Misfits, Inc. Page 20

  Skyler responded to her warning, insisting they would make certain the staff didn’t get inside. Being fairly confident the guests were safe from the murderous staff, Hailey slowly left the safety of the fire stairs and quietly walked along the corridor. She was still compelled to press onward. As she approached Lucinda’s suite, she saw the busted door hadn’t fully closed, since there had been no time for Lucinda to have it fixed. Hailey could hear voices within the suite. One of the voices was Lucinda’s, and she was ranting like a mad woman.

  “We’re certain they’re all within the banquet hall?” she demanded.

  Within the penthouse suite, Lucinda paced the massive living room while Marcus casually leaned against the bar. Delaney and Cass were the only staff remaining inside the penthouse. Cass was seated comfortably in one of the oversized chairs while Delaney stood not far from Marcus at the bar and refilled his scotch glass with Lucinda’s top-shelf liquor.

  “Yes,” Delaney announced as he sipped his drink. “I made sure they entered before I came up here. The snappers have them boxed in. They won’t be able to escape.”

  Lucinda stopped pacing and stared blankly at an expensive painting on the wall. All three watched in silence as she considered her next move. She spun on her heels and looked directly at Marcus with a stern expression.

  “On to more important matters. Have you found my necklace yet?” she demanded of him.

  “I searched all their rooms,” Marcus casually informed her. “I didn’t find it. Maybe it wasn’t one of them who stole it. How would they know its importance? She didn’t even know who she was until two days ago. The girl knows nothing.”

  Lucinda folded her arms casually across her chest and strummed her fingernails on her skin while staring at Marcus. She tilted her head and suddenly smirked.

  “You’re absolutely right, Marcus,” she announced. “There’s no way she’d know about the stone’s power. It would only be of value to me.”

  “Obviously,” Marcus agreed. “It’s nearly time for you to reproduce. Without the power of the stone, you’ll only produce snappers. We need viable workers; not more snappers.”

  “Her Numinous may have foreseen its power,” Delaney announced. “That could be why they stole it.”

  “Doubtful,” Marcus remarked. “Have you met Skyler? He’s a buffoon. Possibly the weakest Numinous I’ve come across. The boy can barely tie his shoes.”

  Beyond the penthouse suite door, Hailey straightened, having heard enough of their conversation to put everything together. Her conversation with Rafe about the necklace and his obsession with stealing it now made sense. Although, she was still puzzled by his instincts regarding a great many things. She needed to recover Lucinda’s necklace as soon as she stopped the creatures from attacking the guests inside the banquet hall. She hurried back to the fire stairs, quietly exited through the door, and ran the last flight of steps to the roof.

  Within Lucinda’s suite, Lucinda again continued her pacing while rationalizing recent events. Her mind seemed to race for much needed answers.

  “Let’s not dismiss Skyler so quickly,” Lucinda announced boldly. “I’m almost certain he was responsible for what happened here this morning. A Numinous doesn’t have any real power, but you saw what happened with the snappers, and something had a telekinetic hold on your gun.”

  “Which had to be coming from Hailey’s unconscious mind,” Marcus insisted. “Telekinesis is not a characteristic of a Numinous.”

  “Are we certain?” Lucinda demanded.

  “Absolutely,” Marcus replied. “No creature on this planet possesses that sort of telekinesis.” He appeared humored and allowed a laugh to escape his throat. “If he had that sort of power, that’d make him a descendant of royalty, and I can’t see that idiot coming from the Emperor’s bloodlines. Besides, he’s too old to be some mutt love child from one of Hailey’s uncles. They weren’t on this planet any longer than we were.”

  “You’re right, of course,” she replied then sank back into thought.

  There was an awkward silence. Cass and Delaney watched their boss attempting to come up with a more plausible explanation of her missing necklace. Lucinda studied Marcus and raised her brow with a devious look on her face.

  “What about one of our own?” she asked. “Could one of ours have stolen my necklace?”

