by F. J. Gale
“You're the fool! Killing them doesn’t mean that the events they were keeping secret won’t come to pass. It only means that now no one will ever know what the secret was, or how to stop this ‘mutual enemy’ from becoming a threat!”
Silas stopped short, taken aback by Mathias’ revelation. “What? But my information—”
“Was wrong!” Mathias bellowed.
It took Silas a moment to regain his composure. The secret could still come to pass?
“Killing The Hunter won’t make that any less true! Her death gains you nothing!”
Silas locked eyes with him and smiled, baring his fangs as he did. “Wrong. It will destroy you.”
Those words ignited a fiery rage deep within him. Mathias lost control. He roared and lunged.
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
Jenna stared at Silas’ estate. It was a colossal charcoal-grey brick monstrosity built into the side of snowless mountains. The building spanned half an acre. It looked like a castle without turrets. The entire property was protected by a twenty-foot high wall and a cast-iron gate led to a mammoth courtyard. She could see the battle raging just beyond it. She located Valta, who was deep in battle. She scanned the scene quickly, but she couldn’t find Mathias. Where was he? She knew he hadn’t killed Silas yet. She would have felt it if he had. She just hoped that it didn’t mean the worst had happened. She wanted to believe that it hadn’t, that she would have known had something had happened to her lover.
“I’m gonna approach from the mountains at the rear. See if I can get into the building that way,” she said to General Clark.
He nodded and made some sort of hand gesture to his men. “We need to get Eternus’ attention so we can access the courtyard. We're soldiers, but we’re not vampires. None of my boys can jump this damn gate. Scaling it will expose us for too long and we’ll be picked off by Immortalia before we even get inside.”
Jenna watched as the first row of soldiers each lit a flare. They sparked into life and then were lobbed through the gaps in the gate, exploding into a bright, blinding light. It was a brilliant strategy, because vampires feared nothing more than daylight. They would immediately pick up on anything that resembled it. Like a bunch of flares suddenly appearing on the battlefield. The vampires closest turned to them. One of those vampires was Valta.
The General caught his eye. “Open the gate!” he yelled.
Valta fought his way through the sea of Immortalia soldiers to reach the gate.
“General, your timing couldn’t be better,” he greeted. “How did you find the estate?”
“Jenna has the ability to track vampires.” He turned to her, but she wasn’t there. How did she disappear like that? Like a vampire.
“She’s gone for Silas,” Valta said.
“Not good. Who else is inside?”
“Legion,” he reported, watching the General’s expression as he added, “and Mathias.” To Valta’s surprise there was no negative reaction. Instead, the General seemed relieved. “So, you're now allies?” Valta pressed.
The General eyed him soberly. “This war is all that matters. Now, open the gate so we can destroy these sons of bitches.”
Valta smiled and reached for the bars.
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
“No bars on the windows? So cocky, Silas,” Jenna whispered to herself as she studied one of the first floor windows. She’d had no problem vaulting over the gate at the rear of the property. There were no guards patrolling the perimeter. With the battle raging in the courtyard and the need to protect the interior, she deduced that Silas couldn’t spare any more soldiers. Lucky for me.
She clenched her gloved fist and thrust it into the glass, easily shattering the window. She breathed, grateful that her power had been restored. By what or whom she didn’t know, but now wasn’t the time to analyze it. She’d worry about that after/if she survived this battle.
She peered through the open window into the room to ensure that she wasn’t about to barrel head first into trouble. She needed to make sure it was deserted. She climbed through the window and planted her boots quietly on the marble floor.
She was in a study. Silas’s study? She was about to make her way to the door that she hoped would lead her into the main building when a sudden feeling assaulted her. It was powerful enough to cause her to stay rooted to the spot. What was it? Curiosity? No, it was more than that. It was need. Pure and instinctual. She had never felt anything like it. It was as though the need possessed her body, forcing her to walk to the desk. I have a mission; she tried to tell herself. But the urge wouldn’t yield. She wasn’t sure if she actually had a handle on her own free will at that moment.
