Revenant's Kiss (Chronicles of the Afterlife)

by Robles, Joyce

  "Okay, but it ain’t gonna happen," his implied ‘no need to worry’ was not comforting.

  "We don’t have the time to waste sitting here, too many people are already dead," she got out of her seat, "you coming?"

  "I don’t think that Ethan’s gonna like that," but he got up out of his seat too.

  "Is he your Master?" Jennifer asked him with just a little too much spite.

  "He ain’t like that," Jim told her, "but he won’t like things throwing a wrench in his plans."

  "He’ll get used to it," she’d tested Ethan on several occasions, but not in any ways that would mess with his game plan, she supposed this would tell her whether or not Ethan had vampire tantrums that were anything as frightening as his vampire mothers.

  Chapter 24

  Ethan cut down the last werewolf that stood between him and his target with a swift swipe of his sword. It went down at his feet but despite the fact that he’d removed half of it’s skullcap it tried to pry itself to it’s feet. He put a booted foot down on it’s chest and forced it back to the ground, the resounding sound of it’s ribs cracking as it went back down, the last sound it made before falling still. The figure that waited past the werewolf bodies on the pavement was petite, as small as the hunters, but that was where the similarity ended. The hunter had a subtle musculature that this vampire did not, the vampire in front of him almost looked like she was constructed from bones and wires. Of course despite the slender frame she had a beautiful heart shaped face, cupids bow lips, and grey eyes that slanted up in a way reminiscent of a cat. Fine curls that looked like they were spun from gold wound there way down her back, looking at her one might think they were looking at an angel.

  He had witnessed men fall at her feet and beg her attentions, deceived by her angelic beauty, it probably didn’t hurt that she usually trounced about in nothing but paint from the naval up. Tonight she was covered in a shimmering shade of gold, the small patch of cloth that covered her below the bellybutton was a rose petal pink. "Sophie," he greeted and she danced forward on her toes to wrap her arms around his torso.

  "You are ever so mean, hurting my puppies like that," she gave his ribs a squeeze before smiling up at him, revealing dimples in her cheeks as well as an almost childish looking gap between her two front teeth.

  "They’ll live," Ethan gritted out before stepping back and putting the preferred amount of space back between them. She pouted and he seethed the sword before he did something irrational like slice through her neck with it. "Where’s Ada," he asked skipping the small talk she was evidently going to try and stall with.

  "What makes you think she’s here, maybe it’s just little ol’ me," she did a twirl that made her nothing but a blur of sparkling gold and pink. When she stopped to face him again his hand shot out and grabbed her around the throat. "Now, now pretty boy," she purred, "no need to get violent, we’re all on the same team."

  "I don’t think so," Ethan applied a non-to-gentle amount of pressure to her slender throat, but she didn’t budge, not that he expected her to. "Where," he growled without emphasizing who, he hated that Ada would do this now, when he least needed it.

  "She’s looking for your pretty friend, it’s been a while you know since she’s born one of us. The pretty little Hunter may have been not but a nuisance if you hadn’t made it clear how, interesting, you find her." She tried to lean her painted body into his but she was immobile thanks to the hold he had her in. She laughed when he used that hold on her to push her further back, "I know you’ve been away but I would have thought you’d be smart enough to recall that she’ll take anything from you that she thinks you’ll love more then her."

  It was a warning of something he didn’t need to be reminded, he’d experienced just that on more occasions then he was willing to count before he’d finally gotten out of his Maker’s clutches. It wasn’t something he was going to repeat, there was admittedly something more between him and the hunter then he would have expected, but he wouldn’t allow that to get in the way of why he’d come here. He had come because he was convinced that this Hunter and however they were tied together was going to be what got him free of Ada for good. "No one is going to touch her," that probably hadn’t been the best choice of words.

  "And who said that is a decision for you to make," he knew the voice without looking up, and though everything in him rebelled against it he forced himself onto one knee in front of her. His people who had come into the parking lot with him followed suite.

