Token Vampire (Token Huntress Book 2)

by Kia Carrington-Russell

  “Get over yourself. That was not your fight or mission. That was Chase’s coven. That is his problem,” Tythian said. I snarled at him, my fangs wanted to dive into his neck. I lunged for him, but the difference in our age and speed was evident. He slammed me against the rocky wall. One hand was firmly grasped around my throat; the other casually hung over my head as he leaned in to speak to me.

  “Control the monster you have become, look at yourself,” Tythian said. Before I could respond, I fell back into the wall. Tythian had teleported me and dropped me into Cesar’s room.

  “Esmore?”

  I snarled at the person who dare speak my name in such a foul mood. I spun, baring my fangs and froze when I locked eyes with Dillian who stared at me mortified and in caution. I looked over my positioning, which was ready to attack. I looked like the sabers and vampires that had attacked us many times before.

  “Aww, my baby vamp girlfriend returned. Let me handle this Dillian,” Chase said, with a charming smile. “Grab Julia and take her to the other room. I will handle this.” After great hesitation, Dillian turned his back to me. He reached out to Julia who sat at the wooden table, petrified. Chase walked over to me and crouched to my level.

  “Somebody had a little too much fun today,” he mused with a mischievous smile. He trailed a finger over my cheekbone, which shot flares that danced against my skin. I wanted the flames to fulfill a much deeper urge in me that hungered. I slammed Chase into the closest wall, wanting him entirely. Chase was mine and I wanted to claim him all over again. He didn’t seem shocked by my movement, but only laughed by my dominance. Just as quickly, he flipped me onto my back now and pushed me into the jarred and rocky wall.

  He traced his fingers over my lips, his eyes burned with the same desire. “You make it hard to say no, Esmore,” he purred. I nipped at his finger and drew blood in playful tease. I rolled the taste in my mouth, savouring it and wanting more. This is when I felt closest to Chase.

  “But unfortunately my love, I can’t have you in this state. Don’t get me wrong, I like it rough.” He cupped his hand under my ass and raised my heat to his hard groin. “I want you more than anything, in this state.” He licked the salty taste of both blood and sweat from my neck. I pounded for him, and the thirst was almost excruciating.

  “We need to keep you in check. I can’t have you like this. Not now, when you have no control,” he smiled sweetly and kissed down my neck and collar bone. I could feel him intruding in my mind. He raced a calming effect over my entire body. I wanted to fight him and the calm effect he placed over me. I wanted to ravage him, and I knew he wanted the same. Gently, he let my feet touch the ground. I swallowed shakily. His calmness pooled into my eyes.

  “We can’t here, not like this Esmore. I will only take you when you are in control,” he said, kissing my forehead softly. With the softness of his lips and influence in my mind, I felt relieved. Slowly, the monster that had taken over today, was receding into a quieter place, where I could now properly think. I narrowed my eyebrows in confusion. How had I let myself be taken over, without even realizing it? I reveled in the thought. I retracted my fangs, my vision now clear as my Hunter eyes vanished.

  Chase grabbed me and held me close to his chest. With vampire speed he took me to the other room and placed me gently into small stream of water. I couldn’t rid of my internal disgust. The sensation of being a vampire and how good it felt, had overpowered me.

  “Just because I am being chivalrous, it doesn’t mean I don’t want to scrub your back,” Chase winked. He peeled my leather shirt off and gulped at the satisfaction he had when looking at my bare chest. He grabbed a cloth and began to rub away the dried blood. “Now you naughty little thing, tell me everything that happened.”

  I informed Chase of the assassination, which came as no surprise to him. He already knew that I would thirst in such a way. I was angry at myself, because the others had already predicated I would have such little control in such a position of power. I soaked in the water, enjoying the sensation of it pass over my naked form. I needed to refocus on what was important to me and my goal. I was too quickly overcome and ravished by the monster within. No not a monster, my vampire self.

  Chase had rolled up his jeans, so he could dip his feet into the water. He lay back comfortably on his elbows, looking at nothing in particular. “You have something else to tell me, don’t you?” he hummed in assumption. I finished scrubbing my hair and began to braid it. “Come here, Esmore, I can do that for you.” I drifted over to him, the water around me rippling.

