A Hunt Among Vampires (The Angel Series)

by M. Cheykota

  “They will not bother us. No need to worry.” She removes her weapons and puts them on the ground near the wall.

  I remove my daggers, but leave the stakes in my hair. We collect a pair of bokens from the wall and check their weight. After a few questions about my training history, we begin our warm up. I remain aware of the others in the room, but keep my attention on her and her movements. Her technique is flawless. I imitate her movements in admiration stopping only to allow her to correct my technique.

  A half hour later, she picks up her boken and gives it a few test swings. “Alright, are you ready?”

  I pick up my own boken and scowl at her. “I’m ready. I only have one request.”

  “That would be?”

  “No sharp instruments or deliberately try to draw blood. If you do, we are no longer sparring and I will stake you.” I stare at her so she will understand how serious I am.

  “Understood.” She gets into her stance and we begin sparring.

  A long time passes and I am sweating so profusely that I am having problems keeping my grip on the boken. She stops suddenly and lowers her boken.

  It is then that I notice the room is silent. I look around to see all the vampires in the room watching us, including Christien.

  “That was really good Jess. You are an excellent student. You still need to work on your form, but true to your word, you can hold your own.” Brig reassures me.

  Wary of all the eyes on me, I drop the boken and pick up my twin daggers.

  “No one will harm you chatte. I will not allow that to happen.” He motions to the vampires in the room and everyone, including Brig, leaves. I relax immediately. “You have done well for yourself. Brig is a formidable opponent.”

  “I didn’t realize everyone was watching.” I admit.

  “They were curious about your training. I am too. I have seen you fight, but if I need to train you, I think it is important to see you spar.”

  “I see.”

  Christien and I continue training together for over an hour. I drag myself upstairs to the shower and soak in the huge spa next to the oversized shower stall. I turn on the jets and rest my head on the side of the tub. Christien walks into the bathroom with an armful of blood.

  “I thought you might be a little sore.” He hands me a bag of blood.

  I down each of the seven bags as he hands them to me, tossing the empty bags on the floor beside the tub. On the sixth bag, I can see the heavy bruises on my arms rapidly disappearing. I sigh in contentment as the warm jets relax my muscles. Christien and I talk while he washes my body. I turn into jelly as he lifts me out of the bath into a soft, warm towel. When I enter the bedroom, I see a short, leather skirt and silk blouse on the bed waiting. I put on a bra, panty and knee-high hose. I get dressed and find a pair of soft, high-heeled, knee-high leather boots to match. Christien quickly changes clothes and escorts me downstairs to the dining room. Several vampires are in the room sitting at the table. Christien takes the head of the table as I sit on his right. Although food does nothing for vampires, substance wise, everyone makes a conscious effort to make me feel welcome by joining us for the meal. I learn about the get and their travels. Before coming to Arizona, Christien and his get were staying in Canada. All of the vampires in the room are at least 500 years old and are true master vampires.

  Later that evening, Christien introduces me to all of the human blood donors. They bow and curtsy as if I am a queen. I guess to them, I am royalty. I remind Christien about healing the children in his get and he nods.

  “I have already done so, ma chatte petite.” He telepathically replies. “The parents are grateful for my generosity. I explained to them that it was your desire that the children do not suffer. I still left the option open to any adult that wishes for a cure.”

  “Any takers?”

  “Not yet, but I am sure once they realize I need them and it is not necessary for them to keep their disease in order to stay, I am sure they will change their minds.”

  I sigh. Missing Roman’s company, I call and leave him a message asking him to call me when he can. It is still early in the night so Christien, Pantor, Brig and I sit outside in the backyard and talk. Brig and I get to know each other better while Christien and Pantor discuss business.

  When the sun begins to lighten the sky, Christien carries me upstairs and dresses me for bed.

  I may be independent, but it is nice to have someone take care of me for a change.

  Chapter 13

  I stay unavailable on the assassin’s website but log in to browse the current contracts for anything suspicious. Rarely do assassins communicate with each other in person, but online, we may communicate to gather information about a certain area or ask for information on someone we may be hunting, for a small fee, of course. There are not very many high-end mercenaries like Roman and me. We charge a large fee because we are masters in our field. With Roman and me unavailable, the assassin website is humming with activity. I use another website to look up unexplained activity in different areas, trying to get a lead on Hassan. So far, I haven’t had any luck. There are reports of savage attacks around the country, but nothing is local.

  Over the next couple of weeks, Christien works with me on my blood thirst control and shifting. It amazes me how much he really understands what I am going through, even though he is not a shifter. I am even getting better at landing in bird form. At least I am not crash landing anymore. To help me understand animals better, Christien has bought me every episode of Wild Kingdom ever made on DVD. Every day he makes me watch an episode and mimic the animals’ behavior. I really hate to admit it, but watching the episodes really help. When I can see what the animal can do and how it moves, it is easier to shift into it. I learned the hard way not to shift into a prey animal outdoors while there is a predator near. Shifting from one animal to another is no longer a problem for me. I am still having problems swimming as a fish, but I find the need to turn into an aquatic animal very low priority right now. My angel powers are getting stronger and I tire more quickly everyday. My blood needs are becoming astronomical so I’ve had to accept Tyler’s friend from Clearwater Blood Bank as my supplier of blood in order to prevent me from draining Christien’s get.

