Chapter 17

"Kane."

The instant that soft, feminine whisper reached my ears, something inside me clenched. I followed the sound of that voice and locked onto a pair of heart-shaped lips slightly apart, shallow breaths sawing in and out of that supple mouth. My pulse hitched when I scanned the rest of her face. Amber-colored eyes glowed like warm honey, transporting me to another place and time.

Wretched saints.

Anya warned me the Spirit Marked would be a descendent from Arabelle's bloodline, but fuck me, she even had the halo of red curls. The similarities were uncanny. This young female was no doubt the witch we were searching for.

The second she realized I'd tracked her voice, her dewy eyes swelled with fear. Fuck. I'd not wanted to scare her into a run, but I'd clearly not masked my reaction to her.

Or my intentions.

Every muscle in my body tightened, priming itself for the chase. I swallowed. This was a mistake; I should've never come, especially not in my condition—blood deprived and surrounded by the debauchery going on around me. If she took off now, I didn't know how I'd be able to hold back, especially when I could practically taste the blood in the room—and the intoxicating scent of the fright racing through her veins.

Don't run, witch. Don't run.

Too late. In a blur of red hair, she disappeared into the crowd.

Gums throbbing, my fangs descended, thirsting for the one thing I'd been starving myself from for too fucking long.

The iron tang of blood permeated the air, driving the vampires in this club sick with bloodlust. But what I coveted was far more potent, far more satisfying.

The skin around my eyes strained, a sign my irises were flooding with the deep red stain of my blood. A growl rumbled through me, hunger for the hunt raging like a caged animal. A slow breath trickled from my lips as I readied for the sprint.

One second I stood where I was, the next, I had the witch by the neck and pinned against a wall. Saints save me. I hadn't been this close to a witch in centuries, let alone one that reminded me so much of my past—one whose scent was about to turn me into a rabid beast. I pressed on the delicate column of her pretty neck, the heat and thumps of her pulse under my fingertips making my blood rush with a fire that threatened to consume me.

Everything primal about me—everything that made me a lethal predator—had awoken with fury. I didn't know how much longer I could restrain myself from either crushing the vile creature's windpipe, or from simply sinking my teeth into her flesh and drinking the bloody witch dry of her bewitched blood.

Damn this club. My heightened senses flooded me with turbulent hunger—hunger for blood, for sex, for life. Venom dripped from my fangs, a sign my body was clamoring for me to feed. I needed to drown out the world around me, needed to focus on my mission or I'd fucking derail it. We needed the witch alive to get to the bottom of the Vates Ordo's plan.

She squirmed, trying to pry my fingers off her. I almost chuckled in her face. Witches could use magic against a vampire, but when it came to sheer physical force, they could never overpower a vampire's strength, let alone a Second-Gen. "Not so fast, little monster. Where do you think you're going?" I growled at her, needing her to stop fighting or she'd make this even more complicated. Especially when the fight fueled my instincts, and I was already close to losing the battle raging within me.

The warmth of her skin was making me lose my mind. Saints, she was so full of life. I had no doubt her blood would taste like heaven, but taking even a drop would cause the Sisterhood of Light to declare war against my coven, and that was the last thing we needed right now.

With an unwavering stare, she gritted, "Get off me."

For such a young, inexperienced witch, she had some balls. I inched closer. "How did you know my name, witch? Who the saints-fuck are you?"

She eyed my hand, then snapped those amber eyes back to mine, her gaze alive with challenge. "Let go and I might tell you." A bratty smirk danced on her lips which both amused and pissed me the hell off.

"Nice try," I hissed, making sure she saw my fangs. I had zero time for games. Then I felt the sharp press of a blade's point between my legs. She bore her gaze into mine, a self-assured glint shining in their depths. Arrogant little witch.

She swallowed hard. "If you don't get your filthy paws off me, you can kiss your cock goodbye."

I'd clearly underestimated her, and apparently, I must have taken too long to do as she demanded because she pressed the sword tip harder against me. Any deeper and I'd be doing exactly as she said, kissing my cock goodbye.

I could appreciate her cunning. The way I saw it, though, I could simply press hard enough on her jugular and knock her unconscious, or I could get her to lower her hackles if I pretended to play by her rules. Unclasping my fingers from her neck, I took a step back. She took the opportunity to raise her blade to my heart. I put my palms up to show her I didn't want to harm her while at the same time admiring the peculiar yet gorgeous dagger.

