Beware, p.22
Beware, page 22
Her lab was usually a place of sanctuary for her from the rest of the house, but this time it was so vastly different. Instead of using science to solve the problem, she was using magic, magic she wasn’t even sure how to make work without her. Groaning under the pressure and confusion, she straightened her back and rubbed along the small of her back to try and ease the ache that had taken up residence there.
The spell to cleanse was simple enough, but she had to find a way to keep that spell alive without her being present, otherwise she’d be taking over damage control instead of Amachon, and there was no way she could manage that and still focus on solving the greater issue of who was creating the drug and who was distributing it.
Molly walked around the lab, pacing back and forth. Her magic was barely spent. It was far easier to do a cleansing on a blood sample than on a whole body. That was the other issue. With the amount of magic it had taken to cleanse Faye’s blood, she wasn’t sure she could pour that amount of energy into more than one Tainted at a time without a week of recovery after each incident. Malek had proved unhelpful in that arena, and while she was powerful, her magic was not unlimited.
Needing a break, Molly stepped out of her lab. It felt as though it had been weeks since she’d been outside those four walls. Sighing, she glided down the hallway in her four inch heels she insisted on wearing and toward the elevator. She took it down, checking on the creatures she’d captured and making sure their habitats were up-to-date. The centivalk had calmed, and she was pretty sure he was going to start hibernation in the next month, although he’d need to feed a few more times before then.
The skolls were a different story. Their habitat took up the majority of one of the lower floors. They’d designed it to look like the tundra with rocks and trees for them to hide in. They were largely nocturnal, so at night, if they all listened carefully, they could hear them rustling around, howling and chattering at each other. Faye had complained of it on more than one occasion. Molly had put in a work order with Ben to get more soundproofing, but he was thoroughly distracted by advancing his shifting abilities, something Molly was proud of but at the same time she couldn’t have him neglecting his duties.
Taking a turn, she went up a few floors until she knew she was close to Benjamin’s work areas. Molly walked down the hall with confidence in her step. She was going to have a quick chat with him, remind him of the rest of his work duties, and then she’d be on her way again to work out the problem in her own lab.
When she got to his work area, she was surprised to find it empty. It only confirmed the fact he was neglecting his duties. Rubbing her temple, Molly went back to the elevator and took it up to the next floor. From there she stepped into Joel’s office with a scowl on her face, quickly replaced when she saw him sitting with Amachon.
Cocking her head to the side, Molly gave both of them a hard stare and waited for them to speak. It wasn’t improper for them to be speaking together, but she had a feeling the conversation was about the very problem she’d been trying to solve. When Joel nodded his head toward the chair sitting opposite the two of them, she knew she had been right.
“We were just discussing this drug,” Joel explained.
“Oh?” Molly asked, trying to glean what she could from their already halfway over conversation.
“Faye said she wasn’t able to find any information from her contacts downtown. The dealer is never the same, and no one seems to know where the drug comes from since the dealers imbibe and the result in the same fate as everyone else.”
Sighing, Molly stiffened her spine. “Except for Faye.”
“Her blood,” Amachon grunted out. “She is unexpected.”
“In quite a few ways.”
“She’s been taking them again, so she went out and got more drugs.”
“Has she?” Molly’s eyes widened momentarily. She should have been more in tune with Faye’s drug habits, but it was honestly exhausting to keep track of them, and she had bigger issues to try and solve. Placing her hands together in her lap, Molly stared at Joel. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“You’ve been locked away in your lab. I’m not surprised.”
“Where did she get them?”
Joel shook his head. “Not a clue.”
“Have you asked?”
“Which resulted in very evasive tactics which Faye is known for.”
“Yes, she does seem to be able to outsmart an answer when she doesn’t want to give one.” Molly couldn’t help the smile that lit up her lips. It was one of the things that attracted her to Faye in the first place. “Speaking of, have you seen Faye or Malek? I wanted to pick Malek’s brain over a problem I’m having.”
Joel shook his head. “No, not for hours.”
Pressing her lips together, Molly stared at him. “Feel her anywhere in the house?”
Concentrating, Joel slowly shook his head. “Actually, no.”
“Wonderful.” Molly sighed. “Malek?”
“Not him either.”
“Perfect.” Standing in a huff, Molly walked toward the door. “I’ll figure it out on my own then.”
“Molly…stay a minute.” Joel nodded to Amachon, who left in a scurry. Joel moved to Molly, grabbed her hand and dragged her to the couch with him. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing that shouldn’t be happening.”
“I’ve noticed the two of them. Their emotions, heightened. I know what happened the other night.”
Molly’s lips thinned and pulled tight. “It’s planned.”
“Is it?” Joel gripped her chin to turn it up so he could look in her eyes. “Because what I’m feeling from you something I have never felt before.”
“Jealousy,” she whispered the word, barely wanting to admit it to herself.
“Yeah.”
Molly bided her time before answering, but she knew she’d never get away without giving him some sort of answer, and even beyond that, she knew she’d feel better if she could say it out loud. “There is a reason I never shared with Faye about the fold, about Malek. I won’t tell you that reason, but this was one of my fears.”
