Rule

by Alaska Angelini

  The only ones who lived outside of Johnson’s home were the wives who stood in the distance sobbing at the fear they were no doubt plagued with. They were obviously in shock, too afraid to come close. Some, no doubt, already dealing with the news of their dead husbands. Now they were staring at the truth of what we were up against.

  It was no secret what caused this. Of what we were facing. Death—on both sides. I’d lead the massacre of one race just to put extinction to another. There was no room left for emotion. It was just as dead as I was.

  “Up soldier.” My foot nudged against the leg of a man I didn’t know. He stirred, reaching for his head. A large gash was on his forehead, but from the look of it, it had stopped bleeding long before. The dried, dark substance disappeared into his stained, blond hair and I tried not to stare at it. Just the acknowledgment would bring the cravings and need to kill.

  “Come on,” I said, pulling him to his feet. “We have soldiers to help.”

  But it wasn’t the truth. They were already being rescued by the others who had come to our aid. Personnel was swarming the area, their hands full by not only us, but the others. The neighborhood that surrounded me looked like a battlefield. One I’d seen before, overseas. Houses were leveled around me, a stray piece of frame sticking out if the structure had been lucky.

  Marko did his job. He was proving a point to me of just how strong he really was. This was child’s play to what he was capable of and we both knew it. I’d been lucky last night that I had been trapped under the rubble and not blasted right into the yard.

  “Hunter Moretti?”

  The voice boomed through the eerie silence, but I wasn’t intimated by the authority the tone held like I would have been in the past. No one ruled me anymore.

  I turned, eying an officer in dress uniform. He was highly decorated. My hand clenched and I had to remind myself that I was a civilian now. I wasn’t a soldier in their eyes so there was no reason for me to salute.

  “I’m Moretti.” I went to step over a picture of Johnson and his wife and stopped, picking it up. His eyes scanned the length of my body as if he were assessing me, but I barely noticed as I went back and forth to him and the picture.

  “You need to come with me. We have a few questions to ask you.”

  I glanced back down at the picture, running my thumb over the cracked glass. “Questions? Concerning what? This, or the entire fucked-up situation our world faces?”

  I couldn’t deny that I had little trust for the higher-ups in government. Especially since they were the ones who got us into this mess to begin with. There was corruption in the White House and Pentagon. I would have bet my life on it.

  “We can talk about it when we get to Headquarters. You have vital information we could use.”

  “Ask and I’ll tell you whatever you want to know. I’m not going anywhere.”

  The older man glanced toward the road where three men stood watching. My lips pressed together and I let my eyes cut back over to him. If he was trying to intimidate me, he was failing.

  “Mr. Moretti, I don’t think you understand. You have to come with me.”

  Even as he talked, I was already stepping back, scanning the debris for my bow. I managed to get my belt on while I was going over a plan with the soldiers. That had been just before Marko struck. My bow couldn’t have gone too far.

  I threw a large piece of wall out of my way, pushing over a shattered curio cabinet that had been against the far wall, by the door.

  “Mr. Moretti.” Annoyance was heavy in his tone, but I ignored him as I moved deeper into where the dining room had been. Sweat dripped down from my face and I wiped it away, kicking a bulk of chalky remains. The end of my bow had me reaching down and sighing in relief. A throat clearing in the background was lost as I scooped up a pile of stakes scattered further back.

  “Your weapons are useless. I’m afraid you won’t be taking them where we’re going. If you’d like, I can have one of the men hold them for you. When we’re finished you can have them back.”

  A laugh poured from my mouth and I slowly turned to face him, glancing at his rank. “No disrespect, Colonel, but I know you heard me the first time. I’m not going anywhere with you. And you sure as fuck aren’t getting your hands on my bow.”

  “I’m afraid you don’t have a choice, son. You’re coming, whether you like it or not.”

  This was not how I saw this playing out. I’d have to run, again, and without an army to support me. At least for now. But where did that put me? Marko found me once, he could easily do it again.

