Frayed Ties (Ties, Book 1) | ✓

Chapter 20

Simon wrenched his knife out of the back of the vampire's neck and let the body fall to the ground.

"Wait," Hamish said as the rest of them started following the fae again. They turned to watch him as he rolled the vampire over onto its back.

"Okay..." Simon said.

Hamish pulled a knife out and slashed the front of the vampire's shirt open, revealing a broad, pale chest.

Simon's eyebrows lifted. "This is getting a little weird, Hamish."

"Do you have a pen?" Hamish asked.

"No? Why would I have a pen?"

"I don't know. To keep track of where the fuck we are in these tunnels, maybe?"

Simon made a face. "Yeah, that would have been useful, wouldn't it..."

"Oh well, guess I can do this the hard way. At least it'll stand out nicely." Hamish stabbed his knife into the vampire's throat, wetting the tip with its thick, dark blood, and then began to carefully drag it across the vampire's chest.

It took Danya a moment to realise that he was writing. 'Following fae to subway — Hamish.'

"Well, that's macabre," Simon said.

"It's clever," Hamish insisted.

"Uh huh."

"And here, look." Hamish sliced through the armholes of the vampires shirt and then pulled it out from underneath it.

"I'm not sure how stripping the vampire helps us."

Hamish tore a strip from the shirt and then cut a scrap off and held it up. "We can leave a trail."

Simon frowned. "Okay, fine. Your weird plan is actually a good idea."

Hamish stood back up and began cutting the shirt up into small pieces as they started following the fae again. "I'm a genius, admit it."

"You're very good at coming up with plans that involve taking men's shirts off, anyway."

"A narrow yet surprisingly versatile skill set."

They had been down in the tunnels for about an hour now, and the fae was still leading them towards the subway lines that ran through the heart of the city. The longer they walked, the thicker the tension grew. Simon had acquired a permanent crease to his brow.

Danya held up his hand again as he felt a now familiar intrusion upon his mind. "Hold on."

"Another one?" Hamish asked.

Danya nodded and then frowned. "This feels... bigger. More intense."

"Like that one that nearly kicked my ass?"

"No, I didn't notice anything different about the feel of that one at all."

"Oh great, so this one will be—"

Hamish was interrupted by not one but three vampires running at full speed out of the darkness of the tunnel ahead.

Danya moved before he was even aware of deciding to and raised a shield just in time for the vampires to collide with it. Two of them went flying backwards and the third slammed into the wall next to them, where it was promptly taken out of the fight by Hamish's sword through its eye.

At least now it was two against two. No... two against four. Danya and Lucas weren't just here for decoration.

Danya hurled a fireball into the tunnel. The first vampire ducked low as it ran towards them, dodging under the fire, but the second one caught the full brunt of it square in its chest. Though, Danya wasn't quite sure that improved their situation. It was still running towards them, but now it was on fire.