The Assassins of Light

by Britney Jackson

  Aaron frowned curiously at him. “That’s a good theory, actually.”

  “Except,” Kara pointed out, “for them to know all of that, they’d need a spy.” She smiled at Isaac. “Do you know where we might find one of those?”

  Aaron rolled his eyes. “Stop antagonizing,” he said, as if he hadn’t already said it a million times, “and focus. I need to know what you think we should do.”

  “I think we should wait,” Kara answered. “Wait for them to come to us.” She looked at Rose. “Do you think you can stop their arrows, if they shoot again?”

  “I don’t know,” Rose said nervously. “I can’t always control my power.”

  “I know,” Kara said gently, “but I believe in you. And, even if you can’t, it’s just an arrow. It would take more than that to kill a vampire. So, no pressure.”

  Rose nodded, and some of the nervousness that fluttered around in her stomach began to ease, calmed by a slight flicker of confidence. She gazed into the blur of snow, wishing that she could predict when the next arrow would come.

  “They probably can’t see us that well, either,” Kara explained to Aaron. “Eventually, they’ll wonder why their arrows aren’t hitting us, and they’ll come.”

  Aaron nodded in agreement. “And then, we can figure out who they are.”

  “Exactly,” Kara said. She ran her hand through her hair, feeling the cold snow that clung to the strands. “And my guess is…we won’t have to wait long.”

  They continued their walk, the blistering cold winds now punctuated by arrows flying at them from all directions, all of which Rose stopped, just in time, using telekinesis. It became more and more obvious that they were outnumbered.

  Finally, to their relief, the arrows stopped, but that relief was short-lived.

  Rose barely even registered the whistle of movement or the slosh of the snow before someone appeared before them—a stunning woman, dressed in all white, oddly enough. The white clothing looked thick and padded, like some kind of bullet-proof armor, and she wore a white, fur-lined hat to shield her face from the cold. If she hadn’t been standing right in front of them, it would’ve been hard to see her in such a snowy landscape. The only thing easily discernible about her was her long, chocolate-brown hair that she wore in one braid, over her shoulder.

  Rose blinked in shock. “Well, hello, armor-wearing person, who basically just appeared out of thin air,” she muttered, “in the middle of freaking nowhere.”

  The vampire smiled. “I’m Mila Gagon, and I can guide you, if you want.”

  “To the colony?” Aaron said. “Are you from the Village of the Undead?”

  Rose lifted her eyebrows. “No, she’s from one of the other vampire colonies out here,” she said sarcastically. She swept her hand out, gesturing at the miles and miles of snow with no civilization in sight. “Don’t you see them all?”

  Aaron turned toward Rose, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Kara,” he called out, still glaring at Rose, “I’m going to kill your girlfriend, if she doesn’t shut up.”

  “You’ve said that thirteen times in the last hour,” Rose informed him.

  “Kara,” he said again, his eyes narrowing, “she’s not shutting up.”

  Kara watched the new vampire with a frown. “We have a problem.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I’m trying to tell you,” Aaron said. “Your lover…”

  “A real problem, Aaron,” Kara told him, her eyebrows high.

  Rose glanced at Kara, suddenly sensing her anxiety. “What’s wrong?”

  “Our new friend is not,” Kara paused, watching the vampire, “friendly.”

  The mysterious, smiling vampire attacked Kara so suddenly that no one had time to react. Except Kara, who had been waiting for it. The vampire swung a dagger at Kara with one hand, and Kara blocked it easily. Mila slashed at Kara with another dagger that she held in her other hand, but Kara leaned back, dodging it, just in time. Their speed only increased from there, until their bodies seemed to blur—becoming nothing more than a flurry of slashes and blows. Finally, after Kara knocked the fifth dagger out of Mila’s hand, they both froze.

  Kara glanced at the dagger in Mila’s left hand—the only weapon that she currently held in either hand—and she smiled. “That’s your last weapon, isn’t it?”

  Mila returned the smile. “Like I’d tell you,” she laughed, and then, she swung the blade at Kara. But Kara caught her wrist and twisted it. Hard. She cried out in pain, and finally, when she could bear it no longer, she dropped the dagger.

