Rivalry (War of Nytefall Book 3)

by Charles E Yallowitz

  Among the well-dressed vampires, the pair are obviously out of place, but they are not approached thanks to everyone seeing them enter with the beautiful desserts. The lack of suspicion allows them to move around the room and mingle with the waitstaff, who they talk to about the other dishes. Clyde makes sure to stay as far away from Xavier and Nadia as possible, but not appear too obvious. He watches the couple talk with their new council, all of them standing atop the dais where the thrones of Nyte have been placed. There are a set of nine smaller chairs being set up at the base of the steps, each one adorned with its owner’s house symbol. The Dawn Fang notes that they are all some kind of flower, which mimics the fanged orchid crest of the Tempest family. Meeting Lady Sylvan’s blue and yellow eyes, Clyde politely bows his head and is relieved to see that she ignores his presence. He chuckles at how her sparrow pendant does not match her black and red dress, the wooden bauble still on the leather strap it came with centuries ago. A gentle elbow to the ribs from Mab stops him from smirking at his own thoughts and reminds him that he is dressed like a woman, so he tries to walk with more of a sway in his hips. The exaggerated motion causes his partner to put an arm around his waist and end the horrible imitation that is earning a lustful leer from Archillious.

  “Thank you to everyone for attending!” Xavier declares, his voice rising above the music and conversations. Taking his wife’s hand in his, he directs Nadia to her throne and waves for the council to take their seats. “On this day, the vampire nobility has been reborn. There will be no infighting or schemes to overthrow each other like with our predecessors. All of us have agreed that the only way for our kind to survive is to work together and form a global society with Nyte at its center. Many say that I have done this in order to call myself the Vampire King, but I assure you that this is a lie. Not that I would say no to the title, but my goals are not so vain and simplistic. Windemere is still changing and we need to be united under one flag. Otherwise, we will go the way of those who were lost in the Great Cataclysm. With these wise and powerful nobles at my side, I will make sure that our people will live and thrive. Extinction is not the destiny for vampires as long as I draw breath . . . so to speak.”

  “We move as soon as he finishes the toast,” Clyde whispers to Mab.

  The Lord of Nyte raises his drink over his head and says, “I am honored to present to all of you-”

  “A real king requires the true queen!” a voice shouts from the back of the crowd. A vampiric halfling dressed in a bejeweled suit jumps onto one of the tables and shivers even though he is sweating. “This ceremony is a farce because it does not carry the favor of the Vampire Queen. It has been centuries, but now she is ready to assume the throne. As her emissary, I have come to warn all who would dare to deny her that they will be crushed. I also come with an invitation to those who have been granted permission to compete for the Vampire Queen’s hand. It is only through her blessing may you claim to rule our people. Do not accept forgeries who wish to draw you off the path!”

  The halfling stops when a fang strikes him between the eyes, the shot from Archillious having very little effect. Stepping out from behind the tapestry on the back wall, Lou charges at the intruder. The hairy ogre knocks guests out of the way and lowers his head to display his horns, one of which is adorned with a colorful bow. He leaps for the smaller vampire, which he can easily crush in one hand. Decker is not far behind the bodyguard, his keen senses screaming that they are in danger. Crossbow bolts soar over the dwarf’s head to strike the halfling in the knees, but he does not buckle. The advancing warriors skid to a stop when Clyde, still wearing his dress, appears above the emissary and rears back to deliver a full-strength punch. His fist is about to make contact when the halfling suddenly bloats and the jewels on his suit begin to crack. The entire castle is rocked by a violent explosion, which fills the ballroom with a crystalline dust that hangs in the air like an immovable curtain.

