Blood Bond . Amy Blankenship

killed in the past were not of the redeeming quality… either that or he would call it self-defense because they had sure been trying to kill him.

      To make matters worse, Storm just had to drop the bomb on him that some original hybrids are not evil, even though they give off the same aura as a high class demon would. And if that wasn’t enough of a headache, then add the fact that a vampire is not a hybrid at all… but something entirely different that had invaded earth.

      Ren rubbed his left temple still staring at the grid map. All area’s he found where he’d felt a power boost were black-lighted and considering Misery never stayed in one place… that was most of the city. But taking into account that she had a fetish for soulless vampires, he could only allow her to claim the areas that were near the vampire nest.

      That left a lot of unlisted power and somewhere among it was the reason for Storm’s bloody prophecy. Speaking of Storm, he hadn’t seen him since he’d tossed his fortune telling butt back on the island and so far no one had shown up claiming to be part of PIT.

      Ren smirked knowing exactly how to get Storm’s attention. He had become so in tune with the high-tech computer system that he no longer had to do anything but be in the same room with it. He watched the computer screen flash as it linked up to the main PIT system then fed the grid map behind the thick firewalls that only he and Storm could access.

      It usually only took a few minutes before Storm would respond or pop into existence, so when the minutes ticked by with no response, Ren became worried. Then the screen flashed.

      Storm appeared on the screen so Ren could see him and lowered a crimson spotted cloth from his nose before he leaned back in his chair and smiled at Ren via the webcam.

      Ren frowned at that and could also see that Storm was at home on the island. “I’m surprised you didn’t come yourself… but then it kind of looks like you’ve been breaking the rules again,” Ren chastised with an arched eyebrow.

      “The time flux in your area is keeping me from jumping and giving me one hell of a headache.” Storm explained holding the bloody tissues in his fist.

      “Then stop trying,” Ren glared.

      Storm nodded, “We’re going to have to stay in touch this way until things settle down on your end. For now, you have incoming PIT teams and it’s time you start learning how to work with them for everyone’s sake. Since you have a photographic memory and have read their files, I’m sure you will know more about them than even they know about themselves.”

      “So you’re finally putting me in the middle of a lot of people with powers? Is that a smart thing to do? What if I can’t control it?” Ren asked not relishing the idea of working with someone else besides Storm.

      Storm grinned and lifted his shoulders in a shrug, “Practice makes perfect Ren and you’re about to get a crash course in human interaction. Zachary and Angelica are moving in with you so they can access the databank and all the equipment I’ve stored in the castle. They’ll also handle most of the PIT teams that are coming. As for you, your job is to try to find out what the hell is causing the time flux and barring me from the area.”

      He paused for a moment before leaning toward the screen. “Answer your door.”

      The video link abruptly disconnected, leaving Ren staring at it with raised eyebrows. A loud knock at the door made him look in that direction then back at the blank screen.

      “I hate it when he does that.” Ren grumbled and stood up from his chair grabbing his sunglasses to hide his eyes.

      Walking through the open double doors that led into the foyer, Ren answered the door and stared at his visitors… soon to be roommates.

      Zachary was smiling when he saw the young man standing on the other side of the entrance. “It’s nice to finally meet the real ‘ace in the hole’ that Storm has been talking about for as long as I’ve known him.”

      Ren gritted his teeth but accepted Zachary’s outstretched hand and nodded at Angelica before standing aside and letting them in. He knew every face on PIT’s roster and what their gifts were. He’d made a point to memorize the profiles of all PIT members not long after Storm took him in.

      Storm had added notes into the blocked version of the profiles and Ren had mentally downloaded those too. Storm was right… he probably knew more about them than they knew about themselves.

      Zachary was a little bit of a wild child with what Storm had described as a double personality… one minute Zachary was joking and the next he was as deadly as a ticked off cobra. He’d seen the news broadcasts of the fire that took out the home of a mob boss a while back and the whole situation had PIT, more specifically Zachary, written all over it. The next morning Zachary had filed the report into the PIT system and confirmed Ren’s suspicions.

      Angelica’s power was a little more complicated, being able to kill demons using the magic she was born with. Storm had once called her the key but never said what the hell she unlocked.

      Her file was thicker than anyone else’s… it was as if Storm had been documenting her every move since birth. Ren couldn’t figure out why… and he didn’t really care at the moment. Without a word, he closed the door and headed into the room that served as his office. Somehow he’d known they would follow him.

      “So,” Zachary said after less than a minute of awkward silence, “Do you live here alone?”

      “No,” Ren said. “I have new roommates.”

      Angelica smirked at the dumbfounded expression that appeared on Zachary’s face. “I think he’s trying to break the ice.”

      “He’s doing a bad job,” Ren said already feeling crowded.

      “I know,” Angelica soothed recognizing a quiet loner type when she met one.

      Zachary sent Angelica a mock glare. “Hey, you’re supposed to be on my side.”

      “Why?” Angelica laughed. “Believe it or not, some of us can go for days without running our mouths. You… I’m lucky to go two seconds without hearing you going on about something.”

      “I can to be quiet!” Zachary exclaimed. “Watch me!”

      Zachary then commenced to slouch back on the sofa and cross his arms over his chest with his lips pressed into a thin line. Angelica rolled her eyes before getting up to take a closer look at the computer system Storm had set up.

      Ren watched her closely, ready to answer any questions she might have and glanced over at Zachary. For some reason, the other man had found something very fascinating about the buttons on his shirt. Ren mentally counted down from five before the inevitable explosion occurred.

      “GAH!” Zachary yelled. “I can’t stand this.”

      Ren laughed making Angelica and Zachary look at him in surprise. It didn’t last long and Ren ran a hand through his hair before taking in the others. “Go ahead and explore the castle, there are plenty of bedrooms.” he said once all traces of humor vanished from his face.

      Angelica nodded, “I’ll go get my suitcase.”

      Once she was gone, Ren looked over at Zachary and found himself face to face with the other side of the fire starter’s personality. “I’m curious… what powers do you have?”

      “Yours,” Ren smirked, “and Angelica’s… and anyone else that comes within my succubus range.”

      Zachary flipped his palm up and opened it seemingly satisfied that his powers were still there.

      “I didn’t say I took your power away,” Ren shrugged, refusing to resort to parlor tricks to prove what he was saying. He locked eyes with Zach and saw the disturbed man behind the mask. “By coming near me, you are giving me the same power,” he stated for clarity.

      “I take care of Angelica while she’s here,” Zach announced out of the blue.

      “I’m