Wulf's Redemption (Borne Vampires Book 3) (24 page)

Jeremy stepped out of the shadows. “There is no
need to call in the King of the Borne to hunt down Lisle.”

“And why is that? Alex asked, eyeing the demon
vampire suspiciously.

“Because we, the Damned, will help you stop Lisle
Breber.”

Chapter Ten

The Damned wanted to help clean up a mess they had created?

“What’s the catch?” she demanded, eyeing her
mother’s former fiancé suspiciously.

“We, the Damned, are naturally compelled to be
sadistic and yes, we use humans for food and entertainment. However, that being
said, we do not kill children and turning them is vile, punishable by death. I’ve
called my mistress and told her what Lisle had done to the Skaggin children. Angel
has ordered her put down. Besides, it will take time to get the Slayers here,
and time is not on our side. Lisle has gone hunting and the body count will
rise. I have the men, and you have the skill in hunting this kind of psycho. Together,
we can stop the crazy bitch from further killing my kind and the children, who
we both know she’ll start collecting, like she had in 1819.”

Before she could respond, Alex holstered his gun. “Waters,
send the best of your men to track Lisle down. Do not engage her. Keep her
running. As long as she is distracted, she won’t have time to harm people.”

“Why don’t we go after her?” Jeremy asked,
mistrustful of Alex’s order. So was she.

“After what she did to your men tonight, you want
to try to take her down now she’s worked up?” Alex arched his eyebrow as he
indicated with his chin at the three surviving vamps as they nervously stood
guard behind Jeremy. “Do
you
really
want to go another round with her?”

They shook their heads, looking guiltily at Jeremy
for not waiting for him to reply.

Sighing, Jeremy conceded. “Do you have a plan?”

“I do. Call your people and give them their
instructions. I need to speak with my people and gather our things, and then we’ll
return to Magdeburg with you.”

“On it.” Jeremy dug his cellphone out of the inner
pocket of his leather jacket.

Walking back to the manor, Kai whispered, “Alex,
I’ve done a lot of crazy things in my life but working with the Damned has
never
been
on that list!” She glanced back at Jeremy, who had his back turned to them. “I
don’t want to work with that son-of-a-bitch! I’d rather put a bullet between
his eyes and cut off his head for injecting me and Mina with dead man’s blood!”

Cold intensity transformed his handsome visage into
a hard mask of deadly purpose. “Kai, I’m not thrilled with working with the
Damned again either. Conversely, we need their cooperation, not their
interference in stopping Lisle. Sometimes, we have to bury our need for revenge
to save others. The children have to be protected, and if that means us uniting
forces with the enemy, then we do it.”

“Fine. I’ll put up with him while we hunt that
nutty bitch. After we put her down, I kill him. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

Opening the kitchen door for her, he followed her
inside. “I’m calling Faeroes.” Taking his cellphone and disconnected it from
the charger,
Kai
stopped him before he made the call.

“Alex,
text him, just in case we’re being listened in on.” She looked out the window
and saw the vamps protecting Jeremy eyeing the manor nervously.

“They’re
probably afraid we’ll change our minds and slay them rather than work with
them,” Alex replied with an amused smile.

“I’d
rather be hunting them than Lisle,” she grumbled. “What are you going to tell
Faeroes?”

“That
we need help.”

“That’s
an understatement. I need to speak to Gaeta and Mary.” Slinging her backpack
over her shoulder, she left the kitchen and found Herrick and his family gathered
in the foyer. Needless to say, they were in shock.

“Merciful
Father, protect us sinners,” Gaeta said shakily as she clutched the silver
cross she wore. “The Wolf of Magdeburg has returned.”

Mary
held onto her mother, Sarah pulled her closer. “
Sh
-she
killed her own kind. What vampire does that?”

“Lisle
is not like any of the Undead I’ve fought or encountered in my seven years of being
a Slayer. Even the Damned is afraid of her.”

“How do you fight such evil?” Mary sniffed, eyes
wide, glistening, as she fought not to cry.

“We take the fight to Lisle,” Kai stated with firm
resolve.

Anxious, Herrick asked her, “What do we do? Should
we search for her?”

“No,” Alex said as he joined them. “You and your
family should stay within the protection of the powder Gaeta made, especially
since we know it works quite well at keeping the Damned out. Kai, I want you to
stay here while I go with Jeremy to Magdeburg.”