  I looked up at the sun. It had to still be early. A little after six, I suspected. It hadn’t been light for long. That gave me a good part of the day to run and set up … but where? I had nowhere left to go.

  “We all have a choice,” I said, lowly. “What some of us don’t have is the guts to make the right one.” I took a step, putting me closer. “I’m leaving. If I were you, I wouldn’t try to stop me.”

  I kept going, walking around the Colonel and heading out onto the yard. I kept the three men in my peripheral vision, watching their every movement. If I could just get off of base without any trouble, I’d stand a chance.

  “Moretti.”

  The threat was evident. It was now or never and I couldn’t see how I was going to get out of this. It was daylight. I couldn’t hide in the shadows, hoping to escape them. At least … not up here.

  A manhole rested ahead. I took the five steps, bending down and pulling it free. I wasn’t sure how the ones under the base were laid out. Johnson had told me they were sealed off, separate from the rest in town. How, I wasn’t sure, but I had a feeling I’d find out soon enough.

  Darkness engulfed me as I dropped a good fifteen feet. Yelling was erupting above ground, but faded as I took off running through the large tunnel. My eyes adjusted almost immediately and although I knew I couldn’t see as good as a vampire, I could see well enough to lead me through the passages.

  Water splashed under my feet, echoing through the enclosed space the further I got back. Voices called out in the far distance and I took a right, then a left, immersing myself deeper, yet closer toward town. A slight hum along my skin had my eyebrows pulling in. I was made to believe vampires were clear of the base, but I knew what I felt and I didn’t like it. The fear that it could be Marko had me jerking my bow from my back and pushing one of the stakes home.

  An abrupt ending had me rushing back a few feet to take a new path. Faster, I went, becoming in tune with the vibrations that were increasing by the second. Whatever, or whoever was in here with me, was right in my direction and I prayed the creature was somewhere asleep and wouldn’t pose a threat. When the tunnel branched off in a Y, I knew I wasn’t going to be that lucky. Scratching in the distance had me slowing as I surveyed the circumference.

  “Master said I’d get my chance with you. I didn’t imagine he meant this soon.”

  From out of the pitch black was a vampire I knew all too well. One who had stayed out of my way throughout my time in the underground city, but I knew him well. Boyd.

  “Tessa’s not here to save you now. Not that she would after what you did. I could kill you for that, alone. Such rich blood and you had to ruin it. But that’s okay. I can smell her in you. Even better.”

  I moved closer, ignoring the threat my mind perceived. My blood was richer than his. There was a confidence and even a cockiness at knowing that. It was what all vampires felt. I had been with them long enough to know how they worked and despite the hate I harbored, I was taking on more of their characteristics by the day.

  “You want my blood? I’m right here,” I said, putting my bow behind my back. “I’m not going anywhere. Come get you a taste.”

  Boyd’s fangs were drawn. One step. Two. As he became clearer, so did something else. He wasn’t alone. I scanned the shadows, making out at least three more vampires.

  This wasn’t good. Two I could do, but I’d never tried four. Somehow the human in m
e couldn’t process how it’d be possible. The vampire in me wanted the fight. Yearned for their blood. My mouth watered and I couldn’t stop the moan that came. Yes, I wanted this. I wanted to taste them as I tore them apart.

  “Let’s go,” I purred. “Let’s do this.”

  God, I was begging. Dying for them … for a lifestyle that wasn’t my own. It increased the need, feeding the adrenaline until I found myself becoming the instigator. I lunged forward, juking to one side as I surged a few more feet toward the group. They were stopped now, confused on my actions. But one thing was clear. They wanted me as much as I wanted them and nothing was going to stop the clash of monsters we all had buried within.

  “He’s crazy,” one of them stated. “Let’s get him.”