  Kara kicked the dagger away from them and released Mila’s wrist. She took a step back and lifted her eyebrow. “Now, tell me. Are you out of weapons?”

  Mila shrugged. “To be honest, I didn’t think I’d need that many.”

  A smirk tugged at the corners of Kara’s lips. “Would you like one of mine?” she said. She pulled one of her daggers from her belt and tossed it to Mila.

  Mila caught the dagger. “Wait,” she sputtered, staring at Kara with wide, brown eyes. “You had weapons that entire time, and you didn’t use them?”

  Kara shrugged one shoulder. “Well, I didn’t want to beat you too quickly.”

  Her brown eyes narrowed. “I’m wearing armor. I can handle weapons.”

  Kara’s piercing, blue eyes sparkled with mischief. “Is that a challenge?”

  “Just do yourself a favor and say no,” Rose told the armor-clad vampire.

  But of course, she didn’t listen. “It’s most definitely a challenge,” Mila said.

  Rose watched with a frown as Kara and the armor-clad vampire began to fight again, except this time, Mila was armed with one of Kara’s daggers, and Kara was armed with her own weapons. “Shouldn’t we help Kara?” she mumbled.

  “Just let her have her fun,” Aaron said. “I don’t care enough to stop it.”

  This fight began and ended even faster than the previous one. For a few moments, their tall, lean forms blurred into nothing but flashes of blade, a flurry of quick, fluid movements, and a blur of snow around them. It ended, finally, when Kara stabbed Mila’s hand, causing her to drop her weapon. Kara then swept Mila backward and pinned her in the snow, pressing a dagger against her throat.

  “According to our rules,” Mila told her, “you have the right to kill me.”

  “You attacked me first, so yes,” Kara agreed, “but I believe you’ll yield.”

  Mila tilted her head back, putting more distance between her throat and the blade. “Yes. I surrender,” she said easily. “I’m not too proud to admit defeat.”

  “Really?” Kara scoffed as she climbed off of the warrior. “Because I am.”

  Aaron watched with a puzzled frown as Kara helped the warrior to her feet. “Don’t you think we should restrain her?” he asked his second-in-command.

  “Nah,” Kara answered, shaking her head. “She’s already surrendered.”

  Aaron raised an eyebrow. “Kara, how many times have you surrendered to someone, as a ploy, and then killed them when they were least expecting it?”

  Kara spread out her hands, frowning, as she considered the question. “What is the name of that really large number that has one hundred zeroes?”

  “A googol,” Rose said, ignoring the look of disbelief Erik shot her way.

  Kara pointed at Rose. “Yeah, that. Probably around that many times.”

  Aaron shrugged bewilderedly. “And yet, you’re still going to trust her?”

  “Trust?” Kara repeated, a baffled frown twisting at her brows. “Who said anything about trust? I take risks because they’re fun. Not because I trust people.”

  “I bet you make lots of great decisions with that attitude,” Rose said dryly.

  Kara turned toward Rose and raked her with such a hot, seductive look that Rose could feel it, like heat, on her skin—even though it was far too cold for said heat. “You want to come a little closer and sass me like that?” she murmured.

  Rose blushed. “Uhh…no?” she squeaked, but
she didn’t sound very sure.

  Erik glanced back and forth between them, chuckling in amusement.

  “Allow me to put your mind at ease,” Mila said to Aaron. “Most warriors, like myself, have a code of honor. I understand you’re not used to that, but…”

  Kara raised an eyebrow at the implied insult. “Ouch,” she said, tilting her head to the side, studying the warrior curiously. “What did I do to offend you?”

  “Nothing,” Mila said with a smile. “I’m not offended. Are you?”

  Kara scoffed at that, “It would take far more than that to offend me.”

  “Right,” Mila said. “Well, as I was saying, I surrendered. I won’t fight.”

  Aaron frowned at her. “Then, why did you attack us to begin with?”

  “I was following orders,” Mila said. “Talulah ordered me to attack Kara.”

  “Talulah?” Aaron repeated. “Why would she order you to attack us? She invited us to come. She said she would welcome us at the Village of the Undead.”

  “And so she shall,” Mila said. “You’ll be shown the same hospitality as any guest of the Village of the Undead. Talulah is an honorable leader, and she’s kind and fair to everyone.” She smiled. “As long as they haven’t wronged her.”

