Warrior Mate

by L. J. Red

  He had never cared much for being the leader of the Bloodline; he’d left his vampires to fend for themselves. He wasn’t there to protect them, to shelter them. He was the most powerful of his line. It was the power that mattered; gaining it, keeping it. Not caring for the vampires beneath him.

  He had thought swelling his ranks was the answer. Forget all that foolishness about seeking out only the strong, like the vampire guards who trained night after night, hoping to be chosen by a Bloodline. No, he had chosen sheer numbers. He had turned humans directly. Criminals, gangsters, the violent, and the dangerous. He didn’t care. In his territory, there were hundreds of them. Humans with pathetic, small lives. Worthless.

  It had worked for a while. Then everything had changed.

  Roman walked silently through the building, pushing wide the doors to empty rooms, leaving footprints in the dust behind him.

  The attack on the Sanctuary had changed everything, hundreds of his Ravagers dying at once. All those fledglings snuffed out. And the power! The crashing wave of power he had felt from those deaths. It was glorious. Indescribable. It wasn’t the numbers that gave power, he’d realized. It was their deaths. He had swept his power through his Bloodline, killing the remaining Ravagers left alive and taking all their power for his own. The power twisted and grew in their deaths. That was their purpose. The purpose of all vampires in his bloodline. To die so that he could grow.

  Roman grinned, rictus-like, and a mad laugh escaped his lips. He could feel the power in him now, still growing, still twisting. Soon he would be the most powerful vampire ever to exist. Greater than the Elders, the leaders of Bloodlines, greater even than the mythic, ancient vampires who hid away from all of vampire society. Yes. He, Roman, would be more powerful than them all. He would use his power to smash the Shadows and bring all vampires under his thrall. He would rule. Him alone.

  But first he needed to dispose of the final few original members of his Bloodline, the only ones who might pose a threat to him, the only ones who might be smart enough, old enough, to understand what he was doing, who might reach through their shared Radiance Bloodline bond to find a way to stop him. He reached the end of the hallway and pushed open the final door.

  Inside, huddled in the center of the room, the last members of his original Bloodline clustered. Hunched over, pale and skeletal, looking starved and desperate, skin and bone.

  “Roman!” A female vampire stood. Her once lustrous blonde hair hung lank against her head, her skin that had glowed now looked a sickly white, and the skin of her face was stretched paper-thin over high cheekbones. “Release us,” she demanded, stepping forward. “The Circle will hear of what you are doing here. Abusing your power over us. First Kai tears through the city, killing humans, and then you lock us in here for months! Draining our power through the bond.” She stepped toward him. “We worked hard for you. We spent years taking control of this city. Corrupting the human officials. Bribery, seduction. We did it all for the glory of our Bloodline, for you—”

  “Enough,” Roman said, raising a hand. He sneered at her, weak and wavering before him. “You did it for yourselves. You wanted power just as much as I did. The only difference is, none of you could take it. None of you were strong enough.” He stalked in a circle around them. “Do you think I didn’t hear your plotting? You wanted to depose me, to place one of you as the leader of the Bloodline. You snuck around behind my back, whispering and planning. Well, I too made my plans, and it looks like I made mine better because I am strong and you are nothing. You have only one purpose left.” His eyes began to glow. “To give me your power.”

  And with that he launched himself forward, striking the vampire down and bearing her to the floor. Her bones, brittle thanks to the power he had already leeched out of them through the bond, snapped under the impact. Her muscles, weak from the months of starvation, were nothing against him. He pinned her to the floor, bared his fangs and tore through her like paper. She screamed beneath him, bucked, but couldn’t get free. He lifted his fangs from her flesh. She was dry, bloodless, too starved to even offer him a meal. He snarled and gripped her head, then, with one wrench, he tore it free from her body. Her skeletal form stayed solid for a second, then disintegrated to dust. Her power flowed into him, rolling his eyes in his sockets and running, electric, through his blood. He reveled in it, shivering as it sank into his bones, then he raised his mad eyes and stared at the remaining few vampires. “Who’s next?” He grinned. They scrambled back, screaming, and Roman laughed madly as he chased them down, each and every one.

