Balanced Chaos (The Void Series Book 3) Read online

  “I’ll do the dishes, get my gear, and meet you in the lobby?”

  “You know, if you’d tell me where the kitchen is I could deal with the dishes for you.”

  “And lose my chance to eat with you… not a chance. See you in ten,” Werner added as he grabbed the two dirty plates and left.

  Sam rolled her eyes at his back and lounged back on her bed. Before she could relax into the soft mattress, she heard a loud voice from the hallway. Despite her childhood training not to eavesdrop, Sam tip-toed up to the door and pressed her ear against the crack.

  “…don’t care what the lieutenant colonel thinks of you and your ranger qualifications. You are toeing the line, Corporal, and one step over it and I’ll have my foot so far up your ass you’ll be flossing with my boot strings.

  “I don’t know what you think your duty is here, but Gollet is an asset to this department. Whatever is going on between the two of you, it ends today. If I ever see you coming out of her room again, I’ll…”

  Unable to take another minute of Halstead’s unfair tirade, Sam marched out of her room and stumbled into the two men, doing her best to act as though their presence came as a surprise.

  “Oh, Corporal, there you are. Are you ready to go?” she asked nonchalantly.

  “Not yet, ma’am,” Werner replied, playing along.

  “No worries. Tell me where the kitchen is and I’ll take the dishes. Thank you again for bringing me dinner. Maybe tomorrow you can give me a tour of this building so that I can take care of myself. You shouldn’t have to feed me too on top of everything else you’ve done for me. Major, please thank the lieutenant colonel for me. Corporal Werner has really gone above and beyond to help me out. He brought me dinner tonight, knowing I had no idea where to go for food.”

  The major stared at her, his anger stopped in its tracks.

  “You’re leaving the building at night?” he asked through clenched teeth.

  “Yes. I’m afraid so. One of my contacts is only accessible at night,” Sam said, leaving out the details just as Werner had suggested.

  “Remember what I said, Corporal,” Halstead said before stomping down the hallway.

  Werner turned his eyes on her and, to Sam’s amazement, gave her a dark glare. “Next time, stay out of my business.”

  Sam flinched. “I was just trying to help.”

  “Well, don’t. If the major wants to yell at me that’s his right.”

  “He wasn’t being fair to you. You were just trying to help.”

  “I can take care of myself. I don’t need you rescuing me from the major. Besides, he’s right. I have to remember what my job is.”

  Sam nodded, tears of anger and frustration pressing against her eyes. “Right. Take care of the asset. I’ll see you in the lobby, Corporal.”

  She tried to shoulder past him, but Werner stopped her with a warm hand on her waist.

  “I’m sorry, Sam. I shouldn’t have said that. I want to be your friend, but I have to be careful, for both our sakes.”

  Sam considered her life, the dangers she could easily drag him into, the complications Roman presented, the fact she was a prisoner within the walls of the reservation. She didn’t exactly bring simplicity to their friendship either.

  “You’re right. It would be foolish, even risky, to try and be friends. The major’s right. I should just be an asset,” she added for good measure before sliding away from his hand and moving down the hallway.

  Chapter Ten

  Sam waited in the lobby, trying her best not to think about what had just passed between her and Corporal Werner, much less the stark change between the Major Halstead who had given her a piggy-back ride and the major who had yelled at Werner. She stood near the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the tiny, empty parking lot and the seldom-used entrance to the reservation. She didn’t want to look at the unlucky guard, left on desk duty through the night, even though the various guards working within the admin building were growing accustomed to her presence.

  “Ready?” Werner asked from just behind her shoulder, causing her to jump.

  “Shit, Werner, make some noise when you walk.”

  “Sorry, ma’am, I’ll try to be noisier in the future,” he said as he adjusted his Kevlar vest.

  Sam felt her shoulders drop and her brows pucker as she stared at him. Did he really just call me ‘ma’am’ again? She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped at the last second. Instead, she shook her head and led him out of the building into the inky darkness of night.