  “Huh. Hospitality must mean something different here,” Rose said dryly. “Where I live, it involves tea or food or…pleasantries. Not being attacked by armor-clad vampires with deadly weapons. But…maybe we’re doing it wrong.”

  Mila glanced at her, and a small, slightly amused smile tugged at her lips. “You misunderstand,” she said. “I was only ordered to attack Kara Unnarsdóttir.”

  As everything that Mila had said finally clicked together in everyone’s heads, Erik looked at Kara, his eyebrows high. “What did you do this time, Kara?”

  Kara looked as confused as everyone else. She shrugged at Erik. “Like I remember,” she scoffed. “I haven’t seen Talulah in over three hundred years.”

  “Do you usually forget the people you’ve wronged?” Mila asked Kara.

  “Well, I wrong about a hundred people a day, so yeah,” Kara muttered.

  “You did say that you and Talulah dated,” Rose reminded Kara. With a curious frown, she added, “Did you, by any chance, end that on a good note?”

  Kara winced at the question. “That depends,” she said uncomfortably. “Is seducing someone so that you can steal information from them a good note?”

  Rose stared blankly at her. “No. In fact, that’s the opposite of a good note.”

  “Ah, then, no,” Kara mumbled. “Not a good note, then. But come on. It was over three hundred years ago. There’s no way she’s still angry about that.”

  Rose waved her hand wildly at the armor-clad vampire. “Clearly, she is.”

  “Aaron ordered me to do it,” Kara said defensively.

  Aaron scowled. “I told you to sabotage her, not to have sex with her.”

  Rose frowned at Kara. “Was it the s-words that confused you? Or…”

  “You didn’t tell me not to sleep with her, either,” Kara reminded Aaron.

  His eyes narrowed. “I told you not to complicate things.”

  Kara shrugged. “What’s complicated about sex?”

  Rose rolled her eyes. “Oh, not much,” she muttered. “Just…everything.”

  Kara shrugged. “What’s the big deal? I already defeated her warrior.”

  “You’ve beaten me, yes,” Mila agreed, “but I’m not the only warrior out here.” She flashed a smile at Kara. “Every ten miles, you’re going to be attacked by a different warrior. Then, if you survive, you can enter the colony safely.”

  “You can’t be serious,” Rose said, her eyes wide. “Is your leader insane?”

  “Rose,” Erik hissed, shooting her a worried look, “you can’t say that!”

  Rose scowled at him. “Why not?”

  “Because,” Mila said, “you insulted my leader. I can attack you for that.”

  “You could,” Kara said with a dangerous smile, “but then, you’d die.”

  Rose elbowed her. “Stop threatening to kill everyone.”

  “I gave her a warning,” Kara muttered. “I thought I was being nice.”

  Rose turned toward Kara, and she suddenly looked so serious that Kara straightened in surprise. “I think you should go back to the plane,” Rose breathed.

  Kara laughed, “How am I supposed to protect you, if I’m on the plane?”

  “Protect me?” Rose repeated, her eyes wide. “I’m not the one who’s going to be attacked every ten miles! Right now, it’s you who needs to be protected.”

  “Rose,” Kara said with an arrogant smile, “I’m a Viking warrior.”

  “Which means you’re cocky as heck and not afraid of death,” Rose said stubbornly. “Neither of those things are what I’d call comforting in this situation.”

  Kara shrugged. “I swore an oath. You won’t convince me to break it.”

  “I’ll go with you, if I have to,” Rose said. “But Kara, I’m just…worried.”

  Kara’s smile faded, and for a moment, she just stared at Rose, her eyes wide, her breath labored, her emotions high. She reached out, brushing her finger over Rose’s hand, which trembled from the cold, and she looked as if she wanted to say something, her lips parting, her breath escaping them in a cloud of smoke.

  But Aaron rolled his eyes at them and grunted, “Neither of you are going anywhere. I need you both to make this alliance work.” Before Rose could argue, he added, “None of Talulah’s warriors are as strong or skilled as Kara. So, there’s nothing to worry about. And if she does get hurt, well, maybe she’ll learn from it.”

  Kara snorted, “Not likely.”

