Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
An already crappy situation took a sharp turn and somehow managed to get worse. My brand-new vampire butt against a veritable Queen of Fangs? I was so fucked.
“I’m sorry if I’ve done something to offend you. I assure you that wasn’t my intention.” I tried to diffuse the situation.
“Technically, you’ve done nothing, but Cillian…” Her lips pinched. “Damnable man is constantly vexing me. He should have known better than to push me too far. Oh well, guess he paid the price.”
The realization hit me and I blurted, “You had Cillian killed.”
“As if I had any other choice with how rudely he behaved at my party. The nerve of him, embarrassing me in front of my guests, not to mention the insult of daring to show up with his new uncouth and inelegant protégé.” Sophia stated with a moue of distaste. “His demise was long overdue.”
“That hardly seems reason enough to have Cillian murdered.”
“Which goes to show how little you know. In our society, you can’t appear as weak.”
“In that case, you failed, because from where I’m lying, it just seems like petty revenge against a former lover.”
“And so what if it was? Retribution was long overdue, given what he did,” Sophia spat, revealing the real reason behind her vindictive plotting.
“Holy woman scorned. You mean to say you did all this because you’re pissed he dumped you and hooked up with someone else?” I exclaimed. “You broke up ages ago.”
“He purposely flaunted you in front of me,” Sophia seethed.
I could have corrected her because he’d ditched me practically the moment we arrived at her party, however, I needed to defuse not set off her volatile temper. “He only brought me to make you jealous.” I had no idea what Cillian had been thinking, but I’d say anything to try to calm Sophia down.
“Well, it worked,” snarled Sophia. “A little too well, seeing as I finally decided to end his miserable existence. With him gone, I can officially become Cryptid Overseer of the city—”
I interrupted. “Given how rich and old you are, doesn’t that already make you the Vampire Queen for the area?”
“No.” A single bit off syllable. “Cillian was already well established in the top position when I relocated to the area.”
Cillian was the big boss for the city? Something he neglected to mention. “You moved here to reconnect with him but he wasn’t interested.” I spoke my assessment aloud.
Bad idea.
I never saw the hand that flashed out to grab me by the throat, but I felt it as it squeezed tight and lifted me from the floor.
Sophia’s expression turned ugly as she growled, “Cillian, being a stubborn and prideful man, chose to ignore my forgiveness, and taunted me by playing aloof, but he would have eventually returned to my bed.”
Doubtful. I began to see why they broke up.
Luckily, I couldn’t speak that most likely life-ending realization.
Sophia’s tightening fist crushed my throat and I had to wonder how much more pressure it would take before my head popped off like a dandelion.
Remember that kid’s rhyme? Only in my case, it would be Vampire bitch got jealous and popped her rival’s head off.
“What I’m struggling with is, why you?” Sophia’s lip curled.
“I researched you once I knew you existed. What a pathetic human life you led. How ugly you aged. Nothing special and yet, despite all the much more suitable and beautiful women to have crossed his path over the years, he chose you. I have to wonder if he had a mental lapse.”
“My mind is perfectly fine, it just so happens I am able to look past the physical to the spirit,” said a male voice.
It couldn’t be…
“Cillian?” Sophia’s shock answered the question.
“Surprise to see me?” From the shadows formed by the stacks of crates, my maker stepped into view looking handsome as ever—and angry. Holy thunderclouds. His expression could have been carved from granite.
“You’re supposed to be dead,” Sophia snapped.
“I’ll admit, you almost got me with that bomb. If I’d not stopped to run an errand, the explosion might have killed me. As it is, some of the shrapnel injured Randy, since he was waiting for me outside the business I visited when the car exploded.”
“I should have never trusted those idiots to handle your demise. I won’t make the same mistake next time,” snarled Sophia.
“There won’t be a next time, because this ends now. Put Skylar down and let’s get this over with.” Cillian shed his jacket and began rolling his cuffed sleeves.
“You want your whore? Have her,” Sophia shouted as she flung me in his direction. Kind of impressive, if you ask me. I mean, I soared a good ten feet through the air, as if I were a frisbee. She launched me high and far enough that Cillian caught me.
“Hello,” he said in that sexy voice of his while I blinked in surprise.
I managed to croak. “Huh.” It would appear my crushed throat would need a minute or two before I could speak properly.
