Death Beckons (Mortis Vampire Series, #1)

by J. C. Diem

  “What? You want permission to have sex with me once I turn into a lifeless corpse?” I said crankily, knowing full well he could stay awake after the sun rose if he had to, at least for a while.

  Grimacing, Luc gave up and climbed in beside me. “I am not into necrophilia.”

  I remembered waking before him when we’d spent the night in the back of a rental car. He’d been without a doubt, stone cold dead. He was normally a very sexy man but not when he lay unmoving like the dead thing he was. “I see your point.”

  Sudden brightness hit the window and flared in a thin line against the wall. I scrunched my eyes shut against the painful glare. “What the hell is going on out there?” Was someone shining a powerful light in through our window?

  Turning to Luc when he didn’t respond, I did a double take. All the animation had left him. His face was still handsome but it was slack, white and cold. Ok, any second now I’ll fall unconscious. I waited expectantly but nothing happened. Shifting onto my side, I stared at Luc’s corpse and willed myself to sleep.

  Ten minutes later, I threw back the blankets in disgust. “It’s too bright in here,” I complained. Only the tiniest trace of sunlight was filtering inside but it was enough to ensure I couldn’t fall unconscious. Once it was dim enough, I was confident I’d go down for the day. Approaching the window was like walking toward a furnace. Heat was coming off the curtain in waves. A tiny tent had formed in the fabric, allowing the bar of light to enter the room. I could almost imagine the paint was sizzling where the ray touched the wall. The heat was all in my head, of course but that didn’t make it any less real.

  Turning my face away from the light, I reached out and poked the fabric flat. As I did, the tip of my pointer finger was exposed to sunlight for a fraction of a second. Pain, intense and excruciating, thundered into my hand. I snatched it away from the window and inspected my finger. Half of it was gone, or nearly gone. The meat had been burned to ash and fell to the carpet like a cigarette that had been left to burn on its own. Stark white bone lay exposed without flesh to cover it. I wiggled my finger bone and managed to gross myself out. I guess this means I’m definitely allergic to sunlight then. I’d held onto the hope that this might not be the case since I was the much unanticipated Mortis. The hope now withered and died.

  It took hours for my finger to regenerate. I tossed and turned beside the unmoving body of my companion as the flesh grew back around the bone. I envied Luc his oblivion. At last, I grew sleepy and closed my eyes.

  I dreamt that I was standing in the throne room of a magnificent castle crafted from white marble. Deep red curtains that were long enough to brush against the floor covered the windows. A blood red strip of carpet ran from the doorway where I stood right up to a delicate gold throne. A woman with white hair sat on the highly polished seat. Up close, I knew she would be light blonde. The Comtesse, also known as the praying mantis, eyed me haughtily then dismissed me as being beneath her notice. The other Councillors were huddled behind her, cowering in fear.

  Guards surrounded the throne, preventing anyone from the Court from coming too close. Stains were scattered on the floor and empty clothing marked where the dead had fallen. Scores of vampires, dressed in their finest, were bunched against the walls. Their attention was on the solitary figure that stood defiantly before the throne.

  Walking down the red carpet, I crept up on the lone figure that was dressed in a tight black leather outfit. She held a spear in her right hand. The long blade was covered in the black goo of dead vampires. As I reached her, she whirled and I started back. Instead of having a normal human face, hers was made of shadow. “You cannot win against me, puny vampire,” she spat then rammed her spear into my stomach.

  Waking with a shout, my hands scrambled to hold my intestines in. It took me a moment to realise I was still in bed. Luc stared at me in astonishment, halfway through pulling a shirt on.

  “I thought I was back in the sewers for a second there,” was my lame excuse for my reaction. I already saw shadows that moved that no one else could see. If I told Luc that I could now dream, it would make me look like an even bigger freak. Why am I suddenly dreaming again? How is it even possible? Alexander’s grim experiment, that was how. By mingling his blood with mine, he had initiated changes in my vampire makeup. I didn’t know what this meant but instead of dying when the sun came up I now slept like a normal human. It could also explain why I’d heard the shadow talking in my head.

