Cheating Death (Wraith's Rebellion Book 2)

by Aya DeAniege

  I spun on the sound and found myself face to face with something I almost recognized. I knew at that moment it was another vampire, I thought perhaps it was a guard.

  But it was a woman.

  Due to sheer numbers between male and female vampires, the Council had yet to assign a female guard to Lu. They tended to get bored of his treatment quickly, and he attempted to kill several of them. Or at least rend them to bits.

  So, it took another moment of hesitance as I gaped at her.

  She wasn’t old, I knew that but couldn’t say why. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

  That almost recognition was familial, she was my sister. Not by blood, they were still all killed by the sickness.

  Lu had made himself another child out of stock.

  What she looked like doesn’t matter. She was Death stock. He bred for flavour, not look. He bred for power, mortal powers borderline witch. Though, the witches were never threatened by them.

  Having power in mortality almost guarantees power as a vampire. In the time it took me to register all that, even though it was perhaps a heartbeat of time, the world lit on fire.

  Literally.

  As the world exploded, and my body tried to bend to the will of the baby vampire, I did what I do best. I unleashed my wrath into the room and onto her. Every bit of that anger that I had built up over the time with Lu, I took it out on her.

  Both of us hit the floor. She was dead. I was nearly so. It has never been so difficult to claw my way back to immortality.

  I think I awoke the next evening. Lu was still struggling. He was trying to get at me. Progeny being blood bags for Makers and all.

  His hand on my foot is what woke me in the end. And upon waking, I struggled to get away. It was a very slow fight for life. Except, I was used to starvation and torture. I had learned to work through the pain.

  It was still a struggle, and he still might have won, but I got to my knees. Once on my knees, Sasha’s words echoed through my mind upon being released from the box.

  “Whatever you have to do, do it. But come home to me.”

  Lu couldn’t kill without the tool. At least, not all year round. He also couldn’t use his so-called library without the tool. Someone taught him that the two were connected.

  He, of course, cannot lift the tool without projection or careful wrapping.

  Though the baby vampire, now that I think about it, explains how he got the tool to my nest with the mute.

  I grabbed that tool, and I ran. As long as my body was in motion, I knew that I could keep going. I ran, and I didn’t stop until the sun put me out. Then I woke and ran again.

  At some point, I must have fed. At some point, I realized what had to be done.

  I went to my home at the time, sneaking in, and took Wraith’s mask and robe. I was too weak to attempt powers. So, I didn’t try.

  I went to the Council with a note instructing separation of head and staff, never to be rejoined again. Then I ripped the two apart and handed them the note.

  After Death’s attack on the Council, from which they were still recovering, they counted it as a blessing that I had rebelled.

  They didn’t offer me payment, however. Figuring that allowing me to go free was payment enough.

  Cheap bastards.

  As Quin, I returned five years later. The sickness that hit the others didn’t quite hit me. I think that sickness was a fail safe in the tool. Spelled or something, maybe.

  My problem was that I couldn’t seem to recover from what happened. When I returned to Sasha, I was the same as I had been that first night running from Lu. Everything hurt like I had disobeyed him and he had verbally commanded me to hurt. But he had never spoken.

  Sasha took my weakness as meaning that I had caught the illness that the others had. She cared for me, not telling Lucrecia that I was back until the fever like feeling passed.

  I never told them where I went during my time away, between being in the box and returning to Sasha. They didn’t ask, and for once I was happy that they pretended my time with Lu didn’t happen.

  Oh, hello, Morris.

  Sweetheart, I have to go. Do me a favour and play that back to the Council, would you? I don’t want to have to explain twice.

  I turned the tablet back onto record, and looked around the greeting room to the Council. Lucrecia sat across the room, a hand clenched into the throat of her shirt. I knew it was a protective gesture, but I couldn’t recall where I had learned of it.

  “Those are some serious accusations, Lucrecia,” Amma said, turning in her seat.

  “I’m sorry, that’s what you want to talk about?” I demanded.

