Rivalry (War of Nytefall Book 3)

by Charles E Yallowitz

  “Is it safe to come back?” Nadia asks, a hopeful glint in her eyes.

  The spymaster frowns and goes down on one knee, which leaves only the top of his balding head in view. “It is best for you to stay there until the overall situation is brought to an end. I allowed one agent to escape and am watching to see what they do. If you were to return then they might make another attempt and force me to kill them. For now, I want to use the survivor to gather more information such as other contacts and means of communication. The fact that we had nearly thirty Apelios agents in Nyte and did not sense their presence has me worried.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Stavros, and I will continue resting here,” the noblewoman says, her irritation barely hidden in her sweet voice. Turning to speak with Mab, she finds that the burglar is missing and Stephanie can only helplessly shrug. “Please hurry along, Mistress Talon. The last thing I want is for our side to be left behind. I wouldn’t be surprised if they try to kill my husband after the Vampire Queen is eliminated. After all, that’s what we would do if we found Clyde first. Now, enjoy your trip, my dearest servant.”

  “Would you two stop plotting against us and move!” Mab shouts as her head pops out of a shadow. Instead of waiting, she grabs Stephanie by the tail and yanks the ritualist into the darkness.

  “Interesting . . . What is going through your head, little burglar?” Nadia whispers to herself.

  7

  Xavier hits the ground hard and rolls to avoid getting stomped on by his opponent who is two times his size. Diving through the vampiric chaos elf’s legs, he shakes his arms to slide his golden claws back into position. He bites his lower lip when the other warrior flips all of his jointed parts in order to turn around and continue the aggressive assault. The nobleman blocks the swings that aim for his head and waits for an opening, which finally comes when his back is pressed against the wall. Sprinting under the next slash, Xavier scratches the taller Dawn Fang in the side to deliver a few drops of poison. A sweet smell strikes his nose an instant before a blast of sap erupts from the wound and hits him in the face. Blind and stumbling away, he tries to use his psychic powers to know what is coming, but finds that he can only pry into memories. Cursing himself for never practicing with his abilities, the Lord of Nyte continues to retreat and listens for the faint singing of a sword cutting through air. Xavier manages to stay a few inches away from his enemy while he casts a heat spell that turns his skin red and dissolves the sticky mass covering his face. Catching the blade between his armored palms, he wrestles with the stronger vampire while backing up. He is nearly cornered when he whirls around to switch positions with his grinning enemy, who is promptly crushed by a dislodged statue of the Vampire Queen.

  Glancing at the top of the arena, Xavier spots the competitor he bribed slipping over the wall and imagines he will run into the man later. Waving to the cheering crowd, he transforms his arms into wings and flies high enough that he can see his reflection in the shimmering wards. He twists and dives at one of the castle towers, which he spirals around in case the audience is still watching from the distant arena. Whispering two quick spells under his breath, Xavier turns invisible and sends an illusion of himself into the jungle. He flies back up to his balcony and does not reveal himself until he is safely within his room. The nobleman immediately strips off his sweaty clothes and heads for a basin that he strikes with a small fireball, which colors the water a dull red. Slipping into the warm bath, he turns one of his hands into a large ladle and gently pours the water over his head. He notices a few twigs and specks of dirt floating on the surface, but he finds himself too relaxed to bother removing them.

  Xavier sighs at the sound of his door opening and half expects Clyde to barge in, but is pleasantly surprised to see Dean enter. The butler nods his head and remains at the door, his arms crossed behind his back. For the first time, the Lord of Nyte notices the sickly yellow color of the old-world vampire’s skin. Searching for other signs of disease, he finds nothing else wrong aside from a dying spark in the man’s eyes. No longer enjoying his bath, Xavier changes his skin to mimic clothing and gets out of the water. Still feeling exposed, he wraps a towel around his waist and returns to his natural form. Turning back to his guest, he is amused to see that the butler has moved to a nearby chair without asking for permission.

