Blade on the Hunt

by Lauren Dane

  “The sorcerers are working for both and giving the Vampires information.”

  Nicely deduced. “I’m thinking that’s a contender for what is actually going on. But there’s more to find out first.” After she killed Enyo of course. And then she’d also figure out who was the threat to David and handle that too. It was a giant game of whack a mole. It seemed like she had to bop some stupid mole over the head to keep it from trying to kill her or her protected all the fucking time these days.

  Ah well, too late to decide to be a hairdresser or a gardener.

  She cut the motor as they got close. Rowan wasn’t sure of the exact place, but it was impossible to ignore the power, like a beacon, coming from up ahead.

  The Vampires waited for them.

  Rowan conferred with Donna and the practitioners once they’d dropped anchor and were out of sight. Clive explained that from what they could tell with their Vampire spidey sense an ancient was in the main building. There were four other Vampires of some power. How many others they couldn’t tell but after a little surveillance they caught sight of three humans.

  “They’re with your target.”

  A simple, short sentence and it was all she needed. “We’re going ahead as planned.”

  “We’ll be more effective if we’re close. You have other problems to take care of. Let us do this,” Donna had urged back on the dock before they’d headed to Giudecca.

  No matter how much Rowan didn’t want to say they could come along, she knew there was no other choice. She nodded and made them promise to obey her and stay out of the fray with Vampires.

  “We’ll be all right. You go handle your business,” Donna assured Rowan as they parted.

  * * *

  She and Clive headed through a pretty back garden, unusual in these parts that it was so big.

  A flare of heat on her skin again and Rowan shoved Clive down as the spell landed with a splat of disgusting stink where he’d been standing.

  David headed the other way, landing with a thump, but was otherwise safe a few feet across the paved walk.

  “Fucking sorcerers. I’m going to kill Roth twice for this,” Rowan snarled.

  Clive pulled them both over, out of sight and behind a substantial enough set of terra cotta pots that they’d have some protection from attack.

  Rowan craned her neck to see David, who was eyeing another path to get up to the house. She shook her head at him, but he waved her off.

  She started to head in his direction but Clive took her shoulder, leaning close. “You have to let David go whatever way he can make it into the house. Trust that you’ve trained him well.”

  A series of crashes and shouts indicated the practitioners had engaged the sorcerers.

  Clive indicated that they move to the west, to avoid the back of the house where a magical skirmish took place. The other Vampires were approaching from different floors so they could attack from as many directions as possible.

  Inside, shouts of warning were raised and the doors to the main house facing Venice flew open as Vampires ran out and any time she’d had to haul David’s ass back to them passed.

  The battle had begun in earnest.

  Rowan took one out, Clive the other and they made it inside. Enyo had to be there somewhere and she was going to find that bitch and kill her true dead.

  “She’ll be hiding somewhere, too cowardly to protect her people. And still they do her bidding like weaklings,” Clive said loud enough Rowan was sure he was driving her out, or at the very least, underlining that lack of loyalty to anyone who might be in the vicinity.

  * * *

  Clive suspected Enyo would be up on the second floor. This wasn’t a space made solely for Vampires. The curtains and window covers did not lock down. They were storm shutters, which would keep it dark enough, but not secure from breach.

  He pointed up and Rowan nodded. She’d stopped favoring her non-injured side so he guessed she’d healed up enough that she wasn’t in too much pain. He hoped.

  Rowan would fight to the death and he wanted her as strong as possible.

  She grabbed him before they got to the stairs. “You get the fuck out of here and into a safe place before daylight. Do you hear me?”

  “I’ve got a few bolt holes in mind. Lots of abandoned places in these islands scattered all over the area if I can’t make it back to the villa. Go. Don’t get killed or I’ll make you a Vampire.”

  “Fuck off. Neither of us is dying because you owe me dinner and gelato.”

  “What? Did you levy a tax on me? It was just gelato a few hours ago.”

