Talon

by Alice Wade

  “Ah…” she stumbled to find a suitable explanation so he saved her.

  “Take out your sword.”

  She followed his instruction and held the blade balanced on open palms before her. Athradien evaluated the weapon and clicked his tongue, “This is weak, love.” His eyes continued to roam the blade, “I find this weapon to be unacceptable.”

  “Athradien, it is fine,” she started but he halted her voice with a stern look that said she wasn’t to argue.

  “Unacceptable,” he reached out and placed his hand on the blade and closed his eyes. There was a humming sound then the weapon trembled in her grasp causing her to close her fingers over the razor sharp edge, drawing blood. That triggered the spell and she cried out as the sword glowed then grew three inches longer and thickened to be stronger.

  “It is a weak replacement for the one I made you, but this will serve you just as well. It carries the same spell, but not the love that I poured into the first. This will do what the last did and protect you, because Cuilwen,” he stepped closer and grabbed her behind the neck and pulled her to his face, “I need you to survive.” With that, he kissed her with a passion that had Talon raising an eyebrow and Nethlhindornien snickering from the side, covering his mouth to hide his smile.

  Athradien was back.

  * * * *

  Dace hefted the sword again as it whistled through the air. With his blacksmith’s eye, he measured the balance of the blade and found no fault. It was a perfect design for his size and strength. Damn if Cuilwen wasn’t right.

  Lainey watched calmly from the bed with an amused smile, “Swinging that thing in here is only going to get one of us hurt.”

  He jumped out of his skin at the sound of her voice, “Uh, sorry. I’m still not sure I believe in all this magic stuff.”

  “Well you should. You’ve already practiced enough with teleporting to be a master and I’ve now seen you shift that bloody sword into twenty different objects. So what is it going to take?” she teased with a hint of seriousness.

  “Not sure,” he shifted his focus to his love and inhaled when his heart flipped over. She sat on the bed with one knee bent. Her entire body dressed in tight fitted leather of a dark shade, giving her a sensual but sinister appearance. She looked over a map of the palace that Kailani had given her, but looked up to watch his play with severe intensity.

  “Trust it, Dace. She gave you a priceless gift, one filled with honor and risk. Use it,” her voice cracked, “to survive.”

  Dace moved to her and knelt before the woman he loved more than life itself. He was doing this for her, to free her fully from this monster. He also needed to do it as a man; to set right what Kaen had unbalanced. He too was overcome with emotion and found his throat too tight to form words, so he just held her, kissed her, and caressed her instead.

  Lainey recovered first, “I understand why she gave this to you, Dace. I do. It doesn’t mean that I have to like it. You could walk away from this though; let Talon fight him. You don’t have to do this.”

  He cupped her face and held her head still, “Yes, I do.”

  “Dace—” he stopped her with a kiss that was filled with all the tenderness and intensity he was filled with at the moment. His lips caressed her mouth and his tongue darted into her open lips to dance with hers, drawing her out of her fearful reaction to him hunting down Kaen. He didn’t stop kissing her until she finally relaxed under his hold. He then slanted his face and kissed her deeper until he heard the purr that she emanated when she climbed to a heightened state of arousal.

  It was then that he pulled back and looked into glowing green eyes, “I have to do this.”

  Her entire body sagged and she nodded while she fought tears that suddenly threatened to burst forth, “I know,” she choked out. “Please just be careful, and trust the enchantment Cuilwen gave. I desperately need you to come home. I can’t lose you again, Dace. I can’t.”

  Dace felt his emotional frown pinch his face as he tilted his head, “You won’t, baby. I’ll be back.”

  She blinked and a single tear dropped down her cheek, sliding across her smooth skin and dropping to a wet spot on her leg. Lainey closed her eyes feeling his strong finger traced the path of the tear, wiping the streak dry, before he leaned in and kissed her one more time, “I love you Lainey. Please keep watch, because I’ll be back. I’ll return. You can count on that.”