  "Forgive my presumption Master," he said cordially enough but they were words forced out of him because anything else would only escalate the situation.

  "Such pleasant words today, one must wonder why that is," without being given permission he looked up to her. She was wearing her usual attire, flowing transparent material that cascaded around her ankles and clung to her torso. The dresses color was a red that made it look like blood clung to her, fitting since he’d witnessed her bathing in blood on more then one occasion. Her dark hair hung loose around her shoulders and her displeasure was apparent as he hair flowed around her like there was a wind that touched only her, it was a blatant show of her power. Even her emerald eyes were glowing, and he hadn’t even vocalized any of his usual mutinous thoughts.

  "There is a purpose in my recruiting her," he informed vaguely.

  "Ah yes, a purpose," she purred approaching him slowly like she was expecting him to try and cut her down with his weapon. "And when were you going to tell me what that purpose was, when it was over?" Her purr turned to a veritable growl that sent her faithful follower Sophie taking some cautious steps away from her Master, Ethan held his ground.

  "I considered variables," he informed the irrational centuries old female in front of him, "and it seemed unlikely that you would allow me to take action. The Hunter made for a solid addition because she is capable of activity during the day, this is a situation we can not leave unattended."

  His answer of course didn’t change her mood, not that he’d really expected it to, he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her rational when things weren’t exactly as she pleased. And Ethan had been born into this Afterlife with a mission to do exactly the opposite of any order she’d given as soon as he’d been capable of it. "You dare......" she seethed for a moment, baring her fangs at him like a rabid dog, he shouldn’t push her further since she’d shown up past most rational thought.

  "Things are already out of your control, I only thought to protect the coven from it," the ‘it’ of course referring to the mess she’d made. His answer was not what she wanted to hear, clearly as she raised her hand to strike him. He would of course take the blow, but last minute her emerald eyes focused on a point behind him and her arm dropped, and in a show of yet another erratic mood swing she smiled.

  "Hunter," she greeted and Ethan’s head instantly swivelled to an angle that would allow him to see Jennifer approaching with her shotgun raised. He fought an instant need to get to his feet and put himself between her and his Maker. "How nice to see you still alive, I had heard rumors but thought they were rather preposterous and chose to ignore them."

  "Well you know what they say about that whole assuming thing," Jennifer offered grimly but Ada seemed willing to ignore the insult, a spider trying to wheel pray in with a pleasant smile. "I know why you’re here, sort of, and I have to say you’re lack of gratitude should offend me." For whatever reason she chose to say those words he’d no idea but Ada’s expression closed off before she focused those emerald eyes accusingly on him. "Here I am doing you a favor and you came to kill me or worse," Jennifer shrugged.

  "How much did you tell your pet," his Maker demanded but he displayed only indifference, he certainly hadn’t given away details enough for the Hunter to be acting as though she had an ounce of leverage.

  "It’s just a matter of time before Dimitri comes knocking on your door, sure maybe he’ll take out the entire human race first but he’ll get there eventually." Ada didn’t turn her glare from him as she
digested this piece of information, "I’m willing to help get rid of him, but...." his Maker made as if to strike him again and he knew without looking down when pavement glanced against his leg that the Hunter had made the shot to keep her from making the blow. "Sorry," she said, though she didn’t sound as though she meant it, "can’t let you do that, we’re a team at the moment and nobody touches my team." The instant pride he felt in hearing the Hunter’s words died when Ada’s expression turned dark. Not in her usual violent way, in a way that let him know there would be no end to her obsession with the Hunter now.

  "You would protect one of my vampires," she smiled almost cheerfully, in a way that was completely unnatural to her, and he knew that there would be no pulling the Hunter out of his fight.

  "If he’s dead for real he won’t be of much use," she would have been better off verbally denying it.