  I can feel Christien’s tension heighten the closer the time gets to his meeting with the Vampire Council. I know he is nervous, but he is hiding it well. With the search for Hassan demanding more of Christien’s time, Brig and Pantor have taken over my weapons and hand-to-hand combat training. Roman and I still talk as much as possible, but he is now neck deep in werewolf politics in Italy.

  Soon, it will be time to travel to France. I have no idea what to expect, but at least I know I will be ready for what is to come.

  There are few reports from Kayle and Roman regarding their discoveries about Hassan in the next couple of weeks as time draws nearer to when Christien has to leave for France to meet with the Vampire Council. Kayle mentions that there are rumors Hassan has teamed up with two powerful master vampires, Lenair and Devan. Lenair is an old, powerful master vampire and is a tête de ligne. She keeps a get of over a thousand vampires. Devan is also a tête de ligne with a large get. His reputation implies that he is a ruthless dictator that covets power. Christien is familiar with both vampires and requests that Kayle contact them and ask nicely for Hassan’s location in the hope they will cooperate. Kayle agrees to meet with the two vampires and he will report to Christien after the meeting.

  I call Roman whenever I can, but I only receive his voicemail. I leave messages asking him for an update and for him to call me back. Lately, he has been busy with werewolf duties while visiting his father’s pack in Italy so I don’t expect to hear back from him for a while.

  Christien and I are spending a lot of time together getting to know each other and we often talk about what we plan to do once we find Hassan.

  The week before we are to leave for France, I pass out from exhaustion while working out. Christien is concerned but he
believes me when I reassure him that I am okay.

  Later that day, I can feel my energy depleting faster than normal and my stomach pitches like it is a ship in bad weather. I haven’t been feeling well lately, but I don’t want Roman or Christien to find out about it. Keeping my distance from Christien is proving to be harder than I originally thought.

  A few hours later, I get ready for bed. I stretch out on the bed completely relaxed and think about my mother. I fall asleep immediately. The voice of my mother wakes me up with a smile on my face.

  “Hello, my little one. Is everything okay?” Lily asks me as she solidifies on the side of the bed next to me.

  “Hi mom. I was just thinking about you.” I reply with a cheesy grin.

  “Yes, I know. That is why I am here. I heard your call. What is it sweetheart?” She asks lovingly.

  “I have not been feeling well lately. Last time I started feeling strangely, I was coming into new powers. Could something like that be happening to me again?”

  “What seems to be wrong?” She asks curiously.

  “I have passed out once. I am nauseous and tired all the time. I know you said angels don’t get sick, so I was wondering if you may know what is wrong with me.” I look up at her anxiously.

  “It is true that angels normally do not get sick.” She answers with a smile on her face.

  “You said angels don’t normally get sick. When do they get sick?”

  Lilly chuckles and shakes her head. “Angels do get sick when they are pregnant.”

  “Pregnant! You think I am pregnant?” I am NOT pregnant!” I shout at her in a panic tone as I sit up in bed, leaving my body behind. “I would know if I am pregnant.”

  “Sweetheart, it is never planned when an angel gets pregnant by a vampire. I, too, was afraid when I found out I was pregnant with you. Even though we did not plan to get pregnant, it does not mean I wanted you any less. Your father and I loved you very much and I will be there for you as much as possible.” She reassures me.

  “I am not pregnant. There must be something else wrong with me. Maybe…” I begin but Lily interrupts me.

  “You have been sleeping with Christien, have you not?” She asks with a smirk on her face.

  “Yes, but…” I begin, but my mother interrupts me again.

  “Have you been very careful, using birth control every time?” She smirks.

  “No.” I respond quietly.

  “Then you admit it is possible that you are pregnant?” She smiles knowingly at me.

  Gasping in horror, I wake up suddenly, slamming back into my body with a jolt.

  Christien wakes from beside me in alarm. “What is it? Are you okay?” He rubs my back in a soothing manner.

  I look at him with tears in my eyes. I wrap my arms around my waist, hugging myself. “I’m fine. I just had a bad dream.”

  Christien pulls me towards him. I resist at first, but eventually succumb to his comforting touch. Lying awake, thinking about what my mother told me, I wait until I think Christien falls asleep and crawl out of bed. It is early morning and the sun lightens the sky to a pale blue. I dress as quietly as possible. As I am walking out the bedroom door, Christien’s voice fills the room.

  “Where are you going, ma petite chatte?”

  Spinning around, I see Christien sitting up in bed looking at me. “I need to go home. I’ll call you later.” I run out the door, ignoring Christien’s calls.

  Checking my car as usual before getting in, I drive home after stopping at the drug store on the way to buy an over-the-counter pregnancy test. Distracted by my inner turmoil, I don’t perform a thorough check of my house before entering. The alarm has not been set off and I don’t hear anyone inside so I close the door and lock up. I go upstairs and head straight into the bathroom. Nervously, I remove the box from the bag and slowly read the instructions. Following the instructions precisely, I take the pregnancy test. The stop clock is set on my watch for three minutes as directed. The alarm goes off and I pick up the stick, taking a deep breath. Two pink lines. I compare the stick to the box to decipher the results.

