Corin & Angelique (After the Fall of Night)

by Sherri Claytor

  A smug grin plastered Boldor’s face. Corin could see his hunger for the kill. The devil was sure he’d already won the game.

  “On your knees and still spouting orders. I do admire the fight in you.” Boldor made his move. Grabbing a fistful of Corin’s hair, he snatched his head back. “But I’m in charge here. When you’re bound, then I’ll send her, not before.” He tied Corin’s hands behind him, pulling the ropes so tight they sliced into his flesh. “I need some insurance. You understand.” He shoved Corin down, forcing his head against the upper edge of the stone. With him bound, he pressed his knee into his mid-back to hold him in place.

  “Corin,” Tomes called to him.

  “Just get Angelique,” Corin responded through gnashed teeth.

  “Take her to her brother,” Boldor instructed Fulner. “But don’t release her until I give the word. This one might try something if we give her up too soon.”

  Corin choked, the stone cutting into his throat. This was to be his guillotine. An ironically fitting ending for one of the walking dead.

  He managed to turn his head just enough to see Fulner dragging Angelique toward Tomes for the handoff. But just as they’d reached half the distance, a vapory fog unexpectedly appeared between them. A phantom in the night, the entity took the form of a woman.

  “It looks like I’m just in time.” The female immortal slashed Fulner across the left side of his face with one quick motion and seized Angelique.

  Fulner cried out and ran, disappearing into the darkness.

  “Let her go!” Tomes yelled, but kept his distance when she tossed him a warning hiss, revealing her long fangs.

  Angelique struggled against her, but the immortal was strong, keeping her in place with little effort.

  “So much commotion over this mortal?” she remarked, scanning everyone around her.

  “Lehndra,” Boldor acknowledged.

  “It seems the blow of my arrival has sunk in.” She cut her piercing eyes his way. “I bet you never expected to see me tonight, or any other.”

  “It is a shock, yes. You look ravishing as always,” he wheedled.

  “You can save the flattery, Karlot,” she gnarled. “You forget, I know you. There is no chance of your charm having any affect on me. Those times are long past. I’m here for one reason only. You have something that belongs to me, and I’m here to reclaim it.”

  With Boldor preoccupied with the female immortal, Corin took the opportunity to scramble free from the chopping block. The nightwalker tried to seize him, but Corin was too fast.

  Swearing, Boldor tore after him, taking several swings, just missing with each strike.

  Finding the right moment to shape-shift, Corin assumed the form of a wolf, white with brown detailing. The ropes fell free from his wrists as the smaller legs of the animal replaced his own limbs. And giving a vicious bark, he took a stance, prompting Boldor to back off.

  The fog, held at bay till that moment, suddenly shrouded them in a sea of mist, making it impossible to see the others’ positions.

  “Corin!” Tomes called frantically. “She’s on the move with Angelique.”

  Corin reverted to his original form and searched for their locations, finally finding Tomes when he called out a second time.

  “Did you see where they went?” Corin’s fangs had emerged.

  “The fog moved in too fast.,” Tomes told him. “I couldn’t shoot. I was afraid I might hit Angel.”

  “Stay here, I’ll check the car.” Corin darted away, but the ‘Vette squealed off before he reached the gate. Not knowing where Boldor might be lurking, he headed back to Tomes.

  “I heard the car,” Tomes said. “Go after them.”

  “I can’t leave you out here alone. Boldor would kill you in a second.”

  “Don’t worry about me. Angelique comes first.”

  “We’ll get her back. I believe the immortal has a score of her own to settle with Boldor. Something tells me she’s planning to Angelique as a bargaining chip.”

  “I pray you’re right, ‘cause if you’re not—”

  “I’ll get her back,” Corin proclaimed. "Even if I have to move heaven and hell to make it happen.”

  Corin thought about how vexed the female immortal seemed with Boldor. It was apparent they shared a past relationship. He recalled what she said to him, You have something that belongs to me, and I’m here to reclaim it. He assumed she was referring to the charm—the same one Jordon was after—the Heart of the Clyth.

