cold blue eyes glowering up at him in fear. It was a necessity like so many necessities in Blackthorn. It was about survival and survival was about reputation. Not just anybody became somebody in Blackthorn, and it was even harder becoming a somebody when you were a nobody. Caleb had the fortune of his reputation – his history of being one of the few intrepid serryn hunters – but he still had to stay ahead, and staying ahead meant never letting his guard down. Ever. It meant no mercy and no second chances. Any sign of pity could be fatal. He had to maintain his reputation for being guarded, disciplined and brutal, especially in his line of work. Running a club was hard. It was the core of their culture. And holding on to the most successful club in Blackthorn was no easy feat, not when there was always someone waiting to step into those shoes.
Tay had worked with him long enough to know better than to try. He needed to be an example for any others who might think the same way.
The same was true for the serryn behind him. If he was right, if there was a ploy involved in her coming there, she needed to know exactly what she was up against. She needed to know that when it came to her kind, Caleb had no compassion or mercy at all.
‘Do you know what this is, Tay?’ Caleb asked, holding the syringe up. ‘This is a vampire’s worst nightmare. A stake through the heart, burnt to ashes, being beheaded – they’re all child’s play compared to this. Merciful even. This here is a little tube of agony like you can’t comprehend. A few droplets of this blood will weaken you more than a month without feeding. Half of the contents will leave you delusional, delirious and sweating blood. It’ll send pins and needles so excruciating through your body that you can’t walk, you can’t see, you can’t even think. A couple more syringes will make you lose control of every limb, every function. It’ll saturate your brain so your skull expands with the pressure of the swelling. It’s all you’ll know for days, weeks even. One extra little dose on top of that will make every single one of your veins explode, every internal organ implode, an agony you’ll feel right until the last moment. This little tube of terror, Tay, is pure serryn blood – fresh, warm and straight from the source. I should know – I hunted them for long enough.’
Tay stared warily back at Leila before glancing back at the syringe. He shook his head and mumbled something behind the gag.
Caleb reached for it and tugged it down. ‘What was that?’
‘There ain’t no serryns anymore,’ Tay said, his eyes brimming with fear, spittle trickling down his chin. He slid his tongue tersely over his bottom lip. ‘They’re extinct. Everybody knows that.’
Caleb exhaled a curt laugh. He looked at Jake, and Jake smiled back. ‘He doesn’t believe me.’
Jake folded his arms. ‘Oh dear, I think he’s calling you a liar, Caleb.’
Caleb shrugged. ‘Maybe I am wrong. It’s been a long time since I’ve run into a serryn. No, sorry, strike that – it’s been a long time since I’ve tracked one down, tortured her, slaughtered her and burnt every toxic part of her. So, maybe this time I have made a mistake. Maybe I’m losing my infamous touch. Maybe you’re right, Tay, buddy. Maybe that girl over there is just a regular little witch.’ He held up the syringe, his thumb on the plunger. ‘Shall we see?’
Tay recoiled into his seat, his eyes wide. ‘Wait!’
‘What? Not so sure now?’ Caleb asked, strolling around the back of him.
‘You’ve had your fun, Caleb. I fucked up, okay? I admit it. You let me go, and we’ll work this out. I’ll do whatever you want.’
‘I’ve got plenty who will do whatever I want, ones who know better than to step over the line. But thanks for the confession.’ Caleb yanked Tay’s head back by his hair. Exposing his neck, he slammed the syringe into his artery and pressed down the plunger.
Tay eyes bulged.
Tay had worked with him long enough to know better than to try. He needed to be an example for any others who might think the same way.
The same was true for the serryn behind him. If he was right, if there was a ploy involved in her coming there, she needed to know exactly what she was up against. She needed to know that when it came to her kind, Caleb had no compassion or mercy at all.
‘Do you know what this is, Tay?’ Caleb asked, holding the syringe up. ‘This is a vampire’s worst nightmare. A stake through the heart, burnt to ashes, being beheaded – they’re all child’s play compared to this. Merciful even. This here is a little tube of agony like you can’t comprehend. A few droplets of this blood will weaken you more than a month without feeding. Half of the contents will leave you delusional, delirious and sweating blood. It’ll send pins and needles so excruciating through your body that you can’t walk, you can’t see, you can’t even think. A couple more syringes will make you lose control of every limb, every function. It’ll saturate your brain so your skull expands with the pressure of the swelling. It’s all you’ll know for days, weeks even. One extra little dose on top of that will make every single one of your veins explode, every internal organ implode, an agony you’ll feel right until the last moment. This little tube of terror, Tay, is pure serryn blood – fresh, warm and straight from the source. I should know – I hunted them for long enough.’
Tay stared warily back at Leila before glancing back at the syringe. He shook his head and mumbled something behind the gag.
Caleb reached for it and tugged it down. ‘What was that?’
‘There ain’t no serryns anymore,’ Tay said, his eyes brimming with fear, spittle trickling down his chin. He slid his tongue tersely over his bottom lip. ‘They’re extinct. Everybody knows that.’
Caleb exhaled a curt laugh. He looked at Jake, and Jake smiled back. ‘He doesn’t believe me.’
Jake folded his arms. ‘Oh dear, I think he’s calling you a liar, Caleb.’
Caleb shrugged. ‘Maybe I am wrong. It’s been a long time since I’ve run into a serryn. No, sorry, strike that – it’s been a long time since I’ve tracked one down, tortured her, slaughtered her and burnt every toxic part of her. So, maybe this time I have made a mistake. Maybe I’m losing my infamous touch. Maybe you’re right, Tay, buddy. Maybe that girl over there is just a regular little witch.’ He held up the syringe, his thumb on the plunger. ‘Shall we see?’
Tay recoiled into his seat, his eyes wide. ‘Wait!’
‘What? Not so sure now?’ Caleb asked, strolling around the back of him.
‘You’ve had your fun, Caleb. I fucked up, okay? I admit it. You let me go, and we’ll work this out. I’ll do whatever you want.’
‘I’ve got plenty who will do whatever I want, ones who know better than to step over the line. But thanks for the confession.’ Caleb yanked Tay’s head back by his hair. Exposing his neck, he slammed the syringe into his artery and pressed down the plunger.
Tay eyes bulged.
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