Blood and Bite (10 page)

She let herself into Strad’s apartment after her knocking
failed to summon Tina. She worried Tina might overdose on the sedatives she’d
been given or open a vein.

But Tina was in bed—Strad’s bed—the shades pulled and not a
single light on in the entire apartment.

Rune sat down on the edge of the bed and shook the woman’s
shoulder. “Tina.”

Tina finally sat up, pushed her hair out of her face, and
stared blankly at Rune. “What is it? Is…did you—”

“No, no.”
Dammit.
“Not yet. I just wanted to check on
you. Have you eaten?”

Tina lay back down. “I’m not hungry. You should be out
searching for my son, not sitting here with me. Go. Please.”

Tina’s grief was overwhelming and Rune stood, pacing the
room. “We’ll find him, baby. I promise.”

“I shouldn’t have brought him here.”

Rune pulled one of the shades and stared out the window. It
was nearly full dark but even the night was better than the stifling room. She
breathed a little easier once she could see the streetlights and the world
outside the window.

“Get dressed and I’ll make you some dinner.”

“I couldn’t eat, Rune. I want to be left alone.”

Rune grabbed the remote and flipped on the little TV in the
corner of the room. The sound of canned laughter filled the room. It was better
than nothing. “I’ll be right back.”

She ran down the stairs and into the kitchen, putting
together a sandwich while coffee brewed. Coffee made everything a little
better.

She loaded a tray and carried it upstairs. “Tina, sit up.
Don’t make me drag your ass out of that bed.”

Tina sighed but sat up, pushing herself back against the
headboard. Her hair was a bristly mess, tangled and matted, and her eyes were
large, dark pools of despair in her pale face. “I know you think you’re being
helpful but—”

“I’ll leave after you’ve had a cup of coffee and eaten at
least half this sandwich. Otherwise, I’ll stay here.
All
night if I have to.”
She was bluffing, but Tina didn’t know her well
enough to be sure.

Tina grudgingly picked up the sandwich, took a bite, and
then swallowed it down with a gulp of too hot coffee.

“Good,” Rune said.

Tina didn’t speak until she’d eaten the entire sandwich.
“Where’s Strad?”

“Still at work.”

“Will he be home soon? I really don’t want to be here alone,
now that you’ve forced me awake.”

Rune took the tray and set it on the nightstand. “I don’t
know. I can call him…”

“No, I will if he’s not back in a while. Are you going to
look for Matthew tonight?”

Rune hesitated. “I have a meeting tonight, but I will first
thing in the morning.”

“Do you think you’ll find him?”

“Yes.”

“Alive?”

Again, Rune hesitated. “I hope so, baby.”

Tina patted the bed. “Talk with me for a few minutes before
you go.”

Rune sat. “Do you want to take a ride with me tomorrow, get
out of this apartment for a while?”

Tina plucked at the sheets. “No. Not really. I’m afraid to
leave. The kidnappers might bring him back here.” She looked at Rune. “They
might.”
As though Rune had argued.

“Okay.
Whatever you need.”

“When I first heard about you and saw you on the news, I
thought…” Tina pressed her lips together,
then
hurried
on. “I thought of you as an
Other
. You looked so
terrible.
Terrifying.
And I…” She blushed,
then
dropped her gaze before continuing. “I was disgusted
that Strad let you drink his blood. I got so angry at him.”

Rune stared at the wall. “I
am
Other.”

“Yes. But now that I know you, I don’t think of you as a
monster. You’re everything I wish I could be. You know, brave, confident, in
control.
Badass.”

Rune looked at her, surprised.

Tina threw her a quick, wan smile. “I think we can be
friends.”

“Okay.” Rune cleared her throat. Damn. She was not good with
the whole girl talk, BFF shit. “Sure.”

“But Alexis Love—Lexi—frightens me. There’s something about
her.”

“She lived through hell.”

“Yes, I’m sure.” She grabbed Rune’s arm. “Rune, I was once
involved with a man who was a zealous member of the Church of Slayers. I was in
love with him.”

Rune forced herself not to pull away.
“Fucking
COS?”

Tina started nodding and couldn’t seem to stop. “Because of
our relationship, I got involved with the church as well.” Tears welled up and
spilled over, but she gazed steadily into Rune’s eyes. “I needed you to know,
but I’m afraid if Lex finds out she might…” She gestured wildly. “Do something.”