  Chapter 9

  “Do you truly wish to come with us?” Lucian asked Rune, pulling him aside to the corner of the hall. Rune paused from pulling his long coat over his shoulders.

  “Yes,” he said firmly.

  “I know that you’re not always comfortable among humans.”

  “It’s fine,” Rune interrupted his leader. “This is more important than my comfort,” he said, but he turned away, breaking Lucian’s gaze. He couldn’t tell Lucian the real reason he wanted to be part of the group that was going to the human police to join Dana’s team. He couldn’t tell Lucian the only reason he was doing this was so he could be closer to his soulmate, so he could see her again. His hands tightened into fists. No one could know. There was nothing that could be done to change his soulmate’s mind, but he would not pass up this chance to see her once more.

  “Very well,” Lucian said finally. “If you’re sure.” Only Lucian, Rune, and Jacob would speak with the humans. Talon and Neal were to remain at the Sanctuary, overseeing the repairs and working with the vampire guards to run patrols. Ever since the Vampire Ravagers had been destroyed in the all-out battle in the streets outside the Sanctuary, Roman, the leader of Bloodline Radiance, had been lying low, and the Shadows had taken the time for a well-needed break. Repairs had begun in the Sanctuary, and more than that, Lucian had put out a call to the other elite vampire Bloodlines, asking them to come together to join forces against Roman’s madness. None had answered. They were on their own.

  Instead, Lucian had begun overseeing the training of the vampire guards, picking out those he thought would make good Shadows. For the first time in many years, he was considering adding new vampires into the Bloodline.

  One of the contenders Benedict, who had been injured in the battle against the Ravagers and was still only just regaining the use of his arm, was standing at the door, his eyes keen beneath thick brows and spiky black hair. Lucian went over to him and talked in a low voice.

  It would be strange to gain new brothers, but after the additions of Dana, as well as Neal and Talon’s mates, May and Eden, it would not be so unfamiliar a feeling. And he approved of gathering more warriors. The threat that Roman posed would not disappear just because the Vampire Ravagers gang had disappeared. Roman would find another way to make trouble for the vampires and humans of this city. Rune was sure of it. Rogues like him always did. Rune had seen enough vampires turn mad with greed over the years.

  In fact, it was thanks to such a rogue vampire that he’d been turned in the first place. He had been sent to track down the blood-hungry spirit that was attacking his village. Rune had expected to die bringing it down, and when he had come across Lucian, fanged and supernaturally strong, he had been sure he had found the spirit. He had attacked Lucian with a fervor that had stunned the vampire, and in doing so, proven to Lucian he was strong enough to become a Shadow. After Lucian had managed to pin him down and explain that he was no rogue, together they had tracked the rogue vampire and killed him. When Lucian had offered him the bite after the battle, Rune had taken it and never regretted his choice. He was honored to be a Shadow. He had welcomed the vampiric strength it gave him. After the years had passed, and all those he knew had died, he traveled to meet Lucian again and had taken assignments that sent him all over the world. He had spent his life protecting the innocent, but over the years he had lost touch with humanity. After his people had grown old and died or moved
away, he had lost his last tie to the human world. Every year that passed he felt more and more ancient and cut off. He had always been content to be apart, to be alone. At least so he had thought. Now, however, he felt strange longings awakening within him. He found himself remembering the light and life of his human family, of gatherings where they would feast and dance and celebrate their battles, trade stories and teach the younger ones their ways. He missed it. Such old memories haunted him.

  Rune walked swiftly to the door and stepped out of the Sanctuary into the cool night. He needed to put those memories to rest. He didn’t know why they were so stirred up now. Whatever the reason, they were a distraction he didn’t need. His duty was to the Shadows, protecting this city, not getting lost in a life he could never have. His human life was lost to him. He would never have it back. He needed to mourn it and move on.