  Above them, Sam spotted the moving shadows of guards patrolling the enormous walls, their rifles at the ready as they watched the nightly movement. Unlike a normal compound, the reservation was just as alive during the night as it was during the day due to the vampire population.

  Sam skidded to a stop at the bottom of the stairs. Without even realizing it, her gift had been scanning the darkness, always alert for the magical workings of an enemy. Instead of finding a threat, it had found the powers of a mage she knew all too well.

  Her gift slammed itself against the confines of her tattoo. She released it, allowing her gift the chance to examine the lingering power more thoroughly, though they both knew who it belonged to.

  “What?” asked Werner, interrupting her unsettling musings.

  Sam shook her head, dispelling her fears and trying to think up a feasible lie. She didn’t want to tell Werner she had sensed the magic of an illegal mage just outside the admin building. Besides, it was likely just the left-overs of Roman exiting the building and walking to his boss’ car. As she opened her mouth to speak, her gift finished its examination.

  She was dead wrong.

  It wasn’t a simple trail, it was so much more.

  What, she couldn’t say, but a defined marker had been left on the gate. It felt like rune, or something similar. If it hadn’t been for the fact Roman lived outside the Res, hiding his true identity from the authorities, she would have taken this to Jason and asked his advice, but she couldn’t risk Roman’s safety.

  “What is it?” repeated Werner.

  “Sorry. I just thought I felt something,” she said, shying away from the truth. “But it was nothing. Just an old trail.”

  Werner glared at her, clearly not buying it. He rolled his eyes and marched away, leading her down the street.

  Why would Roman mark the gate with magic? And what did the spell do? Can I even trust him?

  Sam chided herself for not using the past months of recovering to learn more about the ways of mages. She had left herself crippled with ignorance. She glanced up at the corporal, his face set in a glower of annoyance. She had pushed him yet further away with her lie.

  They walked in silence down one of the main streets, the strip of federal buildings used to supply the inmates running along one side. On the other side they passed the enormous housing complex where the Newberry’s lived and the large courtyard used for communal activities before reaching the large apartment complex where her contact lived.

  “Who are we visiting here?” Werner asked, glancing between the main entrance of the dilapidated building and the plastic-structured docks laying behind them.

  Sam grabbed the corporal’s wrist, amazed at how her small fingers barely made it around his limb, and dragged him a few feet away from the door.

  She stopped and considered her words, having no idea how this new, moody Werner would respond to what she was about to say.

  “Okay, so technically speaking, we’re going to a drug dealer.”

  Werner narrowed his eyes at her before scanning their surroundings again as though the shadows had just grown darker.

  “No. We’re going back. We can try again during the daylight with more back up if you’re insistent on visiting this individual.”

  Sam just stared at him, wondering where the enthusiastic man had gone, the one who had been willing to make out with a practical stranger to save a dying woman.

  “Need I remind you that we’re doing all thi
s to save Mrs. Newberry? You were willing to make out with me for her, but you’re not willing to talk to some guy? What’s your problem?” she snapped in a hushed voice as two men sauntered by.

  “My sole concern is your safety.”

  “Sam?” called one of the passing men.

  A subtle movement at her side caught Sam’s attention. Werner had crouched ever-so-slightly. It wasn’t enough to be noticeable to the average person, more just a bending of the knees, as though he was ready to move. At the same time, his hand had gone to his side arm, automatically unhooking the safety strap as though he expected the newcomers to be a threat to her life.

  Sam turned and watched them approach, waiting for them to step into the dim moonlight. They did and recognition came. They were two vampires from the gang she used to work for; the vampire gang Roman had freed her from.

  “Jeffery,” Sam said, waving Werner down.

  The corporal remained in his ready posture until Sam stepped forward and gave the first vampire a quick hug, nodding to the second man, whose name she couldn’t remember.

  “I hope you’re not in trouble,” Jeffery said, glancing at Corporal Werner and his numerous weapons.

