Corin & Angelique (After the Fall of Night)

by Sherri Claytor

  “Our mortality is taken prior to resurrection and our human bodies die. During this time of death, our souls are collected by the Angel of Death. I encountered this dark angel in my brief but memorable fall into the afterlife during my change,” Corin told him. “And when this angel comes, he knows who are cursed—possessed by the virus—and he treats them accordingly. Just as he collects the souls of mortal men, he also takes ours, but those of us afflicted with the virus—damned to immortality—are left with nothing but an empty existence along with the remembrance of who we were in life. I don’t know, maybe this is supposed to be God’s show of mercy on us, leaving us with our memories intact, but for me, it’s more of an eternal affliction. It left me forever longing for what I’d lost—my soul, the light of day…heaven. I confess, I don’t entirely understand how it’s all accomplished, or what later becomes of our souls. All I know is that the angel takes them away, and we never get that precious part of us back. This gives you a little insight into how it is and always shall be for our kind.” A hint of dejection sounded in his voice.

  “I’m so sorry for you, Corin, and for Louisa.”

  “What’s done is done. There’s no sense dwelling on it.”

  “But I can’t help dwelling on it, because of Louisa.”

  “If God were to choose to grant mercy on any of us, Tomes, it would certainly be Louisa. Now, you’d better get some rest while you can. Something tells me Boldor isn’t too happy right now.”

  “You think he’ll retaliate?”

  “I suspect he will.”

  “I’ll rest, but you have to let me know if there’s any sign of him,” Tomes stipulated. “Nothing, not even this aching body, will stop me from facing him.”

  “You’re one determined man,” Corin told him. “Now rest. I’ll be close by if you need me.”

  Corin left the room, troubled by the unfavorable turn of events. He couldn’t help feeling responsible for Tomes’s injuries, knowing the threat Louisa posed. He’d allowed his judgment to be clouded by sentiment and the result only added more heartache for Tomes.

  “I can’t let anything like that happen again.”

  When it came time to take on Boldor, he had to be at the top of his game, and that meant no distractions. He’d promised the kill to Tomes, but with circumstances what they were, he didn’t see how he’d be able to keep his word.

  Tomes couldn’t fight in his condition, regardless of his determination to the contrary. Corin knew it was up to him to face the nightwalker, and in order to ensure he would be the one to walk away victorious, he would have to stay focused. And that meant leaving his emotions, and this one, lone human who’d managed to worm his way into his life, out of the equation.

  * * * *

  Boldor landed, shape-shifted into his human form, and thundered into the house. Rushing to the basement and finding nothing left of Louisa but her ashy remains, he released a loud, ferocious roar.

  Sharing a mental tie since their joining, he’d felt her anxiety, even over the span of distance between them. But in her mental state, he’d thought nothing of it until hearing her cries for help. Unfortunately, he’d traveled too far to get back to her in time, and now he’d lost his chosen one—his beauty.

  “I should have left a watch.” He rubbed a button, the insect awaiting command. “For now, you have the upper hand, von Vadim. But I’ll soon rectify that.”

  Noticing a trail of blood, he ran his middle finger through the fluid and sniffed it. “So my little firecat got you, mortal, before you managed to take her out.” He placed it in his mouth. “A little bitter,” he remarked from a squatted position.

  “Fair is fair, von Vadim. You took my companion, so now, I’ll have to take yours.”

  * * * *

  At the farm, Angelique answered the door to a late night caller.

  “I’m glad you came by. But I didn’t expect to hear from you tonight.” She greeted Corin with a warm, inviting smile, motioning for him to come inside.

  “Tomes said you two had plans and that he might not be back till morning. I figured hunting. Nothing’s wrong, is it?”

  “Everything’s fine. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

  “No. I was up, watching TV.”

  “I know it’s late, but I wanted to see you.”

  “You’re welcome any time, Corin, day or night. It seems we’re both restless. I take it you walked here from the mansion?”

  “I did.”

