“Nerian.”
“You lie,” I snarled, slamming him into the wall a second time. Desperation was starting to crowd my thoughts. No one could have told him of Nerian except for a select few, who would have killed him on sight. “He’s dead.”
“Not yet.”
“Where?”
For the first time, a cold smile lifted his lips, revealing a hint of white teeth. His eyes danced with a dark light that almost made me growl.
“I’ll crush you now, Danaus. Tell me where he is!”
He stared at me for a long time, obviously enjoying the fact that the tables had been turned and I was at his mercy. “I’ll take you to where I have him,” he said at last.
I released him suddenly, as if he had burst into flames. He had Nerian? How? It didn’t seem possible. It had to be some elaborate trick.
Stepping away from him, my eyes swept over the crowd. Everyone scurried out of my line of sight, returning to his or her conversation. Their world had shuddered to a stop for a moment and stood balanced on the edge of a knife. But with a jerk it all started again, and they banished what they thought they’d seen. They weren’t ready for my kind and all the others lurking in the shadows.
It was coming, I knew that. And if Nerian was still alive, it might be sooner than I’d originally thought. Of course, if Nerian were still alive, I had to wonder if I would live to see mankind’s Great Awakening.
Beside me, Danaus pulled the dagger from the table and slipped it back into a sheath on his left hip. His nimble fingers swept over the table, gathering the pictures into a single pile. As he placed them back into the interior pocket of his coat, I looked toward the dance floor. One of my favorite songs had started, the lead singer promising that he would not let me fall apart. His low, whispered cry settled my nerves and I reluctantly smiled. I had often toyed with the idea of seeking out this human, with his raw emotions set loose for all the world to see. But I had learned the hard way that my kind often had an ill influence upon the artists of the world, and I liked his music the way it was. Tonight I would take his promise with me as I visited an old shade from Hell.
Four
The night air was thick and still, as if the city held its breath, waiting for something else dark and creepy to slip from the shadows. I stepped outside the Docks, resisting the urge to roll my shoulders and relax the tension from my body. There were a lot of questions hovering in the silence and no answers. Like how the hell did Danaus capture Nerian? The naturi fought to the death, and had no intention of ever being held captive. Was Nerian using Danaus to get to me? The hunter didn’t strike me as the type to serve anyone’s purpose but his own.
I tried to keep from frowning as I followed him down the street into an even darker part of town. Through the trash-cluttered and crumbling streets, we angled north, trudging farther from the heart of the city and tidy parks. The street lamps were fewer and spaced wider apart here. The houses sagged, almost leaning into each other as they sought support under the weight of years of neglect. It was only a couple hours after midnight, but the streets were deserted.
We were a few blocks from the club when I stopped. Danaus halted beside me, his hand sliding up to his waist near one of his sheathed knives.
“You pull that naturi dagger and I’ll rip your arm off.” Each word squeezed past my clenched teeth. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him give a quick nod before his hand shifted to the small of his back. “We’re being followed.”
I had sensed the poor fool when we left the club, but didn’t stop until the nightwalker closed the distance significantly. No one else needed to know about the naturi just yet. I wanted to determine for myself what was going on and how bad the damage was before word spread. There were still a few naturi wandering around, lurking in the forests and jungles of the world, keeping far from humanity when possible. No reason to start a panic when this could be nothing more than a random sighting.
Not wanting to waste any more valuable time, I stretched out my senses. The power washed through the buildings, sending back slight vibrations of the people lying huddled in their beds. Throughout the city, I could feel the other nightwalkers in the midst of their nightly activities. For a breath, they paused at the slight touch of magic, then returned to their amusements. They knew I wasn’t searching for them.
The second I located my prey, he sprang. He crossed the remaining two blocks between us in a heartbeat. I had opened my mouth to warn Danaus but it was already too late. The vampire was a blur of shadow and gritty color as he pounced on the hunter.
