Page 17 of Vampire Lee

Lee didn’t know how many hours had passed. Several. Angelo dozed next to him, which was worrying. No one let their guard down that fast in a situation like this. He must be badly off.

When heavy footsteps approached, he jerked awake and tensed. Lee made a sound, reminding him he was there. Shit, it reminded him of waking Dillon from a nightmare, only Angelo would wake up still trapped in the nightmare and nothing Lee could say or do would make it better.

Angelo remained tense to the verge of shaking.

“Not the new guy.” The words came from some distance behind the brute walking toward the cages. He wore nothing but a pair of black gym shorts, his muscles were bulging, and there were a few visible scars, but no more than to be expected by someone who was into fighting. Shifter. Lee couldn’t tell what kind yet. Judging by the size, he’d say a bear, but there were large wolves too. Faelan was massive, for example. He and Murrie were about the same size despite being different species.

“I only need a warm-up for tomorrow, so I think I’ll take…” He lingered outside their cage and looked at Angelo. Bear. Now he was close, Lee could tell by scent. He wanted to scream to leave him be, but it would only entice him.

As the brute walked on, Lee let out a shuddering breath. He watched as he stopped near the neighboring cage. The guy turned to look at him. His face was bruised and one of his eyes was swollen shut, there were several lacerations on his body, and if Lee ever needed proof he was a crossbreed and not a full shifter, all he had to do was look at the slow healing.

The bear grunted and turned back to Lee and Angelo’s cage. “I’m in the mood for vampire.”

Lee made a sound of protest, but a guard or whatever appeared by the cage in no time. He raised a gun at Lee. “Step back.”

Lee glared at him.

“It’s a tranquilizer, you’ll be out for hours.”

Lee took a step back. He couldn’t afford to be out for hours. He had to be alert if Rei and the others came for him.

The guard unlocked the door to the cage, and Angelo stood on shaky legs. Yeah, he was a tiny thing. Like Devin. And so thin it hurt to look at him. Fuck.

As Angelo took a swaying step forward, the guard caught him. An instant later, Angelo’s fangs were buried in his shoulder. Not the best place to bite, but considering the height difference, and Angelo being blind, it was a good attempt.

The guard cursed and yanked Angelo’s head away with a hold on his hair, but it tore the puncture wounds and blood gushed. Lee had eaten, but his fangs dropped at the scent.

The fighter stomped into the cage, but not until Angelo managed to get another swallow of blood. He took Angelo from the guard, held him at a safe distance, and left the cage. The guard glared at Lee before slamming the door shut.

Lee smiled with his fangs on full display and then stood there grinning until the guard left. Wanker.

How would Angelo survive a beating from a bear?

* * * *

Dillon looked around the dark parking lot. “It doesn’t look like much.”

“What did you expect?” Devin was in the passenger seat, a gun cradled in his lap.

“I don’t know, but when they talk about The Rumbling Rogue, I always picture something bigger.”

“It’s a shifter bar. They don’t want to draw attention from humans.”

“There are no humans in there?”

Devin shrugged. “I guess they can’t stop them from coming, but I also think having humans around drunk shifters and vamps is a bad idea.”

Dillon would have to agree, especially if they were meant to keep their existence a secret.

“You can hardly tell it’s a bar from the outside.” Devin looked out the window. “No signs and no windows facing this way. Should be pretty safe for them to let their guard down in there. I’m assuming they have security guards to discourage humans from entering too.”

Devin’s phone rang for the fiftieth time, and he sighed before picking up. “Yes, Mars, I’m still alive.”

Dillon could hear the snarl on the other end, which was pretty impressive since he didn’t have any enhanced hearing. Then there were words he couldn’t make out, and Devin softened before his eyes.

“I promise. I love you too.” Then he hung up and rolled his eyes. “He’s such a mother hen.”

Dillon couldn’t help but smile. Mars was scary as hell.

“Any news?”

“No, Rei’s trackers still show him inside.”

Dillon was about to ask about Faelan, but the words died on his tongue as a dark gray van turned into the parking lot. He pressed himself against the backrest. “I think it’s the one.”

Devin looked between him and the van. “Are you sure?”

“Not a hundred percent, but it’s the same color.”

Devin nodded. “Okay.” His fingers flew over the screen on his phone, sending a text to inform Mars and Murrie. Once done, he looked at Dillon. “And you said the vamp frequented the underground mansion.”

“Group events, not important or rich enough to get a private room. He shouldn’t recognize you. I don’t think. Unless…” No matter how hard he tried, the memories Mars had erased from the time he and Devin had been together wouldn’t come back. “I don’t know if he was there years ago.”

“Even if, he most likely didn’t get me, right?” Devin had turned so pale his skin shone in the dim light streaming in from the streetlights.

Dillon shook his head.

“Was he a regular?”

Grimacing, Dillon tried to remember again. He couldn’t say how often. He recalled him, but had he been there every month, every other month? He didn’t know. Not often enough for him to be able to predict when he’d show up next. “I’m not sure. He came back several times, but I can’t tell how long the time between his visits were.”

“It doesn’t matter, but if they travel around with this fighting ring thing, they’re not here all the time, right?”

“Guess not.”

The van backed up to what Dillon assumed was the staff entrance.

Then they waited and waited. No one exited the van, and no one opened the door. Devin fidgeted while Dillon focused on taking deep breaths. They were so out of their league. Two humans in the supernatural underworld. No wonder Mars was pissed. How had Murrie allowed them to go?

They were understaffed though, had been since Dillon moved in, and with Rei allowing himself to get taken, and Faelan doing his undercover thing, there weren’t many people left.

