And this was not the blood sucker I wanted to talk with. No, it was the liar. Leo.
“Has Jaxon woken up yet?” I asked, giving him one more chance to lie to me.
He snarled, but it didn’t scare me. Somehow, I knew I could handle him. “It doesn’t matter, because you won’t be talking with him.”
I really didn’t like to be told what to do. Or what I wasn’t going to do. I put my finger on my chin and cocked my head. “You see, that’s where you’re wrong. I’m a grown adult and can talk to whomever I want.” I sidestepped to move around him, but he blocked me.
My witchy senses went haywire. I had to think quickly, and I needed backup, though I was still pretty sure I could take this sleazeball. What to do?
If I yelled, it was possible his buddies would come to his aid. Since I was connected to Zoey, from raising her from the dead, I sent out my magic to her with a message. It was kind of like telepathy without actually having the ability. And I hoped it worked, but I had no idea if it would. “Zo, get Drew and come outside. There’s a vamp with a bully complex.”
I felt a nudge along the magical connection and hope bloomed inside me. Did she get the message? Maybe I wouldn’t be handling this psycho on my own after all. I inched left, and he inched left. I went back to the right and so did he. I gathered my power, ready to use it if I had to.
My question was answered just a few seconds later when Drew came into view a few yards behind the vampire.
The vamp turned to glare at Drew, then faced me again. “You called for backup? What kind of necromancer are you?”
Now that I had backup, I felt even better. I smiled wide. “A powerful one.” I threw out my hands and sent a blast of energy toward the fanged freak, but it didn’t pack as big of a punch as I’d hoped. He stumbled back a few feet, then rushed forward faster than I expected him to. Before I could react, he plowed into me, knocking the wind from my lungs as I hit the ground. Holy crap he’d moved so quickly.
I couldn’t breathe. I tried to gasp in some air, but it was like blowing bubbles in jelly. Nothing would make the air go into my lungs. All the while fear flowed inside me. I hoped Drew hurried. I didn’t want to be turned into vampire feed tonight.
Leo stood over me with a smirk on his face, but Drew didn’t let it go for long. Drew’s hands glowed with power as he punched the vamp in the jaw. As the air began to slowly seep into my lungs, Leo stumbled away, surprised at how hard Drew hit. I was a little impressed. Okay. I was a lot impressed.
Leo ran at Drew, but my man was ready for the vampire. He moved seconds before Leo’s fist touched him. Then Drew punched the vamp in the chest, sending him flying into the side of the house. I cringed and was glad the house was brick. I’d already sold it, and it would be a lot of paperwork if I handed over a damaged house to Hailey in a few days. But holy crow Drew was fast. And strong. And just dreamy.
In a flash, Leo was up on his feet. Then he flew at Drew like a linebacker on speed. Leo’s shoulder connected with Drew’s stomach, pushing him back almost faster than I could track. They slammed into the large tree in my backyard with Drew taking the full force of the impact. I gasped and then crouched. Panic was setting in, which made it harder to breathe. The vampire was too strong, Drew would lose.
I still struggled to breathe as I sat up. If I could get on my feet, I could try more magic to at least help Drew, but both breathing and standing were hard to do at the moment. Suddenly, Zoey appeared beside me in tiger form. She let out a choked meow sound and rubbed her head against my shoulder. As soon as I sank my fingers into her fur, the pain in my chest lessened and my lungs opened up. I sucked in a large bubble of air and released it.
I didn’t have time to process how my tiger ghoul was able to heal me because nothing about my magic was normal. I just had to roll with it. I stood and faced the vamp and the hunter, then held out my hand. “Stop.” Oh, my necromancer magic had burst out. Odd.
The vampire instantly stopped, frozen in place. Oh, wow. I’d said stop, so he stopped.
So cool!
Another weird magic moment. I’ll ask Owen later. “Don’t move,” I commanded.
Drew stumbled to me with his arm around his waist. His handsome face was a total mess. When he reached me, I touched the wounds, healing them as quickly as I could. The healing power seemed to be more powerful than the last time I used it. I didn’t have time to dwell on that, either. Lots of questions for later.
He shuddered and studied me for a moment. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” Looking at the vamp, I asked, “Is Jaxon home?” Lacing my necromancer magic into my voice, I lowered it. “Tell me the truth.”
“Yes,” he replied with his stare blank like he was under compulsion.
That was interesting. “Why did you attack me?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
His nostrils flared. Some part of him was able to resist. “You were being nosy. I couldn’t let you go to Jaxon about that human.”
My anger rose, and I closed my fist and stepped forward. The vamp made a choking sound. Was I doing that? To test it, I opened my fist and he let out a breath. It was me. Nice. “Where is that human?”
I squeezed as he replied so his words came out sounding choked. “In an alley about a block from Catch and Release.”
I was about to ask where that was but decided I needed to make an example out of him. I walked across the street to Jaxon’s house. The vampire followed because he didn’t have a choice. It was easy to control him. All I had to do was want him to do something, then filter my magic into him and he did it.
Leo was under my spell. Now that I thought about it, vampires were undead. That meant I could control them. At least I could control Leo here, and it seemed likely he wouldn’t be the only one.
Jaxon met us on his front porch. His brows raised as he looked from me to Leo. “Why are you controlling him?”
He’d sensed that I controlled the vamp without me having to tell him. “Leo here did something with Wade, and I wanted you to hear his confession.” Then turned to Leo, asking, “What is the Catch and Release and why is the human, who has a name, Wade, in an alley?”
Fear made the vamp’s eyes grow large. “I turned him.” I was guessing it was against the rules to turn humans. Oops. Sucked for him. Pun intended.
Jaxon growled and snapped his fingers. “Paige.” The female vamp from the other day appeared and grabbed Leo by the arm. That was when I released him from my power.
Paige, who I believed was like a vampire cop, took the creep inside. Jaxon motioned to his car. “I’ll take you to get your uncle.”
“How do you know who Wade is?” I had to power walk to the car to keep up with him. As I reached it, Drew opened the back door for me. He didn’t even ask if he could go. Not that I would’ve turned him away. Heck no. Not after that impressive performance I saw in the backyard.
Once inside the car, Jaxon said, “I know everyone in this neighborhood.”
Chapter Twelve
My nerves were like a live wire and my stomach churned. “That vampire said he turned Wade.”
I kept my voice low. I was more talking to myself than anyone else, trying to wrap my head around the fact that my uncle was a fanged one. What did that even mean? How did it happen? Would we be able to take care of him?