Tainted Night, Tainted Blood

24



I nearly tripped over Jeremy where he lay sprawled across the floor. His arm was hanging on by little more than skin and tendon. Claw marks crisscrossed his chest and face, his features turned to nothing more than chopped meat.

He wasn’t moving.

I skidded to a stop and stared at him. The kid never should have been allowed to come. I didn’t let him go free that night near The Bloody Stake just to have him die because of me. It was unacceptable.

Jonathan brushed past me, barely paying the bleeding Jeremy any mind. Bleeding was good. Bleeding meant he was still alive.

The Denmaster barreled into a pair of Tainted that had Nathan backed into a corner. The beasts had no weapons, but their teeth and claws were more than weapon enough. They had no fear, making them that much more dangerous. It was all Nathan could do to keep from being torn to shreds.

I forced myself to look away from Jeremy, from the battling werewolves, and my eyes fell on Thomas. He had a sword in hand and it took me a moment to realize it wasn’t his old rusty sword.

This one was made of silver.

I cursed and raised my own blade. Thomas must have gone back and picked up my sword after our last fight. If he had grabbed the gun and knives, too, he could kill us all without breaking a sweat.

He snarled at me, not an ounce of recognition in his eyes. I wasn’t even sure he recognized me from the night when he had nearly killed me. I was just another victim to him, a vamp that needed slaying.

“Thomas,” I said, stepping over Jeremy, putting myself between the werewolf and my brother. “Leave him be.”

Thomas sneered at me and charged. I brought my sword up to meet his downward swing. They rang loudly as they met, the force of the blow sending shock waves through my entire body. Thomas staggered back a step, but then charged right back in, swinging low this time.

I easily parried the swing and pushed him back, away from Jeremy. The front door had been shoved against the wall, leaving a clear path to the outdoors. I worked Thomas toward it, fighting off his blows and returning half-hearted swings of my own to keep him backpedaling. If I could keep him away from Jeremy, there was a chance the young wolf would survive.

Thomas suddenly came at me with a flurry of attacks. I was just barely able to block them, though I was forced back a step against his onslaught. I still had my gun in hand but refused to fire. If Jonathan and Nathan could dispatch their Tainted, then they could help me subdue Thomas. I would much rather not have to do it myself.

I deflected another swing and kicked out hard. My foot hit Thomas square in the stomach and he fell back. He gasped for air, but it didn’t slow him for long.

I had only an instant to check the fight going on behind me. Jonathan was rolling around with one of the Tainted, fighting for his life. The beast snapped at him, tried to latch its fangs into his throat. Jonathan snapped at its face, nearly catching the Tainted’s nose between his teeth.

Nathan was a few feet away, bleeding from multiple wounds and fighting for all he was worth. The creature was stalking him, lashing out with lightning-quick claws. Blood bubbled from Nathan’s arm as the beast’s claws slashed a deep groove in his bicep.

Thomas charged me and I barely turned back in time to parry his enraged swing. I swung myself around him, putting my back to the open doorway. I brought my gun up and fired. The bullet whizzed past Thomas’s head and hit the beast threatening Nathan square in the back of the head. There was a muffled thump and it fell to the floor in a lifeless heap.

Nathan gave me a grateful nod before rushing to help Jonathan.

Thomas howled at the sight of his beast falling. He turned on me, face full of rage as he charged, attacking high and low. I backed toward the opening, wanting to lead him out into the yard where I had more room to maneuver.

Before I reached the doorway, Thomas came at me hard. I parried a vicious thrust that nearly took me in the gut, twisting out of the way so violently something in my back gave. I staggered back, slamming against the door frame, nearly slipping in Jeremy’s blood. I cried out and Jonathan’s head snapped around, momentarily distracted from the beast he was about to finish off. Nathan thankfully had it held down or it might have taken advantage.

Thomas came on. He swung at my knees and I was just barely able to drop my sword in time. The reverberations from our blades meeting had my entire arm and back twisting in pain. I could feel fresh blood dripping down my back. The wounds had broken open again and I hadn’t truly fed to replenish the lost blood. I wouldn’t last long like this.

I dodged a wild swing meant to take off my head. I dropped low and rolled, screaming as pain lanced through my body. I hit the floor hard and came up on my knees a few feet away, sword coming up just in time to block another of Thomas’s blows.

He bared his fangs at me. I could see the hunger in his eyes. He wasn’t going to just kill me.

He was going to eat me.

