The Consort

by Paige Patton

  She didn’t know any more now than she did before she stepped into his house. Other than, he was a bad liar and a little crazy. She had one last question before she was ready to call it a day.

  “Would it be fair to say that you have many enemies?

  He took a moment to think. She could answer that one for him. A man of his stature did not acquire such wealth by being a nice person. She was sure he had stepped on many heads and had even broken a few bones on his climb to the top. Of course, he had enemies- And plenty of them!

  “It’s sad, but yes, it would be fair to say that I have many enemies.”

  There was nothing sad about having enemies. It came hand in hand with being a fucking gazillionaire! He probably never had to work a hard day in his life. He wanted sad? She could give him sad, pathetic, sorry, and worthless. Try having to screw some stinky, sweaty, fat bastard in order to pay for tuition and books. Now that is sad!

  Camille could not understand why she was so pissed, but she was. She ripped off a sheet of paper from her pad and handed it to him.

  “Would you mind making a list of your enemies? I’d like to Google them before I pay them a visit.”

  He took the sheet of paper from her hand and balled it up in his fist. His face was tight with indignation.

  “You don’t understand, Camille. These are not the type of people you will find on Google.”

  He took a seat next to her again. Something about him changed at that moment. She could tell that play time was over as he took on a different look.

  “You've lived here your entire life. You must know the stories of the vampires who live among us?”

  Again with the vampires, seriously? Camille did not know whether she should run fast or back away from him slowly. She struggled for a moment to come up with an appropriate response to his ridiculous question. She didn't have one, so he continued.

  “Our city alone is saturated with vampires along with other supernatural beings just waiting.”

  “Waiting for what?” She asked. Not that she believed any of his foolishness, she just had to know what his answer would be.

  “Waiting for Kourosh to find his betrothed; once this happens, he will raise up from the darkness and take over the world.”

  Camille listened, but she was stuck on the word, vampire. She thought that the man should be committed, but also thought it best to play along. She would keep him talking and happy until she was closer to the front door. Then she would drive out of De Luz like an escaped fugitive, and she would never look back. If she made it out of there, safely she would gladly face Desiree and tell her she was right. The man was off his rocker.

  “What does any of this have to do with you or your daughter?”

  “It’s called leverage, Miss Kantari, something of value.”

  “So, Grace is like the sacrificial lamb?”

  “Yes.” He said with a look on his face that showed how pleased he was that Camille believed him. “Richard tried to warn me of this, but I didn’t listen.”

  “Are you telling me that Richard Dames was also a vampire?” She felt silly asking such an outrageous question and feeding into his sickness.

  “Yes, he was, but he was also a valued friend. You would have liked him. You remind me of him in many ways. He was not like the others. He knew the dangers that were ahead. He went to the gods for help.”

  “And did he get it?”

  “That I don’t know. He sent me away for a year in search of something that didn’t exist.”

  Noland paused looking off into the distance as if deep in thought. “He wanted me safe and out of the way.”

  His story was riveting even though she didn’t quite understand it all. She did not believe a single word, still, she found herself completely taken in by his passion and unshakable conviction. It was apparent that he believed it. She had plenty of dealings with men just like him. Mythomane, believing strongly in one's own lies and fantasies. He could have easily added author to his long list of accomplishment because the story he was telling was brilliant. It had a number of holes in it, but it kept her on the edge of her seat.

  “Richard vowed to put an end to whatever was brewing, to stop it in its tracks before the carnage began. That is why he made his office a safe zone. You will be safe there. It’s cloaked in magic.”

  Camille’s quizzical expression excited him. He knew she was listening, but he needed her not only to hear him, but also to believe. He wondered just how much he would have to tell her before she did. Did he dare be bold enough to tell her about himself and the rest of the pack? Would too much information scare her away? She had to be made aware of the danger she was facing, the evil that roamed the streets not only at night but also in broad daylight.

  “Safe zone?” She asked trying to keep from sounding too patronizing and condescending. Normally she would have raised an eyebrow and curled her lips up at such a statement, but she forced herself to remain perfectly poised.

  “Your office is a safe haven. No harm can come to you or anyone who enters. He cloaked it with magic given to him by Horus, the Egyptian God of protection.”

  Camille sat there unable to move as she listened to him go on about Egyptian Gods and spells and vampires. Holy crap, the man was truly off his ever-loving rocker; so far gone she was surprised she found him on Google.

  “I know that this is a lot for you to take in all at once, but I felt obligated to make you aware of the type of people you’re dealing with. You must be extremely careful from now on. Remember that you have a safe place to run to if you ever find yourself in danger.”

  Alrighty then, Camille wanted to say, as she stood not knowing what to say. One thing was for sure; she felt sorry for Noland; he seemed like a regular guy, sweet and normal until he started talking. Now, what, she thought as he walked her to the front door.

  “Thank you for coming, Camille. Maybe next time you could stay a little longer. I will prepare a nice lunch for us and give you a tour of the property. You’d be surprised at the amount of land that surrounds the estate.”