  “Her highness is disappointed in your tactics,” Dean casually mentions. A smile on his face betrays his own approval of bribing opponents, but the faint expression fades soon after it appears. “The competitor you convinced to act as an assassin has been eliminated. Do anything like that again and we will take our anger out on you. This is supposed to be a test to see who is strong enough to be the Vampire King.”

  “And should one not be cunning and manipulative to claim the title?” Xavier replies as he brushes his silver hair. Checking his fangs in the mirror, he grabs an ivory pick and does his best to clean his teeth. “Besides, this is not a real tournament and you know it. There is no schedule and none of us having chosen numbers to be assigned slots. I doubt Jewelz even knows how many are in the competition since she is only paying attention to myself, Clyde, and Titus. You can tell by how she does not watch the other fights. Now, you could be very helpful, Lord Pendrac, and tell me the truth since we are finally alone. After I let you escape from execution centuries ago, I believe you owe me that much.”

  “I have yet to decide if you saved me from a better or worse fate than what I have been living these days,” the butler states, his fingers tapping on the side of his head. Digging a sharp finger into his scalp, he pulls the skin back to reveal a trio of flattened gems that are fused to his skull. “The Vampire Queen keeps me on a short leash and it’s been this way ever since I stumbled across Apelios. She was nothing more than an angry thief plotting revenge, but I believed I could teach her the lore of our people. I was an educator before becoming a noble and missed having a student. Unlike the others here, Jewelz enslaved me long before she became a Dawn Fang, my former ally. This is not the life I hoped to find when you freed me. In fact, it feels like I’ve done more harm than good. Thank you for remembering this old face as well. I was beginning to wonder if I was a faded memory beyond these shores.”

  The nobleman nods his head and takes a seat on the bed, but makes sure to sit as if he is on a throne. “It took me some time to recognize you, Lord Pendrac. You have less hair and your skin looks terrible, but I can see the old spark within your eyes. Do not think you are a lost cause though. It is never too late to make the right decision such as telling an old friend the truth. Why are all of these Dawn Fangs here? Is she planning an invasion and needs an army? Are we going to be used as breeding stock? I assume those who prove to be the strongest will be enslaved such as you.”

  “I’m not a Dawn Fang, so this curse would not work on you.”

  “So, her goal is enslavement.”

  “Not exactly.”

  “What could she possibly want then?”

  “I believe I already told you in passing.”

  Xavier frowns at the enigmatic answer and considers violently prying into his old friend’s mind. Seeing the shameful look on Dean’s face, he wonders if the gems prevent the man from giving direct answers. It is a tactic that the Lord of Nyte would not think twice about using himself, so he considers it highly likely that the Vampire Queen has boobytrapped all of her loyal subjects. Retrieving some clothes from a wardrobe, Xavier goes over the conversation in his head and struggles to find the answer. He repeatedly returns to one statement that seems too outlandish to be the answer. The pettiness of such a goal does not match the complicated planning and global scope of their host’s actions. Yet, he cannot think of anything else and knows that Dawn Fangs do have a habit of letting their emotions get the best of them. A shiver runs through his body as he considers that Jewelz has spent centuries preparing for this grand event, which makes him wonder if she knew Clyde would be transformed by the Great Cataclysm. The nobleman coughs and clears his head of the ridiculous thoug
ht, but a niggling worm of paranoia remains in the back of his head.

  “You mean to tell me that this is all about revenge?” Xavier finally asks. Getting a subtle nod, he can only stare at the butler in disbelief. “She has a hidden island with a small army of loyal Dawn Fangs and an incredible amount of power. She has placed agents in my home without my knowledge. The world believes the Vampire Queen to be a myth, which gives her the element of surprise if she wishes to attack. With all of that, the only thing she wants is revenge on Cl . . . No . . . She is really after Mab. I thought the others were idiots for thinking so small, but it is that, is it not?”

  “Some wounds are as immortal as we are,” Dean claims, his hands held out in a silent apology. Rubbing at his head, his eyes roll back and he mouths words in response to a voice in his ear. “You are being summoned to the Vampire Queen’s chambers. She wishes to discuss some things with you. There are questions she has about your actions and wishes to discuss your future before you continue in the tournament. I tried to tell her all I know about you, but it appears she wants more.”