  “I’ll wait for you.”

  “You need to do something for me too,” he smirked. “You remember what Kailani taught you?” She nodded. “I need you to fight like a crazed vampire and destroy all that come in your path, Lainey. I’m ordering you to stay alive too.”

  She chuckled and leaned forward and brushed his lips again, “I can do that.”

  “Good girl,” and with that, Dace stood and drew Lainey up with him. “We have to go now. Remember, stay close to the elves and fight like the demon I know is in you. Fight hard.”

  “I get it!” She laughed, “Come on, standing here won’t get this over with.”

  * * * *

  Before Talon met Athradien in the hallway, he’d stolen a moment with his mate in the room where she was recovering. No words were spoken as they’d been here a thousand times before.

  Talon stood behind a naked Kailani, running a soft caress that trailed along the outer swell of her breast and down her stomach sending shivers trembling through her entire body. He reversed his course and trailed his long fingers between the valley of her breasts while he kissed her neck in a succulent caresses that had her quivering in his arms.

  His mouth became more insistent, his hands filling with her firm breasts and his fingers dragged over her tight nipples, causing an animalistic growl to be issued from his lips attached at her neck.

  Fire exploded through her the moment his hands massaged her mounds. In a flash Kailani twirled around in his arms and dropped to her knees; and in the next breath her hot mouth sheathed his firm shaft nearly causing his knees to buckle when he felt the heat envelope him.

  Kailani loved him this way until his grunt announced his completion. She pulled back, leaning on her heels and staring up at him for a moment longer before she stood and was immediately whisked to the bed where he bent her leg and pushed inside in a desperate attempt to forget the coming fight.

  Their union was rushed and filled with intense passion. There was no foreplay, no teasing caresses. They both needed to feel the other for it could very well be their last time. Even though he’d love to spend hours paying homage to her body, but they didn’t have that luxury. They both achieved their blissful release at the same time with little coaxing, leaving Talon to prepare for the onslaught of images and Kailani twitching in absolute pleasure.

  He battled the intensity of Kaen’s images, and he made a silent vow that tonight would be the last night he’d have to do endure this torture. Tonight it would end–one way or another.

  * * * *

  “Kaen, stop glowering,” Deandra hissed from his side. The two were dressed in heavy velvet gowns that must have weighed a ton, not to mention they were hot, really hot. Sweat dripped between her breasts and down the back of her neck as the sun rose higher in the sky. For the first time, she wished for a breeze even though it would damage her elaborate hairstyle, which was artistically designed to catch the crown perfectly.

  Kaen was glowering not because of the heat or his discomfort, but because he felt Talon approach. Felt that familiar tickle of his mind and his arrogance was getting under his skin. It was insulting that the vampire didn’t even try and conceal himself, instead he approached letting Kaen know he was here.

  The bald leader of the Dûr Falas looked down at his wife and resisted snarling in her face. She had no clue, absolutely no clue. “Faelwen, Talon’s here,” he said to his friend.

  His man touched his mind, “I felt
him too. He seems to be alone.”

  Kaen laughed aloud, causing Deandra to squint in confusion because she didn’t hear the exchange. “How ignorant of you, Faelwen. He’s not alone you fool. He’s just sending us a warning message. They’re here. Get the coven into motion and make sure nothing interrupts this coronation!” His words were said so viciously in Faelwen’s head that the dark vampire actually cringed from his hiding place one hundred yards away.

  Just then a breeze rustled their clothing, and Deandra looked down in relief, not realizing where that breeze came from. “Oh, thank you. Cool air.”

  Kaen grabbed her elbow and pulled her to his body in order to grumble in her head. “That is not the weather dearest. Talon is here. That wind is his calling card.”

  Her blonde head shot up and she looked around frantically searching the faces that were crammed into the square outside the palace. Thousands of faces blended into a sea of faces. As her eyes ran over them all in a blur, she realized she’d never find him and shifted her gaze to Kaen’s face. “What now?”

