Crossroads Coven: Sex, Blood, and Rock 'n' Roll (Siren Publising LoveXtreme Special Edition)

by Jools Louise

  “Enough of your lies,” Reinhardt retorted sharply. “We know he is alive. We know this. Now where is he?”

  “How do you know?” I asked, curious. I knew they could not have followed us all without someone spotting the tail. I believed, instead, that they’d gotten lucky. We had our own spies, who were a little more reliable than Theo’s pet goons. We had been informed that Theo had been chasing his own tail for weeks since our cabin in Quebec had been blown to smithereens. There was no way he could have followed, but it was conceivable that, by traveling on a well-used highway, we would have been spotted at some point, even while split into groups.

  Reinhardt glared at Luc, who stared back stoically. “You told us that Julius lives,” Reinhardt said accusingly.

  “He does live,” Luc retorted. “I saw them, the whole coven, at a truck stop on the border with Quebec and Ontario. Then they split up. I’ve been following behind for a couple of days now. These guys are the rear guard.”

  I let out a mocking laugh and rolled my eyes at the younger vampire, who flushed angrily at my response. “Boy, you most certainly did not see our beloved prince because he is deceased,” I replied, sharing a pitying glance with Reinhardt, who was eyeing Luc with suspicion. Reinhardt trusted no one, and that would be his downfall in this instance. Luc probably had seen us, exactly where he said, but I would put so much doubt into Reinhardt’s mind that he would not believe it.

  “I met up with a group of delicious humans, who provided many delightful snacking opportunities for myself and my beautiful companions.” I gestured to my group. Reinhardt smiled at my little joke, and I reeled him in. I clapped my hand on his shoulder companionably, and this time triggered my ring’s deadly barb again, injecting more poison into the disgusting thug. “How about we all share some more beers and drown our sorrows at lost princes and incompetent younglings?” I said, and Reinhardt sent a final glare to Luc, promising retribution, before he sat down.

  I looked at Daniel then across at Luc, sending another message to my circle mate. The big Irishman winked and then sidled up to Luc, offering to buy him a beer. Luc pouted and shook his head before leaving the bar. Daniel trailed after him casually while I distracted Reinhardt. We needed to know if Reinhardt had company, or if he and Luc were the only ones here so far. Plying Reinhardt with drink for a few hours may just do the trick…while the poison worked through his system.

  * * * *

  Daniel

  The sweet young twink I followed back to the campsite proved a delightful distraction. He had a nice, tight little ass that I wanted to sink my fangs into. The young vampire was not too tall, approximately five and a half feet tall, about six inches shorter than my own six feet. He had short brown hair, in a spiky style, gelled up. His face was exquisitely formed, almost feminine, with rosy pouting lips and big blue eyes that seemed to dominate his face. He wore three hooped rings in his right ear, and I had some saucy thoughts about discovering what other piercings the man had.

  Suddenly Luc turned and began walking determinedly back toward me. I grinned at the young vampire, not even trying to hide the fact that I’d been stalking him as prey.

  “What the fuck do you want?” Luc asked, hands on hips, his blue eyes sparking with angry fire. “You know damned well what’s going on. You know Theo will just keep sending more of his minions after you. Why not just give up now? Save yourself a whole lot of pain later on.”

  I tilted my head and softened my smile. “Has someone been spying?” I asked. “Theo will cause us all pain, whether we give in or not. He destroyed my coven, murdered my prince, just because he was jealous of what we had. Our prince was merely an irritation to Theo, something to be crushed.”

  “Why do you keep lying?” Luc retorted, sounding frustrated. “I know what Prince Julius looks like. He was there at that truck stop. Why do you keep talking about him as though he’s the best of men when he was so weak?”

  I moved closer, standing toe to toe with Luc, and leaned down until our noses touched. “Do you really think that a man who inspires the love of his people is a weak man?” I asked softly. “Prince Julius Markham III was the best of men and the best of princes. He will endure long after the likes of Theo is long forgotten because of our love for him. Now run along home to your wonderful coven, who kill and maim and destroy for pleasure. I will continue my journey to find a new home with my family for as long as it takes. And when you do meet up with Theo again, and report your findings, beware, because he despises younglings as much as he despised Julius. Younglings are not to be trusted and are considered cannon fodder, if you understand my meaning.”

