by L M Adams
I moan into her mouth and pull back. “Good morning, beautiful,” I say as I take away my hand.
“Please,” she whispers in the dark.
“You’re not mine any longer, Valentine. The sun is up.” I say in the dark.
“I don’t care,” her whisper is harsh.
I smile as I stroke her again. I brush my finger on her collar and let her find her release, a treat for a job well done. She comes apart saying my name.
“I see why he loves you,” she says after a moment.
“He said that?” I don’t remember all the things he said while I punished him last night. It’s a bit of a haze.
“No, but I can tell easily. There’s happiness in him that wasn’t there before,” she says quietly as she slides from the bed. The man is obviously spent. He still hasn’t woken, snoring softly. Vampires snore?
After a while, a dim light comes on. Valentine is standing by a dimmer switch on the wall by the double doors. I have no idea what time it is, just that the sun is up. My internal clock says so. Vampires seem to be built with them and I seem to have that safety feature built in.
I shake Jack. He comes awake with a start. He sees me and smiles a beautiful smile.
“Good morning,” I say.
“Good morning, Jae,” he says with his sleepy, sexy vampire voice.
“Well last night was… it was, unexpected and perfect,” Valentine says pulling a black silk robe from one of the drawers in the bottom of the huge bureau. Her creamy skin doesn’t have a mark on it. Yes, vampires are ok to play with. They heal so fast.
“I’m glad you enjoyed,” I say, standing and taking the robe she offers me.
My legs tremble and feel weak. I smile. “I had a good time, too.”
The robe is almost floor length on her; on me it’s about knee length, barely, and is a little tight. I tie the belt and enjoy the feel of real silk on my body. I’m in no rush to put my succubus outfit back on.
“You’ve reminded me of passions I haven’t felt in a very long time.”
I want to ask how old she is, but that would be bad form. She walks over to her desk and sits in the high-backed chair. She glows with satisfaction. She reaches up to remove the collar. Jack gets out of the bed finally. I walk over to the desk. I guess it’s time for business.
She rolls her neck when the collar is off and hums a little in her throat. I sit in a chair across from her, crossing my legs. The robe parts just so. She looks at my thigh hungrily.
“I think we won’t do that twice a month. I fear I’d become yours even with the collar off. Then I fear what else I would become and what else I would lose.” She says softly, looking at me.
I nod my head but I know it’s too late for that, I’ll show her that in a little.
Don’t be afraid to care for me, Valentine, I think to her. I won’t hurt you… too badly.
“Perhaps when you have need?” I suggest, she nods her head quickly.
Jack comes over, setting the box for the collar on her desk; she takes her time putting it away like it’s a precious thing. I have the feeling she will call soon enough.
Jack’s put on his pants, but that’s it.
She snaps the box shut with a click and settles back into her chair. She looks to Jack then.
“I had hoped you would come to love me someday, Capaneus.”
I look at Jack then, or rather Capaneus; his eyes have gone soft, a small smile plays on his lips.
“I know, Kaori. But too much has passed between us.”
Ok so now I know Valentine’s real name. What is it with vampires always changing their names anyway? What the hell is going on?
I look over to ‘Kaori’; she just sits, looking at him and blinking slowly. Seems like she’s making a big decision. Jack reaches down a hand, the one with his signet ring still on it, settling his hand on my shoulder.
“So you’ve decided?” Valentine/Kaori asks.
“I’ll not be without her,” Jack says with steel in his voice. I sit there mutely as a life-changing decision flies above my head. I feel horribly inept.
“I want to take you away from her and...” she pauses, “but my heart feels soft this morning.” She nods her head as some decision solidifies behind her eyes. She turns that piercing gaze on me. She really is a beautiful woman.
“He is yours for life; to set free, to hold captive, to marry. I rescind all ties, rights and holds over him; by the power of the Blood King I do this, and with his blessing.” Her voice is strong and clear. I feel Jack’s hand squeeze my shoulder.
“But…” I start, “for his fangs slipping?” I ask in shock. I don’t understand what’s going on.
