by Imogene Nix
“Sire, I did as you requested. But they chased him. Caught him. I managed to save him at the last moment, but then he escaped and hid for centuries. When I finally found him again and commanded him to do your bidding, he failed. He was killed several seasons back.” The creature bowed deeply, and for a moment a bubble of anger rose in Creedar’s chest.
“Who killed him?” He stepped forward, anger coursing through his veins.
“The ones who now seek the truth, liege. The ones who no longer live by your rule.”
He waited for a heartbeat. “You have amassed vampires?”
“Yes, sire.” Jelani bowed once again.
“Sustenance is what I require, then teach me what you have learned. What I need to know.”
The servant whirled, used to such requests. He retreated quickly out of sight and Creedar shuffled to the heavily carved wooden chair that he had always favored.
He glanced to the walls of the cave, noting for the first time that the other alcoves were empty. He frowned, but another sound intruded. That of hearts beating wildly. It was joined by sounds of fear, muffled cries and whimpers.
His servant dragged several women forward. They were bound with chains and mouths gagged. The ripe scent of fear excited him. They would be delicious.
One in particular caught his eye. Red hair tied back so her throat was exposed. The pulse of a vein beat wildly, but even as he dragged his attention from the spot, her bright eyes captured him, opened wide with fear.
“Take her to the next room.” He pointed to the woman, and his servant moved swiftly, showing no surprise. Hunger, of all sorts, was not uncommon on awakening, but right now his thirst raged.
The others quaked at his words. He rose, stripping off the rags that covered his body, wanting nothing to interrupt the enjoyment of feeding. He stretched, listening to the sounds of bones and cartilage finding the correct placement before advancing. His teeth elongated. It was time to feed.
* * * *
Celina drove watching the needle pointing toward low on the fuel indicator. How much farther would she have to go before reaching her destination? The center of the city bustled just like any other end of shift on a weekday. She drove along, watching the workday hurry and scurry that she had once enjoyed. But for her, it was no longer the reality she inhabited.
The magical pull kept her driving, leading her toward an older section of the city where the buildings were ratty and unkempt. Graffiti covered many walls and abandoned shells were dotted here and there, boarded up against the elements. It was a section she really didn’t like to visit.
“Hopefully this is just taking me to the other side.” But that hope fizzled as the tug grew stronger and she turned her compact vehicle in the direction of a small art gallery.
The car park lay empty, and an eerie stillness pervaded.
She pressed the button on her phone and sat huddled in the car. She wasn’t going to go anywhere. Now was her opportunity to prove herself to everyone. Particularly Javed. Celina quickly banished that thought from her mind. No doubt she was little more than an irritation to him.
The silence was unnerving, as was the lack of any people around. The sun was setting, hues of reds and golds coating the sky.
“Al bin Habbad.” The voice on the line calmed her slightly.
“Hey, it’s Celina. Can you let Bertha know I think I’ve found what she is seeking? I’m at the Day View Art Gallery. It’s deserted but…” She let the words trail off as a flash caught her attention.
“Celina? What on earth are you doing there? Hang on. I’ll get Idris.” She waited as the receptionist clattered the handset to the desk. She could imagine the scene in her mind.
The line clicked but now she shivered as the sensation of fear trickled through her body, icing her blood. Something was out there. Watching her.
She tried to shake the feeling, but the back of her neck prickled.
“Celina, where the hell are you?”
“Idris! There’s uh… I think there’s something here. I’m at the Day View Art Gallery, on the south side of the city. Can you… Can you get someone here quickly?” Her voice trembled, and she couldn’t seem to get warm. She huddled further down in the car seat.
“What’s there?” His voice was rough and demanding.
“I don’t know. It was a flash.”
A rustling sound came over the line. “Stay there. We are on our way now.” Javed. The master had been listening. She closed her eyes as embarrassment coursed through her.
So much for thinking she was so clever and useful. Instead, she was causing them more issues. He must think me— She broke off the thought and concentrated on answering him.
“I will.”
Silence on the line made her wonder for a moment if he had hung up, until the sound of breathing reassured her. “Stay safe in your car. Don’t leave it, no matter what happens.” Then the disconnect signal filled the air.
The flash came again, and this time she was sure she had seen something that was neither human nor animal. Dark. Ugly. Misshapen.
She controlled the squeak of fear that erupted, wrapping her arms around her midsection, hoping to control the quaking that shook her entire body.
Maybe if I stay still it will let me leave once it is ready to go?
Celina didn’t even want to consider what the thing was. She wanted to close her eyes and pretend she wasn’t here but the sight filled her senses. Horrified her.
She glanced at the clock. It had taken her the best part of an hour, but that had been in peak hour, winding through traffic. How quickly could they get here? And would they rush, because, after all, she wasn’t really useful to the nest yet…? Or would they take their time?
Time passed slowly, the creature, whatever it might be, crept into the shadows, and she lost sight of it. But it was still there. She could feel it, the sense of malevolence washing over her.