  —

  After a very long night of travel, brutally cold weather, and Kara getting attacked every few miles, they finally arrived at a small, isolated cabin that might have been big enough for two or three people, at most. A tall, statuesque woman with perfect curves stood outside the cabin, waiting for their arrival. At first, Rose assumed it was another warrior, waiting to attack Kara, like the trail of other disarmed warriors that travelled behind them—all beaten. But this woman didn’t wear that strange, white armor. Instead, she wore black pants, tucked into fur-lined boots, and a thick, black coat, slung over a blue sweater. She wore her thick, black hair in four braids, and her gorgeous, dark skin glowed in the moonlight.

  The vampire approached them, the snow and ice crunching beneath her boots. All of the warriors behind them, the ones in white armor, bent their heads, as she approached, almost as if they were bowing, or, at the very least, respectfully acknowledging her presence. She dwarfed Aaron by about an inch, and she stared at him boldly, despite the fact that he was obviously the more powerful vampire.

  “Now, you see why I had to sleep with her,” Kara told Rose. “She’s hot.”

  Rose tore her gaze from the vampire, glancing at Kara. “That’s Talulah?”

  “Of course,” Kara said. But then, she angled a seductive smirk at Rose and nudged her playfully with her shoulder. “She’s not as hot as you are, though.”

  “Nice save,” Rose said dryly. “She’s pretty…intimidating, isn’t she?”

  “She has to be,” Kara told her. “She’s the leader of a vampire colony.”

  After Talulah and Aaron finished acknowledging each other with equally disdainful glares, Talulah walked past the other vampires, approaching Rose and Kara. Rose stepped back, instinctually, and Talulah’s dark eyes shifted toward her, burning with curiosity. The intimidating vampire seemed to breathe deeper, as if she were trying to catch Rose’s scent, trying to identify it. Her deep, black eyes widened as she noticed how sweet Rose smelled—how powerful. But she caught herself quickly, hiding that brief flash of surprise that had passed over her face.

  She turned her attention to Kara. “I trust you had a pleasant journey?”

  Kara laughed. “Yeah. I had so much fun, kicking your warriors’ asses.”

  T
alulah just smiled. “I’m pleased to hear that,” she said politely.

  Rose blinked at the odd exchange, watching bewilderedly as Talulah spun around and headed back toward the small cabin. The white armor-clad warriors headed into the cabin, ahead of her, leaving them outside in the cold with Talulah.

  “Welcome to the Village of the Undead,” Talulah announced, speaking loudly, so that her low, rumbling voice would carry over the loud, arctic wind.

  “You’re either brave or stupid,” Aaron said, “to be out here unguarded.”

  Talulah smiled at him. “Brave and smart,” she said, “because even now, I’m not totally unguarded. I have archers, hiding, like the rest of my warriors did.”

  “We chose not to seek out your warriors,” Aaron told her. “I could sniff them out and kill them, if I needed to. If I were here for a different reason…”

  Her dark eyes narrowed. “Yes. I’m well aware of your history, Aaron.”

  “I’d hope so,” Aaron said, “since I could take your power, at any time.”

  Rose glanced worriedly at Kara. “Is this his idea of making friends?”

  Kara stepped forward, moving closer to the vampires that stood in front of them. Erik, who stood with his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his jacket. Tom, who looked bulkier than usual and extremely uncomfortable in his six layers of clothing. And Elise, who clutched her long, white coat, her thin form shivering beneath it. “Elise,” Kara whispered, hissing to get her attention. “Charm, please?”

  Elise smiled sweetly. “Of course,” she said happily. She pranced around the other vampires, practically dancing on the ice. Her gracefulness immediately drew Talulah’s dark gaze away from Aaron and toward her. Elise tilted her head to the side, her long, curly hair falling over her shoulder, as she flashed a disarming smile at Talulah. “We’re so grateful that you’re welcoming us into your colony.”

  Talulah blinked, her cheeks reddening. “Oh, er,” she stammered, clearly caught off guard, “well, my colony will always open its arms to those who come with…honorable intentions.” She shot a very pointed glare in Kara’s direction.

  Kara winced, running her hand over the back of her neck. “Yeah,” she mumbled under her breath, so that only Rose heard, “she’s definitely still angry.”