by J. C. Diem
Without a mouth and larynx to answer me, the best he could do was to wiggle one of his fingers. Then I felt his mind connect with mine, just like it had when I’d been dreaming. What took you so long? The question was asked with a mixture of relief and exasperation.
“Sorry,” I responded out loud. “I was too busy wallowing in self-pity to come to your rescue before now. I thought you were dead.”
I’m still alive and you’re here now, he whispered in my mind. I have tried to piece my flesh back together countless times, but I do not know how. His frustration and fear came through loud and clear.
“I’ll show you how, but first I have to get you out of this box.”
Picking up the container, I found a spot that was clear of the sludge of the fallen and tipped his remains out onto the ground. I placed his hand on top of the pile then stepped back to give him some room.
Thinking about the process that my particles went through each time I managed to break myself down then re-form again, I sent the picture to Luc. It took him a while to sort through the images and grasp what he needed to do. I think I understand, he said doubtfully. I shall try to put myself back together again now.
He’d been in this condition for months and his flesh would be weak. Fate itself had told me that I would need to heal Luc before he could become whole again. I stripped off my jacket and held one of my borrowed weapons over my left arm. “I’m ready when you are,” I said to my one true love.
When I felt him gathering his will, I made the first slice. Bright yellow blood splattered onto Luc’s remains and they began to quiver. With each slice that I made into my flesh, the quicker his bits and pieces began to move. It was fascinating to see them trying to realign to their natural positions as the fluid that powered me rained down on him. His flesh sucked up the liquid like thirsty ground that was in dire need of water.
Shivering, dancing and squirming into place, the outline of Luc’s body rapidly became more pronounced until he resembled a jigsaw puzzle that just needed to be connected. A final splash of my blood landed on him and was absorbed beneath the skin that was suddenly whole and unmarked.
Sitting up, Luc examined his body then stared up at me in wonder. Stark naked, he was as perfect as I remembered. Our minds were still joined and his love swept over me, enfolding me even before he stood and his arms did the same.
“I thought I’d lost you forever,” I told him in a small voice that was muffled by his chest.
“I knew you would find a way to restore me,” he said with complete faith in my abilities.
“I guess you aren’t mad at me anymore?” I asked.
Leaning back slightly, he cupped my face with his hand. “I was more disappointed than angry with you.” Disappointment was somehow worse than his anger would have been. “How could you have believed even for a second that my love for you wasn’t real?”
“Don’t blame me,” I said crossly. “Blame Fate. She’s the one who arranged all this.”
With our minds linked, he could see that I was telling him the truth. “So,” he mused, “I was right all along. Fate really is female.”
“It looks like it,” I said very grudgingly and felt his mind beginning to recede from mine. When they separated, I found I couldn’t delve into his thoughts as easily as I could with everyone else. That’s probably a good thing, my inner voice said. Would you really want to know what he’s thinking all the time? I had to concede that my subconscious was right again. I’d hate it if Luc knew every thought that was going through my head and I was sure that he’d feel the same way.
Picking up a jacket that wasn’t too badly stained, Luc tied it around his waist in a makeshift skirt. It gaped open on one side, revealing his muscled thigh. My flesh hunger stirred at the tempting sight but I forced it away as Danton and his retinue arrived.
“Lord Lucentio,” the monk said and offered Luc his hand. “It is good to see you again.”
Shaking the vampire’s hand, Luc’s nod was grave. “I would like to offer my condolences for your master’s demise.” He’d gleaned all that he’d missed since he’d been blown up by General Sanderson directly from my memories.
“As I told Natalie, the Prophet foresaw his death long ago.” He may have known that this night was coming, but Danton’s grief for his master would remain sharp for a long time. Unlike many of our kind, he’d loved his master dearly. The prophet might have spoken in gibberish most of the time, but he’d treated his people well. Only when Vincent had been placed in charge of their domain had trouble started. Luc and I had taken care of that when we’d killed most of the damned that had been overtaken by their sentient shadows. Magerion was to blame for this latest upheaval, but I’d set things to rights once more.