  “You can braid?” I asked, with a promiscuous smile.

  “I used to for my mother, when I was younger. Even if she were ill, she still had to look presentable when entering the village. And, I am practically amazing at everything I do, so don’t be so shocked,” he teased with a cocky smile. I tried to picture a younger Chase who cherished his mother so dearly. I turned my back on him and gave him my hair. He began to comb through my hair with his fingers. I hadn’t told him everything. I was very wary and unsure as to how to tell him; that the coven he had been avoiding for his entire vampire life, is still hunting him.

  “Before we left with Tythian, only Balzar and I remained. There was the presence of many more vampires that swarmed around us, after the assassination. Tythian came and wouldn’t allow me to search further. He had teleported us both once he confirmed who it was.” Chase continued to braid my hair. He slightly paddled his feet in the water, while listening. I stopped him, by placing my hand on his and looked over my shoulder. I needed to see what expression he would show. “Chase, Tythian confirmed that it was your coven.”

  Gently, Chase straightened my face to look forward and continued braiding. “Oh, is that so? Well I am thankful to Tythian, for taking you out of that environment.”

  “Why are you thankful to Tythian?!” I snapped and tried to reface him. But again, he readjusted my posture so I was looking forward. He continued to braid my hair. I felt his presence hover over my mind again, enforcing his calm self. Was I really unable to control myself that much?

  “It’s not Tyhian’s fault I avoid that coven. It is only mine, so don’t blame Tythian. I would have asked him to do the same thing,” he said calmly.

  “But why? I could have helped you with that problem. I can fight them Chase, if you-”

  “No,” he pulled back on my hair lightly. I looked up at him. His gray eyes pooled into me calmly, yet there was an edge of protectiveness in them. Chase and I knew how one another felt; even one another’s thoughts without relaying words. Was that the power of being one another’s familiar, or simply because we were so comfortable with one another? “I forbid you to make contact with them. This is not your fight, Esmore. Although we will always aid in fighting one another’s battles, this is one I must conquer myself.”

  “Why do you fear me helping you? What do they have over you, that has had you running for so long?”

  Chase pressed a kiss onto my forehead. “That is a part of my past, Esmore; that is something only I can challenge and defeat. I don’t see it as simply, a vampire fight and going in for the kill. That coven represents the demons of my past, the decisions I made and the past life I once had. And still I am too weak to face them. I do not fear challenging them. I fear accepting what I have become. I never wanted to be a coven leader. I didn’t know of those rules and leadership regulations. Even if I had known, I would have probably still murdered that vampire who stripped my mother away and into a vampire. I don’t want to be a coven leader. For now, I am content to aid you in whatever way you need me. My only focus is on you, Esmore. To me, that coven is only a step back and a distraction. I have made no claim to them, and want nothing to do with them.”

  Chase gently placed my freshly braided hair, over my shoulder. I flicked it back and forth, considering his words, his previous life. It was so surreal to have the same body and look the same, yet to now feel entirely different. Like a completely different creature all together.
I had no idea who, or what I was anymore.

  “You are beautiful.” Chase kissed my cheek and slowly spun me around, creating ripples through the water. He held out his hand, to help me out. “Let me remind you of what you are here for. You are here to help your friend Dillian and Julia. You will find them a place where they are safe. What happens after that is your choice. But for now, that is what you are focusing on. Your next step is to go to the human compound with Yolo. This was your decision and I support it, as long as you know you have full control.” Chase pulled me out of the water and held me close to him. I inhaled his intoxicating smell.

  “You always know what to say to me,” I purred. For all my independence and strength, I found myself to be further lost by every step I now took. Chase was my only solid foundation that connected me to reason and my hunter self.

  “That is because I am basically God,” he smiled sheepishly. I punched him in the stomach in flirtatious play. “Now put these on, some fresh clothes for you, and go talk to Dillian. Remind him that you are still you, and that you are safe to be around.”