  “The price you pay for keeping company with a mercurial woman.”

  “I love you, Rowan.” He kissed her and she nipped his bottom lip as he broke away.

  “I love you too. Now come on. If she gets away I’m going to kick you in the balls.”

  “So, back to normal then,” he muttered as they crept up the servant’s stairs accessible through the kitchen.

  At the top the narrow stairwell led to a wide hallway with rooms on both sides. And at the very end they caught sight of Enyo heading around a corner. They followed, keeping some distance just in case there was a trap they couldn’t see.

  “She’s mine,” Rowan said it as she cleared the corner and caught Enyo trying to get out through a window.

  She turned and Rowan noted the eye patch and began to laugh. “Oh wow. This is even better than I’d imagined. Hey, what’s shaking, Pirate Polly?”

  “You dare?”

  “Bitch, I dare you to infinity and back. And I will laugh and laugh that your pretty face is so disfigured now. I’d add ‘for eternity’ and make it sound all spooky but you don’t have eternity. I’m going to go ahead and kill you right now. Never fear though, I’m going to do it extra hard. I wouldn’t want to shortchange you the full painful, horrifying revenge-filled death you so richly deserve.”

  Enyo looked to the window again and Rowan reached back, wrapping her palm around her blade’s hilt and that’s when She took over.

  Brigid looked at the Vampire, at the blood sucking bitch who had killed Brigid’s previous Vessel. A young woman who was far softer than the one who held Her essence now.

  “So this is what a tick looks like on two legs.” She put herself between the Vampire and her method of escape. The blade She held was balanced perfectly, its magic singing through Rowan and Brigid both.

  Her Vessel’s mate stood ready to jump in should she ask for help. The warrior in Her recognized the strength and loyalty it took to stand back and let the Vessel put herself in harm’s way. But he did it because it was necessary.

  He was more than adequate as a husband. Even if he was a Vampire.

  Inside, Her Vessel let go of her control totally, giving over to Brigid. Either of them could kill her and avenge what needed avenging. But Rowan let Her do it to lay that ghost to rest.

  “You can kill me but you won’t stop what’s already in motion.”

  Brigid stood very still, focusing, her concentration on the tiniest detail. There were four others in the house. The sorcerers were still outside, battling the others who accompanied Her Vessel.

  A quick movement and the blade sliced through the air audibly. “I love that sound. Don’t you? This Vessel’s heart always beats faster when she hears it.” She circled as Her prey did the same. “You made a grave error, pushing this one.”

  Brigid stepped close, cut three times and danced away as the scent of blood hit the air. She smiled at the thin bloody lines on Enyo’s chest.

  “Enyo. Oh, I’ve longed to form that sound but we kept it in because we needed to get close enough to strike. You ran. But you can’t run forever. I can because I’m a goddess. You? You’re about to be dead.”

  The Vampire rushed her and Brigid laughed agai
n at the moment she realized how much stronger and faster this Vessel was than the last time.

  “You ambushed her in the dark when she had no weapon. You like to feel as if you are a superior being when you are a bag of meat and skin who has tainted her soul with the magics she’s worked.”

  In the corner of her vision, Clive stood up straighter.

  Enyo’s smile turned into a sneer of disgust. “You’re an old goddess no one cares about, Brigid. All those centuries ago, that one had far more power than this. More people believed in you. Now you’re nothing more than an automaton who uses her body when she allows it.”

  Enyo feinted and managed to get two solid hits in. This body would be sore, but it was not crucial that Brigid stop at this point.

  She cocked Her head, blinking without speaking until the Vampire began to squirm under the scrutiny. “Usually creatures who bear as much power as you have some sense of honor. You have none.”

  As She’d suspected, that prodded the Vampire into action. Brigid sliced her several more times, this time deeper. Arterial blood began to seep into the material of the frock Enyo wore. Dark, sticky, all of it running from her body just like her life would be.

