Bloodlines and Shadows (Vampires of Blood and Bones #22)

CHAPTER ONE

K ai moved as fast as he could, considering the amount of pain that shot through his body with every step. It was so sharp that he nearly lost consciousness, but he forced himself to hold on; if he blacked out now, he would most assuredly die, and he wasn't ready to die.

The road was dark, which was good, but he had nearly a mile to go to reach the small outbuilding he was using as a base while in this pathetic excuse for a town.

It was a safe place for now, but he'd have to get himself together and get gone soon.

Lights flashed around him, and he quickly ducked into some undergrowth and hid.

They were chasing him. Shit, they must realize he'd been hit.

His standard cloaking spell had never failed in the past, but it didn’t seem to be confusing them as much as he’d expected.

They were hot on his trail, and he needed to shake them and take care of his wound before he lost too much blood.

He could feel the weakness touching him and the lightheadedness blurring his vision.

He pulled the amulet from his pocket and decided to use it.

The power should hide him, but it was something you did not use carelessly.

Its power was dark and left a mark every time it was used, but if he didn't get away, it wouldn't matter because these people would kill him and that would be his end.

The amulet was his only hope, so he began the chant that would release the magic and take him to the outbuilding and hide him in plain sight for a while. The magic was temporary, but it would hold long enough for him to get away... maybe.

Kai crouched down in the bushes and began the chant slow and soft but very clear; it was important that all words were spoken clearly and with proper intent.

He visualized his hideout as he continued chanting, and then suddenly, he was crouched down in the middle of the main room of the tiny outbuilding.

His meager belongings lay out on the one chair, with food and water stacked on the counter behind him.

He was safe, but he was losing consciousness; this was the price; it was sucking his life force.

He pulled out his phone and pressed the contact for Tarek.

He didn't speak because suddenly words were impossible, but he kept the line open until the power was gone.

As he fell into the darkness, he wondered if he would ever wake up again.

***

Cal brought their concerns first to Silas, who commanded the guards of the DuCane Coven, and once Cal explained the situation, Silas arranged for a meeting with Master Louis DuCane. “Bring your beloved Tarek with you.” He told him. “The Master would like to hear the details from him directly.”

"Yes, sir." Cal was hoping to spare Tarek the stress of meeting the Master. Tarek preferred to keep a low profile within the Coven even though he had done nothing to warrant discomfort among the membership, and he was always treated with respect.

Tarek was a Relic Broker and engaged in some business that some among them did not condone or agree with, but that was their problem, not Tarek's.

Since bonding with Cal, a Coven Guard, Tarek only took jobs that met the boundaries of what Coven DuCane deemed appropriate.

He was doing his part to be a member in good standing, and Cal loved him for the effort he put in every day.

Anyone who had an issue with his beloved could go fuck themselves, and Cal had no qualms in telling them so.

They entered the office of Louis DuCane along with Silas, who moved to stand off to the side in an observational stance by the windows. Master DuCane motioned for him and Tarek to sit. Master DuCane remained behind his massive oak desk. No one spoke for at least a minute.

"Silas explained the situation with your brother Kai, but I'd like to hear it from you, Tarek." Cal reached over and took Tarek's hand and held it, giving him the strength and confidence to address the Master.

“Kai and haven’t had contact for a very long time.

” He began. “Things were said relating to my departure from the family business that drove us apart, and that has not been repaired." He needed to lay the foundation so that his worry was understood. “We haven’t spoken in several years. Even before the fallout, Kai was not one to ever ask for help.” He took a deep breath and squeezed Cal’s hand to steady himself before continuing.

He needed them to grasp the urgency and danger that he was feeling for his brother.

"I got a call from Kai's number yesterday.

I could hear wheezing and what sounded like someone falling to the floor, perhaps, and then the phone went dead.

I tried to call back, but I believe his battery was dead or the phone had been turned off.

I need to find him, and I need your help because time may be a factor.

" Tarek fell silent and waited. Master DuCane had listened closely, his face betraying nothing.

