by J. P. Bowie
“Marcus is waiting for my signal to attack, but he knows what Angelo has done to you and will wait until you have decided what course you will take.”
“There is only one choice for me,” I said, with a deal more bravado than I felt. “We will be bound in blood, forever—if we live through the next few hours.”
He smiled and kissed me again. “I will try to be gentle,” he whispered.
I clung to him, my whole body trembling with the anticipation of what was to happen.
His lips caressed the skin on my neck where Angelo’s teeth had punctured me, then I flinched as his sharp fangs broke through my flesh and into the vein that carried my lifeblood.
I moaned softly. I felt my blood being sucked into his mouth, and strangely, it no longer hurt. His arms tightened around me, and I strained against him as my body pulsed with desire for him. My hands tore at the white tunic he wore, ripping it from his shoulders. I seemed to have lost control as I crushed him to me, wanting only to be a part of him, to have him inside me, to be inside him, to have him here always like this.
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“Joseph,” I whispered, my neck arching as I was caught in a sexual ecstasy like no other I had ever experienced.
Panting, he pulled back from me, licking at the wound on my neck. His saliva acted as a balm, closing the puncture marks and wiping away the bruising. Still lost in a sensual haze, my hand strayed between his legs. He was as hard as I was.
We smiled at one another, then he bit deeply into his own wrist. He held it up to me, and I stared, fascinated, at the dark red blood that welled from the wound. I was suddenly very thirsty.
“Drink, my love. Drink and be made whole.” He pulled me into his arms so that my back rested against his chest. I took his hand and brought his wrist close to my lips. My tongue flicked at his blood, taking some on the point of my tongue and savouring it. Then my mouth closed over the wound, and I sucked, long and deep, relishing the sweetness as it poured over my tongue and down my throat. I felt it being absorbed into my tissues, once more filling me with a sexual desire that threatened to take control of my senses. He stroked my hair and crooned to me as I sucked.
Could anything—even sex—bring us closer together than this? Would there ever be
anything to compare with what I was feeling now?
“Enough, my love…” I heard his lovely voice as if from far away, and it was with some reluctance that I released his hand. He licked at the last vestiges of his own blood, then he kissed me, and as our tongues swirled together, it was as though we had tasted the elixir of immortality.
Our rapture was rudely interrupted as the cell door burst open, and Heckel and Jeckel stood leering at us with ugly expressions on their uglier faces. Angelo looked terrible again. I guess the evil in him was seeping through his pores.
“Angelo…” Joseph really sounded concerned. “What is happening to you?”
He glared at us. “My power is becoming even greater, in preparation for the battle to come.”
Well, if that’s what power does to you, let me stay a wimp.
His eyes swept over our flushed faces and torn tunics. He smirked. “So, the mortal chose the losing side.”
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“You’re the loser,” I told him, amazed at my nerve. This guy could zap me anytime he wanted to. “I would rather have Joseph and Marcus as friends than enemies. Too bad you made the wrong choice.”
The old guy in black snorted. “See what a little vampire blood will do? Arrogance will be the downfall of your people, Joseph. And now, to secure your part in this, you will reveal our location to Marcus—or we will kill your pretty friend.”
Joseph smiled at him. “I have already revealed your location, Gragon. And your trap has been reversed. Marcus and his friends are all around you.”
Angelo’s face dissolved into a mask of such intense hatred, I thought he was going to zap us right there and then. I grabbed at Joseph’s arm, but the sound of shouts and screams from outside made both Angelo and Gragon run from the cell, locking the door behind them.
“What now?” I asked. “Are we stuck in here?”
“Not at all.” He strode to the door and opened it—just like that. “That’s why they had to chain me in here,” he said. “Come on, let’s go!”
We ran into the passageway, the shouts and sounds of angry roaring getting louder as we approached the big hall I’d first been taken to. The scene we came upon was like a vision from hell. Everywhere, vampires and wizards struggled in hand-to-hand fighting. Swords, knives, and axes flashed in the light shed from the giant chandelier above them. No guns? I wondered at this old world weaponry.