  A quick shower did nothing to wake me up properly. I almost felt like I had a hangover and deduced that I hadn’t slept enough. It was an affliction I never thought I’d have again. Like eating solid food, sleep should have been beyond me now. Bleary eyed, I dressed and joined Luc in the bedroom.

  Luc retrieved his small suitcase from within the closet. I didn’t need to look inside to know all of his clothes would be black. They always were. The books were safely ensconced in my equally tiny suitcase.

  “Are you ready, Natalie?” he asked me with a touch of concern.

  He probably thinks I’m going to run out on him again. “Let’s go,” I replied and was a step behind him when he opened the door.

  We attracted little attention as we made our way to the car. Luc kept to the speed limit, stopping only long enough for us both to grab a snack. We’d need our strength just in case we did run into the crazy cow who thought she was me. After the nightmare I’d had, I would be only too happy to postpone the introductions.

  After driving for several hours, we entered a picturesque area of large estates and manor houses. Not that I could see much from the road even with my heightened vision. Then we were pulling into a driveway and halting before an imposing set of gates. Made of grey stone and iron bars, they were wide enough to fit two cars through abreast. A vampire guard approached the car with a sword in his hand.

  “State your business,” he grated, glancing in through the window to examine Luc and me thoroughly. It was encouraging to see anyone was still left unalive.

  “I am Lord Lucentio,” Luc said and I almost sniggered at how pompous he sounded. I reminded myself I was supposed to be his servant and stifled my laughter. “Is Gregor in attendance?” That was a diplomatic way of asking if the old vampire had kicked the bucket.

  “He is but he isn’t taking callers,” the guard replied.

  “I hear you had an unexpected visitor last night,” Luc said mildly. “The Councillors have sent me to make sure she never bothers anyone again. Are you sure Gregor won’t take any callers?”

  Shifting from foot to foot indecisively, the guard made a stay put motion with his hand. “Wait here.” Unlike the liveried servants in France, this guy wore a black sweater and cargo pants. It gave the impression of being a military uniform without actually being one. The modern clothes and old fashioned weapon were a disconcerting contradiction.

  Luc waited confidently as the guard strode over to a speaker set into the stone gate. Moments later, the gate opened and we were waved through.

  I stared at the grounds in wonder as we sped up the gravel drive. Hedges had been shaped into animal figures; horses, rabbits, lions, bears and even pigs cavorted on an immaculate lawn. It amazed me that someone who had been dead for as long as Gregor was purported to have been could have an interest in topiary.

  We pulled up in front of the three story mansion. It was just as elegant and breath-taking as the Court mansion in France had been. Inside, it had been decorated with far greater taste than the one in France. The colour scheme ran more to blues and neutral tones rather than to blood red. The guard who had met us at the steps showed us through into a library that was larger than my whole apartment had been. I goggled at the sheer number of books that lined the shelves until Luc elbowed me in the side.

  Gregor McIver sat on a comfortable looking antique chase lounge that had been pulled over to within a few feet of the fireplace. It would be toasty warm on the lounge and I wished I could spend a few days just sitting there reading. But new vampires di
dn’t care about books. They cared only for feeding their hungers. Until told otherwise, I would continue to pretend to be the perfect servant. Make that a passable servant.

  Standing, Gregor turned out to be a couple of inches taller than Luc. He had probably been in his late forties when he’d been turned. His face was craggy and lined and his brows were heavy enough to cast his eyes into shadow. A mane of dark blonde hair framed his compelling face. I met his eyes and had the uncanny feeling that he knew I wasn’t just an average, ordinary vampire. I sensed he was far more ancient than Luc but he was wearing an expensive modern suit. It was dark grey and matched up with a snowy white shirt and silvery tie. He wore a heavy twill coat in dark brown, which would have been too warm for a human in spring.

  “Lucentio,” he said and offered his hand. “It has been a long time, my friend.” The men shook hands warmly. “Who is your lovely companion?” he said and turned to inspect me keenly.

