The Vampire Hunters Academy: The Reckoning

by Delizhia Jenkins

  “Good evening,” the waitress chirped, her gaze focused on Daemon’s heated glance. “What will your choices be tonight?”

  “Steak,” Selene responded flatly. “Rare. No garlic or onions and a dash of salt and pepper.” She looked at Daemon and smiled. “And the same for the gentleman.”

  “Perfect,” the waitress said jotting down the request. “Would you be interested in any of our choice selections of wine or champagne?”

  “I will take a bottle of your best red wine,” Daemon told her. “Please.”

  “Excellent,” the waitress said with a nod before quickly heading towards the kitchen.

  “I see that you’ve picked your dessert for the night,” Selene eyed the direction of the waitress and frowned.

  “I am not in the mood for veal, so worry not my Duchess of Darkness.” Daemon smoothed out the cloth napkin across his lap and returned his attention on Selene. “I have other concerns.”

  Selene offered a wicked grin. “Indeed you do.”

  Daemon sighed. “Why did you bring me here?”

  “I wanted to discuss with you the particulars of my new Army of Darkness…”

  Daemon leaned forward, intrigued; elbows on the table with his hands forming a tent-shape on top of the table, and his eyes illuminating a deep red. “Tell me about this army,” he demanded.

  “I knew you would be interested. But first, did you accomplish what you set out to do?”

  Daemon swallowed thickly while maintaining a cool demeanor. “I’ve accomplished many things…let’s just say…I have not disappointed my queen.”

  Through a narrowed gaze, Selene glared at Daemon but said nothing more on the subject. Tension blanketed the air, creating a silent standoff between two top predators.

  “I sense deception coming from you Daemon,” Selene growled. “Let me discover that you went against my command and I promise you, that I will rip you apart and leave your maimed carcass out in the sun.”

  Despite her threat, Daemon remained unfazed. “So tell me about this Army of Darkness.”

  Before she could respond, the waitress along with the chef returned with their meals, eagerly setting their plates down in front of them. The cheerful chef placed a bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild 2008, bowed his head and then spun on his heels before returning from the kitchen.

  “Is there anything else I can do for you?” The pretty blonde asked.

  “No, you may not,” Selene snapped through a narrowed gaze. Daemon chuckled and smiled at the startled waitress.

  “Very well then,” she said with a quick nod. “Enjoy.”

  The waitress scurried off to the next table as Selene returned her attention to Daemon. “My Army of Darkness will indeed be what the Dark Lord needs to bring all the Guardian teams from around the world, to their knees. As a matter of fact, I wonder how our little slayer will feel when she is faced with having to plunge her blade into the hearts of her own…think about it: Guardians, turned dark serving our Dark lord as the very beings they hunt. They would be my army…”

  Daemon looked at the ancient vampire in awe. “You dare create an army of darkness using the Light’s own human forces?”

  “I’ve already begun…” Selene grinned, easing back into her chair. “Soon my army will be in the thousands...”

  Daemon licked his mouth, his fangs threatening to reveal themselves once again. “And then what is the next step in this wickedly delightful plan?”

  “Oh my love, wouldn’t you like to know?”

  “You have no idea my queen,” Daemon said taking a sip of his wine. “You have no idea.”

  ****

  Sanaya could not be any happier than when she finally plopped onto her bed, alone for the first time in what felt like forever. Maya was busy with Danny on some moonlit stroll across the campus, and Lisa and Charlie were in the study hall preparing for an exam they would have in the morning. King, after the meeting was so tense, he and Trent decided to hang around the gym to blow off some steam. Eve spent time speaking with other Guardians who needed a little more information on the new threat level and what that would mean for The Academy. Archer left to meet with The Elders, and so she took the opportunity to simply be alone in her thoughts to digest everything.

  One thing was certain: Cain could not be trusted, but it was too late. She’d already made a deal with him to kill his only living heir in exchange for his protection and help. She would honor her word, but after she presented Selene’s severed head at Cain’s feet, she would kill him too. But how does one kill the being known as The Father of All Vampires?

  Rolling over on her back, she blew out a frustrated sigh. Cain had successfully seduced seven Slayers – Seven. Seven warriors that were ordained by the Light, blessed with natural skills and abilities that no other human possessed for the sole purpose of defending the innocent against the darkness…and they were turned into the very thing they were destined to hunt. Cain obviously had no idea who he was dealing with if he thought she would be his next “chosen one”.

  “He seriously has me fucked up,” she mumbled to herself.

  Who has you confused? Came the smooth baritone voice that now made her sick to her stomach.

  She remained quiet. What he didn’t know, she knew could possibly keep her team and The Academy safe, maybe long enough for her to come up with a plan to kill him and put an end to his legacy forever.

  I see someone is in a bit of a mood, he continued, his voice filled with concern.

  Sanaya remained silent, careful to block out her thoughts and emotions from Cain. He sensed her reluctance to speak with him candidly as they’d done before. His concern shifted into curiosity.

  Is there something wrong Slayer? He asked.

  I just had a long day, she told him, thinking quickly.

  I understand and you must still be recovering from your recent heroic endeavor. I will speak with you later.

