She paused and shook her head. Maya glanced in her direction and mouthed, “What?”
“Nothing,” Sanaya whispered to her.
Your friend is beautiful, Cain commented with a hint of amusement. Back in ancient days, she would have made a lovely lair queen.
I think the fuck not! Sanaya fumed.
Cain laughed heartily. That's why I like you. You are as the new generation says, ’real’.
What do you want Cain? Sanaya asked, losing patience. I'm in class.
You may be physically in class, but your mind is elsewhere...like I said, I simply wanted to check on you. Perhaps I popped in at a bad time.
You always pop in when it is most inconvenient, Sanaya turned the page of her notebook.
Well, not only did I want to demonstrate my concern for your well-being, I also wanted to warn you, he said, his tone darkening. Selene has officially made a deal with The Beast, which means it will not be long before she homes in on me and serves me up on a silver platter.
Where is she? Sanaya leaned forward, desperate to find out more about Selene.
Right now, she is off in the Caribbean somewhere resting and feeding, but she will be strong soon...
What do you want me to do right now? Archer is wounded and The Council is -
Busy. I know. Aklia is beyond coming to an understanding. Her vendetta towards me is rooted well beyond the centuries... I don't want you to do anything right now. But when the time comes and I call, I need you to be ready. Until then, I will as they say, “watch your back”...
Fine. But stay out of my business, she threatened.
It is rather difficult not to get into your business when you smell like that...
You are so annoying...she grumbled.
You wear him like a second skin...he is your shield and indeed a worthy adversary for something as precious as you. You are his Luluwa...and even a vampire as old and ancient as me can respect a bond as deep as that.
Well thank you Cain...Judging from your tone I am starting to think we are friends...
Friends...I could be your friend, Slayer. Yes, friends... I haven't had a friend in eons...
Sanaya was not sure where this conversation was going, but if Cain wanted to believe they were friends then so be it. If he was really on the path towards redemption, then she would help him as much as she could. But the moment he violated their agreement and decided to go after any Guardian or member of her team it was on.
Uh Cain?
Yes, friend?
Class.
Right. Go learn. I will talk to you later.
Sanaya returned her attention to her instructor who had his back towards the class again. Maya had her head down grinning from ear to ear more than likely from something Danny texted her. Just one more hour before class was over. She needed to speak with Archer, but she could not be certain if the doctors would permit her entrance into his room. Aklia had given her the gift of healing, and it would be worth a try to see what she could do, but Lois and a few other Guardians were against it. They felt healing Archer would be more than what she could handle...at least for now. She glanced over at Maya who was still beaming from ear to ear, looking at her phone. Sanaya smiled, and turned to face the professor who was glaring at Maya, shutting off any and every telepathic link that could absorb the thoughts running through Maya's mind. The last thing she needed was a visual of Maya and Danny fantasies and her year would be forever ruined. She needed to focus. If Selene already made her deal with the devil, it would not be long before she made her appearance at the school. Cain asked her to kill her, but she had to wonder what would happen once Selene was out of the picture. Can I really trust him? She asked herself. I guess time will tell...
****
Selene grinned after she sealed the opened wound on her wrist, as her latest victim collapsed onto the cheap brown carpeting of the hotel room where the foolish human had agreed to meet her at. Another bottom-feeding drug dealer that was willing to make a pact with the Darkness for money and power, without considering the consequences of his decision. The poor bastard had no idea what would be in store for him. Sure, he could have the money, but he would forever be her servant and a slave to the blood thirst. Yes, she granted him master level status but should he find himself taken down by a Guardian team or the Slayer, his soul would forever be damned and he would belong to the Dark Lord. No redemption. No exit clause in this contract.
Casually stepping over his semiconscious body, she sauntered over to the window overlooking the street. Trash littered the sidewalk underneath the moonless sky. A single street lamp flickered, offering very little protection for those brave enough to explore what hid in the shadows. Predators, both human and vampire alike ran this section of New York without mercy. It was places like this Selene adored. This was her kingdom. Living souls that were damned without ever sustaining the bite of a vampire are what would satisfy her bargain with The Beast – at least partially. Government officials would have a hell of a time trying to “fix” broken and hopeless neighborhoods while Guardians would be forced to work round the clock to defend and protect the innocents trapped in those neighborhoods.
A familiar presence manifested behind her. Wrapping her arms around herself, she didn't bother turning around to greet the intruder. She already knew based off of the raw, tangy scent of his rage that it was none other than Daemon. He’d followed her. Great.
“Another drug dealer as a master?” he asked coolly, once he took form behind her.
“He has potential,” she replied, still staring out of the window.
“For what? Boosting your revenue in the crack and heroin trade? I don't see how a man of his ilk should have been made anything more than food.”
She spun around to face him. Her beautiful brown face and green eyes giving her an intoxicating and exotic look, Daemon's fangs lengthened, remembering what it was like to have her writhing beneath him, blinded by pleasure.
“Jealous, aren't we?”
“Not one bit. I just thought you would choose better considering you are building an army. Each vampire should be committed to the Organization. Maggots like the one you just turned are always committed to everything else: money, sex, drugs...but never are they loyal to any other cause but their own. As the heiress to the dark throne, I would have sworn you knew better...”