“Sorry it took me so long to get here.” He actually apologized.
“Is ok.” The only thing I could whisper.
“Not really. I should have listened to Randy when he told me to keep a closer eye on Lou.” Cillian glanced past me to the body of his former bodyguard.
“He. Want. Fangs.” I managed to eke out an explanation.
“And yet to the very end he proved why he wasn’t worthy of them,” Cillian stated with a sigh.
While I remained happy to see Cillian alive, he seemed to be forgetting something. “Sophia?” Given we’d not been attacked, it could only mean the evil bitch chose fleeing instead of revenge.
“She is being handled.” As Cillian spoke, I heard a scuffle.
Sophia huffed, “Get out of my way you big oaf.”
“Make me,” Randy taunted, followed by a pause and then laughter as he added, “Oh man, guess you didn’t know? Unlike Lou, your googly-eyed mind trick won’t work on me.”
“But you can die like him,” she hissed.
“Oh no,” I gasped. “Randy!”
“Don’t worry,” Cillian murmured. “He’s got this.”
To show me, Cillian pivoted with me in his arms so I could see Randy stalking towards us with Sophia’s body slung over his shoulder. Gwen trotted by his side, long blade in one hand, a severed head in the other.
“Brought you an early gift, boss,” Gwen chirped giving her trophy a shake. “Dumb cow was so focused on Randy she never heard me sneaking up behind.”
“What do you want me to do with her, boss?” Randy asked.
“Dump her torso with the other bodies, but make sure the head isn’t anywhere close, just in case. Set the place on fire before you leave.”
“That seems wasteful,” I stated, the strain in my throat easing. “Surely you can dispose of the corpses another way so that the toys in those crates can be donated to kids. It is, after all, Christmas.”
“I don’t think their parents would appreciate that.” Cillian inclined his head and that apparently acted as a signal for Gwen to stab one of the loose soccer balls causing it to puff white powder.
My eyes widened. “Is that cocaine?”
“Yes. There’s also fentanyl, opioids, and other nasty stuff hidden inside the crates. The drugs were set to be shipped across the country and sold dirt cheap, which would have triggered an overdose crisis.”
“Pretty sure the country’s already in the midst of one,” I pointed out.
“And this would have exacerbated it by the sheer volume Sophia planned to dump.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Quick money to replace some poor investments. Put cities in turmoil to make live hunting less noticeable. Because she is sadistic.” Cillian rolled his shoulders. “Criminals don’t need many reasons to break the laws and cause harm.”
Grawr.
Well damn, I’d forgotten about the hellhounds. Apparently, they’d finished their satyr meal, but only one of them lifted its head to lazily curl a lip and make a sound. The other three appeared to be in a drugged stupor, collapsed around what remained of Tom.
“What’s wrong with them?” I asked.
“They’re high on satyr blood, and before you ask, it doesn’t have the same effect on vampires.”
“Bummer.” Then because of how he might take it, I quickly added, “Not that I want to get fucked up. Hell, it’s been ages since I’ve even had a toke.”
“You don’t have to worry about overdosing or addiction anymore. While we can get high, the effects are short-lived.”
“Seems weird drugs will affect us but we can’t be nourished with food and drink,” I noted.
“Guess I should have clarified. I’m not talking about human drugs. It’s about the type of blood we ingest. Leprechauns, for example, are magically delicious.”
“You’re fucking with me.”
“Only once we get home,” was his deadpan reply. “Speaking of which, Randy and Gwen,” he raised his voice, “Don’t forget to handle the hounds before we set the place ablaze.” Cillian gave his orders and began walking away from the clusterfuck, still holding me in his arms.
“Hold on a second, you’re going to euthanize the dogs?”
“It’s the usual protocol for murdering beasts,” his dry reply.
“Tom gave them no choice. Seems wrong to kill them after they helped me.”
Cillian arched a brow. “Are you asking me to spare the hellhounds?”
“Surely there’s somewhere they could go?”
Before Cillian could reply, Randy called out. “I know someone who can take them, boss.”
Cillian sighed. “Fine. But do it quick because I want this place burning before someone shows up to start loading the drugs and notices the bodies.” With that final order, Cillian kicked at the bar on a door marked exit and we ended up outside in the crisp air.
A deep breath cleared my head enough that I thought to ask, “How did you find me?”