Vampire's Thirst (The Awakening Series) (14 page)

She nodded. “As long as you trust Vachon, then I trust that he’s sent the best he had.”

“I do trust him.” He opened the door and motioned her through.

“Then let’s get this show on the road.” She grabbed his hand and gave it a brief squeeze before she let it go as they walked down the hallway. When they entered the office, a tall dark-haired human turned from where he’d been looking out the window. Xavier was lounging with legs crossed in one of the chairs in front of Duncan’s desk but he rose to his feet and faced them as well.

Duncan held out his hand to the other vampire. “Xavier. It’s good to see you again.”

Xavier shook Duncan’s hand. “You as well.” He looked at Kimber and tipped his chin in acknowledgment of her presence. “Ms. Treat.”

“Please, call me Kimber.” See? She could be gracious when it called for it.

Another incline of his head, then he swept an arm out to indicate the man standing by the windows. “This is Hunter McKay, the best necromancer Cleveland has to offer.”

As the dark-haired man strode forward, the door opened and Maggie, Brigid, and Atticus entered the room. Leon closed the door, taking his place in front of it, a hulking, silent sentinel.

Introductions were made and hands shaken in greeting. Hunter looked at Kimber and said, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Kimber. May I call you Kimber?” At her nod, he went on. “I followed your career before the Outbreak. You had some really difficult cases that you handled with amazing adroitness.”

“Thank you.” She could read the sincerity in his eyes and knew he wasn’t merely trying to butter her buns. “I think I recognize your name, too.” She narrowed her eyes, trying to place where she’d heard of him before. “There was something to do with the mayor…”

His grin was a quick flash of white teeth. “Yeah, former mayor Martin Bradley. His Lazarus was just as much a curmudgeon as the old guy had been in life.”

“Well, now that the pleasantries are over,” Duncan said with a hard glance at Hunter, “let us lay out the plan.”

Kimber secretly thrilled to hear the tinge of jealousy in Duncan’s voice. Sure Hunter McKay was ruggedly handsome and he had necromancy in common with her, but he had nothing on Duncan. She’d reassure her lover as soon as she could.

Fifteen minutes later, everyone was agreed on the strategy.

Duncan looked toward the back of the room. “Leon, this is where it could get tricky.”

“You think?” The big vampire grimaced as he seemed to realize he probably shouldn’t have said that out loud. He came closer and waited.

Duncan narrowed his eyes but let that pass. He looked at Atticus. “You and Leon need to organize a squad to go out and bring in two dozen zombies. We’ll chain them a little differently than before so that they’re in a line to the fence.”

“Like a bunch of undead dominoes,” Kimber offered with a grin. When no one smiled, she groused good-naturedly, “Tough room.”

That got a snort from Hunter and a twitch of the lips from Xavier.

“Is everyone clear on their responsibilities?” Duncan asked.

“Yes, but I object to your involvement,” Atticus replied. He turned his silver eyes on Kimber for a long moment, then looked at Duncan once more. “You shouldn’t be risking your life. She can use me instead.”

Duncan shook his head. “I won’t ask it of you, my friend.”

“You’re not asking. I’m volunteering.”

“No.” Duncan held up his hand when Atticus began to argue. “The decision’s been made. Kimber and I are in this together, all the way.” His gaze landed on her.

The love and trust there brought a surge of emotion welling up in her. She blinked back tears. Now was not the time to fall apart. His life and the well-being of her baby depended on her staying in control.

“How soon can you have things set up?” Duncan asked.

Atticus glanced at Leon and the two of them seemed to share a silent conversation before Atticus said, “Give us six hours. We’ll be ready to go a couple of hours before dawn.”

Duncan clapped his hands together. “All right, people. That gives us six hours to get mentally prepared and get set up with weapons as well.” His glance encompassed everyone in the room. “Good luck to us all.”

As the others filed out of the office, Kimber went to Duncan. His arms enclosed her as he held her close. This was how she wanted to prepare herself. She wanted to be wrapped up in his love and support until the only thing she could believe in was that they would not—could not—fail.

