by Jools Louise
They each wore a band of iron around their throats, which prevented communication or shifting into their demon form. I knew then, because I had not been given a band, that I was bait of some kind. Perhaps Theo was not such an idiot after all. He would know that I would try to call my coven. He may even believe that Julius was still alive. I now felt a sense of urgency. I had to get my coven out of this place. If Julius came here, we would all be turned to dust. Theo would make the case that Julius attacked him, giving him cause to finish him. There was no return from that kind of death. I unlocked each iron band, guiding each of my family from their cells. They had not been fed for some time and were weak from starvation. I saw them look to Eva and knew their hunger would be great. I regretted that I had killed the guards now because I was not going to sacrifice Eva, even to feed my brethren.
“Don’t worry, Mercer,” Silas rasped dryly, clutching my shoulder for balance. “We will use some of Theo’s little helpers for our needs.” He gave a weak grin and stumbled a little.
“Feed from me,” I suggested, baring my neck to him. Despite the fact that I was a vampire, I had just fed and had real human blood now flowing through my veins since the guard had also eaten recently. It would be enough to sustain my people for now. He hesitated for only a moment before he struck, his fangs sinking into my skin, and I felt the sexual pull as he fed from me, my cock thickening with each draw of his mouth against my neck. I felt his hand on my shoulder grip more tightly as he regained a little strength, and he stroked my arm gently, the tips of his fingers brushing the sides of my chest.
“Thanks,” he said gratefully and kissed me, his lips red with blood.
I kissed him back, enjoying his tongue sliding against mine. He gripped my hips, pulling me against him, his hard cock pressing against me, arousing me further. My cock thickened in response, and I ground against him slowly. I felt my desire increase as the kiss deepened, wanting to be outside this dreadful place so I could explore more of Silas’s delectable body. Parting, we stared at each other and smiled with swollen lips, sharing a knowing look at what we both wanted. I noted the other vampires standing around, looking hungrily at me but not moving to take what they so obviously needed.
“Feed from me, too,” Eva said suddenly, offering herself to the coven willingly.
“Take care,” I cautioned my family, watching carefully as she allowed several to take much-needed blood from her. I did the same for the rest, and between us, we managed to feed everyone, even if it was only a light snack for now. I also saw how they looked at Eva, their eyes showing their gratitude and desire for her. They kissed her gently on her cheek, smiling at her.
She blushed at their attentions, but I saw desire in her eyes, her nipples already hard nubs, pushing against the thin rag of a shirt that she wore, a testament to the sexual pull of the act of their feeding from her. I recalled how responsive she had been in the club, writhing between Julius and I, screaming her pleasure then kissing us both passionately once we had both released our seed inside her sweet body.
“Thank you,” I said, kissing Eva tenderly. She responded eagerly, passionately, but then pulled back suddenly, looking dejected.
“You may not thank me when you know what I did,” she replied, ducking her head miserably.
“You were sent to spy on us,” I retorted softly, seeing her shocked glance. “You were betrayed, my love. Theo used you as a distraction. The real traitor is Charles, not you. I knew why you were there, from the first moment. You were promised an eternity, but Theo turned you into a blood slave instead, didn’t he?”
She nodded, her blue eyes filling with tears. “I was dying of cancer,” she said. “He visited me in the hospital and offered me a choice. He would cure my cancer, if I helped him. In return, he would give me a chance at a better life.” She laughed bitterly. “He’s an asshole.”
I nodded, smiling a little. Eva had been so transparently obvious in her attempts to find out about the Crossroads Coven. She had asked endless questions, her blue eyes wide and innocent, her body beckoning to me. I had decided to turn her, knowing it would stick in Theo’s craw if we converted her to our coven, knowing that Theo would kill her once she had served her purpose. I also knew that Eva was not an evil person. She was intelligent and curious and open to new experiences. Theo had known that and had used her most evilly. He had no use for innocence in his coven. He converted rapists and murderers, not young cancer victims.
“He’s been an asshole for over a thousand years,” I said, rolling my eyes. “But he’s a clever asshole. He played us all.”