Rune finally and gently extracted her arm from Tina’s grip
and stood. “Lex won’t hurt you.”

“You don’t see it, but I do. I’m sure I’m not the only one.
Lex is not soft. She is very protective of you. She’d hurt me over you. Imagine
what she’d do if she found out I was ex COS.”

“Does Strad know?”

Tina nodded. “But I got out of COS after I met him.”

Rune thought her head might explode. “Strad knew you were
COS and he still hooked up with you?”

“He knew I was trying to get out, and he helped me. The
Church does not relinquish its hold easily.
At least not the
branch in Philadelphia.”

Rune clenched her fists to keep them from trembling.
“When?”

“Nearly nine years ago. I got pregnant and…we got married.
After Matthew was born we just drifted apart. Strad was always out doing what
he does, coming home hurt. I resented him.” She twisted her fingers together.
“I made a mistake.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want him back. I want our family back,” Tina whispered.
“I need him now more than ever.”

Rune picked up the glass of water she’d brought upstairs for
Tina and downed it in one long drink.
Fuck me.

Tina climbed from the bed and walked unsteadily into the
bathroom. “I know you have things to do. I didn’t mean to unload like that, but
thank you for listening. Nothing really matters except getting Matthew back.”
She shut the door gently.

Rune left the house, locking the door behind her. “Shit,”
she whispered. “Things just keep getting better.”

She got a burger and a milkshake and ate as she drove to
Wormwood. She’d have a talk with Gunnar and if he shed some light on Llodra or
Matthew’s kidnapping, she’d kiss the ghoul.
Right on the
lips.

She was captain of Shiv Crew. She was
Other
.
She for damn sure should have found Llodra by now. “Where are you hiding,
Nicolas?
Where?”

But he didn’t answer.

The streets were empty, which was a good sign. There were
going to be some humans out—it couldn’t be avoided. But SPD was patrolling,
RISC had crews out other than Shiv Crew, and the humans had been warned.

It was all they could do.

Z called her five minutes before she reached the cemetery.
“People are getting scared. SPD just informed us a man shot a teenager half an
hour ago. Thought the kid was a vampire because he was dressed in black.”

“Fucking Llodra,” she said. “It’s going to get a lot worse
if we don’t get him soon.”

“The crew might find something tonight. Ellis told us you’d
started a night search.”

“Yes. We’ll trade off. I would go tonight, get a couple
hours sleep and do tomorrow too, but…”

“But what?
Got a date?”

“Right.
Like I’d
go out instead of searching for Llodra.”

“Just be careful, sweet thing.”

“Back at you.
And don’t call me
sweet thing.”

She hung up and stopped the car in front of Wormwood’s
gates, full of nervous energy. It was a good time to fight the wolf. She needed
to burn off some rage. Some fear. No better way to do that than kick a wolf’s
ass.

Or get her ass kicked.

Almost like old times.

She fished a Baby Ruth from the glove box. Gunnar the Ghoul
should be hungry for chocolate by now. The ghoul had grown on her. She wouldn’t
admit it to him but not only was he her best
informant,
he was one of her favorite “people.”

And he was spooky as hell.

When she opened the gates and stepped inside the vast
graveyard, he was waiting for her.

“Quickly,” he said, motioning her farther inside with his
long fingers. “Make haste, Your Ponderousness.”

“Gunnar, why are you in such a hurry lately?” She looked
around at the deserted area, frowning. “Are you in danger?”

He laughed. It was the first time since she’d known him that
she’d heard him really laugh. “Oh,
Your
Majesty. Am I
in
danger.
” He chuckled and dabbed at the corner of
his eye with a dirty handkerchief.

She failed to see the humor. “
Are
you?”

He ignored her question and asked one of his own. “You have
brought my treat?”

“Of course.”

“Then ask your question.”

“I need Llodra’s location. I need it badly. Give me
something, sexy.”

“He is well and truly hidden and I do not know where. But I can
tell you this—the master will hide where you will not expect him to hide. In
the open, in the last place you would think to look. Now that I’ve informed you
of this, you must think hard.”

He leaned toward her, the fuzzy strands of his lank black
hair drifting over his face. His cheekbones were even more pronounced than
usual, sharp cliffs above which gleamed his deep-set eyes. They burned with
intensity. “You must find him before he finds you, Your Preciousness.”

