Dearly Beloved

by Jackie Ivie

  “I am to have her with me. Akron’s orders. I will not have her harmed. By anyone. Including you.”

  “Look. If she wasn’t such a wild-cat, I wouldn’t have cuffed her. But come on, St. Guis, I used my sex cuffs. They’re fur-lined. Nothing drastic.”

  “I will take that up with you later. When I return.”

  “Dominick?” Courtney reached and put a hand on his shoulder. He might have been looking at her, but she couldn’t tell. “I have a really bad feeling about this.”

  “ Agapimeni . This is child’s play. Wait. Watch if you like. You have the glasses?”

  “Please. Do I look like the beginner here?” Len replied.

  A pair of binoculars was placed on the ground beside here. And then Dom was gone. Just like that. She didn’t even feel him move from beneath her. All she felt was rocks and sand.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “It’s taking too long. I can’t see anything.”

  “It’s been five minutes since you last said that. And you never see anything if St. Guis is involved. The man’s practically a shadow. I’d think his mate would know that.”

  “You’re already near the top of my jerk list, Leonard. A few more snide remarks could see you firmly—. Wait! What was that light?”

  “Lightning bug in front of your lens, probably.”

  “OK. That puts you at the top. Above Rashid.”

  “Oh…I’m all kinds of terrified over here,” he replied.

  “There it is again!”

  “You’re imagining things.”

  “And you’re blind. Those are little green lights. Like laser guidance things. They only come out for a moment and then they’re gone.”

  “Green lights you say? Could be Hunters. It’s possible, but I think they’re still occupied with systematically demolishing St. Guis’s villa. Damn shame that. It made a great vacation spot. I don’t suppose you’d like to tell me what happened?”

  “What makes you think I know?”

  “There’s always a woman involved. I almost feel sorry for St. Guis, except the guy’s a complete recluse and doesn’t give me the time of day. Shit! That really is a green laser sight!”

  “Is that bad?”

  “If it’s Hunters.”

  “There really is such a thing as a Vampire Hunter?”

  “Dead serious folks, too. Won’t even listen to a bribe. Too busy cleaning demons from the earth – or some other pious code they swear to.”

  “Will Dominick be all right?”

  “Depends on how many there are. And if he’s already taken out the original targets. Hmmm. Could be interesting to wait and see.”

  “Wait and see? Are you nuts? Dom is in trouble.”

  “What do you care? You were escaping him last I checked. Looks like you might get your chance.”

  What did she care? Emotion gripped her entire chest and started radiating from there until her fingernails even throbbed with it. She cared. A lot. That realization terrified and thrilled before turning everything into worry.

  “Eleven. No. Looks like Twelve. Damn. St. Guis has his hands full tonight. He probably should change to guns. They’re easier.”

  “He doesn’t know how to shoot?”

  “How would I know? The man rarely condescends to notice me. All I’ve ever seen him with are those swords. No…wait! Thirteen.”

  “Thirteen what?”

  “Hunters.”

  Courtney was on her feet, dusting the sand from her palms onto her shorts and looking at sandals that weren’t going to be easy to run in. She really needed to get some clothing that wasn’t designed for leisure activities in a Mediterranean villa. When she had Dominick back in sight.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “We have to help him.”

  “Right. How do you imagine we do that?”

  “I don’t know. But we have to help him. Now! Get up and help me.”

  “I’m not immortal.”

  “You wearing a weapon for fun, or are you any good with it?” She couldn’t see him stiffen at her snide tone, but it sure sounded like it.

  “I work for the Vampire Assassin League for a reason, Lady. I’m one of the best.”

  “Then get off your butt and prove it!”

  “And have my ass in a wringer when St. Guis finds out? No way. We stay here.”

  “Fine. Stay. I’m going in.”

  Courtney lost a sandal on her second step, looking and feeling like a complete idiot. It was going to take a half hour or more just to get to the bottom of this cliff. Heaven knew how long to get across the span of desert. Her eyes filled with moisture she blinked right back to where it came from. What a horrible time to find out you loved someone!

  “Fine. You win. I’ll get the bike. Don’t move. Women! ”

  He had a dirt bike. It was loud and rough, but it was fast. It took twelve minutes to reach the compound gates and her heart kept pace with every passing second. Courtney was close to hyperventilating before they raced through them. The portal hadn’t been opened. There was a huge hole cut through the chain-link topped with spiked barbed wire. She ignored it, as well as the four or five dark shadows that could be dead guards. She didn’t waste any time on counting or verifying, but with all the blood, they didn’t look like they were going to be a problem.