“Guns are useless against us,” Joseph said, reading my mind. “A lethal blow from a sharp blade can disable however—especially if the head is removed.”
I didn’t want to think about that, and I didn’t have time to think about anything at all as we were set upon by two really awful looking wizards. No wonder these guys were always angry—they were butt ugly! Joseph slugged one of them on the jaw, and he went down in a flurry of black cloak, but the other one grabbed me by the hair and held a knife to my throat.
“Master Gragon wants you,” he croaked. “Come with me now, or I will kill this one”
For a moment, Joseph looked about him, searching the hall for a sign of Marcus. It was difficult to tell in the middle of all the confusion just which side was winning the fight. I knew that if Joseph gave in to the wizard’s demands, he wouldn’t be able to find Marcus and fight by his side. Just as he nodded and prepared to follow the creep holding me, I stomped down hard on the wizard’s foot. He howled with pain, and Joseph dived on him, knocking DUET IN BLOOD
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him away from me and slamming him up against the wall. Joseph punched him hard on the face, breaking his nose.
Instead of blood, slimy brown stuff poured out of his flattened nostrils—yuck. Joseph punched him again, and he went down in a heap.
“Come on…” Joseph grabbed my arm, but just as we ran into the hall, a beam of light shot from somewhere high up on the wall. One of the vampires screamed as the light hit him, then he burst into flames. I saw another vampire leap on him, trying to extinguish the flames, but the beam of light hit him, and he too began to burn.
Joseph looked up to where the beam emanated. Cursing, he pulled me back into the empty passageway. “Stay here,” he said, panting slightly. “They have conjured up some fiendish weapon. I must stop it.” He took off, running so fast he was almost a blur. I followed as fast as I could. I was not going to be left alone with that bunch of murderers.
He bounded up a flight of stairs towards a wooden door, which he busted open so
hard, it almost came off its hinges. But as I ran into the room behind him, I gasped with shock. Angelo held him at bay with a wickedly sharp looking sword, while Gragon
controlled some kind of machine that was killing the vampires below.
Gragon turned and grinned at us. “Well done, Joseph,” he cackled. “You brought them straight into our trap. The beam that is generated here is simulated sunlight—the perfect death-ray for vampires. Look Joseph, your friends are in disarray. They know they are powerless against us. Soon, they will be begging for mercy. Shall we be merciful, Angelo?”
He let out a high-pitched scream of glee. “Oh, look, there’s Marcus. I have him in my sights, Angelo!”
The old creep was enjoying himself far too much.
Joseph moved so fast, I almost didn’t see it happen. One moment, my eyes were
fastened on him, as he stood, his chest heaving with exertion and emotion, the next instant he had Angelo by the throat, choking the life out of him. I’d had a clue that vampires are way faster and stronger than human beings, but just how fast and strong, I was now getting a firsthand demonstration. Angelo kicked and twisted in Josep
h’s grasp, but try as he might, he could not free himself from the hands that slowly but surely throttled him.
Gragon turned from his attempt to kill Marcus, waved his arms about and shouted
something in a guttural language. Joseph froze and dropped Angelo. The demon sprawled DUET IN BLOOD
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on the ground, gasping and spluttering, his hand about his throat. Another wave of Gragon’s arms and Joseph was flung backward then slammed against the wall with a sickening thud.
Oh no, I thought, you don’t get to hurt Joseph. Now, I’m not the bravest queen around, but my man needed me to do something, so I did. In two strides, I was on top of the old fuck, laying into him with both fists. I found out later that Joseph’s blood had given me a bit more zing to my bitch slaps than usual, and one caught the old geezer right on the mouth, just as he was about to zap me with some magical curse. He spat out brown blood along with two nasty black teeth—Jeez!