  Ada simply made a curious noise before she smiled again, "Tobias, so nice of you to join us, if you please." She indicated with her hand that she wanted the Hunter down and it took everything that Ethan had to stay where he was. To move in her defense would be more trouble then either one of them needed at the moment, the Hunter had brought them enough. He heard the shotgun go off again but kept his eyes solidly on Ada, trying to judge from her expression what was in store for Jennifer. "That’s much better, doesn’t that feel as though it were a place you were born to be." Ada moved to step past him and he followed her figure, instantly zeroing in on Jennifer behind him. Tobias had clearly snuck up behind her, taken a shot to the shoulder before disarming the Hunter and using a hand hold in her hair to force her to her knees. He fought yet more raging instincts that were outside his usual range of emotions to rush to the rescue.

  "Not even remotely," the Hunter spat, he could hear her heart pounding from here, but her voice stayed steady.

  "I think it is, I missed it before but you were clearly born to be my blood," he watched Ada run her index finger along the Hunters throat drawing a line of blood.

  "I’d kill myself first," was all the Hunter said in reply, no wavering as her head was forced to the side.

  "Would you now," Ada looked back at him, apparently encouraged in her endeavors when she looked back and found him watching her like a hawk. "I find this new found romance in bloom quite exciting," she rose from where she’d hovered over the Hunter’s exposed throat.

  "Why does everyone keep assuming there’s something between me and Batman over there," the Hunter delivered with a good deal of disgust.

  Ada chirped and all but clapped her hands in excitement, "it’s in the way he watches you, in the way you all but gave your life just to keep me from striking him." Ada took a step back, "why force the change on you when I think eventually you will come to me for it." She looked back at Ethan with a smile, she thought she had them in her web already, so easily he refrained from smiling back at her naivete. Whatever there was between the Hunter and himself was admittedly strong, but the Hunter was too strong willed and full of revulsion of vampires to ever come to his Maker for eternal life, even if she did fancy herself madly in love with a vampire. Ada would be waiting for an event that wouldn’t come if that was what she thought was going to happen. "Release the Hunter Tobias," Ada waved her hand dismissively before making her way back to Ethan. "I will allow this action, for now," she stepped on one of Sophie’s mutts as it tried to twitch to it’s feet, slamming it back to the pavement with a thud. Somewhere behind him he heard the golden haired vampire make a pained noise, which Ada chose to ignore as she approached him. "But there will be no excuses made for the next time," when she was within reaching distance she took hold of his chin. "If you make a move without my order in the future Gabriel I will punish you." Just the thought made her dreamy eyed and keeping the disgust off his face would have been advisable. "You will come to me the minute you’ve taken care of our little problem," she stepped back, dropping his chin from her grip. "Sophie, retrieve your dogs, we’re finished here," he thought she’d disappear immediately so as to avoid the clean-up but she turned back to Jennifer who’d possessed enough sense to stay on her knees even after Tobias had dropped his hold on her. "I’ll be seeing you again soon Jennifer Ryan, I imagine quite soon."

  Like that she was gone, her spy Tobias vanishing on her heels, leaving only Sophie to deal with the downed werewolves on the ground. He watched the vampire jump down on the ground next to the wolf that Ada had seen fit to trample under foot, she crooned at it, though why he hadn’t a clue. Nothing had been done to any of her puppies that would kill them, it took longer for them to repair themselves but they aught to be back on their feet in a few minutes. Ethan got up and all but materialized in front of the hunter, aware that his grim expression probably wasn’t the best mask for his anger. "What were you thinking," he demanded, already noticing that the back of her neck was bruising from where Tobias had held onto her.

  "I got tired of sitting around," was all she could commit to as she reached over to grab her rifle, once she had it in hand she held onto the barrel of the gun and used it to push herself to her feet. "What, it all worked out just fine," she said as if that made her idiocy any easier to deal with.

  "Where were you," he shouted when he took note of Jim making his way out of the minimal foliage near the building.

