by K. M. Scott
Not that Marc had any goddamned intention of being a part of it. He was an Archon stationed at their headquarters. Fuck, he’d struggled long and hard to get to where he was, and one of the benefits of that was he didn’t fight. Hell, he barely worked, especially ever since the success of Bliss had shot him to the top of the pile in Corsica.
No, he wouldn’t be bothered with the actual battles or whatever Consera had planned for this war to defeat the Sons so they could finally subjugate all the vampire race. While the rest of the world set itself on fire, he planned on enjoying his success in his office, with his feet up on his desk and a stiff drink in his hand, away from all the madness his kind seemed hell bent on inflicting on themselves.
Looking around Consera’s office, he thought about how much nicer it would be instead to relax there while the fighting raged on. It was bigger than Marc’s, and since he wasn’t an Archon, it didn’t have to be stark white. He took a deep breath in and let his gaze roam over the pale blue walls that instantly relaxed him, unlike the walls in his office with their boring white that made him feel like he was sitting in some hospital room.
Life would be even better in his boss’s position. Maybe someday.
Archons weren’t allowed to be magistrates, but things could change. Anything was possible, and once the Sons were eliminated, who knew what could open up for him?
The door opened as Marc daydreamed about a leisurely life as a magistrate, and Consera strolled in grinning, followed by his vampire Nico and that witch who had become a far too frequent fixture in Marc’s life recently. Clearly, something had gone well already by the smile on his boss’s face.
“Marc, I’m glad to see you. Do you know what today is?” Consera asked as he sat down behind his desk and poured himself a glass of red wine.
Shaking his head, Marc quickly tried to remember if that day was anything special. Nothing came to him, so he shrugged. “No. What?”
Consera took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly, blowing the air out of his mouth. “It’s independence day, my obtuse friend. Today is the day we declare our freedom from those troublesome Sons of Navarus.”
Obtuse friend? What the hell did that mean? Marc knew he’d been insulted, but why? Why the fuck was Consera mad at him now?
Irritated, he knew he had to play the game with his boss, so he smiled and nodded like he agreed. “Ah, independence day. Good. Soon we’ll be rid of the Sons and the vampire world will finally begin to run like it should.”
“Exactly!” Consera said excitedly, pointing at Marc to punctuate his agreement with what he’d said.
Jesus. One minute he was obtuse and then the next minute he was exactly right. How the fuck was anyone supposed to know how to act with this guy?
“Marc, why do you seem like you’re off in la-la land today? You haven’t been getting into the Bliss again, have you? I swear if you have I’m going to stake you myself.”
And just like that he’d moved from being stupid to being right to being threatened.
“No, I’m just a little overwhelmed with what’s happened today. I guess I didn’t expect the Sons to attack first. I also mourn the loss of my fellow Archons at the hands of that fucking monster.”
Only the part about being surprised that the Sons attacked first was true. Little overwhelmed Marc since he cared for next to nothing, and he didn’t give a fuck about those Archons the Visigoth had killed. They should have worked harder to get ahead so they weren’t stuck out there on the Continent, wide open to attack by virtually anyone instead of being safe and sound at Archon headquarters.
For barely a second, Consera showed the tiniest hint of unhappiness at the mention of the Archons’ deaths, but then the feeling passed and his smile returned. “We’ll make sure every one of the Sons and anyone they care about pay for the attacks on the rule of law, Marc. Don’t worry about that. For now, just know that they didn’t die in vain.”
Marc didn’t respond because he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t care about the ones who’d been killed. All it did was give him a reason to call for an even more painful death for the Visigoth Son. Other than that, it mattered nothing to him. He didn’t even know the names of those Archons. They meant nothing in his life.
Consera leaned forward and looked over toward the witch. “Let’s get down to business. I want your witches to get rid of the weres, first and foremost. I don’t want them just immobilized. I want them eliminated.”
