“I don’t want to be executed!” Lost shouts as she comes to a lagoon. Jumping into the water, she is forced to leave by hungry eels that are no bigger than her arm. “Those little guys hurt! Just let me go back to my father and I promise not to play Princess General anymore. I won’t even call myself that again. Oh, don’t hurt my friends either. We didn’t know any better since we thought this is what vampires do. I promise not to cause any more trouble.”
“We know, Lost, but we still need to bring you to Nytefall,” Bob says from where he is hiding. Sending out one of his horses, he whispers for it to bow its head, but it topples into the water where it is eaten by the eels. “Thin legs might not have been a good idea. Anyway, I promise that we aren’t going to hurt you. Clyde might look scary, have a temper, and do bad things to people who break the law, but he isn’t evil. At least, not intentionally. He hasn’t destroyed any towns . . . Well, there may have been one or two in the past.”
“How is this helping?” Luther asks in a hushed voice. Having a phantom step into the open, he starts to circle around to the girl’s back. “All of us can keep Clyde in check and talk to him on your behalf. In fact, we’ve all told him that you shouldn’t be punished because you didn’t know our laws. So, he isn’t even angry about the trouble you’ve caused. Now, there’s a lot that we have to talk about such as where you came from and this whole daughter of Xavier Tempest thing.”
Lost tries to control the phantom, but catches the real one instead and forces him to run face first into a tree. “I will never betray my father! How am I supposed to trust you people when you keep sneaking up on me? Keep that big, scary guy away! I’ll have my bunny rip his throat out and feed it to whoever keeps coughing. Why are there so many voices yelling in my head right now? What did you people do to me?”
“This is the first time we’ve caught up to you,” Titus replies, his powerful voice shaking the leaves. His attempt to instill calm and confidence in Lost fails and the startled girl controls a pair of gibbons to throw fruit at him. “It’s possible that you have powers, which you haven’t figured out yet. The same thing happened to my sister when she was turned. That was when nobody knew anything about Dawn Fangs. Now, we have enough experience to help you. It won’t happen if you go back to Xavier.”
“You’re just jealous that I’m a princess and you’re ugly.”
“I’m not . . . Why are you being so difficult?”
“Because a scary guy wants to kill me.”
“For what probably won’t be the last time, Clyde won’t kill you.”
“I don’t trust monsters!”
“We’re all monsters!”
Luther drops on Titus’s shoulders and covers his mouth, a friendly smile barely able to calm the large man down. “How about we be quiet and let Bob handle this? He’s the only one who has had a decent conversation with the girl. Push her any harder and who knows what will happen. If it isn’t a physical outburst then it could be a mental attack. I can taste a lot of fear in the air, which means we need to tread carefully. Give it a try, Bob.”
“Wish me horseshoes,” the vampiric elf says before moving into the open. He disappears from view as soon as he feels a poke at his brain, but materializes when Lost forces him to go back to being visible. “I don’t know what else to tell you, Princess General. Clyde created some harsh rules because we needed to remain a secret to survive. You and these other Dawn Fangs might be putting that at risk. Nobody knows where you came from and you don’t know about the world you’re a part of, so both sides need answers. That’s the only way we can grow and you’re the one who can help everyone. Uh, I think I’m supposed to say other comforting and positive things here, but I’m not used to this. Maybe we can sit down, have a snack, and go back to our positions when we’re rested.”
“I am hungry,” Lost whispers with a pout.
A voice muttering about being almost in position causes the silver-haired girl to remember the last time she saw Bob. She looks down in time to see a hand emerge from her own shadow and reach for her ankle. With a scream, she steps away and stomps on the body part, her attacks moving to Mab’s face when it appears. The more experienced Dawn Fang muscles through the brain-rattling strikes, which are stopped when Lost is caught by the foot. Getting flipped into the lagoon, she has her bunny angrily bite at the eels to clear a path to a waterfall. She clambers onto the slick rocks and tries to climb up to the higher point of the river, but Mab grabs her by the face from one of the many shadows. Yanked into the monster-filled void, the terrified girl clutches her attacker’s wrist and wrestles with the woman to avoid getting thrown away. Her eyes go wide at the sight of an approaching serpent with icy teeth, but the vampires pass through another gateway before the predator can reach them. The instant she is free, Lost kicks the burglar in the chin and has her bunny slam into Bob’s side. Her two enemies stumble and curse, but they remain on their feet. Backing towards the nearest tree, she is about to jump into the branches when a spinning claymore shatters the branch she is eyeing. She turns around to see Titus and Luther walking in her direction, her mind too confused and full of panic to use her powers. The only mental control she can accomplish is occasionally have the other Dawn Fangs take a step backwards in a feeble attempt to slow their progress.