  Corin’s thoughts shifted to Angelique. He would never admit it to Tomes, but not knowing anything about the female immortal, he, too, had his doubts. If he was right, and she was planning to use Angelique as a bargaining chip against Boldor, it was only a matter of time before she discovered the fiend could care less whether her captive lived or died. When that happened, Angelique would be useless to her and at that point, done for. Corin could only hope the immortal had another plan in mind.

  * * * *

  Boldor, in the form of a black raven, landed a few miles away on the bank of a narrow, swiftly running creek. He shape-shifted into human form and squatted next to the water.

  How did she ever catch up with me?

  He had met Lehndra more than two years earlier in New Orleans during the Mardi Gras while under the identy of Karlot Delacruse. They had eyed the same victim, finding a sordid humor in cornering an unfortunate woman at the same moment. Both impulsive, and a perfect match, they quickly forged a partnership and became lovers.

  Lehndra, affiliated with a special order of nightwalkers, had brought him into her secret society. He could never be a member, but the Order had granted him permission to reside among them. But, like him, Lehndra was corrupt, and it didn’t take long for them to concoct a plan to steal a powerful charm from the sect. Lehndra had set up the heist, and when the Heart of the Clyth was in their possession, they’d fled with their prize. However, Boldor decided he didn’t want to share the power, not even with Lehndra and skipped out with the charm. Heartless and selfish, he left her to face the wolves alone.

  “You seek revenge,” he presumed, rubbing an amber button, the insect squirming.

  “But I always get what I want.” He remembered how he’d stolen the stones from a witch more than two hundred years ago, using her the same way he’d used Lehndra.

  The witch, Suna, had placed a spell on ten amber gemstones, imprisoning specific insects and arachnids inside each stone for the purpose of calling them forth when she needed them to be her eyes and her ears. Several words and a potion connected her to the immortalized creatures through touch, allowing her to care for and control them, just as he did now. Obeying his command, they seeped free of the gems when he called them, returning when their tasks were done. They were his personal miniature agents, playing a large part in achieving his goals. He couldn’t have stolen the charm from Lehndra without them. A secret asset, he trusted no one with the knowledge of the stones. No one. As far as anyone ever knew, they were merely a prized collection.

  “Lehndra,” he groaned. “I’ll have to deal with you.”

  The female immortal’s arrival had put a damper on things—an inconvenient and unforeseen turn of events—forcing him to come up with a new game plan, and fast. But the game was far from over.

  * * * *

  Lehndra, having commandeered Corin’s Corvette, fled with Angelique to Jaffler Farm.

  “Home sweet home. This is probably the last place they’d expect me to bring you,” the immortal grinned as she pulled up to the house.

  “How did you know where I live?”

  “I got lucky and came upon your nightwalker, von Vadim, and his mortal friend the night before last in the cemetery. I’ve been watching from a safe distance, careful not to be detected. When I saw that Jordon was sticking close to all of you, I knew I was in the right place. He came close to spotting me in the woods, but I was barely in range and moved fast. That fight, between the immortals, answered a lot of questions I had about K
arlot’s agenda here, leading me to devise a plan.”

  “And what is your plan? What are you going to do with me?”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not planning to feed on you, yummy as you smell.” She shoved Angelique onto the sofa.

  The room was dark and Angelique could only make out faint outlines.

  “I saw the way that nightwalker was willing to give his life to save you. If I were to take your life, he’d hunt me till he, or I, was dust. And that could be a very long time.”

  “We’re in love,” Angelique told her.

  “Oh, that’s obvious,” Lehndra moved through the dark room.

  Angelique suddenly jumped, startled by a single, quick scratching sound. A tiny flame broke the darkness, allowing her to see the immortal holding a match to the wick of a candle.

  “You’re a nervous one.” The nightwalker placed the candle on the coffee table in front of her.

  It didn’t offer much light, but it was a welcome escape from the suffocating darkness.

