by T. S. Ryder
Cleo rolled her eyes. "Just don't get yourself killed because you're worried about me. It's an empty gesture."
Darius kissed her again and shook his head. "Your concern is touching. I'll call you tonight."
"Good. Now get going before you lose your rank for being lazy."
He touched his forehead in a mock-salute and left quickly before he could give into his desires again.
Chapter Two – Cleo
Cleo waited on the third-floor balcony just outside the room she and her husband shared to wave to Darius as he and his squad rode away from the estate on their motorcycles. At first, the tradition of seeing him off from up here felt as silly as his nightly calls when he wasn't home. It had been especially so since neither of them made any pretense about loving each other. Yet, it wasn't like they weren't becoming friends, or that Cleo didn't worry for him (as any decent person would). So the ritual continued.
As soon as her husband was out of sight, Cleo turned back to the room. Perhaps she should have told him about her pregnancy sooner, but she had witnessed plenty of her fellow human-wives reveal their own pregnancies only to see their vampire husbands to turn into puddles of emotion. More than one missed a prime opportunity to increase their position because they were too busy fawning over a full stomach.
She ought to have known that her Darius would be smarter than that.
Oh, well. He knows now, anyway.
Tea wasn't for another few hours, and, since Darius was gone, it gave her time to go into the city. She hadn't seen Ed in almost two weeks. It was the high time she visited again.
Cleo went to her wardrobe and picked out a bright yellow tight summer dress. The V-neck was cut to maximize cleavage, the skirt just above her knee, and it was sleeveless, of course. There was also a belt encrusted in crystal attached.
Stunning. Perfect for what she had in mind.
The young woman dressed quickly, adding a wide-brimmed straw hat to her ensemble. After that, she put the peppermint essential oil that Ed liked in her clutch and headed out. It was common for her to dress up and go out when Darius was not around, so nobody questioned her as she went to the garage and took the Porsche out for a drive.
They had agreed to keep secrets from each other when they married. Well, Ed was just one of those secrets. The biggest secret, Cleo had to admit. If Darius ever found out, everything would change.
Darius' estate was close to the heart of King Iosif's territory. It was more rural than Cleo would have liked, but the grounds were extensive and gave her the space to do whatever she wanted. Besides the three-story house, there was also an indoor swimming pool, a garden, tennis courts, and a hedge maze. Beyond that were the barracks were Darius' troops lived. They had a few buildings for training and a huge field for sports, but Cleo had never been out that way. They were always fighting each other over there.
Violence was the vampire's domain. She had always believed that there were better, more efficient ways to get what a person wanted than to club another person over the head. Most of the time, anyway. In some situations, there wasn't much choice.
She put thoughts of vampires and Darius out of her head as she left the estate. It was a half-hour drive to the city where she grew up, and she didn't want to bring all of her vampire troubles to Ed. These visits were the only times she let go of her plans to get her husband named the future king. It was true that Iosif already had an heir picked out, but things could always change. If nothing else, her husband was going to become a prince.
Stop, she told herself. Ed thinks you're the most selfless angel that ever existed. Let's not ruin that.
She turned up the music to cleanse her thoughts.
Soon she was in the familiar sights of the city, driving past the huge shopping malls and fancy restaurants towards the residential area. Would Ed be having a good day?
When she was almost at her destination, Cleo glanced in her rearview mirror. A familiar black motorcycle was following her. He hadn't even bothered to wear a jacket without his captain's insignia on it, although he did have a tinted faceguard on his helmet.
The human sighed. Gordon. She pulled into the parking lot for St. Dymphna's Hospital for the Mentally Unwell. Gordon pulled in beside her. He took off his helmet as she got out of the car. As the vampire marched up to her, eyes narrowed, she tucked her hair into her hat.
"I thought Darius took you on his latest mission."
Gordon shook his head.
"So you decided to follow me? Why?"