“You really aren’t mad at me?” she asked, stroking my cheek. I shook my head, dipping my mouth toward her and kissing her again. She sighed deeply, opening for me, accepting my tongue easily.
“Our little Eva is a passionate minx,” Connie said, her pale caramel gaze fixed with interest on Eva. I sent her my thoughts, asking if Eva would make a suitable addition to our little band, and she nodded, a smile widening her mouth.
She cupped Eva’s cheek gently, stroking her thumb along the curve of our little blonde’s pale jaw. “Little one, may I share a kiss with you?” she asked.
Eva looked startled for a second before nodding shyly. Connie grinned then turned Eva’s face to hers, her lips pressing against Eva’s, her tongue probing delicately inside. Eva gave a low moan of desire, her fingers clutching at air as she gave herself up to the kiss.
“My turn,” Milly said with a grin, bumping Connie aside, and kissed Eva, as well.
“Me, too,” Silas added, moving in, his smile seductive as he took in Eva’s startled expression, and then her tiny nod of acceptance. Silas used both hands to cup Eva’s ass, squeezing lightly as he devoured her mouth, and they were both soon moaning in mutual pleasure.
“And me,” Aaron said with a quick grin, turning Eva his way as he pushed Silas aside.
Eva grinned back, and they both shared saliva before Daniel and then Sven took their turn. I moved in behind Eva, rubbing my hard cock against her soft ass, stroking my hands along the tops of her thighs gently as she kissed my brethren with every indication of enjoyment.
“Soon we will bury ourselves within your sweet body,” I whispered in her ear, and she shuddered. I cupped her bountiful tits, kneading them firmly, enjoying her gasps of pleasure. “We will convert you, but we will show you such pleasure, such ecstasy, before we do so. We want to show you only the best things in this life, once we reach safety.” I pinched her nipples and saw the dazed look in her eyes as she turned her head.
“I’d like that,” she said. Then she paused and sent a startled look to Connie and Milly. “I’ve never…” she began.
Both women stepped closer and kissed her cheeks, her temple, and then shared a hungry three-way kiss with Eva. “We love that we will be your first,” Connie said softly, nipping lightly at Eva’s lower lip.
“I hear more guards coming,” Silas said urgently. I nodded, releasing Eva, who was soon enclosed in Connie’s arms, and headed for a doorway at the end of the hall, a back entrance to the large mansion that led under the gardens to the rear into the woods that surrounded the property. I knew the place well. The mansion had once belonged to Julius, had been gifted to him by the Council after a particularly difficult negotiation with one of the European covens. The Crossroads Coven had no need for dungeons, however, and Julius had found a way to give the place to someone else without causing offense. Theo, in his own unique way, had managed to acquire the place…probably for the sole reason that it had once belonged to Julius. Nobody knew what happened to the interim owner.
“You go,” I said. “Get them to safety.” Eva gasped sharply, and I whirled, seeing guards coming through the tunnel. We’d been discovered.
“Plan B?” Silas asked with a devilish grin.
“Plan B,” I retorted, grinning back.
“What the fuck is Plan B?” Eva asked.
Milly replied, looking thin and gaunt, her lovely green eyes shadowed with grief and a h
int of fear. “Plan B is we fight our way out, past the guards,” she said, standing protectively close to Eva, her arm around Eva’s waist.
I saw the concern in Milly’s gaze and matched it. Fighting our way to freedom would make noise and draw attention to what we were doing. There were other blood slaves down here, who needed rescuing, too, making our escape a little more tricky.
“Then let’s fight,” Eva said grimly. I sent her a look of respect. Eva was beaten but not out for the count just yet. She had fire in her still.
I nodded, and then we turned en masse and surged forward, aiming for the bevy of guards who ran toward us. The melee was swift and brutal. With as little sound as we could manage, we took out every guard, slicing and dicing with brutal efficiency, able to call our demons without the iron bands blocking our abilities. The coven fed from them, gaining more strength, and then we decapitated them in turn, making sure they would not return to haunt us as we turned them to dust.
