by R. Sullins
“I have a feeling that if we can unlock that mystery we will have a clear picture of the whole puzzle.”
Chapter 19
*****
Crispin sat back admiring the strategic mind of his beautiful Hunter as he listened to her thoughts on the vampire usurper.
The information that the Demon King brought to his attention was troubling. That someone was trying to take over the vampire's rule was almost laughable. How could someone possibly think they would be able to get rid of every King and Queen in the United States? Even if they did, the rest of the world would never allow it to pass without stopping them from spreading further. However, the usurper successfully using revenants was troubling. If that person made an army of ghouls that followed their bidding, they could have a nearly unstoppable force. If they planned well enough he could see them nearly succeeding. Now that they know what to look for, though, it would keep them a step ahead.
“Come, Hunter, let’s go home.”
*****
I watched Crispin and Varek say their goodbyes, admiring the two men as they stood together. Both of them were imposing and lethal-looking. Both of them beyond handsome.
Crispin reached out to grip Varek’s forearm in a type of handshake that made me think of warriors. “Thank you, brother, for the information you’ve given. You know that I will repay the favor in any way that you need.”
Varek shook his head, returning the forearm hold and bringing up his other hand to hold Crispin’s and over his arm. “Not necessary.”
“Still, as a friend, I will make myself available if you ever call on me.”
Varek finally nodded “I might just hold you to that.”
“Good.”
They both turned to me and Varek gave me a smile that I thought was probably a rarity for him. “It was a definite pleasure to meet you, little Hunter. I must extend my apologies for when you first entered. Sasha is a succubus demon that tempts all men she meets. I will have a talk with her about her behavior. It should not have happened at all but I can promise it will never happen again. Though I do have to say, I was entertained and admired your ability to protect your mate. You should be proud of yourself.” He took my hand and kissed the air just above my knuckles. He straightened and nodded to us both. “Have a good evening.” He turned around and walked to the door that Sasha had left through earlier. Just as he was passing through the doorway I could have sworn I saw black smoke swirl around him and a shadow of huge wings and horns before he disappeared completely through the doorway.
Crispin tapped my chin with his finger to close it and led me back through the door we entered through and down the hallway.
“Did I really see that, Crispin?”
“Varek is the Demon King, my Hunter.” What? That’s all he was going to give me?
“But…”
“Hunter, I cannot tell you anything more about him. That he allowed you to see him at all was a sign that he respects you and trusts you. Don’t betray his trust.”
Right. We were still walking through Varek’s very crowded demon club with demons, vampires, and humans alike all grinding to the music. It would not be good to continue to go crazy over what I thought I saw. But, shit, wings? And I swear there was a tail. It would be amazing to see all of him fully in his demon form.
“You’re right Crispin. Will there ever be a time I could see his form though?” I whispered the last.
Crispin chuckled and squeezed my hand. “Maybe someday, if you ask him nicely.” I swallowed back any response I might have had. I didn’t think I would ever have the guts to ask a Demon King to show me his true self.
We climbed into the back of the waiting car and sat in silence. I was sure we were both contemplating the same thing. Ghouls were targeting me and someone was leading them in order to take over the vampire kingdom. If they succeeded what would be their next step? The human world? Perhaps they would want to enslave humans next. The thought of what the person behind all this could get away with was scary.
I was holding Crispin’s hand on the seat between us, deep in thought, while looking out my window. We began to cross an intersection when bright lights filled the inside of the vehicle. There was no time to do more than gasp as a sudden and harsh jolt to the side of the car caused my head to bounce painfully against the window. I saw stars implode across my vision, felt the world tilt, and past coalesced with the present.
Drip, drip, drip. No! Not again! I wasn’t in that car with my dead father.
I struggled to force the memories back and heard Crispin yelling my name. I labored to open my eyes and for a moment all I saw was blurred. I tried to raise my hand to wipe my eyes but intense pain filled me to the point my vision dimmed further. Trying to shake my head almost made it go black completely.
“Hunter!” Crispin’s yell was close but I couldn’t see him and I couldn’t turn towards the sound of his voice. A sharp, throbbing ache filled most of my body. It took every bit of strength I had in me to focus on the sound of his voice calling my name. I began to take stock of my surroundings. I was hanging down sideways, pinned against the door that was facing the sky. It seemed crushed around me as that side had taken the full impact of the crash and we were now turned over onto the side where Crispin had been sitting. Oh god, Crispin. Very slowly I turned my head, ignoring the excruciating pain. Please, don’t let him die. I can’t lose him too.
Through my hazy vision, I could just make out his body crushed against the door, the road visible through the broken window. He was bleeding profusely through so many cuts and seemed as stuck as I was. I watched as blood dripped onto his face, covering most of it, running in rivulets across his chin and dripping off his nose to cover the road below him. I stared mesmerized. It took a moment to realize that the blood was coming from me. I tried moving my other hand this time, the one hanging down, trying to touch his chest. He tried to reach out to me but I could see he was struggling as much as I was.
