Age of Vampires- The Complete Series

by Caroline Peckham

  “We make the human scream,” he suggested and his icy breath floated over my neck. I tried to jerk free, but Valentina gave him a signal and he tilted my head sharply sideways, his fangs brushing my throat.

  “No!” I threw an elbow back, somehow managing to keep my blood away from this beast a second longer.

  Valentina slapped me hard across the face and a tremor rocked my body. I turned to look at her again as her palm print left a heated mark on my cheek. She caught me by the throat, dragging me out of Basil’s arms and into hers.

  She bared her fangs with a furious glint in her eye. “You took everything from me when Erik chose you. Do you know how many years I have waited to be crowned Countess at Erik’s side? How close I was to taking my rightful place in the New Empire?”

  My mind tangled with her words. “You and Erik were together?” I breathed.

  Her nails pinched my skin and I hissed between my teeth as she drew blood. Her followers started shifting foot to foot, salivating as the scent of my blood filled the air. “Of course, stupid girl. You were just a distraction, but you could never offer him the pleasure I could.”

  My heart thumped harder and harder at her words and I felt the blood draining from my face.

  She grinned keenly, her malicious gaze tracing my expression. “Oh silly me, Erik didn’t even bother to fuck you, did he?” She threw her head back, laughing hard and the Biters joined in.

  Anger seeped through my bones and I brought up a fist, jamming it into her face. She blinked in surprise, then a battle cry filled the air and the pier broke apart above us. Magnar fell on top of Valentina, crushing her to the ground with his weight. She shrieked in alarm, trying to roll beneath him and Nightmare flew from her hand.

  “Grab him! I want him alive!” she cried at the others and the ring swarmed forward to take hold of Magnar.

  I stooped low, snatching up Nightmare, letting it guide my hand. Turn them to ashes, it purred.

  I lifted my hand and drove the dagger forcefully into a male’s chest.

  He exploded around me and a female screamed at the sight, making a direct line for me. I steadied myself, digging my feet into the sand, fuelled by rage alone. She swiped for my head, snatching hold of my hair. She yanked me closer, trying to sink her teeth into my arm, but I planted my blade in her heart before her teeth got close.

  Spinning around, I spotted Magnar being dragged off of Valentina by the remaining three lessers. The slayer snatched one by the waist, cleaving the female apart with his sword before turning on the final two. They shared a look and fled into the ocean.

  Valentina sucked in a breath and started running up the beach toward the road.

  “Stop! You want a wedding? Then let me marry your heart to the end of my sword!” Magnar stormed up the steep beach, taking chase as she made it onto the road above.

  Valentina’s feet hit the concrete just as Magnar reached for her ankle. Lightning tore the ground apart between them, throwing him back into the sand with a heavy thud. She fled into the city and anger rattled my bones.

  I ran to Magnar’s side and he groaned, rubbing soot from his face with his hands which were badly blistered.

  “That woman,” he snarled.

  “Are you alright?” I asked, fear punching a hole in my chest.

  Magnar sat upright and I took in the extent of his injuries. His shirt was burnt away and angry welts lined his skin. He gritted his teeth. “I’ll heal. I just need some time.”

  I sat down beside him and rested a hand on his back.

  He raised an eyebrow as he turned to me. “You’re done hating me then?”

  “I never hated you,” I said with a small smile. “I just don’t like you bossing my sister around.”

  “I only do it to protect her,” he swore and I nodded.

  “I know that now. You’re like your brother. He tied me up once to protect me.”

  Magnar released a low laugh. “I don’t doubt that. Julius has his eye on you, you realise?”

  My cheeks flamed and I dipped my head, looking directly at the silver cross on my left palm. “Well he’s going to be disappointed.”

  “He’s quite determined when he sets his sights on a girl.” He chuckled. “You would make a fine pairing. My brother has a good heart and a strong spirit. Like you.”

