Vampire in Chaos by Dale Mayer Page B

DNA collection thing?”
    Serus’s jaw tightened. “Why do they want our DNA?”
    “For the database,” he cried. “But I don’t know what that means. They don’t have you or your line’s DNA on file, and they want it.”
    “And for the last time, who is the ‘they’ you are talking about?” David cried impatiently.
    “I don’t know,” he whimpered. “I only know my immediate bosses, and you just killed them.”
    Serus glared down at the two dead men. Or rather the one dead and the one burned in a pile of ash. “Damn it.”
    “Yeah, next time ask your questions before you kill people indiscriminately,” the man cried.
    Serus slowly raised his gaze. “Right, and now…now that you’ve answered our questions and are of no use to us, what should I do with you?”
    “You could let me go.” He gave his most winning smile.
    Serus wasn’t fooled. He glanced over at his son. David shrugged. “You can’t kill him for being a weak weasel.”
    The weasel shook his head in horror. “No, you can’t. I’m being helpful, I am.”
    David turned to study the empty space. “It’s creepy down here. If Tessa is here, she could be anywhere.”
    “Tessa?” the weasel asked. “You mean the young girl causing all the trouble?”
    Serus spun so quickly, the weasel backed up several steps and cowered.
    “Sorry, I’m sorry,” he cried out from his crouching position. “You don’t have to answer that question.”
    “Stand up, man.” Serus knew many vamps like this one, but they weren’t usually in his presence. He hated weasels and weaklings like this one. But occasionally they were useful. Like maybe…now.
    “What do you know of Tessa?” he asked deliberately, lowering his voice to a calm, even tone. If the man was too scared, he’d never answer.
    “I just know she’s a priority for the bosses. They want her DNA very badly.”
    *
    Rhia sat in solitude, wishing her brains would unscramble. She’d thought she was normal again. Back to normal as Sian would say. She remembered Sian, Wendy, and her children, but there was a blank space in her head where Serus should be. She understood he was her husband. Understood she loved him, had been married to him for centuries, but there was a giant empty darkness she couldn’t fill with memories when she thought about him. Although that was getting better.
    That was the first tangible proof she had been drugged.
    Her mind shifted through what she knew about drugs. It wasn’t likely that they’d been able to target a particular person in her life to wipe out. No, chances were that part of her brain had been the unlucky area affected. She rubbed her face, feeling old and tired.
    Then again, that was likely the drugs, too. She remembered the blood farm and all the horrors held within. Another name popped into her mind. Goran. A good man. A best friend. He’d been such a huge help over the years. She could see him easily, so why not Serus? She struggled to see the man always at his side, her side, but his features stayed just out of reach.
    She wished he was here so she could fill in those blank spaces in her mind. As warmth wrapped around her heart, she realized she might not know this Serus, but inside she knew him. The feelings were there, getting stronger, closer. She smiled.
    She might have forgotten some things, but her heart hadn’t.
    Now if she could only talk to him. See his face and know he was hers.
    Then she’d feel better.
    *
    Jared woke to darkness, surprised he’d slept at all. He swore from the grittiness of his eyes that he’d not gotten a wink of rest, but apparently he had. He checked the time on his cell phone and realized it was just before five in the morning. He was loath to get up and take the chance of finding more dead bodies below. If he waited until everyone else got up, they could find the bodies this time. Presuming there were some. Still, he wished he’d slept longer. He’d prefer to not be awake at all right now. He was still