  Sensing the ploy that I was his servant wouldn’t work, Luc altered the story on the spot. “This is Natalie Pierce. We met a short time ago in Australia after her master was killed. She is new and I could not abandon her to life without a master in a country where they do not believe in our kind.”

  “How kind of you,” Gregor said shrewdly as he waved his guard to leave the room. The vampire left reluctantly with backward glares warning us to behave. “Now, would you care to tell me the real story?” Gregor said once the vamp’s footsteps faded away.

  ·~·

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Luc and I exchanged looks as Gregor gestured to another set of couches further away from the fireplace. These were dark brown leather rather than the pale cream of the delicate lounge. I shrugged to let Luc know I was ok with whatever story he wanted to tell as we followed our host to the couches.

  Taking a seat, Luc leaned forward then glanced around to make sure we weren’t being overheard. “The woman who attacked your estate last night, what can you tell me about her?”

  Sitting back, Gregor crossed his arms. “She is not Mortis, I can tell you that much.”

  “How do you know that?” I asked then wished I hadn’t when his piercing eyes fell on me again.

  “Because, my dear,” he said then moved too quickly for me to follow and grabbed my hands, “she did not wear these.” We both looked down at the holy marks on my palms. Luc made no overt move towards his sword that rested against the arm of the couch but he was sitting very still and was ready for action.

  “How did you know?” I whispered.

  “The books.” Gregor nodded at the volumes surrounding us. “No vampire under a hundred cares for anything but food. Or sex,” he added and squeezed my fingers. “If you were truly newly made, you would have shown no interest at all in my collection. Therefore, you must be a very unusual member of our species.”

  Luc gave Gregor a hard stare and the older vampire released me then sat back again. I was frankly wondering why he wasn’t cowering away from me and screaming for his guards. “Will I ever understand vampire politics?” I asked the room.

  “No,” both men responded automatically then shared a chuckle.

  “Can you tell us what happened last night, Gregor?” Luc asked. The tension had relaxed a little and Gregor nodded.

  “The madwoman showed up at the gate and slaughtered my guards. She cut a path to my doorway but she was not prepared for the defences I have put in place against such an attack.” His grin was crafty and imminently pleased with himself.

  “What sort of defences?” I had to ask.

  “I have containers of holy water ready to douse the unwary with from windows on the second floor. It is dangerous for my men to handle them but they take precautions.”

  “I take it your men did not make an end to the imposter,” Luc said.

  “No,” Gregor shook his head regretfully. “One of my men spilled the holy water before he was fully ready. The imposter, as you call her, took off running as soon as the first drops touched her.”

  “That proves she really is the imposter then,” I decided.

  “How so?” Gregor asked.

  “Because I’m supposed to be immune to holy water. I bet she also can’t do this.” I pulled the cross from the back of my jeans and held it up. Both men cringed away until I made the cross disappear again. “I’m not positive about the holy water, though. I haven’t come across any lately to test the theory.”

  “I can assist you with that,” Gregor offered. Reaching for a metal flask on the small end-table to his right, he carefully uncapped the lid then offered it to me.

  I took the flask, shrugged then took a mouthful. Luc gave a shout of alarm and batted the flask out of my hand. Gregor cursed as a few droplets splashed onto his coat. Steam rose immediately and he quickly stripped it off. Wiping dribbles of liquid off my chin, I rolled my eyes at their theatrics. “You two need to get a grip.”

  Luc seized my chin in his hand and examined my face. “You are not injured.” It was a statement, not a question. Releasing me, he sat back on the couch, shaken. Since neither of the men could touch the flask now that it was dribbling water onto the rug, I picked it up and recapped it.

  “Despite the signs she bears,” Gregor said as he folded his smoking coat and placed it over the arm of the couch, “you did not truly believe.” The accusation was directed at Luc but it might as well have been aimed at me as well. The whole deal about me being Mortis was hard to believe. How could I, Natalie Pierce, clothing store manager, have become the worst of all monsters? I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone, somewhere, had made a terrible mistake when they’d chosen me for this gig.