  “A challenger to your throne?” Marcus demanded then chuckled softly. “Doubtful.” He shot a look at Cass, who appeared rigid in her chair. “As Lucinda’s closest aide, what’s your opinion, Cass? Do you think any of the young females would ever consider revolting against our queen?”

  “None that I would suspect,” Cass replied and shot a look at Delaney by the bar. “Any ambitious females that you’ve noticed, Delaney?”

  He shook his head without hesitation. “No, they’re all perfectly content with the way things are,” Delaney informed them. “There have been some comments about the last few breeding cycles having produced fewer viable workers and more snappers, but that’s to be expected from time to time. I think we’re going to have a good reproductive season this year.”

  Lucinda approached Delaney and seductively ran her hand along his chest. He didn’t move or react as her hand traveled his chest to his abdomen.

  “Yes,” she cooed while smiling slyly. “It’s going to be a fine reproductive season. Perhaps, this time, you’ll put a little more effort into your duties. You seemed distracted last year, almost as if you were laying your seed elsewhere.”

  He drew a deep breath and straightened proudly. “We’re not supposed to discuss reproduction in front of other females,” Delaney reminded.

  Lucinda and Marcus both shifted their attention to Cass, who appeared uncomfortable where she sat in the oversized chair. Lucinda chuckled softly and approached Cass.

  “She doesn’t mind,” Lucinda replied and gently ran her hand along Cass’s shoulder as she walked behind her chair. “Cass is my closest and most dependable aide.” She stood behind her chair and gently massaged her shoulders in a caressing manner while looking at Delaney. “She’s the only female of our kind I’ve ever allowed in my bed.”

  Cass tensed beneath Lucinda’s caressing hands. Delaney attempted to show no reaction then took a large swallow from his glass. It clearly bothered him.

  “I find the entire conversation inappropriate,” he casually remarked as he set his glass down on the bar.

  “Oh?” Lucinda questioned while staring at him as her hands caressed Cass’s shoulders and moved their way toward her breasts. “I have to wonder if there’s been some unauthorized breeding among my subjects. The birth of illegitimate snappers could explain the recent rash of attacks around my hotel.”

  “There has been no unauthorized breeding,” Delaney announced with some agitation in his voice. “Each and every snapper on the island came from you and is loyal to you.”

  “Four women have disappeared in the last few days,” Marcus snarled at Delaney. “Sure, a snapper occasionally strays and finds its own meal, but four isn’t a coincidence.” His eyes shot across the room to Cass, who remained uncomfortable beneath Lucinda’s caressing hands. “Four random attacks sounds more like a wannabe queen building her strength for reproduction.”

  The look in Cass’s eyes was that of alarm. She was about to protest when Lucinda’s claws appeared and firmly dug deep into her flesh and tore across her throat. Cass barely had time to cry out as blood flowed from the four deep gashes through her jugular. Delaney jerked, his eyes conveying his horror. Lucinda stepped away from the gasping woman and showed no reaction for the life she claimed. She casually licked the blood from her claws. Cass thrashed slightly as the life ran from her throat. Marcus indicated the dying woman to Delaney with hostility in his hardened eyes.

  “Drink her blood,” he ordered.

  Delaney shot looks from Marcus to Cass. He was horrified by the command.

  “You’d side with that wretched girl over your queen?” Marcus demanded. “If you value you
r position as well as your life, you’ll do it. Desecrate the female who dare betray our queen and prove your loyalty now.”

  Delaney slowly approached the nearly dead woman in the chair and stared into her dying eyes. She stared back at him and attempted to speak, but blood flowed from her mouth as she gurgled her words. He placed his mouth to hers and licked the blood running down her lips. He then lowered his mouth to the blood flowing from her jugular. As he slurped and lapped up her warm blood, Lucinda and Marcus exchanged satisfied grins from across the room.

  “You don’t know how lucky you are that it’s mating season, and we’re low on males,” Marcus snarled at the man licking and sucking the warm blood spilling from his dead girlfriend’s neck. “A great deal of having to exterminate those within the resort falls on your selfish need for power.”

