by Flynn Eire
"You found no body?" I asked. I know Matteo had told me, but I needed to hear it from someone who had been there.
"No, Dimitri," Yuri answered shaking his head. "We found three dead Zakasac, blood, and obvious signs of fighting. We also found Alexander's sword, but no Alexander. I just checked with one of the warriors we left at the emergency rendezvous point, he still hasn't gotten there. When we couldn't find him we high tailed it back here to recoup and come up with a plan."
"If they hit you that close to sun-rise, their lair has to be close," I said, thinking hard. Zakasac were what human legends of vampires stemmed from. Sunlight burnt them to ash. "How far away from here was the attack."
"Not even half an hour," Yuri said, his eyes going wide as he realized what I was getting at. "You don't think . . ."
"I don't know, but if you wanted to get into this facility, taking one of us would be their best course of action," I snapped. "I want this place on lock down. Everyone to the main house, even the pre-trans. Evan, Drake, you guys were on the escort mission, right?"
"Yes, Dimitri," Drake replied, while Evan just nodded.
"Fine, you're in charge of weapons," I barked out. It wasn't that I was pissed, it was just a time when I needed to show I wasn't fucking around and they would listen to me right now, without question. Also, I was the second warrior in charge on this camp. With Alexander gone, it was left up to me. "I want every pre-tran armed with hollowcase bullets. Get Nate to help you do a head count and make sure no one is missing, got it?"
"Loud and clear, boss," Evan said just before they turned and raced out the doors. I knew they would get the job done. After everything that had happened, leaving a warrior behind, they would need to feel useful this second, be kept busy. Even if they didn't normally handle the pretrans class they still knew lockdown procedures and what to do.
"Matteo, I want you to handle the rest of the lockdown procedure," I continued. "I want everyone here and accounted for, like, five minutes ago. We still have hours before sundown, but I'm not taking any chances. I want the lasers armed as soon as we have everyone in here and accounted for."
"You got it. Can I make a suggestion?" Matteo asked.
"What?" I asked raising an eyebrow. I was ready for him to give me shit about my feelings for Alexander clouding my judgment.
"We've got enough gear for all the warriors and the pre-trans to have coms," Matteo said, holding his hands out in front of him. "I think right now all of us should have our mission earpieces in. That way we're all connected and no one can get surprised."
"Good idea," I answered nodding. "Rune, you're on that. You're our techie guy, so we need you for the rescue op, but get one of your guys you trust to do it."
"I'm on it," he answered heading over to the other side of the room. It still surprised me at times, that as submissive as he was in bed and with sex, Rune was our head tech guy. And he was the best of the best at it.
"Yuri," I said, turning to him. "I want everything from escort mission. I want to know who the fuck knew about it. And I also want you to plot out on the digital maps what happened where."
"All over it," Yuri replied nodding at me before turning away.
Once everyone was running around following my orders, I sat at the conference table and went over the list of warriors at the camp. Of the forty warriors, I split us into two groups. I chose the best warriors for the first group, which would be coming with me on the rescue mission. The second group was going to stay here and guard the fort. Quite literally, but actually the camp, since it really wasn't a fort.
The camp was out in the middle of fucking nowhere, east Wyoming. There was a reason that this location was chosen. It gave us necessary privacy from humans of course, but we would also notice if any enemies got too close. The convoy with the councilman was hit about a half an hour away from here. And with another half an hour before sun-rise I had me a general area of where their lair could be. Worst case for the camp, they could be right next door. Best case for the camp, but maybe worse case for Alexander, they could be almost an hour away.
I finally looked down at my watch. It was almost noon. Given it was summertime the sun wouldn't be setting for almost another eight hours. Fuck! That still wasn't as much time as I would have liked. Right now the Zakasac would be dead to the world. Some of the older, more powerful ones could get up before nightfall, but even they had to stay protected.
The closer we got to nightfall though, the more likely Alexander would become someone's snack. I pushed the morbid thought out of my head. I couldn’t think about him dying and also do my best to get him back here.