Danaus hit the ground but used his momentum to fling the vampire off him as he rolled back to his feet. The blond vampire regained his feet and would have attacked again if I had not stepped between the two combatants. I didn’t have the time or patience for this nonsense. First Joseph muddled up my night, and now Lucas—I had more important problems on my plate at the moment.
“Stop!” I shouted, holding up my hands to keep the two creatures apart. Lucas glared at Danaus before straightening from his half crouched position and looking at me with a smug expression. My fingers twitched and closed into a tight ball as my hands dropped back to my sides. I longed to knock the look from his face.
Lucas stood at roughly five feet three inches, with blond hair that curled loosely around his ears and jaw. With his slim figure and soft features, there was something almost feminine and delicate about him. But this angelic guise was ruined by the cold cruelty he could not keep from his Nordic blue eyes.
“So, the rumors are true,” he said with ill-concealed amusement, unable to keep his smile from widening to reveal fangs. “You’ve abandoned your own kind for the hunter.”
Damn, the grapevine was fast among vampires. But then again, we were telepathic. I should have expected this. Every nightwalker in the city knew of my confrontation with Danaus. I had enjoyed it too much to not share flashes of the encounter with my kind, letting them savor the emotions and the violence like a fine wine. Yet, two nights had passed since that introduction, and many of the young ones were surprised to find the hunter walking the streets of the city. I had been waiting for more information from the Old World before killing him, having learned to be cautious over the years. Information was its own power, and held more value than a quick snap of the neck when all was said and done.
Furthermore, I’d watched Danaus long enough to know that he had enough of a sense of honor not to hunt further in my domain until our business was completed.
A weary sigh escaped me as my shoulders slumped. “You’re mad.”
“Then stand aside and let me enjoy my kill,” he said, making it sound like we were arguing over who got the last piece of chocolate cake.
“He belongs to me. His life is mine to enjoy when I so choose.” My voice hardened to the cold, hard edge of tempered steel. I took a step toward the vampire, but he held his ground, the smile crumbling from his face. Lucas was always a bit of a fool. “The other nightwalkers of this city know not to touch him unless he attacks first. And you can’t kill him. If I didn’t have more pressing matters, I would stand aside and let him cut your heart out.”
I was standing so close our noses nearly touched. In my boots, I was four inches taller than him, just enough for me to look down at him. Lucas’s eyes darkened with anger, his irises expanding, nearly blotting out the pale blue of his eyes. A ripple of his power washed through me like a cool breeze and remained trembling in the air. I had nothing to fear. This blond-haired monster with the angelic face was only a few centuries old and had more ego than real strength.
“Why are you here?” I demanded when he finally took a step back.
“I was sent to check on you,” Lucas said. The smug smile returned to his lips, while his irises shrank to let the sky slip back into his eyes.
“Why haven’t you presented yourself before now? You’ve been in my city for more than a week.”
He gave an indifferent shrug of his shoulders as he slipped his hands into the pockets of
his black slacks. “I am the Companion of Macaire. I go where I please.”
I crossed the distance in a single step and grabbed the front of his red silk shirt, twisting it slightly around my fist so I could be sure I had a good grip on him. A bubble of laughter nearly escaped me when I saw the brief look of surprise that flooded his handsome features before I threw him across the street and into a dark alley. I wandered across the street, following the sound of the metal trash cans colliding with Lucas. He had just picked himself up off the ground, a low growl rumbling from the back of this throat at the sight of me. He roughly brushed bits of trash and rotting food off his slacks.
It was a while since I’d had the opportunity to fight something that could take a good beating. Danaus had been fun, but extremely brief. Lucas, on the other hand, could go a few rounds and still come back for more.
The vampire lunged at me, his fingers out like claws. I caught him by the throat with one hand and slammed him into one of the brick walls that lined the alley. Behind me, Danaus entered the alley, his footsteps nearly silent on the trash-strewn concrete. Under normal circumstances I would have worked Lucas over until he was nothing more than a quivering ball of raw flesh in the corner. Unfortunately, I had other tasks to complete tonight. Naturi business and preserving the secret always came first.
