Beware, p.9
Beware, page 9
Molly raised an eyebrow. “To find Faye.”
Chapter Ten
The second time Faye had taken the small pills Aliya had given her, she knew she had to have more. The seconds of euphoria she felt from it was beyond anything she had ever felt before when it came to drugs, or really even life.
When she stepped into the sewer, she was surprised not to see the twins coming up the stairs toward her. They had been a mainstay since she’d visited the club since moving to the city and learning about it, but they were nowhere to be found.
“Interesting,” Faye muttered as she stepped down the stone stairway to the floor of the club.
The bar was hopping, throngs of Tainted gyrating and drinking inside. For the middle of the afternoon, she was surprised to see so much activity. Faye recognized a couple of the regulars and Aliya, but that was it. The rest were strangers. She wished she had some heroin just to kick her off, but she hadn’t thought that far ahead. All she’d known was that she wanted whatever Aliya had given her before.
Faye puttered around, dancing and drinking as she saw fit. Once again, Faye found herself wishing the alcohol would actually affect her without her having to drink an entire distillery to feel some of its effects. Just once she wished she was back to where she’d began, all those years ago before Molly, before she’d felt the true taste of pure blood.
Grinding her hips against the nearest Tainted, Faye lost herself in the sensation of hot bodies against her. Her head spun from the heat of the room, from the desire for the drug. It swam through her blood to the point it was nearly all she could think about. Molly was still in her head somewhere, she always was, but Faye focused on her need, her desire more than anything else.
The pulse of the music was loud, and she knew she couldn’t linger. Molly would wonder where she had gone off to in the middle of the day without permission or without telling her.
When someone pressed up against her back, Faye leaned into them. She moved her ass around the person’s front, waiting and wanting to know who they were until she had a moment to look. The music never stopped here. It kept going and going.
Finally, Faye moved around, and her eyes widened with Aliya’s sweet face showed up as the one she’d been dancing with. Faye’s lips parted with surprise for a moment before she grinned and tugged Aliya in for another round of dancing. The faerie’s hands were small and nimble against Faye’s body, enticing and then soothing. Faye had never been with a faerie before. She’d mostly stuck to humans since she hadn’t really been accepted or involved in the Tainted world until Molly.
With Aliya’s leg pressed firmly between hers, rubbing up and down, Faye understood perhaps why that was. Aliya was just as young as the rest of them, as the humans, as the ones Faye wasn’t really interested in. They were good fun for dancing and going out, but no one had seen the world like she had—Molly and Malek excluded. And while Faye tended to ignore the fact she’d lived through the better part of seven decades, the more time she spent with Molly, the less she could.
Faye knew things. She had seen things, experienced things no one could fathom unless they’d also lived through it. As much as Molly admitted their attraction to each other was ordained or even manufactured because of their blood and species, Faye knew there was more to it than that. She wasn’t attracted to Malek the same way she was Molly. She was curious about him, yes, enjoyed his odd little company and playing games with him, but there was something about Molly that always kept her coming back for more.
Her body was worked up into a nice hum of pleasure. Faye skimmed a hand down Aliya’s side to her hip and then leaned in. “You’ve got some moves on you.”
“Thought you might like to see them,” Aliya answered. “But I supposed you’re not here to dance with me.”
Not one to give false hope but also one to constantly lie, Faye pulled Aliya in tight so their fronts were matched evenly. Aliya kept up the rhythm of her movements, and Faye realized a little too late how the changed angle was only that much better. Pulling Aliya’s earlobe between her teeth and pulling, Faye let it go with a pop. “You’re just an added bonus, a mighty talented one at that.”
“I bet I taste pretty good. Faeries are known for being sweet.”
Faye stiffened, her shoulders tightening, and her rhythm of dancing faltered. She pressed a kiss, finally, to Aliya’s hot neck. “No offense, but no one tastes good except a witch, and that is not what I’m looking for tonight anyway.”
“But you could.”
“I won’t,” Faye responded firmly.
