“Are you alright Sanaya?” Charlie asked, tying her thick mane of red hair into a ponytail. “You look…stressed.”
“I don’t know. Something isn’t right,” Sanaya murmured glancing at the window. “Maybe I’m being paranoid.”
“Well the Guardians took extra measures to barricade the room against the vampire now that they have a name,” Maya added gently.
“I know. It’s just-“
A hard blast shook the building, knocking Sanaya off the bed and onto the floor. Lois and Myra burst into the room, guns drawn.
“Stay here,” Lois commanded. “The campus is under attack!”
Sanaya could hear the mental SOS Archer sent out to every available Guardian, requesting that they abandon their posts and man positions around the cardinal points of the school. They were indeed under attack. Sanaya was on her feet instantly, expanding her mental awareness to what was taking place just outside the Vatican. Dark clouds blanketed the sky and streak after streak of black lightening flashed as the howls of werewolves echoed in the atmosphere. Hell caverns splintered the ground and opened, allowing legions of dark forces the luxury of escape. Sanaya took one look at her two friends, before running past them to switch her pink pajama bottoms into a pair of denim jeans and Timberland boots.
“The Guardians said for us to stay here,” Charlie pleaded, looking at Sanaya as if she lost her mind.
“And do what?” Sanaya snapped as she laced up her boot “Wait for us to die? This is what we are being trained for-“ Suddenly she was hit with the familiar call from none other than Ronan. She collapsed on her knees and covered her ears to blot out the high frequency of the call. Her body shivered from the erotic pull but she fought against it, focusing on King.
You will pay for what you’ve done to me. I will kill every single one of your peers as you writhe on the ground begging for my pleasure, Ronan threatened.
“Sanaya!” Maya cried as she dropped on the ground to help her friend.
Sanaya heard her, but now Ronan was showing her images of The Guardians on the front lines fighting. He sent a small army of freshly turned vampires who slaughtered their way through the Vatican, leaving blood and carnage behind them. The Church’s assassins were fighting with everything they had with every ability and skill at their disposal.
“He wants a fight,” Sanaya gritted through her teeth. “You guys are now a part of the most elite fighting team in the world,” she challenged. “Fight with me, or get out of my way.”
Maya was up on her feet donning a similar outfit as Sanaya: jeans and Timberlands. Sanaya reached for her buzzing cell and answered quickly. “Yeah?”
“’Naya’,” came King’s voice. “What’s up? We riding with you or what? You see that shit outside? Congo was like ‘stay inside’ and I’m like hell no.”
“I’m already dressed. Meet us in the courtyard. Turn anything and everything into a weapon. And last but not least,” she lowered her voice. “Be careful.”
“I will baby. You too.” She disconnected the call to find Charlie and Maya waiting for her.
“Underneath the floorboards in the kitchen are weapons. There is a safe behind the painting, and I am counting on you, Charlie, as a Seer to crack the code. I think there may be weapons in there too. Break off the legs of the dining room chairs to make stakes. Everything is a weapon.”
Sanaya rushed to the floorboards while Charlie worked on the safe.
“There are demons,” Maya said flatly standing behind her.
Sanaya quit working for a second to face her friend. “I know. But that is what we have you for.”
“I don’t know if I can control them Naya. And what if that turns me evil?”
Sanaya stood from her low crouch and hugged her friend. “You are my best friend Maya. Nothing can make you evil. You can do this.”
“But what if I can’t?” Maya sniffled, burying her face into Sanaya’s shoulder.
“You can because you can and I believe in you. I need you to believe that, ok?”
Maya slowly pulled away and wiped her eyes. “I can do this.”
Sanaya smiled. “Yes you can.”
They returned to the task of collecting weaponry which included: several light grenades, a crossbow which Sanaya handed to Charlie along with the silver tipped arrows; several bowie knives and a couple of 9 mm; a mini Uzi; and all Charlie found from the safe were small bottles of what Sanaya assessed to be Holy Water.
It was absolute chaos once they stepped outside. Students were fleeing in every direction while others tried to take a stand. Some of the older students fought back to back with a couple of Guardians but the campus had been completely overrun. The three girls found King and Bullet working in tandem against a werewolf that decided he wanted to come out and play. Sanaya flung a silver tipped knife into its back and watched the creature howl in pain before disintegrating into ash. The five friends took formation as Sanaya handed King and Bullet an Uzi, a hand held, and some bottles of holy water. With Sanaya positioned in front of them she led them through the darkness as they took down vampire after wolf followed by demon upon demon.
“There are too many of them Sanaya!” Maya called out as she dropped to the ground and tripped the wolf that lunged at Charlie, who then spun around and connected her foot to its jaw.
