“It shouldn’t be because of her,” Mab mutters before removing his hand.
Lifting his legs out of the blood, Titus shows that they are almost at the ankles before letting them drop back into the ichor. “I agree. This should have been talked about years ago. We all noticed how Dawn Fangs sometimes possess stronger emotions than both old-world vampires and mortals. So, it isn’t surprising that you and Clyde keep coming close to becoming more than partners. Look, I don’t want to dance around this subject. I need to finish healing and the others need you to get back up there. Jewelz’s power is on par with that of Clyde and Xavier, which means you can’t go rushing into this fight with rage blinding you to the danger. She can do anything she wants with gemstones and the island is filled with them. I think she can coat her hands in acid or poison and mesmerize others. Doubt she’ll try to use that last one on you, but it’s best to know all of her tricks. The curse she put on Clyde has these crystals growing on his bones and internal organs. Whatever you do, Mab, never underestimate her because it will get you killed. Now, tell me why you’re so angry.”
“This is so pathetic and pointless,” the burglar snaps with a smirk. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, she presses her hands between her knees. “I know what I feel. There’s no reason for me to declare it like some child. All of you are asking me to talk because it will put your own minds at ease, which doesn’t concern me. I want to bring Clyde home and make sure Jewelz never threatens us again. My emotions don’t have to be made public to get the job done. Besides, something doesn’t feel right here.”
“I know it requires that you remember what he did with Chastity, but-” Titus cautiously mentions.
“I’ve already put that mess behind me,” Mab says, her bloodshot eyes staring at nothing in particular. “She has agents spread across Windemere and has built a secret kingdom. Her people have flourished without us even knowing they exist. Chastity, Luther, and Kai never had an inkling about her information network either. Everything was perfect for her to continue living a private life of being worshiped by her people. Yet, she’s willing to risk it all for a chance to kill me. Why?”
“It might not be as complicated as you think.”
“Jewelz has always been afraid I’d turn up to ruin her fun.”
“From what I can tell, you’re her obsession.”
“I get it now.”
Titus is about to ask what his sister means when she slides into his shadow and vanishes from the room. Left to figure things out on his own, he stands in the barrel and winces at the tickling sensation that runs up his legs. Taking a deep breath, he absorbs the whale blood through his open wounds, which swiftly close and leave him whole once more. Stepping out of the sticky container, he wiggles his toes and laughs at how the regenerated flesh has yet to grow the thick hair to match his upper legs. Slowly walking to the porthole, he pushes it open and revels in the smell of the open ocean and the sounds of the crew working above. As he enjoys every piece of freedom, Titus thinks back to Mab’s words and wishes he could figure out what is now rattling around in his sister’s head. The revelation continues to elude him as the relaxed warrior falls asleep leaning against the wall.
13
The remaining competitors mingle with the locals who roam the festival that has taken over the streets of Apelios. Many of the fighters have taken to wearing the simple clothes of the island when they are not in the arena. The effect is that it is difficult to tell the difference between those who were kidnapped and the willing servants of the Vampire Queen. Gem-studded bards have taken their positions all over the festivities, their unique sounds kept apart by the endless din of voices. Dawn Fangs with elemental powers fill the night sky with colorful blasts while others coat their bodies in energy to dance on the rooftops. Food and drink are provided at every corner thanks to carts that are routinely stocked by the hardworking cooks from the castle. In several alleys, the celebrating has taken the form of orgies, which people are yanked into if they linger too long at the entrances. Nobody questions the absence of their ruler, who has not been seen since she appeared on the wall and made a speech about it being her birthday. Only a handful of sober celebrants consider her whereabouts as the indulgence of primal urges runs rampant throughout Apelios.
“Things are getting pretty wild out there,” Clyde says from his perch on top of a castle tower. He glances back at the abandoned banquet, which the competitors were supposed to attend instead of the debauchery below. “Can’t believe she thought the others would choose a civil gathering over that chaos. She’s kept all of us locked up in the castle since we arrived, so anyone would jump at a chance for even the illusion of freedom. At least the food is still here because I can use the energy.”
