Dawn gasped as she felt a sudden tickle on her belly. It was Archer, brushing a scarf lightly across her flesh. She giggled and sighed with sensual pleasure as he gently tickled her with the scarf in all the right places. She never realized how such a thing could stimulate her senses and awaken her nerves. When she felt Archer put his mouth upon her body, to make love to her with his lips and tongue, the sensations of pleasure were even more powerful than they had even been before, plunged her into new depths of ecstasy.
“I want you inside me!” she moaned, as her body shook with the waves of an orgasm.
Archer pulled the blindfold off her wrists and away from her eyes, and then plunged himself into her with one powerful thrust. Dawn wrapped her arms and legs around him as the rhythm of their thrusts matched each other perfectly, and she was pulled to the edge of another climax.
“Harder!” she moaned. “Harder!”
Archer complied, and it pushed Dawn over the edge into another orgasm, this one even more powerful than the last. She’d never experienced such intense pleasure and couldn’t even cry out as she gasped for breath and clutched at his back. Archer felt her muscles rippling around his organ and it caused him to climax with her, groaning softly r as his body shook.
“That was incredible!” Dawn gasped, as they lay on the bed, trying to regain her breath. “We should play that game every time we make love.”
“We can do it however you want.” Archer promised and made the scarves disappear in the same way he always did with his bow. Suddenly, he looked sharply toward the wall, as if seeing right through it to the other side. “Someone is coming down the street! It looks like Lynxar, but something isn’t right.”
“Oh no! What’s wrong with Lynxar? Is he all right?” Dawn cried out worriedly. She threw on her clothes and ran outside as fast as she could. She saw that Archer was right; Lynxar was limping down the street, dragging the crystal coffin behind him. She ran up to him, with her eyes full of concern and said “Lynxar! Are you all right? Where are the others?”
Prince Vlorian, disguised as Lynxar, tried to conceal his smile as Dawn approached him with the crystal pendant dangling at her throat. This was the prize he had been trying to get his hands on for so long, right here in front of him, but with Archer at her side, he needed to be cautious. An evil plan hatched in his mind.
“I’m okay.” Vlorian said, trying his best to imitate Lynxar’s voice. “The battle was more difficult than we anticipated. We managed to destroy the coffin of Lord Vlorian, but the others were all badly hurt in the process and have been taken to the hospital. I managed to get the vampire prince locked into this coffin. It needs to be destroyed too, but I cannot do it alone. Archer, you must help me!”
Archer’s incredible powers of vision allowed him to see inside the coffin and he knew that his three friends were trapped inside; just as he knew the man he was talking to wasn’t really Lynxar. With Dawn standing so near, he couldn’t risk her safety and decided to play along.
“What do we need to do?” Archer asked.
Dawn gasped and said to Archer, “You’re the best surgeon in Colossal City. You should go to the hospital and see if the others need your help! Destroying the coffin can wait until we know our friends are okay!”
To her surprise, Archer shook his head. He said, “No, I want to this matter settled once and for all.”
Vlorian struggled to conceal his smile. He thought his evil plan was working. He said, “As you know, the coffin cannot be opened except with the key that sealed it. To prevent enemies from trying to pry open the coffin, it was designed with a safety mechanism. If the coffin is damaged, it will self-destruct, destroying the coffin and killing whoever is imprisoned inside.”
Dawn gasped in surprise. Gawking at the fake Lynxar, she said, “How did you know that? I thought only the people of Mathias knew about the crystal coffin’s design?”
Vlorian stammered for a response. Archer wanted the advantage of Vlorian thinking he had fooled them with his disguise, so he said, “Lynxar’s father taught him about it from the first vampire war.”
“Yes.” Vlorian agreed.
Dawn was appeased by this and nodded with acceptance. She said, “So how can you damage it enough to activate the self-destruct mechanism?”
Vlorian looked up and down the street, thinking. After a moment, he said, “Let’s lift it to the top of that tall apartment building and throw it off the edge. That should damage it enough!”
