Helpless (Blue Fire Saga)

by Scott Prussing

  A moment later, Stefan emerged from one of the shadows and walked slowly toward them. As he drew nearer, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, a gesture meant to show he had no intention of attacking. Rave kept his hands ready—he was protecting more than his own life here.

  Stefan stopped ten feet away from them, near the sidewalk. Leesa wondered if either Rave or Stefan realized they were in the exact same positions, only reversed, as they were on the night Rave had come upon her and Stefan talking under the oak. At least it’s not raining tonight, she thought.

  “Thank you for coming,” Stefan said to Rave. He glanced at Leesa. “I see you could not keep her away.”

  Rave allowed himself a small smile. “Not without a lock and chain.”

  “She does tend to be a bit strong-willed,” Stefan replied.

  “She is right here,” Leesa said, a bit testily. “And I’m not going anywhere, so you may as well get started. What did you want to talk to Rave about?”

  Stefan smiled at Leesa then turned to Rave. “I need your help.”

  If that wasn’t the last thing Rave expected to hear, it was certainly close. Vampires did not turn to volkaanes for help, not in the long history of both their races.

  “I don’t understand,” he said.

  “I do not blame you,” Stefan said. “I would be just as confused if our positions were reversed. You will understand better when I tell you what happened last night.”

  Stefan recounted his encounter with Jarubu and his female companion, leaving out no details, even though it pained him to admit he had been bested. He knew that to obtain Rave’s help, there could be no secrets.

  Halfway through Stefan’s story, Leesa realized he was describing her recent dream. She was about to say something but held her tongue. She had no new information to impart and there was no reason for Stefan to know anything about her powers.

  “Jarubu should not be more powerful than me, not by any measure I could sense, but yet somehow he was,” Stefan said when he reached the end of his story.

  “I’m still not sure what you want from me,” Rave said.

  “It’s simple. I want you to help me destroy Jarubu.”

  Rave’s brow furrowed. He wondered if there was some kind of trick here. For a vampire to seek the help of a volkaane to kill a fellow vampire was beyond his comprehension.

  “You want me to help you destroy another vampire?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why? Because he is more powerful than you? Surely you don’t expect my help every time you run into a vampire who is stronger than you.”

  Leesa saw Stefan’s muscles tense and his hands come halfway out of his pockets. Rave saw it too, of course, and he bent his knees slightly, ready for action. Leesa knew that if she didn’t do something, things could go off track fast.

  She stepped between them. “Let’s all relax, boys. I don’t really think anything negative was meant by anything that’s been said so far.” She smiled what she hoped was her most disarming smile. “You two just aren’t used to talking to one of your sworn enemies, that’s all.”

  Stefan’s body relaxed and he pushed his hands back into his pockets. When Leesa looked behind her, she saw that Rave had lowered his guard as well.

  “I’m sorry,” Stefan said. “But this is not about me, as much as I would like to destroy Jarubu myself.”

  “Why do you want him dead?” Rave asked.

  “He and his partner are hunting indiscriminately…and often. They have killed eight humans in the area already. They will kill more if they’re not stopped. You volkaanes protect humans from my kind—that is your incentive here, Rave. Mine is that my people do not want to risk the attention these newcomers are drawing.”

  Leesa thought about the killings Caitlin had told her about. She had suspected they might be the work of vampires, and now she knew for sure. The deaths were certainly garnering growing attention.

  “He’s right, Rave. The killings have been all over the news.”

  She could see the wheels turning in Rave’s head as he considered what Stefan had said.

  “All right,” he said to Stefan. “If you come up with a suitable plan, I will help you.”

  Stefan nodded. “Here is what I propose….”

  26. PARTING

  The following night, five figures waited in the darkness at Brennan Field. Leesa stood with her arm around Rave’s back, with Dominic beside her. Dral and Bain flanked Rave on his other side. Everyone but Leesa was dressed in dark clothes, either black or brown. She was wearing her blue parka.