  Delaney obviously heard him but didn’t comment, instead, he continued with his duties.

  “We had to cover your clumsy kills with the massacre of those playing poker in the laundry room,” Marcus sternly announced. “Too many of them had come forward when Penny disappeared claiming they’d seen her in the basement.” He shook his head with disgust while watching the man hovering over the blood-soaked dead woman. “I’m very disappointed in you, betraying your queen like that. You’re lucky she doesn’t have your head for this.”

  “He’s forgiven,” Lucinda announced with little concern. “He’s proven his loyalty. Too often, young males fall victim to a younger female lobbying for her chance to be queen. They feel a younger queen will produce more workers and less snappers. I don’t hold it against him.” She casually crossed the room toward Marcus and seductively caressed his chest. She gave him an approving once over then looked back at Delaney. “Once you’ve finished your meal,” she boldly announced while waving her hand with disgust, “kindly discard the carcass from the window into the garden below. My pets need their nourishment.”

  †

  Hailey, slightly out of breath, appeared on the roof from the stairs and stopped to stare at the raging storm nearly upon them. There wasn’t any rain, but the sky was almost black, and the wind blew violently. She hurried to the half wall and looked out to the ocean. The surf was rough, crashing violently to shore, and appeared even less friendly than the sky. Hailey drew a deep breath and tried to focus on her task. She briefly considered what she was doing and again questioned if it was the right thing to do. It seemed odd that she could almost hear the screams coming from the banquet hall, although she knew that was impossible. Strange premonitions kept sweeping her mind. It was almost as if she could feel what Skyler felt. Their connection to each other seemed to be growing stronger, and it was frightening.

  “Skyler, I’m on the roof,” she announced aloud. “How’s it looking down there?”

  †

  At the same time, within the ballroom, the creatures vibrated the garden side door despite the barriers. Guests were screaming at Skyler and Vance, who prevented them from allowing thirty or more employees from entering the banquet hall through the main entrance. They could hear them screaming and see their panic-filled faces through a small window on the main door. They were pleading to be allowed inside. Skyler kept his body against the door while Vance yelled and swung his baseball bat at the furious guests. It was only when the guests saw the creatures attempting to break open the door without attacking the staff outside, that they understood what was really happening. Creatures and traitorous employees together attempted to break through the main door.

  The windows on the garden side appeared secure with their thorny shield over them. Despite the mass chaos outside the banquet hall, the guests and remaining staff gathered toward the back corner and attempted to remain quiet. Several sobs and sounds of mass hysteria occasionally broke the silence. Hailey’s warriors moved closer to the center of the room with their weapons securely in hand and kept watch on both sets of doors. Skyler suddenly clutched his temples and zoned out. Rafe and Logan eyed him and awaited whatever news he had to report.

  “Hailey, thank God,” Skyler gasped aloud and looked around the banquet hall. “The doors are holding but not for long. Whatever you’re going to do, do it fast.”

  Rafe took two quick steps toward Skyler and appeared demanding. “Are you talking to Hailey?”

  Skyler held his temple, frowned, and waved off Rafe like a mother to her child while on the telephone.

  “I’ll let you know if they start breaking the doors, but what does that matter?” Skyler asked.

  Vance and Logan exchanged concerned looks. Logan looked at Skyler, who now concentrated on his telepathic conversation.

  “What’s she saying?” Logan asked.

  Skyler waved him off as well and concentrated on what Hailey was telling him. Logan was clearly offended.

  “The necklace?” Skyler asked with a puzzled look then glanced at Rafe. “Hailey needs Lucinda’s necklace.”

  Rafe appeared impatient and motioned demandingly. “Let me talk to her.”

  Skyler stared at him with surprise then appeared annoyed. “Sorry, I must’ve misplaced the handset.”

