The Recruit (Book Three) (28 page)

“Son of a
bitch!” Reid slammed the door shut on the mini-van. “Now what?”

The sun had set
and Chen checked his watch in the growing gloom. “There was a gas
station a mile or so back. We’ll use their phone to call Jordan and
get some help.”

“And what if
Will and Hannah are trying to call you?” Reid asked.

“Maybe we’ll
have better service at the gas station. Either way, we need to get
moving.”

Mallorie ducked
her head into the vehicle. “Ryan? Sweetie, we need to go back to
the gas station.”

“I’m not
leaving her.” Ryan said quietly. He was still sitting on the seat,
one hand stroking Constance’s cold arm.

“Ryan – “
Mallorie started to protest and Chen shook his head.

“Leave him.” He
said quietly before leaning in beside her. “We won’t be long, Ryan.
Alright?”

Ryan nodded
distractedly as he leaned over the seat. He pulled his jacket down
and studied Constance’s pale face as Mallorie eased the door shut
and the others walked quickly down the road.

They had hiked
less than half a mile before Reid slowed to a stop. “We shouldn’t
have left Ryan alone, Chen.”

“He’ll be
fine.” Chen said quietly. “He’s tough.”

Reid shook his
head. “You don’t need me. I’m going to hike back and wait with
Ryan. He’s just a goddamn kid.”

“Alright. Be
careful.” Chen studied the dark sky and touched the sword that was
belted around his waist, before holding his hand out to Reid.

Reid shook it
firmly. “You too. I’ll see you soon.”

* * *

Ryan pulled the
flashlight from his pocket and shone it on Constance’s face. He
studied her pale features carefully before leaning over the seat
and kissing her mouth. Her lips were cold and he closed his eyes
and rested his forehead against hers before whispering, “I’ll see
you soon, baby.”

He slid out of
the van, shutting the door gently behind him and pulled his gun out
as he walked around the side of the mini-van and leaned against it.
He turned and stared into the window, shining his light on
Constance’s face as he pressed the gun against his temple.

“I love you,
baby.” He whispered.

He closed his
eyes and took a deep breath, his finger tightening on the trigger.
After a moment, he burst into tears and lowered the gun, sliding
down the side of the van to sit on the cold pavement. He continued
to cry, loud wracking sobs that shook his body, as he placed his
gun on the road and buried his face in his arms.

“Why so sad,
young man?”

His heart
jerked in his chest and he grabbed his gun and scrambled to his
feet at the sound of the strange voice. He shone his flashlight
into the dark and blinked at the two men standing at the front of
the van. They were dressed in matching dark suits and red ties, and
the younger of them shook the crease from the front of his pants as
the other gave him a sympathetic look.

“Why do you cry
so bitterly, my young friend?”

“Who are you?”
Ryan raised his gun and pointed it at them.

“There’s no
need for that.” The man had a thick accent and he gave his friend a
brief smile before turning back to Ryan. “We won’t harm you.”

“Who are you?”
Ryan repeated without lowering his gun.

He frowned in
confusion when the younger man gave his companion an irritable look
and spoke in a gruff voice.
“Genug geredet, Otto.
Nehmen sie das Gewehr.”

“
Alles zu seiner Zeit,
mein Freund.
Alles zu seiner Zeit.”
The man replied calmly.

Ryan took a
step forward. “I don’t know who the fuck you are or what the fuck
you’re saying, but you’re going to walk away. Do you hear me?
Unless you want a bullet in your head, just walk the fuck
away.”

“My name is
Otto and this is Simon. What’s your name?” The first man said in a
friendly voice.

Ryan took
another step toward them. “Are you even listening to me, Otto?”

Simon sighed
loudly as Otto smiled.

“Ich habe
versucht net zu sein, Simon.”

With blinding
speed, Otto shot forward and grabbed Ryan’s wrist, twisting it
harshly. Ryan screamed in pain but hung on to the gun grimly as he
punched the larger man in the side with his left hand.

The man didn’t
even flinch and he twisted again, snapping Ryan’s wrist before
slamming the younger man against the side of the mini-van. The
metal groaned in protest as the man drove Ryan’s body into it,
smashing his head against the thick side window and shattering the
glass.