Lost hears a faint tap of a foot on damp rock and gazes at the top of the waterfall where Clyde is coming into view. A sudden surge of terror gives her enough focus to reach out with her mind-control powers and punch into the stronger Dawn Fang’s brain. She is barely aware of him roaring loud enough to shake the surrounding trees, the sound stopping the advance of the other four vampires. Digging further into her target’s mind, Lost finds a curious wall of red that is dripping with liquified rage. The flickering image of a rusty plug floats in the center of her vision, so she swats at it like an irritated cat. She hears someone take a step towards her and struggles to assume more control over Clyde, but cannot push beyond the barrier. With a shrug, she plucks out the plug and finds herself nearly swallowed by a wave of primal fury. Lost’s eyesight is bathed in a crimson haze and she only sees herself, the sensation of being both starving predator and helpless prey freezing her blood. The world is a blur of motion that prevents her from realizing that she is viewing everything through Clyde’s mind as he leaps towards her. A slender figure steps in front of Lost and she feels a surge of resistance that loosens her mental grip on the enraged monster. Her own eyes begin to work again an instant before a blood-covered fist hits her in the face and she loses consciousness.
“Dammit, I told her that you wouldn’t hurt her,” Bob whines as he looks down at Clyde’s arm going through his chest.
8
Archillious puts up his hand to stop his army from marching while he continues walking through the forest. His keen eyes pick out movement beyond the distant tree line, but he does very little to hide his presence. It is only when he can clearly make out the womb-born that he slows down and concentrates on moving silently. The mortal’s eye twitches when he hears Decker’s thudding footsteps coming up behind him, the dwarf never letting him stray very far from the group. He glances over his shoulder and scowls when he sees that Stephanie is following him as well. The ritualist is no longer decrepit and drained, so he enjoys ogling her barely clothed body, but her refusal to hang back when stealth is needed has worn out her welcome. He has repeatedly wanted to ask if she is really a calico since such cat-like people are supposed to be naturally stealthy and agile. The only thing stopping him is the possibility that she would get angry and ruin his chance to catch up to Lost. Archillious gets lower to the ground and licks his lips as he nears his targets, his fingers wiggling to stay loose and ready in case he needs to draw a weapon. He considers rushing into the clearing and grabbing a prisoner until he spots Kai traveling through the branches. Feeling like there is no more reason for him to continue, the Utukku takes a seat next to a tree stump and pulls out a biscuit.
“My job was only to bring you to where Lost shoul
d be,” Archillious states when Decker and Stephanie catch up. Ignoring their frowns, he stretches his arms and yawns before gently patting the ground next to him. “You look pretty tired, Mistress Talon, so how about taking a seat over here? Those kids won’t notice us since it looks like they’re distracted. I can already tell that Lost isn’t with them. Don’t think I failed though. These are the vampires who attacked Nyte, but it looks like something went wrong within the last couple of days. Did you know that people still don’t notice large armies traveling through the wilderness? Nearly seven decades after the Great Cataclysm and society is still exposed like a barely beating heart. This is the type of world where a man as smart and strong as myself can thrive.”
“You better not be wasting our time,” Decker says, his eyes following Kai. He moves ahead of his companions to give himself a clear path to the spymaster, who has crawled down to the ground. “Nobody has picked up on us being here, so they’re either distracted as you said or untrained. If these womb-born are anything like Lost then it could be either. You said she promised them a war. Against who?”