The back side of her fist connected with his jaw, cracking it and knocking his head back. Growling, he wiped away the blood from his mouth.
“It is best that I stopped you in your tracks before your words transitioned you to dust in the wind,” she said, her eyes blazing with rage. “You are much too valuable to me and it would pain me to have to exterminate you before I put you to use.”
“I don't see how I am still of value when you are getting everything you need from The Beast,” Daemon growled.
Selene smiled. “Not quite. His angel blood mixed with my blood will birth the prophesized being that will bring the world to its knees in Darkness. But being the trickster he is, there is always a chance he will use someone else to carry his seed. Plus, he is not the only one who has a few secrets. This Slayer is much stronger than I thought. I feel her everywhere and it will not be long before she locks in on me. I've fought dozens of Slayers in my lifetime...killed a few of them too. But I will not risk the opportunity to carry the child to full term without a backup plan...”
Daemon's fangs lowered as he listened, intrigued. If Selene was concerned about not being able to fully trust The Beast with the deal, he needed to know as much as possible.
“Have you ever heard of The Seven?” He heard her ask. He searched the dark depths of his mind for the answer and when he found none, he shook his head.
“The Seven are considered the darkest parts of Guardian history. Out of all the Slayers born, seven were actually turned – willingly mind you. My father is the one responsible. They are recognized as The Fallen-”
“How?” Daemon demanded, stepping close enough to her to feel th
e heat of her skin. “How?”
“Have you forgotten that the Vampire and Slayer bloodlines began with Cain? He seduced them, using their own weaknesses against them, until they offered their throats willingly. He is the only one who can override their immunity to vampire bites. He turned them and they became his soldiers, protecting him from those who sought to destroy him. The archangels hunted them, reducing their numbers to just three and as far as I know they still exist, somewhere out there. They no longer serve my father, but I know they are out there....”
He waited for her to continue, taking note of the hint of fear that coated each word as she recounted the memory that never once reached his ears.
Sucking in a deep breath she continued, “I need you to find them and destroy them. I felt an impression from The Beast that he has an interest in them as well.”
“And how exactly is this to my benefit?” Daemon asked, raising an eyebrow.
Her eyes met his, and the two fell silent. Nothing but the constant hum of the air conditioner, and the casual footsteps of a potentially unlucky passerby out on the streets, drowned out the silent, but growing tension between the two entities.
“Name your price,” she said finally.
Daemon took his time before giving her an answer. “I too crave and deserve a throne...”
“That you will have to take up with The Beast...are you open to sharing your bed with him? Care to expose your deepest darkest desires for him to fulfill?” She knew taunting him would place him in a dangerously reckless position. The male resented her for switching sides, neglecting her promises of a future with him she never intended to pursue.
“So, the dark heiress of the Organization even has limits,” he replied stoically. “Interesting.”
“Find them for me and your reward will be great....” She leaned in, and slid her pink, hot tongue down Daemon's throat, causing him to shudder.
“Where do I even begin to look?” Daemon asked through a hooded gaze.
“Since my recent elevation, I’ve sensed the vague presence of something old over in the Mediterranean Sea. You must act swiftly and discreetly. This is a former Slayer, who still carries with her all knowledge of the Guardians, understands both worlds of Slayer and vampire alike...she will know the instant you arrive...”
“You are sending me on a suicide mission, with little to no incentive and you expect me to do what exactly? Not to mention The Council is scouring the planet, rooting our kind out and drastically reducing our numbers when we have been issued a direct order to increase them -”
She stopped him mid -sentence with a hard kiss, slowly pulling away leaving him with a satisfied grin.
“Find them for me,” She pleaded. “And I swear to you that your reward will be great.”
Tilting his head to the side, Daemon smiled before dematerializing into mist. When she could no longer sense his presence, she approached the still unconscious dealer, eyeing him with sudden disdain.
“Daemon is right,” she murmured, kneeling to run her finger across his jugular. “I need an army...” Without further thought, she dug her talons into his neck, ripping away muscle and separating bone from tendon and flung his head to the other side of the room.
Chapter Five
Training with the Guardians was pointless, at least to Sanaya as she dodged Tatsu's fist. She back-flipped out of reach to then help Maya combat Asim and another Guardian named Derrick. King and Trent were working in tandem against Lois and Congo, with Lisa racing to Charlie's defense against Myra. Her team needed to get it together. She mentally sent word to Aklia, informing her to meet with her as soon as possible. From the corner of her eye she watched Maya double back and lunge for her. The two girls locked mentally and Sanaya crouched down to catch Maya's boot to launch her into the air into a somersault. She landed on her feet with feline agility, swiftly drop kicking Asim, and rising to her feet just in time to land a punch to Derrick's jaw. The fighting lasted another ten minutes, with the young Guardians demonstrating how practice makes perfection when Eve walked in, blowing the whistle.