  Luc snorted and backed up warily but not before I saw the trickle of sexual awareness in his expression. He was not immune to me after all, and his nostrils quivered as he put some space between us.

  “Prince Julius lost his coven to Theo. That makes him weak,” the youngster bit out sharply. “Theo outsmarted him.”

  I closed the distance again, this time lightly brushing my lips against Luc’s soft cheek. I smiled a little as he shivered delicately. “Prince Julius was awarded his title as recognition for his courage and skills as a diplomat. Everything Theo has is the result of treachery and brutality. He is a monster.” I nipped at Luc’s earlobe delicately feeling his shudder and the scent of his arousal increased.

  “Luc, I can assure you that Theo’s act of treachery will not go unavenged,” I continued, ever so quietly. “Those who choose to follow him will remain our enemies. Those who wish for a better life, surrounded by love and esteem and friendship…those vampires will earn our eternal loyalty and respect.” I backed up a little, staring into his beautiful eyes. “Theo and his thugs are monsters. They destroy rather than nurture. They breed hatred and contempt, rather than love or kindness. My prince was the kindest of vampires, a truly honorable man. Without him, our coven is missing its heart and soul, but we shall not let his death be in vain. We will prevail and gather a new coven. All those who wish to live by our values are welcome to join.” I paused, letting that sink in, and then took two steps backward again. “Now, if you don’t mind, I wish to return to my friends.” I tipped an imaginary cap to the man and then turned to walk back to the bar.

  I tunneled back inside Luc’s mind, seeing the confusion there. Then I heard him walk away in the direction of the campsite. I sighed. I had tried.

  * * * *

  Luc

  I shuddered in fear as Reinhardt returned, as drunk as a vampire could be, which wasn’t really too drunk. Just enough to be dangerous. He eyed me with malicious intent, and I cringed back as he stalked closer. My back was against the large SUV, and I knew it would be hopeless to try to run. Reinhardt was super-fast, and it would only make him angrier.

  Without warning, his fist lashed out, catching the side of my head and lifting me off the ground and through the window of the vehicle behind me. Glass shattered, and I sprawled on the back seat, dazed by the blow. Trying to gather my senses, I heard the door open, and then I was dragged, by my feet to the ground. A booted foot connected with my ribs and then again and again. The pain seared my body, and I tried to curl into a ball, tried to minimize the damage. I whimpered, lost in my fear, remembering when I had been but a child, being abused by my father. Every night. Every day. Then the nightmare had continued as I grew older, taken to a brothel and hired out for the pleasure of those who could pay. After years of being abused, I had been taken from the brothel and placed into Theo’s brutal hands, converted against my will. I had been gifted to Reinhardt by Theo, as a reward for taking down the Crossroads Coven. Theo was my original sire, by force and I had never wanted to kill any two people so badly in my two hundred years of being on this planet. They were both monstrous bullies, and I wanted so badly to believe Daniel. He had offered me a way out. But I feared the repercussions from Theo and his pet Reinhardt if I left.

  I was beginning to lose consciousness, the blows raining down relentlessly. Kicks and punches and the scrape of claws against my flesh.
I had the feeling that Reinhardt wasn’t going to stop. He was angry at what he thought were my lies. But I hadn’t lied. Had I? I was so sure that I had seen Prince Julius.

  I heard a snarl of rage, and suddenly, the beating stopped. I glanced up blearily, my vision obscured by a veil of blood, which dripped from cuts to my head and face. Reinhardt was in the grip of the big, black African, Mercer. I cheered silently as Reinhardt was lifted clear off his feet and then thrown some twenty feet across the campsite into a rocky outcropping. He hit with stunning force and snarled again, struggling to get up.

