Chapter 39
Chapter thirty-nine
Tressa
“What in Lilith’s name is she doing?”
When Derrick said Baylin had pinpointed Renata’s location, Tressa assumed they would be going to a house or abandoned building. Something befitting the vicious killer they all believed the rogue to be.
But that wasn’t the case at all. After a brief stop at an adorable cottage that Ethan had disappeared into for a few minutes, they sped over to the spot where Baylin had caught her on camera. The last thing they expected to see was a parking lot leading down to a beach.
And more shocking than that was what they found when they stepped onto the soft sand.
Renata was just sitting by the water’s edge, the waves rolling in and out to gently lap at her toes with each pass. Her arms were wrapped around her knees, and she didn’t so much as flinch when they arrived.
Given her age, there was no way she hadn’t heard them approach. In fact, she might have heard them from miles away for all Tressa knew. So why was she just sitting there acting like another tourist enjoying the sunrise?
“It’s got to be a trap,” Saiden said, his hands ghosting over the daggers in his belt.
“I agree,” Derrick said. “And I don’t like it. There’s the bait, but where’s the hook?”
They all scanned the surrounding area, but as far as they could see, there was nothing but empty sand for miles.
Tressa turned to Ethan. “Is this normal? For the beach to be deserted?”
Ethan scratched the back of his neck and glanced toward the vacant parking lot. “I’m not sure. It is pretty early, so it wouldn’t be packed, but we’re also still in tourist season. For there to not be a single morning jogger or person walking their dog? It’s definitely suspect.”
“Told you,” Saiden said. “Trap.”
“Nobody is arguing with you, Sadie Bear,” Tressa said, patting him on the shoulder.
He let out an annoyed chuff. “Remind me again why you’re here?”
She blinked at him. “Where the fuck else would I be? It’s my mate she’s trying to murder. You think I’m going to go get a damn pedicure and wait for you three to take care of the men’s work?” She snorted. “You know me better than that.”
Saiden chuckled. “I know. But it’s not often I get to be the one teasing you.
” His eyes darted up and down the beach.
“So how do we play this? I didn’t bring my rifle, so long range is out.
And I don’t really want to start tossing grenades on a public beach.
Explaining that to the cops would be hell even with Tressa’s ability. ”
Derrick cracked his neck and rolled his head side to side.
“If you bust out the semi-automatic, we’ll have police swarming us in minutes, and I have more important things to do than sit in a jail cell.
I say we go old school. It’s four against one.
A handful of blades and my fists should get the job done. ”
Tressa opened her mouth to say she was pretty sure Derrick’s hands had far more experience with activities of a less violent nature, but her cousin turned to Ethan before she could get the snarky comment out.
“You any good with a weapon, Ethan?” he asked her mate. “I know we didn’t get past hand-to-hand in your training.”
Ethan gave him a dubious look. “No offense, but of all the things you know about me, what makes you think I’d be good with a weapon?
Besides, I don’t think the few days that you spent dropping me on my ass really counts as training considering the situation.
” He pulled a small green vial from his pocket.
“The best I got is this potion the witch gave to me, and it mostly just smelled like weak tea before she corked it. She wasn’t even clear on what I’m supposed to do with it.
Just told me ‘I would know when the time was right.’ Whatever that means.
” He shoved it back in his pocket and gave them all an apologetic look.
“Okay, then,” Derrick said, pursing his lips as he glanced at Tressa and Ethan. “So we got two, uh, less than skilled fighters, one total badass, and a Saiden. I still think we can take her.”
Saiden glared at Derrick. “You’re the badass in this scenario?
You, who spends more time flirting than fighting?
Riiight.” Saiden rolled his eyes. “Regardless of that highly inaccurate assessment, deciding on a plan isn’t getting us anywhere.
I say we just go in and play it by ear. If she’s got something up her sleeve, we’ll deal with it as we go.
I can guarantee you she knows we’re here, so no point in chatting about it now. ”
“I agree.” The voice floated over on the wind, and they all whipped their heads to the rogue who hadn’t moved from her spot on the beach.
She cocked her head to the side but kept staring out at the ocean.
“There’s something very surreal about listening to a group of people plotting your demise.
And while it was amusing at first, I find that I’ve grown quite bored of it. ”
Slowly, Renata climbed to her feet and brushed sand off her pleated gray pants, still refusing to even look at them.