The darkness deepened, and she considered starting the car, but what if she ran out of petrol? What if I’m stranded? A buzzing sound intruded and a light shined, growing larger. She hoped it was them. Because if it wasn’t then… Well, she was sure she would be in for a world of trouble.
Without thought, her fingers found the key and turned it. A clicking noise sounded. Oh no! The car wouldn’t start. She was stuck here even if she wanted to get away.
A vehicle, one of the nest’s large flight-enabled cars, landed beside her. Celina knew the colors of the nest coat of arms, emblazoned on the side. She clambered out of the vehicle as Javed, Idris and three guards hurried toward her.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Javed’s demand was totally at odds with the emotions in his eyes.
“I… Uh… I wanted to help. Bertha told me to use the gray book, and I found the direction.” She pointed to the building where she had felt the connection coming from. But that had now fizzled away. She screwed up her face, concentrating to find some last wisp.
The guards stepped forward, and Javed turned to them, flinging out his hand to stay them. “Wait for the others.”
“But what if—?” She stopped when he turned back to her.
“If there is something here, then we need to be sure of our safety.” His face was a tightly drawn mask. The air around him crackled with vitality.
She couldn’t help herself. She stepped closer and caught his eye. For a second, she fancied she read softness there. Then he turned away.
“The others will be here in a few moments. Once they arrive we can move. Get ready to crank the shield up.”
The shield. It was a new technology that he’d been working on since the attack last year, or so Bertha had told her. She gulped, realizing that they needed it to be magically charged. “Perhaps…?”
Javed shook his head. “No. You are not yet stable enough.”
Celina grimaced, knowing that he was talking on a strategic level.
“I can do it. It’s one of the things Bertha has been training me for. I can help. Let me. Please?�
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She reached out and touched the sleeve of his jacket. Calmness flooded through her, bolstering the sense of certainty. “I can do this, master. Let me show you.”
“This situation isn’t about you proving yourself to me. It’s dangerous. We can’t split the team any further, otherwise I’d have you out of here.” This time, when he looked at her, there was heat. Her stomach clenched at the intensity in his eyes.
Heaven help her, she wanted to smooth away the lines that bracketed his mouth. The hunger this time came from him and joined with a twin need that coiled low and deep in her belly.
The roar of engines broke the spell between them, and they sprang apart.
She glanced away to see Idris watching her, his face blank but his shoulders locked tightly. Celina bit her lip as the cars roared into the car park.
* * * *
He’d tried to keep his distance from her. He knew Idris was interested in the red-haired witch, but for him it was pure need and possession. Each time he glanced in her direction he felt the damned connection between them, growing stronger the longer they were in the same vicinity.
This time he’d almost kissed her. Here in the middle of whatever it was about to happen. He sensed the power, the dark and coiling anger in the shadows. It watched them. Ready for them to find the artifact they sought—whatever it might be.
The roar of engines saved him from a mistake, and he was grateful, though the primal savagery deep within him stretched out, needing to be freed.
“Get the shield in place.” His words were little more than a growl as he stalked over to Idris. “Have someone to scout the building. Especially the perimeter.”
He strode away, alert to any movement. Keeping his distance from the woman who called to him like a siren.
The area was quiet. There was a stillness that boded badly, together with the silence that gnawed at him. “Idris? Since we can’t get her out of here, stash her somewhere safe.”
Idris shook his head. “I don’t think there’s anywhere safe, right now. I sent one of the men to the back. He… Uhh, he claims there is something we need to see to believe. And it’s not pretty.”
Javed jerked back. “We can’t split—”
“No. We can’t split the teams. If she’s right, we need whatever is inside that building, but we don’t know what it is. Not without her. And the only one who can restart her connection to the artifact is you. That’s if it’s even still here.”
Idris was right, of course. He was letting his emotions for her get in the way of his job. “Fine. Make sure she’s guarded.”
He strode off toward the back, feeling the pressure of his UV gun securely under his coat. There was no wind. In fact, the complete hush was quite unnatural.
One of the guards led him to the back of the building, where he stopped. There on the ground was a woman—or at least the remains of one. The smell of blood, a ripe copper, rose in his nostrils. Red hair spread out around the woman’s body. She’d been placed there. On purpose. For them to find.
He stepped forward, scanning the scene around them. The wisp of a scent teased him. It bled into the copper, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly what it was. Something that was neither human nor vampire had been here.
He leaned over the woman before rearing back. Her eyes were open. They were the same emerald hue as Celina’s. Her hair was different, though. Not really the red she sported, he noticed, as her eyebrows were a dark brown. Dyed.
His mouth dried, though. She bore an uncanny resemblance to Celina.
His stomach lurched and for a moment the woman on the ground was, in his mind, Celina. Javed jerked back.
“Cover her and when everyone is ready, send a crew to retrieve her body. We’ll want to know what did this.” It clearly wasn’t a vampire bite, not given the shredded state of her body. But that meant they were dealing with a whole different problem. The not knowing would put his whole crew in danger. And that was unacceptable.
The buzz of a phone sounded and he spun around to see Idris raising it. “Are we good to enter, master?”
