TangledHunger (12 page)

And neither did he heal.

She swallowed.

She couldn’t imagine Marius ever letting them go, not after
bringing them here in this manner.

Terror clawed at her insides. She wanted to turn around and
cling to the safety of Duncan’s arms. She didn’t. Somewhere deep inside her she
dug up courage. Tanasha would not give Marius the satisfaction of seeing her
defeated.

This time the maid-bot led them to the far end of the house.
Crystals sparkled in the shine of the solar lights. One couldn’t walk past
tables, shelves and stairs without being blinded by at least one crystal
reflection.

Behind her Duncan’s steps slowed.

Tanasha turned to him. Just a quick glance, but it was
enough. His beautiful eyes glazed over. His confident walk grew less
determined.

“Duncan, don’t you think that Marius’ sense of style leaves
something to be desired?”

He flinched at the sound of her voice, but his eyes
brightened. He cleared his throat. “Very much so. He really should take a few
lessons.”

The Feral beside him punched him in the stomach. “Show some
respect. One more comment like that and you’ll lose a hand.” He punched Duncan
again, this time in the face. “Understood?”

Duncan spit blood onto the floor. “Whatever you say, kaveri.
Whatever you say.” The lines around his eyes deepened.

They maid-bot opened one last door and guided them into a
small sunroom. Marius sat in a large leather armchair, reading a book. “Ah,
Tanasha. How nice of you to stop by.”

Tanasha nearly snorted at his staged behavior. Instead she
crossed her arms over her chest. “Like you gave us a choice. Why are we here,
Marius? What do you want?”

“Please, where are my manners? Have a seat.” He closed the
thick leather-bound tome in his hands and set it on a side table before waving
her to the sofa across from him. “Tanasha, it was you who gave
me
no choice.
It was all right as long as you were the only one thinking Sydney wasn’t on one
last jaunt. But then you had to go out and hire a private investigator.”

Marius tut-tutted as he leaned back and crossed his legs. He
grimaced when his gaze landed on Duncan. “And a Vampire at that.” He shook
himself. “Never mind. Unfortunately O’Clare is about to go completely crazy and
get his hands on a faulty laser. In the struggle he unfortunately atomized you,
my dear. I will kill O’Clare in self-defense, of course. And with the faulty
laser burning every atom in your body, nobody will expect to find your corpse.
So bad, so sad. While everybody thinks the Vampire killed you, you’ll sit in my
basement and bring in a lot of credits for me. Sydney’s drying up and my partner’s
demand for Naema blood is incessant.”

Tanasha’s heart stopped. “You are insane. How can you sell
Naema blood to a Feral? Do want another galaxy-wide war? Jade, you’ve lost what
little sense you had.”

The lines around his mouth deepened and fury darkened his
eyes. “I wouldn’t expect a shapeless Null like you to understand strategy and
long-term planning.”

She flinched and rubbed her palms across her thighs.
Bull’s-eye.

And the malicious sneer across his face showed her he knew.
Before Tanasha could respond to the jab, Duncan interrupted.

“Hey, wing weasel, can you take the cuffs off? If I’m a dead
man walking, I’d like to at least be somewhat comfortable.” He nodded at the
Feral who tormented him the whole time. “And it’s not like your minions will
let me get away.”

Marius nodded and the two Ferals accompanying her joined the
third at Duncan’s side. One of them punched Duncan in the face.

Duncan groaned and spit more blood. “That wasn’t necessary.
I thought you were the big ringer around here. You saying you can’t keep
control of me without the cuffs?”

Tanasha wanted to shout at Duncan to stop challenging
Marius. The Naema wouldn’t hurt her because he needed her healthy enough to
take her blood, but he had no compunction about beating up Duncan.

Sure enough. One hand gesture and another fist ended up in
Duncan’s stomach.

Not that it seemed to deter her Vampire.

“Really? You need me to be tied up to punch me? Very manly.”

Marius paused for a moment. “Do you really believe your
cheap little tricks will make the slightest bit of difference?”

“I’d shrug, but with no feeling in my shoulders that’s kind
of impossible. Kaveri, every time I say something your goons hit me. I’d say
I’m making progress. Just one question, how are you going to explain my beat-up
body to the Guard?”

