by E.J. Stevens
“Yep, we’ve got two master vampires in a turf war,” he said.
Oh shit.
Chapter 29
“A good Hunter knows exactly what resources she has at hand.”
-Jenna Lehane, Hunter
Ash paced nervously up and down the sidewalk in front of the guildhall.
“You okay?” he asked as I came down the stone steps.
I hurried over to where he waited, eager to get on with the hunt.
“I’m fine,” I said. “No sign of Chadwick. I just got off the phone with Celeste and she should be right down. I told her to meet us out here.”
The door opened and Celeste sashayed across the street to meet us. Even in her hunting gear, she looked sexy as hell. Her long, silky, black hair was tied up into a topknot that accentuated her almond shaped eyes, and the leather body armor she wore over a black body suit fit her like a second skin, showing off her curves to perfection.
I avoided looking at Ash, not wanting to see where his attention was. I didn’t feel like peeling his chin up off the pavement. I couldn’t imagine any man not watching the show Celeste was putting on. Trouble was, I was pretty sure it was the witch’s default setting. As far as I could see, Celeste had made an art out of being sexy.
I grit my teeth and did a mental inventory of my weapons. I didn’t really care if Ash ogled Celeste, but if she became a distraction during battle, we could all end up dead. That was not how this was going to play out.
“Sorry I’m late,” Celeste said, coming to a stop just inside my comfort zone. The woman had no respect for personal space. “I couldn’t find my grimoire.”
“Maybe if you stopped smoking Mandragora, you wouldn’t have that problem,” Ash muttered.
Celeste was standing close enough that I’d have been able to smell the drug on her breath, but there was no sickly sweet scent of Mandragora. Even so, her pupils were abnormally large.
“So, did you complete your rituals?” I asked.
If her pupils were dilated from holding too much magic, I wouldn’t have to start knocking heads together. Not that keeping Celeste in line should be my job. I wasn’t her doctor, her friend, or her boss. When Master Peeters returns from Brussels he was getting an earful. What kind of Master allows their Hunters to become addicts?
“Oh yes,” she said, arching her back as she stretched. “Hecate has been most generous.”
“And your spell components?” I asked. “You brought everything you need for raiding a vamp nest?”
Celeste tugged on her ear, poking her tongue in her cheek.
“I think so?” she asked with a shrug.
I frowned, narrowing my eyes at her and trying to keep my hands off my blades. A good Hunter is always ready for a fight. A good Hunter knows exactly what resources she has at hand. A good Hunter does not guess and shrug the question off when going into battle.
“Check,” I said my voice hard. “After my talk with Darryl, I can assure you that you want every damn spell in your arsenal.”
Celeste sighed and rolled her eyes, but started checking her pockets. Ash leaned toward me, eyebrow raised.
“Learn anything new, love?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said, stomach churning. “Two badass ancient vampires are in a turf war and we need to put the fangbangers down before any more innocent humans get caught in the crossfire, or become rations for their troops.”
Who needs an energy bar when you had grab-and-go tourists? Freaking vampires.
“Bloody hell,” Ash said.
Celeste’s eyes widened and her hands started to shake as she checked her gear.
“A bloody Hell is exactly what this city will become if we don’t do something to stop them,” I said. “We need to take them all out.”
“So what’s the plan, love?” he asked.
“We’ll target Dampierre’s nest first, entering through that warded door we found, and then scour the city for the remaining rogue vamps that belong to Philip,” I said. I rubbed the fangs on my necklace, a slow grin tugging at my lips. “I’ll go to the ends of the earth if I have to. Some of these vamps are the same bastards who annihilated our brothers, the Knights Templar. Let’s return the favor.”
Fangs clicked together and I went through the old mantra, saying the words under my breath. Chicago, Milwaukee, Harborsmouth, Harborsmouth, Harborsmouth, Bruges, Bruges… Hmmm, I was collecting so many trophies, pretty soon I’d have to start stringing fangs into bracelets. Heck, after we wipe out the Dampierre and Capetian clans, I can make myself a beaded curtain or two.
