The Chronicles of the Immortal Council: The complete 10-book collection

by D C Young

  Why not ask Allison?

  Oh, for God’s sake! Why the hell didn’t I think of that?

  Allison Lopez was a very talented psychic, bordering on witch, and also my best friend. I had a long distance telepathic connection to her, something I had with very few people, and for the time I’d known her, she’d become somewhat of a guinea pig for me. I practiced my new found powers on her, occasionally fed on her and consulted her when I got stumped by a case. She didn’t mind at all and at times I found it strange; but then Allison was a strange girl. As strange as she was, there was a reason for her madness—the more I fed on her, the more her psychic skills developed. The more they developed, the stronger she got. The stronger she got, the more of a pill she became. But I loved her pilliness.

  I reached out to her even before I’d logged off from Fang. She answered immediately.

  Is this what having a vampire best friend is going to mean forever?

  What do mean, Allison?

  For fucks sake, Sam, it’s four thirty in the fucking morning!

  Oh, shit! I’m so sorry.

  It’s okay. Does this mean you’re working a new case?

  Sort of.

  Okay, tell me about it.

  No, it’s fine. I’ll call you tomorrow.

  Sam, don’t make me come over there and smack you in the head. I’m already up. Shoot.

  There’s a vampire killer loose in L.A.

  Who? Is that Rand guy back?

  Nah. He’s harmless. This is some supernatural vamp murderer who’s been following some friends for hundreds of years but now she has her sights set on me.

  She thinks you’re the link that breaks the chain.

  What? You mean the weakest link?

  Not necessarily. If it’s anything you’re not it’s weakest, Sam. You’re the link that keeps the various supernatural chains in south California together. Think about it… The Brotherhood of the Blood, The Librarian, Kingsley Fulcrum, the medallions, Spinoza and the other weirdo detectives, Veronica Huntress, The Council. And now me and the other witchy folks.

  So?

  What do all these elements have in common?

  Me!

  Yup!

  Julia was right! The dead witch is attracted to the shift in the balance. But it’s not the imbalance that Julia feels is being created in L.A…

  It’s the joining of the different forces.

  Yeah. Wow.

  ***

  The next morning after I’d dropped the kids at school, I went to see Allison. She offered the night before to try to help me locate the creature. There were things she would need to build a psychic link to the dead witch and there was no way to tell what would or wouldn’t work so I decided it was time for some research. Together, we’d go to Cal State Fullerton and pay my friend, Max another visit.

  Chapter Sixteen

  1549 A.D.

  True to his word, the Siege at Haddington ended with the week. One day, English troops held the town and the combined forces of the Scots and the French could not make them budge. The next day, the English were gone, leaving almost everything behind. It was as if an unseen force had swept them out of Haddington. The departure gave Marie the leverage she needed to force a treaty with England. In public, Marie allowed others to credit her for the victory in Haddington and elsewhere. But when she met with Marcus and Björn, it was another story.

  “Thanks to you two, Scotland has a chance at freedom again,” she gushed, hugging them both.

  Marcus and Björn returned the affection, but Björn brushed aside the credit, “Marie, you are the one who sparked the fire, inspired your troops. Without you, none of this would have happened.”

  “I concur,” Marcus said, “you are a natural leader, and Scotland is lucky to have you. And now that this Wooing war is mostly over, we are no longer needed.”

  Marie turned toward Marcus, “What do you mean? Of course you are needed. This is only one small battle.”

  “Yes, but those battles won’t be fought on a field. They will be fought in a castle like this one,” Björn said, “which is not exactly my area of expertise.”

  “That is putting it mildly,” Marcus said with a smile, “but do not worry, we will be near enough to come if we can give you help. Before we go, I do have one question.”

  Marie raised her eyebrows at him.

  “Given the choice between a few more years in the sun or a millennium in the dark, which would you prefer?” Marcus asked. Björn stared hard at his companion, but decided against interrupting.

