Fangs of Fate (Untish #1)

Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

TATE

I opened my eyes to see a bright light shining right in my face. My hands were bound behind me; each ankle was tied to the legs of the steel chair. Blurry, everything was blurry. I tried to focus on the silhouette in front of me, but it was a painful and useless effort. My left eye was swollen, I could only see through a slit.

I swallowed and the taste of metal filled my mouth.

“The way I see it, you’re not a very good spy. I expected more from the president,” a gruff voice spoke. I tried to focus, but the spotlight only amplified the pounding in my skull.

“President?” What the hell was he talking about?

“Don’t play coy. We both know you’re not—” he leaned forward and sniffed, “—human.” The cologne he was wearing was smothering to my senses.

“And you are?” If this was the same bastard who’d knocked me out, he most certainly wasn’t human either.

“Me? Ha,” he snorted, “I’m one of the only humans here. Thanks to you.” He gripped my chin and squeezed as he dug his other hand into my right shoulder, fingering the bullet hole. Acute pain fired everywhere; my vision darkened, sight eluding me.

He stood there, stoic and unmoving, waiting for my eyes to focus. Gari. This was the monster I’d come here hunting…now I was his prey? Hell no. I had to get out of here.

“So, what? You have an infinity for the supernatural?”I just needed to buy enough time for my strength to return.

“There’s nothing super or natural about you, sweetheart. What I don’t understand is why the president would send you. I’ve upheld my side of the deal.” He pulled out a knife and pricked it against his thumb drawing a bit of blood. Bright pink red. He was human, that much was true.

“I don’t involve myself in human politics, so I think you’ve got it all wrong.”

“Human?” He huffed and then laughed as he stood upright releasing my jaw. “Hear that, boys? This brat here thinks I care about human politics.” His palm hit my right cheek before I could even blink. Fast for a human, but still weak. I remained sitting upright in the chair.

“You’re going to start talking or I’m going to make you wish you were dead.”

“How about you start confessing to all the hideous things you’ve done? You’re a monster.” I spat a mouthful of bloody saliva, and it landed right on his lapel. His brow arched as he pulled out his maroon pocket square and wiped off my insult.

“Now that wasn’t very ladylike. James,” he motioned for the tall male in the corner to step forward. The spotlight dimmed. Ah, so James was the beast who’d shot me. His auburn hair was combed back on the sides before lengthening on top to form a stylish pompadour—it was immaculately styled considering the fight we’d just had. There was no doubt, however, that this was the same male I’d fought, for in his hair were splotches of black and red. Blood.

“James here has certain skills that I think you’ll find particularly interesting. Or at the very least, painful.” Gari smiled, a viper if I ever saw one. James approached slowly, dragging a wheeled tray behind him. It had a cloth over it, and I immediately knew I didn’t want to know what it was hiding. I pulled against the restraints, biting back the pain from straining my wounded shoulder. I should be able to break free of rope, even average human handcuffs should snap from my strength. But they didn’t budge. How much blood had I lost?

“I’d give it a break. It’s not human-made nor is it standard,” an unidentified voice spoke. His voice dripped with sensual promise, a whisper of pleasure or pain. My skin crawled. His tall shadow approached. He was broad-chested, at least six-three, and his steps were fluid. Whoever this was, I hadn’t seen him when I was staking out the warehouse. Everything about his movements were primal. Graceful. I was drawn to him even as I slunk back as far as I could.

“Let me introduce myself. My name is Mardi. I too have certain gifts that Mr. Gari here finds useful.” He grabbed a chair and placed it in front of me, straddling it with casual grace. Clang! Metal hitting metal. James was getting ready.

“Don’t pay him any attention. It’s me you need to focus on. Tell me, what’s the president’s game?” He ran a hand through his shoulder-length dark brown hair. It had a certain matte color to it that screamed bad hair dye.

“I…your hairstylist is the criminal here.”

He arched a brow and paused for a moment, apparently taken aback by my forwardness.

“Spare me, Miss Aaralyn. We both know we’re talking about President Dale.”

Shock flooded my system. Now I was off-kilter. How did they know about him? It was forbidden to discuss the Glenn’s politics outside the Glenn.

“I see I’ve surprised you.” A smug look took over his tan, symmetrical face. “I like to do that.” He winked at me, highlighting the scar his face bore. It started at his center hairline, then jutted to the right through his brow and down his cheekbone toward his ear. Clearly, he’s seen combat.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I wouldn’t give him anything. Not out of loyalty to President Dale, he could rot for all I cared. No, I wouldn’t answer him because he acted like he deserved it; like I wouldn’t be able to help myself, like he was that good.

“Pity. James, can you refresh her memory?”

“With pleasure.” The coldness on James’s face was utterly inhuman. He didn’t look like any vampire I’d ever seen; our blood was dark red, like that of humans but only in its color, his was the deepest red I’d ever seen—and I could have sworn it held a golden tint. The place where he’d been stabbed bloomed a red-black that I’d only ever heard of in cheap human vampire tales. His eyes were narrower than normal and sported a strange green shade with a yellow hallow around the iris. He was skinny and yet remarkably built. His ears were slightly… pointed ? I squinted, trying to focus. He couldn’t be, could he? They were supposed to be practically extinct in this realm. That or secluded off to their little island, their embassy in this world.

“What does the president do with all the cargo?” Mardi questioned as James grabbed the knife and sparks began to bounce from it. Magic, he was using magic. I couldn’t take my eyes off James.

“You’re Fae.” I sat there in stunned disbelief. I’d been told they’d moved back to Mydant and, aside from their embassy, they’d had no contact with the four Vamps since before the Great War. Yet, here he was…he had to be Fae.

