Wulf's Redemption (Borne Vampires Book 3) (21 page)

“She came back here?”

“Ja. Herrick and his cousins chased her back into
the Harz Mountains. She found a cave and hid within it. Unable to chop off her
head and end her wretched existence, they brought down the rocks at the cave’s
opening down and sealed Lisle inside.”

“Gaeta,”
Kai asked, horrified, “are you saying they left her to starve to death?”

Tears
glittered in her dark eyes. “Ja,” she whispered brokenly. “They had no choice.
To protect the people of Magdeburg, they could not risk allowing her to escape.
They sealed the cave so that none could ever enter it … or leave it. Master,
Herrick told Magistrate Breber you and your family had been murdered by Lisle,
and that they had seen justice done by killing her. He accepted it because he
knew she was vampyre.”

Sick
to his stomach Alex rubbed his face with both hands. What Lisle had endured all
alone, the starvation and fear, the madness. Free, she would seek her vengeance
on those responsible for her suffering.

Kai
asked him, “Alex, how did she survive? We barely managed without blood for a couple
of days.”

 
“She must have shut her body down like Sin did,
when he went to his crypt.”

“And
Angel let her out,” Kai stated grimly.

“Set
her free to what end? If she wanted me dead, she could have taken a direct
course.” His mind reeled at what was coming for them and the people around him.
The fear on their faces assured him they were well aware of the danger they
were in.

“Maybe
Angel wants you back on the Damned’s side again? Lisa … Lisle was spouting off
about how Angel promised her…. Oh, shit! Angel promised you to Lisle! To keep
her in line, except Angel didn’t bargain on a psychotic vampiress who kills her
own kind. Now, Lisle is out of control.”

Rubbing
his forehead, he pondered their options. “We need to draw her out and kill her.”

Herrick
cautioned, “She
will
make others to help her kill
us. It is in the Damned’s nature.”

“I
don’t think so. Lisle keeps killing others like her. She never did play well
with others,” Alex said with a derisive snort.

“Alex,”
Kai interjected, “we cannot rule it out. We need to be vigilant and cautious where
Lisle Breber is concerned.”

“You’re right. She has proven resourceful in the
past. Herrick, if you and your family are willing to fight, we make our stand
here, at Wulf Manor and end her existence — permanently this time,” he added
with dark note.

The gypsies nodded their agreement. Gaeta offered,
“I know of a potion that repels vampires. We could spread it around the house
and barns; use it as a barrier to keep the Damned out.”

“Have you used it before?” Alex asked, unsure
whether or not to seriously consider a potion able to keep the Damned off
neutral ground.

“Yes, it works quite effectively. It will take
several hours to prepare. Especially with how much is required to protect us
and our livestock.”

Herrick rose from the table. “Mother, you and the
women will begin making it. The boys and I will bring in the livestock and
patrol while you work.”

“Herrick, Kai and I must feed.” Herrick made to
offer his arm to him, Alex shook his head. “You have much to attend to. We need
to do a perimeter search anyways. Then we’ll search for a donor.”

“Will we be safe while you are gone?” Herrick was
reluctant for them to leave again and with good reason.

Kai answered with a far off look in her eyes,
“Lisle is in Magdeburg, at a club.”

Grabbing Kai by the shoulders, Alex demanded, “You
can see her?”

Blinking, she nodded with a happy grin. “I got a
fix on the twisted bitch!”

“Your gifts are back online?” Trying hard not to
get his hopes up, Alex prayed it to be true.

“And stronger. I am … better than before.” She
wore an expression of amazement and worry. Kai looked to Gaeta, who nodded her
head approvingly.
   

“Good. Herrick, since Mary and Kai can communicate
with each other, you can let us know if you are attacked again.” The Gypsy made
to protest, he held out his hand to stop him. “You will be fine. Kai has a lock
on Lisle. If she leaves Magdeburg, she’ll know, and we’ll warn you.”

Seeming to accept Alex’s reassurance, Herrick took
his rifle and slung it over his shoulder. “While my mother prepares the potion,
we will build bonfires to ward off the night and any who dare cross our
boundaries. Keep safe while you patrol.” He bowed his head to her and Alex
before saying, “Let’s be about our work, sons.”
 