He hacked at me like he intended to chop me into small, bite-sized bits. I was weakening fast but managed to block every one of his swings. He swung again, downward as if to split my skull, and I blocked it with my sword. My elbow buckled and his sword brushed against my shoulder. The impact jarred me, but the blade didn’t break through the leather.

Thomas howled in victory. My arm felt heavy. I wouldn’t be able to stop his next blow.

Jonathan hit Thomas in the side as my brother brought his sword above his head. They slammed up against the wall so hard the entire house shook with the impact. They snarled and snapped at each other, with Thomas trying to bring up his sword and thrust it through Jonathan’s chest as they struggled.

I tried to get to my feet, but my legs wouldn’t cooperate. My vision swam and I cursed myself for being so stupid. I should have fed the night before instead of sulking in my room, worrying about what to do with Thomas.

Nathan flashed into view and he slammed into both Thomas and Jonathan, heedless of whom he hurt. He was bleeding pretty badly from numerous wounds, but instead of slowing him down, it seemed to enrage him further.

“Stop,” I gasped, wincing as the pain in my back flared up. Even talking hurt.

The werewolves kept fighting, slashing at Thomas with their claws. Nathan managed to get a blow in past my brother’s defenses, taking him on the shoulder. Blood spurted from the wound. Nathan howled, his face a mask of fury and hunger.

He was enraged, lost in the bloodlust. If I didn’t do something, he would kill Thomas.

I growled and staggered to my feet. Everything went black for half a second and I found myself sitting again without remembering going down.

“F*ck,” I said as I forced my way back up, slower this time. Now wasn’t the time for weakness. If Nathan killed Thomas, I would never forgive myself.

“Get off him,” I screamed, blood bubbling from my mouth. My fangs were fully extended. The sight of blood had brought my hunger, but at least the pain was keeping me from losing control. “Don’t hurt him anymore.”

Jonathan’s eyes met mine and I saw he was just barely holding on to his own bloodlust. Seeing me must have triggered something in him, because his eyes regained some of their focus and he jerked away from Thomas as if he suddenly realized what he was doing.

Nathan, on the other hand, kept fighting. Thomas’s sword was lying a few feet away, knocked away by one of Nathan’s blows. Teeth snapped, claws swiped the air. They rolled around together, fighting with everything they had.

Jonathan howled, bringing Nathan’s head up. The big wolf blinked, his head seeming to clear.

Unfortunately, Thomas wasn’t affected the same way.

He thrashed under Nathan and managed to throw the bigger wolf. He sprang up, bleeding from seemingly everywhere, and attacked, hitting Nathan in the chest. He bared his fangs; then his head snaked forward.

Nathan jerked to the side just in time and Thomas’s fangs went into his shoulder instead of his neck. Nathan screamed, his voice a mix of human and wolf.

I didn’t know what to do. Nathan was thrashing under Thomas but was unable to get him off. Jonathan stood a few feet away, locked in place. He seemed conflicted: as if he wanted to help his wolf, but was afraid he would go too far. He looked at me with wolf eyes, pleading for me to do something.

I started to raise my gun but stopped. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t shoot my own brother. Even if he killed us all, I just couldn’t hurt him.

Jonathan growled and charged me. I was so stunned by his sudden movement, I nearly shot him instead. I jerked my aim away just in time and he knocked me back down. The pain in my back caused my muscles to seize, my fingers to spasm. I dropped my weapons, my hands tingling.

My lips peeled back in a snarl. Jonathan had turned on me at the worst possible time. He was going to kill me now while I was weak. Had he planned this the entire time?

Instead of finishing me off, Jonathan’s claws scrabbled at my waist. He snatched a knife from the hidden sheath in my belt and spun away, leaving me lying on the floor.

Jonathan charged Thomas, who was still feeding on Nathan. The big wolf was still fighting hard but was fading fast. If it went on much longer, Thomas might bleed him dry. Even a werewolf would die of that.

Jonathan drove the knife awkwardly into Thomas’s shoulder. Werewolf claws aren’t meant to hold weapons, but they held enough of their human shape for it to be possible. He howled as he did it, and I wasn’t sure if it was a howl of victory or one of anger. Either way, it got the job done.

Thomas jerked back with a scream, his fangs tearing from Nathan’s shoulder. He shuddered, managing to keep himself from giving in to the silver for an instant, before finally collapsing on top of Nathan.

