Rule

by Alaska Angelini

  As for the human who goes by the name Hunter, I am aware of his escape. I am leaving his capture and punishment up to you. Temporarily. You have four weeks to find and seek justice for his crime against your betrothed. If you can do this, his punishment will be up to you. If you fail to find him in the allotted time, his acts toward The Black Princess become a royal crime and enforcers will be send to handle the situation.

  -Master Aetas

  I clutched to the letter, barely able to contain the need to destroy everything in sight. His intentions weren’t good. Tessa wasn’t dead. She couldn’t be after what I had heard not an hour ago. He was pretending to be me for one reason or another and I was going to find out why. No one else could have done what I’d heard. No one. The task was impossible. Only he would have had the power to become someone else. So why? Why be me, get in her head, and try to seduce her? It didn’t make sense. Had he wanted to fuck Tessa, he would have just done it. No one would have stopped him. No one would have believed her allegations, or if they did, care that she had made them. He was our ruler. He couldn’t be overthrown. Not unless…

  My head shook and I roared as I threw the letter.

  Tessa. Talk to me right now.

  How many times had I ordered her to speak? Too many, and she wouldn’t. Or couldn’t. I wasn’t sure. One thing I knew was Aetas hadn’t expected me to hear them. Or maybe hadn’t thought about it. Either way, he fucked himself because now I knew what was happening. If he thought he was keeping me from finding headquarters, he was sorely mistaken.

  “I’m leaving,” I said, turning to Anastasia. “I’m going to Axis. Bufar is to rule in my stead. I want the teams to go out and scour above for Hunter. If he’s found, put him in lockdown. No one is to touch him.”

  I headed for the door as she cried out, reaching for me. “Don’t do it. Stay. If she’s alive like you believe, he’ll release her on his own time. Marko, you can’t afford to make more enemies there.”

  My jaw tightened and Anastasia came up short of touching me.

  “Please,” she begged. “Just wait this out.”

  “I can’t. I’m going. If I’m not back in a few days … Bufar will know what to do.”

  I left the meeting room, walking through the tunnel at a fast pace. The driver was already expecting me. I’d sent him the orders to be ready the moment I’d come to the decision in my head. As I entered the heart of the city, heads spun in my direction. The band quieted their somber tunes, but didn’t stop playing them completely as I walked past. Maybe the song was fitting. I might be going right to my death, if I could find this place at all.

  The stairs stretched out before me and I took three at a time until I reached the top. I didn’t have to open the thick metal door, the servant was already waiting for me as I rushed through.

  “Lionel is awaiting your arrival, Master.” He rushed ahead, opening the front door. The limo driver stood stiffly at the back door, staring ahead. I went to climb inside when screaming had my head whipping around. Marie was clawing at Beatrice, fighting to get to me.

  “Marie.” I waved Beatrice off as Marie crashed into my chest. “Calm,” I said, soothingly. What is it?”

  A sob tore from her throat while she clutched to my jacket. “I don’t … know. I … don’t go.” She wasn’t making sense. I lifted her face, staring into her depths, trying to will more of her missing time away, but nothing came.

  “Shh. Talk to me. Tell me what you feel.”

  Marie wiped the tears from her face as she tried to gain her composure. “I don’t want you to go. I fear that if you go, you won’t come back. Tessa wouldn’t want me to let you go.”

  I narrowed my eyes, gripping her face so she couldn’t turn away. “You say Tessa wouldn’t want me to go. Do you know if she’s alive?”

  Marie’s brow furrowed and she shook her head. “I don’t … think so. I see her dead.”

  “Don’t think,” I said, quietly, meeting her eyes. My power swirled and I used it to try to open up more of her mind. “Listen to me. Clear your thoughts and just speak. No thinking. No trying to remember. Let the words just come for themselves.” I kept the contact, feeling her pulse slow under my spell. “Is Tessalyn alive?”

  A few seconds went by. “Yes,” she answered in a monotone voice.