“I could have done without the guards,” Xavier replies as he counts the knights who stand between the ivy-covered pillars. He notices that there are more than the last time he checked, but the new arrivals are impossible to discern from the others. “Are you worried that our host is about to do something rash? It is obvious that things are not going how she expected. Our morning, afternoon, and evening torture sessions are proof that she is becoming slightly unhinged. I am surprised executing Titus made her worse.”
“That’s if he’s even dead,” the other Dawn Fang states with a yawn. Claiming the top tier of a cake, he stretches his arm to see if his flesh has healed. “It isn’t too hard to figure out. Jewelz was hoping to kill Titus in front of Mab or at least have a head to use as a taunt. Now, she has no proof that the deed was done, so the emotional impact isn’t as severe. In her mind, she lost an important weapon against her enemy. I’m all she has left, but she’s not as confident about controlling me as she used to be.”
“Then, why do we remain here?”
“Free food and a vacation from our leadership duties.”
“Stop being an idiotic abomination.”
“Fine. I simply refuse to finish Mab’s fight for her.”
“That’s all you had to say.”
A porcelain bell rises from a nearby table and begins to ring, which causes the two Dawn Fangs to sigh. Moving away from the turrets, they place their food and drink on tables before giving each other space. Xavier is the first to fall to his knees as a psychic blast forces him to witness the utter destruction of Nyte. He watches Nadia get torn apart by beasts that he assumes are supposed to be demonic versions of Clyde. Buildings are flattened around him and the crushed inhabitants are left staring at him with bulging eyes. A blast of gore erupts from the castle entrance, some of the pieces recognizable as those of his trusted advisers. Throughout it all, he refuses to scream or doing anything more than softly count out loud. With a violent twist to his brain, Xavier flips onto his back and sees that the sun is coming out. As the desolated ruins of Nyte fade away, he feels his strength evaporate and his body gradually becomes emaciated in the growing light.
On the other side of the banquet, Clyde has been stripped naked and subjected to his own torture, which is delivered by the guards. All of them are wearing helmets that are fused to their armor and have no slits for their sealed eyes. The effect makes them immune to any visual illusions, but the Dawn Fang can still startle them with unexpected noises. He quickly becomes bored with scaring the nervous guards and stretches his arms, which have already been flayed to the bone. Barbed whips strike his back and head, leaving bloody gashes in his flesh. With a loud crunch, a hefty warrior hits Clyde’s leg with a hammer and shatters his knee. Whistling at the way the bones poke through his skin, he casually stands on one foot and beckons for them to continue the torture. Spears stab into his torso and one brave guard hits the prisoner with a flaming bottle of wine. Bored with their ineffective antics, the vampire flops onto the floor and pretends to writhe in pain to give his tormentors what they want. It is only after his other leg is twisted into a knot that the bell rings once more and the guards return to their posts.
“Been four days of this and I’m pretty sure they ran out of decent tricks durin
g our sixth session,” Clyde whispers while he drags himself to his food. Unable to grab the cake with his skeletal hands, he takes a seat and leans down to take a bite. “This is why you don’t do more than one session a day and never schedule things. It’s embarrassing to be subjected to such lazy torture. Can’t believe I’m complaining about it, but they need to have pride in their work. So, did you get the dead Nadia or ruined Nyte treatment this time?”
“A combination, but their psychic did not make any of it believable,” Xavier answers, his ears still seeping blood. No longer interested in his drink, he wanders to a nearby buffet to take a little of everything. “This has been a learning experience. It appears we heal faster when we ingest real food alongside blood. My hesitation to give in to the curse that you put upon me has been greatly reduced out of necessity. More importantly, I can see that physical torture is a pointless exercise with you. It is good to know that I should focus on nothing short of your total destruction.”
“That’s the sweetest thing you’ve said to me in the last two weeks,” the mutilated vampire says with a grin. Moving his arms, he tries to use his crystalline bones to send dots of light onto a guard’s chest. “Since we’re being honest, I can see that attacking your mind won’t get me anywhere. Lost might be able to hurt you, but you’re too good at thinking through those types of tortures. It shows a strength of willpower that I never gave you credit for. Funny how they’re using the wrong methods on each of us.”
