Catch Me (The Demon Underground Series) Read online

  “The Three Stooges?” I guessed.

  Anger blazed in medium guy’s eyes. “I’ll show you who’s a stooge.” And, of course, he made the mistake of reaching out to control my mind. Fumbled, more like it.

  That meant I could now read his.

  “Sorry, Chris. That doesn’t work on me.” I glanced at the other two. “Go ahead, Carlos and Charlie, try to control me.”

  They seemed shocked that I knew their names but narrowed their gazes at me.

  “Don’t tell me,” Austin said with a small smile and shake of his head. “They actually tried it.”

  “Yep,” I confirmed. Now I could read all three tiny little minds. I sighed. “These are not the droids we’re looking for.”

  Austin cast me a puzzled glance.

  I shrugged. “Sorry, their geekiness is kinda overwhelming.”

  “Who are you people?” the small guy, Carlos, asked.

  “Ever heard of the Slayer?” Austin replied with a raised eyebrow.

  “Her?” he said, his voice ending in a squeak.

  “Me,” I confirmed. “And Austin here is what you strive for but can never be.”

  “What does that mean?” chunky Charlie demanded.

  “He’s a vampire, too, only he’s been doing it a whole lot longer than you have. And he doesn’t try to pick on innocent people to get his rocks off.”

  Speaking of that, medium guy—Chris—was inside my energy field, so it was obvious he was starting to get mighty interested in me. Well, Lola, anyway.

  “We haven’t hurt anyone,” Chris said, leering.

  He was trying too hard to be sexy, and it grossed me out. Sometimes it sucked being part lust demon. “That’s true, you haven’t—not yet, anyway. But you were planning on it, weren’t you?”

  These pathetic excuses for vampires wanted to be at the top of the pecking order for once, instead of being pecked on. But to do that, they needed larger . . . peckers.

  Fang snorted.

  Austin sighed heavily. “They really haven’t hurt anyone?”

  “Not yet,” I confirmed. “This was their first foray as baby vamps.” They were hungry as hell but couldn’t quite bring themselves to drink blood . . . yet.

  “Think there’s hope for them?”

  “Maybe.”

  Carlos looked back and forth between the two of us, seeming a little less frightened now that Fang had backed off so he was only sitting on the kid’s chest. “What are you talking about?”

  “We ask the questions here,” Austin said. “Who turned you? Who was your sire?”

  “We don’t know his name,” Chris said in a sulky tone.

  He was telling the truth, and I read the rest of it in their minds. “They found a notice on a bulletin board at school advertising a seminar on how to become rich and powerful and went to it.”

  “A bulletin board?” Austin repeated incredulously.

  Yeah, it appeared the opposition was advertising now.

  “What did they tell you?” Austin demanded.

  The guys wanted to keep quiet in the face of Austin’s anger but couldn’t hide from me, so I told Austin what I’d learned. “Their sire told them they could kick sand in the bullies’ faces and take whatever they wanted, then turned the three Cs, saying they could join their army after they made their first kill.”

  Austin shook his head. “Stupid.”

  WATCH OUT, Fang warned.

  Chunky Charlie tried to surge up off the ground, but I slammed Lola into all three of them so they were nothing more than drooling love slaves. Sickening.

  “Be still,” I told them, and they had to comply. I rose to my feet, and Austin and Fang followed leisurely. Shaking my head, I added, “I’m not sure if they’re meant as bait, cannon fodder, or if the vamp who turned them really thinks he can turn them into soldiers.”

  The guys looked appalled. I added with some heat, “This isn’t some stupid cosplay at a comic convention where everyone believes you are what you pretend to be. And becoming vampire won’t make you super soldiers or super lovers. It only makes you more of what you already are.” Super geeks.

  They glanced at each other, horror dawning in their eyes.

  I glanced at Austin. “They haven’t actually been able to bring themselves to bite anyone yet. Not even one of the zoo animals. For three nights.” Austin nodded as he obviously got the message—they were pretty much starving.