  My breath caught and I held to her biceps tighter. “Is Aetas hurting her?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think so. He … saved her. He … wants her to heal. To learn.”

  “Learn,” I repeated. “Is she well?”

  “No,” Marie breathed out raggedly. “She … fed from me. I couldn’t stop her. She attacked me even … when I said you would … kill me.”

  I clenched my jaw. Yes, it made me angry, but I would have let Tessa feed from Marie a million times over her feeding from Aetas or anyone else.

  “Do not fear for your life, Marie. I am not angry with you. Did your blood make her better?”

  “Yes. She was so sick… She was barely surviving before she fed from me.”

  Relief had me nodding. “Good. I’m glad you were able to help her. That makes me feel better. Is there anything else? Did anyone hurt you while you were there?”

  Tears raced down her cheeks. “Y…es.”

  “Name,” I ground out.

  Marie’s lips parted and I could see in her eyes that she didn’t want to say it. I left her little choice as I pushed into her mind deeper.

  “Gina.”

  I searched for the missing memories of what happened, but they were gone. Too far locked away for me to get to. I shouldn’t have been able to extract as much as I had, but the fact was, I could do it. I was so much more powerful than I had realized. I made her clear her thoughts again and told her to speak. “What did she do?”

  “She made Margo stop me from getting in the car. She … hit me. She said I was an embarrassment to our kind for not subduing a sick weakling like the Princess. I didn’t want to hurt Tessa. I…”

  “No more.” I broke the contact, turning her and pushing her toward the door. “Go rest, Marie. I’ll be back soon.”

  She cried harder as she turned back to face me. “Don’t go.”

  I climbed in the car, pulling the door shut before the driver could. There was no way I wasn’t going to go after Tessa. As for this Gina, it was against the code to treat visitors with such disrespect. I’d be sure to make that clear when I arrived.

  Chapter 11

  Hunter

  Fort Hood had never been my home. Although I’d visited the Army base before, I had never been stationed there. It was bigger than I remembered. And busier. As I walked along the sidewalk toward housing, I wasn’t sure where I was going. Johnson had said he lived here, but aside from the fact that I knew he drove a black truck, I had no idea where it was. And I didn’t have a telephone number. Finding him was going to impossible. The only thing that gave me confidence as I watched the sun set lower in the sky was the fact that I couldn’t see vampires working their way inside of here. Sure, they might be able to sneak on, but they wouldn’t stand a chance against the number of soldiers ready to destroy them.

  If I needed any idea of how great the rise was to battle them, all it took was the large manmade sign on the gate that said No Vampires Allowed. Government or not, our military wasn’t standing for a breach on their base.

  A car passed by and I glanced at the white sedan as I rounded a turn, taking me deeper into the neighborhood. It seemed to stretch out forever. Red trucks, white ones, but even with as common as black was, I had yet to see one.

  A kid cried out in the distance and I stiffened. The round of laughter that followed had me shaking my head. I was on edge. A part of me didn’t want to be here. I sure hoped I knew what I was doing.

  “Silvia, I told you, it’ll be fine.” A man in tactical gear stomped from the porch area of a house, heading past one of the two cars in the driveway. His wife’s dark hair flew out from behind her as she chased after him. My feet faltered at the familiar fa
ce. He seemed to notice me at the exact time.

  “Moretti. No fucking way.”

  Romano laughed as he headed my way, embracing me before pulling back.

  “Long time no see,” I laughed. “Last time I saw you, you were arriving in Afghanistan.”

  “And you were leaving,” he said. “How have you been? I thought you got out.”

  “I did,” I said, pushing my hands in my pockets. “I’m actually looking for a Sgt. Johnson. Big guy, he drives a black truck.”

  Romano’s head turned and he peered down the street. “Shit, man. I have no idea. Do you know how many Johnsons I’ve run into throughout the years?”

  I looked down at the strap around his chest, holding the bow. “Probably a lot. Say, where you going all geared up?”