“That’s a good plan.” Archer said, then turned to Dawn and said, “When the coffin hits the street, it should be damages enough to cause it to explode. I don’t want you nearby when that happens. Go to our safe place and wait for me there.”
“I’m safest when I’m with you.” Dawn said, not understanding the danger she was already in. “I’ll be far enough away from the blast if I’m on the roof with you and I know you’ll protect me if the vampire inside isn’t dead yet. Besides, you promised me we’d never be apart ever again.”
Archer couldn’t think of a response to his own words that wouldn’t alert Vlorian to the fact that he saw through his disguise.
“Let’s go!” Vlorian said enthusiastically, picking up one end of the coffin. Dawn ran up the stairs to the top of her apartment building while Archer helped his enemy carry the crystal coffin slowly up the levels. Archer could have easily carried it there on his own with his super strength, but as was stalling for time, he pretended it was burdensome. He needed time to think of a way to get Dawn to safety, then he needed to get the crystal key from Vlorian, free his friends, and lock Vlorian inside. It was an impossible task, and yet one he could not fail. There had to be a way he could do it!
As they neared the top, Archer dropped the coffin, pretending that it was too heavy to carry any further. Dawn stared at him with a puzzled frown. Something obviously wasn’t right. She knew Archer could have carried that thing with just one hand. She said, “Is everything all right?”
“My hand just got a cramp in it.” Archer fibbed. Then he said to Vlorian, “Do you think there’s any danger that the coffin might be opened when we throw it off the roof?”
“No.” Vlorian said impatiently. This was taking far longer than he anticipated. Archer was much weaker than he thought he would be. Not wanting to wait any longer, Vlorian began to push the coffin toward the edge of the roof. He said to Archer, “The coffin cannot be opened by any force, except by the key that originally locked it, and we have that right here.”
Vlorian patted the pocket of his jacket and Archer knew the key was tucked inside it. Archer grinned widely, having gotten an important piece of information that he needed. Now he just had to find a way to get the key without endangering Dawn.
Dawn stared at Archer even harder than she had before. He knew more about the crystal coffins created by his people than anyone. There was no way that he wouldn’t have known it couldn’t be opened by dropping it off a building. Combine that with all the other suspicious things he had said that evening, and Dawn knew without a doubt that something was deeply wrong. Trying to look casual, she crossed the roof to stand by the imitation of Lynxar. Whispering low in his ear she said, “Lynxar; that man is not Archer! I think he is a vampire in disguise!”
Chapter Five
“Stay close to me; I’ll protect you.” Prince Vlorian, disguised as Lynxar, whispered in Dawn’s ear. He put his arms protectively around her shoulders and drew her close to him.
Archer knew he couldn’t delay action any longer. Abandoning all pretenses, he held out his hands and manifested his bow. In the blink of an eye, he had an arrow on the string and aimed it right at Prince Vlorian’s chest.
Archer shouted out, “Drop the games, Vlorian! I know you’re not really Lynxar and I know you’ve got my three friends locked in that coffin! Unlock it and release them now, or I will shoot this arrow right into your heart!”
Vlorian’s disguise instantly melted away, and Dawn screamed in fear to see the man she thought was Lynxar turn into
the vampire prince. She felt as if she might faint, but the vampire gripped her roughly by the shoulders and pulled her in front of himself, like a shield. The violent jerking motion forced her to keep conscious, as adrenaline and fear surged through her.
Hiding behind Dawn, Vlorian shouted out, “There’s no one to help you this time! Back away or I will kill her!”
Looking at Dawn, Archer began to hum a song. It was the song “Present in my Pocket” that Archer and Aurora always sang together. Vlorian sneered, not understanding the significance of the ridiculous tune, but Dawn nodded her head. She knew exactly what Archer was asking her to do.
“I don’t think you’d give up your human shield by killing her!” Archer said to Vlorian. He wanted to keep the vampire’s attention on himself and away from Dawn. Taunting him, he said, “The moment you hurt her is the moment you’ll feel my arrows in your gut!”