  “I think he will fear and hate me by how I reacted before,” I said, self-conscious of my actions. I broke my physical contact with Chase, which dispersed that awful sensation of emotion.

  “He won’t hate you,” Chase said, tucking part of my fringe behind. “Esmore, you won’t win if you try to hide from your vampire self, you must find balance and learn to control it. Don't deny that it is a part of you. You need to be that honest with him. Now go,” Chase said, slapping my ass. “And come back to me later, to remind me of how amazing and handsome I am.” He began walking out of the bathroom.

  “Where are you going?” I asked, collecting the clothes from the ground.

  “To find and talk with Tythian.”

  “You can’t go out there by yourself. What if the others find you and-”

  “Are you worried about me, Esmore?” Chase purred as he rested his arm on the doorframe. “I am no weak, lost puppy. I can look after myself. And don’t forget, I am as stubborn as you. You can’t tell me what to do,” he winked, before racing out at vampire speed. If I weren’t entirely naked I would have given chase. But he was right; I had to make amends with Dillian and Julia. I needed to refocus on my prior goal and stay connected to my Hunter self. Dillian always advised me and looked after me. I had to depend on that stability and do my best for them. They were in this situation and underground labyrinth because of me.

  I flicked my braided blonde hair over my leather sleeveless shirt and walked towards the other room. The door was closed. I knocked on it lightly, waiting for Dillians permission to enter. Cautiously, he permitted me to do so.

  I could feel the tension in the air. There wasn’t much to the room. A spacious bed, wardrobe, and corner chair. I leant against the back of the door and closed it. Julia no longer held fear in her eyes at the sight of me. It was Dillian’s expression who hurt the most; that I was affected by most.

  “I am sorry about before. I am struggling to adjust, to this new part of me,” I said honestly. Dillian said nothing and only watched me. There was something that I needed to know, something I had to ask him. I wasn’t yet sure if I was prepared for the answer, but either way, I would make sure he and Julia were safe. “Do you hate me now Dillian? Finding out that I am part vampire, it is something I can’t change. A Hunter’s natural instinct is to kill vampires, I still have that feeling. But, I can’t deny the presence of my other self any more. Do you hate me and want to kill me?”

  Dillian looked at Julia, who obviously prompted him to speak. The numerous bars in his ear reflected against the small candle light.

  “I don’t hate you. It’s hard but, Esmore, as you said, it’s our natural instinct. But, I still see you as my comrade, not a disgusting vampire. Don’t prove me wrong in that matter. Don’t rely on that ability, rely on your own. You are one of the strongest Huntresses I know. You are a Token Huntress, Esmore. You are also my best friend. I had made amends with losing my life that day when you rescued Julia and me. But now being here, I feel more stuck and tortured than ever, and I feel weak because I can’t completely protect Julia.”

  “That’s not true,” Julia gasped and grabbed Dillian’s hand. “You know I would have chosen to go anywhere you did. I’d rather be stuck here with you if only for a few weeks, than having lost you to Campture.”

  “You both don’t need to speak in such a way,” I said, wanting to dispel their misconceptions of their safety. “I have already vowed I will protect you both and find you refuge. Tomorrow I will be going to the human compound. There I will see what I can find, and understand their structure. If that is not deemed safe then I will convince Tythian to teleport us to the human camp near our old Guild.”

  “Just help us escape Esmore, we can handle it from there,” Dillian said confidently. He was a fine warrior indeed, but whether they would survive on their own, I wasn’t entirely sure. Not because I doubted Dillian’s strength, but I doubted Julia’s. Her ability of plant enhancement and growth would sustain them for food, but Dillian would do anything to protect her. If they were attacked by a formidable group of sabers, I was certain he would protect her at any cost.

  “I too considered the same and I would have joined and protected you both. However, there is no way of escaping, other than Tythian’s teleportation. The entrance to these underground tunnels is also the home to a large group of sabers. We would never be able to escape through such a passage. Cesar’s ability enables him to cloak our very presence from them. It is also a deterrent for foreigners to attack. Tythian is our only option.”