  “Why not use the lights?” Angelique asked.

  “A softer light is more comfortable on our eyes. Associated with a nightwalker, you should know this.”

  “I just recently found out about him—that he’s an immortal.”

  “You’re very lucky to have won the heart of such a man. Although, I find little use for the masculine sex.” Lehndra moved aimlessly about the room.

  “You prefer women?” Angelique wasn’t sure of her meaning.

  “Not exactly,” Lehndra laugh. “I’ve just never known a trustworthy man, and I’ve been around a long time, almost two hundred years. I must say, I find myself a bit envious of your relationship with von Vadim. I’ve never had a man care for me with such a passion.”

  “Do you know Corin?”

  “He’s no acquaintance. It’s merely observation.” She found two more candles and positioned them in the room.

  “But you do know Boldor.”

  The additional light offered Angelique a much better view of the immortal who was a stunning creature with unusually light-blue eyes displaying large, black pupils. Her hair, a beautiful shade of red, fell wildly along her back, the front dressed in braids, three on either side, running from her temples until blending with her loose, disorganized tresses.

  “He called you by name. Len—”

  “Lehndra. And yes, I know him,” she admitted. “Karlot Delacruse. He played me for a fool. He took my heart, double-crossed me, and abandoned me. A terrible mistake on his part.”

  “So, you’re here for revenge.” Angelique observed the various pieces of jewelry adorning her body—a bold gem cuff wrapping her left wrist and some erotic-looking body piercing.

  “Amongst other things. He took something I want back. And I’m not leaving without it.”

  “How do I fit into your plans? I’ll be of no use to you against Boldor. He was only using me to get to Corin.”

  “Yes, I’m aware of that. I figured I could use a little help from von Vadim in my own endeavors. From what I’ve seen, I think he’d do just about anything to get you back.”

  “So you want to use me as ransom to force Corin into helping you take down Boldor?”

  “That’s about the gist of it,” Lehndra admitted. “It worked for Boldor, or almost worked for Boldor,” she corrected herself with a scornful snicker.

  “You don’t need to do this. We have the same goal. We could be working together, on the same side.”

  “That’s not possible, my dear. Besides, I’ve seen you with Jordon, the Indith Sentry, and he and I will never be on the same side of anything. That diurnal immortal would sooner kill me than help me,” Lehndra snapped.

  “I don’t know much about Jordon,” Angelique told her, having no idea what she meant by Indith Sentry or diurnal immortal.

  “He and I are after the same thing—a charm. But I plan on getting to it first. I risked my life stealing it, and I’m due my prize. If it wasn’t for Karlot, I’d have it now.”

  “You’re a thief, like Boldor.”

  “Never compare me to that odious cad!” Lehndra hissed. “I’ve never been able to stand the way he slinks about—the vermin. Always rubbing those insect buttons, as if getting some kind of perverted pleasure from it. He makes them move, and I hate bugs.” She released a growl of repugnance. “I only resorted to thievery to further my cause. I’m a visionary, and with the aid of the Clyth, I’ll be in a position to lead my world to greatness. I’ll bring my people out of obscurity and into a new and advanced age. Under my leadership, no other worlds will compare.”

  “What do you mean by ‘your world’?”

  “I’m not from Earth, I’m from the Eleventh Dimension. It’s a world lost in time, at a standstill in its current era, what you would consider in your history, the Middle Ages. Oh, there’s been slight advancement over the years, but the pace of change is unacceptable. But with the Clyth, I can carry us forth into a superior age, transforming the Eleventh Dimension into a world not even Earth can equal.”

  Angelique couldn’t help envisioning the female immortal as an animated mad dictator. Her scheme just sounded so loony. And the Eleventh Dimension, how was she ever to wrap her mind around the existence of other worlds when she’d just come to terms with the reality of vampires and immortals?

  “The Clyth?” Angelique asked. “What is that?”

  “You sure ask a lot of questions,” Lehndra stared at Angelique. “I made a pledge to uphold the secrets of the Order, but I abide by my own rules. Besides, they’ve already sentenced me for treason, and what threat can you be?”