D
uncan stood in the courtyard beside Kimber and looked out over the restrained zombies. He bit back a laugh as he remembered her cheeky definition. Undead dominoes, indeed. He hoped they would be, because that would mean the cascading effect they were looking for would happen and this nightmare would end.

Hunter, Maggie, and Brigid should join them any minute now. Natalie and Aodhán stood beside the main doors to the enclave, Aodhán with his long sword clasped in his hand. Natalie looked pale but resolute, and he saw she, too, held her trusty sword. It was about a third the length of the fey warrior’s, but Duncan had seen her use it and it was damned effective.

Close to a hundred torches lit the enclosure where he stood as well as the fencing along the front gate, ensuring the area was almost as bright as if they stood in broad daylight. There were eighteen zombies chained in single file, starting at the door to the enclave building straight out to the outer fence where the last one was lashed to the reinforced steel fencing. More zombies had gathered on the outside, drawn by the noise from the clanking of the chains and by the bits of raw meat Atticus and his men had placed on the other side of the fence.

He wrinkled his nose at the strong smell of decomposition. Most of these zombies looked like they’d been riding the apocalypse for months now. He looked more closely at the ones gathered on the other side of the fence and saw a few fresher-looking ones. He didn’t suppose it mattered, one way or another. But, damn, cleanup was going to be a bitch.

Leon approached, a grim look on his face. “We may have a problem,” he said when he drew near.

What now?
“Tell me,” Duncan said.

“Some of our people are…resistant.”

When he didn’t go on, Duncan prompted, “Resistant to what, Leon?”

He glanced at Kimber. “They don’t want her to fix this.”

“What do you mean?” she asked. “They don’t want to stop the apocalypse?” She put up one hand and pinched her nose together, breathing shallowly through her mouth. He guessed the odor of decomp was getting to her.

Leon shook his head. “They think if humans aren’t afraid of zombies, they won’t be willing donors. That they might, in fact, start targeting vampires, wanting to get rid of us, too.”

“There’s always been that possibility,” Duncan responded. He swept out his arm, indicating the zombies on the other side of the fence, crowding against it, trying to get inside the compound. “But this is no way to live.”

“You’re telling me,” Kimber said. “You’d think they’d want to fix this to get rid of the smell if nothing else.”

Duncan couldn’t stop his lips from twitching into a small grin. Trust his Kimber to put her finger right on the pulse of things. “We’re survivors,” he said to Leon. “We’ll find a way.”

“That’s what I told them,” Atticus said as he walked up to them, his face dark with a scowl. “Bunch of babies. They’ve had it easy over the last couple of months, having willing donors right here for the taking, and they don’t want to give that up. They’ve gotten soft. Don’t worry. I put the fear of the devil in them.” His silver eyes met Duncan’s. “There’s still time to change your mind. Let me do this for you.”

Duncan put a hand on Atticus’s shoulder. “I appreciate the offer, old friend. I do. But this is something Kimber and I must do. I can’t explain it other than to say I know this in my gut that she and I have to face this together.” When his friend’s gaze narrowed on Kimber, Duncan added, “And don’t even think to threaten her, Atticus. If I end up injured, or worse, it won’t be because of Kimber’s intention or negligence. Do you understand?”

A muscle flexed in Atticus’s jaw. “Yes,” he finally said. “But I don’t like it. For the record.”

“You don’t have to like it,” Duncan responded. “And, Atticus? If something happens to me, you’re my successor. And no action is to be taken against any of the necromancers or Brigid. Understood?”

Atticus gave an abrupt nod, then turned and headed toward the fence where a line of armed vampires stood ready in case the zombies broke through.

Duncan turned to Kimber and drew her into his arms. He rested his forehead against hers and simply held her, feeling her warmth under his hands, her breasts rising and falling with her breaths against his chest. Very soon it would all be over, one way or another. “Whatever happens,” he whispered, “know that I love you.”

A sighing sob broke from her. “I love you, too, Duncan. So much.” She curled her fingers into his back, digging into him through the soft material of his T-shirt. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“I know you won’t let it, sweetheart.” He did have faith in her love, in her abilities, but he was also realistic. Sometimes things happened beyond a person’s control and you simply did the best you could with what you were given. He wouldn’t hold her responsible if things went sideways.

