At Risk

by Gayle Parness

  “You are naïve. So young.”

  His flat tone and stiff posture set off my warning bells. What happened to the slick host from yesterday? “Not as naïve as you might think. Was locking us up truly a mistake?”

  “You brought it on yourself.” Gregory moved to the large hearth, warming his hands as I was. My team stepped away, keeping an eye on the guards.

  I shifted my stance so I was facing him. Who is the demon you’re working with?” Might as well get right to the point.

  He brushed off the question with a disgusted grunt. “Demons are not allowed in our headquarters.”

  “Then who is it?” Maybe Naberia had come to Gregory in disguise.

  “I have recently come in contact with vampires whose skills have been useful.”

  “More than one?” He ignored the question so I forged ahead. “Are you using mind control devices?”

  His body stiffened, but he didn’t turn. All in good time. He continued to stare at the fire.

  “Sasha and I would like to call our mates.”

  “After you answer my questions.” Gregory finally faced me. His irises had turned a darker shade. “Where is Charles?”

  “None of us know. But why are you interested?”

  “You do not seem concerned.”

  “He can protect himself.”

  “Is he with Isaiah?”

  “Not that I know of. But how do you know Isaiah?”

  “Does Jacqueline know where Charles is?”

  “No.” Nothing definite at least.

  “Do you believe Charles will cooperate with the fae if they decide it is in their best interest to exchange him for the archdemon’s generous guarantee of a thousand human years of peace?”

  “My son will not be committing suicide.”

  “He is not your son. You have no son. He is the great grandson of Naberia and she wants him in her realm. She may make Charles her heir now that Isaiah has betrayed her.”

  “You have spoken to her?” I stepped closer, my body tightening with anger.

  “I have every right as the Senior Master of NAVA to form alliances with other leaders.”

  I fisted my hands. “Not with the female who killed my mate’s mother and father.”

  “Neither of those accusations can be proven.”

  My fingers itched to force him to look at me. “Naberia slaughters her own citizens. What do you think will happen to our race when she’s gotten what she wants from you and others? The young will be staked and left to burn in the sun, if they’re lucky. The older vampires will be drained of their magic and tossed aside.”

  “Is the traitor Isaiah telling you these lies?” His tone was ice.

  “Isaiah has also been tortured under Naberia. He was rescued by my son and his team. The fae have—”

  “I cannot understand your continued interest in the fae. Yes, your mate’s son is half fae, but the archdemon is generously offering to take him under her wing and train him.”

  “The archdemon broke every promise she ever made to the fae. Why would this time be any different?” I held up a hand and Gregory nodded, allowing me to continue. “What has Naberia promised you in return for my capture and the murder of the former leaders of NAVA?”

  “They retired from service I did not murder them.”

  A lie. “Why have you taken this position. You never expressed an interest in leading before.” I’d known Gregory for a century.

  He raised his head and finally met my gaze. “For a cure. An eternity. Power to rule not only vampires, but all creatures in this realm.”

  “A cure?”

  “You are young and perhaps in love, but I have grown weary. I wish to live as I once did. To walk in the sun without fear of discovery. To eat of the earth’s bounty. To conceive children to stand beside me for eternity.”

  “But you’re four hundred years old. Your body would crumble to dust.”

  “My mistress is powerful. She can restore us to human yet give us the magic to live a life that stretches far beyond a normal human’s. We can learn the darkest spells. Control the mortal world without interference.”

  “But… What else have you given her?” There must be more to this than Gregory was saying.

  “An army.”

  “Garrett. I am close. Has Gregory blocked your magic?” The familiar French-accented voice sang in my mind.

  “Oui, Grandsire.”

  “I will take care of that first. Where are you?”

  “Level B2.” Sash and Rick had taken up positions nearby, keeping a close watch on Gregory and a possible attack. I sent them the good news about François’ arrival and they signaled they’d received the message.