  Whatever, Camille thought. She just wanted to leave, and never come back to De Luz Canyon again. In fact, she was seriously considering returning his money and backing out of the deal altogether.

  “Thank you, Noland. I’d like that very much.” She lied.

  He did something so unexpected it stunned her. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. The heat from his body and the comfort of his embraces did something to her. It caused an emotional connection, a bond of trust and belonging. She was hit with the feeling of family, love, and support. A feeling of having parents who cared and wanted nothing but the best for their children. It lightened her heart, yet made her sad and discontent with the life. A life where she was forced to work her ass off for everything when the world had handed Grace everything on a gold platter? She deserved more. She wanted more. She wanted this.

  Noland pulled back giving her a look that told her everything would be all right.

  Chapter Four

  Desiree knocked first, and then eased the door open calling out his name before entering the office of Professor DePaul. It was 4 o’clock on the dot, and no one was around.

  Where was this man? Maybe she should have called to confirm with the administration’s office prior to coming. That would have been the professional thing to do, but the appointment was only made seven hours ago. Had he forgotten that fast? Desiree decided to give him a few minutes before calling it quits.

  Grace’s classmates had told her that the professor spoke briefly to Grace in private on the day of her disappearance. Hopefully, he would be able to shed some light on the poor girl’s disposition prior to all the hoopla. With any luck, they could have this case wrapped up or at the least have a few good leads to follow.

  Frankly, Desiree found Noland to be a bit…, well, insane. He was acting prematurely, launching an investigation. The girl was over eighteen, which meant she was free to run off whenever she felt the urge, and she did
not need written consent from him to do so. That was the beauty of being an adult. You had the right to do as you pleased. Desiree was doubtful that she was truly missing. She probably just needed a break from the stress of school and daddy dearest. Most of the time these so-called runaways ended up in Mexico drugged up or in Vegas celebrating. Not that she was judging anyone because she had her fair share of both. Considering the amount of money Noland was paying them, Desiree would gladly put her nose to the grindstone and do whatever it took. They would find his daughter and drag her spoiled ass back by her extensions if that is what it took.

  She glanced around his office feeling like an uninvited intruder. It was apparent the office belonged to a man. Thick dust and cobwebs hung in the corners. An antique desk and chair, a beat-up old couch, and a floor lamp were the only furnishings. What caught her eye were the bookshelves that covered every wall except for one that allowed space for a window. Thousands of dusty books, magazines, and news articles filled every inch of the shelves.

  She loved the smell and the feel of books and, of course; she loved to read. It was one of her favorite pastimes. She had spent countless hours lost in the pages of a good book- a murder mystery, sci-fi, or a steamy romance. It didn’t matter. She loved them all. It allowed her to escape her ordinary life for a brief while and step into the world of the unknown.

  She crossed over to the window and looked out at a family of ducks that were splashing around in a pond. They seemed to look straight at her as if trying to warn her of something. A momentary streak of fear hit her. It did not linger for long; she barely had enough time to process the reasoning behind her anxiety before the feeling was gone.

  The University of California San Diego was a prestigious university with students coming from around the world to attend. She and Camille attended community college while working their butts off to pay for it all. It was far from the privilege of attending UCSD, but it got the job done. Look at them now, proud owners of not one, but now two businesses. When you think about it, it does not matter where you attend college. It is the information you gain while there and the ability to apply it successfully in life that counts.

  Where was this man, Desiree sighed in frustration? It was now five o’clock. She should have left like she started to fifteen minutes ago leaving a nasty note on his desk letting him know how rude it was to blow off an appointment. Something kept her from leaving, and it wasn’t the money. It was something deeper, something for the life of her she could not explain, so she took a seat on his couch and waited.

  Whatever Professor DePaul was doing, it had better be a matter of life and death. She was growing more and more annoyed the longer she waited. The moment he showed his face she would let him know just how annoyed she was.

  ****

  Urgently summoned, Roman appeared in the middle of a hellacious war that was taking place in one of his abandoned warehouses. The voice in his head warned him of a dire emergency, calling it a matter of life and death. By the looks of things, death was winning.

  The sound of clanking metal to metal, scraping and sliding bounced off the walls and echoed throughout the empty warehouse making the sound even more forbidding. Taghavii demons were known assassins. Each one stood close to seven feet tall. When their wings came out, they had a wingspan of a Boeing 747. These dudes were kick-ass bad, and they were literally kicking the asses of Roman’s men.

  Looking around, Roman felt ill at the sight of his men falling like flies. One was propped up against the wall, still alive but had a gaping hole in the center of his chest. Another one was flat on his back and gutted like a fish, his eyes staring at him begging to be put out of his misery. Those who could fight continued to do so like the brave soldiers they were trained to be, but try as they might, ten of Roman’s men were no match for one of the Taghavii demons.