The gun dropped
from Ryan’s hand and he stared dazedly at the man holding him
against the van. Otto grinned, his fangs gleaming and Ryan moaned
softly as Otto peered over his shoulder into the van.

“Die Wölfin!”
He said in surprise before staring at Ryan again.

“How do you
know the she-wolf? Tell me.” He shook him roughly and Ryan curled
his lip at him.

“Fuck you!”

Otto laughed
and glanced at Simon who was leaning against the van with a bored
look on his face.

“Such spirit. I
like it. I really should save him for the hunt, Olof will be
displeased to lose such a fine warrior as this one, but I am so
very hungry.”

He smiled
cheerfully at Ryan. “Tell me how you know the she-wolf or I will
rip off your – oh, how do you say it in English – testicles? Yes,
testicles. I will rip them from your body and make you eat
them.”

“She was my
girlfriend.”

Simon laughed
heartily. “
Was
würde
eine Wölfin mit einem mickrigen Menschen Du
wollen?”

Otto grinned.
“My friend wants to know what a Lycan was doing with one as puny as
you.”

“I’ve got a
really big dick.” Ryan spat impudently and Otto laughed loudly.

“Ich mag diesen
Mensch, Simon.”

Simon snorted
and rolled his eyes as Otto grinned again at Ryan. “I was just
telling my friend that I liked you. Not enough to let you go but
perhaps enough to turn you. What do you think? Would you like to
live forever, human?”

He shouted in
surprise and pain when Ryan whipped his head forward with
surprising speed and smashed his forehead against the bridge of his
nose. It broke with a sickening crack and the vampire shouted again
and dropped Ryan to the ground before staggering back. He cupped
his gushing nose and stared in surprise at the blood on his hand
before baring his fangs at Ryan.

“We killed your
Lycan lover, foolish boy. And now we’re going to kill you.”

“You bastard!”
Ryan howled in anger and shot to his feet. He threw himself at the
vampire and Otto grabbed him by the throat and tossed him easily
into the ditch. He sighed loudly and dusted off his jacket before
pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket and pressing it against
his nose.

“Humans are so
annoying.” He started toward the ditch, stopping when Simon
spoke.

“Wo ist das
Gewehr?”

Otto turned and
stared at the ground behind him. “His gun?”

There was a
sharp whistle and he turned to see Ryan standing in the ditch
pointing his gun at him. Before he could dodge out of the way, Ryan
fired and Otto felt a sharp biting pain in his chest. He looked
down and grimaced, ripping at the blackened fabric of his shirt to
peer at the light pulsing through his veins.

His skin was
burning and he moaned in pain before falling to his knees.

“Otto?” Simon
said alarm.

He held his
hand up and took a few deep breaths, waiting patiently for the
burning to dissipate. When it finally did, he climbed to his feet
and smiled at the stunned human standing in the ditch. “You missed.
You need to have better aim, my friend.”

He flew forward
and knocked Ryan off his feet. The man landed face first in the
ditch, the gun landing a few feet away, and he shrieked with pain
when his broken wrist got caught under him and grated across the
hard ground. Otto lifted him to his feet and shook him like a
ragdoll as Simon, a bored look on his face, pulled out his phone
and punched a few buttons.

After a moment
he grumbled something to Otto in German and Otto rolled his eyes.
“Ja, I know there’s no reception, Simon! Just play a game or
something, will you? I’m busy.”

With a grunt of
frustration, Simon turned his back to them and bent over his phone.
He chuckled happily when the dancing frogs came on to the screen
and he pushed a button repeatedly, laughing again when the frogs
splattered one by one.

“Kids today and
their inability to be bored for even a moment.” Otto said
conversationally to Ryan.

He studied
Ryan’s throat before dipping his head and plunging his fangs into
the soft flesh. Ryan grunted and struggled weakly as Otto drank
deeply. After a few moments, he lifted his head and stared at
him.

“I’ll admit,
I’m still tempted to turn you – you’re rather tough for a human -
but I think I’ll just drain you instead. Olof will be angry if he
finds out I didn’t keep you for the hunt. I’ll drain you and hide
your body, and you’ll be our little secret instead. You’ll see your
she-wolf soon. In fact, you’ll see all of your friends. My brothers
are waiting for them at the gas station. They’ll capture them and
hunt them in the forest, one by one, just like they did with the
Lycan’s companions. Think how delighted they will be when they find
you waiting for them on the other side. It will be a wonderful
reunion. One that will – “

He suddenly
jerked wildly, his hands tightening around Ryan’s arms, and Ryan
lifted his head wearily and watched as Otto’s skin blackened. Otto
stared at Ryan with wide eyes before turning his head to stare
behind him.

