“Or they were herding us here,” I said. “The vampire with the mustache pulled the emergency brake knowing the train was likely to derail.”
I accepted the pastry Kamila shoved into my hand without thinking about it.
She rubbed my back gently. “They could have done that, or it could all be a coincidence. We should definitely be cautious, but we also need to be wary of overthinking things. Right now, we’re tired, we’re anxious, and we all need to rest up a little.”
“I know. You’re right. And to be honest, even the idea of resting makes my body hum with healing. It’s a good move.” I bit into the pastry, which was excellent. “This isn’t exactly the safe house we were going for, but it’ll do.”
“It’s nice.” Zarya walked over to the window and looked out. “I kind of like having all these windows. Remember, I’ve been living in a big stone temple for a couple centuries. It was nice and free, but this is a pretty good change. Why do you think they’ve got a hotel like this up here anyway?”
Tess waved one of the hotel’s guidebooks at her. “Tourism. Apparently, they get a lot of tourists looking to experience the Amazon coming through here. It’s enough to create a tourism industry and to keep the place from being too much of a backwater, but not so much that it ruins the way of life around here.” She sat back in her chair. “And it means a lot of the people in tourism positions speak English.”
“All the vampires spoke English, the pricks,” I said, my voice little more than a growl.
Kamila nodded. “You’re right. The vampires spoke English. Which means they’re not necessarily local. What is it you think lives in Patagonia?”
I took another bite of my pastry. “I think ‘lives’ might be an exaggeration. We’ve heard of it as being the mythical homeland of the vampires, right? So why wouldn’t it be where Malfas is?”
“It’s possible, I guess. I haven’t heard of any serious demonic omens in central Brazil, but I don’t suppose I would when you get right down to it.” Zarya twirled a bit of her hair around her finger. “Do you think maybe they’re looking for something too?”
Tess looked sharply at her. “What do you mean?”
Zarya wrapped her hands around her coffee cup. “I mean don’t you think it’s odd they had a map with a big circle on it? There are only a few options for why. They might have had it because they wanted to trap us, but that’s a little odd. I can’t imagine they would want to lure us all the way down to Brazil when they had us pretty well over a barrel in Belize.”
Anger flared in me. They had been pretty much in command of the whole situation in Belize, and all because my learning still felt like a curve that went up, instead of forward.
“That’s true,” I said. “Dalmont said something about needing me present at a certain time, but it didn’t make a lot of sense. And they could have gotten me there by knocking me out and bringing me where they wanted me, if that was their goal. So the other options are that they’re actually working on something at Patagonia, or they’re searching for something in that red area that we might be able to interrupt.”
“We might be able to get to it first, too. I don’t know exactly what their game is, but they’re definitely eager to stop us.” Zarya yawned. “Whatever they’re up to, we’re not going to solve it by fussing around like this. We need to rest. We can talk about what’s going on after we’ve had a decent night’s sleep.” She glanced at the window. “A decent day’s sleep, maybe. Jason, you were fighting hardest. I’m sure you want the first shower.”
A shower would feel great on my aching muscles. I nodded and headed into the bathroom. It didn’t take me more than a few seconds to strip down, clean my teeth, and step into the large, blue-tiled shower stall.
The bathroom door creaked open, and I saw a welcome flash of red hair. Kamila stepped in, her smile luminous in the rising steam.
“You should be careful. I might have lobbed a fireball,” I said, grinning.
She grinned and slipped into the shower. “I know. That’s why I came in here to begin with. You’re wound too tightly.”
“I know.” I reached for the soap, but Kamila got to it first. She lathered up a washcloth and gently scrubbed my skin, starting with my face and working down. Her gentle touches were perfect on my skin, soothing and light.
I sighed and leaned into her touch, feeling my muscles untying themselves from the knots they’d made over the past few days. The dirt, sweat, and grime from my body didn’t show up on the blue tiles, but I could see my own pale skin emerging where her hands had passed.
