The Last Vampire- Complete series Box Set

by R. A. Steffan

  Part of me was surprised Nigellus had let me run my mouth for so long without shutting me down, but he cleared his throat in the rather awkward silence that followed.

  “Honor isn’t really a demonic concept,” he said. “But the important point is that a demon entered the dwelling occupied by Zorah’s father and my human servant, killing the latter as he attempted to protect the former. Both of the men identified Myrial as the culprit. That is sufficient basis for a formal investigation to take place.”

  “And for additional guards to keep them both safe,” I added quickly.

  Baalazar’s gray-mottled chest lifted and lowered in a sigh. “Very well. I’ll summon the other members of the Council. No doubt they’ll wish to hear of this.”

  He rose and crossed to an irregularly shaped piece of metal hanging from a frame next to the wall. It was carved with esoteric symbols, and I’d taken it for art, but I hadn’t noticed the mallet hanging next to it on a hook. Baalazar struck the gong several times in a steady rhythm. Rather than a harsh metallic clang, though, the gong produced a low, barely audible noise that resonated in my chest.

  It felt like standing too close to the bass speakers at a rock concert. Even the stone walls seemed to vibrate, and something inside my succubus nature whispered, magic. In the absence of the cell phone towers I’d teased Nigellus about on my first journey to Hell, it appeared the demons utilized other methods for communicating over long distances.

  “The rest of the Council will convene when they are able,” Baalazar said as he hung the mallet back on its hook. “In the meantime, perhaps you’d care to relate any other details surrounding the alleged attack.”

  THIRTEEN

  HOURS LATER, I WAS exhausted from covering the same ground over and over to a panel of stony-faced demons. On the positive side, our request for additional guards to protect Dad and Edward from future attacks had been granted. On the negative side, it was clear that a number of council members had already been swayed to Myrial’s side after her complaint against me for my so-called assault on her.

  My throat was dry from arguing, and I felt no sense of having made any real headway. It irked me that Nigellus had been unwilling to expand the complaint to encompass the attack on Rans at the nightclub in St. Louis, but I supposed all of the evidence for that one was circumstantial. I hadn’t even held onto the silver bullets afterward.

  At least there were corroborating witnesses to the attack on Edward and my father.

  As the demons made final arrangements for a formal session the following evening to hear testimony from the victims, my thoughts strayed to Rans—as they seemed to so often these days. He was probably furious with me. I’d be furious with him, if he’d leapt up and barreled off to some potentially dangerous situation where I couldn’t follow. And if he’d done so in the company of a demon who’d already betrayed him, no less.

  Yeah... I was going to be stuck in the doghouse over that one, I was sure. And the worst part was, I kind of deserved it.

  The unforgiving sun was already baking heat into Hell’s stony ground when Nigellus finally dropped me off at the titheling village. He left immediately to return to the cliff caves for more arguing, but I was relieved to find that in one respect at least, the Council hadn’t dawdled—two guards now stood in front of my father’s hut. I recognized one of them from my many trips to Hell’s gate when I’d last been here. In fact, he was one of the guards who’d been posted the night I’d gotten in my little tussle with Myrial and fled to Earth.

  Which was... a bit awkward, actually.

  I cleared my throat and waggled my fingers in greeting. “Erm... hi again. Thanks for coming so quickly.”

  The guard raised an unimpressed eyebrow, his expression remaining cool.

  I plowed ahead. “And, uh, thanks for keeping Myrial from following me to Earth after that mess at the gate a few days ago. She probably would have killed me if you hadn’t stopped her. And... you should know that I only threw salt at her in self-defense, by the way.”

  The demon lowered his eyebrow. “Oh? That’s not how Myrial tells it.” He paused before continuing, “Though it’s true she seemed poised to do something unwise if we let her follow you through the gate. That’s why we detained her.”

  My lips pulled into a frown. It was easy to forget how close I’d been to death. If the demon guards hadn’t held Myrial back, I had no doubt I would have ended my days as a pathetic little grease spot on the floor of a lightless cave in California—dragging Rans with me into death as I expired.