  “Why does everyone think that?”

  Jeffery laughed and mussed her hair. “If you’re not in trouble, what’s with the guard?”

  “I’m helping the National Guard get to know the mystics since I’ve had dealings with all of the factions. This is Corporal Werner, my protection detail,” she said, making the introductions. “Corporal, this is Jeffery Digby.”

  Jeffery laughed again as he shook the corporal’s hand.

  “What’s so funny?” Werner asked, his business mask back in place.

  “No offense, sir, I just can’t see Sam, here, needing a—what did you call it?—a protection detail.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Well, if there is anyone in the reservation that could wipe the floor with me, it’d be her.”

  Werner’s face darkened until even Sam, who knew the taste of his lips, felt her insides twist with fear. “And what makes you so powerful?”

  Jeffery didn’t balk at the implied threat, but kept the habitual half-chuckle in his voice. “I’m a vampire, Mate, and a damn old one.”

  Werner did his best to keep his poker face in place, but Sam saw the slightest twitch in the corner of his mouth. Like all the National Guard soldiers, Werner had been briefed on the various mystics residing in the reservation. He knew the powers of the vampires, and he knew they were heightened with age.

  “You’re saying Sam here could take you in a fight.”

  “Hell, man, one time, Sam came home to Heywood having taken on… how many was it Sam?”

  Sam shook her head. “I don’t think we need to talk about that, Jeffery.”

  “It was like five vampires, all by herself.”

  Werner glanced down at her, but Sam refused to look him in the eye for fear that he would see through her, see the lie in her eyes, even if she didn’t speak. The truth was Roman had intervened, giving her a chance to kill off a few more of the vampires. Besides, she also didn’t want Werner to know her sordid history with Heywood.

  “Five?” Werner asked.

  Sam shrugged.

  “Then the night of the massacre, weren’t you in the warehouse fighting like ten fae all by yourself.”

  She let out a long sigh. “They came in two waves and one of them tried to stay out of the fight, but we don’t need to go over that all over again…”

  “No, but seriously, you took out Silver Tongue. Never thought anyone would take out that prick,” Jeffery added with another little laugh, elbowing his companion who nodded vigorously.

  “Who’s Silver Tongue,” asked Werner.

  “He was this fae who could control anyone, mystic or human, just by talking to them. Really powerful. I’m surprised the FMB didn’t just put him in Solitary and thrown away the key. The guy was a menace. Aside from, like—I don’t now—shooting him from a thousand feet away, there was no way to kill him ‘cause he would just talk you out of it with just a word. But Sam managed it! She’s that badass!” Jeffery added, slapping her on the shoulder.

  Sam winced, grabbing her injured shoulder.

  “Girl, are you still hurt? Take some from me. My power will…”

  “No,” Sam said, cutting him off before he could finish his thought. “I don’t…I’ve had enough of other people’s power to last me a lifetime.”

  “But I’m…”

  Sam reached out and gripped Jeffery’s arm. “No, Jeffery. The answer is no. My wounds are healing, and they will continue to heal. Leave it.”

  For once, the jovial man gave her a concerned frown. “If that’s how you want it. Well, I’ll leave you two to your work.”

  The two vampires gave Corporal Werner a respectful nod before turning to the dock’s entrance and disappearing into the labyrinth. Sam turned to watch them walk away, and then it hit her—another hot point of Roman’s power.

  She felt her face pucker into a frown but quickly cleared it before Werner could notice. Sam turned her gaze to the pavement, not wanting to look Werner in the eye. There were too many emotions at play. What was Roman doing in the Res? Was Werner surprised by what Jeffery had said? I don’t want to think about the massacre! Why is this all happening at once! her mind screamed.

  “I think we need to talk,” he said.

  “I think we need to get back to work,” she countered, marching toward the apartment complex.

