Snow Covered Moon

by L M Adams

  My power is the only thing holding him together now, and when I take it back, he will die. I can offer him the kiss of death, an old succubus power, to drink every bit of energy from him through a kiss and take it back into myself, you can only perform the rite while the seven are seduced. That is the only way to make the Chakras give up their power, one by one, until each of them dies. His eyes glow purple, filled with my will, my power. But the energy would feel dirty inside of me. Not to mention, I need to starve my succubus into submission.

  I turn to Tabari, he is staring at me wide-eyed. I signal for him to lower the shield. All of my power is inside the not-wolf now, slowly torturing him, eating away his chakra annihilating anything about his personality, memory, or will that transforming into a not-wolf hasn’t already destroyed. There is no more danger my power will escape to Valentine’s clutch. I feel the bubble burst with a pop.

  “I don’t know what to do with it,” I say plainly, sorrow in my throat like a living thing. Somewhere in my psyche, somehow I’d felt attraction and pity and perhaps even love for this creature.

  “Please Mistress, let me fuck you now.”

  Jack tenses to attack; I shake my head no at him sadly.

  “Quiet.” It mews again, but doesn’t make another sound. I could do whatever I wanted to it and it would not scream or make another sound ever again. Not unless I order otherwise.

  “I want to give it a clean death,” I say looking at Jack. He looks away, agitated. He is after all a vampire; some of the fallen ones may have been his friends, I do not know.

  “I will speak to Valentine.” Jack says and turns, going out the door. He did promise whatever I needed. I guess he can see I need this. I need to give this creature some kind of peace, even if it’s the kind of peace you only find in death.

  “What did it tell you?” Tabari asks.

  I tell Tabari what I know now, that they are trying to find a way to have the power of the werewolf, without actually turning into werewolves. That they want to now experiment with vampires.

  “We were right; the coven has something to do with it.” I tell him of the gem I saw and the power I felt, twisted and dark and cold. He hums in his throat but doesn’t make a comment.

  I blow out a breath, tired and drained. So much power gone, I feel strange without it thrumming through my veins. I’d forgotten how much I could hold, how much Sheba had trained me to hold inside. How it affects my thinking when I let my succubus gain so much. Sheba hadn’t done it to help me be a better succubus, she’d done it shame me, hurt me, punish me.

  Jack comes back in with a katana; he nods his head and hands it to me. I take it, thanking him silently.

  I turn and walk over to the far wall and release the pulley mechanism, the not-wolf falls on the floor. I know it hurts, his body shakes with pain and desire, but he makes no sound. Somewhere I stopped thinking of him as an ‘it’; he became a real person to me as I intertwined our thoughts in sensual misery. Somehow we are connected through the pain we’ve endured, a certain kinship, almost, has formed.

  “On your back,” I order it softly.

  He rolls onto his back immediately, lying prone, his manhood is angry and pulsating, clear liquid oozes from the tip. He’s caught in the madness of the lust and pain. I owe him a clean death. I sigh and take a knee beside him. I guide his still chained hands to it. I nod my head, giving him permission. He begins to stroke himself and I unbind the Sacral. I watch as disgusting spurts of angry mucus colored release spout from him like a fountain. It has a horrible stench, rotten just like the rest of him. But as it releases, his features calm finally.

  He looks to me with thanks and wonder and love in his eyes. I pet his head and wolf ears as he finds release again and again, soothing him, and whispering kind words. His body shudders when he’s empty. He looks to me accepting what he knows will come next.

  Tears fall from my eyes as I kill him, the katana slicing through his neck like warm butter, all with the look of love and gratitude on his not-wolf face. I make myself watch it, make myself look at who I am and what I’ve done. This will haunt me for years to come.

  Everything has a price. I nod my head.

  We will discuss yours later, I think towards my succubus.

  When the deed is done, I stand up leaving the sword where it is.

  “Neither of you will discuss any of this with Lucien, not a fucking word.” I stare at both of them until they nod, I feel the anger and rage inside of me boil up tasting of bile. I brush past Jack and Tabari closing my robe. I rush out into the hallway. I see a vampire walking down the hallway.

