Derek

Having waited for almost ten minutes and barely hearing a word, Derek motioned for Donnie to open the door and peek in. Cautiously, Donnie reached over and twisted the door handle, easing it open in case it creaked or groaned. Miraculously, the door moved without a sound, and Donnie peered around the corner. Leaving the door ajar, he scanned the area, and that’s when they heard it.

“If he comes near me again and waves it in my face, I will bite it the fuck off. Stay away from me, ya’ sick freak.”

Erika was still alive and raising hell. Atta girl.

Derek heard flesh clashing with flesh as whoever held Erika captive struck her. He resisted the urge to surge forward and go to her rescue, and one glimpse at Donnie told him the vampire struggled with the same protective instinct. Derek leaned in closer to the door, heard Erika spit and then speak again.

“That all you got, fuckface? I’ve been hit harder by a little girl who could totally kick your ass. Hell, loosen the chains and I’ll kick your ass. What is it? Can’t get it up for someone who fights back? Poor baby. C’mon, take the chains off, move me away from the door, and once we are, like, a few hundred meters away from the door, I might be more compliant.”

Derek looked at Donnie, who shrugged, but he could hear Erika sigh.

“What do you keep yammering on about?” a woman’s voice joined the fray, and Derek recognised it as the voice of Katherine Smyth.

“Who the hell knows, Kathy. You and your sick-and-twisted brother have taken so many cheap shots that I probably have a concussion, but lads, I’ve had worse.”

Did Erika somehow know they were outside and was hinting to them what was going on?

“Good girl, Erika,” Derek muttered under his breath. “C’mon now sweetheart, give me a clue about Ricky.

He heard another slap this time, a little softer and obviously from Katherine herself. An animalistic roar ripped through the air, and Melanie fell back on her ass in surprise. Derek yanked her up, and she mouthed her apologies.

A low, guttural voice bellowed in the basement. “Kitty, I can’t have her until she screams. I need her to be afraid. She’s not afraid.”

Two unsubs—a brother and sister team if Erika’s titbits were true. A crash sounded next, the sound of wood colliding with concrete.

“Hey warlock, how ‘bout you snap out of this mind-control thing you’ve got going on and come help a sister out? Don’t just stand there while she sucks the magic from you like a lollipop. Fight back, you idiot.”

That confirmed Derek’s thought that Erika knew they were outside. He was glad to know Ricky was alive, but unfortunately Ricky was under some compulsion and could not help them.

“Erika?” Derek asked, again keeping his tone to just a whisper, “anything else we should know before we come in?”

Derek listened as his teammate cracked up laughing. “Whatever you do, the mummy is mine to take down. I deserve the right.”

“It’s yours. Can you distract them a little while we get in place?”

“Be my pleasure. Yo, suckface. Are you man enough to handle a real woman? I mean, there’s not much to work with, but I promise ya’ I’ll make it hurt for you. Invite your sister as well. I mean, she’s not as pretty as the women I normally invite to share my bed, but I’m sure I could slum it for a bit. What do you say, Kittycat? I bet you’ve never had someone like me.”

Erika grunted the next moment as another animalistic bellow almost made the structure shake from the force of it. The unmistakable sound of someone taking a beating made Derek surge forward, unable to reign in his need to protect.

“I can take it. I can take it.”

Slowing his pace, Derek nodded at Donnie to go. Donnie edged forward in a crouched position, peeking around the corner and giving a brief nod.

Derek leaned into Melanie. “If you get the chance, try and break the compulsion Katherine has on Ricky. You might be the only one who can. But be careful—he might not be himself right now.”

Melanie gave a terse nod. Derek lifted three fingers, counting down in his head as he lowered each finger. Donnie went in first, gun out and ready, followed by Derek, with Melanie bringing up the rear. The room they entered was empty, dark, and damp. They moved inch by inch closer to the door that led to his two teammates. It was already half ajar, one of those industrial roller doors that you pulled to the side to allow deliveries on premises.

The bay area that accommodated the two unsubs went down off a ramp, and Derek could see Erika still tied to a chair, but lying sideways on the ground. Her face was a mass of blood and cuts, her lip split open as well as multiple gashes down her arms. Her eyes met his as Derek held a finger to his lips.

The woman grinned, blood staining her teeth as she began to burst into hysterical laughter. To Derek’s surprise, Erika began to chant, “Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?”

“Kieran, if you don’t shut her up already, I swear to God I will take her energy for myself. I tire of this game.”

“Kitty,” came Kieran’s whingy retort, “you know I can’t have sex with her until she’s afraid. I need her to be afraid. And I need her. My skin, it’s already breaking down. Make her afraid, Kitty. Please make her afraid.”

Derek counted down from ten and then pried the door open with a massive yank. It creaked and moaned as it slid to the side. Derek, Donnie, and Melanie took up positions so that neither of the siblings could escape. Katherine didn’t look surprised at their appearance, yet her brother shrieked in anger.

“Stop where you are. Police. Katherine Smyth, you’re under arrest for kidnapping and murder.”