  “So I’ve heard. Look—whatever you choose to believe about it, I still owe you one,” I said. “Just... please keep Edward and my father safe.”

  The massive guard crossed his arms over a muscular, leathery chest. “That’s why we’re here, demonkin.”

  I nodded, swallowed hard, and slunk past him and his equally massive companion to knock on the door. Edward opened it a moment later, looking very much his normal self, and not like someone who’d been reduced to messy, bite-sized chunks less than twelve hours previously.

  “Ah. Zorah,” he said. “Do come in.” His eyes moved past me to the hulking guards, and he sent them a quick smile. “We’re fine here, gents. One of us will make some sort of terribly undignified shrieking noise if anyone pops in who shouldn’t.”

  The guards nodded acknowledgement and turned their backs to the hut, taking up position again. Edward closed the door behind me, and my shoulders sagged in relief.

  “Are you two doing all right?” I asked, my eyes seeking out my father. He was seated at the small table, picking at a bowl of food, but he did look up at my entrance.

  “As well as can be expected, Miss,” Edward said, before turning his attention to Dad. “Darryl, old chap, you should at least say hello to your daughter. She’s been worried about you.”

  My dad continued to look at me for a long moment, his brows drawing together. The silence stretched for long enough that I wasn’t sure he’d speak, but eventually he said, “Zorah. Why did you come back here?”

  My pulse picked up at this fresh evidence of my father’s mental improvement, even if the words themselves weren’t exactly what you’d call welcoming.

  “I came back because Edward got... hurt,” I said, opting for something that sounded a little less upsetting than ‘torn to bits.’ “I was worried about you. I needed to be sure you were all right.”

  Dad’s frown deepened. “Edward didn’t get hurt. He got killed. I don’t understand this place. But I do know it’s not safe for you here. I keep telling you—you shouldn’t be here.”

  I pulled up a stool to the table, sitting down and resting my elbows on the worn wood as I regarded him. “Yeah, about that. I know this isn’t exactly reassuring, but the truth is, I don’t think anywhere is safe for me now. Myrial—Grandpa Hawkins—made sure of that.”

  The muscles in my father’s face worked. “He’s a demon.”

  My excitement surged anew at this indication that my father was gaining a deeper understanding of the events going on around him.

  “Yeah. Yeah, he is,” I agreed. “Mom was half, and that makes me one-quarter demon. Myrial wasn’t supposed to marry a human or have a kid. There are rules about that, and he broke them. I don’t know exactly what’s motivating him now, but he’s seriously got it in for both of us. You still remember what I told you before, right? Don’t make any bargains or agreements with him or any other demon.”

  “Pfft. I don’t want anything to do with the bastard,” Dad muttered. “Don’t want anything to do with any of them. Here... or in that other place.”

  I wondered if the other place was Dhuinne. If so, I couldn’t blame him a bit for the sentiment.

  “That’s good. Hold that thought, all right?” I told him. “Just the demons, though. Edward’s okay. The tithelings are okay, too. You need to let them look after you.”

  Dear god, let me not be wrong about Edward being trustworthy. But if his selfless act the previous night wasn’t proof
enough, what more could I possibly expect from the man?

  “You should leave,” my father said again, repeating what seemed to be his new refrain.

  The worst part was, I suspected he was right. The demon Council was aware of the attack, even if they still had their own opinions about my earlier actions with Myrial. They’d posted guards, as they’d promised they would. Nigellus was continuing to work on them. But as long as I stayed here, Rans was on his own if Myrial decided to go after him directly. Plus, by remaining here I was offering Myrial a shot at grabbing both my father and me for use as leverage against Rans, if killing the vampire really was the goal.

  As much as it rankled to admit it, Dad was obviously doing better in my absence than he’d done with me hovering around him for more than a month. And even without any sort of backup, Edward had somehow managed to run Myrial off before she could do anything to my father. With luck, the additional demon guards meant that the poor old guy wouldn’t have to get torn apart if Myrial came back again for round two.

  I shivered.