“I don’t care if you are the newest toady for Macaire. I am still Keeper of this domain and you will give me my due.” I raised my free left hand, cupping it slightly with fingers spread. My pale flesh was bathed in the glow of dancing blue flames.
Lucas immediately began to struggle, shrinking away from the fire as his fingers clawed my hand holding his throat. “Per favore, Mira! Mia signora!” he said, unconsciously slipping into Italian. Lucas wasn’t Italian. I hadn’t a clue as to what he was other than his slight accent, which seemed vaguely Slavic. However, the Coven was based in Italy, and eventually all nightwalkers learned to beg in Italian. “I—I was sent by the Elders. They’re concerned.”
“About what?” I asked. Did they know about the symbols as well? A sick fear twisted in my chest. Coming to the attention of Ancients was never an enjoyable experience.
“The humans—they’re beginning to ask too many questions.”
“They’ve always asked questions. That hasn’t changed.” Mankind had speculated about the existence of nightwalkers for centuries, but never truly believed the tales to be true.
“But they have proof now,” he said, falling back into English.
An uneasy feeling added to the weight of my earlier fears and I went still. “Proof? How?”
“Bodies were found in California two nights ago, and another in Texas last week.”
“I heard.”
“The Daylight Coalition is claiming it’s proof that we exist.”
“They’re just a fringe group.” I extinguished the flame from my hand but didn’t release Lucas. “No one believes them. The police claimed it was a hoax.”
“It doesn’t matter. They are winning over more followers. The number of hunters has more than doubled during the past few decades. The Elders think we’re running out of time.”
“So why come here?”
Lucas stopped trying to pry my fingers loose and went still. “They want to know who left the bodies. You’re one of the oldest in the New World.”
“I didn’t come here to babysit, nor will I clean up after every kill.” My grip on his throat tightened and I leaned closer. “I don’t know who made the mess.” Releasing him, I paced over to the other brick wall in the narrow alley. There were already more pressing matters on my mind. I didn’t need to worry about the Elders and their flunkies invading my territory.
“They will find out who has caused this ripple among the humans.” Lucas said. “If he or she is still in the New World, it will be your job to mete out the punishment.” His hand absently rubbed his throat.
“I do not jump for the Elders.” But even I knew that statement was only partially true. I was stronger than most nightwalkers my age, and it was more than just my ability to use fire, though that unique gift kept many at a distance. I had destroyed more than my fair share of Ancients, earned every bit of my dark reputation through centuries washed in blood and death.
I didn’t feel the need to jump for the Elders, because of Jabari. He acted as a buffer between me and the rest of the Coven, giving me my freedom. The oldest and most powerful member of the Coven, Jabari had earned my unwavering loyalty. He had only to ask and I would perform nearly any task for him. But Jabari was missing now, my buffer gone.
“You will obey if you wish to keep your domain and your life,” Lucas said, his eyes narrowing to thin slits.
I stared at him, willing myself not to rip his head off. He was a pathetic creature. Less than three hundred years old, I knew he probably wouldn’t survive to see another century. Those who served as Companions to the Elders rarely lived long lives, but the reward during those short years was the ability to bask in the amazing power the Elders wielded. Once you were selected as a Companion, other nightwalkers could not touch you without risking the wrath of the Elder. Of course, if you failed your caretaker, which inevitably happened, your existence was forfeit. And from what I’d heard, your death was always slow and painful.
“Leave here, Lucas. Return to your master and tell him what you have found.”
“Like your defense of the hunter?” His gaze flicked over to Danaus at the mouth of the alley then back to me.
“Like how I spared your life,” I said with a smile that was all fangs and menace. “You’ve delivered your message. Be gone before the sun touches the earth or I shall introduce you to a whole new realm of pain.”
