Chapter 32
MORE TUESDAY
IN WHICH DESSA STARTS A BAD TREND
Dessa woke to find herself lying on the floor of what looked to be a penthouse suite, metal cuffs clamped around her wrists, and another pair connecting the cuffs’ chain to the foot of a bed.
She seriously needed to stop waking up like this.
If this was going to become a habit, they needed to pay her a lot more for overtime.
Rhett jerked and mumbled sporadically from where he was stretched out on the couch, his blanched skin beaded with sweat and soaking his dark hair. Brynn wasn’t anywhere to be seen, and somehow that just made Dessa feel worse.
Noah stepped out from what Dessa assumed was the bathroom and the peppery scent of him flooded the space. “Ah, I see you’re coming around.” He flashed her a smile as he crossed to Rhett and injected him with a syringe. “Don’t worry, Dessa, I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Then why am I here?” Dessa said, her pulse climbing. “Why are any of us here?”
“He’s here for business reasons. Though we usually prefer the recently turned ones, he was getting in the way.” Noah waved a dismissive hand at Rhett, and understanding bolted through Dessa.
That’s why Lexi and Julia had been targets. As paranormals with newly awakened powers, their blood would’ve been more potent, and Noah had used AzRIO to get the information. Guilt swirled with nausea in her belly.
“The paranormal world is ripe for the enterprising entrepreneur to build a brand-new empire,” Noah continued. “Or you know, grow an old one.”
“How long have you been doing this?” Dessa wriggled her hands in her cuffs, but the sharp metal only bit into her wrists.
“It’s always been an idea, but in the last year I was given a rare gift, and opportunities arose.
Kind of nice that A-Springs has so many issues and so little competency, one can just blend into the chaos.
” He rummaged in a duffel bag on the coffee table, much too far away for Dessa to get her hands on his skin and that was assuming she could get her bleary eyes to focus enough to compel him.
“You, though, are a conundrum. I’ve heard enough to know that you Uncannies are creatures of this world as well, and yet no one seems to know what you have to offer.
Whatever it is, I think it’s worth getting it out of you.
After all, I do know a buyer who’s interested in rare abilities. ”
“Rare like your little shadow-walking trick?” Dessa asked.
Noah’s face turned sour, and he grimaced at the black band on his forearm. “You would think so, but no. Though I will make my grandfather see my potential. Just wait.”
“If you’re not good enough, then why do you think I would be?” Maybe if Dessa could enrage him enough to get him closer, she could try to compel him.
“Because I’ve seen how your uncle protects you, downplays you.
” Noah cocked his head. “And as an added bonus, it will annoy Jase, and that’s always fun.
I’d been shadowing the offices even before you got there, but you can’t imagine what a lark it was to watch you run around half-cocked while I sat right on your couch in plain sight.
You all thought you could play with the adults, but you were so pathetic, it was almost painful to watch. ”
Dessa shook her head, subtly leaning into the bedframe at her back. It was heavy but creaked under her weight. “My gift is to make people forget. It’s not that big of a secret. Are you going to let me go now?”
“I don’t think so. Because before I killed Jean Marc, he told me that you surprised him. That you were much stronger than he expected. That sounds like it could be quite useful to me.”
“Ha.” Dessa tried to act casual. “If my gift was so strong, don’t you think I would’ve used it by now?”
“Indeed.” Noah took a knife from his bag and approached Rhett, who now gasped and writhed on the couch as if in pain.
“That’s the other strange thing. Not many have ever witnessed an Uncanny using their power, and that seems a little unfair.
But the good news is, you and I have all the time in the world.
” Rhett jerked, his bloodshot eyes fluttering open, and Noah winked.
“Just let me take care of this, and then you and I can be alone. This time, we don’t have to worry about my dear cousin interrupting us. ”
Rhett awoke, shuddering, and Noah approached him.
“Listen up, Vampire, you’re feeling the withdrawal effects of a newly engineered substance we like to call Sharp Vein.
I know how badly you want it, and if you don’t get your next dose in twenty-four hours, you’ll die.