  But they wouldn’t attack first. I would. And I did, rushing along the side of the tunnel with a speed that clearly caught Boyd off-guard. My fist came down, crunching onto his cheek as I barreled myself over him, right on top of another vampire. My bicep wrapped around his throat while my legs locked around his waist. We fell to the cement hard, but it gave me the leverage I needed to use my strength to twisted and tear at the connection of his throat. Bones snapped under my violent jerks and skin tore as I gave one more hard tug, severing his head. Warmth gushed over my arms and I had to stop my eyes from rolling at the ecstasy of it. I didn’t have time to bask in what I wanted. Claws were already tearing into my back, breaking open my skin.

  “He’s mine!” A growl poured from Boyd as he pushed one of the other vampires out of the way, but it was the one closer to me that attacked first. He threw his weight on top of me, diving for my neck. The strength behind his determination was surprising, but not something I couldn’t overpower.

  With a push from the side, I managed to roll us, placing me on top. Boyd made it to my back before I could do any damage. Fingers gripped my shoulder, the claws at the tips, biting in painfully. I grabbed Boyd’s wrist, flinging him over me with all of my strength. Before I could think of what to do next, a force hit, sending the top of my body closer to the vampire I was pinning down. Teeth bit into my chest and I couldn’t keep in the scream that tore its way from my throat. I could feel my skin shred from the jolting reaction. The wound would heal, but not before I perfumed the room with more of an aphrodisiac for all of us.

  “Yes.” A hiss from the vampire under me grew in depth and I could feel him becoming stronger. The panic had me breaking his neck, but I knew he wouldn’t be out for long. Not with my blood inside of him. Fuck, what had I been thinking? I needed to get on my feet. Put more distance between all of us that way I could pick them off instead of getting jumped by all of them at one time. But how?

  I pushed to my feet, bracing as Boyd threw himself back at me. The other vampire was already coming, too, following in Boyd’s footsteps as he tried pinning me against the curved wall. I used the leverage to launch us forward, but his claws were starting to hook into my back, keeping us stuck together. The fear within me unexplainably spiked and I could feel his vampire surge.

  “I’m going to relish in tasting you,” Boyd said, bringing his face closer to my neck. “You’re going to make me stronger. You’re going to—”

  My bite had the vampire’s body going rigid. I may have not had fangs, but the strength of my jaw, combined with all of my teeth left me tearing through his thick skin. Blood poured into my mouth, sweet, hot and thick. The frenzy it brought had me locking and squeezing around him with everything I had.

  “Boyd?” The other vampire stopped, mid-run, sliding to a stop as he watched on in disbelief. And perhaps what I was doing wasn’t normal. Humans didn’t feed from vampires. But I wasn’t human anymore. I was a killer like them.

  “Boyd?”

  A grunt had my teeth tingling and I wasn’t sure why Boyd wasn’t fighting me. Or why he was throwing off more power than I had felt from him before. I bit harder, tearing into his skin to bring more blood flow, and he let me. His submission had my arms easing when I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him not to attack. I was too fixated on the taste, of the power he was feeding me. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before. Not even with Tessa. Something was happening. Something I couldn’t even begin to fathom.

  Movement on the floor registered and seconds later, the vampire with the broken neck stood. His steps were slow, forced as he staggered next to the other. “What is that?” he asked the vampire in a scratchy voice.

  “I’m not sure.” There was awe, yet fear, in their tones. What were they feeling? Sensing, that I wasn’t? Something was off, I knew that. Still I couldn’t stop immediately. It took a good minute for the confusion to sink in enough to allow me to break the suction.

  Embarrassment and shame quickly registered and I shoved Boyd away from me as if he were the devil, himself. The need to heave was there, but for the life of me I couldn’t waste what I’d just basked in. What I wanted more of even as I took slow steps back.

  “Boyd?” One of the vampires circled his rigid frame, staring into the vampire’s blank stare as he seemed to watch my every twitch.

  “What’s wrong with him?” I asked, nervously. “Why is he just standing there?”

  Both vampires snapped their heads in my direction and where I thought they were going to attack, they didn’t. They were genuinely afraid of something.

  “It’s … not right. He’s, not right. It’s like…” The vampire sniffed, stepping back a few feet, growling lower the further he got away.

  “What?” I exclaimed. “What the fuck is going on?”