"Don't think that the lower-ranked vampires Darius employs don't talk. You disappear for a few hours every time he leaves. I know what's going on. Everybody knows what's going on." Gordon's eyes narrowed. "Who is he?"
"Who is who?"
"Your lover. I won't kill him if that's what you're worried about. Just make sure that you never see him again."
Cleo ground her teeth. Clearly, he was looking for evidence before he went to Darius with his suspicions. Not that it would make much of a difference. Vampire law didn't allow for divorce unless it was proven that a wife was pregnant with another man's child.
What would he do if he found out about Ed?
She put a hand on her stomach. "Darius told you I'm pregnant, I assume?"
"Yes. And he hasn't been around often enough for you to be pregnant with his child."
"Once is all it takes, Gordon. I assure you, Darius is the father of this child. I am faithful to him. Besides, even if I weren't, would it matter? Darius didn't marry me for love, he married me because he can't be promoted without a human wife to prove his good relations. And he only picked me because he knew that people would look at this 'robust' body and praise him for not being shallow."
Gordon's eyes narrowed. "He has been my best friend for longer than you've been alive, woman."
Cleo bit back a sarcastic reply. Her heart was sinking low, though. It didn't look like Gordon was going anywhere.
"Answer my question or I'll open an official inquiry. I don't want to do that – I would rather this be solved between the two of us. But I will do whatever is necessary to protect my friend. I know that you married him for his wealth and power. If you think that I —"
"Oh, fine!" Cleo shook her head. "As long as you're here… you might as well come see the person I was going to meet."
"So you admit that you're here to see someone? Who is he?"
"Ed. Or Edyta. And she is my sister."
Gordon's eyes widened. Cleo turned on her heel and marched away, not letting herself twist her hands in worry. She didn't have much of a choice but introduce the vampire to her sister now.
But if Darius found out about her, he would know that she wasn't as invulnerable as she seemed. And a woman who had any weakness had to fight three times as hard to get anywhere in life.
Cleo wasn't sure if she could stand the vampires finding out about Ed. They would use her sister against her in ways that were veiled as sympathy. She could handle that at most times, but when it came to Ed… she was too protective.
She'd rip apart anybody who suggested that her sister wasn't good enough.
The walk to Ed's room was filled with awkward silence. Cleo didn't try to talk with Gordon. As far as she was concerned, he had no right to be here. A few of the staff and patients stared at him openly, but he didn't speak, either. He kept shooting Cleo suspicious glances, which she ignored.
Ed's room was on the top floor. It was decorated in bright pastels, butterfly stickers on the wall and a lacy pink bedspread. Ed was sitting at her desk, typing away madly on her computer. Cleo smiled and knocked on the door.
"Still working on your book?"
Ed looked up. A happy smile broke over her face and she jumped to her feet. "Cleo!
Cleo hugged her sister tightly. "I brought you some new perfume."
"That's great!" Ed stepped back and beamed. She looked down at the outfit Cleo was wearing and gasped. "Oh, can I have that dress?"
"Of course. As long as you give me back one of my o
ther dresses so I don't walk home naked."
Ed giggled and ran to her dresser. She pulled out a wrinkled purple dress that had a large stain on the crystal-embossed bodice and ran back to Cleo. Gordon stood in the doorway, his eyes wide as he watched the exchange. Ed peered at him, stepping closer to Cleo.
"Is that your husband?"
Cleo laughed and shook her head. "No. This is Darius's friend, Gordon. But he is a vampire, like Darius is. Why don't you get to know him while I change?"
"Okay." Her sister strode to Gordon and stuck out her hand. "I'm Edyta but I don't like that name. I like to be called Ed."
Cleo slipped into the bathroom to change. When she came out, Ed was eagerly telling Gordon all about the book she was writing. A time-travel mystery centered on a fairy who didn't know he was a fairy. The hours flew by quickly, and all too soon Cleo had to leave. Ed was bright and cheerful as she said goodbye, but Cleo's heart felt heavy, the way it always did when she had to leave her sister.
