Bonded

by Jessie Rose Case

  Bits, turned back around. “We really doing this?” Luce nodded slowly. “Yeah we are.” “Fuck.” “That just about sums it up.” Luce told her. “I need space on server 2 people. Let me know when I have it.” There were several murmurs and a lot of key board action. Luce picked up the security land line. “Charlee, I need to make sure that any troops in the field that might be called onto the grounds has their security ID in place. Everyone.” “They do but I’ll check.” He told her and put the phone down. Luce blew out a breath. She hoped to god she didn’t have to use it. Luce put on her com’s link and punched in Alex’s ID, she heard him double tap the connection. “Alex, I need to make sure that all staff and vampire guests are wearing their passes at all times, no exceptions including Clavius.”

  Alex didn’t respond but Luce could hear movement. She punched in his camera and saw him moving across the banqueting room to a clear area. “Problem?” He asked quietly. “No. Not yet.” She told him. Alex remained quiet. Luce realised he was waiting for her to continue. She took a deep breath. “The problem we have is that I can only see what’s on the grounds and in the house. We have no eyes in the streets or surrounding countryside. We’re blind apart from our pockets of people out there in case we need them. We both know, that’s not going to be good enough against vamps at a full run. If there’s an attack, the ones we didn’t stop will in the house in seconds.” They both knew that was a death sentence to the humans. “I ….. have created something that will work with our security sweep technology but I need to know that everyone who should be here is protected.” She told him. “On it.” He told her as she watched him walk back to Arturo and start to update him and their people.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  “Server up.” Cade called out. Luce looked at the chip one more time. Moving to her lap top she punched in linking all the remote road cameras that belonged to the state into their system. “I need a screen rotating these visuals.” She called out knowing one of them would be on it. Luce picked up the chip and connected it to her system. Opening the file, it asked if she wanted to run it. Luce hesitated for a second then pressed yes. It took 9 minutes to load then asked her if she wanted to save it to the main frame. Luce took a breath and pressed yes. Their system now joined with the local CCTV would pick up any unusual vamp movement within a 2-mile radius of the grounds and alert them. It would give them a five minutes’ head start. She hoped it was enough. The fall-back position would be her last resort. Luce watched as the new software embedded into her code.

  Alex had followed Luce’s instructions and told Liv and all the staff including Arturo and Regin about the ID passes. His staff were to constantly check people were wearing them and pass another if someone lost on. It was getting busy. Alex recognised several people from the local pages of rich and famous and a few local celebrities as well as the political and religious factions represented. He also noticed that there were those that had connections to the house present, many had been at the party a week ago. This was after all meant to be a celebration of Arturo’s marriage. Only the vampires knew the rest. Alex mingled, shook hands and checked on his people. Everything looked relaxed on the surface. He checked his watch. Clavius would make his entrance soon. Alex headed towards the gathering with Arturo. At 8.45 Clavius made his entrance into the room. Arturo met him and Alex watched as he did the introductions leading Clavius round the room and stopping at the chair he’d used earlier. A waiter served drinks and both Clavius and Arturo took one. Clavius’ security backed him.

  “We have news from Rubin.” Clavius told them. “Clarise has sadly left us. Her deception was deep.” He told them. “She made several calls to her colleagues before her demise about tonight and everything appears to be in place as far as they are concerned. Ataya is in it up to his neck. I think it safe to say that there will be an attack of some kind and you will be challenged Arturo.” Arturo nodded. “I thought as much.” “Vigilance gentleman. We will survive this night.” Clavius told them. Alex gazed round the room. Was this wise with all these civilians here he asked himself. It seemed like a good idea when it was thought of as a deception for Marcus but now, the situation was different. No deception was needed but the invites had already gone out. It would have been difficult to shut it down and Arturo not lose face. Alex noticed food being brought out on platters and people encouraged to eat and drink. This could be a blood bath he thought not for the first time.