“I’ve heard it’s pleasurable, and I’m always seeking more pleasure.”
Faye cocked her head to the side as she stared at Aliya, wondering just where the conversation had gone off the rails. They had stopped dancing and stood in the middle of the moss covered floor. “It can be pleasurable or it can be painful, but again, it’s not what I’m seeking tonight.”
“Right, you want this.” Aliya pulled out another small baggie from her shirt just by her breast. When she pressed it into Faye’s hand, she tugged Faye into her, hands firmly and confidently roaming over Faye’s body this time. “I want payment this time. It’s getting expensive for me.”
Faye knew what Aliya was going to say, but she had to ask anyway. “And what kind of payment? Feeding is out of the question. I’ll find the drugs elsewhere.”
Aliya smirked. “Then if not that, something similar.”
Without warning, Aliya pulled at Faye’s hand until they were walking through the throngs of Tainted. Aliya led Faye to the side of the room where the tables were plenty. She leaned her shoulders against the wall and pulled her lower lip between her teeth. Faye raked her gaze up and down Aliya’s body—at least if it were meant to be in public it would be quick and clothes would stay on.
“First this.” Aliya took the baggie back from Faye and pressed one of the pills between her own lips, swallowing.
Faye had always taken two pills and wondered for a moment if she was only supposed to take one at a time. Aliya had never told her otherwise. The last time she’d taken them, she’d been smart, and locked herself in the catacombs at the house where no one would find her except perhaps Molly if she ventured that way. She had woken up as if from a trance a day later. It had been the best high yet. She’d dreamed, she’d been calm, calmer than ever. Aliya’s hand against her cheek pulled her attention back.
“Where do you get this?”
Aliya shook her head. “Uh-uh, I want you to keep coming back here.”
Faye gave her a small smirk. “I only ask because my body chemistry means I need a lot more than the normal Tainted.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, I don’t want to run you dry and short change you money you’re due.”
Aliya shook her head. “I don’t sell it. I give it away.”
“You don’t sell it?”
“Nope.” Aliya’s hand against Faye’s breast was a sharp reminder of what she’d agreed to in order to get the drug. “Let’s do this first, then I’ll get you some more since you need it.”
“And if you’re not here?”
“You can find me.”
“Aliya, I will gladly pay for it the same way I’m about to if I get it from you.”
Aliya licked her lips, her gaze hardening. “After. First this.”
“Right.” Faye didn’t hesitate again as she crashed their months together. Aliya moaned and wrapped her arms around Faye’s neck Faye lost all sense of what was happening. At some point, Aliya shoved two pills into her mouth, which Faye gladly swallowed. Faye made Aliya come several times against that wall. She was just urging her hand in and out once more when Aliya’s demeanor completely changed, her body tensing but not from pleasure. Faye pulled back for a second to look her in the eye, but Aliya wasn’t focused as her gaze darted around the room. Suddenly, there was a piercing pain at Faye’s side, and when she looked down, blood spilled over her tight shirt and jeans.
Hissing, Faye spun around to see who had done it, but no one was there. The scene before her was shocking. Faye’s heart ramped up. Aliya’s hands pulled her back, wrapping around Faye’s front so Faye covered most of Aliya’s body, her ass once against pressed into the curve of Aliya’s hips and belly. Teeth dug into Faye’s neck, pain searing through all of her senses. Faye tried to move away, but Aliya was far stronger than she had been before. The high from the pills she had taken worked into her head, and Faye had to blink three or four times to try and focus her eyes on what was happening in front of her. The throng of people still moved, but it was nothing she had wanted to see. Ever.
###
When Molly couldn’t find Faye for the sixth hour that day, she took matters into her own hands. Her gut told her repeatedly something wasn’t right, but she hadn’t been able to get hold of Faye all day. No one had seen her, and she’d finally had Ben look up when Faye had left the property. No one had any idea where she’d gone, and Molly knew—she just knew—they were sliding back down the rabbit hole Faye had brought herself out of.