Vlorian taunted back, and the two enemies jousted with insults and threats. As they did, Dawn slowly moved her hand into Vlorian’s jacket pocket and gripped the crystal key. Her heart began to pound. Archer saw the change in her pulse and knew it was time to complete his plan. He shouted out to Vlorian, “You won’t need to worry much longer. You’re hostage doesn’t look well; I think she’s about to faint!”
Hearing his instructions, Dawn slumped to the ground, pretending to pass out. It left Prince Vlorian without protection, and Archer instantly fired his arrows. However, the vampire was too quick. Vlorian manifested a shield a fraction of a second before the arrow would have hit him. In the blink of an eye, he turned the shield into a sword and charged at Archer with ferocious hatred, the dark metal blade shimmering in the moonlight. Archer turned his bow into a sword of his own, which glistened with the white light of the crystals of Mathias. Their swords clashing, the two enemies began a fierce battle that would surely end with one of them being killed.
With her heart still pounding, Dawn crawled away from the skirmish, crossing the roof to the crystal coffin. Vlorian’s crystal key was clutched in her sweaty hand, but she was trembling so hard, she couldn’t fit it into the keyhole.
Archer was being forced to take steps backward under Vlorian’s attack, making his position weaker. Dawn knew that if she could just open the coffin, their friends would be able to help him and everything would be okay.
She fumbled with the lock, still unable to calm her shaking enough to fit the key into the tiny slot. Meanwhile, Vlorian continued to slash at Archer with so much power and anger, she didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to defend himself from the blows.
Taking a deep breath for courage, Dawn lined the key up with the lock and slid it inside. She’d done it! Squealing with joy, she turned the key and the coffin began to glow with a magical light. Now, all she had to do was lift the lid!
“No! I won’t let this happen!” Prince Vlorian screamed, having seen the light. He dropped his sword and charged at the coffin. He slammed into it with all his strength, shoving it along the rooftop with incredible speed until he came to the edge of the tall building.
“He’s going to push the coffin off the roof!” Dawn cried out in horror. She knew that when the coffin hit the ground bellow, the impact would damage it enough to activate the self-destruct mechanism and their friends would be killed. Archer realized it, too. He dropped his own sword and charged at Vlorian, tackling him to the ground just in time. The crystal coffin teetered on the edge of the roof, ready to fall at any moment!
Dawn watched helplessly as the guardian and the vampire wrestled on the floor of the roof in a battle of good versus evil. Vlorian got the upper hand and pinned Archer down, and then he manifested a dagger in his dead-white hand and raised it high above his head so that he could plunge it down into Archer’s heart and kill him.
With strength and courage she didn’t even know she possessed, Dawn grabbed Vlorian by the wrist, saving the man she loved. Yelling out in rage, Vlorian knocked her to the ground. It was the chance Archer needed to flip the vampire off of him and send him flying through the air. Vlorian crashed against the coffin with a painful thud, tipping the balance and sending the teetering coffin over the edge of the roof.
With all the super-speed he possessed, Archer raced across the roof and grabbed the edge of the coffin, just as it was falling out of reach. With his superior strength, he managed to lift the heavy coffin made of dense crystal, and filled with three full-sized adults. He dragged it back onto the rooftop. With a hardy shove, he pushed open the lid, and a blinding light filled the night sky with a flash and then was gone.
Lynxar, Lynxonna, and Bryan Hillman stood shaking on the rooftop, blinking their eyes and trying to understand what had just happened to them.
“Are you all right?” Archer asked them with concern. He used his vision to scan their vital organs and saw that they were all healthy, but it was their emotional trauma that had him worried. Luckily, they were all hardy superheroes used to being in unusual and dangerous situations.
“I’m fine and ready to fight!” Lynxonna spoke up first, showing her usual feisty passion.
“Me too. Where are the vampires? I believe there’s an empty coffin ready for them!” Lynxar said.
“I’ll take on our old friend the Mafia King. We still have a score to settle.” Bryan said, turning himself invisible and becoming the Ghost.