  “Blood from a killing wound always smells so much better I think.”

  Clive barked a laugh and Brigid appreciated that he’d found Her humorous. A warmth inside said Her Vessel approved as well. This one had connected to Brigid in a way no others had for a very long time. Brigid would not let Her Vessel down. This time She would protect her.

  “My Vessel would say something like, you’re not so tough now, are you, bitch?” She got the words right, but Rowan had better delivery.

  The stench of tainted blood began to fill the space. “I think perhaps you’re realizing how slow those wounds this blade made are to heal. Distressing, is it not? To feel your life running from your veins? After so long being the one to bring this to others at your hands, aren’t you fortunate to understand it from this perspective? My Vessel says it’s a teaching moment.”

  “Your time has passed!” Enyo screamed, putting power behind her words, pelting Brigid with it as she followed with a series of swipes with her nails, her jaws snapping as she tried to bite.

  “My time has not passed. Your time, however.” Brigid made a face and then let Rowan take over the swordwork. She and the blade were bound, much like Brigid and Rowan were bound. They all worked together at that moment in a perfect rhythm.

  Once that had happened, Brigid slipped back fully, grateful that Rowan had been willing to let her take this kill to honor the Vessel she’d lost. But in the end She hadn’t needed it the way She felt She had for so long.

  It was obvious to Her then that Rowan needed to do this. Needed to fully open herself up to her power and truly stretch the limits of her skill and succeed. She was capable of so much more than what she’d been doing and it was integral that she understand it.

  Rowan felt the tide of Her power recede enough that Rowan was fully in charge again. “It’s nifty when She does that,” Rowan said as she flowed into the movements, blocking Enyo’s attacks.

  “Hunter, welcome back,” Clive called from her left.

  “Scion.”

  “You must know this is bigger than me and you, you silly girl,” Enyo taunted.

  Rowan took that anger and channeled it and she moved just a little bit faster, nearly avoiding the attack entirely. Rather than tumbling to the ground with an ancient Vampire on her chest, she just got tossed to the side. Unfortunately it was in the path of the footboard of the bed. Which she hit at a high rate of speed with a great deal of force. Against the rib that had only healed from being broken a few hours ago and nearly broke again.

  It hurt so bad a wave of nausea flooded her and then receded soon after as she righted herself, grinning at Enyo.

  “Either I’m faster, or you’re slower because of your unfortunate work-related accident.” Rowan motioned at Enyo’s ruined eye. “I really outdid myself with that. Do you know how much easier it is when I can say, hey have you seen a really old Vampire with bad taste and one eye? They know who you are right away. I need to start doing that with all of you. Just mark you so I can locate you when you act up.”

  Rowan sliced deeper and the blade sizzled as it cut through Enyo. “Bag of meat indeed.” Then she laughed. “Isn’t that what you’ve been wetting your pants over? That the big bad Hunter Corp. was going to put cameras in every nest and document your every move?”

  “Your precious Hunter Corporation who hired sorcerers to watch you. Don’t mistake your obedience to them as anything of value to you.”

  Some of the other wounds were healing up so Rowan opened new ones. The more Enyo bled, the worse she stank.

  “Your blood smells like rotting garbage.” Rowan wrinkled her nose.

  “It’s rot. The first cuts were shallow. Now that you’re deeper and she’s healing and having to generate that power, the depth of infection from the magics she’s been using is irreversible.” Warren spoke from the doorway at her back.

  When the heck had he arrived? She didn’t have the time to think about that. The moment was right to push Enyo and see what they could find out before Rowan executed her.

  “I know Roth was having me watched. And I know those sorcerers were giving you the information they gave him. But I wonder if they gave you everything or if they’re playing you the way they’re playing Roth?” This was what her biggest question was now. Were the sorcerers in league with one of the sides or only with themselves?