“The hell I’m staying behind! You need me to
protect your back. The Damned hate you, remember?”

“I can’t risk you being hurt by them or Lisle.”

“Bullshit. You’re trying to be a martyr. We go
together or you don’t go.” Folding her arms, she glared at him, refusing to be
intimidated when he scowled back at her.

“Kai, you don’t understand—”

“Waters is waiting,” she said brusquely. “We need
to leave now before I change my mind and kill the bastard for what he did to me
and Mina.”

“Why?” Mary cried out. “Why must you leave us?”

Resigned, Alex explained to her, “Lisle has trapped
you here with us. If we leave, she will follow us. Her fight is with me, not
you and your family. Once we are gone, you’ll be safe.”

Herrick held out his hand to Alex, who took it in
a firm handshake. “Despite what has transpired in the last couple of days, my
heart is glad to know you survived the terrible ordeal thrust upon you so many
years ago.”

“As I am for you, my friend. My boss is aware of
what is happening here and is sending help to you. Stay at Wulf Manor and do
not allow anyone within the grounds, unless they show proof they were sent by
Faeroes Romulas.”

“Mother, can you make more of the powder?” Herrick
asked.

“Yes, my son. We have plenty of ingredients to make
enough to keep us safe for a week.” Gaeta took her hand and held it in a
painful grip. “Be careful, Slayer. Lisle is the least of your worries.”

“I know. Watch over Mary. If the Damned catch wind
she is like me, they will take her and convert her.”

“I understand. We shall protect her.”

She tilted her head as the conversation she had
with Angel in the dungeon came to her. “Gaeta, have you heard of a prophecy
concerning a psychic who is Gypsy and vampire? Angel wanted me to be turned
Damned badly, as did my uncle, Jarrod Draco.”

“No, I have not heard about this prophecy. I will
make calls to the other clans and inquire if any have heard of it.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“Kai, go with God’s protection.” Gaeta pulled her
to her and hugged her.

“We need to leave, Kai,” Alex placed his hand on
her shoulder, nodding to the old Gypsy woman when she released her.

“Master, be strong. You have the heart and might
of a Borne. Do not allow your fears and doubts cloud your judgment or diminish
what you have achieved in the last seven years. You are a Slayer. Stand firm
and set Lisle free.”

Guilt and doubt briefly shadowed his gorgeous
features. “I will try, Gaeta.”

Gaeta pulled him to her and threw her arms around
his waist, hugging him. Embarrassed, Alex stood there with his hands raised, looking
unsure what he should do. Slowly, he embraced the old, gypsy woman back.

“Thank you, Omi, for your wise advice to a lost
soul.”

An indelicate snort escaped Gaeta as she stepped
back, patting him motherly on the cheek. “Omi my ass. You are far older than
me, Master.”

Chuckling, he bent to press a kiss on her leathery
cheek. “You are lovely still, Gaeta.”

Blushing, she waved her hand at him, giggling.
“Flatterer. Best be for you and Kai to leave. The one you spoke to is waiting
impatiently to return to Magdeburg.”

Alex addressed the gypsies, “As soon as this is
over, I promise to deed Wulf Manor to you and your future generations. Herrick,
I cannot thank you enough for rescuing me and Kai. It is a debt I cannot repay
enough.”

“Our gratitude, Master, for giving us Wulf Manor.”
Herrick gave him a short bow. “We are your loyal servants, forever bound to you.”

“No, Herrick, you and your family are not
servants, you are my friends, just as your grandfather was mine.”

“Successful hunting, Alex. Take care, Miss Kai.”

“Thank you, Herrick. Be safe.” Kai smiled at the
crying Mary. “We will return, Mary. I promise.”

“Watch yourselves and trust no one!” Mary warned,
sniffing back her tears.

Alex took her hand in his as he opened the front door.
“Let’s get this over with.”

✝✝✝

Walking away from Wulf Manor was a burden lifted
off his shoulders in a way Alex thought not possible after years bearing guilt
and anger toward the manor. Holding Kai’s slender hand in his, feeling her
grasp his firmly, he felt free for the first time in centuries.

Shutting the gates behind them, he warned Waters,
“Double-cross us and I promise we’ll slay every demon vamp from here to Berlin.
Starting with you,” he growled, dropping his fangs.