"So." Gordon cleared his throat as they headed back outside. "Down syndrome?"
"Yeah. And schizophrenia. She doesn't do well outside of the hospital. I'm not a terrible sister," Cleo added, crossing her arms to hide the stain on her dress. "I just couldn't take care of her after our father died and our mother abandoned us. She needed more than I could give her, and… and she does much better inside the hospital, anyway. She has friends, people don't tease her, and there is always somebody there to look after her."
"Your mother abandoned you?"
Cleo winced. She forgot that even Darius didn't know her life story. "Don't tell Darius about this."
"Why? He could —"
"Help? Was that what you were going to say? Help what? There's nothing that can be done that hasn't already been done. I will not have my husband think less of me or pity me because of my sister. And I won't have her used against us. So just don't tell Darius."
After a moment, Gordon shrugged. "Fine. I won't tell him. But you should."
Cleo was silent. She wasn't going to tell Darius anything. He knew she had secrets. She wasn't asking for him to reveal his, so she wasn't going to reveal hers, either. Secrets were what kept them together.
Chapter Three – Darius
Darius had quickly realized that he was not going to be home for a few days. Maybe even weeks.
When he and his troops went to try to find information on where the Rebeluna might be hiding out, they got more than what had been expected. Instead of vague information, he got a witness who had overheard two shifters talking about their forest-camp. Drones had confirmed the existence of the camp.
It was clearly a trap, but still too good to pass up. Not going home was disappointing – more disappointing than usual. Probably because of Cleo's pregnancy. He wanted to know more. But that was why she didn't tell him, so he put her and the baby out of his mind as he followed the Rebeluna.
The taste of adrenaline-enriched blood was still thick on his tongue as he led his men through a thick forest. He was leading half a dozen men in from the north, and he had picked three captains to close in from the other directions. Around them, the elms, oaks, and Bosnian pines swayed and rustled in the wind. Animals called to each other, but there wasn't a sound or a scent of the shifter to be found.
All of Darius's nerves were on end as he breathed deeply through his nose to catch any shifter scents. He carried a bow and a quiver full of silver-tipped arrows. Guns were all but useless against shifters. The creatures could pick up the scent of gunpowder a mile away. But arrows had the extra benefit of being silent. The perfect weapon against the beasts.
He grinned when a slight rustling came from the trees above him – right after the wind had died down. An ambush. How quaint.
Without breaking stride, Darius turned and aimed his arrow into the darkness. The bow twanged, and the arrow leaped forward. It hit its target with a solid thump. A howl echoed in the small clearing.
Instantly, there were cries from all around, bursting in on his position. The roar of a bear was all the warning Darius received before the beast leaped from the treetops. She transformed mid-air, massive paws swiping at Darius' head. The vampire barely had time to dodge the blow.
He grabbed his radio. "Team Prima under attack. Continue the mission, do not deviate. I repeat, do not deviate."
The bear turned towards him. He dropped his bow; they were in too close quarters for him to use it. Instead, he pulled out a silver-infused knife. The bear came at him again, an arrow protruding from its shoulder. Darius bent his knees, waiting—
The bear lunged. Darius feinted to the left, and, as the massive creature followed, he ducked in under its head from the left. He jabbed the knife in under the bear's chin, feeling it sink deep into the soft spot right at the throat. Not deep enough. He yanked it back out and dodged under the bear's legs as it circled. Its teeth closed on a few strands of his hair, yanking them out.
Darius cut along the bear's belly before leaping into a nearby tree. It would buy him the precious few seconds he needed to take stock of the battle. The vampires were outnumbered, but not outmatched. Three of the shifters had already fallen. Half of them hadn't changed, the rest being wolves accompanied by one panther. They were counting on the bear, then.
Or buying the bear time.
The bear crashed into the tree, the whole thing vibrating to its top branches. The trunk cracked. Darius jumped, aiming for the bear's head. The beast reared to its hind legs, swiping at him. A massive paw caught his foot, making him spin in midair. The vampire grabbed a handful of shaggy fur and pulled himself in close to the bear's body, reaching around the thick neck to stab in her throat.