  To Sam’s astonishment, he followed her through the main entrance and into the dimly lit courtyard as though he hadn’t just been against continuing with their mission. Sam found the stairs leading up to second story balcony winding around to the apartment she wanted. She pounded on the door and waited, knowing it would take her contact a while to drag himself to the door.

  Eventually, the door swung open and Joe Matsen appeared, looking just as thin and sickly as ever. He adjusted his oversized t-shirt and leaned against the door frame.

  “Sam Gollet, as I live and breathe, and with a knight-in-shining-armor too! Where’s the bestie? Amber, isn’t it.”

  Sam felt the stab to her heart. It had been ages since she’d spoken to Amber, and somehow Joe sensed it. It wasn’t his fae gift, just his masterful ability at reading people. Joe knew Sam was hurting and took a guess as to why. He was wrong in this instance, and yet right all at the same time.

  Sam was lonely, lonely in a way she had never been before. Even those precious few who had been her companions before were now strangers to her because she was surrounded by the enemy—the humans. She glanced up at Werner, a person who had until very recently filled the void of her friends. Without him, she had no one at all.

  Slowly, Sam pulled a fake smile to her face and slid her gaze from Werner to Joe.

  “Amber’s off having a life, unlike some people I know. But I’m not here to talk about her. Let’s talk about you… and your little babies.”

  “Look, Sam, even if you bring a guard with you, you’re not the law around, no matter how much everyone fears you. What I do in my own home is none of your business!” Joe cried as he slammed the door shut.

  Before Sam could respond, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder and the heat of a body press up against her back as Werner stepped forward and firmly place his booted foot in the doorway, keeping the door from shutting. Sam wobbled, trying to give Werner space, but he casually wrapped a large hand around her waist.

  To Sam’s astonishment, her body responded to his light touch. She tried to rein in her unruly body, but the longer she felt the warmth of his legs pressed against hers, the more she thought back to what they had done earlier in the day at the Newberry’s. Fire quickly spread through her veins as she considered doing it again with the corporal.

  Sam had enjoyed the freedom of losing control without her fae power running amuck, especially with someone she found attractive. It had been different with Chad, whom she had only found bearab
le at the best of times.

  She squeezed her eyes shut and forced her mind back on the here and now, willing herself not to noticed the way Werner’s hand rest on her stomach or the way his pants zipper rubbed against her backside. Sam clenched her jaw and started the exercise over again just as Joe’s face appeared in the crack.

  Joe’s eyes flicked to the boot wedged in the doorway.

  “I think you should stop and listen to Miss Gollet,” Werner said, his voice an octave deeper than normal and dripping with an appeal Sam had never heard before in anyone’s voice before, even Roman’s.

  Joe glared at them for a second before speaking. “Fine. What?”

  “Mrs. Newberry is being poisoned. You’re the best mystical botanist within the reservation.”

  “So naturally you assumed I’d be the one poisoning her.”

  “So I thought if anyone wanted to poison someone, they’d come to you for ingredients.”

  Joe glared at her, his eyes narrowing as his drugged brain slowly thought through her words. “Fine,” he snapped, jerking the door open. “You can come in.”

  Sam and Werner followed him into the tiny apartment, potted plants growing out of every nook and cranny. Some were even planted in untraditional planters such as kitchen bowls, shoes, emptied bean cans, mason jars, and kitchen sinks that been decommissioned, their holes plugged with who-knows-what.

  “Joe, I’ve felt the poison in Mrs. Newberry. I need you to allow me to see your potions cabinet and confirm that you don’t have the same poison here.”

  “And if I do?” he asked, his eyes running to Werner.

  “Then you’ll have some explaining to do to my superiors,” Werner said, jumping in.

  Sam winced, not appreciating his help, though she knew he was spot on. “Joe, your best option is to be honest with me.”

  The thin fae began to shake, his eyes flicking between them and the door. Finally, as if it was a great relief, he nodded. “They made me make the poison. They said if I didn’t they would kill me.”

  “Who?” demanded the corporal in a tone that frightened even Sam.