Petronius materialized in his menacingly handsome form just a few yards away from her.
“Lovely night to be outside,” He said calmly.
“It is indeed,” Selene said without even a second glance in his direction.
“It is a lovely night to feed as well,” Petronius continued. “You know, you are a danger to the existence of vampires everywhere.”
Selene spun around on her heels and turned to face Petronius who remained where he stood, his expression smug.
“I am the Queen of all vampires you worthless bastard,” she seethed. “I could end your miserable existence with the flick of my wrist-“
“That may be true Dark Empress,” Petronius replied coolly. “But at this rate, you will single handedly wipe out the human populations in a matter of a few years. And then what? What will you rule then? The Beast wants us to create a suitable environment for his heir, but at the rate you are going, there will be no point in him even creating an heir because we’d all be extinct!”
Selene’s fangs lengthened, but she remained where she stood: muscles tense and her crimson glare focused on the vampire who was almost as ancient as her. He glared back, but instead of a deep crimson, his eyes were a glossy black.
“It would be best if we all work together to appease The Beast instead of working on behalf of our own interests. If you win, I win and vice versa. I can help you find Cain, The Beast gives you an heir and we can go forth to bring on The Eternal Night. Otherwise, our being at odds leads us to where we are now…” Petronius offered his hand for Selene to accept.
“Which is…?” Selene asked, raising a brow,
“At odds with each other,” Petronius said, still offering his hand. “Accept my friendship Selene. You are still centuries behind what is now considered modern times. You strategize like the generals of old. Now, allow me to assist you as you acclimate to this new world, instead of parading you around like you are nothing more than a trophy.”
Selene took a moment to consider his offer. As much as she hated to admit it, the Old One was right. Daemon did little to teach her about the new world. Instead, he attempted to use her for his own selfish purposes with the hope of earning favor with The Beast. Or trumping The Beast. One of the two.
Selene gracefully accepted his hand and Petronius smiled. “I accept your offer,” she told him. Her Bedouin eyes returned to their normal emerald green and she relaxed.
“Excellent,” Petronius grinned. “Now we must get a handle on your army. There needs to be a reduction in numbers. Only the strongest will remain. And then when we have weeded out those deserving to live to see another night, we search for Cain.”
“It is a shame that you were not the one to free me from my tomb,” Selene slowly approached Petronius, making sure that his eyes were on the gentle sway of her hips with each deliberate step.
“The night is still young,” Petronius offered once she was just inches away from his face.
“It is indeed.” Selene’s warm tongue ran a trail down Petronius’ neck, causing him to shiver. “My lair or yours?” She whispered against his throat.
“Mine. I think you will love the gothic décor and the virgin blood I keep for special occasions,” Petronius murmured as she nipped the side of his neck where there was once a pulse.
“Perfect,” Selene cooed, taking his hand into hers. “Shall we?”
“We shall,” Petronius growled. He whisked Selene into his arms and dematerialized into the night, the echoes of their laughter carrying off into the wind.
Chapter Twenty -Three
“Now kid,” Archer said as he took a seat next to Sanaya in front of the large LCD flat screen monitor. “You are about to address one hundred and fifty Guardian teams around the world. Are you ready?”
Sanaya exhaled quickly. “As ready as I will ever be.”
“Good. Now, we will allow them to meet your chosen team members- by the way they are your team right? I mean I know Maya and King without a shadow of a doubt are, but what about the others? You are still technically missing one to make the total number seven, and it looks like Danny is filling that seventh spot because of Maya…”
“My team is tight Archer. Charlie, Bullet, Lisa, Danny…they are good. I don’t see myself with anyone else having my back but them,” Sanaya said, wishing that King was there with her. Even though the hot shower that she took did wonders, she still felt exhausted and queasy. But she could tough out however long this broadcast lasted.
“And what about Trent?” Archer asked, his hazel eyes searching hers.
