Chapter Nine
M ax woke suddenly, his heart racing in his chest, confused for a few seconds until he realized where he was. Rex stirred next to him, mumbling, “What’s that noise?”
That was what had woken him. Max got up and checked the alarm, noticing it was one of their external alarms that had been activated. “Movement on our perimeter.”
Rex stared at him, then threw back the covers and quickly came to stand next to him. “Animal?”
It had happened in the past, where an animal had triggered an alarm and Max was about to agree when a second alarm beeped. “I don’t think so,” he murmured slowly. “Two now.”
“I can see. What are the cameras showing?”
Max grabbed the tablet they had set up for their alarm and quickly checked the live footage. Nothing showed up so he went backwards through the feed until he found what he was looking for. A vampire teleporting in.
“Shit.”
“Yours?” Rex was already moving, pulling on sweats and a hoodie, then shoving his feet into some sneakers.
“Yep. Two, and armed.” His breath caught when he heard the faint sound of movement in the living area, approaching the bedroom door. Movement outside the bedroom. Rex stopped moving, staring at the handle that was moving slowly. Max glanced over at Rex, who was across the room from him. Too far. Go. Rex nodded and opened the window, slipping outside. He would take care of the vampire, catch up with Rex, and teleport them to safety.
Max pulled his sweats on, crept to the door, and grabbed the hand of the vampire as it appeared through the door, knocking the gun from his hand. A quick punch to the throat stopped the male shouting and Max finished him off with a kick to the head. He paused, quickly going over his options, then picked up the gun and shot the vampire in the head where he lay on the floor. Fortunately, the gun had a muffler on so there was no sound, but it didn’t change how Max felt about taking a life.
He swallowed hard, the food and wine he’d had earlier threatening to make a reappearance, and he breathed through his mouth until his stomach settled. Once he felt better, he reached out to Rex.
Where are you?
Running through the trees toward the trail. The ones where the bushes are.
Max knew roughly where he was, and quickly and teleported there, pausing to listen. Hearing the sound of running, Max took off in that direction, cursing himself for not spending more time outside so he could learn the layout and teleport directly to Rex. I’m coming.
I hear movement to my left. Is that you?
Max concentrated on his surroundings and the sound of running. No. I’m directly behind you.
Shit.
Don’t stop. Keep running. I’ll be there soon.
Max ran faster, ignoring the branches that slapped at his face as he passed them. He stumbled several times, managing to stay up. His heart hammered in his chest, the thought that he wouldn’t get to Rex in time making him push forward. Rex had no chance against a vampire in hand-to-hand combat. If it was one of Maxim’s men, then Max would struggle as well. He might have grown up learning how to fight and kill, but some of the vampires in Maxim’s inner echelon had been fighting for decades. Max was only eighteen.
Additional sounds reached him, and Max realized there was more than one vampire out there tracking them. Gritting his teeth, Max pumped his arms and legs, putting on a burst of speed. He had to get to Rex. Two vampires would tear him apart.
Max!
I’m almost there. Keep running. Don’t stop no matter what you see or hear. You have to get out of here.
Max flew through the air, hitting a tree and falling to the ground. He immediately jumped up and faced off the vampire stood in front of him. Chuck. One of Maxim’s best.
“Max. What are you doing here? Intel told us the kid would be here.”
“Intel? What intel?”
Chuck lifted his head, his nostrils flaring, scenting the air. “Why do you smell like a human?”
Thinking fast, Max muttered, “He’s Peter’s son and gay. I made a pass at him.”
“You slept with him.”
Max gagged. “Don’t be stupid. Of course I didn’t, but I had to make it look like I’m interested. I have an in with them now. I can get all the information we need, and you turned up and ruined it.”
“You let him touch you?” Chuck pulled a gun out from the back of his jeans. “You know how Maxim feels about gays.”
“If it gets us Peter and Minho, I’ll do whatever is necessary and so should you. How do you think Maxim will feel when he knows I can access them both anytime I want?”
“Minho will know you’re a vampire.”
“Not if he doesn’t meet me, he won’t. I’ll stay out of his way until we’re ready to grab him.”
Chuck held the gun down by his side, watching Max. Max knew he was contemplating what he was saying, but he also knew he had to kill Chuck now. If he went back to Maxim and said the wrong thing, he and Rex would have a hit out on them. Maxim wouldn’t give a fuck if Max was his son or not.
“I need to find the human. I’ve spent all night working on him.” Max turned sideways, moving his hand to his back where he’d shoved the gun. “He’s out to the whole family and Minho.”
Chuck nodded slowly, then grinned. Max dived to the side, the bullet barely missing him. He rolled, pulled his gun out and pointed where Chuck had been. He wasn’t there. Max spun in a circle; gun held out in front of him. He stopped when he saw nothing and listened instead. Breathing. Off to his right.