“Crispin, I think something is broken inside me.” I tried to blink back tears but they kept coming, falling to mix with the blood on his beautiful face. “I love you, Crispin.” My voice was a watery wheeze and I couldn’t stop the cough from escaping that only made the pain so much more intense that blackness once again coated my sight.
“Drink, my Hunter.” I opened my eyes again to see Crispin had cut his wrist, probably bit it, and was holding it to my lips. His eyes were fierce, glowing bright silver, and I could read the determination in them, his love for me and the will for me to live. Most of his blood was dripping down to the mess that was already covering his face but I had enough strength to wrap my lips around his open wrist and suck. I immediately felt the tingling warmth of his healing powers in the depth of my chest, healing my most dangerous injuries. I watched him lick at the dripping blood from my injury, trying to get enough to begin his own healing.
“Rhys?” I whispered when I removed my lips from his wrist.
“I can hear his heartbeat, he is alive. You must drink more, love.” I watched him bite his wrist again and bring it back to my lips.
“No, Crispin, you need to heal too!” I tried to move my head but I still had no strength to move.
“You need it more than I do, Hunter, now drink from me. I need you to drink, I can not face this world without you.” Again he pressed his wrist to my lips and I forced myself to open for more blood. My heart soared as his words caressed my tattered soul.
I wanted to be grossed out as I swallowed more blood but it actually tasted good, spicy and rich, even if it did have the distinct coppery flavor one would expect.
I only got a couple more swallows in before my door was ripped off its hinges. I screamed in agony as my partially crushed body was pulled on. Blackness began to descend again but I fought it back as much as I could. Turning my head I looked up into the red glowing eyes of multiple revenants, fangs descended much longer than would be natural for a vampire. Sunken, desiccated features of the devolved creatures snarling and dripping bl
ackness from their open mouths.
“Hunnnterrrrr.” Multiple ghouls were chanting while reaching for me, some grabbing and pulling on my damaged arm. My scream was high pitched, half in pain, half in pure terror of what would become of me were these creatures to get me out of the car and away from what safety it presented. My heart was racing and between screams I was gasping desperately for breath. I had a brief thought that I was so thankful that Crispin had given me his blood so I was at least partially healed. I was sure that I would already be dead had he not fed me some of his blood.
I heard Crispin yelling profanities and struggling to free himself to protect me from the monsters that didn’t seem to understand that I was trapped by the seat belt, yet determined to yank me from the car. From the edge of my consciousness I heard him yelling “dagger”. I didn’t know if he was telling me to use one or if he was asking if I had one but, of course, I had one. One of the ones he gifted to me was always in my boot, ready to be used at a moment's notice.
“Boot,” I whispered right before I finally passed out.
Chapter 20
*****
Crispin was furious and would later admit to how frightened he was. His Hunter, his mate was mortally injured and would have died if he weren’t there with her to force her to drink his blood. He could hear the damaged lungs within her chest, hear the stuttering beat of her heart and hated himself for having to drink up as much of her precious blood as he could to heal himself enough to help her.
Then the revenants arrived, trying to pull her slowly healing body away from him. He cursed himself for not having his weapons on him as it was a pact between himself and the demon to not bring weapons into a meeting. His Hunter, though, was not aware of that agreement and had a blade hidden on her. That Varek had not been angry with him over the fact that she broke the treaty unknowingly spoke of the trust he had with his friend. With her whispered “boot” he knew that he should have guessed that was where she would have it.
He was thankful for the angle of the overturned vehicle that allowed gravity to bring her legs within easy reach and managed to get her dagger, one of the ones the blacksmith had given him all those centuries ago, out of its hiding place. He swiftly sliced through his seat belt and carefully, as to not hurt his mate, struggled to find purchase in the cramped confines of the car. Finally, he managed to stand up enough to where he was able to begin fighting the revenants. One by one he cut, sliced, and stabbed the ghouls, losing count of how many were converged upon their vehicle.
In the distance he could hear Rhys making a call for rescue, having finally regained consciousness. He had a brief moment of thanks that his sentinel and friend had survived the attack but at the moment his entire focus was in keeping the revenants at bay and his Hunter alive and with him.
This was another coordinated attack against his Hunter and someone was going to pay.
*****
I felt like I was floating, comforted in warmth and something more intimate. I turned my head and nuzzled into the chest that was holding me. Home. It was everything I needed to feel safe and secure. Crispin was carrying me. The temperature changed as we left the outdoors and entered his mansion. The difference caused goosebumps to prickle my skin and a slight shudder to run through me.
Crispin kissed the top of my head and murmured, “You’re safe now, love.” I heard him breathing in my scent, calming himself as much as me. I could feel through our connection how much he needed the reassurance that I was alive and with him, safe. The experience was the scariest of my life and brought back too many terrible memories.
