Age of Vampires- The Complete Series

by Caroline Peckham

“The girl is ours,” the Sacred Father hissed. “Take the rest and be on your way, but she stays with us.”

  I eyed him distastefully then beckoned for Holbard to bring the girl to me. He checked her for weapons a little more thoroughly than was necessary then deposited her by Baltian’s feet.

  The girl shrank back, clutching her white dress closer to her thin frame as she tried to avoid Baltian’s restless hooves.

  “Speak,” I instructed when she remained silent. If she expected me to consider her request to take her away from the Followers then I needed an explanation. Her long, brown hair hung over her face but I could see that she was attractive. The translucent white gown did little to hide her body either.

  “Please sir, I’m not a Follower. They took me from my family to offer me up as a sacrifice. If you leave me with them then they will feed me to their master.” Tears swam in her eyes and I could see how desperately she wanted saving.

  My eyes whipped to the Sacred Father. “Is this true?” I demanded.

  “Everyone knows that pure, virgin blood tastes the sweetest,” he replied, as if that were an explanation. “Such an offering may be the last pledge I need make before he awards me the gift of eternal youth.”

  The man was already well into his forties and didn’t appear to be in the best of health. I knew for a fact that Miles would never sire someone so old. He favoured the young and the beautiful to add to his collection of immortal monsters. The girl he intended to sacrifice was more likely to be offered immortality by the false god than he was.

  Holbard struck him across the face and he fell back into the mud.

  I offered my hand to the stolen girl and hoisted her up onto Baltian behind me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and I could feel her sobbing her relief into my battle leathers.

  I nudged Baltian forward so that I could peer down at the Sacred Followers as they clustered together, naked and pathetic in the mud. None of them was either young or beautiful enough to be a likely candidate for one of Miles’s ‘gifts’ so I doubted I’d be facing any of them as immortals in the future.

  “If you survive long enough to see your false god again then you can deliver a message to him for me. Tell him that Magnar Elioson did this to you. He doesn’t know my name yet but he will be hearing it more and more until the very sound of it fills him with dread.

  And once I am finished with his Followers, I will be coming for him and his brethren. I shall be a thorn in his side. An itch he can’t scratch. A voice promising death in his ear. And a knife through his heart. So send him my warmest greetings and tell him I’ll be seeing him soon.”

  Holbard had gone ahead to take news of our success to our clan’s camp and by the time we arrived with our haul, the drums were beating and a feast had been prepared.

  I tried not to smile at the treatment. No doubt my mother had organised the celebration and despite it being a little over the top, I couldn’t help but be pleased.

  The fire burned brightly in the centre of camp as we made our way towards the rest of the clan. Platters of food were laid out on a long table and the smell of it made my mouth water.

  We handed the carriage off to some of the unsworn; members of the clan who had yet to take the vow.

  I dismounted a little way from the ring of clansmen who had gathered around the fire and held my arms up to catch the stolen girl as she followed. She stared around nervously, leaning close to me as she eyed the men and women who passed between the tents. I imagined we were almost as terrifying to her as the Sacred Followers had been. A travelling war camp wasn’t the most familiar of surroundings for a village girl like her.

  “We aren’t as savage as we look,” I teased her. “Stay by my side tonight and tomorrow I’ll make arrangements to take you home. What’s your name?”

  “Natalia,” she replied in a small voice, her wide eyes still taking in the strange surroundings mistrustfully.

  “You shouldn’t trust a word out of Magnar’s mouth if you want to keep your virtue sweet Natalia!”

  I turned and grinned at Julius as he approached us, holding his hands out for Baltian’s reins. “Don’t mind poor Julius,” I said in a low voice which I knew would carry to him all the same. “He is just bitter because Father didn’t let him take his vow with me.”