  Xavier gestures for his friend to lead the way while he takes a goblet of blood off a nearby table. Enjoying a small sip, he stays a few steps behind and keeps his eyes on the back of Dean’s head. Once the butler is in the hallway, the nobleman stops just inside of his room and attempts to get information from the man’s mind. He mutters an apology in case he sets off a trap that kills the other vampire, but the reaction of the gems is nothing like he expected. A barrage of thoughts slam into Xavier’s psyche and cause blood to spew from his ears. Fearing that his mind is about to be scrambled, he breaks contact and collapses to the floor. The Lord of Nyte is vaguely aware of two sets of hands lifting him into the air while he tries to sort through the hazy images that are threatening to split his skull in half.

  *****

  “I see you tried to harm my favorite follower,” Jewelz says as Xavier’s eyes open. She rolls off the bed and puts her hair over one shoulder to expose her neck. “Sir Pendrac has some very important information in his head, so I have him warded from nosey telepaths. His knowledge has helped me survive for this long and I refuse to give him up. Don’t look so angry, Lord Tempest, because a weaker man would have lost his mind. You are certainly hardier than I imagined.”

  “Most underestimate my physical prowess,” Xavier groans, his voice cracking until he coughs up a ball of phlegm. Wiping his mouth, he notices that there are shards of quartz in the gunk and touches his mouth to find that he is bleeding. “I assume this meeting is going to take an interesting turn at some point. What is it you wish to discuss so badly that it could not wait until after I took a nap? My battle has worn me out and I want to be fresh for the next round. That is if this tournament has rounds. As I told my old friend, I have yet to figure out how this game works and sense that it is covering your true goals.”

  Returning to the bed with two goblets of wine, the Vampire Queen smiles and leans against the bedpost. “I know you’ve figured out that I seek revenge against Mab Winthrop, but that doesn’t mean I lack plans for the future. The winner of this tournament will be my husband and help me conquer Windemere. We both know that is the reason why the Dawn Fangs exist, Lord Tempest. Our people are far too powerful to stay in the shadows or live peacefully among the tasty cattle.”

  “I see no incentive for me to be involved,” the Lord of Nyte bluntly replies. He sniffs at the wine before sticking a finger into the goblet and discovers two shards hidden within the crimson liquid. “If your true target is Mab then you wish to enslave or kill Clyde. That makes me a pawn, which is a role I refuse to play. Unlike the other prisoners, I already am a true Vampire King complete with his own Vampire Queen, kingdom, and treasures. There is nothing you can offer me that I do not already have.”

  “Best to save that aggression for those who care,” she replies with a patronizing smirk. With a snap of her fingers, she has the unsightly phlegm ball sizzle and disintegrate. “I considered doing that to your insides since you forced me to kill one of my more entertaining fighters. Such a fate would destroy even you. That is how much I actually care about your fate, Lord Tempest. I truly want you to be a helpful pawn and push Clyde to his limits. Your magic versus his brute force will be the highlight of my tournament. All this talk of offers when you’re nothing more than a worthless toy that I can dispose of at any moment? You are far too intelligent for such silliness.”

  “It would have been smarter to leave me alone.”

  “That’s what Sir Pendrac said, but I didn’t want Mab to waste time accusing you.”

  “Why not take her instead?”

  “Because I want her to stew in her own anger and come to me an enraged beast.”

  “You truly are a petty, foolish woman.”

  Running her finger around the rim of her goblet, Jewelz licks her lips and moves away from the nobleman. She sways her hips as she walks to a cabinet that is decorated by arrowhead-shaped gemstones. Having a sip of her drink, she stands in front of the furniture and taps her foot to a song in her head. She watches Xavier’s reflection in a nearby window, but he makes no attempt to leave the bed. With a tired sigh, Jewelz covers her right hand in acid and has it gather on her pointer finger. Becoming a long claw, she uses it to pry off three of the gemstones, which she nimbly catches on her bare foot. She has the edged stones stick to her skin to avoid dropping them as she walks back to her guest. Finishing her wine in one gulp, the Vampire Queen throws the goblet out an open window, which immediately slams shut. Gesturing at the shuddering glass, she has the jeweled frame fuse together to prevent anyone from interrupting what she hopes is an enjoyable meeting.

