Page 17 of Veil of Shadows

Fair enough.

“What now, commander general?” Mac asked.

I pointed to the pouch on the ground that once held the juniper. “Get me the handcuffs in there and put them around this fucker’s wrists.”

“On it,” Rhonda said, scooping the pouch up from the ground.

I peered over my free shoulder to look at Mac. “I can take this from here. Take Rhonda and make sure everyone who came into contact with this slimy sack of shit sees Merida in the bath house. I want everyone looked over before we go to bed tonight.”

“You sure you don’t need someone to come with you?” Mac asked.

I shook my head. “I’ve got it covered with Voss from here.”

I waited until Rhonda got the garlic-laced handcuffs on the vampire’s wrists. Then, I shooed them off and turned toward the direction of our cave. We hadn’t used that place in a while. We hadn’t had someone shackled there for some time now. And as I started in its direction with that vampire slung over my shoulder, my body vibrated with excitement.

Finally, I’d get to give one of these fuckers a sliver of what it deserves.

“You’re right, you know,” I said to the paralyzed vampire as I walked us deeper into the woods, “I don’t have the stomach for causing death tonight. But, that doesn’t mean I don’t have other plans for you.”

The lonely walk to the cave helped clear my mind. The burn in my muscles as I hiked it up that hill toward the inlaid mountain cave forced me to come alive. By the time I got into that cave and shackled that vampire to the stone wall, the juniper paralytic started wearing off. The vampire began coughing. Sputtering. Spitting out the juniper leaves and twigs as he coughed and wretched.

I watched it vomit onto the cave floor at my feet.

“Huh,” I said as I kicked the vomit off my shoe, “didn’t know vampires could do that.”

The vampire struggled to catch its breath. “You think we can’t fucking puke, for crying out loud?”

I reached down and wrapped my hand around its neck, slamming the goddamn thing back against the wall. The piercing scream it let out shivered me to my core.

“I’m gonna have fun with you tonight,” I snarled.

Voss, I’ve got the vampire in this cave. Where are you?

He wasted no time reaching out.Helping your troops get to where they need to be. Just give me a fucking second.

Ronyn?Dom asked when he reached out.

Dom, I’m at the cave. Wanna come take a shot at this vampire Gallagher found flouncing around in the woods?

I’m already on my way.

Voss piped up again.Same here. About to head out now.

My grin was positively devilish as I tilted my head.See you two soon.

“Looks like it’s just you and me for now,” I said.

The vampire looked at me through its dull, glowing red eyes. “Do your worst.”

As if the heavens opened up to give me the best solstice present possible, I rolled up my sleeves and rubbed my hands together.

“Challenge accepted,” I snarled.

6

BEXLEY

I toweled off in the bath house just before Merida slammed back through the door. She seemed to be deep in concentration, and the look on her face didn’t instill the greatest shred of hope known to man. I watched her rush around, plucking ingredients hanging from strings off the walls and gathering glass vials and tubes in her arms.

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