He let out a howl of rage and pushed me off him, jumping to his feet and waving his arms around like a demented windmill. Whatever dark magic he was about to conjure up was abruptly halted as a sliver of steel flew through the air, missed my nose by about one inch and embedded itself in old Gragon’s chest. He gave a noise like, ‘Erk’, and stumbled backwards into his death ray machine, knocking it onto the ground. Angelo staggered to his feet, staring first at Gragon’s inert body, then at the man who had thrown the sword with such accuracy.
“Marcus Lucius Verano,” he hissed—literally hissed. “So, you will try to destroy me again, but again you will fail.”
Marcus stepped into the room, followed by Roger and Jean-Claude. They all looked a bit battle weary, but Roger managed to give me a little wave. How in hell had he gotten here so quickly? Joseph heaved himself to his feet and put his arm around my shoulder to steady himself. “Thank you,” he whispered in my ear, the touch of his lips making me shiver.
All of us watched Marcus as he moved closer to Angelo. “All your followers are beaten, Angelo. Most of them are dead, some have surrendered. By your actions, you have
condemned yourself to death.” He took him by the arm and led him to the edge of the parapet. “See down there, Angelo? Your executioners await you.”
I peeked over the top of the parapet at the pale, upturned faces of the vampires who waited below and my blood ran cold. Then I jumped out of my skin as Angelo screamed at the top of his voice and tore his arm from Marcus’ grasp.
“Fools, you think I am beaten? I have only to summon my allies, and you will all die!”
“Then summon them,” Marcus said, his voice cool and calm. “Summon the Dark Forces Angelo, if you dare.”
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“Oh, I dare, Marcus. Gragon parleyed with them and secured their allegiance!”
“Their allegiance?” Marcus looked round at us with a wry smile.
“Who’re the Dark Forces?” I asked Joseph in a whisper.
“I think you’re about to find out,” he replied, holding me close.
Angelo stared at Marcus with an arrogant expression, yet there was a flicker of
uncertainty in his eyes.
“Go on then, Angelo,” Marcus murmured. “Summon your allies.”
I didn’t know what the Dark Forces were, but I had a pretty good idea that they were not going to be a lot of fun if they showed up. Angelo presumably knew what they were, and Marcus’ seeming nonchalance should have tipped him off that all was not as it should be. But I guess these guys think they are totally unstoppable so…Angelo raised his arms high above his head and screeched something in an unintelligible jumble of words. He stood like that for what seemed an eternity, while we waited…and waited…
Nothing happened. Angelo dropped his arms to his sides, the deflated look on his face a picture I would not forget for a long time.
“The Dark Forces will not come to your aid, Angelo,” Marcus said, quietly. “Joseph informed me of Gragon’s meeting with them, and I went to them with a similar request—one that would countermand Gragon’s. I asked them to take no part in our conflict—and they agreed.”
“You would not dare,” Angelo snarled at him. “Only Gragon had the power to face the Dark Forces.”
“Nevertheless, what I say is true.” Marcus smiled sadly at his enemy. “Now, Angelo, it is time.” He stiffened suddenly and looked around the room, as if he sensed something—
something sinister and dangerous. The air grew cold about us, and the room began to shake.
I clutched at Joseph as the shaking became violent, and I had difficulty in keeping my balance.
“They are here!” Angelo screamed in triumph. “They are here. They have not forsaken me!”
“Oh shit,” Roger said.
My sentiments exactly…
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Marcus stepped away from Angelo, spreading his arms as though he was protecting the rest of us. I liked that. Roger moved to his side. Oh my God, I thought. He thinks we’re going to die. I looked at Jean-Claude. Was he thinking of Ron? His dark blue gaze met mine, and he smiled at me and nodded. I tightened my arms around Joseph and started to pray.
The cold air permeating everything seemed to vibrate with an energy that filled the room. The shaking stopped, and a silence I could almost feel descended on the room.
