High Society (The High Stakes Saga #3)

The camera jostled in the videographer’s hand and then went still. It panned in on a seemingly-unsuspecting woman, sitting innocently on a park bench. She held a pink leather leash as her small brown dog sniffed something in the grass at her feet. Suddenly, the ‘vampire’ attacked. She screamed, pretending to fight him off and putting on a pretty good show, slumping down on the bench as he drained her. Her arm gradually went limp and the dog tugged his leash out of her hand and ran away as the vampire continued to feed. A swoosh sound was loud on the feed as a net landed on top of the fake vamp’s head. He struggled vainly to free himself, but of course he couldn’t. Just then, Victor’s soldiers appeared and pretended to stake the monster. One recovered the dog, petting him and telling him it would be okay. The dog leapt from the soldier’s hand and sniffed the feet of his owner, who stared up at the camera with sad, wide eyes.

That was so fake, I inwardly scoffed.

A new video emerged. This is real.

I saw Asa’s face first. A vampire hive was attacking the occupants of an apartment building. I realized with a jolt that the video feed was from a camera across the street. The video was being recorded from within someone’s home, and by an amateur, given the way the person zoomed in and out with shaky hands. Asa ran into the building and dragged a vampire out, staking him as he pinned him to the street outside. Enoch emerged with another, holding him still while Asa staked the cursed creature.

Wait – they’re helping the humans? Saving them? And slaying vampires?

Is your mind blown? Because my mind is blown, she typed. Keep watching.

Asa cupped his hands around his mouth, calling out, “Victor Dantone does not have your interests in mind. He sent these creatures to attack you tonight. We know the videos they show you. We’ve seen the propaganda. Victor is a liar and a murderer. Anyone who would like to truly be safe is free to join us. There is a safe haven for humans just beyond what you call the Dead Zone. We will provide food, shelter, and clothing to any who want to come, but you must go with us now.”

The brothers waited in the street. Only two humans joined them, but neither Asa nor Enoch attacked them. Instead, Asa and Enoch led them down the road, into the Dead Zone and supposedly to safety.

I rubbed at the scruff on my chin, unable to think of anything to say but, “Wow.”

There’s more, M. A lot more than I can show you.

I need to go back for her, I typed. What are the chances of getting tech?

She remained silent for several minutes. Done, but when I leave here, I want to go to the Haven the vampires mentioned. I retraced their broadcast feed and hacked into their server. It’s real, M. Once we do this, it’s the safest place to be.

The device held a single stored number. I clicked on it and typed a message to Enoch. I need help.

He replied immediately. Name it.

* * *

Titus

“Whose house are they burning?” Eve asked when we reached Asa in the front yard.

He turned to her with a stony face. “Enoch’s.”

“Only because he’s not home,” Terah supplied from behind us, rubbing some sort of salve on her hands. “Any coward can burn a house down while there are few to fight the fire. Let them come here and find what flames truly feel like on tender flesh,” she growled.

We tore our gazes from the blazing inferno of Enoch’s home when someone screamed from inside Asa’s house. The upper floor window exploded and flames licked out, flicking toward the roof and feeding from the air. Fire sprouted in Eve’s room. Despite our enhanced speed, the curtains were gone before we reached the porch. The window in the room beside hers exploded, shards of glass raining down onto the grass below. Dark smoke billowed on black tendrils into the air.

Fire roared and crackled contentedly as it consumed everything in its path. Asa pulled water from the well as fast as the chain allowed, while Terah ran to gather buckets from the cellar. As soon as two of them were full, Eve grabbed the handles and sprinted inside. She only made it halfway up the staircase before the intensity of the flames stopped her in her tracks. Throwing the water over the flames, I watched as the wood sizzled, already charred from the strength of the blaze. I was right on her heels as Eve turned and raced back to the well with her buckets. Terah charged inside right as we ran back out.

Eve grabbed two more full buckets, but Asa stopped her. “I should be the one to go in. The fire won’t hurt me.”

“No,” she panted. “You can pull water faster than we can. Get the water. It’s the only thing that’ll put it out.”

Asa’s employees joined us, working through a chain of hands to carry the full buckets to the door so we didn’t have so far to run, and dousing all they could safely reach. Eve, Terah, and I charged closer to the inferno that was already beginning to engulf the rooms on the second floor. It was all we could do without hoses or fire extinguishing foam.

We’d put out the staircase and part of the hall, but Eve’s bedroom and the one beside it were still ablaze. Eve ran into her room with a full bucket in each hand, and the door sucked closed with a slam, sealing her inside. She screamed as something loud popped.

“Eve!” I shouted.

I tried the door handle, but it was so hot the metal branded my hand. My suit flared to life, healing me quickly, but I couldn’t get in. I threw my shoulder into the door, but it wouldn’t budge. Terah was in another room down the hall; when she came out, I yelled at her. “Help me!”

She paused and stared, unmoving.

“Eve is in there. She’s trapped. Help her, Terah!”

In reply, Terah turned her back and sprinted back down the stairs. I threw my shoulder into the door again and again until the wood splintered, but something large and heavy was blocking the door. “Asa!” I screamed, but he wasn’t the one who showed up.