  He glanced toward his wife and turned back to me, frowning. “Me and some of the guys head out to clean up the underground here. Fucking vampires. We’re starting to make some headway. The ones we haven’t gotten are clearing out. Probably heading toward the city.”

  “That’s why I’m here. Johnson’s been rallying in Austin. I’m coming to stay with him for a while to help out.”

  “Oh … that Johnson. He’s got a white truck now, man. Four houses down. Come with me, we’ll ride out with him.”

  Romano turned, giving his wife a peck on the cheek before heading back toward me. I could see her unease. I understood it. She had every right to fear for her husband’s life. I knew better than anyone what they were capable of.

  “Be careful,” she called out to us as we began to walk away.

  “Always,” he answered over his shoulder.

  I planted my feet and it took a few steps before he realized I wasn’t by his side. I pressed my lips together as he faced me. It wasn’t usually my place to say anything, but after what had happened, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. She was still standing there. Watching.

  “What’s up? You change your mind?”

  “No,” I said, taking in her sad expression. “But I’m not going anywhere until you go back and give your wife a real kiss and hug. Is this the way you want her to remember you if shit goes down? Come on, she deserves better than that. Who’s stuck by your side through everything?”

  Something flashed behind his eyes and he peered over to her. “You’re right. Guess I just don’t want her to worry. We’ve been through so much already.”

  “Yes, we all have. I’ve seen too much death, lately. Make this right. Every time you leave the house, give her something to remember you by.”

  I barely finished before Romano was jogging toward his house. I turned my back, not able to witness their emotion. Instead, I focused on the white truck I had already passed. It wasn’t seconds later Johnson emerged from his house with another man. They were talking. As if he felt me, he stopped the conversation and looked in my direction. A smile came to his face and I shrugged, heading his way. It didn’t take long for Romano to catch back up.

  “Moretti. Didn’t think I’d ever see you again. Glad you proved me wrong.”

  I sighed, taking in the three men who surrounded me. “I figured we’re all out for the same thing. If I can help contribute, I’ll do so.”

  “Oh … you will,” Johnson said. “You’re going to help us out more than you know. Your skills. Fucking phenomenal. I can still feel you.”

  I glanced nervously at the Romano and the other soldier I’d never met before.

  “What is that?” Romano asked. “It’s … like them. I felt it before I saw you. I thought I was imagining it.

  Johnson gestured to his truck. “Well talk about it on the way. Let’s load up.”

  The guys went to the back doors so I climbed in the front. Johnson didn’t speak until he reversed and started heading down the street. “So how’d you get here?”

  I shifted in the seat, not proud of what I had to do. “I stole a car. Dumped it off base.”

  “Jesus,” he whispered. “Gotta do what you gotta do, I guess.”

  “Yep.” I swallowed hard, not really wanting to go into why I was here, but I knew it was coming. I could feel the energy from the men behind me getting restless. “Vampire blood,” I said, turning around. “That’s what you feel. I was searching for my … best friend. She was taken by a Master. I found her and went underground with her. They kept me there for months, refusing to let me leave. Her…” I let out a deep breath. “Her maker did some really fucked up shit to us. I ended up having to kill both of them before I escaped.”

  Romano’s eyes flared and I watched as his mind worked. He was thinking, and he knew enough about me to put the pieces together.

  “We’re not talking about—”

  “Tessa,” I said, cutting him off. “Yes.”

  “But, you were going to come back to marry her. It’s the whole reason you were getting out. Fuck, man, I’m sorry.”

  Pain lanced my heart and I tried to push the images away. “It had to happen. Once she changed, she wasn’t the same. And she couldn’t escape them. She made me promise. I went through with it.”

  “What’s up with that?” the stranger asked, nodding to my head. I didn’t have to read his mind to know what he was talking about. My hair might have been growing back, but not where I wanted it to the most. Not yet. Maybe never.