"I don't want any trouble," she said, her shaky voice unmasking her fake bravado. "I just need to find my friend."

Out of nowhere, the music exploded into a loud remix and the crowd went wild, sending a massive horde of bodies into us. I tried shielding her from the weight of the crowd to protect her from getting crushed, but the cursed little demon ducked and ran off.

Fucking hell. I'd just gotten outmaneuvered by that crafty hellion. As I scanned the crowd for her, I caught a glimpse of her red curls as she scurried through a door down the hall. I was about to sprint after her when Bal grabbed me by the shoulders and shoved me back against the wall. I snarled at him.

He gripped my tactical vest with steel fingers, pulling me forward, his face inches from mine. "Reel. It. In," he gritted. "You're going to fuck up this mission."

"Get off me," I growled.

His fingers tightened as he sunk his granite-hard gaze into mine. "Father, we need her alive."

I glared back. Coming between a vampire and his prey was asking for death. But Bal didn't relent. He'd challenge me right then and there if I didn't heed his warning.

After a few short breaths, I forced myself to re-focus, pushing my beast back into its cage. Satisfied I wasn't a danger anymore, he finally let go. "I'll find her. You, get your shit together."

I shook my head and rotated my shoulders, slaking the fiery hunger in my gut. "I'm fine."

"You're not."

I wasn't about to have this conversation here. "Go. Before we lose her."

"We're not done talking about this." He eyed me one last time before signaling for the rest of the team to circle the perimeter, closing off all other possible exits. Bal stalked through the crowd, careful not to trail too close. We didn't need her panicking and sprouting a fucking tornado in the middle of the club—as I'd almost done by marking her as my prey and pinning her against the fucking wall.

I swore under my breath. We'd be lucky to get out of there with our target before the rest of the security found out we'd taken out four of their guards. Then I spotted Luther's men already approaching from opposite ends of the club, cutting off Caleb and Gideon. So much for hoping they hadn't found those bodies yet.

"We've got company," I said over our comms.

"I see ‘em," Caleb replied. "Not gonna lie, kinda hoped we'd end up rendezvousing with these dickheads at some point tonight."

"Don't get too excited. They might be packing poison rounds," I reminded him.

"Let's hope this new body armor Trek acquired holds up, then," Gideon added.

Yeah. Let's hope.

A body flew across the dance floor, landing on a heap of dancers. Some people screamed while others scurried. On the other side of the dance floor, Caleb's brass knuckles glinted under the strobe lights, a crooked grin on his face. His long, blond hair was tied at the nape, displaying his fierce jaw and glowing red eyes.

The vampire lying in the middle of the dance floor cursed as he climbed back to his feet, rubbing his jaw where Caleb had just delivered the heavy blow.

"Jig is up. Bal, eyes on the target yet?" I asked.

"She's in the women's bathroom. Going in now," Bal answered.

"Try not to scare her too much."

"More than you already have? Not likely."

Wanker. He knew he could get away with shit because he was my son and best warrior, but disrespecting me in front of the team?

Yeah, we'd have words later.

Several growls grabbed my attention, revealing that the club's security had surrounded me. One unlucky bastard stepped forward from the crowd—the prick who Caleb had upper-cut and sent flying into the mass of people.

"You knob heads will regret crashing this club tonight," he gritted as he signaled for his men to apprehend me.

Raucous music bounced off the walls, but everyone had stopped dancing. Receding from the dance floor, they unintentionally created a ring around me and the guards. I was outnumbered, but the challenge spiked my blood with an adrenaline rush.

I glanced around, noting the feeding frenzies in the dark corners of the club. Oblivious to what was happening, blood-lusting vampires fed on humans. The reckless use of blood hosts, even if they were voluntary—and I wasn't certain they were—was reprehensible.

"Blood-host parties are prohibited," I said to the bloke who approached, looking to distract the guards from the real reason we'd crashed their party. "I'd like to speak with the vampire in charge. Where's Luther?"

"I'm in charge," he spat, eyes narrowed into some type of threat.