He heard footsteps approaching and looked up to see Maggie, Hunter, and Brigid approaching. “The other necromancers and Brigid are here,” he told Kimber.

She pulled away from him and gave a watery smile to her colleagues. Concern on her face, she placed a slender hand on Maggie’s shoulder. “Are you sure you want to do this?” She glanced at the woman’s protruding belly. “It’s not just you we have to worry about.”

“It’s the same for you, isn’t it?” came the tart rejoinder with an equally sharp look at Kimber’s midsection. “Did you think word wouldn’t get out?” Maggie asked with a smirk.

Kimber heaved a sigh. “No, I suppose not.” She looked at Hunter. “You and Maggie need to focus your attention on me, help me tap into the Unseen that’s in Duncan. We should only need a little bit to allow Brigid to focus that energy into laserlike precision to blast it into the zombies. Then, boom! Implosion.” She swallowed. “I hope.”

“It will work.” Maggie’s voice was as serene as the expression that crossed her face. “I know it will.”

Hunter nodded.

“All right, then. Let’s do this.” Kimber reached for Duncan and squeezed his hand. “Are you ready?”

He leaned down and kissed her on the mouth, pouring all the love he felt for her in that one soft caress. “I’m ready,” he said as he straightened.

She blew out a breath. “Here we go.”

Maggie stepped closer and grabbed Kimber’s other hand, and Hunter slid a hand around the back of her neck. Duncan knew skin on skin was the best way to go, the only way to get the most power quickly, but it rankled to see another man’s hand on the woman he loved.

Kimber closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. Her fingers tightened on his hand. He watched as both Maggie’s and Hunter’s eyes fluttered closed, and Brigid moved forward until she stood between but slightly behind them. She put her hands on Maggie’s and Hunter’s shoulders and stared straight ahead at Kimber.

Duncan felt the skin on his hand tighten, then flare with prickles of heat that was borderline painful. Another surge and he choked back a yelp that wanted to burst past his teeth. Now that time it
had
hurt.

Her touch grew hot in his. Nerve endings flared, beginning at his hand and traveling up his arm to shoot throughout his body. Searing pain like he’d never felt before made his knees buckle, and he stayed on his feet with effort.

Trying to keep his mind off the agony wracking him, he focused his attention on Kimber. Her pouty lips were drawn into a frown of concentration, and for once, she didn’t appear to be in pain. Even as he watched, her face settled into lines of contentment and he realized abruptly that she was taking pleasure in drawing his life force from him.

This time he couldn’t stay upright and pain sent him to his knees, hard. Her grip on his hand never loosened. If anything, she tightened her grasp and seemed to draw energy from him even faster. “Kimber,” he moaned. He didn’t want to stop her; this needed to happen. But he also didn’t want her to drain him past the point of no return if it was unnecessary. He was prepared to die to save her life and that of his unborn child, but he wasn’t willing to die just so the bit of Eduardo that was woven into the Unseen within her could get his jollies.

Her eyes opened. He stared up at her, his ability to focus coming and going with the waves of agony radiating through him. He saw her irises darken to green just before her pupils dilated, leaving a thin ring of green around them. He could see the struggle taking place as part of her battled to hold on to the newly gained power while the other part, the Kimber he knew and loved, fought to expel it.

“Come on, sweetheart,” he urged softly through teeth gritted in pain. “You can do this.”

Through the pain, the noises around him seemed to become focused, one after the other. He closed his eyes. There was the constant rattling of chains as the zombies struggled to get free, the murmur of voices, even the chirp of birds in nearby trees. Then a shout dragged his eyes open. The zombie chained to the end nearest the building had managed to break the chain attaching him to the concrete and it now staggered to the side, reaching with skeletal arms, trying to grasp anyone close enough.

With the end of the line loose, the zombies had more freedom to move. In only a few minutes there would be no choice but to start killing them. Duncan watched as Atticus led dozens of vampires to form a row between the shufflers and his small group of necromancers. “Do not let them get through,” the Roman vampire ordered.

“Come on, Kimber,” Duncan urged.

