by K. A. Jones
Carlos gently stroked my arm, his fingers trailing patterns across my skin. Through the link I could feel his sorrow. I turned in his embrace and looked into his face. “I meant what I said Carlos, I’m not yours to keep. I don’t belong to anybody. I have to go; I have my own agenda now.”
I saw him close his eyes at my words and take a slow breath in. “What is your agenda? Killing me? And then running off to live happily ever after with Dario?”
It was a strange response, but given how everything was turning out, I shouldn’t have been surprised. “You need to break the bond between Dario and me and I need to break the bond between us.” He went to speak but I held a finger to his lips and said, “You can go back to plotting revenge against your family and take over the vampire world, claim your place as King or help the government that is your choice, your right, and I need to find a comfortable place in the world where I can just be me. Alone, without hunting down vampires or succumbing to their power.”
He smiled, shook his head and tucked my hand in his. “So, no plans on killing me then?” His smile dropped and his face became serious once more. “I have acted selfishly. All of my existence has been about creating an army to avenge what they did to my Father. Darkness consumed me. I wasn’t a vampire, I was a new breed. Alone even though I was surrounded by beautiful women, taking what I wanted, when I wanted. Everything I did was about me. Even last night, I knew what I was doing, how I affected you.” He looked away from me for a moment and when he looked back at my face his expression had softened, adding to his vulnerable look. “Even now, I have no regret for forcing a bond between us. My mother told me that this day would come. She told me that I would bond with someone and experience a love so strong that my whole life would change. She’d said that the darkness would lift and I would have a new purpose, one that was worth fighting for…”
If I let myself, I could’ve been sucked into the web that he was spinning. Manipulation at the highest level! He’d killed his parents for his own gain. He’d formed an army and forged an alliance with the government to commit murder against the vampires. These were things that I wouldn’t forget knowing. He acted as though he had done it to avenge what had happened to his Father, but really it was for his own gain.
Greed, power and selfishness were the things that fed the darkness inside of him. I was hearing his sad tale so he could manipulate me. He wanted me to feel sorry for him, next he would be telling me that I balanced out the darkness with my light! Fairytale poppycock!
“I know that you think what I’m telling you is clichéd, but with you at my side I feel like I’m a better person.”
I pulled away and climbed off the bed. “I’m not what you need Carlos, you need someone who will forgive your past and look forward to a future with you. One that doesn’t involve death and destruction.” I moved to the room that we had used last night, grabbed my discarded clothes and headed to the bathroom. It was better than looking at his crestfallen face. I had to keep it together, stay strong and not crumble. His act was Oscar worthy, mine had to be better. It had to be.
I turned on the shower and let the water wash over me, cleansing me. Removing any traces of my moment of madness.
New night, fresh start, new plan. I repeated the words once more to bolster my courage.
The door opened and Carlos slipped inside. He sat on the edge of the sink watching me. It was a bit unnerving, but I couldn’t let my nerves get the better of me. I followed my mantra from my training days. Breathe in, hold, release. Repeat. I felt my heart rate slow and found comfort in the fact that the skills I had learnt were going to help me.
“What are you up to? I pour my heart out to you and you carry on as if none of it matters.” I could hear the annoyance in his voice, even when he was trying to come across as relaxed.
I gave a shrug of my shoulders knowing that he could see through the glass door. “We all have our demons Carlos; do you want to hear mine?”
He pulled open the shower door and said, “I want to learn everything about you.”
“Where to start, I was separated from my birth mother and placed in what can only described as a form of day care…. Leave out the word care, because there was none of that.” I heard him growl in frustration and felt his power amplify. I forced up the barrier that I had carefully erected. “Then at the ripe age of eighteen I was punished, beaten and forced to fight for my life and learn to become an assassin, it was either that or become a walking womb… those were my only options.” I turned off the water and grabbed a towel. Whilst rubbing my skin I spoke again. “I killed vampires for a living, made a small fortune from the contract kills and then at the age of thirty five, I was forced to bond with a vampire, for a hunter, that was pretty scary. He sired me and I became part hunter-part vampire. I ran…. Had my own people take pot shots at me, and then you’ll like this bit, I met my boss, he fucked me and forced a bond on me.”