  “An ‘I told you so’ seems to be in order, but we’ll have to let the coven manage.” He turned to the priest. “Get on with it.” When the man had the nerve to look to Deandra for approval, Kaen scowled, sending the man back a step. He cleared his throat, seeming to gather his courage.

  “P-p-please k-kneel,” the nervous priest instructed.

  Both Kaen and Deandra dropped to their knees and looked up at the priest expectantly. Deandra had begun to tremble with fright as the threat of Talon suddenly became very real. Kaen trembled for an entirely different reason—he was enraged.

  The priest inhaled deeply through his nose then exhaled through his mouth to calm his anxiety then lifted his face and raised his hands high in the air in a form of benediction. “People, we gather here today to witness the elevation of our new king and queen.” There was a hushed silence that fell across the thousands of watchers.

  A page approached with a golden velvet pillow that held a large jewel encrusted gold crown. Behind him was a second page with a smaller pillow with a more delicate version.

  “We will witness their greatness as they speak their undying vows of servitude to this land and its people, and their commitment will herald in a new era!” he said loudly, trying to muster a passion in his voice that spoke of encouragement and optimism. He failed.

  Earlier, before this public ceremony began both Deandra and Kaen had said their private vows with the priests. The private vows only partially invested them until their final coronation and without the public to witness and the crown placed on their heads, their status would not be honored by the people. He knew Talon would try to stop this, making Kaen urge the priest to move faster and get this over with, at least with one of them.

  “Faster,” he barked.

  “Kaen Bandian, do you swear to protect the sturdy and devote people of Kimbre until your last breath?”

  “I do.”

  “Do you swear that the land and its people are now under your protection and therefore care?”

  “I do.”

  “Do you swear that nothing will come between you and your crown, nothing to interfere with your responsibility to your people?”

  He growled, “I do.”

  The worried mummers from the crowd had Deandra twisting around for a look. Her loud gasp had Kaen turning too and he witnessed a thick fog that slowly oozed between the people. Fingers of the moisture laden cloud slipped like a tidal wave over the ramparts of the square, concealing the upper walls and those that gathered below.

  Kaen turned and grabbed the front of the priest’s robe. “Finish what you started,” he growled.

  “People! W-w-witness the raising of our new king, King Kaen Bandian!” He reached for the crown and lifted if off the pillow, but held it elevated for all to see. A few cheers from the crowd encouraged the priest, so with exaggerated drama, he slowly lowered the crown towards Kaen’s bent and waiting head.

  However, it never made it there. There was whistling sound before the crown was snatched from the priest’s hands by a thick arrow that carried the accessory away. The arrow embedded in the wall twenty paces back with the crown dangling from the shaft.

  Kaen shot up. “No!” He pointed to a coven member on the platform. “Get me that crown!” He then directed his anger at the priest. “Finish!”

  “It is not finished until the crown is on your head, sire. Until then, I cannot!”

  “Get it now!”

  There were more sounds of confusion from the audience sending Kaen swirling around. Deandra remained on her knees but had turned to watch what was happening behind her.

  The fog was thickest along the top rampart, straight back and in direct line to the two on the platform. The fog was so thick Kaen could not see any movement but he knew Talon was there. This reeked of him and hissed.

  “Pay attention,” he said directly to the minds of his coven.

  The fog swirled and parted. Kaen hissed as a dark figure appeared, materializing through the opaque wall. The figure stood casually, a long recurve bow braced behind his back and the other arm holding two more arrows. There was no denying who had shot the arrow that stole the crown from Kaen.

  From his height, physique and arrogance, it could be none other than Talon.

  Kaen roared, pacing around the platform issuing orders to get the damn crown from the wall. His vampires were close to securing it, but it was magically lodged into the wall and they could not touch it without sustaining serious injury in the process.

