Fang Me (11 page)

VAL, Fang said urgently, MORE DEMONS HAVE ARRIVED. THEY'RE ATTACKING ALL OF THE VAMPS, NOT JUST THE BAD ONES. YOU HAVE TO STOP THEM.

No way. I was already feeling the strain of holding onto too many men.
Get . . . Micah . . . to help.

I DON'T THINK HE CAN. HE HASN'T DONE THIS BEFORE LIKE YOU HAVE. HE CAN'T MOVE FROM WHERE HE IS WITHOUT RELEASING SOME OF THE WOMEN UNTIL HE FIGURES OUT HOW TO HANDLE IT. THE DEMONS ARE ALL MEN—YOU CAN DO IT.

Oh, crap. I had to. I stretched myself and found a small bit of unused capacity. Peeling it away from my core, I thrust it toward the front of the mansion. Unerringly, Lola found the chakras of nine more males and locked on like a vacuum cleaner on maximum suction.

It was overwhelming . . . it was wonderful. It was oh so right. More . . . I needed more. Their energy made me feel as if I were crackling with vitality, wildly alive. I opened the floodgates and let it pour in.

VAL, STOP. YOU'RE TAKING TOO MUCH!

No. It felt so good. It was my right, my destiny, my—

I felt a blow to my head and the tendrils all spasmed in surprise. No, I was losing them! I tried to gather up my errant strands, but another blow to the head made all my lovely threads snap. The incredible pain of the recoil sent me spiraling down into oblivion.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

I rode my Valkyrie around San Antonio, desperately looking for the books, but having no success. Trevor had searched the whole city and so had I, but neither of us had been able to sense the encyclopedia. Maybe we were wrong. Maybe the books weren't in the city. Maybe Andrew had time to take them to Lytle or Castroville.

Maybe they're still in San Antonio and you're searching in the wrong place.

I seized on that thought as if it were my own. But what could we possibly do differently?

Look somewhere else. Look up—

The voice abruptly cut off. Look up what? What am I supposed to look up?

The next thing I knew, I was riding on a rough dirt road on a balmy Spring day, the tall grass of a prairie skimming by in a blur of motion on either side of me. Nothing to see for miles and miles except the grass and a small wooden house set back a short distance from the road. And best of all, my worry was gone.

Suddenly noticing I was thirsty, I brought the motorcycle to a halt next to the well on the property. I brought a dipperful of cool water to my mouth, reveling in the way it quenched my thirst completely.

Fang wandered out onto the porch from inside the house. WELCOME HOME, VAL
.

That's right, this was my home. I moved leisurely into my house and stopped inside the living room. From the outside, you wouldn't know that this elegant powder blue and chocolate brown oasis waited inside. I had everything I needed here. Computer, Internet, television . . . and no men. None for many, many miles. I sank down onto the luxurious couch and relaxed when it cradled me perfectly. Here I could be alone, be myself, with nothing and no one to bother me.

Fang curled up beside me. LIFE IS VERY, VERY GOOD, he said with a sigh.

Huh? What was wrong with Fang? And who wanted to be alone?

Something unseen soothed me, made me settle back into the couch.

"Val, you're home," Tessa exclaimed as she came into the room."Come on, everyone, the party's on!"

I glanced up, surprised to see all my female friends coming in through the door. Gwen, Mood, Shawndra, my sister Jen, Lt. Ramirez's wife—even some female demons from the Underground I'd seen but never spoken to. They poured into the room and filled it up, each one bringing something to eat.

"What's going on?" I asked with a smile.

"It's a girl's night out," Tessa said."We're going to pig out, have facials, give each other manis and pedis, and gossip to our heart's content."

I clapped my hands."That sounds like fun."

Insert record-scratching noise here. Huh? Had I been lobotomized . . . or Stepfordized or something? What the heck was wrong with me? This dream sucked.

I forced myself to consciousness. Pain awaited me there, but it was so much better than this disturbing dream.

"I'm losing her," I heard someone say.

For a moment, I lay there, fuzzy but awake, trying to figure out what was happening. My head felt tender and pain pricked along my nerves, but I was lying on something soft that cushioned me, with Fang curled up beside me. What was going on?

I blinked open my eyes and stared into a familiar face. His name escaped me for a moment then the fog cleared from my brain and I remembered."Kyle." The dream demon."What were you doing inside my dream?" I asked indignantly, then winced as pain shot along my abused nerve endings.

Kyle looked rueful."Trying to help."

I gaped at him."By giving me longings for manis and pedis?"

Fang chuckled beside me. GIVE THE KID A BREAK. HE WAS TRYING TO KEEP YOU IN A HAPPY DREAM SO YOU WOULDN'T WAKE UP. NOT HIS FAULT HE DOESN'T KNOW YOU VERY WELL.

