Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing about this story...the writing is all L.L. Raand's and the Characters are all from various television shows (South of Nowhere, The O.C., Orange is the New Black, Lost Girl, The Fosters, and The L Word) Credit goes completely to all listed above.
Lena sighed inwardly as the tall stockade gates closed behind them. Tamsin parked the vehicle in a turnaround in front of the central building. The Compound was even more crowded than it had been before dawn that morning. Pairs and groups of uniformed sentries crisscrossed the courtyard between the buildings. In the flat white light cast by the security lights, everyone looked youthful and in fighting form. Lena doubted they were all as young as they appeared, but she'd never actually seen a Were who appeared even middle-aged, let alone elderly. It really wasn't fair for a species to have both longevity and beauty, and now that she thought of it, all the Praeterns had those qualities. Maybe humans were just jealous.
"Ashley is here, isn't she?" Lena asked. She'd made it through the door. One hurdle down, about ten to go. Relaying the information she'd gotten from her anonymous caller was only part of her agenda. She didn't intend to be used as a go-between—a passive conduit to funnel information that someone wanted Ashley or someone else to know. She wanted to be part of the investigation. She was going to have to bargain, and she had probably sixty seconds to figure out how to bargain with a Were. And not just any Were. The Alpha.
"A word of advice," Tamsin said.
Lena grasped the handle of the door, waiting. "I'd appreciate it. Thank you."
"If you want to see the Alpha, come as a friend. Not as a reporter."
"I am a reporter, but if I wasn't also a friend I would have run with the story I already have. Believe me, it's big news."
Tamsin studied her for so long, Lena wondered if the lieutenant could read her mind. She didn't think Weres had that capability, but the more she was around the Praeterns, the more she realized she didn't know. And boy, that really frustrated her. A trickle of sweat dripped down her neck, but she waited while Tamsin sat with such stillness she might have been a statue.
"Wait for me," Tamsin said, jumping out of the truck. She skirted quickly around the front, opened Lena's door, and cupped Lena's elbow. "I'll take you inside. Stay close."
They hadn't even reached the stairs when John appeared on the porch, blocking their way with his legs spread and his thick arms crossed over his broad chest.
"I've allowed you this far," John said, "because you said you had information about some of our Weres. If you're lying—"
"I'm not," Lena said. "What I have to say, I want to say to your Alpha. She knows me. Tell her I'm here. Please."
John shot Tamsin an angry look. "You stand for her now?"
"I stand for Pack, just like always. But it should be the Alpha's decision to hear her or not."
John growled, his features darkening as his gaze locked on Tamsin's. The aggression pouring from them was so thick Lena's skin tingled.
"Look," Lena said sharply, trying to get them to look at her and not each other for a few seconds. "I didn't come here to start a fight. Can we try being on the same side for a while?"
"It's been a difficult few days," a lithe blonde with a voice as melodic as a symphony announced as she crossed the Compound to them. The female stepped between Tamsin and John, as if she actually thought her slender body would provide some deterrent if the two of them decided to tear into each other.
Oh, this was getting worse by the second. She'd be persona non grata if her very presence started a rumble between Pack members. "Don't you have some sort of protocol for getting a simple message to Ashley?"
The blonde smiled but kept her eyes on John and wrapped her delicate fingers around Tamsin's forearm. "Lieutenant, you don't want to challenge him." Her voice was light, almost cajoling. "You know how unreasonable breeding mates can be about everything."
John snarled. "That has nothing to do with it."
"Doesn't it?" The blonde laughed softly. "I bet half the reason you're snarling right now is Dayanara is calling you."
His mouth flickered, his expression fluctuating between pride and nervousness. "Her heat is more intense this time. We've tried before and…"
He looked away from Tamsin, and the lieutenant stopped snarling.
The blonde tilted her head toward the barracks. "Go find your mate, John. Tamsin has this under control."
"Lieutenant?" John addressed Tamsin but didn't lock eyes.
"I will stay with Ms. Adams until the Alpha decides to see her, or not. I'll be personally responsible for her as long as she is within our borders. Sir."
"I'll inform the Alpha she's here." He nodded abruptly, spun on his heel, and stalked away.