“Are you aware of the disappearances of both aquatic and human lives during the past few months?” Luc asked the monk. It was an added bonus that he’d witnessed everything that I’d seen and heard during the months that we’d both been locked away in our confinement. I wouldn’t have to explain anything that he’d missed.
Danton nodded. “This cave system is far cruder than our previous home, yet we do have some modern amenities. I have seen the news broadcasts regarding the disappearances.”
“I’m pretty sure I know who, or what, is behind the missing fish,” I told the small group and became the centre of attention. “You already know about the Viltarans that invaded Manhattan and Las Vegas?” I received nods all round. “Well, they inadvertently brought some stowaways along with them when they left their home world.”
“Are you saying that another species of aliens is responsible for the depletion of aquatic life?” Danton asked. I wasn’t sure what visions the prophet had been sent, but apparently they hadn’t been very detailed. That wasn’t really much of a surprise. Most of the visions he, Kokoro and I were sent were vague at best.
“Yep and I’ll tell you all about it, but I don’t want to have to tell this story twice.” We would require help to battle these new enemies and I knew just the bunch of vampires to bring into the fold.
“Can you transport all of us at once?” Luc asked.
I had no idea whether I could or not and shrugged. “There’s only one way to find out. Let’s all join hands.”
Nervous but obedient, the warriors slid their weapons into their sheaths and clasped hands. I didn’t have a sheath so dropped the sword to the dirt. Luc and Danton offered me their hands and I grabbed them, closing the circle.
Sending my senses westward, I concentrated on the small group of vampires that I recognized to be our friends and teleported all eight of us to France.
Expecting to find myself in the safe house that was our usual haunt, we were instead in a large library. Twin brown leather couches faced each other across an antique coffee table. A smaller, daintier couch sat before a fire. The room was large but somehow cosy and welcoming.
“This is Gregor’s mansion,” Luc said even as I recognized the room.
Along with our five closest friends, I’d also sensed the presence of several unfamiliar vampires. “Someone else is here,” I told the others. Scanning the minds of the dozen strange vamps, I frowned. While they weren’t overtly hostile, the strangers weren’t exactly friendly either. I hadn’t even met them yet and they already seemed to be haughty and pompous. “I think they might be a few courtiers that survived the First’s call to his cavern of doom.”
Luc seemed glum that some of the courtiers might still be alive. While he’d been a part of the Court for his entire undead life, he hadn’t particularly liked any of his peers. Most had been rounded up by the First and had then been converted into imps. Any that had survived had been destroyed by me when I’d taken down the Comtesse and her lackeys. “They must have fled from the Court when the Comtesse began sending her courtiers to Russia,” Luc surmised.
The praying mantis’ shadow had ascended and had been in charge for a while. It had started funnelling the courtiers to Russia, where the First had his lair. Upon the First’
s death, the Comtesse’s shadow had returned to normal. My own shadow had been sentient for a time and it had also lost its intelligence, not that it had been particularly smart to begin with. I’d had a small entourage of shadows following me around everywhere at one stage, but that was another story that I didn’t want to dredge up right now.
“Shall we accompany you?” Danton asked politely.
“We’re all part of the same team now,” I reminded him. “We few are the remnant of our species. We kind of have to stick together.” I wasn’t happy about adding a dozen snobby European vampires to our team, but I had no cause to end their lives. Yet. Being haughty wasn’t a killing offence. I can always kill them if they start harbouring thoughts of world domination, I told myself.
“I can only imagine how Geordie will react when he sees you,” Luc said as we headed for the door.
“It should be memorable,” I joked but I was feeling pretty nervous. Geordie would either be overjoyed to see me, or he would be furious that I’d been gone for so long. My fingers were crossed for the first choice.
