The Hunted (9 page)

“I’m fine, Silver, but I think the sooner we get out of here and back to the land above, the better off we will be. We are sitting ducks down here. We are both strong enough for now to make the journey with no further interruptions.”

For once, I agreed with Drake without any complaints. With a renewed sense of urgency, we moved forward into the darkness. My desire to get out of this dirt cavern came as a surprise to me. As a vampire, I was used to darkness but it was as if claustrophobia was setting in. I desperately needed fresh air.

“I think we may have company ahead,” Drake said. His voice was exceptionally low and quiet. I stopped and strained my ears to hear any sound that may have clued in Drake to any unwelcome visitors.

A barely discernible intake of breath was all the alarm I needed to steel my body against any enemy we may be facing. I could feel Drake’s body tense as he crouched low in front of me; not unlike a panther waiting to pounce on its prey.

Even though I could hear breathing, I could not hear or feel any thought. Set had certainly done his best to make certain I was unaware of who or what was head of us.

With my heart pounding, I placed one hand on Drake’s large shoulder and we moved together as a unit. Neither one of us wanted anything to catch us unaware.

Suddenly, and without warning, Drake lunged forward and a female voice shouted. I could hear a struggle just ahead of me.

“Damn it, Silver, call off your dog!” The female voice shrieked and then Drake let out a loud grunt. A stream of expletives spewed forth and then silence.

“Marie?” I called out, hesitant that the voice was just a trick played by Set to smoke out my position.

“Yes. Please let this big lug know if he tries to bite into me one more time, I will slit his throat for him just as I did Hannah.”

A sense of relief flooded through me. Only three of us knew that the fledgling vampire had murdered Hannah. I could only hope she had escaped Set and was here to help us.

Once again, I heard a loud male grunt. “Drake, it’s alright. We can trust her.” I said.

“We can trust no one, not even one another truly until Set is gone,” was his reply. “As far as I am concerned she is just another pawn in his chess game; vampire or not.”

“For God sakes Drake,” I said impatiently.

“God has nothing to do with this.” Drake’s voice had gone sterile and cold. I shuddered as a chill ran down my spine.

“Marie, I am so sorry about Andrew.” The emotion caused my voice to sound thick and ragged as I thought of Andrew giving up his life for mine.

A sob escaped Marie’s throat as she forced her way past Drake. I felt a pair of slender arms find their way around my waist as Marie buried her head in my shoulder and cried.

“I am so sorry,” I said again as I stroked her hair and back.

“As I am for you, Silver. I know no matter what happened over the last few months that you loved him. The Clans will be so lost and Set has taken over the majority of the members, save a few Ancients who had power enough to stave him off. What can we do? How can I help?”

“Does he have Hannah’s brood with him?” I asked as I released her. The warmth of her tears seeping though my shirt to leave a wet, bloody imprint on my skin.

“I think so.” She sniffed. “They are horrible creatures. They have no knowledge of the Code and they attack and kill humans without thought or mercy.”

A large presence moved between the two of us, pressing Marie backward against the damp, dirt wall of the tunnel. “I hate to break up this touching reunion ladies, but we have to get moving and get up topside so we can find a safe place to hide and plan what needs to be done about Set.” Drake’s voice trailed off as he moved back up the tunnel toward the surface exit. I certainly understood his impatience as we had wasted precious moments.

Wordlessly, Marie and I hurried up the tunnel to the surface, where Drake stood waiting, cross armed and stern. Dirty, and so far alone, the three of us looked like bedraggled underworld dwellers. The stars lit our way down a lonely road that led back toward the center of the city.

“Where are we going?” Marie asked.

“I was hoping you could help us with that,” I answered.

Drake stopped and quickly turned to face us, his face was a mask of confusion. “How do you expect this little one to help us? She is barely months old in terms of her abilities.”

I was about to speak but thought better of it. I knew Marie would enjoy the opportunity to set Drake straight about his misconceptions.

I stifled a laugh as Marie stood as tall as she could and placed one hand on each of her slight hips. It was quite a sight against Drake’s imposing figure. She stared him down for a moment before beginning her reprimand. Her eyes glittered like diamonds in the white light of the moon.

I recalled when we first met. Marie was a nun who had run away from the convent. After discovering she had psychic abilities and doubting her own sanity, she felt her best course of action was to hide away from humanity, until I found her that fateful night in the Sacred Heart Cemetery. Her strength of character and the way she had learned and adapted to vampire life in such a short period was astounding even to me. Drake was not going to like this confrontation.

“Father Von Brugel,” Marie began, “for all of your talents and abilities you are extremely limited in your view of the world. I have dealt with enough in the last year to qualify me as an expert on both human and vampire behavior. I can read your every thought, every desire and I know about each and every sin you have committed against the human God and nature. I may be small in stature compared to the likes of you, but I am quick and intelligent and I had the wherewithal to murder Silver’s first blood, Hannah, where even she had failed. Do you still doubt my ability to be of help to you?”

Even I shrank back when Marie mentioned Hannah’s murder. Drake blinked and his mouth hung open like a fish gasping for its last breath.

Drake bent at the waist in a grand display of respect and penance. “Forgive me,” he said. “Trust me when I say I am not mocking you. I am truly sorry. You are correct in that at times I am very quick to judge by appearances. It comes from hundreds of years of programming. I will make more of an effort in the future to listen and observe first. I am impressed that you did not back down from me. It is not what I am used to.”

A look of satisfaction and acceptance crossed Marie’s face. “Apology accepted, Priest. If you dare follow me, I’ll show you where we can hide.”

“She is most certainly of Andrew’s bloodline,” I whispered. I had a feeling that I knew where she would lead us but I kept quiet as Marie took the lead and Drake and I followed behind. The dawn would be breaking soon and we had to rest and plan for our confrontation with Set.

