“You leave and you forfeit,” Trey yells. I keep coming and he steps out of the way. With a warehouse shaking roar, I hit the door and send it flying. The door frame groans as I smash through it, leaving the crowd staring at a Grizz shaped hole.
Fuck everything. I gotta get Jordy.
Gravel flies out from under my feet as I race in the direction the vampire took her.
Fucker hasn’t gotten far, even with blurring. I can track him. I pick up speed and catch up just as Benny reaches the arroyo.
The skinny vampire turns, his eyes widening. He looses that oily smoothness and stumbles as he watches me blur towards him.
I see it all in slow motion: the pale face, Jordy’s limp form, Benny’s lips moving. “Impossible-” he says. I’m almost on him when he slings Jordy down.
I roar and he blurs away. Fuck, gotta catch him.
Frantic footsteps make me whirl. Parker and Declan, racing my way. They slow, gasping for air, clutching their chest.
“Juice,” I order before they can speak.
Parker digs in his jacket and offers me the flask. I drain it. I’ll feel it later, but now I need all I can get to get Benny. He took my girl. He’s working for Augustine. I don’t care who’s behind the shifter slavers, they tried to kidnap Jordy, so they’re all going down. This ends now.
Jordy lies in a huddle at my feet. I tip her back and check her pulse. It’s strong and steady, but her eyes flutter and she doesn’t wake. Totally under the dark. Fucking vampires. I grab her and thrust her at Declan and Parker. “Get her outta here.”
“Where?” Declan asks, even as Parker and Laurie start walking her back to the club.
“Somewhere safe.” I give them my address.
“Wait,” Parker shouts as I straighten. “Where are you goin’?”
I snarl my answer to the moon before taking off after Benny. “Hunting vampire.”
I CATCH up to Benny in Marana, a dead zone near the tattoo parlor I took Jordy to. Fucker’s probably headed back to the theater. I pause long enough to rip up a palo verde tree, snapping and peeling a section of the trunk into a nice stake.
I’ve got enough juice in me to run down a flock of vampires, but not fight them all. Darkness lurks in the edges of my sight, threatening to bring me down. Can’t succumb yet. Gotta get Benny, make sure Jordy’s safe. Then I can go back to her.
Benny pauses in an alleyway. We’re somewhere near the theater, I’m not sure how close. He leans against the wall. At his feet are steps leading down somewhere, probably to a basement door. Makes sense, that’s where the vampires congregate. Benny just led me right to their secret lair.
He’s stopped there, just waiting. I prowl in the shadows as he lights a cigarette. He doesn’t smoke it, just holds it between shaking fingers. Vampires love fire. Something about playing with what could cause their ultimate doom.
Benny won’t get such a quick death. Not when I half-stake him, tie him up, and drag him to Frangelico. We’ll question him, and the king will squeeze answers outta him. We can get to the bottom of all this. Jordy will be safe and I can get back to my ultimate mission.
The thought of returning to my search for revenge doesn’t feel as good as it should, though. Wish there was a way I could keep Jordy while I continue the hunt. At first she was just a distraction, but having her at my side trumps anything else. I need her in my life. Such a small person, to weight the balance like she does.
Shadows flicker around Benny’s hands. He’s holding the cigarette steady. Any moment he’ll decide he’s calm enough to keep on. Time to make my move.
Again, I blur so fast Benny has no time to react. I slam him against the building. It’s so satisfying, I do it again.
“Caught ya,” I say.
The cigarette falls to the ground. “That’s-”
“Impossible? Nope.” I set the sharper end of my makeshift stake at his heart. “Say goodnight, Benny.”
Unconscious, vampires weigh more than you’d think. Even skinny guys like Benny are like fuckin’ concrete slabs. By the time I get back to Fight Club, dawn’s about to break. If Augustine thought he’d get his fangs into Jordy tonight, he’s fresh outta luck. I just have to store this body before light clears the mountains.
A contingent of wolves hang around the dumpster out back. A few snarl when they see me, but they back away when I drag Benny right up to the side of the building.
Trey steps out of the door, eyes flashing. “What the-”
“Need a favor,” I say. “Gotta store this one somewhere for questioning.” I give Benny a kick. He may as well be a bag of blood for all the fight he gave me.
The wolves back away and eye me nervously. I grin at them. Never seen a shifter take down a vampire before?
Trey doesn’t even blink. We may have our differences, but he’s a solid guy.
“Here,” Trey says and flips open the lid of the dumpster. If closed properly, no light will get in and fry the sucker before questioning.
“Perfect.”
After barking to his pack to clear the club out, Trey helps me load the vampire into his smelly coffin.
“Thanks.” I dust off my hands. “I owe you,” I say to him.
He shrugs. “We won a bunch of money betting against you on the fight. You taking that vampire to Frangelico?”
“Yep. Caught him snooping around a shifter slaver site. Gonna bust that ring wide open.”
“Good.” Trey’s eyes flare. “Then we’re even.”
I turn, take two steps, and stumble. My hands hit the gravel.
“Whoa, easy.” Trey’s at my side. He helps me up. “What the fuck, man? You drunk?”
“Nope,” I slur.
Trey’s eyes narrow. “You’re on something.”
My tongue fills my mouth. “Gotta go,” I mumble.