Not as mad as said she wolf. The blood of a Vampire King sizzles through my veins, augmenting my boiling rage. I’m going to get out of here, track and kill Xavier. First I have to deal with these thugs. It’ll be a nice warm up.
Above me, the vampire grunts and brings down the crowbar hard enough to make the Lambo shudder. The glass is a fractured cobweb above my head. Any moment it’ll shatter.
I have to bite the inside of my cheek not to laugh. This is going to be fun.
The vampire raises his weapon again.
“All right, all right,” I shout, pretending to be scared. “I’m getting out.” I raise my hands, showing empty palms. The vampire jerks his head towards my door. I unlock and open it, swinging out slowly. The vampires stand back to give me space.
Mistake.
The vampire on the car roof drops to my side. “Xavier wants–”
I never learn what my former mentor wants. A crowbar can’t kill a vampire, but grabbing and jamming it into their guts is a good way to get their attention. Follow it up by twisting their head around hard enough to break their neck, and they drop neatly, ready to be staked or left out for the dawn. I do all this, and I do it fast enough that I blur. When I turn, I take a second to register the shock on the waiting faces. I’m fast as a vampire. Maybe faster.
As if in slow motion, the vampires start to jump on me–too slow. I jump first. The crowbar disembowels a second, a third. I’ve lost the element of surprise, but I’ve spent years practicing fighting and killing vampires. Between Lucius’ blood, and Xavier’s training, I am unstoppable.
I chase two into the park and stake them with palo verde branches. I return with more quickly fashioned stakes and take the rest of the guys out. I drag them into the park, hiding them in a ditch. Hopefully, no human will find them before dawn comes and turns them to ash.
When I stick my head into the Lambo, the burner phone is bleating. I grab it and the cooler of blood, and jog to the now empty Escalade. I took the keys off the leader.
Declan answers before the first ring.
“What happened?’ he shouts.
“Five guys, vampires. They tried to take me to Xavier.”
“Tried?”
“Yeah. Well, vampire blood has its benefits,” I say before I can think.
But Declan knows all about vampire blood because he sucks in a breath, then mutters in a chastising tone, “Girl…”
My stomach flips as I start up the car. I’m feeling better. Not 100 percent, but good enough to take out anyone trying to stop me. Including a vampire or five.
“Where are you? “Declan asks.
A road sign flashes by and I read it to him. “It’s about twenty miles from Lucius’ home. Why?”
“Because when you hung up, we called Frangelico. Was gonna try to track your car, so we could get in and help you out.”
“So?” I reverse the Escalade. Not as much torque as the Lambo, but pretty spry for such a heavy car.
“So, no one picked up at the house. Not Lucius. Not any of his security team.”
My heart thuds to my feet. “I’m going there. Now.”
“Selene–it’s nae safe–Frangelico would want you to stay away–” Declan sputters.
“He could be in danger.” Xavier wants Lucius bad enough to kill my entire family and pack and wait years until I was honed as his perfect weapon. He’s not going to stop now.
“Who would dare attack the Vampire King?”
“Xavier,” I answer, my heartbeat speeding up with the Escalade. “Not just Xavier. There’s a coup. Lucius’ sired want to overthrow him. What if they’re working with Xavier?” The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. That auction wasn’t Xavier’s doing. Whatever’s going on, all Lucius’ enemies are in it together.
I hit the gas and the wheels squeal.
Lucius
I KNOW the minute the sun retreats before the dark. My lungs fill with air.
The lethargy rolls away. I rise, pushing aside the sarcophagus lid. My morning ritual requires an act of supernatural strength. It should make me feel all powerful. Immortal. Instead I am drained. Weak.
I close my coffin and stretch out on it, hands folded as if in prayer. But who would I pray to? In all my years, I am closest thing to a god anyone will ever meet. Immortal, all powerful.
A monster, forever damned.
Cool air wafts down the hall. I blink, but don’t turn my head.
The house is empty without her. My life is empty without her.
But not my crypt. Someone else is here.
“Lucius,” Xavier’s voice echoes in the gloom.
I left the crypt open. Two thousand years and I never let my guard down. Not until her. And when she came in, she brought light into my world, the likes I thought I’d never see again.
The shadows coalesce as the one-eyed vampire takes a solid form.
It’s time for this to end. I rise to greet my lifelong enemy. “Hello, old friend.”
Selene
MY FOOT HITS the floor as the SUV powers up the mountain to Lucius’ palace.
“Hang on, lass,” Declan’s voice crackles on the burner phone. “We’re almost there.”
Gritting my teeth, I take a turn too fast. The Escalade almost tips on two wheels, straightening with a jarring bump. I’m coming, Lucius. I don’t know if he’s in trouble, but the fact that he’s not answering his phone, that Xavier’s minions found me doesn’t bode well.
“It’s gotta be Xavier and all of Lucius’ sired.” I tell Declan to let him know what we’re walking into. As crazy as it sounds, I believe they’re working together. “There’s one thing I don’t understand. Xavier was Lucius’ enemy. Why would Lucius’ sired align with him?” I wonder aloud.
“Selene, there’s something else you should know,” Declan says. “I didn’t send you the full recording, just the specific part where the witness named the attacker.”
I rip around another turn. “So?”