  “Take me to the ground level please,” I whisper fiercely. She nods her head and hurries to guide me. I follow behind her blind to the marble floors and walls. She points up the stairs, I nod my thanks. I rush up the stairs and burst through the magic wall and run out of the stock room. I head straight for the bar, there’s no one here. I grab a bottle of vodka. I hope Valentine will give me an employee discount or something.

  I call Peter on my tablet, he answers after a couple rings.

  “Hello?” He sounds like he was asleep.

  “Do you have that address?” I ask being purposely obscure. I feel the vamps moving about in the building. I don’t want anyone to know what I’m about to do.

  “Yeah, Jae.” He yawns.

  “Text it to me, then I need you to gather up every fucking weapon in the house and meet me at the address in thirty minutes.” I hear him get out of the bed.

  “Ok, it’s close to here, so I won’t be long. Jae, what’s going on?” he asks, sounding very much awake now.

  “We’re about to go hunting not-wolf.” I click end call on my tablet and throw back another shot. Do I need liquid courage? Perhaps, but I’ll be sober again in twenty minutes though, so I down another shot. I stare at the bar.

  I want to cry, scream, and have a nervous breakdown. Goddess above what have I gotten myself in to? I should’ve run. I should’ve run. I bring the bottle straight to my mouth guzzling, letting it burn painfully, drowning my organs and my succubus in vodka. She’s much easier to control while I’m drunk, I have no idea why.

  Because it dulls your connection to all of your Chakra.

  Sounds good to me, because right now I hate your fucking guts.

  When do you not hate me, Jaevia? I desire my freedom above all things, I had to try.

  “She’s drinking.” Tabari’s voice comes quietly.

  I hear Lucien sigh, he walks over to the bar taking the bottle from my hand. I snatch it back and pour another shot.

  “Not right now, Lucien, not right now,” I tell him softly.

  “Why are you drinking, Jae?” Lucien asks slowly like he’s talking me off a ledge. He is, but I don’t like to be handled.

  “It’s either drink the fucking vodka or go off the deep end. Jack, you better not vampire mind-fuck me, I need to be angry right now,” I say. “Anger helps focus me sometimes,” I add softly.

  “We’re going to make a stop. Peter is meeting us there with our fun time toys.” I slur a little, I know I should not drink anymore and yet I pick up the bottle again taking another guzzle of the fiery liquid. I need control over my succubus and this is the most direct route. And if drowning the misery and pain I feel in my soul is a side effect? Then bully for me.

  “Get her clothes, Jack.” Lucien orders. Jack disappears back through the employee only door.

  Lucien walks around the bar, taking the bottle from me.

  “Come now, Jaevia. I’ve got you.” He lifts me in his arms. I let him, laying my head on him.

  He’s always so safe. I’m burned out; too much has happened in only a few days, how am I supposed to function at this pace for so long? Too much sex, too much hurt. I let Lucien carry the burden, also known as me, for a moment.

  “You’re such a hunk,” I slur up at him.

  “You just get on my nerves, always bossing me about ‘Jaevia Knightley!’.” I lean back, putting my hand on my hip lecturi
ng him as he carries me. “‘You shall not do this, you shall not go there. You shall not go off on missions to track a murder of crows without me.’” I giggle, mimicking his deep voice. I think I’m doing a fair shot of it.

  “I should’ve listened to you, Luey. I regret that.” I throw myself back on his chest feeling sad.

  “Me and Jack got vampire married I think, but you can’t kill him, Luey. You got to be friends with your brother husband.” Hmm not as nice of a ring as sister wife. I giggle and close my eyes. He grunts a little and keeps walking down the hallway to the front door.

  I lean around him and look into Tabari’s eyes. He looks worried, “Why does he always growl and grunt? He can’t talk like normal people?” Tabari laughs. Lucien sighs heavily, but I hear no anger.

  I cuddle back on Lucien’s chest. He’s always so warm, my sun prince.

  A vampire opens the door for us. We walk out into the sun. The car is already in front of the door. Lucien gets in still carrying me, pulling me onto his lap. I stretch out my legs on the seat beside him.