  *****

  An hour passes before a billowing wind pushes the sparkling cloud out of the ballroom and lets it fall into a courtyard with a ringing thud. Fearing another attack, the guests rush the stairs and fly out the windows with little concern for the safety of those around them. Their stampede nearly tramples Kai and Stephanie, who leap to the ceiling and find that they are clinging to an invisible figure. Yanking Bob to the floor, the pair toss him down the stairs and hurry inside where only a handful of people remain. There is an eerie silence that fills the room and merges with a tension that can explode into rage at any moment. Nadia stares at the empty throne next to her while the female councilmembers whisper about their missing allies. Returning to his master, Lou can only shrug and hold out his meaty hands, which the Lady of Nyte grips to help her get to her feet. Kai hurries over to where Decker is examining a crystallized dent in the floor, but stops when he notices Mab on the other side of the room. The burglar is angrily ripping off the dissolving remains of her disguise, which leaves her in only her shoes and underwear. Her eyes fall on Clyde’s necklace, which is tightly wrapped around her wrist to the point where the strap is cutting into her skin. A crack of her knuckles is a clear sign that she is ready to attack, so the spymaster draws his bow and prepares to fire.

  Before Kai can shout for Mab to surrender, Archillious charges the Dawn Fang and punches her in the face. Given a target for her fury, she hits him back with enough force to send him flying to the center of the ballroom. A crossbow bolt flies out of the assassin’s sleeve, but his target is so quick that she is nowhere near the projectile when it strikes the wall. The burglar darts for a shadow only to skid to a stop at the sight of Stephanie, who has already begun chanting a spell that coats the patch of darkness with a shimmering light. Mab leaps to the ceiling and pushes off to send herself hurtling towards Archillious. Ignoring the fangs that strike her, she collides with the wild-haired Dawn Fang and the pair go rolling into a table that holds a punchbowl. They continue to punch and kick each other, but the burglar gradually weakens due to the various poisons that are coursing through her body. Not wanting to be the only one injured, she sprouts her claws and lops off her enemy’s hands. Mab is about to stomp a hole in his chest when she smells candy and is yanked off by Luther.

  “Tell us where Lord Tempest is!” Archillious demands as he gets up. Staring down at his wrist stumps, he kicks his severed parts into the air and gets them to land back in place. “We know you took him and you’re outnumbered. If you think those agents you snuck in here are going to help then listen carefully. Hear those little explosions. That’s your invasion force going boom thanks to the poison orbs the well-prepared Archillious implanted in them. Same thing will happen to all of you if you don’t start talking.”

  “Let go of me, Grathan, or I’ll use you to beat him to a pulp,” Mab growls before Bob appears next to her. The elf offers her an apple in an attempt to calm her down and she angrily kicks the fruit at Kai to knock the bow from his hands. “All of you knew we’d attack, so this was really a trap. Tell me where Clyde is or I’ll tear this castle apart. I doubt Stephanie has the power to stop me from plunging this entire place into the shadows. Somebody better start talking by the time my voice stops echoing.”

  “How about we all calm down?” Decker asks in a soft voice. Tossing Mab an abandoned jacket, he steps between the two Dawn Fangs and scratches his beard. “That emissary talked about the Vampire Queen, which is a name all of us have probably been hearing a lot over the last few months. I think it’s obvious now that this is a real person and a common enemy. If you don’t believe me then look at what’s happened. Clyde taking Lord Tempest and some of the councilmembers doesn’t make any sense since he left his gang behind. That isn’t like him. As for us kidnapping Clyde, why would we do that on a day of celebration? For that matter, why get all of you to come to Nyte and only take him? At the very least, we would try to take Mab as well or kill you three in the chaos.”

  “I think somebody ate Titus,” Bob interjects, his lance pointed at where the chocolate dem
on once stood. The only sign that the dessert was ever there are a pair of goopy footprints that are dotted with crystal dust. “Maybe it was a real demon that took offense to the disguise. Then, it took Clyde and Xavier for dessert. That makes sense if you consider that such creatures might do things the opposite way than us. The councilmembers were the appetizers. Check the gardens to see if any trees were stolen to be salads.”

  Regaining her strength, Nadia moves away from Lou and approaches Bob. “I know you are trying to help, but please keep your thoughts to yourself. The Vampire Queen is behind this attack on both of our houses. She must wish to declare war and sees the new council as a sign that Nyte is on the verge of becoming stronger. It had to be directed primarily at us because there would be no way to know Clyde would be here. His invitation was kept a secret even from the council. All of you can go back to Nytefall unharmed and leave this to us. I promise that your people will be returned once we track down this Vampire Queen.”