  “And is it so easy for you to believe, old friend?” Luc said with some bitterness. “The prophecy has finally come true and I was the one to unleash it amongst us.” It? I’m an it now?

  “You’re not responsible, Lucentio,” Gregor argued. “Who was Natalie’s maker?”

  “Silvius,” Luc and I said together.

  Gregor nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, I could believe Silvius capable of bringing forth the greatest danger to our kind that was ever conceived of.” He chuckled and I shot a glance at Luc. Gregor’s shadow had been acting normally but now I wondered if the ancient vampire was just as crazy as the others I’d met. “Tell me, my dear,” he said suddenly, “are you harbouring an urge to stake me through the heart?”

  Put on the spot like that, I felt awkward and exposed. “Um, no.” Not yet anyway. There was always a chance I’d change my mind once I got to know him a little better.

  “That is why I am less concerned about you than I am about your imposter,” he said and leaned back against the couch. He certainly seemed relaxed. “She believes she is on a holy mission and feels no compunction at all about ending our existence.”

  “Who does she think she is?” I burst out. “I mean, I know who she thinks she is but what the hell makes her think she’s really me?”

  “Did she bear the holy marks on her hands?” Luc asked.

  “She had marks that are in the shape of a cross,” Gregor admitted. “But they are plain compared to Natalie’s. As for who she might really be, I can’t say. Her face was masked. I saw only her eyes and I believe she might be oriental.”

  Both men exchanged a meaningful look. “What? Does that mean something?” I switched my attention between them in confusion.

  “There is long standing bad blood between the European and Japanese vampires,” Luc explained. “Both have tried to take over as absolute rulers of our kind over the past twenty thousand years or so. We have settled into an uneasy truce but I would advise against travelling to Japan. Any emissaries we send do not tend to come back.”

  “I would not put it past their Emperor to have staged your imposter,” Gregor said. “It would give him great amusement to upset the Councillors and to disrupt the Court.”

  I thought about it for a minute, ignoring the fact that the Japanese vampires had an actual emperor in charge. Although it was a fascinating fact
, it had little bearing on our problem right now. “You think they might have taken a normal human, scarred her hands with cross marks, turned her into a vampire and trained her into a killing machine?”

  “Yes,” Luc said and casually brushed lint off his pants. I guessed once you’d been unalive for a few centuries, nothing much surprised you.

  “So, I’m up against someone who has been training to kill us for G-G-G,” closing my eyes for a second in frustration, I tried another word, “the Lord knows how long? Maybe hundreds of years?”

  “I do not think you have anything to fear, Natalie,” Gregor said with a small smile.

  “Why?” I asked grumpily. There was plenty to fear. Oodles to fear. There were so many things to fear, I couldn’t even list them all.

  “Because very little on this earth has the power to harm you.”

  “I know that,” I said in exasperation.

  “What is bothering you then?” Luc asked.

  I squirmed, not wanting to answer. “She’s going to seriously kick my arse before I finally kill her,” I blurted. That was my greatest fear, apart from my predicted beheading. I knew she would kick my butt, there was no question about it. We hadn’t even met yet and I already felt embarrassed about the future arse kicking I’d be forced to suffer at her hands. “I’m going to look like an idiot.” Tucking the flask of holy water into my back pocket, I covered my face with my hands. The holy marks felt slightly rough against my skin, almost like I’d worked up a good set of calluses. I wish. Calluses had the capacity to be worn down. My holy marks were there to stay.

  Gregor chuckled and even Luc’s lips twitched at my outburst. “We promise we won’t laugh if she ‘kicks your arse’,” Gregor said in a fair imitation of an Australian accent.

  “So, old friend, will you be joining us?” Luc sat forward and stared at Gregor intently.

  Nodding thoughtfully, Gregor indicated me with a graceful gesture. “I do not think that remaining neutral will be possible. It is better to be on the side that you know will win than to be on the losing side.”