Of Scions and Men

by Courtney Sloan

  I took a deep breath as the area started to fill with pheromones. This guy needed some new tricks. Peering around the corner, I spotted them and reached back just in time to keep Carson from barreling into their view. With a finger over my lips, I pointed to their position.

  The woman crawled suggestively across the floor, arching her back and ass to appear more seductive. Nearly mewling at him, she reached up his body, dragging her most feminine parts over his muscled frame. Grabbing her hair, he ripped her head back and kissed her deeply.

  Carson tensed for movement, but I held him back, shaking my head. The vampire broke his kiss to the Barbie doll’s protests only to throw her across the room, cracking something in the process. She yelped for just a second, then propped herself on her hands and knees. With a smile, the vampire called her back to him, starting the whole process over again. Though, this time, her right wrist did not seem to want to hold her weight any longer, and she forced herself to crawl three-limbed.

  Bile made my mouth sour. Moving my zip cuffs to a loop on my side lacings, I slid my lips to right beside Carson’s ear and barely whispered, knowing he’d still hear me, “The sick fuck is playing with his food.”

  “You have to stop this,” Carson whispered as quietly as he could. He swallowed hard. I wasn’t sure how long I could keep him from jumping in.

  The raw savagery of the display in front of us flipped my stomach. This was a hellish mockery of real life. I grimaced as anger raced through me. “I can’t yet.”

  The woman crawled again, begging for what was coming. It wouldn’t be long now. I shifted into a launching position.

  “When?” Carson prodded.

  My body tensed into a crouch. My very cells sang with power and the desire to end the monster in front of me. Damn rules of engagement.

  The vampire let the girl slink up his body one last time, then he wrapped his arms around her and sunk his teeth deep into the nape of her neck.

  As soon as I witnessed the first swallow of blood bob down his throat, I leapt from the shadows, calling out to him as I moved in a blur to close. “Stop. You are under arrest by my authority from the Department of Energy Conservation. You’re guilty of a single count of blood theft, which I have witnessed, and will be remanded to the Council of Vitae for punishment. Your cooperation–”

  The vampire jerked its head up. Its teeth slid roughly from the girl’s neck as blood began pouring from the punctures he left behind. He snarled at me and threw Barbie to the side.

  “Oh good. You’re not going to cooperate. I was hoping I read you right.” In a fresh blood high, the vampire lunged at me. Using detailed vision from Devon, I was careful to place myself so he’d get just a glancing blow on my cheek before I spun and snagged his arm. The extra zing coursing through me allowed me to toss him backward by his joint into the pallet of equipment across the room.

  “Get to the girl. Use your Mistress to close her neck, or she’ll bleed out,” I called to Carson before closing the distance with the vampire again.

  Carson swept to the girl’s side in a flash of motion, sliding on his knees beside her. Sure that they were out of range of the fight, I landed a hard blow on the monster’s throat. The vampire jumped back until we were almost eight feet apart, staring at each other. Throwing him a confident smirk, I waited for him to come at me. He’d never have the self-control in this state to run. When he rushed toward me, I grabbed his neck, changed my weight, and rolled backward. Sticking my foot in his chest, I flipped him cleanly over me. I worked to keep hold of him while using his new momentum to propel me in a flip. I landed on top of him, my knee at his throat.

  I asked him with a snarky smile, “Had enough?”

  With a roar of frustration, he pulled me off his hips and kicked up a leg behind me, landing a steal boot tip on the back of my head. Pain painted stars in my vision, but Devon expertly erased them through our link.

  Put him down and end this.

  I raised a fist and hit the vampire hard enough to make an audible crack on the concrete.

  Yet, it wasn’t enough.

  He threw me backward, forcing me to regain my balance a few feet back. He didn’t stop as he came at me. He was on a high and determined to expend every last drop of it on me.

  Blocking another cross from him, a corner of my lip rose in a smirk. I knew just what to do.

