Page 111 of Inhuman Nature

Rake still didn’t seem happy with that explanation, but when Kit refused to elaborate further, Shaun moved on. “Do you think you’re ready to face Lawrence?”

“Yes.” Kit’s voice didn’t waver. “You?”

Shaun searched inside of himself. There was still a tendril of connection between him and Lawrence, but by now it was so warped that it didn’t resemble the bond it had been when Lawrence first recreated him. “Yes,” Shaun said. “Fucker needs to die. Permanently.”

“Mistress, you need to hear this.” Boris’s words cut through Shaun’s concentration as he stood with Rake at the end ofLawrence’s street, readying himself to face his creator for what would hopefully be the final time. They’d cleared the street of onlookers, but the noises of evening revellers down on the beach drifted towards them.

Shaun turned his head to watch Lynette accept the phone from Boris, whose expression was inscrutable.

Rake let out a deep groan of frustration. Shaun gripped his hand tighter lest Rake decide to ignore the plan of attacking Lawrence as one unit and instead attempt the solo mission he’d been threatening to undertake with every delay.

“Steve?” Lynette prompted. Lynette had left the other bouncer and a few others with Julia back at the club to provide protection for her new creation, not wanting to put her in danger. Shaun would have suggested to Rake that he stayed behind too, but Rake never would have gone for it. And Shaun couldn’t deny that he felt better having Rake alongside him for this.

“There are vampires flooding the west side of the city,” Steve said, his voice faint where it reached Shaun’s ears.

“Ours?” Lynette asked.

“They’re new. Under compulsion and high on bloodlust. Too many for us to deal with, and they’re out of control.”

“Thatbloodysnake.” Lynette gripped the phone so tightly that Shaun thought she’d break this one like she had her own.

“Fucking Lawrence,” Kit mouthed to Shaun, before his fingers trailed back to his lips. Shaun understood the need to self-soothe. He hadn’t let go of Rake once, not even when they ran through the streets of Brighton.

“How many of us do you need, Steve?” Lynette asked.

“All of you. People are dying, Mistress.”

“We’ll be there as soon as we can.” She hung up, fury on her face. “Boris, take everyone and go. Stop them. Be careful.” She turned to Shaun. “We’ll deal with Lawrence ourselves.” Boris began to argue, but one hard look from Lynette had him speeding off with the dozen other vampires she’d assembled in tow.

“You’re not going just the two of you,” Rake said.

“There’s no way of knowing whether Lawrence will have sent DJ with the other new creations or kept him close,” Kit said.

Shaun was glad at least one of them had the capacity for rational thought at that moment. It was bad enough what Lawrence made DJ do to Rake, but imagining DJ not in control of himself was sickening.

“I’m not letting you go alone, Shaun,” Rake said.

“But what if DJ’s not with Lawrence?” Shaun asked, gathering himself. “He could be out there, hurting people. He’d have no choice but to follow Lawrence’s command.” Shaun felt torn in two, half of him desperate to storm Lawrence’s house, the other half needing to run towards where DJ might be.

“Fuck,” Rake swore, gripping his hair with both hands. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

“I second that notion,” Kit said.

“The longer you delay, the more chance there is that Weston will hurt DJ,” Lynette said, more softly than Shaun might have expected. “Weston wanted Shaun and I to give ourselves up. We should go. Shaun can search the house whilst I do what I should have before now.”

“And what should we do?” Kit asked, pointing between himself and Rake.

Lynette addressed Rake. “Follow Boris. If DJ is one of the compelled creations, he’ll need you to help him.”

Rake looked seconds away from having a meltdown. His frantic eyes met Shaun’s. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Go,” Shaun urged. He put a hand on Rake’s chest, right over where his heart was no longer beating. “If DJ’s in the house, I’ll get him. And if he’s not, I’ll come find you as soon as I can.”

“Time, boys,” Lynette said.

“Fuck,” Rake said again.

“You’re gonna owe yourself so many spanks,” Shaun said, putting on a brave face.