Scorned by Venom (Argentium Vampire Hunters Trilogy #2)

25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Sage

We got to the hotel around three am last night. Ravage grabbed some food for us, and we chowed down while going over the plans once more. Lyric and Winnie crashed in my room. Lynx slept in the bed with me. Marcus and Zeke took the other room, and I don’t think Ravage ever went to bed. My emotions were so high, I’d barely slept a wink myself.

Now, the fear of dying lingered in the air before I even had my coffee.

The mission we’d been preparing for had finally arrived, but strangely, I felt completely unprepared. A small bit of worry mixed with a high dose of anticipation tickled my nervous stomach as I sat on my hotel bed, listening to Ravage go over the plans one last time before we left.

He stood in the middle of my room, cracking his knuckles. “I’m going to explain the rules again. If anyone finds Luka, you feed him a blood bag, but only for thirty seconds at a time. And whatever you do, don’t let him feed from you. If he’s been starved into submission, which I’m sure he has, then he won’t be able to stop. He’ll drain you completely dry.”

As I wondered why Strike hadn’t been mentioned, Ravage’s eyes locked onto me, and I instinctively recoiled from his penetrating stare.

“You hear me, Sage? You can’t let him feed from you. Once his fangs pierce you, you’ll be useless, and he’ll drink until you die.”

Everyone in the room glared at me as if I had fire shooting out of my asshole or something.

Erik leaned against the wall, his face telling me to just agree.

Zeke sat in the only chair in the room, his fingers laced together, pressed under his chin, his expression unreadable.

Lynx’s forehead wrinkled, a look of concern on her face.

Winnie dropped one knee to the beige carpet, his eyes conveying he wouldn’t believe me even if I did say yes. And he was correct. If my only option was using my blood to save Luka, I’d happily die.

Marcus crossed his arms, leaning back in a relaxed way. “Sagelynn, answer Ravage.”

I kneaded my knuckles into the top of my thighs and Lyric laid her hand on top of one stopping me. The gentle touch assured me I could do this.

Taking a cleansing breath, I nodded. “I understand. If I feed him, I die.”

“What about Strike? Do the same rules apply?” Lyric asked, her questions mirroring my previous thoughts.

Ravage’s eyes shifted toward Winnie, indicating he had some undisclosed information.

“Just tell us, Pooh Bear.”

Winnie rotated the plugs in his gauged ears, something I noticed he did when nervous. “No one can tell my sister because she’d kill us, but I went through every Venom file I obtained and Strike wasn’t on the list. I even checked under his real name, Daniel Draven.”

The news hit me with an overwhelming force. I tightened my fist and pressed it to my lips, my heart fluttering in my chest.

Vivi had convinced herself that we would safely rescue her man, but now the probability of that happening was very slim, and it pained me knowing she’d have to continue with her suffering.

As I wondered why Winnie hadn’t disclosed this information to her, I suddenly realized the answer. The prolonged separation from Strike had an intense, emotional impact on Vivi and was the main reason Winnie and Ravage didn’t want her doing this mission. Without hesitation, she would set fire to VRC or do anything else she deemed necessary to locate Strike.

And I didn’t blame her. If they had said I couldn’t come, I would have stolen another motorcycle and been waiting at the hotel when they arrived.

Winnie passed out small earbuds for communication, then dug into a black duffle bag. He pulled out a handful of badges, and only handed them to the humans. “These will get you past security. Remember not to use anyone’s real name while we’re in there.”

He handed me mine and I clipped it on my black T-shirt. “Where did you get these?”

“I picked them up from Naomi yesterday,” Ravage stated, a huge grin engulfing his face. “When Winnie described what she looked like, he’d forgotten to mention how sexy she was. And tall. I’m six five and it’s rare to stand next to a woman only a few inches shorter. Made me want to rip her clothes off.”

“Maybe her head, but not her clothes,” Winnie said, eyeing Ravage.

“I don’t think she’s a threat to us, son. But if she is, we’ll know. The truth always reveals itself.” Ravage glanced at his vintage silver watch and I immediately wondered how old it was . . . and how old he was. “Get armed. We’re leaving in twenty minutes.”

After he left the hotel room, I moseyed over to the other bed lined with guns, picked up my Beretta, and slid it into the holster hanging from my hip. I was used to back carrying so I hated it, but it was how normal Venom guards carried, and since I was pretending to be one today, I’d have to play the part.

In an attempt to conceal my identity, I had already pulled my hair back tightly into a small bun at the nape of my neck and donned a breton cap, which was one of the few approved hats for Venom society members.

I tucked my black T-shirt into my black Venom-issued tactical pants before sliding on the matching jacket. “Where did you get all this stuff, Pooh Bear?”

“Also, Naomi.”

I furrowed my brows. Naomi is being awful helpful.