  Jenson walked over to Arturo and leaned forward for his ears only. Arturo looked to Clavius who rose. Arturo looked over at Alex and gave a nod. Alex turned and did the same to Val and Pete who turned and continued to let others know, the challenger was here. They had agreed to discretely leave the banqueting room and would met the would be challenger on the lower back lawn. It was well lit. Alex made his way out at the designated time and headed to the meeting point. He saw several of their people already there standing with Arturo. Clavius as his position required was standing to one side with his people surrounding him. He would be judge and jury here.

  You could feel the anticipation in the air. If Clarise was no longer in the picture, no one was sure who was coming it led to a tense reception. A group approached from the main security entrance. Alex counted 15. An acceptable number for a challenge. He turned to watch Clavius’ face as they came nearer. He knew them. Alex looked on as Clavius moved out of the line of sight. Alex did not envy these people. They were ash and did not know it.

  The group finally came to a standstill twenty feel away. They appeared to be looking for someone. Alex smiled knowingly. That person wouldn’t be coming. Alex stepped forward as was his role here. “Who challenges for the House Arturo?” He asked. Three vamps stepped forward. “We do.” “And do you fight yourselves or do you have a challenger?” Alex asked in the formality of the old ways. “We have a challenger.” They told him. “Bring forth your challenger.” He told them. From the back stepped forward a tall vamp. Alex had to admit he had the bearing of Marcus and when he removed his head covering and cape, he did, look like him. Alex turned to Clavius group and not Arturo as would have been expected and bowed. “My Lord, the challenger and his representatives.” Clavius’ people parted and Clavius stepped forward. “Well gentlemen, Ataya, what a game you have played.” He told them.

  They looked shocked, worried and resolved in that order thought Luce watching from the cameras. It was unusual to be able to read vampires, that, was the level of surprise at seeing Clavius she guessed. Listening in Luce could hear the conversation. “My Lord what a great surprise to see you here. It is most fortuitous indeed. You are able to witness a new era in this continent.” “Council men,” Clavius inclined his head in greeting. Indeed, so I understand,” he told them. “How did this come about and who should I reward for such initiative.” Clavius oozed charm. Luce watched as the three of them fell over themselves in trying to outdo the other in their schemes and bragging their achievements. Clavius nodded and appeared pleased in all the right places encouraging them on. “And so this is Marcus?” He finally asked them. They all answered at once and told him it was. Clavius indicated to a member of staff near the house. He turned back to the person introduced as ‘Marcus’. “We have never met have we?” Clavius asked the challenger. The three Council members preened at the knowledge.

  Luce watched both screens. One showing the grouping with Clavius and Marcus approaching with Arturo’s back up. “If they are going to hit, it will be once they realise the games up and that’s gonna be when Marcus calls their bluff.” She told her people. Noticing Eve come up behind her father.

  Marcus came in behind Clavius and his people parted for him. Alex waited for several of Arturo’s and his people move in as planned. “Gentleman, I am confused, you say that you have verified and are satisfied that this is Lord Marcus and that he has a legitimate challenge against Lord Arturo is that correct?” The council members looked on puzzled as if they did not understand why Clavius was asking and agreed they had. Clavius gave it a moment. “Then p
ray explain, how this,” Marcus stepped forward, “is actually Lord Marcus, who is here as a guest of Lord Arturo with his family and there is no challenge. In addition, Clarise will not be joining you if you were looking for her earlier, her lies and deceit were too much to overlook because she gave good head.” He told them. “You are all under arrest for treason and sedition, for forced incarceration and for attempted murder and will be tried accordingly. Arrest them.” He called out.

