by Primo, Jaz
He shrugged. “I’ve been running the scenarios, weighing the odds and options of diplomacy.”
He stared at me with a piercing, questioning look.
“And now you want to know if I’ll join you?” I asked. “At a time like this? With Caleb on death’s doorstep?”
He cast a sardonic look at me. “I know the timing’s very poor, but I have a feeling you’ll join with me.”
I frowned at him.
“If Caleb dies, you’re going to want to lash out at something or someone. And I’d rather it not be me,” he said. “But if Caleb lives, you’ll want to protect him from continued adversaries.”
“And, of course, the best defense is a good offense,” I said.
“Precisely.”
He may be correct. Yet, it’s another distraction to draw me further away from Caleb…if he survives.
“But, Caleb---”
“Rest assured, he would be well taken care of during your absences,” he said.
That’s something, I suppose.
If he lives.
I fought to repress such thoughts.
“It’s been a long time since I followed you into battle, though never a wholesale war,” I said. “It was only ever minor skirmishes.”
“Good times,” he said fondly.
Seriously?
His expression sobered as I stared at him.
“However, this time I won’t be on the front lines as often,” he said. “In this venture, my primary role will be strategic; battle planning, raising forces and organizing resources, securing funds, and negotiating alliances and treaties. Though, rest assured, I’ll make appearances from time to time as needed.”
I frowned. “Then who’s leading this grand army of yours?”
He arched a brow. “Hopefully, you will.”
I was stunned. “Me?”
“You’ve come a long way since the fledgling young alpha that I trained,” he said. “Now you’re one of the most feared vampires of our kind.”
I stared back at him incredulously. “How could you dare ask me something like that at a time like this?”
“Fate doesn’t wait to do our bidding. And you had to know that something like this was coming, Katrina. With Caleb squarely in the center of a targeting reticle, surely you realize you’re going to have to go on the offensive eventually,” he said.
I considered that for a moment.
Finally, I nodded. “True enough, I suppose. Caleb’s long-term safety depends upon an elimination of the outstanding threats.”
“Exactly,” he said. “Caleb’s and your enemies are also mine, so why not lead the army that can eliminate them. Our objectives are the same, my dear. Be my General.”
My mind raced with possibilities and calculations.
“Caleb is my concern, first and foremost,” I emphasized.
Alton nodded. “I understand,” he said. “I would do no less for Dori, as well.”
I quietly considered the merits of his proposal.
No matter the justification or benefits, Caleb’s not going to like this.
However, I realized that where his safety was concerned, he may just have to learn to live with my decisions. They were in his best interest, after all.
“What army?” I asked. “The last I was aware of, you only had two dozen or so vampires at your disposal.”
“Once I realized diplomacy was unlikely, I immediately began reaching out to those who were near-victims at the conference,” Alton said. “The ranks of my forces have nearly tripled since then; and those are merely the ones who’ve passed extensive background checks and security evaluations. That doesn’t include the allies, and their available resources, that had already flocked to my banner even before the conference ended.”
“I can’t imagine it’s going to be easy trying to take the lead with so many,” I said. “What makes you think the others will all defer to you?”
“Admittedly, I have a lot of negotiating left to do on that front. Still, I’m no fool to think that I can fight our opponents on my own. However, with a willing global coalition, many more things are possible.”
Well, he’s certainly thought this through. He’s always been a master of command and logistics, not to mention one of the world’s premiere diplomats.
“What about the human race?” I asked. “Don’t you think someone’s going to notice if the vampire world erupts into open warfare?”
“I’m still mulling that matter over,” he hedged.
He doesn’t know.
If humanity was drawn into this, and vampires were exposed, there’d be hell to pay; it might even be a sort of apocalypse for both sides.
I hastily considered my options, though I’d already labored over the prospects of maintaining my own support system around Caleb. Certainly, I knew I could rely upon Paige, Ethan, and maybe even Devon Archibald for assistance.
Devon was a tall, imposing figure of a vampire; a former rival who had tried to make a meal of Caleb at a remote wildlife reserve. Now he was a member of our little clan, and someone who I looked to for patrolling the territories I lay claim to.
Those days seemed like a lifetime away.
Unfortunately, as Alton already said himself, I had little if any hope of going it alone.
Caleb and I made powerful enemies from our Slovene exploits.
I almost wished we’d never gone.
Still, Alton needed me, didn’t he?
And now, he needs me again.
“Katrina?” Alton asked, breaking me from my reverie.
“Very well. Define the expectations, and latitude, of my role as your general,” I said.
His enthusiastic smile had the likeness of a cat that had just cornered its next meal.
“Careful,” I warned.
Any further and you’ll drool all over yourself.
He quickly adopted a more reserved expression and cleared his throat slightly.
“Use our forces as you see fit, including protecting Caleb. Just ensure that our common objectives are addressed, and any decisions will be yours. I only ask that you first consult me on major initiatives so I can advise you, as well as coordinate resources and allies,” he said.