  “So you think they’re salvageable?”

  “Probably.” All three were outcasts, from their homes and their families. They just wanted to find a place where they could fit in the world. I could relate.

  Austin sighed heavily. “Okay, here’s the deal. You agree to join the New Blood Movement, and we’ll forget this happened.”

  “Movement? What’s that?” Chris asked.

  That was new. Before, the rogues were careful to tell their fledglings not to contact the Movement. Seemed they’d changed their strategy. So as to not tempt the newbies to the straight and narrow? Or to weed out the weaker ones?

  Austin scowled down at him. “In the New Blood Movement, we don’t attack people or animals. We don’t take blood without permission, and we definitely don’t hunt and kill innocents.”

  Carlos looked puzzled. “But . . . don’t we need blood to survive?”

  “Yes,” Austin said. “But you get it from the blood banks we operate.”

  The three exchanged glances and seemed reluctant. Going to a blood bank didn’t seem nearly as sexy as being a badass soldier. Hiding a smirk, I added, “As an added bonus, you’ll have access to safe houses with others of your kind, meaningful work to do, and Austin here will teach you how to fight and defend yourselves.”

  That last one interested them more than all the others combined. They gave each other doubtful looks.

  “This way, you can be heroes, ridding the world of evil rogue vampires,” I confided. They seemed to like that.

  “And if you don’t,” I said cheerfully, “we stake you right now and leave you for the sun to turn your ass to ash.” I whipped out a stake and twirled it playfully, raising my eyebrows at them.

  “I’m in,” Carlos said hastily.

  “Me, too,” Chris chimed in.

  Charlie looked mulish, so I raised my stake over his heart. He must be the ringleader in this little band of misfits.

  “Okay, okay,” he said, raising his hands defensively.

  Austin glared at them. “Belonging to the New Blood Movement is a lifetime commitment. We’ll feed you, house you, and train you as long as you follow our ways. But change your mind and hurt an innocent, and we take your life. Deal?”

  They all gulped but nodded. “Deal,” they said in unison.

  Lola released her hold on their chakras, and they scrambled to their feet.

  Austin pulled out his wallet and handed each of the guys a card. “Here, this has the addresses of the blood banks around town. Get yourself something to eat. Tell ’em Austin sent you.”

  The guys nodded and hurried off, apparently before we changed our minds.

  Austin shook his head. “Three more fledglings to sponsor. And you wonder why we need more space?”

  “Why the sudden increase in the undead population?”

  “The rogues are getting out of control. They keep turning gullible idiots, then dumping them out on their own to survive or perish. We try to catch them and convert them before they can do much damage, but it’s a never-ending battle.” He gave me a rueful smile. “Sorry, this wasn’t as fun as I’d planned.”

  “Hey, we added some new vamps to the good side. It’s a win-win. I like that.”

  WELL, I DON’T, Fang complained. I WANTED TO BITE MORE VAMPIRE BUTT.

  “There might be more vampire
s lurking in the park,” Austin said. “There have been a number of clumsy attacks in this area. I get the idea the new ones get steered in this direction.”

  But before we could scout the area, my phone vibrated. I checked the screen. “It’s Micah.” My boss in the Demon Underground didn’t call me often, but when he did, it was probably important.

  “You’d better take it, then,” Austin said.

  I nodded and answered the phone. “Hi, Micah. What’s up?”

  “It’s Shade,” he said without preamble. “He ditched Tessa, and we think he’s gone to the blood demon’s former house. Can you check it out?”

  I glanced at Austin, uncertain. After all, this was supposed to be a date.

  He’d obviously heard both sides of the conversation—vamp hearing and all—and nodded. “Might as well,” Austin conceded.

  “What exactly do you want me to do?” I asked Micah. “I can force him to leave, but he’ll be right back there tomorrow. Unless you want me to . . . ?” I trailed off, leaving the rest for him to fill in.