  The night was cold and breezy, though that was no matter with Rave beside her. The moon—barely visible behind a layer of clouds—was little more than a rumor of its true self. Leesa knew the darkness pleased the vampires, but she would have preferred a brighter night. Her desire was foolish, she knew. The dark would not bother the volkaanes. She was not being permitted to go along, so it didn’t really matter.

  “I want to come with you,” Leesa said, repeating an argument she and Rave had already had. “You might need me to keep things smooth between you and Stefan.”

  “I told you,” Rave said softly. “It’s too dangerous. I can’t do what I need to do if I’m worried about your safety.”

  “How come Dominic gets to go, then? Stefan wanted three volkaanes. He didn’t mention you bringing anyone else.”

  “Dominic can take care of himself—I won’t be worrying about him.” Rave smiled at the wizard. “Besides, I don’t think I could stop him from coming if he insisted.”

  Dominic returned Rave’s smile. “I’m just going along to observe,” he said to Leesa. “There is something about Stefan’s story that intrigues me...and worries me. There may be magic involved here. If there is, I want to know about it.”

  “Will you intervene to help Rave, if he needs it?” Leesa’s tone made it clear that was exactly what she wanted him to do.

  “Only as a last resort. If I do, then you and I will have to go far from here.”

  Leesa did not care about that. While she would hate to leave her family and friends, she would gladly do so if it meant saving Rave’s life.

  “Stefan’s plan seems sound,” Rave said. “I don’t think we’ll need Dominic’s help, but it will be nice to have him there, just in case.”

  “They come,” Dral said.

  Rave turned from Leesa and focused his attention toward the woods. He sensed the vampires before he saw them.

  There were three of them. Rave and Stefan had agreed on an equal number of vampires and volkaanes, to prevent either side from being tempted to take advantage. Two of the vampires stopped just inside the edge of the woods, their faces hidden in the shadows, while Stefan walked slowly forward. Rave moved out to meet him halfway. Their plan was to keep the other vampires and volkaanes at a good distance from each other for as long as possible. Rave and Stefan would do whatever communicating was necessary and relay any pertinent information to their comrades.

  “Everything is ready?” Rave asked when he and Stefan came together about one hundred feet from the woods.

  “Yes. The renegades fed again last night. I have a good fix on their most recent location.”

  Rave nodded. He hated that the vampires had fed again, but knew it would make it easier to find them. Stefan would guide the hunting party to the general area, but as soon as any of the volkaanes sensed their quarry, the volkaanes would take the lead. Their ability to sense vampires was greater even than other vampires. Stefan was hoping the volkaanes’ superior senses would negate the problems he had encountered the other night in pinpointing Jarubu and his female companion’s location.

  “Good. I’m bringing along one extra,” Rave said. “To observe.” He turned his head toward Dominic.

  Stefan studied Dominic from a distance. “He is not human,” he said after a moment. “But he’s not volkaane either. Shape-shifter?” he guessed.

  “I cannot reveal his nature. He is not a shapeshifter, but he may gain use
ful information.”

  Stefan studied Dominic for another few moments. He called over to Leesa. “Do you vouch for him, Leesa?”

  Leesa moved forward to join Rave and Stefan. At least she was being included in this part. She stopped at Rave’s side.

  “I do. I trust him completely. He will do you no harm, I promise.” She looked from Stefan to Rave and then back to Stefan. “Unless you bring it upon yourself,” she added in warning.

  Stefan smiled and nodded. “He may come, then.”

  Stefan returned to his vampire friends while Rave and Leesa waited for Dominic, Dral and Bain to join them. Rave took both of Leesa’s hands and kissed her on the forehead.

  Leesa squeezed his hands. “Be safe.” She decided to add a bit of levity to their parting. “I’ll never forgive you if you don’t come back to me.”

