Exiled - 01 (14 page)

“He’s a hunter.” The voice echoed through the room. “Chase Williams, son of the infamous Riley Williams, if I’m not mistaken. Exiled by his own kind to live among the demons and the mundane.”

I hated the fact everybody knew my history, but what was worse was only ever being known as the son of Riley Williams, a name not particularly welcome among current company.

I heard the soft padding of shoes on pavement and Vincent appeared in front of me. He was dressed in a dark well-tailored suit with a bright red silk shirt underneath, the kind that didn’t need a tie. The simple fact that he was awake showed how powerful he was. This reaffirmed my need to be nervous and my stomach turned with more guilt.

Vincent stopped in front of us, paying particular attention to me. He smiled and crouched to look me in the eye. “I’ve done my research, and I expected more than this from you, Chase, considering your father…”

“Yeah, yeah, you expected better from me, being the son of the big, scary Riley Williams and all. Save it, I’ve heard it.” My interruption didn’t faze him and he turned his attention to Rayna.

“Mmm, I can’t say I don’t enjoy seeing you tied up, my sweet. Although I’d hoped it would be under…different circumstances,” he said, with the smile I imagined he used to seduce everybody.

“How original,” Rayna retorted, rolling her eyes.

In a flash Vincent moved back to me. “Ah, sweet Rayna. Such a pretty face, but she does have a venom all her own, doesn’t she? You see, I am one of the few that hasn’t turned his back on Rayna. While the rest of the Underworld despises her for working with a hunter and killing other demons, I have not denied her. Instead I offered her sanctuary, a home, a family, and the power that would come from being with me.” He faced Rayna again. “I’ve offered you a place to belong,” he said.

Rayna looked up and nodded. “And for that I am grateful. But I already have a home and a family.” She was being polite and if we hadn’t been bound, I had a feeling she would have chosen her words differently.

“Yes, the hunter. Marcus, isn’t it? I never did understand how you could refuse power and acceptance among your peers to be with a hunter. I offered you a throne and still you chose our enemy.”

“Marcus isn’t the Underworld’s enemy and you know it,” Rayna replied.

“Oh yes, he’s the hunter who can’t decide which side he’s on. And it seems you two have recruited yet another confused soul, one whose own family exiled him.”

“He knows where he belongs. We don’t see things as black and white. I would think you of all people would appreciate that.”

He laughed and looked at me with ferocity in his eyes “Does she speak for you now, boy? Have you no voice of your own?”

I swallowed my anger and forced a smile. “No, she doesn’t, but you two seem to have some personal shit going on and I am rather enjoying the show.”

Instantly he was looming over me again. “Is that it? Do you get enjoyment from watching her deny me? Perhaps I should kill you and get my own pleasure from watching the pain in her eyes while I drain your blood. Come to think of it, that would bring me immense delight. If I cannot have her, perhaps I can take what she wants. We will both live unhappily ever after.”

His breath on my face was warm and smelled of death. I wasn’t sure why he thought killing me would cause Rayna pain, but I enjoyed that even tied up and unable to move, I could still get under his skin. I smiled and watched it infuriate him.

He stepped behind my chair and I could feel my pulse race in my neck. My arrogance had gotten in my way again, and Vincent succeeded in making me anxious as he ran his fingers down my neck. “Careful hunter, the quickening of your pulse brings my hunger, and I have yet to have my breakfast,” he whispered in my ear.

I closed my eyes at the smell of old blood and shuddered as his tongue ran up the back of my ear. I tried to focus and put all my energy into calming myself.

Vincent sniffed at my neck, letting his lips graze my ear as he spoke. “It’s been decades since I’ve had a hunter. The Circle gives off an enticing scent…”

I kept my eyes closed, trying to keep my shields up. The last thing I wanted right then was him poking around in my head.

As though at the flick of a switch, Vincent pulled away and let his calm, seductive tone return. “Well, back to business. Shall we?” The change in his demeanor startled me, but after centuries of life I could only imagine how one might get a little moody. “You want something from me and I can assume you need it rather urgently, otherwise you wouldn’t have risked coming here. The information I now possess must be worth more to you than I previously perceived,” he said.

Rayna jumped in. “I know the routine. What kind of blood do you want? Warlock perhaps? It’s the most expensive and I know you enjoy it. Or is it cash this time around?”

“I’m afraid that won’t do this time, my sweet Rayna. There is no blood that can satisfy my current craving. There’s something else I need. What you’ve asked for brings us to a much higher pay scale.”

Rayna studied him and arched a brow. “Do tell,” she said.

Vincent smiled cunningly. “For years, I`ve kept you safe within the Underworld. I did this in somewhat of a selfish manner, hoping you’d come to your senses and accept the throne I offered. I’ve helped you in exchange for mere blood and pennies, and it has made me look weak among my people. I see now my good intentions will go unrewarded, so I must treat this situation as I would any business transaction. There will be no more charity from me, my sweet. If you wish to know what the hunters seek, you will do something for me first.”

“What’s that?”

“I want you to retrieve something, something I’ve been in search of for many decades. It has been brought to my attention that it’s been nearby all along, and you are going to get it for me.”

I looked at Willy, who had his eyes closed and whose skin had turned pale brown to match his chair. Sweat was beading on his brow and his entire body was trembling. I immediately felt more guilt, which quickly turned to anger.

“What is said item and where do we find it?” I asked impatiently.