“And it’s just us?” Ash asked, pulling me from my thoughts. He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes shifting to the front door of the Guild. “You didn’t ask the others for help?”
“No, it’s just us,” I said. “Darryl said that Martens is down in Gent with his daughter, and Zharkov is also out of town securing large amounts of C-4 for the armory.”
There was no point discussing Lambert and Chadwick. Darryl’s blindness made him a liability in the field. There was no way he could come with us to raid a vampire nest. And there was no way that I’d trust Chad with my back. No. Freaking. Way.
“It’s true,” Celeste said. “I stopped by their quarters on my way out. Their rooms are empty and the hearse is gone. It’s a shame about Aleksey. He really loves making people scream.”
She licked her lips and I swear her eyes dilated even further. I clenched my jaw and turned to Ash. If we were going into the lion’s den, there was one more pit stop I had to make.
“Okay, we just need to stop by my hotel so I can grab the rest of my weapons,” I said. “Come on, I’ll fill you in on the rest of my plan while we walk.”
“We’re really going to go after the vampire Master of the City and all of his underlings?” Celeste asked.
“Yes, and when we’ve purged the House of Dampierre we’re going after House Capet,” I said.
“Two vampire masters?” she asked. She tilted her head as if giving that some thought. “Sounds like my kind of fun.”
“You always did like taking on two at a time,” Ash said.
By Athena, if the vamps didn’t kill me, these two were going to drive me bat shit crazy. I sighed and started walking toward the Vandenberghe Inn. At least I’d get a moment’s peace in my hotel room while I weaponed up.
Chapter 30
“Puncture wounds are a bitch.”
-Jenna Lehane, Hunter
Ghosts peered out at us from every window as we made our way to the inn where I’d stashed my gear. I ignored their stares and whispers. Something had set them off, but it didn’t take much to agitate some spirits. I didn’t think much of it until I turned onto my street and my eyes caught sight of one crucial detail that made my heart start to race.
The door to the inn was open, hanging askew, ripped partly off its hinges.
“No,” I gasped.
Within seconds my sword was in my hand and I was running down the street and up the inn’s front steps. Sofia and Nicolas were good people. I would not let them die because I’d been foolhardy enough to lead the monsters to their doorstep.
“Jenna, wait!” Ash yelled, but I never slowed.
I dove through the half open door, kicking it hard, and bringing my sword up in a defensive move to block the fangs launched at my jugular. I shoved the vamp off and shifted my weight as he staggered into the shadows cast by the one flickering bulb over the reception desk.
There was a trail of blood smeared across the floor, but I didn’t have time to investigate. I was too busy fighting for my life.
Claws lashed out from where another vampire had been hiding behind the door. Judging from the way the bitch was shrieking, I’d pissed her off with that kick to the door. I hoped she’d caught a few wooden splinters in the chest, but if not, I could remedy that situation. I had a splinter with her name on it.
I smiled and palmed a wooden stake, never lowering my sword.
“Come on you bloodsucking hag,” I said.
The fema
le vamp hurled herself at me and instead of pushing her away like I had her partner, I let her inside my guard, and dropped my sword. She smiled, flashing her fangs, convinced that she had me. With the vampire gloating and distracted by the sword at her feet, I sidestepped, grabbed her shoulder, and pulled myself onto her back. She let out a frustrated wail and threw herself onto the floor, back first. We went down hard with me grappling like a psychotic spider monkey.
Before she could throw me off, or smack my head into the floor again, I reversed my grip on the stake in my hand and yanked it toward me, jamming it through her chest and into her heart. The woman’s cries cut off mid-wail, paralyzed by the stake in her heart. I rolled her over, retrieved my sword, and sprang onto my feet.
As I burst up out of my crouch, I gripped my sword with both hands and brought it up between the legs of a third vamp. If I thought the chick’s screams were loud, this guy had gone supersonic. Glass panes started shattering and I continued to bring my sword up, kicking the vampire in the back. He went down onto his knees, facing the open doorway, still screaming.