  I took three steps back, giving ground with every blow he launched at me. When I saw confidence of my retreat painted on his face, I danced around, taking hit after hit. He wailed on me until I had myself lined up between him and Carson, then he threw one last haymaker. I sidestepped it and caught him in an arm bar. Using his own joints as leverage, I threw him full force at Carson, yelling, “Your turn, put him down!”

  Carson sprang to his feet. The vampire’s body tumbled through space, inching toward Carson as my altered perception crackled at the speed of electricity. The vampire spun around, and power surged around us. Not from Devon–emanating from Carson. This was not normal.

  As he turned toward me, Carson’s eyes changed color. Instead of the dark brown I knew, they had turned a bright blue. Nadia’s brilliant shade of blue.

  Nadia had taken control.

  Her eyes now spied the world with a savagery well beyond Carson. How was this possible? Scions were extensions of the vampire, not a host for them. What kind of connection did they have to allow her to take over completely?

  Pull back, Rowan. Now. Get out of the way!

  I jumped a full eight feet in reverse. From here, I could defend myself if she came at me in her determination.

  Nadia’s feral excitement smeared a twisted smile on Carson’s usually peaceful features. With a hiss, she launched at the vampire. She met him and drove him up in the air with a series of blows. Her lips pulled back farther into a savage baring of teeth as she continued to pummel him with no mercy.

  My jaw gaped. Our sweet genteel diplomat had been a soldier.

  During the Reclamation, Romaric had spent the year of terrorist bombings collecting the remaining human troops. All over the world, he conscripted them into his battalions of vampires and other Preternaturals. Then through his connections with the other vampire families, he’d led a powerful counter attack through the Middle East. Obviously, Canada had come to that call. Mild-mannered Nadia must have joined in the Reclamation battles personally.

  The Mistress’ use of Romaric’s vicious tactics was clear. She worked the vampire around the room. He had taken so much damage already. She was going to kill him in her bloodlust. Maybe Carson with him. There was no way having your conscious mind pushed aside in your body was healthy. This might not have been the good idea I’d hoped for.

  She hoisted the vampire’s body off the ground. “Nadia, stop!” I screamed at them.

  Carson blinked hard and took in a sharp breath. He stared at his own arms, holding the entire body of the renegade vampire over his head. The evil, blue sparkle in Carson’s eyes melted into an empty, brown, downturned stare. The vampire groaned, and a little of his blood trickled down Carson’s arm. With a short, quick motion, Carson swung his body around and dropped him on his head. The cervical vertebrae crunched with a wet pop, and the vampire folded into a heap.

  It wasn’t fatal; the vampire would heal eventually, but it would take weeks without a regular blood source. I would make sure he wouldn’t have access to blood where he was going.

  “Done,” Carson said quietly.

  I blinked at the diplomat in front of me. Had Nadia really been a part of Romaric’s troops as they had swept through all of the Middle East and many areas of Africa, killing the population and destroying all the buildings and bunkers they could find? They had left nothing and no man, woman, or child behind to threaten them again. With those actions, Selvig Romaric had revealed the big secret without fear. Monsters were real, and they were coming to save mankind.

  And she’d been one of Romaric’s forces to end the jihad and save us all. I suddenly felt very lucky to be alive af
ter Nadia’s big show.

  Oh, stop complaining. You weren’t in danger. But that was interesting.

  What just happened?

  Sometimes you have the best ideas.

  Shaking off Devon’s cryptic amusement, I took a cautious step toward Carson, my hands splayed open at my sides. “You okay over there, Rambo?”

  Carson pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his hands clean.

  “Alive and well. You?” His words were flippant, but his voice rang with confusion and pain.

  He stepped over the vampire toward me, wiping the side of his shoe on the beast’s trousers.

  Glancing at him askance, I tried for a grin. “Fan-freaking-tastic.” I paced by him, brushing his shoulder with mine, testing his leftover nerves. He quivered but didn’t react otherwise.

  Nodding to myself, I flipped the vampire over with just a bit more force than necessary and checked to see if it was a true spinal break or not. Finding the dude would survive, I had mixed feelings. “At least it won’t create more paper work.” I brought his hands together and zipped them with the rune-inscribed strips. “That’ll hold until the crew arrives.”