The only other time Faye had pulled stunts like this had been when she’d gone out to get heroin and bring it into the house or get high while she was gone. Molly had such hope they were done with all of that. As soon as she had a chance, Molly slipped into her Tesla. She needed to find Faye, and the one place she knew she’d gotten the drugs, whether Faye had said so or not, was the club.
It had been decades since Molly had stepped foot in there properly and it would probably be even longer. This was not a pleasure trip. Parking, she saw Faye’s motorcycle and knew she was in the right place. Molly’s smoothed her hands down her tight green dress as she prepared to confront the snake-twins. They weren’t her favorite breed of Tainted, but she had always appreciated their openness and honesty. They held nothing back sexually, unlike the way she had been raised.
Stepping into the sewers, Molly followed the familiar path she had treaded so very long ago. When she came to the wooden door, she wondered how she would get out of the twins advances that time. She hadn’t managed the majority of her visits there. The door was, surprisingly, unlocked. Rubbing her lips together as the anxiety she had been feeling all day flared again, Molly pushed it open. The stairs beyond were completely empty.
Her heels clacked against the stone as she stepped down the stairway. As soon as she was on the main moss-covered floor, she knew something was wrong. The presence of people was lacking. Her senses were going wild. Molly opened the last door with a flick of her hand and magic to unlock it and gasped, a hand over her mouth as she stared at the blood bath in front of her.
Bodies were strewn about. Everywhere. The floor was covered with deceased Tainted. She bent down and pressed her hand into the moss. Pulling it back, it was covered in blood, so the moss was already doing its work at absorbing like it was trained to do. Molly’s heart rapped hard against her chest as she stepped around, and over, and through torn up bodies. One after the other. No one was alive. No one was barely breathing. They were all dead.
She tried to see one familiar face but couldn’t find it. If Faye had been there—who knew what type of damage she could have done. It was clear she wasn’t the only one harming others. If Faye had been it, the damage to each body would have been worse, more violent. There would only be pieces of them left.
“Faye?” Molly asked, her voice ringing through the crowded room. “Faye, are you here?”
Molly walked through the entire main part of the club before she started on the back rooms. She had wondered at some point if Faye even knew they existed. More and more bodies were strewn about, but at least in the back area, they were far fewer. She really should call Joel and Benjamin, Amachon even, someone to come help her with this clean up. She had no doubt it was the same problem both Joel and Amachon had brought to her attention.
“Faye,” Molly called again, her voice unsteady.
She heard the groan first. Turning sharply, Molly followed her instinct and pushed her way into a room at the very back of the club. As soon as she had the door open, the trail of blood was obnoxious. It looked as if someone had been dragged into the room, but her thoughts stopped, when she spied Faye on her back on the floor.
Racing to her, Molly squatted down and pressed her fingers to Faye’s cheek. Her skin was still warm, but she wasn’t breathing. Her eyes were open, but they didn’t see anything. Molly cupped her cheek. “Faye, what happened?”
Faye didn’t respond.
“Faye!”
With a jerk, Faye’s body started breathing again. Molly shuddered as she tapped Faye’s cheek again. “Faye, tell me what happened.”
Faye said nothing, and her body was barely functioning. Molly pressed her fingers to Faye’s wrist, catching her pulse as it stopped. Immediately, Molly tore at Faye’s clothes to find the truth of the injury she’d no doubt endured with the amount of blood littering the floor. Molly knew she had to work quickly.
The slice in Faye’s side was deep and no doubt the majority of the problem. There was a bite wound at her neck and shoulder, which also had a significant amount of blood pooling. Molly had never seen Faye so weak when she’d been so well fed before. She should have healed herself by then, a hundred times over.
Molly pressed her hand to Faye’s side and was just about to start a healing spell when Faye jerked, her heart beating again and her lungs pulling air in and out of them. Molly paused for a moment, curious as to what was happening. It was as though Faye was dying over and over, like whatever had happened to her was preventing her from healing but that once in death her immortality kicked in to jumpstart her back to life.
“This won’t do,” Molly muttered.