“But
where,
Gunnar?
Do you
have an idea?
A hint?
I’ll take anything.”

“I have nothing more.” He hid his face behind his hair, as
though ashamed he kept failing her.

Llodra was not inside the gates of Wormwood—Gunnar would
have known, and he would have told her.

“Here, baby,” she said, and tossed him the candy. “One more
question.”

He glanced around. “The graveyard is not safe right now. You
must not visit me so often.”

“I can take care of myself. Do you know anything of Matthew,
the berserker’s child?”

He shook his head. “I do not know where
he
is,
either. I am sorry,
Your
Highness.”

She closed her eyes and sighed. “I’ve been useless. There
are no traces of him. If I can’t find the vampire, I won’t find the boy. His
parents need an end to this. I can’t figure out why Llodra won’t leave
Matthew’s body somewhere for me to find. Fucker would enjoy the pain that would
cause.”

Gunnar widened his eyes. “But there is no body.”

“What do you mean? Did the son of a bitch burn the child’s
body?”

“The child is not dead.”

Her heart stopped beating for one long pause. When she could
breathe again she grabbed Gunnar’s bony shoulders, shaking him. “Is that true?
Do you know that for sure?
How
would you know?”

“Some things I just know. When these things are close to
you, I know.”

“Gunnar—”

“And I know the boy child Matthew is alive.”

Back in her car she punched in the berserker’s number,
then
held the phone to her ear with a shaking hand.

“News?” he asked.

“I’ve just visited Gunnar the Ghoul, Strad. He knows things.
He told me Matthew is alive. I believe him.”

He said nothing but the silence was as thick as the tears
standing in her eyes.

She’d thought death was Matthew’s best hope. Alive, he would
surely be tortured and terrorized and chained in the dark as Amy had been. But
hearing that he was alive sent her heart soaring.

He was alive. She could save him. She
would
save him.

Somehow.

“Did you hear me, Berserker?” she whispered. “He’s alive.”

 
“Anything else?”
His voice
was so low and gravely she could barely understand him.

“Gunnar said Llodra will hide in the open, in the last place
we would think to look. I have to give this some thought.” She paused. “We’ll
save Matthew, Strad. I fucking
swear
it.” And she meant it.

He hung up, and she understood.

Tomorrow, she’d visit Tina and tell her face to face that
Matthew was still alive. She’d make Tina believe it, because it was true. If
Gunnar knew it, it was true.

She slept for a couple of hours before her alarm told her it
was time to meet the wolves. She dressed lightly in clothes that would allow
her to move, leaving most of her weapons and her jacket behind.

In her car was a kill kit containing her vgun, and she had a
few shivs in various places inside the car as well. Just in case.

After she picked Ellis up, she sat for a long moment
watching him buckle himself in and chatter incessant nonsense, and realized
she’d been stupid.

She couldn’t take Ellis without also taking backup—it was
simply too dangerous for him. With Llodra’s vampires lurking around, she
couldn’t take chances with Ellis’s safety. She was certain Llodra himself
wouldn’t show up. He wasn’t
that
mad.
But he might send some of his children.

She sighed and called Z. “I want you to listen and not
argue. Okay?”

“Oh boy.
Continue.”

“I need you to get Jack and meet me in Hawthorne forest. A
wolf is going to fight me for alpha. I have to throw the fight and make it look
good, so I’m going to get hurt. Ellis is with me…” She hesitated before
continuing on. “He has blood. I need you guys to keep watch in case the
vampires decide to make an appearance. Protect Ellie while I’m distracted.”

He breathed a gentle sigh, but understood arguing was
pointless. “We’ll be there.”

“Thanks, baby.”

Ellis approved. “I’m proud of you, Rune.
Not
long ago you wouldn’t have asked for help.”

“If I would have risked your life because of my pride, then
I’m sorry I was ever such an idiot.”

He grinned and squeezed her hand. “Let’s get this over
with.”

“I shouldn’t drag you into this.”

“Hey, someone has to keep you alive.” But his hands
fluttered nervously over the bag in his lap.

“I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I know. Just worry about yourself.”

They arrived at Hawthorne Ridge and she parked her car at
the edge of the woods so Z and Jack would see it…not that they’d need much
direction. She could see flames from a bonfire flickering through the trees and
knew that’s where the wolves waited.