My body slammed into the wall as he pinned me against it with his body. I didn’t look but I felt tiles crack against my back. My fangs snapped into place ready to attack. Carlos scanned my face, his own fangs pressing down on his bottom lip. He punched the wall at the side of my head, I didn’t flinch. “Damn it Shyla, why did you have to say it like that?”
I made a scoffing sound and calmly said, “It’s the truth, suck it up big boy – this was your doing!” Desire flared across the bond, I could see it in his eyes. I tightened my mind slamming the barriers higher than I’d ever had to push them before. I ducked under his arm and grabbed my clothes. I didn’t want to end up in the bedroom/cell, and I certainly didn’t want to go to the room that we had used last night. I stood in the hallway and slipped on my jeans and t-shirt. I tossed the underwear back into the bathroom on top of the discarded wet towel.
Standing at the door that would lead me to my freedom, I waited for Carlos. Anger burned through me. I wasn’t going to play his game… ‘Open the door Carlos, I want to leave.’ It felt like there was a moment of confusion and then both of the men I was bonded with spoke at the same time. Carlos said, ‘you are not leaving,’ and Dario was asking me what was going on, asking where I was and asking if I was okay. I sent back ‘Dario, back off. I’m fine… Carlos, if you don’t open this door I swear I will become the biggest enemy that you have ever met.’
I left the connection open, not sure how this next bit would play out. I felt Dario’s soft caress through the bond. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling for a brief moment before I mentally pulled away from his touch.
Carlos walked towards me. I could see and feel anger rolling off him. I held up a hand to stop his advance. “I want a meeting with the government, I want to see who the powers that be are, and I want you and Dario to attend the meeting and I want your word that no harm will come to him or his men whilst we meet.”
He stopped dead in his tracks, “Why do you want the meeting?” His eyes were calculating, trying to second guess what I was up too.
“If what you have told me is true, that you want peace between our species, then a new strategy is required. You spoke of manipulation and power. I am bonded to both species – caught in the middle of a feud between brothers. The Government enables the hunters to commit murders against vampires if they commit a crime, yet there is no such governing body that would support the vampires in their quest to rid the world of manipulative hunters.” Carlos went to speak but I cut him off, “Both parties have their faults, both sides have their flaws and both sides have men who will act in this manor – for power, for greed and monetary gain. That is why I want a meeting with the government. I want to ensure that there is a strategy in place that is equitable to both species. You wanted to police both the hunters and the vampires; you are the wrong person for the job. You cannot lead without prejudice. That is why I want Dario there, so that an agreement can be met to appoint someone who will act fairly.”
I heard Dario say ‘If that is your wish, my sweet Consort.’ That seemed to push Carlos’s anger to a whole n
ew level. His eyes stared into mine; I felt a tiny bit of fear beginning to creep up my spine. I tilted my head letting him see that my fangs were still drawn and I was getting ready to defend myself against him should he attack me again.
He held the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. When he finally looked back at me I could see that his anger was under control and Mr Nice Guy was back. “I will arrange it. See if your sire can be here in a couple of hours.” I sent the message to Dario, his reply was instant. Yes, he would be here. I closed the connection between us. I heard Dario’s growl as I blocked him out. He was lucky that I had used the link after the stunt that he had pulled.
I gestured to the door and even though I knew that Carlos wasn’t happy about releasing me, I didn’t want to be cooped up any more. “I will use the training room; I need to burn of some energy.”
Puzzlement crossed his face. “Are you staying?”