A loud commotion pulled us from our moment and Crispin came to a halt before he could reach the stairs. I cracked my eyes open as much as I could through my weakness. I was recovering slower than normal due to all my blood loss and injuries but I was getting stronger by the minute. James and Katerina were rushing towards us, worried looks on their faces. Katerina’s eyes were glassy and full of tears that were threatening to spill over, making her large, bright blue eyes gleam in the light of the cut crystal chandelier above us. My eyes widened when I realized she wasn’t slowing down and about to throw herself at Crispin. I was recovering but I was still not ready to take such an impact to my body, even if it was from such a small woman.
Crispin half turned his body to shield me from his friend. “Katerina, stop!”
She didn’t. Her small body collided with Crispin and grabbed around his waist as well as she could and burst into tears.
“Oh, Crispy! Look at you! You are covered in blood! I don’t know what I would do without you!” Her loud wails were grating on my nerves and the jarring tugs from her shaking and grappling with Crispin was awakening hurts from my wounds that weren’t fully healed yet. I gritted my teeth with both irritation and pain. It seemed as if she were trying to make Crispin let me go and hold her instead. I looked around and saw bewilderment mixed with amusement on the faces of those around us. A couple of the sentinels, including Rhys, were not amused though. He looked disgusted with her display.
“Crispy, let me take you to your room and get you cleaned up. I’ll give you my blood so you can heal faster.” She still hadn’t let go and was tugging on his arm almost frantically. It was making my body jerk and a couldn’t suppress a grown when I felt my ribs ache. Crispin stiffened when he felt my groan.
“Katerina, that’s enough!” He growled at her so fiercely that the hair on the back of my neck stood up. His anger filled the room. She gasped and burst into another fit of tears.
James stepped forward. “Crispin, how could you speak to her like that? She is just worried about you!” I thought it was brave of him to come forward while Crispin was obviously angry and impatient. “Why don’t you let me take the girl and have the humans clean her up while Katerina feeds you and gives you a bath.”
I gasped at the suggestion. Crispin went so still I wondered at the immediate future of the siblings.
“Stop.” The command was a low, menacing rumble and a surge of Power rolled out of him and quickly filled the entire room past capacity. It was the first time I had felt it in other than just a radiating force. It was always there but only as if in the periphery. Having him unleash it and feel it roll over me was like being covered by a tsunami wave - so intense and powerful you worried that it was impossible to survive. It was thick and substantial but impossible to see. It entered your pores and absorbed into your bloodstream through the air that was inhaled through your lungs. Every single magical molecule that didn’t physically exist penetrated and compelled you to lay prostrate at Crispin’s feet.
Each of the people, vampires and humans alike were either kneeling on the floor or heading out of the room. The sentinels were kneeling, showing deference but James and Katerina were shaking in fear. It was obvious they knew they had massively overstepped this time. Crispin had been putting up with them invading his home, crashing our dinner plans, pushing their way into his life. They were his friends and had been for a very long time but it was a shame the way they were taking advantage of him.
I turned back to look at him, to see if his anger had lessened any after there was a moment of silence. I wondered why I was not as affected by his Power as everyone else. Yes, I felt it but I had no urge to kneel or quiver in fear. I may, however, feel the need to quiver for a completely different reason.
I was captivated by his beautifully fierce face. His eyes were glowing silver and his fangs were prominent, pressing into his bottom lip, gleaming white and wickedly sharp. His eyebrows were narrowed, dark slashes across his olive-toned skin. He wasn’t breathing heavy but his chest was rumbling lowly, continuously, making me think the wolf that he contained in his spirit was just as angry as he was. He was magnificent in his menace and I wanted him to own me right then. Anger and warning was rolling off him nearly as much as the Power itself was.
He must have felt my stare because his head slowly tilted down to look at me. When our eyes met, we both focused intently on each other. A thousand wor
ds and feelings exchanged between us in a heartbeat. Suddenly, we were moving at vampire speed through the foyer and up the stairs, all vampires forgotten, no else existed at the moment besides the two of us.
He took me straight to his en suite bathroom and gently sat me on the counter, never taking his eyes from mine. He put his forehead to mine and rolled it back and forth across mine while still maintaining eye contact.
“You’re worrying me, Crispin.” I placed my palm on his cheek and rubbed my thumb over the stubble there, relishing the sight of my small hand against his strong, square jaw, knowing this man was all mine. I frowned at the dried blood and black tar-like residue that was covering the both of us though.
He caught my frown and his rumbling amped up into a full-fledged growl that vibrated his chest and echoed loudly in the large bathroom.
He still didn’t speak, he just closed his eyes as if he was in deep pain. But I knew that it wasn’t physical pain he was feeling. It was pain at the thought of losing me. I pressed my lips softly against his. “I’m okay Crispin. I had you.”
He snarled loudly and wrenched away from me, turning toward the shower. He turned on the water and it was not long at all until steam started filling the large space. He came back around the thick glass bricks that made up the shower enclosure. There was no door in his shower, just a half wall. There was a black marble seat built into the matching wall and several showerheads. Some were horizontal, meant to hit and massage back muscles and some were above, one very large one that acted as a rain shower. That is the one he turned on now. The ambient lighting around the ceiling glowed a soft blue in their recesses. It was an amazing shower, one that could easily win awards and feature in magazines.