“Never did like fighting these things,” Clyde mutters under his breath.
Leaping away from a bubbling geyser, he runs backwards when the gusher follows him and begins to heat up. Not wanting to deal with the annoyance of healing burns, he creates several illusionary decoys to run in opposite directions. The pounding water splits to follow all of the targets, but Clyde is able to sprint through the streams without getting touched. With a powerful jump he rockets into the monster’s arm and swims towards the torso with kicks that send burst of force through the thin membrane that keeps the liquid inside. Nearing the shoulder, the Dawn Fang hears faint plops and spins around to see that the coral fangs have sunk into his enemy body. The tiny teeth burst through the water and cut his skin, which leaves trails of blood in the bluish green giant. Ignoring the burning pain, Clyde continues swimming in search of a core that he can crush. He is a few feet below the creature’s head when multiple faces appear in the foamy hair. The cackling visages merge into one horrific form that rushes at the vampire to knock him out of its body.
After two bounces, the Dawn Fang plants his feet to stop himself from hitting the wall and he feels the ground momentarily give an inch. With an impish grin, Clyde wipes the water off his skin and tries to fix his soaked loincloth, which is on the verge of falling off. Flipping away from another blast, he lands on a nearby railing and leaps again to reach the viewing box. He hits the bottom and pushes off with enough force to send the entire section tumbling backwards. Clyde barely notices Jewelz and Xavier nimbly landing on the remaining support pillars as he soars back to the creature. Fist pulled back, he passes through the watery body and does not throw his punch until he reaches the ground. The echoing blow sends him flying back into the stands while the doors to Dark One’s lair swing open. No longer on solid ground and vaguely aware of the danger below, the monster falls into the pit with a gurgling roar. Not wanting to be eaten by the demon, the audience stampedes out of the arena while blasts of water are sent flying out of the shadowy mass. The chaos ends when Jewelz throws a handful of diamonds at her imprisoned pet and contains it within a glowing barrier that it angrily pounds against. Clyde teasingly waves when the Vampire Queen turns in his direction, her warm smile taking a little of the joy out of his victory.
“Okay, now I know something else is going on,” he whispers while he watches their host disappear into the ruined viewing box.
*****
Entering her bedroom, Jewelz sighs and heads for the largest pile of treasure, which she gleefully flops onto with a thud. Holding three gems between her fingers, she admires her reflection and wipes at a smear in her makeup. Hearing the incessant tap of a foot, the Vampire Queen glances at where Dean is waiting by the door. Waving for him to take the only chair that is not covered in money, she watches him sit with his hands between his knees. The old-world vampire continues to wear his night cloak even after his master has obsidian shutters lower over the windows and sets off a collection of glowing jaspers. Irritated that her servant wants to be serious instead of letting her indulge in her giddiness, she moves to her bed and sprawls with her head dangling over the edge.
“I wish to question your decision to hold this tournament,” Dean states as he pushes his cowl back. He rubs at his head, which is covered in blood-tinted sweat and he shivers at how his skin feels loose against his muscles. “Clyde is too dangerous a man to keep here. The other competitors are going to be destroyed by him with the exception of Titus. Not that your child can win, but I sense the two would never battle each other. All of this makes me wonder what the point of this indulgence truly is.”
“To make the woman I hate suffer,” Jewelz declares with a smile. Reaching under her mattress, she pulls out a golden frame that holds three shards of a rainbow gem. “This is from the heist where we moved from rivals to enemies. It was going to be my greatest job and that woman ruined everything. I still dream of the life I could have lived with our former maker if she hadn’t stolen the Rainstorm Crystal first. He would have chosen me as the final apprentice. Instead, he cast me aside and forced me to kill him when I tried to take what was rightfully mine. You can still see some of his blood on this shard.”
“So, this is all about revenge on someone who isn’t here?”
“I know what her heart truly desires and it isn’t wealth.”
“There’s no feasible way to tame a monster like Clyde.”
“But I’ve already begun the process.”
“What do you mean?”
Jewelz purrs as she says, “With every win, my Vampire King will fall further under my spell.”
6
Decker and Stephanie sit at the bar and occupying themselves with an array of shots that the soldier takes with a few drops of blood. Refusing to be a part of the chaos that is ensuing behind them, they quietly watch their companion by using a large mirror built into the wall. With their view partially obscured by bottles, they can only make out the upper bodies of those in the fray unless someone is hurled towards the dented ceiling. The only time they get involved is when a man is thrown in their direction and threatens to destroy the impressive collection of alcohol that they are enjoying for a much-appreciated discount. Moving together, they catch the mortal by his sides and casually fling him back into the fight. Hearing a table shatter, Decker sighs and adds more gold coins to the pile that they have amassed on the bar. He glances at Stephanie, who has been devouring bowls of cashews, and nods his head towards the battle. She shrugs and waves her hand at the entranced tavern owner, who brings her more snacks. The Dawn Fang squeals in delight at the sight of pork rinds, which is a treat that she has only heard stories of from many of her meals over the years.