Lucinda’s round eyes opened wide, making her even uglier than usual. “Eliminated? How many of them?”
Without missing a beat, Consera answered her question as coolly as if he was ordering a drink. “All of them. Wipe them off the board so we don’t have to deal with them.”
A chill ran down Marc’s spine at the magistrate’s answer. Extermination.
No one said a word in response to Consera’s statement for the longest time, but as Marc looked around the room, he saw the witch and Nico understood as well as he did what their boss’s order meant.
Then he added, “The same goes for those American bitches. They made the wrong choice. Now they will have to pay for it.”
Lucinda staggered back a few steps, clearly shocked by that order. “All of my fellow witches you want dead too?”
Jumping up from his chair, the magistrate came around his desk and got in the witch’s face. “Did I stutter? All of those bitches. I don’t want a single one of them alive when this is over. Got it?”
She looked around the room like she couldn’t believe what he’d just ordered her to do. Kill all the American witches? Marc didn’t understand why any of this confused her, though. This was a war for control of the supernatural world. They made their choice. Too bad it was the wrong one.
“Now go and be ready when I call for you,” Consera barked, making the witch jump at the sound of his voice bellowing off the walls.
She hurried out of his office, clearly flustered. Marc rolled his eyes at how ridiculous witches could be.
“God, this war forces us to associate with such shit.”
“The witches?” Consera asked with a chuckle as he turned to walk back to his chair.
“And those fucking daemons too. I can’t wait until we win this war and then we’re rid of them.”
Just then, Hades appeared in front of them and glared at Marc. “Careful, vampire. You saw what happens when I let my daemons do what they do best. Another insult like that and I’ll set them on you.”
Fear tore through him as the memory of what those damn daemons had done to the magistrate raced through Marc’s brain. Fuck! The last thing he needed was the goddamned god of the Underworld pissed at him.
He stammered out a pathetic sounding apology as Consera dropped to his knees in deference in front of Hades. Lowering his head, the magistrate said, “My sire. I’m sure he simply misspoke.”
Hades broke his stare from Marc to look down at the one kneeling at his feet. His face twisted into an expression of disgust. “You know, I hate when you call me that. I didn’t make you vampire. I’m a god, not some two-bit royal either, so don’t use that word around me again.”
Eager to change the subject, Consera looked up at him and pointed over toward where Nico stood silently staring down at the floor. “I want to introduce you to one of my vampires. Nico has been invaluable in bringing about this war with the Sons of Navarus since he was one for years. He’s been my eyes and ears the whole time.”
All traces of his earlier anger disappeared, and a look of surprise settled into Hades’ expression. “A Son of Navarus. Traitor to your brothers. I can appreciate that. I’ve done the very same thing to my own brothers. Do they know you’ve sold them out?”
Nico simply nodded and continued to look down at his feet. “I’m sure they do by now,” he said quietly.
Turning to look at Consera who had gotten himself up from the floor, Hades smiled. “Your vampire’s heart doesn’t seem to be in this.”
“No need to worry. Nico has always been my m
ost obedient vampire. We have him to thank for getting the born vampire Noele.”
Suddenly, Hades seemed to be very interested in Nico. “Really? You did that?”
Still, Nico didn’t look up and simply nodded.
“Then I have to thank you, Nico. She’s settled in nicely in the Underworld. I really can’t say I’ve ever had a better whore. Very good work.”
Marc noticed Nico winced at Hades’ description of his newest plaything and wondered why. He gave her up easily from what his sire said, so why would he be bothered what the god of the Underworld thought of her, or for that matter, what he did with her? She was the mate of a Son of Navarus and the mother of the child the Prophecy of Idolas claimed would defeat not only the Archons in this war but Hades himself. Nico shouldn’t have been surprised if he tore her limb from limb and flayed her alive just for kicks. The fact that he was simply using her as his fucktoy meant she was getting off easily.
