The Beast Within (The Elite Series) Read online

  “But brother, I am serious. Join me tonight or I will kill every single one of them.” His carefree attitude disappeared and a cruel smile crossed his face.

  Katie’s father finally broke the silence. “Listen, I’m not sure what kind of sick joke this is, but it’s not funny.”

  “Oh, it’s not a joke, sir. I am very serious,” Faust sneered as he jammed his steak knife into the table’s dark wood.

  The room was silent. “Randy?” Looking over at Randolph, who sat pale, Faust made one final offer.

  Randolph sat quiet, “I can’t—the Law.”

  “To hell with the Law.” Faust’s blue eyes glazed over and changed until two black orbs were all that remained. He opened his mouth, showing four very large, very sharp fangs.

  Then everything seemed to happen at once: Katie’s mother screamed and fainted; while at the same time her father jumped to his feet with a knife in his hand. Faust, quick as an arrow shot from a bow, bounded over the table towards him.

  Katie’s father and Faust we’re sitting on opposite sides of the dinner table. There was eight to ten feet of space between the two but Faust covered the distance in the blink of an eye. Randolph tried to grab Faust, but it was too late. He was already on the other side of the table.

  Katie sat, powerless. The events were unfolding around her at lightning speed. Before she knew what was happening, Faust was ripping her father’s head from his body. It only took a second, and her father’s body fell to the ground.

  His head rolled a few feet once Faust dropped it and came to rest near Katie’s chair. She was petrified; her brain couldn’t comprehend the reality around her. Katie wanted to move, wanted to scream, wanted to do something, but she couldn’t. Instead she just sat in her chair, staring at him.

  Faust grinned at her and made a move toward her mother. Instantly Randolph was there, blocking his path. “Okay, okay, Faust. By God, you are mad. You win. I will come with you tonight.”

  Faust’s eyes dilated back to blue and his fangs receded giving way to his normal smile. “I knew you would come around, old friend. You have always been the reasonable one. Hope you don’t mind, I invited the others over for an old fashioned meeting before we go.”

  Randolph looked defeated. “Whatever you desire, just leave them alone. They have no part in this.”

  Faust took a napkin from the table and began wiping Katie’s father’s blood from his hands. He made his way slowly to where she was sitting. Katie’s heart beat faster and faster as he approached. Soon he was directly beside her, playing with her hair in long soft strokes.

  Katie was shaking so hard she didn’t think she would be able to talk, but she finally found her voice. She turned on him as she fought back the tears and rage. “You’re going to pay for this.”

  Something came over Katie then, something she had never experienced before. She knew the appropriate response to the past few minutes should be fear and sorrow, but all she felt was anger. Anger overwhelmed her and forced her to take action. She reached for Faust, not knowing what she was going to do; bite him, claw him, punch him—she had to do something.

  Faust caught her by the neck with one hand and lifted her off the ground like a newborn kitten. He brought her eye level as she fought against his grasp. The animal rage inside of her was building. He squinted his eyes as he looked into hers. “You’re one of us, aren’t you?”

  “Faust, no, we had a deal,” Randolph reminded him.

  Faust seemed to mull this over in his mind. “Yes, quite right, I won’t kill her then. She can join us.”

  The last thing that Katie remembered was two black eyes and Randolph screaming in the background.

  “I guess I came to at some point and called you. Now I’m in the hospital,” she said, turning to Connor.

  The two sat silent for a moment as Connor’s mind battled to accept Katie’s story and Katie in turn dealt with memories she knew would haunt her for the rest of her life.

  “I’m so sorry, Katie.” Connor felt sorrow and anger at the same time. Her father was a good man; Connor had the pleasure of getting to know him over the course of the two years he and Katie had dated. To think he was gone forever was a shock. He could hardly picture what Katie must be going through.

  “I couldn’t have imagined that though, right? Or did I?”