  Lyle, back in human form, strode onto the scene and whistled. “Please tell me you didn’t kill this one.”

  Shaking my head, I grimaced. “He’ll live, though he’ll need some help getting his rations down for a while.” Letting him fall back to the ground with a thud, I stood. “I’ll let them read him his rights when he’s conscious.”

  Squatting, Lyle picked up the now unconscious girl’s body. “I’ll get her to the medics. Can you watch the vamp to make sure he doesn’t disappear?”

  I gave him an offhand salute and watched as my partner made his way back to the club. Leaning against the closest steel beam, I felt a cold breeze on my shoulder. Glancing down, I cursed at the tear in my blouse. “Dammit.” I kicked the vampire’s leg.

  You did well. I’ll meet you at Nadia’s hotel. She and her scion will require assistance. She’s not going to be doing well after all that. We don’t want accidents, especially ones you’ve inspired.

  “Keeps getting better and better,” I said out loud to Carson. “Seems we’ll be going to your place tonight.”

  “I’ll let Nadia know.” Carson stepped past me without a glance back.

  Yeah… better and better.

  anding my keys to the valet, I steeled myself for what was going to be a very uncomfortable rest of the night. I needed to stop coming up with such good ideas. Carson had ignored me during all of the processing and the entire drive to his hotel. Even now, as we marched toward the hotel, he refused to acknowledge I existed. My few feeble attempts to get him to talk in the car had been met with silence and long looks out the passenger’s side window. The fight hadn’t been that bad; I’d been in much worse. Maybe he was more delicate than I’d thought, but I didn’t think so. Something more had to have happened.

  Give him time, cherie, Devon teased.

  God, stop calling me that. This isn’t funny. I did something to piss him off, and for the life of me, I can’t figure it out.

  Well, you do have a knack for upsetting those around you, cherie.

  Ugh. That name again. I refused to rise to the bait. Yeah, but most of the time I mean to do it. This time, I didn’t.

  I continued my trek inside, next to Carson, yanking hard on the door to the hotel.

  To the right when you enter. The bar. We’ll walk up together, Devon instructed.

  With my body language, I directed Carson to the bar area. Devon was lounging in a corner booth, waiting with a martini glass in front of him. He smiled brightly at us.

  “Welcome back, both of you. Carson, I’ve taken the liberty of ordering you a martini, twist of lemon. Please, join me.”

  Carson bowed to Devon, his eyes lifting with genuine relief. “You’re a mind-reader.” Carson paused to let me take a seat next to Devon before settling diagonally from the vampire. He took a long draught of vodka and cleared his throat. “I’m afraid I had to borrow heavily from my mistress this evening. She may not be the sanguine host she usually is.”

  Devon’s expression fell into one of sympathy. “I know. I was monitoring the situation well. Though it was not as dire a situation as we’ve had to face, I’m worried your Mistress’s reaction may be too ‘sanguine,’ hence why we are here with you.”

  “Remind me never to get clever with my diction again,” Carson quipped into his glass, trying to hide the grimace creeping onto his lips by sipping the martini.

  When his drink was finished, Carson stood and gathered himself, dusting off his trousers and smoothing his shirt. “Nadia is ready.”

  Nodding, Devon and I rose to our feet and followed him from the bar and up the stairs. Devon’s fists were clenched. Were we about to put down a high ranking diplomat?

  Depends on how she handles this.

  I faltered in my steps. I was kidding.

  I’m not. Stay close to me and, for once, try not to be cute.

  Pressing my lips together, I caught up quickly to keep my nerves from showing.

  At their door, Carson got out the key card and opened it. Like the gentleman he was, he stepped aside for us to enter first, but Devon stopped me from moving forward.

  “Carson, you are Nadia’s. I would not step between a vampire and her scion before it was necessary. Please, go before us.”

