Age of Vampires- The Complete Series

by Caroline Peckham

  She kissed me again, not caring that my lips were coated with her blood as she pushed me backwards and I gave in to her command, falling onto my back and bringing her down with me.

  “Are you okay?” she breathed, trailing her fingers along my jaw as I looked at her.

  “Me? Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” I raised an eyebrow at her as my body tried to recover from the duel pleasure she’d just delivered to me.

  In the back of my mind I knew that I should be feeling worse about what I’d just done to her but the feeling of her blood in my system was more than anything I ever could have expected. I was alive with it, every inch of my skin tingling with energy and satisfaction. I wanted more of it and I was tempted to push her down beside me and bite her again. I shook my head to clear it of the idea as the bloodlust pulled at me and it slowly started to recede.

  “So it wasn’t as bad as you thought it would be?” Callie teased.

  I couldn’t help but laugh a little at the thought of what she’d just done to me. She’d seduced me into drinking from her. I wasn’t sure if I should be pleased or angry but I couldn’t bring myself to be the latter.

  Her blood had cleared my mind, energised my body and sent endless pleasure racing through my limbs.

  “Does it hurt?” I asked, my pleasure dimming a little as I brushed my fingers against the puncture marks on her neck.

  “It doesn’t actually,” she said with a frown.

  “You don’t have to lie to me,” I said. If I was going to do this to her then I wanted her to be honest about the way it felt. “I don’t want to do something to you which causes you pain-”

  “It didn’t,” she said earnestly and I hesitated as I looked into her eyes, sensing she was telling the truth. “I actually kinda... liked it.” She bit her lip in embarrassment and I smiled widely in response.

  “You liked it?” I asked, wondering how such a thing could be the case but the blush in her cheeks told me she meant it.

  “It doesn’t burn. There’s no venom.” She shrugged and I tilted her chin up so that I could inspect the wound and I frowned in confusion as I realised she was right. No silver venom marked the puncture wounds I’d delivered to her.

  Callie leaned over to kiss me again and I ran my hand along her naked flesh with a smile.

  “You could definitely do that again,” she breathed and a deep warmth spread through my chest. Perhaps being a vampire for a while wouldn’t have to be all bad.

  Clarice passed out bottles of blood as we hurried along the road and I gulped mine down. A morning's rest was nothing in comparison to drinking this life-giving nectar. My body came alive as the blood swam into my veins and sent a thrill tumbling down my spine.

  Clarice wordlessly took the empty bottles back and returned them to her bag. The only reason we'd need to keep them was if we could refill them. And no one made any comment on how that might happen. As far as I was concerned, the slayers were off limits. No matter what Erik had decided for me.

  He walked at the head of the group, his mood sullen again. I didn’t think he’d gotten much sleep this morning. I imagined he had so much on his mind right now that rest wouldn't have come easy. After our argument we'd barely said two words to each other and I was beginning to feel like I wasn't doing enough to make this right. He might have been acting like a bossy asshole again, but I knew why. And I desperately wanted to do something about it.

  As we closed in on the line of ruins at the far end of the long road, I jogged to his side, throwing him a small smile.

  His mouth twitched and he took my hand, lifting it to his lips and placing a kiss on the back of it. After my drink, my skin was coursing with electricity and he charged even more into my blood from his touch. I released a soft breath, brushing my shoulder against his as we walked on, glad we weren't going to continue arguing.

  That thought was short-lived as he said, “I meant what I said last night.”

  I rolled my eyes, biting down on my tongue as I tried to keep it from spewing a harsh retort.

  He's grieving, give him time. Let him be an asshole if he has to be.

  “I'm aware,” I said airily, not mentioning the fact I still had no intention of following his demands and drinking from the slayers.

  “I'm not sure you are,” he said tersely, releasing my hand.

  I took a breath, setting my eye on the first row of houses as we approached them. A rat darted across the street ahead of us and everyone fell still.

  “It's just a rat,” Julius called. “I'll tell you if Menace senses any Familiars.”

