The Undead Pool

Ivy was panting, and I reached for her when she fell to a kneel, fighting the pull in his demand. “We’re not leaving . . . without her. You bloodsucking . . . bastard,” she whispered, and I quailed at the reminder of what a master vampire could do, could call forth.

“Ivy . . .” Felix whispered, his hand held out to her. “Come to me.”

“Ivy, no,” I said, knowing not to touch her when she moaned, eyes closing in anticipation of a numbing pleasure. His summons to submit had permeated the room, and I wondered if I was going to have to down her with a splat ball. She’d be pissed, but she’d thank me later.

“You need to take a nap, Felix,” I said. “Everyone else is sleeping. Why aren’t you?”

Felix looked away. Behind me, Ivy took a heaving gasp of air as his hold broke. “They sleep because they feel no need,” he said, his tone derisive. “I’m always hungry. Take Cormel if you want. He’ll be dead in three days. All of them will. Nina stays. And Ivy.”

Fear slid down my spine, and I tightened my grip on my gun. “Not happening.”

“Then you will die so I can get on with living,” he said, and with that as my warning, he jumped at me, his hands bent into claws.

“Rachel!” Ivy screamed, but instinct took over, and I braced myself, taking his momentum and flinging him into a pillar.

Felix twisted in midair. His shoulder took the blow instead of his back, and he sprang to his feet before I could shoot, eyes alight. “I’ve never had demon blood before,” he said, eyes flicking behind me, and I felt Ivy’s presence slide up to mine.

“That’s not going to change, dirt nap,” I said, drawing on the ley line until my hair floated.

Howling, he jumped again to kick my middle. My air exploded from me, and I found myself flung backward, skidding across the carpet until I hit the wall. My chest hurt. Eyes almost shut, I struggled to breathe, helpless as Ivy screamed and attacked. Fists a blur and shouts chilling, she forced him back from me. She seldom scored, but he was on the retreat. If he’d been trained in the arts, she wouldn’t have had a chance. If he thought we might be able to best him, he wouldn’t be playing with us as he was. If he noticed Nina crawling to the elevator to pull the chair away and send the lift to the surface . . . he might not be smiling, enjoying himself and the anticipation of our blood in his mouth.

But he didn’t.

My gun shook in my grip. He was too far away. The propellant was only good for about twenty feet. Screaming in outrage, Ivy landed a side kick that sent Felix falling into a roll. “Why do you fight me?” he said as he regained his feet. “The Free Vampires will destroy the undead. All of them. I can stop them, but I need Nina,” he coaxed, his hands spread in innocence.

Ivy retreated to stand beside me. “Do it without your slave,” she said, panting. “You won’t have her.”

He knew about the Free Vampires? Then it was them after all? They were trying to kill the masters. The misfires were just a side effect. My grip on my gun grew steady, and with a soft wing hum, Jenks hovered between us, his satisfied smile making Felix hesitate. He was back. The FIB and I.S. were on the way. Oh God, I hope they don’t shoot me.

“Your ass is staying under the grass, blood bag,” the pixy said, and Felix’s eyes became black as he looked at the elevator and Nina slumped beside it. Weak, she cracked her eyes and flipped him off as it dinged.

“You stupid bitches,” he snarled, and then he dropped to a kneel, hands laced behind the back of his head as the doors slid apart and angry, yelling men in ACG gear and bulletproof vests ran into the room.

It was an excellent idea, and I held my hands up, gun dangling. I hated it when the good guys didn’t recognize me. But then again, I was covered in blood. None of it was mine. I think.

“Don’t shoot the women!” Jenks was shouting as he wove between Ivy and me. “Tink loves a duck, you’re dumber than a troll’s dildo! Don’t you know a runner when you see one?”

“Ivy?” Nina cried in fear when a well-meaning man dragged her into the elevator.

With a quick palm thrust, Ivy snapped back the head of the man trying to cuff her. She bolted to the elevator, grabbing a gun from a second scared officer and throwing it across the room. “Don’t let him in!” Ivy cried out, falling beside Nina and grabbing her shoulders to make her look at her. “Nina, I’m here. We can get through this. I won’t leave you!”

Her cry brought everyone up short, and I could have smacked Felix’s face clean off when he watched, soaking in the emotion and relishing the pain and fear he was creating.

But he wasn’t trying to take Nina over, and I absently handed my gun to the man demanding it, having to lean around the flood of angry officers in order to see Nina and Ivy. Felix was being cooperative, which was more than a little disconcerting. Mad men do not submit.

“I don’t feel good,” Nina said, her complexion becoming decidedly green.