“I answer exclusively to you?” I asked.
“Absolutely,” he said. “I’d have it no other way.”
“And you believe others will follow me, having no track record to draw upon with most of them?” I asked.
He scoffed. “Oh, do be serious, Katrina,” he said. “Everyone, including the enemy, knows of your reputation; which, I might add, was only bolstered by your time in Slovenia. As I said, you’re considered one of the deadliest vampires in the world today.”
Some reputation.
“Caleb’s not going to be very happy about this,” I said.
“Caleb’s going to have things to occupy his time,” Alton said.
Oh, really?
“I don’t suppose you’d care to share those things with me?”
“We’re talking right now, aren’t we?”
I sighed.
“I’ll want occasional time with him,” I said. “Guaranteed visitations and what not.”
My God, this sounds like custody proceedings.
“And you’ll have time at your discretion,” Alton said. “I have a second-in-command already picked out who can assist you, pending your approval, of course. He can certainly stand in for you during your time with Caleb.”
Well, that’s something, at least.
“Caleb’s going to hate me for this,” I muttered.
“Nonsense,” he said. “That boy loves you like no other. The sun rises and sets on you.”
I like that thought.
“He’d hate you calling him a boy. He’s quite a man, you know,” I said. “Paige already refers to him as ‘our boy’ and I think it annoys him to no end.”
Alton wanly smiled. “Yes, well, it’s meant as an affectionate title. Besides, he’s only twenty-seven to my eight-hundred-plus. I could
be his grandfather many times over.”
“Bite your tongue,” I admonished. “I’m over five hundred, and I’m not about to think of myself as his ancestor many times over. Besides, the same could be said for you and Dori, I might add. How gross and creepy would that be?”
Alton blanched. “Too true. Let’s stop right there.”
Courting younger beings definitely has its challenges.
Maybe that’s why we vampires so often stick to our own kind.
“If things go well with Caleb’s recovery, I need to figure out how to explain all of this to him,” I said, massaging my temples with my fingertips.
It’s amazing how much tension I seem to still endure as an eternal being.
“Don’t worry,” Alton said. “I have an idea.”
I stared at my friend and former mentor suspiciously.
What do you have up your sleeve now?
“But let’s focus on his condition for now, shall we?” Alton asked. “The next day or so will be telling, I think.”
I ground my teeth as a renewed wave of dread threatened to overwhelm me.
Chapter 15
Caleb
I think I’m dying.
At least I was at home among people who loved me.
I’d come close to death once before, lying on the dining room floor after Kat had nearly drained me of blood to heal her body following Chimalma’s attack.
To save Kat’s life…
I remember how the strength had waned in my body on that fateful day, just as it had been doing over the past couple of days.
It was a strange, ominous feeling, like the Grim Reaper was trickling my energy away bit by little bit.
My body ached as I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
I didn’t want to die yet. There were too many things left that I wanted to do.
Too many things I wanted to share with Kat.
I didn’t want to believe what Alton or Ethan kept saying. Instead, I kept hoping my body would strengthen as Kat’s vampire blood permeated my body, my brain.
Most likely, I was wrong.
That really sucked.
Harnessing sheer willpower, I steeled myself for the pain to run through my body as I sat up on the edge of the bed.
Well, I’m not giving up. Death’s going to have to rip me from existence if he wants me.
After a trip to the bathroom, I slowly climbed the short set of stairs leading up to the first floor. I heard a movie playing in the theater room down the hall, as well as the distant sounds of Alton and Kat’s voices at the back of the house, though I couldn’t quite make out what they were talking about.
I smelled the scent of cookie dough wafting down the hallway from the kitchen.
There was still a dent in the sheetrock where my body impacted the wall.
My vision blurred slightly as I braced my hand against the wall until it cleared again. Then I saw minute dust particles floating in the air around me, just like miniature snowflakes.
We need a maid.
My senses had been sharpened by the vampire cells transforming my body, though the effects kept phasing in and out. If only I could survive the rest of the transition.
What other wonders might I experience?
Life was full of wonders, if we only looked for them.
I slowly walked to the sitting room at the front of the house. The bright halo at the top of the closed curtains suggested it was still daytime.
I walked to the windows and parted the curtains slightly.
The thin fingers of late afternoon light filtering between the blades of the blinds felt like fire against my arms and hands, and I flinched from the discomfort.
I stepped back, nearly losing my balance, but soft hands grasping my upper arms quickly steadied me.
“Careful, Caleb,” Bonnie Lund said. “We cautioned you that sunlight might be uncomfortable.”
“I had to see for myself,” I said.
She released her grip on my arms. “Well, I made some chocolate chip cookies for you, if you’re interested. Ms. Rawlings said they’re your favorite.”
“Oh, they most certainly are.”