The healing spell wove from her rapidly. She’d done it so many times over the years that she knew it by heart. Molly concentrated first on Faye’s side, the wound tearing into her own body before disappearing into the ether. Then she started on Faye’s neck. Those were the only two injuries she could see other than small scratches here and there.
Taking her time, Molly healed every single one of them. When she sat back on her heels, she carded her fingers through Faye’s blood matted hair, wondering when her body would jumpstart her again. Sure enough, it only took a few seconds. This time, Faye continued to breath and her heart continued to beat. But she still didn’t wake up.
Molly lifted the edge of her dress to pull out the small knife she kept pressed to her thigh. She slit her wrist. Opening Faye’s lips with her free hand, Molly pressed her wrist to Faye’s mouth. Faye sucked her blood down eagerly, waking as if from the dead. Soon enough her teeth joined in the feeding and Molly was as trapped against Faye as she could be, held by Faye’s hand against the back of her head.
Waiting for Faye to sober up, Molly drew in deep breaths as Faye drank more, seeming unsatisfied. Like before, down at the pier, it was pain that seared through Molly’s body, making it extremely difficult to concentrate and stay awake herself.
“Faye, you need to stop,” Molly whispered, giving up her resisting and pressing her forehead into Faye’s shoulder. “Stop.”
Something must have clicked, because Faye did release her arm, but she still stayed silent on the floor. Both of them breathed heavily in the silence of the room. Molly wasn’t sure how long she stayed there, pressed against Faye, but they were calm, so she took her time before trying to sit up. Faye had taken a lot of her energy, and Molly knew she was going to struggle to function.
“Are you sober?” Molly finally asked.
Faye shook her head. “Not totally, but close.”
“Did the blood help?” Molly’s head spun, and she knew she was going to have to work hard to focus and concentrate for the next chunk of the day while she tried to clean up the mess that was in the club.
“No.” Faye’s voice sounded rough and scratchy. “What happened?”
“The drug you took.” Molly drew in a deep shuddering breath. “It…Faye, they’re all dead.”
“Who’s dead?”
“Everyone who was here.”
Faye tensed. “What?”
Molly nodded into Faye’s shoulder, trying to hold back the tears. It had been years since she’d seen such a blood bath, but she couldn’t help the memories surfacing. Molly formed a fist, slamming it down into Faye’s chest. “What the hell were you thinking?”
“Molly…”
“No. Didn’t you figure it from the first time what this drug made you capable of?”
Faye froze. “You don’t…you don’t think I did it, do you?”
Molly’s jaw tightened, and she forced herself to sit up. “Who else has such a penchant for blood and the utter strength to kill so many so quickly?”
“I didn’t—”
“You don’t know that, Faye. You don’t remember anything, do you? Absolutely nothing.”
Faye’s lips parted.
Molly closed her eyes and rubbed a hand through her hair. “Get up. You’re going to help me clean this up.”
“I’m…what?”
“You heard me.” Molly pushed up as best as she could, but she had to grab onto a few chairs next to where Faye had dragged herself to stand upright. Faye had taken quite a bit from her, and the healing had cost her some, but she was still strong enough to do what needed done. It was only a momentary lapse from disuse.
Molly didn’t wait as she walked out of the back room and into the hallway. She made it into the main area of the club and turned just in time to see Faye stumble out, her eyes widening in surprise. “I swear to you, I didn’t do this.”
“Yes, well, the moss will take care of it.”
“What do you mean?”
Molly held her tongue in check as she stared at Faye. “You still have so much to learn. Bring all of the bodies in here please.”
As soon as Faye had everyone in the main room, Molly called on her magic. Her eyes glowed as her power surged through her body. The spell was one she hadn’t performed in ages, but it came to mind almost immediately. She knew what she had to do. No one else needed to witness this terror. It took her twenty minutes for the shadows to vanish the bodies and for her to stimulate the growth in the moss so it would work faster and absorb all the fluid that had been spilled. When she was done, Molly made sure to stand firm and glare at Faye.