  Connor adjusted his seat on the bed, careful not to disturb any of the tubes attached to her and pulled her in closer. “I know you have a lot of questions right now. The most important thing is that you get some rest. The doctor said you lost a lot of blood.”

  Katie nodded and nuzzled herself into Connor’s strong frame. “I should never have let you go,” she said, closing her eyes. In minutes she was asleep. Connor gently stood and arranged her in the most comfortable position he could.

  It was dark now. Between the time he’d time spent with Morrigan and then Katie, the day was almost over. It was near eight o’clock and the clouded sky offered a healthy dose of rain. It wasn’t a downpour, not yet at least.

  Connor was exhausted from the day’s events, but he still had one more stop to make before he went home. He had to stop by his mother’s shop to apologize for being absent from work, and find out more information about his father. He knew it was crazy but he couldn’t help but think knowing about his father and his past was the key to unraveling everything. If all else failed and his mother couldn’t help him, he would head to Morrigan’s. She would know what to do.

  Driving through the rain, he saw several police officers and fire trucks. Twice he was forced to pull over to let them pass. Through the rain and dark sky, he could see a cloud of smoke rising from the same street his mother’s shop was located.

  Pushing his truck to dangerous speeds, he took out his cell phone and dialed his mother’s number. There was no response; he dialed again. No reply.

  Nearly fishtailing onto the street, he was prepared for the worst. Sure enough, there was an army of police cars and firefighters gathered around not only her store, but three or four of the other connected shops

  From what he could see, the damage to his mother’s store wasn’t extensive, nearly all of it being contained to the back wall near the loading zone. The fire was completely out now, and the back of the store was charred but still intact. It looked as though the other stores had borne the brunt of the fire’s anger.

  He parked his truck in the middle of the street and ran to the front of the building past the police caution tape. He heard shouts behind him. Ignoring them, he kept going. He had to make sure his mother was safe. Bursting through the doors, his eyes met a variety of people: police officers, detectives, fire fighters, but Rebecca Moore was nowhere in sight.

  “Hey,” a gruff voice said behind him. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

  He was met with a middle-aged, stocky police officer sporting two bushy eyebrows that matched his mustache.

  “My name is Connor Moore. My mother owns this shop. Was anyone hurt? Is she here?”

  A look of forgiveness passed over the officer’s face as he grasped the situation. “No, you can rest easy, son. There was no one here when we arrived. One of our officers is on the phone with her now, explaining what happened.”

  Connor breathed a sigh of relief. “How did the fire start?”

  “Arson, most likely. Just waiting for the detectives to give the final word.”

  “Consider the final word given,” a female detective said, walking toward the two. She was shorter, with rounded shoulders and a matter-of-fact attitude. “This one was easy: we found evidence of molotov cocktails in the store. You said this was your mother’s shop?”

  “Yes.”

  “Any idea of who could have done this?”

  “No, I have no idea.”

  He exited the area, making a beeline for his truck. It all fit. Katie’s mystery attacker, the conversation she had overheard at the guesthouse, his mother’s shop being burned. The other attack victims he learned about at the hospital must have bee
n members of the Five Families or maybe even half-blooded descendants used as examples.

  He had to warn Laren. He would explain to her later how he knew what was going on, all that mattered now was that she was warned Randolph and his companions were out for blood.

  CHAPTER 9

  NEAR SOAKED, HE SAT IN his truck and dialed her number. It went straight to voicemail. “Laren—Laren, it’s Connor. I’ll explain later, but just trust me—I know everything. You have to listen: Randolph and his family have broken the Law. They’re going to try and kill you. You have to get away from here.”

  Connor hung-up and threw his phone against the windshield in frustration. What if she didn’t get the message in time? What if she was already dead and it was too late?

  Think, Connor, think. If you were trying to kill two members of an ancient family, how would you do it? They would be too smart to try and fight, that would be breaking one of the Laws. How would you lure them out?

