Selena let go of the knife, propelling it from her hand and into the piece of wood a few paces away. She ignored the groans of men around her and picked up the second knife. All she needed was one more strike and victory was hers. The knife sat against her palm as though it belonged there. With a simple flick of her wrist, she threw the blade at its intended target and smiled when it hit the red circle.
A perfect score.
“Pay up.” Selena held out her hand to the man who’d challenged her.
His face was grim as he counted out money from his wallet. None of the other patrons in the pub dared speak as he finished.
Around her, smoke twisted and curled in the gloom. The patrons that weren’t watching the massacre were caught in their own conversations. A jukebox at the far end of the room played a fast and hard tempo, the rhythm on the verge of hypnotic.
“I knew you were going to regret that challenge. Now she’s going to gloat.” Paul, the bartender, shook his head as he wiped a glass.
“It’s what I do.” Selena shrugged, pulling herself from the music, and snatched her winnings out of the man’s outstretched hand. She gave a sigh of relief as she stuffed the bills in the pocket of her jeans. This would get her a few more nights at the motel. It wasn’t as luxurious as her former home, but staying there had brought too many memories, too much pain. The smell of blood and decay didn’t quite help matters either, and everywhere she went she was reminded of the one who had turned her into this beast. Her master.
Her recent opponent pursed his lips and started to open his mouth before his friend grabbed his shoulder.
“Are you willing to lose more money, Frank? Let it go.”
“Listen to your boy.” Selena winked, waved to Paul, and left the man to gawk at her recent target.
Outside, the moon peeked between the clouds, full and bright—which meant she had more work to do before retiring to the tiny room she called a home. She threw on her leather jacket, fending off the cold. This side of town was quiet tonight, save for the thump of music from the few pubs that littered the street. One of the lampposts flickered on, and she stuck her hands into her pockets.
Selena sucked in a deep breath, allowing the monster that lived inside her to awaken. It writhed within its cage, wanting nothing more than to break free of the reins and take control. Learning how to deal with the demon that shared her soul had taken a long time. While the monster craved blood and the need to kill, Selena despised the desires it hungered for. The worry of what would happen, of what it would do if she let go of the restraints, was a constant battle. Imagining a never-ending storm of blood and death, she worked every day to keep a firm grip on it, to never lose control over the monster.
Today, though, with the full moon at her beck and call, she could afford to bring it forward while still holding tight to her leash. For werewolves, the moon’s magic was a curse—but for her it was a blessing, increasing her control.
Closing her eyes, she released her hold ever so slightly and tucked herself into the alley behind the pub. When she opened her eyes, a rush of power coursed through her veins and a darkness enveloped her. The monster within was ready to take down whoever stood in their way. But there was only one kind of life she would allow it to take.
Those most deserving of death.
“All right, let’s find us a criminal, shall we?”
Selena sprinted toward the darker side of town, where all the bad humans liked to parade. She kept to the shadows, heightened senses giving her an edge as she found her way to the place she’d gone almost every full moon since the killing of her master. The man responsible for her bloodlust.
It had been months since she escaped that boarding school—since she ended his life with her own bare hands.
As she slipped through the streets, she slowly neared the town’s center. From ahead came the sound of chanting, and she stilled. Tonight was Worship-the-gods-who-damned-us Day—or to them, Blessed Saint’s Day.
On light feet, Selena kept to her cover, not wanting to be seen as she spied on the spectacle. A dozen or so women stood around an altar of the goddess Freya. Each of them bowed while holding a dim candle. One by one, they placed the burning light next to the altar and returned to their prayers.
“Almighty Freya, we call to you. Bless it be that you give us strength and the means to bring life back into this—”
“Lunatics. All of them,” Selena huffed as she climbed up the side of a building.
She hopped her way from rooftop to rooftop, closing the distance to the darker side of town until she could see over the crowd of thugs—the men and women who prowled the streets like rabid dogs. Looting and stealing, bootleggers and murderers. All the bad Selena loved to gnaw on. She sat there a while, looking for the right one.
A soft breeze brought their scent to her, and the need to jump down and take a man’s life was almost too much. She pulled back the reins of the monster, who lashed against the restraints.
“Not yet,” she hissed.
“Talking to yourself?”
The voice behind her sent Selena to her feet with her dagger drawn. To sneak up on her when her senses were stronger than a normal human’s was nearly impossible; damn her to hell for allowing herself to be distracted by the alluring scent of the men below.
The one who stood before her looked no different than the thugs she wanted to sink her teeth into. His unkempt hair sat shaggy against dark skin while his blue eyes looked her up and down. Her lips curled into a snarl, and the monster within her wanted to tear him to pieces for interrupting their hunt for dinner.
“What do you want?”
“Are you Selena Russo?”
No one had called her by her surname for so long; she almost didn’t recognize it. “Who’s asking?”
“Just someone hoping to have a moment of your time. My name is Xander.”
Selena breathed deeply. Nothing about this man smelled supernatural. Then again, neither did she—and she wasn’t exactly human. Sure, she had a human heart—and pretty much every other organ—but the monster inside would never be anything more.
“You should go.”
“I know what you are.”
Xander took a step closer, and she fought the monster, who wanted to sink its sharp teeth into his neck. The pulse of his veins begged to be sucked dry like a drug. It took her a second to realize what his words meant.
“Do you now?”
“An Infuriya.”