  "Sorry Boss, lady wouldn’t stay put," he had the nerve to tilt his hat and smile to the Hunter.

  "And so you were doing what, exactly," he did not like that one of his people had left her to fend for herself.

  "Lady asked me real nice, if her plan went south quick and Ada tried to turn her, she wanted a bullet put to her." Ethan gritted his teeth as again the foreign need to rip someone’s throat out rose to the forefront. Apparently the Hunter had aptly judged his level of violence because she put her hand on his chest to keep him from making a move forward.

  "Focus right, time is not on our side here, we should go," she was not shy about meeting him eye to eye. He hated that her calm helped him focus, he glanced to Jim but knew that the Hunter was right, they didn’t have time for any fight at the moment but the one that need be waged against the revenants.

  Chapter 25

  Jennifer was still trying to wrap her brain around what she’d seen back at the club when she was being whizzed across town. She didn’t particularly recognize the location when they got where they were going, but then she didn’t have to. It looked like maybe one of Dimitri’s new favorite hide outs was a shut down shopping mall. She vaguely remembered this place from when she was a kid, before they’d closed it for asbestos or some other health issue or other. She’d thought it was meant to be torn down but apparently it hadn’t happened, it was probably just such a place that she should have been paying attention to as a vampire haven. "Just great," she groused, not only did they get the joy of searching a place that was yet again much larger then she would have liked, but now she got to wonder if the asbestos was going to kill her too.

  "Problem Hunter," Ethan asked before he even disengaged his arms from around her, which considering they’d stopped some time ago was taking him long enough.

  "Nope I’m good," not necessarily a lie, the odds of her living long enough to die of cancer were so low that she couldn’t see any reason to worry. "Is this really where the guy spends his free time," the place was cavernous and even if it did look as though the windows had been mostly blacked out it was still a big risk for someone who could burst into flames when hit by sunlight.

  "It’s not a terrible place to make a den, more then one escape route, more then one place to hide." She looked back to the vampire and he shrugged, he was still clearly pissed at her, but she could deal with pissed, if he’d thrown himself a vampire tantrum well she would have been able to deal with that to, only shooting him didn’t seem like a good trust building exercise.

  "Is he the only vampire living here," inquiring minds would want to know, since it was life or death potentially for them and all.

  "No likely not," that was comforting. Ethan fi
nally let her go away from his chest, she probably should have said something beforehand when he didn’t let go right away. He pulled the sword from over his shoulder so she did the same with the Remington.

  "How are we doing this," she asked more to be polite although she supposed she aught to wonder, it seemed unlikely that vampires would operate in a fashion similar to humans. She gave a quick survey of the others, Jim had his Mossberg in hand, Lydia had sharp edged blades in both of hers, she was pretty sure Dominik was holding a Lugar, the twins had pulled what looked like a claymore and a flail, and she was pretty certain that Ethan’s second had pulled a short sword. Yea she was not thinking that going into any fighting situation with a flock of vampires at your back was going to be anything like having humans.

  "Thadeus," Ethan addressed his second instead of answering her question, "take Jim, Lydia, and MacArthur with you to the upper levels." Once the order was given the vampires that had been named disappeared without a single question asked. "We are taking the lower levels," he informed her, and of course by ‘we’ he meant him, her, Dominik and Mary. She was going to be working outside of her comfort zone, it figured he’d let her get comfortable with the most human of the vampires and then have her in the team that didn’t include them. "You don’t like the arrangement," had she made it that obvious, "I’d had a different arrangement in mind myself until you’d convinced James to shoot you."

  "Is that why you’re all cranky," she asked, when he just glared at her she couldn’t help it she rolled her eyes at him, "I was like fifty-five percent certain he wouldn’t have to shoot me."

  "Those are lousy odds," the vampire told her before ignoring her again, "spread out, we want this cleared as quickly as possible, our Hunter’s human friend can’t be far behind." Again he spoke and like what he said was the fastest motivator alive the other two vampires disappeared.