Walking behind the desk, she found herself reaching for the middle of three drawers. There’s something you need to see, the feeling seemed to urge. She gripped the drawer and yanked it open, destroying the lock mechanism. The strength of The Hunter.
Inside there was only one thing: a skeleton key. Eight inches long and made of stone, the four-inch wide head was fashioned in the shape of a sun. She picked it up. It was heavy for a key, maybe ten pounds. It was covered in thick dust, which she blew away. She gasped. There, on the shaft, was one word: KNIGHT. Her family name!
“What is this?” she choked out, her words echoing around the room. She chided herself for talking so loudly when she was supposed to be remaining stealthy in the home of her enemy.
Suddenly she heard the sound of heavy footsteps nearing the door. Dammit! She had led the enemy right to her! She hastily stowed the key in the inside pocket of her leather jacket and rushed to the door, drawing a stake from her leg holster as she went.
Before she made it to the door it flew open and someone barreled inside. She didn’t wait to find out who. She reacted instantly and thrust her stake forward.
“Jenna!” the intruder screamed.
She recognized the voice. Friend, not enemy. She managed to halt the stake a fraction of an inch before his heart. Thank goodness for my supernatural abilities.
She lowered the stake and stepped back.
Luke took a moment to compose himself after his near-death experience. He stepped into the room and scrutinized her, a look of confusion blanketing his face. “I’m glad your reactions aren’t purely human,” he breathed.
“Fortunately for you,” she shot back, tersely. He might be an ally, but she didn’t care for him in the least. His persistent animosity towards her had seen to that. He still couldn’t accept her as an ally.
“How are you...here? Last I saw, you were bed-ridden.”
“It’s a long story,” she said, resting her hand upon her hip. “Do you really care?”
Luke locked eyes with her, his gaze cold. “No,” he admitted.
“Where’s Mathias?”
“He went to locate Silas.”
“Alone?”
“He’s a big boy, Jenna. He can handle him just fine without your help.”
“I’m not asking for your opinion. Just tell me where he is.”
Suddenly, her senses screamed at her. Seconds later a blur of movement behind Luke caught her eye. Vampire. She grabbed hold of Luke and hauled him away from the door. Moments later, a throwing star bit into the wood of the door frame.
Luke stumbled back from the force of Jenna’s movements, but managed to keep his footing. He watched her draw her stake and assume a fighting stance. He spun around to see his sister standing in the doorway, another one of her throwing stars at the ready.
“Hey, big brother,” Tanya purred, flashing a smile that bared her fangs.
“You need to stand down,” Luke warned her.
“And then you won’t kill me? Come on, Luke. You really think I'd believe that?”
“I will kill you, but if you stand down, I’ll make it a quick death.”
Tanya grimaced and rounded on Jenna. “I wish I could be there when Silas rips your throat out, Hunter. At least I’ll have the comfort of knowing that
Mathias will get to watch you die painfully.”
She lunged at Jenna, but Luke blocked her path, shoving her back with both hands. His power propelled her into a bookcase. It trembled under the impact. She failed to maintain her balance and crashed onto the hard marble floor with a loud thud that echoed around the room.
Luke gripped Jenna’s hand, preventing her from approaching his sister. “She's my responsibility. Help Mathias. Third floor. Throne room.”
“All right.”
Luke offered her a genuine smile. “Thank you.”
Jenna was surprised by his gratitude. He obviously had a great deal of honor. Despite his personal sentiments, he respected the fact that she had saved him from Tanya’s attack. But she didn’t have the time to think more about it. She had a job to do. She had to get to the throne room and ram a stake through the heart of her enemy.
Luke watched Jenna take off, disappearing before his eyes with immense speed akin to a vampire’s. Mathias had been right: she did possess most of their abilities. And none of their weaknesses.
He approached Tanya, who had struggled to her feet. She growled low in her throat as she glared at him. Her fists clenched, her hands shook with ire.