  Rave kissed her once more on the forehead, and then he and his companions moved off toward the woods. Leesa watched until they all vanished into the darkness. The night seemed to have suddenly grown much colder, and she knew that Rave taking his heat away was only a small part of the reason. Clutching her arms across her chest against the cold, she turned back toward her dorm, certain this was going to be the longest night of her life.

  27. Battle

  The seven hunters traveled north and east from Middletown. The volkaanes followed a short distance behind the vampires, at a diagonal to their left. Rave was nearest to the vampires, who moved in a line with Stefan on the left, closest to the volkaanes. The arrangement kept the volkaanes and vampires as far apart as was practical, with Rave and Stefan the link between the two groups.

  Dral carried Dominic upon his back. Without his magic, the wizard could move no faster than an ordinary human and would have been left far behind without the volkaane’s assistance. The extra load did not slow Dral even a bit, nor did it lessen his concentration. Bain was on the far left, constantly scanning their flank with his volkaane senses.

  Stefan had chosen two of the more powerful vampires in the coven for his companions tonight. Leah was a member of the High Council and had been vampire for more than five hundred years. She had been born in Scotland and was turned by a wandering vampire who took her with him to England. For over two hundred years she hunted with him, until she ran afoul of a vampire queen by unknowingly slaying a handsome nobleman the queen had been eyeing for her own. After that, nowhere in the English Isles was safe for Leah, so she set sail for America.

  The second vampire was Marcio, a nearly four hundred year old Italian vampire. For several centuries, Marcio had been content to hunt the Italian countryside, with occasional forays north into France, Switzerland or Austria. Early in the twentieth century he had decided to embark upon a little adventure and took passage on a luxury ocean liner named the Titanic. He had already fed twice upon his fellow passengers, simply tossing the empty bodies overboard when he was done, when the ship famously struck an iceberg. As the giant ship sank beneath the waves, Marcio simply started swimming west. The frigid water was nothing to him and he eventually came ashore in Maine. He had roamed New England alone for a few decades before falling in with the coven.

  The strange fellowship was moving through the hills above a large reservoir just north and west of Meriden when Rave detected a hint of the new vampires. He quickly motioned the party to halt. The vampires were to the north, closer than Rave would have liked. Interference from the vibrations of his three vampire companions was partly to blame, but there was more to it than that. As Stefan had warned, there was something just a little off about the renegade vampires.

  “They are about two hundred yards ahead of us,” he told Stefan. “Moving slowly east to west on a path that will intersect our own.”

  “Good,” Stefan said. “My comrades and I will move ahead, projecting as much of our power as we can without being obvious about it. Hopefully, that will be enough to mask your presence. I think Jarubu’s arrogance will work in our favor as well. He will be anxious to end what we started last time, and I intend to give him the chance.” He took a few steps toward his comrades, but then turned back to Rave for a moment. “See that you remember your part, volkaane.”

  Rave nodded. He knew what he had to do and was ready to do it. “Do not worry about me, vampire.”

  Dral, Bain and Dominic gathered closer to Rave. They watched as the three vampires melted into the shadows and then moved slowly and silently after them. They had not gone far when Dominic grabbed Rave’s arm.

  “There is magic here,” he whispered. “Black magic. It is very faint, but here nonetheless.”

  “Do we need to be concerned?” Rave asked. “Should I signal Stefan to stop?”

  Dominic shook his head. “No, I do not think so. Like I said, the magic is weak, just a trace. I told you and Leesa once that even a wizard could not withstand the full heat of a volkaane’s power—at least not without being ready for it. What I sense ahead is not a wizard. Somehow, the vampires have been touched by black magic. I believe that is the source of the hidden strength Stefan and his comrades felt. With surprise, you can overcome them. But be careful.”

  Rave nodded. He was always careful, but was determined to be extra careful now.

  Jarubu and Melissa stepped out into Stefan’s path. Once again, Jarubu faced Stefan, while Melissa stood opposite Leah and Marcio. Unlike the last time, tonight Stefan had known they were there, but he feigned surprise. He did not want Jarubu wondering how he could have detected their location so precisely.