"Nate says we got all the pre-trans," Evan said as he came back into the war room. "They're armed to the teeth and in the mess hall. Drake and I figured that would give them at least something to do since it's lunchtime."
"Good plan," I answered nodding, then handed him one of the lists I'd made up. "You and Drake are in charge when I leave, Evan. We'll keep you in the loop on coms but I need you here to keep them safe. It's a smart plan for the Zakasac to try and take out warriors before they become warriors."
"I agree," Evan said as he looked over the list. "These are the twenty you're leaving with us?"
"Yeah, I also want you to talk with Nate," I explained. "The pre-trans who have been here less than six months are just cannon fodder, but the ones who are closer to their transitions are excellent marksmen. Set it up so they are protecting the cannon fodder in case there is an attack and Zakasacs are able to break through your lines."
"You got it, Dimitri," he said as he slapped me on the shoulder. "Bring Alexander back. It didn't feel right to leave him behind. We want him back."
"If it takes my last breath, he'll be home before nightfall, Evan," I replied.
"That's why you're the man in charge," Evan said with a smirk before he left the room.
"Alright, everyone is inside the main house," Matteo said, coming up behind me. "Is that who's going?"
"You got it," I answered without even looking back at him. I handed the list to him over my shoulder, "Get those twenty set up and ready to head out in fifteen minutes. And I want the tracking dogs."
While vampires had a great sense of smell, nothing was better than well trained tracking dogs. They were able to separate smells and stay on task better than anything else in the world. Every camp always had a pack of at least ten well trained dogs for search and rescue ops.
"Who's in charge while we're gone?" Matteo asked, pausing before he walked away.
"I've got Evan and Drake," I answered looking at him.
"Good choice," he replied smiling before he walked off.
After that it was a matter of getting everyone into their positions and knowing their assignments. Fifteen minutes later, we were loaded and out the door. I watched everyone get their gear and the dogs loaded into the SUV's as I leaned against the first car with Yuri.
"We'll get him back, Dimitri," he said quietly.
"Of course we will," I replied scrunching my eyebrows and looking at him.
"Look, Dimitri, I know . . ."
"Don't, Yuri," I said, backing away from him. "I can't deal with that now. Right now I'm just the warrior in charge of a rescue op, nothing else. If I think of anything else I won't be able to focus."
"Okay Dimitri," he replied as he headed to the driver's side. I had decided he would lead the convoy since he knew best where the attack happened.
Minutes later, everyone was loaded and I was climbing into the passenger's seat. Once we were through the main gates I contacted Drake to secure all the entrances and turn on the lasers. Those lasers were actually Alexander's idea. They were ultraviolet lights woven into a very tight weave. Any Zakasac that tried to cross them would light up like fireworks and be instantly dead.
I was so deep in thought about the plan, getting Alexander out alive, and no one else getting hurt, that we arrived where the convoy got hit before I realized we'd even gotten close. We all jumped out of the SUV's and sta
rted evaluating what we saw. I hadn't even taken three steps when I felt that familiar tingle up my spine. I calmly took a few steps in each direction, trying to see which way made the feeling get stronger.
"Matteo, forget the dogs," I yelled as I pulled my sword out of the sheath strapped to my back. I barely had time to meet my best friend's eyes before I started off in the direction the feeling was coming from.
All vampires had heightened senses, extreme healing capabilities, and strength. We warriors also all had one special gift, something we were born with, and the gifts differed greatly.
Mine was being able to tell when there were Zakasacs close. I got a feeling that went up my spine like a vibration. It could be compared to the way the hair on your arms and neck rises when you know there's danger around you. But for me, it was more exact. Every one of the warriors knew it was my gift and so they didn't even question why I raced off. They just followed. The stronger the feeling got, the faster I ran. If Zakasacs were close, Alexander was close.
After a few miles of full-out sprinting I saw where I was heading. It looked like an old, abandoned hunting cabin. I figured it was a place the Zakasacs would hold up because all the windows were boarded up. No sunlight coming in.