  “Edward,” I began, “I wonder if it would be better if I did leave. It’s pretty clear I’ve become a controversial figure in Hell. But I don’t want you to feel like I’m abandoning you. What do you think?”

  Edward made a soft huffing sound. “I think you’d do better to worry about who you’ve abandoned back on Earth, Miss.”

  My chest tightened. Ouch.

  “... Yeah. You’re probably right.”

  The elderly butler smiled. “Judging by your attire, I would guess your decision to come here was rather spur-of-the-moment. And while I’m flattered by that, such decisions aren’t always the most productive in the long run.”

  “It’s true, I might have a bit of a track record of leaping before I look,” I admitted sheepishly.

  He nodded. “Don’t feel bad, Miss—impulsive decisions are the purview of the young. But as you can see, I’m perfectly well now. Your father is fine, and it seems unlikely that Myrial would dare try a repeat performance with so many eyes on us.”

  With an effort, I tried to think about logistics. Another concern reared its head—I was topped up on demon energy right now, still full after my glut of animus from the sex club. But that power would fade as time went on. If it got too low, I’d have to arrange to feed here in Hell before I could negotiate the gate. Otherwise, I’d be back to contemplating a demon-bond so I could get out, and that was something I had absolutely zero interest in right now.

  I rubbed the bridge of my nose, squeezing it to combat the tension headache that had been growing for the past few hours. In my haste, I’d come here with nothing. No cell phone. No money. No light to negotiate the underground cave system on Earth’s side of the gate. Fuck. Would I even be able to take the sandals borrowed from Sharalynn with me, since they had been crafted in Hell? It seemed reasonably likely, since I could bring things with me from Earth. But in truth, I had no idea.

  “Okay. This is really, really embarrassing,” I said, “but do you have a phone with you, and if so, can I borrow it? I’ll have to call Rans for a ride once I get back to the Moaning Cavern.” Assuming he’s taking my calls after this latest stunt.

  “I do, Miss,” Edward said, “Though I daresay the battery will be drained by now. The batteries in the flashlight I brought may still work, though, and I suspect that will be useful to you as well.”

  I nodded. “Thanks. Oddly enough, I already have practice when it comes to begging the use of an electrical outlet from the poor woman in the gift shop,” I told him wryly.

  “Oh, you mean Alice?” Edward asked with a crooked smile. “Yes, she’s a sweet girl.”

  A breath of laughter escaped me, despite everything. Then I sobered. “Tell me straight, though—will I be leaving you in the lurch by borrowing your phone? Or your flashlight, for that matter?”

  “Not at all. By necessity,” Edward reminded me, “when I leave, it will be with Nigellus. He generally comes well prepared.”

  Right. As a human, Edward would need Nigellus to physically get him through the gate. And once he did, Nigellus could whisk them directly from the inky depths of the cave to anywhere he wanted.

  “Oh, good,” I said in relief. “Again, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everything you’re doing, Edward. I never intended anything to happen like... what happened.”

  I still couldn’t think about the awful scene from earlier without my head swimming and my stomach churning.

  “Well, to be fair, neither did I,” Edward said, but he was smiling as he said it. “But life would be hopelessly boring if it always conformed to our expectations.”

  My father’s hand hit the table, making me jump. “How can you joke about it?” he said harshly.

  Edward crossed to him and patted his shoulder. “Eventually, one learns to find the comedy in tragedy, or else one has a rather miserable time of things, old chap. But you’re right—I shouldn’t make light.”

  I squared my shoulders. It was time for me to leave. “If you’re sure you’ll be all right, then I’ll say goodbye to Sharalynn and go back to Earth,” I said.

  “Yes, go,” Dad replied immediately. “Find a way to stay safe.”

  A thread of warmth wove through my chest. “You, too,” I whispered.

  “I’ll just go get you that phone and flashlight,” Edward told me.

  * * *

  After exchanging a brief round of farewells with Sharalynn, Li Wei, and Finn, I squared my shoulders and headed for the natural cave containing the portal between Hell and Earth. Unlike my previous stay, the guards eyed me warily as I passed by them with a sheepish wave and entered the dim space.