The blade sunk in to its hilt. Hot blood poured over his hands, smelling of the shifter. The bear made a gurgling roar.
Darius pushed himself off the creature's back, back-flipping to land lightly behind it. He stabbed into its hindquarters. Another roar and it stumbled around, claws slicing at him. It was slowing from the silver poisoning and neck wounds, though, and Darius easily dodged it. This battle would be over soon.
He glanced at his men as he slipped under the bear again, this time landing a solid blow just under its chin. His men were curtained off from him by the other shifters. Two more had fallen, the panther and a wolf. They were still outnumbered, but none of the shifters were following up with any vampires that backed away, though – only going after the ones that tried to come forward to help him.
So, they were counting on the bear to finish him. That was their mission: his death. Not just an ambush, but an assassination attempt.
Darius shook his head as he snatched his bow and arrow off the ground. A sniper's rifle would have done them a world of good if they wanted to assassinate him. But, like many of the vampires, they were stuck in the old ways of fighting.
As the bear came at him again, Darius notched an arrow to his bow. He stood his ground, aiming quickly before he let the arrow fly. It sunk deep into the bear's eye. Two more arrows, both to the heart, and the bear collapsed. Her huge chest heaved.
Darius spun on his heel, firing arrows rapidly at the shifters attacking his men. Three were down before they realized that their bear had fallen. One of the wolves yipped, and the group scattered. Those that hadn't shifted turned into a variety of birds and took off, the remaining wolves bounding into the trees. Darius let off a few more arrows before they were gone.
An eagle screeched as it fell, an arrow having pierced its shoulder joint. One of his men pointed his revolver at the fallen eagle.
"Hold," Darius ordered. "Take that one as a prisoner."
He slung the bow around his body and retrieved his knife. The bear was shivering and twitching as the poison ate its way through its beastly body. Blood was still flowing generously, but this would be a painful way to die. The vampire knelt beside her head, stroking her coarse brown fur.
"Your wounds are fatal," he said under his breath. "Close your eyes and think of something you love."
Dariu
s waited. The bear's eyes shone with fear but slowly closed. If he ever found himself in such a situation, he hoped that he would receive this same mercy. Pulling back the bear's head, he slit her throat, letting her bleed faster. He continued to stroke her fur until the bear stilled.
"My lord?" one of the sergeants came to him. "We have secured the prisoner."
Darius nodded to acknowledge him. He did not like killing. He didn't hesitate when he didn't have any other choice, but he didn’t like it. When he was a boy, his father would tell him he'd have to outgrow his compassion. Maybe it was because he was still only a young adult in the vampire world, but he never developed the thick skin that the older generations seemed to wear like badges of honor.
It was one of the reasons he liked having Cleo by his side. She was so good at finding other ways of currying favor that didn't include the violence dealt out on nights like this one. But, sometimes, killing was necessary. When two unbreakable winds crashed together, the only result could be violence until one surrendered.
Neither vampire nor shifter would ever surrender. Not until something changed.
Darius turned to the eagle. She had shifted back to human form, his arrow shot straight through her shoulder. The colonel studied her as he came closer. Sweat beaded her forehead, her eyes wide and fearful. Given that he had just killed a bear and was still stained in shifter blood, he didn't blame her. She was also stark naked.
"Give the prisoner your shirt," he ordered the nearest man. First aid would have to wait until they were out of the forest.
It wasn't often that they were able to get shifter prisoners. The eagle flinched as he knelt to her level, but lifted her chin. "No matter what you think you have won today, you have only made it worse for yourself in the end."
"I think you ought to be more worried about yourself. Once we return home, your fate is out of my hands. Tell me where the Rebeluna are and I can keep you a prisoner in my estate instead of sending you to the palace. You will be a prisoner, but you will be comfortable and in time I may be able to release you."