Jack laughs and snatches me from the chair, swinging me around. He picks me up and holds me close for a moment.
He sets me on my feet and brushes my hair behind my ear.
“I am free, Jae. To be yours fully and truly. Will you say no? Will you turn me away? I fit you, you fit me.” His eyes so full of pleading and love… it’s terrifying.
“I don’t know if I can love you,” I say.
Valentine scoffs. I cut my eyes at her. She blinks slowly. Yeah, uh huh, don’t forget who you served last night.
“I have enough love for the both of us. I don’t need the words, Jae; I just need to know you accept me. That you want me by your side. Do you want me or no, Jaevia?” His eyes bore into me.
I nod my head quickly.
Does this mean we’re engaged? I blow out a breath. He bends and kisses me on the lips. He’s always been one uppity slave. I guess it only gets worse now.
But I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him, opening my mouth. I feel the heaviness in my heart; another man that loves me when I don’t know how to love. Just what I needed. Lucien will be perfectly thrilled to know Jack is a permanent fixture. But I kiss him back, pushing my worries to the back of my mind. After a while, I relax in his embrace. He pulls back looking down at me. He kisses my forehead and steps back, bowing towards Valentine. She nods her head back at him.
“Give us a moment, Jack. Gather your friends. They are in the guest chambers downstairs,” Valentine says. So that’s what’s on the second floor.
Jack looks to me for permission. I nod my head. I feel a certain warmth that he looks to me before he moves. Na na na na na; the boy is mine.
I clear my throat and sit back down looking to Valentine.
“I know you think I’m a cold, heartless bitch, but I care more than you know. That young man who was so in love with Christy? I care. She was using him. Maybe I didn’t go about educating him in the proper manner.” She shrugs her shoulder. I just raise an eyebrow.
“I care deeply for Capaneus.” She looks away. “He won’t accept what he is. His sentence was for life; to be my slave in exchange for his father’s betrayal, from the beginning. His father knew it but begged me the one small kindness to keep it from his son. I agreed, thinking it would be better if Jack hated me instead of his father. It was a kindness I did to Jack, forcing him to swear himself to me for eternity, even though it didn’t seem like it. You can tell him, when the time is right,” she says quietly. So the wicked bitch of the east has a heart. I sigh. I wasn’t expecting that.
She continues when I choose to say nothing. See, I know when to shut my mouth.
“But I’ve never been able to make him want to be better, to be more. Only three days with you and I see the difference. You’ve quickened him.”
“I didn’t do that,” I say empathetically.
She scoffs again. “In one night you’ve made me soften my heart. Even I feel new life. The older we get, the harder it is for us to feel anything,” she laughs a sad laugh. “I thought to give him to you for a few months. Maybe make his heart ache with missing me. Seduce you, convince you how much of a good Mistress I am. Instead he goes off and falls in love with a daemon Kindred.” Her fingers tap lightly on the box with the collar in it.
“I’m sorry,” I say, not quite knowing what I’m apologizi
ng for but she’s obviously hurting.
I’m taking away someone she wanted. Her plot was foiled, but it doesn’t mean she hadn’t loved Jack somewhere deep underneath her convoluted dark plans.
“See even now, you say that with such understanding and emotion. I know somewhere your heart has opened up a little to me. Maybe that’s what it was. Maybe that’s what I lack.”
I close my eyes remembering Jack’s words, “Because you give a damn.” I do… I give a damn when people hurt, even when I’m the one hurting them. I nod my head.
I stand up slowly and walk around to her. I hold out my hand to her, she stands, taking it. I lean back on the desk and open my legs pulling her between them. Then I kiss her softly and let my hand brush her hardened nipples.
I break the kiss. “You will call me again. The longer you wait, the more it will hurt. Yes, Kaori?”
“Yes, Jae.”
“Good girl, now on your knees. Fuck that collar, you’re mine when I say.” She slides to her knees. “Yes, Mistress.”