"Two and three hit the sides," I hissed into my compiece as we got closer. I had split the twenty of us into four teams of five. "Four take the back, one, we go in the front. Get there now."
I saw different teams keep up the pace to go around the cabin and in front of us. My team slowed it down so we could go in and have the other teams hit the building right after. Matteo, Dean, Shane, and Kevin were right behind me as I burst through the front door. What I saw had me seeing red, literally.
There were three Zakasacs drinking from Alexander. Without even thinking, I rushed them. One swing of my sword decapitated two of them. They had been drinking from Alexander's wrists, kneeling in front of him. Both had stopped drinking to look up when we busted through the door, so I had a clear shot at their heads without a chance of hurting Alexander.
The third one jumped towards me. I let him impale himself on my sword and then raised it towards the ceiling. He was down in two pieces before I knelt in front of Alexander. I heard some fighting going on around me, but none of that mattered, only him.
"Alexander, it's Dimitri," I said as I put my sword away and cradled his face in my hands. "Talk to me Alexander."
"Dimika? Is that really you?" He asked me quietly while he smiled widely. "I knew you would come for me, Dimika."
"MEDIC!" I turned my head and screamed, "I need a fucking medic here!"
"I'm okay, Dimika. Just tired, so very tired," Alexander said softly as he tried to raise a hand to touch my hands on his face. The effort it took was evident, he didn't have the strength to do it. "Just hold me my love, my Dimika."
"No, don't sleep. Fight, goddamn you!" I said loudly, slapping his cheek to keep him aware. I pulled him against my body and hugged him fiercely. "Don't leave me Alexander, please, stay with me, I love you. You can't leave me like this. MEDIC!"
"Dimitri, let him go," someone said, but I could barely hear them. I was holding onto Alexander, trying to will him to live. I was rocking us back and forth as the tears poured down my face. "Dimitri, it's Sam, let him go. I need to look at him."
"Sam?" I asked confused before turning to look at him. Then it hit me, Sam was a medic. Immediately I released Alexander into Sam's arms. I backed up out of the way so the other medics could get to him.
"Alright, let's get him loaded up," Sam said as two of them picked Alexander up. I followed them blindly outside and saw someone had gone back to grab one of the SUV's while I was freaking out. "Dimitri, hop in and hold him steady."
I nodded at Sam and climbed into the back seat. They handed me Alexander and I grabbed him under the shoulders and pulled him into the back seat with me. Sam climbed in after us so that Alexander was in the middle. He was busy trying to put an IV into Alexander but I was too focused on keeping him awake.
"Look at me, baby," I cooed trying to stay calm. "Alexander, stay with me, okay?"
"I'm always with you, Dimika," he answered as he tried to arch up and kiss me. Alexander wasn't strong enough right now and I had no problem leaning over and gently touching my lips to his. "That was better than what I've dreamed of."
"You can have as many kisses as you want, whenever you want, Alexander," I whispered, still crying. "Just don't leave me. I need you."
"As I need you," Alexander replied as he started to pass out.
"I gave him something to sleep, Dimitri," Sam said, having seen my concern. "I've got blood running into him, replenishing his supply. But he doesn't need to be awake for the drive back. Those bites have to hurt like a son of a bitch."
"When are we . . ." I started to ask, but realized the SUV was already moving at top speed. I looked up front and saw Matteo was driving like we had hundreds of Zakasacs on our ass. I had been so focused on Alexander I missed my friends taking over and getting us the fuck home. Well, that's what friends are for I guess. Turning back to Alexander, I ran my hand down his face lovingly. He was safe. He was alive. Nothing else mattered, anything else we could work out.
* * * * "Dimitri, what are you doing here?" I heard someone ask. I rubbed my hands over my eyes, and then sat up like a shot.
"Alexander, you're awake," I said, moving towards him. I had fallen asleep in the chair next to his bed in the clinic. Everyone had kept telling me he was fine, and I could leave. But I couldn't. I had to stay until I knew he was going to be okay.