  “Do we have to make such a promise?” Archillious asks with a laugh.

  Luther is immediately in the assassin’s face with a sickle pressed against his throat. “I will do worse to you than Mab could ever dream of if you hurt my friends.”

  “I assume this is where you expect me to shiver and cry.”

  “Do whatever you want, but know that there are consequences.”

  “You just went from tough guy to overbearing mother in seconds.”

  “Stop fighting!” Lou shouts loud enough to shake the room.

  All of the vampires remain silent and focus on their thoughts, those aligned with Nytefall still gripping their weapons. Nobody reacts when Stephanie lets her scrying blood flow from her eyes and kneels to run her hands through the puddle. She whispers in a language that only she can understand and puts some of the ichor on her white tattoos. Her tail hangs limp for a second before gradually coiling and growing a crimson tint to its violet fur. The ritualist’s head abruptly turns to her left and she reaches out in the opposite direction while her fangs extend far enough to pass her chin. Instead of the object she sees in her vision coming to her, a bolt of energy rockets out from under Xavier’s throne and strikes Stephanie in the chest. She is sent flying out the window and nearly falls off the roof, but miniature hands emerge from her left leg to grip the solid stone railing. Lou and Decker hurry to help the unconscious calico back inside while Kai goes to examine the blood pool in the hopes of spotting the end of her vision.

  With only Nadia watching her, Mab hurries to the throne and reaches underneath to feel around. She hisses when her palm is cut by an object that has been fused to the bottom of the chair. Ignoring the pain, she yanks it off and finds that she is holding a fist-sized gemstone that changes colors depending on the way it is held up to the light. The burglar takes a seat on the dais steps and stares at the oddly familiar jewel, the sight of it stirring memories that are ancient and hazy. Mab lets Luther take the object and notices that it does not cut him, the faceted surface developing smoother edges and corners. She snaps her fingers to get it back and watches the gem become too sharp for her to hold any longer.

  “That thing really doesn’t like you,” Archillious states as he greedily drinks from the broken punchbowl. He catches the hurled jewel and juggles it to prove that he is not getting sliced. “A few things that I don’t get here. I mean, taking Clyde, Lord Tempest, and the nobles make some sense since they’re important. Why would this Vampire Queen waste her time on a thug like Titus? I mean, it would be like taking Lou, but with a slightly better vocabulary. For that matter, why didn’t she kidnap the great Archillious? She must want them for something that I would be able to undo with a flick of my fingers. Nothing personal to the rest of you, but-”

  “Personal . . . Only my clothes got damaged . . . The gem is only sharp for my hands . . . My partner and brother were taken . . . This does feel personal,” Mab mutters as she stands. A sudden surge of memories hits her mind as if a dam has been destroyed and she clenches her fists. “Luther and Bob, I want you to go to the Scrumptious Siren. Tell Chastity that I’ll join you after I look into something. The rest of you can do whatever you want. If this is what I think it is then I don’t really care what you do as long as you stay out of my way.”

  “And why do you get to give us orders?” Nadia asks, the vampiric orc looming over the smaller Dawn Fang.

  “Like I said, this is personal,” the burglar replies before vanishing into the noblewoman’s shadow.

  3

  Clyde stops stretching when he hears the cracking of stone and notices that his vision is an amber haze. Wiggling his fingers, the Dawn Fang finds that they are encased in a layer of rough crystal that falls away when he uses a fraction of his strength. Sitting up snaps the fragile cocoon at his waist and he tears the rest off along with his clothes, which have fused with the sweet-smelling material. His sight is blurry and he feels around his face where a thin membrane of amber is sticking to his eyeballs. Clyde growls as he peels the flexible stone off along with his corneas, which rapidly regenerate and allow him to look around the unfamiliar room. His attention immediately falls on a large sword with shark-like teeth and a thick gauntlet instead of a hilt. The perfect replica of his unique weapon hangs over a fireplace, which shows no sign of use thanks to a warm breeze constantly drifting in from the balcony. Sliding off the four-post bed, the Dawn Fang spots a folded set of clothes on top of a dresser and a ruby sitting on top of them with a perfumed note that he casually tosses into a trashcan. He is not surprised that the black garments fit perfectly since the simple furnishings are practically identical to his bedroom at Nytefall. The biggest difference is that there are portraits of his exploits hanging on the walls, each one protected by a jewel-studded frame. Hearing voices outside, Clyde heads for the balcony, but stops when the door begins to open.