"Where did the call come from?"

"Sedona, from an isolated, rundown rental outside of town. He wasn't there, but there was blood on the floor. The officer said it wasn't enough to indicate death, and Kai was an adult." Tarek glanced away, the memory of the officer’s dismissive attitude angering him once again.

"They aren't taking my concern seriously; they think I'm overreacting, and I can assure you that I am not overreacting. If you knew my brother, the way I know my brother, you would understand why I am afraid."

“Has your father heard from him?”

“No, my father is in Egypt, and he hasn’t spoken with Kai for months. They’ve gone their separate ways apparently, but I don’t know the particulars.”

Master DuCane turned his attention to Silas. “Do we have someone in that area?”

"We have someone in Phoenix that's about two hours away from Sedona," Silas responded.

“Who is it?”

"Ramos Carver," Silas said and then added. “It might be a bit of an overkill, but Ramos will take care of the problem.”

Master DuCane nodded, satisfied with the solution. "Get him all the necessary information and have him bring Kai here to me when he is located. I want to meet Kai." Silas left the office, and Cal and Tarek stood.

"Thank you, sir," Cal stated, and he knew that the Master was aware that if they didn't do something, Tarek would ultimately head off to try and find his brother. The thought of his beloved getting in the middle of whatever Kai was involved in tore at Cal.

Ramos Carver was a ghost and a monster on a good day, so there was no doubt as to him locating Kai. He just hoped that Kai could handle himself because Ramos was not one to play games. Cal decided not to share that information with Tarek; his dear beloved had enough to worry about.

***

Ramos received the notice while having dinner at the Westward Inn, a restaurant attached to the motel where he was currently residing.

It wasn't known for its fine foods, but the place was quiet, and the coffee was the best in the area.

No one bothered you at the Westward, and that's how Ramos liked it.

He opened his phone and reviewed the assignment. Kai Azar missing, Sedona, Relic broker. That had him stopping and setting his phone down. He took a long sip of his coffee and ate half his meatloaf dinner before picking the phone back up and continuing the review.

There was nothing good about Relic hunters, and if this Kai Azar was missing, it was likely that he was dead.

Relic hunters were always on the wrong side of society and always setting themselves up for death.

He received a picture of Kai, and for a moment he sat still and studied the picture.

The man looked to be in his upper twenties but still held a very youthful look.

Most Relic hunters he knew did not have a long shelf life, and it showed on their faces within a few years.

Kai had been in the business for over a decade, but he still maintained a healthy glow.

Ramos doubted he would still look healthy or glowing when he found him.

The fact he was missing said all that needed to be said.

Kai crossed the wrong people, and when it came to relics, the people involved were on the low side of ethics and morality.

They did what they had to in order to get what they wanted, and if there was a Relic hunter in the way, they would be promptly removed.

Ramos wrote back to Silas, giving him this same assessment and advising that the brother be warned and prepared for the likely outcome of this search. He then pulled up the picture of the guy once again and just stared.

He was damn handsome with black hair hanging straight and barely brushing his shoulders.

The eyes were striking as they were a deep blue shining brightly against his tan skin.

Ramos did not think about what the man would look like once he located him.

This was a job, and he would do the job; sympathy and concern had no place in his heart or mind.

Ramos finished his dinner, paid the bill, and walked back to his car, all the while keeping his attention on his surroundings.

He'd recently finished a job for Master DuCane that entailed the killing of two warlocks.

They had been connected to the faction that had attempted to set up operations in the Master's backyard.

They'd fled, but Ramos had followed, and now they were of no consequence.

He stayed alert because the magics were like rats and they multiplied in the dark and in the dirt.

He pulled away from the restaurant and headed toward Sedona. He had contacts in Sedona, and perhaps they would have answers about young Kai. The sooner he located the guy, either dead or alive, the sooner he could head home for a few weeks.

He hadn’t been home in quite a while and missed it; he missed the connection, something all vampires require of their Master and their Coven. He would find Kai, and they would head back to Mt. Pleasant; it seemed easy enough.