  I watched as Mercer stalked his quarry but was distracted by the arrival of Daniel and the others of their coven. Faye, Amelia, Naomi, and Callum helped me to my feet, and Daniel half carried me to a large tent the size of a small house. I was deposited upon a soft but thin mattress before Daniel and Callum departed. The women gathered closer and bade me to sip from their wrists so that their blood might heal my wounds. I accepted gratefully and for once took care not to overindulge.

  Then I lay back, cradled by the women, and closed my eyes, sated by my meal. It was my first proper feed in days. Reinhardt had kept me half starved, wanting me desperate enough that I would do anything that he asked. I heard the sounds of snarls and then an abrupt cessation of sounds outside the tent. Then, with a deep sigh, I allowed my mind to slide into slumber, and I knew no more.

  Chapter Eleven

  Mercer

  Reinhardt’s body was now dust, and a swift, telepathic message to Theo informed the traitorous moron that his lieutenant’s attempts had failed. With the sire bond broken, Luc would now be free to choose the coven he wanted to go to. Despite Theo being his original sire, the transfer of ownership to Reinhardt had broken the original bond. Now Reinhardt was dead, and the bond was shattered completely. It would be Luc’s choice whether to join us, not mine. The youngster needed to learn that he did have choices if he decided to live a different existence, with us. It would be the first step to building trust.

  I ducked my head as I stepped into the tent, leaving Daniel and Callum to stand guard. I still wasn’t convinced that Reinhardt had been alone. He rarely travelled far without a large entourage to show off his evil side to. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were an attack that night, and I intended to be far away before that happened. My message to Theo would be a provocation, to be sure, and I was expecting retaliation, especially since I had just annihilated one of Theo’s chief enforcers.

  I alerted the others and kept watch over young Luc as they gathered our gear together. We needed to be on the road again and, this time, split up. I decided it would be beneficial to create a decoy, myself, in order to distract Theo so that my family could get to safety.

  A noise outside told me that our time had run out. I snarled quietly and saw that Luc had awoken. He looked at me, terrified, as the sounds of a raging battle increased. I saw, through the gap in the tent, the handful of human campers fleeing quickly, and knew we wouldn’t have too much time before the police were called. This was getting out of hand.

  “Young man, do not look at me with those frightened eyes,” I told Luc, smiling slightly as I unsheathed my claws. “Theo is a master at skullduggery and double-crossing. It was obvious that he would not send only two of his minions. He is nothing if not predictable.” I stepped over to him and cupped his head, planting a hot, hungry kiss on his delectable lips. “If you wish to join them, you are welcome to do so, little one.” I smiled at the dazed look in his big blue eyes. “If you wish to keep a low profile, then, please, stay. This won’t take but a moment.”

  I cracked my knuckles and sauntered out of the tent.

  Callum and Daniel were fighting off three young vampires apiece. More were heading in on all sides. I grinned and began spinning, lashing out with claws and feet. As I made contact with each of my foes, I read them in an instant, determining their usefulness as a potential convert. Sadly, I could find only a small handful who were redeemable. The rest were decapitated, turning them to dust rather than leaving them to retaliate at a later date. That would be unwise. Within the space of about three minutes, there were only six remaining, huddled together on the ground, shaking with fear. I heard police sirens in the distance, and decided to make this quick.

  Callum nodded to me and released his final adversary, who was familiar to me. This was the last of Theo’s loyal soldiers. Azziz was his name. He was a willing student of Reinhardt’s, not quite in the same league but he had his own nasty little quirks. I had read, in one of the youngsters we had saved, that Azziz had tortured many of the newcomers to Theo’s coven. Azziz was the initiator, who enjoyed bullying and torturing his victims under the guise of “toughening them up.” I would be happy to turn the tables on this monster.

  “Well, now,” I murmured. I studied Azziz, seeing, in the dim lights that illuminated the campsite, his hatred toward me. I smiled more widely. “You failed your master,” I said, grinning. “Reinhardt and your little army could not even take down three of his enemies. It’s probably fitting that you should die here. He won’t be expecting your return. Not in your condition.”

  Azziz snarled out a curse, his fangs gleaming and his lips curled back into an angry sneer.