Just as he moved in that direction, a blur of movement burst out from the shadows, catching Max and throwing him several feet away. He landed heavily, breath knocked out of him, and he lifted his head, seeing Chuck launch himself at him, covering the distance between them with one jump. Max rolled to the side and fired his gun. He’d been taught early on never to let go of his weapon. The pain he’d endured made sure that message had been drilled into him.
The bullet grazed Chuck’s side and he crouched in front of him, grinning. “I’m going to enjoy hurting you.”
“You can try.” Where are you?
Up a tree. He hasn’t found me yet. He knows I’m here, but I couldn’t get away.
Do you have your phone? Can you switch GPS on?
I will. Where are you?
Fighting Chuck.
“Maxim never let me at you.”
“He knew you’d do more than beat me up.”
“Maybe. But now, he isn’t here to protect you.”
“I don’t need him to. I can protect myself.”
Chuck didn’t stop grinning as he moved closer. “Hmm. So young. I used to be like you until someone taught me a lesson.”
“Like the one you’re going to teach me?”
Chuck threw dirt at Max, and he involuntarily moved his head out of the way. He realized his mistake as soon as he’d made it, and Chuck took full advantage. Max took the full brunt of his frontal assault. Several punches to his face had him on the floor, arms held up to protect himself from further blows. He constantly moved his body until he could get a leg between them and got his bare foot flat on Chuck’s chest and pushed, throwing Chuck off him.
He flipped back onto his feet and kicked Chuck in the head who was in the process of standing. Chuck grunted, flying to the side and Max took advantage. He fired at Chuck, who teleported away. Crouching, Max listened, hearing nothing.
Rex.
I’m fine. He hasn’t found me yet.
Max sprang up, sprinting in the direction he knew Rex was, hoping to draw Chuck out. The plan worked and he had a split second to react when Chuck teleported in front of him. He threw his arms up just as he slammed into Chuck, knocking them both to the ground, and they rolled over and over, fighting for Max’s gun.
Max took multiple blows and landed several of his own, but he knew he was losing the fight. Chuck had the experience and took full advantage of it, landing more blows than Max. He was in trouble, and he had to find a way to kill Chuck.
Glancing around, he located a spot then pushed Chuck up and teleported as soon as there was no contact between them. He appeared a couple of feet in front and heard the growl from Chuck. Lifting his gun, he shot at Chuck, watching him stumble forward. He lifted his hand to the left side of his chest, held it before pulling it away and staring at the blood on his fingers.
“You stupid fuck. You think this will stop me?”
Max fired again, watching Chuck jerk to the side. He wobbled on his feet, glaring at Max, his eyes glowing so much they were like twin lights in the dark. If Chuck got his hands on Max, he was as good as dead. Why hadn’t two bullets put him on his ass?
Chuck staggered forward and Max fired again, hitting him in the middle of his chest. Chuck gasped then made a strange gargling sound and dropped to his knees. He continued to glare at Max as he tried to move closer. Max kept the gun raised but didn’t think he needed it.
When Chuck fell forward, Max held his breath, watching for any movement. He noticed something sticking out from the back of Chuck’s jeans and realized it was a knife. Walking over, he pulled it free, and knelt on one knee next to Chuck. Lifting his head of the ground, he slit Chuck’s throat and let go of his head.
Now that Chuck had been dealt with, he had to find Rex and the vampire tracking him.
Standing, Max concentrated and teleported closer to where he thought Rex was. He didn’t move when he appeared but stopped and listened. Rex. He could scent him on the air. He’d run through this area. Scenting the air a few more times, Max turned to the right and moved slowly. His bare feet were cut and bruised, protesting every step he made, but he ignored them. His bare back, chest and arms, were covered in scratches, some bleeding, but he ignored those as well. All that mattered was getting to Rex.
A twig snapping had Max freezing on the spot, and he turned in the direction the sound appeared to have come from. Rex.
I heard it. On my left.
On my right. I’m moving to you now.
Be careful.
Max moved cautiously, making sure each step he made produced no sound. Clothing rustling had him pausing again. The sound was closer now and he wasn’t certain if he was tracking the vampire or if the vampire was tracking him.
Do you still hear movement?
Yeah. Closer too.
Max furrowed his brow. Were there two more vampires in the woods with them? Do you have a weapon of any kind?
What is it?
I think we have two more in the woods with us.
Shit. I picked up a heavy branch. That’s all I have. I should have picked up the gun.
Doesn’t matter now. Whatever comes at you, hit.
More rustling and he darted toward it, going as fast but as quietly as he could. He burst from behind a tree and grabbed the vampire, spinning as he did and throwing him across a small clearing. The vampire landed on the ground and immediately jumped up, hissing at Max. Fuck. Another one from the inner echelon.
“Max. What are you doing here?”
“Tracking the human.”
“Dressed like that?”
He went with the story he’d told Chuck. “He’s Peter’s son. Gay. I used that to my advantage.”
Keef nodded. “Good. I’m not so close-minded as the others. If sex works to our advantage, we should use it.”
Max!
A scream echoed through the woods and Keef laughed. “Looks like we found him.”