Hide & Seek: Games and Fangs (Ravana Moon #2), page 2
“Hey, you awake in there?” I looked into the small room, forgetting the intercom button. “How do you sleep with the lights on twenty-four-seven?” I asked pushing the button in. There was a hold button, so I let my arm fall and looked on as Kelly pushed herself up off her small cot.
“I don’t. Not really.” Her brown hair was down for the first time since I’d met her. It usually was neatly in a bun at the nape of her neck. Her pearl earrings were gone, and she was devoid of face paint.
“Wow, you look like shit. I guess you don’t have a mirror?”
“No, afraid I’ll slit my throat. Not that I’m not enjoying the break in my schedule, but what are you doing down here? What time is it?”
“It’s about eight in the morning.”
“You're awake at eight in the morning?”
“Unfortunately.” I noticed a little chair nearby and pulled it in front of the glass as if she could see me.
“Must be bad news then. So, the PCI leaving me here? They wash their hands of me?”
“Oh, that. Um, I’m not really in the loop on that one. I’m sure Red will be down later to fill you in. No, they’re all up there with their panties in a bunch. Some family in the city was mauled in their house.”
“It happens in this city.”
“Yeah, but not usually during the day. Animal attack inside a locked house. Kinda different than usual. Me, being me, thought you might have an idea.”
“Why should I help them?”
“Any help you give us in the capture of whatever creature this is will go on record. I’m sure it’ll show your superiors you’re still working on the right side. Even though you went rogue. That’s what you did, isn’t it? That’s why your so worried what they’ll do?”
She moved back to the cot, put her head in her hands and breathed out loudly. “I heard a while back that the Ancient One had a flair for dramatics. He liked to hunt during the day to throw us off. We didn’t know there was a possibility that he could move around in the sun.”
“The whole combustion thing? Yeah, that’s a real pain in the ass…so I’ve heard. Never had the problem myself. Now, …since he’s currently upstairs, and hasn’t left us alone for five fucking minutes since we got back from Jersey,” I took a breath to calm myself. I couldn’t scare her off by showing her I was just like the rest. “Considering he hasn’t left us, there is no way it’s him. Any ideas on that?”
A banging sound came from the opposite end of the hall. Kelly laid down and covered her eyes with her arm. “Maybe he has an idea.”
“Maybe.” I stood and contemplated taking the chair with me and opted to leave it behind. The walk down to Torrid’s cell wasn’t as quick. Of course, being a supercharged vampire like myself, he would have heard us talking. When I reached the cell door, the little window was already open. A discarded tray of food sat on the small shelf waiting to be taken away, so I moved it to the floor.
“You know something?”
“Remember the Ancient One who hired me?”
“Yes. I have a vague recollection of the story.”
“Think about it. A man going around saying he’s the Ancient One. Seems to me he’d have the same…characteristics we have. Courtesy of the Ancient One.”
“You think this Ancient One is responsible?”
“Seems, the logical explanation.”
Chapter Two
Delia
The truth was, I didn’t feel much like sleeping. Every time I closed my eyes for the last month I saw Kelly dead on the floor. It wasn’t that I cared for her, at all. I just never had to shoot someone before. What was I thinking? This case could have waited till the sunset. I could just as easily have found something to distract me from my own nightmares. Since I’d already gotten everyone involved, I had to follow through.
It was time to call the PCI and give them Kelly’s report. She didn’t know what we were doing as far as the PCI was concerned. Hell, I didn’t even know what we were doing. The Director of the Order, Amanda had left it up to Ravana. Of course, she loved to make everyone stew. So, Kelly was simmering right along with us.
Massimo made us all go down to the fifty-fourth floor to discuss things. So, that was where we all stood, and my skin was crawling at the proximity of the woman down the hall.
“Why do we have to do this here?” Ravana asked.
The floor was eerie. None of us liked being there. The lights in the corridors only came on as we entered each one. Moving down in front of Torrid’s cell Massimo pointed to his door.
“This one needs to be dealt with.”
“Now? He couldn’t be dealt with, I don’t know, after sleep?” Ravana snapped.
“No, because he can be helpful. And, if he’s not, we can kill him. Are we really going to leave him locked up forever?”
“He’s immortal. As long as we feed him and give him blood, he’ll live. The other one, not so much. If we don’t decide what to do with her soon, she’ll die down here.”
“Ravana, you can’t mean to let that happen?” I asked, scared the nightmare I kept having would come true. Sure, she didn’t really die when I shot her, but I’ve had a hand in keeping her locked up after shooting her. I had to sit and wait while Ravana and Massimo were out of town. Now that they were back I was hoping we could get her out from under our roof.
“No, of course not. However, if we’re not doing anything with her here, we have to call the PCI, give her back or something.”
“We could,” Massimo started again. “Or, we can deal with Torrid. Hey,” he banged on the door, “tell them.”