  We continued moving but the tension in the group had definitely increased. We hurried into the ruins down crumbled streets and past silent doorways, searching for anything that resembled a supermarket.

  “We better split up,” Fabian said, shooting to the front of the line. “It'll be quicker.”

  “Fine, meet back at the bungalow in two hours,” Erik agreed, then glanced around the group. “We'll stay in pairs. Watch each other's backs.”

  “There's nothing here but dirt and rats,” Julius said, lazily swinging Menace in his hand.

  “Well if a dirty rat monster comes after you, I can watch your back,” Clarice said, clapping him on the shoulder.

  Fabian looked to Chickoa with a tentative smile. “You wanna pair with me?”

  I expected her to refuse but she shrugged and headed after him down a side street.

  “See you later,” Clarice called, moving after Julius down another road.

  I was suddenly left alone with my husband and that seemed like a much more terrifying prospect now his anger was back in place.

  He stared at me for several long seconds and I darted away from him before he could start lecturing me about the slayers' blood again. I took the lead, turning right down a narrow alleyway, hearing the near-silent footfalls of Erik following.

  I took another right turn and spotted a row of shops that looked promising. I hurried toward them down the cracked road, passing those which had been ravaged by bombs, knowing whatever had laid inside was long since gone.

  I reached the end of the row, pushing my hand against the glass pane of a door which was miraculously still intact. It opened and I was even more surprised as I stepped into the small store. Erik entered behind me, sweeping his eyes over the road as he lingered in the doorway before moving further inside.

  I frowned as I gazed around at the place. The rows of shelves were empty as if the contents had been taken. Erik swept his finger across one of them and it came away clean. “Whatever was here has been recently moved.”

  My gut spiralled as I turned to him, his tone sending a flicker of fear through me. “Who would take human food in this place?”

  “My guess would be humans,” he said dryly and I frowned. His eyes lit up as an idea struck him. “And if there's humans here, there's blood.” He turned toward the door, yanking it open and I darted after him, frustration filling me.

  “Wait.” I grabbed his arm, but he didn't stop moving, breathing in deeply as he went. “There can't be humans out here, how's that possible?”

  “Because even I am not one hundred percent efficient at everything I do,” he said and I shook him to make him go on. “We didn't catch every human who remained in the entirety of America after the Final War. Some of them live on the verges in places like this, away from our kind.”

  My mouth fell open and I stopped walking. He turned back to me, his brows lowering as he took in my expression. Humans lived out here? Free. Without the vampires to ever tell them what to do...how to live...when to die.

  My gut churned as I thought of all the years I'd wished for such a life. And it was somehow thrilling to know there'd been rebel humans out here all along who'd escaped their rule.

  The vision came crashing down around me as my vampire husband strolled toward me.

  “We'll take what we need, nothing more. It's how we used to live. No one has to die,” he said and my thoughts scattered as I realised what he
was suggesting.

  “Erik we can't!” I gasped. I couldn't do that to humans. People who were just like I'd been. I shook my head fiercely. “I won't become one of the vampires I feared my whole life.”

  His brows stitched together and his eyes scraped down me. “Like me you mean?” he asked coolly.

  “I- that's not what I meant,” I spluttered.

  He nodded stiffly, his eyes dark.

  I gazed at him, unable to believe we'd gotten back here. To the place we'd been when I was just a girl locked up in his beautiful castle. I pushed the thought away, determined not to let what had happened break us. But he was making it so hard. And I didn't know what he needed.

  I opened my mouth to say something – anything that could make this better. But as words met my lips, a scream caught my ear. I froze as adrenaline surged through my veins.

  “That wasn't Clarice or Chickoa,” I breathed and Erik nodded, his pupils dilating.

  The scream sounded again and I threw caution to the wind, sprinting in the direction it had come from.