His sons followed him out the kitchen door. The
women assembled and waited for instructions from Gaeta, who shuffled over to
the cupboards and opened one. She pulled out a very old, leather-bound book.
Carefully opening it, she searched for the page she needed. Gaeta ordered her
family to fetch herbs and plants from the pantry as she and Mary pulled out a
large black cauldron out of the bottom cabinet near her.

Her cellphone started beeping; alerting her the
batteries were done. Kai set her coffee cup down on the table and dug her
cellphone charger out. “I need to plug it in.”

Mary offered, “I can do that for you while you are
out.” Alex gave the girl his.

“Thank you, Mary,” Alex said. “We shouldn’t be
gone long. Let’s go,
Kai.” Alex set down his coffee cup and opened the door for her.

Outside,
Kai gazed at the manor with a worried frown. “Kai, what’s wrong?”

“Do
you think it’s wise to leave Herrick and his family?”

“Can
you find Lisle?”

Her
eyes went out of focus. “Yes. She’s dancing. No thoughts of us or the manor.”

“Good.
She’ll be busy for a while. I want to scout the area and make sure none of the
Damned or vampire hunters are here. I’m changing into an eagle. You?”

“Same.
Um, I really hate to sound like a girl, but I need a change of clothes. So do
you.”

He
glanced at his dirty clothes, forced to agree. “Yes, you’re right. We’ll locate
a change of clothes while we search for a donor. Let’s shift.”

At the same time, they changed into a pair of golden
eagles. The gypsies watched in fascination as they swept their powerful wings and
rose in the air. Alex went in one direction, she the other. Sweeping the woods,
he was satisfied there weren’t any hunters, ghouls, or vamps within twenty
miles of the Manor.

Meeting back with Kai, they went in search of a
human blood donor. Over fields and pastures they flew when he heard music. Kai
dipped her right wing, and he returned the gesture for her to take lead. Veering
to their right, a small clearing in the sea of trees opened and that’s where
they found parked cars, hundreds of humans were dancing and drinking around a huge
bonfire. A stage had been erected. Pickups, loaded with sound equipment, were
being unloaded and assembled on the stage. Past the stage, tents of orange,
green, blue were erected. Some were illuminated, while most were dark. Landing
on the outskirts of the camp, he and Kai shifted back into their human form.

“Cool,” Kai grinned, “a rave party. What’s our
game plan?” she asked, eyeing people milling around the bonfire hungrily.

“Let us find a smaller group, away from the
partiers.”

“This should be fun.” She grinned, heading for the
tents.

✝✝✝

Blurring their weapons, they made their way past
the parked cars, finding most of the people were teenagers and college kids.
Kai had to smile at Alex’s discomfort. The music was louder on the ground.
Heavy Metal mixed with Alternative Rock. The young humans were enjoying the
warm night, laughing and dancing. Others were making out or cuddling. Groups of
girls stared in open appreciation as Alex strode past them. Apparently his
dirty clothes did little to deter them from admiring his stark handsomeness.
When several made to speak with him, Kai coldly glared at them to back off.

He was hers.

Alex took her hand in his, startling her. An
amused, sexy half-smile curved his firm lips, making her blush at being caught.
Pressing a kiss on the back of her hand, they continued toward the tents.
Quieter around the campground, they spotted four men sitting together, passing
a bottle of Gin around. A quick look around confirmed they were alone with the
humans.

Motioning with his chin to the unsuspecting men,
Alex whispered, “Put them under. I’ll keep watch.”

Shrugging
off her backpack, she set it on the ground beside him. Pulling out the hair tie,
freeing her ponytail, she shook out her long hair. Kai smiled at the young men pleasantly
as she approached them. They grinned, waving at her to come closer.

“Gentlemen,
why aren’t you with the others?” she asked, lowering her voice to a seductive
purr.

The
one closest to her offered the bottle in his hand. “We’re having a bit of a
private party. Want to join us?” he asked with a knowing smirk cast at his
friends.