  “It’s foggy out.” She showed him to the living room.

  “In some areas, but I had no trouble finding my way.”

  “That’s good. You wouldn’t want to get lost on your own land,” she teased. “It’s past twelve thirty. Did Tomes mention where he was going?”

  “He didn’t say.” Corin ran his gaze over the length of her.

  “I’m sure he’s fine, I just have this gnawing feeling. I can’t seem to shake it. But you know that brother of mine, he’s probably over at Micky Joes getting plastered while I’m sitting here worrying over nothing.”

  “You have a strong bond.” Corin moved closer to her on the sofa.

  “He’s always been there for me, no matter what.”

  “And you for him.”

  “I try to be. But I can’t take away his heartache.”

  “He’ll get past it.” Corin leaned toward her, suddenly demanding possession of her mouth, snatching her with such aggression she pulled away.

  His kiss was different, forceful, and his scent was harsh—an odor she’d smelled before.

  “Did I do something to offend you?” he caught her stare.

  “No.” She wiped her mouth, trying not to be too obvious, but wishing she could wash it out. “You just caught me off-guard.”

  “My apologies.”

  She scooted over, putting more space between them. Something wasn’t right.

  Where are you, Tomes?

  “Why don’t we take a walk to the creek…enjoy the night?” Corin suggested. “There wasn’t any fog along the trail.”

  Angelique hesitated. “Let me get my jacket,” she stood, deciding to go.

  Heading out into the woods with Corin when she sensed something was amiss might not have been the smartest of choices, but at least it spared her from the pressure of making out with him on the sofa, something she couldn’t believe she was relieved about. And outside there was plenty of fresh air, a welcome escape from the rank odor attached to him.

  What had changed?

  Angelique was usually so comfortable with Corin, but at the moment, he made her uneasy…scared. Everything about him was different, his smell, his touch, his kiss, the way he looked at her…the eyes. She even noticed a difference in his speech. Had she not known it to be impossible, she would have sworn that this man standing beside her, looking to be Corin in every physical way, was an imposter.

  * * * *

  At the estate, Tomes frantically called out for Corin from the second floor landing.

  Corin rushed in from the lanai, hearing the distress in his voice. “What is it?”

  “It’s Angel! She’s in trouble. I woke up hearing her voice in my mind.”

  “You were just dreaming, Tomes.” Corin started up the stairs.

  “No. You don’t understand. We’re twins. We’ve always been able to sense when something’s wrong with each other.”

  “You and Angelique are twins?” Corin was surprised, wondering how he could have missed that. But it certainly explained Tomes’s possessiveness over Angelique. They shared a unique connection.

  “What if it’s Boldor? We have to go now! She needs us.”

  “I thought she’d be safer if we kept her out of this whole messy situation. It hadn’t dawned on me that he’d go after her.” While Corin was keeping watch over Tomes, there, at the estate, Angelique had been the one in danger. “But you aren’t going anywhere.” He halted Tomes’s attempt to start down the stairs. “In your condition, you’d be lucky to make it to the bottom before collapsing. You
get back in bed. I’ll go.” Corin helped him back to the room. “After more than an hour of no retaliation, I should have known he was up to something.”

  “She’s all alone, Corin. Helpless. Forget about me, I’m fine. Just get to her!”

  “I’ll be back…with Angelique.”

  “I can’t lose her.”

  “Neither of us can, or will.” Corin retrieved Tomes’s gear—the staker and machete—from a nearby table. “Keep these close.”

  Tomes took them. “Don’t worry. If he shows up, I won’t go down without a fight.” He raised the staker in a practice aim. “I’ll definitely leave him with something to remember me by.”

  * * * *

  Corin tore out of the estate in the Corvette, needing transportation to bring Angelique back in. When he arrived at the farm, he found her car parked in the drive. Hoping to find her safe inside the house, he rushed to the door, getting no response after several knocks. Finding the door unlocked, he stepped inside and called out, cursing when he picked up a faint trace of Boldor’s nauseating scent. The fiend had been there. Corin feared the measures he’d go, sure it would be right up his alley to draw out his revenge to the fullest.