“I was just explaining how the war will go. The witches are to eliminate the weres and the American witches. Your daemons will be invaluable in helping us fight the Sons and the dragons. One battle and this will be over, and we’ll have the vampire world to ourselves.”
The magistrate seemed downright pleased with himself, practically gloating before he’d even sent a single witch or daemon out to avenge those slaughtered Archons all over the Continent. Marc wondered if Hades liked that level of smugness, but he didn’t have to wait long to get his answer.
Raising his eyebrows up into his forehead, the god of the Underworld grinned. “Very good. And since you’ve been plying your own kind with that Bliss shit, you’ll be rulers of zombies. You’ve left nothing to chance, Consera.”
Clearly, smugness didn’t offend Hades like Marc thought it would.
“Thank you. It just took some planning, but I expect this to be over practically before it begins.”
Hades’ smile faded just a touch. “Be careful, though. I’ve got more than a few humans in my realm who were just as sure about their own military success before the battle began. Sometimes the best laid plans are blown to smithereens by one underestimated variable.”
Consera waved his warning away before sitting down behind his desk. “Those were foolish humans, who are always fucking things up. Invading Russia and not anticipating the effects of the Russian winter? Leave it to a human to be that colossally stupid. We aren’t them, though. Between your daemons and the witches, we can defeat all the Sons and their allies. They are, after all, only six vampires, no matter how impressive they may be.”
For the first time, Nico lifted his head. “Seven, sire. Theron is a Son now.”
“The born vampire’s child?” Consera asked with utter disdain.
“I promise you he’s not a child anymore. The last time I saw him, he had surpassed everything I’d believed he’d become, and he wasn’t finished. He has abilities no vampire has possessed together, and most of all, he was born for a single purpose. To defeat you and the Archons. Do not underestimate him.”
Hades threw his head back and let out a deep laugh. “And there, my myopic friend, is your Russian winter. Listen to your vampire, Consera. I’ve seen the child, and I can assure you he’s no toddler, despite being only two years old.”
Clearly offended by the insult, Consera quickly said, “True, but we’re not the only ones the prophecy said had to worry about the child. His ultimate goal is you and your kingdom.”
Marc held his breath in anticipation of Hades calling his daemons to torture the magistrate once again for his impudence, but instead, he simply rolled his eyes at Consera.
“You continually make the mistake of believing we’re equals. We are not. You are a vampire. I am a god. That child of the prophecy can wipe out your entire plans now that he’s joined with the Sons of Navarus. Defeating me won’t be as easy. Gods don’t die, so whatever our young opponent has planned might be a passing irritation I have to deal with but little else.”
As the thought of Hades’ immortality settled into Marc’s brain, he wondered why that idiot Idolas had thought some born vampire would ever be able to dethrone Hades and take over his kingdom. Since gods couldn’t die, how would he ever defeat him?
“Well, this has been fun, but I’ve got better things to do with my time,” Hades said dismissively. “Call me when you need my daemons, but don’t expect them to do all the heavy lifting, Consera. Let those witches handle that, along with any other ragtag creatures you’ve convinced to help you. I’ll be sitting on the sidelines watching it all happen.”
The magistrate hurried around his desk to guide Hades into the anteroom of his office where he preferred to conduct private business, leaving Marc and Nico standing there. He had no idea what the traitor Son was thinking, but all Marc could think about was how the Archons’ main ally had just announced his daemons wouldn’t be coming into the war to support them any time soon. That left only those nasty witches to help defend them against the Sons and their allies.
Is that what Consera had planned? If it wasn’t, then this war had just gotten a hundred times worse and the damn thing had just begun. Fucking witches wouldn’t be enough. Even Marc knew that.
When the magistrate returned without Hades, Marc considered asking about what the god of the Underworld had just said but decided against it. The less he knew about what was involved in this whole war with the Sons of Navarus the better. All he wanted to do was get back to his office and crack open that vial of Bliss he had stashed in the bathroom behind the toilet.
