by Alex Owens
I was rendered mute by the conversation around me. They were talking like I wasn’t even in the room. It ticked me off and scared me—both in equal parts. I shifted in my seat. I still couldn’t stand, but my binding had loosened just enough to allow me some wiggle room.
“Are you sure that she is the one?” said Clive, eyeing me like I was a bug to be squashed.
“Yes, how can you be sure?” asked Gregor clasping his hands together and leaning over the table.
“I am sure. Her powers shine through, despite the neglect. Imagine how powerful she will be once she is trained,” Bette argued on my behalf, which made me grateful.
“If you are sure.” Gregor straightened in his chair. “It is in her blood, after all.”
I wanted answers and I intended to get them. “Somebody needs to...”
Clive interrupted, glaring at Gregor. “Well, I wouldn’t exactly know that, now would I?”
Ah, so that’s why he was vibing some serious anger my way, even more so than usual. He didn’t like being left out of the all-you-can-eat Claire buffet.
That made me smile and I began to feel like myself again. Funny how being near three powerful vamps messes with your mind—so much that you don’t even notice until the fog clears.
I sucked in a deep breath and prepared to make myself heard. Looking up, I could see Bette glaring at Gregor, while Clive sat back smugly.
“What? What did I miss?” I stood, no longer rooted to the chair. Since they were all distracted, I could assume it had been one of them holding me down earlier. Probably Clive. That sick bastard would get pleasure from something like that. I looked forward to the day that I could give him a taste of his own perversity— preferably by draining him. Or maybe I’d light his twisted ass up. Thank the goddess I’d gotten over feeling sorry for him earlier.
Three heads swiveled in my direction, mouths agape.
Bette spoke first. “Now, Clara. You need to calm down please. There is much to go over tonight.” She glanced down and I followed her gaze.
My hands, unbeknownst to me, were cupped a few inches apart and glowing. Well, not exactly glowing; more like holding two spinning balls of light. “What the...”
“Breath, Clara. Relax and let the light burn out. Whatever you do, don’t throw those things, please.”
My first thought was: I can actually throw balls of light? Cool! My second thought was: What would balls of light do to a vampire? Namely what would they do to Clive? And lastly: Holy Mother of Pearl, how freaking cool was this?
I fought the urge to try and juggle the balls of light. Instead, I did as Bette asked. I closed my eyes and imagined the glowing balls growing dimmer and dimmer until they were just faint pin-pricks. I opened my eyes and they were gone. Now you see them, now you don’t.
“You sure do like to keep things interesting,” Gregor said with a hint of sultry in his voice.
Bette looked at me, her eyes going ice cold. “Did you exchange blood with Gregor?”
In that moment, I knew that I had done something bad. I remembered Gregor’s odd choice of words as he’d fed from me and my body shuddered involuntarily. I nodded.
Bette became unhinged, flying at Gregor with a speed somewhere in the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it zone. The screech that came out of her was bone shaking and unnatural. She collided with the seated Gregor and they both tumbled across the room.
“She… is… mine!” Bette hissed, her face contorting as she clawed at Gregor’s throat.
He deflected her attacks expertly, never fighting back, but by the looks of it he had his hands full just keeping his head.
I glowered at Clive. “Do something, you ass.”
He kicked back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head. A fake smile breached his face. “Not my fight.”
I’d had enough. Actually, I was beginning to see my breaking point right up ahead, like a finish line I couldn’t wait to cross.
I was so over Gregor’s hot-then-cold attitude. Bette was driving me insane with her mood swings. I didn’t even want to think about the ways in which Clive managed to push my buttons.
And then there was the fighting. You’d think it would be cool to have two people fighting over you, at least until it actually happens. But it’s not, really. It’s just super-frustrating and irritating on multiple levels.
“Stop it!” I yelled. Of course that had no effect on two older-than-dirt Vamps. I should have known better. Bette still screeched and clawed. Gregor was still pinned down and defending himself. Clive was still being Clive—in other words, a colossal dick.