I heard shuffling from behind the door. Leaning down to peek into the small window I could see the vampire walking in circles. “Tell us what?” My curiosity was getting the better of me. I’d wondered what the monster would do. Before they left town, Ravana had given Torrid the option of joining the team to help them track down the man who’d hired him in the first place. Since he was told his employer was the Ancient One, and Emerick insists he never lost track of Ravana to need to hire him, there had to be someone out there impersonating Emerick.
“I thought I asked you to come down here to see if Kelly had any info?” Ravana asked Massimo in a hushed voice.
“You did, but Torrid had better information than she did.” Massimo reached out banging just once against the cell door. “Tell them, and just maybe you can get out of this box.”
“Fine, if it means I can get a shower.” Torrid stopped pacing and moved to the door. “The Ancient One has been known to have pets. Since he’s able to withstand sunlight, he lets them play during the day.”
“Can we agree to stop using that title for this unknown imposter?” Emerick growled next to me.
I chastised myself when his tone made me jump.
“Yes, however, I think the point here is the fact that this imposter has the type of pets that are able to withstand sunlight as well. Like, for instance, a hellhound.” My mind began to race as I spoke. My fingers twitched, aching to get ahold of the books upstairs.
“When have hellhounds been known to run around during the day?” Ravana looked around at the group.
“The stories I heard, were that he trained them. Gave them his blood, kind of the same way you gave it to me.”
“In any of those stories did it mention how many he has?” Massimo asked before I had a chance to.
I realized I was afraid of what the answer might be.
“From what I’ve heard…he breeds them. He could have dozens by now,” Torrid said making a noise synonymous to a snort. “So, any chance I’m getting a hot shower tonight?”
Ravana pointed to the cell door, and Massimo pulled the lock and dragged it open. Even without shoes on, her six-foot frame towered over me as she stepped closer to the door encroaching on the man inside. “You will get a studio apartment. The doors will be locked from the outside, but you will have a bathroom and a shower. Try to leave, and I will hunt you down and take off your head with your own blade. Got it?”
“Got it.” He reached out a hand to shake hers, but she turned and headed toward the elevator. “Fine, then. I suppose this means there is a probationary period?”
“Yeah, well the last person we trusted into the Scooby gang tried to kill us,” I said looking toward Kelly’s cell as we approached the elevator. She was laying on her cot with her arm bent over her face blocking the light.
I turned my head and stepped on the elevator not wanting to think about her anymore. She deserved her prison. She even earned the pain she felt every time she moved the arm laying down at her side.
“Speaking of which, Red. We’ve been gone a while. Maybe we should figure out what to say to the PCI when they call inquiring about their agent.”
“I don’t care what you tell them, just get her out of my building.”
“Why so tense?”
“I just hate leaving our friends back in Jersey with all that extra shit to deal with. That reminds me. Delia, did you place the item I gave you into the vault?”
“Vault? We have a vault now?” Massimo looked between Ravana and me.
“Well, after the incident with Kelly, we decided a vault was necessary to hide the important things.”
“Like the blade?” Torrid asked.
“Precisely. Don’t think for a second that you're getting close to that blade,” Ravana said at his side.
“I wouldn’t dream of it. It can kill me now too.”
“Yes, and if you slip up just once, I’ll show you how it stings.” Ravana bared her fangs.
I took a cautious step forward as they exited the elevator one floor below Ravana’s penthouse. It housed the apartments for the employees and guests of the Order for when they needed a place to hide away from the sunlight during travel. The Order had offices in all the major cities, but the headquarters were located in Seattle. In all the years I’d worked with her she’d only visited the building twice.
Giving Amanda free reign with the company was a mistake on her part, but Ravana needed free time to hunt the Ancient One. Now that she had him on her team, I wondered if she’d take the reins. I thought Amanda was wondering the same thing. The leader of the organization had left a message for Ravana every day while she was away.
“Here this one will do.”
“Silver lining. Nice touch.”
“That’s for the safety of my people.” Ravana looked him over.
I stood at the door of the elevator to hold it open. Keeping at a safe distance now that all the vampires had given me room to breathe. There was nothing like being trapped in a small metal box with a bunch of nightwalkers.
“For the lesser vamps. I get it.”
“Yes, lesser. Because you won’t be roaming the halls alone.” Massimo opened the door of the apartment next to his and shoved Torrid inside. “Someone will bring you towels and clothes.” Then he pulled the door shut and slid a long lock into place, much like the one on the cell door. Strong enough that Torrid wouldn’t be able to break through. The door itself could never be opened by a human. I would know, I’d tried in the past.
As they sauntered back onto the lift, I took a look through my mental notes, categorized the list and came to the most critical first.
“The item is in the vault with the blade. Should we put the twin inside as well?” She looked down at her knuckles and fingered the ring shaking her head.
“No, this one stays were it is. Anything else?”
“Yes, next time you leave for a week, don’t leave me alone with him.”
“What did I do?” Emerick looked slightly hurt at the insinuation.
“If I had to endure one more day of brooding I’d have jumped off the roof.”
“Great. We’re back to this now. Like I never left?” Massimo and Emerick stared each other down.
