Page 47 of The Firebrand
No lights were on, but sun streaked through the front of the house and dome, making it a sunlit bubble surrounded by earth. The walls were white. The furniture was white. The floor tiles were white. The only spot of color was a bright-patterned rug under a wide and low sofa, coffee table, and two chairs. It was a home designed to soothe an Oread.
This place cost mega-bucks. Where did she get the money for it?
Rein jerked his thumb, a gesture signaling Braelyn to sit on the pristine sofa. He and Chay proceeded toward an archway where they pushed aside gauze curtains.
****
Reincircled the king-size bed that dominated the middle of the room, a bloodstained, once-white quilt spread across it. Melia’s body lay on top of the coverlet, her skin no longer a shimmering bronze, her face distorted by death.
As Chay examined the corpse from the left side, followed by the right, Rein angled his head for a better look at the fang holes on her neck, wrists, and thighs. One killer had thirsted for blood. The other had mutilated her, eating chunks of flesh, gnawing on exposed bones. Teeth marks were evident. Organs spilled out a gaping hole in her chest cavity. A leg was unnaturally bent to the side; the other was straight.
Chay wrinkled his nose. “Looks like the big three—blood, brutality, and boinking.”
Rein strolled around the room, sniffing the air. “The vampire’s obvious. Other than wildings from Darque, the only thing that devours flesh, organs, and bones is an Eater. Bastard.”
“If Malok took the portal jumper off Melia, as he confessed to Sabine, we won’t get any info from her now.” Chay’s upper lip curled. “I sure hope she died before the Eater started in on her or fangboy was old enough to stupor her so she feltnada.”
He glanced at Rein, who shrugged.
With his jaw clenched, Rein examined the scene from all angles. The slight breeze sent the aroma of the nymph’s blood to his senses, unraveling his control. When he leaned in close, a fierce thirst reminded him to feed. He prowled around the bedroom, scenting the air again. “I want to know the bloodsucker and demon when I meet them.” Once he had memorized their distinctive smells, he rejoined Chay near theirfrerons.
Brak and Sabine, the two Scion Firebrands who had discovered Melia’s corpse, stood silent guard in the corner.
“Is this how you found everything? Her body? The bed? The scene?” Rein’s hand swept around the space.
“Yep. We didn’t touch a thing.” Sabine’s fingers rested on the hilt of the dagger sheathed in her belt. “We arrived about an hour ago.”
“What do you think?” Chay asked Brak the question since the guy was a carnal demon.
“I think Rein’s right on target. A fucking hedon demon went Eater. After he ripped the shit out of her, some vamp sucked her dry. Maybe before.”
Rein’s eyes slitted. “Thanks for the enlightenment, but we got that. Did they have sex?” Brak’s demon breed could detect residual lust and sex.
“Hells to the yes. Lots of slappin’ uglies in this place. Recent. Probably the bloodsucker and the demon before they flipped the apeshit crazy button.” Brak was huge, a six-foot-ten tower of muscle. Young. Strong.
“Did you stay on the Isle last night, Sabine?” asked Rein. A celestial nymph, she was likely quartered in a nearby community. The difference? Her home would be open to the air, the bright light of day, the starlit sky rather than half-buried in dirt. She was also a trusted Firebrand who resembled Barbie on steroids because she worked out so much.
She flipped a sun-streaked pair of golden braids over her shoulders to hang down her back. “No. I slept at the stronghold to help interrogate Malok. When he broke this morning, he told us he had snatched the portal jumper off Melia when he and the other Kalli attacked her. After he confessed, we headed over here to talk. This is what we found.” She shifted her weight onto one leg.
“Who thinks this is a coincidence?” Chay raised his eyebrows.
Brak and Sabine shook their heads.
“I’m not much on coincidence either. It’s odd she didn’t fight back, though. She might not have won against both attackers, but she should have tried to defend herself,” said Rein.
Sabine ticked off scenarios. “She had no time to use her power because it was a sneak attack. The vamp stupored her right away? She knew the killers, trusting them until it was too late? Hell, it’s possible she invited them inside for a fuckfest before they murdered her.”
“Maybe. Anyway, she didn’t fight.” Rein scrubbed a hand across his jaw.
Hearing a muffled gasp from the archway, the Firebrands spun around to see Braelyn, motionless, her palm clasped over her mouth. Rein streaked in front of her to block her line of sight.
“Is that blood? Is that a dead body?” She wide-eyed Rein.
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
He looped an arm across Braelyn’s shoulders to lead her back into the living area, where he deposited her in the nearest chair. She was trembling.