  Bob looked uncomfortable. I got the feeling that he had known the moment Quin took the tile. I also felt like he was the best way to get the Council on our side.

  “She is an elitist, can do no wrong. Supports all the people and the downtrodden, yet here is a member of her family, neglected and abused by her.”

  “Whoa, Missus Racist does not get to talk down to the sexist for fucking up with one vampire. And Missus Sexist had best work out a plan to make this better. But at no point, Missus Racists—yes, I’m talking to you Amma—at no point do you get to put your nose in the air when this Council waited until Lucrecia was off the Council before bringing to vote the enslaving another vampire.”

  “Missus Racist?” Amma asked. “I’m not racist. I hate mortals, not white people.”

  Somehow, I doubt that.

  “The human race is a race. I guess in your case it’s just quite literal.”

  “You little whore.”

  “Say what you like, threaten all you like. My daddy wants me alive.”

  The whole room stiffened as one. Glancing from one vampire to the next, I saw it slowly dawn on them what they had just heard Quin say. It was then a small step to the one side for them to figure out what I meant, that I was threatening them, and that Quin’s reputation supported the threat.

  “He can kill people with his mind,” Margaret managed to get out.

  “Think I’m staying alive until he gets back,” I said sternly.

  “We cannot threaten to kill the Progeny we granted Quin for services yet to be rendered when clearly he is delivering on his promises,” Balor said.

  The Middle Council stood and ran his hands down his shirt, played with his belt a little as he considered the others. With a sigh, he turned to Bob.

  “What do we do?”

  “Wraith was granted on a writ. So long as Death lives, no, serves? No... I don’t know the wording.”

  “So long as Death shall reign in the enemies and grant privacy to the vampire race, so too shall he have rights over the body of his Progeny, Wraith. No vampire may aide in Wraith’s plight, but instead must turn him away. He shall only find comfort in his Maker,” Lucrecia said.

  “Death is killing people,” I said. “Not with his mind, I should add, but with a tool you lost. Did Lu have a word on coming out?”

  “He said it was time,” Margaret said. “We hide him. We keep him contained and feed him a little work and give him whatever books we can. He’s a pampered lap dog compared to Death. However, No one contacted Death.”

  “Quin said they are separate entities in the same body,” Lucrecia said, adjusting in her seat in an uncomfortable fashion. “Which means that the vampire called Death was and yet was not spoken to on the matter. However, given two vampires in one night, he could have made his point clear before the Council came out.”

  “He killed three in one night,” I said. “George, Gerald, and the Elder Council? Are those names? The guy who was made to record a voice message then killed, the Elder Council, and his guard at the house while we were there. Then there are the mortals. Oh no.”

  “Oh no, what?” Amma asked.

  “There’s a mortal body at his house. I don’t know about vampires, but I’m told mortals smell after death. Oh, and oh no, the police. They’ve probably contacted the interviewers and, oh I’m probably in t
rouble.”

  I pulled out my cell phone out of habit. Only to recall as I unlocked it that it was a new phone. It probably had a new number as well. Funny how Quin got his way in the end. Saved me from an apartment and gave me new stuff.

  “Margaret will contact both,” Lucrecia said. “Let it be known not all vampires are mortal friendly, his Maker is one such vampire, and he jealously did this. We have her in a safe location and will release her the moment we find him. Then ask for a metal box. Two feet by six feet by two feet. When they ask what it’s for, you say it’s for the Maker.”

  Even for a coffin, that sounded cramped. I was betting that was on purpose, though.

  “They may require a public statement,” Margaret said.

  “Then I will make one. Something about the safety of mortals and any vampire disobeying Council law, which says to obey the law of the country, will be boxed and put in storage. That this long-term storage will happen until we can find Wraith. Who has been mentioned a time or two, and we will announce he can kill people with his mind.”

  “Vampires,” I said quickly. “Avoid the people killing.”

  “You’re quite correct. He can kill vampires with his mind. We don’t need the mortals getting uppity about a vampire who can do that and leave no trace.”