  Nausea had me pausing. “That would be where I blew my brains out after I killed her. The vampire’s blood prevented the one thing I wanted the most. It wasn’t meant to be so here I am.”

  Silence left sweat pouring from me. Johnson glanced in my direction before he took a left. “I don’t blame you. Crossed my mind on more than one occasion when I lost my wife to vampires. If I would have had to kill her, I would have done the same thing.”

  “Same here,” Romano said, reaching forward and grasping my shoulder. “We got you. Never doubt that.”

  “I never have.”

  Johnson pulled into a base’s movie theater and I followed as they climbed out. When we entered, my feet halted. The place was filled with soldiers. Some were in uniform, others weren’t. Men and women, all ages. They grew quiet as we came in. Johnson led us to the front and I crossed my arms before me, clutching to one of my wrists as he began to speak.

  “Thanks for coming, everyone. Before we go into what we’ve learned, I’d like to introduce to you a veteran and a good friend of mine. This is former Sergeant First Class, Hunter Moretti. He’s done multiple tours in Afghanistan. He’s a damn good leader and he’s going to be one of our greatest assets. He knows more about the vampire community than any of us can begin to imagine. He’s spent the last few months as a captive to the underground and he’s managed to escape, but not without a price. He lost someone dear to him too, just like the majority of us in here. He was also the one with me and Gomez when we lost Thatcher and Waters. He’s dependable and exactly who we’re looking for. Let’s give him a welcome and get down to business.”

  Whispers and something short of cheers echoed through the large space as I gave a nod. Johnson turned to a table set up next to the screen. There were a few papers resting on the top. He grabbed one, scanning over the contents.

  “We lost two more soldiers?” He scanned the crowd, stopping on a man in the second row, toward the end. “What happened, Artega?”

  The man stood. Even in his posture, I could see his grief. The weight had his shoulders sagging. He wasn’t taking the losses easy.

  “A vampire came up in the rear at a fork in the tunnels. Munez must have not seen it in time. It got him and Kepler before we could take it out with the stakes.”

  Artega sat back down and whispering ensued for only a moment before Johnson began scanning the crowd again.

  “What do we have on ideas to make this easier? Hanson?”

  A tall soldier on the first row looked up from his own paper. “We’re still looking into a few things. We have the soakers, loaded with holy water, the stakes, and even a few flame throwers but due to the size of the tunnels, it makes it hard for us to use anything wi
th real power.”

  A sigh left Johnson and I couldn’t help but speak up. “What about thermal? It would read their heat signatures. If we could get some down there, we’d be able to see a lot better than with just the headlamps or a flashlight. They may not register to the temperature we would, but they’ll come close enough.”

  “Thermal,” Johnson repeated. “Yes, Hanson, you hear that. Get us some thermal.”

  “You’re using night vision, right?” I asked.

  “Well.” Johnson twisted his mouth. “We use our own equipment. Some of the scopes on the guns have it, but not everyone can afford it right now.

  I glanced around at the crowd. “We’ll go out to businesses and ask for donations. We’ll set up a drive. Whatever we have to do. People will help. They’ll support us.”

  Johnson smiled, nodding. “What else do you suggest?”

  Already, he was looking up to me. It was only a matter of time before they all saw I was meant to lead. And I would.

  “Physical training. We’ve all been through it. It’s time we work our hardest and step it up. These vampires are strong and fast. We have to be able to physically fight if it comes to that. Not all have special powers or gifts. At best, they’re faster, stronger, and they can climb walls. If we can eliminate them before they get to us, great. If not, you have to learn to break necks. It’ll incapacitate them long enough for someone to make the kill. Do not make the mistake in thinking that it will kill them. The only way a vampire can die is by decapitation or a direct hit to their heart. Even a Master can die if you stab them in the heart with a holy relic. I know. I’ve killed two this way.”

  Well, Tessa may not have been a Master, but she would have been. And she was just as strong with her gifts. It wouldn’t have been long. And her blood made her stronger than a normal vampire. She counted.