I let out an exasperated huff of air. “I want to meet with the government officials, so yes, I am staying.” I didn’t add ‘for the moment’ or give him any hope that I would remain here once I had met the powers that be. “Which way to the gym?” Carlos opened the locked door and gestured for me to follow him.
He led me from his private quarters but stayed close as we made our way through the training facility. As we approached the gym I could hear Thane and Khalon initiating a poor unsuspecting soul in the ways of the hunters. The sounds of flesh-meeting-flesh followed by a whimper of pain, I remembered it only too well. “Are you sure you wish to train?”
“I need to burn off my anger before I do someone some serious damage. I would prefer to do it before I meet whomever you are working for.”
Carlos put a hand on my arm and said, “I could think of another way to help get rid of your frustrations….” I glanced up at him, he had a seriously sexy smile on his face, the kind that I’m sure had girls dropping their knickers for him, but I wasn’t that girl. I’d been there and done that. The look on his face and knowing that he was more than capable of getting rid of my pent up frustrations made it a tempting offer.
Shaking my head, I pulled open the gym door to see Thane and Khalon stopped what they were doing, lift their gaze to mine and smiled one of their special smiles that was reserved for newbie hunters. “Good evening gentlemen, although I use that term loosely. I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m Shyla Diana, Consort to Prince Dario so I guess I should call myself Shyla DeLuise.” I let my vampire senses flare and sure enough they were glowing on my vampire radar, not as brightly as Carlos, but they were there.
Khalon began slowly circling me. Carlos was watching him and I could feel Carlos getting ready to strike. I casually turned to Carlos and patted him on his arm. “Relax; this is what you trained me for.” I turned back to Khalon and Thane. “Would you like your newbie to witness me kicking your butts?” The young hunter looked back and forth between us partly in awe of how I was speaking, but worried that they would know that he was enjoying it, I couldn’t help it, I flashed my fangs at him and watched the colour drain from his face. He scrambled backwards and rose to his feet getting ready to attack me. “Oh relax Hunter; I’m not here to play with you… But I would recommend that you take a good look at my face and remember it.”
Carlos raised an eyebrow and said “You wish to play with Khalon and Thane?”
I gave my sweetest smile and fidgeted about on my feet to make myself look innocent. “Yes. Tag team. Only one can attack at a time. If I get you on your back, you stay down because if I had a blade, I would be sticking in your heart and you wouldn’t be getting back up again, believe me!”
His faced flashed with anger. Power erupted from Carlos, trickling across my skin. “No, absolutely not… Thane, Khalon, take this young hunter back to his room.”
I laughed, planted my hands on my hips, looked back at the young trainee assassin and said, “Grab a seat kiddo, you might want to buy some snacks, things are about to get interesting!”
“No Shyla, I refuse to let this happen.” His voice was low and full of command, appealing to the vampire that I had become. Desire coursed through my body, but it wasn’t him that I wanted. I clamped down on my wayward emotions and focused on my revenge.
Before I lost my nerve I spoke with equal authority. “No? You spoke about strengths and weaknesses. Your words just proved that I am indeed a weakness. Yours and Dario’s. Both of you have seriously underestimated me.” I turned and addressed the room. “Bring it… Don’t hold back because I won’t be going easy on you.”
I launched into an attack without giving them any chance to back out. Khalon was first on my list – he’d stalked me like a lion. He tried to use his size and demeanour as a form of intimidation. He thought my memories would make me quake in my boots. Well, now it was time to show that I was not the hunter they once knew. Since I had left the facility, I had dreamed of this day – one where I could use everything I’d learned against them.
Dario’s butt kicking session came to mind, his skill, speed and powerful moves. Before Khalon had a chance, I had grabbed him, flipped him over my hip and he was sprawled out on the floor. Power rippled through my body, my inner vampire coming out to play! “Stay down Khalon. It’s time I show you all what I have learnt!” I crooked my finger at Thane and quirked my eyebrow in a taunt. I’d moved fast, I’d opted for a move that he wasn’t anticipating and the look that he was giving me, told me that Thane had got my number – this is where I had to have my wits about me. If Thane got the upper hand, then my plan would fail.