  A diamond and iron basin full of warm water is pushed into the room by a vampire, who has an amethyst fused to his bare chest. The servant freezes and begins whispering to someone in the hallway when he sees that Clyde is awake. With a nervous gulp, the man finishes delivering the bath and places a towel on the bed before backing away. Instead of closing, the door is pushed open to the point where it locks and a butler enters sporting a forced smile. The scrawny vampire meets the Dawn Fang’s gaze with yellow eyes that remind the prisoner of the way his maker looks when reminiscing. The bald man takes out a pair of glasses and puts them on, but they immediately slide down his hawkish nose. Not wanting to lose his magic, the servant stays away from the sunlight and takes a seat on the far side of the room. Gesturing to the basin, the vampire shrugs when Clyde silently refuses to strip and clean himself of the sweet smell that is wafting off his body.

  “I am Dean Pendrac and I welcome you to Apelios,” the butler states, his right hand weaving through the air. A cart rolls into the room with a kettle of fresh tea and stops in front of the old-world vampire. “I know this type of drink is not one you enjoy, but I do. My clothing and primary duties aside, I am not some simple servant of the Vampire Queen. I am the one who researched and graded all of you. That must make you angry considering the great Dawn Fang progenitor’s legendary temper.”

  “Honestly, I’m always happy to meet a rabid fan,” Clyde replies with a smirk. His dry throat forces him to approach Dean and accept the cup of tea that is handed to him. “I have a lot of questions, but I’m guessing you’ll say that everything will be announced at the proper time. Your master wouldn’t want even a talented researcher such as yourself to spoil her fun. This is all about fun, right? The Vampire Queen has been a rumor for centuries, so I assume the old bat is making a move out of boredom. Again, I don’t expect you to answer. Any chance you’ll tell me if my gang is okay?”

  “The self-control is a pleasant surprise, but I did foresee you asking about the fate of your friends,” Dean answers before pouring a little blood into his tea. Swirling it with his finger, he takes a sip and sighs as he adds some honey. “We knew that hurting your gang would cause
you to go berserk. Such an event would result in either the island being destroyed or us being forced to kill you. Neither of those outcomes were unacceptable. My master has important plans for all of you. That is as long as you survive what is to come. No reason to glare at me, sir. All of your friends are safe and one of them came along to join in the experience. They are resting in their own room, but you will be reunited at tonight’s banquet. It’s informal, so don’t think you need to be anything other than yourself. It’s best not to put on any illusions.”

  “Is that a warning?”

  “You are free to do whatever you want.”

  “Except leave Apelios.”

  “At least for the foreseeable future.”

  Wondering if he still has all of his powers, Clyde faces the basin and concentrates on making an illusionary mermaid. The figure is crooked and blinks out of existence within a second, which causes a stabbing pain to strike the Dawn Fang in the center of his brain. Gently rubbing his temples, he tries again and is immediately struck by a burning agony that runs along his entire spine. He shakes his head clear and attempts to unleash his Lord’s Rage, but only a wisp of red rises from his pinky finger before he is brought to his knees. Clyde cracks his neck and grabs the teakettle, which he empties into his mouth and crushes in his fist. A quiver is set off in his brain by the use of his inhuman strength, but the power is too passive for whatever is stopping his other abilities. With a sigh of acceptance, the Dawn Fang grabs the spoon from the sugar bowl and swiftly slams it into the center of his forehead. Ignoring the tickling sensation that ripples through his body, he grunts and twitches until he fishes out a thumb-sized piece of quartz. Flicking the enchanted stone into Dean’s cup, he turns back to the basin and creates a topless mermaid that mockingly brandishes her middle fingers at the amused butler.