·~·
Chapter Eight
Luc led the way, since he knew the mansion well. He and Gregor were good friends and he’d lived here for a while after becoming a Lord. He’d been tempted to leave the Court entirely but had decided to become a deliverer of justice instead. That way, he still had ties to the Court but could leave for extended periods of time. I’d picked up on this knowledge the one and only time that I’d tasted his blood. Only now could I appreciate his self-sacrifice. He’d stayed to attempt to make life better for the servants and underlings like Igor and Geordie. Luc’s innate kindness and ability to care for others was just one more reason for me to love him.
We walked down a hallway that sported several paintings that were probably very expensive, and stopped at an open door. Elegant furniture predominated inside what appeared to be an old fashioned sitting room. The delicate and antique royal blue couches and settees had been arranged into a rough circle. Only half of the visitors were seated, the rest were standing strategically near the exit to another room. None seemed to be armed, but I remained suspicious of them anyway.
Our friends sat directly opposite from their guests. Kokoro and Gregor were side by side with their hands clasped together. Igor lounged beside Gregor and Ishida had taken the spot on his former seer’s other side. Geordie sat slightly apart from the others. Slouched down in his chair, his arms were folded and his lower lip was pooched out in a pout.
Luc sensed my surge of emotion at seeing our friends again and slipped his arm around my waist. Only a few short hours ago, I’d been trying to will myself to die. Now I had everything to live for again. Luc was back, he was whole again and he didn’t hate me as I’d feared. He loved me as much as he ever had and, after delving into his mind, I knew that the emotion hadn’t been forced upon him by destiny. I’d selfishly abandoned my friends and had convinced myself that I was keeping them safe. I hope they can forgive me for being a coward and for walking away from them.
With his uncanny knack of sensing emotion, Geordie looked up and saw Luc first. The teen’s jaw dropped open and his eyes bulged as words stuck in his throat.
“I believe there is something wrong with your servant,” one of the visitors said in a snotty, upper crust British accent. “He appears to be having some kind of fit.”
Usually the height of diplomacy, Gregor’s brows drew down into a frown. “I have told you on more than one occasion that Geordie and Ishida are not our servants.”
Luc and I shared a glance at that news. I bet Ishida loved being mistaken for a lackey. He may have abdicated this throne but that didn’t make him anyone’s flunky.
Lifting a hand, Geordie pointed with a finger that trembled. “It’s Luc!” His eyes focussed on me as the visitors turned to see what all the fuss was about. “Oh, look,” the teen said with false enthusiasm, “Nat is here, too.” So much for him being overjoyed at my return, I thought sadly.
“Good lord,” the snotty female said to the others. “Her parents named her after an insect!”
“Her name is Natalie Pierce,” Gregor said sharply to the quietly sniggering bunch of strangers, “but you might know her better by her title of ‘Mortis’.” Their sniggers cut off at that and they turned assessing gazes on me.
“Australians tend to shorten their names,” Ishida said with a fond smile at me.
“I’d heard the rumours that the dreaded one was an Australian,” drawled the British vamp. “I’d so hoped they were incorrect. Our reputation is already bad enough without having someone who comes from a penal colony as our supposed leader.”
Standing, she turned and her attention went straight to Luc. Her eyes dropped down to the gap in his makeshift skirt and she smiled languidly. “Lord Lucentio, you are looking very well indeed.”
I caught the image she had of stripping off the jacket Luc had tied around his waist and pulling him down on top of her and forced it out of my mind before I could leap forward and punch my fist through her heart.
Taller than me by several inches, she was buxom enough even without the corset pushing her breasts up to just beneath her chin. Her dark red hair had been meticulously arranged into artful curls that fell over one shoulder and nestled against her impressive cleavage. Her dress was sapphire blue and had gone out of style several hundred years ago.
“I am well, Lady Millicent, thank you.” Luc offered her a bow as she glided over to him, eyeing his near naked form with a sultry smile. She offered him her hand and he automatically lifted it to his mouth.