The nobleman nods his head as he takes his seat and massages his aching temples. “You have a point there. Jewelz would know this too. I believe these tedious sessions are more to keep us busy. She cannot risk permanently injuring either of us since we are to be the main event of her great tournament. Whatever pain is inflicted on us has to be healed quickly. In that light, the whole thing feels like a waste of time.”
“You might not be far off the truth there,” Clyde mentions with a smirk. Releasing his Lord’s Rage, he heals all of his injuries, but quickly cuts it off when he finds himself on the verge of attacking his companion. “That was close. Seems our truce isn’t much of a deterrent when I release my full power. Anyway, Jewelz could be doing this to draw things out and give Mab more time to arrive. The whole timetable that she’s working with is a mess and depends entirely on luck. It wouldn’t surprise me if her new plan is to keep things rolling until our friends are seen off the coast. That’s when the two of us will be pitted against each other. Do you think they’ve been putting gem dust in our bodies during the torture sessions?”
“It has crossed my mind,” Xavier admits before he holds out his hand. He transforms it into a flattened piece of black metal and alters his eyes to see if there are any tiny particles. “I do not see anything right now, but she can always do it later. You have that curse too, so she would only need to infect me. Then again, if she sends you after me then I will fight back without being controlled. It appears that she does not have to do much to start our final battle.”
“All we can do is control when it happens, right?”
“Not to my knowledge.”
Licking his lips, Clyde leans across the table and hides his true words behind the illusion of drunken slurring. “She has you battling in the morning. How long do you think you can draw that out? I don’t mean taking a beating, but playing with an inferior creature. You can even enjoy it if you want.”
“Depends on how much time you need,” Xavier replies, his curiosity peaked.
“Good because I want to play with my new toys too,” the grinning Dawn Fang says before going back to his food. He nods his head when a look of understanding crosses the noble’s face, which has turned slightly paler than usual.
*****
Having taken a seat in the stands, Clyde finds it easy to leave an illusion that moves with the crowd so he can slip out of the arena. He smirks at the sound of people cheering for a vampire with reflection powers, who is giving Xavier more trouble than the nobleman would dare to admit. Only mildly concerned with his companion’s well-being, Clyde jogs towards a pavilion that has been set up for the other contestants. The fourteen Dawn Fangs are relaxing with servants tending to their every desire and guards stationed around the perimeter. Surrounded by couches, a blood fountain has been erected with its tubes buried underground and leading to a camouflaged cage where mortals are being pumped. With a playful hop in his step, Clyde approaches where the dying snacks are kept and picks the lock with a pin he stole from a woman at the arena. Once inside, he walks around the naked people to see if any of them are worth saving. The smell of decay is already wafting off most of their dirt-covered bodies, so he yanks the tubes out of them. A pang of humanity causes him to stab each one in the heart with his finger, the burst of pain and shock killing them instantly. Wiping his hand clean, he leaves the cage and waits for the guards to investigate why the blood fountain has gone dry.
Clyde listens to the competitors begin to complain, which stirs his anger at how easily they have fallen in line with their captors. By the time the first armored warrior emerges from the bushes, the thief is nearing a full rage. Unaware of the danger, the man has no time to react before his head is torn off and thrown into the cage. Not hearing any other footsteps, Clyde puts his hands in his pockets and gets closer to the pavilion. He is tempted to laugh at how his targets are gathered around the fountain and trying to get it to work. The guards are still at their posts, but he can tell that they are alert and ready for an attack. Creating a rustling of leaves to the right of the other vampires, he sprints out of his hiding place at full speed and snatches three knights before disappearing into a patch of tall bushes. Silently killing them with no effort, Clyde grabs one of their spears and moves until he has a perfect view of his true targets. With the competitors looking the other way, he hurls the weapon and sends two more guards flying into the surrounding forest. The attack startles everyone, but all they can do is stand still and search the trees for their enemy. Minutes pass before the warriors relax, but the one with the most medals on his chest is beheaded the instant they lower their swords. A shadowy form can be seen rushing into the trees and the remaining guards head off in a pursuit that forces them to swim across the lagoon.