I guess. I
glanced around, noticing that I was in my own bedroom, with Kyle, Shade, Micah and Gwen all standing around, staring down at me. Wiza
rd of Oz
time again.

Gwen busied herself by my bedside table then handed me some pills and a cup of water."Here, take these. It'll help with the pain."

I took them gratefully then settled back on my pillow.

Shade squeezed my hand, looking anxious."Good. Now that you're conscious, I can heal you. A lot of people have volunteered to let me use their energy to heal you and can be here in a matter of minutes."

"No, wait," I said as my last conscious moments started to come back to me."First, tell me what happened." I lifted my hand to my head, wondering why it didn't hurt more."Did someone break free of my hold and wallop me?"

"No," Micah said."That was me."

That didn't make sense."You hit me? Why?"

His mouth formed into a grim line."Because you lost control. You were in the process of totally draining every man there but me. Someone had to stop you, and only Fang and I could do it."

I gasped as the full memory of what I'd done filled my mind. Ohmigod. I covered my face with my hands, too ashamed to look them in the eyes. I'd become what I most despised. The worst part of it was, I couldn't even blame Lola for this. As Micah constantly reminded me, there was no Lola. There was no separate demon hiding inside me. It was all me—and when it came down to it, I'd enjoyed the hell out of being a succubus."I'm a monster," I moaned. How could they even stand to be around me?

Fang snorted in disbelief.

Micah echoed him."You are not a monster. Because if you are, then I am, too, and I refuse to believe that."

Surprisingly, another voice joined the party. DON'T BE SILLY. YOU'RE NOTHING OF THE KIND.

Princess, Fang's part-hellhound girlfriend, jumped up on the foot of the bed. And Princess was always blunt, more so than even me. What she thought—and sometimes what other people thought—came right out of her mouth. I guess if Princess said I wasn't a monster, then it must be true. And no one else looked horrified, just concerned.

The painkillers Gwen had given me kicked in and the pain eased, helping me relax a little."Maybe not," I admitted."But why not? What happened? I know I lost control. Did I . . . did I . . . ?" I had to know if I'd sucked everyone dry, but I just couldn't form the words.

Micah glanced uncertainly at Gwen. Good point—she didn't need to hear this.

She patted my arm and smiled, saying,"I'll just go fix you some soup."

Kyle patted me awkwardly on the shoulder."I'll help."

Strangely, his touch made calm spread through me. When they were gone, I was left alone with Shade, Micah and Fang. I gulped."What happened? Is it bad?"

Micah pulled up a chair next to my bed as Shade sat next to me and took my hand again."Not as bad as it could have been," he said. When I bit my lip, he added hastily,"You didn't kill anyone. Fang alerted me to the problem so I could stop you. Sorry, I didn't know any other way except to knock you out."

"Don't apologize," I said hurriedly."You did the right thing—and thank heavens you did." The relief was incredible. I didn't want to kill anyone in that way. I thought for a moment, then clutched Shade's hand tighter."Are you sure I didn't drain anyone?" It had seemed awfully close.

"Not a one. But you did bring them to the brink. They're all exhausted, but they'll live."

Fang snorted. ALL BUT THE ONES THAT WERE EXECUTED, YOU MEAN.

"Executed?" I said in surprise.

Shade frowned."She doesn't need to know about this right now."

"Yes, she does," I insisted."Tell me what happened. I need to know."

When Micah hesitated, Fang said, SHE HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW. He snuggled closer. RELAX, AND I'LL SHOW YOU HOW IT WAS.

I relaxed and closed my eyes, anxious to know what had happened. Suddenly, it was as if I was seeing through Fang's eyes. We were back in the mansion, and I saw myself drop to all fours on the floor, looking strained and haggard. All of the colors seemed washed out, and everything looked about four feet higher than I expected. Wow—I was really seeing this from Fang's perspective.
I didn't know you could do this.

QUIET, WOMAN, AND LET ME SHOW YOU, Fang said tartly. THIS AIN'T EASY, YOU KNOW.

I shut up and relaxed into the experience. I did want to know what had happened.

Fang resumed the vision with me on all fours, my face stretched in a ghastly smile.

Fang skipped out of the way and Micah, looking determined, walloped Val upside the head with his fist. She fell to the floor and flopped like a fish on the line, but didn't let go of her prizes. Micah hit her again and she went limp and still.

SHE'S OUT, Fang confirmed, feeling worried. BUT SHE'LL LIVE. HOW ABOUT THEM?

Micah was bent over with his hands on his knees. He gasped,"Just a moment. I can't . . . lose control either."

Leaving Micah to regain control of the chicks he had under his incubus spell, Fang trotted over to where the vamps lay still and poked Alejandro with his nose. The vamp leader wasn't breathing, but bloodsuckers didn't have to. Who knew if he was dead or not? They could take a lot of abuse, so he was probably still alive. Fang hoped so—he knew Val would be upset if she'd killed her boss.