“You’re too good to me, Kamila.” I stroked her wet hair as she crouched down and washed my legs and feet. I meant it, too. Then she reached for a small shaving kit, took out a razor and cream, and began to lather my face. It was intimate on a level that almost surpassed sex, her fingers swirling over my skin while she smiled. With slow, careful movements, she shaved me, her hands steady under the pulsing water. When she was done, I knew what I was feeling.
It was love, even if our relationship was more complicated than that.
And then she looked up at me. Her eyes took on a wicked glow, and I knew that her gift was only beginning. Kneeling, she crossed her feet and looked up, eyes bright with lust and the urge to give.
She opened her mouth and took my half-hard cock into it.
Her mouth was impossibly hot. Her lips slid down my shaft to the very base, resting there as her tongue pulsed against me in hidden movements. It was pleasure bordering on pain, a storm of sensations following each other so quickly I felt my knees buckle. I groaned and braced myself against the warm blue tiles, letting the moment take over. Kamila wasn’t going fast. She was taking her time and working her way up, then down, then up again, breathing through her nose so as not to break our perfect contact. She was in no rush, and that made every second both faster and an eternity of the best kind.
She put her hands on my hips, welcoming me to push forward, but there was nowhere to go. She had me to the hilt, and every part of her mouth was working in symphony.
I threaded my hands through her hair, not to force her or even to tug, but just to have something to hold on to. She liked it when I held her gently like this, not controlling but intimate. She rewarded me with a little hum, sending vibrations along my length that made me twitch with another level of pleasure I hadn’t known existed.
Her right hand snaked down as she worked, and I could see her stroking between her legs, fingers busy as she pleasured herself in complex, delicate motions. Kamila wasn’t ready for me to come yet. She slowed even further, leading me to the edge and holding me there as every muscle in my body began to tense.
I rode the wave, eyes closing in pleasure as she began to push her mouth down again, this time more aggressively. Nothing outside of the shower stall meant anything now. The vampires were an issue, but they were so far away, they might as well not exist. All I could feel was the perfection of her mouth, her giving—her consideration.
I tried to warn her before I came, but she kept going and swallowed everything I had to give. My orgasm wasn’t violent, just steady. Welcome. Draining. I had so much joy in me at that moment, it felt brighter than the sun, whiting out my vision and leaving me senseless for a long minute or two.
When I came back to myself, I lifted Kamila to her feet. She was shaky as she stood, and I realized she must have come too, her cheeks flushed with effort and pleasure.
She held me close as the hot water cascaded down our bodies, and I grabbed for the washcloth.
She blinked at it and then realization dawned. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” I kissed her lightly and washed her from her head to her toes. Then, because I knew how much she enjoyed it, I washed her hair, using my fingers in her scalp. Tiny groans escaped her lips as I worked up and down her scalp, fragrant bubbles sluicing from her hair.
We stayed in the shower a little longer, and then we realized we needed to let the others wash up. We stepped out and dried ourselv
es on the huge, absorbent bath towels. Then we emerged from the bathroom to be greeted with applause from Zarya and Tess. I bowed, and so did Kamila.
“I’m a little afraid to go in there now,” Tess teased, even though she was already getting undressed. “Are we talking about a hazmat situation or what?”
I blushed. “Don’t worry. It’s perfectly sanitary. She left no evidence,” I said with my best leer, earning a bawdy laugh from Tess and Zarya. I shook my head and sought out my pack, where I found something to wear to bed. The covers were cool as I slid underneath them, and my eyes were heavier than I’d ever remembered.
13
After Tess and Zarya washed up, they joined me in bed to figure out what we were going to do next. Other people might have tried to strategize around the table, but our dynamic worked best in bed. Besides, we were all running on empty. I was teetering on the edge of sleep, but I couldn’t rest yet. We still didn’t have a plan. Once we’d all gotten onto the same page, we would all relax and get some sleep.
At least, that was our goal.
I rolled over onto my side and looked at the others. They all lay in more or less the same position, with Kamila curled into me and Zarya curled into Tess.