A door opened, not the staff door, but the one Dillon figured was the real entrance. Three women spilled out, laughing and stumbling.

“Fuck, that’s Hanna.” Devin slunk back in the seat. “Whoever is in the van will see her.”

The women stopped in the middle of the parking lot, laughed and hugged, only to split up and head toward different cars. Hanna headed toward theirs. Dillon held his breath as she opened the door of the backseat and climbed in.

He turned the key in the ignition since the other two had started their cars.

Sharp eyes met his in the rearview mirror. Whatever drunken giggling mess she’d presented outside, it had been pretense. He should’ve known, of course.

“Stop a bit farther down the road, and we’ll see which way they’ll go and follow.”

“But then we don’t know if they have Rei.” Devin turned around in his seat to look at her.

“They took him into the kitchen. Conan or whatever he’s called.”

“Who’s Conan?” Dillon didn’t think he’d heard the name before.

“Bartender. He and Lee split the shifts between them pretty evenly. Jala helps out, and one of the waitresses hops in when there’s a crowd.”

Dillon nodded and searched for a place to park where they could see the entrance to the parking lot. He stopped along the street and killed the engine.

It didn’t take many minutes before the van drove out and turned in the opposite direction from them.

“Follow it.” Hanna leaned forward between the front seats. “Let Murrie know we’re on the go.”

Devin grabbed the phone again.

* * * *

Lee hissed as the guard threw Angelo inside the cage. He was out cold. You didn’t see unconscious vampires often.

“What the fuck?”

“Splash some water on him.” The guard gestured at a bucket in the corner. Was there water in it? Lee had assumed it was the latrine. He walked over to it, and it was water. Clean looking.

“Clean enough to drink?” He looked at the guard, who shrugged.

“From the hose.” He gestured at a hose on the wall. Good enough. He cupped his hand in it and took a hesitant sip. It tasted all right.

Next, he walked over to Angelo and put a hand on his shoulder. There was blood on his face and his hands, increasing swelling, and new bruises were forming on top of the old ones on his frail body.

He wanted to kill these bastards so badly he shook.

“Angelo?”

No reaction. Lee cradled him in his arms ready to lift, only to let go and walk over to get the bucket instead. Moving him as little as possible was for the best. He tore the bottom of his shirt and dipped it in the water. As he wiped Angelo down, he twitched and whimpered.

“Shh. I’m cleaning you up. I’m Lee, remember?” Fuck, this place was bad when you could see what went on around you. Angelo must be in a constant state of being terrified, forever trapped in a nightmare.

Another distressed sound left him.

“Do you want some water? I don’t have a glass, but I can cup my hand for you, or if you want to…” He guided Angelo into a sitting position, leaning him against his chest, and placed his hand on the rim of the bucket. He pushed his hand into the water, cupped it, and drank as if he hadn’t had water in ages. Did he know he had a bucket of water in his cage? Lee wanted to snarl but held Angelo while he drank.

“Are you hurt?”

He shook his head. It was a lie, but at least there weren’t any protruding bones anywhere. “What happens now?”

Angelo cleared his throat, yet no more than a croak left him when he tried to speak.

“Shh, no need. I ask questions when nervous, trying to make sense of things.” He gently cradled his arm around Angelo and rocked them. He didn’t know why. Trying to calm himself most likely. Angelo melted against him with a huff though, so maybe it helped calm him too.

“If no one else comes down looking for a fight, we rest.” Angelo spoke so low Lee had to strain to hear him.

“It must be late in the evening by now.”

Angelo gave a small shrug. “I have no idea. I can’t even tell you what season it is.”

“Spring. It’s May. I was with my…boyfriend in the garden center to buy tomato plants when they got me.”

“Oh…You garden?”

“Nope, and neither does Dillon.” He smiled as he pictured the million plastic cups he’d sown things in. Maybe it counted as gardening.

“But you have a garden.”

“I live in an apartment, but Dillon lives in this huge house together with a bunch of shifters and a vampire. They have a garden.” Lee looked down at Angelo and caught a ghost of a smile.

“Sounds nice.”

“Yeah.” He rocked them some more.

“What do you do when you’re not fighting cage matches?”

“I’m a bartender.”

“Vampire Lee?” The voice came from several cages over, but Lee whipped his head in the direction of it.

“Yeah.” He gave Angelo a gentle squeeze and got up to be able to see who was speaking.

Three cages over a man were clinging to the bars, a panicked look in his eyes. He was bruised and bloody. Crossbreed. They didn’t get a lot of crossbreeds at the bar, but it happened. He couldn’t say he recognized him though.

“Do I know you?”

“No. I’m Zain. I work with Eli. He talks about you from time to time.”

Lee grimaced. Zain, Eli’s missing work partner. “He’s looking for you.”

A smile that quickly turned into a wince followed his words. “Don’t know if it’ll do us any good.”

Lee shrugged. Eli might not be looking, but he worried at least.

When new steps approached, Lee hurried over to Angelo. If they tried to take him again, he’d attack. Tranquilizer gun or not.

The vampire he wanted dead walked straight for their cage, a fangy grin on his face. “Your boyfriend has arrived.”

Lee didn’t move a muscle. Dillon or Rei? He prayed it was Rei and that Dillon would never have to see cages like this. He’d been through enough already.

The vampire who’d die a painful death soon unlocked the door to the cage and gestured for him to exit. “Easy now or we’ll kill him.”

Him as in Angelo? Or Rei? He doubted they’d kill Rei. They wanted him, but if it wasn’t Rei who’d come…Dillon held no value to them.

He followed without a word.