A smug smile played on Katherine’s lips. “I never killed anyone, Agent Doyle, and I never kidnapped Agent Sands. I’ve barely laid a finger on her. It was all your partner. He’s been such a big asset, I’m considering keeping him.”

A snarl slipped from Melanie. “Over my dead body, bitch.”

Derek spared a peek at Katherine’s brother, and despite having seen a hell of a lot of things in his life, Derek had never seen a monster as twisted and ugly as him. Flesh and blood meshed together around skeletal features with gaping holes in the hollows of his cheeks. The monster had stripped down to his boxers, the same hollowed-out flesh and bone adorning his chest and abdomen. His eyes were black orbs sunken into his head, and Derek’s stomach threatened to spill its contents as it revolted at the sight.

Kieran lunged forward and grabbed Erika by the throat, lifting her, chair and all, off the ground. His actions made the chains loosen, and Derek fought back a grin at the exact moment Erika was free of her restraints. As the chains clanged to the ground, Derek saw something he would never have believed had he not seen it with his own eyes.

Battered and beaten, Erika snapped her head back right into Kieran’s face. He stumbled backwards without releasing his hold on her. Erika reached behind Kieran’s head with her arms and swung her legs, in the blink of an eye, reversing roles so that she now had her arms around Kieran’s neck. Using some wrestling move, she flipped Kieran onto his back so that she straddled his chest, one hand wrapped around his throat.

Reaching back with her left hand, Erika motioned for Derek to throw her something. Still confused as to how Erika had gotten her hands free during all that, he tossed a gun in her direction. Erika caught it without looking, cocked it, and pushed the cold metal mercilessly against her assailant’s temple.

“Give me an excuse, asswipe. Give me a goddamn excuse.”

Derek leapt down the ramp and went over to Erika. “You okay?”

“Fine and dandy, Boyband. Fine and fucking dandy.”

Her words came out a tad wheezy, and Derek suspected she had more than one fractured rib. Turning, Derek saw Donnie move towards Katherine, who still had a smug look on her face. Donnie snapped out his cuffs as he said, “Get on your knees, link your fingers behind your head, and keep your trap shut.”

Katherine ignored Donnie’s orders, shaking her head. “I don’t think I will. I’m leaving with my brother right now, or you will never get your warlock back.”

A shot rang out from behind them, and Katherine cried out. Erika had shot Kieran square in the temple, blood and other gooey bits exiting the wound on the other side of his head.

“Whoops, my finger slipped. Guess Kieran’s days of raping and killing are done.” Erika smiled as she stood, swaying from side to side as she muttered, “And you can fuck off as well.” Then she hit the concrete with a thud, her eyes rolling back in her head just before she was rendered unconscious.

Donnie raced over and scooped Erika into his arms. He raised an eyebrow in silent question.

“Go. We got this.”

Donnie vanished a moment later. Worried as he was for Erika, Derek had to concentrate on his partner. “Where’s Ricky?”

Katherine snarled at him. “There was no need to kill Kieran. He wasn’t well. His mind wasn’t well. Killing the girl would have fixed him. You have no idea what kind of power you have in your midst. That small wisp of a thing has the ability to crush you all without breaking a sweat. Do you even know what she is? Doesn’t matter. Richard, come here.”

Derek heard the order in her tone and tightened his grip on the gun he’d grabbed from his waistband. Ricky ambled out of the shadows, his emerald eyes replaced by ones of liquid blue. His movements were jerky, as if he were fighting the compulsion from deep inside. But what worried Derek most was that his best friend, the person he loved like a brother and trusted with his life, looked right through him as if he didn’t recognise him.

“Ricky? You okay, mate?”

The warlock tripped over his feet at the sound of Derek’s voice, steadied himself, and lifted his head to look at Derek. His eyes flashed green before returning to the unnatural shade of blue. “Derek?” Ricky manged to grunt out.

“It’s me. I got you, Rick.”

“Derek?” Ricky asked again as if he were unsure if Derek were really standing in front of him.

“Yes, mate.”

“Derek… kill me… please. I don’t want to hurt anyone else.”

Derek shook his head and took a step toward Ricky, indicating for Melanie to stay back. “I’m not going to kill you, Rick. We’ll figure this out; we always do.”

Katherine stepped behind Ricky and ran her fingers across his shoulders. Ricky shuddered, blue bolts shooting from his fingertips. Katherine pressed her lips to the base of Ricky’s neck and smirked.

“Richard, please show your friends exactly what kind of power you’ve been hiding from them. Burn something for me.”

Fists clenched, Ricky growled as flames engulfed his fists and he punched out with one. Blue lightning crackled out, and the smell of burning flesh sent Melanie into a gagging fit. Ricky had burned something, alright, but Derek wasn’t sure Katherine had meant for him to reduce Kieran’s body to ash.

The woman clasped her hand over her mouth, stifling a scream as the blue flames rescinded, leaving nothing but a scorch mark on the dirty ground. “I never said to burn my brother’s body!” she exclaimed.

“You said to burn something. I did. Be more specific next time.”