"Cranky, isn't he?" Lena muttered.
Tamsin laughed. "His mate is in heat."
"You'd think that would make him happy." Lena held her hand out to the blonde. "Thank you. Are you the official peacekeeper?"
"I'm Lauren Lewis, one of the Were medics." She shook Lena's hand. "The Alpha is not in the Compound at the moment. I don't know how long she'll be."
"I'm happy to wait."
Lauren turned to Tamsin. "Don't leave her alone. It's after sundown. I'll be in the infirmary checking on our visitors."
"Stef?" Lena asked. "Is Stef still here?"
Lauren regarded her with surprise. "You know her."
"I wouldn't say that," Lena said wryly, "but we're acquainted. I'd like to speak to her. Detective Foster and I are working together on the investigation." Okay, maybe that was spinning the truth a little, but she wanted to see Stef, and this beat sitting in front of Stef's house all night.
"All right. I'll take you over, although I don't know if she's able to leave…"
"I know what happened to the Alpha's guard."
"You know quite a lot, it seems." Lauren's tone was curious, not critical.
Not enough. Lena smiled. "Thanks for the help."
"Tamsin," Lauren said, "if you want to come—"
"Where she goes, I go," Tamsin said, her voice deeper and more gravelly than it had been moments before. Her skin glimmered as if she were drenched in sweat all of a sudden, but the night was cool. Her eyes glittered strangely as her gaze swept over Lauren. "The Alpha ran tonight."
"I know." Lauren took an unsteady step back. "Tamsin—"
"If you're looking for Marina or the centuri…maybe Bo—"
"No," Lauren said quickly. "None of them."
Lena was usually good at deciphering unspoken conversations, but whatever messages they were sending, they weren't verbal. She could have sworn Lauren was purring—no, not purring, rumbling very quietly. And her rapid breathing was unmistakable. Tamsin's jaw was so tight she was going to crack a tooth. Holy hell, these two were seconds from jumping each other!
"Ah, you mentioned taking me to Stef?" Lena said, surprised at how dry her throat was.
"Yes," Lauren said, her eyes still on Tamsin.
"Great," Lena said. Just great. Tamsin's canines were definitely longer. And Lauren's eyes were gold now.
"Right this way." Lauren turned away abruptly. "They're in here."
Lena hurried to keep up with Lauren's long, swift strides. God, whatever was stirring everyone up around here had better not be catching.
"How are you feeling?" Stef stroked damp strands of Theresa's dark hair away from her pale cheeks.
Theresa grasped her wrist, smiling weakly. "I've felt better, but I'm all right."
"I'm sorry. I let things go on too long."
"No, you didn't." Theresa entwined her fingers with Stef's. "I wanted to be with her. I wanted to be with you too."
Stef smiled. "I always knew you were ambitious."
Theresa laughed, her eyes still deeply shadowed, but clear. "How do you think I got to be chief medical examiner?"
"Not by letting someone nearly bleed you dry," Stef said bitterly. She should have seen how powerful Alex had become. Unlike most newly turned, Alex had the strength to match her urges, and she'd fed like a fully Risen Vampire but without the same control. She was all the more dangerous in her mindless state.
"But you didn't let me die, did you." Theresa looked across the room to Chelsea. "Would you please tell this one that I'm fine?"
Chelsea set aside the chart in which she'd been recording lab results. "She's anemic, but you'd know that. Her blood pressure and pulse are fine. She needs heme stimulants, iron supplements, and probably a few days' rest. But she's quite stable."
"Good." Stef caressed Theresa's face. "I don't have to tell you not to host again for several weeks, do I?"
"Several weeks!" Theresa sat up suddenly, her eyes widening then blurring out of focus. "Oh."
"Damn it." Stef caught Theresa as she slumped sideways and cradled her against her chest. Behind her, the door opened, and her senses sharpened. Lena.
"At least two weeks." Carefully, Stef laid Theresa back down and drew the sheet up over her bare breasts.
Theresa's eyelids fluttered, and she mumbled, "Too long. Too long to go without. Without you."
