Loving the Hellhound

by B. A. Stretke

  “I have come into your home unarmed, both myself and Vadin.” Master Chamberlin began the process of full disclosure which was required when one paranormal seeks audience with another. “Vadin is head of security for the Chamberlin Coven and he brought five of his men along. One remains in the vehicle and four alongside it. They too are unarmed.”

  Vadin saw no sense in being armed considering there was not a weapon made that could so much as irritate a dragon let alone kill one. It also showed respect and a level of trust to come without armaments of any kind and Augustin wanted to make a good impression.

  “The purpose for requesting this meeting, was to discuss the presence in your town of Florian Chamberlin former leader of the Death Rangers gang and unfortunately, a distant cousin of mine.” Augustin got right to the point.

  Vadin felt Alrick tense up at the declaration but shuttered the response immediately. Their Chieftain, Calum gave nothing away. It was obvious that the dragons were aware of Florian’s presence and Vadin wondered if he may be dead already.

  “I am requesting permission to hunt Florian in your territory with the intent to kill.” Augustin paused to gauge Calum’s reaction before completing his thought. “Florian has embarrassed and brought shame to the name of Chamberlin and endangered all vampires with his reckless cruelty. I ask that you allow me to bring him to justice.” Silence fell for several minutes as Calum appeared to be contemplating his answer and weighing and measuring the Master.

  Calum stared at Augustin and Augustin held that stare. His Master was a strong man with a strong will and he would never avert his eyes from any paranormal no matter how powerful or intimidating. Looking a dragon in the eyes was dangerous but they could not be perceived as weak.

  Vadin kept his eyes on the Second and was aware that the two from out front had moved to the outer hall near the doorway. They were well and truly surrounded, but Vadin did not sense hostility or tension from any of them. They were simply an army, doing what an army does when a possible adversary is within their dominion.

  “I will give you seventy-two hours, three days to locate and dispatch the Death Ranger. I will allow only three of your men to remain in my territory to complete the mission. If you fail, your men will leave and my men will take over.” Calum spoke slow and clear and without antagonism.

  Augustin nodded his agreement, and they both stood. Calum reached out his hand and Augustin took it in a firm shake. “I will leave Vadin and he will choose his support personnel.” Augustin turned to regard Vadin who took one step forward.

  “I will retain Rule Flay and Mace Ramsey.” Vadin knew he had to identify the men he planned on bringing into the dragon’s territory. Calum nodded his acceptance and with that, the meeting was over and first contact had been made. The relationship between the two powers could progress from this point.

  Kyle watched the two men be escorted from the house to their cars. He watched the big man closely and once again felt a rousing interest. He was a sexy fucker that was for sure.

  “Come on, we’re wanted downstairs.” He heard Bryn call to him.

  “Be right there.” He called back, but did not take his eyes off the man until he was in his car and they were driving away. He needed to get a name and then he would do a background. Yeah, he wanted to know more. No one had ever affected him the way that man had. He found himself filled with an anxious expectancy. Once the car was out of sight, he hurried downstairs and met up with the others in the great room.

  Calum explained to them the agreement he struck with the Master Vampire. “The three vampires that will be in our territory for the next three days are Vadin Labont, Rule Flay and Mace Ramsey. Vadin was the vampire that accompanied Master Chamberlin inside.” He noted and turned to Kyle.

  “I want you to do a background check on all three. I don’t believe Master Chamberlin has deceived us in any way and I respect his request to handle his family himself. But with that said, I want to make sure that our Archie is safe and not a party to anything that is taking place.”

  Everyone agreed that Archie’s well-being was the first order. He was the son of Florian Chamberlin and Kara Cutler, Dane’s late sister. They didn’t want Florian or Master Chamberlin interfering with his life. As far as they knew, Master Chamberlin was unaware of Archie’s existence and they all hoped to try to keep it that way.

  “I’ll get right on it, sir.” Kyle was more than happy to do the background now that he had a name to put with the handsome vampire. Vadin Labont, a handsome name for a handsome man. He was beginning to feel a bit silly so put a lid on his thoughts and paid attention.