“Vampires, mortals, the parents who abandoned them, and a few other targets. Lost isn’t what you would call consistent,” the mortal replies with a smirk. Taking a battered notebook out of his pocket, he flips to one of the few pages that is not dotted with blood. “I stopped counting around their twentieth idea. You have to realize that these are kids who don’t really understand the world. Most of them were never really a part of it because they feared being hated and driven away. Hearing the stories of my great journeys may have given them the idea that Windemere requires unique people to go into battle. It isn’t like vampires have ever been known for their peaceful nature either. If it helps put you at ease, Lost always thought of it as a game. She tends to see everything in terms of having fun. It’s Eighty and the others who should worry you. So, how does a vampire keep her skin looking so smooth and enticing?”
“I drink a lot of blood whiskey,” the dwarf interjects to save his blushing companion from an awkward conversation. Walking backwards, he stops at Archillious and reaches down to pull him away from Stephanie. “To be clear, I don’t like or trust you. That means I don’t need much of a reason to turn you into vulture food. Keep that in mind the next time you want to make a pass at a friend of mine.”
“You’re just angry that she came along when you told her to stay behind.”
“It was her choice to listen to my advice or continue.”
“Oh, are you pulling her tail and making her yowl? Sorry to step on your turf.”
“You are such a crude and ugly creature.”
“If I was ugly then I wouldn’t have gotten her to smile so often.”
“Everyone is amused by a fool.”
Both men growl while Decker grips his axe and turns it into an acid weapon, the display of magic having no effect on Archillious. The grinning mortal holds open his jacket and pretends to draw a target on his heart. Becoming impatient with the cautious vampire, he gently gyrates his hips and comes close to dancing in place. The only thing that stops him from making too much noise is the shouting he can barely hear from the direction of the Dawn Fang army. Confident that Decker is not going to make a move, Archillious casually waves him away and turns his back. His expression changes to one of amusement when Kai materializes in front of him and lifts him by the neck. Dangling from the spymaster’s fingers, the mortal crosses his arms and sighs as if bored by the all too familiar threat. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Stephanie get to her feet and almost make a move towards him. The thought of her being worried about his safety causes Archillious’s to raise his head and do his best to look down his nose at the fang-bearing vampire.
“You have already failed us,” Kai hisses as his ebony eyes swirl like tiny abysses. Not sensing any fear in the man’s body, he gives up on intimidation and slams him against the nearest tree. “Lost led them into a battle that ended up being with an illusionary army. She was chased into the jungle by the Vengeance Hounds, but we can assume that Clyde and Mab weren’t far behind. She might already be in the hands of the one person we didn’t want her to meet. Imagine what would happen if she sides with our enemies and brings the rest of the womb-born over to Nytefall. That’s an army that we wanted for Nyte. You claimed that you could get us Lost, but now she is beyond our reach.”
“Maybe your reach, but she is never beyond mine,” Archillious proudly declares with a laugh. Tapping on Kai’s fingers, which are wrapped around his neck, he shrugs when the grip merely loosens. “Do you really think that girl can be contained so easily? One look at a sock and she’ll be back on the run, so don’t go surrendering now. Besides, I’ve done enough research into her and this Clyde person to know where they’ll take her. Unlike you, Mr. Stavros, I’ve been blessed with the ability to see patterns without bias. The great Archillious can find the truth while others fumble over lies. My uncle said I could have been a great priest of Gar, but I found I work better as a self-taught man. That goes for many fields.”
“Then tell us where they-” Decker begins to snarl. He stops when the man is released and gestures as if buttoning his lips. “Of course, you won’t share because we might kill you and take your army. I take back the fool comment, but that doesn’t mean I like you. Can you give us a hint as to where we will be going? After all, I find it hard to believe a stranger could predict Clyde while the three of us who have known him for decades are at a loss. Have you been stalking him?”
The wild-haired mortal leans against a tree, the dented trunk feeling rough even through his thick jacket. “Never even seen the legendary Dawn Fang progenitor, but men of greatness always hear of each other. I’m sure he knows of me too. There have been a few places that I’ve traveled to over the years and heard his name whispered. It didn’t require a lot of time or resources to get enough information to understand the monster. That’s all I will say to you and Stavros. The hint that you so desire will only be shared with the delectable Mistress Talon. I promise to keep my hands and other parts to myself. Unless she has fallen to my god-like charms. In that case, the tender Archillious must be a gentleman and give the lady what she wants.”