Marius sneered. “They won’t ask a single question.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re going to use your super-duper magic power
to snow them. Sure. That’ll work.”

“Why, in Jade’s name, would it not work?”

Duncan pursed his lips. “There are an awful lot of people
involved in a murder investigation and even more if a high-flying Naema like
Tanasha supposedly died. Not all of them will ever come to your house where you
can use your freaky power to make them fall in line. Are you going to chase
after every tech or drone just so you can put the whammy on them?” He rolled
back on his heels. “Hey, just saying. Also, if the ME takes a look at me he’ll
find that I’ve been systematically beaten and your fancy cuffs leave distinct
bruises. If you want me to look like a killer I can’t look like a victim.”

Marius rose. “Untie him.” He turned to Duncan. “One move and
you die. I can always rearrange my story to suit the situation. Understood?”

Duncan rubbed his bloody wrists. “Sure thing, kaveri.” He
walked over to Tanasha and dropped onto the sofa beside her. A small hiss
escaped him as he sat. He had to be in agony. Blood trickled from some of the
many cuts.

Tanasha edged the tiniest bit closer and leaned her shoulder
against his, grateful for the contact. His only response was to lean more
weight against her, deepening the touch.

“So, you going to tell us your evil schemes? Dying people
like to know.”

Marius chuckled. “Do you really expect me to lay out my
plans like a stupid villain from a vid, just so you can try and stop me?”

“Nah, I just like poking holes at other people’s ideas.
Makes me feel all big and mighty.”

Tanasha’s heart stopped when Marius finally dropped the mask
he’d worn since they stepped into the room. Where before he’d appeared coldly
arrogant he now looked utterly blank. No emotions whatsoever. No glee at
catching them, no triumph or elation.

He was empty.

She realized that there was no good in appealing to Marius’
better nature.

He didn’t have one.

She grasped Duncan’s hand. Warmth flowed through her and
some of the terror abated.

“Oh, how sweet.” Marius sneered at them. “I had you in mind
as my next wife, Tanasha, but now that you’ve fucked a Vampire I don’t believe
you worthy any longer. You only have yourself to blame. At my side you could
have been somebody. You only get what you deserve.”

Tanasha gaped. “Marius, you’re married to my best friend. I
would have never stood at your side. How can you even think that?”

Marius shook his head. “Tanasha, Sydney will suffer a
horrible accident and as her best friend you would have felt it your duty to
look in on me. Of course I would have required a lot of help and support and
one thing would lead to another. Let’s be blunt, you’re not the sharpest tool
in the shed. You would have fallen for me.”

Duncan laughed out loud. “Jade, you’re even dumber than you
look. But what would you expect from a wing weasel?”

For a moment stomach-curling fury filled the emptiness in
Marius’ eyes. Tanasha wanted to scream at Duncan to stop aggravating him.
Before she could do anything the anger disappeared again.

Tanasha swallowed.
This can’t be good.

“You are getting on my nerves,” Marius said and turned to
one of the Ferals. “Bring me the crystal.”

The Vampire turned around like a bot and marched out of the
room.

Marius’ smile made the hairs at the back of Tanasha’s neck
stand up. She tightened her grip on Duncan’s hand.

“What’s with those crystals? You’ve spread them across the
house like an addict would his drug stashes.” Duncan behaved as if he didn’t
have a care in the world, but his tension was palpable. She only wished she
knew what he planned.

The door opened again and the Feral returned. In his hand he
held the biggest cut and polished crystal Tanasha had ever seen. It was bigger
than a small child’s head and when the lamplight hit it the reflections nearly
blinded her.

Her stomach churned. Her heart sank.

Marius used the crystals to overcome any shields or barriers
in his victims’ minds. This was how he’d made Sydney’s family love him. That’s
how the Feral manipulated the Guard.

“Let me demonstrate.” Marius turned to the other Feral.
“Move him away from her.”

For one last second Tanasha clung to Duncan’s hand before
she released him.

And now Marius would do the same to Duncan.

Her Vampire jumped to his feet before the Feral could get
close to her and spread his arms. “Then show me the big secret.”

Marius took the crystal from the Feral. “Hold his head.”