  “Did you get a vibe off Vadin Labont that wasn’t all vampire?” Alrick questioned Calum.

  “Yes, I did. He presents as a vampire and I am certain that is what he believes himself to be, primarily. I believe Master Chamberlin is aware of his commander’s origins, he was too calm and relaxed. Not many vampires would agree to enter a dragon’s den.” Calum speculated.

  “Okay, what the hell are you talking about.” Bryn burst, his curiosity getting the best of him. Kyle was glad he spoke up. As Calum’s brother, Bryn could get away with demanding answers or explanation whereas the others had to follow protocol with their Chieftain. Right now, Kyle desperately wanted to know what they were talking about.

  “Hellhound.” Calum said just the one word and everyone in the room fell silent. It was legend in their homeland of the Shetland Islands that Hellhounds were the dragons equal. Dragon fire was the most powerful weapon on earth and could lay waste to any form, structure or being apart from Hellhounds.

  Hellhounds were, according to myth, forged in the fires of Hell and then released upon the earth. Over time, like every other species, they took on many aspects of the human population. Hellfire was the one thing that rivaled dragon fire, both were said to have dubious origins.

  “What does that mean for us?” Angus, always the practical, asked for clarity.

  “It means the Coven is much more powerful and protected than we first assumed. Vadin Labont is the Master’s Commander. He is head of security and he is leader of the assassin squad that came here two years ago.” Alrick explained. “They came to eradicate the Death Rangers but showed up too late.” Alrick gave a half grin. “A day late and a dollar short, as they say.”

  “Yeah, they swept the town looking for survivors, but came away empty handed just like us.” Bryn added to the conversation.

  “We both missed their leader, Florian Chamberlin. Somehow, he escaped and now appears to be back. The vampires have seventy-two hours to find him and kill him. After that, it is up to you to complete the job. We will keep an eye on our guests, but we will not interfere.” Calum spoke to all in the room and they all acknowledged and accepted. “Just remember, Vadin Labont is impervious to the powers of the dragon.”

  “But you said he is only part Hellhound. Perhaps his vampire nature weakens his Hellhound.” Bryn theorized.

  “Adding Hellhound to any mixture, is like adding gasoline, it takes over and dominates.” Calum informed and then glanced over to Kyle. “Get me some information on those three.”

  Kyle left the room immediately and closed himself up in his office. Calum usually doesn’t have to tell him to do something twice. But his head was full of that man, Vadin Labont, the Hellhound.

  Kyle had heard of Hellhounds before, but in his centuries on earth he’d never met one or if he had he didn’t realize it. He knew the scent of every species of being on earth, but not a hellhound. When he got close to Vadin, he would try to discern the difference in his scent as opposed to a vampire. Alrick and Calum recognized him right off, but then they were much older than Kyle.

  …

  Vadin accompanied Master Chamberlin back to the Coven in Jackson and then gathered what he and his small team would need to take out the rogue. He refused to use his given name because Florian had given up his name, his family, and his people when he went on his wild killing spree. He was a rogue and nothing more.

&
nbsp; His mind wondered for a moment to the dragon that had been watching him from the second-floor window. His gaze had been intent and was nailed on him. He could feel it the moment he exited the vehicle. But when he glanced up and their eyes met, Vadin did not see hostility, all he saw was curiosity and he found it quite an endearing surprise.

  He also found the man to be incredibly attractive from what he could see with a quick glance at such a distance. Vadin had only met one other dragon in his lifetime and that man had been part of a dragon circle located in the Alps. It was not a fond memory. The man came upon him and his men during a vampire skirmish. Vadin had belonged to a large Coven in Switzerland at the time and there were often battles with neighboring Covens over territory.

  The dragon took offence to the battle taking place in his territory and reduced to ash several of the vampires, a few from each side. Apparently, he wanted to be fair in a very cruel fashion. Vadin was one of the chosen but when the dragon tried to incinerate him, he was miraculously unharmed.