Evil…that’s what I felt—Evil seeping through the walls, crawling across the floor, brushing against me, touching my bare skin. I shivered with revulsion and wanted to whimper.
Fortunately, I didn’t.
“Be brave,” Joseph whispered, knowing I was scared to death. “They feed on the fear of others…”
All eyes were fixed on Angelo as he sneered at us with open contempt. “Now, the reckoning is here, Marcus. Now I will be avenged for your murderous acts. For all you took from me. And you, Joseph…I will ask that they deal with you as they would their vilest enemy. Your pain and torment will never end.”
Oh, I really wanted to kill him now.
Two dark forms took shape, one on either side of Angelo. They appeared like wraiths, ghostly figures that writhed and twisted like the smoke from a guttering candle.
Angelo’s arrogant smile got even bigger as he felt the power that poured from these
‘things’. He looked from one to the other, baring his teeth as he barked out the order, “Kill them!”
I closed my eyes and held Joseph tight, waiting for the end to come. Strange the nutty things you think of, as you’re about to go out. I remember thinking, what a pity Mom had never had the chance to meet Joseph. My eyes flew wide open at the sound of the screaming.
It wasn’t coming from any of us. It was Angelo! If I lived to be a hundred, I would never forget the sight that met my bugged-out eyes.
Angelo was being lifted into the air by the two wraiths. They held him by his arms and, oh Jesus, they were slowly pulling him apart. His screaming reached a hundred and fifty on the Richter scale of screams. Great gouts of dark brown blood spurted from his chest as it split open. I gagged and closed my eyes again, unable to watch him being torn apart. The DUET IN BLOOD
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screaming stopped, and I heard what sounded like a heavy wet sack being dropped onto the floor.
A voice, unlike anything I had ever heard, beyond sinister, much more than spine chilling, slithered into our ears.
“Be warned,” it said. “Beware of challenging the Dark Forces, Marcus. We may not be as charitable the next time.”
Then they were gone, and with them, the cold and the feeling of dread they had
brought to this place.
“Charitable!” Roger said, with disgust. “They must be kidding!”
I started to laugh, then I remembered what was lying a few feet away and sobered up rapidly. I didn’t want to look at what was left of Angelo, but Roger went over and kicked at it.
“Serves you right,” he said, his hands on his hips. “Don’t monkey with my friends.”
“Roger.” Marcus took him by the arm and led him away from the carcass. “Let’s get out of here, shall we? We still have to inspect the damage downstairs.”
“Roger, how did you get here so fast?” I asked as we ran down the long, stone staircase.
“I flew of course,” he replied, then just as I was wondering how he could have got a flight that quickly, he added, “I’m just sorry I couldn’t carry Ron, Jean-Claude. I’m not that strong, yet.”
Jean-Claude patted his arm. “I am very glad you did not bring him. There are still some things I wish to protect him from.” He frowned. “I think you might find that Marcus was none too pleased by your arrival.”
I gaped at Roger. “You mean, you flew… you flew.”
He grinned at me. “Yes, Micah. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”
Somehow, I doubted that.
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Chapter Eleven
Being the only mortal human in a big room filled with vampires isn’t something you’re going to forget in a hurry. It was obvious from the moment I walked in at Joseph’s side that they knew I was not one of them. True, these guys were pals of Marcus and Joseph’s, and as such were all very friendly towards me. Still, to think that every one of them was a lethal fighting machine, ten times stronger and faster than any man, well, as the saying goes, it gave me pause. There were about forty of them, men and women, all of them young and vibrant, although, after Joseph’s revelation, I guessed the average age was probably six or seven hundred, give or take a century or two.
Joseph chuckled beside me. Of course, he knew what I was thinking. Man, that would also take some getting used to.
“Friends…” Marcus stepped forward to address them. “Gragon and Angelo are both
dead. For that we can thank the bravery of our brother, Joseph, and his mortal lover, Micah.”