“Hello,
motherfucker.” The blond man smiled cheerfully at Otto before
twisting the wooden stake further into his back. “You like the feel
of my wood?”

“Simon,
help...” Otto whispered before he burst into ash and blood.

Ryan crumpled
to the ground and Reid started to haul him to his feet.

“Another one.”
Ryan whispered. “Reid, another – “

He cried out
and fell to the ground as Reid was torn away from him. Simon, his
face red and his fangs glistening with saliva, hissed at the big
blond man as he knocked the wooden stake from his hand, wrapped his
hands around his throat and lifted him into the air.

“Arschloch!” He
snarled.

Reid choked and
gagged as he pulled his gun from the holster around his waist.
Before he could raise it, Simon ripped it from his hand and tossed
it to the ground.

“Fuck you!”
Reid choked out before gouging the vampire’s eye with his
thumb.

Simon bellowed
with pain but refused to let go. Instead, he squeezed harder,
grinning with satisfaction when Reid’s face began to turn purple.
He shook Reid happily and brought him closer to his large body.

“You’re dead,
human.” His accent was thick and harsh and he grinned again. “I
will enjoy this.”

His fangs grew
and he moved his hands to Reid’s shoulders and bent his head toward
his neck. Before he could sink his fangs in to the throbbing vein,
Ryan latched on to his back like a monkey. Simon grunted in
surprise as Ryan hooked one arm around his meaty throat and held
tightly as his other hand wormed between Simon’s body and
Reid’s.

“Won’t miss
this time, asshole.” He wheezed.

There was
pressure against his chest and Simon looked down to see the muzzle
of the gun directly over his heart.

“Scheisse.” He
spoke with resigned defeat as Ryan pulled the trigger.

The blast
knocked the vampire backwards and Reid landed on the ground with a
hard thud. Wheezing and coughing, he staggered to his knees and
crawled forward as Simon, his entire body lit up with blue fire,
exploded. Ryan was lying on the ground covered in ash and blood,
and Reid made a low moan when he saw the hole in his chest. The
bullet had travelled through the vampire and into Ryan, and blood
and blue light was pouring from the gaping wound in his chest. Reid
gathered the young man into his arms and touched his shoulder
lightly.

“Ryan?” He
rasped. “Can you hear me?”

“Reid?” Ryan’s
eyelids fluttered open.

“Yeah, it’s me,
buddy. You’re going to be okay.”

Ryan’s laugh
turned into a cough and blood spurted from his mouth. “Got the
fucker, yeah?”

“You did.”

“Asshole.
Killed Constance. The others are in danger.”

“I know, I
heard. Just stay still, Ryan.” He wiped the ash from his face as
Ryan stared up at him.

“I’ll see
Constance soon.”

“Yeah, you
will.” Reid said softly.

“Good. I’m
tired and I miss her.” Ryan whispered.

He closed his
eyes and Reid watched helplessly as his breathing slowed to a stop.
He was about to lower his body to the ground when Ryan jerked in
his arms and his eyes flew open. He took a gasping breath as he
stared over Reid’s shoulder and smiled happily.

“Hello, baby.”
He whispered.

He raised his
hand and Reid, goosebumps popping up all over his body, twisted his
head to look behind him. He half expected to see Constance standing
behind him but there was nothing but the darkness.

He turned back
as Ryan’s hand dropped to the pavement with a heavy thud and the
life faded from his eyes. Reid eased him to the ground and closed
his eyelids.

He took a deep
breath, it burned like fire in his throat, before bending and
heaving Ryan over his shoulder. He placed the young man’s body in
the van and covered it with a blanket. He picked up his gun and
Ryan’s, tucking Ryan’s into the back of his belt, and snagged the
wooden stake from the ditch before jogging toward the gas station.
He was too late to warn Chen and the others, they would have been
captured by the leeches by now, but he might be able to save
them.