When everyone finally left the room, Sanaya unleashed a heavy sigh. Only King remained, which she appreciated. Right now, she could really use a hug and a reminder that life was worth living. He sat on the edge of the bed, and encouraged her to take a seat next to him, which she did and upon doing so she suddenly felt the weight of the world and its problems on her shoulders. She rested her head on King’s shoulder, inhaling his rich natural masculine scent and the cologne he normally wore, separating the scent that was simply all his.
“I have no idea what I am going to do King,” Sanaya whispered as she closed her eyes.
“Hey,” King replied, nudging her gently with his shoulder. “You are not by yourself in this boo. You got an entire team that is riding with you…plus, do you know what else you got?”
Sanaya raised her head to meet King’s kind stare and smiled. “What?”
“Me.”
His smile was enough to melt her from the inside out, and she felt like she was losing herself to those dark brown eyes and perfectly chiseled face of his.
“I’m so thankful for that,” she said, snuggling closer to him. “So, so thankful.”
Wrapping his arms around her, the two sat in companionable silence, both lost in their own sea of thoughts until King shifted around to position her where her eyes met his. He lowered his head to place a gentle kiss on her lips. When she accepted, the same blue light that always seemed to blanket them whenever her heart began to skip to a different beat, it covered them from head to toe. Sanaya’s sigh was music to King’s ears as he deepened the kiss. There was no love like the love of Sanaya and he prayed that he could live up to the expectations of being her Guardian Mate- her equal in every way.
She opened her mind, inviting him into those secret spaces that only had his name on it. He accepted her offer, sending mental caresses that left gooseflesh on her brown skin. No girl could ever compete with Sanaya. Easing her back onto the bed, he did not have time to think about the sudden mental breach when his instincts responded in kind.
Sanaya… came the male voice sifting around in the backdrop of her mind.
Cain, you have no right to invade my thoughts on a whim asshole! Sanaya snapped, her eyes changing from dark chocolate brown to silver-white fury.
Without thinking, King forced himself deeper into her thoughts until the two of them stood side -by- side. In his mind’s eye he finally could see what the Father of All Vampires looked like: crimson eyes, bronze skin and a set of fangs that could easily decapitate a victim with ease.
Sanaya turned to him, her silver coated eyes pleading with him to stand down, but fury had King in its grip. This vampire was in serious violation and deserved to pay.
Have you forgotten about our deal young one? Cain seethed. Or now since you have been tarnished and tainted, your sanity has temporarily left you stupid?
Fuck. You. Cain. I haven’t forgotten about shit, she seethed.
She don’t owe you shit motherfucker! King snapped.
Tell your little Guardian boyfriend to stand down Sanaya before I forget about our deal and turn him into the very thing you fear and hate… Cain threatened with his tone even, but equally lethal.
Just as King opened his mouth to unleash a series of choice words and curses, Sanaya stepped in front of him, her eyes shifting from silver-white to pure fire. King watched with disbelief as Cain’s eyes shifted from crimson to black before disappearing without a word. Sanaya remained where she stood breathing hard, her eyes still blazing the color of fire. Beads of sweat dripped from her brow, muscles tense, her teeth set so hard her jawline flinched.
“Sanaya,” he called out to her once he separated his mind from hers. She stood in the center of the room still positioned in a fighter’s stance. “Sanaya…”
She slowly released a sigh and relaxed. Her eyes returning from the fiery red to silver and back to the pretty brown he fell in love with.
“Sanaya?”
She placed her face in her hands and breathed in deeply. “Yeah?”
“You good ma’?”
“No. I’m not,” she gritted through her teeth. “You?”
“No. That bastard has to die…” King cracked his knuckles in attempt to summon calm.
“I know…” Sanaya softly replied. “But I have to kill Selene first…”
“He should not have access to your head like that,” King added flatly. “He can siphon information just like you can…”
“I know…”
“How much does he know?”
“He knows enough and has known enough for a while—long before he mind-locked with me…”
“Sanaya –“
Sanaya raised her hand which silenced King instantly. “I know King. I know…”
“Look, I’m still with you but the shit doesn’t sit well with me.”
Sanaya’s eyes met King’s, rage meeting rage. “I got this King. Trust me.”
“You got it?”
“Yes, I got it.”
“So you don’t have a team-“
“Look! This is my fight ok? He is coming after everything I know and what little I have left to love-“
“Like he isn’t coming for all of us? This isn’t just about you Sanaya. Don’t you think how much it fucks me up knowing that I can’t protect my girl like I know I need to? How do you think it makes me feel to know that I have to stand behind you for-“
“What?! King –“
King could not bring himself to continue. He simply pushed passed her, heading straight for the door. She reached for his arm, only for him to pull away, slipping past her as easily as if he were a vampire himself.
“Look baby,” he finally said softly. “I love you. I would die for you…but you have no idea how much this fucks with me. He has been in your head- your head and there was nothing I could do…”
Sanaya’s vision became blurred from unshed tears as she watched King reach for the doorknob with his back to her.