What about the demons? He went to the living room and stuck his nose in Andrew's face. Still breathing. Good. But since Micah was bound to release the female bloodsuckers sooner or later, the boss needed to know who was good and who was apt to separate his blood from his body.

THE BABE IN HERE IS ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS, Fang called out mentally. WHY DON'T YOU LET HER GO SO WE CAN SORT THE GOOD FROM THE PUTRID?

Micah came stumbling back in, the strain of holding the women on his face. It had to be what? A whole dozen? Val could do far more than that with nothing but the power in her pinkie, Fang thought with pride. Then again, Micah hadn't had as much practice.

THIS ONE, Fang said, poking his nose into Rosa's ankle. LET HER TELL YOU WHICH WOMEN YOU CAN LET GO AND WHICH ARE TOAST.

Micah nodded, and released Rosa alone with a visible effort.

She came back to life with a start and stared around herself in disbelief.

"I have all of the other women under my control," Micah said, his voice strained."I'm drawing them in. They're . . . at the door. Can you . . . let them in?"

She did and fourteen of them filed in, staring at Micah like he was all that and a bag of chips.

Micah grimaced."Tell me which . . . ones are on your side . . . I'll release them."

Rosa nodded grimly then picked up three crossbow darts from the floor and bam, bam, bam, slammed them into the hearts of three vampires. They crumpled to the floor.

Fang scratched his ear. WELL, THAT'S ONE WAY TO DO IT.

Micah jerked, looking horrified. In his shock, he must have released the other women in his power, because they suddenly looked less like adoring groupies and more like vengeful harpies.

They grabbed crossbow bolts and stakes from the supplies on the floor. Some even grabbed glass icicles from the tree. They all headed for the door, murder in their eyes.

"Wait," Micah said."You can't do this when they're helpless."

Rosa turned and glared at him."Of course we can. When better?"

" It's not right. I-I can stop you."

She frowned."Why would you? They are filth, scum, nothing but rabid dogs."

Another woman spat on one of the stakees."They are worse than that. Do you know what they did to one of your own?"

"No, what?" someone asked from the doorway—Jacob, one of the older demons, who'd arrived too late for the main event."What did they do?"

Rosa stalked to the study and flung open the door."See for yourself. We tried to rescue her, but it was too late."

Fang pushed through a forest of legs to see who was inside. All he could see was a body sprawled on the floor, pale arms outflung, her head facing the doorway. A head with green hair.
Oh, damn
, he thought with regret.

"Shawndra," Jacob cried out, falling to his knees beside the demon girl."My God, there are bite marks everywhere. They drained her dry!"

"Why?" Micah asked in despair."She wouldn't harm a fly . . . . " He glanced up, suddenly alert."But that doesn't make sense. Demon blood makes vampires crazy."

Rosa nodded grimly."And so it did. They dragged her to our front lawn and ravaged her with much joy, shouting that demon blood would make them invincible." Her fists tightened on the weapons she held."Even if they wake, they will still be mad."

No wonder the vamps had all seemed so nutso.

Micah nodded grimly."I won't stop you from doing what you have to do."

With that, the women gathered up all the weapons they could and left the house to do some selective termination.

Fang stopped his memories there. THEN WE DRAGGED ALL THE GOOD GUYS INSIDE, LEFT THE BADDIES TO FRY IN THE MORNING SUN, AND BROUGHT YOU HERE.

I'd seen a lot of carnage in my day, but I thanked Fang for not showing me the rest. Yes, it needed to be done, but it was still horrifying."Poor Shawndra." I'd hardly known the girl, but she deserved better than that. To have her life cut so short was a tragedy."Where is she now? Is she still at the mansion?"

Micah shook his head."We buried her yesterday."

"Yesterday! How long have I been out?"

"Three days," Shade said, squeezing my hand."You see why we were so concerned?"

Micah nodded."Shade and Fang never left your side. Fang knew how much pain you were in, so Kyle tried to keep you in healing dreams for as long as possible."

"And now that you're awake, I can heal you," Shade said once again.

Shade shot Micah a stubborn look. Wonder what that was about?

Princess spoke up again. MICAH SAID HE HAS TO ASK YOU, THAT YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO BE HEALED, the part hellhound, part Cavalier King Charles Spaniel said, letting everyone in the room hear her. WHY WOULD YOU
WANT
TO HURT?

"I don't. But when Shade healed Josh, he almost lost control. He'd rather kill himself than let that happen. I don't want him dead. Do you?" That wasn't the only reason, of course, but it was all she had to know.

Princess jumped up to place her front paws on Shade's chest and stare into his face. DON'T HEAL HER, she ordered. OR ANYONE ELSE.

Now that she could have kept private, but obviously chose not to. Fang snorted, though whether in amusement or disgust, I wasn't sure.