  Gregory was still in his own world. “You may join me if you are willing to send your mate’s son to my mistress. Think of the life we might have. You would be able to have sons and daughters of your own if you desired it.”

  “Charles is my son. Jacqueline and I will never allow Naberia to touch him. Neither will any of our true allies.”

  “Do not speak her name!” Gregory jerked suddenly, his shoulders slumping as if they’d been held up by puppet strings during our conversation. “She… She promised me…” His skin paled as he clutched at his throat, trying to loosen his tie. I…” Gregory coughed, flecks of blood dotting his pristine white sleeve when he tried to cover his mouth.

  “What is it?” I moved closer, reaching to help him with his tie.

  “I… I should not have… Not have spoken of… She warned me…”

  Sash and Rick rushed over.

  “Move toward the exit. Don’t make it obvious,” I sent, keeping my gaze glued on Gregory. They hesitated. “No arguments.”

  I led the struggling male to one of the chairs near the hearth, beginning to feel concern. “Warned you of what?”

  “To talk of… Of her army. Her plan. I thought…” He coughed again. “I thought…”

  “Where is this army?”

  “Everywhere.” He grasped my forearm, his grip tungsten steel. “Level B… B4. Under… Alive. NAVA…”

  “You buried the leaders alive?”

  “Three days. She…ordered. Forced…”

  “Forced?”

  He pointed to his neck. I ripped off his tie and the top buttons of his shirt. The metal torc shined with a pale orange glow, the etchings coming to life as I watched. It matched Jackie’s description and also the twisted remains of one Isaiah dug up from the rubble of the burned building where Jackie had been imprisoned.

  My body vibrated as power surged through my veins once more. François had arrived.

  The torc heated and Gregory screamed, choking out one final word. “Run!”

  I brought my fist down on Gregory’s arm, forcing him to release mine, then took the lines, grabbing Sash and Rick and tossing them toward the open door Gregory had used. The blast of heat and pressurized air took my legs out from under me as I tumbled through a stone wall and not the doorway I’d been aiming for.

  The scent of blood and burned flesh permeated the air. I recognized the sharp bite of a shattered eardrum and the thrumming pain of a head injury.

  My first thought was whether I was still in one piece. My second, concern for my team.

  “He is awake,” Rick said, his accent thicker than ever. This always happened when adrenaline rode him heavy.

  “See to Garrett. I’ve got this,” Sash called back.

  I blinked up at Rick, still shaky.

  “We are going to get you out of here. Don’t worry, boss.” Rick tried to smile, only it looked more like a grimace. “Next time try not to aim for the wall with your head.”

  Rick’s reassurances went down the drain to the sound of snarling and hissing. A large group of vampires had spread out in an arc around us. The room was strewn with ash, the kind left behind when a vampire dusted. Every pile had a torc either nearby or a small distance away.

  “Shit.” Was NAVA now part of Naberia’s personal army?

  “Fun times
,” Rick said.

  A section of the torc Gregory must have worn had ended up near my feet. I didn’t know if anyone else had been in the room when the torc exploded, but the amount of ash everyone was tramping around in as they fought gave me good idea of just how busy Sash and Rick had been while I’d been lazing around unconscious. Time to rise and shine.

  They’d propped me against a wall, but I made it to my feet, extended my fangs and claws to fighting length and called to my magic, a blend of cheetah shifter and vampire. I set my gaze on one particular male.

  Manuel.

  “Stay back!” Manuel called to the remaining dozen vampires. He lowered his sword and the others turned to see what had changed. To many at NAVA I was recognizable as the vampire who’d killed Eleanor Howard, one of the most powerful vampires in North America. When it was only Sash and Rick fighting against them, Manuel might have thought they had a good chance, but now that Gregory was dead, their chances were weak.

  Sash stepped forward, my second acting his role to the nth degree. “Place your weapons on the floor and kneel. Our master has destroyed Gregory and even now his grandsire is taking care of business on other levels of the building.” We’d felt a few shudders and even an explosion or two above us.