“So, Patagonia,” I said.
Tess sighed. “We won’t know until we get there.”
Zarya shrugged. “I don’t know about that. I think it makes sense to be as prepared as we can be, all things considered. One of us might have heard something or seen something the others haven’t, and dismissed it as minor. At the same time, I’m not sure how much we can figure out from a handful of myths and legends, you know? All we know is that it’s the supposed ‘homeland’ of all vampires. Like we told you, we thought it was a myth until recently.”
“Fair enough.” I licked my lips. I could feel an idea dancing on the tip of my tongue. I just didn’t know if the idea was absurd or not yet. “But maybe piecing together some of these myths would be a good way to get ready for what might be waiting for us, you know? I’m sure at least half of the stories are a complete crock, but the other half might be legit.”
Kamila rested her head on my shoulder. “Yeah. Maybe. This is a situation where Mort would be really useful. If we do find him and he’s alive and safe, I’m going to punch him. Hard.”
I seconded the notion, but I didn’t say it. I didn’t want to get Tess upset. We were all supposed to be resting, not squabbling. “So, what have any of us heard?”
Zarya looked out the window again. “Everything I’ve heard, I learned while the vampires were holding me captive. Well, maybe not everything. I heard a few stories here and there from locals who had a little more knowledge than other people, but that’s just the way things shook out. Anyway, Patagonia must exist because the vampires spoke about it in front of me when they didn’t think I could understand.” She sighed, a pall falling over her face. “It’s the ultimate vampire homeland. It’s true. According to the stories, Patagonia is supposed to be the ultimate vampire fortress. Think of it as being like a palace almost, but with a village surrounding it.”
I nodded slowly. “A fortress because vampires aren’t great neighbors. The locals wouldn’t want to keep them around for long if they didn’t have to, and the vampires would want to keep themselves safe from the locals or any Ferin they’d created. And a village because the vampires need a human food source.”
“Exactly.” Kamila snuggled in closer to my chest. “You’re missing something important, though. When Europeans first came to Brazil, they brought the remnants of feudalism with them. They would have been setting themselves up as feudal lords. And remember, vampires could have come over here well before any human colonizers. They didn’t have to worry about running out of money, or food, or whatever. They could have walked here on the ocean floor if they wanted.”
I shuddered at the thought. “So the populace is already cowed because they’re dealing with a feudal lord or lords.” I decided not to address the idea of the vampires pre-dating human European colonization. I didn’t have time or facilities to research it, and unless it affected the war, I didn’t care. The results were the same no matter what.
“Exactly.” Zarya took up the story. “And according to the vampires, it’s in this palace in a fortress surrounded by a village in the deepest heart of the Amazon that the oldest and most powerful vampire of all lives.”
“Not all vampires believe.” Tess wrapped an arm around Zarya’s waist. I could see Zarya relaxing at the physical contact. “Some of them think it has to be a fable. Think of it like how humans would react if you told them you had a fragment of the True Cross. Some people would believe. Some might think it was in fact a piece of wood 2000 years old, but would doubt any attempt to prove the wood had been used in a specific execution. And still other people would mock you for believing any of the resurrection story at all. You know what I mean? The vampires are like that with Patagonia. They even use Patagonia as a kind of obscenity, like humans say Jesus Christ.”
“I see.” I scratched at my chin, now smooth and clean. I had my doubts. Couldn’t they just go to Patagonia if they doubted? There were no barriers that applied to vampires. If someone from customs tried to stop them, they could drain them and move on.
“And this oldest and scariest vampire, the ancestor of all of them, lives in the palace?” I ran my tongue against the back of my teeth. My mind was racing once again, trying to hack out some kind of sense from all of this, but there were two elements I found thrilling—and terrifying. If vampires chose to use a fortress, then they believed it secured their safety. I filed that away for later, because someday, if we survived this, we were going to stop running and build a life. It might take walls to have it, but life—and peace—would be ours at all costs.