  We sped down streets left and right, moving deep into the ruined town. I rounded a corner into a wide square and at the heart of it, I spotted a human girl on her knees before a male vampire with ebony skin and glittering eyes. He had his hand on her shoulder and I ran forward in alarm, desperate to stop this beast's attack. Had the Biters found us? Had they come across humans here in this wrecked town?

  “Not so fast,” the male called to me in a southern drawl, raising a hand. I eyed the girl before him, slowing to a halt in fear of him killing her. “One more step and you'll be ash.”

  Erik flew into view beside me, snarling as he gazed at the man.

  The vampire raised his hand higher and I spotted guns pointed at us from the surrounding buildings. Every window, every alley. They'd penned us in. But who the hell were they?

  I took Nightmare from my hip and tried to feel out how many vampires surrounded us.

  Eight of the weaker, four of the strong, Nightmare whispered.

  “We don't want any trouble,” Erik growled. “We're just passing through.”

  “Passin' through?” the man echoed. “No you ain't just passin' through, is he boys?”

  A holler of agreement sounded from beyond the darkened windows and doorways and I tensed with discomfort.

  “Who are you?” I demanded, taking a step closer to Erik.

  “Name's Memphis,” he said with a smile that sent a chill through me. “And you're tresspassin' on my territory.”

  Seven of the weaker, three of the strong, Nightmare said and I frowned in confusion as it changed its mind.

  “You don't own any land in this country,” Erik said in a deadly voice. “But I'll make an exception if you let us go. We're not here for you.”

  “What are you here for then, huh? Blood?” he asked, drawing the human to her feet and she writhed in his arms. “I hear you don’t drink from the vein,” Memphis growled and my heart juddered with fear as he brushed the hair from the girl’s neck.

  “You’re working for Valentina,” I snarled, lifting Nightmare.

  Memphis nodded slowly. “Valentina Torbrook has a mighty high bounty on your heads.”

  Five of the weaker, two of the strong, Nightmare hissed excitedly.

  Erik stiffened, his hands curling into fists. “Whatever she’s offering, I’ll double it.”

  “See now, I don’t think you’re in any position to negotiate, Count Erik,” Memphis drawled. “I don’t hear any gold jingling around in those pockets o’ yours.” Laughter rang out again and Memphis grinned hungrily. “Besides, perhaps this ain’t just about the money. Perhaps this is also about the revenge I so dearly want on you for callin' yourself my ruler without so much as a presidential election.” His expression turned to a deadly grimace and he pointed directly at Erik with a knife in his grip. “We prey off free humans out here in the way it should be, ain’t that right?” he spoke to the human and she trembled in his arms.

  My gut knotted and I clenched my fists, panic stretching through me as I tried to figure out a way out of this.

  “We're not travelling alone,” I blurted. “We have a whole host with us. The Belvederes never travel without an entourage of guards. If you kill us, you'll have a hundred Elite to deal with.”

  Memphis considered my lie and I prayed he'd buy it.

  “Is that so?” he mused. “'Cause the new queen sent word that you’re travelling all on your lonesome.” He smirked and my shoulders tensed with concern.

  “Erik still has many loyal followers,” I tried to bluff.

  Memphis gestured to the empty square around us. “And where are these so-called followers, girl? Do my eyes deceive me? Am I blind to an army who stands at your backs?” He started laughing again and his laughter was echoed from the concealed vampires.

  Watch out! Nightmare screamed and Erik and I ducked as a blur of gold whipped over our heads.

  Memphis lurched sideways and Vicious tore past his ear, cutting it open. He hissed in agony as the sword flew through a doorway behind him and a yelp sounded from within it.

  My heart soared as I turned to find Julius but I couldn't spot him.

  The human fled, darting off in the streets, using the distraction to her advantage.

  One of the weaker, one of the strong, Nightmare corrected again and I finally realised what was happening. Our friends were here, picking them off!

  Memphis's face twisted into a snarl. “Kill them!” he roared.

  Erik threw me to the floor, falling on top of me. “No!” I screamed, trying to force my way up, but the bullets never came.