  “It doesn’t matter.” Enyo was going to die and she’d accepted it but the hate still shone from her eyes. She wasn’t going to tell them anything willingly, the petty, stingy bitch.

  Enyo’s smile was edged with malice as she continued. “You’ll be flooded with problems. The chaos of it will be beautiful. Humans, Vampires, magic wielders of all types, at one anothers’ throats, bickering, confused. Humans do get so violent and irrational when they’re confused and afraid. It will weight you, Rowan Summerwaite. Like an anchor around your neck and you will drown in it. You’ll be nothing but bones. In the end, that’s all we are.”

  “You won’t even be that.”

  Clive spoke up, “Wait. Let me see what I can get from her.”

  It had been her impulse to ask him to delve into her head and take her memories, but the way Enyo’s blood smelled was freaking Rowan out. It was an infection of sorts and the last thing she was going to allow was Clive taking that sort of risk of exposure.

  “Warren, will whatever she’s become after all that magic infect Clive or otherwise endanger him?” Rowan called out as she kept her eyes on Enyo.

  From the doorway at her back Warren answered, “I don’t know. She’s very old. She’s been practicing the darkest of magics for most of that time.”

  That’s what she thought. Anger, vengeance, seemed to boil over and pity tempered things once again. Not that she wasn’t going to kill that one eyed twat, but deep inside the Vampire had such a gaping hole of need to feel special and important. That drove her and that was just sad. Regardless of who it was.

  Rowan brought the hilt of the blade to her lips as she murmured a blessing and then as Enyo opened her mouth to argue, she spun, striking out with her blade, through Enyo’s chest and then up.

  The stench of putrid blood and terrifying nightmares oozed from Enyo, bubbling over the blade and onto the beautiful rug at their feet. She slowly turned to dust around the sword and Rowan leaned in close and whispered, “Die well, Vampire. I hope death brings the peace you could not find in life.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  When Vampire warriors dueled and one was killed in battle, the other said those words as the dying warrior turned to dust. It was a time-honored way to wish your adversary the ease of death.

  Clive had seen Rowan give tha
t blessing before, even when she hadn’t liked the Vampire she’d had to execute. He wondered if it wasn’t her way of letting go of the guilt and accepting it was necessary. Though he also believed she bore the weight of those deaths anyway.

  It was a mercy to have done it. Even for just the last moments of Enyo’s life it would have been. And his esteem for Rowan only rose.

  Clive pushed away from the wall and moved closer. Strolling so it looked casual to those gathered in the doorway behind them.

  She allowed her gaze to lock with this for a few moments before she hardened up, her body language broadcasting loud and clear that she needed her space.

  This ending had been coming a long while but it took its toll on her. Clive wanted so badly to sweep her away. Once he had her alone, he could take care of her.

  But she had to soldier on and he knew she wouldn’t give in to any of her deeper feelings about the fight and the entire hunt until she was finished with all her investigatory work.

  He’d let her keep her armor on until he had given her a safe place to let go. And then he’d let her pick a fight and then fuck her. After that he’d bathe her and feed her before tucking her into bed and making her rest.

  They hadn’t been able to talk in detail about her situation with Hunter Corp. But he knew her. And he knew she was hurt. Worse, she felt she’d been betrayed and he wasn’t so sure how she would deal with that. He’d support whatever she wanted to do, but if one of the options was separating herself from Hunter Corp. he’d love to throw his lot in with that option.

  “Boom. Next item on my to-do list is that you and the others need to go. You have the time to get back and into bed before the sun rises but it needs to be now.”

  “I—”

  She shook her head. “Don’t waste time. Just do it. I’ll see you when you wake up. We need to be here, need to talk to witnesses.”

  “I can be far more effective with witnesses than you can.”

  “You can’t steal a sorcerer’s memories. Not without exposing yourself to their rot. That’s what Warren thinks. Go back to the villa. I’ll come to you when I can.” She pushed him toward the door. “Thank you.”