  Jacob detached from a shadow behind the door. If not for Rune’s enhanced vampire senses he wouldn’t have known his brother was there, so completely had he faded into the surrounding darkness. Jacob’s icy blue eyes caught Rune’s. “Is Lucian with you?”

  Rune turned to gesture back and saw Lucian approaching them.

  “Let’s go,” their leader said shortly. The three of them disappeared into the shadows as they crossed the city.

  They arrived at the precinct as night was setting over the city and walked into a crowd of police officers and other humans inside the building. The noise and smells of the living washed over Rune. He felt extremely out of place but tried to mask it by crossing his arms and taking up an imposing expression.

  “Great, you’re here,” Dana said, coming over to them. She ushered them into the main room. All eyes instantly were on them. Rune imagined they looked imposing, all three of them tall, thickly muscled, and carrying themselves with vampire grace. He hated the stares. Give him a brutal fight any day; he’d take it over this silent watchfulness. Dana led them to a smaller room and closed the door behind them. “This is my partner, Brigit.” Rune stopped stock still. It was her. His soulmate. He drank in the sight of her: blonde hair tied back; perfect curves hidden under her jacket. Her gaze went to him for a moment and he felt the bolt of connection through his body. Then she looked away toward the others in the room. He wanted to run his hands over her shoulders, her waist, draw her into his embrace, but he forced himself to stay back, tightening his arms over his chest so he wouldn’t be tempted to reach out. He tuned back in only to catch the last introduction. “… Special Agent Morrell from the FBI. He’s overseeing the task force, but I’ll be heading it on the ground,” Dana was saying.

  “Thanks for coming,” Morrell said. “Detective Lewis tells me she’s explained the situation to you.” He looked at Lucian. “But in brief, we want a joint task force to deal with vampire-related crime. Not just vampires committing crimes, like the Monster and the Ravagers, but also the other way around. There’s been a lot of HUNT activity in and around Chicago and I don’t like the look of that.”

  “Hunters have always threatened vampires; this isn’t new,” Lucian said. Rune caught a flash of frustration on Jacob’s face at those words. He had always hated hunters.

  “Yeah, but now you’re citizens, see, so it’s become my problem,” Agent Morrell said wryly.

  “I know you have your hands full with the Shadows, but we thought maybe Jacob or Rune could work with us on a temporary basis.” Dana stepped forward.

  “We kill those who fight against us,” Lucian said. “Are we authorized to do so?”

  “You’ll be dealing with the same damn paperwork we do,” Agent Morrell replied, “but yes, there’s a dispensation for the use of lethal force that applies to the whole team.”

  Jacob’s eyes flared. He would volunteer; Rune knew it. Even if Lucian wasn’t convinced the hunters were a threat, Jacob would want them dead. Rune couldn’t let him step forward. He needed to be on the team. Not because of the threat the hunters posed, but because it would give him a chance to be near his soulmate.

  “I volunteer,” Rune said abruptly. All eyes turned to him.

  “Are you sure?” Lucian asked.

  Rune nodded firmly, not looking at his soulmate, though he ached to do so. A quick, knowing flash passed through Lucian’s eyes and Rune worried for a moment that his feelings had escaped down the Bloodline bond, that Lucian might know Rune had found his soulmate. He didn’t want anyone to know. She had rejected him; that was his cross to bear and his alone.

  Lucian turned back to Dana. “Looks like you have your team.”

  ✽✽✽

  What the hell was the vampire’s deal?

  Brigit watched him out of the corner of her eye. The blond Viking vampire had no reason to put himself forward as a member of the team. It was obvious to everyone that he was uncomfortable among so many humans. Under the strip lighting, it was even more obvious than in the alleyway. He looked like he should be wearing full armor. Even his simple suit somehow looked otherworldly on him. The length and the collar styled just different enough to make it seem ancient. Probably made by some ridiculously expensive bespoke vampire tailor.