  A low-pitched shriek pulsated through the night, seeming to come in waves toward them. Her heart recognized Dominick but nothing else about it was familiar. That’s when she knew the full impact. She loved him. Massively. There was no fighting it anymore. It no longer mattered what he was. She loved him and somebody was hurting him.

  “What is that?”

  “ That is a vampire in trouble. Bail!”

  Courtney didn’t have time to register the command before the bike went left, and Len launched right, taking her with him. Her hip took the brunt of the impact, while a spear-thing stabbed into the ground where they’d just been. She watched with gap-mouthed shock as Len had his rifle off his shoulder, pegged the spear-thrower as well as the man behind him. He’d done it so rapidly the shaft of the spear was still trembling.

  “Move!”

  He didn’t have to say that twice. Bullets whizzed past her, making air-rifle sounds. They had silencers. Great. Courtney scrambled toward a building, hitting the side of it exactly like Len did, with the same thump.

  “What’s with the spears?”

  “Not just spears. These are made of wood…from a cross. Very effective at killing vampires. If aimed right. Run!”

  Another spear sliced through the air above her left ear. It went wide since she crouched low, learned from hours of playing VIDWAR. Instinct kicked in. Courtney ran, stumbled over a fallen body, rolled, and grabbed for his weapon before she reached her feet again. Dodged behind a Quonset hut and checked the gun. She had a 9mm. Clip intact. Fully loaded. She’d lost both sandals and the shorts were ripped, but they were small prices to pay.

  Another shriek pierced the air, sending a chill all the way through her. Courtney swallowed the emotion back, blinked away any tears, steadied her hands, sucked in a deep breath, and then raced for the sound. She didn’t know where Len was, and she didn’t care.

  She ran into another body, this time going to her knees in a jolt that had nothing elegant about it. Another guard fellow. Headless. Courtney ignored the gore and grabbed for his weapon as well. And his spare clip. She tucked it into her waistband. The hum of voices drew her to a large building shape, the door just barely cracked, letting a slice of light onto the dirt outside. Courtney heard a groaning sound from Dom and then she was at the door. She knew they were Hunters without looking. There was an unpleasant burnt smell in the air about them.

  “You’re killing him!”

  “That’s the idea.”

  “We need him alive! That’s the lone way to find their leader.”

  “Alive? The bastard’s too dangerous. You want to risk it? Look around. He’s already taken out half the team.”

&nb
sp; “I say fry him.”

  “Then we have to wait for another bit of luck. I don’t know about you, but I’m sick to death of following Leonard Griggins around. Three months of sick.”

  “It worked.”

  “Yeah…this time.”

  “I say we kill him.”

  Courtney’s entire body tensed. She had to wipe her palms on her shorts and re-grip her guns. Right first. Left.

  “Not until he talks!”

  “Use the Holy water, already. It’ll burn right through him. They tell me it’s agonizing. He’ll talk.”

  “Allow me.”

  She heard sizzling and then something suspiciously like a sob. Courtney peeked; retreated back into the shadow. That one look told her enough. There were seven of them. One was dripping water onto Dom. The rest were in various stages of amusement. Chuckling . They wore dun-colored uniforms of some kind, matching the surroundings. They had spear-things and guns. They had every light in the place lit. Dom was in the center of them, covered in some netting thing, while two spears projected from him. He was in a heap.

  Keep your cool, Courtney. Evaluate. React .

  She stepped into the warehouse; aimed both guns; waited until they all looked over at her. Most of their expressions were ludicrous.

  “Evening gentlemen.”

  “What the fu—?”

  It was the guy with the water. Courtney nailed him mid-forehead before his gun finished clearing his holster. She had her sights aimed at two others before the man fell. She almost smiled at the shock on their faces. She wasn’t a VIDWAR Gray Class marksman for nothing.

  “Anyone else want to try me?” she asked, flicking her eyes to the others.

  The heap that was Dom shifted, and then trembled. Good. He still lived. Or whatever vampires did. Soon, my love. Soon .

  “You want to just pack up and leave now? Or you want to play?” She continued.

  “Go away, Little Girl. We got things to do.”

  The man on her far right said it with his move to shoot. Courtney pegged him in the chest and then the left eye. Just to show she could. She didn’t wait for him to crumple before moving her sights again.

  “I said release him. Now.”

  “You don’t understand! He’s a vamp—!”