Unaware that humans had ever heard of her kind, Selena stilled. Vampires, werewolves, and witches, sure, but she was something else—something far more dangerous.
Taking a step closer, she sucked in a sharp breath, but again, he smelled like nothing other than aftershave.
“Then you know what I can do.”
“I also know you have a certain set of skills and that you’re closer to a human than any other supernatural predator. I need your help.”
Selena laughed. “You’re asking me for help? Someone that could kill you in a single heartbeat?”
“I’ll pay well.” He held out a sack and opened it, displaying a large wad of bills.
Her eyes widened. Was her need for money so bad that she was actually considering helping him? The beast inside wanted to simply take the money and run, but the look of desperation on the man’s face was almost too much. Selena could have cursed herself for what she was about to do.
“What kind of help are you looking for?” she asked wearily, keeping an eye on the sack.
“I need help finding someone.”
“I’m sure law enforcement is better equipped for such tasks.”
“Finding my sister is not exactly their top priority in a town full of thugs and things that go bump in the night. Plus, I don’t want them. I want you. Please—I can offer more than money if it means you’ll do the job.” Distress layered the man’s words, his plea pathetic but real, and Selena needed the money.
“What are you offering?”
“A place to stay. I know you’ve been living in the motel on Fifth and Park, which has more roaches and rats than the gutters. Come, see what I can offer, and if you still refuse, I will take that as your word and leave you be.”
Selena narrowed her eyes. “You’ve been watching me?”
“I—”
“Forget it. Take me to your home.”
Even if he was leading her into a trap or a ruse, all she needed to do was let the monster loose and move on. She supposed finding a new town to live in wouldn’t be so bad. Getting away from the manor at the top of Floyd Hill would probably be for the best anyway. Visions of killing her master still flooded her dreams, but maybe being away from this place would ease her mind a little.
Xander led her through the dark streets, and the monster within grew wild with hunger. Once she was sure the man’s words were true, she’d find food. If not, well, then they had already found their dinner for the night, hadn’t they?
The house they stopped in front of sat between two taller structures. It appeared abandoned, with the front gate hanging from broken hinges while the lawn sprouted to the tops of her knees. Most of the yellow siding was faded or missing, leaving the wood exposed. The only window, a small oculus with a crack from one edge to another, remained covered by a curtain on the inside. Nothing screamed quaint or inviting.
“This is where you live?” she asked.
“The outside is rough, I know. But the inside is updated and not as pathetic. It’s my job to take care of these things, but that’s hard to do when all you can think about is finding your sister.” Xander shrugged and pushed open the gate, which desperately needed some sort of grease.
Inside, much to Xander’s word, had been updated but still begged for a good clean. Selena slid a finger against the round table at the entrance and grimaced at the amount of dust she collected.
They walked through the front room and into a kitchenette. Nothing here showed a speck of grime. Xander was right; this was way better than the crummy room she was staying in.
“All right. I’ll help you, but I need to know every detail—places she could have gone, people who had a grudge against her…anything that could lead me in the right direction. I’ll also need something of hers, something that carries her scent.”
“Her name is Alexi.” He withdrew a picture from the pocket of his jeans and handed it to Selena. “She never went anywhere except the park a few blocks down. I told her she needed to stop going there alone, given that she’s deaf. No one dislikes Lex—she’s a beautiful ray of sunlight—but one night when I returned home, she was just…gone.”
Selena looked at the picture in her hand, a child no older than ten with bright gold pigtails and a face she found herself smiling at. She bit her lip, forcing the beast to stand down, its thoughts overpowering her mind as she witnessed its need to taste such a delectable treat. Xander fidgeted with the collar of his shirt, his nerves only making her hunger worse.
“Give me something so I can recognize her scent. I’ll head out to the park and see what I can find. How long has it been?” Selena slid the picture of Alexi into her pocket and looked to Xander, whose gaze wouldn’t meet her own.
“It’s been a year today.”
“A year!” Selena shook her head. Finding anyone after that long…he had to know the odds by now. She felt sorry for him—and the need to comfort him. An emotion she’d thought lost to her.
How peculiar.
“I’ve been searching and done everything I can to no avail. If I had any other option.… Just help me find her.”
She owed this human nothing. Walking away from this would be as easy as throwing another knife at the red target. Yet, it was as if something compelled her to help him—a stranger she’d only just met. She couldn’t put a finger on why and huffed a sigh. “Okay, fine. Though I’m not sure I can find someone who’s been missing for a year with no leads.”
“Well, there was one lead. The police found her favorite hat in the trunk of some thug’s car. He claimed he found it and was going to give it to his daughter. The police never found any sign the man was lying, but…”
“Go on.”
“It was one of the Marzden brothers.”
Selena groaned. The Marzden family were a whole clan of vampires, nestled into the rich side of town in luxurious houses, and part of the mob. They were as close to her kin as any of the supernatural families, and she despised them. More than likely they had done the job, but they also had all of law enforcement in their pocket.
“I know where one hangs out, and he and I have an understanding. Let’s go. But I have one request before we do—I’m going to need some of your blood.”
Xander nodded, a little too quickly. Had he been expecting this? It made her skeptical of his intentions, and she hesitated—but only for a moment. The beast’s hunger outweighed any worry. She let the monster show, just enough to take what she needed. His blood tasted sweet, a little more so than normal, but still, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She pulled away, wiping her lips on her sleeve, before looking back at Xander, who seemed unperturbed, like he did this all the time. No look of horror, no shiver or sway in his body.