  “The witches will need to be informed,” Lucrecia said faintly.

  “Why would you get them involved?” I asked.

  “Morris is a witch,” Balor said. “He deals in black magic, but also does drug deals on the side to help fund things. If Wraith has paid him a visit and can kill immortals, the witches need to know that this isn’t war against them.”

  “They’d think that?” I asked.

  “They are mortal. Mortals do not know from experience, they learn from books. They also seem to think that our methods would suddenly change. So, when one of ours gets mixed up with one of theirs, we give them a call.”

  “Just ring them up on the telephone and be all ‘hey entire witch race, our bad, no hard feelings,’ and hope they all get it?”

  “We text them instead,” Margaret said with an eyebrow arch. “We have updated our methods.”

  “You have the entire witch race on speed dial,” I said slowly. “Like it’s the most normal thing in the world.”

  “Technically it’s a texting tree,” Margaret said.

  “Now we’re soccer moms,” I muttered under my breath.

  “Soccer moms are very organized,” Margaret said. “I find the more I talk to you, the less I like you.”

  “So, shut up,” I snapped.

  Balor sat beside Amma and looked over the room. “He’s on the Council. Writ or no, we now must protect him as we would any other.”

  “And hope he’s forgiving,” I said under my breath as I looked away.

  “I’m sorry, what was that?” Lucrecia asked.

  “You all had a hand in his torment,” I said. “You, Lucrecia, personally. Amma’s such a wanker even I want to give her a smack, and I just met her. Balor’s lucky he’s cute and screw you, Margaret. I want to lock you in a closet until this is all sorted out.”

  “And me?” Bob asked.

  “I’m supposed to be nice to you. He likes you, thinks you’re funny,” I said. I paused to consider how one of them might put what I was about to say. “Is Wraith well known for mercy?”

  The Council stiffened as one.

  “When speaking of killing, did he seem to be remorseful? Or like he enjoyed it? Lu created a monster, and then you chained him to Death, who put a mean edge on his rage. While he seems to respect the Council, he is very patient, like so many vampires.”

  The front door opened and Quin walked in immediately. He looked over the room, then smiled at me.

  “Thank you, for saving me from that,” he said, flashing his teeth. “Has she bitten anyone yet?”

  “No,” Lucrecia said. “Modern morals, we suspected this would happen.”

  “Balor, she called you cute, didn’t she? Bait her.”

  “Bait her?” Amma asked, then huffed out. “When I was turned, I did not need urging. I ripped her throat out for what she did to me.”

  “Balor,” Quin snapped. “Not Amma. If I want you to make a comment to my Progeny, I will say as much.”

  Balor seemed surprised. He turned to Quin, and the two of them watched each other for a long moment. Then Balor asked something in another language. Quin responded with a smug look. Whatever was said, every other vampire in the room shifted uncomfortably.

  I considered just attacking Balor, but I hadn’t been raised that way. The was hardly a murderous bone in my body.

  Balor turned back to me and cleared his throat.

  “Well, now that’s fun. So, Helen, when your Maker is finally killed, I’m going to turn you into my whore. Oh, I’ll not have you, but I’ll sell you to the highest bidder until they no longer want you, then I’ll sell you to the werewolves to rip into when they turn.”

  I blinked at him. Then I shook my head.

  “No, that did nothing.”

  “Shouldn’t you have a fight or flight response?” Lucrecia asked.

  “I kind of feel like laughing at him, does that count?” I asked. “He won’t do that. He can’t do that. You people enslaved Wraith as a sacrifice, the precedent has since been set that a vampire cannot be held as a slave. You can’t even hold me unless I break the rules.”

  “We should just throw your Maker in a box instead,” Margaret snapped. “For breaking the rules.”

  “You stay out of this,” I said. “I don’t want my teeth anywhere near you.”

  “You’re going to be one of those grief-stricken vampires, aren’t you?” Balor asked in disgust. “Hiding in the corner, whining about biting people. Quin, my boy, you made a mistake in your choice of Progeny.”