The Ferals stepped beside Duncan. One held his head, the
other two grasped his wrists.

Tanasha had never felt so helpless in her entire life. Even
when the doctor attached the electric connections to her entire body and
shocked her. She saw no way to stop Marius from using the crystal. From turning
Duncan into another mindless zombie following Marius’ every order.

She swallowed.
There is no other way.

She grabbed the connection, this pale rainbow light
shimmering between them, and squeezed it, metaphorically, with both hands.
Moments later she found herself back in the bedroom.

Duncan appeared seconds later.

Tanasha flung herself into his arms.

“Easy, babe. I’m somewhat banged up.” He said the words but
he didn’t loosen his grip.

She gentled her hold and let his scent sink into her for a
second, but the direness of the situation never left her mind. “What are we
going to do?”

He cupped her face and kissed her with a need and passion
that dragged her under. Their tongues tangled, their bodies rubbed together and
their fire flared close to out of control.

“I’ve wanted to do that since you stood at the top of the
fucking steps with a dagger to your throat. You’re bloody insane.”

She cupped his face. “They would have killed her. I couldn’t
stand by.”

He nodded and rested his head against hers. “Nasha, I need
you to be strong. You’re our only way out of this situation.”

She pushed back and gaped at him. “What do you mean? How
could I be helpful? I have no power or training to go up against Marius and his
¼
his minions.”

A smile played around his full lips. “You have more power
than most other Naema I’ve ever seen.”

“What the Jade are you talking about?”

“Nasha, you are a Null, a magical void.”

She took a step back and dropped her gaze, trying to hold
the pain inside her. “Thank you so very much. I hadn’t noticed before that I am
a complete waste of space. Thanks for pointing that out.”

His brows drew together. “What are you talki—Nasha, I didn’t
mean it like that. A Null is a person who is completely unaffected by magic.
Baby, magic slides right off you. That is why none of Marius’ attempts have had
the slightest bit of impact on you.”

Tanasha stared at him. “I
¼
I’ve
never heard a Null described in that manner. They’ve only ever called me that
to tell me I’m powerless. How did you learn about this? Where?”

Duncan took her by the shoulders. “I don’t have time to walk
you through the steps. Marius is aiming his crystal at me. Trust me.”

She swallowed. Tanasha wanted to believe him, wanted to
accept that her whole life she’d thought of herself as powerless when she
really was a proper Naema. Just not one seen very often. “I need more
information, Duncan.”

His grip on her shoulders tightened. He flashed in and out
of the bedroom. “Nasha, no time. My connection to you helps me fight his
fucking crystal, but I need you to push power down the line.” He flickered
again like a bad holo image. “You need to believe, no matter what.”

Her heart raced like a ship in hyperspace. He expected her
to believe something that would turn her world upside down, with no
explanation, with no proof. Just believing that what he said was true.

I don’t know if I can.

Before she finished thinking the thought Duncan winked out
of the room.

“Duncan!”

Tanasha returned to reality and wished she could be anywhere
else in the galaxy.

Marius held the shimmering crystal at Duncan’s eye level.

Duncan’s eyes were vacant.

The life and energy that usually surrounded him?

Gone.

She threw herself along the connection but the bedroom
stayed out of her reach. It was as if nobody was home at the other end of the
link.

Tanasha’s heart broke. Her doubt, her hesitation had cost
Duncan his mind.

Marius chuckled. “There you go. All nice and quiet and
nearly dead. Just how I like my Vampires best.”

He turned to Tanasha.

Sweat trickled down her spine and pooled at her lower back.
Evil.
That was all she could think. There would be no way for her to change his mind.
“Why?” The word escaped her in a hoarse whisper.

Fury darkened his eyes again. Pure, unmitigated rage.
“Because the fucking Naema society cares more about where you come from than
what you can do. All they want to know is your family tree and how many
senators your fucking tree has.” He cursed. “I tried, Tanasha, I tried again
and again to impress my supervisors, my colleagues, but it was never enough.
Every promotion went to the ones who had the best connections, no matter how
little they knew about their tasks. Once in a while they’d throw me a bone and
move me a tad forward. But all the important roles were always taken by some
brother, cousin, nephew, new daughter-in-law to the leaders.”