“Try not to kill him, Stephanie,” Kai whispers while walking by the calico.
“I won’t be able to hear you, but I will be watching from over there,” Decker warns as he draws his axe.
Waving to the departing vampires, Archillious offers his hand to Stephanie, who refuses to move from her spot. The ritualist does not appear tense and her tail lazily swishes behind her, but he can tell that she is nervous and showing signs of keeping a secret. His eyes repeatedly shift to her feet that continue to tap a random beat that changes every ten seconds. For the first time, he realizes that she has been keeping her face hidden with the cowl of her night cloak. Leaning in close, the mortal tries to make out her features, which abruptly turn monstrous in an attempt to drive him back. Instead, Archillious grins and playfully flicks to tip of her nose, which has become long and needle-like. Stephanie sighs as she returns to her true form and jumps onto a low branch, which puts her comfortably out of reach of the man.
“You’re pretty bad at these kinds of journeys,” Archillious points out while standing below the calico. He is about to jump up to her when he remembers that Decker is looking for any excuse to attack. “Best not to roil the waters any more. So, you insisted on coming along even though Lady Sylvan didn’t want you to leave Nyte. It wasn’t to grace us with your personality since I’m a much brighter ball of joy and I haven’t heard you speak in days. Your specialty is scrying and rituals, which makes your presence here even more confusing. Now, my unmatched powers of deduction tell me there’s something else going on here. You have an ulterior motive that might not run parallel to the mission the rest of us are on. What is it that you really want from this outing?”
“I seek a way to become stronger for Lady Sylvan,” Stephanie claims in a low voice. She digs her nails into the tree and tenses her m
uscles as if she is going to come down. “A loner such as yourself would not understand the things people do for those they love. My hope is that I will find a key to the Dawn Fangs’ powers by examining Lost or one of the other womb-born. Their blood must hold some secrets. Uncovering such things is another of my specialties and I hope to use what I find to do more for Lady Sylvan. Since she denied my request to be transformed, I need another way to help her.”
“Not as interesting as I’d hoped,” the mortal says with a sigh. Beckoning for the vampire to join him, he pulls out a flask of blood and places it in a tree knot. “You’re right that I don’t understand what you’re doing since love is a luxury I could never afford. Not saying I’m inexperienced in the more physical side of such things, but that’s for women to experience instead of hear about. Gloating about sexual prowess is so primitive and tends to stop you from getting what you really want. What I can say is that you should do what you think is best and deal with the consequences later. Most people don’t know what they really need until it’s staring them in the face.”
“You want me to go against my master’s wishes?”
“I won’t say yes or no to that.”
“She could cast me aside.”
“Not if you find a way to become stronger and invaluable.”
“I will consider your advice. Now, you tell me where we are going?”
Archillious waves for her to join him and puts his lips against her ear as soon as she drops down. “Never let it be said the wise and handsome Archillious isn’t a man of his word. Yet, I still wish to have a little fun since you never know if enemy ears are listening. Are you in the mood for some pie?”
*****
Bright lights shine through the windows of the cupcake-shaped building, which has become more popular in recent years. Still surrounded by birch trees and protective hummingbirds, the Scrumptious Siren remains neutral ground for mortals to unwittingly mingle with vampires of both types. It has grown to include a patio on the southern side of the structure and a deeper network of rooms beneath the constantly bustling main floor. The ceiling menu has been expanded as more recipes are introduced to the hardworking goblin bakers, who are as viciously protective of their wares as ever. The two sliding poles, which bring guests and employees to the private rooms below, now flank the bar to make space for a larger dance floor. A stage has been set up around the stairs that lead from the entrance to the tavern area, the wooden dais raised to keep the bards and other entertainers barely out of reach of the drunken guests. Few pay attention to the lock on the bottom of the steps, which is only removed on special days to let the chosen hundred access to Chastity’s newest addition to her business. Once freed, the stairs can be lifted to reveal a water slide leading to a hot spring that has been magically cloaked within the birch forest. Rumors have spread far and wide about the parties being the wildest events ever witnessed on Windemere, which has caused many patrons to arrive in swimsuits.
Lost (War of Nytefall Book 2) Page 14