“You and Erik were lucky to be a part of the field crew,” Lyric said, racking her gun and sliding it into her holster. “You guys could wear whatever you wanted to blend in with civilians and we had to dress like this every day.”

Winnie pulled Lyric close to him. “I think it’s sexy, mama. You’re like an adorable Rambo.”

Lyric squished up her nose and I laughed. “I’m going to see if it’s still raining. I’ll meet you guys outside.”

When I went to leave the room, Marcus stepped in front of me, placing his hands on my shoulders and leaning into my face. “You can do this. I have faith in you.” He pulled me into a hug and whispered, “I love you, Sagelynn.”

“I love you, too.”

He let go and moved to the side, opening the door for me. I left the hotel room, my mind flooding with the lies I told as I took the elevator down.

Well, I guess they weren’t technically lies. I only said I understood Luka would kill me if I fed him, not that I wouldn’t do it.

Upon entering the lobby, a heaviness settled in my chest, a foreboding sensation growing in the core of my being. Although I knew how strong and trained my friends were, there was a trickle of fear warning me something horrible was going to happen. I wasn’t sure if it was from my anxiety or because I had supposed witch abilities. If I did, now would be a good time for them to kick in.

Outside, I found Ravage under the hotel awning, leaning against the building, smoking a cigarette. “I think those things have a surgeon general warning. A man of your age should know better.”

He tipped his chin toward me, sporting a fanged smile. “Your sarcasm must be the reason my boy fell so hard for you.”

A thunderstorm had rolled through, chilling the air, so I zipped my jacket closed. “And here I thought it was because I tried to kill him.”

He took a long drag, pursed his lips, and blew it out on a nod. “I see you know a quick way into a man’s heart. With and without a stake.”

I smiled before letting my thoughts take over. “Vivi and Peach said that I knew Luka was alive because of the pulling. Do you think I can use that to help find Luka?”

“It doesn’t work like that. Vivi spent months attempting to use it to find Strike. You have to get really close before it alerts you. It’s weird and extremely unreliable.” His eyes hollowed, his expression turning grave as he dropped the cigarette to the ground, extinguishing it under the toe of his large black boot. “You do know there’s a good chance Luka won’t be the same person he was when he went in there.”

I crossed my arms and leaned against the building, kicking my foot back and pressing it against the wall. “I do, and I’m ready for it.”

“Caging a man like that, well, it’ll completely change him. He may be callous. Completely emotionless.” Ravage shook his head, almost as if he knew exactly what Luka was going through. “Shit, the little bastard might fool us all and come out completely unfazed.”

I giggled. “One could only hope.”

He ran his hand along his thick, dark beard and there was a sparkle of fear in his eyes. The kind of fear that only comes when you truly love someone. “His changes may affect his ability to love you the way you deserve.”

I nodded, turning my attention to the flickering lamp post in the parking lot, the drizzling rain dancing under the glow of the light. Typically, I loved thunderstorms, but this particular one seemed orchestrated to slow our progress. “I know. And it’s something I’ll have to deal with.”

“I hope you also understand that if it does happen, you deserve what’s best for you, even if it means letting him go. It’s okay to move on and live your human life knowing there was nothing you could have done.”

I swallowed down my uneasiness, tilting my head toward him. “I don’t think I can do that.”

“You owe it to yourself to at least try. The only one you should be living for is yourself. Everyone else in your life is just a bonus.”

Ravage looked away and I stared at his side profile, realizing he’d been through something similar in his life, but he was the one who had to leave. It may have been a long time ago, but the pain he had endured stayed with him like a birthmark. It would never be buried, clinging on like a reminder of his failures.

Something I was very familiar with.

He glanced at his watch and let out a long sigh. “It’s time to go.”

“How did you do it? How did you leave?” I asked, and he locked his dark eyes on me.

“You’re an exceptionally perceptive girl. It must be the witch’s blood running through your veins.” He walked past me, heading toward the van.

“That doesn’t answer my question, Ravage.”

He stopped, letting out a hard sigh. “Moving on was never an option for me. I chose to remove myself from the situation. That’s all.” He glanced over his shoulder, his gaze on me. “I know you’re strong enough to do the same if you have to.” Without another word, he hopped in the driver’s seat of the van.

I squeezed my eyes shut and clenched my lips to prevent them from trembling.

Though I was never one to stay in an abusive relationship, if Luka had transformed into a different person, a heartless one, I doubted my ability to leave him.

The hotel door opened and my friends came out, and as I watched each one head toward our vehicles, I once again prayed to whoever was listening to keep watch over them.

If anyone has to die, please take me.

Lyric stopped next to my Jeep and waved me over. “Come on, Sagelynn.”

I pushed whatever fears I’d carried with me like unnecessary baggage aside, took a deep breath, and headed to meet the witches.

And hopefully rescue my man.