  The vampire with the broken neck didn’t have to get close to Boyd to start retreating. I couldn’t believe my eyes as he lowered to the ground too, sinking to his knees as the vibe of power increased around us.

  “That’s not Boyd,” the first vampire said, lowly. “That’s not Boyd…”

  Chapter 21

  Tessa

  “You’re free to go.”

  The words had to have repeated in my head a million times. As I stood in the now empty room that had been my residence for weeks, I couldn’t believe that Aetas was just going to let me leave. I knew why, but I still couldn’t process it. Was he really going to turn Hunter to lead us all? I couldn’t believe that. I didn’t want to. Just the thought that I would have to coexist with the man who had tried to end my life sent my vampire into a rage I couldn’t get over.

  Free to go.

  The statement had come over a day ago and I was still here. Still in a panic and daze from what it meant. My mind was torn. What if somehow Aetas did erase my memory and change my path and Marko’s? What if he tried to get me to be with the one man I couldn’t fathom myself being bound to? The action could happen at any time. Could I prevent it? No. Not if Aetas was determined. Although I had outsmarted and overpowered certain aspects of what had happened in my lessons, he was stronger than what he displayed. To him, I wasn’t a threat yet. I was still growing … learning. For him to unleash entirely, I was afraid of the outcome of what he could truly do. It was the reason I should go. And the reason I should stay and try to convince him to let me kill Hunter. But was there really any convincing him? Aetas ruled. He could do whatever he wanted. And he would in the end. I knew this in my heart. His decision was made and the only one who could stop it was Hunter, himself.

  I took a deep breath, shaking my head as I walked in a quick pace to the door. Gina was standing outside, waiting for me. My request to see Aetas was denied not an hour ago and she informed me she wouldn’t leave until I was ready to go.

  Silence followed us as we headed for the stairs and made our way to the large double doors. This was it. I’d leave and give this one to fate. Marko needed me anyway. War was coming. I’d known this for a while now. Even as Marko’s slave. Now that my memories were back, I could feel the threat from the outside world. It didn’t help that every time I left the room, the sound of a television played the current news. It blasted through the cathedral as a constant reminder to all that lived here. It was an annoy
ance to my vampire. A buzzing that I felt was beneath me to even waste my time listing to. But now, as I walked through the main room, I took in the fears of the reporter on martial law. Of vampire attacks and the rise against us. It had my feet slowing.

  “Princess?”

  Gina paused at my side, nervously, as did Margo, who had met us when we stepped from the stairs. They both gave me puzzled looks while I soaked in the report that began on the Fort Hood massacre. One they were blaming on us.

  “I don’t think I can leave until Aetas speaks with me.”

  Margo shook her head, taking a step ahead to usher us further along. “I told you, he’s in a meeting. He’s asked to not be disturbed. If you wish to have further contact with him in the future, you can send a request.”

  A request. Yes, I was just another vampire now. No one of importance anymore.

  “He’s been in the meeting since last night. I don’t mind waiting until he’s finished.”

  “I’m sorry, Princess. Once he denies a request, that’s the end of it. He doesn’t wish to see you over your concerns. And he knows what they entail.”

  Right. Of course he did. I had no say. No opinion that mattered.

  I bit my bottom lip, glancing around the massive room. Doors were everywhere, leading to who knew where. Were they bedrooms? Offices? Feeding chambers? I had no idea and suddenly I hated that I’d been confined into one small space. This place held mysteries I wanted to explore. Answers I longed to discover. This could have been my home. I could have ruled, but somehow throughout my lessons, I had failed. Now Hunter would lead us and I’d be damned if I stood with him. Not as a member and sure as hell not as his mate. What that spoke was volumes. I gave my word to Aetas that I would wouldn’t rise against him with Marko. That I wouldn’t let the man I loved start a war amongst us. I wasn’t so sure about that anymore.

  “I need a white dress. And a crown. My crown,” I said staring between them. “I won’t leave until I have them. If I’m to go home, I will do it with honorable standing.”