A tremor slid down the length of her spine. She knew that voice. Both loved and hated that voice. Butbutimpossible, she thought.
A-are you o-kay? Even though Ryder had just admitted to destroying Shannons home, Shannon obviously cared about his welfare.
Im fine. Or rather, I will be. Ryder reached for his boot, withdrew a dagger of his ownand stabbed Shannon in the heart.
He moved so quickly, Victoria only registered what had happened after Shannon screamed. After the blood was flowing. After Ryder twisted the blade deeper and deeper still.
Shannon gurgled, unable to form words. His eyes said it all. What? Why? How could you?
No! Victoria dove into the backseat, placing herself in front of Shannon while thrusting Ryder away from him. Using her back as his shield, uncaring if she was stabbed, she jerked the blade out and pressed her palms into the wound. Warm blood met her quaking hands.
Ryder gave a little laugh. She thought he might even have rubbed his hands together in a job well done. Smells good, doesnt it, Tucker, my lad?
Yes, Tucker replied automatically.
There was nothing she could do. No way to help. Or to save. Tears burned Victorias eyes, spilling onto her cheeks. Shannon, Im sorry. Im so sorry. I should have Done something, anything.
Shannon was gasping now, desperately trying to lure oxygen inside his lungs. Blood seeped from the corners of his mouth. He was in pain, so much pain, and she hated that more than she hated the thought of his death.
That, Ryder said to Tucker, is how its done. Had you done that to Aden, my daughter never would have been able to save him.
His daughter.
Not impossible, then. Vlad had possessed Ryder.
Hed done this. Vlad had done this. To Shannon. To Aden. To all of them. The man shed once mourned the loss of had done this.
She couldnt teleport Shannon away. She couldnt carry him out of the car. Waiting for Aden would cause him needless suffering.
Aden. For a moment, she was thrown back to the night of his stabbing. Hed been in pain, too. Hed wanted so badly for it end. All of it, including his life. Anything for a little peace. At one point, hed even begged her to let him go.
She hadnt, then. She could now.
Im so sorry. Hating herself more than ever before, she slashed into Shannons jugular with her fangs. Fangs that were not as long or sharp as theyd once been, but there was nothing she could do about that now. His gurgling increased before it faded, but he didnt fight her, and as she gulped at the blood as quickly as she could, she tasted copper and what was surely despair. She didnt let herself dwell on that, not here, not now, and kept drinking, until there was nothing left. Until his head lolled to the side.
Until he was gone, his pain no more.
Distantly she heard the clomp and scratch of a wolfs paws. Nathan. Maxwell.
She straightened with a snap, panting, crying again, and scanned the area outside the car. Everything was blurry. Sniffling, chest heavinghow could she have done that to Shannon, even to set him free?she wiped at her eyes with the back of her wrist.
There was Maxwell, still wearing his shades, and Nathan, still in his Seeing Eye dog uniform. They were bumping into cars as if they were both blind.
Theyll never find this car, Tucker said. Ive made sure of it.
Your ability to cast illusions is the only reason youre still alive, boy, Ryder remarked. I hope you know that.
They were having this conversation now? As if nothing had happened? Heartless monsters.
Victoria twisted to face the father who wasnt her father, not anymore, and the boy who had changed her life forever. How could you do this?
So wonderful to see you again, my love. Ryders smile was all winter ice and black dagger. Even though you have betrayed me in ways I can never and will never forgive.
His intent to kill her shone so brightly in his eyes, she felt spotlighted. You dont scare me. Father. Not anymore.
He tapped his chin with a fingertip. Whatever can I do to change that? A grin so heartless even his amusement was tainted. Im sure Ill think of something.
How did I ever look up to this man? Shannon did nothing to deserve that kind of death.
Finally. An expected reaction. His amusement faded, his eyes narrowing to tiny slits and his lips peeling back from his teeth. The expression of a predator whod spotted prey. He aided Aden. Of course he deserved to d
Victoria dove for him, landed on top of him. Vlad might have possessed Ryder, but Ryder still had a human body. Which meant, Ryder was still vulnerable.