  “Sabers?” Julia gasped in surprise. Although it was a shock, it also made perfect sense. Cesar was a clever leader, but that could easily go down like a double edged sword if he were severely weakened for any reason.

  “Give me a few more days. I will find us some place to go. Please do not fear me. I now understand to what extent I might be overrun by my own vampire self, I won’t let that happen again,” I said. I wasn’t confident that I could do it by myself. But, with Chase by my side, I knew I could. I knew he would never enable me to lose control again like that. In this sense, I had to admit I was entirely indebted to Chase for being the only person to be able to pull me out of such frenzy. Not even I had the control to do that. Footsteps approached Cesar’s room.

  “Someone is coming, stay here,” I hushed. I closed the door behind me and guarded the double wooden doors.

  “Oh, hey baby sis,” Yolo gleamed. “I saw Balzar and thought you might be here. Cesar wanted an updated report, but it appears Lydia already told him. Good job, that’s a decent sized group to take down on your first outing. I bet Thomas is going to be pissed when he hears about it.” Yolo began laughing to himself. “Also, your familiar shouldn’t really be walking around by himself. I saw him with Tythian a little while ago, but still.”

  “My familiar is permitted to do whatever he likes, I am not his keeper,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

  “You’re so cold to me.” Yolo’s eyes teared up theatrically. “And here I was, coming out of the kindest of my heart, to see if you were thirsty-”

  “I am not,” I said, cutting him off.

  “Well that is rude, you should let one finish their sentence first. I also came to talk about tomorrow. So stop giving me sass and start respecting your older bro,” he said with a lecturers tone.

  “You are not my-”

  “Yea, yea, whatever. Tythian said you lost control, and turned into a savage. I can’t risk taking you in like that. You understand that, right? The goal of what you did today and what you will be walking into tomorrow, are entirely different. You cannot act out of accordance for one second; you will have to entirely act human. Although the weakest on the food chain, humans aren’t entirely dumb. I can’t have you risking what I’ve already built.” I tried to interrupt, but he raised his finger to me. “Like you are trying to protect your comrades and family, Esmore; I too am doing th
e best for mine. You are the only thing right now that will implement and destroy what I have built for that goal. I can only take you, if you honestly believe you are in control. If you break my trust, lose it, and destroy all that I have gained, let me assure you that I can do the same. I don’t take kindly to liars and those who have no control. I am a very casual guy, but this, this will depend entirely on you, as to whether your Hunter friends survive within here or not. Mmmmkay?”

  At first, my body was thrilled at the threat and challenge; but this was exactly what Yolo was talking about, this inexperience of mine. I gulped down that sensation, which too quickly came to the surface. He had every right to state so. “I understand, but I won’t lose control.”

  Yolo looked at me for a moment thinking, entertaining an idea. “Okay, well we need a safety word or something. If you are fixating on their military sector, while getting a feel for their function, to see it is safe for your Hunter friends; we won’t be together most of the time. You can like mind read and stuff can’t you?”

  “Sort of. I can communicate to Chase fluently. However unless in a dream I can’t speak to others in such a way, only if they permit me and open their mind to me I can do so.” Yolo gave me a pained face. Obviously, the thought of him opening his mind to me, scared him. “Besides that, I can send influential thoughts and such, but in a subtle way so they don’t know I am manipulating them.”

  “Well, that’s kind of quirky. Just slam it into me. If something happens, find me and hit me hard with something so I know. Can you send me like a brief panic signal; so like I will be overcome with panic, and know that you are in trouble or something?”

  Implementing the idea, I focused on Yolo’s mind, like I would all others. It surprised me how everyone’s mind was very different, so I could decipher them. It was very interesting that their mind vibe was in a way, the same feeling I had of their personality. Yolo’s was goofy but kind; experimental but practical at the same time. He wasn’t the most level headed person, but he was dependable. With a huge rush of panic and sensations of torture, I pressed them onto him hard. Yolo’s eyes widened in fear. I dispelled the sensation. I now felt slightly connected to Yolo. What an odd experiment. Yolo took a few breaths and then began laughing. He scratched the back of his head.