Balls of light. I channeled the growing frustration into my hands. From nothing, something flared and two red orbs appeared vibrating between my fingertips. I pushed more energy down my arms and felt it flowing down into my hands. The two balls became a dozen, each gyrating to their own music.
“I said STOP IT!” I flung the balls into the air and the room lit up like the Fourth of July.
Everyone froze as the lights flared and popped overhead before drifting down again like embers in the wind. The room shook and I grabbed the table to steady myself; the combination of the flashes and movement momentarily disorienting.
Bette stared at me before glancing back to Gregor, like she was trying to decide what to do next, or which one of us was the biggest threat. Clive chuckled to himself, clearly amused by my temper tantrum.
“Get off,” Gregor grunted at Bette.
She complied, standing and backing away slowly, keeping her back to the wall. I could see the merit in that, given she’d just tried to tear his throat out.
“I’m glad to see that your anger is directed to me, my child,” Gregor said to Bette.
“I didn’t think that you would try, given the risk for complications, so I did not warn her. It is not her fault.” Bette answered, stepping closer to me. “I knew that you desired the power, I just thought you would not risk so much to gain it.”
“What complications?” I chewed on my lip. That didn’t sound good at all.
“Attempting to break a vampire bond can sometimes be lethal,” Clive chimed in, clearly amused. His eyes glinted with arousal.
“Lethal?” So he had knowingly risked my life, and for what? A roll in the hay, a plaything, a pocket-empath?
“Yes.” Gregor lowered his head, like it pained him to admit. Or to make me think he was remorseful.
“Did it hurt very much?” Clive interrupted. He hoped that I said yes, the greasy sadist.
I shook my head. Nothing about my little moment with Gregor felt remotely painful. It had been the opposite in fact.
“No. I don’t remember any pain. Not a drop.” I answered honestly while trying not to blush. My anger helped with that.
“Then it didn’t work?” Bette said, hope tinting her voice.
“Yes it did. I can track Claire just as you could.” Gregor actually looked proud. I could swear I saw his chest puff out just a bit.
“But I can still track her. Our bond is intact as well.” Bette stood beside me, draping one arm over my shoulder. It was a possessive move, but one that I liked. I tried not to think about the fact that she was claiming me.
“Impossible!” Gregor drew closer.
“Wait, someone needs to explain this bonding thing to me please, before I set off more fireworks,” I pleaded. I really didn’t understand. Wasn’t bonded a fancy way of saying “connected” or was I missing something?
“Oh, please. Let me.” Clive put his hand up like a school-child.
“Stuff it, ass-hat.” I countered. “Bette, please.”
She took my hand and led me back to the table. We sat and she explained that a vampire can only be bonded to one vampire at a time. Most of the time bonds were formed between maker and child, but sometimes bonds were formed for other purposes, like power or wealth.
“As your maker, we are bonded. But Gregor has tried to steal you from me and for that I will never forgive him.” Bette hissed in her maker’s direction.
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br /> “But our bond didn’t break.” Silently I added, “I can still hear you in my head.”
Bette smiled, my mental message received. “Well then, we will need a test to see who your Bonded One is.”
I grimaced, picturing two people trying to call the same dog.
“Perfecto!” Bette exclaimed.
Crap, had she read that from my errant thoughts?
Bette pulled me to standing and nudged me to the center of the room. She retreated, leaving me halfway between her and a confused Gregor.
“Command her,” she said to Gregor.
A look of confusion crossed his face. I could almost see the moment it dawned on him. His face hardened and he lowered his voice. “Claire, come.”
I felt a pull, like a cord stretched taut between us. What I didn’t feel was compelled to obey him.
Sadness crossed his face and despite the fact that he tried to steal me away from Bette, I felt sorry for him. It couldn’t be easy for him, a man who probably lived through times when women were subservient, to lose to a woman.