"Yes, I'm fine, Dimitri," he replied rolling his eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"Making sure you were okay," I answered, starting to get confused. "They said you were going to be okay, but I wanted to be here when you woke up."
"Why?" Alexander asked raising an eyebrow. And that one word told me so much.
"You don't remember what you said to me after we rescued you, do you?"
"I was suffering from several Zakasac bites, and major blood loss," Alexander replied smirking. "I'm sure I said some wondrous things. What? Did I tell you I loved you or something stupid?"
"No, of course not," I answered, feeling cold. I had dropped the hand that was reaching out to touch him down to my side. "I'm glad you're better."
I turned and ran from the room.
"Dimitri . . ." Matteo said as he tried to grab my arm as I went past him in the hallway. I ducked out of his reach and just shook my head. I couldn't talk right then, it hurt too much.
Now I knew the truth.
No matter how much I wanted Alexander, he would never love me, want me. And all the trying to get over him in the world wasn't going to erase the fact I loved him, no matter how many times he hurt me.
Chapter 6
The next few days I kept completely to myself. I went to teach my pre-transitions but other than that I stayed in my room and refused to open the door. I didn't eat or sleep. Also, I didn't go see Rune. While he might not have minded me using him like that, I did. I didn't want him, I wanted Alexander. And that was never going to happen so I resigned myself to a life alone.
I was getting lots of stares and whispering about the Zakasacs I killed. Everyone was so impressed I killed three of them before any other warriors had gotten in the door. It had taken several of them to kill the other two that were there. I missed that part of the mission by being so focused on Alexander. And I really didn't give a shit I had impressed people. I'd done it without thinking because I saw them hurting the man I loved.
The sweep team that stayed behind when I left to help tend to Alexander had found the motherlode. There were detailed plans of kidnapping one of the warriors from each camp all over the world. The enemy was getting organized and banding together, something we had never seen before. Zakasacs were more solitary creatures, once in a while living in small groups. But even those normally contained no more than three or four members.
The plans and details that were found showed dozens upon doz
ens of them grouping together, all for the same goal. To wipe out the vampire councils and every warrior they could get their hands one. Even the ones that hadn't hit their transition yet.
Reports were still coming in from other warrior camps and councils about the damage already done. And for them to have organized a worldwide attack to this magnitude . . . we weren't dealing with the Zakasacs of old. This was a whole new breed of enemy. One with leadership and goals extending beyond just death and destruction.
Alexander had been interviewed by the council once he recovered. He ended up learning from the Zakasacs and giving away nothing they wanted to know. Not only had the council been thoroughly impressed, it seemed to feed his legendary status.
The fourth day after my talk with Alexander in the clinic I got a note from Matteo. He had some questions about the training schedule and really needed to talk to me. I knew it was more than that, he probably wanted to check if I had lost my mind yet. But either way I wasn't just going to ignore him.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I heard Alexander growl as I walked up to Matteo's office in the training facility.
"Don't lie to me, Alexander," Matteo replied. "You know what my gift is."
"We're not allowed to use our gifts on each other," Alexander sneered. "Besides, you're still wrong, you just don't know how to use your gift."
"Bull fucking shit, Alexander!" Matteo yelled. "And I can't turn off my gift. I see people's auras. Every time anyone lies to me, they light up like a fucking Christmas tree. You love him! Why can't you just admit that to yourself and him? You could be happy. Dimitri would do anything for you, why deny you love him?"
"Enough," I screamed as I walked into the room.
"Dimitri, I was just . . ." Matteo started to say.
"Just what, Matteo?" I growled, "Trying to trick Alexander into admitting he loves me when you asked me to come here right now? So what, your grand scheme failed. He doesn't love me, fuck, I don't even think he likes me as a person. I didn't ask for your help, I don't want your help, Matteo. Just stay the fuck out of it and leave it alone. He doesn't want me, I'll eventually find someone who does!"