I use her again, holding her head until I feel completely satisfied she understands I mean business. I’ve missed the feel of a woman just as much as a man. A woman is different, and a powerful woman on her knees gets me high on power. It may be cruel for me not to return the favor, but I’m not ready yet. I still need to make her understand that she really is mine. No succubus, no power, nothing forcing her. Just a woman that wants a woman.
After I give her permission to stand again, I brush her jet black long hair behind her shoulder.
“You really are a beautiful woman, Kaori.” She smiles, the shine of my pleasure on her lips. I lick it off, reaching a hand between her thighs, goddess always so fucking hot.
“Ask for permission.”
“Please, Mistress.”
“Yes baby, oh yes.” I hold her tight as the shudders rack her small body.
She shows me the humongous bathroom off to the side of her bedroom/office; I quickly take a shower and dry off. Looking at the orgy sized Jacuzzi in here. We are so fucking in that next time I’m here.
I open the bag Jack brought hoping he’d put fresh undies inside. I find a pair of jeans and a plain black T-shirt inside. The man really does think of everything, even my ass kicking boots are in here. I was wondering why the bag was so big, but hadn’t asked. I strap on my tablet and thigh sheaths feeling better than I have in a long time.
I’m packing everything back into the bags when Lucien, Tabari, and Jack burst through the door.
“Not-wolves, they are coming, Valentine has human lookouts, hundreds are coming,” Jack says.
I look at him, wide-eyed. I stride forward.
“Get dressed, Jack, and meet me downstairs. The two of you with me.”
How in goddess’s name had they made so many?!
“Day walkers to me!” I hear Valentine cry out.
I rush to her side, she has on black leather pants and a black tank top with black wedge boots on. The katana she’s carrying, still sheathed, is hot. It looks old, I know it’s old.
“What’s happening?”
“Hundreds of twisted creatures are racing here. They bring fire to burn us out. I have ten day walkers, not enough to keep them from breaking through. My allies are too far.”
“Do you have a back door?”
She pauses and looks at me. “Yes, Miss Knightley. A vampire will show you.”
I ignore that. “I need two day walkers. Tabari you say you are the most powerful magi of our generation. Prove it. You can blot out the sun, right?”
He nods his head. “I can also put up a shield on the back of the building at least, force them to the front; you’ll be spread too thin trying to guard both areas. But I won’t be able to fight or put a glamour spell to hide us. Humans may see.”
“Good idea, Tabari. I don’t give a fuck what the humans see, you give her vampires all the protection you can from the sun. Go out the back door to the roof, the day walkers will guard you.” I look to Valentine; her eyes are wide with a curious expression; she yells two names and orders them to guard Tabari with their lives.
I turn back to Tabari. “Banish the sun from the sky, brother.”
“With pleasure, sister.” Then he hugs me quick and turns to follow the day walkers.
“Valentine, can you loan us swords? The only way to kill them is to take their heads.”
“You’ve fought them before?”
“Yes, and I wouldn’t advise anyone to drink their blood although I doubt anyone will want to. You’ll see what I mean when you get a whiff.”
She orders three swords to be brought up and passes the order around: take their heads, no blood drinking.
“Lucien, you take a quarter of the vampires and set up a last stand close to the buildings. There’s a lot of alcohol in here, no fire can touch this building, Lucien.”
I look to him with grave eyes; he nods his head then grabs me and kisses me deep. Before I can drink him in, its over and both of us have clicked over to that quiet place in our hearts where the dark things live. The parts of us that do not shy away from battle but rather revel in the bloody joy of it, the parts of us that are Reaper, the parts of us that the monsters fear.
He yells for some vampires to stay inside with fire extinguishers, buckets of water, and their spit if need be.
“And when you run out of spit, my bloodsucking ladies and gents, piss on the fires. You won’t be showing anything here that hasn’t already been seen before. Hell, I saw most of it last night, and what a grand show it was!” He laughs, the vampires laugh and follow his orders easily; he’s such a natural leader. The only time he’s happy is when he’s having sex and killing things. That’s my Lucien.
I look back to Valentine. “We will have a conversation about you not believing better of your Grigori later.”
She smiles. “Yes, Jae.”