“Are you sure you’re human?” Selena narrowed her eyes.
“As human as I look.” He shrugged.
“Tell me the truth.” Selena gazed into his eyes, pulling on what magic she possessed. It wasn’t much, but it aided her when needed, and she was wary of this man’s intentions.
“I have not lied to you.”
She could feel his truth as if it were her own, yet the monster inside was unconvinced. Being at odds with herself didn’t sit well, but what else could she do? His truth outweighed her monster’s worry.
Suspicious still, Selena continued to keep her guard up as they drove away in Xander’s car. They headed across town to a strip club owned by the Marzdens that also served as one of their illegal casinos. A place Selena frequented often when needing extra cash, though the last time she'd been told to never return. Lucky for her, she never listened to orders.
Selena couldn’t help gazing at Xander. Before they’d left, he’d changed into a nice button-up top and pants that matched his dark skin tone. She found herself staring and pried her eyes away. Odd that she’d find herself attracted to a human. Another question to the riddle that was Xander.
After an awkward and silent car ride, while Xander continued to rub the sore on his wrist, they pulled up to Fangs and found themselves being eyed by the bouncer. Selena recognized him and smiled. Purely human, but a blood bank to the vampires inside.
“Selena! It’s been a while. You know you’re not allowed in here.”
“Hey, Cliff. I know, but Bruno isn’t here. I can tell by the level of stench that hasn’t wafted my way. I just want to show my new friend here a good time.” Selena grabbed Cliff’s hand, placing a few bills in it before closing his fingers and winking.
“No fighting this time, please.”
“I can’t promise to be on my best behavior, but I can give you this.” Selena looked into Cliff’s eyes, letting her monster peek out from behind the human guise. “You never saw me; you have no idea how I got into the club or who I was with.”
Cliff swayed on his heels. By the time he caught his balance, Selena and Xander were already walking into the club. She hated using her gifts on good humans, but she liked Cliff, and the less he knew the safer he was.
“What now?” asked Xander.
“Stay close and let me do most of the talking. You being a human is going to put us at a big disadvantage. We need to find who we are looking for and get out before someone important notices. Got it?”
“Loud and clear.”
As they pushed their way through the crowd of people, Selena sensed Xander’s gaze shifting between the dancers on the stages that surrounded them. Most were human, and judging by the collars around their necks, they were nothing more than pets to the vampires. It had taken Selena a long time to stop asking if they needed her help. They never listened anyway. She pulled on Xander’s arm, doing her best to keep him from being enthralled like the rest of the room, and made her way toward the back of the club. Standing there with arms crossed was someone else she knew all too well.
“Are we going to have another problem, Max, or are you going to let me pass?”
The guard looked at Xander and then back to Selena. The black eye he had was finally going away, though she wouldn’t mind giving him another if needed. “Keep your puppet and your hands to yourself. I give you one hour; after that you have to leave.”
Good enough to find her man, ask for answers, and get out before Bruno showed up.
They entered the casino, a much classier sight than the dancing buffoons they’d left behind. Here, people were dressed in cocktail dresses and suits more expensive than anything Selena would ever be able to afford. She only had a few moments to check out her surroundings before the man she’d come for entered her line of sight.
“Come with me.” Selena linked her arm with Xander’s, and her heart sped up as she felt the muscle beneath his shirt.
They approached the bar where Alonzo sat. His bald head and bulky shoulders were too easy to spot in the crowd of young beauty. She slid into the seat next to him, motioning for Xander to take the other, and huffed.
“Do you really think that thing is going to keep people from noticing your shiny head?” She pointed toward the fedora that sat on the bar.
“Selena. I thought you weren’t allowed back.” Alonzo’s deep voice vibrated within her. She might have worked with him in the past, but the vampire was scary. Vibrant green eyes drifted down her torso and back up until they stopped on her lips. He licked his own, causing Selena to shudder.
“You didn’t come here to play, or you wouldn’t have brought that,” he grumbled, nodding toward Xander.
“I’m here on business, and I wouldn’t play with you even if you paid me.”
Alonzo snorted. “And here I thought you were all about pleasure.”
“I’m looking for a girl. Name’s Alexi.” Selena ignored his seductive tone, pulling out the picture and handing it to him.
His brows furrowed as he studied the girl’s face. “Who wants to know?”
Ha! So he did know something. Satisfied, Selena snatched the picture back. “I do. You know where she is?”
Alonzo shook his head. “I remember her though. Cute girl. She and Hailey played together at the park. Haven’t seen her in a long time.”
“Hailey?”
“She’s a Marzden’s kid. A human girl turned vamp. Parents thought it was a good idea to let her be with people who knew how to take care of her.”
Ignoring the fact that a vampire child was running around somewhere, she pulled her questions back to finding Alexi. “Police said one of the brothers had the girl’s hat in the trunk of his car. You think they turned her?”
“Turned?” Xander shot out of his chair, sending it skidding back. “What are you saying?”
“Not now,” Selena hissed and turned back to Alonzo.
“You better watch yourself, Lena. They hear you’re investigating them—”
Selena threw her hands up. “I’m just looking for a girl, Al. I don’t care about the brothers.”
“Is that so?”
Shit.