  Kourosh had supernatural powers that had grown to freakish proportions. Even from his dark castle in Portugal where he spent most of his time, his powers reach out far and wide across the waters like beacons. Always on full alert, warning him whenever something was astir. That is when he would send out his assassins to roam the streets. To listen, to watch, and to find the problem giving them full authority to destroy entire cities, kill, mutilate, or maim. It did not matter how many were killed or how long it took as long as they returned with answers.

  To say that Roman was peeved, pissed, or irritated as he watched his men went down like flies would have been the understatement. He kept his calm because he had a can of whoop ass godlike powers that he was about to put into action. Delilah’s last words were to use them responsibly, well; he intended to do just that. He would be responsible for gutting each one of them before blasting them into oblivion.

  Before he could take a step a dazzling bright light that appeared before him, it swirled and shimmered with colors he had never seen before. In the center of the dazzling light appeared a sword.

  “Take it!” Delilah urged him. “It was made just for you. It will aid you in battle.”

  Roman held out his arm and reached into the light. The sword affixed to his hand as if it belonged there. The long, red hilt was perfect for one or two-handed use. He gripped the sword with his dominant hand, then gripped beneath with his left hand, holding it up in a ready position he stood ready to fight.

  This was a one of a kind battle sword made of iron and steel; the finest materials making it excellent for balance and control. He practiced slicing through the air with the long, heavy blade. Whipping it around several, times like a true warrior, as he needed to get a feel for his new weapon. It had had a rather unique-hand-hammered pommel and a wide cross-guard undoubtedly to withstand excessive pounds of stress.

  Inscribed on both the hilt and serrated blade were magical runes that granted the wielder certain mystical powers. When used in battle the sword was deadly to its enemies. It had to remain in his possession at all times. Otherwise, the weapon would turn against him.

  Roman was ready- Ready to kick ass and to hell with taking names. He vanished and reappeared in front of the demons.

  “Well, well! The creature snarled looking down at Roman letting his wings span out to its full capacity before bringing them back in and folding them under. “Look who finally shows up at the tail end of a bloody battle.”

  “Sucks for you. Now you won’t get the chance to report back to your master,” Roman said lifting his sword to fight.

  He vanished, and then reappeared next to a demon who was busy removing the heart from the chest of one of his best fighters. Wielding the sword with proficiency, Roman sliced his arm away right below the elbow. Spinning around he disappeared and reappeared behind the creature and sliced off a wing.

  The beast roared out in pain but managed to come stomping after Roman faster than lightening. The sword transformed into a blade at the perfect time for Roman to sink it deep into the demon’s chest. With his free hand, he removed his heart and shoved it into the demon's mouth before he hit the ground.

  He went after the others slicing and dicing his way through them leaving a bloody mess in the wake. When the battle was over, the sword retracted up his arm and vanished. It was now a permanent part of him, always with him, ready to do battle when needed.

  Roman stood back looking around at all the bloodshed. Only three out of twenty were still alive. His fighters were tough and resilient, but death followed once the heart was removed. As for the others, they would be okay as long as they rested and replenished their bodies with human blood. He waved a hand and disappeared taking his men along with him.

  Nepenthes was a place where injured vampires went to recover until they were strong enough to fight again. It was a healing place where they could rest and forget all of their troubles and sorrows, a place where human blood was plenty and worries of Kourosh were light years away.

  Roman appeared in the room with his men as doctors and nurses worked to save their lives.

  “What the hell happened?” Doc Stevens asked as he worked ove
r the vampire with the hole in his chest.

  “Kourosh and his demons happened,” Roman said as he watched Stevens do what he did best. Patch up mangled vampires. Not long ago he was once a top surgeon at one of the top hospitals in California. In the prime of his life and at the top of his game, he was only fifty-one when given the devastating new of a rare, terminal disease. He had only a few months to live. Within those months, he searched high and low for a cure. None came until he met Roman.

  Stevens pulled Roman out into the hallway where they could speak in private.

  “Are you sure this revolution is a good idea? I haven’t seen so many mangled bodies since Iraq. Is it worth so many getting killed?” He asked pulling off his bloody gloves and tossing them into a red trash can.

  Roman knew the devastating consequences of starting a revolution and yes, it was worth it. He hated to see good men go down, but each one picked a side and knew what the result could potentially be. They also knew the greater danger of many more suffering if Kourosh remained in power.

  “Yes, I believe it is worth it.” He said just as his phone buzzed. He dug it out of his pocket and shook his head.

  “What is it? Another battle going on?”

  “No. I’m late for an appointment with some P.I.”

  “A private investigator? What the hell for?”

  Roman felt reluctant to tell Stevens what was going on. He gets himself so worked up over the smallest matters. “Grace Bauer is missing.”

  “Jesus Christ, Roman! And you don’t think this is all connected somehow?”

  “Calm down, Doc. Let me handle this. Just take care of my men. I need them back out there on the streets where they can keep an eye on Kourosh’s demons.”