“I’ll tell you, Molly, from my experience, although it is slightly breaking ethical lines, I don’t think Faye will mind, what she feels for you is vastly different than what she feels for Malek, not just in what she feels but in intensity.”
Molly gave a sharp nod. “I need to get back to work.”
“Take a break every now and then, please.”
“What do you think I’m doing now?” Molly stood after patting his thigh and walked out of the office. That had been enough of a break for her, though she was doubly curious what Faye and Malek were up to that couldn’t involve her.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Faye drove right to her old friend then passed him by. She didn’t want Malek to know who he was or what he was doing under that bridge, though perhaps Malek would be able to release him from the prison Molly had put him in. She still was unsettled by the fact Molly had done it in a moment of grief and rage yet after thirty years still maintained he deserved it.
Parking downtown, Faye stared at the entrance to the sewers. If Malek wanted to find answers, Faye could only think of one group of Tainted who would have some, and the week before when she’d tried to speak with them, she’d been cornered and attacked by stupid dog creatures with creepy ass tails.
She dismounted her bike after Malek got off and pulled his helmet off. He looked so odd with the sleek black helmet on his head and his pristine khaki pants and polo shirt that she was glad when he handed it over to her. Faye settled them onto the bike and put her hands on her hips. Ben was still with her, she hoped, if not he’d have to hitch his own ride back to the house and explain what he’d done to leave it to Molly, but she wasn’t about to save him the embarrassment of finding a way home naked, that was his stupid bloody choice.
“What are we doing here?” Malek’s voice as full of curiosity.
“This is where my contacts are, though I have to warn you, the last time I tried to go see them I somehow incited a pack of rampant…something. What did Molly call them?” Faye ran her fingers through her hair, tugging to try and find the right name for the creatures. “Trachen, or something like that.”
“Trankyn.”
“Sure, that.” Faye dropped her hands to her sides. “I found a wild pack of them, and they attacked me, and I attacked them. Whatever, it wasn’t pretty.”
“I heard whispers of that in the house but hadn’t thought anything of it until now. They are quite a rare breed to find.”
“So is everything we’ve been finding lately.” Faye turned toward the sewer entrance in the back alley between two tall buildings. She’d walked that way so many times she couldn’t count, but that didn’t mean anything since the blood bath made it easier.
Malek bypassed her comment and stepped closer to the building. “Is it this way?”
“Yes.” Faye let out a sigh and walked in front of him. “My contacts are a bit shy about others, so you know. They may not show face if you’re with me.”
“I’m not letting you go alone.”
“Aww, what a cheesy and stupid sentiment.” Faye snorted as she bent down and popped the top on the manhole cover. It’d taken her three times of visiting the club to finally ask where the real entrance was instead of squeezing through the way she had gone before. It was much easier to get there this way.
Sliding it off, Faye rolled her eyes at him as she stayed in a squatting position. “I’m a vampire, idiot. I can defend myself. Also, my contacts really don’t like witches.”
Without another word, she dropped down the manhole, her feet landing on soft mossy ground. She stood still, her eyes adjusting rapidly to the lack of light. None of the soft lights had been on since the massacre in the club. She wondered if the club would ever recover and open back up. She’d heard rumors of similar things happening there but had never witnessed it. Though the trick with the floor and been an interesting insight, and something Molly had clearly already known.
“Ben,” Faye whispered as she stared up to see if Malek was coming down. “If you’re still with me, prepare for a ride. This is going to get rough.”
Malek’s feet landed next to hers. “Did you say something?”
“You’re hearing things, old man.”
Malek’s lips quirked up. “I am not old.”
“Uh, yeah, you are. Ancient practically.” Faye turned to look down the long line of the sewer that would lead her toward the club’s entrance. They’d have to go that way before they split off to head in the other direction.
Malek gripped her hand and threw her into the side of the sewer. Her breath left her lungs sharply, but she caught herself before he was pressed against her front again. “It’s far easier to do this here without prying eyes.”
Faye immediately thought of Ben, if only Malek knew they very likely still had prying eyes, but it also wasn’t the purpose of them being there. Faye pressed their mouths together, already working through a plan to put a stop to what he wanted to happen before it got anywhere near that. She drew in a sharp breath when Malek bit her lip hard enough to draw her own blood.
Shoving him back, Faye shook her head at him. Molly may like blood play, but they never spilled her own, and she did it solely for Molly not because she wanted it. Faye reversed their positions and ran her hands up and down his sides before sneaking her fingers under his shirt to caress his skin.
“I really don’t think this is the time or the place,” she said against his neck as she sunk her dull human teeth into him. She couldn’t put her finger on why she resisted biting him as a vampire. He hadn’t tried to make the magical bond with her either, and she had no idea why since it would benefit him as much as it would her.
Her high was wearing off, which had also not been in her plans, but Faye had forgotten to bring any more of the drug with her so she’d just have to deal with it. Perhaps the trolls would have more for her and she could slip some without Malek or Ben noticing. Having him along could certainly hinder her ability to get high.