  I smiled vaguely, not wanting to offend him. Julius was a great man, but my heart belonged to someone else. The vampire he and Magnar despised more than any of them.

  I noticed some of the burns on Magnar’s body had already become less red and the blisters were slowly fading away.

  I frowned deeply. “Valentina said she wanted to take you.”

  “Yes,” he grunted. “My betrothed still seems to have some intention toward me. But if she thinks I’d ever look at her with affection, she is deluded. Even before she was a monster, I held no love in my heart for her. I have never felt that way for anyone until…” He cleared his throat.

  “Callie,” I finished for him with a playful grin.

  “Yes,” he said and his eyes glittered with longing as he ran his thumb over the star-shaped mark on his hand. As his skin slowly knitted over, it seemed to stand out even more starkly than before.

  The water lapped calmly against the shore and Nightmare’s aura became more peaceful. The Biters were long gone, but I didn’t think Valentina would give up so easily. I thought over what she’d said about Erik and jealousy dug into my heart. How could he have been with someone like her?

  “Come, let’s move. We must leave this place before Valentina returns with more of her vile followers. As much as I’d like to finish her now, our fight would draw the attention of the vampires in the city and I cannot face them all at once.” Magnar rose to his feet, sheathing his sword on his back. “Hold onto my neck,” he instructed and I did so, wrapping my arms around him and gripping him tight.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I whispered and he lifted me onto his back before striding into the water.

  I held my breath as we lowered into its icy embrace and I gripped on fiercely as Magnar cut a path through the waves, reaching one arm over the other in powerful strokes.

  We made our way out of the harbour and the cold slid deeper into my body. I was looking forward to a fire and some hot food.

  The statue was a hulking figure under the dark clouds, guiding us toward it. Magnar's strength never faltered as he carried me and my heart bloomed with a newfound trust. He may have been an asshole at times, but he sure was a reliable asshole. And if Callie had feelings for him, I had to let go of the mistake he'd made in hurting her. I could see in their eyes how much they meant to each other. And I would never stand in the way of that. I just wondered if Callie could ever feel the same way about me and Erik...

  My heart ached as Julius grabbed my hand and yanked me further up the beach, away from the river and my sister. I could only hope that Magnar had gotten her to safety.

  “Run faster,” Julius growled.

  “What about Montana and Magnar?” I asked desperately. We couldn’t just leave them behind.

  “You still have your novice mark. If Magnar was dead it would be gone. And he’d give his life to protect Montana so we can assume they’re both okay. We won’t be if we don’t move though!”

  Relief spilled through me as I glanced at the mark on my hand and I upped my speed.

  Vampires continued to swarm from the water and I gave my attention to our retreat in the hopes of leading them after us.

  “Here,” Julius commanded, pointing to a narrow set of steps carved into a high wall which surrounded the river. “Choke point. Let’s finish these assholes.”

  I set my feet as I took up position beside him and raised Tempest before me. We barely had a moment before the vampires were upon us. Fifteen of them raced our way, baying for our blood like a pack of bloodthirsty dogs.

  I ground my teeth at the sight of these monsters who thirsted for my life force. There was no way in hell they’d be gett
ing a drop of it.

  Julius miraculously still had his bow as well as his pack and he fired arrow after arrow at the approaching demons, sending six of them spiralling to dust before they could even reach us.

  I leapt forward to meet the first one who made it close enough and carved a path straight through his chest with the heavy blade. Tempest thrummed excitedly as it bathed in his blood.

  I ducked low as the next vampire grabbed for me, driving the sword straight up through his groin as he screamed in pain. Julius unleashed Menace and he drove it through the vampire’s heart to finish him off for me.

  He carved through two more of the monsters before I made it upright. I spun away from him, swinging Tempest wildly and taking the head from a male.

  “Is that the slayer Valentina wants?” one of them hissed as he eyed Julius.

  “No. This one’s fair game,” a female replied as she leapt towards him.