  On the outside he seems completely calm and in control, but I feel the heat, the beat of his heart in his chest. I don’t even attempt to move off his lap, content in his comfort, perhaps a little afraid he might go rip off Jack’s head. Although Jack isn’t my favorite person in the world right now, I still want him in my life. That’s the sorry state of it all. The cruelty does not make me want to turn away from him, it makes me want to pull closer to the danger in his eyes, it makes being with him feel like home.

  Jack puts our bags, clothes, and shoes in the back and gets into the front passenger seat. He keeps looking back at Lucien and me. I smile at him. He shakes his head at me and settles back into his seat.

  By the time we pull in front of the address Peter texted me, I’m thoroughly sober, wishing I was drunk. Good god, I’m a blabber mouth. I tense to move off Lucien’s lap. His arm wraps tightly around my waist.

  “Tabari can you…”

  Tabari cuts me off. “Yes, yes no one will see us or hear us.” Tabari and Jack get out of the car, leaving me to my doom. I make a show of straightening Jack’s luscious robe that I’m still so elegantly dressed in.

  “So, you and the blood sucker are married,” Lucien says after a moment.

  “No! I only said that...” I sigh. “Maybe. I’m not really sure, maybe engaged? I don’t really know what it means. I haven’t agreed to a ceremony, no ring, no date. Nothing has changed really. It was his price for his power,” I respond.

  “Everything has changed. I knew you were drawn to him, I even knew I’d have to let him live with us, but I did not know it would mean us both being married to you. For him to have blackmailed you in such a manner is dishonorable. Perhaps I should have a word with him about it.” Lucien says in a statement that may have been a question may have been a threat. I can’t really be sure. So I shrug my shoulder.

  “I will kill him if you marry him without giving me a chance.” Ok well there, he is clearing up what he wants. Death threats. I swear the man knows about two things in life: sex and death.

  Just like you.

  Shut up.

  “Why is it always death and destruction with you? Can’t you ever just be a normal person? I don’t love him, not yet. I care for him. I don’t want to get married right now, to anyone.” There was no date stipulated in my agreement with Jack, no stipulation that I could not marry another, either. Either way, this just isn’t the time for this.

  “A lot has happened Lucien, but my feelings for you have not changed. Can you just be patient a little?” I ask looking up to his stoic profile. He shrugs his shoulder. His feelings are hurt. Oh, my god, really?

  “Lucien, I promise you, once things settle down we will spend more time together; I’ll give you the chance. I’ll try. I promise.”

  “You better or the blood sucker dies.”

  The coldness in Lucien’s voice leaves nothing to doubt: he’d kill Jack if I didn’t try to make things work with him. Has anyone ever fallen in love via death threat? I don’t know, but as Lucien shoves me off his lap and gets out the car my heart squeezes again in pain. I’m not sure if it’s fear for Jack or sorrow that, yet again, I’ve hurt Lucien.

  I really need to kill something.

  Chapter Thirty-six

  Better shit than the bad guys

  Getting dressed in a car sucks ass. Everything is awkward, but I do it quickly and finally gather my courage getting out of the car, both wishing for vodka and damming it to the pits of hell, a curious emotion to be sure.

  Peter pulls up in his car and parks behind us. I walk over to the cherry red blight of happiness in an otherwise shit-hole neighborhood. The area near Mr. Williams’s home makes this place look like a five-star hotel.

  No grass anywhere, just dirt yards. The address is to a high rise with ugly colored concrete and putrid colored blue metal gates over the windows. I don’t know if it’s to keep the bad guys out or in. The rest of the block has two-story homes on it, smacked side to side on each other. It makes the high rise look even more absurd.

  Shit, hunting not-wolves or not, I wouldn’t go in here unarmed.

  Just to think, it’s the kind of place I would’ve ended up in if not for Minx. I make a note to get her some of that fancy flavored cream soon.

  Peter gets out of the car, looking up at the building. From the expression on his face, I know he’s thinking the same thing. This place should be torn down. I can’t believe it classifies as a sanctioned residence by the CNAE. But I see the panel by the ugly blue painted door. Yet another mark of the absurd.