Selena turned in her chair and came face-to-face with the one person she’d been trying to avoid. This vampire was straight class and could fool any human into thinking him normal. He was anything but. If Selena had to guess, he was kissed by the goddess Hera herself with how he walked about. A dark-grey suit curved along his muscular build, contrasting perfectly against his dark skin. His emerald eyes were deep and inviting, but that wasn’t what caught her attention the most. The military-cut hair he sported was almost enough to make her wonder what it might feel like between her fingers. Though, sadly, she’d only ever felt his face on her knuckles. Which was how she preferred most of her men.
“Bruno.”
“And here I thought we’d banned you. Good to know we need to take Cliff off bouncer duties. Who do we have here?” Bruno eyed Xander, sliding his tongue against his bottom lip, showing off his fangs.
“Not your dinner,” Selena said. “I’m here on business, and we were just about to leave.” She stood from her chair, but Bruno blocked her way. His smile sent her legs into jello. Damn her for letting him get to her again—this was why she tried to stay away from this place. How’d she let Xander talk her into this? She looked over at him, but his eyes were transfixed by Bruno.
“But the fun was just getting started. Tell me, Selena, what kind of business could you possibly have in my casino?” Bruno’s sly tone against her name sent chills down her back.
“We’re looking for my sister, Alexi.” Xander took a step in front of Selena to stand between her and Bruno. A bold move for someone unaware of who he was confronting. Or maybe he did. Maybe Xander knew exactly what this man was. Had he planned this? But then why would he need her? Panic laced her thoughts; something didn’t feel right.
“The deaf girl—the one my daughter speaks so fondly of? Surely you don’t think we have her here?”
“I’d like to know what happened. What did you do to my sister?”
Selena watched the two men and their stare-down, worried about what might happen if she let this continue. After all, she needed Xander’s money, and his death would put a damper on such transactions.
“Oookay, I think it’s time we leave.” Selena grabbed ahold of Xander’s arm, but he didn’t budge. His strength overpowered her own, which was something else she wasn’t used to. There was no way Xander wasn’t more than he claimed to be. His strengths, secrets, whatever he was keeping from her—it was time he fessed up.
“Oh, please stay, I was just about to have dinner. It would be an honor to have you join us.” Bruno smirked.
“Did you turn her? Is she a bloodsucker like you? Fucking tell me!” Xander spoke through gritted teeth, his hands balling into fists at his side.
Bruno no longer held on to his righteous demeanor, narrowing his eyes until his forehead wrinkled. Selena could smell his anger rise, and with speed much like her own, Bruno had Xander pinned against the wall with his arm across the human’s throat. His teeth bared as he hissed.
Sweet mother of Odin, this is about to get ugly, Selena thought, rubbing her face at needing to get physical inside Bruno’s establishment yet again.
“You dare accuse me of such things? Do you know who I am, human boy? I could slit your throat with a single fang and drink you dry. Disposing of your body would be easy, and you have no one that would miss you. Not even your sister. Your very dead sister.” Bruno cackled, a laugh so chilling Selena couldn’t move.
The monster within her took that little weakness and burst into action. Before Selena could stop herself, she threw Bruno across the room and was on top of him. The monster surged forward, unleashing a barrage of thrashing swipes. Bruno cried out, calling for his men, who approached as fast as Selena retreated. Blood dripped from her mouth and her hands; she’d have time to worry about what she’d done later.
Selena tugged Xander’s shirt, dragging him out of the casino and the club until the fresh air brought her back to her senses. This was really bad. Her control had faltered back there, as if someone had flipped a switch and before she knew it, she was attacking Bruno. What was wrong with her?
Xander ripped himself from her grip. “I had him right where I wanted him!”
“Shut up and get in your car before we both die.”
Xander jumped into the driver’s seat just as some of Bruno’s men came hurtling out of the club. Selena slammed the door and held on as Xander swerved out of their parking spot.
A smile played at the corner of Xander’s lips, only for a moment before vanishing. It sent both Selena and the thing she shared a soul with into a rage, but she bit it back.
Neither of them dared say a word until they were safely back inside Xander’s home. His anger boiled within him, her own matching his and then some.
“Did you know?” she snapped.
“What?” He whirled around to face her, his lips pursed.
“Did you fucking know she was dead? You asked him questions as if you were sure he had her. You told me—”
“I wasn’t sure. I—I had a feeling, just something inside, that she was gone.” Xander dropped to his knees, cupping his face in his hands.
Seeing his silent sobs, she swore. This was exactly why she hated dealing with humans. Though, was he human? He’d told her he was telling the truth. So why did all of this feel wrong? She needed answers.
“Do you have anything to drink? Something stronger than water?”
If there was one thing Selena knew, it was how to make the pain go away, even for a short time. And alcohol would help her nerves.
“Cupboard above the fridge.”
Selena found a bottle of whiskey among the many vodkas and disregarded glasses. As she turned to walk back into the living room, her eyes fell on an open door—a light green glow illuminating the dark space beyond. Curiosity sent her snooping. Selena stepped through the door, turning the corner, and covered her mouth to stop a gasp. Along the wall, glowing green paint blended into the wood. The paint, though dry, looked as if it would smear the second she touched it. It curved and arched with such a graceful hand that she barely noticed what it depicted. Two snakes, circling one another to form an ‘S’ shape, each biting the tail of the other.
“What is this?” She stepped toward it, her hand outstretched, though the beast inside thrashed against her in protest.
“Did you find the cupboard all right, Selena?” Xander called from the living room.
Selena jumped back, closing her eyes tightly before opening them again. When she opened them, the paint was gone, leaving behind nothing but dark wood.