  Julius kicked the female in the chest and she fell onto my blade as I held it ready. My mind reeled. Why were they hunting Magnar? But the ferocity of our fight drove it from my mind as I was forced to focus on finishing them.

  The remaining three vampires rushed Julius at once and I took four running steps towards him. He noticed my approach and reached back for me, catching my hand in his and swinging me forwards as I leapt to meet the last of our foes. I collided with them, sending them crashing to the ground as I drove my blade through the one in the centre.

  Julius swung Menace over my head in a wide arc that slashed through the final pair and I closed my eyes as their remains cascaded over me.

  Everything fell deathly quiet and Julius offered me his hand. He pulled me upright and we grinned at each other like a pair of kids.

  “Not bad, novice,” he said, slapping my upper arm and causing my saturated coat to spray water over both of us.

  “That was fun,” I admitted. “Did you hear what that male said though? About wanting to catch a slayer for Valentina?”

  “I don’t tend to pay much attention to the ramblings of my victims. Lessers such as these would have no chance of capturing my brother anyway,” he replied dismissively. “And it’s no surprise to learn that Valentina is searching for him. Her obsession with Magnar is well established.”

  “And that doesn’t concern you?” I asked uneasily.

  “No. And it shouldn’t concern you either. If Magnar had ever wanted Valentina then he would have had her. And I’ve never seen him look at any other woman the way he looks at you.”

  I flushed, shaking my head. “I’m not worried because I’m jealous. I’m worried because she’s a psycho with a band of bloodthirsty followers and control over the elements.”

  Julius chuckled like I was joking and stooped to pick up the pack which he’d dropped while taking on the vampires.

  “You can finish the last one,” he offered, pointing at the vampire I’d decapitated.

  I nudged the head with the toe of my boot and looked down into his glassy eyes. “Could he really heal from that?” I asked curiously.

  “I’ll show you,” Julius said with a grin. “Hold your blade ready to finish him.”

  “Okay,” I said slowly, resting Tempest against the vampire’s chest.

  Julius picked up the head by its hair and clasped its chin between his fingers. “Hi I’m Headward,” he said in a stupid voice as he forced the mouth to open and shut like it was talking.

  I snorted a laugh. “You’re sick.”

  “You have no idea,” he replied suggestively before placing the head back onto the vampire’s neck.

  My mouth fell open as the skin slowly began to knit back together and the vampire’s eyelids fluttered.

  “Holy shit,” I breathed in fascination.

  “Fucked up, right?”

  The vampire’s eyes snapped open and I flinched in fright before driving the blade down and turning him to dust.

  “Come on then, we need to beat Magnar and Montana to that statue.” Julius turned away and started jogging up the steps.

  “Beat them? I didn’t know we were racing.”

  “Of course we’re racing! And we’re gonna win!”

  My coat was totally saturated and the thick material was weighing me down so I reluctantly shrugged it off and left it on the steps. I squeezed the worst of the moisture from my hair too then ran to catch up with Julius.

  As I emerged at the top of the steps, Julius held out an arm to halt me. I focused on Tempest’s energy but there were so many vampires nearby that it was impossible to lock onto any one threat.

  “It’s clear,” Julius whispered and I followed him across a dark street into a side alley. “Let’s take the rooftops from here.”

  “What?” I asked with a frown.

  “It’s the best way to get around the city without being noticed,” he assured me.

  I still didn’t know what he meant but I trusted his judgment as he’d spent weeks in the city before we’d arrived and he hadn’t been caught.

  Julius leapt towards a window several feet above his head and caught it easily, hoisting himself higher before clambering up the wall to the next floor. I watched him for several seconds as he climbed away from me. With a deep breath, I shook off my doubts and ran at the wall too.

  My fingers found a space between the bricks and I dragged myself higher. I grabbed a window ledge next and began to pick up speed as I got the feel for it. When I made it to the top of the building, Julius caught my hand and helped me onto the roof.