  The dragon appeared stunned for a moment and then turned and left without explanation. Vadin found it necessary to leave the Coven after that due to rumors and people suddenly being afraid of him as the rumors became extreme. He didn’t have an explanation that day, he couldn't tell them who he was, not after what happened at his birth coven.

  In the end, he was glad to have left. He had never been so happy and accepted and at home as the day he entered the Chamberlin Coven. He cherished the friendship he had with Augustin and the respect he got from his men. They all knew he was more than just a vampire but they never questioned him or demanded to know. They did not seem to care as to his heritage and saw him as a friend and an asset to their group. This was his home.

  …

  He met Rule and Mace at the Laramie Inn where they’d rented three rooms. Rule and Mace were waiting in his room when he arrived. “I’ll set up the surveillance equipment in here since I know how much you like to be hands on.” Mace explained.

  “Thanks, and yes, I do.” Vadin watched as Mace went about getting everything set up. He then went over and did a check and adjusted a couple of things before taking a seat and accepting the beer that Rule was handing him.

  “We have three days starting tomorrow morning to find and kill the rogue. I sent you both a current picture, commit it to memory.” Vadin took a long drink from his beer and began running through the information they had on the rogue.

  “I never saw a dragon before today.” Mace mentioned off handedly as he cleaned his weapons. “The two at the front door and the one up in the window looked pretty formidable.” He continued.

  “Yeah, the one in the window was fine looking. I don’t think I’ve seen hair so blond before and those green eyes were electric. I wouldn’t mind getting a closer look at that one.” Rule chuckled softly, but stopped when he saw the fierce expression on his Commander’s face.

  “You’ll keep your mind on the mission. We aren’t here to fraternize with the dragons.” Vadin snapped as he riveted both men with a dark stare. The men just nodded without comment.

  “I apologize for the condescension.” Vadin added after a moment to gather his raging thoughts. “But I would appreciate it if you would both stay away from the blond dragon.” His meaning was immediately understood, and both men gave a slight smirk at his expense.

  “He’s all yours, sir.” They said in unison.

  “Thank you.” Vadin wasn’t sure what just took place, but he felt better. Having the two men discuss the blond so crassly just was not tolerable, but the reason for that was not so clear.

  …

  Kyle went deep into the darkest corners of the web and still the information was limited. The vampires hid themselves expertly. Of course, they reinvented themselves approximately every hundred years so tracing them was a bit harder. Kyle just took it as a challenge and dove deeper.

  By morning he had a complete dossier on Mace Ramsey, Rule Flay, and Vadin Labont. He left it on Calum’s desk and went up to catch a few hours of sleep before breakfast. He met Dane coming downstairs as he was going up.

  “You just now going to bed?” Dane asked. “I know dragons don’t need a lot of sleep but I know for a fact that they need some.” Dane had turned into a bit of a mother hen since bonding with Alrick and moving to the Lodge and everyone loved him for it.

  “Is Archie up?”

  “Yes, Alrick is feeding him.” Dane turned back as he was headed for the kitchen. “I’ll have breakfast ready in an hour or so, but don’t worry, I’ll set some aside for you. So, you get some sleep.” Dane was an excellent cook, he and Flynn took turns preparing the meals. Flynn who was the only member of their Clan who understood the art of cooking, appreciated the help.

  “Yes, sir.” Kyle chuckled and headed up to his room. He heard Alrick talking with Archie as he passed their room and he smiled. Who would have thought their gruff, serious second in command would make such a loving and doting father? Life can be so surprising.

  Archie was half vampire and required blood daily. He would need this until he reached puberty and then his need would begin to taper off. For now, the dragons provided him the blood he needed for growth. Everyone volunteered, everyone contributed, they loved the little man in their midst and would die to keep him safe.

  Kyle woke still restless and tired after several hours. His dreams were consumed by the devilishly handsome vampire from yesterday. Vadin Labont called to him on a mystical level, called to his dragon and the reason for his intense preoccupation was becoming ever clearer.

