Chapter 7: Taking out the Trash

UNKNOWN

Willow chooses to bide her time in the coffee shop, surrounded by her team and Andrei, as they await news about the warehouse. She introduces Andrei to her team, and they all gather around a round table, sharing stories and laughter. Logan is busy scanning the campus through his laptop, keeping an eye on the security cameras.

Jenna’s tale about a recent mission has them all in stitches when a tall man enters the shop and makes his way to their table.

Willow glances up, nudging a chair out with her foot in invitation. “Well?” she asks, taking a sip of her coffee.

The man folds his hands on the table, leaning in slightly. “We found the warehouse. You mentioned three vampires, right?”

He pauses, waiting for Willow’s nod before continuing. “Unless we were misinformed, more arrived last night. We counted nine, possibly more. They weren’t sleeping, despite it being daylight.

“The place was shrouded in darkness, windows covered. They were awake, and they had two humans with them, feeding off them. We also found five bodies discarded on the property, all drained of blood. All human.”

His face twists in disgust. “We’ll need to alert the local authorities once we’ve dealt with them. The families deserve closure.”

Willow’s anger flares. She turns to Andrei. “Do you see? He’s escalating.”

Andrei leans back in his chair. “The fact that they’re awake during daylight hours suggests these vampires are much older than the ones from last night. Over centuries, a vampire grows stronger.

“They develop the ability to resist the sleep of death, going days, sometimes weeks without rest. I can go months, although now that I can walk in the sun, I force myself to rest more often to blend in with humans.

“If there were nine visible and awake, they’re very old. They’re feeding to gain strength. The blood keeps them powerful, but they burn it off quickly because it takes extra fresh blood to stay awake during the day.”

Jenna asks, “How do you compensate?”

He looks at her. “Ever since I was gifted with the ability to walk in the day, my need for blood has decreased. I replenish twice a week, but never directly from a victim anymore. I use blood bags from the blood bank.

“My last victim was a poisoned wolf, twenty years ago. It almost killed me.”

He glances at Willow. “Perhaps it was the combination of the poison and the blood I received to save me that gave me this gift. I’m not sure. Either way, I was reborn from that moment.”

“Well.” Willow leans forward, addressing the team. “We go in at dusk. I want them all alive before we head in.” She turns to the tall wolf. “How many men from your team can you spare? I don’t want to leave the campus unprotected.”

“I can have ten men ready to go. That will leave ten.”

She nods. “Good. Logan,” she says, looking at the boy with the laptop. “You stay behind and monitor the cameras. Get contact info for the wolf in charge just in case.”

She finishes her coffee and stands up. “Let’s go get our weapons and meet in the parking garage near the professor’s classroom. We’ll drive down to the docks together and plan our approach.” She pays the bill and leaves, with everyone but Andrei following her outside.

He leans in close to her, his shoulder brushing against hers. “I know you’re your mother’s daughter, but I would be devastated if anything happened to you in this fight.”

She looks up into his icy blue eyes and smiles. “I’m well trained. The Goddess has been planning this for a long time. Trust me, they won’t see me coming.”

Andrei, with a shadow wolf at his side, returns home to gather his weapons. He changes into black joggers, a black t-shirt, and black boots, then heads back to campus to meet Willow and her team.

They have three vehicles ready in the garage: two vans and an SUV. They distribute stun grenades, which will either kill the vampires or at least buy them some time. Every second counts; vampires are fast.

They arrive at the docks and decide to park a distance away and approach on foot. As darkness falls, they know they need to move before the vampires leave the warehouse. The best scenario is to catch them all inside.

Willow has the ability to mind-link with all packs, as does her brother, but she prefers to keep her royal family connection a secret. She wants to earn recognition, not have it handed to her.

They move stealthily toward the warehouse identified earlier. It isn’t a large warehouse, smaller than the others around it, but it likely has a basement—a perfect dark place for vampires to sleep.

Using hand signals, the wolves surround the place. Then Willow uses her link ability to communicate with the group. “On my count, throw the stun grenades inside and we move!”

They all stand ready. Willow begins the countdown. “Three, two, one!” They launch the stun grenades into the building, and a blinding light and loud bang fill the air.

They charge in through broken windows and torn doors, Andrei right behind Willow. Then he loses sight of her in the smoke. His sword swings, bodies fall, and screams echo in the smoke. It moves, like a dancer. Then it hits him. The smoke is Willow. She is hunting the vampires, killing them off unseen!

As the melee quiets, one vampire lies on the floor, his chest slashed open. He writhes in pain, trying to heal himself. Andrei approaches him, stabbing his sword into the vampire’s chest wound to prevent it from closing.

“Well hello, Dominic,” he says, grinning as he watches the vampire squirm.

Willow appears next to him, fully clothed, which fascinates him. Her gifts are truly remarkable.

“Oh goody! I get to play!” she says, staring down at the vampire.

“Building is clear, princess!” Rueben calls out. “All the wolves are alive, and some are healing.”

Andrei yanks the live vampire to his feet, his claws digging into his shoulders to keep him under control.

“Are you going to volunteer the information, brother, or shall I let this very talented woman extract it from you?” he asks Dominic.

Dominic growls. “I won’t speak to you. You’re a traitor to your own kind!” he spits.

“Me, a traitor?” Andrei’s voice is laced with disbelief. “I’m not the one murdering my human donors or plotting against your ex-king! That’s you and my wayward brother’s doing.”

He digs his claws in deeper, his anger palpable. “I handed him the throne, and now he’s trying to take my life? For what? Power? He can never possess my power. And neither can you!”

Andrei’s voice takes on a melodic quality, almost hypnotic. “Tell me his plans,” he demands. “Tell me how he plans to wage a war he’s destined to lose.”

Dominic’s eyes glaze over, falling into a trance.

“He believes that if we can capture you and drain you, he can consume your power. He wants your gift—the ability to walk in the sun.”

His voice is a mere whisper now.

“He thinks if we feed from his vein afterward, we’ll all gain the same ability. He plans to annihilate all shifters and Fae. The witches too. He wants to eliminate any competition for the food chain.”

Dominic’s voice grows stronger, more confident.

“We will rule and everyone will bow to us. Absolute power! He’s planning to strike against the Royal Pack. Soon, there won’t be an alpha king.”

And then, in one swift, brutal move, Andrei tears his head from his shoulders.