For a second or two, I struggled against the urge to rip Millicent’s lips off and make her swallow them. I’d never felt jealousy like this in my life before and I wasn’t sure how to deal with it. I had no doubt that Luc had been forced to service this creature more than once in his distant past and that she’d enjoyed their liaisons immensely. I struggled not to read her mind again. If I saw even one more image of her in Luc’s arms, I’d end her life. It seemed prudent to find out what they wanted before I killed any of them. For all I knew, they might turn out to be vital to our cause.
Dropping the snotty cow’s hand, Luc put his arm around my shoulder, clearly staking his claim. Only then did I realize most of the male guests were undressing me with their eyes, as well as with their thoughts. As we’d suspected, they were refugees from the former Court. Scanning their minds, I gleaned that they’d returned to France after they’d learned of our victory over the Viltarans. They fully expected me to form another Court and they believed they would be given places of honour due to their former status as lords and ladies.
Taking in how cosy Luc and I were, Millicent’s mouth tightened slightly. Every inch as arrogant as the former Comtesse, she managed to thrust her breasts out further and gave my far less impressive chest a contemptuous sneer. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Natalie,” she said with a false smile.
“Actually, Millie, this isn’t the first time we’ve been acquainted with Natalie,” drawled another of the strangers. Tall and lean, his hair was an artfully tousled mess of dark brown curls. “I distinctly remember the night she and Lord Lucentio graced us with their presence.” His smile was far too warm and familiar and his eyes dropped down for a slow perusal of my body. He remembered the night that I’d been forced to strip down to nothing at the praying mantis’ order all too well and with startling clarity.
“Don’t call me Millie, Thaddeus, and I won’t call you Teddy,” Millicent said peevishly. Both were thousands of years old and came from lands far away. They’d taken on the pretence that they were of British aristocracy, mainly to gain ascendency over the other courtiers. I could have called them on their subterfuge but I didn’t want to admit my telepathy just yet.
Ishida and Geordie rolled their eyes in unison at the courtier’s snarky comment and I couldn’t help but smile.
“You find us amusing?” Thaddeus queried. His mouth hovered on the edge of a laugh. A quick peek ins
ide his mind told me he wasn’t averse to being the brunt of a joke. He was the kind of guy who liked attention and he didn’t care how he got it. He and Geordie would probably get along famously.
“I find you all annoying,” I replied and my smile disappeared. “What are you doing here?” I knew the real reason why they were here, but I wanted to hear the lies that they’d carefully concocted.
“Why, we are here to join you,” another Brit, a male this time, blustered. He truly had been born in the UK and his accent was genuine. He was far from aristocratic and had once been a peasant. He’d gladly left his life of toil and hardship behind for a new life of glamour and riches. He’d quickly become as jaded as the others beneath the dictatorship of the Council. He’d still been a servant, just a cleaner and better dressed one.
“Really? Join us in what?” I read his thoughts easily enough and a picture of the old Court was clear in his mind. “Because, if you think we’ll be forming another Court, you’re dead wrong. There are no more Lords or Ladies.” I flicked a glance at Geordie, who was staring at me broodingly. “Or servants,” I added and the teen’s lower lip trembled as he came close to bursting into sobs. “We’re equals now and no one has any right of lordship or dominion over anyone else.”
“That is not quite true, Natalie,” Danton stepped forward to say.
“What do you mean, Danton?” Gregor asked. He and the others remained seated. They were still in shock that Luc wasn’t only alive, but that he’d also been restored to his full health.
“My master made one last prophecy before he was murdered.” Murmurs swept around the room at that news. “He proclaimed that Mortis would become ‘the absolute ruler and that all would unknowingly bow down before her’.”
Geordie’s expression was as confused as mine. “What does that mean? How can we ‘unknowingly’ bow down before her? We already know she is in charge.”