I sighed. This pup clearly had no clue who I was. "Nah, you're just the guard dog. How about you cooperate, and we can avoid spilling blood. Again, where's Luther?"

"You chose the wrong club tonight."

His men inched closer. Good. The longer I kept these idiots focused on me, the more time Bal had to execute the rest of the plan.

"Bal, target secured, yet? Luther's men want to tango," Caleb said, speaking into the comms as he stepped out from the shadows and into the ring, a smirk spreading across his lips. "Let's make this quick, eh boys?" He directed his comment to the guards. Taking a boxer's stance, he bounced on his heels, brass knuckles in place of gloves. "Got a sweet lass back in my bed. Don't want to keep her waiting."

Cutting X's in the air with his fighting knives, Gideon joined the party. "Yeah, all this talk is boring me to shit."

Seemed we'd need to fight ourselves out of this one. Taking my tactical knife out from my thigh holster, I postured for an attack, but then a new figure appeared from within the crowd, flanked by several more guards.

"If it isn't my dear uncle," the male drawled. "What's with all the unannounced visits lately? Do people not know it isn't polite to not call ahead?"

I cocked my head. Still the same arrogant piece of shit. "Funny. Don't recall you calling Bringham to tell them you were coming to unearth your daddy."

He smirked, but his gaze was sharp as blades. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Lowering my knife, I stepped forward. "What you're running here is prohibited."

Huffing an annoyed grunt, he approached me as well, his flaring nostrils inches from mine. "You're still trying to govern our kind like you're king. Sorry to say, you were dethroned ages ago, uncle."

"It goes against our doctrines."

"Your doctrines. Last I checked, I run my own coven."

As much as I wished to dismantle whatever operation he had going on, right now we had other problems. "Where's Azrael?"

"Finally, the real reason for your visit."

"My brother, Luther. Where is he?"

Before he could answer, a blur of fiery-red curls caught my attention. In that same split second, I spotted Bal in the crowd, tracking our witch. I looked away before Luther noticed what was taking place behind his back. I needed him focused on me.

"My father's whereabouts don't concern you," he spat with a snarl.

"In other words, you don't know. You really didn't think this one through, huh? Thought you could keep my brother under control like a good little puppy? You've unleashed the world's most dangerous predator in New York City, and you expected me not to come knocking at your door?"

"I've heard enough." He gestured to his guards. "Shoot them."

A dozen or so guards raised their rifles.

Fuck. That's not how I'd intended this to go.

"Wait," I said, putting my palms up. "You may want to rethink that."

"And why would I do that? By now you've seen what these weapons can do. You're the unfortunate assholes who walked into my club uninvited." He tilted his head, a mocking grin carving across his face. "How's Larick, by the way?"

Prick. Thankfully, I'd come prepared. "Does he know?" I blurted out, not taking his bait.

Luther's brows dipped, creasing his forehead, a cloud of confusion swirling in the depths of his gaze. "Does who… know what?"

"Your father. Does he know about the deal you cut with the witches? You remember," I said, inclining my head. "The full details of his capture."

Luther stayed silent, eyes branding me with rage, teeth grinding as he contemplated what I knew regarding the bargain he'd struck with the witches—that he not only knew about the plans to capture Azrael, but he helped orchestrate it.

"Something happens to me and my men, Trek will make sure my brother finds out the whole truth."

Luther worked his jaw. "Lower your weapons," he finally told his guards.

I smiled. "You're smarter than you look."

He sneered. "What do you want?"

My lips twitched. "In addition to letting us walk out of here, I need the antidote."

A laugh trickled from his lips. "Larick's still fighting for his life? Impressive."

"I won't ask you again."

Luther shrugged, hands still tucked in his suit pants. "Sadly, uncle, there isn't one. The toxin is spelled by the Divine Mother herself."

"Magical origin?"

"Precisely. Unless you can convince her to heal my cousin, only a witch as strong as her can help him. I'd march my ass back to Scotland, uncle. Say your goodbyes before he turns to ash."

"If he dies, I'm coming for you."

"I'll be waiting." He gestured to his guards. "Let them through." As I went to leave, he gritted, "This isn't over. Soon, you'll be seeing things my way."

Caleb and Gideon followed behind me as we exited the club. Seemed I had yet another reason to find that Spirit Marked.