Blood of the Maple

“That explains a lot.”

“The good news is Selena said she got the infection out of Amara and that she should be fine.”

“Infection? What the hell happened while I was sleeping?” He tried to shoo the chipmunk way, but the little rodent wasn’t paying him any attention.

“Some sort of pollen got pushed under her skin when you fed. Selena said it was pretty bad, but she fixed it and gave her an inoculation of some kind. I didn’t understand what she meant, but I don’t understand half of what she says. For a witch, her powers are pretty strange.”

“How so?”

“She can do things most of us can’t, but can’t seem to do things a lot of us can. Remember how I said witches are connected to the earth? It’s like Selena’s connected to the spirit world instead. It’s freaky.”

Parker didn’t give a crap what world Selena was anchored in. “Amara’s all right?”

“Yup. Clean bill of health.”

“That’s good to know.” Parker pulled off his shoe and dumped dirt on the rodent’s head. That should show you who’s boss around here.

“She also said Amara isn’t pregnant yet.”

Parker paused in the act of putting his shoe back on. “Pregnant?” He howled in pain as the rat masquerading as a cute forest creature took a bite out of his ankle before scampering away. He landed on his ass right back in the hole he’d dug himself. “Pregnant?” He could feel his voice rising each time he said it.

“I told you to make little vamplings, didn’t I?”

“I thought you were joking!” He shoved his foot into the shoe, ignoring whatever it was that wiggled against his big toe. The fucker would be smooshed soon enough. He had more important things to worry about, like pregnant wives and impossible dreams. “I’m a vampire. I can’t impregnate anyone!”

“According to Selena you can. She said she’s not sure what all you’re capable of, since you’re the only vampire of your kind, but she suggested you consider wearing a raincoat on your little man from now on.”

“You’re joking.”

“Nope. Selena kind of confirmed you could become a papa.”

He rolled his eyes and got back on his feet. “Wonderful.” He wondered how Amara had taken the news. He figured if she didn’t fling something at his head when he saw her next, she’d taken it well. “I need to get back and check on Amara.”

“Uh, Parker?”

“Hmm?”

“Behind you.”

Parker turned. Two glowing green eyes stared at him from between two bushes. Slime slithered across his senses, leaving a wet, icky trail behind. It was akin to sticking his hand into a jar of fresh snot, and he didn’t like it, or the woman attached to the sensation, one bit. “Hello, Terri.”

The eyes blinked. “Parker.”

That voice sent a shiver down his spine. Where once his urge to flee had overwhelmed him, now all he wanted was the witch’s neck between his hands, her blood dripping on the ground. The only problem with that was he didn’t think Mina, Ash and Greer would appreciate having toxic waste dumped in their forest. “Long time no see.” He smiled and prayed she’d view it as an invitation. He needed to grab her, take her out before she hurt anyone else. “Come on out, pretty. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“You’ve been a bad boy, Parker.”

Parker flexed his fingers. His claws slipped free, ready to shred the flesh from his enemy’s bones. She’d harmed his sotiei, infected her with something. For that alone she would suffer. “Have I now?” He allowed his accent to thicken, remembering how she loved it when he whispered naughty things in her ear. He’d use that against her, lure his prey out and pounce.

“You slept with that woman.” Terri’s voice was full of righteous anger and insane pain. “How could you do that to me?”

Easily. Amara was ten times the woman Terri was, even when she’d been human. “A man has needs, Terri.”

That turned out to be the wrong thing to say. An inhuman shriek of rage drove the birds from the trees. “You are mine!”

Parker grinned. “Then take me.”

“Parker, no!”

He ignored Greg’s shout, intent on taking out the witch who’d made his unlife miserable. Tenacious vines bound his body so quickly he had no time to react. He was cocooned, only his eyes left free of the wrappings.

Not quite what he’d planned on, but he could work with it. She was up to something, so he’d allow her to hold him until he found out what it was. He felt none of the magic that had kept him in the iron cage all those years ago. Misting through the vines should be no problem.

Now that he wasn’t running away from her in terror, he got his first good look at her, and was horrified by what he saw.

She’d changed drastically since New York. She no longer looked human. Still curvaceous, she walked in the form of a woman, but where a human’s skin was rich with the flush of red blood, Terri’s skin had a sickly greenish cast. Her hair was the dry, pale brown of dead leaves. Her eyes glowed brightly enough for others to see by. Weeds sprouted from random spots on her body. A dandelion bloomed above her navel; crabgrass had replaced the hair of her mound. She smelled of rancid vegetation, like a compost heap that had sat too long in the sun, too rotten to use. “Did you think I would let you hurt me?”

Parker tried to shrug, but he couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak, gagged by the greenery.

One cracked green hand reached out, covered in mold. “I missed you, Parker.” Despite his struggles to move away she stroked his nose. “I’ll make you a deal. You leave with me. We become what we were always meant to be—husband and wife. Vampire and blood donor. And I will allow the town of Maggie’s Grove to live.” She gestured, and the gag was removed.

“You can’t destroy an entire town, Terri.”

She smiled. “It’s already begun.”

“You’re bluffing.”

“I’m sorry, my love. I didn’t want to, you know, but you forced my hand. You’ve turned down every invitation I’ve given you since you got here.” She ran her fingers across his lips. He had to resist the urge to spit her taste back in her face. “If you don’t leave with me, every single plant in Maggie’s Grove will rise up and tear it apart from the inside out.” She tilted her head. “I wonder what my thorns would do to the tender flesh of an infant?”

He gritted his teeth. “You’ll have to show me.”

“Oh, Parker.” She grinned, her yellowed teeth rimmed with algae. He tried not to gag at the overwhelming stench that poured from between her lips. “Very well. This won’t take long.” The greenery covered him once more, this time obscuring his eyes as well. He had no idea what was going on, but he was transported more swiftly than he’d thought she was capable of.

She’d grown stronger since the last time he’d seen her, and that terrified him.

He bided his time. She had to be bluffing. Even Terri wasn’t crazy enough to attack an entire town filled with supernaturals and their mates. They’d hunt her down with their last breaths and make her pay for what she’d done to their lovers, their families. She wouldn’t know a second’s peace.

The plants parted enough for him to see that she’d taken him high up onto the mountain, where his view of the entire town was unobstructed. People’s screams as they tried desperately to defend themselves, their homes, assaulted his ears. Glittering magic lit the night sky with silent fireworks. Fire flashed here and there, controlled by the resident fire elementals. Howls rose in challenge as the weres defended their own.

He gritted his teeth as the faint, tinny sounds of fire and police sirens raced along the streets. Fires had broken out here and there, seemingly uncontrolled. “Greg,” he whispered, hoping his friend would understand. He was no longer certain how fast Greg could travel, but if he’d beaten Parker to the forest to protect Ash, then he was