I’m pretty sure I just tore him a new asshole, literally.
I snickered and spun to check on the first vamp, but Ash was already on him. As I watched, he severed the vamp’s head from his body. Turning away from the cloud of ash and dust now surrounding Ash, I tore my sword through the air, but it hit only more ash as a ball of flames winked out.
The absence of screams made my ears feel like they’d been stuffed with wool. I scanned the lobby, but there didn’t appear to be any more vampires in the room with us. Celeste walked in and smiled down at the circle of smoldering carpet. Apparently, that last kill was the witch’s handiwork.
I shook my head and stomped out the flames. I didn’t think Sofia and Nicolas would appreciate us burning down their inn.
I was assuming that they were alive because I wasn’t ready to face the alternative. If the innkeepers were dead, it was my fault.
“Try not to use flames inside,” I said. “We’re not here to burn the place down.”
“He wouldn’t stop screaming,” Celeste said with a pout.
I shook my head. I could try to explain to Celeste that it would be inconsiderate of us to do any more damage to the Vandenberghe family’s inn, but I suspected that the woman didn’t much care about anything that didn’t give her pleasure. I sighed. Some people weren’t worth reasoning with.
“Just try not to burn the place down,” I said.
I turned to where Ash was collecting fangs from the floor. For a moment, my hands clenched. Mine, my brain screamed as he picked up the fangs from my kills. But they weren’t my kills. Ash and Celeste had delivered the killing blows, and the one I’d staked through the heart was still alive, undead, whatever.
By Athena, working with other Hunters made my head hurt. Or maybe that was from getting my head slammed against the floor while still suffering a minor concussion.
“Here,” he said, handing over both pairs of fangs. “I…I thought you might want these.”
“Um, thanks,” I said, fixing my face into a bored expression. I shoved the fangs into my pocket, eyes falling to the blood smears that traveled behind the reception desk. “Let’s clear this place and check for survivors. Celeste? Stay here with this one and watch the door. Keep our exit clear.”
“Can I play with her?” she asked, nudging the female vamp with the pointy toe of her boot.
“Not yet,” I said.
Celeste sighed, but I ignored her. We might need the vamp chick’s help finding Sofia and Nicolas. I wasn’t ready to give up on them. They were still alive, they just had to be.
“I’ll take the downstairs,” Ash said. He rounded the reception desk and I held my breath.
“Clear.” He caught my eye and shook his head. “They’re not here.” He pulled a tagged key from a hook behind the counter and tossed it to me. “I’ll check their apartment.”
“I’ll take the upstairs,” I said, catching the key. “Good hunting.”
Calf and side aching, I hurried up the stairs. My leg was wet and I was pretty sure I’d pulled a few stitches. Puncture wounds are a bitch.
At the first landing, I used the master key to unlock the door to my right. I held my breath as the click echoed up and down the hall. The place felt empty and I fought the traitorous tears that blurred my vision.
I wiped angrily at my eyes and grit my teeth. I was a Hunter. Death happened in our world. If the Vandenberghes were dead, I’d mourn their loss when the mission was over. Not a second sooner.
With a steadying breath, I swung the door open and strode into the room, sword held high. There was no one lurking behind the curtains, no monsters beneath the bed. I checked the bathroom, stabbing before pulling the shower curtain back, but there was no one here. The room was empty.
I continued to search the other four rooms on each floor. When I came to my own, I hesitated. Claw marks scored the door’s surface and the lock was broken. The vampires had followed my scent all the way up to my room.
The monsters had sniffed me out.
The big question was, were the monsters still here? I held my breath and listened, but there were no sounds coming from behind the door. I shifted my weight to the balls of my feet and on the exhale, I kicked the door open.
Sword held high, I stormed into the room. I was ready for a fight, but the only monster in the room was me—the creep who’d brought destruction down on this room and possibly its owners. I did a thorough check of the bathroom as well, but the vampires had gone, leaving the room in ruin.