  Luce watched the scene unfold before her. Several of the Council members screamed out and took weapons and equipment from their person and started to fight. Within seconds the CCTV camera’s outside the grounds picked up vamp movement. Luce double tapped to Arturo, Clavius, Marcus and Alex. “Incoming.” She told them. “Inform senior staff. Incoming.” She called out to her people. Alarm after Alarm was going off. They were being hit on all fronts. The wall security started to ping. Luce rotated the cameras and could see fighting on all fronts. She punched in the teams outside. “Now.” She told them and watched as they came in to the gardens and started to pick off those that had already got in. A boom, followed by several other ones, shook the house. “Get me vid on that.” She called out. Camera’s came up on the far side of the house. “Lock down the house.” She called out. “Bits, overhead message, a mis fire with fireworks has resulted in a minor early discharge and for everyone’s safety, all doors are restricted until it is resolved shortly.” Luce knew that Liv would be doing her PR bit in side along with the staff.

  Luce watched as the fighting increased. Eve was fighting with her father and Arturo and Alex. She was amazing to see. Fast and deadly. Bill and Ben came to stand by her. She glanced at them. They showed no fear. Right. She punched in IDs on the coms. “Gia, John, Pierre, we need men at the billiards end of the house. Wall is down and they are pouring in.” Luce switched back to Alex, Clavius and Arturo. They were fighting for their lives. Eve moved in and took on one for Arturo. “Where’s the reinforcements?” Luce called out. “Fighting the other pockets.” Cade and Dave called out. “Shit. Get me Regin”. Regin appeared on the screen. She was still in the house. “Wall breach billiards end, Arturo is in danger of being overrun. All men here that came be, others are gonna take a while.” She told her. Regin nodded. “Heading out.” She told her. “Open barrier Regin.” Luce called out. She watched as Regin opened the door and walked through into the gardens.

  Luce held her breath scared she just let Regin kill herself. She watched as Regin raised her hands to the elements and seemed to pull on it. Lightning cracked across the sky and down to her hands. Regin pushed out the forces building in her hands and fried any vamps that came near her. As she got close to the fighting. Luce heard Regin cry out. “Come to me.” And the lightning did. It flooded the air and pulsed into her. “House Arturo to me.” She cried out. Luce watched as all their forces and Clavius’ made their way to Regin who was now suspended in the air. Luce thought she did look like a goddess of lightning. The other challengers became aware of her and held back. Luce saw that Arturo was bloodied as was Alex. Fuck. Regin screamed. “You dare to take what is mine?” She screamed out at the same time flung her arms wide and lightning shot out from her hands creating a spider web of deadly fire. None of them would survive that.

  Alex watched Regin. She was a goddess. There was no other explanation. Even as the last died she held such majesty. She had cleared a massive area of incoming vamps as well as taking out the remaining Councilman. Arturo walked over to her and called her name. “Regin, they are gone. Come back to me.” For a moment Alex thought Regin had not heard him. “You are well husband.” She called. “I am.” Regin started to drop to the floor and the lightning pulled back till it just tickled across her fingers. Arturo grabbed her hand pulling her to him and kissed her hard. Luce could see it had taken it out of her. “Get back to the house and stay there.” Regin nodded. “Side wall down, billiards side, they’re pouring in.” Luce heard her tell him, then watched as she ran back towards the house. Luce double clicked in. “Incoming Regins right.” She told them.

  “How many bloody men did they have?” Alex asked Arturo angrily as they all made their way around the house fighting as they went. It was taking too long. “Alex your men are exposed in that area. I have sent back up, their human.” She told him. Dam it. He was going to lose people here. There were several more booms. A different kind this time. “Betsie.” Called Arturo and Alex grinned. “Pete’s boys.” Clavius took the head of another vamp. “Who or what is Betsie?” He asked. Alex ashed another and strode on. “His rocket launcher.” Alex told him. Alex heard a double click and Luce’s voice. “Brandan and his boys coming your way.” Alex looked over to Arturo, “you hear that?” “Sure did. My Lord our Ware brethren have arrived to aid us they will be here shortly.” Arturo called out punching the chest cavity of another vamp ashing him. “My dear Arturo.” Clavius told him fighting off two vamps. “Your parties get better and better. Remember to invite me again, I’ve not had this much fun in years.” He told him ashing both and racing forward his men with him.

