by J. C. Diem
“Ugh,” someone complained. “I hate boats. I puke my guts up every time I step on one.”
“Our kind are unable to vomit,” Kokoro informed the soldier. “You will find that a great many things have changed now.”
“I’d noticed,” said Charlie. “Higgins looks like a movie star now.” His dry tone made some of the others chuckle. Exclamations of surprise were made when they noticed changes in their comrades. Charlie was tall, skinny and had bright red hair and matching freckles. He hadn’t improved much in the looks department so far and could be considered average looking at best.
Luc bent to whisper in my ear. “They’ll be asking for mirrors so they can preen like teenage girls soon.”
My laugh was huskier than usual as a shiver of lust bolted through me. My minions stilled as they felt my flesh hunger rise. “What is that?” Higgins asked.
Gregor caught the panicked look I sent his way. If my flesh hunger became any stronger, it might make my servants’ hunger rise as well. Gregor came to the same conclusion. “I will watch over them and perhaps explain a few things while you and Lucentio attend to your needs.”
Kokoro flashed me a saucy wink as I took Luc’s hand. I zapped us to the one place where I knew we’d be safe. Most importantly, we’d be alone and could proceed to become properly reacquainted without being interrupted.
Standing in the bedroom of the safe house that had been our haven more than once, I expected Luc to tear my clothes off and ravage me. Instead, he drew me into his arms and simply held me. Sinking against him, I wrapped my arms around his waist and held onto him as a tumult of images flashed through his mind. Luc was recalling being blown apart by the traitorous General Sanderson and he didn’t block the images from me this time.
He’d been aware on some level as we’d gathered up his remains and had transported him to this very bedroom. I’d stayed with him, holding the hand that he’d so desperately tried to move to show me that he was still alive. He’d been unable to stop Magerion’s men from stealing him away and had spent the past few months in a pall of despair that I’d never be able to find him.
The telepathic contact we’d had during my dreams had helped to keep him sane. Knowing that I loved him enough to lose my will to live had spurred him to hold on. His joy at finally being rescued and healed paled beside the love he felt for me.
I let out a tearless sob and his arms became crushing. “Don’t cry, Ladybug. Be happy that we’re together again.”
The nickname that I’d once found so annoying tugged at my dead heart. “I am happy. I just wish you hadn’t suffered so much.”
Tilting my head back, he stared into my eyes. I felt myself falling beneath his spell once more, but it was love, not hypnotism that claimed what was left of my soul. “I would suffer it all again, and more, as long as I knew we would be together again,” he said.
Before I could descend into sobs, his mouth came down on mine. Our flesh hungers flared and lust took over. I didn’t bother to undress but simply went into dust mote mode from the neck down. Luc looked down as my clothes dropped and my naked body re-formed. “Well, that is certainly a convenient way to disrobe.” One corner of his mouth quirked up in amusement.
“Your turn,” I told him and pulled his too tight sweater over his head. His eyes began to glow, matching the scarlet light that was blazing from mine. His pants hit the floor then he tackled me to the bed.
Pinning my hands down, he tortured me with his mouth. Luc knew that I preferred hard and fast to slow and languid, but I wasn’t about to protest. He needed to show me how much he loved me and he used his body to convey his message.
His mouth was cool as it closed over first one breast then moved to the other only after my back arched in need. Teasing me with his tongue, he slid his way down my torso, moving lower and lower until he hovered over the juncture between my thighs. My hands were free now and they clasped his shoulders and hauled him back up. “You can do that later,” I told him then flipped him on his back. “I need this now.” He barely had a chance to brace himself before my flesh enclosed him and I began to ride.
Luc’s hands gripped my hips and it was his turn to arch his back. I was still secretly amazed that he was mine. He’d entertained hundreds of desirable courtiers and he’d chosen me above all of them. It was a fact that I still had trouble believing sometimes.
Reaching my utopia, I was tumbled onto the mattress as Luc continued to pound himself into me. I went over the edge of ecstasy a second time and he joined me in what was pretty damn close to bliss.
Rolling onto his side, he took my hand. Nearly as strong as me now, none of his bones had broken during our bout of horizontal gymnastics. Once, I’d caused him pain nearly every time we fed our flesh hungers. Now, he felt only pleasure. I wasn’t sure who I had to thank for making my friends all but indestructible, but I sent the thought out there anyway.
You’re welcome, a female voice whispered deep inside my mind. A tinkle of laughter came at the shock of hearing Fate take the credit. My life as a vampire had been mostly crappy, but it was a destiny that I couldn’t escape from. Studying the perfect face of the man lying at my side, I wasn’t sure that I would have changed any of it, if it meant that we could have a chance at happiness.
“What are you thinking?” my beloved asked.
“That it’s time I stopped trying to fight my fate.”
Dark eyebrows rose in surprise. “What is your fate?”
“To keep the humans safe, to be the leader of whatever vampires are left and to have mind-blowing sex with you as often as possible.”
Lifting my hand, he brushed his lips across my knuckles. “You can count me in. Especially on that last point.”
My laughter cut off when he slid his way back down my body. Luc was a determined vampire and he was intent on finishing what I wouldn’t let him start before. “Oh, ok. If you insist,” I mock grumbled.