Archer grinned at his three friends, happy to see that they weren’t harmed in any way. He turned around to face Lord Vlorian, knowing that he would now have help forcing him into the coffin, where he would imprisoned just like his father.
Nothing but an empty roof greeted him. Archer turned in a slow circle, searching the entire roof, but no one was in sight. Prince Vlorian was gone; and so was Dawn! With his superior vision, he could see for miles, but there was no trace of his enemy or the woman he loved. Dropping to his knees, Archer buried his face in his hands, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to overwhelm him.
Lynxar and the others immediately understood what had happened. Putting a comforting hand on Archer’s shoulders, Lynxar said to him, “Don’t worry. Nobody knows Colossal City as well as we do. He won’t be able to hide for long; not with the four members of the AHF hunting him. We’ll capture Prince Vlorian and have Dawn safely back in your arms in no time.”
“I hope so.” Archer said softly. “I hope so.”
TO BE CONTINUED IN BOOK TEN: Strength of the Heart - Volume 10
Strength of the Heart
Chapter One
“I’ve failed in my duty!” Dr. Archer Speedlight cried out miserably. He was standing on the roof of the apartment building where he lived with Dawn Bright, the woman he had sworn to protect and had fallen in love with. The vampire Prince Vlorian had kidnapped her only moments before, while Archer had been saving his friends: Lynxar, Lynxonna, and Bryan. Now they stood around him, wishing there was something they could do to ease his anguish.
Archer crumpled on one knee and said sadly, “I came to Earth from my home planet of Mathias for one purpose only, to be a guardian to the keeper of the crystal key. For three hundred years I was able to uphold my duty. I protected the women who held the key, following them as they passed it from mother to daughter throughout the generations. Now, finally I have failed. Dawn is gone without a trace and Vlorian has taken the crystal key along with her. Not only have I failed Dawn and disgraced the people of Mathias, but I have failed the people of Earth, too. Vlorian will use the crystal key to release his father, Lord Vladimus, and once he does, no one will be safe.”
Lynxar clasped his hand on Archer’s shoulder in a show of support. He said “You haven’t failed yet. We can get them both back! You aren’t alone in this fight; you are now a part of the Alliance of Hero Friends. The AHF found Vlorian once, we’ll find him again!”
Archer’s eyes lifted at the encouraging words, but then he shook his head with discouragement again. “Vlorian must have been planning to open the coffin inside the Mafia King’s lair, since it was shielded from our powers,
but we ruined his plans when we tracked him there with our beacon. He won’t go back there again.”
Bryan Hillman said thoughtfully, “How do we know he hasn’t opened the coffin already? I mean, what’s to stop him from just opening it up anywhere?”
Archer answered him, saying, “Lord Vladimus will be weak and vulnerable after having been imprisoned for so long. Prince Vlorian won’t risk his father being harmed or captured after all this time. He’ll need to take the coffin someplace secluded, where we could never find him.”
The four friends grew silent, each of them consumed by their own thoughts, trying to figure out where that could be. Archer knew the area least of all, having just moved to Colossal City a few months ago. It surprised him how quickly he had come to love Dawn. She was beautiful, kind, caring, and brave. When he thought about how difficult it must have been for to raise her daughter Aurora alone after her husband had died, and he felt a respect for her. He had never thought much about children before, but Aurora was so bright, funny, and full of life, he had come to love with the five-year-old girl as if she were his own. The thought of having to tell the child that her mother was gone brought a lump of emotion to his throat that made it difficult for him to breathe.
Archer swallowed hard against it, straightened his spine, and stood tall. Determination flashed in his eyes. He wasn’t going to have to tell Aurora that her mother wasn’t coming home, because he was going to do whatever it took to find her and bring her back!
“Let’s go!” Dr. Archer Speedlight said, holding out his hands and summoning his bow and arrow seemingly out of nowhere. The magical weapon glowed like the sun.
“Where are we going?” Lynxar asked, slapping him heartily on the back.
Lynxar Series - The Vampire King: Books 7-13 (7-Book Bundle) Page 8