  “Do your worst,” he said, spitting at me.

  “Oh, I will,” I replied agreeably. “You see Theo is a paranoid old fellow, he really is. He would expect me to kill you outright. But I’m not going to. I imagine he’s already sent backup to this area, but all they’ll find will be you. Alone. What do you think he will be imagining should I leave you alive? Might he think that I’ve recruited you as a spy? Might he consider the idea that you were already a spy? I know one thing.” I stepped back.

  Azziz glared at me. “What is this, twenty questions?”

  I leaned closer again, making him squirm away. “This is judgment day,” I whispered viciously. “Before morning finds you, I should imagine that your beloved master will have eviscerated you. Enjoy your afterlife.” I struck with my fist, punching right through his ribcage, and finding his heart. Squeezing, I crushed it, feeling the moist ooze of fluids running over my clenched fist.

  Azziz screamed out in agony, squirming on the ground, before his screams became whimpering sobs. I struck again, ignoring his cries. This was a creature who would torture and maim just for pleasure. He deserved no consideration. My claws raked across his abdomen, ripping it open. His intestines spilled out into the dirt. I stepped back again, watching Azziz dispassionately.

  “When he finds you, let him know, from me, that I will not tolerate any further attacks on my people. Is that clear?” He nodded, looking miserable. His wounds were nasty, but not life threatening. My final act would take him far from here, away from the possibility of him attacking humans to heal himself. Then I would leave him and create a false trail before reuniting with my coven.

  “Leave, now,” I told Daniel. “Get them to safety.” I nodded to the small group and then the tent before grabbing a fistful of Azziz’s bloody tunic and then using my superpowers to evaporate and teleport to a place that would have the nasty piece of work begging for death within minutes. We had not used any of our powers so far, not wanting to alert Theo, since using vampire traits left footprints. Low-tech was the way to travel, to blend in with the human race. We were ducking under the radar, so to speak. I knew, also, that using this much power would leave an invisible trail, but that was what I wanted—I was bait. I did a quick, mental recce of the area as I whizzed through the atmosphere and then dropped my burden. Right on Theo’s doorstep. Azziz screeched in alarm as he hit the chilly stone steps. I chuckled and coalesced, flipped Theo the finger as he came scurrying out of his mansion, and then I disappeared again, heading due south. I had some tricks up my sleeve. Theo would send his minions after me. I didn’t think he would be stupid enough to fall for it completely. He knew we were not stupid enough to lead him to Julian.

  I journeyed for hours, draining my reserves of energy, and finally landed deep in the Appa
lachian forest. This was a place filled with all manner of creatures. Bears abounded, as did humans who liked to live off the grid, away from the humdrum of others. I arrived at a small bolt-hole I had built decades before. It had been constructed for just this purpose, when I was being pursued and in need of a refuge.

  Cut into a hillside, my destination was a narrow tunnel, well hidden from the outside. I sniffed, feeling my bones aching as I coalesced into my corporeal form. I smelled bear and fox and badger, but nothing recent. Sighing with relief, I shoved aside the loose scrub that guarded the entrance and made my way inside, setting a marker in case my visitors arrived too soon. I had an escape tunnel, but I needed to rest first, or I would be easy to catch. The passage opened out into a large chamber, with alcoves dug into the sides. Brushing cobwebs aside, I opened a small cupboard. Inside was a solar-powered chiller, a tiny one, which held some packets of blood. Just enough to satiate my hunger and give me energy. I ripped into one, drinking the cold fluid down, grimacing at the unpleasant taste on my tongue. I much preferred to sip from a warm, willing body while in the full throes of sex. This was fuel and nothing more.

  I sighed and sat down, using another cutout as a seat. The place was cool, damp, and was definitely not somewhere I would ever consider using unless I was desperate. I leaned back, resting my head against the damp wall, and closed my eyes, drifting off. Soon, when I felt the slight tremors on that invisible non-corporeal highway, I would leave this place, setting a trap for any supernatural creatures. Humans and other forest dwellers would be safe enough, but I wanted to send a message to Theo the thug.