  It was a consideration that he fought at first, feeling that it was just wishful think and the situation must have been misunderstood. He discovered quite a lot about the man during his research, information that had been buried so deep that even Kyle had difficulty accessing it. But Kyle was the best and nothing that was recorded remained hidden from him. It had taken all night and all his skills but the dossier was complete.

  It had bothered him to hand over the information on Vadin. It felt as if he were betraying a close friend or something. In the end, he gave the Chieftain everything except one account that was particularly personal and didn’t have any bearing on Vadin’s presence, performance or risk. It was an event that no one would want repeated if it had happened to them.

  After he finished the delicious breakfast that Dane had saved for him, a meeting was called and he was asked to relay the information gleaned from his research to the rest of the Clan. Calum and Alrick had already read the dossier he’d left on Calum’s desk, but wanted Kyle to present it, and to answer any questions that might arise.

  “I’ll start with Mace Ramsey.” He began and quickly filled them in on his military service and various Coven affiliations. “He has been with Chamberlin for the past sixty years as a soldier and then security specialist and an assassin. His birth coven was in Romania, he left due to issues with his sexuality. They apparently didn’t condone same sex unions. He bounced around to several covens along with a stint with the human military until he found a home with Chamberlin.”

  “Romania, really, how cliché.” Bryn joked, he just couldn’t help himself.

  “He’s a vampire, how did he serve in the human’s military and go undetected?” Angus threw out the random question.

  “He’s very good at blending into his environment. Humans only have their eyes and ears, they can’t scent a stranger and know who or what he is. They are fairly easy to deceive as we all know.” Kyle answered briefly and moved on. Angus nodded with perceived understanding.

  “Rule Flay grew up in the Chamberlin Coven and worked his way up to his present position of assassin. He is just an assassin no other titles. When they want someone dead, they call Rule.” Kyle handed the dossier out and the men began to read them and pass them around. They included further detail as to family and coven affiliations and any personal information that seemed pertinent.

  “Rule is a mechanic and an art collector?” Forbes asked. “Seems an odd combina
tion.”

  “Yeah, mechanically inclined, artistic, assassin.” Bryn chuckled.

  “They’re considered deadly, all of them.” Calum spoke up. “This is our town and the people who reside here are our people. They are our responsibility and ours to protect. These assassins and the Death Ranger may not be a danger to us but they are to the population of Laramie and it is up to us to keep everyone safe.” The men agreed.

  “You haven’t told us about the Hellhound.” It was Angus again that spoke up. “What’s his story?”

  Kyle saved him for last hoping that he’d come up with a way to present Vadin in his best light. He felt a connection to the hybrid vampire, but decided to say nothing about it until he had the chance to meet the man face to face. It would be apparent once he met him. The thought of what it would all mean crossed his mind, but he quickly set the thoughts aside until he could corroborate what he was feeling. There was no sense in alerting his Clan to the possibility until he was sure.

  “Vadin Labont was difficult to research, his history is vague. He’s much older than the other two. I do know that he was a member of a Coven in Lucerne, Switzerland before joining the Chamberlin Coven when it was in Boston. They moved to Jackson fifty-three years ago.

  “Why did he leave the Coven in Switzerland and is he aware that he’s a hellhound?” Angus asked the two seemingly unrelated questions.

  “Yes, he knows who he is, but as Calum already said, he identifies as vampire.” He really did not want to get into an in-depth discussion of Vadin’s life but unfortunately his Clan were curious. No one but Calum and Alrick had ever met a hellhound.

  “We aren’t Vadin’s first dragons, he battled a dragon in Switzerland, the Alps to be specific and it was then that he and his Coven realized there was more to him than just vampire.” Kyle explained the events that took place and that lead to Vadin leaving the Coven and coming to America.

  “How can he not identify as a Hellhound, fuck that is so much more than just a vampire?” Again, it was Angus struggling for understanding. Angus was usually the quiet one but not today. Kyle wished he would just shut up so he could move on and end the meeting. The irritation of discussing Vadin’s personal life was beginning to wear on his dragon.