  “We can’t all be the great and powerful Magnar Elioson,” Julius sighed dramatically. “Some of us are only destined to be the forgotten younger brother. Thirteen full moons between our birthdays and you would think it was all the time in the world.” Unlike me, Julius chose to cut his dark hair short but we were similar in most other ways. Our bronze skin and dark eyes were mirrors of our mother’s but we had our father’s warrior build. Despite our young years, we both towered over men twice our age already and we weren’t finished growing yet.

  “Julius is bitter because he has to clean up horse shit before he can join the feast.” I pulled Natalia under my arm and she didn’t resist, instead she leant into me seeming grateful that I’d taken her under my protection. Julius rolled his eyes and reached up to pat Baltian’s neck. My brother was the only other person the horse would allow to handle him.

  “Well, if the great and powerful Magnar wants to head towards the fire and warm his great ass while I do all of the work then who am I to complain?” Julius began to lead Baltian away from us then paused to look back over his shoulder. “Father’s surprise has arrived for you,” he said, his eyes sparkling. “Why don’t you take sweet Natalia to see what it is?”

  “Why don’t you give me a clue?” I asked, sensing mischief in his teasing. He knew something I didn’t but he only shook his head as he led Baltian away between the tents.

  When I’d taken my vow early, a small part of me had worried that my relationship with Julius would change. I’d worried that my elevation might leave a bitter taste in his mouth. The unsworn had to serve the slayers and help with a lot of the menial work around the camp when they weren’t training. Until last week we had done so together, our easy camaraderie and competitive natures making the work fun. But as he continued to treat me exactly as he had before, my worries lifted. Nothing would break the ties between us. Especially nothing so petty as jealousy.

  Feeling like I was on the back foot, I began to guide Natalia towards the fire. Her white gown trailed around her ankles, skimming her bare feet as she walked. The light of the fire was making her body very visible through the sheer material and I wasn’t entirely sure she’d realised it. She clung to me fearfully as we approached the laughter and shouting that carried from the men around the fire.

  Some of the warriors noticed our approach and began to call my name in greeting. I smiled at them, trying hard not to look as smug as I felt. The crowd parted, leaving space for me to approach my mother and father who were sitting on the far side of the fire. Many of the men and women we passed reached out to clap me on the back or offered words of praise.

  “He’s here!” I heard my mother cry excitedly though I couldn’t see her between the press of bodies. Natalia clung to me in a way that was a little indecent but I didn’t mind. I’d saved a maiden from the jaws of the vampires and if she wanted to follow me around with her gaze full of wonder and gratitude then I wasn’t going to stop her.

  Finally, I made it past the throng of clansmen and found Mother and Father standing together while they waited for me. My father was a fearsome warrior, his long hair braided with rune-covered beads and his blade, Venom, was strapped across his back like always. His gaze travelled to the indecently dressed girl who clung to me and his jaw ticked in irritation. I wondered why for a moment but my attention was drawn away from the issue as my mother spoke.

  “We hear you have had a great victory,” she said loudly, a radiant smile filling her beautiful face. It was said that my father fought fifty battles to win her hand in marriage. But she didn’t accept his proposal until he’d managed to defeat her too. The clan still told stories of the fight between them and of how he had barely won. Only his love for he
r had let him prevail. To this day she still teased that she had let him win, wanting his hand as badly as he’d wanted hers. I didn’t believe that though; my mother was not the kind of woman to lose a fight willingly even if it was for the man she loved.

  “It was only a cart driven by mortals, Mother,” I replied modestly. Though I was proud of the way the mission had gone, it certainly wasn’t as if I’d fought a battle against the vampires.

  “Exactly,” my father rumbled. “The boy has done well but there’s no need to fuss Freya.”

  My mother smiled lightly but I could see pride shining in her gaze and it filled my chest with satisfaction.

  “I hear I’m to have a surprise of some sort?” I asked, unable to resist asking any longer.

  “Indeed.” My father gave me a penetrating stare and I could feel the warning in his gaze. He didn’t think I was going to like this. I squared my shoulders a little, relaxing my features into a mask of ease. The whole clan was watching us, I would have to keep my feelings in check if I was about to be disappointed. But I couldn’t for the life of me think why he would give me something he didn’t believe I’d want. And in front of the entire clan of all things.