She was clearly losing her mind.
As Selena returned to the living room, she found Xander setting the fireplace ablaze. The glow of the flames licked his cheeks, glistening against the blue of his eyes. She could have stood there and watched him for a long time, mesmerized by the muscles through his thin shirt. Shouldn’t she have been furious, not admiring his beauty?
Clearing her throat, she held out the open bottle to Xander, who snatched it and threw his head back. He took two big swigs before handing it off.
“I’m trying really hard to understand you and what’s going on. I need you to tell me everything,” she said, deciding to keep her little venture to herself.
“I haven’t lied to you. Maybe skirted the truth a little, but I do need to find my sister. I can tell that you don’t trust me and are wondering whether to take my money and walk away. I wouldn’t blame you, but I swear, I mean you no harm.”
“If that’s true, if what you want is to simply find your sister, then I’m willing to still help you so that you can put her to rest, but I can’t say this all adds up. For starters, you’re not like any human I’ve ever known, and that tells me, whether you know it or not, that you possess magic.” The way he acted and the strength he carried was sure to be paranormal. The more time she spent in his presence, the more she knew it to be true. After all, there were many kinds of creatures, even humanlike ones, that didn’t even know what they were.
“There have been magic practitioners in my family. A long time ago, but I assure you I’m no threat to you.”
That would explain the vanishing painting she’d found in the room.
“That might be true, but you’re freakishly strong, your blood tastes sweet, and something about you just feels…off.” She hadn’t meant to say that last part; it was as if her filter was gone.
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Selena. Alexi is all that matters right now. If you don’t want to help me—”
“No, it’s not that. My head has been spinning since we met. You make me feel different, I guess.”
Xander huffed. “That’s one I’ve never been told before. But I assure you, I’m only paying for your special skills, nothing more.”
Selena could feel herself believing him as his words swept through her. The desire to believe him was strong, and even if he was a threat, Selena was much more of a predator. The monster inside agreed and wanted to rip into Xander’s flesh rather than listen to his words. Its hostility was something she’d lived with since becoming an Infuriya, but trying to hold it back just then was difficult.
Will you chill out? What’s wrong with you? she told the beast.
Needing a distraction, something to calm herself and the monster before they did something they couldn’t undo, she sucked in a deep breath, already regretting what she was about to say.
“I haven’t always been like this, you know.” Selena slid down the wall, sitting close to him as the heat of the fire warmed her. She was cold by nature—the Infuriya didn’t need heat—but she still enjoyed the warmth nonetheless. “I used to be human, a long time ago.”
“What happened?” he asked, taking the bottle from her hand.
“It’s a long story, but my mother used to say it was the work of Hel. Cursed by my conception. A rape baby.” Selena swallowed. It had been too long since she’d told this story.
“Hel—really?”
“What, you don’t believe in the big guy downstairs? What really happened was my mother got sick of my crying and sent me away to the boarding school on Floyd Hill. Come to find out the owner of that school was a master Infuriya. He took children in and raised them to be his army.”
“The crazy man of Floyd Hill was an Infuriya? I’ll be damned.”
“After he turned us, he starved us and forced us to attack one another. He was trying to find his perfect soldier. To this day, I still don’t know what he meant by that. There was only me and one other left by the end. He tricked us, said that we’d passed all his tests and were cured. He called our parents to come get us, but really he hadn’t given us the final test.” Selena closed her eyes, recalling the events that had forever changed her. The moment she’d known nothing would ever be the same. “When my mother got there, I had been starved of human blood for weeks. The monster inside me was so hungry that I couldn’t control it. When he let her into my room and closed the door…there was nothing to stop me. My control was lost to the monster, and before I knew it, I’d killed her.”
Selena’s hands shook as she let the alcohol slide down her throat. It burned, and she welcomed every bit of it. Flashes of her mother’s face, the terror and betrayal at what Selena had done, rushed into her mind. But most of all, she sensed the truth—could feel her mother’s truth. She was the monster her mother had made her out to be; a monster who’d killed the one who had given her life.
“That’s tragic as hell.” Xander slurred his words, leaning his head back against the wall.
What’s even more tragic was that Selena had enjoyed it. The monster had never felt so alive, and when it was all done—when her mother’s dead body lay still—she’d smiled. Because it was her own mother who had subjected her to this life.
But she would never tell Xander that.
“Yeah, well, my life is a tragedy and I’m just living its nightmare.” Selena passed the bottle back to Xander.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been upfront with you.” Xander sat up, moving closer to Selena until she could feel his breath on her face. “I didn’t know if you’d still help me. My sister is my world. I needed…I had to be sure it was the Marzdens. But I also had to be sure you were who they say.”
Selena raised a brow. “What do you mean?”
“I want you to bring her back.”
“Back? You mean like, from the dead?”
Xander nodded. “I know what happens when the blood of an Infuriya is mixed with that of someone who is gone.”
Selena couldn’t believe her ears. It was wrong to do such a thing. Bringing her back would only create an abomination, and Selena would have no part in it.
“I can’t do that. If I bring your sister back…Xander, she won’t be your sister anymore. When a life is taken, that soul is gone forever. There is nothing that can bring her back, not even my blood.”
“Damnit, Selena, I have to try. She’s all I have. Please.”
A feeling urged Selena to stroke Xander’s cheek. She raised her hand, and as soon as she brushed his skin, the desire to do much more rushed over her. She blinked, trying to focus, but even the monster within wanted more. Though she was sure their wants were very different.
