Scion's Freedom (Siren Publishing Classic) (10 page)

Cassy sprawled out across the unmade bed. From the bag, she pulled out the laptop and booted it up. The light blinked, and the screen flashed. It woke up, whirled as if stretching, and seemingly yawned to life as the fan noise died down. The prompt waited for a password.

“Oh, good, it wasn’t damaged. I was worried our romp through the foliage might have broken it.” Looking from one side to another, his brow creased. “Where is the memory stick? Please, don’t tell me we lost it in the woods.”

She sat up and dug around in the bag. “No. It’s in here. It wouldn’t fit sticking out of the side. I packed my shirts around everything to pad it all out. There are two bags of fresh blood in the side pockets. Those need to go into a fridge soon.” Her hands worked at a rapid pace unpacking, searching for the all-important memory stick. She found it tucked into one of her shirt sleeves. “Ah-ha! There it is!”

David inserted it into the USB. The icon popped up with a dinging bell sound. He opened the first file he came to. Photos of strangers taken from a distance circulated on the screen, a woman having lunch with a dark-haired man in a suit during the day, the same man mowing his grass in shorts, the man picking kids up from school. The next photo made Cassy gasp. The man was beaten, bloodied, and laid out on the pavement staring with eyes that no longer saw. The next set were similar but of a fair-skinned woman with her hair in a tight bun. The end results were the same. In all, eight people were stalked and killed. Cassy was appalled at the deaths and with herself. The sight of all the blood excited her as much as the bodies disgusted her. Her fangs had slid down without her notice. David closed the file.

David asked, “Did you know any of the victims?”

“No,” she whispered. “No, I didn’t.”

“These were the first eight, two elves and six werewolves in as many states. The MO changed afterward. The beatings continued, but the cause of death switched to gunshot, except one.”

“Erica.” It was all she could say. The ring had reeked of dried blood. She was the only vampire out of more than two dozen victims. “How…?” She choked.

“Silver stakes were pinned to the wall where her hands would have been. The ashes pooled in the middle of them on the ground held a single oak executioner’s stake,” he said with reluctance. There was a brief pause while he reflected on what he had just told her. “I shouldn’t have told you that. Why did I tell you that?”

“We are bonding into a mated pair. I felt it begin last night. I wasn’t positive it was the real thing, but I am now,” she confessed. It felt good, as if the knowledge held a burdensome weight that needed to be shared. “It’s time for bed.” She yawned.

“I should be angry with you, but I can’t be. The thought of being tied to one person forever has always bothered me. I always thought I would be a permanent bachelor. Now, I don’t want to be away from you. Is this love or magic?” The rambling sounded more like he was thinking aloud. He made it sound as if one was exclusive of the other.

“Aren’t they one in the same? Neither can be explained. Both just happen. Most of the time, the consequences are completely unfore…foreseen.” She stifled another yawn.

“Maybe. I think I’ll stay up and look at more files.”

She lay back down. He tossed a blanket over her. “Happy dreams, Cassy,” he whispered and kissed her forehead.

“Happy dreams,” she whispered back.

When Cassy woke, there was a sudden sensation of panic, of something lost. David wasn’t beside her. She looked around the small bedroom and even checked the floor. He wasn’t there either. She inhaled deep, hoping to catch his scent. Most of the smells were of Earth and dampness from the running stream somewhere further down the shaft. She could tell he was still in the shelter.

A whirring noise and the aroma of blood heating gave away his location. Cassy wandered into the kitchenette and sat at the table for two. A kettle of hot water occupied a trivet by the other seat. A cup of instant coffee sat waiting for him to return. When the microwave stopped, he presented her with a warm cup of blood.

“Good morning or evening, really. Sleep well?” David took his seat across from her and began sipping on his coffee.

“Yes, thank you. Did you get any sleep? You look tired,” she commented.

“A little. I stayed on the couch. I didn’t want to disturb you. Some of those files are hard to slog through.”

“Find anything useful?” The metallic taste hit her tongue as she took the first sip. It made her notice how hungry she was. Careful not to chip the cup with her fangs, she drank in large gulps. It occurred to her she had fed only once the day before. Scolding herself, she resolved to go back to having one large meal a day until the crisis was over. The smaller servings were more for the appearance of being more normal, more human, anyway.

“I think so. Everything seems to come back to a single source. The more I read, the more I realize there is an organization, but the real power comes from one person. I just don’t know who,” he said. A pained shadow passed over him. He was starting his second cup when he noticed hers was empty. “Want another?”

“Yes, I think I will. If we are going to be on the run, I should eat more at a time. You know. Just in case we have to leave in a hurry, again,” she explained.

“Good idea,” he agreed. “Now. Who would have the resources to have this many highly trained people working for them?” He refilled her cup and put it in to heat.

“I should have thought of this last night. Were there any witches among the dead?”

“No. But until recently, there were no vampires either. What are your thoughts?” He returned her cup to her. She drank it slower than the first, taking time to enjoy the flavor.

“Most elves live in another dimension and just come here to work and play. Werewolves live in small groups to reduce the risk of having two alphas fighting over the pack. Shape-shifters tend to live alone or in pairs. Fairies, sprites, and the like are not usually major players. Right?”

“You’re right. But we already had this worked out from the list of victims. We assumed vamps and witches weren’t being targeted because they live in covens or kisses. You two were the exception and became targets. Where are you going with this?”

“Witches have something else in their favor. We are all magical creatures, even born vampires. It might be an evolutionary kink in the DNA, but magic is still at the root. No one messes with them because they can manipulate the very essence of our being. To piss off one is to piss off all of them. They believe in karmic debt and would never kill anyone except in self-defense. The repayment for such a thing would be too high. It’s why they’re seldom criminals. But The Burning Times have made them reclusive. They know way more about the world than they tell. We could ask them,” Cassy suggested.

