Flipping open the device, I
tapped a number from memory and held it to my ear. I barely heard
the
voice of the Brimstone Operator I was so panicked. “Seeker down! This is Rose! I have a Seeker down!"
Chapter Toby nipped at me twice. He didn't mean to, but he was hurting and lashed out. His yellow eyes appeared glazed over as he lay curled up on the floor. He looked like a poor, abused house pet with thick bandages wrapped around his chest and front paws. His fur was matted with dark areas of blood that probably didn't belong to him while his thick tail was slung around his lower legs and partially obscuring his black nose. The healers had recommended he stay in wolf form while he healed. It meant he couldn't talk to me, but he would recover faster. I was just relieved he was alive. Sitting against the wall, Toby lifted his head and rested his muzzle on my leg. He whimpered and closed his eyes. I stroked the hair on his neck and back gently trying to comfort him. It was odd to think that less than an hour ago we weren't on speaking terms; now he was curled up in my lap like a loving pet—albeit a nearly eight-foot tall, killer pet. The wait for the rescue vehicle had felt like an eternity. I had cleared the dead Vampires off Toby and done what I could, which translated to simply waiting with him. I talked to him just hoping that hearing my voice would keep him with me. I had no medical knowledge so I couldn't treat him, and an injured Werewolf is a very dangerous creature. They say a hurt wolf will strike at anyone or anything—even its mate—that tries to come near it out of fear. A Werewolf behaves much the same way, except you're dealing with a massive animal that could eviscerate you without batting an eye. Dawn had come and gone already. The sun was high in the sky. “Looks like we're both spending the night in the office,” I complained to Toby. He growled, but it died into a pathetic whimper. I think he was telling me to shut up. Or scratch his ear. I couldn't tell.
I stared at the thick, iron bars that locked us in. I'm sure it made the healers feel safe, but it wasn't doing anything for my confidence. If Toby snapped, that was it. I was locked in. By the time they heard the screams and came with the tranqs, it would be way too late. They had, of course, given me the option of sleeping on a cot in one of the back offices, but I couldn't leave Toby. Even though he was a big jerk, he was still my best friend.
As I rubbed Toby's neck, my mind snapped back to the nest. As I checked that young Vampire's ID, I could smell the fear wafting off him in waves. It was thick on the air, and not just for the reason there was an armed military unit in his home, but because he was innocent. At least as innocent as a Vampire can ever be.
The Brimstone Syndicate allowed a few nests in each city to be sanctioned. This was to keep the Vampires in check, much the same way certain counties in Nevada had legalized prostitution. It kept the whores off the street, and made sure they were clean. Brimstone viewed the sanctioned Vampire nests the same way. It kept them away from the population. It was easier to clean up a few dead bodies than a hundred. A Master Vampire usually controlled sanctioned nests. This served to keep the younger Vamps in check and made someone accountable to Brimstone.
voice of the Brimstone Operator I was so panicked. “Seeker down! This is Rose! I have a Seeker down!"
Chapter Toby nipped at me twice. He didn't mean to, but he was hurting and lashed out. His yellow eyes appeared glazed over as he lay curled up on the floor. He looked like a poor, abused house pet with thick bandages wrapped around his chest and front paws. His fur was matted with dark areas of blood that probably didn't belong to him while his thick tail was slung around his lower legs and partially obscuring his black nose. The healers had recommended he stay in wolf form while he healed. It meant he couldn't talk to me, but he would recover faster. I was just relieved he was alive. Sitting against the wall, Toby lifted his head and rested his muzzle on my leg. He whimpered and closed his eyes. I stroked the hair on his neck and back gently trying to comfort him. It was odd to think that less than an hour ago we weren't on speaking terms; now he was curled up in my lap like a loving pet—albeit a nearly eight-foot tall, killer pet. The wait for the rescue vehicle had felt like an eternity. I had cleared the dead Vampires off Toby and done what I could, which translated to simply waiting with him. I talked to him just hoping that hearing my voice would keep him with me. I had no medical knowledge so I couldn't treat him, and an injured Werewolf is a very dangerous creature. They say a hurt wolf will strike at anyone or anything—even its mate—that tries to come near it out of fear. A Werewolf behaves much the same way, except you're dealing with a massive animal that could eviscerate you without batting an eye. Dawn had come and gone already. The sun was high in the sky. “Looks like we're both spending the night in the office,” I complained to Toby. He growled, but it died into a pathetic whimper. I think he was telling me to shut up. Or scratch his ear. I couldn't tell.
I stared at the thick, iron bars that locked us in. I'm sure it made the healers feel safe, but it wasn't doing anything for my confidence. If Toby snapped, that was it. I was locked in. By the time they heard the screams and came with the tranqs, it would be way too late. They had, of course, given me the option of sleeping on a cot in one of the back offices, but I couldn't leave Toby. Even though he was a big jerk, he was still my best friend.
As I rubbed Toby's neck, my mind snapped back to the nest. As I checked that young Vampire's ID, I could smell the fear wafting off him in waves. It was thick on the air, and not just for the reason there was an armed military unit in his home, but because he was innocent. At least as innocent as a Vampire can ever be.
The Brimstone Syndicate allowed a few nests in each city to be sanctioned. This was to keep the Vampires in check, much the same way certain counties in Nevada had legalized prostitution. It kept the whores off the street, and made sure they were clean. Brimstone viewed the sanctioned Vampire nests the same way. It kept them away from the population. It was easier to clean up a few dead bodies than a hundred. A Master Vampire usually controlled sanctioned nests. This served to keep the younger Vamps in check and made someone accountable to Brimstone.