“Where you go, I will follow…but right now don’t follow me ok? I just gotta get my thoughts together. I will call you later.”
Sanaya felt her knees give out once the door closed behind him. She was thankful that Danny had been keeping Maya busy these days because right now all she wanted to do was curl up and be alone. Cain’s impromptu appearance and threat against King triggered something else within her that no one had prepared her for, and the last thing she needed or expected was for King to walk out the door. She would do anything to protect those she loved- anything. She was more than prepared to fight Cain to the death with full awareness that she could lose just to ensure King’s safety.
Suddenly, the already burdensome weight of the world felt like too much to bear. So she laid there on the floor, feeling helpless as the new source of power filtered through her veins, and wished that her heart would simply stop.
Chapter Fourteen
Selene smiled slyly underneath the large straw hat as she watched from the outdoor patio as a small group of young Guardians sat idly directly across from her unaware of her presence. This team was not as experienced as the previous Guardians she recruited into her army. No, they foolishly dropped their guards due to the presence of the sun. Selene studied each of the five members of the group, ranging in age from nineteen to twenty-five, none of the three women and two men had been shaped by battle. None of them possessed the same battle- weary gaze Selene witnessed time and time again; none of them bore the unseen scars of heartache and loss…no, these kids were fresh out of The Academy, perhaps never have won their stripes as Guardians but just as graduates. Selene licked her lips, her emerald green eyes focused on the dark-haired Guardian with the tattooed neck and grey eyes. Out of the five, he would serve her army well. The others would simply be food for the troops.
Additional humans filtered out from the restaurant, carrying huge trays of greasy food that would definitely guarantee premature deaths by heart disease and diabetes. The combination of the fatty, oily deep- fried meats, and the vario
us human scents made her nauseous. The sun was taking a toll on her, and even though she would not turn to ash like her father’s progeny, she would be weakened to the point of exhaustion. She casually took a final sip of the white wine she ordered simply for appearance’s sake and rose to her feet. She already held each of the young Guardians’ scents which would make them incredibly easy to track. She purposefully walked passed their table, breezing past the dark -haired guardian with the tattoos. Her eyes met his curious gaze only to witness the shift from friendly curiosity to horror. She smiled, blowing a kiss in his direction before continuing on in her journey back to her lair.
So they are not as naïve as they appear… Selene mused to herself as she slipped past another small group of humans. She walked quickly, her Louboutin sandals clicking against the pavement before she disappeared into the parking lot and dematerialized into mist without notice. Her army was just about complete. All she needed was a few more strong Guardians to add to the mix to lead her army of Darkness before she began recruiting from the baser human populations.
Soon, The Academy much like the rest of the world would bleed red…and soon she would be carrying an heir to the darkest throne in the history of darkness.
****
Damien misted through the shadows of the busy streets of Miami. The night life vibe was electric with bright lights, inebriated humans high off of any and every drug imaginable, plus the awakening of dark forces that were like him- out and ready to play. Of course he had more important affairs to attend to, but there was no denying that there just was not any city like Miami.
Annalia had disappeared. None of his minions were able to track her which would prove to be problematic for him. Soon, Selene will demand answers regarding the whereabouts and/or Annalia’s ashes, and as of right now he could provide neither. He picked up a vague trace of her outside of Orlando and followed her to Miami. His goal: to somehow convince her that he was on her team and to request that she return with him to his lair where they could wait for Selene to complete her army before making a move on the last heir of Cain. He also had a little plan of his own: to introduce her to The Beast and receive an elevation bite that would increase his powers.
The plan was a stretch, but even a vampire as old as he could still hope.
Her scent grew stronger, leading him inside of a heavily populated nightclub catering specifically to the LGBT community. He chuckled as he entered the club without a trace. Club Hex. Fitting. The line outside snaked around the block with men whose faces were beat with enough make up products that would make companies such as Mac and Sephora pink with joy. Tight clothing. Bright colors. Some pretty. Some glamorous. And a few that were on the far end of the opposite spectrum of beauty. Music blasted through the speakers with the voice of Britney Spears hypnotizing the patrons onto the dance floor.
And Annalia was here because…?
He opted to remain unseen as mist in case Annalia decided to indulge her penchant for violence and kill him in front of these unfortunate club goers. He breezed past a couple, mismatched in age and class who were lost in a heavy make out session. The sight of it forced out a low growl, and reminded him that his next victims would serve for additional purposes other than feeding. He continued to filter his way through the club, and hiked on up to the third level where he finally located Annalia, hidden underneath a dense cover of darkness, courtesy of her power and influence. He watched her before taking form. She sat sprawled across a leathery sectional of the VIP area of the club, isolated from the rest of the humans that prowled the scene. He knew she was aware of his presence, but her predator instinct held her captive as she gripped her victim gently by the base of his neck. His body lay there limp across her lap as she held him almost as if he were an infant. The moaning that escaped her throat as she fed almost caused him to lose focus. The gentle slurping and sucking noises while she nursed from the young victim drowned out the rest of the sounds from the club. He was close to joining in. The smell of the blood dripping from the kid’s throat, Annalia’s beautiful face enraptured by the feeding…
He materialized just a few feet away from her, enthralled. Pale blue eyes looked at him, turning crimson instantly but she continued to feed. The young victim slowly began to convulse, and the strain of his breathing became a symphony of wheezing and gasping for air. She continued to drain the poor boy until Damien could no longer hear the strain of his heart beating against his chest before allowing his body to slump to the floor. Blood still dripped from her lush mouth, the scent of her arousal and satisfaction from the feeding left her in a dazed state.