Sanaya shrugged. “He is cool too…I mean, I no longer have an issue with him and I think the team is coming around.”
“Alright then,” Archer responded, focusing his attentions on the screen. “In a few seconds we will be live.”
“Ok,” Sanaya sighed. “I’m ready.”
Archer used the mouse to navigate to the button that pressed CALL on the screen and Sanaya and Archer watched themselves appear on the monitor. Beneath their faces were live interactive comments posted by the Guardians who looked on, and upon the realization that things were live, Sanaya swallowed thickly.
“Greetings Guardians,” Archer said looking directly at the screen. “I know things have looked down right hopeless. Vampires running amuck, Guardians missing…the streets are seriously under siege right now. We just lost an entire team down in Louisiana and now we are facing tragic losses in New York.”
While comments flooded in, responding to Archer, Sanaya tried to mask her surprise upon hearing that another Guardian team had been under attack.
“But there is still hope,” she heard Archer say as he turned to face her. “This is Sanaya. You all have heard about her. After years of searching and coming up with nothing, she was located and rescued almost two years ago and has been with The Academy ever since. You’ve read the reports. You’ve heard her story. I’ve shown some of you mental snapshots of our Slayer in action.”
Sanaya read one of the comments that asked about the bandaging that was still wrapped around her neck and cringed.
Archer frowned. “The Academy was attacked by one of the Seven,” he explained. “Sanaya met the challenge with the same willful and fearless determination as any other Slayer…but she was met with an unfair advantage of the entity possessing centuries of battle experience to Sanaya’s lack of experience and the entity...well, this is the result.” Archer paused as more comments flooded the screen.
“As alarming as this is,” he continued after a beat. “This is what Slayers do and the important thing is she survived. Now she knows firsthand how strong the jaws of an ancient vampire are and what she needs to do on her next encounter to protect herself…”
As Archer went on, and the comments continued to ignite with more questions and concerns, Sanaya tried not to focus on the fact that she fought and actually lost. Had the Council not been there…?
“Sanaya,” Archer said interrupting her thoughts. “Talk to them.”
Looking straight into the monitor, she cleared her throat. “I honestly don’t know what to say. It is an honor and a privilege to even sit here and address each of the Guardian teams around the world. There are no words to express how brave you guys are, fighting night after night, and holding down the fort until I can step into my shoes again and give you guys a break.”
She paused to read a few of the comments that came in, most of them depicting their excitement at having the opportunity to meet with her. Only a few pressed the question of when exactly would she be ready.
“I feel as if I am ready now. There is only so much one can do behind the walls of The Academy.” she continued. “But my Guardian team still needs more training. And I still need more training. I have a variety of gifts at my disposal…”
One commenter asked about her team, and another demanded to know why they were not presented the opportunity to join, as it went against historical custom.
“At the end of the day, I still have the right to
choose. It is not always just about selecting the best fighters or even the most gifted Guardian. It’s about trust; and the members of my Guardian team I know without a doubt have my back just like I have theirs.’
The comments section exploded from there, forcing Archer to step in and take over. “Since there is so much discontent about the premature choosing of her team,” Archer gritted through his teeth. “Give me a second to introduce her teammates. True, by Guardian Code she is not supposed to choose until her twenty first birthday, but she is nearing the end of her Slayer maturity at eighteen-not twenty- one. Besides, being that she will soon be sent out along with her team on hunts, she will not be without several senior Guardian team members either.”
Archer continued to address a few other comments voicing concerns about not being given fair opportunity to be a chosen Guardian for Sanaya when Eve walked in followed by King, Maya, Danny, Lisa, Charlie, Maria, Tony, Bullet and Trent. They positioned themselves behind Sanaya, with King standing to her left and Maya to her right. She felt another one of King’s gentle caresses, which relaxed her and helped her to focus.
“Uh guys,” Sanaya said quickly, preventing Archer from responding to another comment. “This is my team. To my left is King. He came in with battle experience from the streets. Strong telepath and tactical and…”
“Also her Guardian Mate,” Archer added bitterly.