  Rocketing outside, Corin searched the grounds. After checking the barn, he shape-shifted into the form he often chose, a Great Horned Owl, and took to the sky, scouting the nearby woods. Following the trail to the creek, he spotted two dark figures on the path below, nearing the water. He rushed ahead of them, landing at the creek bed, and quickly took cover in the shadowy backdrop of the tree line to await their arrival. Glancing around, he was sure he sensed another immortal.

  Why is it I can detect you now?

  He didn’t understand what had changed, but he had no time to consider the matter in length. Crouched in the underbrush, he watched as the two individuals approached.

  “Is something wrong?” Angelique asked her escort, who’d come to a standstill.

  “We have a spy in our midst.”

  “A spy?” Angelique looked around.

  “Show yourself, von Vadim!”

  Corin stepped out of the tree line, silhouetted in the night, his features undetectable. But he knew Angelique recognized him by the perplexed look on her face.

  “It can’t be,” she muttered.

  Corin turned his attention on Boldor, taken aback by what he saw—a duplicate of himself standing next to her. “What the devil!”

  Boldor had assumed his form.

  “I’ve observed you, what you wear, how you act. In fact, I think I’m an improvement, a better you than you.”

  In similar clothing, they appeared identical.

  “Let’s ask this little angel what she thinks. She’s had a taste.”

  Angelique stumbled back in fear.

  Enraged, Corin advanced on him with his fangs and talons lengthening, taking brisk, confident strides. “I’m going to kill you!”

  Boldor made his own charge, catching him mid-distance, each taking the other to the ground in a fierce collision.

  Hearing Angelique scream, Corin searched for her position. How would he ever explain away such an impossible sight to her? It couldn’t be done. There was only one solution. He would have to tell her the truth, what he was…everything.

  Boldor, still in Corin’s form, rolled out of reach and bellowed in laughter. He then turned and went for Angelique who stood paralyzed. Taking a fistful of hair, he yanked her to him and forced her head to the side. Running his mouth along the smooth flesh of her neckline, he glared at Corin.

  “I made the mistake of leaving my companion alone, as you did. You took mine, and now, I have yours.”

  “Enough, Boldor, she’s not the one you want.” Corin was afraid the demon might rip into her.

  “I believe she will replace my little firecat quite nicely.”

  The sight of his filthy hands on Angelique burned Corin’s blood, but he restrained his temper, waiting for the precise moment to make his move.

  “This one doesn’t have the lustrous fiery hair I so adored in the other female, but she’ll do.” Boldor tossed Angelique to the side and shape-shifted into his own human form.

  Scrambling back, Angelique gaped as Boldor transformed from one form to another. “Louis Gomez,” she gasped, on her knees, dazed. “This can’t be real.”

  Both immortals possessed impeccable strength and endurance, each proving to be a very skilled fighter. Catching Corin around the neck, Boldor managed to drag him several feet toward the bank. Corin unleashed a terrible roar as the fiend’s talons ripped into his flesh, but he fought back, tearing through Boldor’s shirt and leaving the hellion with a few marks of his own.

  With part of his chest exposed, Corin observed a large, black stone hanging from Boldor’s neck, just visible between strips of ripped material. Assuming it was a talisman, he attempted to seize it. Taking him down hard, he reached for the chain, but Boldor was fast, scrambling back to his feet with the stone still safely in place.

  Corin started for him again, but a great, black wolf unexpectedly lunged from the shadows, standing between them. The creature snarled ferociously before shape-shifting into the form of a man, adding a third fighter to the mix.

  “I’ve finally caught up with you, after all this time,” the stranger glared at Corin before charging, then wrestled him to the ground with a force that rivaled his own.

  “Who the devil are you?” Corin fought him off and managed to scramble free, placing a few feet between them.