  The dark figure spoke, but didn’t reveal himself to the people below. “People, you’ve been deceived by this man. He will not bring you peace or relief from the horrors that Ondre delved out. Believe me, he is a hoax.”

  “Talon!” Kaen violently screamed. He forgot his surroundings and dropped all pretenses of being human. He emerged a truly sinister killer, equipped with eyes the color of a moonless night and talons that extended at least two inches from each digit. He had never been this out of control with anger before.

  Deandra crawled away from him and sought to find some sort of shelter from the chaos being unleashed around her. This is what Kaen feared would happened. This is exactly what he had predicted would take place. She only hoped that his hundreds of vampires would stop this lunatic on the rampart before he got much further.

  When Kaen screamed his name, Talon heard the collective gasp of horror. Thousands of heads turned up to look at the concealed shape, fearful of the reputation that one name held. Talon—killer, vicious vampire that sacrificed woman for his own needs, savage beast that drank the blood from innocents. Talon’s name meant only one thing in their minds—death.

  Kaen capitalized on the irony of this situation. Talon was their salvation, yet they feared him more than the murderous vampire on the dais. He yelled out, “That’s right people! It’s Talon, the vampire of nightmares!” He neglected to accept that he’d changed and stood before his congregation as the same mentioned monster, a beast straight out of horror stories. When the people looked back towards the platform, all the blood drained from their faces as they realized who the real bringer of death really was.

  The screams that Kaen heard next were not because of Talon. It sent him into a rage that had him shedding the coronation gown to stand before the people in nothing but leather trousers. His bare chest proudly displayed the black tattoo of the Drake, claws extended on his heaving chest.

  “It’s over. We end this now,” Talon said calmly. “I won’t let you destroy another town, and I won’t let you gain power over these people. They’ve been through enough!” In a blur Talon released another arrow that whizzed through the air and narrowly missed Kaen’s shoulder.

  “You missed!” the bald vampire taunted.

  “That was a warning shot. Come to me, Kaen. Come and find me, an
d let’s end this. Here. Now.” Talon called up through the fog again, and he effectively disappeared behind the haze. As Talon moved deeper into the mist, Kailani met him and touched his arm.

  “Dace is here now. He and Athradien stand waiting,” she whispered.

  “Good.” Talon touched her cheek in a loving caress. “Be safe, my love.”

  What happened next was something none of them were prepared to defend.

  Lainey grunted when Kaen teleported into their location, honing into his weak link to her, and wrapped his thick arms around her waist. The look she gave Dace was filled with terror as she reached desperately for him. Then they were just…gone.

  “Lainey,” Dace choked out in a tormented panic. He twirled around the spot where she had stood and felt the despair of this thievery heavy on his chest. “Oh, Vasila. Lainey!” he cried. Dace paced the spot searching the ground as if it would show a sign of where she went. Anger boiled and he whirled and stared murderously at others.

  Kailani moved towards him, but just when she was about to reach him, she skidded to a halt when she felt the disturbance of air at her side. Screaming, she watched Kaen appear, grabbing her and yanking her head around so they both faced an enraged Talon. It all happened too quickly for anyone to react.

  Kailani thrashed, shredding his skin with her talons, but he didn’t loosen his hold, “You lose, Talon,” Kaen whispered before he blinked out again.

  Cuilwen rushed forward. “Dace. Go!” She shoved him but he didn’t respond, so she slapped his face to shake him from his stupor. “Go! I gave you this magic so you could follow him!”

  Dace looked up at her in confusion. The reality of the situation became crystal clear. His lips tightened into a scowl and he nodded once. “How do I find him?”

  “Follow Lainey. Your scent is on her. You’ve recently made love, right?” Cuilwen spoke as she helped him to his feet.

  “Yes, this morning.”

  “Follow her scent and your mark. Think about what she smells like, think about what she feels like and go. The sword will help you.”