  She had him and the guy beside him who tried to get a shot off, both of them mid-chest, and then center forehead. She’d heard dead silence was an accolade, carrying respect; awe. She was finally receiving it. There wasn’t a sound coming from anyone.

  “I already know he’s a vampire. Now…is someone going to take the covering off him, or do I have to make you?”

  One of them shifted his eyes. A whiff of ash-tainted odor added to it. Courtney hit the ground on a knee, spun, and shot the man in the door through the groin and then his open mouth. She didn’t have to duck to avoid the spear send at her, but did it anyway, regaining her feet to face the others again. It looked like those three hadn’t even moved.

  “I’m really getting tired of asking. You.”

  She gestured with her left gun at the left man. He moved to Dom and pulled at the netting. One part of her noted it had crucifixes dangling from the under-side of it; hundreds of them, each burning and scraping as they moved. The other part of her was steel-hard and lethal. Dominick looked like a piece of raw meat. The two spears went through his chest. All the way through it. Courtney clamped her jaw to keep the cry from sounding. The guns wavered. She tightened everything: her fingers on the triggers, her forearms, back, legs. The muscles behind her eyes joined in, giving everything an odd reddish hue.

  “You have one chance left, Gentlemen. You can drop your weapons and leave, and nobody else has to die.”

  “Who are you?” One of them asked.

  “Me? Can’t you tell? I’m his mate.”

  She should’ve known they wouldn’t leave nicely. Courtney watched them all act as one, on a silent signal. Idiots. She’d passed that test in the Yellow Class phase. She had them all nailed and didn’t need Len’s bullet adding to her final shot, but it was nice to know he’d arrived finally. He moved to stand beside her as the last man dropped onto his face.

  “Holy smoke, Sister. Remind me not to get between you and your mate.”

  Courtney didn’t answer. She’d ditched the guns and was beside Dominick, finding his jaw and lifting his face, looking for his eyes. No spark of life. Just obsidian black. Nothing.

  “I called for a chopper.”

  “What?” She wasn’t really listening. Dom wasn’t responding.

  “We have to evacuate. Rapidly. Doesn’t look like His Highness is ready…and there’s that anonymous 991 call to consider.”

  “You made a 991 call?”

  “Somebody’s got to let those cult members out of the lock-up. And look there. We got dead Hunters all over the place to take the blame this time.”

  “What should…I do?” Courtney was sobbing. She couldn’t hide it. She wasn’t a merciless killer in the VIDWAR game anymore. She was a woman in love and it was a horrible feeling. And if Dominick died, she was going with him.

  “We have to get those stakes out of him. It’ll really hurt. You’re not going to shoot me when I do it, are you?”

  “No.”

  “Good. Hold him then. Tight.”

  Courtney grabbed onto Dom while Len moved behind, put a boot to Dom’s back and yanked. Warm fluid spurted. Life fluid. Courtney couldn’t see it through her tears. It was enough she knew what it was.

  “Good! Now…the other one.”

  The second spear took three solid yanks. Dom’s body jerked each time before it was out. Courtney was beyond seeing, no matter how she blinked, more tears got in the way. Dom coughed. Shuddered.

  “Dominick?”

  Courtney lifted his chin. This time there was a life there. Or whatever vampires had.

  “Hi.” He smiled, but it was a sickly-looking affair. He coughed again, sending more liquid onto his chin.

  “Dom! I love you! What can I do? What does he need?”

  “He needs blood, Sister. I’m guessing yours.” Len answered.

  “Take it.” Courtney brushed aside her hair, offering her throat.

  “I think I’ll just wait outside…if you two don’t mind.”

  She didn’t watch Len go. She watched Dominick. Even pale, with open sores all over him, he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. And he was hers. Everything on her body knew it. All she had to do was prove it.

  “Take it, Dom. Now.”

  “I’m…going to need all of it,” he replied.

  “Fine. Do it.”

  “Once I start…I won’t be able to stop.”

  “ Now you decide to use contractions. What timing.”

  He smiled but it was a shaky affair.

  “Go on, then. Take it. I mean, that’s what vampires do when they turn someone isn’t it?”

  “You…certain?”

  “You don’t think I’m staying human, do you? Honestly, Dominick Miklos St. Guis. What more do you need? I love you. I want to be with you. Forever. Starting now. Right now.”

  He grinned, exhibiting long, sharp fangs. Then he opened his lips, dropped his fangs to her neck, and took her.

  -o0o-