As the last guard fell, we helped the humans from their prison, and then we ran together, each taking charge of a small group of slaves and using our vampire speed to our advantage and soon leaving the tunnel, heading out into the chilly night. The woods around us provided the perfect cover. I used the blood call again, hearing Julius reply. It was stronger this time, somewhere north of here, and getting closer. We just needed to find somewhere for the humans to find refuge, and then we could meet up with our beloved prince again.
Chapter Five
Julius
I felt as good as I was going to get after feeding on two campers who slept through the whole experience. I was just that good. I repaid their unwitting kindness by borrowing some clothes. Now clad in blue jeans, a warm, fleecy shirt, and a thick down jacket, I felt strong and a lot warmer. I knew it was psychological since I typically did not notice temperature changes, but still. I had also stolen a pair of thick socks, leaving the hikers’ boots, since I already felt guilty for taking stuff from them in the first place. The jacket I had taken from a vehicle I found parked near a lake. I figured it was probably the campers’ jacket, but since they hadn’t bothered to take it with them, it was fair game.
I approached a town, seeing the welcome sign, and hissed triumphantly. I knew exactly where I was now. Theo lived in the next county, about twenty miles away, in his monstrous mausoleum of a mansion that had once been mine. The bastard had a hard-on for anything I laid claim to that was for certain. Fifty bedrooms, plus a dungeon, plus a great hall, like some old medieval castle or something. I had not cared for the place, it being a little pretentious, but Theo had delusions that he was more important than anyone else and had built up the place with that in mind. Little-man syndrome in a vampire like Theo was dangerous. He acted recklessly and brought our entire species dangerously close to discovery by humans who could and would destroy us. This was not the Middle Ages, where humans had only spears and axes and swords. Now they had huge, deadly weapons that could spew fire, dropping bombs and destruction from the sky, without ever having to get close and personal with their targets. Theo’s lust for power was bringing that day closer than ever. He needed to be stopped.
I crouched in the stillness of the early morning, scenting the air. My coven was on its way, and I felt excited that they had escaped. Six had perished, and I was sad that they were dead, adding their deaths to the list of crimes Theo had committed against me and mine. I needed a bolt-hole to plan our next move, away from prying eyes. I knew Theo would come, knew he would not rest until we were all dead. We would be waiting for him.
I turned west, heading for New York State and then up into Canada. We would find refuge over the border and wait out the winter before getting justice. Theo’s days were numbered because, once the snow melted, I would be making plans to take him down…however long it took.
I sent out my directive and agreed to a meeting place, somewhere I had been to several years ago before I had found my tavern. Then I sped away on silent feet before dawn could find me. I refrained from using any other powers, like flight, since that would leave a footprint, traceable by my enemies.
* * * *
Mercer
My tired companions trod wearily toward our final destination, trudging through the deep covering of snow that had fallen overnight. Eva was tiring and had not been able to walk unaided for some time. I carried her in my arms, her body warm against mine, but her breath was raspy. I worried she would not make it and tried to hurry my pace as we headed to the lake where Julius would meet us.
I remembered this place well, a beautifully tranquil location that few knew about. It was isolated, which had caused me some concern, but then I remembered something vital about it. Julius had constructed a blood vault beneath the main structure of the large log cabin. For years, he had been stockpiling bags of blood from various donor centers and also asking club members to donate blood up until about eight months ago. I had never asked what it was for, had thought it was a precaution and had not really thought that Julius was suspicious of anyone in particular, like Theo. At least not to the extent that he had been building a new nest. I should have read the signs more clearly.
The place looked like any other holiday home in this part of the Canada, sitting alone among the trees, not far from the lakeshore. This was all private land, however, and there was only the one structure for miles around. The cabin sprawled over a large area, one-story high, and had a large basement underneath that held the vault, plus hidden, secure rooms that could house our entire coven…complete with supernatural alarm system to warn of impending danger. If needed, we could hole up here for years and never need to leave. If Theo ever found this place, he might be tempted to burn it to the ground, but Julius had been smart, building two extra exits plus surrounding the basement in fireproof materials. Even a bomb dropped from above would have little impact in what was essentially a bunker.
