12. Andrea
12
Andrea
T he muggy air feels like a wet blanket compared to the fresh air in the Forsaken. Azra, Brielle, Torin, and I left immediately after I predicted when this attack would happen.
Azra arranged for us to meet someone well-connected with vampires in New Orleans. I didn’t ask questions. My mind has been stuck replaying those awful images I dreamed of last night.
“I do not miss this hell hole,” Brielle mutters under her breath as we pass the alleyway I was attacked in six months ago. A gruesome chill runs down my spine thinking of that night.
Brielle’s eyes sparked in the diner after the attack. The first time I had ever seen her power seep through that amulet she used to wear to keep it suppressed.
I stay silent for the rest of our walk down Bourbon street. That is until we turn the corner to a bar that I’m sure I’ve been too due to the sense of déjà vu that has consumed me.
The Red Sip
I read the sign in mind before Azra flashes his glowing eyes to the two guards out front. The men, tall and large enough to cover the entire red door while standing shoulder to shoulder, move simultaneously out of the way for us to walk in. They don’t even glance down at me and Brielle. Their eyes are glazed over like they are in a trance of some kind. Torin is behind us watching our surroundings, his dark gray wings nowhere in sight.
Brielle mentioned that Azra chooses to conceal his more often than his brothers, but they are quite the sight. I haven’t seen his other brother since his taunts in the woods. Ash’s words still haunt me.
You don’t think your dreams of me are an innocent coincidence, do you?
I stayed awake for as long as I could, running that sentence over and over in my brain. When my eyes finally shut, I was met with those baby blue eyes and shadowy tendrils in my dreams. Another shiver runs down my spine, but not only from my thoughts of Ash. It is freezing in here.
There are no windows in this bar. The only things illuminating our walkway are a few candles on sconces. I have been here before… Exactly six months ago. This is the bar Brielle and I were in when we met the men that attacked us. My stomach turns. I can tell by Brielle’s hesitant body language that she recognizes this place, too.
The bar we could never remember the name of…
Azra seems to know exactly where he’s going as we head into a back room and through what appears to be a freezer door. Darkness consumes my senses as we walk blindly down a set of stairs. I hold on to the bottom of Brielle’s leather jacket until a warm glowing light appears at the bottom of the stairwell.
“Well, well, well. Welcome, my old friend.” A dark accented voice bounces off the stone walls surrounding us. We are completely underground now. There are no other words to describe this area other than modern and lavish. There are black leather couches placed at varying spots around the open area. A bar is in the right corner serviced by a beautiful brunette with that same glazed stare as the guards. Animal skin rugs are strewn about that I have no doubt are real, and absolutely no sunlight. “I see you have brought the huntress with you.”
Brielle’s hands tighten into fist against her side, I know being here goes against her instincts. This is why Azra wanted her to stay home. He warned us it would be a vampire that could offer us answers. After taking in the various types of people in here, I realize not all of them are vampires and the ones that aren’t all have the same look in their eyes.
“Kairus, it is almost never a pleasure.” Azra mocks a bow. The male at the other end of the open area stands fully from the human slouched on the leather couch. The fireplace roaring behind him makes it hard to see his features as his white cloth turned red from wiping around his mouth.
His attire is one of any other resident here in New Orleans, a cream henley shirt with dark-washed jeans and layered necklaces around his neck. He’s a few inches shorter than Azra. His skin is smooth and deep brown, glistening under the soft warm lights on the walls and overhead as he approaches us. His curly black hair is clipped short on the sides and faded down. The top is longer and well-groomed. The darkest brown eyes I have ever seen take Brielle and me in. I sense Torin step closer behind me.
Torin hasn’t been around much in the nearly three weeks I’ve been in the Forsaken, but every time we train with him, I trust him more. No matter how much he randomly scoffs at my presence there. I think it’s his way of picking at me like an annoying older brother.
“Now Azra, you can’t tell me you don’t miss our time together, rummaging around in the streets, plucking humans from their homes just to watch me drain them.” Kairus’s eyebrow flicks up before sipping the thick red liquid from the glass the brunette bartender ran to him.
Blood from his glass. That is more human blood. My breakfast rises from my weak stomach. Brielle, as if hearing my gut physically flip, reaches behind her and rubs her thumb on my hand I hadn’t realized was still clutching her jacket.
The vampire stalks closer, grinning as he takes in Brielle before him. “My damned, you look just like your father. Native American genes run strong .”