  She waited for Cain’s presence to disappear before rolling on her side, all tension released from her body. She needed to speak with Aklia and perhaps convene with the other Slayers to put together a plan of action. Archer was going to have to let go of the reins and accept the fact that she was now a fully matured Slayer, capable of leading a team now. True, everything was not going as expected or according to plan, but one thing she learned since her stay at The Academy was shit happens. Had she never been found she would have been placed in this scenario regardless, but ill prepared to fight and without the resources or backing of a serious squad. Cain thought he had her in the bag by hooking her with the “desire for redemption” line? Oh hell no! She would not be seduced. Selene was out in the world having the time of her life, possibly gorging herself on innocent blood like life didn’t have an ending…she would gut the bitch and mount her head on a mantel. She almost lost her primary Guardian to the Darkness forever. The Guardians at The Academy had little faith in her and her core team was shaken beyond repair. She jumped off the bed, a sense of purpose flooding her veins.

  “Aklia!” She called out. “I need a meeting with you stat! I have some information on Cain!”

  Suddenly a white light became a doorway to a portal in her room. Aklia’s voice echoed from the tunnel, “It’s about time you shared your insight. Come. We have much to discuss.”

  Sanaya had been pulled into the tunnel before when her team was transported to and from Louisiana, but there was nothing that could be done that would make her get used to being vacuumed through time and space and everything in between. It was like having her soul snatched out of her body, while the rest of her was broken down to the atomic level before each of her cells slammed back together, returning her to her normal form.

  She stood in the center of a box of a room blanketed by the warm fog of steam. Several tall standing plants stood as sentinels in each corner of the room, and directly across from where she stood were a couple of wood benches that faced each other. In the center of it all was a large pool, wide enough for at least eight, but no deeper
than four to five feet. The heat of the water, created its own mystery as it was blanketed by its own mist, and seated in the midst of it all was Aklia. Her dark locks hung well below her waist, covering her breasts. Rich dark skin melted in the clear water, and Aklia looked up and smiled warmly at Sanaya who took a seat on the far end of the bench.

  “Thank you for coming young Slayer,” Aklia greeted her as she lathered with a loofah sponge. The sweet scent of lavender filtered into Sanaya’s senses. She inhaled deeply, instantly becoming relaxed.

  “A warrior must always take the time to self -care,” Aklia told her. “Besides, most of our sisters in arms are away hunting the remaining three of The Seven. I figured now would be the best time for us to discuss things before bringing our sisters into it. Tell me…what news do you have of Cain?”

  Sanaya cleared her throat before speaking. Tension filled her because now she would have to confess to the original Slayer that she’d been confiding with Cain on a private and personal level for some time now. But she had to. Lives were at stake and the memory of her recent vision of King clung to her like lint to fabric.

  “Dear sister,” Sanaya began, tears blurring her vision.

  “Good heavens child!” Aklia exclaimed. “What happened?”

  “I foolishly believed I could trust Cain. He came to me shortly after I began to lock into his memories…”

  “Oh no…sweetheart,” Aklia began soothingly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I thought I could trust him. He asked me for help in killing his only heir, Selene because he was worried that The Beast would easily track him through her. He said he seeks redemption and in exchange for my help he would help me. And he has. He warned me when Archer was in trouble, before you came along and sent me and my team down to help. He healed me when I gave too much of myself…”

  Aklia was out of the water and dressed in a towel before Sanaya could finish her final sentence, with her arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a loving embrace.

  “Shhhh,” Aklia whispered. “It is not your fault for wanting to believe that an entity as dark as my brother could be forgiven and offered a second chance. At one time, I too, had hoped for the same thing. But Cain is always out for Cain and this time young one, I don’t think it is redemption that he seeks…”

  Sanaya sniffled, her guilt for keeping that secret for so long, betraying the only other person she looked up to other than Archer weighed down on her soul. “Well what could he want?”

  “I think he has his eyes set on you darling. He has always wanted a Slayer to become his queen with the hope of starting a new genesis. Selene has been the bane of his existence for centuries and after Luluwa- our sister- was killed…he was never truly the same when it came to…family. At one point in time I thought I could save him…but I was too late in accepting the fact that there was no going back for him.”

  “I am going to kill him Aklia,” Sanaya gritted through her teeth. “I promise you that. I will get him, and I will not rest until I watch his ashes blow off in the wind.”

  “That is a fight that you are not prepared for,” Aklia told her, wiping away a tear that fell from Sanaya’s pain filled eyes. “You still require years of training, and countless battles to beat an entity such as Cain. However, all hope is not lost. We can use his link and interest in you to our advantage- at least for now. We can shield you so that he does not know your whereabouts at any given time…there are tons of things we can do to keep him from you until the time comes for you to engage with him in a fight…including but not limited to removing you from The Academy.”

  “What?” Sanaya sprang to her feet with righteous indignation. “I can’t leave! The Academy needs me!”

  “I understand your protest little sister,” Aklia said to her calmly. “But with one of the last of the remaining Seven recently spotted, as well as Selene and now Cain, we need our only living Slayer alive and well.”