“Wait, Rune,” Ellis said when she climbed out.
“How will I know when to bring you blood?”

“You’ll see the wolves leaving, or hear the end of the
battle. And if that fails, send one of the guys to check in a while. You’ll
know.”

He clutched the bag. “I don’t like this.”

“I know baby, but it’s too late now.” She glanced over her
shoulder. “I have to go.”

“Rune!”

But she shut the door firmly and walked away. She didn’t
want the pack getting impatient and coming to find her. If they saw Ellis with
the bag, it would clue them in on her plans and the wannabe alpha’s chances
would be gone.

Fucking wolves.

She jogged toward the fire, dodging tree limbs and jumping
over logs and stones. The moon was cooperating a little, shedding a nice glow
over the area, but the fire would add enough light to see by.

She could see better than humans at night—and the wolves
could see better than she could—but she appreciated the extra light. Z and Jack
would need it, especially if the vampires attacked.

The wolves sat silent around the fire, and she stopped in
her tracks just to watch them. The scene was eerie and beautiful—a shifted pack
around a bright
fire,
faces raised to the slice of
moon.

Finally one of them stood, sniffing the air, and then looked
right at her.

She stepped from the trees and went to them, her skin
prickling with the heavy expectation in the air.

The other wolves stayed as they were but the one who’d
scented her shifted to his human form. He was a lean man of average height,
young and eager.

She stopped a few paces from him. “I’m Rune. Let’s do this.”

He nodded. “I’m Chris, the challenger. Do you need the rules
recited?”

“No, dude.
I know the rules.”

He nodded his close-shaven head, not even remotely concerned
that he stood before her and the pack bare and vulnerable.

But shifters were accustomed to being naked. They couldn’t
very well shift back into their clothes.

She held a hand out, and surprised, he took it. “If you win
this, and ever need my help with anything, call me.”

He studied her for a second before nodding. “I will.” He
knew. He knew she was going to throw the fight. He also understood—perhaps even
better than she did—what that was going to take.

A new look of respect gleamed from his eyes and he gave her
fingers a quick squeeze before releasing them.

She liked him. If she’d hated him it would have been harder
to let him half kill her.

He backed off and
shifted,
his
shift a little slower but nearly as seamless as a wolf a hell of a lot older
than he was.

She dropped her fangs.

Strad’s blood was going to carry her through this. She could
feel his presence as surely as if he’d been standing there, his arms around
her.

Chris growled, his hot breath sending plumes of white steam
into the frigid night. He leaped at her, his big body flying through the air.
His teeth were long, sharp, and deadly, and he went for her throat.

She shot her claws through the tips of her fingers and
twisted to the side at the last moment, her claws raking the big wolf’s chest
as he passed her.

At the first scent of blood she woke up, sniffing the air
like a starving person catching the aroma of cooking meat.
This.
This was what she needed.

The pack scattered, watching from a safe distance, their
howls and growls adding a strange music to the fight.

Chris skidded through old leaves and dry earth and turned
back around, not even hesitating before he went at her again.

Fucking wolf was fast, and he was hungry.
Hungry
for power.

Rune just wanted to fight.

She wasn’t ready to let him hurt her, not yet. Not this
early in the game. This time she hit his massive chest with the palm of her
hand—she couldn’t make a fist with nails the length of a forearm coming out of
her fingers.

But it was a solid blow and the wolf’s breath left him with
a wheezy moan. It didn’t stop him, though.

She’d already begun thinking he was too weak for alpha when
he absorbed her blow, turned, and kicked her in the midsection.

Hard.

She skidded across the ground, her back burning, even
through her shirt, as some of her skin was scraped off. She jumped to her feet
and dusted off her ass, smiling.
Not bad.

Her smile seemed to infuriate him. He roared and loped
across the ground, but this time she knew better than to underestimate him.

She was finding it harder to hold back as the fight
progressed—the bloodthirsty part of her nature wanted to take over and destroy
the wolf.

He practically flew through the air, giving her little time
to think before he landed the full weight of his body on her. She went down,
crushed between the heavy, furry wolf and the hard, frozen ground. An
immediate, sharp pain grew in her chest, making it hard to breathe.

“Fuck,” she muttered, wheezing. It felt like one of her ribs
had broken and had punctured a lung.

Her hands were pinned, but not for long. With a charge of
adrenaline she forced them free, slicing his underbelly with her claws.