“I do insist,” he responded before my ability to think disappeared as his head lowered once more.
·~·
Chapter Sixteen
We found the courtier’s quarters empty when we returned to the catacombs. We took the stairs down to the cells below, passing the equally empty servants’ quarters. Our friends had been busy while Luc and I had been satiating our hungers. Every soldier was now armed and all were familiarizing themselves with the foreign weapons and explosives. Igor strode amongst the men, making sure they all knew how to operate the guns. Few required help, since they’d used guns very similar to this already.
Geordie and Ishida were placing small explosives inside brightly coloured bags. From the luxurious and bright silk and satin fabrics, I figured some long dead courtier’s handbags had been pilfered for the job.
Wearing their orange prison jumpsuits, my army didn’t stand a chance of blending in on the streets. They needed to feed, but I couldn’t take them anywhere dressed as they were. Unless I dump them in another prison and let them munch down on the inmates, I mused. Hopefully, my men would have better control this time and could watch over each other as they fed. We didn’t need to accidentally add any axe murderers to our ranks.
Gregor had already considered the problem and crooked his finger at me. Since he was the brains of our operation, I felt no anger at being ordered around. If I ever become an arrogant bitch, make sure you tell me, I said to my inner voice. No problem, was the immediate and almost eager response. I could always count on my subconscious to point out my faults. The possibility that I might one day end up like the Comtesse had sparked my concern. She’d been hated by pretty much everyone. I didn’t feel the need to be universally loved, but I’d prefer not to inspire actual hatred.
Luc stayed by my side as I walked over to Gregor. Having him so near was a comfort of its own. I’d never imagined that I’d ever fall in love and hadn’t really believed it existed outside of fairy tales. Now I knew it was very real and I didn’t ever want to lose it again.
“There is a prison nearby where your
army can feed,” Gregor said when we reached him. It was nice to know that we thought alike. “Once they’ve fed, we should head for the boat that our informant described.” The boat in question was hidden from public view. Even Steve had only caught a glimpse of it once. He’d heard that the vessel contained stealth capabilities so it couldn’t be picked up on radar. That would be handy to keep us hidden from humans as we travelled to do battle with the first octosquid. Once the humans figured out who and what we were, they’d most likely try to kill us. Then we’d have two enemies to fight rather than just one.
Danton, his five warriors and half a dozen of Gregor’s guards would be accompanying us on our journey. All up, our army consisted of just over two hundred vampires. What my fledglings lacked in experience as the undead, they made up for with their military training. No one yet understood just how pitiful a force we would be against the colossi that we’d be facing. I’d tried to describe the new and improved octosquids to them but seeing would be believing.
“Ishida and I have something for you, chérie,” Geordie said. The pair approached me with their hands behind their backs. Not wanting to spoil the surprise, I deliberately stayed out of their minds.
My smile of anticipation turned into a grin when they revealed my samurai swords. Forged on Viltar by our Kveet allies, they were replicas of nearly identical swords Ishida had given to me as a gift. My original swords had been destroyed by General Sanderson, but these had proven to be excellent replacements. I’d left them behind when I’d slunk back to the mausoleum in Brisbane to wallow in grief and I was both glad and surprised that they’d brought them along.
“Thanks, guys.” My appreciation was heartfelt and Geordie immediately choked up.
“Have a look at the blades,” Ishida urged.
Sliding one free of its plain black sheath, a dragon was revealed on the blade. It had been etched into the metal with exquisite detail and was an exact replica of my original sword. The other blade held a lion that was also identical to the original. Now I was the one who was having trouble controlling my emotions. Dull silver in colour, the swords had proven to be sharp and deadly and were worthy replacements for the first pair that I’d owned. “Thank you. They’re beautiful.” I gave Geordie a wink and Ishida a deep bow to show my gratitude of what had to be his own work. There were no Japanese craftsmen or women left to carry on their traditions. Only he and Kokoro remained of what had been a small but vital nation of our kind. Ishida himself had painstakingly etched the designs, showing a true artistic talent that I hadn’t even known he’d possessed.
Donning the sheaths, my swords crisscrossed my back and I finally felt that my world had returned to as close to normal as it could get. “Is everyone ready?” I asked as my friends, allies and soldiers gathered around.
“We’re ready,” Higgins replied on behalf of my men.
“We’re heading for a nearby jail,” Gregor informed the group. “We seven can take care of the guards,” He indicated those of us who’d been to outer space and back, “while the rest of you concentrate on feeding. Pair up, watch each other and make sure your meal doesn’t ingest any of your blood. If they do, kill them.” The order should have been chilling coming from a sophisticated man who was wearing a civilized dark brown tweed suit. Instead, it drove home to everyone that this wasn’t just a drill, this was real and our actions could have deadly consequences.
Following the mental directions that I’d gleaned from Gregor, I found the jail and transported us all to it without any trouble. I still hadn’t reached my teleportation limits and I was again glad that no one had handed me a Mortis manual when I’d first been created. Not knowing what was or wasn’t possible meant that I wasn’t constrained by rules that might not even apply to me.
