Page 39 of Forever Midnight

A smile blooms on Viv’s painted red lips. “I’m here for it. Let’s go.”

Yves scoops up the pretty witch so we can move swiftly without detection. If any mortal was to encounter us, we would appear as nothing more than a passing shadow to them.

We’re across town to the abandoned building in just a few minutes, all of us standing opposite it as the wards block our entrance.

Yves sets Vivienne down and she approaches the invisible shield, holding her hands out over it. Then, with a wicked grin, she looks over her shoulder.

“This is amateur hour. Give me one sec.”

Kneeling down, Viv digs in her bag, producing a small velvet pouch and a vial of liquid. On the ground in front of her she pours some of the powder from the pouch, then adds some of the liquid. It sizzles and emits green smoke, then, like the parting of the sea, the ward splits in two, giving us ample space to pass through it.

Vivienne stands, waving for us to enter it. “I’ll stay here in case it closes,” she says.

“Thank you,” Yves says, kissing the witch on the cheek before proceeding to the front door of the building.

It’s a heavy steel door that isn’t an issue for any of us, but Yves is so mad that his territory is threatened, he tears it off the hinges, flinging it across the overgrown field beside us.

“Oooh, Yves is gonna fuck some vampires up,” Thorn says, grinning with bloodlust. “I love when the boss gets his hands dirty.”

“We all do,” Eros says.

“Just don’t kill Vinni,” I whisper, knowing they all can hear me. “I need his sorry ass.”

“Heard,” Yves growls in response.

We scale the walls in silence since it’s obvious the rusted stairs won’t hold us. On the second floor of the warehouse, a single dim light glows from a room. The closer we get, the louder the voices. The grunts and moans, the metallic scent of blood, and the unique aroma of fear tickles my nose. We might be too late to save Vinni.

Yves kicks the door open and stomps inside. The rest of us are right behind him, ready to face off with whoever is on the other side.

Three vampires turn to face us, fangs out and eyes glowing. All three of them are massive in stature, with white-blond hair, crystal-blue eyes, and skin so pale it’s almost translucent.

Yves’s eyes narrow. “Dimas. What the fuck are you doing in New Onyx without alerting me?”

The middle man, Dimas I presume, offers a sadistic smile. “Because my business has nothing to do with you. I’ll be in and out before you know it.”

Vinni and friends sit slumped on the floor, their hands tied behind their backs, barely conscious.

“Too late,” Yves says. “What do you need with the Malice gang?”

Dimas approaches Yves, but I sense no aggression. Thorn growls just in case.

“Settle down, friends,” Dimas says, glancing at Thorn with appreciation. “The boys here fucked up. Promised a shipment that never made it to me. We had to hunt them down. We’re only here to get what is owed us. We don’t want any problems with the House of Orpheus.”

“Then why didn’t you follow protocol?” Yves demands. “Your ward indicates you were well aware of our presence here.”

“I was, yes,” Dimas answers, gazing at all of us. “I assure you, my intention was to deal with these boys and get out of your way.” Reaching out, he runs his hand down Yves’s neck.

Syn looks ready to tear the vampire’s arm off. Yves steps away from Dimas.

“We need the heavy one in the middle. He cannot die.”

Dimas turns and looks at Vinni, clicking his teeth. “Mm, how unfortunate. He is in quite a bit of trouble. Surely, you would do the same in my place, Yves.”

“Hand him over, vampire,” I seethe. “We have priority here.”

Dimas turns his head slowly to face me, his eyes flashing with anger. “I will not,vampire, until I get what I came for.”

Yves narrows his eyes. “Do not make us force the issue. You know we will.”

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