  We watched him advance into the dim hotel room. My eyes grew wide as I felt Devon pulling power from me. That had never happened before. With a sharp nod, he took my arm and entered the room. Even though the night had only a few hours of darkness left, the blacked-out shutters, used to protect the vampiric guests from the sun, were already sealed over all the windows. I glanced around the room, my vision heightened by my connection with Devon. Several bottles had been broken against many of the walls. Nadia must’ve had quite a party before we’d arrived.

  Nadia reclined on a chaise near the fireplace. She had draped herself onto the lounge gracefully, arranging a somewhat-modest satin nightgown and a fur throw over her body. Her lids drooped, but she managed to keep eye contact as we entered. She regarded Carson, who was squinting in the darkness.

  “Weakened, my dear Carson,” she responded out loud, “but able to speak. Devon, darling, please forgive my impertinence. I’m afraid I must welcome you from here.”

  Devon swept in, dragging me beside him and depositing me by the divan across from where Carson was standing, out of the way. With a broad, deliberate motion, Devon slid before Nadia and bowed gallantly, placing himself between the lounging Mistress and us humans. “Not at all, dear lady. We are sorry to intrude upon you this evening, but we would all be remiss if something happened to you or your scion.”

  Nadia pursed her lips at him then glared over Devon’s shoulder at me. Her lips thinned even more as her expression morphed with focus.

  Shifting into her view again, Devon continued with as relaxed and jovial an air as I had ever heard from him. “I’d say our two did quite splendidly tonight, wouldn’t you?”

  “Considering the outrageous circumstances,” Nadia muttered, “it could have been far worse.

  Carson paced behind Devon, finally taking a seat beside me. He smirked and shook his head. Gazing around, he squinted against the darkness again. I sat up straighter. Through my bond with Devon, I could see fine, my night vision not requiring the extra light. But Carson was struggling–Nadia had withdrawn her power from him. Something was definitely wrong.

  “Indeed, my friend,” Devon replied to Nadia, his voice rising and falling as if he were freaking Shakespeare. “The fight could’ve been catastrophic. But, alas, our scions have returned to us, safe and sound.”

  I winced. The strain this playacting was placing on Devon was palpable; I could feel it–his quick glances over his shoulder, racing heartbeat, sweating palms. Devon could be Mr. Pomp and Circumstance himself, but not to this level of cheese. There had to be a reason.

  Nadia’s eyes flick
ed to me again, full of longing, as if…

  Her hunger was too strong.

  I stretched my back up, trying to keep my muscles warm. Sitting hadn’t been a good idea if I needed to dodge a master vampire.

  Carson too shifted up, stiffening, and squinted fearfully at Nadia. He should know better; fear would only aggravate her predator senses and make him the prey. Quietly, I put a comforting hand on his shoulder, hoping to ease his mind.

  Out of nowhere, Nadia blurred into action.

  Nadia launched herself from the dainty pink couch. Her lips were drawn back to reveal her fangs. “Mine!” she hissed as her hand reached for my throat.

  Don’t touch him! Devon screamed in my mind as he materialized before me, his arm intercepting Nadia’s grasp. He knocked the divan and both of us scions backward in the process. The divan’s antique legs crunched under the strain.

  Nadia hissed at the end of Devon’s arm, his fingers gripping her throat. Her eyes moved in rapid, unnatural motions from Carson to me to Devon.

  Another blur of motion, and a crunch of someone’s flesh. I’d dodged her swing, but Devon had to slam her down to the ground. I glanced at Carson. Their bond was working perfectly. Fresh bruises formed on his throat in the shape of Devon’s hand. He was also holding the same side Nadia had fallen onto. He was going to go down if Devon kept beating Nadia before we subdued her. I flipped upright and moved to keep eight feet between Nadia and me.

  Nadia was over-drained. Her form had changed. She was thinner, darker, alien.

  Stepping defiantly through the wrecked furniture, Carson wove his way to a decanter sitting on the far table. With a shake of his head, he held the container up for me to see it was empty of blood.

  Great. Blood was all that would save the situation, and there were very few options in this room.

  Carson shouted, “Master chamber!” before sprinting for the double doors leading to Nadia’s bedroom.