It is only when they begin to smell a foul poison in the air that the pair turn around to get a better look at the brawl. Three women are in a corner huddled together and eating each other’s hair, their unblinking eyes covered in red veins. Five bodies are sprawled on the floor and two of them appear to be suicides caused by Archillious’s sanity draining touch. The others have had their heads twisted around and pieces of broken bone poke out of their torsos. The grinning Dawn Fang is still beating a groaning orc against the wall while grinding his heel into the spine of a halfling, who is wailing about his splintered legs. A purple mist constantly flows out of the assassin’s sleeves and erodes any mortal flesh that it comes in contact with. Unleashing a massive blast into the orc’s face, he drops the dissolving body and wipes his hand on a nearby tapestry. Reaching up to yank a struggling woman out of the ceiling, Archillious playfully tosses her onto a large chair in the corner. Waving for Decker and Stephanie to follow, he spits a fang into the back of the whimpering halfling’s skull and casually slides the corpse into the thickest part of his poison cloud. Satisfied with his carnage, he darts over to the only sane survivor and leans in close enough to sniff at her gaping head wound.
“I’m really disappointed in you, Magayara,” Archillious says before he tastes the mortal’s blood. He chuckles when she stabs him in the stomach with a dagger that he promptly snaps at the hilt. “All those jobs I did to get you to the top of the Varlin crime family and you reward me with disappointment. You were supposed to be my best contact. Do you really expect me to believe that you’ve never dealt with this Vampire Queen?”
“I make it a point to avoid partnering with creatures that have me on their menu,” the crime lord whispers, her head momentarily drooping. Feeling the vampire’s breath on her neck, she grips the chair and forces herself to remain conscious. “Look, jester, I’ve only heard rumors about this person and faint ones at that. Mortals don’t get involved in vampire society unless they’re food or servants. All I can do is tell you that she is supposed to be responsible for a few kidnappings. I can’t confirm if it’s true or not.”
“Would any of your competitors work with her?” the killer asks as he steps away to give the woman some space. Seeing her eyes glaze over, he claps his hands an inch from her face and she screams as her eardrums p
op. “I forgot that could happen. You have the humble Archillious’s sincerest apologies. Read my lips, which I know you can do. Tell me of anyone who might be willing to work with an ancient vampire who has a thing for jewels. She has to get supplies from somewhere, right? If not food and clothes then people to turn into agents. Give me something, so I can gloat over that dingy forest tracker.”
Magayara coughs and slumps in her chair, her legs no longer obeying her commands. “I have nothing for you. Windemere is a vast place, so the Vampire Queen could be operating from anywhere and talking to anyone. My side of the Varlin business doesn’t involve jewels or people, so the chances of me crossing her path are zero. Sorry, jester, but you’re going to have to torture another of your precious contacts. Doubt you’ll have many left once I-”
“Oh, we can’t be having that!” Archillious exclaims, his hand easily snapping the woman’s neck. He turns to face his companions, who have gone back to their drinks and snacks. “I’ve confirmed that this Vampire Queen isn’t very active in Canst’s Fields. If I had to guess, I would say she’s somewhere in Cerascent with most of her contacts in Ralian. The chaos elves do a lot of mining, so she might have a deal with them. Unfortunately, I hear they’re on their fifth ruler this year, so we won’t get anywhere on Shayd. On the plus side, this place has the best chicken breasts for one hundred miles.”
Watching the assassin head into the kitchen, Decker sighs and goes to look over the dead crime lord. Feeling sorry for the mortal, he puts a napkin over her face, which is stuck with its mouth and eyes wide open. He rummages through her pockets in search of notes, but finds nothing more than lint and a few gold coins. Taking a step back, the dwarf wonders if the chair is her reserved space and gently places the body on the floor. He pushes around the cushions in search of anything inside and barely makes out the corner of a book. Cutting a long slit in the side, Decker blindly gropes for the journal, which is no thicker than his thumb. Having very little hope of finding anything useful, he is not disappointed in the lengthy list of numbers next to names of those who owe the Varlin family a debt.
“It could be that one,” Stephanie whispers from her perch on the chair. She smiles at how her friend jumps back, her top speed sprint having made her appear in front of him as if she has teleported. “I’m sorry about that. As I was saying, it could be the one marked ‘J’ for Jewelz. It’s a long shot since I don’t see why an ancient vampire would go into debt. Maybe she has a gambling problem and isn’t nearly as good a thief as Mab. Still, it’s hard to believe someone who kidnapped Clyde and Lord Tempest in one attack could be that unlucky. We really should have stuck with the Nytefall team instead of splitting up. Without Kai, the three of us aren’t very good at physically gathering information.”
“We didn’t have much of a choice considering how much Archillious and Luther were arguing,” Decker mentions before putting the journal back. He searches the chair again and leaves all of the hidden coins and weapons behind, the thought of looting making his stomach turn. “Mab was on the verge of going berserk too, so it’s probably best that she not be around people she hates. This is a tentative alliance out of necessity, which means it can break apart at any moment. My only hope is that Clyde, Titus, and Lord Tempest are doing the same instead of fighting each other.”
