she’s been taking, it’s becoming wider spread. My patient load has drastically increased, but it’s all stories about someone who has taken it and gone insane before dying.”