James’s face paled as his eyes shot up. He looked uncertain for the first time since I’d seen him; his eyes darted to Mardi. Mardi who seemed unnervingly cool. Unnaturally still.

“The president’s cargo. What does he do with them?” Mardi spoke, violence in every smooth syllable.

“You’re not surprised he’s Fae which means that possibly you are too.”

“What becomes of the people?”

“How the hell should I know?”

He smiled at my question and nodded to James who had seemed to recover from his shock and regain some of his wits. He brought the prong down on my leg and electricity flooded my body. I screamed and then bit down on my lip. They didn’t deserve the satisfaction of my cries.

“Tate, what does President Dale do to all the humans?”

“You tell me! Gari here is the one murdering and abducting innocents!”

“Gari?” Mardi huffed. “Cute. We both know why Mr. Gari does what he does. Now, what happens to the cargo?”

I refused to answer him. Even if I didn’t know what he was referring to, all my instincts screamed at me to keep silent.

“James.” Another bolt of electricity hit me, overwhelming my system. I burned from the inside. My blood practically boiled. This much charge could be fatal if it continued.

“We both know what happens to the average vampire if they’re exposed to high amounts of voltage. They can be fried from the inside out. Same as they can be cooked from the outside in by fire. Or there’s the lovely staking option we could go with. All can be extremely unpleasant and I’m losing patience.”

I studied him. He would kill me, his eyes made that extremely clear. But most humans didn’t understand the vampirical makeup or how to kill us. The idea of staking our hearts was comical. However, something about this male felt off. I looked closer. His cheekbones were defined in an unusual lethal elegance. His lips were full and, wait, I took a double take.Were those fangs?

“You’re a vampire.” It was a statement, obvious perhaps, but my muddled mind was having a hard time conceiving a Fae and a Vampire working together, let alone for Tony Gari.

“Why did the president send you, Tate?”

“He didn’t.” My resolve to say nothing was gone. If I was right about him being a vampire, then he knew how to kill me. His threat about fire and high voltage was real. The stake was a joke he must be patting himself on the back for unless…perhaps he didn’t want Gari to know that?

“He didn’t? So, what, you just waltz in here straight from the Glenn’s HQ building and try to take out Mr. Gari?”

“Who are you?” An eerie feeling fell. The same as the night I murdered the judge. He was the one who’d been watching me.

“What happens to all the humans, Tate?”

“What humans? If you’re referring to the ones Gari takes, then ask the monster himself. And stop assuming I’m here on Collin’s behalf.”

Mardi paused. He was calculating something. I wasn’t sure what, but something I’d said made him quiet.

“It’s very clear you’re an expression of the president’s will, doing his bidding and dirty work. Tell me, Tate,” he lowered his head as he leaned closer, “as a member of the guara, do you kill them for the president, or do you simply watch him drain them for sport?”

Fire erupted in my belly—how dare he. “Collin’s agenda is not my own. I am not the guara. I’d die before I killed for him.” Anger so deep and true raised within. Mardi looked straight at my now exposed shoulder, eyes squinting. The damn tattoo. I’d been branded and had almost forgot about my impending fate.

“We’re done here.” He looked at me and had the nerve to appear disgusted. James came closer to me; the knife now was shooting sparks two feet high. This would be fatal.

“Not that way, James. Burn her, treat her like the animal she is.” He turned and started to walk away.

Burn her?

“You’re just as bad at Gari and Collins!” I screamed as James reached for a bottle of lighter fluid and then approached me. He popped off the cap with his teeth and smiled, revealing perfectly straight teeth. I would die.

“Fae don’t fear fire like your kind.” He squeezed the bottle and liquid shot out all around me. What an ironic statement. Fae avoided my kind because we could kill them. The fluid soaked my hair, burned my face. When it hit my shoulder, I screamed. It sunk deep into my bullet wound. He continued to douse me until my clothing and skin were covered in it.

“Mardi, don’t we need answers from her?” Gari asked, his voice slightly shaken.

“Mr. Gari, she’s trash and won’t be of any use. Let’s dispose of her and send a message to the president that he can’t play with you. Sir, you’ve made a deal with him and have upheld it. I believe it to be in your best interest to incinerate her and all challenges to your authority.” Mardi placed a hand on Gari’s shoulders, the tension in the taut mobster instantly diminishing.

Gari nodded. “Right, well I’m off then. Take care of her.” He turned and left, the repertoire of guards following him. It was just James, Mardi, and me.

“It’s a pity, you could’ve been something great, Tate,” Mardi whispered as he nodded to James who held the matchbox.“Now let’s see a true burn. Let’s see how bright you will be.”

What the hell was he talking about? I didn’t have time to question it, James struck a match and then flung it at me.

I saw the flame, as it rotated in the air toward me, blue and orange dancing through the air with a lethal grace.

I saw my mother’s green eyes and dark blonde hair, her smile and bravery. She would not cower, and neither would I.

Fletch’s face flashed before me; he would not live ashamed of me. He would continue his scholarly work.

I saw Shae and her perky blue hair; she would become an outstanding soldier, and would no doubt keep them all on their toes and laughing, even if it was with the guara. Maybe she’d make it better.

I may be leaving this world, but my friends would continue to do good. They would make it a better place to live, brighter—even as I burned. I smiled. I would finally get to be reunited with my mother. I could leave this messed up place knowing others would carry on my mantle of justice. A strange peace blanketed me, covering my nerves. My soul inside smiled as the match hit the floor in front of me and I was engulfed in flames.