The fighting stopped, with Sanaya spinning around to meet Eve's despondent stare. The half breed looked like she hadn't slept in days. Her normally flushed face looked gaunt, with dark circles surrounding her big, dark blue eyes, making her appear more tired than what she probably felt. Sanaya sensed the senior Guardian's pain and frustration, leading her to conclude Archer's condition may not be improving.
“Time!” she called out, moving in closer to the group. “Shower. Eat. Head straight to your rooms. Sanaya, I need you to come with me.”
Everyone turned to face one another as the young potential Guardians fanned out toward the showers. King and Sanaya’s eyes met, and she sent him a mental I'll see you later, to which he responded with a nod. She watched him limp away behind Trent, offering him a supportive hand on his shoulder. Bullet whizzed past them to the doorway, baiting them into a race they knew they could never win. Charlie and Lisa hobbled off behind them, while Maya hung back with Danny. Maria and Tony were busy speaking with Lois and asking more questions about The Academy. Eve led her out of the gym, through the courtyard, onto a thirty-minute walk across the half mile of buildings and parking structures until they reached the entrance of the onsite campus hospital.
Three stories high, nestled behind a family of trees, and overlooking a small pond, the two walked in silence until they were given visitor passes by the front desk. Sanaya was greeted by sad and welcoming smiles from the staff before being led directly to Archer's room which was on the third floor. She sensed his agony the moment Eve stepped back and urged her to open the door to let herself in. Even in an unconscious state, his body was riddled with pain, so much so Sanaya found it difficult to breathe. Each step was met with struggle, but she forced herself to move forward. Her heart hurt- no bled for her Guardian brother.
Upon reaching the bed, she noticed his breathing had become more labored. Alarmed, but too scared to call for her help, she closed her eyes, as she remembered the night Aklia and The Council bestowed their gifts onto her, one of them being healing. She gently placed her palms onto Archer's chest, and waited for the tingling warmth to build until a soft gold light poured into him from her. She felt her eyes change from brown to silver as she drew in Archer's pain. His eyes snapped open, and he gazed at her with a look of confusion and wonder before his head snapped back and he writhed uncontrollably. The areas of broken and fractured bone began to knit and weave together as ripped and torn tendons that the doctors had feared would never heal correctly, slowly mended back together. Archer's cry alerted Eve to bust into the room followed by the entire third floor staff, including his primary care physician, Dr. Charles.
“Slayer!” Dr. Charles called out, rushing towards her. “Stop, you’ll hurt yourself in the-”
“Don't touch her!” Eve commanded. “Let her finish the process!”
Beads of sweat dripped from Sanaya's face as she used every ounce of strength she had to draw the pain into herself and restore Archer. She felt her own energy take a dive, but she figured if she hung in there a little longer, Archer could walk out of the building.
“Her nose is bleeding! That's it! Eve, stop her! She will suffer an aneurysm if she doesn't-”
Sanaya heard the frantic outburst of the doctor, and she felt someone pull her away from Archer's bed as everything around her went dark.
Sanaya...Sanaya!
Sanaya struggled to come to, but her sleep addled brain would not grant her one, simple request. The familiar voice came to her again, this time accompanied by a soothing balm that felt like the gentle caress of a lover from the crown of her head to the soles of her feet.
Wake up Slayer...
Cain? She felt like she was swimming in her own murky waters of thought and desperately wanted to return to the surface.
There you are...Cain sighed. You scared me. What did you do?
I tried to heal Archer...
Well it looks like you've done
a phenomenal job because his energy feels stronger... Don't do that again.
Do what?
You gave too much of yourself. You still have a long way to go....
Oh...I feel so tired...Sanaya felt herself drifting back off into dream world with little concern of ever returning to the real world again.
Sanaya! Cain barked. Get up NOW!
Her eyes snapped open and she sprang up quickly. Multiple sets of hands gently eased her back down on the bed. As her vision cleared, she realized she was the one in the hospital bed. On her right, Eve stared down at her with eyes swollen and red from crying; to her left were King and Maya, both with tear stained faces.
What the hell did I do? She thought.
She sensed the presence of other Guardians and her teammates nearby, their sadness and fear saturating the air.
“Water,” she mumbled, fighting the all too tempting urge to drift back to sleep.
“Someone get her some water!” King barked.
There was scuffling and a few curses being yelled as everyone scrambled to meet her small request.
“This is my fault,” Eve whimpered. “I thought you were strong enough -”
“You gave us quite a scare missy,” said a small but rotund man with dark hair and thick glasses as he entered the room. “You must be careful when it comes to taking on someone who requires as much healing as Archer needed. You damn near blew out your cerebral cortex my dear. Had you been just an ordinary human, these fine Guardian friends of yours would have had to plan your funeral.”
The entire room went silent, except for the sound of Maya's sniffling.
“Is Archer...is he OK?”
“Oh, he is fine little lady,” the doctor chirped. “Better than ever. You have some very strong healing abilities. If there were more people like you walking around, people like me would be out of a job.” The group surrounding her parted, allowing the doctor room to pass through. He removed his stethoscope from around his neck, and then he helped raise Sanaya to a sitting position, for him to examine her.
The Vampire Hunters Academy: The Reckoning Page 3