  “A prophet foresaw a chance for our clan to grow stronger,” Mother said carefully.

  Something twisted uncomfortably in my gut and I pulled Natalia a little closer under my arm.

  “There is to be a union between our blood,” Father said loudly, his smile holding a hint of regret that only I could see. “Let me present to you your bride my son. This is Valentina of the Clan of Storms.” He stepped aside and a girl moved forward, a shy smile gracing her lips as she assessed me.

  My heart grew cold in my chest as I stared back at her. I was sixteen. I’d taken my vow only eight moons ago and already the gods had decided on my bride?

  I tried to ignore the fluttering of my heart which beat like a bird trapped in a cage desperate to fly free. I’d known that this was a possibility when I’d taken the vow but it rarely happened. Arranged marriages were for the purity of our bloodline and no doubt some future child of ours had been seen doing great things. But all that I could see in that moment was a strange girl I was expected to share my life with. My parents had married for love and I’d grown up watching their union with the greatest hope that I might one day find a match like theirs.

  “It’s an honour to meet you, husband,” the girl said playfully.

  I clenched my jaw before I could say something that would embarrass our clan. I forced myself to look at her objectionably. She was pretty in an obvious kind of way. The cut of her gown was designed to draw my gaze to the swell of her breasts and the curve of her hips. She was tall enough not to be dwarfed by me and her dark hair was braided artfully. I wondered if she usually dressed that way or if someone had forced her to come here dressed up like an offering.

  I wondered if she was just as unwilling as I was to follow through on this marriage. But as I met her gaze, I could see that she wasn’t. She appraised me appreciatively and her eyes glimmered with excitement.

  “It’s an honour to meet you too, my lady. But I’m not your husband yet.” I forced myself to offer a teasing smile to take the sting out of my words.

  Valentina’s eyes fell on Natalia and ice formed in them. It appeared she didn’t appreciate my scantily clad companion. The knowledge made me tighten my hold on the stolen girl as I struggled to think of anything else to say.

  “I presume you are some years older than me,” I said, landing on the first thing that came to mind. “As you have already taken your vow.”

  “I’m twenty-two,” she replied with a small nod and I could see that the information didn’t bother her.

  “Well, let’s hope you can still bear children by the time we are wed.”

  My mother coughed loudly and stepped between us, placing a hand on my elbow. “Magnar, you must be famished after your day on the road. Let us find you some food and you can get to know your bride while you eat.

  She led me away and I didn’t resist, grateful for the momentary escape she was offering.

  “Don’t worry my love,” she breathed in my ear, her touch gentle on my arm as she sought to comfort me. “The gods may have seen your union in the stars but they said nothing of a date. This betrothal could go on for years and years. Who knows what might happen in such a span of time.” She pressed a kiss to my cheek before leaving me to gaze down at a plate of food I had no appetite for anymore. But she had given me the one thing I needed. Hope.

  When I woke the next morning, Erik was gone. I wondered how long he’d stayed watching over me. Did he suspect another attacker might come? Did I?

  Whoever wanted me dead surely wasn’t going to give up so easily. Once they realised their assassin had failed, how long would it be before they sent more after me?

  Light filtered through the broken window shutters, just a dreary, wintery glow. For some reason, the ordeal I’d been through didn’t make me want to run. Instead, a strange feeling was stirring inside me. An intangible sensation like an anchor rooting my heart to this place. Something was urging me to stay…

  Moon child.

  I sprang out of bed, my pulse pounding at the silky voice in my mind. Dropping down to my knees, I fished for the blade under the bed, certain it was the source of the voice. My fingers were drawn to its magnetic aura and as I grasped the hilt, calm filled me like I'd been reunited with a vital piece of myself.

  “What are you?” I breathed, turning the beautiful dagger over in my palm. It heated my skin and seemed to sing a quiet song just for me. Holy shit, was I talking to inanimate objects now?