I strode closer, seeing the cabin through the trees, my pace quickening with relief. A familiar figure stood alone on the lakeshore…at least I thought I knew who it was. The man was clad in blue jeans and a thick shirt and down jacket. His long silver hair was neatly tied in a ponytail, gleaming under the moonlight, his feet snugly encased in thick work boots. Quite unlike anything Julius would ordinarily wear. I thought he looked like a short lumberjack and smiled at the analogy.
The man turned, and I let out a cry of relief. It was Julius. I picked up speed, now running toward him, the coven following gladly. He was smiling, looking delighted but exhausted. His face was a little gaunt, and his eyes showed the shadows of grief that we all felt. I hugged him with one arm as I reached him, careful not to jostle Eva too much.
“Is this…” Julius asked, wide eyed as he studied Eva’s face.
“Yes, her name is Eva,” I replied, nodding, and kissed Julius affectionately on the mouth, our tongues swirling together unhurriedly, savoring the taste. “She was at the club when it all went down. They made her a blood slave.”
Julius looked sick and angry at the same time, and he stroked Eva’s face tenderly, his dark eyes showing his sorrow at what had been done to her. “Was she…” he asked, wanting to know how much she had been abused.
“Theo gave her to his guards,” I said grimly. Julius snarled viciously. We both knew that Eva would have been helpless against those brutes.
“Hi,” Eva suddenly whispered, her blue eyes opening as she stared at Julius drowsily. She smiled shyly at him, showing no fear. “Are we home yet? We traveled so far.”
“Hey little one,” Julius murmured, smiling at her. “Let’s all get inside, batten down the hatches, and refuel.”
I nodded and carried Eva inside, followed by the others, who had each taken time to hug and kiss Julius, cementing their bond. Each one of us was indebted to Julius, one way or another, and we loved him dearly. He was our rock, and our savior. We were so glad that he was okay.
* * * *
Eva
I felt so sleepy and warm, a delicious state to be in after the bitter c
oldness of the trek from Massachusetts to Quebec, Canada. Our journey had been arduous and filled with dangers. I had held my companions back from fleeing any faster, since we had sick humans with us. The other prisoners, the humans anyway, had been dropped at various shelters along the way. Most had been homeless and used as blood slaves to fuel Theo’s army. They had been given funds to help get them on their feet, courtesy of the coven’s mutual bank account, plus a little helping hand with their memories to blank out the horrors of what they’d suffered. Not foolproof, but even if they remembered, who would believe them?
Trying to avoid Theo’s goons had been a priority after fleeing his mansion. I had nearly died from blood loss and cold until Mercer had kindly stolen some food from a gas station, filling me with pastries and candy and hot coffee. We had emergency cash stashes buried in certain places, and managed to retrieve funds before I needed to eat again. At our next pit stop, he bought burgers from a roadside fast food joint, and I had felt replete at last. Now we were in a cozy cabin in the Canadian wilderness, far from the brutality of Theo the Thug.
I was lying on a massive bed, with Mercer on one side and Julius the other. Milly and Silas lay cuddling together on Mercer’s other side, the thick quilt covering us all, and I had never felt safer or more comfortable in my life. I knew what they were, knew they were vampires. I had faced death, the slow, torturous glide of cancer having filled my body with its poison, and had known far more fear back then than I ever had among these people.
I sighed softly, feeling the soft stroke of Mercer’s fingers through my hair, now clean and fresh after a long hot shower. We had all spent several minutes enjoying the cleansing ritual.
Julius had his hand splayed against my belly, occasionally stroking me, his body firm and warm against me. The rest of the coven shared the other bedrooms, with two keeping guard upstairs. Aaron, Daniel, Sven, and Connie were taking care of some of the weaker members, letting them feed a little more. They were also bonding with them, sharing some sexy time with the coven, reassuring everyone that, for now, they were safe. Julius had said there was a failsafe system here but didn’t say what it was. Something about old magicks being used to repel monsters. He’d mentioned Appalachia but no more.