  No one moved. “I’m ready to die,” Manuel growled.

  Sash tried again. “Master Cuvier is a generous ruler and may show mercy if you kneel and ask very, very nicely.”

  Rick laughed and I had to grit my teeth to keep from laughing too.

  Manuel tossed his sword on the floor with a clang and took one knee. Not exactly a complete show of obeisance but good enough. He twisted to face the others. “Surrender if you want to live. Master Cuvier killed Eleanor Howard and now Gregory.”

  Everyone followed suit, thank the gods. My head was killing me, despite my healing abilities. At least my ear had repaired itself.

  “How many have torcs?” I asked Manuel.

  “All but me.”

  “Why all but you?”

  “She could not find me. I have a… A useful gift.”

  And he was gone. Only he wasn’t. I hadn’t felt a breeze. “Shields!” I shouted. Couldn’t have invisible Manuel stabbing one of my team. Sash and Rick gave me a thumbs up. Their battle skills were excellent, including the defensive ones. “Close the door. I don’t want him escaping. Silence.”

  Vampires didn’t have to breathe and our hearts didn’t beat, but movement was rarely one hundred percent silent. The dust on the floor would be his downfall. Sure enough, footprints appeared near the wall to the right. I tilted my head and Sash was there in an instant, sweeping his arms, which found purchase around Manuel’s shoulders and neck. Sash dragged him back pushed him to the floor. He reappeared, rubbing his neck.

  “This isn’t a game. Do I have to chain you with iron? Put a bell around your neck?”

  “No, master.”

  I pointed to a male and female vampire in the back of the room. They were young and hadn’t seemed overly enthusiastic about fighting.

  “Gather the servants. If they have torcs, bring them here. If they don’t, send them home and ask them to return tomorrow at dusk. If they live here, book them into neighborhood hotels on NAVA’s dime. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Master Cuvier.”

  “Do you have a torc?”

  “Yes.”

  “Return here as fast as you can. Assign other servants to take care of the hotel bookings. I’m certain NAVA has accounts in many places.”

  “Yes, master.”

  They raced off to do as I asked. Hopefully.

  A familiar male’s laughter rang through the large room. I glanced toward the entrance and smiled with relief.

  François.

  “I was told you were in dire need of assistance, but it appears Jacqueline has exaggerated greatly.”

  I bowed deeply, as did my team. “Grandsire. We are honored you’ve come.” Casting a dark gaze around the room, I frowned at the half-kneeling vampires. “You will show respect to François Du Lac, who has survived centuries longer than Gregory.”

  With a sharp gesture from me, every vampire except my crew shifted to both knees and laid their foreheads on the floor.

  “A vampire whose name was something like Dan, or Dung told me that you and Gregory were discussing Charles’ surrender to the archdemon. I explained just before I disconnected his head from his ugly body that he was mistaken.” He scanned the room. “Where is Gregory?”

  Sasha lifted his foot and stared at the dust that coated it. “On the bottom of our shoes would be my best guess.”

  “You’ve been most productive. This is excellent.” François wove his way through the prisoners until he stood to my left.

  “Will you please place a shield around the four of us?” I asked.

  “Why?”

  “The devices around their necks can explode.”

  “There is no way to disarm them?”

  “I’d need a demon who knows his stuff. Jackie can unclasp one at a time, but I won’t bring her here.”

  He nodded. “The shields are up.”

  I gestured to the prisoners. “You may sit up again.” Our prisoners obeyed without a whisper of sound. If I were a different sort of vampire, I might get used to this sort of instantaneous obedience.

  Sasha saw my expression. “Don’t get your hopes up, boss,” he sent.

  “One can dream.” Despite the devastation around us and the knowledge Sasha and Rick would follow ninety nine point nine percent of any order I gave them, we grinned at each other. Our friendship was born in the flames of hell and would never burn out.