He yelped and rolled off her, but now she was pissed.

She followed him, arms at her sides, claws almost raking the
ground as she bent her knees and jumped. She realized then that she meant to
kill him. She saw the night through a haze of red rage, and she meant to kill
him.

Fuck him. If he couldn’t defeat her, he didn’t deserve to be
alpha
.

No, Rune. No.

The vampires saved him.

Not on purpose, of course, but they entered the clearing
like huge killer bats and she forgot about fucking up the wolf.

It had just gotten serious.

And she was still
alpha
.

She drew in a deep breath, grimacing in pain, and screamed,
“Kill the fucking vampires!”

They didn’t even hesitate.

She took her rage out on the vampires and didn’t have to
worry about holding back. A vampire ran at her so fast a human would have had
trouble tracking him—but she saw him fine.

She sliced through his throat like her claws were shivs, as
truthfully, they were, and his head parted company with his body.

The vampires outnumbered the wolves. She’d never known a battle
between wolves and vampires to go in the wolves’ favor, but the wolves had
her.
That’d change things up a little fucking bit.

But she didn’t want her pack to die and even with her on
their side, some of them were going to. As she watched, a vampire tore out a
wolf’s throat.

“No,” she screamed, and went after him. She didn’t remember
running, but suddenly she was in front of the son of a bitch, holding his heart
in her hand.

He dropped like a stone and she went on to the next vampire.

One of them grabbed Chris by the throat and hefted him into
the air, holding his struggling body aloft as another vampire drew back a hand,
then shot his nails into the wolf’s belly. Before he could disembowel Chris,
Rune flew at the vampire and sent him tumbling through the air.

She followed him, hoping Chris could handle the other
vampire.

She glanced back long enough to see Chris toss the vampire
into the fire, and then her attention was occupied by the vampire she’d
attacked.

The world was frenzied and bloody but she caught the welcome
sight of Z and Jack wading into the sea of chaos, long silver shivs in each
hand.

They evened the odds a little more.

She had no idea how long the fight went on but in the end
those vampires that could escape ran for their lives, and the ground was
littered with the familiar sight of death.

The ground was gory and black with blood in the moonlight.
As she looked around the clearing, she realized she’d been there a thousand
times before.

There,
after a battle, the ground slippery with blood,
the air thick with red mist.
Dead and dying lying in a
jumbled mess.
Survivors staring with wide, shocked
eyes.
Moans and cries and howls of grief and pain.

Jack and Z stood on either side of her as they gathered
their thoughts, shook off the horror, and sent up the invisible walls that
helped their minds stay strong beneath the weight of everything they’d done,
everything they’d witnessed.

They were Shiv Crew.

It was what they did.

The wolves that hadn’t been severely injured shifted to human
form to carry their wounded to cars they’d parked near the area.

But Rune held up a hand to halt them. When they all gave her
their attention she grabbed Chris’s arm and pulled him to her side. “This man
is your alpha. He has proven himself this night.” She turned to Chris. “They’re
yours.”

He swallowed,
then
nodded. “Do you
agree with her?” he asked the wolves.

Finally, they murmured assent.

“If you need me, any of you, ever, I will be there for you.
Just because I’m not your alpha doesn’t mean I’m not your friend.” She waited
until they nodded, then turned away.

It was over.

“Drag that piece of shit to your truck, Jack. I’ll follow
you to RISC to turn him over to Elizabeth. She’ll know how to get information
from him.”

“Elizabeth Peel?” Z asked, grabbing one of the vampire’s
legs to help Jack drag him from the clearing. “She’s a desk lady.”

Rune wiped gore from her face. “No. No, she’s not.
Inside her chest beats a heart of stone, boys.”

“What makes you think so?” Jack asked.

He looked tired. She couldn’t help but wonder if every time
he fought he feared the loss of his remaining eye. “I don’t know,” she finally
answered. And she didn’t. It was just a feeling. Elizabeth Peel wouldn’t flinch
when she needed to get her hands dirty.

Jack’s truck was parked near her car and she let them worry
about loading the vampire into the back while she went to console Ellis. He’d
be worried sick and scared out of his mind.

But when she opened her door and peered inside, she
couldn’t, for one moment, speak.

Ellis wasn’t there.

But in his seat was a note.

Llodra had Ellis.