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Hurricane type conditions were pushing their way along the beach and ocean. Palm trees were bending to the point of breaking and palms lie scattered along the once immaculate beach. Hailey stood on the roof before the half wall while staring at the ocean. She breathed deeply several times then held out her hand. The water crashed to shore in large, violent waves then rolled back out. A tremendous thundering sound was heard as the water continued to roll further and further into the ocean. The ocean floor was exposed, revealing the sunken remains of a large ship from decades past embedded in the sand. The water receded further and further back, causing the thundering rumbling sound to escalate to near deafening levels. Beyond the desolate ocean floor, there was a massive wall of water rumbling and rolling backwards. Hailey kept her trembling hand extended and stared out to the ocean with shock and dismay at the horror she was creating. It wasn’t a nightmare! She had foreseen her own psychic prophecy.

  “Oh, my God--” she gasped softly while watching the massive wall of water off in the distant horizon. It rumbled and rolled on itself as if awaiting her command. Her hand trembled while holding the wave in place. “Skyler, batten down the hatches!”

  †

  Back within the banquet hall, Skyler suddenly came to an abrupt stop, touched his temple, and appeared horrified at what he was hearing. He looked at the three men, who stared back at him with shared concern to his frightened expression.

  “What’s happening?” Vance asked slowly, appearing uncertain that he wanted to know the answer.

  A mutilated, blood-soaked body suddenly dropped outside the vine covered windows behind the creatures. Mel, who was standing near the window at the time, screamed at the sight. Several creatures immediately turned toward the body and tore into its dried out flesh in a frantic feeding frenzy. Mel moved away from the glass and held her stomach. A strange sound was heard in the distance. Mel suddenly looked around with alarm on her face.

  “Do you hear that?” she gasped.

  Everyone within the banquet hall could hear the loud rumbling of rushing water. The sound grew louder. All five hurried to the vine covered windows within the alcove with a limited view of the ocean. A massive wave over sixty feet high was almost certainly awaiting to strike the beach and the resort, preparing to hit them head on. The sound of the distant wave was almost deafening. Rafe turned to Skyler and grabbed his shoulders, panicking for the first time.

  “Is she insane?” he exploded. “The hotel will collapse under that pressure.”

  “Actually, given the distance and velocity--” Vance casually announced.

  Rafe released Skyler and pointed a warning finger at Vance. “Skip the lecture, professor,” he growled then looked around. “We need to somehow reinforce the doors and windows. They’ll never hold!”

  The sound of the wave grew louder now. The frightened people within the ban
quet hall bravely moved closer to the windows in the alcove and attempted to look outside. Despite their situation, they wanted to know what was happening. The creatures were now forcing their way through both sets of doors, alarming everyone further. Mel was the first to notice the creatures breaching the door on the garden side.

  “They’re getting in!” Mel cried out.

  Skyler appeared alarmed and touched his temples while shouting aloud, “Hailey, abort! The creatures are breaking through. The seals won’t hold!”

  “We need to do something or we’re going to drown,” Vance cried out.

  “Like what?” Logan demanded.

  Vance shook his head then looked at the other three with enthusiasm. “Maybe we can do that thing where we combine our powers and stop it.”

  Rafe casually waved them off, returning to his relaxed, emotionless state. “We’re dead. Accept it and move on.”

  The garden door was suddenly thrown open, and a creature bolted inside. Everyone screamed and ran from the charging creature. Rafe and Logan raised their swords and were about to fight it when the creature was suddenly catapulted backwards and propelled out the open door. The broken door slammed shut on its own with a thunderous crack. The entire room suddenly vibrated harshly, reminding them that the wave was about to hit the hotel. Everyone looked around, clinging to anyone close to him or her. Mel stood before the glass, stared out the window, and looked at the others with horror in her eyes.

  “The wave is coming!” she screamed.

  Rafe, Vance, and Logan looked around the vibrating room, as if simultaneously realizing it wasn’t the wave that was causing the room to vibrate. According to Mel, it hadn’t even reached the hotel yet. Their eyes fell upon Skyler. Skyler held his hands out while staring at the broken, shut door. He appeared motionless and fixated. Everyone fell silent to the deafening sound of the enormous wave and the vibrating room. All eyes were soon upon Skyler. Everyone stepped away from him.