  “What a strange question,” Marie said, “why can’t I have both?”

  Marcus smiled, “That is the answer I expected. Just remember it the next time we meet.” Then he and Björn left the castle without looking back.

  Marie De Guise continued for the next ten years to dodge the slings and arrows of the high courts of royalty. She didn’t always escape unscathed, but she was able to secure a future for her daughter. Her most consistent enemy remained England, but a new battle raged in Scotland, one over God himself. The Protestants and Catholics threatened to tear Scotland apart, and Marie was caught in the middle by her strict adherence to Catholicism. This angered many of the Scots, who were embracing the Christian offshoot. Marie wasn’t sure how serious the situation was until Marcus and Björn walked back into her life.

  “Marie De Guise, after all of these years, your beauty refuses to fade,” Marcus said as he bent his knee. Björn, as always, kept his feet, but his smile showed how happy he was to see her again.

  “Marcus Antonius and Björn Ironside, I see that you are well, and seemingly untouched by time. How can that be possible?” Marie asked.

  Marcus stood and kissed Marie’s hand, “I would be happy to tell you, but first we come with a warning. Someone in your court is trying to kill you.”

  Marie laughed, “So what else is new? I have been under constant threat of death for most of my life.”

  Björn said, “Yes, but we have gotten word that the killer has already struck.”

  “As you can see though, I am still very much alive,” Marie said, “perhaps your information is wrong.”

  Björn looked at Marcus, “Should we tell her? It may make her decision easier.” Marcus shrugged his shoulders, so Björn said, “I know the killer has struck, because I can smell the poison coursing through your blood.”

  “That is not possible,” Marie said, suddenly fearing that her old confidants had gone insane.

  Marcus stepped closer, “I can smell it, too, Marie. It is because we are not exactly what we seem. When I first told you my name, you asked if I planned to restart the Roman Empire. I made a joke of it, but in reality, I would not do that because I was there for the original. I am Marcus Antonius, right hand of Julius Caesar, consort to Cleopatra, one time ruler of the Roman Empire. I am now what many people call a vampire.”

  “And I am Björn Ironside, Viking Chieftain and scourge of Europe. I have lived hundreds of years, thanks to being reborn as a werewolf.”

  Marie looked at both men and forced herself not to run screaming from the room. Her fear that the two men had lost their minds seemed to be confirmed. Marie’s goal now was to keep them from infecting her.

  “Marcus, Björn, I don’t know what to say. Your claims not only seem impossible, but they fly against my religion. I must ask you to leave,” Marie said as she backed away from them.

  Marcus said, “We understand, Marie, you don’t want to believe. But remember what you told me the last time we talked. You wanted to know why you couldn’t have a few more years in the sun and then a millennium in the dark. That is what I offer. When the time comes, I will ask you again. But it will be the last time.”

  Marie watched them leave, and then told her guards to never let them back in. She feared their madness had made them too dangerous to be around the castle. In the morning, she awoke with a cough that sprayed blood on her pillow. Marie did not think much of it at first, but by that evening, the cough was stronger an
d the blood that came with it was darker. The next morning, she could not get out of bed and she was burning with a fever. Her physician came to see her, but could not determine the cause. By midday, the fever had made her delirious and when she talked, she made no sense. Marie’s maid carried her to a tub full of cold water and she practically sizzled as she fell in. The water temporarily broke the fever, and after getting out of the bath, she told her maid to run outside the castle and yell out the names Marcus Antonius and Björn Ironside. The maid did as she was told, and then came back up to Marie.

  “Thank you, I don’t know if they will come,” Marie said, “but I had to at least try so I could apologize for not believing them.”

  Late that night, the two men appeared in Marie’s bed chamber as she slept. She somehow sensed their presence and opened her eyes.

  “There you are,” Marie said, fighting the effects of the returning fever, “what took you so long?”