“You have betrayed Mathias, Legion and...me,” he told her.
“Mathias betrayed us! He’s sleeping with her, Luke! The Hunter!”
“You’re working for our enemy, Tanya!” Luke bellowed. “There is no greater betrayal!”
Her expression softened for a moment and she lowered her voice to a gentle whisper. “Are you really going to kill your own sister, Luke?”
Luke watched her fiery eyes morph to a wide-eyed innocent expression. Had she forgotten so easily? He knew her better than anyone. It wasn’t genuine. She was trying to play him. As if to prove his point, she lobbed her throwing star at him. It cut through the air with incredible speed. But as fast as she was, he was faster. He dodged out of its path. Infuriated, she ran at him, fingers contorted into claws, and screamed shrilly as she attacked.
But he was ready for her. The moment that she made contact, he plunged a stake into her heart.
“You are no longer my sister,” he whispered as their eyes met.
He looked away to avoid the shock and terror on her face. He stepped back and turned away, but heard the unmistakable sound of a vampire’s death: a brief explosion of body into dust. He didn’t look; he couldn’t.
Luke reached the door frame and gripped it tightly to try to compose himself. He had a war to fight. He had to pull it together. He’d just killed his own sister. It had been her doing. She was the one who had committed an irredeemable act. If he hadn’t done it, Mathias or Jenna would have. She was his responsibility. But none of those rationales eased the suffocating grief that suddenly gripped him as he leaned against the door frame. He’d murdered his kin. His sister. Tanya.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Silas roared as Mathias’ blade sliced into his left cheek. He stumbled back and pressed his hand to the wound, angrily wiping away the blood that started to flow. Before he had the chance to recover, Mathias lunged. Silas struggled to parry the attack.
They had been battling for the last half hour and Mathias, experienced swordsman that he was, had controlled the flow of battle for its entirety.
He struck Silas again, ripping through his tactical jacket and forcing him backwards, up the steps towards his throne where he stumbled and collapsed.
Mathias then swept his sword at the handle of his opponent’s, forcing it from Silas’ grip. It clattered to the floor and Mathias kicked it out of the way. He pressed the tip of his blade into the flesh at Silas’ neck, drawing more blood.
“You can’t beat me in a fair fight, Silas,” Mathias warned him. “Stand down.”
He watched an eerie smile creep across Silas’ lips. Why is he smiling? It’s over. Before he could figure it out, Silas thrust his right hand at him. Mathias barely saw the blade before it had plunged viciously into his chest.
“Who said anything about a fair fight?” Silas hissed as he ripped the dagger out, twisting it as he did.
Mathias staggered back, trying to maintain his grip on his sword and rise above the searing pain in his chest. The dagger had pierced his heart. Fortunately, it was short, and it wasn't made of wood. But the pain was extreme. Disorientating. Distracting. He failed to recover in time and Silas kicked him brutally, knocking him off balance. He crashed onto the steps in a painful thud.
“You’ve been living a civilian life for too long. You’re weak!” Silas told him.
Mathias gritted his teeth as he struggled to roll to his side. But he was too slow. Silas’ boot pressed down onto his wound, causing him to cry out.
“You’re a vampire warrior. You were the best. But you’ve been away for too long and now, look at you, you can’t even deal with a little pain,” Silas taunted.
Mathias let out a garbled roar as Silas ground the heel of his boot into his chest.
“Silas!” a voice bellowed from the doorway.
Silas’ head shot up.
The intruder stepped from the shadows. He couldn’t prevent the shock from showing on his face. Jenna Knight.
Before he could utter a response or formulate his next move, she was upon him. Her boot plunged into his side, propelling him away from Mathias. He smacked painfully into the wall and clawed at it to maintain his balance.
“Hunter!” he hissed.
“My turn,” she said with a sly smile.
“You move with the speed of a vampire.”
“I’m faster,” she corrected.
“You’re supposed to be on your deathbed. I sent my Day Walkers to kill you!”