Jack joins us. I drag him in for a quick kiss; it’s softer than the one I’d just shared with Lucien. Yet I still feel the power uncurl in him, the bloodlust take hold of his heart, sometimes death can be silent and easy. When I pull away I realize, I’ve not just kissed a man turned vampire, not even a pureblood. I’ve kissed a Blood Lord. My lips taste of sweetened blood and the desire to find more.
“Now let’s go kill shit.” I take the sword a vampire hands me, it’s a shortened katana. It feels good in my hand as I try a few stances and test the balance of it. The damn thing is probably a few hundred years old, but the blade gleams under the artificial light in the hallway, I wonder how many lives have been taken with this very blade.
Many.
I nod my head in agreement with my succubus. Well we should add a few more to the tally, it’s only right.
We spill outdoors and although it’s day time, it’s not day time at all. Fuck you if you don’t think Tabari isn’t the most powerful Magi of our generation. Good as his word, a six-block radius, at least, is night time despite the morning hour. I feel the pull of the EM field. Damn, the man is siphoning enough juice to make the hairs on my arms stand up. I let my eyes glow. It helps my not-night vision?
I look up. The only thing I can call it is creepy. No stars or moon, just an inky black… substance? It pulses with magic, moving with huge ripples, the center is Tabari. All the vampires look up in awe, oh yeah soak it in, Tabari is a bad ass. The night walkers come out hesitantly, I know they are putting a lot of trust in me, in Tabari, I feel the weight of it heavy on my heart.
“This is your home!” I yell out. “I am Grigori, I fight for you; he is my brother, he fights for you. Have heart; as long as he is alive to breathe a breath, no sun shall touch you!”
A screech comes from their voices, I don’t know how to describe it other than, shit it’s the kind of thing no human should ever hear. A call to the night. The wolves have their way and the vampires have theirs.
Even with all the vampires able to join in the fight, the not-wolves out number us five to one. When Valentine said hundreds, I was thinking one h
undred not a bloody fucking battalion. Good goddess where had they found so many?
The not-wolves on fours or threes are first, their front line. They come down both sides of the street. I don’t know if the ones wearing clothes makes it better or worse; shredded bits of shirts and jeans, reminding me they had all been human at some point. I look into their gazes; I don’t see any way to rationalize with them. There is nothing there in the dead, lifeless eyes. Just puppets. How I wish I could kill your puppet masters, but I guess you’ll have to do.
The bipedal ones hold torches, Molotov cocktails, and grenades; Lucien’s line gets into the fray far before I wish it to be so. I set my mind to one purpose: killing. I dance the dragons until my muscles shake, and then I keep going. I can barely feel my arms at all any longer. Snarling face after snarling face and I chop off every head. Twisted wolf arms, wolf muzzles jutting from human faces. I slice and chop until I’m covered in blood. The slickness of it mixes with my sweat and makes my grip on the katana hard to keep. Wolf pelts over human faces fall before me as death finds them. Fucking disgusting; abomination isn’t a strong enough word.
I can’t hear or feel anything as the bloodlust sings through my veins. I see a larger not-wolf standing on two legs. The fucker has to be the better part of three hundred pounds and a few inches over six feet. I run towards it with a blood curdling battle cry. I jump in the air spinning and kicking him in the head as I fall I bring the sword down and across his torso and stomach. I watch as its hot, steaming guts spill out, piles of intestines and I think, pieces of its stomach, pool between us. It looks at me confused and then looks down. It falls to its knees with a hard thump on the bloodied asphalt street. I take its head. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
I laugh a wicked laugh and begin killing again. I move too fast and get separated from the line. I fight my way to the back of the line of not-wolves. Two of the four legged abominations, with human heads turn towards me, they attack together. I spin and chop off one head neatly, before I can recover and charge forward again, the other jumps me. I fall on my back with the not-wolf riding me. The back of my head bangs on the street sending a shockwave of pain through my head and neck, my upper back is on fire too. I’m just on this side of consciousness; stars dance in the corner of my vision. I could have tried to break my fall, but my arm to its throat is the only thing keeping the not-wolf from taking a bite out of my face.