  Marcus said, “Your guards have gotten much more thorough in the past few years. What can we do for you, Marie?”

  “I don’t know what you can do, but I can apologize for not believing you,” Marie said as she extended her hands to both men.

  “We can give you a new life,” Björn said, “but you must know the risks. If you follow me as a werewolf, the full moon will create a terrible change in you that will take many years to master.”

  “And if you follow me as a vampire, you will never see the sun without pain. It can even kill you. But you will stay as you are now, for as long as you avoid the one true death. You will live on the lifeblood of others, and it will make you powerful. Your only other choice is to die now, in the grip of the poison that is sprinting through your body,” Marcus said.

  “So no matter what I choose, there will be death, but it may not be mine?” Marie asked.

  Both men answered together, “Yes.”

  Marie turned her head from Marcus to Björn and then back to Marcus, “Make me a vampire, so that I may see the stars and revel in their beauty.”

  Marcus smiled and leaned down to her neck, “Wise choice.”

  The door to the barn creaked open, and three men entered, brandishing knives. When they noticed the three people watching them, the leader spoke up.

  “We don’t want to kill you, we just want your money. Give it to us, and we’ll leave all peaceful like. Refuse, and we’ll gut ya!”

  Marie looked at Björn and Marcus, “Well I guess that settles it.” The two men nodded and all three attacked the unsuspecting would-be crooks. Minutes later, they were dead, and Marie and Marcus’s thirst was sated.

  “What do we do next?” Marie asked Marcus. “We can’t stay in this barn forever.”

  Marcus said, “True. We need to decide how we will progress in this new world. I sense we are the first of our kind here, but I have no doubt others will follow. When they do, we must be ready to either help them or hunt them.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Two days later, I called Mary Lou and asked her the biggest favor I had in years. Something was telling me that what was going to happen next would be dangerous and possibly disruptive. My spidey senses had been going haywire lately. I needed my sister to take her family and my kids and drive north for a weekend getaway. I suggested a remote cabin community near Lake Gregory in San Bernardino County. There was canoeing and swimming for the kids and hikes and horseback riding for Mary Lou and her husband. They could leave Friday and head back on Sunday afternoon giving me and the others plenty of time to get rid of the dødehekse.

  I called her up ready to give her the hard sell but it was easier than I’d thought.

  “Can we leave today?”Mary Lou had asked comically. “I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of that myself, Sam. I’ve been dying to get away from the city. There’s just too much going on around here these days.”

  I heaved a sigh of relief.

  “The kids get out of school early this Friday. One o’clock. I’ll email you the reservation confirmation tonight.”

  “Thanks, Sam.” There was an awkward pause on the line as Mary Lou tried to construct what she wanted to say next as carefully as she could. She always knew when something was up but she also knew to be careful what she asked me. She risked either being denied the satisfaction of an answer or hearing something she wasn’t prepared to process. Over time, Mary Lou had become an expert at weighing the possibilities and toeing the line. Finally, she said, “Whatever’s going on, I want you to keep your head in the game, Sis. Don’t worry about us, me and the kids will be safe and sound. You got this!”

  “Oh, thank you, Louie. I really needed to hear that.”

  “Anytime, sis.”

  ***

  On Friday afternoon, I set the DVR to record Judge Judy and did my best to leave the house on time. I threw Tammy and Anthony’s overnight bags into the back of the minivan and made my way to the school. Rick and Mary Lou would meet me there and then head out of town with the kids.

  When I pulled into the parking lot, Rick already had their SUV parked very badly in the only two well shaded parking spots.

  He’s a real sweetheart that one, I thought smiling at the gesture.

  When he saw me, he pulled out of the spots and parked properly so I could fit the minivan in beside their car. Mary Lou was inside getting the kids while he’d been waiting for me to arrive.

  “Thanks for this, Sam,” Rick blurted out as I put Tammy’s bag in the back of the big vehicle.

