I smiled as I chased after the truck I’d launched at the feral vampires and I slammed into them like a charging bull.
Bodies flew in every direction at the collision and I laughed as I tore through those who were unlucky enough to be left standing nearby.
I didn’t bother drawing my blades, opting to carve into them with my bare hands instead.
I bellowed a challenge as I ripped open chests and smashed hearts within my fists.
The ferals started screaming in panic. They were no longer running towards me but had turned away. They tried to escape but I was too fast. I was faster than the wind and swifter than death itself.
I broke bones, crushed skulls and bathed in blood so bright it was blinding.
Heat rose in my veins as the joy of the battle took over. This was what I’d been born to do. I was Clan of War and now I was a monster as well. The bloodlust rose in my veins like wildfire, taking root in every corner of my soul and driving me on to kill and kill and kill.
The screams of horror were like a song of joy to my unbeating heart and I waded forward endlessly as Callie’s blood powered me beyond all reasonable understanding.
As my mind caught on the girl I loved, I swung around, looking for her in the devastation I’d created.
She stood in the street behind me, staring on with her lips parted as she looked at what I’d done.
I shot towards her and she gasped as I slammed into her, lifting her into my arms and chasing after the ferals who had escaped us.
We flew down abandoned streets and the sound of gunfire called me on. Our allies were close and my brother’s scent trailed to me on the wind. He smelled delicious but nothing could compare to the intoxicating scent of the woman in my arms.
I raced down a long street before rounding a corner and skidding to a halt as I spotted a group of ferals trying to force entry into a large building at the end of it.
Dirt spewed into the air on the far side of the house and I stared at it in confusion for a moment before I set Callie on her feet again.
She gripped my arm before I could race into battle and I glanced down at her, my muscles coiling in anticipation of the fight to come.
“They have guns,” she warned. “Don’t forget you aren’t invincible.”
“I’ve survived death once already. I like my chances of doing it again.”
I pulled my arm out of her grip and charged to take on the opponents who were trying to gain entry into the house.
I grabbed my swords from my back this time, wanting to see how my skill with the blades was escalated by my added strength and speed.
To death and back again, Venom purred in anticipation as I headed straight for the cluster of enemies.
A few of them turned and spotted me as I closed in and they shouted warnings to the rest.
They raised their weapons and gunfire rang out as I dove beneath the line of fire.
I twisted towards them with impossible speed and bullets slammed through my right side.
Pain flared in my stomach and I gritted my teeth as I swung Tempest in a wide arc, carving into the first of my opponents. I healed almost instantly and I grinned in fierce satisfaction at the near invincibility of my flesh.
The vampires dove aside but ash trailed in the wake of my blade as two of them met their end.
More bullets were fired and I twisted Venom before my chest, shielding my heart with the sword while taking the gunfire in the rest of my body.
The pain from my wounds only spurred me on and I carved a line straight into the shrieking crowd, fighting to free my brother from the building behind them.
The wind changed and I looked up as Callie’s scent washed over me and she dove into battle at my side, Fury poised above her head.
A vampire raised his gun, aiming it at her and I leapt between them as he pulled the trigger. The bullet slammed into my chest, knocking me off of my feet as the pain of the wound blinded me momentarily.
Callie screamed as she vaulted over me, driving Fury into his chest before he could fire again and finish me off.
The door to the building burst open as our allies spilled back out to join the fight and finish the ferals once and for all.
Julius ran forward as he spotted me on the ground but the pain was already receding and I regained my feet in a fluid motion.
A group of ferals had banded together and they charged towards us, raising their guns as our allies fought the few closest to us.
I turned towards the building beside us, dropping my blades as I ripped the heavy metal door from its hinges with a grunt of effort.
I raced forward as the ferals took aim and swung the door at them, knocking them all to the ground with the savage blow.
Callie and Montana ran forward beside each other, the two twins working together to destroy our enemies with their blades.
Silence fell and I retrieved Tempest from the ground, listening to its assessment and grinning as it confirmed that we were alone once more.
“That’s all of them?” Clarice asked, looking to me for confirmation.
“It is,” I agreed, reclaiming Venom too.
Erik walked towards us from the back of the house, his gaze distant and his body caked in mud. He looked around at the blood and ash which lined the streets but it was hard to say if he took any pleasure in our victory. His gaze shifted across his family and Montana and a little of the tension left his limbs but that was it.
“Well I suppose something good has come from your transformation, Savage,” Fabian commented as he took note of the devastation I’d caused.
“You’re welcome,” I snarled. His statement was hardly filled with gratitude considering the fact that I’d likely just saved his life.
“I take it you finally fed then?” Fabian asked, his gaze sliding over me. “Was it the bottle or the vein that corrupted your morals in the end?”
I snarled at him as his face fell into a smug smile and Callie shifted closer to me.
“You were demanding he feed last night and now you’re taunting him for it?” she asked Fabian angrily. “Make up your mind. The two of you need to stop this stupid bickering.”
I fought against the desire to cave Fabian’s head in and turned my gaze to her instead. Callie raised her eyebrow at me and I scowled as I realised she still expected me to apologise to him for last night.