  A moment later, I turned around as a thought hit me. “Um... sorry to ask, but would one of you mind coming with me, to make sure no other demons pop up while I’m going through? I’d prefer to avoid a repeat performance of last time, if I can. I’m guessing you’ve heard about the thing with Myrial...?”

  One of the guards gestured me further inside and followed me, still looking less than pleased with my presence. That was all right, though. As long as neither of them tried to stop me, they could glare at me as much as they liked.

  I gathered I had Nigellus to thank for the fact that I hadn’t been formally detained to answer Myrial’s complaint against me. I wondered if Myrial was here in Hell, or if she was on Earth somewhere. Neither possibility was reassuring—if she was here, she might go for Dad again if she could figure a way around the guards. And if she was on Earth, then she could go after Rans if she somehow managed to find him despite the warding.

  With luck, that same warding would mean I wasn’t in danger of her showing up on the other side of the gate to try and grab me. There was a small but distinct possibility that Myrial would set up an ambush in the Moaning Cavern, knowing I would have immediately rushed to Hell to make sure my dad was all right.

  She could be waiting on the other side for me right this moment, hoping that I’d do exactly what I was about to do. I couldn’t stay in Hell forever, though. Mostly, I was relying on my usual trick of acting unexpectedly. I figured Myrial would assume that I’d stay glued to Dad’s side for much longer than this, leaving Hell with Nigellus when the time came. But if I’d gambled wrong and she was waiting for me on Earth’s side of the barrier, my elegant battle plan consisted of charging right back through the gate, screaming to the guard for help.

  Strategy, baby.

  Taking a deep breath, I tried to psyche myself up for the arduous process of physically passing through the barrier. As a part-breed, I’d barely made it through the first time. Hopefully, it would be better this time, since I’d recently expanded my power capacity. I rocked back and forth a couple of times like a runner on the starting block, and charged forward.

  FOURTEEN

  THE GOOD NEWS WAS, I made it. The bad news was, it still felt like I’d been squeezed through a clothes wringer afterward. I paused for a moment to take stock, becoming aware of the other good news—namely,
that Sharalynn’s sandals had made it through with me, meaning I wouldn’t be stuck negotiating a multi-hundred-foot-deep cave system barefoot.

  I was fumbling in the pockets of my shorts for the little LED flashlight Edward had loaned me when a much brighter light illuminated the tunnel. I yelped in surprise and nearly fell down the pile of boulders I was perched on top of.

  “Fancy a light, love?” asked a dry voice with a pronounced English accent.

  I half-stumbled and half-slid down the tumble of rocks leading to floor level, and then I was in Rans’ arms, clutching handfuls of his shirt as I buried my face in the dip of his shoulder. The light source he’d been holding clattered to the floor as his arms circled me, but its glow filtered around the edges of my vision, reassuring me that it hadn’t broken when it hit the ground.

  “Yes, please,” I managed, the words muffled against him.

  He let me cling for a few moments before easing me back. The crazy shadows from the fallen flashlight obscured the details of his expression, but his eyes were glowing as they swept over me from head to toe.

  “I see you found some footwear,” he said in a deceptively mild tone. “And here I thought I might have to sling you over my shoulder like a sack of grain for the trek back to the parking lot.”

  “You’re angry,” I said. “I get it, believe me.”

  “Bloody furious, yeah,” he agreed. “That’s not your problem, though. It’s mine. Come on—walk and talk. I’m not thrilled about our chances down here if anyone with a grudge thinks to look for us on this side of the gate. Now... first things first. I assume Nigellus patched Edward together after whatever it was that happened. But your father?”

  He let me go in favor of retrieving the flashlight from the floor. I fell in with him as he led the way, skirting around the pit in the tunnel floor and heading toward the surface. With difficulty, I tried to drag my thundering pulse and whirling thoughts under control.

  “Dad’s all right,” I said. “Edward saved him somehow. Myrial showed up inside the hut he and Edward are sharing after they’d both gone to bed. Edward put some kind of magical protections on the room Dad was in, and then he came out to confront Myrial.”