Sanaya did not need to look at the screen to see how many more questions were fired off at her. She simply continued with her introductions. “To my right, is Maya, a super strong clairvoyant with the ability to summon and control demons and spirits at her own will. And before anyone goes there, this girl right here always came through in a fight.”
Sanaya smiled as she glanced at her friend, who stood there a little bit taller with her head held higher and looking fierce. All Maya needed was for someone to believe in her. Yes, her powers were a bit frightening, but Sanaya didn’t care what anyone thought. She would always choose Maya.
“Next to Maya is Danny,” Archer said, resuming control over the broadcast. “Danny, Maria and Tony are the last of the Los Angeles Guardian team. Danny manipulates fire with a simple thought. Maria and Tony are our telepaths, with Maria being gifted with heightened empathy. Bullet is our super hero. Clocking in at speeds faster than a cheetah, this kid is our own version of The Flash. Lisa has some mysterious powers of her own that are still developing but she is our Karate Kid. Charlie is a powerful clairvoyant who can throw up a shield possibly strong enough to protect herself and those around her from a nuclear blast. And last but not least is Trent…”
“Trent can smell any creature of The Darkness a mile away. He can also hear an ant crawling from an underground tunnel while jet skiing across the Pacific,” Sanaya added as she turned to face Trent and offer him a smile. He smiled back and looked away quickly when King frowned.
“So if these kids are not the best of the best Guardians,” Archer went on to say. “Then I don’t know who is. These kids were out on the front lines defending The Academy when it was attacked. They fight just as hard as they train. Plus, they have already formed a bond with our Slayer. They need that. She needs that. So when they come to town, show them the respect they deserve because from where I am sitting…” Archer glanced at Sanaya and winked. “They deserve it.”
Archer continued speaking, finally wrapping up the broadcast after another fifteen minutes of question and answer. When he finally hit END on the call, Sanaya all but sighed with relief. Slumping back in her chair, she exhaled, releasing all of the tension that built up in her body.
“Alright kids, they know who you are now. Which means once you all start going out on hunts outside of Vatican City, we can teach you where and how to look for Guardian signatures in the area. Those come in handy when you are a stranger in foreign lands and you get backed into a corner.” Archer reached over to the monitor, and hit POWER, shutting the screen off.
“When are we going on more hunts?” Bullet asked, searching Archer’s face for answers.
A beam of white light filled the room, drawing everyone’s attention to the manifesting forms of Aklia, Raya and Natasha. The three former Slayers stepped forward, each of their faces landing on Sanaya.
“Great,” Archer mumbled.
“We are here to collect the students,” Aklia announced. “Cain’s movements have been tracked to the area known as New York City and we have no idea for what.”
“And not to mention there’s been a significant increase in turned victims in that area over the course of a few days,” Raya added.
“We have no way to prove if all of this is purely coincidental or if the two are related,” Aklia said. “But it looks like an army of vampires has been formed and if nothing is done to stop it soon, then humanity will perish in just a few years.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Eve said, her gaze switching from Archer to Aklia. “Vampires tend to control their population numbers. They feed maybe once to twice a week usually, turning only those whom they feel are deserving. This sounds like an army of vampires that has been created-“
“And soon,” Congo interrupted from the doorway then continued, “this will make headlines. Vampires have always preferred to exist in secrecy. It’s how they move and survive.”
“We have a Council team down there as we speak,” Aklia informed the group. “We have to cut their numbers, because the Guardian teams there cannot hold the line much longer.”
“I’m already on it. I sent out an encrypted message to the Canadian Guardian team for assistance. They are already en route to assist with recovery and everything else the New York teams will need,” Archer said. “Plus, Tatsu and Asim are going to head a specialized team to hunt down any recent vampire turns which is relatively easy. The thing is, baby vampires are never too far away from their makers…”
Archer and Aklia shared a knowing glance. “Which is why I will issue you the coordinates of the Council Slayers and your teams can work with them. We will not lose any more Guardians on my watch,” Aklia vowed. Straightening her stance, she turned to face Sanaya who had been quietly sat observing the entire exchange between the senior Guardians and the ancient huntress.