The air was thick with tension and I rolled my shoulders, slamming my blades back into their sheathes as I tried to calm the swirling anger in my chest.
“Callie thinks I owe you an apology,” I growled, my eyes on Fabian though I could feel everyone else’s attention on me too as I spoke.
Fabian snorted in disbelief and folded his arms. “Let’s hear it then.”
“I’m sorry,” I growled and I noticed Julius staring at me like he thought I’d gone mad. Fabian’s brows rose and I could see the pleasure he was taking in seeing me forced to grovel to him. “I’m sorry that your puny body is no match for my strength. And I’m sorry that you felt you needed to go crying to Callie because I’d hurt your feelings. But mostly I’m sorry that I’m stuck looking at your face for days on end while you sniff around Callie like a mutt begging for scraps.”
Fabian hissed at me and I snarled right back. Julius laughed loudly and clapped me on the back while the others stared on, unsure what to do about our exchange. I was happy enough to take the Belvedere on if he thought he was a match for me now but Fabian made no move to engage me.
Callie released a breath of frustration and turned her back on me, taking her sister’s arm as she strode away down the street.
My gut twisted uncomfortably, knowing I’d disappointed her. But I wasn’t going to be whipped into submission and I certainly wasn’t going to start grovelling to Fabian Belvedere for forgiveness.
“Well, now that we’re all friends again, maybe it’s time we got back on the road?” Clarice suggested, breaking the tension by stepping between us.
“Fine by me,” Erik muttered as he
headed after Callie and Montana, the haunted look in his eyes unchanged by anything that had taken place.
I offered Fabian a taunting smile and fell into step with my brother as he scowled at me. I might have been a vampire for now but I would never see myself as one of them. We just needed to get to the mountain and end this damn curse. After that I’d never have to see Fabian again.
We started walking south, heading past the devastation Erik had caused with his incredible powers. Between him and Magnar, they were an unstoppable force. But it did little to ease my anxiety as Erik walked at my side, caked in filth and his shoulders shaking. Since he'd killed Memphis, he'd been stoic, barely saying two words to any of our group.
Julius and Clarice had found a few supplies before the attack. There was enough water and food to last the humans a while longer, but our biggest issue now was blood. And I was starting to see why Erik had been so anxious to convince me to drink from the slayers if it came to it. Which it surely had to now. We were down to our last few bottles and though Magnar had drunk from Callie, that didn't me make feel any better about the idea of doing the same. Clarice had watered down the last of our supply, splitting it into the extra bottles she carried. But there was still only enough for a week at the most...
I walked at Erik's side; it was pointless to ask him if he was alright. But I just wanted him to know I was there. Whenever he was ready to talk, I'd listen. And I sensed that time was drawing closer. The anger had left his posture but the defeat in him was somehow worse. He walked on as if he wasn't aware of the world around him, his eyes glazed with dark thoughts that held him in their grip.
The road was endless ahead of us and my skin started to tingle as the clouds grew thinner above. We were far beyond shelter now and I feared what would happen when the clouds broke. If the sun beat down on the other vampires, they'd be depleted fast. And all the blood in the world couldn't help them from that.
“Plan B, hm?” Julius muttered to Clarice, drawing to a halt at the front of the line.
Clarice looked a little guilty as she dropped the pack from her shoulders and unzipped it.
Everyone closed around her in a circle as she took four large backpacks from her bag. She gave her siblings an anxious frown, but didn't explain what was going on.
“We found these back in the ruins,” Julius said, scooping one up and looking at Fabian.
“And your point is?” Fabian asked, eyeing the bag suspiciously.
“The clouds aren't going to be here much longer,” Clarice said with a sigh. “Julius and I thought...well if you guys don't mind...” She looked from me to the slayers and Magnar. “I think you'll have to carry us in these.”
“I'm not getting in a backpack,” Fabian balked, looking horrified and a smile tugged at my lips.
Callie met my eye and my amusement grew as laughter bubbled from her throat.
The sun was making a good effort to break through the clouds and I spotted dark veins spreading out from Clarice, Fabian and Chickoa's eyes. I turned to Erik, frowning as I didn't find the same happening to him.
He looked up at the sun, his steely eyes reflecting the golden hues back at me. “What...”
The sun broke free entirely and Clarice gasped, steadying herself against Julius's shoulder.
“Brother, holy shit,” Fabian breathed at Erik, his voice dry as the sun beat down on him. “You're alright.”
Erik gazed down at his mud-stained hands, his brows pinching together sharply.
“Idun's blood,” Callie said in awe. “It must have given you this gift too.”
“Well thank fuck for that,” Erik said, very almost breaking a smile. “There's no way I was going to get in one of those.” He pointed at the bags and Magnar released a dark laugh.
“In you go then, Fabian.” Magnar picked one up and tossed it at him.
Fabian glowered, but the darkness around his eyes was growing thicker and I could see the decision in his gaze as he made it. “You are not carrying me,” he growled, pointing at Magnar.
“I wouldn't carry you if you begged me to,” Magnar said in a low voice.
Clarice stepped into a bag, her lips pursed as she sat down in it. Julius knelt before her, releasing a chuckle.