  Luce watched on the edge of her seat. Brandan and his people came into camera and joined Alex’s group. They were fighting like crazy but not making much difference. More and more were pouring in. Luce punched in Steven’s position and watched as he faced off with six other vamps, many of his group were similarly out numbered. These were her people. “Chris, Bill, Ben, I relieve you of your posts, take all the vamps you can find in this house and support our boys. Now go.” She told them taking out her gun. “Peps, get your guns out we might need um.” “Go. Go now.” She repeated with urgency to the vamps. They left her in vamp speed. “Call in any of our people who are anywhere but out there and get them there now.” She told them.

  The fighting was heavy going and Alex wondered not for the first time if he would survive this night. They had finally reached Pete and his people who were giving as good as getting. Alex again saw how good Pete was at his job. His men too. They gave no quarter and took none. The Wares came up and supported Pete and his boys, it was a formidable force. The humans unexpected in their abilities and armour. The Wares not expected at all. And still they were being overrun. Alex pushed through to get to Steven. He was injured and still fighting. “Reinforcements are coming.” Arturo told them. Both nodded. Alex wondered if they would be here on time. The fighting bitter and hard. Another large boom sounded. Alex took a chance and looked over. Clavius screamed. “They dare bring my troops against me, their King?” He boomed. Clavius sounded pissed.

  Luce noticed Steven was down. Chris, Bill and Ben and a party of several other vampires joined them. There was a double click on her com. Luce pressed it. “You sent your security to me?” He told her angrily while fighting. “I am safe here you are not.” She told him and cut him off. She watched him spurn with anger. “Luce, all our forces are engaged we have no more to send.” Bits told her close to tears. She sounded scared. Luce looked at the screens, they were losing. Alex was greatly outnumbered. My god, how magnificently he fought on. His people, Steven and Chris ignoring serious injury and fighting for their lives. Luce called up her protocol. It loaded. Regain came running into the room. “There’s not enough of us.” The fear in her voice shook Luce. She looked down at her screen. Activate yes or no, flashed on her screen. Luce looked up, Steven took another blow taking him down, Alex was being held by two others, Arturo was fighting four, Pete was being overrun as was the other senior staff round the grounds. She couldn’t let them lose. Luce swallowed. She pressed Y.

  Luce slumped back in her chair and gripped the arms. Dear god she hoped it worked. Luce held her breath and watched her lap top as the laser rotating field system she’d created started to recognise or alert for persons not ID’d to the system, it went into overdrive and scanned and rotated across the grounds targeting anyone who was not identified with an intense projected beam of UV light into the heart. It was to disable and allow their forces to take control. Luce watched as vamps started to drop to the
floor, then ashed. Luce sat forward. Were they too injured and it finished them off? Luce was confused. Pulling up a wider, clearer picture, she watched the system bounce and circle, rotate and circle again, capturing anything and anyone within its beam.

  A rotating multitude of shooting UV streams projected across the grounds, directly into those it did not recognise from the source points throughout the grounds. Vamps were falling all over the place. Not just down but ashing. Fuck, it was killing them thought Luce. “No, no, no, that is not what it was designed for.” She called out into the room. The others turned to look at her. Luce watched as what she’d created become deadly to anyone who was within their walls without a pass ID tagged into their security system. It moved across from left to right in circular arc’s, searching out its targets like a living breathing creation of death. Vamps continued to drop to the floor and ashed. She needed to stop it. But couldn’t. Her people had been dying. If she stopped it, they would be caught up in the fighting and dying again. Torn, not knowing what to do, she watched in horror the ever increasing circles move out and encompassed the whole grounds in what seemed like seconds. At the end, the only one’s still standing were their forces and most of them were so injured, they were half or all on the floor. But that meant they were still alive. Luce turned to Regin. “What have I done?”