“Doing this is wrong, Xander. I won’t do it. Your sister is gone, and you don’t have to deal with this by yourself. I’m here.”
Xander brought his gaze to Selena, hot and intense and inviting. She wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the way he looked at her, but she wanted him. Needed him. Never in her life had she felt such need. Sure, she enjoyed the occasional partner, a fun night of heat and arousal, but this felt different somehow.
“Promise me, Xander. Promise me you will never ask me to do this again. Promise to forget about this and let your sister rest. Do this, and I will help you through whatever you need.”
Xander leaned in closer, his lips inches from her own, until they connected. Fire blazed between them as the soft kiss turned into passion and passion turned into lust. His hands were in her hair, pulling her harder against him. Her own hands searched for the bottom of his shirt and ripped it from him. She rubbed her hands over the hard muscle of his chest and groaned beneath his kiss.
She pulled back, only for a moment, wondering what the hell she was doing. Having someone to care for, having anything besides the beast for comfort, was a liability. She could never afford to let herself have emotions other than hatred and pain. It was the one thing her master had made sure of, that the thought of love was impractical—a weakness. To jump into bed with someone she’d just met was a mistake. Then again, hadn’t she had plenty of one night stands before? How was this one any different?
“If you don’t want this, I under—”
Selena was on him, closing her mouth on his to keep him from speaking anymore. She’d have time to regret her choices in the morning. As he laid her down in front of the fireplace, ready to take her on a trip to Valhalla, he whispered into her ear.
“I promise.”
Selena woke to rays of light casting through the slit in the curtains. She left her eyes closed for a while, basking in the euphoria of last night’s pleasure. Even her monster slept peacefully, though that would only last for a while. Before long it would require her to feed again, since last night had only just been enough to get her by. Tonight, she’d have to find someone to feed from. Until then, however, she would enjoy the day with someone who made her heart feel again. It seemed silly, to feel this way about someone she’d just met, and maybe it was just the aftereffects of sex—which was a human thing she never could get tired of—but she didn’t think so. With anyone else, she’d have refused to even stay the night. Selena huffed; what had she gotten herself into?
She opened her eyes and rolled over to find a single white rose on top of the pillow Xander had been sleeping on. Her lips curled into a smile as she brought the flower to her nose. Something weird fluttered in her stomach, and she pressed her empty hand to it. She’d never felt this way before, as an Infuriya or a human. The odd feeling vanished the second Selena noticed the small puncture mark on the inside of her arm. She dropped the rose, anger replacing the wash of emotion she’d been having. Something—no, someone—had drawn her blood.
“Xander?” Selena cried out. She scurried to her feet and rushed through the house, searching every room. Her gaze fell on a piece of paper that sat on the kitchen counter.
Selena,
I hope one day you can forgive me.
—X.
She crumpled up the paper and threw it into the fireplace. How dare he take her blood and use her like this. Inside her, the monster thrashed and begged to be let out. It wanted blood, and not just anyone’s. It wanted his. She couldn’t allow it, not when they’d been doing so good at keeping it in since leaving the boarding school. She needed to track him down and stop him before he did something stupid, but she barely knew him. Where would he go? How did he even know where his sister’s body—
“Son of a…” Selena ran out of the house and, using the strength of the Infuriya, raced toward Fangs. This time of day the entire place would be closed, but Bruno would still be there with whoever he’d bedded that night. If there was one thing for certain, it was Bruno’s habits.
Fangs came into view. Several people stood along the sidewalk, all with terror-stricken faces. Selena slowed and approached the crowd. Cliff gave her a nod.
“Hells, am I glad to see you. Your friend is in there with Bruno.”
“How did you—”
“Remember? Yeah, remind me to thank you later for that. Bruno has a witch on retainer who cleared my mind. Apparently he wanted to know more about your friend—who I didn’t know was a warlock.”
“A warlock? No, I would know if he were. Even I can tell the presence of a full-fledged warlock.”
Would she? After everything, she didn’t know if she could trust her instincts. Xander had said his family were practitioners, but even the taste of his blood had brought no sign of such potent magic.
And then it hit her, like a wave clearing the clouds from her mind. She thought about his smooth words on the rooftop—the way she’d fallen for him harder than any man before. The snakes on the wall, the way he smiled after nearly starting a brawl in Fangs. How he’d been able to seduce her and steal blood without even the monster knowing. Most of all, that he’d been able to hide it all from her. He was more than she could have imagined, and that scared her to her core.
She pinned her red curls up and out of her face before pushing past the crowd. While entering the club, rather than pulling out the dagger, she let the monster free. It accepted her offer with pleasure and launched itself through the cage. Selena looked to her left, where a mirror hung on the wall. Her once bright blue eyes were now as red as the fire that had warmed her just hours ago. She made her way into the main room.
Furniture lay in shambles across the floor, with broken glass and spilled drinks strewn about. How long ago had this happened? It couldn’t have been that long if everyone was still outside. Yet, no one was in this room, and the quiet worried her. The monster didn’t care as flashes of killing Xander entered her vision.
“Yes, I know. We need to find him first.”
The door to the casino was wide open, hanging from a hinge, and Selena did her best to ignore Max’s body, which lay in a heap. Well, at least that meant one less vampire in the world.
Inside the casino the war had been even worse. Shattered slot machines lay tumbled on their sides, card tables were toppled over, and chips rolled in every direction. Many of Bruno’s men were dead or just knocked out. It took all of Selena’s strength to keep the monster from ending their lives.