“It is time to go students,” Aklia announced, surveying the curious glances that watched her.
Congo and Eve looked at each other with unease. “Are you sure that this is the right thing to do?” Eve asked nervously.
“Yeah, and how long will baby girl be gone?” Congo demanded.
“Long enough to heal,” Aklia said as she gathered the students into a semi -circle. “I will have them ready and in tip top fighting condition upon their return.”
Maya gripped Sanaya’s hand tightly as Aklia led the group into the portal, while the senior Guardians watched helplessly. The large group was vacuumed through the dimensions of time, space and everything in between. Sanaya braced herself for the force, still holding onto Maya, whom she was quite certain could be heard screaming from the very bottom of her soul throughout infinity and beyond.
Sanaya snickered to herself once they crash landed onto the soft soil that surrounded the never ending river that flowed just beyond Aklia’s personal residence, thinking it best to not take Maya on any roller coaster rides in the near future.
“Alright children,” Aklia began while she waited for the group to finish collecting themselves. “You are in my world. Welcome. Upon proving yourselves as Guardians in the land of the living, when you die, your spirit will reside here with the Slayer that you guard.”
The students looked around at their surroundings. Fresh cut grass that felt more like satin to the touch. Crystal clear skies with a sun that would undoubtedly shine for eternity coupled with temperate weather that made states like California feel like Antarctica on its best day. A winding river that swept by on a gentle even current…peace. This was true peace. Sanaya understood what peace in the afterlife meant, and this was it.
“Follow me,” Aklia instructed. �
�What you are about to witness will change your lives forever.”
Chapter Twenty -Four
Daemon’s eyes widened as he materialized with Cain a mile away from The Vatican. “Are you insane?” He asked incredulously. “We will incinerate on contact if we go any further than where we are-“
Cain’s eerily calm smile stopped Daemon mid rant. “I told you I have something to show you. Now come along and stop acting like a pussy.”
“I just don’t understand how,” Daemon stammered as Cain stalked him.
“Let’s just say this pinnacle of Christianity has shed almost as much blood as I,” Cain began, his fangs lengthening. “I have always had a way in through the Church which allowed me the opportunity to monitor each Slayer and Guardian as they trained. These wonderful men and women of faith have given me shelter knowing that they were in the presence of the world’s top predator.” Cain paused, pushing away a stray lock behind his ear. “I built the Vampire Hunters Academy son of mine. It was not the first Order of Guardians who came along with the help of the first Christian Church. I was among the few men of power who took an interest in the construction of a school for “the gifted”. It was supposed to be a safe haven for those with talents that were not of the norm, and for my generosity, even as a vampire, it was a known secret throughout the ages that I am given free access.”
Daemon stood still as stone, stunned beyond comprehension. The King of All Vampires was responsible for assisting with the decimation of his own kind?
Cain chuckled. “I understand what baffles you Daemon. How could I, the Father of All Vampires sponsor a school designed to hunt the very thing that I am?” Cain turned around to face the Vatican that stood as a fortress against the night sky. “Balance. I am a god among men. And one thing that separates a true god from a devil is the ever-intrinsic need for balance. Devils love chaos. Gods prefer balance. Now come with me…”
****
Archer massaged his temples as he sat behind his desk, still processing the meeting and the fact that his Slayer and her entire team were gone. Yes, Aklia would return them at some point unharmed and possibly stronger than ever, but with Guardians crying out for Sanaya’s help, Archer was not sure how much longer he would be able to maintain some level of authority. He felt the questions and uncertainty in the eyes of the Guardians he oversaw, and it made him question himself.
The Vampire Hunters Academy: The Reckoning Page 13