  Whatever it was, he didn’t fit here in the precinct among so many human cops. She kept catching herself staring at him and had to pull her eyes away. He’d been hot enough in the gloomy darkness of the alleyway, but, perhaps thanks to the adrenaline of the fight, she’d barely had the chance to take him in. Now, under the bright lights, she saw every glorious inch of him. His shoulders broad and solid, thick with muscle. The lines of his suit clinging to his chest. He was built like a truck, with thick thighs and his sleeves rolled up to expose strong forearms with a light brushing of golden hair. The same gold as the hair on his head, the scar starting somewhere under all that thick gold and curling past magnetic blue eyes, to the sharp lines of his cheekbones. It should be illegal for one person to be that hot.

  She’d known vampires were sexy. Damn, even Lucian and the other one, the dark one in the shadows, were painfully attractive, but there was something about the Viking that just worked on her. She shuffled her feet, mortified to realize it was more than just heat building in her core. He was turning her on right here, right now, just by standing there and looking illegally fit.

  She needed to get a handle on this, she thought as the meeting broke up and the others headed out. She needed to speak to him, find out why he was here. Had he volunteered because of her? Could it be something to do with the strange, pulling feeling she had when she was near him? Surely not. That had to just be some vampire thing. It couldn’t be about her; she was just another cop after all. Nothing special. No, it had to be because of what happened in the alleyway. He’d got it into his head that he needed to protect her. Well, she’d soon put him right.

  Brigit pushed her way through the precinct toward him. “Hey,” she called out, feeling a bolt of connection ripple through her entire body when his eyes met hers. She pushed down the reaction and strode steadily across the room, ignoring the looks from the other cops until she was standing in front of him. Fuck, he was tall.

  “You and me?” she said. “We need to talk.”

  Chapter 10

  Jacob watched Rune leave with the short blonde cop. He thought he’d noticed a couple of strange looks between the two of them. Intent, almost like there was some history there, but that couldn’t be. Rune didn’t mix with humans.

  He put the thought out of his mind as Lucian passed him on his way to the exit.

  “Lucian,” he said quietly, barely over a whisper. Lucian’s enhanced vampiric hearing picked it up. Lucian jerked his head toward the door.

  Jacob guessed Lucian could feel his frustration through the bond and it made sense he didn’t want to have an argument here in front of all the humans. Jacob drifted past the human cops, using the shadows to mask his form, fading into the background in such a way that, despite walking straight past their desks, they barely noticed him. It had always been his skill to hide in plain sight. To go unnoticed until the moment he decided to
unmask himself.

  He left the precinct and walked out into the street. Lucian was standing under a streetlamp, his blond hair lit orange by the light.

  “I know what you’re going to say,” Lucian started.

  Jacob stepped up beside him. “Then tell me why. Why pick Rune? You know I have the most experience fighting hunters out of all of us.”

  “Are you suggesting Rune lacks skills?”

  “No.” Jacob shook his head, frustrated. “Of course not, but he has never been comfortable with humans—”

  “I have my reasons for picking Rune. There is more at stake here than you realize.” He turned to face Jacob squarely. “My responsibility as your leader goes beyond just protection. We are more than soldiers; we are a Bloodline. And I know now there is more to being a vampire than just fighting.”

  “What do you mean?” Jacob asked, surprised by Lucian’s answer. He was being unexpectedly cryptic.

  “It’s not my place to say,” Lucian said shortly. “However, it’s true that I wished to hold you back from dealing with the hunters.” He raised his hand to stem Jacob’s protests. “You must admit you are not objective when it comes to the threat they pose. And I need you at the Sanctuary. Roman is the greater threat; we cannot afford to waste our time on HUNT—”

  “It is not a waste of our time,” Jacob said, his voice thrumming with anger. “The human hunters have organized themselves. These ones that call themselves HUNT; we have never seen anything like this before.”

  “There have always been hunters,” Lucian said, “as long as there have been vampires, and we will defeat them whenever they come at us, just as we have in the past.”