Derek fought back a grin as the man he knew and loved came to the surface. As he inched forward in Katherine’s direction, the woman backed away until her back met with the wall behind her.

“I never wanted any of this. I had a legitimate business, but then Kieran lost his mate and I was forced to babysit him, feed his animal cravings through my work. I had to find the most powerful creatures in the hopes their energy would make him whole again.”

She swiped a tear from her eye. “I never killed anyone in my life. That was all Kieran. You don’t understand what it feels like for me when he is hurting. Twins, you see. We shared a psychic bond—have done since the womb. While I was able to syphon sexual energy from the lust at my parties, Kieran needed the physical act to clear the fog in his mind.”

Her lip twitched as she snarled. “I won’t go down without a fight. I have lived through plagues, floods, and men and their power struggles. I am thousands of years old, and I am not done yet. Richard, I need you to fight the wolf for me so I can escape.”

Derek bent at the knees as his friend struggled against the command. Ricky took a step forward, then hesitated before taking another step. His face reddened under the strain, his teeth grinding as he tried his hardest to lessen the hold Katherine had on him. Derek’s only consolation was that Melanie still stood at the mouth of the door, her gun trained on Katherine.

“Derek… can’t hold back much longer… fucking kill me, man. Please.”

Derek almost broke as the warlock begged Derek to take his life so he would not hurt anyone else. But what Ricky didn’t understand was that if Derek were forced to kill Ricky—his brother—it would take a piece of Derek with him, and Derek wasn’t brave enough to walk the earth without his friend.

“I can’t, Rick. You know I can’t.”

“Just do as you’re told, Richard,” Katherine snapped.

“If you can’t kill me, D, knock me the fuck out or something. I’m coming.” That was the last warning Ricky gave before he launched himself at Derek, fists flying. The gun was knocked from Derek’s hand as he blocked Ricky’s punches, one after the other. Even as they fought, Derek could tell that Ricky was doing his best to pull his punches—Derek should know considering he was the one who’d trained Ricky to fight dirty. Having had his bell rung by his partner many times before, he knew Ricky was simply giving him love taps.

Derek lifted his leg and kicked Ricky in the knee using just enough force to stagger him without breaking bone. Ricky stumbled back, gained his footing, and came at Derek with his feet this time. The sole of his boot caught Derek in the ribs before Derek grabbed Ricky’s foot in his hands and twisted.

Ricky landed on his back with an oomph and kicked up off the ground a heartbeat later. His body trembled as he tried to stop himself from coming at Derek again. His hands burst into flames rising so high they almost caressed the ceiling. Ricky shot a blast of lightning upward, and the roof crumbled at the strike.

A block of ceiling landed on Derek’s shoulder, knocking him to the ground. Ignoring the pain, Derek recaptured his gun and pointed it at his friend, but as Derek got to his knees, he heard Melanie begin to speak.

“Ricky, it’s me… it’s Melanie.” Her words were spoken softly, in a calm manner, as if she were trying to calm a raging animal. Perhaps that was what was needed. Derek had been truthful when he’d said Melanie might be the only one to save Ricky from himself.

Ricky shook his head as if he were trying to rid his mind of as many cobwebs as he could. His liquid blue eyes turned in Melanie’s direction. Closing his eyes for a second, he inhaled. When he exhaled again, his eyes darted open, staying green for a moment before they turned blue again.

Melanie inched closer to Ricky, but Katherine stepped forward and encircled her arms around the warlock. As soon as her skin brushed against Ricky’s, pain bloomed in his eyes and he gnawed on his bottom lip. She pulled a knife from behind her back and whispered into his ear before speaking out loud.

“I need you to stab her, Richard. I need her to see that you are just like me. Stab the girl who makes your heart skip a beat, and feel disgusted at how much you enjoy it.”

Ricky’s hand shook as he took hold of the blade and advanced on Melanie. Derek got up off the ground as Melanie backed up toward him. The young vampire froze out of arm’s reach of Derek, waiting for Ricky to advance. The blade dangled from his left hand as he lifted his right one and cupped Melanie’s cheek.

“I need you to take this blade from me and end it. I can feel the magic buck under her control. Its wants out, and I can’t hold it for much longer. Make it fast, Lanie. C’mon, babe. You know I’ve annoyed you many times enough for you to want to stab me.”

Melanie vigorously shook her head. “I can’t do it, Ricky. I really can’t.”

Leaning forward, Ricky pressed his lips to her forehead. “You’re the only one who can, Lanie. I trust you… can you trust me?”

Katherine clucked her tongue in impatience. “Just stab her already, Richard. Do it now!”

Derek began to move, the pain in his shoulder already starting to ease, as Melanie answered Ricky’s earlier question.

“I trust you.”

Ricky gave her a lopsided grin. “Good girl. Now please forgive me.”

Derek cried out as Ricky angled the knife and struck, darting the blade into Melanie’s stomach. Melanie exclaimed in shock and stumbled back, blood gushing from the wound.

Derek staggered over to her as she whispered, “I’m okay. I know what to do.”