Stef turned, knowing Lena was watching, expecting censure. Even the most supportive humans became uncomfortable when faced with the reality of Vampire survival. Ordinarily, she didn't concern herself with human opinion, but she couldn't so easily relegate Lena to the faceless, nameless masses. She hadn't planned on the swift kick of pleasure at seeing Lena's smile.
"How are you?" Lena said softly.
"I'm surprised they let you back in." Stef nodded a greeting to Lauren, who edged around Lena and crossed the room to join Chelsea at the workstation.
Lena shrugged. "I'm persuasive."
"Among other things." Stef grasped Lena's elbow and drew her outside into the hall. "What are you doing here?"
"Working." Lena ruthlessly expunged the image of Stef tenderly stroking Theresa. Stef looked worse than she had that morning. She was always pale, but Lena was starting to distinguish what was a healthy pallor and what wasn't. When Stef hadn't fed, she developed a tightness around her eyes and mouth, as if her skin adhered more tightly to the bone. As if her substance were contracting, pulling in on itself. As if she were dying. Lena's heart clenched. She knew if she touched Stef now, she'd be cold. "What are you doing?"
Stef frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"You need to feed again. You've been here for two days. Who's been—" Lena glanced into the treatment room. Theresa appeared to be asleep. She was bone white, her neck riddled with jagged bite marks and deep purple bruises. "You didn't—"
"No," Stef said quickly. "Alex is voracious, and Theresa is insistent. I let Theresa host for Alex one time too many."
"But she didn't feed you."
"I'm all right." Stef's eyes were flat, unreadable.
Lena knew what that meant. Someone else had given Stef what she needed. A swift spear of jealousy cut through her, and she impatiently brushed the feeling aside. "Well, whoever it was didn't give you enough. You still need—"
An earsplitting roar shook the air, and the floor vibrated beneath Lena's feet, as if someone had dropped a huge weight from a great height. Another crash was followed by a wild cacophony of growls and snarls. The closed door to the room opposite where they stood shuddered as if a battering ram had struck it from the other side.
Stef grasped Lena's arms and pushed her toward the open doorway of the treatment room. "Get inside with Theresa and the others. Lock the door and don't come out, no matter what you hear, until I—"
Another deep-throated, enraged growl shot through the air, and the heavy wooden door across the hall splintered with a resounding crack. Wood fragments flew everywhere.
Stef grabbed Lena, threw her against the wall, and covered her with her body. Lena stifled a scream, more surprised than afraid. Her back was against the wall, her face pillowed against Stef's neck. Stef's throat was soft and cool, but she was very much alive. Absurd to register that now, when her heart was pounding so loud in her ears she could barely think.
Stef jerked and grunted as if surprised.
"What—" Lena exclaimed.
"No questions," Stef snapped.
"Hey!" Lena was lifted into the air, spun around, and deposited bodily in the doorway of the treatment room. Lauren and Chelsea had pushed Theresa's stretcher into the far corner and were crouched in front of it.
"Inside. Close the door," Stef ordered and turned toward the commotion in the hall.
"Oh my God." Lena stared at the foot-long jagged chunk of wood, easily two inches thick, that protruded from Stef's back between her left shoulder blade and her spine. Stef's white shirt was already soaked in blood so dark it looked black. Lena's throat closed, and her stomach threatened to revolt. She took a step down the hall after her. "Stef!"
Stef spared her one furious glance. "Get inside with the others."
But Lena couldn't. She couldn't run and she couldn't hide. Running and hiding was a victim's solution. She'd learned never to run. The punishment never stopped until you proved you couldn't be hurt, until you proved you were stronger than any ammunition used against you. Even if every instinct hadn't demanded she stand her ground, she couldn't have escaped to safety while Stef was wounded. Because of her.
Lauren appeared beside her and grasped Lena's arm. "Go back inside. I'll watch the door."
"No." Lena reached around Lauren and yanked the door shut, closing Theresa and Chelsea inside. She put her shoulder against Lauren's and stood guard in the hall. "We'll both watch it."
The crashing in the room opposite continued, as if bodies were careening against the walls. Suddenly Alex bounded into the center of the hallway and crouched on all fours, her eyes flaming pools of fire, her incisors dripping blood. Her bare chest and abdomen were awash in crimson.