Instant pandemonium erupted when we appeared inside a mess hall. It was feeding time for the inmates as well as for us. Hardened criminals screamed when we appeared like ghosts. My friends and I moved to intercept the guards as my army and allies paired up. As instructed, they fed one at a time. Choosing victims willy-nilly, they subdued the convicts and bit into their throats. No one was savaged to death and most of the paired men even drank from the same victim, if from opposite sides of their necks. It was a tightly controlled operation that went off without a hitch and no one needed to be dispatched this time.
Amongst the prisoners, I found four men who had previously been in various forms of law enforcement or the armed forces. They’d instinctively bunched together and none backed away when I approached them. While afraid, they weren’t terrified to the point of being unable to function. They recognized my soldiers as being military men, despite their new status of also being blood suckers.
“You’re the vampire who stopped the alien invasion,” one of the men said in heavily accented English, giving me an appraising look.
“That’s right and now we have to step up and do it again,” I replied in French.
“There’s a new threat?” one of the others asked. Skimming his thoughts, I saw he was in for manslaughter and that he’d be spending the next few years behind these bars. He was suffering from a post-traumatic stress disorder after being deployed overseas for two tours. Someone had taken a swing at him in a bar and his training had taken over. That man had paid with his life and this soldier had paid with his freedom.
“Unfortunately, yes. We’re facing another species of aliens, but these ones are far bigger and hungrier than anything we’ve seen before.”
“Hungrier than you guys?” asked the ex-soldier sardonically as he watched my men feast.
“We look like kittens and fluffy bunnies next to these things,” I said dryly.
“What do you need from us?”
“I’d like you to join us, but I won’t force you to.”
“You want to turn us into vampires?” one of the others asked more calmly than I’d expected.
“Yes.”
Longing to be a part of a unit once again was universal for all four candidates. Now that they’d served time, even after they were released, they’d never be able to join the army or police force again. I knew what their answers would be before they gave them. Receiving four nods, I rolled back my sleeve and pulled one of my swords free. “Drink fast before the wound heals,” I advised the first man to step forward.
All four drank, died and then were reborn. Several of my soldiers stepped forward, dragging fresh victims to offer to feed their new kin. They might come from different countries but they’d all been sired by me and that made them brothers, of sorts.
Luc offered me a handkerchief to clean the yellow stain from my sword. He didn’t question my decision to turn these new prisoners. He knew that I was able to see within the hearts of all men and women now.
My four newest recruits wouldn’t have much time to settle into their new roles as vampires either. Still shaky after their first meal, they joined the crush as Gregor gestured for them to gather around. The guards we’d bamboozled had only been put under our spells lightly and would snap out of their daze soon. We locked the cons in the mess hall and left the guards safely in the hallway. I didn’t want them to be torn apart by the terrified inmates.
“Is everyone ready?” I asked.
“No,” someone muttered and Geordie’s shrill giggle came from somewhere in the middle of the group.
This next shift would be tricky. I knew the rough location of the boat that we needed to borrow, but not exactly where it was. It was so secret that only a few hundred people even knew it existed. It was only taken out on test runs in the dead of night when it wouldn’t be seen by the public.
Using the images that I’d pilfered from Steve’s mind, I transported my army into a heavily fortified compound. High concrete walls were topped by razor wire and a guard tower stood at all four corners. Bright spotlights flashed to life and humans shouted in alarm when we were spotted. One of my soldiers saw the boat at a small dock and pointed. It sat low enough in the water that I could barely see the top of it above th
e crowd.
Borrowing Sergeant Wesley’s eyes, since he was on the outskirts of the group, I examined the craft. Long and sleek, it had been painted black, all the better to blend into the dark, I assumed. A name had been painted on the side that seemed fairly apt; Shadow. It would be all but invisible out on the water, especially at night. I whisked us all inside before any shots could be fired by the sailors who were swarming from a long, low brick building towards us. Hopefully, the Brits would be reluctant to shoot at their prized vessel.
Standing in the cockpit of the boat, I saw we floated in a small stretch of water that was surrounded by the fence. A large metal gate barred our escape and we’d have to get it open before we’d be going anywhere.
Igor took a quick look at the array of buttons, searched for a way to power up the boat and shook his head at me. I’d have to find someone who could pilot this thing before we’d be going anywhere. Probing the minds of the men who were racing towards the boat, I located the man in charge. He was inside the main building, advising his government that they were under attack. The phone slid out of his hand and thumped to his desk when I appeared in his office before him. An angry voice demanded answers until I placed the phone back in its cradle.
“What do you want?” the sailor asked. His hand stealthily shifted towards the gun at his hip.
“To borrow Shadow.” I halted his protest by capturing him with my gaze. “Open the gates,” I ordered. Standing jerkily, he marched over to a console and pushed a button. Just as I’d hoped, none of his men had opened fire on the boat. Probably because it was worth half a billion dollars. One of his men frantically called for orders through his radio. “Tell your men to stand down and not to attack.” Returning to his desk, the commander did as ordered. A captain in his own right, he had the capacity to pilot the boat, but I didn’t want to take a fragile human along for the ride. It was easier to skim the information that I needed and to leave him behind.