  “Did you not learn your lesson last time, Stefan?” Jarubu asked disdainfully. “You may be weak, but I did not take you for a fool. I guess I was wrong.”

  Stefan held his temper in check. “I told you there would be no second warning, Jarubu,” he said evenly. “You should have gone when you had the chance.” He folded his arms across his chest, trying to appear casual and unworried. “Last time, your strength surprised me. This time I am ready for you.”

  “Whether you are ready or not, you are no match for me.” A sneer twisted Jarubu’s black face. “I sense that your friends are stronger than those you brought with you last time, but it will do you no good. They are not nearly powerful enough to stop me.” He smiled. “Perhaps I will generously let one of them live, to return home and spread the tale of my victory. And to warn the others in your coven that Jarubu and Melissa must be left alone.”

  Stefan had heard enough. More importantly, he had given the volkaanes time to move nearer. He sensed they were close—he just hoped they were close enough. Jarubu still seemed unaware of their presence. As Stefan had planned, Jarubu’s arrogance was working against him, keeping him from being as alert to other dangers as he should be.

  Last time, Stefan’s attempt to reach Jarubu’s throat had been unsuccessful, so this time he launched himself at the black vampire’s feet, catching him off guard and tackling him to the ground. Jarubu broke free of Stefan’s grasp almost instantly and sprang to his feet, but Stefan was on him again before he could fully regain his balance. The two vampires grappled, each struggling to reach the other’s neck with his fangs but held back by the strength in his foe’s arms. Stefan’s strength was magnified by the knowledge that he was fighting for his life. This was a contest he knew he must eventually lose, but he needed to give it everything he had. He prayed he would last long enough.

  A few yards away, Leah and Marcio were having little luck overpowering Melissa. Several times they thought they had her firmly in their grasp, only to have her break free and immediately attack again. Stefan had warned them about her hidden power, but the woman’s strength still surprised them. They found it difficult to disregard their own senses, which told them they were both much stronger than she was. Already, Leah bore a wicked gash high on her right shoulder from a vicious bite that had barely missed her throat. Only a last minute two-footed flying kick from Marcio had saved her. It was only a matter of time, they knew, until this powerful demon vampire destroyed one, or even both of them.

  28. wa
iting

  With Rave out hunting extra powerful vampires with Stefan and Dominic, Leesa definitely didn’t want to be alone tonight. Instead, she stopped off at Cali’s room when she got back to the dorm. The door was open so she walked in.

  Cali was sitting on her bed watching television. She looked up when Leesa entered the room.

  “Hey, Lees. Just a minute. I’m in the middle of a really good part.” She turned back to the screen.

  Leesa pulled off her parka and sat down on the bed beside Cali. It took her a moment before she realized what Cali was watching, but when a pair of fangs appeared in the mouth of a really good-looking guy, it became clear it was one of vampire shows that were so popular nowadays. Leesa never watched any of them—she had more than enough supernatural stuff in her life, thank you—so she didn’t recognize the show. She guessed it was probably True Blood or Vampire Diaries.

  After a moment, Cali paused the show, and Leesa realized she was watching a DVD, not regular television. So maybe it was a movie rather than a television series.

  “What are you watching?”

  Cali handed Leesa the DVD case. “True Blood, season one. It’s a pretty cool show. I’ve got seasons two and three, too.”

  Leesa looked at the cover. A very sexy blonde in a red dress was surrounded by three hot guys.

  “I didn’t know you had these.”

  “I got ’em for Christmas. After you told me about Stefan last year, I figured I should learn as much as I could about vampires. And now that’s he’s practically my boyfriend, well…”

  “Ha! Right. He kissed your hand a couple of times, and now he’s your boyfriend. You kill me, Cali.”

  Leesa smiled and shook her head as she handed the case back to Cali.

  “Did you really think you could learn anything useful about vampires from watching television?”