Brielle goes rigid, my insides curl, and I let go of her hand. I step away until my back hits the solid wall of muscle behind me. The added heat from Torin’s body nearly suffocates me along with the tension here. Brielle has never seen her father. All she knows are the stories she was told about him. She never forgave her mom for burning all the photos of him in the midst of her grief right after his death, two months before Brielle was born.
“What did you say?” I don’t have to be in front of Brielle to know the pure rage on her face is enough to scare any large animal away. Or creature.
“Oh, I knew both your mommy and your daddy. Actually, I knew your entire lineage before they all met their untimely death. My condolences.” Kairus places a beautifully deep chocolate hand on his chest in an attempt to seem sincere, but the grin on his face says otherwise. Now that he is closer, I can see the slight veil of gray tint lying on top of his skin. Like he is freshly dead, no longer than an hour, but I know he is much, much older than that. “Though, I wish I could have met you before Azra had his way with you.” Fangs click down, his tongue running over them.
Brielle is seething, her knuckles as white as the other dead creatures she is used to taunting her. Words don’t have a chance to leave her lips before a blur of black mist moves before her, sending Kairus flying into the air.
My heart is beating rapidly against my ribcage. Azra stands in front of Brielle, obsidian wings flared as his glowing glacier blue eyes look at Kairus that is now embedded in the stone of the wall to the right.
“There’s the Azra I remember. I thought you had gone soft on me.” The vampire grunts, pushing himself out of the hole his body made. His feet hit the ground silently, like a feline approaching its prey. His cream shirt is still pristine even after being thrown.
“That was a long time ago Kai, we are here for some information. If you even glance at her again, I will put an end to your arduous existence before your next blink. Do you understand me?” I don’t know what Azra is telling Brielle using their mental connection, but her shoulder visibly relaxes. Only a tiny bit as Kai’s jaw ticks while he nods.
Azra follows Kai’s gesture for us all to move toward the large table in a side room. The latter rolls the ache of flying into a wall out of his shoulders. Torin remains standing, but Brielle and I take a seat next to one another, Kai at the head of the table.
“Anything for my oldest pal.” His ringed fingers motioned the bartender to, I assume, pour him more blood, before leaning back into his chair.
“I’ve been tipped off that there will be an attack in Crowlyn tomorrow night. I wanted to know if you have heard any commotion concerning this event.” Kai’s brows twitch at Azra’s question. The only indication he didn’t know this would happen. My heart races.
“I haven’t heard anything about it. May I ask who gave this tip ?” Kai asks. Azra looks at Brielle, who stares back at him, unmoving. Azra nods slightly, like she would have ordered him not to say anything.
I know Brielle is trying to protect me, but I need to protect my parents. I need to make sure no harm comes to them. I don’t care if people question my stupid dreams.
“I did.” Brielle’s head snaps to me, but I stare into the ancient dark brown eyes at the end of the table. “I had a dream about this attack.” I raise my chin slightly, willing my body to stop trembling beneath Kai’s stare.
“No offense, Azra, but on what grounds does a dream mean reality?” Kai’s eyes stay on mine, searching for something just as Ash was that day we met. I don’t know what they could be searching for.
“She’s had these dreams since she was a child. Some come true. We don’t know much more, but we aren’t going to take a risk in losing innocent lives if this attack does happen.” Brielle’s jaw ticks, but Kai’s eyes don’t glance her way at all.
“Interesting. I’m sure you taste delightful. Most psychics do.” Kai’s fangs click down and glisten, his smile growing wider. The room is dead silent. The weight of anticipation is heavy in the air as the word psychic bounces around.
“Kairus.” Azra’s voice lowers in a warning tone as he watches the vampire intensely.
“Disgusting,” Brielle scoffs under her breath. Kai erupts in laughter, his head falling back as he clutches his chest.
“Ohh, I like her.” A sinister grin forms on his beautifully dark face. Though he is still not daring to glance her way. A shiver rolls down my spine at the thought that such an ancient creature is afraid of Azra. I know I should fear these creatures, but they are of such otherworldly beauty, it’s hard not to stare, to be intrigued. “Jess.” A beautiful blonde walks into the room immediately after Kai calls her. A scowl contorts her face as she beholds Brielle still staring viciously at Kai. “Retrieve the witch and bring her to me, please.” The blonde’s lip curls in disgust before looking Brielle over once more and walking out.