I felt like I was a child again, waiting to eat Mom’s cookies. She’d been a great baker, my mother.
“Well, come have some when you’re ready,” she said.
“Thanks,” I said, fleetingly wondering if I could keep one down.
I watched her leave the room and then sat on the edge of the nearby sofa to catch my breath. I rubbed at my forehead to wipe the sheen of sweat from my skin despite the chills that coursed through my body.
Dammit, I feel miserable.
Staring at the closed curtains, I recalled how much I loved the sunshine, how it felt like a warm blanket enveloping me.
I missed the sunlight.
Was that how vampires felt after a time?
I supposed I could get used to that. Of course, merely surviving through what I was enduring would make almost any other challenge or sacrifice pale by comparison.
I reflected upon all the important people in my life who I loved so dearly. Since being home from the hospital I had received regular phone calls from Dori, Aiden Henderson who was my human friend from the Slovene conference, and even Maddy Baker, another wonderful human I befriended in Slovenia.
Even Devon Archibald had driven from nearby Marietta just to check in with me personally. We’d visited in the front room, in fact.
Devon turned out to be a really great guy. He’s someone I consider a friend now.
We’d had a pleasant chat, though I found it hard to concentrate on any given topic for very long.
Before leaving, he had looked upon me with a hopeful expression. “Caleb, I know you feel very poorly right now, but never give up hope. The world can look differently with the dawning of each new day.”
“Sure,” I’d said to him.
“Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have Immortal Dawn in me,” he said.
“You’ve been reading Shakespeare again, haven’t you?” I had asked him.
He had merely shrugged. “Antony and Cleopatra.”
Thinking back upon his visit, I hoped he was right about that quote.
I wondered if that visit would mark the last time I ever saw him.
With a degree of effort, I stood up using a pair of wobbly legs that felt nearly ready to give out from beneath me.
The way I’m feeling, I’ll probably not see another sunrise.
A wave of sadness crashed over me at that realization.
I need to spend as much time with Kat as possible.
Unsteady legs carried me from the room, and I grasped onto the bannister at the foot of the stairs to balance myself.
I looked up to the second floor as an eerie epiphany struck; an idea I knew neither Kat nor anyone else was going to approve of.
Though admittedly desperate, what did I have to lose?
Maybe nothing.
Maybe everything.
All that might await me was a few fleeting days, or even hours, of life spent lying in bed like an invalid, wasting away to nothingness.
My mother wasted away from cancer.
I don’t want to go out like that.
Not like that.
I half-considered going to spend time with Kat. But then, she’d probably know something was on my mind.
It was nearly impossible to hide my thoughts, much less my emotions, from her.
But what if this was my only chance to say…goodbye?
God, how I love her.
I’d told her that just earlier in the day, in fact.
My legs felt as if they were going to give out from beneath me. A ripping pain coursed through my head like a knife.
I’m nearly out of time. I can feel it.
Kat, please forgive me.
Grasping the bannister, I laboriously climbed each stair step, often pausing to catch my breath. It felt like an eternity before I finally reached the top landing.
Slo
wly and using the wall to lean against, I made my way into the west-facing bedroom that had been assigned to Bonnie.
I staggered inside as quietly as I could, hoping nobody heard me downstairs.
I closed the bedroom door behind me.
With pain coursing through my body, barely able to get my legs to move, I willed my body toward the heavy curtains before the window.
I parted the curtains, and despite the closed blinds, the skin across my face, arms, and hands tingled furiously.
Reaching out to the pull cord for the blinds, I paused for only a moment.
Kat, I’ll love you forever.
Mustering the remaining strength in my upper body, I yanked upon the cord. The blinds rose upward and blinding light burned into my eyes and across my skin.
I wanted to scream and barely managed to contain the pain coursing through my head as I gritted my teeth.
My body shook and trembled and the combined explosion of fire and electricity roared through my head and down my spine.
I felt myself falling backward, as if into an endless chasm, but I maintained a death grip onto the cord as if it was my lifeline to sheer existence.
Something crashed to the floor.
I bounced on something soft but my body continued to burn.
Acid flowed in my veins!
I tried to scream but had no breath in my lungs. Gasping for air but finding none, my chest felt like it was imploding in on itself.
Writhing in agony, my heartbeat pounded in my ears until it sounded like thunder. I thought my head was exploding!
Then it stopped.
Faint ringing formed in my ears, distantly at first, and then built to a high-pitched crescendo.
A great white light formed before me, and I felt myself being drawn toward it.
My body no longer felt pain; I felt strangely numb and comfortable.
I was finally at peace.
Blissful.
I wish you were here, Kat.
I love you…
Chapter 16
Katrina
“Close the shutters!” Bonnie screamed from somewhere upstairs.
Almost by instinct, and despite the shock I felt from the shrill impact of her voice, I rushed to the nearest wall-mounted security console to activate the estate’s reinforced emergency shutter system.