Lena's heart leapt into her throat, but before Alex could strike, Stef materialized and blocked Alex's path. Stef's back was to Lena, and the horrible stake was still there, an obscenity Lena wanted to pull out with her own hands. She didn't dare move, didn't dare try to help, afraid she would only draw Alex's attention and precipitate a battle.
"No more," Stef said to Alex. "You'll not feed again until I say you will." Alex's hot gaze swung from Stef to Lauren and Lena. Her lips pulled back and she snarled.
Bo staggered out of the room where Alex had been kept, her chest and shoulders covered with teeth and claw marks. At the far end of the building the front doors flew open, and Tamsin raced toward them.
"Her," Alex growled, her ravenous gaze locked on to Lauren as she stalked slowly forward. "Her."
"Alex, no," Lauren shouted. "Alex, it's Lauren. Alex. You don't—"
Alex vaulted onto the wall and seemed to run up the vertical surface, careening out of Stef's reach, and lunged at Lauren. Tamsin and Bo, racing from opposite directions, launched themselves at Alex and dragged her to the floor. The three Weres tumbled in a mass of writhing limbs, slashing claws, and flashing teeth.
Alex whipped her head around, slashing Tamsin's chest and left shoulder with her canines. Tamsin roared and her grip loosened. Alex pulled her arm free and smashed Bo in the chest hard enough to catapult her against the wall. Bo's body struck so hard the wood cracked, and she fell to the floor, stunned.
"Get behind me. Don't move," Lauren ordered, pushing Lena against the wall and crowding close against her front, shielding her.
Lena's legs turned to jelly. Alex was loose again and would be on them in a second. She readied herself for the agony she knew was coming, but the pain never arrived.
Stef, a slender, blonde blur, caught Alex by the throat and threw her twenty feet down the hall. Suddenly, the hallway was filled with Weres—Bo, Tamsin, Ashley, Spencer, a pair of brunette Weres Lena had never seen before. She scarcely took note of the Weres; her attention was riveted to Stef. God, she was still bleeding so much. Her shirt and the back of her pants were drenched.
"Get back in the room," Stef said, advancing on Alex who crouched on all fours, wild and insane. "Do it now."
"No," Alex snarled, her gaze cutting to where Lauren blocked the closed door to the treatment room. "I want her. I want her. I smell her. She's ready."
"No," Tamsin shouted and stepped in front of Lauren.
Stef's gaze on Alex intensified. "You'll feed from no one until I say you will. Do as I say, or you die tonight."
Alex charged, and Lena's heart dropped to her toes. Stef was no match for a wild out-of-control Were, even if she hadn't been hurt. Alex was taller, heavier, and insanely strong. Oh God, please, please don't let Alex kill her.
Alex leapt, claws extended, jaws wide, aiming for Stef's jugular. Inches from burying her fangs in Stef's throat, she stiffened in midair, her forward progress halted so abruptly her body vibrated. Stef shot out her right arm, caught Alex by the throat, and pinned her to the wall. Alex's face darkened and her eyes bulged. Her arms and legs convulsed, pinwheeling impotently in empty air.
"Yield to me now, newling," Stef said, her voice as flat and hard as tempered steel. "Yield to me now, or you die."
Ashley roared. "You will not kill my wolf."
"She is mine now." Stef didn't move, didn't even look at Ashley, but Alex shuddered as if she'd been violently shaken. "I will do as I like."
Lena swallowed, half-amazed, half-terrified. Stef was hurt and bleeding, but still she held Alex off the floor with one arm. How strong was Stef, and how much more had she been hiding?
Ashley pushed through the crowd of snarling Weres until she was inches from Stef. "Kill her, Vampire, and you will die with her."
"Time out," Lena called, pushing out from behind Lauren and inching down the hallway toward Stef and Ashley. "Everybody needs a time out right now. You've got bigger things to worry about than Alex's adolescent rebellion."
Neither Stef nor Ashley gave any indication they heard her. The air around them was hot enough to ignite at any second. She turned to Spencer. "Can't you do something?"