“Maya! You know what you can do! We can take care of the vampires and the wolves but the demons are endless!” Sanaya called out to her with eyes burning silver. “Tap into that part of you that calls them!” Sanaya’s head snapped back and she unleashed a battle cry as bloodlust took over. From the corner of her mind’s eye she saw what a true demon summoner looked like. Maya’s eyes took on a white glow, as her long braid levitated from her shoulder. Lightening crackled above her forcing King, Bullet and Charlie to step back.
Sanaya unloaded several silver rounds into another wolf, as Maya began to chant in an ancient language that probably had yet to be discovered by today’s archaeologists. The already blackened sky seemed to grow darker, and the only one capable of seeing through it was Sanaya. She kicked, shot and blasted her way back to her team to protect them from the temporary vulnerability as legions of grotesquely formed entities surrounded Maya awaiting her command.
“Send them back!” Sanaya shouted as she grabbed King, who held onto Charlie whose hand latched onto Bullet’s as they ran for cover. Sanaya could still hear Maya’s chant that was followed by a sonic blast that sent the screaming, resentful demons back into the Hell caverns from which they came. Guardians, students and vampires alike stopped fighting to witness the event in shock. The demonic screams shattered glass windows, and for those with sensitive hearing, they collapsed on the ground with bleeding ears. When it was done, Maya fainted and Bullet rushed to her side before her head hit the ground.
“Take her to the church!” Sanaya yelled as more fighting began. Bullet nodded and whizzed off.
“What are you-“ Archer demanded as he approached carrying a bloodied ax before he was hit with a black charge in the center of his chest, knocking him unconscious.
“Archer!” Sanaya shouted as she dashed to his aid. She reached his unconscious body before Tia and Myra did, and checked his pulse. He was still alive, but barely.
“Slayer!” A thunderous roar rocked the entire campus, sending the remaining vampires running.
“Sanaya, we’ve got to take you to safety,” Lois declared, taking hold of her arm. Sanaya pulled away.
“No. No more running. He is weak. I can sense his energy dipping. Plus, he is blind. His eyes never recovered…I can take him,” Sanaya said spinning around and running at full speed towards the vampire.
She could hear Guardians and her teammates alike begging her to come back. But she would not be deterred. This was her fight. No one was going to get in her way.
She found the entity standing just beyond the fountains in front of the school. She was right. His eye sockets never healed. Instead of the perfect blue eyes that once blazed with lust, were dark
puddles of oozing black blood. Ronan faced off with her and smiled. Six inch fangs greeted her, along with a massively built body. Cracking his knuckles, he circled her. She kept her eyes on him, never once giving him her back.
“We could end this if you leave with me, Slayer,” He murmured. “Do not allow my blindness to dissuade you although you will pay extensively for what was done to me.”
“Never. Going. To. Happen,” she growled, palming the butt of the hand held that she tucked in her waistband.
“Foolish girl. Guns don’t scare me,” He taunted.
“I don’t expect them to,” She challenged, still watching him.
“I am so going to enjoy fucking you, right after I rip out the throat of the Guardians that have evidently done a piss poor job of protecting you.”
“Not on your life,” She growled as she flung a bowie knife into the center of his chest, which he caught with both hands.
“Nice try,” He chuckled before dematerializing into mist and appearing behind her with his arm wrapped around her neck.
Instead of resisting him, she went perfectly still, giving him the false sense of having the upper hand. But when his hot tongue ran a trail down her neck, her eyes burned pure silver and she flipped him onto his back with little effort. Dazed, but not totally defeated, the vampire was on his feet. She could hear gun fire, and even saw a few bullets whiz pass her face and into the entities chest. They weren’t silver, so all they would do is hold him off for a few seconds. Good. The Guardians had her back. She double backed and used the fence as leverage for her to flip and land a couple of kicks to his face. He stumbled and at the same time made a grab for her, which he missed. Focusing on her rage, her eyes sent a laser of silver in his direction and she blasted him in the center of his chest. The stench of sulfur and blood filled her nostrils and his mournful screams echoed throughout the campus. She heard someone call her name. It was Tatsu and she tossed Sanaya her long blade which fell effortlessly into her grip.
“Do you know why I was able to breach the safety of your walls?” Ronan wheezed.
Sanaya slowly approached him, gripping the long blade tightly.
“More are coming,” He threatened. “They seek you with the same desperation that I have sought you”
“Shut up,” Sanaya finally said as she raised the blade high above her head.
“Your Guardians are not who you think they are. Neither is your Pope-“
His head rolled onto the grass as the rest of his body combusted into flames. She watched with disgust as his head followed suit before dropping to her knees. Guardians and her teammates surrounded her. Eve placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“You did very well Slayer. It is done. Let’s finish kicking vampire and werewolf ass and take back our campus.”
The battered and beaten group all cheered as Sanaya rose to her feet with the long blade in hand.