“We discounted them. They didn’t seem to be targets. It never occurred to us to just ask. That’s a great idea! Only, how do we find any of them to question?”

“Oh, you don’t question a witch. You request an answer. That is, if you would like to come away with everything in the same place as it was when you started,” she corrected. There was no jest in her tone. She was dead serious. One of her father’s messengers came back once with a toucan’s beak for a nose and feathers growing out of his head. Instead of polite conversation ending in a request for information in exchange for payment, he demanded an answer and referred to the woman as an old hag.

“Okay. So, how do we find one to request an answer?” He sat back, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“That’s easy! We need a crow,” she replied. She downed the rest of her blood and rinsed her cup. David remained in his seat looking at her as if she were crazy.

“A crow? You mean to tell me we could have had this case wrapped up if we had only talked to the birds? Cap would have asked for a psych evaluation and my badge! Do you know how insane that sounds?”

“Some people brag they have spies everywhere. Witches really mean it. Crows are highly intelligent and have keen eyes and hearing. They are self-sufficient and loyal. It makes them effective messengers without having to maintain a separate special rookery. Wild birds remain wild. They just have a job. That’s all.” She could see him processing her explanation. The ponderous tension around his eyes made him look older. His lips pressed together into a thin line. Resolve replaced the tension, but it didn’t leave his lips.

“Fine. Let’s go talk to the birds,” he said.

“We’ll have to wait until near dawn. They won’t be ready to report back in until then. All that early morning cawing isn’t because they like the sound of their own voice,” Cassy stated.

“What do you suggest we do until then? I have been through those files till I can’t take anymore for a while.” David’s body language suggested he hoped more reading wasn’t on her agenda. It also told her he was frustrated with the notion of sitting around doing nothing for hours on end.

“I could use a toothbrush and a shower. Have either of those?”

She saw his expression change from frustration to mischief. A smile took the place of the tight, thin lips. There was a visible shift in his demeanor. A spark ignited a slow building heat between them. Cassy could feel the bond leap for joy. It demanded they touch. As if on cue, he offered his hand. She took it.

“Yes, I have both. We even have hot, running water for the shower,” he bragged.

“Well, let’s go see how long it lasts,” she teased.

David led the way. The bathroom was spacious and very open. The shower reminded Cassy more of a locker room. The walls were tiled floor to ceiling with a shower head sticking out just above head-level. The taps were at the usual height with a soap dish built into the tile work. The floor drain was in the center of the room, and there were no doors or shower curtains. The rest of the room was just as generic. A pedestal sink sat below a mirrored medicine cabinet. Beside it and away from the shower spray was a towel bar. The toilet had a set of shelves above it with towels and washcloths neatly folded. The overhead light was a humming florescent. It gave the whole place a very institutional feel.

“Not the lap of luxury you’re use to, I’m sure. It functions though. The water is on its own solar heating system. I usually get a good 45 minutes off of it, before…” He stopped speaking. Cassy had removed her shirt and was unfastening her bra. He stared dumbstruck.

“Are you going to just stand there and stare? Or are you going to strip? I assume you didn’t plan to shower in your clothes,” she teased with a wry smile. She added her jeans to the pile forming on the floor. He still stood there taking in the scene.

“No panties,” he said when his voice returned.

“Nope, I hate ‘em,” she repeated in the same tone as she had in the parking deck. The memory flashed in his eye and a half-smile crept into place.

She freed her hair from the long, chocolate braid. It flowed around her as she shook her head. The tresses tickled her skin and brushed provocatively against her nipples when it swung forward. Her willowy pale frame was covered in a brown mass of waves and curls. The florescent lights made her silvery gray eyes appear duller, a little darker. Only the shadows of her nose and brow gave her face any definition she could see in the mirror over his shoulder. The lighting gave her eyes a hard edge. Stepping toward the shower spray, she looked back but did not turn around.

She asked over her shoulder, “Are you coming, or am I bathing alone?”

His movements were slow at first. As he loosened the shirt and pants button, he began working faster. His clothes added to the pile on the floor, creating a mound.

She turned on the water, allowing it a few moments to warm before stepping into the spray. Before the temperature was adjusted to a comfortable level, the chilly water hardened her nipples. She put her face into the water. The pounding stung at first. It felt good and invigorating. She turned and ran her hands through her long hair to get the water to her scalp.

Hands moved up her body, starting at her waist. Fingers grazed their way along the outer edge of her breasts before being cupped. A throaty sigh of satisfaction escaped. The fledgling bond pulled harder. He was too far away. She needed his nakedness against the length of hers. Stepping closer, he pressed against her as if they could merge into one being. A small part of her was sad it was not possible. She placed her nose against his chest, breathing in his scent. Her lips pressed to his skin allowed her to feel his heart beat in the kiss. She glanced up to his eyes. The liquid dark-brown had turned nearly black. It was a heady thing to be so close.

David’s lips brushed along her shoulder and up one side of her neck. Teeth raked across the base of her neck. There was no bite, but it sent a thrill through her as if he had. She could feel something snake its way around the two of them, coiling and constricting. He did not appear to notice. It held them in their embrace and refused to let them step apart. The air around them became warm to the point of being hot. A faint silver glow caught her attention. She tapped his arm. When he glanced up, she pointed to the shimmering halo surrounding them.

He whispered, “What is that?”

“I think it’s us, or rather the bond between us. Apparently, sex isn’t the only thing making it stronger. Intimacy seems to be enough. I’ve never seen anything thing like it, but then again, such things are usually done in private,” Cassy replied.