  A light switched on in Connor’s head and he had the answer, he only hoped he wasn’t too far behind. Throwing his truck into drive, he sped through the rain toward the Catskill Forest.

  That’s where they had to be meeting. He was sure of it. More than likely, Randolph offered an olive branch and asked to talk. The meeting would take place where it was supposed to have days before, and that’s where Randolph and his accomplices would ambush them. Connor didn’t have much of a plan, he just knew he had to warn her. Driving at dangerous speeds, he pushed his truck through the rain, the pickaxe’s constant rattling reminding him of its presence. Connor was lucky: due to the rain and the late hour on a weekday, there wasn’t much traffic.

  The sky darkened as he made his way up to the Forest Preserve. He reached the Preserve in record time. Pulling up to the Welcome Station, he saw Laren’s car parked in the muddy lot. Exiting his truck he had a second thought and grabbed the pickaxe out of the bed. He ran through the forest. He would check the spot where he first met her and if that didn’t work, the abandoned ranger station they used as a finish line during their race.

  The forest was different at night; not as inviting or warm as during the day. Owls hooted and tree branches creaked eerily. Connor ran, disregarding the mud sucking his feet to the ground or the fact he was soaked to the bone. He had to find her. Reaching the spot where they first met, he found it empty. Without missing a step, he continued to the ranger station.

  If Morrigan was right, and he had no reason to doubt her, then they would be able to hear or smell him a mile away. But how good were their senses in the rain? Connor decided not to take any chances. Pickaxe in hand, he slowed his run once he was within a hundred yards of the building.

  The pickaxe felt good in his hands—it was solid and firm. It gave him a sense of comfort. Connor was sure he would give himself away by the sound of his heartbeat echoing through the trees. He crept through the underbrush, watching where he placed each foot. Careful not to slip in the mud or trip on a branch, he walked, crouched, towards the ranger outpost. Connor took a minute to see which way the wind was blowing, careful to stay downwind of the building should they be able to catch his scent.

  It was then he realized that he was scared. His black hair was matted against his forehead and his wet shirt clung to his body. He had never been in a situation anything near this intense, but somehow he knew he was going to be all right, at least that’s what he kept telling himself. Bottling his fear, he took a stronger grip on the axe and pressed forward.

  After a few minutes, he was able to see the abandoned ranger station and caught a glimmer of light on the other side of the loosely boarded windows. The ranger station looked even more abandoned in the night than it had during the day.

  The small building was on its last leg and the water pounding on the roof sought to bring it down to its final resting place. Still cautious to stay downwind of the building, Connor searched for a window to see inside. Although they were boarded, he was able to find a window that offered a gap large enough to see through.

  The building consisted of one large room. This far into the forest electricity was out of the question; four lamps illuminated the scene. The lamps were strategically placed near the four corners of the building on boxes, crates, and scattered pieces of furniture that had been left behind. The members in the room cast shadows that played against the walls, dancing and twisting like smoke.

  Connor squinted, trying to see exactly how many people the room held. Soon his eyes adjusted. Laren and Lu were on one side of the room, both dressed in jeans and T-shirts—neither of them prepared for a meeting, much less the weather. On the other side was Randolph and four strangers Connor had never seen.

  Two large men and a blonde woman stood with Randolph. His normal fake smile and arrogant bravado was replaced with a rather sickly expression. The leader of this group, who Connor guessed from Katie’s description to be Faust, was talking rather quickly and heatedly with the two representatives from the Abelardus family.

  “You have no claim to America and have taken this land as though you were entitled to it. You think you’re so very smart. The great Abelardus family.” He spat these words with malice. “But today you’ll see that you’re not the only family willing to make bold moves. Tonight I claim for my house what is rightfully ours.”