“That’s the rumor.” Kamila chuckled weakly. “I’d say something about a lonely life, but I guess I don’t have much of a leg to stand on there. Both Zarya and I chose to isolate ourselves rather than deal with the risks of exposure. And vampires aren’t really the most social people anyway. If it weren’t for this whole war, they’d be busy fighting each other instead of worrying about us.”
“Yeah, they hate Ferin, but they hate each other just as much. That part’s only been getting worse as there’ve been more of them, and humans haven’t been as willing to believe in them. Humans aren’t as easily cowed now that they think vampires are myths and the symptoms are just a disease called porphyria.” Tess snorted and ran a hand through her dark hair. “There are plenty of Ferin who can’t believe the war is here because the vampires have gotten so snippy with each other.”
“Right.” I knew that information would come in handy eventually. Right now, it was kind of an interesting sidebar. Sidebars weren’t particularly useful. “But if that one ancestor was a vampire, wouldn’t he be the first blood?”
The girls exchanged glances. “How do you mean?”
“The First Blood is a vampire created by Malfas himself. That’s how Chilperic identified himself, and that’s how others identified him. They all deferred to him because Malfas made him.” I sat up, making the springs creak. “But if Malfas made this guy, and he’s the ancestor of all other vampires, then maybe a demon didn’t make Chilperic and the other First Blood. Maybe Malfas isn’t a demon at all. Maybe Malfas is just a very old, very powerful vampire.”
Zarya widened her eyes. She sat up too, much to the disappointment of Tess. “That’s . . . well, I want to say that’s impossible. A demon named Malfas is named in several important demonological texts. The thing is, I don’t think any of them date to before 1400 AD.” She slumped.
“And it wouldn’t be completely out of the question for a vampire, especially one who is the first of his kind, an entirely new monster, to adopt a new name and go around convincing people he’s a demon.” I licked my lips. “He probably wouldn’t have to do much convincing if you think about it. People always reach for Hell when they find something they can’t explain with the science available to them at the tim
e.”
“It’s certainly possible.” Zarya nodded carefully. “If it’s true, we’re in for a lot more trouble than we thought we were.”
“Or maybe less.” I shrugged. “I’m not trying to discount the danger here. I’m just saying, we know how to kill vampires, even old and powerful ones. Killing a demon is a little beyond our experience, don’t you think?” I shot them a grin and lays back down. Zarya tried to relax beside me, but I could feel the tension in her muscles.
I stared at the ceiling for a long moment. “What gets me, though, is that damn map.”
“Oh Lord.” Tess groaned. “I wish we’d never found it.”
I kind of agreed with her, but the damage was done now. “The thing is, Patagonia is so secret and so mysterious that even most vampires think it’s a myth. Why would a vampire have a map to this mythical secret place just lying around?” I sighed. “I don’t think it’s a map to Patagonia at all.”
Tess pulled the pillow over her face.
“Tell me we didn’t come all this way and risk all those people on that train on a wild goose chase.” Kamila glowered at me in that way only women from certain parts of the south can.
“I don’t think it was a wild goose chase.” Zarya rolled over. “The fangs have been doing their damnedest to try to stop us from getting here. And they were willing to try to hurt everyone on that train to keep us away from there. Whatever’s in that red circle on the map must be something the vampires care about.”
Tess pulled the pillow off her face. “The vampires care about a lot of things, Zarya. That doesn’t make it relevant. For example, they care about blood types. Apparently, AB positive is the tastiest. O negative is the least. Do you care? Because I don’t.”
I made a face. I’d never once considered the flavor of different blood types. “Okay, but they wouldn’t try to fight us for different blood types. Hemoglobin is hemoglobin is hemoglobin, I think. They’re willing to make and sacrifice thousands of vampires. It seems a little weird, don’t you think? Whatever is down there, even if it isn’t Patagonia, has to be something the vampires care about. It has to be something they care enough about to waste a lot of lives for.”
Forever Young - Book 3 Page 7