So you will go out to the location I’ve texted you on this phone, you will harvest the Werewolf’s blood, and then you will deliver it to the second location.
From there on out, your directions come solely from this phone, and if you want to live to see another day, you’ll obey each one.
If you have trouble following directions, I’ll be happy to get you a little obedience sigil to make it easier for you. ”
Rhett foamed at the mouth, twitching so hard, Dessa realized he couldn’t even talk. Though a horrified sympathy rattled through her, so did the realization that in this state, he was also her best bet for trying to compel someone.
Rhett rose as if Noah was pulling his strings, and Dessa called for him. “Wait. If I tell you the Uncannies’ secrets, will you let us go?”
Noah’s eyebrows jumped with interest. “It would certainly help your case.”
“No, I need you to promise to let me go if I show you,” Dessa said.
“Oh, fine, fine, you have a deal,” Noah said, the lie bare on his face. “But only if it’s good.”
“It has to do with Uncanny blood and how it affects Vampires.” Dessa bit her lower lip, feigning reluctance. “It’s…It’s a power amplifier. I guess it might work on Magickers or Werewolves too, but I’ve never seen it done.”
Noah stared at her hard for a minute. “You’re lying.”
Dessa snorted. “If you’re not going to believe anything I say, why ask me for answers?”
“Fine, we’ll put it to the test.” Noah turned to Rhett and wrinkled his nose. “Take a sip from her before you go, and we’ll see how strong Uncanny blood is.”
Dessa forced her face to remain passive as Rhett approached her, sweat still pouring down his face.
He knelt before her and gripped her shoulders, baring his fangs.
Seizing her chance, Dessa looked straight into his clouded eyes and put everything she had into her words.
“Rhett, knock out Noah Kane and set me free.” Though Rhett’s magic was there, it had been muted by the drugs, and her words took root easily.
Rhett paused, the words sinking in, and as he rose, Noah snarled behind him. “What are you doing, you stupid—”
Rhett lunged across the room, and Noah disappeared into the shadows before appearing in the bathroom. “What the hell? You’ll die without me, you idiot.”
Fighting against the drain of magic, Dessa braced her shoulder against the bed and lifted the frame an inch. The cuff slipped free, and she lurched to her feet.
“Sit back down!” Noah roared, appearing in front of her and grabbing her wrists.
Dessa locked her hands on his arms, looking into his eyes. “Tell me where Brynn is.” Noah’s magic fought against her influence, but she willed hers harder—the desperation of lives in the balance surging through her. “Where is she?”
“She’s in an RV next to Lake Windsett.” He reared back in shock, and the pause was enough for Rhett to grab him from behind and sink his fangs into his neck.
Rhett’s pupils blew so wide they blotted out the whites of his eyes, and fear snaked through her.
Bloodlust. Alana’s dark eyes flashed through her mind—Peter’s body ripped apart on the ground—but she willed the memory away.
She wasn’t sure her compulsion would overpower that, and there was a very real chance Rhett would come for her next. Noah dissolved into shadow, only to reappear and stab Rhett with a wooden knife. The Vampire roared in pain, but they continued to grapple, overturning chairs and lamps.
Dessa lunged for the door, but everything was going sideways, and her gelatin legs crumpled under her. She fell to her hands and knees, crawling for the exit. Forcing herself forward, she emerged into an empty hotel corridor.
“Help!” she screamed, but the walls and carpets seemed to absorb her desperate cry. She was about to pass out, and if she collapsed here, either Rhett or Noah would come for her, and neither of those options was going to work out in her favor.
As she lost grip on consciousness, she allowed herself a weak smile.
At least she’d given Rhett a fighting chance, and maybe Brynn too.
Even if she didn’t make it farther than this, she was counting it as at least a partial win.
The elevator at the end of the hall dinged, and hope soared through her.
“Hey!” she shouted. “Please, call enforcement! We need help!”
The elevators opened and none other than Xavier Kane stepped out.
Dessa’s heart plummeted, because the man didn’t look surprised to see her, and she had the worst feeling that she’d just gone from the frying pan into the fire.