  I glanced back at the drop below me and let out a shaky breath. We were sixteen floors up and the concrete beckoned to me with a promise to splatter me if I fell.

  “There she is,” Julius breathed, pointing along the river to the huge statue which was bathed in moonlight.

  “Not too far to go,” I replied. “But how does being up here help us?”

  “You know, your sister didn’t love this idea either. But I won her round in the end.” Julius smirked at me then took off across the rooftop.

  I sucked in a breath as he reached the edge and dove off of it. He landed neatly on the next building and turned back to me expectantly.

  I stared at him for several long seconds, wondering if I was really mad enough to follow him. A tingling started up in my muscles and adrenaline flooded through me. With a surge of bravery or stupidity, I took off.

  I flew over the rooftop and before I knew it, my boot landed on the edge and I launched myself into the sky. My feet hit the next roof and I skidded to a halt as a laugh bubbled from my lips.

  “That’s more like it,” Julius said. “You’ve been way too serious the last few days. You need to remember why being one of us is so great.”

  Before I could respond he was running again and a savage smile pulled at my lips as I sprinted after him. My legs pounded with energy and I chased him from roof to roof, keeping the huge statue in sight as a lightness filled my chest. He was right; being a slayer kicked ass. I could do without being bound to so many rules but when I let my gifts have free rein I was unstoppable. And it felt good.

  Julius leapt to a roof on our left and I smirked as I raced towards one on our right. I charged across it, pulling my gifts to me in a flood as I launched myself over the next ledge. The statue was getting ever closer and he’d said he wanted a race.

  A street divided our routes and I could see him flying along in the corner of my eye, keeping pace with me as I threw all of my effort into beating him.

  I landed on a gravel rooftop and my boots skidded awkwardly. The street ahead ended in a dead end and there was a single building which stood at the closest point to the statue before we’d have to descend again.

  I hurled myself toward the next roof, catching the edge of it before heaving myself up. I started running again instantly, the final building looming with promise right in front of me. Just one more jump...

  I rolled as I hit the roof and sprang back to my feet just in time to see Julius launching himself over from the building opposite. A smi
le lit my features as he jogged to a halt before me and folded his arms over his broad chest.

  “You cheated,” he announced.

  “How?” I asked, arching an eyebrow at him.

  “Your route was easier.”

  “If you say so.” I rolled my eyes at him and moved towards the far side of the building, gazing out to where the statue stood on an island in the river.

  A fork of lightning shot from the sky and hit the ground on the far side of the river. I held my breath as I stared at the spot, wondering if it could have been Valentina. The mark binding me to Magnar remained firmly on my skin though so I forced away my concerns. The sooner we were reunited at the statue the better. Until then there was no point in wasting effort worrying.

  Julius peered down at the street below and I followed his gaze. There were several bars open with colourful lights illuminating the sidewalk as vampires came and went. The street was busy and it was going to be difficult to cross it.

  Julius pressed a finger to his lips and led me over the roof to a fire escape. We descended silently and dropped down into a dark alleyway.

  We crept towards the street and Julius looked out. He stepped back suddenly and hoisted me into his arms. I gasped in surprise as he pressed his hand to the wall, pinning me in place and concealing our faces as he leant towards me.

  “Try to pretend you're enjoying yourself, sweetheart; sometimes it’s easier to hide in plain sight,” he breathed as he dipped his face towards mine.

  I held Tempest out of view and hooked my other arm around his neck as I caught on to what he was doing.

  A group of vampires passed our hiding place and a few of the females giggled as they noticed us locked in our compromising position. They hurried by and I smirked at Julius as he released me.

  “You’re pretty good at this sneaking about stuff,” I said lightly.

  “I’m pretty good at everything,” he replied, winking at me. “So when you’re ready to switch your attention to the better looking brother just let me know.”

  “There’s a better looking brother? I didn’t know there were three of you.”

  “Harsh. So harsh.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me out into the street. We slipped across it quickly and jogged down another dark alley between the low buildings which lined the river.