  “Why must you always bring up my age? I am young in some circles.” François stared at the group, his expression stern. “I recognize some of you.”

  The servants with torcs filed in and stood along the walls, looking at the kneeling vampires with distrust. The couple I’d sent to see to the servants kneeled on the floor in front of François, eyes wide with wonder.

  François placed a hand on my shoulder. “Tell me what happened here.”

  “Have you seen one of these?” I held up the twisted metal that used to be part of Gregory’s torc.

  “No.” He sniffed it, then shuddered. “Demon magic.”

  “The archdemon is building an army in the Mortal Realm in addition to whatever she’s created in her own realm. She’s using mind control like she did with that coven of witches who kidnapped Jacqueline.”

  “They obeyed your order without hesitation. It does not seem as if they are under someone’s spell.”

  Manuel spoke. “Gregory was the one giving orders.”

  “He must have been the one Naberia left in charge, even though she clamped a torc on him as well.”

  “He never wore one before. Only today.”

  “Naberia must be nearby. This explains why he seemed so changed from yesterday. His interrogation sounded more like it was coming from her.”

  François frowned and sent an order out to the vampires he’d brought along to keep their eyes open for the archdemon.

  The other vampires had remained still, the way only alpha predators can. Most seemed awed by the sight of a vampire who’d been born at the start of the Hundred Year’s War and still looked like a heathy thirty-year-old male.

  Jackie would say my grandsire was a French hottie with laughing eyes and a seductive smile. Not the description I’d ever use but going by the glances I’d personally witnessed him receiving and returning from the females he’d encountered, it was an apt one.

  “I did not imagine vampires to be easy for others to control.” He shrugged using one shoulder, a very French gesture. My French father had done the same.

  “Would everyone except Manuel please move to the far end of the room. You may sit when you get there.” They followed instructions. “Manuel.” I indicated a spot in front of François. “Stand here. You have surrendered along with the others, correct?” He nodded. “Will you swear loyalty to my grandsire and
follow his instructions?”

  “To your… To serve François Du Lac would be an honor.”

  I looked to the side, expecting an argument, but François laughed. “Always, you make work for me. Manuel speaks truly and yes, I will take on Gregory’s ridiculously large nest.” He used a handkerchief to wipe the vampire dust from his boots. “At least it appears you have weeded out the riffraff.”

  “Would you please create a strong one-way barrier around the group to protect anyone else who might enter the room?”

  “A barrier? Certainly.” This was child’s play for François, so I didn’t feel guilty asking him to expend the energy.

  “Until we know what to do about the torcs, they’ll have to stay together.” I shook my head. All I wanted was to get back to Jackie.

  “Is it possible to call your demon friend? Isaac? Ira?”

  “Isaiah. I wish I could, but he’s part of Charlie’s team, not mine.”

  “The child has his own team? Hmph. I suppose that is only logical as you are trusting him to lead an entire army against a supernatural force strong enough to destroy a planet.”

  “Do I hear a smidgeon of doubt in your tone?”

  “I admit I have not spent a great amount of time with your son and should not make assumptions based on his youth. Alexander the Great was merely a human yet conquered many lands at the age of eighteen.”

  “Charlie might like that comparison.”

  François laid a hand on my shoulder. “But tell me, is Charles safe?”

  “Thank you. Yes. As far as we know.”

  “Bon.”

  I moved toward the group. Some of them cowered. “I have no wish to harm you and neither does my grandsire. Each of you will be allowed to approach Master Du Lac and swear the transitioning oath of loyalty according to the ritual of blood and fang. If you refuse to swear the oath, you will be executed instantly by my team member, Heinrich Schultz.”

  Rick nodded, scanning the group with a threatening gaze.

  I continued. “You will obey Master Du Lac on pain of death. I want complete silence as each of you swears the oath. Rick will be standing by with sword in hand in case you decide to be stupid. François will know if you are not sincere.”