“Clara, come to me,” Bette commanded. And like before, I felt our bond humming like a plucked chord. But I didn’t have to follow her command either. Bette’s scowl matched Gregor’s, leaving me the only one in the room with a big, fat smile plastered across her face.
I already knew I’d fallen squarely in the freak realm. So what was one more oddity in my life? I was bonded with two powerful vampires, yet neither of them could control me. I’d take that win any day.
Chapter 27
“Now, what are you going to do about that?” Clive injected. I’d almost forgotten he was there. Like he’d ever just go crawl back into his coffin and leave me alone.
Silence stretched throughout the room. I had no clue what he was babbling about and judging from the looks on Bette’s and Gregor’s faces, they were confused as well.
I decided to take control of the conversation for a change. “Do about what?”
He hissed at me, baring his fangs. “I wasn’t addressing you, Infant.”
It seemed Sarcastic Clive had been replaced by Scary Clive. I backed away before I thought better of it. I hated showing weakness, but when he threw off the restraints he was one scary bastard.
He turned to Bette and Gregor. “The Triad! Or have you already forgotten our six-hundred years of power? A new toy comes along and you both just forget? She must be a demon in the sack.”
Bette opened her mouth to speak, but Clive continued.
“Have you also forgotten the chaos we lived in before we formed the Triad? The wars. The death. The poverty?” Clive paced back and forth along the far wall. The creepy fog swirled in his wake, twining between his legs with each stride.
Stupid me, I just had to butt in. “What’s a triad?”
Clive was on me instantly, his hands grasping my throat as he flung me against the wall. I could feel the icy fog crawling up the back of my bare legs. I should have been afraid of Clive, seeing as how he had me in a choke-hold, but for some reason I wasn’t. Clearly a lapse in judgment.
“The Triad is us. Together, we control the vampires.”
“All of them?” I gasped. I had no idea how many vampires existed, but the number had to be a big one. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the math to extrapolate how many vampires answered to Clive. Picturing a bunch of his minions running around terrified me.
“Yes.” Clive said through gritted teeth. “Bette oversees all of Europe and the Middle East. I command North and South America. Gregor has Africa, Russia and the Orient.”
I felt a Poly Sci lecture coming on when Clive continued. My eyes started to glass over and defocus. As I listened to the Cliff Notes version of Vamp Politics 101, I have to admit my attention wandered away a bit further. A superhuman hand around your throat will do that. I did, however, catch that the world of the Fanged-ones is eerily similar to the way the Human world works.
At the top you had the Triad, with each person in charge of several countries. I happened to be sitting in the room with the three Triad members. Below them was a vampire in charge of one country, like the president or something. Below that were the state-level vamps, like Governors, and they had a handful of trusted vampires that ruled over each region within the states, like Senators. Lower than that, things became more un-official.
“So, I live in your territory.” It wasn’t really a question, more like confirming my fears. I lost confidence and Clive sensed it, squeezing my throat tighter.
“Yes,” he growled, flinging me to the floor. I tried to break my fall, but only succeeding in breaking my wrist.
The bone popped loudly and the pain snaked up my arm. Tears, of the pink variety I assumed, rimmed my eyes. But as the bone began to knit and heal almost immediately, hell flew into me. I wasn’t about to be man-handled by the likes of Clive and I’d finally reached the point of taking no more crap from him or anyone—man, woman or vampire.
With a growl to rival Bette’s earlier outburst, I lunged at Clive tackling him to the ground. My vision did that going-red thing again and before I could think better of it, I bit Clive, hard. I tore at his flesh like a woman possessed, glad to finally be tearing his throat out. I couldn’t ignore the rush I felt as his skin ripped and his blood filled my mouth.
The rich flavor of a well-aged vintage was heads over the average smelly human. I briefly wondered why vampires didn’t just suck each other dry. The blood was that much better.
I went from wanting to tear him apart to wanting to drain him. I probably would have, if Bette and Gregor hadn’t pulled me off of his motionless body.
Later I would thank them, but at the moment I was pissed. Why had the stopped me? They should have let me finish him. The world would be a better place without Clive in it. And it’s not like he didn’t have it coming.