Nathan immediately pushed Thomas off him and staggered to his feet. He turned on me, eyes full of blood-red hatred. He snarled and took a threatening step toward me.

“Nathan,” Jonathan said. He was shuddering on the floor, bathed in a cold sweat. He was naked and human once more. “Shift.”

Nathan spun on him and growled low in his throat. I grabbed my gun while he was distracted and brought it up so when he turned back to me, he would be looking straight down the barrel.

“I’d do as he says,” I said through gritted teeth.

Nathan bared his teeth at me. There was fur stuck in them, as well as something thick and bloody. He spat it out and howled as he shifted.

It was almost as disturbing to watch as watching the wolves shift from human. His muscles bulged, bones shifted and popped. Even though it had to hurt like hell, he never cried out, never showed any sign that the change bothered him.

He kept his feet as his features settled. He stood before me, naked as the day he was born, and trembled in a combination of rage and pain. He was cut up pretty badly.

“She nearly got us killed,” he said. His voice was still husky, tinged with a hint of animal.

“But she didn’t,” Jonathan said, standing. He hadn’t had time to redo his glamour, so his head was only partially there. It had been so long since I had seen him like that, it was shocking.

“We should go,” I said, looking away from the two naked men. They seemed comfortable without their clothing, and even though nudity didn’t normally bother me, right then it seemed somehow obscene.

A howl came from somewhere outside. I couldn’t tell if it was a werewolf or one of the Tainted.

“Soon,” I added, not wanting to find out.

Jeremy managed to moan and all of us turned to look at him. He hadn’t been able to shift back to human with the silver coursing through his body. He would be stuck that way until it ran its course.

“We’ve got to get him to Lei,” Jonathan said. “And soon.”

Nathan nodded and started toward Jeremy. He glared at me as he passed. I was in too much pain to return the favor.

He picked Jeremy up and a muffled scream came from deep within the boy’s throat. His eyes bulged, but he couldn’t otherwise move. He trembled in Nathan’s arms for a few seconds, then blacked out.

“Help me,” Jonathan said, going over to Thomas.

“What are we going to do?” I asked.

“We’re going to put them both in the car. We’ll take Jeremy to Doctor Lei and then bring Thomas back to the Den.”

“And what about me?”

“You can meet us at the garage.”

I didn’t like it. I didn’t want to leave Thomas’s side, especially if Nathan was going to be around him. I didn’t trust the big werewolf not to kill Thomas the moment he got the chance.

“Help me lift him,” Jonathan said.

I hurried over and helped him lift Thomas. It wasn’t easy. I bent over and grabbed Thomas by his legs. I tried to lift up, but my back wouldn’t let me. I hissed in pain and dropped him.

“It’s okay,” Jonathan said. He lifted Thomas up and threw my incapacitated brother’s arms over his shoulder. The knife was still in Thomas’s back. Jonathan winced as if he was hurt somewhere I couldn’t see, but at least he was able to hold Thomas up. “I’ve got it.”

I felt useless standing there. Jonathan and Nathan took their charges out to the car and I followed them. Nathan put Jeremy in the back seat and then popped the trunk.

“No way,” I said, hurrying after them. “You’re not putting him in there.”

“It’s the safest way.”

“You’re not going to shove my brother in the f*cking trunk.”

Jonathan stared at me. I stared right back, but after only a few seconds, I looked away. He was right. It was the safest way. If Thomas came out of his silver-induced paralysis before they were back, leaving him in the trunk was the best option.

“Fine,” I growled, turning away. They could do it, but that didn’t mean I had to watch them dump him in there like so much garbage.

When the trunk slammed closed, I looked back. Nathan was already behind the wheel. Jonathan had moved to the passenger side door. Neither had bothered getting dressed. It was kind of disturbing.

“Meet us at the garage,” Jonathan said. “I don’t want there to be any problems at the Den while we are away.”

I nodded and walked away. I heard the car door slam but didn’t look back. I went back into the house, gathered up my weapons, including the sword Thomas had used, and then did a search of the house, killing any Tainted that were still alive. Thankfully, only the wounded were left. A quick shot to the head ended their suffering.

It was mindless work. I didn’t pity the poor souls. What I was doing was a mercy.

Somehow, it didn’t quite feel that way.

After I was done, I put the house behind me. I would never go back. There were too many bad memories there now. I couldn’t face that ever again.

I mounted my motorcycle, started the engine, and drove to the Luna Cult garage to wait for Jonathan’s return.