He had nowhere to go as she chewed on his jugular.
As a human, she wasnt so ineffective, after all.
TWENTY-TWO
ADEN HAD FILES STUFFED under his shirt, inside his pants and clutched under his arms. So did Seth. Theyd busted into the small, dusty room Julian had led them to, and as promised, no one had been inside. No one had been inside for a really long time, he suspected. The lock had been rusted, the hinges on the door squeaking and practically falling off with the pressure hed applied.
Theyd hurried from one box to another, rifling through the papersrealizing everything related to the unexplainable. Unexplainable deaths, unexplainable injuries, unexplainable healings. Theyd grabbed everything they could hold. Later, theyd come back for the rest. As for today, Mary Ann and Riley were priority one.
Now they were on their way back to the SUV, and he couldnt shake a sense of nervousness.
Elijah, he muttered.
Seth cast him a strange glance but didnt say anything.
The apology couldnt wait for a little private time. Im sorry. The soul wasnt usually vindictive, but then, maybe Elijah couldnt talk. Maybe something was wrong. I was frustrated. The words left him in a rush. I didnt mean to take it out on you.
A pause. A familiar sigh. I know.
Finally. Blessedly. Talk to me. Tell me whats going on with you.
Ive just been thinking. What if all your problems stem from me? From my guidance? What if these bad things happen to you because I tell you theyre going to happen? Like a self-fulfilling prophesy?
Uh, that would be a hell, no. I need you. Now more than ever.
What if none of this would have happened if Id kept my mouth shut?
Aden didnt have to be a psychic to know where this was leading. Dont do this to me, Elijah. Not now. Yeah, several times over the years, hed asked the souls to keep their pie holes closed. A few times theyd tried. A few less, theyd succeeded. For the most part, theyd failed. Talking to each other and Aden was their only outlet, their only connection to a world theyd lost.
I have to. Im going to.
This time, there was finality in Elijahs voice. He meant what he said. No.
Im sorry, Aden.
No, he repeated.
Were going to try this. Were going to try silence.
Im serious. Dont do this to me.
I really am sorry, Aden. For the past. Forthe future. So sorry. I justI really think this is for the best. So this is it, my last words to you for a while.
Define a while. The clouds had done a disappearing act. The sun was high, stroking his skin, making him itch and burn.
As long as it takes. Be careful, and know that I love you.
Elijah.
Silence.
Elijah!
More silence.
Seth grabbed hold of his arm and jerked him to a stop. What the crap is this?
Elijah was momentarily forgotten as Adens brain tried to make sense of what he was seeing. The once bustling parking lot was completely empty. Of people, of cars. Except for Maxwell and Nathan, who were a few yards away and bumping into air.
No doubt about it, Tucker was here, casting an illusion. Aden dropped the papers he was holding and ran. Five steps in, and he, too, slammed into something solid, though there was nothing in front of him.
A human he couldnt see huffed out an angry, Watch where youre going!
Aden did his best to dodge the invisible person. And maybe he succeeded, but a few more steps, and he was slamming into something else. Most likely a car, since another protest wasnt forthcoming. He lost his breath the moment he hit the concrete. More papers made their way into the breeze, catching on indiscernible cars and staying put.
To be able to manipulate Adens mind like this, without tampering with the humans around him, was insane.
Seth ran up behind him, fisting his shirt and yanking him to his feet. Youre the expert on all things whacked out. Tell me whats going on.
Danger, everyones in danger. Victoria! he shouted, already running forward again. Victoria! If shed just call out, he could find her.
He slammed into something else.
Aden, Maxwell called. A good distance still separated them. Can you see me?
Yes.
I can see you but nothing else.
Tuckers here. Be careful.
Maxwell nodded grimly. We found Riley. Hes alive. Guards at his door. Mary Ann was harder to find, we couldnt get her scent, but the guards at her door gave her away. What the hell happened out here? We smell blood, right he pointed to a spot about a yard away there.
Aden sniffed and realized he could smell the blood, too. Not Victorias, butShannons?
Like an engine had just been keyed, Junior roared to life, the scent whipping him into a frenzy.