  Micah sighed. “Does Austin have the amulet with him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then you can use it if you absolutely have to in order to make him stop this unhealthy, unsafe obsession, but only then. Got it?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Good,” he said. “Oh, and I have another request to ask of you.”

  “What?” I asked warily. I hadn’t had to use my role as Paladin yet, except to babysit Shade, and I really wasn’t sure I wanted to go there.

  “We have a visiting demon—Ivy Weiss—and I wondered if you could put her up for a little while in Gwen’s old room.”

  “I guess,” I said reluctantly. After all, Shade wasn’t using it anymore. “What kind of demon is she?”

  “A rock demon. The Sedona Underground calls her a gemstone whisperer—she can read stones and rocks and learn about their owners. Call me when you get home, and I’ll bring her by.”

  A ROCK HEAD?

  Don’t be rude, I admonished him. “Okay,” I told Micah and hung up.

  “Shall we go?” Austin asked, gesturing toward the car.

  OH, GREAT, Fang grumbled. WE GET TO BABYSIT SHADE. AGAIN. SHEESH—HE NEEDS MORE SUPERVISION THAN THE HELLPUPPIES.

  Chapter Two

  Val

  WHEN WE ARRIVED at the blood mansion and I got out of the car, Fang sighed. I’M TIRED OF DEALING WITH MR. DARK AND BROODY. YOU TWO CAN HANDLE THIS, RIGHT?

  I could sympathize. I didn’t want to do this, either. After my mother had kicked me out of the house six months ago, all I wanted was a place to belong. I had kinda sorta found that place with the Demon Underground, and I just wanted people to accept me—demon, warts, and all. Was that too much to ask? Apparently it was. Fitting in with the rest of the crowd was hard when I had to play the bad guy enforcer all the time. Especially when they feared me.

  HEY, I LOVE YA, BABE, Fang said, nuzzling my leg.

  I smiled down at him. Thanks. I did appreciate that, but I wanted more. Hell, I wanted it all.

  “What’s wrong?” Austin asked when I hesitated.

  I sighed. “I’m just tired of Shade’s drama. So is Fang. I wish someone else would deal with him.” I looked at Austin hopefully, but he shook his head.

  “You’re the Paladin, darlin’. Micah can either count on you or he can’t. Which is it?”

  Yeah, well, sometimes responsibility sucked. I became Paladin because I believed in what Micah was trying to accomplish with the DU. And since I also believed in fighting for what was important to me, that meant doing what Micah asked, sucky or not.

  I glanced down at Fang. If I have to go in and confront Shade, so do you.

  He heaved an aggrieved sigh. FINE. LET’S GET IT OVER WITH.

  “Okay,” I told Austin and hitched my backpack up on one shoulder as I headed for the entrance. The new wooden doors looked a lot like the ones at Alejandro’s main mansion and were probably just as sturdy. We’d broken down the previous oak doors the last time we’d been here and busted through the windows to take Emmanuel, the blood demon, by surprise. Though we’d whupped his butt good, we’d trashed the place in the process. Looked like Alejandro had gotten the doors and windows repaired.

  “Looks good,” I said. “Is the rest of the house cleaned up, too?”

  He shrugged. “Partially. We’re still working on it.”

  Austin let us into the house and flipped on the lights. Thank goodness someone had cleaned this area. No blood on the marble floor, no stray demon heads leaking nasty fluids over the grand curving staircase.

  I could see Shade partway up the stairs, dark ribbons swirling everywhere to obscure his features—the price of being one-eighth shadow demon and cycling through hundreds of dimensions all the time.

  He stood in exactly the same location where his twin sister Sharra had gotten sucked through the portal to the demon world where she’d died. I knew Shade was obsessed with getting her body back, but what did he imagine he could do here? He couldn’t go through a portal he’d created—he had to remain on one side to keep it open. And there was no one else who could create one for him.

  What’s he thinking? I asked Fang.

  DUNNO, Fang said, sounding surprised. I CAN’T HEAR HIS THOUGHTS FOR SOME REASON.