  Peter walks to the trunk and opens it. He hands me a gun belt and a nine millimeter. Remembering the last time, after the fit I put up and then feeling lucky to have a gun, I put the gun belt on without complaint.

  The rest of the boy band gathers around the trunk and suits up. Even Peter has a gun strapped to his thigh over some black BDU pants. I see Lucien glaring at them jealously.

  I smile and shake my head. Jack forgoes the throwing stars, damn it, and puts on his double shoulder gun holster with his own two nine millimeters. He’s moving slow, however, almost subdued.

  He’s in the sun, in the middle of day, after sitting in a car with a man that wants to kill him. Because I drunkenly blabbed my mouth about marriage. He’s just been released from a contract he thought he would be in for life and he hasn’t had blood in almost two days now. And you’ve pulled a lot of fucking power through him, he also found out you’re bat shit crazy, for real. Yeah Jae, you’re doing just an awesome job of taking care of your slave.

  I snatch Jack’s arm and tug him away a little.

  Lucien doesn’t even look our way, instead staring down at his hands, full of grenades. He doesn’t have any pockets to put them in and shoves them towards Peter. Peter doesn’t want to touch them, I don’t blame him.

  I turn to look up to Jack. “Are you ok?” I ask finally.

  His eyes burn with intensity. “With what exactly?”

  The fact that he needs to know exactly what bit of fucked up I need him to be okay with is just sad.

  “Everything.” I whisper.

  “I don’t know what just happened. What I saw, I don’t understand any of it. I have no idea how you will react to what I’ve done only because you need help from me, power that I could’ve given you freely. I feel immensely petty now that I see what you carry inside of you, now that I see the battle you fight. I regret it all to the bottom of my core. I will not hold you to any of it, Jaevia. Know that our contract is null and void, the Blood King as my witness. I just don’t understand how you just seem so normal now. You should not be here doing this,” he hisses low.

  “We will talk about it later. I can function now because I don’t think about it, I’m fully focused on the problem at hand. I do what needs to be done for my Kindred, first and foremost. But if you can’t deal I understand; this is not your fight, you could wait in the car,” I say.

  He stands up s
traighter with a deep look of hurt and turns his back on me, walking back to the guys. I guess I insulted him. Who knows the hearts of vampires and men?

  I look over. Tabari is leaning on the car watching me. Not a conversation I want to have right now. And yet here he comes anyway, I sigh inside, exasperated.

  “I don’t know what happened back at the Secret, but it’s more than what you are telling me. So tell me now if you still need time, Jaevia, to heal. The Kindred can handle this.” Tabari says plainly.

  “I’m fine, brother,” I lie and realize Tabari is not going to be satisfied with that answer.

  “It’s Jack with the problem. I told him to wait in the car if he couldn’t handle what we are about to do; what needs to be done. He’s not Kindred, he’s not wolf, so now he’s upset.”

  Tabari laughs, loudly. I cut my eyes at him.

  “Sister, when will you accept that Jack is a dominant male who yes, may enjoy being topped from time to time, but at the core, he’s a dominant. Not to mention you just rode over here in the lap of a man who is his main competition for your heart. Jack feels threatened and because he voiced a concern, you sent him to the bench without a second thought, as if you doubt his commitment to remain by your side to do battle with you. I doubt Jack even knows what’s bothering him. I doubt you even noticed it. Lucien, however, well he’s a barbarian. He will never doubt his ability to do battle with you, he will also make it clear he is your Alpha. He even brought bigger guns.” Tabari laughs.

  I look over. It’s true, everyone else has nine millimeters, but not Lucien. Oh no, the man has two fifty caliber desert eagles strapped to his thighs over the dress slacks. The recoil from the damn things would blow my arms off.

  “How do I fix it, brother?” I ask after a while.

  “Now that, I do not know.” He laughs as we go to gather the rest of the boy band of men with their guns and pointy things strapped to their bodies.

  “Peter, do you need a moment to yell at me or complain about something or perhaps chastise me for how I’m treating someone else?” I ask cheerfully and full of sarcasm.