An angry slash carves a line along his neck, and the wound soaks the white fabric beneath with a spreading bloom of scarlet blood.
8
I gasp,and Collin is instantly next to me, looking over my shoulder at the small screen.
After a beat, he says, “Alvin, this could be staged. I can’t tell for sure at the resolution he used, but that wound doesn’t look entirely real to me.”
The muscles in my arms and legs are tight as bridge cables. I was ready to spring out of bed to do God knows what, but Collin’s words stop me.
“Are you saying it could be generated?” It’s hard to believe that a vampire would know how to use an AI app, but Rafa’s dad sure seems special.
Collin shakes his head. “No, I don’t think it’s image generation. I’m not seeing any of the telltale artifacts. That might not be his blood on the undershirt, but his other cuts and bruises look real enough. The vampires have him—I’m just saying we have a bit of time.”
“Enough time for his clan to get there, if we let them know that Rafa’s in trouble?”
“Possibly. But at this point, we’ve no idea how reliablethey are, and he said you shouldn’t bring anyone.” His jaw clenches briefly and he furrows his brow. “We haven’t had a proper chance to get into this, but I should probably tell you…He’sthe vampire who was torturing me for years.”
My eyes widen. “That was Rafa’s father?”
“I didn’t know that’s who he was, of course. He’s a paranormal—I couldn’t getanyquestions answered about him.” Collin clenches his hands, involuntarily. “But I can say from experience he doesn’t make idle threats. The dungeon room is well away from any access point, and if he even suspects you called in the cavalry, he might kill Rafa, just out of spite.”
His own son. But look what he’s already done…
I purse my lips as I read over the message again. Then I notice something.
“He didn’t ask about the book. Just you.”
A shadow crosses Collin’s face as he nods. “He needed my help translating it, and he was… relentless. It’s possible I already have. Because of the book’s power over me, I only remember bits and pieces.” His shoulders hunch protectively as his gaze turns inward. “But what he wanted to know most recently was how to remove the magical protections keeping me in that room.That’swhat I was ready to tell him when you found me.”
“When we first met, you told me that the vampires needed you for the ritual they want to cast…”
“Based on the questions he asked, that much I’m sure of.”
I nod. So, this could go badly in lots of different ways. But still…
“I have to dosomething, Collin. Rafa’s only in this situation because of me.”
“I know. I know you have to.” He shifts his posture from vulnerable to resolute as his eyes find mine. “But there’s a chance you won’t need anyone else to save him—because of what we just did. Right now, you’re stronger and faster than any vampire. And not just by a little—by an order of magnitude. Since I’m not flesh and blood, it won’t last long, but you should have several minutes. That should be more than enough time, especially with my help.”
I immediately recall my mother’s words.If you fed, they’d be running from you.
When I used my power before, I could sprint at least as fast as a moped and bend steel. I walked away from a high-speed car crash, burned through deadly poison, and even took on a freaking bear. And that was just going partway with Collin. Checking in, I feel even stronger now. Combine that with what the Avatar of Knowledge can do, it should make me pretty damn formidable.
Still, I have no combat training of my own. Collin himself has said he doesn’t have any field experience. I’d be fighting on their turf. And they’d be expecting me.
I bite my lower lip. “You really think I can do this?”
“Full incubus powers against a handful of vampires? Even with a limited amount of juice, those aren’t bad odds, Alvin. Not by a long shot.Andyou’ll have the element of surprise—at least as far as them knowing what you can do right now. All things being equal, I’d expect you to be able to take them all out before they even knew what hit them.”
Meaning I should be able to save everyone. Even the kids.
But there’s something in his voice.
“All things being equal?”
Collin purses his lips. “Well, he might not know you’re an incubus, but he did see you become a giant fire monster.”
A cold realization washes over me. “And he’s still acting like he holds all the cards…”