Calm down, Aden said, but that didnt help. You ate just before we got here.
His response? Another gimme roar.
Though urgency rode him, Aden gingerly made his way through the lot, feeling his way, winding around cars he still couldnt see, until he reached the place where Maxwell had pointed. He reached out and felt
The SUV. He knew it. The motor was still running, the metal warm.
He frisked the thing until he found the door handle. Just as he was pulling, the lock caught and the car came back into view.
He was peering through the back window, with a clear view of Shannon. Shannon, at an odd angle. Shannon, blood all over him. Shannon, eyes open and staring out at nothing. Shannon, immobile. Shannon, throat ripped open. Shannon. Dead.
Look away, please look away. Caleb gagged. Aden could barely hear him over the roaring. That cant bethat isnt
No. No, no, no, Julian babbled.
This was not an illusion. The smell of the blood couldnt be faked, he didnt think. And right now, Junior was more ravenous than ever, clawing and biting at his skull, desperate to escape, to have a go at all that crimson nectar.
Shock numbed Aden against the headache he should have experienced. But even numb, he wanted to vomit when he saw Victoria tearing into Ryders neck. Blood, gore, other things, spraying, dripping, flinging in every direction as she shook her head, a ravenous shark.
Why would shehow could she
To Adens everlasting mortification, his mouth watered. Part of him, a part that had nothing to do with Junior, wanted to slit the car in half just to get inside and go to town on that wound.
Ryder wasnt dead. His mouth was open, releasing a silent scream, and his struggles were weakening.
Body heat at Adens side. A horrified gasp in his ear. Banging on the glass. Stop! What the hell are you doing? Stop! Seth hammered at the window, shaking the entire vehicle. When that failed to elicit results, he shoved Adens immobile hand aside and jerked at the locked trunk.
The commotion jolted Victoria out of her craze. She stilled, head turning slowly, as if she feared what shed find. Their eyes met. She was panting, blood dripping down her face. Buthe didnt see a glaze of bloodlust, something that would explain why shed gone after his friends. He saw sadness, remorsefury. Frustration. Tears.
Her gaze darted to the passenger seat before turning to Aden, beseeching. He sniffedand at last caught Tuckers dark scent.
Tucker hadnt appeared, but Aden knew he was inside that vehicle. Knew Victoria was in grave danger.
He swept around the vehicle and clawed at the metal as hed imagined doing, ripping the door from its hinges. Instantly the odor of blood intensified, but now it was mixed with the pungent scent of death.
He swooped in and gathered Victoria in his arms. She was trembling violently. As he straightened, she buried her face in the hollow of his neck, arms winding around him and holding tightly. She released a gut-wrenching sob.
Hemy fatherpossessed
Maxwell and Nathan bounded to his side. Maxwell tried to check Victoria for injuries, an impossible task since Aden refused to release her, and she refused to release him. Nathan snarled into the car, poison dripping from his canines.
Call off your dog, Tuckers voice said, even though he was still nowhere to be seen.
Eat him, and make sure theres nothing for anyone to find, Aden commanded, then had to catch Nathan by the nape to stop him from obeying as Tucker added, You want to save your remaining friends, right? Because Im the only person who can help you.
Victoria wiggled until she got her legs on the ground, but she still didnt release Adens neck. Heshesright. Dont hurt him. We need him.
Need him? When had that happened? And what the hell had happened in there? Tucker, dont you dare move.
A laugh, and Tucker appeared, no longer trying to shield himself. He sat in the passenger seat, as calm as you please. His blond hair was plastered to his scalp, and his face was splattered with blood. Like you could stop me if I did.
Seth was shaking his head in time to his bodys shaking.
Victoria, Aden said, gentling his tone. Im going to move away from you now. Okay?
Her sobs took on a frantic edge. No! Please!
Just for a minute or two, he said, already easing away from her. He made sure she could balance on her own before lowering his arms. Im going to help Ryder. Okay?
Dont. She wiped at her tears with the back of a wobbly wrist. Ryder killed Shannon. He started the fire at the ranch, and he would have killed me, but II Vlad possessed him, worked through him.