  “But where would I go? What about my team? What about –“

  “We can’t send you to the states because your energy signature is strong there. You were born and raised in California and then you were recently engaged in battle in Louisiana. The Darkness would be able to locate you easily. You are already in Europe, and we could move you to another Guardian stronghold where you could continue your training-“

  “But-“

  “I think the best place for you to go off the radar would be within the black box known as The Bermuda Triangle. Any being whether they are of dark or light forces would have a hard time tracking you. As a matter of fact, we have a specialized Guardian team there that-“

  “But I made a promise to kill Selene! I need to protect my team! What about Archer?”

  Aklia sighed. “Cain is capable of killing Selene himself. He killed his other offspring. He lied to you. He does not need you to do it. And as long as you remain at The Academy young warrior, the students, staff and Guardians will never be safe. You are the only one destined to destroy Cain and to prevent the cursed prophecy child from being born….”

  “What prophecy child?” Sanaya heard herself ask.

  Aklia shook her head. “Listen, I’ve said too much. We will meet again in due time. I have to make preparations for your arrival to a new site.”

  “What about my team?!” Sanaya cried, clenching her fists.

  “We can move them too. Archer is still your primary Guardian. He will always be. But you are my priority. We will notify the senior Guardians within the next twenty four hours of the protocol change.” Aklia rose to her feet and before Sanaya could protest, she gently placed a palm over her forehead and the next thing Sanaya knew she was forced through the white vortex of light and in seconds she was back in her room, bouncing off her bed and onto the floor.

  “Shit! Aklia!” Sanaya shouted as she tried to regain her bearings. “Hey!”

  Just then Maya strolled into the room with Danny behind her and the two of them stared blankly at the hysterical Sanaya who was still shaking her fist in the air and spewing out curses.

  “Ummmm, is everything alright?” Maya asked, looking at her best friend with concern.

  Sanaya fell to her knees and covered her face with her hands. “Team meeting you guys. No senior Guardians this time.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Petronius eyed Daemon suspiciously once the ancient vampire took a seat across from him in his private Parisian lair, overlooking the Eifel Tower. Alex sat with his leg crossed casually across his lap, his hands folded into a tent, and his black eyes glowing blood red. Both vampires waited for Daemon to speak, but unbeknownst to Daemon or Alex, Petronius had a special private guard consisting of five of his strongest Masters, armed with silver tipped arrows and UV bullets to put an end to Daemon’s existence should he attempt the coup Petronius had long sensed was coming. He had long ago grown tired of Daemon’s games, and he was quite certain with Selene’s recent elevation and hilarious betrayal, she would not mind it one bit if Daemon was annihilated. Obviously she had no use for him. She had The Beast and nothing could top that.

  “Gentlemen,” Daemon smiled, exposing a perfect set of fangs he purposely kept at a shorter length as a sign of good faith. “Tonight is the night we celebrate. Be merry and of good cheer.”

  “Considering your most recent activities,” Alex began with a wheeze. “We have reason to be, as the humans say, ‘on edge’.”

  Daemon barked out a laugh. “Listen brothers! The Beast is sanctioning our turns again; returned us to our full strength. Selene is building an army to rival that of any army ever created. Alliances and dark turns are being made, strengthening our organization like never before. Finally! Progress is being made…we can all agree that is something to be excited about right?”

  Alex and Petronius glared at Daemon suspiciously, sitting tensely in the black leather seating, looking like two cobras ready to spring.

  “Why did you insist on having this impromptu meeting here in my lair?” Petronius growled, growing tired of Daemo
n’s charade. “I have allowed this only because you insisted that what you had to discuss was very important. Now get on with it.”

  Daemon sat back and opened his arms with defeat. “Fine. You two old birds are no fun anyways. I have more than an announcement to make...there is someone I want for you to meet.” He snapped his fingers and instantly a form began to manifest in the center of Petronius’ study.

  Alex and Petronius sat with wide eyed bewilderment as the form took shape into that of a female, and when the small frame of a dark -haired beauty materialized fully, both vampires gasped.

  “Noooo,” Alex hissed. “This can’t be…could it?”

  Petronius smiled. “Daemon you always know how to find them.”

  “I am not here for anyone’s enjoyment,” Annalia hissed. “I was promised Selene’s head on a platter, and a seat at The Slayer’s Council. Where is she?”

  “Easy there Slayer,” Daemon said calmly. “I told you, that you will have your victory. I just needed to introduce you to-“

  “I do not give a damn who these idiots are,” Annalia growled, her fangs lengthening. “The only reason I did not kill you that night is because you have access to what I want. I want Selene. I want to plunge my fist into her chest cavity and snatch out her heart and cast her remains into the sun. I promised Cain long ago that I would do it –“

  “Does she know where Cain is?” Petronius demanded.

  “If I did, I would not tell you. No one knows where Cain rests.”

  “This is absolutely remarkable!” Alex clasped his hands together with a laugh. “One of the Seven? How did you? Where did you…”

  Before Daemon could respond, Annalia unsheathed her blade and plunged it deep into the marble flooring with little resistance. The three ancient vampires sat in silence, three sets of jet black eyes staring back at her.