  “There’s really only one question that I have for you,” Jewelz admits with a purr. She flips the arrowheads into the air and juggles them, which creates beams of colorful light that move across her prisoner’s face. “While you are a pawn, I expect you to be my greatest weapon. It is you who will drive Clyde to the point where I can tame him. All of the hate and venom that the two of you supposedly hold for each other is going to boil until you finally face off. Yet, I’ve seen nothing more than insults. Are you two actually friends or is there something I’m missing here?”

  “I would sooner drink my own blood than befriend that abomination,” Xavier proudly declares. Irritated by the beams, he transforms his eyelids into tinted glass that he lowers to block the light. “As much as we despise each other, Clyde and I are not idiots. Any person who could capture us at the same time is a threat that requires a truce. The same went for the womb-born when they first appeared and I am sure others will force us to unite in the future. Feel free to point out how silly it is because I will agree. Perhaps we have been at war for so long without crossing fangs ourselves that we wish for such an encounter to be . . . special. After all, I believe that it will only take one fight between Clyde and myself to settle things. Why waste it on the dreams of a revenge-fueled thief pretending to be a noble?”

  “If you hope to get me angry then please save your breath,” the Vampire Queen playfully whispers. Giving in to her excitement, her double fangs grow enough for the points to peek out of her crimson lips. “Why do you spout nonsense when you know the truth? Weaklings do not get what they want if it means their betters must go without. On Apelios, nobody is stronger than me, so you will not get your way. If you truly wish to avoid killing Clyde then you need to remove yourself from my game, which means death. Of course, you’re too proud for suicide. Not that I want to lose you so early, but it is an option that I can’t control. Then again, there are a few tricks I have that can get me what I want.”

  Sensing that he is in danger, Xavier hurries to his feet and cautiously eyes the arrowheads. “I do not recommend a battle of wills or magic. Both are areas that I excel in. You should also remember that I am aware of your attempt on Nadia’s life. That anger has been waiting for a chance to be unleashed.”

  “My delicate senses smell a bluff,” Jewelz claims while she sniffs the air
. With a flick of her wrist, she throws one of her edged gemstones and hits the man in the shoulder. “Not a fatal wound, but I don’t need one. You can already feel my spell invading your flesh. Too bad you didn’t dodge, Lord Tempest, since the first strike negates your magic. The second will peel your mental defenses away and the third will bring you to your knees. What you felt after trying to invade Sir Pendrac’s mind is nothing compared to the suffering I am going to inflict on you? It is a shame that you love your wife so much because that is going to be your downfall.”

  Xavier is about to run for the window when an emerald clamp bursts from the floor and locks around his lower leg. The second arrowhead hits him in the left eye before he can free himself, which sends a ripple through his brain. Confused by the mild reaction, the Dawn Fang does not defend himself from a second wave that is pure agony. He falls to his knees with enough force to shatter the jeweled clamp along with his femur, the splinters sticking out of his flesh. Xavier gasps when the third projectile hits his right eye and the room disappears from view. In its place, the Lord of Nyte sees nothing more than an endless void that makes him fear he has been permanently blinded. An image of Nadia shimmers into view, which puts his mind at ease enough for him to think clearly. Even though he suspects that violence is about to ensue, he is still shocked by the sudden beheading of his wife. Her scream echoes in his ears as another vision appears to his right and is torn apart by phantasmal wolves. Without fail, a third Nadia returns in another location and is steadily melted into a pool of mush, her sparrow pendant bobbing in the soupy remains. Staring at the bubbling muck, Xavier realizes that the corpses remain and come into view whenever he looks in their direction. Trapped within his own mind, the Lord of Nyte cannot be sure how he is reacting to the psychic torture, but he bites into his lower lip in the hopes of his body imitating the gesture.