Lucas glared at me for another second before turning and walking down the alley, back toward the street. I watched him go, his body nearly brushing against Danaus, who didn’t flinch. A vampire like Lucas was easy prey for Danaus and not worth such worries. Of course, Lucas was also the mouthpiece for something much larger and scarier.
From the entrance to the alley, Lucas turned back to look at me. “The Elders are not the only ones concerned. The others are watching as well,” he called, then disappeared into the night.
“Shit,” I whispered into the darkness when I was sure Lucas couldn’t hear me. I had enough to worry about without having the Elders and all the others breathing down my neck. I doubted Macaire would come after me for roughing up Lucas, but I certainly didn’t need to be on his bad side if the Elders suddenly decided to hand over a sacrificial lamb to the humans.
In the nightwalker hierarchy, we kept things simple. The top dog was Our Liege, who ruled all nightwalkers. Below him was the Coven, which consisted of four Elders. Below the Coven, it was just whoever was the strongest and the smartest. Of course, Ancients—any vampire more than one thousand years old—were their own special bundle of trouble. And I was asking for trouble.
It was one thing to talk big while standing in a dark alley in my own domain, but I had never faced all of the Elders at once. I had maintained a comfortable distance from the group. I’m sure some of my actions caught their notice and made them frown on more than one occasion, but I’d done nothing to endanger our secret.
Unfortunately, on more than one occasion I had flaunted my total disregard and general lack of subservience for the group. So far they’d let it slide, and I knew I had Jabari to thank for it. Yet, if things started to get out of hand here in the New World, the Elders would use it as an opportunity to either bring me to heel or serve my head up to the humans.
I saw Danaus put his dagger back in its sheath in the small of his back. Of course, this creature was yet another problem to figure out before I had the Ancients on my soil.
“Nerian,” he said in his usual deep growl.
And back to the more pressing of the problems. Lucas and the Elders could wait. So could Danaus’s death.
Five
My teeth were clenched when my gaze fell on the two-story house with the peeling, pale blue
paint three blocks from where we encountered Lucas. I frequently hunted in this part of town. The inhabitants here struggled to eke out a living, and the air smelled thick of sweat and despair. Their lives were simple and harsh, with hopes that stretched no further than thoughts of food and warmth. Not so different than the village where I’d been born more than six centuries ago.
The street lamps at the top and the bottom of the road were out. Danaus had most likely seen to the darkness when he moved in. Thick, velvety night oozed around the houses and filled the street like heavy tar, making it easier to slip in and out of the neighborhood without being noticed.
A light breeze stirred from the south, rustling leaves on a sickly scattering of trees. The harsh, dry summer left them covered in only thin foliage that had already begun to brown. Most of the broken-down houses crowded on the street were dark except for a handful that leaked a blue glow thrown down by television sets. A high-pitched whine stole down the block as the wind blew open the gate of a sagging chain-link fence.
As I mounted the crumbling stone steps, I reached out again with my powers, running my senses through every inch of the house. Danaus was the only other creature I could pick up. Unfortunately, I couldn’t sense the naturi. I could be walking into a house full of them and wouldn’t know it until the dagger was already in my back.
The hunter looked back at me, his hand on the doorknob. He felt me use my powers as well.
“Open it,” I said with a nod of my head, relieved that my voice didn’t betray my concern. For all the world, I sounded as if I was actually looking forward to seeing Nerian, like a reunion of old friends. Hardly. My only hope was that I didn’t kill him on sight, but I had serious doubts as to whether that was a realistic thought.
Danaus pushed open the door, which moaned in angry protest. The hunter stepped inside first and moved so I could follow while he closed the door. Once inside, I turned to face him, keeping my back to the wall. I didn’t trust him or this situation. With his hands open at his sides, he walked in front of me down the main hall. The floorboards creaked and screamed under the weight of our footsteps. The walls were cracked and crumbling, and the scent of some long-dead animal lingered in the air. A dark staircase ran along the left side of the hall, leading to a silent second floor.
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