They weren’t here for the vampires; they were here for the warlock. She tugged on her will and pulled the monster back to their task of finding Xander.
Alonzo stirred a few feet away, and she ran to him, cupping his face in her hands. “Easy, Al. What the hell happened?”
Red eyes blazed as they opened, focusing on Selena. His teeth bared as he swatted her hands from him. “You did this.”
“You have to believe me—I had no idea he was a warlock.”
Alonzo smiled. “It’s nice to see that you let the monster out to play.”
Selena sucked in a breath and turned away. “Where are they?”
“It was a compliment. Your buddy took Bruno and they left. I think they went searching for his sister’s body. Which means they’re headed to the Marzdens’ cemetery.”
The cemetery. So Bruno did know what happened to Alexi, and he’d been the one to do it.
Selena wasted no more time and started back toward the front of the club. The monster may have been out, but they were both in agreement: they had a warlock to hunt down.
“Lena, wait! There’s one more thing you need to know. I think that crazy warlock is trying to bring—”
“—her back from the dead. I know. And he’s trying to use my blood to do it.”
Alonzo’s face paled. “Your blood? He can’t do that.”
“Apparently he can.”
The monster thrashed harder, its need burning against her skin. It wouldn’t be much longer until it took control and anyone in her path would feel its wrath.
She needed to sink her teeth into someone.
Back in the club, one of the vampires’ minions stood cleaning up the mess of glass. She knew this was wrong, but no matter how firmly she told herself that, the desire ached in her throat. Before she could stop the beast, it sank its teeth into the man. The taste of his blood like a juicy steak hot off the grill, Selena wrapped her hands around his head and let the beast’s hunger be quenched.
Stop, she commanded. Enough, no killing. Not him, not when we have a warlock to maim.
To her surprise, the monster listened and let go of the man, who dropped to his knees, finally able to let out a scream as he crawled away.
She hated that—the way humans feared her. Hated that she had to harm even a single one of them. Yet here she was, on the hunt for one.
Betrayed. Lied. Broken promises. The beast repeated the words over and over, only fueling its anger as they took off toward the cemetery. Only a few blocks and she’d be face-to-face with her enemy.
The Marzdens’ cemetery was the oldest in the entire town, owned and operated by the brothers and their family for centuries. Only those in the family—or close to it—were allowed to rest here. Selena walked up to the iron gate, where an ‘M’ nearly half the size of the gate was carved into the iron. It was already open, so she slipped through. Row upon row of once-white tombstones surrounded her, and chills ran down her back as she pushed on further through the dead. Cemeteries were something she tried to stay away from—though death wasn’t something the monster would allow. She’d tried a long time ago to take her life and had been most unsuccessful.
Without warning, the deafening silence was pierced by the deathly shriek of a blackened crow. It perched itself atop a blank tombstone, watching her with curious eyes. Ignoring it, she traveled on.
She walked a bit further before a familiar voice echoed against the stones.
“Awaken, my dear sister. Come back to me with the blood of the damned. Arise as one.”
Selena was too late.
In the shadow of a large obelisk, Xander stood with the already decaying body of his sister laid on a raised cement slab. There was no way this girl had been dead for an entire year. Days, maybe weeks, but definitely not longer than that. So what had happened to her in all that time? Her withered frame was barely noticeable underneath the clothes she wore, all dirt-covered and stained with dried blood.
Next to the slab lay Bruno, his head red with his own blood. She couldn’t sense whether or not he was still alive and held on to hope that he was still with her. She might not like Bruno most of the time, but if anyone was going to end him, she’d rather it be her.
“Xander.” Selena stepped out of the shadows and into the light of day. She held out her hands and took small steps closer.
“You can’t stop this, Selena. She is about to wake, and when she does, she and I are leaving.”
“Leaving where?”
“Not your concern.”
“I still can’t let you do that.”
Selena begged the monster inside to hold on, to wait for the right moment to strike. She needed to know just how strong Xander was before they took him down.
He laughed, a deafening screech that pierced her ears. “You can’t stop me. Once my sister has risen, she will slaughter both of you and we can finally be free without worry. I can finally have the power to best those who oppose me, with her at my side.”
“Is that what you think, you fool? You fucking lied to me. Betrayed me and used your magic so that I would sleep with you, all so you could gain power? And your sister—you’ve done nothing but curse her, damn her to the life of a mindless monster. Don’t you get it? An Infuriya without a soul is just that, mindless and damned. A creature of destruction and death. She will kill and kill until there is nothing left. She doesn’t know who she is, and nothing you do will change that. I know because I have seen this before, Xander. End her suffering once and for all, or I will, and I will not do so mercifully.”
A flash of light zipped through the air, striking Selena where she stood. It sent her flying back into the obelisk. Bits of stone shattered around her. In a heartbeat, the monster inside charged. They had almost made it to Xander when a small child crashed into them, moving like a woken zombie. Alexi screamed, lifting her face toward the rising sun. When she looked back at Selena, a smile crept onto her boney face.
Selena knew that this child’s death was inevitable the second she looked into the girl’s cold, dead eyes. There was nothing there but emptiness and the monster’s anger. She noticed, then, the vampiric glint in the girl’s eyes and the sharp canines protruding from her mouth. She had been turned.