“I give you my word that you and Kai are safe,
until Lisle is dead and dusted.” Waters held out his hand to him.

“Until Lisle is dead and dusted.” He took Waters’
hand and shook it briefly, neither wanting to touch the other for any longer
than needed.

“Keys are in the car. Follow us.” To his men,
“Let’s go.” Waters walked to the farthest SUV and opened the back door and got in.
The nervous vamps backed away from him and Kai, getting into the car Waters
waited in.

Unbuckling their swords, they put them and Kai’s
rucksack in the backseat of the SUV Waters indicated they take. Kai drew her
gun, warily searching the woods. He drew his, ready in case Lisle decided to
return for a grand finale, and opened the passenger door for Kai. She slid
inside. Shutting the door, he hurried around the car and got in, started the
engine.

“Kai, can you find Lisle?”

Her eyes grew distant as she searched for her. “Found
her. She’s twenty miles from here. Up there.” Kai pointed to the Harz
Mountains. “Hiding from Jeremy’s men.” She frowned. “Alex, she’s becoming unhinged.
Her mind is fracturing and she can’t figure out what century it is or who her
enemies are. Being on the mountain is bringing back the suffering she endured
in the cave the gypsies trapped her in.”

Steeling himself against feeling pity for Lisle,
he put the car in gear and followed the other SUV back down the road. “Soon she
won’t be suffering and will be at peace.”

“How the hell are we going to stop her, Alex? She
must have been hit a hundred times and the bullets never slowed her down.”

“Taking her head is the only option left us.”

“That means we’ll have to get close to her. That’s
dangerous. If she bites you or me, we’re finished.”

“Killing
Lisle is a job now. Remember that. She’s a demon vamp who needs to be put down.
Nothing more than that.” He flexed his jaw, focusing on driving.

“Right. And her killing and eating ten demon vamps
in a matter of minutes doesn’t make her special? Just one of the regulars we
normally hunt,” Kai said sarcastically, eyeing him like he’d lost his mind.

Flashing her a grin, Alex nodded. “See, you’re
getting the picture.”

“Picture my ass. You’re trying to be positive and
it’s not
normal
for you to be like this!”

Taking her free hand in his, Alex turned it and
pressed a kiss in the center of her palm. “Lisle has no hope of defeating us, not
as long as we stand together.”

“You know that Jeremy will turn on us as soon as
Lisle’s dead, right?”

“I do. Once she’s dead, you take him out.”

“Excellent. I’ve decided not to waste energy on
him. Bullet between the eyes and chop his head off.”

“Clean and efficient.” The other SUV sped up, forcing
him to accelerate to stay with them.

Jeremy wanted to return to the safety of his
people. Alex didn’t blame him. Being outside the protection of the anti-Damned
powder Gaeta created made the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. Casting a
glance at Kai, he relaxed. By the intense concentration on her lovely face
meant she was scanning ahead, searching for traps and Lisle.

The night was clear of clouds, stars shining brilliantly
in the summer sky. As they neared Magdeburg, the old city he knew and the one
rebuilt after World War II blurred, making it difficult for him to keep it
straight. The River Elba flowed as it had for thousands of years; the exception
was her banks were lined with boats, buildings, and homes. Passing the
crossroads, the road they was on connected to another leading over the bridge vastly
different than the one he knew back in 1819. Cars streamed across it in an
unending traffic stream. Flashbacks of the past and the present, gave him a
headache. The SUV they followed maneuvered in and out of traffic, leading them
downtown to city square. Alex’s cellphone started ringing. Digging it out of
his pocket, he frowned, not recognizing the number. He answered it.

“Yes?”

“Jeremy Waters, here. There’s been a change in
plans. The men I sent to track Lisle are not responding. I need to investigate
if they are dead or are hunting her in an area with no cell service. I own a
hotel a block from
Club Vampyre
and
have made arrangements for you and Kai to stay in our most elegant suite as my
guest. I will meet with you there after sunset.”

“
Club Vampyre
? You named your club after vampires?”

A
soft chuckle sounded in the earpiece. “Humans are easily seduced. The idea of
vampires partying brings the young out to the club in droves. Meet me and we
will discuss our options concerning Lisle.” The call ended. The SUV in front of
them applied the brakes and made an illegal U-turn, heading back in the
direction they had just come.