“Hey, do you guys want anything?” Archillious yells from the back. He sticks his head out of the ordering window, a piece of chicken already dangling from his mouth. “The cook is making his best dishes for free. Well, not exactly free since he gets the antidote for what I just hit him with. I know Kenneth is still on a liquid diet, but I’m sure there’s something here for our bountiful kitty. Maybe some barely cooked fish? Nothing? Okay, but don’t complain about being hungry later.”
Scowling at the departing assassin, Decker taps his fingers on his star-shaped medal while silently counting to ten. “Perhaps it wouldn’t have been a bad thing to let Mab take her rage out on him. He may be loyal to Lord Tempest, but he is a danger to the rest of us. I don’t like how he speaks to you either. His lecherous behavior has gone on long enough. Say the word and I will talk to him about his behavior.”
“There’s no need because I’ve already discussed it with him,” the ritualist replies with a polite bow of her head. She kneels to run a finger through a pool of blood and licks her fingers clean with a purr. “Archillious is a useful savage who is fueled by various lusts. If it isn’t a ravenous thirst for blood then it’s a yearning for pleasure. He looks at me in such a way because I am an attractive woman who doesn’t wear clothes very often. My mere presence roils his desires and distracts him from causing violence. Truth be told, I find his attempts to charm me fairly amusing since they will never succeed. Not that he expects me to reciprocate. Perhaps I should call in a favor and do a scrying.”
“What kind of favor?”
“There are times I need the blood of a male Dawn Fang.”
“You let him flirt with you in exchange for his blood?”
“He is such a simple creature, isn’t he?”
“More so than I previously imagined.”
“Can you come out here, Archillious? This kitty needs some of your glorious, special blood for a spell.”
His mouth full of food, the assassin hurries out of the kitchen with a knife already pressed against his wrist. Stephanie smiles at the grinning man and swishes her tail as she leads the way back to the bar. She gestures for Archillious to go to the other side while she slides her dress down to her ankles. The white symbols on her skin glisten as beads of sweat appear around their edges. A chuckle causes the ritualist to glance over her shoulder and sees Decker leaning against the far wall instead of getting closer. Her violet hair bristles as she climbs onto the bar and sits with her legs crossed, which makes a nest for the large bowl that she has her excited assistant put in place. Stephanie catches the knife before Archillious can cut himself open, his enthusiasm already putting the simple ritual at risk. Tossing the knife away, the vampiric calico uses her fangs to slit his wrist at the same time as her eyes release a steady flow of scrying blood. The two liquids combine and pool inside the bowl, the flowing stopped as soon as the ichor reaches the rounded rim.
Waving for Archillious to join Decker on the other side of the room, the ritualist takes a few calming breaths and lets her tail hang limp. Opening her mouth, Stephanie slowly puts her face in the bowl and sucks up some of the blood to prevent it from overflowing. Her quick inhale makes her a little lightheaded, so she gently sways to go along with the sensation. Whispering the scrying spell, she keeps her eyes wide open and focuses on the dented bottom of the container. Images nearly come into focus, but they are repeatedly pulled apart as if clawed hands are lurking at the corner of the Dawn Fang’s vision. Frustrated by the unexpected resistance, she tries to push harder for any information on the Vampire Queen. With the sound of ringing bells in her ears, she is immediately struck by a backlash that knocks her off the bar. Stephanie lands on her back with the bowl over her head and one of her legs stuck in a fallen barstool. Freeing herself from the furniture, she goes about licking herself clean before recovering her discarded dress. To her companions’ surprise, the ritualist has a proud smile on her face.
“I couldn’t find a location, but there’s a name in my head,” Stephanie declares while she gets dressed. Feeling her stomach rumble, she makes her way to the kitchen, but stops in the doorway. “The Vampire Queen has something to do with a man named Rellan Everald. We can try to get some information on him. Maybe he’s a merchant and we can convince him to bring us to our enemy. Sorry that I couldn’t be any more help. If I had to guess, I’d say this woman is hiding behind wards that are stronger than what we have over Nyte.”
“You did the best you could,” Decker says as he raises his flask to the Dawn Fang. He waits for her to leave before he relaxes and tries to remember why the name sounds familiar. “I know I’ve heard of this man. Again, I wish we had Kai here. Maybe it’s time to use our transport scroll a
nd go back to the Scrumptious Siren. Chastity should be able to help us follow up on this new lead. Why are you smiling so much, Archillious? I mean, more so than normal.”
The assassin sighs and puts an arm around the dwarf’s shoulders. “I’m simply enjoying being me. My blood gave us an answer and my deal with Mistress Talon continues to be mutually beneficial.”
“All she does is use you for blood.”
“Yes, but I get to see her naked.”
Hiding his disgust with an emotionless stare, Decker swiftly pulls out his axe and does a tight backhand swing. The rusty blade slices through Archillious’s elbow and leaves his severed arm dangling from the dwarf’s shoulder. Pulling the limb off, the soldier calmly shoves it against his chuckling companion’s stomach and heads for the door. He cannot stop himself from shivering at the echoing laughter that erupts from the amused assassin’s mouth.
Rivalry (War of Nytefall Book 3) Page 11