  The world did a funny sort of swirl. I recall twitching. I remember thinking that I had to keep control of myself.

  The next moment I was on Balor. My teeth sunk into his neck, if only to prove him wrong. Quin had not made a mistake, Balor wasn’t allowed to talk to him like that.

  Hot blood filled my mouth, and I swallowed greedily, my stomach growling in hunger. I hadn’t been hungry before, though it had seemed there was a hole in my stomach, an ache that was almost familiar. I fed off Balor, biting him again when he began to heal, ripping open a fresh wound.

  Hands grabbed me, but I held on. My nails dug into his flesh as he began to struggle against me.

  I swear I heard Quin laugh.

  “Helen, that’s enough,” Quin said.

  I pulled away and gulped in a breath. The world started spinning, and my stomach gurgled. A hand, not my own, slapped over my mouth. The palm was bloody, new blood pushed against my tongue. That blood had the something. I lapped at the palm as Lucrecia murmured soothingly to me. Her other hand stroked my hair as I hiccupped and it dawned on me what I had just done.

  “The hunger can drive you to attacking,” she said quietly. “A Maker baits their Progeny to make certain everything is working. It is also a test of strength. No stiffness in you at all.”

  “Another side effect he didn’t mention,” I muttered.

  “Baby vampires can be killed within the first little bit to prevent those with side effects from suffering a crippled immortal life,” Quin said. “So, she spoke, and so shall it always be.”

  “How many side effects are there?” I asked. “Burning when I pee, by chance?”

  “One, uh, side effect,” Lucrecia said awkwardly, “does not result in culling. It’s a result of some to the change, wherein their bodies eagerly rid themselves of everything mortal.”

  “What’s that mean?” I asked. “Like my skin will slough off?”

  “Explosive diarrhoea,” Quin said.

  I almost giggled. Quin had mentioned that side effect before, but in much gentler terms. I knew it could happen, but there was something about the two words said together, spoken out loud, that I found humorous suddenly.

  He n
odded once, then motioned around.

  “One reason to keep you here for now. That typically happens within two hours of the change. At least here there are toilets and showers.”

  “That time has passed,” Lucrecia said.

  Quin pulled out his phone and seemed to check the time before slipping it back into his pocket.

  “Good, because I need to take her to see the Oracle.”

  “Of course, there’s an Oracle,” I muttered.

  “Helen, come here,” Quin said.

  I stood with Lucrecia’s help and walked to Quin. He wrapped his arm around my midsection and steered me out of the greeting room. We headed directly into a bathroom, where he shut and locked the door before he turned to me.

  “I don’t want you to panic,” he said calmly.

  “About what?” I asked. “Is there a black spot on my face?”

  “No, nothing I’d worry about at all. I think it’s a turn on,” he said, then motioned to the bathroom mirror.

  I frowned at him, then turned to the mirror.

  I had blood all over my face. My hair was a wild mess and I was paler than normal, possibly from the blood loss of being turned.

  “That’s from Lucrecia slapping blood into your mouth. The bit on your shirt there is from Balor.”

  I looked down and burst into tears. “I just got this shirt!”

  He made a small sound in agreement and turned the water on. From under the sink, he withdrew a face cloth, which he wetted and used to dab at the blood around my mouth.

  “If I left this, your skin would absorb it, but I didn’t think you’d appreciate that part. At least not yet. Yes, bathing in blood is a thing for some vampires. Yes, it’s as nasty as it sounds. For most of us, we just don’t notice the feel of it,” he stepped back and looked me over. “There, better. The Council keeps a rack of clothing for women in the building. We’ll find you something there. Though, it’s all dresses. Is that going to be a problem?”

  “Do I have to wear the shoes?” I asked.

  “Shoes make the outfit. And yes, until you’re fully immortal you must wear shoes. There’s something about going barefoot once you’re turned.”

  “I just hate formal shoes. They always pinch my feet.”