“Let’s do this.”
Chapter Twenty
By dawn the campus was demon, werewolf and vampire free, but Sanaya knew that the battle that they fought was far from over. This was only the beginning. Several students had to be put down after sustaining vampire bites and too far into the transition to risk attempting to save. Multiple Guardians were seriously injured and had to be rushed off to the Vatican Hospital for treatment, and those that remained assisted with the cleanup and figuring out what needed to be repaired along with the funeral details for those awaiting angelic transport into the Light. Archer eventually gained consciousness but would require a lengthy stay in the hospital before the doctors would permit him back on patrol. Eve and Congo would be in charge for the time being. And as for the missing students, a memorial was scheduled to be held in a few days, their bodies having been spotted among the masses of vampires and werewolves.
The school would be closed for an indeterminate amount of time, until things could be sorted out as to who was responsible for weakening prayer lines and the hallowed grounds to permit the worse attack in The Academy’s history on campus grounds. Students with living family were sent home, while those with nowhere else to go were permitted to either stay or be transported to foster Guardian homes temporarily. Sanaya decided to stay as did the rest of her team. She was able to sigh with relief when she found out Lisa was ok. She’d been trapped on the first floor of her building during the invasion and could not find her way out. Guardians had to dig her out, and thankfully minus a few scrapes and bruises, she was fine.
Maya recovered, eventually awaking to receive a round of applause by the Guardians, Sanaya and their new friends. The doctors said she may suffer from severe migraines for a while, but that was better than not having her best friend back. Maya proved she can control her power. Life was good, for now, and Sanaya would not have it any other way. Before leaving her friend in the hospital room to finish recovering, Sanaya hugged her with everything she had, and made a silent vow to herself to keep that burning flame of hope alive and well among her friends because that was what they needed to get through the darkest of nights.
As for Trent, during the battle, he and Elizabeth found themselves cornered by several vampires and barely escaped with their lives. Had it not been for his ability to throw his voice, and a nearby Guardian that tossed a light grenade in their direction, giving them ample time to escape. Afterwards, Elizabeth attempted to lie about who scored the victory and saved the day, which forced Trent to rethink his alliance with the petty blonde.
Sanaya, King, Charlie, and Bullet were seated in the semi empty dining hall when Trent approached them with his tray. All four turned to face him curiously.
“Ay, may I sit here?”
“No traitors allowed at this table,” King growled. “Loyal members only.”
“He is still a member of our team,” Charlie added with a shrug. “And we still have to treat him like so.”
No one bothered to respond as Trent took a seat next to Bullet, who refused to acknowledge his presence. The group just continued to eat in silence, until Charlie and Bullet retreated to their rooms and Trent excused himself to speak with one of the Guardians, leaving King alone with Sanaya.
“We are finally alone boo,” King said with a smile.
“I know. We better treasure this moment while we can,” Sanaya added with a smirk.
“Come here,” King said turning around to face her.
Sanaya leaned forward thinking he was going to kiss her and when he didn’t she sat back, feeling confused.
“I wanted to ask you something,” He said looking every bit of anxious as he sounded.
“Go ahead.”
“Sanaya, I never met a girl like you…for real for real you are everything I never thought I would have. I didn’t ask you properly and I know you was cool with it but I just wanted-“
“Yes King?”
“-to know if you would officially be my girl?”
Sanaya’s eyes met his and she loved the way she lost herself in the deep pools of chocolate brown that stared back at her and through her. Everything she experienced while at The Academy was new, and this journey with King would be no different. No guy had ever made her feel the way that King did and she doubted that any guy ever would.
“Yes King. I would love to officially be your girl.”
King leaned in and sealed the deal with a kiss to blow her mind, but she ended up blowing his. Her soft and full lips and her gentle caress as she wrapped her arms around his neck reminded him that despite her ferocious warrior abilities, she was still a young woman who needed to be handled with care. The two pulled away when they sensed the presence of Guardians approaching, but they held on to each other as they knew they always would.
“Alright love birds,” Congo shouted with a wink. “Back to the dorms. Training is still taking place tomorrow. One monkey don’t stop no show.”
As King took his tray and hers too, for the first time ever in Sanaya’s life she knew that whatever battles she fought, regardless of how many, and throughout whatever circumstanc
es she went through, he would always have her back.
If you are looking down from On High mom, she thought to herself as she took King’s hand while Congo escorted them back to their rooms, Just know that I love you and will always love you.
Stepping outside into the late evening breeze a blue butterfly flitted past Sanaya and she could have sworn she heard the pretty insect say, “I love you too baby…Mama is watching out for you.”
Stay tuned for the next book in The Vampire Hunters Academy…The Shadows…
The Vampire Hunter's Academy: The Darkness Page 16