“I wonder if they’ll follow that thing into the ocean and get washed away,” Clyde says as he enters the pavilion. Kicking a pillow out of the way, he watches as it explodes against a nearby tree, which is left with a dent in its trunk. “So, this is where they stash the cattle before they’re led to the slaughter. Jewelz really has things mixed up. You wastes of blood should be getting tortured daily while I’m pampered. Not that I want to be, but it would be nice to receive a few comforts of home. Some of you look insulted. Did anyone here actually believe they’d defeat me? I’m the reason the Dawn Fangs exist in the first place.”
“The Vampire Queen made us,” a nervous vampire announces. The frog-like gnome leaps onto the ceiling when Clyde abruptly appears in front of him. “Why do you have to be involved in this anyway? You have Nytefall and Xavier has Nyte. Leave Apelios and Queen Jewelz for one of us. It’s only fair.”
“Can you sound any more pathetic?” a bare-chested orc asks with spit flying from his oddly-shaped mouth. The pronounced lower jaw has a strange crease in the middle, which threatens to fly open with every loud breath. “We know your reputation and have seen what you can do in the fights. We’ve also heard that you haven’t had a fight since Jewelz cut your power in half. It’s obvious that you’re weak since you weren’t able to kill all of the guards. How about you go back to the arena and stop wasting our time?”
“Yeah, none of us are going to quit,” chirps a voice from behind a sofa. Having taken the form of a canary, the vampire leaves smoking footprints in its wake. “The Vampire Queen is gorgeous and rules this entire island. Only an idiot would give up the chance to possess both for eternity. Even though she’s picked you and Xavier as her favorites, the rest of us still have a chance. All we have to do is kill you in the arena.”
Clyde chuckles as he takes a seat next to a serving girl, who runs away as soon as he takes a cup of coffee out of her hand. “I was getting worried for a moment. Thought this place made everyone stupid, but she just proved that you idiots were born that way. I don’t even know where to start with correcting all of you. Obviously, my reputation isn’t what it used to be or you wouldn’t be so brave. Jewelz is attractive, but I’m afraid to tell all of you that her heart has been stolen by another. It’s another woman if you’re curious. None of us truly had a chance, which is why this tournament is such a waste of time.”
“Then you should leave,” the vampiric orc growls.
“I would, but I have people coming to rescue me and doing it myself would be rude.”
“They won’t get here in one piece.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time the gang showed up with a slight case of dismemberment.”
“You want us to attack, so you can claim self-defense.”
“I’d rather you do it, so I don’t feel like I’m slaughtering a bunch of vegetables,” Clyde admits with a yawn. He leans away from the barbed tongue that shoots out of the orc’s mouth, the slimy weapon whipping itself into his shoulder. “Guess a challenge was too much to ask for from you guys. I even went to the trouble of ignoring your matches because I wanted to be surprised by your abilities. Last chance to run away and wallow in your weakness. Nobody is budging, huh? The fact that you were picked as potential suitors really makes me question our host’s taste in men.”
A blast of ice from a vampiric dwarf’s fingers is deflected by Clyde flipping another couch in the way. Grabbing the frozen furniture, he smashes it over a chubby halfling’s head, which causes his victim to explode into a crimson mist. Seeing the thin cloud move without a breeze, the more experience Dawn Fang rushes forward to inhale the vapor. Swallowing quickly and focusing on his stomach, Clyde digests his gaseous enemy before the confused vampire can figure out what is going on and return to a solid form. Remembering the tongue that is trying to burrow into his shoulder, the thief rips it out of his flesh and gives a yank to bring the orc within reach. He smirks when the taller Dawn Fang’s lower jaw snaps shut to sever the wriggling body part and leaps out of reach. Dodging another ice blast, Clyde flings a tray along with the arms of a terrified servant who was still holding it. The metal disc slices off the dwarf’s head while the white beams hit the young man trying to regain his limbs. He shatters against the ground, which causes the remaining servants to panic and run away from the pavilion.
Rivalry (War of Nytefall Book 3) Page 23