  That was new—and troubling. Because it sure looked like Shade was trying something—he had his arms outstretched toward the left side of the staircase and hadn’t even acknowledged our entrance.

  “What’s he doing?” Austin asked, frowning. He moved to the foot of the staircase, body tensed and ready for action, looking ready to take Shade down if necessary.

  Since the crystal was so near, in Austin’s pocket, I could use it to see Shade’s expression. I connected with the amulet, then took a peek. Yep, his tortured expression was a pretty good clue he was trying to create a door into another world, and his lips were moving in soundless words. Cursing or praying, I didn’t know which. “Trying to create a portal, evidently,” I told Austin. Though I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t working—no spooky green lightning cloud anywhere, though I could feel something trying to come into being.

  “Shade, stop,” I called out. This obsession of his was not only morbid, but dangerous. He couldn’t go through one of his own portals, but what if there were demons waiting on the other side to invade our happy homes?

  His brow furrowed even more, and his lips moved faster.

  “I can take him down,” Austin said, looking eager to do just that.

  I understood his frustration, but I shook my head. “No, better not. He’s generating a lot of energy—I don’t know what will happen to it if you touch him.” Would the lightning Shade generated in the cloud go through Austin?

  FRIED VAMP. NOT A GOOD IDEA.

  Yeah. I made a sudden decision. “I’m gonna need the crystal.”

  Austin frowned. “You can stop him without it.”

  “I can, yes.” Lola could make Shade do anything. “Temporarily. But I want to stop him permanently.” Only commands given using the crystal would last beyond my presence.

  When Austin hesitated, I added, “So we won’t have to do this ever again. Micah said it was okay, remember?”

  Austin narrowed his gaze at me, and I gazed calmly back. “I’ll give it right back to you, I promise.” I understood that I had to prove to them all I could live without the crystal and its pull on me, but the amulet came in awfully convenient at times.

  TOO CONVENIENT, MAYBE? Fang asked.

  I ignored him.

  Austin pulled the amulet out of his front pocket and handed it to me slowly, obviously still reluctant.

  Sighing, I went slowly up the stairs toward Shade, who was still paying no attention to us, his eyes closed, arms outstretched, and m
outh moving to form words I couldn’t hear. When I got close enough, I tried Austin’s way first, without the amulet to amp my power. “Stop it, Shade.”

  He ignored me and continued, looking even more desperate.

  And this proved why I needed the crystal. “Shade, stop it now,” I commanded, using the amulet to force him to obey.

  He halted but stared at me with sadness in his eyes, as if I’d just killed his puppies. I felt for him, I really did, but couldn’t let him endanger us or the rest of the world. “What were you thinking, trying to create a portal without backup?”

  “I was thinking to rescue my sister,” he said without heat.

  “She’s dead, Shade,” I reminded him gently. “You can’t rescue her, ever.”

  He sighed. “I know, but I can at least retrieve her body. We owe her that much.”

  I shook my head. “You don’t even know if she’ll still be there.”

  “I have to try, Val.”

  Feeling sorry down to my bones, I said softly, “No, you don’t. Micah doesn’t want you to.” Who knew what horde of demons he might let in from the other side? Clutching the crystal firmly in my hand, I said, “You will never open a portal to another world again without Micah’s permission.” I felt the command settle within him and take root.

  His eyes widened, and he yelled, “No!” Snatching the crystal from my hand, he hurled it to the marble stair and stomped on it with his booted foot.

  I felt the crystal shatter with a screeching high-pitched whine that pierced through my mind like shards of needle-tipped ice. Searing light flashed through the foyer, accompanied by a soundless shockwave that knocked us all on our butts. Blinded and deaf, I lay stunned at the bottom of the stairs for a few long moments, fear clogging my throat. I closed my eyes in disbelief. Was this loss of my senses permanent? Please, don’t let it be permanent, I begged any gods who might be listening as I clutched at my aching head, which pounded with an unholy migraine.

  WHOA. THAT WAS INTENSE.

  An understatement. At least I knew Fang was okay.