  “Don’t play games with me. You know who I am. I knew I’d catch up with you sooner or later, ‘cause Marshal Jordon Black always gets his man.”

  The marshal? Corin couldn’t believe it. An immortal?

  “You’re a nightwalker?” Corin was trying to figure him out.

  “Not exactly. You know what I want, so hand it over and maybe I’ll let you leave with your life.”

  Amid the unanticipated turn of events, Boldor withdrew and disappeared into the cover of the woods, leaving Corin in the clutches of the lawman. A laugh echoed as he slipped away in the night.

  “No,” Corin started after him, but the marshal interceded, making a simultaneous move to block him.

  “You’ve got the wrong man, Marshal.”

  “You’ve managed to stay ahead of me for a long time, but I knew you’d eventually slip up.” Jordon stared him down. “Why did you want me to see you kill that girl tonight? What are you up to?”

  “I know you think you’ve got this whole situation figured out, but you’re wrong. I’m not who you think I am.” Corin declared. How could the marshal possibly know he’d killed Louisa?

  “Don’t insult my intelligence by denying it, Nightwalker. My eyes don’t lie.” Jordon held his gaze. “So, I finally get to meet the fugitive I’ve been chasing all over this god-forsaken country for the past two years. You’re not exactly what I expected.”

  “That’s because I’m not the one you’re after. Can’t you see he’s tricked you? How do you know about Louisa? Did you follow us to the ranch house?”

  “What ranch house? I’m talking about the girl at the Inn. I saw you kill her. You let me see you.”

  “I think I’m beginning to understand what’s going on here. Boldor committed a murder while disguised as me, using my form to mislead you, just as he did just now, with Angelique. He’s a clever one all right, placing you on my trail and off his. Think about it, Marshal. Has he ever let you get so close before? Purposely shown himself?”

  Jordon seemed to be considering his argument.

  “You said to hand something over. What is it you’re after? If I can’t reason with you, I should at least know what I’m defending myself for.”

  “I haven’t quite made up my mind about you, Nightwalker, but I’ll play your game. You stole a charm from the Order of the Clythguards—a black diamond. I’ve been after it for a long time. After you. And I’m not leaving without it. So you can either hand it over right now, or die.”

  “What do I ha
ve to do to convince you that I’m not your criminal?” Corin held out his arms submissively. “Search me.”

  Jordon wasted no time taking advantage of the opportunity and cautiously approached Corin, patting him down. Taking in a waft of Corin’s scent, the marshal’s entire demeanor instantly changed, and with a heavy exhale, he backed off.

  A profane word passed his lips. “You’re telling the truth.”

  “I take it you know your prey’s scent.”

  “You don’t possess his stench. I was so close this time.” He cursed in frustration.

  “He was right in front of you, Marshal, but you went for the wrong guy,” Corin was annoyed. “You’re lucky I didn’t take your head for attacking me.”

  “Take it easy,” Jordon spoke calmly. “I made a mistake.”

  “At least you realize it now. Boldor has played us all for fools.”

  Suddenly remembering Angelique, Corin whirled in search of her, spotting her crouched in the dark tree line. Rushing toward her, she scrambled back in fear.

  “Stay away!” she yelled.

  “It’s okay now, Angelique, I would never hurt you.” Corin could see she was shaken and understandably confused by everything she’d just witnessed.

  “How do I know it’s really you this time? I don’t know what to believe,” she cried.

  “Take my hand and look into my eyes. You’ll feel the difference…see that it’s me.” He knelt and reached out to her.

  Angelique reluctantly did as he asked.

  “It’s me, Angelique,” he assured her.

  A look of relief replaced her frightened expression and she threw herself into his arms, falling against his chest in tears. “You’re not human, are you?” She whispered from the safety of his hold.

  “No, I’m not human,” he replied. “I’m a nightwalker.”

  How could he ever expect her to love him now that she’d glimpsed the monster in his face and seen the fangs and talons extending from his body?

  “A nightwalker?”

  “Yes, a vampire,” he clarified.