“You won’t be sending them on any more missions. They’re all dead.”
Without taking her eyes off Silas, Jenna held out her hand to Mathias. He took it and she pulled him to his feet.
“You okay?” she whispered, gripping his hand tightly.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll heal,” he said, caressing her gloved hand.
“So, the rumors are true, Mathias,” Silas hissed through gritted teeth as he watched the displays of affection between the two of them. “Sickening.”
Before either of them could respond, the sharp sound of a gun cocking echoed around the mammoth room. Silas was so fast that neither of them had seen him draw the glock that had been holstered at his right hip.
He fired.
Jenna watched in horror as Mathias lurched forward, his face contorted as the demon rose to the surface in response to the searing pain as the first bullet plunged into his stomach. Another shot. And another. His body convulsed amid the brutal onslaught as five more bullets drove into his chest, both thighs, his stomach, his sword-wielding right hand.
Jenna screamed as she watched helplessly as Mathias collapsed back onto the cold tiled floor. She dropped to her knees and reached for him, frantically. She stopped short as she felt a rush of cold air behind her. Adrenaline shot through her, warning her.
“Now, I kill you, Hunter,” Silas said.
Jenna’s eyes narrowed to slits. She watched her lover writhe in agony and struggle against his body’s natural instinct to cry out. She needed to help him. She needed to get him out of here and tend to his wounds, but she couldn't see how she could do that. She had to take down Silas. She had to end this or all would be lost. She had to sever the head of the monster and then the rest—Immortalia soldiers—would fall.
She stood slowly and forced herself to turn away from Mathias and face Silas.
“Modern weaponry lacks the finesse of the classics, but it gets the job done a hell of a lot quicker,” Silas said as he toyed with the glock in his hand.
For the first time in her life, Jenna felt emotion seep into her consciousness during battle. As she watched a victorious grin creep across Silas’ lips, she realized what had been his intention. He’d wounded Mathias to unnerve her, to distract her. As Mathias’ pained groans infiltra
ted her senses, she felt anguish and fear for her lover morph to destructive rage, so powerful she couldn’t repress it. She couldn’t stop herself from lunging at her enemy.
She plunged her knee into his stomach. Once. Twice. He tried to double over in an instinctive move to protect himself. She used the opportunity to rip the glock from his grip. She spun it in her hand and then lobbed it at the balcony doors. The power behind it was so great that it shattered the glass as it passed through into the thick fog of the dark night.
She executed a flying kick that propelled Silas across the room. He hit the floor hard and skidded into the glass shards. Before he could recover, she was on him. She straddled him, fists pounding him mercilessly, bloodying his face, scraping skin, crushing bone.
Silas struggled against her relentless assault. She was winning! He had to do something now!
“I have something that belongs to your family,” he choked out.
Jenna halted her fist mere inches before it plunged into Silas’ face again. “A key.”
“So, you found it then.”
“What does it unlock?” she demanded, holding her fist at the ready.
“The secret.”
“What?”
“Your great-grandparents were Keepers,” Silas revealed, “Keepers are—”
“I know the legend of the Keepers,” Jenna snapped.
Silas smiled inwardly as he watched her fisted right hand shake. She failed to hide her emotion from him at the recollection of her family’s murder. Perfect. He’d distracted her from battle. You lose, Hunter.
Silas thrust both his hands into her chest, throwing her off him. He wiped his bloodied face with the sleeve of his tactical jacket. He licked his lips, savoring the taste of his own blood. He grabbed her head and knotted his fingers in her silky hair, and then pulled roughly, eliciting a pained groan from her. He leveraged his grip and began pounding the back of her head against the marble floor. Again and again. She cried out and struggled, but his grip didn’t weaken. He heard Mathias’ weak protests from the other side of the room. Music to my ears. He felt her weaken and she stopped fighting. He released her hair and grabbed her shoulders. His sharp nails dug into her skin as he hauled her to her feet and pinned her against the wall.