  Angelique didn’t know what she meant, but she listened silently.

  “I’ll quench your curiosity, if nothing more but to pass the time. The Clyth is a charm of great power. Boldor possesses one part of it called the Heart, a black diamond, and the imbecile doesn’t even know the full value of what he carries with him. When we were together, I wasn’t completely open with him. Intuition warned me to be cautious until he had proven his devotion, and luckily, I listened to that inner voice. Not even a week later, he abandoned me, disappeared with the Heart, leaving me to fend for myself against the Order—the guardians of the charm. Now, two years later, I’ve finally found him, still up to his old tricks.” She pulled what appeared to be a large locket from her pocket and rubbing it between her fingers. “But I know what the Clyth can do, and with a little luck, the Heart and Body will soon be joined, and the power will be mine.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  The Gathering

  “With no transportation, we’ll have to walk. If you can make it to the main road, we might be able to catch a ride. Hopefully someone will come along,” Corin told Tomes as they headed for the cemetery gate.

  “You should go and hunt for Angel. I’ll be okay.”

  “I can’t leave you out here alone. Look at you. You can barely get around. And with Boldor out for the kill, your chances of making it back alive would be slim to none. I’m worried, too, but right now it’s best that we stick together. I’m sure the female immortal will reveal her plan soon.”

  “I just hope Angel’s okay. This is all my fault. I insisted on coming with you. I should have stayed at the estate. We wouldn’t be here, in this predicament, if I had.”

  “You can’t blame yourself.”

  “Angel was so close. If I’d just done something, maybe—”

  “That immortal would have ripped you to sheds.”

  Keeping a steady pace, they’d just passed through the gate and started up Cemetery Road when Corin caught the sound of a vehicle nearing.

  “Someone’s coming,” he alerted Tomes just before headlights appeared around the curve in front of them and a vehicle came into view. “I think it’s the sheriff.”

  “What on earth is he doing out here?”

  “I have no idea, but we need the ride.”

  Sheriff Pierson rolled to a stop and lowered his window.

  “What brings you boys out here this time
of night, and without transportation to boot?” he asked.

  “Oh, w-we had transportation, but—” Tomes attempted to supply a feasible response.

  “I’ll tell you what happened, Sheriff,” Corin took over, catching Pierson’s fixed, disconcerting stare. “This fellow here,” he pointed back at Tomes, “he went and royally pissed off his sister. She took the car and left us to find our own way back.”

  “I guess that was her I passed tearing out of here like a bat out of hell?”

  “It was,” Corin hoped the sheriff didn’t question why they were at the cemetery, or how three of them had gotten out there in a two-seater car. “She’s a spirited one.”

  “In your condition, Mr. Jaffler, that’s surprising,” Pierson told Tomes. “You’re not looking too well. You ought to be home in bed.”

  “It’s hard keeping this one down,” Corin spoke for Tomes.

  “Well, hop in and I’ll give you boys a lift. Unless you think she might come back for you once she’s cooled off.”

  “We’re not counting on it.” Corin opened the back door and helped Tomes get in.

  Corin knew Sheriff Pierson was suspicious of them, but he had no choice but to accept the ride. Tomes wouldn’t make it far in his condition.

  “We appreciate you going out of your way.” Corin climbed in the front seat.

  “I wouldn’t be a very good lawman if I left the two of you stranded out here, now would I?”

  “You’re a fine officer, Sheriff.” Corin fastened his seatbelt. “Always on top of things.”

  “Should I drop you at the estate?”

  “Yes. That would be great,” Corin replied. “Tell me, how’s the investigation coming along?”

  “Funny you should ask that. I’ve been trying to track you down. I’m sure Mr. Jaffler has told you.” He eyed Tomes in the rearview mirror. “I wanted to ask you a few questions about a murder that occurred at the county fair two nights ago. The victim was a fortuneteller—Madam Monicca.”