Thane ran at full speed, buzzing past me over an over, each time, trying to connect a fist or a foot. I dodged his moves predicting them. He had done this as part of his training regime with new recruits, only to conceal his identity as a vampire he hadn’t moved as fast. I anticipated a move, lunged and made a direct hit to his groin. As he bent over, I lifted my knee to his face. Blood made my vampire senses kick in. My fangs elongated and desperately wanted to sink into Thane. Despite my temporary victory, Thane struck hard and fast. We moved with precision, each scoring blows that would’ve made a grown man keel over. I fought dirty, aiming low, striking his groin again. I followed through with another elbow to his nose. Curses flew from his mouth as I countered his moves until I was able to flip him onto his back. I made a stabbing action to his chest letting him know that if I’d had a blade; it would be sticking from his chest.
I backed away feeling somewhat victorious. Winking at the young wannabe assassin I rounded on Carlos. “I think you have proved your point Shyla. Now if you have finished with playing with my men, I suggest you make yourself presentable for our meeting.” I could feel his anger through the bond. I felt my breath catch and steadied my breathing making sure that no one else picked up on the fact that he had this hold on me. His power called out to me and my traitorous body responded.
I wiped away a trickle of blood that was leaking from my nose as Thane and Khalon moved closer to Carlos. Khalon pointed at the young assassin and said “Return to you quarters, if you breathe a word of what has transpired in this room, I will make sure that those words will be your last.”
My fangs ached to sink into their skin and rip away their throats.
Carlos faced Thane and Khalon. “Escort hunter to his room and get cleaned up. I want you heading security whilst the Prince is here. Dario and his men will be arriving for a meeting with the chairman of the Security Council and the Chief Executive of Security. Shyla DeLuise has requested a meeting. No one and I mean no one is to harm Dario or any of his men, there is a temporary truce until the government have returned to their office. Do I make myself clear?”
I made a mental note of his words, noticing that the truce would only last until the officials were out of the picture.
Khalon and Thane looked both surprised and annoyed. They gave a curt nod of their heads and hauled the young hunter to his feet and propelled him from the room.
Carlos spun on his heel so he faced me; his
eyes took in my appearance, checking over the many small bruises that were beginning to appear. They lingered on the smattering of blood that had dripped from my nose to my chest, before finally landing on my face. “I take it you are no longer feeling the need to burn off some energy? Has your little show of power satisfied your need?” He was smirking at me, he knew exactly what he did to me when he revved up his power, and he knew that I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
I smirked back at him, “That was better than sex!”
Heading out of the door I heard him say, “Then I had better pull some moves and make you rethink that a round with Thane and Khalon is better than spending a night with me.”
He had no right to make my insides ignite, no right to make my body react the way that it did, but there was no mistaking the fact that there was something between us. Lust? Attraction? Or, maybe it was the bond? Whatever it was, I needed to ignore it. He was bad news and so was Dario.
As we walked back to his private quarters I felt a slight ruffling in my mind. I turned to glare at Carlos. “I’m sorry; I just wanted to make sure that you were okay.” I gave a small smile and waited for him to catch up the few steps that had separated us. “I thought you would be nervous about meeting the government, but you surprised me earlier by requesting a meeting with them.”
“Why should I be nervous? You said yourself that they wanted me to work for them. Unless you think they have some sort of authority over me?” I eyed him suspiciously. “Carlos, please tell me honestly, did they put a contract out on me?”
His head was shaking before he’d even said the word no. “The only vampires they are interested in are the ones that have come through the police departments. Any other authorised kill has come directly from me.”
I slowed my pace and couldn’t help feeling annoyed. “Did you put a contract out for me when I had been sired?” I lowered my guard, let our minds meet, hoping that I would know if he answered truthfully.