“Wait,” Ethan sputtered. “She could hear every word we said even over the waves?”
Tressa arched an eyebrow. “Of course. Vampire, remember?”
Ethan threw up his hands. “I mean, I can’t make out much beyond our small circle, what with that loud crashing filling my ears.” He glanced from Tressa to Saiden. “What the hell, man? Why the fuck were we standing here coming up with a plan if she could hear the whole thing?”
“I don’t know about the rest of you,” Saiden said with a grin. “But I was buying us some time.”
Tressa glanced at him warily. “Time for what?”
“To prep this.”
In a single smooth motion, Saiden jerked the pin from the small metal cylinder that appeared in his hand and lobbed it at Renata. It rocketed toward the vampire, gas spewing from the canister. Time slowed to a standstill as they watched it fly through the air, and…
Renata whirled around at the last second and snapped her hand up. Her palm connected with the cylinder and sent it sailing over her head to splash down harmlessly a dozen yards out to sea.
Even from their far distance, Tressa could see the slight frown that stretched Renata’s mouth for a fraction of a second before she fixed a harsh glare on them.
“Seriously?” Derrick said. “Did you really think that would work?”
“Worth a shot,” Saiden grumbled. “Fuck, she’s fast. I thought that would at least throw her off balance. How ancient did Baylin say she was again?”
“I don’t remember, but she’s definitely old enough that I’m debating calling this off until we have reinforcements,” Tressa said.
She knew Ethan wanted the rogue dead, but since rationality seemed to have retaken control of his brain, surely he would see the futility in attacking one whose speed and strength far outweighed any of theirs.
“That was quite rude,” Renata said, and between one blink and the next, she went from the edge of the water to standing only a few feet away from them.
“You’re trying to kill my mate,” Tressa snarled. “And we’re the rude ones?”
Renata sighed. “Do you know the damage that canister and those chemicals will do to the local sea life?”
Four jaws dropped consecutively as they all stared at her.
“That’s what you’re mad about?” Derrick asked, barely able to contain his laughter. “Some fucking fish?”
She clucked her tongue at him. “Don’t be disrespectful. Those creatures suffer enough at the hands of humans. They deserve life just as much as any other living”—she paused—“or non-living being.”
Once Tressa managed to shake off the surprise of Renata’s response, she put her hands on her hips and glared. “Then why the hell are you trying to kill Ethan if you’re so pro-life?”
“I told you. His research could mean the end of all vampires. We cannot allow that to happen.”
“Who’s ‘we?’” Ethan interjected. “So far you’re the only one I’ve met with homicidal tendencies.”
Renata glanced up to the sky as if searching for answers. “She’s not ready to meet you yet. But the day will come. Perhaps sooner rather than later.”
“Why are you doing this?” Tressa demanded. “You never gave us an answer last time. Baylin scoured every file in the Coalition archives searching for your motive, but you’ve never so much as harmed a single human or other vampire. What changed?”
“The world is what changed,” Renata replied, tucking a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “We can no longer hide in the dark as we once did. The humans are becoming… unpredictable. We have a responsibility to maintain balance since they will not.”
“And killing my mate?” Tressa growled. “The one person who means everything to me? That’s what you call balance?”
Renata gave the slightest dip of her head. “I’m afraid so, Loloma.”
“My name is Tressa, bitch,” she gritted out. “Do you hear me? And the only thing getting balanced here is your spleen on my hand.” She stepped forward and folded her arms in what she hoped was an imposing power stance. “If you want Ethan, you go through me.”
“And me,” Saiden added.
“And me,” Derrick chimed in.
“And even if you get through them,” Ethan said, stepping up to Tressa’s side.
“I’ll never go down without a fight. You murdered my best friend.
Drank him dry right in front of me. You think I’m going to believe this bullshit that you’re acting in the benefit of mankind or something?
Fuck that. I saw you. That look in your eyes as he struggled to escape?
You killed him, and you fucking enjoyed it.
So tell yourself whatever lies you want about ‘doing what’s best,’ because when you meet your maker, they’ll know the truth. ”
For the first time, Renata smiled. “Oh, I don’t know about that. Something tells me Lilith isn’t quite so interested in the actions of her children anymore.”
“Then I guess we’ll have to make sure justice finds you anyway,” Derrick declared, cracking his knuckles.
“By all means,” she replied. “You’re welcome to try.”