Chapter 47
Vivian’s Point of View
Rule forty-seven: If a place looks like the setup for a horror movie, maybe don’t enter?
Sin and I follow the redhead down a dark corridor. The walls are lined with bodies grinding up against each other. The lights here are lower, but I swear I see a flash of fangs digging into someone’s neck.
I swallow, suddenly thinking a turtleneck with a scarf would make great sex club attire.
A row of spikes along my collar could also work.
The corridor opens to a large, much darker room, and the atmosphere shifts. Music from the main floor is muted, creating a low, reverberating hum.
The redhead moves through the space, but rather than immediately following, Sin tucks us against a wall. He pretends to trail kisses along my neck, and I tilt my head to give him better access, even as we both keep our eyes on the woman. Whatever heat and tension lingering between us is on pause.
The woman moves between more dancers suspended from the webbed ceiling. Only there’s something incredibly wrong with these dancers. They hang upside down, only a foot off the ground, and their limbs move in eerie, unnatural motions.
White sacks cover their faces, save for two small slits over their nostrils. Their bodies are cocooned in intricate white nets, and through the gaps, I catch glimpses of flesh and blood.
My gut clenches as I realize they aren’t dancing – they’re writhing. Arms and legs press weakly against the silk, lethargically trying to escape.
Horror twists my insides.
Spider sacs.
They’re trapped inside spider sacs.
Clubgoers lounge around the dancers, and ice floods my veins when I catch them feeding on the prisoners. Sharp fangs dig into the exposed flesh, and satisfied moans occasionally pierce the air. The patrons not feeding are staring off into space, and their pupils are blown.
“Spider venom is one of the few things that can get shifters stoned,” Sin explains before I can ask.
“Are the people being fed on willing participants?” I have so many other questions, but this is the most important.
“Morgana had spies look into it, many years ago. The dancers are brought in from the Mortal Realm. None of them want to leave,” he answers, but nothing in his demeanor suggests he thinks they’re here of their own free will.
My lingering concern is shoved aside when I spot a flash of red hair slipping through a back door.
“Let’s go hunting, kitten,” Sin whispers as we move to follow her.
I can’t help but smirk at the anticipation in his tone.
The exit leads to an empty alley, and we shed our masks without a word. Sin’s hand finds mine, and in the next heartbeat, we’re invisible.
“Why didn’t we just do this from the start?” I whisper, frowning.
“Wards. Tampering with them could have triggered alarms. Blending in was easier,” he explains as we start down the narrow space.
Stepping out of the alley, my eyes find our target instantly, even though she’s already a street ahead of us.
We move stealthily, neither of us making a sound as we follow her deeper into the city.
She’s definitely acting shifty, looking around her every few minutes. Like us, she moves in complete silence and sticks to the shadows.
My legs are already tired, but I tell myself it’s just from the orgasm Sin gave me.
We keep up our fast pace, and something drips down my thighs, reminding me that miniskirts are not mission-appropriate wear.
After a few more streets, the woman heads inside what appears to be an old, abandoned church.
My pulse stutters. If this isn’t the setup for a horror movie plot, then I don’t know what is. Still, I don’t say a word as we follow her inside.
At this point, I’m so desperate for answers that my body practically moves of its own accord.
The temperature drops when we step inside the church, and there’s a stillness in the air that sends dread up my spine. It feels like visiting a place where something so horrible happened that even the walls refuse to forget.
Half the roof is missing, allowing only the faintest trail of moonlight to filter in. Through the dim light, I take in the caved-in wall on one side and the pile of broken, grime-coated pews on the other. Our target is already at the back of the room.
Without making a sound, she pulls something from her neck, wrapping it around her wrist before stepping through another doorway. Faint, golden light follows her.
Maybe she has an orb version of a flashlight?
Jealous.
Of course, when we reach the doorway, we find a staircase that leads into the darkness below.
Because why wouldn’t we go into a crumbling church’s basement?
That’s strike two for a horror movie setup.
The basement is more of an ancient catacomb. The air is damp and stale, and moisture seeps through cracks in the stones that line the walls.
I can’t stop myself from wondering – if there are vampire-looking shifters, are there zombies too?
I’d very much prefer to find out from a book.
My rational (panicked) thoughts are cut short when the woman starts opening door after door along the far wall.
I’m pretty sure they house skeletons. She’s turned away from us, but every few seconds she lets out a frustrated-sounding exhale.
Sin and I stay still, soundlessly agreeing to see what she does next. A few seconds later, she opens one of the small doors and mutters ‘finally,’ before reaching inside and pulling out a bright, blue crystal. Her smile is triumphant when she turns back toward us.
Three things happen, all at once. Sin and I become visible, his tattoos pulse, causing glowing red ropes to wrap around her, and finally, my jaw drops.
Something inside of me lurches, and I let out a puff of air.
Are doppelgangers a thing? Because this feels like looking at my own reflection.
But no, she isn’t my exact match. Her face is more heart-shaped, and she has more freckles. Her eyes are a light hazel, and she also has fangs – that helps a lot with the distinction between us.
Sin’s eyes narrow as he also takes in the similarities. Suspicion thickens in the air.
My not-quite-doppelganger struggles against her bindings until she looks up and her eyes meet mine. Something like recognition flashes across her features, and she immediately calms.
Even without any obvious tells, I can see through her facade. It’s almost as easy as reading my own habits. All she did was shove away her fear and anger.
Shaking myself from the initial shock, I take a step toward her, Sin following closely behind.
Ignoring our similarities, I decide to get right to the point. This woman is a Harvester and is probably working for Need. Without meaning to call on the power, silver threads surge, resting just below my skin.
Totally not concerning.
“Where have you and the other Harvesters been taking the spirits?” I keep my voice hard.
The woman raises an unimpressed brow. “I’m not a Harvester.”
I wait a beat for her to expand, but she stays silent. Also, I’m ninety-nine percent sure she’s judging me.
“Then what are you doing with a soul crystal?” I finally press, mimicking her unimpressed look.
She rolls her eyes. “I’m here to break it. I’ve been doing it for years.” Tilting her chin at Sin, she adds, “Go ahead, check that I’m telling the truth.”
Her tone is challenging, and it’s met with another slight pulse from Sin’s tattoos.
“She’s telling the truth,” he admits, pulling back his power to release the woman.
“Then why did the old woman–” I start, but I’m cut short when Sin’s power seeps into cracks in the stone floor beneath us, rather than pulling back into him.
“Fuck,” he exclaims, and the red energy disappears. “Something’s wrong. I can’t access my power at all.”
My eyes widen, and before I even have a chance to consider the ramifications, I reach for my other energy, ready to use their volatile combination to defend us.
“Don’t!” Sin snaps, and fear sharpens his voice. “It might take your power too.”
I want to tell him exactly what I think about his orders, but I glare at the redhead instead.
Her eyes are wide with shock, and she holds her now free hands in front of her in surrender. “It’s not me!”
Just as the words leave her mouth, strange sigils coil to life along the walls, glowing a familiar red. Pink mist starts to flood the room, carrying the scent of decaying roses.
“Run, kitten!” Sin exclaims, just as he falls to his knees.