Faye stepped away from Malek with a smirk on her lips. “I thought we were here to see my contacts.”
“And we are.” Malek heaved a breath.
Faye walked toward the club, following the very familiar path. She glanced behind her at Malek occasionally, sending him heated looks. There was definitely a pull to him like there was with Molly, but it was nowhere near as strong. The connection was interesting, and only proved to her that whatever was between her and Molly was far more than the stupid biological bond that had been created between vampires and witches.
As she wandered toward the door to the club, she felt something crawling along the skin of her collar bone. She was about to reach up and swipe it away when she stopped and held out her hand. A small spider crawled onto her fingers and stood still as she stared down at it. She knew without a doubt Ben sat in her hand. She took another step and put her hand back toward her shoulder until Ben got off it and settled wherever the hell he’d been hiding. It was good to know she’d at least have some kind of backup and he was getting good practice in for his shifting abilities.
“Have you ever been to this club?” she asked Malek.
“Once or twice, I’m surprised it’s still functioning.”
“It’s not right now. It’s this way.” She turned sharply away from the door to the club and down the secondary path she had never noticed until her friend had pointed it out. The moss still covered the ground, and she wondered if it was the same moss that covered the floor in the club itself. If she bled, would it absorb the fluid like it had everything that night? Had it absorbed the Trankyn she had killed or had Molly disposed of it?
Shaking the thought from her mind, Faye followed the path as it grew darker and darker. She didn’t dare use her electrical power since she didn’t know where Ben was on her body, and she worried she might accidentally electrocute him if he were to step on her skin while she held the electricity in place. Turning to Malek, she raised an eyebrow at him.
“I can see fine, but if you need some light, you might want to get on that.”
“I can see.”
“All right.” Faye turned back to lead the way. She was pretty sure he couldn’t but had no idea why he was so resistant to lighting the way for them with a flame or something. It would make sense for him to do it because he was already tripping up and stumbling and the room they were about to go in was pitch black to the point she couldn’t even see.
As soon as she stepped in, Faye knew something was wrong. The entire feel was different. Instead of the easy tension it had been the first time, this time felt far more like the last she’d been there. The call against her head made her ears ring. Malek grunted. Faye urged her body to create electricity so she could see who and what was coming at her.
Whether it was because of the ringing in her ears or whoever was out there being utterly silent, she couldn’t hear a thing and figure out where anyone was. Her heart raced. The tingles worked though her body and begged for release, but she had nowhere to aim it at. Pushing to her feet, Faye elongated her nails, hissing and cracking her neck to make a show of her power and abilities.
Malek whimpered. He must have gotten hit by whatever it was too. Air rushed by her head, and Faye dodged out the way, faster than Malek would have been able to. As whatever had been thrown tumbled against the wall behind her, she realized it was a large rock. No wonder her ears rang.
“We’re here to talk!” Faye shouted, her voice low because of her Tainted form, an octave below what it normally was. Malek still whimpered next to her before he grunted and started shouting.
Giving in, Faye shot electricity through her palm. The blue light reached far across the room they stood in but not as far as the end of it. It did give her a good view of a huddled rock looking creature dragging Malek by his ankle. Faye heaved a breath and ran for him, but she was knocked back by another rock that hit her square in the chest.
She fell against the ground. Her fingers touched dirt, which surprised her. Faye jumped up again, trying to go after Malek. Charging forward, she was shoved back again. Electricity against the dark showed her a large looming face inches from hers. Gasping in shock, Faye scrambled backward.
“Do not move,” it whispered.
Faye froze. The noise from Malek’s body vanished, his screaming disappearing. She had no idea why he wasn’t doing anything. He was still weak no doubt, but he should be able to do something to protect himself. As soon as there was silence, a loud clapping of rock against rock echoed and fire flashed to life in four corners of the room.
She was surrounded by trolls. They towered over her, her friend’s size nothing in comparison to these beasts. Drawing her tingles back into her chest, Faye relaxed into her human form. Her ears still rang, and she shook her head to try and get her hearing back to normal but couldn’t. Reaching up, her fingers covered in a fine layer of dust she touched the side of her head and found blood dripping down her face. That would heal up soon enough, but they must have hit her harder than expected.
“What do you think you’re doing? We’re here to talk, nothing more.”
The one that knelt before her raised his deep-set eyes as he glanced over her. “He is a witch.”
“So?” Faye scoffed and pushed herself to stand. “I’m a vampire, what difference does that make?”
“Lamek.”
Faye clenched her fists. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. He is my friend. What have you done with him?”
“He is a witch.”
“So what? You’re going to kill him because he is a witch?”
“Lamek.”
“Stop saying that!” Faye screeched.
“Lamek is your friend.”
Faye was about to rage again when she halted. Every muscle in her body tensed. “You want him to let Lamek go?”
“He is a witch.”
“He’s not the witch who put Lamek there, and unless he knows what spell she used, he won’t be able to do much, trust me. He’s not going to be that useful to you.”