  “Don’t think anything of it, Rick. I’ve been promising and promising the kids to take them to the lake and “I’ve just landed another huge case. You know how I hate breaking promises.”

  “I understand but that doesn’t make us any less grateful.”

  “I take it you’ve been wanting some time away too?”

  “Oh, for sure. Things in L.A. have been getting so crazy. I just don’t feel like there’s much opportunity for the kids to just be kids anymore.”

  “Now, that’s a statement I can get behind.”

  Mary Lou herded Anthony and Tammy across the parking lot and into the car. I hugged her while they got settled and buckled in.

  “I want you all to have a great time, you hear me? Don’t hold back! YOLO! Right, Tammy?”

  “OMG, Mom! YOLO? You can be so lame sometimes. I don’t know who even says that anymore.”

  “Come on Tammy,” Anthony piped up. “You say that all the time.”

  I jumped up into the back seat and hugged them both before the fight could start, gave Mary Lou a ‘good luck’ look and shut the door. I stood there waving at them for long after the car was out of sight, waiting for the tears to dry up.

  Chapter Eighteen

  That night, we were all assembled on the cliffs near Long Point on Santa Catalina Island. Julia had asked Bridget Bishop and Saigo Takamori to join us. Björn, Marcus and Marie were there and I had brought Veronica and Allison over from the mainland.

  It had been agreed by Allison and Bridget that the cliffs on the eastern side of Catalina was the best point from which to focus their power to locate the dødehekse. When I looked out over the water, I could clearly see why they had come to that conclusion.

  The island sat out in the ocean while the California coast formed an almost perfect semi-circle to the east. The land spanned from Santa Barbara to San Diego and with our preternatural eyes, we could see it all laid out before us.

  “I love this place,” Veronica said.

  “I’ve never given it much thought,” I replied.

  “I used to sit out on the western cliffs and watch the Pacific for hours when I was first turned. It was the only thing that didn’t confuse me.”

  “You love the sea like a Scandinavian,” Björn teased.

  “Perhaps,” she replied smiling and going to his side.

  “So, witches,” Julia called out over the sea breeze. “What is the plan?”

  Allison spoke up. “Bridget and I will merge our powers and reach out over the coastline. With the
objects that Marcus has supplied we should be able to home in on wherever she is.”

  Marcus came forward carrying a basket draped in black cloth. He pulled it back to reveal the contents. I almost took a step back at the sight of the first item. It was a human skull which had been covered completely with runic carvings. He placed the skull in Bridget’s palm.

  “This is the skull of Athelstad. The first Christian priest to come to Norway. He saw so many unholy things in Scandinavia that he lost his faith in God and went to live as a hermit in the wilderness. Out in the snow and ice, he encountered many creatures of the dark including the dødehekse, who he fought many times. He destroyed many of their kind while defending the villages of Kattegat and this dead witch killed him for it.

  “After he had been buried for three years, Bjorn and the seer dug up Athelstad’s body and carved these protective runes into his skull. For as long as it was in the Great Hall, the dødehekse never bothered the village people.”

  The next item from the basket was a blue glass vial of olive oil which he placed in Allison’s palm.

  “This oil was blessed by Cleopatra’s high priest of Ra, it was meant to protect her from the evil spirits which the Egyptians believed Anubis was prone to sending to torment the royal family from time to time. It worked well for her but it couldn’t protect her from the evil of the people within her own court. When Bjorn and I retrieved this from her tomb, the dødehekse became unable to discover our whereabouts.”

  Then, Marcus took a golden chain and crucifix from the basket and wrapped it around Allison’s and Bridget’s joined hands.

  “The blessed medallion of Pope Paul III. One of Marie’s biggest supporters. He blessed this and gave it to her as a protective talisman when he signed the bill declaring the final excommunication of her tormentor Henry VIII.”

  “Let us commence,” Bridget announced when Marcus had stepped back from her and Allison.