“You must have a death wish,” She growled, licking her lips.
“No. I needed to find you…” Damien replied coolly, his eyes remaining fixed on hers.
“Is it time for Selene to meet the tip of my blade?” Annalia unsheathed a small dagger from her back pocket and toyed with the tip, pressing it into her index finger, drawing blood.
“Almost. But not yet,” Damien promised.
“Then why are you here?”
Damien smiled at her demand. “Why are you here?”
She sighed. “I go to where the spiritually dead and the damned are. Their blood gives me life.”
“I see…
“So let me ask you again Damien,” She whispered. “Why are you here?”
“Selene is building an army of Darkness comprised of turned Guardians…”
“And? Either way they were born to serve…”
“Yes. But this is her way of appeasing The Beast in exchange for his seed to create the unspoken Prophecy Child of Darkness.”
Annalia’s gasp sliced through the eclectic beats the DJ spun on the dance floor. “You lie.”
“Do I?”
Damien inched closer to her until he stood just a few feet away from the body of the young man who met his unfortunate demise by simply appearing at this club. Annalia watched him closely through a narrowed gaze but said nothing as she inhaled sharply to taste his scent for signs of deceit. When she found none she disappeared from her seat on the sectional in the blink of an eye, only to reappear in front of him with both of her palms wrapped tightly around his throat.
“You allow her to build an army to appease The Beast for a child?” Annalia snarled. “That goes against everything that I stand for as a huntress-“
“The Beast approved it,” Damien grimaced as he struggled to break free of her grasp.
“All the more reason to kill her. If she produces the Dark Heir, all of us will suffer,” Annalia said as she released him. “The Beast must not produce that heir and Selene is the only female of Darkness that can carry a child.”
“And why is that so much of a concern for you huntress?” Damien asked smoothly. “Have you forgotten that you no longer possess the honor and prestige that comes with the title as Huntress? Have you forgotten that your name, along with the names of the others who chose to be seduced by Cain, were banned from the Guardian/Slayer archives? Hmm? Or, is this all a well-constructed façade for you to pretend that somehow, someway you may be forgiven and your sisters in arms will welcome you back into the fold?”
Annalia’s smile contained a lethal element to it, and Damien poised himself for her attack. But instead of attacking, she took a step back and sheathed her dagger.
“I know exactly what I am Damien and I embrace it. Cain set me free from the chains that bound me as a human and I am able to live as I please. But you see, before I was turned, my people kept the sacred texts that this generation of Guardians do not have access to. And one of those texts spoke of a prophecy that predicts two futures: one of light and one of darkness. If The Beast produces an heir, that child will bleed the human world dry and will unleash the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and Armageddon will follow. Those few humans who remain will either be cast down into the lake of fire or swept up in the Rapture. No humans, means no food for us. Then will come the long-awaited battle between The Brothers of Light, and The Brothers of Darkness.”
“Ah….The prophesized slayer will live on as the last living being capable of defeating The Darkness. She will lead the armies of Heaven into battle…and life goes on…yada, yada, yada…”
Annalia turned to leave, but not before adding, “But see, I am that prophesized Slayer. I will lead the Guardians into battle with The Beast. I will restore Cain to his former glory and everything else is moot. Come for me when Selene’s army is ready but no sooner lest you incur my wrath, Old One.” She dematerialized into mist and disappeared through an open vent leaving Damien alone as her cover of darkness slowly faded away.
After a moment of deep thought, he too disappeared through the vent and into the night. There was still much to be done before the next scheduled meeting with The Beast and little time to do it.
Chapter Fifteen
Archer wiped his face with his palm, and released a weary sigh. Another Guardian was attacked – in a church of all places, along with several innocent victims who happened to be in attendance. Once again, action needed to be taken and once again he found himself in a position where there was not much that could be done. Sanaya needed to hit the streets as soon as yesterday because humanity was on the brink of losing the war against The Darkness. His phones had been ringing nonstop from Guardians all over the world demanding answers and for the first time in his life, he genuinely did not have any answers to give. His computer screen lit up with the Skype notification from the lead Guardian member of the New York team, and accepted the call.
“What’s up Andre?” Archer said trying to not sound as tired as he felt.
“What’s up Archer?” Andre’s handsome dark face appeared on the screen. Despite the smile, there was serious demeanor still reflected through his hazel eyes, and as much as Archer respected Andre, he was not in the frame of mind to deal with whatever tangent the Guardian was about to go on.
“Everything,” Archer replied with a sigh.
“I bet. Sucks to be in your shoes…” Andre added.
The Vampire Hunters Academy: The Reckoning Page 8