Chapter Twelve

I smiled knowingly as the tall brick warehouse came into view. This is where Marie had been hiding out from the world the first time I had met her. My assumptions about where she was heading were correct.

Just as we ascended the rusty metal stairs to the top floor, the sun made her glorious appearance in the sky. I barely caught a glimpse of its brilliance before Marie ushered us into the darkened storage room. I sighed longingly. “Just once to see a complete sunrise, just once.”

No one seemed to notice my lament as the heavy door shut behind us. The small circular window was still the only access to light in the room. A heavy fabric covered it and blocked out most of the sun. Enough light came into the room to reveal that Marie still used this place from time to time. The bedding was in a roll on the cement floor and her small portable cooler still hummed with electricity.

“Please tell me you have blood stored in there?” Drake asked as he sat down, cross legged on the floor.

“Indeed,” Marie replied. “I always keep a supply...just in case.”

“In case of what?” I asked as I flicked the bedroll open and collapsed on it in a tired heap.

I looked up to see Marie brushing away bloody tears. A flicker of sadness washed across her face, and then it was gone. “The first couple of months in the compound with Andrew were very difficult.” She stopped short and took a deep breath. “It was hard enough transitioning from human to vampire and Andrew was wonderful, but with the new power and my psychic abilities I could hear everyone’s thoughts. It was overwhelming to the point of painful some days. Then to hear the whispers about me and what I had done to Hannah and the things said about you and Andrew. I came here often to block it all out.”

I moved to Marie’s side and placed an arm around her shoulder. “Marie, I am so sorry. This is all my fault. I have taken so much from you.”

She turned to look into my eyes and smiled graciously. “You have given me so much more. I have...had family. At least now I know where I came from and I fit in here with the vampires so much more than I ever did at the convent.”

A loud cough from across the room startled both Marie and I, causing us to turn and see Drake staring back at us.

He slowly rose from the floor and brushed off his clothes. After reaching down and extracting a blood bag from the fridge, he nodded toward the bedding. “You ladies rest for a few hours and I’ll keep a watch for anything or anyone unusual. I expect you to do the same once you finish your nap. Set could be anywhere and strike at any time. He needs you, Silver, to convince the rest of the Clan to follow him now that Andrew is dead and I am sure he is none too pleased Marie has escaped.”

Fatigue and hunger suddenly overwhelmed me. “I won’t argue with you Drake,” I said. “Let’s all feed and rest for a bit. We can’t face Set in the shape we are in.”

“Silver.” Marie said my name weakly. “I can feel him. I have since he made his presence known. Somehow, I can block him and although I can’t get directly into his head, I know when he is close. So far I don’t feel him anywhere near us...not yet.”

Drake moved in close and held her shoulders so tight that I could see Marie wince in pain. His face was a mask of rage and frustration. “Why the hell did you not reveal this to us before now? I could rip your throat out right now you impertinent, young fledgling...”

With lightening speed, I was at Marie’s side. It was enough to startle Drake away from her and I stepped between them, fangs drawn.

“Don’t you ever touch her again!” I spat. “How is it with all your great abilities to get into my mind that you didn’t read Set better? You brought him here Drake or at the very least facilitated it through Yaqui. Think twice before you decide to cross the line again or you will deal with me. I will be the only Vampire standing.”

I felt Marie place a small hand on my arm, pulling me aside. “We are all on edge right now. Please let’s rest and gain some clarity.”

Drake watched in silence as I followed Marie to the bedding and lay next to her. She curled into the small of my back and we both fell into a restless sleep while Drake watched over us. He reminded me of an avenging angel. Despite all his faults and brutish nature, I trusted him to protect us.

I awoke a few hours later to find Drake pacing back and forth like a caged lion at the zoo. His brow was creased and his face muscles were tense. I didn’t need psychic abilities to know something was bothering him.

Making sure I did not wake Marie, I rolled away from her and onto the floor. I stood up slowly and approached Drake very cautiously in case he was in one of his moods.

Drake stopped pacing and grimaced. “I don’t understand it,” he said. “The little one was right; you were right. I can’t feel or hear Set anymore. I’ve lost my edge against him. It was the only thing that kept him from taking Yaqui from me. What is happening? The silence in my mind is disturbing.”

I reached forward and touched his arm, he didn’t shrink back as I had expected. Instead, he drew my hand to his chest and held it fast.

“Drake, I...” My voice trailed off as Marie interrupted us with a loud cry. I drew back and rushed to her side as she bolted upright from her sleep.

“Horrible torture. Such an evil creature.” Marie mumbled almost incoherently. Her eyes rolled upward as if she was having a seizure.

“Marie!” I shouted as I shook her. “Marie, wake up now. Drake. She’s not waking up.”

Panic surged through me as I shook her harder, hoping it would jar her awake. Drake gently took her from me, placed a hand on her forehead, and closed his eyes. He drew deep even breaths and mumbled quietly. Finally, he lay her back on the bedding where she trembled and then slowly opened her eyes.

“Thank you,” she said weakly. “I feel so cold and hungry.”

“What did you do?” I asked Drake as I briskly rubbed Marie’s arms and back, trying to warm her. I watched as Drake moved slowly across the room and brought back a blood bag for Marie to feed on. “Well?” I asked again.

Drake shrugged his shoulders. “It’s hard to explain and I am not even sure I can, at least not very well. When I bonded with Yaqui, it enhanced everything. Somehow, I can reach out and assist someone when they need it. I can take the pain away, so to speak. Maybe because I can physically handle it, I just don’t know. Set had control of Marie for a brief moment. She is strong mentally but I think losing Andrew has had an effect, a crack in her mental abilities that Set was able to momentarily abuse. I will keep my attention on her for any further changes that you may not be able to notice.”