There would be time for answers later, she thought, knowing what needed to be done now. Selena knew how to take care of one of her own, having done it more than once back when her master still controlled her. She kicked toward the girl, the blow landing straight into her chest. Quickly rolling to her feet, Selena waited for a blow from Xander that never came. Her ears pulled her attention to Bruno, who was now back on his feet, fully conscious, fending off Xander’s attacks. Each jab calculated and precise, it left Selena glued to the show. Until something grabbed the back of her shirt and tossed her to the ground. Her head slammed against the ground, sending stars into her vision, and then Alexi was on top of her.
All Bruno had to do was keep Xander occupied. Selena swallowed and hoped like hell the monster would allow her to regain control after this was all said and done. She took one final breath, and the monster sprang to life. Selena tore the girl off her. Fast as a lightning strike, the beast sank its teeth into the side of Alexi’s neck.
Alexi screamed and moved to strike Selena, but missed—a trained fighter this one was not. She managed to scurry away, and as predicted, she ran. Infuriya were fast, faster than vampires and werewolves combined, but an untrained newling was nothing compared to Selena and her beast. They caught up and pulled Alexi down by her hair. With one quick, solid motion, the monster within Selena grabbed the Infuriya child by the throat, severing the head from its body. Alexi didn’t even have time to cry out in pain. Though Selena wanted to. Having to do such a thing to a child would leave her scarred, and above all else, angry at the one responsible.
Behind her, Xander did the crying for them both. He launched Bruno off him with one of his spells and looked at Selena, his anger more prevalent than ever before. She’d killed his sister for good, and now he was prepared to ensure she paid the price.
“I should have just taken your blood the moment I saw you. Taken it, and you wouldn’t have even known. But I had to be sure, I had to know that you were what they said. Filthy, bloodsucking bitch.”
“And you’re a ray of sunshine.” Selena curled her hands into fists, preparing herself to end a second life today.
“You’re not even fully human, a disgrace and—”
“And you betrayed me, lied to me, and made me believe that I actually felt something for you.” Selena laughed. “It’s good to know it was all just a trick, an illusion caused by your spells. This time, though, I won’t let your tricks fool me.”
Selena leapt forward, crashing down on top of Xander, but agile as she was, he still managed to shove her off and throw her into a nearby tombstone.
Disoriented and seeing stars, it took her a second to sit up. “Why did you even recruit me? What was the point of this whole ruse?” Selena coughed as she got up, pain coursing down her back.
“Because he’s a fucking god.” Bruno was bent over, a hand placed against a gash in his side. Dried blood covered the side of his face.
“What?” Selena furrowed her brow.
“Ha! Point to the bloodsucker.”
Selena covered her eyes as a bright, green flash emanated from Xander. As the light died, what it revealed left her in awe. Dark wavy locks cascaded down his back while his face paled from once-dark skin. Black and green robes covered him, save for a hand that held a wooden staff. Pieces of twine curled up its curves like barbed wire, and the top of it wrapped around his hand as though it were a part of him. Glowing yellow eyes turned to Selena, who couldn’t move. The monster tried to free them, but even its strength was nothing compared to a god.
“Wh-who are you?”
“The trickster, of course.”
Trickster? A god of deceit and illusions. There was only one who fit that bill.
“Loki?” Selena swayed, and as the beast within howled, the truth came crashing back at once. The rich smell of the otherworldly, the way his eyes had twinkled on their first encounter. The intertwining snakes—the damn symbol of the god himself. Her attacking Bruno at his club like a savage beast. The strong feelings of need and lust that had her throwing herself at him. The constant doubting of what he said, of what he was. Not even the taste of his blood had given any indication that this god was more than just a simple human.
Selena fell to her knees, panting and cursing as Loki showed her just what the beast had been trying to tell her. Through each bit of anger, it hadn’t been confusion or a hungry desire for blood. The monster had simply been trying to open her eyes to this illusion.
“You played me.”
Loki waved his staff, sending Selena back against a tree.
“It sure was fun, wasn’t it?” Loki laughed.
“Fun? What the hell was the purpose of all of this? Is Alexi even your sister?”
“Tsk, tsk. Don’t you try figuring me out, Selena. Many have died trying. But, thanks for playing my game anyway.” Loki winked before vanishing.
Selena fell to the ground coughing and sputtering as she cursed the sky. Damn her, damn him.
A game? Selena growled, a sound that would make any werewolf proud. Getting to her feet, she looked at the carnage around her. The girl’s body in two, blood splattered on broken tombstones. So many answers, and yet she still had no idea what he’d wanted from her. What was the point?
Bruno closed the distance between them. “He told me he has a job for you. I didn’t know what he meant by that until we got here.”
“What do you mean?”
“He said he has plans for you and wanted to know what power your beast possessed. Apparently, this was just him gearing up for something.”
“And this girl?” She pointed toward Alexi.
Bruno shrugged and turned to leave, but stopped. When his eyes met hers, they were lit with rage. “Don’t think I haven’t forgotten what you did to me, Selena. Compulsion or not, I don’t ever want to see you in my club again.” He looked away and left Selena to deal with the aftermath of a god’s game.
All of it, every bit of the last few days, had been a test for her. Selena tried to understand but was left with more questions than answers.
“I swear to Odin himself, Loki. If I ever see your face again, I will end you.” Selena’s hands shook with anger while the monster inside slid back into its cage.
Whatever the trickster had done, whatever he was planning, he’d certainly made one thing clear:
She would never trust another soul again.