“Yeah,
a girl out alone isn’t safe. We’ll take care of you,” another offered.

“Sorry,
boys, I must regretfully decline.” Mentally connecting with them, she saw what
they planned to do to her. Kai grinned, exposing her fangs. “I’m starving, you
see and you will give me what
I
need.” Before they could
run, she held them in her power and gruffly ordered, “Sit there quietly while I
and my friend feed on you.” Their bodies relaxed, eyes unfocused. Kai roughly
grabbed the one who was their leader, the one who planned to slip Rohypnol in
her drink.

Alex
made to stop her.

“This
little prick was about to slip me drugs and rape me. His pals were in on it.”

Alex’s
eyes went flat with fury. Grabbing the kid by the tee-shirt front, he lifted
him up and off his feet. “Praying on the weak, huh? I’m going to enjoy this.”
He sank his teeth deep in the bastard’s throat.

Kai
grabbed one and bite into him, not caring if she hurt him. Blood gushed into
her mouth and her hunger took control, draining the human almost to the point
of death. Throwing the unconscious human aside, she reached for the other one
and fed on him while Alex took the last one. After they were done, she felt
full for the first time in days. Wanting nothing more than to end their
despicable existence, she chose another plan. Blurring their wounds, she
whispered in their minds what she wanted them to do.

Eyeing
her suspiciously, Alex inquired, “What did you plant in their mind?”

She
shrugged her shoulders innocently, “Nothing special.”

“What
did you put in their heads?” Alex insisted.

She
shrugged, trying to look innocent. “Merely that they were slipped a date rape
drug and were molested by four men.”

Laughing,
Alex shook his head. “You are a mean woman, Kai Jordan.”

Glaring
at the humans, she replied, “They’re lucky I don’t snap their necks! Little
pricks. And they say
we
are the
monsters.”

“We should get back to Herrick and his family.”

She pointed at the tents. “We can get clean clothes
there. What’s your size?” He told her. “Keep watch, I’ll be right back.”

Searching the unoccupied tents, she gathered
undergarments, tee-shirts, and jeans for her and Alex. Satisfied with what she
found, she jogged back to Alex and opened up her backpack. Stuffing the items
in it, she zipped it up and slipped it over her shoulders.

“Ready to head back?” she asked him.

Alex stared into the crowds, not answering her. Thinking
Lisle had arrived, she did a quick scan and found a bare-chested demon vamp
surrounded by scantily dressed college girls. He was teasing them, flashing a
breathtaking smile and they giggled in response to his comments.

“Kai, do you see him?”

“Yep.”

“Are there any others?”

Scanning the rest of the partiers, she shook her
head. “Just the one. He’s pretending to be the DJ he killed couple of days
ago.” Looking up at him, she asked, “You want to put him down?”

“We need to get him away before he feeds on any of
those girls.” Alex instructed, keeping an eye on the vamp, who was clearly
unaware two Slayers were nearby, “Entice him to me.”

Shrugging off her backpack and set it on the
ground, she unbuckled her sword, and unclipped her holstered gun, setting them
down beside it. Giving Alex a wink, she sauntered up behind the girls
surrounding the handsome vampire, waiting for him to notice her. His brown eyes
centered on her, briefly the illusion dropped, exposing the milky white of dead
eyes. He excused himself to the disappointment of the groupies and closed the
distance between him and her with an arrogant swagger. Resisting the urge to
gag at the awful smell of rotting flesh, she smiled at him coyly.

“I’ve not seen you around before. Where do you
hail from?” he asked with a thick British accent.

“Here, there,” she replied with a shoulder shrug.

Training a finger along her cheekbone, down to her
chin, he leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Let us find a private spot to
better know each other.”

She rubbed against him suggestively. “Sounds like
a wonderful idea.”

“I know just the perfect place.” Allowing the vamp
to place his arm around her shoulders, she smiled at him as he led her into the
woods.

Further they walked, the music grew faint. Suddenly,
he stopped and turned her in his arms. Supreme male satisfaction on his
gloating features made her want to punch him. Instead, she stared at him, appearing
to be enthralled by him.