  The shimmering gold blade was perfectly polished, reflecting my hazel eyes back at me. I blinked as they momentarily appeared blue, the colour of my sister's. I was either losing my mind or something strange was going on with me. The dreams, this blade and now the mark on my arm...

  I checked the clock on the wall, figuring I should probably wash and get dressed. I had to be ready to spend the day with Miles.

  Reluctantly, I tucked the blade back under the bed and headed to the bathroom.

  The heated water was a sweet gift. If there was one thing good about this place, it was this. I washed my hair, running my fingers through it and thinking about the vampire I’d killed. How was it even possible that I was capable of such a thing? I didn’t feel bad about it. In fact, it made me feel strong. Capable of taking on the creatures who had kept me prisoner my whole life. And yet...for once, I didn’t want to do that to all of them. Well, not Erik anyway. Which sent my thoughts into another desperate spiral.

  Why was I so drawn to him? He was evil personified. And yet he wasn’t. Beneath his harsh words and sharp expressions was a softness that spoke of another side to him. I’d seen it the night he’d kissed me. I’d seen it when he’d cleansed the cut on my neck.

  As I rubbed the soap against my skin, I scrubbed at the strange mark on my arm which seemed less red today than it had before. My fingers traced the image of a blade and I wondered if it was possible that I was a slayer. Fabian had told me they’d been wiped from the earth, so I was sure it was a dangerous secret I had to keep. But if General Wolfe had sent that vampire to murder me, I was in serious trouble. Would he tell the royals what he suspected? Or try to end me before they found out? Either way, I had to be prepared.

  Tension coiled in my belly. The only thing that seemed to help me relax was the thought of having Nightmare with me. Whatever strange power possessed that blade, it seemed to unveil a potential in me I’d never realised had been there. The ability to fight back.

  Could I carry it around the castle? Keep it concealed?

  The idea made my heart swell. I'd have to find a way. Because if Wolfe attacked me again, I was going to defend myself.

  Stepping out of the shower, I wrapped myself in a fluffy white towel and walked into my room.

  My heart stuttered.

  Erik had returned and was standing there in a shirt and trousers, his ha
nds stuffed in his pockets.

  “Could you ever knock?” I hissed, hugging the towel tighter around me.

  His eyes travelled over me and a grin formed on his lips. “I'll add knocking to the long list of ways I so wish to please you,” he dead-panned.

  I rolled my eyes, moving to the closet and opening the door so it concealed me before I dropped my towel. I tugged on some underwear, followed by a long skirt and a white blouse. I wasn't trying to impress Miles today, so I was gonna wear what I damn well liked.

  Shutting the door, I found Erik in the exact same position he'd been before, as rigid as a statue.

  “So are you standing in my room like a lump of ice for any particular reason?” After our argument last night, things felt off between us again. Maybe I should have been kinder, seeing as he had covered for my ass. But something about seeing him today made my blood boil. The more I thought about the strange way he’d admitted to caring about me, the more insulting I found it. And the fact that my heart was captured by him made me all the more furious. How dare he mess with my emotions? And make me think he felt something between us too by kissing me.

  “You're angry with me,” he stated.

  “No shit,” I muttered, moving to the dresser and snatching up a hairbrush. There was no sign of Nancy today so I guessed Erik agreed I didn't need to look my best for Miles. “Did you just come here to remind me of that?”

  “No I...” His lips pressed together as I watched him in the mirror. For a moment I glimpsed that softness in him again, glimmering just beneath the surface of his eyes. But it couldn’t have been real, could it? Surely this was all a ploy to get me to cooperate.

  He cleared his throat. “I came to apologise.”

  I stopped brushing my hair as shock rained through me.

  “You were attacked last night and I should have been more considerate.” His brows pinched together as if this was a struggle for him to say.

  It struck me that Erik had been considerate. I just hadn't liked the honest truth when I'd heard it.