“It's not funny,” Clarice said as he drew the bag over her head.
“Not funny at all,” Julius said seriously, then turned to us with a bellow of laughter as he lifted the pack onto his shoulders.
Chickoa and Fabian climbed into theirs and Erik moved to carry his brother.
“I hate you right now,” Fabian called to him as Callie crouched down to close the top of the bag.
“Yeah, yeah. I'm sure you wish you'd had some of Idun's blood when you had the chance,” Erik said as he lifted Fabian onto his back.
Chickoa sighed as Magnar moved to carry her, zipping the top over and shrugging her onto his shoulders as if she weighed nothing.
Erik angled his face to the sky, drinking in the light of the sun. I smiled at him, sensing a wave of peace flooding him at last.
“Fuck that feels good,” he sighed, his eyes opening and falling on me. His mouth hooked up at the corner and my heart danced with joy to see the glimmer of happiness on his face.
The cry of an eagle caught my ear and my gut clenched. I reached for Nightmare and sensed it was a Familiar as I spotted it high above.
“Looks like Valentina found us again,” Callie growled then lifted her middle finger at the bird.
Julius turned, bending over and pulling his pants down to bare his ass. “Oh look the moon's out,” he said, shaking his butt as the eagle released another cry.
Laughter burst from my throat and Erik gave me a bemused look.
“I hope she saw what happened back there. She might be more cautious about attacking us in the future,” Callie said.
“Yes, we can hope,” Magnar chuckled, aiming a kick at Julius so he stumbled and hit the ground on his backside.
“Ow!” Clarice cried from the bag on his back. “What's going on out there?”
“Julius is getting naked,” Erik said, releasing a breath of laughter that made my heart squeeze with joy.
“Oh, what a surprise,” Clarice replied as Julius rose to his feet and tugged his pants up.
“Should we kill it?” I eyed the bird cautiously but even as I said it the eagle soared away across the land, heading back in the direction we'd come from.
I eyed the horizon with a scowl. Valentina was somewhere out there, hunting us alongside her cruel followers. But maybe Callie was right; if she’d seen what Erik and Magnar were capable of now, she might call off her hunt.
“Let's get off the road,” Erik said, his mirth falling away. “We need to lose her.”
“She has a helicopter,” Callie said anxiously. “How are we going to outpace that?”
“Run,” Erik answered, eyeing the two slayers. “Keep up. We’ll head off the road.”
He took off a fierce speed and I sprinted after him as we veered into the expansive land to our left. There was a renewed strength in Erik’s stride as he led the way forward and Magnar powered along at his side.
Callie and Julius soon fell behind, but their slayer strength allowed them to run at a decent pace. I just feared how long we could keep this up.
We’d eventually moved so far away from the ruined town that if Valentina was on her helicopter she’d have trouble locating us again now. When the slayers tired, we slowed to a quick walk, but I kept my ear trained towards the sky, worried that the engine of the approaching helicopter would reach me.
When another hour passed and I started to relax a little, I fell into step with Callie, sharing a small smile with her as we headed on together. I eyed the bite mark on her neck and my brow lowered.
“Did it hurt?” I gestured to it as Julius went ahead of us to join the others.
“No...” She bit her lip guiltily. “I think I liked it,” she breathed and my eyes widened.
“You what?” I gasped.
H
er cheeks flamed and she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she turned her eyes towards Magnar. “We were kind of...in the middle of something when he did it.”
“Oh!” I laughed, shaking my head in astonishment. “Well...I like it too under those circumstances.”
She eyed me with relief spilling into her expression. “Erik bites you?”
I bit my lip, nodding and she released a musical laugh.
“Well now I feel slightly less embarrassed about it,” she said, linking her arm through mine. The scent of her blood called to me from her veins and I abruptly released her arm, stepping firmly away. After hours of running, my hunger had sharply increased.
She eyed me curiously, but I didn't elaborate. I hated the idea of my sister knowing how much my fangs hungered to meet with her veins.
I cleared my throat, wanting to change the subject. My eyes fell on Erik up ahead and a heavy pressure built in my chest. “Callie...Erik won’t talk to me. I don’t know what to do. He’s grieving and I know he needs time but this silence...it’s killing me. Is it selfish of me to want him to open up if he doesn’t want to?”
Callie frowned heavily, turning her gaze to Erik too. “You’re not selfish, Monty. I’d struggle too if Magnar shut me out.”
A lump grew in my throat at her words and I found myself unable to reply.
She brushed her hand over my back with an apologetic look. “When Dad died, I got angry too. I took my slayer’s vow even though Magnar didn’t want me to. But he stood by me despite the fact I took that decision away from him. I’m so grateful to him for that.” She took a slow breath. “What I’m saying is, Erik needs you so much, like I needed Magnar then. Sometimes just being there is enough.”
“That’s what Chickoa said,” I murmured, knotting my fingers together. “But it makes me feel so useless...like I should be doing more.”
“Then do more,” she breathed. “Keep trying until he lets you in again. I know he will, Monty. Just hang in there.”
Age of Vampires- The Complete Series Page 174