It was a good thing I hadn’t been asleep when the vamps made their attack. To say the bed was in tatters would be a gross understatement. The sheets and mattress were shredded, pink mattress stuffing pouring out of deep gashes like frothy entrails. The headboard stood like a gravestone, the claw marks that marred its surface an epitaph written in a dead language.
“Clear,” I whispered into the darkness.
Stepping over a broken chair, I pawed through the pile of empty drawers and torn drapes. I shook my head and let out a frustrated groan. I’d hoped to retrieve my backup stakes and the first aid kit I’d left open on the desk, but there was nothing left.
Thankfully, I hadn’t packed before coming here the other night in my flight from Simon Chadwick, and since that night I hadn’t had time to move my stuff over from the Guild’s dorms. I sighed and headed out to the landing, pulling the clawed door shut behind me. I was going to pay to cover the damages just as soon as I saw Sofia and Nicolas.
With any luck, the happy couple would be downstairs having tea with Ash, laughing about the break in, and considering themselves lucky. Please let them be okay, I prayed. Please, please, please.
“Clear,” I yelled down the stairs. “The upstairs is clear. I’m coming down.”
I held onto that pleasant fantasy, but as I stepped into the bloodstained lobby, I knew it wasn’t true. There was no laughter here, only dust, ashes, and blood. Ash raised an eyebrow, but I shook my head.
“No sign of the Vandenberghes,” I said.
“Looks like the bloodsuckers took them out the back,” he said. “But from the looks of it, Sofia and Nicolas put up one hell of a fight.”
I slumped against the reception desk and let my head drop into my hands.
“This is my fault,” I said.
“It’s nobody’s flippin’ fault,” Ash said.
I dropped my hands and looked him in the eye.
“The vampires followed me here,” I said. “I never should have come.”
Ash reached up to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear.
“Chadwick didn’t give you much of a choice,” he said.
I pulled away and headed for the door. I appreciated that Ash was trying to make me feel better, but he was wrong. We always have a choice.
I made the wrong one.
Chapter 31
“A Hunter can never have too many weapons.”
-Jenna Lehane, Hunter
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“Let’s kill us some vamps,” I said, stalking toward the canal.
I’d hoped to grab a few more weapons from my room, but what gear I had would just have to do. With possible hostages in the mix, we were now on an even tighter timetable than before. I was going to do everything possible to find Sofia and Nicolas and kill every vampire in my path along the way. The fact that we needed to take out the vamps before the war between House Dampierre and House Capet turned the streets of Bruges into a charnel house was a bonus.
I reached into my leather jacket, pulled out a broken chair leg, and started whittling it down to a point with my jackknife as I walked. Ash raised an eyebrow and pulled out one of his own.
“Great minds think alike,” he said with a wink.
I nodded. A Hunter can never have too many weapons.
“If some crappy old chair legs make you a great mind, then I must be a freaking genius,” Celeste said.
She pulled a miniature crossbow from her satchel of spell components, and I almost clapped my hands like a kid on Christmas morning. At least, I think that’s what normal kids do on Christmas. I wouldn’t really know.
Her fingertips lingered on mine as she handed the weapon over, and she leaned in close.
“You’re thinking that you could kiss me about now, am I right?” she said, parting her lips in anticipation.
“Bloody hell, Celeste,” Ash said with a frown. “That’s my line.”
I sighed and latched the crossbow into a quick release thigh holster between the panels of my battle skirt. Leave it to these two to ruin the moment. I swear they could suck all the joy out of the city with one petulant look.
“Thanks for the crossbow,” I said. “I didn’t even realize my stuff had arrived.”
I’d asked Master Janus if I could have a few of my custom weapons shipped over. Apparently, he’d succeeded in pulling the necessary strings to get them into the country.
“It was in your room,” she said with a shrug.
I narrowed my eyes at Celeste and frowned.