I was slightly ashamed I said anything. Ravana placed a hand on Massimo and looked at Emerick.
“I made my choice. Get over it.”
“And?” Massimo chided her.
“And…no more visits unannounced. Business hours, back to a routine.”
“Fine, your two can get to bed once we go over what you missed,” Emerick said before I could interject.
We stepped into the sunlight of her apartment. Massimo instantly went to the window. He was drawn to the sun.
“Fine, Amanda called every day you were gone. She got a hold of the witch.”
“Which Witch?”
“Oh, this is fun. Can I play? Which witches witch?”
“Em, cut it out,” Massimo chided.
“Meralda. She’s still alive, for now. She got herself into a nasty bit of something and was working undercover. She should be here in a week or two.”
“Great. I need her to look at something else while she’s here as well.” Ravana absentmindedly rubbed the stone on her ring.
“I’ll make sure both items are looked at. Can I ask, you were with one of the best, why not just ask him?”
“No, absolutely not. I won’t pull him back in. He’s got a family to think of now.”
“I know, but it was great working with him again. Even though I was only called in on the last day.”
“Yeah, for the good stuff,” she reminded me.
“How did you meet your good friend?” Massimo asked.
“He was a stupid kid who had more backbone than he had sense. He saw me in an alley entertaining a few dozen men, and thought I needed help.”
“Ah, the savior complex. Of course, you let him.”
“What, save me? Of course. I couldn’t deny a hot young man the honor. Even if he was bull-headed and stubborn. He walked away from it. I was impressed.”
“Hot huh?” Massimo smiled slyly. Having met him, there was no way he could be jealous, but he was putting on a good show.
“Ok, that’s enough. Out. I’m dead tired and jetlagged. Emerick, I have a present for you in the lab.”
“Oh?”
“It’s a body. Have fun.” She grabbed Massimo by the belt loop and pulled him toward her room. When the door closed behind them, Emerick was already on his way to the lab.
“It’ll keep till tonight. Let’s go.” I pointed toward the elevator, not fully comprehending the fact that he was a vampire and me, a useless meek little human was bossing him around.
Chapter Three
Ravana
The hot spray felt good against my skin. Bruises I hadn’t realized I still had littered my body. I needed blood. The ordeal in Jersey depleted me in a way I hadn’t experienced in a very long time. When smooth hands slid across my flesh, I flinched. A heavy head rested on my shoulder, kisses trailing my neck. On instinct, my hand moved into his hair.
“As much as I enjoy this type of a wake-up, we need to replenish.”
“You mean you need to replenish. I can see the brusies all over your back still. You should have fed.”
“You know I don’t like to.” I hit the lever turning off the water.
Running to the closet, I chose my signature black leggings and a white blouse. Once I got to the kitchen, Massimo was behind me. A glance back told me he hadn’t bothered to dress. His jeans were unbuttoned, his hair still dripping water, feet bare.
“So, we’re back to this?”
“What?”
“You running from me when you don’t want to talk.”
“I’m doing no such thing.”
“We got along well while we were away. You were loving and caring…”
“We were fighting for our lives. I was protective and worried.”
“Is that what that was?”
“What is it that’s bothering you? That I won’t fuck you, or that I won’t compromise myself?”
“Compromise? It’s not called compromising when we’re talking about your well-being. It’s called prioritizing.”
“Oh, so when I’m fine, and I can wait, I still shouldn’t? Why? Because you want me to be more like you?”
“I want you to be alive.”
“I am.”
“Are you?”
Having stopped to argue I turned and whipped my hair at him, the wet strands colliding with his face and chest as I made my way past my desk and into the narrow hall at the backside of the apartment. The big heavy door was nothing to me as I flung it open and turned to the right through another.
The lab glistened under the fluorescents. The sterling-silver tables along the walls reflected the light through the small room. A push at the wall and a secret door opened revealing a more extensive room behind it. That of which housed all the alchemist ingredients and tools needed to find a way to decompose the metal of the new weapon we confiscated from Torrid.
A plastic table sat in a far corner near a large refrigerator with a glass door. Pouches lined the shelves, all filled with the red substance that was the topic of our argument. One I was tired of having. I didn’t believe humans should be used as cattle. I would drink from one when my health was in a precarious state and had no other way of helping the situation. However, healing a few bruises didn’t warrant what Massimo was suggesting.
I took four bags of blood from the fridge, opting for the drinking method, and placed the pouches in a nearby microwave. “See, I can do things your way. I just won’t take it from livestock.”
“You could use livestock, actual animals. It doesn’t have to be humans.”
“See, that’s where you're wrong. How do you think I started out?”
“I don’t know. You haven’t told me. You haven’t told me much, then again there really hasn’t been time for much…”
“Conversation? Yes, I know.”
The beep of the appliance made me lose myself in a time long forgotten. When animals were all I used for nourishment. I didn’t realize I could eat food. Not until much later. I survived on animal blood. The first five years after finding myself abandoned by Emerick and left to fend for myself. I hated the idea of being a monster, but I needed blood.