  “No! That can’t be right. I must have done something wrong.” Tossing the test, box and instructions into the wastebasket, I go back downstairs consumed by my thoughts.

  I grab the bread, put a couple of slices into the toaster, and turn on the coffee pot. I have just grabbed a plate from the cupboard overhead when I hear Christien’s voice from behind me.

  “Are you ready to talk now?”

  Dropping the plate, it shatters on the floor. I turn around and see Christien sitting at the kitchen table. “What are you doing here? How did you get inside?”

  Christien looks around the room and settles on me. “Is this a bad time? Are you expecting someone?” A hint of jealousy creeps into his voice.

  “Yes, this is a bad time. I really need to be alone right now. I told you I would call you later.” I wring my hands while shuffling my feet, stepping on pieces of the broken plate on the floor.

  “Why are you so anxious?” He asks suspiciously.

  “I’m not. I just have things to do. I still have a job.” I stop moving and place my hands on my hips in a defensive manner.

  “You left so suddenly after your bad dream. I just wanted to check on you and make sure you are okay. I care about you chatte. You are mine as I am yours. If you thought something was wrong with me, would you not do whatever you felt necessary to help? I know you can take care of yourself. I only thought you might want to talk to me about what is bothering you since Roman is unavailable. Apparently, I am mistaken.” He sulks.

  “Christien, this is something I need to work out myself. I will talk to you when I am ready. Don’t be jealous of Roman. He is my best friend and we have known each other for years. Plus, you know I’m not his type.” I walk over to him and sit on his lap. “I just need to work this out on my own. If or when I need to talk about it, I promise I will talk to you, okay?”

  “Thank you.” Christien kisses my shoulder.

  “I need to work so I’ll see you back at your place.” I hint to him, standing up and moving out of the kitchen.

  “I want you to know that if you decide you do not want to do what you do anymore, I will take care of you.” He stands up and follows me to the front door.

  “Thank you for stopping by and checking on me. I really do appreciate it. And, I’ll think about your offer.” I say genuinely.

  He kisses me gently. “I care for you like no other, ma petite chatte. Anything you need or want, all you need to do is ask and it is yours.”

  “Thank you. I know you mean that.”

  He reluctantly leaves and I lock up and reset the alarm. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly to calm down, I return to the kitchen for coffee and toast. I shuffle into the living area to my laptop after I clean up the broken plate. The toast settles my stomach a little, but I am still queasy. I check my emails to find that I don’t have any jobs to do before leaving for France because I’m still on unavailable, so I set an away message on my email account to let people know that I will not be available for a while. Shutting down my laptop, I go upstairs to pack.

  My mind wanders while I am packing and I allow myself to think about what my life would be like if I had a child.

  Something inside me softens when I think about a son or daughter running around the house.

  I would most likely have to quit my dangerous career if I choose to have a baby. I do not want to be in the same situation as my parents. I would like a normal life for any children of mine. What exactly does that mean? Do I need to have a 9 to 5 job? Could I be a stay-at-home mother? I enjoy the hunt and challenge I receive from being a mercenary. I am not sure I can give it up. What am I thinking? It really does not matter because I am not pregnant!

  The suitcase on the bed is full of clothes that I don’t remember packing. Dumping the suitcase on the bed, I start over. After packing enough clothes, shoes and lingerie to last a week or so, I take an empty sui
tcase downstairs to my basement vault. I let myself inside and fill the suitcase with my blood I have currently stacked in totes. After thinking about it for a few moments, I decide to pack another suitcase with some of my weapons. Retrieving a long duffle bag from the drawer below my weapons, I pack it with my katana, baby desert eagles, sawed off shotgun, and my custom-made short sword, along with plenty of extra ammo and holsters for everything. When I finish packing, I have two suitcases and a large duffle bag in all. Lugging the suitcases back upstairs, I stack them near the front door. After loading the suitcases into my car, I lock up tight and head back to Christien’s place.

  Quickly stopping at another drug store on the way, I pick up a few more pregnancy tests. I arrive at Christien’s and his 60-year-old human butler retrieves my bags from the car as I go inside. I find Christien working in his home office. In all these weeks, I’ve only seen his office once before in passing. This time, I take a good look around, taking in all the paintings on the walls and books on the shelves. Christien looks up from his computer and smiles at me.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, mildly curious.

  “I am checking on my businesses and investments.” He responds.

  “You own businesses? What kind of businesses do you have?” I sit on the edge of his desk facing him.

  Christien leans back in his chair and looks at me, clearly amused. “I have an elite security company. I also own a shipping company and trucking business. All of my businesses run 24 hours a day to allow my human servants and vampires to find a good paying job. I own a few buildings too. Some I rent out, others I use for my own purpose.”

  “Wow! Really? Do you make good money with your businesses?” I ask, excited about learning more about him.

  “My businesses make me enough money to keep you comfortable in the lifestyle you have become accustomed to if that is what you are wondering.” He says with a grin on his face.