Witch…
I mean, am I really surprised such things exist in a world where I’m sitting at a table that a vampire, a fallen angel, and a nephilim occupy?
Only a few minutes pass before we hear the commotion from the stairwell we came down. Seconds later, the blonde returns, her hand wrapped tight around the arm of what seems to be a human. No otherworldly beauty, but breathtaking in her minor flaws like humans have.
The witch’s pale, freckled skin is flushed as she yanks her arm away from Jess. She pushes her fiery red hair out of her face from the struggle she obviously put up. Wide brown eyes, shaped with black winged eyeliner, take all of us in at the table. When they meet Kai, a grimace takes over her sharp features. Not fear, only a true annoyed expression. Torin shifts behind me. My eyes draw to his, but they are glued on the red head in front of us.
“What do you want?” No fangs are visible when she speaks, her white t-shirt raising to show off a sliver of pale skin and beauty marks when crossing her arms. She’s slightly taller than Brielle and I and she’s slim. Her boyfriend style jeans are held up with a black belt.
“A pleasure to see you, Salem.” A sarcastic smile pulls at the vampire’s stunning features. “Our guest here said she has dreams that come true. Do what you do and trace her lineage—find out if she is worth my time.” Kai now looks over his nails, unbothered by my sense of urgency to save my parents. I allow my nostrils to flare slightly to let out some of this rumbling anxiety building in my chest.
What does she do that could track my lineage? Maybe she isn’t human like I assumed. I have never had a desire to search for my biological family. I have all that I could ever need or want because of my parents. I didn’t care one bit when they told me at seven that I was adopted. Part of that is because I already knew from my dreams.
“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Brielle stands when the redhead approaches the table and sits across from me.
I grab Brielle’s hand and look up at her. “It’s okay, if this is what we need to do, then I’m fine with it. My parents could be in danger.” My voice unwillingly cracks with those last few words. Thankfully, Brielle sits back down but never takes her eyes off the girl sitting in front of me now, reaching her hands out for me to take.
My eyes dart to the familiar pairs around the room before I place my hands in Salem’s. There is only silence at first after she closes her eyes. My hands begin to feel clammy clutched in these strangers. Salem’s brows pinch. Her eyes remain closed when she clears her throat and rolls her neck.
Another few silent seconds passed and I can sense everyone holding their breath around us, including me. The tiniest tingle brushes my palms and Salem’s eyes flick open wide, her gasp piercing through the silence. Her chair falls over as she backs away as fast as she can, her delicate chest now heaving up and down.
“What? What is it? What did you see?” Kai demands. Everyone standing now but me. Confusion in Brielle and Azra’s face matches mine.
“She’s telling the truth,” Salem answers in a clipped tone.
“What of her lineage? I asked where she comes from as well, Salem.” Kai storms to the redhead that is still pressed against the wall, staring at me in horror. A deep, dark pit swirls in my core. Kai grabs her biceps and forces her to look at him. “What did you see?”
“Let her go!” Brielle yells across the room to the vampire but he doesn’t listen, he only grips harder until Salem answers him. Azra is now shielding us from everyone else in the room, just in case.
“Nothing,” she forces out through gritted teeth. Defiance in her stare I’m used to seeing with Brielle. “I saw nothing but her dream and it was gruesome. It’s a vision and it will come true. That’s what you needed from me. Now let me go.” I don’t miss the twinkle of fear in her amber eyes as she tries to free her arms from Kai’s grip.
A deep annoyed growl leaves Kai’s throat before shoving her to the ground outside of the room we are in. Salem lands on her ass and glares up at the vampire with such disgust. The blonde, Jess, appears again and reaches to grab Salem’s arm, but Salem moves before she can grip it.
“I can stand up on my own,” Salem growls as she rises. Jess only smirks before grabbing Salem’s biceps with a deathly grip I know will bruise and pulls her out of our sight.
“I’ll deal with her later.” Kai turns to us, cracking his neck and strolling back to his seat at the edge of the table. “I’ll send a small legion of vampires to watch over the place of attack. If any of them perish from your trigger-happy female, our ties will be cut.” He peers at Azra through his furrowed brows. My body is left frozen from the chills rippling one after the other. My chest is tightening to the point where it's difficult to breathe.
“Deal.” This is all I hear before a dark cool wind circles around me and the world becomes a blur.