I retreated to a shadowed corner, sulking. Funny how quickly my rage had been replaced by petulance. Normally I’d just blame PMS and seek out some chocolate, but I was fairly confident that it was one of the many drawbacks to being a baby vamp.
Did that mean I had to look forward to another puberty of sorts? Ye, gods. Where was a stake when you needed one?
Out of the corner of my eye I could see Gregor checking Clive over and helping him to his feet after several minutes while Bette stood against the wall, clearly uncomfortable. If she was smart, Bette was worrying about reprisal from Gregor. He was, after all, her maker and trying to kill him had to qualify for a time-out or something, right?
Hushed tones followed. I half-listened, crouching in a post-feeding stupor. I wasn’t pouting anymore, at least not much. My inner child calmed and was replaced by fear. I heard them talking about upsetting the balance of power, the Triad, and me. They talked a lot about me.
“Clara, can you hear me?” Bette knelt beside me, stroking my hair. It felt good and my mind stilled. God, she was a potent drug. She folded me into her arms and whispered, “We have to make things right or we could all be destroyed. In a minute, Gregor is going to ask something of you and you must do as he says. Your life depends on it. Do you understand?”
“Mmm, hmm.” I agreed, tucking myself deeper into the embrace. Bette tilted my face up to hers and kissed me, sending tingles down to my toes. I would have done anything that she asked in that moment—which was probably the point behind dosing me with her special blend of vamp-mojo.
Gregor was at once by my side. “I am sorry Claire, truly. But this has to be done. He is right, if the vampires in his territory learned that we held more power than Clive, it would mean world-wide war.” He held onto my other shoulder, only it felt a lot less loving when he did it.
“I don’t understand.” I said, fear beginning to burn in my gut. I really should start to pay more attention to my instincts. If I did, things would probably go a lot better for me in general.
Before I got my answer, Clive was on top of me with his fangs bared. He bit into my neck without finesse or tact, tearing my flesh. And unlike the times I’
d let Bette and Gregor feed, there was no pleasure in feeding Clive. It burned like a thousand fires in my veins and I struggled against the attack, but I was pinned, defenseless and at the will of three vampires— the most powerful vampires in the world.
Oh, god. Was I going to die for real this time? Panic seized my chest and I struggled to fight it off; to fight them all off.
My teeth snapped like a hungry jackal, my body bucked like a mustang. I growled and hissed like a cornered animal. Pretty, I’m sure it was not. Thankfully, I wasn’t going for beauty queen at the moment.
Fighting was futile and I could feel myself weakening with each gulp Clive took. Worse still, he was enjoying it, as evidenced by the erection pressed against my arm. I promised myself if I lived, I would gladly pay him back in kind.
But it felt like I would never get that chance. I was out of blood and out of time.
I could think only of Quinn... my precious daughter, who would only know that her mother was gone for good. That she’d left for work one day and never come home. My body might never be found. Would my baby girl grow up thinking her mother had abandoned her?
I couldn’t bear the thought.
My body almost drained, I slumped as they released me and backed off at once. My mind reeled under a blanket of confusion. I was tired. And hurt— in more than one way. My neck was sore, but the betrayal by Bette and Gregor cut much deeper than fangs.
How could they let Clive drink from me?
They had to know how much I hated him. I’d rather stake myself than to willingly let him touch me. And they’d held me down like a sacrificial offering. They had violated me. I was fully clothed, but nonetheless I felt raped.
I’m not sure how long I sat there, wounded and dazed, staring at the white floor, speckled with blood. It was presumably mine and I thought it odd that a part of me could just be sitting around independent of me. I tried to see patterns in the droplets, like reading tea leaves, but the only shape I plucked out was that of a turtle, so that couldn’t mean anything.
My blood looked lonely laying there and I wondered if it missed me? I pulled a finger through my life-force and made a smilie face. Then I wondered if I was crazy or just dying.