Spencer shook her head. "No. This is between the Alpha and the Vampire."
"This is crazy. Alex's under control now."
Lauren slipped her arm around Lena's shoulders. "The Vampire is in the Alpha's territory. There can be only one leader here."
"I don't care. I don't care about territory or ego or whose dick is bigger—"
"It's not about that," Lauren said quietly. "It's about order. It's about survival. You understand those things, don't you?"
"No. Not like this." All she knew was Stef had a wooden stake the size of a hammer handle sticking out of her back, she was bleeding all over the floor, and Ashley Davies was about to tear her throat out. She'd never been so scared in all her goddamn life. She was helpless, and she hated it.
"Vampire," Ashley said, "do you want to make this our fight tonight?"
"You can't control her," Stef said. "If you try, she will kill your wolves."
"Then you do what you must do to control her. But you do not kill her."
Stef shot Ashley a look filled with disdain. "Your soft heart will be your death someday, Wolf."
Spencer growled and bounded to Ashley's side. "Be careful what you say about my mate."
Ashley cupped the back of Spencer's neck. "It's all right, Prima. Our Vampire friend is just frustrated."
Stef half-smiled, her crimson gaze returning to Alex, who hung limply in her grasp. "Are you ready to obey me?"
"I'm hungry," Alex gasped. "I'm hungry. Please, make it stop."
"I'll feed her." Bo staggered toward them.
Stef whipped her head around. "No. Not you."
Lauren stepped forward. "I'll do it."
"No!" Bo roared and grasped Lauren, trying to drag her away.
"Don't touch her," Tamsin shouted, her face morphing as she shouldered Bo away from Lauren.
Bo thrust her face into Tamsin's, red pelt streaking her abdomen. "Get out of my way."
"No."
Bo drove her claws into Tamsin's wounded shoulder. Howling, Tamsin raked her claws across Bo's belly and they crashed to the floor, tearing and biting.
"Stand down," Spencer growled at the thrashing Weres. She grabbed Bo by the neck and yanked her off Tamsin. Whipping Bo around, she pinned her against the wall. "Now is not the time, Imperator."
Bo's eyes were wide, wild. "Let me go."
Spencer shook her. "Look at me."
Bo shuddered, her eyes rolling.
"Bo," Spencer murmured. "Bo, look at me."
Bo's agonized gaze fixed on Spencer's, and she moaned. "Prima, I failed. The Alpha, Alex…I failed."
"No, Bo. You didn't." Spencer pulled Bo's face against her neck. "You're ours. Don't you know that?"
"Please." Bo closed her eyes and slumped against Spencer. "Please let me go."
"Never. Go sleep somewhere. Your job is done tonight." Spencer kissed her forehead and released her. "The Alpha will need you soon. Be ready."
Bo turned wounded eyes to Lauren, and Tamsin took a protective stance in front of her.
"Go, Bo," Lauren whispered.
"I'm sorry," Bo murmured.
As soon as Bo disappeared, Stef let Alex slide slowly down the wall until she rested on the floor, her head hanging between her knees. Stef ran her fingers through Alex's soaked hair and looked at Ashley.
"My Vampire needs to feed."
Ashley nodded. "I will send someone to you."
Stef leaned over, lifted Alex as if she were a child, and cradled her in her arms. She headed toward the splintered door. "I will see that she harms no one."
"I'll feed her," Lauren said. "Alex won't hurt me."
"You don't know that," Tamsin growled. "She almost killed Bo."
Lauren paled.
"Not you, Lauren," Ashley said. "We can't risk injury to one of our medics."
"What about me?" Tamsin said.
Ashley shook her head. "Get Max."
"Stef's hurt," Lena said.
"The Vampire can take care of herself," Ashley said.
Lena's temper snapped. "She's trying to save your guard! How much blood does she have to shed for you before—"
"I meant," Ashley said calmly, "she knows what she needs. When she tells us what that is, I'll see that she has it."
"If you wait for her to admit she needs anything, she'll be dead." Lena sidestepped Ashley and marched toward the room where Stef had disappeared. "You know what? I don't have to play by your rules."