Her lips drew back in a grimace, and her hand tightened even more on his, mashing his fingers into one another. The bones in his pinkie snapped. A grunt was his only outward concession to the pain. But when his head felt as if someone was driving a spike into it, he couldn’t hold back a shout of misery. Through the pain clouding his vision, he saw Atticus turn and start toward him. “Stay where you are,” Duncan managed to yell. “Don’t break formation. We have to give this time to work.”

Atticus’s lips thinned but without a word he retook his place. He held his sword at the ready. “Someone get a fire going!” he yelled. “Pass some torches.”

Within seconds, flaming lengths of wood were being passed down the line, and the vampires thrust them toward the zombies, holding them at bay. “This won’t work for long,” Atticus called out, his face turned to one side. He met Duncan’s gaze. “If she’s going to do this, now would be the time.”

Duncan dropped his chin to his chest and tried to focus on anything other than the agony buffeting him about like a dinghy on storm-tossed seas.

“Now,” he heard Kimber say. At least he thought it was Kimber. The voice was deeper than hers, more guttural, the cadence almost that of a man’s. Yet instinct told him that was Kimber.

Agony rolled through him. He closed his eyes and fell to one hand, the other still caught up in Kimber’s strong grip.

As Kimber gave her team the go-ahead to push the energy of the Unseen from Duncan to the zombies, she used the Unseen flowing from Duncan to wrap around the dark bit of Unseen that had been squatting inside her all these months and pushed it out of her. She watched the chained shufflers closely for any change and held on to Duncan, though she was throttling back on how much energy she was draining from him. Her breath came fast, part of it from the discomfort caused by the Unseen flowing through her and part of it from equal measures apprehension and excitement.

Maggie and Duncan, on either side of her and standing slightly behind her, both panted lightly, still touching her. Their hands were hot against her skin. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Brigid standing tall and slender, her hair flowing behind her as if caught in a wind, her eyes closed, lips moving in a silent chant.

“It’s not working,” Kimber whispered, dread tightening her throat.

Maggie suddenly gasped, one hand going to her abdomen. “Oh!”

“What is it?” Kimber looked at her, following the other woman’s gaze to the ground at her feet. Ground that was wet with the same fluid running down Maggie’s legs.

Round eyes met Kimber’s. “My water just broke.”

Hunter moved and put his arm around Maggie’s waist to support her. Both of them were pale.

Kimber wasn’t sure how much of that was due to what they’d just gone through and how much of it was the thought of what was shortly to come. Like they had time right now for birthing a baby. “Maggie…”

“I know. I’m sorry.” She grimaced. “It’s not like I can control this. The baby wants to come out.”

Just then Brigid gave a low grunt, drawing Kimber’s attention back to her. The fey woman’s hands left the shoulders she’d gripped the entire time to press her palms out in the air. “It’s done,” she rasped, and staggered back.

Kimber let go of Duncan’s hand and heard him give a low moan, but her attention was focused on the zombies in chains. If this didn’t work, they’d have to figure something else out. Start all over again. She put one hand on her belly. She wasn’t sure she had another try in her.

The zombie closest to them stood stock-still, his mouth moving but no sounds emanating from him; then, like a plug being pulled from a socket, all life went out of him and he dropped to the ground. Then the next one dropped, and the next one, and the one after that. All the way to the fence the zombies went to the ground, lifeless.

She stared at the ones on the other side of the fence. Here was the real test. Those in front suddenly stiffened, faces rigid, fingers curled. They fell to the ground. The ones behind them fell. And the ones behind them.

“Oh my God. It’s working!” Kimber looked at Duncan and gave a cry. He was lying facedown on the ground, not moving. She dropped to her knees beside him. “Duncan! Are you all right? Oh, God.” Fat tears rolled down her cheeks. “I took too much.
I took too much!
”

Atticus knelt beside her and carefully turned Duncan over. Her lover’s skin was translucent, his mouth open slightly, eyes closed. With a hard look her way, Atticus lifted his wrist to his mouth and dragged a fang across it, then held it over Duncan’s mouth so that blood would drip between his lips.

Kimber hardly breathed, watching for some sign, any sign, that she hadn’t killed him. She was vaguely aware of Natalie and Aodhán joining them, swords sheathed as they took up a silent vigil around the vampire who was not only their leader but also their friend.