Javed nodded and spun on his heel. “Yeah.”
The guard who waited by the wall appeared slightly green and Javed recognized him as a newly turned warrior. “Can you cope with this?” The man clasped his gun in both hands but Javed noticed how they shook. He made a mental note to raise it with Idris after this mission while he waited for an answer.
The young vampire agreed wordlessly while glancing away.
“Control is the key. Breathe lightly, but keep your wits about you.” He clasped the man on one shoulder before heading back to the front of the building, just in time to see a young woman, a witch who had come to his nest from a distant one, lay her hands on the stone that would emit a magical shield. The stone radiated a larger version of a witch’s circle.
His people congregated by the door, with Celina in the middle. He refused to think of the woman out the back and how much she reminded him of Celina.
He followed them into the building.
* * * *
Inside the door to the gallery, Javed had touched her. He’d also muttered something inaudible but it was sufficient to jump-start the magic again. Her body tingled and she felt the jolt of power arc.
They moved quietly as she cast about in her mind seeking one item to which she had some tenuous connection.
It lay hidden within the building but where was a mystery. Each time she thought she’d focused on it, the trail disappeared. Room by room they silently prowled. Ten burly guards, Idris and Javed following behind her.
They trusted her to find it. Her! A neophyte witch who didn’t have a clue what she was doing. By the last room, she was a mass of nerves. She’d been unable to find even a blip on her magical radar—until then.
They entered the small room and in the middle was an aged scabbard and sword. Unable to help herself, she slid forward. She reached toward the items, the strange compulsion tugging at her again.
Javed pushed her to the side. “Wait.” One of the men brought out a scanner. She blinked. She’d so nearly made a mistake again. Put everyone in more danger. Kicking herself right now wasn’t an option, but she was seriously tempted. Fool!
“It’s got some kind of alarm around it, but I think I can disable it.” A man dropped to the floor, pulling a tablet device from his heavy black jacket.
Celina scanned the room. Finding it had been almost too easy. As if they were being drawn out by something unseen. She couldn’t put her finger on what gave her that impression, but it was there, taunting her.
The man on the floor raised his head from his feverish work. “Try it now.” Idris lurched forward and lifted the glass box from the pedestal but as he did, the phone crackled to life.
“Under attack! Get out!”
“I’ll get her out of here! Idris, get the artifact.”
Celina studied Javed and his lips thinned. Idris grasped the items as Javed fastened his hand around the top of her arm. The grip was bruising as he dragged her along.
As they approached the door the roar of battle met her—the intensity of it wild and loud. The witch at the large stone, which was the size of a bowling ball, was on her knees, sobbing and bleeding profusely, while the light of the shield kept flickering. The remains of something lay on the ground behind her. It was clear that she’d been targeted, judging by the pool of blood on the ground. She was hurt but still alive, thanks to the warrior who stood behind her, a heavy blackened sword in his meaty hands.
“Oh my God!” She couldn’t control the comment as she stared at the ugly black warrior creature, with dripping jaws. The savagery of the attack by the opposing vampires left her reeling.
Creatures engaged the guards and she wanted to shrink away from the sight. The scene played out before her, but even new to this world, she understood she had to do what she could to help them. To protect life at all costs.
Javed pushed her aside, moving with purpose through the door. Her mind picked
out the facts in slow motion.
The length of his stride.
The way the muscles in his legs rippled.
The flat look in his face and the way his eyes glowed in the moonlight.
His grip on the gun as he raised it and fired.
One of the creatures engaged Javed, snarling as it raised a wicked curved blade. Javed lurched away, to meet it face on. Celina took advantage, rushing to the shield stone, dropping to her knees. The woman stared at her, fear and pain in her eyes. “I can’t keep the shields up. I’m failing.”
The shield was clearly thinning, the pale yellow glow almost gone in places. One of the nearby guards, a young male, fought their opponents back, but was losing ground as he attempted to protect the witch. In that instant, Celina knew what she had to do.
The witch slumped in a faint to the ground.
With a deep breath she laid both hands on the stone. Her eyes closed. Then, opening her mind as widely as she could, she visualized a river, just as Bertha had taught her. The hum intensified and she worked to blank out the many sounds around her, projecting her magic into the shield. The magic flared brightly. She opened her eyes in time to see the man stumbling onto the witch where she lay on the ground.
“Get her out of here. To the car. I can hold this. But you have to get her to safety.
She didn’t turn in his direction or listen for an answer, she just lost herself in the role she had assumed.
The fighting ceased to exist for her. She fed her power to the stone, only daring to peek when Javed bellowed loudly.
The stone was alive. It vibrated beneath her touch, humming and pulsing, whispering that if she continued to feed it, it would reward her.
Now, not only did she face exhaustion of the magical resources, she had to cope with the insidious but promising whispers of the magic. “Whoever thought of this needs either an award, or a damn good belting.” Sweat trickled down her face and she longed to swipe it away but they needed the power to keep the shield going.
“They have reinforcements coming!” Javed called out.
She nodded, shaking with her exertions. She certainly hoped so, now she was starting to feel weak.