“Well, I’m going to get going. Lots of work to get done,” he said as he made his way toward the door.
“Not so fast, Marc. I want you to go to Lucinda and find out how she’s doing with her witches and their preparations. They need to strike the weres quickly, as in as soon as possible, but I didn’t get the feeling she was one hundred percent on board with our plans. Check up on her and report back to me tomorrow night.”
He couldn’t believe it. Go to where the witches were and check up on them? He had to be kidding. He was a fucking Archon, not some minion who should be sent out on errands for him.
Picking his mouth up off the floor, Marc scrambled to think of a suggestion better than the one his boss had just offered. Who could go instead of him?
Then he spied Nico standing in the same spot he’d been in for the entire meeting and pointed at him. “Don’t you think he might be a better choice? What if the witches decide they don’t have to listen to me? They’re loyal to you, not the Archons. Nico was a Son for hundreds of years. He can handle them better than I can. Plus, he’s one of your vampires, which means it will be like they’re dealing with you through him. I really think Nico would be better to go.”
For a moment, Consera looked like he’d explode in a fit of rage at Marc’s disobedience, but then he nodded and looked over toward his vampire. “You might be right about the loyalty issue, Marc. Very well. Nico, I want you to go to Lucinda and the European witches. Make sure they’re ready to go by tomorrow night. I want to strike at the weres and the Americans hard and fast. The sooner we get rid of them, the sooner we can show Hades how much we need his daemons to close the deal and end this war.”
Nico simply nodded and quietly walked out, leaving Marc standing there relieved he’d been able to talk himself out of that awful assignment. Imagine him, an Archon, having to go deal with witches. Just the thought of it turned his stomach.
Then his boss’s words about Hades and his daemons settled into his mind. When he and the magistrate left to go into the anteroom, the god of the Underworld made it clear their side had to prove themselves before he’d send his daemons into war for them.
Marc couldn’t help but wonder if the alliance the Archons and magistrate Consera had constructed would withstand this war with the Sons. As it was, it seemed to be getting more and more fragile by the minute. First, reluctant witches, and now, Hades holding back his troops until Consera showed him they weren’t going to depend entirely on the daemons to
win this war.
Their side could only hope the alliance between the Sons of Navarus and their allies was even less stable. If not, this war might end with one single battle, but not in the way Consera predicted.
In that case, Marc knew he better have a backup plan to ensure whatever happened to the rest of his fellow Archons and their side, he would end up safe and sound. Now was the time to formulate that plan before it was too late.
Chapter Four
Closing his eyes, Theron tried to sense where his father was at that moment, but his mind filled with memories of his mother. He’d read Dante’s thoughts to find out how she died, and he wished he hadn’t the second he saw how she’d suffered at the hands of those fucking Archons. She lay on the filthy ground like some castoff creature, her dark brown eyes filled with pain after they tortured her to find out where he was. He didn’t know how long she endured that agony, but Theron wished she’d just told them what they wanted to know instead of giving her life to protect him.
His chest hurt like it always did when he thought of her. She’d been the one to dry his eyes when he fell and hurt himself as a small child. She’d held him close when the changes he was going through threatened to make him go mad, never letting the rest of the world or even her closest friends know how difficult being a born vampire was on him.
Only his mother understood what it was like to age so rapidly. While everyone else marveled at his growth spurts that happened literally overnight, they didn’t know that moving from a toddler to a teenager in the span of months instead of years took its toll not only on his body but on his mind and his spirit. She knew, though, and when it became too much for him, she wrapped her arms around him and in that gentle voice of hers told him how much she knew what he was going through and how she was there to comfort him.
I know this feels like you’re going to explode and you don’t know what to do with all the thoughts and emotions swirling around inside you, Theron. I know because I went through it just like you did. If I could take away the pain you’re going through, I would, but I can’t. What I can do is promise that I’ll always be here and I’ll always be someone you can trust to share your pain with, honey.