  Laren shook her head, and with imploring eyes, tried reasoning with the power-hungry Elite. “Faust, how long have I known you? Ever since I can remember. You come from a noble family and I’m sure we can work this out. My father wants a peaceful—”

  She was interrupted by Lu. “Excuse the interruption, little sister, but he’s not here for peace. He’s not even here on behalf of his family.” Lu’s jade eyes met Faust’s steel blue. “Look into his eyes. You can see the blood lust. Faust doesn’t want peace.”

  Connor studied Faust closer. Like his companions, he was well-dressed in a designer grey suit. His blond hair was still wet from the rain outside, and as Lu made his observation, a sinister smile crept over his thin, colorless lips.

  “Ahhhhh… Lupus, you are cleverer than you look. I’m not here for the peace talks of old men. I’m here for action. Too long have the Five Families debated over America and who holds rightful claim. Today I take it.”

  “Faust, you can’t. The Law. You know what will happen to you if you break it.” Laren looked at him incredulously. “Violence at this meeting would lead to full out war between our families and would force the other houses to choose sides.”

  “Exactly. It will be a war this world hasn’t seen for centuries. I won’t waste my near-immortal life and be content with idly standing by and watching lesser families prosper. I will crush the other four families and if need be, my own. This will be a war to end all wars! Each of the Five Families at each others’ throats until only one remains—mine!”

  Connor’s heart was still racing. He wondered whether the Elites in the room would be able to hear it. With his newfound knowledge of the Five Families, the Law, and the treaties that had been in place, he knew the consequences this night held for the rest of history. The pickaxe, still gripped tightly in his hands, felt like it weighed a ton. Rain landed on him in a constant stream. He was soaked through but he couldn’t take his eyes off the scene in front of him.

  The room was awkwardly quiet. Laren took a step back to stand beside her brother. Lupus’ giant hands were clenched into fists and his entire body was one sinewy cord of muscle. Connor could see how tense he was, like a coiled spring begging to be unleashed.

  “Your plan won’t work,” Laren whispered.

  “Oh, and why is that?” Faust asked, his German accent thicker than ever.

  “No matter what happens here, the Council will hunt you down for breaking the Law. They’ll execute you and anyone who stands with you.”

  “But my sweet Larentia, it was your family that broke the pact. Lupus’ wrath and impetuous personality are widely known. He struck the first blow at the meeting. You tried to stop him but were powerless and eventua
lly joined him. It was just self-defense on our end. And I’ll have four other witnesses, very much alive, willing to agree to that story while you’ll be very, very regrettably dead.” Faust paused, motioning to Randolph and the other three strangers in the room.

  There was another pause. The silence was deafening. Connor could only relate what he was seeing to two heavyweight boxers staring each other down, waiting for the other to make the first move.

  “Randolph, you know this is madness!” Lupus roared, not daring to take his eyes off Faust for even a moment.

  “Oh, Randolph and I have a very clear agreement, Lupus, don’t you worry. Isn’t that right, Randolph?”

  “You know I’m with you,” Randolph’s reply came back, forced and hesitant.

  Right when Connor was beginning to think he should come up with some kind of plan instead of standing in the rain, the action started.

  The eyes of Faust and his followers had changed from varying degrees of blue to pitch black. This wasn’t the only transformation. The entire group traded their smiles for snarls, showing off extended fangs.

  Connor turned his attention to Laren and Lu. He was startled to find much the same. Menacing fangs extended from their mouths like tiny daggers. Their eyes, however weren’t black like Faust’s and his followers, they were a pale yellow.

  Connor couldn’t take his eyes off Laren. It was as though he was seeing her for the first time. She was still beautiful but somehow now more herself, as if she had taken off a mask and revealed a part of herself he had always known was there. Her long brown hair, drenched with rainwater, fell in tangles around her. She was in a warrior’s stance—knees slightly bent for balance, with one foot in front of the other, arms tense and ready.

  Faust gave an every so slight hand motion and the two male Elites standing behind him rushed towards Lu. At the same time, the female Elite sprang into action and made a beeline for Laren, Randolph reluctantly in her wake.