  I stilled and Erik shifted off of me so I could see Memphis as he gazed around in shock.

  “Die motherfucker!” Julius burst from the shadows with Menace raised, charging down Memphis like a tidal wave of death.

  Erik flew to his feet, sprinting toward Memphis as he sped away across the square.

  Erik and Julius took chase, disappearing down an alley out of sight. But I wasn't worried. One Elite was easy enough for them to dispatch.

  I moved to pick up Vicious from the ground, weighing the heavy blade in my hand. Chickoa, Fabian and Clarice jumped down from a window above, splattered with blood and looking fierce.

  “Thank the gods you're okay,” Clarice said as she jogged toward me and pulled me into a hug.

  “Thank you guys you mean,” I said with a laugh. “You saved us from those creeps.”

  “Fucking revolutionaries,” Fabian said with a scowl. “They live beyond our borders and thwart our rule when given the chance. If Valentina’s paying them off, she must be offering them a place in the city. It’s the only thing they’d want.”

  “Fuck!” Julius roared as he and Erik sped back out of the alley, tearing toward us with fear in their eyes. My gut plummeted as I stared at them in shock.

  Twenty five of the weaker and eight of the strong! Nightmare screamed inside my mind.

  “There's a horde!” Erik bellowed. “RUN!”

  I pulled my clothes on and smirked at Magnar as I noticed him watching me.

  “Are you going to get dressed?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as he lay still on the cold, hard floor looking just as comfortable as if he were in a four poster bed.

  “If I have to,” he agreed. He stood fluidly and retrieved his jeans from the ground before tugging them back on. I couldn’t help but stare a little at the strange way he moved. It was as if the rugged edges had been shorn off of him and everything he did now seemed almost rehearsed to perfection.

  I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to straighten out the tangles that he’d pushed into it. I wished we’d been able to pack for this trip; the further south we got the less there seemed to be around us and I was beginning to worry that we wouldn’t end up finding many supplies along the way.

  I trailed my fingertips over the bite on my neck, my heart leaping a little at the memory of Magnar doing that to me. I’d been more than willing to feed him from my b
ody but until he’d done it I’d looked on it like a sacrifice I was willing to make for him. I’d never imagined feeding a vampire could feel like that and I couldn’t deny just how much I’d liked it. I wasn’t sure if I should feel guilty about the fact. For as long as I could remember, the idea of a vampire biting me had haunted my nightmares. I couldn’t have thought up anything worse, let alone imagined doing it quite like we just had.

  Magnar being turned was confronting in so many ways. He was undoubtedly different now in some respects. But he was also entirely the same. Just like Montana. And the truth of that fact had to equal my own opinions shifting too. There was no more us and them. There couldn’t be. We were all just people who had ended up on different paths. There were good vampires and bad humans and a mix of everything else in between.

  “So have I proved myself trustworthy to stay awake now?” Magnar asked as he drew closer to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling my back against his chest.

  “You certainly seem more like yourself again now that you’ve fed,” I replied. “So presuming you keep behaving then I don’t see why not.”

  Magnar brushed his fingertips across the puncture wounds on my neck and I tilted my head to look around at him as his brow furrowed with concern.

  “I wish I hadn’t done this,” he murmured.

  “You seemed to enjoy it enough at the time,” I teased, biting my lip at the memory.

  A smile almost claimed his mouth but he fought it off. “I’ve become the monster I always hated. And now I’ve used the woman I loved for-”

  I raised my fingers to his lips and pressed them shut as I twisted in his grip to face him fully. “You didn’t use me,” I said firmly. “I offered. And I liked it.” I pushed myself onto my tiptoes and retracted my fingers from his mouth so that I could kiss him instead.

  He groaned in defeat as his hands trailed through my hair.

  “I don’t deserve you,” he breathed.

  “I’m just glad you’re back to yourself again. Now that you’ve fed you can stop feeling so on edge and we can concentrate on avoiding Valentina and getting to the mountain.”