“A scroll,” Vincent said. “And outside of town, in the southern woods.”

I laughed. “You expect us to find a piece of paper in a forest? It might as well be a needle in a haystack.”

Vincent sighed and shook his head. “In the forest, there is a tree unlike any other. It sits in a clearing a few miles in. It holds an entrance to an underground sanctuary, and there rests the scroll I seek.”

“And why do you need us to get it? Why not get it yourself?” I asked.

“Because it’s guarded and I have no desire to put myself in harm’s way, not when I have you, who just so happen to need something from me. It’s all a matter of convenience.”

“Well, we can’t do much if we’re tied to these chairs,” I said.

Vincent nodded to one of the guards, who came and untied Rayna and me.

“I think your vampling needs some help counting. He forgot one,” I said pointing at Willy.

Vincent laughed. “I’m afraid we’re going to hold on to this one. Consider him an insurance policy.”

“What do you mean,
insurance policy
? We do this for you and you tell us what we need to know. There isn’t any need for an insurance policy. It’s a fair exchange,” I said.

“You don’t understand. If you come back alive, there will be many others who wish to have what you possess. This will ensure you bring it directly to
me
,” he replied.

I stepped forward. “No. That wasn’t part of the deal.”

A vampling stepped in front of Vincent before I could get closer.

“I’m afraid this is the deal, Mr. Williams. Or you can simply leave and I’ll keep your little friend for my personal enjoyment. If I remember correctly, he’s quite the screamer, but handles an impressive amount of pain,” said the vampire, winking at Willy.

Willy’s face drained of all its remaining color and his eyes pleaded with me. I balled my fists and tried to move past the guard in front of me, but his hands came up and pushed me back. I threw my fist into his face with all the force of the anger boiling inside me. I felt his jaw break and he collapsed to the ground. A look of surprise crossed Vincent’s face as the body fell.

“No deal,” I said and lunged towards Vincent, but he vanished.

I was thrown to the ground and vamplings piled on top of me. I struggled to push myself up, but there were too many of them.

“Enough!” Vincent’s voice commanded.

The bodies and hands holding me down vanished and I jumped to my feet. Rayna had a gun against her head again, and Vincent was standing behind Willy.

“You will do what I ask or I will kill all of you, starting with him.”

Willy’s eyes rolled back in his head and I thought he’d pass out.

“I don’t wish to harm any of you. At least not at this point in time. Do we or do we not have a deal?”

I watched Vincent; his neutral expression and disinterested tone disgusted me. He’d have no qualms about murdering Willy. Killing was at the core of his lifestyle.

“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “But he isn’t to be touched while we’re gone, understand? When we get back with the scroll, you give us the information we need, we take Willy with us, and we all walk away unharmed.”

Vincent’s lips curled into a smile. “My, what a fine negotiator you are. Agreed. Until you return, he will not be touched.”

I shook my head. “No. You’re leaving out the part of us leaving safely. You’ll agree to all of it or we’ll take the scroll to the highest bidder and come back for him ourselves.”

The smile vanished from his face. I think I had finally caught him off guard. “I agree to all of your terms on the condition that you’re back in forty eight hours. My patience has its limits, hunter.”

“Fine.”

Vincent clapped his hands together. “I’m glad we have an arrangement.”

I turned to Willy. “We’ll be back as soon as we can. I promise.”

He opened his eyes and looked at me. They were jet black, but I could see the fear inside them. I turned my back on him and walked away, but the sight of his terror still haunted me.

“Dammit!” I shouted as we stepped outside. I threw my fist into the side of the building and shattered several bricks.

“Chase, relax. You didn’t know this would happen,” Rayna said.

“But Marcus told me, told us, not to go to Vincent again, and I pushed it. I pulled you and Willy into this. I knew better.”

She put a hand on my shoulder and forced me to look her in the eyes. “Forget what we should’ve done and think about what we’re going to do. We have forty-eight hours to get to the forest and find the scroll. Don’t forget that if we’re not back on time, Vincent can do what he wants with Willy,” she said.

I shook my head and punched the wall again. Rayna grabbed my shoulder and pulled me towards her. “Get your head straight. We need to go back to the condo, get some gear and head out.” She checked her watch. “We have to hurry. Marcus will be back soon and we don’t need him to know about this.”

I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths to clear my head before I nodded. We had to do this for Willy; once he was safe I could come back and deal with Vincent on my own. “Let’s go.”

~~~~~~

Chapter 17

We didn’t know what we were walking into, so a few daggers weren’t going be enough. I slipped a sword into a sheath that fit snugly against my spine, and took the liberty of putting a few simple enchantments on our weapons. Rayna used glamour to hide them, since the last thing we needed was to be noticed walking down the street so well armed.

Watching her use magic was incredible. She had glamour on both of us in minutes, while it took me twice as long to do the enchantments. That speed was a skill few acquired, and rarely at such a young age. Being part witch must have had something to do with it; nobody I knew in the Circle could ever have pulled that off so quickly.

We took a cab to the edge of town and did our best to deflect the driver’s suspicions. Two teenagers wanting to be dropped off near the woods at night would look shady, but we were paying him to drive, not ask questions.

The tops of the trees at the edge of the forest soared into the starlit sky. They were spaced out at first, but as we proceeded, the brush got thicker. Branches scraped across my skin as if they were trying to clutch at me, and I was thankful I had worn pants and a long sleeved shirt.